Never Miss a Deadline Again
By Laura Vanderkam | July 21, 2011
http://www.bnet.com/blog/time-management/never-miss-a-deadline-again/548?promo=713&tag=nl.e713
Every weekend, I list my priorities for the upcoming week. I find that organizing my life in 168-hour chunks gives me a good sense of how I should be spending my hours. When work gets really busy, though, I start scheduling in priorities by the hour Monday through Thursday.
But never Friday.
Why not? Because Friday is my margin time.
Inevitably, something will come up Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday that I haven’t planned for. It could be an exciting new opportunity that I need to seize, or it could be a long, drawn-out game of phone and fax tag required to move my medical records from one doctor’s office to another. Either way, that means that something that was supposed to happen during the first part of the week won’t get finished.
If Friday is chock-full too, then I’d run the risk of not completing a priority during that week. Rather than let that happen, I do what I can to keep at least Friday afternoon as open as possible.
Sure, building in a cushion is sometimes difficult. But the pay-off comes in peace of mind. You don’t necessarily have to work until 10PM on Wednesday, because you know there’s an open block on Friday waiting for you. And hey, if everything goes perfectly during the week, then you can spend Friday relaxing! This will never actually happen, but hey, it’s nice to dream.
When do you build in margin time?
MY THOUGHTS
Very sensible indeed! Better start trying out this margin time. I think it will work. Most definitely.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
5 Ways You Sabotage Your Own Career
5 Ways You Sabotage Your Own Career
from the article "Are You Sabotaging Your Own Career? Probably"
By Steve Tobak | July 12, 2011
5 Ways You Sabotage Your Own Career without realizing it:
Believing that someone else is the problem. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say the odds that there’s some conspiracy to hold you back, that everyone’s out to get you, that opportunity’s there for all but you, or that all your bosses and coworkers are raging a**holes and backstabbing villains, are zero. That’s right; it’s you. And thinking it isn’t, well, that’s what actually holds you back.
Putting yourself ahead of your company. I know it’s counterintuitive, but the best way to get ahead is to put the needs of your company first, and for the simple reason that doing your job well and going above and beyond the call of duty will come back to you eventually. That’s just the way it works. Nobody’s going to go out on a limb and shower you with raises and promotions until you prove yourself capable, which means getting results … for the company.
Thinking you know better instead of listening and learning. Those who act as if they know it all and have overinflated opinions of themselves are usually overcompensating for deep feelings of inferiority and insecurity. And you know what? Everyone knows it but them. So, when you act that way instead of listening and learning, it’s like holding up a giant sign that says, “I act big but I really feel small.”
Feeling entitled to something, anything. People throw the “entitlement” word around a lot these days, but there’s a simple truth in business: You’re not entitled to squat. If that’s news to you, then good, you heard it here first. Oh, except for one thing. You’re entitled to work your tail off and maybe someday make something of yourself; that’s about it. The truth is that whatever you feel entitled to you’ll never get.
Drinking the Kool-Aid, i.e. that there’s some magic secret to getting ahead. Becoming successful in the real world requires every bit of whatever brains God gave you, the wisdom you learned along the way, and pretty much all your energy and focus. By definition, every brain cycle and moment you spend thinking there’s a better way - a magic way - works against you by detracting from what it really takes to succeed: brains, hard work, and learning from experience.
MY THOUGHTS
How can I not agree? All the points presented are self-destructing-blaming others, self first before company, being a know-it-all, entitlement which is brought about by a terrible sin called pride, taking shortcuts to success. Time to ask yourself some questions. Are you or are you not?
from the article "Are You Sabotaging Your Own Career? Probably"
By Steve Tobak | July 12, 2011
5 Ways You Sabotage Your Own Career without realizing it:
Believing that someone else is the problem. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say the odds that there’s some conspiracy to hold you back, that everyone’s out to get you, that opportunity’s there for all but you, or that all your bosses and coworkers are raging a**holes and backstabbing villains, are zero. That’s right; it’s you. And thinking it isn’t, well, that’s what actually holds you back.
Putting yourself ahead of your company. I know it’s counterintuitive, but the best way to get ahead is to put the needs of your company first, and for the simple reason that doing your job well and going above and beyond the call of duty will come back to you eventually. That’s just the way it works. Nobody’s going to go out on a limb and shower you with raises and promotions until you prove yourself capable, which means getting results … for the company.
Thinking you know better instead of listening and learning. Those who act as if they know it all and have overinflated opinions of themselves are usually overcompensating for deep feelings of inferiority and insecurity. And you know what? Everyone knows it but them. So, when you act that way instead of listening and learning, it’s like holding up a giant sign that says, “I act big but I really feel small.”
Feeling entitled to something, anything. People throw the “entitlement” word around a lot these days, but there’s a simple truth in business: You’re not entitled to squat. If that’s news to you, then good, you heard it here first. Oh, except for one thing. You’re entitled to work your tail off and maybe someday make something of yourself; that’s about it. The truth is that whatever you feel entitled to you’ll never get.
Drinking the Kool-Aid, i.e. that there’s some magic secret to getting ahead. Becoming successful in the real world requires every bit of whatever brains God gave you, the wisdom you learned along the way, and pretty much all your energy and focus. By definition, every brain cycle and moment you spend thinking there’s a better way - a magic way - works against you by detracting from what it really takes to succeed: brains, hard work, and learning from experience.
MY THOUGHTS
How can I not agree? All the points presented are self-destructing-blaming others, self first before company, being a know-it-all, entitlement which is brought about by a terrible sin called pride, taking shortcuts to success. Time to ask yourself some questions. Are you or are you not?
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
HOWTOWORKFOR A NARCISSISTIC LEADER
How to Survive Working for a Narcissistic Leader
By Margaret Heffernan | May 19, 2011
Times of great change require leaders who have immense vision, courage and the capacity to ignore what everyone else is doing. Many would put BP’s John Browne and the now-imprisoned former IMF president Dominique Strauss-Kahn in this same category.
You don’t necessarily like these people, but they can lead you to great success and may be the only leaders capable of delivering true, galvanic change. Being part of their ride can be exhilarating, instructive, inspiring and lucrative. But they aren’t easy people to work with - and they have very distinct and important drawbacks.
What is a narcissist?
Psychoanalysts describe narcissistic personalities as independent, innovative, drawn to power and glory. They rarely suffer from doubt or second thoughts and can come across as very aggressive. Their extreme absorption in their own vision blinds them to risks, problems or nuance. Being part of their ride can be exhilarating, instructive, inspiring and lucrative. But hanging on for that ride is emotionally and professionally taxing.
If their vision is wrong, they’ll lead everyone over the cliff and never notice. The other problem is that, while their inter-personal skills are poor, they will take all dissent personally. They may not be sensitive to others - but any slight or criticism is felt very personally indeed.
Here are some tips learned on the roller coaster:
1. Play to the upside.
Narcissists are sometimes great leaders because they have vision and are sufficiently self-absorbed not to care (or even notice) how mad they may appear to others. There’s little value in trying to change this. If you want radical change, it won’t be delivered by sensitive leaders but by those so caught up in their own vision that they can’t see anything else. You will have to learn not to mind their faults. But don’t become impervious to them - you need to retain your ability to distinguish their greatness from their potential madness.
2. Don’t even think of competing.
No ego can match, never mind annihilate, the ego of the narcissist. What you have to decide is whether their achievement will facilitate your success. If it will, that’s fine. If these two are at odds, get out now.
3. Help them privately.
While narcissists may think they know everything, the smart ones know they need help. But they won’t show this - or want it demonstrated - in public. So find a back channel: private time alone, email, phone calls. Smart narcissists will absorb all your great insight, data and advice and effortlessly fold it into their own thinking. Don’t expect acknowledgement, gratitude or thanks - but don’t abdicate either. Many narcissists are smart and they need your insights, even if they’ll never acknowledge that.
4. Decide how to deal with the bullying.
Most narcissists are also bullies, subject to tremendous rage. There are 2 ways to manage this: ignore it, like water off a duck’s back (if you truly can) or stand up to it early. Your refusal to be insulted or abused will carry weight because there is nothing a narcissist hates more than losing an audience.
5. Accept that narcissists have no desire to change.
Even if they’re wreaking havoc, they won’t care. They know they’re right. If you think you can change them, you’re wrong, will waste time - and endure a lot of abuse along the way.
The tragedy of narcissists, of course, is that having defeated a mighty foe or delivered epic change, they are the very last people to enjoy the fruits of their labor. If you let them, they’ll destroy what they’ve built. So the critical question, when dealing with narcissistic leaders is this: Are we in a situation that needs this level of drive, radical intensity and vision? If you are, it could be that only a narcissist will get you there.
MY THOUGHTS
Definitely going to be a challenge!
By Margaret Heffernan | May 19, 2011
Times of great change require leaders who have immense vision, courage and the capacity to ignore what everyone else is doing. Many would put BP’s John Browne and the now-imprisoned former IMF president Dominique Strauss-Kahn in this same category.
You don’t necessarily like these people, but they can lead you to great success and may be the only leaders capable of delivering true, galvanic change. Being part of their ride can be exhilarating, instructive, inspiring and lucrative. But they aren’t easy people to work with - and they have very distinct and important drawbacks.
What is a narcissist?
Psychoanalysts describe narcissistic personalities as independent, innovative, drawn to power and glory. They rarely suffer from doubt or second thoughts and can come across as very aggressive. Their extreme absorption in their own vision blinds them to risks, problems or nuance. Being part of their ride can be exhilarating, instructive, inspiring and lucrative. But hanging on for that ride is emotionally and professionally taxing.
If their vision is wrong, they’ll lead everyone over the cliff and never notice. The other problem is that, while their inter-personal skills are poor, they will take all dissent personally. They may not be sensitive to others - but any slight or criticism is felt very personally indeed.
Here are some tips learned on the roller coaster:
1. Play to the upside.
Narcissists are sometimes great leaders because they have vision and are sufficiently self-absorbed not to care (or even notice) how mad they may appear to others. There’s little value in trying to change this. If you want radical change, it won’t be delivered by sensitive leaders but by those so caught up in their own vision that they can’t see anything else. You will have to learn not to mind their faults. But don’t become impervious to them - you need to retain your ability to distinguish their greatness from their potential madness.
2. Don’t even think of competing.
No ego can match, never mind annihilate, the ego of the narcissist. What you have to decide is whether their achievement will facilitate your success. If it will, that’s fine. If these two are at odds, get out now.
3. Help them privately.
While narcissists may think they know everything, the smart ones know they need help. But they won’t show this - or want it demonstrated - in public. So find a back channel: private time alone, email, phone calls. Smart narcissists will absorb all your great insight, data and advice and effortlessly fold it into their own thinking. Don’t expect acknowledgement, gratitude or thanks - but don’t abdicate either. Many narcissists are smart and they need your insights, even if they’ll never acknowledge that.
4. Decide how to deal with the bullying.
Most narcissists are also bullies, subject to tremendous rage. There are 2 ways to manage this: ignore it, like water off a duck’s back (if you truly can) or stand up to it early. Your refusal to be insulted or abused will carry weight because there is nothing a narcissist hates more than losing an audience.
5. Accept that narcissists have no desire to change.
Even if they’re wreaking havoc, they won’t care. They know they’re right. If you think you can change them, you’re wrong, will waste time - and endure a lot of abuse along the way.
The tragedy of narcissists, of course, is that having defeated a mighty foe or delivered epic change, they are the very last people to enjoy the fruits of their labor. If you let them, they’ll destroy what they’ve built. So the critical question, when dealing with narcissistic leaders is this: Are we in a situation that needs this level of drive, radical intensity and vision? If you are, it could be that only a narcissist will get you there.
MY THOUGHTS
Definitely going to be a challenge!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
WHAT MOST SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE DO BEFORE BREAKFAST
What The Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast
By Laura Vanderkam | May 17, 2011
http://www.bnet.com/blog/time-management/what-the-most-successful-people-do-before-breakfast/439?promo=664&tag=nl.e664
Mornings are a mad-cap time in many households. Everyone’s so focused on getting out the door that you can easily lose track of just how much time is passing. I’ve had hundreds of people keep time logs for me over the past few years (you can see some of mine here and here), and I’m always amazed to see gaps of 90 minutes or more between when people wake up and when they start the commute or school car pool.
That would be fine if the time was used intentionally, but often it isn’t.
The most productive people, however, realize that 90 minutes, 120 minutes or more is a long time to lose track of on a busy weekday. If you feel like you don’t have time for personal priorities later in the day, why not try using your mornings? Streamline breakfast, personal care and kid routines. Then you can use 30-60 minutes to try one of four things:
1. Play, read, or talk with your kids. Mornings can be great quality time, especially if you have little kids who go to bed soon after you get home at night, but wake up at the crack of dawn. Set an alarm on your watch, put away the iPhone, and spend a relaxed half an hour reading stories or doing art projects. If you have older children, aim for a leisurely family breakfast. Everyone talks through their plans for the day and what’s going on in their lives. If family dinners aren’t a regular thing in your house, this is a great substitute.
2. Exercise. You shower in the morning anyway, so why not get sweaty first? Trade off mornings with your partner on who goes out and runs and who stays home with the kids. Or, if your kids are older (or you don’t have any) work out together and make it a very healthy morning date.
3. Indulge your creative side. Lots of people would like to resurrect a creative hobby like painting, photography, scrapbooking, writing, even practicing an instrument. What if you went to bed a little earlier three times a week? Skip that last TV show or those last emails and get up a little earlier the next morning to put in some time at your easel before the day gets away from you.
4. Think. Strategic thinking time is incredibly important for seizing control of our lives. Spend 30 minutes in the morning pondering what you want to do with your time. You could also use this time to pray or read religious literature, to meditate or write in a journal. All of these will help you start the day in a much better place than if everyone’s running around like chickens with their heads cut off.
Note: Are you looking for a better start to your day, or to use your time more effectively in general? I’d like to do a few time makeovers of readers over the next few weeks. Email me if you’d be interested in logging your time, trying a few strategies, and sharing what you learn. Thanks!
MY THOUGHTS
Time with the kids. Exercise. Be creative. Think. Those are some of the things most succesful do first thing in the morning. But what about happy people? What do they do the minute they wake up?
By Laura Vanderkam | May 17, 2011
http://www.bnet.com/blog/time-management/what-the-most-successful-people-do-before-breakfast/439?promo=664&tag=nl.e664
Mornings are a mad-cap time in many households. Everyone’s so focused on getting out the door that you can easily lose track of just how much time is passing. I’ve had hundreds of people keep time logs for me over the past few years (you can see some of mine here and here), and I’m always amazed to see gaps of 90 minutes or more between when people wake up and when they start the commute or school car pool.
That would be fine if the time was used intentionally, but often it isn’t.
The most productive people, however, realize that 90 minutes, 120 minutes or more is a long time to lose track of on a busy weekday. If you feel like you don’t have time for personal priorities later in the day, why not try using your mornings? Streamline breakfast, personal care and kid routines. Then you can use 30-60 minutes to try one of four things:
1. Play, read, or talk with your kids. Mornings can be great quality time, especially if you have little kids who go to bed soon after you get home at night, but wake up at the crack of dawn. Set an alarm on your watch, put away the iPhone, and spend a relaxed half an hour reading stories or doing art projects. If you have older children, aim for a leisurely family breakfast. Everyone talks through their plans for the day and what’s going on in their lives. If family dinners aren’t a regular thing in your house, this is a great substitute.
2. Exercise. You shower in the morning anyway, so why not get sweaty first? Trade off mornings with your partner on who goes out and runs and who stays home with the kids. Or, if your kids are older (or you don’t have any) work out together and make it a very healthy morning date.
3. Indulge your creative side. Lots of people would like to resurrect a creative hobby like painting, photography, scrapbooking, writing, even practicing an instrument. What if you went to bed a little earlier three times a week? Skip that last TV show or those last emails and get up a little earlier the next morning to put in some time at your easel before the day gets away from you.
4. Think. Strategic thinking time is incredibly important for seizing control of our lives. Spend 30 minutes in the morning pondering what you want to do with your time. You could also use this time to pray or read religious literature, to meditate or write in a journal. All of these will help you start the day in a much better place than if everyone’s running around like chickens with their heads cut off.
Note: Are you looking for a better start to your day, or to use your time more effectively in general? I’d like to do a few time makeovers of readers over the next few weeks. Email me if you’d be interested in logging your time, trying a few strategies, and sharing what you learn. Thanks!
MY THOUGHTS
Time with the kids. Exercise. Be creative. Think. Those are some of the things most succesful do first thing in the morning. But what about happy people? What do they do the minute they wake up?
Saturday, May 14, 2011
REGAIN YOUR ATTENTION SPAN
6 Ways to Regain Your Attention Span
By Wayne Turmel | May 11, 2011
Does it feel like there are too many little things nibbling at you to actually get any real work done? Just when we settle in to work on the Johnson project, Facebook needs updating, Instant Messenger goes off and there’s that email from your partner in Dallas. How are we supposed to get any work done? We need to rebuild our attention spans.
Too many of us spend our time working like Dug, the dog from the movie “Up”. We get distracted at odd moments (SQUIRREL!) and find it hard to focus. By becoming aware of our tendencies and setting support systems in place we can regain our focus.
Tony Schwartz, the author of The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working, has some ideas. In a recent Management Exchange blog post, he offers 6 tips for regaining the focus we once had.
1. Let your values guide your behaviors - Do you really not know what is most important. While it sounds trite, we need to focus on the things we know to be most valuable. If we thought about it for even a second, is updating our Facebook page really more important than doing a good job on the data for our team? Really?
2. Slow down - Paradoxically, the faster we move the less we often accomplish. Our brains are incapable of multi-tasking, instead we have to switch from one task to the next and each switch has ramp-up and cool-down time associated with it. By sticking with one task until it’s complete (or there’s an organic, natural place to take a break) and then moving to the next task we will get more done and at a higher quality of work.
3. Build deliberate practices that become habits - This one is going to hurt a bit. Many of us have to retrain our brains to stick with one thing at a time. Research shows that ritual and habit are the best ways to make sure we do something in a certain way. The problem is, it takes doing something over and over again until it becomes a habit. Start by blocking an hour (okay, half an hour if you start to get the shakes) in which the focus is the most important work you’ll do that day. Don’t check email, turn off the ringer on the phone. Just do what you need to do. If we did this every day for a couple of weeks, it would becomeour default way of working.
4. Create “precommitments” to keep you on track - This is a polite way of saying you need to burn your boats so you can’t escape. If email is a distraction, turn off your internet connection while you’re working on that memo. Don’t freak out, it has an on switch as well. If we commit to eliminating possible distractions and nonproductive behaviors, not only will we be more focused on the work at hand, but they won’t be there to tempt us at all.
5. Share your commitments - Most of us are really bad at keeping promises to ourselves,but pretty good about maintaining our commitments to others. By sharing your commitment to manage your time better, we’ll be motivated to achieve those goals. We’ll also get some help from those who work witg us. (If you ask your teammates to give you an hour in the morning before the IMs start flying, you may just get it). If everyone knows what everyone else is trying to achieve you can hold each other accountable.
6. Start small - Rome wasn’t built in a day, and going cold-turkey with some of these distractions won’t work very well either. As Schwartz points out, the attention part of our brain acts like a muscle. Try to make it do something it hasn’t done in a while is likely to result in a serious mind-cramp. Still with practice and repetition, we can change our default settings.
For some it will take longer than others. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and reach out to the team members who seem to be struggling with maintaining their focus as well. (SQUIRREL!).
MY THOUGHTS
I love this tips. They are not necessarily easy but they all seem doable.
Okay, for most of us it’s still a work in progress.
By Wayne Turmel | May 11, 2011
Does it feel like there are too many little things nibbling at you to actually get any real work done? Just when we settle in to work on the Johnson project, Facebook needs updating, Instant Messenger goes off and there’s that email from your partner in Dallas. How are we supposed to get any work done? We need to rebuild our attention spans.
Too many of us spend our time working like Dug, the dog from the movie “Up”. We get distracted at odd moments (SQUIRREL!) and find it hard to focus. By becoming aware of our tendencies and setting support systems in place we can regain our focus.
Tony Schwartz, the author of The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working, has some ideas. In a recent Management Exchange blog post, he offers 6 tips for regaining the focus we once had.
1. Let your values guide your behaviors - Do you really not know what is most important. While it sounds trite, we need to focus on the things we know to be most valuable. If we thought about it for even a second, is updating our Facebook page really more important than doing a good job on the data for our team? Really?
2. Slow down - Paradoxically, the faster we move the less we often accomplish. Our brains are incapable of multi-tasking, instead we have to switch from one task to the next and each switch has ramp-up and cool-down time associated with it. By sticking with one task until it’s complete (or there’s an organic, natural place to take a break) and then moving to the next task we will get more done and at a higher quality of work.
3. Build deliberate practices that become habits - This one is going to hurt a bit. Many of us have to retrain our brains to stick with one thing at a time. Research shows that ritual and habit are the best ways to make sure we do something in a certain way. The problem is, it takes doing something over and over again until it becomes a habit. Start by blocking an hour (okay, half an hour if you start to get the shakes) in which the focus is the most important work you’ll do that day. Don’t check email, turn off the ringer on the phone. Just do what you need to do. If we did this every day for a couple of weeks, it would becomeour default way of working.
4. Create “precommitments” to keep you on track - This is a polite way of saying you need to burn your boats so you can’t escape. If email is a distraction, turn off your internet connection while you’re working on that memo. Don’t freak out, it has an on switch as well. If we commit to eliminating possible distractions and nonproductive behaviors, not only will we be more focused on the work at hand, but they won’t be there to tempt us at all.
5. Share your commitments - Most of us are really bad at keeping promises to ourselves,but pretty good about maintaining our commitments to others. By sharing your commitment to manage your time better, we’ll be motivated to achieve those goals. We’ll also get some help from those who work witg us. (If you ask your teammates to give you an hour in the morning before the IMs start flying, you may just get it). If everyone knows what everyone else is trying to achieve you can hold each other accountable.
6. Start small - Rome wasn’t built in a day, and going cold-turkey with some of these distractions won’t work very well either. As Schwartz points out, the attention part of our brain acts like a muscle. Try to make it do something it hasn’t done in a while is likely to result in a serious mind-cramp. Still with practice and repetition, we can change our default settings.
For some it will take longer than others. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and reach out to the team members who seem to be struggling with maintaining their focus as well. (SQUIRREL!).
MY THOUGHTS
I love this tips. They are not necessarily easy but they all seem doable.
Okay, for most of us it’s still a work in progress.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
ARE YOU SMART OR CLEVER?
Are you Smart or Clever?
from the article 'Are You Smart, or Clever? Here’s How to Be Both'
By Jeff Haden | May 3, 2011
For the sake of argument, let’s define smart as educated, trained, experienced, seasoned. Smart people can evaluate a situation and determine the right thing to do.
Clever takes smart a step farther, adding insight and a dash of the unexpected. Clever people evaluate a situation, determine the smart thing to do, and then go a step farther to determine a sometimes surprising way to capitalize on an opportunity.
In business terms, smart is the guy down the hall with the MBA who analyzes and optimizes your supply chain because you assigned him the project. Clever is the gal on the shop floor who comes forward to show how you can increase productivity 15% simply by sequencing jobs differently. (Another true story.)
The business world is populated by millions of smart people. Education, experience, resources — there are countless smart people. To set yourself apart it’s not enough to simply be smart. You also must be clever.
Fortunately, we can all be clever: It just takes the right frame of mind. Click to the next page to learn five ways you can proactively increase your cleverness quotient.
MY THOUGHTS
In other words, all you need to do to be smart is go to school. To be clever, you need to live a life and learn along the way.
from the article 'Are You Smart, or Clever? Here’s How to Be Both'
By Jeff Haden | May 3, 2011
For the sake of argument, let’s define smart as educated, trained, experienced, seasoned. Smart people can evaluate a situation and determine the right thing to do.
Clever takes smart a step farther, adding insight and a dash of the unexpected. Clever people evaluate a situation, determine the smart thing to do, and then go a step farther to determine a sometimes surprising way to capitalize on an opportunity.
In business terms, smart is the guy down the hall with the MBA who analyzes and optimizes your supply chain because you assigned him the project. Clever is the gal on the shop floor who comes forward to show how you can increase productivity 15% simply by sequencing jobs differently. (Another true story.)
The business world is populated by millions of smart people. Education, experience, resources — there are countless smart people. To set yourself apart it’s not enough to simply be smart. You also must be clever.
Fortunately, we can all be clever: It just takes the right frame of mind. Click to the next page to learn five ways you can proactively increase your cleverness quotient.
MY THOUGHTS
In other words, all you need to do to be smart is go to school. To be clever, you need to live a life and learn along the way.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
FAMOUS PEOPLE WHO WORKED AT MCDO
McDonald’s: Jeff Bezos and 5 Other Famous Folks Who Worked There
By Amy Levin-Epstein | Apr 19, 2011
McDonald’s plans to hire 50,000 new employees today as part of a “National Hiring Day” initiative. These new employees join some pretty famous folks who have worked at Mickey D’s over the years. Here are 6 celebs who I vote least likely to have uttered the words “Do you want to supersize that?”
1. Jeff Bezos
The Amazon CEO says that he learned real life skills at McDonald’s — like how to cook breakfast quickly. He told Fast Company that ”one of the great gifts I got from that job is that I can crack eggs with one hand. My favorite shift was Saturday morning. The first thing I would do is get a big bowl and crack 300 eggs into it.” I wonder if he can still do it now.
2. Rachel McAdams
McAdams admitted she wasn’t an A-list employee during her stint at the Golden Arches: “I was slow — I would be organizing the sweet-and-sour packets in the customer’s takeout bag while the line snaked out the door.” Good thing (for her fans as well as potential customers) that she didn’t keep her day job.
3. Macy Gray
This soulful singer didn’t just work at McDonald’s, she called it her “first big break” in a 2006 ad for the company. And that’s not the only famous face that was featured in that ad…
4. Carl Lewis
Another member of that marketing moment? This 9-time Olympic gold medalist, who’s now running for a state senate seat in New Jersey, said in the commercial that his McDonald’s job was “my first race around the clock.”
5. Jay Leno
The late night host shared with Oprah that his local McDonald’s gave him a job, as well as his first taste of comedy success, when they hosted a talent show. Of all the people on this list, Leno seems to me like he’d be the most comfortable flipping burgers.
6. Pink
This pop star probably wasn’t a superstar in the eyes of her boss when she worked at the fast food chain in high school. She admitted in an interview: “I was horrible…I’d be tripping on acid…and I would say, ‘Could I have bathroom duty?’ And I would sit in bathroom and watch the tiles.” Perhaps her ex-manager will see this and her odd request will finally make sense?
Did you ever work at McDonald’s? What useful skills did you learn? Please sign in below and share.
Follow MWOnTheJob on Twitter
MY THOUGHTS
That's interesting news. Shows us how something, which seems to be irrelevant and small, can actually open doors for big things.
By Amy Levin-Epstein | Apr 19, 2011
McDonald’s plans to hire 50,000 new employees today as part of a “National Hiring Day” initiative. These new employees join some pretty famous folks who have worked at Mickey D’s over the years. Here are 6 celebs who I vote least likely to have uttered the words “Do you want to supersize that?”
1. Jeff Bezos
The Amazon CEO says that he learned real life skills at McDonald’s — like how to cook breakfast quickly. He told Fast Company that ”one of the great gifts I got from that job is that I can crack eggs with one hand. My favorite shift was Saturday morning. The first thing I would do is get a big bowl and crack 300 eggs into it.” I wonder if he can still do it now.
2. Rachel McAdams
McAdams admitted she wasn’t an A-list employee during her stint at the Golden Arches: “I was slow — I would be organizing the sweet-and-sour packets in the customer’s takeout bag while the line snaked out the door.” Good thing (for her fans as well as potential customers) that she didn’t keep her day job.
3. Macy Gray
This soulful singer didn’t just work at McDonald’s, she called it her “first big break” in a 2006 ad for the company. And that’s not the only famous face that was featured in that ad…
4. Carl Lewis
Another member of that marketing moment? This 9-time Olympic gold medalist, who’s now running for a state senate seat in New Jersey, said in the commercial that his McDonald’s job was “my first race around the clock.”
5. Jay Leno
The late night host shared with Oprah that his local McDonald’s gave him a job, as well as his first taste of comedy success, when they hosted a talent show. Of all the people on this list, Leno seems to me like he’d be the most comfortable flipping burgers.
6. Pink
This pop star probably wasn’t a superstar in the eyes of her boss when she worked at the fast food chain in high school. She admitted in an interview: “I was horrible…I’d be tripping on acid…and I would say, ‘Could I have bathroom duty?’ And I would sit in bathroom and watch the tiles.” Perhaps her ex-manager will see this and her odd request will finally make sense?
Did you ever work at McDonald’s? What useful skills did you learn? Please sign in below and share.
Follow MWOnTheJob on Twitter
MY THOUGHTS
That's interesting news. Shows us how something, which seems to be irrelevant and small, can actually open doors for big things.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
DO YOU HAVE A GOOD JOB?
Do you have a good job? Take the test
Today's job market favors employees. The attitude of most workers is that they should have a job that makes them happy. So it's no surprise that at any given time 70 percent of the workforce is job hunting, according to the Wall St. Journal.
Everyone is looking for the right position. But what exactly does that mean?
Here is something it's probably not: Prestigious. People who chase fame and prestige are generally not as happy as other people. If you're after fame, you are setting goals that are dependent on other peoples' approval. Conversely, goals about self-acceptance and friendship make you happy because you have more control over them.
You might think you're different – that you have a legitimate shot at fame. Ninety percent of young workers think they are in the top 10 percent of all workers, according to Business Week. Also, 40 percent think they will become famous. The reality is 1 or 2 percent ever achieve a modicum of fame.
A good rule of thumb when choosing a job to make you happy is to pick one that is based on the following list of attributes.
To test a job to see if it's good, give the job points for each attribute it has:
1. A short, predictable commute – 1 point
The problem with a long commute is that it is long in a different way each day. Sometimes it's the rain, sometimes there's an accident. Sometimes traffic is backed up for no apparent reason. Humans can acclimate themselves to a lot of traumatic stuff – even being a paraplegic, according to Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness. But you cannot acclimate yourself to something that is bad in a different way every day.
2. Workflow you can manage – 1 point
This is not about doing work. This is about managing your personal life, which you cannot do if you have no control over your workflow. You need to be able to predict when things will be difficult and when it's safe to focus more on your personal life. This is why management consultants are generally happy – they oversee their own schedule. But those who hold client-heavy jobs, such as lawyers or financial analysts, have to jump at a clients' whim.
3. Clear goals that are challenging – 1 point
Goals that are not challenging result in boredom, not happiness. But challenging work without a clear goal is a bad job waiting to happen because people want to know how they're doing. But you can't get feedback from a boss who does not set clear goals to manage your progress.
It is worth noting that the primary cause of workplace burnout is not the amount of time spent working, but whether the work you did can make a difference. For example, nurses on the pediatric burn unit have high turnover because it is exhausting to be taking care of children without being able to stop their suffering. Conversely, entrepreneurs are typically happy because they have so much control over workflow and goals.
4. Two co-workers you're close friend with – 3 points
If you have two good friends at work, you are almost guaranteed to like your job, according to Tom Rath, the author of Vital Friends. This is, in part, because you can process the bad parts of a job more productively with friends by your side to help you.
So finding a job you like or turning a bad job in to a good job might actually be totally under your control; you can decide you are going to be likable and make friends, or not.
Test results:
0-2 points, probably not a good job
3 points, probably a good job
4 – 6 points, probably a really good job
MY THOUGHTS
How did you fare? If you scored 0-2 points, don't go running off to another job. There are ways and ways to improve your lot - find a place nearer your work, manage your time and leave enough room for the unexpected, set your own challenging goals (if your boss won't do it for you), and go and forge those friendships. Two friends from a throng of people is not too much to ask. Unless you're with a bunch of freaks working in a dysfunctional organization.
Today's job market favors employees. The attitude of most workers is that they should have a job that makes them happy. So it's no surprise that at any given time 70 percent of the workforce is job hunting, according to the Wall St. Journal.
Everyone is looking for the right position. But what exactly does that mean?
Here is something it's probably not: Prestigious. People who chase fame and prestige are generally not as happy as other people. If you're after fame, you are setting goals that are dependent on other peoples' approval. Conversely, goals about self-acceptance and friendship make you happy because you have more control over them.
You might think you're different – that you have a legitimate shot at fame. Ninety percent of young workers think they are in the top 10 percent of all workers, according to Business Week. Also, 40 percent think they will become famous. The reality is 1 or 2 percent ever achieve a modicum of fame.
A good rule of thumb when choosing a job to make you happy is to pick one that is based on the following list of attributes.
To test a job to see if it's good, give the job points for each attribute it has:
1. A short, predictable commute – 1 point
The problem with a long commute is that it is long in a different way each day. Sometimes it's the rain, sometimes there's an accident. Sometimes traffic is backed up for no apparent reason. Humans can acclimate themselves to a lot of traumatic stuff – even being a paraplegic, according to Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness. But you cannot acclimate yourself to something that is bad in a different way every day.
2. Workflow you can manage – 1 point
This is not about doing work. This is about managing your personal life, which you cannot do if you have no control over your workflow. You need to be able to predict when things will be difficult and when it's safe to focus more on your personal life. This is why management consultants are generally happy – they oversee their own schedule. But those who hold client-heavy jobs, such as lawyers or financial analysts, have to jump at a clients' whim.
3. Clear goals that are challenging – 1 point
Goals that are not challenging result in boredom, not happiness. But challenging work without a clear goal is a bad job waiting to happen because people want to know how they're doing. But you can't get feedback from a boss who does not set clear goals to manage your progress.
It is worth noting that the primary cause of workplace burnout is not the amount of time spent working, but whether the work you did can make a difference. For example, nurses on the pediatric burn unit have high turnover because it is exhausting to be taking care of children without being able to stop their suffering. Conversely, entrepreneurs are typically happy because they have so much control over workflow and goals.
4. Two co-workers you're close friend with – 3 points
If you have two good friends at work, you are almost guaranteed to like your job, according to Tom Rath, the author of Vital Friends. This is, in part, because you can process the bad parts of a job more productively with friends by your side to help you.
So finding a job you like or turning a bad job in to a good job might actually be totally under your control; you can decide you are going to be likable and make friends, or not.
Test results:
0-2 points, probably not a good job
3 points, probably a good job
4 – 6 points, probably a really good job
MY THOUGHTS
How did you fare? If you scored 0-2 points, don't go running off to another job. There are ways and ways to improve your lot - find a place nearer your work, manage your time and leave enough room for the unexpected, set your own challenging goals (if your boss won't do it for you), and go and forge those friendships. Two friends from a throng of people is not too much to ask. Unless you're with a bunch of freaks working in a dysfunctional organization.
Monday, April 11, 2011
TAKING IT EASY
Why You Should Be a Slacker
By Suzanne Lucas | March 29, 2011
If you want to get ahead, you need a Type A personality. Go, go, go. Right? The more stress you’re under, the better you perform. You can handle everything.
Sue Shellenbarger at the Wall Street Journal reported on a new study in the Journal of Applied Psychology. Researchers found that slackers actually handled life better than their go getter counterparts.
But in a finding that may baffle busy-bee readers, people who avoid problems – those we might call slackers in a different context — who withdraw and, say, lie down and take a nap instead of tackling dilemmas right away, actually do better with life conflict, and seem to have more energy, says the study.
The part about the “slackers” having more energy isn’t surprising. After all, they just took naps.
But, overall this makes sense. By taking some down time, they have time to evaluate whether this new problem is actually worth solving. How many of times have you had “urgent requests” become “oh never mind, we’re going another direction” an hour later? Look over your email after you’ve been stuck in an off site training all day without access to email? You weren’t there and magically some problems solved themselves.
In addition, you can often think of solutions when you’re not staring at a problem directly. Go for a walk, talk to a friend, do something other than dwelling on the problem you are currently facing.
More fascinating is the finding that people who seek out other people for emotional support reported more stress. These people probably take the stress into their relationships instead of using the relationships for an escape from problems.
So, stop complaining, and go take a nap. By the time you wake up, perhaps you’ll be less stressed and one of your type A coworkers will have taken care of three items on your to-do list.
MY THOUGHTS
Loosen up. Cut your self some slack. Relax. Re-energize. The world won't stop revolving because you took it easy for awhile.
By Suzanne Lucas | March 29, 2011
If you want to get ahead, you need a Type A personality. Go, go, go. Right? The more stress you’re under, the better you perform. You can handle everything.
Sue Shellenbarger at the Wall Street Journal reported on a new study in the Journal of Applied Psychology. Researchers found that slackers actually handled life better than their go getter counterparts.
But in a finding that may baffle busy-bee readers, people who avoid problems – those we might call slackers in a different context — who withdraw and, say, lie down and take a nap instead of tackling dilemmas right away, actually do better with life conflict, and seem to have more energy, says the study.
The part about the “slackers” having more energy isn’t surprising. After all, they just took naps.
But, overall this makes sense. By taking some down time, they have time to evaluate whether this new problem is actually worth solving. How many of times have you had “urgent requests” become “oh never mind, we’re going another direction” an hour later? Look over your email after you’ve been stuck in an off site training all day without access to email? You weren’t there and magically some problems solved themselves.
In addition, you can often think of solutions when you’re not staring at a problem directly. Go for a walk, talk to a friend, do something other than dwelling on the problem you are currently facing.
More fascinating is the finding that people who seek out other people for emotional support reported more stress. These people probably take the stress into their relationships instead of using the relationships for an escape from problems.
So, stop complaining, and go take a nap. By the time you wake up, perhaps you’ll be less stressed and one of your type A coworkers will have taken care of three items on your to-do list.
MY THOUGHTS
Loosen up. Cut your self some slack. Relax. Re-energize. The world won't stop revolving because you took it easy for awhile.
Friday, April 8, 2011
KICKING THE MULTI-TASKING HABIT
How to Kick the Multi-Tasking Addiction
By Margaret Heffernan | March 3, 2011
www.bnet.com
Multi-tasking has become an epidemic. According to recent research, college students in lectures are opening, on average, 65 new screens per lecture - 62 percent of which are entirely unrelated to the lecture or the course. They’re also instant messaging and sending email.
Not surprisingly, the researchers found there is an inverse relationship between this multitasking and academic performance. Learning takes longer, involves more mistakes and may mean that learning isn’t retained for long.
Of course, executives around the world also behave the same way, hoping that, by doing so many things at once, they will somehow be more productive.
The evidence suggests otherwise. Here’s why:
* Multitasking is an urban myth: Cognitive scientists have demonstrated that we never truly multi-task; we merely task-switch (albeit very quickly.) Between each switch is, effectively, a blind spot. Information gets dropped, overlooked or under-valued. This is also why you can’t safely drive and talk or text on your cell phone at the same time; your intellectual capacity is worse than if you’re over the legal alcohol limit. Computers might be able to multi-task, but the mind cannot.
* Productivity isn’t a function of hours: We think by doing a great deal all the time that somehow we will get more done. This is an industrial revolution model of productivity: if you can make 10 widgets in an hour, you can make 100 in 10 hours, right? Wrong. Even in manufacturing it doesn’t work because you get tired and make mistakes. When it comes to intellectual processing, it is even more wrong. As we get tired, we lose the ability to discriminate and discern. We may keep going but the quality of our thinking declines. What creative work needs is a balance of focus and rest. That’s why you may often find you get your best ideas driving home.
Breaking the cycle
It’s hard to break our multi-tasking habits. And it’s even harder if you have a boss who loves multi-tasking and thinks anyone not working this way is a slacker. Is there any way around that? Yes. The most important argument to win is the productivity argument.
1. Make sure you’re measured on output, not hours. If you are rewarded for the quality of the work you generate, then you can reasonably argue that how you get that work done is your business.
2. Set the tone in the meetings you call: Don’t use your BlackBerry. You’ll also find the meetings might be shorter if you ask everyone not to bring their phones!
3. Don’t evangelize, even after you’ve found the new benefit of mono-tasking. Ultimately all those addicted multi-taskers will have to find their own way to kick the habit.
MY THOUGHTS
I used to brag about my multi-tasking capability. Until I realized I was wasting more time re-doing things because they were done haphazardly. Being mindful of what you are doing results to more quality work. How can you be mindful when you're doing 2-3 things at the same time.
By Margaret Heffernan | March 3, 2011
www.bnet.com
Multi-tasking has become an epidemic. According to recent research, college students in lectures are opening, on average, 65 new screens per lecture - 62 percent of which are entirely unrelated to the lecture or the course. They’re also instant messaging and sending email.
Not surprisingly, the researchers found there is an inverse relationship between this multitasking and academic performance. Learning takes longer, involves more mistakes and may mean that learning isn’t retained for long.
Of course, executives around the world also behave the same way, hoping that, by doing so many things at once, they will somehow be more productive.
The evidence suggests otherwise. Here’s why:
* Multitasking is an urban myth: Cognitive scientists have demonstrated that we never truly multi-task; we merely task-switch (albeit very quickly.) Between each switch is, effectively, a blind spot. Information gets dropped, overlooked or under-valued. This is also why you can’t safely drive and talk or text on your cell phone at the same time; your intellectual capacity is worse than if you’re over the legal alcohol limit. Computers might be able to multi-task, but the mind cannot.
* Productivity isn’t a function of hours: We think by doing a great deal all the time that somehow we will get more done. This is an industrial revolution model of productivity: if you can make 10 widgets in an hour, you can make 100 in 10 hours, right? Wrong. Even in manufacturing it doesn’t work because you get tired and make mistakes. When it comes to intellectual processing, it is even more wrong. As we get tired, we lose the ability to discriminate and discern. We may keep going but the quality of our thinking declines. What creative work needs is a balance of focus and rest. That’s why you may often find you get your best ideas driving home.
Breaking the cycle
It’s hard to break our multi-tasking habits. And it’s even harder if you have a boss who loves multi-tasking and thinks anyone not working this way is a slacker. Is there any way around that? Yes. The most important argument to win is the productivity argument.
1. Make sure you’re measured on output, not hours. If you are rewarded for the quality of the work you generate, then you can reasonably argue that how you get that work done is your business.
2. Set the tone in the meetings you call: Don’t use your BlackBerry. You’ll also find the meetings might be shorter if you ask everyone not to bring their phones!
3. Don’t evangelize, even after you’ve found the new benefit of mono-tasking. Ultimately all those addicted multi-taskers will have to find their own way to kick the habit.
MY THOUGHTS
I used to brag about my multi-tasking capability. Until I realized I was wasting more time re-doing things because they were done haphazardly. Being mindful of what you are doing results to more quality work. How can you be mindful when you're doing 2-3 things at the same time.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Signs of Job Burnout
Seven signs of job burnout
By Janet Fowler, Investopedia.com
http://lifewise.canoe.ca/Investopedia/2011/03/29/17793221.html
With the current economy's move towards efficiency, many employees are facing greater demands for their time. Perhaps through downsizing in the organization or cutbacks in operating funds, many organizations are running leaner and employees are often feeling the pressure. When employees feel intense pressure in the workplace, this can lead to stress, anxiety and even burnout. Burnout comes when an individual faces prolonged exposure to stressors, leading to a state of physical, emotional or mental exhaustion. Many people don't even realize that they're experiencing burnout until they suffer health issues as a result. Use these signs and symptoms to help determine if you're experiencing job burnout.
1. Procrastination or Loss of Motivation
Do you remember the days when you were eager to get to the office and felt the satisfaction of meeting a major deadline? An important aspect of success in the workplace is feeling an internal desire to perform, and finding satisfaction in the work that you do. If you no longer feel the motivation to strive for perfection, find yourself procrastinating or simply putting in the minimal amount of work to meet deadlines, you might want to examine what's brought on the change in your motivation.
2. Absenteeism and Lateness
Calling in sick often? Constantly showing up late or leaving early? Employees who are often absent could potentially be experiencing burnout. If any excuse not to attend seems good enough, or if you're desperate to leave as soon as possible, it may be a good idea to investigate the reasons you're feeling this way. It is also a possibility that if you are ill more often that this could be related to burnout. People who are unhappy or stressed often have a weakened immune system.
3. Every Day Seems Like a Bad Day
Do you find yourself responding negatively every time someone asks you how your day was? If your negative feelings tend to revolve around your workplace and you're unable to think of anything positive that happened during your workday, this is definitely a symptom of job burnout. Taking some time to find the positives in each day may help to make your job seem more tolerable.
4. Isolating Yourself from Others
No longer taking lunch or coffee breaks with your coworkers? Trying to dodge out of the office without having to say goodnight? If the days of being the life of the office party are gone, perhaps you should step back examine the reasons. Isolating yourself from others can be a symptom of a much larger issue, such as anxiety, burnout or depression. If this behavior seems isolated to the workplace, this could definitely indicate job burnout; however, any time you notice yourself withdrawing from others, you should question what's brought on the change.
5. Cynicism
Feeling like things will never improve, or finding yourself questioning what you're even doing at work? Feelings of negativity, bitterness or resentment towards your job, or feeling like the work you do will never be good enough indicates job burnout. Take a moment to ask yourself if what you're feeling is rational. Are things really as bad as you perceive them to be?
6. Overreacting
Do you find yourself becoming angry or frustrated with almost everything your coworkers or clients say or do? If you have outbursts of anger over small issues in the workplace, job burnout could be the culprit behind this behavior. If your coworkers are walking on eggshells any time you're around, then you probably need to step back and reevaluate. Remember that your coworkers are just trying to do their jobs as well. Reminding you of a deadline, asking you to attend a meeting, or inviting you to chip in on the office lottery pool isn't an invitation to vent your frustrations.
7. Depression
At its very worst, depression can be the outcome of experiencing prolonged burnout. Depression can manifest itself in many ways. Changes in sleep pattern, increase or decrease in appetite, emotional outbursts, refusal to participate in social activities, and isolation are all symptoms of depression. Unexplained physical pains may also be attributed to depression. Depression, when left untreated, can cause individuals to take part in self-destructive behaviors, such as excessive drinking. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should speak to your doctor as soon as possible. (Job loss can be devastating. Learn how to anticipate it and quickly get back on your feet.
The Bottom Line
If you're experiencing a number of the signs and symptoms of burnout, you should examine the cause of your feelings and what you can do to change your workplace environment to make it healthier for you. Don't be afraid to address the issues that are making you feel stressed or unhappy. Ultimately, if you feel like a change of environment would be best, it might be time to start looking for a new job. If this isn't an option for you, there are other possibilities. Perhaps requesting a transfer, or asking for new job tasks that will revive your interest can help to improve your motivation.
Finding motivation or happiness in other parts of your life can help to improve your outlook at work as well. Making a point of spending your off hours on hobbies, taking a vacation, or being physically active may help to improve your attitude and ability to handle stress overall. If you are at the point where you are experiencing burnout to such an extent that you are feeling depressed or taking part in self-destructive behaviors, you should speak to your doctor about long-term risks to your health and wellness, or possible treatments.
MY THOUGHTS
Bottom line - one or two of the above is already a symptom of the worst to come. Don't wait until you have all 7 signs.
By Janet Fowler, Investopedia.com
http://lifewise.canoe.ca/Investopedia/2011/03/29/17793221.html
With the current economy's move towards efficiency, many employees are facing greater demands for their time. Perhaps through downsizing in the organization or cutbacks in operating funds, many organizations are running leaner and employees are often feeling the pressure. When employees feel intense pressure in the workplace, this can lead to stress, anxiety and even burnout. Burnout comes when an individual faces prolonged exposure to stressors, leading to a state of physical, emotional or mental exhaustion. Many people don't even realize that they're experiencing burnout until they suffer health issues as a result. Use these signs and symptoms to help determine if you're experiencing job burnout.
1. Procrastination or Loss of Motivation
Do you remember the days when you were eager to get to the office and felt the satisfaction of meeting a major deadline? An important aspect of success in the workplace is feeling an internal desire to perform, and finding satisfaction in the work that you do. If you no longer feel the motivation to strive for perfection, find yourself procrastinating or simply putting in the minimal amount of work to meet deadlines, you might want to examine what's brought on the change in your motivation.
2. Absenteeism and Lateness
Calling in sick often? Constantly showing up late or leaving early? Employees who are often absent could potentially be experiencing burnout. If any excuse not to attend seems good enough, or if you're desperate to leave as soon as possible, it may be a good idea to investigate the reasons you're feeling this way. It is also a possibility that if you are ill more often that this could be related to burnout. People who are unhappy or stressed often have a weakened immune system.
3. Every Day Seems Like a Bad Day
Do you find yourself responding negatively every time someone asks you how your day was? If your negative feelings tend to revolve around your workplace and you're unable to think of anything positive that happened during your workday, this is definitely a symptom of job burnout. Taking some time to find the positives in each day may help to make your job seem more tolerable.
4. Isolating Yourself from Others
No longer taking lunch or coffee breaks with your coworkers? Trying to dodge out of the office without having to say goodnight? If the days of being the life of the office party are gone, perhaps you should step back examine the reasons. Isolating yourself from others can be a symptom of a much larger issue, such as anxiety, burnout or depression. If this behavior seems isolated to the workplace, this could definitely indicate job burnout; however, any time you notice yourself withdrawing from others, you should question what's brought on the change.
5. Cynicism
Feeling like things will never improve, or finding yourself questioning what you're even doing at work? Feelings of negativity, bitterness or resentment towards your job, or feeling like the work you do will never be good enough indicates job burnout. Take a moment to ask yourself if what you're feeling is rational. Are things really as bad as you perceive them to be?
6. Overreacting
Do you find yourself becoming angry or frustrated with almost everything your coworkers or clients say or do? If you have outbursts of anger over small issues in the workplace, job burnout could be the culprit behind this behavior. If your coworkers are walking on eggshells any time you're around, then you probably need to step back and reevaluate. Remember that your coworkers are just trying to do their jobs as well. Reminding you of a deadline, asking you to attend a meeting, or inviting you to chip in on the office lottery pool isn't an invitation to vent your frustrations.
7. Depression
At its very worst, depression can be the outcome of experiencing prolonged burnout. Depression can manifest itself in many ways. Changes in sleep pattern, increase or decrease in appetite, emotional outbursts, refusal to participate in social activities, and isolation are all symptoms of depression. Unexplained physical pains may also be attributed to depression. Depression, when left untreated, can cause individuals to take part in self-destructive behaviors, such as excessive drinking. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should speak to your doctor as soon as possible. (Job loss can be devastating. Learn how to anticipate it and quickly get back on your feet.
The Bottom Line
If you're experiencing a number of the signs and symptoms of burnout, you should examine the cause of your feelings and what you can do to change your workplace environment to make it healthier for you. Don't be afraid to address the issues that are making you feel stressed or unhappy. Ultimately, if you feel like a change of environment would be best, it might be time to start looking for a new job. If this isn't an option for you, there are other possibilities. Perhaps requesting a transfer, or asking for new job tasks that will revive your interest can help to improve your motivation.
Finding motivation or happiness in other parts of your life can help to improve your outlook at work as well. Making a point of spending your off hours on hobbies, taking a vacation, or being physically active may help to improve your attitude and ability to handle stress overall. If you are at the point where you are experiencing burnout to such an extent that you are feeling depressed or taking part in self-destructive behaviors, you should speak to your doctor about long-term risks to your health and wellness, or possible treatments.
MY THOUGHTS
Bottom line - one or two of the above is already a symptom of the worst to come. Don't wait until you have all 7 signs.
Monday, March 28, 2011
WAYS TO WIN IN ANY BUSINESS SITUATION
5 Ways to Win in Any Business Situation
By Steve Tobak | September 30, 2010
http://www.bnet.com/blog/ceo/5-ways-to-win-in-any-business-situation/5681?tag=content;drawer-container
Steve Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, said “Think Win-Win.” Jim Camp, author of Start With No, calls win-win “… the seductive mantra used by the toughest negotiators to get the other side to compromise unnecessarily …” He says those negotiations end up as win-lose.
Want to know who’s right? Well, determining the best approach to any business relationship or negotiation is very much situational, but still, relatively straightforward. Whether it’s a job opportunity, a consulting opportunity, a potential vendor or customer, an internal relationship, whatever, it’s more common sense than you think.
That said, it does confuse and confound a lot of people, even senior executives and business leaders. For example, a post by Niland Mortimer on BNET starts out like this:
The rules of business decision making more often than not are based on the principle of “I win. You lose.” Companies, and their employees, proceed invincibly down the path of unilateral rightness. Compromise is out of the question. Collaboration is tantamount to defeat. I win. You lose. Damn the consequences.
Now, I’m not going to say “I win - you lose” never happens. Sure it does. In fact, it makes complete sense … in certain situations. For example, it’s the only way to approach competitors because market-share is more or less a zero-sum game. But otherwise, that’s neither the way to win nor the way it works in the real world. Frankly, I don’t know where Mortimer’s assertion comes from, but it’s not consistent with my experience.
So, to clear up all the confusion and distinguish between the different approaches, here are 5 Ways to Win in Any Business Situation:
1. Internal relationship between coworkers. Win-win, collaborate, all the way. Anything else is dysfunctional. Sure, the dysfunctional stuff - back stabbing, taking credit for someone else’s work, sugar-coating BS, CYA - all exists, but don’t fall into that trap. You either have to play it smarter or find a company that doesn’t accept that kind of crap.
Goal: Win-win
2. Boss-employee relationship. Again, Win-win, collaborate, all the way, same as with coworkers. Companies don’t exist for you, your boss, or your employees. They exist for two reasons: to provide a product or service to customers, and to provide value to shareholders. All employees at every level should be aligned to do that, simple as that.
Goal: Win-win
3. Competitors in the marketplace. I win - you lose. Period. Market competition is a zero-sum game, simple as that. To suggest otherwise is idiotic. And yes, you should befriend your competitors, call them frienemies, hang out and party with them, anything you like. Just listen more than you talk. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, right?
Goal: I win - you lose
4. Customer-vendor relationship. Customer-vendor relationships should always yield the perception of a win-win, especially if you want an ongoing relationship. That said, when you approach negotiations, your goal is to get the better deal while the other guy thinks he did okay too. I think of that as “I win - you don’t lose.” Camp provides a pretty good approach for doing that. It’s not easy at first, but you do get better at it with experience.
Goal: I win - you don’t lose
5. Job or consulting opportunity. It’s important to note that, in this situation, you all have to live with each other after the fact. So, whichever side of the equation you’re on, don’t overpromise and risk underdelivering or underplay your hand and risk losing the gig. Best to be genuine. That said, when it comes to negotiating dollars and cents, it’s the same as customer-vendor.
Goal: I win - you don’t lose
MY THOUGHTS
Personally,I think win-win is very ideal. Maybe because it's very hard to accomplish. I agree with this article - it is indeed situational.
By Steve Tobak | September 30, 2010
http://www.bnet.com/blog/ceo/5-ways-to-win-in-any-business-situation/5681?tag=content;drawer-container
Steve Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, said “Think Win-Win.” Jim Camp, author of Start With No, calls win-win “… the seductive mantra used by the toughest negotiators to get the other side to compromise unnecessarily …” He says those negotiations end up as win-lose.
Want to know who’s right? Well, determining the best approach to any business relationship or negotiation is very much situational, but still, relatively straightforward. Whether it’s a job opportunity, a consulting opportunity, a potential vendor or customer, an internal relationship, whatever, it’s more common sense than you think.
That said, it does confuse and confound a lot of people, even senior executives and business leaders. For example, a post by Niland Mortimer on BNET starts out like this:
The rules of business decision making more often than not are based on the principle of “I win. You lose.” Companies, and their employees, proceed invincibly down the path of unilateral rightness. Compromise is out of the question. Collaboration is tantamount to defeat. I win. You lose. Damn the consequences.
Now, I’m not going to say “I win - you lose” never happens. Sure it does. In fact, it makes complete sense … in certain situations. For example, it’s the only way to approach competitors because market-share is more or less a zero-sum game. But otherwise, that’s neither the way to win nor the way it works in the real world. Frankly, I don’t know where Mortimer’s assertion comes from, but it’s not consistent with my experience.
So, to clear up all the confusion and distinguish between the different approaches, here are 5 Ways to Win in Any Business Situation:
1. Internal relationship between coworkers. Win-win, collaborate, all the way. Anything else is dysfunctional. Sure, the dysfunctional stuff - back stabbing, taking credit for someone else’s work, sugar-coating BS, CYA - all exists, but don’t fall into that trap. You either have to play it smarter or find a company that doesn’t accept that kind of crap.
Goal: Win-win
2. Boss-employee relationship. Again, Win-win, collaborate, all the way, same as with coworkers. Companies don’t exist for you, your boss, or your employees. They exist for two reasons: to provide a product or service to customers, and to provide value to shareholders. All employees at every level should be aligned to do that, simple as that.
Goal: Win-win
3. Competitors in the marketplace. I win - you lose. Period. Market competition is a zero-sum game, simple as that. To suggest otherwise is idiotic. And yes, you should befriend your competitors, call them frienemies, hang out and party with them, anything you like. Just listen more than you talk. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, right?
Goal: I win - you lose
4. Customer-vendor relationship. Customer-vendor relationships should always yield the perception of a win-win, especially if you want an ongoing relationship. That said, when you approach negotiations, your goal is to get the better deal while the other guy thinks he did okay too. I think of that as “I win - you don’t lose.” Camp provides a pretty good approach for doing that. It’s not easy at first, but you do get better at it with experience.
Goal: I win - you don’t lose
5. Job or consulting opportunity. It’s important to note that, in this situation, you all have to live with each other after the fact. So, whichever side of the equation you’re on, don’t overpromise and risk underdelivering or underplay your hand and risk losing the gig. Best to be genuine. That said, when it comes to negotiating dollars and cents, it’s the same as customer-vendor.
Goal: I win - you don’t lose
MY THOUGHTS
Personally,I think win-win is very ideal. Maybe because it's very hard to accomplish. I agree with this article - it is indeed situational.
Monday, March 14, 2011
WHAT CUSTOMERS REALLY WANT
WHAT CUSTOMERS REALY WANT
from the article "10 Things All Customers Want"
By Steve Tobak | February 1, 2011
http://www.bnet.com
Never before in history has a society bought and sold so much stuff. We’re all part of a giant food chain of products and services. That means, in all likelihood, that you’re not only a customer, but you have customers, too.
Since you’re on both sides of the equation, it stands to reason that you’d treat your customers the same way you’d want to be treated, right? It seems so obvious.
But do we do that? Do we do the obvious thing? No, most of us don’t. Instead, we hoist customers high up on some pedestal. And because we revere them, we treat them differently … when we shouldn’t.
We think of our customers as authority figures. And how do we interact with authority figures? Our parents, our teachers, our bosses? Differently. We’re not genuine with them because we’re afraid it will change their opinion of us. We put on airs. We spin the truth.
That’s dysfunctional behavior with all sorts of unintended consequences.
I’ve been selling products and services as far back as I can remember. My customers have ranged from corporate giants to tiny startups, from engineers to CEOs, from Tokyo to Istanbul. And you know what? They all want the same things. Some are relatively straightforward while others are counterintuitive. In any case, here are …
10 Things All Customers Want
1. Your honest assessment of the competition. Customers want information. And if you can be balanced and honest about it, they’d love to get your assessment of the competition.
2. Bad news. Give it to them straight, face-to-face, in a timely manner. Moreover, be prepared to pull out all the stops to make things right for them. Bad news is part of life and business. It happens. Deal with it.
3. The truth about your company or product’s shortcomings. You know they’re going to figure it out sooner or later. Don’t you think it’s a better idea for them to hear it from you first? Encourage them to provide honest feedback in real time so you’ve at least got a chance to address their concerns openly.
4. Be there when they need you. Availability in real time is everything, these days. It saves them time and that’s huge. Be there when they need you. It’ll make all the difference.
5. Something that goes beyond the call of duty.
6. Cut out the small talk. Time is everyone’s most precious asset these days; don’t waste it.
7. Make their jobs easier. When was the last time you actually asked what will make their jobs easier, what their specific priorities are with respect to the product or service you provide, what you can do differently to be a better vendor, or what keeps them up at night?
8. Give them your undivided attention. Don’t take calls or visitors when you’re meeting with them. Don’t get easily distracted, either; just pay attention and listen when they talk.
9. Pick up the phone and call. When it’s something important to them, picking up the phone and calling instead of emailing, every so often, is a big deal.
10. Thank them for their business. Next time you see your customer, look him straight in the eye and tell him how much you enjoy working with him and appreciate the opportunity.
Bottom line. Every single one of you could have written this post by putting yourself in your customer’s shoes. It should be easy, since you’re somebody else’s customer. So do that. You’ll be amazed by what you come up with.
MY THOUGHTS
i keep going to a certain store or establishment because they treat me well. by 'well' i mean they they are available for questions, they go away when i don't want them around, they show they care without being patronizing. the author of this article is right - think of yourself as a customer. then deal with your customers the way you want to be treated.
from the article "10 Things All Customers Want"
By Steve Tobak | February 1, 2011
http://www.bnet.com
Never before in history has a society bought and sold so much stuff. We’re all part of a giant food chain of products and services. That means, in all likelihood, that you’re not only a customer, but you have customers, too.
Since you’re on both sides of the equation, it stands to reason that you’d treat your customers the same way you’d want to be treated, right? It seems so obvious.
But do we do that? Do we do the obvious thing? No, most of us don’t. Instead, we hoist customers high up on some pedestal. And because we revere them, we treat them differently … when we shouldn’t.
We think of our customers as authority figures. And how do we interact with authority figures? Our parents, our teachers, our bosses? Differently. We’re not genuine with them because we’re afraid it will change their opinion of us. We put on airs. We spin the truth.
That’s dysfunctional behavior with all sorts of unintended consequences.
I’ve been selling products and services as far back as I can remember. My customers have ranged from corporate giants to tiny startups, from engineers to CEOs, from Tokyo to Istanbul. And you know what? They all want the same things. Some are relatively straightforward while others are counterintuitive. In any case, here are …
10 Things All Customers Want
1. Your honest assessment of the competition. Customers want information. And if you can be balanced and honest about it, they’d love to get your assessment of the competition.
2. Bad news. Give it to them straight, face-to-face, in a timely manner. Moreover, be prepared to pull out all the stops to make things right for them. Bad news is part of life and business. It happens. Deal with it.
3. The truth about your company or product’s shortcomings. You know they’re going to figure it out sooner or later. Don’t you think it’s a better idea for them to hear it from you first? Encourage them to provide honest feedback in real time so you’ve at least got a chance to address their concerns openly.
4. Be there when they need you. Availability in real time is everything, these days. It saves them time and that’s huge. Be there when they need you. It’ll make all the difference.
5. Something that goes beyond the call of duty.
6. Cut out the small talk. Time is everyone’s most precious asset these days; don’t waste it.
7. Make their jobs easier. When was the last time you actually asked what will make their jobs easier, what their specific priorities are with respect to the product or service you provide, what you can do differently to be a better vendor, or what keeps them up at night?
8. Give them your undivided attention. Don’t take calls or visitors when you’re meeting with them. Don’t get easily distracted, either; just pay attention and listen when they talk.
9. Pick up the phone and call. When it’s something important to them, picking up the phone and calling instead of emailing, every so often, is a big deal.
10. Thank them for their business. Next time you see your customer, look him straight in the eye and tell him how much you enjoy working with him and appreciate the opportunity.
Bottom line. Every single one of you could have written this post by putting yourself in your customer’s shoes. It should be easy, since you’re somebody else’s customer. So do that. You’ll be amazed by what you come up with.
MY THOUGHTS
i keep going to a certain store or establishment because they treat me well. by 'well' i mean they they are available for questions, they go away when i don't want them around, they show they care without being patronizing. the author of this article is right - think of yourself as a customer. then deal with your customers the way you want to be treated.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
GET TO WORK ON TIME
Get To Work On Time...Or Else
Best Excuses For Being Late
By F. John Reh, About.com Guide
Mar 1 2011
In economic times like these, when there are at least 10-15 applicants for every job opening, employees who still have jobs are making more of an effort to get to work on time according to a recent survey by CareerBuilder.com. But that doesn't mean that those who are late don't have interesting reason or excuses for their tardiness.
The survey, conducted in November and December 2010, found that 15 percent of workers admitted to being late for work at least once once a week, down from 16 percent the previous year and 20 percent in 2008. It may be worth noting that the economic downturn did not begin until late in 2008. According to the survey, one-third (32 percent) of employers said they have terminated an employee for being late. Some are more lenient.
Reasons For Being Late
The survey found the most often used excuses were
* traffic-related (30 percent),
* lack of sleep (19 percent),
* bad weather (9 percent), and
* childcare issues (8 percent).
Our Survey
An About.com survey of managers revealed a variety of creative and interesting excuses used by employees who are late for work. These include:
* My wife's brother got arrested on our front lawn, and we were fighting whose fault it was.
* I had to go to the doctor because I have triple pneumonia. (And, were those his exact words.)
* A young lady, who lived a short distance away, did not arrive on time (because) having a pencil skirt on, she could not walk quickly.
* The cat was sick and I had to clean up after her.
* her boyfriend was involved in a fender bender and ended up getting in a shouting match with the other driver who then stabbed him in the neck and drove off.
* He had to take time off to shop for a new phone because he'd dropped his in the toilet that AM and he couldn't live a minute without a cellphone. He's no longer with us.
* She and her spouse argued whose turn it was to stay home when their son woke up sick that morning.
* He had to go and search for his wedding ring, which he thought he had dropped on a gravel road the night before while hunting.
* Her electric garage door opener wouldn't work because of a blown fuse and she had to wait for her husband to come manually raise the door.
* Her son woke up with a loose tooth missing and she had to stay home till he pooped so she could find it.
* The storm knocked out my power and the alarm did not go off.
* I will be late cuz last night there was a storm and I could not get my underwear to dry.
* The Army have exercises in the morning and they blocked the only exit from the complex.
* I would have been here on time if all those other cars weren't on the streets.
The employee whose excuse was "I was too tired to come in on time, so I decided to sleep in and rest up to be more productive" no longer works there.
What's Your Excuse
What is the best, most amusing excuse you have heard? Or have used yoursef? Share the best one you've heard.
MY THOUGHTS
i doubt managers find these excuses amusing. especially if the person concerned is an habitual latecomer. if he's habitually late, i'm surprised he's still allowed to make these excuses (if e still had the job!)
Best Excuses For Being Late
By F. John Reh, About.com Guide
Mar 1 2011
In economic times like these, when there are at least 10-15 applicants for every job opening, employees who still have jobs are making more of an effort to get to work on time according to a recent survey by CareerBuilder.com. But that doesn't mean that those who are late don't have interesting reason or excuses for their tardiness.
The survey, conducted in November and December 2010, found that 15 percent of workers admitted to being late for work at least once once a week, down from 16 percent the previous year and 20 percent in 2008. It may be worth noting that the economic downturn did not begin until late in 2008. According to the survey, one-third (32 percent) of employers said they have terminated an employee for being late. Some are more lenient.
Reasons For Being Late
The survey found the most often used excuses were
* traffic-related (30 percent),
* lack of sleep (19 percent),
* bad weather (9 percent), and
* childcare issues (8 percent).
Our Survey
An About.com survey of managers revealed a variety of creative and interesting excuses used by employees who are late for work. These include:
* My wife's brother got arrested on our front lawn, and we were fighting whose fault it was.
* I had to go to the doctor because I have triple pneumonia. (And, were those his exact words.)
* A young lady, who lived a short distance away, did not arrive on time (because) having a pencil skirt on, she could not walk quickly.
* The cat was sick and I had to clean up after her.
* her boyfriend was involved in a fender bender and ended up getting in a shouting match with the other driver who then stabbed him in the neck and drove off.
* He had to take time off to shop for a new phone because he'd dropped his in the toilet that AM and he couldn't live a minute without a cellphone. He's no longer with us.
* She and her spouse argued whose turn it was to stay home when their son woke up sick that morning.
* He had to go and search for his wedding ring, which he thought he had dropped on a gravel road the night before while hunting.
* Her electric garage door opener wouldn't work because of a blown fuse and she had to wait for her husband to come manually raise the door.
* Her son woke up with a loose tooth missing and she had to stay home till he pooped so she could find it.
* The storm knocked out my power and the alarm did not go off.
* I will be late cuz last night there was a storm and I could not get my underwear to dry.
* The Army have exercises in the morning and they blocked the only exit from the complex.
* I would have been here on time if all those other cars weren't on the streets.
The employee whose excuse was "I was too tired to come in on time, so I decided to sleep in and rest up to be more productive" no longer works there.
What's Your Excuse
What is the best, most amusing excuse you have heard? Or have used yoursef? Share the best one you've heard.
MY THOUGHTS
i doubt managers find these excuses amusing. especially if the person concerned is an habitual latecomer. if he's habitually late, i'm surprised he's still allowed to make these excuses (if e still had the job!)
Thursday, February 10, 2011
ALLOCATE YOUR TIME
Tick Tock: Tips for Allocating Your Time
By Sean Silverthorne | May 13, 2008
Do you spend your work time as effectively as you could? Let me answer for you. No.
Everyone from CEOs to front-line managers squander their most valuable resource — time — like an untuned automobile wastes fuel. Our opportunities to create real value for the organization are chipped away by everything from trivial e-mail exchanges to putting out petty corporate fires.
How do we tune our time management to make us run more productively? A couple of recent posts on Harvard Business offer some interesting approaches to thinking and dealing with the problem. The first approach is to consider what you are working on, the second discusses ways to making how you work more effective.
The Curse of Multitasking
Columbia Business School professor Rita McGrath posts on the importance of focusing most of your time on tasks, jobs, and roles where you create value. The more you multitask, she says, the less effective you become. She suggests you separate the attractive opportunities from those less attractive by developing a set of evaluation screens that help you set priorities. Read her post for more details.
In Are You Spending Time the Right Way, executive coach Melissa Raffoni outlines a three-step process for using your time more strategically. In summary she asks you to:
Break your responsibilities into strategic and tactical categories such as growth and improvement, managing people, and administration.
Determine how much of your time should be devoted to each category. “To answer,” she writes, “factor in the competing claims on your time: the activities that enable you to generate the most leverage, the company’s strategic priorities, and the short-term needs of your supervisors, direct reports, and customers.”
Make sure your conclusions align with the mission of our superiors and the company overall. Do you and your boss see eye-to-eye on where your commitments should be?
With this information in hand, Raffoni suggests you conduct an audit of how you actually spent your own time last week by looking at your calendar. Are your time commitments strategic? If not, learn how to box time and delegate to get the most out of your schedule, she says.
MY THOUGHTS
i hate to admit it but i've wasted lots of time and resources while multi-tasking. some of you can probably relate with burnt food because you were also doing laundry. retyping correspondence because you were on the phone while composing it. wasting a lot of meeting time not because the meeting was useless but due to the fact that you were busy doing other work or worse, texting.
thing is, we get so hooked-up with the idea that multi-tasking is a skill you should be proud of. you get so good at it has become a habit. and now you're finding it hard top focus. well, all habits can be unlearned. you just need to desire it. then takes things from there.
By Sean Silverthorne | May 13, 2008
Do you spend your work time as effectively as you could? Let me answer for you. No.
Everyone from CEOs to front-line managers squander their most valuable resource — time — like an untuned automobile wastes fuel. Our opportunities to create real value for the organization are chipped away by everything from trivial e-mail exchanges to putting out petty corporate fires.
How do we tune our time management to make us run more productively? A couple of recent posts on Harvard Business offer some interesting approaches to thinking and dealing with the problem. The first approach is to consider what you are working on, the second discusses ways to making how you work more effective.
The Curse of Multitasking
Columbia Business School professor Rita McGrath posts on the importance of focusing most of your time on tasks, jobs, and roles where you create value. The more you multitask, she says, the less effective you become. She suggests you separate the attractive opportunities from those less attractive by developing a set of evaluation screens that help you set priorities. Read her post for more details.
In Are You Spending Time the Right Way, executive coach Melissa Raffoni outlines a three-step process for using your time more strategically. In summary she asks you to:
Break your responsibilities into strategic and tactical categories such as growth and improvement, managing people, and administration.
Determine how much of your time should be devoted to each category. “To answer,” she writes, “factor in the competing claims on your time: the activities that enable you to generate the most leverage, the company’s strategic priorities, and the short-term needs of your supervisors, direct reports, and customers.”
Make sure your conclusions align with the mission of our superiors and the company overall. Do you and your boss see eye-to-eye on where your commitments should be?
With this information in hand, Raffoni suggests you conduct an audit of how you actually spent your own time last week by looking at your calendar. Are your time commitments strategic? If not, learn how to box time and delegate to get the most out of your schedule, she says.
MY THOUGHTS
i hate to admit it but i've wasted lots of time and resources while multi-tasking. some of you can probably relate with burnt food because you were also doing laundry. retyping correspondence because you were on the phone while composing it. wasting a lot of meeting time not because the meeting was useless but due to the fact that you were busy doing other work or worse, texting.
thing is, we get so hooked-up with the idea that multi-tasking is a skill you should be proud of. you get so good at it has become a habit. and now you're finding it hard top focus. well, all habits can be unlearned. you just need to desire it. then takes things from there.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Ways to End Up With a Career You Hate
Five Sure-fire Ways to End Up With a Career You Hate
Oct. 7 2010 - 5:28 pm | 2,860 views | 0 recommendations | 0 comments
Posted by Chrissy Scivicque
I spend a lot of time sharing information on how to love your career. I talk about making thoughtful decisions, establishing a path and actively managing your goals.
But, equally important, is avoiding those roads that will lead to inevitable career unhappiness. Sometimes, they’re hard to spot. But I’ve found five that are clear, unmistakable danger zones. Take a look below and make every effort to avoid these traps.
1. “…but I’m good at this”
So, it’s not something you want to do, it’s something you can do. I get it. Sounds good at first. Take advantage of your skills and all that. But sooner or later, it wears thin. I see this quite often with mid-career professionals. They’ve been chugging right along, doing what they do, and suddenly they realize they’ve been sucked into a void of discontent. Don’t dedicate your energy to something just because you have the ability. You deserve to be at least somewhat selective. And if you desperately want to do something that you’re not naturally good at, you always have the power to grow your skills.
2. “…but I need the money.”
It sounds like such an obviously bad idea and yet, so many people fall for this one. Money isn’t enough to keep you happy for long. Yes, we all have financial needs that must be met. But, if that’s the sole reason you’re in your career, prepare for misery my friend. There are—literally—MILLIONS of ways to make money. Find something that offers another kind of satisfaction as well. Compensation comes in many forms and your paycheck is just one.
3. “Things will get better.”
Staying the course and hoping that things improve is a sure-fire way to waste time. If you’re in a career that’s making you miserable, it’s probably safe to say that things can’t change enough to make it worthwhile staying. Maybe they can. Maybe your awful boss will retire and you’ll be promoted and the company will be purchased by Google. But I like to encourage a proactive mindset. Do what you can to improve the situation and, if things don’t change significantly and quickly, start the process of moving on. Don’t stick with it just because you feel invested. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that things will just magically get better with time.
4. “I’m afraid.”
If fear is holding you back, you’re not alone. This is the number one reason people stay in careers they don’t enjoy. The unknown path is always scary. But be honest with yourself. If you never confront your fear, you’ll never know what could have been. You don’t want to look back on your life at the age of 70 and have regrets or questions. A few calculated risks lead to a life well-lived. Maybe not always an easy or expected life, but one you can be proud of.
5. “Nothing else would be any better.”
This is the kind of thinking that takes over when you’re unhappy. You just give up. And it’s my job to remind everyone—yes, everyone—that there are ways to find happiness at work. No one is cursed with the miserable career plague. It’s a temporary state, IF you are willing to do the work. Don’t ever believe you’re stuck.
The kind of thinking described above is normal and tempting. We all fall into these thought patterns on occasion. The good news is that you can snap yourself right out of it. You CAN find career nourishment.
MY THOUGHTS
a job that makes you miserable? of course it sucks. and the power to make it better is in your hands. moving on may not necessarily mean moving to a new job. what's the guarantee that it's going to be better? moving on does not also mean moving now. unless your job will bring you to your grave this very minute. i'm talking of real threats to you and your family. otherwise, move with caution. take heed of the points presented in this article. but check and double check if you are the reason you have a miserable job.
Oct. 7 2010 - 5:28 pm | 2,860 views | 0 recommendations | 0 comments
Posted by Chrissy Scivicque
I spend a lot of time sharing information on how to love your career. I talk about making thoughtful decisions, establishing a path and actively managing your goals.
But, equally important, is avoiding those roads that will lead to inevitable career unhappiness. Sometimes, they’re hard to spot. But I’ve found five that are clear, unmistakable danger zones. Take a look below and make every effort to avoid these traps.
1. “…but I’m good at this”
So, it’s not something you want to do, it’s something you can do. I get it. Sounds good at first. Take advantage of your skills and all that. But sooner or later, it wears thin. I see this quite often with mid-career professionals. They’ve been chugging right along, doing what they do, and suddenly they realize they’ve been sucked into a void of discontent. Don’t dedicate your energy to something just because you have the ability. You deserve to be at least somewhat selective. And if you desperately want to do something that you’re not naturally good at, you always have the power to grow your skills.
2. “…but I need the money.”
It sounds like such an obviously bad idea and yet, so many people fall for this one. Money isn’t enough to keep you happy for long. Yes, we all have financial needs that must be met. But, if that’s the sole reason you’re in your career, prepare for misery my friend. There are—literally—MILLIONS of ways to make money. Find something that offers another kind of satisfaction as well. Compensation comes in many forms and your paycheck is just one.
3. “Things will get better.”
Staying the course and hoping that things improve is a sure-fire way to waste time. If you’re in a career that’s making you miserable, it’s probably safe to say that things can’t change enough to make it worthwhile staying. Maybe they can. Maybe your awful boss will retire and you’ll be promoted and the company will be purchased by Google. But I like to encourage a proactive mindset. Do what you can to improve the situation and, if things don’t change significantly and quickly, start the process of moving on. Don’t stick with it just because you feel invested. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that things will just magically get better with time.
4. “I’m afraid.”
If fear is holding you back, you’re not alone. This is the number one reason people stay in careers they don’t enjoy. The unknown path is always scary. But be honest with yourself. If you never confront your fear, you’ll never know what could have been. You don’t want to look back on your life at the age of 70 and have regrets or questions. A few calculated risks lead to a life well-lived. Maybe not always an easy or expected life, but one you can be proud of.
5. “Nothing else would be any better.”
This is the kind of thinking that takes over when you’re unhappy. You just give up. And it’s my job to remind everyone—yes, everyone—that there are ways to find happiness at work. No one is cursed with the miserable career plague. It’s a temporary state, IF you are willing to do the work. Don’t ever believe you’re stuck.
The kind of thinking described above is normal and tempting. We all fall into these thought patterns on occasion. The good news is that you can snap yourself right out of it. You CAN find career nourishment.
MY THOUGHTS
a job that makes you miserable? of course it sucks. and the power to make it better is in your hands. moving on may not necessarily mean moving to a new job. what's the guarantee that it's going to be better? moving on does not also mean moving now. unless your job will bring you to your grave this very minute. i'm talking of real threats to you and your family. otherwise, move with caution. take heed of the points presented in this article. but check and double check if you are the reason you have a miserable job.
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