8 tips on how to manage a full-time job and your personal brand
Branding is the new black.
Full-time work, the 9-5 daily grind, that we’re all expected to endure at some point in our lives (right?), can be stressful to say the least. Especially for millennials today, stress and anxiety are common when you have a full-time job and trying to manage your own personal brand (blog, website, photography, networking, side-hustle etc).
While a flexible career seems like the ideal situation for yourself and your personal brand–coffee breaks whenever you want–some people can be put off by how difficult it is to find such work and decide to stick with their full-time job.
So, can you work a 9-5 job and still grow your personal brand? …well, we’re about to find out! The key is to not let your anxieties get the best of you when performing your responsibilities.
As a result, here are 8 tips on to successfully manage the 9-5 rat race and personal brand.
1. Develop A Plan:
Get a piece a paper and write down what you want to accomplish and how you will fulfil your goals. Write it down fast enough before you forget! (As a journalist, I always carry with me a pen and notebook.) This will save you a lot of time in the long run and reduce your stress and anxiety. Once you write down the steps, follow each step one at a time. This will help reduce the pressures of managing your job and personal brand in the long run.
2. Learn To Delegate:
Don’t do everything at once. A person can only do so much in a given day. Learn to manage your responsibilities, efficiently. If you feel like you are doing too much, then take a break and evaluate your situation. It’s important to not let your job take over your life (and health).
3. Prepare For Unexpected Surprises:
Sometimes things happened that might take you by surprise. That’s just life. Be flexible and when unexpected things happen learn how to deal with them immediately. Do not push things up! And be prepared. Being prepared for surprises is important when trying to accomplish your business goals.
4. Don’t Be Afraid To Make The Tough Decisions:
Take a deep breath to help relax in making your career and business decisions. If you still feel stressed, then get out of the house – go for a run or just go for a walk in the park to get some fresh air. You will feel much better afterwards and gain a fresh perspective on your current situation with new inspiration and creativity. This will make it easier to make the right decision.
5. Learn To Communicate:
Network and communicate with others on a regular basis. It’s important that you and your colleagues are on the same wavelength. For instance, your team needs to develop a new advertising campaign and your team is to present the board on how to go about it. The last thing you want is to have your team members assume that they know what is needed and have them do their own thing. Meanwhile the other half of the team is going in another direction. This leads to disaster and wasted time and effort. Communicate! Talk with your team members daily to be sure everyone is doing what they are suppose to when it comes to your career and your brand.
6. Be Open To New Ideas:
Try to see things from the other person’s perspective. This will help you to see where the other person is coming from which will increase your understanding of the situation. Don’t assume that you are the one who has all the answers when it comes to your career and brand.
7. Take Things Slowly:
In dealing with your anxieties at your job, learn to take it one day at a time. While the consequences of a particular fear may seem real, there are usually other factors that cannot be anticipated and can affect the results of any situation. Get all of the facts right and use them to your advantage. The more control you have over a stressful situation, the better off you will be in the long run.
8. Take Advantage Of The Help That Is Available Around You:
If possible, talk to a career or business coach who can help you manage your stresses. They will be able to provide you with expert advice and insights on how to deal with your current problem. By talking to a professional with an insight in your industry, your will be helping yourself in the long run – trust us on this one – because you will be able to deal with your business problems in the future.
