We are not in the matrix

MotivateMe!
Providing Strategies to Overcome the Procrastination Habit with a Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine

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In This Issue:
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* Today's daily dose: We are not in the matrix
* Motivate Me to find work: Start applying
* Let's Connect:
* Share this e-zine:
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Today's daily dose: 31st July 2010
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"Learn to be silent. Let your quiet mind listen and absorb"
Pythagorus

Find time in amongst the noise of this technologically driven world in which we live, to turn everything off and unplug yourself from the grid. We all need to recharge our internal batteries and we can't do that by sticking a USB port into our ear and a plug into a socket. We do that by doing the exact opposite. By being outside, by being quiet and listening to ourselves breathe.

When was the last time you were truly "quiet"?

You can call it meditation, you can call it going for a walk on your own, you can call it going for an afternoon snooze on a weekend. I personally don't care what you call it, just that you find time to do it.

The downside of not doing it is stress, strain, getting run down and possibly becoming ill.

We call it the catch all phrase of finding work / life balance - again I don't care what you call it, but it is something I factor into my week so I can cope with everything else that I do. Granted I don't always succeed, but I am getting better at it. One thing I do need to do though is add a longer period "away" - otherwise known as a holiday. A long weekend every 6 months really isn't enough and I do need to work out a way of getting more "away" time into my life. But until then I am factoring in down time so I don't get too run down.

You are important, extremely important - so make time for you.

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Motivate Me to Find Work: 3. Start applying
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There is one thing you should never procrastinate over and that is applying for jobs / positions.

Don't leave things to the last minute because:

1. You will need time to put together the application, the covering letter, answers to selection criteria and customise your CV for the desired role. It is not something that can be written and sent in the one day. ALWAYS leave a day or two between writing the initial application etc and editing it before sending it on to the prospective employer. In fact this one technique is essential for any professional piece of written communication you write and send. Assignments are always better after being left a day before editing - guaranteed you will find spelling errors and grammatical mistakes.

2. Technology may fail. Not just yours, but if you are sending your application by email - never assume it will get there in time, so make sure you send it a good couple of days before the closing date. Add a read receipt so you know it has got there, or telephone the next day to make sure it has. The same goes for online applications - things fall over, connections break or fail, things that look like they have been sent - aren't. Don't trust anything.

3. Ditto with snail mail.

4. Leaving a job application to the last minute also smacks of a lack of planning on your part and maybe procrastination too - get in early, look keen. But don't rush the application either.

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