What Are You Going To Do Today?

Take Over From Overwhelmed

 

Is the time of your unemployment stretching out way longer than you were expecting? Are the number of hours you need in a day and the number of hours you have out of sync? Having trouble balancing work life and home life? If, for whatever reason, you are overwhelmed, we are here to help you find ways to feel just whelmed enough.

 

Exercise

When you’re overwhelmed you might feel so mentally exhausted the only thing you want to do is stare at the ceiling while your worries run circles in your head.

 

Stop those circles from running round in your head by getting them into your feet. Go for a run, life some weights, do some yoga. When you get your body moving, your brain releases pleasure chemicals that will help you relax and get your mind off those nagging, racing worries.

 

Use the right fuel in your engine

It is said, you get out of life what you put into it. You also get out of your body what you put into it. Oftentimes when we’re stressed out or overwhelmed we stop paying attention to what we put into our mouths. Junk food, fast food, overly processed food might seem like a quick fix in the moment, but they are only going to add to your problems in the long run.

 

Studies have shown eating fat and sugar can make your mental processes slower and clumsier. Take the time to eat the things you know your body needs (not what it craves). Fresh foods, vegetables, fruits. Make sure you’re eating what will make you sharp and ready to face the world.

 

Get out of the past and out of the future

Maybe last month was terrible so you’re worried you’ll have even more problems next month. The surest way to ensure that happens is to sit there and brood about it.

 

Living in the hypothetical terrible future is the fastest route to creating that unwanted outcome. Instead of focusing there, focus here and now. On what you can do today.

 

Today I will get in 30 minutes of exercise, I will eat right and I will tackle one problem at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself. Live in the right now and don’t worry about tomorrow. Plan for it, but don’t lose any sleep over it. Speaking of sleep, do it. Make sure you are getting enough sleep everyday.

 

Treat yourself

Finally sometimes you just need to slot in some me-time. If bad movies are your thing, watch one. If you like bombing around the go cart track then get yourself there. Sometimes a little escapism is just what you need to get yourself back on track.

 

Read a book, watch a movie, bake a pie, do something that will make you happy just for a little while. When you back to your problem with fresh eyes, and full of piehopefully things will seem a little less overwhelming.

Typical Sales Mistakes

Talking too much

You may believe it’s necessary to go on at length about the benefits and features of the product or service you’re selling. If you spend too much time talking without listening then you run the risk of creating the impression that you care more about your product than the person you’re speaking to.

 

Instead you want to get the person to talk about themselves and their situation so you can determine the best way of directing the discussion.

 

You may think piling on facts is a great way of putting your product or service in the best light but unless the information is relevant to the person you’re speaking to, rather than enhancing your presentation it detracts.

 

Letting the person you’re speaking to have control of the conversation

The best way to take control of the conversation is by asking questions. By asking the right questions You get to know the person better, and be better able to direct them towards the conversation you want to have. Your answers to the questions you finally want to ask will establish you as an expert in regards to your product or service.

 

One size fits all sales pitch

The second you go into a standard sales pitch that you’ve perfected for anyone, you’ve already lost the vast majority of individuals. Find out about the person you’re speaking to then tailor what you say to them.

 

Not being prepared

Always have everything you need to complete your presentation. You should never have to scramble for information regarding pricing, sample information, or answers to questions that may come up. Create a checklist of everything you need and ensure you have it at the start of each day. Even if you’ve talked about a product a thousand times, every time you talk about it with a new person you’re making a first impression all over again. Make it a great one!

 

Not asking for the sale

At the end of your presentation you always need to ask for some sort of commitment from the person you’re speaking to. Don’t worry about coming across as pushy, simply finish off in the confident, friendly way you’ve conducted the rest of your presentation.

 

Thinking Of Leaving Your Job?

People Will Live Up To Your Expectations

 

Think about your favorite teacher in school. If you’ve had a boss you really enjoyed, think about them for a moment. Do you remember what you liked about them? Were they kind, or friendly? Did they treat you as not just a student or employee but someone who could be trusted and shared with? Did they treat you as you could be, rather than what you were?

 

In his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey points out how one person can have a tremendous effect on others. Most of us have been in a position where we felt like we didn’t have much wiggle room in our work or assignments. For the most part our teachers have treated us like students. This doesn’t sound so bad, they’re there to teach. But what if, instead of treating you like a student or an employee, your teacher or boss treated you like someone who could run the company some day?

 

That could be by offering you more responsibility and bigger tasks. Tasks that you can handle and excel at, that will enable you to grow your role. You’ll feel more respected and important, and in turn you’ll start acting with more confidence in your work.

 

This isn’t just for people who have others working under them either. You can do this for your coworkers as well. Treat your coworkers as people who can both help you and bring new ideas to the table, rather than just people you work with. You may find that they’ll go out of their way to help you in the future.

When Will You Be Successful?

 

When optimism gets beaten down

Freshly graduated from college, most people set forth with anticipation in their shoes and optimism in their hearts. A month or two goes by and the only thing they’ve found on their trails is a string of unsuccessful job applications. As  anticipation wears away day after day, the fear of failure creeps forward to try and steal optimism’s place.

Battling the fear of failure? Time to battle back!

What is the fear of failure about?

Not yet achieving what you want and never achieving it are two completely different things. So different they might as well be on two different planets. Nobody gets it together right away. Everybody has a period of unemployment and that fear of failure is existential dread getting fat by feeding on itself.

What is failure?

Failure is the lack of an attempt. That’s all it is. And the very fact that you’ve been rejected by anything means you tried. And it means you learned. You’ve only ever really failed if you learned nothing and didn’t change up your tactics in response.

Every job rejection isn’t simply a rejection, it’s just a lesson on how to improve. So improve!

Just another no

This advice works just as well for dating as it does for careers: the worst anyone can say is no.

“No” doesn’t mean “You are destined for dismal failure and life as a disappointment to your parents.” “No” just means “not right now, not here.” That’s all. You can apply again later. You can apply somewhere else.

 
Maybe you got beaten out by someone more prepared and experienced, maybe you weren’t a right company fit, maybe the other candidate had more experience. The point is, “no” is just a word. Don’t worry about it. “yes” is another word, which you’ve got a 50% shot at every single time you give it a shot. So just keep shooting!

What is the future?

The Future is everything from right now until you die. Every second, every minute, every day, all contained in that word. When existential dread leads you to say things like “I have no future” stop and think how ridiculous that is.

One job rejection when you’re 22 has nothing to do with the vast majority of that winding, twisting path ahead of you we call “the future.”

The only thing that can put a roadblock in front of that future and cause delays and setbacks is you if you’re not doing your very best RIGHT NOW. And Right now is all you’ve got control over. So go ahead and control it.

Mirroring For Rapport

In general, people prefer to interact with others they feel an affinity with. When people are in sync they fall into a subconscious pattern of mirroring and matching each other’s movements. All of us can use that natural tendency to create a quick, easy rapport with the person we’re speaking with. You can use that rapport during interviews, one on one meetings, or any situation where you want to crate an atmosphere of trust and camaraderie.

 

When you mirror the person you’re speaking with, you’re giving them the subconscious impression that you and they are similar. People feel more comfortable with people they feel are like them. They subconsciously admire those people and will be more inclined to give them more of their attention and for longer stretches at a time.

 

Beware of mocking or mimicking

If you are going to try mirroring to get in sync with people, you have to be aware, there’s a fine balance to it. Mirroring has to be subtle enough that the person simply feels comfortable and acknowledged in your presence. Go too far and they will feel like you’re mocking or mimicking them.

 

Body language and patterns of speech

What you can mirror are their body language, the volume with which you speak, and the speed of your words. So if the person you’re speaking with puts a hand in his or her pocket, then after a reasonable amount of time, ten or fifteen seconds, you too can put your hand in your pocket, as if you are taking your cues from them.

 

If the person is a fast talker or a slow talker or a pauser, then fall in with their mode of speech. Doing this will establish a rhythm for your communication and increase their level of comfort.

 

If they’re hand talkers then you can speak more with your hands. If they’re quiet speakers then you too can quiet down the tone of your voice.

 

Remember so much of what we communicate has nothing to do with words. Body language, tone of voice or rhythm of speech may just be the determining factors in determining the success of your next interaction.

 

Learn to Build Your Resilience

Don’t Get Sucked Into The Drama

 

Drama is part of life. People get upset with one another and don’t always deal with it in the best way. We’ve all heard about–or even had–the boss who goes on a power trip nearly everyday. There is always going to be at least one coworker who, no matter how hard you try, just doesn’t want to give you a break. Workplace drama is hard to avoid but how you deal with it is key. Dealing with workplace drama well speaks to your ability to communicate, work well within a team and manage others.

Understanding the Issue

When it comes to drama, people have a tendency to jump to conclusions and get angry before thinking things through. Workplace drama is no different. When someone isn’t pulling their weight, or is consistently late with their work, we tend to assume they’re lazy or uncaring. It’s a far more rare occurrence that we take a moment to think that maybe our coworker just needs a helping hand. Assuming one way or another can make all the difference says Erika Anderson. “It’s pretty straightforward: assuming that the other person’s intentions are neutral to positive will generally cause you to behave in a way that will yield a neutral to positive reaction from him or her.”

Talking About It

If you’ve ever been frustrated with someone before, but held it in and didn’t talk about it, you know how that frustration can grow and grow. At some point it comes to a boiling point, and whoever has been biting their tongue starts lashing out at the people around them. If you’re the one biting your tongue, the best thing you can do is stop and have that awkward conversation where you have to tell someone how you feel.

Having this conversation will help everyone to better understand the issue. It also allows everyone involved to open up about their thoughts and feelings. This in turn gives everyone a clearer picture about the issue, and how best to deal with it.

Taking It Up the Ladder

Some people have a tendency to go straight to the boss as soon as they feel slighted or wronged in any way. Not only does this not address the issue with the individual, but if the boss comes down on your coworker, they’re going to resent you for it. This creates an even deeper divide between you and your coworker.

Knowing when to take something to your supervisor is important, because that does have a time and place. As a rule of thumb, only go to your supervisor if you have addressed the issue with your coworker first, and they were not receptive. When you go to your supervisor, your goal shouldn’t be to get the other person in trouble, but rather to force a conversation where you can talk out your issue. Getting your coworker in trouble might feel good, but it won’t solve the problem.

Ending the Drama

No one likes drama, but it happens. People get angry and upset. How we deal with workplace drama is important. We can assume the worst, or the best. We can talk about it, or let is fester and grow. We can try to get our coworkers in trouble, or we can try to understand the problem. If you want to end the workplace drama, don’t engage in workplace drama.