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&lt;p style=&quot;margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;&quot; class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Like many of you, I was reading the newspaper this weekend.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;(Don’t lie!&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;For all your digital hipness and despite your new memberships in Facebook and Twitter, you still read the &lt;em style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-style: normal;&quot;&gt;actual &lt;/em&gt;newspaper - with pages and newsprint and everything - at least on weekends!)&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;The ravages of the recession now reach to every page and every section including Sports and Lifestyle.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;Needless to say, the front section and business section are relentless in stories and analysis, with nary a bright spot.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;And there’s little relief from television news, with cable and the Sunday morning programs adding to the drumbeat.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;And then, the Internet serves as a megaphone, increasing the decibel rate hourly.&lt;!--?xml:namespace prefix=&quot;o&quot; ns=&quot;urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office&quot;?--&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;&quot; class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;At first it was confusing, and then just kind of scary.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;But now, the news about the economy is just plain depressing.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;I hear – and overhear – this sentiment everywhere now.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;I hear it from friends and colleagues over coffee, over the phone and in emails.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;I overhear it on the train, at the gym, at the checkout line, everywhere.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;Doom and desperation abound.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;&quot; class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;strong style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;&quot;&gt;&lt;em style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-style: normal;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;What does this have to do with your executive career?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;&quot; class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;The despair wants you.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;It’s like an alien virus that wants to attack your body and take over your brain.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;So how strong is your immune system?&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;Can it withstand the attack?&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;Can it go the distance?&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;What are you doing to defeat the despair?&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;What are you doing to shore up your immune system?&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;Well, it’s not easy but here are some ideas:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Fight off the tidal wave of information and analysis and speculation during the work day&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Cut web news scans to 3 times per day&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Turn off some of your feeds and alerts&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Stop obsessively checking your portfolio&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Accentuate the positive&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;The economy is slowing but it hasn’t stopped&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Unemployment is growing but &lt;em style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-style: normal;&quot;&gt;employment&lt;/em&gt; is still 90% +&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Some of your company’s products are still selling&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Certain divisions or units perform better than others&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Focus on daily to-do list &amp;amp; priorities&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Do something to grow your top products&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Reinforce top performers&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Prune weak products &amp;amp; under-performers&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Be a leader – walk the halls; talk up the positive; spread the focus to the troops&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;&quot; class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Finally, at the risk of sounding like a self-help book – focus on &lt;em style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-style: normal;&quot;&gt;your own&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-style: normal;&quot;&gt;personal mental health&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;The “virus” is real and dangerous.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;It attacks self-worth and fighting it generates anxiety, or worse.&lt;span&gt;&#160;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;So while you are “tending to your knitting” at the office, don’t forget to take care of #1:&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;you!&lt;span&gt;&#160;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;Watch what you eat and what you drink.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;Double up on exercise.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;Read a good piece of fiction.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;Consume some comedy and remember to laugh, even at the bad jokes.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;Do some bonding with friends and family.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;The silver lining is that you are not alone.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;Everyone is feeling it, even if everyone isn’t being honest about it.&lt;span&gt;&#160; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Erik Sorenson

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