7 Ways to Beat Pregnancy Brain at Work - Career Advice Blog for Millennials

7 Ways to Beat Pregnancy Brain at Work - Career Advice Blog for Millennials It’s not uncommon anymore for women to work through their pregnancies, but that little bundle of joy comes with the dreaded side effect of pregnancy brain â€" that chronic forgetfulness that seems to follow every expectant mother around. Whether it’s your pregnancy hormones or the lack of energy, you’re at risk of making mistakes, forgetting meetings, or thinking that you’re losing your mind. If pregnancy brain is making work a nightmare, here are some tips and tricks to help you survive until after your little one is born. 1. Sleep Whenever You Can Learning to sleep whenever you can is a habit you should get into before the baby is born â€" it will serve you well when you need to catch a catnap while your newborn sleeps during the day. It also serves another purpose here â€" catching some extra ZZZs can help stave off your pregnancy brain blues. One of the possible causes of the pregnancy-related forgetfulness is not getting enough sleep. Whether it’s due to discomfort at night, your mind training you for the upcoming sleepless nights or some other cause altogether, we might never know. If you’re having trouble sleeping, try: Investing in a body pillow or pregnancy pillow. Basically, you want something to support your legs and back while you sleep. Napping whenever you can. This might not always be an option during the workday, but, if you’ve got an hour long lunch break, try snagging a 20 minute catnap. Address the individual problems. Heartburn keeping you awake? Eat smaller, more frequent meals, and try a protein rich snack before bed to keep the burning at bay. When you’re a new parent, sleep is like gold. Hoard it like the pregnant dragon you are because you won’t be getting much for the next few years, and that lack of sleep is likely contributing to your forgetfulness. 2. Rely on Your Calendar Notifications Are you missing meetings, forgetting doctor’s appointments, or just being fairly absentminded? Do you carry a smartphone with you at all times, like the majority of people? If you answered yes to both questions, you’ve got one of the best tools to help fight pregnancy brain right in your pocket or purse â€" calendar alerts. Both Android and Apple devices have a calendar app that you can use to keep track of your appointments. As an added bonus, you can set up multiple reminders for days, hours, or even minutes before the event is supposed to occur. Take all of your appointments, as soon as you make them, and enter them into your calendar before you have time to forget. Set up a few notifications to make sure you don’t miss it, and you’ll never have to blame your pregnancy brain for a missed appointment or meeting again. 3. Stock-Up on Omega-3s We all know eating a healthy diet is an important part of a healthy pregnancy, but it can also help you shed your brain fog â€" if you’re eating a diet high in Omega-3 fatty acids, that is. Omega-3s have been found to help build brain cell membranes and even promote new cell formation. They are, quite literally, one of the best nutrients for brain health. Some of the best sources of these fatty acids are coldwater fish like salmon, herring and halibut â€" if you don’t include these in your diet already, it’s a good idea to start. Just make sure you do so in moderation â€" eating too much fish while pregnant can expose you and your baby to elevated levels of mercury. If you’re not a fish fan, you can still get your fatty acids from a variety of vegetables, roots and seeds. Chia and flax seeds are favorites because they can be added to smoothies or other foods. Beans and dark leafy greens like spinach, arugula and purslane can all be good sources of Omega-3. You can also take this in the form of a supplement, but be sure to discuss that with your doctor first and choose one that is purified to remove mercury. 4. Stop Multitasking Until After Delivery It’s tempting to try to do as much as possible during pregnancy to prepare both your home and your workplace for the time you’ll be taking off after the baby is born. While achieving these goals feels great, make sure you’re working on one thing at a time. Even if you’re the world’s greatest multitasker, pregnancy brain makes completing more than one thing at a time nearly impossible. The human brain isn’t designed to multitask, so when you pair that with the brain fog that’s come over you since pregnancy, you’ll find yourself with a dozen half-finished tasks, wondering why you spent the whole day working and ended up accomplishing nothing. Instead of trying to multitask, create a to-do list, and make it a point to finish one item at a time. Make sure it’s 100% complete, then move on to the next item on the list. You’ll get more done, and you won’t be as stressed about it. 5. Give Yourself a Break One of the biggest things that comes with pregnancy is hormones, and those hormones can make you turn from a screaming monster to a sobbing mess in no time flat. While it’s important to maintain a professional demeanor at work, it’s not the end of the world if you break down and cry in the office. If you’re embarrassed to cry in front of others, take a break and lock yourself in your office, the bathroom or anywhere that you can get a few minutes to yourself, and let your emotions out. Work is stressful â€" we get it â€" and it can be even harder to deal with that stress when you’re forgetting meetings because of pregnancy brain and trying to deal with your overwhelming hormones. Give yourself a break. Your coworkers might be more on top of meetings, but are they growing a human while they do it? 6. Don’t Go Herbal There are tons â€" literal tons â€" of homeopathic products on the market that claim to help with the brain fog that comes with pregnancy. Everything from Gingko Biloba to rosemary are supposed to help mental clarity and focus. Stop. Right. There. First, most of these claims have not been proven, so you’re basically guessing to see what might or might not help. Second, many of them â€" like Gingkoâ€" aren’t even safe to take during pregnancy. Skip the herbal remedies. If you’re dead-set on adding one to your daily regimen, make sure you talk to your doctor first. 7. Write Down Everything Finally, when you’re dealing with pregnancy brain, the most important thing to do is write down everything. It doesn’t matter if it’s important or not â€" write it down on the off-chance that it will become important, and you’ll need to remember it. Even if you’re not at risk for forgetting things, carrying a simple pocket notebook can help you organize your thoughts and keep track of everything, from contact information to when the next meeting is â€" so you can put it in your calendar app! Don’t skimp on the pens either â€" invest in a nice pen you’ll be willing to use all the time. A pen that is comfortable in your hands can make a world of difference. Don’t let pregnancy brain keep you from getting the job done. There are plenty of ways to maintain your cool and keep your head on your shoulders during your pregnancy. Have any advice that you’d like to share about how you survived pregnancy brain? Let us know in the comments below, and subscribe for more updates to help you through pregnancy and life as a working mom! Get everything you need to build a career you love by signing up for the newsletter.

Resume Writing Tips For New Jobs - What to Include

Resume Writing Tips For New Jobs - What to IncludeWriting a resume for any kind of job is no easy feat. There are some elements that you must be able to think about while creating the resume. This article will focus on a few tips that can help you create a resume that is perfect for your resume.It is very important to decide what your purpose in applying for the job at Yale is. Will you be applying as a research assistant or to work as a full-time researcher? Will you be applying to other jobs within the university, or for a graduate degree?Making a career choice is critical when it comes to preparing for a job. If you decide to go to Yale as a research assistant, it will be important for you to think about the type of work that you will be doing.Because your resume must reflect your personality, you must have strong traits that will show when you apply for the Yale research assistant position. You want to show potential employers that you are dedicated, determined, and able to work long hours. It is also very important that you have a resume that is appropriate for a job such as this.The headings in a resume will be crucial to the success of your Yale application. There are many job descriptions that include headings. Therefore, having a headshot that you can use in conjunction with your other important information is very important.Lastly, a resume needs to be organized and easily readable. It must fit in a simple format that can be easily read by an employer. When choosing a design software program, it is important to look for programs that have quality design options that are easy to read and understand.In addition to these tips, you must think about the tools that are available to you. These include but are not limited to Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and PowerPoint. Using a reliable resume writing service will be one of the best investments you can make in order to make the most of your resume writing.

How to Pull Yourself Out of a Work Rut, According to Experts

How to Pull Yourself Out of a Work Rut, According to Experts “When I’m in a rut, I try to do something that makes me feel really uncomfortable. Most recently, I took an improv class and did a comedy set at a fundraiser for my kids’ school in front of an audience of about 1,000 people. That experience gave me a year’s worth of energy. Doing something that makes you feel uncomfortable forces you to use a new skill set. I realized that the reason I felt so nervous backstage was that I cared so much. Sometimes when we get into a rut, we forget that we care.” â€"Randi Zuckerberg, 36, author and founder of Zuckerberg Media “Sometimes there is a big, looming task you need to check off so you can become more productive and creative. You’ve got to take some time to clear the deck a bit. I do retreats for myself when I need to write. I will go away for three days and say, ”Don’t call me unless the place is burning down.“ Coming back, I feel really rejuvenated because I’ve had an opportunity to focus on myself. It’s not always excitingâ€"sometimes I’ll just go to Panera and plant myself at a table for four or five hours. Being away from the chaos and turning the ringer off helps a lot.” â€"Gregory Hicks, 46, professor and chair of physical therapy at the University of Delaware “A work rut can mean a lot of things for me. It can be feeling overwhelmed by what needs to get done, or it can be a creative rut, when the synapses are just not firing. I find when there is a lot of output, whether I’m developing a story or content, I need to take time to recharge and refill the creative well. To do that, I watch a lot of television. I also listen to a lot of podcasts when I’m cooking and cleaning. That’s really helpful for getting my creative juices flowing. I get my best ideas when I’m linking them to real-life stories.” â€"Sana Amanat, 35, Vice President of Content and Character Development at Marvel Comics “I believe fear often holds us back, and to get myself out of that space, I have to literally create space. That usually means achieving the high of some sort of a workout, getting out of the building and pushing myself. I live in San Francisco on a big hill, and when I walk or jog to the top of that hill, it’s the closest I feel to being on top of the world. When I push up the hill and see a view of the city, I feel like I have the space and drive to think about what I need to tackle next. It really helps me get those endorphins going. That’s when I feel most powerful.” â€"Cassie Divine, 40, head of Quickbooks Self-Employed at Intuit “If I am in a rut at work, I change my schedule for the day. We ship everything out of our office, so if I’m feeling like I can’t think of what our next photo shoot should be or I’m stuck on a design concept, I’ll leave my space and help pack shipments. Sometimes I’ll head down the street to people watch. In New York City, there is not a second during the day that’s dull. I’ll put my jacket on and go outside, and right there in my face is so much to take in. Leaving the office and using my brain in a different way frees up room for new ideas.” â€"Mignonne Gavigan, 36, a jewelry designer in New York City

How LeBron James Showed Us the Future of the Workplace - Work It Daily

How LeBron James Showed Us the Future of the Workplace - Work It Daily I have a confession to make. Ever since LeBron James gave his notice to the Cleveland Cavaliers, in a blaze of self-important glory, I’ve had a stick in my craw. There was something about that whole episode and subsequent donning of the Miami Heat jersey that bothered me more and more. It had something to do with how he did it and why he did it that rankled me the most. Then, last week, as I watched the Miami Heat win the NBA Championships and saw the unbridled joy on LeBron’s face, it finally dawned on me what was irking me about the whole scene. LeBron James just showed us what the future workplace could look like. My problem: institutionalized thinking that the coaches called the shots and the managers made the deals… and the players simply played... just like today’s workplace. But what the Big Three did wasn’t how it was supposed to work: the senior management was supposed to be in charge and make the decisions, and the talent was to follow those directions. But instead, somewhere a very short time ago in some room in some city somewhere, I’m going to guess that LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade sat down and hatched a plan. They recognized the collective talent they owned and pooled it. They made a package together that hedged the bets, and subsequently shook up the system. Instead of the old matrix where the executives ran the team, the collective voice of the Big Three suddenly gained volume. A somewhat self-assembled team convinced the powers that be that they could make it happen. They could meet the goals of the Miami Heat organization from the bottom-up rather than the top-down. Did it work out the way that they wanted... the first time? Nope. But it sure did the second time. But only after they learned from their mistakes made that the first time. Which gave them the mature edge that they needed to rise to the top. And as much as I didn’t like LeBron James’ attitude upon departing Cleveland, he was changed man last night. He showed focus, determination, an unquenchable thirst that was unyielding until the NBA trophy (and MVP one too!) was in his hands. He was awesome. He deserved it, and I am happy to admit it. But the insight I want to share is that I really think that this is a precursor of what we might see in the future workplace. As technology and the overall tempo of how we live and work speeds up, people will be gaining skills faster. They will also start being connected to similar talented people, and there is suddenly going to be more collective bargaining power when convincing employers to hire the self-assembled group as a package versus individuals. What is shifting is this: Groups of young talent can crowd-source the solutions to problems faster than management can mandate. These young workers see opportunity within themselves instead of counting on the infrastructure to attract or provide it. It’s a revolutionary new concept that pushed my envelope and thinking. It’s uncomfortable to think about. But for too long, we have put too much emphasis on the top-down (“Gotta put your time in, kid”) thinking and realize that the next generation of employees aren’t (and don’t) want to wait to make things happen. They are hungry now. And they are talented. Once they realize the power that they can pool, there’s going to be no stopping them on the way to the top. Workplace LeBron James via Sportsgeekery.com Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!

Parents Without Partners Are Just As Good of Parents As Married Ones

Parents Without Partners Are Just As Good of Parents As Married Ones In a quote-on-quote perfect world (or a Julia Roberts movie), all children would have both parents living under the same roof and be a big, happy family. However, in the world we actually live in, solo parenting is commonplace. In fact, in the United States, 31 percent of the households are single parent households with children under the age of 18.In 2012, I became a single parent to my then five-year-old son. For us, the first year was the most difficult, as I was finding my confidence as a solo parent and all our memories were tied up as a three-person family with my ex-husband. That was the mental and emotional challenge we both faced. Fast-forward five years and, as life continues, no matter how much we feel it doesnt Ive become a thriving, confident, single parent and my son has become a confident, funny, outgoing tween.Yes, hes had to learn some of lifes lessons too early for my liking, but as the saying goe s, God, the universe, doesnt give you what you cant handle. I am a living testament that parents without partners are just as good as parents as married ones. Life, whetherbei you are a single parent or not, has its challenges. And I feel my life I is now simplified in many ways.There are lessons Ive learned and self-discoveries Ive made that I would like to pass onto parents that are pending or new to solo parenthood1. It will be challenging, so dont take on too many things.Dont expect too much of yourself and your children. You and your children will rise to future challenges in ways you never imagined.2. Always remember, you and your children are on the same team.3. The day-to-day duties are no different than they are for a married couple.Coping with lack of sleep, finding child care, paying bills and so on, theres no difference. You learn to prioritize quickly as there is only you to manage and execute matters, so your efficiency improves dramatically.4. Things you thought were important, like a super clean home or keeping up with the Joneses, no longer matter or make sense.You get back to the basics of life, which I found the most effective way to bond with my child. Reading books, playing games, cooking together, even cleaning together are ways that my son and I work together as a team. I teach him life skills while we are chatting, laughing and bonding.5. Your confidence in decision making, and yourself, improves immensely.6. There will be no clash of parenting styles as there will only be one style YOURSThis goes for no undermining or parenting sabotage when it comes to house rules or discipline. There will be clear guidelines for your children to understand and follow.7. You get over arguments or disagreements much faster with your child and the negativity doesnt hang around your home.8. You will create a routine that works for you and your children.9. You find yourself showering your children with an abundance of love.You may be feeling guilty for a split household, but so what? Too much love is not a bad thing.10. You will find your village, tribe, and support community or they will find you 100% guaranteed.11. Creating new memories is the best, and simplest, way to bond with your child and move your lives forward in a positive direction.Do I wish I was still married? I can confidently say no I do not. Things happen for a reason. When faced with great challenges we rise to our best selves. That is how we learn in life. The culture we live in is in social transition as more people view marriage as, not the end all be all in life. A two-parent household is good, a solo-parent house hold is just as good. Who has the right to criticize either situation? He who cast the first stone? Well, that wont be me. --Valerie Lynn is an international speaker and author on Traditional Feminine Healthcare Expert specializing in Postnatal Recovery and one of the leading New Motherhood Recovery Experts in the United States. Valerie, known as The Mommy Planner, through her book The Mommy Plan, has been a major force in introducing modernized, traditional after birth recovery practices and treatments. Shes is an advocate for a planned recovery after pregnancy and child birth beginning as soon as possible after childbirth. Based on her book she has created a 6-week daily recovery and recuperation plan encompassing nutrition, body, personal care and gentle exercise starting from Day 1 birth day. She is completing a cookbook, Healing Meals Simple Recipes for New Moms with over 100 recipes (breakfast, broth, lunch, hot-beverages, dinner, snacks, desserts) based on healing ingredients, adapted for a Western diet and lifestyle, for new mothers. www.themommyplan.com

What to Do About Best Writing Objective for Resume

What to Do About Best Writing Objective for Resume The Hidden Truth About Best Writing Objective for Resume Resume objectives can be a little controversial. My purpose is to find the job. The absolute fruchtwein efficient objective is one which is tailored to the job youre applying for. Writing is one important process that most represents the on-line world. In a lot of ways, an objective replaces a lot of the detail you would set in your professional experience section. Writing objectives isnt the simplest job on the planet, but with our tips you will produce a convincing objective meinung for resume in almost no time. Writing a winning college student career objective is a fairly effortless method to bolster your application for this internship or job youve got in sight. Resume writing is quite critical, since its supposed to get selected by your employer. Crafting the ideal objective for resumes can be tough, but with a couple questions in mind, you get a fantastic sta tement sure to capture and engage your upcoming employer. In most instances, a resume objective is simply a couple of sentences long. To assist you master writing compelling objectives for your resumes whenever you will need to make one, weve got tons of resume objective examples along with resume samples that you are able to apply. Make certain you compose a career objective that youre have applied. Although a resume objective is a favorite means to start a winning resume, it isnt the only means to introduce yourself to the employer. Your resume objective is your opportunity to tell a quick story about yourself. Your career objective might be the very first impression your possible employer ever gets of you, which explains why it has to be both impressive and on-point. A resume objective can explain why youre qualified for the job, even should you not own a lot of related experience. Your objective should sound as if you are the ideal person for the position because youve got the abilities or experience or knowledge to work in performing the duties and duties of the job. Entry-level objectives can be particularly hard to write as you likely dont have loads of work experience, but you do want to solidify that you know the sort of career youre searching for.

4 Ways to Deal With Work Overload

4 Ways to Deal With Work Overload Ata time when work-life balance is all the rage, many unfortunate workers are still locked indepressing, overburdened grinds. The average work week today is 47 hours, and 21 percent of Americans work between 50 and 59 hours a week. A further 18 percent of Americans work 60+ hours a week.As if that werent bad enough, increasing numbers of workers are not taking their paid time off precisely because they are sooverloaded at work that they fear the crushing pileup that will ensue when they return. And so, overloaded workers dont get any rest because they are too overloaded to rest, which means, of course, that they continue being overloaded.The good news, however, is that this cycle can be broken. To do so, youll need to adopt a smart strategy. Here are four tips to help you1.Stop Wasting TimeSorry, theres no way to sugar coat this.Studies show that 89 percent of workers waste time at work every day, and you might be sur prised by how much time theyre wasting 61 percent of workers wastearound 30 minutes a day, which adds up to2.5 hours a week. A small percentage of workerswasteup to half a day.Chief among the time-wasting activities were non-work-related Google searches, Facebook use, and Twitter use. So, if you cut these activities out of your workday, you might begin to feel your burden lighten. Heck, you may even find you werent as overloaded as you thought you were.2. Cut Out UnnecessaryMeetingsThis is a big one. Multiple surveyssuggest that 25-50 percent of the time executives spend in meetings is wasted time. One studyeven suggeststhat people could be spending as much as 1.5 days of a their five-day workweeks in unproductive meetings.If you lead and organize meetings, consider doing everything you can to shorten those meetings. Get to the point, stick to the agenda, and dont hesitate to cancel meetings that seem unnecessary.If youre but a humble employee with no power over meetings, consider t rying to say No to unnecessary meetings more often. One way to do this is to set yourself a weekly or monthly budget of hours you can spend on meetings. Then, you can prioritize and attend only the most important, relevant, and productive meetings.You might worry about selling your superiors on this idea, but if you give them a commercial rationale for your budget i.e., that youd rather spend time on things that push the company forward youll have a better chance at getting your managers on board. Of course, youll want to negotiate this with caution and tact especially if your managers are the ones running the meetings3. Take a BreakResearch saysthat more than a quarter of American workers dont take any breaks at work aside from their lunch breaks. You may think this gives you more time to get work done during the day, but its actually counterproductive If you dont take regular breaks, youll become more tired, which will lead to more mistakes and reduced efficiency, which means y oull need to work longer to do the same amount of work. Its a vicious cycle.Research shows that taking a break can increase productivity, refocus your attention, solidify memories, and boost creativity. So, if you want toavoid long, unproductive days, then stop grinding it our at your desk with no breaks. Try to take at least a 10-15 minute break each morning and each afternoon.4. Learn to Say NoThe easiestway to get overloaded at work isto take on too many tasks. You may find it hard to say No when a colleague or supervisor asks you to do something, but honestly, sometimes you need to say it.However, you dont want to appear aggressivewhen you decline to do something just assertive. Explain that you currently have too much on your plate, and that there is simply no time for this new task. If you want to do the task, make it clear to the person giving you the task that they will have to wait by saying something like, Yes, I can do this, but I wont be able to get to it until after I h ave completed projects X, Y, and Z.Many workers today are overloaded, but the cycle of working without rest must be broken for your own sake. Find a window of time to sit down and review your workload. Then, identifies the ways in which you can implement the tips in this article to regain a sense of work-life balance.