Chantel Cohen is a therapist with a difference. A Columbia graduate, the Atlanta-based life coach and counsellor specializes in helping individuals and companies looking to turbocharge their commercial opportunities. Ask her how she came to this line of work, however, and you might be surprised by the answer.
âI wouldnât say that I found my calling, more that it found me,â she says. âRemember, Iâm a small business owner myself so I know that feeling of setting up shop and thinking, âOh my gosh, itâs only me now!â
âBut pretty soon I started getting these hard-driving professionals and business owners coming to me for advice. So I went back to Columbia and did a year-long business coaching course because, as I say, it truly found me.â
Chantel, who runs CWC Coaching and Therapy, is the latest thought leader to share her insights as part of our Lenovo Evolve Small initiative, offering advice and tips to help your business reach its full potential. This weekâs focus is on the importance of wellbeing to drive success for your small business.
As Chantel puts it: âThere is a false perception that only large enterprises have the resources â or need â to develop wellbeing practices. But in this case size doesnât matter. Long term success depends on getting the balance right, not how much money you throw at it. Commitment to the process is the key.â
Ask yourself why
The huge variety of small businesses means there is no one-size-fits-all solution, but there are certain fundamentals which can smooth the process. Beginning with a clear vision of your goals and what success means to you.
âItâs easier to work with people whose âWhy?â is clearly defined,â adds Chantel. âSometimes clients will come in and tell me they are âstuckâ and donât have clarity about the best way forward, so even the smallest progression can be very slow.
âThis isnât typical of therapy, because usually people want their therapist to be a conduit, so issues come up organically. In business coaching I think of myself more as a âthought partnerâ, so our sessions are more engaging and livelier as we talk through things.â
Hang on to yourself
One of the most common wellbeing issues for small business owners is a direct result of their passion for work. When the buck stops with you, there is a tendency to associate personal wellbeing with the success of your business.
Remaining watchful of this issue is essential. Sometimes companies have to let employees go for reasons totally unrelated to their performance, such as an unexpected financial issue or (lest we forget) a global pandemic.
âIf your sense of self is tied to work, that can be devastating,â adds Chantel. âI have had clients in such bad shape I had to do a wellness check there and then.
âSo one fun exercise is to give them a mirror and ask: âWhat do you see?â People can struggle with this at first but itâs a great way of stepping away from the problem and looking at it from the outside.
âAnother is to do something called a âfloat backâ, which involves thinking about a time in the past when you were successful, and figuring out the different things you were doing then. You pick out the ingredients, and pretty soon you have a recipe for success.
âEveryone is different, but having a strong sense of self and being in alignment with oneâs purpose is foundational.â
Chantel Cohenâs top tips for wellness at work
1. Multitasking doesnât work
What you do is teach yourself to be inattentive. Work on one thing at a time and you will be quicker, more effective and less stressed.
2. Be consistent with your sleep
People are tired of hearing it but I see it all the time with my clients: when they are sleep deprived they are less effective. Do the hardest jobs in the morning, when you feel most energetic, and structure your day around energy levels rather than time.
3. Try to get outside
And do it within 90 minutes of waking up. Especially in places where the daylight hours are shorter during the winter, you need to get the sun on your face to raise serotonin levels and stabilize your mood for the rest of the day.
4. Routine helps
Work/life integration cannot be properly achieved without routine. Humans can only sustain focus for about 90 minutes, and after that we are less effective. If you take a 20 minute break to go get a coffee, do a meditation or head out for some fresh air, then your productivity goes up by over 20%.
5. Tech is a mindfulness game changer
A lot of people struggle to establish a mindfulness practice, and thatâs where tech can really help. Wearables like Oura rings will track your energy levels 24 hours a day, so you can develop the best possible routine for your wellbeing. Sensate uses low frequency vibrations to calm you down and put your body into repair mode, kind of in the same way as a monk chanting. These are proven to work and can be the difference between staying stuck and making true progress to a happier, more productive mind.
Currently, Chantel owns and operates CWC Coaching and Therapy in Atlanta, Georgia. Chantel Cohen is a therapist/ life coach for individuals; an Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) couples counselor, and an executive communications coach/facilitator. She assists clients with self-improvement and career advancement. Her clients include individuals, couples, and groups in corporate and therapeutic settings.
Visit CWC Coaching and Therapy
Looking to Evolve Small?
In 2021, Lenovo launched the Evolve Small Initiative, based on the belief that small businesses are the heart of North America. With the help of partners like Queen Latifah across the United States and Canada, Lenovo has led a rallied effort to provide financial aid, mentorship resources, and community support to minority and woman-owned small businesses. Sign up now for Lenovo Evolve Small to create custom marketing video ads with Queen Latifah for your small business.
What about you? What are your tips and methods for managing a healthy relationship with technology?
Let us know in the comments below. Enjoy more on digital wellness or Evolve Small.Â