Recent Articles From EvanCarmichael.com http://www.evancarmichael.com/ http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/Al-Gores-Approach-to-WorkLife-Balance.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/Al-Gores-Approach-to-WorkLife-Balance.html In Al Gore’s documentary on global warming (An Inconvenient Truth), he makes reference to a picture used by the Bush administration to illustrate the conflict between money and environment. In the picture, there is a scale: on one side of the scale, there is a pile of gold bars, on the other the earth. As Al Gore somewhat wryly pointed out…gold is not much use to you if you have no earth. I must say the same thought strikes me when I read about “work-life balance.” http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/Make-2008-the-Best-Year-of-Your-Career.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/Make-2008-the-Best-Year-of-Your-Career.html Yep, folks, it’s that time again--a time to set resolutions which we seem to assume we won’t keep, a time to think about really getting the job of our dreams. Here are some ideas/steps for making 2008 the best year of your career. So, why not take 2-3 hours to think about how you can make 2008 the year of your career http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/KICKSTART-2008.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/KICKSTART-2008.html Why not take some time this year during the quiet days after Christmas to identify what you really want to achieve in 2008? Make it real, concrete, achievable and imagine what it will be like this time next year knowing you have achieved these goals. Use the following points as a way to get ready for a brilliant 2008. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/Surviving-Christmas-Without-Grievous-Bodily-Harm--It-Can-Be-Done.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/Surviving-Christmas-Without-Grievous-Bodily-Harm--It-Can-Be-Done.html Yes folks it’s that time of the year again. A time when every aspect of popular culture tells us to be happy, loving and full of cheer and when many of us feel like ripping the head off our nearest and dearest. Here are some tips to help you get through Christmas if Mr. Claus is not one of your more cherished icons. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/2008-Choose-a-Theme-Not-a-Resolution.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/2008-Choose-a-Theme-Not-a-Resolution.html When I began to write this article, I decided to go back to basics and check out the dictionary definition of “resolutions.” I got “A thing resolved on, an intention”. To me, the word “intention” is preferable to “resolution.” Somehow intention resonates with the idea of “definitely going to do,” whereas “resolution” has more of an air of doing something because it is good for you, and that’s not always the most inspiring. So, I decided to focus on New Year Intentions. I think for intentions to work, they need to have the following three elements. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/8-Tips-to-Tackle-the-Post-Holidays-Blues.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/8-Tips-to-Tackle-the-Post-Holidays-Blues.html We’ve all had it…two weeks of sun, sand, sangria and whatever you are having yourself. No thoughts of work (unless you are self-employed…and in that case work is rarely far away!). And then here comes Monday again, the dreary routine, same old ding-dong and your heart sinks….” is this it?” you ask yourself. Well, here are some tips to change how you feel after coming back from the holidays. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/Avoid-that-Christmas-Financial-Hangover.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/Avoid-that-Christmas-Financial-Hangover.html Yes, folks it’s that time of year again in which we will be expected to spend 20 million euros an hour on Christmas Eve in Ireland along Yep, that’s right, AN HOUR. Of course a substantial chunk of that will be on credit and many of us will be dreading our January credit card bills: I spent HOW MUCH. Ouch. So how can we enjoy Christmas without giving ourselves the January hangover? Here are some tips to ensure that January is not the cruelest credit card month for you. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/Contract-or-Bust.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/Contract-or-Bust.html You’ve just had another row with your plonker boss and you have decided enough is enough. In 2007, you are going to become a contractor, and begin earning the big bucks you know you deserve, and having all the free time you want. There is no doubt that contracting can be a great lifestyle but there are other dimensions that you need to think of as well. What about having no regular paycheck? What happens when you don’t have work. Yep, it’s not quite as rosy as you think but nevertheless it can be brilliant! Well, before you hand in your resignation here are some pointers to think about. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/10-Ways-for-Contractors-to-Keep-their-Current-Customers-Happy-and-Keep-More-Coming.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/10-Ways-for-Contractors-to-Keep-their-Current-Customers-Happy-and-Keep-More-Coming.html More and more of us are becoming contractors (over 200,000 according to CSO) and one of the key skills to being successful is knowing how to treat our customers in such a way as they keep giving us repeat work (the easiest sort of work to get). http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/10-Ways-to-Get-Back-into-the-Confidence-Club.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Work-Life/1709/10-Ways-to-Get-Back-into-the-Confidence-Club.html The word for confidence in Gaelic is muinín (pronounced muneen), and it is also the word for trust. The English dictionary definition of confidence is "firm trust," "a feeling of reliance or certainty." So, self-confidence is really about trusting yourself. The question then is how you can learn to trust yourself.