Sometimes career gels. You're happy, successful, and producing well. Other times, it just feels off. 

Looking at the whole of your career can be daunting. Don't.

Consider your current situation and break the whole career into steps.

Consider the following questions. These represent a few key moments that can cause us to feel stuck. If you feel you have the answer, move on to the next. If you initial response is, "I don't know" or "I'm not sure," dig deeper.

The start of a new year is always a good time to make plans. Here are a few suggestions for New Year's Resolutions for the career minded. We would also love to hear about any resolutions that you have personally set. Submit your comments through our blog. 

Planning for your own professional performance development.
A big change for everyone is that companies don't spend as much money on training as they once did. Even if they offer training, it is based on their needs for today. Each person needs to take responsibility for their own personal performance development plan. Set your goals for 2018.

Understanding functional and industry skills
If you already understand the changing nature of your field, map out the skills and knowledge you need to build. If you are unsure of what the future holds ...

Stepping away from the details of work can give you a new perspective. 
Yesterday, that moment of joy was watching the eclipse with family. My husband and I are lucky enough that he has family in southern Illinois, an area that experienced totality. Just the event itself inspired and awed me. Experiencing it with several generations made it even more special. We ate moon pies and sun chips. We had our official glasses, but made pinhole cameras from a shoebox and sheets of paper (used separately). We also expanded the light show with a colander and a mirror (also used separately).

The key is letting yourself experience the moment. We celebrated with selfies, but we also took a breath and just looked. We watched the crescent shrink and disappear. We watched the light dim, the sunset surround us, and the planets come out. And, we watched the crescent grow again. The eclipse flew by, but we took the time to experience it. 

Your moments of joy don’t have to be as historical as an eclipse, especially since the next one isn’t until 2024. Your moment of joy can be family, friends, music, and motion.

Taking a break from the day to day activities can give you a new perspective.
For both mental and physical health, you should take breaks from sitting at the computer. 

• A walk around the office or the block
• Stretches will loosen the neck and the back 
• Music to stimulate the body and mind (see below)
• Coffee or water cooler break to discuss a project, challenge, or that week’s GOT or WD

A couple of minutes away puts the task in perspective and helps you think about what you do in a new way. Try different options out to see what works for you. But be careful. Moments of joy are different from pleasure. The candy bar is pleasurable, but fleeting. And, the pleasure may diminish. I’ll discuss the difference between joy and pleasure in a future blog post.

Building flow or joyful add-ons into your day will energize you.
Utilizing your strengths and getting caught up in what you are doing is being in "flow." If you've ever gotten so immersed into a task, you were probably utilizing a strength. The more you utilize this and other strengths, the more successful and productive you will be. I will cover Flow in more detail in a future blog post. If you can't wait to learn a little more about strengths, check out Gallup's Strengths Based Leadership ($).

Because today's post is about building joy in your life, I'll talk about joyful add-ons. I get energized when I listen to the music of my youth. (I'm not that old, but when I start talking dates, I feel like it.) 80's alternative will take me back to college, a little Neil Diamond will take me back to family trips, and some good 70's rock will bring an old radio in my childhood bedroom to mind. This doesn't get me sentimental. I get energized. I may sing. I may dance a little. 

When I must do a task and my energy is waning, I'll turn on music. Suddenly, doing the dishes, cleaning or powering through a research report get a little easier. I feel more joy than dread at the task. I have the energy to get it done.

Build moments of joy in your life

(Blog posted to Bartimus Career Consulting Blog and Hayska Blog.)

(Feature Image Note: Thank you to Canva.com for offering a free eclipse photo (above) since my attempts (below) did not come out clear. ​)

​When interviewing, employers are assessing three things: skills, motivation, and cultural fit.

Motivation comes to the forefront as we experience obstacles in pursuit of our goals. How did you handle the obstacles? What skills did you use to overcome the obstacle? 

If you struggle to answer these questions, spend some time with them. You will need to build your own understanding of when you've felt in flow, before you can describe these situations, behaviors, and factors to others.

Sample Questions About Motivation
Visit the linked articles for additional information and sample questions.

Something you just need a break. Take a step away from the big project, the difficult decision.

Do something that uses a different part of your brain.

I was inspired by the current #OrigamiTMA exhibit at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois. (above)

​While I don't think I can jump into the complicated folded crane origami, I can fold a simple paper airplane. (right)

I did have to look up the steps, because if has been a long time since my last paper airplane.

Leaders come in all types. By leading with your own strengths and helping your team find and use their own strengths, you can become a stronger leader. 

Help you team connect their work with their goals and the organization's mission. This will increase their sense of purpose and internal motivation.

#Leadership #Career #MondayMotivation

Photo taken by Julie L Bartimus at the "Origami in the Garden" display at The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois. #OrigamiTMA

Sit in the Sun
     Breathe
          Take the time you need.

#MondayMotivation 

Before you can begin to tell your story in an effective way, you need to understand your audience and decide on your focus.  This is true of business networking, job search networking, and job interviews.

Most of us, when left to our own devices, tell an unfocused story and don't lead the audience to the conclusion we would like them to reach.

Audience, Setting, and Goals

• Who is your audience?
• What is the setting?
• What are your goals for the conversation?

As these answers change, so should change the focus of the conversation. 

​#Networking #MondayMotivation