Create your own networking event

If you want to expand your network, skip the traditional events and create a setting where you can interact with people looking to achieve the same things you are. One way to do this is by hosting your own get-together with people you already know, and ask them each to bring a friend. This will give you control over the attendees, the setting and the outcome. Start by asking yourself if any of your connections have similar passions. Do any of them play poker or enjoy attending musicals or sporting events? The key is to create a shared experience. Although business might come up in conversation, try to avoid getting stuck in ‘networking mode’. You want people to get to know one another in a genuine way.

(Adapted from Don’t Waste Your Time on Networking Events, by Derek Coburn)

To have more ‘Aha’ moments, find solitude

Have you ever had a brilliant idea while taking a shower or working out? ‘Aha’ moments tend to pop up when our minds are quiet and our consciousness is at rest. You can nurture these moments by creating an environment of silence and solitude. No matter how busy you are, do your best to find some alone time. Go to an empty conference room or take a walk outside. Once you’ve reached a quiet spot, ignore what’s going on around you and focus on your inner thoughts. This will allow your mind to truly wander, so your brain won’t miss the next lightbulb moment when it happens.

(Adapted from 4 Steps to Having More ‘Aha’ Moments by David Rock and Josh Davis)

When trying to get buy-in, give your audience a clear call to action

We all know the basics of good presentation skills: Don’t read from a script, don’t overwhelm your audience with too many slides and so on. But for a particular kind of high-stakes presentation, one in which you’re trying to get buy-in from decision-makers, the basics aren’t enough. You also need to articulate a clear call to action. What do you want your audience to do? The next step may seem obvious — you want people to invest in your company or approve the budget for the full-scale launch — but it’s rarely that clear to the audience who is hearing your pitch for the first time. So use the last few moments of your presentation to clarify exactly what action they can take to show their support.

(Adapted from A Checklist for More Persuasive Presentations, by Dorie Clark)

To beat burnout, assess how you’re spending your time

Relentless stress can easily lead to burnout, but it doesn’t have to. Start by taking a few minutes to look at exactly how you’re spending your time over the next week. For each block of time, record what you’ll be doing, whom you’ll be with, how valuable the activity is and how you’ll feel afterward. For the latter, use a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is angry or drained and 10 is joyful or energised. At the end of the week, pinpoint the activities that negatively affect your mood and take action to limit them. Use that recovered time to do things that boost your energy.

(Adapted from Beating Burnout, by Monique Valcour)

If colleagues keep asking you for help, set some boundaries

Being the person who co-workers always turn to for support can be exhausting, so it’s important to learn to say no. You can be supportive while putting up boundaries:

— Convey empathy. Make it clear that you feel your colleague’s pain and that you’re not denying that his feelings are legitimate.

— Tell your co-worker that you’re not in a position to be helpful to him right now. If you feel comfortable explaining why, do so.

— Refer your colleague to another co-worker or someone who’s working on something similar, so they can help each other.

— Let go of the guilt. There is only so much help you can provide before burning out.

(Adapted from When You’re the Person Your Colleagues Always Vent To, by Sandra L. Robinson and Kira Schabram)

Published in Dawn, Business & Finance weekly, February 20th, 2017