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Practical Tips to Advance Your Career

People seek career advancement for benefits such as salary increments and confidence boosts. However, the Strada Education Network research revealed that 52% of Americans find it challenging to upgrade their jobs. Fortunately, you can achieve this if you know the proper steps to take. That said, here are some practical tips for moving forward in your profession. 

Set professional goals

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It’s prudent to set achievable career goals, as they help you determine your short and long-term career plans. Besides, they help you track every progress while focusing on activities that develop your capabilities and skills. What’s more, they enable you to step out of your comfort zone, build your confidence and view your profession from a more positive perspective. 

It’s imperative to set specific goals, as vague ones might be immeasurable and demotivating. You may also set achievable targets and take one step at a time to increase your success chances. It’s also prudent to be consistent and persistent by completing your tasks on time and following through with your set plans. While it might be challenging, stay positive and keep moving to boost your productivity and accomplish your goals.

Develop a plan 

You’ll need a career advancement plan to map strategies to achieve your set goals. Besides, a feasible plan helps you understand each step to take as you advance in your profession. Although it might require meticulous work to create, it will give you a clearer picture of the future, keeping you motivated.

It’s prudent to personalize your plan to suit your goals and the needed strategies. For starters, you may carefully assess your current job and juxtapose it with your desired career aspirations to determine the steps needed to achieve your goals. Moreover, you can document your plan on a career plan template to keep you accountable and focused. By all means, act upon your plan and monitor your progress consistently. 

Improve upon your skillset 

A limited skillset may decrease your career advancement opportunities, making it essential to improve on it. As such, no matter which industry you want to enter, it’s best to seek out further informal, as well as formal, education opportunities. For example, if you wish to become a physical therapist, you could take one of the specialized courses here to further develop your skills, while, if you are pursuing a CEO or CFO role, you might want to apply and study for a MA in Business. Acquiring new knowledge and abilities is valuable as it makes you an effective and productive worker and boosts your credibility. What’s more, it makes you the ideal candidate for promotion opportunities and keeps you relevant in your chosen field. Therefore, you should aspire to build upon your current skills and refuse to settle for less. 

You can start by finding a mentor in your field to train you and seek constructive feedback from colleagues and superiors about your strengths and areas that need improvement. You can also leverage online courses, as they can easily suit your busy schedule. For instance, you can apply for a masters in nursing online degree program to improve your nursing knowledge and skills. Moreover, you may review job descriptions for the desired skills to acquire and leverage your company training and professional associations. 

Seek new responsibilities 

Superiors don’t give promotions or career advancement opportunities randomly, as they seek specific skills in an ideal candidate. Therefore, it’s best to showcase your value by taking on additional responsibilities. Besides, it also shows your superiors that you are reliable and consistent, making you the best choice for a more prominent role. What’s more, it promotes trust and accountability while revealing your positive traits. However, it’s imperative to strike a balance, as your work quality and credibility may suffer if you can’t handle too many responsibilities. 

For starters, you may discuss with your superiors regarding additional projects to work on and help out your stressed colleagues with their work. However, be careful not to allow them to shift their responsibilities to you. You may also embrace volunteer opportunities and lead social events to showcase your skills and capability. Furthermore, it will be best to seek opportunities and express your interest and readiness. By all means, perform excellently in your current job, and watch your career advance smoothly. 

Protect your mental health

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A joint study by Lyra Health and the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions revealed that 83% of American workers experience mental health issues, which affects their productivity. This disturbing statistic shows the importance of caring for your mental well-being. Therefore, you may take breaks if you feel overwhelmed by your workload and ask for help when necessary. It’s also prudent to exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet and get enough sleep to energize you for the next day. 

Career advancement is possible if you take the necessary actions. Hopefully, you’ll follow these tips for smoother professional growth.

4 Ways to Get Your Home Ready for Summer

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Summer is the season of aliveness and transition. This time of year, people are eager to celebrate the warm weather, get-togethers, and general feel-good attitude that comes along with longer days and sunshine. As the heat goes on, it becomes clear that summer is clearly ready for you, but are you prepared for summer? In this article, we offer up four ways to get your home ready so you can feel happy all season long.

  1. Get Your Air Conditioning Ready

As long as you can stay cool inside, you can beat the summer heat and enjoy it, too! If you have central air, make sure that it is up and running. The last thing you need is an overheated house to spoil your summer mood. It’s a good idea to do a search for air conditioning company melbourne or wherever you are located to have professionals make sure everything is running as it should and make any repairs if needed.

If you have air conditioning units or fans, make sure those are ready to go as well. At the bare minimum, purchase some of those personal $5 fans to cool yourself down. If you have no other option, take the plunge and take cold showers to stay cool. Hey, if you can’t get your home ready with air conditioning, you have to get yourself prepared!

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  1. Purchase Bright Flowers

Nothing welcomes summer into your home more than a vase of flowers. Adding plant therapy into your home will give you a greater sense of connection to the outdoors. You’ll feel connected to nature as you go about your normal activities at home.

In addition to making your space a bit brighter using flowers, you’ll also add aroma and ambiance to your environment. It’s never easier to, quite literally, stop and smell the roses when they’re sitting on your table. We recommend bright reds, oranges, and pink flower arrangements to start your home decorating off on the right foot.

  1. Change Your Bedding and Add Positive Energy Tools

Hotter weather calls for cooler sheets and bedspreads. Before you struggle with insomnia, get sheets of lightweight cotton or linen to stay sweat-free as you sleep. Avoid polyester fabrics as these will cause your sweat to stick to the sheets, leaving you drenched in a heatwave.

To add even more freshness to your room, practice some feng shui and declutter your space as well. You could even hire a professional housekeeper. Summer is also when people move into new apartments, head off to college, feel profoundly changed from the new experiences they acquired while on epic vacations, land new careers, etc. Focus on inviting new energy into your space with energy practices like crystal healing and reiki. Bring in some rose quartz or amethyst for grounding and rejuvenation. Place them on your coffee or bedside table for an energy boost of summer love.

  1. Change Your Furniture Around

The fancy term for this type of apartment therapy is “feng shui.” In addition to being a time of positive vibes, summer is also a time of change. Maybe have a summer garage sale and sell some of your old junk and then rearrange your furniture in a new orientation. You’ll be able to take in your space from a new perspective.

Fresh and new are the season’s themes, so why not make your furniture layout echo these traits as well? Plus, the change might make your home feel grander. If you’re into it, burn some sage and cleanse your area of old energy for a fresh, summer start once you’ve shifted things around.

The Bottom Line

To really get your home ready for summer, you’ve got to keep things cool, light, and fresh. Follow these suggestions and prepare to be amazed at the summer-ready crib you’ve made for yourself.

5 Tips for Actually Getting Anything Done if You Have Young Kids

Parents face many challenges every day, especially if they have young kids. Smaller children are energetic and can get into everything at once, and this becomes frustrating for parents who have a busy day ahead. By reviewing five tips for actually getting anything done when you have young kids, parents get advice about these daily struggles.

1. Take Advantage of Shared Workspace Opportunities

Shared workspaces give parents plenty of room and services they need to complete everyday work tasks. If they work from home, a shared office space gives them an office, business services, and maybe even daycare while they work.

They use an office in the building and even have access to conference rooms as needed. The worker pays a monthly fee for access to the shared workspace and all its great services. Parents who work from home learn more about coworking by reviewing these opportunities now.

2. Keep Your Kids On A Consistent Sleep Schedule

Consistency is a must for kids, and parents must keep their kids on a regular sleep schedule. The parents balance their daily requirements according to when their kids go to bed and get up in the morning, and they get a little more time when the kids are taking naps. If the kids stay on a consistent schedule, the parent knows when their child will take their nap or go to bed and what time the kids will be awake and active.

3. Allow Their Involvement When Possible

Kids just want to be a part of their parent’s everyday routine and including them in everyday tasks makes the children happier and feel more loved. Parents could include their kids in cleaning tasks by giving the child a rag to pretend they are cleaning surfaces, too, without the cleaning chemicals of course. They can let their child participate in their exercise routine with them and make it a group effort to get in shape. It’s the little things that help make the day go by faster and allow parents to complete everything on their checklist without becoming frustrated.

4. Give Your Kids Interactive Toys

Interactive toys are great for kids and give them something to keep them occupied, and the toys teach them skills they will need to know when they start school. Toys that are similar to their parent’s work tools are fun for kids. For example, learning toys that are designed like laptops allow the child to prevent they are working just like Mom or Dad, and the parents have a chance to complete all their to-do items while their kids are young.

5. Break Projects Into Small Steps

A better plan for projects helps parents break them down into easily achievable steps, and they can complete each step at their own pace. When parents have younger children, they must plan their day around their child’s needs, too. They won’t be able to complete all work tasks at once, but if they break them into steps, they complete these tasks around their parenting responsibilities.

Parents have great responsibilities each day from their children to daily cleaning or work tasks. If they work from home, they will need vital services and maybe even a helping hand to complete their work each day. Shared workspaces could provide them with the services they need to complete all their checklist items.