Things To Do At Work

• Arrive on time.  In fact, arrive a little earlier if you can.  If you allow yourself the opportunity to either have a few quiet moments to yourself or even get going on a pending project before others show up to interrupt you, your day can be a little easier.
• Add personality to your workspace.  Bring a few pictures that make you smile, set up a plant or two, or post a few witty sayings by your computer.  Making your space reflect you can make it more comfortable and inviting to work in.
• Avoid negative people.  You probably work with someone who does nothing but complain.  There’s one in every crowd, and you’ve probably played into their whining and even joined in.  Try not to match their emotion.  A positive attitude can go a long way.
• Smile and be happy!  There’s always going to be something to worry or complain about.  If it’s not one thing, it’s another.  But if you smile, crack jokes, and laugh, your mood will be lifted, making it easier to push through the difficult projects.  Even a brief fake smile or laugh can usually trigger a real one, releasing endorphins and happy hormones into your body.  Hang onto them!
• If something has become upsetting, don’t let yourself explode immediately.  Try to stay calm.  Breathe deeply—if you try to breathe through your nose only, it can force you to take slower breaths.  Take a brief break if necessary.  Get up and walk around, head outside, and just get away for a moment.  You’ll give yourself time to clear your thoughts, and you might even return with a plan and feel less overwhelmed.
• Work on your time management skills.  Try to plan your day, and take projects one step at a time.  It’s easier to stay focused if you hone in on only one thing and block out the rest until you get there.
• Say no.  If you’re truly swamped, it’s okay to refuse to help on someone else’s project.  Just do it nicely: “I’d love to help, but I just have too much on my plate right now.”  Practice saying no if you have to, especially if you know you’re always saying yes and then regretting it.

Things To Do At Home

• Get enough sleep.  This one is always tough, especially when you have a busy schedule.  But if you can make some adjustments so that you can get enough sleep, you’ll have the energy you’re supposed to have in the morning.
• Eat right.  You can (and should) even make this a task at work, too.  Greasy and processed foods do not provide the right kind of calories and energy for your body.  In fact, try being strict about eating well for just one week.  You’ll notice quite a difference if you try to eat a sugary snack or greasy burger in the following weeks.  You won’t feel as good as if you had chosen something like a piece of fruit or a homemade sandwich on whole grain bread.  Instead, you’ll feel your food sitting like a rock in your stomach, and you’ll feel sluggish.
• Work out on a regular basis.  Even just twenty minutes of exercise a few times a week can increase your energy levels.  It may sound backwards, since you’re expending energy while working out, but you will notice a boost in your energy as your endurance level increases.  If you can increase the amount of time you can work out, even better.  Find a program that you enjoy and can easily stick to, whether it’s a simple morning walk or an intense cardio dance exercise video.
• Avoid alcohol and nicotine.  It’s common to view these as relaxation tools, but they’re really doing damage to your body and your health, and it’s having an impact on your energy and stress levels at work.  Having a drink as a regular way to unwind after work can lead to dependency and abuse (not to mention, it’s ruining that healthy diet you just adopted).  And while many people look to smoking to calm their nerves, nicotine is actually a stimulant, working to increase your anxiety level.

While all of these steps can help you, don’t create more stress on yourself by feeling like you have to attempt all of them at once.  If you think you can easily work through them all, go for it, but don’t be afraid to take them one step at a time if necessary.  Happy relaxing!

First, don’t use your work email address when applying. Not only could your current employer be one of many that monitor the usage of company email, you’ll be sending the message to your potential employer that you search for jobs on company time. In other words, you don’t work when you’re being paid to work. People have been fired to misuse of company email, and if your intention is to keep your current job until you find a new one, be sure to conduct all of your business with your personal email.

This one may be obvious, but if you want to use references from your current job, make sure they’re people that will keep the fact that you’re searching confidential. So if you don’t want your boss to know, don’t list him or her as a reference. Some potential employers might check references prior to interviews; don’t risk letting them blow your cover. And don’t worry too much about not listing your boss. While he or she might be able to give you the best reference, a fellow coworker that can vouch for your accomplishments and work ethic can be all you need.

Try not to schedule interviews in the middle of your day. It may be difficult to schedule them especially if you work odd hours, but no matter your situation, do your best to schedule interviews for early morning or late afternoon. That may make it easier for you to gloss over your real reason for arriving late or leaving early. Don’t insist that you’re sick, though, as that can be hard to prove (what if your employer asks for a doctor’s excuse?), and don’t wear your interview clothes to work if they don’t fit with your company’s normal dress code.

Finally, don’t lose momentum at your current job. You will still need coworkers, and perhaps eventually your current boss, to provide great references. If you suddenly start slacking, that won’t look good to your coworkers, and if they relay that to your potential employer, you might not get the job. It will appear that you have a low work ethic.

Don’t allow the paranoia of being found out take over at work. You’ll only risk giving yourself away. If you use your personal email, schedule interviews on as much of your personal time as possible, only use trusted coworkers as references, and keep doing your job, it will be easier to hide your search from your boss.

For more job search safety tips, see what Careerbuilder.com recommends.

Regardless of your situation, it is best to be professional and handle your resignation like an adult. Regardless of the situation, you never know when you may need your ex-boss’ help or reports from our old company. It’s entirely possible that your new employer may call your current employer, and you never know who knows who. It’s a small world and you never want your reputation damaged because of a lack of interest in handling things professionally.

Before you draft your resignation sample, here are some important notes about preparing and presenting your letter of resignation…

1. Use proper letter formatting
2. Address the letter to the proper superior
3. State the fact that you are leaving and the date that your resignation is effective. Give at least two weeks, but longer notice is typically expected for executive level employees
4. Thank the employer for the opportunity they provided and how it positively affected your career

Most importantly, regardless of why you are leaving and what you think about the company and the people that work for it, do not convey any emotion or negativity in your letter. Your resignation is a business decision and nothing more. If you are dissatisfied with your employer or the way things are handled, keep these thoughts to yourself and defiantly not in writing.

Your resignation remains on file long after you leave, and you do not want to regret anything you stated years from now. This may be a great test of character, and this is a time that you must demonstrate an ultimate level of professionalism. Remind yourself how important your new job is and imagine they are watching how your resignation goes to ensure they made the right decision. They may in fact ask you how the situation was handled, and chances are they will assume you will treat your new employer the same way you treated your ex-employer.

As you are preparing to resign, it is best not to discuss your resignation with anyone. Not only can word spread and you run the risk of being fired, but you may put your colleagues in an awkward position.

Be sure that when you resign that you are ready to resign. Although that you may be giving two weeks notice, your employer has no obligation to keep you on staff for two weeks. You are an at-will employee and can be let go at any time.

Download the resignation samples to give you some guidelines, but remember to keep it short, to the point, unemotional, and professional.