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Health Hacks for the Remote Worker

Health Hacks for the Remote Worker

  • rs_ph_website

  • April 21, 2021

  • 4:24 am

  • 0 comments

Working remotely usually requires one to sit in front of a computer screen 8 hours a day, and while this has now become the new normal, there are a lot of detrimental effects to this health-wise. At Rocket Station, we are aware of all the advantages and disadvantages of working from home and seek to discuss ways we can make the lives of people easier. 

Develop your Sleep-Care Routine

Sleep irregularities are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, obesity, depression, and anxiety. By developing a consistent sleep routine, we lessen the chances of developing these ailments. So set your sleeping environment well. Keep the temperature cool. Have the room be completely dark, if you are on night shift and sleep in the mornings, make sure you have thick black out curtains to block out the sun. Make sure the room is devoid of noise and clear out any unnecessary clutter, clean bed sheets have also been proven to induce better sleep. 

Find time to be active

Various health and wellness sources state that all you need to keep active is to have 25 active minutes per day. Exercising relieves stress, helps in achieving better physical health and makes an individual more productive. Research suggests that exercise helps in increased levels of dopamine, serotonin and endorphins and regular practice is associated with improved mental and physical health.

Expose yourself to Nature

Exposing yourself to nature can aid in the overall alleviation of stress and improve a person’s mood. If you cannot go to nature, bring nature to you! Line your workout space with potted greens to help simulate the experience.

Plan your Meals Ahead 

It’s easy for us to just grab whatever is easy to eat when we’re at home such as all those delicious sweet or salty snacks. But if you want to stick to healthier habits, plan your meals in advance and intentionally add helpful ingredients that can combat stress and aid in rejuvenation of energy.

Protect Your Eyes from Blue Light

That harmful blue light from computer and cellphone screens makes it difficult to fall asleep because it tricks your body into believing it is the daytime due to the brightness of the screens. Not only does it affect sleep, it also deteriorates our eyes cumulatively. For night shift workers it is all too difficult to stay away from electronics or sleep in dark rooms if we sleep during sunrise. One way to help us is to stay away from blue light screens 2-3 hours before sleeping and if it is already daytime, use thick black out curtains for you to sleep better.

Set Intentional Time for Rest and Meditation

Learn to unplug, unload, destress and meditate. Meditation aids in clearing the mind, especially if coupled with deep breathing exercises. Allot at least 10-15 minutes a day, whether it be during your lunch break or when you wake up first thing in the morning to meditate. Studies show that people who meditate are 10% happier than the average person. 

Rocket Station places value in the health and wellness of each teammate and seek to empower them to lead a healthy lifestyle. This April, join our community by signing up in our newsletter to read more interesting articles about health and wellness and how it can help you at work. 

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While all individuals have their dreams and paths to take, there are a few common truths no matter the intended result. One of these is that leadership is important. It is many things. Leadership is a concept, an action, a goal, and of course; it is a requirement to achieve success whether you wish to be a business leader or a simple community volunteer.

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Success, accomplishments, and consequent rewards are things every person and company strives for. However, it is easy to observe that not everyone manages to reach these goals. In the same way, not everyone who gets these goals are equally happy about the results. Why is this though? There are countless possible reasons, but a fundamental idea that is quickly forgotten and dismissed is having the correct values.

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Sleep-care Practices for Night Shift Remote Workers

Sleep-care Practices for Night Shift Remote Workers

  • rs_ph_website

  • April 20, 2021

  • 4:34 am

  • 0 comments

Think about all the key benefits of having great sleep: better physical recovery, improved memory, more energy in the morning, better skin, and the list goes on. We can all agree that a good night’s sleep empowers the body to recover and lets you wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day. Despite knowing all the benefits of sleep, are we truly placing emphasis on sleep-care? According to Sleep Foundation, Adults between 18 and 64 need seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Adults over 65 need 7-8 hours. The CDC reports that only 1 in 3 adults do not get enough sleep. In fact a recent study says that the Philippines is the top 4 country in the world that lacks sleep.

As remote workers, one must question whether we place the right value on the quality of sleep. With the rising trend of “self-care” and indulgences indoors, we may forget that with self-care comes good quality sleep. 

Interesting Facts about Sleep

Did you know that we spend about 2 hours dreaming each time we sleep? Much of that has to do with the cycles of sleep we go through. Normally, a person goes through four to six sleep cycles and one of them is R.E.M. which takes up to 20-25% of sleep. We have light sleep, deep sleep, REM, and Awake Times that interchange between the cycles. During these sleep cycles our body temperature drops and so does our metabolism. Sleep aids in our circadian rhythm or our body clock, as for night shift workers this can pose as a challenge since there are plenty ways our sleep cycle can be disrupted because of our work schedule. 

Importance of Good Sleep

Sleep irregularities are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, obesity, depression, and anxiety. By developing a consistent sleep routine, we lessen the chances of developing these ailments. 

Dos and Don’ts for Developing A Healthy Sleep Routine

There are plenty of ways to practice Yoga and Ayurveda. Uniquely, the situation that calls for workplace practice is unfamiliar with some. Here are some ways you can bring this tag-team into your work for a more balanced experience:

DON’T bring technology to the bedroom. 

That harmful blue light from computer and cellphone screens makes it difficult to fall asleep because it tricks your body into believing it is the daytime due to the brightness of the screens. For night shift workers it is all too difficult to stay away from electronics or sleep in dark rooms if we sleep during sunrise. One way to help us is to stay away from blue light screens 2-3 hours before sleeping and if it is already daytime, use thick black out curtains for you to sleep better. 

DON’T drink caffeine near your sleep time.

Before your night shift take time to demarcate the time you want to go to sleep. Avoid drinking anything with caffeine at least 5 hours before your intended bedtime. Caffeine is a stimulant, you will find that no matter how tired you are, having caffeine in your system will still keep your mind wide awake even while you sleep. 

DON’T drink alcohol before sleeping.

Drinking alcohol can affect your REM cycle and cause you to suddenly wake up in the middle of sleep. While alcohol does act oppositely from caffeine, it does affect the quality of our sleep drastically. After alcohol is metabolized, the sleep-inducing effects are reversed and give you quite a hard time trying to get through the night. 

DON’T go to bed hungry.

Going to bed hungry will only prompt you to wake up because of a noisy, empty stomach, grab a midnight or mid-sleep snack and end up having to stay awake longer just to digest the food. Always keep your tummy with enough fuel to go through the night without the incessant rumbling.

DO maintain a regular sleep schedule to Regulate your Circadian Rhythm. 

For night shift workers, it does not matter what time you sleep, it is the consistency of this set schedule that matters. You need to keep your sleeping patterns consistent to maintain a level of normalcy with your body clock. Maintaining one’s circadian rhythm (body clock) is crucial to overall health and brain performance. 

DO meditate.

Meditation before going to bed helps. It aids in clearing the mind, especially if coupled with deep breathing exercises.

DO set up your environment for sleep.

Set your sleeping environment well. Keep the temperature cool. Have the room be completely dark, if you are on night shift and sleep in the mornings, make sure you have thick black out curtains to block out the sun. Make sure the room is devoid of noise and clear out any unnecessary clutter, clean bed sheets has also been proven to induce better sleep. 

At Rocket Station, we place value in the health and wellness of each teammate and seek to empower them to lead a healthy lifestyle. This April, join our community by signing up in our newsletter to read more interesting articles about health and wellness and how it can help you at work. 

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How to Lead Towards Growth
While all individuals have their dreams and paths to take, there are a few common truths no matter the intended result. One of these is that leadership is important. It is many things. Leadership is a concept, an action, a goal, and of course; it is a requirement to achieve success whether you wish to be a business leader or a simple community volunteer.

Reaching Better Success By Finding The Right Values
Success, accomplishments, and consequent rewards are things every person and company strives for. However, it is easy to observe that not everyone manages to reach these goals. In the same way, not everyone who gets these goals are equally happy about the results. Why is this though? There are countless possible reasons, but a fundamental idea that is quickly forgotten and dismissed is having the correct values.

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All Careers Health and Wellness

The D.O.S.E. of hormones you need to stay productive at work

The D.O.S.E. of hormones you need to stay productive at work

  • rs_ph_website

  • April 19, 2021

  • 4:47 am

  • 0 comments

Last month, we had talked about what makes a positive work culture, how it can build better teams and enhance productivity. In this article, we will discuss a little more into detail about the science behind all that positive energy, and how you can harness it from your body to get yourself more productive at work.

I am talking about the Happy Hormones of the body. They are collectively abbreviated as DOSE ־ Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin and Endorphins; hormones produced by various glands in our bodies and the brain. They all have specific functions that contribute to a person’s mood, feelings of love or trust, relief of stress or pain, and sense of well-being. All of which are good, positive feelings that, in turn, contribute to positive work culture. 

Here is how you can get your daily DOSE of hormones and what they do to make you better at your job, and in life overall:

Dopamine 

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is produced by our bodies. It is known as the “reward-chemical” hormone. It induces feelings of accomplishment and excitement like the feelings we get when we receive something new such as a gift, or try something pleasant for the first time, or achieve something we have been working hard on. In essence, it has a huge role on how we feel the sensation of pleasure. Dopamine excites our brain cells and helps us focus, think, and plan. It helps us strive, focus, and find things interesting. 

Oxytocin 

You know that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you are close to someone you love and trust? Or maybe that jump you feel when someone you care about hugs you? That feeling is not just a feeling, that is a neurotransmitter that is working hard behind the scenes. Oxytocin is better known as the “love hormone”. It is released when people bond socially, thus influencing social behavior. It is the chemical behind human trust, empathy and relationship building. 

Serotonin

If you have the “love hormone” you also need something to balance it. Enter Serotonin, our “mood stabilizer” that one person in the family that holds everyone together. That one teammate that is always level-headed, devoid of stress and excellent at managing crises. Yes, that is Serotonin. Why is serotonin so special? Because serotonin plays a major role in regulating our mood. Individuals with high levels of serotonin are peaceful and calm by nature, open and clear-minded, and are socially dominant. When we lack serotonin, it makes us anxious, depressed, and aggressive, it can even lower our self-esteem and lower our mood as a result. It is the precursor to melatonin, the neurotransmitter that allows us to sleep.

Endorphins 

The favorite hormone of Elle Woods in the movie Legally Blonde, and she did make a very charming point when she mentioned that Endorphins make us happy. They are after all “Pain killer hormones” whose main function is to decrease feelings of pain and stress. They are released during exercise to cope with the discomfort of physical exercise. They also trigger a positive feeling which leads to intense happiness –this is what Elle Woods was talking about. This feeling is often described as ‘runner’s high’. Endorphins help to alleviate anxiety and depression as they are released in response to a pain.

Okay, we need to get our daily D.O.S.E., how? 

We can best aid our body in producing our daily D.O.S.E. of hormones in healthy amounts. A study conducted in 2018 by Ghosh et al., states that the happy hormones in our bodies can be produced naturally by performing certain behaviors or simply experiencing positive life events.

Complete tasks and create to-do lists.

Hormone: Dopamine

Research suggests that dopamine levels are increased when we finish a task or reach a goal. This is primarily because the brain releases dopamine as soon as we acknowledge that any task at hand is completed. When we have small tasks and hit them one by one, we also get small dosages of dopamine which makes us feel good. Thus, breaking down larger goals into smaller tasks proves strategically effective in staying motivated at a certain project and task at hand. Our brains have a feeling of satisfaction when we cross out tasks in to-do lists. This activity of checking the to-do list off after finishing the tasks brings in a sense of accomplishment, can help to increase the dopamine levels, ultimately generating happiness. 

Experience new things and engage in creative pursuits.

Hormone: Dopamine

Dopamine production is triggered when an individual finds something new and exciting in front of them. This increase of dopamine levels can be achieved doing creative hobbies that need an individual to focus. At work, we can do this by giving team members new projects that will push them to use their innovative capabilities. You can also boost dopamine levels by having fun events and creative workshops that encourage these activities. 

Cultivate positivity.

Hormone: Serotonin

Stay positive, remember happy events, practice optimism, and recite affirmations. Staying positive is the key to better performance, overall health, and well-being. Optimism is associated with the healthy structure and functioning of the brain, it also helps increase serotonin levels. At the workplace, there can be a display of photos that show happy memories of past achievements, get-togethers, off-sites, office celebrations at important places in the offices such as receptions, meeting rooms, general work areas and digitally through wallpapers.

Get social!

Hormone: Serotonin and Oxytocin  

Make time for social interactions, to increase social dominance. Now, when we say social dominance, we do not mean dominance per se, we mean being more assertive in a social and work type of scope that triggers positive social connections. Social connectivity triggers the release of oxytocin. Our role in social circles may also influence the serotonin levels. These actions help build trust and feelings of reliance which we need if we plan on working together as a team. 

Celebrate wins at work.

Hormone: Dopamine

Celebrating wins enhances dopamine in our systems. At the workplace, it is therefore important that we create opportunities to celebrate small winnings, do a victory celebration, cut a cake, and send a congratulatory email. These create a sense of fulfilment, bring positive energy, and motivates the team to get up and go for the next achievement.

Handshake and hugs

Hormone: Oxytocin

When connecting with friends and colleagues at work, it is important to maintain eye contact while speaking and firmly shaking hands while greeting. Back at home, cuddling a pet also generates a higher level of oxytocin. These activities generate trust, and trust is the highest form of motivation which makes an individual happy.

Practice charity

Hormone: Endorphins

Those who engage in acts of giving reach a state of euphoria which psychologists term as ‘helper’s high’ and emphasizes that giving produces more endorphins in the brain. Organizations can achieve this by gifting their teammates for special occasions such as birthdays, on special and personal achievements, year-end event gifts, tenure awards, or by participating in charity work. Special events that engage teammates to socialize and gift also work in achieving this such as having a “Secret Santa” during Christmas and raffle prizes. 

Laugh

Hormones: Dopamine, Oxytocin and Endorphins 

Organizations should encourage humor at work. At the workplace, there can be several fun events or a humor board with intelligent and tasteful jokes (after review) posted for people to laugh and quip about. They say that laughter is the best medicine, and in more ways than one, it is. 

Cultivate an attitude of gratitude across the organization.

Hormone: Dopamine and Serotonin 

The expression of gratitude releases dopamine that makes us feel good. It was also found that when we reflect on or write down the positive situations or experiences that we encounter in our life, the brain releases serotonin and, as serotonin enhances our mood, we start feeling happy. Organizations can do this, like Rocket Station and promote appreciation posts across common communication feeds. There can also be “Appreciation Weeks” where the cultivation of gratitude is enhanced. 

Get adequate exposure to sunlight. 

Hormone: Serotonin

The expression of gratitude releases dopamine that makes us feel good. It was also found that when we reflect on or write down the positive situations or experiences that we encounter in our life, the brain releases serotonin and, as serotonin enhances our mood, we start feeling happy. Organizations can do this, like Rocket Station and promote appreciation posts across common communication feeds. There can also be “Appreciation Weeks” where the cultivation of gratitude is enhanced. 

Exercise and meditation at workplace

Hormone: Dopamine, Serotonin and Endorphins

Exercising relieves stress, helps in achieving better physical health and makes an individual more productive. Meditation is the practice of concentrating, focusing inward and letting our thoughts float. Research suggests that meditation and exercise help in increased levels of dopamine, serotonin and endorphins and regular practice is associated with improved mental and physical health. At the workplace, this can all be practiced by having a place for teammates to work out, such as an at-work gym or physical area. Meditation practices can also be achieved at work by having yoga classes or fun at-work meditation seminars and events coupled with aromatherapy and soothing music. 

At Rocket Station, we place value in the health and wellness of each teammate and seek to empower them to lead a healthy lifestyle. This April, join our community by signing up in our newsletter to read more interesting articles about health and wellness and how it can help you at work. 

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How to Lead Towards Growth
While all individuals have their dreams and paths to take, there are a few common truths no matter the intended result. One of these is that leadership is important. It is many things. Leadership is a concept, an action, a goal, and of course; it is a requirement to achieve success whether you wish to be a business leader or a simple community volunteer.

Reaching Better Success By Finding The Right Values
Success, accomplishments, and consequent rewards are things every person and company strives for. However, it is easy to observe that not everyone manages to reach these goals. In the same way, not everyone who gets these goals are equally happy about the results. Why is this though? There are countless possible reasons, but a fundamental idea that is quickly forgotten and dismissed is having the correct values.

SHARE

POST A COMMENT

Categories
All Careers Leadership

Imposter Syndrome at work and learning how to manage it

Imposter Syndrome at work and learning how to manage it

  • rs_ph_website

  • March 23, 2021

  • 1:17 pm

  • 37 comments

Imposter Syndrome has become a buzz word in the advent of the self-awareness and the self-love movement. We see more pop psychologists talk about it, and how it affects the narratives we have of ourselves during work.

So what is Imposter Syndrome, really, and how does it affect our performance at work? Let’s take a closer look. This was first coined in 1978 by clinical psychologists Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes as:

So simply put, it is the belief that we are not good or capable enough even if we already are.

Who is affected? Research shows that 70% of us will experience this at a moment in our lives.

You may be wondering, how is this important and relevant to Rocket Station? According to research, remote workers and managers in a remote set-up are more at risk of experiencing Imposter Syndrome versus other working groups. At Rocket Station, we enhance lives and build better businesses. It is counter-productive for Rocketeers to develop a mindset that makes them feel they are inadequate even if truly they aren’t inadequate. How can they enhance the lives of others if they themselves unjustly feel like they are incapable of doing so? As such, we are here to help.

Dr. Sandi Mann in her book Why do I feel like an Imposter shares more about the affliction and the mindset behind it. It usually stems from people thinking they’re not good enough or that their success is not attributed to them, but by some external factor.

Usually, people who suffer from the Imposter Syndrome/Phenomenon devalue their successes and go onto a negative cycle, thinking they don’t deserve the success they’ve achieved.

How do we manage Imposter Syndrome at work? First you must think about, acknowledge and recognize if you are living with IS. Know that it isn’t your fault and that it is common. Think about how you view rejection and criticism. Try to look at criticism objectively to ascertain if it is valid or not. If valid, try to be dispassionate and learn from it. If it is not valid, defend yourself. Lastly, learn to act confident even if you don’t feel like it.

Dr. Mann discusses further by doing two exercises that can be useful for people living with IS or for managers who are working with people who have IS on their team:

Exercise 1: Acknowledge the Facts

No matter how you view your success, certain facts are indisputable. For example, if you got a job offer, promotion or a high exam result, those factors are facts. Everything else is merely what is viewed about the facts. Look back at your life and write a list of all your successes with the headline: “The Facts”

Exercise 2: Identify Your Strengths

Write down the following:

10 of your strengths, for example: innovative, strong, persistent, optimistic.

At least 5 things you admire about yourself

5 greatest achievements in your life so far

10 things you could do to help others.

Keep these lists close to you and go back to them from time to time.

This March, Rocket Station shines light into self-development and building yourself at work. Being a better leader, a better remote worker, or even just a better person. Sign up in our newsletter for more high-impact articles that develop you into the person you want to be.

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How to Lead Towards Growth
While all individuals have their dreams and paths to take, there are a few common truths no matter the intended result. One of these is that leadership is important. It is many things. Leadership is a concept, an action, a goal, and of course; it is a requirement to achieve success whether you wish to be a business leader or a simple community volunteer.

Reaching Better Success By Finding The Right Values
Success, accomplishments, and consequent rewards are things every person and company strives for. However, it is easy to observe that not everyone manages to reach these goals. In the same way, not everyone who gets these goals are equally happy about the results. Why is this though? There are countless possible reasons, but a fundamental idea that is quickly forgotten and dismissed is having the correct values.

SHARE

POST A COMMENT

Categories
All Health and Wellness

Six self-care antidotes to prevent burnout from work

Six self-care antidotes to prevent burnout from work

  • rs_ph_website

  • March 23, 2021

  • 12:55 pm

  • 0 comments

Burnout is the common term most people use when they have reached a threshold for something that depletes them. Be it at work, at home, or even with daily roles we play as parents, bosses, and the like. Like many hardworking and fully functional adults we wear many hats and need to juggle the demands of work and life.

At Rocket Station, we value placing in the element of fun in almost every endeavor we have at work. While we can all agree that life can be incredibly stressful, this does not mean we can’t add the element of self-care to our regimen to keep the burn out at bay.

Studies have shown that self-care is the quickest most efficient way to prevent burn out from happening. Let us discuss the 6 areas of self-care as fool proof antidotes you can use to prevent burnout. The six areas are professional, physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, and personal. Each area has a specific need that caters differently to each individual.

For instance, a VA working tirelessly on night shift might need some physical self-care to release tension and get some well-deserved sleep. A person who had just gone through a major life transition may need to focus on an emotional and spiritual self-care journey. We all go through different circumstances, and it is important to understand that not all areas of self-care works for everyone.

Professional Self-Care is the kind of self-care that nurtures your career in ways that does positive work practices, such as: Celebrating small wins, taking breaks to increase work productivity, and tagging career goals to be inspired.

Physical Self-Care is self-care that nourishes your body. It can come in the form of eating the right food, exercising, getting 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep, or simply resting after a long week of non-stop work.

Psychological Self-Care is self-care that puts focus on developing habits that foster good mental health. Such habits can include journaling, tracking your mood, reading self-help books, unplugging from social media, keeping a gratitude journal, or meditating. All these examples are proven to make you 10% happier through the guidance of mental health.

Emotional Self-Care deals with caring for your feelings and inner emotions. It is very similar to psychological self-care but the main difference is in emotional regulation. This kind of self-care helps you understand how you feel about certain topics and teaches you to do more emotional regulation. This proves useful especially at work when grounding techniques are being mastered, and high-stress situations at work come by.

Spiritual Self-Care is self-care that helps you connect to a power greater than yourself. You may call it the Universe, God or anything you prefer. You can channel this by revisiting your core values.

Personal Self-Care finally, is self-care that differs from person to person because it’s the kind of self-care that deals in the development of you. You as a person in whatever way that can nourish you. It can be as simple as treating yourself to one of your favorite restaurants, finding time alone or with friends to recharge or simply unplugging from technology and getting much needed air to breathe.

In the past, Rocket Station has spearheaded projects and events that deal with self-care and empowerment. We place importance in caring for people’s mental health and empowering them to take the first few steps to a healthier and happier version of themselves. If you like catapulting yourself to greater heights through delf-development, leadership, health and wellness and careers, sign up to receive updates from the Rocketeers themselves.

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There’s not a single person around that doesn’t go through slumps at work. It’s a naturally occurring event for the average worker that may result from stress, exhaustion, or other factors. However, that doesn’t mean we just step back and accept these episodes of lower productivity and overall happiness. These are the times when we need to step up even more to motivate ourselves.

How to Lead Towards Growth
While all individuals have their dreams and paths to take, there are a few common truths no matter the intended result. One of these is that leadership is important. It is many things. Leadership is a concept, an action, a goal, and of course; it is a requirement to achieve success whether you wish to be a business leader or a simple community volunteer.

Reaching Better Success By Finding The Right Values
Success, accomplishments, and consequent rewards are things every person and company strives for. However, it is easy to observe that not everyone manages to reach these goals. In the same way, not everyone who gets these goals are equally happy about the results. Why is this though? There are countless possible reasons, but a fundamental idea that is quickly forgotten and dismissed is having the correct values.

SHARE

POST A COMMENT

Categories
All Careers Health and Wellness

Finding your North Star and channeling it into work

Finding your North Star and channeling it into work

  • rs_ph_website

  • March 22, 2021

  • 1:47 pm

  • 0 comments

As children the earliest concept of the North Star was introduced in fairy tales or science quizzes. Similar to the story in Peter Pan, Peter would use stars to have Wendy and his friends find him. In many fictional stories people have used the north star as a compass to guide their way through turbulent journeys. However, the north star is not just a good way to navigate journeys or a fancy way to add to stories. The North Star is also a term people can use in marketing projects and personal development.

Why even have a North Star? Because we all need direction for a specific goal whether it be for work or our personal lives. It is crucial to help us in moving forward or redirect our energies if something is swaying us from our intended direction. Finding your North Star is like finding one’s purpose. Your North Star is a guiding vision. This helps to navigate decisions and prioritize what you want to do with your intended goal. 

At Rocket Station, goal setting is one of the more important steps our people undertake, and with this unique process of finding your north star, it won’t be difficult charting your path, as long as you put in the work. 

Why are you doing your job?

Write down the reasons why you decided to work with this job role.

For fun – it’s for your friends, self expression, meeting interesting people, learning about a topic, pushing a conversation forward

Indirect business goals – personal branding, meeting customers, growing an audience, becoming an influencer in your industry

The direct business goals – earn money or capital, build your career, have experience in your industry to one day start your own business

It can be 1-3, but try not to pick more than 3. You want to stay focused and be able to remind yourself why you got into this. It will help center decisions later on around growth and monetization. If you are doing it purely for business, I’d encourage you to have a creative angle as well.

What excites you the most about your job?

Remembering what makes you happy about your role can give you much needed motivation to get through a slump or times when you forget your “Why?”

Core Values

List down what your values are 

For inspiration, check out this list of 200 personal values

List down all your non-negotiables (things that you will not compromise on) in order of priority

e.g. “I don’t want to pitch ideas that I feel are too tone deaf”, “I don’t want to diss any people/products when I set my presentations”

Set your Goal

Before you commit to a goal, we need to make sure that you’ll have enough motivation to chase that goal, this goal has to be something that you’re interested in, realistic and passionate about.

Let’s do an exercise. Answer the following:

What are some things you like learning about at work?

What are you excited about at work?

Are there things that other people do whether it be in your department or not that you find interesting?

What topic can you talk about for hours at your work longue?

What are your hobbies that you can apply to this goal?

Who are some of my heroes, and what is the common thread that runs through their stories?

Approach To Work Community

Who can you tap as a mentor in this goal?

Who can you reach out to for help?

Do you want to build a community alongside your goal?

How can you engage the people in your community to further develop your goal?

Do the Work

When you’ve collated all the information and inspiration necessary to perform your goal, do this step: 

Write down all the plans you need to accomplish on your calendar, book all the coffee dates, all the online meetings as necessary. 

Set timelines and remember to set your end goal as the last and final step. 

Remember: Setting your north star is that your north star only serves as a point of direction, a place of vision, and vision cannot happen without action.

This March, Rocket Station shines light into self-development and building yourself at work. Being a better leader, a better remote worker, or even just a better person. Sign up in our newsletter for more high-impact articles that develop you into the person you want to be.

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Make marvelous mistakes at work—it’ll make you better

Make marvelous mistakes at work—it’ll make you better

  • rs_ph_website

  • March 19, 2021

  • 1:29 pm

  • 0 comments

Who hasn’t felt the gut-wrenching feeling of knowing you’ve made a terrible mistake, and soon after, realizing that you’ll get into trouble because of it? In a work set-up everyone will tell you it is all but human to make mistakes, but we have been programmed to believe that making mistakes could get you fired, or accosted for.

At Rocket Station, we believe that providing an environment open to making mistakes is essential in building a community of well-seasoned leaders who are constantly growing.

In fact, learning how to turn mistakes into lessons is a skill that is developed through the years. Public speaker Tod Dewett talks about making Marvelous Mistakes in one of his leadership courses. He isn’t the only person talking about how mistakes can be beneficial in developing people though. In a Ted Talk with Dr. Brian Goldman, entitled: Doctors make mistakes too-can we talk about that? Dr. Goldman explains an emotional account of how the mistakes he made as a doctor and his inability to talk about them caused him to develop intrusive thoughts and self-doubt. It was only when he acknowledged his mistakes and started talking about them that he began a journey in bettering himself not just as a doctor, but also as a human.

With Goldman and Dewett at the fore, this Rocketeer seeks to share just how you can best develop yourself by making marvelous mistakes.

Mistakes can only help us if we discuss them.

Mistakes can only help us grow when it is discussed in an environment that is open to collaborating and pivoting through mishaps. Casting blame on others and shame is counterproductive. The only time people learn from mistakes is when they discuss what went wrong, where the point of contention is and how it can be fixed.

Study mistakes like they’re skills.

To acknowledge a mistake is one thing to study it is another. Dissecting and trying to trace where things went wrong and while learning from it can pave the way for opportunities that point to growth. Dewett explains that dwelling on mistakes is not the same as studying them. Dwelling on mistakes is a defensive and self-flagellating stance, while studying it takes a proactive viewpoint that points toward betterment.

Do not fear mistakes.

Dewett discusses that the reason why people don’t learn from mistakes is that they always try their hardest to avoid them. In the pursuit of perfection, there is an inability to authentically extract lessons that cannot be learned through books and know-how alone. Experiences are teachable because there is a trial-and-error phase that makes people go through a self-learning phase as a result.

Push hard enough to innovate and create significant mistakes.

Taking curiosity to where you can push the limits of your creativity in managing projects or spearheading something new can get you into marvelous mistakes. Marvelous mistakes offer high-value learnings which you can apply to future endeavors.

At Rocket Station we develop our people into leaders who are beyond capable in managing mistakes and making the best out of it. Subscribe in our newsletter to have the best articles on topics like self-development in your inbox.

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Key Behaviors that determine a valuable team member, according to experts

Key Behaviors that determine a valuable team member, according to experts

  • rs_ph_website

  • March 19, 2021

  • 1:06 pm

  • 0 comments

When the phrase “valuable team member” is said, we automatically think of someone with a cocktail mix of traits that range depending on their industry. For people in marketing, it’s the most innovative, smooth talking person who’s quick on their feet. For those in tech, it’s the most efficient, highly astute team leads that seem to get the work done. For the sciences, it’s the person with most knowledge and skill, with a propensity for mentoring.

Unquestionably so, the value of a team member differs with their work culture. However, they all share common traits that can be utilized by anyone willing to rise the ranks. The subject of what makes a stellar person to work with has been a topic of many articles of research.

CEO of LinkedIn, Jeff Weiner chimed in the discussion by sharing a Venn diagram of the best people he would love to work with. He stated that he loved people who:

Dream Big

Get things done efficiently

Know how to have fun.

This is remarkably like Rocket Station’s core values of doing the right thing, exceeding expectations and having fun while at it.

Weiner continues to discuss the kind of person he would love to work with.

He envisioned a person who dreamed big on a scale that was highly inspirational but within reason, coupled with the ability to make it happen and produce work that is exceptional and cultivate curiosity and wonderment while at it.

At first one would think that it is simply an opinion; but is it really?

A study held in 2019 and published in the International Association of Applied Psychology examined the personality traits and moral values that contribute to the well-being, resilience and job performance of an individual.

They have discovered that a variety of traits offer a higher possibility of achieving higher job performance and over all better productivity at work. They have developed the following findings:

Positive work experiences play a pivotal role in promoting resilience for individuals in the workplace.

Resilience is associated with job satisfaction via job performance.

Extraversion is associated with emotional well-being.

Well-being is directly proportional to job performance.

Universalism and benevolence play a positive role.

In a nutshell, they concluded that people who are more resilient and show signs affiliated with extraversion are more likely to have better job performance and become better teammates. This is not to blanket state that extroverts are all better than introverts. The findings in this study suggest the qualities associated with extraversion, which is being warm, gregarious, assertive and exhibit positive emotions are more likely to have productive work outcomes. These traits also make people more capable of caring for others.

In this study, they focused more on one trait and that was: RESILIENCE. They say the better people are not just people who are positive and assertive, they are people who know how to pivot when things do not go according to plan and remain steadfast even during times of difficulty.

At Rocket Station, we place value in developing our people and helping them in becoming better versions of themselves. Subscribe to have unlimited access to all blogs and articles published in our Rocket Station Community.

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How to be an exceptional conversationalist

How to be an exceptional conversationalist

  • rs_ph_website

  • March 19, 2021

  • 12:33 pm

  • 0 comments

How often do we go through people listening to hundreds of stories on a daily basis and passing by many conversations without truly absorbing what is being said? Today, in the advent of social media, vlogging and podcasting, we get used to just absorbing conversations on the go. Very rarely do we practice our muscle in communicating effectively by being able to stir up conversations that are fruitful.

Writer and radio host Celeste Headlee took the stage to share how people can become better at conversations in her TedTalk.

Headlee goes on to talk about how polarized we all are now because we live in a world of constant conversations that usually do not go well. For instance, we have people argue over politics, social media, relationships, values and so on and so forth. She quotes a high school teacher names Paul Barnwell saying:

Headlee suggests that people can have great conversations, they just don’t know how. They are taught how to pay attention, but not how to listen and administer themselves during said conversations.

Here are the 10 ways you can be a better conversationalist according to Headlee:

Don’t multitask.

Be present. Be in that moment. Don’t think about anything else such as an argument that had elapsed hours ago or what you plan to eat for lunch. If you want to get out of the conversation, then get out of the conversation, but don’t be half-baked.

Don’t pontificate.

You need to enter every conversation assuming that you have something to learn. Everybody is an expert in something. Learn something from them.

Use open-ended questions.

Start your questions with who, what, when, where, why or how. If I ask you, “Were you terrified?” you’re going to respond either “Yes, I was” or “No, I wasn’t.” “Were you angry?” “Yes, I was very angry.” Instead, try asking them things like, “What was that like?” “How did that feel?” Because then they might have to stop for a moment and think about it, and you are going to get a much more interesting response.

Go with the flow.

That means thoughts will come into your mind and you need to let them go out of your mind. Allow the conversation to lead you to different questions and tangents and work from there.

If you don’t know, say that you don’t know.

Now, people on the radio, especially on NPR, are much more aware that they’re going on the record, and so they’re more careful about what they claim to be an expert in and what they claim to know for sure. Do the same thing.

Don’t equate your experience with theirs.

If they’re talking about having lost a family member, don’t start talking about the time you lost a family member. If they’re talking about the trouble they’re having at work, don’t tell them about how much you hate your job. It’s not the same. It is never the same. All experiences are individual. And, more importantly, it is not about you.

Try not to repeat yourself.

It’s condescending, and it’s really boring, and we tend to do it a lot. Especially in work conversations or in conversations with our kids, we have a point to make, so we just keep rephrasing it over and over. Don’t do that.

Stay out of the weeds.

Frankly, people don’t care about the years, the names, the dates, all those details that you’re struggling to come up with in your mind. They don’t care. What they care about is you. They care about what you’re like, what you have in common. So forget the details. Leave them out.

Listen.

I cannot tell you how many important people have said that listening is perhaps the most, the number one most important skill that you could develop. Buddha said, and I’m paraphrasing, “If your mouth is open, you’re not learning.” And Calvin Coolidge said, “No man ever listened his way out of a job.”

Be brief.

This month, Rocket Station’s theme is about self-development because our team believes that we are all aiming for a better understanding of ourselves and finding ways to make ourselves better. To read more articles like this, feel free to sign up and receive the latest updates straight to your mailbox.

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Success, accomplishments, and consequent rewards are things every person and company strives for. However, it is easy to observe that not everyone manages to reach these goals. In the same way, not everyone who gets these goals are equally happy about the results. Why is this though? There are countless possible reasons, but a fundamental idea that is quickly forgotten and dismissed is having the correct values.

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Categories
All Careers Leadership

The 5 underrated soft skills that could make you an indispensable asset

The 5 underrated soft skills that could make you an indispensable asset

  • rs_ph_website

  • March 3, 2021

  • 5:23 pm

  • 0 comments

Technical know-how has become an important facet for almost every modern day professional. Today we see many young men and women not only acquiring technical knowledge, but also different skill sets that make them more effective in different work functions. 

There have been more emerging jobs thanks to technological advancement. We now have individuals with skills that were once considered new to now being in-demand. So much so, that there is an influx of highly specialized and well-seasoned professionals today. 

With so many well assimilated people, one begs to ask, what would set them apart? The competition is steep, for every master’s degree there are two—neigh, three specialized courses that guarantee that this candidate would be a better fit than the next highly qualified individual to walk through the recruiter’s office. 

Surprisingly, according to LinkedIn, there are 5 traits that pose the biggest skill gaps across the board. That despite the rising numbers of technically skilled and adept people, the skills that are most lacking—and you guessed it, are soft skills. Arguably, soft skills are the most difficult to master because it takes years of development and consistency on the part of the team leader and team member.

Having that in mind, acquiring these skills can set you apart and make you one of the top choices for a job, or a promotion. These five invaluable soft skills that can make a huge difference:

CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING

Critical Thinking and problem solving is not just developing a formula to a problem. It is looking at a problem and finding ways to solve it in a way that is creative, effective, and ergonomic for the company. 

ADAPTABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY

Is a skill that is developed through life and can be taught with constant practice. It is simply learning how to pivot and pivot effectively. Adapt smartly, and be flexible in a way that turns setbacks into opportunities, and transforms sudden turnovers into a goal that could potentially be better than the one initially set.

COMMUNICATION

It may come as a surprise, but despite communication being one of the cornerstones of effective teamwork and leadership, a lot of people lack in communicating clearly. Clarity, proper wording and pacing of the conversations to get your message across the first time proves to be an invaluable asset in any industry. 

LEADERSHIP

There are plenty of ways one can be an effective leader. For instance, being an effective leader means possessing the ability to solidify a team of individuals with different skill sets and finding ways to develop them. Another can be making things happen and having people move in ways that will reach an intended goal. Whatever the methods or philosophy it takes to be an effective leader, it may vary per company culture. Therefore, leadership has one of the largest skill gaps. It is not enough that you know how to lead, the real question is, is the way you lead effective for your team?

INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY

There is an interesting course that delves in Design Engineering. It is a mix of innovation, creativity and problem solving. In a way it is like describing what’s needed in this skill gap. Creativity isn’t just creating art, it is the process of assimilating problems, solutions and crafting new things in ways that make the process easier and more ergonomic.

Develop yourself with these soft skills and find yourself as one of the indispensable people in a sea of highly qualified individuals. This month, Rocket Station places value in ways we can improve ourselves to be better. Join our newsletter to discover more articles such as this in developing yourself this month. 

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5 Ways to Better Motivate Yourself
There’s not a single person around that doesn’t go through slumps at work. It’s a naturally occurring event for the average worker that may result from stress, exhaustion, or other factors. However, that doesn’t mean we just step back and accept these episodes of lower productivity and overall happiness. These are the times when we need to step up even more to motivate ourselves.

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While all individuals have their dreams and paths to take, there are a few common truths no matter the intended result. One of these is that leadership is important. It is many things. Leadership is a concept, an action, a goal, and of course; it is a requirement to achieve success whether you wish to be a business leader or a simple community volunteer.

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Success, accomplishments, and consequent rewards are things every person and company strives for. However, it is easy to observe that not everyone manages to reach these goals. In the same way, not everyone who gets these goals are equally happy about the results. Why is this though? There are countless possible reasons, but a fundamental idea that is quickly forgotten and dismissed is having the correct values.

SHARE

POST A COMMENT

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