One of the most common refrains I hear as a corporate coach is: I’m just too busy.  What used to be called overworked is now crazybusy, slammed, swamped, jammed, maxed-out – or God help us – no more "bandwidth".

Anyone who owns a car understands that it takes regular maintenance to keep it on the road. You don’t ignore warning lights or drive it with the needle in the red all the time – or if you do, you won’t stay on the road very long. Chances are you change the oil every 3000 miles, rotate the tires, maybe even take it for a tune-up now that Spring is here. Yet, we think nothing of driving ourselves this way without any fuel whatsoever – and then somehow act surprised when we end up in the ditch with our wheels spinning.

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Please consider sponsoring me: On April 18th I will be running the Boston Marathon in honor of Joseph Timperley, with the Run for Research team. More information on Joe's story and my mission can be found at: http://go.liverfoundation.org/goto/annmehl
 
It would mean a lot to have your support. My personal goal is to grant $3,250 to help fight liver disease. I thank you in advance if you are able to make a donation.

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I recently had the privilege of hearing Dr. Ned Hallowell speak. He is a child and adult psychiatrist and the founder of The Hallowell Center for Cognitive and Emotional Health in Sudbury, MA.

Dr. Hallowell is considered one of the foremost experts on the topic of ADD and ADHD. He is the co-author, with Dr. John Ratey, of Driven to Distraction, and Answers to Distraction, which have sold more than a million copies.

Chronic worry is a common aspect of ADD. The symptoms of excessive distractibility, impulsivity, and restlessness can lead both children and adults to underachieve at school, at work, in relationships and marriage. But you don’t have to suffer from ADD to understand what worry is all about. Worry is the most common reason people see their doctor. The message of Dr. Hallowell is this: “Now, more than ever, we need to connect.” Social isolation, he says, is even more dangerous than cigarette smoking.

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Somewhere over North Dakota, on a flight bound for Seattle, I finally mustered up the courage to ask my seat companion where he was headed. “Nick” told me that he was a pilot from Seattle, working out of New York. As we swapped stories, it turned out that Nick lived in an apartment just one block away from me on the Upper East Side.

As these things often go, we both bike the same loop in Central Park on a regular basis. We also see the same people: the gal with the red bandanna, the t.v. celebrity, the music man who carries his radio on his handlebars, the ex-marine who pedals in his military gear…the list was long and colorful.

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This month, I am meeting up with a group of coaches to share notes on our respective practices and to collaborate. And it got me thinking about “community” and what it means to have a support group.

In the early 1960’s researchers found that a small town in Pennsylvania, called Roseto, had a rate of heart disease much lower than the national average. It also seemed more resistant to ulcers and senility. After searching for the reason, they concluded that the magic ingredient was a sense of community. Research has confirmed this. Doctors have found that relationships improve the health of people suffering from heart disease and that the lives of cancer patients are prolonged by support groups. Other benefits are more subtle - such as feelings of self-worth and dignity. Without support, life can seem like a constant battleground. That’s why Live community is vital for our own survival.

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