Using Soft Skills to Enhance Emotional Intelligence

October 9, 2020 |

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a field of study that came to the forefront in the 1990’s. In recent years, it has gained momentum as a key aspect of career development. With experience, you can deliver various strategies, techniques, and methods to help clients increase their own degree of emotional intelligence and enhance personal competencies to their benefit. Typically, you cannot change a client’s personality, but you can help a client to strengthen personal competencies. For example, if your client is introverted, nothing will change that. However, you can employ strategies…

The Importance of Breathing and Balance

October 2, 2020 |

It took a pandemic to teach many of us about the relevance and importance of work-life balance. Setting healthy boundaries for ourselves became a necessity. Suddenly, our school age children were sharing our workplace and competing for our time and attention. Our social connections were abruptly cut off as the fear of infection became a new reality, particularly for our vulnerable populations. Our world of work was not spared the effects of the rapid response to the pandemic, sending our complacency for a spin. Essential work took on a whole…

Work-Life Balance is Possible: 10 Simple Strategies

September 25, 2020 |

A quote by Orison Swett Marden caught my eye the other day: “The golden opportunity you are seeking is in yourself. It is not in your environment; it is not in luck or chance, or the help of others; it is in yourself alone.” We often search for happiness externally, thinking that if we could just achieve more, invest in a purchase, or land an opportunity, then we will be content. The fact is that we must consciously choose to be happy at this moment. This year, we have seen…

Bias is a Four-Letter Word

September 11, 2020 |

According to Psychology Today, a bias is a “tendency, inclination, or prejudice toward or against something or someone.” It is usually learned or developed through direct experience or conditioning. Some biases, though, are positive and helpful. For example, having a bias for only eating healthy food is a positive thing. But biases are often based on stereotypes, rather than actual knowledge of an individual or circumstance. Whether positive or negative, such cognitive shortcuts can result in prejudgments that lead to rash decisions and even discriminatory practices. We all have experienced bias in some way,…

Flex Work and Telecommuting

September 8, 2020 |

Teleworking is on the rise. No longer just an occasional perk associated with a job, it is now a viable option for many workers. A flex work, telecommuting arrangement can benefit both the employer and the employee. The global pandemic has certainly contributed to the rise in remote workers, but this trend has been around — and expanding — for years prior to this. According to an analysis performed by FlexJobs and Global Workplace Analytics, remote workers are more productive, healthier, and make more money. 26% of the remote workers surveyed…

Happy Labour Day!

September 7, 2020 | Comments Off on Happy Labour Day!

In Canada, we celebrate Labour Day on the first Monday in September. Labour Day is a national statutory holiday that was established in 1894. It originated with the first workers’ rallies of the Victorian era. Historically, workers marked the day with various activities, which included parades, speeches, games, amateur competitions, and picnics. The holiday promoted working-class solidarity and belonging during a time of rapid industrialization. In current times, the holiday has come to symbolize the end of the summer season and a time when students are preparing to return to…