Tag Archives: new job

May1

Working From Home 101

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Working From Home 101

Hello! One of my goals for 2023 was to gain more opportunities to work from home. On January 3rd, this was answered through a partnership with a tech entrepreneur and I have been his in house writer ever since! It is the absolute best and now I spend my mornings working from home doing what I do best: Content creating and social media. At first, this new job was a bit stressful on top of my work schedule as an Independent Provider for people with special needs. However, I have gotten my work from home flow down pat and these simple adjustments keep my days running like a fine tuned machine:

Sticking to a schedule:

This seems like a no brainer, but a solid schedule is how I achieved optimum success. Once I learned that my mornings were going to be different, I immediately formed a schedule and a new wake up time based on how long it takes me to complete everything else I need to do. Unfortunately, this meant starting to get up at five AM every morning and that was really hard at first! However, after about a week, my body adjusted to the “early bird” BS and I am so thankful for that lol. I was able to work out to the minute how long it would take me to take care of Mel and Pen, shower, write for lifewithlilred, eat breakfast, and start WFH while still making it to all of my afternoon clients on time. In writing, it seems like a lot but this schedule sets my day up to run smoothly and I would be lost without it!

Break time:

I am an on the go type of gal and one mistake that I made when I began WFH was not allowing myself a break or two. This is why I now eat breakfast almost every day and when I have spare time, I watch an episode of Assassination Classroom on CrunchyRoll. It might not seem like it, but sitting in an uncomfortable chair in front of the computer for hours on end can be really draining – especially when you have another job to go to after! Whenever I am feeling stiff or my brain needs a breather, I know it’s time to get up and stretch or tool around on Facebook for five or so minutes to get myself back in check. All work and no breaks leads to burnout and I now know that taking a ten doesn’t hurt my work flow but help it drastically.

Communication is key:

When you work from home, obviously, your boss isn’t in the next room over so you can ask questions. Therefore, communication is key to WFH success. My boss and I are essentially on the same schedule in the morning, which means that we can hop on a conference call, game plan, and I know he’s just a call away if something doesn’t make sense. Working from home does give you some free reign, but that means nothing if you didn’t do what needs to be done correctly. I used to not be the fondest person of asking questions and now I know that this is a no no and I highly encourage check ins so everyone is on the same page.

Don’t forget to end your day:

When your home is your office, it is SO easy to forget to stop working lol. The saying goes to not bring your work home but what if your work is already at home?! Believe you me, whenever I get a new email or message from clients after hours, I want nothing more to respond immediately and that’s not good! Like any other job, clocking out at the end of the day means that you are done and it is important for your own well being to respect that. Unless it is an absolutely urgent matter, I consider my work day done at five o’clock and I am so glad for it. If you struggle with not being able to turn your work mode off, I cannot recommend setting up an out of office email enough and setting limits for yourself because you are only going to end up exhausted.

I have been working from home for five months now and it took some time for me to get the hang of it. All of the above helped me out so much and I hope some of these tips work for you too!

What are some of your own WFH tips? Do you prefer going to work in person or virtually? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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Mar19

Lil Red: A Creature Of Habit

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Lil Red: A Creature Of Habit

Hello!! At the moment, I have three jobs and my life has been very busy. I work as a provider for people with special needs, create daily content for lifewithlilred and complete online work, and I just began a new marketing gig in January. At some point this year, I will cut back on my work in the field and give myself more time to not only work from home, but relax with a less demanding schedule. For now, however, I am enjoying the ride and I love seeing all of the hard work I put into lifewithlilred come into fruition in my new job.

With three jobs under my belt as well as being a very active bunny mom, I have been asked a lot since the beginning of the year how I have been managing. I am no stranger to working several jobs at once so this isn’t a brand new situation for me, but it does help a lot that Lil Red is, first and foremost, A Creature Of Habit. Because of this, my days run like a fine tuned machine and all of the following components help me to achieve this:

Sticking To A Schedule:

My schedule is the most important thing to achieve optimum success during the work week. Without it, I wouldn’t have the time to care for the bunnies in the morning, create content, and work from home before going to a client’s home. This morning routine came into place this past November when Johnny and I brought Mel and Penelope home, but it became an absolute necessity when I started my new job at the beginning of the year. Of course, waking up at five AM is not my idea of a good time in the slightest. However, if I don’t, my work day wouldn’t end until six or so in the evening and that sounds like less of a good time to me. Sticking to this schedule has lots of obvious benefits and my weekend days feel very off when I don’t have to follow through with it!

Forming Good Habits:

Prior to bringing the bunnies home, I was able to sleep in a bit later and was never too pressed if I had to hit the snooze button once, twice, or several times! As wonderful as it was to get the extra Zs, this was a habit that I needed to break for my day to run smoothly. Believe you me, I would LOVE to hit the snooze every morning and if I am extra tired, I will every now and then. But, I like being able to relax when I get home from work rather than work more. Fighting the urge to hit the snooze is definitely a habit that I am glad to have made.

Another good habit that I have formed fairly recently is establishing a meal schedule. Since my days shifted to a much earlier time and I have a lot to do, I go from hungry to hangry really quickly and that is not okay. During my mornings at home, I have penciled in time to have an actual breakfast, pack a snack or lunch for later in the day, and not be completely ravenous by dinnertime. I have come to realize how important it is to fuel my body for long work days and it has helped so much in reducing how rundown I have been feeling.

Take A Break:

Going nonstop is my forte, but it’s not a good thing to be gifted in lol. If I have the time after online work in the morning, I have given myself permission to take a break. Usually I will give my brain some breathing room by watching one episode of Assassination Classroom on Crunchyroll or reading a chapter or two in whatever book I’m working on. Because I work for myself, no one but me tells me when it’s time to rest for a bit. If I had an employee, I would most certainly allow for breaks for them, so why not me too? Even little breaks throughout the day to stretch and hydrate are helpful and it keeps me from completely crashing later. Total win/win!

Creating a schedule and habits that work for me took a decent amount of trial and error, but I am fully satisfied with the end result. I am proud of the work that I accomplish and, honestly, look forward to getting up every morning to see where the day takes me!

How important is a schedule to you? What do you like to do during break time? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar11

2023 All About Me

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2023 All About Me

Hello!! Your favorite Lil Red blogger has had a very busy past few months. Between bunny parenthood, new jobs, and the kerfuffle of daily life, I am ready for a little break any time now! It has been a while since we have had an updated All About Me post and I figured no better time than the present to talk a bit more in depth about everything happening in Lil Red’s world. Let’s get to it:

Bunny Babies:

Johnny and I have had our Lionhead bunnies, Mel and Penelope, for over four months now and they are thriving! In fact, I would say that they are fully settled to their new lives with us. Melvin is as adventurous as ever and loves to evade his dad by getting under the couch and exploring the non bunny proofed area while he plays video games lol. He is never too quick for his dear old mom, though! Melvin is not quite a year old yet and he is also never too old for an evening cuddle with me. It’s so sweet! ❤

Penelope took a decent amount of time to get acclimated to her new setting and I think that we are finally there. Her favorite activities are eating leafy greens from my hand and chilling out in her go to spot behind the hutch. Pen and Mel both also really enjoy being brushed, which is great as they are long haired and shedding season has been nuts! I was very proud of Penelope because this past week, she explored a few stairs for the first time but was scared to go down. She let me know of her distress by making some noise and allowed me to pick her up and take her back to the floor. Pen still isn’t the biggest fan of Johnny, but she sure loves her mom! 😀

New Job, No Prob:

I have a very entrepreneurial spirit and enjoy both my work as a provider for people with special needs and a writer so much. In the new year, I was really hoping to take my writing work to the next level and that happened on January third. I am currently managing a plethora of social media pages and building websites and businesses with my new boss and it is awesome! Between three jobs, it can be a bit stressful during the work week but I make it work. I am learning so many new things and being able to work from home a lot and hang out with Mel and Pen is such a joy. Eventually, I will decrease my work out in the field but, for now, I am just loving the experience!

Accomplishing Goals:

One of my other goals for the new year was creating a lot more OOTD content for lifewithlilred and I have been very dedicated to it. My sweet blog husband is also most helpful in that regard too! During the work week, I am rarely in the general public and put minimal effort into outfits and makeup. Saturday, however, is a totally different story! On Saturday afternoons, Johnny and I go on an outing for a lunch date, errands, or a visit at his or my parents and end up taking OOTD pictures some time in between. Johnny is always so accommodating and Saturday has definitely become our designated picture day. This setup has worked wonderfully and I look forward to our date days every week. ❤

Birthday Extravaganza:

Starting on March 7th and ending on June 7th, Johnny and I have lots to celebrate. In three months, there are seven birthdays in my family and mine and Johnny’s second wedding anniversary. I love this time of the year because I LOVE shopping for birthday presents and taking part in someone’s special day. I am also very excited for mine and Johnny’s second birthaversary jubilee and cannot wait to put together another get together to celebrate our birthdays and anniversary in one mega event!

Nothing Too Exciting:

As I have been working three very involved jobs for the past three months and Johnny is in a constant state of tired from his demanding job, we haven’t been doing much of anything. Part of it is the weather and part of it is exhaustion! That’s okay, though, because we rally around this time of the year when the sun starts setting later. We might not do anything during the work week but we do end up staying up later than our normal seven PM bedtime and that’s good enough for me. We are thinking of doing a few weekend trips this summer and it will be so nice to have a getaway of our own considering we haven’t even had a honeymoon yet. All in good time!

As busy as these past few months have been, I will never be too busy to post daily on lifewithlilred or get my nails done. Peep those tomorrow and keep it posted for all of the latest and greatest! ❤

What is new in your world? Is anything exciting coming up for you soon? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb23

Social Media Call To Action

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Social Media Call To Action

Hello everyone!! Back in January, I started a new gig assisting a local tech entrepreneur/community leader with literature for his websites/social media accounts. It has been awesome and I am enjoying my work so very much! At the moment, I am currently managing four social media accounts and it would mean the world to me if you could hop on Facebook and give them a like. They are:

Nightlife 330

Guerrilla Print Shop

FICO Pump

NEO Business Wireless

As I have said to everyone I have contacted to participate in a like-a-thon, you can help Lil Red realize her full potential! Lol, even if you don’t use Facebook often it will help me out tremendously. If Instagram is more your thing, you can follow along with my pages at these links:

Nightlife 330

Guerrilla Print Shop

FICO Pump

NEO Business Wireless

When you like these pages, please comment so that I can follow you back as well as give your blog a shout out for your time. And, of course, if you have any questions about any of these businesses; just let your girl know! Thank you all very kindly in advance! ❤

How do you spread the word about your business endeavors? What is your favorite social media platform? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb17

Pursue Your Dream Career With These Tips

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Pursue Your Dream Career With These Tips

Pursuing your goals to land your dream job takes dedication and hard work. There is so much that goes into following your dreams, but don’t let that stop you from making them into reality. Giving up a career to pursue something you really want should not be taken lightly, but it can be done if you have the passion and dedication for it. Here are four tips to help get you started on your journey toward a dream career:

Know Yourself & Your Goals:

Before you even begin the process of pursuing your dream job, it is important that you take some time for self-reflection. Consider what your goals are, what kind of lifestyle you want, and how this job fits into those goals. Knowing yourself and understanding your goals will help guide the decisions you make about what kind of job you want to pursue. Write down your goals and create a plan of action to achieve them; this way, you can stay motivated and focused on the path toward your dream job.

Research Companies & Industries:

Once you have a clear understanding of who you are and what your goals are, it is time to research companies and industries that align with those goals. Take some time to explore different industries and pick out specific companies that interest you. Doing this research will help give you an idea of what types of jobs these companies offer and any potential opportunities that could arise in the future. In addition, researching and familiarizing yourself with a company before applying can give you an edge over other applicants.

Build Your Network:

Networking is key when it comes to finding your dream job! Building relationships with people in the industry who may have access to job opportunities or insight into hiring processes is important. Joining professional organizations or attending networking events such as conferences or seminars is a great way to meet new people who may be able to help further your career path. In addition, utilizing social media platforms like LinkedIn can also be an effective way of connecting with potential employers or recruiters who may know about jobs that aren’t posted publicly yet.

Stay Up To Date On Trends & Industry News:

In today’s ever-evolving job market, staying up to date on industry trends and news is important to stay ahead of the competition. Subscribing to relevant publications, blogs, or newsletters can help you gain valuable insight into what’s happening in the industry. For example, if you’re interested in pursuing a career in the medical industry, you can learn a lot from Hanid Audish DO. Industry experts like this can give you a valuable look into the job market and what positions are in demand.

Pursuing your dream job can be a long process, but it is possible. By following these steps, you will be setting yourself up for success. Good luck!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Feb17

What To Do If Your Career Seems To Be Stalling

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What To Do If Your Career Seems To Be Stalling

Do you feel as though your professional life is in a rut? Are you having trouble deciding what to do next or do you not see any opportunities for advancement? If so, you are not alone. This feeling is one that many people have at least once in their careers. Getting your career back on a more positive track doesn’t have to be difficult, and you shouldn’t put it off if a change is needed. Here are some steps to take if your career seems to be stalling:

Reassess your goals:

Reevaluating your career goals requires taking a step back. Are they still the same as when you first started working? Do you still need to reevaluate your goals or have you already achieved everything you set out to do? Think things through, consider your current goals, and decide whether they align with where you want to go.

Talk to your supervisor:

It’s crucial to speak with your supervisor if you feel trapped in your current position. Express your worries and seek suggestions on how you can do better. Your boss might be able to offer you new opportunities or make suggestions for how to advance within the organization. Your manager might be able to advise you on what to do next if there are no growth opportunities at your company.

Take on new responsibilities:

If your current position doesn’t offer you any chances to advance, you might want to think about accepting more responsibility. This can demonstrate to your employer that you’re dedicated to your work and ready to take on new challenges. Seek out opportunities to volunteer for or accept more duties that will allow you to gain new skills.

Seek out training and development opportunities:

Finding training and development opportunities is another way to launch your career. This can entail going to workshops, enrolling in online classes, or earning certifications. You can take on new challenges and prove your value to your employer by learning new skills.

Network:

Developing your network is essential for career advancement. Establish relationships with individuals in your industry by going to networking events. This can assist you in discovering new employment possibilities and connecting with individuals who might be able to aid you in advancing your career. You can also look to successful people who have already reached the goals you want to achieve. If you work in sales and want to improve, look at the strategies and success of someone like Hussain al Nowais.

Consider a career change:

It might be time to think about a career change if you’ve tried everything listed above and are still not seeing any opportunities for growth within your current job. Look for employment opportunities that fit your interests and skill set. To learn about new opportunities, get in touch with recruiters and go to job fairs.

It’s important to feel rewarded and fulfilled in your career, and the tips above will help you take your skills to the next level!

Featured Image By: PXHere

Feb10

Work/Life Balance

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Work/Life Balance

Hello!! I don’t know about all of you, but I have been feeling So. Freaking. Exhausted. At the beginning of the new year, I formed a partnership with a local tech entrepreneur and have been putting in work. So much so, that I have been clocking in close to fifty hours every week between my jobs for the past month and change. It is tiring but the opportunities that have opened up for me are very exciting!

The work/life balance is something that everyone talks about. However, is it something that they are actively trying to pursue or does it just sound good? Lol, I definitely fall under the “think about it, but don’t do it” category and I know that this is something I need to change to avoid burnout. If you, too, struggle with making time for you amidst a busy schedule, you are not alone! In fact, you are in great company because I’m right there with you! Let’s explore some ideas we can all work on to achieve a better work/life balance:

Take Breaks:

During the work day, I try to allow myself a few five minute breaks throughout to get up, stretch, and hydrate. You can do whatever you see fit, though, to relax for a spell. Watch a funny YouTube video, read a few comic strips, grab a snack – whatever is clever. It is so easy to just keep on working even when our brain is literally telling us to take a pause for a couple of minutes. Remember, that the work you are completing when your mind is feeling mushy probably isn’t going to be something that you are fully satisfied with.

Make Meals:

I, personally, notice that I am not getting a proper work/life balance when I am not cooking meals for dinner. This was actually the first key indicator that I needed to slow down a bit when I saw that my fresh groceries were going to waste. Of course, no one is saying to cook a five star meal every night but I always feel better when I have something homemade for dinner. My goal is to at least make a few simple meals per week because I enjoy cooking as much as I do eating!

Make Plans (And Stick With Them!):

I’m going to be honest with all of you, the past several weeks of this workathon, I have had so many plans and I pretty much bailed on every single one. I was just too wiped out and canceling made me feel worse. This taught me that, for the time being, I need to make plans that I know I can stick with because anything more would be stretching myself too thin. However, we all need to give ourselves permission to have fun so don’t cut all evening activities out and fill your schedule with things you enjoy when you are able.

It’s Okay To Say No:

Always remember that it is okay to say no when you are feeling especially overrun. Knowing your limitations of what can and can’t be achieved in a certain time period will go a long way and can stop burnout in its tracks. I am such a people pleaser that I rarely say no to anything work related and I know that this is something that I really should improve on.

When a work/life balance seems impossible, carve out small periods for you throughout the day until you get back on track with a normal schedule. You will thank yourself during your next mini break!

What stresses you out about work? Do you achieve a good work/life balance? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan11

Change Your Career Smoothly With These Steps

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Change Your Career Smoothly With These Steps

If you want to change careers, you need to invest time and money in yourself. Before you make a decision about an investment, you should learn as much as you can about it. Let’s look at some things you need to think about before making a career change:

Have A Look At Yourself Closely:

If you’ve decided to change careers, you should first take an honest look at yourself. Think about your skills, values, personality, and what you like to do. It’s smart to check out some online tools, like a career test. These will help you look at a list of jobs that you might be good at based on your answers. You could also talk to a career counselor or someone who works on personal development.

Create A List Of Potential Jobs And Research:

Now is the time to look over the list of jobs that have been created. The list may be long, so try to cut it down as much as you can. Make a list of jobs you’d like to learn more about. If you like what you see you can take the next steps like learning how to become a life insurance agent.

Explore Your Options:

For each job on your list, you should look at the job description, required education, career outlook, the chances of getting promoted, and the pay. Most of that information can be found online on sites like Indeed.

Set Goals:

You should already know what you want to do for a living. Before you take steps to find a job in the field you’ve chosen, you should think about what you want to achieve. There should be both short-term and long-term goals. If training is going to take you two years, you need to give yourself that much time to reach your goals. After doing this, you can put finding a job the field you want at the top of your list.

Training:

Most of the time, you need the training to change careers. You may have some skills that can be used in different situations, but if you want to work in a specialized and competitive field, it’s a good idea to look into courses that will help you reach your goals.

These steps should make it easier and smoother to start a new job. Make achievable goals and work hard to achieve them for your dream job!

Featured Image By: Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

Dec16

The Ideal Traits You Need To Be A Caregiver

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The Ideal Traits You Need To Be A Caregiver

To be a caregiver, you need to have certain personality traits and skills as an individual. Just like other jobs, it often takes a certain person to become a carer and to be great at the job itself. What are those traits that make one successful in this career path? Here are some of the personality quirks that are needed to become a great carer in the field:

Patience:

A lot of patience is important because not every patient you work with will be as cooperative as others. Depending on how many people you work with, you may need to manage your approach with each one a little differently. If you’re one to get easily frustrated or impatient, then this might not be the ideal career path for you. It can be filled with a lot of challenging times which require patience – and plenty of it!

Flexibility:

Flexibility is a must when it comes to being a carer. It’s something that live in care jobs require particularly because the hours may not be fixed or set. It might be that you’re required for an evening shift with one patient and then a middle-of-the-day shift for another person the following day. Flexibility is required for this type of role and, unfortunately, not every lifestyle can adapt to this. However, there may be carer jobs out there that offer more flexibility in terms of a structured or fixed working schedule.

Dedication and commitment:

With a carer role, it’s not something that’s easy to walk away from. Whether that’s deciding on a new career path, retiring, or just going home after a long day on the job. Walking away from it can be emotionally and physically tiring. There’s a lot of dedication and commitment that’s required of these roles and some have it in them – others don’t. It’s important to understand this level of dedication and commitment required and whether you’re up for it or not.

Passion for the job:

Having a passion for this field can make it feel less like work and more like being paid to do something you thoroughly enjoy. The job itself can be challenging and it can be tough in many ways. Being able to possess that passion needed is going to make all of it a lot easier to handle.

Respectful and balanced in opinion:

One of the final traits you need when it comes to being a carer is respect for others. At times, there are going to be patients who will test you. They may not give you respect but as a carer, you need to give them yours – something some may struggle with. Being balanced in opinion is also essential because you’ll need to be able to respect their choices and wishes.

These traits are just some of many that are needed for this type of role or career path. Make sure you tick them all off before pursuing it so the people you help can get the best quality of care!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

 

           

Dec9

Stay On Top Of Business Trends With These Tips

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Stay On Top Of Business Trends With These Tips

Successful modern businesses stay up to date with the latest trends so that their offerings truly match what the customer is looking for at the moment. If you want your business to flourish, then, you need to stay on top of the business trends in your niche. Here are a few things that will help you to do just that:

Read more:

It’s a simple point, but if you want to stay on top of trends in your business sector, then you need to read more about it. For example, if you run a retail business, reading the publication at retailmedia.com.au/product/annual-report-retail-world/ will really help you to keep on top of what is going on. Or if you’re in the fashion industry, reading The Business of Fashion will help to keep things up to date. Read blogs, trade magazines, consumer magazines, books, and anything else that you can get your hands on.

Join industry clubs:

Joining industry clubs and associations is a good way to keep your finger on the pulse of what is happening in your sector. Most industry associations are really good at keeping members informed of the latest changes and current trends at events and in newsletters, so if you sign up and get actively involved, you will always be on par with, or even ahead, of the competition.

Keep tabs on your customers:

If you want to know what trends are up and coming in your business sector, then it makes sense to follow your target audience and see what kinds of things they are posting about on social media. This will indicate what they are interested in now and what they are likely to be interested in in the future. It may also be worth sending out surveys to existing customers to ask them what kinds of changes they would like to see to your products and services because this will also be a strong indicator of what is on-trend too.

Check out the competition:

It is also a really good idea to keep tabs on your competitors and see what they are offering. If several of your competitors have started investing in new technology, for example, then chances are they are doing so for good reason and that technology is likely to become the next big thing.

Invest in the right marketing equipment:

If you want to stay on top of trends in your business sector, investing in the right equipment can help. For example, investing in a camera pedestal will enable you to produce high-quality videos that are up to date with the latest digital trends, while having a dedicated camera operator will ensure smooth and steady footage. You should also look into investing in a reliable drone, which will help you capture content from a wider perspective – something that is becoming increasingly popular with businesses in all industries.

Think towards the future:

It is important when assessing future trends that you do not just think about what will be trendy in the next year or two, but how you can embrace trends, and how they will affect your company in the longer term. Sometimes, a trend is little more than a flash in the pan, and you will waste time and resources following it at the detriment of your long-term success, so be careful and use trends wisely.

Staying on trend will keep your company current and allow you to always have something to offer the customer, so what are you waiting for? Time to start following those trends!

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