How to Communicate to be Heard at Work

By Canadajobs.com Staff

job, jobs, career

You've often heard that communication is the key to understanding. This can be as useful in your work life as it is in your home life.

Communicating well at work is essential for your team to be able to function properly. It's an important aspect in dealing with your clients as well as your colleagues. Here are some suggestions on how to communicate to be heard.

Be Clear:

People perceive things differently. If you are trying to get a point across to someone, make sure you are communicating to them in a manner that they understand. Use examples to illustrate your point. Support your comments by facts and clear examples of what you are trying to say. While you are speaking with someone, make sure they understand your point by presenting clear, separate thoughts. Ensure your sentences are complete and make notes before hand if you know you will be led off-track.

Be Confident:

You know what you want to say. Be confident. You have a better chance of being heard if you project a confident image. Confidence is not being better than others. It's the belief that what you say has value and you should be listened to. When you are communicating with someone and you don't feel listened to, it undermines your confidence. Don't let that happen to you. If you feel de-railed, make sure you bring the conversation back to the issue at hand. By being confident and respectful, you are telling the listener to focus on you and your needs.

Say What you Mean:

How many times do people say one thing, but really mean another? Often, people use this as a tactic to mask their true emotions. Instead of going around the issue, why not confront it head on. It avoids potential problems later. By being direct (but kind) you give your listener a better chance of actually listening. Saying what you mean is a sign of respect. You respect your listener enough to tell them the truth. You present them with an opportunity to correct a problem by allowing them to really understand your concern.

Be Flexible:

You won't always get your way in a conversation or a disagreement. As much as you deserve to be heard, others deserve a disagreeing viewpoint. Make sure you're expectations of the conversation and outcome are realistic. Communication, but its nature takes at least two people. And no two people are alike. By being flexible, you invite the other person to see your viewpoint as well. On issues where you can compromise, try to. It will go a long way to showing goodwill to the other party in your conversation.

Communicating to be heard is critical in your day to day work life. Colleagues, partners, and clients all require interaction, and you need to ensure that when you are speaking with them, you are heard, supported, and listened to. By following some of the tips above, you improve your chances of effective communication.

Leadership and Elusive Happiness

By Daniel Crosby

Jobs Indonesia, Careers, Indonesia Vacancy

In his seminal work 'Good to Great', Jim Collins found that two things were necessary for truly great (Level 5 in Collins' vernacular) leaders: humility and a highly focused strength of will. Perhaps Collins' greatest contribution to leadership literature is having shot down the sexy, if fallacious, idea of leaders as larger-than-life and ostentatious. So, why is it that after such paradigm-shifting discoveries we are still so mired in mediocrity in terms of our corporate and political (both parties!!!) leadership? I think one of the biggest and most overlooked answers to this question lies in the way we pursue leadership.

To illustrate this point, consider the times in your life that you've been the happiest. Ever notice how elusive happiness is when you try to pursuit it? Well it turns out you have something in common with a famous utilitarian philosopher (your Mom must be so proud)! John Stuart Mill said, "Those are only happy who have their minds fixed on some object other than happiness. Aiming thus at something else, they find happiness along the way." Part of happiness is the effortlessness and lightness of being that accompanies it. So, when we try and try to be happy, we are necessarily running afoul of one of its fundamental features. Something very similar can be said of trying to be a leader.

I, like Jim Collins, think that humility is a necessary attribute of a deep leader. That said, when we take the mantle of leadership upon us in the "how-can-I-lead-these-little-people" sort of way, we've already failed! Those who aspire to leadership, who view themselves as leaders in the traditional sense, and who buy leadership books (and read blog posts on leadership - GOTCHA!) because they are somehow elevated, have violated one of the fundamental tenets of deep leadership before even truly beginning the journey. And as any sailor can attest, going on a journey that begins with a miscalculation can land you way off course.

Time Management Tips For Professionals

By Ashton P. Dixon

Jobs Indonesia, Careers, Indonesia Vacancy

There is no easy route in perfecting time management. Although the idea of managing time may sound easy, many people are still finding it difficult to follow.

If you are one of those people who find it hard to follow time management, then here are some tips that you can follow.

1. See the BIGGER Picture

Time is a constant and abundant resource that people can't purchase or sell. It is a resource that can be shared with or can be shared from someone else.

And one effective way of managing it is by visualizing a bigger and clearer picture of your goal. Prioritize more the activities that would put you closer to your objective, and prioritize less those that won't. Carefully assess the tasks that need prioritization in order to accomplish activities that are closely related to your goal.

Many successful people today practice different time management forms and techniques, but if there's one thing these business minded people share in common. It's the vision of how they want to spend their business time.

2. AUDITING Time Management (For Professionals)

Ideally speaking, everything that a person should list and follow should be actively valuable towards their desired goal.

To make your auditing faster, the following are sub-breakdowns that many professionals spend their time on. Personal goals may differ, but the general idea of breaking goals down remains the same.

• People and Managing. Managing people can be sub-categorized in to three different areas namely;

1. Managing time across
2. Managing time up

3. Managing time down

If you're currently working as a leader or as a manager in a company, understand that the best way to spend most of your time is by directly supervising your team or co-workers below you.

This is also an effective strategy of teaching your employees while working your personal professional goal at the same time. Cultivating time-leverage upward not only benefits the team and the company, but it can also benefit you by moving closer to your goal.

3. CHARTS for Time Management

Presently, there are lots of these tips that are scattered all over the internet. The approach may vary sometimes, but believe that the basic idea is still there.

One common tip most time management tips share is in building a chart. Building charts are effective in reminding important plans ahead. Creating charts are also helpful in simplifying time management audits, as well as in pitching the whole picture of your goal.

Building a Chart:

a. Start building your chart by writing down the days and weeks in a month. Across its columns on top, write down your major tasks and goals that needs prioritization.

b. After you complete this activity, record the amount of time you spent under each category. This way you can easily monitor your progress and accomplishments in one day.

c. Try to stick to the plan as much as possible.

d. Avoid over doing it by stuffing to much work in one day.

Stress Management - Simple Living For Stressful Times

By Ilenya Marrin

Jobs Indonesia, Careers, Indonesia Vacancy

If you have not felt stressed by the current economic downturn, take a bow and teach the rest of us how you have maintained your peace.

Seven Tips for Simple Living NowIf you do feel stressed by national and world events that impact your livelihood, retirement, home and day to day quality of life, here are seven tips for Simple Living to help get you through these tough times.

1. Evaluate what is most important in your life -- your loving, laughing and caring with family and friends, your learning and flexibility, your spiritual foundation, or your dollars and material possessions? What are your core values? Focus on those things that bring you lasting joy. The stress of striving to hang onto the material level might just vanish, leaving you feeling lighter and freer.

2. Let go to become free. If income is limited right now, decide what you can do without in order to keep basic needs for shelter, food, clothing, heat and transportation handled. Instead of focusing on your sacrifices, make this into a game of freeing yourself from your old patterns of greed and wanting instant gratification. Your positive attitude will keep stress at bay.

3. Get creative about how to fill your time with fun, productive activities. What can you make from what you already have? What can you give to assist others -- your time? your expertise? unneeded belongings? Have you been meaning to reorganize the garage or basement? Now is your chance. Getting involved with others or with physical activity will help to reduce stress and keep your energy moving forward in a positive way.

4. Look for little ways to simplify your lifestyle. For some of you, this will mean taking time to cook from scratch more often, or mending furniture and repairing appliances and cars instead of buying new. For others it will mean trading services and goods with neighbors and friends. You don't have to solve every problem with a credit card. You'll feel good about yourself and lower stress at the same time.

5. Back to Basics -- There's an old Yankee saying, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without." Are there some small ways you can put this truism to work in your life? Even "silly" little things like using up the last sliver of soap are satisfying within this framework. When you know you are making the best possible use of what you have, you can relax and savor your personal peace.

6. Change your attitude. If you've been filled with doom and gloom, look around and discover how the economic crisis is making people behave more kindly toward one another. Find at least three good things per day that are taking place because of the shift in values forced by the economy. Reframing your outlook to include the positive will automatically help reduce your stress levels.

7. Set a few personal goals related to how you want to thrive, not merely survive, with a simpler lifestyle. Do you want to save a nest egg? Have you always wanted to plant a vegetable garden? Do you long to go back to school? Create a plan and take small steps to achieve your goals. With your simpler lifestyle (not rushing to keep up with the Joneses) you'll have time for reflection, planning and reaching your objectives. As you move step by step toward your goal, the satisfaction of a job well-done should easily outweigh old stress patterns in your life.

Put these seven tips to work in your life and you'll be overcoming stress with positive focus and positive action, and enjoying a simpler and more fulfilling lifestyle to boot.

How To Relax on Your Day Off

By Canadajobs.com Staff

job, jobs, career

Whether your work is stressful or not, it's important to make time for yourself. Often, we get caught up in our work duties and don't give ourselves time off from work.

In order to make sure we don't burnout or become too absorbed with our job, it's important to appreciate those times away from work. If you find yourself constantly thinking about your job, even on your time off, here are some suggestions on enjoying your time away from your office.

Do Something You Enjoy:

When was the last time you really did something you like? Do you enjoy certain hobbies or sports? What aren't you doing them? Nurturing yourself is the best way to make sure you have a balanced work and home life. Find something you like doing and take it up. Participating in a sport of hobby with other people gives you a fresh perspective, a new group of friends, and a diversion away from your regular routine.

Prioritize:

Does every one of your chores really have to be done this weekend? Make a list of the most important things you want done on your time off and prioritize. Do those really important things you feel have to get done, but let the others slide if you can. If you need to, fit some of those things into your work week, so that when the weekend rolls around, you are free from obligations.

Leave Room For Fun:

We get caught up in our life and we often forget to have fun. Have a pillow-fight with your kids, go fly a kite at the park, or take out the finger-paints and make pictures with your kids. Adding laughter and humour to your life is the perfect way to bring back the fun. Just go at it and don't worry about making a mess.

Don't Take On Too Many Commitments:

What's the point in having time off if you can't enjoy it? Filling your downtime with other "projects" or things that have to be done puts a stress on you that you shouldn't have. Pare down your obligations and committments by participating in activities that are truly for you and not for everyone else around you. Taking time for yourself should be about doing what you enjoy, not about taking on more deadlines or obligations.

By applying the simple steps above, you can help regain a sense of balance in your life. If you are one of those people who thinks a lot about work even when you aren't at work, try to do something you enjoy on your time off. Putting the fun back in your life will do you a world of good.

Why Are People So Stressed?

By Lorraine Arams

Jobs Indonesia, Careers, Indonesia Vacancy

People, it is said, are more stressed than ever. Why?
They have every convenience money can buy and beyond. The internet is connecting the world, cell phones allow communication any time, anywhere. At home a machine performs the main process - the dishwasher washes the dishes - no need to manually wash and dry dishes; the clothes washer and dryer washes and dries clothes - there's no need to hang laundry on a clothes line any longer; the car transports people, sometimes multiple people, right to the door of their destination - no need to walk or ride your horse; fridges not only keep things cold, they keep things frozen, dispose cold water and ice and some even have televisions built in - no need to put ice in the ice box any longer and drain off the water from melted ice.

With all these conveniences, why are people feeling as though they can no longer cope? Despite the advancements in technology and "machines", people have not been trained in the most fundamental parts of their lives - handling finances properly, understanding time management, controlling their thoughts and living their lives on their terms.

The result is chaos. By the time they figure it all out, they've wasted a lot of time, money and energy.

What's the solution?
Learning the right things and using that knowledge consistently.
It's not easy though to find that knowledge. We have so much information at our disposal today that it is mesmerizing and, trying to find good advice, is getting more and more challenging. We have to read a lot before we can find something useful.

How do you know when it's the right knowledge?

Because it fits with your life. Let's say you have problems with your finances. You find someone who teaches you how to budget and track your budget - it should be simple to do and the only challenge left for you is to consistently use the budget and tracking to keep on top of your finances so that you don't get into runaway debt.

That's the hard part - consistently using the knowledge we acquire.

1. Next time you're feeling "over the top stress" - stop - just stop everything you're doing, thinking, feeling - go into numb. In that calm space, think, "What's causing this feeling of overwhelm?" .
2. Write the reasons down in one column and in the next write down what you can do about it.
3. Pick one.
4. Do it.
5. Did it solve the problem? If so, you're done. If not pick another solution and try that one. Soon you'll find what you need. Repeat for all the other problems you wrote down.
6. Apply the solution consistently. Put it in your calendar. For instance, if you found the right budgeting and finance tracking tool which fits, then make sure you schedule regular maintenance of that system whether it be daily or weekly. And do it each day or each week for the rest of your life - voila! you have your finances under control!

People don't want to believe it can be that simple so they try to find complex solutions or never settle on anything. If you find anything that is complex, break it down into smaller parts and solve the smaller parts - yes, it is that simple. If this approach isn't working for you, then you must ask yourself whether or not you really want your problem solved or has the problem given you something precious eg something to complain about, a conversation reference, something to make you feel bad about yourself or a reason to wallow in self-pity?

How to Stop Panic Attack and Anxiety Permanently

By Chris Soin

Jobs Indonesia, Careers, Indonesia Vacancy

Panic attacks caused by anxiety problems are one of the most dreadful situations that can ever happen to you while you are on the road. Especially if you are all alone, you will never know if you can make it to your destination safely. But instead of wondering about that horrifying thought, just think of ways on how to stop panic attack and anxiety permanently.

The panic-causing anxiety disorder is normally treated through oral medications and psychotherapy. But while Science can help you with this problem, you should also do your part. You should also help yourself to permanently get rid of panic attacks and anxiety by taking these measures.

Know the cause: Knowing the causes means understanding the psychological barriers. Ask yourself about the things that you are worrying about. Reflect on what causes the fear, particularly the irrational ones. Or if a certain traumatic incident has caused the anxiety, ponder only over the realistic repercussions of the situation on you. By doing this, you are able to understand your condition better and recovery is just easy for you.

Be in the moment: Any kind of thought that goes through your head can dominate you. These thoughts can prompt you to act in a certain way. For instance, if you are thinking about a future office meeting with the company executives, even if it is still weeks away, you can already worry about it in the present. Therefore, one of the ways on how to stop panic attack and anxiety permanently is by being in the present. By focusing on what currently surrounds you, you are able to eliminate worry and panic all in all. So if you are watching a good movie, just focus on the scenes instead of letting your thoughts travel to somewhere else.

Change your outlook in life: Life is all about perspectives. Your perspectives will either build you or destroy you. And to stop panic attacks and anxiety problems, try to change your outlook in life for the better. This will help you eradicate all irrational fears that you may have so that you can manage anxious feelings better. What's more is that a positive outlook can bring you to where you want to be. Not only do you achieve healing but you succeed in life as well.

Love yourself: Fears are what stop you from growing as an individual. These are the same fears that can stimulate panic attacks. But when you value yourself that you crave for growth, you make efforts to fight these fears off. You replace them with the thought of your dreams and aspirations. And as you continue your battle against the panic-causing irrational fears, you should give yourself a pat on the back for every achievement that you make. Affirm yourself every once in a while so that you may be reminded that these fears will never come true if you don't want them to.

These tips on how to stop panic attack and anxiety permanently can help you on the road to recovery. So value yourself and follow these tips on how to stop panic attack and anxiety that you may achieve total healing.