“GPS Guides are our way of showing you what has relieved others' stress in the hopes that you will be able to identify solutions that work for you. We all have de-stressing "secret weapons" that we pull out in times of tension or anxiety, whether they be photos that relax us or make us smile, songs that bring us back to our heart, quotes or poems that create a feeling of harmony, or meditative exercises that help us find a sense of silence and calm. We encourage you to look at the GPS Guide below, visit our other GPS Guides here, and share with us your own personal tips for finding peace, balance and tranquility.

Wake up on the wrong side of the bed? We all have those days -- but even if it seems like nothing is going right, you still have a chance to uncover a few moments of happiness. No matter what kind of day you're having, here's proof that joy can be found in even just a few seconds.”

Read more…

New managers often have misconceptions about what managing entails, and they may be surprised to learn that the skills and methods required for success as an individual contributor and those needed for success as a manager are very different. This series of courses clarifies the myths and truths about management and describes strategies for dealing with common mistakes. These courses also provide methods for establishing credibility, managing former colleagues effectively, meeting organizational expectations, and balancing conflicting expectations of peers, direct reports, and management.

• First Time Manager: Understanding a Manager's Role: mgmt_16_a01_bs_enus
• First Time Manager: Challenges: mgmt_16_a02_bs_enus
• First Time Manager: Meeting Expectations: mgmt_16_a03_bs_enus

Visit the UMBC SkillSoft website for a Quick Start Guide, FAQs, and the link to log in to SkillPort.

For more information about the Business Exploration Series courseware, click here.

To schedule a department presentation about using SkillSoft for professional development, call ext. 5-6262 or hrtraining@umbc.edu.

Every moment you have the opportunity to heal your body, radiate total health and expand your capacity to lead a vibrant, fully expressed life. Led by pioneers in integral health, wellness and mind-body-spirit medicine, you will learn:

• Leading-edge, proven modalities that dramatically decrease stress.
• Processes that reduce or event dissolve chronic pain.
• The leading edge of brain science and meditation techniques to tap the limitless power of the mind.
• Tools to minimize the “monkey mind” and take control of your thoughts.
• Holistic approaches to creating well-being in your family and your community.

This is a completely free Telesummit with top experts in the field. January 27 - March 28, 2014: Four sessions per week focus on wellness for the Body, Mind, Heart, and Soul. Listen to the calls via phone or computer. For more information and to register visit: www.winterofwellness.com.

“As human beings, we're always striving to be better. The most common self-improvement goals people set, particularly this time of year, are things like losing weight, improving our cholesterol numbers or blood pressure, or getting in shape for a marathon. These are body goals. They are concrete and easy to understand. Because we have metrics to measure things like weight loss, for example, it's easy to track our progress and stay motivated.

Making "soul resolutions" is more challenging. These are the deeper aspects of self-growth. These would be things like trying to be less critical, more loving, more patient, or more optimistic. Soul resolutions are not so easy to measure.
And that can be a problem. Too often, when it comes to changing profound aspects of our attitudes, behavior, and character, we can get bored, uninspired, and discouraged after a while. We can't really tell sometimes if our efforts are "paying off."

To avoid the boredom of spirit that sometimes accompanies profound changes you're trying to make on yourself, here are some simple strategies for staying motivated.”

Read more…

"Whether you have five minutes to relax or a year to focus on building lasting habits, here are 16 scientifically-backed ways to boost your happiness levels.

Smile. A 2011 study showed that thinking about something positive that makes you smile can actually make you happier (fake smiles don't do the trick), while 2003 Clark University research found that smiling activates positive memories.

Go for a run. Physical activity boosts the brain's release of endorphins, feel-good neurotransmitters that can improve mood and well-being.

Pray. Spirituality and religious involvement is linked with greater well-being and happiness, according to a review of more than 300 studies on the connection between spirituality and health, while prayer is thought to relieve stress.

Laugh. In addition to relieving stress, laughter can boost mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Go for a stroll in the park. There are many health benefits to spending time in nature, including, perhaps, increased well-being. One UK study showed that subjects were significantly happier when in natural environments as compared to when they were in urban environments.

Perform an act of kindness. Do something nice for someone else today -- it could make you happier, according to University of California research."

Read more…

Getting and keeping your career on track takes careful planning. Approaching your career proactively and being able to recognize opportunities to move ahead are key to smart career management. This course guides you through the process of taking stock of your present situation and determining the best way ahead. It starts with taking inventory of your values, interests, skills, and needs. Then based on these findings, you can determine your strengths. This course provides examples of roles in which you could use those strengths. It also provides tips on how to deal with any weaknesses that are holding you back.

This is course number: pd_10_a01_bs_enus

Visit the UMBC SkillSoft website for a Quick Start Guide, FAQs, and the link to log in to SkillPort.

For more information about the Business Exploration Series courseware, click here.

To schedule a department presentation about using SkillSoft for professional development, call ext. 5-6262 or hrtraining@umbc.edu.