Stress is a word we hear a lot these days. For many people stress and work are closely linked. Whether it is about dealing with the boss from hell or managing a work load, there are many opportunities for stress to present itself in the workplace. Here are some suggestions to help you deal with and reduce your stress levels: 1. Clarity What is making you stressed? Rather than just thinking it is “everything about your job”, narrow it down and try to get to the bottom of what is causing you anxiety. Being clear about what is the problem is the first step to being able to do something about it (and there is usually something that can be done about most problems, despite what we might first think). 2. Relax Create a relaxation habit! It really is possible but it is something that often needs to be worked at if you are not used to it. There are lots of ways we can relax; you could look into … [Read more...] about 5 Ways To Reduce Your Stress Levels
Career Advice Blog
5 Ways To Make Yourself Unpopular At Work
Obviously, no one wants to be unpopular at work so I have put together a list of common pitfalls that could make you unpopular at work, so we can all avoid them! 1. Gossiping A little harmless gossip doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing, but be careful about talking about your colleagues behind their backs (especially being negative) and getting the reputation as the office gossip. Being seen as a gossip could mean people are less likely to trust you and makes it easier to become embroiled in office politics! Keeping things simple means you can stay out of any drama and stay professional. 2. Sucking Up Be yourself with your colleagues and boss without sucking up. Being authentic is an admirable quality; no one likes to be around people who are trying to be nice to people based on their status or what they think they can get out of them. Treating everyone you come into contact with … [Read more...] about 5 Ways To Make Yourself Unpopular At Work
Questions to Ask the Employer If You Don't Get the Job
You have completed your application and are delighted to be invited for an interview and think it has gone really well. Everything is looking good, and then you find out… you didn’t get the job! If you are not successful at an interview it is worth asking for feedback from the employer. Turn a failed interview into a learning experience and plan for your next interview. This will increase your chances of a successful interview and getting the job you want. Rather than trying to guess the reasons why you didn’t get the job, being proactive and asking could give you valuable information that could make all the difference to your job search. Why Didn’t I Get The Job? Contact the employer and let them know that you would like to improve your interviewing skills and would appreciate their feedback. Keep it short and to the point and explain the reason you are asking for their feedback. Explaining that you want to learn from this experience will ward … [Read more...] about Questions to Ask the Employer If You Don't Get the Job
How to Not Waste Your Life
In high-school you are told to get good grades to get into a good college. In college, you are told to get good grades so that you can get a good job. As a student, you live semester to semester, report card by report card: a structured set of measurable grades which disappear the second you graduate. But, what if the career path you set for yourself during you student days was not at all what you expected? According to Harris Interactive, only 20% of employees are very passionate about their jobs. Most of us don’t know what we want, what our passion is, and will end up hopping from one job to another or stay with one company because of the steady paycheck. A look at 3 big achievers shows us how to stop this life-long game of musical chairs or endless complacency: follow your dreams. Mark Zuckerberg Zuckerberg’s original purpose was to create a site for Harvard students to connect with one another. As his site grew in popularity, his dreams got more ambitious. “The last hundred … [Read more...] about How to Not Waste Your Life
Using Your Blog to Help Launch a New Career
Blog this, blog that. It seems like everyone has a blog these days, and that's not too far off – millions of blogs have been started (and just about as many abandoned) in the last decade. Have you been toying with the idea of starting your own blog? Does the desire to be part of this vast universe of cyber-talking appeal to you? The good news is you can - there is no quota for blogs. However, there are some things you need to do first before you post that first article, and the very first one is to know the goals of your blog, which can be determined by two very basic questions: WHAT do you want your blog to be about? Technology? Cooking? Crafts? Childcare? Auto repair? Sports? Fashion? Gardening? Creative writing? Design and décor? Whatever it is, you need to have a basic idea before you invest any money or significant time. Don't start a cooking blog if you also plan to talk about interior design. Start from the beginning saying that your blog is about the home, which … [Read more...] about Using Your Blog to Help Launch a New Career
Working From Home: How To Be Effective
I have always loved the idea of working from home. I imagined how great it would be to work in your pyjamas if you wanted to, and just generally make the best of being in your home environment to do your work. Now that I do work from home, I enjoy it very much but have found that there can be headaches to working at home. Here are are a few of the things I have learnt that have helped me to enjoy working from home and be effective: Create A Schedule Like many people, I imagined working from home could mean getting up whenever I wanted to and working whenever suited me. The flexibility is great when it is needed but the reality is that a schedule can help you to get your work done and keep boundaries around your work and home life. Set Boundaries Boundaries are important when working from home, in getting your work done and also ensuring your work life doesn’t leak into your personal life. It might be that the people in your life may think you are always available … [Read more...] about Working From Home: How To Be Effective
Healthy Habits For The Office
Do you want to stay healthy but find it hard to do so whilst working in an office? If so, here are a few ideas that I use that you may find helpful: 1. Drink Herbal Teas Or Water Staying hydrated is essential for your health. I only drink herbal teas and water at work and this saves on buying milk for tea and coffee, reduces my caffeine intake and ensures I stay hydrated. I have one or two cups of tea and / or coffee after work but by only drinking water and herbal teas at work I have made this a regular habit. 2. Eat Healthy Foods As with what you drink at work, if you can prepare in advance and eat healthy food and snacks at work it will help you to get into a good habit. 3. Take A Break It is so good for your mental and physical wellbeing to take a break each day you are at work. Taking a break means you have some rejuvenation time in your day, it enhances your productivity when you are back at work and can help to reduce the chances of feeling burnout at work. … [Read more...] about Healthy Habits For The Office
How To Choose a Major Using Mind Mapping
If you're wondering how to choose a major in college, then you're not alone. Many college students seem to have difficulty deciding on one major to pursue. I know it was that way for me. After changing my major 4 times, I finally decided on accounting. Many college students change their majors at least once! But, what if you knew how to choose a major easily and make sure it is one that's based upon your interests? Clearly some majors are more expensive than others! So, it's important that you choose the right major from the start! Use Mind Mapping To Get Ideas Mind maps are a great way to help you choose the right major! A mind map is a form of note taking that involves turning a paper horizontally and starting with a topic in the center of the page. Write the topic "Picking a Major" in the center of a page and then circle it. This is the main focus of your mind map. Then, you create subtopics to the main topic as branches out from the center topic. These lines can be drawn in any … [Read more...] about How To Choose a Major Using Mind Mapping
Top 5 Workers Compensation Claims
Clumsy people have continued to spark laughter and lighten up the workplace for years. Both the clumsy employee and the onlookers need a good laugh to break up the day. After all, who wouldn’t want a little bit of comic relief? The answer: small business owners. For small businesses, clumsiness is more expensive (and nerve-racking) than it is funny. Small mishaps occur day to day, but one slip and a small mishap can turn into a serious injury. According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 3.1 million people in the US suffered a non-fatal workplace injury or illness last year, which equates to about 3.5 cases per 100 full-time workers. Industries such as construction and healthcare account for the largest majority, but accidents can (and do) happen in every industry. For this reason, companies are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Workers Compensation Insurance 101 For those who are unfamiliar, workers’ compensation laws are set in place to make sure an … [Read more...] about Top 5 Workers Compensation Claims
3 Important Lessons to Learn From Yearly Performance Reviews
Yearly performance reviews are commonplace in many companies and are often the main occasions when employees receive feedback from management. You may anticipate yearly reviews since this is typically when pay raises are received but you may also dread them for fear of negative feedback. Rather than worrying about performance reviews, use your energy more effectively by planning for the meeting. The following are three ways to plan for upcoming reviews and the lessons you should take away from the meeting. Take Criticism Constructively Criticism from management regarding your job performance can be difficult to swallow, especially for workplace perfectionists. Rather than worrying about what a ‘meets expectations’ rating rather than an ‘exceeds expectations’ rating may mean for your future with the company, take the criticism constructively. Listen to what your manager suggests during the review and begin incorporating that advice into future work projects. This will prove to … [Read more...] about 3 Important Lessons to Learn From Yearly Performance Reviews