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“Creating Successful Leaders”

Tag Archives: Margaret Smith life coach

May 22, 2024 4 Steps To Find Your Perfect Mentor

With any job, we all rely on guidance from our supervisors and peers to learn the ropes and develop new strategies for accomplishing tasks. If you’re starting at a new company, taking on a new role, or endeavoring to learn new skills, a mentor can be an incredibly valuable asset.

A mentor (or coach, or guide) can stretch your abilities, introduce you to new people, or connect you with relevant resources. Their experience and expertise are resources as valuable as any skill in your personal toolbox. But finding the right person for the role can be challenging. As you begin your search, you may find a few of these strategies useful:

1. Identify your process and values

As we grow, we try out and exchange work habits and strategies to make ourselves more effective. Finding a mentor who speaks to you starts with understanding yourself and how you work. What are the values that drive you? How do they translate to the type of work you do and which projects or responsibilities you’d like to take on?  What are the pain points and blind spots of your working style that others may need to accommodate for or address? These questions are important to ask and reflect upon when seeking a mentor. Knowing their answers to some degree will help when approaching others for help.

2. Look across disciplines

Everybody brings a unique mix of experience and ability to the table in an organization. A person’s job description doesn’t always tell you everything about the perspective they bring or their ability to teach. If you are worried or intimidated by reaching out to folks in your own department, making connections outside your usual circle and observing how people attack problems may shed a learning light you never considered before.

3. Establish rapport

Mentors are not always our closest friends, but a good mentor will be someone who respects your goals and spends time to observe and understand your learning process. Get to know folks who’ve joined the team before you and communicate your respect for their role and the work they’ve done. If you’re not familiar with these details, friendly chats over lunch or coffee can provide a way to accrue insight casually and over an extended period of time.

4. Develop yourself and network

Professional associations often offer conferences and seminars to learn the ropes of new skills or discuss innovations within a given industry. If you feel like your office lacks the means to provide the guidance you seek, attend trainings and make connections – either with fellow learners or the speakers. Handing out business cards and picking someone’s brain for 15 minutes may be all it takes to find a new teacher.

Finding a mentor isn’t always easy, but the returns for your efforts can be transformative. Keep an open mind, and be honest with yourself if you aren’t getting what you need on the first attempt. If you keep at it, often the right guidance is never too far away . Stay positive and start your search. There’s no time like the present!

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE. 

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April 17, 2024 How Intentional Breaks Increase Productivity

Though it may sound counterintuitive, the occasional break can absolutely help to increase productivity. This is a way to pump the brakes, take a step back from life’s chaos, and strategize your next steps.

I know many people who put the pedal to the metal in the morning and go, go, go all day. Maybe they zone out occasionally, scrolling through social media or watching a show, but then they’re back at it the next day. This pace is not sustainable for most people, and it can often lead to burnout, discontentedness with work (or life), feeling distant from loved ones, or losing a sense of self. Believe it or not, one remedy is to take intentional breaks.

Keep in mind, an intentional break is different than mindlessly scrolling through Instagram or watching TV. Rather, an intentional break involves purposefully stepping away from work or tasks to recharge your mind and body. It could be a short walk outside, a mindfulness meditation session, or even a brief chat with a colleague. These breaks allow you to return to your work with renewed focus and energy.

Here are a few ways taking meaningful breaks can help:

Zoom Out Your Lens

When you’re living day-to-day in a state of constant activity and busyness, you can neglect to see the bigger picture. You tend to focus on the immediate tasks and lose sight of long-term goals and priorities. By taking intentional breaks, you can zoom out your lens and gain a fresh perspective. This mental shift helps you realign with what truly matters and avoid getting caught up in the day-to-day grind. Such breaks allow you to recharge, refocus, and come back with renewed energy and clarity to tackle challenges more effectively.

Course Correct

Sometimes when you look at the bigger picture, you realize you’re on the wrong track entirely. In these cases, it’s best not to panic! In truth, this is an opportunity—a chance to course correct and redirect your efforts in a more beneficial direction. Taking intentional breaks offers you the chance to step back, reassess your current path, and make any necessary adjustments. This pause in action can be a valuable opportunity to reset your course and ensure you’re moving in alignment with your long-term objectives.

Reflect On What’s Important

What matters most to you? Maybe it’s your family or close friends. Maybe it’s a particular cause that you’re involved with. Or, perhaps, it is a passion project or hobby. Whatever the case, taking meaningful breaks can help you gain clarity on your priorities. This allows you to reflect on what truly matters in your life and ensures that your actions align with your values.

Re-Energize

Taking a break to relax your mind and body can lead to a burst of creativity and renewed energy. By allowing yourself this time to recharge, you can approach tasks with greater enthusiasm and focus. When you allow yourself quiet time, away from the bustle of everyday life, your mind has the tendency to rejuvenate itself and generate new ideas. This mental reset can be the key to overcoming creative blocks and finding innovative solutions to problems.

Intentional breaks can serve as a catalyst for increased productivity and overall well-being. By incorporating these pauses into your routine, you empower yourself to approach challenges with a fresh perspective and the energy needed to tackle them effectively. Remember, a moment of pause can lead to great strides forward.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE. 

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February 28, 2024 How Self-Care is Linked to Success

Many of my friends and colleagues tend to put themselves last. They go out of their way to help others, they stretch themselves thin, and they make sacrifices to support other people (whether family members or co-workers). When you’re so used to helping others, it may seem unnatural—or even selfish—to help yourself. However, that’s precisely what many of us need to do.

When we go, go, go and never stop to check in with ourselves and our personal wellbeing, we often get burnt out, irritable, and scattered. Many of us treat our vehicles better than we treat ourselves! We take our cars in for oil changes and tune-ups, we let the engine cool down after a long trip. Why can’t we treat ourselves with the same respect and care?

To me, self-care is not just a buzzword or a trend. It’s not self-centered or selfish. Rather, it is essential.

If we do not take care of ourselves, our health, relationships, and work can all suffer. Studies show that the majority of Americans do not get enough sleep or enough exercise, and that can take a serious toll on our energy levels throughout the day. But really, we don’t need studies to tell us that self-care is vital. All we have to do is pay attention to how we’re feeling. If you’re feeling unenergized, exhausted, or distracted, how will you be able to give it your all? How can you perform well at work? Or be a good friend or family member? Or rise to meet the challenges that tend to crop up on any given day?

You can’t. Or, at least, it is much more difficult to do these things when you’re not taking care of yourself. Instead of letting your personal wellbeing slip to the backburner, I challenge you to give it priority this coming month.

Here are a few ideas to practice better self-care:

  • Set aside time each day for self-reflection and relaxation
  • Engage in activities that bring you joy and help you unwind, such as reading, taking a walk, or listening to music
  • Prioritize getting enough sleep each night
  • Make healthy eating choices and fuel your body with nutritious foods
  • Stay hydrated by drinking enough water throughout the day
  • Take breaks during the workday to stretch and move your body
  • Connect with loved ones and nurture your relationships
  • Practice mindfulness or meditation to reduce stress and increase focus
  • Set boundaries and learn to say no when necessary
  • Seek support from a therapist or counselor if needed
  • Be kind to yourself and practice self-compassion

Remember that self-care is not a one-time thing. It is an ongoing practice that requires consistency and commitment. By prioritizing your well-being and making self-care a daily habit, you can increase your energy levels, reduce stress, and improve your overall quality of life. So take a moment to assess your current self-care routine and make any necessary adjustments. Remember, you deserve to take care of yourself just as much as you take care of others.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE. 

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