Managing Festive Stress in the Workplace

Managing Festive Stress in the Workplace Whether or not you are living with a mental illness, the festive period can be a difficult and stressful time for some â€" particularly in the workplace. HR professionals report a rise in employment complaints, absences, poor performance and conflict around this time of year, which is unsurprising given the added pressure put on employees to meet deadlines and ‘wrap things up before Christmas time’. Jill Mead, founder of TalkOut â€" an organization created to tackle mental health stigma in the workplace â€" shares her advice on managing stress in the office as we approach the festive season. Work aside, this time of year generally brings poor weather and shorter days, leaving some people suffering from Seasonal Affected Disorder (SAD). This can impact mood, self-esteem, sleeping patterns, and appetite, leaving sufferers feeling lethargic, stressed and tearful, with no motivation. Christmas can also be a complex and emotional time for some, with feelings of loneliness or grief over an absent loved one, or being forced to confront family conflict as people reunite for celebrations. Add to this, heavy workloads, jam-packed calendars, and financial strain, it’s no wonder that stress and mental health issues are often presented in the workplace during Christmas time. While some of these factors are out of our control, there are steps that can be followed to alleviate feelings of stress and anxiety both inside and outside of the workplace… Get outside and move Getting a daily dose of daylight can be tricky at this time of year, particularly as our commuting hours get darker. However, getting outside â€" even for 10 minutes each day â€" can boost your mood, increase energy, and reduce stress, so make it a priority during your working day. Take regular breaks throughout the day and at lunch, try walking around the block or to the local shop to pick up your lunch, or simply stand outside for a short while to get some fresh air. Exercise and spending time in nature can both help boost feelings of happiness and wellbeing so at the weekends, head to your local park for a brisk walk or jog to help you de-stress at the end of a busy week. Plan ahead As far in advance as possible, write a to-do list of everything you need to tackle before the Christmas break. Buy a weekly planner, or create your own, and allocate tasks to specific weeks or days to give you a better picture of what needs doing and when. If you have any concerns that you might not meet your deadlines, talk to your line manager. By communicating openly with your boss, you might find that some tasks can be shared between team members or left until the new year, rather than running yourself into the ground to get everything finished. Give time for reflection and appreciation From impressive festive feasts to extravagant gifts, worrying about having the ‘perfect’ Christmas can cause a great deal of stress. As we are saturated with filtered images of picture-perfect Christmases on social media, we can feel increased pressure to compete. But modern life is often way too complex and messy to achieve this. In reality, Christmas is only a few days of the year and we should look at it as an opportunity to be thankful rather than put ourselves under pressure. Navigating the central focus of the festive season away from material goods and towards spending time with loved ones will eliminate many pressures this time of year brings. Giving time for reflection and appreciation of things we already have will help let go of the stereotypical vision of Christmas which can be so hard to achieve. Limit alcohol intake For many of us, the month of December means more parties â€" and parties inevitably lead to drinking. And while there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the odd festive tipple, keeping alcohol consumption to a sensible level during the festive period will help reduce anxiety and promote a stable mood both in and out of the office. Opt for low or no alcohol drinks, offer to be the designated driver or, if you’re really worried about a certain event, consider not going at all. We often put pressure on ourselves to go to every social event during the festive season but saying no might just be the little act of self-care that you need. Make the most out of your time off Not all of us have the benefit of an office shut-down over Christmas. Perhaps you work in hospitality or retail, or maybe you just didn’t get your annual leave request submitted in time. Whatever the reason, it can be difficult watching everyone around you enjoying the festivities while you head to work. In this scenario, it’s important to make the most out of the time you do have off. Of course, you might have some commitments that you’re not able to get out of but on your days off, make sure you’re taking time out for yourself. Maybe it’s going for a run, maybe it’s watching Christmas films with a box of Quality Street or reading a good book. However you like to relax, it’s important to look after yourself and  schedule some me-time over the festive period. You can make a stand and do what brings you joy this Christmas. Talk to someone If you think you are suffering with your mental health â€" talk out. Talking about how you feel is not something to be embarrassed or afraid of, it is a part of taking charge of your own mental health and wellbeing. Through open and honest conversation and the correct support, you can thrive at work at Christmas time. About the author: Jill Mead is managing director at TalkOut â€" a voice for mental health in the workplace. Working hard to break the stigma around mental health and wellbeing in the workplace, TalkOut aims to disrupt the way mental health is viewed and encourage businesses to take the mental health of their employees just as seriously as their physical health.

Best Resume Writing Competition

Best Resume Writing CompetitionKnowing what the best resume writing competition is can help you succeed in your job search. The competition is actually much larger than you think.It is interesting that high school students can write better than most college graduates. Of course, there are many exceptions, but the general idea is correct. With college resumes, one of the main differences is the skill and experience level of the writer.For a decent resume, the best strategy is to create a detailed document that includes all of the necessary information. It also must include the correct personal statement. Students have to be careful to use enough detail to provide an interesting description of their character.A resume can also be structured very differently from a resume to be more marketable. It should be eye-catching and appealing to an employer. After all, if you were offered a job, wouldn't you want the company to notice you? Having a professionally designed and well-written resume can increase your chances of success.The competition between student's resume is a lot more intense than one created by a graduate. Once the competition starts, companies will scour the Internet for information about that specific student. They may even call a prospective employer just to ask what they think of the candidate.The competition is primarily geared towards the current year. The information contained on the candidate's resume is going to be older information because of the fact that it is provided by someone who has recently graduated. This means that you should also use older data to help your career.Some top resume writers know the tips and tricks to winning the competition. They know that their resume is not the first submitted and therefore do not focus on the competition. Instead, they focus on the purpose of the document.Resume writing competition is a great way to boost your confidence and make your resume stand out. So, go ahead and join the competition and becom e one of the best resume writers in the world.

Getting Paid From Freelance Work

Getting Paid From Freelance Work The first thing anyone learns from doing freelance work is that the paychecks arent that steady at all. Even when you complete freelance work for a client, it could be up to 30 days before you receive your payment and thats if the client isnt late! Getting paid on time is a challenge, but there are ways that you can make the process just a little easier. Establish payment terms in your contract If you dont have a contract for all your freelance work you run the risk of not getting paid on time. Never agree to do a job over email and assume youll get paid; instead, have a couple of contract templates at the ready and fill them in with the basic job information, then make sure the client agrees on the contract before starting this work. If your business model is one of voluntary payments from those who use your work, it can be a little trickier.   But many freelancers are quite successful at it, in spite of some users who dont pay.    Visit  www.moonclerk.com  to see how to accept donations online. In your contract, you need to specify how payments are to be made, when the payments must be made, and what happens if the payments are late. Many contracts include what is called a net-30 clause, meaning that your clients must pay in full within 30 days of receiving the finished product, or you have the right to charge late fees. Invoice after every job The invoice is the second-most important document in your freelance arsenal, after the contract. Make sure to send out an invoice after every job, even if the client pays you right away. This protects both you and the client, and gives you a record of both completed and outstanding payments. Let your clients pay you from anywhere Whens the last time you wrote a check? Chances are, your clients dont write checks that often either. The hassle of writing and mailing a check can set your payment back weeks, so get your money faster by giving your clients an easy way to pay. The best methods of payment, of course, are payments that can be made from anywhere. Paypal is often the go-to option, although its fees sometimes make it unattractive to busy freelancers. If youre the type of freelancer who works with a lot of international clients,  sending money with RIA  is possible from anywhere in the world, and the money can go straight into your bank account. Choose an option that makes sense for you and is easy for your clients. Dont be afraid to follow up If you have unpaid freelance work on your balance sheet, you need to follow up with the clients who owe you money. If a client is late on a payment, or is approaching the 30-day deadline, dont be afraid to follow up and ask for what you are owed. Otherwise, youll never get it. Also, remember that payments are rarely late because clients dont like you or didnt like the work. Nearly always, the payments are late simply because the clients got busy. Youve procrastinated on paying bills yourself, but I bet youre glad to get those reminders from your utility company that your bills are due. Think about your clients the same way. A friendly reminder is often all it takes to get you your hard-earned cash. Cut bad apples out of your life Every once in a while, youll come across a bad client. These people just wont pay, even after several reminders and threats of late fees. If you can get the money youre owed, great; if not and it does happen sometimes you have to just move on and look for better clients. You can still use the work you did for them in your portfolio, even if you never see a penny for it. These are the risks that come from freelance work. It can still be rewarding if you see this coming and know to handle it, and therefore make the freelance work you love also the work that pays your bills.

Want Luscious Hair Then You Need To Read This

Want Luscious Hair Then You Need To Read This The beauty of this world is that everyone is different. And although that is â€" definitely â€" a good thing, it can lead to a bit of envy in certain departments. Hair is one of the things that both women and men find most attractive about one another. It is also one of the things that causes the most upset. The great news is that hair can always be fixed. That goes for thin or thinning hair too. There are so many ways to make it look thicker than it is (and a fair few to actually thicken it) that you’ll soon be the one creating hair envy, not suffering from it. Don’t Use Coconut Oil Right now, coconut oil seems to be the cure-all when it comes to pretty much any cosmetic issue. You can eat it, spread it on your skin, bathe in it, and of course, wash your hair in it. But if you have thin hair it’s best to steer clear. The reason is that oils can’t penetrate the hair itself, so end up just sitting on the top as a coating. It will look nice and shiny, but eventually it will weigh your hair down and make it look thinner than it really is. Not good for those with already thin hair. Don’t Over-Dry or Over-Straighten Styling your hair may be an important part of your daily routine, but if you over-do it your hair will look thin. That’s because too much drying and straightening strips the hair of its natural elasticity â€" so much so that it won’t bounce back. In turn, that means you’ll have absolutely no volume in your hair at all. It’s bad news for thin haired people. In fact, it’s not brilliant news for thick haired people either. Keep It Short Hair is heavy, man. It may not feel like it when you’re moving about all day, but hair definitely has its own weight. The longer it is, the more weight it has. That means it is pulling itself down, taking away all the texture and the thickness if it’s too long. Keeping your style nice and short will lend your hair more volume. Embrace Those Layers Speak to your stylist about adding layers to your hair the next time you have it cut. Layers immediately add volume and thickness to your hair. They can also look great when feathered in by an expert. Go for layers and you’ll be surprised at the difference it makes in your style and your hair’s volume. Cosmetic Procedures If your hair is very thin or even thinning, then you may want to consider a cosmetic procedure to give yourself confidence and a great new look. A cheap hair transplant is a quick and easy way to enhance the hair you have by adding more. For a permanent way to add volume to your hair, there can be no better option. Thin hair can be an issue for anyone, and can either be a case of genetics or the result of an illness. No matter what the reason, there is no need to suffer. Your hair can be bigger and better than ever. Image credits: Main   Red Hair     Drying   Short  

What Is the Online Resources For Writing a Resume?

What Is the Online Resources For Writing a Resume?Many employers today require that you provide the online resources for writing a resume. While these can be helpful, they are not always necessary. You will need to provide your educational background, work experience, hobbies and any other additional skills that may be relevant.There is no shortage of professional resume writing services that have extensive experience in producing an appropriate resume. The advantage of working with one of these professionals is that they can give you a recommendation for the best service provider in your area. They also know the most efficient method of getting your resume reviewed by potential employers.Resume reviews can make the difference between landing a job and having it pass you by. The right resume is one that has all of the correct information that will get the company to make an offer on it. The wrong one will simply be thrown away.By all means do use your resume. However, you want to ens ure that it meets the minimum requirements that a resume should meet. You may also want to look at a number of different resumes before making your final decision.In order to provide these sites with your resume, you need to provide the types of training-related work experience you have had. You will also need to include any training programs or certifications that you have obtained, but this information is usually not required. If you are looking for a personal trainer, for example, you may only be required to mention that you completed your training while studying at college.When it comes to making sure that your professional resume makes it past the first few screens, there are two basic steps you must take. First, the online resource for writing a resume needs to have an account set up with the employer. Second, they will need to have access to your education, work history and other personal information that you would like included in the resume.You can then fill out the informa tion in the spaces provided as completely as possible without omitting the dates of the latest job you have held and any work experience that is relevant. The point is to make sure that it is well organized and detailed. After doing this, the resource will send your resume off to the employer for review.When it comes to submitting your resume, the main thing to remember is to list all of the previous work experience, education and certifications that you have completed. You should also include information about any training you have received. Remember, you should also include information regarding your hobbies and any other skills that you may possess.

IT Support Resume - How To Write An Effective Resume

IT Support Resume - How To Write An Effective ResumeThe IT support resume is a creative way to get your resume recognized by prospective employers. The resume is usually considered the crown jewel of an application. The subject line is another signal to the hiring manager that you are qualified to handle the job. Therefore, if you do not build a compelling resume, you will not have success in getting that job.Resumes are typically utilized to explain a candidate's educational background, previous jobs, skills, work experience, hobbies, references, etc. While you do want to include a detailed description of your professional qualifications, you should also include your professional goals and accomplishments. This will help you in providing an update for the employer when your resume is reviewed for the next round of hires.If you are a sales person, you can help a company by writing a IT support resume. Sometimes employees would work under the management or at the company level, but yo u may have to go out and sell it yourself. Some companies require people to be trained in the computer systems. In this case, you should have at least some computer knowledge. However, there are still many opportunities for IT support experts who just do technical support and perform it in the spare time.Regardless of your corporate structure, you can always have the skills to get a job, as long as you have a clear idea of what you want to do. A support professional can also be the very first contact with customers. As a result, you need to have the skills to deliver a very friendly and helpful experience. Additionally, if your job is to train the employees, you can help the company by teaching them how to deal with customers and solve customer problems.The best way to understand how a job function in a company is to study it thoroughly. You should therefore spend your time on reading through its terms and conditions, procedures, and regulations, etc. When you know what is required of you, you can choose a career where you will enjoy the rewards of working within a team.Another benefit of writing a support resume is that it can provide you with networking opportunities. Many companies hire outside personnel as a part of their support team. Therefore, you could find employment opportunities that involve helping customers in your area. You can also gain knowledge from current employees by networking. This is a great way to gain valuable new contacts.Your resume should not just look professional. It should also be well-written and structured to provide a concise, easy-to-read format. Some basic software is available for creating the cover letter as well as the resumes for different job openings. However, if you are unable to buy one, there are many free samples online that can help you create the resume of your dreams.Writing a support resume takes time and expertise. However, the reward is that you can make a great difference in your job search. The secret is to be passionate about what you do, as passion is always more than enough to land a job.

Top 10 Posts of 2016 From KathyCaprino.com - What They Reveal About Our Hidden Challenges - Kathy Caprino

Top 10 Posts of 2016 From KathyCaprino.com - What They Reveal About Our Hidden Challenges In looking back over 2016, Ive written over 150 posts in my four blogs, including here on kathycaprino.com, and on Forbes, LinkedIn, and Huffington Post. In each blog and for each specific audience, I attempt to focus on particular messages, information, resources, and interviews that I hope will be of help and benefit, given what Im hearing from so many people about their challenges, fears, blocks, and their deepest desires. This has been a banner year for me as as writer, reaching over 27 million (all-time) collective views on my blogs, and being selected by Feedspot as one of the top 100 career blogs on the web. Most importantly, Im continually inspired and moved by you my awesome tribe and the thousands of brilliant questions and comments you share from your heart and soul. The insights and challenges you offer which are full of revelation, inspiration, bravery, hope, and faith reveal that, despite whats appearing right before our eyes both in our own country and around the world today, we remain fiercely hopeful and encouraged that we can forge a happier, more fulfilling and beautiful life and livelihood, and a more peaceful, loving world, and were committed to building it together. The key topics Im seeing emerge from this list of most widely read posts this year are about: What we long for most, and also deeply regret Our desire to finally start pleasing ourselves rather than exhausting ourselves to the bone pleasing everyone else How we can communicate more powerfully and effectively How to change careers successfully Ways to figure out what we want, then brave up to get it How to uncover and release the excuses and blocks that stand in the way of our greater happiness Below are the 10 most popular posts from 2016 from this blog. I truly hope you find them instrumental in moving you forward to building a brave and brilliant 2017. 1.  The Top 10 Things People Want In Life But Just Can’t Figure Out How To Get I conducted a survey to my awesome community probing a number of critical life and career questions.Of all the things people indicated they want more of, these were the 10 most frequently mentioned. 2.  The Top 5 Regrets of Midlife Professionals I’ve seen several core themes emerge around what makes mid-career professionals (and middle-aged people in general) feel the deepest regret. These are the top five regrets I’ve heard from mid-career professionals around the world. 3.  Let’s Take the “I’m Pleasing Myself” 30-Day Challenge â€" Please Yourself, For Once You are the only person who will spend every minute of every day with you, for your entire life. Stop focusing on pleasing everyone else. Please yourself, and heres how. 4.  One Communication Trait That Reveals Something Very Unflattering and Hurtful About You There’s one communication behavior that I’ve seen over and over in my own life and relationships, and now I’m hearing about it often from my clients, friends and from members of my courses and programs. 5.  If You’re Not Being Understood, Say It Differently: 4 Key Ways To Improve Your Communications Here  are four ways to make your communications more compelling, engaging and clear, even in tense interchanges, so that you’ll be heard and understood, and valued. 6.  Desperate For a Different Career? Change It, But Avoid These Top 5 Blunders Make sure you take concrete steps necessary to do the internal work first to shift yourself to a more positive, empowered state, and avoid the five top blunders so many career changes make. 7.  4 Essential Steps To Figuring Out What You Should Be Doing With Your Career (And Your Life) After 10 years of career coaching now, I’ve seen that there are four critical steps that help people overcome their internal and external career challenges, and transform their lives. 8.  10 Ways To Brave Up: Gain More Power, Confidence and Authority in Your Life and Career Today Here are 10 critical ways that people need to ‘brave up’ today â€" address and move through their fears, revise their feeling of unworthiness, and overcome their concerns about being rejected, isolated and hated if they reveal and honor who they really are. 9.  The Top 8 Excuses That Keep People From Taking Action They Desperately Need Here  are the top 8 excuses I hear from people who remain stuck for a lifetime, and never take action to help themselves live and work happier. 10.  What Is Missing In Your Life Today That You Deeply Desire? Sometimes, we can get so caught up with the challenges and struggles in front of us, and how to navigate through them effectively, that we fail to ask ourselves the most important questions that would have the power to unlock so much more fulfillment, joy and peace in our lives, if we only stopped to answer them. * * * * * * Thank you so much for reading and participating actively on this blog. Your contributions and connections mean the world! Heres to building your most brave and brilliant year yet. To learn more about building the livelihood and life you long for, join me in my new Brave Up Life Mastery program.

Wreck This Journal Standstill for Wusses

Wreck This Journal Standstill for Wusses Here we are, week 6 of Wreck This Journal, and Im at such a breaking point right now. OK, maybe not a breaking point, but kind of a standstill. A standstill for wusses. Ive discovered that I am so embarrassed to do anything weird public with the journal (like walk it)- or even ask someone to wreck it for me (like one page instructs) that I just completely, uh, stopped wrecking. For a week. A week! Thats why there was no entry last week, although I came up with various excuses that consciously convinced me that they were the real reason I wasnt wrecking (although subconsciously I knew better). So Im still on the safe pages, like the ones I wrecked this week (which cant even be all pretty like they usually are, because Picnik is stinking today wont compress my photos! Grr!): Even though the stamp page has been covered, its way too neat orderly for me. I have a feeling that Im gonna keep piling on the stamps until were officially done at the end of the month. I could not figure out how to cover the hole at the bottom of my funnel, so the water kept pouring through. I finally stuck my pinky finger in there, filled it up, drank the water as quickly as possible before it all spilled out. I think I probably drank a quarter of what I poured in there. I was such a water chaser. I never put my jeans in the dryer (unless Im not interested in eating or breathing the next day), so I had to dry my page on the drying rack. I liked having it there. I have so many random items in my purse that I decided to limit myself to the garbage that was in there. As you can see, I had a cold recently practically live on Orbit gum. I really like the empty pack of gum that I glued on the left page, since it sticks out of my journal makes it look extra wrecky. Now dont get me wrong, dear readers fellow wreckers I am having fun with my wrecking! But, I hate to say it, Im getting bored. I want to go outside rub the journal in the dirt! I want to live by my Wreck This Journal mantra of Make a Mess, Michelle do it for the world to see. OK, that last part is a lie, but I do want to take this to another level I have to get over this shyness (which Ive never experienced before ever. Really. Not once). So Im going to promise you this: this week, Im going to make myself do whatever page I turn to. Im not allowed to pick choose this week! Thatll show me.