Life & Work Skills

The holidays are right around the corner. I know, we’re excited too! You’re probably counting down the days until your holiday break and can’t wait to enjoy festivities with your friends, quality time with your loved ones, rejuvenation for the new year—or a combination of the three.
It might be tempting to leave your to-do list unfinished and get out of the office or off your laptop as soon as possible. But there are a few easy things you can and should do to wrap up at work before the holidays. Your future self will thank you, and you’ll be able to enjoy your time off without worrying about what’s waiting for you when you return. These work tips will help set you up for a successful new year.

1. List Your Accomplishments (and Celebrate Them)
Maybe you have to complete an end-of-year performance review, but even if you don’t, you should think back and list all of your accomplishments for the year. When we’re in the grind, we may not always pause and celebrate our achievements as they happen. But here’s the thing: You deserve to be proud of your hard work, and having a list of your accomplishments can come in handy down the road.
Maybe next year, you’ll ask for a raise, switch jobs, or be up for promotion. Having a concrete list of completed achievements as evidence can help strengthen your argument or help prove that you’re the strongest candidate. And even if you don’t find yourself in one of these situations, there is absolutely no harm in celebrating yourself and your efforts.

Source: Color Joy Stock

2. Update Your Resume Even If You Aren’t Job Hunting
Are you one of those people who dreads updating your resume when you’re ready to look for a new job? I don’t blame you—I know the feeling. Part of the reason this task becomes so daunting is that many of us wait until we’ve been in a role for a while and then have to spend time reflecting on years worth of work.
Instead, while your current role and responsibilities are fresh in your mind, set aside some time to update your resume. Even if you don’t end up looking for a new job in the immediate future, you’ll save time down the road and won’t have to dread this task later.

3. Clean Out Your Inbox
There is nothing worse than leaving emails in your inbox to come back to after an extended holiday break. If you’re anything like me, you don’t want to waste more energy than you have to perusing through emails and organizing them accordingly.
Treat yourself to an early present and clean out your inbox before you shut things down for some time off. File away the emails you will need to respond to upon your return (and make sure you add them to your to-do list), get rid of junk, and unsubscribe from emails you no longer find valuable. If you haven’t done so already, consider creating a filing system in your mail app to hit the ground running and keep your inbox organized at the start of the new year.

4. Grow Your Network By A Few New Connections
We’ve all heard of the importance of finding and making connections, especially in the professional world. As someone who has landed multiple jobs through mutual connections, I can’t emphasize how crucial it is to grow your network.
I also know that making new connections in your sphere can be tricky, especially throughout the year when you’re drowning in responsibilities. Use the end of the year to identify two or three new connections within your extended network. Browse LinkedIn, Twitter, industry role models—you name it. Do a light introduction and let your newfound connection know you’d love to chat more or meet up for dinner after the new year.
Your circle can never be big enough when it comes to your network. You never know who might be able to help you land the role of your dreams or have a position for you when you least expect it.

Source: Color Joy Stock

5. Organize Your Desktop
Is your desktop a mess of files and folders right now? I don’t know about you, but I’m guilty of saving documents and images all over the place. When we’re rushing and trying to get things done, it’s easy to download what you need and forget about it.
Believe me, you’ll be thankful for the old you when you open your laptop in the new year and return to a fully organized and detoxed digital setup. Ditch the documents and images you don’t need and organize the rest so that you can quickly access them going forward. And don’t forget to empty your trash when you’re finished. Think of this as a virtual cleaning of your laptop.

6. Deep Clean Your Workspace
When was the last time you cleaned your desk or workspace? I’m talking about a deep clean, not just taking all of your used coffee mugs to the sink. If you can’t remember the last time you grabbed a duster or a rag to clean the surfaces and your equipment, you’re overdue for a good cleaning.
On your last workday for the year, grab your favorite cleaning supplies and spend a few minutes decluttering and wiping down your work area. The new year is the perfect time for a fresh start, and what better way to jump back into work than with a clean space and positive energy for the upcoming year ahead?
The holidays are an exciting time of year for many, and to be present during this time, you need to be able to disconnect from your work life fully. Don’t simply disconnect and leave messes to come back to. Try these tips to wrap up your year and start the next one on a good note. Do one (or even a few) of these things, and you’ll hit the ground running in your career early next year.

How to Prep for That Performance Review (And Land a Raise) More

One of the perks of not being in school anymore is that your days of receiving grades are long gone. At least, that’s what it seems like at first.
Every day you’re in the working world, you’re being graded by your superiors and colleagues. Unless you’re receiving consistent feedback from your manager, which is no guarantee, you may have no way to gauge your progress at work—until it’s time for your annual review.
But that end-of-the-year evaluation doesn’t need to be scary; an annual performance review is a chance for you to have an open, honest conversation with your boss about how they perceive your work performance—as well as what your opportunities for growth are. Make sure you’re going into yours as prepared as possible with these easy steps (that will also help you land that raise).

Do the math

Source: ColorJoy Stock
In an ideal world, your review will be a series of glowing compliments with an offer of a big, fat raise at the end. You’ve worked crazy hard for the past 12 months—the least you can get is a little acknowledgement, right? Wrong. Your boss may have generally positive feelings about your work, but chances are, they weren’t keeping as good of track of your progress as they should have.
Even if your review is going well, you owe it to yourself to come armed with stats about your career successes from the past year. Before your review, prep a few notes about your work successes. You may have to do some calculations to impress your supervisor. Did you grow your company’s Twitter followers by 25%? Write it down. If you found a new tool that increased your team’s productivity, estimate how much time and money you’ve saved.
Illustrating how you increased revenue or helped save the company money can be instrumental in receiving a raise. However you measure success in your job, come up with some cold, hard facts about why you’re killing it.

Tell the truth
In theory, an annual review is an appropriate time to raise any concerns you’re having. Your boss has an opportunity to critique your performance, so it’s only fair you can share any struggles you’re experiencing. But before you raise any complaints, evaluate how honest you can truly be. Does your boss take critical feedback well? Do they look at employees who air complaints as “difficult?” Even if your boss is receptive to feedback, tread lightly. You don’t want your boss to think you’re unhappy at work and that you want to leave, or they may not fully invest in your future at the company.
If a raise is your top priority, you may want to hold off on voicing any complaints unless absolutely necessary or if they help support your justification for a raise. For example, if you took over a colleague’s responsibilities when they left and your workload increased, that is a complaint that can help make your case. Too many complaints may distract from your goal.
If you do have complaints to make, pepper the conversation with compliments about your manager or some insight on why you love your job. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, after all.

Know what you want
Now is not the time to waffle. When you go into your review, you should know exactly what you want. A raise, a promotion, or an office are the biggies—but those milestones aren’t going to happen every year.
If your job description has evolved over the past year, consider asking for a title change. Want to learn more about your industry? See if your manager will expense education resources or a trip to a conference for you. If you want to move desks because you don’t get along with one of your coworkers, now is the time to ask. Your boss is less likely to be taken aback by requests during your annual review. Take advantage of the opportunity.

Have a plan

Source: ColorJoy Stock
You won’t be able to solve all your work-related issues on your own, but coming to your manager with a list of complaints and no potential solutions could frustrate them. Make an effort to present possible solutions for any struggles you’re having at work. If you’re happy at work but still want to make changes, like taking on bigger projects, you’ll need to offer solutions. Before your review, ask yourself: If your manager is open to what you want, do you have a way to make it happen? Your boss will be much more receptive to change if they see a way to help right off the bat.

Practice makes perfect
You’ve done a lot of work to prep for this review. You’ve kept track of all the compliments you’ve received from clients, thought hard about what you want, and have considered areas you can improve on. That effort will pay off, especially if you practice. Your level of nerves will depend on how comfortable you are with your manager and how confident you are in your performance. Practicing any requests or complaints you have—I’ll take a raise, please!—will make the conversation go so much smoother.
Ask your best friend or a family member to practice the conversation with you. You’ll work out any kinks in the conversation and will be less likely to trip over your words when you’re nervous. Be prepared to receive and respond to constructive criticism as well. You should be aware of any areas you need to improve on. Also, remember not to get defensive. It’s better to prepare confident responses for how you can overcome any struggles.
If you’re asking for a raise, this is an especially important step. Use this time to practice a convincing ask. Outline why you think you deserve a raise (now is the time to use the evidence you collected) and how much of a raise you’d like (start high so your company can offer lower).

Relax, you got this
You know you’ve been killing it at work. Unless they are bad at their job, any critiques your manager has shouldn’t come out of the blue. Going into your annual review calm and composed will impress your manager even more. When your review is glowing (of course it will be!), make sure you celebrate after. You’ve earned it.

10 Career Habits to Master in Your 20s More

So you got the job. You’re excited about the opportunity but nervous because you’ve never worked exclusively remote before. Besides onboarding, you may be worried about career growth opportunities in your new remote setting. I know my fellow Achievers are already a few days in and asking, “How will I stand out in this new remote job?”
Well, we’ve got good news. There are plenty of opportunities to excel and stand out as a high performer in a remote or hybrid work setting. We’ve connected with career experts Madeline Mann, founder of Self Made Millennial, and Lisa Kohn of Chatsworth Consulting Group to help us navigate just how to do this.

Meet the expert
Madeline Mann

Having years of experience as a Human Resources leader, Madeline Mann works with job seekers to land career-defining roles in various industries. Her clients have accepted jobs at Google, Deloitte, Hilton, Goldman Sachs, Amazon, NBC Universal, Netflix, EY, and more.

Meet the expert

Leadership Consultant, Executive Coach, Author, and Keynote Speaker
Lisa Kohn has over 20 years of experience partnering with Fortune 500 clients in areas of leadership, communication styles, strategy, and more.

Keep Introducing Yourself
It’s a simple concept, but many of us avoid introductions and miss out on opportunities simply in fear of rejection. Introductions, however, are especially important in a remote setting, where it’s common to not have face-to-face contact and communicate solely through chat.
You will be cued to introduce yourself the first week, so take initiative and continue to introduce yourself. Whenever you are in a meeting with people you don’t know, take the floor for a moment. “Every interaction is building deeper relationships that will support you later on,” Mann said. Preparation makes introductions easier and go more smoothly if you’ve practiced your opening lines. Something like, “Hi I’m [Maggie], I am a Marketing Specialist and will be working for [Manager name]. I started last month, and I look forward to working with all of you!”

Initiate 1:1 Post-Meeting Connections
Set up informal meetings with your new colleagues. Although it may feel manufactured, this is the best way to mimic in-person interactions that will leave you feeling more knowledgeable and connected to your job. Mann suggested doing a “listening tour,” meaning you set up a time with colleagues to ask them about their job and the company. “Make it a long one,” Mann added. This is your free ticket to get on as many people’s calendars as possible. Plus, Mann said, “In the process, you’re learning what they’re working on so you can add value to them in the future.” It helps to request to put time on their calendar before scheduling. Keep the meeting invitation short and sweet, like 1:1 Connection – Jane and Sam, and schedule it for 15-20 minutes.

Source: Ivan Samkov | Pexels

Keep Your Camera On
If you can’t be in the same room, being on camera in meetings makes up for the lack of nonverbal cues and emotion. You don’t have to keep your camera on for every meeting, but for meetings where you’re speaking or are new to the group, being on camera is crucial. “Familiarity breeds fondness,” Mann said. “Being seen will only help you be top of mind when you’re vying for a project opportunity or promotion.” Just as importantly, being on camera will support you in connecting with colleagues on a more personal level. “We crave community and connection. The more you build community remotely, the more successful you’ll be,” Kohn stated. We know meeting fatigue in a virtual environment is real, so pacing yourself helps. If possible, take breaks after a meeting to stretch or walk. And just as importantly, keep your routine fresh. 

Provide Brief Updates to Your Manager
You want to be an A+ employee, right? At the end of each week, whether through chat or email, keep your manager up-to-date on what you’ve accomplished as well as any outstanding questions you have. The most important piece here is to do it before they ask. “It also helps to figure out how they like to communicate; that way, you avoid miscommunications early on,” Kohn said. You’re helping your manager stay on track with your onboarding, consequently supporting both of you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions like, “Why is this done this way?” A good manager is open to feedback and change, but they may be too busy to do it themselves. This is where you come in with a fresh perspective and good idea, therefore adding value to the team.

Source: Colorjoy Stock

Use Organizational Charts as a Tool
Visuals, visuals, visuals. See if you can get your hands on an organizational chart of your department and the company’s executive leadership team. This will show you the position hierarchy and help you make important connections faster. “Once you can see who is in your department, it makes it easier to schedule time with the right people,” Kohn said. Unlike an office environment, remote work doesn’t allow you to physically see departments, walk around office floors, or pass colleagues on a day-to-day basis. “A remote environment is difficult to navigate, so the more you can see and be seen is crucial for success,” Kohn agreed. If your company doesn’t have an organizational chart as a part of their People Management software, ask HR if they have a chart of your department.

Don’t Just Connect, Be Active on LinkedIn
Besides connecting with your new colleagues, being active on LinkedIn helps. Join groups and follow others in your industry to keep a pulse on current trends and practices. “This is a great way to have your name recognized in and outside of your company,” Kohn said. By doing this, you can share your industry knowledge in team meetings or during conversations with your manager. You’re demonstrating your strategic thinking skills outside of your job description. “Like grocery shopping, many of us utilize LinkedIn only when we’re ‘hungry.’ But if we were to use a “farming” approach, meaning we nurture connections on a regular basis, the results are better,” Mann said. This is a great way to show your value while continuing to network. The best part: You get to do it all without having to leave your home.

40 Amazon Finds That Will Elevate Your Work-From-Home Setup More

The last year and a half has been difficult for all of us, but it’s been especially hard for female small-business owners. Some had to close their brick-and-mortar stores for good while others had to follow social media tips and ramp up their digital media strategies to compete with big-name retailers. No matter the circumstance, the changing economy required these hardworking women to think outside the box. 
But what sounds like a tale of woe doesn’t have to be. According to a survey conducted by Adobe and Wakefield Research, 61 percent of female small-business owners say their business’s online presence is more important than their physical location—56 percent of solopreneurs rate their business’s digital and social media marketing as either fair or poor. In addition, 83 percent of solopreneurs noted that creative design will stand out and drive their business to be more successful, but they just lack the time, tools, and training to get it done.
If you’re trying to improve your digital footprint to help your business thrive, we have a few simple-to-follow tips that will drive you to success. And thanks to Adobe Spark, one of our favorite social media and marketing tools, you can navigate today’s complicated market—whether you’re rebuilding your following, trying to get more creative, or fighting to stand out amid a sea of competition. 

1. Develop a Cohesive Brand Image
It doesn’t matter what type of company you run. The way your social media content looks can make or break your business. Even if your photos are top-of-the-line or you’re a connoisseur with copy, a brand without any continuity can leave consumers feeling lost and uninterested. That’s why it’s essential to create a streamlined look to help people identify (and get sucked into) your content from the moment they discover it on social media. 

Australian craft-based designer Kitiya Palaskas built her small business around helping clients develop a brand image. Thanks to a massive collection of graphics, logos, fonts, and colors available on Adobe Spark, Palaskas finds her day-to-day branding tasks easier. On the platform, she can create tailored social graphics, videos, presentations, and more based on her client’s needs.

2. Streamline Your Workflow
You know that cohesive look we were talking about? A lot of what goes into that sort of linearity is repetitiveness. I’m not talking about repeating the same post day after day. I’m referring to using the same colors, formatting, and text to showcase a smooth look throughout your feed, blog posts, and website. 
In terms of social media, one of the easiest ways to do this is by creating templates that you can use over and over again. It cuts down on the time you spend meticulously formatting your graphics and creates consistency from one post to the next. 

When creating templates, small-business owners can turn to Adobe Spark’s resource library that houses thousands of curated blueprints from designers and other content creators. The great thing about these templates is that you can customize them by swapping out the original colors with your brand colors, or you can change up the font to match your logo, the text on your website, and more. You can also shift and maneuver things around to make them look exactly how you want them.
After you create a template, you can save it for future posts and edit it when needed. Just make sure you have your go-to brand colors, graphics, and fonts on hand to make changing your template quick and easy. 

3. Create Eye-Catching Graphics
A few years back, posting photos of your products was enough to grab some attention on social media. Today, it’s the vibrant graphics and compelling videos that stop people from scrolling past your post. 

Before you start messing around with shapes and images, remember that social media is an extension of your business, so you want your graphics to reflect your brand. Trying to evoke a lighthearted feel? Opt for pastels or bright colors. Catering to a professional audience? Neutrals might be better. Whatever you choose, come up with five or fewer colors to use from one graphic to the next. 
If you’re using imagery in your posts, only use high-quality photos (because even the most creative design will be overshadowed by a blurry image). You also want to make sure that your graphics aren’t too busy or distracting. Contrast is key if you’re adding text, and it’s OK to have some white space on your designs. 

4. Improve Clarity and Collaboration
Nothing is worse than nearing the end of a big campaign only to realize everyone is on a different page. It’s frustrating, time-consuming, and it can completely derail your brand goals. So if you’re adding a few helping hands to your small business, it’s imperative to prioritize effective collaboration and communication. 
Start by getting everyone on the same page with a clear goal. You can follow the SMART format—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This will allow you to clearly track your progress from start to finish. Communicate the goal to your team and ensure everyone understands it clearly. This is also a good time to address anyone’s questions or concerns. 

When you’re ready to dive into the busy work, make sure everything you need for your project is in one location. With Adobe Spark’s collaboration feature, you can create a project on the platform and easily invite people to join. When the invitation is accepted via email, everyone will be able to edit the project in the same place (and see the changes made when the project is updated).
This tool is a major time-saver and key to efficiency. One person may be incredible at writing copy while another is more design-savvy. Project sharing allows you to pass the same graphic, presentation, or document back and forth while utilizing everyone’s strengths and keeping everyone on the same page. 

5. Find a Supportive Community
It’s normal to run into roadblocks when running a small business, but when obstacles keep getting in the way of your goals, it’s easy to get down on yourself. The good news is that you’re not alone—even if it feels that way. 
As soon as you conjure up the idea for your small business, find a group of individuals in the same boat. If you browse social media, you’ll discover dozens of support groups dedicated to improving social media efforts, running an online business, or even coming up with creative brand marketing ideas. You can also create your own community via social outreach. 

CEO of Girl Gang Craft Phoebe Sherman consistently creates templates and graphics for other content creators and small-business owners to use for free. This strategy not only helps her build her own following but also helps her build a group of women who can rely on one another for their creative needs. 
According to the study conducted by Adobe Spark and Wakefield Research, over 53 percent of female small-business owners use social media as a way to find creative inspiration. So if you’re needing a little more support from your community, you can turn to your favorite apps and lean on other hardworking women to keep your small business thriving for years to come.

This post is sponsored by Adobe Spark, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everygirl editorial board. More

Last week, for the first time ever, I talked about working from home like the end-all rather than as a temporary thing. And I even opted to work from home instead of going into the office when I had the choice. After 18 months of manifesting going back to the office, I’m finally at a place where I can accept and appreciate some of the luxuries of working from my living room (and the bedroom, kitchen, and occasionally bathroom). But that doesn’t mean I’m not getting a little sick of sitting in the same spot all day every day. My work routine is in desperate need of a refresh.
Working from home, a once novel idea that then became temporary and is now what most of us consider normal, isn’t the same crux it once was, but it still comes with some questions, namely: How do I feel inspired when I’m stuck in the same place all the time? I started implementing a few tricks to keep me motivated and make my routine feel fresh again, and they’ve made a major difference in my productivity.

1. Try blue light glasses
One of the biggest hurdles I faced when I started working from home was figuring out how to stay productive. When my phone, the TV, and the kitchen are right there, I’m keen to get distracted. I tried afternoon walks, more coffee, and putting my phone in the other room, but nothing worked. Then, I got down to business and really focused on adding function to my routine, and WearMePro’s blue light glasses have made a huge difference in making me feel productive and actually be better at work.
Blue light glasses are designed to protect your eyes from the continued exposure to the blue light we get from our phones, computers, and TV—which we’re all getting tons of if we’re sitting at a computer doing work all day. If you notice sitting in front of a screen for a long time gives you headaches, strains your eyes, or makes it hard to fall (and stay) asleep, blue light glasses help improve all of that. I tried a pair from WearMePro—a small, independent, family-owned business based in Arizona—last year, and it made the biggest difference in my productivity.
With the glasses, I’m able to look at my computer screen for a while without getting headaches, and I end the day with my eyes feeling so much better and less strained. But overall, the act of putting my glasses on just makes me feel ready for the day, the same way I feel after putting on a button-down or making a cup of coffee.
The best part: WearMePro’s glasses look super cute in all your video calls without costing you a pretty penny. All products are under $35, a pretty decent price that’ll make getting through the workday a bit easier. Plus, a portion of every eyewear purchase goes back to the Arizona Humane Society to help animals in need, so you get some while you give some—something I love.

2. Change up your beverage
If you typically drink the same iced coffee with almond milk every single day, varying your morning coffee order or making something else every now and then might be the extra flavor your day craved (no pun intended). I notice that drinking too much coffee is not the best for my body, so I started drinking alternatives like matcha and using add-ins that made me experience the ritual of coffee without the adverse effects. We all know the big change we feel when doing the annual switch from iced to hot drinks or when we can finally get our favorite seasonal flavors—imagine what that might do for your productivity if you feel that all the time?

3. Schedule out your morning routine
Instead of jamming your morning routine into those few precious hours you have before signing onto work, schedule them throughout your day. The one luxury of working remotely is flexibility. Maybe you do a lunch break workout and get ready in the afternoon before your calls rather than at 7 a.m. when you’re groggy and unmotivated. You could do your journaling in the afternoon to take a quick break from the computer screen. I always leave the chores I would normally do first thing (usually washing and putting away dishes) for a break in between signing on for work and lunch to give myself a quick moment to listen to a podcast and recharge.

4. Decorate your desk
I used to live in a very small studio that only allowed for one desk, so it became a vanity/desk/dining table/buffet hybrid that really just became a catch-all for every single thing I owned. When I moved, I finally had a desk of my own to do work from—and then I really just started using that as a catch-all for everything I owned. Once I finally organized it and made its place as My DeskTM, I noticed my productivity skyrocketed. I finally had a dedicated place for everything—including things that would help me be more creative—and I was able to make the space my own.
I added a lamp to use when it starts getting dark out at 4 p.m, inspiring photos of my favorite magazine layouts, lots of notebooks to write down ideas, and obviously my blue light glasses. Now, I don’t do anything at my desk but work, but even if I was still living with the makeshift vanity/desk/buffet situation, I’d definitely make it feel like a proper workspace while I’m working. When I wake up in the morning, my makeup brushes come down and in go pencils and pens.

5. Schedule weeknight events
Remember when we used to go to happy hours and events and have things to do after work other than catch up on the latest episode of your favorite Real Housewives franchise? There’s something in the air when you know you have plans or somewhere to be after work that inspires you to work a little harder, have a little more creativity, and not stay on your computer all night working. Whether it’s a get-together with friends, watching a new movie, a video chat with your family, a walk through the park (Sex and the City style), or a date out with yourself, having something to look forward to after a long day of work breaks up the monotony of your day and entire week.

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This post is sponsored by WearMePro, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everygirl editorial board. More