How do you feel about Monday mornings? Are they ruining Sunday evenings, too?
How
often do you have the Monday morning blues? Once every few months? Once every few weeks? Every week?
Everyone
has them sometime, even those who love what they do and where they do it.
But, if you dread the
start of every work week, it’s time to get in touch with what’s bringing you down.
There
are too many people who dread Mondays. They dread them so much, the thought of Monday morning starts nagging on Sunday afternoon.
We can easily get stuck in routines, even ones that are unhealthy or unsatisfying.
So
many things effect how we feel about work. Whether you’re frustrated with your position, type of work, organization’s
culture, relationship with your boss, commute, or anything else that’s bothering you. Because, yes, this is all
about you.
Sometimes, we can simply pinpoint the thorn in our side and address it at our current
place of work. Other times, we figure it out and know a change in employer will do us a whole lot of good. Sometimes, we learn
we need to shift the way we’re thinking. And, other times, we discover the root of our challenge can’t be so easily
tackled.
Whatever you’re going through, if you regularly have the Monday morning blues, do
something to snap out of it. You owe it to yourself.
Take the time to think about everything you
like — and don’t like — about work. Not just your current job, but work in general. Think about all of your
previous places of employment — what motivated you and what made you want to run for the hills.
It
may not be that easy. It depends on how much thinking you need to do. When I work with individuals who are looking to figure
out their ideal careers, it usually takes three to six months.
But, doing nothing will only produce
nothing. Start somewhere, and enlist help if necessary. There are many talented career coaches, who can help you flip your
Monday morning blues into a Monday morning love affair.
For now, take care of yourself. I often
tell people to do something nice for themselves everyday, something quick and easy that will give them instant gratification.
So, figure out a few things, and mix it up from day to day.
And, don’t forget to take your
daily 15-minute vacation — a real break, one that will give you the opportunity to relax and recharge — and
maybe even come back with a smile on your face.
Good luck, everyone! It’s time to
shed the Monday morning blues!
Everyone talks about networking, but how many people do it well? Not many at all.
When you get it right, you can reap tremendous benefits. When you miss the mark, you not only waste precious time, but also
don’t move your objectives forward.
Like other areas of business and career development,
many people don’t step back to consider goals, tactics, and return on investment when it comes to their networking efforts.
What are the top five mistakes people make with networking?
- Not networking.
- Putting
all one’s efforts into networking.
- Showing up unprepared.
- Not connecting to the right opportunities.
- Not
maintaining contact with connections.
When it comes to your career today, nothing is more
valuable than the connections you make and relationships you maintain but, before you effectively network, you need to clarify
objectives. Your purpose needs to be focused.
The most successful networkers are well prepared.
Once you’ve defined why you’re networking, you should establish a personal mission statement and a 10-second message.
Although it may sound foolish at first, practice delivering your message and easing into conversation about it. It won’t
sound silly if you blow an opportunity, because you weren’t prepared.
What are the
five main networking venues you should explore to foster and maintain your relationships and connections?
Professional Associations -- organizations that operate for the benefit of professionals
within a specific field. They provide networking opportunities, collaboration between members, educational programs, industry
promotion, lobbying, regulatory advice, and more.
Social Media/Online Networking
-- websites that foster connections between individuals to build and maintain relationships. The most popular ones today are
LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. LinkedIn has the reputation as the most professional in nature. Set up and regularly update
a profile. Reach out to current and former colleagues to connect and recommend one another, and join relevant groups. Facebook
started as purely a social networking site, but it has rapidly become a way for professionals to connect, as well as businesses
and causes to promote themselves. Many people still do not want to mix their personal and professional lives, and reserve
Facebook to connect with family and friends. Twitter is the youngest of these tools and hasn’t yet enjoyed widespread
use for career advancement.
Social Organizations -- anything from hiking clubs
to ornithology groups, from book clubs to volunteer organizations, from bowling leagues to any group activities in which you’re
interested are great venues to meet new people and build relationships. Even though many of the people may not be members
of your profession or desired career industry, these contacts can often lead you to people who will be valuable resources.
Friends and Family -- the people who know you best are often forgotten when considering
networking, but they’re excellent sources for making new connections. Tell your friends and family what you’re
up to or what’s around the corner. They may know someone who can help you or can connect you with someone who can provide
you with valuable information. Your friends and family are often more committed to your success than anyone else.
Individual Connections -- all of the other relationships that do not neatly fall into any
of the above categories, but are important to maintain. Every person you meet is a possible connection. Whether you’ve
established a relationship with a vendor, copywriter, artist, chef, mechanic, politician, or a member of the clergy, these
connections can be valuable to your future success.
Choose your networking venues well, depending
on your industry, desired career path, or business goals. Don’t overdo it or spread yourself to thin. You need to be
able to manage your involvement.
Once you’ve defined your goals, prepared yourself, and picked
the right venues for your networking efforts, establish a method of maintaining contact information and occasionally reaching
out to your connections. Let them know what you’re up to and what may be in store down the road.
If
you’re managing your relationships online, in any computer software, or on other electronic devices, make sure you have
a backup. Re-establishing lost connections and finding important contact information is time consuming, as well as sometimes
difficult or impossible.
Networking is crucial to your success. Take the time to get it
right and watch yourself achieve remarkable results.
