Promoting Work Life Balance

Do you have difficulty relaxing and switching off after work? Do you want to improve your work life balance (WLB)? Please click on the link below to read some practical, easy to use Relaxation tips and techniques:

Relaxation Tips & Techniques

Curious about Work Life Balance?

Are you curious about Work Life Balance?

Why not take the free WLB Quiz:

WLB_Quiz

Coaching for Success #3

As with all areas of life, it is easier to get what we want when we know exactly what we want. Our work/career area of life is no different and in this blog post I want to share practical suggestions that can help you create more clarity, focus and direction.

 

A ‘wish list’ is an excellent starting point starting point towards determining what you want or what you don’t want. I suggest you make a list of what you would like from your next role e.g. is there a specific industry, organisation or location you are drawn to? What skills do you envisage offering in your next role? Do you want to work outdoors, work as part of a team, etc.. This is a very simple and worthwhile exercise.

 

Perhaps you have an idea for a position/career/business but you’re not yet clear as to how you can make this a reality. “Reduce your plan to writing….the moment you complete this, you will have definitely given concrete form to the intangible desire”1. Writing provides you with an avenue to crystallize your thoughts and ideas into concrete form, helping you to create more clarity and more structure. The more time you spend fleshing out your idea, the clearer you will become as regards your next step.

 

You may associate a CV or Resume as a document that you prepare for ‘other people’ but engaging in the process of preparing this document (especially the ‘profile’ section referred to below) can be hugely beneficial to you in identifying what you want.

  

Suggestions on Preparing your Resume/CV

 

Include a ‘profile’ section at the beginning of your CV

This section should be about 4-6 lines in length and give the reader a clear description of your training, experience, current position and identify what position you are seeking. Leave the reader in no doubt as to the scope of your experience and training and what exactly you are looking for in your next role. This section can form the most important part of your CV and may determine whether the reader will keep on reading. I recommend dedicating as much time as possible to this section until you feel that this section captures your past, present and future. Do your best to create a ‘wow factor’ and to entice the reader.

  

Layout & Length

After your ‘profile’ I suggest including your career history, to ensure immediate attention is drawn to your career. Next I would list your education and qualifications and thereafter all other information. I suggest a length of two pages and at most three pages. Ensure that the font(s) you use is consistently applied throughout the document.

  

Career History

Ensure that your job title stands out (if you are including dates, maybe list these after your job title).

  

Writing in the first and third person 

My preference is to write this in the first person but there is no hard and fast rule. Whichever option you choose, just be sure that you are consistent in your approach.

  

Time

Plan and allow sufficient time to prepare this document. You will know when your CV truly captures and reflects you, so do not be put off if you have to prepare multiple drafts.

 

About your Online Presence:

  

LinkedIn now has over 100 million users. If you’re unfamiliar with this site, I would suggest visiting and setting up your profile. You do not need to include much data, but ensure that whatever is included is spell checked and appears professional. Include a photo if you can and ask for recommendations for your work.

  

Google – you can be almost certain that a potential employer will Google your name so I suggest you get there first. Address anything that you are uncomfortable with and take action today. Perhaps you will need to change your privacy settings on your Facebook account, remove photos, etc..

  

Why not start today and allow yourself the time and space to focus on your career. Even fifteen minutes today can make a difference….

 

[1] Napoleon Hill, ‘Think & Grow Rich”, 1937

 

Tired of Financial Clutter? Overwhelmed…

Tired of Financial Clutter? 

Overwhelmed with paperwork?

Unsure where to start?

For many people, dealing with their finances takes them out of their comfort zone. I can help you. Please call me in confidence on 087 2189924 or visit my website for more information at:  www.lindamnicholson.com/page15.htm

Irish Radio Network USA

Betty Cosgrave interviewed by Adrian Flannelly in New York City whilst promoting ‘The Whispering Soul’.

Thank you Aine Sheridan and Adrian for making us feel so welcome in NYC.

Woman’s Way

Please click here to read this article.

Coaching for Success #2

Today’s climate is creating a lot of change and uncertainty for many people. Although we look to others for answers and meaning, many of us are discovering that we already have, all of the skills and tools that we need to succeed. We just need to be reminded of them.

In this post I want to look at some tools and exercises that may be helpful to anyone experiencing challenges in their career or workplace. Although this list is geared toward work/career, the same themes tend to arise in other areas of life.

Assess Your Expectations

Some of us expect our career/work to meet all of our needs yet it is unrealistic to expect this of any one person, career, relationship, location, etc.. It’s important you don’t generalise that work contributes to you being unhappy when by design it cannot meet all of your needs. Explore how to meet these other needs. If you are looking for more intellectual stimulation consider further education or seek out like-minded people. If you want more fun, think about what gives you joy (dancing, reading, golf, etc..) and make a conscious choice to incorporate these activities into your life.

The Attitude of Gratitude

Whilst there may be minimal or zero pay rises this year, you may be grateful that a regular paycheque guarantees a steady income, that your employer is paying for your healthcare or that you have flexible working hours. Making a gratitude list can be a very worthwhile exercise.

Set Clear Boundaries

Know where work begins and ends; be clear on your hours of work and define what you consider ‘working late’. Communicate with others if you find their behaviour inappropriate e.g. someone who continually interrupts your work or intrudes into your personal space. Let others know where your boundaries are so they have an opportunity to respect them.  

Steer Clear of Assumptions

If a colleague seems ‘off’, don’t assume it’s about you. Perhaps your co-worker or boss is tired from taking care of their elderly parent who has dementia. Do your best not to take things personally as a lot of the time most things have nothing to do with us.

Develop a Positive Mindset

Increase your awareness of your thoughts, words and actions; keep them positive and remember, “Happiness is a state of mind”[1]. Every day you have a choice to get out of bed on the ‘right’ side or the ‘wrong’ side. Which do you choose?

Have a Back Up Plan

If you are concerned that redundancy may be imminent, take action today to minimise how this could impact you. Ask your boss for information or clarification. Update your CV, start networking, manage your online profile and read up on social media recruitment trends. Stay focused on what you can do. Review your finances; save more and spend less. If you have a second property lying idle, consider renting it. Explore alternative revenue streams e.g. generating an income from your passion as a tennis or yoga instructor. Perhaps this is where your next career lies?

Remember, all we ever have is the present moment…..

[1] Unknown

Coaching for Success #1

Fear of public speaking is the number one fear in society. A world renowned billionaire once wrote that he invested $100 in a Dale Carnegie course in the 1950s “not to prevent my knees from knocking when public speaking but to do public speaking while my knees are knocking [1]”. Isn’t it reassuring to know that as human beings we all share the same fears?

Although fear may block us, we have a choice to feed fear or face fear. When we focus on fear we get fear. When we focus on solutions we get solutions. Be open to solutions and remember ‘what you resist persists. What you look at disappears [2]’.

Fear of flying, heights, etc. can all be addressed through hypnotherapy and NLP. You have nothing to lose by exploring solutions. Most strategies related to enhancing personal performance primarily address two areas: competence and confidence. Lets look at both with regard to public speaking.

Competence: Never underestimate the importance of a well planned and carefully thought out presentation. It’s easier to feel confident when you are prepared so make sure you dedicate sufficient time and energy to this process. Rehearse your speech over and over. Practice makes the master.

Confidence: Your mind is your most powerful tool so why not use it to your advantage? Visualisation is a very effective tool to get in touch with what success looks, feels, sounds, smells and tastes like. Create your ideal scenario and like a new suit, step into it and try it on for size. Be as specific as possible about what you want. When you know what you want, it’s easier to manifest it into concrete form. Abstain from negatives; keep your thoughts positive, choose positive self-dialogue and use positive affirmations. You have nothing to gain by feeling bad or dwelling on negatives so use and choose your time carefully.

Pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zone provides the greatest opportunity for learning. Every now and then we all need to take a leap of faith…

[1] Warren Buffett 

[2] Neale Donald Walsch, pg 100 – “Conversations with God – Book One”

Improving Your Financial Health in 2010 – Step 11

With Christmas approaching and October being a key month in the Tax calendar, I thought today was an opportune time to revisit our Financial Health and remind you of some important tax dates and popular personal taxation reliefs.

2006 Tax Refunds

As you are probably already aware, Revenue allows you to go back 4 years from the current tax year when making a tax refund. As such, you only have until December 31st 2010 to make a claim for 2006. Consider each of the questions below and if you answer yes to any question, you may be entitled to a tax refund.

a) Did you incur medical expenses in 2006? GP visits, laser eye surgery, etc…

b) Did you pay nursing home expenses in 2006?

c) Did you work for part of 2006 or switch employer in 2006?

For information on how to go about obtaining your tax refund, please scroll down to read financial blog posts 1, 2 & 6.

2007, 2008 & 2009 Tax Refunds

You can claim your 2007, 2008 & 2009 income tax refunds today. Remember this is your money and the sooner it is in your pocket, the sooner you can use it to clear credit card debt, increase your savings, finance your Christmas shopping, etc.

iPhone App for Claiming Medical Expenses

To make life easier for everyone, I am delighted to inform you that there is now an iPhone app to assist you with claiming a refund on your tax expenses! Please click here for more details and if you’re not an iPhone user, you can use the excellent ‘PAYE Anytime’ service. 

Gluten Free Expenditure

The cost of gluten-free foods manufactured specifically for coeliacs is an allowable expense for the purposes of a health expenses claim (for more information please visit the Revenue’s website). Dunnes Stores are now offering a service whereby they can provide you with an annual report of your expenditure on gluten free products by linking your purchases through your Value Club Card. This will be available from 2011 onwards and more information can be found on their website.

October 31st, 2010

October 31st is an important date in the tax world. If you are self-employed, this is your due date for paying your 2010 Preliminary Tax and the balance of any tax due for 2009. If you are a PAYE worker with additional sources of income and/or capital gains in 2009, this is your due date to file your 2009 tax return. Remember if you invested in shares in Anglo Irish Bank, you may be able to use this loss to offset any capital gains on shares, property, etc. If you are filing online then you have until November 16th, 2010 and not October 31st. For more information please visit www.revenue.ie or please also refer to financial blog post 10.

You never know where additional income could be lurking…

Sunday Independent

Today’s Sunday Independent article on bank charges, written by Roisin Burke, includes some quotes from Linda. You can read the full article by clicking here.