https://hannahholden.co.uk/essential

Hannah Holden, Woking (2025)

04/01/2024

I am so excited to be back at my desk and I have things to share..

04/01/2024

REDESIGN YOUR STRESS RESPONSE: Take Charge and Master Your Emotions!

Stress has a way of creeping up on us when we least expect it, taking over just when we need to be cool, calm, and collected! 😅

I vividly recall a conference call with a client where frustration began to set in. My face visibly flushed, shoulders tensed, heart racing – not the ideal scenario when my role was to provide support, not take over the call! Can you relate?

We've all been there, right?
What situations challenged your ability to keep your cool?

Fortunately, I had my instant calm hacks ready and pressed the chill button before things escalated. I calmed down, gently nudged things back on track, and no one sensed my frustration.

Keeping your cool isn't just about getting through the moment; it's about making better decisions, taking command, and earning trust from others.

If you want to take command of your response in stressful situations, make conscious decisions, remain calm and professional, and build resilience, just like I did, then watch the replay of my talk now – link in comments.

08/12/2023

An 8 year study found that long-term health outcomes were not linked to the levels of stress an individual experienced.

They were linked to their STRESS MINDSET.

In this post I explore what a stress mindset is and how you can shift yours.

If you'd like more help to change your perspective on stress so that you too can experience a healthier stress response, DM me, I have just the thing.

06/12/2023

Are you up for a lunch and learn?

I had a great time at the The Service Desk Institute (SDI) Happy Service Desk event last week!

The talks were inspiring and I loved the Q&A panel where we addressed some really insightful and thoughtful questions. It was an absolute pleasure to be collaborating with like-minded experts. ❤️

We answered questions like "how should I approach someone I'm concerned who may be experiencing burnout?" and many more.

🍒 And the cherry on top was the amazing feedback I received:
My free download (see link in bio if you want it) was described as "Fabulous"
Others said I gave "great advice for calming self and staff."
And someone else loved the practical "exercises" to stop stress.

If you'd like to learn more about your secret superpowers to stop stress in its tracks and to share that with your team and colleagues then DM me because I'd love to share this talk with you too!

I'm offering the same talk free to the first 5 businesses to sign-up.
It's short and sweet (25 min) and perfect for a lunch and learn slot.

05/12/2023

WILL YOU USE YOUR SECRET SUPERPOWER TO COMBAT STRESS TODAY?

We can intentionally use specific actions with the body to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, effectively flicking an “instant calm” switch.

Perhaps you want instant calm to be able to focus on problem-solving

Or do you want instant calm hacks to help you prepare for giving a stressful presentation?

Or maybe you just want this set of tools to be able to use in the middle of difficult meetings.

Whatever your need, if you want to access your inner calm in an instant then DOWNLOAD my Essential Toolkit now.

Link in Bio

The great thing is that these tips work for anyone in a human body!

Having spent 20+ years in the IT and management consulting industry I know they work in even the most stressful of times!

29/11/2023

WHY AWARENESS IS VITAL FOR MANAGING STRESS

I’ve spoken to so many people who’ve told me that “stress creeps up on me” or “I only become aware of my stress levels when I reach breaking point”.

But the truth is that our bodies are communicating with us all of the time! And stress shows up in our body instantly - before our conscious mind is even aware of it!

Awareness in this context is about becoming aware of all those messages our body sends to us. Because when we are aware we can act.

So, to effectively manage our stress, awareness is vital.

They're are tips on how to raise your awareness within the carousel but you can start right now by taking a deep breath and scanning your body asking

"how am I feeling right now?"

Here's to improved wellbeing for all of us 😊

27/11/2023

Stress is GOOD for you.
Stress is BAD for you.
It's confusing!

So what is the TRUTH about stress?!

Understanding the difference between acute and chronic stress is so empowering.

We can use this to help us change our approach to stressful situations.

We can become energised instead of drained!

We can use this to help us focus and get more productive under pressure.

We don't need to stress about being stressed.

I hope you find this knowledge as empowering as I did.

24/11/2023

How can stress not be the REAL problem when there are studies linking stress to diabetes, heart disease and even early death?

Given the statistics on stress and its health implications it’s understandable that you find yourself thinking “how can I reduce the stress in my life?”
But then it seems impossible to reduce your stress levels because it’s so intrinsic to life and everything that we care about?

The truth is that we were built for stress:

A life without stress would be a life without meaning.
A life without stress would be a life without growth.

However, the stress we were built for is short and sharp, we were made for fight or flight. And once the danger has passed we instinctively want to connect with people. All that physical exertion and connecting with others processes the stress chemicals out of our system and we return to our resting state.

The fly in the ointment nowadays is that we’re not fighting and running - that’s rarely a realistic option!
And we’re not returning to our RESTING baseline.

For too many of us our resting state is not the state we are in most of the time. Instead many people experience a level of stress or anxiety as their “normal” state.

So, if stress isn’t the real problem and the REAL problem is our inability to return to a restful state THE RIGHT QUESTION to ask yourself isn't “how can I reduce the stress in my life” but “how can I process the stress?”

There are many things we can do about this, here are a few ideas:
🏃‍♀️Add regular exercise into your routine to process the stress chemicals out of your system - don’t have time? Just shake your body or dance for 2 min!
😌Slow, deep, abdominal breathing
👌Remind yourself: I am safe. It’s ok to feel stressed. I am ok.

Now you know the RIGHT question to ask yourself; you can incorporate activities to process your stress and stay healthy…

24/11/2023

I'm excited to be talking at SDI's happy service desk next week!

It's easy to consider the service desk to be just another back office function with limited impact on the overall goals of the organisation.

But let's think again: Service desks can have a big impact on the satisfaction of the people they serve so a happy service desk can have a ripple effect throughout your organisation.

I'm one of 9 speakers at the upcoming Service Desk Institute (SDI) event and I'll be sharing how to stop stress in its tracks. I look forward to seeing you there!

Hannah x

20/11/2023

Practicing Mindfulness doesn't mean adding to your to do list!

A dedicated meditation practice is great but sometimes it’s impractical. We can bring mindfulness into anything we are doing at any time. It’s the antidote to multi-tasking and mindless scrolling!

I try to remind myself to be present many times a day. I often bring my awareness to my breath and simply breathe deeper for a few breaths. Every little counts. Give it a try and let me know how you go.

Who else needs a little mindfulness in their life?

Please do share this with someone who needs to see this today. X

08/11/2023

Is it possible to reach our full potential when we're stressed?

I think the answer is "no" and here's why...

What do you think?

08/09/2023

The top 3 things to stress consultants out:

1. Too much work (juggling multiple clients, different projects and stakeholders etc.)

2. Not enough work (too much time on the bench can feel 😬)

3. Wrong type of work (you're placed into a role that just doesn't fit your skillset, you feel like you're faking it and yet you know you could add SO much value in the right role)

What would you add to the list?

Would a podcast episode taking a deep dive into these be helpful?

Let me know your thoughts

07/09/2023

Manamgement Consulting is inherently stressful!
But that's ok.

We just need to learn to navigate the challenges and know when to roll your sleeves up and just get stuff done and when to start looking into "how did we get here?" and "What went wrong?".

Sometimes it's hard to get perspective because our sympathetic nervous system (active when we're stressed) isn't made for perspective - it's all about the details!
To get perspective we need to activate our parasympathetic nervous system.

And if you want a my best tips and techniques in your toolkit so that you can get perspective when you need it simply write "toolkit" in the comments below.

Let me know what you think.
Hannah x

06/09/2023

Hey there, wonderful people! I hope this note finds you well and embracing life's twists and turns. ✨ I've got a candid and heartfelt podcast episode to share with you today, something I believe we can all relate to in one way or another.

25/08/2023

Ever have one of those calls where you're getting increasingly frustrated by the direction of travel?!

We all have those moments sometimes.
And yet we also want to come across as sane, reasonable human beings right?!

That's where my Essential Toolkit for management consultants comes in.
You'll get my top tips for how to access your inner calm in an instant and show up in the way you desire and design.

Because we don't have to be at the mercy of our emotions and frustrations!

Link in comments

01/08/2023

Hey there!

I hope you’re all getting some downtime to enjoy the sun when it shows up ☀️

We had a special week in Lyme Regis last week - sun, sea & sand (and a bit of rain). It was all centered around an afternoon tea in memory of my dad who left this world recently. It was lovely to catch up with friends and family and celebrate his life but that’s not what I’m writing about…

I’ve said before that self-worth issues were the root cause of my burnout and today we are looking at how self-esteem can become your teflon-suit to avoid burnout.

I’m joined by Jo Watt who shares her insights into the three pillars of Self-Esteem, which are: self-worth, self-belief, and assertion. We talk about how you can tell if you’re in a toxic work environment. We explore the true meaning of self-esteem, its amazing benefits, and practical tips to strengthen your own self-esteem.

Jo is passionate about driving culture change in organisations and enables businesses to get a head-start on this through strategic talent acquisition. She has many years in HR and executive coaching. By promoting a healthy self-esteem, she empowers individuals with the necessary confidence, resilience, assertiveness, and self-awareness to navigate the complexities of the workplace to find fulfillment and success in their profession.

On the podcast Jo shares some valuable insights on adopting an assertive communication style, which not only protects you but also boosts the self-esteem of others around you. And promoting assertive communication can even support business success because a “ diversity of opinion creates a robust business”.

Listen in now, and discover how you can become a "pebble in the ocean," creating a ripple effect of self-esteem in everyone you encounter.

🎧 Listen Now on Apple or Spotify to Episode 22 of the “Burnout Isn’t Necessary” podcast.

If you find the episode valuable (which we're sure you will!), we'd be super grateful if you could share it with your friends and colleagues. Let's spread the message of self-esteem and make a positive impact together!

Thank you for being an amazing part of our podcast community. Your support means the world to us. 🙏

Happy listening!

Hannah x

P.S. Have any thoughts or questions after listening? Hit reply and let's chat! We love hearing from you! 😊

11/07/2023

Meditation is NOT easy.

And frankly, anyone who suggests that meditation is is easy is doing you a disservice:

If you come to meditation thinking it's going to be easy or that others find it effortless, it's likely that you quickly become frustrated and may declare that it 'doesn't work' or 'isn't for me'.

In this week's podcast episode (Episode 21), we delve into the obstacles of restlessness, frustration, and sleepiness in meditation.

Meditation can lead to increased heart rate variability, lower resting heart rate and blood pressure, improved sleep, increased patience and tolerance, and reduced negative emotions.

Just as meditation holds incredible benefits, it also presents common challenges. However, rest assured that there are practical strategies to overcome these obstacles.

Tune in to the podcast as we delve into practical strategies that will empower you to overcome the biggest hurdles to meditation. In episode 19 we covered doubt and desire. This week, in episode 21 we are looking at restlessness, frustration and sleepiness.

Like many of us, I've personally experienced the challenges of restlessness and frustration during meditation. It's natural to face these hurdles on the path to mindfulness.

With the guidance on how to overcome the obstacles that we all face perhaps you too can begin to experience the profound benefits of meditation. Embrace the practice, persevere through challenges, and witness the transformation it can bring to your life.

Ultimately meditating is a discipline and it takes commitment and regular practice. The benefits accumulate over time, there are no quick fixes here but it’s natural, zero-cost and powerful and there are many different ways to meditate so there's something for everyone.

I would love to hear your thoughts, questions, and ideas for future podcast episodes. Share your insights on social media or on your preferred podcast platform. Let's continue this meaningful conversation together.

Hannah Holden

Hannah Holden

04/01/2024

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29/11/2023

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