5 Ways to Stay Healthy for Work During Cold and Flu Season

It’s that time of year when you might see your colleagues taking sick days at work and perhaps you’ve missed a day or two yourself. It’s cold and flu season and for every day you might miss because you’re sick, there are several other days you go in when you’re not feeling well, and when you’re ill you are unable to work at peak performance.

To excel at work, we need to pay attention to our health. Consider implementing these five ways to improve your health, boost your performance at work, and keep you healthy during cold and flu season.

Get a flu shot. Many workplaces offer the flu shot for free and provide an opportunity for employees to receive the shot at work. If your employer offers this make sure you get in line. Not only will you protect yourself from the flu, but you’ll also decrease the chance for others to get sick by being in contact with you.

Get adequate sleep. Getting adequate sleep provides many health benefits and studies have indicated that getting 7-8 hours of sleep reduces stress, increases creativity, improves memory, and sharpens attention, among other things. On the other hand, sleep deficiency has been linked to increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke.

Meditate. A brief, daily practice of meditation can result in significant health benefits such as reduced stress, better sleep, and perhaps even improved immune functioning. Meditation can also help you focus on positive and encouraging thoughts, which can lead to more joy and greater focus throughout the day.

Drink water and avoid alcohol. Staying properly hydrated is important to provide energy, strengthen muscles, improve skin, and keeps your gastrointestinal tract functioning healthily. As we’ve all heard, our bodies are mostly water and we need to drink enough daily to avoid fatigue, headaches, and other issues. Frequent alcohol consumption has many negative consequences and alcohol is a depressant; if you struggle with depression it can exacerbate it. To be at your best limit your alcohol intake.

Exercise or move 30 minutes. Our bodies are made to move, and we need to ensure some basic level of movement daily in order to stay healthy and strong, and to avoid illness. You don’t need to train like a professional athlete or body builder to see results. Get out and walk two miles on your lunch break, or bike in the morning before work … or, better yet, bike to work. Schedule this time every day just as you would any other important meeting. You’ll soon find that you have more energy and accomplish more throughout the day.

See your doctor. This is something that men often struggle with more than women. To stay healthy and to deal with an illness before it becomes more serious, be sure to see your physician for an annual exam. 

  

These basic strategies will help you feel stronger, and more energetic, and keep you healthy and on the job during cold and flu season.

How to Manage Anxiety Before a Job Interview

You’ve been sending out resumes left and right, applying for jobs in your sleep, and now you finally got the call and have a job interview set up. After lining up the interview, you might discover that you have a lot of emotions, including anxiety. Perhaps you’ve been looking for a job for a while and have started to feel a little desperate to return to the workforce.

Of course, you know that to perform your best in the interview you’ll want to manage your emotions.

Here are a few ways to manage your anxiety before the interview.

Recognize how you feel. Don’t bother denying how you’re feeling about the interview. Your emotions are not right or wrong. If you’re feeling anxious, nervous, or worried it’s necessary to acknowledge how you’re feeling so you can implement some strategies to better manage your anxiety.

   

Discuss how you feel with a friend. Take some time to share your feelings with a friend, spouse, or partner. It can help to manage your feelings simply by acknowledging them to another person. When we hold our emotions in or try to bury them, they can feel more oppressive and difficult to handle.

Get some good sleep. Of course, you want to get good sleep before your interview. Don’t stay up late watching television, perhaps take a hot shower or bath, and read for awhile to help you relax.

Avoid alcohol. Do not drink the night before your interview. You might think it will help you relax and fall asleep, but alcohol actually impairs your ability to fall into a deep sleep. And it should go without saying that you don’t want to drink in the hours before your interview.

Meditate and self-talk. Take a few minutes to meditate the day of your interview and develop some phrases for positive self-talk, such as “I have the skills necessary to do this job well” or “I will perform well in this interview.”

Breathe. When we’re feeling anxious, we can sometimes neglect to breathe properly, and this can increase our feelings of anxiety. So, take some time and breathe deeply, while repeating your positive self-talk phrases and you’ll do just fine in your interview.

5 Steps to Becoming Healthier in Our Work Lives

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, most workers spend over 40% of their workday sitting or standing, rather than engaged in some physical labor or movement. Of course, this percentage is much higher for those who spend much of their day in front of a computer screen.

It has become increasingly less likely that our jobs will support our physical health and that is why it is so important that we take an intentional approach to our work and our fitness, instilling good habits into our work lives that make us healthier.

If you don’t have a specific plan in place, here are five steps to start.

Move in the morning. Develop the habit of getting up thirty minutes earlier and engaging in some physical activity and movement. Make it something fun like jumping rope or going for a quick bike ride. Perhaps recruit a neighbor to join you for a brief run. You’ll be more likely to pay attention to your health when you start the day with some movement.

Drink water. At many workplaces you can drink unlimited pots of coffee throughout the day. Avoid this, especially if you’re feeling anxious or if you’re having difficulty sleeping. If you must have coffee, limit it to a cup or two and drink it black or sweeten with honey rather than sugar. Stay hydrated by drinking water throughout the day and stay away from sodas and other unhealthy drinks.

Bring healthy snacks to work. Your colleagues might like to build team spirit by picking up some donuts for everyone on the way into work, or there might be a treat area for people to grab munchies throughout the day. Mitigate the chance that you’ll get caught up in unhealthy snacking habits by bringing in your own snacks from home. Consider bring in some fruits like bananas, apples, or oranges, or vegetables like carrots or celery. Nuts also make a delicious and healthy snack.

Walk to grab lunch. Don’t sit at your desk to eat lunch. And don’t eat alone. If possible, invite a few colleagues to walk over to a nearby restaurant for a healthy meal that will help fuel your afternoon. The time outdoors will give you energy for the rest of the day’s activities.

Take a break every hour. If it’s possible with your work structure and responsibilities, develop the habit of working for shorter periods of time, around 45-50 minutes, followed by a brief break. Go for a quick walk, meditate briefly, and practice some breathing exercises. This time allows you to break up the monotony, get refocused, and give some attention to your physical well-being.

If you implement these healthy steps you’ll likely find renewed energy and productivity at work and at home.

8 Steps to Your Best Day on the Job

Instead of hitting the snooze button, dreading the office and your co-workers, you can get up with energy and enthusiasm to face the day.

When you do that you’ll be on your way to having your best day at work, ready to tackle the opportunities that come your way.

Like anything in life, your best work day comes from preparation. Here are eight steps to prepare for your best work day … and weeks … and months.

Get good sleep. It all starts with this. You have to ignore all those loud voices telling you that the only way to succeed is to work longer than everything else, sleep be damned. Adequate sleep is critically important to success and most of us need 7-8 hours every night. If you must, schedule it in and treat it like one of your other key tasks of the day.

Exercise. After you awake begin your day with some movement. Choose something you enjoy: a bike ride, a run, some push-ups or burpees, or maybe just dance wildly to a favorite song.

Meditate. You don’t need to go off to a monastery to learn how to meditate. Download an app or check out some meditation practice on YouTube. Even five minutes every morning will slow your mind and help you get settled in and focused on having a good day.

Write. If you don’t keep a journal now is a good time to start. It does not have to be complicated. You’re not writing for others so don’t worry about doing it “right.” Consider writing a few lines about the events of the previous day, note some projects you are working on, take some time to brainstorm possible solutions to any issues, and end by jotting down several things you are grateful for in your life.

Eat energizing foods. Your breakfast should provide you with energy and you’ll want to eat something with protein. Avoid a lot of breads and sugary cereals.  Try eggs and yogurt with fruit. Add a protein smoothie. Pay attention to your body in order to discover the foods that energize you and the ones that slow you down and be sure to eliminate the latter from your diet.

Greet everyone with a smile. Set the tone for your day and in your relationships with your colleagues and manager by greeting everyone you meet warmly. Smiling has a therapeutic effect on the one smiling and on the one receiving the smile. So, don’t be stingy with that grin.

Move before lunch. Particularly if you have a sedentary job, be sure to get some movement in before you grab your (healthy and energizing) lunch. Perhaps go for a brisk walk around the building or the surrounding neighborhood, or maybe you have time to pop over to a nearby gym for a quick workout. You’ll enjoy increased energy and focus for the afternoon.

Plan tomorrow. Before you leave work, plan for the next day. Write down the major tasks or goals you have so when you arrive tomorrow morning you are focused and ready to get after it.

Implement these eight steps tomorrow and you’ll be on your way to a better and more productive day on the job.

3 Signs You Are Stressed at Work (and what to do about it)

You cringe whenever you see that email or phone call from your boss. Maybe you’re avoiding everyone at the office, hiding out in your cubicle.

These are just a couple of the signs you’re stressed out at work and need to make some changes.

Here are some additional indicators you might be stressed out, along with a few suggestions for managing the stress in healthy ways.

You hate everyone. Ok, hate is a strong word, but you find yourself frequently irritated by others. This is a clear sign you are stressed out and should give you pause. Yes, pausing is part of the solution here. Pause and take some time to breathe and focus on what you’re feeling and experiencing. In other words, slow down and meditate. Make this part of your morning routine and your stress levels will decline.

Sleep is an option. This is not true. Sleep is not an option and if you’re sacrificing a good night’s sleep to be overworked or stressed out you’ll not only suffer in your career, but your personal life will feel the impacts. This week set a goal to get eight hours of sleep each week night and stick to it! Turn off the TV or shut down the laptop and get into bed on time. You’ll feel more energized and less stressed.

The bottle is your new best friend. If you’re drinking too much as a way to manage stress it’s time to do something about it. That bottle of wine or that craft brew is not your best friend and will only prevent you from dealing with the stress in healthy ways. It will make it more difficult for you to sleep well and might lead you to make mistakes on the job. So, get rid of those bottles and consider talking to a therapist or other professional about the stresses you’re currently undergoing.

Stress in the workplace can often result from ineffective communication and unrealistic expectations. If you discover that workplace stress has got a grip on you have a conversation with your manager. Often your supervisor will be happy to work with you to reduce the work stressors and help you develop a more manageable work load.

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: How to Start a Successful Meditation Practice Anywhere

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 Pedram Shojai, author of The Art of Stopping Time, provides some tips for those struggling to develop a regular practice of meditation for success in life and career.

4 Habits to Add to Your Morning Routine

All too often we spend our mornings rushing around, scrambling to get ready, eat a decent breakfast, take a shower, and get the kids off to school. But if we change up our routine and spend thirty minutes adding a few new habits to the morning, our days could be much more productive.

You don’t have to radically change your morning routine to see positive results. Even adding just one or two of the habits below can make a big difference.

MOVE. One of the best ways to start your day is to incorporate some type of exercise into your morning routine. You don’t need to invest in an expensive gym or club membership to see results. Find a space in your home that allows you some privacy and room to move, increasing your alertness and creative flow. If you like to dance spend ten to fifteen minutes get your groove on to your favorite songs and check out the next idea to pair your movement with music or a podcast to inspire you to have a great day. You can find many simple and short workouts online that don’t require you to purchase any fancy equipment. 

MOTIVATE. Gain some daily motivation by reading inspirational literature, listening to a motivational podcast, or enjoying some music that lifts your mood. This can be done in concert with some exercise, as noted above, or you can listen in while showering, eating, or even on your morning commute. You might want to check out these podcasts.

JOURNAL. A great practice for the morning is to take a few minutes to write in a journal. This activity can assist you in focusing on the important items on your to-do list, while also providing an opportunity to note those things in your life that you are grateful and thankful for. A daily practice of gratefulness has been shown to have great benefits for well-being.

MEDITATE. In addition to exercise, journaling, and filling your mind and ears with some motivational or inspirational thoughts, spend a few minutes each morning in meditation or prayer. You might also find it useful to add an empowering mantra or repeated line of prayer that will put you in a mindful and confident state to begin your day.

Add one or all of these four habits—moving, meditating, journaling, and getting motivated—to your morning routine and you will set yourself up for a successful and productive day.

5 Ways to Prevent and Overcome Stress and Burnout

Stress in your life and on the job can lead to significant job dissatisfaction and burnout, and can ultimately impact your career in harmful ways.

It's important to develop strategies for dealing with stress that enable us to face it in healthy and constructive ways. Consider the following.

Get and stay organized. When everything around us is disorganized and out of control it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Use technology and apps to your advantage to keep your emails and files organized and easily accessible. Keep a clean desk or work area. Make a plan to take on your most difficult or dreaded task first on order to prevent procrastination. Knocking off a major task early in your day will inspire confidence and help reduce stress.

Work around interruptions. Schedule your interruptions when possible by setting specific times to answer emails and respond to phone calls. Also attempt to schedule meetings during times that are convenient to your work load and also at a time during the day when your energy level is high. Meetings, especially unproductive or disorganized meetings, can certainly be an energy drain.

Breathe and meditate. Even before you are feeling stressed out develop a practice of breathing slowly and mindfully in order to refocus your attention and energy. Start a daily habit of meditation and you'll be better equipped to handle stress and anxiety when it arrives.

Watch what you eat and drink. Too much caffeine can cause you to feel jittery or anxious so if you're dealing with stress it's best to reduce or eliminate coffee or soda. In addition, alcohol can have a negative impact on your emotions and stress levels. Focus on food that energizes you and provides strength and focus. Drink a lot of water and be sure to get 7-8 hours of sleep.

Build your support system. Be sure to surround yourself with positive and encouraging co-workers and colleagues. We can't always choose who we work with but we can choose who to have lunch with, talk to over a quick break, or socialize with outside of work. These colleagues can provide great support during times of stress and burnout. In addition, don't neglect to discuss the situation with your supervisor. A good manager desires to support his or her team and can often identify changes in a process or work situation that can mitigate some of the stress, so it's beneficial to do your best to cultivate a positive relationship with your supervisor.

Focusing on these five basics will place you in a good position to deal with job stress and prevent burnout from overtaking you.

Boost Your Career With These 5 Tips for Healthier Living

In the US, employees take an average of about five sick days per year. That might not seem like a lot but consider the number of times you work when you’re sick with a cold or some other ailment. When you’re ill you likely are not working at peak performance.

In order to excel in your work and career you should also pay close attention to your health. Below are five simple strategies for improving your health and boosting your performance at work.

Sleep 7-8 hours. Getting adequate sleep provides many health benefits and studies have indicated that getting 7-8 hours of sleep reduces stress, increases creativity, improves memory, and sharpens attention, among other things. On the other hand, sleep deficiency has been linked to increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke.

Meditate. A brief, daily practice of meditation can result in significant health benefits such as reduced stress, better sleep, and perhaps even improved immune functioning. Meditation can also help you focus on positive and encouraging thoughts, which can lead to more joy and greater focus throughout the day.

Drink (a lot) of water. Staying properly hydrated is important to provide energy, strengthen muscles, improve skin, and keeps your gastrointestinal tract functioning healthily. As we’ve all heard, our bodies are mostly water and we need to drink enough daily to avoid fatigue, headaches, and other issues.

Move 30 minutes. Our bodies are made to move and we need to ensure some basic level of movement daily in order to stay healthy and strong, and to avoid illness. You don’t need to train like a professional athlete or body builder to see results. Get out and walk two miles on your lunch break, or bike in the morning before work … or, better yet, bike to work. Schedule this time every day just as you would any other important meeting. You’ll soon find that you have more energy and accomplish more throughout the day.

Avoid alcohol. While a drink at a social event or company party might lower inhibitions and help manage some social anxiety, frequent alcohol consumption has many negative consequences—damage to the brain, heart, and liver—and can lead to addiction. In addition, alcohol is a depressant and if you struggle with depression it can exacerbate it. To be at your best limit your alcohol intake.

Implement these five simple strategies and you’ll soon feel healthier, stronger, and more energetic.  

The Mid-Year Career Tune-up

It's June and the year is nearly half over, so where are you at with your career goals and objectives for the year? This is a good time to pause and reflect on your career and evaluate if you're at the place you want to be.

Consider the following three areas and make corrections and adjustments as needed so you can move forward successfully.

Continued Learning. It is incredibly important, both to your job satisfaction and to your future career success, for you to have continued opportunities to learn and develop new skills. Take a look at what you've done so far this year, along with the skills you've developed, and consider if there are some training sessions or a conference you can attend sometime in the next few months. If your employer offers free training or provides reimbursement for classes take advantage of these perks. Sign up today.

Network Building. Throughout the year you want to continue to develop your network in several ways, including through social sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook. Be sure to keep your LinkedIn profile updated with new skills and responsibilities. In addition, if you're not currently working with a mentor seek one out. You can likely find a good mentor at your workplace or through your network of contacts. A good mentor will also introduce you to others and help expand your network. Finally, find a networking group in your community you can begin attending or register for a conference. Conferences are great places to meet great people doing cool and exciting things in your field and some of these people can become mentors and future collaborators.

Healthy lifestyle. It's difficult to be at your best in your career if you're not getting enough sleep, or if you're eating unhealthy food and drinking too much. Take a look at your habits and determine if you need to build more activity into your schedule. Perhaps you live close enough to bike into work a few days a week. Or join the yoga class at the office. Maybe starting your day with a few minutes of stretching and mindful meditation can get you more focused on developing a more healthy lifestyle that will benefit you and your career.

Five Tips for Building Mental Strength in Your Career and in Life

It is inevitable that we experience setbacks in our lives and our careers. Success requires failure, and it necessitates failing many times and trying again after each disappointment or difficulty.

A Japanese proverb encourages us to "fall seven times, stand up eight."

We must develop mental strength in order deal with the failures and setbacks we experience in our personal and professional lives if we want to see those failures lead to success and positive outcomes. Too many of us retreat from failure, allowing it to define us, or allow difficulties to make us feel trapped, unworthy, and unable to move forward and reach our goals.

Instead we need to continually work to develop our mental strength and the following five practices will help do just that.

Let go. Put the past behind you and move on from your previous failures and disappointments. Learn what you need from them but don't be held back or defined by setbacks. This might require you to focus on changing your thoughts when you are troubled by the failures of the past. Telling yourself something simple like "that is behind me and today is a new and successful day" can be a effective technique to change your focus from the past to the present.

Practice meditation. Take some time each day, preferably just after you wake up, to set your day with some mindful meditation. Focus on breathing deeply and use this time for prayer or to repeat a short mantra that inspires you. This practice will help calm you, give you greater clarity of purpose, and will put your thoughts in a positive place to start the day.

Surround yourself with like-minded people. It's very important to have friends and colleagues around who encourage and inspire you. Be around people who understand the importance of taking risks and failing, who applaud you for taking action and trying something new. It is equally important to avoid time with people who frequently complain, are negative, discourage you from going after your dreams, or seem to take some pleasure in pointing out your weaknesses and failings.

Watch what you take in. We are what we eat and we are what we consume through the books we read, the movies we watch, the podcasts or radio programs we listen to, or the music we enjoy. Eating healthy food and surrounding ourselves with positive and encouraging media can be a tremendous source of strength, similar to being around a wise mentor or a great friend.

Act and fail and act and succeed, and be grateful for it all. The process of taking some action, of failing and getting back up, and trying again, and achieving some success builds our mental strength and enables us to continue to act, fail, and succeed. Pay attention to the process, and work at enjoying all of it, while expressing gratitude for what you're building and the strong and resilient person you're becoming.

5 Steps to Stay Healthy at Work

Have you ever been in a company and watched a virus run rampant through a work team, keeping people home in droves? It's not uncommon for viruses and illnesses to spread quickly throughout a work area given the proximity to our co-workers, and the often unhealthy environments where we do business.

In order to stay healthy at work implement the following five practices:

1. Participate in work sponsored activities such as yoga or a chair massage. Many companies provide opportunities for employees to focus on health. Some provide an onsite gym, yoga classes, or other sports activities. Take advantage of these opportunities to maintain your health.

2. Get active at regular intervals. If you have a sedentary job be sure to schedule regular times of activity. Set a notification on your computer to let you know that it's time to take a brief walk around the building. If you can do it outside, all the better.

3. Improve the air quality in your work area and keep your space clean. In many buildings the windows do not open and we are subjected to stale circulated air. Keep some plants around your work station to improve the quality of the air around you. In addition, regularly clean and dust your work space to support your health.

4. Practice brief periods of meditation. Again, another useful tip is to practice regular times of meditation. You can combine this with a walk, as described in point two, or you can simply sit quietly at a desk for a few minutes, or catch an empty elevator. Even a few minutes of meditation will help quiet your mind, increase your motivation, and improve your health.

5. Wash hands frequently throughout the day. Finally, be sure to clean your hands often throughout the day. As we go to meetings we shake hands with others, and touch the same door knobs, and work surfaces, increasing the possibility of sharing and spreading viruses.

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: Win the Morning, Win the Day

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 Chase Jarvis speaks with Tim Ferriss about his book Tools of Titans and highlights several practices that contribute to success, including a regular journaling practice. Check out the other recommended practices by watching now:

5 Ways to Excel in Your Career (and Life) in 2017

As you've entered the new year you've likely set some goals for yourself in 2017 and, if you're like many people, a goal or two is related to your job and career. Of course, we can start the new year with good intentions and then quickly find ourselves discouraged and failing to meet our goals.

Consider the following five ways to stay on track with your goals and to excel in your career and job in 2017.

1. Automate when possible. Find ways to increase your productivity and create additional time in your schedule by automating as many tasks as possible. Use an app to manage your budget or to organize your email. There is, really, an app for everything so you have an opportunity to better manage and control some of the many tasks that dominate modern life.

2. Start a side gig. If you've always wanted to work for yourself or start a business now is the time. Set aside a few hours every week to work on this: develop a business plan, create a web site, offer your services as a freelancer, or start making that product you've dreamed of.

3. Go back to school. Start taking a class or two toward earning a new degree or certificate. You can even learn online or informally by reading some books by experts in your field of interest.

4. Be mindful of your health. Unfortunately, many of us don't pay enough attention to our health and don't realize that we can be much more successful in work and life, and increase our productivity if we focus on our health. Take a look at your diet and eat more healthily, be sure to be active and exercise, have a consistent spiritual practice, such as meditation, get enough sleep, and reduce alcohol and caffeine.  

5. Build a support system. None of us can succeed on our own so be sure to develop your support system. Your support group should ideally include co-workers, friends, family, a supervisor at work, and a mentor or two.

5 Ways to Overcome Fear, Doubts, and Uncertainty in Your Career

Fear is often one of the strongest emotions we experience when it comes to taking on new challenges and tasks in a career. Sometimes we allow doubt to creep into our minds and we tell ourselves that we have no business expecting success and we feel like a fraud when we get that promotion.

This is common to many people and there are ways to deal with these thoughts and feelings.

Try these five ways to overcome fear, doubt, and uncertainty in your career:

1. Meditate. Take 5 to 10 minutes when you start your day to practice meditation. This calming practice will help set your fears and anxieties to rest and also allow you to fill your mind with some positive words if you add a simple phrase to meditate on, such as "I am grateful for each new opportunity."

2. Identify strengths and successes. Write down three of your strengths, along with three significant successes you've had in your life. Post this somewhere you can view it several times throughout the day. Drawing attention to your strengths and successes will help remind you that you are capable and have the skills necessary to be a success.

3. Practice positive self-talk. Learn to identify when you are telling yourself negative thoughts or are filled with fear and doubt. Take a moment to breath carefully and replace your thoughts with something true and inspiring. This is where identifying your strengths and successes can come in handy. Replace your doubts by reminding yourself of the ways you excel.

4. Surround yourself with positive and encouraging people. The people in our lives play an important role in our mood and how we think of ourselves. Make an effort to associate with people who inspire and encourage you to be the best version of you.

5. Seek out a mentor. When taking on new challenges and opportunities it can feel overwhelming and so it is important and beneficial to have an experienced person who can serve as a sounding board and provide counsel and advice while you grow in your work.

Try to implement these five strategies at any time in your life and career and you'll likely decrease the hold that fear, doubts, and uncertainty has over you.

6 Simple Ways to Be More Innovative in Your Job and Career

Your career development and success depends on being innovative in your work, finding news ways to do things, and seeing obstacles, challenges, and opportunities before others see them.

Sometimes we're tempted to think that innovation requires some mystical process or is an innate skills possessed by the few. However, we all have the ability to think creatively and innovatively and we can implement some simple strategies to aid in the process.

Here are six ways to become more innovative:

1. Take a walk. Studies have shown that we get some of our best ideas when walking. In addition, walking, particularly in nature, provides a boost to our feelings of well-being, lowering stress, and making us more open to new ideas.

2. Learn a language. Spending some time on a new language challenges your brain to think in ways that are unfamiliar to you and opens you up to some new experiences and knowledge.

3. Meditate. You don't have to become a monk or some kind of guru to experience the many benefits of meditation, however, taking just a few minutes to calming breathe each day can make you more aware of new ideas and ways of doing something.

4. Meet with friends. Don't isolate yourself. Be sure to have fun and spend time with your friends and colleagues, especially a diverse group that holds different views. You'll be challenged to think differently.

5. Create something new. Anything, it doesn't really matter. Write a short story, compose a song, or paint a still life. The act of creating something new will inspire you to see things in new ways.

6. Read a book. Of course, reading is a great way to explore new worlds, meet new people (past and present) and learn about new subjects and fields, therefore, encouraging innovation and new ideas.

4 Tips for Work-Life Balance

What is work-life balance and is it even attainable? For many people the stresses of the day-to-day job can impact home life and make it difficult to focus on anything other than the demands of work and career.

If you are one of those struggling with how to maintain a healthy and stress-free personal life consider the following four tips for achieving a healthy work-life balance:

1. Identify and set priorities and boundaries. Be sure to be clear about your priorities. If you need to get in a daily run ensure that you go to bed at a reasonable hour so you can get up early and get that run in before the busyness of the work day hits. Determine the things you want to get done in the morning--exercise, meditation, breakfast, time with family--before you check in with your job. Are evenings just for your family? Do you need to schedule a weekly date with your partner? Identify the things you need in your life and block off the time, preventing work and job demands from infringing on this time.

2. Turn off communication. Once you've determined your priorities and boundaries be sure to turn off your work phone or log off your email. Set yourself up for success, rather than making it easy to fail by checking your email when you should be focused on your personal time.

3. Recharge on the weekend. Set aside your weekend for recharging your batteries. Do the things that you enjoy and that increase your energy. If you need to do a work-related activity limit it to a specific task that you can complete in an hour or two. Take care of yourself on the weekend, avoiding late nights and excessive caffeine or alcohol.  

4. Reduce stress with meditation and sleep. Even a simple and brief practice of meditation in the morning can bring significant benefits to your work and personal life, and can greatly reduce stress. The importance of adequate amounts of sleep cannot be overstated. Focusing on those two area--adequate sleep and a meditation practice--can set you up for greater success throughout your day.

4 Tips to Prepare for Your Next Job Interview

For many job seekers the job interview provides great anxiety and pressure, especially if you're currently unemployed and looking to find work as soon as possible.

Here are four tips to prepare for your next job interviewer and help you feel more confident when you greet that potential new employer.

1. Evaluate past interviews. Think about what went well in previous interviews and what might have gone better. Were there questions you were unprepared for? Did you fidget throughout the interview? Honestly consider your interviewing strengths and weaknesses.

2. What value do you bring? Understand and identify two or three strengths that you bring to the job. What are the specific skills or knowledge that you bring to the job? You need to be very clear about the value you bring to every position and ensure that you convey that value clearly throughout the interview process.

3. Practice. Write out your responses to expected questions and practice answering the questions with a friend, family member, or even with the mirror, until you feel comfortable. Watch your body movements and ensure that you project a calm and confident candidate, even if you feel anxious inside.

4. Relax. You'll feel more relaxed and confident if you are prepared for the interview so ensure that you take the necessary time to prepare. In addition, taking some time to meditate, envisioning a positive outcome, and breathing deeply can help you relax and enjoy the interview process.

Good luck on your next job interview!

4 Practices to Implement in 2016 to Improve Your Life and Career

Let's not call these resolutions, ok? Resolutions can be daunting and we often implement them for a few weeks (or days) before dropping them and never looking back.

If we look at the following practices as just that, simple practices or strategies that can bring added value to your life but don't require fierce diligence, then perhaps we'll be more likely to incorporate some of them into our routines.

1. Meditation. No, we're not suggesting you become a monk or anything but a regular habit of even brief meditation has been shown to bring great benefits such as reducing stress and boosting productivity. There's even an app for it!

2. Sleep. Yes, this is often the first casualty of a busy life but 7-8 hours of sleep is critical to functioning effectively and being at your best every day. Research indicates that losing four hours of sleep at night produces a state near drunkenness and going to work in a drunken state is not likely to result in a good day.

3. Movement. We now live primarily sedentary lifestyles as we spend increasing amounts of time in front of screens every day. To be at our best and have increased energy we need to move. A simple practice of getting up every hour and taking a brief 5 minute walk will do wonders. As Tom Rath notes, "If you eat, move, and sleep well today, you will have more energy tomorrow. You will treat your friends and family better. You will achieve more at work and give more to your community."

4. Relationship. We need other people to be at our best and to live well. Make a practice of eating lunch with colleagues and scheduling monthly (if not weekly) time to spend with a close friend. Ensure that this time allows for some dedicated and concentrated time to talk.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Make Friends Not Contacts

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!

• Networking 101: Make Friends Not Contacts: "Check your circle of friends. Surround yourself with people who aspire to do better."
• The Rainn Wilson Guide to Success: "For me, meditation is a great tool that I use in my daily life to ground me, to get me more connected to my soul. To the part of myself that’s beyond my thoughts. To God and to a higher purpose."
• 21 Ways to Unlock Creative Genius: "Consider this list of tricks and strategies your roadmap, all planned out with the benefit of the latest research and expert advice."
• Start Looking for an Internship!: "Interns that show professionalism and demonstrate their creativity gain a network of people who can mentor them, give recommendations, and collaborate on future projects."
• 4 Interview Tips for Veterans: "One of your greatest resources may be other veterans who have landed a job through mastering the interview process."