Tag Archives: career

Yoga Workshop Update #3 + 9 Ways You Can Stay Happy at Work


Posted by Amanda Abella

Un po' di yoga prima di ricominciare...

I’m officially on Day 30 of daily yoga and meditation – and I FEEL INCREDIBLE! Seriously, the last time I had this much energy, spunk and good vibes I was a 20 year old chick canvassing on Miami Beach – that’s going on 4 years now!

So yes, for the first time in 4 years I don’t feel like drowning myself in work, crying over a guy or curling up into a ball from sheer lack of energy. For the first time in a long time I have crazy energy and want to share good vibes with everyone around me. For the first time in what feels like an eternity I’m developing a steady grip on my emotions instead of dwelling on bullshit.

This is the most comfortable I have felt in my own skin in ages.

So I’ve made myself a promise – I refuse to go back to the anxiety ridden last days of college. I refuse to let the QLC come back in any shape or form. I refuse to ever feel that terrible about myself ever again. I refuse to judge others so quickly (very difficult considering you never know what will walk through the door at my job). I refuse to ever think I am not worthy of anything. I refuse to ever mask who I really am again and vow to always live my truth – even if that means not everyone will accept it.

Above all, I completely surrender to my inner guide, intuition, ~ing, God, Universe, Bob, Sheila, whatever you want to call it.

I’ve signed up for another workshop at my local studio on Saturday and I look forward to seeing where else this journey is going to take me.

9 Ways You Can Stay Happy at Work

Sometimes work sucks. Even if you are doing your own thing chances are you’ll run into a stressful bump here and there. Needless to say sometimes work really tries our patience. The bad news is that we don’t live in a perfect world so work will continue to throw curve balls. The good news is there are things we can do to manage it.

1. Move your body.

We tend to hold a lot of tension in the body – even if it’s just from sitting in a chair or being hunched over a computer all day. Make sure to schedule in physical activity into your routine to let go of the tension and release some endorphins!

2. Use your lunch hour wisely.

If you have a break, use it to your advantage! Take a walk, go to the gym, get outside of the office! Believe me, it makes a world of difference to get out of those 4 walls.

3. Work for an hour, take a break.

I’ve noticed that working for an hour straight and then taking a 10 minute breaks in between really helps me throughout the day. It helps me stay focused while giving my mind the break it needs (and deserves!)

4. Don’t overload the to-do list.

The more you tack on to your to-do list the more unmanageable it looks. Stick to three big things that NEED to get done and consider everything else an extra “it would be nice to get it done but it’s not necessary”. Similarly, write your to-do list the night before. That way you don’t have to try so hard to recall what needs to get done in the morning.

6. Make sure to prioritize the things you like to do OUTSIDE of work.

We have lives outside of the office. Live them! Go out with friends, take up a cool new dance class, do whatever it is that makes you happy.

7. Leave work at the office.

This is key to a happy professional life. Make sure to draw a clear line between work and play and try your best not to mesh the two together.

8. Office Yoga!

Yesterday I asked my yoga teacher if she knew of any poses I could do at my desk at work. She quickly grabbed her iPad and showed me these GREAT videos from Yoga Journal. The series is called De-Stress at Your Desk and offers 15 quick videos so you can relieve stress at work.

9. Decorate your desk/cubicle.

Have fun with it! If you have to sit in it all day you might as well make it pretty and fill it with good vibes. Put pictures of your friends, inspirational quotes or a cute calendar.

These are just a few of the techniques I use to stay in good spirits at work.


What are some ways you stay happy at work?

Image via Un po' di yoga prima di ricominciare...

Amanda Abella

Amanda Abella is a Gen Y blogger, freelance writer and recruiter in training based out of Miami, FL. She is also the author of Grad Meets World: The First Year Out of College and can be found writing for Brazen Careerist, SheNow and more.


Cool Happenings on Grad Meets World


Posted by Amanda Abella

There’s been so much going on lately that I figured I just need to make a list for all of you lovely readers. After all, we all know how much I love lists. :)

Yoga Update + 2 Quick Tips for Cultivating Daily Exercise

I’m on day 27 of practicing daily yoga and meditation. Yes – 27!!! I’ve been noticing subtle differences like an improved outlook and less stress. I also have a crazy amount of energy lately – something I hadn’t felt since my sophomore year in college. I’ve also noticed that my immune system must have been strengthened because I’m way overdue for my annual cold.

For those of you who are trying to cultivate habits here are 2 quick tips for helping you develop a daily practice.

1. Do it no matter what - If I can’t go to a class I try and throw in at least a few minutes of yoga and meditation into my day. Something is better than nothing, and when you’re trying to make a habit the most important part is just doing SOMETHING everyday. Don’t do something just because you feel like you won’t get the same effect, or because you can’t make it to the gym or a class. That’s a sure fire way to break the habit you’re trying to build.

2. Do it at home, too - I use YogaToday and MyYogaOnline when I do yoga at home. They are both great places where you can get full length videos that actually feel like a yoga class. If yoga isn’t your thing you can try Excercise.tv for an entire library of fitness videos.

Millenial Mavericks Interview Series

Grad Meets World will be hosting a series of interviews called Millenial Mavericks. These in-depth interviews will include Gen Y bloggers, entrepreneurs and professionals who are making a mark and helping Gen Y live the best lives possible. Topics will include anything from healthy living to finding passion in your work. You’ll even get some cool tools and tricks for your own personal development – and giveaways!

I will announce the interviews very soon. For some hints find Grad Meets World on Facebook. For the inside scoop subscribe to the mailing list.

New Partnership! Grad Meets World +DreamResume

Grad Meets World and DreamResume have partnered up to spread what I like to call, Resume Awareness Education. As you all know I come across horrendous resumes all the time – resumes that can really cost people a job interview – which is why I was so happy when DreamResume extended a hand and sent me an email inquiring about a partnership. I firmly believe people need to be educated about how they are presenting themselves in their resumes and DreamResume sets out to help job hunters get their foot in the door!

Make sure to check out DreamResume by clicking below! They’ll help you get the ball rolling and GET MORE INTERVIEWS!

 

GMW Lifestyle Coaching Insiders are in full swing!

If you’re a part of the GMW Lifestyle Coaching Insiders then you already started receiving cool personal development tools in your inbox. This week’s focus was on changing your perception in order to better your outcomes.

For free personal development tools, the dirty deets on the development of the program and a chance for free coaching sessions make sure to join the insiders below!

 


 

Amanda Abella

Amanda Abella is a Gen Y blogger, freelance writer and recruiter in training based out of Miami, FL. She is also the author of Grad Meets World: The First Year Out of College and can be found writing for Brazen Careerist, SheNow and more.


Newsflash: Forget What They Told You in School + 3 Tips for Helping You Through this Job Market


Posted by Amanda Abella

Frustration

One of the things I see all the time at my job is young bright-eyed college grads who are totally clueless about how the job market works. For example:

 

Me: Given your experience and your education, what would be your ideal job description?

College Grad: Well, I got my degree in marketing so I want to be like Mad Men. Or, sales for Bacardi. Bacardi is cool.

Me: Ok, well first that’s hard to come by in Miami. Second, companies like Bacardi only take really experienced people onto their sales and marketing.

College Grad: What are you saying?

Me: I’m saying you’re very green and you need to get a lot of work experience before you can land a job like that. I’m also saying you live in the wrong city if you want anything close to Mad Men. (Also, don’t tell an employer you ideal job description comes from a TV show. )

College Grad: Oh, but that’s not what they told me in school.

 

NEWS FLASH: FORGET WHAT THEY TOLD YOU IN SCHOOL.

Forget about how they said that degree in Finances will land you a job in one of the top brokerage companies in the country. Forget how they told you your Bachelor’s is going to land you a 40k a year job right out of college. Forget how they told you your Masters will guarantee you a job in this market.

Nothing is guaranteed. And now, more than ever, it’s up to us to take matters into our own hands and start thinking outside of the box.

1. Shift your perspective.

A big turning point in my life since graduating from college was realizing that I needed to shift my perspective. Since then I have made it my mission to start thinking more positively and even explore things outside of my comfort zone.

Rather than dwelling on what I was told in school or my fears about the job market I started releasing my emotions so I could actually take some action in the right direction. And you know what? It worked. I found a job I liked, I started this blog and I started freelancing on the side.

I don’t dread going to work everyday. I enjoy helping others. And I know that if I ever found myself without a job I have the capacity to make it work.

Shifting your perspective is much easier said than done. After 22 years of thinking negatively I know that I had and still have a lot of work ahead of me. Chances are you do too. If you need some check out the free exercises and resources I sent to the GMW Coaching Insiders. You can also subscribe to the list to get free personal development tools and a chance to get 1:1 coaching for free.

2. Ask yourself, “What CAN I do?”

When you first graduate chances are you’re pretty green in the experience area. This can lead to some problems when entering the current job market. Rather than focusing on what you WANT to do, take a step back and make a list of things you CAN do. For instance, just because you’d like to jump into medical sales doesn’t mean you can actually sell something or have the experience for such a position.

Most of the time you enjoy doing the things you can do so it will at least point you in the right direction. From there you can start building your career so you’ll have the necessary skills and experience for what you ultimately want to do.

If you need help putting these things into a resume or your experience is kind of over the place, check out 3 Compelling Ways to Market Your Non-Traditional Work History.

3.  Consider that side hustle.

Time and time again I tell people they can freelance their way into work experience and extra income. This can come really in handy on your job hunt and may even become your chosen career path. Take a look at your skills, see how you can make them marketable and get to work!

If you need some help the ebook, Grad Meets World: The First Year Out of College has an entire section dedicated to creating that side hustle and making it profitable.

Entering this job market as a recent grad can be tough. I know, I’ve been there. I also see it everyday at my job. However, I firmly believe that with some tweaks to our perception, some creative thinking and some tangible goals we can make it better.

 

Amanda Abella

Amanda Abella is a Gen Y blogger, freelance writer and recruiter in training based out of Miami, FL. She is also the author of Grad Meets World: The First Year Out of College and can be found writing for Brazen Careerist, SheNow and more.


The Many Approaches to Grad School


Posted by Amanda Abella

ECU School of Education Class Room
Graduate school is on the minds of many recent grads and 20somethings today. More people than ever have graduate degrees and it can give you an edge in the job hunt given that you also have the necessary work experience.

However, the problem for many when it comes to grad school seems to be convenience and cost. If you’re like most people Mom and Dad aren’t going to shell out any more of their savings to cover your Masters or your PhD – so you’re on your own.  Chances are you’ll probably have to take out loans and work at the same time.

Difficult? Perhaps. Impossible? Absolutely not. Fortunately you actually have many options when it comes to grad school.

The Part-Time Approach

Ok, so chances are you’ll want to get your graduate degree as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, that won’t be the case for many of us. Consider working on your graduate degree part-time. This will allow you to work and gain the necessary experience you’ll need on your resume without completely burning yourself out.

The Boomerang Kid Approach

Just because your parents won’t pay for grad school doesn’t mean they won’t put a roof over your head a while longer. In fact, thanks to the current state of the economy many of us had no choice but to move back home while we figure things out.

Take advantage of this! If you choose to go back home after college, but are contemplating the idea of attending grad school, you should consider one of many advantageous online degrees that are offered by accredited universities. This will not only give you time to look for steady work, it will also help you get a head start on your graduate degree. Once you do find some work you can then go at your own pace online.

The Accelerated Approach

My best friend was telling me the other day that the Master’s program she’s looking into for architecture is only a year. This will allow her to get her graduate degree quickly without losing too much time in the professional world.

What are your graduate school stories?

The aforementioned approaches are just some of the ways you can tackle that graduate degree. Ultimately it’s up to you and how you work best.

What are some of your graduate school stories? How did you decide to go? How did you tackle the workload?

Feel free to sound off in the comments!

Image via phi1317

Amanda Abella

Amanda Abella is a Gen Y blogger, freelance writer and recruiter in training based out of Miami, FL. She is also the author of Grad Meets World: The First Year Out of College and can be found writing for Brazen Careerist, SheNow and more.