November 2023 – Playground of Randomness

19
Nov
2023

5 Symptoms of Burnout (and How to Combat Them)

categories: Career, General Career Advice, Mental Health, Welcome to The Real World

Not every day at work is going to be perfect. Trust me- I love my job but there are days where I just wish I had stayed in bed. That being said, if you’re having more bad days than good, you might be suffering from burnout. Here are a few symptoms that I use personally to tell when I am burning out and tips on combating them. Note that this is to fix symptoms. Fixing burnout itself takes time and effort. This is basically my band-aid solution until you are able to take time off for yourself to heal.

1. You’re irritable or impatient.

You might be incredibly cynical or critical at work. This is one of my personal triggers and the second I start losing patience with colleagues, I start to question if it’s just a bad day or if I am on the way to burnout.

The Fix: Notice when you keep getting more annoyed than usual and track your triggers. I do this by keeping a journal. When I know it’s burnout season, I try to be kinder both to myself and others.

2.You lose interest in your job.

You feel like going to work is a huge effort and so is doing your job itself. Again, everyone has bad days but if this is happening more often than not, you might be experiencing burnout.

The Fix: Make a list of all the things you like about your job. You wouldn’t still be at your job if there wasn’t something positive about it. This is also a great time to start gratitude journaling. I remember one coworker who was having a tough time at work and her gratitude list started off with “Sushi”. (TBH the work environment was super-stressful but I loved that she could find a positive aspect).

3. You’re struggling to sleep

This one is probably the most tricky to fix. Maybe you’re having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Maybe you’ve been using your bedtime as a form of revenge procrastination, pushing it further and further until it’s 2AM and you realise you have work in a few hours. Whatever it is, sleep is vital for your performance as a functioning human.

The Fix: Try to keep similar sleeping and waking times. Keep your bedroom dark and cool. Come up with an unwinding routine that brings you joy. I absolutely love tea followed by 30 mins of reading.

4. You’ve developed unhealthy coping mechanisms like food, alcohol or shopping

This is another one of my trigger items and honestly all I can say is keep an eye for it. This is another tricky one but helps if you have a partner to hold you accountable.

The Fix: Try to get a buddy to monitor when these get out of control. I work virtually but my friends and I have the habit of checking on each other when it comes to lunch because we’re guilty of skipping meals when things get busy.

5. You have physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches or body pain

Physical symptoms can either result from you working too hard or in an uncomfortable position. Or it can be a result of the stress.

The Fix: Again, track what your triggers are. Are you taking regular breaks away from your desk? Are you sitting in one position for too long? Does your chair need an upgrade?

The best way to combat burnout is to analyse what is going on, what is causing your symptoms and fix the root of the issue. But if you can’t or you’re not willing to put in the time (talking to myself there but the year end is right around the corner), treating the symptoms will help…up to a point.

The faster you treat burnout, the faster you’re able to be you again.

15
Nov
2023

5 Tools I Wish I Knew as A Beginner Blogger

categories: Blogging Basics, Blogging Tips

I remember starting my blog and being so proud of myself. I had a little piece of the internet that belonged to me. But as time went on, I started realising things about my blog that were off. For starters, I had no pictures. Or links. How were other people doing that? Was I a bad blogger? As with most things in life, blogging is something where you learn by doing (or lots of Google). I am hoping to save you some time by sharing the 5 tools I wish I knew about as a beginner blogger.

1. Canva

Canva wins first place because I had zero clue how I managed as a blogger before Canva. Canva can be used to create design assets for your blog, email, social media and so much more. I use Canva for work, for blogging and even for wishing family members on special days. If you don’t know what Canva is or haven’t tried it yet, GO NOW!!!! This is an excellent way for non-graphic designers to create designs.

2. Planable

Soo full disclosure…November and December posts have been planned on Planable- which I have only just discovered. I’ve been blogging for over a decade. I do not know why I am only finding Planable now (hey, we live and learn, right?)

3. Buffer

Buffer is great for scheduling social media posts. And if you haven’t started scheduling social media posts, I strongly suggest you look into this. It is SUCH a game-changer. Simply draw up a social media calendar (or decide how often you want to post), and use Buffer to schedule these posts in advance. Not sure which social media platforms you should be using? Here’s a few steps to choosing your social media platforms.

4. WordPress App

Using the WordPress App is a quick and easy way to draft out blog posts. While I don’t typically post live from the app, I do love using it to write on the go (some of my more emotional posts are done on the app while the content-heavy blog posts are done via laptop).

5. Google Analytics

Google Analytics gives you access to cool information such as where is your audience located, what devices are they using to access your blog and which are the most popular blog posts or pages on your blog. By simply signing up, Google will walk you through the steps for connecting your blog and voila, instant access to user demographics.

Do you use any of these tools or do you have your own set of blogger tools that you’re obsessed with? Let me know below!

13
Nov
2023

5 Signs Your Job Might Be A Bad Fit

categories: Career, General Career Advice, Welcome to The Real World

Not every job is for every person. And that’s okay. You’re going to spend a huge chunk of your life at your job so it’s important that your job fits you and vice versa. Here are a few signs that your job may not be a fit for you:

1. You Feel Disconnected From the Job

Early in my career I came across someone who “didn’t value their job” (I’m quoting management here). At the time I couldn’t explain what the issue was but basically they did the bare minimum. They didn’t even open their email. Since this was someone I knew for a few years, I asked her about it. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the job. She just didn’t feel like it was for her. This made perfect sense to me. I knew at the time that not every job was for every person (I had left one call center during the training stage just to go work for another call center based on “it just feels right”). I ran into this person a few years ago and she’s working in HR and loving it. Being disconnected from your job isn’t a bad thing. It just means there might be something else out there for you.

2. Everything Feels Overwhelming

When opening an email- or even just replying to a message- feels like too much, this might be a sign that your job is a bad fit for you. Back when I worked in Customer Care, there were so many emails that I eventually stopped opening them all. Only to then be faced with “I sent you an email. Did you get it?” (Yes but which one of the 100 is you?)

3. You Dread Waking Up and Going to Work

I used to wake up and my first feeling was dread. I used to actually think “Oh dear God, why me?” It’s okay to not look forward to a day at work or even a few days (long-term stressful projects do take their toll on you) but if this is your primary state, it might be worth looking for a new role.

4. You’re Living for the Weekend

If the only thing getting you through the week is the thought of the weekend then your job is definitely not the one for you. Yes, weekends are amazing but if that is the only thing pushing you through. this is a major red flag.

5. You Lack Passion for the Job Itself

It’s okay to not be passionate about your job. Lots of people are able to work jobs they’re not passionate about. But lots of people are also unable to work jobs they’re not passionate about. If you feel like you lack passion combined with the other signs listed above, it might be time to update your resume and start looking for a new job.

10
Nov
2023

Book Review: The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

categories: Books, Reviews

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I found a copy of this book in my local bookstore. I wasn’t looking for thrillers. In fact I had accepted that I was a book buyer and not a book reader. But the synopsis pulled me in and I did not regret it.

The Writing Retreat tells the story of a group of hopeful females who win a place at a new writing retreat with their favourite author, Roza Vallo.
Roza Vallo, while a celebrated author, is incredibly odd. Her moods change quickly and her behaviour is unpredictable. I was scared of her from the second her character appeared on the page. Her books are also incredibly twisted. But the girls adored her and this is made clear throughout the book. They are just a few steps away from full-on obsession. This adoration causes them to miss a few red flags at the retreat until it’s too late.

This was a well-written read that I could not put down. I don’t remember the last time I read a book but for this one, I needed to know what was going on. Such a compelling book.
If you’re a fan of thrillers, give this a go!

View all my reviews

Month: November 2023