Bev's Tips for a Better Work Life

Tips for a more rewarding and resilient career

For almost 20 years, Bev has been coaching
professionals to thrive at work, navigate
transitions and grow as leaders.

Career management

When one job isn’t enough

Posted by Beverly Jones on

Creating a portfolio career can

 bring variety & manage risk

Karen Deans is an artist, illustrator and designer. Her online portfolio shows some of her work, ranging from colorful posters to clever postcards, from fine art to business logos, magazine covers and book illustrations.

And Karen is also a writer.  Among other projects, she is the author of children’s books, like the charming “Swing Sisters,”which tells the true story of African-American orphans back in segregated Mississippi, who traveled the globe as the first all-girl swing band.

I recall years ago, when it appeared that multi-talented Karen often struggled to pick one career path, trying to decide whether she should be an artist, or a writer? Or maybe a full-time Mom?

Now, Karen says, she wakes up early every morning, excited to plunge into a packed and varied workday. Her children are grown, which has brought her new flexibility. But much of her joy and energy seem to come from the awareness that she doesn’t haveto choose just one career. She is intensely pursuing her writing career, but she also is building on her successes as an artist.

Author and artist Karen Deans

Karen has embraced the fact that, for her, two demanding careers are better than one.

A lot of people have more than one job

As a coach, I’ve noticed that a growing number of people are choosing to pursue more than one career at a time. For many money is the driver, like the young journalist who makes rent by moonlighting as a bartender. But others yearn for additional fulfillment or adventure, like the lawyer who has a side gig as a photographer, and the accountant who spends weekends working as a personal chef.

It’s increasingly common to combine a fulltime job in one field with a side hustle in another. A part-time job on the side can be rewarding, and not only for the extra cash. Your second job can help you build new skills, expand your network and reduce the risk as you move tentatively in a new direction. And if your day job is starting to feel dull, an entrepreneurial sideline can bring you the excitement of new challenges.

Multiple careers can help manage risks

Karen, who lives in Bethesda, Maryland, is succeeding on a course that can be trickier than simply taking on a second job. She is managing what is sometimes called a “portfolio career,”and has curated a healthy collection of varied jobs and projects. Her work is roughly divided into two paths: writing for children, and being a graphic designer and illustrator.

Event program cover by Karen Deans

Karen told me, “I love both career endeavors. They are challenging in different ways, but ultimately the practice of each gives me great joy.”But freelance projects can be risky, and some are more uncertain than others. “The writing for children isn’t a for-hire project. It is, in some ways, speculative. Even with two picture books under my belt, every next book idea I pursue is up against big odds of ever seeing the light of day.”

“On the other side of the coin is my contract design and illustration work. I pursued this path after realizing that the book industry is not going to generate enough regular income or work to put all my eggs in that basket,”she said. So, Karen went back to school to hone her digital arts skills, mastering several Adobe programs.

“I’m about to receive my Associates Degree in Graphic Design. I’m like a poster child for the happy adult learner. Now I have all of these new skills at my disposal, and they are very marketable. And I really enjoy this work, too, which is a bonus,”Karen said.

With a full portfolio you must prioritize

I’ve heard clients say that having two careers can make it easier to manage time and set priorities, because it forces you to get rid of low reward items on your calendar or “to-do”list. I asked Karen how, with so many projects going on, she manages her time.

“I am generally a very organized person,”she said. “but when you are juggling many projects, prioritizing can still be a challenge. Like today. I have accepted a job designing a client’s website. I don’t really have the time to do that, given my other commitments. But I have the need, as it will generate income that otherwise wouldn’t be there. So I make a decision. I say: Okay, you will not be doing such-and-such next weekend. Instead, you will be working on this website.”

Karen carefully maps out a schedule of her tasks a week ahead, breaking her work calendar into defined blocks. “I’m always thinking several steps ahead to prioritize anything that is deadline-related. Unfortunately, for me, my book projects get pushed back because they are still in the proposal stage, and have not crossed over into contract stage, which provides deadlines. That’s when the writing will be pushed forward, and I will have to reshuffle my work priorities.”

A mixed portfolio can raise your profile and expand your network

Having two careers can translate into a wider circle of contacts, resulting in more exposure and longer client lists for both pursuits. Karen said, “I got one of my biggest graphic design jobs from someone I know in my children’s book circle. It seems completely unrelated, but then it isn’t. The more people you know, who know what you can do for them, the better. It’s a broadening of your network beyond the specialty that people know you for.”

Skills built in one field can stimulate creativity and help build expertise in another.

Projects in one type of career can give you a deeper skill set and better perspective about your work in another. “My writing comes in handy for my design work,”Karen said. “I have been doing layout work for magazines. While technically I am not serving in the capacity as editor, I often am like a third eye for the editor, and will alert the editor to language that might not work given the audience.”

And when things are going particularly well in one pursuit, the energy, different ideas and optimism can spill over to your other calling, where progress feels slower. “When I get discouraged, in either direction, because the work isn’t there, I always know I can turn to the other gig, not only to be productive, but also to come at it fresh and build something new in that direction.”Karen said.

Test the waters before you plunge

Like Karen, I love having a range of clients and projects. Working for myself this way brings me variety, opportunities to learn new skills, and interaction with a diverse circle of people. But I knew that even a full slate of contract work probably wouldn’t bring the benefits and relative security of working for a company. So I didn’t launch my portfolio career until I had a safety net, including retirement plans and a supportive spouse.

If you’re intrigued by the flexibility and adventure of a portfolio career, I urge you to plan ahead, finding ways you like to manage your clients, and lining up your resources. And instead of just quitting your day job, consider starting with a side hustle. It needn’t be an actual job. You can test whether you enjoy this kind of juggling by taking on several kinds of freelance projects.

How to be happy at work

Posted by Beverly Jones on

How three basics of happiness

promote workplace engagement.

The most recent of bestselling author Dan Buettner’s insightful “Blue Zone” books shares lessons from healthy and thriving people around the world. In “The Blue Zones of Happiness,” Buettner summarizes a broad sweep of research and recommends ways for all of us to achieve greater well-being.

According to Buettner, the latest studies suggest that by cultivating three elements of happiness, you can achieve greater fulfillment. He says you need:

  • Purpose, which means you find opportunities in your daily life to use your gifts and talents in pursuit of meaningful goals;
  • Pride, meaning that your jobs and activities give you a sense of accomplishment, and;
  • Pleasure, including fun, awe and joy – particularly from socializing for hours every day.

I agree with Buettner’s wise advise about building a rewarding life. And I was intrigued by his three-part formula, because I have been using a similar framework when coaching clients around issues related to happiness at work.

“Engaged employees” tend to be relatively happy and committed to their work. And these upbeat workers are likely to achieve more than their negative, disgruntled peers. Because research underscores the link between attitude and job performance, organizational leaders often feel pressured to find new ways to promote “employee engagement.”

There’s no single, easy technique leaders can use to generate enthusiasm. But whether you want to inspire your team or yourself, a starting point is to reflect upon the things that do help you feel happy while you’re at work.

When coaching clients, one way I get at these issues is by exploring what I call the “Engagement Triangle.” Often, workplace happiness is the result of managing three basic factors. You’ll feel more jazzed about your job when you have:

  1. Purpose. It’s easier to love your job if you’re working for something that matters more than just a paycheck.
  • Sometimes your work has meaning because you support the vision or values of the organization. Among successful companies known for their core values, Zappos says it will “create fun and a little weirdness.” At Salesforce.com, leaders say nothing is more important than trust. And Google says, “We believe everyone deserves the chance to learn, succeed, and be heard.”
  • Your team’s values can be motivating even when they are unstated. People share a sense of purpose in groups that offer superior service or a highly valued product.
  • Even a tedious job can feel rewarding if you have a good reason for working so hard, like supporting your family or laying groundwork for the next phase of your career.
  1. People. Your job satisfaction is influenced by your colleagues, by your broader circle of clients and professional contacts, and by the other people you bump into throughout your career.
  • According to Gallup research, having friends at work is a key to employee retention. And if you have close friends at work you’re likely to be happier than your colleagues, more productive and better at engaging customers.
  • Many studies confirm that we accomplish more in an environment where coworkers treat each other with respect, gratitude, trust and integrity. Studies suggest that your office culture is more likely to promote success if people treat each other like friends.
  • In “The Culture Code,” bestselling author Daniel Coyle argues convincingly that highly successful groups tend to develop a culture that feels much like a family. He says that in strong teams people have a sense of belonging, communicate constantly and feel safe around one another.
  • If you work alone, or in an environment doesn’t feel friendly, it may be time to broaden your professional network, and explore activities that allow you to interact with simpatico folks.
  1. Performance. You’ll probably love your job if you find enjoyment in your tasks, if you continue to build expertise, and if you frequently feel a sense of accomplishment.
  • Buettner suggests that time can move quickly in the best jobs because “your goal is clear, the task is challenging and you’re getting immediate feedback on how you’re doing.”
  • When work starts to feel dull, a good way to find new energy is to learn something new. The sense of accomplishment that comes from acquiring a fresh skill or deeper knowledge may jumpstart your next upward spiral.
  • Workers with autonomy tend to be happier and more productive than their micromanaged peers. If you are the team leader, be specific and consistent about goals, and let folks on the ground decide how to reach them. If you’re the one feeling micromanaged, focus on the decisions that you can control, and gain greater satisfaction from repetitive tasks by continuing to find ways to improve each process.
  • The way you perform your tasks helps you to support other people, contribute to the shared vision, and define your role within a group.

Do you want to have a bit more energy tomorrow morning? Try starting your day by writing answers to these three questions:

  1. What core value will I keep in mind during my work today?
  2. Who will I remember to appreciate in the course of the workday?
  3. What task will I perform with special attention?

How to succeed by treating everybody like a Somebody

Posted by Beverly Jones on

Here’s a simple rule for success:

Treat everyone like they matter

The Foster Harris House is a lovely little Inn and restaurant in the tiny, historic town of Washington, Virginia. For the new owner, Klaus Peters, running the House is a post-retirement labor of love.

Innkeeper Klaus Peters, with Executive Chef Dawn Sieber, and Director of Operations Zoe Sieber.

Klaus is a distinguished gray-haired man with a bit of an accent and a beaming smile. Before his “boring” short-lived retirement, Klaus enjoyed a long and successful career managing some of the country’s top hotels, like the Watergate and The Fairfax at Embassy Row, both in Washington DC.

But Klaus started his career in hospitality at the bottom, as a 14-year-old kitchen apprentice. His German father had lost his job and money during World War II, so in the late 1950’s young Klaus had to help support the family. Eventually he worked his way up to a waiter’s job in Paris, and at age 18 he answered an ad to become a waiter at a Texas hotel.

Klaus told me that in those days in Europe, if you were a German at the low end of a hierarchy, you were treated like a non-entity. He recently wrote in a LinkedIn post, “In 1964, I arrived in Houston as a ‘Nobody’ server, at the Hotel America … making $3.50 a day plus tips…I had low self-esteem and thus became arrogant to cover up my insecurities. I don’t believe that I was liked by too many people.”

But then a miracle happened. He was given the opportunity to serve dinner to the hotel manager, Earl Duffy, and his guests.

“Just imagine, Mr. Duffy greeted me by name and introduced me to his guests and his guests to me,” Klaus wrote.

“WOW, this had never happened to me before. Mr. Duffy respected me and treated me like an equal. To him and his wife, I was a “Somebody”. The way he made me feel, totally changed my personality and the way I would treat subordinates in the future,” he said.

Klaus’ life was transformed by the realization that you can shift another person’s sense of self, and behavior, by focusing on them and treating them with respect. So Klaus adopted the rule, “treat everybody like a Somebody.” And by the time he was 26 he was managing a Florida resort, and greatly enjoying a career built around making other people happy.

Klaus understands that leadership is not as simple as respecting each team member. Not only must you motivate your colleagues, but you must share the vision and give them the resources they need. But “treat everybody like a Somebody” is a mantra that can take you a long way, in your career as well as the rest of your life. Here are some reasons the practice is so powerful:

  • Expressing gratitude makes you both feel better. Research makes clear that when you experience a feeling of gratitude your stress goes down and you become more optimistic. And expressing gratitude is even more powerful than simply feeling grateful. So when you treat a person “like a Somebody” by thanking them, and you mean it, you boost your happiness as well as theirs.
  • Modeling civility creates a productive culture. When workers routinely experience rude or demeaning behavior, their stress can skyrocket and the level of their performance may plummet. They are likely to spend less time at work, they may lose their creativity and commitment to the mission, and they could take out frustrations on customers. But leaders who model civility, treating every team member “as a Somebody,” can dramatically change the culture. When they approach everyone with respect, listen intently, and smile often, they set a tone that supports achievement.
  • Noticing people makes them feel better. In our busy society, folks may have little time or opportunity for real conversation, they may feel unseen and unheard, and loneliness is rampant, even in crowded workplaces. People who feel invisible and marginalized are not likely to do their best work, or appreciate the efforts of others. But those who feel valued often want to help. I have watched the way Klaus charms people by providing them his full attention. He tells his inn guests, “we’re in the business of making you feel good.” And part of the way he accomplishes that is by making each individual feel as though they matter.
  • Paying attention helps you improve. Offering attention to other people is not effective if you are just going through the motions. Treating a person like they count requires that you truly listen to what they say, and you notice what they may need. That careful observation can help you spot problems, improve processes and policies, and at the same time build your expertise.

Klaus says he loves his new life at the Foster Harris House, partly because he loves the hospitality business. During his retirement years he missed the engagement with guests and the sense of making a difference. Beyond that he loves to deliver comfort and warmth and a top quality experience, in a small, friendly community where he can get to know everybody. For him, making everybody feel like a Somebody “is an absolute pleasure.”

Try this recipe for job satisfaction

Posted by Beverly Jones on

Here’s one man’s formula
for loving his work life

I book my haircuts three months in advance because Jason Holloway, my hairdresser, has a full calendar and a long waitlist.

Jason sometimes works just 4 days a week, and he sees clients only 6 to 8 hours a day. Unlike other studio owners I’ve known, he never double books in order to squeeze in a second client for a quick cut while the first in that time block waits for her color to take.

Hair stylist Jason Holloway

I love that, once I reach Jason’s chair, he is always ready for me, on time and focused entirely on me and my hair. But I know that his small business has substantial overhead, and I suspect that he could make a lot more money if he were to put in more time or serve his clients at a faster pace.

So I asked Jason if he’d consider adding hours to his studio schedule, or finding ways to fit more clients into each day. “No,” he said, “if I’m just grinding it out, it shows in my work.”

In earlier years Jason operated on a high tier of the salon industry, crisscrossing the country to teach L’Oreal customers about the latest trends and techniques in hair design. He liked being a trainer, he enjoyed the opportunity to be a player in the fashion industry, and he was making more money than he had time to spend.

But Jason was exhausted by the constant travel. And he wanted to find “peace.” So he decided to leave the big time, move from the D.C. area to little Culpeper, Virginia, and create a career that would support the life he wants.

Now, with his own small salon, Jason is proud that clients book months ahead, perhaps driving 50 miles or so for an appointment. Most important, he seems to be a happy and self-aware man, one who keeps revisiting his most important values, as he continues to tweak his balance of work and life. Here is the career formula that helps Jason to remain joyful and productive:

• Start with the people. Once he launched his studio in Culpeper, Jason moved carefully to find compatible workers. He trained the apprentice who has become his sidekick, April Carter, and he recruited two friends as part-time colleagues. And he builds real relationships with his clients, focusing on each one intently and looking forward to visiting with his regulars. Jason understands what Gallup polls have shown — that having friends at work is incredibly important to your job satisfaction.

• Value what you do. Jason loves doing hair, including for people who may face the ravages of cancer or other special challenges. He says, “The way we appear in the world, our personal style, speaks volumes about us. This is why the connection between stylist and client is so strong and personal … Because to help reveal someone’s ‘spiritual grace,’ you have to know them.” He regards hair as a kind of calling, a combination of art, science and service to others. Jason has a sense of mission. And research consistently shows that people like him, who find meaning in their work, report better health, well-being and resilience.

• Leave room for side gigs. Jason is passionate about his salon and takes pride in staying ahead of the trends, but he wants more variety in his career. So he leaves time for producing and selling art, including images where tiny, cropped photographs become a type of brushstroke. And he teaches the occasional Ashtanga yoga class. His combination of activities means that he is always learning something new, which is key to a satisfying work life.

• Maintain autonomy. Many studies show what Jason has figured out for himself: workers who have substantial control over how they meet their goals are happier and more productive than those kept on a tighter rein. Jason doesn’t enjoy the accounting and compliance tasks that are part of running a small business. But for him, the benefits of making his own decisions outweigh the more tedious aspects of being an entrepreneur.

Jason’s formula for loving his work includes having a mission, building strong relationships, traveling along multiple learning paths, and staying in control of his days and weeks. That is a pretty good starting point for many people.

What is your formula for staying passionate about your career?

Overcome 7 common reasons you don’t network

Posted by Beverly Jones on

How to move beyond your

excuses for not networking.

You already know that, for most professionals, a broad, diverse social network is vital to career success.

Career support is just one of the benefits that tend to flow to a person with many connections. The importance of being embedded in a vibrant network is so great that social scientists are studying how it impacts the uneven distribution of opportunity and wealth in our society.

In their fascinating book, “Connected,” professors Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler say that, “Positional inequality” occurs not because of who we are but because of who we are connected to. These connections … often matter more than our race, class, gender, or education.”

We’re all connected, some more than others. (Image by apinan via fotolia)

 “To address social disparities, then, we must recognize that our connections matter much more than the color of our skin or the size of our wallets. To address differences in education, health, or income, we must also address the personal connections of the people we are trying to help,” they say.

Their research supports what self-help experts have long been saying. In order to improve our job satisfaction, as well our overall well-being, we should consciously tend our web of relationships, always seeking to broaden our circle, while also staying in touch with those we already know.

But even when we understand the importance of networking, we may put it off or avoid it altogether.

If you’re like me, when you pass on a chance to meet and greet, you can probably come up with a plausible reason. But if you want to get serious about expanding your network, it’s time to challenge some of those rationales. Here are seven common excuses for not networking, as well as the reasons you should get out there and mingle anyway.

  1. I hate networking events. There are benefits from meetings designed so that participants can exchange business cards and stories. But there’s no need to attend if you don’t want to. Most networking happens when people are focused on something else. The crowds of volunteers who traveled last month to help Texas hurricane victims did not have networking on their minds. Yet countless enduring relationships were forged as people worked side-by-side to rescue and assist Harvey’s victims.
  2. I already have friends, and I don’t even have time to see them. Certainly it’s valuable to keep up a flow of communications with people you already know. But network scientists suggest that an “open,” varied network is a key predictor of career success. If you just hang out with the old gang, in the same industries or the same religion, your network is “closed” and your worldview may be narrow. With a closed network, you will miss countless chances to expand your knowledge and find opportunities a little further afield.
  3. I’m too busy working. One of the reasons to network is to become more effective at work. You’ll learn more, and trigger new ideas, as you expand your circle, and that may help you manage priorities and be more creative. And even when you can’t get out of the office, you can find ways to network during the meetings that you already must attend. Arrive early, chat with other attendees, and during each session engage in the discussion instead of staring at your phone.
  4. I’m not good at small talk and I hate talking about myself. Even very shy people can be fantastic networkers if they are interested in other people. Most folks you meet will enjoy talking about themselves, at least if you make it easy. So go to each event with a few questions in mind. Shift the focus to the others with simple queries like, “how do you know the host?” or “what did you like best about the speaker?”
  5. The only people who’ll meet for coffee are the ones who can’t help me. Stalking people who are already in demand is a rookie mistake. Your goal in networking is to become acquainted with a wide variety of people. And every single person is important. You cannot predict who is connected where, or will be one day. Maybe you can’t get a lunch date with that busy executive, but you can get to know a junior person in the same field. And one day you may be able to help each other.
  6. It’s scary to go to an event where you don’t know a soul. It can be daunting to be a stranger in a place where everybody else seems to know someone. Your anxiety may be partly genetic, and perhaps when you enter the room your brain triggers a bigger-than-average release of stress hormones, like adrenaline or cortisol. But you can learn to get past that kind of fear by practicing in relatively easy circumstances, then gradually increasing the challenge. Start by going alone to an undemanding get-together, like an easy class, and work up to more intimidating situations.
  7. I’m uncomfortable with people who are that different. It may not be easy to interact with those who don’t think like you. But if you can take a few deep breaths and endure the discomfort, it could be worth it. The ping of angst you feel when you contemplate attending a different kind of gathering may be a nudge from your unconscious that this opportunity is worth considering. You’ll grow if you notice your fear, find a way to calm down, and then move ahead by focusing on listening.

Networking isn’t about begging short-term help or racking up a brag-worthy list of connections. It’s about talking with folks wherever you go, learning from a wider range of people, and building and nurturing a variety of relationships.

For more career tips, check out my podcast, “Jazzed About Work,” produced by WOUB Media and distributed on NPR.

When “working hard” isn’t enough — refocus

Posted by Beverly Jones on

Want to create change?

Short bursts of targeted work

may get you further, faster.

 Like most successful professionals, you probably respect the power of hard work. But are you always “working hard” in the smartest way? When things aren’t going well, it’s tempting to redouble your efforts on your major projects. But sometimes a better use of a few hours may be to concentrate briefly but intensely on other things that you’ve been avoiding.

Working hard isn’t the same as working smart (Image by kanjana via Fotolia)

“Angela,” an attorney in a large company, learned though coaching that simply keeping busy on her favorite work just didn’t cut it. A single woman without much social life, Angela worked long days and was proud of devoting entire weekends to drafting insightful memos. But she felt unappreciated, as she watched other lawyers move past her up the corporate ladder. Her analysis of why her career was on a slow track boiled down to a conviction that she was the victim of favoritism and unenlightened leadership.

Despite her frustration, Angela didn’t give up. She put her head down and kept drafting documents, hoping that someday her hard work would be recognized. And she signed up for her company’s executive coaching program.

When we first spoke, as we sorted through past feedback from Angela’s bosses, it seemed that she had been given hints about how to move ahead. She had been encouraged to support and mentor colleagues, to develop a broader range of expertise, and to volunteer for teams and committees. And she had been told bluntly to do better at administrative tasks, like keeping up with the case tracking system.

Angela had heard the suggestions. But, she said, “I just don’t have the time.” She liked research and writing, and knew she was good at it. And she treated any other activity as trivial. “I’m already working so hard” was the excuse she used when she didn’t want to shift her attention to her bosses’ promptings.

After a few sessions, Angela saw a bigger picture and committed to allocating some of her time and energy in different ways. Recognizing that she felt burnt out, she decided to actually reduce the total hours in her workweek. And, while at the office, she would schedule short but regular blocks of time devoted to activities she had been avoiding. For example,

  • Instead of treating most meetings as annoying distractions, she started working hard by fully engaging in any gathering she attended. That included arriving on time, actively listening, and restraining the urge to stare at her phone.
  • Instead of procrastinating, she began to schedule weekly time blocks for bringing routine reporting and other tasks up to date.
  • Instead of resisting new kinds of assignments, she adopted a stretch goal of devoting at least ten percent of her time to projects beyond her comfort zone.

Angela’s career was transformed when she understood that concentrating only on her favorite priorities is not enough. She admitted that seeking perfection in her top assignments had become her excuse for avoiding other vital stuff she didn’t want to do. One new habit that helped her turn things around was to routinely list any activities she’d prefer to avoid, and then work intensely for short periods on some of those. And she found that in some cases “working harder” might not require more time, so much as an attitude shift.

Here are 5 situations when a spurt of focused hard work beats keeping busy on just your top goals.

  1. When it means accepting change. If your organization puts new systems in place, and you don’t have the clout to say “no”, don’t waste your energy on resistance. Instead of complaining that you’re too busy, embrace the change and show that you are willing to do your best. You will win points by being an early adapter, and you may get more support in the implementation stage of a new process, while proponents are still eager to help.
  2. When you connect with other people. If professionals stumble, it often stems not from a lack of technical skills, but rather from a failure to build critical relationships. It’s not enough to be good at your craft. You also have to understand how your work products impact other people. And that means routinely interacting with your coworkers and clients, and hearing what they have to say. By taking advantage of every chance encounter, and spending even a few minutes a day on other outreach, you can build connections that may support your near term objectives and empower your career.
  3. When your boss asks for help.   A key to workplace survival is to know what your boss needs and to give it to her. If your supervisor asks for assistance or a special effort, don’t dawdle even if you think she has a dumb idea. Understand what will help your boss succeed, and jump into action if she needs your support. If she knows she can count on you, she’s more likely to be in your corner.
  4. When you’re avoiding something. If you put off your least favorite tasks, they can distract you, weigh you down and perhaps become more complicated as a result of your delay. If you tend to procrastinate about certain items on your “to-do” list, decide if they are really necessary. If it’s not wise to avoid them, schedule regular but brief time slots when you can rush through the list of items you’ve left hanging.
  5. When it means branching out. Sometimes we hesitate to go after a new opportunity because we don’t know where to begin. The trick is to give up the idea that there’s a perfect starting point for building new expertise. Instead, schedule a couple of hours and just plunge in. Anywhere. If you commit to exploring a new kind of project, and you work on an outline or mind map or first draft, you are sure to stumble upon a good opening.

At times, hard work is more important than talent or education or powerful friends. But working frantically on only your favorite tasks can become a trap. Even if you spend 80 percent of your time on your top priorities, what may set you apart from the competition is the smart way you allocate the other 20 percent of your hard work.


Want even more tips to empower your career? Check out my podcast, “Jazzed About Work,” from WOUB Public Media. Each episode brings you lively career stories and expert tips for a thriving work life. Tune in to  informal conversations about everything it takes to create your resilient and rewarding work life.