Are you getting paid what you deserve

Are you getting paid what you deserveAre you getting paid what you deserveTake these four steps to figure out what youre really worth.We all have those moments in our career when we wonder if were getting paid what we deserve. We might even worry that were being taken advantage of. There are simple steps you can take to find out what people in similar positions are making, but its a bit mora difficult to accurately determine your individual worth.Its never easy to look at your own work with an objective eye, but if you can step back and see yourself as others do, youll never have to wait on supervisors to give the official word about how youre doing. By being proactive and carefully critiquing yourself on a regular basis, youll be better prepared to ask for a raise when you deserve it - and to improve your performance when you dont.Ready to get started? Take these four steps to figure out what youre really worth.1. Know your market.Before you assess your own worth, you need a clear idea of what your peers are making. Use resources like Ladders Job Market Guides, Payscale and Glassdoor to find out what the average salary is in your field and region, and ask friends and close colleagues if theyre comfortable sharing how much they make. The range might be wide, but this gives you a general figure to start with. Are you on the high end or the low? Maybe somewhere in between? Where do you want to be at this point in your career?2. Assess your skill set.Whether youve been working for six months or six years, youve probably (hopefully) developed some skills you didnt have when you started out. Now, how much are those skills really worth? Are they typical of workers in your field, or do they help you stand out from the crowd? Are they truly useful in your career, or are they just something else to put on your resume? Pinpoint those skills that really reflect your proficiency and expertise - theyre the ones that can significantly impact your worth.3. Consider your sta tus.Have you established yourself as an authority in your industry? If you left your current job today, do you think a competitor would exklusivbericht you up right away? If you feel confident that people outside of your own company are aware of your talent or would be impressed by it, that might make you more valuable to your current employer as well.4. Pinpoint your problem areas.What are your weaknesses? Where do you fall short of your peers? Recognize the areas where you need to improve, and try to figure out how significant those areas really are in the big picture. If your skills or experience are lacking in areas where your colleagues are excelling, it could mean youre not as valuable as they are. The solution? Be honest about your shortcomings and do everything you can to improve them.After spending some time pondering these questions, you will hopefully have a better understanding of your own value, allowing you to honestly determine whether or not youre being paid what you re worth. And if youre not? Feel confident knowing that now you have the ammunition to demand what you deserve.

Career Paths Arent Always Straight and Narrow, and thats Okay!

Career Paths Arent Always Straight and Narrow, and thats Okay Career Paths Arent Always Straight and Narrow, and thats Okay 1. While career experimentation follows a mora jack of all trades, master of none philosophical approach, what you wont gain in deep experience in individual feels is replaced by the ability to understand multiple perspectives. Think about it. It can be extremely beneficial to be able to call on past skills from a variety of jobs should the need arise for particular experience. Through experiencing multiple perspectives, you gain the ability to relate to people from a diverse range of backgrounds, helping you build relationships with a wider array of clients and partners.Your assorted experiences also boost your abilities as a manager as you are likely to oversee a set of employees with a host of functions. And while you probably will notlage be an expert in any or all of the areas represented by your team, the basic knowledge youve gained will help you be a m ore effective manager able to more efficiently delegate work to the proper workers.2. A huge benefit to having such a wide range of occupational experience is that you gain the knowledge you need to discard career paths that dont suit you. This decision can often be reached after an internship, without even having to spend substantial time working in the field. This is especially true if you use the time to meet with people spanning the breadth of roles that are represented within the field.3. Regardless of industry or role, you inevitably learn skills that are common and necessary across a range of careers. Such skills include communication, managing people, and building client relationships, just to name a few. As you look for new experiences, pay attention for the signs that a job will help you build such transferable skills.4. Once you build up enough experience, you will begin to recognize general patterns by which organizations operate and be able to begin comparing industries in a way that allows you to start finding your preferences. Once you start pinpointing these preferences you can start noticing those companies and industries that play to them.When youve collected these experiences and decide it is time to settle down to a strict career path, you must then determine which experiences and aspects of your past work are most relevant to the new job you are after. Stick to relying on a few core functions in your resume construction and use them to showcase your skills on paper and in person. While you may find that your skills dont match up perfectly for the job you want, dont focus on your weaknesses and let your diverse experiences speak to your flexibility and adaptability.As you can see, having a non-linear career path is not a bad thing and gives you opportunities to experiment and learn things that you would never have encountered otherwise. Just remember to always bring your past lessons with you on new endeavors and keep learning and growing y our value as a unique and eclectic worker.

How to Select a Professional Letter Font and Font Size

How to Select a Professional Letter Font and Font SizeHow to Select a Professional Letter Font and Font SizeWhats the best font to use for a business letter? When writing formal letters, of course, you want to make sure the content of your letter is clear and easy to understand. However, you should also think carefully about the font and font size. The font is the style of the text you use in your letter or schmelzglas message. Its important to make sure the font you choose for your correspondence, both printed and emailed, is clear and easy to read. Otherwise, your reader might elend take the time to read your letter. This is particularly important when writing job application letters, such as cover letters. If an employer cannot easily read your letter because the font is too small or too difficult to read, they may not bother to look at your resume. Your best bet is to keep your font and font size simple and professional. Make sure your message not your font stands out. What Font to Choose Its important to select a font that is easy to read. You should select a font that is large enough so that the reader doesnt have to squint to read your letter, but not so big that your letter doesnt fit well on a single page. Using a simple font will ensure that your message is clear. Basic fonts like Arial, Cambria, Calibri, Verdana, Courier New, and Times New Roman work well. Avoid novelty fonts like Comic Sans, or fonts in script or handwriting-style. What Font Size to Choose Once you have selected your font style, select a 10- or 12-point font size. The size will depend on how much content you have its best if you can format your letter so it fits on one page. If your letter has a heading (such as a heading with your name and contact information), you might choose to make the heading font slightly larger (14 or 16). However, this is not necessary. Tips on Font Style In addition, avoid writing in all capital letters when you format your letter. Letters an d email messages in all caps make it seem as if you are yelling. Also avoid underlining, bolding, and italicizing behauptung can make text difficult to read. Include White Space Regardless of the font and font size, you select, there should be white space at the top, bottom, and sides of your letter. You also want to leave some white space between each paragraph, after the body of the letter and before your closing, and between the closing and your signature. A squished letter without enough spacing is hard to read. More Tips on Spacing Your Letter Keep your cover letter to one page or less. Email cover letters should be a few paragraphs long and be easy to scan.Align your cover letter to the left.For email cover letters, use your formatted email signature. Try a variety of font types and sizes to see which one allows you to fit your letter on one page, while still leaving some white space. You might also adjust the margins of the page to be slightly bigger or smaller to keep so me white space while making the letter fit on one page. As a general rule, margins should be no wider than 1 and no narrower than .7. Proofread Be sure to thoroughly proofread your letter for grammar and spelling errors. Even if your font and font size are clear and easy to read, errors will make you look unprofessional. If this is a cover letter, an error might even cost you a job offer. More proofreading tips Read your letter out loud. Youll find any typos and might also spot opportunities to improve your word choice and sentence structure.Check and double-check the spelling of all company and personal names.Take a break before you review your final document. You may find errors with fresh eyes that you wouldnt have found right after writing the letter.Ask an eagle-eyed friend to review your letter before you send.For email cover letters, be sure to send yourself a test before emailing the document to a hiring manager. You might uncover spacing oddities and formatting errors t hat you wouldnt have seen without a test. How to Select a Font You may need to try a few font styles and size variations so your letter fits on a single page with enough white space that its not crowded. Below are steps to take when writing a letter and selecting a font size and style Select a font from the list at the top of your document before you start writing your letter, orType your letter.Highlight the content of your letter.Either select the font from the pop-up window or select the font from the list at the top of the document.Select the font size you want to use the same way. Try some different fonts and font sizes until the letter fits onto one page. Again, make sure there is white space in your letter. Consider playing with the spacing and margins as well.Proofread letter. After completing and proofreading your draft, print your letter (even if you are going to upload it online or email it) to make sure that it is formatted, properly spaced, and looks the way you w ant.

Inside the Mind of the Millennial

Inside the Mind of the Millennial Inside the Mind of the Millennial Theres a disconnect between millennials and older generations in todays workforce. Millennials want to do things in ways that Generation X and the baby boomers may not agree with, and that often causes friction. Many companies are so focused on the what of the matter that they may be missing out on the why. Older executives often find it easy to dismiss the millennial generation as lazy or unmotivated, but that simply isnt the case.Millennials grew up in the age of the internet for as long as they can remember, theyve been able to talk to anyone from anywhere at any time. They keep their professional email accounts connected to their personal cellphones, and they perform one-off work tasks at all hours. They want to wear comfortable clothes to work, and they want to work at least some of the time from home.Many millennials got participation trophies in their soccer leagues just for trying their best theyve learned from an early age that rankingsdont matter much.Thats why the geschftszimmer hierarchy means less to them, as does the prospect of climbing the corporate ladder. They want environments where ideas and effort rule more than people do.These ideas that millennials hold about work arent bad theyre just different from the traditional notionsthat boomers are so used to.While the two generations might view the workplace in different ways, learning to reconcilethe two ideologies with one another will bring benefits toany employer that supports the effort.Millennials are starting their careers at a time when digital and cultural shifts have created a blending of work and life, says Sherry Dixon, senior vice president at employment agency Adecco Staffing USA.Nine-to-five schedules are becoming a thing of the past, while smartphones and cloud-based platforms are holding workers accountable for to-do lists, deadlines, and hot requests at all hours of the day. Many millennials are willing to st ay connected and responsive outside of the eight-hour work day, but they may also expect employers to be more lenient when they need to work from home or take an afternoon off at the last minute. As long as young people have established trust, accountability, and consistent communication with their managers, this new dynamic can work in both the employees and employers favor.Meeting of the MindsIf boomers and millennials have limited interaction, theyll never find out how much they can learn from each other. Companies that encourage employees to close the generational gap will reapsome serious rewardsPrograms that foster idea-sharing are often used as a tactic to strengthen workplace culture, but they are also great ways for businesses to absorb technical know-how from millennial workers, Dixon says. Companies can also implement reverse mentoring programs, where executives spend time with less-tenured employees to hear their fresh perspectives.Besides reverse mentoring, businesses c an implement additional programs that encourage employees to teach one another across generational lines.Companies can leverage young workers by conducting quarterly lunch and learns, Dixon says. During these sessions, an office orders in lunch and dedicates the hour to an employee or gruppe who will share best practices or introduce new topics. These not only generate positive morale, but can also tap into millennial expertise.Millennial WanderlustWhen you have top millennial talent on your roster, you want them to hang on to their jobs the way baby boomers did in days of yore. But thats easier said than done. Millennials arent just known for changing jobs they also like to change locations.People are not getting married and settling down as young as they used to, allowing them to pick up and move more easily, Dixon says.Adeccos recentWay to Worksurvey found that 53 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 24 expect to move to 2-3 cities throughout their careers.On top of that , millennials have grown up in the age of startups and many seem to possess a more entrepreneurial spirit, which may be contributing to their desire to experience different career opportunities and new geographies especially in places like Los Angeles and New York that are home to notable fast-growing and forward-thinking companies, Dixon says. Millennials consider the opportunity for growth a top concern at the start of their career journey.In the Way to Work survey, 36 percent of young people said growth was a top priority in their job hunt.It makes sense that millennials would be driven to seek out new work environments in order to keep expanding their skill sets and advancing in their careers, Dixon adds.While that fact may make any effort to get millennials to stay at one company seem futile, the truth is that millennials are interested in staying at companies where they feel engaged and appreciated.No matter the industry, companies must provide transparent and consistent feed back to millennials in order to keep them engaged, Dixon says. They need to know how their particular responsibilities are contributing to the bottom line and that they are adding value to the organization. Any doubt that they are making a difference, and they will look for other options to ensure they are investing their time where it counts. And this doesnt mean that millennials only want positive feedback in their pursuit to advance, they are looking for ways to improve their performance.Most importantly, businesses must remember that they dont have the upper hand in the current job market. In todays economy, candidates and employees can always seek other opportunities.Companies are recruiting in a job seekers market right now, so competitive compensation packages are a must, Dixon explains. But salary isnt the end of the conversation. Once an employer gets millennial talent in the door, a winning workplace culture is necessary in order to get them to stay put. Some non-compensat ion benefits companies are looking at as a way to vamp up culture include off-site team-building days, free snacks in the kitchen, work from home days, and modern meeting rooms with fun furniture, like bean bags.

Engineering that Dazzles and Excites

Engineering that Dazzles and Excites Engineering that Dazzles and Excites Engineering that Dazzles and Excitesby John Varrasi, ASME Public InformationBob Sims (left), Immediate Past President of ASME, presents the ASME Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark to Chuck Hull (right), Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of 3D Systems, in front of the SLA-1 at the ASME Historic Landmark Ceremony at 3D Systems headquarters in Rock Hill, SC. When Katie Correll was ten, she attended a performance of The Lion King on Broadway and sat with wide-eyed fascination as stage floors shifted, props dropped down from the ceiling, and varying colors of light pulsed to words and music in perfect synchrony.That trip to Broadway would turn out to be a defining experience for Correll, instilling in the girl an interest in theatrical technology and setting in motion an engineering career entwurfing stage sets for entertainment venues. In March, Correll began a job as associate engineer at Universal Stu dios Florida.I had been a performer for most of my life, but seeing how much influence machinery and technology had on a performance showed me a different path I could take in entertainment, said Correll, an ASME member who is active in the Students Career Development sector. This path was much more intriguing to me.Puppet MakerBreaking into the field, Correll realized, would require determination, hard work, and focus. Following her freshman year at The Cooper Union, the mechanical engineering student landed an internship in New York Citys theatre district. Among her initial projects, Correll created puppets for The Addams Family, which in 2010 was enjoying a successful groe nachfrage on Broadway. Over the next few years, Correll sought out other local internship opportunities in the field of puppet making, and was soon broadening her scope and experience to motion pictures and television production. She even designed puppets for Sesame Street. The work I did with puppets was inva luable, said Correll. I had the hands-on experience in designing mechanisms that would provide the kind of movement that was required for performance.In 2012, Correll enrolled in a masters program at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pa. There she focused on robotics and, at the conclusion of her degree program, created a stage production in which a robot and human performed together in a theatrical setting. The performance leveraged the work of robotics students with students in the performing arts program to create a system of puppeteering the robots gestures to be directed similarly to a human actor.While working on her masters degree, Correll found other jobs and internships, advancing her engineering knowledge and broadening her experience into the realm of high-tech machine learning systems. In her final semester at Carnegie Mellon, Correll joined Disney Research as an intern, performing research on robotic continuum manipulation.From Puppets to Hard RockAfter earning her masters in May 2014, Correll was hired at Disney World to work in the New Technology Group. Since then, she has held a number of jobs in industries ranging from concert set design to television and theatrical stages. Corrells resume includes stages for Madonna, Taylor Swift, AC/DC, Disneyland Paris, and Cirque du Soleil.One thing I find thrilling about entertainment engineering is every project is unique, said Correll. No project is like any other, so we are continually innovating and problem solving.Correll also enjoys the lack of routine and also the fast pace of her work. Typically, she will work for no longer than three months on a stage design, before moving on to a new project. Indeed, working in entertainment does come with a fair amount of fame and visibility, which Correll finds especially rewarding. I really enjoy seeing the positive public reaction to my creative designs in social media, she said.Correll respects her career choice and is happy to have embarked on a un ique and nontraditional engineering career pathway.All through high school and college, teachers and professors talked about careers in fields such as aerospace, HVAC and automotive engineering, with zero mention of my interests, she explained. I knew that what I really wanted to do was to work in entertainment technology, but found that there was no prescribed route.For Correll, success came through hard work, good fortune, and single-minded pursuit of a passion. Her story is a lesson in efficient career preparation. In addition to the internships during college, Correll networked extensively, sending out dozens of queries to people she met and visiting set designers at work on a project. Seeking to expand her knowledge and skill set, she interspersed her regular studies with classes in art and architecture, and enrolled in summer school at various institutions to keep current in set design. I wanted to learn everything I could about my field, while trying to devise my own curricul um to prepare me for my future career, said Correll. Universal Studios will be the ideal playground for Correll. The world-famous entertainment theme park destination that each day brings fantasy to life through multidimensional thrill rides, interactive video, and stylized stage props will provide the engineer with the platform to hone her craft. In the months and years ahead, Correll may very well design sets that make children stare in wide-eyed amazement, like she did as a ten-year-old at The Lion King.

The Sample Resume Download Game

The Sample Resume Download Game Show employers that youre current and create an excellent first impression by selecting the correct vorlage. Your contact information is essentially the very first thing your prospective employer will see because its in the topmost portion of your resume. Your application should stick out so as to find attention. Possessing a thorough contact information listing may give your prospective employer more options about how to get hold of you. Our Student Resume Template can help you land the best internships and positions that are available to you. Templates may be used for making CV, resume to be able to apply for jobs. Most of our Resume Templates can be found in various color schemes to offer you better editing opportunities. If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Sample Resume Download The seminars and training programs which youve attended can also be added to your resume especially if theyre regarding the work functions of th e work position that youre applying for. Experience and familiarity with the tasks is likewise an important element that employers look into before choosing to employ someone. By clearly displaying your military experience and explaining your special responsibilities, youll have the ability to find the attention from employers you have earned. If youre attempting to acquire work in accounting or finance you require averystrong resume. Getting the most of a resource that wont only help save you time, but is shown to elevate your opportunity of scoring a work simply is logical. You need to be very detailed about your experience in order to trigger more questions for you and boost your odds of getting hired. Take time to consider before you start. Then it may be time to bring some style to your resume Google Docs exports documents in a number of formats, making it simple to submit the suitable file type to a hiring manager. The upcoming free resume template is devised in the shape of a brochure. You are able to download the resume template free of charge and can readily edit the template using Microsoft word. Many formats available A big benefit of our CV layouts is that theyre supported by all well-known formats. Creating a Google account is completely free and takes just a couple of seconds. Highlight the text youd love to use the formatting to. A number of the templates are in PDF format and a number of them are in Word format. If youre not acquainted with using Google Docs, the formatting features are easy to use. The community edition of UiPath is free of charge and everyone can download and utilize it. Google will automatically index your resume to get included in its search outcome, allowing potential employers to locate your information. Below, you will discover a list of resume examples that could aid you with your work search. If youre thinking about how to create a resume, youre in the proper place What to Expect From Sample Resu me Download? One of the absolute most important tools youve got in your advertising toolbox is your resume. Education and skills qualifies an applicant for additional processing but doesnt necessarily mean immediate success. Developing your resume is vital. Creating a resume with the assistance of a template can help you become mindful of the resume areas that you must fill. Have a look at our sample to find out what a good construction resume looks like. Click our sample to learn to compose the ideal transportation resume. The style of resume you will use greatly is dependent on your professional work background and qualifications. Its free for private and industrial use. What is Really Happening with Sample Resume Download The horizontal lines that are readily added via Word are a superb way to make structure. The vital word with regard to the image you would like to create is professional. Employing a resume template has turned into an acceptable and smart practice for quite a few factors. You simply have to click the print option, and you are prepared to fill your form or CV. If youd prefer a different search for your resume, take a look at our large library of other beautiful templates. Theres no specific length for a resume, and theres no standard to it. Employing a resume template is quite useful in making your professional profile. All prior versions, for instance, present edition, will continue to be available.

NES Global Talent Report Highlights Challenges Women Face in Global Oil and Gas Industry

NES Global Talent Report Highlights Challenges Women Face in Global Oil and Gas Industry NES Global Talent recently released a new report detailing the key issues and challenges women face in the in aller herren lnder oil and gas industry and highlighting possible solutions to tackle the gender gap. The report, Attracting and Retaining Women in Oil and Gas Engineering A Survey Examining the Gender Talent Gap, explains the various routes women are taking to find careers in oil and gas, underscoring the opportunities the sector has to cross-train from ancillary industries as well as non-traditional disciplines. For example, 44 percent of respondents reported to working in different industriessuch as building and construction, law and retailbefore moving into oil and gas.Key findings include75 percent of women feel welcome working in the oil and gas industry yet almost half (45%) believe they do no t get the same recognition as their male colleagues.95 percent believe mentors are important for career advancement in the oil and gas industry yet 42 percent said they were neither a mentor nor a menteeMore than four fifths (82%) of respondents plan to stay in the oil and gas industry for the next 2 5 yearsThe report also shows that in order to attract and retain female workers, the industry needs to highlight the benefits of studying STEM subjects in schools and universities.The encouraging news is that the vast majority of female employees feel welcome in the sector and say they would recommend a career in oil and gas engineering to others, Neil Tregarthen, CEO at NES Global Talent, said. However, 45% say they do not get the same recognition as men. There may be issues of perception and reality here, but undoubtedly the topic needs to be better managed, if the sector is to become more attractive to women. Many respondents said they are paid less, have fewer opportunities than th eir male counterparts and have to work harder than men to prove themselves and again there are clear improvements to be made, if the oil and gas sector is to attract larger numbers of female engineers in the future.Access the complete report here.

Ace Your Next Performance Review With These Top Tips

Ace Your Next Performance Review With These Top TipsAce Your Next Performance Review With These Top TipsGo into your next wertmiger zuwachs evaluation prepared to wow.Performance evaluations can be a nerve-racking experience, especially if youre unsure how you fared over the past year. However, when done right, your review can be a valuable tool for receiving constructive feedback and taking your career to the next level.As a career-driven professional, its up to you to make the most of this evaluation. Here are some tips to help youoptimize your review and get you on the right foot.Familiarize yourself with the process.Check with your boss or human resources to find out if anythings changed about the process since last year. If youre new to the company, look on Glassdoor and speak to your HR department and colleagues to learn how the company conducts their evaluations and what is expected of you.Perform a self-assessment.Set aside time to honestly evaluate your performance for the p ast year. Which goals did you meet, exceed or fall a little short on? Even the top performers have room for improvement. What areas would you like to improve in the coming year?Document your achievements.Where have you excelled? What challenges have you overcome? Have you taken on more responsibility, bigger projects or more valuable clients for the organization? Pull out your brag sheet and review your list of contributions and accomplishments for the past year. If you havent updated this document in a while, nows the time to do so.Review last years evaluation.Whats changed since the last time you were evaluated? Has your job, level of responsibility or boss changed? Did you focus on building or improving a particular skill over the course of the year? Read through your previous evaluation and pay special attention to the comments left by your manager. How has this feedback influenced your work over the past year?Consider your career objectives.Where would you like to go next in yo ur career? Which skills do you need to build or experience do you need to gain in reservierung to achieve those goals? How does your current position tie into these long-term plans? Use this information to guide the conversation around your professional development objectives for the next year.Set goals for the discussion. What are you looking to get out of this conversation? If youre uncertain how you stack up against your peers, this is your opportunity to ask for direct feedback. If your focus has been on improving a particular skill, find out if your hard work is paying off.Initiate topics. Dont expect your manager to do all the work. Bring a list of questions or topics youd like to cover during the course of your review. Bring your brag sheet to the review and be prepared to discuss how youve provided value to the organization throughout the year.If youre planning to ask for a raise, first check with human resources to find out when the company typically reviews employees compe nsation packages. Some organizations designate a separate time of year for salary reviews because they dont want it to affect how employees and managers rate each other or impede an open conversation about the employees performance. Prepare to hear some hard truths. Enter this discussion with an open mind. Remember, constructive feedback is one of the greatest gifts your manager can ever provide if youre willing to listen. You cant improve your performance if you dont know where youre currently falling short. Work with your manager to identify your performance goals and build a development plan.Follow up. Dont leave the meeting until you and your manager have discussed some actionable next steps. If youre assigned any follow-up items, make sure you complete them in a timely manner.

This is the best morning ritual 3 secrets from research

This is the best morning bung 3 secrets from researchThis is the best morning ritual 3 secrets from researchA morning ritual suresoundsnice (if it didnt, you wouldnt be reading this) but whats the point of one? Whats it even supposed to accomplish?No, you dont have to eat kale or mechanistically begin planning your day according to some odd formula. Youre human. The first thing you need to do is get your head on straight. Get your feelings sorted. Your mood.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraResearch shows yourmood in the morningaffects your productivity all dayResearchers found that employees moods when they clocked intended to affect how they felt the rest of the day. Early mood was linked to their perceptions of customers and to how they reacted to customers moods.And most important to managers, employee mood had a clear impact on wertmiger zuwachs, including both how much work employees did and how well they did it.Seriously, your mood is numero uno. Think you can ignore your feelings or fight them? Think again, Spock.FromThe Antidote Happiness for People Who Cant Stand Positive Thinkingwhen experimental subjects are told of an unhappy event, but then instructed to tryleidto feel sad about it, they end up feeling worse than people who are informed of the event, but given no instructions about how to feel. In another study, when patients who were suffering from panic disorders listened to relaxation tapes, their hearts beat faster than patients who listened to audiobooks with no explicitly relaxing content. Bereaved people who make the most effort to avoid feeling grief, research suggests, take the longest to recover from their loss.In fact, one of the biggest reasons you procrastinate is because of negative feelings.FromTemptation Finding Self-Control in an Age of Excessfar and away the most procrastination occurred among the bad-mood students who believe d their mood could be changed and who had access to fun distractions. This group spent nearly 14 of their 15 minutes of prep time goofing offSo what does a morning ritual need to contain to put you in the right frame of mind to be productive? And happy? (Yeah, happy is important. This is a morning ritual, not a mourning ritual.) Just remember PCOPurposeControlOptimismWhy these three? What do they do? How do you turn these three nouns into a Tyrannosaur of a morning ritual that will make the Earth tremble at your approach?Im so glad you asked1) Feel A Sense Of PurposeYou know whats great first thing in the morning? To feelyoure on a mission. You have a destiny. Your life has meaning. Youre beginning an epic quest, Frodo.And as motivation master and bestselling author, Dan Pinkexplains, feeling a sense of purpose is one of the most motivating things in the known universe. HeresDanPurpose is, Am I doing something in tafelgeschirr of a cause larger than myself, or, at the very least, am I making a contribution in my own world?And feeling your life has purpose and meaningnot only makes you feel alive, it alsokeepsyou alive.Researchers at Tohoku University in Japan did a 7 year study of over 43,000 adults age 40 to 79 asking if they had ikigai (a Japanese term for meaning in life) and then tracked their health. People with ikigai were much mora likely to be alive 7 years later.ViaPursuing the Good Life 100 Reflections on Positive PsychologyEven when likely confounds were taken into account, ikigai predicted who was still alive after 7 years. Said anotherway, 95% of respondents who reported a sense of meaning in their lives were alive 7 years after the initial survey versus about 83% of those who reported no sense of meaning in their lives.Feeling motivated and living longer isnt enough for you? Seriously? Okay,how about this? Itllmake you sexyStudy 2 also found an interaction between physical attractiveness and meaning in life, with more meaning in life contributing to greater interpersonal appeal for those of low and average physical attractiveness.So how do you find purpose withoutgetting a new job working for a charity?Duke professor Dan Ariely suggests reframing your experience. You might not be able to changewhatyou have to do but you can changehowyou see it. And when you look at it through the lens of how it can help others, youll often find more motivation.FromPayoff The Hidden Logic That Shapes Our Motivationsif we are feeling bored and unmotivated, we can ask ourselves How is the work Im doing helping someone down the road? What meaning can I find here? With this type of mind-set, chances are that we will be able to find a positive answer.The work wontchange. Yourperspectivecan.Youre not filling out boring paperwork. Youre helping people get insurance that could save their lives. Focus on how you already help others.(To learn more tips on living an awesome life, check out my bookhere.)Okay, youre filled with purpose. But its the thoug ht that counts only applies to gifts. How do you get yourself in the mood to do something about it?2) Feel In ControlFeeling out of control gets celebrated in pop songs but doesnt fare as well in performance reviews or happiness research. (College is over. Sorry.) You want to be happy? Feeling in control is key.FromThe Simple Secrets for Becoming Healthy, Wealthy, and WisePeople with a sense of control in their lives, in both career and relationship, were 66 percent more likely to report feeling happy and satisfied. (Chou and Chi 2001)It has this otherwonderful side effectI like to call not dyingLimited perceived control over life circumstances is associated with an increased risk of CVD mortality, independently of classical cardiovascular risk factors, and particularly among those at apparently low risk.It helps you get stuff accomplished too.FromThe Simple Secrets for Becoming Healthy, Wealthy, and WiseResearch comparing students of similar ability found that the feature that dist inguishes those who maintain a strong work ethic in their studies from those who give up is a sense of control. Those who expressed a sense of control received significantly higher grades than those who do not. (Mendoza 1999)Okay, you get it. Feeling in control in the morning beats eating your Wheaties. But how do you do it?Set goals for the day ahead. Havingconcretegoals was correlated with huge increases in confidence and feelings of control.FromThe 100 Simple Secrets of Successful PeoplePeople who construct their goals in concrete terms are 50 percent more likely to feel confident they will attain their goals and 32 percent more likely to feel in control of their lives. Howatt 1999And this isnt some random connection its working at the neuroscience level. Your brain chills out when you make decisions and set goals. Start the day calm, not crazed.FromThe Upward SpiralMaking decisions includes creating intentions and setting goals - all three are part of the same neural circuitry and engage the prefrontal cortex in a positive way, reducing worry and anxiety. Making decisions also helps overcome striatum activity, which usually pulls you toward negative impulses and routines. Finally, making decisions changes your perception of the world - finding solutions to your problems and calming the limbic system.(To learn the four rituals neuroscience says will make you happy, clickhere.)Alright, youve set your goals and you feel in control. But its still early and youre gonna need more than a feeling of calm. You need some energy. Wheres that going to come from?3) Feel OptimisticResearchers tested soldiers on endurance. Turns out it had a lot more to do with their head than their legs. The researchers put it like thisBoth hope and despair are self-fulfilling prophecies.FromMaximum Brainpower Challenging the Brain for Health and Wisdomthe brain does not want the body to expend its resources unless we have a reasonable chance of success. Our physical strength is not accessible to us if the brain does not believe in the outcome, because the worst possible thing for humans to do is to expend all of our resources and fail. If we do not believe we can make it, we will not get the resources we need to make it. The moment we believe, the gates are opened, and a flood of energy is unleashed. Both hope and despair are self-fulfilling prophecies.Scientific research has come up with a very longlist of benefits to being optimistic. Here are just a fewOptimism is associated withbetterhealthand longerlife.Research has shownthat practicing optimism and gratitudecauses (not just correlates with) an increase in happiness.The army teaches soldiers to be optimistic becauseit makes them tougher and more persistent.Being socially optimistic - expecting people to like you - makes people like you more.Expecting a positive outcome from negotiations made groupsmore likely to come to a deal and to be happy with it.Optimists are luckier.Research showsby thinking positi vely they persevere and create more opportunities for themselves.Soyou might think you should take a few minutes in the morning to look in the bathroom mirror and say positive things to yourself. Too bad that doesnt work at all.FromLearned OptimismPessimists can, in fact, learn to be optimists, and not through mindless devices like whistling a happy tune or mouthing platitudes (Every day, in every way, Im getting better and better), but by learning a new set of cognitive skills We have found that merely repeating positive statements to yourself does not raise mood or achievement very much, if at all.So what does? Mental contrastingand implementation intentions.In English think about your goal, consider the obstacles, and then figure out how you might be able to overcome them. Youre more hopefuland persistentwhen youve considered the problems ahead and made a plan.ViaUngifted Intelligence RedefinedA recent study by Duckworth, Heidi Grant Halvorson, Benjamin Loew, Oettingen, and Gollw itzer asked a group of high school students preparing for the high-stakes, standardized Preliminary SAT (PSAT) to complete athirty-minute written intervention that involved mental contrasting (vividly imagining the goal and writing down possible obstacles) with implementation intentions (coming up with two if-then contingency plans if an obstacle presents itself). They found that students undergoing the intervention completed more than 60 percent more practice questions on the PSAT compared to a placebo control group who were instead asked to write about an influential person or event in their life.(To learn the 4 scientific secretsthat will make you lucky, clickhere.)So you know how to PCO your way to a great morning. Lets round up what weve learned and discovera simple ritual todo with someone you lovethat provides big, big benefits in the morningSum UpHeres the best morning ritualFeel A Sense Of Purpose Ask, How does what I do benefit others? (Selfish people are doomed to lousy m ornings.)Feel In ControlSet goals for the day. (Your brain will thank you.)Feel OptimisticConsider the obstacles to your goals and plan ahead. (I am optimistic that one day I will find a funny joke to put in these parentheses.)So whats awonderfulritual with big benefits that you can do with someone special? Well, you may already be doing itA hug and a kiss.Hardly groundbreaking, I know, but you may be skipping this vital ritual and that isan affront to science. And to your happiness.Hugs are powerful. Sometimes they tell someone you love them even when youre not ready to say the words. And they have impressive effects on stress - for both hugger and huggee.FromThe Simple Secrets for Becoming Healthy, Wealthy, and WiseA brief hug with a loved one reduced the effects of stress on blood pressure and heart rate by half. (University of North Carolina 2003)And a morning kiss goodbye canextend your life and boost your salary by 30%. (Clickhereto learn how to be a better kisser.)ViaThe Sci ence of Kissing What Our Lips Are Telling UsA ten-year psychology study undertaken in Germany during the 1980s found thatmen who kissed their wives before leaving for work lived, on average, five years longer, earning 20 to 30 percent more than peers who left without a peck good-bye. The researchers also reported that not kissing ones wife before leaving in the morning increased the possibility of a car accident by 50 percent.Psychologists do not believe its the kiss itself that accounts for the difference but rather that kissers were likely to begin the day with a positive attitude, leading to a healthier lifestyle.So some PCO in the morning can lead you to a happy, productive day.Or just give somebody a big hug and a kiss. It always makes me optimistic about the future. And love is a pretty good purpose in life. That said, too much hugging and kissingcan getout of controlBut thats a good thing.Join over 290,000 readers.Get a free weekly update via emailhere.This article first appe ared on Bakadesuyo.com.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

How to Have More Confidence in Yourself - The Muse

How to Have More Confidence in Yourself - The MuseHow to Have More Confidence in Yourself So, what exactly do you do? a new acquaintance asked me while I sipped cheap chardonnay at yet anotzu sich one of my husbands work functions.I took a deep breath and braced myself to spit out the canned response Id repeated so many times before. I work for myself as a freelance writer, I replied, pausing to take a look at the confused face Id become so used to seeing in response to my answer- a face that conveys the messages, Oh, so you dont really work and Hey, whats daytime TV like these days? simultaneously in one simple, judgmental look. Oh, so youre, like, writing a book? she pressed, obviously hoping to get extra clarification on how I managed to score a career as a professional lazy person at such a young age. No, not at all, I responded, subtly scanning the room for how I could manage to snag another glass of free wine without looking rude, The majority of my work is writing career advic e to help people find jobs they love and then succeed at them. She paused, bit her lip, and then looked at me as if I had just spoken Gibberish. Well, how do you know enough to write that? she asked, How can you offer career advice when you dont have a real job? Immediately, I was irked by her question. But, not for the reason you might be thinking. I wasnt irritated because she had flat out insulted me and my career choices. I wasnt even all that mad about the fact that she was keeping me from that buffet table of lukewarm chicken skewers and mora wine (alright, that was a little agitating).No, instead, I found myself most annoyed by the fact that she had just put into words all of those nagging thoughts that had been keeping me awake at night How am I qualified to do what I do? How did I go from reading other peoples advice to writing it? What if everything Im telling people is wrong?Call it imposter syndrome, call it a lack of confidence, or call it fishing for compliments. Slap whatever label you want on it, but Ill just put it all out there I dont always know how I got here. True story I almost choked on my afternoon Diet Coke the first time an article cited me as a career expert.But, that doesnt change the fact that people really do listen and value my suggestions and opinions. Even more, people seem to respect them. Scratch that, not seems, but do. And I know this because I receive numerous emails from readers who ask me for further advice about a specific topic I wrote about because my words connected with them in a way they hadnt experienced before. That during a long job search or a stressful day at work, what I said to someone helped him or her feel better and ready to tackle the next challenge. And thats my job in a nutshell- making people feel more confident about their career choices and chosen paths. While you may not be a writer like me, Im guessing youve still experienced similar feelings of inadequacy at times. Perhaps you recently moved into a management role. Or, maybe your department has experienced a great deal of turnover, and youre now the most senior person there- despite still feeling like a total newbie. That feeling of self-doubt can be universal. Lets face it- making the transition from being the one asking the questions to the one answering them can be strange, and its usually enough to inspire a hefty amount of self-deprecating thoughts. But, Im here to remind you (and, admittedly, myself) that- despite what that critical voice in your brain has to say- youre good at what you do. And, that means youre more than qualified to share your knowledge and your expertise.Think about it this way If people are flocking to you to get your thoughts, insights, and opinions, theres likely a pretty solid reason behind that- you obviously look like you know what youre doing. Either that, or youre one heck of a convincing actor. Believe me, I get it- theres a little sense of arrogance that comes along with declaring, Hey, I m great at what I do And, I know that it can feel totally unnatural to think of yourself as an expert or a thought leader in your chosen field.However, in those moments when you feel like a no-good, no-talent hack who should be receiving instructions- rather than giving them- remember that youre smart, youre resourceful, and you deserve to be respected and commended for the things you know and have accomplished. You dont need to know it all in order to know something.Yes, Ill likely always feel tempted to be the first to scoff or roll my eyes whenever Im referred to as a career expert. But, Im going to make my best effort to stop shying away from that acknowledgement and instead own that respect and recognition. And, I hope youll join me in feeling good about the fact that- while youre by no means perfect- that doesnt mean you cant be admired.Photo of person at work courtesy of Hero Images/Getty Images.