Career Training During COVID
By Kris Powers | February 24th 2021
The Brookings Institution recently wrote, “Economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is unlikely to be fast nor easy…Agreeing that the short-run shock of the pandemic has turned into a full-blown recession, economists and other analysts have turned their attention to a big question: will jobs actually come back?”
Since the onset of COVID-19, we have seen many businesses close, while others have worked to pivot from in-person to virtual or remote services whenever possible. Minimizing face-to-face interactions has been a leading force behind many a business innovation in the past year. As a large number of employees are now working remotely, businesses have strategized how to move their operations remotely too.
Who is Murphy (and why is his law so crappy)?
By Kris Powers | January 25th 2021
I was listening to Alanis Morrissette’s song “Ironic” this morning. Singing along, I found myself thinking; some of these situations really aren’t ironic but examples of Murphy’s law in action.
“Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right
And life has a funny way of helping you out when
You think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up
In your face” – Alanis Morissette
17 Ways to Find Motivation When You Need it Most
By Kris Powers | January 7th 2021
I’ll be honest; there are days when I lack motivation to do the things that need doing - whether it be self care, work, or things around the house. To jump-start my motivation on those days, I’ve come up with some life hacks to help me “fake it ‘til I make it”.
Creating your own personal life hacks toolkit will help you build the resilience to move forward and find motivation when you need it most.
Here are 17 tips I use to tap into my motivation when I’m feeling less than inspired:
Rethink Your To-Do List
By Kris Powers | December 12th 2020
Many of us are feeling fragmented right about now. Regular holiday season stress on top of pandemic anxiety has created a cocktail for disaster. Are you having trouble focusing? Seeing an uptick in mistakes or feeling as if you are doing sub-stellar work? Do you end each day wondering where the time went, or feel that you are simply going through the motions?
If you are anything like me, your mind is a racing screenplay of the dozens of things we feel we need to accomplish. At the start of the pandemic, I had big plans for tackling long overdue projects at home while working remotely (I’ve not been overly successful on that front). The holidays have brought their own set of challenges while I try to figure out how to celebrate without our out-of-town family joining us this year.
8 Tips for Successful Remote Learning and Work
By Kris Powers | November 12th 2020
Whether you are working from home, helping children manage their remote learning experiences, taking courses for personal or professional development during this time of economic unrest – or all of the above - there are steps you can take to make your days more efficient.
The principles for setting up for successful learning at home are not all that different than those needed to work remotely. The basic needs for structure and discipline are the same. By following a few of the steps below, you will communicate to your child, yourself, and your household that education and work are a priority.
The Meandering Career
By Kris Powers | September 16th 2020
I recently had the pleasure of talking to a few college-age students about career paths and options. There is an expectation that a career field will be chosen, the appropriate degree obtained and then a lifelong career will ensue. For fields such as medicine or law, this may be true. But for students exploring careers in business, the arts, and more, that career path may not be so straight. And not every career requires a college degree. Certifications can be the gateway to some fantastic opportunities as well!
Sadly, gone are the days of the “forever job”. I remember watching programs set in the 50’s where men went off to work every day to the same company for their entire working career. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) this is a thing of the past. I’ve tried to explain to my own children that nowadays, the average person will have 12 jobs between the ages of 18 and 52.
Practice Your Acceptance Speech
By Kris Powers | September 8th 2020
From the American Music Association to the Golden Globes, recipients of awards stand in front of the crowd and give thanks to all who helped get them there. Some speeches are short and concise, others drag on a bit too long and the music is cued to close them out. Whether short or long, those speeches have one thing in common. Those being recognized take the time to acknowledge that they did not get to that point alone.
If any part of your workday involves collaborating with others, my advice to you is “practice your acceptance speech”.
Wellness Coaching
By Kris Powers | August 13th 2020
A health and wellness coach helps clients make positive and lasting changes in their health. They guide the client through the process of creating a vision for their health and well being. They help the client develop a healthy mindset and healthy habits and encourage them every step of the way until they accomplish their goals.
Some of the things that clients ask for help accomplishing are as follows:
- Stress management
- Prioritizing self-care
- Maintaining a positive and healthy mindset
- Balancing wellness and a busy schedule
- Personal growth
- Productivity
A successful wellness coach will:
Mental Health Technician Professional Program
By Kris Powers | July 23rd 2020
Mental health technicians care for people who have mental illness or developmental delays. Mental health technicians, also known as psychiatric technicians or aides, are also responsible for the following according to BLS.gov:
COVID-19 and Remote Worker Burnout
By Kris Powers | July 21st 2020
As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, millions of people have made the transition to remote work, many of them for the first time in their careers. In fact, Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom states that 42% of the U.S. labor force is now working from home full-time.
The compounding factors of the pandemic, having children home from school, worry about employment, health and community have all taken their toll. Concerns of downsizing and increased pressure to continue to be a top performer while working from home lead some employees to put in what feels like 125% while working remotely. Many are finding it difficult to “log off” from work and regain the work/life balance they may once have had.