I’m excited to share with you an interview I recently did on Women’s Talk Radio for the “Stop Your Drama Show” with Marlene Chism.

Marlene interviewed me about the issue of “career drama” and How to Navigate Career Change and Survive the “Valley of Despair”.  We talked about the trend toward seeking more meaning in our careers the 6 stages of career change that everyone goes through, as well as several other career change tips and tactics I usually only share with my private coaching clients!

The 30 minute show is available for you to listen to May 6^th through May 12^th at:

 http://www.womensradio.com/content/templates/?a=2492&z=11

 Enjoy!

These are the things that tip the balance, drain your energy, and make it so you don’t have the focus to accomplish your goals.

Think of it like your computer. If you use Windows and have too many things open on your computer, no matter how much memory you have, it’s not going to perform well. It’s a big drain on the resources of your computer. It’s the same thing in our brains. If we have too many things open, it drains our focus, even if we think they’re small.

If energy, focus and motivation seem to be waning, the number-one strategy is to take inventory and identify:

  “What am I putting up with?”
  ”What am I incomplete on or around?”
  ”What am I procrastinating on that is sucking away my energy?”

Make your list of what you’re tolerating, what’s incomplete and what you’re procrastinating on, and make it a priority to start cleaning up some of the low-hanging fruit.

Clean up the little stuff first because that will give you an energy surge. Then keep up the practice of keeping your inventory of tolerations, incompletions and procrastinations as low as possible. Those are huge drains on your energy and motivation.

Have a Clear and Compelling WHY 

The other piece of maintaining motivation and focus is having a clear “why.” Sometimes I call this your ‘bigger why’.  Your bigger why is the real thing that motivates you to take action. 

The bigger question that will help you keep going is to get clear on “why.” “If I had that, why would it matter? What would I be able to do with that?”

For example, what motivates me to keep plugging away at growing my business, when it might be easier to go get a job somewhere? 

Well, part of my “big why” is my children. I want to be a model for them on how you can achieve success on your own terms. And, I want to be here for them.  I want the flexibility to be home when school is out and to scale back my work schedule during summers and school breaks. But, I also want to do work that I feel makes a difference to others and makes good use of my God given talents and strengths. That’s the big “why” that drives me forward.

When I start to get unmotivated and think, “Maybe this is good enough. I should just stop here.” Or when I get frustrated with my business (it happens!) I reconnect with why I am really doing this. I’m not doing this just for the purpose of having a business. I’m doing this for a much bigger purpose.

What is it for you? What is that aspiration?

Connecting with that compelling vision, not only about what you want but WHY you want it and why it matters to the world and to you, will keep you energized. The “why,” and the emotional connection to that “why,” is the source of your energy.

Recently, I’ve been stuck in a bit of indecision around a couple of opportunities I have in front of me. The proverbial ‘fork in the road’.

Now, I know all the strategies to break through indecision but the truth is, I haven’t been that willing to move off of my current comfort zone and commit to a direction on this situation. So I’ve been fence sitting…until I’m willing to get off.

But yesterday was May 1st. May Day.

And, it was the 40th anniversary of my dad’s death.

You see, my dad enlisted in the Army during the Vietnam conflict because his longest and dearest friend was drafted. My dad was very loyal to Doug and refused to let Doug go to Vietnam alone. So, he dropped out of college and enlisted. He and Doug went of to basic training together. Shortly afterward, my mother discovered she was pregnant with me.

My dad was killed on May 1st 1968 (10 weeks before my birth) while trying to rescue his commanding officer who had been shot. Every day I sit here in my office flanked by his bronze start medal and purple heart which hang on the wall right next to me–both received for his courageous action.

And so yesterday, I sat here looking up at those medals and asked myself: What would my most courageous self do?

Courage is an important thing to me. I don’t like to do things the easy way or even the safe way. I like to do things “MY WAY”…just as I suspect my father did.

But lately, I’ve been playing a bit small and safe. And tapping into my wiser, more courageous self helped me rethink the opportunities before me. And I know what path that will lead me to.

So, I leave you with that question if you’re stuck in indecision. What would your wisest, most courageous self do?

And that may be where you’ll find the answer you’ve been looking for.

(p.s., this is the first time I’ve ever shared this personal story about my dad in such a public way….so I thank you for listening :))

ExecuNet recently identified the 11 High Growth Job functions for 2008: 

Executive Job Functions That Corporate Employers Expect Will Create The Most Growth In 2008 Executive Hiring
Business Development	14.8%
Sales	12.9%
Operations Management (including Quality,  Supply Chain and Logistics)	12.9%
General Management	10.3%
Finance	9.1%
Engineering	9.1%
Marketing	8.7%
MIS / Information Technology	6.2%
Consulting	6.1%
Research and Development	5.7%
Human Resources	3.5%

 It is important to note that the top jobs are in areas responsible for generating more business (business development & sales)—a sign of increased hope for the economy.  But even more important is a resurgence in jobs typically considered ‘overhead’—like Management, IT, and Human Resources.  Could the days of cost cutting be on their way out?!

NOW is the time to get your job search strategy together, buff up your resume and interviewing skills, and get yourself out in the job market.  There are great jobs to be had, and a surge in employment is imminent.  My projection is that the third and fourth quarters will be great ones for those actively in the job market and with a solid job search strategy.

Source:  ExecuNet 2008

I believe the promise of “work-life balance” is a myth.

At least as it’s been conventionally defined, “work life balance” suggests that there is a perfectly balanced state that we can achieve, if only we were “better” time managers, or more efficient, or able to say NO more.  And, while it may be true that we could improve in the way we spend our time and by saying “no” more, the reality is that we’d still be struggling to keep our balance. 

Why? Because we are thinking of it as “keeping balance” in the first place. 

Just think about what image the word “balance” conjures up for you…perhaps you think about riding a bike, balancing a ball on your finger, or maybe scales or a teeter totter. 

And think of what is required in each of these situations to maintain balance…
…sustained effort. 

You see, maintaining balance requires ongoing effort, a constant juggling of either side of the equation, in order to stay centered. Stop juggling or moving and things start tumbling down around you.  Who has energy for that? 

All the effort we are putting into getting “balance” is part of why we always feel “out of balance”.  We spend far too much energy juggling schedules, commitments, and interests, trying in vain to even it all out over time.  As humans, we simply cannot effectively compartmentalize our lives enough to make the balance equation work.

So, what are we to do if work life-balance is a myth?

I strongly advocate a work-life integration approach.  Focus on creating the lifestyle you want so that it becomes nearly effortless to keep in balance.  Get work and life out of competition with each other—stop positioning them as polar opposites of this delicate balancing act—and start integrating the two together. 

A well integrated life IS balanced, and with far less struggle. 

One of the ways we really limit ourselves is by viewing time as “free”.  The truth is, time is our most valuable resource.  Yes, I hear you thinking –yah, yah, yah, time is money– but that’s not what I mean at all.  Let me ask you–When you reach the end of your life, do you think you’ll say “I wish I had more money?” or “I wish I had more time?”  My guess—you’ll wish for more time. 

However, we often act as if time is endless and spend it far more frivolously than we spend our money (well, many of us do!).  Consider these questions….

1. What percentage of your time do you spend doing things you do not enjoy or actually
   dread?
2. What percentage of your time do you spend doing things that do not directly contribute to your goals, wants, priorities or interests?
3. Add up these percentages.  Would you spend this portion of your income buying things you did not want, need, enjoy, or get value from?

What can you do to start placing more value on your time?  You might write down your top 10 priorities for your life and then assess how you can orient your time around them.  Or, if your time is drained by commitments and obligations that you feel you “should” do rather than those you are thrilled to do, think about ways to eliminate ½ of those things right now.  Can you delegate them to others? Hire it out? Just stop doing it? Be creative.  Be focused.  Reclaim some time!

Let me guess. The number one issue keeping you stuck in a career rut, doing a job you don’t particularly love, is a lack of clarity.

You know you’d like to do something more meaningful. Something that takes advantage of your strengths, talents and experience. And something you’d enjoy.

And you know the job you’re in isn’t it.

But, you don’t know what “it” is. And so you stay put, hoping a major AHA moment to hit.

If that’s you, here is a ‘crash course’ in creating career clarity

• Create the space for clarity.

Have you ever opened up a cluttered closet looking for something but you can’t find it because there’s so much junk in the way? It’s the same with inner clarity. If your life is one commitment after another, with no down time to think or relax, you won’t notice the ‘answer’ even if it’s right under your nose.

You’ve got to make some specific changes and stop taking on so much if you want to figure “IT” out anytime soon. Clear at least 2 hours a week to create space for clarity in your life.

• Notice the signs.

While we’re sitting around waiting for the big AHA moment to get our attention we’re overlooking the small, subtle signs pointing us toward our clear path career.

Start a notebook or journal and take note of the signs that you might otherwise overlook. Record small, daily incidents including:

· A task or activity you did that you got really absorbed in or excited by

· Something you were complimented on

· A small idea or thought about what you’d dream of doing, but then quickly dismissed

· The opportunities that show up, unexpected (regardless of whether you say yes)

· The day to day activities that you do with relative ease

• Watch the Stories

About the time you start clearing space and noticing the signs, you’ll also start to hear the “stories”. Stories are any thought that you buy into or believe, without proof—and they are usually negative. For example:

· I’d love to do that, but it’s not realistic or practical

· That would be hard

· That would require a pay cut

· I could never do that because no one would hire me

· I’d have to start all over again

· There aren’t very many jobs in that field

The difference between a story and a truth is simple: in the story you think the thought and believe it without any evidence. The truth is based on current facts you’ve researched or uncovered—outside of your head.

Until the truth has been uncovered about what it would take or what you could accomplish, you’re just in your story. And your story is a way you play it safe and stay stuck. Stories create confusion and are toxic to you finding career clarity.

Watch for those stories. Write them down and then take action to find out the truth.

• Focus on clarity.

There’s an old saying: what you focus on expands.

You know this is true whenever you are thinking of buying a new car and all of a sudden you see that car everywhere. Or when you start to focus on feeling behind and overwhelmed, and then everywhere you look you see more and more work that needs to be done.

Our minds are wired to find proof of our thoughts and feelings. We can’t see everything, so our eyes and our minds filter. If you focus on being confused about what you want, that feeling will expand. And eventually, you will lose sight of anything that you are clear about.

If you want clarity, focus on clarity (rather than the lack of it). Each day focus on what you do know for sure. Focus on and write down in your journal evidence of clarity at work in your life. Do this for 30 days and you’ll be amazed at how clear you are.

• Detach from a Clarity timeline.

When we get frustrated with a situation we sometimes decide “enough is enough”. And we want immediate relief. Clarity doesn’t work that way.

Clarity about what you want to do for a living, or about the kind of life you want to be living is right under your nose. But you can’t demand that it show up. You have to create the environment for it. The first 4 steps in this crash course create that environment.

And like preparing a garden and planting the seeds, you have to wait for the seeds of clarity to take root and bloom. So let go of a specific timeline.

Follow the 5 steps in this ‘crash course’ to help you nurture clarity in your life. Be persistent, but relaxed about it. Avoid the ‘toxins’ of stories. And get support from others who know how to read the signs and overcome the stories if you find yourself struggling. Then be willing for it to take a day or a year for you to find your path.

If you’d like help with this process, and the helping hand of a guide who can show you how to identify your ‘clear path’ to career success, check out the ClearPath Career coaching program.

 This article was featured in The Third Edition of the Carnival of Improving Life at:  http://www.improvedlife.ca/content/third-edition-carnival-improving-life

If you are in the market for a new job, are you running a SMART search?

A SMART search is one that gets you noticed and allows you to stand out from the crowd. So, what does a SMART search look like?

1. Specific: your job search has to specifically target the job you want, and clearly show you are the right person for that job. A generic job search has no place in today’s competitive climate. You’ll just get lost in the crowd. Make sure your networking, resume, cover letter and all other job search communications clearly sate what job you want.
2. Market oriented: once you’ve gotten specific, you have to show you understand the unique needs of this kind of employer. In your resume, cover letter and networking communications show that you are ‘market’ savvy and really understand the issues faced by your target employers and talk their language.
3. Achievable: Build realism into your job search. In a competitive job market it will take between 3-6 months to get a great job offer. The interview process alone typically takes 8 weeks, so set your sights on an achievable time frame so that you don’t get discouraged. One of the biggest problems I see is when job seekers get discouraged 30 days into their job search because they aren’t seeing the results they expected, and then they back off of their search. Their confidence plummets and they are no longer putting their best foot forward.
4. Relevant: Show how you can add value. Many job seekers get so wrapped up in telling their ’story’ that they forget to relate it to the employer’s needs. Use real life stories to illustrate what you bring to the table and the results you offer, but link them to the needs of the employer. This truly makes you stand out from the crowd because almost no one does this well in an interview.
5. Targeted Action: A smart job search is one built on targeted action. Put your efforts into the highest payoff job search activities. These include networking in your existing personal and professional network, contacting companies of interest to you, and getting leads from recruiters, agencies, professional associations and alumni groups. The best jobs are rarely advertised, so you have to do the legwork to find them.

If your career change or job search is struggling and you’re not getting the results you want, consider getting some focused help to pull your strategy together. My ClearPath Career Coaching program can help you stand out, get noticed and get results in your search…guaranteed.

One of the biggest challenges my career transition clients face is a crazy-busy schedule. Nearly every client I work with is in the same boat-ready to make a change in direction, but completely buried under 70+ hour workweeks.

As their coach, my primary aim is to support them in creating both a successful career and a successful, satisfying life. And we both know that can’t happen if they stay burdened and drained by their current job. So I always start with this essential question:

Are you busy or productive?

I find it difficult to believe that anyone can be productive 70-80 hours a week. My guess is a lot of that time is wasted on busy work (and mind you my guess is based on 14 years spent in corporate life and 4 years coaching those who work there).

Busy work includes: meaningless meetings, email distractions, drop-in meetings, instant messaging, phone calls that drag on, and any number of distractions from your actual ‘productive’ work.

Traditional time management techniques tend to fail in business and so I’ve played around trying to find the remedy that works best. And I’ve discovered that it all starts with a few subtle shifts that can make a huge difference.

Here is a 4 step plan to regain control of your calendar and reclaim at least 10% of your workweek:

1. Get clear about your true priorities.

What are the top objectives you have at work? What are your top personal goals and priorities? When all is said and done, what really matters?

These are your priorities and should be the drivers behind how you spend your days, weeks and months. It’s time to get ruthless about how you spend your time.

2. Now, do a quick ‘gut check’ time assessment.

Estimate how much time you’re spending on average each week directly working on each of your top priorities?

If exercise or health is important, how much time are you giving it each week? If developing your team is a top priority, how much time are you giving that goal? If making a career change is what matters, how much time are you spending on it?

Now, for the moment of truth: How much time are you spending each week on activities that are not directly linked to a top priority? That’s busy work.
The truth is, it’s easy to get caught up in the habit of accepting meeting requests just because the time is open on your calendar. Or answering phone calls and email as they come in while you’re working at your desk. Or letting others co-opt your time and focus by dropping in whenever they want to chat, update you or dump their problems on your desk.

All of this contributes to long, busy hours that feel really unproductive.

3. Create your desired time budget.

Just like a financial budget, your time budget sets targets for how you’d like to spend your time.

Get clear on what you’d like your ideal workweek to be. If you are working 70 hours or more now, maybe a 60 hour workweek sounds like a dream. Plan out how you can make that happen in your budget:

• What percentage of your workweek will you spend on administrative tasks, like answering routine emails, returning routine phone calls, filing, paperwork and such?
• What percentage will you spend on each of your top projects and priorities?
• What percentage will you spend in informational meetings (getting or giving information and updates)?
• What percentage will you set aside as ‘uninterruptable’ work time to just get things done?

4. Create supportive policies and habits.

Now that you know what you’d like your week to look like, how will you make it happen? What policies, practices and habits can you put in place to help you make the most of your time?

For example, one client decided to block out time in his calendar for key projects. He marked them as ‘do not schedule’ in order to protect the time. And, he didn’t answer his phone or email during those 3 time blocks each week.

Another blocked an hour after every key meeting to do the ‘after meeting’ follow up that was a regular part of her week.

One busy client set up an email policy where she only answers emails 3 times a day-10 am, 1 pm and 4 pm. She clearly puts her email policy in her signature line so everyone knows how she works.

One particularly overworked executive informed her staff that her office was now a problem free zone-she would evaluate solutions, but not take on problems. It took a few weeks of consistently enforcing this new policy, but it freed up hours every week because she was no longer bogged down by helping her team brainstorm solutions.

Working long hours feels different when they are actually productive and you feel in control. This 4 step plan works. You just have to be willing to put it into action. Nothing will change until you make changes in your relationship with time.
I’d love to hear your best time mastery tips.

Have you heard?  It’s National Procrastination Week.

How cool is that?!  National permission to put things off another week.

Who needs permission?  Doesn’t that happen without the fanfare of a whole week dedicated to it?!

So, in honor of NPW here’s a challenge:

List the top 10 things you have been procrastinating on (you know the things that roll from one to-do list to another, week after week).

Either dump them from your list or do them.

Happy procrastinating!