7 Signs Your Work-Life Balance is Broken

7 Signs Your Work-Life Balance is Broken7 Signs Your Work-Life Balance is BrokenThis is the problem. The topic of having a work-life balance is not new to the United States, yet some cannot strike that perfect balance between work and life.Work-life balance has been broken in the USA for over 200 years, As this CNBC article showed in 2017, way back in 1817 a Welsh manufacturer and labor rights activist Robert Owens coined the phrase, Eight hours labor, eight hours recreation, eight hours rest.By 1890, when the US Government started tracking work hours, it was discovered full-time workers in manufacturing were pulling 100-hour work weeks. Now over 100 years later, and after a 20th century of reformed work conditions and labor union growth, todays world of changing technology is increasing the demand for productivity.Once again, work-life balance is very important. Americans are working an average of 50 hours a week. Employees intech and finance average 60 hours. Doctors are discoverin g the damaging effects of stress on the menschenwrdig body while 1 in 3 Americans complain their work-life balance is broken.Learn to see the signs that your work-life balance is broken.1. You can no longer play hard after workChronic health issues are causing you to live life like a hermit outside of work. Even when you try to stay fit, eat right, and exercise, for some reason your body is quitting on you. This is a sign your body is feeling overworked and it is affecting your life.2. You can never get enough sleepYou get 8-hours a night of sleep and it never seems to matter. The weekend rolls around and you want to sleep more. Sometimes, you may even fall asleep in your chair at work. This is a sign your brain is burning out and overloaded.3. You have 0% patience for everythingAs work-life balance slips away, your abilities to lose your temper and hold grudges increases. Before you know it, everyone and everything that gets in the way of your job turns into a personal grudge. Your work-life balance has slipped away and you are in danger of becoming toxic to your own workplace.4. All of your relationships are disappearingYou know more about your co-workers than you do about the recent events in your familys lives. Your friends and family complain they never see you and it seems your weekends are spent just trying to recover from the work week. And your spouse starts complaining he/she never sees you. You have all the signs you need to make a work-life balance change.5. You use your phone in bed at nightYou have endless connectivity to work because of your iPhone or Smartphone. People who work after-hours are asking questions. If you are in bed and think you should start working, your work-life balance is in trouble. You cannot platzdeckchen the boundary between work and life, but you need sleep.6. Your priorities are out of whackWhen you have no understanding of how to prioritize work, physical and mental health, family, and finance, it is time to stop what y ou are doing and think. Ironically, as much as Apples Steve Jobs influenced that tech community working 60+ hours a week, many ignore his final words of regret for living a life in the pursuit of wealthWhat is the most expensive bed in the world? Sickbed You can employ someone to drive the car for you, make money for you but you cannot have someone to bear the sickness for you. Material things lost can be found. But there is one thing that can never be found when it is lost - Life. - Steve Jobs7. You are an uncompromising perfectionistWe all want to feel successful. However, when you find you can no longer stand for an opinion from another, or your failures make you so depressed and filled with anxiety that you cannot function, your work-life balance has taken its toll.Getting control of your work-life balance is necessary. You may want to consider working in a less stressful industry. You may be very good at what you do, but your endless drive for perfection may cause you to lose all the things you worked to achieve due to the destructive behaviors caused by a broken work-life balance.

10 ways to face a mental creativity block right now

10 ways to face a mental creativity lager right now10 ways to face a mental creativity block right nowAt some point, you hit a creative mental block that leaves you caught in a cycle of frustration and desperation that simply compounds the problem. Mental blocks are typically the result of stress or a loss of focus. Luckily, there are many ways that you can face a mental block head on and enhance your creative thinking process.1. Get it down on paperJournaling, specifically a process known asfreewriting, uses the act of writing to encourage you to clear your mind of clutter and allowing you to focus. Freewriting is simply writing whatever comes to mind down on paper whether it relates to your creative pursuits or not. Then, you can go back and sift through your writing to pull out the parts that are relevant or inspirational.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraIf writing isnt your t hing, a sketchbook can provide you with a similar experience. Sketch out your ideas, try new color combinations or techniques without constraint. You can also use your sketchbook as a source of inspiration if a mental block occurs again.2. Go back to natureNature has long been a source of inspiration for creative thinkers, but beyond this,nature can help you break through creative mentalblocks by removing the distractions of everyday life and allowing your mind to wander and make associations you may not have considered. Studies suggest that even 30 minutes spent outside can have a significant effect on your mood and thinking patterns. Nature also offers the best color palette to help calm a noisy mind.If you cant get outside, bring nature into your creative space. Plants, crystals and gemstones in soothing natural tones can create a calming atmosphere and reduce stress. They also offer plenty of other health benefits such as purifying the air.3. Move moreThere is a reason they say that a healthy mind lives in a healthy body. Exercise forces you to make a strong mind-body connection which allows you to become present and mindful. Both are important factors in boosting creativity. Exercise also causes your body to release the hormones serotonin and dopamine which elicit feelings of euphoria and well-being and reduce fear and stress.Make exercise a regular part of your daily routine. Do exercises you enjoy and are comfortable doing, whether that is a morning yoga session, laps at the pool or lifting weights.4. Try something newScience suggests that creativity occurs when the brain makes connections between unrelated concepts. One way to break through a creative mental block is to increase your neural pathwaysand one of the best ways to do this is to learn something new.Try learning something unrelated to your field. The more repetitive the task, the faster your brain will make new connections.Jewelry-makingis a great way to combine creativity with focused attent ion or you can boost the creative side of your brain by learning a new language.5. Tune inMusic has the power to affect how we think and feel, and businesses are increasingly using music to improve productivity and creativity. However, not all music will do the trick.Different musical styles and sounds promote activity in different areas of the brain. Music with specific soothing notes can boost serotonin levels in the brain and relieve depression, while other tones can improve alertness.Hemi sync musicis said to boost brain waves which have been associated withdecreased stress and increased creativity.6. Tune OutMindful meditation has become common practice in business as a way to eliminate stress, but it also has a significant impact on your creativity. The key to meditation is to tune out the background noise that can clutter your thinking and enhance the important factors that contribute to creative thoughtlateral thinking, focus and resilience.Studies suggest that even 10 minu tes of mindful meditation can help eliminate a creative block. But, if you think that you cant set aside time for meditation, one of the best places to practice mindful meditation is in the shower.Shower meditationtakes only 5 minutes out of your busy morning and can prepare you for a productive day of creative thinking.7. Get boredIt may sound counterintuitive however, sometimes doing the least creative tasks can stimulate the most creative thinking. If you are suffering a mental block, take a break to perform some menial tasks around the house or office.Do the dishes, vacuum the floor or organize your inbox. Any task that does not require too much thought will leave your mind free to look at your creative problems from a new perspective, and the feeling of accomplishing these small tasks can give you the momentum you need to get over this creative hurdle.8. Change your environmentThe jury is still out on whether clutter helps or hinders your creative process. Some studies suggest that a messy desk can stimulate creative thinking, while other studies concluded that a clutter-free environment is better for boosting focus. It has even been shown that certain stones,like Amethyst, help produce mental clarity. Whatever the state of your environment, changing, organizing or tidying your creative space can have a positive impact on your creativity.Try changing the position of items on your desk or removing them altogether. Take your work to a different location such as a coffee shop or a local park. Simply changing your environment can give you a changed mindset and may give you a different perspective on your creative problem.9. Take a tech detoxTechnology is a huge part of our lives, but more studies are suggesting that excessive exposure to technology can overstimulate our brains and increase our stress levels. Give your brain some downtime by taking a tech detox.Unplug your TV and computer, leave your phone in another room and find a space where you can think w ithout distractions. Regular tech detoxes can improve mental processing and improve your concentration to enhance your creativity. It can also help you sleep better which, in turn, can help you to regulate the stress hormones in your body.10. Talk it overA problem shared is a problem halved. Simply talking about your creative block with another like-minded person can help you to feel less pressure and consequently less stress.Talking can also stimulate new ideas and give you a fresh perspective on your creative problem. If your creative block is affecting your work, consider working collaboratively with another colleague to help share the physical and mental load.Final thoughtsDont let a creative mental block stand in the way of you producing amazing ideas. Try some of these simple methods to clear away the clutter in your mind and get those creative juices flowing.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

4 Ways You Can Stand Out in the Job Market That AI Cant

4 Ways You Can Stand Out in the Job Market That AI Cant4 Ways You Can Stand Out in the Job Market That AI CantTheres so much uncertainty about how artificial intelligence (AI) will affect the way people find work and advance in their careers. Humanity Works Merging Technologies and People for the Workforce of the Future, the latest book by Alexandra Levit, focuses on the traits of humans, elend on technology. Lets look at a few ways professionals can stand out from AI to remain competitive and valuable in the workplace.Here are some of Levits suggestions on competing with small machines1. Rely on emotional intelligence.Levit said professionals must develop the skills they need to compete with small machines namely empathy, intuition, judgment, and interpersonal sensitivity. Machines arent programmed for emotional intelligence. Only humans can employ these attributes without relying on anyone to process it.Despite the positive business side of automation, the human role is not disappe aring. After all, it took humans to build and program the software and the machine. Develop these necessary skills to show your value.2. Be vigilant of how technology is changing your career industrys landscape.We experience how shortcuts and ease are the catalyst for change every day. Perhaps not for every change, but the indicating factors seem to equal saving money and time. Through awareness, you can remain competitive and align with the trends.Levit says, Professionals can prepare by reading the writing on the wall and noting the aspects of their jobs most likely to be automated, and get ahead of it by reskilling into areas where human expertise and traits are still required. They will be more successful in the contract workforce if they practice taking on new types of assignments in their current organizations, especially cross-functional ones, and work diligently on their personal brand and marketing.3. Present this one skill to stand out.While skills are a dime a dozen in so me industries, Levit says integrity is the one skill professionals can set themselves apart from their competition integrity is one of the most critical traits a job seeker at any level can display. I think this is only going to become more important as candidates have more access to technology and systems that may be able to more easily misrepresent qualifications and abilities.4. Be open to the extinction of one full-time job.The idea of having one full-time job to meet all of your financial and career advancement is slowly dissipating, although it still exists. Levit says, Full-time work wont be a thing of the past anytime soon, but it will become less common and more professionals will be thrust into the contract workforce whether they like it or not. I think a majority of contract workers WILL work 2+ gigs at once. This will be essential to earn a living. And yes, many will find it difficult to balance new business development with existing work and other obligations.The idea o f todays professional being a business of one has come to life. The constant marketing, contracting, and negotiating of yourself no longer refers to storefront businesses. This is the 2019 and beyond careerist- the professional who will need to strategize, execute, and obtain their next opportunities while finishing their current one. Levit says she sees it happening already A recent study by QuickBase illustrated that todays professionals want to choose the technology they use to do their jobs and having this choice is a major factor in the jobs they decide to take. Organizations employing all types of professionals need to become more flexible and trusting of workers when it comes to the best technology available to get the job done.Mark Anthony Dyson is The Voice of Job Seekers Hes a career consultant, job seeker advocate, career writer, and founder of the award-winning blog and podcast, The Voice of Job Seekers. He has been quoted in major publications such as Monster, AOL Jobs, Fortune, and Levo League. has listed his podcast as one of the top eight podcasts to help your job search.

Hiring and Candidate Selection Guide

Hiring and Candidate Selection GuideHiring and Candidate Selection GuideHiring and Candidate Selection GuideInterviewing and recruiting are half of the hiring process equally important is choosing the best job candidate, making your job offer, and negotiating a salary. These articles will help you check job references, negotiate compensation and hire the best job candidate.Following up After a Job InterviewImprove Your Interviews with a Post-Game Review Gathering your hiring team together after the interview is often the key to making a good hiring decision.Six Considerations Should You Hire the Overqualified Candidate? An overqualified job candidate can be the right fit for your company if they share like-minded passions and goals.The Best Questions a Reference Checker Can Ask Checking employement references is important, but do you know the right questions to ask? Learn which ones you should always ask and why.Getting Beneath the Surface When checking references, how can you g et the real answers about candidates? Get to the heart of the matter.Five Reference-Checking Mistakes Checking references correctly can help ensure youre hiring the right person for the job as well as avoid lawsuits.Making the Job OfferClosing the Deal Make an Offer They Cant Refuse Remind your candidates about just what you and your company can offer.How to Determine a Jobs Market Value Whats the best way to determine an appropriate level of compensation? While salary surveys can be helpful, a jobs value counts too.Compensation What Todays Employees Want In all its forms, compensation is a major factor in employee retention. Heres how to use it to your companys advantage.

How to Show Passion in a Job Interview 4 Tips Tricks

How to Show Passion in a Job Interview 4 Tips Tricks How to Show Passion in a Job Interview 4 Tips Tricks 2Employers obviously evaluate credentials such as education and work history when thinking about whom to hire. But dont discount the value of a factor not as cut and dry, but perhaps equally beneficial- showing passion in a job interview.Passion is just as, if not more, important as experience in a job interview, says Kristen J. Zavo, author of Job Joy Your Guide to Success, Happiness, and Meaning in Your Career. Thats because showing that youve got genuine interest in the industry, company, and role means that youll do what it takes to be successful because you actually care and are internally motivated.Smart candidates do more than simply toss the word passion around. They find memorable, yet tactful, ways to show and demonstrate passion in a job interview.Ready to show your passion in a job interview? Try these strategiesStart off strong.Zavo recommends displaying passion fr om the get-go with a thoughtful answer to the obligatory interview question, Tell me about yourself.Sharing your education, experience, and skills in a way that both shows your excitement and positions you as the optimal candidate for the job is key to instilling confidence in the interviewer, she says.Instead of just stating that youve been interested in a career path, paint a vivid picture. For example, if youre interviewing for architectural jobs, recount how youve been intrigued by building design ever since Santa left a bucket of Legos under the tree when you were five. Detail why your internship with Architectural Firm XYZ welches the highlight of your college honors program. Mention how the look on the new residents faces as they opened the door to a home you helped build with Habitat for Humanity increased your commitment to affordable housing issues. Listeners will note a pattern of passion to kick off your interview.Ask great questions.People who care about a subject want to know as much as possible about it. Asking why the company adopted a new advertising plan or soliciting the interviewer for their thoughts on why the firm recently was named to a list of great places to work demonstrates admirable curiosity. Such detailed questions also show youve done your homework- another sign of a passionate candidate.Go the extra mile.For people who are passionate about what they do, going above and beyond often comes naturally. Hiring managers cant help but notice genuine actions, so dont be afraid to be yourself.Sean Pour, cofounder of the nationwide car buying service SellMax, remembers interviewing a candidate for a position as a call center agent.We were asking the normal questions about her experience. She was nice and smart, but we still had others to interview, he says. As they were wrapping up, however, she pulled something out of her purse- a cared-for collection of toy cars that she had since childhood. She told the interviewers that she and her fa ther bonded through cars when she was growing up, she always wanted to be involved in the industry but was not mechanically inclined, and she saw this position as a perfect fit.After seeing the prop and her clear passion for the industry, I hired her right on the spot. I knew that if she was so passionate about the job, she would do well, and she did, Pour says.Reiterate interest afterward.Lastly, solidify your passion as the real deal with an impressive follow-up. A heartfelt thank-you note displays gratitude as well as provides further opportunity to share something about yourself or your excitement about the position.Or, perhaps, try something like this action that drew the attention of Carolina King, chief people officer for the executive search firm Lucas GroupOne recent candidate really impressed me with their passion in a follow-up email exchange. The initial interview went well, and we gave him feedback that we wanted to proceed with him but had a few more interviews we plan ned to conduct.He wrote a response with the subject line call off the search, you have already found the right hire, and he included a 90-day plan for the role.This showed enthusiasm, a purposeful plan, and a sense of humor that immediately landed him the roleDemonstrating your passion in an interviewcan really set you apart from the competition. Let employers know youre personally motivated and interested in the role and company by utilizing the tips above.Looking to improve your interviewing skills? Our team of experienced career coaches can help. Schedule your meeting today.SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT NOW

All About Font to Use for Resume

All About Font to Use for Resume Request letters are incredibly easy to write. Including a Miscellaneous section is an alternative. Formatting your resume can be quite tough. As always, Proper Resumes is here in order to provide you the ideas you want. The Chronicles of Font to Use for Resume If you look at how most websites online try to set up trust youll find they have a lot of logos on the base of the website, usually in an as seen on section. Remember youre marketing yourself Zetys resume templates are made with the aid of recruiters and stick to the best practices in HR. In order to become noticed, make sure you decide on a resume template that fits industry standards. Share the questions that you may have about the work move with your boss. Its very likely to likewise mention your relocation to some other business but keep that part short. Hiring managers would like to know how youll assist their company succeed. So why dont you make it simple for them to produce the option to meet you and even give you the job which youve been wanting by making certain your resume font works toward that objective. If youre a certified or accredited member of a specific field, then dont hesitate to describe yourself as such in your career objective If you are requested to compose a reference letter, then remember your intent is to demonstrate that the man is a good candidate for your work. You need to try to find the absolute most out of that by attending lectures youve signed up for. Resume templates are the simplest method of producing top-quality resumes which maximize your probability of reaching the very first interview stage. Resume out what recruiters want to get. Find our what you have to put on your resume and what recruiters are searching for. Resume samples are easy and straightforward. A table of contents isnt required. Choosing Font to Use for Resume Choosing your perfect resume font is dependent on specific factors. When youre using Microsoft Word, here is the way to decide on a template for your letter and the way to plektrum the font style and font size. Utilizing a very simple font will guarantee your cover letter is not hard to read. There are lots of fonts available online free of charge, so take a look around. Ultimately you wish to use a font thats clear, easy to read, and the right size. When you experiment with various fonts, you will notice their size differs. Some men and women utilize the default font thats on their PC. Be sure to create your font large enough so the reader doesnt need to squint to read your letter, but not so large your letter doesnt fit well on the webpage. The letter should be dealt with to the suitable person and cite the proper designation of the individual. Moreover, be certain to continue to keep your mind on the opening and closing of your assessment, so it leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Warning letters arent very hard to write. There are an assortment of reasons why you may require a letter of recommendation. Start your letter by mentioning that youre requesting a leave. Since you should just compose a recommendation letter in the event youre feeling competent to estimate the candidate, in addition, it is wise to just write it if its possible to extend a good one. Thus, a strong recommendation letter is essential. It is not easy to discover the ideal card for the occasion. In the event that you opt to print the invitation yourself, make certain that you can handle it. Your invitation is quite a first impression, so make certain everything is accurate. Such invitations create an immediate link with guests and you may be ensured of a greater turnout for your celebration. You have the business done perfectly and absolutely free of delay. Your resume should start with your contact details. Its highly recommended to include information which enables the worker to talk about the matter further if it be necessary. An inordi nate quantity of information becomes confusing. The War Against Font to Use for Resume Just as vital as the points you want to include, moreover, there are a few things you ought to make an attempt to avoid while writing a recommendation. Give it a go and see wrong you believe. There are various things to consider when writing a resume. You ought not risk your job for the interest of an incorrect font choice

Debunking Interview Mistakes - Spark Hire

Debunking Interview Mistakes - Spark HireIn a competitive job market, any reason to eliminate a candidate from the ocean-sized applicant pool can be tempting. Enter the classic list of bewerberinterview mistakes that candidates are never supposed to make being late unprofessional dress speaking poorly of a former babo the list goes on. However, are these actually good reasons to cross a candidate off your list? After all life happens sometimes you dont know what to wear and sometimes you really did work for a crazy person. Lets take a look at some classic interview sins, and rethink the severity of the crimes.LatenessBeing late usually tops the list of fatal interview mistakes. This is understandable. Things may not bode well for a candidate who cannot manage to be on time for one very important appointment. However, it is important to remember that punctuality can be affected by many things outside of a candidates control. Bad luck like car trouble, road conditions, and even oversl eeping can happen to anyone. These things dont reflect on the candidates competency or commitment to success at your company. Bad luck means the candidate is human. When trying to decide whether to forgive this interview mistake, consider the candidates explanation for being late. Also consider whether or not he/she called ahead to let you know about the impending tardiness.Inappropriate DressThis interview mistake cant be passed off so easily as schwimmbad luck. Professional appearance is very important in many workplaces, especially when client interaction is involved. Personal appearance is one good way to judge a candidates judgment. However, wardrobe is also subjective and (lets be honest) superficial. Rules for a professional wardrobe are debatable since they differ by industry and by company. Even an overly conservative approach might not fare as well in certain kinds of artistic fields. So, if a candidate misses the mark on your company dress code, consider cutting him/her s ome slack. Remember that we teach kids not to judge a book by its cover. You might be missing out on an otherwise competent employee.Criticism of a Former EmployerThis is perhaps the cardinal sin of job interviews. Every job interview candidate on the planet is warned away from criticizing their former employer, even if they deserve it. This alone may be enough to consider dumping any candidate who makes this mistake. And, to be fair, bashing an old boss is not a very professional thing to do. However, consider all of the havoc that a bad boss can wreak on a persons professional life. A candidate trying to land a new job may have a very difficult time explaining a termination or abrupt resignation without explaining a negative situation with their former boss. Complaining and over-sharing about prior management is rude. Cogently explaining a bad situation shouldnt be such a problem. After all, most of us have worked for mediocre to bad bosses beforewhy pretend that they dont exist?T hese are my opinions on some common interview mistakes. What are yours? Leave a comment below, or send me a tweet ithinkther4iambIMAGE Courtesy of Flickr by Alex E. Proimos