Are You Focused on the Right Things, Right Now

Are You Focused on the Right Things, Right Now During a recent coaching session with the CEO of a large company he was complaining about the enormous number of items he was juggling at that moment, and feeling quite overwhelmed with all the plates he was spinning. To be truthful, he was not terribly thrilled when I pointed out that experiencing overwhelm is a choice you make! But, you see it is true. We choose how we feel in every moment. Now that may seem like a tough statement, but it is true. At any given time, we choose our thoughts. We allow overwhelm to build up because we give those thoughts more air time in our heads and this builds up over time to increased overwhelm. We dont like to accept that we choose our thoughts, but we do. Now, that is a subject for another set of articles, but let us just agree that the state of overwhelm is something that we have allowed to build up we have chose to give it the aforementioned air time and it has now built up to something quite disturbing. We are now overwhelmed! As in all cases when overwhelm hits, or indeed any other significant problem, the best approach is to break down all the “stuff”, dismantle it and start to analyze in more detail. The object of this simple exercise is to determine whether we had just accumulated a “bundle” of work or were we indeed focused on the right things. You see we are all guilty of accumulating stuff and adding it to our to do list. We are guilty of allowing others to pass the monkey and then we take on their problems and they become ours! Overwhelm happens when we lose sight of what is important and our mind starts living in the future. What I am suggesting here is a process to manage this overwhelm and regain control. This is such an easy exercise to do, but, guess what? We get too busy to do it, which is pretty insane! So, if you are feeling the same as my client then here is a quick and easy way to check to see if, as the late Stephen Covey, used to say, “you are leaning your ladder against the right wall” So here is the exercise: Make a list of all the items that are causing you overwhelm â€" don’t analyze them, just list them so that you have a complete list of all the “stuff” floating around in your head. What is your vision? This is not an exercise in creating a vision, but is assuming that we have one! So, it is just a quick recap to remind you of the vision. What are the key elements of your strategy? Again, it is just to recap on the 5 or 6 key elements of the strategy. Just the top line, not the detail. What are your goals for this year? This is a quick review of what your top goals are â€" they will be written down somewhere, so it is to remind you of what they are. What are your goals for this month? Obviously these are a subset of you annual goals, but I just want you to recall them again. Of all the items that are causing you overwhelm, which ones relate to your key goals for this month? You then capture those and separate them from the list you created in No 1. You then do an analysis of the items left over and ask yourself the following questions: Why are they on my action list? If they do not relate to my key goals, why am I doing them? If they are items that need to be completed right now, for whatever reason, then the question is â€" should I be doing them, or should someone else deal with it? If someone else, I just delegate. If I am satisfied that I need to do them, then must they be done today, or can they be allocated to a future time. Should these items be on my radar at all, or have they just landed there because “the item seemed like a good idea” at some stage? This exercise, which I learned from a coach of mine many years ago, is a wonderfully simple way to a) make sure that the actions you are taking today are the right ones, and b) reduce that awful sense of overwhelm and “busyness” that hits all of us from time to time. Being focused on the right things ensures a peace of mind that is critical to performing at our best â€" it frees our mind to be creative and efficient. I hope this straightforward exercise will help you to focus on the right things, but I would love to hear if you have any tips that really help you to reduce overwhelm â€" we would all benefit from your experience. So, let’s hear them!

Tips For Writing a Resume in English

Tips For Writing a Resume in EnglishA writing resume can be difficult to write in English. Some professional writers advise their clients to hire a freelance translator to write it for them, but most English speakers do not have this luxury and often find themselves forced to resort to writing it themselves in English.One of the most difficult parts of writing a resume in English is a section that asks the applicant to indicate how fluent they are in English. If you have taken an English course in high school or college and studied it at all, then you may find yourself struggling with this part of the application. There are a few tips that can help you to write your resume in English so that you can eliminate the need for a freelance translator or to hire one.The first thing you need to remember when writing your resume in English is that you are not required to use the full name in your resume. You should keep your contact information and first and last name in parentheses. When wri ting your work history section, it is very important to mention the exact dates you worked as well as the names of all the employers. This will make it easy for potential employers to locate you and get back to you.The second tip that can help you write your resume in English is to keep your job responsibilities short and to the point. Use the job title alone instead of going into too much detail about your job duties. It is also a good idea to use past experience as a guide when listing your skills and accomplishments. If you are going to list your job title in your resume, then listing your skills and experiences separately makes sense.The third tip that can help you write your resume in English is to use both formal and informal language when describing your work experience. While it is OK to use formal language in a formal setting, it is not appropriate to use informal language when meeting with someone for the first time. The correct way to describe your job duties when you are meeting with a potential employer is to use the term 'task' instead of 'taskmaster'. Also, instead of stating your job title twice, use the title once and the job duties once.Writing your resume in English also includes describing your experiences outside of your work experience. Instead of listing your work experience as 'seven years experience in accounting' write it as 'five years experience in accounting'. This will be much easier to read for potential employers and will convey a clear message to them about your job experience.Writing your resume in English also involves describing your education and training. While some people prefer to list their certification, others prefer to describe it in brief. It is OK to list your education and training under your work experience. If your work experience requires you to have more than a high school diploma, then it is also acceptable to list this under your education and training.The fourth tip that can help you write your resume in En glish is to use technical and specialized terms that are common to English writing. For example, instead of using the term 'bar' to describe your location, you can write it as 'restaurant'grocery store'. Using words such as 'store' instead of 'department'store manager' can make it very clear to the reader that you are speaking English.

Your Dream Home Awaits With With Classy Home Decor

Your Dream Home Awaits With With Classy Home Decor If you are less than satisfied with your living space, then how about sprucing it up with some small and simple changes? Shopvana home decor has everything you need to bring the look and feel of your home to a whole new level. Whether you want to go big or small, check out Shopvana’s extensive and ever-changing inventory and explore the possibilities! Keep Your Kitchen Classy Some people say that the kitchen is the heart of the home, and if this is true of your home, then why not infuse it with a bit more personality? Sometimes all it takes is some new accessories or accent pieces to make your kitchen area really pop. Shopvana home decor has an established reputation for providing high-quality merchandise at an affordable rate. How do they do it? By valuing each and every customer so that they return time and time again. At Shopvana, it is about helping the client get the living space of their dreams. That is why their inventory is constantly being updated with items for your kitchen, bath, bedroom, and more! Liven Up the Living Room Speaking of which, if you and your family tend to spend most of your time in the living room, then why not make it better suited to your daily activities? Sometimes you don’t need brand-new furnishings or a remodeling job; all you need are some stunning accent pieces and accessories to elevate the look and feel of the space. Think about adding some throw pillows, an area rug, or vases and lamps to lighten up the room (both literally and figuratively.) One of the great things about Shopvana home decor is that they offer items and products that are suitable for any type of family. If you have children who are a bit accident-prone, then don’t worry; Shopvana can set you up with pieces that won’t pose a safety hazard to your loved ones. Add Accents and Accessories Finally, think about grabbing one or two staple pieces for each room in your home and see how the style and comfort of your space can improve. A streamlined storage piece in the bathroom can help to clean it up and add more sophistication. Florals and plant motifs add an easy-going vibe to just about any room in the house. You can even make the exterior of your home look better with welcoming door mats, decorative lighting or small accessories. The possibilities are virtually endless, so head over to Shopvana today to see what small wonders you can add to your family abode! Images: Main  Sam Howzit   Kitchen  Midtown Crossing at Turner

Heres Why You Are Not Winning At Your Goals

Heres Why You Are Not Winning At Your Goals They say the hardest journey  is going from  I would like to, to I am. That is no understatement. Its factual, and anyone who’s tried to do anything would agree with this statement. Even the slightest change in our daily routines may sometimes prove difficult at best. You may not define yourself as a social media addict until you try going on a seven-day social media fast, or you may be shocked to discover how much time you have on your hands when you cut down on cellphone time. Sometimes countless attempts at trying to reach a specific goal may prove effortless. But, there is a way to overcome this if you learn to look at the situation differently and understand why you are not winning as opposed to how to win. You underestimate your opponent What you need to realize about goal settings and achieving those goals, requires you to become a new person i.e. a person who achieves these types of goal. And what happens is, you don’t realize the strong hold, the “old” you, has on you. this is applicable whether you’re trying to lose weight, save more money, read more or just being more grateful and the likes. The older version of yourself is your biggest opponent and you may neglect working on that whilst trying to get to where you need to be. You need to remember that, there are years and years of doing things a certain way and a specific wiring that needs to be undone. Your mindset, your actions, your thoughts, your perception. Most people who succeed at their goals always advocate transformation. Transformation of one self and one’s mind is the surest way to overcome those obstacles. You are too trusting of your future self This point is the number one reason procrastination ranks high on the list of why people don’t win at their goals. You trust yourself in the future way more than you should.  Take note of the fact that the best you, is the you today, that you is the person who becomes you in the future. You won’t make better decisions or take action tomorrow by some divine intervention, the future you, the you that will do that thing tomorrow, is a mere product of what you sow today. The only reason you procrastinate on tasks and important assignments is because you trust that tomorrow you will automatically be a better person. This is a very common mistake we all make. You need to be more proactive and trust that you today is the only one who knows and can do what is best for you at this moment with what you know. The only person who will put down that muffin and exercise more is you today, the only person that will make the time for all their urgent tasks is you today, the only person that will finally take risks is you today. You have not met you in future so you don’t have any idea what that person is like. Don’t take the gamble of putting your whole life in their hands. You have not changed the story in your mind What do you think about being everything you want to be? you may have these dreams and goals and you set out to achieve these dreams and goals but you are not very proactive in going out to reach them? Why is that? this could boil down to the simple fact that you don’t believe you will ever be those things and do the things you want to do. What is the story that you tell yourself? What do you believe about yourself? Are you smart enough? Are you good enough? Do you think you are worthy enough or just enough at all to do the things you wanted to do? Most people don’t achieve their goals simply because they do not think they deserve it. this may sound ludicrous considering they are the same people who dream them up. but many people are raised in families where they were told that these things were simply not for them or that they will never graduate and earn honest income. Some may have painful past experiences that have left permanent marks on their whole outlook in life. Changing the story in your mind involves being cognizant of your thoughts. The best way to do this is to catch your thoughts, writing them down on paper and seeing what your thought process is like because the best way to achieve your goals and dreams is by believing that you can. Your source of inspiration What drives you? what is motivating you? when you start to understand the why? The how becomes much easier. Lets say for example you want to be a multi-millionaire, why is that? it may sound so obvious why i.e. live a more comfortable life, buy bigger house, afford better healthcare, live a better life. But wanting those things is not enough to drive you and discipline you to the level you need to get. Simply wanting a three-floor mansion is not enough to wake you up on those cold winter nights. That’s because what exists in all of us is what I like to call the settler’s mentality. The settler’s mentality is basically consoling yourself that what you have is enough. This mentality affects you subconsciously. When you justify laziness by thinking that your current situation is good enough and you are better than you were yesterday and way better off than a homeless person. Don’t get me wrong, I am for showing gratitude and being thankful but this is about not getting outside your comfort zone because it’s exactly that, comfortable. Comfortable enough that staying and dying wouldn’t be the absolute worst thing. so, your source of inspiration needs to be something way bigger than you and something better than itself. You can dream of a mansion with ten bathrooms but someone else is dreaming of a mansion with twenty bathrooms. You need to find inspiration beyond the tangible. Some people who succeed in life say all they wanted was a chance to change the circumstances for everyone in their family and be able to provide them with access to education and job opportunities. No goal is better than the other but being able to make something personal and meaningful is a good start. You apply short fixes to a long-term process This one is obvious. You know people who go on fad diets, or try get rich quick schemes. Its unbelievable how many people still fall victim to this. When you set out to do something, you need to remember after ownership comes maintenance. It needs to be kept and repaired and refreshed. Sorry to break this to you but there is no gastric bypass to life. If you make a million you need to learn to either keep the million or grow the million. Trying to find the easiest shortest route to your destiny is more detrimental to yourself and your own life. Its important and worth noting that, the dreams and goals you have were given to you alone and need to be kept and guarded with pride and dignity. Short cuts and cheating is not fair to yourself and everything you stand for. Winning is a mentality that needs to get renewed almost daily and that takes a lot of work. You need to remember that nothing worth having will come easy. the important thing is to believe that you can achieve those things, to put in the hours and always persist no matter whats in front of you.

How to Create a Great Resume This Summer

How to Create a Great Resume This SummerResume writing this summer can be a difficult task. There are a lot of things to consider when making a resume and it will take a lot of time, effort and knowledge. Many people have trouble creating an impressive resume but if you know some basic tips you should be able to create a fantastic resume for yourself.One of the first things you need to do is learn about the basics of resume writing this summer. You need to know what a resume is, who is most likely to look at yours and what sort of things your resume should contain. Once you know all this you should be able to use these basic tips to improve your own resume. In order to do this, you should start by reading through a list of resume examples and pick one that works well for you.The first and most important part of a resume is the cover page. You should look at each resume cover page and write down a few ideas about the professional. Remember to ask yourself about his or her previous exp eriences and how they can help you in your current position. At the end of the cover page you should include a line that says 'Note: Please apply for this position'.Next you should consider the resume itself. You should also try to look for skills that you have and make sure you list them in the top half of your resume. This will help you stand out from the rest of the applicants and it will also make your resume interesting and eye catching.When looking over your resume look over each section and see if there is anything there that does not fit into your qualifications, experience and your past work history. Try to find a way to erase this information if it is not relevant or if it does not belong in your position. After doing this you should always include contact information in the back of your resume.If there is any information that does not belong in your resume you should get it removed. This can be done through a standard format or you can also write it down in a document tha t can be read later. If you can remove some information that does not belong then your resume will not look so bad after it has been printed out.Lastly you should add a summary of your resume at the bottom of your resume. This will tell people who you are and what you have to offer. This is also a great place to include your contact information. Just remember to include this before your contact information and after your contact information as the resume is going to be printed and you don't want it to come out bad!While it can be easy to write a resume this summer, with some tips you should be able to put together a very strong resume. This resume will show your true abilities and it will also help you stand out from the rest of the applicants in your job search.

How My Side Hustle Changed My Career Path - Cubicle Chic

How My Side Hustle Changed My Career Path - Cubicle Chic How My Side Hustle Changed My Career Path Career, Career design, Development, Job search, Lifestyle July 28, 2017 13 CommentsTop: Ann TaylorJeans: EujeancoSunnies: Karen WalkerLong time no see, friend! I’ve been mostly MIA on Cubicle Chic this month. It’s because we had moved towards the end of June but mostly,  it’s because I started a new job. It’s been an extremely busy first month filled with learning the ropes, getting to know the company and the team, and all that good stuff.  If you follow me on Instagram, you’d know I haven’t stopped griping about how this job has taken over my life. Cubicle Chic, as my side hustle, has taken the back seat. Ironically, this side hustle was the very reason I was able to land this new job in the first place. With 2 years of blogging under my belt, I’ve officially ventured into the social media space in a professional capacity!! How did I do it, you ask?Top: Ann TaylorSunnies: Karen WalkerCareer Foundation of Marketing in BiotechI built the foundation of my marketing care er in the first 6 years of my professional life. Coming out of school, it made sense that I landed  a job in marketing in the biotech industry as I had a degree in biology and another one in psychology. In those years, I learned the foundation of marketing principles and learned the operational logistics of marketing campaigns. I worked under and with professionals from all aspects of marketing like communications, analytics, product marketing, digital marketing, event management, and eCommerce. Somewhere along the 6 years, I became a confident marketer and an expert at navigating the biotech business landscape. I knew I was doing something right as I was highly sought after as a job candidate having gotten 8 job offers in those 6 years.iPhone 7 case: Ideals of SwedenThe Birth of Cubicle ChicTwo years ago in July I decided to publish my first ever post on Cubicle Chic. When people ask me why I started a blog, I try to recall what I was thinking when I was figuring out how to build a blog. “I knew something was missing in my career”…..well, that’s what all entrepreneurs say, right? For me, I didn’t necessarily think anything was missing. I was simply bored. I had mastered most aspects of my job and things got to a bit of a lull. What I knew was that I love to write and tell stories, and I always wanted a resource for corporate work fashion and career advice all in one place. Additionally, in my work experience, I had learned to craft emails subject lines that get clicked, write web content with SEO in mind, how Google PPC works and the list goes on.  I desperately wanted to test out this knowledge outside of work.  So finally rounded up all the resources (blogging platform, photographer, outfits, and well, time to write which I had plenty at the time) and started Cubicle Chic in July 2015.  Top: Ann TaylorJeans: EujeancoSunnies: Karen WalkerSandals: Topshop Notorious Sandals  How I Went From Marketing to Social MediaFast forward to 2 years later, I w as again at a crossroad. I could continue on the same  path of biotech marketing, which was probably going to be the easier and more obvious direction. Alternatively, I could go down a different path, leveraging the 2 years I spent blogging, creating regular content, growing my social media presence, and cultivating the Cubicle Chic brand. In my heart, I wanted to explore a new career path in social media and put all the new skills I learned to test. So when an opportunity presented itself, and I embraced it with arms wide open. Looking back, here are 5 principles I stuck to that helped evolve a side hustle into a change in career path:1. Treat your side hustle with the same respect and professionalism as with your jobThey say dress for the job you want, not the one you have. The message here is that if you elevate your thinking, reality conforms. Similarly, treat the side hustle as if it’s your full-time job and your livelihood depended on it. I’ve always approached my blog as a business, even though I have only recently started to earn some income from it (definitely not profitable yet). A business needs a clear and concise mission statement, a business goal, and a way to scale. So, I made sure Cubicle Chic has all of that. A business’s value is determined by measurable results and impact…and along the way, I made sure I am keeping track of Cubicle Chic’s growth and development so I can present Cubicle Chic with facts in its impact when I need to.2. Learn the art of positioningThis is one of the most basic principles of marketing. Know the strengths of a service/product the exact unmet needs/pain points it’s meant to address, and find the audience that has these pain points and needs, and deliver the marketing message relentlessly. The key words here are strengths, pain points, and relentlessly. As I grew Cubicle Chic, I was very conscious of what strengths or skills I was developing; writing, content analytics, a little bit of graphic design, ju st to name a few. I was also conscious of what kind of market value these skills instilled in me. I positioned these strengths and skill relentlessly when the time was right, and got a potential employer interested enough to give me an offer.3. Scale your operation by setting goalsAs a blogger, my eyes are always on the prize that’s coming next. If I hit the 3,000 unique visitor mark, I ask myself “how many more months until I hit 5,000?”  If I got a dream collaboration request, I ask myself “how do I turn it into a long-term relationship?” So by setting new goals every time I hit a milestone, I created a growth-oriented operation for Cubicle Chic. Along the same lines, I also allow myself to dream big. It doesn’t mean I start daydreaming about becoming a celebrity blogger while I binge on Game of Thrones and eat chips (That’s reserved for only Friday nights.) But I allow myself to see the possibility of explosive success and have this possibility baked into my vision . When I elevate my outlook on Cubicle Chic like this, inspiration and motivation ensue. And hopefully, one day, reality conforms.4. Understand whether your hobby has a place in your professional networkOne of my biggest dilemma for the first 18 months of the 2 years of Cubicle Chic’s existence, was whether or not to share this hobby with my professional network i.e. LinkedIn. Some close friends and co-workers knew about it, but it wasn’t part of my professional identity. I was Jessica the marketing gal, not Jessica the blogger. Not yet at least. I had a lot of encouragement to “take it public” but never felt completely at ease about the  idea.The first time I contemplated fusing Cubicle Chic into my professional brand was when The Financial Diet published my article on finding motivation during a long job search.  That was the kind of validation I needed in order to go “public” with my blog. In hindsight, I am glad I waited despite encouragement from friends and profes sional contacts. You only have one shot at your first impression when meeting someone, and it’s the same thing with your blog. I’d much rather people find out about Cubicle Chic as a mature and well-established blog than a half baked experiment that was in its infancy. Don’t mix up your side hustle with your professional network before they are ready for each other.Top: Ann TaylorSunnies: Karen WalkerWatch: Daniel Wellington5. Always. Be. Learning.This is more of a life motto than a principle to stick with. It’s just a fact, so accept it. No growth comes from being stagnant or a dull and unstimulated mind. As a blogger, I learned how to improve my writing, how to better my photography and modeling. I spent countless hours studying how SEO works, how to write a better title for a blog post, how to get my Facebook posts to rank higher. Yes, I also sweated about my Instagram follower base like most other influencers. But because I know my educated mind as a blogger will carry m e through the muddied and troubled water, issues like this don’t keep me up at night. My point is that knowledge gives you an edge over others, and combined with a proven track record, is a recipe for how you’re going to win in the end.  By the way, if you’re a blogger, you need to listen to these two podcasts: Marketing School by Neil Patel and Eric Siu, and The Influencer Podcast by Julie Solomon.So… I woke up super early on this Friday morning to finish and polish up this post. I’m going hit publish now and go get ready for work. The hustle continues and Happy Friday!!  All photography by Natalie Alvarado @ Stylenfuse

5 mistakes to avoid when you launch a new business

?5 mistakes to avoid when you launch a new business Entrepreneurs, whether new or experienced, often make critical mistakes when starting a new business. Some of these are so serious that their startups are essentially dead on arrival. That’s clearly bad for them, but it could be good for you if you too are a budding entrepreneur just itching to start the business of your dreams. Learn from their mistakes. Inside every failure lies a valuable lesson, said life-long entrepreneur and bestselling author Parviz Firouzgar. “Sometimes you can learn as much from people’s failures as you can from their successes,” Firouzgar says. “Those mistakes teach lessons that can lead to long-term success.” Avoid these five common mistakes if you hope to succeed. 1. Preparing yourself out of existence Many people with great ideas spend months, sometimes even years, preparing. They always have one more seminar to attend, one more vendor to interview, endless meetings, and endless planning. They never get around to actually starting their business because they are too focused on trying to create the perfect plan. There is no such thing as a perfect plan. Even when you think you’re done, the business environment will have changed enough by then to make your plan out-of-date. Seasoned entrepreneurs don’t procrastinate; they get out there and launch, learning and adjusting along the way. 2. Planning endless sources of revenue Don’t try to do it all. Another common mistake is to attempt to create an endless number of revenue streams. If you try to offer something for everyone, branching out in so many directions that your original product idea becomes just one of many, you’re doomed to fail. What do all great companies throughout history have in common? They all started with one innovative idea and then became the best in their field. They focused on their original product or service and nothing else. If you want to sell cell phones, then don’t start out by also offering calling cards, selfie sticks, and apps. The trick is to do one thing and do it really, really well. Once that is profitable, then you can add a related product. But don’t go into business with a shotgun approach. It never works. 3. Establishing equal partnerships Partnerships based on perfect equality and good intentions rarely work. If each partner’s opinion carries equal weight, then trouble is around the corner. Surprisingly, big decisions are rarely the problem. It’s the little ones, like the design of a logo, which may cause disagreements that can spiral out of control. Emotional attachment and ego sooner or later get in the way. The only way to guarantee the success of a partnership is to divide the company into functions and assign responsibility for each based on the partner’s expertise (marketing, accounting, human resources, etc.). Decisions should still be made together in the spirit of teamwork, but if there is disagreement then someone has to have veto power. Put it all in writing and leave nothing to chance. 4. Relying on right-brained thinking The business world is the domain of left-brained action, involving reason, structure, planning, goal setting and organization. The creative and intuitive contributions of right-brained thinkers are just as important, but in business there is a key distinction. We use both parts of our brain to some degree, but are clearly dominated by one half. Someone dominated by left-brained thinking can function solo in the business world, but right-brained dominated thinkers generally cannot. They should have a left-brained partner to provide the required balance and organization. 5. Making money your prime motivator If you go into business only for the money, your chances for success are dramatically diminished. Even if you do make it, you might end up as one of the wealthy who are as miserable as can be. The prime ingredient for success is to enjoy what you do because that is what you’ll be good at. Find a business that interests you, that generates enough passion in your soul to motivate you to get up in the morning, wanting to learn more and get better each day. Do what you love and make a living doing it. The money will follow and your chances for financial success will multiply. Some things in life cannot be taught and you have to experience them yourself, Firouzgar said. But your learning curve can be vastly accelerated with the right knowledge up front.