Why Todays Workers Must be Resilient to Survive

Introduction

Today's Workers Must be Resilient to Survive

There is an ever-increasing demand that workers must be resilient to keep up with the expected fast changing pace of work. The modern workforce is constantly evolving. In today’s rapidly changing economy, companies and industries are shifting at an unprecedented pace. The emergence of new technologies and the changing demands of customers mean that businesses must be agile and adaptable. As a result, workers must be resilient also to keep pace with the demands of the modern workforce. In this article, we will discuss why today’s workforce must be more resilient.

What Does Resilience Mean for Modern Workers?

Resilience is the ability to adapt to changes, overcome challenges, and bounce back from setbacks. In today’s workforce, being resilient is essential because the work environment is always changing. In the past, workers could rely on a set of skills to carry them through their entire careers. However, in today’s world, technology is changing at an exponential rate, and workers need to constantly adapt to new tools and processes. Being resilient means that workers can quickly learn new skills and stay ahead of the curve.

5 Reasons Why Today’s Workers Must be Resilient

Today's workers must be Resilient

We identified 5 reasons why today’s workers must be resilient:

  1. Automation and Artificial Intelligence
  2. Gig Economy
  3. Pandemic and Remote Work
  4. Challenging Modern Workplace
  5. Modern Workers Highly Competitive

Let us explore them one-by-one…

1. Automation and Artificial Intelligence

One of the biggest reasons why the workforce must be more resilient today is the rise of automation and artificial intelligence. These technologies are rapidly transforming industries, and many jobs that were once performed by humans are now being automated. This means that workers must constantly adapt to new roles and new industries to remain employable. Those who are resilient are better equipped to make the transition to new roles and industries.

2. Gig Economy

Another reason why today’s workers must be resilient today is the shift towards a gig economy. More and more people are working as freelancers, contractors, and temporary employees. This means that workers must constantly hustle to find new opportunities and projects. Being resilient means that workers can quickly adapt to new work environments, build new relationships with clients, and manage their finances effectively.

3. Pandemic and Remote Work

If the COVID-19 pandemic taught both employers and employees anything, it has highlighted the need for workers to be resilient. The pandemic has disrupted industries and forced many people to work from home. For those who have lost their jobs or had their hours reduced, being resilient has been essential. Workers who are resilient can adapt to new work environments, learn new skills, and find new opportunities. They can also manage their stress and emotions effectively, which is critical during uncertain times.

4. Challenging Modern Workplace

workplace stress shows modern workers must be resilient to overcome anxiety and be positive

Being resilient is not just about being adaptable to changes in the work environment. It is also about maintaining a positive mindset and staying focused on your goals. The modern workplace can be challenging, and it is easy to become discouraged or overwhelmed. Resilient workers are able to maintain a positive outlook, even when faced with setbacks or obstacles. They are also able to set realistic goals and work towards achieving them, even in the face of uncertainty.

5. Modern Workers Highly Competitive

Modern workers must be resilient to get ahead

Finally, being resilient is essential for workers who want to advance their careers. The modern workforce is highly competitive, and workers must continually improve their skills and knowledge to stay ahead. Resilient workers are more likely to take risks, seek out new opportunities, and push themselves out of their comfort zones. They are also more likely to bounce back from setbacks and continue to pursue their goals, even in the face of rejection or failure.

In Conclusion

The modern work environment and its workforce is constantly evolving, and workers must be resilient to keep up with the changes. Resilience is essential for workers who want to remain employable, adapt to new technologies and processes, and maintain a positive mindset. Those who are resilient are better equipped to navigate the challenges of the gig economy. And the disruption caused by automation and artificial intelligence requires upskilling or reskilling. If they are resilient workers are also more likely to advance their careers and achieve their goals. Therefore, it is essential for today’s workers to develop and maintain their resilience.

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Addendum

Here are some ways employees can develop and maintain resilience in the workplace:

  1. Build a support network: Having supportive colleagues, mentors, and friends can help employees navigate difficult situations and build resilience.
  2. Practice self-care: Taking care of one’s physical and emotional health through exercise, healthy eating, and stress management techniques like meditation or deep breathing can help employees stay resilient.
  3. Set realistic goals: Setting achievable goals and breaking them down into smaller steps can help employees maintain a sense of control and progress, even in challenging situations.
  4. Maintain a positive attitude: Focusing on the positives, reframing challenges as opportunities, and celebrating small wins can help employees maintain a positive outlook.
  5. Learn from setbacks: Viewing setbacks as learning opportunities and reflecting on what worked and what didn’t can help employees build resilience and develop new strategies for the future.
  6. Seek feedback: Seeking constructive feedback from supervisors, colleagues, or mentors can help employees identify areas for growth and develop new skills and strategies for building resilience.

By practicing these habits, employees can develop and maintain resilience in the workplace, which can help them navigate challenges, adapt to change, and achieve their goals.

References:

Barker, E. (2016, April 26). 10 ways to boost your emotional resilience, backed by research. Time. https://time.com/4306492/boost-emotional-resilience/

Cherry, K. (2020, January). Use these 10 tips to improve your resilience. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/ways-to-become-more-resilient-2795063

Waters, B. (2013, May 21). 10 traits of emotionally resilient people. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/design-your-path/201305/10-traits-emotionally-resilient-people

Attack Work-Related Stress – 7 Ways

Important Question

Are stresses on the job holding back your performance? Do you know how to attack work-related stress?

Learn how to attack work-related stress

 

Sometimes, without warning, suddenly you become immobile in the middle of a work assignment or a project. You don’t where it came from or know what to do or how to move ahead. Your mind is locked tight and thoughts circle the drain, anticipating your inevitable defeat. It’s simply a matter of time until your co-workers and your supervisor realize you have failed and toss around blame.

Attack work-related stress before blames you for failure

Stress has a way of wrecking everything about your workday. Being in the moment and aware of what you are doing, and not overwhelmed by what’s going on around you though, can be a quick, easy way to get things back on track.

7 Ways to Attack Work-Related Stress

Below are 7 suggested ways to attack work-related stress and put some space between you and your reactions by analyzing and interrupting your feeling of stress.

  1. Stay in the Moment
  2. Find Your Emotions
  3. Attack Your Stress with Normalcy
  4. Look for Patterns
  5. Redirect Your Focus
  6. Allow Your Emotions to Take their Course
  7. Reverse Your Approach
Review Each Way to Attack Work-related Stress

Let us review each of the 7 actionable strategies to attack work-related stress to see if you can conquer some of the concerns that may hold back your performance, your health, or even your career.

1. Stay in the Moment

You begin by taking a step back to examine the stressful thought, starting with the acceptance of the thought itself. This is the foundation of being aware. Trying to ignore the stress only diminishes your ability to deal with the situation. By giving the thought your attention, and then placing a label on it, you diminish the control it has over you and you begin to  power away from it. For example, if you are worried about how your performance will affect your appraisal and whether you will receive a raise, you might start by telling yourself, “Yes, I am worried about how my boss perceives my value and whether that will hold back my career.”

2. Find Your Emotions

Once you have labeled your worries, identify the emotion accompanying them. Once you have got this, ask yourself candidly, what do your emotions make you feel like doing?

3. Attack Your Stress with Normalcy

Instead of avoiding the worry, pay mindful attention to it and remind yourself this worry is normal. Do this every time it comes up. Eventually, it will seem less threatening.

4. Look for Patterns

Do these worries creep up at certain times? Using mindfulness means you’re paying attention to your thoughts in the moment. Understanding your triggers is a great way to keep the worrying thought from happening at all, as you’ll find yourself catching those damaging thoughts much faster and will be able to shut them down that much faster.

5. Redirect Your Focus

With mindfulness, you are very much aware of the stresses as soon as they begin. This also means you’re capable of taking control of those thoughts and redirect them toward something else immediately, putting your attention there instead.

6. Allow Your Emotions to Take their Course

Stress comes with a hatful of negative emotions. Mindfulness means you’re aware of what you’re feeling right now. If you discover yourself succumbing io fear and anxiety coupled with worry, let these emotions occur naturally.  Watch them as if from a distance, as it were.  Rather than try to smother them, allow them to dissipate naturally rather than intensify by trying to fight them off.

7. Reverse Your Approach

Worried about taking on a new project or moving to a higher profile position? Rather than avoid it, try it anyway. By reacting with positive activity to worries you know are irrational, more frequently than not, you will discover you really had nothing to stress about in the first place. A word of caution? Sometimes worry is there for a good reason. Be careful which stresses you challenge.

Conclusion

Remember, the whole point of being conscious of your actions and reactions when you feel frozen is to be in the moment and pay very close attention to what’s going on both internally and externally. Stress really does not bear up under such close scrutiny. The act of simply paying attention will change your situation and reaction meaningly.

Flexicrew Support

Do not let the strain to fill an important position or difficulty of finding qualified workers be one of your work pressures.

Flexicrew supports  employees to attack work-related stress

If you need help planning for your balanced workforce this year, let Flexicrew help. Test us and see if we can attack work-related stress with a flexible workforce model.

 

 

Self-Limiting Beliefs Derail Your Career

Avoid self-limiting beliefs and Get motivated quickly with a can-do attitude
Introduction

Self-limiting beliefs derail your career.  Yes, indeed.  Self-limiting beliefs can alter your thoughts and ideas at any moment and can affect the way you work.  It is important to recognize that we keep thinking the same thoughts over and over again.  We do this until they become so ingrained in our subconscious mind that we are not aware of them. Yet, we can alter these false beliefs, like any other habit.  This is excellent news!  By doing this internal work, you will alter your work performance and productivity for the better as a result.

5 Steps to Shift Your Limiting Beliefs About Your Performance for Good

Don't let self-limiting beliefs derail your career

Don’t let your self-limiting beliefs derail your career.  How are you your own worst enemy? We limit ourselves so much. We live in our heads and we create all these ways to prevent getting anything accomplished. Even though deep down we know we’re good enough, and how much we’re fully capable of getting things done.

How to Correct Your Belief in Your Performance

The only way to get past these self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors is to take active, intentional steps to remedy your thinking.

5 Steps to Shift Your Limiting Beliefs for Good

Let’s look at 5 steps that will shift your limiting beliefs for good and don’t let self-limiting beliefs derail your career.

1. Stop

Wait a minute; what were you thinking? If a thought feels off about something, it’s time to stop and examine this idea much closer. Is this perhaps a self-limiting belief?

Self-limiting beliefs can derail your career

2. Think About What You’re Saying

Where is the inaccuracy in this thought? You’ve already figured out there’s something wrong with it, or you wouldn’t be going through this process. This means something about it is not ringing true. When you understand where the “invention” is, it becomes easier to know how to counter it.

3. Look for the Proof

Is there any proof this self-limiting thought is true? Let’s examine the part you feel is not correct. Here’s where you need to take a step back from the situation if you can and look very impartially at what’s going on. Is any grain of truth in what you’re thinking?

4. Take Control

If what you were thinking is misinformation, it’s relatively easy to counter the false aspects of the belief with the truth. But what if this thought was at least partially true? You start by reminding yourself this isn’t always the case. For example, you might be thinking you are always late for work. Maybe you’re, in fact, behind-schedule sometimes. To perform this step, you would need to recall various instances when you were on time. By countering the partial truth, you are taking control of the situation.  And you are not allowing the self-limiting beliefs derail your career or to have any sway over you.

5. Get Help

Sometimes it can be challenging for you alone to remove self-limiting beliefs that derail your career. In these instances, you will benefit to talk to a co-worker, a supervisor, or even a counselor, to help you see the reality. There is nothing wrong with getting help, especially from someone who is in a position to be impartial.

Remember

Self-limiting beliefs and thought patterns

Your mind is a collection of thought patterns that you can alter at any time, if you comprehend that they are essentially habits. You may think about them as mental routines, as they are habituated notions that we think about over and over again until they become ingrained in our subconscious mind. Changing any bad thinking habits is feasible, and with this deeper internal work, your external world will adjust because you will be addressing the root of the issue.

Beliefs are simply thought patterns that are unique to you and you can alter them at any moment. By recognizing this, you can change your habits. On the one hand, we keep certain thoughts and stories in our subconscious mind over and over again until they are so deeply ingrained that we are unaware of them. But, the great news is that you will see your external world change as a result of doing this inner work because you will get to the heart of the problem.

Summary

Shift self-limiting beliefs that sabotage your career

Self-limiting beliefs don’t have to control your job performance.   Your wrong subconscious beliefs about your work performance shouldn’t derail your career. So, by examining your thoughts, especially those that seem to hold back your work performance, you will find it much easier to move forward toward your career goals. That will allow you to strive for and realize the success you deserve.

 

 

 

 

Nighttime Work Focus Actually Better than Days

Is your nighttime work focus actually better than daytime?  Biorhythms?  Habit?

Nighttime Work Focus

Introduction

We often face tasks while at work that we cannot complete during the day. If you have low level anxiety or suffer from perfectionism you may procrastinate your work through the day. But, this is not always a problem. Then when the deadline of night comes along, your body shoots out a little cortisol and you feel alive, clear-minded and focused. Then you may start to feel a little wired as the night goes on.

Some recent research has shown that you can get more work done at night.  However, you must still get enough sleep afterwards. For night owls, this is even more true.

There are two reasons why some people are more focused and can work more productively in the evening  They are: 1. because you are more relaxed and 2. there are less distractions.

This is true not just for night owls, but for most workers in general.

Nighttime work focus means more productivity

More Relaxed at Night

At the end of the day, most workers breathe an audible sigh of relief—the major tasks are done, and your mind is free until tomorrow. For some this means that their minds shut off for the evening, but for vampires it can provide a burst of motivation.

Greater relaxation at night yields focus and productivity for work

This is because we are more relaxed if there is less expected of us at that particular time. Chances are, your boss or coworkers won’t be calling you at midnight or 3 am.

Sense of Relaxation

There is also the sense of relaxation that comes with:

  • Lack of expectation for news or communication.
    • New laws, policies, or major updates are not likely to be released at night.
  • You don’t expect to make or receive phone calls from associates or your boss.
  • There will likely not be new work assignments designated in the late evening hours.

This lack of expectations allows your mind to relax and makes you better prepared to complete work tasks efficiently.

Fewer Distractions

There is much less going on in the evening than during the day, including:

  • Minimized contact with others
  • Less outside noises
  • Fewer tasks to complete

Nightowls work focus and productivity

When you are faced with limited external stimuli, your ability to focus improves drastically. People associate the day with activities such as commuting, fitness routines, school, and work, but our nights are generally considered open. The song “Night Time, My Time” comes to mind.

The truth is that during the day, there is stuff going on all around employees at work—its inevitable to get sucked in from time to time, which diminishes your ability to focus. At night, this is a non-issue.

Conclusion

The bottom line in all of this is that nighttime work focus begins mainly for night owls, as there are some diehard morning people who are most productive in the very early hours of the morning. However, for those night-dwellers, nighttime work focus is greatly improved because of being in a more relaxed state.  They face fewer distractions that could hinder concentration.  Yet, graveyard and night shifts are a rarity.  Approximately three-fourths of U.S. workers work day jobs.  They start their workday in the four-hour span between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.

Yet. as remote work remains a “thing” in the future of work, employees can set their own schedule to parallel the times to work that match their most productive period.

Flexicrew Support

Does your organization need more 2nd or 3rd shift workers?  Flexicrew has willing, hard working shift candidates  available Right Now!  Contact Flexicrew Staffing today and we will quickly deliver those night owls with nighttime work focus your organization needs.

3 Reasons to Say Goodbye to Multitasking

Ban workforce multitasking   
Introduction

Why do some thoughtful companies and productive employees say goodbye to multitasking? It seems like multitasking should be a productive tool at work, right? Although multitasking may appear to be beneficial but in reality it has a serious impact on performance and productivity.  Research shows it can reduce your productivity level by almost 40%.  It also increases workers’ stress levels. This goes for everyone, including managers with busy schedules, supervisors, and ordinary personnel in the workforce. 

That’s why leading companies, big and small are training their workers to reduce or avoid multitasking.

Reasons to say goodbye to multitasking

Across the board, multitasking comes highly unrecommended. Though there are plentiful reasons why, three of the most important reasons to say goodbye to multitasking are:

  1. our brains can’t handle it, 2. it compromises work quality, and 3. it decreases efficiency. 
1.Our Brains are Incapable of Multitasking 

At the foundation of it all, our brains do not have the capacity to accurately focus on more than one task at a time. Because multitasking requires your mind to alternate between different things, it can cause your brain to malfunction.  

This means that your cognitive processes will not be as attentive or susceptible to new information. Though you may feel confident that you’re getting a lot done, in reality you are losing touch with your priorities: 

  • You may finish multiple tasks at once, but you cannot rank their importance 
  • The brain cannot give balanced values when multitasking 
  • This means that you can overlook top priorities and lose sight of objectives  
2. Compromised Work Quality 

When you are multitasking, you often become overwhelmed with your workload, and this leads to taking shortcuts. Though you may be the first to complete a task, it will severely reduce its quality. Even worse is that the more we cheat by taking these shortcuts, the more likely we are to make a habit of it.  

Another consequence of multitasking is that it kills creativity. Your mind needs a certain amount of free space in order to think in the abstract, and if you’re multitasking you won’t have any room left over. If this happens, there likely won’t be producing any innovate ideas, which is essential in worklife. 

3. Decreased Efficiency 

Finally, multitasking can have a negative impact on efficiency. Research shows that the more tasks you try to tackle at once, the less efficiently they will be completed. Because the goal of multitasking is to improve efficiency, this is very counterproductive. 

Multitasking and Stress

Consistent multitasking can really wipe out a worker, which further hinders your progress. The added stress can lead to: 

  • Inability for critical thinking 
  • Burnout (being exhausted from the constant heavy workload) 
  • Inability to problem-solve 
  • Inhibition of abstract thinking 

It is impossible to fully apply yourself to your job if you attempt to multitask, as it can wear down on your mind and body. In this state, you will become far less efficient that you would be if you tackled one at a time. 

Work smarter not harder
Conclusion  

The bottom line is that multitasking is not sustainable for several reasons. Some of these are subsequent brain impairments, decreased work quality, and reduced efficiency. Though it may be good in theory, multitasking will cause more harm than good. 

Don't be a multitasking clown

Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Work

Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Work – It’s More Than Just Being Tired

Sleep deprivation at work

You might be surprised to learn that sleep deprivation affects your ability to be productive at work. While sleep deprivation may seem like a harmless condition, the effects of sleep deprivation on work can be detrimental to your performance, your ability to work well with co-workers, and even your ability to function normally.

As a result of sleep deprivation on work, the body’s ability to perform tasks can be undermined. For example, studies show that sleep deprivation can cause a decrease in attention, which can lead to a decline in your ability to focus on tasks at work.

It can also affect your mood and mental performance. This is because a lack of sleep can make you more irritable, more inclined to frustration and less patient. This can lead to you having a weaker ability to keep calm and handle stressful situations.

Effects of sleep deprivation at work

Sleep Deprivation Explained

Sleep deprivation is the act of depriving yourself of sleep. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including stress, shift work, shift work with irregular hours, and medications.

The effects of sleep deprivation can be immediate, but they can also be long-term.

In the short-term, you may experience more errors in your work performance, along with a decline in cognitive function as well as an increased risk in certain medical conditions.

How does sleep deprivation affect your ability to function?

Sleep deprivation has been linked to a wide variety of negative effects on your physical and mental health.

Studies have shown that sleep deprivation has been associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes, obesity, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and certain cancers.

Additionally, poor sleep habits can affect your memory, mood, reaction time, and concentration.

How can sleep deprivation affect your ability to be productive at work?

Because sleep deprivation has been linked to numerous negative health outcomes, it’s important to consider the impact of sleep deprivation on your work.

When you’re not getting enough sleep each night, it can have a negative impact on your ability to function at work. It can make it more difficult to concentrate and focus, which can lead to errors in your work.

Unable to wake up due to sleep deprivation at work

Studies show that sleep-deprived employees are more likely to make mistakes than employees who have gotten adequate sleep. Furthermore, sleep deprivation impacts your work in more ways than just errors or mistakes.

It can also affect other aspects of your work life, including your mood and your ability to maintain healthy relationships with co-workers.

Tips for improving your productivity at work if you’re sleep deprived

According to experts, the best way to combat sleep deprivation is to get a good night’s sleep.

As you may know, getting a sufficient amount of sleep is important for a host of reasons.

One of the most important reasons is that a lack of sleep can have a negative impact on your work performance.

If you perform your assignments at a diminished level, your work is suffering as a result of chronic sleep deprivation.

Tips to overcome tiredness at work

Therefore, the following tips may help:

Counteract Sleep Deprivation

Find other ways to compensate for the lack of sleep:

  • If you work nights, consider finding a way to make up the time during the day. This can include taking a quick nap during lunch or sipping on a cup of coffee instead of a late-night snack.
  • If you’re on a rotating shift schedule, identify ways that you can improve your sleep habits when you’re on days off. Consider setting an alarm to put you to sleep earlier than usual.
  • Take a warmer shower or bath before bed. The increased warmth will help you relax and fall asleep more quickly.

If you have a health condition that keeps you from sleeping:

  • If you have a medical condition that keeps you from sleeping, or you take medication that makes it harder to fall asleep, discuss these options with your doctor.

Getting sleep with a health condition

Set aside a period for downtime:

  • Make sure that you set aside time during the day to relax and unwind. Take a short nap during the day.  You can rest appropriately and bounce back to a higher performance level.
  • Try to schedule time for exercise during the day. The increased movement during the day can help you stay awake and alert.

If you’re also struggling with substance abuse:

  • If you’re struggling with substance abuse, you should treat that before you can address the root cause of your sleep deprivation.

It’s important to remember that sleep deprivation is not an appropriate course of action if you’re feeling overwhelmed, under stress, or dealing with a medical condition.

medical status and performance

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist to address your sleep needs if you feel sleep deprived.

Conclusion

Sleep is an important part of every employee’s life. Without it, workers are at greater risk for certain medical conditions.  They are prone as well to mental and physical health problems.  In addition, sleep-deprived workers could experience trips and falls or accidents in the workplace.

The effects of sleep deprivation can be long-term, and they can be severe.

Taken to extremes, chronic sleep loss can lead to medical conditions and even death.

In order to avoid the negative effects of sleep deprivation, it’s important to get enough sleep each night. Along with sleep, managing your stress levels is also vital. It is also important to find activities that you enjoy in order to keep your mind off of work.

Balance Personal and Job Responsibilities Without Losing Sleep

Balance Personal and Job Responsibilities

With all the obligations on your shoulders, you can expect to have some challenges to balance personal and job responsibilities.  Especially with the pandemic, the up and down economy and other challenges we face at home and in the workplace at this time.

balance personal and job responsibilities

To balance personal and job responsibilities can be difficult. You probably feel like the only way to get everything done is to sacrifice sleep. But nothing could be further from the truth!

Balance personal and job responsibilities without losing sleep

The good news is you can get everything done and still enjoy plenty of rest.

Try these four tips to better balance persona; and job responsibilities, with time to spare:

  1. Separate personal and professional time

It’s important to set boundaries between personal and career time. This is the first step in being able to balance both areas of your life. Split your day accordingly and stick to the separation.

Set boundaries to balance personal and job responsibilities while getting results

  • Professional time doesn’t have to mean hours at the office. There may be a presentation you’re preparing for tomorrow’s team meeting. If tonight’s the prep night, get it done!
  • How you use your time slots is up to you. Just avoid allowing the other aspects of life to take over out of turn.
  • It may sometimes be hard to stick to the separation, but respecting the general rule certainly helps.
  1. Prioritize responsibilities

Now that you have a better understanding of how to set boundaries, focus on prioritizing. How you spend your time is dependent on what’s most important to you.

  • If you’re always addressing urgent matters, the important ones may constantly get postponed or even overlooked. Urgency rarely means importance to you. Handle the important duties first whenever possible.
  • Try planning your week in advance. Sure, there may be times when the plan is interrupted. But having a plan goes a long way in keeping you ahead of the game.
  1. Keep responsibilities in perspective

Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. It’s okay to leave some things for tomorrow. As a high achiever, you always want to show your super powers. But you may actually paint a better picture by showing composure.

Keep personal and job responsibilities in perspective
Keep responsibilities in perspective
  • It’s better to do fewer things well, than more things poorly. This approach shows organization, confidence, and aptitude. Those who rely on you are usually impressed by those traits!
  • Take turns with your spouse when putting the kids to bed. You may feel more like a parent if you do it all the time, but you’re already a great parent just by being around!
  1. Sleep when it’s bedtime

It’s actually easier than you think to get sleep! All it takes for a good night’s sleep is the same amount of commitment you give to your other responsibilities.

  • After all you’ve accomplished in a day, it must be easy to dedicate seven hours to downtime. It’s the least you can do strengthen yourself and still achieve results on the job!
  • Practice meditation techniques to relax you before bedtime. If you’re not careful, you’ll spend the first three hours of bedtime planning tomorrow’s activities!
  • Once you’re rested, you’ll have the mental and physical energy to take on everything on your plate.

Always try to remember that without adequate rest, you may end up being ineffective at your responsibilities. Rest promotes concentration and gives you energy to keep going. Without rest, you may end up fumbling on the field.

Summing Up

Practice these balancing techniques, maintain a regular sleep schedule, and watch everything settle into place!

maintain a regular sleep schedule and still remain productive at work

5 Ways To Appreciate Successes More

How to Appreciate Successes More

It’s often more challenging to acknowledge successes and work accomplishments than projects you have underachieved. Even reflecting on excellent skills makes some workers nervous. Recognition and compliments can make workers uncomfortable.  And you sometimes don’t know how to react without appearing self-conscious in front of associates.

So, how can you positively appreciate your good traits? Likely the key is self-awareness.  That entails treating oneself with greater consideration.  Recognize you are as good as others. It requires consciousness when you evaluate your apparent shortcomings – but differently. I prefer to refer to it as “self-appreciation.”

According to LifeHack, “To love yourself is to experience freedom – freedom from doubt, self-hate, and oppression created by you. To love yourself is no longer holding yourself back from what you deserve. To love yourself is to grow and enjoy your job. Self-love is a necessity if you want to live a comfortable life. Self-love is a choice, a commitment to yourself that you will love yourself, despite all the social and biological obstacles in your path. It is not found in a place, person, or item.”

So what can you do to be easier on yourself when you underperform your expectations?  It starts when you appreciate successes more and accept mistakes as part of your complete package.

5 Ways To Appreciate Successes More

Appreciate successes more

1.Decide To Do It

Self-appreciation is a decision you have to make yourself; it is not bestowed upon you. You don’t obtain it from another person or an item. You get self-appreciation by choosing what you desire. It would be best if you decided to let go of toxic thinking and disliking yourself for not being enough.

Appreciate successes more. You can get your mind straight

Say no to all of your internal self-criticism and tell yourself the truth: you are not perfect, and that is good. Begin by giving yourself license to appreciate successes more and acknowledge yourself more. Even if you convince yourself otherwise, you are deserving of more appreciation.

Take time to tell yourself this and permit yourself to value yourself. This is the first step in  and appreciating successes more and acknowledging the reality that you can appreciate yourself.

2. Check Your Negative Beliefs at the Door

Disrupt mental patterns that are solely focused on failures and defects. When it comes to self-esteem, our subconscious is not always on our side.

It takes time and effort to educate your mind into healthy habits, but the first step is to recognize the falsehoods it tells you:

  • Recognize that feeling like a loser does not imply that you are a failure.
  • Examine the evidence to support your findings. Even though the negative thought spiral makes it feel that way.  For instance, a supervisor not replying to your text does not indicate they dislike you.
  • Recognize that the good results you achieve merit your attention as well. One negative comment should not deter you from downplaying positive feedback.
3. Give Yourself a Break When You React To Your Setbacks

You don’t have to berate yourself for every misstep at work. According to research, reacting to your own mistakes with compassion boosts your self-esteem.  That will make you a more competent and resourceful employee. Fight back against the inner critic who distorts reality.

  • There are hardly any results from your job performance that are “all or nothing.” Even if things did not go as planned, it does not imply that nothing good came from it.
  • One setback does not define you for the rest of your career.
  • Call that feeling of pessimism into question by reminding yourself, “Things didn’t go my way on this assignment. But that doesn’t indicate they always will always miss the mark. You can’t let one slip up define you nor can you project the future from today’s results.”

Don't let your mistakes or underperformance define your career

4. Let Go Of Perfection

You will never be flawless.  Don’t allow this to prevent you from appreciating successes more or accept yourself with your obvious flaws. It’s easy to kick oneself for not being all that you would like. However, this leads to self-deprecation since you focus on what you did not do rather than appreciate successes more.  Self-appreciation thrives in a great attitude, which requires you to appreciate successes more. In a worldview based on perfection, dubbed “never good enough,” your ability to recognize yourself suffers, fades, and dies.

Comparing yourself to others is dumb. Appreciate successes more and ruminate on slipups less

5. Learn To Say No

Instead of overcommitting, prioritize your own activities and needs. Respect your boundaries.

 more time to accomplish your goals and appreciate successes more

Learn to decline obligations that aren’t worth the stress. The unthinking “yes” in answering any request is a sort of “people-pleasing” action.  That prioritizes everyone else’s interests before your own.  It leaves you little time to accomplish acceptable performance that you and your supervisor expect.

How To Beat Remote Work Isolation

Most of us have become accustomed to commuting to a work site surrounded by co-workers. Remote work is something new to most workers. Yet, we are fundamentally social beings.  So extended remote work isolation has affected many workers if we’re working at home for an extended period.  We can’t help feeling isolated. Isolation blues have become common, and it’s not something to simply ignore.

Beat remote work isolation

Cures for Remote Work Isolation

As you spend long hours and work from home, you need to take care of your mental health.

As much as I was happy to “get away” from my officemates,

I realized that I relied on colleagues to keep my mental health in check. Panion.com

Here are 7 tips to beat remote work isolation blues:

1. Step Outside Periodically

 Don’t stay cooped up inside your home. Step outside to get some fresh air and much-needed sunlight. If you have a garden, that’s great. If not, you can practice social distancing and other safety measures so you can take a walk at a local park or around your neighborhood. It’s even better if your location is surrounded by greenery and nature views, which can help relieve stress and loneliness.

Get outside to beat remote work isolation

 2. Reconnect With Co-Workers

 While staying at home, it’s a good time to catch up with friends from work or your boss.  Reconnect with those you haven’t seen for a long time. While you may not be able to invite them for a cup of coffee face to face, a lot of employees are setting virtual meetups to chat with peers outside the normal work day. If you can do Zoom calls for work meetings, why not try it to keep in touch with team members to socialize? It can be more fun than you expect.

How to beat remote work isolation blues

What’s good about being online these days is that you can reach associates from miles away that you haven’t talked to for a while. Many of them are also most likely at home and craving social connections.

 3. Maintain a Routine

 Being out of the workplace and staying at home may have thrown you off your routine. To beat remote work isolation blues, you should create a new routine and stick to it. That will help retain some sense of normalcy. Get up at the same time in the morning, preferably the same time that you woke up for work before the pandemic.

Plan your day and eat your meals on time. If you live with your family, having a routine helps everyone to know what’s going on.

4. Move, Move, Move

 Don’t forget to get your body moving. Be physically active as much as you can. Exercise will give you an energy boost and improve your mood.  That will help beat isolation and maintain your productivity.

Physical movement beats remote work isolation

For example, a neighbor of mine walks her dog several times per day for 10-minutes.  She does it at the same times each day.  That keeps her moving and maintains her routine. Even doing house chores is good while on work conference calls.. If you’re up to it, you can also join online fitness classes. You could also walk around your local area early in the morning before work begins.

5. Write a Journal or Letter

Get your thoughts out by journaling. You can journal about the things you’re grateful for, which will bring optimism and good vibes. When you focus on the good things that happen in your life, it boosts your mood and makes you less isolated.

Letter writing has also been revived during the pandemic. Why not send your prospects, customers or other employees a postcard to let them know that you’re thinking about them? Handwritten letters and postcards help promote deeper relationships.

6. Learn Something New

Sometimes you feel neglected when you’re bored. Find something to do to keep your mind busy. Learn a new skill or do a pursuit you’ve always wanted to do. Try to attend webinars, read blogs, or take an online course to boost your work skills.

When you’re doing something that you enjoy, you don’t notice how slow the time goes by, and you don’t have time to dwell on depressing thoughts.

7. Get Quality Sleep

Getting enough sleep (or not enough) affects your mood, so it’s important to have a healthy bedtime routine. When you don’t get a good night’s sleep, you don’t feel rested. You’ll wake up feeling more tired, and it makes you more vulnerable to stress or even illness. Sleep heals your body and keeps your mental well-being in shape.

beat remote work isolation

Wrapping Up

 Spending time working virtual doesn’t have to be dull and boring. Don’t let remote work isolation beat you. Instead, make conscious efforts to focus on bringing positivity to your situation. Use the time to reconnect with your friends, learn something new, and get your body physically active. Stick to a routine, and know that a feeling of isolation is only temporary. The situation will certainly improve or you will become accustomed to this new paradigm, so hang in there.

Overcome 4 Common Fears Holding You Back in Your Career

Fear: The #1 Thing Standing in Your Way of True Fulfilment

This article covers 4 common fears holding you back in your career and how to overcome them.

Fears holding you back

“Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live.” Dorothy Thompson

Illustration of Fears Holding You Back

Imagine this: you are on vacation from work, sitting on the beach watching the sunset as waves lap the sand as you bask in the glow. A book lies in your lap as you lose yourself in thought of how wonderful you feel at this moment.

Now imagine what the reality is: You’re at work, dreaming of traveling to the beach, sitting on the sand watching the sun set. But instead of taking the steps to go, you feel fear. Suppose there’s a work emergency on the project you manage, your boss calls and orders you back, fearing you’re needed at your job by your workgroup or any of your other obligations? What if the plane crashes? Suppose you get lost? Oh my.what would happen if you let down your team? What if…?

Living with fears holding you back at work keeps you from taking the career risks and chances to go for what you  truly desire. It keeps us from finding true fulfillment.

Fulfillment Defined Facing Fears Holding You Back

Satisfaction isn’t defined by the position you have; your salary; where you live; or the number of people you manage. True fulfillment is a feeling. It’s something you feel deep inside about yourself and believe yourself to be. But to find it you have to face the fears keeping you paralyzed.

When you have fears holding you back, you feel uncertain. Facing our fears and getting out of our comfort zone is hard because of how humans naturally expect the worst-case scenario. Our brains naturally send us negative information because it is trying to keep you safe.

So how can you live a career free of fears holding you back and be truly satisfied?

Everyone has fears. It’s normal. It’s how we react to them that makes the difference in how we feel. But you might find yourself weighed down with too much fear that’s preventing you from being truly content. If that’s the case, it’s time to get familiar with your fears and find ways to work through them.

Four Common Fears that Disrupt Your Career and Causes

Here are 4 common at-work fears holding you back and ideas to help you deal with them.

Fears holding you back in your career

  1. Fear of failure

This is a common fear, often stemming from our childhood. For example, ,fear of failing a test,. This fear brings on the feeling of being judged or embarrassed. But in reality failing is part of success. Overcome this fear by not worrying about the outcome and only focusing on the process of getting to success.

  1. Fear of success

This fear stems from many different fears: fear of change, responsibilities, attention, vulnerable and many others. The best way to overcome this fear is to focus on one position at a time while moving forward in your career.

  1. Fear of rejection

The fear of being rejected is a reaction to our innate need for belonging. It can include fears of being judged, not being liked, or being alone. To overcome this fear put yourself out there, reminding yourself that the right supervisors or coworkers will respond to you favorably.

  1. Fear of not being good enough

Fear you're not good enough

This fear is rooted in how we feel about ourselves. Our low self-esteem keeps us from trying a new assignment.  At the same time,it keeps us from accepting a promotion because we lack confidence. You can overcome this fear by starting small with one task you know you can carry out. Keep doing more difficult and especially complex assignments to build your self-confidence.

Overcome fears holding you back
Conclusion

We all have fears of some kind. On the one hand they may seem rational to us, yet. they could appear irrational to others. To overcome your fears in the workplace, you need to understand why you have them and then practice facing them so you can live a career and life of true fulfilment.fears holding you back from career fulfillment