Problem Solving Rest Another Look at the Eureka Phenomenon Marla Gottschalk

Problem Solving Rest Another Look at the Eureka Phenomenon Marla Gottschalk Photo by Gerrie van der Walt on Unsplash It is my belief, you see, that thinking is a double phenomenon like breathing. Asimov If you enjoy reruns of the classic television series House â€" youll find that every medical mystery is solved in the most unusual moments. Without fail, Houses uncanny ability to problem solve, kicks in while he sits in the hospital cafeteria, mid-sentence while talking to a team member or any other situation where he doesnt outwardly appear to be focusing on the problem on deck. It is always intriguing to watch. However, we shouldnt be surprised about why this happens. You see, our brains function in curious ways. Your Brain Revealed In the classic essay The Eureka Phenomena   (1971), Issac Asimov explores why these moments of inspiration occur when we least expect them. Asimovs theory is quite simple, posing the notion that thought includes both voluntary and involuntary components. Moreover, opportunities for both types of thought must be present to become highly effective. Essentially, we can be thinking about one thing on the surface, yet ruminating on another topic below â€" the involuntary part of the equation. The Eureka Phenomena sheds an interesting light on how we might become more effective in the workplace. As we all have experienced, if you are focusing too long and too intently on one topic or issue, you can be unsuccessful. Asimov would say that involuntary thought was not allowed to flourish and that contributed to the failure. He recollects that when he was in the midst of a problem he could not solve, he shifted his focus and shuffled off to the movies. This action ultimately, allowed him to work through his challenge. He also tells the story of Archimedes â€" and how a visit to the public baths helped him to discover the concept of volume. Of course, you may find that taking a walk or baking does the trick, but the process is of no less importance. You must give your brain the down time it needs to succeed. Office Life and Involuntary Thought There are millions of individuals who have the responsibility to process information concerning people, places and things for a living. Many attempt to accomplish this in an office environment. Of course, working in a traditional office does have merit. There are opportunities for collaboration and serendipity â€" yet obstacles to productivity abound. As discussed by Jason Fried in his classic Ted Talk, many aspects of office life (such as interruptions), can prove to be huge offenders, curtailing deep, meaningful thought. During the course of a typical office work day, an individual may complete a multitude of activities and appear outwardly productive. However their brain power may not be maximized, as there are few opportunities to rest, reflect and digest information. The Eureka Phenomena Applied You must remember that while thought doesnt require physical output, your brain is still hard at work. So, while you may not perceive that you are fatigued, your brain may actually be exhausted. As studies have shown, allowing the brain time to rest is critical. In this way, the brain finds the fuel it needs, so that energy can be funneled to the involuntary mechanisms that promote deeper thought. If we can learn anything from Asimov â€" it is that the brain cannot be bullied into becoming effective. It must be respected and nurtured. Be mindful to offer your mind a bit of rest and identify those activities which help your brain relax and build them into your day. Ultimately â€" dont feel guilty if you feel the need to shuffle off to the movies. Dr. Marla Gottschalk is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist and workplace strategist. You can also find her on Twitter and Linkedin.

4 Growing Administrative Career Paths to Consider - CareerMetis.com

4 Growing Administrative Career Paths to Consider Source : Pixabay.comHave you ever considered a job in business administration?Today, there are more small startup companies and ecommerce businesses than ever, and if you’re analytical and business-minded, business administration is a logical choice.Administrators tend to be detail-oriented, good with people, and highly organized. There are a variety of industries to choose from, but here are 4 growing fields to consider while looking for a good fit.1. Healthcare AdministratorevalevalThe healthcare sector is constantly growing and in need of qualified professionals to assist in everyday operations like billing and management.If you’ve ever been interested in helping patients in need of medical care but would prefer not to provide direct medical services, a job in healthcare administration may be ideal for you!There are a variety of careers in healthcare administrationthat are worthy of consideration, including hospital manager and CEO, health policy and management administrator, healthcare marketing and public affairs manager, health informatics specialist, and materials and equipment management.The latter two positions are designed for those who prefer to work on their own managing supplies, numbers, and statistics, while the first three are better suited to those skilled at people management.Either way, the medical field is constantly growing, so the job security with any of these careers is bound to be relatively high. The Bureau of Labor Statisticslists the median pay for medical and health services managers as $96,540 a year, with a 20 percent growth outlook from 2016 to 2026.2. Athletic AdministratorWhen you think of administrative jobs, you’re probably not likely to guess that college-level and professional athletics teams are in need of organizational assistance, but that would be a mistake.In fact, there’s a national shortage of sports officials, at the moment, due to the large number of older officials and impending retirees in the field.evalI f you’re more numbers-oriented, a career as a sports finance administratormay be a good choice for you.Sports programs and teams need financial directors and administrators to monitor cash flow, keep track of expenses, and manage the budget â€" as well as provide comprehensive planning related to taxes, insurance, and organizational policies.If you’re a sports fan who would rather work behind the scenes than on the field to keep a team organized and well-managed, a career in athletic administration may work for you!BLS liststhe median salary for financial managers as $121,750, while the job outlook is forecasted to the 19 percent from now until 2026.3. Freelance AdministratorevalThe business world is changing to include more contract and freelance work. If you are highly motivated and organized with a strong sense of discipline and the ability to self-manage, you may opt for a career as a freelance administrator.This may come in the form of a personal assistant, virtual assistan t, or contract bookkeeper, but there is plenty of demand for freelance help for entrepreneurs and small business owners who may work out of their home or have a virtual online presence.If you’re interested in starting a virtual assistant business, you’ll want to create a menu of services, make a list of potential clients, and create a business plan. You’ll want to decide what kind of clients you want to work for â€" whether you prefer working with an individual or a small business startup, for example.Stocking your home office with the necessary administrative and accounting softwarewill equip you with the tools you need to be successful. Since bookkeeping is so vital to small businesses, automated and cloud-based programs make tasks like invoicing and bill payment easier to track and document.Though BLS reportsthe average salary for secretaries and administrative assistants as $37,230 per year, if you work as a freelance administrator you can set your own rates of pay.If youâ €™re interested in going into the related field of personal financial advising, the median pay is reported as $90,530 per year.4. EntrepreneurshipOf course, many people who began doing freelance and contract work eventually decide to become an entrepreneur and go into business for themselves.Whether it’s monetizing an existing website or becoming a web entrepreneuron the side to build a passive income stream, entrepreneurship brings its own rewards.True, it can be scary to go into business for yourself, but many enjoy the scheduling and creative freedom that being an entrepreneur can provide.evalIt may be wise to try your business idea out on the side or partnering up with an existing company before launching into business full-speed right away â€" just to see if your product or services generate enough cash for your efforts to be worthwhile.For example, if you’re highly skilled in SEO, you could work with existing site owners to optimize their website; while those skilled in gr aphic design might consider working with small homebrewers to make eye-catching logos and customized labels for their bottles.Forbes notesthat a number of companies are switching to remote environments, so location-independent enterprises are becoming the way of the future.Before you get started, it’s important to share your idea with others who have taken similar entrepreneurial leaps to make sure that your idea is not only original but also viable, in today’s digital economy.However, without taking a risk, you can’t succeed. Occasional failure is inevitable, but failures are also opportunities that can provide direction in knowing how to proceed differently the next time.evalIn fact, trial and error â€" as demonstrated through A/B testing and innovative ideas â€" is an excellent way to discover which techniques are best for your business.Have you ever heard of the scientific method?It’s similar â€" only the ideas and hypotheses are formed behind a desk rather than in a lab oratory.Perhaps that’s essentially what entrepreneurs are: inventors in business suits rather than lab coats, performing experiments and testing the free market via trial and error.Whether in health care, athletics, business, or e-commerce, there is a great need for savvy administrators.Detail-oriented administrators must be able to manage finances, invoicing, cash flow, business plans, and future organizational forecasting.What careers in administration have you considered?Do you have experience in one of the industries discussed above?Share your thoughts and advice about administrative work in the comments section, below.

Video Interviews 5 Tricks For A Great Performance

Video Interviews 5 Tricks For A Great Performance Video Interviews: 5 Tricks For A Great Performance Video interviews are usually something that most people loathe, but for talent sourcers (read: recruiters), they serve a purpose, especially if candidates are located outside of the area where the job is sited. Video interviews give the recruiters or hiring managers an opportunity to further screen candidates to determine if there is a fit before time and expense are made to bring them in to a face-to-face discussion. So don’t be unnerved. Here are some tips to follow to have a great performance during video interviews: Create a set. What the other person sees makes an impact of how they perceive you. During video interviews while you are busy talking about your career background, the person interviewing you is busy scanning what’s going on in the background.   Was that the cat that just walked by?   What’s going on outside that window? Is that dirty laundry on the floor? You need to create a minimally-distracting view.   Remove anything that could raise questions, look junky, provide insights to protected information (i.e. political stickers, etc.), or otherwise serve to take the interviewer’s attention away from you and the conversation that you are having with them. Lighting matters. Too many times, people on video interviews come across as dark and under-lit shapeless forms, or even blue, thanks to the color coming off their computer screen.   Or conversely, job applicants put so much light on their faces that everything becomes washed out. Think soft lighting. If you have a lamp, place it near the computer to add some warmer tones to the lighting, and also consider even taping a white piece of paper over the lamp edge to diffuse the light.   This can even out skin tones, remove glaring oily patches or blemishes, and remove awkward shadows to create a more pleasing appearance on-camera. Sound matters. Barking dogs, flushing toilets, dishwashers… you name it. Hiring managers or recruiters have likely heard everything going on in the background in video interviews. Sounds can be distracting for both you and the interviewer, so your goal is to remove any potential noisemakers. This includes turning cell phones onto airplane mode, turning off email services (they will still ding when you get mail since you have the computer speakers on), and closing the door to the room from where you will be interviewing on camera. If you have to, tell other household members to please be quiet so you don’t get interrupted or distracted during video interviews. Have a script. In interviews that are face-to-face, you can’t really have your background notes available to refer to, but if you are in video interviews, the good news is that this doesn’t mean you can’t have some handy reference material just off-screen as a helper. You can even create some key bullet points on a separate sheet that help remind you of key topics to cover in your answers to provide more thorough responses. But be careful… you can’t look like you are only reading from a list â€" this will make you look very unprepared. Instead, when answering a question, you can take a breath and then look over to your short list to quickly reacquaint yourself with all the top things you want to say in response. Look at the camera, not the computer screen. While our natural instinct is to look at the computer screen because the other party is on there, you aren’t making eye contact from their perspective. Connecting means looking directly into the camera during video interviews, which transitions your involvement with the viewer from looking to the side to looking directly at them.   This type of eye contact is powerful as it shows confidence, respect, and engagement. These tips will help you gain confidence and also earn respect from the interviewer… which can lead to the next step by impressing your audiences.

What Is a Groupon Resume Writing Deal?

What Is a Groupon Resume Writing Deal?A groupon resume writing deal is being negotiated. This deal involves hiring several people to write a short summary about you. Then, all of these individuals are supposed to be paid for their effort. This is the deal that is being negotiated and, yes, it makes sense.I want to take a moment to say that this particular type of direct marketing has been going on for some time. I've had experience with groups as well as other direct marketing solutions. The concept is not new to me and the tools that I use to help me write direct marketing posts are not new to me.You see, in order to actually attract someone's attention you have to present your offer in a unique way. That is the only way to get the attention of someone who is trying to attract other people to what they are trying to do. If it is something that they have not seen before and it sounds too good to be true, they will not pay attention to your offer.Well, you cannot get away with writing something that will sound too good to be true. People will always see through a scam artist. That is why I am against groupon as a direct marketing solution.Here is the deal. Groupon usually requires you to write up a series of resumes. These resumes usually involve a number of different categories of different people. In addition, this system also usually involves the submission of a number of different CVs.Many of the people who are hired by groups are doing this as a side job. So, this means that they are getting paid to do this.The problem with this system is that it does not allow for much flexibility. The system works best when there is a strict formula laid out for different employees of the same organization. When there is flexibility with different people working with different projects that they need to complete, then the system will not work.If you are going to use groups as a direct marketing solution, then you need to use other means of attracting the attention of cust omers. You do not need to go down this road with groupon. It does not work and the people who are making the deal will never use it again.

Whats in Your Resume?

What's in Your Resume?So, you have a well-crafted resume with solid job search strategy, and now you're wondering what you should include in your resume meaning. Here are some tips to get you started.In today's job market, it's essential to consider the potential employer's needs. With the competitive market and rising employment opportunities, employers look for people who have relevant skills. Being a competent worker who can create and update job descriptions is essential. If you don't, you may be overlooked.If you are planning to start a job or take an online business venture, having a website is important. With a business website, prospective employers can easily view it and even make enquiries. Aside from having a professionally designed website, make sure it includes important contact information such as a working telephone number and e-mail address. This is the first step in establishing a connection with potential employers.The most important aspect of a resume means, theref ore, is getting employers to take a second look at you. For this, one must carefully consider the most basic characteristics of a potential employer. Your resume must contain information that demonstrates competence and ability to perform job duties. When you are writing a resume, always go for the 'above average' candidate.When looking for a resume writer, choose someone who specializes in creating impressive resumes. You should expect some time to prepare and customize your resume; but it's important to choose someone who can do it efficiently and accurately.You should always mention in your resume that you have a unique personality, experience and skills that you can offer to the employer. In addition, you should state what makes you different from other candidates.Whether you are looking for a job online or at a brick and mortar office, a resume is important. And, in order to have a success in finding a new job, you need to work with the person who wrote the resume.

Why Almost Everything Youve Learned About Creating a Writing Resume Is Wrong and What You Should Know

Why Almost Everything You've Learned About Creating a Writing Resume Is Wrong and What You Should Know If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Creating a Writing Resume You can accomplish your dream job. While resume websites are ideal for job applicants, not everybody needs one. Personal websites are typical for freelancers and skilled service companies and for good explanations. A personal website not only enables you to create an internet presence, it provides you a way to highlight your experience, enhance your own personal brand, and stick out from other job applicants. The analysis skills, an eye for details, fantastic understanding of processes and finance, are a few of the skills you may have. If you're attempting to acquire work in accounting or finance you require averystrong resume. Distinct kinds of work in the food service industry require resumes with a lot of the exact skills. Customer service representative jobs need a person who has excellent c ommunication abilities and other relevant skills. The Hidden Truth About Creating a Writing Resume CV writing services India can also assist you with writing covering letters alongside your resume. Writing a strong application is a difficult procedure and we would like to make it simpler. Writing a resume cover letter is NOT about developing a document in which you display your education. Developing your resume is critical. If you own a college education, omit details about high school. All Writing Needs can help you with your cover letter and craft the essential language that will help you land your dream job. They can assist with molding different cover letters and resumes based on each position you are considering.

4 Tips For Living Your Brand - Work It Daily

4 Tips For Living Your Brand - Work It Daily What does your day-to-day life say about your personal brand? Whether you are an entrepreneur or a star employee, what you represent is your brand. What people remember most about you stands out, and those things become selling points or red flags for you. The cliché, “Actions speak louder than words,” is exactly right when living your brand. You are the first (and perhaps the only) spokesperson for what you want people to think of you, buy from you, or believe about you. As cliché as it may be, you do only get one chance to make a first impression. Everything else becomes an attempt to recover from a mistake. Starting off on the right path is key to personifying your personal brand. What people think is important. Sticks and stone will break your bones, but words, rumors, and misconceptions can hurt you. If you have established a solid reputation, a misstep won’t be the end of your journey. However, if you start wrong, it is a long road to recovery. In the world of business, perception is reality. As you operate, keep these basic thoughts in mind to leave a positive impression of who you are and what you do. Here are four tips for living your brand: 1. Develop Personal Core Values Many organizations hold there values in high regard and expect there employees, team members, and leaders to exemplify them. The US Air Force and US Army are two such organizations. Air Force core values are: integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do. Army core values are: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. All members of the service regardless of rank, position, or job classification are expected to display these values. They characterize what each organization is about. I call my core values the five River Rocks: Faith, Family, Focus, Fidelity, and Fortitude. I believe I am capable of achieving whatever I set my mind to; nothing will stop me except me. I also have faith in the power of prayer, meditation, and karma. I have a great support system. As I am a mentor, I have my own mentors. My family helps me move forward, they pick me up when I am down, and they keep me focused. I keep my goals clear. I write them down, I share them with my family/support system. It is important to stay focused so I can make sure my actions support what my brand stands for. I strive to remain loyal to the process of working towards my goals. I do my best to keep my word, meet my commitments, give back, and continue to be challenged. What goes around comes around is the action of fidelity. I continue to be courageous in pursuing my goals. I must have the strength to push beyond the obstacles that stand in my way. No matter what those obstacles are mental, physical, or otherwise fortitude pushes me beyond where I am today. 2. Start With The End In Mind When you begin your day, an assignment, or a conversation, know where you would like to end up. Have a plan. If you don’t know where you want to take your brand, you’ll never know when you get there. 3. Be Deliberate In Your Activity Once you have your direction, only take steps that move you towards the desired finish. Look for relationships and opportunities that will help you move forward. 4. Be Prepared For The Long Haul Establishing your reputation will take time. Be consistent in how you operate, continue improving, and build solid relationships. As you build your reputation become the kind of person or product that adds value to the environment. Become the brand that people want around. Living your life with these characteristics will help you become a go-to, in-demand brand. Your thoughts become actions, your actions become habits, your habits become your character, and your character builds your brand. This post was originally published at an earlier date. Related Posts There’s No ‘I’ In Personal Brand Is Your Personal Brand Wrong? How To Create A Personal Brand Without Being A Jerk   Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!