3 Top Tips to a Stress Free Job Move

People change jobs everyday. Especially in the current market. Changing jobs is such a common thing these days that it’s seen as a run-of-the-mill everyday activity and you should just get on with it. Well, as it turns out, it’s not quite like that and it shouldn’t be. Changing jobs is cool and good fun, but also a little bit daunting.

As you may know from reading this other post, I have recently changed jobs. I was fine for most of it, and made sure I enjoyed all the good bits – the feeling of adventure, meeting new people, the wonderful yellow rose bush now sitting in my garden; for the rest, I was fortunate to be bombarded with pearls of wisdom from all my friends and family. And you know what? It really helped! When you put everyone’s experiences together and make it work for you, it’s an awesome way to move quicker and not reinvent the wheel. This is what I’ve learned.

1. Have a break.

The best thing that happened to me with this job change was to have two weeks off in-between jobs. This wasn’t a planned break, I had holiday to take and that was that. This proved to be the best move ever! I had time to fully switch off, rest and relax, and then gear myself up for the new challenge. I slept, read, had lunches with friends, baked, did some gardening, and that really helped me transition into a new frame of mind. On my first day, I turned up refreshed and ready to start!

2. Prepare yourself inside and out.

It’s quite important to do your homework and learn as much as you can about your new role before starting. I did some research for my new job, about the place, what they did and how they were doing it; their achievements and things that could be improved; and what I thought of them as (still) an outsider. I also researched trends in my field and latest developments I could bring in, what worked and didn’t at other similar places, and a clear idea of what I’d need to find out before I could ‘do’ something.

It’s also kinda important to figure out what you’ll wear! Clothes, it’s the obvious route here, but let’s expand on this. Sometimes, the dress code at your new place is neither clear nor obvious. Other times, you have to change styles and you’re not quite sure how the new one will suit you. I went from a very relaxed dress code to smart casual. This meant finding out work specific clothes that still reflected my personality and didn’t break the bank. As a non-shopper, I had to prepare for the mental challenge of going out to discover this new work wardrobe.

The key thing for me is to get only a few things initially to scope out the new place. Why? For one, because you may want to see what the trend is. And two, because it’s important to know the facilities you’ll be in! For the former, whilst you want to be yourself and have outfits which reflect your personality, you may not want to be wearing the most posh of dresses when everyone else does jeans. And perhaps more importantly, what is your office like? Will you be walking a lot? Will you be working in a very warm room? Or is it always cold? This does affect what you’ll feel like wearing day in and day out, so better check it before spending a fortune on ten pieces you’ll end up not wearing at all!

3. Accept things take time and that’s ok!

Change requires adaptation. As common as change in general is, or moving jobs in particular, it’s still important to recognise you need an adaptation period. To me, that starts when you decide you will change jobs and lasts three to six months into your new professional adventure (if not longer!). Why is it important to me to make this point? Because too often there’s this hovering pressure – frequently self-imposed – on hitting the ground running in everything we do and that is not how it should be. If you don’t expect to run a marathon without training (or do you?), why do you set different expectations to other things you do? Also… Going through this myself, it really has helped me to focus on what I can do whilst I prepare myself well for all the big things ahead.

 

I hope this is useful, Fe-liners! And if you’re self-employed or not changing jobs any time soon, the above can still apply to you. In short, I go with “take a break”, “prepare yourself inside and out”, and “go for it knowing it will take time”, it saves on frustration and leaves you free to enjoy it!

 

 

 

 

From photography to blog post in 5 steps

Hello Feliners. How’s the summer going for you? I’ve been making the most of the weather by sitting outside and photographing my (little) universe.

Photography is incredibly important for blog posts. It can be a powerful way to illustrate your point, or a tool to make your post – and your blog – more appealing on the eye. As more blogs use strong visual aids and good photography, the pressure to live up to the expectations can also be a pain challenge.

I love photography and all my posts revolve around an image (or two) I took. I love opening my blog and seeing how those unassuming images gain some kudos (in my own kudos book!) just by being on the blog. The same goes for my posts for Fe-line, I always send in my photos, either in perfect line with the text or just as something pretty to look at as you read about something totally unrelated; blue skies and the ocean seem to be my favourite text-not-matching-the-image photos.

Today I wanted to talk about my process to photograph for the blog. I have been meaning to write this post for a while now, not because I am a professional photographer but precisely because I am not. I’m hoping this will inspire you to take more photos and use them in your blog posts.

I have a big camera and a couple of lenses, but currently about 40% of my blog photos are taken with my iPhone. The more I photograph for my blog, the more I realise the appeal for the readers is in how I see the world. Yes, I’d love to upgrade my camera and buy my dream lens, and that would help with sharpness and light, but it wouldn’t tell the story any more than my current gear does. People want to connect with you and see a snippet of the world through your eyes, either because they’re very different to you or the absolute same.

1. What do you see?

What makes you stop and smile, no matter what? What makes you do a double take and wish you could freeze time? What do you enjoy doing every single day? What inspires you? What helps you to be calm or sane or happy or grounded?
Can you photograph any of it? Then do.
For me, blue skies and sunshine always make me smile. Colour and detail makes me do a double take, as do smiles. I enjoy having coffee, reading with my feet up, and watching time go by with a good chat. Light inspires me. Chamomile tea soothes me, walking keeps me sane, good weather makes me happy, and my home keeps me grounded. So much to photograph, I better get going.

2. How do you see it?

When do you notice all those things and moments that make you tick? When you think about that thing or moment, what’s your viewpoint?
For example, I tend to notice how much I enjoy coffee when I’m at my desk with a (pretty) cup next to me. So most of my coffee photos are from above. Much like my food photos. Or my feet! Flowers, on the other hand, I mostly photograph at eye level, when I notice them and from where I notice them.

3. The angle you never see it from

Taking photos from different viewpoints adds variety and interest to the subject, but also makes things more interesting and creative for you. Thinking about how you can show the exact same thing in a few different ways, is bound to get your imagination going. Sometimes, I photograph my cup of coffee by resting my camera/iPhone on the table. I never ever see my cup of coffee from this angle (unless I were tying my shoes at my desk, maybe?), so sometimes it’s fun to see what comes out if I were to lay my head on the table and admire my coffee! I also take a few shots without really looking at the viewfinder/screen – sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but it’s fun to see what is captured anyway.

4. Light versus light

I love light so I prefer naturally sunlit photos. In an ideal world, we’d always have access to magical light and glorious sunshine. Reality, however, has a different agenda. Sometimes it rains, other times the best things happen at night, other times the window is facing the wrong way. Not much you can do about that, but there’s plenty you can do about your odds.
Firstly, photograph as much as you can when the light is right for you.
Secondly, make the most of what you have. Play with shadows. Convert to B&W. Move the object, if that’s an option. Turn all the lights in the room on (and bring lamps from other rooms if needs must, your house your rules!).

5. From photo to blog post

I consider photos for my blog posts in three ways:

• Write text. Use (or take) random photos.

I think this is my most common approach. I write a post about something less visual, like goal setting, and then find a pretty photo in my recent archives to go with it. It can be anything, from cake or coffee to blue skies or flowers; it’s just an image that makes me happy and goes with the text, rather than illustrating a point. If nothing satisfies me, I sometimes photograph something from my chair with my phone and put it up, usually the current cuppa or my garden or the light through my window.

• Plan text and photos as a unit.

I know what I want to write about and what photos I need. A good example of this are recipe posts or posts about a place or trip (bit pointless to write about your trip to Lisbon and use photos from London).

• Have photos. Write text.

Sometimes, I go out to take pictures of something that takes my fancy. Or I walk to work and photograph my route. I’ll then have a set of photos that go together and I’ll write a post about the experience.

That’s it from me this month, Feliners. Hope you’ve enjoyed the read and are out (or in) photographing already!