“I check email daily at 11:00am and again at 4:00pm.” Have you ever received a message like that? It communicates that the writer is disciplined. It gives people an estimated time for when they may hear back. It’s impressive–or is it? Some professionals find that if they schedule times to check email, they can spend […]
Three Reasons Not to Announce When You Will Be Checking Email Read More »
You’re a busy career professional. The demands of your work take a lot of your attention, and you can never stay ahead of your personal email. Or you need your kid’s school calendars merged into yours. Or you want to make sure that the social media channels you set up for your “side hustle” get
Too Busy? Maybe It’s Time for Your Own Virtual Assistant Read More »
Most of us have a period of time during the day when we are more energetic, creative and energetic than we are at other times. For me, my “8-hour productivity window” is approximately 5:30am to 1:30pm. I can get another spurt in late afternoon to wrap up the day, but overall, once I’ve finished that
How to Maximize Your Unique 8-Hour Productivity Window Read More »
“I knew that blog post was about me, and so did our coworkers. That was embarrassing. And what makes me really mad is that the way he relayed our conversation was NOT how it went.”* Uh oh. Many business owners blog to strengthen the platform of their small businesses. Some of the best posts use
How to Avoid Hurting Someone with Your Blog Read More »
Let’s face it. People are buried in emails. It’s not unusual for pros of any industry to have hundreds or thousands of emails sitting in their inbox. These days, those who are responsive and reachable stand out above the crowd. But what can you do to help those folks who are buried in their
What to Do If You Want People to Respond to Your Emails Read More »
“Samantha” and “Matilda” were close colleagues.* They met for lunch once a week, and one day, Matilda told Samantha about an opportunity in another department that she was considering. This possibility became a major topic of conversation between them. Each week, they discussed the journey together as Matilda processed whether to apply, prepared for the
Warning: Four Strong Words that can Trigger Conflict Read More »
Dear readers and friends, As I wrap up another year of blogging, I want to express my gratitude for being part of the HOPE family. Some of you have been with me for a long time–even many years, while others have joined in recently. I value each of you and appreciate you taking time
Thank you for reading in 2017! Read More »
Dear Member of the HOPE Family, Thanks for asking me for some advice as about your career. I know you have aspirations to advance in your field…let me give you some advice that was given to me years ago when my career faced a major transition. Walk. The. Path. There’s a lot packed in those
Three Words of Advice that Have Guided Me for Years Read More »
Sometimes, you have to be your own assistant. Wouldn’t it be nice to have an assistant on call, to do that one painful task a week? If you aren’t able to put that into your budget yet, you have to be your own assistant. Here are five administrative tasks you should conquer every week to
Five Important Tasks You Should Conquer Every Week Read More »
#workspouse That’s actually a thing. Some time ago, an article started to circulate in the business world regarding the benefits of having a “work spouse.” Discussions on Linked In ensued, and there were fairly strong opinions shared about the topic. If you don’t work remotely, you probably spend a lot of time at your workplace.
Is a "Work Spouse" a Good Idea? Read More »