Member's Library I am what the librarians have made me . . . B. K. Sandwell

Be Prepared for That Crisis Moment When You Need Business Backup

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A recent experience with a contractor reminded me of the value of networking when we’re dealing with a crisis.

I had tried to reach the electrician company I’ve used for a couple of projects, asking when they might be able to help with swapping ceiling light fixtures from one room to another. It took more than a week and a second message for the owner to get back to me, and it turned out that he’s been “living on pain pills” in anticipation of hip surgery next month, and his assistant — his only employee — has been kept busy with not just their projects but ones for the assistant’s parents as well. Needless to say, I’m still waiting for my project to be done. (Yes, I could try finding another contractor, but I would prefer to use someone who’s already done good work for me.)

That made me think about what I would do if, heaven forbid, something happened that would prevent me from being able to write, edit, or proofread, whether temporarily or permanently.

Over the years, I’ve had those situations arise, from major surgery that went wrong and created seven months of recuperation to shorter-term ones involving a few days in the hospital to a day of stomach flu or simple exhaustion. Not to mention dealing with losses — my dad, my mom, my husband — which meant handling not just grief but all of the administrative details that follow. Oh, and a couple of long-distance moves as well.

My first step has always been to notify my regular and ongoing clients that I would be out of pocket for a while. For most of those situations, I’ve said and found that I could keep working, just at a lesser level — maybe a little more slowly than usual, or returning projects in a couple of days rather than immediately. Having work to do has been helpful as a distraction from chaos or crisis, and an incentive to get back to normal as quickly as possible. My regular clients have usually been understanding and supportive, and haven’t dropped me over being temporarily (thank goodness) unavailable.

If a prospective client with a big new project reaches out to me while I’m dealing with such situations, I say I might not or won’t be available at that moment and ask if their project can wait until the situation resolves. Most have said they’ll wait until I can work on their material, which is quite gratifying. On the few (luckily) occasions when something couldn’t wait, my connections made through networking stepped in to help.

There’s also the need for a vacation, or at least a short break from our daily routines — we all need some time off at some point, especially those with partners or kids. Whether or how we need to negotiate that time off depends on the type of client or project we have; some deadlines are more flexible than others.

Where does networking come into these scenarios?

If you’ve built up a strong network of colleagues with similar skills and experience, you have a safety net: people you can trust to take on client projects while you handle whatever is affecting your life at the moment. People whose work and ethics can be relied to be at least as good as you are — and who can be trusted not only to do good work on your behalf, but not to steal the clients!

These are relationships that don’t happen overnight. They require time and effort, and paying attention to the posts and perspectives of people we meet through NAIWE and other professional organizations. We have to be visible ourselves, and give something back to an association and colleagues so we’re known as someone who is not just skilled and experienced, but worth working with and helping. That’s networking at work.

For NAIWE members who aren’t actively visible here and might want to be the ones called on when colleagues need backup, now is the time to start showing up — with blog posts, success announcements, presentations, memberships, event attendance, etc. Even asking questions that colleagues might answer, and thus provide useful advice, gives you a presence and positions you as someone with professional curiosity and rigor, willing to learn and share knowledge.

Beyond NAIWE, make sure you’re visible on LinkedIn, have a website of your own, and contribute to social media conversations about what you do and who you are.

As the one with work to hand off, don’t be afraid to ask about colleagues’ training and skill levels, style guide familiarity, etc. Be prepared to vet colleagues who might be good candidates for when you need a break or a hand. Consider developing an editing or proofreading test to have on hand if and when needed, so you don’t have to come up with that under the pressure of a crisis.

Here’s wishing all of my NAIWE colleagues safety and good health — and the presence of mind to protect our businesses by being prepared for emergencies.

 

Ruth Thaler-Carter
The Networking Expert

Ruth Thaler-Carter has been a full-time freelance writer, editor, proofreader, desktop publisher, and speaker for more than 40 years. She has been published locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally in, and does writing, editing, and proofreading for, publications, associations, nonprofits, websites, service firms, independent authors, and businesses. She sold her first freelance articles when she was still in high school. Often called the Queen of Networking, Ruth is active in about a dozen professional associations, serving as a newsletter editor, webmaster, publication author, speaker/presenter, blogger, program host or planner, and chapter leader. In 2006, Ruth launched the Communication Central Be a Better Freelancer conference — now cohosted with NAIWE — to help aspiring and established freelancers find greater success. Ruth is also owner and editor-in-chief of the An American Editor blog and owner of the Publishing with Flair publishing business. Her honors include member of her high school alumni hall of fame, in part for her publishing work and networking services; Writers and Books Big Pencil Award for teaching adults and contributions to the literary community; EFfie awards for writing, editing, and newsletters; an APEX award for feature writing; the Philip M. Stern Award of Washington (DC) Independent Writers for service to freelancers; and IABC/DC Communicator of the Year and Silver Quills for magazine writing and newsletters.

In Spite of Barriers, Women Make the Best Leaders

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Studies show the ideal leader today is ethical, honest, trustworthy, and fair regarding employee expectations. These traits earn the respect of followers and are closely aligned with women leaders.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, women comprise 47% of the U.S. labor force, yet lag substantially behind men when it comes to representing leadership positions. The good news is even though the gender wage gap has declined in most professions, the number of women climbing the ladder to management ranks has increased. But in spite of these achievements, women still face leadership challenges in the workplace.

 

Leadership Barriers Women Face

The glass ceiling metaphor and other limited opportunity metaphors like glass door and glass cliff remain as popular today as they did 10 years ago. When things go wrong and the group fails, women leaders are likely to get blamed even if the failure was caused by events that took place before they came on board. Women report having fewer support networks at work, not getting needed information, and not being acknowledged for their efforts.

Women are also more likely to experience burn out and become disillusioned with their jobs and organizations and may end up quitting as a result. Cultural expectations also work against women who aspire to become leaders. Many never seriously consider becoming leaders because the process of socialization has taught them leadership professions are only open to males.

Negative stereotypes and discrimination can lower the self-confidence for some women and make them reluctant to take risks or strive for leadership positions. And since our culture highlights nurturing roles of women, many enter service professions such as teaching, nursing, clerical work, or roles that support the larger organization.

 

Changes on the Horizon

Fortunately, attitudes toward women in leadership are changing, especially among the younger generation. As more women succeed in management roles, stereotypes will continue to erode. When this happens, women will experience less prejudice and more opportunities.

As global environments become more competitive, management styles are shifting away from old leadership styles to more transformational styles that emphasize communication, teamwork, and responsiveness. These leadership styles will benefit women in today’s workforce.

 

Gail McShan-Elly is a writer and blogger. She is married and believes greatness is achieved by serving others.

Guilt-Free Vacations

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I just got back from a much-needed vacation in the Caribbean. It was the first time in a long time that I barely touched my laptop while out of the office — but that was more a matter of fortunate timing than anything, avoiding the weeks in the month where I have regularly scheduled projects due. Beyond a quick edit to a web page and answering a few emails, the rest of my time was available for snorkeling, catching rays, eating fresh seafood, and reading books with my toes in the sand.

I’ve been freelancing for more than 26 years, and I’ve always had my laptop with me when traveling — going back to the days of dialing into AOL on a phone line. I know people will make you feel guilty that it’s not “really” a vacation if you do work, or that it’s somehow stressful or less relaxing. For me, that’s never been the case.

While I did not bring work with me in my days as an employee, as a business owner I must take care of my clients. And, since my wife and I like to travel, it would actually be *more* stressful for me to not be available to my clients. Giving myself permission to do a little bit of work opens up opportunities, and I refuse to feel guilty about that.

That said, I have some ground rules for myself:

  • As was the case for this vacation, I hustled extra hard in the preceding two weeks before this vacation to get as much done as possible. I don’t want to have anything weighing on me just because I was lazy or procrastinating. This is especially true since I’m faster working on my desktop at home than I am on the laptop.
  • Once we’re on location, I keep my wife informed about my plans, so she knows what to expect and can do something solo if necessary. When I’m going to work on something for two hours, there’s no reason for her to hang around the hotel room or coffee shop waiting for me.
  • I limit the amount of work in a given day, and try to schedule it early in the day so that my mind is free during the remainder of the day for fun and adventure.

Do you have your laptop in tow when you’re on vacation, or do you prefer to be fully unplugged? What’s your reasoning for one method or the other?

Jake Poinier made the leap into freelance writing and editing in 1999 after a decade of positions in the publishing industry, giving him key insights from both sides of the desk. As the founder and owner of Boomvang Creative Group, he has worked with a diverse array of Fortune 500 and small businesses, consumer and trade magazines, and independent authors. Jake is committed to helping freelancers improve their businesses and shares his knowledge and experiences frequently as a speaker at industry conferences, through webinars, and on his blog.

Your Customized Energy Bank

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In a world of constant digital distraction, where we are terrorized by to-do lists and starved of authentic presence and connection, many of us feel tired and wired. Seven to eight hours of sleep often feels like an unattainable luxury, and caffeine becomes a convenient crutch.

As a Holistic High-Performance Coach and “Healthspanner,” I’ve observed that many of our modern health struggles and barriers to success stem from chronic stress, overwhelm, and burnout; symptoms of an unbalanced achievement model focusing on hustle, toughness, and sacrifice. To make matters worse, our current healthcare system is a misnomer. It’s not about health, shows little care, and is a poorly functioning system. Amid political discord, wars, and a mental health epidemic, a new paradigm of self-determined success, health, and fulfilment is being called forth, based on joy, wisdom, harmony, and energy flow. This shift reveals a crucial truth: no one is coming to save us but ourselves.

As Buckminster Fuller said, “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) campaign is a powerful example of uniting people across the great political divide as the idea of shifting from sickcare to genuine healthcare is something that resonates widely.

Everyone desires the health and energy to be, have, and do what they want in life. According to the NY think tank Project Energy, energy is the single common denominator in lasting success in virtually anything. So, knowing where it comes from, where it goes, and how to maximize it is the key to success. Yet many people are unclear how their choices cause either energy gains or drains. This is precisely why after years of research I created a framework called the “Energy Engagement Wheel,” a holistic framework for us to cultivate healthier energy states in every aspect of life. Everything is energy. And everything we do, say, and think affects it. Energy is the currency of exponential impact, and it must be spent wisely.

The Energy Engagement Wheel divides energy into six main sources, empowering us to become more aware of how we use it. At the core is Foundation Energy: the air, food, water, light, sleep, and supplements we take in. Next is Move Energy: the shapes and movement we give our body, such as posture, smiles, exercise. Sitting is the new smoking. Then comes Pause Energy, the power of meditation, prayer, and mindfulness. Rumi said it best: “God’s language is silence. Everything else is poor translation.” Space Energy covers the sights, sounds, smells, and physical elements in your environment. Are you crushed under clutter, or do you have the space to let in the new and good? Mind Energy is about the thoughts, habits, and emotions that shape your experience of life. What questions are on your mental dashboard? Do they direct you to a place you want to go? Finally, Connection Energy looks at how you communicate and interact with others. The energy you give is the energy you get back. Are you an energy angel or energy vampire?

Take a bird’s-eye view of your energy wheel. How do you score in each category? For instance, if your Foundation Energy is low, do you need to cut back on sugar and hydrate? Are you sitting at your desk all day and need to top up on your Move Energy? Also, notice where you go when you’re depleted—do you seek connection through coffee with a friend or turn to pause with meditation? Bringing awareness to your unique personal energy map can help you plug up the leaks with small energy affirming habits. As you slowly stack your energy habits in each of these six areas, you’ll unlock a whole new level of performance, energy, and enjoyment!

 

 

Susan Treadgold is a holistic high-performance coach, speaker, and multiple #1 best-selling author with nearly two decades of investment banking experience at Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, and Citigroup. She empowers women to have more energy and success with the use of science-backed high-performance habits, executive presence, training, and a personally curated longevity portfolio of cutting edge biohacking products. She is an award-winning artist, host of The High-Performing Woman talk show, and on the leadership committee of 5050 Women on Boards. She is a proud mother of two teenagers, and family is her love language. As a board member of Roots of Promise, she is passionate about helping less fortunate kids.

 

12 Keys to Produce the Best Copyediting

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In fields as competitive as freelance writing and editing, setting yourself apart as one of the best is crucial to maintaining a thriving business. Once clients discover your high-quality work, they are going to spread the news. Not only that, but they’ll be willing to pay what you’re worth, especially once they’ve had one or two encounters with your less-than-professional colleagues. If you incorporate these 12 disciplines into your writing or editing life, you’re sure to deliver an excellent product every single time.

 

  1. Prioritize Sleep

The most important tool you have in this career is your brain. And to help your brain function at its highest level, you should get enough sleep. It’s tempting to want to “grind it out,” especially if you’re trying to meet a deadline or if you’re tight on meeting your budget, but if you sacrifice your sleep, you may be sacrificing the quality of your work. It’s not worth it. Commit to getting good-quality sleep right now. Keep your priorities straight, so your clients don’t suffer. If that means missing a deadline, simply let your client know right away that it’s going to take a little longer than you thought, and then adjust your estimates for the next job to allow for more time.

You might have trouble falling asleep. Often, our minds race when we hit our pillow, and we just can’t fall asleep. I went through years of insomnia due to a fussy baby, post-partum depression, the death of my spouse, and a major cross-country move. But there were a few things I discovered about sleep that helped me start snoozing again. It is easier to fall asleep when you have a deep sense of being loved and valued and when you feel safe. If you are having difficulty falling asleep, think over and over about how loved you are and how valuable you are. You have a purpose, and your life is significant. In regard to feeling safe, I mediate on Scriptures from the Bible about how much our Father loves me and His promises to keep me safe. Find what works for you. Another thing that has been very effective is to think of the things I am holding against myself or others and say out loud, “[My name or name of the other person] I forgive you for [whatever the offense was] and I release you from the debt you owe me.” I’ve gotten some of the sweetest sleep after going through this forgiveness ritual.

 

  1. Prioritize Good Nutrition

Our guts are so interconnected with our brain function that we shouldn’t ignore what we’re eating. Eat high-quality, unprocessed foods. This includes fresh fruits and vegetables, grass-fed beef, organic chicken, and wild-caught fish. Instead of looking at the nutrition label on packaged foods, read the ingredient list, and avoid foods that have ingredients you can’t pronounce or are mysterious. One of the easiest ways to eliminate inflammation in your body and increase clarity of mind is to eliminate cow dairy products (switch to goat dairy) and gluten.

 

  1. Exercise

You’ve probably heard that movement is life. Get out and take a walk or a short run at least twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. You can also find some great exercise videos for free on YouTube. One of my favorite exercises is Pilates. It’s designed to incorporate dynamic stretching and strength movements that build your core muscles, which are the foundation for all your muscles. The deep, regular breathing during a Pilates workout oxygenates your brain and invigorates your body. Even 10 minutes of this workout a day will make a notable difference in your performance.

 

  1. Don’t Worry

In a culture where stress and anxiety are the norm, it’s a rare thing to find an editor or writer who isn’t worried about some aspect of the job. But humans do their best creative work when we are super chill and confident. If you can master this discipline, you’ll set yourself head and shoulders above your colleagues.

I’ll tell you how I discovered what works for me, but you can use what works for you and feed the rest to the birds if you like. Several years ago, I had a dear friend try to convince me to start using marijuana to help take the edge off the anxiety I was experiencing. I assured my friend that marijuana would only be a coping mechanism, not a cure, and I wanted a cure. In the course of our conversation, it surfaced that trusting in Jesus was the answer, and a switch inside of me flipped. I realized that while I’d been a follower of Jesus most of my life, I didn’t really trust him to take care of things for me. I decided I had more to lose by taking my own responsibility for my career than by turning everything over to Jesus. I told him He was now responsible for my reputation, for meeting my deadlines, and for my quality of work. And that day, I started practicing casting my care on Him—taking the things I cared about and letting Him do all the caring about them instead. Practicing means I messed up quite a bit and got to try again. But the more I practiced the better I got. And since that time, I’ve never missed a deadline or disappointed a client. I attribute the success of my thriving business solely to the Boss Man, and work is more play to me. I hope you find your own way to let go of worry even while you diligently work.

 

  1. Invest in a Blue Light Filter for Your Computer

I only discovered this after I started working full time. I realized my eyes were beyond fatigued after standing at my computer eight hours a day. So I did some research and discovered that our computers put off something called “blue light.” It’s very hard on our eyes, and you know how important our eyes are to this kind of work. If your computer doesn’t already have a blue light filter, don’t wait another day to find a product that has great reviews and order it!

 

  1. Invest in a Standing Desk

Having a standing desk contributes to frequent exercise. Our bodies weren’t designed to sit all day, and since I began using a standing desk with a cushioned mat, I have less back pain and have noticed that my knees, ankles, and feet have gotten stronger. It’s nice to be able to take a 30-second break and do some squats and spine twists.

 

  1. Invest in an Ergonomic Keyboard

Anyone who’s been in this business for a long time understands the kind of pain that can develop in your wrists. Although there may be a short learning curve as you adjust to the different position that an ergonomic keyboard requires, you’ll likely find immediate pain relief. A side note here: when I started getting chiropractic adjustments in my neck, that also greatly relieved my wrist pain. Chiropractic may be a great option for you when it comes to taking care of your wrists.

 

  1. Keep a Schedule

Working from home requires a great deal of discipline. It’s amazing how quickly the time it takes to do “quick” house chores eats away at your work time. Set a schedule for yourself and stick to it. Avoid the temptation to put a load of laundry in the washing machine or vacuum the floors “real quick.” Instead, remind yourself that you can do these once your workday is over.

 

  1. Eliminate Distractions

This key compliments keeping a schedule. It’s mind-blowing how quickly phone calls, text messages, emails, and social media can drain our work time. When you’re on the clock, focus on the job that’s in front of you. Check messages at your next break to see if any of them are work related. And have an appointed time to read and answer emails.

 

  1. Get Dressed

I hope this one made you smile. Or maybe it made you roll your eyes. But there’s something about getting dressed for the day and putting on shoes that signal to your brain that it’s go-time. Even if you change from one set of pajamas to another, getting dressed makes a difference. On top of that, if you can fit in a shower or at least wash your face, this will also contribute to positioning your mind to produce quality work.

 

  1. Go Slow

Now we get into the nuts and bolts of copyediting. You’ve taken care of your body and you’re ready to hit the ground running. Pull up the manuscript on your computer screen, and slow down. Examine every character and question if it should be there, whether it be a punctuation mark, a capital letter, a lowercase letter, a numeral, a spelled-out number, a source citation, a word with multiple spellings, etc. Question everything. And if you don’t know the answer, stop, and look it up.

After you finish examining a sentence, question the sentence. Did it make sense? Did it flow well?

After you finish a paragraph, question the paragraph. Did all the sentences belong in this paragraph? Are they in the right order? Do they make sense? Do they flow well?

An attorney I once worked for told me, “Haste makes waste.” And I’ve proven this phrase to be true too many times. Trust me. Slow down.

 

  1. Trust Your Gut

If something doesn’t seem right. Stop and look it up. I can’t tell you how many times my brain has said, “This is right,” but my gut said, “Something’s wrong.” Occasionally, my gut will be wrong, but more often than not, it is spot on. Give your subconscious some credit. Sometimes it knows things our consciousness just can’t.

 

Giving a quality product every time will set your business apart and give you a great deal of satisfaction. With these 12 keys in place, doing your best will be as easy as breathing. Were any of these 12 keys new to you? Which ones do you find the most difficult to remain disciplined at? As you move forward to greater heights of writing and editing, remember that your voice is significant, and your contribution is unique.

 

Rachel E. Bradley holds a BS degree in paralegal studies from Northeastern State University in Oklahoma and graduated summa cum laude in 2006. She is a gold member of the Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network, is an established freelance editor with the Christian Editor Connection, is an instructor with the PEN Institute, is a judge for the Editors’ Choice Award, and has served as faculty for PENCON, the only conference for editors in the Christian market. After serving nine years in the legal field and becoming an advanced certified paralegal, Rachel started her business as a freelance editor and indexer. She now owns Revisions by Rachel Inc. In 2018, she lost her first husband, Matthew, after an intense battle with brain cancer. She now edits with a new understanding and a fierce compassion for people who feel broken and hurt. In celebration of continued life and hope, she became a licensed skydiver and takes to the skies with her rainbow canopy, “Promises,” any chance she gets. In early 2021, she asked God to choose her next husband. In an incredible tale of trusting God and giving him her yes without exception, she is now joyfully married to Alexander Bradley. They have been assigned the awe-inspiring and continually humbling task of raising two incredible children. Beyond reading, Rachel enjoys Bible studies, dancing during church worship, skydiving, swing dancing, rock climbing, reading, teaching, discussing important issues, watching Star Trek, sewing, cooking, Pilates, horseback riding, water sports, playing guitar, and snow skiing.

 

Employees Are Burned Out, So They’re Tuning Out 

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According to a 2022 Gallup report, employee engagement in the United States experienced an annual drop for the first time in a decade — falling from 36% engaged employees in 2020 to 34% in 2021. This downward trend has continued into 2022 with the number now sitting at 32% of employees engaged. Meanwhile, the percentage of disengaged employees increased from 16% to 17% in the last year.

So, what’s the problem?

 

Why Are Employees Disengaged?

The report found that employee engagement varied by job type and industry. Healthcare workers saw the greatest decline. Management roles also faired poorly. Still, workers across the board are pretty checked out at this point. In fact, according to a recent McKinsey study, 64% of employees surveyed said they were “somewhat likely” to quit in the next 3–6 months. And that’s without even having another job lined up.

Why?

Employees say they’re feeling disengaged and disconnected from their work because

  • they don’t have enough time to do their work
  • managers communicate poorly
  • they lack support from management
  • their role or duties are unclear
  • the boss treats them unfairly
  • they don’t have the right equipment
  • their purpose is uncertain.

Employees also report feeling strongly that their employers are not concerned about their well-being. Employee engagement is directly linked to a resilient workforce and improving well-being. This is because engagement elements like collaboration, involvement, communication, and development help build trust. With this trust, employers can address overall well-being.

Do you know how your employees and team members feel? If not, it might be time for a check-in.

 

Remote and Hybrid Work

Interestingly, employees who have fully remote or hybrid work arrangements are more engaged than those who must work exclusively on-site. Still, remote worker engagement has dropped significantly. The reasons for this are the same as above, in addition to issues surrounding recognition and development.

 

Signs of Employee Burnout

It’s not hard to know if your employees are getting burned out and becoming disengaged. There are many indicators.

Just take a look around and see if you notice any of these signs:

  • withdrawn, irritable, and angry team members
  • apathy and decreased morale
  • a decline in job performance
  • increased conflict between employees
  • higher levels of absenteeism.

If you see the warning signs, it’s time to act. Employees who are burned out and disengaged don’t perform. Before they slip too far, get them back on track and optimize your operations.

 

What You Can Do to Boost Employee Engagement

  • Support your staff. Employees who feel properly supported by management are 70% less likely to experience burnout.
  • Listen to your personnel. Your employees have ideas — good ones. So listen up and implement some of those ideas. Don’t just make your employees feel heard, listen attentively.
  • Embrace flexible work environments. People love options and today’s work life is different. Offer flexibility for employees and how they work, whatever that looks like.
  • Focus on well-being and balance. Employees have lives outside of work. Provide resources to aid a healthy balance between work and life.
  • Keep communication open. A person who knows their role and how it fits within the company’s bigger vision works smarter and is more engaged.
  • Manage managers. Employees with overbearing or unclear management waste time, burn out faster, and are unsatisfied at work. Coach managers regularly.

There’s a lot you can do to remedy low employee engagement and high burnout. Focus a little less on finances and a little more on meaningful human interactions. In the end, it benefits employees and employers alike. Turnover rates will decrease, performance will rise, and resilient company culture will thrive.

It comes down to creating a better experience for employees. This is your opportunity to survey your workforce. Get their feedback and see where they stand. Use this data to develop a plan to improve company operations and employee engagement. Audit your business decisions and practices to see if they still align with the company’s values and culture.

Start by looking at your management team. How are they different from other organizations? Do their style and decisions fit the brand? Do they actually know how to manage and guide projects to completion? After all, they’re responsible for keeping their teams happy and functioning optimally.

Secondly, assess what you offer employees. If you think you’ll lure top talent with a high salary and some health benefits, think again. Today’s employees want more. However, they’re not asking for more money. They seek a holistic employee experience where there’s an equal emphasis on growth, well-being, and engagement.

How do you do this?

Prioritize relationships and avoid transactions.

People crave connection and meaningful relationships. Explore more personalized approaches to attract and retain employees rather than transactional tactics. Determine what matters most to your teams, express recognition and appreciation in various ways, and build relationships with your employees.

Let work be a place of social interaction.

The strongest predictor of a positive work experience is the social element. That is to say: keep the workplace a place where friendships can flourish. Employees also want quality relationships with their team members and leaders. A positive organizational social climate plays a major role in employee experience and, therefore, employee retention.

Provide opportunities for advancement.

Obviously, some cases call for short-term, contract, or temporary employment. However, keep in mind that these temporary arrangements, or treating employees as such, feel very transactional. Employees won’t stay at — and might not even join — an organization that has no opportunity for growth.

Implement a sustainable work management approach.

If your organization’s processes and workflows are overly ad hoc, lacking clarity, and creating confusion, bottlenecks, and delays, your teams are likely feeling the strain and frustration. By investing in the optimization of your company’s processes and workflows, you’ll improve engagement, build a more resilient workforce, and create a more scalable business.

 

Stephen (“Steve”) Colwell is the founder of Clarify Media and Completing, one specializing in marketing and brand strategy for B2B and B2C firms; the other focused on growth operations training and consulting for teams seeking more scalable ways of operating. Steve brings 15+ years experience leading high-performing creative, technical, and operations teams across the globe. A certified Agile practitioner and Fractional CMO, Steve helps teams of all types and sizes save time and accelerate growth by implementing the same proven methods and routines practiced by today’s top-performing companies. Steve has helped national and global brands in technology, healthcare, education, finance, consumer goods, travel, entertainment, blockchain, and a number of other industries.

Downshift Your Responsiveness When You Work at Home

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Many people today feel pressure to be immediately responsive to every request, no matter when it is received, no matter from whom it is received, and regardless of the method it is delivered. So that you can focus and be more productive in your writing when you work at home, may I respectfully encourage you to downshift your responsiveness in these areas:

  1. Answering the door: Just because someone is knocking on your door or ringing your doorbell does not mean you have to answer.
  2. Answering the phone: More and more, no matter how many do-not-call lists you are on, your home phone seems to be fair game for surveys, checking on your satisfaction with our service, political calls, and any number of robo-calls. Either let your answering machine pick up, screen the calls and only pick up those from people you know, or just call back those you want to talk with. There’s no need to be like Pavlov’s dog with the sound of a ringing phone.
  3. Text messaging: Even though text messages can be incredibly convenient and offer opportunities for real-time problem solving, they can also be major distractors and detractors for productivity.
  4. Friend (or connection) requests on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter (or other social media): It’s not urgent; get to it when you get to it.
  5. Face-to-face requests from people in your family: Be reasonably responsive to reasonable requests.

That last sentence applies for all of these. Be reasonably responsive to reasonable requests. If someone makes an unreasonable request, well, then I would carefully consider the response to that request.

If you will downshift your responsiveness in the five areas I have listed above, you can upshift your responsiveness and productivity as it relates to writing. And isn’t that what you want?

 

Meggin McIntosh, the PhD of Productivity, is an award-winning professor who now works with academics who prefer overjoyed to overwhelmed. She is a former university professor and administrator and currently a coach, author, and workshop leader. People who are overwhelmed, and would prefer to be overjoyed instead, are the people I’m fortunate enough to connect with.

Considering a Career Change?

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Poynter has a regularly updated post up about newsroom layoffs, furloughs and closures. To me, it’s hard to watch all the publications and professionals being impacted by the pandemic. I wonder how the pandemic may change the media, and also how it may shift for the better.

There are no easy answers on this, I suppose. A shift is happening, though, as many people are considering career changes. For writers and media folks, that may mean switching jobs. But I imagine others are thinking of taking up a new career in a different industry.

I liked what a post in The Muse had to say about career changes, because they pose some useful questions to ask if you are considering a change. These include:

  • Do I Have the Financial Resources to Support a Career Change?
  • Do I Want to Change Careers, or Do I Just Not Like Working During a Pandemic?
  • What Am I Looking For in My New Career?
  • What Is My Mental and Emotional State Right Now?

I’ve always loved that journalism develops a diverse skillset. That is, I think it’s a great foundation to do something else if you so choose. Journos aren’t just writers–they’re great at researching, organizing information, interacting with others, managing content. There are so many alternative career choices for those who choose to leave journalism or the media world altogether.

At the same time, I am concerned that the upset from the pandemic could result in less diversity in our field. It could essentially force out quality journalists. It could also bring in new ones.

So for those thinking of leaving journalism, specifically, I hope the coming weeks and months greet you with a renewed sense of motivation and personal awakening. You do have a broad set of skills that can be applied to a wide variety of careers. I know the pandemic has been rough, but I wish you the best.

 

Kristen Fischer is a copywriter and journalist living at the Jersey Shore. She worked as a reporter and copyeditor for Gannett before launching her full-time freelance business in 2005. Her work has been published in Parents, New Jersey Monthly, Prevention, Woman’s Day, SheKnows, and Healthline.

The Power of No

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One of the methods that have allowed me to accomplish all that I have done so far in my career is my emphasis on focus. Given all the opportunities and temptations that crop up in a typical day, it would be easy to spend time and energy on so many different projects and interesting activities that without focus I would make far less progress toward the relatively few goals and priorities that are most important to me.

Fortunately, to help me maintain a steady focus I have cultivated a considerable amount of what I like to call “the power of no.”

Simply put, I am far quicker and better at saying “no” to opportunities and temptations than I am at saying “yes.”

I suppose this trait originally became apparent to me when it came time to buy my first car. There were a lot of good cars to choose from, but I wanted a convertible. Despite the possible alternatives, I found myself saying “no” to every car that wasn’t a convertible. I discovered I would rather have no car than a hardtop. Eventually, I got my convertible, and it helped me feel happy every time I drove it.

It turns out that this penchant for saying “no” is more than just a trick for avoiding what I don’t want. It’s also a powerful tool for focusing on what is most important and for keeping my time and energy reserved for activities and work that lead me in the directions I most want to go.

I have learned through experience that by saying “no” to the vast majority of opportunities and temptations I encounter, I automatically leave room for what’s more important.

This power of “no” greatly simplifies my life and work and delivers good results in many situations.

For example, when people ask me to give a presentation or attend a meeting planned for weeks or months in the future, my schedule for that date and time almost always appears to be clear. That would make it easy, and even tempting, to say “yes” to the offer.

But I have learned that my schedule fills up pretty regularly with work and activities I’m happy to pursue. So now when I encounter offers to do something far in the future I make a simple calculation: if that presentation or meeting were scheduled for today or tomorrow, rather than for sometime further out, and if I would feel it to be less important or less tempting than what I have already scheduled for today or tomorrow, I say “no.”

I can do this because I feel secure that when that date and time finally roll around, I will find myself heavily scheduled with work and activities that I will judge to be more in line with my goals and aspirations and I will regret having agreed to this less important presentation or meeting.

In this way, the power of “no” saves me from making a great many commitments I will later regret.

Similarly, the power of “no” helps me filter out opportunities and temptations that don’t fall into the top tier of things I’d like to do. Basically, I try very hard to say “no” to pretty much every offer that comes my way. The idea is to say “no” unless I feel so excited or so strongly tempted by the opportunity that I just can’t bring myself to avoid it.

The practical result of my default response being “no” is that in most cases I say “yes” only to those opportunities and temptations that are most powerfully aligned with my desires, goals, and plans. The power of “no” is one of the big reasons my days tend to be filled not with run-of-the-mill activities, but with opportunities and activities that I enjoy on many levels.

Saying “no” more often than saying “yes” also simplifies my life in several ways:

1. First, it’s now a habit to say “no,” so I can do it most of the time without having to think very much.

2. Second, by saying “no” unless I’m deeply excited and tempted by the opportunity, I eliminate lots of complications that would be involved in juggling the personal and practical conflicts usually associated with the kind of commitments that don’t really excite me.

For example, I don’t have to go to meetings or make presentations that I’d really rather avoid. I don’t have to disappoint people by making last-minute cancellations because something more exciting has come up. And I don’t have to spend time with people I don’t enjoy simply because I foolishly filled my schedule with second-tier activities.

3. Third, by focusing on those few priorities and goals I really care about, my choices of what to do next are easier to make. There are only a relatively few items on my plate at any one time, all of them mostly important to me. So boring, irrelevant, and unfulfilling commitments are far less of a distraction and a drain on my time than they otherwise would be.

I’m not sure why I started using the power of “no” to keep my powder dry and focus on what I really care about, but over the years I’ve come to recognize I’m not the only one to think this way, and to appreciate this practice as one of my strengths. I’ve helped others to develop this strength, as well, and no one who has ever learned it from me has ever come to regret using the power of “no” to improve their use of time and energy.

 

Robert Moskowitz is an award-winning independent professional writer who has written and sold millions of words in just about every format over five decades. He instinctively sees the big pictures, breaks each one down into coherent slices, meaningfully prioritizes and sequences those slices, and then executes the tasks inherent in each slice in very productive ways. Put more simply, Robert knows how to succeed as an independent writer, covering all the bases from soliciting assignments to delivering polished work, from pricing jobs to budgeting and managing personal finances, from organizing a conducive office environment to establishing and following sensible guidelines regarding life, work, and productivity. Having done all this, and having paid attention to how he did it, Robert is now in a position to pass along what he knows to others.

Making the Most of “The Calm Before the (Holiday) Storm”

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For many of us, the few weeks from mid-October through late November are a form of calm before the storm. The holidays are coming up fast, and a lot of clients seem to slack off on work requests, creating a false sense of relaxation for some of us and a feeling of “how will I make it financially through the end of the year?” panic for others.

The storm, of course, is the holiday season itself, with all the fun, stress, and frantic activity it demands; there’s also the end of the year, with its requirements for wrapping up record-keeping and preparing for tax season early in the new year. We have to balance family plans and expectations against client demands and deadlines, and all of that against the needs of our businesses, and that isn’t always easy.

Here are a few tips for making the most of downtime if you don’t have a lot of work in hand at the moment.

  • Get a head start on organizing tax records. If you’re flush, figure out what business-related expenses you can take care of before the end of this year to reduce your tax burden.
  • Review your recent income and expenses to see where you need to make improvements, and start working on a plan to generate more income in the new year. Plan on a rate increase, identify clients who aren’t worth keeping, look for new markets to explore, etc.
  • File stuff!
  • Update your résumé, website, and promotional material.
  • Write a few blog posts or articles to build up a bank of material to publish over the next few weeks or months, so you have it ready to go when you’re mired in the holiday or end-of-year demands. (This is something I have to do myself!)
  • Learn a new skill or program that will benefit your writing or editing business.
  • Look for colleagues to follow online, especially those with blogs you can comment on, to learn something new and build your online presence.
  • Plan your professional development activities for the new year: organizations to join or rejoin, conferences to attend, etc. This will help you start putting funds aside for such expenses (think of them as investments in your writing or editing business).
  • Review past published material to see what you can update and resell or repurpose.
  • Start writing that book!
  • Do some holiday gift-buying or—if you’re crafty—gift-making.
  • Consider taking a refreshing few days totally “off”—a spa day, a weekend trip to somewhere fun, a family trip.

If this time of year is when some of your clients do the panicking about packing a lot of last-minute work into November or December, consider yourself at least somewhat lucky—many colleagues would like to be in your position. Do as much holiday planning and purchasing as possible as you go along, and enjoy being well-employed!

 

Ruth Thaler-Carter has been a full-time freelance writer, editor, proofreader, and desktop publisher for more than 30 years. She has been published locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally in, and does writing, editing, and proofreading for, publications, associations, nonprofits, websites, service firms, and businesses. She sold her first freelance articles when she was still in high school. Renowned as a skilled networker, Ruth is active in about a dozen professional associations, serving as a newsletter editor, webmaster, publication author, speaker/presenter, blogger, program host or planner, and chapter leader. In 2006, Ruth launched the Communication Central “Be a Better Freelancer” annual conference to help aspiring and established freelancers find greater success and connections with colleagues. Ruth is the owner and editor-in-chief of the An American Editor blog and received the Philip M. Stern Award of Washington (DC) Independent Writers for service to freelancers; the Writers and Books Big Pencil Award for teaching adults and contributions to the literary community; EFfie awards for writing, editing, and newsletters; and the APEX award for feature writing. She was also an IABC/DC Communicator of the Year.

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