Stephanie Linus Daily

Category: Career

  • Reinventing Yourself During A Pandemic

    The year 2020 began with a lot of expectations and dreams, but for many people across the world, it has turned out to be one of the most uncertain years ever!

    But hey, it’s not all doom and gloom. The interesting thing about a crisis period such as this is that it gives us the opportunity to reinvent ourselves. For me, I’ve had to dig deep and think creatively in order to react to a rapidly changing landscape. Business structures have been affected, travel plans have been canceled, events have been put on hold… there’s so much change to deal with.

    But the pandemic should not stop us from reinventing our career and our goals. Actually, it’s the perfect time to do so.

    As we begin the second half of 2020, I want to encourage us all to reinvent ourselves, our business ideas, our dreams, our capabilities. This pandemic will result in lasting societal changes. There is no going back to the pre-COVID status quo. We have a new reality, but that doesn’t mean we should dream any less or limit our expectations.

    I challenge you to use this crisis to reimagine and stay on track with your dreams. We will all emerge from this season victoriously!

  • 5 Things I Love About Mondays

    It’s Monday!

    Yes I know we are still in very uncertain times around the world, but hey, the start of another work week is always a good opportunity for us to press that reset button, accomplish things and tackle our goals head on.

    So, let’s jump right into it! Here are 5 reasons why I absolutely love Mondays!

    1. Lists! Mondays for me is a day of writing those important lists. I’m a firm believer of organization. You can get a lot done when you know exactly what you want out of your day and week.
    2. You start afresh with renewed energy and motivation. No matter what happened last week, Monday always seems like a fresh start.
    3. You’ve got a whole week ahead of you to achieve your goals. Set goals about how you want your week to look like on Mondays and enjoy a fulfilling week ahead.
    4. Mondays give me an opportunity to push through those difficult tasks I thought I couldn’t achieve. There’s this burst of energy that tells me that I am able and constantly working at conquering my fear.
    5. It’s a beautiful day to be you! Be happy to be living and grateful that you get to experience such a wonderful day!

  • Make Your Passion Your Paycheck

    “Do what you love and you never work a day in your life” is probably one of the best career-related quotes. It is a dream for many, a reality for few, to make money by doing the things that you love and are good at. Imagine waking up every morning, excited to jump out of bed and greet the day ahead.

    We’re not meant to be stuck at soul-sucking jobs that we hate. That’s not living. That’s surviving. That’s tolerating suffering. We are meant to use our gifts and skills and share them with the world. Whatever your passion is, there is a way to make it a part of your life.

    Don’t get stuck at your job. Try these tips for turning your passion into your paycheck and ultimately living the life of your dreams:

    1. Show People What You Can Do:

    Stop being quiet about your passion, you need to start talking about it, sharing it as much as you can, to as many people as possible. People won’t know that you have a passion, skills, and talents until they see, hear or find out about it.

    2. Develop Multiple Streams Of Income:

    Creating multiple revenue streams allows you to make money without always having to be present or in a one-on-one setting. It gives you the ability to not only serve more clients without having to be present but also the opportunity to make money while you sleep.

    3. Set Financial Goals And Write Them Down:

    Gaining clarity on what you want to accomplish is a HUGE step in achieving it. Spend a few minutes writing down your financial and life goals. Then, set a deadline to achieve it.

    4. Be Patient:

    It might take time, so always be patient. I know first hand how difficult this part can be. It might take 1, 2 or 3 years before you can quit your day job or before you are ready to launch your business, but be patient, keep going and make your goals visual so that you always know what you are working towards.

  • Here’s One Simple Trick To Getting Yourself Motivated

    Everyone gets unmotivated at times. Trust me, it happens to all of us. In fact, sometimes we get into such a slump that even thinking about making positive changes seems too difficult.

    You make goals… but then you procrastinate.

    You write a to-do list… but then you don’t follow through.

    And this happens again and again and again. Seriously, what’s the problem?

    Why are we so good at thinking of what to do but so terrible at actually doing those things?

    We all face obstacles. How you deal with those obstacles defines who you are and determines how successful you are in life. Here’s one simple trick I’ve found that always works to motivate me when I feel down:

    Set SMALL AND SPECIFIC GOALS.

    Motivation requires a target. It’s hard to get motivated when your goals are vague, undefined, and as a result, impossible to achieve. You will be more motivated if you define your goals and break them down into smaller goals that you can take bites out of accomplishing on a regular basis. Make sure your smaller goals are still meaningful to you and be sure to break them down into things you can actually accomplish otherwise your motivation will tank.

    If you complete the task and still itching for more? You can always raise the bar if you’re feeling particularly motivated. Take note that if you feel highly overwhelmed while tackling your goal, chances are it’s too high and you need to lower it to something more realistic or specific.

    When you have finished that small task you’ll feel more alert and ready to go do the next thing. You just to get started to get motivated. 

    You cannot maintain energy and focus if you are trying to do two or more goals at once. It’s not possible — I’ve tried it many times. You have to choose one goal, for now, and focus on it completely. I know, that’s hard. Still, I speak from experience. You can always do your other goals when you’ve accomplished your One Goal.

    So if you really don’t feel like doing anything, start with something small and work your way up.

    SL

  • 6 Reasons Why Women Need to Be Financially Independent

    It’s a Monday and I believe we have amazing goals we have set to achieve this week.

    Something interesting happened on TwitterNG last week that turned what was supposed to be petty trade of words into an epic comeback that set Twitter on fire. A young man took a girl to the cinemas and took to Twitter to rant because she refused to get into a relationship with him. After calling her a “broke ass hungry b****”, the lady in question gave him the comeback of comebacks when she replied his tweet with a break-down of the amount he spent on the date (N3800) and a screenshot of a refund to the guy (N5000). #KeepTheChangeBae

    Now, this conversation speaks to a larger societal problem that has deep ties in patriarchy. It is about men who feel entitled to things just because they are men and have more economic power than women.

    My friend once told me about a sister of hers who always complained that her stomach churned anytime she wanted to ask her husband for money. Imagine having everything including your every need and dreams tied to one man – that is not wise at all.

    Here are 6 reasons why I feel it is important for women to be financially independent:

    1. To be self-reliant: Making and having your own money means you don’t have to depend on anybody. Rather than living in an artificial bubble where you get to enjoy things that you cannot afford, being financially independent makes you cut your coat according to your size and spend your money in line with your values.

    2. It makes you self-confident: Being financially independent gives you the confidence to make your own decisions and live life on your own terms. Imagine what damage it would have done to that girl’s self-esteem, if the guy was able to get away with what he said. But she was able to keep her dignity and even sanity because she was able to prove that she was by no means financially disadvantaged.

    3. So there would be no surprises: This is pretty straightforward; if the man is the only breadwinner in the family, many things could go wrong. If anything happens, it would be difficult to adjust or adapt to the situation, and this would have been easily managed if the woman was also financially independent.

    4. To avoid resentment: If you keep taking from someone without contributing anything, there would be points where resentment would creep in. It’s simple logic! The guy could say “I go out every day to make money and you spend N35,000 on buying aso-ebi”.

    5. To stop feeling helpless: Many women stay in abusive or uncomfortable relationships because they feel they have nowhere else to go if they leave. With financial independence, a woman is able to make better choices for herself.

    6. It’s better for everybody: When women are financially empowered, they are also able to contribute their own quota on the home front and to the economy at large. It is better for the welfare of society at large to have more “Miss Independents” out there.

    Whether you are single, married or divorced, I believe every woman can and should be able to fend for herself. It just makes more sense to be safer than sorry.

    SL Fabz, do you agree with me?

  • 5 Tips To Help You Achieve Your Reading Goals This Year

    At the start of the year, I asked a few people what their New Year Resolutions were and reading more books was at the top of their list. Apparently, the desire to read more and read more frequently is something ingrained in many of us goal-setters.

    Here are a few key tips to working towards increasing how much you read in 2017.

    1. Set A Goal: Don’t just say you’re going to read more, set a specific goal for how much you want to read. For example, if you read 5 books last year, increasing to 8-10 would be a good goal.

    2. Get A Reading List: Determine ahead of time exactly what books you plan to read. You can add or subtract from the list as time goes by but it helps to have a list of what you want to achieve.

    3. Have A Reading Schedule: Create a schedule for reading the books you think are most important. Be specific about what you want to read and when, setting deadlines for finishing each book or even each chapter. These deadlines will help you stay accountable to your schedule.

    4. Join Reading Challenges: I’ve seen a couple of them online like the 52 Books Challenge, in which you read one book a week (give or take) for the year. This comes with the bonus community of r/52book, where fellow readers can cheer each other on.

    5. Carry Your Book(s) Everywhere: There’s always an opportunity to read. Maybe in the car or before a business meeting. Whenever you have a moment, you can bring out your book and read. This is also very possible if you like to read digital versions. I still prefer hard copy. 

    What other methods can you employ to help achieve your reading goals this year? 

  • It’s Worker’s Day! Let’s Discuss Our Careers

    Our careers are very important aspects of our lives.

    Think about the daily struggles from working hard in a 9-to-5 job just to produce a paycheck. If we don’t get our work done, we can’t get paid, and if we don’t get paid, we can’t pay our bills, and if we don’t pay our bills, we can’t have a nice house, car and other fine things. The cycle goes on.

    Or perhaps yours is a business or a project, not really a job. Whatever it is you do, it directly affects your ability to meet your needs and those of your loved ones.

    Our work takes up a significant part of our day and has a significant impact on other aspects of our life, including our sense of self-worth and well being.

    The question of happiness and fulfillment also comes to light in this subject. Is your career giving you the fulfillment you desire? Do you wish you were doing something else and not what you are presently doing? Does your career pay you well enough to meet your basic needs?

    This is an open discussion. It’s worker’s day and I’d like to meet you dear SL Fabz. Tell me about what you do, whether you love what you do and how it affects your life.

    Let’s discuss!

  • 5 Helpful Tips For A Successful First Day At Work

    I know someone who will be resuming a new job today and when I called to wish him good luck, he asked me for some tips on getting through this day.

    I shared a few tips with him and thought it would be nice to bring them here too.

    The first day at a new job comes with its own kind of nervousness, no matter how qualified you are for the post. But most importantly, it is an important day for making the right impression.

    1. Arrive Early & Leave Late
    Being on time to work is expected. Arriving a bit earlier than your co-workers is recommended if you want to make a strong impression. To help get you to work on time, know your route and how long it will take you to get to the office. Also be sure to be one of the last people to leave on that first day. You’ll be able to get a better feel for the office culture.

    2. Have A Positive Attitude
    In all situations, nothing works better than having and expressing a positive attitude. Let your enthusiasm for being part of the team and the organization show to everyone you interact with. And always leave non-work problems at home.

    3. Dress The Part
    This might be just a case of checking what the dress code is, if there is one. You certainly want to be well presented as it’ll give you a confidence boost and help you impress all the new colleagues you’re going to be meeting. You’re representing yourself, your team and your new company, so be smart about it.

    4. Ask for help
    It’s tempting to want to prove your competence the first days on the job. But no matter how skilled and knowledgeable you are, you won’t have all the answers. Rather than complete a job incorrectly, ask your co-workers and colleagues for help when you need it. No one expects you to know everything, and asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

    5. Set Long Term Goals
    If you suddenly find yourself without work on that first day, don’t start updating your Facebook page. Actively seek out something helpful to do, either for your boss or your co-workers. You might even get a lunch invitation or make new friends out of it.

    To anyone starting a new job today or anytime soon, I wish you the very best!

    SL Fabz, do you have any tips to add to this?

  • Career Talk: Should your employer monitor you on Social Media?

    Hi SL Fabz,

    It’s a beautiful Monday and I’m sure most of us are already back to work, sitting at our desks and making things happen!

    The use of Social Media has grown tremendously over the past few years. This growth continues to rise by the minute.

    But also on the rise is the number of companies monitoring their employees’ accounts on social media. Sometimes, it even serves as a determiner in a job selection process as many employers look closely at a job candidate’s online presence before making a decision.

    This means that almost every information you share on social media now, except on sites that enable you have a private profile (like Instagram), is available for your employer to see. The question now is, do you want your employer to see everything you’ve posted on social media?

    According to a survey by CareerBuiler, 39% of employers dig into candidates on social sites, while 43% said they had found something that made them deep-six a candidate—such as posting inappropriate photos or information, or bad-mouthing a former boss.

    Bad-mouthing a former boss! Now, that is something you wont want a prospective employer to see. But since most of our updates on social media are available for anyone in any part of the world to see, you can’t really blame your employer, can you?

    So, let’s discuss. Do you think its right for employers to monitor their employees’ social media accounts? As an employer, would you do this? As an employee, would you mind?

    Have you ever been in any awkward situation where someone at work saw a post on social media you didn’t want him/her to see?

    I’d love to read your thoughts!

  • How To Network Like A Boss

    Whether you are a career person or an entrepreneur running your own business, you’d definitely need something from someone at some point in time. This can be made easier when you have a good network. Networking can easily be defined as any opportunity you have to meet people pursuing similar interests to your own. Networking is not just a good thing, it is essential to building a successful career.

    Most professionals don’t do enough networking and their worst business networking mistake is that they don’t build a professional network until they really need one – and that’s a bit late.

    Don’t wait till its too late. Build up your network today while keeping these in mind:

    1. Ask yourself what your goals are in participating in networking meetings so that you will pick groups that will help you get what you are looking for.

    2. Start with people you know, then expand to their acquaintances and finally strangers after the process becomes second nature.

    3. When approaching someone, be as open as you can with your body language. Make an effort to listen and ask questions without interrupting them. Focus fully on the speaker and make an effort to move the conversation along.

    4. Aim for a diverse group of people from whom you can learn. Other business people and professionals have much to teach and share when an individual is open to learning and change ideas.

    5. People won’t remember who you are or what you do if you don’t give them a way to do so. This is why business cards, postcards and even emails exist. Yes, emails. A quick, professional email stating how great it was to meet someone is more than enough to make a lasting impression.

    6. Call those you meet who may benefit from what you do and vice versa. Express that you enjoyed meeting them, and ask if you could get together and share ideas.

    The weekend is always a good time for meeting new people so when you step out for that social event soon, don’t just party for fun. Build up your professional network too!

    Have a lovely Friday.

    SL Fabz, share with me. How has good networking helped your career or business? Have you ever met someone outside your work place who you later did business with or who helped your career in any way?