The “G” and “H” lists

Exploring the different kinds of mentors there are... We either do these things for others or we seek them for ourselves.

Continuing with "G":

1. Garment-or: What not to wear expert

2. Gedankenexperiment-or: Theories of mentoring and networking brought to life

3. Government-or: Never sign an offer or contract without her


Continuing with "H":

1. Habiliment-or: Garment-or in the know re: Parisian style

2. Harassment-or: When you need someone to help you find a way out

3. Hereditament-or: Helps reuse the best of what has come before

4. Hyperdevelopment-or: When you’re worried you're promoted past your skill set

5. Hyperexcitement-or: The best person to lead the cheer

More unwinding ideas

Thanks to all of you who sent in these ideas. I call them "joy breaks"... something that pulls you away from your desk and back into a more creative frame of mind.

 15 min. walk in the middle of the afternoon
 Call a friend just to say ‘hi’
 Pop into an office and share a story (not a b*tch session... a story)
 Gelato or coffee run
 Read 3 pages of a book or 10 of a magazine
 Sit with your back to your computer for 10 min.
 Plan how to spend $10,000
 Google “chocolate” and read 3 entries on the 10th page of results

Ask your mentors and mentorees what they do to refresh mind and spirit when 15 min. is all they have.

Sunday Drifting

I spent part of a sunny Sunday afternoon editing friends' resumes, part playing with a baby and part doing the usual chores to get ready for the week ahead. (we've usually run out of salad fixings and clean under-things by Sunday)

There's not much organization or planning around such an afternoon. I generally don't feel like I made a dent in the 'to do' list. By supper, it's usually obvious I might have even forgotten lunch.

Yet, these are the very afternoons that cement friendships, allow house lists to get made (or worked on) and give one a sense that the entire week is not about meetings and schedules.

One of my mentorees remarked last week how frustrated she is that she isn't doing enough. "Enough", of course, in the big general sense of life.

As Monday winds us up again, perhaps we all need a reminder that drifting a little also can create space and order within our communities and needs.