10 Tips for Mindful Work

This is a reprint of an article by Karen Maezen Miller...

Not long ago, I authored a post with 10 Tips for a Mindful Home, stirring up quite a bit of unrest over the suggestion that we begin each day by making the bed, a task that doesn't consume more than five minutes of a morning routine. Assuming we can maneuver out of those psychological bedclothes and into the workplace, we have eight or more hours to practice mindfulness doing things we might like even less. Mindfulness, or the practice of non-judgmental attention, is a wisdom practice, and wisdom always leads us in the direction we'd least like to go.

I admit it's been awhile since I've spent 40 or more hours each week in an office, and at no time during the long stretch of my career was I anything but profoundly inattentive. Still, those long and unfulfilling days brought the dawn of a penetrating realization that my work was not the problem. Work, you see, is never the problem. The problem is the way we work.

In that spirit, I offer these 10 Tips for Mindful Work, or What I Would Do Differently if I Had It All to Do Over Again:

1. Be on time
   Self-discipline is the foundation of all success and the essence of self-respect. The habit of tardiness (and face it, it's a habit) is like deficit spending. It bankrupts your future and turns inconvenienced co-workers into your creditors. Set an alarm and become the master of your destiny.
2. Care
   Work is not a distraction from your life; it is not a detour, hindrance or necessary evil. If you think this way it is the wrong view. When you are working, work is your life. Care for it as you care for yourself. Long ago, a Zen master taught, "If you find one thing wearisome, you will find everything wearisome."
3. Make a list
   Start each day with a list of things to do. Lists ease anxiety because they de-clutter your mind and allay the fundamental fear of a multitasker: forgetting. Control is an illusion, however, so wise up and keep the list short.
4. Forget the list
   Do not mistake a list for the thing. Adapt to the flow of real events as they occur. Adaptation is innovation and innovation is genius. Prove yourself when and where it matters most. The unforeseen problem that walks in the door is your opportunity knocking.
5. Attend to what appears
   What appears in front of you is the only thing there is. Respond appropriately as things arise, and crises will not overtake you. Big problems result from small oversights.
6. Avoid gossip
   Viruses spread. Keep your hands clean and cover your mouth. Silence is a prescription for longevity.
7. Smile
   The workplace is a theater, and the drama is make-believe. Everyone appreciates a good laugh. When you can do anything as though you work at nothing, you have the best days of your life.
8. Give credit
   No amount of money is enough. Be generous with your praise, courtesy and thanks. They will always be repaid.
9. Take the rest of the day off
   Do your work, and then set it down. When you are at work, work without guilt or distraction. When you are at home, remember why you call it home.
10. Do it all over again
    Rise and shine. An ancient teacher said, "A day without work is a day without eating." Take every chance to do it differently. Your illustrious future unfolds in the work you have before you right now.

Learn more about Karen Maezen Miller here. It's worth the visit!

Nine Authentic Career Paths for Writers and Artists

Today's post comes from guest author Ingrid Stabb, co-author of The Career Within You.


Creative people come in all career types--not one personality type has a corner on creativity. In The Career Within You, Elizabeth Wagele and I describe nine different sets of career strengths. To be successful and fulfilled, your work life must reflect your true self, including calling upon the strengths you already possess.



Check out the quizzes and our individualized approach for determining your career type and forging the career path that best suits you: www.careerwithinyou.com. A wide variety of paths lead to successful, creative self-employment.


1. If you’re the Perfectionist like Meryl Streep, you are motivated to do the right thing and achieve excellence in your work. While almost all artists and writers have a touch of perfectionism, here we’re talking about the person who excels in courteousness, logical thinking, making improvements, meticulousness or responsibility. If you have good attention to detail you excel in roles ranging from actor to photographer to technical writer. You’ll do especially well in self-employment when you score high in responsibility.

2. If you’re the Helper like Danielle Steele you attend to others’ needs and relationships are everything. You typically find yourself in roles that require interacting with people, and if not, like Steele, you write bestselling novels about love relationships. Your strengths may include expressiveness, people skills, perceptiveness, problem solving or reliability. You’ll do especially well in self-employment when you score high in reliability.

3. If you’re an Achiever like F. Scott Fitzgerald, you work to achieve a successful image. You’re competitive and as a writer or artist you want to be the best. You stand out by your ability to inspire, your drive to win, your efficiency, your problem solving or your public relations skills. You’ll do especially well in self-employment when you score high in your drive to win.

4. If you’re a Romantic like Johnny Depp you live to express your individuality. You are the classic “creative type” and it is absolutely necessary to find your voice or medium to find fulfillment. The strengths that make you unique might be your ability to discern, your aesthetic sense, your compassion, your imagination or your sense of meaning. You’ll do especially well in self-employment when you score high in your ability to discern.

5. If you’re an Observer like Emily Dickinson your aim is to acquire knowledge. Observers abound in all writing fields including journalism, technical writing, lyrics, nonfiction, novels, poems and scripts. Your strengths may include the ability to focus, complex thinking, objectivity, sensitivity or working independently. You’ll do especially well in self-employment when you score high in working independently.

6. If you’re a Questioner like Dustin Hoffman you work to reduce risk and many of you have incredible wit. Most top comedians are Questioners. You have honed your craft through your carefulness or it comes naturally to you through your intuition. Your strengths may include critical thinking, exactness, identifying with others, skepticism or taking precautions. You’ll do especially well in self-employment when you score high in taking precautions.

7. If you’re an Adventurer like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, you are always exploring possibilities. You’re likely to combine multiple creative pursuits into one career such as performance art, publicity, painting, journalism and being a talk show host. You shine with enthusiasm, idealism, seeking challenges, social networking, or multi-disciplinary thinking. You’ll do especially well in self-employment when you score high in seeking challenges.

8. If you’re an Asserter like Pablo Picasso, your goal is to set clear boundaries. You especially enjoy being your own boss. In addition to being the writer or artist, you also make a great agent with your natural negotiation skills. Your strengths may include competitiveness, leadership, logical thinking, protectiveness and self-reliance. You’ll do especially well in self-employment when you score high in self-reliance.

9. If you’re a Peace Seeker like Garrison Keillor you seek to create harmony and inner calm. For some of you editing or architecture are great fits. Repetition helps you perfect your craft. Your shine with a capacity to repeat, empathy, mediating, ability to synthesize information or teamwork. You’ll do especially well in self-employment when you score high in synthesizing information.




To win a copy of the book, (I'm giving away 3 copies) visit CreativelySelfemployed.com.

Freelancers vs. Entrepreneurs: What's in a Name?

There was a post on BrazenCareerist today that caught my mind. The author, Thomas Aylmer, talked about the difference between entrepreneurs and freelancers.

I figured since many new grads are looking at nontraditional means of careers and work, I'd tough base on it. Actually, I didn't think there was a need for such a post (his or mine) but apparently, people get confused.

In short, entrepreneurs may not be making money at any given time. But freelancers are contractors and are getting paid to do short-term gigs. The two are kind of monumentally different but everyone seems to interchange the two.

I'm a freelancer. I get paid to do copywriting and editing projects for businesses. Am I an entrepreneur? No way. I don't have an invention and I'm not trying to launch something. I'm not looking to create an organization. Freelancers are more so creating their own businesses, and then we're kind of done. Entrepreneurs, as the author says, are creating organizations bigger than themselves.

Don't even ask me to define the newest, most bad-ass term out there: solopreneur.

So whether you're looking for a full time job or you want to go nontraditional, think about what you want out of it. Don't get so caught up in what you are, or what you will be...but it is nice to know the difference.

Help! I Hate My First Job!

I'm probably not the best person to give you advice on this topic, since I have to admit something: I once walked off the job.

It was early in my career and I could tell I did not like the company, the actual job--or anything about the office. I think it was my second or third day when the anxiety welling up in me couldn't take it anymore. I knew it was what I should do but I was revolted by the thought of working for the company. (Almost as much as I would later find that I didn't want to pursue my major in environmental science.) Even though I could have been okay at that job, I knew I was not going to like it--but it was the people, the office and the entire corporate culture that I detested the most. In my case, I knew what I was getting into when I took the job because I could tell what the place was like, but, like many grads, I just wanted to get that first job.

The boss was very nice and offered to give me another shot after my walk-off, but I went with my gut (which was more like listening to my fear in those days.) Anyway, I don't regret it. But it's not something I am proud of. In fact, hardly anyone knows about my blip and I'm not going to pretend that I my decision was a smart choice--but it was best for me at the time, as ridiculous as it may sound.

Sometimes, I think about my short stint at that company. Back in "those days" (only about 10 years ago, I'm not that ancient) the country wasn't in a recession and jobs were more plentiful--and it seems simpler to get. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life and thought a career in environmental science was my only option.

Still, I know there are new grads out there that are miserable in their jobs. Here are some concepts to consider before you fly the coup.

Consider the economy. Yes, practicality comes first. I know it's easy to wonder who could consider leaving their job if they have one, but I also understand the unrest that comes with being in an odd environment and feeling like you made a huge mistake taking the job. So if you're mildly uncomfortable with the workplace, give it time and consider your financial situation. Don't feel guilty about taking the job--these are tough times and I doubt anyone can blame you for taking something that you probably knew would be a bust from the start. Sometimes you have to go with your gut, but you should always use your noggin, too.

Assess your hatin'. Think about why you don't like the job. Can anything good come from you being there? In my case, it would have been an impressive addition to my resume, and had I stayed in the environmental field, it would have been a great foundation. Sometimes a job can be good but the corporate culture is off--and that can make for a miserable work experience. The opposite can happen where you hate the job but the office is cool. Even though there are negatives, there is no need to ditch the job because you'll find negatives everywhere in life. You just have to look at what you don't like and see if you can work to resolve those things (Crabby coworker? Can you move cubicles?) or if you cannot. Get a firm grasp on what you don't like. Give it a few days to really examine the situation and your feelings. If you leave you want to be sure you made a sound decision with a clear mind.

Devise positives. Sometimes you've gotta make good things happen. So if you're out getting coffee for the senior management team instead of working on the "hot" campaign they described in the interview, try to find the positives. Everyone has to pay dues, even though you may not want to hear it. So while the work may, well, suck, other positives can come from it. If you've taken a job knowing it will be a positive in the long run, make some positives for the short term. Make friends at the office or learn as much as you can while you're there. Find the positives and make those work for you. Most first jobs are just about passing time to get a solid foundation on your resume, so don't freak out if you don't love everything about the job...chances are, you won't.

But if you do freak out...(and yes, I mean literally)...

Gauge your physical state. In some cases, as was with mine, I felt a lot of physical anxiety at this job. Sometimes I wish I had given it more time, but I just had a strong feeling that nothing good could really come of it, and that if I was that ill (and hadn't been at other jobs in the past) it was better to bolt. I'm not saying that if you have a nervous tummy you should leave; but I know a lot of new grads are prone to having anxiety and depression and that's important to consider. You may be in a place where you cannot get out of those feelings and leaving can actually be the best decision.

Play the time card. Sometimes things do get better with time. The first few days of a job you are probably filling out paperwork and training. Everything is foreign. Even just being in an office can scare the daylights out of you. You may not be given full responsibilities yet, so you may want to give things time to see if you may wind up liking the job.



Here are my final thoughts: First jobs are awkward. Obviously, you will probably not be anywhere near what you ultimately see yourself doing. But that's okay and totally normal. The goal is to find a job that you can do well and grow from. Maybe the work stinks but the coworkers make up for it. Or the benefits do. Maybe you wind up loving the work but hating the office atmosphere.

There's no right answer to give anyone who is considering leaving a job. Maybe it's best to bolt right away so that gig never winds up on your resume. Maybe it's best to stick around and start searching again.

But whatever you choose, I hope that opening up lets you know that you are not alone. That no job is perfect, but eventually, you'll find something that clicks.

Today's Tidbit: Preparing for an Interview

Today's tidbit is about interviews. Many new grads want to know how, exactly, to "prepare" for a job interview. This article explains the process pretty well, especially this tip:

"First, use LinkedIn to find profiles of company leaders and read about them. Did many or all of the firm's top brass come from the same set of firms in the same industry? Reading what these people have written in their LinkedIn profiles (not what was written about them by the company's PR department) can give you insight into the types of managers this firm employs."

Searching for a Job on LinkedIn--and a Plus for the Pats!

No time to blog because work is super insane, but I do keep up on news that you will find applicable.

Today's highlight is this article, 9 Steps to LinkedIn Networking for a Job over at New Grad Life.



And on a personal note, it was reported that Wes Welker is back at practice. And I couldn't be happier. Even if you hate the Pats, you have to admire my "Welkie" and his determination. Go Welker!!!!