Journal of Office Workers
Archive for October 22, 2014
Happy Thoughts: Here Are the Things Proven To Make You Happier
Originally posted on TIME:
What’s the secret to a head full of happy thoughts?
Time to round up the research on living a happy life to see what we can use.
First, yeah, a good chunk of happiness is controlled by your genes but there’s a lot you can do to make yourself happier. Many of these techniques have been repeatedly tested and even worked with the clinically depressed.
Gratitude, Gratitude, Gratitude
I can’t emphasize this one enough. Showing gratitude for the good things you have is the most powerful happiness boosting activity there is.
It will make you happier.
It will improve your relationships.
It can make you a better person.
It can make life better for everyone around you.
Bronze medalists are happier than silver medalists. Why? They feel grateful to get a medal at all.
Every night before you go to bed write three good things that…
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Hate Mornings? 6 Small Changes That Will Fix Everything
Originally posted on TIME:
This post is in partnership with Inc., which offers useful advice, resources and insights to entrepreneurs and business owners. The article below was originally published at Inc.com.
The first few minutes of your morning are the most important of your day and can set the tone for positivity and productivity. Ideally, you have an app or clock that taps into your natural circadian rhythm and wakes you during your “best time” within a certain window. Getting jarred out of a deep REM slumber to the sound of a blaring alarm clock sets you up for a negative day brimming with fatigue and crankiness.
But getting the right alarm clock is only part of the battle.
Here are six ways to start your morning better while kicking bad habits that destroy good sleep hygiene.
1. Give yourself at least 15 minutes of no screen time
Besides turning off an alarm…
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What Are the 3 Steps to Becoming Stress-Proof?
Originally posted on TIME:
1) Know What Really Works
Most of the things you instinctively do to relieve stress don’t work.
The APA’s national survey on stress found that the most commonly used strategies were also rated as highly ineffective by the same people who reported using them. For example, only 16 percent of people who eat to reduce stress report that it actually helps them. Another study found that women are most likely to eat chocolate when they are feeling anxious or depressed, but the only reliable change in mood they experience from their drug of choice is an increase in guilt.
So what does work?
According to the American Psychological Association, the most effective stress-relief strategies are exercising or playing sports, praying or attending a religious service, reading, listening to music…
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Chilling out at Everton Park Singapore
Originally posted on Things to Do in Singapore:
Fancy spending a few hours in the local heartlands yet want to have the Orchard road feel?
Everton Park is one of the few HDBs in Singapore which has the classy touch at the void deck.
Yes seriously. Strangely, this neighbourhood has managed to attract many shops that you probably see them more commonly at shopping malls. Makes me wonder how these shops sustain without the human traffic needed for any retail store. See more of the shops below
Besides retail stores, there also several cafes serious in the caffeine business in this sleepy neighbourhood. During lunch time, I’ve seen scenes familiar at clark quay where pub goers hang around cocktail tables with a glass of booze in their hand indulged in the human pleasures of alcohol. Now imagine this same scene, now with a cuppa of coffee in their hand. Some of the patrons bring their cup of coffee out of the…
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In search of a neighbourhood cafe comes Percolate
Originally posted on 20thofapril.wordpress.com:
Coffee is my best cheap thrill. One could catch me grinning cheerfully when I chance upon a cafe that is hiding like a gem, waiting to be found (when you yourself gets lost, lol). I would then have the itch to go in and try what they offer, regardless if I am already full from a certain binge. If not accidentally finding a cafe, you would see me typing in “neighbourhood” “cafe” “hidden” “cafe” “best” “secret” “cafe” to Mr. Google.
Where we reside, there are very few cafes within the vicinity that is a.) not Starbucks b.) not a Kopi place c.) not another-commercial-cafe. And so, in my search for that possible go to coffee nook, I stumbled upon one named Percolate.
I am sucker for anything quaint and rustic so when I saw the place right after we alighted the bus (Percolate is just a bus ride away from…
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Tailoring Your Resume During A Career Transition
Changing careers can be daunting. Not only do you have to carefully consider everything in leaving your job behind, but you have to calculate the steps needed in order to progress into an alternative career or industry.
Related: 4 Secrets To Changing Careers In Your 40s
Deciding to change careers is the first step in the process, but alongside the decision come a variety of administrative responsibilities.
(If you are yet to quit your existing job, make sure you check out my video on How To Quit Your Job The Right Way by clicking here.)
In order to apply for new jobs, you will need the relevant documents: a resume, portfolio, and cover letter.
Where To Start?
The first step you will take in tailoring your resume is by linking your past experience with your possible positions in the future. Always keep in mind what the employer is looking for and what they would want to read about you.
This doesn’t mean you have to fabricate the perfect resume, it’s just about anticipating what the employer would like to know about you and your experience.
Even though you might feel your new career path is worlds apart from you previous position, there are still ways in which you can link and combine the skills to make them relevant to what lies ahead.
State Your Objectives
The easiest way to jump the career change hurdle is by being clear and open in your resume and/or cover letter. Don’t try and trick the HR or recruiting into thinking that you have vast experience in a particular field when you don’t.
Make it clear that you are in the midst of a career transition and mention how your past experience alongside your skills and expertise can tie in with the position you are applying for.
Don’t Use Cliches
Don’t fall into the trap of using resume cliches.
For instance, people mentioning that the fact that they are ‘perfectionists’ is a weakness. Or using phrases such as ‘hard-working,’ ‘team-player,’ or ‘hands-on.’ Every Tom, Dick, and Harry out there has used them, and it will only damage the credibility of your resume.
State The Important Facts First
Those hiring new employees don’t necessarily read every word on the resume.
That’s why you need to list your information and facts in a way that is easy to ‘digest’ for your prospective employer. Structure your resume in such a way that all the headings are relevant and the most important facts relating to your new career are listed first.
Make Use Of Action Verbs
Accomplishments that outline your unique contribution are great. If at all possible, use action verbs such as ‘collaborated,’ ‘designed,’ ‘planned,’ ‘developed,’ ‘initiated,’ ‘sold,’ and so on.
Not only will this show that you are influential within a company, but action verbs will show your proactive approach in the working environment.
Work With What You Already Have
If you’ve been in the workforce for quite some time and now you are changing careers, you don’t have to make use of your college resume anymore. Your professional portfolio and resume will now be most relevant.
Some skills are beneficial to any job, for instance, leadership, communication, negotiation, independent learning, management, problem solving, and so on. Just make sure that you do have examples of where you practiced each of these skills and ideas of how you could do so in your future position.
Even if you don’t have experience in the field you are about to enter - you have life experience and alongside a positive attitude and willingness to learn this is vitally important to prospective employers.
Monkey See, Monkey Do
Many candidates tend to just make a few small adjustments on their resume, hoping for the best. By not knowing what you are getting yourself into, you might be wasting both your and the company’s time.
Do some research about the ultimate resumes in your new career field. You could even have a chat with someone you know in the industry, especially if it’s a senior, and pick their brains on the current expectations.
The more you know, the better your chances of ultimately representing yourself as the ideal candidate for the job.
Showcase The Natural Progress
Structure your resume in such a way that you don’t come across as a job hopper.
Showcase the natural progress from one industry to another by combining your skills, expertise, and interest in your resume. The best advice would be to find an underlying theme or practice that connects all your different experiences and base your new summary, cover letter, and resume upon this premise.
Your Extensive Knowledge
The best way to convince them of your interest in the industry is by sharing your extensive knowledge even though you might not have first-hand experience.
If it’s in any way possible, show them the numbers! The idea is to back-up your claims of expertise with actual instances where your work has resulted in a positive change within the company. If you were a social media expert, give them the actual numbers of how much your audience increased while you were responsible for those tasks.
If you need to acquire some skills to make yourself more interesting to potential employers, check out this video on how to use the internet for that purpose.
Update Your Cover Letter
Your cover letter is important to show your understanding of the position and its requirements. It shows that you’ve done your research and you understand how your experience, interests, and background can possibly tie into the position.
In the case of a career transition, you cover letter will also mention that you are changing careers or entering a different field. Be open about your past, present, and ideal future.
Include Your Online Representation
Online representation could be seen as an add-on to your current resume. These days, companies don’t just stare at a few pieces of paper to get to know you as a possible employee. They do research. As in social media research – on you.
Before applying for a job, ‘Google’ your own name and see what comes up. It’s very interesting and might even tell you more about yourself than you were aware of.
Your online reputation speaks of your most obvious, or well-optimized habits. For instance, if you claim to be a resource within a certain industry but when you search those keywords alongside your name and nothing comes up, this will take away much of your credibility.
At the end of the day, it’s about making your mark both on the print version of your resume as well as your online representation.
Apart from promoting yourself, your expertise and interests on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+, you could sign up for online portfolios such as About.me, Contently, and Visualize.me.
Your online representation will do the talking, even if you are not sure what to say. Of course, not all companies rely on your online reputation, but having this intact might benefit both the company and your career.
Related Posts
3 Very Real Reasons You Should Make A Career Shift
Welcome To Your New Midlife Crisis
5 Tips For Navigating A Career Transition Successfully
About the author
Alex Simon is a career reinvention coach and speaker. Often referred to as “a master at breaking into sexy and exciting careers”, he has promoted world title fights, managed Indy 500 race car drivers, worked for a Wall Street giant, and is the subject of Starsuckers, an award-winning documentary on the pursuit of fame. Check out his website, follow him on Twitter, or add him on LinkedIn!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
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10 Essential Email Etiquette Tips You Can’t Afford To Ignore
Ever wonder why people don’t respond to your emails or why others might appear testy in their responses? If people often ignore your missives, you may need to examine the way you are communicating via email — perhaps the most important communication tool in business today.
Related: Follow Up Tips: What To Do When Your E-mail Goes Unanswered
Certainly, you’ve heard the disaster stories — the trouble that comes back to bite people who, in a snit, have committed words to email they would probably never speak aloud. These messages can get you in hot water in the boardroom as well as the courtroom. Not to mention the Twittersphere, if you’re unlucky enough to have an embarrassing gaffe go viral.
But putting aside the outrageous cases — Here are 10 essential email etiquette tips:
1. Keep It Brief
No one likes to read on and on to get to the point. State your message concisely and simply. If you have a question, get to it quickly.
2. Use The Subject Line
Alert your recipient to what your email is about or you risk being ignored or relegated to the read-later (or never) list. Avoid using alert words, like Urgent, unless the matter really requires urgent attention or you become the boy who cried wolf.
3. Keep Them Few And Targeted
If you blanket someone’s inbox, you’ll soon be ignored. Save up several little matters to send in one email.
On the other hand, if you have a matter that needs immediate attention, don’t bury it inside a laundry list of insignificant issues.
4. Be Punctilious, Not Slapdash
Edit your emails as if they were formal letters. Omit slang and overly familiar language.
5. Watch The Punctuation
Don’t use all caps for emphasis. Use 12 point type and proper punctuation, meaning capitalize the first letter of each sentence and use a period at the end. Then, proofread. (And please don’t use a ridiculous font.)
6. Consider Your CCs And BCCs
Don’t copy people on your email unless they need to see the message. And don’t forget to use the BCC field, particularly for emails sent to large groups. People don’t want their emails shared so widely.
Hide the recipients’ addresses in the Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) Field.
7. Think Before Hitting ‘Reply All’
Sometimes people are copied on emails out of courtesy, but individual replies don’t need to be copied to everyone. It’s a rookie mistake.
8. Omit Any Silliness: No Emoticons!
If you’re trying to be funny, stop; business emails are not the place for this. Your recipients, frankly, may be in no mood for lightness and mirth.
9. Watch Your Tone
Without the benefit of facial expressions or body language, words are easily misinterpreted. So, keep your sentences simple and declarative. Keep the message focused and don’t go off on tangents.
10. My Personal Pet Peeve
Never add a link without indicating what it is — not in an age of über vigilance over suspicious links that threaten to take us to where thieves lay in wait to steal our identities.
Not only should you not send an unidentified link — never open one either.
This post was originally published at an earlier date.
Related Posts
E-mail Etiquette Matters During Your Career Search
Improving Communication In The Workplace
Why Communication Skills Matter For Young Professionals
About the author
Ready to make your dream of becoming an entrepreneur come true? Get your free evaluation today! Contact Dan Citrenbaum to help you create the career you’ve always wanted. As a business coach, Dan brings years of experience helping people select and buy a franchise or existing business. You can reach Dan at dcitrenbaum@gmail.com or at (484) 278-5489.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
The post 10 Essential Email Etiquette Tips You Can’t Afford To Ignore appeared first on CAREEREALISM.
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How To Be More Organized At Work
Organization is a pain, but the simple truth of the matter is organized people get more done. Why? Generally speaking, they have better time management, live with less mess and get in less trouble. If you want to decrease the mistakes you make and stop getting in your own way the only real option is to become organized.
Related: 5 Productivity-Sucking Snags To Avoid At Work
It’s easier said than done certainly, but if you follow a few simple steps you can earn a lasting result - provided you’re ready to commit long term!
Prioritize
Always keep your mind on what’s more important of any two choices. When presented with your options, be sure to pick the one that will benefit your goals in the long run. Don’t let yourself slip into things that appear in front of you and lose sight of what’s important; it can be tempting, particularly if we focus on the ‘right now’ instead of the future. Remember, goals and values will see you through to the end; don’t lose focus for two minutes of mild gratification. If you forsee yourself having trouble with managing your priorities out of the gate, try downloading an on-the-go app like Priority Matrix. It works, really!
Compartmentalize
Keep the different things in your life separated, whether it’s keeping your professional and personal lives separate, divergent groups of people around you or actual, physical possessions. This can be as esoteric as refusing to discuss certain things with people they don’t concern, or as direct as throwing some of your old possessions into a container system – anything from old furniture to old cars could be messing up your inner peace, introducing subconscious what if’s to your otherwise ordered world.
Sometimes, breaking down attachments will take all of the endurance you have; don’t wait, take all of your old office furniture, legal pads, University assignments (passed or failed) and seek a storage solution, located in one place to visit if you must. Ideally though, everything you no longer need will gather dust and be rarely thought of.
Deal With Things Right Away
Unless you have more important things to be doing (see the prioritize section), solve problems as soon as they crop up. The old staying would be a stitch in time saves nine and tacky though it may sound it’s entirely true. If your house needs cleaning, do it in little steps rather than all at once three months later. Need a job? Start looking right away. Need to confront someone? Do it now. The big problems arise when swear you’ll handle it tomorrow and never do.
Get Rid Of Chaotic Influences
At the end, organization has to be based within, but having chaos all around you isn’t any kind of help. If you take the time to get rid of the difficult crazy or otherwise chaotic influences in your life, be they a friend who’s always getting you into trouble or just a bad habit that’s causing you to trip over your own feet, then you have a much better chance to get what you want if there’s nothing in your way.
Remind Yourself Why
Motivation is a large part of gaining a result. If you know why you’re getting organized, have a goal or a dream that you’re organizing yourself for then it’ll be a lot easier to handle. Whenever things get hard, remind yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing. It helps.
Getting organized is a quick route to results, get the jobs done as quickly as possible and know what you’re doing while it’s happening. Get rid of the things holding you back and build up on the things pushing yourself forward. An organized mind gets what it wants.
This post was originally published at an earlier date.
Related Posts
Get Organized With These Helpful Productivity Apps
Improve Your Productivity: Attack Your ‘Hate To Do’ List
3 Reasons You’re Not Productive As Much As You Think
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
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