What I Did for Love? I nagged my clients, my kids—and anyone else who would let me—to please look at the update of a blockbuster classic, now titled The New One Minute Manager.  It’s only about 100 little pages, with lots of white space, so you can breeze right through it.

Why? Because the stress of Other People seems as present and pressing as ever—when it doesn’t always have to be that way. I love these people, my clients, my kids…and do not want any of them to be any more stressed than necessary in these crazy times. So I nagged them to look at this book.

It’s Labor Day weekend, or shortly thereafter, as you read this, and I’m nagging you too. It’s also 2020, so no surprise that work stress and stress in general are up, relative to 2019, when stress was already high. It is especially high for parents, so I want you to know that Blanchard and Johnson’s book is not just about work. It is derived from and directly applicable to good parenting too.

Good managing, good parenting, good neighboring, good friending…just plain good company instead of bad, so people don’t have to suffer unnecessary stress.

My dad died of work stress when I was 15 years old. How this event shaped my work and my life introduces Getting to G.R.E.A.T. 5-Step Strategy for Work and Life, coming March 2021. The book has a whole chapter on Other People because it’s that important, important that we get that as right and easy going as we can. We all know that some types of relationships can be very stressful, and that chronic stress can make us sick. So it matters. A lot.

Blanchard and Johnson’s recommendations on “touching” caught my attention, given Me Too and Covid. As I reread to the end of this book I had read years ago, I was reminded that the authors did qualify when touching is okay and when it’s not. It would be good to hear what you think about this in the comments below if you care to let us know.

In any case, I can’t say enough that, when it comes to the stress of Other People, more often than we may think: 

It. Does. Not. Have. To. Be. That. Way. 

The New One Minute Manager, old as it is, has some really great insights and tips on keeping it simple and direct—for happier, healthier, less stressful, and more productive lives for all concerned.

And, there is always polyvagal breathing to calm the system right here right now wherever you are—in only 3 breaths. Scroll down on my website to the “Complimentary…” box, and then click “Power Breathing” on the pulldown for a quick start instruction on how. If you’ve already done this, would love to know how you like it, in the comments below.

Warm wishes,

Madelaine