Month: September 2017

When I saw this video, I thought “OMG, this is how it is at my job!”

Being in project management, people want some really crazy projects done. The way we go about gathering requirements is so much like this video. These are good times at work.

I hope that you enjoy the video. I also hope that your workplace is far more productive.

Have you have any experiences like this?

“The secret to change is one step at a time.” —Mark Twain

One small change can be the result of massive change in your life.

The Secret to change for me is the way I manage my time.
One thing I recently changed is the way I approach my day in order to be more productive. I stopped doing a to-do list after watching the video below.

After having my 2nd child, my to-do list got massive. I found myself drowning in things left undone. My youngest son, Austin, is only a year and a half and I still have a lot to do, but the difference is that I’m only focused on outcomes and results, rather than tasks.

It’s somewhat challenging to articulate the difference in the processes. One major thing that I have noticed is that my mind is focused on achieving results verses checking off to-do tasks. It has been a complete mind shift on how I approach my day. With having a family with 2 small kids, a house to maintain, a blog, writing a 2nd book, a full-time job, ect. I use to struggle with the balance and trying to accomplish all that I was doing.

Let me know you what idea or concept is think is amazing from the video.

written by Tamaria Allen

Don’t you wish you could just snap your fingers and have what you want or achieve great things? Unfortunately that’s not the case.
In order to realize our dreams, we must transform them in to goals-well, realistic goals.

Here are six things that can help turn dreams into reality:

1. Close your eyes and see your dream

This is about seeing yourself do or being what you want. When I was studying for my Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, I saw myself celebrating after it was over. I rehearse my victory dance in my mind over and over again in between studying for the exam. As a result, I passed it on my first try with flying colors! I danced and danced just like I envisioned.

Now I’m visualizing what I will look like at my ideal weight.

2. Prioritize your dreams.
Decide what order you’d like to accomplish your dreams. Sometimes dreams happen when they happen, but it’s always good to put a time on when you want to accomplish certain things.

3. Set key milestones.
When your dreams are big, the best thing to do is to chunk them down into smaller milestones.
Maybe if your dream is a higher degree. A major milestone might be to get accepted into a program. The next milestone might be to complete the 1st semester, and so on. A milestone is an action or event marking a significant change.

4. Check your progress.
This is simply seeing where you are in terms of realizing your dream. Monitoring your progress is a great exercise to do regularly. It’s really motivating to look back and see progress. On the other hand, it’s a little frustrating or down right depressing when you are not moving toward your goal. It’s like going to the doctor and stepping on the scale for the first time in months and realizing you are 10lbs heavier!
If you are checking your progress regularly, you can see what’s working and what’s not working, and make adjustments to the way you’re going about realizing your dream.

5. Find some help.

You might need someone to coach or mentor you. Enlisting help is smart. Some people see asking for help as a weakness, but it’s what successful people do. Maybe you get your help from a book or a blog. I’m consistently on YouTube trying to learn how to do things.

Keep dreaming!

Written by Tamaria Allen

Self-Confidence is key in your personal life and at work.

Having confidence starts in your mind and the way you see yourself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 “The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing you fear and get a record of successful experiences behind you.” –William Jennings Bryan

Once I joined Toastmasters and started speaking in public, my confidence rose. When I started, I was really nervous especially since I spent most of my life stuttering. My biggest fear was that I would be in a situation trying to communicate an idea and get stuck and not be able to get the words out.

After I joined Toastmasters and started giving speeches and participating in the meetings, and the fear began to lift. For many years, I felt like the fear had me in a bear hug that I could not escape. As I conquered my fear, I grew, and the bear could no longer constrain me. Bye-bye Bear!

 

 

 

 

 

What can you do to change the way you see yourself? What fear can you face to build your self-confidence?

 

My quick and simply answer is NO.

Why? Because just about everyone, if not everyone, has flaws in their personality where work is concerned. Sometimes at work, people have bad days or simply don’t feel like being bothered. Should you at that time choose to allow everyone in on what’s going on? No, absolutely not.

Yes, be FAKE. Especially if your authentic self is miserable. Sometimes you have to fake it until your make it.

You should be authentic when someone asks you if you know how to do something work wise. Don’t say that you can do everything and you know nothing about the subject matter. Admit you don’t know what you’re doing, but try to learn and have a good attitude in the process. You might have to fake the good attitude part.

I wouldn’t lie just to fit in. Nor would I drink at the company functions if I don’t drink. In those situations, order a soft drink or whatever, and don’t make a big deal about it. Please don’t go overboard and call people alcoholics or lushes. I had a coworker that did that. She was very religious. One day a couple of people were gathered by her desk talking about going to happy hour. She immediately called them lushes. Don’t do that.

Should you be Authentic at Work?

In summary, try to fake your enthusiasm for a project you could care less about, but be true to your values and beliefs.

Are you authentic, fake, or both at work? How has that worked for you?