July 1, 2021 • 8 mins
As we transition back to working at the office and see other signs of normalcy, now is the perfect moment to think about how we’re working, what we’re doing and what we should ditch. We get great advice from career expert Nancy Collamer.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to this episode of Here's Something Good, a production
of the Seneca Women Podcast Network and I Heart Radio.
Each day we aspire to bring you the good news,
the silver lining, the glass half full, because there is
good happening in the world everywhere, every day, we just
need to look for and share it. Here's Something Good
(00:27):
for Today. As we enter the summer, we're all excited
to see COVID restrictions lessening and cities across the country
starting to open back up. That also means we're facing
a period of drastic change from the lives have been
leading over the past year. We're definitely in a time
of transition, transitioning back to the office or perhaps starting
(00:47):
a new job. We wanted to find out how we
can best set ourselves up for success, so we spoke
with career expert and founder of my Lifestyle career dot com,
Nancy Columner. Nancy shared some tips with us about how
to get the most out of this transition period. Here's
what she had to say. Nancy, thanks so much for
joining us. I'm delighted to be here. So many of
(01:09):
us are in a transition period. We're about to return
to in person work or we're starting a new job,
how can we use this transition period for a reset,
perhaps to reevaluate what we've been doing and what we
want out of our work. Such a great question because
the reality is right now we are all in a
period of transition as we begin to emerge from the pandemic,
(01:33):
and with any transition, there are challenges, but there are
also opportunities, and I think this is a wonderful opportunity
whether you are returning to your old job or looking
for something new, to think about what's most important and reset.
So three key things that people should think about. The
(01:53):
first is the question of how how do you want
to work going forward. Most people have been working from
home over the last year and a half and that
uh certainly had good aspects, but also challenges as well.
So think about that. Is it best to continue to
work from home? Do you want to go back to
(02:14):
an office, or perhaps what would really work best is
a hybrid situation. The second thing to think about is
the one question the content of your work. This has
been a terrific opportunity for people to really think about
the responsibilities and the projects that they handle that they're
really most intrigued by, and the things that they do well.
(02:37):
So there might be an opportunity again, even if you're
going back to your old job, to just tweak what
it is that you are responsible for. Sometimes that can
make the small changes can make a big difference in
the way that you feel about the job. And finally,
don't forget about the who, and the who is the
(02:58):
people that you surround yourself with. During the pandemic, so
many of us felt incredibly isolated, and I think it's
really highlighted for people how important the people that we
surround ourselves with are. So think about the types of
people that you most enjoy serving, working with, and being
(03:20):
around on a social basis, because there again, small changes
can make an enormous difference. Now, is this a good
time to develop new habits or get rid of old
bad habits? And which habits are most useful to develop
right now? I think a lot of us slid into
some how should we say, less than optimal habits during
the pandemic, So this is a good time to think
(03:41):
about things like habits, and most importantly, to think about
setting boundaries, particularly if you're going into either a new
situation at work or particularly a new job. You know,
think about things like how much time are you going
to spend at work? How much time are you going
(04:01):
to allow for answering emails once you're at home, Because
the sooner that you are deliberate about setting the boundaries,
the more likely you are to actually honor them as
time goes by. What are some of the steps we
should take or questions we should be asking ourselves in
terms of resetting or repositioning ourselves at work? Yeah, I
(04:23):
think asking yourself some critical questions it is always a
really helpful way to get clear about priorities. So let
me share a couple that I think might be very
useful no matter what type of work situation you're in.
And the first is what's on your checkerlist? You know,
we all have heard about a bucket list. Will think
(04:45):
about your checkerlist, and by that I mean the projects
and the people and the logistics of your day that
you're really ready to leave behind. And I realized that
that sounds somewhat negative, but bye, by thinking about the negative,
it really can shed light on the things that you
do want to include in your work life. Another question
(05:08):
that's really important to think about is what or who
energizes you and Conversely, what or who drains you? Because
if you can fill your day mainly with people and
activities that energize you, that will go a long way
to making this transition much more easy and enjoyable for
the long term. Lastly, are there preparations we should make
(05:31):
in advance of that first day back to work or
that first day on the job? Yeah, great question. So
obviously you want to make sure that any caretaking responsibilities
uh that need to be put into place are and
and so many people adapted pets during the pandemic. This
isn't just about taking care of children, So it's about
taking care of pets and the house, and just make
(05:53):
sure that you've got that squared away. The second thing is,
along with that, on the home front, you want make
sure that everybody is up to speed on what the
new schedule will be like, and it probably will be
some shift in responsibilities in terms of taking care of
the house and the pat Since that you need to
have conversations about those uh. And finally, and this sounds tripe,
(06:17):
but you know, treat yourself to a back to work outfit.
We all remember how wonderful it felt on that first
day of school to go buy new school supplies, and
start school with a new outfit. It can be really
helpful to just give you the sense of a new
beginning and a fresh start. Such great advice in this
unusual period of change in transition. So here's something good
(06:40):
for today. First, Nancy tells us that now is a
great time to assess what we've been doing at work,
and how we've been doing at work, and perhaps most importantly,
who are we spending our time with. Ideally, we want
to surround ourselves with people and things that energize us
and get rid of those things that bring us down.
Second position like this one can provide an opportunity to
(07:02):
set new boundaries. Ask yourself important questions such as how
much time do I want to devote each day to email?
Or what kind of hours am I comfortable keeping at
the office. Drawing these boundaries early can help set you
up for success. Finally, if you're heading into a new
work schedule, remember to address it with those in your life.
For example, is everyone clear on how your new schedule
(07:23):
will affect their responsibilities around the house. Coordinating with those
in your life around your new schedule can help prevent
mix ups and bring everyone in your life up to
speed on new shared responsibilities. Thank you for listening, and
(07:46):
please share Today's something Good with others in your life.
This is Kim Azzarelli, co author of Fast Forward and
co founder of Seneca Women. To learn more about Seneca Women,
go to Seneca Women dot com or download the Seneca
Women app free in the apps. Sure Care's Something Good
is a production of the Seneca Women podcast network and
I Heart Radio Have a Great Day. For more podcasts
(08:13):
from I heart Radio, check out the I Heart Radio app,
Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Welcome to this episode of Here's Something Good, a production
of the Seneca Women Podcast Network and I Heart Radio.
Each day we aspire to bring you the good news,
the silver lining, the glass half full, because there is
good happening in the world everywhere, every day, we just
need to look for and share it. Here's Something Good
(00:27):
for Today. As we enter the summer, we're all excited
to see COVID restrictions lessening and cities across the country
starting to open back up. That also means we're facing
a period of drastic change from the lives have been
leading over the past year. We're definitely in a time
of transition, transitioning back to the office or perhaps starting
(00:47):
a new job. We wanted to find out how we
can best set ourselves up for success, so we spoke
with career expert and founder of my Lifestyle career dot com,
Nancy Columner. Nancy shared some tips with us about how
to get the most out of this transition period. Here's
what she had to say. Nancy, thanks so much for
joining us. I'm delighted to be here. So many of
(01:09):
us are in a transition period. We're about to return
to in person work or we're starting a new job,
how can we use this transition period for a reset,
perhaps to reevaluate what we've been doing and what we
want out of our work. Such a great question because
the reality is right now we are all in a
period of transition as we begin to emerge from the pandemic,
(01:33):
and with any transition, there are challenges, but there are
also opportunities, and I think this is a wonderful opportunity
whether you are returning to your old job or looking
for something new, to think about what's most important and reset.
So three key things that people should think about. The
(01:53):
first is the question of how how do you want
to work going forward. Most people have been working from
home over the last year and a half and that
uh certainly had good aspects, but also challenges as well.
So think about that. Is it best to continue to
work from home? Do you want to go back to
(02:14):
an office, or perhaps what would really work best is
a hybrid situation. The second thing to think about is
the one question the content of your work. This has
been a terrific opportunity for people to really think about
the responsibilities and the projects that they handle that they're
really most intrigued by, and the things that they do well.
(02:37):
So there might be an opportunity again, even if you're
going back to your old job, to just tweak what
it is that you are responsible for. Sometimes that can
make the small changes can make a big difference in
the way that you feel about the job. And finally,
don't forget about the who, and the who is the
(02:58):
people that you surround yourself with. During the pandemic, so
many of us felt incredibly isolated, and I think it's
really highlighted for people how important the people that we
surround ourselves with are. So think about the types of
people that you most enjoy serving, working with, and being
(03:20):
around on a social basis, because there again, small changes
can make an enormous difference. Now, is this a good
time to develop new habits or get rid of old
bad habits? And which habits are most useful to develop
right now? I think a lot of us slid into
some how should we say, less than optimal habits during
the pandemic, So this is a good time to think
(03:41):
about things like habits, and most importantly, to think about
setting boundaries, particularly if you're going into either a new
situation at work or particularly a new job. You know,
think about things like how much time are you going
to spend at work? How much time are you going
(04:01):
to allow for answering emails once you're at home, Because
the sooner that you are deliberate about setting the boundaries,
the more likely you are to actually honor them as
time goes by. What are some of the steps we
should take or questions we should be asking ourselves in
terms of resetting or repositioning ourselves at work? Yeah, I
(04:23):
think asking yourself some critical questions it is always a
really helpful way to get clear about priorities. So let
me share a couple that I think might be very
useful no matter what type of work situation you're in.
And the first is what's on your checkerlist? You know,
we all have heard about a bucket list. Will think
(04:45):
about your checkerlist, and by that I mean the projects
and the people and the logistics of your day that
you're really ready to leave behind. And I realized that
that sounds somewhat negative, but bye, by thinking about the negative,
it really can shed light on the things that you
do want to include in your work life. Another question
(05:08):
that's really important to think about is what or who
energizes you and Conversely, what or who drains you? Because
if you can fill your day mainly with people and
activities that energize you, that will go a long way
to making this transition much more easy and enjoyable for
the long term. Lastly, are there preparations we should make
(05:31):
in advance of that first day back to work or
that first day on the job? Yeah, great question. So
obviously you want to make sure that any caretaking responsibilities
uh that need to be put into place are and
and so many people adapted pets during the pandemic. This
isn't just about taking care of children, So it's about
taking care of pets and the house, and just make
(05:53):
sure that you've got that squared away. The second thing is,
along with that, on the home front, you want make
sure that everybody is up to speed on what the
new schedule will be like, and it probably will be
some shift in responsibilities in terms of taking care of
the house and the pat Since that you need to
have conversations about those uh. And finally, and this sounds tripe,
(06:17):
but you know, treat yourself to a back to work outfit.
We all remember how wonderful it felt on that first
day of school to go buy new school supplies, and
start school with a new outfit. It can be really
helpful to just give you the sense of a new
beginning and a fresh start. Such great advice in this
unusual period of change in transition. So here's something good
(06:40):
for today. First, Nancy tells us that now is a
great time to assess what we've been doing at work,
and how we've been doing at work, and perhaps most importantly,
who are we spending our time with. Ideally, we want
to surround ourselves with people and things that energize us
and get rid of those things that bring us down.
Second position like this one can provide an opportunity to
(07:02):
set new boundaries. Ask yourself important questions such as how
much time do I want to devote each day to email?
Or what kind of hours am I comfortable keeping at
the office. Drawing these boundaries early can help set you
up for success. Finally, if you're heading into a new
work schedule, remember to address it with those in your life.
For example, is everyone clear on how your new schedule
(07:23):
will affect their responsibilities around the house. Coordinating with those
in your life around your new schedule can help prevent
mix ups and bring everyone in your life up to
speed on new shared responsibilities. Thank you for listening, and
(07:46):
please share Today's something Good with others in your life.
This is Kim Azzarelli, co author of Fast Forward and
co founder of Seneca Women. To learn more about Seneca Women,
go to Seneca Women dot com or download the Seneca
Women app free in the apps. Sure Care's Something Good
is a production of the Seneca Women podcast network and
I Heart Radio Have a Great Day. For more podcasts
(08:13):
from I heart Radio, check out the I Heart Radio app,
Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
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