3 Ways to Make the Most of Life Outside the Office

3 Ways to Make the Most of Life Outside the Office According to World Bank, the average life expectancy of Americans in 2009 was 78 years old. Given that Americans generally begin working at around 18 and retire at 65, working an average of 40 hours a week during that time, most people in the US spend 14% of their lives working â€" that’s almost 11 years! Now let’s factor in some other life percentages: 33% sleep, 12% school, 1.3% using the bathroom, and sometimes up to 16% watching TV! All totaled the average American, then, only has about 25% of her life to do the things she is passionate about (although you can increase that figure to somewhere around 35% if you cut out TV). What’s the point of all these facts and figures? Just a simple reminder that life is short and time is precious.   We all want to be successful, but sometimes the cost of success is greater than the benefit, especially when it comes to work. The American work-ethic is much more intense than probably anywhere else on the planet.   The terms “workaholic” and “married to my job” probably originated in America, and it’s no surprise why.   We take our work seriously. But what are we doing with the rest of our time? Granted, there are those perversely driven and otherwise demented individuals who work 70+ hours in a week and stop only long enough to breathe, eat, and sleep.   But the majority of us want a break, and wouldn’t work past 5pm no matter what the pay. The irony is that the people who work 70 hours a week are probably happier and feel more fulfilled at the end of the day than people who put in the average 40 hours and then go home, turn on the TV and veg out.   And let’s be honest, after a day’s work, that’s exactly what most of us do â€" turn into vegetables. It’s all too easy to fall into a routine that doesn’t search for enrichment as a working adult.   But you don’t want to one day turn 65 and realize that you never chased those passions of yours because you were too busy working. How can we better use our free time? The answer to that question will be different for everyone, but here are a few suggestions: Start a Business It might sound scary, but there is little in life more satisfying than owning and operating a business, even if it’s only a business on the side, that directly pertains to your passions.   Love to make pottery? Invest in a wheel and sell your bowls and vases on Etsy.   Have a knack for editing? Start networking and offering your services to businesses or local magazines.   The point is, don’t let your talents go to waste. Learn an Instrument It isn’t easy to learn to play an instrument, but it is greatly rewarding no matter how old you are. Of course, some instruments are more expensive than others (pianos can sell upwards of $50,000 depending on the scale), but there are less expensive alternatives to almost any instrument (keyboards, for example) and you can teach yourself from books that are also inexpensive. Take Cooking Classes This can be especially fun if you do it with your husband or wife.   Food is an everyday joy that we often take for granted, but it is very easy to rediscover. Even buying a new cookbook and trying new recipes often sparks conversation and is a great way to spend the evening with loved ones â€" certainly much better than lazing around on the couch and watching the same TV shows over and over. And if cooking doesn’t appeal to you, try to think of something that does: dancing, art, woodworking, jewelry making â€" there’s a class for just about anything if you look. Whatever you do, give yourself permission to be a little demented like those hounds who work 70+ hour weeks.   Fill your life with the things and people that matter, and don’t be distracted by the irrelevant.   Life is short, time is precious, and work, while important, isn’t everything.   Enrich and balance your life! About the Author:    Lauren Bailey  regularly writes for  accredited online colleges.  She welcomes your comments at her email Id:  blauren99 @gmail.com. Image courtesy of Or Hiltch.

How to Write Letters on Resume

How to Write Letters on ResumeHow to write letters on resume? This is a common question for many professionals and anyone who want to be a successful in today's job market. Writing the letters on resume is not as easy as it seems.You need to write the letters carefully so that you can increase your chances of getting a good job and doing your job better. The letters on resume can only show that you are a serious and dedicated person who is ready to work hard. People will hire you because they like your attitude, personality and how you will do your job. Having a good communication is important.Writing the letters on resume will take some time and effort. You must try to match the words you use to the job or the company. If you want to get a job, you need to write something specific about the job.There are two ways to write the letters on resume. The first one is to use words that can be easily understood by people. The second one is to write long and meaningful letters that can be re ad easily and quickly.Writing easy words on resume is important because employers expect this kind of letter. If you write a formal letter with too many technical words, it will sound like a PhD thesis.Do not start a letter with a sentence stating what you have done to get the job. Your resume is not a sales pitch. Try to let your personality shine through instead.It is also important that you do not repeat yourself in your letters. Say what you have done to get the job, and then tell the readers that you have done well to get the job.Knowing how to write the letters on resume can be helpful. Keep in mind that your resume will be your first impression of yourself, so it should be relevant to the job that you are applying for.

My most exciting gig in 2012 - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

My most exciting gig in 2012 - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog I speak at a ton of companies and conferences all over the world, but this is one of the most exciting I have coming up in 2012. Its put on by our good friends at Nixon McInnes and some of the themes are: Organisational design structure Is top-down, command and control fit for the 21st century? 21st century leadership What kind of leaders do the challenges of our time demand, and what is leadership today? Technology disruption What technology themes are imminent and likely to disrupt business as usual? The future of work What do people want from work and what can they expect from progressive businesses? Check out the conference web site here and get your tickets today! Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

The Next Job - CareerAlley

The Next Job - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. What I am looking for is not out there, it is in me. Helen Keller Id like to think that the vast majority of us set out to do the best we can in our jobs. Yes, I know there are the ever present slackers in every organization (you know, the people that excel at doing nothing, look busy and take all of the credit for others work), but Im not talking about them. Sometimes things just dont work out, either because we just dont fit or we dont like the work or the company. A co-worker of mine, lets call him Edsel, just had this experience. He was hired for a fairly senior role and was technically qualified but had never done anything like that before. Needless to say, it was not working out. But the company did the right thing by him and offered him another role in the company (rather than just let him go) this does not always happen. But Edsel did not want to take a chance and had already been looking for another job before he was offered the transfer. Needless to say, he soon left the company for greener pastures (I hope) rather than take a chance on this next opportunity. So what is my point? Re-read todays quote. Todays post is about finding the right job. Career Quizzes According to their site Job Quizzes are helpful, free quizzes to help you decide on the perfect job! Take some Job Quizzes before making a decision on a career, they help. You know what they say, there are no guarantees in life and the same holds true for job search. Their main page has a listing of quiz types, like Office Character Test and Is Your Job Sexy (and many more). At the bottom of the page are three lists of related links Career Quizzes, Career Guides and Career Resources. At the very top of the page are similar links plus links for Career Tools and Career Library (plus a few more). Good luck in your quiz! Monster Career Quizzes From the granddaddy of job search comes this one page that offers a number of quizzes Career Quizzes, Readiness Quizzes, Virtual Interviews, and Culture Quizzes. There are a few links below each category with an additional link for more quizzes like this. How to Find the Right Job This article, by employmentspot.com, takes you through some steps to determine what job is right for you. There are related embedded links through out the article and these are strategically placed. There are related links on the left hand side of the page (for job search in general) as well as links on the right hand side of the page. 5 Clues Youre in The Wrong Job or Career 5 clues, from ezinearticles.com, gives some guidance to help you figure out if you are in the wrong job or career. Sometimes it doesnt take 5 clues (many times 1 clue does it), but it is certainly worth the read. There are quite a few links to related articles at the bottom of the page. How to Know What the Right Job is for You The last one, from wikihow.com, stresses how you need to clear about what you are looking for. This 7 step article covers all of the things you need to consider. There are tips at the end of the article followed by related wikihows. The right hand side of the page has additional links as well as featured articles. Good luck in your search.

Career Corner Creating balance in your life - Hallie Crawford

Career Corner Creating balance in your life On Thursday we discussed what your life is like when it is out of balance here are some tips for creating balance in your life: Step One: Make a list of the different areas of your life where you’re not spending as much time and energy as you’d like. For example, if you’ve lost touch with friends and family or aren’t connecting with them as frequently as you want to, put that down. Come up with at least 3 areas that need work in terms of your time and attention. In each of these 3 areas, identify one action step you can take in the next week to improve upon that area. Will you make a commitment to call one friend in the next week, or spend time with at least one family member? Make the action step simple, realistic and give yourself a deadline. Taking one step in each of these areas will create greater balance in your life. Continue to do this every week until you develop a habit of attending to the areas of your life that are important to you. Step Two: Learn to Balance Work and Personal Time. If work is one of those areas that’s taking over your life, try some of these techniques to better manage your work time and attention. Turn off your blackberry, phone and/or email when you need focused time to work on a project. Set your email to only check emails when you press send/receive, not every time an email comes through. Having the email buzz at you whenever you receive a new message is incredibly distracting. Turn off your voicemail or email chime on your phone. Make a commitment to only check your voicemail and email twice a day at certain times. Prioritize your tasks on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Consciously choose where you focus your time and energy. Plan ahead. When you know a big project is coming up plan for how you need to spend your time and delegate other tasks as necessary. Don’t wait for crunch time to re-arrange your priorities. Set boundaries. Decide how late you are willing to stay at work each night â€" 6:00, 7:00 pm? And how frequently this will happen. Before you dive into a task, determine how much time you can and will spend on that task. Set a goal for yourself, you’ll be more likely to achieve it. Your action steps don’t have to be complicated; they simply require time for self-reflection and a true commitment to implement. When you create greater balance in your life you will experience: greater fulfillment, effectiveness, and productivity. You will be less stressed and won’t get sick as often. And most importantly you’ll be leading the life you want to lead! Heres to having a career you love,Work/Life Balance

How to Begin and Master Resume Write

How to Begin and Master Resume WriteIs it time to ask if it is time to start Masters Resume Writing. Are you wondering how to begin and how to be successful? Do you think that you have all the knowledge to write a professional resume, but just can't seem to get it? Are you ready to tell the world how you will write one of the most sought after resumes in the world?Master Resume Writing is a process that will show you how to write a good resume, and have it get your noticed. The first step is getting your resume written. This step is easy, but there are many steps that need to be followed.Master Resume Writing can be done online at a website, with a web designer, or with a one-on-one service. One of the ways to keep your resume up to date is to have an assistant or a part-time employee, to do the writing for you. You will be rewarded for your efforts as you get a better resume in the process. You may also decide to hire a freelancer.You can always go back and work on your resume over again. This will keep you out of trouble for forgetting something or possibly editing your resume more than you intended. When you have finished your resume, make sure that you know all of the information, that you are getting it correct, and that you have proof read it.A good way to gauge your abilities is to ask a friend of a friend if you are good at this type of job. It is a rewarding job and can even be done at home, while watching TV or working on your computer. You can also ask for help from a computer tutor if you do not feel that you have what it takes to be good at this. This helps to make sure that you are making the right choices when you are creating your resume.Master Resume Writing can be done for free or for a fee. Make sure that you are comfortable with all of the information and have read and re-read the resume before you begin. You do not want to skip any of the steps that you have to take in order to have a good resume that will get you the job.Master Resume Writ ing can be done online or with a seasoned professional. The process is simple, but it does take some time to see results. You may get a job, or maybe not, but at least you know that you are on the right track, and that you know how to write a good resume.

Know What an Old Pro Thinks About Best Cheap Resume Writing Services near Me

Know What an Old Pro Thinks About Best Cheap Resume Writing Services near Me The Fight Against Best Cheap Resume Writing Services near Me Whenever you are searching for work, you will need to produce an ideal first impression on your prospective employer. A lot of people don't like their existing job or career. Moreover, it's simpler and cheaper to get expert assistance. Finding some expert help is an incredibly excellent idea. You have to find more information about prices, to begin with, and make certain that there are not any expensive extras for which you may be charged. There are not any hidden costs related to the last price you see when placing the purchase. If you opt to create the choice on your own, you're risking a lot. Many resume writing services are incredibly busy, but there isn't any actual excuse for keeping you waiting, once you're paying very good money for the service. If you're still not pleased with its quality, we'll pay you back. If you're not ce rtain how to make an award-winning resume, there are cheap resume writing services you'll be able to turn to for aid. You're welcome to the greatest cheap customized essay writing service. Anyway, you can learn more about cheap CV writing service on the site. When using our site to order resume writing service on the internet, you should supply relevant info about your education, expertise, training and career experience. If you see a service we haven't evaluated, don't hesitate to drop us a message and we are going to take a look once possible.