06 March

Goal SettingMental Fitness PQMental HealthPersonal DevelopmentPersonal GrowthPositive IntelligencePQ TrainingProfesional BrandingSelf-CarestrategyTips

The “Always-On” Burnout: Why Your 24/7 Grind is Actually Your Greatest Liability

by Yen Labz 0 Comments

The “Always-On” Burnout: Why Your 24/7 Grind is Actually Your Greatest Liability

The “Always-On” Burnout: Why Your 24/7 Grind is Actually Your Greatest Liability

Let’s get one thing straight: If your “success” requires you to be tethered to a Slack channel at 10 PM on a Tuesday, you haven’t built a career, you’ve built a cage.

I see it every single day. I talk to brilliant, high-achieving leaders who have everything on paper: the title, the revenue, the influence, but they’re running on fumes and lukewarm espresso. They wear their exhaustion like a designer suit, thinking that “busy” is a synonym for “important.”

Newsflash: It’s not. It’s a slow-motion car crash.

We are living in the era of the “Always-On” Burnout. It’s that vibrating anxiety in your chest when you haven’t checked your phone in twenty minutes. It’s the guilt you feel for taking a lunch break that doesn’t involve a Zoom call. It’s the soul-crushing realization that you’re winning the game, but you’re too tired to enjoy the prize.

It’s time to stop the glorification of the grind. We need to rethink what high-stakes success actually looks like before we all collectively lose our minds.

The Lie We’ve All Bought Into: The “Hustle” Mirage

We’ve been sold this toxic narrative that the only way to stay at the top is to never, ever look away. We think that if we aren’t the first to respond, we’re replaceable. If we aren’t “hustling” while everyone else sleeps, we’re falling behind. We’ve turned “grind” into a personality trait and “rest” into a dirty word.

But here’s the truth that nobody wants to tell you: The “Always-On” model is a low-performance strategy.

When you are constantly reactive, jumping at every notification and treating every email like a five-alarm fire, you are operating from your lizard brain. You’re in survival mode. You are essentially a highly-paid firefighter who never actually puts out the fire, just keeps the smoke from getting too thick. And let me tell you, you cannot lead, innovate, or dominate your market from a place of survival.

True high-stakes success requires vision. It requires the ability to see three steps ahead, to anticipate market shifts, and to manage people with empathy and clarity. You can’t do that when your eyes are glued to a screen 18 hours a day. You’re trading your $10,000-an-hour insights for $10-an-hour busywork.

Your Brain is Not a MacBook

You can’t just keep 50 tabs open in your brain and expect the system not to crash. Your brain has a finite amount of “decision capital” every day. Every time you check a notification, answer a “quick” question, or switch tasks, you are spending that capital.

When you refuse to “turn off,” your cognitive function plummets. Your decision-making gets sloppy. You start making “good enough” choices instead of “great” ones. Worst of all, your emotional intelligence, the very thing that makes you a great leader, evaporates. You start snapping at your team, missing the nuances in a contract negotiation, and losing the “spark” that got you here in the first place.

The most successful people I know aren’t the busiest. They are the most intentional. They understand that rest isn’t a reward for hard work; it’s a requirement for it. They know that a walk in the woods, a workout without a podcast, or a silent morning isn’t “wasted time,” it’s the R&D department for their next big move. If you don’t give your brain the space to wander, it will never find the solution you’re looking for.

The Psychology of the Ping

Why are we so addicted to being “on”? It’s dopamine, honey. Every time that little red bubble pops up on your screen, your brain gets a tiny hit of validation. “Someone needs me. I am important. I am productive.”

But there is a massive difference between activity and achievement.

We’ve become addicted to the feeling of being busy because it protects us from the terrifying work of being significant. It’s easy to clear an inbox; it’s hard to sit in silence and figure out why your company’s growth has stalled or how to lead a team through a crisis. We use “Always-On” as a shield against the deep work that actually matters.

3. Mental Resilience (The “Innovate” Power)

In 2026, the shelf-life of a strategy is about six months. If every shift causes you a week of stress, you’re already losing.

Mental Fitness (PQ) allows you to face a market crash, a budget cut, or a technological shift and see it as a Gift and an opportunity. While your competitors are stuck in “Judge” mode, complaining about the change, you are using your innovative power to find the loophole, the new niche, or the smarter way forward.

The Redefinition of High-Stakes Success

What if we stopped measuring success by how many hours we logged and started measuring it by the quality of our presence?

Rethinking success means acknowledging three hard truths:

Boundaries are a Power Move: Being unavailable makes you more valuable. If anyone can reach you at any time for any reason, you aren’t a leader; you’re an intern with a better paycheck. Scarcity creates value. When you are protective of your time, people respect it more.
Urgency is Often a Performance: Half the things people label as “urgent” are just their own lack of planning or their own anxiety bleeding onto your desk. Stop inheriting other people’s chaos. Just because someone else is panicking doesn’t mean you have to join them.
Sustainability is the Only Real Win: If you can’t maintain this pace for the next ten years without a heart attack, a breakdown, or a divorce, your business model is broken. A “successful” life that destroys your health and your relationships is a failure of strategy.

The Cost of the “Yes”

Every time you say “yes” to a non-essential meeting or a late-night call, you are saying “no” to something else. You’re saying “no” to your sleep, “no” to your family, “no” to your health, and “no” to your long-term strategic thinking.

High-stakes success is about the Power of the No. It’s about being ruthless with your time so you can be generous with your impact.

How to Kill the “Always-On” Beast: A Tactical Guide

You don’t need a year-long sabbatical in Bali to fix this (though, hey, if you can do it, go for it). You need a backbone and a strategy. Here is how we start reclaiming your life:

1. The ”Notification Audit”

If it’s not a human being calling you with a genuine emergency, turn the noise off. Your phone should work for you, not the other way around. Most “notifications” are just companies trying to steal your attention so they can sell it to someone else. Take your attention back.

2. The Hard Stop

Pick a time, 7 PM, 8 PM, whatever, and stick to it. Put the phone in a drawer. Close the laptop. The world will not stop spinning if you don’t answer that non-critical email until tomorrow. If the world does stop spinning because you went to dinner, then you have a delegation problem, not a work ethic problem.

3. Reclaim Your Morning

Stop checking your phone the second you wake up. You are literally inviting the world’s demands, the world’s tragedies, and the world’s opinions into your bed before you’ve even had a glass of water. You are starting your day in a defensive crouch. Own your first hour. Meditate, move, read, or just stare at a wall, anything but looking at a screen.

4. Schedule “Deep Work” Blocks

If your calendar is a patchwork of 30-minute meetings, you will never accomplish anything great. You need blocks of at least 90 minutes to 2 hours where you are unreachable. No Slack, no email, no “quick questions.” This is where the magic happens. This is where you actually earn the “high-stakes” title.

5. Stop Performative Responsiveness

We often respond quickly just to show people we are working. Stop it. It sets a dangerous precedent. If you respond to an email at 11 PM, you are telling that person it is okay to email you at 11 PM. You are training people how to treat you. Train them to expect excellence, not instant accessibility.

The Leadership Ripple Effect

When you are an “Always-On” leader, you aren’t just burning yourself out, you’re burning your team out. Your behavior sets the culture. If you are sending emails at midnight, your team feels obligated to read them at midnight.

You are creating a culture of anxiety, not a culture of excellence.

A burned-out team is a stagnant team. They won’t bring you new ideas because they’re too tired to think of them. They won’t take risks because they’re too busy trying to keep up with your frantic pace.

True leadership is about creating a space where people can do their best work. And people do their best work when they feel safe, rested, and trusted. By stepping back and setting boundaries, you give your team permission to do the same. You move from a “command and control” style to a “trust and empower” style.

The Identity Crisis

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Who are you if you aren’t “the busy one”?

A lot of the “Always-On” burnout is driven by an identity crisis. We’ve tied our value so closely to our output that the idea of stopping feels like a disappearance. If I’m not working, do I even exist? Am I still successful?

The answer is yes. In fact, you are more successful when you have the agency to stop. Real power isn’t the ability to work 100 hours a week; real power is the ability to choose how you spend your time.

The Science of Stillness

We need to talk about why “doing nothing” is actually a high-performance habit.

There is a concept in physics called “potential energy.” It’s the energy stored in an object because of its position. A bow that is drawn back has potential energy. When you are “Always-On,” you are like a bow that is constantly being fired. You never have the chance to be pulled back, to build up that potential.

Rest is how you build potential energy. It’s how you sharpen the saw.

When you allow yourself to be bored, your brain enters the “Default Mode Network.” This is when your brain starts connecting dots that it couldn’t see when it was focused on a specific task. This is where the “Aha!” moments come from. This is where the billion-dollar ideas are born.

If you are always consuming information, you are never creating it. You need the “white space” to synthesize what you know into something new.

Redefining the Stakes

We call it “high-stakes success” because we think the stakes are the money, the title, or the market share. And sure, those things matter.

But the real stakes? The high stakes?

Your health: Chronic stress is a literal killer. No IPO is worth a stroke.
Your relationships: Your kids won’t remember your “productivity scores.” They’ll remember if you were there.
Your sanity: What’s the point of having the world if you’ve lost the capacity to enjoy it?

Success is only success if you are healthy enough to experience it and have people around you to share it with. Anything else is just a well-funded tragedy.

The Bottom Line: Own Your Life

High-stakes success is about impact, not activity. It’s about being the person who makes the right call, not the person who types the most words.

You were meant for more than just being a highly-efficient processing unit for other people’s requests. You were meant to build, to lead, to innovate, and most importantly, to live.

Stop waiting for permission to slow down. The “Always-On” culture is a choice, and today is the day you opt out. You have to be the one to draw the line in the sand. You have to be the one to say, “My time is valuable, my energy is finite, and my life is more than my job.”

Reclaiming your time isn’t a retreat; it’s a strategic move. It is an investment in your longevity and the quality of your work. The world has enough people who are busy. It needs more people who are effective, centered, and truly awake.

The pressure is high, yes. But the stakes are your life, your health, and your legacy. Don’t waste them on the trivial. Don’t let the “Always-On” burnout rob you of the very success you’ve worked so hard to achieve.

Ready to Stop the Spiral?

If you’re tired of being the most stressed-out person in every room, it’s time to find out what’s actually driving your burnout. It isn’t just your calendar, it’s your internal programming.

Take the Free Saboteur Assessment Here

Discover which mental habits are keeping you “Always-On” and learn how to shift from high-stress survival to high-impact leadership. Let’s build a career that doesn’t require you to set your life on fire to keep the lights on.

12 March

Mental Fitness PQMental HealthPersonal DevelopmentPersonal GrowthPositive IntelligencePQ TrainingSelf-Care

From Sharp to Foggy and Back Again: Reclaiming My Mind

by Yen Labz 0 Comments

From Sharp to Foggy and Back Again: Reclaiming My Mind

Introducing Our First Guest Contributor: A Journey of Healing, Purpose, and Transformation

I am beyond honored to introduce the very first guest contributor to the Be Productive Coaching Blog—someone who has been part of my life since childhood and whose journey embodies resilience, transformation, and purpose.

This article is written by my childhood best friend, Inez (Neza) Camacho. Neza and I have known each other since we were 12, and a few years ago, I had the privilege of coaching her through a major career transition. She was at a crossroads, looking for a new direction that aligned with both her talents and her deeper purpose. At the time, she had already been in recovery for a while, and through our work together, we discovered that her next step was to give back—to help others in their own recovery journeys.

Once we identified the right path, Neza pursued a certification in addiction recovery coaching, deepening her expertise beyond personal experience to truly understand the science of healing. After completing her program, we worked together to refine her resume, ensuring it spoke directly to her new career direction—one of the most important steps in making a successful transition. That process, which I guide many of my clients through, is about more than just updating a resume; it’s about aligning identity, purpose, and professional branding to create real impact.

This work is deeply connected to my passion for Positive Intelligence and the brain’s ability to rewire itself. Understanding how we can strengthen new neural pathways, shift mindset patterns, and cultivate resilience is key to both personal and professional transformation. Neza’s story is a testament to this—showing how neuroplasticity, intention, and support can create lasting change.

I chose Neza as our first featured guest for many reasons. Of course, there’s the personal connection—she’s my oldest best friend. But more importantly, the work she does is vital. In a world where mental health struggles are increasingly prevalent, many turn to substances as a way to numb pain, escape reality, or cope with life’s pressures. As someone who made the personal decision to stop drinking in 2022—not because I hit rock bottom, but because I realized it no longer served me—I deeply relate to the themes of clarity, healing, and reclaiming control over one’s life. Since making that decision, I have experienced firsthand the cognitive and emotional benefits of sobriety, from improved memory to greater presence and self-awareness.

Neza’s journey—from struggling with memory loss due to substance use to becoming a guide for others in recovery—is truly inspiring. I am incredibly proud to share her insights on neuroplasticity, healing, and transformation.

Without further ado, I invite you to read below for “From Sharp to Foggy and Back Again: Reclaiming My Mind” by Inez (Neza) Camacho. Her story and expertise are sure to inspire anyone looking to overcome personal challenges, rewire their mindset, and step into a life of clarity and intention.

From Sharp to Foggy and Back Again: Reclaiming My Mind

I woke up on the couch, still in the same clothes from the night before. Confused, I turned to my (now ex) partner and asked, “How did I end up here?” This was my reality more times than I could count. After a night of drinking and smoking marijuana—“drugging,” as I called it—my memories were often fragmented, like a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces. Sometimes, someone would fill in the blanks, but usually, I was left trying to reconstruct the night on my own.

In 2014, I embarked on my wellness journey. It was only through old pictures, resumes, letters, emails, and the memories of others that I was able to access my past. Even then, not all memories returned. I became obsessed with understanding what had happened to me, why my mind had been so clouded, and, more importantly, how I could reverse the damage. Little did I realize at the time that my use of drugs and alcohol had been an attempt to numb my emotional pain. But as I began my healing process, I discovered something powerful: the brain’s remarkable ability to repair itself through neuroplasticity.

Neuroplasticity: The Brain’s Ability to Heal

Neuroplasticity is the brain’s capacity to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. This adaptability allows us to recover from injury, learn new skills, and reshape thought patterns. For those in recovery, whether from addiction, trauma, or illness, harnessing neuroplasticity can be a game-changer. I discovered I could rewire my brain and restore my cognitive function by implementing intentional habits.

How I Rebuilt My Brain: Strategies for Creating New Neural Pathways

For me, every practice always started with a prayer to my God, and at first, it was for peace.

1. Mindful Repetition & Consistency

Engaging in positive habits daily—such as meditation, journaling, and exercise—helped strengthen new neural pathways and replace old destructive behaviors.

2. Physical Movement & Exercise

Walking, dancing, and yoga improved my overall well-being and stimulated neuroplasticity. Exercise boosts BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), which enhances cognitive function and memory.

3. Meditation & Breathwork

Mindfulness meditation reduced my stress and rewired my emotional responses. Breathwork activated my parasympathetic nervous system, helping me cultivate inner peace.

4 Learning New Skills

Challenging my brain by learning new things—such as playing an instrument, gardening, and writing—helped create new neural connections and kept my mind sharp.

5. Journaling & Affirmations

Writing about my experiences allowed me to reframe my thoughts, break negative cycles, and reinforce self-empowering beliefs.

6. Social Connection & Community

Surrounding myself with a supportive community helped keep me accountable and fostered emotional resilience. Conversations with others shifted my perspective and reinforced positive habits.

7. Healthy Nutrition & Supplements

Fueling my body with brain-boosting nutrients like Omega-3s, Vitamin D, magnesium, and B vitamins significantly improved my cognitive function and mood.

8. Gratitude & Visualization

Practicing gratitude daily shifted my focus toward positivity, while visualization techniques helped me embody new, healthier habits.

9. Cognitive Reframing

By identifying and replacing limiting beliefs with constructive thoughts, I changed my inner dialogue and cultivated self-compassion.

10. Cold Exposure & Novel Sensory Experiences

Cold showers and grounding exercises (such as walking barefoot on grass) stimulated my brain, encouraging flexibility and resilience.

After ten years of being substance-free, I can proudly say that my memory is sharper than ever. I integrated these practices gradually—some weekly, some monthly, and others yearly—allowing my brain and body the time they needed to heal. Meditation, breathwork, continuous learning, and a loving, accountable community have been my greatest blessings.

My biggest teacher? My son. He often reminded me of the lessons I had taught him, and when I asked where he had learned them, his response always brought a smile to my face: “From you, Mom.”

Thank you for reminding me, my sweet guru.

Healing is possible. The brain can rebuild. And life, once foggy, can become crystal clear again.

About Inez

Neza – Life, Recovery, Professional & Transformational Coach

Having walked the path of recovery herself, Neza understands the deep challenges that come with rebuilding life, whether from addiction, transitions, or personal setbacks. With compassion and experience, she helps others define what joy and purpose look like for them, guiding them through roadblocks and onto a clearer path.

As a single parent, she knows the delicate balance of parenting in recovery, and as a coach, she supports clients navigating the stress of returning to work, school, or simply finding stability. Neza’s approach is rooted in kindness, resilience, and a touch of adventure, meeting each person where they are and walking beside them on their wellness journey.

Find her on at Nezacoaching.com or @nezacoaching | Linktree

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14 February

Mental Fitness PQMental HealthPersonal DevelopmentPersonal GrowthPositive IntelligencePQ TrainingSelf-Care

The Role of Respect in Workplace Well-Being

by Yen Labz 0 Comments

The Role of Respect in Workplace Well-Being

The Role of Respect in Workplace Well-Being

Respect isn’t just about being polite—it’s the foundation of a thriving workplace. I recently experienced firsthand how a lack of respect for communication and collaboration can disrupt a team’s ability to function effectively.

A Lesson in Respect from a Volunteer Ministry

This January, I spent the month in North Carolina working remotely while my husband was on assignment. In addition to my work, I volunteer at my parish and lead a women’s ministry. Since I was away, I continued to lead our weekly meetings via Zoom. One week, due to a business conflict, I asked two of the women to take over different responsibilities—one to lead the spiritual reflection and the other to coordinate an upcoming fundraising event.

While the spiritual reflection went smoothly, the fundraiser planning quickly spiraled into chaos. Instead of a productive discussion, it became a power struggle. People spoke over one another, different ideas clashed without compromise, and ultimately, the meeting ended with frustration and unresolved tensions.

After speaking with a few of the women afterward, I realized the core issue: there was no respectful exchange of ideas—just individuals pushing their own agendas. This experience made me reflect on how respect plays a crucial role not just in volunteer organizations, but also in the workplace.

Why Respect Matters at Work

In the workplace, respect goes beyond civility—it’s about valuing others’ contributions, listening actively, and fostering collaboration. When employees feel respected, they experience greater psychological safety, engagement, and productivity. On the other hand, workplaces that lack respect see more conflicts, lower morale, and reduced innovation.

According to Gallup’s State of the American Workplace Report, employees in environments where they feel respected are:
✔ More likely to experience better mental health and job satisfaction
✔ Less likely to feel burned out or disengaged
✔ More inclined to stay engaged, show initiative, and contribute to company goals

This reinforces that respect isn’t just a “nice-to-have” but a business imperative that directly impacts employee retention, performance, and overall workplace culture.

Building a Respectful Workplace Culture

Creating a respectful culture starts at the top. Leaders must model respect in their interactions, setting a precedent for the entire organization. This involves clear policies, consistent behavior, and a genuine commitment to valuing every team member.

Here are actionable steps leaders can take to foster respect:

✔ Model respectful behavior – Demonstrate respect in all interactions, from how you listen to how you respond.
✔ Promote active listening – Encourage employees to listen to each other, validating different perspectives.
✔ Recognize achievements – Regularly acknowledge the contributions of team members and celebrate successes.
✔ Encourage open communication – Create channels for employees to voice concerns, ideas, and feedback.
✔ Provide continuous learning opportunities – Offer training on respect, diversity, and inclusion to ensure that respect is consistently reinforced across the organization.

When leaders prioritize respect, it creates a ripple effect—shaping a work environment where employees feel heard, valued, and empowered to collaborate effectively.

How Positive Intelligence Strengthens Respect and Teamwork

One of the most effective ways to enhance workplace respect is by strengthening emotional intelligence (EQ)—and that starts with Positive Intelligence (PQ).

PQ helps individuals recognize and shift away from negative, reactionary thinking (Saboteurs) and instead activate their Sage Powers—such as empathy, curiosity, and innovation—leading to:

✅ Better Communication – Employees become better listeners and more open to feedback.
✅ Stronger Collaboration – Teams work together rather than against each other.
✅ Increased Innovation – A culture of respect fosters creative problem-solving.

By improving mental fitness, Positive Intelligence helps leaders and teams build a foundation of respect that leads to higher workplace well-being, engagement, and productivity.

Join Our Next Positive Intelligence Bootcamp – Starts March 1st!

If you’re looking to strengthen emotional intelligence, communication, and collaboration in your workplace, our 7-week Positive Intelligence Mental Fitness Bootcamp is for you.

📅 Starts March 1st | Sign up by February 17th to receive:
✔ Two complimentary 30-minute coaching calls
✔ One year of access to the Positive Intelligence app
✔ A money-back guarantee if you’re unsatisfied after two weeks

Transform the way you lead and interact—starting with your own mental fitness. Let’s build a workplace (and life) where respect, collaboration, and well-being thrive.

📩 Contact Be Productive Coaching to register or learn more!

18 November

FaithGoal SettingMental Fitness PQMental HealthPersonal DevelopmentPersonal GrowthPositive IntelligencePQ TrainingSelf-CareTips

Surprising Daily Habits That Could Be Adding to Your Anxiety

by Yen Labz 0 Comments

Surprising Daily Habits That Could Be Adding to Your Anxiety

In today’s fast-paced world, anxiety has become an everyday companion for many. While we’re aware of the significant stressors like work deadlines or financial worries, it’s easy to overlook the small, seemingly harmless habits that could add to our stress levels. Recognizing these hidden triggers is essential for building a balanced, calm lifestyle. Here, we’ll explore a few of these daily habits that might fuel your anxiety and share how some simple adjustments can make a big difference.

Disclaimer: This article discusses general, everyday anxiety that may come from typical life stressors. If you experience persistent, overwhelming, or medically diagnosed anxiety, please consider consulting a healthcare provider for appropriate guidance and support.

The Morning Scroll: How Social Media Starts Your Day with Stress

I know it’s tempting to reach for your phone first thing in the morning to scroll through social media or catch up on the news, especially if you are like me and use your phone as your alarm. But while it might feel like a gentle way to wake up, it can kickstart a cycle of stress. Studies show that exposure to social media early in the day can lead to comparison, information overload, and even “doom-scrolling”—a habit linked to increased anxiety.

Instead of starting with your phone, begin your day with a screen-free routine. A few minutes of stretching, deep breathing, or enjoying a quiet cup of coffee can help you set a calm, positive tone for the day.

Personally, I am thankful to have my two dogs, who are attention hounds in the morning. Although I walk to the bathroom to brush my teeth with my phone, my focus is on them and getting my teeth brushed. I also have a morning routine of listening to the daily readings in the Hallow App. So, although I am on my phone, I am being productive with my spiritual practice.

The “Productivity Trap”: Overloading Your To-Do List

To-do lists are fantastic for staying organized, but there’s a fine line between planning and overwhelming yourself. When we overload our lists, we create pressure to achieve perfection, leading to stress when we inevitably fall short. This constant drive to cross off every task can fuel feelings of inadequacy and, yes, anxiety.

Instead, try limiting yourself to 3-5 critical tasks each day. This approach, known as “priority planning,” keeps you focused on what truly matters, reducing the pressure of an overloaded list and boosting both productivity and peace of mind.

My trick? I schedule everything on my calendar, and there’s only so much space, so I have no choice but to limit myself to 2 or 3 key tasks between client sessions.

Caffeine as a Pick-Me-Up—and Anxiety Trigger

This is a hard one for me to include here because it is my ONLY guilty pleasure. However, I understand how, for some, this may be a stimulant that is not good for you. So, if you are one of those people, you should lay off the caffeine. I know it’s hard because caffeine is a go-to for many in our “always-on” culture, providing that quick boost to keep going. But caffeine stimulates the nervous system, raising heart rate and blood pressure, both of which mimic anxiety symptoms. For some, this can unintentionally amplify feelings of anxiety.

If that’s you, consider switching your second or third cup of coffee for herbal tea or water, especially in the afternoon. Green tea, with its mix of caffeine and the calming amino acid L-theanine, maybe a gentler alternative. Moderating caffeine intake can help maintain energy while keeping anxiety triggers in check.

Skipping Meals or Eating on the Go

Busy schedules make skipping meals or grabbing quick, sugary snacks easy. But erratic eating leads to blood sugar dips, making you feel irritable, anxious, and fatigued. Eating high-sugar foods also causes “sugar crashes” that exacerbate anxiety symptoms.

Prioritizing balanced meals with protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs can stabilize blood sugar and improve mood. Setting aside time to eat mindfully—even just 10 minutes—can keep your body and mind balanced. Minor adjustments like meal-prepping, carrying snacks, or ordering from a meal service (my productivity hack) can significantly impact your anxiety levels.

Before I go on, let me tell you about Jet Fuel Meals. My husband and I work from home, and earlier this year, we recognized that our schedules were not allowing meal prepping, so we decided to try out this meal delivery service after a neighbor raved to us about it. Let me just say it’s been four months, and we love it. It saved us time and money, and we no longer skip meals or snacks. Jet Fuel Meals is based in Florida, but you can locate a meal service near you if you are out of the state.

“Always-On” Mentality: Skipping Breaks

With remote work and constant connectivity, many people need to be productive all day. But this “always-on” mentality often backfires, leading to mental fatigue, burnout, and increased anxiety. With breaks, our brains can experience much-needed rest, which makes handling stress easier.

Set a timer to take a 5-10 minute break each hour. Stretch, walk around the block, or practice mindfulness to recharge. These small mental breaks can reduce stress, allowing you to return to tasks more focused and refreshed. I love playing with my dogs during my breaks and taking a short walk during my lunch break.

Ignoring Sleep Needs: How Sleep Deprivation Impacts Anxiety

Now, this is a massive boundary for me. Sleep and mental health go hand in hand, yet many of us sacrifice sleep for extra work, screen time, or late-night distractions. Poor sleep lowers resilience, worsens mood, and impairs focus—all of which can heighten anxiety.

Prioritizing sleep is one of the simplest ways to reduce anxiety. Aim for 7-9 hours each night and consider a relaxing bedtime routine. I love my bedtime routine! Avoid screens at least an hour before bed to reduce blue light exposure (I can be better at this), which disrupts melatonin production and can impact sleep quality.

Here is my routine:

I start with a hot shower, go through my facial routine, and brush my teeth. I take one melatonin, put a moisturizer on my feet and a little balm on my lower back, and say my nighttime prayers. I then turn on my white noise machine, put on my silk satin bonnet if my hair is styled, and lastly, put on my Tempur-Pedic Sleep Mask and go to sleep. I love my routine!

Awareness as Your First Step Toward Change

Being aware of these hidden anxiety triggers is your first step to a healthier, more balanced life. With minor adjustments to your habits, you can make space for calm, focus, and mental clarity in your day-to-day routine. These small changes add up, helping you feel more in control and less anxious.

My last go-to is Ashwagandha.. I am not a doctor, and I am not prescribing this to you, but this natural supplement has been life-changing for my husband and me. It helps balance energy levels, stress relief, and mood. Read about it and ask your healthcare professional if it’s okay for you to take it.

Start Managing Your Anxiety with Be Productive Coaching

Ready to take the next step toward a balanced, fulfilling life? At Be Productive Coaching, we offer personalized guidance to help you recognize and reduce anxiety triggers, build healthier daily habits, and regain control over your well-being. Through compassionate, expert coaching, we’ll help you develop strategies that fit your unique lifestyle and goals.

Don’t let anxiety dictate your days—reach out today and start creating a foundation for lasting calm and resilience.

25 April

Mental Fitness PQMental HealthPersonal DevelopmentPersonal GrowthPositive IntelligencePQ TrainingSelf-CareTips

Tips for your career’s next step!

by Vimari Roman 0 Comments

Career Strategist & Coach

I help high-performing professionals – like you – transition into exciting jobs with higher earning potential and career satisfaction.

Tips to prepare for your next career transition!

Whether you want to switch industries, climb the corporate ladder, or start your own business, we have valuable advice to help you succeed.

1. Define your goals: Before embarking on a career transition, it’s essential to clearly understand what you want to achieve. Ask yourself: What kind of work do I enjoy? What are my strengths and weaknesses? What are my long-term career aspirations? Once you have a solid understanding of your goals, you can build an action plan.

2. Assess your skills: Take inventory of your existing skills and identify any gaps that need to be filled. Acquiring new knowledge and skills can be achieved through various means, such as enrolling in courses, participating in workshops, or seeking mentorship opportunities. The more you can enhance your skill set, the better positioned you will be for your next career move.

3. Network: Building relationships with people in your desired industry can be incredibly valuable. Broadening your professional circle can enhance your career transition prospects. You can consider participating in industry events, enrolling in professional associations, and contacting relevant contacts on LinkedIn to expand your network. This will help you learn about job opportunities and gain insider knowledge about the industry you want to enter.

4. Update your resume: Your resume is your personal marketing tool, so make sure it’s up-to-date and tailored to your new career goals. Highlight the skills and experiences that are most relevant to your new career path.

5. Practice interviewing: Interviews can be nerve-wracking, so practice makes perfect. Prepare for potential job interviews by researching frequently asked questions and rehearsing your answers with a trusted confidant, such as a friend or family member. The more prepared you are, the more confident you will be in the actual interview.

6. Stay positive: Career transitions can be challenging, but staying positive and persistent is essential. Don’t be discouraged by setbacks or rejections. Rather than being disheartened by setbacks, utilize them as opportunities for growth and progress. Maintain your determination and continue making efforts towards accomplishing your objectives.

We hope these tips help you prepare for your next career transition. Remember that anything can be achieved through an appropriate mental attitude and adequate groundwork.

Tips to Avoiding Stress & Burnout.

Stress and burnout are common issues faced by many people in today’s fast-paced and demanding world. Taking care of yourself is crucial to avoid these problems and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Here are some valuable tips to help you prevent stress and burnout:

1. Prioritize self-care: Make sure to take time for yourself every day to relax and recharge. Whether going for a walk, taking a yoga class, or reading a book, prioritize what works for you.

2. Set boundaries: Learn to say no and set boundaries with your work and personal commitments. You can avoid overloading yourself with too many tasks and schedule time for rest and relaxation.

3. Practice mindfulness: Incorporate mindfulness practices such as meditation, deep breathing, or visualization into your daily routine. By incorporating these practices into your routine, you can effectively alleviate stress and enhance your overall state of well-being.

4. Connect with others: Social support is vital for mental and emotional health. You can allocate some time to connect with your loved ones or explore your hobbies and interests by joining a group or club.

5. Manage your workload: Break down tasks into manageable chunks and prioritize them based on importance. Could you consider delegating tasks to others, or discuss workload concerns with your supervisor?

Remember, taking care of yourself is essential for preventing stress and burnout. By implementing these tips, you can improve your overall well-being and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Stay tuned for next month’s newsletter to discuss ways to improve your productivity and focus.

Mental Fitness Bootcamp!

We are excited to announce that on the 13th of May, we will be hosting a Mental Fitness Bootcamp to help individuals improve their mental health and well-being.

The bootcamp will include exercises, sessions, and discussions to enhance your cognitive abilities and promote a healthy mindset.

Get ready to experience the 7 Weeks of Inspired Practice at our Mental Fitness Bootcamp:

✔Week 1: Boost Your Self-Command Muscle

✔Week 2: Your Judge

✔Week 3: Intercept Your Accomplice Saboteurs

✔Week 4: Shift From Saboteur to Sage

✔Week 5: Sage Muscle

✔Week 6: Boost Your Sage Powers

✔Bonus Week 7: Navigate and Sustain with Life and Work Applications

Our bootcamp is open to anyone looking to improve their mental health and well-being, whether you’re a student, working professional, or stay-at-home parent. By joining us, you’ll gain valuable knowledge and tools to help you lead a happier, healthier life.

The bootcamp will be held virtually, so you can attend from the comfort of your own home or office. To register, visit our website and sign up for the Positive Intelligence Mental Fitness Bootcamp.

How it Works

1. Watch a weekly 1-hour video session.

2. Attend weekly group coaching session

3. Practice for 15 min. every day on an exclusive Mobile App.

4. Track your daily progress and conquer your brain.

Curious about my training? Our next Crushin Mental Fitness Bootcamp starts May 13th. See below for more details.

We hope to see you there!

We’ve got one life to live. I choose to live mine fearless and free, at peace, and filled with hope and love. How about you? Have a memory that anchors you? ⚓ Share it with me…I’d love to hear it.

This work is life-changing!

Click below to learn more:

https://beproductivecoaching.com/crushing-mental-fitness/

Is this for you? Listen to Beth’s testimonial.

Next Steps:

First step: Take the saboteur assessment to meet your top saboteurs. (Note that you will be asked for an email address, and we recommend you use the same email address you will use to receive information during the program and download the app). Once you take the assessment, you will receive three (3) emails from Shirzad Chamine, the founder explaining the work, and we recommend you read them. You will not receive any other emails after that from Positive Intelligence. All of the program information will come from Vimari. Here is the link for the assessment: Take the Free Saboteur Assessment

Second step: Confirm your interest and register now on my website. Register Now – May 13, 2023 Cohort

Are you a leader thinking of how to spend your 2023 Training & Development budget?

Elevate your team’s EQ by putting your Training & Development budget to work towards training that will be sustainable with our Positive Intelligence Powered Teams program. You can select any date, and we can start a private Co-Hort just for your team.

Learn more about it by clicking below:

https://beproductivecoaching.com/positive-intelligence-for-teams/

Tip of the month🌟

Practice self-compassion. When we make mistakes or face challenges, we often beat ourselves up and engage in negative self-talk. However, treating ourselves with kindness and understanding can help to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.

Let’s meet in person at any of the following:

June 12-15, 2023: MPI WEC

IN-PERSON | Coaching

Location: Riviera Maya

More details to follow

IN-PERSON Session | Elevate and Reinvigorate Your Personal Brand for Today’s Market!

Location: Riviera Maya

June 26-28, 2023: FICP Education Forum

IN-PERSON Session | Increase Your EQ with Positive Intelligence™

Location: Omni Amelia Island Resort

Date: June 27

Time: 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm ET

August 23-25, 2023: Meet Well Summit

IN-PERSON | ONSITE SESSION

Session Title: Burnout No More

Location: Opal Sands Resort, Clearwater Beach, FL

More details to follow

Are you coming to any of these conferences? Let’s connect!

About Be Productive:

Founder Vimari Roman changes lives by helping professionals achieve peak performance and fulfillment through career strategies, coaching, professional branding, and mental fitness.

She began her career in Hospitality. After over 20 years, she realized she had outgrown her career; in 2013, she transitioned her skillset, earned her Certificate in Meeting Management, and started her first company, Be Productive Meetings & Events. After a great start, she felt that something was still missing. She went inward and discovered that she missed the coaching and leadership of her teams. A year later, in 2014, she received her Global Certificate in Leadership Coaching and founded Be Productive Coaching, a boutique firm based in Miami, Florida. With over twenty-five years of experience in leadership, Vimari has mentored and coached hundreds of high-performing professionals in various industries, amplifying their unique talents and strengthening their mental muscles to help them achieve peak performance, fulfillment, and growth.

Vimari is a Certified Leadership and Positive Intelligence Coach who speaks on Mental Fitness, Professional Branding, and Career Strategies and Transitions. She is a proud and engaged member of the South Florida ICF Chapter, and in 2019 she was recognized by LinkedIn as a LinkedIn Career Expert.

Know someone who could benefit from working with a coach specializing in career strategies, professional branding, positive intelligence, and mental fitness? Personal Introductions are the lifeblood of solopreneurship! www.beproductivecoaching.com

17 October

Mental Fitness PQMental HealthPersonal DevelopmentPersonal GrowthPositive IntelligencePQ TrainingSelf-CareTips

Stop Stressing Over Work/Life Balance

by Vimari Roman 0 Comments

We have all heard the term “work/life balance.” It’s a catchphrase that has been used to describe an individual’s ability to balance the demands of work and life. Chances are that at some point in your life, you have tried achieving work/life balance as a goal, and I could almost bet that trying to achieve this balance has caused you quite a bit of stress. It’s caused you stress because, in reality, work/life balance does not exist. I am here to invite you to stop stressing over work/life balance and instead strive to achieve life balance. You may think this is the same, but it’s not. Most people seeking work/life balance are overworked, unhappy with their work, or are struggling with difficulties in their relationships inside or outside work, sometimes both.

If your work feels completely unrelated to the activities that stir your interest, enthusiasm, energy, and sense of meaning, then it may be time for you to transition to the next step of your career. While your work doesn’t need to satisfy all of your needs for purpose, meaning, social connection, and challenge, you should expect work to provide you with moments of satisfaction, accomplishment, and connection. If it doesn’t, then you do not need work/life balance…you need a new job, or you may need to change careers.

However, if you are getting fulfillment and satisfaction from your work but feel that you just don’t have time for anything else, then that may mean you have to learn how to delegate or create boundaries. You may also need to establish priorities to learn how to integrate your personal and work life and ultimately find life balance.

Technology and work-from-home flexibility have contributed to much of this “off-balance” feeling. We work from home, and our devices are connected 24/7, which can adversely affect our mental health, emotional well-being, and relationships. So how do we disconnect, and how do we find this “life balance?”

Rewire Your Mindset:

Yes, mindset is key when seeking life balance. When life is busy, or all your energy is focused on a special project, it’s all too easy to find yourself off balance, not paying enough attention to important areas of your life. While you need to have the drive and focus if you’re going to get things done, taking this too far can lead to frustration and intense stress. We must understand that we are one person with many responsibilities and interests that can be balanced. The key here is that we are “one person” and to look at our life as one life vs. dividing our life into two different areas. You are one person that enjoys hobbies, family, a significant other, kids, pets, and work. Work is an integral part of your life, so why try to keep it separate? Keeping this division adds to our stress. Instead, I recommend integrating all of the areas of our life, including work and finding balance.

Integrate Life:

Life integration will look very different for all of us. Work-life integration involves blending both personal and professional responsibilities. Rather than viewing work and personal time as separate entities, is finding areas of compromise. If you arrange your work and home lives, so they fit together to fulfill all your needs, you can create a life with time for your work and relationships, family, and outside interests. The advantage of life integration is freedom. When we integrate our life, we feel free, and our stress levels decrease. Integrating means that you are scheduling hours around your priorities and when things need to get done. It also means understanding productivity times and setting boundaries.

Set Boundaries:

When integrating life to find life balance, it is crucial to set boundaries. This means that to have work and personal life coexist, you must maintain firm boundaries between home and office, allowing you to devote your full attention to each at a given time. This means scheduling office hours, time for emails, and conference calls and the same goes for your personal items.

Understand Priorities:

Prioritizing is key to a life balance. We must understand that sometimes our work will require a little more attention, and sometimes our home or personal life will require that extra attention. As one person, we could only do so much, so it’s important not to feel guilty when prioritizing what needs the most time and attention and enjoy the times when we are smooth sailing.

Here are some additional tips that may help:

🌟 Create time to reflect: go for walks after lunch, take advantage of slow periods, go on mini-vacations, turn off email notifications on weekends

🌟 Align your work with your purpose and passions: do work that moves you and understand you’re why

🌟 Utilize your talents: challenge yourself at work or raise your hand for a project that excites you

🌟 Find time for high-value activities: volunteer, run or walk a 5k, collect for your favorite charity, or take an art class

🌟 Invest in your relationships: create time for your family and friends; go to lunch or dinner; plan activities; make a phone call

🌟 Be flexible: know that life is not perfect and that even challenging times can provide a gift or opportunity to learn

The key to life balance is enjoying your life without having to separate or compartmentalize life.

Want to learn more about following an integrated life balance approach to work and life without stress? Schedule a free consultation: www.beproductivecoaching.com/contact

About Be Productive:

Speaking at WEC Annual Conference

Founder Vimari Roman changes lives by helping professionals achieve peak performance and fulfillment through career strategies, coaching, professional branding, and mental fitness.

She began her career in Hospitality, and after over 20 years, she realized she had outgrown her career; in 2013, she transitioned her skillset, earned her Certificate in Meeting Management, and started her first company, Be Productive Meetings & Events. After a great start, she felt that something was still missing. She went inward and discovered that she missed the coaching and leadership of her teams. A year later, in 2014, she received her Global Certificate in Leadership Coaching and founded Be Productive Coaching, a boutique firm based in Miami, Florida. With over twenty-five years of experience in leadership, Vimari has mentored and coached hundreds of high-performing professionals in various industries, amplifying their unique talents and strengthening their mental muscles to help them achieve peak performance, fulfillment, and growth.

04 October

Mental Fitness PQMental HealthPersonal DevelopmentPersonal GrowthPositive IntelligencePQ TrainingSelf-CareTips

Disconnecting is Being Productive

by Vimari Roman 0 Comments

Disconnecting Mental Fitness Tip

Disconnecting is being productive, but nowadays, with so many of us attached to our phones and working from home, being able to disconnect is difficult, and it takes a conscious effort.

It is no wonder why burnout, mental health, and wellbeing are hot topics these days. And that’s because we are not disconnecting!

I get it … as an entrepreneur with a Hyper-Achiever mind, it’s extremely difficult for me to find moments of silence which is why I treasure my escapes to nature.

My last escape took place in September. I had been non-stop from April to early August, and by the time my schedule slowed down, I felt exhausted, and no matter the amount of sleep or PQ reps, I could not relax. That’s when I decided to turn a wedding weekend into a 10-day road trip with my hubby and chocolate Labrador Zeke. Our trip felt like a late summer vacation that was much needed and perfectly timed, avoiding the rush of summer travel. And I’ve been so clear and productive since I return that I couldn’t help but want to share these tips with you.

Besides increased productivity, the benefits of disconnecting are endless and include:

🌟 Increased focus and concentration

🌟 Lowered stress and anxiety

🌟 Increased creativity

🌟 Higher energy levels

🌟 Better life balance

But in the midst of all that we have going on, how do we disconnect without feeling guilt or FOMO?

The answer: By setting healthy boundaries!

Here are my tips for setting boundaries so that you can disconnect:

1️⃣ Communicate and delegate before disconnecting so that your employer, employees, or clients know that you will be offline.

2️⃣ Turn on your out-of-office and turn off your work notifications.

3️⃣ Get out in nature and turn off your phone or put it on airplane mode for as long as possible.

You can, of course, do any other activity that you enjoy, but I highly recommend just being out in nature to truly disconnect. Other activities may require brain work, and you may not get the necessary recharge. I find that being quiet and still are the best ways to disconnect.

About Be Productive:

Speaking at WEC Annual Conference

Founder Vimari Roman changes lives by helping professionals achieve peak performance and fulfillment through career strategies, coaching, professional branding, and mental fitness.

24 March

Goal SettingMental Fitness PQMental HealthPersonal DevelopmentPersonal GrowthPositive IntelligencePQ TrainingSelf-CareTips

On my way to the Camino 🚶‍♀️ Finding my Sage and the gifts from pain and suffering 🎁

by Vimari Roman 0 Comments

They say your journey to the Camino de Santiago (The Ways of St. James) starts as soon as you decide to go and start planning the trip. Still, I didn’t know what that meant when I signed up to join my cousin Irisaida on her 50th birthday pilgrimage.

My Camino started on October 27th, 2021, when I received the invitation to join Irisaida and four of her friends on the Camino Frances. Of course, I immediately said yes because this had been on my bucket list for some time, so the planning began. I quickly purchased my flights to take advantage of reasonable airfare and had planned to do some research for training and packing over the holidays. Still, as life would have it, I came down with the Omicron variant of Covid on December 23rd and spent my holidays in bed. “No problem,” I thought, “I will start planning in January once I am over this terrible virus.”

January 10th was the first day I was 100% well. It was my first day back in the office since December 17th, and I was excited to get to work and prepare for my next Crushing Mental Fitness 6-week program. Shadow, my 15yr old chocolate labrador, had to go to the bathroom at about noon. I ran to open the kitchen door to let him out, but I was a little too late, and my poor baby had an accident in the kitchen on his way out to the yard. I started cleaning and wanted to hose down the kitchen stairs, but my husband had not replaced the broken hose. I had to improvise while being highly annoyed at my husband as I’ve been asking him to replace the hose for a few weeks. When I saw Shadow trying to get back inside, I quickly grabbed him by the collar to bring him in by the side door so that he wouldn’t drag the poop back in, but when we went to the door, it was locked. “The door that my husband had kept open for weeks is locked just when I need it to be opened,” I thought. I became even more annoyed, and as I turned around, I fell on the concrete stairs and floor. Ouch, the pain! I twisted my ankle and could barely walk when I got up. I first thought of my trip, the Camino, my ankle. “Oh no, this happened to my sister and spiritual mentor Liz when she was going on her Camino. If she could get well and still travel weeks or months after her injury, I should be fine too.” And so my pain and suffering began, and the last 70+ days have been unpredictable.

I utilized the RICE method for a couple of weeks before realizing that I may need medical attention. I made an appointment with my fabulous Podiatrist Dr. Marizeli Olacio founder of Omega Group. Fifteen days later, I got the medical attention I needed for a torn ligament and contusion. I had to wear a walking boot for four (4) weeks. I then transitioned to a heavy-duty brace while doing therapy three times a week with Max Wolters DPT, CSCS, all in hopes that I could still make the Camino.

If that wasn’t enough, a week after I fell on January 17th, my husband had fallen asleep in the living room. When he went to get up to come to the bedroom, he fell on our living room floor. He is not sure how but his hand was super swollen. He, too, waited a week or so before getting medical attention, and when he did, they told him he fractured a bone.

As humans, we were never promised that life would be perfect. If you are reading this, I bet you too have had your share of pain and suffering. Pain and suffering are necessary for us humans to appreciate the gifts that life brings us. Maybe your pain and suffering have not been as intense as some of the people you know or the stories you’ve heard. Still, I bet you’ve experienced an accident, betrayal, or life disappointment at one point or another. We all have, and the worst part is that we never know when it will come. We can plan and set goals, but life often turns out differently, and it’s up to us to see the gift and opportunities (Sage Powers).

As my husband and I were getting into the routine and on our way to healing a couple of weeks later, on February 2nd, we got the terrible news that my husband’s uncle passed away in a car accident and that his little cousin who was in the car with her grandfather was in ICU. So as if our physical pain was not enough, we now have this emotional pain and grief. Three days later, my maternal grandfather, Abuelo Alberto, passed away.

When it rains, it pours, they say, ” Boy, did we get a storm in our way. I had planned for 2022 to be the year I would unleash the power within me and the power within my clients. Still, on February 5th, I had no idea if I would be able to do anything. But this is life. As Forest Gump said, “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you are going to get.”

As the weeks went by, my physical body was healing, and my heart was recovering. But before I could celebrate and start packing for my March 24th trip, I got my last test and challenge on my way to the Camino.

In February, I noticed that my monthly menstrual cycle was late. I didn’t pay much mind to it because I realized all of the stress and emotional pain could have an effect on our hormones. I did find it strange as I am very regular but didn’t pay much mind to it. Almost 14 days later, the flood gates opened on March 3rd, and on Monday, March 14th, I started to get nervous. I was only 10 days from my trip, and how could I travel this way? I am now hijacked by my saboteurs and on edge because of what I’ve experienced over the past three months. I think of the worst and make an emergency appointment with the Gynecologist. I went in the next day, and the first thing the doctor says is, “you may need to cancel your trip.”

My heart started beating fast, and I wanted to cry. After all of this, no way…why? I did some of my PQ reps and took some nice breaths, and we continued the conversation. He rushed me to get a ton of blood work done and a couple of sonograms and gave me a prescription to stop the bleeding. The results started to appear in the portal on Friday, and the blood work showed that I was anemic. I didn’t understand the other results, so I patiently and nervously waited the weekend with all of my Camino packing items on top of my living room table because I was too nervous to pack. Finally, Monday comes along, and I get a message in the portal from my doctor’s office that he wants to see me ASAP. You can probably imagine how I felt. I nervously called to make an appointment, wondering what news I would receive and now basically getting mentally ready to possibly have to cancel my trip. They squeezed me in to see the doctor on Tuesday afternoon. I drive there doing PQs, breathing, and praying. I finally get to see the doctor, and he goes over the results with me and gives me the okay to travel along with some instructions. I took a deep breath and could almost cry from the excitement and relief that it wasn’t anything life-threatening or urgent.

The roller coaster is over for now, and I can pack to go on my Way to St. James. 🤗 “Thank you, Lord,” I thought! 🙏

Amid this pain and suffering, I’ve received many lessons and gifts thanks to my way of looking at life and my mental fitness practice. At 45, I am on my way and still learning! 🧠 💪

(Image provided by Positive Intelligence)

I want to share a few of my Sage lessons:

🧠 Because of my fall, I’ve been alcohol-free (no vino) since December 17th, and I feel fantastic! More on that in the future.

🧠 I am now more empathetic to physical pain.

🧠 I am now more aware and empathetic to the aging process with my dog, my grandfather, and my own body. I’ve realized that our body is our temple, and we need to take care of it.

🧠 I’ve really learned that I must let go of control. (This is one of my top saboteurs, and I must continue working on them.)

🧠 I’ve come to appreciate the importance of sleep and recovery.

🧠 I’ve been building new habits and allowing others to help me.

🧠 I thoroughly appreciate the importance of having a good team (husband, doctors, physical therapist, and coaches)

I am off to the Camino! We depart tomorrow, March 24th. If you want to follow our walk, sign up to receive notifications of our “Seis Caminos – Women Empowerment” Blog. This post will be there, and you’ll get to meet my cousin Irisaida and the other four women walking with us. Here is the full link: https://browslasheshope.org/camino-blog

Until April – I’ll be on my way!

xo, Vimari

(Image taken from REI – https://www.rei.com/blog/travel/how-to-hike-the-camino-de-santiago)

About Be Productive:

Founder, Vimari Roman helps professionals get out of paralysis analysis, gain confidence, and take massive action to succeed in the career that moves them.

Vimari began her career in Hospitality and after over 20 years, she found herself bored, frustrated and discouraged. She realized that she had outgrown her career and in 2013 transitioned her skillset, earned her CMM (Certificate in Meeting Management), and started her first company, Be Productive Meetings & Events. After a great start, she felt that something was still missing. She went inward and discovered that she missed the coaching and leadership component of her teams. A year later in 2014, she received her Global Leadership Certified Coach designation, and Be Productive Coaching was born.

Vimari serves clients from all over the world working virtually. With over twenty years of experience in leadership, she has successfully mentored and coached 100’s of high-performing professionals in various industries assisting their transition to living exciting lives, filled with purpose, greater career satisfaction, and higher pay. 🍎Check out how she can help you at www.beproductivecoaching.com

06 January

Goal SettingMental Fitness PQMental HealthPersonal DevelopmentPersonal GrowthPositive IntelligencePQ TrainingSelf-CareTips

The Secret to Unleashing the Power Within #2022Goals

by Vimari Roman 0 Comments

Imagine what would happen to your life if you were mentally fit. Suppose you knew that you couldn’t trust every voice in your head. If you learned how to discredit the Saboteurs in your mind by utilizing an operating system that will help you activate the emotions of empathy, happiness, and love. What if, in addition to those emotions, you were able to activate positive Sage powers while handling work and life’s greatest challenges? What if you could take calm and clear-headed action daily? What becomes possible for you, in achievement, in peace of mind and wellness, and your relationships?

I am here to tell you that this is all possible with Positive Intelligence (PQ). I am speaking from my own experience. Like many other people, I’ve spent my adult life working on becoming a better version of myself. I read and listened to many self-help books, took classes, training, and assessments, researched, only to apply what I could remember. That work and investment helped me become a better leader and achieve much of the success in my previous career. It also made my interest in personal development and human behavior grow. But much of this was focused on my career and dismissed the needs at home.

Not knowing that my top saboteur was the “Hyper-Achiever,” success depended on consistent performance and achievement for my self-respect and self-validation. I moved out on my own at the age of 17, immediately after graduating high school. I opted to work and focus on supporting myself while building my career in Hospitality vs. continuing college to become a Psychologist. These “Hyper-Achiever” tendencies made me focus on external success that led me to become a workaholic losing touch with deeper emotional and relationship needs.

I lacked empathy and looked at feelings as a distraction. I didn’t understand how someone could stay home from work because they had cramps and often judged them. I was great at covering up my insecurities to show a positive image to continue growing within my career. And although I’ve always been the life of the party (coming across as an extrovert), I kept people at a safe distance not to get distracted from my goals. This distance resulted in me feeling alone and misunderstood. You see, the “Hyper-Achiever” lied to me, telling me that life was about achieving and producing results. Yes, it helped me gain a lot but at what cost?

The shift in my life started in 2013 when I matured and realized that life wasn’t all about achieving and producing results. I was tired and lonely. Before finding Positive Intelligence, I continued working to grow my emotional intelligence (EQ). That work led me to get certified as a Leadership Coach. But, the “Hyper-Achiever” was still so very active, and it took a pandemic and a complete burnout for me to realize that I was at war AND I was determined to win.

There are no coincidences in life because God’s timing is perfect! Positive Intelligence arrived at the ideal time. Shirzad Chamine had just launched the program for Coaches in 2020. As a result of the pandemic, his vision was to create a world where mental fitness was accessible to everyone. He could do that by offering the gift of this program to coaches. I was introduced to the work by my friend and colleague and completed the program in February. After completing the program, just like that, I no longer felt burned out, and I felt happier with a clear-headed focus.

In only six weeks, I realized how much my life had changed that I wanted to provide that gift to others. I realized that I needed to incorporate Mental Fitness into my coaching practice. On March 26, I joined Shirzad’s vision, getting certified as a Positive Intelligence Coach. As the year was coming to an end, nine months later, I received my official certification as a Certifed Positive Intelligence Coach, aka Certified Mental Fitness Coach.

So as I move forward with 2022, I tell you that the secret behind unleashing the power within is Mental Fitness. Now is the time to take action so you can start 2022 with a bang and let this New Year be the year that you unleash the power within. 🧠💪🏼

Don’t just take my word for it. Listen to what some of my clients have to say:

https://youtu.be/aAKujepGC5M

Today I invite you to please join Shirzad and me in manifesting this vision where we live in a world where everyone around us is mentally fit. Do your part by becoming mentally fit yourself. Be the change you want to see in the world.

You can do that by joining my next Bootcamp starting on Sat, January 15. This app-guided program will teach you step-by-step how to build lasting new positive habits so that you can respond to life’s challenges with a more positive mindset. 📈

Vimari Roman your Certified Mental Fitness Coach will be leading our group meetings and supporting you throughout the program to help you transform your performance, wellbeing, and relationships. Ready to strengthen your mental muscles to deal with challenges with less stress and greater clarity? Register today!

Register today via Eventbrite and receive a 22% Discount. 🔗 www.eventbrite.com/e/208848921747/?discount=FriendsofBeProductive

About Be Productive:

Founder, Vimari Roman helps professionals get out of paralysis analysis, gain confidence, and take massive action to succeed in the career that moves them.

03 January

Goal SettingMental Fitness PQMental HealthPersonal DevelopmentPersonal GrowthPositive IntelligencePQ TrainingSelf-CareTips

Unleash the Power Within in 2022: Goal Setting Tips

by Vimari Roman 0 Comments

The first Monday of 2022 has approached and the anticipation of the New Year is still in full swing. You are back to work, kids are back at school and you sort of feel like the same person you were on Dec 31st. Shhh, I have a secret, you are the same person as you were on Dec 31st and that’s beautiful.

So many of us get anxious as the New Year approaches and our minds go crazy with anticipation of what we will accomplish, what resolutions we will make, and how we can become brand new, then January 1st comes along and boom we are still the same person. What happened? We then get slowly into the New Year but we put off the diet, the going to the gym, the goal-setting all because Jan 1st fell on a Saturday and we can wait to start everything on Monday. But Monday rolls around and… New Year and you are the same you, you feel the same and you don’t have the energy or same enthusiasm to start. Does this sound familiar?

If this sounds familiar then that’s because perhaps you have not made the internal and mental changes that need to be made. Change needs to come from within. Quality of life comes from our own feelings and emotions. You can make 2022 the year that you unleash the power within by the way you show up.

Cultivate how you want to feel by creating deliberate habits and incorporating the following internal changes:

Be Kind – to yourself and others
Let Go – of all the pressure and negativity, be stressfree
Be Present – slow down, be still, be mindful
Be Respectful – of yourself and others
Don’t judge – yourself or others and look at yourself and others with dignity and love
Keep Your Word – to yourself and others. Don’t break promises that you make, especially to yourself.
Be Grateful – it’s the little things. Where focus goes energy flows. Focus on what you are grateful for.

Create these habits by using the 21/90 rule: It takes 21 days to break or make a habit and if you do it for 90 days then it becomes a way of life.

Once you commit to making the internal changes then you can start to reflect on the previous year, your life, and the goals you want to set for the year.

**Here’s how you can make 2022 the year you unleash the power within without the anxiety of the New Year resolutions:**

Get Clear: Do a self-assessment of where you are in every area of your life.
Create a Vision: Whom do you want to be? What kind of person do you want to become? On Dec 31, 2022, what do you want to look back to and be proud of?
Set Goals: Set Goals that support the person you want to be in the next 12 months so that you can have an extraordinary 2022. Be ambitious about your goals and take command of your life by making them happen regardless of the outside circumstances.

Be Productive Coaching New Year Goal Setting

For the last several years I’ve broken up my life into twelve (12) areas and I’ve written a minimum of three (3) new year’s goals for each of those areas.

As we enter 2022, I invite you to do the same. Following I share the twelve (12) areas (in no particular order). If you feel there is an area that I left out, go ahead and insert that area into your goals for the new year. If you would like me to email you the free New Year Goal Setting worksheet email me your request at vimari@beproductivecoaching.com

Here are some tips for getting ready to set your new year goals:

Get yourself into a relaxed state of mind (pray or meditate and take some deep breaths)
Sage or light up a candle or incent (this is a good way to cleanse the room that you are going to be sitting in and bring in good energy)
Grab your favorite pen or pencil and write your goals on a piece of paper or in your journal.
Dream: Be open and do not limit yourself.

Start by writing the following statement at the top of the page:

“I accept these things into my life now or something better for my highest good and for the highest good of all concerned.”

ATTITUDE: MENTAL/EMOTIONAL – EXAMPLE: Do not judge, Let go and let God, Be Fearless, Be Joyful, Have more focus, etc.
RELATIONSHIPS: SIGNIFICANT OTHER/FAMILY/FRIENDS – EXAMPLE: Date nights, Talk to my dad once a week, Spend time with my mom.
SPIRITUAL – EXAMPLE: Pray daily, meditate, etc.
PHYSICAL/HEALTH – EXAMPLE: Detox, exercise three times a week, etc.
CAREER – EXAMPLE: Change jobs, go for promotion, etc
EDUCATION/LEARNING – EXAMPLE: Get a certification, finish a degree, etc.
FINANCIAL – EXAMPLE: Refinance house, pay off debts, etc.
PLEASURE – EXAMPLE: Girls night out once per month, bowling weekly, etc.
SERVICE/MISSION – EXAMPLE: Volunteer, Donate, etc.
CREATIVITY – EXAMPLE: Take guitar lessons, draw, journal, etc.
TRAVEL/ADVENTURE – EXAMPLE: France, Skydive, etc.
GENERAL – EXAMPLE: anything else you may want to set a goal for or that you want to pay extra focus to like your romantic relationship or a big project.

Once you write out your goals:

Put them away in a safe place where you can access them monthly and take a look to see how they are coming along.
Choose one day out of the next 12 months that you will view your goals and evaluate your progress.

If you are an overachiever then you can also:

Write your goals using the Rapid Planning Method (RPM) – this will break down each goal on how you are going to achieve it. I teach this method to my coaching clients and you too can learn it or we can schedule a VIP Goal Setting Day. This is a 6-8 hour coaching and #strategy session focused on you. You will have the option to complete it between one session or two sessions. Each VIP day is customized based on your individual needs and here’s some of what we will work on together:

Check-in with your values & purpose
Clarify your vision for 2022
Roadblock Clearing
Goal setting
Create an Action Plan

Apply to reserve your spot by scheduling a free consultation: www.beproductivecoaching.com/contact

Now get going and get started in unleashing the power within to make 2022 an extraordinary year!

Know someone who needs to unleash the power within? Share these tips with your friends on social media, via email, or LinkedIn.

Get Mentally Fit in 2022 & Unlock Massive Results in Every Area of Your Life!

Maybe it’s transitioning your career to live out your greatest purpose, taking your relationships to a new level, or getting your physical body in shape.

The new year always comes with a list of resolutions and goals that are not attained. Research shows that 80% of new year resolutions fail by February. This is your opportunity to make 2022 your greatest year with Mental Fitness, Coaching, Career Strategies, and Professional Branding.

Sign up now for my next 7-week Mental Fitness Positive Intelligence Bootcamp and Get 22% Off before January 6, 2022

Click on the link to receive the discount: www.eventbrite.com/e/208848921747/?discount=FriendsofBeProductive

*The next 7-week Mental Fitness Positive Intelligence Bootcamp starts on January 15, 2022. Keep this discount for yourself or gift it to a loved one.

Want to include Coaching? Following are the 2022 applicable packages at the non-discounted pricing:

Unleash the Power Within

Work/Life Happiness Transformation

Mental Fitness Transformation

Not sure which package is best for you? Schedule a free consultation: http://www.beproductivecoaching.com/contact

About Be Productive:

Founder, Vimari Roman helps professionals get out of paralysis analysis, gain confidence, and take massive action to succeed in the career that moves them.