Blog ~ Page 32 of 37 ~ Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting

August 27, 2013

Taking on Too Much (or Feeling Like It)

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Do you ever take on too much (or it feels like you do)? I know I have and, while I know I am making a difference, using skills and pursuing my passions, it still doesn’t take the feelings of overwhelm and resulting anxiety in trying to get “it” all done – and done well. I came to a realization earlier this morning after spending this past weekend, and most of of last night (5am), grading papers to complete one online class, starting 2 others, and writing an article for a publication, all while running my business.

While I took on all these tasks willingly, it still doesn’t take away the worry over how I will get them all done in a timely manner while giving value. One thought that came to mind was the Serenity Prayer:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference

I think this prayer helps to clarify that I can let go of trying to control my schedule and to be methodical in prioritizing everything on that schedule, which has helped to bring a sense of calm and accomplishment. As you can see, this post is written late but, being true to my blog challenge – Day 26 – I may have finished other tasks earlier but, in letting go, got this done. I believe I found the wisdom I needed 🙂

August 25, 2013

Time to Rev Up Those Goals

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Well, here we are at the end/start of a new week, which is the last week of the month. School is back in session and things are getting back to a level of routine. Before we know it, summer will be gone. This week is the perfect time to reflect back on the last 3 months to determine what has -or has not – gone well in your career, business or life, and the reason(s) why. This review will then help you to ‘rev up’ those goals that you have not finished, or to create and implement new. The last four months of the year can give way to doing and having more in your life.

The feelings of self-satisfaction that can arise are limited only by your thinking small or not taking action. I have written many articles on goals and goal setting so you can refer to them in this site. The point is to just DO IT! Make the commitment to invest in yourself and to achieve all that you have wanted; taking the first step is the start. So, go ahead and dust off those sheets of paper where you wrote down your goals; review them, polish them up and go make them happen!

August 24, 2013

Creating Collaborative Spaces

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When looking at fostering creativity in the work environment, one ‘too’ that leaders can offer their members is to allow collaborative spaces. These are meeting areas, or work spaces, where member can go to either meet as a group, or for individual time, and be in creative mode. The two types of modes that I think of are brainstorming and freethinking; brainstorming is where you have to come up with ideas, while freethinking is any and all thoughts or ideas that arise. Personally, I prefer freethinking – the more I try not to control the process the easier I find the ideas flowing.

When creating collaborative spaces, an organization can designate offices or certain areas, liked a game room or den area; these spaces are not constrained and are arranged to enhance mood, which enhances creativity. Colors, pictures and the like are considered. Leadership needs to support the idea and encourage their workers to utilize these areas as often as possible; this will help to improve processes, systems, products and the like. Making improvements within an organization should be high on the priority list, to not become stagnant; creating collaborative spaces is one solution to prevent this from happening.

June 24, 2010

5 Effective Networking Strategies for Your Job Search

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I’m sure you’ve heard it by now – the BEST way to find a job in today’s market is through networking. The “hidden job market” is becoming the easiest and fastest way to employment. Due to the volume of resumes that a company receives for an open position, they are now looking for the way to find people who have the qualities and the references in a timely manner. What better way than to go through people you know and trust! Here are 5 networking strategies to use for your job search:

1. Family/friends – be sure to tell the people who know you best that you are looking for a job, and what type; they know, or know of someone who knows, that can get you in touch with the hirer and can speed your search

2. Social media sites – LinkedIn is the premier site for professional online networking; it allows you to post your “resume” online, to connect with people you know or people who are in organizations you want to be in, to research companies, to join groups for education and networking, and to show your expertise by answering questions. I heard a recruiter recently say that he would not look at anyone who did not have a LinkedIn profile! There are other sites, like Facebook, Twitter, Connections, etc. to join.

3. Associations and Groups – join groups in your industry – or the one you want to be in to find people who are currently doing what you want. When you do, start volunteering to show your skills and get you noticed. Some associations have mentoring programs or career pathing to help their members transition. and most have job boards. Find networking groups as well as they are great places to let people know you are looking for a job.

4. Alumni associations – go back to your college or university alumni center to get connected with other alumni who are in your field. Alumni usually want to give back (they also know people)

5. Business cards – pull out all of your old business cards to see who you can contact to inform them of your job search; look at people you’ve met in your preferred industry for connections or to set up informational interviews for information gathering and resources

If networking is not part of your job-search strategy, you are missing opportunities to get you hired. Go back and revise your plan to make these 5 effective networking strategies part of your job search plan. What other strategies have you tried?

June 20, 2010

Focusing Only on the Money Won’t Get You a Job

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I see it over and over again – job seekers feeling confused and frustrated that they can’t find a job because they are only focusing on the money they will make. While pay and benefits are important, they are not the only factors to consider when searching for a job. You have to think about the sacrifices you will have to make, not to mention the workload and stress, that come along with high-paying jobs. If your values and lifestyle do not mesh or you are not willing to do the work that is necessary then you will need to re-focus on finding a position that will fit and the look to see how you can set goals for how you will get there.

I once talked to a young man who is 29 years old and had worked his way up to the manager of a major, large retail chain. He was preparing to interview for a district manager position and I have no doubt that he got the position. In realizing his success, this young man was very focused on his career path and had taken the steps necessary to get where he was. He reported that he had set career goals for himself at a very young age, 18, when he started working for the company and wanted to progress every two years; he would move into the “next step” and learn all he could so he was prepared for the next position. While income was important to this young man, he felt that the learning and self-development opportunities were invaluable and motivating, as well as the ability to develop his employees to also move into management positions.

I think a good lesson can be learned from this story. If you focus on your reasons for wanting to pursue your career path, aligning with your values, and setting clear goals for yourself can get you to the right job opportunity that can make you happy. It will give you the purpose and the passion to work hard. In time, the money will come!