Tag Archives: careers

How to Cope with Stress in the Workplace

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Have you ever been kept up in the middle of the night, tossing and turning, worrying about the upcoming workday? Everyone gets a little anxiety or stress from time to time, but, according to the Gallup Poll Social Series, 79% of Americans say they frequently feel stress throughout their day. So, what is causing your stress? In order to reduce it, you first must understand what is making you stressed or anxious in the first place. Some of the most common causes of stress at work include office conflicts, high workloads and irrational deadlines, insufficient working environments, the feel of not being in control of your projects, disorganization, physical discomfort, and weak management.

Now that we know what could be causing all this tension, let’s figure out some techniques you can try to feel a little more “Zen” at work:

Avoid Gossip, Rumors, and Conflict

Avoiding conflict is always a great idea in the workplace. Don’t let office relationships stress you out. You’re going to have to be around the same people 40 hours a week, so keep a low profile. Try not to succumb to all the gossip and the office humor. If you know you don’t work well with some employees, try to stay away from them. Your mind will thank you later. And, if conflict does find you, figure out a way to deal with it calmly.

Sort Out Your Projects

One of the main reasons why people feel pressure in the office is because of the high workloads and irrational deadlines. The first thing you can do is come into the office with a positive mindset. This can make a big difference in how you start the day and how you dive into your projects. You can also write it all out. Place your time-sensitive projects at the top of your to-do lists. Figure out what tasks are super important and get started on them first. Don’t procrastinate – get right to it.

Create Your Own Positive Working Environment

Get into the groove of creating your own personal, positive working environment. Listen to music through headphones to keep the distractions under control. In fact, “research suggests that listening to music can improve your efficiency, creativity and happiness in terms of work-related tasks”.  You should also bring a few things to work to place on your desk. Things like pictures of families or friends, flowers, books, and pictures of quotes can lift your spirits during the workday. If physical discomfort is getting you down, try splurging on a comfier chair or comfier (yet professional) clothes.

Establish A Communicative Relationship with Your Boss

Talk it out with your boss. Let them know what they can do to create a better environment for both of you. Admit what is triggering your anxiety and figure out a way to contain it – together. Having an easy and honest relationship with your boss is best, especially when struggling with unwanted tension.

Tidy Up Your Space

Staying organized is one of the most basic solutions to reducing stress. If you are already feeling anxious because of your workload, why worsen it with having a messy desk? Some ways to keep your desk tidy are having organizers and folders for different projects in your drawers and on your desktop computer, purchasing a planner/calendar, getting rid of old papers, labeling drawers, and making things more accessible. Read this article for some benefits of having a clean office space.

Relieve the Pressure by Being Active and Mindful

Try to get your heart beating by going for a walk during your lunch break or heading to the gym for a quick workout. Working out has many great benefits including relieving stress. You can also take a ten-minute break to do some stretches or yoga poses in your office. Doing breathing exercises with help too by calming down the mind. Breathe in through your nose for five seconds and out through your mouth for ten seconds, then close your eyes and imagine your happy place – be there for a couple of minutes. This can slow down your mind and help you regain focus on your work.

Work-Life Balance is the Ultimate Way to De-Stress

Setting boundaries on when your coworkers can contact you for work-related projects or questions are important.  After a long work week, it won’t be fun thinking you are done for the week and then having to answer some work calls or emails. You should also be using your paid time off for vacations and mental health days to recharge your brain.

Live A Healthy Lifestyle

It’s so easy to want to come home from work and make unhealthy choices by eating loads of ice cream and chips. Sure, it makes you feel better in that moment, but in the long run, it makes you feel worse. Whip up a healthy dinner with a lot of vegetables and protein. Not only should you be making good eating decisions but getting a full night’s rest is key. If you don’t get enough sleep, you will feel unfocused during your workday which can affect completing your projects and tasks for that day. That will eventually stress you out later in your workday. It’s a complete circle. Sleep means staying focused and staying focused means getting all your work done which keeps you stress-free!        

Stress Diary

If you still can’t seem to get a grip on your stress and anxiety, purchase a journal and write down everything that is making you stressed out during the week. Record how you are handling the stress and at the end of the week, figure out what you can do to handle the stress better. Include your physical and emotional reactions and your peers’ reactions. The more detailed, the easier it will be containing your worry.

Don’t let stress take over your career. If you’re getting frustrated easily or find yourself feeling anxious, listen to your body. Take the time to implement these stress relieving techniques for the workplace and you’ll find your professional and personal life improve.

 

 

How To Keep Your Workspace Organized

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There are many reasons why you should be keeping your workspace organized and clean so here are some easy tips that you can do to get your desk in a way that would make Marie Kondo proud.

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5 Ways to Take Charge of Your Career

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In just about every interview, you can expect to be asked, “Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?” A generation ago, we used to know… You get a job in your twenties, work hard to get raise after raise, get promoted once or twice, and then you retire. Nowadays, people don’t know. They get bored with one company and then jump to the next one, looking for something that’s new and challenging, sometimes even returning to school for a complete career change. An unclear path like this makes it hard to create a career vision and figure out where you actually see yourself in 10 years. Hiring managers understand this jump-ship mentality and it’s why almost every hiring manager asks you this question.

Let’s dive in and help you take control of your own future.

  1. Develop yourself.

In order for you to grow in your career, you also need to grow your skillset. Try to learn something new every day. Find people who have similar roles to you and take a look at their skills. What are they doing that you can’t?

  1. Networking is a must.

Take the time to build relationships with people in the business world. This could open many doors for you down the road. It’s also nice to have a lot of people in your corner rooting for you to succeed. The more connections you have, the more possibilities there are. Use them to your advantage.

  1. When you want something, you’ve got to ask for it.

For example, if there’s an opening in upper management and you want the position, what do you do? Go to your supervisor and tell them why you should be considered for the role. Don’t tell them why you should have the role. Explain why you should be considered, use statistics, explain your experience, and share your accolades. Don’t risk being looked over for the position because you didn’t say something.

  1. Stay passionate.

Write a list of all the things you love about your position to keep you motivated. Then, write a list of things you’d like to be doing down the road – skill wise. Chances are you could find that in with your current company. Maybe you’d like to lead a team- create a target and work towards it.

  1. Ride outside your comfort zone.

Consider your comfort zone a small circle around you using the skills and connections you’ve had for years. Now think of all the skills and connections outside of that small circle that you are missing out on. Live life to the fullest and try to be a “yes man”. You never know what could come out of going outside your comfort zone.

Figure out where you want to be, what direction you want to go in, and what you want to be doing (what’s your 10-year plan). Only you can control your future.

Signs of a Good and Bad Job Candidate

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Finding the right employee to fill an open position at your company can be tough. If it seems like over and over again you are hiring the wrong people, you may need some help with the hiring process. Specifically, you need to be able to pick up on positive and negative signs of a candidate during the interview process. This way, you’ll avoid the dreaded situation of figuring out you’ve hired the wrong person and having to start the search over again. Watch out for the following indicators of good and bad candidates for your next job opening.

Good Sign: They show excitement and zeal.

Bad Sign: They seem disinterested or even bored.

Paying attention to the candidate’s level of interest in the job is critical. Sure, some may be polished, seasoned interviewees who know how to fake it for a job offer. But, you will usually be able to tell in your gut after getting to know them better if they are truly excited to work with you. On the other side, it is a serious red flag if the interviewee seems like they’d rather be somewhere else.

Good Sign: They are punctual and prepared.

Bad Sign: They are late and ill-prepared.

Punctuality conveys that the candidate values your time and is thoughtful enough to plan ahead. A good candidate will have multiple hard copies of their resume, and their resume itself will be carefully constructed with perfect grammar and punctuation. If a candidate comes in without their resume, or it has typos and basic mistakes, it shows that they are not detail-orientated and lack focus. If you think you can overlook these things, remember that they will likely make similar mistakes after you hire them.

Good Sign: They ask thoughtful questions.

Bad Sign: They have no questions at all.

If the candidate is asking in-depth questions about your company, it shows that they have spent time thoroughly researching things before coming in. Even more so, it demonstrates that they have carefully considered what it would be like to work at your company and aren’t sending out applications all over the place. A candidate that has no questions for you at the end of the interview is likely one that isn’t actually interested in your company, but sees the job simply as a way to make money.

The hiring process can be tiresome, stressful, and costly, so let HeathCare Support help you fill open positions with the right candidates. Our team specializes in matching all manner of health care professionals to employers looking to hire. Call us today to learn about how we can assist employers at 407-478-0332.

Tips to Stay Focused at Work

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Sometimes it’s tough to get your work done when there are so many things going on around the office — whether that’s because of coworker chit chat, that smartphone screaming your name begging to be checked (even though you checked it five minutes ago), or because your mind seems to be somewhere else.  It can be hard to keep your focus on your work throughout your day. But, don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Here are some ways to stay focused at work:

  1. Break it Up

Yes. It is absolutely okay to take little breaks. Go out for a walk around the building or do some stretches for five minutes.  Reward yourself for good chunks of work with a short, friendly chat with your cube mate or scrolling through your Facebook feed. But you also need to remind yourself that these distraction periods should last about five minutes, then it’s back to business. You control it!

  1. Turn it Off

If you’re one of those people who constantly checks their phone every five minutes (even though nothing is different), maybe it’s time to turn off your phone. We know, that’s easier said than done but, turning off your phone actually has some great benefits, such as, making sleeping and waking up easier, increasing efficiency, improving productivity, and boosting your memory.

  1. Headphones are Key

Let me guess. You sit close to a Chatty Kathy and a good chunk of your day is listening to them go on and on. Boy, do we have a solution for you! They’re called headphones! Wow! Amazing! But, seriously, if you put those bad boys in, Chatty Kathy will get the hint. Also, listening to music or podcasts provides inspiration and increases productivity. Especially, if you’re listening to jazz or classical music. Classical music is known for boosting your mood and your concentration. “Hey Siri, play Bach!”

  1. Water & Snacks

Water. What a marvelous thing. Water has so many benefits and it solves everyone’s problem (OK, not really, but almost). Drinking water helps clear skin, cure headaches, promote weight loss, increase brain energy and function, boosts performance in exercise, we could go on! So, make sure your cup of water is always within reach to avoid unnecessary breaks in the office kitchen or at the water fountain.

Just like water, make sure your snacks are within reach. The only thing that will cure that annoying, grumbling stomach that you’ve been thinking about for the past hour is food!

  1. Prioritize and List

Nothing will keep you more focused than writing all your tasks down. To-do lists help you prioritize what needs to get done and limits you to doing one thing at a time. Some people are great at multi-tasking but overall, multitasking lowers your work equality and efficiency. Keep your day organized with lists and cross those bad boys off when you finish a task, then reward yourself with a walk around the building.

Succumbing to those daydreams, phone alerts, or office chit chat can negatively impact you at work, so don’t let it happen! Put in those headphones, turn off that phone, or go to a quiet spot in the office for a little while – you’ll eventually notice you’re a lot more focused!

Working from Home for Working Parents

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Some parents who work in an office all day think working from home is a dream, especially when they’re struggling to balance work responsibilities and parent responsibilities. But the truth is, working from home with the kids is way harder than it seems. With the constant distraction, it’s tough to get all your tasks done. Don’t get us wrong, working parents are known for their extreme multi-tasking, but when is it too many tasks? If daycare has been out ruled, here are some tips to help you work from home with those little rascals:

  1. Create a Schedule.

    If you think you can get most of your responsibilities done in the early morning when your kids are eating breakfast, during their naptime, or late at night when they are all in bed, let your coworkers know that these are the times you’ll be online. It’s likely your work hours will not be the traditional eight hours. Look for spontaneous work moments. If your child is occupied for a short moment like watching an episode of Paw Patrol, get some work done that you can easily put a pause to in case they need your undivided attention again, like answering emails.

  2. Make sure the children 100% know that you are working.

    Have a talk with them, let them know the situation, and tell them there needs to be minimal disruptions throughout the day. Let them know they are part of the “team” as well and their job is to make sure you stay busy all day.

  3. Give your children incentives.

    Tell them if they’re good until lunchtime, you’ll take them to the park or out for some pizza. You can also give them task incentives. These could be “if you don’t disrupt mommy on this work call, I’ll give you a popsicle.” Then, that popsicle should keep them quiet for a little while longer *winky face*.

  4. Have boundaries

    . If you have a job that requires your undivided attention for long periods of time, create a home office. Let your kids know that when you’re in your “work space” you are not to be disrupted. Not only is your attention on your work, but you also won’t feel that pull to your children.

  5. To-Do lists save lives!

    Okay, not really. But they do help immensely. When you’re doing your work, give your kids a list of fun educational activities to do and if they finish that, give them a to-do list that involve chores (But don’t write “chores” on it or they won’t want to do it!) Some of these jobs could be to clean the playroom or set the table for dinner. This will keep them occupied for a little while.

  6. Entertainment is key.

    If toys and TV just aren’t cutting it, create a “boredom bowl”. In the “boredom bowl”, have fun little things they can do. Some examples are: build a Lego tower as high as you can or draw a self portrait of the family. As they get older, you can tie in some of your work responsibilities into the “boredom bowl”, such as filing.

  7. Ask for help.

    If you are knee deep in work, can’t seem to get anything done, and you’ve run out of options, don’t be ashamed to ask for help. Sometimes it’s necessary to ask a friend, relative, or hire a nanny to get in a couple uninterrupted hours of work done.

Being a parent isn’t easy, especially while you’re working. Equip yourself with the right tools and mindset to succeed and be sure to keep open lines of communication with your employer.

How to Make a Good First Impression

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A career in healthcare offers many rewards: there is job growth and security with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics noting that the healthcare industry is projected to grow by 26% through 2022, not to mention the high earning potential due to the high demand and sensitivity of the job; as well as the ability to make a direct difference in the form of delivering quality healthcare to your patients. However, depending on the niche and the cost of entry, entering the industry can be very competitive. If you finally landed an interview with a potential employer or a recruiter, here’s how to prepare yourself and ace that interview.

It starts by getting on a recruiter’s radar. You will need to understand how recruiters function: recruiters get paid to find candidates not easily found by other recruiters or by competing companies. Start by investing in a quality LinkedIn profile, and investing in networking and forging authentic connections. Alternatively, you can invest in curating a professional blog that will describe your expertise in the healthcare industry, as well as pontificate about your shortcomings and how you were able to prevail. A public persona can position you as an authoritative figure in the healthcare industry and will attract the attention of potential recruiters.

Acing Your Interview

First impressions matter

You are very much well aware that you should wear professional attire to your interview. However, what matters is to how you approach the recruiter and how you answer their initial questions. When they ask to tell them about yourself, what they really are asking is: “are you qualified enough? Personable enough?” Make sure to keep steady eye contact and describe relevant experiences in your field. But also do not be afraid to add personal details. This is the time to show how your personality traits and life goals are assets and lend themselves nicely to your career path.

But do not become too familiar

Telling the interviewer more than they should know could be a fatal mistake. They want individuals who can process information and have a strong backbone while doing it. Remember that as a healthcare professional, you’re going to be placed in precarious, emotional, and highly charged situations through your career. Being too personable can be a detriment. Be friendly, but do not divulge into personal information during the interview. If you are not able to gauge familiarity, then follow the lead of the interviewer and mimic the demeanor of the person interviewing you.

Ask curious questions

When the interview concludes, many candidates will be asked if they have any questions — and unfortunately, most will answer with no, and nervously leave the room. It is imperative to ask questions and demonstrate an interest in the industry. Asking questions will also reveal if the workplace is the right place for you.