10 Job Search Tricks, When Time Magazine Recommended JibberJobber

10 Job Search Tricks, When Time Magazine Recommended JibberJobber Remember a couple of weeks ago when there was a Time Magazine article recommending JibberJobber?  I shared this with my team and one of my programmers wrote back and said hey, we do two of the other ten things, too! My team is very proud of the breadth and depth of what they have developed! Let me share a bit more of what we do. The article says: 2. Use JibberJobber to Keep Track of Information You Collect During Your Job Search.   This is a great observation, even though its something I dont talk about enough.  But heres how it works.  If you find information about a target company, contact, job opportunity, etc., and it might come in handy later, while you network or interview, you should collect the information.  Store it in JibberJobber, obviously. Here are the other two from the list of ten: 8. Use Insightly to Manage and Organize Business Cards You Collect. This function is usually referred to as customer relationship management (or, CRM).  This is what I normally talk about and how most people describe JibberJobber: as a CRM!   So, I dont want to talk anything away from Insightly, but I will suggest that JibberJobber is a great CRM designed especially for job seekers.  The job search process, networking into target companies, etc. is what we are all about.  Our free version is highly functional and quite awesome.  For a small optional fee you could have everything we have to offer.  (quick note on Insightly: their free version has 2,500 records, which is NOT the same as 2,500 contacts and/or companies.  Every note, email, etc. (stuff we would call Log Entries) counts as a record which will add up).  Im sure they have an awesome system, but my point is, we now hit two of the ten points of the Time article. 9. Use Contactually to Create an Automatic Follow-up System Ah, the brilliance of a follow-up system!  I remember the phone call when I was talking to a user and he said JibberJobber is my follow-up system!  Ever since then Ive thought about that he didnt refer to it as his organizational system, or tracking system, or CRM but a follow-up system.  BRILLIANT. I had been talking about the power of follow-up in my presentations, but never referred to JibberJobber as a follow-up system.  But I do now.  Keith Ferrazzi said if you want to be more successful than 95% of your competition, all you need to do is follow-up.  I didnt match that concept with JibberJobber until my user said it was his follow-up system.  That is why we have introduced some of the features we have recently: to help you follow-up.  Time recommends Contactually, which is actually another CRM it has some special tools to help you reconnect with people, or prompt you to reconnect with people.  JibberJobber will move into that realm, but the reason why my dev team said we do this is because of our Recurring Action Items, which is basically scheduling an Action Item to recur multiple times (like, email Jason once a quarter.)  Well have more functionality like what Contactually does down the road.  (youll find that all CRM systems leap-frog each other with features one day you are ahead, the next day you are behind ) As a job seeker, you wont want to get THREE CRM tools.  Pick one.  More importantly, USE IT!  Picking the best CRM, but not using it is really a waste of time and energy. Get it?  USE JibberJobber!  Dont just sign up, but actually use it.  Your entire career could depend on it. 10 Job Search Tricks, When Time Magazine Recommended JibberJobber Remember a couple of weeks ago when there was a Time Magazine article recommending JibberJobber?  I shared this with my team and one of my programmers wrote back and said hey, we do two of the other ten things, too! My team is very proud of the breadth and depth of what they have developed! Let me share a bit more of what we do. The article says: 2. Use JibberJobber to Keep Track of Information You Collect During Your Job Search.   This is a great observation, even though its something I dont talk about enough.  But heres how it works.  If you find information about a target company, contact, job opportunity, etc., and it might come in handy later, while you network or interview, you should collect the information.  Store it in JibberJobber, obviously. Here are the other two from the list of ten: 8. Use Insightly to Manage and Organize Business Cards You Collect. This function is usually referred to as customer relationship management (or, CRM).  This is what I normally talk about and how most people describe JibberJobber: as a CRM!   So, I dont want to talk anything away from Insightly, but I will suggest that JibberJobber is a great CRM designed especially for job seekers.  The job search process, networking into target companies, etc. is what we are all about.  Our free version is highly functional and quite awesome.  For a small optional fee you could have everything we have to offer.  (quick note on Insightly: their free version has 2,500 records, which is NOT the same as 2,500 contacts and/or companies.  Every note, email, etc. (stuff we would call Log Entries) counts as a record which will add up).  Im sure they have an awesome system, but my point is, we now hit two of the ten points of the Time article. 9. Use Contactually to Create an Automatic Follow-up System Ah, the brilliance of a follow-up system!  I remember the phone call when I was talking to a user and he said JibberJobber is my follow-up system!  Ever since then Ive thought about that he didnt refer to it as his organizational system, or tracking system, or CRM but a follow-up system.  BRILLIANT. I had been talking about the power of follow-up in my presentations, but never referred to JibberJobber as a follow-up system.  But I do now.  Keith Ferrazzi said if you want to be more successful than 95% of your competition, all you need to do is follow-up.  I didnt match that concept with JibberJobber until my user said it was his follow-up system.  That is why we have introduced some of the features we have recently: to help you follow-up.  Time recommends Contactually, which is actually another CRM it has some special tools to help you reconnect with people, or prompt you to reconnect with people.  JibberJobber will move into that realm, but the reason why my dev team said we do this is because of our Recurring Action Items, which is basically scheduling an Action Item to recur multiple times (like, email Jason once a quarter.)  Well have more functionality like what Contactually does down the road.  (youll find that all CRM systems leap-frog each other with features one day you are ahead, the next day you are behind ) As a job seeker, you wont want to get THREE CRM tools.  Pick one.  More importantly, USE IT!  Picking the best CRM, but not using it is really a waste of time and energy. Get it?  USE JibberJobber!  Dont just sign up, but actually use it.  Your entire career could depend on it.

United States Resumes Writing Service Specializing in TESA

United States Resumes Writing Service Specializing in TESAThe United States resume writing service specializing in TESA may be able to do just what you need and expect. To put it simply, they can tailor a resume to fit your specific needs. This is what makes it one of the most sought after companies in today's workforce market.First, most business owners do not have the time or the expertise to do this themselves. With today's jobs require more information, too much information, sometimes it can become overwhelming. That is why the professional resume writing service specializing in TESA is what is needed. They are there to take the time out of your busy schedule and make sure your resume meets all of your needs and expectations.The best way to get started is to call the office at their contact number. They will tell you who they are and ask you a few questions about what you are looking for. They will then answer any questions that you may have. After all, it is their goal to give y ou what you need to move on with your business. You want to make sure that they are hiring.This is where a resume specialist can help you the most because they will use a combination of skills, training, and experience to help you meet your needs with TESA. This means that you will have a well-written resume that will stand out from all the rest. Your information will be up to date, even if it is not. This is done so that you can get ahead and build a career that is truly in demand.Most services list their credentials on their websites so that you can see who they are and what they have done. You will want to check these out as well so that you can verify if they have the right credentials and the skills needed to write your resume. Then you can see how that will work for you.When you contact them, they will first set up an interview for you to go over your resume. You can even get a copy of it so that you can see how it looks before you hire them. A professional is going to be able to get the information needed from you so that they can tailor a resume that fits your specific needs.Remember, a resume specialist can help you in so many ways. First, he or she can take the time out of your busy schedule to write you a good job resume that fits your needs. Second, he or she can build a resume for you that will not only be appropriate but also highly recommended. Lastly, he or she can give you a sense of who you are in the eyes of those that are currently searching for you.If you are a business owner, you know that finding the right job is not always easy. Sometimes, you have to spend a lot of time researching jobs and trying to find the one that fits your lifestyle. To move ahead, you need a professional resume writing service that is tailored to meet your needs.

Networking Success Stories - VocationVillage

Networking Success Stories - VocationVillage Few things cause career coaching clients to shudder more than the dreaded networking advice they so often hear. Many people think of networking as attendance at cheesy business card exchange events or suffering through miserable happy hours where you cozy up to strangers in the hope that they will be willing to recommend you to all their employed and well-connected friends.Well, my advice about networking involves more practical recommendations than you might expect. I help clients figure out how to gracefully connect with others in ways that are genuinely beneficial for both my clients and the people with whom they build professional relationships. Because success stories are much more convincing than unsubstantiated claims, I asked the people below to share their stories.The success stories below feature people who have successfully facilitated a transition from one career path to another or in one case, from one continent to another. Their experiences and successes may inspire you to follow their examples.Networking Success Story #1: Anne Baker From Internet Economy to Capitol HillAnne Baker enjoyed a thriving career in the Internet economy during the dot com boom ending in 2000. As one of the early employees of the company now called RealNetworks, Anne used her Georgetown University language arts education to good advantage to work her way from Administrative Assistant to Advertising Traffic Manager. Recruited to Avenue A (an Internet advertising company), Anne spent one year as a Client Strategist before deciding that her personal mission statement includedworking toward economic parity for women.Throughout the early years of her career, Anne was well-known as an advocate for women in high tech. Her involvement with the technology industry inspired her to become a Founding Director of DigitalEve International, an organization with the goal of promoting women’s participation in technology careers. While Anne’s participation on the Board of DigitalEve w as satisfying, DigitalEve was a volunteer-run organization and Anne’s contributions were unpaid. She was still searching for a salaried position that would be congruent with her personal mission to affect the economic well-being of women.While watching the television show, “The West Wing,” Anne experienced an epiphany. She wanted to work in politics. She announced to her husband, “I have to do this.” While pondering her options, Anne wondered if perhaps she could find a place for herself on the staff of Senator Maria Cantwell, another former RealNetworks employee who won a seat in Congress to represent Washington state. Anne was still in touch with RealNetworks colleagues, and one of them was able to deliver her resume to Senator Cantwell’s office.Because the budget for recruiting was limited, Anne was invited to interview if she was going to be in the Washington, D.C. area any time in the near future. At her own expense, Anne booked a ticket. After proving via a test th at she had excellent writing skills (using that liberal arts education!), Anne interviewed with Senator Cantwell’s Chief of Staff. During the interview, Anne and the interviewer discovered that they both spoke Russian and both had previously lived in Russia. (In addition, Anne found an opportunity to mention in the interview that she spoke fluent Icelandic and French, and she has a background in Greek, Scottish-Gaelic, Chinese, Latin, and American Sign Language).Anne was hired as a Legislative Correspondent. In this role, Anne responded to constituent inquiries, helped to create policy, and handled a variety of administrative responsibilities for Senator Cantwell. Annes networking career advice: “Having a network doesn’t mean that you have to spend evenings out doing cocktails and schmoozing. It can be as simple as staying in touch with friends from past jobs. You never know when your old office mate could be your biggest champion.”2010 Update: Anne Baker is now a diplomat f or the United States Government.Networking Success Story #2: Fabienne Mouton A Career Consultant Makes a Cross-Continent MoveFabienne Mouton moved from her native France to the United States to accompany her Microsoft employee husband. Fabienne had worked as a career consultant in France, but as she arrived in her new home country, she faced dual challenges as she did not know the English language and her H4 visa did not permit her to work in the U.S. As someone who understood how to implement career networking, Fabienne decided that her first priorities were to obtain some type of education or certification in career development from a U.S. school, to become acquainted with local career development professionals, and to gain experience even if she had to do so an unpaid volunteer.Fabienne began conducting information interviews and someone mentioned to her that the University of Washington offered a career development certification program. Despite already having obtained computer science and psychology degrees in France, Fabienne enrolled in the program. Another contact recommended that she join the Puget Sound Career Development Association, a professional association that would enable Fabienne to meet other career development professionals (Fabienne eventually became the President-Elect for the organization). Finally, to gain some pragmatic experience, Fabienne began volunteering in the mornings at Lake Washington Technical College and in the afternoons at Bellevue College. By doing career advising, job search coaching, and resume writing, Fabienne quickly improved her English speaking and writing skills. She also used her extensive computer skills to master computerized career search and electronic resume writing.All the investment of time and energy paid off for Fabienne. Once she secured a work permit, she landed several offers for paid full-time work. Fabienne accepted a part-time career advisor position with Bellevue College, and a second position to assist trailing Microsoft spouses. Fabiennes networking career advice, “My experience can help people to understand that everything is possible when you are determined and you follow a step-by-step career goal plan. Networking is the most powerful way to find work or to realize career goals. It works really well when you are focused and your message is clear and concise so that people can understand who you are and what type of work you want.”2010 Update: Fabienne is now Corporate Outreach Liaison for Bellevue College and she is a Outplacement and International Career Consultant at International Career Consulting.Networking Success Story #3: Teresa Goertz From Financial Services to Technical WritingWhen Teresa moved to Seattle from Vancouver, British Columbia, the only person she knew was her soon-to-be husband. Having spent 13 years in the financial services field, Teresa was ready for a change. She wanted to launch a new career and she knew it wasn’t going to be easy.Teres a chose technical writing because she considered writing to be her “true calling.” Hurdles to be overcome included the facts that Teresa had never written anything professionally and she did not have much technical experience. To build her skills, Teresa signed up for a Technical Writing certification program at Bellevue College. She also signed up for a Technical Editing program. She completed both certifications in 13 months.While she was gaining skills in school, Teresa knew that she needed to make contacts with professionals in the field. She joined the Puget Sound chapter of the Society for Technical Communications (STC). Because she had some previous background in marketing, she volunteered as the Public Relations chair for one of their regional conferences. She was also recruited to be a judging manager for their annual writing competition. The woman heading both the conference and the competition worked for a consumer product group at Microsoft. After working with Teresa at Society events, the woman hired Teresa for a two week trial as a contractor in a user education group at Microsoft. Teresa stayed for a year until she hit the IRS-mandated 100 day break in service requirement, and her manager was unable to secure permission to hire her for a permanent position.It was back to networking for Teresa. The president of the local chapter of STC had her own consulting firm, so Teresa approached her and was able to land a two month contract providing writing expertise. This contract led to others, and Teresa developed a career niche as a technical communicator working in a variety of capacities. In addition to writing, Teresa also offered strategic planning and marketing for the firm using her marketing skills from her previous experiences. Teresas networking career advice, After 18 months, I was earning 58% more per hour than when I started my new career. Some experience pays off!2010 Update: Teresa is Owner at Excellence in Communications, a Technical Communicator at Windows Mobile, and a Content Publishing Lead at Microsoft.Networking Success Story #4: Jo Johnson From Theater Stage Management to Software Project ManagementJo Johnson had always dreamed of leading a romantic life with a career in the theater. She pursued her dream and lived the life she loved for many years. However, at the age of 30, Jo was married and she began to feel that her theater career was better suited for single persons or those willing to live without much pay and with the ability to move at a moment’s notice. Although she still loved the theater, she began to long for roots, better pay, and the freedom to go on dates with her husband on Friday nights.Jo blanketed Seattle with her resume and cover letters. She received a cool reception from corporate hiring managers, discovering that her experience in the theater and her Masters degree in Stage Management were not sufficient to generate interest in hiring her. Jo’s husband was working as a temp a t Adobe Systems, so Jo was able to make a connection with a recruiter there. She sought a temp position as a Project Manager for a marketing program, and she was offered the job. After a short time, the temp job was converted into a contract job.Once in the job, Jo concluded that her work as a Stage Manager was very similar to the work as a Project Manager. She explains, In the theater, a Stage Manager tracks Actors, Directors, Designers, Props, Electrics, Costumes, and Schedules. In the software industry, a Project Manager tracks Engineers, Marketers, Designers / Artists, Developers, Public Relations, Quality Assurance, Schedules, and many bits, bytes, and details. Jo eventually was promoted into a permanent position at Adobe. Later, she was hired by another software company to be a Project Manager with even more responsibility.Jos networking career advice, “What it really took to make this career shift was a lot of patience! I also had to get over my fear of talking to people an d really networking. Through both of my careers, all of my jobs have been obtained through contacts with other people. Through my life, I think I have gotten only one or two interviews from a resume sent out cold. My personal experience rings true to the saying, ‘Its not what you know, its who you know.’ The ‘what’ really counts when you get in the door, but the ‘who’ is the most important aspect of getting it opened.”

4 Ways Freelancers Can Promote Themselves on Social

4 Ways Freelancers Can Promote Themselves on Social The freelance life is really catching on these days. From workplace-weary professionals to recent college graduates, many are excited by the prospect of setting their own schedule and working from the comfort of home. In the past, the best ways for freelancers to get their names in front of potential clients were non-digital. Cold calls, query letters, and in-person networking were all ways the would-be freelancer could try and land a gig. Those methods worked, and they still can â€" sometimes. But social media is shaking things up. Freelancers like me are now finding new business without making nerve-wracking phone calls or even leaving the house. Whether you are looking to freelance full-time or just want a few projects you can tackle on the side, the following tips will help you market yourself through social networks, build connections, and get new clients. 1. Make time for social networking. If theres one thing all freelancers know, its that they can spend just as much time marketing their services as they can practicing their craft, especially when theyre starting out. Work social networking into your regular marketing regimen. For every query letter you write, for example, you might reach out to two new contacts on Twitter. This alone can get you hundreds of contacts every year, and it takes very little effort. For those worried about the time investment needed to utilize social media, consider how much time is spent attending face-to-face networking events and banking phone numbers for cold call lists. Setting a goal of just one new contact per day via Twitter or LinkedIn takes much less time and energy than either of those traditional marketing methods, and its a much less intrusive way to reach your audience. 2. Know your audience. Who are you trying to reach? Answering that question should tell you who you need to target on the social networks. Its certainly possible to start following as many people as possible on Twitter, get several to follow back, and breathe a sigh of relief at all the social proof provided by your new arsenal of Twitter followers. But lots of connections might not a happy freelancer make. Its important to focus your efforts on those people and industries that are likely to generate new leads for you. Following the tweets of 200 professionals in your niche is much more valuable than following just anybody. Freelancers who know their audience are able to forge relevant business relationships through social media, and one high-quality contact is worth far more than a million who will never bring you any business. 3. Build your brand. If youre a full-time or part-time freelancer, youre also a small business owner. While creating and maintaining a personal brand is necessary for every professional, remember that freelancers who market through social media also have a professional brand â€" their business â€" which is inseparable from their personal brand. When you freelance, you are your business and your business is you. Does that mean youre not free to be yourself when using social media? Of course not! On the contrary, you will have the opportunity to display your business to the world with every digital interaction â€" no matter how personal that interaction is. Just be sure the message you send to friends, family, and professional contacts on the social web is one youre not afraid to associate with your freelance efforts. 4. Utilize multiple channels. If your results from Twitter are so-so at best, add another network to your social media repertoire. You might be the type of freelancer whose audience is less active on Twitter than LinkedIn, Facebook, or another network. Whats more, you may find your style is more suited to one network than it is to another. The only way to know which ones are best is to try several. But before you decide one network isnt best for your business, make sure youre using it to its fullest potential. Dont discount LinkedIn, for instance, if you havent asked for recommendations and havent mingled in several group discussions over an extended period of time. If youre not taking advantage of what each network offers, youre unlikely to see results. Whether its full-time or part-time, freelancing has always held professional advantages. Doing great work on behalf of a variety of organizations allows you to connect with scores of contacts who could be helpful down the line. Social media, when properly utilized, lets us freelancers turn our networking up a notch. Related: 7 Reasons Personal Branding is Important for Freelancers. Author: Adam Green is a freelance copywriter and language devotee. When he isnt exploring uncharted corners of the world or performing deviant acts of goodwill like James Bond, you will find him taking it easy on his front porch in Atlanta, Georgia. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamGreenMedia.  Image: Shutterstock

The Best Way to Write Resume and Cover Letter

The Best Way to Write Resume and Cover LetterIf you want to write a perfect resume and cover letter, then it is recommended that you look for one of the many professional resume writers in Perth. Resume and cover letter writing can be a very complex process that requires the need of several skills. Hence, if you are writing resume and cover letters in Perth, then make sure that you hire the best.A good resume writer will first of all know about the skills and knowledge of the job that you are going to apply for. They should also have some understanding of the job industry that you are going to go into. There are many people who think that they can start by writing resumes and cover letters on their own but this is not advisable at all.There are many people who think that they can search the Internet and find out information on the different types of job applicants. However, this is not possible because there are various job opportunities available for various job seekers. Therefore, these professionals or freelance writers need to spend a considerable amount of time and effort to find out the right type of resume and cover letter. However, once they have completed the research, they can then compile them in such a way that the job seekers are able to get a well-written resume and cover letter to write.These professionals know that there are many job openings that are open. If they have enough experience, they can also send out resume samples to the various companies. However, there are many freelancers who do not have enough experience in this aspect. They cannot afford to hire the experts for this task.They have to try the best ways that they can for writing resumes and cover letters so that they can also improve their skills and knowledge in this field. This will ultimately help them to create a resume that is more attractive and unique.There are many online resources where resume writers can upload their resumes to various companies in order to see whether o r not they can get a job with the same. There are also many individuals who do not even realize that they have to write resume and cover letters. If you are one of those people, then you should definitely check out resume writing and cover letter writing services. You will be amazed at the number of different people who seek help for resume writing and cover letter writing.These professionals are available online and offline. It is easy to find a reliable professional by doing a search on the Internet. The same can also be done offline too if you have the patience and the time to look for the best.To hire a professional resume writer is important because this will help you develop your skills as a professional resume writer. After hiring an expert, you can then see that there are few differences between your resume and cover letter. Your resume will be more professional because it has been written by an expert.

How to Make Meditation Part of Your 9 to 5 CareerMetis.com

How to Make Meditation Part of Your 9 to 5 It’s easy to zen out at home when you’re in your own personal space but carrying this same calmness throughout the workday is important to staying motivated and happy.Creating your own zen space at work will help elevate your mood and reduce feelings of stress. When you’re confident and calm, you’re likely to be more creative, motivated and produce better quality work. Try implementing some meditation into your work routine and watch the results.evalMeditation is the practice of focusing your mind through visualization or mindful awareness to give you a sensation of clarity, calmness and understanding. It’s easy for us to become overwhelmed by the responsibilities of everyday lifeâ€"work-related projects, getting the kids to school on time, paying the billsâ€"but inviting meditation into your life, even just for five minutes each day, can greatly reduce feelings of anxiety, promote mental wellness and increase your focus.You can try adding one of these meditation techniques to your morning routine or practice throughout the day to keep you focused and happy.The Benefits of MeditationThe most obvious benefits of meditation are some of the results previously mentioned, like feelings of serenity and an enhanced sense of focus.However, studies have found dozens of physical and mental benefits associated with meditation. No matter what type of lifestyle you lead, you can reap the rewards of this practice.Most people practice meditation to promote feelings of calmness and diminish their work-related stress, but research has found that meditating can also help sharpen your focus, making you even more productive and less anxious about your tasks. Some studies also cite physical benefits such as lowered blood pressure and a stronger immune system.Making Meditation Part of Your Life1) Begin Each Morning with a Five-Minute Breathing ExerciseevalTaking time at the beginning of each day to get yourself focused and relaxed can start you off on the right foot. Many of us wake up and immediately begin worrying about all the work and errands we need to get done that day, leading us to feel tense and anxious before we’ve even made it to the office.evalInstead, set aside just five to 10 minutes every morning to clear your mind. Whether you practice a visualization technique, use focal point meditation or just work on breathing exercises, these few moments of concentration will provide mental clarity and help motivate you for the day ahead.You can also try goal-setting meditation, in which you set and visualize a specific goal to further propel you toward this intention.2) Practice Mindful Eating at LunchWe tend to think of meditation as an activity that must be done alone or among a group of others who are practicing at the same time, but you can actually integrate meditation techniques into any time of the day.Too often we find ourselves scarfing down our lunches, trying to finish our meal as quickly as possible, so we can return to whatever wo rk-related project has captured our attention. But, many people also notice that their ability to focus and be productive tends to diminish in the afternoon. To set yourself up for success in the second half of your day, use your lunch break to actually let your mind be still.evalPractice the art of being present in the moment with mindful eating. With each bite, try to savor the texture and flavor of each ingredient. Notice the smells associated with your lunch and pay attention to how it feels to eat the food.3)Create a Mantra for YourselfMantras can be extremely helpful when trying to keep our minds focused on something specific. You can create your own mantra or research traditional phrasesand find one that resonates with you.Throughout the day, you can repeat your mantra silently to remind you of your goals and help boost productivity. When first introducing a mantra to your meditation practice, try to create a rhythm between your breathing and your mantra repetition.4) Incorpo rate Stones and Beads into Your MeditationCrystals and gemstones are unique tools that can deepen your meditation practice and work as physical reminders of your techniques. Most people who practice meditation for stress relief are looking to do grounding exercises that can be enhanced by the right crystals.Lava stone beads are perfect for promoting grounding and stability, further strengthening those feelings of mental clarity. Of course, crystals come in all different shapes and sizes, but the lava stone beads are perfect for daily meditation because they can easily fit into your pocket or made into a bracelet to wear. Having your lava stone beads with you can remind you to practice your breathing techniques when things get to be too much during the day.eval5) Use a Daily Meditation AppThanks to huge technological advancements, we have access to a nearly endless amount of information and advice. If you’re just becoming interested in meditation and you need some guidance, or if y ou just prefer guided meditation, you should definitely research some of the many apps that exist.Headspace is one of the most popular, and it offers both a free and paid version. Of course, with the purchased version of the app, you’ll have access to many more exercises, but the free selection is a great way to give the app a try and see if you’re interested.Headspace is one of the most popular meditation apps because it has a huge collection of guided exercises on everything from personal growth to productivity and motivation. These themed sessions make it easy to focus your meditation efforts on a specific goal and help keep your mind from wandering.6) Practice Breathing Techniques evalUnderstanding and mastering basic breathing exercises can greatly reduce stress in the workplace and make you feel more zenâ€"even in high-pressure situations. You can practice these exercises at any time, particularly in moments when you feel overwhelmed, to remind yourself that you are okay a nd you can handle any task that is thrown your way.The most common breathing technique is to inhale through your nose for five seconds, hold your breath for three seconds and exhale through your mouth for another five seconds. Another variation of this has you inhale and exhale through your nose while alternating which nostril you inhale and exhale through.To begin, close off the left side of your nose, take a slow, deep breath through the right side, plug both nostrils and, then exhale through your left. You can continue to repeat this, switching which side you inhale from. To add some visualization to your breathing exercises, imagine breathing in clean, blue or green air on your inhale and breathing out dark brown or black air on your exhale, continually inviting new, refreshing energy into your body.7) Start an Office Yoga GroupThough yoga incorporates physical poses into the practice, it is a form of meditation and a way to focus your mind and energy on one specific breath or m otion.If you’re feeling the pressure of work, it’s likely that the other people around are experiencing similar feelings, so why not start a group that can help everyone relax?evalAsk around the office to see if anyone would be interested in a weekly or bi-weekly yoga class at the beginning or end of the day. Then, slowly incorporate basic poses and breathing techniques to get yourself into a meditative state and release some of the unwanted tension.8) Make Meditation Part of Every DayPracticing meditation only takes a few moments each day, but the benefits can be astronomical. Spend time working on your breathing techniques or visualization exercises in the morning, and remind yourself of your practice throughout the day by carrying a mala prayer bracelet or grounding lava stone rockswith you.Crystals can help heighten your meditation experience, and the Bead Traders collection of gemstone beads can turn your crystals into wearable jewelry.

What would you do - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

What would you do - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog What would you do if you had a really bad boss? Thats the situation one reader of this blog is in. He read my post on How to Deal With a Bad Boss and left this comment: I have a unique situation. All but 2 people in the office are treated nicely by my boss. Yes you guessed it I am one of those 2 people. Recently I have had all my duties I was hired for taken completely away from me under ?restructuring of the program? meanwhile everyone else has the same duties except my other colleague in the same boat as me. My boss avoids all attempts I make to communicate with him. In fact I have been reduced down to what my former assistant, who was incredible at her job, did all day. To make matters worse the person with my old responsibilities does not have a graduate degree. I have my Masters and she micro manages me. Nothing I do is OK. I am completely miserable here and I hate that everyone else is treated with respect, they love both my boss and the lady with my old responsibilities. My colleague is in a similar situation with a different person who has her responsibilities. We are treated like second class citizens here and I really need advice what to do especially since to everyone else my boss is perfect including his supervisors and upper management.. Oh I forgot to mention my former director here everyone hated. She was a great manager but lacked all people skills and came down with an iron fist on everyone. My current boss who has her old job was responsible for her being promoted out of the area. Any advice would help! Thanks for reading this post and writing this article :) Thats a tough one. What do you think this reader could do? What would you do? Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

How to Cure Your Workaholism - Career Advice Blog for Millennials

How to Cure Your Workaholism - Career Advice Blog for Millennials These days most of us are workaholics. We can’t sit still. Our brains are constantly reeling â€" I’ve got to do this, I’ve got to do that. The worry about not having enough time is astounding. In this age of technology, it’s easy for us to constantly be connected â€" we say it’s for emergencies, but being constantly available isn’t good. There is a way to turn this off. If we want healthy lives and relationships, we’ve got to focus on shifting our priorities. Work will always be there. If you think you’re a workaholic, then you probably are. The following five tips can help you get your life back in order and cure your workaholism while still getting your work done â€" and in a timely fashion.   1. Rearrange Your Priorities You recognize you may be a workaholic, so now it’s time to rethink your values and put your priorities back in order. Maybe you’d like to spend more time with your kids or take your spouse on a date one night a week. Perhaps you haven’t been taking the best care of yourself physically and mentally. Think about what truly matters to you in your life and rearrange accordingly. This will help you find the balance. Once you’ve put your priorities in their correct order, remind yourself of them and the order in which you’ve put them. Distractions are inevitable, so you’ve got to learn to be disciplined here. Is that work event more important than making it to your kid’s soccer game? Could you let your client’s phone call go to voicemail because you’re visiting with your parents? Once you’ve set your priorities, the answers to these types of questions will become easier to answer. 2. De-Stress When you’re working constantly it’s hard to find the time to take care of yourself. Because of this, you can become anxious, depressed, tired and angry. Workaholism can also lead to serious health problems such as stomach ulcers, heart attack, stroke and death. It is incredibly important for you to learn to de-stress when you’re not working. When you are away from the office, put your phone away, don’t look at your computer and be present. Find time to exercise and meditate regularly. Do things you enjoy. Create new hobbies. Get an occasional massage. Experiment and figure out what makes you feel the most in the moment and what takes your mind off work. It’s important for your health.   3. Set Boundaries We should learn to set healthy boundaries in every aspect of our lives â€" including at work. It’s even more important to set boundaries surrounding our work. Some ways to do this include saying no, avoiding being overbooked and putting away work while at home. When you rearrange your priorities and decide what you want, it becomes easier to set boundaries. For example, to not be available all the time, let your clients and coworkers know when you will not be accepting calls and emails. Tell them you will respond during your working hours. You can set any type of boundary you wish to set â€" just make sure it aligns with what you want.   4. Limit Your Hours This can be another boundary you set for yourself when it comes to the hours you work. If you are working on reversing your workaholism, set certain hours that you will be on the clock. Let’s say you decide to work 45 hours a week maximum. If you go into an office every day, this can be easier. You will only work while you’re in the office. If you work from home, this can get a little trickier. In the latter case, you’ve got to be disciplined and tell yourself, your clients and coworkers that you will only be available from a certain hour in the morning to a certain hour in the evening. Setting these hours is the easy part â€" you’ve got to stick to them to lend to the cure of your workaholism.   5. Be Organized and Efficient Learn how to focus on getting one thing done at a time. If you have an assistant, give them some tasks to do for you. Figure out ways to automate your workflow. Get good at planning and scheduling, and learn to be patient. Being organized at work is always helpful, but it’s an especially important habit to get into when you no longer want to be a workaholic. This is because when you’re organized you work more efficiently, and organization and efficiency go hand in hand. Not everything has to be done right now. Put the proper organization and efficiency in place to reach your work goals, and everything will be completed in time. There are plenty of things you can do to combat and cure your workaholism. The above are just a few. Share your own in the comments and subscribe to the newsletter for more helpful ideas. Get everything you need to build a career you love by signing up for the newsletter.