What Everybody Ought to Know About Preventing Interruptions and Avoiding Distractions

What Everybody Ought to Know About Preventing Interruptions and Avoiding Distractions 3 How to get in focus fast. A 3-part series. Don't you hate it when you sit down to do something, you start getting really into it, you're perhaps even working something complicated out in your mind and then RRRING! the phone goes or BEEPOO! an email arrives or BOOWEEP! someone messages you or HEY! you're tapped on the shoulder…A few minutes later, you're finally back to what you were doing and then…and then you're thinking where was I? And those are just the interruptions you had in the past 20 minutes. Even worse is when no one gets in your way and you can concentrate except â€" oh look at that, I'll just check the headlines quickly â€" or â€" what time is it? I'd better call Kate/Ofer/Ming-li to see what we're doing tonight â€" or even, when around others â€" he doesn't need to yell into that phone, we don't all need to hear him.eval Interruption is an action beyond your control that forces you to stop what you're doing and react. Distraction is something that you voluntarily give your attention, diverting it from whatever else you were doing.eval To illustrate the difference â€" if someone taps you on the shoulder for help, you can't simply pretend that they're not there. However if a person just walks by your chair, you don't need to strike up a conversation with them about the broken fax machine that left toner on their hand just like yours. Following are some tips for staying in the zone, in the flow â€" that mental sweet spot of unimpeded activity that is so elusive for too many of us. To do that, you'll need to: Prevent Interruptions, Avoid Distractions and Stay in Focus. Were you interrupted before getting this far?

Most Asked Questions about Work Authorization in the US - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Most Asked Questions about Work Authorization in the US - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Well, I am getting a lot of questions about work authorization in the US and this week, I would like to clarify these questions. For example; I have a university degree from X country. How do I apply for a work visa in the US? You cannot apply for a work visa which is called H-1B yourself. Your employer should apply for you. The reason for this is that H-1B visa is tied to your sponsoring employer as well as your job roles and responsibilities. For this reason, you need to find a job first in order for your employer apply H-1B visa for you. Also, H-1B jobs usually require a bachelor’s degree or higher, so you should have completed at least a bachelor’s degree. Still, for more comprehensive information about H-1B visas, visit the US Citizenship and Immigration Services website (www.uscis.gov). My friend in the US applied for a 1-year work permit called OPT. How can I apply for it from outside of the US? OPT stands for Optional Practical Training. It is a type of work authorization for employment related to your field of study. OPT is a benefit for holders of valid student (F-1) visas and it is valid for twelve months. To be eligible, you must have completed one full academic year of study in the United States. Most F-1 students use this type of work authorization after they graduate. With an OPT authorization, you can work for any employer, but you can only work in jobs related to your major. You cannot work in jobs that don’t relate to your major or to the degree that you have studied. You can also work part-time or without getting paid. When you are authorized for OPT, you receive an EAD (Employment Authorization Document) card so you can start working for employers. What is a seventeen-month OPT extension? Can everyone get this extension? The seventeen-month OPT extension is an additional work authorization to your twelve-month OPT. However, this extension is not available to everyone. It is only available to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates. Also, in order to get this extension, applicants must be already working in OPT status in paid employment. Volunteer positions are not allowed  and the applicant must be employed by an employer registered with the “E-Verify” federal employment-verification system.

10 Women You Should Know

10 Women You Should Know For most of history, anonymous was a woman, were the words of Virginia Woolf. I think Ms. Woolf would be proud of how far women have come, and indeed we have come very far. While there is still a lot of work to do in the fight to give all women voice and visibility from the office to the home, I think we also ought to celebrate the many women who make strides in business, science, technology, international affairs, academia, government, law, media, and the home. The following 10 women have made a difference in their careers, communities, and of course in the world as a whole, and we think you should know them. 1. Marissa Mayer At 37, Marissa is the CEO of Yahoo, which makes her the youngest CEO of a Fortune 500 company. A native of Wausau, Wisconsin, Ms. Mayer graduated from Stanford University with a B.S. in  Symbolic  Systems and an M.S. in Computer Science. In 2009, she was one of Glamour Magazine s Women of the Year. Away from Yahoo, Mayer sits on the boards of the New York Ballet, National Design Museum, and other non-profit organizations. 2. Dr. Helene D. Gayle Ms. Gayle is the president and CEO of CARE USA, a division of CARE International a humanitarian aid organization fighting global poverty. Prior to joining CARE, she had spent over twenty years at the Center for Disease Control (CDC) with a large focus on HIV/AIDS.  Helene received her M.D. at the University of Pennsylvania and an M.P.H. at John Hopkins University. She also has several honorary degrees and awards and is considered a prominent global thinker of the time. 3. Chan Laiwa A rags to riches story, Chan Laiwa was born in Beijing, China and is the founder of Fuwah International Group one of  Beijings  largest  commercial property developers. Chan is also the founder of the China Red Sandalwood Museum where she serves as the curator, which has earned her the title of a cultural diplomat in China. Ms. Laiwa is one of only 19 self-made female billionaires in the world. 4. Katherine Krill Kay Krill, as she is known, is the president and CEO of Ann Taylor Stores. She is  responsible for all  three Ann Taylor divisions Ann Taylor Stores, Ann Taylor Loft, and Ann Taylor Factory Stores. Kay is credited for spearheading the growth of the Loft division, which has grown into a $1 billion business. In 2012, she was one of the twenty-five highest paid women in the United States. 5. Christiane Amanpour   Regarded by many as one of the most prominent and powerful women in media, Ms. Amanpour serves as the Chief International Correspondent for CNN and a Global Affairs anchor for ABC news.  In her coverage of the Bosnian and Gulf wars, she gained a reputation for being fearless in the field. Ms. Amanpour has won nine Emmy Awards and received numerous global honors for her work. 6. Dolores Huerta Ms. Huerta is a civil rights activist and labor leader who co-founded what is now the United Farm Workers. Dolores has received global acclamation for her pursuit of workers, immigrants, and womens rights. Huerta was the inaugural  recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Human Rights in 1998. In 1992, Ms. Huerta founded a non-profit in her own name that creates leadership opportunities for community organizing, civic engagement, and policy advocacy in health and environment, education and youth development, and economic development. 7. Isabel Allende   Isabel is a Chilean-American writer and is considered to be the worlds most widely read Spanish-language author. In 2004, she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 1996, she founded the Isabel Allende Foundation  which supports programs to empower and protect women and children. In 2010, she received Chiles National Literature Prize and  is regarded as one of the top 10 most powerful female authors in the United States 8. Victoria Ransom Victoria is co-founder and CEO of Wildfire, a social media marketing software provider. Originally from New Zealand, Ms. Ransom has been an  entrepreneur  since her early twenties. As the founder of Wildfire, she has led the companys success to profitability within just one year of its start. In 2010, she was named the New Zealand Ernst Young entrepreneur of the year and in 2011 was one of Top 25 Women to Watch in Tech. 9. Chimamana Adiche Ms. Adiche, a Nigerian, is regarded as one of Africas most prominent female authors currently. Chimamana obtained a Masters in creative writing from John Hopkins University and an M.A. in African Studies from Yale. Her most  notable  works are Purple Hibiscus and Half of A Yellow Sun which have received worldwide acclamation and have earned her numerous honors and awards. 10. Tawakkol Karman Known as Yemens Iron Woman, Tawakkol became the international face of the 2011 Yemen uprising. Ms. Karman is a politician, journalist, and human rights activist. In 2005, she co-founded Women Journalists Without Chains with seven other female journalists to promote freedom of opinion and expression. In 2011, she became the youngest Nobel Peace Laureate to date. Whatever your path and purpose, we hope you have enjoyed learning a little bit about these women as we find their stories inspiring. On behalf of Ms. Career Girl, I wish you a Happy International Womens Day!

A Rash of Brand Apologies - Or Are They

A Rash of Brand Apologies - Or Are They Brands mess up all the time. That’s nothing new. But in the light of Wells Fargo, Uber, Starbucks, and Facebook creating massive marketing campaigns to do what….ask for our forgiveness? Should we “forgive” such indiscretions or will our “forgiveness” just lead to repeating of bad behavior? Let’s first get one thing clear, none of the current brands (Wells Fargo, Facebook, or Uber) are actually asking for our forgiveness in their brand apologies, statements, and campaigns. They aren’t even really admitting that they did wrong. And nor are they saying two simple words “I’m sorry.” Brand Forgiveness? This idea of “brand forgiveness” is a trend just like having brands push their social causes even if it isn’t smart for their bottom lines. These are marketing strategies first and foremost. Similar to your dog wanting to cuddle after they got caught shredding your favorite silk blouse, these brands want your love, not your forgiveness. A few years ago, Chipotle did something similar by offering free food after their numerous supply line contamination scares. These brands want you to get back to what you were doing before and forget about all this stuff because it really wasn’t “THAT” big of a deal. All of these brands are trying to use your biology and subconscious patterns against you and to their advantage. Because they know the sooner you keep using Facebook, keep using Uber, and keep depositing your money at Wells Fargo that in the end the negative press will die down and life will go back to normal for the businesses. These brands are betting on the fact that their service is ingrained in your life. They are using your natural biology to change and our natural desire for consistency to their bottom line advantage. These brands are hoping you don’t have the willpower or time to change your ways. No Accidents Here . . . And then there is the elephant in the room with the regards to these scandals. None of them was a surprise to the companies. The practices that came into question were known and approved by numerous people within each organization. They just got caught. That is what the surprise is. This is why you see these marketing campaigns, not apology campaigns. And if you listen closely, they only say that are going to “do things differently” which is marketing code for “not get caught the next time.” Their words are quite intentional. So what are you to do as a consumer? As consumers, we have to be just as intentional with our actions, words, and money as these brands are with theirs. If we find nothing wrong with the actions of a company then choose to keep doing business with them. If you think their malice was wrong and it isn’t in alignment with what you stand far then choose to stop doing business with them. Choose with how you spend your free time. Choose with how and where you spend and invest your money. But choose. Don’t fall for the tactics these brands are trying to play. Don’t let these companies manipulate your biology and subconscious programming to their advantage. Make a choice just like these brands did when they put their bottom lines before their “beloved” audiences you. This guest post was authored by Ali Craig Ali Craig is an international consultant, speaker, 3x best-selling author, television host, and brand strategist. Having worked with everyone from industry titans to underdogs, Ali has found that her passion lies in helping small brands take action to make large ideas doable and create an influential brand that shines. With 20 years of branding experience,  Ali shares her knowledge across international stages, with national media audiences, and on her television show, Fix My Brand With Ali Craigâ„¢. Her Neuro Human Brandingâ„¢  method weaves science, psychology, design, and human nature into an easy to apply system that any brand can use to grow their audiences connections, conversions, and community. Alis energy and expertise  shine  through in  her monthly articles in EmpiHERâ„¢ Magazine, and guest contributions in the Chicago Tribune, The Denver Post, and The New York Daily News.

8 High-Demand Executive Jobs That Value Military Veterans Skills - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

8 High-Demand Executive Jobs That Value Military Veterans Skills