It doesn’t really matter where you volunteer, unless of course, you might be interested in moving to a new job, getting a job, or connecting with people to gather information. It takes time, it’s true, but let me ask you this question – what else are you doing with your personal time? Most people are watching far too much TV, getting too much sleep or even working too much. So, decide where you might like to volunteer and contact them to see how you might be able to help them.

Imagine, you have joined a group to offer your services for free and you are attending your first meeting. This is your first chance to let them know your skills – what you can do for them.  As they get to know you, they realize your expertise (i.e. your skills) and they know how you get along with people (hopefully you have made a good first impression). Once this is accomplished, you can more confidently let these people know whether you are searching for a contact in an organization, looking for a new job or simply looking for a job. What are you bringing? Perhaps an ability to:

• Fundraise
• Examine financials
• Organize

These are simply initial thoughts you could use to examine what you have to offer. Connect with the organization you want to volunteer for and let them know what you can do to help them build their organization. And, if you connect and don’t hear from them, keep at it – keep connecting until they ask you to be part of their volunteer group.

Remember, things today are done on networking – you need to be active in building your network and volunteering is one of those ways to network.

Sherry Knight, Career Partners International

(original blog source here)

• one size does not fit all;
• ignore any generation (whether it is X, Y or Millenials) at one’s peril; and,
• think inclusivity and individuality concurrently.

Which brings me to today’s topic: Being “Busy!”

What is it about being “Busy!” that’s so compelling? When did it become so socially acceptable? Is it because being “Busy!” is good? Does it mean you are successful, in demand, capable? Perhaps we feel we have to say “Busy!” to create commonality? Maybe it’s a bid for sympathy?

What if “Busy!” means you are rushing so quickly through life, juggling so many commitments, you don’t have time to ‘be present’? What if “Busy!” means you are not appreciating everything that is happening in this present moment? Would you still think “Busy!” means success? Would you still think it’s good? I would like to make a statement: I think “Busy!” is a state of mind – and an addiction.

In this day and age, there are very few of us who can actually avoid busyness. But, we can do our best to avoid becoming addicted to it. How many of you claim you want more time to yourself, some space to breath, and a less hectic work day? Yet, when confronted by a blank space in your calendar or unexpected free-time, you feel panic-stricken. “What did I miss?”, “What should I be doing?”, “This doesn’t feel right!”

Recently, an acquaintance asked me “how’s work going these days?” My automatic response was “work is Busy!” Bothered that I was perpetuating the social acceptance of “Busy!”, I immediately told my acquaintance about a promise I made to myself — to not answer such questions with “Busy!”. “Why?” he asked. “Busy! It’s good! I’m busy too! In fact, I’m so busy…” You get the gist. Where is the value in that interaction?

As I head into a new week, I will try again. “How is work going you ask?” Well, “work is great! We are taking our company in such an exciting direction that I feel truly engaged in my work and energized by all the opportunities and challenges we are overcoming.” That feels much better.

Here’s my challenge to you: next time someone asks you “how’s work?” or “how’s life?”, don’t tell them you’re “Busy!”. Stop, pause and take a deep breath, then really answer their question. Be present in your life.

 Powerful Questions:

• What does tolerating “Busy!” cost you?
• How is it different when you have time to recharge?
• What will a change in attitude create for you?

To ensure you respect all aspects of life and well-being, consider completing a self-assessment of the following:

• Evaluate your skills, values, interests, personality, and other dimensions that are important to you in your life and work.
• Think deeply about which skills, values, and interests you want to continue capitalizing on as you move into and through your retirement.
• Ask yourself thought provoking, deep questions – questions that catapult you into a deeper understanding of who you are and what makes you happy. These powerful questions can help you and others recognize and honour how you, a close friend or a spouse might find happiness in a different way.
• Begin to envision your future by stepping back from busy, day-to-day activities and taking a look at who you are today and who you would like to become in retirement.
• Understand how you react and behave in certain situations, and how unhealthy behaviours might derail your success.
• Brainstorm and visualize options for a “new retirement” and/or field as you consider your transition.

Retirement is not an end to productive work or personal contribution. Rather, it is a time to develop a new, personally healthy and constructive life that may not be available during one’s full-time career or job. If left to unfold on its own, ‘life after career’ can be a potentially unhappy surprise. Or, with thought to personal development and growth, ‘life after work’ can be an exciting time. Enjoy the journey!

Hitting this imaginary wall does not mean you need to change careers or find a new job. Sometimes all you need to do is step back and consider alternative solutions to rekindle your work life. Perhaps one of the most effective ways of re-engaging in one’s work is through professional development.

Looking around the office here at Hazell, I see a group of people who are continuously engaged in development and who champion lifelong learning. The type of learning does not only occur in formal education settings like university courses or work seminars, but include informal spaces like community and civic activities, cultural events, work discussions and observations with colleagues, and independent reading and research.

A number of our staff is heavily engaged in volunteerism, including Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW), Frontier College’s Beat the Street program, Coast to Coast Against Cancer, Rotary Club and the PACT program. Others are more formally engaged in learning. For instance, I am newly enrolled in a part-time M.Ed. program, with a focus on Workplace Learning and Social Change. Our accountant, Angie Buado, is returning to her HR background and is currently taking part in George Brown’s Career and Work Counsellor Program, while also taking on the new volunteer role of Director, Community Services at her church. Jennifer Collins, our President & Managing Partner, recently completed an intensive 1-week residency at Royal Roads University as part of her Executive Coaching Certification and Masters of Leadership.

Continuous learning helps each of us maintain our skills, provide us with the knowledge to make informed decisions and lead successful lives as members of our family, community and work organization. It is not a commodity, but a process that begins from early childhood into our late adult years. Learning is also one of the best ways to help us cope with an uncertain future influenced by globalization, new technologies and a demand for innovation.

How do we pinpoint which volunteer opportunities, courses, workshops, events or learning spaces are best suited for ‘me’? Well, the only way to answer that is by taking the time to reflect on your career in order to increase awareness of one’s skills, strengths, passions, purpose and potential. Easier said than done, right?

Well, the emphasis in learning and professional development should be put on gathering input from many sources. Consider the different aspects of your work that bring you satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. Take note of the skills and tasks you really enjoy using and doing in order to discover elements you want to emphasize on a go forward basis. Also, seek outside input from you supervisors, peers, staff, friends and family to help you gain more insight. In doing so, you may identify training or mentoring relationships that will help you break down the ‘wall’ and begin moving towards more fulfilling work.

Finally, for teams and organizations seeking to foster a more ‘learning’-centric workspace, start by moving from training-based development towards newer policies that foster learning through informal means and knowledge sharing. One investment that is proving to be beneficial to organizations is transforming managers and executives into coaches, helping to foster a work culture built on open communication, trust, accountability and development. Not only has leader as coach programs assisted in increasing employee engagement, but it also has a direct impact on the company’s performance.

So, use learning as a way to break out of the funk, whether as an individual, team or organization, and you won’t regret its impact on your bottom line.