Creating Ecosystems of Success – Page 9

You Love Your Art, But How Do You Gain Fans Who Do Too?

“At the very least, every artist wants an audience or some sort of recognition. Of course, that’s hard to achieve. You love your art, but how do you gain fans who do too?”

Buffer

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success and some of it’s key focuses are Art, Authors and Books, Blogging/Writing and Music/Entertainment. Whether it’s the cinematic media, music, the visual arts, or some sort of writing we all have some sort of creative genius inside of us. If we’re to make good on our talents and share them with other people, how do we create fans and supporters of our work? The following contributed post is entitled, You Love Your Art, But How Do You Gain Fans Who Do Too?

* * *

Picture Source

If you’re struggling to create a career out of your artistic talents, then you’re not alone. There’s a reason that the idea of the struggling artist has become such a prevalent concept in pop culture. All artists struggle at some point; many of them struggle and suffer once they’ve become successful too. Still, it’s the price that many of us pay for the chance to share our innermost feelings and skills with the world. At the very least, every artist wants an audience or some sort of recognition. Of course, that’s hard to achieve. You love your art, but how do you gain fans who do too?

Find out what makes you unique

When Radiohead started out, they sounded similar to The Smiths and other big artists of the 80s. When J.K. Rowling first started the Harry Potter series, comparisons to Tolkien’s work were made frequently. Plenty of artists in all manner of creative industries have worn their influence on their sleeves. There’s nothing wrong with being similar to other successful artists. However, you just need to find out what makes you unique. Both of those artists ended up finding their own way. They defined themselves in a unique way, and that’s what attracted listeners. You need to know what you want as an artist. That’s how you’ll figure out your own personal brand.

The best way to find out what makes you unique is to keep creating. Instead of worrying about perfecting every single song you release or every single story you write, you should simply focus on finishing your work. Never stop creating. Even if you don’t like the finished product, you’ll have learned something. You can’t get better without practice. So, make sure you finish every creative project that you start. Fallen out of love with the song you started writing yesterday? It doesn’t matter. Wrap it up. Record it. Even if it sits in a private folder on your computer because you’re too embarrassed to release it, the point is that you’ll have improved simply by committing to finishing the project you started. Otherwise, how will you get closer and closer to creating that one fantastic song? After all, even Dave Grohl said that Nirvana sounded terrible when they first started making music in a garage.

Learn from other successful artists

Another great way to ensure that your art reaches people and captures their attention in the long run is to learn from other successful artists. Everybody has to make mistakes before they can succeed, but why not avoid such mistakes by learning from those who have already made them? You might want to read about Mateus Asato’s early years or explore the collaborative journey of painting partners like Marta Thoma Hall and Jeni Lila. You could learn some things that help you to find your own way to success.

Pursue a creative career

It’s not easy to get paid for your art, so you probably have to work to make money to afford your creative endeavours (and pay for your rent, of course). That’s why your career itself should be creative. You shouldn’t settle for a job you hate in an industry which doesn’t inspire you. By pursuing a career in a creative industry, it might lead to better things. If you’re an aspiring writer, then you could intern for a newspaper. If you’re an aspiring actor, then you could search for other jobs at theatres as you keep trying to make your big break. Pursue a creative career if you want to turn your artistic passion into a career too.

When Others Want You To Fail – Keep Yourself Focused

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success, and two key focuses are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Business in a lot of ways is competition and it’s critical to understand the keys to making your particular operations successful. Knowing what to do at the key junctures can pay big dividends later. The following contributed post is entitled, When Others Want You To Fail – Keep Yourself Focused.

* * *

Pexels

While it takes immense optimism and positivity to establish a brand and hope to develop a business from an idea – it can be that fervent competition makes certain markets anything but. Despite their size, Coca Cola would likely be quite content if other drinks manufacturers decided to close up shop. By default, as good business sense, it’s natural for other businesses to wish an end to your operation.

This can come from undercutting costs and taking a loss in order to outbid you in the market, corporate espionage, directly suggesting they are better than you in marketing, and a range of other tactics many of us see businesses pull all the time. However, as a small business, it’s unlikely your local area is going to be awash with this kind of trouble.

It’s worth keeping in mind how your strategy will evolve in this direction, though. Thankfully, there are many measures that anyone can put in place to ensure a better and more competent sense of business development – despite the hidden negative wishes of others. It’s all to do with refocusing. Let’s see what that might look like:

Refine Your Game Plan

Sticking to, or refining your game plan can be worthwhile from time to time. This is because in the intense measure of planning and development you’ve likely had to experience, it’s easy to get sidetracked, particularly if having to defend yourself from criticisms, or overcoming a failure of a launch. Going back to the most time-honored elements of your plan can be worthwhile, because then you can separate the wheat from the chaff and begin anew with the ideals that hold some value.

On top of that, becoming refocused and understanding what really matters can help you avoid the deep emotional turbulence you might feel when having to justify your business to others. This way, you’ll only have to justify it to yourself, and the results you focus on. Refocusing can be a great goal for any person’s headspace.

Use Professional Help

It can be that using professional help to get you to the next step can fuse your business acuity with the acumen of a professional service. This is especially worthwhile for those who might not have the deepest of business experience yet still want to gain professional results. For example, commercial buyers agents are often the best bet to utilize when hoping to find an incredible commercial property, one that keeps you focused on the task at hand and enables you to set up in the perfect environment.
Business consultants, lawyers, outsourced health and safety personnel, all of these might further help you isolate the issues that you might have previously experienced and help you refine your goals and set about committing to the straight and narrow. This can seem like an overly ambitious goal, but it’s incredibly worthwhile and deeply human to wish to revive immediately. If you can do that, you’ll be quite stunned as to the positive results you can achieve in this direction.

Set A New Standard

It can be hard to find comfort when being set against by all competition in the marketplace, but there’s no reason why you need to stoop to that level – and you might sometimes actually subvert that into something good. Like a prism taking light and showing multiple strands of color, you may be able to foster business goodwill by acting ethical to a fault.

For example, championing a new means of developing a product could seriously get you noticed, and can help you avoid the bad publicity associated with certain competition. Let’s bring this down to a humble level. It might be that the other cafes in your area are quite happy to use battery-farmed eggs and instant gravy or other forms of low-quality food. While it might eat into your profit margins, ensuring that you use the best of produce, that you take time with each coffee or meal served, and that you champion your branding in that direction can do something similar to killing with kindness – and that’s killing with better standards.

There’s almost no better revenge than ensuring your business is on the straight and narrow path, and focuses on making its output as good as possible. If you can do this, then setting a new standard becomes the exceptional norm.

With these tips, we hope you’re better able to keep your business focused and direct from its heart – no matter the social challenges that come your way.

What You Should Keep in Your Car

The principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success. A key focus is Health/Wellness. Regardless of where you’re driving, there are a few select items that you always want to keep in your car. Doing so will assure yours and your passengers’ safety under most circumstances. The following contributed post is entitled, What You Should Keep in Your Car.

* * *

Is your car filled with old receipts, dirty jumpers, empty drinks bottles, and food packaging that should have been in the bin a long time ago? Or, are you a super tidy car owner? Do you clean your car out every time you get home, and take it to be washed and vacuumed every few weeks? Most of us fall into one of these two camps. Your car is either very messy, so that you are ashamed to offer anyone a lift, or always clean and tidy and ready for guests. But, whichever camp you fall into, chances are your car is missing a few of the things that you should always have with you.

There are a few things that you should have with you in your car at all times. Things that could keep you safe in an accident, help you out if you get lost, or even save your life if you end up stuck somewhere. Let’s take a look at some of the things that you should always have in your car.

Credit – https://unsplash.com/photos/IAc1x02D9K0

Contact Numbers

Do you know What happens in a hit and run? Would you know who to call if you broke down? Or if you were involved in another accident? Have contact numbers like your breakdown service in your phone all the time in case you need them quickly.

A Map

You might use your phone or a satellite navigation system. These are great and exceptionally useful. But, they’re not always accurate, and cell signal still isn’t 100%. It’s a good idea to carry a map too, especially if you are traveling to somewhere new.

A Phone Charger

Your contact numbers are in your phone. Your map is on your phone. There’s a torch on your phone. If you have an accident, you might use your phone to photograph the damage. You might even use it to play music. What if your battery died? Take a car charger wherever you go, and you’ll never need to worry.

Water

If you breakdown or find yourself stuck waiting to be rescued, you can manage without most things. But not water. Take a bottle of water on all long journeys. Snacks and spare clothes are a good idea too, but at least take water.

A Basic Tool Kit

You’d be amazed at how much you can repair, or patch up enough to get to a garage yourself by the side of the road with just a basic tool kit and some car repair videos on YouTube. A first aid kit might come in handy too.

A Spare Tire

You should always have a spare tire, that’s pumped up and in good condition, or if you drive a newer car, an emergency repair kit, just in case. A jack can also be handy in case you need to change it yourself by the side of the road. It can also be a good idea to carry an air pump and pressure gauge. Sometimes just adding a little air is all that you need to be able to drive it to a garage, which can be a lot easier than trying to change it yourself.

Five No-nonsense Habits to Prevent Football Injuries

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success and a key focus is Athletics/Sports. While “American Football” is king in the United States, the top sport in the rest of the world is “Football” also known as “Soccer”. Soccer requires a high level of fitness for the massive amounts of running needed to play the sport. As such, it’s important to know how to prevent common injuries. The following contributed post is entitled, Five No-nonsense Habits to Prevent Football Injuries.

* * *

From pulled hamstrings to twisted ankles, sports injuries are a fact of life if you play football. Or are they? These tips will help you avoid minor niggles that take you out of the game for weeks at a time, as well as the more serious injuries that can put you on the bench for life.

Photo by Ben Weber on Unsplash

Get Checked Over By a Pro

If there’s an imbalance in your body—perhaps one of your hammies is tighter than the other, or you have more strength in one of your quads—you might be the last to know. We get so used to how it feels to be us that it can be difficult to identify imbalances in your own physique. A physiotherapy session at the start of the season is a great way to anticipate injuries you may be at risk of. Your physio will give you a program of exercises and practices designed to help you take steps to prevent what needn’t be inevitable.

Strreeeeaatch!

This is not a drill: a proper stretch after your game or training session is essential to preventing painful injuries. Everything from your tendons, to your muscles and ligaments, are susceptible to wear and tear. The more you stretch, the more flexible you become, the more likely you are to avoid sustaining serious injury when you change direction quickly or load weight on your joints.

Image Source: Pexels

Strength Training

Strength training—surprise, surprise—makes you stronger, which gives you finer muscular control. You’ll also find it easier to balance and feel more agile, both of which are crucial to preventing injury. Football is a fast-paced, contact sport which can be extremely taxing on the body. Strength conditioning is a great way to prepare the body for the demands of the game by building strength and agility.

Stay Fit

Don’t fall into the trap of letting yourself off the hook during the off-season. Ideally, you should try to stay in top shape throughout the year, but this may not be reasonable for everyone. The important thing is not to let your fitness drop to a point where you’ll need a boot-camp to whip you back into shape at the start of the season. The offseason is a good time to tend to any minor injuries you may have sustained over the last few months. Now that the pressure is off, you can invest time in rest (or doing those physio exercises you’ve been putting off all season).

Don’t Play Injured

This is a tough one for many footie enthusiasts. Who wants to sit a game out because of a twinging ankle or a slightly tender calf muscle? While it might be tempting to ignore a minor injury, you could do yourself way more damage by carelessly taking to the field. Be patient. Do what your physio has instructed you to do. You’ll thank yourself in a few weeks’ time when you’re running back on, injury-free.

Whether you’re a top-flight player or a five-a-sider, injury can ruin the fun. These tips will help you prevent minor and major injuries during the season and beyond.

Nine Ways Office Décor Can Make You More Productive

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success, and two key focuses are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. No matter which sector you’re in, the décor of your office can impact the productivity of your staff. This is often overlooked by ownership and management. The following contributed post is entitled, Nine Ways Office Décor Can Make You More Productive.

* * *

Did you know that the way you decorate your office can have an impact on your productivity? The way you decorate can encourage better work and minimize distractions. What are the best ways to decorate your office to help you work the best way you can.

Image

Light it up. A properly lit office is very important. Being in a well lit environment boosts your energy, and it reduces eye strain. If you’re using a computer all day, make sure your workspace is well lit to protect your eyes. Add more light with lamps, or light window treatments to let in more natural light. Move your desk next to a window to make the most of the daylight.
Choose the right furniture. Make sure your desk is the right height for you to work comfortably, and choose a desk chair that offers good support for your back. Adjust your chair to match your desk height. If you’re furnishing a large office, find the best options by using a service known for connecting global buyers and furniture manufacturers to get the best deals.
Declutter. A tidy workspace can help you to focus. Clear anything you don’t need off your desk, and invest in a set of desk drawers to store everything out of sight instead.
Paint the walls the right color. Did you know, color can have a big impact on your mood? Blues are shown to stimulate the mind, while yellow can increase creativity. To make your office more relaxing, choose green.
Engage your senses. Some people find that scents can help them concentrate too. Experiment with scented candles, reed diffusers or scented oils in your work space and see if it works for you. Peppermint is often used to energise, and citrus is great to reduce stress. If you work in a communal office, make sure your neighbours don’t mind you adding strong smells.
Add plants. Plants make a work space feel more homey, especially if you don’t have much chance to get outside in your work day. Adding plants also boosts the oxygen in your office, which aids your ability to concentrate.
Get motivated. Feel inspired by motivational messages? Add some to your work space. Buy posters or postcards to pin up around you with messages that you find inspiring. You could make your own messages too by using scrabble tiles, letters cut from magazines or with letter board.
Add storage. Being able to quickly and easily find important documents will make your work day go more smoothly. Invest in some practical, but visually pleasing, storage. Store away paperwork, stationery and other desk clutter to keep your desk clear and save you time hunting for things.
Try a standing desk. Sitting all day won’t do much for your energy levels, and many find they get more done while using a standing desk. If you don’t get on with standing to work, make sure you get up and move around often to get the blood flowing again. Whether you just take a walk to the office kitchen and back, or spend five minutes dancing around your home office, taking time to move will help you.

So You Want To Minimize Your Footprint?

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success. While vast, the world is a small place. As we all share this world, we can all play a major part in making it better. It’s the only world we have, and there are numerous ways we can do that. The following contributed post is entitled, So You Want To Minimize Your Footprint?

* * *

In this day and age, we all know enough of what goes on in the world to care about being more responsible. You just cannot avoid it. The news is very much reporting of all of what goes on, and sustainability is finally on the rise. However, there are just too many people that then go on to assume they just cannot contribute. That their small efforts don’t make a difference. But they do. And so, let’s take a look at what you can do to minimize your footprint.

Avoid Waste

This first one is an easy one. Because it’s safe to say that we’re all wasting far too much in the world right now. We throw things away like it’s nobody’s business, and it’s time to change that. But how? If you can only consume what you need, and look to reduce your consumption altogether, it can really help. The less that you send to landfill, the better. So really try to recycle what you can.

Lend A Hand

But then also, you might want to physically get as involved as you can. When this is the case, you may find that helping out in community projects, or leading the way with big local initiates really helps you. So don’t be afraid to be a part of something bigger.

Get Smart
Also, you need to get smart about the recourses that you’re using. Use less, and know what you’re using. The infographic below can help you here.

Infographic Design By University of California – Riverside

When Remote Work Goes Wrong

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success and a key focus is Career Discussions. Allowing your staff to work remotely is double-edged sword. It can boost productivity and it cause a decrease in productivity as well. It’s something that has to be properly managed. The following contributed post is entitled, When Remote Work Goes Wrong.

* * *

Image Source

Not so long ago, remote options seemed like the holy grail of the working world. For the average workforce, there could be nothing better than the security of set salaries and the freedom to work when it suited. And yet, as recently as the last two years, remote work has become just another way that we do business.

Now, 70% of workers spend some time operating remotely. In large part, this is because employers noticed how beneficial it can be. Employees get to manage their life/work balance at last, while employers get to enjoy the benefit of increased employee satisfaction and productivity Not to mention that remote work can help to reduce the prices which come with a commercial space and even the need to waste time finding the perfect business premises in the first place.

But, for all the articles boasting about the benefits of this way of working, there’s little mention about what can go wrong. And, sadly, remote work can go very wrong if you aren’t careful, especially during the transition stage. That doesn’t mean it can’t still work for you, but it does mean you might want to consider the following before you implement it.

The question of health and safety

As a manager, you have a responsibility to keep your team safe. That applies whether they work in the office at home. As such, you should seek home working-specific health and safety training courses like those offered by EssentialSkillz straight away, and make sure to apply that new knowledge to your changing arrangements. Make sure, too, that you ask employees to assess their work environments, and let you know about any risks so that you can take the correct action.

The small matter of rules

You should also consider rules as you make this switch. If you still expect your team to work office hours, for example, you must make it clear to them. Equally, be transparent about things like uniform. If you have conference calls, the last thing that you want is a remote worker going live in a hoodie and sweatpants. To avoid that, be clear from day one that you still expect your team to present a professional image, even when they’re at home.

Image Source

Can’t forget about contact

Contact is also vital. When your team isn’t next door whenever you need them, it can cause issues and delays which look terrible to customers. This is especially the case if you can’t get hold of remote team members for extended periods. Avoid that by implementing contact plans ahead of time. It’s always a good idea to conduct a morning meeting with remote staff using programs like Skype to start communications in the right way each day. You should then also ask every team member to stay logged onto a program like Google Hangouts, which will allow you to get hold of them at a moment’s notice whenever you need. And, that can go a considerable way towards smoothing the remote journey for all.

What Creates A Community Feeling In Today’s World?

A key focus of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success and a key focus is current events. Some would argue that as the world is changing, the sense of community is being lost. If that’s so, it’s going to be important to understand how to build communities and pass that information as much as possible. The following contributed post is entitled, What Creates A Community Feeling In Today’s World?

* * *

Communities have always been a significant part of human history. Together, we are stronger, as the saying goes. Communities only exist when people get together. However, while throughout history, communities were created through a natural process to encourage the survival of its people, things have changed dramatically. The days were the population worked together to protect and feed their villages are long gone. Nowadays, you can order everything you need from your preferred online retailer in a matter of a few clicks. As a result, the community spirit is dying out in the western world. Neighbors don’t interact with each other. People help each other so rarely that when they do, their action makes the news. Local businesses suffer against big competitors.

But communities have, nevertheless, a raison d’être, even in modern society. They continue to bring us together around the same goals. More importantly, they give economic and business advantages to the local population. What can we do, today, to rebuild our community feelings?

Community meeting

1. A common platform to discuss local interests.

Each community shares common interests that are related to the specific elements of their local areas. Take, for example, the population of a town. Creating a forum that discusses the infrastructures and local events will appeal to the locals. Even self-government towns that have grown together into a vast concentration of population can tap into their common interests to build their identity. Take, for example, The Villages golf course discussion online; it helps the population to connect. Additionally, the advertising campaign to play free golf for life in the area ensures that the locals take the condition of their golf course very seriously. The bottom line is that once you find the common interest, you can start creating a community of enthusiasts who share knowledge, tips, and stories.

2. Keeping in contact with the audience.

An active community is not only about talking together. People also need to be heard. At a business or municipality level, every project to bring people together on an online platform or through a community center needs to be monitored. Indeed, you have to keep in touch with your audience, making sure they know about the steps your organization takes to protect the community. Email marketing campaigns or direct mailers are excellent ways of informing your community, for instance. Additionally, your communication strategy needs to include a contact email address or phone number to gather relevant feedback.

3. Creating a positive local network.

Last but not least, when a community is defined by its geography – people from the same town or district – it’s essential to encourage the local network of businesses and experts. Ultimately, shopping local is about helping the small and independent businesses to thrive, because every dollar you spend locally goes back to the community. While you can’t get rid of online retailers and other giant competitors, it is in the interest of the community to support the local economy. Indeed, not only does it create a sense of shared values within the population, but it can also lead to the creation of new jobs and wealth for the local area. A community that builds a strong economy stays together.

In conclusion, communities are more relevant than ever, even though our modern lifestyle doesn’t give them a chance to grow. It’s time for businesses and local organizations to invest time and effort into building shared interests, audience, and economic network.

How Do You Live Your Best Life?

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success and a key focus is Health/Wellness. Everyone wants to be happy in life. Some of us however do things at times inadvertently do things to hurt their qualities of life. The following contributed post is entitled, How Do You Live Your Best Life?

* * *

It’s a cliche to say that you only live once, but it’s important to keep in mind that, like most cliches, it’s also true. There is, we imagine, no sadder feeling than reaching the end of your life and understanding that you didn’t quite do things as you intended, that you didn’t quite reach your full potential. The best remedy for this is, of course, to make sure you don’t end up feeling that way. Live your best life while you have the chance! But of course, that’s something that’s easier said than done. Fortunately, us humans have acquired plenty of nuggets of wisdom that can put us on the right path towards a happy and fulfilled life. We take a look at some of the key areas and actions to focus on.

Source: Pexels.com

Know The Rules, Don’t Blindly Follow

You’re pushed into a system that encourages you to get a job, buy a house, have a family, and all-around stay on the well-trodden path. However, there’s still a lot of freedom within the system! To live your best life, you’ll want to be aware of the rules and your limitations/possibilities, and out your own spin on how things are done. Everything is possible. If you don’t feel like the path you’re lead down is the right one for you (say, all the talk is of an office job when you want to work outside), then go your own way.

Your Immediate Surroundings

You’ve got to be happy where you are! If you’re not, then all the professional and personal success in the world will be unlikely to make up for the plain and pure fact that you don’t enjoy your surroundings. By this, we mean the place where you’re living (the house, the apartment), and also the area of the country. If you’re struggling to identify with the interests and way of life of people around you, or you feel like you can’t be yourself for whatever reason, then take a look at moving. Millions of people move to a new state each year: it’s not as momentous as a decision as it’s sometimes made out to be. While it might take a little getting used to, in the long-term you’ll be grateful that you made a move if it allowed you to flourish.

Who You’re Hanging Out With

People tend to think that they’re independent folks, and they are to an extent, just not to the extent that they believe. We’re all much more influenced by the people we spend the most time with than we realize! Indeed, they say that every person is the average of the five people they spend the most time with. So take a look at who that would be in your case, and figure out in which direction they’re taking you. If they’re pushing you to be the best that you can be, then there’s no problem. If they’re pulling you down, then that’s another matter. It’s important to be loyal to the people in your life, but equally, you have to know when to cut the cord and look after yourself for a while.

Your Work and Career

If you asked people what would be the one thing in their life that they’d love to give up, the majority of answers would be “work.” And that’s understandable, because most people dislike their jobs. However, there isn’t the option of simply waving goodbye to employment — only lottery winners get to do that. So if you’re going to spend decades working, then you may as well take some time to find your calling. You’ll enjoy your job much more if it involves doing something that you inherently enjoy. Plus, weekends become a whole lot more when you’re not battling that Sunday feeling because you dread going to work on Monday.

Giving Back

It’s not all about you. Your hopes and dreams and happiness will be your main priority, but it shouldn’t be your only priority. You’ll feel more fulfilled if you help others in one way or another. While it might not seem like something that’s traditionally fun, Keep in mind that studies have shown that doing charitable work and helping others has a noticeable effect on our happiness levels. It feels good to do good, basically. It doesn’t really matter what it is, either — so long as you’re engaging in a selfless act for the benefit of others, then you’ll feel good. Plus, it’ll be pretty special to look back on your life when you’re older and know that you did something to push the world in the right direction.

The Basics

We tend to complicate our lives. If we break our needs down to the basics, then you’ll see that we don’t need all that much — but we do need them, especially if we’re going to go on and do more important things. The basics, which can include exercise and eating well, will provide the platform from which everything else can develop. It takes next to no time to prepare a healthy, tasty meal in the evening (check out some twenty-minute recipes), while exercise doesn’t have to involve spending an hour in the gym: it can be whatever you want to be, be it squash, cycling to work, climbing, or kayaking.

Source: Pexels.com

Carry on Learning

You might think you’ve got everything figured out, but the truth of the matter is that you, well, don’t! Because no-one does. Many people spend the bulk of their first two decades in education, and when it’s over, seldom take the time to learn some more. There’s a lot of value in taking a course, reading, or simply staying curious throughout your life — you never know what pearl of knowledge will come your way.

Act Like Good Things are Coming

Life can be hard, there’s no doubt about it, but it’s important that you’re not getting too down when the low moments arrive. They will just breed more low moments! Whenever possible, act like good things are coming. They probably are.

You’ve Lost Your Job- What Happens Next?

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success, and a key focus is Career Discussions. Most everyone will experience the loss of a job for one reason or another. If you’re fortunate, you will receive a timely warning so that you can prepare for the loss of income. Some people aren’t so lucky and the loss is sudden. In either case it’s important to know what to do in of a job loss. The following contributed post is entitled, You’ve Lost Your Job- What Happens Next?

* * *

Image: https://www.pexels.com/search/stress/

Losing your job is up there with one of the most stressful life events a person can go through. In an instant, everything is at risk- your home, your car, your credit score where you can quickly fall into debt. There’s a hugely emotional side of things where you might be wondering how you’re going to look after your family and pets, not to mention a loss of identity. Our jobs are more than just jobs, they’re part of who we are. And so losing that, your security blanket, it’s a difficult pill to swallow. If you’ve found yourself in this position, perhaps due to redundancies in the company or them going into administration, or maybe due to a fault of your own, here’s what you need to do next.

Claim any money you’re entitled to
Have you had to leave your job because you got injured? If it’s someone else’s fault then you might be entitled to compensation, make sure you’re getting what you’re owed. For example, if you were hurt while riding your motorbike then a lawyer like https://www.braininjurylawofseattle.com/seattle-truck-accident-lawyer/ would work your case for you, if it was at work then you’d have to go down the relevant channels. This money can help you with your recovery and can be a lifesaver while you’re out of work. While you don’t have a job, you may also be entitled to help from the government. See if there are any welfare or benefits you can claim to cover your basic costs and keep you going while you find something new.

Take a temporary job
Finding another job can be a lengthy process. Depending on the career you’re in and the job roles you’re going for, it can take time for a position to come up, the employer to go through CVs, call people in for interviews and eventually start. You may also get rejected a number of times along the way. For this reason, it can be worth taking a temporary job– any job you can get in the meantime. As the saying goes, it’s easier to find work when you’re in work. It might not be what you want to be doing or a long term job for you but any source of regular income is better than none. Whether it’s delivering pizzas, working in retail or cleaning, see if there’s anything available right now that you can take.

Create new sources of income
Going forward, it’s so worth building additional sources of income so you’re financially protected if you ever lose your job again in the future. Establish and monetise a blog, build up a good reputation as a freelancer or start a home business. These things will take time to get going, but you could run them alongside your new job when you finally get to work. It’s extra money for now, and if you need them in the future it’s a source of income you can rely on.