Micro-Resilience: Minor Shifts for Major Boosts in Focus, Drive, and Energy

by Bonnie St. John

Overview

Learn powerful, science-based techniques to boost focus, drive and energy hour-by-hour throughout the day — every day.

As leadership consultants and executive trainers, Bonnie St. John and Allen P. Haines have heard the same complaints from clients for years; periodic burnout, lack of focus and low energy. So they dug into the latest research on neuroscience, psychology and physiology looking for big answers. Instead they found small answers; proof that small adjustments in daily routines, including thought patterns, food and drink, rest and movement can fight the forces that sap our energy and store focus and drive. They call these amazing efficient restorative techniques "micro-resilience." Thousands of men and women from all walks of life have already found effortless ways to incorporate these little changes into the busiest of schedules. Dozens of entertaining anecdotes from real people using micro-resilience demonstrate that when our brains fire faster, our energy increases and we can cope with almost any surprise, pressure or crisis.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780446579285
Publisher:	Center Street
Publication date:	02/07/2017
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	436,211
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Despite having her right leg amputated at age five, Bonnie St. John became the first African-American ever to win medals in Winter Olympic competition, taking home a silver and two bronze medals at the 1984 Winter Paralympics in Innsbruck, Austria.

Bonnie graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard, earned a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford, and served in the White House as a Director of the National Economic Council. She has been featured extensively in both national and international media. NBC Nightly News called Bonnie "One of the five most inspiring women in America."

Allen P. Haines has served as CEO of several high-growth, mid-sized creative marketing companies in the movie and television industries. In 2010, he cofounded The Blue Circle Leadership Institute where he is instrumental in the creation and distribution of a variety of highly successful leadership training programs across dozens of industries.

Table of Contents

Preface Bonnie St. John xiii

1 Introduction to Micro-Resilience

Elaine's Story 3

A Universal Condition 6

Defining Resilience 7

The Five Frameworks 11

Micro Supports Macro 12

Micro-Resilience in Action 14

2 Refocus Your Brain: Think, Organize, and Execute More Effectively

Greg's Story 21

The Science 22

The Prefrontal Cortex and Executive Brain Function 24

Change and Evolution 25

Multitasking is NOT the Answer 27

The Solutions 30

Zone Refocus: 30

Create an Island in the Stream 30

Change the Culture 34

Tips 37

Off-Load Refocus: 38

Don't Hold It All in Your Head 38

Tips 40

Decision Refocus: 41

Watch the Timing, Reduce the Quantity 41

Tips 44

Exercise Refocus: 47

Use Movement to improve Thinking 47

Tips 51

Refocus Your Brain: Conclusion 54

3 Reset Your Primitive Alarms: Stop Your Emotions From Being Hijacked

Kathleen's Story 63

The Science 64

The Amygdala Hijack 65

Prevent the Hijack (or Reduce the Response) 67

Awfulizing: Hijacked for No Reason 70

The Solutions 72

Labeling Reset: 72

Call It by Name 72

Tips 74

Conscious Relaxation Reset: 74

Interrupt the Stress Response 74

Tips 78

Sensory Reset: 80

Use "Smells and Bells" 80

Tips 86

Power Pose Reset: 87

Reduce Fear and Boost Confidence 87

Tips 88

Reset Your Primitive Alarms: Conclusion 89

4 Reframe Your Attitude: Spiral into the Positive

Priya's Story 97

The Science 100

The Benefits of Positivity 101

The Solutions 103

Joy Kit Reframe: 104

Apply First Aid to Your Emotional Cuts and Bruises 104

Tips 106

ABCDE Reframe: 107

See Things from a Different Perspective 107

Cynthia's Story 108

Tips 115

Reversi Reframe: 116

Turn Your Obstacles Upside Down 116

Tips 120

PPP→CCC Reframe: 121

Change Pessimism to Optimism 121

Tips 124

Daily Reframe: 125

Improve Your Average 125

Tips 127

Reframe Your Attitude: Conclusion 128

5 Refresh Your Body: Increase Your Fuel Efficiency

Stan's Story 135

The Science of Hydration 137

Hydration Affects the Other Micro-Resilience Frameworks 140

The Hydration Solutions 142

Hydration: 142

Tips 142

The Science of Glucose Balance 143

The Glucose-Balance Solutions 146

Low-Glycemic Snacks 147

Tips 148

Refresh Your Body: Conclusion 151

6 Renew Your Spirit: Tap into the Power of Purpose

The Bricklayers' Story 159

Emily's Story 160

The Science 163

The Solutions 166

Values Detective Renew (Macro): 168

Examine Your Own Story 168

Tips 171

Detective's List of Questions 172

Life Goals Renew (Macro): 174

Prioritize Your List 174

Tips 175

Tagline Renew (Macro): 176

Articulate Your Purpose 176

Tips 179

Touchstone Renew (Micro): 180

Keep Purpose in View Every Day 180

Aden's Touchstone Renew 183

Sylvia's Touchstone Renew 185

Tips 187

Schedule Renew (Micro): 188

Tailor Your Calendar to Your Sense or Purpose 188

Tips 190

Flow Renew (Micro): 191

Diagram Your Energy Levels 191

Tips 194

Renew Your Spirit: Conclusion 195

7 Putting It All Together

Josh's Story 201

Josh's Techniques 207

Tips 208

Beth's Story 211

Putting It All Together: Conclusion 218

Afterword 221

Acknowledgments 225

Appendices 231

Micro-resilience checklist: What do you want to tackle first? 231

Micro-Resilience Techniques: A Quick Reference Guide 233

Editorial Reviews

"Micro-Resilience is a powerful book that will help you rethink the drive-until-you-drop approach to work. By reframing your thinking in the way St. John and Haines describe, you can learn to learn bounce back from setbacks and create a life of power and meaning."—Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and To Sell is Human

"Micro-Resilience is a transformative program that doesn't force you to change, but instead enhances the resources you already have to give you much more focus and energy."—Walter Isaacson, author of STEVE JOBS, CEO Aspen Leadership Institute, former CEO of CNN and TIME Magazine

"Read + Heed the inspirational stories and insights shared in Micro-Resilience. Doing so will result in you having the courage to face adversity plus the confidence to manage, adapt and respond to whatever 'disruptions' life sends your way."—Kevin Carroll, author, speaker, change agent

"We may learn best from our failures. But our successes require that we reach down deep and muster the resilience to act on what we have learned. In Micro-Resilience, Bonnie St. John and Allen Haines not only inspire us that we can be better, they illuminate the path forward."—Gary Heil, founder of The Center for Innovative Leadership

"Bonnie St. John has focused on how to increase hour-by-hour resilience, which is critical in today's world. Her approach integrates science-based, intentional and immediate recoveries and has broad application to health care and other service industries that count on teams to deliver their best. Micro-Resilience is a great example of a 21st century solution to meet our 21st century challenges and opportunities."—Bernard J. Tyson, Chairman and CEO, Kaiser Permanente

From the Publisher