Bev's Tips for a Better Work Life

Tips for a more rewarding and resilient career

For almost 20 years, Bev has been coaching
professionals to thrive at work, navigate
transitions and grow as leaders.

personal growth

Try these tips for building self-discipline

Posted by Beverly Jones on

 You can build self-discipline!

And you can start today!

A while back, a reader of my ezine wrote that self-discipline had always been a struggle for her. “I know I’m capable of it from time to time, and I’m definitely getting better at it, but I would like to keep improving.”  She asked me to write something about how to improve self-discipline.  And “could you recommend any books?” she asked.

Many of us share that struggle with self-discipline, and often it’s an issue with my coaching clients.  [Read more…] about Try these tips for building self-discipline

Bev’s Forbes.com post on building career resilience

Posted by Beverly Jones on

6 Keys to Career Resilience!

Read Bev’s Forbes.com post

I’ve worked with hundreds of high achievers, and I’ve learned that you can’t predict where your career path will take you. But you can prepare for it. Resilient people aren’t necessarily born with a unique ability to bounce back or forge ahead. Rather, they are ordinary folks who learn behaviors, attitudes and work patterns that allow them to keep going and growing, even in difficult or uncertain times.

Read my six tips for building resilience at Forbes.com. 

Your manners when you dine can say a lot about you

Posted by Beverly Jones on

Table manners can be a factor when you or your colleagues are trying to make a positive impression. More than that, dining out, whether as a host or a guest, is a social art form, and one that can support or undercut your path to professional success.

If you work in an environment where occasional meals are part of the culture, you might want to consider the roles of guests and hosts. Business may flow more smoothly if everybody on the team has an idea of the behavior expected. [Read more…] about Your manners when you dine can say a lot about you

10 Tips for Being Energetic & Innovative Even When Times are Stressful

Posted by Beverly Jones on

Like a lot of folks, the members of a team at an important organization are challenged to do more with less, in the midst of stressful times. They asked me to speak about ways they can keep up their energy and become even more innovative. And here are my 10 tips:

1. Think positive. When you are in a negative state, the voice inside your head may say “no” to every new idea, even the good ones. Notice your own reactions, and watch for knee-jerk thoughts like, “this won’t work” or “it’s hopeless.” Choose to re-program your defeatist self-talk with phrases like, “I’m open and willing to try!” [Read more…] about 10 Tips for Being Energetic & Innovative Even When Times are Stressful

Try a different way of managing New Year’s resolutions

Posted by Beverly Jones on

I have begun most of my years with resolutions, and some have been more successful than others. But even when my list of commitments has been forgotten by February, the process has been worthwhile. There were periods in my life when I didn’t devote much time to self-reflection, so starting out a year by taking a close look at myself was a good thing.

As I often do in December, this month I asked some of my clients about what they would like the next year to bring. And I really want to know: what will success look like in 2010? Where do they want to focus their energy this year? [Read more…] about Try a different way of managing New Year’s resolutions

How do we stay motivated to change?

Posted by Beverly Jones on

I’ve been coaching fulltime for about seven years, but I’ve been fascinated by transformation since I was a kid. In serious moments I’m drawn to great thinkers who encourage personal growth, but change doesn’t have to be profound to grab my attention. As a child I sat in church imagining fashion makeovers for the ladies of the congregation, and today I still enjoy “What Not to Wear” reruns.

Part of the fascination with anybody’s story of transformation is this puzzle: why is the change process so difficult to sustain even when we really really want it? How do some people keep moving despite daunting barriers, while the rest of us lose momentum? [Read more…] about How do we stay motivated to change?