Step Away from the Office! The Dangers of Workaholism

Step Away from the Office The Dangers of WorkaholismStep Away from the Office The Dangers of WorkaholismBeen burning the midnight oil at the office lately? It might be time to rethink your 70-hour work weekBeing overworked can be a major cause of health problems, not to mention strained relationships and just plain unhappniess- even if you dig your job. Check out this infographic to see if you might be headed forworkaholicterritory, and get some tips to help you break away from the grind.Home page photo courtesy of ibm4381. Infographic courtesy of Daily Infographic.

Four phrases to avoid at work if you want to be trusted

Fur phrases to avoid at work if you want to be trustedFour phrases to avoid at work if you want to be trustedAfriend of mine was recently telling me about her new job. I like it, except my anfhrer is hard to read, she said. I wish shed just come out and say what she thinks Instead, her boss useswishy-washy expressions like, Hopefully youre okaywith this? and, I might possibly have a suggestion for you.Asorganizations become flatter, communicating well in every direction is gettingmore important. But managers and leaders are often worried about sounding too controlling, so they soften what they say. Their kollektiv members, taking their cue, bury their own ideas under hedging expressions that muddle their meaning. Before long, everyone just winds up sounding less clear,confident, andauthoritativethan they actually feel.In order to make sure you sound like you know what youre talking about, cut these common words and phrases from your vocabulary.RelatedThis Three-Word Phrase Is Subtly Undermining Your Authority1. Im not sure, butFor starters, its okay not to be sure about something. After all, false confidence is often just as badeanstalt as open ignorance. But saying Im not sure when you reallydohave a decent grasp on the matter only undercuts your cause.When your employee, for instance, says, Im not quite sure, but I should have the report done by Friday, youre left to wonder whetherthat means youll actually have to wait until the following week, or that theyre just being modest. There are better ways to communicate tentativeness in cases like this Im waiting on a few moredata points from our finance team, so as long asthosecome through tomorrow, the report will be ready by Friday.Nowyour employee sounds like she knows what shes talking about.Similar qualifiers to avoid includeonly a thought, just my opinion, hard to say, and this might be a silly question. None of these humbleidioms help you make a compelling case about a complicated topic, or let you undersco re what youdoknow in a situation where there are unknowns. The goalisnt to minimize uncertainty or downplay risks. Its to be taken seriously as someone who cannavigate those gray-area experiences with well-founded confidence.RelatedSix Words And Phrases That Make Everyone Hate Working With You2. Sort of or Kind ofWhen someone says, I sort of think or I kind of suspect, its clear they either dont want to come out and speak the truth or elsedont really know their own mind.Maybe asales manager says something like this I kindof think we should approach that client againits been a long time since weve heard from them. What do you think? Is she uncertain about going forward and genuinely wants your opinion, or is she just trying to give direction by softening her statement?Or perhapsyour boss says, I sort of liked the work you turned in last week. Perhaps shes suggesting your work wasnt up to snuff, or perhaps shes just giving you a compliment and softening her language. It might seem lik e an unimportant difference, but in reality it leaves you not knowing how to respond Do you keep doing what youve been doing, ordo you ask for feedback on how to do better work next time?Not only do these phrases create a lack of clarity for team members, they also make team leaders who use them sound less confident and transparent than they should.3. Maybe, Possibly, and PotentiallyMaybe, possibly, probably, basically, largely, and hopefully are all words that smack of indecision. If a manager says to a staff member, Hopefully youll be okaywith this change, his listener might wonder whether she actually has leeway to challenge it.Many qualifiers like these have a similar effect. An employeetells asupervisor, The project is largely completeinstead of actually saying when itwillbe done or why its not quite there yet. AnIT manager says to an internal client, Its basically a software problem, but possibly we can fix it pretty soon ourselves. Is this good news or bad news? Who knows Non e of these phrases instill much confidence that the speaker has a handle on the situation.4. Using the past tense when you mean the presentHow many times have you been in a meeting and heard a colleague say,I thought I should mention that. . . or, I was thinking we should . . . ? It sounds like the person talking no longer quite believes in whatever idea theyreputtingforward. Compare those past tense expressions to phrases like Iwant to mention . . . and I think we should . . . and the difference is clear.Similarly, whenyou say, I just wanted to point outthat our project is well under way, the first part of the statement hedges the rest of the sentence that comes after it, which is actually positive. Its as though you reallydidhave something to say, then thought better of it, but finally decidedhesitantlyto put it out there anyway. Youve just created confusion, rather than announcing clearly and confidently that your project is going just fine.If you want to sound like a capable sp eaker who knows what youre talking about, dont water down your message. Avoid these four patterns and expressions. They dont make you sound more approachablethey justmake you sound uncertain, even when you arent.Everyone has one Pick a bad habit you need to shake at work. Make it your goal to start fixing it this week. Whats your first step? Let us know and find support at The Climb.This article originallyappeared on Fast Company.

6 Ways to Help an Unemployed Friend - FlexJobs

6 Ways to Help an Unemployed Friend - FlexJobs6 Ways to Help an Unemployed Friend -How to Help an Unemployed Friend1) Be there. Your friend is going through a tough time, and the last thing they want is for you to shy away because youre leid sure what to say or do for them. Just be present meet them for lunch, call just to say hello, and stay a welcoming source for positive energy. They dont necessarily want your help with their job search, but they do want you to still be there friend.2) Help them with technology. If your friend was employed for a while, they might not have created a profile on LinkedIn, or cleaned up their digital image to prepare for a job search. Help them make their online presence as professional as possible. Show them how to search for jobs online and walk them through a few digital applications. And if youre not particularly tech-savvy, now is a GREAT time for you to learn these tricks yourself The best way to learn something is to teach yourself and then t each someone else.3) Be resourceful. If your unemployed friend needs help setting up a home office as a base for job searching, help them out with spare furniture, or check out re-use and second-hand stores for desks, chairs, and computer equipment like printers. Or, check out the resources at the local library or One-Stop Job Centers in your city or county. Your friend has a lot on their mind right now, and the more resources and info you can find for them, the better.4) Make connections. Having a job yourself, you are in a position to help your friend out in a big way throughout networking. Consider your friends background and experience, and then think of the people you know who might be able to help. Try to set up informational meetings with those people. Networking is NOT asking for a job, but gathering information and forming relationships. As a friend said recently, Ask for a job, get advice. Ask for advice, get a job. Coach your friend on how to talk to your contacts in a w ay that asks for their advice, rather than asking for a job. For more information on networking, check this out.5) Offer them a gift certificate. For unemployed or underemployed friends, a membership to can give them access to over 7,000 screened and verified job leads in over 50 professional categories, so there is something for everyone. With part-time jobs and flexible schedule jobs, your friend can get back on their feet one foot at at time. And with telecommuting jobs, theyll have access to companies and opportunities thousands of miles away which increases their reach and gelegenheits for re-employment. Freelance jobs are a great way for people to continue generating income while looking for something more permanent. And the gift certificates are available at three levels (1 month for $14.95, 3 months for $29.95, and 1 year for $59.95). For more info on Gift Certificates, click here.6) Just do it. Have you ever had to ask for help? Its incredibly hard, and most people simply wont do it. That includes your unemployed friend, who probably feels like asking for help is the last thing they want to do, even though they want and need it. So instead of asking your friend what theyd like you to do, just do it. Take a chance and do all of the things on this list, or at least get them started for the person.Readers, what are your ideas to help an unemployed friend? Leave a comment