The ability to work in a focused way is crucial for productivity. But why is it sometimes so hard to concentrate? In this post I discuss five common reasons that you may have difficulty focusing. I also share 11 simple things you can do for improving focus at work. YOU FEEL OVERWHELMED Some projects or tasks just make you feel overwhelmed. Since you’re not sure how to approach…
Great communication skills are crucial to help you land jobs, build relationships, and advance in your career. Being a good communicator means you can clearly express your thoughts and emotions as well as effectively relay information. In other words, your listeners know in what way they should interpret your message. Furthermore, you’re able to understand the needs and concerns of others. Communication is an umbrella term that encompasses…
One of the main things that motivates our behaviors is our desire to grow, develop and reach our potential. This is why we set goals and strive to attain them. In this short post, I present two psychological strategies that can support you in reaching your goals. Practicing visualization and using positive affirmations are two effective strategies to achieve goals that are important to you. Visualization – Strategies…
Personal values respresent the overarching goals that we consider most desirable. They influence our thoughts and actions, even when we’re not aware of it. Values also reflect preferences about what we consider worthy and important. Furthermore, a person’s values tend to be consistent across time and contexts. This differs from beliefs and attitudes which can change more readily. By living our values in the work environment we’re more…
Have you ever considered that you probably have strengths you’re not even aware of? With this post I help you explore your strengths in the workplace and show you how to use them to become even more resilient. The exercise used in this article is based on Padesky and Mooney’s four-step strengths-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) model. The first step is to identify strengths that you already have.…
What comes to mind when you think about resilience? The most common thoughts probably include things like bouncing back, dealing with adversity and being stress resistant. In this article I would like to present a characteristic of resilience that is not talked about so much. It helps to explain why resilient people can effectively navigate adversity. The secret lies in taking care of yourself by exercising self-compassion and…
Do you sometimes wish you were in a different spot regarding your professional development or even other areas of your life? I believe everyone can relate to this. But not everyone, does something about it. In this article I’ll introduce you to an exercise that will help you to do something about it! I’m talking about making your own personal development plan. Companies use this tool to stimulate…
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words “performance review”? Is it something you look forward to or do you think they’re a waste of time? Performance reviews can be a tremendous catalyst for personal and organizational development, however, their effectiveness depends on the way they’re implemented. In this article, I talk about ways to ensure you get the most out of such…
One characteristic of resilient people is their high level of self-awareness. In other words, they know themselves quite well. Of course, it is not possible to see yourself in a completely unbiased way. However, resilient individuals have a relatively accurate perception of their strengths and weaknesses. They know what motivates them and what their core beliefs are. Furthermore, resilent people know how to overcome limiting beliefs. Self-awareness, enables…
How do you tend to cope with stressful situations? We all have our default way of dealing with things. I tend to ruminate which, I know, is not healthy. Maybe you tend to address problems directly and try to change the situation. Others just accept the way things are and avoid any kind of confrontation. These various ways of dealing with stressful situations are called coping strategies. The…