Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label children. Show all posts

Tuesday

3 Year Old Shares Thoughts about Past Daycare Experience - YouTube

3 Year Old Shares Thoughts about Past Daycare Experience - YouTube

Dealing with Workplace Stress

One of the hardest forms of stress to avoid is workplace stress. After all, you need to go to work and there are plenty of things to worry about once you get there. However, that does not mean that workplace stress is unavoidable. Just like other kinds of stress, there are ways to manage workplace stress and there are ways to avoid it. Maybe you cannot avoid it entirely, but that is no reason not to try.

Workplace stress usually takes the form of everything needing to get done right now. You know the situation, there are a dozen things on your plate and they all need attention, but there are only so many hours in the day and you cannot attend to everything all at once. On top of that, the boss is breathing down your neck, asking you where the report/plan/program is and he also has a pile of other tasks for you once you finish that. It is a never-ending cycle, but it can be managed.

The first thing you need to do to avoid workplace stress is to focus on one task at a time. Do not try to multi-task, as it jars your system. Switching gears between projects does make demands on your brain and it takes a moment to change your thoughts from one place to another. Instead, if you focus on one project, you can keep your thoughts and energy in one place, preventing you from having to shift gears too often.

However, the big problem with trying to keep your focus is your coworkers. They will always be asking you for a quick minute or they will want you to answer their question, or they will want you to come over and help them on something. Try to deflect these as much as possible, as these can distract your focus. Thus, you must learn to say, "no." This is a highly effective word, though you may want to change it to, "No, not right now," or, "As soon as I am done with this." These little phrases can at least buy you some time to finish what you are doing, then switch comfortably to the needs of your coworkers.

There is another cause of workplace stress that can also cause you all manner of difficulty and that is when your concentration runs out. Oftentimes, you may find yourself focusing on the same page or the same computer screen for minutes at a time and you still have no idea what it is supposed to mean. This is not good, as it means that you are not being effective, your brain has shut down and the deadline is looming over you and you just need to get through this. Your best plan at this point is to walk away from your desk. Get up, get a cup of coffee (but not too often, as caffeine can heighten stress), go to the bathroom, anything. Walk the corridors for a minute or two and clear the cobwebs. This is highly effective both for ensuring that you are getting work done and for keeping workplace stress to a minimum.

Another way to prevent workplace stress is to learn some desk exercises. These can be simply squeezing a stress ball, or performing a few stretches while you are at your desk. By working your muscles at your desk, you can improve your circulation and help your keep alert and aware at work. Obviously, you are not going to get a full body workout while you are pecking at a keyboard, but it can help you at least keep your mind focused.

Finally, while you are at work you should examine your environment to see if it is right for you. How is the noise level? Is your desk set up properly? Are you comfortable? Is everything set up so that it is ergonomically correct? Your body needs to be comfortable if you want to work without distraction and distractions can lead to workplace stress. Thus, your work area needs to be set up for you. Take care of the little things around you and you will be able to work confidently and work well.

Workplace stress is, in many ways, part of working. However, by managing workplace stress properly, you can at least keep it to a minimum. And by doing that, work will be much more pleasant and you will be much more productive. So take care of yourself and the area around you and workplace stress will not control your day.


Author: Trevor Dumbleton

Monday

You’re Fired! If Only It Were That Easy – Avoiding An Unfair Dismissal Trial…

I think I speak for all managers around the country when I say that we have all, in our darker moments, fantasized about mimicking Sir Alan Sugar’s catchphrase on ‘The Apprentice’ and telling an employee in no uncertain terms that they need to clear their desk and leave: “You’re fired!” Nice as it is to be able to pretend it would be this easy to get rid of that typist who spends more time on the phone to friends than doing their job, or the office manager who pulls a sickie every week, the truth is that simply firing your staff in this unceremonious manner will lead to all the ‘pleasures’ of an ‘unfair dismissal’ lawsuit.

So how should we go about getting rid of staff who are bad for the company? There’s a procedure you have to follow to ensure that your back is covered should the disgruntled sacked employee be feeling litigious and looking to call wrongful dismissal.

The first step towards this is ensuring that you have a clear set of rules and regulations. Afterall, if something is against the rules, but you’ve never actually explained it to your employees, then how are they supposed to know they are breaking them? At this point, you also need to be very clear of the consequences if such rules are broken.

There are two levels of misconduct you need to make provisions against: general and gross. Due to the different levels of seriousness, you need to make clear the action you would take in each circumstance:

General Misconduct

These are minor offenses or one-offs that would not result in serious repercussions for your business if occurring. The sort of thing that falls into this category should be: lateness, personal calls on the company telephone or under performance.

Gross Misconduct

This type of offense is for serious offenses which could damage the company, including acts of physical violence, drug or alcohol abuse, vandalism of company property, serious breaches of health and safety regulations, theft, fraud, harassment, discrimination or serious negligence. Additionally, the behavior listed in general misconduct could accumulate into gross misconduct if persistent while ignoring staff warnings.

So how do you go about ditching the troublesome staff? As I mentioned before there are procedures and you can’t just go and make an example out of someone on the spot – well you can, but the chances are they’ll be entitled to make an example out of you in the courts with a ‘wrongful dismissal’ lawsuit! Here’s how it’s done to avoid litigation:

1) If and when you become dissatisfied with the employee, tell them in writing.

2) Meet up with the employee and discuss the issue, trying to find a way in which the problems can be resolved. If possible, resolve the problem informally: You might consider training, or more supervision. Tell the employee the improvements you expect, and when their progress will be reviewed.

3) If an informal solution isn’t possible, take formal action – first a written warning, and then a final written warning. These must explain the nature of the problem, what you expect to improve and the consequences if they fail to meet your standards. Explain they have the right to appeal against your decision and give them opportunity to explain themselves.

4) If they accept their right of appeal, arrange a meeting and hear their case. Tell the employee your decision.

5) If the employee fails to meet your requirements, you may dismiss them or offer them a different job. Once again you need to follow procedure: a written dismissal, meet with the employee and give them the opportunity for appeal.

It may seem like a lot of hassle, but in the long run it’s better for employers to be able to resolve problems with their staff internally anyway. If you give your employees notice and they improve their ways, not only are you avoiding an unfair dismissal case against you, you are saving the costs and time involved in looking to hire a replacement for the sacked employee. Keep this procedure in mind, and avoid the Alan Sugar fantasies and the whole legal minefield that inevitably follows!

About the Author
Iain Mackintosh is the managing director of Simply-Docs. The firm provides over 1100 legal documents and templates covering all aspects of business from the new holiday entitlement laws to health and safety regulations.

Are You In The Right Job? How To Discover The Job You Were Meant To Do

You might not outright ‘hate’ your job, but if you don’t enjoy going to work each day, you might want to figure out why. No one loves work all the time, but if you find that your job is dragging you down rather than lifting you up, you should take notice.

Many unhappy workers wind up feeling frustrated and defeated by their jobs, when in fact the real reason they dread work, is that they’re working way under their potential.

Ask yourself-–

1) Do you feel unfulfilled in your current job?

2) Are you bored and stressed at work?

3) Do you find it difficult to be passionate about your work?

4) Are you tired of your day-to-day work routine?

5) Is there anything you do in your job that fascinates you?

Whether you’ve been working for one or 20-years, the key to finding the right place for you is in first determining your own natural genius. Don’t stop and say you’re not a genius – everyone has a natural genius, but many of us simply don’t know what it is.

Genius is the expression of our unique set of exceptional abilities. The trouble is that we don’t always take the time -- or have the encouragement -- to find out what those genius abilities really are. Often, we are drawn to a particular area of work that somehow helps us bring out our genius, but unless we intentionally dial in, we remain on the periphery of our genius and never hit the bull’s-eye.

If you are one of the many who doesn’t really know your unique set of exceptional abilities, review the following list of five clues for natural genius. Think about what you do that fits any of these criteria, and you can start glimpsing what your genius might be.

Five Clues for Natural Genius

1. You do it easily.

2. You feel a deep satisfaction.

3. You are recognized with a natural authority.

4. You dismiss acknowledgement easily because you seem to do it too effortlessly.

5. You don’t understand when others have a much harder time doing the same thing.

Genius stays hidden because most people never learn what their genius is. Instead, they perform on the edge of their genius, but not in the core. This impacts more than their enjoyment; it affects their earning power. Genius is often associated with sacrifice, but the opposite is true. Those who resist their genius pay the greatest price by working in jobs just to cover their bills, but never truly prospering.

Manifesting your genius means learning what it is, applying your genius in a field that matches it and benefiting by becoming an expert or specialist. In the professional market- place, the specialists command the highest fees. They also love their work.

Geniuses are not satisfied with just paying their bills. They may enjoy their lifestyle, but they don’t live for it. Why? They are fully alive in doing work that means something to them. Many of us sleepwalk through our work, driven by the need for financial security or recognition, but not satisfying our core passion. Geniuses are on fire. They are positioned to be the most successful people in the world. Geniuses can measure their reward in terms of income, quality of life and personal satisfaction. It’s quite a compelling equation.

Are you living your genius? Take a free self-evaluation at http://www.geniuscoaching.net/RateYourGenius.htm. A certified learning consultant and coach, Susanna Lange co-developed Genius Coaching, which helps children, adults, and business leaders discover and maximize their special talents and strengths.

Friday

Do You Want To Change Your Career? Don't Do It Alone

During the journey from a job that you hate to finding the work that you love, you will need lots of guidance, support, motivation and encouragement.

Most of us fail to create our dream life because of trying to do it alone. Interruptions, setbacks, and fears are part of every journey and they are inevitable. Without getting help, most of us lack focus, commitment, and accountability. Even if you were very disciplined and motivated, it would take much longer to reach your goal without someone who believes in you, who will praise your achievements, take you out of your comfort zone and keep you on track.

Here are some tips to help you get the support you will need during your journey:

1. Create (or join) an online group of like-minded people who are interested in personal development and/or career change. Online groups enable each member to keep focused in a supportive environment. You can create your own group or join an existing one on Yahoo or Google:

• http://groups.yahoo.com
• http://groups.google.com

2. Create a team of people who want to leave their jobs to discover their purpose and find the work they were born to do. Get together regularly to give each other inspiration and support. The number of people you would like to invite to your meetings is totally up to you but three people are enough to start with. Meet weekly to motivate each other and exchange help and ideas. Take turns to talk about your dreams and allow others to help you in your goals.

Here is how the team works :

• The first member (let’s call her Julia) begins by describing her dream. Other members help Julia to create a specific goal with a target date.

• Julia then states the obstacles that are preventing her from realizing her dream. Other members help her to overcome these obstacles by suggestions, contacts, materials and ideas.

• Then Julia tells the group what actions she will take until the next meeting. The others brainstorm options and help Julia create an action plan.

This is the format of the inital get-together. At the next meeting, Julia tells the others what she has achieved since the last meeting and sets another action plan with the help of the other members.

Each member’s time is limited to 30 minutes (or less if it is a larger team).

It is crucial to make these meetings a priority in your life. You need to be 100% committed.

If you would like to find out more about how to create small groups in which members dedicate their efforts to help each other achieve their goals, I recommend Barbara Sher’s “success teams website” which will give you plenty of ideas :

http://www.shersuccessteams.com
http://www.shersuccessteams.com/iparties.htm

3. Enlist the services of a career coach. A good career coach will help to remove barriers that you have placed in your path, inspire you to take action and provide you with resources and tools to help you discover and follow your dreams of working at what you love.

Here are some suggestions to help you choose a great coach:

• Begin searching online for a career coach or ask for word-of-mouth referral from someone you know.

• Ensure that the coach has got a qualification from a reputable training organization.

• Ask for a free consultation to check out the rapport between you and the potential coach. Does the coach listen to you? Do you feel they clearly understand what you want to achieve through coaching?

• Find out whether their previous clients have had a result.

• Ask for their rates and make sure you understand exactly what services will be received for your investment in coaching.

As Barbara Sher says, “Isolation is the dream killer”. If you've been trying to go after your dreams alone and haven't been able to move forward, it's because you haven't had the support and structure you need. Make sure to take action in a supportive environment where you can get all the help and the encouragement you will need along your journey.

About the Author
Ebru Ulufer is a Career Coach with 16 years of corporate career experience. She helps people who are unfulfilled with their jobs to find their life purpose and earn a living doing the work they love. For more information, visit Career Transition Coaching

Taking Back The Workplace: Workplace Stress Relief Tips

It can be easily argued that today's world has grown far more complicated. This complication, it can be argued, is due to the high cost of living, global economy, the pressures placed on the family, etc. In addition, the increased expectations of performance and revenue generating have increased the demands in the workplace.

All of this has contributed greatly to the stress that individuals experience in their lives and specifically stress in the workplace. It is important to note that stress can be a significant detriment to the well-being of individuals and families. Therefore, it is critical that stress be relieved.

Specifically, there are certain workplace stress relief tips that can be followed. These specific workplace stress relief tips can be divided into two categories. The first category is through the implementation of practical suggestions and the second category is through a change in attitude.

Practical Suggestions

There are many physical symptoms that are associated with increased levels of stress. Those symptoms include tension headaches, muscle ache, upset stomach, etc. At the first sign of these symptoms it is important to put into practice some practical workplace stress relief tips.

One of those practical tips it is to take a mini stress relieving vacation. First of all, it is important that you are not disturbed. This can be accomplished by hitting the do not disturb button on the phone or turning the phone off. In addition put a do not disturb sign on the door leading into your office.

Once this has been accomplished than simply close your eyes and allow your mind to fix on a favorite vacation spot or dream area that compels you. In addition, concentrate on your breathing. Any thoughts that bombard your mind should be acknowledged and quickly let go. Also, take into account your body and how it is feeling. For example, if you realize that your neck or the muscles of the shoulders are tense release that tension through your breathing.

Finally, focus on a mantra. This mantra can be affirmations of being stress free or can be a mantra that simply calls your mind to dwell on higher thoughts.

A workplace stress relief tip for those individuals who do not have offices is to take a walk. If there is a park nearby or garden area take advantage of the stress relieving power of communing with nature. This action will help to reduce stress through this nature communing process and through exercising.

Attitude Change

An additional workplace stress relief tip is through an attitude change. This can be accomplished by thinking about stress situations differently.

Rather than hanging on to the stress of the day, share your stress with others. This can be done in an enjoyable manner in that a group of people will share their stresses of the day, within reason, and try to out do the others. Often this type of session will end up in laughter as people try to embellish their stressful situations.

Also, another workplace stress relief tip is to try to find the good in every situation. For example, if a co-worker is especially annoying think to yourself about one good quality that they may have. If you can identify that quality reward yourself with an enjoyable treat.

About the Author
If you are looking for some great information about Stress please visit Scott Goodman's website located at: Wicked Stressed Info

Tuesday

Spending More Time At Work Then At Home

Admit it, you treat people at work better than you treat the ones you say you love at home.

I know about money, bills, daycare, rent, lights, gas, emergency savings, etc. The stress of having to pay for all of these things is great and at times you want to walk away from it all. Yet, with all the responsibilities that are on your shoulders there are some people at home who wish you were spending as much time with them as you do at work.

When the time comes and it will and you are lying on your back sick from all your stress, the realization will come to you to change your life, you may do something about it, you may not. That's your choice, but their are heavy costs that you will pay if you don't. If your child is crying out for your attention now, your wife is telling you she wants to spend time with you and the grandparents are complaining about not seeing their you or their grandchild enough, these are warning signs to make the time for them.

If you are spiritual, you know that in the end of this life God isn't going to say, "job well done..." to the man or woman who acquired much material wealth and shared it; rather, he will be more interested in the relationships you accumulated with people and how you handled them.

Long hours at the job are needed if you have done all you can on the home front to cut costs. They also help (for a time) when you are trying to get your financial house in order again or if you are looking for a promotion. However, they are not meant to be used forever and companies who are financially savvy will not hesitate to cut them. Long hours aren't necessary if you know you are living comfortable, the bills are getting paid and you are secure in your position at work.

Time for yourself will always be needed to rejuvenate your mind,body and spirit. You can find the time during your lunchbreak, before you get to work or after work about once, twice or more a week. Of course on weekends, between spending time with your family, you can find even more time for yourself. However, when you don't take this time, everyone around you suffers and it usually isn't the people at work dealing with your mood swings, it is the people at home.

Your family is your support system in good times and in bad; yet, if you don't know how to "keep your cool" with them, then they can be your worst enemies. They deserve to be treated with respect like you treat your boss and co-workers. Notice how you communicate with people at work. You are polite, offer praise on a job, take the time to go out on lunch dates, always look your best, remember holidays and most of all sit down and meet with them to talk about upcoming plans, concerns, money and much more. Why is it that you can't set aside that time for your family when you come home? Yet, some of you will rush to get home to do what? Sit in front of the television, go to your room or participate in what you want to do barely socializing with your family. As for being tired, that happens, but if everyday you feel this way, then schedule a doctor's appointment.

Show some love, appreciation, respect, honesty, accountability, trust, etc. like you do at work. Consider the following, if your family waved thousands of dollars over your head you would feel motivated to do right by them, now wouldn't you? Well, they don't have money dangling over your head, but they do have love, now let that be your motivation! Capice?