Overcoming Self Doubt

We all have those days when we end up wonder of web development or any other professional was the right track and career option. One of the best things that you can do in times like that is to not compare yourself to others. Worrying about what competitors are doing wastes time and can leave you anxious and exhausted. Instead, try to network and learn from the success of others. Find out what they did well and never be afraid to ask questions. People like talking about themselves and sharing stories so use that to your advantage. On the days that you feel like giving up, you need to be able to take a step back and look at your previous accomplishments. It will help you put things into perspective. If you are facing with making a decision, go about it in a timely manner. Being proactive is just as important as analyzing the problem before jumping in. Sometimes you need to jump in and make changes as you go. The changes are the result of experiencing failures. Use them as learning opportunities and continue to go boldly and confidently..

Stay Focused

Distractions come in all different shapes and sizes, and can even come from within, while you are trying to get the content management system up and running with the new client. It can wreck havoc on your nervous system and you will end up with a headache and a half. The first thing that you need to do is ask yourself, what is going on that is creating all this anxiety? Identifying the cause is already half the battle because now you can start working on a solution. Next, before you even dive into a task, no matter how big or small, you need to make a plan as to how to approach it. It might even help to write down the steps that are need to be taken. Another source of distraction might be all the communication services that you have on your phone. Turn them off and it might just help clear your mind. If you are having a hard clearing your mind, you might want to try looking at your desk. If it is cluttered, that might part of your problem. Another thing that you can try is to be an early bird and get to work before everyone else to get the day rolling.

Increasing Success

Success comes in many different shapes and sizes and it is a really subjective idea when it comes down to it. Approaching this idea from the simple view of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, your goal to to move toward the top of the pyramid in order to be your very best self. Success has been found to strongly depend on confidence as much as competence. One of the things that can make us more confident is to take action. It will actually make your confidence increase, even if there is failure. You should also consider the idea of faking it till you make. It will not mean that you are not authentic but merely a work in progress. It is also important to have a "growth mindset". Having an open mind and being open to change is one of the most important traits to have. You will be able to take failure in stride and grow more because of it. They take the chance and put themselves out there and are able to grow in return. Even content management systems are a constant work in progress for business professionals. Lastly, it is important to invest in relationships. Everyone knows that someone that is making piles but has no loving relationships is not going to be happy.

New Year, New Job

Whether you are just out of college or got a more senior position in that software development firm, getting a new job can be stressful. Even after all the interview processes and landing the job, you are still the outsider before you actually start working there. There are some things that you need to remember to be able to hit the ground running. The company hired you because of who you are so do not try to be someone that you are not. Have faith that you are there for a reason and do not be afraid to participate. While you are participating, do not be afraid to ask questions. Your employers will welcome the questions and see that you are intellectually curious and it might make management look at things from a new perspective. If you make a mistake, take the opportunity to learn from it and not shy away from making them. Mistakes lead to experience, experience leads to wisdom, wisdom leads to instinct and instinct leads to faster decision making. If you are not making mistakes, you are doing yourself a disservice.

Working Online

Are you that person that wastes too much time online looking at cats or playing on a web application instead of working? Well, you are probably going to to admit it and even go so far as to say that the internet has increased your productivity or has not diminished it. Interestingly enough, 35% of people that work online, said that they work more hours. This seems like a no brainer. I thought that being more productive meant doing more in a less amount of time. I thought that the technology should help us accomplish more but it just seems that we end up with more distractions on our hands. The real change needs to come from the human element. We need to be the ones that make changes in how we use our new technology. We also need to take better control of our time and not get lost in the digital lives that we have created. As wonderful as they are, we are still human need to live in the here and now.

Back to Basics

Ever wonder why coaches are drilling their players to practice the basics of their sport? When the basics are practiced, these skills become instinct which allows for more creativity and better playing. The same could be said for getting back to basics in communication. We have so much technology now that instead of becoming better communicators, we are in fact communicating just faster. In the age of information overload and the slew of communication services and options, it is more important that ever to be the one that can be clear and concise to be remembered and stand out from the noise. We need to be able to get back to the basic skills of writing, speaking, and listening. Some of the ways that you can practice these skills is by watching a TED talk at least once a week and really pay attention to how the speaker delivers the message. You could also read a blog from one of the top in the field and critique the writing. Lastly, have one of your peers look at an email or watch one of your presentations and let you know how you did and what things need improving.