Yearly Archives: 2023

Connect by Nova > 2023
Author Emma Graham-Taylor Categories Succeeding at Work, Productivity & Organization, Work-Life Balance, Featured Articles, Personal Development Posted on 0 Comments

Set Boundaries and Better Manage the Risk of Burnout

If you have read Hannah Jackson’s blog series on burnout, “what is burnout?”, “am I experiencing it?” and “how do I prevent it?”, then you are probably getting good at ensuring you have a healthy mindset. However, even the most balanced individuals with a high awareness of their own mental health and well-being can sometimes struggle, which is where boundaries come in.

You’re never going to find a job that doesn’t come with the risk of burnout. For many people, remote working has resulted in blurred boundaries. It is often unclear where work life ends and home life starts. Our jobs and personal preferences also play a role in designing the proper boundaries.

We’re all busy, and when you are in a new job or training, you can find that you are faced with competing demands and priorities, and the landscape can be unfamiliar and hard to navigate. Identifying, setting and establishing boundaries can help ensure you can maintain balance, deliver on expectations, and be successful.

Nedra Glover Tawwab has a fantastic 6-minute TED talk on setting boundaries at work (you may also want to read her book “Set Boundaries, Find Peace”). Her insights into navigating this are beneficial and straightforward to implement.

“[Boundaries are] the expectations and needs that help us feel safe and comfortable in relationships”. – Nedra Glover Tawwab

Often, work is where we spend a lot of our time, and yet it is also where we have the hardest time setting limits. Setting clear boundaries will help you feel more productive and less stressed and exhausted at work (and we know that stress and exhaustion lead to burnout, so we need to do everything we can to help ourselves avoid that!)

Communicating what works for us is one of the kindest things we can do for ourselves and others. No one can read our minds, and we should not leave others to guess what we need to achieve psychological safety at work. Here are three steps that Nedra Glover Tawwab sets out:

Identifying your boundaries.

The first step is identifying your boundaries. For instance, do you have a hard finish time each day because you have a personal commitment (like a gym class or picking up your kids) to get to? How do you like to be given feedback (in person, in writing)? Are you not available for after-hours drinks but open to going for a walk? Do you answer emails on weekends? These are all examples of where you can identify, set, and communicate a boundary.

Communicating boundaries

The second step is thinking about when and how you will make your statement / communicate your boundaries. Be thoughtful and collaborative in how you do this, and the earlier in a relationship, the more clearly you can communicate, the better. Speaking up and advocating for yourself takes courage, so be brave!

Stick to your boundaries!

The third top tip is that once you set a boundary, you MUST stick to it. If you violate your boundaries, then so will others. So, if you say you are not available after 6 PM, don’t start to chime in on a workgroup chat after 6 PM. If you do, don’t be surprised if people’s expectations of your availability change.

It is hard to set and establish (and maintain) boundaries, but if you do, you will be happier, more productive, more innovative, and less stressed. Boundaries are contagious- once you set them, you will notice others doing the same, and you might just inspire someone else to be courageous and set a boundary that they badly need. Go for it!

 

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Author Hannah Jackson Categories Productivity & Organization, Work-Life Balance, Employer Resources, Partner Spotlight Posted on 0 Comments

5 Mental Health & Wellbeing Tips for Anyone in HR

If you work in Human Resources, you are most likely an empath, a giver, someone who likes to help others solve their problems, and you invest a lot in the success of others. Perhaps you sometimes (often?!) do this at the cost of your own mental health and overall wellbeing.

“Please put your oxygen mask on before assisting others”

We have all heard hundreds of times, every time we fly, the saying, “Please put your oxygen mask on before assisting others”. Or, perhaps put another way “you cannot pour from an empty cup”. If you want to be good at your job and lean hard into the core skills you bring to it, you need to find a way to ensure that your mental and physical health and wellbeing are protected and strong. You can’t be the amazing HR practitioner that you’re capable of being unless you do.

With that said, here are 5 top tips to help support you on your journey. We think doing these things will help build the oxygen mask you need and help to fill your bucket (or cup) so you are able to pour!

1. Do more of what makes you happy.

It sounds deceptively easy, and we all know it isn’t. You must make time for yourself, and that can often be really hard because people are messy, demanding, and unpredictable, and they are core to your central purpose, so often, your best-laid plans for yourself come second to the demands of your job. I understand. However, to really put this action point into effect, first identify what it is that makes you happy. Maybe it’s time with family, time alone, cooking, walking your dog, practising yoga, having a massage, reading a book, or binge-watching Netflix. Whatever it is, identify it, make time every week for it. Once you’ve done that, then move on to step two.

2. Set clear, healthy boundaries.

If you do one thing for yourself that can make a massive difference for your mental health and wellbeing, it is this. To set clear and healthy boundaries. Yes, setting boundaries is HARD. It takes courage to speak up and advocate for yourself, so be brave.

Even though it’s challenging to do, if you do it, you will be happier, more productive, more innovative, and less stressed. Boundaries are contagious – once you set them, you will notice others doing the same, and you might just be the inspiration for someone else to be courageous and set a boundary that they badly need. There is a super 6-minute TED talk on this subject that I highly recommend by the inspirational Nedra Glover Tawwab.

3. Learn to re-set.

This concept is familiar to anyone with kids and has ever given them a “time out” or “quiet time”. Sometimes, just like kids, we need a squishy ball, to curl up in a blanket, or a 5-minute timer to allow us to check in with ourselves and reset if we need to.

Essentially, re-setting is giving yourself a calm, safe space. This also takes courage, strength, and a healthy dose of self-awareness. If you feel overwhelmed in the middle of a conversation, be assertive about it. Communicating clearly and honestly about it shows respect for yourself and others. It’s okay to shut down a meeting or a conversation and suggest you pick it up again soon when you’ve had more time to process and think. If you see a meeting in your diary in the day (or someone has just dropped a meeting into your diary that you are not ready to take), then gently postpone it. None of us do our best work under pressure, stress or when we are not well prepared.

Additionally, if you’ve been in a high-stress or high-stakes conversation, then it is imperative that you take time to re-set before you have to (inevitably) do it all over again!

4. Delegate more.

This is the # 1 skill that sets high-performing managers and leaders apart from their competition. It is hard to learn to do this well, but it is a skill that you will thank yourself for learning and practising. You cannot do it all.

The side benefit to learning this skill is that it increases trust (your ability to do so and for those on your team), which in turn increases psychological safety for your team. There are so many benefits to delegating – it does for you and your team what eating more veggies does for your health!!

5. Sign yourself up for Nick Wignall’s newsletter.

As simple as this sounds, it has helped me fill my toolbox with lots of insightful and useful information and learning, which in turn helps develop me to support others better. Start with his 59 Ideas for Better Mental Health blog post. It’s fantastic!

If you’d like to connect and meet other HR professionals visit cishrp.ky/ to learn more!

Author Josana Leung Categories Exploring Careers, Starting My Job, Networking, Training & Development, Interview Tips Posted on 0 Comments

The Connection Between Internships & Networking

When taking on an internship, what is your end goal? Chances are, it is probably to gain experience, build connections for the future and increase your chances of finding a full-time role in the future.

These are common expectations, as having a vast network of relationships allows you to have more opportunities later on down the line. Nowadays, it’s often more challenging to have workplace interaction opportunities, particularly in a post-covid world where many things have moved online and hybrid/remote working means you may not see your colleagues as frequently. Due to this, it’s more important than ever that you take the opportunity to foster a professional network whilst in your internship and leverage it for your future career success.

So, what can you do to stay connected to your colleagues and build this network, even after your internship? The team here at Connect by Nova have outlined four ways you can ensure you are making the connection between your internship and long-lasting relationships.

1. Reach Out

If you’re interested in pursuing a full-time position with the company after your internship ends, it’s a good idea to chat with your manager. It’s best to start this conversation while you’re still in your current role, so you’ll stay top of mind. But, if the timing doesn’t work out, don’t be afraid to reach out later on.

Instead of waiting for someone else to contact you, take the initiative and be proactive! Just keep in mind that the person you’re talking to might be busy, so it’s important to follow up. Waiting too long might mean you get overlooked, so it’s always better to act sooner rather than later.

2. Respect Boundaries

While, at times, it is good to get to know your colleagues by being friendly with them, it is good to still get into polite habits when talking to them, especially if you are talking to a senior staff member.

It’s necessary to maintain a good work ethic and etiquette in a work environment to maintain professionality. If you are wondering what the basics are when it comes to work ethics and etiquette, not to worry, we host a training on the very topic! Check out our training schedule to learn when we’ll be hosting the next one!

3. Connect with Mentors

Did you know that people with mentors are five times more likely to get promoted? As well as this, mentors are a reliable source of support, feedback and career advice. You should definitely take advantage of the opportunity to work directly under a professional. It is an invaluable learning resource.

4. Build a Community

Do you see any possible like-minded people to grow closer to? Or are you paired with any other interns? Naturally, you try to bond with individuals in a similar situation or people you think you could get along with through similar interests or work placement. This creates a great basis on which to get to know people better.

Lots of introverted or shy people may find it hard to communicate with others, but if you push yourself and take the initiative, it will be worth it in the end. Many people may feel it is easier said than done, as they might fear that messaging someone or asking for help may appear needy. Most of the time, this is just overthinking the situation, but on the off chance you do come off this way, it will have been better to try and fail rather than not try at all.

“You can only grow if you’re willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” —Brian Tracy