How you can become your own favorite person

How you can become your own favorite personHow you can become your own favorite personOur favorite people. We love them. We look up to them. We laugh loudly with them. And they inspire us. Deeply. But that inspiration falls flat if you dont do anything about it. What better way to honor your favorite people than bydoingsomething to better yourself in honor of their existence.Ive been reflecting on the person I want to be. The person I want to show up as. notlage the person who has done X, Y, and Z, because screw that. I know I can achieve. But who can I BE in the moments can I be the person who inspires someone else? Can I be the person that makes someone feel both deeply loved as they are while encouraging them to expand into mora? Can I be the person that gives back to my community? Can I be the person that stands for herself first, so she can stand for others next? And what will it take to become her?Ive been inspired to become my own favorite person, I said after exploring some meaningful changes Ive made recently in my own life. And I smiled. Because Ive never really thought about that idea. But damn does it feel good to work to get there. Narcissism aside, being your own favorite person just means liking the company you keep. Alone for a day, or alone in your head for a minute, whats it take tolikebeing there with yourself? Whats required of being proud of yourself, of being humbled by yourself, of being in favorof yourself?Sometimes and often, change comes from a place of painful truth. A place of reckoning that maybe youre not where you want to be right now. Or maybe youve been prioritizing other people for too long. Its not fun to be on the knees of your own despair to realize that you dont actually dig this person youre spending all this time with.And when you face any version of that truth, there are a few things that have made a gentle but forceful difference for me Talking less shit. Not engaging in the gossip.And assuming (more goodwill). Its wha t wed hope people who love us would do when were not around. So lets start by doing it for them.And laughing easier. Sometimes loudly. Always freely.Doing the things you said you would do. On time. Even if the only person you promised was yourself.And getting in action on the stuff youve always wanted to do. Like involving yourself in your community. And writing that fiction novel.Facetiming more. Sending voice memos often. And texting less. Because our energy is all of it.And breaking those shitty habits. Acting like you want to attract. And just setting up the dang doctors appointments.Hugging more and holding on longer. Writing intentionally. And letting enthusiasm lead.And panicking less. Breathing with purpose. And letting doubt disappear.Being your own favorite person requires more reading, less scrolling. More understanding, less judgment. More presence, less worry. And more self-compassion for all the moments youre failing, floundering, and just figuring it all out, includin g yourself.And to all my favorite people out there. I want to be this person because of you. Youre my favorite and Im becoming my favorite, too.Thisarticlewas originally posted onMaxieMcCoy.com.

How to get the raise you deserve when you work from home

How to get the raise you deserve when you work from homeHow to get the raise you deserve when you work from homeFull pot of coffee? Check. Full bank account? Well, mostly.Remote work offers many advantages, such as the relaxed dress code and flexible schedule, but it also feels isolating at times since your company is mostly your cat or dog. With the feelings of isolation come feelings of invisibility as a work-from-home employee. Most of your communication is in the fasson of email or chat rather than phone calls and in-person meetings.Others raise a skeptical eyebrow at your office digs, wondering where your real career is. You know how to share the pros of your career choice, as well as your plans for the future, but you recognize the difficulty of climbing the proverbial ladder in a not so typical form of work.Others can lower those eyebrows, because50.9 percent of the workforce will be freelanceby 2027. With that increase, employers need to look at how they address the issue of benefits and pay raises. Workers still need to provide for their families, and evidently, freelancing isnt a dead end way of working. To advance yourself and your income in the now, you need to help close the gap. Elevate your professional self and get the raise you deserve as a skilled remote worker.Dont let your light go outYou feel invisible, but you arent invisible or irrelevant. You provide valuable skills and services to the company youre working with, so its imperative that you turn in above-board work and do your best. Always strive to continuously learn, and get to know your talents intimately.What compliments do your superiors give you? Did you receive standout ratings from clients on certain projects? Keep track of your successes, and reward yourself. Focus on putting that raw passion and talent into each of your assignments with your unique spin. Dont let your light go out.Youve already established a track record for success. Now that youre confident in your contribution s, be proactive, and leverage that by asking for a raise to match your growth. Its all in how you communicate.Move beyond one-dimensional communicationYoure not one-dimensional, so select a different medium for posing your case. IM and email are for typical work practices and communications. While your message matters, you need to do this through a different medium.You wouldnt march into your supervisors office and start chatting them up for a raise. IM and email are similar in the remote world. Its immediate, and messages may also be misread or misunderstood. Unfortunately, so can voicemail, and only one person is involved in that conversation - you.People communicate on many levels through body language and tone of voice. Cultivate a different mode of communication to best engage your boss. When you cant meet in person to talk about your growth in the company, two mediums give you the level of communication you need - phone and video conferencing.How to Shine Over the PhoneWhen face-to-face with someone, you understandably feel nervous, and that affects your confidence level. You may forget your points. Flustered emotions overtake your ability to respond rationally to why you deserve this raise. In such a case, choose to communicate by phone, and arrange a time to speak with your supervisor.When you use the phone, your supervisor will hear the warmth in your voice, so make sure to occasionally smile while speaking. Dont rush - speak 20 percent more slowlythan you would in person, which will also help you focus on word choices and clarity. Breathe deeply between sentences, which will help with your nervousness and lend time for pauses and questions. Sitting up straight will give you more confidence.Outlining your points and responses to questions helps, but authenticity is key to your success in this conversation. Keep evidence of your progress within reach to reference, and speak freely, though clearly, concisely and with confidence.How to shine over video Video affords you the opportunity to use multiple forms of communication, including voice and body language. If you notice your supervisor mirroring your body posture, such as leaning in when you do, youre building a rapport. Sit straight but comfortably, and try to have more of what youll say in mind than on paper. Dont read from the page because youre communicating with your boss, not paper. Much of this will come with comfort, confidence and practice, though its still perfectly acceptable to keep reference notes nearby.Practice with yourself in front of the mirror, and schedule a time with a friend to practice over video conferencing to get comfortable with the medium as a professional form of communication. If you have a friend in a management position, thats even better - they can offer you valuable input without coming across as condescending.Always arriveearly to test the video conferencing toolsso that you wont have any hiccups in the process. Remove unprofessional items fr om your setting, and close the blinds to eliminate glare. Wear neutral colors to avoid distractions over the screen. Sounds made near the microphone are audible, so remove the need to rustle papers. Speak directly in the microphone in a normal tone. If you notice an echo, you can always mute and unmute your microphone, but remain aware of your settings.Some tips for face-to-face communication also apply to video conferencing, such as sitting up straight. Another good one for when you get nervous is to stare slightly behind or above the person. You look like youre staring them in the eye, and you get a moment to collect yourself.More tips and takeaways for your conversationConversation and connection matter in every workplace setting, even if you work thousands of miles away. Dont let yourself feel invisible or limit your communications to one medium.Its okay if you dont feel confident about asking for a raise right now. Start incorporating other tools into your communications, and a sk for a meeting with your supervisor to discuss your goals and feedback. Ask if this meeting can be a monthly check-in for you, which shows your dedication to your job, the company and improvement. Its a great primer for the ultimate conversation of requesting a raise.If the company doesnt have the budget for a raise, be open to alternative ideas and discussions. Your conversation with the supervisor may open the door to create bigger conversations at the top of the ladder. Be proactive. Share and celebrate your wins.Think of your work-from-home career path like being a shining star. The universe is dark and vast, but stars glow brightly from deep in space. Their light reaches many eyes, and your boss definitely sees your value when you keep shining with confidence in your contributions. Now, go ask for what you deserveSubscribe to thePunched Clocks newsletterfor more career advice from Sarah.

Survey Sleep habits are problematic on a global scale

Survey Sleep habits are problematic on a global scaleSurvey Sleep habits are problematic on a global scaleThink Americans are the only people with problems in the sleep department? Think again.New research from Philips released before World Sleep Day 2018, shows that 67% of adults around the world believe sleep has a major impact onpersonal wellness.While 77% of peoplesurveyedsay theyve tried doing something to get better sleep,only29% of thosereported feeling guilty because they dont maintain proper sleeping practices.Harris Poll surveyed more than 15,000 adults living in 13 countries.Respondents in the U.S., Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, the UK, France, Germany, Poland, India, China, Japan and Australia took part in the research. Here are some of the findings that stood out.A variety of reasons keep people up at night, but worrying tops the listWhile the research found that worrying welches the fruchtwein popular reason why peoples sleep was interrupted in the last three mon ths at 58%, the report said that in particular, worrying about financial or economic issues is the top worry among nearly all countries, at 34%.Of the 61% of respondents who said that they have a medical condition that impacts their sleep, 26% cited insomnia, 12% have chronic pain like arthritis or fibromyalgia, 9% have shift work sleep disorder and 8% have sleep apnea.In the U.S., 67% of respondents agreed that sleep is the biggest aspect that largely influences their overall health, and not getting enough sleep was also found to have bad effects internationally. For people who got fewer than seven to nine hours, 46% reported looking tired, 41% were moody/irritable, and 39% each said it affected their motivation and concentration.Not getting proper sleep also affects work lives, with 39% of people in Mexico and Colombia saying they are less productive on the job because of it.What people have done to better their sleepOf the nations surveyed where respondents tried to fix their sle ep, the main method used in three of them was soothing music - in the U.S. at 23%, in India at 41% and China at 43%.The main method was instituting a set bed/wake-up time in Argentina (33%), Germany (33%), Brazil (40%) and Japan (27%), while Poland was the only one that used enhanced air quality to aid sleep.While 53% of people surveyed rise at a certain time and56% of people surveyed overall eat on a set schedule, just 46% have one for when they hit the sheets at the end of the day.Dr. David White, Chief Medical Officer, Philips Sleep Respiratory Care, commented on the research in a statement.Sleep is the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. On a day to day basis, how well and how long we slept the night before is the single most important variable dictating how we feel Thus inadequate sleep can have an immediate impact on our wellbeing unlike exercise or diet.This survey shows that despite knowing sleep is important to overall health, people are still struggling to address it in the same way they would exercise or nutrition. The more we understand how sleep impacts everything we do, the better we can adjust our lifestyle and find solutions that help us get better sleep.