Looking for a new job doesn’t have to be just another exhausting to-do list item.One of the most considerable issues with modern work is pervasive burnout.The core aspects of burnout are feeling exhausted, cynical, and discouraged.There are steps you can take to preserve your energy and look for your next role regardless of industry.

Burned Out

Determine what's causing burnout.Limit meetings, triage important tasks, reconnect with colleagues, have more control over your schedule, and foster more communication with your managerIf the workplace is truly toxic, you should feel empowered to quit.

Get to The Root of Your Burnout

<ul><li>Identify roles and companies that align with your values and well-being.</li><li>Reflect on your current (or most recent, if you’re unemployed) workday for a week or so, making mental notes of moments where you felt happy and fulfilled.</li><li>Think about situations where you disliked the job.</li></ul>

Do some soul-searching

<ul><li>Don’t be demoralized by the path to employment</li><li>Give yourself 30-, 60-, and 90-day goals.</li><li>During the first 30 days, consider your values and what you would like your next role to look like.</li><li>Work on your resume.</li><li>60-day goal: Reach out to interesting positions or companies for short informational interviews.</li><li>By 90 days, you should be applying for jobs.</li></ul>

Break Down the Job Search

<ul><li>During the interview, use the Q&A portion to ask pointed questions about culture.</li><li>Without mentioning burnout outright, you can ask about office self-care practices, paid time off, flexible scheduling, and remote work.</li><li>You can get down to the question without actually coming out and saying, 'Hey, are your employees experiencing burnout?'"</li></ul>

Make the Most of The Interview

<ul><li>When you're burned out and already contending with a defeatist attitude, rolling with the punches is much more difficult. Acknowledge the feelings of hurt and disappointment.</li><li>Then, acknowledge your limited control in the interview process and focus on the areas within your power.</li></ul>

Manage Rejection

<ul><li>Take time off to recharge, log off, and rest.</li><li>Have a conversation with your future manager to set boundaries.</li><li>Prioritize yourself instead of your work.</li><li>The best-laid plan for plotting a job change while burned out involves taking small, meaningful steps.</li></ul>

Don’t Bring Burnout Into Your Next Role

Changing the company won't work until you first identify the root cause of your problems.

Looking for a new job doesn’t have to be just another exhausting to-do list item.

Stashed ideas

Finding a new job is possible — even when you’re burned out

While some horoscopes sites may promise predictions based on the “movement” of the stars,  it’s the Earth that’s moving, not the stars. The reason why stars look like they’re moving, both throughout the night and over the course of the year, is because the Earth rotates on its axis and orbits around the Sun. But, before most humans knew that, they spent a lot of time thinking about what was happening up there in the sky.Looking for answers, signs and predictions in the movements of the celestial bodies —is a longtime fascination of humans looking up at the stars to plan their lives.

Up In The Sky- The Answers To Our Lives

<ul><li>Although astrology is not itself a science, humans have been looking up at the stars to plan their lives for thousands of years</li><li>Farmers used the skies as a calendar as long as the Ancient Egyptians</li><li>Travellers used them as a compass to find directions</li></ul>

 Summer Solstice Horoscopes

<ul><li>We don't really know who first came up with the idea of looking at things in nature and divining influences on humans.</li><li>Some form of astrology shows up in various belief systems in ancient cultures.</li><li>In Ancient China, noblemen looked at eclipses or sunspots as portents of good or bad times for their emperor.</li><li>The Sumerians and Babylonians, by the middle of the second millennium BC, appeared to have had many divination practices - they looked at spots on the liver and the entrails of animals.</li></ul>

The Origin Of Zodiac Signs

<ul><li>These Western, or tropical, zodiac signs were named after constellations and matched with dates based on the apparent relationship between their placement in the sky and the sun.</li><li>The Babylonians had already divided it into 12 equal signs by 1500 BC</li><li>Ptolemy, the author of the Tetrabiblos, helped popularize these 12 signs.</li><li>Now astrologers do their calculations and forecasting based on where the planets and sun are relative to the twelve signs.</li><li>Astrologers say if the sun is in the sign of Sagittarius on the day you were born, then you're a Sagittarius.</li></ul>

The 12 Signs Of The Zodiac

<ul><li>For centuries, astrology (looking for signs based on the movement of the celestial bodies) was considered basically the same thing as astronomy (the scientific study of those objects).</li><li>But its popularity relies on factors that numbers can't compute, and the appeal of looking to the stars for answers has not waned.</li><li>Even if astrology's answers aren't based on scientific study, the reason people keep turning to the sky does come down to the psychological phenomenon he calls the human tendency for "self-selection," the search for interpretations that match what we already hope to be true.</li></ul>

Astrology Vs Astronomy

Astrology is not a science, but there's a real, fascinating history behind humans attaching meaning to the stars. Here's what to know.

Where Do Zodiac Signs Come From? Here's the True History Behind Your Horoscope

“There are two types of people in this world: those who resist change in favor of nostalgia and those who move with the times and create a better future.”

“Using words that talk straight to the part of the brain that is free from maybes and responds on reflex gives you a fair advantage in conversation and can result in you getting your own way more often.”

Magic words are sets of words that talk straight to the subconscious brain. The subconscious brain is a powerful tool in decision-making because it is preprogrammed through our conditioning to make decisions without overanalyzing them.Your aim shouldn’t be to move a person from “no” to “yes”—rather, you should focus on turning a “maybe” into a decision. And don’t fall into the trap of thinking that simple means small results—these tips and tricks could change everything about the way you get work done.

Use Magic Words

As a species, we are hardwired for narrative: stories help us understand the world around us, empathize with others, analyze the past, and make decisions for the future.When you want someone to make a decision in your favor, whether it’s to purchase a product, collaborate with you, or simply to agree with your point of view, invoking their imagination can be a powerful trigger. Examples:<ul><li>Just imagine how things will be in six months’ time once you have implemented this.</li><li> Just imagine the look on your kids’ faces when they see you achieve this.</li></ul>

The Power of Stories

For many people, there is a common urge to dig into the details—especially for those that consider themselves experts on a particular topic. Especially for those selling technical products or services, big-ticket items, or intangibles—the urge to dive right into details is strong. However, it’s often much more effective to resist the urge to geek out on the details, and keep responses at a very high level.Keep it simple: what is the outcome you’re trying to solve for? Remember that people typically make decisions based on feelings, with logic coming second.

Keep It Simple

All people think they know best – that’s how we’re built to think. And if you want to steer a conversation in a certain direction, you have to have control over it.A great way to achieve this is by moving the other person’s position “from one of certainty to one of doubt.” Hence the “what do you know?” magic phraseExamples:<ul><li>What do you know about everything that has changed since (insert event)?</li><li>What do you know about how things really work here?</li></ul>

What Do You Know?

Nothing motivates us more than losing what we already own. So paint for your listener a future scenario so that you can trigger in him the proper emotions.Examples: <ul><li>How would you feel if your competition passed you? (the “loss aversion” trigger)</li><li>How would you feel if this decision led to your promotion? (the “if-success” trigger; “loss aversion” in absentia).</li></ul>

How Would You Feel If?

When it comes to decision-making, we are notoriously susceptible to being fooled by both our emotions and our reason. We also tend to suffer from analysis paralysis when we have to choose from a number of options.A good way to take control over situations such as these is by offering only three options; afterward, just ask the other person “Of those three options, what’s going to be easier for you?”

You Have Three Options

If you want to prompt a near-instant decision, then frame the options within the “two types of people” narrative.<ul><li>There are two types of people in this world: those who leave their personal financial success in the hands of their employers and those who take full responsibility and build their own futures.</li><li>There are two types of people in this world: those who resist change in favor of nostalgia and those who move with the times and create a better future.</li></ul>

Two Types of People

Een if the good news follows after the worst news, they always tend to bring some relief.The formula is even more powerful if there is no bad news. Everybody wants some positivity in his/her life, and “The good news is…” is the magic word to infuse it!

The Good News

Sometimes, people say “no” – and are adamant about not changing their minds. Don't give up, try another magic combo.Examples<ul><li>Just out of curiosity, what is it specifically you need some time to think about?</li><li>Just out of curiosity, what is it that’s stopping you from moving forward with this right now?</li></ul>

Just Out of Curiosity


Phil M. Jones has trained more than two million people across five continents and over fifty countries in the lost art of spoken communication. In Exactly What to Say, he delivers the tactics you need to get more of what you want.

Exactly What to Say

An end of year review, also referred to as an annual review or a year end performance review, occurs once a year, where a manager goes over an employee’s overall performance. This kind of review is a little more formal than a career conversation. Its purpose is to go over achievements, goals, opportunities and any other ideas you may have for the upcoming year. 
This annual review is the perfect time to go over constructive feedback, both from the employee and the managers’ perspective.

The End Of Year Review

<ul><li>Accomplishments</li><li>Day-to-day responsibilities</li><li>Areas of improvement</li><li>Strengths</li><li>Company priorities</li></ul>

What To Cover In Your End Of Year Review

<ul><li>Take time to reflect.</li><li>Inquire about how to get to the next level.</li><li>Follow up.</li><li>Be specific.</li><li>Listen actively.</li></ul>

Five Tips For Employees For End Of Year Review

Start your year-end performance review by going over what your team member did a great job on. It’s important to start the conversation on a positive note because you’re setting the tone for the rest of the discussion. When you give positive feedback, you teach your employees which kinds of behaviours are valued, which means you’re much more likely to see that behaviour continue, while it’s applied to even more situations. Make sure that you’re also asking your employees questions about what they think went well so that you can foster an open discussion about their achievements.

Managers: Positive Feedback First

Annual reviews are the perfect opportunity to set new goals and define new challenges for your team members. It’s important that you’re both clear and specific about these new goals that you’re setting together so that the expectations are clearly defined and there’s no chance of miscommunication. This is an exciting topic of conversation and you want your employees to look forward to these new challenges, so be sure to take a positive approach to goal-setting and to make them realistic and achievable.

Managers: Set Goals And New Challenges

Promote a growth mindset with your team members by encouraging employees to look for opportunities. As a manager, it’s a good idea to keep your eyes peeled for professional opportunities as well. Remind your employees that growth is not static but a fluid learning process, that doesn’t necessarily mean moving up in the org chart (although it can) but moving laterally and gaining new competencies that complement their existing skillset.Assess the progress that your employees have made and measure the results so that you can consider what kind of new opportunities will provide value.

Managers: Promote a Growth Mindset

Overloading employees with too much feedback at once isn’t productive – it’s simply overwhelming. Even if someone has several areas that they need to work on, choose one or two points to really focus on. This is going to avoid making your employee feel negatively about the feedback and also avoid a lot of confusion as they try to remember the list of things that they were told they need to improve upon.

Managers: Limit Feedback To One Or Two Areas At A Time

Facilitating a two-way conversation where your employee is involved in finding solutions is going to empower them and make them feel like they have a big part to play in their own development- which they do! It’s important to try to see your employee’s perspective and approach situations empathetically.Give suggestions but make sure that at the end of the day, they’re taking charge of their careers. Ask for their feedback on your management style and demonstrate your willingness to receive feedback as well.

Managers: Finding A Solution Together

360-degree feedback is a powerful tool for managers, as it helps you understand how people on the team feel about each other’s work. It helps to give a fuller picture than just relying on one or two opinions. Multiple sources of feedback give a 3D view of an employee so they can better understand their personal development gaps.

Managers: 360 Degree Feedback

Whether you’re an employee or a manager, the most important thing you can do for an annual review is to be prepared for it. Although these reviews can feel a little nerve-wracking, they’re the optimal opportunity to learn, grow and build a better relationship with your manager or team member. Make sure that in your review you’re covering accomplishments, day-to-day responsibilities, areas to develop, strengths and the priorities of the company.

The Bottomline

As we move into the end of the year, it’s a good idea to get ahead of the game and think about what you need to cover in your year-end performance review. In order to get you ready, we have put together a complete guide to end of year reviews with functional tips for both employees and managers.

5 topics you should cover at your annual performance review to help your team reach their potential and set new and exciting goals.

Year End Review Tips For Employees and Managers

A corporate spin-off can set a parent company free from capital and bureaucratic constraints so that it can pursue alternative strategies. Four factors are critical for creating successful spin-offs:<ul><li>A quick transition toward growth</li><li>Operational excellence</li><li>Leadership time and attention</li><li>Culture and talent</li></ul> Addressing some or all of these factors can increase the likelihood that strategic decisions will create value for both companies.

A corporate spin-off

Research shows that revenue growth is vital to determine a spin-offs success. The management teams of both ParentCo and SpinCo can often explain how growth is part of the spin-off's strategic rationale together with improved capital management and operational changes. But they are typically much less clear about how they will achieve growth. A good idea is to achieve some quick wins to build momentum for the spin-off.

A quick transition toward growth

Companies that successfully execute win-win spin-offs will optimise the operating model for both companies.  For example, companies use the opportunity to increase their marketing expenditures or digitising the sales process. Others would attempt to improve, centralise, or simplify the operating structures before day one.

Operational excellence

Companies often encourage spin-offs to free up management's time to refocus on the core business or launch a new business. But it can be difficult to focus on the big picture, particularly for the SpinCos executives who have to develop and execute new strategies. Executives often spend more time focusing on the mechanics of spinning off units while missing the opportunities that they may unlock. They may wait until the spin-off is completed before preparing for the next step, resulting in being unable to capitalise on the momentum of the spin-off.

Leadership time and attention

A core question in most spin-offs is how to allocate talent as each company wants to keep the best people. It is noted that successful spin-offs assess the cultures and capabilities each company would need to succeed. Some identified critical roles that would create the most value and implemented a plan to find the right people for those roles.

Culture and talent

Achieving win-win spin-offs

The slogan roughly means that everything will work out all right in the end. It sums up how many Icelanders seem to approach life - laid back, carefree attitude and a good sense of humour. Yet, the slogan seems strange for a country that is not an easy place to live in. They have long winters, extreme poverty, indentured servitude, volcanic eruptions, strong storms, and about 500 small earthquakes every week. Through the 18th Century, 30% of babies died in their first year.

The Iceland slogan 'þetta reddast’

The phrase 'þetta reddast' seems to make more sense when you realise that the first Icelanders mainly were Norwegian farmers and peasants fleeing slavery and death. They risked a 1,500km journey across the rough North Atlantic seas in small open-hulled boats. They needed a level of conviction and optimism that things will work out, even if life seems hard at present. Of course, it doesn't mean everything will always work out, but they didn't let that stop them from trying.

Hope in the midst of trouble

Icelanders believe in their ability to fix things. With the harsh conditions, they are often forced to make the impossible possible. <ul><li>In 2008, they turned from their economic collapse.</li><li>In 2010, they turned the eruptions of a volcano into PR opportunities that made Iceland a popular destination and made tourism the main driver of their economy.</li></ul> Just like those early settlers who came from Norway, surely the same optimism can see us through the rough times we're facing.

Making the impossible possible

If Iceland were to have a national slogan, it would be ‘þetta reddast’, which roughly translates to the idea that everything will work out all right in the end.

The unexpected philosophy Icelanders live by

Science fiction caries shifting viewpoints. We can comprehend ourselves in ways unimaginable through sci-fi. There is science fiction that runs straight and true while others suck you into this time wormhole where you would never feel that four hours has gone by.
Nonetheless, science fiction tells stories that may or may not be in parallel to reality.

Knowing Sci-fi

Communication

<ul>
<li>Alien invasion</li>
<li>Alternate History</li>
<li>Apocalyptic</li>
<li>Cyberpunk</li>
<li>Hard science fiction</li>
<li>Horror</li>
<li>Military Science fiction</li>
<li>Mystery</li>
<li>Soft science fiction</li>
<li>Space opera</li>
<li>Steampunk</li>
<li>Superhero</li>
<li>Time travel</li>
<li>Western</li>
</ul>

Science Fiction Sub-genres

Alien invasion, hard science, space opera, and time travel are just some of the subgenres of science-fiction books and movies. What is your favorite sci-fi subgenre?

Know your science-fiction subgenres

One of the most relatable forms of anxiety is when we want an awkward conversation to be over, but cannot make it happen.
Studies on conversation dynamics show that they rarely end when we want them to, lasting up to twice as long. This includes the guy at the gym who does not know that wearing earphones means we don’t want to be disturbed. Even our friends and loved ones sometimes leave us gasping for breath, wanting to run away from the awkwardness.

Awkward Conversations

About 70 percent of people want an ongoing conversation to end earlier than it does, even with friends and loved ones. Whatever the length, a conversation never ends when we want it to end. We don’t normally be upfront about this and say it on the other person’s face, mainly to be polite and not to offend the other person.
Honesty and politeness are at loggerheads during an awkward conversation, and we are normally more polite towards strangers than we are with our loved ones.

Why Conversations Last Longer Than Expected

Two factors create a ‘coordination problem’ during an awkward conversation.
<ul>
<li>The first is that we assume we know when the other person wants to leave but we calculate that incorrectly.</li>
<li>The second factor is when we know what the other person wants but still cannot end the conversation suddenly by will. We cannot interrupt a story being told to us.</li>
</ul>

Awkward Conversations: The Coordination Problem

Being completely authentic and radically honest often does not go well with the other person. What’s surprising is that when we really listen to people, giving our total attention, it can come across as awkward to the other person, as it is not considered normal.
The best way to end an awkward conversation is to be pure and honest, telling the other person that you would love to keep talking, but you have to rush to do a particular activity. It is better than saying “It was really nice talking to you and I look forward to doing that again!”

Awkward Conversations: Radical Honesty

A psychologist explains why we want conversations to end sooner but usually get stuck.

How to walk away from awkward conversations

When we're around straightforward people we know exactly what the issues are from the start. They know what they want and they are not afraid to state it:
<ul>
<li>There is no need to guess and decode their intentions</li>
<li>If they don't want to do something, they will politely explain that it's not for them</li>
<li>If they are frustrated about something we do, they will kindly tell us (instead of pilling up anger and envy inside)</li>
<li>If they worry something might go wrong, they won't pretend that all is well</li>
<li>If they are attracted to someone, they will find ways of making their feelings known.</li>
</ul>

Straightforward People

Love & Relationships

They are the opposite of straightforward people. They are very hesitant about the validity of their own desires and that is why they are not capable of letting the people around them know how they really feel.
<ul>
<li>They appear to agree with everything you are saying, but later you will find out that they had a lot of doubts</li>
<li>They will tell you they'll love to go to an event you suggested when in reality they just want to go home</li>
<li>They feel overlooked but never raise a complaint</li>
<li>They want to be understood but never speak.</li>
</ul>

The Problem With Complicated People

The root cause of our complicated behavior is not that we're bad people or manipulative. We're just afraid of how people would respond if our real intentions would be known.
<ul>
<li>This fear can come from our childhood, if our caregivers gave us the impression that there was no room for our honesty.</li>
<li>Maybe as kinds we felt that our parents would be very sad if we'd reveal too much of our real dreams and hopes.</li>
</ul>
The child experiencing this grows into an adult that prefers to imply rather than state.

What Stops Us From Speaking Up

<ul>
<li>We should notice and learn about the origins of our behavior</li>
<li>We can remind ourselves that our circumstances have changed: the dangers that gave birth to our complicated manner of expression are gone. People won't get upset if we tell them how we feel. And if someone does, then as a final option, we can always walk away.</li>
<li>We should be able to recognize that our complicated behavior doesn't please people in reality; most of the people we deal it would prefer to hear our true opinion, even if they get frustrated with it at first.</li>
</ul>

How To Be More Straightforward

We prefer people who are ‘straightforward’: who are direct and unambiguous about their desires and characters. Becoming more so involves untangling the self-deceptions we constructed when we were young. Sign up to our new newsletter and get 10% off your first online order of a book, product or class: https://bit.ly/2TMs0dT For books and more from The School of Life, visit our online shop: https://bit.ly/3o8g43b Our website has classes, articles and products to help you lead a more fulfilled life: https://bit.ly/3jjbeMP Join this channel to get access to exclusive members perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7IcJI8PUf5Z3zKxnZvTBog/join FURTHER READING You can read more on this and other subjects on our blog, here: https://bit.ly/3dIOlkN “A basic distinction in humans is between those who are simple and straightforward to deal with – and those who are – as we tend to be reminded when we interact with them – repeatedly tricky or complicated to handle. What makes straightforward people gratifying to be around isn’t so much that their positions and intentions are always inherently unproblematic, it’s that we happen to know exactly what the issues are from the start. There is therefore no need to guess, infer, decode, untangle, unscramble or translate. There are no sudden surprises or revolutions in perspective. If these straightforward types don’t want to do something, they will, politely and in good time, explain that it’s really not for them. If they’re unhappy with our behaviour, they won’t smile sweetly while developing noxious stores of envy or hatred in the recesses of their minds; they will immediately provide a gentle but accurate statement of how we are frustrating them. If they are worried a project is going awry, they won’t pretend that all is well until a catastrophe can no longer be denied. If they are attracted to someone, they will find charming, kind and inoffensive ways of making their feelings clear. And in bed, they may want to please, but they can also be honest and unashamed about what actually excites them.” MORE SCHOOL OF LIFE Watch more films on SELF in our playlist: http://bit.ly/TSOLself You can submit translations and transcripts on all of our videos here: https://www.youtube.com/timedtext_cs_panel?c=UC7IcJI8PUf5Z3zKxnZvTBog&tab=2 Find out how more here: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6054623?hl=en-GB SOCIAL MEDIA Feel free to follow us at the links below: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theschooloflifelondon/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheSchoolOfLife Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theschooloflifelondon/ CREDITS Produced in collaboration with: Noelle Smith Design http://www.noellesmithdesign.com/ Title animation produced in collaboration with Vale Productions https://www.valeproductions.co.uk/

How to Be More Straightforward

Some of the first tools for writing were the hunting club and the sharpened stone. Cave dwellers scratched pictures onto the walls of cave dwellings. It represented daily events such as planting crops or hunting victories.
With time, systematised symbols were developed from their drawings that represented words and sentences but were quicker and easier to draw. The symbols became shared among groups.

History of writing: Some of the first tools

<ul>
<li>Early merchants used clay tokens with pictographs to record the quantities of materials traded or shipped. These tokens date back to 8500 BCE. The pictographs evolved and became abstract figures representing sounds.</li>
<li>Around 400 BCE, the Greek alphabet was developed and replaced pictographs as a commonly used form of visual communication. They also wrote script from left to right. The Greeks used a writing stylus made of metal, bone or ivory to put marks on wax-coated tablets.</li>
</ul>

Portable records

<ul>
<li>Ink. The Chinese invented 'Indian Ink', a mixture of soot from pine smoke and lamp oil mixed with the gelatin of donkey skin and musk. By the year 400, a stable form of ink consisted of iron salts, nutgalls, and gum. It became a formula for centuries.</li>
<li>Paper. Early Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, and Hebrews used papyrus and parchment papers around 2000BCE. Wood-fiber paper was invented in China in the year 105.</li>
<li>Writing implements. Romans created a reed-pen from the hollow tubular stems of marsh grasses.</li>
</ul>

Ink, paper, and writing implements

<ul>
<li>The quill pen was used for the longest period in history. It was taken from living bird feathers in the spring. A quill pen lasted for one week before it had to be replaced.</li>
<li>In 1436, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press. The ability to mass-produce writing revolutionised the way humans communicate.</li>
</ul>

Quill pens and the printing press

Learn about the history of written language including cave drawings, the history of the pen, and the Gutenberg printing press.

Bite-sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career

Addison I.
@addison_ii

Finding a new job is possible — even when you’re burned out

Where Do Zodiac Signs Come From? Here's the True History Behind Your Horoscope

Exactly What to Say

Year End Review Tips For Employees and Managers

Achieving win-win spin-offs

Bite-sized knowledgeto upgradeyour career

Addison I.@addison_ii

Finding a new job is possible — even when you’re burned out

Where Do Zodiac Signs Come From? Here's the True History Behind Your Horoscope

Exactly What to Say

Year End Review Tips For Employees and Managers

Achieving win-win spin-offs

Bite-sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career

Addison I.
@addison_ii