Why You Shouldn't Play the Hero (Cathryn Harper)

Everyone wants to be the hero, whether at work with your colleagues or at home with your family and friends. We want to be supportive, and customer focussed, and react immediately to every need. But sometimes, being too quick to help can have some unintended consequences. Here are some reasons why not coming to the rescue may actually be the right thing to do.

You Can Get Pulled into Something Much Bigger: Everybody has done it: spoken up at a meeting, or answered an email, because you have some inside knowledge that no one knows about, that you think can help solve a problem. You mean to provide some sage advise and move on. The people involved now see you as a critical resource that may need to be intimately involved in the project, or event going forward. Unless your motivation is to take on bigger responsibilities at that fund raiser, parent meeting, or client project, thinking twice before speaking is probably a good thing.

Things Sometimes Work Themselves Out: For years my husband has worked in technology. Many times people will raise flags about project deliverables or user problems that seem to require immediate attention. I've watched as entire teams of people have galvanized themselves into action,making plans, calling in favors, only to find out that the problem has resolved itself in the intervening hours. On occasion, letting a few hours or even a day go by before responding to an issue can actually result in better use of your and everyone else's time.

Letting Others Step Up: While we may like the feeling of being indispensable, quite often there are other capable individuals involved who can resolve the problem at hand. Many times they might be the ones asking for help in the first place, because they've become complacent or dependent upon you. If you know someone has the skill set to solve the issue, let them take a shot at it first. Letting them do so will help them build confidence and give you some additional back-up when things happen in the future. And you can always step in to help, any time, if you see that they're struggling.

I'm not suggesting that you don't offer your help in situations where you think doing so may have a significant positive impact. Just take the time before reacting, to assess the situation and see if your help is truly needed, or if it's time to let someone else wear the cape.

Cathryn is a working mother of three. A self-professed health and fitness nut, Cathryn loves to research and write about health and wellness related topics. For more details please visit at http://www.cathrynharperpress.com/

Everyone wants to be the hero, whether at work with your colleagues or at home with your family and friends. We want to be supportive, and customer focussed, and react immediately to every need. But sometimes, being too quick to help can have some unintended consequences. Here are some reasons why not coming to the rescue may actually be the right thing to do.

You Can Get Pulled into Something Much Bigger: Everybody has done it: spoken up at a meeting, or answered an email, because you have some inside knowledge that no one knows about, that you think can help solve a problem. You mean to provide some sage advise and move on. The people involved now see you as a critical resource that may need to be intimately involved in the project, or event going forward. Unless your motivation is to take on bigger responsibilities at that fund raiser, parent meeting, or client project, thinking twice before speaking is probably a good thing.

Things Sometimes Work Themselves Out: For years my husband has worked in technology. Many times people will raise flags about project deliverables or user problems that seem to require immediate attention. I've watched as entire teams of people have galvanized themselves into action,making plans, calling in favors, only to find out that the problem has resolved itself in the intervening hours. On occasion, letting a few hours or even a day go by before responding to an issue can actually result in better use of your and everyone else's time.

Letting Others Step Up: While we may like the feeling of being indispensable, quite often there are other capable individuals involved who can resolve the problem at hand. Many times they might be the ones asking for help in the first place, because they've become complacent or dependent upon you. If you know someone has the skill set to solve the issue, let them take a shot at it first. Letting them do so will help them build confidence and give you some additional back-up when things happen in the future. And you can always step in to help, any time, if you see that they're struggling.

I'm not suggesting that you don't offer your help in situations where you think doing so may have a significant positive impact. Just take the time before reacting, to assess the situation and see if your help is truly needed, or if it's time to let someone else wear the cape.

Cathryn is a working mother of three. A self-professed health and fitness nut, Cathryn loves to research and write about health and wellness related topics. For more details please visit at http://www.cathrynharperpress.com/

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Why You Shouldn't Play the Hero (Cathryn Harper)

Everyone wants to be the hero, whether at work with your colleagues or at home with your family and friends. We want to be supportive, and customer focussed, and react immediately to every need. But sometimes, being too quick to help can have some unintended consequences. Here are some reasons why not coming to the rescue may actually be the right thing to do.

You Can Get Pulled into Something Much Bigger: Everybody has done it: spoken up at a meeting, or answered an email, because you have some inside knowledge that no one knows about, that you think can help solve a problem. You mean to provide some sage advise and move on. The people involved now see you as a critical resource that may need to be intimately involved in the project, or event going forward. Unless your motivation is to take on bigger responsibilities at that fund raiser, parent meeting, or client project, thinking twice before speaking is probably a good thing.

Things Sometimes Work Themselves Out: For years my husband has worked in technology. Many times people will raise flags about project deliverables or user problems that seem to require immediate attention. I've watched as entire teams of people have galvanized themselves into action,making plans, calling in favors, only to find out that the problem has resolved itself in the intervening hours. On occasion, letting a few hours or even a day go by before responding to an issue can actually result in better use of your and everyone else's time.

Letting Others Step Up: While we may like the feeling of being indispensable, quite often there are other capable individuals involved who can resolve the problem at hand. Many times they might be the ones asking for help in the first place, because they've become complacent or dependent upon you. If you know someone has the skill set to solve the issue, let them take a shot at it first. Letting them do so will help them build confidence and give you some additional back-up when things happen in the future. And you can always step in to help, any time, if you see that they're struggling.

I'm not suggesting that you don't offer your help in situations where you think doing so may have a significant positive impact. Just take the time before reacting, to assess the situation and see if your help is truly needed, or if it's time to let someone else wear the cape.

Cathryn is a working mother of three. A self-professed health and fitness nut, Cathryn loves to research and write about health and wellness related topics. For more details please visit at http://www.cathrynharperpress.com/

Everyone wants to be the hero, whether at work with your colleagues or at home with your family and friends. We want to be supportive, and customer focussed, and react immediately to every need. But sometimes, being too quick to help can have some unintended consequences. Here are some reasons why not coming to the rescue may actually be the right thing to do.

You Can Get Pulled into Something Much Bigger: Everybody has done it: spoken up at a meeting, or answered an email, because you have some inside knowledge that no one knows about, that you think can help solve a problem. You mean to provide some sage advise and move on. The people involved now see you as a critical resource that may need to be intimately involved in the project, or event going forward. Unless your motivation is to take on bigger responsibilities at that fund raiser, parent meeting, or client project, thinking twice before speaking is probably a good thing.

Things Sometimes Work Themselves Out: For years my husband has worked in technology. Many times people will raise flags about project deliverables or user problems that seem to require immediate attention. I've watched as entire teams of people have galvanized themselves into action,making plans, calling in favors, only to find out that the problem has resolved itself in the intervening hours. On occasion, letting a few hours or even a day go by before responding to an issue can actually result in better use of your and everyone else's time.

Letting Others Step Up: While we may like the feeling of being indispensable, quite often there are other capable individuals involved who can resolve the problem at hand. Many times they might be the ones asking for help in the first place, because they've become complacent or dependent upon you. If you know someone has the skill set to solve the issue, let them take a shot at it first. Letting them do so will help them build confidence and give you some additional back-up when things happen in the future. And you can always step in to help, any time, if you see that they're struggling.

I'm not suggesting that you don't offer your help in situations where you think doing so may have a significant positive impact. Just take the time before reacting, to assess the situation and see if your help is truly needed, or if it's time to let someone else wear the cape.

Cathryn is a working mother of three. A self-professed health and fitness nut, Cathryn loves to research and write about health and wellness related topics. For more details please visit at http://www.cathrynharperpress.com/

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Why You Shouldn't Play the Hero (Cathryn Harper)

Everyone wants to be the hero, whether at work with your colleagues or at home with your family and friends. We want to be supportive, and customer focussed, and react immediately to every need. But sometimes, being too quick to help can have some unintended consequences. Here are some reasons why not coming to the rescue may actually be the right thing to do.

You Can Get Pulled into Something Much Bigger: Everybody has done it: spoken up at a meeting, or answered an email, because you have some inside knowledge that no one knows about, that you think can help solve a problem. You mean to provide some sage advise and move on. The people involved now see you as a critical resource that may need to be intimately involved in the project, or event going forward. Unless your motivation is to take on bigger responsibilities at that fund raiser, parent meeting, or client project, thinking twice before speaking is probably a good thing.

Things Sometimes Work Themselves Out: For years my husband has worked in technology. Many times people will raise flags about project deliverables or user problems that seem to require immediate attention. I've watched as entire teams of people have galvanized themselves into action,making plans, calling in favors, only to find out that the problem has resolved itself in the intervening hours. On occasion, letting a few hours or even a day go by before responding to an issue can actually result in better use of your and everyone else's time.

Letting Others Step Up: While we may like the feeling of being indispensable, quite often there are other capable individuals involved who can resolve the problem at hand. Many times they might be the ones asking for help in the first place, because they've become complacent or dependent upon you. If you know someone has the skill set to solve the issue, let them take a shot at it first. Letting them do so will help them build confidence and give you some additional back-up when things happen in the future. And you can always step in to help, any time, if you see that they're struggling.

I'm not suggesting that you don't offer your help in situations where you think doing so may have a significant positive impact. Just take the time before reacting, to assess the situation and see if your help is truly needed, or if it's time to let someone else wear the cape.

Cathryn is a working mother of three. A self-professed health and fitness nut, Cathryn loves to research and write about health and wellness related topics. For more details please visit at http://www.cathrynharperpress.com/

Everyone wants to be the hero, whether at work with your colleagues or at home with your family and friends. We want to be supportive, and customer focussed, and react immediately to every need. But sometimes, being too quick to help can have some unintended consequences. Here are some reasons why not coming to the rescue may actually be the right thing to do.

You Can Get Pulled into Something Much Bigger: Everybody has done it: spoken up at a meeting, or answered an email, because you have some inside knowledge that no one knows about, that you think can help solve a problem. You mean to provide some sage advise and move on. The people involved now see you as a critical resource that may need to be intimately involved in the project, or event going forward. Unless your motivation is to take on bigger responsibilities at that fund raiser, parent meeting, or client project, thinking twice before speaking is probably a good thing.

Things Sometimes Work Themselves Out: For years my husband has worked in technology. Many times people will raise flags about project deliverables or user problems that seem to require immediate attention. I've watched as entire teams of people have galvanized themselves into action,making plans, calling in favors, only to find out that the problem has resolved itself in the intervening hours. On occasion, letting a few hours or even a day go by before responding to an issue can actually result in better use of your and everyone else's time.

Letting Others Step Up: While we may like the feeling of being indispensable, quite often there are other capable individuals involved who can resolve the problem at hand. Many times they might be the ones asking for help in the first place, because they've become complacent or dependent upon you. If you know someone has the skill set to solve the issue, let them take a shot at it first. Letting them do so will help them build confidence and give you some additional back-up when things happen in the future. And you can always step in to help, any time, if you see that they're struggling.

I'm not suggesting that you don't offer your help in situations where you think doing so may have a significant positive impact. Just take the time before reacting, to assess the situation and see if your help is truly needed, or if it's time to let someone else wear the cape.

Cathryn is a working mother of three. A self-professed health and fitness nut, Cathryn loves to research and write about health and wellness related topics. For more details please visit at http://www.cathrynharperpress.com/

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5 Common Sense Skills Your Child Needs for College (Cathryn Harper)

Understandably, most parents put emphasis on academic achievement in preparation for successful transition of their offspring from home to college. Grades, national test scores, and a full slate of school activities are certainly things kids need to have in spades in order to be chosen by top schools, but those only open the door. Once they walk through it, diploma in one hand, acceptance letter in the other, will your kids be prepared?

I have raised two daughters and a son, and each time I looked back and wished I had given them a little more coaching on things outside the classroom. Smart and funny, they have all done well despite whatever sins of omission I committed. If I could do it over, however, here are some of the things I would work a little harder on.

First and foremost, what's their money IQ? Seriously, kids need a really good grip on balancing a checkbook and managing a credit card balance. Not understanding how these things work can derail even the brightest kids if things get out of hand. Teach your kids how to handle money. The younger, the better. Instilling good habits like using the four banks, spend, save, invest and give, will help them keep their heads above water once they are out there navigating financial water on their own.

Do they know the basics of diet and nutrition? Sure, they will likely be served meals in the dorm, or in the sorority or fraternity house, but even then there are smart choices to make. Aside from the freshman 15, as in pounds they will pick up from having almost unlimited portion sizes and dessert served at every meal, do they know what to eat? And as important, why?

Along those same lines, do they know their way around a kitchen? Can they slice an onion? Cook an egg or a bowl of non-instant oatmeal? Boil pasta? Make a grilled cheese? If not, teach them. Again, it is likely they will have their meals served to them at first, but at some point, when you are not around, they will need to know these things. Better to have done them a time or two with some guidance from you than to have them calling in a panic, or worse, from the ER.

Do they know basic first aid? Please say yes, and if not, enroll them in a Red Cross class that gives them the standard stuff about CPR, burns, cuts, etc. And send them off with a first aid kit that includes bandaids, antiseptic ointment, acetominophin/ibuprofin, first aid tape, and gauze.

Lastly, do they have a healthy amount of street sense? Do they know not to go to places on their own or not to separate from friends at parties or events? Have they been taught to watch for strangers or people who seem out of place? Remember there will be late nights at the library or classroom and something as simple as walking to a parked car by themselves can be dangerous if they are naive or don't know what signs to look out for. And finally, make sure they know how to handle an emergency, in the dorm or on the road.

Teaching your children about life on their own is just as important, if not more so, than helping them get a 4.0 GPA.

Cathryn is a working mother of three. A self-professed health and fitness nut, Cathryn loves to research and write about health and wellness related topics. Visit our website at http://www.cathrynharperpress.com/ for more info.

Understandably, most parents put emphasis on academic achievement in preparation for successful transition of their offspring from home to college. Grades, national test scores, and a full slate of school activities are certainly things kids need to have in spades in order to be chosen by top schools, but those only open the door. Once they walk through it, diploma in one hand, acceptance letter in the other, will your kids be prepared?

I have raised two daughters and a son, and each time I looked back and wished I had given them a little more coaching on things outside the classroom. Smart and funny, they have all done well despite whatever sins of omission I committed. If I could do it over, however, here are some of the things I would work a little harder on.

First and foremost, what's their money IQ? Seriously, kids need a really good grip on balancing a checkbook and managing a credit card balance. Not understanding how these things work can derail even the brightest kids if things get out of hand. Teach your kids how to handle money. The younger, the better. Instilling good habits like using the four banks, spend, save, invest and give, will help them keep their heads above water once they are out there navigating financial water on their own.

Do they know the basics of diet and nutrition? Sure, they will likely be served meals in the dorm, or in the sorority or fraternity house, but even then there are smart choices to make. Aside from the freshman 15, as in pounds they will pick up from having almost unlimited portion sizes and dessert served at every meal, do they know what to eat? And as important, why?

Along those same lines, do they know their way around a kitchen? Can they slice an onion? Cook an egg or a bowl of non-instant oatmeal? Boil pasta? Make a grilled cheese? If not, teach them. Again, it is likely they will have their meals served to them at first, but at some point, when you are not around, they will need to know these things. Better to have done them a time or two with some guidance from you than to have them calling in a panic, or worse, from the ER.

Do they know basic first aid? Please say yes, and if not, enroll them in a Red Cross class that gives them the standard stuff about CPR, burns, cuts, etc. And send them off with a first aid kit that includes bandaids, antiseptic ointment, acetominophin/ibuprofin, first aid tape, and gauze.

Lastly, do they have a healthy amount of street sense? Do they know not to go to places on their own or not to separate from friends at parties or events? Have they been taught to watch for strangers or people who seem out of place? Remember there will be late nights at the library or classroom and something as simple as walking to a parked car by themselves can be dangerous if they are naive or don't know what signs to look out for. And finally, make sure they know how to handle an emergency, in the dorm or on the road.

Teaching your children about life on their own is just as important, if not more so, than helping them get a 4.0 GPA.

Cathryn is a working mother of three. A self-professed health and fitness nut, Cathryn loves to research and write about health and wellness related topics. Visit our website at http://www.cathrynharperpress.com/ for more info.

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6 Easy Ways to Re-energize (Cathryn Harper)

You know your body runs on energy, right? Well, just like your exotic racecar, when you're out of fuel, or when you put the wrong fuel in, things don't run so well. And, if you haven't maintained things like you should, there could be a performance drag, or worse, even failure.

So, what are you waiting for? Your body, just like that gorgeous car, needs attention in order to keep going. But, you say, you're tired? You can't take the time to address that fuel problem or those performance issues just now? You might be surprised at how easy some of this kind of maintenance is.
Breathing - Most of us don't get enough oxygen for a big part of the day, barely breathing in and out without taking so much as one deep breath. Every hour or so, get up, reach for the sky, and take about five long, slow, deep breaths through the nose, exhaling through the mouth. Ahhhhh. Feels good, right? What? Did you hear something? That was your body saying thank you.

Limit caffeine - Most of us reach for the caffeine in the morning to jumpstart our systems, but it is a quick fix that, in just a short time, sends our systems crashing, makes us cranky, or worse yet, keeps us from getting enough sleep. Give yourself a week off of the java and see what happens. You might be surprised how much it actually zaps from you.

Choose the right snacks - Hit the wall at work? It might be late afternoon, and you're feeling slow and tired, so you reach for some sugar. Well, guess what? In an hour, that sugar will be metabolized, and you, my friend, will again feel tired and sleepy. If you really need to appease your sweet tooth, choose something with a little fiber attached, like fruit. Added bonus: no weird artificial flavors or colors.

Find the right sleep rhythm - Just no energy all day long? You might not be getting enough sleep. Everyone has dances to their own internal circadian rhythms, but if you're not getting enough sleep, it's probably stealing your thunder by day. Experiment with different doses and note how you feel the next day. Also, the average sleep cycle, going from REM sleep and non REM sleep, lasts for approximately 90 minutes. Waking during the middle of a cycle can sometimes make you tired all day. Try setting your alarm 30 minutes earlier or later to see if you hit on the right timing, hitting just at the end of a sleep cycle, and waking refreshed and energy ready.

Eat a balanced diet - You can shovel in a boatload of fast food calories and still be tired. Yes, your body needs fuel, but filling it up with fat laden calories, full of energy zapping ingredients and little nourishment just doesn't work. Do a little due diligence with regard to diet, and see if you can't find some foods that you like that will give you the vitamins and nutrients you need to make it through the day with energy to spare.

Stay hydrated - Make sure you're drinking enough water throughout the day. That doesn't mean you need to have a water bottle strapped to your hip. Just listen to your body. When it says its thirsty, get up, walk to the water fountain, and take a good, long drink. Soda doesn't count. Actually, it counts against you, so stick to water.

That's the top six, but there are a few other things you might want to tackle if you still feel sapped of energy after making these changes. If you're under a boatload of stress, find a way to mitigate it through activities like meditation, yoga, Pilates, fishing, bike riding, whatever; just get out there and forget your cares for a while. Also, avoid things that bring you down emotionally. Toxic people can rub off on you, too, dragging you down. Try to disengage from those personality types and stay positive! Consider some of these suggestions, and prepare to be energized.

Cathryn is a working mother of three. A self-professed health and fitness nut, Cathryn loves to research and write about health and wellness related topics. Click here "Ways to Re-energize" to read more relted aticles.

You know your body runs on energy, right? Well, just like your exotic racecar, when you're out of fuel, or when you put the wrong fuel in, things don't run so well. And, if you haven't maintained things like you should, there could be a performance drag, or worse, even failure.

So, what are you waiting for? Your body, just like that gorgeous car, needs attention in order to keep going. But, you say, you're tired? You can't take the time to address that fuel problem or those performance issues just now? You might be surprised at how easy some of this kind of maintenance is.
Breathing - Most of us don't get enough oxygen for a big part of the day, barely breathing in and out without taking so much as one deep breath. Every hour or so, get up, reach for the sky, and take about five long, slow, deep breaths through the nose, exhaling through the mouth. Ahhhhh. Feels good, right? What? Did you hear something? That was your body saying thank you.

Limit caffeine - Most of us reach for the caffeine in the morning to jumpstart our systems, but it is a quick fix that, in just a short time, sends our systems crashing, makes us cranky, or worse yet, keeps us from getting enough sleep. Give yourself a week off of the java and see what happens. You might be surprised how much it actually zaps from you.

Choose the right snacks - Hit the wall at work? It might be late afternoon, and you're feeling slow and tired, so you reach for some sugar. Well, guess what? In an hour, that sugar will be metabolized, and you, my friend, will again feel tired and sleepy. If you really need to appease your sweet tooth, choose something with a little fiber attached, like fruit. Added bonus: no weird artificial flavors or colors.

Find the right sleep rhythm - Just no energy all day long? You might not be getting enough sleep. Everyone has dances to their own internal circadian rhythms, but if you're not getting enough sleep, it's probably stealing your thunder by day. Experiment with different doses and note how you feel the next day. Also, the average sleep cycle, going from REM sleep and non REM sleep, lasts for approximately 90 minutes. Waking during the middle of a cycle can sometimes make you tired all day. Try setting your alarm 30 minutes earlier or later to see if you hit on the right timing, hitting just at the end of a sleep cycle, and waking refreshed and energy ready.

Eat a balanced diet - You can shovel in a boatload of fast food calories and still be tired. Yes, your body needs fuel, but filling it up with fat laden calories, full of energy zapping ingredients and little nourishment just doesn't work. Do a little due diligence with regard to diet, and see if you can't find some foods that you like that will give you the vitamins and nutrients you need to make it through the day with energy to spare.

Stay hydrated - Make sure you're drinking enough water throughout the day. That doesn't mean you need to have a water bottle strapped to your hip. Just listen to your body. When it says its thirsty, get up, walk to the water fountain, and take a good, long drink. Soda doesn't count. Actually, it counts against you, so stick to water.

That's the top six, but there are a few other things you might want to tackle if you still feel sapped of energy after making these changes. If you're under a boatload of stress, find a way to mitigate it through activities like meditation, yoga, Pilates, fishing, bike riding, whatever; just get out there and forget your cares for a while. Also, avoid things that bring you down emotionally. Toxic people can rub off on you, too, dragging you down. Try to disengage from those personality types and stay positive! Consider some of these suggestions, and prepare to be energized.

Cathryn is a working mother of three. A self-professed health and fitness nut, Cathryn loves to research and write about health and wellness related topics. Click here "Ways to Re-energize" to read more relted aticles.

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