Category Archives: Changing Your Life
February 21, 2018 The Case For Working LESS
There’s a persistent myth that in order to get anywhere in your life or career, you have to put in long hours. As Americans, we’re working harder than ever—putting in a full month’s more of work per year than we did in the 1970s. We’re also the most over-worked nation in the developed world. According to the ILO, “Americans work 137 more hours per year than Japanese workers, 260 more hours per year than British workers, and 499 more hours per year than French workers.”
And here’s the thing: it’s making the other parts of our lives suffer. We don’t have time to take care of ourselves (which is evident with skyrocketing obesity and stress); we take fewer vacation days; we don’t have as much time to spend with our family or friends. Not to mention, it’s nearly impossible to squeeze in volunteer or community time when we’re consistently working more than forty hours per week.
“But wait!” you might be saying. “Don’t I have to put in the hours to prove myself to the company? Won’t I look bad since everyone else is working sixty hours per week?”
My answer to that is this:
It’s much better to work SMARTER than it is to work HARDER.
For instance, if you’re energized from getting enough sleep, eating well, and exercising regularly, your performance will increase and you’ll get things done in a shorter amount of time. Looking at it from another angle, when you’re able to step back from your work, this allows you perspective. Instead of being “in the weeds” you can reflect on your work from a distance, which can help you to strategize better and approach your projects with a clearer view of what you want to achieve and how you want to get there.
Not to mention, you’ll feel better and happier when you’re paying attention to other areas of your life besides work. A professor at the Wharton School of Business found that when people in his study spent more time on family, community, and self, “their career satisfaction increased by 21% and their work performance (self-assessed) improved by 8%. Happiness with family life grew even more.”
It’s time we stop “out-working” each other. Such a mentality is, frankly, a race to the bottom. Instead, be a leader in effective time management and work/life balance:
- Take breaks when you need to
- Spend time with your family
- Practice self-care
- Focus on ONE project at a time, be fully present (and complete tasks more effectively!)
- Step back and recalibrate your goals
- Take that vacation
- Make service to others and your community a priority
A culture shift away from our “worker bee” mentality is absolutely necessary and it starts with YOU.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: accomplish more in a day, cut back work hours, gain free time, How to Work Less, improve your life, improve your routine, margaret smith career coach, shorten your day, work less gain more, work smarter not harder, working less, working to death
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- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Changing Your Life, Thrive at Work
February 14, 2018 How to LOVE what you do
Do you love what you do? Are you excited to wake up and get to work? Does your work add to your life and wellbeing…or does it detract from it?
If you’re currently in a place where you don’t love what you do, it may be time to sit down, get real with yourself, and re-position your compass. Think about it. If you’re like the average American, you’ll spend 1/3 of your life at work. That’s a HUGE percentage! Shouldn’t you at least like what you’re doing.
I think so.
As a career coach, I’ve met many people who are ill-fitted to their current role, but have no clue how to change things. They slog along because they need the money and are unsure of how to make a drastic change. What many of these individuals need is a deep look inside themselves.
We are a nation of go-go-go and rarely stop and take the time to get reacquainted with ourselves. After all, we’re constantly changing. You are not the same person you were as a teenager (thank goodness!) or a young adult. Change is natural, but we don’t always embrace it. Instead, we may power through it and do things because “that’s the way they’ve always been done.”
I challenge you to think differently.
Believe that you can fall in love with your work…you just have to find the right work. Investing in yourself and going through a program such as Insights Deeper Discovery can help set you down a better path. But you have to open yourself to new possibilities, earnestly and candidly reflect, and then act upon your discoveries. All three factors are necessary if you truly want to create lasting change in your life.
Beyond utilizing a science-based assessment such as Insights, it’s a good idea to also do the following:
- Research what’s out there
- Join a networking group and be curious (ask anyone and everyone about what they do—you might be surprised by what appeals)
- Invest in your future: work with a career coach, attend relevant workshops, or learn a new skill set
- Be open with your family—your decision affects them too and it’s a good idea to have them in your corner
- Figure out whether you like parts of your current role or need to make a big, sweeping change (turn to a coach or a science-based assessment to determine)
- Create an action plan—figure out the steps you need to take to implement your changes.
So, what are you waiting for? Isn’t it about time you invested in yourself and your future? Isn’t it about time you stepped forward into a job you love?
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: fall in love with work, find passion in career, love what you do, love your work, Margaret Smith professional speaker, Minnesota business coach, passionate about career, work as passion
January 17, 2018 Your COURAGE Workbook, Part 3: RECOVERING FROM SETBACKS
This is Part Three of my four-part courage series. Last week’s discussion was on EVERYDAY COURAGE.
It will happen. Things won’t go quite the way you planned. You’ll face unexpected delays, difficult coworkers or bosses, health issues, uncooperative customers, or any number of other setbacks that could derail your forward momentum and your confidence. What do you do when the train careens off the tracks?
Develop a plan to get back on.
If you’re able to anticipate a possible setback (i.e. Customer ABC has been hinting that they’re thinking about going with a different company), plan ahead. Come up with some “worst case scenario options” and write them down.
If the setback sneaks up on you (as in most cases), practice being adaptable and resilient. One of the ways to do that is by having a Growth Mindset. When you have a growth mindset, you don’t think of obstacles as hopeless problems, but as opportunities to improve and develop a new solution. You are aware that every challenge you face only makes you stronger and more nimble.
What are some practical ways to recover from setbacks?
- Picture your future success (visualization is powerful!)
- Practice a growth mindset
- Hold a brainstorming or mind mapping session (by yourself or with your team) to come up with innovative new solutions
- Be kind to yourself (being hard on yourself will only lead to more stress and burnout)
OKAY, your turn. Jot down a few answers to these workbook questions:
1. When you face a challenge, which resources could you tap into to help? Which people?
2. What are some ways you can rebuild your confidence and enthusiasm to overcome obstacles?
3. How will you be kind to yourself if you face a failure or setback? List five ways you could treat yourself well during a challenging period.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: be courageous, career coach Margaret Smith, courage at work, courage to recover from setbacks, Margaret Smith business coach, Margaret Smith professional speaker, overcoming obstacles
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- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Changing Your Life, Transitions
