Author: tessaarmstrong.co.uk

How to deal with criticism

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“I really struggle when my work is criticised. I take it personally and can feel stressed for days afterwards. I become really nervous and worry that my work will never be good enough. What can I do to stop myself feeling like this?”

It can be really difficult to accept criticism. You can end up feeling angry, frustrated and demotivated. Criticism can also really knock your confidence.

Dealing with your emotions after being given criticism can be difficult and so here are a few tips to help you deal with it constructively:

  1. Accept that no one is perfect. Placing unrealistic expectations on yourself can cause a lot of stress so ensure your expectations are reasonable.
  2. Replace the word ‘criticism’ with ‘feedback’. Feedback is a more positive word and can put you in a better frame of mind to deal with it. Ask yourself what you can learn from the feedback to help you move forward.
  3. When you are being given feedback, ensure you understand it properly and be open to what the other person is saying before you respond. Once you have this understanding, you can ask questions to clarify what the person giving you feedback is wanting from you and what changes you can make to improve your work. This gives the conversation a positive forward thinking focus.
  4. Don’t take it personally. Perhaps model yourself on someone you know who takes feedback well. How do they behave? How do they talk and act? Write down 10 qualities you admire about this person. Now identify what they do, that you currently do not do and think about what you need to believe in order to behave in the same way. Next time you receive feedback, use this new belief and try a different response.       Keep going until you start seeing the difference!

Throughout your career, there will always be someone who may criticise you. You are not alone. Even the most successful people are criticised. It is how you deal with it that is important. Keep in control and use any constructive criticism to enable you to become an even better employee.

www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk

9 ways to improve your time management skills

tessaarmstrong.co.uk Lawyers and Solicitors, Performance at work, work-life balance , , ,

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‘I never seem to have enough time to complete my work. I work really long hours and no longer have time to do the things I enjoy out of work. It is making me feel stressed.’

It can be really difficult managing a large workload. You can end up feeing exhausted and extremely stressed.

If this sounds familiar, perhaps take some time to review how you spend your time at work.   Use the following points to assist:

  1. Every morning make a list of the tasks you must complete that day and a separate list of tasks that you would like to complete if you had time.
  2. Do the thing you least want to do first. You will be so pleased when you have achieved it and feel motivated for the rest of the day.
  3. Eliminate all distractions when working on a large piece of work. For instance, turn your mobile off and close your emails.
  4. Focus on one thing at a time. For example, allocate part of the day to making telephone calls and another part to responding to emails and clearing your inbox.
  5. Are you expected to do everything yourself? If possible, delegate some of your work.
  6. Learn to say ‘no’ when you have too much work to do and to explain the reason why.
  7. If you are struggling with a piece of work, ask for help. Feeling that something is beyond your capabilities can make you feel out of control.
  8. Do you need to work late every day? Ensuring you leave work on time at least once or twice a week will free up time for your personal life.
  9. Plan to do something you enjoy at least once a week.

Often the smallest alteration to your working day can make the biggest difference in enabling you to work more quickly and effectively. It can also ease feelings of stress and allow you to enjoy your life again.

www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk

For lawyers – What to do when you feel dissatisfied at work

tessaarmstrong.co.uk Career Change, Lawyers and Solicitors, Performance at work , , , ,

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‘I have been wondering whether law is the right career for me for a while now. I don’t feel very motivated or satisfied at work but my options are limited as my skills are so specialised.’

It is not uncommon for lawyers to consider a career change when they are feeling demotivated or dissatisfied at work.   If a recent event has made you feel this way then wait until the situation has calmed down or you have managed to resolve it before you make any decisions.

Also, take a look at your current situation. What specifically is bothering you about your current situation –   is it the working environment, the subject matter, your work-life balance or something else? A career change may be the answer but consider other solutions too such as changing law firm, changing specialism, in-house work, further training and development, seeking help from your supervisor or even pursuing a hobby out of work.

If you do decide that a career change is right for you, the good news is that you do have transferrable skills. Start having a think about them now. Your skills are likely to include people skills, advanced drafting skills, research and problem-solving skills, excellent oral skills as well as many others that make you employable. You can then start investigating career options that closely match your set of skills.

Remember, with all challenges you face, if you keep doing what you are doing you will keep getting the same result. Try new techniques and tools to help you succeed and if you think a career change is for you, start your investigations now!

www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk

Does perfectionism hold you back?

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I have coached many people who define themselves as perfectionists. They approach me because they are struggling to move forward with their career for fear of making the wrong decision.

Perfectionists do not want to ‘fail’. They often want to ensure that any decision they make is absolutely perfect before proceeding with it. However, the only way they will know if their decision is right is by giving it a go and taking a risk. This turns into a catch-22 situation and the decision making process becomes extremely difficult and stressful.

It is really important to be aware of when perfectionism is helping you move forward and when it is hindering you. It can be a great characteristic for doing work brilliantly (although it can be unrealistically expected of individuals) but it can also hold you back from making decisions and attempting new things. For example, delaying a career change for fear of failing or choosing not to apply for a job because you believe other people will be better than you.

If you feel perfectionism is holding you back, ask yourself the following questions:

  • What is the worst that can happen?
  • How can you make it better?
  • What small step can you take now to bring you one step closer?

Also, have a think about the standards you are setting yourself. Are they too high?

Always set standards that are high, but achievable. Setting standards that are too high can be like setting yourself up to fail. How about lowering the bar, making your goals something you know you can and will do rather than something that is always beyond your reach.

www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk

Do you want to be happy at work?

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Do you want to be happy at work or is your salary a big enough incentive to keep you going?

How important is enjoyment at work for you?

Provided you are on a reasonable salary and have a relatively secure job, I believe enjoyment at work can be just as important as the money you earn. This is because being unhappy at work can have a huge impact on your life; your motivation and commitment may decrease and your  stress levels will increase.  Your enthusiasm for life will diminish.

Sound familiar? When you realise that your misery at work is all you can think and talk about, it is definitely time to accept that you should do something about it.

What causes unhappiness at work?

A number of factors can cause unhappiness at work including:

  • Lack of control and fairness.
  • Micro management.
  • Long, inflexible hours.
  • Unmanageable workload and deadlines.

In an ideal world, to improve wellbeing at work, we would be allowed to work shorter or flexible hours, have manageable deadlines and workloads and have a good manager. In the absence of these things, it is down to you to make some changes. Here are some ideas:

In work:

  • Be organised – every morning make a list of the tasks and do the least attractive task first.
  • Dress confidently.
  • Take breaks – drink plenty of water and eat healthy snacks.
  • Arrange a lunch date.
  • Delegate work where possible.
  • Ask for feedback.
  • At the end of each day, remind yourself of what you have achieved.

Out of work:

  • Pursue a hobby and do some exercise.
  • Take a holiday.
  • Set some goals.
  • Instruct a career coach.
  • Plan something nice to do each week.

You may think this is common sense but when you are feeling unhappy, it is easy to forget the little things that make a difference. Often the smallest alteration to a working day can make the biggest difference to your happiness and wellbeing at work.

Make some changes now – you will achieve more in your career and feel much better for it!

www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk

Is it time to make your career dreams a reality?

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career-coaching

Success doesn’t come to you… you go to it. (Marva Collins)

As Christmas approaches, our minds start to wander into next year. Whilst reflecting on 2014, we think about what we would now like to achieve in 2015.  Perhaps you didn’t achieve everything you set out to achieve in 2014 or you may still have some important decisions to make in specific areas of your life. Whatever your situation may be, is it now time to put an action plan in place to enable you to achieve what you want to achieve in 2015?

An action plan can really focus the mind and help you to put small steps in place to enable you to achieve your personal goals/objectives in life. These goals may be solely focused on your career or cover all aspects of your life.

Here are some action points to help you start planning:

  1. What are your objectives?
  2. How are you going to achieve your objectives? Think about this in detail.
  3. How would you rate your commitment in achieving these objectives on a scale of 1 – 10 (anything less than 8 may need your further attention!)?
  4. How realistic are your objectives on a scale of 1 – 10?
  5. By what date do you want to achieve your objectives?
  6. When will you review your progress?

By putting a plan in place, your dreams can start becoming a reality.

Do not fear going forward slowly; fear only standing still.

http://www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk

How to achieve the best career path for you – Step 3

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Creating a plan of action to achieve your new career goal

In a previous blog I wrote about how building your self-awareness is the first best step towards identifying a career that suits you and in my ‘How to achieve the best career path for you – step 2‘ blog I wrote about how, when you have achieved this, it is time to start identifying and exploring different career and job ideas.

One you have progressed through these two steps, it is time to assess the suitability of the different career and job options you have discovered and narrow them down to those that best suit you. To help you carry out this assessment, continue to talk to people working within the relevant career fields and work out how closely each role matches your skill set and interests. Evaluate each option and work out the gaps needed to be filled in order to work in each area.

Once you have narrowed down your options, set your new career goal and create a plan of action to achieve this goal. Write down when you want to achieve it by and each step you will need to take to get there.

Your action plan may include investigating sources of vacancies, preparing a CV and making applications where relevant. You may want to contact recruitment agencies or attend seminars and conferences. It is also really important to continue talking to relevant people within the career field you have identified – you never know who may open a door for you. Networking is often the best way to move in to a new role.

You may also want to spend some time researching interview techniques and finding someone to practise with.

Finally, remember to celebrate when you have achieved the best career for you!

www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk

How to achieve the best career path for you – step 2

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Discovering and exploring career possibilities and ideas

In one of my previous blogs, I wrote about how building your self-awareness is the first best step towards identifying a career that suits you. When you have achieved this, it is time to start identifying and exploring different career and job ideas.

If you haven’t done so already, use the information in my previous blog to help you to identify which skills and qualities you would like to take forward and use in your career. Once you have achieved this, have a think about what these skills and qualities say about you. Are there any common themes? What is missing from your current job that you would like to include in your career?

Now think of as many career and job ideas as you can based on your skills, qualities and personality. Perhaps ask your friends and family for ideas or have a go at answering this question:

  • Which jobs would you like to try out for one week?

Make sure you write down ALL your ideas – even those you may feel are an impossibility….don’t write-off any job or career opportunities at this stage. Ignore the voices in your head that say ‘you can’t do that job’. They are only ideas at the moment and with some thought and dedication you may be able to make them a reality.

Now start investigating the careers you have identified. Use your contacts to build your knowledge about each idea and contact relevant organisations or companies to find out more.

At the end of this step, the question you are aiming to answer is:

‘What are the names of jobs and careers that would give me the best chance to use my skills, in a field that is based on my interests?’

Enjoy your investigations!

The third and final step will be to start creating a plan of action to develop your chosen career path and I will be covering this in my next blog.

The more career ideas you investigate, the better you will be at choosing the right career for you.

http://www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk

How to achieve the best career path for you

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Building self-awareness to enable the discovery of what you want to do – STEP 1

How do you achieve the best career path when there are so many career and job options available to you? Where do you start? How do you find the perfect match? Is this really possible?

The good news is that it is possible, you simply need to take it one step at a time.

The first step involves building your self-awareness. This means you need to take time learning about yourself so that you become really clear about the kind of career that would best suit your personality. You want to be able to imagine your ideal career and what the outcome of finding this will be like for you.

To help you through this first step, here are some questions to think about:

  1. What are you good at?
  2. What activities and work environments enable you to work at your best?
  3. What motivates you?
  4. What knowledge do you have that you would like to use?

Use enjoyable and satisfying past experiences, in both your personal and working life, to help you to answer these questions. You can then start identifying themes of skills and qualities to enable you to discover what you would like your ideal career to include.

The second step is to start exploring career and job ideas that match your skills and personality and I will be covering this in my next blog.

In the meantime, enjoy spending time focusing on the things you enjoy and are good at!

The more you know yourself, the better you will be at identifying a career that suits you.

 

www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk