Time management

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Balancing the demands of a career while nurturing a family is a juggling act that countless parents face every day. The modern world presents working parents with a unique set of challenges, from managing time efficiently to maintaining a healthy work-life balance. What can busy working parents do to excel both professionally and personally? How can they effectively balance work and family?

We recently asked our leading executives for their best tips for working parents.

Here are their responses...

Ana Smith, Leadership Development & Learning Strategist

Working parents in the digital age face unique challenges, but also have a plethora of opportunities and tools at their disposal. Here are some of the best tips for navigating this landscape:

1. Embrace Technology

Use digital tools for organization and productivity, such as digital calendars, to-do lists, or apps specifically designed for families like Cozi or Trello.
Engage in virtual telehealth appointments, parent-teacher conferences, or tutoring to save travel time.

2. Set Boundaries

Designate a specific workspace in your home. When you're in this space, your family knows you're "at work."
Set specific "digital-free" times to fully engage with your family, devoid of work emails or distractions.

3. Educate Yourself and Your Kids About Digital Safety

Discuss online privacy, cyberbullying, and the importance of strong, unique passwords.
Use parental controls when necessary, but also teach your children about responsible internet usage.

4. Prioritize Quality Time

Even if you're using technology together, such as watching a movie or playing an online game, ensure youâre engaging in ways that foster closeness.
Set aside tech-free zones or times in the home to ensure uninterrupted family moments.

5. Promote a Healthy Tech-Life Balance for Children

Limit screen time and encourage physical activities, hobbies, and reading.
Use tech as an educational tool, not just entertainment.

6. Stay Connected

With the convenience of video calls, working parents can remain connected with their children even when they're away. A quick midday call can work wonders.
Use technology to stay involved in your child's school life, such as accessing online grade portals or school communication apps.

7. Self-Care and Mental Health

Utilize digital platforms for self-care and mental health, such as meditation apps, online therapy, or digital fitness classes.
Recognize when you need a digital detox, and take short breaks away from screens.

8. Continuous Learning

Digital landscapes are constantly evolving. Dedicate some time to learn about new tools, apps, or platforms that can make your life easier as a working parent.

9. Outsource When Needed

Consider using digital services like grocery deliveries, virtual assistants, or online tutoring to help manage your time more effectively.

10. Maintain an Open Dialogue

As children grow, their relationship with technology will change. Keep the lines of communication open and encourage them to share their online experiences, concerns, and discoveries with you.

11. Lead by Example

Children often mimic the behavior of their parents. Model good digital habits and a healthy relationship with technology.

The digital age certainly presents challenges for working parents, but by leveraging the opportunities it offers and setting boundaries, you can promote a balanced and fulfilling family life.

Ana Smith helps people & organizations achieve their full talent potential by developing and co-creating people strategies and customized solutions, and turning them into impactful outcomes and collaborative relationships, using coaching as the "red thread."

Michael Willis, Sports Business Operations Executive

Dad holds his baby while working from home

The NFL has always been committed to fostering a workplace that encourages work-life balance and supports the unique challenges faced by working parents. Here are some compassionate suggestions for navigating the demands of our dynamic industry while ensuring a healthy family life:

1. Flexible Scheduling: Encourage managers to embrace flexible work arrangements that allow parents to adjust their schedules when needed. This can significantly assist with managing family responsibilities and job commitments.

2. Parental Leave Policies: Ensure our policies are comprehensive and accommodating. Offering ample time off for new parents is vital in helping them transition into their new roles.

3. Remote Work Options: Consider allowing parents to work remotely, at least part of the time, as it can provide the flexibility they need to effectively balance their family and professional lives.

4. Childcare Support: Explore partnerships with local childcare providers to offer discounts or on-site daycare options. This can ease the burden on working parents and provide peace of mind.

5. Mentorship and Networking: Facilitate mentorship programs and networking opportunities for working parents within the organization. Connecting with colleagues who have faced similar challenges can be invaluable.

6. Employee Resource Groups: Promote and support employee resource groups (ERGs) focused on working parents. These groups can provide a sense of community and a platform to discuss shared experiences and solutions.

7. Wellness Initiatives: Emphasize the importance of mental and physical well-being by offering wellness programs, stress-management resources, and counseling services for parents dealing with the juggling act.

8. Clear Communication: Encourage open and transparent communication between employees and supervisors. This helps in setting realistic expectations and finding mutually beneficial solutions.

9. Professional Development: Ensure that career growth and development opportunities are accessible to all employees, regardless of their parental status. This encourages retention and motivation.

10. Recognition and Appreciation: Recognize working parents' hard work and dedication within the organization. Simple gestures of appreciation can go a long way in boosting morale.

Incorporating these strategies into our workplace culture demonstrates our commitment to supporting working parents and contributes to a more inclusive, empathetic, and motivated workforce. Together, we can create an environment where all employees, including working parents, can thrive in the fast-paced sports business industry.

Michael Willis has 18+ years of experience working with accounting & sports organizations and has managed P&Ls of $10M - $125M+ with budgets of $3M-$50M+. He worked for the NFL for 22 1/2 years, mainly with the game officials working on the financial/accounting side of the business.

Lisa Perry, Global Marketing Executive

Working mom helps her child with homework while working remotely

As a mother of two girls and a brand marketing executive, I know the intricacies of balancing work and family and the numerous challenges it brings. âBalanceâ often felt like an elusive concept as I constantly made sacrifices, for work, family time, or personal well-being. Iâve been through the extremesâworking relentlessly, traveling extensively, and grappling with the guilt of being away from my children to declining work commitments to ensure Iâm present for girlsâ milestones and bedtime routines. Achieving harmonious work-life balance was a perpetual battle.

If you are a working parent, here are some tips that Iâve used that can help you make the balancing act a little easier:

Prioritize Family: Spend quality time with your family to strengthen bonds and nurture happy, healthy children. Make family time a non-negotiable priority.
Self-Care: As women, we often overlook self-care and end up stretched thin. Whether itâs a leisurely lunch with a friend, a spa day, regular exercise, or simply getting ample rest, taking care of yourself is crucial for mental well-being and resilience.
Delegate Family Responsibilities: Consider delegating tasks if youâve shouldered most household chores as a working mom. Itâs okay if things arenât done your way; what matters is the quality time you gain with your family.
Set Boundaries: Learn to say no to unrealistic work expectations and establish clear boundaries. This not only helps you focus but also opens doors to new possibilities.
Open Communication: Maintain open communication with your boss and colleagues about your family responsibilities. A supportive work environment can make a significant difference in managing work and family life.
Time Management: Effectively managing your familyâs time by creating synchronized schedules that balance work, family, and personalized activities. Coordination and alignment are key.
Flexible Work Arrangements: Explore flexible work options like remote work or adjusted hours, if your job permits. These alternatives empower parents to meet their needs within a traditional 9-5 workweek.

Finding the right balance between work and family life is an ongoing journey. Adjustments are okay as your familyâs needs and work responsibilities change. If youâre eager to delve deeper into effective strategies, I invite you to explore my book How to Develop a Brand Strategy. Within its pages, youâll discover a comprehensive step-by-step guide to crafting a robust brand strategy that aligns seamlessly with your business objectives.

Remember, youâre not alone! With the right strategies and mindset, you can navigate the challenges of being a working parent while fostering a fulfilling life for yourself and your family.

Lisa Perry helps companies drive revenue by using consumer trends, insights, and data analytics to innovate their approach to marketing.

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Executive Spotlight: The Best Tips For Working …

Workplace stress is considered normal. However, excessive stress may negatively affect your productivity and personal health. The way you deal with stress at work can make a difference. Many people assume that they don't have any control over their work environment. Yes, you can't control everything at your workplace, but it doesn't mean you're powerless.

Stress management isn't a big deal if you keep your focus clear and think about the aspects that ARE in your control. If you are over-occupied with work, then it might make your attitude stubborn or irritable. You can lose your confidence and your work will seem less rewarding. If you don't manage workplace stress at its initial stage, then it will ultimately result in bigger problems.

Here are some simple time management tips to regain your control over difficult situations and handle work-related stress effectively:

Balance Your Work-Life Schedule

Woman on laptop works a flexible work schedule to balance work and life

Analyze your daily schedule and responsibilities at home and work. Make a to-do list and estimate the time needed to complete tasks. Create a smooth balance between work and family life. Analyze your eating and sleeping habits (many people don't get enough sleep). Eat a balanced diet and try to get 6-8 hours of sleep.

Don't Over-Commit

Businessman stresses out over his job responsibilities

It's not humanly possible to work well consecutively for 8-9 hours. Some people think that if they work uninterrupted for eight hours, then they can get more work done. This concept is not true. Instead, it will decrease your energy and productivity levels and lift your work-related stress level.

Avoid putting too much on your plate and scheduling tasks back-to-back. Don't over-occupy yourself and take on too many tasks for a single day. If you have heaps of tasks, then make a distinction between "should" and "must." Drop down tasks that are not on priority right now or remove them entirely from your list. Time management is essential to any workday.

Get To Work Earlier

Try to get to work early. Even 10-15 minutes can bring a huge difference between rushing toward your seat and peacefully starting your day. Don't add one more stressor to your list by arriving late to the office.

Organize Your Breaks

Coworkers eat lunch outside during the summer

Take a few five-minute breaks throughout your day to keep your mind fresh. Go for a walk, stretch at your desk, conduct a breathing exercise, or engage in small chit-chat with your colleagues to keep yourself active. Sitting in one place the whole day can make you dull and lethargic.

Go out or get away from your cubicle for lunch. Stepping away from your tasks and taking small breaks will help you relax and recharge so you can conquer new challenges.

Pressure at work is sometimes motivating but an excessive amount of it results in stress. By effectively managing your time, you can organize your tasks, meet your deadlines, and beat work-related stress.

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Time Management: 4 Keys To Avoiding Work-Related …

How often have you said, âIf I only had more time," or âI wish there were more hours in the day"? We say that often implying that, if we had more time, we would get the rest we need or slow down to a more normal pace.

But chances are if we did have more hours in the day, we would immediately fill them up with more things to do instead of creating the space we need to take a much-needed break.

We don't really need more time in the day. What we really need are strategies to better manage our time.

The concept of time management is not new: most of us have schedules, planners, and reminder notes aplenty. What's lacking though is the prioritization, decisions, and boundaries needed to ensure the schedule works not just for your job, family, friends, and commitments, but for you as well.

Too many professionals put time for themselves last on the list. Here are three time management tips that will help you achieve a better work-life balance:

Set Priorities

Woman on laptop works on her time management skills by writing down her priorities

Effective time management begins with setting priorities. Start by making a list of all the tasks you have to do this week. Once you've got a completed list, go back to the top of your list and add your name. If your name or doing something for yourself was already on the list, give yourself a pat on the back and make sure it is at the top.

If you don't start setting aside some time for yourself, it's easy to keep working non-stop. And while you may get a lot done at first, eventually you'll burn out and your work and personal life will suffer. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance should always be a part of your priority list.

Make Decisions

Man thinks about improving his time management skills

Now that you have your list, you have some decisions to make. Unless you've done a really good job of filtering, you probably have a list that is way too long to be realistic.

Make the first decision to carve out time for yourself. It doesn't have to be a big chunk of time to start with. Try setting aside 15-minute blocks of time for yourself. Use the time to walk, read, take a nap, or call a friend. Make a list of things you can do in 15 minutes. That way, you don't spend your block of time trying to figure out what to do.

Other decisions: decide on the number of things that are number one priorities. Will you have two or four things that must get done? Choose what you can realistically handle. That does not mean you won't get to other things; it just allows you to take some of the pressure off that comes with feeling like you have to do everything now.

Please note this is not procrastinating. You're not putting it off out of avoidance or fear. You are wisely taking control of your clock and taking care of yourself.

Set Boundaries

Woman talks to a colleague about time management

Look for ways to set healthy limits in your relationships. This includes relationships at work and with friends. It also means setting limits and keeping promises to yourself. Most of us wouldn't dream of breaking a promise we made to someone else, and if we did, we'd spend at least a week beating ourselves up about it. But we break promises to ourselves all the time, crossing the boundaries we've set for ourselves.

While it's true no one gets more than 24 hours in a day, we still have power over how productive we are by managing our time.

Managing time is more than just the ability to lay out an organized schedule. True time management means setting priorities that communicate clearly what's really important, making wise decisions that help set realistic goals, and setting firm boundaries that allow us to keep the promises we make to ourselves and others.

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3 Keys To Good Time Management

A hobby hustle is a job that's related to your passions or interests. It doesn't really feel like work. It's something you would do even if you weren't getting paid, but you're monetizing it in some way.

âWhen you diversify and you build a hobby hustle, what you're doing is building up a skill set that's employable," says career expert J.T. O'Donnell. Who knows, your hobble hustle could end up growing so big that it becomes your full-time job. Or, you could lose your job unexpectedly and have your side business to fall back on.

These days, a lot of people are taking on a side hustle in addition to their full-time jobs. However, if you don't know how to balance your time between your full-time job and your side hustle, you might find yourself getting distracted, feeling overwhelmed, or performing poorly at work.

So, how can you manage this hobby-focused side hustle effectively?

Make Sure You're Pursuing The Right Side Hustle

"If you haven't found time for your hobby hustle, then you haven't found the right one," says O'Donnell. "The whole point of it is to do something that inspires you even if you couldn't make money."

If you still can't find time for your side hustle, then you need to go back to the drawing board and figure out what job inspires you enough to make time for it.

Ask yourself: What hobbies do I enjoy? What activities do I like to do? How can I monetize them?

Schedule Time For Your Hobby Hustle

Woman on laptop manages her side hustle while working full time

Just like you make appointments at the dentist, set aside time to go to the gym, and schedule dinners with friends, you need to make it a point to schedule time for your side hustle. Otherwise, you're going to have a hard time staying on top of it.

According to O'Donnell, even if you just set aside 30 minutes per week, that's enough. Dedicate some time to building your business and, slowly but surely, you'll create something you can be proud of.

So, find something that inspires you and make time for it. You'll not only make a little money on the side, but you'll also do something you truly enjoy. Plus, you'll have a backup plan if something goes wrong at your current job.

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Tricks For Managing A “Hobby Hustle” When …

Executive Spotlight: The Best Time Management Hacks To Use On The Job

What would we do with more time in the day? Most of us probably think we'd be more productive. But if there's one thing we want more of but can't control, it's time. The secret to being more productive is not more time, but better time management. This is especially true at work.

The most successful professionals have exceptional time management skills. If you don't have strong time management skills, that's okay. Like any skill, time management skills can be developed.

We recently asked our leading executives about their best time management hacks.

Here are their responses...

Percy Leon, Digital Media Content Executive

You've probably heard of "time hacks" by now if you're a video creator, a YouTube manager, or just someone who needs to maximize their time while working.

Time-saving techniques are basically ways to be more productive at work and do more tasks faster.

You can utilize a few different tactics to make the most of your time. I do the following things, to name a few.

The first thing I do is make a schedule I can follow. I know I'll be able to focus and make the most of the time I have if I have a plan of action for each day and know what needs to be done and when.

Over the entire month, I aim to develop and batch my stuff, having enough for LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube long form, and YouTube shorts.

I divide my tasks into manageable portions and complete each one one at a time. This is another crucial time-saving technique.

This enables me to concentrate on each activity and complete it more quickly. I discovered various apps, like Notion, to keep track of what needs to be done so that you don't forget anything.

Limiting distractions is a third time-saving trick. I mute my phone, turn off notifications, even if I find this to be a challenge, and concentrate on the task at hand. That way, I won't be seduced by diversions all the time and can accomplish more in less time.

I try to take breaks throughout the day. This helps my mind recharge and Iâm able to continue with the task I set out to do.

By creating a schedule, breaking out each task into smaller chunks, limiting distractions, and taking breaks throughout the day, Iâm able to get more done in less time and be more productive.

Percy Leon is a digital media content producer specializing in educational technology and entertainment. He is interested in web3, metaverse, and the use of virtual reality for storytelling.

Kathryn Marshburn, Music Program Manager

Professional woman with good time management skills calls someone on the phone

I thought I was a great multi-tasker as a businesswoman until I saw a video on Nick Cannon and Amber Grimes when I saw how they both work in the music industry. They are on time, work like no other, efficiently work, treating the housekeeping staff the same as a client. Always having a positive attitude and always showing up. I borrowed a life hack from Nick, where he has a daily list of his to-dos, but always adds the last item where he makes time to do at least one favor a day for someone. This is one of my favorite topics: how do we share our experiences and mold and guide the next generation?

I value sharing my perspective with Gen Z and millennials about the music industry and how staff should be treated. I have many students and industry folks that reach out to me to ask questions about the industry in LA and connecting with these requests is important to me.

My favorite time-saving hack is to follow the Nick Cannon style of working and do favors and serve others. But because there are so many requests, I had to come up with an organizational plan.

I reserve 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm every single Friday to allow for time in my calendar to serve others and share what I know about the music industry. I schedule 30-minute calls, back to back, for anyone who wants to chat on music, needs advice, needs to connect, or is looking for resources. This helps me to plan ahead and group requests together.

I'm a big believer in paying it forward as so many people, especially women, kicked down so many doors for me.

Kathryn Marshburn has spent 12+ years in the music and gaming industries guiding teams on identifying targeted goals with an agile approach resulting in driving revenue and reducing risk.

Mark Taylor, Product & Operations Executive

Professional man with good time management skills talks during a work meeting

Self-prioritisation. Identify the current âaxis of powerâ in your work and align what you are doing with that.

For example, I gave an update every Monday to the CEO on the status of a number of projects that had previously been languishing.

I knew the CEOâs expectations: 1) that everyone involved in the projects was working well together, and 2) that what we said was going to be done was actually being addressed in a timely and accurate manner.

I spent a good amount of my week getting status updates, fact-checking, and thinking ahead for possible questions. I blended these into a truth-based, expectation-meeting story by the time Mondayâs meeting arrived.

This is where the âaxis of powerâ comes in. If the CEO thought I was getting things done and doing a good job, it didnât matter what anyone else thoughtâand I lived to fight another day...

Mark Taylor has 20+ years of risk, technology, and product management experience working in global and regional financial services firms in the UK and the U.S. He's managed teams of 40+, successfully addressed 100+ regulatory issues, and has saved companies $15M+.

Carla Biasi, Personal Stylist

Work delegation, time management concept

Delegation! As an executive, we are charged with hiring a highly competent team. Use the highly motivated in your group to assist with tasks and responsibilities. This also helps acclimate them to different skills, and you have the opportunity to discover hidden talents in your staff. Your employees will love the collaborative environment!

Carla Biasi is a personal stylist living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. She currently has her own business and works part-time at an upscale women's boutique and as a virtual and kit stylist for a womenâs specialty brand.

What's the best time management hack you use on the job? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily's Executive Program.

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Executive Spotlight: The Best Time Management Hacks …

Executive Spotlight: The Skills Executives Need To Succeed In Today’s Hybrid Workplace

The workplace looks a lot different today than it did a couple of years ago. With the rise of remote work, many companies have permanently adopted a hybrid work model. This change has impacted employees and management alike. But in order for companies to stay competitive and build on their successes, their executives must develop the skills necessary to lead in today's hybrid workplace.

We recently asked our successful executives what skills they think leaders need to succeed in today's hybrid workplace.

Here are their responses...

Melodie Turk, Learning Experience Executive

Every executive in a hybrid workplace needs a good time management formula.

You need to be able to spend time on your actual deliverables, you need to spend time with your direct reportsânot only directing work, but in personal developmentâyou need to spend time with your department or organization, and you need to spend time in strategic planning. This list could continue but plotting out the hours for each time description adds up really quickly, such as 15 hours for deliverables, 5 hours for direct reports, 10 hours for organization, and 3 hours for strategic planning. Now, you only have 7 hours left for ad hoc meetings, innovation, your own development, putting out fires, etc.

Knowing that you need to be more intentional with your time is key. Intentional plotting out your time on your calendar (and sticking to it) is critical. Having others understand your time priorities is essential.

Melodie Turk is a learning experience executive with a unique background in the learning and development arena as well as change management. She is passionate about bringing change to the workplaceâchange that is meaningful and change that will last.

Lisa Perry, Global Marketing Executive

Executive/leader on laptop manages a hybrid workplace

Weâve seen more changes in the workplace over the last two years than in the previous two decades. In these two years, weâve learned quite a bit about working remotely including how to enhance leadership skills in this new work environment.

Here are five skills executives need to succeed in todayâs hybrid workplace:

1. Communication: Executives need to be great communicators from increased listening skills, more in-depth and personal conversations, focusing on written communication, to enabling informal interactions.

2. Trust: Trust is even more important in todayâs hybrid work environment. With less managerial oversight, organizations are empowering employees to do their work. Conversely, employees have had to be confident that work is being assigned fairly.

3. Accountability: Without being able to see people to generate an understanding of their productivity and performance, executives need to hold employees accountable for their outcomes and results.

4. Flexibility: The people who will thrive in a hybrid workplace will not only be flexible. Theyâll be agile to adapt to changing circumstances, be creative problem solvers, and have a degree of open-mindedness.

5. Virtual Innovation: A study of Microsoft employees shows how remote work puts productivity and innovation at risk. To drive innovation in a hybrid work environment, have open communication and encourage working sessions.

Lisa Perry helps companies build leadership brands, driving loyal customers & delivering profitability. She does this through a process that builds brands consumers love. Her goal is to help companies develop, monetize, and grow their brands.

Dr. Hannah Hartwell, Learning & Development Executive

Executive/leader sets clear expectations with his employee

The most successful executives who are managing well in todayâs hybrid work environment provide clear and consistent expectations. Having clear expectations has always been important, but now even more so. Clear expectations also involve having crucial and vulnerable conversations about any other factors that could impact work. We have all gone through this pandemic together, but people experienced it differently based on their own situations. Itâs important to recognize and acknowledge the differences. Have those conversations with your team and ask how you, as the executive, can provide more direction or support.

One of my mentees recently asked me how she can better advocate for herself at work. I asked some probing questions, and her concerns were about expectations. She felt inspired to have a vulnerable conversation with her manager and enthusiastically shared that she knew exactly what was expected of her moving forward. As executives, itâs important for us to open our hybrid office door to facilitate those conversations.

Dr. Hannah Hartwell is a learning and development executive and change management practitioner with 15+ years of business transformation experience in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, higher education, and professional services industries.

Percy Leon, Digital Media Content Executive

Group of executives/leaders work together in a hybrid workplace

Here are some of the most important skills executives need to succeed in today's business world:

1. Communication: The ability to manage remote teams effectively. It's crucial for executives to know how to manage a virtual team.

2. Leadership: The ability to lead change. Executives need to be able to lead their teams through times of change, whether it's a change in the company's direction or a change in the market.

3. Set Boundaries: Make sure they separate work and personal time. Sometimes this can be a challenge if executives also play at the same space they work at.

4. Creativity: The ability to come up with new and innovative ideas. This includes thinking outside the box and coming up with creative solutions to problems and also building their brands.

Percy Leon is a digital media content producer specializing in educational technology and entertainment. He is interested in web3, metaverse, and the use of virtual reality for storytelling.

Andrea Markowski, Marketing Executive

Executive leads a team meeting with hybrid, in-office, and remote employees

In a hybrid environment, there is one thing that is often overlooked: equity.

Imagine: Your team is split, and half you see regularly in person while half are 100% remote. It could be quite easy for you to âforgetâ the remote folks because, as they say, out of sight, out of mind.

What this means is potentially giving the juicy projects and even more job advancements to team members that you interact with in person, while those who you never see get left out.

Or, those who are in the office more often might have access to more resources, equipment, and even social opportunities than those who work remotely, giving them an advantage.

Managers should make a deliberate effort to be equitable and fair with opportunities in hybrid environments. Greater visibility does not mean that someone is more productive or a higher performer. Be aware of any biased opinions you may hold due to informal, in-person networking.

Andrea Markowski is a marketing director with specializations in strategy development, digital tactics, design thinking, and creative direction. She has superpowers in presentations and public speaking.

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Executive Spotlight: The Skills Executives Need To …

It can be very demanding looking for another job when your current one is constantly stressing you out. After all, when you get home from a long and frustrating day, the last thing you want to do is give any more thought to the world of work. Unfortunately, most new jobs don't just fall into your lap—you have to go out and get them.

Approaching your job search as strategically and as systematically as you would approach your next business deal can help keep the process manageable. Here are three keys to a successful job search:

1. Initiation

If you were going to start a huge new project at work, would your first step be to just sit down and start the project? Of course not! A lot of planning and preparation go into any major project, and your job search should be no different. Therefore, the first step is NOT to sit down and start sending out dozens of generalized resumes to any job that sounds like a relatively good fit.

Your first task should be to determine exactly what you're looking for in your next position. Just like you can't write a project plan until you know what the project is, you simply cannot write an effective resume or cover letter without some idea of where you'd like your career to go. You may find this part of the process to be the most time-consuming, as it requires some soul-searching. However, it's an essential step in the process that must not be skipped.

2. Planning

Once you've determined your professional goals, you're ready to spend some time assembling your marketing tools—a cover letter, resume, and any other pertinent documents that support your message (like an optimized LinkedIn profile). This is essentially the same process as setting up a project at work; you need both plans and human resources for an effective job search.

It's important to tailor your resume and cover letter to the specific job that you're applying to. In order to have a powerful resume, you have to lead with results and quantifiable accomplishments. This process takes time, so plan your schedule accordingly.

3. Execution

Only when you've established a goal and pulled together the tools needed to accomplish it should you actually start looking for and applying to jobs. Setting up email alerts through sites like Glassdoor.com or Indeed.com can save you hours of scouring through online job postings.

If you tackle your job search in a strategic and systematic manner, you should soon reach a place where you can go to your inbox, look through positions that may be a good fit for you, and then simply customize your polished resume for each application. Consider each quality job application you send off as a deliverable in the project of finding yourself another job. Whenever you successfully land your next position, you'll be able to close out this project and move on to the next one!

The job search process can be incredibly frustrating and stressful, especially if you're feeling lost, trapped, or burned out in your career. If you're struggling to find a job that's right for you, we can help.

We'd love it if you joined our FREE community. It’s a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades.

It's time to find work that makes you feel happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. Join our FREE community today to finally become an empowered business-of-one!

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