Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: 10 Things That Will Immediately Change Your Life

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career and life development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

In the video below, Jim Kwik talks about 10 practices that will pay immediate dividends and improve your life and career, including eating for health and learning how to manage stress. Check out the video to learn more.

How to Deal with Your Company's Uncertain Future

Market conditions and business realities can change in a hurry and, with it, plans for a sustained career with a specific employer.

When your company goes through rounds of layoffs or strings a few down quarters in a row, it can be difficult to stay focused on your job, especially if the rumors are flying and others around you have been laid off or are feeling pressure.

\

Here are a few steps to deal with the uncertainty.

Stay informed. Be aware of the situation of your company and the state of your industry by attending company meetings, listening to calls with shareholders, or reading industry websites and magazines. The more you know about the situation the better prepared you will be to manage whatever comes. Be sure to have regular conversations with your manager or boss to discuss the specific situation your company is facing and how it might impact you and your team.

Manage stress. This is a particularly good time to practice self-care and focus on ways to feel healthier, both physically and emotionally. Eat well, reduce alcohol, eliminate unhealthy habits like smoking, sleep well, and practice meditation or yoga. The better you are at managing the stress levels in your life, the better prepared you will be for any eventuality at work.

Be prepared. It’s possible your company could file for bankruptcy, be sold, or go out of business. Any of these possibilities could lead to you losing your job. Prepare for this possibility by deepening your network of contacts, updating your resume, and becoming familiar with job search sites that will be most relevant to your work interests.

Diversify skills. The more valuable you are to the company the better your chances of remaining employed, and like the NFL, one way to increase value is to be able to play multiple positions. What that looks like in your company is specific to your work and industry, but it also means developing your soft skills, like conflict resolution or empathy, while also being a good accountant or engineer. Think about the skills and abilities your company needs to succeed and find ways to develop the skills needed to make a positive contribution.

You might not avoid a lay off or the impacts of the market on your company, but you can find ways to better position yourself for a more positive future.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: 4 Ways to Cope with Anxiety at Work

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• 4 Ways to Cope with Anxiety in the Work Place: "In every place I’ve worked, I’ve found a confidante. I let this person know about my anxiety, and update them if anything is happening in my personal life that may cause increased stress."

• Are You Ready to Go Freelance?: "When asked about the biggest challenge they face, half of the independent consultants we surveyed mentioned unpredictability, insecurity, and volatility."

• What You Need (Besides Grit) to Succeed: "You need grit to have a chance. But success requires the action of others, too. Be realistic and give it everything you've got, and be bold if you can about requesting a recommendation."

• 3 Things to Do to Be Better at Decision-Making: "But just knowing your purpose isn’t enough. You must also identify the precise outcomes (the what) you desire to achieve."
• 3 Ways to Prevail as a Female Entrepreneur:"Taking the high road, staying focused on the goals ahead and trusting yourself and your capabilities is most often the best course of action."

How to Manage the Stress of a Big Project

Sometimes it feels like the deadline will never arrive or that the big deadlines just keep coming. It is easy to get on the roller-coaster of stress and feel like you’ll never be in control of your work life again. However, there are ways to deal with the stress-filled times at work to make them more manageable.

Implement the following steps to reduce your stress at work.

Tackle the worst first. There are parts of every project or every responsibility that we have in our jobs that is something we dread or find ourselves putting off. Take the opposite approach. If you dislike the phone calls you need to make for the project tackle those first in the morning or take on the budget tracking that frustrates you. When you get rid of some of the worst parts of your work first it frees you up to work on things you enjoy later, when you’re feeling a sense of relief and accomplishment at putting some of the most stress aspects of your project behind you.

Talk to your manager. Many of us put off discussing our stresses with our manager because we don’t want to give off the impression of being overwhelmed or incompetent at something. Your supervisor is there to help and wants to see projects completed well and on time. If the stresses you experience threaten the success of the project your manager will want to know. In addition, he or she should be interested in your well-being and might be able to help you identify strategies to be more effective in your work or perhaps can take some things off your plate to help you devote additional time to the more important project.

Work for focused and brief spurts. Consider setting aside dedicated periods of 45 minutes throughout your day to focus exclusively on your project without allowing for outside disruptions, including phone calls or checking of emails. It’s likely you’ll find you accomplish more throughout the day with this approach, leading to reduced stress as you see the end in sight.

Pay attention to your health. It’s critical to reducing your stress levels to take care of yourself by exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, eating well, and engaging in a mindfulness practice such as meditation or yoga.

By putting into practice these four steps you can learn to more effectively manage the stress in your work life.      

Four Ways to Manage Stress and Anxiety at Work

You have a big project coming up or you’ve taken on new responsibilities at work and you feel anxious. When we encounter something new or have an increased workload if is easy to feel overwhelmed.

But you don’t have to through it alone and there are ways to manage the stress without going crazy at work, quitting your job, or kicking the dog.

If stress and anxiety is getting you down at work, implement the following four practices. 

Identify any patterns related to your stress. If you can find specific patterns to your stress and anxiety it becomes easier to develop some strategies to deal with it. For example, if you notice more intense stress on Sunday evenings or Monday mornings as you begin to turn your attention back to your job, you can be better prepared to face the work week. Perhaps the anxiety increases in the lead up to making a presentation at work. This information can lead you to decide to take a public speaking class at the local college, or join the Toastmasters, or avoid procrastinating and have the presentation prepared a few days in advance to allow time to get comfortable. Once you’ve identified patterns related to the stress and anxiety you experience you also help to reduce its power over you.

Discuss the situation with your supervisor. Don’t be shy about asking for help. Oftentimes we don’t want to admit to feeling stress at work because we don’t want our manager to think we’re incompetent or unable to handle the job. However, it’s necessary and important to our growth as a person and as an employee to learn to seek out help when needed. Your boss can likely offer some suggestions or tips that can reduce your stress, and sometimes it just helps to have someone lend an ear.  

Take care of your health. Our physical health plays an important role in dealing with stress and anxiety in our lives. Be sure to get enough sleep, engage in some movement and exercise daily, and be intentional about the foods we eat and the drinks we consume. Alcohol and coffee can negatively impact our sleep, while also contributing to a sense of grogginess or jitters during the day. Also consider adding time in your schedule for a brief meditation practice.  

Seek out professional help if necessary. At times we can feel overwhelmed the stress and anxiety and are unable to see a way out of it. If this describes you, seek out a counselor or therapist. You can likely find a good one in your area who is specially trained to treat anxiety and stress.