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Farther, Faster…
What if you're in a cocoon? Career lessons from butterflies.
“Are you sure she’s ready?”
“Open the lid, Amy.”
“But what if she’s not ready?”
“She’s ready. Open. The. Lid.”
A few months ago, I found myself having this exchange at a butterfly park. As family members stood waiting, the tour guide kept nudging me to open the lid of what appeared to be a takeout soup container. Inside the container, a rare butterfly had emerged from the cocoon she had made on the underside of the lid. As she sat there, I kept wondering – what if she isn’t ready? And what I would see if I had a microscope? To my untrained and unenhanced eyes, this butterfly looked less like a runner at starting blocks, ready to launch, and more like a creature clutching the remnants of her old life.
7 Productivity Strategies During Challenging Times
It can be difficult to be productive right now, so we wanted to suggest seven strategies if you’re struggling.
10 Strategies to Keep Productive & Positive During a Crisis
Almost exactly 6 months ago — March 26 — we shared these 10 Strategies to Keep Productive & Positive During a Crisis. We’ve since heard from many readers how helpful they’ve been, so we’re sharing them again today in case you missed it the first time or could use a reminder.
What if 2020 is a cocoon? Career lessons from butterflies.
“Are you sure she’s ready?”
“Open the lid, Amy.”
“But what if she’s not ready?”
“She’s ready. Open. The. Lid.”
A few months ago, I found myself having this exchange at a butterfly park. As family members stood waiting, the tour guide kept nudging me to open the lid of what appeared to be a takeout soup container. Inside the container, a rare butterfly had emerged from the cocoon she had made on the underside of the lid. As she sat there, I kept wondering – what if she isn’t ready? And what I would see if I had a microscope? To my untrained and unenhanced eyes, this butterfly looked less like a runner at starting blocks, ready to launch, and more like a creature clutching the remnants of her old life.
Improving Emotional Intelligence in an Era of Masks
You’ve probably heard statistics that just 7% of what we retain from a conversation is based on words, 38% on tone of voice, and 55% on body language. Recently I’ve been thinking about emotional intelligence or “EQ” when we’re all behind (literal) masks. When you can’t see a colleague’s full facial expressions, or can only see a Starbucks barista’s eyes, how accurately are you able to interpret and understand how they’re feeling?
ApochroMinute 17: GSD
Need a little extra help getting stuff done? This week’s ApochroMinute and this weekend’s Get Stuff Done Days will help.
Check it out, and join us Friday and/or Saturday to Get Stuff Done. aposignup.com/gsd
ApochroMinute 16: LinkedIn Mistake
Your online image is an important part of your executive presence. Yet many professionals make a mistake online that undercuts the image they want to portray. Are you making this mistake?
Check out this week’s ApochroMinute for a quick tip to fix it.
ApochroMinute 15: Be Ready
Victor Hugo wrote, "Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise." Be ready when the sun rises.
7 Productivity Strategies During Challenging Times
It can be difficult to be productive right now, so we wanted to suggest seven strategies if you’re struggling.
ApochroMinute 14: Sleep
If you’re having trouble with your sleep schedule right now, a tool built into your phone can help.
Check out this week’s ApochroMinute, and visit our Covid-19 resource page for more timely tips as we get through this challenge together.
ApochroMinute 13: Making a Quit List
How do you want things to be different in your life after the Covid-19 crisis is over? A quit list can help you get there.
ApochroMinute 12: 2 Things
If you’re having trouble feeling productive right now, you’re not alone. Skip the memes shaming you for not decluttering your house and adopting 10 new habits. Instead, we have a suggestion to feel more productive and more in control.
And, when this is over, you might just be a better ukulele player, have improved that rusty high school French, or mastered Excel pivot tables. But you’ll also have your sanity and energy intact.
Career During Crisis
The second quarter is here! For our first blog post of the new quarter, check out Apochromatik’s Keith R. Sbiral on Chicagoland Chats with Adam Czerwinski and Butch Zemar earlier this week. They discussed topics relevant for those currently on the job market and those who expect to be: job searches, resumes, and interview presence. While their discussion applies to a job search any time, it’s (unfortunately) especially relevant now.
ApochroMinute 11: Q2 2020
Today we will briefly address goal achievement in the age of Covid19. For more resources go to www.apochromatik.com/covid19 and be sure to join us for networking, problem solving, and coaching for #cocktailsduringcovid on Monday and Thursday at 5 p.m. CDT. Register at www.aposignup.com/cocktailsduringcovid.
10 Strategies to Keep Productive & Positive During a Crisis
I was recently on a panel asked to share strategies for keeping productive and positive during a crisis. (For the entire discussion on “Motivation and Resilience – Key Thoughts in a Complex World,” click here to listen.) Some of the ideas my fellow panelists and I shared might be helpful to you.
To be clear, we certainly don’t want to minimize the current – or any – crisis. If you are in the middle of a life and death crisis, these strategies will be of very limited use, and reaching out to a therapist or other support will be more helpful. But for others, I hope these ten strategies can help you keep productive and positive.
ApochroMinute 10: Video Meetings
Suddenly spending a lot more time in video meetings? This week’s ApochroMinute shares tips to make your video image as professional as possible, even in less-than-ideal work conditions.
COVID-19 Response Resources
We have launched a resources page to help individuals and organizations manage the changing professional environment. Click here for the COVID-19 Response Resource Page.
ApochroMinute 9: Social Distancing Networking
Today in the ApochroMinute, a quick tip to help you build and deepen relationships in your network, even in a time of social distancing.