There’s a Reason It’s Not Called a Workation. Time to Unplug!!

Imagine this: sitting on the beach, feet in the sand, watching the ocean waves.  There are surfers, and kids playing, and swimmers riding the waves.  Laughter is all around. You cannot believe you are lucky enough to be surrounded by so much beauty.  Oh my…you are actually relaxing…NOT!!!

Suddenly your PDA rings and texts start flying in…there’s another crisis at the office…they need you…and just for a 15-minute call. They promise.  Only one, 15-minute call.  And…we all know what happens next.  You are walking back to the cottage, turning on your laptop and logging in. You tell the family, “I promise, I’ll be back in less than an hour!”  They all nod knowingly…there ain’t no chance that will be happening. Three hours later you are back at the beach.  Clouds have rolled in, the ocean is roaring, and the lifeguards have called all swimmers out of the water.  The decision is made…might as well leave the beach now…it’s too cold to stay. That split-second of relaxation has passed.  Oh well, tomorrow is another day, and I just know I’ll be able to recapture that “state of bliss.”

Does this sound familiar?  Of course it does.  We’ve all been there.  And we swear to anyone who will listen that the next vacation will be different.  But the words are so empty you don’t even believe them yourself anymore.

Exhausting, isn’t it?

In fact, I’m exhausted just writing this.  We all work hard, no matter what our line of work.  And for those who are not in the work world right now, you are working probably harder than anyone else just trying to find your next opportunity.  Everyone I speak to is just “tired.”  It’s as simple as that…and…

We need to get back to basics: we have vacations for a reason.

Let’s compare our bodies and human spirit to a car. We all know that if we don’t properly maintain our car – adequate fuel, regular oil changes, periodic service checks, etc. – it’s going to stop operating effectively.  The same can be said for us. Yet how often do we work through lunch, put in the long hours, check emails/voicemails on weekends, put off vacation…in essence, go WAY beyond the recommended mileage for our body/spirit “service checks”? With our car there’s a little light that comes on when it’s time for service or you’re low on gas. Maybe that’s what we need as humans, a yellow light that comes on when it’s time for maintenance: Impending danger ahead if you don’t stop and take care and nurture your body and spirit.

I have a novel idea…how about taking a vacation and actually taking a vacation.  Go to the beach or to the mountains or to whatever place makes you happy.  Unplug…and enjoy the beauty Mother Nature has provided us.  When was the last time you sat long enough to just enjoy nature?  How could you possibly do that, you ask? Print out this list:

• Put your PDA in a drawer. If it has a lock, even better.
• Tell work you are unavailable. If you have to stretch the truth a bit and say you’ll be in an area with NO cell service, do it. You are NOT available.
• Wherever you go, ENJOY! Play a bit, sit still, don’t sit still, climb a mountain, don’t climb a mountain…who cares…just breathe.
• Be ON VACATION.  There’s a reason it’s not called a WORKATION!
• Return recharged, reinvigorated and ready to be “more than just your work.”

Remember what we already know: at the end of our time here on earth, not one of us will be wishing we had worked more and played less. Go on vacation and be on vacation. I promise you, your work will be there when you get back.

Till next time,

Karen

Get Real About Your Career – Start by Taking Inventory

The start of the New Year is typically when we “resolve” to make changes: eat less, exercise more, learn something new, change careers…

If a career change is on your list this year – whether it’s moving to a new career, finding new work in your current field, or creating more work/life balance – an important first step is figuring out where you are today. This is what I call Taking Inventory.   Clarifying who you are and what you want will help you define, communicate and achieve your career goals.  Here are 8 key areas for your self-assessment.

1. Skills.  What are the skills and competencies that have helped you succeed in your career so far? Which of them are transferable skills that will help you contribute regardless of industry or position? Write them all down.
2. Values. What are the things you MUST have in a company, a position, a leader to be happy and do your best? What motivates you?
3. Natural talents. What are those innate abilities that keep coming up in compliments and performance reviews? “You’re a natural at…” Fill in the blank.
4. Interests. What do you like to do? Think large on this one. You never know when an interest you haven’t really focused on so far may lead to a new opportunity…
5. Job Satisfiers. Or, as I like to call them, “the good, the bad, and the ugly.” What are the factors that have made your past work situations rewarding (the good), boring or frustrating (the bad) or something you never want to repeat (the ugly)?
6. Barriers. Here’s where you really need to “get real.” What are those internal blocks that have kept you from being all you want to be? Write ‘em down.  Recognizing them is the first step in eliminating them.
7. Key accomplishments. Think back over your career and other areas of your life. What have you done that made a difference for your team, your department, your company, your community?
8. Salary requirements. In today’s job market, this is often one of the first questions asked, so it’s good to start thinking about this early.  Consider what your basic expectations are and then, when you’ve determined your target market, do some research to validate your expectations.

Completing these inventories will take some time.  However, you will be amazed at how much you’ll learn about yourself, and how the resulting personal career snapshot will guide you to “what’s next.”

Want to know more about how to “Get Real” about your career? Check out our online guide here.

Whatever you do, don’t stop believin’.  ‘Til next time, Karen.

Your Journey Begins

Say it isn’t so! I actually am going to ask you, the reader, to begin doing some self-reflection. Don’t stop reading, please! Have some fun with it, and look at it as an opportunity to take some time just for you. We all know there is absolutely no time in this 24/7 environment for us to take time for ourselves. There are the kids, the partner, the parents, the work, the friends, the obligations. UGH…just thinking about it makes my head spin! My vote… take some time for YOU. Even if it’s only 10 minutes, at least you know it’s time for you and no one else. Heck, how are you going to determine what might be next for you in your career if you don’t take some time to work on yourself? I promise it will not be painful. Who knows, you might even learn something about yourself. Oh no! Say it isn’t so!!

 Before we begin our journey through The Get Real Guide to Your Career, let’s get something clear up front. As I coach people who are looking for new work, I often hear them say, “I want to find my passion,” or, “I want to absolutely love my work,” or, “I want to wake up in the morning and jump out of bed because I can’t wait to get to my work.”  Now, this may come as a surprise to most; however, my response is, Why? Don’t get me wrong…if people can find their passion like Bruce Springsteen and others have, I am all for it. That’s a gift, and very difficult to get. Only a very small segment of the population can claim absolute love and devotion to their work. So why set yourself up for failure right from the beginning?

What’s wrong with truly liking your work AND liking your entire, full life? If Oprah heard me say this I am sure she would not be very happy with me. She has been very fortunate to find her passion and to create her entire life around that passion, and to do wonderful things along the way. Good for her!!! With that said… I get tired of hearing: find your passion and the money will come or, once you find your passion, your life will be complete or, live your passion and success will follow. Are ya kidding me?

How about finding work that is very satisfying, and uses the skills and natural talents you have and want to use? I am proposing that you can actually look at your work as only one aspect of your life. Don’t forget about the other parts – your relationship with family and friends – your health and fitness – your fun time – your spiritual self – your ‘you’ time – your volunteer time – your hobby time – your whatever-you-want time. Let’s face it, there are more things in life than our work. My guess is that when you are ready for the final roundup, you won’t be wishing you’d spent more time at work.  My hope is that you can allow yourself to have a full life with a rewarding career that enhances your life and doesn’t detract from it.

Let the journey begin…

As we begin our walk through The Get Real Guide, keep in mind that we want you to do these exercises from the perspective of where you are today. Think of it as starting from a fresh place. Many of you will have done some of this work in the past and may think, why should I do it again? The reason is…because you are at a different point in your life now. As you go through these exercises, think about your future, and the possibilities that lie ahead. Don’t get stuck in what you’ve done, or what has happened in the past. Look at this as a new adventure – one that will provide you something new in your life. Have some fun with it, and please don’t stop reading…

Okey…dokey…first things first…your values. Feeling fulfilled and happy in your work has a lot to do with whether that work aligns with your values. What are values? Your core beliefs. The things you must have in order to be your best. Some examples – trust, harmony, excellence, innovation, fun, risk-taking, collaboration, connection. Take a moment and list your top five values.

What are those things about which you will absolutely not compromise? Yes, it is hard. And yes, it is worth it. If it is tough to list just five, list as many as you can and then review and evaluate them. Then narrow your list down to your five core values.
Why is it so important to define your values when looking for new work? As you meet with new people and consider new organizations, it is imperative that you are able to determine whether your values are in sync. Think about it, have you ever worked for an organization where your values and the values of that organization were no longer aligned? What happened for you? Eventually, the realization is so clear that it is difficult to come to work and do your job in the best way possible. This is exactly what happened to me, and why I hold so strongly to this belief of mapping values.

I worked for a large organization for 13 years and probably stayed 2 years too long. When I joined, my values and the organization’s values were completely aligned. It was about doing whatever it takes to get the job done. It was about feeling connected with my colleagues and challenged to always do the best possible job. People truly were the number one asset for this company and they were treated as such. It wasn’t just a cliché. As the organization grew, the values became diluted. It was still a good organization, I just kept wondering, why am I not as excited to come to work each day? I couldn’t figure it out. I couldn’t imagine what was going on for me. Of course, I attempted to ignore it, thinking it might go away and that I was reading something into the situation. Isn’t it fun to do that? Well…eventually it was obvious. I was so sad, too. I left an organization where I thought I would spend my entire career. I didn’t want to believe it. And, as I said, I probably stayed 2 years too long. So, pay attention to your values.

Be certain that your values are a key factor in your decision to accept an opportunity and join an organization. Or you can do what I did…and just start your own business. Now if my values don’t map to the values of PeopleThink, I am in deep trouble!! Tee-hee…tee-hee…

I’d say this is enough for one sitting. I’ll see you soon, when we look at the skills you want to use…and the natural talents you must use.

 By the way, I would love to hear from you on the passion topic.   Do you believe people have to find their passion in their work to have a successful life?

Till the next time…Don’t Stop Believing!

Karen