A former corporate executive on the art of self-care

A former corporate executive on the art of self-careA former corporate executive on the art of self-careJoanna Andreaeis a certified Holistic Health Coach, a Guided Meditation teacher, and the founder and CEO ofWandering Wellness. After leaving her high-stress, corporate job, she began focusing her career on her true passion - personal wellness and self-care.Its changed literally everything, says Andreae about hercareer switch. These days, instead of having to push and struggle towards outer goals and achievements, I focus initially on what I need in mind, body, and spirit, and through that flipped line of thought, Im able to magnetize much mora of what I want towards me. Its such a beautiful and profound shift and, I think its only believed once its experienced.We sat down with Andreae to learn more about her thoughts on wellness and the importance of self-care for professionals. Heres what she had to sayWhy yoga and meditation? Why not something else to take care of our inner selv es?Its a busy persons dream. When we combine yoga and meditation- and especially Kundalini yoga, my favorite personal practice- were literally using lessons that have been passed down for thousands of years about how to have a deeper experience of truth and freedom in our bodies. We are spiritual beings having a human experience, not the other way around. I think yoga and meditation are the best ways to remember that fact.Additionally, theyre much better for the nervous system. I love a good, sweatyworkouttoo and will try a spin class or go for a run when Im really craving it, but in our busy modern lives our systems are so fritzed and fried already that actually, more often than not, we need practices that cool us down instead of ramp us up.What type of clients do you work with?I work with people who are struggling to feel worthy of taking care of themselves, worthy of their dreams, and who want to feel empowered when it comes to taking care of their lives. I work with people who w ant to experience more joy and more energy in their daily life and who have forgotten the vibrant excitement it is to be alive on the planet today. And I feel so honored to dothis workI work with clients in person in Washington, but also digitally all over the world. Its amazing to help people connect the dots when it comes to healing. I believe its possible to live a life of so much fullness and happiness and depth, and when that clicks for people, there is nothing better.What have you learned through working with so many different people?That everyone wants to be happy. That everyone wants to feel good in their bodies. And that truly were so much more connected and similar than we think.It makes me sad to think were somehow inculcated with the information that were less-than at some point in life, but its so inspiring to teach practices and tactics to turn things around. Its never, ever too late.Youvetraveled all overand worked with people from all over the world. Are professional s in DC especiallystressed?Hmm, yes. And no, comparatively. I was just in NYC for some training and I met up with an old friend who used to live in Washington and now lives in the Big Apple. And its rough Shes under so much pressure and stress these days.There is so much fear of missing out - with career, with relationships, with friendships, even with restaurants. I think city life leads to a much more pressurized experience. Because of that pressure, I firmly believe that we cant afford leid to take care of ourselves.Stressis an epidemic for DCers and other city dwellers and is all the more reason to be especially careful, loving and disciplined in that process.What are some signs that someone is not focusing on self-care?Everyone has their little tell. Whether its getting sick, or feeling anxious, or not sleeping well, our bodies are constantly trying to tell us whats going on through feelings and emotions. And instead of pushing them down, if we decide to listen and care about their direction, we can course-correct before we go too far down the path of self-neglect.Nevertheless, I believe its never too late to start taking better care of yourself. Truly never. I have clients age 24 all the way to age 65, and some are just learning what it means to slow down and be kinder to themselves through self-care. Its always possible to do that.Whats one tip you can share with readers to start taking better care of themselves right this minute?Breathwork. There are few things more powerful than starting to control and utilize your breath. fruchtwein of us breathe way too shallowly, all in the upper chest and never in the belly.This article first appeared onCapitolStandard.

How to Tell Your Boss You Want to Transfer

How to Tell Your Boss You Want to TransferHow to Tell Your Boss You Want to TransferIf you are working in a very large company with many departments, often in the same building, chances are you will find out about opportunities to transfer. Transferring to a new department comes with some challenges, especially if your babo is one of your biggest fans and would hate to see you leave.Even worse, what if your anfhrer knows, competes with, and does bedrngnis like your new potential boss? Now, you were thrown into the middle of something you did not expect. If that is the case (or not), there are ways you can tell your boss you want to transfer.Ask your potential boss to speak with you after workYour current boss should not be asked to share your time with a boss from another department. Meetings are tough to schedule and using company timeto plan your next career move will come across as insulting. It will probably hurt your chances of growing within the company, too.Take the time to se t up a meeting after work to discuss the transfer. The environment will feel less rushed and mora laid back. This way neither of you has to deal with questions about why you were in another department for a meeting and who you spoke with.You can also find out just how serious an opportunity this transfer will be. Find out if it is a lateral move or a step up in your career.Be honest with your concerns about transferringThis is an unassuming way of letting your potential boss you are worth more salary. Talk with your potential boss about the challenges of transferring departments. Get all the information about the new job and explain how your current skills will be of value.Let the boss know that you are an important member of your group. Bring up the name of your boss and talk about what you are working on. Explain your value to your boss. If necessary, explain who the boss is and how he/she will possibly react to the news.Above all, let the potential boss know you are interested. E xplain that your information is offered to avoid any unnecessary conflict in the company. Career growth, company growth, and business relationships are all important to you.Get your story down and let the boss knowIt is time. You have to let the boss know you are interested in transferring to another team. The last thing you want to do is cause problems for anyone.When letting the boss know it is important to reassure him/her that it has nothing to do with your opinions of the boss. Tell the boss why this is a new challenge you feel will help with your career growth. Reassure your boss that this decision was not easy and you will work very hard until your very last day in the department. Let the boss know this is because your relationship with your boss is important.Depending on what you find out about your boss relationship with the new boss, offer up information on where you will be transferring to. If you know your new and old bosses do not get along, try to avoid revealing that information.Important final noteObviously, make sure you have a job to go to before you tell anyone you are thinking of transferring. Also, make sure you will be hired for it.The worst thing that can happen is finding out you have no job to transfer to, and now your current boss believes you want to leave the team. It will affect your ability to grow in that team and may sour your business relationship with your boss.

How To Take Your Job Search Power Back

How To Take Your Job Search Power BackHow To Take Your Job Search Power BackWhen youre a smart professional whos probably networked your way into virtually every job youve ever had, it can be frustrating to find that all of a sudden, today sliding into that next great role isnt happening as easily and quickly as you thought it should.What also happens quickly and easily candidates fall into the mode of chasing opportunities, hunting people down, and waiting for a response from the real decision maker. And as you wait, and wish, and hope, guess what? Youre giving up your power. Thats because youre depending on someone else to do something that secures your professional future. No. Dont do that. Take your power back. Here are 3 ways to do it1) Upgrade from job search to company searchUnderstand this when you search for a job, reach the decision maker, interview, but dont get the job, then that opportunity is over. Youre done. Its a finite scenario. Instead, turn that into a virtually infinite scenario by not just looking for an ideal job. Rather, look for an ideal company.departure literally in your own back yard. Find out what companies are within a 10, 15 or 20-mile commutable distance from your home. Use Google news to identify the companies that are growing, which could come in the form of launching a new product or opening a new division. Those are the companies where you need to apply.Heres what happens when you do a company search the 1 job opportunity you originally saw may turn into a dozen opportunities. Then, it doesnt matter if that 1 job doesnt come to fruition. You can still leverage those contacts and whatever in you got with the organization to identify additional opportunities. Pursue multiple avenues in the organization you like, rather than multiple jobs at random companies.2) Change from blasting your resume to targeting your resumeAll over the Internet, it says job search is a numbers game. Thats true. However, fruchtwein people are looking at the wrong numbers. Whats wrong is to blast your resume all over every job board, and applying to every opening online its not the most productive use of your time.What will bear the most fruit is first identifying a potential role, then identifying a potential influencer or decision maker, and finally, applying for that role AND targeting your resume to that influencer in the same moment. Craft a short email to the person saying you came across the position, applied, and you were wondering if theyd be open to a 5-minute discussion this week. Keep your email short and sweet. Youd be amazed at the number of responses you can get.3) Pursue the stretch goals the same way you pursue your regular goalsSo many of us have the real-world job that we qualify for, as well as the dream job or dream career that were building up for thats your stretch goal. You can go for both at the same time. To do this, use 2 versions of your resume. The only elements of the resume that vary are the open ing summary and keywords use each to showcase the areas of expertise you want to highlight in each of the 2 scenarios.Do some math make aya 75% of the opportunities you pursue are in your real-world category, and 25% of the opportunities are your stretch goals. Doing so allows you to hold on to your safety net while still taking some realistic steps to following your dreams.I believe in taking your power back. There is no way your job search results should be left 100% up to someone else. Go for the companies you want, those you like, and those which demonstrate a corporate culture in which you see yourself thriving. Get your resume in front of only those who are relevant to you the recruiters and decision makers who can actually move you along in the hiring process. And allow yourself space to go after your dreams youd be amazed at the number of times Ive seen people pursue that dream job, and land it

Dont Hire Your First Freelance Employee Without Reading This

Dont Hire Your First Freelance Employee Without Reading ThisDont Hire Your First Freelance Employee Without Reading ThisWith more than 53 millionAmericans taking on freelance work, its safe to say that the freelancing industry is booming. This is good news for both freelancers defined as non-full-time, non-part-time, non-contract workers who take assignments on an as needed and as negotiated basis and businesses, as working with freelancers comes with a number of benefits You pay for the freelancers expertise, not the overhead.You can use as little or as much of the freelancers time as you need.You can quickly change gears if a relationship doesnt work out or if priorities change.If this sounds like what you need, you might be ready to hire your first freelancer. Here are four tips for finding and hiring a freelancer without the headacheFind freelancers through your network Each industry features several online hot-spot hubs of freelance talent that are easily sourced with a quick web search. However, the most efficient way to find a freelancer who will be a good fit for your budget and your organization is to find one through your personal and professional network. Not only will that guarantee youre working with someone who has an active interest in doing their best work for you (after all, you already have an acquaintance in common), but youre also securing a freelancer who does good enough work that they get referred. Be open to alternative pricing Depending on the industry in which you work and the type of work you need to have done, freelancer pricing can vary from an hourly rate to a per-word rate to a project rate. If youre not sure how much a project should cost, start with the value of the outcome of the project in mind, then build a budget based on what you can afford to invest. Ask the freelancer to design a package or deliverable that meets that budget and go from there. While it might be tempting to dip into bottom-of-the-barrel options youll fin d on freelancer farms, you will often get what you paid for. If the project is important, plan to invest in it. Be clear about what you want Before you hire a freelancer to get the job done, make sure you identify what, exactly, the job is. Are you looking for a consultant or strategist who can walk you through the why and the how of what you need to do? Or are you looking to complete a specific task? When youre screening freelancers, make sure you outline exactly what you want to get out of the relationship (for example, a new website that drives leads or three blog posts per month) so that they will know if they are right for the job. Set expectations for your working relationshipSince freelancers often work virtually, you need to be intentional about getting up to speed with your working relationship. If you expect to communicate mostly by email, phone or live Skype sessions, make sure you say so up front. If you need to hear back from them within 24 business hours, make sure its in your contract. Seeing eye-to-eye on ansicht day-to-day details will make it easier for both you and the freelancer to relax within the relationship.

Survey Workers reveal their biggest complaints about meetings

Survey Workers reveal their biggest complaints about meetingsSurvey Workers reveal their biggest complaints about meetingsNew research from Accountemps shows that 66% of office workers say a meeting that starts or ends late is their biggest complaint about them.But while 36% of employees say that they feel less engaged when meetings are held remotely, the same group says that they spend an average of 24% of their time overall in meetings.Independent research firmspolled more than 1,000 American, adult office workers and more than 2,000 finance leaders from companies in more than 20 of the largest U.S. metropolitan areas.Workers most popular meeting complaintsRespondents could plattl more than one option. These are the ones that were chosen most oftenStarts or ends late 66%Its unnecessary (e.g., couldve been handled over email) 63%Too much or elend enough time allotted 57%Attendees distracted (using a phone, checking email, doodling, etc.) 57%Attendees interrupt each other 55%Not stic king to an agenda when one is provided 49%Attendees unprepared 47%While employees say that an average of 25% of their time in meetings is wasted, those surveyed in finance said that they spend an average of 24% of their overall time in them. Those in this latter category also said that an average of 21% of their time in meetings is wasted.Michael Steinitz, executive director of Accountemps, commented on the research in a statement.People complain about how much time they spend in meetings, and its true that not all of them are necessary. But its also true that these gatherings, whether theyre held on-site or remotely, are often the most efficient way to communicate, collaborate and come to a decision. Both meeting planners and attendees can control whether or not a meeting is productive, he said.

Resume Size Ideas

Resume Size Ideas The Birth of Resume Size Your address needs to be your present-day residence, where you are able to get mail in a timely fashion. The usage of a photo in a resume ought to be done for a positive intent. The size of your resume photo shouldnt be so small that its tricky to realize your face. Apassport-size photo is usually large enough without taking up an excessive amount of space. You dont have to have a creepy stranger appear at your door. Some individuals just alter the font size within the line to accomplish the exact same results. The typical person doesnt think about doing it. As a last note, be sure that you have a minumum of one person read your CV before you consider it final. Things You Should Know About Resume Size To the majority of non-specialists, its tough to distinguish the differences. Many employers cross-reference your resume to your on-line presence. You just dont have sufficient experience yet. 1 advantage for employers to internet resumes is the substantial cost saving in comparison to traditional hiring methods. Again, you wish to make certain that your resume is readable. Be consistent with stylization, and just select one or two to make sure your resume appears professional and simple to read. Personal branding is a significant method to create your job applications mora memorable and special, and in addition it tells your future employer that youve got great attention to detail. Just make sure, whichever format you select, which youre targeting it for the job that youre applying to. If youd like to do two or three distinct things, then build a few specific resumes. If your resume format is disorganized and unclear, a prospective employer has possibly hundreds of resumes from different candidates to check through therefore they is not going to waste time attempting to make sense of it and youll miss your opportunity for an interview. In general, the above mentioned outline is remarkably simple becaus e the work search procedure, despite all of the anxiety and confusion, is remarkably straightforward. In truth, it is common, in case you have more than ten decades of experience in the exact field. As you may still list all your prior jobs, the sum of space you will need to describe your role, responsibilities, and achievements will be much less, since youll want to focus the info on the skills you used and accomplishments you achieved that are related to your new job targets. Because your abilities and employment history will consume the majority of your resume space, you might want to get rid of optional sections like volunteer work or exceptional interests. There are quite a lot of fonts for you to pick from, and that could make selecting a font for your resume equally as challenging as writing it. There are a number of different techniques to format your resume. Formatting your resume can be exceedingly difficult. Formatting your resume is a significant step in making a professional, readable resume. Resumes dont need to be one page. Your resume ought to have a consistent font size throughout the webpage. While Canadian resumes are available in many diverse formats, they share some standards that you ought to know about. As long as the hiring manager can read your resume readily, youve completed a fantastic job. Theres always a gunst der stunde that the hiring manager will print out a duplicate of your resume after reading it on the monitor. The resume prepared by the candidate should remain appealing and ought to consist of necessary details. Its possible to also use an online resume builder to steer clear of silly mistakes and receive a ready-formatted resume. Resumes could be organized in various ways. They dont need to be dreary. Resume Size - What Is It? Deciding upon the correct font can look to be an impossible endeavor, especially because there are dozens and dozens of choices out there. There are three major varieties of unive rsally-acknowledged resume formats like various manners of presenting your resume-relevant information as outlined above. Choosing its a lazy alternative. One of the absolute most important design choices you can create on your resume is your font.

How to Write a Character Reference

How to Write a Character Reference How to Write a Character ReferencePosted February 1, 2019, by JennyA character reference (also known as a personal reference) is a reference for an individual who has nominated you to vouch for their qualities, traits and abilities. This reference may be used alongside a professional reference from an employer or instead of depending on their work history or if its their first job.Whats the difference between a personal and professional reference?The key differentiator between a professional reference letterand a personal/character reference is that the person who asked you to write it is not necessarily someone who you have worked with. It can be written by a neighbour, friend, family friend, a school teacher, professor... you get the gist. If youve been asked by a family member or spouse to write a character reference then you may want to politely decline as readers may see this as being extremely bias.Before you say yesBefore you agree to write a character reference or personal reference letter, be confident that you will be able to produce a letter that is sincere and positive. Saying thanks but no thanks might be awkward now, but itll get a whole lot more awkward when you produce a character reference that is way below par.What to include in a character reference letterParagraph 1 Start by introducing the candidate, how you know them and how long youve known them for. Ask the candidate the role theyre applying for and include a positive affirmation about them and why they would be suitable for the role.Paragraph 2 Describe the qualities, skills and qualifications of the candidate.Paragraph 3 Support your claim Provide an example that backs up what you discussed in the