On-the-Job Tips Archives - The Career Development Center Blog

For many people the idea of putting in a two weeks’ notice has a negative connotation attached to it, when in reality it can be seen as a step in the right direction. If a job is not working for you, don’t feel obligated to work in misery. Miserable workers are not exactly the most productive workers. Do keep in mind that I am by no means advocating that people put in a two weeks’ notice at the first sign of discomfort. Instead I am suggesting that people consider moving on if solutions to issues have been given a fair shot. Once you have established that things just are not working out, you can take comfort in knowing that finding a new job that better suits you is beneficial for all involved. Obviously, eliminating the daily debate of whether or not to call in “sick” to work helps you achieve a healthier mental state, but also remember that when the right job for you has been secured, the company or organization you’re working for will also benefit from your enthusiasm to contribute. Additionally, leaving a job provides room for someone else who might be a better fit for the position to come in.

Now that we have established that leaving a job is not the worst thing in the world, the actual process of leaving can now be addressed. Just like any other type of relationship, there is definitely a bad and a best way to put an end to things. Here are a few things to keep in mind when going through the motions of putting your two weeks in…

At the very least notify your employer two weeks before your intended last day keeping in mind that the more time you give them the better.
Type up a short letter clearly stating when your last day of availability will be.
In your letter stating your last day of availability do offer to help your employer out by training new personnel, passing along unfinished tasks etc. in order to create a smooth transition for all.
Before notifying your boss, plan ahead deciding what you would like to say. This will ensure that the conversation is kept professional and eliminates the potential for emotions to arise.
If possible, notify your boss in person. Give them the typed up letter for future reference.
In your conversation with your boss or in your letter stating your last day of availability, don’t feel like you have to explain why you’re leaving.
Finish up any projects or figure out who will finish them once you are gone.
Only notify your colleagues that you’re leaving once you have told your boss.
Finish strong. Don’t peter out on your daily attendance, tasks or termly goals.
Ask your boss if they would mind being a future reference for you. Of course only do this if your overall time at the company/ organization consisted of a positive experience.

With a little bit of careful planning, the seemingly scary task of putting in a two weeks’ notice can be viewed from a completely different angle. I’m sure many of us have heard the saying “when one door closes another door opens”. It’s important to realize that you have the power to close the door. Don’t wait for someone else to close it for you. Instead know that submitting a two weeks’ notice can get you one step closer to your career goals and give you the potential to thrive.

posted by Adriana Aguilar, Career Assistant

Welcome to the end of the term, OSU Beavers!! The term is almost over with (phew), and hopefully you’ve finally acclimated yourselves to the academic agenda of your life! Today, I want to give you a few tips on how to continue on the path to a successful year – whether it be academically, professionally and even personally.

Establishing healthy habits can protect you from the harmful (dreadful, really) effects of stress. As students, we know, first hand, the potential brutal effects of stress – so here are a few tips on how to curb those effects!

1. Keep in touch with family and friends!

A daily dose of personable socializing is a great remedy for the ‘blues’. Even if you aren’t feeling up to the socializing aspect of things – do it! Ever heard of the saying “a smile is contagious” – it’s true! The more you surround yourself with productive positivity, the more you’ll personally feel the positive effects.

The benefits of staying connected can range from feeling supported, staying mentally sharp, developing a more active lifestyle, reducing (overall) stress, and finally enhancing your sense of well-being and happiness. Woo Woo.

2. Engage in physical activity – DAILY

This is something I cannot emphasize enough!! Consistent daily activity will make a world of a difference, literally! It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant, just 30 minutes a day of some light-moderate cardio will make a difference. I know most of you walk to and from campus multiple times of day – this is fantastic (and counts as light cardio), but setting aside 30 minutes a day (or even every other day) to do some moderate to rigorous exercise (cardio) not only accelerates your metabolism, but it also gives your entire body a chance to revive itself – leaving you feeling ‘pumped’ and ‘refreshed’!

3. Accept the things you cannot change – Take Deep Breaths

Easier said than done. I know – but nevertheless, make a conscious effort to ‘chill’. Remember to take a few deep breaths, breath in through your nose, and out your mouth – this contraction of the lungs strengthens the respiratory muscles and improves the oxygen supply to your body. JUNK food consumption and erratic lifestyles end up causing lower oxygen supply within the body – which ends up making you feel tired and restless.

Deep breathing can – wait for it… DETOX the body. This one has been a head turner (lately) due to all of the detoxifying fads. How? A good supply of oxygen to your body helps flush out all of those toxins, which then also stimulates healthy and efficient body functioning. Woo Hoo!

One last thing on deep breathing (although I could go on forever) – regular deep breathing can actually help to reduce hypertension, fatigue, headaches, feelings of depression, panic, anxiousness (testing anxiety eh??), tension, hyperventilation etc.! I lied – one last thing; interested in sleeping better? Try taking a few prolonged deep breaths prior to sleeping. It relaxes the tension throughout your body, and slows the heart – enabling you to finally feel relaxed.

So, how does this help boost your performance academically and professionally?

There are a number of ways – but for the sake of length I’ll only list a few I find appealing:

* Being able to manage stress enables you to take on more projects (because you’re completing previous projects) confidently, and execute them in an efficient and timely manner.

* It allows you to perform more efficiently – engage more effectively and empower others around you, thus creating a more productive working environment.

* Being healthy reduces physical and mental stress – reducing stress enables you to take on a whole new refreshed look at things going on in and around the workplace. It sparks creativity, innovation and advancement!

* Prepping for an interview?? The less stress you are feeling mentally and physically, the better the result will be for that interview – not only will you feel great, but the employer(s) will notice too.

* Studying away for an exam (or 5)?? Get ACTIVE. The more physical activity (and sleep) you pursue, the better memory recall you’ll have – that my friends, is a fact. That’s not to say go to the gym for hours on end and sleep the other part of the time – you have to actually put in the study time.

Happy Finals Week! Good luck and stay warm!

posted by Sydney Veenker, Career Assistant

I receive a fair amount of requests for LinkedIn recommendations, and I usually oblige without hesitation. However, a recent e-mail from an old colleague made me realize there are plenty of “networkers” out there who just don’t get it.

“Yo, would you give me some props for that time we volunteered at SunLight.”

I thought he was kidding. But unfortunately, he wasn’t.

Here are two important facts you should know about my business relationship with this guy:

I haven’t heard from him in years.
We barely worked together.

His request of a recommendation was awful, there was zero effort applied. Apparently I’m only worth 14 words of this guy’s time.

(If you want to know how he could have taken a better approach to asking for a recommendation, you can read my advice on asking for LinkedIn recommendations.)

If only this “dear friend” of mine knew about the new LinkedIn Contact product.
Had he known, he may have received more than a laugh from me. He may have actually gotten his recommendation.

All LinkedIn users need to follow these three tips to stay current and ask for help more skillfully.

Oh, if you don’t have the new Contact app, you can sign up for the beta release.

1. Understand Not All Contacts Are Created Equal

In her book, Is Your “Net” Working, Anne Boe suggests you categorize the people in your network into one of eight possible choices:

Keystones: The core of your network.
Experts: The people you respect in your field.
Tangential Helpers: The people who help you get your job done.
Mentors: The people who provide you with guidance.
Role Models: The people who have achieved what you are aspiring to.
Hubs: The people who connect you with other helpful people.
Challengers: The people who cause you to look at your direction and challenge your assumptions.
Promoters: The people who recommend you to opportunities.

With LinkedIn Contacts, use the Tagging feature (see below) to put your connections into one of these eight categories.

Ask yourself, “Who do I need to stay in touch with? Which category can I apply?”

2. Set Contact Reminders

My friend’s failed request came out of nowhere. Yet, I’m also sensitive to the fact he probably has an above average network.

How can he possibly stay in touch with everyone, right?

(Glad to know I’m somewhere at the bottom. LinkedIn is probably a numbers game for him.)

Well, don’t wait until you need something to touch base with your network. That’s poor practice and is usually pretty obvious. Instead, use LinkedIn’s Reminder feature to remind you to consistently stay in touch.

Rule-of-Thumb: You should reach out to your most important contacts at least once every 30 days. Other contacts don’t need to hear from you more than once every few months.

Before you forget, go into your contact’s list and set these reminders for yourself.

3. Pick Up Where You Left Off

With LinkedIn Contacts, the e-mails sent to that person can be found in their profile. This is what it looks like:

This means you can pick up where you left off in your last conversation.

For example, three years ago, this friend of mine and I were talking about creating a website together. The platform never materialized but our idea seems to have become popular, kind of an ironic and fun shared experience.

Tip: By linking together past conversations with your latest notes, you help the contact see the nature of your relationship. Your connections are busy (like you) so they may need gentle reminders about why they’re linked up with you.

Joshua Waldman, author of Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies, is recognized as one of the nations top authorities in Social Media Career Advancement. To learn Joshua’s secret strategies for shortening the online job search and getting the right job right away, watch his exclusive video training here to learn How To Use Social Media Find a Job

NOTE: This post was written by a guest blogger and the content for the post approved by Oregon State University Career Services. We are not responsible for the content on the guest blogger’s personal website and do not endorse their site.

Monday was April Fools’ Day and normally when one hears the word “April Fools’ Day” it’s normal to automatically think of April Fools’ Day as a day full of pranks and jokes, but it is advised to think twice before you celebrate this day of pranks at work.

Most work places suggest leaving the pranks and jokes at home because supervisors often aren’t amused by April Fools’ Day. According to a 2010 national survey study by The Creative Group, 68% of marketing and advising directors consider April Fools’ pranks to be unsuitable and unnecessary for the office. Many directors find that April Fools’ is counteractive to the professionalism that companies strive for and instill in their workers.

Depending on where you work and who you work for April Fools’ pranks may be appropriate based on the environment and position you hold within in a company. Knowing when to pull a joke is something important, for instance, you shouldn’t pull a prank during a major meeting with corporates, or pulling a mean prank on co-workers such as telling them an important meeting was cancelled when it wasn’t wouldn’t be wise. Unless your prank is work appropriate, can make someone laugh and have a good feeling at the end of the day then that’s tolerable amongst company directors.

It is important to understand the culture and philosophy before pulling a prank. Instead of pulling pranks at work on April Fools’ Day you can create other suggestions to bring some fun and laughter to your work environment without it being over the top and inappropriate. Here are some examples of ways to make everyday a fun day at work and not just on April Fools’ Day:

Create awards for co-workers: Honor your fellow workers in a fun way by creating certificates with nicknames that describe the person. An example would be someone who helps the most customers a day; you could honor them by saying “highest number of customer service daily”. Recognizing someone builds confidence and highlights their positive contributions to the company. Creating a positive work place builds stronger connections with your co-workers and bosses.
Don’t limit celebrations to once a year: Don’t just have that one big ‘end of the year party’, instead opt for celebrating more of the little holidays that don’t get much recognition. Have celebrations for other things that you think are important, for example you can have a celebration for the sequel of The Hobbit. That is a fun way to keep the office entertaining, amusing and engaging. Who doesn’t love The Hobbit?!
Celebrate outside the work place: Who said work is only till 5 pm? Take your co-workers and have fun outside of work. This is where you can pull pranks and jokes. Whatever is done out of the office should be kept separate from the office. Knowing when to keep things professional is essential. Having fun with co-workers outside of the office is a way to get to know each other while maintaining the standards of your superiors while in the office.

There are many ways to celebrate pranks and jokes not just on April Fools’ Day; the internet provides many fun ways to celebrate as an office in a professional manner. Take the time to look some of them up, apply it and have a blast. Don’t make your boss mad by pulling a horrible joke at work on him/her, instead be a good worker, work and know when to have fun. In the long run you will be thankful you didn’t pull a nasty prank during that corporate meeting, you just saved yourself your job.

Did any of you pull an April Fool’s prank in the office? Or have one pulled on you? Please comment if appropriate!

References:

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/morning_call/2013/04/april-fools-day-is-no-joke-in-the.html

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/03/31/april-fools-prank-workplace/2039969/

Posted by Lali Kaapana, Career Services Assistant

Are you feeling really panicked, stressed out, or fed up? With dead week and finals week right around the corner, how could you not be? Well hold it in a little longer and then this Saturday, let it all out! Each year on March 9^th Americans celebrate National Panic Day. Panic and stress are part of our everyday lives and unfortunately, you can probably count on experiencing them even more once you start your first full-time career-related position.

You may be feeling like college is so hard that anything else will be easy in comparison, that once you let go of all those topics you don’t care about, and once you aren’t trying to balance so many extra-curricular activities, coursework, and a healthy social life, sometimes in addition to a part-time job, then you will be able to relax and just focus on your one new job. Well what we must realize is that this will be a whole new environment, with all new people to feel out and engage with and impress. You will also most likely really care about this job and being successful within your new company. In college you could start fresh every term and did not have to worry about getting fired for making a little mistake or having average or below average performance.

I do not mean to discourage you, most people love being out in the “real world” and it is that hope that you will continue doing well and be able to stay long term that this stress or panic comes from. What you need are some great tools in your belt to help you handle that work related stress or panic!

First, it is important to know some of the common causes of stress or panic in the workplace. That way you can handle them before they really start to bother you.

Miscommunication with your boss or coworkers
Increased pressure to perform without receiving increased job satisfaction
Being expected to give your fully best effort EVERY SINGLE DAY
Workplace bullying (less frequent, but it does happen, in multiple ways)
Some jobs are just more stressful – like when big decisions need to be made that will affect a lot of other people, or constantly working under a deadline.

Here are some of the most highly recommended tips in dealing with stress and panic on the job. They may seem really simple but have been proven to make a difference, so take them seriously:

Breathing Exercises: Stop your work for a while and take some deep breaths. This will help clear your head so you can put things in perspective. Deep breathing combined with some light stretching helps to calm your body and has been proven to decrease stress.
Take short breaks: You do not always need to be glued to your desk to be efficient at work or be seen as efficient by your coworkers. Get up and take a little walk or pick up a book for ten minutes. Do not think about your work tasks during this time. Again, it is all about rejuvenating yourself and clearing your head.
Prioritize: Make a list of all those things buzzing around in your head that you have to do, then decide which ones are the most important and put them in this order. Next, allot a certain amount of time for each one and make a point of getting it done in that amount of time! This will help you pace yourself, and make you let go of a really difficult task once you have given it your best effort.

If you are panicked due to a certain situation, or in dealing with another individual, here are some tips for calming yourself down:

Keep smiling: Just keep a smile on that face! The research proves that you can fool even yourself by keeping a smile on your face. When you are happy you smile, but it also works in reverse. Doing your best to make a genuinely happy face will trigger that emotion inside you.
Take a time-out: Apply the 10-second rule. It helps to just have a quick moment to gather your thoughts before you react. Swallow down that quick snap, literally swallow, and ask someone to hold for just a moment. Maybe go to the bathroom. Just grit your teeth and focus on that time to remove yourself.
Use the other person’s name: Using names makes everyone feel more responsible for their actions and makes everyone feel more connected to the conversation. It will also make you sound more sincere. Studies have also shown that saying someone’s name helps you to be more empathetic and really acknowledge the other person’s point of view.
Remember, taking graceful action is empowering! If the other person is acting immature or out-of-control, it will make you feel more in control of the situation to be the bigger person.
Vent outside of work: Write your feelings down then destroy the evidence. Share your woes with a patient friend, but be sure to let them share their problems with you as well. Ask someone you trust for an objective assessment of the situation. Then pat yourself on the back for rising above!

It is important to let go of your stress or anger at the end of each day. The nice thing about most jobs is that you do not have “homework,” so make sure you recognize that time outside of work is you-time, and do not let your to-do list distract you.

If you would like more tips about how to manage stress in the workplace, then check out this great posting on Helpguide.org

And of course, if nothing else works then just let it out! Saturday – run around in circles, pull your hair out, and exclaim “I can’t take it anymore!” Panic Day is your day!

Sources:

http://www.askmen.com/money/career_100/142_career.html

http://www.womansday.com/life/career-tip-keeping-your-cool-at-work-22001

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/work_stress_management.htm

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1580401,00.html

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/handling-stress-at-work.html

http://www.examiner.com/article/don-t-panic-march-9th-is-panic-day

Posted by Casey Anderson, Career Services Assistant

It’s almost Election Day, and that means that all across the nation emotions are running high. Sometimes it can be hard to navigate the murky waters of political discussion, especially in a work setting, so here are some tips for how to handle yourself at the crossroads of politics and your career.

Honestly, the advice you’ll probably hear the most is that it’s best to try to avoid the topic altogether. Making your political sentiments known can erode relations with your coworkers, drive customers away, and even possibly threaten your place in the company. It’s also important to note that Facebook and Twitter can count as workplace politics! If your colleagues can see your posts, or if you’re posting in a way that reflects on your company, you could face disciplinary action. Often it depends on the company’s policies and whether they think your private behavior is directly affecting your work performance, but it’s prudent not to risk it.

However, if you believe in being able to voice your opinions at work, there are a few tips to manage avoiding confrontations while discussing politics in the workplace.

Choose your audience wisely. To avoid unnecessarily straining relationships with your colleagues, be careful about who you start discussions with. Coworkers that are trusted friends are the best audience. Also, take a cautious approach to avoid saying something that may be seen as offensive to the other person; don’t just assume that someone shares your views on issues. It would also be good to take some time to figure out your workplace’s written and unwritten rules for topics of conversation like these.
Open dialogue and mutual respect. It’s important to remember that it’s highly unlikely you’ll be able to change someone’s mind about an issue, just like they probably won’t be able to change yours. Clearly showing your respect for other opinions and keeping it as an exchange of views rather than a heated debate will help all parties in the conversation keep their cool.
Try to find common ground. Mutual respect is a lot easier to achieve if you reinforce the values you have in common with others. In many cases you probably both want the same thing; you just have different ideas on how it will be accomplished. Common ground will help you see things from your coworker’s point of view.
Be aware of the situation. Obviously there are some situations that are more appropriate for these kinds of discussions than others. If your boss feels that the time you’re taking to engage in debate is affecting your job productivity, you could be in trouble. The best time for sensitive discussions with coworkers is outside of work time, either during breaks or outside of work altogether.
Disengage from confrontation. If confrontation does arise, maintain your neutrality. Try to diplomatically steer the conversation to a different topic. If that doesn’t work, gracefully withdraw from the conversation and let them know that you’re just not feeling comfortable with where it’s headed.

Politics is one of those topics that is very polarizing and subjective. If you’re cognizant of your language and attitude, and the mood of those around you, providing a safe environment for open dialogue should hopefully be fairly straightforward. And if you’re ever in doubt, avoid sensitive topics altogether.

Posted by Deirdre Newton, Career Assistant

It is inevitable that you will experience conflicts in the workplace. You may have a challenging boss or a coworker with whom you don’t see eye to eye. The issue may be big or small, but no matter what the case, the conflict must be resolved to better your work environment and to foster personal and professional growth.

One organization came together in 2005 to promote awareness of conflict resolution strategies and to help professionals work through disagreements. It was titled the Association for Conflict Resolution and aims to support the following initiatives:

Promote awareness of mediation, arbitration, conciliation, and other creative, peaceful means of resolving conflict;

Promote the use of conflict resolution in schools, families, businesses, communities, governments, and the legal system;

Recognize the significant contributions of (peaceful) conflict resolvers; and

Obtain national synergy by having celebrations happen across the country and around the world on the same day.

2005 also saw the first Conflict Resolution Day on October 20^th. It is celebrated on the third Thursday of every month. The ACR coordinated efforts with other conflict resolution organizations and reached out to local, state, and international groups to build interest in holding celebrations in conjunction with Conflict Resolution Day. In 2005, events were held in Canada, Portugal, and 22 U.S. states.

The ARC website has a long list of Conflict Resolution Day activity suggestions that include holding a Mock Mediation, creating a conflict resolution pledge, constructing a peace quilt, and recognizing conflict resolution leaders in your community. Through the website you can download an app with a Conflict Resolution Activities Calendar, print Conflict Resolution buttons, or enter the fourth annual Conflict Resolution Day Peace Poetry Contest.

For a greater understanding of the various conflict styles and some valuable and effective steps to take in resolving conflict, check out the following article from the Mind Tools website, which provides “essential skills for an excellent career.”

Mind Tools Conflict Resolution:

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_81.htm

Association for Conflict Resolution:

http://www.acrnet.org/

Knowing how to work through those tough work place situations will help you persevere in any job environment you choose to pursue!

Posted by Casey Anderson, Career Services Career Assistant

The most daunting aspect of your senior year of college is not the heavy course load or the thought of no longer being a college student. Rather, it has to do with the job search – the long and arduous process of looking for a career that can simultaneously utilize your unique talents and your brand new $100,000 education.

I spent my formative college years doing all the right things – playing a club sport, working part-time jobs, applying for summer internships, getting good grades – and yet when I began to look for a job in my field – History – I found myself at a loss. I had labored under the impression that if I chose a major in an area that I enjoyed, there would be jobs in that field awaiting me upon graduation. Boy was I wrong.

After an initial and unsuccessful search, I realized that if I wanted to work, I needed to look for jobs that, while not necessarily in my academic field, required the same sorts of skill set that I already possessed. Though history is perhaps not the most glamorous or specific major, I knew that the skills I had learned in my classes covered a variety of areas that could help me to land a job. Though I would no longer be writing history papers or reading vast amounts of text, I knew that the skills that I had learned in those courses were transferable and could help me succeed.

To many, a history paper is bogged down with names, dates, and places, and offers little outside of an academic setting. However, I knew that they included much more. Time management, research and writing skills, and creating concise and influential arguments were all important lessons that could be transferred to other fields. The work it requires to successfully research and write a paper – for any class or major – is not one that should be viewed lightly. It takes a great deal of intelligence, self-discipline, and effort to succeed in college, and employers know that. All employers look for employees that can work with a team and independently, can organize their thoughts and their tasks to stay on track, and who remain vigilant and detail oriented to get the job done. In every major, though these skills are not explicitly taught, they are always gained.

Though I did not receive my dream job right out of college, I know that the skills I learned in and out of the classroom during my undergraduate years prepared me to succeed in a variety of disciplines. With the experience I gained in those jobs, I was able to strengthen my résumé, obtain an understanding of a variety of disciplines, and create professional contacts that eventually helped me obtain a job in my desired field.

Post by Peter Rumbles, Career Services Assistant and Oregon State University Graduate Student

Being a college student as well as an employee, I know firsthand how stressful life can become when it seems like there is never enough time in a day to accomplish the things you want or need to accomplish. However, there are many ways to manage your time and to cope with this type of stress you may endure throughout your life.

Of course there are your priorities such as school and work but making sure you take a little bit of time out of each and every day to yourself is extremely important. When I say taking time for yourself, there are so many things you can do. For example, this could mean go workout for an hour, sit down and talk with your best friends, read a book of your choice, and so on. Just because your day seems overwhelming, you don’t have to let it be that way.

A lot of people, including myself, get stressed out because they look at their schedule many days in advance and see all of the things they have to do that week. The best piece of advice I have ever received that I would like to pass on is to take it one day at a time. With that being said, the best thing I have ever done for myself was purchasing a daily planner. Almost every student I come across on campus owns one. If you would have asked me in high school if I would use a day planner in college, the answer would have been no, now it’s my life saver.

I highly recommend keeping track of the things you need to do each day in either a daily planner or on some sort of calendar. Doing this will eliminate the extra stress that comes along with the questions, “was I supposed to do that today, or what time is that event?” Sounds silly now, but once you find yourself asking those questions every single day it will get old and you will find yourself wishing you had it in a planner or calendar.

With a busy schedule and never enough time in a day to do all of the things you had planned, just remember to take it one step or day at a time. Finish the assignment or work task that needs to get done first and then worry about the rest as they come. Take time for yourself, write everything down in a planner, and as a benefit, become less stressed out.

Finding time to fit in a good workout with all the stresses of life can be extremely difficult at times. Some people workout at 5 in the morning, others ride their bikes to work, while some do not do anything at all. We at Oregon State University are pretty lucky because we have Dixon Rec Center, McAlexander Fieldhouse, the Covered Bridge loop, Bald Hill and so many outdoor recreational areas surrounding Corvallis. Unfortunately, someday (hopefully) we are going to graduate, and possibly (hopefully again) get real jobs, maybe even in an office. If you think finding time to workout now is difficult, just imagine how it will be when you have a job and a life to workout around.

Working out is good for your body, reducing stress, your looks, reducing the chance of certain diseases and helping you age well. It can even boost your mood, improve your sleep and give you more energy, which could possibly help you with your work.

Before you even leave the house you can start your workout. Try waking up just 30 minutes earlier to go for a walk, or perform chores at a faster pace to increase your heart rate. Instead of sitting while you watch TV be active on a stationary bike or try using weights. Every little effort you take will make a difference.

Now instead of driving to work try riding your bike, but if that is not for you park your car further away from the door, to make you walk further, then take the stairs. Already you have started your day off right. Here is a list of exercises you can do walking around the office, waiting for the printer or sitting at your desk:

Calf raises
Walking around
Chair dips
Desk or wall pushups
Knee lifts/leg lifts
Stretching
Sitting on an exercise ball
Muscle clenches
Good posture
Weights
Deep breathing
Elastic band/hand gripper

You can even try talking to your employer about how they can help you stay active while at work, because a happy employee is a more productive employee. Finding a workout buddy at work can help by keeping each other moving, and maybe then you can start a lunch walking group, or even find time together after work to be active.

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The Career Development Center Blog

Explore. Educate. Empower. Engage.

Category Archives: On-the-Job Tips

How to put in put in your two weeks’ notice: Transforming a DUN! DUN! DUN! into a step forward.

Staying Healthy Through Finals Week (and beyond!)

April Fools’ Day in Your Work Place

Get Ready For National Panic Day!

Politics in the Workplace

Conflict Resolution Day!

Working Outside of Your Field: How to Transfer Skills from Your Major to Get Any Job

Too Much To Do in a Day? Tips on Managing Your Time Better

Work and Working Out

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