Authenticity

I don't have much to write about today, but I'll write anyway in the hopes of finding a topic.

I've been sharing my career articles with my friend and boyfriend, and both have said they find them too formulaic. They'd both prefer it if my articles were more personal, which would make them more of a 'conversation starter'- in other words, make them think rather than telling them what to do.

The format of these articles comes very naturally for me. In my own life, I don't know what the hell I'm doing, but I find it extremely easy to see what other people should be doing. In fact, when I speak to people, I am able to grasp their moods and thoughts intuitively even when I'm in the middle of a conversation. I only realised this was a special skill when I started getting to know myself better, and when I learned about Myers Briggs. One of the reasons I like writing in this format is because this is my opportunity to give clear, straightforward advice. I find it hard to apply this advice to myself, but I  feel good when I can write it out in a way other people can easily follow.

My boyfriend asked me, 'why should other people listen to you?' This is a valid question. This is just my opinion, and I don't have any credentials and career experience. Still, I do recognise that it's a great skill to read people as well as I can. I hope that one day, people will read my articles, apply my advice and find it helpful. In the meantime, I'm going to continue writing and try to find my voice. People are drawn to authenticity, and at the moment my writing is very formulaic. I'm hoping to find a writing style that conveys both my personality and insight.

Mood lately...

To be honest, I haven't been feeling my best this weekend. I go into these spirals where I feel demotivated and cooped up in my life. I am trying my best to create a life I want to live, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the effort and it makes me feel useless. I hold myself to exceedingly high standards, and I beat myself up when I feel like I haven't met them. It's easy for me to feel like I'm in a rut, and everything goes downhill from there.

Sometimes I think I'm putting too much effort into this. I'm not a very 'fun' person- my idea of fun is investing in my personal development- and I think I need to start letting go of my expectations for myself. When I think too much, I lose my vision for the future and become confused. I really need to start trusting my instinct and giving myself space to play and think.

Some thoughts about my life:

- I hate having a 9-5 job. On the weekdays, I hate being forced into this routine when it doesn't match my body clock. It's very important for me to live a life that is intuitive to my body and personality, and I don't operate at my best when I am forced onto someone else's schedule. I am always tired and stressed on the weekdays, and on the weekends I indulge in too much sleep, screen time, unhealthy food, etc and I end up messing up my schedule even more.

- I don't like working in teams. I much prefer working by myself in quiet spaces. I absolutely HATE the open-space office I work in. I hate it so much that I often work on other floors to get away from everyone. This is really terrible- I actually hide from my colleagues because their presences overwhelms and distracts me. I much prefer working by myself. I would actually like to have a routine where I work every day from the same time, but have breaks at the same time.

- I like collaborating with other people. I don't like to be alone all the time- I like building meaningful connections with people. This is different to teamwork, which (in my mind) involves sharing similar workloads amongst a team. I prefer having my own domain of work that is not affected by other people's work. This is why I would like to become a coach. I work alone, but when I see people, we have honest conversations and build a relationship.

- I don't care too much about money. I would be happy with a middle class life, which is achievable for myself and my boyfriend. I would prefer to do a job I like with less money. At the moment, my current salary is far above what I would need to live happily.

- I hate tight deadlines. I find them extremely stressful, which then impacts my health. I cannot operate under stress. This is why my current job is bad for me- it is constant, short-term projects with a lot of factors I can't control. This is why I dread work and feel overwhelmed.

- I like work with human impact. I currently work in IT, and I am getting my accounting qualification. Both are very dry, and I find them very difficult to learn because they are of no interest to me. On the other hand, I love helping people solve problems involving other people- anything from romantic to in the workplace.

The Art of Asking

Have you ever wondered why some people always seem to make things go their way? If you want to learn the art of getting what you want, follow the steps below:

1) Do your homework

Before asking for a favour, always do your homework. People have limited time to spare, and they want to use their time as efficiently as possible. If you're asking them for something, don't expect them to do any work themselves. You should know the ins and outs of what you're asking about, and you should be able to answer any question they ask you. Make it easy for them to say yes.

2) Ask at the right time

No one wants to be bothered right before a meeting, or just as they're about to go to lunch. Speak to them when you know their full attention will be focused on you. If possible, it's best to book some time together and brief them beforehand, so they'll have an idea of what you want to talk about. If that's not possible, get to know their schedule so you can speak to them when they have downtime.

3) Know why you're asking

This is an essential step. If you are asking for a favour, you should definitely know why you are asking for it. People don't want to give up their time for something that you aren't sure about. When you ask for a favour, the first question people will normally ask is 'why.' If you can't come up with a good answer, you risk looking uncommitted and unprepared. If you can't answer this question yourself, you won't be able to compel others to help you.

4) Know how to do it

As the saying goes, 'don't bring up a problem unless you have a solution.' You should already have an idea of your plan after they say yes. As before, people have limited time and they don't want to do any extra work themselves. You should be able to give them an outline of their time commitment and role, should they agree to help you. 

5) Have specific examples prepared

People like to visualise what you are asking them. If you're asking them to provide their expertise, say 'the work is similar to what we did together two months ago on project X.' If you're asking for them to change something, say 'For example, in our meeting yesterday, I felt like I was cut off when you interrupted me to talk about Y.' Too much theory is uninteresting. People will have more personal incentive when you make connections to past memories. 

6) Follow up

It's easy for people to say yes in the moment, and then forget about it later. Remember- you are the person asking, so you are responsible for bringing everything together. My preferred way of following up is a succinct email, and chatting later on. Email allows them to mull over it in their free time, and speaking afterwards lets them know you want their commitment- in a friendly way! Remind them of your request, what their role is and what you'll require from them in the future. 

Conclusion

It can be awkward to ask for help from others, but it's essential in all aspects of your life. By following these steps, you will be fully prepared and feel confident when asking others.

Introverts in the Workplace

Introverts in the Workplace

Did you know that approximately 1/3 to 1/2 of the population are introverts? Introverts are everywhere, though it can be hard to find them in a culture that prefers extroversion. In a society where open desks are becoming the norm and teamwork is essential to most jobs, it can be hard for introverts to catch a break!

It’s important to remember that introverts bring their own unique skills to the workplace as well. Here are some common traits in introverts that can add value to the workplace:

1)      Introverts prefer planning over action

Nowadays, employees are expected to work to tight deadlines under a minute’s notice. Extroverts may be able to deal with the high-pressure, but introverts tend to freeze up. This may be seen as a negative trait, but it’s only because introverts prefer more planning time. We like to have the space to look through the whole problem so we can mull over it and create comprehensive plans. Sometimes our plans fall through and we need to work under pressure, but this isn’t always the case. Introverts tend to be more detail oriented, so if you give them the time to mull over an issue, you’ll be surprised by the ideas that come from this. Having a proper plan can save a lot of time later on.

2)      Introverts prefer socialising in smaller groups

Introverts get a bad rep for being anti-social or awkward, but this is just a perception issue. Introversion has nothing to do with social skills- introversion is all about how we gain energy. Extroverts gain energy from being around big groups, and introverts gain energy by being around small groups or alone. Workplaces place a premium on building connections, and people often take this to mean they need to build as big a network as possible. This is evident from the way we meet new people or socialise – via large networking events with lots of strangers, or bonding with people over drinks. 

Introverts have a disadvantage if you want to build a large, shallow network- we simply can’t deal with too many people. We do have an advantage with building a smaller, deeper network. Introverts prefer socialising in smaller groups, and we like building deep connections with others. The purpose of networking is to meet people who you can help, and who can help you in return. Having shallow connections will result in small favours, but having deep connections will result in large favours. People won’t go out of their way to help you if they’ve met you a few times at drinks after work, but they will go out of their way if you’ve built a relationship with them over the years. In the workplace, introverts can feel a lot of pressure to casually socialise with everyone, but ultimately we have our own way of building relationships which is equally important.

3)      Introverts prefer working by themselves

In a team-oriented culture, this can be seen as a negative trait. Working autonomously has connotations of not being a ‘team player’. However, there are definite benefits to working alone. Introverts are able to focus by ourselves- and from this focus, we get our best results. How many times at work have you had endless meetings, ending nowhere? How many times have you had to work with a team, but haven’t been able to start? All of these issues are eliminated when you allow introverts to work on their own. We are able to achieve incredible focus, which allows us to finish our work more quickly. 

Conclusion

There are a lot of benefits that introverts bring to the workplace. All these traits can be viewed as negative when compared to extroverts, but it’s important for everyone to expand their perspective and give introverts and extroverts the ability to work in the best environments for us.

Introversion and Confidence

Introversion and Confidence

The link between introversion and confidence is a tricky subject. All too often, we think of confidence as being loud, gregarious and having a strong presence. Introverts generally have none of these traits- we are often quieter, and prefer not to be the centre of attention. It therefore may be difficult for introverts to be viewed as confident, even if we believe we are. I call this the ‘reality-expectations’ gap, and I myself have experienced it- even when I didn’t realise it was happening.

I had a meeting with my mentor last Friday, who is a partner at the professional services firm I work at. We both identify as introverts, which is what drew us to each other. During the past two years I have been working, I have received consistent feedback that I need to be more confident. I believe this is linked to my introversion: firstly because I come across as quiet, which may appear to be unconfident, and secondly because I feel pressure to be more gregarious, which makes me feel unconfident. I asked my mentor how I should approach this. The advice that she gave me blew me away:

1)      Confidence Affects Output

When I was explaining my situation to my mentor, the first thing she asked was specific examples of how my confidence has affected my output. I’ve never received feedback explicitly stating that my output has fallen due to my confidence- for example, being too shy to attend a meeting, or being too scared to ask questions. My feedback in the past has always been very positive, and there has never been an instance in my career where I have been too nervous to do something. 

The advice I was given changed my entire perspective: confidence affects output. If your output is being negatively influenced due to a personality trait, it needs to be fixed. If not, then it doesn’t. In my case, just because I have been given feedback that I was not confident doesn’t mean I have a problem. Not all feedback needs to be taken into consideration.

2)      The Confidence Model

As I mentioned before, there is currently a gap between people’s image of what confidence looks like, and what confidence actually is in reality. Following on from the point above, just because other people may view me as unconfident, doesn’t mean I am unconfident. It’s important to understand why others think of you as unconfident- for example, they may think you are too quiet, or because you are hesitant to do things without a plan. Neither are inherently bad traits- they’re just different, and they come with their own strengths and weaknesses. Introverts are not well understood in society. It’s our job to push back against the image of what confident people look like and make people question their views.

3)      Accept your Personality

If you are an introvert, you are an introvert. You cannot fundamentally change your personality. You can improve parts of it, but there is no point trying to change everything. The most important thing, for everyone, is to accept their personalities. It’s essential to understand who you are. By doing this, you can learn what your strengths & weaknesses are, and start working to your best ability. 

In my workplace, there is an expectation that everyone should be a ‘Type A’ performer. The typical loud, brash, extrovert who gets along with everyone, leads groups and work under high pressure deadlines in a minute’s notice. This is not met, at all. When I first started working, I felt a lot of pressure to conform to this ideal. It didn’t work. All I did was drain myself and make myself unhappy. Now, I have a much better understanding of my personality. Although I still feel pressure to be this ‘Type A’ personality, I am better at resisting it. I know my strengths and weaknesses, and I try to find work that aligns to my personality. Knowing yourself is the key to doing better work. That way, you can move away from external expectations and begin to defy stereotypes.

Questions for myself...

Q: What does abundance mean to you and how abundant do you feel in your life right now? How could you strengthen your beliefs of abundance?

A:

To me, abundance means plentifulness, combined with a feeling of contentment. The word 'abundance' conjures up images of piles of fresh fruit and vegetables, waiting to be shared with everyone. I imagine an abundant life to be one filled with simple pleasures, such as a loving family, good friendships, interesting hobbies and lots of love and kindness. Not necessarily exciting, but fulfilling and meaningful.

I often think about how I feel about the state of my life. My life has been characterised by a need to constantly be searching and improving. Towards what, I can't describe. I have no concrete goals, like 'own a house by 30' or 'save 25% of my income.' It's a very intuitive feeling within me- a feeling of peace with the structure of my life. At the moment, I am far from this feeling, but at the same time, I feel excited that I have made some much progress towards it. I'm proud of the steps I've made, and how well I have gotten to know myself. I have the unlimited love of my boyfriend Ben, who I am so happy with. I have the support of my friend Angela, who understands me. I have my other friends, who have known me for so long and care about me. I have the financial means to do pretty much whatever I choose to do. I have my job, which I am not passionate about, but have learnt a lot from. I have my mentors, who believe in me and believe in my impact. So while there are definitely issues I need to work on, at the moment I do feel like my life is abundant and full. 

When I am in a positive mood, I look at all the progress I have made and all the opportunities available to me, and I feel energised and grateful. When I am in a negative mood, I look at all the things I would like to change and all the work I would need to change it, I feel lost. To maintain my feelings of abundance, I need to invest a lot of energy into my self-care. I have booked therapy lessons to help reconcile my feelings towards my family, and to help create boundaries and reduce my anxiety in my life, which is a significant step towards improving my life that I am excited about. I also need to exercise regularly and eat healthily. I need to reduce my spending and have a more minimal life, so I feel better about my financial situation and meet my savings goals. I need to spend lots of quality time with Ben, since he makes me happy. I need to see my friends regularly. I need to continue to write and work towards my long-term goals. If I do all these things, they will contribute towards me living a diverse and plentiful life. 

The September Issue

I'm embarrassed to say that I completely forgot to write yesterday! I haven't gotten in a consistent schedule yet (actually I have no routine at all, which is terrible) so it's easy for me to forget to write. Well, there's nothing to be done. The past is past, and it's up to me to continue writing.

I've been in a rut recently. I have absolutely no drive or energy. I feel like a slug, lying on the floor. My days are monotonous and I can't seem to get excited about anything. I'm not really sure what to do about this, except eat better, exercise more and try to get into a routine. Last week I saw a lot of people, which left me drained. This week I saw no one, which also left me drained. There's no big event that I'm looking forward to that gives me energy. It's up to me to fill my days with meaningful activity, but right now I'm struggling.

I watched the September Issue on Netflix today. It's a documentary on Anna Wintour, and how Vogue prepares for its September issue. This was the only thing that give me the slightest inspiration today. I love beauty, though I don't think I have great taste for myself. I'm not fashionable, and I don't have any style. Still, I find beauty to be very touching. I like looking at beautiful things, reading beautiful things and hearing beautiful things. That's why I like Memoirs of a Geisha and Okanokumo so much.

It was very interesting to get an insight into the fashion industry. I actually don't care about the fashion world at all. I don't know care about fashion week, look at the newest seasons of clothes or know about the 'it' models. Still, it was interesting to see what employees at Vogue actually do. The fashion industry is a big business after all, that generates lots of revenue and employs lots of people, so from that perspective I enjoyed getting a glimpse of how it operates.

I liked learning about Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington's personalities. Anna is a fascinating woman. She's very interesting looking, and she has incredible presence. People accuse her of being cold, but I admire her for it. Personally, I find it very hard to be reserved. I think I come across as nice, and sometimes unconfident. I am learning how to resist jumping into conversations unnecessarily to fill empty silences. Anna on the other hand comes across as confident. That isn't to say awkward things don't happen to her- they do, but she simply doesn't react. She is so confident in herself that she doesn't feel the need to fix them. It's very powerful.

Grace is the opposite of Anna. She's outwardly passionate about what she does, and she comes across as warm and caring. I love the parts where they focus on her choreographing photoshoots. Everyone says she's a genius, and they're right. Her photographs are imaginative and beautiful, like a dreamworld. I also admire her personality. Anna's personality is far from mine, but realistically I think I am more like Grace. One day I hope I can be the type of woman she is- someone who is warm and strong and enthusiastic.

Overall, I recommend watching The September Issue. It's interesting, and lovely to watch.

How to quiet an anxious mind

I slept poorly the past few days. As a result, I've been feeling anxious. I'm prone to anxiety, and when I feel nervous I start to have racing thoughts that I can't control. I feel a compulsive need to check my phone or my computer, and I feel both awake and tired at the same time. It's a bad cycle, and I hate feeling this way. Here are some tips for quieting an anxious mind:

1) Go to sleep on time

I find that a good night's sleep is the most important factor in becoming less anxious. When I sleep poorly, I tend to get vivid dreams and racing thoughts which carry onto when I'm awake. Going to sleep early helps ensure that you have enough time for good rest at night. This means giving yourself enough time for at least 8 hours, plus an hour or so to get into bed and relax.

2) Breathe

If you're a mouth breather, stop immediately! Start breathing through your nose. Mouth breathing, amongst other negative factors, increases stress. There are numerous resources online if you want to make the switch from mouth breathing to nasal breathing.

In addition to this, slow down your breath. When you breathe deeply and rhythmically, this reduces stress levels. Just being aware of your breath will help you decrease stress, because you will automatically begin to breathe in a slower, more controlled manner. In yoga, this type of steady breathing is called pranayama, which you can learn to do yourself. If you struggle with anxiety regularly, I highly recommend you take up yoga or some kind of meditation. This will help you use your breath to control your stress levels. Doing this sort of breathing has helped me escape two panic attacks, so I can attest to it being extremely useful!

3) Exercise

Regular exercise has been proven to reduce stress. When I'm feeling stressed, I feel both energetic and lethargic- similar to the feeling of drinking too much coffee when you're tired. I find it especially hard to motivate myself to exercise when I'm stressed, but the payoff is worth it. Normally I try to do some yoga, since this has the benefit of making me both and breathe properly. Any exercise is better than no exercise- do a few jumping jacks, or take a walk around your block. Once you get your body moving, you'll find that you have more energy.

4) Eat well

It's tempting to turn to fatty foods when you're stressed, but try to resist. It has been proven that eating a healthy, balanced diet will decrease stress and increase energy levels. Stock your house with plenty of fresh vegetables, fruit, fish and nuts, and get rid of the soda, coffee and candy. Eating well is always important, but when you're stressed, it's a crucial change you must make.

5) Write it out

When I'm stressed, it always helps me journal my thoughts. Most of the time, I know my thoughts are irrational but I can't help feeling anxious. Try writing out the reasons why you're stressed, and what the likely outcomes will be. When I write, I like to add notes to myself like, 'I know this is not likely, but because I am feeling stressed, this is stuck in my mind. I know when I'm less stressed, I will be able to see this rationally.' Writing out each step helps me see the situation clearly, and it also makes me feel like I'm actively doing something to reduce my stress.

6) Reduce your screen time

When I'm anxious, I feel a need to compulsively check my computer and phone. This pulls me into a bad cycle, where I need more and more screen time. Force yourself to stop going on your computer or phone. Put them somewhere where you can't see them. Instead, do something calming, like read a book. If you keep your phone in the bedroom, charge it outside and use an alarm clock to reduce the need to check your phone one last time before bed. Wear a watch, so you don't need to pull your phone out to check the time. I always feel less wired up when I reduce my screen time.

7) Listen to calm music

There are tons of Youtube channels online that have calming playlists. My favourite is Okanokumo, which plays classical music and sets it to beautiful views of the Japanese countryside. I find listening to calming music a great ritual to reduce stress. It actually gives me something to look forward to, since I love the videos.

8) Recognise your stress symptoms

As I said before, I normally become stressed when I mess up my sleep cycle. This leads me to needing more screen time. I also focus my stress on minuscule issues, which I obsess over. For example, when I was a student I came home for Christmas. I can't remember why I was stressed, but I remember suddenly worrying that I would get my council tax bill when I was gone. This became a huge issue for me for days, and I worried obsessively that I would ruin my credit score and when I got back, I would owe a huge amount of money. Of course, this didn't happen, but it didn't stop me from worrying about it. Now, I recognise these symptoms of stress. When I start to focus on these small issues, I can say to myself, 'I know you're stressed right now, which is why you're making such a big deal of it' instead of jumping head-first into my anxiety and feeding it. It's also a sign that I need to start getting into a healthier routine, so I can calm down.

9) Get support

Talk to the people close to you about how you're feeling. This can be your spouse, family, friends and even people at work. This will help them understand your frame of mind, and they will be able to support you. You may even be able to hand off some of your obligations, which will give you the space and time you need to get in a better frame of mind.

10) Seek help

If you find your anxiety is not going away, seek help immediately and book an appointment with your GP. If you're in the UK, here are two great contact lists from Mind and the NHS of websites and numbers. There is no shame in seeking help for yourself.

Conclusion

Everyone deals with anxiety from time to time. Doing to above will help you reduce your stress and will bring you into a healthier, happier frame of mind. If you're currently stressed, I hope this list helps you manage in a more effective way.

Memoirs of a Geisha

Memoirs of a Geisha is one of my favourite books. I've been reading it a lot recently, and I find it really calming to read. The descriptions are lovely and moving, and I love immersing myself in that world. The only thing I don't like about the book is the ending! Luckily I found a fan fiction online with an alternative ending that I find totally satisfying. 

*spoilers*- In the original book, Sayuri ends up as the Chairman's danna, and rejects Nobu. In the fan fiction, Sayuri decides to become Nobu's danna and ends up falling in love with him. I much prefer the second version. It seems more realistic and also less cruel, since Nobu always treated Sayuri so well. Also, the Chairman's character isn't very well-developed in the book. I don't understand Sayuri's obsession with him throughout the book. 

Prior to finding this fan fiction, I always avoided reading the end of the book because I felt so disappointed. Now I just skip to the fan fiction towards the end. Here's the link to the fan fiction:

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10961584/1/Water-Wood

Reading this book makes me feel like being a more refined person. Every time I read it, I feel like I step into a world full of special grace and beauty. 

Networking issues...

Today I am not giving advice. I am asking for advice. I am having networking issues at my work. I need to network with people within my department to find out what projects are coming up, so I can make sure I get on projects I like. The problem I have with this is:

1) I am not interested in any projects, as I don't have an industry or IT focus

2) messaging people without having an interest seems disingenuous

3) I feel like there are too many competitive people in my department, and it makes me feel nervous and awkward

I know I am great at building relationships one-on-one in calm atmospheres. Thinking about building shallow, temporary relationships for projects I like makes me nervous, and it makes me especially nervous when I know people will gossip about me if I make a bad impression. I need to learn how to network in an authentic way that I am comfortable with.

I'll think about this tonight. Expect a blog post on this subject!

Thoughts on workplace efficiency

Written 25/08/2015

Thoughts on workplace efficiency

My unsolicited advice to women in the workplace is this. When faced with sexism, or ageism, or lookism, or even really aggressive Buddhism, ask yourself the following question: “Is this person in between me and what I want to do?” If the answer is no, ignore it and move on. Your energy is better used doing your work and outpacing people that way. Then, when you’re in charge, don’t hire the people who were jerky to you.

- Tina Fey

I like this quote by Tina Fey because it is linked to a concept that I believe very strongly in, which is workplace efficiency. Too often do I see people getting caught up in things that don’t matter at work, like trying to do what everyone else is doing, office politics and gossip, taking on work they don’t want to do because someone asked them to, etc.  Time is an incredibly precious resource, and should be optimised as much as possible. I’ll admit this is difficult to do. I certainly waste plenty of time on things that don’t matter in the long run (shout out to Facebook and Reddit!) but I spend a lot of time thinking about how to best use my time.

This is particularly important in the workplace. People spend the majority of their day at work, so it’s essential to find a way to make this time both meaningful and enjoyable. The only way to be happy is to prioritise the things that make you happy, so EVERYONE should have a good grasp of the things that make them happy. This could be a very simple idea (I like to have fun) to a detailed priority list (I want to get promoted, I want to improve my presentation skills, I want to build my network, etc.)

When you work for a company, especially a large one, you have access to opportunities, networks and resources. By optimising your workplace efficiency, you take advantage of these. Having a set priority list will ensure you jump above the people who don’t know what they are doing. It ensures you don’t waste time doing things you don’t like, don’t need to do and aren’t useful for you.

If you don’t care about getting promoted and just want to have as much fun as possible? – Don’t compare yourself to others. Don’t take on unnecessary work. Just do your job, and leave! People may complain about you, but they don’t matter. All that matters is that you are doing a good enough job, and are using your time to have as much as possible.

If you want to get promoted and reach upper management? – Figure out what upper management want from you, and do these things. Do ONLY these things. Focus on what the people who are important to your career want. It’s no use attending lots of networking events without focus, or taking on lots of projects that don’t ultimately add to your portfolio. You want to become an expert in only the tasks that are useful for your career. Figure out these as quickly as possible and do them as well as possible.

If you want to develop a specific skill? – Do this. In your down time at work, focus on developing on these skills. Build relationships with people who you know have this skill, so they can teach you. Ask if there are any courses you can take on this. Ask your HR or Learning departments if there are any programmes around this. Try to shift your job duties so they align with building these skills. 

Overall, I believe very strongly in having a set of personal priorities that you focus on within the workplace. Obviously there are constraints to this, but you should have a vision in your head of what you ultimately want to achieve. Sometimes people don’t want to achieve anything. They just want to go to work, get paid and chill out in their free time. That’s fine. That’s a priority. Some people care very deeply and have set career goals. That’s their priority. Ultimately, you should know what you want so you can get it from your workplace. At the end of the day, the workplace is getting what it wants out of you (your time and energy) so you must be proactive and get what you want out of your company.

Why saying no is important

Written 25/08/2015

Why saying no is important

Learning how to say no is a difficult, yet essential skill. People who can’t say no help others at the expense of themselves, which results in feeling overwhelmed, drained and guilty. Saying no not only helps you, but it also helps other people. 

1)      There is a difference between saying no and ‘being mean’

People often think saying no to something is being mean, and it’s easy to see why this is the case. When you say no to someone, they often interpret as you being mean or unhelpful, and this is exacerbated when you like the person you are rejecting. Repeat to yourself:

SAYING NO IS NOT A PERSONAL REJECTION!

You must learn how to separate the person from the request. If some anonymous person who you knew nothing about had asked it, would you feel the same way towards it? Would you feel obligated to say yes? Learn how to separate the request from the person asking. By doing this, you give the request your full attention, rather than muddling it with your emotions. In the workplace especially, requests should not be emotionally charged. You may offend people who have not realised this by saying no, but recognise that you have no personal obligation to do something just because someone asked you to.

2)      Saying no helps everyone

If you take on duties you don’t want and are not obligated to do, this drains your time and energy. You won’t be your best self, which means any work you do for that person will not be as high quality as it could have been. Expectations and resentment from both sides may grow. In short, accepting requests creates an imbalance, which can lead to hurt feelings and messiness.

Saying no ensures that you use your time and energy only for things that you care about and want to focus on. This allows you to be at your best, and you should always aim to do be at your best.  It also ensures the person asking can manage their expectations. They don’t want someone who will say yes out of obligation, and then do the work half-heartedly because they feel resentful or are too busy. Or, if they are constantly relying on people to help them out, saying no will teach them valuable life skills. Overall, saying no when you know the request is not right for you is actually more helpful in the long-run than saying yes. 

3)      People respect you when you say no

People think that saying yes to everything will make people like and respect them. This is not the case. You should always aim to be your best self. If you know something is going to detract from that, you should say no. This could be for a variety of reasons: you don’t have time, you don’t enjoy the work, you won’t learn anything from it, etc. If you say yes in spite of this, ultimately people will realise you don’t value your time and you have no direction, because if you did you would decline requests that are not in line with what you want. When you initially say no, people may react in an upset or disappointed way, but once they realise that you are prioritising yourself, they will respect you for it. If they don’t, and they resent you for saying no, then this is a great indicator that this person values themselves over you because no one should expect people to feel obligated to say yes to them.

Conclusion

Saying no is difficult, especially initially if you have always said yes to others. People don’t like hearing the word no, and as a result may be react negatively in the moment. Nonetheless, it is important to power through and see the big picture. Saying no is better for yourself and for others, because it ensures you will not commit to something you don’t want to do. By doing this, the person requesting a favour will either find someone else who is more committed, or if they often take advantage of others, will learn to do it themselves. Saying no will also help you, because it will ensure your time and energy is only spent on things that you want to do.

How to have a productive meeting

Written 24/08/2015

How to have a productive meeting

How many times have you gone to a meeting, talked vigorously for an hour, sat down at your desk and realised you had accomplished…nothing?

It’s easy for meetings to become unproductive. Gathering a group of people together with an unclear agenda is a guaranteed time waster. Here are some tips for having a productive meeting:

A few days beforehand…

1)      Plan Ahead

The purpose of meetings is to share ideas, but it’s essential to know what you want to get out of the meeting before going in. This isn’t to say you need to plan everything to the finest detail! Here is a structure I find useful, with examples:

What do I need to achieve from this meeting?

- to gain a basic of understanding of X

What information does this require?

- the purpose of X

- basic understand of how X operates

What information will they be able to provide me?

- all of the above, as this is the team that runs X.

What level of detail do I need?

- high level understanding. We have an hour booked, so this is possible.

Plans going forward

- initial understanding meeting, then follow up meetings thereafter. 

Specific questions

- how often is X updated?

- time commitment for our team to get involved

- format of data for X

2)      Share your plan

It’s always a good plan to share what you need to have covered with everyone else before going to your meeting. This will help them structure their thoughts before the meeting. There’s nothing worse than booking time with someone, asking them a question and having them say, “Hmmm, I don’t know anything about that! I’ll have to check in with Lucy later on. Could we schedule a meeting for next week?”

When you share your plan, you don’t need to go into the same level of detail as the above. You can simply say, “Hey Jim, I wanted to drop you an overview of what I wanted to cover in our meeting next week. I need to have a high-level understanding of the purpose and operation of X. After our initial meeting, we’ll have to schedule some follow-up meetings later on to ask some more specific questions.”

Right before the meeting…

3)      Make time before the meeting

There’s nothing worse than rushing from meeting to meeting, feeling harried and forgetting what you need to cover. Make sure you have 10-15min before each meeting to sit by yourself and clear your head. It’s essential to be focused in meetings, as they have the propensity to lose track of what needs to be discussed. For all the people who read this and immediately think, “I don’t have time! I’m in meetings all day, every day!” that is not an excuse. I guarantee you that your meetings are not as productive as they could be. It is better to carve out 10 minutes to yourself to put yourself in the right frame of mind and remember what the meeting is for, then to have 3 back-to-back meetings and have to schedule follow-ups because you forgot to ask an essential question.

4)      Write a priority list

Right before your meeting, you should spend a few minutes writing a list of points you need to cover, from highest priority to lowest priority.  This shouldn’t be as structured as the previous plan. At this point, you should have a good idea of what needs to be covered. Writing a priority list will let you brainstorm what purpose of the meeting is and what the main points are to be covered. This will help you focus your thoughts, and will also provide you with confidence beforehand.

During the meeting…

5)      Explain what you need and stick to the priority plan

You should have already shared your plan prior to the meeting. Now is the time to briefly recap this, so they understand what needs to be covered. This can be as brief as, “Like I said in the email last week, we need to have a high-level understanding of what X’s purpose is, and how it works. Specifically, I need to have A, B and C answered by the end of this. Is this OK?” It’s helpful to have your priorities written out, so you can show this in the meeting.

6)      Keep an eye on the time and control the conversation

Having an idea of the structure automatically ensures you are in control of the meeting. When no one has a structure, conversations meander and you end up wasting time on irrelevant areas. Ensure you stick to your priority plan, and steer the conversation towards what you need. If the person has a tendency to drift off, it’s perfectly fine to say, “That sounds interesting, Jim. We might need to follow-up with you on that in a later discussion. In the meantime though, let’s stick to the plan for today. Can you run me through…”

After the meeting…

7)      Send a follow up email

It’s extremely useful to write up notes on the meeting after it’s finished. It’s very easy to put this off, start doing other work, and when you come back to the meeting think, “Damn, I can’t remember what we talked about!” Once the meeting is concluded, write an email to all the participants with a brief overview of what was covered. This should include the following sections:

Aims (what we wanted to cover)

- we wanted to understand a high-level overview of the purpose and operations of X

Understanding (what we did cover)

- from this meeting, we understand that X was created by the Y team to facilitate the breakdown of department and employee characteristics

- we understand usage of X requires an understanding of Z 

Outstanding (further information we need)

- we will need more information on what Z is; specifically when it was created, and how often it is updated

Going forward (our plans for the future)

- we will schedule a follow-up meeting with yourself and Michael, the member of your team who is responsible for Z. Can you please provide Michael’s email so we can schedule this.

Conclusion

Good meetings are all about planning. You can only gain insight on a situation when you have an understanding of the situation. Don’t be too rigid when planning meetings- you can only plan so much, since you don’t have the information from the meeting yet! Still, you should have an idea of the purpose, main points and level of detail you expect from the meeting beforehand. You should allow some time for small chat and for bouncing ideas, but ultimately there should be a high-level plan you should stick to which will help you ensure you get the information you need.

The Importance of Dinner Parties

Today we had an impromptu dinner party. Ben invited his cousin, her boyfriend and her two friends over to our flat. We had a wonderful time. I really enjoy dinner parties. It's great to meet people in an informal (and free!) setting, where you can relax, eat and have good conversations. I really like Ben's cousin and her boyfriend. They're both intellectual and worldly people, and I always enjoy talking to them. We've gone to their flat a few times for dinner before, so it was nice to have them over to ours for once! They came over around 6.45, and Ben only started cooking around 5! We had a few Chinese dishes. Ben is a great cook, and everyone enjoyed themselves. Recently Ben has been wanting to see his friends because he hasn't been socialising much, so I was surprised that he stayed on the sidelines and cooked and tidied for most of the evening. As an extrovert, I expected that he'd be keen to jump into the conversation, but actually he said he was tired from cooking and just enjoyed having people in the background! I never thought of this before- I enjoy this too, but I thought it was an introverted thing. I always assumed extroverts needed to be in the midst of conversation. Overall, it was a really lovely evening. Dinner parties are the perfect amount of socialising for me, and I really enjoyed it!

Top Tips for Jumpstarting Your Day

It's easy to get stuck in a funk. Here are some top tips for jumpstarting your day:

1) Exercise

Exercising is a great way to get energised and feel better about yourself. It doesn't matter if you don't exercise regularly. There is a Japanese concept called kaizen that can be summed up to focusing on continuous, incremental improvement. Try to do a little bit more, every day, without any pressure on yourself. This can be one push-up or running a mile. Personally, I enjoy yoga, swimming and doing Youtube fitness videos. Here are some website recommendations:

Blogilates: Cassey Ho is a Youtube fitness instructor best known for her upbeat demeanour. Her videos are free to view online. Her audience is mainly women, but anyone can do her fitness videos! They are short, hard and fun. I think of myself as fit, but I still get tired from doing these! She has modified poses for beginners, and does a variety of videos (POP pilates, HIIT, focus on different body parts, etc). When I need a boost of energy, I like to do her videos.

Yogaglo: this website provides unlimited online yoga classes for just $18/month. I can't recommend Yogaglo enough! I have been doing yoga only on Yogaglo for several years, and I love their classes. The teaches on Yogaglo are excellent, and videos can be filtered on time, experience level, yoga style, focus and much more. This is a great resource, especially as yoga classes can be very expensive, and the quality of yoga teachers can vary. If you've been practicing for years or are brand new to yoga, there are videos online that will suit your experience.

2) Do some chores

It's easy to let your chores slip when you're in a funk. You don't vacuum, leave dirty dishes lying around, have laundry piled up...the list goes on. Getting just one of these chores out of the way can make you feel energised. Wash a few dishes and make the bed! You'll feel better knowing you're looking after yourself, even if it's just a small task.

3) Eat a healthy diet

Eating healthier will definitely give you more energy. It's tempting to try to boost your mood but eating unhealthy (but tasty!) food, but ultimately this will lead you into a destructive cycle. Start eating a little bit healthier every day- follow the kaizen method! If you try tor revamp your diet completely, you'll be bound to fail and you'll feel even more demotivated. Try to eat healthier snacks, or make sure you eat breakfast before you leave the house. Once you get into healthy eating habits, your mood and energy will improve.

4) Start your day with something inspiring

When you wake up, do you roll over, grab your phone and start looking through your emails/social media? Do you feel inspired when you do this? The answer is probably no, and it's a shame to start your day so mindlessly. Instead of looking at your phone, pick up a book instead and read a few pages! Find something to do that you enjoy that isn't too much work, and isn't related to your day ahead

5) Get in a routine

It's all well and good to do these things occasionally, but to feel consistently energised, you need to have a healthy, wholesome routine. This doesn't mean planning your day minute by minute. This could be a loose plan of things you enjoy that you would like to fit into your day. For me, I like having time to myself in the morning, and I like exercising and reading.  Although I don't always do it, I like to wake up, exercise and watch TED talks while I eat breakfast. I find this combination really energises and inspires me. Make sure to make time for the activities you enjoy.

Top Tips for Introverts

I identify as an introvert. My default state is to be alone. Still, I really enjoy interacting with people, and when I have energy I am actually quite friendly. Remember- just because you're an introvert doesn't mean you're shy or awkward. It just means you gain energy by being by yourself.

Since I've started working, I've struggled to find the balance between having alone time and being social. Too much alone time, and I feel lonely and crave connection. Too much socialising burns me out. It's been difficult, and in the past I have found myself trapped in cycles of spending too much time alone, which made me feel lonely, trapped and socially anxious. Here are some tips for getting a good balance:

1) Get into a routine

I am a big advocate of building a good routine for yourself. Some people think that routines reduce spontaneity, but I think routines can actually help you become more balanced and creative. Personally, I enjoy waking up early so I have time for myself in the morning. I like to do yoga, eat a leisurely breakfast, have coffee and read before going to work. I also like having lunch by myself, doing exercise in the evening and being in bed by 10. Obviously you can change your routine up- sometimes I see my friends in the evening, sometimes I go to the gym, sometimes I just stay at home! Still, I know the core activities stay the same, and find this extremely grounding. When you are certain you are going to do activities that fulfil you every single day, you have more energy to face potential social situations.

2) Don't feel pressurised to join in

Introverts often feel pressure to appear more extroverted, and worry they will come across as unfriendly if they don't socialise. This is a common issue, and unfortunately I believe there is some truth to this fear. Socialising is necessary sometimes; be it a team lunch, a friend's birthday or a family dinner. To combat this, know what events are important and decline the others. You don't have to go to every single event you're invited to. Ultimately, you're not an extrovert, and too much socialising will tire you out and make you poor company.

Does your team go out for lunch together every Friday? You might want to join in so you can maintain your relationships, but for the rest of the week feel free to eat your lunch alone. Is it your partner's birthday party? Probably best to go- but don't feel pressurised to go to your partner's distant cousin's wedding next weekend. In short, choose your social commitments wisely. As long as you know you'll have time to recharge later, you'll probably enjoy them!

3) Know your energy levels

To further help you choose what events to go to, you need to know what you enjoy and what you don't. For example, I know I hate big crowds and bars. It makes me very uncomfortable to be with lots of people I don't know, and I hate bars because they're noisy and I don't know where to stand. My partner has a large group of friends who like to drink and meet up at bars. I hate it. I know I would feel terribly awkward if I went and I would feel drained. On the other hand, I don't mind going to large dinners. If I know he's going to a bar with his friends, I always say no. If he's going to dinner with his friends, I'll occasionally say yes because I know I'll enjoy myself more.

4) Explain what being an introvert means

Being an introvert is nothing to be ashamed of. People will be more understanding if you explain you need time to yourself. You can graciously say, "I think I'd prefer to eat lunch by myself today. I've had a busy morning and need a lot of down time", and people won't think twice about it! Using the example above, my partner explained to his friends that I don't like socialising in big, noisy crowds and they understood. People react well when you open up to them. There's no reason to feel bad about needing time to recharge, so don't feel nervous about sharing this with others.

How to Ask Good Questions

Sidenote: this was written yesterday, I just didn't get around to posting it in my blog!

How to ask good questions

The only way to get good answers is to ask good questions. Asking good questions is a skill, and can be improved upon with thought and process.

1)      Understand the purpose of your question

This may seem obvious, but it’s surprisingly common! To get a good answer to your question, you first must understand why you are asking it. When you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, it’s easy to lose focus on what you actually need help with. Imagine this scenario:

You’ve been given a task at work with a tight deadline, and you’re confused. You’ve attempted it, but you can’t seem to make any progress. The more you look at it, the more overwhelmed you feel. You go to your boss and tell her you’re having difficulty. When she asks what the problem is, you say “I don’t know! I just don’t understand it? Can you help me?”

This is a prime example of a bad question. It gives no context to your scenario. It’s important to break it down, so the person you are asking can understand it. A better way to phrase this would be:

“I am struggling with the task and I have been feeling overwhelmed. There are two main areas I am having trouble with: the technical content, and my relationship with my colleague. I don’t have prior experience with this IT system, so I am having difficulty understanding how to use it. My colleague has also not been answering her emails or phone calls, and I need information from her. Can you please advise on this?”

If you are struggling to understand what you need help with, you need to take a deep breath and take a break. Think about all the things that are involved in the issue- the content of your work, the timings in which you need to do it, the team, your client, etc- and then judge whether you are happy or unhappy with the way each is going.  

2)      Cut out the niceties- be efficient

People at work are busy. When you ask questions, they should understand immediately what your problem is.  It is a waste of time to add meaningless, flowery language when your ultimate goal is to ask a question. 

You are busy at work and have a deadline to meet. You get a message on Lync from someone in another department:

“Hi Tina, how’s it going?”

Reluctantly, you reply.

“Hi, I’m ok. Pretty busy.”

“Oh OK, I don’t want to take up much of your time! I have a question for you.”

“What’s up?”

“Do you have experience with Excel?”

“Yeah I have some…what do you need?”

“Are you sure you don’t mind helping me? I won’t take up much of your time but I heard you’re good at Excel from Sarah.”

“It’s OK, just let me know what you need help with.”

“Well I’m doing this data analysis project for our department. Anyway, I was looking on Google but I am really bad at Excel so I couldn’t figure it out. It seems really silly, but we’re trying to analyse the average age per group. I have no idea why! Do you know how to do it?”

“Write =AVG in the cell, and then highlight the column of ages you want to be included.”

“Thanks so much!! That’s so simple haha, I couldn’t figure it out. Really appreciate it!! J”

Did you get annoyed reading this? Now, how about you were asked this question instead:

“Hi Tina, do you know how to figure out the average of a set of numbers in Excel?”

“Write =AVG in the cell, and then highlight the column of ages you want to be included.”

“Thanks, appreciate it!”

How much better was the second option than the first? The first option broke all the rules of asking a question:

1)      There were too many niceties and unnecessary questions. People are often nervous about asking questions, and try to be polite by making small talk. STOP THIS. You can be efficient and pleasant. If you have a question, ask the question straight away. There is no need to make small talk or, if you are writing an email, add flowery language like ‘hope you are well and had a really good vacation! You must be really busy so I won’t take up too much of your time. I had a question about…’

2)      Unnecessary apologies. There is no need to apologise for asking a question. I admit I am guilty of this, but no one should apologise for asking a question. Ultimately, everyone is in a work scenario. The purpose of this is to do our work. If we can’t do our work, we need to find some way to figure out how to do it, and this means asking GOOD questions. If your questions are succinct and understandable, then there is no reason why you shouldn’t ask. 

3)      The question was hidden in unnecessary information. Only provide context that is essential to understanding the question. The person you are speaking to you doesn’t need to understand why you are using the data, whether or not you are good at Excel or not, etc. The aim of the question is to understand how to use a function in Excel, so this is the only information that needs to be provided. If they need more information to figure out how to answer your question, they will ask it!

3)      Follow the emotion -> identify -> explanation format

Questions should be succinct and easy to understand. Each step provides essential information to the person you are asking the question to. Using the example above:

Emotion

“I am struggling with the task and I have been feeling overwhelmed.” -> your boss immediately understands you are having an issue with your work, and need her help.

Identify

“There are two main areas I am having trouble with: the technical content, and my relationship with my colleague.” -> your boss understands the overall areas they need to help you with.

Explanation

“I don’t have prior experience with this IT system, so I am having difficulty understanding how to use it. My colleague has also not been answering her emails or phone calls, and I need information from her.” -> your boss understands the specific issues you are having difficulty within this problem.

Conclusion

Overall, your questions should be straightforward and easy to understand. They should be as specific to your problem as possible. No one likes to be confronted with the, ‘I don’t know what to do, I need help with EVERYTHING’ question. It is better to spend 15min asking a good question, than 1min asking a bad question, and having to ask multiple follow-up questions. Perfect the art of asking good questions, and you will get good answers.