Learn About Meeting Minutes and Why Theyre Important

Learn About Meeting Minutes and Why Theyre ImportantLearn About Meeting Minutes and Why Theyre ImportantMeeting minutes are the written or recorded documentation that is used to inform attendees and non attendees about what was discussed or what happened during a meeting. Meeting minutes or notes are generally taken by a designated meeting minutes recorder during the proceedings so that an accurate record exists of what transpired during the meeting. Minutes usually include Names of participantsAgenda items coveredDecisions made by participantsFollow-up actions committed to by participantsDue dates for the completion of commitmentsAny other events or discussions worth documenting for future review or history Meeting Minutes as a Historical Document As a historical document, minutes are useful for documenting the key ideas or discussion points that led to a decision. For example, effective meeting minutes may specify the five alternatives the team discussed and the key reason that one was selected over the others. Minutes for the typical business meeting dont need to record every discussion or state in detail who said what. Of course, this rule is different for other types of meetings such as court hearings and situations where legal action is being discussed. These types of meetings do require an exact record of the conversation and statements. But, unless human resources is discussing a lawsuit, the typical workplace meeting does not document every iota. When and How to Share Meeting Minutes Ideally, meeting minutes are recorded on an electronic device, such as a laptop or iPad, and following a quick review of spelling, grammar, and clarity, disseminated to meeting participants electronically at the end of the meeting. This way, the participants have immediate notice of their commitments and deadlines and can raise questions or seek clarification. If this is not possible because the recorder wants to transcribe the minutes or check them for errors, he should disseminate them within 24 hours following the meeting. Minutes also serve as a reminder of the commitments team members made during the meeting and help participants transfer these items to their calendars and daily task lists. The recorder should always review the prior meetings minutes at the start of the next meeting so that people can check them for accuracy and next steps. How Organizations Handle Taking Meeting Minutes Critical to a meetings success, minutes provide a recorded history of the meeting for participants and for employees who were not able to attend. Without full meeting minutes, the meetings prospects for success are diminished because people, on balance, cannot absorb and retain a wealth of information at one time. The employee who takes the meeting minutes is usually a member of the team and takes notes while participating in the meeting. In meetings that involve legal- or government-related proceedings or in corporate board meetings, a nonparticipat ing individual takes the official minutes and often records the proceedings. To record key information accurately, the meeting minutes recorder must have an ear for detail and the ability to stay focused. This employee must also multitask effectively to be able to participate in the meeting while recording the minutes. In some organizations, the same employee takes the minutes at every meeting. Or the responsibility may pass from employee to employee. The role of minutes takerbuilds effective leadership and communication skills and can be a coveted job. Requirements for a Meeting Minutes Recorder The requirements for the recorder include the ability to Record accurately the decisions, commitments, and major discussion points made at a meetingRecord the action items and due dates that meeting members committed to (action items have names attached, but the minutes dont state who said what in informal workplace meetings)Review the major decisions and assignments or voluntary commit ments and action items at the end of the meeting so participants can agree on them before leavingBe a team player and be flexible because attendees can add or correct anything they disagree with in the minutes Work expediently to distribute copies of the meeting minutes within 24 hours following the meeting

When to stay home and take a sick day (SPOILER ALERT Always)

When to stay home and take a sick day (SPOILER ALERT Always)When to stay home and take a sick day (SPOILER ALERT Always)With flu season in full swing, when your alarm goes off in the morning and youre feeling groggy, a common question comes to mind to work from home, or ignore the symptoms andhaul yourself to the office instead?Sometimes, taking it a step further and calling in sick entirely can leave you feeling riddled with guilt - especially if youve already been sick for a few days or dont have a very lenient sick policy at work.Heres why you should pay attention to how youre feeling and stay home when you dont feel well.More than half of people work when they dont feel wellNPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health teamed up ona joint 2016 study among 1,601 adults employed in the U.S., which shed light on how many people work through their sickness instead of calling it a day.Adults in low-paying jobs are more likely to say they go to work when sick. Alfruchtwein two-thirds of working adults (65%) say they still go to work always or most of the time when they have the flu, compared to 55% of those in average-paying jobs and 48% of those in high-paying jobs, the research says.The saatkorn survey also zeroed in on why some employees fail to use up all their paid sick days, with73% reporting that they werent ill enough to exhaust all their days, 37% wanted to use them at a future date and 20% said they had too much work to do.Flu season is predicted to be longer this yearBut people might want to take extra precautions in 2018. According topediatrician Dr. Tanya Altmann, MD, FAAP, we typically see flu activity start in October and taper off in February, but this year, it is predicted that flu season will last through March, into April.And Americans have already been hit hard by the flu - doctors, urgent care and emergency rooms are seeing record numbers of sick patients and many have the flu virus, she told Ladd ers.Many people, including at least 20 children, have reportedly died from this seasons flu as well.If you feel like you are coming down with the flu, its best to stay home to avoid sharing germs with others. I know this may be difficult as most Americans are programed to work hard no matter what, but this time of year its important to take care of yourself and others, Altmann told Ladders. When I feel like Im getting sick, I make sure to get extra sleep, good nutrition with plenty of vitamin C and antioxidant rich fruit and veggies. Ask your doctor about vitamin D and probiotics too as I find most people need extra. Wash your hands before touching surfaces and clean anything you have already touched with an EPA-approved disinfectant to kill cold and flu viruses.The great sick debate to work from home or not work at all?SPOILER ALERT 2 You guessed it - Stay home.There are many reasons not to fall victim topresenteeism, which research has defined as working while you feel sick.One o f them is super-obvious You could get your coworkers sick.Even though you may not want to miss work or school, its important to stay home to prevent the spread of illnesses to those around you,Altmann told Ladders. Even at home, make sure to cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue to prevent the spread of germs to your loved ones. Lastly, try your best to make good use of your time off from work or school to rest, relax, eat well and recover from illnesses.When asked if working from home could actually make you feel worse, Altmann said, Definitely stay home if you have a fever or feel sick. Its up to you on how much you can handle in terms of working a little from home. Taking care of yourself and getting rest is really number one, but if you can handle helping colleagues a little bit during bursts when you feel better or wake from your naps, thats fine.Heres how to protect yourself from the flu at workThroughout flu season, vaccination is the first step in flu prevention and th e best way to protect yourself and those around you from the flu, said Altmann. She added you should also wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing the Happy Birthday song twice) and to use a disinfectant approved to kill cold and flu viruses to clean off places people tend to touch the most, such as doorknobs, light switches, faucets.Altmann also recommended using your elbow for coughs and sneezes (not your hands), and eating healthy foods, sleeping and exercising enough to strengthen your capacity to keep yourself tresor from the flu and colds.Help Heres what to do if youve already called in sick a lot, but dont feel wellAltmann suggests getting medical help as soon as possible.Go see a doctor immediately, if you havent already, Altmann says. Your health is number one priority and your colleagues and employer need to understand that.You will function much better at work when you are 100%. That said, if you are a colleague left doing dou ble duty in the office, just remember that you could be the one home sick and youd want your colleagues to do the same for you

4 ways to cope with the early sunsets of winter

4 ways to cope with the early sunsets of winter4 ways to cope with the early sunsets of winterAt the start of my workday, everything seemed fresh and new. Even though it was cold outside, the sunshine cast a dewy glow on everything in sight - the big buildings and river views outside,and maybe even some of my questions about how the day could play out.But after working in a roomwith no windows for a couple hours before returning to my desk mid-afternoon (bad idea), I realized, yet again, that its really happening. Hazy clouds are the only thing looming outdoors now Withwinter upon us, weve reached the time of year when it gets dark super early.That being said, this tweetwas particularly scaryBut all isnt lost Heres how to make it through the cold, dark, depressing winter months with your spirit intact.Work against SAD by enjoying the sunlightKnown as seasonal affective disorder, Mayo Clinic defines this as a type of wirtschaftskrise thats related to changes in seasons - SAD begins and ends at about the same times every year. If youre like most people with SAD, your symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody. Less often, SAD causes depression in the spring or early summer.While there are reportedly a variety of treatment options, medical and otherwise,Mayo Clinic recommendsexercising regularly and heading into the great outdoors as possible options, by doing things like having lunch in a park, walking and soaking up the sunshine on a bench.So instead of doing what I did this morning, consider working by a window letting in natural light and taking the time for a walk around the block.Press playListen to some familiar sounds.Alyse Kalish, an Associate Editor for The Muse, writes about how music and podcasts can help you get through a dark winter.If youve been listening to the buzz of silence and other people packing up their bags, youre probably starting to go crazy- and the lack of light sure i snt helping. Right now, I want you to try putting on some music (or, if you can, a podcast) to jolt your brain back into work mode. Plus, the noise will prevent you from dosing off when the darkness is just that soothing, Kalish writes.Set your eyes on new prizesJacquelyn Smith features advice from Ned Russell, managing director of Saatchi Saatchi Wellness, in Forbes.The wintertime is ideal for focusing on new projects, Russell says. Even if youre feeling a bit sluggish, set new goals and volunteer for a new assignment that excites you. Your kampagne will not only give you a sense of accomplishment and make you more productive, but it will most likely impress your boss, Smith writes.Winter can be a time of renewed passion and curiosity.Spend time with the people you miss the mostBetween long commutes, packed work schedules, and weekend appointments, it can beeasy to lose touch with old friends you havent seen in a while, making them seem even further away than they might be locatio n-wise.But hopefully, you can pick up right where you left off, bringing back a flood of old memories as you make new ones. Just because its cold and dark out doesnt mean you have to be alone - or let your friendships suffer.Remember that when the sun goes down, your motivation doesnt have to go with it.

Trumps Transition Team is Hiring Presidential Appointees

Trumps Transition Team is Hiring Presidential AppointeesTrumps Transition Team is Hiring Presidential AppointeesTrumps Transition Team is Hiring Presidential AppointeesPresidential Appointee expert, Kathryn Troutman recommends Prepare and submit your Presidential Appointee Resume and titelseite Letter to the GreatAgain.gov website With President-elect Donald Trump preparing to lead the executive branch, legions of his loyalists and others seeking jobs in his administration will now hit the ground running with applications for positions as presidential appointees.UPDATE Review the 2016 Plum Book for your Presidential Appointee Job NowTrump Administration Resume / Application Page Submit HereNOTE Resume distributionspolitik Writers will NOT write a first draft of any Pres Appointee application.You must write the first draft of the resume, objectives and deckblatt letter.We will edit and target the content toward a specific Plum Book position. See Information and Request Edit and Revie ws HereIts most important that you target your resume toward a position in the Plum Book, including the agency, program mission and position, says Kathryn Troutman, President of The Resume Place, Inc. Kathryn has advised Presidential appointees for five Presidential Transitions. Although each president decides some aspects of how these appointments are made, there is a more or less standard process. Given the president-elects outsider status, the process of the coming months may be more unpredictable. Theres no way to imagine how a Trump transition will go, says fruchtfleisch A. Abramson, president of Leadership Inc. and coauthor ofSucceeding as a Political Executive 50 Insights from Experience. Still, aspiring appointees can get a head start by reviewing the fundamentals.What are presidential appointee jobs?Thousands of presidential appointees hold a great variety executive and staff-level jobs - a small fraction subject to Senate confirmation - at the White House and with a gala xy of federal departments, agencies, offices and programs in federal government. These positions are typically offered to Americans who have demonstrated loyalty to the president-elect and who possess the knowledge, skills, experience and passion required.President Obamas appointees, who are not in the Civil Service system, generally will tender their resignations before the Jan. 20, 2017 inauguration. There are about 1,400 Schedule C appointee jobs and about 600 of the 7,000 jobs in the Senior Executive Service are political appointments.How do I find out exactly which appointments Trump will make?Interested professionals can learn about the nature of appointee positions that will come open in January 2017, by visiting the so-called Plum Book. Heres theprevious edition the 2016 version will be released in December.Where can you submit your resume for a Trump Administration Political Appointee position?President-elect Trumps team has created a web page for appointee applications. Th e https//www.greatagain.gov/ website includes the webpage to submit your resume and cover letter at https//www.greatagain.gov/serve-america.htmlHow and when are presidential appointees chosen?The president-elect, Mike Pence and his staff are moving forward expeditiously with as many senior appointments as possible. Cabinet secretaries are now being selected. says Abramson. Each administration decides how much they want to delegate to the cabinet overall, and in terms of presidential appointee hires.The top appointments, which require Senate confirmation, have a cascading effect on how appointments proceed in the organizations they lead, Abramson says. Cabinet secretaries typically choose their agency heads, who in turn hire the managers who will report to them, and so on. So to campaign for a presidential appointment you need to know where to enter into the picture, he adds.What is the background of a typical presidential appointee?Presidential appointee applications come from high- achieving professionals with a wide variety of backgrounds, from the private sector and nonprofits to campaign staff, congressional staff, the civil service, state government, and military servicemen and women. In making appointments, each president chooses how to weigh candidates political loyalty versus their professional qualifications.What is a presidential appointee resume?Presidential appointee resumes should be detailed and 3 or 4 pages long. The resume should describe the applicants accomplishments, skills, subject-matter expertise, experience in public and private sectors, and education. The resume should explicitly address all of the position, agency and office requirements. The resume for non-competitive federal positions should be similar to federal resumes for competitive Civil Service positions. Samples are in the Federal Resume Guidebook, 6th Edition by Kathryn TroutmanThese are themain sections of the Trump Administration Non-Competitive Job application Please descri be why you hope to be a part of the President Elects administration Cover Letter Please describe any additional qualifications Resume (131,000 characters are permitted). After you copy and paste your text into these fields, you will select your desired agency, mission and position from a drop-down list.What does a presidential appointee cover letter look like?In the cover letter, the candidate for a presidential appointment should make explicit how the qualifications presented in his or her resume apply to any given position. The candidate should also emphasize political activities in support of the president-elect that might apply to the position passion for a certain government mission and even ideas for changes and improvement for the agency.As soon as the 2016 Plum Book is published, candidates should recheck position descriptions that might have been revised since the 2012 edition, and rewrite their draft resumes and cover letters accordingly. Then its time to submit the applic ation and keep fingers crossed.For an article describing the Plum book, see G. Edward DeSeve and Mark Abramson,Getting Ready for 2017 An Introduction to the Plum Book. For more information on how the resume experts at The Resume Place can help you prepare the necessary documentation, submit your application, and succeed as a presidential appointee, see our page devoted to specifics.

Finance Resume Examples Features

Finance Resume Examples Features Rumors, Lies and Finance Resume Examples Employed as a Finance Manager is not everybodys ball game. Accountants also have to have an advanced understanding of tax strategies and preparation, and of course decent communication abilities. Objectives are tell all but they ought to be succinct. Try to remember that a finance resume (in Word), Excel or PDF is among the items that may help you land on work in the finance market. Managing the entire small business enterprise functions in addition to strategizing income maximization for the organization. The Financial Analyst career field is among the fastest-growing at the current moment. The finance business is an extremely wide field as there are various businesses that need the expert services of finance professionals. Be aware any certifications obtained and any expertise in a certain sector of financial analysis (for instance, investment analysis). In case the job which you are applying for in volves a good deal of consumer interaction, then make sure you include certain examples showcasing your customer service abilities. By performing What-if analysis, a corporations budget can take into consideration the operation of the company under varying scenarios. Have a look at the skills required for the job and supply the skills that you have which are linked to the skills set that can be seen in the work requirement section of the job posting. If it requires advanced knowledge of coding, include details of your experience and level of expertise when it comes to coding. Details of Finance Resume Examples The outcome is the customers successes are theirs. Resume examples offer job seekers with the opportunity to learn how their resume stacks up compared to others in their area. There arent many limitations to what sort of work youll be able to post, permitting you to list very specific jobs and requirements. Possessing a thorough collection of these things enable you to possibly outshine your competitors which in turn is extremely helpful for your application undertakings. What Does Finance Resume Examples Mean? With thousands of graduates jostling to break into the business, it has become more and more hard for young hopefuls to stick out from the crowd. Any part-time jobs you might have held in high-school or college, most likely arent that relevant to the schriftart of work youre seeking. There continue to be lots of job status in the finance industry which you will apply it. There are lots of applicants who want the exact position as you, and only 1 spot is up for grabs. Unless youre a graphic designer looking for employment, theres no need to over think the plan of your one-pager. Have a peek at these considerable points. The subject of finance is extremely competitive and developing a complete, striking and well-formatted free finance resume can truly assist you in getting the interest of your prospective employer. If you wish to targ et a particular financial position, weve collected a few samples of expert work posts that you might want to try and apply at in the finance industry by using our finance resumes. The best thing about a finance resume is it opens the doors to several exciting and intriguing career alternatives, and the majority of the career options connected with a finance resume let you help people. One reason whybasic finance resumesamples will need to be well-formatted and professionally curated is that there are lots of highly skilled applicants that are applying for the identical finance positions. Finance Resume Examples Explained When creating a targeted resume for a particular position, its important to echo the precise phrasing employed in the work listing. Also you need to use a larger font size of your resume. For instance, if an example resume lacks a skills section, but you wish to include one, you ought to do so. The Characteristics of Finance Resume Examples The most recent s amples of resumes are available online but its fully your choice to select the most suitable example. That means you can decide to mention a few important work assignments or projects. For instance, an individual might be responding to an advertisement found on a site or within a newspaper. Its also beneficial to review resume examples so that you may observe how yours compares. There are a few important points that ought to be considered while writing the resume. Writing a thorough expert summary will be able to help you with that. 1 A resume summary is a brief, snappy introduction paragraph that gives a summary of your very best work. Ultimately, examples will be offered, illustrating how to begin writing an objective statement. What You Should Do to Find Out About Finance Resume Examples Before Youre Left Behind If you would like to create a finance resume for something as higher profile as a corporate treasurer, then you are going to have to get your Masters in busine ss. Read below for a couple strategies for writing a finance resume. When writing an excellent finance resume objective, its important to be noticed. The very best finance resume examples and 2018 resume trends can assist you with such a significant life-changing matter.

Underrated Questions on Americas Best Resume Writing You Should Read About

Underrated Questions on Americas Best Resume Writing You Should Read About As stated earlier, the panel of resume writers are handpicked by these kinds of businesses and short listed dependent on the expertise they carry in each individual area. You want an organization thats going to involve you in the writing process. There are some resume writing companies which do not provide expedited services. The very best writing businesses wont just utilize questionnaires to develop the resume. In summary, resume services and resume writers that are simple to work with. The writer will work with you until youve got a last draft of the resume youre delighted with. Unfortunately, you cannot choose a particular writer to work with. leid every writer offers rush services. Americas Best Resume Writing - the Conspiracy A professional resume writing service can provide you the competitive edge you want to stick out in the crowd. The area of resume writing has attracted many individuals working as writers with a variety of talent and capability. The attractiveness of ordering a resume service on the internet is that youre leveraging the simplicity and ease of email and the world wide web. Its hard for a writing service to guarantee you a job as there are many variables that will impact the last selection. Dont be concerned about spending a substantial sum of money on the resume since its going to greatly boost your odds of getting employed. Some individuals desire to compose their very own resume but desire to maximize its possible by talking having a professional who can offer them advantageous tips. If for instance, youre asking for a teaching position, then a best teachers resume should not include work experience linked to sales or marketing for this issue. In spite of the fact that its tricky to pinpoint any single resume writing services being at the surface of the line, theres no denying that there are respective writers around who have a high succes s ratio to show their work. The Fight Against Americas Best Resume Writing Wherever youre in your career, were here to assist. As a C-level executive, an on-line website provides you an opportunity to be noticed and supply your audience an opportunity to understand, like and trust you. As a conclusion, in general its beneficial to begin employing an expert career support. One of the very best looking resumes are the ones which are definitely the fruchtwein simple. The resume maker should have the ability to offer several samples. Its crucial that youve got a great idea about what you wish to highlight in your video resume. Scannable resumes need specific page designs because computer scanners cant read certain products. The Number One Question You Must Ask for Americas Best Resume Writing There are several essay writing services that think theyre the very best, and therefore dont be cheated and check the real collection of the very best. The increasing number of essay wri ting services is totally overwhelming. Whatever you set in your resume, you ought to make certain that all the information that are set in your resume are the reality. The surface of your executive resumes very first page is deemed prime real estate.

How to develop mastery at any skill A simple list of inter-connected ideas

How to develop mastery at any skill A simple list of inter-connected ideasHow to develop mastery at any skill A simple list of inter-connected ideasWhen youve developed mastery of something, you own that thing. Youve learned the rules inside-out and now you have the ability, as an artist, to create your own rules.You have the ability to create a new game.Dan Sullivan, the founder of Strategic Coach, calls people with this level of mastery, Game Changers, because they dont just play a game, they change the game.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and morePeople with this level of mastery dont compete with others, they make others compete with them. They are light-years ahead of the crowd and are setting the context of the future that others will either consciously or unconsciously follow.Becoming a game changer is something that very few people aspire to. Most people are relatively comfort able being good at what they do or paying the bills.For a select few people, though, there is elend only a desire to succeed and do well but to create and to fail. To stretch the possibilities of learning so far that they enter what some would call a no mans land.Going to places where no one else has thought to go.Stretching their imagination so far that they can only share their ideas with a very tight inner circle. As Peter Diamandis said, The day before something is a breakthrough, its a crazy idea.Once you reach a certain level of mastery, and if you have the creative spirit to change the game and world entirely?- ?then you play in the realm of crazy ideas.Here is a brief run-down of key steps in the development of this level of mastery. This list is far from exhaustive but will be useful to you if you intend to leave the world of competition behind and go to places only your imagination can take you.Study only those whose work truly inspires and touches the deepest level of you r soul.Ignore alfruchtwein everyone around you, particularly those who are competing for the bottom of the barrel.Of this fact, Tim Ferriss stated in 4HWW?- ?Its lonely at the top. 99% of the world is convinced they are incapable of achieving great things, so they aim for the mediocre middle-ground. The level of competition is thus fiercest for realistic goals, paradoxically making them the most time- and energy-consuming. It is easier to raise $10,000,000 than it is $1,000,000. It is easier to pick up the one perfect 10 in the bar than the five 8s. If you are insecure, guess what? The rest of the world is too. Do not overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think.Study the craft of those who are truly craftsmen?- ?who are brilliant and nuanced at what they do. Peel back the layers until you begin to see how the sausage is made?- ?why did they make the decisions they made in what they were doing? Why that ordering of decisions?Begin creating o r performing at the level you intend to reach?- ?dont start as a beginner.Before you ever reach a goal, already have the next mountain or two in mind.Never arrive where you plan to go.The moment you arrive is the moment youve lost your edge. As Steph Curry recently admitted, the Warriors have to rediscover their edge.You can only have an edge or ic on your shoulder when you have something to prove?- ?to yourself.You already know you could destroy the competition if you wanted to, but you want to test your own internal limits.The only way to have this level of the edge is to be attempting something so big it somewhat scares but also excites you.You cant have the edge if youre not pursuing a fundamentally bigger and different future.The moment you attach yourself to the success or failure of your past, then youve lost the edge.The moment you stop being emotionally committed and intellectually stimulated by a future possibility, youve lost your edge.The moment you stop approaching with courage a new future, and instead, seek to avoid losing your current position?- ?youve lost your edge.The moment you become satisfied with what youve accomplished, youve lost your edge.Interesting, Michael Jordan never lost his edge. In every possession?- ?whether practice or a game?- ?he always imagined the score to be 0 to 0. Even if his team was winning by 50 points. Most players, when theyre either winning or losing by a landslide begin to mentally check-out.Imagination is fundamental to having a creative and competitive edge. When youre pursuing something that you know has never been done before?- ?at least by yourself, but also probably not by anyone else?- ?you can have a level of humility and excitement that spurs innovation.When you think about where you plan to be in 12 months from now?- ?how imaginative is it?How exciting is the future youre striving to make?When youre playing at the razors edge, you have a small margin for error and distraction. Are your goals big and e xciting enough to keep you from being distracted by stuff that doesnt really matter?When you have goals that are so exciting that you no longer have time or interest in distractions like social media, then you know youre onto something.When you have achievements or benchmarks youre sprinting toward that require you to be at a powerful mental and emotional place?- ?where youre just throwing out creative output at a level youve never done before?- ?then youre on the right track.Nothing great has ever come out of someone trying to maintain their current position or status.All of the best innovation and evolution comes from a small group of people who are attempting stuff that is only real in their imagination?- ?yet deeply connected in the soul and heart.Napoleon Hill said, Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.In order to experience wildbret levels of mastery, you need to have practices or performances that test your ability and focus. For example, at a cert ain level, most people get caught into a routine where they start going through the motions. When you begin going through the motions at anything, youve lost the edge. Once the edge is gone, all creative innovation goes out the door. As a result, you need to push yourself always to expand your current perspectives and abilities. You do this through focused, difficult, and time-bound performances. An example could be an NBA player practicing for a full week with only their left hand. This would push their brain and creative abilities.Have clear-cut goals that are focused on numbers and events. The clearer your benchmarks, the easier it is for your brain and mind to see it. Crystallize what youre trying to accomplish and make it on the outer edges of possible. Your goals should be beyond anything youve ever done, yet still within the realm of believability. No one else has to believe you can do it but yourself. Then you focus on output.Beyond measurable and numeric goals, you need to have an emotional EXPERIENCE youre striving to create as well. This is where you become emotionally committed to your future. What would it feel like 1 year from now to have what you plan to accomplish?People who are distracted do not know what they really want. They arent being pulled forward by a beautiful and exciting future. Instead, they are maintaining their own status quo, and have either lost their edge or have never found it.Pivoting is one of the most beautiful ways to recreate your edge. Sometimes bigger isnt the answer, but rather, different. Often, for example, a company thinks they simply need to grow. This isnt always the answer. Instead of growing, evolution and change is likely the better solution. Change what youre doing. Change what youre pursuing. Change why youre pursuing it. Play a different and better game, rather than merely a bigger game.If you want to achieve mastery, you need to be both intrinsically and extrinsically motivated.You need to regularly perfor m and attempt stuff youve never done.You can never plateau or begin going through the motions.You always need to be sharpening your edge?- ?and playing just beyond that edge where creativity, faith, uncertainty, risk, and excitement exist.You need to have a future so big, exciting, and different that you simply dont have time to be distracted.You need priorities so clear that youre always laser-focused on what matters most, while most people are caught in the think of thin things.You need to build a life and environment to facilitate optimal performance, expansion, and creativity in your core priorities and relationships.Ready to upgrade?Ive created a cheat sheet for putting yourself into a PEAK-STATE, immediately. You follow this daily, your life will change very quickly.Get the cheat sheet hereThis article first appeared on Medium.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

December 2017 Jobs Report Summary

December 2017 Jobs Report SummaryDecember 2017 Jobs Report SummaryEmployers added 148,000 jobs in December, marking the 87th consecutive month of job gains, the longest streak on record.All told, payrolls increased by nearly 2.1 million in 2017. Its the seventh straight year job growth has topped 2 million.According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the sectors that created the most new jobs in December wereConstruction - 30,000 jobs addedLeikoranvers and hospitality - 29,000 jobs addedEducation and health services - 28,000 jobs addedManufacturing - 25,000 jobs addedProfessional and business services - 19,000 jobs addedDecember 2017 unemployment tarifThe December 2017 unemployment rate was 4.1 percent, unchanged for the third straight month and a 17-year low. At the beginning of the year, the unemployment rate stood at 4.8 percent.The unemployment rate for college-degreed workers who are 25 or older - those in greatest demand by employers - was also unchanged in Decembe r, at 2.1 percent. It has fallen from 2.5 percent in January.What employers need to knowSimply put, now is a good time to hire. Many economists believe that recently passed federal tax cuts will lead to even more hiring by U.S. businesses. This would increase competition for the skilled, experienced workers who are already in frustratingly low supply.New data confirm that companies continue to struggle to locate the talent they need to maintain or expand their operations. Nearly two-thirds of CFOs surveyed by said its challenging to find skilled workers for current job openings. In fact, there were 6 million open jobs in October, according to the latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary from the BLS. Job openings have been at or near record high levels since June 2017.Get ahead of the competition and start, or accelerate, your recruiting efforts now, especially if you have fresh hiring budget for 2018.What job seekers need to knowIf one of your New Years resolutions is to find a new job, be sure to put your best foot forward when searching. Spend some time updating your resume so it reflects your most recent achievements and an updated list of your skills and experience. Adjust the wording of your resume for each opening you target, pulling phrases and keywords from the job posting so hiring managers can see you have the qualifications they want.Even though employers are having a hard time hiring for open roles, many remain extremely selective when evaluating potential hires. Theyre holding out for the perfect candidate. A strong resume is the best way to show them youre the person theyre looking for.Check out our library of blog posts on how to write a resume for everything you need to know about putting one together.

4 Ways to Deal With an Office Crush

4 Ways to Deal With an Office Crush4 Ways to Deal With an Office CrushYou already know the risks of dating someone in the office.Will getting involved with this person give either one of us an unfair advantage or disadvantage at work?How will ur relationship be perceived by our boss and co-workers?If we start dating and then have a difficult breakup, how will it affect our ability to work together?But, when youve got a crush on someone at work, those worries can easily fall by the wayside. You see this person every day, in his or her element, doing exceptional work- pretty soon, that rational voice in your head gets quieter and quieter and the emotions become impossible to ignore.What should you do (besides, you know, check the dating policies in your employee handbook)?If youre finding yourself contemplating a workplace romance youre not sure you should pursue, here are four things to keep in mind. 1. Remember That Feeling Doesnt Always Mean ActingIts okay to like someone- anyone, a nywhere, any place. But liking someone doesnt necessarily mean that you need to act on those feelings.Put simply You can enjoy a feeling, without ever having to act on it. Use your judgement to decide, This is a time to feel, and this is a time to act. 2. Remember That You- Not Your Feelings- Are in ControlYour feelings do not control you. You are in charge. If it feels like your emotions are taking over, that means that youve allowed intense feelings to build up for too long, like steam in a tea kettle. The good news? Once you release those emotions safely, they wont rule you anymore.There are so many ways to release pent-up emotions. Screaming into a pillow. Thwacking a pillow with a knotted-up towel. Painting, writing, or singing loudly while vocalizing your feelings out loud. The more physical, the better.3. Remember That You Dont Have to Feel Guilty (in Fact, its Dangerous if You Do)I like my co-worker- but I shouldntI know I shouldnt be attracted to my boss, but I am- I feel t errible for feeling this way.Guilty thoughts like these are like throwing gasoline on a fire. Theyre dangerous, because youre far more likely to do unhealthy and inappropriate things when youre already feeling guilty.Guilt distorts our ability to think clearly, leading to thoughts like What the heck, Ive already made a mess of everything by falling in love with my married boss (even though no one knows), so I might as well pursue this. But remember, again You are in charge. Not your thoughts. Not your feelings. 4. Remember That You Are Allowed to Enjoy the ExcitementHaving a workplace crush can be fun, exciting- and even productiveYou might find yourself dressing more sharply, speaking up in meetings more readily, contributing to projects in a bigger way- all because you like the way that special someones face lights up when youve done a great job.Once you clear guilt out of the way, you can delight in the thrill and the sparks.And with those happy sparks in your heart, you can shif t into a positive frame of mind- one that will allow you to calmly consider the pros and cons of starting a relationship with your co-worker.When its time.If its right.Photo of hearts courtesy of Shutterstock.