# About Name: Her Second Innings Description: To Empower Women Professionals, Take Control Of Their Career And Financial Future Through Reskilling. URL: https://blog.gxhub.online # Navigation Menu - Home: https://hersecondinnings.com/ - Contact US: https://hersecondinnings.com/contact-us/ - Her Career Conversation: https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-guidance-new/ # Blog Posts ## Perfectionism in the Workplace and Beyond and How to Let Go Author: HerSecondInnings Published: 2025-04-02 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/perfectionism-in-the-workplace-and-beyond-and-how-to-let-go-cm8zkxxs0000x141628q3pj48 ![](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/perfectionism-1743580773598-compressed.png) “Her work is always flawless since she won’t submit a task until she is satisfied.” “She never misses a day at work even if she is sick, she is a perfect worker” “Their kids are good at everything they do, I often see them studying even during their break time.” All of us have heard something similar to this at some point in our lives. Striving for excellence by working hard, holding a high standard for oneself, being detail-oriented, encouraging your kids to be high achievers in school, and valuing productivity are invaluable traits that often pave the way to success.  The problem is, however, when these traits get confused with perfectionism. Perfectionism is often considered a strength and is even glorified by many. However, it can be detrimental to achieving our goals in our personal and professional lives and can even affect our well-being negatively. Let’s take a deeper look into perfectionism, how it can motivate us, what happens when it goes too far, and how we can manage this mindset. What is Perfectionism? Perfectionism is often seen as being flawless, making no mistakes, and doing everything ‘correctly’. But this raises the question, what does it mean to be flawless? What makes something perfect? The biggest problem in trying to achieve perfection is that there is no fixed definition for it, and ultimately we end up damaging ourselves and possibly others by getting caught in a chase for something that may not even exist.  It is important to keep in mind that trying to do your best and make the most out of a situation is commendable. The problem arises when you start to believe that everything you do must be of a particular standard, and feel critical of yourself or others if anything short of your expectations is achieved. Perfectionism often involves tying our self-worth to an outcome - which means, more than putting out quality work, perfectionism is associated with fear and anxiety, such as a fear of failure or rejection. Often, perfectionism stems from a desire to gain respect, affection, or praise from others, or a desire to be in control of a situation or yourself. Keeping in mind what perfectionism is, here is how perfectionism can manifest in different aspects of our lives, be it the workplace, in our relationships with others and ourselves, and parenting. 1.Perfectionism can lead to procrastination and delays in work. A person looking to perfect their work might put off or avoid tasks that they believe are not good enough to avoid having their work turned away or criticized. They might end up obsessing over details irrelevant to the project or team and redoing things repeatedly. 2\. The best way to learn and grow is by making mistakes and reflecting on feedback. By putting too much emphasis on delivering “perfect” results, a person might avoid essential learning experiences. 3\. Low self-esteem is very common with perfectionism, as they tend to engage in self-critical thought patterns over self-compassion and find it difficult to be happy or satisfied with any work, hobbies, activities, or relationships they are a part of. This in turn leads to complicated relationships with themselves and others. 4\. Overworking and trying to live up to nonexistent standards can be harmful to one’s health. This is very commonly seen in women, who feel pressured to live up to various beauty standards, familial expectations, and parenting trends, and end up sacrificing their health for the same. 5\. It can strain your relationship with your children - while encouraging children to work hard is good, being overly critical of them and emphasizing the importance of outcome over effort can cause them to feel pressured and sometimes even worthless. When you get consumed by the idea of perfect, it can even lead to devastating consequences on your mental health such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, compulsive behaviors, and could even aggravate personality disorders. Now that we have a better understanding of what perfectionism entails, let’s look at how we can identify and rectify perfectionist thoughts. 1\. Be mindful and catch yourself falling into an all-or-nothing mindset. Some of these could sound like “I got 1 question in the interview wrong, which means I ruined the whole thing”, or “ My child got a B in maths, which means they did not perform well this time”. Instead, understand that not everything is black and white! Rephrasing the above, “Yes, I got 1 question wrong, and I also got 4 others correct” or “Yes my child got a B in maths, and they also secured As in other subjects and learned to overcome their weak points” 2\. Challenge your thoughts to practice self-compassion. If you catch yourself being disappointed or overly critical of yourself, take a step back and examine how much truth it holds. “I got 1 question in the interview wrong, I am not good at anything”. Ask yourself, is this a thought you have about yourself, or is it a fact? Would getting 1 question wrong imply a person is bad at everything? It helps to look at how you would react to a close one in the same situation. Would you tell your loved one that they are not good at anything for one mistake? Try to extend the same compassion and understanding to yourself as well. 3\. Understand your priorities and realign your values. It is easy to forget what matters in the journey to perfection. Would you rather have your children be unhappy and bring home only A grades, or see them enjoy their childhood and indulge in activities they love, even if it means less time for studying? Would you rather be stressed, sleep-deprived, and exhausted working in a job that you were told was your dream, or would you rather be true to yourself and be happy pursuing something else, even if it means not living up to the expectations of others? Remember, “perfect” is subjective, and sometimes doesn’t even exist. Your definition of what it could be could differ from someone else’s. Accept that you might not always live up to your or others’ expectations, and embrace the fact that to be human is to be beautifully imperfect. You don’t have to be perfect - all you have to be is be you. “Have no fear of perfection-you'll never reach it.” - Salvador Dali ​Be a part of the [HERoines](https://www.instagram.com/heroines.community/), where you can explore various opportunities to improve your professional life. Chart your course, and embark on your next exciting chapter with unwavering determination. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/robotic-process-automation/), and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-guidance/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://hersecondinnings.com/sign-up/) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 5 things to keep in mind while achieving your goals this 2025! Author: HerSecondInnings Published: 2025-01-16 Category: career Tags: goal URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/new-yearnew-career-cm5z8e5380007xsx0h8kiejr0 ![career-goals-2025](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/2025-goal-1738061534711-compressed.jpg) ​It’s that time of the year again! Another year has passed, and we look upon a fresh slate ready to be filled with exciting stories. January is one of the most popular times for setting goals - it serves as a new beginning, a chance to look back on the previous year, set an intention to move forward. Here are a few things to keep in mind while setting your goals this year  ****1. Set goals carefully**** Make sure to design your goals properly to get the best out of your efforts. Designing goals efficiently is the first step to success - one way to do so is by following the SMART framework. This means, you set a goal which is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely. Referring to these pointers while designing your goals can help eliminate any ambiguity and provide the clarity to plan and achieve your goals. For example, setting a goal like “I will learn something new”, is very vague. What counts as something new? How is that going to help you in your personal or professional life? How do you measure if you are on the right track? Instead, set something like “I will learn the basics of html to create my own simple website in 6 months”. Here, we have a clear objective, a timeline, and specifics of the goal to build a plan to work on. ****2.Be ok to ask help**** Your goal setting journey does not mean that you have to carry out the entire process on your own! Do not hesitate to seek support from your circle. Being open and transparent about the help you need can facilitate your success by boosting your motivation, finding resources, and gaining new perspectives. You can reach out to your close friends and family, network with field experts, or reach out to professionals for advice. For example, if you need clarity in understanding what goals could be helpful for you and how you can work towards them, you can reach out to career coach for personal guidance. If you feel that you need a support system to keep you going and hold you accountable, ask a friend or family member to join you or cheer you on! ****3.Expect to Invest**** Working towards your goals requires consistent efforts and discipline, not just bursts of enthusiasm. You will need to set aside time and resources to prioritize and build your routine to accommodate these needs. While it might seem difficult or scary, trust the process and take things one at a time, day by day. Every single effort mounts to a gratifying result. For example, if you want to return to work after taking a break, you have to do some background work before! Take time out to revamp your portfolio, understand the current industry atmosphere, put in the time and money to upskill yourself or gain some certifications. Keep aside an hour daily to apply for opportunities and prepare for interviews. **4. Be Patient** Even if you have the perfect plan and diligently work towards your goal everyday, you may not find results instantly - and that is perfectly normal. Success is a culmination of continuous efforts and is not a linear journey. Do not be discouraged if you feel that things are not going according to the timeline you set. Keep moving forward and have faith in yourself. For example, you might have thought you would get a job after a month, and you feel dejected wondering if you are failing. While it might seem like it’s “your fault”, in reality there are many factors out of your control and not at all against you personally. Instead, all you can do is continue to put in effort, re analyze and recalibrate, and have faith in your path. **6.Don't be afraid** The whole process of goal setting and achieving can be incredibly daunting. A good way to ease the stress is by breaking down the main task into smaller parts and focusing on those, rather than taking it as one big chunk. A common reason for staying in our comfort zones and avoiding to push past our limits is fear. Remember, you only miss 100% of the chances you don’t take!  Your circumstances do not define you, don’t be bogged down by fears related to your past, your break etc. Keep in mind that rejection and failure is simply another part of life, it does not indicate your worth. Success is not always black and white, your experiences and learnings shape you and redirect you in finding your true calling. ​Keeping these pointers in mind will allow you to enjoy the process to success. Wishing you all a very prosperous new Year! ​Be a part of the [HERoines](https://www.instagram.com/heroines.community/), where you can explore various opportunities to improve your professional life. Chart your course, and embark on your next exciting chapter with unwavering determination. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/robotic-process-automation/), and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-guidance/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://hersecondinnings.com/sign-up/) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## From Break to Breakthrough: Strategies for Women Re-entering the Workforce Author: HerSecondInnings Published: 2024-06-03 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![break-strategies-for-women-career](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/break-to-breakthrough-strategies-for-women-hersecondinnings-1717383468221-compressed.png) The Indian woman's professional journey is remarkable in its adaptability. Whether re-entering the workforce after a personal hiatus, seeking a new industry challenge or aspiring to leadership roles, navigating career transitions requires strategic planning and determination. Here are some tips you could consider before that plunge. **1.Self-Assessment: Defining Your Goals**​ ​The first step is a period of introspection. Identifying the motivations behind your career transition is important. Do you seek to leverage transferable skills honed during a period dedicated to family? Perhaps your desire lies in pursuing a long-held passion in a different industry. Clearly defining your goals will shape your trajectory and guide your efforts. **​** **2\. Highlighting Your Skillset** ​Even with a career break, your skillset remains a valuable asset. These experiences, often overlooked, demonstrate valuable capabilities in time management, resource allocation and negotiation – essential skills highly sought after by employers. **3.Building a Robust Network** Networking is a powerful tool for career advancement. Reconnect with former colleagues, explore industry-specific events in your city and establish an active online presence on professional platforms like LinkedIn. Let your network know of your career aspirations and openness to new opportunities. Building strong professional connections unlocks doors and builds unexpected possibilities. An exclusive community like [HERoines](https://nas.io/heroines) can cater to your needs, providing you an opportunity to network with professional and like-minded women. **4.Staying Ahead of the Curve** The professional landscape is ever-evolving and continuous learning is crucial. Consider online courses or certification programs relevant to your chosen field. In fact, you can follow us, HERSECONDINNINGS for upskilling programs and job opportunities. Your commitment to self-improvement demonstrates initiative and enhances your value proposition to potential employers. Remember, lifelong learning empowers you to remain at the forefront of your industry. **5.Staying Ahead of the Curve** ​The professional landscape is ever-evolving and continuous learning is crucial. Consider online courses or certification programs relevant to your chosen field. In fact, you can follow us, for upskilling programs and job opportunities. Your commitment to self-improvement demonstrates initiative and enhances your value proposition to potential employers. Remember, lifelong learning empowers you to remain at the forefront of your industry. **6.Seeking Supportive Communities** Surround yourself with a network of women who understand the unique challenges of career transitions. Explore online communities or mentor programs designed to support women navigating similar journeys. These supportive networks offer invaluable guidance, encouragement and a sense of shared experience, building confidence and taking you forward. ​Be a part of the HERoines, where you can explore various opportunities to improve your professional life. Chart your course, and embark on your next exciting chapter with unwavering determination. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/robotic-process-automation/), and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-guidance/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://hersecondinnings.com/sign-up/) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 10 Important Steps for Career Women at the Beginning of the Financial Year Author: HerSecondInnings Published: 2024-04-04 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/e5b3b6a4-ff66-46a1-abeb-acb451dd8fc7-1712208927724-compressed.jpeg) Ladies, the beginning of a new financial year is a golden opportunity to hit the reset button for  your career. Here are 10 things you should fix right away to set the stage for a successful year ahead. Ladies, the beginning of a new financial year is a golden opportunity to hit the reset button for  your career. Here are 10 things you should fix right away to set the stage for a successful year ahead. ### **1.Review Your Goals**​ Take a moment to revisit your career goals. Are they still aligned with your aspirations? Update them if necessary and create an action plan to achieve them. If you wish to connect with a mentor, the HERoines community is here to help. **​** **2.Update Your Resume** ​Even if you are not looking for a new job, it is important to keep your resume updated. Add any new skills, achievements or responsibilities you have taken on in the past year. **3.Clean Up Your Digital Presence** ​ Employers often check social media profiles before hiring. Make sure your online presence is professional and reflects the image you want to portray. **4.Organise Your Workspace** ​A clutter-free workspace can boost productivity and creativity. Take some time to declutter and organise your desk, files and digital folders. **5.Assess Your Network** ​Networking is key to career growth. Reach out to old contacts, attend industry events and make new connections to expand your professional network. Be part of a community that can nurture your goals and plans. **6.Invest in Professional Development** ​Identify areas where you can improve and invest in training or courses to enhance your skills and stay updated to the emerging skill requirements in your industry. Take a look at some of the programs we offer, curated for your professional needs. ​**7.Review Your Finances** Understand your financial situation and set a budget for the year. This will help you make plans for career opportunities or additional income sources. ​**8.Evaluate Work-Life Balance** Striking a balance between work and personal life is crucial for overall well-being. Assess your current balance and make adjustments if needed to ensure you are taking care of yourself.Take a break to attend a lifestyle session (NAS page link) with us. **9. Seek Feedback** ​Don't be afraid to ask for feedback and testimonials from clients, colleagues, mentors or supervisors. Use this feedback to highlight your profile and identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments. **10. Set Boundaries** ​Know your worth and don't be afraid to set boundaries at work. Whether it is saying no to additional tasks when you are overloaded or negotiating for better compensation, stand up for yourself and your career. By taking the time to address these 10 things at the beginning of the financial year, you will be setting yourself up for success and paving the way for a fulfilling and rewarding career ahead. Here's to a prosperous year ahead, ladies! Stay connected with the [HERoines](https://nas.io/heroines)community for updates on Career, Finance, Entrepreneurship and Lifestyle, all in one place!  Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/robotic-process-automation/), and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-guidance/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://hersecondinnings.com/sign-up/) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Uncovering the Secrets to a Successful Relationship with your Career Author: Soorya Published: 2024-03-11 Category: career Tags: careers, women URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![career-relation-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/labour-of-love-tips-for-balancing-work-and-love940x485-1710142903129-compressed.jpg) We all know the importance of your personality in building and maintaining relationships with those around you -your family, friends, and acquaintances and how every person’s unique characteristics enable different people to react to various situations in many ways. While we all know about compatibility between people, have you ever wondered how important your characteristics are in your career?  While we all prioritize matching skills and capabilities with work, we often overlook how important it is to build a career that complements your characteristics. The relationship you have with your work can boost your productivity, enhance your performance, and greatly uplift your happiness and satisfaction to improve your overall well-being. Here are a few traits to look into while choosing your next career. ​**1.Agreeableness** -------------------- In short, agreeableness is a personality trait that indicates an individual’s level of cooperation with others. It showcases a person's level of empathy and on how well they get along with others and care for those around them. People with higher levels of agreeableness tend to be more open, cooperative, and caring towards others and are comfortable putting other’s needs above their own, and those with lower levels tend to be more self-reliant and self-focused and can come across as competitive or pragmatic. Those with high levels of agreeableness tend to focus on relations with others and would be well suited to people-facing roles or those that require high levels of teamwork. On the other side, those who tend to be less agreeable would be better suited for roles where their success is determined by tasks they perform rather than their relationships with other people. **2.Ambition** Ambition indicates one’s desire to achieve more and constantly grow in their career. People with high levels of ambition tend to have a desire to achieve more, are more zealous concerning their work, and can also lean towards resourcefulness to achieve their goals. Those with lower levels of ambition tend to feel comfortable with stability, are more easygoing with work, and tend to be more content with where they are. Those with high levels of ambition would do well in a workplace that supports them to grow and thrive. They tend to do well in dynamic fast-paced environments that provide them with autonomy and freedom to set goals and offer rewards and recognition for their success. Those with lower levels of ambition are better suited for low-pressure roles, which permit enough work-life balance to pursue goals outside of work and facilitate opportunities that enable job satisfaction. They also tend to work better in more structured atmospheres. **3.Conscientiousness** Conscientiousness indicates an individual’s attitude towards responsibilities. Those with high levels of conscientiousness tend to be responsible, disciplined, and orderly. Those with lower levels of conscientiousness prefer to work in their own style and are more spontaneous and flexible in their approach to tasks. Those with high levels of conscientiousness tend to prefer a structured environment with clear objectives, procedures, and guidelines, offering regular feedback and evaluations. With lower levels, a workplace offering flexibility and creativity for performing tasks would be more suitable. Those with high levels of conscientiousness tend to prefer a structured environment with clear objectives, procedures, and guidelines, offering regular feedback and evaluations. With lower levels, a workplace offering flexibility and creativity for performing tasks would be more suitable. **4.Stress Tolerance** ---------------------- People with high-stress tolerance tend to remain composed and stable in stressful situations and are not easily carried away by strong emotions. ​Those with lower stress tolerance tend to be more anxious and tense when it comes to adverse situations. Those with higher levels of stress tolerance can work well in fast-paced, challenging, and dynamic environments with tight deadlines and tasks with high stakes. Those with lower work stress prefer to work in stable, predictable, and organized environments that offer growth without penalization for failures.  **5.Extraversion** In a nutshell, extraversion refers to how one derives energy. Those high in extraversion tend to gain energy from social situations, and those low on extraversion tend to gain energy from solo activities. Extroverted people work better in people-facing roles involving communication and interaction with others. Creating an atmosphere that is team-oriented, fosters collaboration, and offers growth to leadership opportunities would be ideal for such people. Those who tend to be more introverted prefer environments that give them enough personal space to focus on tasks at their own pace and provide tasks that can be completed individually or with few people. They prefer to work on tasks that require creativity, concentration, or thoughtfulness. **6.Openness** -------------- Openness refers to the degree to which people seek out new experiences. Those high on openness tend to be more imaginative and curious, and those low on openness tend to focus on realistic situations and are content with what they know. Those with high levels of openness work well in roles that foster creativity and encourage them to find new solutions to problems. They are comfortable with frequently changing circumstances and thrive in organizations that offer innovation over standardization. Those who tend to have lower levels of openness prefer to work in organizations that offer established procedures and tangible evidence before trying out new methods. They thrive in workplaces that offer stability, routine, and familiarity. A key thing to remember is that there are no “good” or “bad” traits!  Everyone has all of these traits in varying amounts, and different situations bring out different traits.  For example, a person may display high levels of conscientiousness when they are passionate about something, but low levels of conscientiousness for tasks they do not enjoy.  It is important to understand yourself to find out what kind of interactions and situations bring out different aspects of your personality. Furthermore, these traits are not meant to be thought of as a limitation for you - for example, people often tend to assume introverts are not good leaders, but plenty of renowned CEOs like Bill Gates,  have excelled in leadership roles! Understanding these traits is a means for you to learn how you can establish a healthy relationship with your work to build a thriving career. _**About the Author**_ Meghana Ganesh is a Community Manager at [Her Second Innings](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-guidance/). She is a Computer Science Graduate with a passion for women’s empowerment and equality, and diversity hiring in organizations. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/robotic-process-automation/), and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-guidance/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://hersecondinnings.com/sign-up/) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 6 Things to Keep in Mind to Stay Motivated During your Job Search Author: Soorya Published: 2024-01-22 Category: career Tags: Career Comeback, women, career guidance URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![rebuilding-career-women](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/rebuilding-career-1705904465280-compressed.jpeg) Reigniting your professional aspirations and building or rebuilding your career can be a mix of emotions - thrill, excitement, fear, guilt, and stress and frustration. It takes a lot of courage to prioritize yourself and make your dreams a reality, so here are a few things to keep in mind during your job search to stay motivated and consistent: **Your journey is your own:** It’s always tempting to look around you and evaluate your accomplishments and journey based on other’s milestones. Maybe you see your peers progressing in their career journeys or people seemingly landing jobs quickly and easily. In times like these, it’s important to remember that your journey is your own. Everyone’s situation is different, so rather than putting yourself down by looking at those around you, accept your situation, celebrate yourself, and continue to focus on your goals. You can’t change what happens with those around you, but you have all the power to work towards self-improvement. Continue building your professional network, upgrade your skill set, seek projects and opportunities to grow your skills, and take care of yourself - and things will fall into place. Your career break is not a setback: -------------------------------------- ![career-break-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/careerbreak-gap-1705904620331-compressed.jpg) ​Don’t look at your break as a setback. Rather than perceiving it as time you lost, look at what you gained from it - the precious time you got with your children or family, the space you got to heal and come back stronger, the enriching experiences that gave you clarity and perspective. A career break can be a tool to boost your career growth as it can provide you with the space to explore different fields, pursue passion projects, and facilitate a career switch. **Understand that change is okay:** -------------------------------------- Change can be scary - it makes you leave the realms of your comfort and face the unknown. Change, however, doesn’t always have to be bad! It is a gateway for new opportunities, fresh perspectives, and personal and professional growth. Returning to work after a break can be a scary process. You might have apprehensions about dealing with the lifestyle changes it involves and the workplace changes you have to face. Don’t let this fear hold you back - understand that you have handled change earlier and got through. Another way to help is to take small steps at a time, such as pursuing internships or [return ship programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/our-courses/) to ease your way back to the workforce. Focus on your self-care: ------------------------ ​Searching for a job can take up a lot of time and energy - make sure to keep aside some time for your mental and physical well-being. You can try picking up a hobby, following a self-care routine, spending time with loved ones to keep your mental well-being on track. Eating nutritious and complete meals, staying hydrated, and building an exercise routine can help you stay physically fit. ​Rejection is not personal: ------------------------------ ​Although not getting a callback or constantly facing rejections can be frustrating, remember that this rejection is not personal. Getting rejected by a hiring team is not a reflection of your worth. There could be many reasons for a hiring team to move past your application, and none of it is under your control! Don’t take it personally - leave it behind and move forward with your application and preparation process. **Talk to someone:** -------------------- Stay connected during your job search to keep your morale up. Reach out to your friends or family to share your goals, ask for help, or talk. Try to seek out and connect with working professionals in the field you aim to pursue a career in, or reach out to communities and career coaches for career advice or mentorship. Remember that staying connected and being part of a community can help you overcome feelings of isolation and foster a sense of being heard. It can also aid in boosting your morale and confidence by creating a sense of empathy. Meeting other people going through similar experiences and sharing perspectives support and advice can help ease the feelings of isolation and dejection. Need some more encouragement and guidance for your career comeback? Learn more with the [Her Second Innings](https://hersecondinnings.com/sign-up/) community. _**About the Author**_ Meghana Ganesh is a Community Manager at [Her Second Innings](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-guidance/). She is a Computer Science Graduate with a passion for women’s empowerment and equality, and diversity hiring in organizations. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/robotic-process-automation/), and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-guidance/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://hersecondinnings.com/sign-up/) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Navigating through workforce challenges Author: HerSecondInnings Published: 2023-11-27 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![worklife-covid-hybrid-work-from-home-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/work-from-home-1701105194348-compressed.jpg) The world seemed to be heading towards normalcy post COVID and workforce started to get aligned to the changed working patterns. Work From Home (WFH) became the norm for organizations!! As companies also adapted to this model, there still seemed to be something amiss. Work force participation, culture integration, inclusivity were some of the areas that were challenging. This lead many a companies to re-think on the post-covid working pattern and pushed employees to return back to work. With lots of resistance from the employees, the hybrid model seemed to be the panacea for the organizations. The adapted work-force now is facing a challenge to either be cushioned in their homes, enjoying the WFH model or return back to their place of work but work on hybrid model. The global head-wings has pushed many organizations to either slow-down their growth or have pushed many to pause their growth plans leading to down-sizing and various other forms of cost-cutting. This in-turn has pushed the work-force to stick to the company guidelines to protect their jobs in these uncertain future of the job market, causing an unhappy work-force. The challenge now with the companies are : Do they look at pleasing the employees at the cost of being profitable or do they please the share-holders at the cost of employees, by imposing cost-cutting and taking harder stance at work environment to create better profitability. Balancing the interests of employees, shareholders and choosing a middle path, to ensure the overall financial health of the company is indeed a difficult task, although is the ideal one! Here are some considerations: ### Employee Well-being: It's important for companies to prioritize the well-being of their employees. Happy and satisfied employees tend to be more productive and engaged, which can ultimately benefit the company's bottom line in the long term. Neglecting employee needs, such as a desire for flexible work arrangements, could lead to talent attrition and a negative company culture. ### Hybrid Work Model: The hybrid work model can be a compromise that allows employees some flexibility while maintaining a physical presence when necessary. This approach can be a win-win situation, as it accommodates employee preferences and can reduce real estate costs for the company. However, it requires clear policies, communication, and technology infrastructure to ensure it works effectively, as looks like it is a model that is going to be the new work-norm. ​Profitability and Shareholders: Companies have a responsibility to their shareholders to generate profits and provide returns on investments. Cost-cutting measures may be necessary in certain situations to ensure financial stability. However, these measures should be carefully considered and not come at the expense of employee well-being, as long-term profitability often depends on having a skilled and motivated workforce. While the middle path may not always be perfect, it often offers the most sustainable solution. Striking a balance between employee satisfaction and shareholder interests is challenging but crucial. This might involve exploring alternative revenue streams, innovative business models, and efficient cost-cutting strategies that don't adversely affect employees. ### Communication and Transparency: Open and transparent communication is key in times of uncertainty. Companies should engage with employees and shareholders to explain the reasons behind their decisions and seek feedback. Involving employees in the decision-making process can help build trust and consensus. ### Reskilling and Adaptation: In a changing work landscape, investing in employee training and development can be a strategic move. Companies can help employees acquire new skills that align with evolving business needs, making them more adaptable and valuable in the long run. Ultimately, each company will need to find its own balance between pleasing employees and shareholders based on its unique circumstances, industry, and business strategy. A well-thought-out approach that considers both short-term and long-term implications is essential for navigating these challenges successfully. _**About the Author**_ Hema Malini  is Vertical Head - Diversity Hiring @  [Her Second Innings](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-guidance/). With over 25 years of experience in human resources and business advisory, she is  passionate about helping organizations and individuals achieve their full potential.  She  believes that diversity and inclusion are not only ethical imperatives, but also strategic advantages that can enhance creativity, innovation, and performance. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/robotic-process-automation/), and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-guidance/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://hersecondinnings.com/sign-up/) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Achieving Financial Independence: A Guide for Women on a Career Break Author: HerSecondInnings Published: 2023-09-20 Category: finance Tags: financial literacy, career woman, Career Comeback URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/financial-management-blog-1695230163048-compressed.JPG) Taking a career break, whether for family reasons, personal development, or other factors, is a significant decision that many women make at some point in their lives. However, this break can sometimes lead to financial insecurity and a sense of dependence. With some careful planning and strategic actions, women on a career break can attain financial independence. In this article, we will explore some practical steps to help women regain control of their financial futures. **Set Goals** ------------- The first step toward financial independence is to set clear and achievable financial goals. These goals will serve as a roadmap for your journey. Start by defining both short-term and long-term objectives. Short-term goals could include saving a certain amount each month for your upskilling or finding a part time gig to start earning. Long-term goals might involve getting back to full time job and start regular earnings, purchasing a car, home, investing for your kid’s future, or plan for your retirement. Setting goals provides direction and motivation, making it easier to stay committed to your plan. ### **Create a Budget** ![budjet-planning](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/budjet-planning-finance-1695721850549-compressed.jpg) A simple budget plan is a powerful tool for managing your finances effectively. Start by tracking your income (if you have any passive income) and expenses to understand your current financial situation. Once you have a clear picture of your finances, create a budget that allocates funds for essential expenses such as housing, utilities, food, and transportation. Additionally, budget for savings and investments, ensuring that you prioritize these areas to start earning and build wealth over time. ### **Develop New Skills** While on a career break, consider using your time to develop new skills or enhance existing ones. Continuous learning can open up new career opportunities, even if you're not currently working in your chosen field. Online courses, workshops, and networking events can help you stay up-to-date with industry trends and make you more marketable when you decide to re-enter the workforce. **Explore Freelancing and Remote Work** Many industries now offer freelancing and remote work opportunities. These flexible options allow women on a career break to generate income while still maintaining a work-life balance. Whether it's writing, graphic design, consulting, or virtual assistance, freelancing can be a stepping stone to financial independence. ### **Take Small Steps** You don’t need a large chunk of money or regular income to start an investment. Today you can start investment plans with as low as Rs.500 per month. Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) in Mutual Funds, is a powerful way to grow your wealth over time with better returns. You can also start investing in e-gold, and other small savings schemes online. If you're new to investing, seek advice from experts, to get some tips based on your goals and risk tolerance. Keep in mind that investing carries some level of risk, so it's essential to educate yourself and make informed decisions. ### **Build a Strong Support Network** Building a strong support network is crucial for women on a career break. Seek advice from friends, family, mentors, and financial professionals. Joining networking groups and communities of like-minded individuals can provide guidance, encouragement, and potential opportunities. Don't hesitate to reach out to your network when you're ready to re-enter the workforce or explore new career paths. ### **Consider Entrepreneurship** Entrepreneurship is another path to financial independence. If you have a passion or a business idea, consider starting your own venture. While it requires dedication and hard work, entrepreneurship offers the potential for substantial financial rewards and the flexibility to design your own work schedule. Achieving financial independence while on a career break is not only possible but also empowering. It helps women regain control of their financial futures. Remember that financial independence is a journey, and with determination and the right strategies, you can create a stable and prosperous financial future for yourself and your family. [HerSecondInnings](https://hersecondinnings.com) and [HerMoneyTalks](https://hermoneytalks.com/) joining hands to empower women with the ecosystem, upskilling, tools, services and products for career and financial independence. Join our community today if you’re not part of it _**About the Author**_ ​[Nisary Mahesh](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nisarymahesh/) is a Former banker turned entrepreneur and writer, catalytic in women empowerment through financial literacy, inclusion, upskilling and entrepreneurship.She is the Founder & CEO, [HerMoneyTalks](https://hermoneytalks.com/), a one stop financial platform for women. HerMoneyTalks promote women entrepreneurship and handhold startups through curated workshops, bootcamps, accelerator programs, mentoring, with a focus on helping them with a healthy financial modelling for their business. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/robotic-process-automation/), and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-guidance/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://hersecondinnings.com/sign-up/) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Empowering Your Life: The Art of Setting Healthy Boundaries Author: HerSecondInnings Published: 2023-09-12 Category: career Tags: positive attitude, attitude, Emotional Intelligence, career guidance, relationships URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/healthy-boundary-women-1694529111209-compressed.jpeg) Have you ever committed to an appointment, knowing it will be difficult for you to make it? Or have you ever agreed to take up extra tasks, despite knowing that you do not have the bandwidth to accommodate it? Have you ever found yourself constantly putting others’ needs above your own? We all have heard about boundaries, and how setting boundaries is crucial to self-care and in building healthy relationships with yourself, your work, your family, peers, and others. In this blog, let’s look at what boundaries are, and how they are beneficial. ​**What are boundaries?** **Boundaries are personal limits and guidelines that define the physical, emotional, and psychological space we need to feel comfortable and safe in various aspects of our lives. They are a way to understand our needs and are a method to communicate these needs with others around us. Rather than simply saying “no” or cutting people away, boundaries are a way to understand ourselves, feel secure and safe, and stay accountable to do things that benefit us.**​ **How do you know if you need to work on your boundaries?**  Do you relate to any of these? 1. **Unable to say no to others at the expense of your safety or convenience** 2. **Feel overwhelmed with your responsibilities often** 3. **Refuse/Unable to seek help from others** 4. **Growing resentment** 5. **Often feeling burned out** **If you resonate with any of the above,  it might be a sign to re-evaluate your boundaries with work or relationships. Take a moment to reflect - where do you think you need to set these boundaries? What is holding you back from doing so?** **Here are some examples of setting boundaries:** **The boundaries you set with others :**      Eg: Telling your children to knock before entering your room     during work hours     Asking for help from your spouse with the housework to enable     you to focus on your own personal goals **The boundaries you set with your work:**     Eg: Discouraging discussions about personal information or     talking about others      Limiting your working hours during the day **The boundaries you set with yourself:**     Setting a budget for your expenses     Going to bed by 11PM So, what can we do to set healthy boundaries? **Here are a few steps to define your boundaries:** **1\. Understand yourself and your limits:**  Take some time to understand what causes you stress/discomfort during your day. What tasks make you feel uneasy? What interactions make you feel anxious? Why does it make you feel that way? Note down what makes you feel calm and stress-free, and look into these situations to understand what would make you feel more comfortable. **2\. Define your hard boundaries and your soft boundaries** Hard boundaries are those that are completely non-negotiable, and soft boundaries are those you prefer to keep but have flexibility.  Once you understand these, you can gain more clarity on taking the next step to communicate and maintain your boundaries. For example, a hard boundary could be “I will not take up jobs that require me to work a night shift.” A soft boundary could be “I would like to leave the office by 4:30 PM, but I am flexible and can make arrangements to stay in for another hour if the need arises.” **3\. Communicate!** Be clear and express your boundaries as well as when your boundaries are violated. Avoid giving hints or subtleties - be clear and firm and explain your needs and constraints. Remember, it may not be under your control if people listen to your boundaries, but it is in your hands to communicate your needs effectively. Here are some examples of communicating your boundaries effectively: “I appreciate the offer, but I am at capacity right now and will not be able to commit to another project being added under me” “Sorry, I will not be able to make it this time, maybe next time.” **4\. Learn to Say No** If you want to establish and maintain your boundaries, you have to learn to turn down tasks or requests that cross them. Saying no can be difficult - take time to understand why it makes you feel uncomfortable or guilty, and try to reflect on how you would feel if you protected that particular boundary. **5\. Be Consistent** This allows you to reinforce your needs and demands and makes sure no confusion or miscommunications arise between people. **6\. Respect the boundaries of others!** Make sure to also be mindful of others’ boundaries - after all, healthy relationships are formed through mutual understanding. Take a moment to reflect - have you ever crossed someone else’s boundaries? Remember, boundaries are necessary if you want to live life on your own terms, without being pressured or influenced by others. Only you can build and protect your well-being, and setting boundaries gives you the power to find the freedom and courage to design your own journey!   _**About the Author**_ Meghana Ganesh is a Community Manager at [Her Second Innings](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-guidance/). She is a Computer Science Graduate with a passion for women’s empowerment and equality, and diversity hiring in organizations. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/robotic-process-automation/), and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-guidance/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://hersecondinnings.com/sign-up/) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## The Importance of Doing Your Research for a Job Search. Author: HerSecondInnings Published: 2023-07-31 Tags: Jobs, career guidance URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![jpb-search-tips](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/job-search-1690791078261-compressed.jpg) While looking for a job, it is tempting to jump right in - tearing across job boards and applying for any job that catches your eye. Although it might seem like you are being productive and taking action to achieve your career goals, taking some time to do your research before applying for jobs can make your job search productive and can also help in the long run by enabling you to land a fruitful career that you can grow in and enjoy.​ Let’s take a look at how you can research your job: **1.Understand your skills and strengths** - **Before looking for a job, make sure to have clarity on your skills and strengths. These include the tools and skills you used on your previous job or obtained from your degree and transferable skills that you can apply across various job types. For example, if you worked as a Java developer, your core strengths could be Java, Springboot, etc., and your transferable skills could be problem-solving, time management, etc.** **2. Learn what the current industry needs** **- Take some time to understand the existing and emerging trends and then decide how you can put your skills to use. Chances are, if you are getting back to work after a long break, then there might be many changes in previous technologies, which means you may have to upgrade your skillset or find alternative options. The main goal is to stay up to date with and make sure you have something to offer to be valued by an organization. For example, if you worked in content writing earlier, you may have to get updated with the latest trends and usage of technology tools and AI in the field, like ChatGPT, Grammarly, etc.**​ **3.Take time to find your values/principles** **\- In addition to your skillset, it is important to understand yourself, your personality, and your values. Having a strong sense of your core principles is key in helping you find an organization with a culture fit that you resonate with, build a career out of a job, and find meaning and satisfaction with your work. For example, maybe you value creativity and spontaneity over order and structure. In such a case, pursuing opportunities in organizations that offer you a dynamic environment, such as start-ups or freelance roles would be perfect for you to thrive.** ​ **4.Make a note of your constraints and priorities -** **Now that you have a clear understanding of yourself and your values, it’s time to look into your priorities and constraints to find a role that would be feasible for you to pursue in the long run. These could be your preferences and restrictions concerning salary, location, working hours, industry, domain, working duration, etc. For example, you would like to find a job, but you can offer only 4 hours of work per day. In this case, you have a constraint on your working hours, so part-time opportunities could be a good option. Maybe you are looking to return to work after a break, and you would like guidance and brushing up before taking up a project. This indicates your priority would be to look for returnship programs, rather than direct full-time roles.**​ ​**Following these steps is sure to make your career comeback successful and hassle-free!**​ _**About the Author**_ Meghana Ganesh is a Community Manager at [Her Second Innings](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-guidance/). She is a Computer Science Graduate with a passion for women’s empowerment and equality, and diversity hiring in organizations. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/robotic-process-automation/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-guidance/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://hersecondinnings.com/sign-up/) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Women's Day 2023- Let's Embrace Equity! Author: HerSecondInnings Published: 2023-03-08 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![embrace-equity-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/march-2023-5-1678439147581-compressed.png) It’s international women’s day, and the theme for this year is “Embrace Equity.” The purpose of women's day is to support women’s rights and celebrate and acknowledge the achievements and struggles of women across various sectors. If we want a truly inclusive world, simply focusing on equality is not enough. We need more - we need equity. Although we often interchange equality and equity, it is important to understand their difference When we talk about equality, it means we treat everyone the same. Every person, regardless of their background and situation, gets access to the same set of resources. Equity takes things a step further. Equity means that people get resources based on their needs and their circumstances to achieve an equal outcome. To achieve equality, we need equity. Let's look at an example. You have two children, Jane and Joe, and you want to give both of them a meal. You decide to give them both a peanut butter sandwich,  to be fair to both of them. This would be equality. However, Jane is allergic to peanuts! This means a peanut butter sandwich would not help her, and our outcome is not equal - Joe gets a satisfying snack, but Jane does not. Instead, if we consider Jane’s needs, we can give her a different snack so that both of them end up with a satisfying meal. This would be equity. Now let’s see why we need equity for women's empowerment. Women often face several disadvantages at the workplace-underrepresentation, the wage gap, balancing the responsibilities of work and family, etc. are just some of the issues women face at work. Although more and more organizations have acknowledged the need to put effort into encouraging and retaining women at work, there is still a long way to go. More than creating opportunities, we need to work towards implementing innovative solutions to assist women in the workplace. Rather than implementing a one-size-fits-all solution, we need to look deeper and start understanding what women need if we want a truly equal society. Many women step back from their careers for personal reasons, maternity, or to take care of family. Creating jobs for sabbatical women is one way to help, but is that all they need? These women often feel apprehensive about returning to the workplace after a long gap. They often do not feel confident since they are not up-to-date with new technologies. Instead, giving them guidance to ease into the changing market, build their confidence, help them upskill, and get up to date on the latest technologies, etc., would be a more effective way to help them. Many working women who have to handle responsibilities at home and work often need to be available to take care of situations in the office as well as handle home needs -managing their own routine, or taking care of their kids, families, etc. For these women, maybe flexible work hours and hybrid work models, giving them opportunities to speak up and express their ideas and opinions too, can be helpful to retain them. Thus, the first step to building an equal society free from bias is to start taking action through equity. _**About the Author**_ Meghana Ganesh is a Community Manager at [Her Second Innings](https://write.superblog.ai/sites/supername/hersecondinnings/posts/aim-and-claim-your-dream-career-hsis-online-womens-day-special-2022-cl06pa3a1326461pm80xdlt0c6/hersecondinnings.com/). She is a Computer Science Graduate with a passion for women’s empowerment and equality, and diversity hiring in organizations. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-conversation-enrollment/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Stuck with a tough situation at work? Here’s how you can handle it. Author: HerSecondInnings Published: 2023-01-17 Tags: stay positive, positive mind, positive attitude, worklife, Work Culture, work life integration, career guidance URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![worklife-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/women-struck-work-tips-hersecondinnings-1673949624699-compressed.jpg) Encountering difficult situations, especially at work, is inevitable. It is not uncommon to find ourselves challenged with unexpected situations or problems that leave you feeling stuck. Here are a few ways to help you overcome obstacles and beat the stress! ### **Put aside your emotions** When you encounter a problem, you may feel overwhelmed, nervous, frustrated, and so on. Your feelings are normal and valid, but do not let them hinder your performance or drive you to engage in unnecessary conflict. Take some time to work through and process your emotions. Acknowledge and address what you are feeling but do not let them manifest as thoughts that could lead to a mental block. Focus on only the problem and the process - do what you can control and the rest will follow. **Reflect and assess the situation** ![reflection-process](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/evaluatinglearning456-1673960020725-compressed.png) Before directly jumping into the problem, take some time to assess the situation. Clearly understand and define the problem, work backward to understand what is needed to solve it, analyze the skills and resources you have, and identify any gaps to find out what you need to help you with the task. Thoroughly research possible plans or ideas, or reassess a workflow you tried but did not work out - be open to constantly adapting and readjusting your plans. **Break it down** Once you have done the background work, it is time to get started!  Rather than tackling the entire problem at once, which can be extremely daunting and tough to navigate, start by taking small steps. Break down a bigger task into smaller, specific tasks that are easy to handle and track. ### Ask for help ![help-career-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/career-help-hersecondinnings-1673960795247-compressed.jpg) Get help if you need it! Help could be extra learning resources, guidance from a coworker, support from a friend or family member, or even simple words of encouragement from someone else. It’s completely normal to need some [help](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-guidance/) - rather than trying to handle everything on your own it can be much more productive to reach out and get assistance from someone else. Working with another person can help you realize different thinking patterns, give you a new perspective, and even give you that extra push to motivate you to conquer the task. ### **Take a break** As counterintuitive as it seems, taking a break when you feel stuck can be extremely beneficial. Taking a step back from the problem can help you handle the stress and any negative emotions holding you back and also make you more relaxed, refreshed, and well-rested; which will make you better equipped to tackle the problem. ### **Check progress rather than results** ![progress-result-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/a-little-progress-every-day-adds-up-to-big-results-motivation-quote-with-building-blocks-vector-illustration-400-176080684-1673955911768-compressed.jpg) Remember, more than the final goal, track your progress! Success is not binary, and any progress is still progress. Don’t measure your entire success on the end goal. Even if you are not happy with the result, the learning experience will still be valuable to carry forward with you. _**About the Author**_ Meghana Ganesh is a Community Manager at [Her Second Innings](https://write.superblog.ai/sites/supername/hersecondinnings/posts/aim-and-claim-your-dream-career-hsis-online-womens-day-special-2022-cl06pa3a1326461pm80xdlt0c6/hersecondinnings.com/). She is a Computer Science Graduate with a passion for women’s empowerment and equality, and diversity hiring in organizations. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-conversation-enrollment/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## How to make the best out of the new year Author: HerSecondInnings Published: 2023-01-03 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/newyear-new-plans-hersecondinnings-1672733823523-compressed.jpg) It’s finally 2023, which means, it’s time for another new beginning, a chance to reflect on the past year and begin the new year with a clean slate and a fresh mind. Here are a few things to keep in mind to make this new year a special, productive, and healthy one ### **Let Go** Let go of the past - be it disappointing outcomes, regrets, or bad experiences. Acknowledge what happened, address your feelings and learn from the past, but do not dwell on it too much. Although we have no control over what has happened, we do have the power to change the future. ### **Set an Intention** Setting intentions gives us purpose and a chance to discover more about ourselves. List out values, priorities, things you enjoy, and things you want from the new year, and start finding ways to incorporate them into your daily life.  ### **Be Consistent** We all begin the year with excitement and enthusiasm, with big plans and ideas. We push ourselves with great intensity, only to fizzle out later. When it comes to actually accomplishing your goals, rely on discipline rather than motivation. Consistency is the key to long-term success - it builds small habits which lead to big differences.  ### **Put yourself first** We all know that self-care is important, but how many of us actually follow it? Sometimes we tend to feel guilty if we have to put our needs first, but it is time to realize that self-care is not a luxury, but a necessity. This year, do something for yourself - take the leap, work towards your dream job, travel to a new place, start a new hobby, take action (even if that means extra rest!) for your health - find something that excites you or lets you feel at ease. Wishing you all a very happy new year! Her Second Innings is excited to kickstart the new year with you! Join us with our Coach Jenny at our online workshop “[Set and Achieve your Goals in 2023](https://hersecondinnings.com/events/set-and-achieve-your-goals-in-2023/)”. _**About the Author**_ Meghana Ganesh is a Community Manager at [Her Second Innings](https://write.superblog.ai/sites/supername/hersecondinnings/posts/aim-and-claim-your-dream-career-hsis-online-womens-day-special-2022-cl06pa3a1326461pm80xdlt0c6/hersecondinnings.com/). She is a Computer Science Graduate with a passion for women’s empowerment and equality, and diversity hiring in organizations. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-conversation-enrollment/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## How to prioritize all your needs as a working woman Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2022-12-15 Tags: worklife, back to work, working mom, work life integration, career guidance URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![working-women-hersecondinnings-family-support](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/woman-career-family-help-1671108109469-compressed.jpg) ​**In order to lead a life with contentment, we need to fulfill all the things that have meaning to us. When we cannot give energy to something we love, we end up feeling like we are missing something - which leads to burnout, dissatisfaction, and stress, and can slowly start affecting our mental health. Being a working woman, it can get even tough to balance all priorities like career, family, and friends and also have time for yourself. Here are a few tips to build and maintain boundaries to lead a happy and satisfying life.**​ ### ​**Communicate with Family**​ Many people believe that they have to make a choice between their career or family and often feel guilty having to put one “above” the other. However, this does not have to be the case - it is possible to balance both. If you feel you need to give some focus on your career, make sure to communicate with your family. Talk to them and make them understand that you will have to attend to your work, but also reassure them that you will be available for them and will still support them. Gently explain to them why you need to prioritize your career and why it is meaningful to you- and set an example to them so that they also understand the importance and value of leading an independent life. ![working-women-priorities-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/working-women-hersecondinnings-1671108174177-compressed.jpg) ### **Plan your Schedule** Spend time to reflect on what you want to give your time to, and create your schedule accordingly. Discuss and collaborate with your work team to build a plan where you can accommodate your needs. For example, if you want to spend the evening with your family, try to arrange your meetings and calls early during the day. ### ​**Make time for yourself**​ The most important thing is to have time and space for yourself! Make sure you give at least a few minutes of me-time to relax, introspect and reflect, which will allow you to realize what you value and need. Ensure that you are able to continue to take up your hobbies and do things that bring joy to yourself and define you as a person. Remember, you cannot give what you do not have - so make sure at the end of the day, you are able to care for yourself. ​_**About the Author**_ Meghana Ganesh is a Community Manager at [Her Second Innings](https://write.superblog.ai/sites/supername/hersecondinnings/posts/aim-and-claim-your-dream-career-hsis-online-womens-day-special-2022-cl06pa3a1326461pm80xdlt0c6/hersecondinnings.com/). She is a Computer Science Graduate with a passion for women’s empowerment and equality, and diversity hiring in organizations. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-conversation-enrollment/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Cooking Tips for Working Women : How to get your family to support you Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2022-11-21 Tags: Family success, working mom, support system, women URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![cooking-tips-working-women](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/working-women-cooking-tips-hersecondinnings-1669044898455-compressed.jpg) ### ​ Planning and cooking food for yourself and packing food to send for your kids. Keeping food ready to help out elderly parents while catering to everyone's food preferences and needs, all while managing your own personal and work routine, can be hectic and tiring. Handling meal preparation while working full-time and maintaining your physical and mental health is something that many people struggle with - especially if you are trying to do it all on your own.One of the best ways to make things easier is by getting support from your close ones. Here are a few ways to involve your family to help you with meal planning and preparation! Communicate and Discuss ​**Rather than single-handedly taking over everything in the kitchen, from planning to preparation, having a discussion to decide on meals with your family is one way to start introducing your family members (including kids!) to the cooking work. Not only will this foster a sense of openness and inclusion with everyone, it will also ensure that everyone gets to be a part of meal planning, rather than all responsibility falling only on you!**​ ### ****Keep it Simple**** ​**Catering to everyone's tastes and needs can get complicated. Discussing with everyone is an effective way to understand each other's needs to come together and find common ground to build simple food habits, especially on working days. Doing so will make meal prep easier to handle, so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time doing other productive things. Another bonus is that you get to spend more time with your family!**​ ### ​**Get them involved hands-on**​ ​A simple way to start is by assigning short, easy, and helpful age-appropriate tasks to your family members. For example, you can ask your kids to do tasks like collecting the ingredients for a dish and ask your spouse to help with tasks like cutting vegetables, etc. Introducing them to such activities will ease your workload and inculcate a sense of responsibility and accomplishment, especially for kids. ​ ​_**About the Author**_ Meghana Ganesh is a Community Manager at [Her Second Innings](https://write.superblog.ai/sites/supername/hersecondinnings/posts/aim-and-claim-your-dream-career-hsis-online-womens-day-special-2022-cl06pa3a1326461pm80xdlt0c6/hersecondinnings.com/). She is a Computer Science Graduate with a passion for women’s empowerment and equality, and diversity hiring in organizations. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-conversation-enrollment/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Things to know while returning to work Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2022-10-13 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![welcome-back-career](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/back-to-work-1665650265591-compressed.jpg) Returning to work after a break can be overwhelming and scary, but with a strong support system and proper preparation, it is definitely possible to make an effective career comeback. Here are a few things to know while returning after a break. ### **Take time to reflect**​ Although it is tempting to jump into job hunting directly, take some time to reflect and re-align your current values and priorities, and understand how you can work around your current constraints. Accordingly, you can take the required steps to make your career comeback journey effective. Although having a long break can be discouraging, it is more important to focus on your skills rather than the duration of your career break. Make sure you are confident in your abilities and showcase your eagerness and readiness to return to the workforce. You could do this by upskilling in new technologies, building an impressive resume, networking effectively, etc. ### Stay Up to Date While returning after a break, it is essential that you keep up with the current industry trends. In addition to staying informed with new technology and tools, you also should understand the current best practices in job searching and networking. For example, using social media tools like Linkedin might not have been the norm earlier, but having a Linkedin profile is an important tool to help you land a job today. ### **Keep an Open Mind** Rather than solely trying to get a job, focus on building your profile. The most important thing is to break your break, and you can do this by learning new technologies (even ones you have never heard of!), taking up projects and internships, working in contract roles, pursuing returnships and so on. Keep an open mind and be ready to pursue different kinds of opportunities. ### Own Your Story! Be confident and trust yourself and your journey. You have taken a break for a reason - there is nothing wrong with it! There is much more to life than work, and needing time off for personal reasons is totally reasonable. Remember, as long as you have confidence in yourself and your skills you can achieve anything! ​_**About the Author**_ Meghana Ganesh is a Community Manager at [Her Second Innings](https://write.superblog.ai/sites/supername/hersecondinnings/posts/aim-and-claim-your-dream-career-hsis-online-womens-day-special-2022-cl06pa3a1326461pm80xdlt0c6/hersecondinnings.com/). She is a Computer Science Graduate with a passion for women’s empowerment and equality, and diversity hiring in organizations. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-conversation-enrollment/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” ​ --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Things to know while returning to work Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2022-10-13 Tags: career break, Returnship, Self-confidence, career URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/back-to-work-1665649090918-compressed.jpg) A good Work-life Balance is something that many people seek, yet is often challenging to achieve. Demanding work cultures, fear and pressure to meet work expectations, and technology pushing us to be accessible at any time have made it almost impossible to maintain a work-life balance. ### **Take time to reflect** Although it is tempting to jump into job hunting directly, take some time to reflect and re-align your current values and priorities, and understand how you can work around your current constraints. Accordingly, you can take the required steps to make your career comeback journey effective. **Don’t Focus on the Gap** Although having a long break can be discouraging, it is more important to focus on your skills rather than the duration of your career break. Make sure you are confident in your abilities and showcase your eagerness and readiness to return to the workforce. You could do this by upskilling in new technologies, building an impressive resume, networking effectively, etc.​ ### ****Stay Up to Date**** While returning after a break, it is essential that you keep up with the current industry trends. In addition to staying informed with new technology and tools, you also should understand the current best practices in job searching and networking. For example, using social media tools like Linkedin might not have been the norm earlier, but having a Linkedin profile is an important tool to help you land a job today. **Keep an Open Mind** ​**Rather than solely trying to get a job, focus on building your profile. The most important thing is to break your break, and you can do this by learning new technologies (even ones you have never heard of!), taking up projects and internships, working in contract roles, pursuing returnships and so on. Keep an open mind and be ready to pursue different kinds of opportunities.**​ ### Own Your Story Be confident and trust yourself and your journey. You have taken a break for a reason - there is nothing wrong with it! There is much more to life than work, and needing time off for personal reasons is totally reasonable. Remember, as long as you have confidence in yourself and your skills you can achieve anything! _**About the Author**_ Meghana Ganesh is a Community Manager at [Her Second Innings](https://write.superblog.ai/sites/supername/hersecondinnings/posts/aim-and-claim-your-dream-career-hsis-online-womens-day-special-2022-cl06pa3a1326461pm80xdlt0c6/hersecondinnings.com/). She is a Computer Science Graduate with a passion for women’s empowerment and equality, and diversity hiring in organizations. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-conversation-enrollment/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Tips to Build a Better Work-Life Balance for Women Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2022-06-09 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![worklife-balance-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/worklife-balance-women-hersecondinnings-1654842396454-compressed.jpg) A common dilemma that many women face is making a choice between career or a family. It is a double-edged sword - placing your job as a priority is viewed as selfish, and prioritizing family is seen as unproductive. The deep-rooted societal expectations of women being the primary caregiver for their kids (and to the elderly and in-laws in many cases) combined with the struggles of maintaining a sustainable work life balance make it daunting to be a working mother. A good Work-life Balance is something that many people seek, yet is often challenging to achieve. Demanding work cultures, fear and pressure to meet work expectations, and technology pushing us to be accessible at any time have made it almost impossible to maintain a work-life balance. ### Understand your Needs: First, understand your needs and restrictions. Identify your priorities and what brings you happiness, and where you would like to give more of your energy. Next, map out your desirable timings that would work for you and what changes you would like to make, if any. Once you have more clarity, it will be easier to take steps to build a sustainable work-life balance. **Involve your Family:** ​ Be transparent and communicate with your family to make them understand your goals. Encourage your family to join in with home-related tasks to ease your responsibilities. If you are worried that your children will feel insignificant, try to give your complete attention to them for at least a couple of minutes - even if it is just 5 minutes - during the day to make sure they know that you are still there for them. ### **Be Organized:** Get into a daily routine and plan your time well. Little by little, build a pattern of habits to make it easier to fulfill your priorities. Furthermore, creating a daily routine will automatically convey your availability to your family and work team. For example, if you work from home and take your lunch break regularly at a particular time, your family will know they can spend time with you then, and your work team will also avoid scheduling tasks for you then. ### Support System: Remember, you don’t have to do everything yourself! Make sure you build a support system - these could be relatives, friends, neighbors, etc. Build a cordial and mutual relationship with them and reach out (and reciprocate!) for any help needed. A community can help in various ways - taking care of kids, handling emergencies, and even emotional support. ### **Structure your Work:** **Try to adjust your work schedule to accommodate your personal needs. Flexible work timings and nurturing a team-based model to delegate the workload are some options. Focusing more on delivery-based tasks rather than time-based will also offer more flexibility.** ### Set Boundaries: ****Be vocal with your boundaries and explain your availability to your work team and family. Once you have communicated your needs, you can make arrangements with your team to accommodate any work past your comfortable timing. Similarly, plan your schedule such that your family needs will not interfere with your work calendar.**** Finally, remember that change does not happen overnight. Rather than jumping into multiple changes, make a few smaller goals you can consistently work on.  Maybe you want to wake up earlier to help you establish a routine. Instead of suddenly waking up much earlier at a time you are not used to, try waking up 10 minutes earlier, then 20, and so on, and build from there. Rather than working on achieving a goal, work on creating sustainable habits for a healthier future. _**About the Author**_ Meghana Ganesh is a Community Manager at [Her Second Innings](https://write.superblog.ai/sites/supername/hersecondinnings/posts/aim-and-claim-your-dream-career-hsis-online-womens-day-special-2022-cl06pa3a1326461pm80xdlt0c6/hersecondinnings.com/). She is a Computer Science Graduate with a passion for women’s empowerment and equality, and diversity hiring in organizations. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-conversation-enrollment/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## A Complete Guide to Stress - Types of Stress and how you can Manage it Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2022-05-25 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![stress-management-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/stress-management-hersecondinnings-1653555850791-compressed.jpg) We all have dealt with stress at some point in our lives. Stress is our body’s reaction to pressure or situations that make us feel threatened.  Although small amounts of stress can help us push our limits and overcome challenges, too much can harm our health. Constant stress can make us feel anxious, irritable, and moody. It can even manifest physically, causing headaches, nausea, fatigue, and even chronic issues like high blood pressure and diabetes in the long run. Dealing with stress is inevitable. Hence, we must learn how to manage and cope with stress. First, let’s understand the types of stress: Acute Stress:  This is short-term and is what we often encounter in our daily lives. Acute stress is usually easy to manage. For example, a sudden deadline, getting stuck in traffic on the way to work, your child doing badly on an important exam, etc. Chronic Stress: This is long-lasting and usually results from being constantly exposed to your stressors for a long time. This kind of stress can lead to health problems if left unattended. For example, a toxic work environment, job hunting, home issues, etc. What Causes Stress?  Everyone reacts differently to different situations, which is why stress can have many causes. It can be due to external factors such as workplace problems, family/relationship issues, grief, unemployment or job loss, and more. It can also be due to internal factors related to our thinking patterns and emotions. Now that we have seen what stress is and what can cause stress, here are some ways we can deal with stress. One way of managing stress is by directly tackling the stressor, which is useful when you have some control over the situation. This could be 1\. Trying to resolve the issue- Asking your boss for flexible timings or different work, communicating with your family to share the workload etc, are some approaches where we can proactively try and change the situation. 2\. Removing the stressor- Quitting a job, relocating to a new place, etc., - basically leaving the situation causing stress; is another option. However, we don’t always have the privilege or control to change our circumstances. Instead, we have to find ways to cope and manage our emotions. Here are some steps that could relieve stress: 1\. Take a Break: Although it sounds counterintuitive, resting is required as it gives energy and strength to deal with stress.  2\. Exercise: Physical activity reduces the stress hormone and stimulates the production of endorphins, which make you feel good. Even a short walk will help you feel less stressed!  3\. Breathing: Breath control can reduce your blood pressure and pull you out of the “fight or flight” state that stress causes, thus making you feel more calm and composed.  4\. Talk to Friends or Family: By connecting with someone (four-legged friends count too!), you can receive support, advice, or even something to distract you and make you feel better.  What can you do in the long term? 1**. Take care of your physical health by eating nutritious food, exercising regularly, and following a proper sleep routine. 2. Take care of your emotional well-being by journaling, understanding your triggers and thought patterns, and observing what improves your mood. Taking up activities to keep your mind active (Eg. puzzles), meditation and breathing are also effective.** In conclusion, stress will always be present - it is up to us to handle it healthily and efficiently. Of course, if you are finding it tough to manage stress on your own, or if you feel it is taking a toll on your health, make sure you reach out to a professional! _**About the Author**_ Meghana Ganesh is a Community Manager at [Her Second Innings](https://write.superblog.ai/sites/supername/hersecondinnings/posts/aim-and-claim-your-dream-career-hsis-online-womens-day-special-2022-cl06pa3a1326461pm80xdlt0c6/hersecondinnings.com/). She is a Computer Science Graduate with a passion for women’s empowerment and equality, and diversity hiring in organizations. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-conversation-enrollment/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Balancing Motherhood and Personal Growth Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2022-05-19 Tags: career break, Work Life Balance, motherhood, career guidance URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![hersecondinnings-motherhood-career](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/hersecondinnings-motherhood-career-1652950614910-compressed.jpg) Motherhood...it is that point of time in the life of a woman when the center of her universe shifts to a different individual..her child. A moment where feelings of love, gratitude, and responsibility meet stress, fear, and self-doubt. Motherhood might not be an easy transition for many to start with. The sleep deprivation, the lack of time to attend to self's needs, trying to figure out the needs of a human being who is not verbal yet, and having to sort through the barrage of well-meaning but unsolicited advice. This phase of motherhood, though temporary, feels suspended in time. For working mothers, the challenges add up. Not everyone has the luxury of taking a career break to focus solely on motherhood. The choice of taking a career break comes with its limitations: the loss of professional identity and financial freedom. Those who go back to work will have to make arrangements for reliable childcare and take up the task of balancing work and motherhood. The one common thing between mothers who choose to take a sabbatical and mothers who return to work is the 'Mommy Guilt'. A stay-at-home mom can harbor feelings of guilt of being tired of parenting despite not having to balance work. A lack of appreciation or validation would not help her case either. A working mother might feel guilty over missing milestones of her child. The additional stressors of work could also lead to anxiety. The guilts of both the stay-at-home mother and the working mother over their respective choices could end up making them feel not good enough.  Guilt is a feeling usually experienced when one thinks they have made a mistake. So it is surprising to see a mother experience guilt, even when motherhood was by choice. Though nothing can indeed prepare one for motherhood, many times this guilt is self-imposed. Being stuck on these feelings of guilts can make motherhood seem like a helpless and endless phase and can take the joy out of motherhood. So, what can working and stay-at-home mothers do to address their feelings of guilt and enjoy motherhood to the best extent possible? ### Accepting Limits and Seeking Support:  The first step is to acknowledge that, we as mothers, are not superhuman beings. Though one's intention can be to be the best possible mother, one has to be cognizant of one's limitations. A stay-at-home mother might seem to family, friends, and working mothers as having a relaxed life. A working mother might be struggling to balance work and motherhood. Mothers need to acknowledge their stressors and limits and seek support. Letting go of the need to do it all and seeking support from others is a way for mothers to be kinder to themselves. Family, friends, trusted social circles, or paid help can be reached out to share certain responsibilities. Asking for support is not a sign of weakness. It can be a smart move to support yourself to be the best possible mother. ### The Dual Identities of being You and a Mother:  "Mother" is a powerful identity for life. Taking on the identity of a mother doesn't have to come in at the cost of losing other identities. The loss of identity that comes with being a stay-at-home mother is something that not many women anticipate. It is important for stay-at-home mothers too to recognize their identity as an individual. The luxury of an added professional identity sometimes can come with the cost of burnout. Mothers need to take time off from mothering responsibilities and find their 'Me' time, a time to function and relax as an individual and not just as a mother. It might seem like a selfish activity yet one that can be valuable and energizing.  ### Growing along with Motherhood:  Motherhood is not a destination. As much it is a journey of supporting children grown into healthy individuals, it is also a journey of self. We learn to be resilient, empathetic, patient, nurturing, a problem solver, multitasker, and much more. These qualities can help a mother a well-rounded individual in other societal roles, most importantly as a professional. Recently, many organizations in acknowledgment of this have been welcoming mothers into professional roles and supporting them by adopting returning mother-friendly policies. Organizations such as Her Second Innings offer guidance and support to mothers wanting to give back through professional roles. Click [hersecondinnings.com](https://write.superblog.ai/sites/supername/hersecondinnings/posts/untitled-draft-post-cl3crqx0y484671jpg26y77nxk/hersecondinnings.com/) to know about the various support services to guide a mother take on a professional role. Giving back can be through volunteering opportunities. "The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.” —W.R. Wallace.  ![growing-together-motherhood](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/growing-together-1652951326155-compressed.jpg) ​ Though Motherhood is a role of a lifetime, the commitments and responsibilities of a mother change over time. In accepting your limitations and as you balance being an individual and a mother, you can continue to be you.. an individual with successful lives outside motherhood and the best mother to your child(ren). You deserve to be both without the feelings of guilt and enjoy the joys that only motherhood can bring forth. Wishing you a Happy Mother's Day, 2022. ​​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at [HerSecond Innings](https://hersecondinnings.com/) and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). _ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-conversation-enrollment/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Motherhood or Career: Why not Both? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2022-05-12 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![motherhood-career-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/mom-career-min-1652347171503-compressed.png) "Mother" is almost synonymous with sacrifice - be it personal goals, time, or even health, the compassion and dedication with which a mother puts her family first is commendable. This does, however, bring light on the expectations placed on women to be the ones to make adjustments and put aside their ambitions, especially when it comes to family matters. A common dilemma that many women face is making a choice between career or a family. It is a double-edged sword - placing your job as a priority is viewed as selfish, and prioritizing family is seen as unproductive. The deep-rooted societal expectations of women being the primary caregiver for their kids (and to the elderly and in-laws in many cases) combined with the struggles of maintaining a sustainable work life balance make it daunting to be a working mother. The need to create a society where women have the freedom to make choices for themselves in an environment that can foster growth both professionally and personally is paramount. Here are some ways to make it happen. ### **For a Mom on a Career Break** The decision to take a step back from work is not easy. However, keep in mind that it does not have to be permanent! The option to return to work and do what you love will be available whenever you feel comfortable doing so.  Make sure you map out a plan to make your career comeback a success - re-evaluate your situation and note down your priorities and constraints. Analyze your skillset and how it matches the current market trends and if brushing up or upskilling to keep up to date with the latest technologies is required. If it sounds overwhelming, there is always an option to reach out to a coach or a professional who can guide you in navigating your career path. Once you have done the background work in finding out what you want, what you possess, and what you need - you can take action and look out for suitable jobs. ### **For Working Moms** Managing a healthy work life balance and dedicating enough time and energy to family and work is often very taxing. Being a working mom does not mean there is less focus on personal matters.  One way to maintain balance is by setting clear boundaries. Clearly express your commitments and needs to your work team to assist you with any flexibility required. Communicate your needs with family to make it easier to handle tasks at home. As a family member, rather than having the mother shoulder all the responsibilities, try balancing out work equally - even the smallest of gestures could make a huge impact. Although it sounds counterintuitive, make sure you also give enough time for yourself and keep some time to rest to maintain your health. ### **Finding Flexibility in the Workforce** These days, employers are also taking steps to encourage women to succeed with their career goals. Returnships, which are programs/internships designed for sabbatical women to restart their careers, are gaining more traction. Training programs are also becoming more and more common. Many workplaces offer the benefit of flexible work hours and hybrid models of working. If you are nervous about directly jumping into a permanent full-time job, contract roles are also great options to start out with. Opportunities are endless and there is great potential in finding something suitable to your needs. ### **Ask for help** You do not have to do everything on your own! Express your goals to your circle for their support. Communicate your needs to your family. Reach out to a professional for career guidance if you feel stuck. Be confident to express your constraints and needs to your employer if you need flexibility at work. Build a strong network and surround yourself with people who constantly propel you to achieve your career dreams. This Mothers Day, we hope you can take a moment to be proud of yourself and the courage it took for each and every sacrifice you have made. Remember, the only choice that is permanent is the choice to live life freely and on your terms. _**About the Author**_ Meghana Ganesh is a Community Manager at [Her Second Innings](https://write.superblog.ai/sites/supername/hersecondinnings/posts/aim-and-claim-your-dream-career-hsis-online-womens-day-special-2022-cl06pa3a1326461pm80xdlt0c6/hersecondinnings.com/). She is a Computer Science Graduate with a passion for women’s empowerment and equality, and diversity hiring in organizations. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-conversation-enrollment/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Aim and Claim your Dream Career - HSI's Online Women's Day Special 2022! Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2022-02-28 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![aim-career-womensday-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/women-mentor-talk-hersecondinnings-1646156970843-compressed.jpg) A career mentor is someone who can support, understand, and guide you with your professional goals. Mentorship can be extremely beneficial for both the mentor and the mentee. The duration of mentorship varies - it can be for a few weeks or months or till a particular goal has been achieved. However, it does not always have to be a long-term commitment. Sometimes even a single session with a mentor can be powerful enough to change your perspective, open new opportunities, or navigate any career blocks being faced. A career mentor can help in the following ways: ### 1\. Gives Valuable Advice:-  Since a mentor personally communicates with you, they can understand your situation and background and provide personalized advice and insights drawn from their past experiences. ### 2\. Provides Unbiased Feedback: -  A mentor has expertise in their field and knows the ins and outs of the industry and what it takes to achieve success. Hence, they offer honest opinions and thoughts, keeping your best interests at heart. In addition, since a career mentor is an industry professional and not a relative or friend, they do not let personal issues cloud their judgment. ### 3\. Helps with Goal Setting:-  Setting goals is one of the most effective ways to improve your skills and measure your progress. However, to maximize the benefits from goal setting, they have to be created carefully. A mentor can help you set SMART goals and guide you in achieving them. ### 4\. Opens Networking Opportunities :-  Having a powerful network is crucial for career growth. A career mentor can help you expand your network either directly by ensuring your visibility to other experts in the field, or indirectly by providing the necessary skills to build your own network. ### 5\. Will Support and Encourage you:-  Sometimes, all we need to get out of a rut is some confidence and inspiration! A mentor will make sure you remain motivated and supported even in the toughest of situations. They can help identify your strengths and instill a sense of confidence to keep you going and stay strong when faced with challenges In conclusion, mentorship can be an incredible game-changer for one’s career trajectory. Mentorship can bring out the best in you and provide you with a toolkit to overcome obstacles and create your own success. ![mentortalk-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/aim-claim-dream-career-hsi-1646157052679-compressed.png) Meet our Mentors & Get Your Dream Job! "Aim and Claim your Dream Career (With a Mentor's Support)"! A Special Women’s Day Event 2022 - March 11th (Online) . Enroll Now: [https://bit.ly/HSI\_Womenday\_2022](https://bit.ly/HSI_Womenday_2022) ​ We are excited to give you an opportunity to receive guidance from mentors specialized in the following fields :  * Automation  * Salesforce  * Entrepreneurship  * Coding  * Testing  * Project Management *  Tech Support  * Digital Marketing *  And People Skills _**About the Author**_ Meghana Ganesh is a Community Manager at [Her Second Innings](https://write.superblog.ai/sites/supername/hersecondinnings/posts/aim-and-claim-your-dream-career-hsis-online-womens-day-special-2022-cl06pa3a1326461pm80xdlt0c6/hersecondinnings.com/). She is a Computer Science Graduate with a passion for women’s empowerment and equality, and diversity hiring in organizations. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-conversation-enrollment/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Keep up with your 2022 Resolutions with a Dose of Motivation!! Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2022-02-17 Tags: positive, Positive Thinking, Express Gratitude, Resolutions, Restart Story URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![keep-2022-resolutions](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/keep-2022-resolutions-hersecondinnings-1645093086348-compressed.png) Beginnings harbor an abundance of hope. The start of a new year fills us with the hope of possibilities of what we wish the year to be. We are inspired to turn a new leaf around. We wish for our dreams to come true. Making New year's resolutions has become a tradition and is uninspiring to not have a list of goals for the year ahead. We earn to set many goals with a 360-degree focus on our well-being. Yet studies show that only 19% of individuals can keep up with their resolutions past mid-January. Change is not an easy process. So, how can you set yourself up to keep up with your 2022 resolutions? Finding your Why: Before you start compiling a list of resolutions for 2022, for each goal that you want to set for yourself, know your why? If you want to lose 10 kgs in 2022, find out why losing 10 kgs is important for you. Knowing your why can help you know if you are motivated enough to go after your goals. As you write down your goals, list down three reasons why each of your goals matters to you. If you are unable to come up with a reason, it is time to ask yourself if this goal is as important as you thought it was. The process of achieving your goals gets a shot of intrinsic motivation if you know why you want to achieve your goals.  Commit to your Goals: ---------------------- ![commit-goals-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/commit-goals-hersecondinnings-1645094555872-compressed.jpg) ​ - Believing in why you want to accomplish your goals can motivate you to commit to your goals. Committing to your goals involves regularly attending to the factors that help you accomplish your goals. A lack of commitment is a big reason why many goals fall by the wayside. Commitment is much more than a chore of keeping accountability but encouraging to stay energized.There are two ways one can ensure commitment towards goals.  \-Do Lists To-Don't Lists To-Do List : ------------ One way of maintaining accountability in attending to what it takes to accomplish your goals comes in the form of 'To-Do' Lists. To-Do lists help in breaking goals into a set of actionable items that can be tracked on an ongoing basis. For a weight loss goal, a To-Do list can include a reminder to 'Eat Mindfully'. Having a specific To-Do list can make it easy for you to track your goals and also measure your progress periodically. To-Don't List:  --------------- As you commit to your goals, it is also important to know what could stop you from accomplishing your goals. Anticipating what can stop you from reaching your goals and refraining from them makes up the To-Don't list. If weight loss is your goal, the To-Don't list can include 'Avoid sugar and sugar-sweetened drinks. Celebrate Milestones:  ---------------------- A milestone in the process of goal setting is a celebration of progress. Each small victory in your journey of achieving your goals deserves a celebration. Celebrating milestones is also a way to pause and be grateful for all factors that keep you moving forward. The acknowledgment of milestones is also a way to build self-confidence. Revisiting your progress and acknowledging the results of your efforts boosts confidence in your potential and energizes you to continue ahead. Sharing success with family and friends is a way of celebrating milestones. Change opens up opportunities for Growth. When you envision personal growth, a resolve to put in focussed efforts for success increases the probability of your success. In knowing why you want what you want and in committing to a focussed process of working towards your goals lies the secret of your success. Be Inspired. Be Committed. Be the change you wish to see in 2022. ​​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at [HerSecond Innings](https://hersecondinnings.com/) and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). _ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-conversation-enrollment/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## The Importance of Financial Literacy Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2022-02-03 Tags: financial literacy, Finance, Financial planning, Financial stability, Financial Independence, financial support URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![financial-literacy](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/financial-literacy-1643876767259-compressed.jpg) Financial literacy is the ability to understand and use the knowledge required to effectively manage your money and resources. Although we have come a long way in breaking stereotypes and there has been incredible progress concerning women's empowerment, there is still a gap when it comes to financial literacy. According to the World Economic Forum, India has a rank of 140 out of 156 in the Global Gender Gap Index. Various cultural and socio-economic factors - deep-rooted traditions and beliefs, the wage gap, etc.—have created a general expectation for women to give family matters more important than career or financial management. According to a study, only 33% of women make independent investment decisions, compared to 64% of men. Financial literacy is the key to creating a society where everyone has the freedom to carve their lives on their own terms by being able to pursue and create opportunities to lead financially secure lives. Being financially aware not only pulls people away from making poor decisions or falling for scams and landing in situations such as debt, it also facilities a comfortable future for them and their future generations. Knowing how to budget expenses and allocate resources is extremely beneficial; it can help in saving up enough resources for major planned events (education, occasions, retirement, etc.) and can ease the impact caused by situations that are unplanned or out of our control, such as sudden changes in the economy, health emergencies, etc. ![importance-financial-literacy-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/financial-literacy-hersecondinnings-1643877066949-compressed.jpg) Furthermore, the ability to make informed investment decisions can create additional income streams that can strengthen our financial security rather than relying solely on a single source of income. Lastly, if we can help ourselves, we can help others. By being financially literate and stable, we are in a position to help those in need as well as spread financial awareness to empower others. 1\. Source: [https://www.weforum.org/reports/global-gender-gap-report-2021/digest](https://www.weforum.org/reports/global-gender-gap-report-2021/digest) 2. [https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/only-33-women-takeindependent-investment-decisions-study/articleshow/69577084.cms?utm\_source=contentofinterest&utm\_medium=text&utm\_campaign=cppst](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/only-33-women-takeindependent-investment-decisions-study/articleshow/69577084.cms? utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst)​ _**About the Author**_ Meghana Ganesh is a Community Manager at [Her Second Innings](https://write.superblog.ai/sites/supername/hersecondinnings/posts/untitled-draft-post-ckz6ng7ma71431illvo4gqdvb/hersecondinnings.com/). She is a Computer Science Graduate with a passion for women’s empowerment and equality, and diversity hiring in organizations. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-conversation-enrollment/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” ​ --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Closing 2021 with gratitude for our resilience and opening 2022 finding resilience through gratitude Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2021-12-31 Tags: gratitude, Selfconfidence, women, Competance URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Gratitude 2021](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/bye-bye-2021-welcome-2022-1-1640970503051-compressed.jpg) 2021 finally draws to a close. Looking back at 2021, it has been a year of many losses. The continued pandemic has forced experiences of losses in many forms. The loss of the lives of family, friends, and acquaintances has left a huge void. Prolonged social isolation has left us with the loss of connections and belongingness. Lack of face-to-face contact has left us with a loss of opportunities. Our struggles to cope up with the many losses have made a huge impact on our emotional well-being. We start 2022 unsure of how different the year will turn to be. As we look back at 2021, do we feel we have enough to be grateful for? The times of uncertainty brought about by the pandemic have increased our capacity for resilience. Bestselling author and pediatrician, Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, proposes **7'C** that make up resilience – competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping, and control. What if resilience is the only thing we are grateful for? ![Thanks 2021](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/40513059968c893ac86do-1640970542401-compressed.jpg) 1\. Competence: 2021 could have been one of the stressful years that we had to go through. Yet the fact that we made it through the year is a testament to our ability to face challenges. Our competence to have handled the pandemic effectively so far is something that we can be grateful for as we close this year. 2\. Confidence: ------------------ Competently facing the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic, we have developed our confidence to face our biggest fears and greater challenges. Confidence in our capacity for resilience is also something that we can tap into and feel grateful for. 3\. Connection: --------------- We bridged the lack of face-to-face connections by gravitating towards online connections. The least tech-savvy ones from amongst us were connecting and socializing digitally. Being connected led to decreased feelings of stress and loneliness. Technology that helped us to nurture our relationships in spite of the isolating effects of the pandemic is a sure thing for us to be grateful for. 4\. Character: -------------- Self-Care became an important process to cope with the grief and losses of the pandemic. For many of us, being self-reflective became a part of the self-care process. Paying attention to our thoughts, feelings, and responses as we moved through 2021 was a gateway to understanding who we were. We learner much more about ourselves this year and that is something that we can also be grateful for. 5\. Contribution:  ------------------ Reflecting on the ways you were able to contribute to your family, neighborhood and community is something that you can be grateful for. Going through hardships ourselves opened our eyes to be compassionate to the hardship of others and support and help others as much as we can. The pandemic brought out many stories of the goodness of humanity which added much-deserved warmth to living. 6\. Coping:  ------------ We all found out unique ways to cope up with pandemic stress. Be it in creating an at-home routine, signing up for online classes, meditations and fitness trackers using apps, limiting social media intake, we were resourceful enough to find a coping mechanism that best helped us tide 2021. That resourcefulness of ours is something to be proud of and grateful for. 7\. Control:  ------------- The pandemic continues to uproot our sense of being in control. Lockdowns, curfews, and closures have shifted out the locus of control to very many external factors which have resulted in prolonged feelings of uncertainty and helplessness. Gradually, we have also come to realize what we can be in control of and what we have to let go of.  This lesson of resilience is something that we can be grateful for. Knowing that we have borne witness to these 7 qualities of resilience within ourselves this past year, may we close 2021 with lots of gratitude. Let us have compassion for the struggles that the pandemic has put upon us and usher in 2022 with the belief that our resilience will continue to move us forward..stronger and wiser. ​ - --- ​​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at [HerSecond Innings](https://hersecondinnings.com/) and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). _ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-conversation-enrollment/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Enabling Women into Data Science and AI- HerSecondInnings Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2021-12-08 Tags: job after break, career path, career women, Data Science, Information Technology, guest blogger URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![women-in-technology-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/data-science-ersecondinnings-1638956489745-compressed.jpg) Hello there! How are you doing? There is a surprise waiting for you at the end of this article. Yes! you heard me right! But before that, let me narrate a story of two women, Sheela and Maya. They were well educated and where ever they went they made friends and lead fulfilled lives. Everything was just perfect for them. Then like all good stories, life happened. They got married and had children and had to take care of elders in their family. As their responsibilities grew, their dreams seemed like well just dreams. All those once sought-after aspirations seemed so far away and unattainable. As frustration built, Maya decided she had to work and put her kids into day care. Sheela decided to stay on as a stay- at-home mom. Though both these decisions were wise, nevertheless they both felt unfulfilled. Sheela felt more and more depressed since her skills were not put to use. She looked at her mom and grand mom and the lineage before her. Were they all not victims to the same situation she was in? Their dreams forgotten; their lives put on hold. Maya on the other hand was always overworked tired and a feeling of guilt overshadowed her wherever she was. She was never able to give hundred percent to her kids or work. Every morning she had to wake up early to pack lunches and rush to work before dropping her kids at day care. The long travel to work was not helping. These are the stories of most women. But thankfully with the advent of technology and the pioneering role of consultants such as Her Second Innings, the scenario is changing rapidly. Women on a break can now upskill themselves in various easy trending technologies and find flexi assignments to move forward and fulfill their career aspirations. Her Second Innings offers training and Returnship programs on Robotic Process Automation, Cloud Infrastructure, Cyber Securities, Salesforce etc.  So, if you are a woman and, on a break, you might be wondering:  Am I too old for this? Will I have the capacity to pick up technology after such a long break? Fear not, many women have proved their mettle by getting back to work even after a 10-year break. Her second innings makes this transition smooth and seamless.  And the best part is you can even opt for a career change after your break. All you have to do is call her second innings for a [free career guidance](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/her-career-conversation-enrollment/) where you will be provided with practical kick starters to check your appetite for trending career streams. Her second innings also brings industry experts to guide the women community to get insights into trending technologies. Now for the surprise! [Her second innings](https://write.superblog.ai/sites/supername/hersecondinnings/posts/untitled-draft-post-ckwx8dsnd12261ks3rm6nryfw/hersecondinnings.com/) is proud to present to you Industry Veteran Archana Nehru from Cisco to talk about Data Science and AI trending technology opportunities. So, are you asking, what is in it for me? Well, she will provide you the steps to prepare you to join a fulfilling career in these trending technologies. So, what are you waiting for? [Subscribe](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/sign-up/) to her second innings, a rapidly growing sisterhood of women who help each other grow! **How Women can come back to Tech Roles?** ------------------------------------------ ![Bringing women back to tech roles](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/26078375631079410727763985179306361623774149n-1638950745667-compressed.png) Leadership talk by [Archana Nehru](https://in.linkedin.com/in/archana-nehru-62a4347) (Head Enterprise AI- Cisco India). Watch now: [https://www.facebook.com/101742662364627/videos/360779915809692](https://www.facebook.com/101742662364627/videos/360779915809692)​ _**About the Author**_ Raga Deepika is a versatile professional who has donned multiple hats as a Software Engineer, Author, Writer, Trainer and a Story teller. Her career spans across a long stint of 12 years in IT and has been associated with [Her Second Innings](https://write.superblog.ai/sites/supername/hersecondinnings/posts/untitled-draft-post-ckwx8dsnd12261ks3rm6nryfw/hersecondinnings.com/) (HSI) for the past few years. With the help of HSI she had upskilled and has got her certification in [RPA](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/), UiPath. She is based out of Chennai. Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-conversation-enrollment/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Four proven factors that accelerated the success of sabbatical women supported by Her Second Innings Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2021-11-29 Tags: Sabbatical, networking, Career Comeback, women URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![sabbatical-women-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/sabbatical-women-hersecondinnings-blog-1639213677529-compressed.jpg) A career break, no matter how long or short, could make one feel sidelined from job opportunities. With the job market in a post-pandemic rebound, so are opportunities to get back to work. It is never too late to work on getting job-ready. ​[Her Second Innings (HSI)](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/) is a platform that supports sabbatical women finding their way back to careers. As a team, we have interacted with hundreds of women and supported them through coaching, assessments, returnships, internships, and job offers. This support has been with the sole aim of helping women break their career breaks and find professional success.  ![career-aspirations](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/career-aspirations-heesecondinnings-1638180535446-compressed.jpg) In our interactions with women candidates on sabbatical, certain factors stand out clear in what makes women on sabbatical successful in getting job offers. Here are four factors that make women on a career break successful in returning back to a job. 1\. Clarity about their career aspirations 2\. Knowing areas of strengths: skills and hands-on-experience wise: 3\. Confidence in show-casing one's capability 4\. Networking 1.Clarity about their career aspirations: ----------------------------------------- All of us grow with certain aspirations of what we want to be when we grow up. Those 'wants' guide us in choosing subjects to learn in school and college and the area of career. Restarting after a career break gives one a unique opportunity to revisit previous choices. When one wants to restart their career after a break, there is a choice to get back to the career one has previously been in or has a choice to choose a new career area. It is important to take stock of the current need for a career and craft a plan to reach the desired job. Having no clarity about one's career aspirations might make one feel less capable of finding their way back to a career. This process is not always easy and it sometimes takes multiple efforts to find what suits each. Reaching out to a career coach, a mentor who is a field expert can yield valuable ideas and thereby the clarity in one's career aspirations. **2.Knowing areas of strengths: skills and hands-on-experience wise:** ------------------------------------------------------------------------- After getting clarity on one's desired career area, it is important to assess one's strengths: skills-wise and also hands-on experience-wise. Knowing where one stands, gives valuable clues into needed areas of skill upgrade. Skill upgrades can be both upskilling in previous areas of exposure or reskilling in a new area. Time, focus, and effort are important components of skills upgrades. The more intense one's focus is the quicker job opportunities come one's way. Choose to work smart. Returnships programs such as HSI's @ [https://hersecondinnings.com/returnship/](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) are smart ways for women to gain experience in new skill areas and also get much valuable hands-on experience in live industry projects. 3\. Confidence in show-casing one's capability: -------------------------------------------------- No matter how suitable one is for a particular job, the world wouldn't know if one doesn't share it out. A well-crafted resume, comprehensive LinkedIn profiles are ways in which one can showcase their hard skills. HSI's blogs and Facebook video archives can be valuable sources for pointers to make a catchy yet authentic resume and a motivated LinkedIn profile. It is also important to achieve the ease of talking about self's strengths, achievements, motivations, and aspirations with ease. The more you believe in yourself, the more ease you will have in show-casing your professional capabilities 4\. Networking: ------------------ The more one networks the more one gets to know of exciting opportunities. With the modality of networking for jobs moving online, access to networking is open to everyone. Build your presence and engage in job networking sites such as LinkedIn, focused meet-up groups, and hackathons. Your profiles and portfolios must show that you are motivated and ready to take up opportunities. Be active in sharing your views, opinions and be fearless in expressing an alternate view with a rationale. Reach out for referrals and endorsements for your top skills. Be a part of events of communities such as HSI where you can be supported by like-minded women. Give and take from your networks. Networking gives you insights and new opportunities that might have been at your blindsight. We at HSI have heard success stories of many women who have stepped back into careers after a long break. It is always a starstruck moment to see how women @ HSI put their efforts into the above four factors and find success in rediscovering their careers. It is a delight for us at Team HSI to talk to such women and reflect on their journeys and the determination that fuelled their success stories. [https://www.facebook.com/HerSecondInning/videos](https://www.facebook.com/HerSecondInning/videos) has a repository of success stories of women in various career fields finding success. We welcome you to be a part of our journey. We welcome your association with Her Second Innings because we believe that a career break is a temporary phase. Join us and feel supported as you break your break. _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at [HerSecond Innings](https://hersecondinnings.com/) and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). _ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/her-career-conversation-enrollment/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Launch yourself back into a Career with a Comeback Resume Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2021-09-02 Tags: Career restart, review resume, Resume writing, Career Comeback URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![resume-comeback-career](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/resume-hersecond-innings-blogs-1630566398013-compressed.jpg) I recently had a conversation with Subha Chandrasekaran, Founder of Rainkaft Creative Solutions (Video at [https://bit.ly/HSI-Resume\_Do\_n\_Dont](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sJdBqSdpOY)) who gave valuable tips on how women on a career comeback can structure their resumes for success. Subha also talks about Functional Resume, which is a resume format where the focus is on professional skills rather than jobs previously held. A traditional resume is a chronological resume where one lists their work history in reverse chronological order with the most recent job listed at the top of the resume. There is a lot of inhibition about how breaks are perceived in a chronological resume as the break stands out at the top of the resume.  ![resume-tips](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/resumewriting-1630566428783-compressed.png) A functional resume can be useful if you have had a long career break or if you would like to change career streams. What makes the functional resume different is that you can highlight your top skills and list your various experiences under each of the skills.  For example, if your top skills are in the areas around Administration and Customer Service, you could list them in your resume as **Administration** : 1\. Research and making proposals 2\. Collated content to newsletters **Customer Service :** 1\. Interact with clients on social media channels 2\.  Identify and classify clients needs Thus the functional resume highlights skill-based professional accomplishments. It is also important to include the other parts of a resume such as your professional summary, employment history, etc. The downside of a functional resume format is that many recruiters do not accept this format. It can be hard to understand your past career progression through a functional resume. That said, a functional resume can be helpful to highlight your achievements and strengths, make your core skills stand out, include short work stints that are different from your career stream, and show how you can transfer skills from your previous career stream to a new career stream. It also helps to give out a functional resume in-person to a hiring manager so questions, if any, can be addressed. Reach out to [coach@hersecondinnings.com](https://write.superblog.ai/sites/supername/hersecondinnings/posts/a-comeback-resume-ckt2hho4t08341zo8wg1dgn6v/coach@hersecondinnings.com) if you want to know if a functional resume is something that you want to consider. _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at HerSecond Innings and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). _ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://bit.ly/Her_Career_conversations). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## The new way of making the most of Life and Work Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2021-07-29 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![work-life-integration-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/work-life-integration-hersecondinnings-min-1627571243164-compressed.jpg) Anjali Sud, the 37-year-old Indian-American CEO of Vimeo was recently in the news for having transformed Vimeo into a NASDAQ-listed company. Just before she set out to ring the opening bell at NASDAQ to take Vimeo public she tweeted a picture with her two-and-a-half-year-old son and has talked about how she aspires for a work-life integration rather than work-life balance, as a working mother. Gender disparity in education starts early with boys more likely to be enrolled in schools, offered private education, and sent off to professional colleges. Despite this disparity, data shows that girls get better grades than boys, even in STEM subjects in schools. In recent years, there has been a big increase in the number of women entering the workforce after their education. After having created a professional identity against odds, women find themselves wondering if it makes sense to continue working. One starts to wonders if a balance between the demands of professional work and responsibilities at home is ever possible. Without clarity, it is possible to feel incompetent in one's ability to find a balance. ![work-life-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/work-life-integration-1627571341907-compressed.png) ​ An alternate way of approaching this problem is by aspiring Work/Life Integration. Work/Life Integration is a way of structuring time in a way where both professional and personal commitments are attended to without having to choose one over the other. Jobs that permit Work/Life Integration can be helpful to retain more women at workplaces. For women who juggle a greater share of care responsibilities at home, continuing to have a professional career becomes possible. So, how does one make Work/Life Integration possible? The first step is finding out how much of a work-life integration you want for yourself. Knowing how much time and effort you can commit to both work and life's responsibilities can help you make choices to achieve your needed work/life integration. Individual contributor roles such as Digital Marketer, Website Developer, Recruiter, etc offer better opportunities to plan around work/life integration. Entrepreneurial jobs, part-time jobs, and fixed-time duration jobs can give you more flexibility to make work/life integration happen. Contracting with your employer on a flexible working schedule is another way to integrate work and life. Segmenting time and breaking activities into smaller tasks can help to boost productivity and accomplish tasks when working on a flexible schedule. Collaborating virtually is yet another way to integrate work around life. The pandemic has shifted perspectives around working from home yet using technology to stay virtually connected with workmates. Eliminating commute times, this work setup offers flexibility and control over one's working hours and also attends to responsibilities at home. Work/life integration comes with its own set of limitations. If not managed with care, work can become all-consuming across other areas of life. When not focused, there is a possibility of slipping behind work schedules. It is important to know your professional and personal goals at any particular phase of your life so you can choose if Work/Life Integration is the best option for you. _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at HerSecond Innings and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). _ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://bit.ly/Her_Career_conversations). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Living your Best! Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2021-06-21 Tags: women URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Live-your-best-life](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Live-best-life-hsi-blog-2021-1624717774562-compressed.png) The recent news about the divorcee of Bill and Melinda Gates caught my attention in a specific way. One reason the couple gave regarding their separation is that they no longer believed that they could grow together as a couple. Before one can know what it means to grow as a couple, it is important to know what it means to grow as an individual, as a person. We continue to grow physically from the time we are conceived. Our physical growth is visible and more pronounced during our younger years. Along with our physical growth, we also grow and change cognitively and psychosocially. Cognitive development includes the way we think, conceptualize, learn new things and understand the world around us. Psychosocial development includes the way we connect with others, the ways our personalities develop, the values and beliefs we identify with, and our ability to connect with others and express our emotions. ![Live-your-life-hersecondinnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/live-your-life-hsi-1624692329031-compressed.jpg) As we reach our young adult years, there is a significant slowing down of what we see externally as physical growth. Yet we continue to grow cognitively and psychosocially. Personal growth and development is a lifelong process. So what does growing as an individual mean? It is a continual process of understanding and developing ourselves in a way that makes us feel that we are living the best version of ourselves. It is unique to every individual. So how can one know that one is living the best version of oneself? Here are 10 questions to ask yourself: Do you feel valued? Do you think you have a choice in saying a yes or a no? Do you think your needs are attended to? Do you have permission to make mistakes? Do you feel comfortable expressing yourself? Do you know when your boundaries are being crossed? Do you have relationships that you are proud of? Do you take care of yourself? Do you feel excited to learn something new? Do you have the freedom to do what you love? If the answers to the above questions are mostly yes, be proud of the life you have created for yourself. If you are not ok with your answers, it is not too late to work on yourself. Self-reflection or reaching out to a therapist can be ways to know where you stand and what changes you would like to make. Personal growth reflects in all aspects of our life. Living the best version of our life is not a self-centered choice. As we start living the best version of ourselves, the growth we encounter has the power to touch the lives of people around us positively. Live your best!! _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at HerSecond Innings and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). _ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://bit.ly/Her_Career_conversations). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Care amidst the Second Wave Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2021-06-21 Tags: Staying motivated, women URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![care-amidst-second-wave](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/care-amidst-second-wave-hersecondinnings-min-1024x576-1624271263574-compressed.png) The second wave of Covid 19 has spared none of us from pain and anxiety. The grief over lives lost, the uncertainty of access to medical care, fear of what is to come...we are going through profound grief, distress, despair, fear, and worry. We know so much about things that are within our control such as maintaining social distances, using masks, using sanitizers and disinfectants to protect us from the virus. Yet there seems to be so much that seems outside our control. We are fighting an invisible enemy over which we feel so much powerless. The long and endless fight has left us all tired and exhausted. We wake up day after day with intense feelings of helplessness. As women, many of us take up additional responsibility as caregivers. Many of us have professional roles to balance along. Many of us are doing it all without much help. Many of us are running short on energy as we try hard to keep going. It is not easy to give from a place of lack. It is not easy to feel positive when all we see around is sadness. It is not easy to care when we feel a loss of control. So, how can we take care of ourselves when we don't feel certain? How can we create a positive mindset amidst the despair? How can we take care of others when we feel lost? Here are three simple things you can do to support yourself through these tough times. So, how can we take care of ourselves when we don't feel certain? How can we create a positive mindset amidst the despair? How can we take care of others when we feel lost? Here are three simple things you can do to support yourself through these tough times. From giving care to self-care In times of stress, self-care becomes the least of our priorities. It feels selfish to focus on self-care when we have so much to attend to. We stop paying attention to what and when we eat, how much we rest when our focus is on giving care. As much important as the need for giving care is, it is equally important to focus on caring for self. Eating healthy at regular intervals, getting sufficient sleep and movement with the focus to release stress is important to maintain our energy and also keep our immune system functioning at its best. Self-care is not selfish. Selfcare refuels one to be energetic caregivers. From mind fullness to being mindful ![mind-fullness](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Minsdulness2-1624271707874-compressed.jpg) News and information about the pandemic have been consuming us from all sides. Even if we have managed to disconnect from mass media, social media has become an integral part of us, much more difficult to disconnect us from. As a result, our minds are flooded with constant fear and anxiety. Our minds are in a constant fight mode wanting to know more, fearing that we would miss out on something otherwise. A constantly racing mind can lead to debilitating stress. To counter that, it is important to give our minds some rest and a simple way to getting started is by being mindful. Being mindful in daily life is being aware of the present moment. It is about paying attention to all your senses as you go about doing activities of daily living. It could be the time you brush your teeth in the morning or inhale steam during midday or make tea in the evening. Being mindful is to stop thinking about the pandemic during those short moments and being aware of the sights, taste, smells, sounds, and senses as we do something. These mindful mini-breaks will help you to recharge yourself. From cocoon to connections The sheer nature of the pandemic has pushed us into cocoons, the best-known way to keep us protected from the virus. Last year, around the same time, the novelty of this experience drove us to reach out to technology for virtual connections. We connected online for fun, learning, and casual interactions. The second wave has put a focus back on the role of technology in aiding social connectedness. Grief can be a lonely experience. Let us continue staying connected. Her Second Innings is a community that you can reach out to and lean on to for support and feel connected. There is also no shame in reaching out to professional support from counsellors and psychotherapists if you are feeling alone in your anxiety and grief. Social connections can support us emotionally in riding out the storm the second wave has turned out to be. These self-care practices are not a one-shot solution but it requires effort and continued practice to make it your own. Choose a thing that best supports you and reach out to me if you would like to talk more about it. _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at HerSecond Innings and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). _ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://bit.ly/Her_Career_conversations). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Rethinking your Second Innings amidst the Second Wave Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2021-04-21 Tags: career break, Career Change, coaching, covid, positive, Positive Thinking, reskilling, Returnship, Self motivation, Self-confidence, self-evaluation URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/rethinking-career-covid-women-hersecondinnings-1620888022390-compressed.jpg) With the second wave of the pandemic sweeping across the country, the path ahead might seem unsure for those aspiring for a career come. A year has gone by where learning, networking, and working turned virtual. Though we had been getting comfortable in adjusting to the pandemic forced realities, we were hopeful and looking forward to normalcy when the second wave has shifted back the gears of hope. Amidst the uncertainties, it is easier to fall into one of the following patterns of slumps. There is no point focussing on my career until the pandemic ends What is the point when I am not going to get a job now anyway?If not for the pandemic, I would be having a job. Here are three tips to keep yourself motivated through the second wave **1\. Keep taking small steps:** Any small movement is better than no movement at all. Allocate just a little time every day to skill up or develop skill competencies. Skill areas can be either a hard skill or a soft skill. What is important is the focus on practicing what you have planned and keeping up with it daily. In no time, you will be expanding your skill sets and along with it your confidence in a career comeback. **2\. Focus on what you can control:** The pandemic has been beyond everyone’s control and so are many other things along. Predicting the hiring trend is out of your control. How people around you react and respond to the situation is not within your control. Having a positive mindset about your career is within your control. Unfollowing the constant barrage of news regarding the pandemic is within your control. Creating a balance between personal tasks and spending time skilling is within your control. So put your focus on things that matter to your professional success and the ones that you can control. **3\. Acceptance of what it is** As hard as the pandemic has been on your career comeback plans, ruminating on what should have been, what could have been, and what would have been can tire and burn you out eventually. Accepting that the pandemic has made a career comeback a much more difficult process doesn’t mean that you are giving up. The acceptance can free you to engage your efforts in what is possible and thereby start taking smaller steps instead of feeling stuck and frustrated. A career comeback is not always a smooth sail, during the pandemic or otherwise. Support yourself with the community of fellow career seekers @ Her Second Innings and keep yourself motivated. Moments of difficulties are opportunities to discover your strengths. Cling on to your strengths to tide over the second wave and keep your career comeback hopes alive. _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at HerSecond Innings and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/)._ job interviews, [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** **​** --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Addressing Employment Gaps in Job Interviews Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2021-04-07 Tags: career break, career, career goals, Interview Skills URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![addressing Employment Gaps](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Addressing-Employment-Gaps-in-Job-Interviews-min-1024x576-1620888192445-compressed.png) Attending an interview after a break is a terrifying process for many. A career break makes one feel less confident and ups the chances of making one feel invisible during the interview process. Here are a few ways you can prepare yourself to face interviews after a break with confidence. **Explain your break** Talk about your break briefly keeping to the facts. Make sure you convey clearly that you have attended to the purpose of your break and have no intention of taking more breaks. An employer is looking forward to hiring individuals who will have complete focus on the job at hand. Be ready to effectively convince of your time and effort commitment to the job. **Comeback reasons** An employer would like to know what made you want to come back to your job. It could be that you don’t have the responsibility of caring for anymore. Be honest in your explanation of how now is the perfect time for your comeback. Convey that you are invested now in attending to your professional identity. **Readiness for a comeback** The professional world thrives on looking at new and efficient ways of doing things and hence is constantly updating itself. A break without skill updates would make you irrelevant. It is important to pace yourself by filling in skill gaps through re-skilling or up-skilling. You might feel a need to catch up intellectually by learning something new or socially in the way you communicate in larger groups. Paying focus to these gaps can help pace yourself to feeling job-ready. **Evidence of Readiness** Be ready to show evidence of job readiness as a part of your comeback. If you have learned a new programming language, talk about hackathons you were a part of. If you have developed organizational skills through volunteering, talk about events you organized. In short, showing and telling is more effective than talking, and use professional network mediums such as LinkedIn to showcase your endeavors. **Own your story and express yourself with confidence.** Above all, take responsibility for your break. It was your best option to take a break then. After having worked hard to get yourself job-ready, own your story with confidence. You are not any less worthy as a person just because others don’t understand your need to take a break. Support yourself with the stories of women who have traveled a similar path as you have and have found their way back to their careers at [facebook.com/her2ndinnings/videos](https://www.facebook.com/her2ndinnings/videos). Dare to put in your best effort and you will surely find your success. _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at HerSecond Innings and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/)._ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## An Essential Investment: YOU Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2021-03-31 Tags: Finance, Financial planning, investment, planning, savings URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/essential-investent-you-1620888943316-compressed.jpeg) Culturally, women take a step back when it comes to financial literacy. The Global Financial Literacy Survey shows 80% of Indian women are financially illiterate. Women spend more than they save or invest, which puts them in a dependent and vulnerable position in the event of a cut-off from their primary financial provider. A webinar was hosted recently by Her Second Innings in collaboration with the Credit and Banking Council of WICCI to emphasize the importance of Financial Literacy in women. Mr. Vishal Rai and Mr. Jigar Parek, Founders of Pinewealth Investments Limited were the guest speakers. The recording of the session is at [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VMXPpBj10g&feature=youtu.be](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VMXPpBj10g&feature=youtu.be). They made their case on why women have to take an active role in planning their financial future. The following were the key takeaways of the session. **Savings Vs Investment** Savings is the act of putting away money for future use. One can save by not spending money and have it protected in the bank. Over time, money saved decreases in value because of inflation. Inflation is the increase in prices that brings down the purchasing value of money. Investing is putting away money for the future while also growing it in value. Debts, Real Estate, Gold, Equity, and Art are areas to invest money in. When planning to invest money, it is prudent to consider how the money grows along with inflation. The choice to save or invest depends on factors such as how long you can let your money grow, how loss-proof you want your money to be, how you want your money protected against inflation, and considerations against an emergency requirement of funds. **Financial Planning** Financial Planning is the process of supporting life goals with access to adequate finances. It involves considering your income and making a choice between spendings, savings, and investments. It includes choosing areas to invest money in. It is also prudent to secure a financial back-up that involves Life Cover and Health Insurance to tide over unexpected life events such as death, disabilities, loss of a job, health crisis, and salary cuts. “Money doesn’t buy you happiness, but lack of money buys you misery”, says economist and psychologist, Daniel Kahneman. Protect your finances, grow it and be an author of your financial wealth. _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at HerSecond Innings and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/)._ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## My Story- Your Story – Be A Change and Bring the Change Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2021-03-18 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Time to Change-HerSecondInnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Time-to-Change-blog-min-1620889336075-compressed.png) It is a 3 letter story- Cried, Tried, and Conquered. Yes, definitely Women are the catalyst for change. Women have become increasingly central to initiatives to be the Champions of Change by bringing in, managing & leading the Corporate Reforms and Emerging as Global leaders to build resilience, buoyancy, and the Wings of Transformation for self and others. Quite often, there comes a woman who rises above the stereotypes, musters up the strength and courage to stand up for what is right, and find hopes to pave the way for better tomorrow. It is a wake-up call for the corporate now, to employ more and more women in every role (IT/ Non-IT and others), promoting Diversity across the globe, improving GDP by participating in economic activities, and strengthening the ecosystem finally. **Few Tips to implement Paradigm shift in Women (Champions of Change)** Here we go—- **1.Invest in yourself:-** Priority is ME, ME, and ME only. An eagerness to learn consistently by spending quality time every day is a learned behavior that enriches andenlightens technically called the growth mindset. **2\. Believe in yourself:-** “ I Believe in myself” is the commitment to the decision to climb up the ladder and face every challenge, debacle, or fear with willingness, Grit, and determination. **3\. Push yourself past your comfort zone:-** You must get comfortable with being uncomfortable because fear kills more dreams than failure ever will. So never quit, keep trying, if fail, dust yourself off, again get yourself right and push forward. **4\. Make connections and Explore:-** It is imperative to always be in touch with the mentors, guides, and make new connections or Join community is a proactive approach to explore your unleashed talents, innovations, creativity, volunteering your areas of interests to be future-ready. **5.Empower and create an opportunity for others:-** It is a privilege to empower and enable more and more women to become the leaders of today, giving them the power to fly, developing holistically, and promising opportunities to create a better& better place in society (Women for Women) **6.Mental compartments:-** Assertive and pragmatic approach, thanksgiving attitude, counting your blessings every day &Faith in God, Making To- Do – List every day, Cherishing every task is an excellent strategy for cementing Self relationships(Metacognitive abilities and Reflection)… Celebrate **ME (I AM A WOMAN) – Amazing Mom, Incredible Sister, Best Friend, Remarkable Colleague, Wonderful Companion and Architects of Society and Nation Builder**. And Cheers and Gratitude to the Universe!!!! Her Career Conversations!!!25th March 2021 ,11 am to 12 pm ,Zoom Session. Join [Jenny](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-moses-79b886192/) (Coach @HSI) and [Jayanthi](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sri-jayanthi-k-35ab2958/) (Program Manager @HSI) in a closed group conversation to find answers to your burning questions on ways to rebuild your career, career opportunities in IT and non-IT streams and ways to motivate self to achieve professional success. Enroll now : [Enroll Now : https://bit.ly/Her\_Career\_conversations](https://bit.ly/Her_Career_conversations) _**About the Author**_ _Manisha Tandon, a passionate and innovative writer with 7 years of experience in Banking and Finance sector intends to reach out to millions to empower and enlighten the society.The idea of producing a collection of thoughts that will go a long way in reaching deep into many hearts, keeping and mesmerizing the name ever fresh in the minds of readers. She strongly believe that Learning is a learned behavior and contents will surely help readers in their transformation and spreading the positivity and motivation will help them holistically to lead the life of fulfillment._ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Three core skills for Work and Life Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2021-03-03 Tags: skills, stay positive, work, Work Life Balance URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Core Skills for Work Life Balance](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Three-core-skills-for-Work-and-Life-min-1620889770816-compressed.png) We will in a collaborative world. Be it at home or the workplace we collaborate with other people to get things done. To be successful in whatever roles we play, we must know the skills that make one efficient. Each of our roles might require a specific set of skills but there are a few skills that stand out irrespective of our roles. These are skills that are relevant both professionally and personally. Here are my top three: **Adaptability** The pace at which the world around us change is ever increasing. We are exposed to new ways of being and doing things every day. Adaptability is being perceptive and open to the changes happening around. The change could present itself as a need for upskilling at work, new responsibilities at home, or needing to balance focus on emotional and physical well-being. Being adaptable doesn’t mean one has to react to all the presenting changes. By being adaptable, one realizes the importance of a particular change for oneself and proceeds to respond to the change with awareness. Leaning on supportive people and motivating groups will also help you through the process. **Listening** Listening as simple and natural an activity it sounds is an important interpersonal skill. We are most likely to assume that we are good listeners because we have been doing it all our lives. Active listening involves maintaining eye contact, expressing through your body language that you are interested in the conversation, and repeating back what the speaker has said to show that you have heard them. Active listening is about listening to understand much more than listening to respond. Improving your listening skills will help you to influence through your ideas, be effective at managing conflicts, and making meaningful relationships both personally and professionally. **Time Management** One common underlying reason for daily stress is difficulty in getting things done on time, be it a personal or professional responsibility and most importantly when it comes to balancing between work and life. Difficulty in managing time can make one start feeling incapable. Prioritizing one’s responsibilities and tasks is one way of being kinder to the available time. By prioritizing, one can choose to take up tasks that matter and say no to ones that are not important. Delegating tasks is another way to add time to one’s time bank. Time is a limited resource and making the best use of it brings joy to work and life. Mindfully practicing the skills of adaptability, listening, and time management will add valuable skills to get the best out of work and life. Mindfully practicing the skills of adaptability, listening, and time management will add valuable skills to get the best out of work and life. HSI’ Woman’s Day Special!!The Job Interview: Position Yourself for Success. 12 March 2021 from 11 am to 1 pmHear interview success tips from HR Leaders followed by stream specific strategies in Automation ~ Testing ~ Development ~ Sys Admin ~ HR Enroll now : [http://bit.ly/3kDBnZ1](http://bit.ly/3kDBnZ1) _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at HerSecond Innings and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/)._ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Financial Independence for Her Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2021-02-11 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Financial Independence for Her](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Financial-Independence-for-Her-1620890759587-compressed.png) We women wear multiple hats in our roles seamlessly. We often excel in our professional roles, nurture others and ourselves with the utmost care, and plan the best for children keeping their future in mind. When it comes to matters of finance, we culturally shy away from taking an active interest. We enjoy spending money and idealize saving money but do not usually trust ourselves to financially plan for ourselves and our families. We give many reasons for not wanting to understand our financial landscape and health. “I don’t understand matters about money and so it is better that I take a back seat” is the top excuse that most women give to distance themselves from financial planning. Culturally, we also think that finances are the responsibility of men. When we excel in many roles in our daily lives, it is important to pause and ask ourselves what stops us from taking an active role in managing our finances. **Reason 1: All things finance is difficult and complicated to follow** Without a basic understanding of the subject, it is impossible to follow ideas around financial planning. Considering our financial well-being, we must take an active interest in educating ourselves on the fundamentals of finances. Resources for educating is plenty in the form of articles, blogs, short courses on online platforms like Coursera, Udemy and organizations whose focus is on financial empowerment of women such as HerMoney, HerMoneyTalks, etc **Reason 2: I don’t earn enough to think about my finances** Irrespective of whether we earn or not and how much we earn, money is an important part of our lives, both the present and the future. Hence it is important to plan our finances in the way that best suits our plans for our future and account for unforeseen expenses. Having a basic financial plan can give one peace of mind and greater clarity for the future. **Reason 3: Others are better than me at handling finances** Traditionally both the finance industry and home finances have been the domain of men. Lately, women have been excelling as leaders of finance, professionally with India being lead by a woman finance minister. There is no better reason to excuse oneself over one’s gender and be uninvolved in financial management. The benefits of being financially literate will outweigh the excuse we give ourselves and helps us achieve financial stability and independence. The mission of Her Second Innings is to empower women to be independent and that includes financial independence. Financial independence begins with financial awareness: an awareness of spendings, budgeting, and savings. HSI, in partnership with the [Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry, (WICCI)](https://wicci.in/) is excited to bring awareness sessions on all things Finance. Hope you are motived to better your understanding of finances and set goals to be financially independent.  [Sign up](https://zfrmz.com/T2dvP2X6Gc6OqmQxsX1X) for a free webinar on financial empowerment for women at 11 am on 24th Feb 2021 _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at HerSecond Innings and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/)._ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Do you know what you want for yourself in 2021? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2021-01-27 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Plan your Year 2021](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Plan-your-Year-2021-min-1620891367624-compressed.png) A new year brings in us the spirit of new beginnings. The end of a year allows us to pause to reflect on what it has been, both personally and professionally. Such reflection also seeds in a vision of how we would like the new year to be. Concreting this vision is the process of setting goals. Though there is scientific evidence of how setting specific goals leads to a better chance of achieving what we aimed for, not many get excited to involve themselves in the process of setting goals. Here I would like to discuss three things that can stop one from wanting to set goals. **Fear of Disappointment** The fear of failing what we aspire to do is one big reason that stops one from setting goals. Such fear triggers thoughts such as ‘If I fail to keep up with my goals, I will feel sad’, ‘It will be embarrassing when others see me fail’, ‘I don’t always get what I want’. It is easy to sweep these thoughts under the rug by avoiding making goals. These thoughts aren’t always real, and the only way to recognize this is by challenging yourself to set goals. **Not wanting it enough** Setting and working through goals might seem like a herculean task to get going. One cause for this tiredness is not experiencing the highs that working towards successful goals brings about. So start with small goals and experience the euphoria of working it to successful completions. Taking such small steps will provide enough motivation to set bigger and better goals. **Lack of clarity** Not knowing what you want can manifest as stuckness in the process of setting goals. Reaching out to a coach or well-wishers and exploring your areas of strength and passion can help you find clarity over what goals you would like to work on.  [](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/new-years-resolutions-new-years-resolutions-feature-ss-min.jpg) Let 2021 be the year you seek clarity for what you want the year to be, take baby steps to set goals for yourself and act on them. The success of it will make you setting grander goals for yourself in the coming years.  _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at HerSecond Innings and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/)._ job interviews, [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Ending the year Strong Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2020-12-22 Tags: positive, 2020, experience sharing, Express Gratitude, gratitude, positive mind URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Year Ending 2020](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/year-ending-hersecondinnings-min-1620891619053-compressed.png) The changes the pandemic forced on us, made us experience things differently. We saw within us unknown sources of resilience helping us quickly adapt to these changes and make the best of the new ways of doing and being. As we look forward to the newness of 2021, looking back at our experiences of 2020 is a meaningful way to jump-start the new year. **Reflecting on our experiences:** Reflection is a process of consciously dwelling back on the past and discovering powerful ways tomove ahead. The process of year-end reflection can encompass different areas of our life such ashealth, career, relationships, and spirituality. Reflecting on our experiences of the past year givesvaluable perspectives on our areas of challenges and growth. It is important to be specific and driven bya purpose to grow in the process of reflection. Asking specific questions such as • What was your favorite moment of the year? • What was your most challenging moment of the year? • What was your area of growth? • Which is the one area of your life that you wish you had more focus on? • What are you the proudest of? would help get the most value in the process of reflection. Answers to such specific questions ofreflection can be the foundation of what we want to grow to be in the coming year.We draw to the end of 2020, a year so different than what each of us is used to. From having to dealwith the uncertainties of the pandemic, we had to quickly adjust to the many new normals. Having tocreate a balance of work and life inside the confines of our home, supporting children adapt to onlinelearning, having to do chores with minimal paid help, and connecting with friends and family viadifferent online modalities are our new normal. **Expressing Gratitude :** Expressing gratitude is the act of surrounding ourselves with positivity as we end in 2020. No matterhow difficult the experiences of the past year have been, remembering people, things, and experiencesto be thankful for can make us look forward to 2021 with optimism. Making a list of what we aregrateful for irrespective of how small or big it might seem is the first step to making it a practice. Areasof expressing gratitude can range from our basic physiological needs such as a cozy place to sleep eachnight to our greatest success of the past year. Expressing gratitude can be as simple as listing down • Five things I’m grateful for this yearEnding the year with an attitude of gratitude is a way to begin the year with an attitude of abundance. **Visualizing the year ahead :** Reflecting on the past year and expressing gratitude for all that it has been can prepare our minds to bein a space to visualize what we want the new year to be and how to get there. Knowing how we wantthe new year to be in the different facets of our life can motivate us to set goals. Having specific goalsfor the upcoming year is a focused way to work our dreams about the year to reality. List down whatyou want to grow into in the new year and create mental imagery of yourself having achieved each ofyour goals. Questions to ask yourself to visualize the year ahead could be • What goal do I want to focus on? • Picture your life as how it could be when you reach your goal • Visualize each step it takes for you to reach your goal. Act out your visualized steps. Having a visualized plan helps us spring into action as the new yearunfolds. So, go ahead reflect on your experiences, express gratitude, and visualize your year ahead. Make the new year your best year ever. _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at HerSecond Innings and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/)._ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Social Self-Care Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2020-11-11 Tags: Self motivation, Self-confidence, mental care, Self care, Social self-care URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![pathways to selfcare- part 7](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/pathways-selfcare-hsi-part7-min-1620892073098-compressed.png) Having seen how one can benefit by caring for self in areas of [leisure](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching-career/take-a-break/), [physique](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching-career/pathways-to-self-care-part-4-physical-self-care/), [mind](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching-career/mind-your-mind/), and [intellect](https://hersecondinnings.com/stay-motivated/intellectual-self-care/), the area of focus in the last blog of this series is Social Self-Care. Social self-care is a self-care practice that focuses on one’s sense of identity, belonging, and involvement. We can practice social self-care practices across various social circles that we are a part of. Social circles are groups that we identify with and they include family friends, acquaintances, neighbors, colleagues, and other networking groups. So what are social self-care practices? ![social self care](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/social-selfcare-hersecondinnings-min-1620892267664-compressed.png) [](https://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/social-selfcare-hersecondinnings-min.png) Connections ----------- Be it even during socially distanced times, social connections have a direct impact on one’s emotional and physical well being. People who have extensive social support networks have lower rates of anxiety and improved quality of life. Maintaining social connections can come in the form of scheduled catch up times with people in your social circles, be it online using a form of social media or offline over a fun activity.  One can make new connections by making friends. Making new friends as an adult can be challenging but reaching out to individuals with shared experiences such as parenting, fitness, or activities are ways to make new personal connections. Being a part of a professional support group such as Her Second Innings, signing up for skill upgrade classes, and seeking out mentors and mentees are ways to create new professional connections. Boundaries ---------- Healthy social self-care practice includes the way one sets boundaries in relationships. Setting boundaries is knowing what behaviors are acceptable and not acceptable to you in each of your relationships. Learning to communicate your thoughts instead of assuming, learning to say a No to unreasonable requests, and making yourself a priority are ways to set boundaries. Though setting boundaries might seem rude to start with, it ensures that you end up with caring and respectful relationships, thereby creating strong and lasting relationships. Community Engagement -------------------- Social self-care practices are not just about taking something for self but also about giving back to one’s social circles. Volunteering, a manner of giving back to the community, doubles up as a way to build new connections. If you are not clear about where to volunteer, you can start small in an area that you are most passionate about. Reach out to a local NGO and ask for open opportunities to volunteer or take up something on our own like teaching or a cleanup drive. There is a wide range of skills one can hone while volunteering such as adaptability, improved interpersonal skills, while at the same time feeling a sense of achievement. Practices that help us build and maintain a healthy relationship with ourselves make us available to receive the best of what the world has to offer us. You are worthy of love and care. Go ahead, give yourselves permission to make self-care practices a habit, and find your bloom in all areas of your lives. _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at HerSecond Innings and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/)._ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Intellectual Self Care Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2020-11-03 Tags: Self care URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Pathways to selfcare-part6](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Pathways-to-Self-Care-1620892955324-compressed.png) Last week’s focus was on [self-care practices for the Mind](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching-career/mind-your-mind/). Intellect is the ability to use one’s mind creatively. It is the way we draw the power of our minds for a purposeful living. Many times, the demands of daily life and hectic schedules put us on the treadmill of mundane living. Lost between the mundane chores is the purpose of one’s living. Intellectual self-care practices are ways one can bring back meaning and purpose to life. So what are the things one can actively do to care for one’s intellect? Setting goals ------------- One can realize a purposeful life by setting goals for self..either personal goals or professional goals. One area where community members of Her Second Innings can set a goal is for a career comeback. One way of setting goals for success is by setting SMART goals. A goal is a smart goal if it is S – Specific, where the goal is well defined.  M – Measurable, where at any point one can measure their progress A- Attainable, if the goal is realistically achievable R – Relevant, when the goal aligns with your wants T – Time-Bound, the time to achieve the goal is stated Instead of a goal that is to get back to work, a **SMART** goal would be to clear 5 mock interviews in the next 30 days as a part of your effort to get back to work. Setting goals is your first step to realize goals. [](https://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Pathways-to-Self-Care.-inner-imagepng-min.png) Pursuit of learning ------------------- Challenging yourself through new learnings is an intellectual self-care practice. Self-growth happens through active, focused, and reflective learning. The pandemic has drastically opened access to learnings. [http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses](http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses) lists 1500 free courses from top universities with subjects ranging from architecture to artificial intelligence. Quoting author Brian Herbert, “The capacity to learn is a gift; The ability to learn is a skill; The. willingness to learn is a choice.” Learning includes varied other forms such as learning about self, learn by doing, reading, observing, hearing, and also learning by teaching. Put on your learning hats and choose to be a life long learner.  Intellectual fun ---------------- Intellectual self-care doesn’t have to be all work and no play. It can be in the form of a game with children such as with Jenga Blocks or a game of I Spy. Puzzles such as Scrabble, Sudoku, crosswords, floor puzzles, and brain teasers improve your focus and boosts brain activity while being fun at the same time. Reading for pleasure is a great way to unwind yet can be a self-care activity to improve your comprehension and communication skills. Personal change and growth is a self-motivated and continuous process. Discover a favorite Intellectual self-care practice that stimulates your mind and is also fun and engaging. Making a habit of practicing them is a sure way towards personal success!! _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at HerSecond Innings and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/)._ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Mind your mind Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2020-10-27 Tags: coaching, positive mind, Self care, mental health URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![pathways to self care](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/pathways-self-care-part5-1620893259950-compressed.png) The mind is the seat of one’s thoughts, emotions, perceptions, memory, behaviors, and automatic functions. Recent research points out that the mind is just not confined to the brain, which is usually acknowledged as the seat of the mind. There is an innate integration between the functioning of the body and the mind. Last week’s focus was on on self-care practices for the body. For a quick refresher, [click here](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching-career/pathways-to-self-care-part-4-physical-self-care/). The body-mind connection leads us to this week’s self-care area of focus, which is Mental Self-Care. Mental self-care involves practices that focus on the health of the mind. So what is a healthy mind? What self-care practices helps one to improve the health of one’s mind? One way of knowing the health of our mind is to be aware of how our mind manifests thoughts, feelings, behavior. ![Mind your mins- HerSecondInnings](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/mind-yur-mind-hersecondinnings-blog-1620893325200-compressed.png) [](https://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/mind-yur-mind-hersecondinnings-blog.png) • Healthy Thoughts leads to Healthy Mind ---------------------------------------- Given our innate capacity to think, we have different ways of perceiving our experiences by the way we think. When a friend doesn’t answer your phone call, you can either think that the friend is ignoring or that the friend is busy. We have the choice to think either positively or negatively about a given situation. For a healthy thought process, it is important to consider relevant available facts about any circumstances before making conclusions. It is necessary to pay attention to our thoughts about ourselves. Negative self-talk limits one’s ability to believe in self. In case you are habituated to self criticism, journal down the thought, and see how it impacts your mental health. If you don’t feel good enough, find a new thought to replace your critical thought. Being aware of one’s self-talk is a self-carepractice for a healthy mind. • Healthy Feelings leads to Healthy Mind ---------------------------------------- Feelings are the conscious ways we express our emotions. You could feel happy when your friend answers your phone call or when you think your friend ignored you on purpose, you could feel sad. It is natural for us to feel comfortable expressing a few feelings but feel stuck around others. So how can one find ways to cope up with difficult feelings? One way is to be aware of the feeling and connect to what triggered the feeling. Naming the feeling helps one find ways to express it appropriately and act mindfully. Expressing gratitude, discovering your common emotional triggers, talking to a trusted friend or a therapist are a few self-care practices to process feelings for a healthy mind. • Healthy Behaviors leads to Healthy Mind ----------------------------------------- When we encounter difficulties that stop us from achieving what we want, one of the underlying causes could be self-sabotaging behaviors. Common behaviors are procrastination, lack of motivation towards personal goals, lack of self-care practices, blaming others, overcompensating, being constantly stressed, and much more. The roots of such self-sabotaging behaviors are unconscious thought patterns that hold one back. The first step to being aware of this pattern is to take note of how helpful or unhelpful these behaviors are and make specific plans for change. If you notice that you are constantly stressed, it is useful to take a mindful break and do some breathing exercises until you feel calm. All the self-care practices discussed as part of this blog series could also be behavioral changes one can make to develop a healthy mind _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at HerSecond Innings and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/)._ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Pathways to Self-Care Part 4 Physical Self-Care Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2020-10-21 Tags: Self care, mental health, healthy mind, personal care URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Healthy-Body-1620894630352-compressed.png) Physical self-care is the foundation of all self-care practices. It involves taking care of your body and includes the areas of Diet, Exercise, and Rest. Focus on physical self-care is vital because it impacts the way one functions, how healthy one is, and is the key to maintaining energy levels to be productive. Because of this significance, building habits of physical self-care activities is an easier way to do it without much mental effort. Despite knowing the importance of Physical self-care, many find it tedious to stick on to a focused approach towards one’s diet, exercise, and sleep habits. Perceived lack of time, lack of an immediate need to focus, and the effort one has to put in to exercise, eat healthily and sleep enough to feel rested are the top factors that keep us from being focused. The benefits of physical self-care also have a direct impact on other areas of self-care such as emotional and mental self-care. [](https://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Healthy-Body.png) So how can one motivate oneself to get into a habit of physical self-care? Building a habit around these three areas is not as easy as it would seem. One usually feels a lot of resistance in exploring options that can become successful habits. So how can one discover physical self-care activities that can fit in with one’s needs and wants? Below are tips you could consider around the three areas of Diet, Exercise, and Sleep. Diet ---- A diet is usually the kind of food one habitually eats. We like to eat what we have been conditioned to eat. Moving from eating what one has been conditioned with, it is useful to look into our dietary habits from the perspective of nutrition. “Does the current diet provides me with the nutrition to be energetic, feel good, and prevent sickness?” is a question to begin with. By shifting the focus from wanting to follow a particular diet to be mindful about how one’s body responds to food habits, one can structure their diet around one’s nutritive needs. So go ahead and make a list of foods that you like to eat. Check to see if it meets your body’s nutritive needs and your physical health goals and make that your diet plan. Exercise -------- For those who do not have a habit of exercising, it might seem to be a daunting task to find the time and muster effort to start exercising. The aches and pains in the body after a new exercise regime is real and something strenuous to habituate. So is there a way to find joy in exercising? Shift your focus from having to exercise to discovering the various movement activities that would bring you joy. Knowing your favorite movement activity can bring in a renewed focus to exercise without it being a daunting activity to start with. Playing a game of badminton, following a 10-minute online workout routine, dancing to your favorite song, or walking to your favorite neighborhood store, when done regularly are ways to get in movement. The more you start moving, the less daunting you will feel as you add rigor to your exercise routine. Sleep ----- Sleep is the means we rest and recharge both our body and the mind. Disturbed or insufficient sleep drains one’s mental capacities and affects one’s physical health. How can one ensure the quality of one’s sleep? By focusing on sleep as a means to rest, one can start by building healthy rest inducing routines before bedtime. Making a list of things to be grateful for, disconnecting from anxiety-inducing news and social media, and having a set pre-bedtime routine when made habits can guarantee one a restful sleep Go ahead and build your comfortable routine around the three dimensions of Physical self-care: Diet, Exercise, and Rest. By taking care of our physical bodies, we source energy to gift ourselves a life filled with purpose, significance, and fulfillment. This post is the fourth in the series “Pathways to Self-Care.” For the previous part, [click here](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching-career/take-a-break/) _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at HerSecond Innings and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/)._ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Take a Break Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2020-10-14 Tags: coaching, positive, Positive Thinking, mental health, selfcare URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null This is the third blog in the Pathways to Self-Care Series. Click to read [Part 1](https://hersecondinnings.com/stay-motivated/a-series-on-self-care-part-1/) and [Part 2](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching-career/believe-you-are-worthy-of-care/) Do you remember the fun things you did as a child? How did you feel indulging in one? The happiest moments would more likely have been something carefree, silly, without the pressures of time and structure. Amidst the never-ending pressures of adulthood, we find ourselves lacking in time and energy to earn our leisure time. It stands out so much more for a woman who finds herself juggling multiple roles. [![](https://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Take-a-Break-hsi.png)](https://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Take-a-Break-hsi.png) I am conscious of my choice to write about Self-Care around Leisure as the first self-care area of focus. In our quest to be healthy, we might have been giving importance to areas around physical self-care. In our want or need to be a working professional, we might have been focusing on intellectually self-care. We might not have any pressing need or want to focus on leisure activities because we are well adapted to function without a leisure break. Leisure activity is one that you do because it is fun to do and is not a task to complete. It could be something that you enjoyed as a child, for example, coloring. You can gift yourself an adult coloring book and enjoy its calming effect. A leisure activity could also be an activity that you have already been doing as a task. Cooking, for instance, could be a task while it can also double up as a leisure activity when you take time to cook for fun. A leisure self-care activity can be something that you have always wanted to do but didn’t have the time or means to do it. If you had always wanted to learn to dance, you could play a video tutorial, and starting learning to dance. A leisure activity doesn’t have to be something elaborate. It could be in pockets amidst your daily chores like taking time off to sip your coffee while looking out through the window. Leisure activities are a proven stress buster. There is no one but you who has to give yourself permission to indulge in a leisure activity. Much more than indulge, know that it is one of the ways you can care for yourself. Challenge yourself to discover your go-to leisure activity this week and share how it felt like to indulge yourself. _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at HerSecond Innings and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/)._ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Believe you are worthy of care Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2020-10-06 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null This is Part 2 of the blog series Pathways to Self-Care. [Click here to read Part 1](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/stay-motivated/a-series-on-self-care-part-1/) Culturally women are looked upon as carers and nurturers. In their quest to nurture others, a want to nurture themselves becomes a low priority. Slowly one starts believing that the purpose of their existence is to be of service to others. For many, this belief blinds and self-sabotages their efforts for their self-care. [![](https://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/believe-blog-min.png)](https://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/believe-blog-min.png) Deep-rooted beliefs around self-care could be one such as: * Self-care is a self-centered act. * By caring for myself, I am stopping myself from caring about others. * Self-care is a time-consuming activity. * Self-care involves effort and I don’t have the extra energy to spare How can one break free from these beliefs and start caring about self? It is important to remember that you can not pour from an empty cup. Says self-care evangelist Katie Reed, “Self Care means giving the world the best of you instead of what is left of you.” It is useful to build practices that can fill your cup. If you want to give the best of yourself to the world, it is important to find easy ways to incorporate self-care practices to your existing routine There are different areas of life such as physical, emotional, spiritual where you begin self-care. In the following weeks, I will be writing simple practices that you can consider to incorporate in each of these different areas of life. You deserve to be worthy of care. Join me next Wednesday in finding what suits you to practice among the many ways you can care for yourself. _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at HerSecond Innings and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/)._ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## A Series on Self Care - Part 1 Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2020-09-26 Tags: Self care, mental health, positive attitude URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![self care series](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Copy-of-Self-Care-Guide-A-Blog-Series-1620895089207-compressed.png) Covid-19 uprooted life as we knew in the last six months. The lockdown brought all busyness to a grinding halt. No travel, no shopping, stay indoors, stay safe… Our worlds shrunk to the inside of our homes. It was a small world now after all. No more going out to work…no more waking up early to pack snack and lunch for children, no more driving children to school or post-school activities..no shopping..no vacations..no weddings, parties, or get-togethers to go. With our worlds becoming smaller, our lives as women should have been more relaxed and less hectic. But the reality turned out to be contrary to many of us. With no paid house help and the enthusiasm of the family pitching in with their share of chores slowing, women took on themselves the bulk of the responsibility of the household. Women became the unofficial health care workers of the family amidst the pandemic, making sure to nourish everyone with timely and healthy home-cooked snacks and meals. Shopping for groceries and supplies became a more tedious project with the added task of disinfecting items. Supporting children with their on-line learning needs seemed like an endless task. Amidst all of this, women ceased to care for themself. The demands and the resulting exhaustion of caring for others overtook the need for self-care in the woman. ![take-care-your-self](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/take-care-yourself-1620895193718-compressed.jpg) ​ [](https://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/take-care-yourself.jpg) Six months into this new way of living, the end to the pandemic seems nowhere near in sight. Life is not as restrictive as it used to be. To keep our family safe, we still hold onto multiple responsibilities. A few do things for the well-being of others to feel in control. Many of us do it because we think our roles demand us to be so. While there is no right or wrong way to do to care for others, it is useful for us to pause and think about what stops us from caring for ourselves. Look out for this space next Wednesday to know why we sabotage our needs and efforts towards self-care and how one can move on to practice self-care. _**About the Author**_ _Jennifer Moses is a Career Guidance Coach at HerSecond Innings and a Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore. HSI community members can reach her by making at appointment at [Coaching](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/)._ Her Second Innings supports women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. The mission of HSI is to guide women to achieve financial independence. Support from HSI comes in the form of [job interviews](https://hersecondinnings.com/jobs/), [reskilling programs](https://hersecondinnings.com/assessments/) in [Automation](https://hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) and, free [Career Guidance Counselling](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching/). Sign up with us and [complete your profile](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/log-in) to get a call from our counselors to know your job fit. **Disclaimer** “The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author. This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Career Restarting for Women on a Professional Break ; HerSecondInnings Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2020-09-22 Tags: career break, Career restart URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![career-restart-women](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/career-restart-women-1620912352265-compressed.jpg) It is true that in today’s world, women are free to work and follow their dreams like any of their male counterparts. Unlike the older times where women were just restricted to household chores and expected to take care of children; many now have the liberty to choose and live on their terms.Woman of today has achieved far more than the previous generations could have expected. Be it any field, women have not only shown their presence but as well as excelled. Having said so much about the modern world and society, there still are social obligations leading to expectations especially of women; be it compromises in career post-marriage or caring for children. Whether a woman is a part-time employee or CEO of a company, she is expected to meet these expectations, putting her in a conflict to choose between family or career. Women are considered naturally good in multitasking and most of them manage to handle both positions meticulously. However, many others do not have that luxury and take the tough call between career and family….with the obvious choice being the family and kids. As the years pass, though a woman might be busy managing her personal life, the thought of resuming back to her professional life always lingers in her. Unless the decision of a sabbatical is taken with proper planning, a career comeback is a herculean task. As for anyone applying for a job at that stage, whatever be the experience level, the focus of the hiring company or employer always goes on to the words….There is a career gap in the resume. Not that career comeback is impossible but surely it depends on various factors. For example, a professional break to take up courses to enhance career is much more preferred by an employer to the break for health or family reasons. So, what exactly is the solution? The answer is proper planning with the best utilization of time while on a break. One needs to keep learning and be abreast with the new trends and technologies coming up in the market in respective fields to help with professional growth. Upgrading and upskilling is the main key. This helps to present yourself as a candidate who keeps professional dreams and goals as a priority. Next comes networking skills wherein constant touch with your ex-colleagues and other professional contacts is an added advantage. Updated profile on job portals, professional networking sites are also the need of the hour these days. It not only helps to get noticed but also might help in landing up with a job offer. Always remember that while walking on the road leading to your career comeback, you might also hit roadblocks, but a consistent approach and determination would surely help you to fulfill your passion and professional goals. So get up, plan, implement and get going…..you will surely win this battle too!!!!! _**About the author:**_ _Romita Gadoo- Currently homemaker but having a prior experience of around 10 years in IT sector across various domains. For her sketching/ painting along with soothing music in the background works as a stress buster. And love to have fun time with family…be it watching movies or playing games!_ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/). **Disclaimer:** “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Motivational Write Up for Women Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2020-08-18 Tags: Careerbreak, motherhood, motivation URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Motivational write up for women](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/motherhood-hsi-1620912676505-compressed.jpg) **My soul yearns to jump** **From the known to the unknown…** **Many times, I think of quitting as melancholy takes over, but then** **I notice two pair of innocent eyes looking up to me and I know** **I need to rise again.** **This is precisely my state of mind now. Hello everyone! I am a mom of two little munchkins who keeps me busy all day, especially during the current pandemic situation. Sometimes, I am everything capsuled into one – mom, cook, friend, homework helper, butterfly catcher, dancer …phew! While I love to be with them, for them, and around them, I also sometimes yearn to be myself. I miss the active social life that I once had before embracing motherhood for the second time. That was two years ago and it already seems like ages. I have no idea when and how I will go back to my Zumba class, attend my monthly union with friends, go out with my husband. My job hunting stunt is also on hold now as companies have gone for hiring freeze. A career restarter’s journey is never easy! This thought made me worried with every passing day and I can sense my confidence level drooping. But my inhibitions were to change soon…** **One day, a sudden virtual meet with a schoolfriend helped me to get back the required motivation in my life. The incessant chatting and childish laughter filled the room like the aroma of a caramel custard. Our children were surprised to see their mothers like that and they also enjoyed thoroughly. Later that day, while enjoying my evening coffee and listening to the sound of the rain, I suddenly knew what to do – to be myself and live in the present. I started listening to my favourite audio books while doing the mundane domestic chores, going for morning walk in our compound, and started freelancing. Now every night, before going to sleep I sit in the balcony with my dad and look up to my mom, the brightest star in the sky. I realised the struggles of my dad (as a widower) is tough; compared to that, my restarter journey seems easier.** **I stopped being there for everyone every time. Instead, I started to distance myself a little only to be back with a bang. I understood that the world will survive without me, for some time. Nowadays, my elder daughter accompanies me to my walks some days and we are slowly nurturing a new found love for nature. I realized that I just needed one small push to kick start my life. Life is good and I have miles to go before I sleep. Bring it on…I am ready.** **“Be what you want to be, taking things the way they come.”** **_**About the author:**_** **_Rajashree Ghosh-Rajashree loves to wear many hats in her life – a fun-loving mother of two adorable daughters (Hiya and Isha), a freelance writer and co-author, a doting wife, and a mischievous daughter. She loves to be the rolling stone that gathers no moss, for she believes that she has ‘miles to go’ before she sleeps._** **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** **_You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._** **Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/).** ****Disclaimer:**** **“This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.”** --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Robotic Process Automation Trends Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2020-07-16 Tags: Returnship, automation training, bots, rpa, women career URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Robotic Process Automation](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/robotic-process-automation-trends-min-1620912814898-compressed.jpg) Robotic Process Automation is a software with capabilities to do repetitive tasks. It is a virtual workforce to replace humans from doing repetitive, mundane tasks so that the humans can be involved in more skilled works. Macros, Scripts and Bots are all different forms of Robotic Process Automation. RPA is used in Customer Service, Accounting, Financial Service, Healthcare, Call centre operations, Human Resources, Supply Chain Management and many more. [](https://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/robotic-process-automation-example-hersecondinnings.png) Benefits of RPA --------------- Apart from freeing human workforce from doing repetitive, boring tasks there are many advantages of RPA. The below figure summarises the benefits. [](https://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/benefits-rpa-hsi.png) Current trends of RPA --------------------- Automation is not new. Looking at the benefits most of the industries are using RPA.It is the fastest growing segment of the global enterprise markets. RPA is here to stay ------------------- Artificial intelligence, voice recognition, and machine learning along with natural language processing are taking automation to the next big level. According to the automation researcher Gartner, the RPA software will reach more than one billion dollars by 2020 with a 41 per cent growth rate per annum. RPA in Public Sector -------------------- [RPA](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/) is gaining popularity in Public sector also. It is getting used in many fields of public sector such as Health, Education, Police etc. RPA along with AI can be used to have fully automated police stations to help citizens. The system can also be used to reduce the crime by predicting the crime, crime location etc. In education systems RPA can be used in administration and finance.In registration ofdifferent courses, checking eligibility criteria, validating the student information to processingthe fees, everything can be automated. Teaming of Humans and Robots ---------------------------- There will be increase in attendant robots compared to unattended robots. Attended robots,can have conversation with humans and solve problems. Attended Robots work on a part of a process along with humans thus helping the work to get done faster. Ex: Detection of bombs and explosives. AI programmed Robots survey the area and give information regarding the position of explosives. This information will be given to humans to take necessary actions. Change in Job Market -------------------- RPA technology would replace human workforce from doing mundane repetitive jobs. a report from the ‘World Economic Forum’ has reported that whereas machines will perform various tasks more in comparison to humans by the year 2025, the Robot Revolution is yet going to create around about 58 million new jobs in the upcoming five years. Prominence of Chatbots ---------------------- Now a days chatbots are more AI driven. With the help of AI and Natural Language processing bots can have more effective interactions with customers and can do customer data analysis. Medical Robots -------------- There are numerous chatbots already in healthcare to assist physicians, nurses and patients. Youper Yooper’s A.I. monitors and improves users’ emotional health with quick personalized conversations using psychological techniques. SafeDrugBot helps doctors with information about safety of medication on breast feeding women. _**About the author:**_ _Vijaya Naik- Technical Writer, Private Tutor. After working in software industry for more than 12 years she took a break from my full time job. However her passion to learn new technologies took her to technical writing . Currently she work as freelance technical writer and private tutor(her another passion).As a technical writer she get to learn new things and also it gives her satisfaction as some one reads her work and get something from it._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/automation-returnship/). **Disclaimer:** “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## It is My Life!! Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2020-06-04 Tags: Self motivation, goal URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![it is my life](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/it-is-my-life-1620913475398-compressed.jpg) “The best thing that you can do to yourself is to invest in the one thing that really matters is ‘You’ It would be fair to say that I was born to live life on my own terms – carefree and free spirited. My parents never put any restrictions on me and fulfilled all my wishes. I guess they did not know how to say ‘no’, even though it meant people around started calling me a ‘spoilt brat’. Mom and Dad always lived life on their terms and I grew up learning the same. School and college went off pretty fast and once I was of marriageable age and my parents started looking out for a suitable match for me, I decided to get married to the first guy they would make me meet. It might sound weird to some but that was my decision and I loved living life on my own terms. I was against the idea of checking out various matrimonial alliances before saying ‘yes’ to one. Luckily the first guy I met (my husband to be) was the best thing that I could have ever asked for (touchwood). So basically I never repented taking my life decisions on my own (of course with my parents unconditional support). Marriage was a lot different than my earlier life as now I was supposed to be the perfect wife, doting mother and quintessential daughter in law and somewhere the ‘living life on my terms’ scenario took a back seat and I learnt how to live the way others wanted me to. But I think the actual me was hiding somewhere within, waiting to pop out and surprise me. Slowly, I started feeling the old but exciting me take over the new but very boring me and I allowed the transformation to take place. Gradually, I began feeling a change in the way I was living my life since the time I got surrounded by responsibilities and slowly the people around me started noticing the changes too. Reactions varied from happiness to shock but I was okay with any positive or negative feedback that I was getting as I was delighted to live the way I wanted to. The power to do it came from the support of my life partner and my writing as both allowed me to express and live the way I wished. It does get difficult at times when all you hear about yourself are negative comments but these are nowhere compared to the happiness I get from living on my terms. **#LiveOnYourTerms** When I was born, they asked my parents why. When I grew up, they asked me why I wasn’t shy. When I fell, they wanted me to fall apart. When I stood up again, they asked me about my next fall. When I swirled around in the world outside, they asked me not to spoil the name. When I won the first trophy, they asked me how much I paid for the same. But I paid no heed, for my life, was mine. To jump, to run, to fall, and to fly. For it’s my life, and no one can ever ask me why. _**About the author:**_ _Anuradha Kapoor- a freelance author, blogger, content writer, script writer, editor and proof reader. I am one of the top bloggers on mycity4kids and have written blogs for various brands for them. For eg. Dabur Chywanprash, Surf Excel, Mirinda, Quaker Oats, HP Printers etc. I recently published my first ebook on Amazon, titled ‘Love Conquers All’. I have written short stories and episode stories for the ‘Potboiler App’. Hope to keep you all entertained through my stories and blogs._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Bring Out The Child In You Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2020-03-18 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Motivational Woman](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Motivational-woman-min-1620913744423-compressed.png) It is very easy for a woman to lose herself in the myriad of complexities and routine work that engulf her daily. At the same time, it is essential, that she remains positive and happy, as a woman is indeed the ‘emotional’ head of a family. Seldom does she realize this fact. Here are few tips that will be of help to everyone to stay motivated. **_The very first thing_** that we, as women, need to understand is that our body is the only place that we must live in. So, we just NEED to give appropriate importance to our body. We can never have a happy mind without a happy body. So, do whatever it takes, to take of your body – exercise, go for yoga, swimming, walking, eat well, sleep well. **_This earth is the home_** for all types of species and it is not essential for every species to get along nicely with the other! We are here to live our life and not to please or to be compared with anyone else. Our journey is simply unique. So just throw away the toxic people from your life and surround yourself with motivated positive people. Their positivity will rub off on you, in the longer run. **_Try to read or watch_** motivational videos and establish a routine in your life. As simple as it may sound, establishing a routine is the most essential step to achieving anything. **_As humans, our brains_** do get triggered with multiple type of thoughts; some may be good, and some may be bad. It does not really matter. It is a natural process for us to feel Up and Down. But it is very essential that we are alert to it and do not get carried away by a mood. As the saying goes, ‘Its ok to fall down; but you just need to get back up’. Take your time – Cry, Scream or even just sleep, eat your favourite food, watch a nice movie – but just get back up. Take one step at a time. Remember there is no human on this earth who has walked on the day he was born. Look at your children. They are the best teachers in this world who can motivate us. Just watch how a baby keeps trying to walk or to get up. Just watch them how they keep trying to get something that they want. So, the talent and the confidence are definitely there in you – you just need to bring out that child in you who can keep trying without worrying about anything else. _Bring out the child in you who can be happy at every small achievement. After all we have just one life to live. So Live your life to your hearts content._ _**About the author:**_ _Sudha Divakar- A Proud stay at home mom. She has worked in the IT industry for 15 years and hastaken a break to take care of her priorities. She is an avid reader and enjoys watching movies withher tiny tots at home. She believes that life is full of beauty and must be lived one day at a time._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Resume Writing Tips Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2020-03-09 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Resume Writing Tips](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/resume-writing-min-1620971217864-compressed.jpg) I have been a Recruiter for the last decade of my life and so I say this with experience, that only having a fancy resume won’t get you the job that you are desiring. How many of us can relate to applying on an open job positions and then being ghosted for months by the Company? So if we are really committed to finding a job, we must take matters into our own hands. Let’s take a look at some of the non-traditional ways to land a job you have always longed for. ### List of 4 Non-Traditional Ways To Land A Job #### **#1 Attend conferences & meet-ups related to your job role or skills:** Be aware of the major conferences in your city or country that are related to your role or skills. There is always one such event in a year conducted by a major certification body or associations that you must attend if possible. This is where you will get to connect with people from the industry, your dream companies and an opportunity to exchange email id’s, thoughts and ideas. You can then leverage this by following them on professional platforms like LinkedIn or Github (if you are a techie) and see their work, connections and Company they follow and keep increasing your network pool by adding new connections. One of the fastest ways to get noticed by a company for an open position is through a referral. Most companies have a set process where Recruiters have to reach out to a referral within 7 days of application. So there, at least you will have an answer, even if it only reads no. **#2 Don’t wait for the door to open. Knock on the door instead** I have seen many who say, “I have applied to XYZ company, now all I can do is wait and watch”. If I have to be honest I was one of them for a very long time. This is not a lottery, this is your career and you need to work towards a definite end. If you have found the job you care enough to apply, go a step further. Find out who is recruiting for that role, find out the office contact details and call the landline to get in touch with the Recruiter or better still email them. I remember a friend who did that back in 2008 when recession across the globe was bad, but her persistent attitude landed her and me a job. Sometimes, we must be more aggressive to achieve what we want. The key word her is aggressive not irritating, so do know when to stop and not over communicate or keep emailing or calling them. **#3 Don’t just say it. Show it** Do a project or build a website, make your portfolio, show the world what you are capable of. I think in the busyness of life, we forget to invest in our talents. We do the work that is thrust upon us with little to no thought and get going with our lives. Take some time out to create something. If you are an engineer, work on a personal project – build an app, work on learning a new language, mine bitcoins, do something that you don’t have to do, but want to do. It is in moments like these that you find yourself, your confidence and your true capabilities. And most often than not, we are surprised at the reflection of us we see. **#4 Go out and make a name for yourself** With borders blurring and global exposure being so common, each one of us have an equal opportunity to shine. You just need to find your voice. Do you love writing as I do, then find an organization who shares your passion and start writing for them. If you like speaking, find relevant conferences or communities you can be a part of, where you can impart your learning. If you like to read, then do that. Whatever, you feel you are good at, do it and share it with the world. Let your name be published or imprinted on the world wide web (in a good way). When you add these credentials to your resume, it makes your profile more desirable and holistic. Gone are the days when we used to hold our resumes tightly in our hands, neatly packed in a transparent holder. Today, companies don’t even bother asking for your resume copy during interviews, you may not even walk into the office until it’s your first day and now with remote working culture sneaking into our homes, you will never need to leave home to get to work. In an ever-changing, dynamic professional world like this, do you still think only a resume explaining what you have done, will be enough? Don’t just be someone who wants to work with them, be that one who they cannot work without. _You may also want to read other article written by the same author_ ‘[Be aware of your emotions and its effects on you](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/aware-emotions-effects-you/)‘ , ‘[How to be your own goal keeper](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/how-your-own-goal-keeper/)‘ , ‘[What is the best way to say No to Office House Work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/whats-best-way-say-no-office-housework/)‘ , ‘ [Finding your work life balance](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/finding-your-work-life-balance/#more-1586)‘ , ‘[Six top challenges women leaders face at work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/six-challenges-women-leaders-face/)‘  ‘ [How to master the Art of Assertive Communication](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/master-assertive-communication/)‘  , ‘ [How can you make your resume standout](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/how-can-you-make-your-resume-stand-out/) ‘ , ‘ [Honest Comparision Between Freelancing Project or Full-time Job](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/honest-comparison-between-freelancing-project-or-full-time-job/)‘  , ‘[Good Interview Skills Leave a Lasting Impression](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/good-interview-skills-leave-lasting-impression/) [‘Have you brought passion to work today’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/have-you-brought-passion-with-you-to-work-today/) ‘[How to Avoid The Five Most Common Interview Mistakes?](http://hersecondinnings.com/coaching-career/how-to-avoid-the-five-most-common-interview-mistakes/)‘ [‘Better Work Life Balance](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching-career/better-work-life-balance/)‘ _**About the author:**_ _[](https://mlizvi9avfum.i.optimole.com/w:auto/h:auto/q:auto/http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 9 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## My Journey with RPA Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2020-02-22 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![RPA journey](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/RPA-1621241173597-compressed.jpg) “RPA would be the most suitable career path for you” she said. “We will provide training and the only thing that we need from you is your commitment to stick to your milestones.”. I had never heard of RPA and was curious to know what it was.” RPA,” She continued, is “Robotic Process Automation” It Is more like a flowchart where minimal coding is required.  I was happy to hear this, because I was looking for something different from what I was doing earlier.  **My Journey Begins** After a break of about 5 years, I really wanted to work; get my life back. But what I wanted was not just another job but something that gave me fulfilment something that really interested me. That’s when I came across Hersecondinnings listed on Google when I searched for consultants for women on a break. I loved the name. implied that it was going to be my next big gig. The first month was when I faced my inertia, I found it tough to sit before my system and concentrate. But the mentors at HSI were really kind and told me that it would take me about a month for me to get back to speed. We had conference calls every week or twice a week where our tutor handheld us through the training modules on UIPath. I was able to study at my own pace, because I was given enough time to pick up on what was taught and also take care of my kids. After scoring well on the tests; a new found confidence was bubbling within me. Maybe I can actually get back to work, maybe I will be able to fulfil my dreams. These were the thoughts that ran in my mind while studying. **Learnings** “Interesting”, is the keyword I would say that would depict RPA, since that was the word I heard others utter once they started learning. It felt more like we were solving a puzzle then studying. After finishing the course, I learnt that RPA is like the icing on the cake. It is top most interface which is very close to user experience. It is a very creative problem-solving field where one would be able to create organized processes from the defined user’s need. It is predicted that every business domain would require RPA specialists. So that gave me confidence that I would be job ready in a year or so. In conclusion, RPA technology is the most happening and fastest growing technology in current times. Be it HR, Banking or Healthcare; every domain would start requiring RPA specialists and the best thing about RPA is its easy to learn and you needn’t have prior experience in development projects to work on this. So, what are you waiting for? Join RPA and stay in tune with current times! _**About the author:**_ _Deepika – There are many things that I love to do and I realized RPA is also one of them.  I will continue this journey till my dreams are realized. And I wish you the same. Watching us our kids would also want to chase their dreams._ The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## For the aspiring women entrepreneurs Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2020-01-20 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Women Entrepreneurs](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/for-women-entrepreneurs-min-1621241272694-compressed.png) Entrepreneurship is no cake walk for men, let alone women. In a male dominated field, after so many years of developments and feminism, it is still a shocker to see a woman thriving in it. Might be, this shock is one of the deterrents for us. So, firstly let us embrace it. Women are not equal to men. We are far more superior and let us not belittle ourselves there and express a shock. Entrepreneurship is a quality and it is not gender biased. The ability to design, launch and run a new small business initially is entrepreneurship as per our Wiki. Don’t we women do this on a daily basis at home?! We run a home!! It’s just that we need to get a knack to make a business profitable. That skill can be acquired. So, we are all set to start a business. There are many requirements, legally and psychologically. A few key points for the _aspiring women entrepreneurs_ are below. First and foremost, of all, a basic idea is required. What is your business about?! Service?! Manufacturing?! To this you must know what you are best at. You must have a purpose in life. If you do not know that yet, discover your passion. Passion becomes purpose. And that purpose can be monetized. Or if you don’t want to go that far, stop at passion. Monetize your passion. That’s the _brain child of your business_. Your product or service must be good if not great. Now just like parenting, mold your brain child into a successful business. We do not know if our parenting is right, so we get help from other moms. Similarly connect with other women entrepreneurs who excel and extract what is best for you to create a _business model._ Now you have an idea and a business model, investigate the _legal aspects_. _Marketing_ is as vital as the idea. You must be super crazy in making your product reach out to the target audience. Social media is inevitable nowadays. Do not ignore it. Prepare yourself _psychologically_. Be open to failures initially. When you start a business, it is never going to be big at a blink. Don’t get disheartened. It is very normal for your business to be a failure at the beginning. So, 1. Aim to be a company. 2. Aim to be a big company. And welcome _criticism and feedback_. Especially gender related ones. You are most likely to receive it the whole time. Be ready to be bombarded and don’t let it attack you. Understand the condescending attitude and do give back when necessary. Make sure you _balance_ your work and family. Work on your business and not for your business. Once you expand and grow, _hire_ the right employees. Decentralize. Employ more women. Women have the power to turn houses to homes. This same capacity enables us to boost our economic growth while we take up entrepreneurship. GDP of our nation is sure to rise once more women pitch in into this corporate sector. It is our duty as women to lend helping hands to our peers and to bring a social change in this community. It is high time we realize our potential and rise above. Sabbatical is such a fancy word, if you notice. For onlookers, someone on sabbatical is synonymous to enjoying life with the security of a job. Well, only we working moms grasp the gravity of the word. Sabbatical could be for anything, for travel primarily, for higher studies, for an alternate career, for introspection. But for us women, all the above options are luxury. We opt sabbatical for childcare and that has been the primary reason. Once decided on a sabbatical, only a fellow working mother can understand how tough the decision making would have been. Not even your family might comprehend. To them, it is just a luxurious option you have at workplace. Some don’t even have that luxury. In that case we opt for a career break which is even tougher with no security of getting back to a job. For those blessed ones with an option of sabbatical, I have a few thoughts to break the myth. We _do not need an approval_ from every member of the family for our decision. Some might stand by you and some might not. We cannot go around satisfying everyone. Opting for a sabbatical or not, the final nod is yours. Take suggestions. Weigh them. _You decide._ It is your career. If you have decided on your sabbatical, let the uses be multifold and not just child care. Of course, our duties for our kids come first. Apart from that, let us introspect. _Find yourself_ when you are not being a busy bee. Do not stop socializing. When at work, _socializing_ is a part of the job. You are forced to interact with your colleagues. But when opting for an option to stay at home, mingling with people is a task. Make an effort. It is a stress buster. But only when done with the right people. Else, it is a major stress. _Discover your passion._ I always insist and believe in the fact that passion is your purpose in life. It is a medicine to all your wounds psychologically. Time invested in your passion or let us use a simple word, hobby, is never a waste. _Consider an alternate career._ This can be optional. If you think you need financial independence during your break, try your luck in alternate career. We have a platform here for that. Suit it to your timings. But, of course, don’t overload yourself. _Self-discipline_ is a must. Please do not get into the couch potato mode. If you start being lazy, it is tough to revive and be on the job after the break. Don’t ever indulge in laziness. And procrastination is the thief of time. _Prepare yourself_ for the hurdles you will be facing again when you rejoin work. You already know how it works out there. It’s just that you will be completely out of touch after a long break. So, the task is easy. Just prepare your mind. Sabbatical isn’t a bed of roses. For busy working women who had financial independence and who had managed both family and work, this career break would be blissful at the beginning, but it would mostly dawn on them one day or the other that idle mind is a devil’s workshop. The reassurance of the job alone keeps them going. Still, mental health is equally important as physical health. It is vital that we do not overdo ourselves in this period. But this break is a need to **_rejuvenate_** yourself. _**About the author:**_ _**Vidhu: Working mom. An avid reader with a rekindled passion for writing lifestyle articles. Restarted blogging after years. Leisure time includes writing and interior designing by which I mean tidying up my house and keeping it hygienic 😉 A woman with no connection between her education and her current job. A commoner. Movie buff.**_ The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.”  Like --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Six Effective ways to improve productivity at Workplace Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2020-01-09 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Effective ways for productivity](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/productivity-min-1621241505920-compressed.jpg) “ It’s general human nature to end a day with sigh of relief and satisfaction knowing that the tasks have been completed both seamlessly and efficiently.To avoid hitting end of the day slumped behind a desk stacked with unfinished works, following are the six effective ways to improve productivity at workplace. 1. There might be list of crucial objectives that absolutely need to be completed during a day to move the goals forward without any grapple.The best way to break down the objectives is to use a spreadsheet or EverNote. Note down the crucial tasks that needs to be carried out each day and focus on the tasks to end the day without pending activities. 1. After listing out the objectives, segregate the tasks based on priority of completing it that day. The most important tasks first and then continue to work on the other tasks one by one. A chapter in Stephen Covey’s book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” stress on “First things First”, where it states that, if we give importance to the smaller things initially, it occupies the room, that we tend to forget giving importance to the larger picture. 1. It is absolutely fine to help others in workplace whenever needed. At the same time, it’s definitely alright to say ‘No’ to people since concentrating and spending more time on things that doesn’t come under part of crucial objectives, will make the day counter productive. Always give sometime at least to complete the goals that are important and try giving heed to people who are in need of help. 1. We have often heard that multitasking is pernicious at workplace. It’s a productivity killer.Too many people fall into the trap of multitasking, unable to give hundred percent to a task,failing miserably. This ends up in repetition of work at the workplace which subsequently brings down the productivity.Concentrate on one task at a time, since it also lowers down the IQ according tiding to the research. 1. Nilofer Merchant, HBR Writer and founder of Rubicon Consulting shares an advice. Eagles refer to the important tasks that has to be carried out in a day to be productive. Turkeys refers to the distractions that comes by the way. She says, one need to concentrate on the tasks to be completed. Distractions like emails, social media are like turkeys which tends to take much of our time. One need to avoid such distractions to be more productive. 1. Getting enough sleep and exercising are also a part of bringing up the productivity at workplace. One must need to take care of oneself to stay healthy and happy. All the positive vibes that one acquires is the most vital tool to make the day productive. The more healthier, the more being productive.Keep away all the negatives and gloomy thoughts away to stay refreshed. This motivates oneself to complete the tasks on time. “says Tim Ferriss. Planning the objectives properly and avoid delaying in carrying out the tasks will not pile up things and one can end the day with the complete satisfaction of carrying out the work productively. You may want to read other articles written by the same author – ‘[Tips for writing an exceptional resume](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/resume-writing/tips-writing-exceptional-resume/#more-1516)‘ , ‘[Alternate Career Option as a Fitness Trainer](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career-option-fitness-trainer/)‘ , ‘ [5 golden rules for setting the goals](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/5-golden-rules-for-setting-the-goals/#more-1602) ‘[Who decides the expiry date for a women’s dream](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/who-decides-the-expiry-date-for-a-womans-dream/)‘ ‘[The significance of assertive communication](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/uncategorized/significance-assertive-communication/)‘ ‘ [The chose I never imagined to choose](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/the-choice-i-never-imagined-to-choose/)‘ [6 steps to a successful career change](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/career/6-steps-successful-career-change/)‘ **About the author:** Mrinalini:  a computer science graduate, with an overall experience of about 6 years in IT industry. Though I had been a techie full time, I always had a love for writing and thirst for becoming a writer. Mother of 3 year old Kid, it took me years to realise, what I needed to make myself end my day completely satisfied. Am a blogger, traveler, adventure lover and an ardent book reader. I read a lot, believe books are the best companions in the world. I love to enjoy each day of my life, as it often comes bagged with full of surprises. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## The Power of Self Motivation Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2020-01-07 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null I ![Power of Motivation](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/power-of-motivation-min-1621241885396-compressed.jpg) t is well said by _Pauline Kael ,_**“Where there is a will, there is a way. If there is a chance in a million that you can do something, anything, to keep what you want from ending, do it. Pry the door open or, if need be, wedge your foot in that door and keep it open.”** Life has always got a pallet of surprises which might make a person to be over the moon or it might present the other side of the coin.It is necessary for a person to stay motivated throughout the rugged path that they pass by.The power of self motivation will always lead to a successful and rewarding life. There are few points as follows that can really help in staying focused and motivated. **Self Confidence :** You can never make someone motivated until you don’t stay self motivated. The key factor for achieving any long term goal is to have immense self confidence .It is better to keep in mind that the struggle is not going to be unceasing.Self confidence will help to breakthrough through those difficulties efficaciously. **Being Optimistic :** When **Winston Churchill** quotes **“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”****,** one should always remember not to lose hope in any situation and keep focusing on what comes by their way. There were leaders around the world who had gone through rough times and their optimism gave them all strength to savour success. **Defining the goal and Staying Focused :** Have clarity on the goals and stay focused on achieving it. A Streamlined path will help to achieve the goals faster. Though it is a good practice to consider only the big picture of the target, it is also important to consider the small-scale facets which will be more important to break down the obstacles with ease. **Visualizing the Results :** It is important to visualize the results and what it will feel like after achieving the end goal. This will give a sigh of relief and a excitement to work even more hard.This is more like a fuel to stay motivated on the period when one doesn’t feel like working. **Listen to Good Music :** This could be the simplest yet effective factor for keeping oneself motivated. But it has to be right music. The one that motivates and inspires and enthuse to achieve the goals. Music has definitely got real power. Listen to them for 15 minutes and visualize your future. What will be the outcome of your hard work, how will you achieve it and how will your life takes a turn when you materialize it. **Create an Action Plan :** Create a plan towards the goal such that it looks much real. The actions might be very small. As long as it takes you a bit closer to achieve your goals, add it to the action plan. Keep a weekly action plan sheet and add the smaller actions to it. When tiny actions are strung together, it give us big returns. It is also necessary to keep a track on the progress. It helps oneself to stay motivated when they turn back at the path that they travelled through. The critical factor for keeping oneself moving towards the success line as desired is the self motivation. Though motivation acts as a driving force, it is more important to define our goals clearly. Stay positive which will give an extra force to keep motivated and achieve success. Tips for writing an exceptional resume‘ , ‘[Alternate Career Option as a Fitness Trainer](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career-option-fitness-trainer/)‘ , ‘ [5 golden rules for setting the goals](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/5-golden-rules-for-setting-the-goals/#more-1602) ‘[Who decides the expiry date for a women’s dream](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/who-decides-the-expiry-date-for-a-womans-dream/)‘ ‘[The significance of assertive communication](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/uncategorized/significance-assertive-communication/)‘ ‘ [The chose I never imagined to choose](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/the-choice-i-never-imagined-to-choose/)‘ [6 steps to a successful career change](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/career/6-steps-successful-career-change/)‘ **About the author:**Mrinalini:  a computer science graduate, with an overall experience of about 6 years in IT industry. Though I had been a techie full time, I always had a love for writing and thirst for becoming a writer. Mother of 3 year old Kid, it took me years to realise, what I needed to make myself end my day completely satisfied. Am a blogger, traveler, adventure lover and an ardent book reader. I read a lot, believe books are the best companions in the world. I love to enjoy each day of my life, as it often comes bagged with full of surprises. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Keep the fire burning! Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-12-18 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Keep the fire ](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/burning_fire-min-1621242038414-compressed.png) Remember the first few months at work? The excitement, with a touch of nervousness, an unending zeal to learn and prove your mettle is vibrant in the start. However, as month’s lapses into years, the passion fades slowly with work being “just another thing we do”. While this could be attributed to multiple factors – monotony, differences in reality vs. expected, unclear career path in the future etc., it’s quite normal to feel drifted away in the course of our path. So how do we keep the fire burning, with such variations? **Continuous learning**: There is always a better way to do things and something more to learn. Try and explore creative ways of doing your job. Identify your area of interest, capitalize on the online courses and company sponsored programs to enhance your knowledge. With the rapid changes happening around, it’s vital to stay ahead of the crowd by enriching your knowledge constantly. * **Uplift people:** Identify those with talent and potential, but shy away from asking for help. Mentor them. In today’s corporate world, representation of women at the managerial and higher levels of hierarchy is considerably lower. Build an internal platform to groom and mentor aspiring candidates, bridge talent gaps and steer them ahead. When you elevate people around you, you grow as well. * **Don’t rush to complete:** Take genuine interest in that you do. Rushing off to complete the task at hand to hop onto another will make you restless. Rather, cherish the task you are doing, put your heart and soul into it. It’s a great way to keep your passion for work alive. * **Know what comes next, prepare**: Visualize your climb, acquire appropriate skills for the role. Besides from being equipped when opportunity knocks, it enhances your current capability as well. * **Be cognizant of your role;** : Understand the effect of your role in the organisation. Whatever be your designation, the work you do will have a profound impact in the bigger picture. There’s inspiration all around for those who choose to see, so identify what motivates you as a person and do more of it. Reinventing oneself from time to time and finding newer ways of doing things will fuel the interest in performing your job better. The motivation that runs inside is what sets you apart from the others, so take care to fuel it at all times. Stop limiting yourself‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), ‘[Importance of networking for success in your career’](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/), ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘, ‘ ‘[Being overlooked for promotion](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/being-overlooked-for-promotion/)‘ , ‘[Addressing the gender paygap disparity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/addressing-the-gender-pay-gap-disparity/) ‘ , ‘ [The art of saying No at work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/the-art-saying-no-work/)‘  , ‘ [Reviving from an unfavourable performance appraisal](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/reviving-from-unfavourable-performance-appraisal/) ‘ , ‘[Dealing with a difficult boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/dealing-with-difficult-boss-work-place/)‘ , ‘[The performance punishment’](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/the-performance-punishment/), [‘Strategies for Career goals’](http://www.hersecondinnings.com/strategies-career-goals/) [](https://mlizvi9avfum.i.optimole.com/w:auto/h:auto/q:auto/http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Health Management at Workplace Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-12-16 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Health Management at Workplace](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/health-management-at-workplace-min-1621242176753-compressed.jpg) We are at workplace atleast 8-10 hours in a day, and 5 days a week. Technically that’s roughly 21% in a week that we spend outside  our home in a place where we visit every day, work on computers, share many things with people around us. Other than the individual health hazards that we face like eye strains, tension neck syndrome, weight gain etc, we also are prone to viruses and infection that exist in the air. We cannot control the workplace environment around us, but we can control our adaptability to the environment. How… Here are few tips 1_**. Crunch the “munch” time**_ – our hands and fingers just move to that cookie/ chocolate/ biscuit/ chips that is in the office pantry or that a coworker has so nicely placed on the desk. It’s very tempting but in its own way stealthily adds on calories and also could make you feel sluggish instead of energetic. Healthy snacks are a good option for munch time. Once you start eating healthy, you motivate others to eat healthy too. _**PS: Fruits, green tea, Health bars, and Baked goods are good replacements for high calories snacks.**_ 2_**. Increase H20 Intake**_ – 70 % of human body is water and so our diet too requires us to have more water as input to the body. Drinking an adequate amount of water, around eight to 10 glasses a day, helps in keeping the body temperature normal, body hydrated, skin nourished and hunger at bay. Many fruits like oranges, grapes, watermelon, and apples are good sources of water and can be part of the water intake chart. _**PS:**__**By 3 pm, when you feel dehydrated and tired, make your body reenergized by drinking water instead of a beverage.**_ 3\. _**Walk before/ after lunch-**_ Lunch time is the best time to walk. Walking is burning your calories, de-stressing and refreshing too. A good idea to stay in shape. Find a walking partner on whom you can depend on for a daily walk. Someone who will motivate you to walk even when you get lazy or are too busy. Use stairs more than lift, move more than you sit and stay active. _**PS: Make the walking time enjoyable by changing routes every now and then**_. 4\. _**Watch your Portion size**_ – Eating a healthy and balanced diet as part of lunch is important. One that is rich with proteins, and fibre rather than fats or carbs. But watching the portion size is equally important too. Eventually, you will have to sit for next few hours. So, portion control keeps that in check. _**PS: Add more salads, fruits and antioxidants to your diet.**_ 5\. _**Keep your ENT in check**_– Yes take care of your Eyes, Neck and Tension- Sitting in a upright position, holding the phone and talking for long hours, and limited movement cause neck and shoulder pain, tenderness. Watching the computer screen for long hours cause eye strain, redness and sensitivity to light. Stress and pressure cause Tension which in turn cause headaches. No job is worth risking your ENT. So, make sure your neck is not bent for a long time, relax your muscles by stretching and try keeping stress to its minimum. You should also be able to comfortably read what’s on your screen at that distance, without having to squint _**PS: Keep your screen at arm’s length from the eye level, Use speakerphone while talking and listening, do spot exercises and listen to music to stay focused and calm.**_ 6**.** _**Improve your Immunity level**_– There are two main factors that impair immunity at workplace. One is burnout which is another type of stress that effects relationships, moods, sleep cycles and efficiency at work. The other is the virus that spreads through sharing of keyboard, mouse, phone, or someone coughing and sneezing without covering up their mouth and nose. When your immunity is low, you are fast to catch small infections and illnesses that could disrupt your daily routine. _**PS: Have a daily dose of vitamins, exercise to strengthen immunity level internally. Keep a sanitizer, disinfectant, wash your hands regularly to protect yourself externally from viruses**_. _**Staying healthy at workplace starts with you and self awareness. You are more aware of your limits, when to take a break, when to take a vacation, when to walk, what to eat, what not to eat and when to exercise. So, Think Healthy, Be Healthy and Stay Healthy!!!!!!**_ _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Decoding Stress](http://hersecondinnings.com/decoding-stress/)‘, ‘[Communication made easy…](http://hersecondinnings.com/communication-made-easier/)‘, , [‘Personal Finance Planning’](http://hersecondinnings.com/personal-finance-planning/), ‘[Are you financially fit?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/are-you-financially-fit/), ‘[3 M’s… Mantra for Morale](http://hersecondinnings.com/3-ms-mantra-morale/)‘ , [‘Tips for effective interaction with management’](http://hersecondinnings.com/4-tips-effective-interaction-management/), ‘[Adapting to global work culture – locally](http://hersecondinnings.com/adapting-global-work-culture-locally/)‘, ‘[8 Advantages of Online tutoring as a work from home career](http://hersecondinnings.com/advantages-online-tutoring-work-home-career/)‘, ‘[6 Tips for health management at workplace](http://hersecondinnings.com/6-tips-health-management-workplace/)‘, ‘[Marriage and Finance](http://hersecondinnings.com/marriage-finance/)‘, ‘[Passion with a Purpose](http://hersecondinnings.com/passion-with-purpose/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from).  A woman as created by the divine.  An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). If you are interested to contribute blogs in our website, please visit : [http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger](http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger) for more details. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Career restarting for women on a professional break. Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-12-15 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Career-Restart-women](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/career-restart-1621242672560-compressed.jpg) “_Women are generally classified as either a weakling who is a totally dependant or a wonder who achieves  beyond imagination. But sadly the world doesn’t acknowledge the category that falls in between these two and also comprises the majority portion of them. These women, who seem to carry on with their daily life, are capable of much more than the skills they possess. “_ Aw, come on… enough with the deep meaning words and lines… When a woman takes a break, especially a long break from her career, mostly this is what will happen… “SHE IS HOPELESS, SHE IS DOOMED… Yes she is…” she can be a celebrity, lawyer, doctor, engineer, corporate executive or a house maid. Believe it or not, most of the vacancy needs a profile who is currently working. So, naturally for the few jobs left, demand is low and supply is enormously high. There are number of reasons women take a break from their work. It can be forced due to circumstances or by their own choice. Either way the gap gets expanding in their resume. In fact, the gap will be the first to be noticed rather than the experience and other many things mentioned in the resume. Every time you take your resume to the interview, the sick feeling forming in the pit of your stomach indicates that your mind already knows that coming job is also going to let you down unless until a miracle happens where the interviewer understands your calibre and recognizes your talent. Of course this is a very thin line. Okay, since we are done with the sulking. Let’s evaluate the how’s when’s and where’s. Say you are a woman who is working in a corporate sector or an IT industry or any other field. You will be content with the life as it is. But change is unavoidable and so you have planned to take a break. **Before taking it, be certain of the questions below.** “_How are you planning to take the break? Full time or part time? And how are you going keep up with latest progress in the industry and also keep in touch with your contacts?”_ “_When are you planning to resume your work? And when exactly during the break you should start your preparations?”_ “_Where will you resume back after the break and what are you going to do to keep yourself updated during the break?”_ Believe it or not, this planning ahead will at least ensure you a spot in the future for a comeback. Say, you have resigned without any of the above planning and trying for restart. We can always try to implement the solutions for the above mentioned questions to obtain a job with your same industry. But will it be effective after some duration? The toughest pill to swallow is rejection. But that is definitely not the end. Meanwhile, you can keep yourself engaged with freelance or other internet jobs. _Ultimately, a restart in career need not specifically be a career in your previous or allied industry. It can be terrifying to start something from scratch or build a career from base on your own. All you need is determination and passion for what you like to do and love to work with. Also as per study, women are very good at multi-tasking and managing things efficiently. You need to identify your passion and proceed with it. Of course the ride will definitely not be easy; you will face all sorts of obstacles and emotional trauma. But believe in yourself and you will find solution. After all it is your own work and what’s there to be afraid of when you are the boss!._ _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## During a break, build bridges not barriers! Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-12-14 Tags: career break, job after break URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Career Break](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/career_break-2-1621243354536-compressed.jpeg) A break or a sabbatical is a personal decision that we as women take and a choice that we make. Matrimony, change of location, maternity, are the top most reasons that drive us to apply breaks and shift gears to accommodate another priority. As much as we want to resume and return, we build psychological barriers while we are on that break. These walls do not exist but are mere illusions that  we build. And then overpowering these walls become a challenge. So, the key is to **build bridges and not barriers during a break.**  Here are some psychological barriers that women build but it’s the bridge they need to focus on. 1. **Barrier** : **_“ Everything is now changed, upgraded or doesn’t exist. My experience doesn’t count .”._** Your experience is an investment  that you  made  for years together into your career. No one can take that away from you. It will never go as a waste. No matter how long or short the break is. You can start from where you left.  Do not convince yourself into thinking that you have lost your Midas touch.  Whatever has changed ,can be caught up with and you can restart. And the gap will only lessen with time. **Bridge _: Experience counts! Gain more experience and do not doubt your capabilities for a single moment._** 1. **Barrier****_:” I_****_have low self confidence, now compared to before”._** Confidence is a feeling that you create and it remains a part of your growth and evolution process. Lowering confidence means lowering faith in self. Whatever has gone, will come back to you. You have  stay unfazed by the opinions around and face everything that comes up. Its your belief in you that will stand by you. So, no matter what changes happen externally, your confidence level should not change and remain the same or even higher. **Bridge:  _You__are as much confident as much as you think you are! So aim for the highest_.** 1. **Barrier : _“ I do not talk get to meet or talk to people as I am at home most of the time. I stay isolated_**_”._ Do not shut yourself up. A break is an opportunity to make new friends and acquaintances. Explore more fields and options that you never knew about. Reconnect with old friends and establish newer connections.  Networking opens up gateways to new information and news that will help you in some way or the other. So, do not stay isolated. You may be surprised how your next job or career move may just land up in your lap through such networks. **Bridge : _Make use of social media, networking sites , online and offline platforms to build up on connections and expand your horizon_**_._ 1. **Barrier_– “ The wait is way too long and is frustrating. I do not know how much more time would it take_**_”._ Time and tide wait for no man. So, what has to happen will happen at the right time. But one has to wait for the right time. Patience and perseverance is a must. Also, investing time from daily routine to search on websites, learn a new technology, network with people , apply through various platforms is necessary. This time invested will speed up the process of reaching the right time. **Bridge :****_Make use of time instead of waiting for time to pass. It’s the usefulness of time that will help you get there rather than the uselessness of time_**.  **Stay focused, disciplined and diligent during your break. Do not let yourself down and out. The break is an opportunity replenish yourself, rethink a few priorities and restart with a roar metamorphically . Let your bridges guide you through.** _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Decoding Stress](http://hersecondinnings.com/decoding-stress/)‘, ‘[Communication made easy…](http://hersecondinnings.com/communication-made-easier/)‘, , [‘Personal Finance Planning’](http://hersecondinnings.com/personal-finance-planning/), ‘[Are you financially fit?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/are-you-financially-fit/), ‘[3 M’s… Mantra for Morale](http://hersecondinnings.com/3-ms-mantra-morale/)‘ , [‘Tips for effective interaction with management’](http://hersecondinnings.com/4-tips-effective-interaction-management/), ‘[Adapting to global work culture – locally](http://hersecondinnings.com/adapting-global-work-culture-locally/)‘, ‘[8 Advantages of Online tutoring as a work from home career](http://hersecondinnings.com/advantages-online-tutoring-work-home-career/)‘, ‘[6 Tips for health management at workplace](http://hersecondinnings.com/6-tips-health-management-workplace/)‘, ‘[Marriage and Finance](http://hersecondinnings.com/marriage-finance/)‘, ‘[Passion with a Purpose](http://hersecondinnings.com/passion-with-purpose/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from).  A woman as created by the divine.  An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). If you are interested to contribute blogs in our website, please visit : [http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger](http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger) for more details. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Resolving Conflict at work place Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-11-13 Tags: amicable manner, challenging situation, complicated, corporate ladder, mental strength, problem solving skills, stay poised, trivial issues URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![resolving Conflicts](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/resolving-conflicts-1621243725696-compressed.jpg) ‘’Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict’’ – William Ellery Channing Ever felt a sense of discontent while heading to work? Or to avoid interaction with a few who do not align with your methods? When a pool of people, with a sense of purpose, direction and drive is put together, conflict is unavoidable. What matters though is the way it’s handled – a trait that demarcates standouts from the rest. Resolving conflict at workplace is paramount to ensure seamless functioning, for the business cannot suffer owing to differences amongst employees. Having handled quite a few challenging situations, I opine that conflict flares up when not tackled at the root and worsens when grapevine comes into picture. As individuals, it’s quite common for anyone to have a difference of opinion. While it could be against a person or a larger group, it’s pertinent to talk and set the disagreements aside, or at the least, minimize it.  A few suggestions: 1. **Look what’s best for business**: If the issue at stake is due to differences in execution that’s correct from both the parties, look what’s best for business – in terms of execution or cost. Set aside your egos and adapt the one that would benefit the most. 2. **Talk to the Individual; never let a person know from grapevine**: Curb dissent in the early stages rather than drawing out swords. Have an open conversation and validate your point of view. It would be awkward when the person knows through hearsay, also causing irreparable damage. 3. **Shed confirmatory bias; don’t hold it against the person:** Don’t be opinionated about a person. Chances are that you might start on the wrong foot owing to pre conceived notions –vice versa is also likely. In case of any behavioural issues, talk to the respective individual and clarify your stance. 4. **Strike a middle ground:** If unable to come to a compromise about the situation, strike a middle ground that both parties would benefit from. Make an effort to understand the other person’s perspective and respect their opinion as well. 5. **Stay poised; involve third party if complicated:** If the circumstance is difficult and talks have reached a standstill, involve someone with adequate knowledge of the subject to mediate and resolve the pickle. Maintain your decorum in the discussion; don’t let your emotions get the best of you. 6. **Try informal methods:** E-mails and meetings isn’t the resolution for all concerns, for trivial issues still within control, have a candid chat and try to resolve it amicably. Setting the right expectations will give others the appropriate way of handling things related to you on all official matters. Whatever be the method you adopt, learn from the experience. A significant trait of climbing up the corporate ladder is to handle and negotiate disagreements in an amicable manner, so when an opportunity arises, use it to prove your problem solving skills. Also, handling disputes will give you the mental strength and prowess to deal with any untoward situation in all walks of life. _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), ‘[Importance of networking for success in your career’](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/), ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘, ‘ ‘[Being overlooked for promotion](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/being-overlooked-for-promotion/)‘ , ‘[Addressing the gender paygap disparity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/addressing-the-gender-pay-gap-disparity/) ‘ , ‘ [The art of saying No at work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/the-art-saying-no-work/)‘  , ‘ [Reviving from an unfavourable performance appraisal](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/reviving-from-unfavourable-performance-appraisal/) ‘ , ‘[Dealing with a difficult boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/dealing-with-difficult-boss-work-place/)‘ , ‘[The performance punishment’](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/the-performance-punishment/), [‘Strategies for Career goals’](http://www.hersecondinnings.com/strategies-career-goals/)_ _**About the author:**_ [](https://mlizvi9avfum.i.optimole.com/w:auto/h:auto/q:auto/http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) **_Nithya Jagadish –_** I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Time Management Tips That Will Allow Working Moms To Breathe Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-10-30 Tags: Avoid Multitasking, expectations at work, flexibility, nourisher, rejuvenate, Time Management URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Time Management](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/time%20management-1621244159511-compressed.jpg) The first time you drove home with your child from the hospital, of the many things you didn’t know, is that it will be very hard to find time to do anything else. Now add the words “working mom” to that agony. Being busy or lack of time has a completely different definition for a working mother. While you and I who in our spare time can catch up with friends, reading, binge-watch, or simply indulge in some quiet time and pampering, working mothers will be spending all that time nursing their children, spending time with them and meet their needs. I am always surprised meeting and watching all those working mothers at my workplace who are no less than superheroes for me. I am always surprised meeting and watching all those working mothers at my workplace who are no less than superheroes for me.  So I thought to myself, I can’t physically and emotionally truly understand their dilemma or plight of being working mothers, but I can surely explore more how they can do certain things to save time that will allow them to do what ‘they’ truly like to do. I am sure they don’t even have time to research, so in a humble attempt to help, here’s listing the: Five Time Management Tips That Will Allow Working Moms To Breathe. \# 1 – Live in the present & avoid multitasking We women by nature want to be present at three different places all at the same time. While that looks good, it is actually not. Living in the present takes a lot of work. We have to train our minds not to wander or worry about things that don’t need attention at that moment. For example, do not worry about what you are going to cook when you are spending quality time with your child. Listen to what they actually saying, be attentive to them. At all cost avoid multitasking. I have learned that no good comes from that, especially if you are not very good at it like me. Practices like yoga, meditation, and quiet time alone will allow you to clear your thoughts and be more focused on the task at hand. This in turn will help improve your productivity.  \# 2 – Step away from the Internet The Internet is the biggest cause of wasted time. Social media is like an addiction, one glance at Facebook or one like on Instagram will instantly take you to an hour later into your life that you have lost. I am not saying completely cut off social media or distractions of the world wide web, but instead, allocate a stipulated time in the day to do those activities and strictly adhere to it. This should also include reading your WhatsApp messages. You may have to take harsh steps too like switch off the internet, unplug the television or simply lock all devices away, until the restricted hour to indulge has arrived. I urge you to try this and see how much time you will suddenly have at hand.  \# 3 – Set attainable daily goals for work and home If one could collect all my to-do-lists over the years and pile them up, it will be sufficient to build a 10 feet tall building. The sad part is only two-stories will be checked as completed tasks. So all your well-intended to-do-list are useless if they are unattainable. Between work, household chores and child care, you have very little time left to accomplish anything on that list. Hence, plan your priorities and set realistic and achievable daily goals. I, for example, put down ‘reading at least 5 pages a day’. This is attainable over ‘reading one chapter’, which could be long one or a very short one and totally daunting to achieve.  \# 4 – Set expectations at work This will probably be the hardest thing to do. You may not have a very cooperative boss and work environment. People may look at you prioritizing your family first as shrugging responsibilities or being foolish. Either way, you will have to take a stand at work and stick with it. Let your Manager know right from the beginning that your family is your priority, that you would like to be present for your children’s school functions and emergencies if any. On the other hand, ensure that the time you spend at work is highly productive and profitable. This will help them to trust you and know that you want to do right by your family and work. Many a time, it may not be as simple, you may want to then think of diverse career options or job that will allow you that flexibility.  \# 5 – Stop trying to do everything on your own Oh how we all can immediately identify with this statement. I don’t even need to expound it. We find it absolutely difficult to delegate. I don’t have help at home, cause managing the help or doing most things they have done all over again, is a sheer waste of time. This is a problem at work and at home. “I rather just do it myself “ is a slogan most of us live by. Instead of righting someone else’s wrong, I do it right myself in the first place. Right?  No, if you are looking for any time for yourself, you will have to learn to delegate and let go. You must stop obsessing about perfectionism, the right way of doing things and allow other people to step in and help you. Also, don’t take on responsibilities that are not yours in the first place. Allow your partner to do what they are assigned. Do not nag, comment or ridicule their efforts and help. Your partner too needs bonding time with the child, so allow him to take over for a couple of hours daily. This will leave you to catch up on your breathe and do things that rejuvenate you or maybe some more of your pending chores.  A mother’s job never ends. She is a constant worrier, warrior, emotional provider, nourisher and supporter for her family. She cannot switch off, turn-off and just run away from her responsibility as a mother, wife, daughter, and an employee. And no matter how much your spouse helps you, there are some things like making a house a home, cooking wholistic meals with love and fulfilling the emotional needs of our family that are solely our responsibilities. So while the world has progressed and technology has helped working mothers to be more efficient and can help us do our daily jobs with ease, it cannot help us to raise our children to be good human beings and good citizens of the world. Ultimately, that is the duty of a parent. So in this insanely rushed world, find your silence, find your peace and most importantly find the time to be yourself. Hope the above tips for time-management helps you to read more of our articles too (all smiles). _You may also want to read other article written by the same author_ ‘[Be aware of your emotions and its effects on you](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/aware-emotions-effects-you/)‘ , ‘[How to be your own goal keeper](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/how-your-own-goal-keeper/)‘ , ‘[What is the best way to say No to Office House Work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/whats-best-way-say-no-office-housework/)‘ , ‘ [Finding your work life balance](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/finding-your-work-life-balance/#more-1586)‘ , ‘[Six top challenges women leaders face at work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/six-challenges-women-leaders-face/)‘  ‘ [How to master the Art of Assertive Communication](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/master-assertive-communication/)‘  , ‘ [How can you make your resume standout](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/how-can-you-make-your-resume-stand-out/) ‘ , ‘ [Honest Comparision Between Freelancing Project or Full-time Job](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/honest-comparison-between-freelancing-project-or-full-time-job/)‘  , ‘[Good Interview Skills Leave a Lasting Impression](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/good-interview-skills-leave-lasting-impression/) [‘Have you brought passion to work today’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/have-you-brought-passion-with-you-to-work-today/) ‘[How to Avoid The Five Most Common Interview Mistakes?](http://hersecondinnings.com/coaching-career/how-to-avoid-the-five-most-common-interview-mistakes/)‘ [‘Better Work Life Balance](https://hersecondinnings.com/coaching-career/better-work-life-balance/)‘ _**About the author:**_ _[](https://mlizvi9avfum.i.optimole.com/w:auto/h:auto/q:auto/http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 9 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Your Resume ; Your Mirror Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-10-17 Tags: active language, proofread, review resume, subheadings URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Resume-mirror](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/resume-1621244533542-compressed.jpg) **“First impression is the best impression”**  Resumes are used to make a favorable impression on a prospective employer. For this reason, it is often referred to as one of the most crucial steps taken during a job search. It gives all the important information about you. According to me, a resume has to be like a platter full of yummy dishes, as per the requirement of the customer ( in this case employer). Employers use resumes throughout the hiring process to learn more about applicants and whether they might be a good fit. Your resume should be easy to read, summarize your accomplishments and skills and highlight relevant experience.You might consider having multiple versions of your resume tailored to the jobs you’re applying for. Here are a few key resume writing tips that will help you organize and design your resume. ##### 1.  Be Honest According to me, this is the most important tip in writing a good resume,hence putting this at number 1. If there are any gap years in your education or career,don’t hesitate to mention it. Just be prepared and be confident to answer about it when asked. So, be honest as this will highlight the greatest big quality of you. ##### 2.  Look for keywords in the job postings As you apply for different jobs, you should study each job description for keywords that show what the employer is looking for in an ideal candidate. Include those keywords in your resume where relevant. For example, if you’re applying for a job as a HR-Recruiter, an employer might list keywords such as “hiring ”, “screening ,” “cold calling,” or “ITES recruitment” in the job description. Pay particular attention to anything listed in the sections labeled “Requirements” or “Qualifications” or “Desired candidate profile”. If you have the skills that employers are looking for, you can add these same terms to your resume in the experience or skills sections. ##### 3\. Review resume examples for your industry When crafting your resume, you might study [examples of resumes](https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resume-samples) from your industry for inspiration and best practices. While there are [many ways you can use resume samples](https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/how-to-use-resume-samples), there are three main takeaways you should look for: **Make it simple and easy to read.** When formatting your resume, use a basic font that is easy to read, both for hiring managers and for applicant management systems. Google also favors the simple over the complex. Many fonts make your resume clear and easy to read while retaining your individual style. * **Make it brief.** You’ll notice that each section of the resume sample is short and to-the-point, including the summary and experience descriptions. Including only the most key and relevant information means employers are able to consume more information about you, and more quickly understand your fitness for the role. * **Include numbers.** Employers are highly responsive to measurable proven value. Numbers allow them to better understand the value you may bring to the position. When using resume samples, you should keep in mind that these are not meant to be copied exactly. ##### 4\. Put the Most Important and Relevant Accomplishments First Research has shown that hiring managers tend to spend only 6 seconds per resume. If your resume includes old or irrelevant information, such as jobs held over 10 years ago or minor degrees and achievements, it may distract from key information. Try to include only work experience, achievements, education and skills most relevant to the employer. Try and opt for the [reverse-chronological format](https://zety.com/blog/chronological-resume). Prioritize the content of your resume so that your most important and relevant experiences are listed first. ##### 5\. Use active language Your resume should be written using active language without extraneous words. This means using [power words](https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/resume-power-words), such as “achieved”, “earned”, “completed” or “accomplished”. If your resume is too long , you might consider making sentences shorter or ideas more concise. For example, you may have a job description that reads: _“During my time at Infosys, I ran multiple team-based projects and helped each team member with various tasks associated with each project.”_ This example could be shortened and strengthened in the following way: _“Led multiple team-based projects and effectively coordinated group tasks.”_ ##### 6\. Only include subheadings and sections you need For example, you may need a resume summary or a resume objective, but you should not include both. You may also find it useful to combine sections if you are having trouble filling a section with more than two bullet points. ##### 7\. Proofread and edit Before sending your resume, you should undergo several rounds of proofreading to ensure there are no spelling or grammar errors. While there are several proofreading programs and tools you can use, it is also helpful to ask trusted friends or colleagues to review your resume and make changes. ##### 8\. Use your hobbies to show your personality **“People make hiring decisions based 60% on skills and talents and 40% on likability. They want to know that they’re going to get along with you and that you’re going to get along with others.”** Candidates commonly have a section on the bottom of their resume to describe what they like to do in their free time. Instead of using that space to just list some of your part-time hobbies, use it to show more about who you are rather than what you do. If you volunteer or have another important part of your life, describe it and say why you’re motivated to spend your time on that activity. This will give a better picture of you as an employee by describing your personality. ##### 9\.  Include Contact Information Include all your contact information so that employers can easily get in touch with you. Give your full name, street address, city, state, zip code, phone number, and email address. If you have a Linked In profile or professional website, include those links as well. ##### 10. Send Resumes Properly and With the Correct Attachments When sending an email resume, follow the employer’s instructions on how to submit your CV. The employer may want your resume attached to the email message and sent in a specific format, typically as a Word document or a PDF. Always follow what the employer specifies. I hope above resume writing tips are helpful to you ladies! _**About the author:**_ Vasudha has a post graduate degree in management and has three plus years of experience in the field of Human Resources. She has been a part time Yoga instructor. She is currently employed as a home maker and enjoys to spend quality time with her kids. She likes to explore new areas of learning. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Financial Stability Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-10-10 Tags: confidence, Financial stability, inflation, portfolio, self-esteem URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Financial Stability](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/financial-Stability-1621244633615-compressed.jpg) “A big part of financial freedom is having your heart and mind free from worry about the what-ifs of life” – Suze Orman Of all things in life, finance plays a dominant role, irrespective of a person’s age. While the needs and wants vary, one factor that remains constant is the need for money. It’s fair to say that the exact amount of money needed for future cannot be predicted, but it’s feasible to strive for some sort of stability. So what does financial stability imply? As exhaustive the term is, for me it means to be independent of expenditures, safeguarded for the future, cushioned for any contingencies and subsequently, leave aside a considerable amount for the next generation.   So how do we achieve financial stability? While it differs for each individual depending on their lifestyle, a few pointers to be considered:  * **Saving is a habit, not a onetime effort:** Much has been said about the art of saving…when to start, how to bucketise etc. Whatever be the approach, focus is on consistency. Budgeting and setting aside a sizeable amount at the start of every month will yield better fruits than saving what’s left after all the expenses.  * **Diversify portfolio and Invest wisely:** It’s sensible to spread the risks and have a diversified portfolio of varied yields., E.g., long term monetary returns, liquid cash for emergencies, investment in real estate etc.  Irrespective of the nature, being overly independent on one form is never a good option.  * **Avoid comparison:** Despite the reality, there is a perennial need to compare our lifestyle with others and indulge in things we don’t need. It’s prudent to avoid such unwanted competition and spend only on those that add value.  * **Consider inflation:** Although it seems that the current mode of investments will pay off in future, do consider the inflation. Few expenses might skyrocket in the years to come, so plan ahead and brace for such impacts.   Coming to the most pertinent question, what does financial stability offer? To sum up the most significant aspects:  * **Provides an oomph of confidence:**  A well cushioned monetary portfoliothat provides for present as well as future needs is certainly a morale booster. In a cash crunch, it’s good to have some savings to bank up on, rather than depending on external ways to source money.  * **Increases self-esteem:** To be independent of others for financial needs will result in immense satisfaction of a life well planned. Having money also gives the independence of decision making, which is vital for the self-esteem of an individual.  * **Peace of mind:** To be free of monetary tensions is a blessing.  While we can’t zero out the possibility, it’s intelligent to stay equipped for any eventualities that might arise.  In today’s world, women play notable role in various spheres, donning different hats in their lives. Hugely independent unlike yesteryears, women earn substantial income and share the economic burden.  It’s only fair that such hard earned money is put to good use and saved for future needs. As it’s said “Save money and money will save you”.  _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), ‘[Importance of networking for success in your career’](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/), ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘, ‘ ‘[Being overlooked for promotion](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/being-overlooked-for-promotion/)‘ , ‘[Addressing the gender paygap disparity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/addressing-the-gender-pay-gap-disparity/) ‘ , ‘ [The art of saying No at work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/the-art-saying-no-work/)‘  , ‘ [Reviving from an unfavourable performance appraisal](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/reviving-from-unfavourable-performance-appraisal/) ‘ , ‘[Dealing with a difficult boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/dealing-with-difficult-boss-work-place/)‘ , ‘[The performance punishment’](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/the-performance-punishment/), [‘Strategies for Career goals’](http://www.hersecondinnings.com/strategies-career-goals/)_ _**About the author:**_ [](https://mlizvi9avfum.i.optimole.com/w:auto/h:auto/q:auto/http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) **_Nithya Jagadish –_** I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Interview Skills that lets you get Hired Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-09-24 Tags: Express Gratitude, Being Arrogant, Being Confident, Being Optimistic, Being Punctual, Clear URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Interview Skills](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/interview-skills-1621244746618-compressed.jpg) Getting through an interview is an art and that the assiduous preparation, confidence and the proficiency of realizing clearly,the reason behind being best fit for the role are the few of the effective qualities which one might require while attending any interview. Interview, as such is a science that lets you explore about yourself, to know if you really want to work for the company or the people who are hiring find you to be the perfect fit for the designation. Here are the few skills that helps you get through any interview. **Interview Preparation:** It is a good practice to break down 60 minutes of a day’s time before interview, to get yourself prepared for bringing out best in you on the interview day. Read the Job description clearly and make yourself competent for the position. Research the most viable interview questions pertaining to the role that you have applied and keep yourself practiced to answer them. Take time to analyse about the company, their missions and values, about their business and projects **Being Punctual :** **“Better three hours too soon than a minute too late”** said William Shakespeare. Being late might bring down the impression that the interviewer have about you. Get to the interview venue minimum 15 minutes and maximum 30 minutes before it starts. It is well and good to arrange the required documents and keep the necessary details handy to avoid any last minute perplexity. **Keep Calm, Be Concerted and Clear :** Never lose your nerve. Be Confident at the same time Calm and Cohesive while answering the Questions. Don’t rush yourself by talking too fast as it might mislead to the downside conclusion.Never create an impact that you are desperate. Also keep in mind, talking a mile a minute will reflect a fake impression. The way you speak should never make the interviewer feel you are disinterested. **Being Confident vs Being Arrogant :** Promoting yourself with the accomplishments, awards and experience is definitely very important as it gives the interviewer with an insight of how strong your profile is. At the same time, make sure you are not arrogant or snobbish. Portraying yourself as self centered will bring down your respectability. Try to balance the emotional quotient as you might need to work as a team in future. Give the credits when it is absolutely necessary and the Voice’s throw should be confident enough to elate the interviewer. **Listen, Listen and Listen :** Listening is one of the key skills that has to be deliberated throughout the interview process. This is a bit tricky area where you need to actually listen and come up with optimistic response rather that saying “Exactly”, “You are right”. If you fail to listen to what the interviewer explains, the answer that you give might fall flat and the whole scenario would become a mess.Even if the interviewer is prattling, don’t zone out yourself, instead stay focused. **Body language speaks:** Your body language matters as much as your words. Never shy away or show disinterest in your posture. Enter the room with a smile. Offer a firm handshake and sit up tall at the table and lean slightly forward to get into conversation. Look straight into the interviewer’s eyes and answer. Never look around while talking. Too much of gestures will also lead you into trouble. This might distract the interviewer. Remember less is always more. **Being optimistic :** Never do a mistake by defaming your previous employer or any other companies that you are associated with. Always look through the lens of optimism. Give an impact to the person sitting right opposite to you that it should make him feel that the particular quality of yours is astounding and he can hire you for it. While talking about a challenging situation, try to imagine yourself in the situation and explain how you would have solved the problem. **Express Gratitude:** **“A moment of gratitude make a difference in your attitude”**\-Bruce Wilkinson . Generally people forget to realize how powerful saying “Thank you” is. As soon as you complete the interview, take a minute to thank them for the opportunity that has been given to you and for the interviewer’s time. Once you get back home, try to send a thank you email as it create a positive impact on interviewer’s mind that you are really interested in the position. You may want to read other articles written by the same author – ‘[Tips for writing an exceptional resume](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/resume-writing/tips-writing-exceptional-resume/#more-1516)‘ , ‘[Alternate Career Option as a Fitness Trainer](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career-option-fitness-trainer/)‘ , ‘ [5 golden rules for setting the goals](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/5-golden-rules-for-setting-the-goals/#more-1602) ‘[Who decides the expiry date for a women’s dream](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/who-decides-the-expiry-date-for-a-womans-dream/)‘ ‘[The significance of assertive communication](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/uncategorized/significance-assertive-communication/)‘ ‘ [The chose I never imagined to choose](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/the-choice-i-never-imagined-to-choose/)‘ [6 steps to a successful career change](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/career/6-steps-successful-career-change/)‘ About the author: Mrinalini:  a computer science graduate, with an overall experience of about 6 years in IT industry. Though I had been a techie full time, I always had a love for writing and thirst for becoming a writer. Mother of 3 year old Kid, it took me years to realise, what I needed to make myself end my day completely satisfied. Am a blogger, traveler, adventure lover and an ardent book reader. I read a lot, believe books are the best companions in the world. I love to enjoy each day of my life, as it often comes bagged with full of surprises. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## What does Success mean? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-09-19 Tags: Adventure success, Career success, Community Success, Economic Success, Family success, Impact Success, Inner Success, Physical success URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Success Meaning](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/success-meaning-1621245030393-compressed.jpg) The definition of success has been shoved down your throat ever since you were a kid. Success is that one thing every person struggles for. The idea of success changes throughout our life according to our age and priorities. A very common notion of success involves getting good grades in school, a bright career after that, followed by earning a lot of money, then buying a big house and an expensive car, and if possible, receiving fame, or recognition. Success is popularly associated with all the material gains or with the accomplishment of your goals. Robin Sharma, one of the top leadership experts in the world, went a little step further by realizing the nuances of success and came up with its eight forms: * _Inner Success_ is the one which includes a positive attitude, emotional well-being, mental balance, and a strong sense of spirituality. It means not losing your mental poise irrespective of the situation you are in. * _Physical Success_ is the one where your body is in good shape and well-fed with a healthy diet. Health is wealth after all! * _Family Success_ is the one which involves having a great family life. At the end of a tiring day, we need loving people to come home to. If you have a caring family, then that is nothing short of success. * _Career Success_ is the one where you reach the zenith of your professional life. This kind of success leaves you feeling satisfied with reaching your full potential. * _Economic Success_ is the one where you use your skills and knowledge to earn a decent amount of money to provide well for yourself and your family. * _Community Success_ is the one where your need of belongingness is fulfilled. Having a group of good friends and mentors makes life rewarding. * _Adventure Success_ is the one where the need for novelty and challenge is satisfied. Going on regular vacations, exploring new places, trying out new things is a feast for the mind. * _Impact Success_ is the one which fulfills the need of causing a difference in this world. We feel better when we contribute our part to make this world a better place to live. Robin Sharma did give a broader perspective to success and it is absolutely worth living by. However, considering all the forms of success, it looks like the roads to all of them would be tedious. Very few people actually cover all these areas in their life. But what about you? Where do you stand at this stage of your life? Have you accomplished any form of success yet? If not, did you feel disappointed with not being able to even graze any of these forms of success? Don’t let the definitions of success cloud your wisdom about what is good for you. Those definitions and categories should be used as general guidelines for you to know the direction in which you should be heading in life. But the fact remains that only you can define what success means to you. There are monks who are peaceful and happy without money or a family life. There are people who put money before anything else. There are people who prioritize their health. There are people who give up their health and money in order to keep their family happy. There are people who resign from their jobs to travel the world. There are people who opt for a career that doesn’t fetch a lot of money just for the sake of their passion. You have to choose for yourself the forms of success that mean the most to you and start working toward accomplishing them. Success, as people believe, is all about achieving something- a goal that is quite ahead in life. You put in efforts to reach a goal and once you get there, you call it success. But sometimes, success is not just about that. Success is not always something you achieve in the future. It also exists in small things, little efforts and the baby steps you take toward achieving your goals. If you forgave a person today, if you completed a task you had been putting off, if you ate a healthy meal after a week of junk food, if you finally sent out that resume after being sabbatical, if you let go of that grudge, if you called a childhood bestie after a long time, if you became a better person today, if you tried your best, it still counts as success. Do not let the idea of some future success strip you of your present happiness while you are in the pursuit of something that is beyond the horizon. After all, what you do _today_ would determine where you stand tomorrow. And this means success isn’t just the future. Success is now. **_About the author:_** “Radhika works as a visiting lecturer at the University of Mumbai. She completed her B.A. and  M.A (Gold medal) in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. She has a passion for languages especially English, Sanskrit, and German and has written articles on Upanishads. She provides content development services. She likes teaching and writing. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music.” (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## DISCOVERING YOU…. Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-09-17 Tags: discovering, financial circumstances, Interview, strengths URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Discovering You](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/discovering%20You-1621253841401-compressed.png) Whenever you attend an interview the most common question would be **_“How do you rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10?”_** .  To answer the question you should neither underestimate nor overestimate yourself. You can answer confidently with accuracy only when you know about your capability and also your limitation. A person’s behaviour is shaped by family, friends, in-born quality of the person itself and the society to some extent. Hence they are the major elements to identify your complete inner self. Also, they play a continuous role in enhancing your strengths and managing your weakness_. Discovering about yourself is not a “do it once” kind of a thing, It is a process at every stage of your life starting from childhood to old age where you would discover new things about yourself every day in every incidents_. A person can know more about himself when he is exposed to loneliness, new environment, impossible task, dangerous situation and unpredictable changes. A complete knowledge of your body will help with good health and peaceful mind. Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam is the greatest human who explored his capabilities and became an inspiration to all. Being born in a poor family in humble surroundings of rural Tamilnadu. Getting an education was at an unreachable height for him. But his everlasting thirst for knowledge never stopped him from discovering his inner capabilities. When he understood his family’s financial circumstances, he started working at a very tender age by distributing newspapers to support his family and studied hard to earn scholarship to complete engineering in MIT, He never stopped discovering himself which eventually landed him in ISRO. He was the only president who adored students more than his life, teaching them to identify themselves by saying his famous slogan _“Dreams transform into thoughts and thoughts results in action”_. No wonder he is called the people‘s president. We all know that Sachin Tendulkar, has identified his strengths are with cricket even before he completing his school. His strong determinations and hard work has made him a cricket legend. Do you know that Narayana Murthy founder of Infosys was a very shy person during his early days? His discovery with his inner self has given India a top multinational company. Now, people dream to be a part of one his massive, world class seminars. Likewise, some examples of the great historic legends who transformed the world by discovering their inner potential are Buddha, Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, Sir C.V.Raman, Rabindranath Tagore and many more. There are so many great people and leaders who have achieved great things by discovering themselves. They have pushed hard beyond boundaries to overcome their difficulties to reach highest possibility. Life is a lesson where you learn about the world and yourself every day. So keep learning and discover new opportunity with every walk of your life. --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Strategies for Career goals Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-09-10 Tags: self-evaluation, career goals, Mentor, realistic goals, upskilling URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Career Strategy](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/strategy-career-1621254190136-compressed.jpg) “Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible” – Tony Robbins. Career goals – A frequented topic at interviews, there are times when we stutter to give a lucid answer for this query “What are your Career goals / where do you see yourself in the next 5 years “? Setting goals is prudent to ensure we walk in the right direction and focus on those aspects which help us grow. Commonly said as “begin with the end in mind’’, Career goals are a must in the path of one’s career – whether it is to seek higher designation or to redeem oneself from a setback. So, how to strategically plan and implement career goals? A few tips: 1. Set realistic Goals: Foremost principle in having a strategic goal is to understand one’s areas of strength and interest, then formulate a plan around it. Revisit the goal often, measure your progress on the efforts taken to reach the same. Also, check if the goals align with your personal life.  2. Set apart time for learning: The best investment one can make is in the self. Allocate time for polishing your skills or learning a new one – this will provide you with the stimulus to reach your goals faster and raise the bar higher as you progress. With the demand for skilled labour always on the rise, setting goals to match the same and upskilling relevantly will serve as a boon.   3. Self-evaluation: Have a time line; making plans without a due date has no meaning. Even if you have to readjust the dates, it doesn’t matter as long as progress is made. Also, a constant self-appraisal will enlighten you about the skills required vs. skills acquired. It will also serve as a timely interference in setting the course right if there has been a deviation. Acknowledge your progress, even if it’s small. 4. Have a Mentor: Have someone above your professional stature with adequate skills to guide you. It can be a boss from your previous company or a friend who is capable – it’s good to have someone to talk to. Sometimes, a fresh perspective will emerge from a third person’s point of view, so always have that door open.  5. Buckle up, try again: Everything will not go the way as planned. At times of adversity, though the energy levels will be low and doubt will set in, cast it aside and begin afresh. It’s easier said than done, but seeing that we are the architects of our career, there is really not much choice left other than pulling ourselves up. While the methodologies adopted might differ from one individual to another, the whole notion of setting a strategic career goal is inevitable for all. Rather than treading aimlessly, devising appropriate career goals and following it meticulously will go a long way in building a strong and successful career. Being an ardent journey, it’s wise to invest time, play by your strengths and make your career significant.  _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), ‘[Importance of networking for success in your career’](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/), ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘, ‘ ‘[Being overlooked for promotion](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/being-overlooked-for-promotion/)‘ , ‘[Addressing the gender paygap disparity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/addressing-the-gender-pay-gap-disparity/) ‘ , ‘ [The art of saying No at work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/the-art-saying-no-work/)‘  , ‘ [Reviving from an unfavourable performance appraisal](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/reviving-from-unfavourable-performance-appraisal/) ‘ , ‘[Dealing with a difficult boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/dealing-with-difficult-boss-work-place/)‘ , ‘[The performance punishment’](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/the-performance-punishment/)_ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) **_Nithya Jagadish –_** I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## The Performance Punishment Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-09-06 Tags: communication, empower, endeavour URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Performance Matrix](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/performance-1621254444921-compressed.jpg) “The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits” – Albert Einstein Women face a multiplicity of challenges at work, including Gender discrimination, Targets of glass ceiling, striving for work-life balance, etc. to name a few. The concept of Performance Punishment adds more woe. In an endeavour to prove our mettle, it’s quite common to go the extra mile, work tirelessly and succeed in a professional project or venture with much effort. But what to do, when such strenuous endeavours lead to a vicious cycle? What is Performance Punishment, how to identify this at the bud and avoid the anguish? The term signifies the situation wherein an employee handles an exceptionally challenging or difficult task by extreme hard work and succeeds in the same. Along with a pat on the back, the person is assigned equal or more difficult projects to handle. In an effort to maintain the laurels earned, the employee ends up overstraining which results in a burn out. Also, there are situations wherein a diligent person is deemed too significant for the role performed that he/she is denied a promotion, citing lack of credible resources to fill the position (known as Talent hoarding). By whatever name it’s called, such practices end up frustrating the employee, who in turn loses the morale to work. The key is to identify and curb them at the earliest. Few pointers when caught in such tight-corners: * **Scrutinise the assignment, check if its viable :** Before you accept any over-the-top assignments, take time to evaluate if you have the required resources. Check with your team if they are a part of the project. Don’t shy away from asking for help, like additional head count or time extension right at the beginning. If you feel in any way it’s an insurmountable task, have the openness to decline it along with your reasons. * **Communication is key:** Inform your manager of any possible hurdles you might encounter, ensure you are on the same page. Once commenced, have regular meetings to evaluate the progress and to seek any support if needed. Ensure to include all the stakeholders involved. Receiving unfavourable feedbacks and rectifications at the fag end will jeopardize the time and efforts invested. * **Empower others:** One of the easiest ways to prevent being a target of Talent hoarding is to groom someone of your calibre. Rather than waiting for a need to arise, identify and train people when you have the time. Many lose out on vacations or time off owing to the fact that they are irreplaceable. Sometimes, being indispensable could prove to be a double edged sword. While rewards in work are certainly a boost for the morale, it’s vital to know the ones that will be detrimental in the long run.  There’s little merit in losing morale over gruelling tasks that will upset your professional path. Taking time to think clearly and deciding based on practicality will give an edge when set with challenging choices. _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), ‘[Importance of networking for success in your career’](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/), ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘, ‘ ‘[Being overlooked for promotion](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/being-overlooked-for-promotion/)‘ , ‘[Addressing the gender paygap disparity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/addressing-the-gender-pay-gap-disparity/) ‘ , ‘ [The art of saying No at work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/the-art-saying-no-work/)‘  , ‘ [Reviving from an unfavourable performance appraisal](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/reviving-from-unfavourable-performance-appraisal/) ‘ , ‘[Dealing with a difficult boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/dealing-with-difficult-boss-work-place/)‘_ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) **_Nithya Jagadish –_** I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Better Work-Life Balance Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-09-03 Tags: Work Life Balance, flexibility, Recharge, Repeat URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![work life balance](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/success-1621254696622-compressed.png) Is it ironic that the tagline for 2019’s International Women’s Day was “Balance for Better”? While obviously the balance they were trying to strike is completely different from what I will be discussing today in this article. But I personally feel work-life balance has a huge hand to play to make better the balance of woman at work. I have realized that when you provide more flexibility to work hours, allowing work from home or uncapped holidays, increases the happiness quotient of the employees, which in turn improves employee satisfaction, leading to better retention. So while companies feel that they are doing a favor to the employees by allowing a balanced work life, they are actually the ones benefiting the most. So how can you better your work-life balance? ### **5 Word Of Advice For Better Work-Life Balance:**  * #### **_Narrow Down Your Priorities:_** Most of us try to fit in too much in the little time we have. Our day can be divided into only three quarters. What we choose to fill that time with is a decision we need to make wisely. A [tweet](https://twitter.com/randizuckerberg/status/145030699966136320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E145030699966136320&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.inc.com%2Fjessica-stillman%2Fwith-just-1-sentence-randi-zuckerberg-will-make-you-rethink-work-life-balance-forever.html) by Randy Zuckerburg that went viral in 2011, made all of us think of work-life balance in a different way. She said that one can pick only three things out of work, family, friendships, fitness, and sleep. Hence, here the emphasis is on prioritizing what is most important to you at that time in life. Studies show that success is not achieved by balancing everything well all the time, but by focusing on what’s most important at that point in time for you.  For example, if you had a critical project that needed all your attention for the next 3 months and you gave all it required by sacrificing the rest, you most likely will achieve the goals and reap the benefits. Later, you can take a few weeks off, to go and spend time with your family or relax with friends or catch up on your sleep and hobbies. This is what work-life balance should look like. * #### **_Divide Your Work Into 4 Quadrants:_** Start with tracking your work day and weekends or holidays for a few weeks. You will soon see the things that you spend your time on. Now mark those activities under the three categories that you have chosen as discussed above. Next assign them into the four quadrants, Urgent – Not Urgent and Important – Not Important. Here you will see your current life for each of those categories. Find out what activities are a sheer waste of time and how you can eliminate those. Also, you will be able to complete the most urgent tasks first thereby eliminating stress. Being aware of how you use your work and free time and living that out consciously will help you to have a more balanced and fulfilled day as a whole.  * #### **_Make Some Hard Changes:_** Once we have identified our three most important priorities as a whole, for example we choose – work, family and fitness, then we will have to design our schedule around that. One cannot achieve results without working hard. We will have to let go of much to achieve much. So we may have to compromise on our sleeping habits, weekend plans with friends, or sometimes even our family. Make small changes to start with, for example, sleeping early and waking up early, this way you can achieve much before your work day begins. However, remember always to choose good changes. Don’t choose partying on a weekday because you prioritize your friends and thereby land up groggy to work or worse have to take a leave. [Recent studies](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2009/aug/how-long-does-it-take-form-habit) show that it takes 66 days or more for a habit to be formed. So be patient and be consistent in your change.  * #### **_Know When To Disconnect and Connect:_** Balance can be achieved only when we draw a clear line between work and our personal life. Yes, there will be days when one will take priority over the other. Like an illness in the family, weddings or urgent projects, client visits, onsite opportunities at work. However, for the larger part of your life, things will be pretty stable. That’s when striking the balance is called for. So when you are enjoying a meal with your family, do not check your phone to see if you have any urgent emails. Especially over the weekends and late evenings once your home, switch off your work phone and laptop. I would suggest to keep it out of sight. The key to enjoying life after work is to just be present. Similarly, on the other hand, when at work, keep your distractions to the minimum. Avoid checking your WhatsApp each time it beeps, keep your phone on silent or vibrate mode. Do not check your social media pages across different platforms and avoid making or taking personal calls that are not urgent at work. What I usually do is, use my travel time from office to home to catch up with my friends on call (using headphones). These small things help to not only strike the balance but enjoy and focus on living in the present. * #### **_Recharge and Repeat:_** I have often noticed that between work and family, we can get exhausted and feel depleted. Hence, set aside at least one hour each day for yourself. Use that time to go for a walk or run, read books, listen to music or simply just watch television. This is your time to unwind and recharge yourself. People depend on you at work and at home, hence it is important for you to ensure that you take good care of yourself and not get exhausted. I find this extremely important. Some days I am only catching up on my sleep or reading, while on others I am completing all the pending task at home or simply relaxing and enjoying the company of my family. Each downtime can be different. I would suggest going for a walk after dinner or creating a habit of reading at least one chapter of a novel each day. This is essential as you prepare yourself for the next day to do it all over again. --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Sabbatical ; The Myth Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-08-29 Tags: rejuvenate, alternate career, Financial Independence, passion, Sabbatical URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Sabbatical Mith](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/sabbatical-mith-1621254859111-compressed.png) Sabbatical is such a fancy word, if you notice. For onlookers, someone on sabbatical is synonymous to enjoying life with the security of a job. Well, only we working moms grasp the gravity of the word. Sabbatical could be for anything, for travel primarily, for higher studies, for an alternate career, for introspection. But for us women, all the above options are luxury. We opt sabbatical for childcare and that has been the primary reason. Once decided on a sabbatical, only a fellow working mother can understand how tough the decision making would have been. Not even your family might comprehend. To them, it is just a luxurious option you have at workplace. Some don’t even have that luxury. In that case we opt for a career break which is even tougher with no security of getting back to a job. For those blessed ones with an option of sabbatical, I have a few thoughts to break the myth. We _do not need an approval_ from every member of the family for our decision. Some might stand by you and some might not. We cannot go around satisfying everyone. Opting for a sabbatical or not, the final nod is yours. Take suggestions. Weigh them. _You decide._ It is your career. If you have decided on your sabbatical, let the uses be multifold and not just child care. Of course, our duties for our kids come first. Apart from that, let us introspect. _Find yourself_ when you are not being a busy bee. Do not stop socializing. When at work, _socializing_ is a part of the job. You are forced to interact with your colleagues. But when opting for an option to stay at home, mingling with people is a task. Make an effort. It is a stress buster. But only when done with the right people. Else, it is a major stress. _Discover your passion._ I always insist and believe in the fact that passion is your purpose in life. It is a medicine to all your wounds psychologically. Time invested in your passion or let us use a simple word, hobby, is never a waste. _Consider an alternate career._ This can be optional. If you think you need financial independence during your break, try your luck in alternate career. We have a platform here for that. Suit it to your timings. But, of course, don’t overload yourself. _Self-discipline_ is a must. Please do not get into the couch potato mode. If you start being lazy, it is tough to revive and be on the job after the break. Don’t ever indulge in laziness. And procrastination is the thief of time. _Prepare yourself_ for the hurdles you will be facing again when you rejoin work. You already know how it works out there. It’s just that you will be completely out of touch after a long break. So, the task is easy. Just prepare your mind. Sabbatical isn’t a bed of roses. For busy working women who had financial independence and who had managed both family and work, this career break would be blissful at the beginning, but it would mostly dawn on them one day or the other that idle mind is a devil’s workshop. The reassurance of the job alone keeps them going. Still, mental health is equally important as physical health. It is vital that we do not overdo ourselves in this period. But this break is a need to **_rejuvenate_** yourself. _**About the author:**_ _**Vidhu: Working mom. An avid reader with a rekindled passion for writing lifestyle articles. Restarted blogging after years. Leisure time includes writing and interior designing by which I mean tidying up my house and keeping it hygienic 😉 A woman with no connection between her education and her current job. A commoner. Movie buff.**_ The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Lets face the interview with Confidence Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-08-27 Tags: gratitude, arrogant, clarity, confident, preparation, punctuality, simplicity, sincerity URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Interview](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/interview-1621255047558-compressed.jpg) Acing an interview is a science as much as it is an art, one that requires diligent preparation along with the ability to be at ease in the interview room, comfortable and confident in discussing why you are the best fit for a role. Here is a list of interview skills that will help you get hired. But, based on my personal experience, first three are the key factors which play major role in a successful job interview. Hence, putting them at the top of the list of essential interview skills – ### 1\. Clarity We should be very clear in our mind first. Be it about ourselves or the job. This quality further helps to express our thoughts clearly during an interview and forms the best first impression in the mind of the interviewer. It’s very important to speak Clearly, Cohesively, and Calmly. Talking too fast can make you look rushed, flustered or anxious. Make a conscious effort to slow down and speak calmly and clearly. It will help you avoid interview stress. ### 2.  Simplicity Being Simple is not being stupid. Infact, it is very difficult to be simple, but once this quality is imbibed, it is very helpful. It is also an important interview skill, which puts forward a great quality of you as an individual. ### 3.  Sincerity Sincerity helps in every walk of life. During an interview also qualities like, sincerity and dedication in an individual puts up a good image of the person which is looked upon by all the employers. ### 4.  Preparation Winging it is never worth it. Not only will your interviewer see right through it, but your answers (and your self-confidence) will seriously suffer if you neglect to properly prepare. So, prepare well before you face interview. Study well about the Organization and also the job description. ### 5.  Punctuality There are very few (if any) excuses that will redeem a late arrival. Do whatever you need to do to get there 10 to 15 minutes in advance of your interview time, whether it’s planning your outfit and packing your bag the night before, setting five alarms or asking a friend to give you a wake-up call, or leaving extra early to account for potential transportation obstacles. ### 6.  Think Before You Speak A well thought-out answer is always better than a rushed one. Of course, you don’t want to sit there in silence for 5 minutes as you come up with an answer, but it is acceptable to take several seconds to think before you speak. Avoid the “ums” and “uhs” and buy yourself time by repeating the interviewer’s question back to them or using a phrase like “That’s an interesting question!” or “I was actually just thinking about that when I read an article on a similar topic, and…” ### 7.  Being Confident, Not Arrogant Although you should be willing and able to promote yourself, your experience and accomplishments, make sure you don’t come across as arrogant, narcissistic or self-important. No matter how good you are at your job, you’re going to run into countless obstacles if you lack the emotional intelligence to work in a team and get along with managers, co-workers or clients. Focus on exuding a kind and balanced sense of confidence and when you discuss your achievements; be sure to give credit where credit is due in order to show that you’re a team player. ### 8.  Actually Listening Anyone can nod, smile and say “Right” or “Exactly” over and over, but how many people actually listen? Interviews are especially tricky because you do need to be listening to your interviewer’s question, while mentally preparing your answer. However, if you don’t listen well in the first place, you might miss the entire point of the question and as a result, your answer will fall totally flat. Stay in the moment and don’t let yourself zone out. ### 9.  Expressing Optimism, With Your Words and Your Body Language No company wants to hire someone with a bad attitude. No matter how difficult your situation is, don’t bring any baggage into the interview room. That means don’t bad-mouth your former employer or any other companies you’ve been associated with or complain about your personal circumstances. Be natural, expressing reasonable perspectives through a lens of optimism. Remember, your body language does matter as much as your words. Walk in with a smile on your face, offer a firm handshake and sit up tall at the table, leaning slightly forward to engage in the conversation. ### 10.   Showing Interest, Without Desperation Sometimes, it can be helpful to think of an interview as a professional.  Airs of disinterest, apathy or monotony will likely turn off an interviewer as will overenthusiastic desperation. No matter how much you want or need the job, refrain from acting desperate; pleading or begging has no place in a job interview. The key is to express earnest interest in the role and in the company, and passion for the work you do. Keep in the back of your mind that you are a valuable asset as an employee. ### 11.   Expressing Gratitude Don’t underestimate the importance of saying “thank you.” As soon as your interview concludes, you should thank your interviewers for their time and for the opportunity to learn more about the position. Hope these interview skills help you to give your best during an interview. Wishing you the best ladies! You may want to read other articles written by the same author – _**About the author:**_ Vasudha has a post graduate degree in management and has three plus years of experience in the field of Human Resources. She has been a part time Yoga instructor. She is currently employed as a home maker and enjoys to spend quality time with her kids. She likes to explore new areas of learning. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 6 Steps to a Successful Career Change Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-08-22 Tags: skills, goal, alternative careers, interests, research, strength URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Career Change](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/career%20Change-1621255394455-compressed.jpg) Steve Jobs once said, **“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle”.**People seek to change careers for many different reasons. Life’s goal might have changed, there could be new interests been explored that people might want to incorporate in their new jobs, one might wish to make money and for most of the women it might be due to the flexible hours they get to balance both their family and work. The reasons may be ceaseless, but the hankering to seek knowledge must never degenerate. Here are the six steps that helps people to succeed during the Career Change phase. Here are the six steps that helps people to succeed during the Career Change phase. 1. **Analyse – Are you satisfied with the current Job?** People tend to face a repercussions at their workplace. It might happen often or tend to be intermittent. It is a good practice to keep a track of the job situation daily. It might be the problems that we face, people at workplace, the nature of the work , or the company’s culture. Before we even decide that it’s time for a change and determine to move on with the current job, we need to look up to the situations at the present office and never set back to solve them up. 1. **Research – The interests.values and skills** People need to analyze their interests, review their past experiences, projects they have worked on and jobs to identify which role would best suit them further.Current career must be able to address the core values and the skills.There are several online tools that help people to choose career alternatives. 1. **Brainstorm – Consider alternative careers** One needs to research for career options and discuss the core values and skills with friends, family and networking contacts.Meeting up with a career counselor would be a lot more help to choose the right career. 1. **Connect – Get Personal** After deep analysis, and choosing the perfect career, connect with the people of the sectors for informational interviews. Connecting with the college alumini is one of the best networks which helps in better understanding of the verticals. LinkedIn is also an another great resource for finding  contacts in specific field of interest. 1. **Build – Use your strength** Listing out all the talents including those that others compliments on and building up the career based on these strengths will give people a clarity on what’s right for them.It helps to move faster, paid higher and find better jobs. 1. **Learn – Get new skills** One needs to study the industry they want to enter.If there is any gap in the skill sets, taking courses would be of great help in moving and sail in the industry with same pace. It is nothing wrong on taking a second chance or choosing a different career, after all not all the roads are straight. When there are different routes, it is one’s choice to choose which will lead a way to their desired destination. Albert Einstein has always been so inspirational that he said **“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new”.** To be a better person and to self identify, all that require is to take a step further. You may want to read other articles written by the same author – ‘[Tips for writing an exceptional resume](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/resume-writing/tips-writing-exceptional-resume/#more-1516)‘ , ‘[Alternate Career Option as a Fitness Trainer](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career-option-fitness-trainer/)‘ , ‘ [5 golden rules for setting the goals](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/5-golden-rules-for-setting-the-goals/#more-1602) ‘[Who decides the expiry date for a women’s dream](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/who-decides-the-expiry-date-for-a-womans-dream/)‘ ‘[The significance of assertive communication](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/uncategorized/significance-assertive-communication/)‘ ‘ [The chose I never imagined to choose](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/the-choice-i-never-imagined-to-choose/)‘ About the author: Mrinalini:  a computer science graduate, with an overall experience of about 6 years in IT industry. Though I had been a techie full time, I always had a love for writing and thirst for becoming a writer. Mother of 3 year old Kid, it took me years to realise, what I needed to make myself end my day completely satisfied. Am a blogger, traveler, adventure lover and an ardent book reader. I read a lot, believe books are the best companions in the world. I love to enjoy each day of my life, as it often comes bagged with full of surprises. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Knowing Yourself The best way to handle upcoming challenges in future Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-08-20 Tags: strength, expectations, limitations, potential, weakness, wisdom URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Knowing Yourself](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/knowing%20yourself-1621255666988-compressed.jpg) Achieving great things in life demands the realization of self-potential and self worth which can be done by knowing yourself. If we are able to know ourselves in a better way, then we can easily achieve what we want in our life. Therefore, you must know yourself first before making any goals for your future. Confused about knowing yourself? It is not difficult; you simply need to understand yourself and personal awareness. It means you need to identify your potential, strength, weakness, limitations and your wisdom. Who will be the best judge to identify all these parameters? Anybody else? Of course not. We, ourselves are the best judge to identify and calculate these parameters because no one else can be a better judge for identifying these parameters on our behalf. Therefore, we can actually get the real view of our thinking by understanding and realizing all such parameters. It can help us in advance to prepare for the future aspects and developing a positive impact on our life. Thus, it is significant for each one of you to realize all these parameters and ready to fly in the air. There are several ways by which you can accomplish your goals such as: **1\. Recognize the fact that you don’t need to justify your worth to anyone** Are you working hard or struggling enough to prove your worth to someone else, that you are capable of doing specific things? Proving your worth to someone brings negativity and stress in your mind. Stop justifying your worth to anyone and be your own hero. You will surely start enjoying if you start following this point in your life. **2\. Avoid expectations** Everyone has certain expectations for their life, family members and friends. However, when the expectations are not fulfilled, individual starts feeling sad, anxious and depressive. The better way to stay happy, calm and relaxed is to avoid expectations and accept all the things in their current condition. You will be amazed to observe the changes in your life and you will definitely get pleasure from the journey ahead. 3. **Start taking time to explore new and different things** Are you remaining occupied all the time in maintaining a balance in your professional and personal life? Not getting time to try new things? This is the right time to change your regular routine, explore new things and start knowing yourself in a much better way. Taking out time from your busy and hectic schedule is tough but not impossible. Determine yourself, take out time and start investing in learning different activities as per your interest. **4\. Spend time on yourself** It is always important to take time for yourself for your self-care. You can spend this time in taking complete rest, read your favorite novel, listening songs, salon visit, etc. It will certainly supports you in relaxing yourself, brings positive feeling and knowing yourself. It will facilitate you to feel calmer, less erratic and ready to face new challenges and obstacles. _**About the author:**_  [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Neha-Taneja.jpg) **Neha Taneja**: _I have done M. Pharmacy from Punjab University, Chandigarh and possess 3 years of industry experience in Quality Assurance domain. Took a career break for some personal reasons and started doing freelance academic and content writing. Though, I faced several challenges during this tenure, I am happy that I have enhanced my writing skills during my career break._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career.   Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Reskill or Returnship/Internship Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-08-08 Tags: confidence, Internshala, Internship, organization, professional environment, Reskill, streams, Training URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Reskill](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Reskill-or-Returnship-1621255865243-compressed.jpg) Reskilling or taking up an Internship or Returnship program has become the most popular way forward for women who have taken up a career break. In India, we find that at least 36% of women take a break for various reasons. Most of these women would like to come back to a professional environment but find it very difficult to get a break-thru. Though not all of these women lack confidence, employers tend to look upon them as people who have not been in touch with the ever-changing streams. The availability of the energetic youngsters who graduate every year also complicates the situation. Though the experience of the people who have taken a career break is very valuable to the organizations, the employers have a tendency to consider them as liabilities. What some of the organizations forget is that, this is the stream of people who are more matured, settled in life and are looking at a long-term career for themselves. Investing in them is actually going to be a win-win situation for the companies. The solution to this fiasco is to prove to the recruiters that you are up-to-date and that you can exceed their expectations, is by upgrading your skills to the relevant technology or career stream in your respective areas. Take up certifications from renowned groups in your relevant streams. Sometimes it does happen that even if you have reskilled yourself, you do not end up attracting the recruiter’s attention, especially if your career gap is more or if you are above the age of 35. The non-availability of flexible work hours could be another constraint for many.  In that case, taking up an internship or return ship program would be of help to you. The remuneration is the price that you may have to pay to get your break thru in the organization. **Internships / Returnship** Internship programs are projects offered by employers with many flexible options. It can be full time, part time, with job offer, for a specific duration etc. Though these programs cater mainly to students who are looking forward towards gaining practical experience, there are many internships being aimed at women who have taken a career break. Some organizations offer a stipend; some others negotiate the payment based on the individual’s experience and terms & conditions. For instance, Internship and Online training platform Internshaala has the ‘Internship for Women’ program to help women restart their career. Returnship programs are very similar to Internships and are offered by employers to experienced professionals who have taken a career break. They usually pay a stipend and will provide training during the return ship period, and placement services at the end of the return ship program. Some of the popular returnship programs in the technology sector are offered by IBM India, Infosys, Visual BI, Amazon India, Vapasi Thoughtworks, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs etc. It is not just women, but a lot of men also take breaks for various reasons. Despite the challenges, with determination and persistence and with a good support system, there are many opportunities available now to make your re-entry a more plausible one. Make the best out of it and let the world be yours! _You may like to read other articles written by this author ‘[The power of assertive communication](http://hersecondinnings.com/power-assertive-communication/)‘,__‘[9 effective tips for writing a resume’](http://hersecondinnings.com/9-effective-tips-writing-resume/), ‘[Important interview skills to land your dream job](http://hersecondinnings.com/important-interview-skills-dream-job/)‘, ‘[10 Easy Tips to Staying Motivated](http://hersecondinnings.com/tips-staying-motivated/)‘, ‘[Knowing yourself will lead to true success](http://hersecondinnings.com/knowing-will-lead-true-success/)‘ , ‘ [Goal Planning Tips](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/goal-planning-tips/)‘ , ‘ [Financial Stability – A basic Necessity for every Women](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/financial-stability-necessity-woman/#more-1606)‘_ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Sudha-Divakar-2.jpg)_ _Sudha Divakar_ – A proud stay at home mom. She has worked in the IT industry for 15 years and has taken a break to take care of her priorities. She is an avid reader and enjoys watching movies with her tiny tots at home. She believes that life is full of beauty and must be lived one day at a time. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career.Disclaimer:“This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 10 habits of an emotionally strong women Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-08-06 Tags: gratitude, realistic goals, attitude, Effective communication, Emotional Intelligence, emotionally independent, Intelligent Women, Opinions, strengths and weaknesses URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Habits for emotionally strong](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/10-habits-of-an-emotionally-strong-women-1621256196683-compressed.jpg) “Women are emotional beings” is a conventional belief that partly holds true owing to the fact that many women express their emotions quite freely in comparison to men. But this doesn’t mean that these women are emotionally strong or that they can handle their emotions very well. Being an Indian woman, there are a lot of things going on in our minds – home, workplace, family, personal matters, and much more. Many of these thoughts have emotions attached to them. If not kept in check, our thoughts, feelings and emotional reactions would have a deep impact on our actions and on our mental health. Yet, a successful woman diligently works on herself to reach emotional maturity. Let us look at the habits of an emotionally strong woman * **Learn from mistakes:** A woman high in emotional intelligence has made a lot of mistakes in her life. But she makes sure that she learns a lesson from them. She does not let her mind sulk in guilt or regret for long. She accepts that she is a human being and that it is okay to slip and fall once a while.  *  **Recover from setbacks:** As adept as she is at moving on from her mistakes, an emotionally intelligent woman also recovers quickly from setbacks in her life. While most of us may spend a lot of our time brooding and ruminating over all the sad or unjust things that happened to us, this wonder-woman consoles herself with hope and optimism, thereby rising above the setbacks quicker than others. She knows that life is an unpredictable journey, full of joys and sorrows. “Prepare for the worst and hope for the best” is her motto, when it comes to facing potential setbacks. * **Set realistic goals:** A woman with a commendable emotional intelligence identifies her strengths and weaknesses. She sets goals based on her evaluation of herself. In addition to that, she tries to enhance her skills and overcome her flaws to reach the goals.  * **Giving up is okay:** The woman high in emotional strength does her best to reach her goals. She keeps a highly optimistic attitude when it comes to fulfilling her goals. However, at the same time, she doesn’t see giving up as a personal failure. She knows that she cannot win every time and that she has many other goals to look forward to, too. * **Respond, not react:** This woman does not give away to impulses of anger, fear, jealousy or envy. She knows that emotional reactions are natural and that she needs to take control of them and express them in a better way. She makes sure that her words and actions do not hurt others and tries her best to communicate her feelings in an appropriate manner.  * **Effective Communication:** This woman vocally expresses her demands, her feelings and her thoughts instead of dropping subtle hints to the concerned person. She is aware that the subtle hints aren’t always understood and that they can create misunderstandings. That way she needn’t be disappointed about people not understanding her.  * **Forgive, not forget:** A woman possessing emotional intelligence doesn’t hold grudges against anyone. Yet, she makes sure to remember the wrongdoings of people- not to judge them or to reprimand them, but to understand them better as a person, and to know how she should deal with them in the future. She doesn’t cram her mind with feelings of bitterness.  * **All opinions don’t matter:** Everyone we know has a different opinion about us. What our close friends think of us could be different from the opinion of an acquaintance. This woman, however, knows which people are her well-wishers and takes only their opinion into consideration. She doesn’t let anyone else let her down.  * **Emotionally independent:** An emotionally adept woman doesn’t depend too much on others for her happiness. She tries to find it within herself as far as possible. She knows people change overtime and that feelings may wear out. She makes sure she spends some time in solitude, too. Being emotionally clingy is a big no for her. * **Attitude of Gratitude:** It is a natural human tendency to take things or people for granted. While many others are ignorant about their luck, an emotionally strong woman occasionally pauses her life to count her blessings. She feels grateful for everything – her possessions, her loved ones, her skills and even the lessons learnt in life. The road to inculcating these habits might be a long one, but these habits will definitely make your life happier, more peaceful, and more meaningful. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author:  ‘[Fun alternatives for ladies on career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/fun-alternatives-ladies-career-break/)‘,  ‘[Bridging the gap using online resources](http://hersecondinnings.com/bridging-skill-gap-online-resources/)‘, ‘[Stress: Lets deal with it](http://hersecondinnings.com/stress-deal-with-it/)‘, ‘[No Matter what the world says, It is ok to… live your life](http://hersecondinnings.com/no-matter-world-says-okay-live-life/)‘, ‘[A little guide to positivity](http://hersecondinnings.com/little-guide-positivity/)‘ ‘[Ways to Selfmotivation- Your key to success’](http://hersecondinnings.com/ways-self-motivation/), ‘[Why you need to prioritise yoursel](http://hersecondinnings.com/why-you-need-prioritise-yourself/)f’, ‘[Challenges after a career break and their solutions](http://hersecondinnings.com/challenges-career-break-solutions/)‘, ‘[Home Business Ideas for Women](http://hersecondinnings.com/home-business-ideas-women/)’  , ‘[The Habit of Labelling](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/habit-labeling/)‘_ **_About the author:_** “Radhika works as a visiting lecturer at the University of Mumbai. She completed her B.A. and  M.A (Gold medal) in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. She has a passion for languages especially English, Sanskrit, and German and has written articles on Upanishads. She provides content development services. She likes teaching and writing. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music.” (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## The choice I never imagined to choose Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-08-01 Tags: confidence, financial support, hard work, interviews, rejections, vision URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Choices never imagines to choose](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/The-choice-I-never-imagined-to-choose-1621256436147-compressed.jpg) “I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time. I believe Anna Freud’s lines are genuine. The world has become a place where people are bustling around. Sometimes, days are too exciting and at times people are jam-packed to strive hard for success,to meet their monetary requirements, to improve the quality of their living. I had been one among the bevy of such bees, running with the life’s pace, enjoying the challenges that I face daily, solving out the problems and ending the day with a satisfaction that I have done my best to contribute for my personal growth. It took years to build the confidence of being independent. To earn out of own hard work meant a lot to me. It had been an exemplary feeling of spending from own pocket. Life gives us chapters to learn in the form of situations to handle and people to meet. Being a working woman, I always had a chance to perceive things happening around me. Until I had to go through the situation, where  things were turning around the corner. It all started off with the sick leaves and casual leaves. After all it has been exhausted, I had to go on LOP for days. Finally, I had to quit my job for taking care of my daughter who was constantly feeling sick due to improper diet.Life has changed then. Though it was too hard for me to accept the reality, the break from my career gave me more strength to face rejections, which I have never seen before. Initially, though I had been hesitant and lamenting about the decision that I was forced to take, days passed by and changed my mind slowly. It gave me self realization. I could figure out, how much my daughter missed me these days. All the perception I had about exploring and learning proved wrong, since I could learn a lot when I was on break. I tried engaging myself by learning other languages, set up workshops on painting and jewelry making. I was sanguine enough to let myself know that teaching is as fun as learning. I have become an ardent reader again. Kept myself updated in all aspects. On the other side, when I knew it was time to get back to track, and tried attending interviews to resume my career as developer, there was a set back. Rejections everywhere. I couldn’t get through. I went into depression. My mornings were never like before. I always felt like sleeping for hours and not to get up. I had to depend on my family for financial support. This was silently bothering me so much, I had to go hard on everyone. The one driving factor was my “**Confidence**”, which I never gave up. I tried, tried hard in all possible ways and ended up in a start-up and I’m happy for what I’m now. Career break is never a choice. But at times, we find it takes a major place in our lives uninvited. It is definitely not a bad decision to take a career break. May it be a forced one or the other way round. “An ideal mind is a devil’s workshop”. It is the ethos of people, how well they visualize it. When one has a long term vision, constant hard work and confidence take them places. Breaks and Pauses become just words like others! You may want to read other articles written by the same author – ‘[Tips for writing an exceptional resume](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/resume-writing/tips-writing-exceptional-resume/#more-1516)‘ , ‘ [Alternate Career Option as a Fitness Trainer](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career-option-fitness-trainer/)‘ , ‘ [5 golden rules for setting the goals](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/5-golden-rules-for-setting-the-goals/#more-1602) ‘ About the author: Mrinalini:  a computer science graduate, with an overall experience of about 6 years in IT industry. Though I had been a techie full time, I always had a love for writing and thirst for becoming a writer. Mother of 3 year old Kid, it took me years to realise, what I needed to make myself end my day completely satisfied. Am a blogger, traveler, adventure lover and an ardent book reader. I read a lot, believe books are the best companions in the world. I love to enjoy each day of my life, as it often comes bagged with full of surprises. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## HOW TO ACHIEVE FINANCIAL STABILITY? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-07-30 Tags: Finance, investment, Financial stability, benjamin franklin, health, Miguel de Cervantes, Warren Buffet URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Financial Independence for women](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/financial-independence-1621256687620-compressed.jpg)   Stable in life means steady-not prone to change. In case of a person, we cansay – the one who can handle any situation in a balanced manner is stable. We all strive to achieve the state of stability in life. Be it personal, professional, social or financial stability. While at every stage of life, everything has its own importance, financial stability is one of a kind which plays a pivotal role in one’s life. We can say that we are financially stable when we can function smoothly during an immediate financial emergency. In short we must have enough savings!!! **“Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving”. – Warren Buffet** There are plethora of investment options available in the market. You can invest in Gold, Property, Shares, Fixed deposits, Mutual funds etc. An expert in Finance can explain in detail about all of these. In this blog, lets focus on how to achieve financial stability at an individual level. Lets explore these points to know simple and smarter ways to save money in our day today lives and move towards our goal of achieving financial stability. * **Maintain Records** You can maintain records of bank, guarantee – warranty cards and bills of the items purchased in separate folders and label them, so that you get them when you need them. I am thankful to my husband from whom I have learned this practice. This really helps you in saving that extra money spent on repairs of items in absence of bills or warranty cards. * **Pay Less** This doesn’t mean I am telling you to be frugal. I have seen people bargaining for Rs. 10,holding Rs.40,000 phone in hand. But, we can pick up smarter ways of saving money by paying less. This reminds me of my college days when me and my friend used to take turns of taking our two-wheeler to college since we stayed near by. This helped us saving on petrol expenses every month. You can do this in today’s time by doing car pooling while going to work. This will also help reduce little pollution. Isn’t it? Preferably, cook at home rather than eating out. Lets take an example of expense you make when you eat out for one whole day – Breakfast -Rs. 100 Lunch – Rs. 200 Dinner- Rs. 200 Total – Rs. 500 Which means, Rs. 15000 per month. Instead, cook at home which will also be more hygienic, healthy and safe. Cancel the subscriptions of channels that you no longer watch. Why pay for something that you do not use or need? I clearly remember my husband cancel-ling the subscription of the sports channel after football world cup 2018 was over. Buy items in bulk. For the items that you are sure that you need them on continuous basis, you can make bulk purchase. This way you will be paying little less. After all, **“Penny saved is Penny earned”.** * **Spend money wisely** **The gratification of wealth is not found in mere possession or in lavish expenditure, but in its wise application.” – Miguel de Cervantes** So, its important to identify the actual need of spending money on some things. I remember once going for getting groceries on an empty stomach. It was a hectic day but this work had to be done and I ended up purchasing few of the non essential items thinking some day I will use them. This added an extra cost of almost Rs.1000 to my usual bill plus I ate out as I was already starving. Sometimes, we also use money as our distraction to overcome our stress. I have seen some of my friends just going for shopping because they think spending money on shopping is their stress buster. I mean seriously! Is It * **Invest in health** According to me, the best investment to make is in your health. How? Eat right and exercise regularly. You can pick up work out of your choice and invest in that . It can be cycling, Walking, Yoga etc. Believe me, investing in your health and well being will further take care of your financial well being. It will help you save your hard earned money from spending on medicines, doctors and hospital bills. Most importantly, being fit will make you more productive, so that you can make more money. * **Invest in yourself** **If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting.” – Benjamin Franklin** I keep saving a definite amount on regular basis, does it mean I have achieved my goal of financial stability? No, when we think of savings we must also keep finding ways to get more of that money. You can invest in acquiring new skills to enhance your knowledge which can promote you higher on the ladder of success. I hope these simple points do help you all towards financial stability. _**About the author:**_ Vasudha has a post graduate degree in management and has three plus years of experience in the field of Human Resources. She has been a part time Yoga instructor. She is currently employed as a home maker and enjoys to spend quality time with her kids. She likes to explore new areas of learning. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Have You Brought Passion With You To Work Today? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-07-25 Tags: career break, Mentor, passion, Goals, sabbaticals, women professionals, working moms URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Work life Passion](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Have-You-Brought-Passion-With-You-To-Work-Today-1621257247135-compressed.jpg) ‘Being passionate’ and ‘staying passionate’ are two completely different things. It is not necessary that what you started out being passionate about, won’t lose its charm over a period of time due to its repetitiveness, familiarity, and consistency at work. So although you have brought yourself to work today, I want to ask you: “Have you brought passion with you to work today? One can almost equate work to a relationship. Just like the way a new relationship is filled with passion when it starts out, one must admit that it starts dwindling as time passes by. This does not necessarily mean that you have stopped loving the other, it’s only that the relationship has matured and your passion looks different from what it was. So how can we bring back the passion for our jobs which have otherwise become mundane, monotonous and tedious? **3 Ways To Bring Passion Back To Work:**  ------------------------------------------ ### **1\. Find Something New To Do:** It is a known fact that there is a high correlation between starting something new and passion. Get involved in a new project, think of moving to a new role or if its too soon at your workplace to do this, start doing the same things in a new way. Most of us just dose-off during company meetings or are busy catching up with our personal lives on our phones. You will be amazed at the information that you get when Leadership teams and Management teams relay their vision for the company, declare a new acquisition or relay their success and failure stories. Be mindful of what is happening at work around you. Be the first to identify an opportunity or to take on additional responsibilities or apply for a new internal role that interests you. If you have lost your passion very early on of joining the company, then find new ways of doing the routine things. For example, as a Recruiter, all I have done for the last 8 years of my life is call candidates and talk about the company, job role, their current role and so on. What can you do differently? So I lose my passion very easily and within weeks of joining an organization. Then I realized what gets me excited and enjoy the most about recruitments, was to headhunt people for the right role and able to convince passive candidates to actively be excited about the opportunity I was sharing. Hence, I would change my sourcing strategies, find new places to find the right match and explore new avenues to attract them to the role. Also, I got more involved with social media marketing and branding to make candidates more aware of what opportunities we have. Similarly, first find what aspect of your job excites you and then work towards adding new flavor and route to reach your goal. ### **2.  Find a Mentor or Be One:**  The longest job tenure-wise, I ever held was at Synygy and the only reason I stuck around for close to four years with them was that I had a great Mentor. I was fortunate that I was blessed with one rather than having to go find him with a lamp in my hand. Nonetheless, I say out of experience when I say that a good Mentor will help you keep the fire of passion alive for your work. A good Mentor will be able to detect when you are slipping into a comfort zone or unhappy at work. They can help you get to the root cause of this feeling and they have the necessary tools to help you address the same. Is it a lack of promotion, lack of appreciation, or not enough challenging work? Either way, they are the ones who can help you address these problems. So if you don’t have one, go find that person in your company who you admire, trust and would like to learn from. Be honest with them and allow them to help you. On the other hand, if you have been around in an organization for long and were mentored well, it’s payback time. I remember I was told that it is time that I have to stop receiving and start giving instead. Don’t let your Mentor become your crutch. Give back what you have learned. Take on younger colleagues and help them to recognize their potential, passion and help them achieve their career goals. The satisfaction of seeing someone bloom and do well at work because of your guidance is a reward unmatchable. ### **3\. Take A Short Sabbatical:**  This would usually apply to someone who has spent a good number of years in the industry and has tried all the above course of action to truly keep themselves motivated and passionate about what they do. When all fails, the only thing left to do is break away from the routine. They say that “absence makes the heart grow fonder”. So maybe it is not such a bad idea to take a short sabbatical to figure things out and join back with gusto and a new found enthusiasm. Sometimes, us not being passionate may have nothing to do with our jobs. In some way, after a while, you enjoy the stability, monotony, and security at work. These too could be your reasons to be passionate about what you do. Hence, losing your passion could have its roots in your personal life too. Not having a good work-life balance, fatigue and stress are some of the work-related reasons for losing passion or it could be something completely personal or self-ignited. Family problems, depression, taking care of ailing family members or struggling with self-doubt, feeling of underachieving etc, can be some of the reasons we lose our passion at work and instead get into a rut. Hence, the best thing to do during those times is to get away for awhile. Take a short trip with family or alone. Get involved in a hobby you always wanted to do but had little time for. Make new friends, or catch up with the old ones. Spend this sabbatical doing what you love to do and also confront yourself with the difficult questions. Take this time out to rejuvenate yourself and come back to work ready to fall back in love with it and yourself. While most of us are conditioned to take our jobs as just that, jobs, we know that today that is not a good enough reason to remain motivated. Surprisingly, I have seen many a times in my career, people choosing less paying jobs but offering good work. While money continues to be a huge motivator to join an organization, it fails to keep you passionate and motivated at the job, if the work is not good. I have realized life is too short to be unhappy, doing things you don’t want to do and be stuck in a workplace that does not edify you. If you are not growing or learning at work, you are dying a slow career death. So each day learn to be passionate about what you do, learn to daily consider how your work impacts others, learn daily to be thankful for a good paying job and learn each day to do your very best and nothing less. These are reasons enough to stay motivated and passionate at work, but the above three ways can be used as your walking stick to help you cross over to the happy place when you need it. _You may also want to read other article written by the same author_ ‘[Be aware of your emotions and its effects on you](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/aware-emotions-effects-you/)‘ , ‘[How to be your own goal keeper](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/how-your-own-goal-keeper/)‘ , ‘[What is the best way to say No to Office House Work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/whats-best-way-say-no-office-housework/)‘ , ‘ [Finding your work life balance](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/finding-your-work-life-balance/#more-1586)‘ , ‘[Six top challenges women leaders face at work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/six-challenges-women-leaders-face/)‘  ‘ [How to master the Art of Assertive Communication](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/master-assertive-communication/)‘  , ‘ [How can you make your resume standout](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/how-can-you-make-your-resume-stand-out/) ‘ , ‘ [Honest Comparision Between Freelancing Project or Full-time Job](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/honest-comparison-between-freelancing-project-or-full-time-job/)‘  , ‘[Good Interview Skills Leave a Lasting Impression](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/good-interview-skills-leave-lasting-impression/) ‘ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 9 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Yes, Relationship always Matters Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-07-23 Tags: career break, Career restart, women professionals, corporate employees, Emotional Awareness, Indian women, women empowerment URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Relationship-matters](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Yes-Relationship-always-Matters-1621257661554-compressed.jpg) Relationships contribute immensely to an individual’s happiness, irrespective of genders. The quality of our relationship largely decides the quality of our life. And when it comes to women, relationship always matters the most in her life. Moreover, if she is a working woman, it is even more challenging to keep up the expectations of others around her and manage the Life-work balance. Being a working women means financially becoming independent accumulating your wealth and becoming a part of the financial decision making process as well at home. Now, this can create challenges to our personal relationship because our social roles still remain rooted in the past. Whether you are a professional woman or engaged being a successful home maker, here are some of the practical tips which may help you to achieve healthy relationship with your family, at work place, and also bring financial harmony in today’s new demands, expectations and reality. The fundamental aspect of a relationship is to understand that relationships are established at different levels according to our needs in life. When we have a good relationship with someone, we feel so complete and content that we are at our best to perform wherever we are. * **Learn the Art of Delegation, Communicate, the human way****:** If you are both a mother and a working professional as well, it would be really challenging to achieve the balance in performing at work place and also fulfilling your parenting duties. So to avoid burnout, strike a balance between your work, by communicating well with your colleagues and teams, and family members to share the work load as and when needed.  A relationship of trust and love is the need of the hour to be developed in both the places. Then, when you need to go to work, your family knows how to adjust, and when you need to pay little more attention to the family needs, the work would willingly adjust. Creating that kind of relationship on both ends has become a mandate need of the hour. * **Be an integrated Being:** Understand the real meaning of Masculine and Feminine Energy that flow within all of us irrespective of our genders. As the masculine energy has the need to protect, so as the feminine energy has the desire to nurture. At times, an unhealthy mind may develop a sense of false ego resisting not taking help from masculine source and vice versa. An integrated being, be it a man or a woman, evolves through this,                  enhance their perception to balance both the energies within. * **Declutter yourself at the right time, Have Clarity:** Understand the fundamentals of Life and keeping that as the vantage point set your priorities. Juggling with multiple things and multiple roles can put relationship under pressure. Realize this simple truth that we always can’t do it all. So giving and asking for support is always a great option. * **Transform your feelings to an Emotional Intelligence:** Emotion is the primary and the most vital ingredient for a healthy relationship. An unemotional home or a workplace becomes an unrealistic environment to live with. Please realize that we are interdependent on each other, so to support each other is the only option which nurtures our relationships in life. Being fluid and flexible in nature and accepting situations empowers us to handle situations in the best possible ways. **Emotional****Intelligence** if practiced, it will bring about rapid career growth as it is a prerequisite for all the success in the workplace and, in our lives. Relationship always matters and empowers you magically if seen as an advantage. It’s all about knowing how to use them. **Enhance, Empower and Enjoy your relationship, because Relationship Matters …** You may want to read other article written by the same author ‘ [Productivity – A Natural Byproduct](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/productivity-natural-byproduct/) ‘  , ‘ [Women @ Workplace](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/women-workplace/#more-1562) ‘ , ‘[Emotional Awareness: Moving unknown to the known](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness-moving-from-unknown-to-known/)‘ . _**About the Author:**_ **Premsai Samontoray**, is a Master Trainer in Life Skills with an inclusive attitude towards life. She is a motivational speaker who facilitates people to think and act to explore their true potential in their life. She has overall 12 years of training experience and has trained more than 10,000 professionals in Life Skill at various levels of management in various Corporate and Engineering Colleges. She has a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management.  In addition to her innate passion towards the training profession, she is a Certified NLP Practitioner, a Blogger, a Painter and a Yoga Practitioner too. She treasures all her multi-domain experience as they have brushed, groomed, and mentored her professionally as well as personally. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com_ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com). Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Identifying Key Elements for Goal Planning Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-07-18 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Key elements for goal planning](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Identifying-Key-Elements-for-Goal-Planning-1621258002385-compressed.jpg) A Goal is an achievable objective triggered by an individual’s or a group’s ambitions and aspirations. To make sure that this objective is indeed achievable it is important that Goal Planning is successfully implemented and executed. Goal Planning, therefore, is the critical pre-requisite to achieve your goals. Let us take a look into some of the key elements that are a significant part of the plan that will help you achieve your dream goals. **Identify the Trigger – Define your Goal**  The first thing that you need to identify is the aim or the goal. This is the reason or the trigger that will set the ball rolling for your planning exercise. Every goal is based on a desired aim or purpose. For example, as a software professional your goal is to build sophisticated AI tools. Your aim is driven by your individual aspirations. Therefore, every individual’s aim will be different from the other person’s. If you are working as a group, it is important that all the members in your group share the same objective. This cohesiveness is critical in order to proceed further in your goal planning. When you define your goal, it is better not to be motivated by peer pressure or emotional reasons alone. You need to introspect and realise why you wish to achieve this goal. Only then will you be able to structure the next steps of the plan successfully. Discuss your goal with your circle of friends and advisors to understand whether you are suited for this goal. Attempting to achieve unsuitable goals may lead to wasted efforts resulting in frustrations. **Identifying Parameters – Define Measures and Timelines** Once you have identified your aim, you have completed the first part of your goal planning. However, now you need to make it more realistic by assigning measures and timelines. These help to moving your goal from being just an utopian thought to ensure it remains more grounded. Assign measures like its critical aspect on a scale of 1-10. You can also provide a comparative reference with other goals to highlight its significance for you. Along with the measures you also need to define a timeline by when you wish to achieve this goal. This will depend on the nature of the goal you have identified. Short term goals may be achieved within 1-6 months but others may also take as long as 5-10 years. No matter how sooner or longer you need to achieve your goal, your goal planning needs to capture the duration. This will help to keep you on track and prevent unnecessary procrastination. **Identifying Factors – Define Causal and Enabling Factors** Every goal is aided by a series of factors. Some of these are directly responsible for making it happen and are known as the **causal factors**. There are some other factors that help or enable the causal factors to ensure that the aim is achieved and are called the **enabling factors**. These, though indirectly responsible in making the goal achievable, however, do play an equally crucial role. For example, if you need to build sophisticated AI tools (the Aim), you need to understand, machine learning (the causal factors) for which you need to undertake relevant courses to enhance your knowledge (the enabling factors). Define all such factors that will help you in achieving your goal. The ideal way to structure a goal planning is to trace your way backwards from the aim. Look at all the possible causal and enabling factors that will help you in achieving your goal. Do a thorough research to identify the factors. For each factor assign a parameter and a timeline. Giving yourself a deadline will help to keep you on your toes and your goal in focus. While defining factors, you should focus on both positive as well negative aspects. For example, in the above scenario, taking up a course in machine learning is a positive factor. However, the course timings may clash with your current schedule thus becoming an impediment that you need to work around. Therefore, when you outline a plan, make sure you include every aspect that aid or impede your objective. It is only then that you will end up with a fool-proof plan. Every goal needs a sound planning in order to be achieved. In the absence of an efficient Goal planning, you will not be able to achieve your desired objectives. However, there is no defined process that you can follow to draw up a plan. Every plan varies depending upon the goal you define and your individual situation. Nevertheless, keeping in mind these key elements will help you research your ideal goal factors and come up with a sound Goal Planning. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Tips To Knowing Yourself Better](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/tips-knowing-yourself-better/)‘, ‘[The P-C-R approach to achieve financial stability](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/p-c-r-approach-financial-stability/)‘, ‘[Emotional awareness for personal and professional success](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/emotional-awareness-professional-success/)‘, ‘[Tips to improve your resume writing](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/resume-writing/tips-improve-resume-writing/)‘ ‘[Back from the break – 3 tips to make you rock it](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/returnship/back-break-3-tips-make-rock/)’ , ‘[5 easy and helpful ways to staying motivated](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/5-easy-helpful-ways-tstaying-motivated/#more-1357)‘  , ‘ [Alternate Career Options for Women](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career-options-for-women/#more-1431)‘ , ‘ [Plan the Ideal Comeback with Reskilling or Returnship](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/plan-ideal-comeback-with-reskill-returnship/)‘  ._ _**About the author:**_ Amrita is a freelance writer currently based out of Pune. She has worked  with organizations as a Technical and Web Content Writer. Her short stories have been published on Amazon and on Juggernaut books. She is an avid traveler and her travel stories are available on her blog – Amritawrites. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com). _Disclaimer:_ “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## The Significance of Assertive Communication Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-07-16 Tags: career break, Career restart, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, Assertive communication, business women, career woman, Home maker URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Significance of assertive communication](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/The-Significance-of-Assertive-Communication-1621258369049-compressed.jpg) _**“Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity.**_ **_We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, and to humiliate and to humble”_,** Yehuda Berg says so. Communication is one of the best mediums to exchange and impart the information to others. Though the categories of communication are far-flung, the finest way to confer the information efficaciously is Assertive communication. This article, expounds the significance of assertive communication. ##### **What is assertive communication?** Assertive communication is the constructive way of articulating, both positive and negative ideas such that it doesn’t condemn or criticize anybody. It helps in finding out satiating solutions to the disagreements, by giving equal importance to the deliberations of others as well. The power of assertive communication is that it doesn’t put oneself down to prove that others are right, rather it preserves the priorities and allows to express it in honest way. ##### **The advantages of being assertive** * Assertive communication allows us to clearly explain the situations and feelings that the person from hearing end will never feel being getting offended. * It develops the attitude of listening to people, during a discussion. This helps in ending up a meeting or an argument cordially. * Assertive communication, reduces anxiety and urge of proving one self, free of guilt. * It highly reduces the chances of misinterpretation and misconception, * Assertive communication also encourages to respect others opinion. This avoids, ending a conversation with unwanted argument. * Being assertive, helps to streamline a discussion, keeping it intact with what’s necessary and what is to be avoided. * It reduces the chances of hurting others as well as upholding our self-esteem. ##### **Why assertive and not aggressive?** Being aggressive while communicating signifies a person’s inability to look at the solution of any problem, rather making them to over-think on why it had happened * Aggressive communication doesn’t give a chance to everyone to voice their opinion whereas Assertive communication gives importance to each and every one who is involved in the discussion. * Being aggressive makes a person so autocratic whereas being assertive brings subtle conversation by making a person ingenious. * Aggressive communication emphasis on accusation of a person for the mistake that has been done without a detailed discussion whereas assertive communication insists on finding out the solution rather than magnifying the problem. * While communicating aggressively, it doesn’t give enough time for the person at the hearing end to think about the situation, rather it creates an image of being offensive whereas communicating assertively gives enough space and abundant time to think on how to arrive at the solution. ##### **Being assertive, is it a remedy?** Assertive communication might not go well with all the situations. We can never guarantee that the end result would be a successful one. Sometimes, the assertion would turn out to be imperative to others **Doreen Virtue** says**“Once you have a major success with assertiveness, you learn that it’s a much healthier path than being a doormat to the insensitive folks. You gain respect for yourself, have more time for your priorities, and develop authentic and healthier relationships.”** At the end of the day, all we would receive is a lesson and self-respect and a satisfaction of not hurting anyone. You may want to read other articles written by the same author – ‘[Tips for writing an exceptional resume](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/resume-writing/tips-writing-exceptional-resume/#more-1516)‘ , ‘ [Alternate Career Option as a Fitness Trainer](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career-option-fitness-trainer/)‘ , ‘ [5 Golden rules for setting the goals](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/5-golden-rules-for-setting-the-goals/) ‘ , ‘ [Who decides the expiry date for a woman’s dream?](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/who-decides-the-expiry-date-for-a-womans-dream/) ‘ . _**About the author:**_ Mrinalini:  A computer science graduate, with an overall experience of about 6 years in IT Industry. Though I had been a techie full time, I always had a love for writing and thirst for becoming a writer. Mother of 3 year old Kid, it took me years to realise, what I needed to make myself end my day completely satisfied. Am a blogger, traveler, adventure lover and an ardent book reader. I read a lot, believe books are the best companions in the world. I love to enjoy each day of my life, as it often comes bagged with full of surprises. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com). Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Traversing the Career Path Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-07-11 Tags: career break, Career restart, alternate career, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, career woman, career path URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Traversing the career path](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Traversing-the-Career-Path-1621258449836-compressed.jpg) We were on a trip to a new place and were in a cab, trying to locate the address of a relative. The cab driver was also not sure of the interior areas and was trying to spot the location. Of course, the GPS was the one who knew where we wanted to reach and also showed us if the path that we are taking is correct or not. This made me ponder- how wonderful would it be if we also had CAREER TRACKING SYSTEM (CTS), which will help us track our careers. There are many systems now available in the job market, which can give you a general idea about how career in certain field progresses. There can be many ways to find or track your career. But, there are many factors involved in this to reach a conclusion. And, I believe, ultimately, it’s you, who would be the best one to find what you want to do and simultaneously track your career path in the given conditions. So, we need to design our own career tracking system. It’s important to have goals in life. At the same time, it’s important to traverse through the right path to taste success. In professional life, tracking the career path is essential. Why do we need career tracking? This helps one to plan, execute and then keep a check on the actions taken to reach the ultimate goal (the PDCA cycle – Plan Do Check & Act). Many people fail to accomplish their goals on time not because they lack skills and knowledge but because they lose sight of what they want to achieve. **Let us have a look at some pointers on the importance of tracking the progress at work to achieve our goals.** 1. When we track, we are able to focus on important things that we need to do to move in the right direction. This eliminates the deviation risk that can come in the path of achieving targets. 2. Tracking makes our goal setting easier by breaking big tasks into smaller steps. This further helps to make work easier. 3. Work and tracking when done simultaneously helps reducing the chances of failures in future. 4. Regular tracking of what and how we are doing the work enables us to know whether the actions we are taking are working enough to move us closer towards the task completion. 5. Tracking enables us to improve our ability to estimate the completion of tasks and projects, and will help us gain credibility on estimates we provide to management and prospective customers. 6. Effort needed to accomplish a task will automatically decrease if we track, which can help make our schedule and estimation’s accurate and up to date. 7. There is discipline when tracking is done that leads to make ourselves work more efficiently and recognize where there can be distractions. 8. When we do tracking of those tasks that we are doing currently, we are able to get much better insight for tasks that we will do in future and based on that we can re prioritize our work. So, best wishes to you ladies for designing your own career tracking mechanism. Even when you are on a career break, you can set your goals, keep track of your path towards your goals and progress ahead. **“If you are walking down the right path…. eventually you’ll make progress.”**  **– Barack Obama** You may want to read other articles written by same author: ‘[Be a child at heart, filled with self confidence](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/be-a-child-at-heart-filled-with-self-confidence/)‘ , ‘ [Beware of Emotions (EI)](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/beware-of-emotions/) ‘  , ‘ [The Art of Balanced Life](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/the-art-balanced-life/) ‘ , ‘[Goal Planning – Let’s Do It](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/goal-planning-lets-do-it/)‘  . _**About the author:**_ Vasudha has a post graduate degree in management and has three plus years of experience in the field of Human Resources. She has been a part time Yoga instructor. She is currently employed as a home maker and enjoys to spend quality time with her kids. She likes to explore new areas of learning. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com). Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Good Interview Skills Leave A Lasting Impression Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-07-09 Tags: career break, Interview Skills, Career restart, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, Job search URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![good interview skils](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Good-Interview-Skills-Leave-A-Lasting-Impression-1621258579534-compressed.jpg) Interviewing is the first step to employment. The very fact that your resume was shortlisted and you got that call from the recruiter, shows you have the potential for the job. However, the determining factor is how well you do in an interview. Hence, we can safely say that good interview skills leave a lasting impression on the employers. While there may be a huge checklist of do’s and don’ts that may be doled out to you by your family, friends, and colleagues, one needs only a few pointers to ace an interview and leave a good impression on the interviewer. Let’s sum up and prepare a short checklist that can assist you in excelling your interview. Interview Skills Checklist: --------------------------- #### ❏    Prepare Prepare Prepare * Study about the organization, its history, vision, and mission. * Understand the nature and scope of their work and how your role contributes to the success of the organization. * Know who you are going to meet with. Study about them through professional platforms like LinkedIn. * Brush up on your skills and be prepared for the possible questions. Do a mock interview with a friend or colleague. * Be prepared with questions you would like to ask the interviewer about the job or organization based on your research of the same. #### ❏    Dress for the role * Ensure you know what you are wearing and is well ironed and ready to be worn a day before. * Smart, professional clothing is a must. * If you are interviewing for senior roles or client facing roles, wearing a suit may not be a bad idea. However, know your audience and company culture before you pick the outfit. * Do not overdress and definitely do not go casually dressed even if the company culture endorses it. * Well dressed candidates give an impression of being respectful, serious and confident. #### ❏    Prepare your five achievements or success at work ready at hand * Make a list of your achievements at the past work or university. * Make a list of projects, assignments or challenges that you overcame and learned from. * Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses. * Having this list handy gives you the confidence to answer any questions with specific examples. #### ❏    Focus on the questions asked * Make sure you have understood the question correctly. Do not hesitate to repeat the same if you need further clarifications. * Don’t be in a rush to answer. Process the question, understand the intent of it and then prepare your answer. But don’t have too long a silence either. * Answer to the point, with examples as far as possible and keep them brief. * Answering precisely and thoughtfully shows your maturity and ability to think clearly in situations. #### ❏    Be aware of your body language * Always knock and go in, shake hands firmly and with a smile, before you start the interview. * Be aware of how you greet, sit and gesture. * Be aware of how you gesture while answering, be polite always and do not slouch while sitting. * Body language communicates your confidence, personality, and demeanor. #### ❏    Know your resume well * Many interviewers go in with preconceived notions or questions based on your resume. Be honest on the resume always. * Always present your resume with facts. * Do not exaggerate on your resume. #### ❏    Know what you bring to the table * Learn about the role well. Get talking to someone who is working in the organization to help you understand it better. * Check if it matches your aspiration. * Once you know the role, match it with your achievements, your personality traits and how you can contribute to the role. * Clearly, know why you are good for the role and why you want that job. #### ❏    Eliminate any surprises and unnecessary stress before the interview * Know where you going, the distance and time it will take. Leave earlier than usual to ensure you reach before time at the venue. * Get a good night’s sleep and be fresh for the interview. * A hurried stressed and rushed candidate looks unprepared and not serious about the role and interview. Developing these skills and remembering these points before attending an interview will surely help in making a good and lasting impression on the interviewer. The outcome of the interview is never in our hands, we can’t predict how the opposite person interviewing us thinks, what are his expectations from the role and answers are. But irrespective of the results, we can have a good conversation that will leave a mark in the mind of the person who interviewed you. Interviewing is never easy. It is putting yourself out there and it makes you feel vulnerable, judged, and right on the hot seat. However, there is one weapon that has always helped me to have a good interview and that is – **To Be Honest.** When you answer all the questions honestly, ready to open up and accept your mistakes and wrong decisions too, it shows character and above all your work ethics. Don’t be honest to impress them, be honest because that is the only right thing to do anyway. _You may also want to read other article written by the same author_ ‘[Be aware of your emotions and its effects on you](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/aware-emotions-effects-you/)‘ , ‘[How to be your own goal keeper](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/how-your-own-goal-keeper/)‘ , ‘[What is the best way to say No to Office House Work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/whats-best-way-say-no-office-housework/)‘ , ‘ [Finding your work life balance](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/finding-your-work-life-balance/#more-1586)‘ , ‘[Six top challenges women leaders face at work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/six-challenges-women-leaders-face/)‘  ‘ [How to master the Art of Assertive Communication](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/master-assertive-communication/)‘  , ‘ [How can you make your resume standout](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/how-can-you-make-your-resume-stand-out/) ‘ , ‘ [Honest Comparision Between Freelancing Project or Full-time Job](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/honest-comparison-between-freelancing-project-or-full-time-job/)‘  . _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 9 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com). Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Dealing With a Difficult Boss at Work Place Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-07-04 Tags: career break, Career restart, motivation, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, women empowerment, productivity, worklife URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Dealing with a difficult boss](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Dealing-With-a-Difficult-Boss-at-Work-Place-1621259156438-compressed.jpg) Much has been said about the drudgery of Dealing with a difficult boss at work place. It’s a well-known adage “People join organisations, but leave managers”. In the corporate hierarchy, immediate manager is seen as the person who personifies the company’s value, cultures, ideals and expected to foster an amicable environment that propagates growth of an individual. Unfortunately though, there are times when you can’t meet eye – to – eye with your superior.  While the frustration builds up slowly to the point an individual is unable to focus on work, can this be salvaged in the early stages? Few of my suggestions are tabled below: * **Self-Introspect :** Before you get it in the open, introspect where the source of conflict is, whether it’s the nature of the other person or any compatibility issues that could be sorted out. If the expectations and deliverables gap could be bridged or if you could meet midway, attempt to accomplish it. Irrespective of all differences, ask the question” What’s best for business” and go by it.  * **Have a candid conversation:** Reason out. Explain the fact that you need space to work and someone constantly interfering or overlooking your efforts is causing a negative impact. Explain your working style and the help you need in order to carry it flawlessly. * **Backup :** Support yourself. At times, there are situations, no matter what, your work will be constantly belittled, looked over or faulted with. While you cannot control everything that happens around you, be proactive to have all the data handy and an account of the work done by you. Any substantiating numbers, mails or other tangible record will aid your discussions. * **Knowing when to walk away :** Try not to take things personally, rather understand that the way a person behaves is a reflection of them. Arguing with unreasonable people will only hamper your peace of mind and a person with power in the organisation has the tendency to project you as difficult. If you have made your case clear and yet misunderstood, walk away, explore other options.  * **Involve a third party :** Everyone’s got a manager, so does the boss. Highlight your concerns to the HR or other appropriate authority. Explain your concerns and the efforts taken by you to resolve the conflict. * **Seek out :** If everything fails, search for a job outside where you feel your values and work will be appreciated, rather than being in a puddle and stressing yourself. Of course, it would take time, but venture out before you are frustrated emotionally. * **Exit interview :** While exit interview is seen as a mere formality, utilise this to pinpoint your reasons for leaving. Similar feedback for an individual in question from considerable number of employees will draw attention of the HR/higher management in due time. While a reasonable limit of feedback or constructive criticism is needed for growth, it’s pertinent to draw the line at some point. Never let anyone take advantage of your tolerance.  Having a healthy atmosphere at work is vital to build a career, so strive to work in a place that will appreciate, nurture and provide you with opportunities to grow along with the company. _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), ‘[Importance of networking for success in your career’](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/), ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘, ‘ ‘[Being overlooked for promotion](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/being-overlooked-for-promotion/)‘ , ‘[Addressing the gender paygap disparity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/addressing-the-gender-pay-gap-disparity/) ‘ , ‘ [The art of saying No at work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/the-art-saying-no-work/)‘  , ‘ [Reviving from an unfavourable performance appraisal](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/reviving-from-unfavourable-performance-appraisal/) ‘ ._ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) **_Nithya Jagadish –_** I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com). Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 10 Habits of an Emotionally Intelligent Woman Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-07-02 Tags: career break, Career restart, Emotional Intelligence, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, women empowerment, business women, career woman, worklife URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![10 habits](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/10%20habits-1621259312763-compressed.jpg) “Women are emotional beings” is a conventional belief that partly holds true owing to the fact that many women express their emotions quite freely in comparison to men. But this doesn’t mean that these women are emotionally strong or that they can handle their emotions very well. Being an Indian woman, there are a lot of things going on in our minds – home, workplace, family, personal matters, and much more. Many of these thoughts have emotions attached to them. If not kept in check, our thoughts, feelings and emotional reactions would have a deep impact on our actions and on our mental health. Yet, a successful woman diligently works on herself to reach emotional maturity. Let us look at the habits of an emotionally strong woman: * **Learn from mistakes:** A woman high in emotional intelligence has made a lot of mistakes in her life. But she makes sure that she learns a lesson from them. She does not let her mind sulk in guilt or regret for long. She accepts that she is a human being and that it is okay to slip and fall once a while. * **Recover from setbacks:** As adept as she is at moving on from her mistakes, an emotionally intelligent woman also recovers quickly from setbacks in her life. While most of us may spend a lot of our time brooding and ruminating over all the sad or unjust things that happened to us, this wonder-woman consoles herself with hope and optimism, thereby rising above the setbacks quicker than others. She knows that life is an unpredictable journey, full of joys and sorrows. “Prepare for the worst and hope for the best” is her motto, when it comes to facing potential setbacks. * **Sets realistic goals:** A woman with a commendable emotional intelligence identifies her strengths and weaknesses. She sets goals based on her evaluation of herself. In addition to that, she tries to enhance her skills and overcome her flaws to reach the goals. * **Giving up is okay:** The woman high in emotional strength does her best to reach her goals. She keeps a highly optimistic attitude when it comes to fulfilling her goals. However, at the same time, she doesn’t see giving up as a personal failure. She knows that she cannot win every time and that she has many other goals to look forward to, too. * **Respond, not react:** This woman does not give away to impulses of anger, fear, jealousy or envy. She knows that emotional reactions are natural and that she needs to take control of them and express them in a better way. She makes sure that her words and actions do not hurt others and tries her best to communicate her feelings in an appropriate manner. * **Effective Communication:** This woman vocally expresses her demands, her feelings and her thoughts instead of dropping subtle hints to the concerned person. She is aware that the subtle hints aren’t always understood and that they can create misunderstandings. That way she needn’t be disappointed about people not understanding her. * **Forgive, not forget:** A woman possessing emotional intelligence doesn’t hold grudges against anyone. Yet, she makes sure to remember the wrongdoings of people- not to judge them or to reprimand them, but to understand them better as a person, and to know how she should deal with them in the future. She doesn’t cram her mind with feelings of bitterness. * **All opinions don’t matter:** Everyone we know has a different opinion about us. What our close friends think of us could be different from the opinion of an acquaintance. This woman, however, knows which people are her well-wishers and takes only their opinion into consideration. She doesn’t let anyone else let her down. * **Emotionally independent:** An emotionally adept woman doesn’t depend too much on others for her happiness. She tries to find it within herself as far as possible. She knows people change overtime and that feelings may wear out. She makes sure she spends some time in solitude, too. Being emotionally clingy is a big no for her. * **Attitude of Gratitude:** It is a natural human tendency to take things or people for granted. While many others are ignorant about their luck, an emotionally strong woman occasionally pauses her life to count her blessings. She feels grateful for everything – her possessions, her loved ones, her skills and even the lessons learnt in life. The road to inculcating these habits might be a long one, but these habits will definitely make your life happier, more peaceful, and more meaningful. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author:  ‘[Fun alternatives for ladies on career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/fun-alternatives-ladies-career-break/)‘,  ‘[Bridging the gap using online resources](http://hersecondinnings.com/bridging-skill-gap-online-resources/)‘, ‘[Stress: Lets deal with it](http://hersecondinnings.com/stress-deal-with-it/)‘, ‘[No Matter what the world says, It is ok to… live your life](http://hersecondinnings.com/no-matter-world-says-okay-live-life/)‘, ‘[A little guide to positivity](http://hersecondinnings.com/little-guide-positivity/)‘ ‘[Ways to Selfmotivation- Your key to success’](http://hersecondinnings.com/ways-self-motivation/), ‘[Why you need to prioritise yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/why-you-need-prioritise-yourself/)’, ‘[Challenges after a career break and their solutions](http://hersecondinnings.com/challenges-career-break-solutions/)‘, ‘[Home Business Ideas for Women](http://hersecondinnings.com/home-business-ideas-women/)’  , ‘[The Habit of Labelling](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/habit-labeling/)‘ , ‘ [The Truth about Multitasking](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/productivity/the-truth-about-multitasking/)‘  ._ **_About the author:_** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Radhika_Image-2.jpg) “Radhika works as a visiting lecturer at the University of Mumbai. She completed her B.A. and  M.A (Gold medal) in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. She has a passion for languages especially English, Sanskrit, and German and has written articles on Upanishads. She provides content development services. She likes teaching and writing. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music.” (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Importance of Career Tracking Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-06-25 Tags: career break, Career Change, Career restart, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, career woman, career tracking, employment, professional growth URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Importance of career tracking](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/importance%20of%20career%20tracking-1621259871890-compressed.png) Career tracking or career progression is a yardstick to measure our own growth at workplace**.** Career advancement requires that individuals do “all the right things” to get ahead. Climbing the career ladder is not easy. Simply because rung of the ladder step exists with its own complexities. In many organizations, an individual’s career progression is matched with the level of the position for the overall benefit of the company. However the match always does not happen. Let’s take few cases and their solutions **_Case 1_**: You are an employee who is capable of gaining supervisory and management competencies, however, do not want to move into management for many reasons. Maybe the next position may require you to relocate which is a bottleneck for your current personal situation. What do you do then? **_Solution_**: The advantage of higher post is that compensation is higher.  But since you are not able to take up this post due to some constraints then you can have the option of having dual career track in the same organization. If you are a strong performer and can work smart, then you can do both the roles efficiently and get compensated well too. **_Case 2:_**  You have reached your career plateau. Where you feel stagnated and no more are physiologically attached to your job. The organization too is not able to provide you with anything more and you feel like you have reached your limit. **_Solution_**: In such cases, the best option is to let go off the current job and organization and seek employment elsewhere.  Now, this too is not as easy as it sounds. In most cases, moving laterally to a different organization with same position and compensation may not be possible. However, even if the new role is more creative and motivating enough then a slight cut in compensation is too small a sacrifice to make. **_Case 3_**: In a new paradigm shift you want to be more in charge of your career ladder than the organizations trying to chart your course. There is really no control over where they place you, how long and how high they want to go on it. So, you can do few things to keep yourself in the running. **_Solution_**: Communicate openly and directly about career aspirations. Seek visibility for their accomplishments. Let your seniors, supervisors know of your skills and willingness to contribute. Your pro-activeness always will stand out and be noticed. Seek opportunities continually. Learn the political landscape or unwritten rules of the organization. Currently, the traditional employer-employee relationship no longer exists, and people are self-employed and empowered enough to work as per their will. This however also demands employees and individuals are challenged to maintain their marketability in the business marketplace. From a career tracking perspective, you have the choice of where you want to place your ladder. You have the ability to move as and when you want on the ladder and also move your ladder. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Decoding Stress](http://hersecondinnings.com/decoding-stress/)‘, ‘[Communication made easy…](http://hersecondinnings.com/communication-made-easier/)‘, , [‘Personal Finance Planning’](http://hersecondinnings.com/personal-finance-planning/), ‘[Are you financially fit?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/are-you-financially-fit/), ‘[3 M’s… Mantra for Morale](http://hersecondinnings.com/3-ms-mantra-morale/)‘ , [‘Tips for effective interaction with management’](http://hersecondinnings.com/4-tips-effective-interaction-management/), ‘[Adapting to global work culture – locally](http://hersecondinnings.com/adapting-global-work-culture-locally/)‘, ‘[8 Advantages of Online tutoring as a work from home career](http://hersecondinnings.com/advantages-online-tutoring-work-home-career/)‘, ‘[6 Tips for health management at workplace](http://hersecondinnings.com/6-tips-health-management-workplace/)‘, ‘[Marriage and Finance](http://hersecondinnings.com/marriage-finance/)‘, ‘[Passion with a Purpose](http://hersecondinnings.com/passion-with-purpose/)‘ , ‘ [Be your own boss! Tips for a startup](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/be-your-own-boss-tips-startup/) ‘  ._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from).  A woman as created by the divine.  An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Who Decides the Expiry Date for a Woman’s Dream?! Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-06-25 Tags: career break, women professionals, working moms, Indian women, women empowerment, employment, Woman's dream URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Expiry of women dream](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/expiry-decides-1621260015082-compressed.jpg) An eminent line from a well-known movie in Tamil, “**36 Vayathinile**” (Remake of Malayalam movie, “**How old are you**”) interrogates like this,“Who decides the expiry date for a woman’s dream?!”. A woman is capable of annihilating all the stereotypes that perch as a roadblock to reach her destination. Be it a lady of the house or a working woman, life inevitably holds a bag full of jolts as well as hurdles for them to cruise. The issues that a working woman face is a scale higher than a home maker, as the latter has to harmonize both career and personal life. Sometimes, she tends to be on a knife edge, that the decisions she seize shouldn’t be a fiasco, at the same time doesn’t let her dependents flounder. **Career, what is at stake for her?** If life is a roller coaster ride for everyone that matters, for working women, the ride is never complete without being jarring and wretched. The responsibilities that she carries at her back keeps adding up exponentially, that, at a point of time she becomes saturated. A woman, after being graduated, gets into her dream job, where her life would have started a steady journey. She presents herself as combative, confident and Independent, at the same time cultivating her knowledge, to sustain her identity among her peers. This takes a whole lot of effort. After all, **Rome was not built in a day**. She might face failures, backbites, disappointments and much more. Sometimes her efforts would have been colossal, but her hard work been overlooked. **It’s the Decision that defines her!** The responsibility of a woman is even more indispensable, if she is a wife and most importantly if she is a mom, her choices become invalid. It doesn’t mean that every woman, as a mother keeps lamenting about the sacrifices she makes, but the emotional turmoil and the forlorn situations lacerate her wings such that she can’t fly anymore. Her presence becomes mandatory, when it comes to her child. At times life doesn’t give her choices. She is mercilessly forced to take a decision against her will. Though she continues to grip her thirst for her dream career as well as stay as strong as she could at home, she is compelled to let go any one side of the rope. There comes in the priority and what she chooses, defines her. After all these, she needs to be patient and be determined for what she faces, for the mistake she had never done. Hence, it is erroneous to say that a working woman always walk through tough situations, that she must give up her career. **She is much stronger than you think!** What makes a difference from the counter gender is that, crush her and trounce, put her down, she strikes back with all the energy that is surreal. The former first lady of the United States  Michelle Obama quotes, **“As . You . Are . Stronger than you know. More beautiful than you think. Worthier than you believe. More loved than you can imagine. Passionate about making a difference. Fiery when protecting those you love. Learning . Growing . Not alone . Warm . Giving . Generous . Quirky . Funny. Smart . Flawed . Whole. Scared . Brave. And So, So, So. Much . More . Be Strong, Be Confident. Be you”**. It’s not an unwritten rule that a woman, especially those who work has to go through all the ebbs and flows and sacrifice her dreams. The issues that she faces are harder but the firmness and her determination takes her places such that she can even drill an unconquerable mountain. You may want to read other articles written by the same author – ‘[Tips for writing an exceptional resume](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/resume-writing/tips-writing-exceptional-resume/#more-1516)‘ , ‘ [Alternate Career Option as a Fitness Trainer](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career-option-fitness-trainer/)‘ , ‘ [5 Golden rules for setting the goals](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/5-golden-rules-for-setting-the-goals/) ‘ . _**About the author:**_ Mrinalini:  A computer science graduate, with an overall experience of about 6 years in IT industry. Though I had been a techie full time, I always had a love for writing and thirst for becoming a writer. Mother of 3 year old Kid, it took me years to realise, what I needed to make myself end my day completely satisfied. Am a blogger, traveler, adventure lover and an ardent book reader. I read a lot, believe books are the best companions in the world. I love to enjoy each day of my life, as it often comes bagged with full of surprises. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). If you are interested to contribute blogs in our website, please visit: [http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger](http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger) for more details. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Honest Comparison Between Freelancing Project or Full-Time Job? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-06-20 Tags: Career Change, Career restart, Careerbreak, Financial Independence, women professionals, working moms, Indian women, business women, career woman, Home maker, employment, Balance, Freelancing, Fulltime Jobs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Freelancing and full time jobs comparison](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/freeancing%20and%20fulltime%20jobs-1621260775577-compressed.png) I joined the workforce in 2005, so technically I should have 11 years of work experience but that is not the case. I took many breaks in my careers for various reasons, one of it was to give freelancing a chance. So today I will speak out of experience when I draw an honest comparison between freelancing projects and a full-time job. Hope it helps you make a decision that suits you, your current situation and a future you wish to have. #### ANALYZE YOUR CURRENT SITUATION AND DETERMINE YOUR END: If you are standing at the crossroads of your life and you need to pick one path to go – Freelancing or Full-time job, then you must first analyze the current situation you are in and where you want to be at the end of your career. If working for you is to just keep yourself occupied, then freelancing is the best way to go. But if you thrive on getting out, meeting people and having a full-fledged career, then a full-time job is your calling. Let us look at an unprejudiced and unbiased comparison of advantages and disadvantages of a Freelancing project v/s a Full-time job: #### STRUCTURE V/S AGILITY: A full-time job provides a structure for our work. Our work is well defined, organized and pretty much chalked out for us. Such is not the case in freelancing. One can compare freelancing to hunting, where one has to go out in the wild, search and hunt for its own meal to sustain themselves. Freelancing is not for the faint-hearted. So if you are one who likes structure in life and is not up for a rollercoaster ride, it may not be your cup of tea. #### STABLE INCOME V/S IRREGULAR INCOME: Income is a major deciding factor for all of our career choices and decisions. Full-time job assures you a stable and regular income which is lacking in freelancing work. In freelancing one runs the risk of earning well on one project and then waiting before another good project comes along. Also, payment for some kind of freelancing work (like writers or designers or artists), if not well renowned, may not be so good. There are irregularity and instability in earnings as freelancers, which in turn results in anxiety and lack of confidence at times. Having said that, there are many software developers, block chain enthusiast, UI/UX developers who get paid very well through freelancing projects. So if you possess niche skills, then freelancing can help you earn more than your regular salary along with more flexibility. If you have financial commitments like home loans, large family, ailing parents etc. then maybe freelancing is not the route you should take at the moment. Maybe once things settle down for you personally, you may like to explore it as an experiment along with your full-time job and take a more informed decision to switch. #### LOW RISKS V/S HIGH RISKS: A full-time job comes with lower risks. For example, your job is cut out for you, you know how much you will earn each month, you don’t have any personal liability on the project, you have a team and team leads to direct and cushion the blow of the client if any. These comforts lack in a freelancing project. You are solely and fully responsible for the project you have undertaken and in direct line of fire with the client. Hence, the risks are higher in the case of the later. While risks are higher the reward is somewhat the same. If you are someone who thrives on new challenges, high risks, and high visibility roles, then freelancing maybe thrilling for you. But if you afraid to be ahead of the pack and like a less challenging environment, then a full-time job is a safer bet for you. #### LIMITED SCOPE TO EXPLORE NEW OPPORTUNITIES V/S DIFFERENT AVENUES TO EXPLORE: A full-time job gives you little to no choice of projects, assignments, and work handed down to you. You have to take what is given and do your best to complete the task at hand. While freelancing projects gives you the flexibility to choose and select the projects that you want to work on. It allows you to explore new opportunities, avenues and push yourself to try something new. If you are someone who likes uncertainty, pushes oneself to explore areas you have not worked on before and not afraid to try new things, then freelancing will give a sense of fulfillment and excitement. #### ANSWERABLE TO SOMEONE ELSE V/S ANSWERABLE TO YOURSELF: In a full-time job, you are continually answerable to someone else. To a higher authority and at times you need to do that which is told rather than that which you feel most comfortable to do. You have little autonomy and are working in a more controlled environment. On the other hand, freelancing allows you to be your own boss. You are responsible for all success and failure and are your own critic. You have the final say in how you want to accomplish a task and have complete autonomy. If you are someone who finds it difficult to work under someone’s guidance or authority and like the freedom to work on your own terms and conditions, then you must consider freelancing as a more serious option. #### MONOTONY V/S VARIETY: A full-time job along with stability also brings in monotony. Each day you go to the same workstation, same work environment, same tasks, and the same people. Your vacation times are limited and restricted by others plans and approvals. Freelancing gives you the flexibility to chalk out your work. It gives you a variety of projects and people to work with. You can explore opportunities outside your country and the interactions are not limited to your own circle. You can network, get time to learn a new skill, attend a conference in a different city, take a holiday when you like, as long as you plan your projects well. If you are someone who yearns for variety in life and cannot be chained down to one place for a long time, I encourage you to explore freelancing, especially if you have a niche skill at hand. #### TO CONCLUDE: While every choice has a consequence, so will your choice to consider a full-time job or a freelancing project. You first need to know yourself well. Freelancing requires immense discipline, a heart for adventure and a realization that finances will be irregular. While a full-time job has its benefits, it can be a less fulfilling and satisfying experience. And on the other spectrum, freelancing will give you the flexibility and freedom, but involves high risk and low pay. I have explored both a full-time job and many a freelancing project and I must say I like the stability a full-time job offers but the flexibility of freelancing is very alluring and addictive. So I have found a middle ground, for now, taking up short term contract jobs that will give the flexibility as well as a fixed income for that time period. A win-win I must say. However, that is a topic to explore for another day.  In the meantime, get to know yourself better, what your priorities from life are and make a decision that you are happy to live with. _You may also want to read other article written by the same author_ ‘[Be aware of your emotions and its effects on you](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/aware-emotions-effects-you/)‘ , ‘[How to be your own goal keeper](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/how-your-own-goal-keeper/)‘ , ‘[What is the best way to say No to Office House Work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/whats-best-way-say-no-office-housework/)‘ , ‘ [Finding your work life balance](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/finding-your-work-life-balance/#more-1586)‘ , ‘[Six top challenges women leaders face at work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/six-challenges-women-leaders-face/)‘  ‘ [How to master the Art of Assertive Communication](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/master-assertive-communication/)‘  , ‘ [How can you make your resume standout](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/how-can-you-make-your-resume-stand-out/) ‘ . _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 9 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). If you are interested to contribute blogs in our website, please visit : [http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger](http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger) for more details. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## How Knowing Yourself Leads to Personal Growth Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-06-18 Tags: career break, Career restart, motivation, women professionals, working moms, Indian women, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker, career tracking, Balance, Knowing yourself, Personal Growth URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Knowing yourself](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/knowing%20yourself%20blog-1621260903068-compressed.jpg) Knowing yourself may seem like an obvious truth. It’s a question you must answer at every stage in your life. “So, tell me about yourself!” In school, you described yourself to the class in a few words, maybe by explaining your favorite hobbies, your favorite home-cooked meal, or by talking about your family instead. When you were old enough to apply to undergraduate or graduate programs, you crafted a meticulously edited personal statement full of your strongest assets. And when you went for a job interview, you enthusiastically recited a well-rehearsed, cohesive elevator pitch. But for some reason, formulating a deeper answer to this question never feels easy. Why is that? It’s simple enough to rattle off your likes and dislikes, your dreams and fears. However, assessing your own strengths and weaknesses takes a little bit of courage. It requires a vulnerability and the willingness to examine your thoughts and actions. Ultimately, it can lead to personal growth. Here’s why: **once you understand why you think and act the way you do, it may change your perceptions and your outlook on life.** Take a moment to write down the following: * Your strengths * Your weaknesses * What brings you joy * What brings you pain * Your goals and aspirations Once you do this, the real work begins. **Questions to Ask in Order to Know Yourself Better** It’s time to transform your thoughts on yourself into realizations. In relation to the list above, ask yourself the following questions: * How can your strengths be seen as weaknesses? * How can you turn your weaknesses into strengths? * Do the things that bring you joy, challenge you or help you grow? If so, how? Do they hinder your growth instead? * What are the short-term and long-term effects of the things that bring you pain? What gives you comfort or helps you move forward? * Are you currently pursuing your goals or aspirations? Why or why not? These questions may help you think critically about your personal characteristics and tendencies. They may help you find the aspects of yourself that you want to change. If you struggle to answer them, that is okay. With challenge comes growth. **The Benefits of Knowing Yourself as a Woman** Implicit bias in the workplace may make it difficult for women to express their skills and talents. The balance between confidence and modesty is extremely delicate. If a woman is overly confident in an interview, she may seem stuck-up. If she is too modest, she may seem inexperienced. According to a [study in the U.K. published in 2017](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/03/women-given-tougher-time-interviews-men-scientists-find/), women faced a higher number of questions and interruptions in academic interviews than men. In addition, the questions that men received tended to be more positive. Understanding yourself, your strengths and your weaknesses is an excellent way to prepare you for any career and the biases you may face. It will keep you grounded and arm you with the knowledge you need to rise above prejudices. Furthermore, exploring more of what makes you ‘**you’** may help you discover your own individuality and unsung strengths. By learning more about what makes you unique, your ability to see unique qualities in others may improve, thereby increasing your sense of empathy. In addition, knowing yourself forces you to call your own perceptions and biases into question. In effect, you may change yourself for the better. You may want to read another article written by the same author – ‘ [How to Stay motivated On a Career Break](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/how-stay-motivated-career-break/) ‘ . About the Author: Jenna Cartusciello – is a freelance content writer based in the U.S. whose work includes informative, DIY guide articles, political opinion pieces and quirky, creative short stories. She discovered Her Second Innings after her first job when she was looking for career advice. Now, she hopes to help readers the same way Her Second Innings blogs have helped her. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). If you are interested to contribute blogs in our website, please visit : [http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger](http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger) for more details. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Goal Planning ; Lets Do It Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-06-13 Tags: career break, Career restart, alternate career, women professionals, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, career woman, Home maker, goal planning, Jobs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Goal planning](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/goal%20planning-1621261702981-compressed.png) **“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.” – Albert Einstein** Let’s do an activity. Read on to know what’s this activity about? Sit down and close your eyes. Now, imagine yourself to be a person who is highly obsessed with the materialistic possessions of life and is happy about the good people surrounding you. It’s a wonderful feeling… Isn’t it? You are so lucky to have most of the good things and people in life. But, is that all? Now, imagine yourself tied to a goal in life. You have a personal goal, professional goal and social goal to achieve and you constantly work hard to achieve your goals. Hey, wait… now that seems so exciting. This seems to give a meaning and purpose to our lives. Imagine you reaching the summit and having that beautiful smile on your face… There you are! You did it! I am sure, after this activity – as soon as you open your eyes, you really want to start working towards your goal. It’s important to have goals. The most successful people on the planet have a set of goals that inspire them, drive them and keep them on track. The demands on us from other people seem relentless. So how do you go about setting goals? 1. **Identify what you want.** Yes I know that sounds simple. But when did you last sit down and work out what you actually want? In life? In your career? With your families? Your hobbies? 1. **Write your goals down** A study done at Dominican University found that those graduates who wrote their goals down accomplished significantly more than those that didn’t. Our brain cannot keep a track of all the demands and dreams we place there. So, it’s suggested to pen down what we want to achieve. 1. **Use SMART goals.**  SMART is a great acronym for writing goals: Specific (is it really clear what your goal is?); Measurable (how will you know you’ve achieved it); Agreed (especially important when setting with a team member); Realistic (can you achieve it?) and Timely (when will it be done by). When you re-read your goals, check that they are SMART. 1. **Put aside ‘planning time’ every week** Simi, a friend of mine was always good at planning in advance since our school days. I and other friends used to get surprised at her planning skills at that age. This quality has always helped her in her personal, professional and family life. She still prefers to plan her week every Sunday morning. She will get up early and sit with herself and take note of important tasks to be finished during the week and then further break them in to each day deadlines and complete them. 1. **Estimate How Long** During the planning phase, it really helps to give some thought to how long things take. Most of the times, it happens with me that I completely underestimate how long things take to get done and then this further delays the next task that I have planned to do. But, over the time, I realised by tracking how long things are taking you can get much more realistic about the time needed. As Peter Drucker once said – **“What gets measured gets done”.** 1. **Do the big things first** There’s an excellent rocks and sand analogy that’s often used in time management training.  In other words you have to create time for the big things in your life – how often is your life filled with little ‘to dos’ – “I’ll just finish this off” or “I’ll clear this job and then I’ll have time for that**”. According to Stephen Covey, we can manage to do all important things in time, if we finish big things first then there is room for smaller things to be done later.** 1. **Reward Yourself** We are often so driven to continually improve and drive greater performance that we forget to remind ourselves of our achievements. When setting goals identify what the reward is going to be for achieving it. It can be as simple as a cup of coffee or if it’s a huge achievement you may want to treat yourself to something you’ve been after for a while. As the saying goes, you would never head out on a road trip without a GPS or map so why should you venture out in life without a plan? Not only planning is important, but YOU NEED TO TAKE ACTION. And you need to take a lot of action even when your enthusiasm is fading when you don’t see immediate results. In your career and business, you need to be willing to do what others won’t do and go the extra 10 miles to do it. Stop waiting for all these goals to become reality – they aren’t going to until you do it. So, LET’S DO IT. You may want to read other articles written by same author: ‘[Be a child at heart, filled with self confidence](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/be-a-child-at-heart-filled-with-self-confidence/)‘ , ‘ [Beware of Emotions (EI)](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/beware-of-emotions/) ‘  , ‘ [The Art of Balanced Life](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/the-art-balanced-life/) ‘  . _**About the author:**_ Vasudha has a post graduate degree in management and has three plus years of experience in the field of Human Resources. She has been a part time Yoga instructor. She is currently employed as a home maker and enjoys to spend quality time with her kids. She likes to explore new areas of learning. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). If you are interested to contribute blogs in our website, please visit : [http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger](http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger) for more details. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## How Can You Make Your Resume Stand Out? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-06-11 Tags: career break, Career Change, Career restart, alternate career, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, Home maker, employment, Resume writing URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Resume writting](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/resume%20writing-1621262715592-compressed.png) Resume Writing is an acquired skill. The first thing that represents you to an organization is your resume. It is the deciding factor, if you will get that much-awaited call from the Recruiter or not. I have been a Recruiter for the last seven years and have reviewed thousands of resumes for different skill-sets. Each recruiter does not spend more than a few minutes on reviewing your resume, then what can you do to be the one to catch their eye? How can you make your resume stand out? ### RESUME WRITING TIPS: * **Brevity:** Ensure your resume is not more than two pages long. Ideally, it should only be a one-page resume, but it is also essential to capture the essence and breadth of skills earned over the years. * **Language:** Use simple English, be direct and explain your skills, achievements, and experience in bullet points only. Avoid writing long paragraphs as it takes time to read and one can lose interest easily. * **Voice:** Always write the resume in the third person. Example: “Jack has 7+ years of experience in Recruitment and Human Resource Management”. Avoid using personal pronouns like “I”, “me”, “we” etc. * **Key Words:** This is the most important part of resume writing. In the world of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) using the right keywords is essential. Organizations receive thousands of resume each day for different roles they are hiring across the globe. Hence, they use artificial intelligence to shortlist resumes that come into their database after applying. The shortlisting of those resumes are based on keyword search. Example: if one is hiring for sales and content development skill in one role, they will prepare an algorithm that will only shortlist the ones with these words in the resume and rest all automatically get rejected. * **Content:** Keeping the above in mind, it is necessary to curate the content and subheadings for your resume. The usual subheadings used are: 1. **_Personal Details_** – includes Name, Date of Birth, Email ID, Contact Number, and Social Media Link, Links to any publications. 2. **_About Me:_** Use this session to write a short synopsis about your total years of experience, personality traits and strengths in a short paragraph format or story-telling manner. 3. **_Education Details:_** Graduation and Post-Graduation with the year of passing 4. **_Skill-Set/ Core Competencies_** – Technical and Non-technical, Team Handling, 5. **_Achievements_** – mention any accomplishments, recognition received or appreciation at work 6. **_Employment Details_** – Designation, Employer Name, Start Date and End Date. * **Resume Format:** Many of us struggle to find a good format to represent our resume. There are many free websites that help you find the ideal resume format that will suit your personality. Find below some helpful websites that you can use to create your resume: 1. Canva – [https://www.canva.com](https://www.canva.com/) 2. Resume Builder – [https://www.resume.com/builder](https://www.resume.com/builder) 3. Adobe Spark – [https://spark.adobe.com/make/resume-builder/](https://spark.adobe.com/make/resume-builder/) * **Resume Style:** While choosing a resume style make sure that it reflects your personality. Don’t just use the resume format that is popular or one that is copied from your colleague. Make it as original as possible. When recruiter sees that you have put some thought into creating your resume, it shows you are serious about the opportunity. * **Tweak your resume for different roles:** When you are applying for an organization, always look at the job description carefully. See the keywords used, the skills that are important to them and then tweak your original resume accordingly, before you submit the same. Each requirement is unique and when your resume appeals to the job description, it has higher chances of getting selected. * **Proofreading:** Always proofread your resume. Keep checking it for any grammatical or spelling mistakes. Ask a friend or family to share their feedback and thoughts. This helps to get an unbiased opinion and a chance to improve your resume further. * **General Resume Writing Tips:** 1. **Use professional email id** like – jack.parker@gmail.com, not – jackissmart@gmail.com 2. **Font size** should be between 10-12 3. **Font style** should be professional – Arial, Times New Roman etc. 4. List your experience and educational qualification in **reverse chronological order**, that is current or latest one on the top. 5. **Don’t use** the phrase “reference available on request”. It is not relevant here. 6. Only **list responsibilities that are important** and matches the employer’s job description. 7. **Use action verbs** like persuaded, handled, and participated. 8. **Use numbers** to emphasize your accomplishments. Example: Increased the sales by 12%. 9. **Choose the File Name** of your downloaded resume wisely. Example: Resume – Jack Parker – Recruiter 10. Save your resume in a **PDF format.** A resume is a reflection of who you are. It’s your voice. It’s an amalgamation of your personality, experience, and achievements. As a job seeker myself, I know how frustrating it is when you don’t hear back from the organization. Even though you did everything to create the perfect resume, you receive no call or even worse an email that states your resume has not been shortlisted. Making a perfect resume is not a surety to get that call or the job, but it sure improves your chances. Lastly, use your resume as a way to narrate your work history and story. The more you incorporate these simple tips into creating your resume, the better chance of you having an ideal resume and job too. _You may also want to read other article written by the same author ‘[Career tracking while on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-tracking-career-break/)‘, ‘[Career restarting for a woman on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-restarting-women-career-break/)‘, ‘[Is returnship right for you?](http://hersecondinnings.com/is-returnship-right-for-you/)‘_, ‘[Five things to consider before a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/five-things-consider-career-break/)‘, ‘[5 reasons why working moms are highly productive](http://hersecondinnings.com/5-reasons-working-moms-highly-productive/)‘, ‘[4 Questions to know yourself better and find a suitable career path](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/4-questions-know-yourself-better-find-suitable-career-path/#more-1188)‘, ‘[5 most frequent challenges that women entrepreneurs face](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/5-most-frequent-challenges-women-entrepreneurs-face/)‘ , ‘[Financially Stable and how?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financially-stable-and-how/) ,  ‘[Be aware of your emotions and its effects on you](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/aware-emotions-effects-you/)‘ , ‘[How to be your own goal keeper](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/how-your-own-goal-keeper/)‘ , ‘[What is the best way to say No to Office House Work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/whats-best-way-say-no-office-housework/)‘ , ‘ [Finding your work life balance](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/finding-your-work-life-balance/#more-1586)‘ , ‘[Six top challenges women leaders face at work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/six-challenges-women-leaders-face/)‘  ‘ [How to master the Art of Assertive Communication](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/master-assertive-communication/)‘  . _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 9 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). If you are interested to contribute blogs in our website, please visit : [http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger](http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger) for more details. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Reviving from an Unfavourable Performance Appraisal Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-06-06 Tags: career break, Positive Thinking, Career restart, motivation, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, career woman, employment, Balance, Jobs, Performance appraisal URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Every day Second Chance](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/everyday%20is%20a%20second%20chnace-1621262875468-compressed.jpg) ‘’You get your wind back, remember the finish line, and keep going’’ – Steve Jobs It’s the end of another year, which brings along with it an array of festivities, and also an appraisal. Performance reviews, while an indicator of a person’s progress for the entire year, also has implications on other factors such as morale, growth opportunities etc. Since it’s so vital, having a low rating would spell trouble in more ways than one. In such scenarios, how to revive from an unfavourable Performance appraisal? It’s certainly not easy to be in the lower rung of the ladder. Having a negative discussion about performance has the tendency to demoralise and impede in productivity. A person with low rating will be looked upon with inquisitiveness and observed keenly for the next move. A few pointers to handle such sensitive situations: **1\. Introspect, bridge the gaps :** Give in all your efforts to understand why your work is not up to the mark. It could be differences in expectations vs deliverables, the procedures you adopt or any other factor. It’s quite normal to feel disgruntled, but venting out will not make the situation any better. Rather have a candid conversation with your supervisor, explore ways to remedy the shortcomings in the forthcoming year. **2\. Seek help :** If there are any reasons that limit in performing work to your fullest capability, have it sorted. Be it administrative issues, too many tasks handed over with no help or work assigned outside your designation etc. have it taken care of. **3\. Have Periodical reviews :** Rather than waiting for an entire year to pass by, have a review with your manager once in a quarter. Have specific goals, accomplish them and showcase during such discussions. Sometimes, while you think you are heading in the right direction, there could be a deviation from what is expected. Having periodical reviews will help to iron out such differences in a suitable manner. **4\. Stay positive:** More so than anything else, stay positive. Though it’s a tough phase, accumulating negativity and sulking will hamper your vigour and the work you do. Set timely measurable goals, and appreciate yourself while achieving them. **5\. Action plans for the future:** Take this as a learning opportunity; learn from the mistakes and chart action plans to ensure healthy work practices in future. Collate the measures you took during this rough phase and use them as a guide to tackle any other professional challenges. It’s easier said than done, but when set with adverse conditions, its fine to take a step back, slow down and rearrange the course of action as required. Ensure to let go of things that weigh you down, set realistic and achievable targets that are in sync with your deliverables and take control of your situation. Though it’s not possible to go back and undo the year that passed by, there’s always the hope of bettering things for the next. _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), ‘[Importance of networking for success in your career’](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/), ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘, ‘ ‘[Being overlooked for promotion](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/being-overlooked-for-promotion/)‘ , ‘[Addressing the gender paygap disparity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/addressing-the-gender-pay-gap-disparity/) ‘ , ‘ [The art of saying No at work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/the-art-saying-no-work/)‘  ._ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) **About the author:** **_Nithya Jagadish –_** I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). If you are interested to contribute blogs in our website, please visit : [http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger](http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger) for more details. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Emotional Awareness: Moving from Unknown to the Known Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-06-04 Tags: career break, Career restart, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Emotional Awareness, Indian women, career women, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Emotional awareness](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/human%20emotions-1621264277845-compressed.jpg) Being human, emotion is one of the most powerful and an intense aspect of our life. Each emotion that we experience within has a consequence of changing the very chemistry of our body. It is only when we are at our best of emotion, we work wonderfully and effortlessly. To practice Emotional Awareness is to move from Unknown to the Known: A journey of Self-Discovery. **Emotional Awareness at Two Levels** _**At the Self Level:**_ is just to have the sense to know, recognize, label and identify your emotions. And it is a wonderful journey of Self-Discovery throughout our life. _**At Others Level**:_ This is the next level which is to understand the emotion of the other person to the extent possible. Emotions are not always as easy to describe as we’d think it is. It might seem to be simple, but it can be very excruciating to express at times.  Most often, we feel so intense and uncomfortable that it becomes hard to identify our emotion and which seems to be uncontrollable and unpredictable as well. I want you all to answer which seems-to-be-simple thought provoking question…**How do we define DARKNESS ??** Is it the Presence of Darkness or the Absence of Light? The Answer lies within the question itself. There is no such thing as Darkness; it is only the absence of light. **So Let us Lit the Light of Emotion****:** **Why??**  As a human being, our body and mind must function to the best of its possibilities. And in this process, our emotion should not turn against us. Rather our emotion needs to be accepted in a very deeper way, so that it becomes our friend. A friend is someone who is pleasant to us for life. Clarity in understanding our own feelings and those of others helps us to connect with inner self at deeper level which reflects to connect with others as well at human level. An enhanced Emotional Awareness helps us to explore new opportunities by pushing our own limits there by creating our life to phenomenal possibilities. **Awareness of Our Emotion Means** 1. Identifying and Recognizing our Emotion 2. Understanding it as in what scenario the emotion gets triggered 3. How do we feel during that time 4. How do we react or respond to that state of emotion. 5. Rewiring our thinking pattern and planning a strategy for the desired result **How to Strategize** **Yoga: Teaches us to be Mindful** Any feeling that keeps popping up again and again has a seed deep-rooted somewhere in our subconscious mind. It is just that it gets triggered when the appropriate extrinsic factor gets anchored with the right intrinsic factor from within during the event. It is during this moment, where we need to learn how to disassociate ourselves from our mind and see things as it is without being judgmental. And Yoga can be an excellent way to train our mind how to be mindful. Mindfulness is paying attention to whatever is happening in the present, without being judgmental. This simple yet powerful practice helps us to rise above the mind limitations and its conditioning. It empowers us to choose to respond and influence the way we want it to happen. This practice helps to break the anchor which triggers the emotion from within and helps us to be free from the loop and see the solution possibilities. **Yoga: Teaches us how to Breathe Effectively** If you observe, every emotions has a physical and also a chemical manifestation to it. When we are happy, we have a certain chemistry of our body and when we are sad or angry, we have another set of unpleasant chemistry of our body. A shaky voice or a racing heartbeat certainly changes the very chemistry of our body. Yoga teaches us how slow and deep breathing helps to maintain the pleasantness of our body and mind. When it comes to Emotional Awareness, deep breathing naturally calms the mind and body. As a beautiful consequence, we successfully learn to enhance our Emotional Awareness and avoid getting totally swept up in the emotion itself. **Yoga: Teaches us to be Inclusive towards Life** “I” vs the Universe, Do you even think I will win against the Giant Universe?? Certainly not. Emotional Awareness is not limited to oneself only. If we are in a heightened state of Emotional Awareness, we learn to push our own stuff aside, so that we can complement and tune to what the other person is currently feeling and respond to the best of our possibilities. Regular practice of Yoga helps as how to be one and inclusive with the Universe. The theory of oneness with the Universe is the best and the only way to accomplish whatsoever we wish to achieve in life. Dissolving the “I” and to become Inclusive with whatever we do is the best way to be. Yoga deepens our understanding of the links between our states of mind and our bodies, and vice versa. Human Body is the most sophisticated Gadget in the world, understanding it at much deeper and fundamental level helps us to use the Gadget in a more efficient way. Practice Yoga, Be Mindful, Breathe Deeply, and Enhance your Emotional Awareness. Experience the phenomenal possibilities of Being Human. You may want to read other article written by the same author ‘ [Productivity – A Natural Byproduct](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/productivity-natural-byproduct/) ‘  , ‘ [Women @ Workplace](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/women-workplace/#more-1562) ‘ . _**About the Author:**_ **Premsai Samontoray**, is a Master Trainer in Life Skills with an inclusive attitude towards life. She is a motivational speaker who facilitates people to think and act to explore their true potential in their life. She has overall 12 years of training experience and has trained more than 10,000 professionals in Life Skill at various levels of management in various Corporate and Engineering Colleges. She has a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management. In addition to her innate passion towards the training profession, she is a Certified NLP Practitioner, a Blogger, a Painter and a Yoga Practitioner too. She treasures all her multi-domain experience as they have brushed, groomed, and mentored her professionally as well as personally. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). If you are interested to contribute blogs in our website, please visit : [http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger](http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger) for more details. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Be Your Own Boss! Tips For A Start Up Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-05-30 Tags: career break, Career restart, alternate career, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker, entrepreneurs, Start up URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Be Your Own Boss](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/be%20Your%20Own%20Boss-1621313326890-compressed.png) You have a great idea for a startup but you are afraid to take the leap of faith. Starting anything from scratch is not easy if you’ve thought about opening your own business, you may be receiving advice’s and opinions from all quarters of your life. There are so many tips for starting a new business out there that choosing which ones to follow can get confusing. Being your own boss is a “work in progress” and the journey itself is a training ground. So, there will be storms and you have to face them all. So, it may not be a smooth one, but definitely a more satisfying and rewarding journey. You will be your own BOSS soon. Here are few tips to get you started. **a) Face your fears and address excuses:** Burden of excuses and fears often is a block that one needs to overcome. This is more mental than physical. From money to responsibilities of time, the excuses can pile up. Worrying about the risks of business ownership is normal but not doing anything about it is worse. If you are unsure about moving forward then have a partner who can be another set of eyes and ears for your company. **_b) Choose a co-founder_**: Just like Yin and Yang theory, you and your co-founder can balance each other’s strengths and weaknesses. The advantages of having someone else to share the journey with are many.  Suppose you have no knowledge of marketing, then a partner with a marketing background can make up for your lack in use of social media; or someone who is fantastic with numbers but struggles with writing will appreciate your ability to take care of documentation and paperwork. There is more commitment and higher accountability with the presence of two engaged and committed founders. **c)** **Make financial goals** You need to break financial goals down into reachable and measurable ones. Monthly, weekly or even daily revenue goals allow you to stay on track and make the adjustments necessary for constant growth. In a new startup, there are going to be expenses coming at you from every direction. Hiring a full-time staffer to handle the books in the beginning isn’t very budget-friendly, so [use accounting software](https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/245775) to remain organized. It doesn’t matter how good your idea may be, If you run out of money you hit a road block. Establish a budget and stick to it. **d) Customer is the king.** Without customers, business doesn’t exist. The sooner you work towards [acquiring customers and scale](https://blog.kissmetrics.com/guide-to-customer-acquisition/) up, better are the chances of your company starting off. Once you identify different acquisition channels, you can move on to work on optimization to lower your costs. Acquisition requires time and dedication but once your customers are roped in, your idea is ready to roll.  **e) Employees are your internal customers.** Your true leadership skills is tested when you can show patience and resilience with your internal customers. Your employees. There is a chaos all around, your website is crashing, deadlines haven’t been met, and there is a PR crisis. This is the exact time when your team is looking at you for support. You have to be calm, empathetic, show interest and resolve each issue. Constant communication and maintaining a healthy working environment will win you your employees. **f) Get creative** Some of the examples of famous pivots are Twitter**_, PayPal, YouTube, Starbucks, Groupon, Nintendo and Instagram_**. This does not mean that your idea lacked in anything and will fail. Continue to focus on the seed that sparked your passion in the first place. Can you make changes by doing something innovative to your existing product or service? Does it require a different marketing campaign or target audience? You can work well around these clues instead of reinventing the wheel again. **g) Be prepared for crisis.** There will be crisis situations and you have to keep your team involved and secure their trust and wellbeing. Disasters are bound to happen. Setbacks are always there.  It could be out of your control, like a natural disaster, or it could be an internal problem that escalates your control, such as a customer service mismatch that goes unnoticed. That’s why you need to be well-versed in [crisis management](https://www.entrepreneur.com/topic/crisis-management). Make a plan to identify a spokesperson whose role is to remain transparent and be your voice. He/she will be responsible for making sure that your customers, suppliers and stakeholders are not panicking. **_Finally, Never give up. Just like a home, a startup too needs strong foundation roots. So make the base strongest and pillars high. The rest will grow on its own. Take that chance to be your own boss!!!_** _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Decoding Stress](http://hersecondinnings.com/decoding-stress/)‘, ‘[Communication made easy…](http://hersecondinnings.com/communication-made-easier/)‘, , [‘Personal Finance Planning’](http://hersecondinnings.com/personal-finance-planning/), ‘[Are you financially fit?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/are-you-financially-fit/), ‘[3 M’s… Mantra for Morale](http://hersecondinnings.com/3-ms-mantra-morale/)‘ , [‘Tips for effective interaction with management’](http://hersecondinnings.com/4-tips-effective-interaction-management/), ‘[Adapting to global work culture – locally](http://hersecondinnings.com/adapting-global-work-culture-locally/)‘, ‘[8 Advantages of Online tutoring as a work from home career](http://hersecondinnings.com/advantages-online-tutoring-work-home-career/)‘, ‘[6 Tips for health management at workplace](http://hersecondinnings.com/6-tips-health-management-workplace/)‘, ‘[Marriage and Finance](http://hersecondinnings.com/marriage-finance/)‘, ‘[Passion with a Purpose](http://hersecondinnings.com/passion-with-purpose/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from).  A woman as created by the divine.  An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). If you are interested to contribute blogs in our website, please visit : [http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger](http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger) for more details. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## How To Master The Art Of Assertive Communication? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-05-28 Tags: career break, Career restart, women professionals, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, Assertive communication, business women, career woman, career tracking, Balance, Jobs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![How to master Assertive Communication](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/assertive%20communication-1621315678374-compressed.jpg) Many a times we women are unable to assert ourselves properly in a workplace. Ironically, we seem to do a very good job at home though. Assertive communication is expressing positive or negative intentions with others in a straightforward, honest and direct manner. This is a difficult skill to champion. But let’s explore some ways to learn how to master the art of assertive communication. There is a very thin line between being assertive and being aggressive and one can cross that line very easily. Hence, having a few tips under your belt always helps one to assert themselves correctly at a workplace. I remember myself being in such situations in the past, when I could not communicate assertively and in the bargain lost many opportunities and my confidence. Today I wish, back then I had the tools to communicate more assertively. Contrary to many beliefs that assertive communication can cause enmity, conflict, and confrontation, it actually yields long-term relationships that are based on mutual respect. It is a behavior alteration. Learning to say “no” when required, communicating your thoughts in the right manner and in turn creates time for better work. ### FOUR POINTS TO HELP COMMUNICATE ASSERTIVELY: In order to explain the concept better, I will take the below example and expound the four main points and approach for assertive communication. **_Example:_** _Your subordinate at work clearly defies and delays your request to take on a task in the new project that you asked weeks ago._ **1\. Approach with facts and avoid being judgmental about the behavior displayed:** Always communicate the behavior that needs to be changed with facts rather than emotions. We know that when we allow our emotions to run wild, we can be rude, regret what we have said and most importantly sound judgmental and unprofessional. **_Improper Response_**: _“I have asked you to do this many times in the past but seems like you do not understand what I am saying and purposely not doing as asked”._ **_Assertive Communication_**: _“I have assigned you an important task for the new project a few weeks ago, but I have noticed that little progress has been made. Are there any issues or problems that I can help you with? I would like to hold an open and honest discussion.”_ 1. **Accurately communicate the effects of the behavior displayed:** Newton’s Third Law of Motion states, every action has an equal and opposite reaction, this proves that every behavior has an effect for the better or worse. Being able to show the person the impact of their behavior supported by facts and data is more effective than exaggerating the consequences and being emotional. **_Improper Response_**: _“Do you know what this can do to the team and the overall success of the company. We can lose a million dollar client only because of you”._ **_Assertive Communication_**: “_The completion of the task assigned to you plays an important role in the success or failure of the entire project. It also reflects upon the overall capability of the team. Hence, it is not just the company but also the team depends on you”._ 1. **Start with an “I”:** Usually when you start the sentence with a “You”, it looks like a personal attack. The person gets defensive and cease to listen. However, when you start your sentence with “I”, it shows that it is your observation and allows the communication to be more unbiased. We must ensure that the communication does not become a blame game. **_Improper Response_**: _“You should get cracking on it and I don’t want to hear an excuse”._ **_Assertive Communication_**: “_I would like you to let me know if something is obstructing you from completing the assigned task and we can work as a team to resolve the same. ”_ 1. **Communicate your feelings:** Assertive communication is a powerful tool to communicate how you feel in a professional and an unprejudiced manner. It is hard for us to really curb our feelings when we are angry, frustrated or upset, but important to do so nonetheless. **_Improper Response_**: _“Your behavior is improper rude and undermines my authority as your Manager, which is very disrespectful”._ **_Assertive Communication_**: “_When you choose to ignore the task assigned it affects the entire team and makes me feel undermined and disrespected”._ _**Conclusion:**_ As the corporate world evolves and moves more towards open communication, agile workspaces and building flat organizations, the need for assertive communication becomes more and more essential. However, this art cannot be mastered in a day or even weeks. It is a slow progress and requires much patience and practice. But once we know how to assert ourselves in situations as required, we realize that it has great benefits. It helps to reduce anxiety, awkwardness and protects us from being taken advantage of. I feel the later is much relevant today. Just because we are too afraid to say “no”, we get taken for granted and loaded with unnecessary work that is not in our purview. Communication is key to the success of any relationship. Hence, mastering this art will help you in all spheres of life. An important survival tool to succeed in the corporate jungle. _You may also want to read other article written by the same author ‘[Career tracking while on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-tracking-career-break/)‘, ‘[Career restarting for a woman on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-restarting-women-career-break/)‘, ‘[Is returnship right for you?](http://hersecondinnings.com/is-returnship-right-for-you/)‘_, ‘[Five things to consider before a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/five-things-consider-career-break/)‘, ‘[5 reasons why working moms are highly productive](http://hersecondinnings.com/5-reasons-working-moms-highly-productive/)‘, ‘[4 Questions to know yourself better and find a suitable career path](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/4-questions-know-yourself-better-find-suitable-career-path/#more-1188)‘, ‘[5 most frequent challenges that women entrepreneurs face](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/5-most-frequent-challenges-women-entrepreneurs-face/)‘ , ‘[Financially Stable and how?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financially-stable-and-how/) ,  ‘[Be aware of your emotions and its effects on you](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/aware-emotions-effects-you/)‘ , ‘[How to be your own goal keeper](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/how-your-own-goal-keeper/)‘ , ‘[What is the best way to say No to Office House Work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/whats-best-way-say-no-office-housework/)‘ , ‘ [Finding your work life balance](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/finding-your-work-life-balance/#more-1586)‘ , ‘[Six top challenges women leaders face at work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/six-challenges-women-leaders-face/)‘  . _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 9 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). If you are interested to contribute blogs in our website, please visit : [http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger](http://bit.ly/HSIGuestBlogger) for more details. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Plan the Ideal Comeback with Reskilling or Returnship Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-05-23 Tags: Returnship, Career restart, Careerbreak, Financial Independence, Reskill, women professionals, Selfconfidence URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Plan Your Ideal Come Back](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Plan%20Your%20Ideal%20Come%20Back-1621315809628-compressed.jpg) The significance of Reskilling or Returnship struck me hard on my face in the most unusual of places. Last weekend I went for a movie after ages. As I entered the movie hall, one of my favorite's since my childhood, I looked around for the familiar men who usually guided me to my seat with a torch (helping me mind my step). Since I could not find anybody I helped myself, like everybody else, and tracked my seat guided by the illuminated numbers on the steps. As I sank into the cushioned comfort that movie hall seats nowadays provide us with, I realised the redundancy of the torch bearing men.  Their role, it seems, has been well and truly usurped by the irradiated steps. It simply struck me that changes in technology are not only fast but also random. Therefore, as professionals we need to be updated on this change to remain relevant. This assumes a greater significance for women who wish to return after a long break from their personal commitments. I read somewhere about how a woman’s career is impacted by the 3 Ms (“Marriage, Maternity and Mobility”), though not necessarily in that order. Having been a victim of the last mentioned, I could well relate to the opinion expressed in the article. Returning to the work front after a significant amount of time, could be a challenge. Nevertheless, there is nothing to feel daunted. The wide-scale changes have also influenced perspectives. An increasing number of organizations are looking at distributed work models, flexible work schedules and a host of other alternatives. Nevertheless, it is critical you analyse your individual situation and understand where you stand in this rapidly changing scenario. Therefore, opting for a Reskill or Returnship/Internship program could be a good way to start your second innings. **Challenges in Returnship** Like everything else in life, the practice of Returnship is not without its fair share of challenges. Coined by the leading Investment Bank, Goldman Sachs in 2008, ‘Returnship’ was introduced as a welcoming concept to help people returning from a career break to build their skills and update their employability. However, there are opinions which believe that it is a practice that primarily benefits the employers as they get to use resources for a defined period and then recruit some of them while asking the rest to leave. This, according to some, could lead to demeaning the confidence and experience of these returnees most of whom have been expert professionals at one point of time in their career. While we cannot really sweep these concerns under the carpet, we can however ensure that as professionals we be aware of what we are getting into. Do your research well, before getting into a returnship. You need to be very sure what you hope to achieve at the end of the returnship. Once you define your path, you need to take sure and steady strides towards achieving your objective. When you decide to tread the job path the second time round, you need to don your war paint all over again. Do not act as a newbie because you are not. You are joining the returnship program simply to reskill yourself and update your resume not to build a new one. Decide for yourself if the program being offered interests you. You may not have been in action for some time but your spirit has hardly lost the punch or you would not have thought of coming back. Let that spirit guide you to take the right decision. Enquire, ensure and then enact. Step onto the stage only if you think the setting is appropriate. **Returnship Opportunities** Several organizations offer exciting returnship programs that help to ease the path of most employees willing to make a come back. Big names in the technology domain like IBM, Infosys, Amazon, Microsoft have all enlisted their support in helping you jump on the springboard successfully. Most of these are largely targeted towards welcoming back women employees in particular. The efforts put in by these organizations have helped to highlight the fact that Returnship/ Internship is an excellent way to reskill and re-employ yourself in the latest domain, technology or trends. Lost in these thoughts I booked an Ola after a happy movie viewing experience.  As my cab arrived the driver looked vaguely familiar. It was when he smiled at me that I realised he was one of the men who showed me to my seat in the movie hall only a few years back. I smiled back realising that the necessity of reskilling has touched every domain and we will be the wiser to wake up to that fact. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Tips To Knowing Yourself Better](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/tips-knowing-yourself-better/)‘, ‘[The P-C-R approach to achieve financial stability](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/p-c-r-approach-financial-stability/)‘, ‘[Emotional awareness for personal and professional success](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/emotional-awareness-professional-success/)‘, ‘[Tips to improve your resume writing](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/resume-writing/tips-improve-resume-writing/)‘ ‘[Back from the break – 3 tips to make you rock it](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/returnship/back-break-3-tips-make-rock/)’ , ‘[5 easy and helpful ways to staying motivated](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/5-easy-helpful-ways-tstaying-motivated/#more-1357)‘  , ‘ [Alternate Career Options for Women](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career-options-for-women/#more-1431)‘  ._ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/amrita-chatterjee-1.jpg) Amrita is a freelance writer currently based out of Pune. She has worked  with organizations as a Technical and Web Content Writer. Her short stories have been published on Amazon and on Juggernaut books. She is an avid traveler and her travel stories are available on her blog – Amritawrites. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our [Returnship programs](https://www.hersecondinnings.com/). _Disclaimer:_ “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## The Art Of Balanced Life Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-05-21 Tags: career break, Career restart, sabbaticals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, business women, career woman, Home maker, Balance, Balanced Life URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Art of Life Balance](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Art%20of%20Life%20Balance-1621316170491-compressed.png) There is a saying in the African Jungle – When the Sun rises in the morning, the slowest deer has to run faster than the fastest lion to see the evening and the slowest lion has to run little faster than the slowest deer to see the evening. So, whether you are a lion or a deer- when the Sun rises, you have to run. All of us are running in this journey called life. But, there has to be a fruitful outcome and that should be – 1. The journey should be **BLISSFUL** 2. We should be **SATISFIED** with the way we lived our life There cannot be a set formula for well lived, balanced life . Why? Because we all are different human beings having different lives and different perceptions about life. But, according to me the bottom line is – **_“Life Is like a roller coaster ride._** **_Each one striving to keep the balance upright._** **_With ups and downs and surprises to unfold._** **_The true essence of life is in balance, we must behold.”_** The four basic quadrants of human lives are – 1. Work 2. Family 3. Friends 4. Self Work life balance is the term used to describe the balance that an individual needs between time allocated for work and other aspects of life, like personal interests, family and social or leisure activities. All of us are engaged in doing one or the other kind of work to be at pace with the fast changing life today. Work life balance sounds ideal in theory, But, figuring out how to master it is always a challenge. We have been reading about work life balance for employees, organizations, businesses, working women. What about work life balance for home makers/ women on a career break/Women striving to get back to their profession? While they are not working in their respective field – they are exploring, learning and working in other areas of life which demand their attention at the moment. _Homemakers_ – whose work is equally challenging and demanding which require physical presence to complete any task. An e-mail won’t do! I started to realize this only when I took a break from work to fulfill my household responsibilities and looking after my child. It was then, I realized what and how my mother could do it all? Let’s explore some ways to maintain work-life balance for such women, since their work is equally commendable. 1. **Prioritize your work** **“First things first” –** Make a to-do list each day. This helps you work efficiently. **_“You Can Have It All. You Just Can’t Have It All At Once”- Oprah Winfrey_** 1. **Take short breaks** Remember that short break we used to get at school before the big lunch break? That really helped us to remain afresh for some time. Isn’t it? Similarly, take short breaks. You can also utilize this short break to spend quality time with your child. I have recently implemented this practice personally and it’s refreshing. I like playing Othello with my child and now he also looks forward to it. 1. **Outsource work** Whenever and wherever possible, take help. This will save your time and energy. 1. **Eat healthy, exercise daily** **“Healthy mind resides in healthy body” –** So, eat fresh and healthy food and do exercise daily to keep fit, as it further reflects in the family members. 1. **Find a ‘Me’ time** It is very important to spend some time with yourself. It makes you more productive and happy. **_“We Need To Do A Better Job Of Putting Ourselves Higher On Our Own ‘To Do’ List”- Michelle Obama_** 1. **Be passionate, be dispassionate** Be passionate towards a work but at the same time be dispassionate enough to leave it so that you pay attention to other areas of life-family, friends and self. 1. **Set realistic goals in every areas of life.** Have a goal in life! Ofcoure that’s what keeps us moving and working. Analyse situations around and then set realistic goals which can be personal, professional, social, educational. But, do set a goal. It triggers the hard work towards achieving it maintaining that balance. 1. **Keep learning** What you are doing is the best. Be positive about it and never stop learning more. Keep reading more about your field so you are prepared to take up an opportunity when it knocks your door. **I am sure above points will help you. Believe me or not ladies, the same points will work wonders for you when you work for an organization. So, be it home front or work front – women can strike that much needed work life balance. Isn’t this art of balanced life worth mastering for? Kudos!** You may want to read other articles written by same author: ‘[Be a child at heart, filled with self confidence](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/be-a-child-at-heart-filled-with-self-confidence/)‘ , ‘ [Beware of Emotions (EI)](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/beware-of-emotions/) ‘  . _**About the author:**_ Vasudha has a post graduate degree in management and has three plus years of experience in the field of Human Resources. She has been a part time Yoga instructor. She is currently employed as a home maker and enjoys to spend quality time with her kids. She likes to explore new areas of learning. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Six Top Challenges Women Leaders Face At Work Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-05-16 Tags: women professionals, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, career woman, networking, Women CEO, women Leaders URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Challanges women Face](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/challenges%20women%20face-1621316405896-compressed.jpg) Recently I attended a Women centric seminar. They invited many women leaders who have reached the top of their career and their journey was inspiring, motivating and all that a good success story should be. I left the venue feeling uplifted and determined to one day be in a position such as them. But the more I dwelled on it the more I realized that most or all of those women were from the Operations department. That’s when it hit me, so few women are leading mainstream roles or becoming CEOs. [CNBC](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/21/2018s-fortune-500-companies-have-just-24-female-ceos.html) recently reported that there are only 24 women who hold the CEO title of the Fortune 500 companies. While the world has progressed, this number has reduced further. One can deduce many reasons why the numbers are so low and yes women by nature are nurturers and not looked favorably as leadership material. So I thought of exploring this further and came up with a list of six top challenges women leaders face at work. ### SIX CHALLENGES A WOMAN LEADER FACES AT WORK Everyone irrespective of their gender, face some challenges to reach the top. But then there are those challenges that are unique to a woman and may be the reason why most don’t make it to the finish line. ### 1\. LACK OF EQUAL RESPECT & OPPORTUNITIES: I am not one for playing the “women are not treated equally” card so easily. But I think it is needed here. Women are not perceived as leaders and hence even if not deliberately, subconsciously a man gets more opportunity to lead as compared to women. If you will notice in some teams, less experienced men are leading while senior and experienced women just don’t get that chance. It becomes harder at the top. CEO is a coveted title and only one can be chosen for the same. Since, there are more male contenders for the role than female, the probability of a female CEO becomes even lower. The only way to fight this is to be focused on what you want to achieve, take calculative steps, keep honing your skills and keep pushing forward. Don’t be afraid to speak up, take additional responsibilities and get out of your comfort zone often. ### 2\. PUSHED DOWN, BEING BULLIED: Women face more resistance and need to continually prove themselves to justify the title and role. Sadly, they face opposition from their female colleagues too, making it all the more difficult. To be fair it gets very competitive at the top irrespective of your gender, people will try to intimidate you, bully you or pull you down in an instance. As a woman, they feel we are easy targets, so they come after us first. One way to hold your ground and stay put in the game is to earn the alliance and trust of your decision makers. They are the Finance, Legal and Management team in the company. Also, establish a strong brand of yourself, begin each project with defined guidelines and push for over achieving your targets. There is only one way to get respect, you need to earn it. ### 3\. UNABLE TO BLOW THEIR OWN TRUMPET: The corporate world is a twisted place and we need to be on our feet to adapt and keep up with it. Your work today only speaks 40% for itself, the other 60% is what you make it be by your words. Bragging and boasting do not come naturally to women. While you will see most men parading their achievements both personal and professional, women will try to downplay it. This attitude while is an excellent one to have in the real world, it may result in less visibility and recognition of your work by the Board or the Management. In the corporate world. I am not asking you to boast unduly or arrogantly. But humbly, let your achievements be known to the right people and decision makers. Speak boldly, openly and do not shy away from recognition. ### 4\. MEN DO NOT LIKE TO BE LED BY WOMEN LEADERS: How many of us have stood there in a meeting that you were to lead, only to see your male colleague dominate it instead? Men take control and charge more easily than women. Also, their opinions and suggestions are heard more often than ours. Most importantly, it is seeing that men do not take working under the guidance and supervision of a woman well. Again, I am not sure if this is a cultural thing or “men are from Mars and women are from Venus” kind of explanation, but it is a jarring problem today. We can see men defy their authority, subtly disrespect their decisions and act difficult, all to show that they do not appreciate the arrangement. The only way to really handle this is to put to your advantage your inherent skills of being a nurturer, being kind and patient. When people see results, work well done and new opportunities for growth and success created for them because of what you have done, they will automatically respect you and your title. We, women, will have to get accustomed to the fact that we will have more male subordinates, peers, and Managers as compared to women and we will continue to face these obstructions. ###  5. OUR NEED TO BE PERFECT: While this is not necessarily a gender thing. It is most commonly seen drive women crazier than men. Having said that, we have some great examples of “perfectionist” among successful men too, but it is more often seen in women. While being a perfectionist can be a good quality, if remained unchecked it could be the end of you too. A perfectionist finds it hard to appreciate others work, delegate work and encourage others. All these are pivotal as you strive to lead people and the organization. Learn the art of letting go. Keep the perfection for important tasks and try to look the other way about things that don’t matter much and does not deserve your energy or time. When you feel overwhelmed, go for a walk, listen to a TED talk on this subject, meditate and refocus your energy on more important tasks. ### 6\. SOMETIMES WOMEN ARE WOMEN’S BIGGEST FOE: Sadly, my last point is one that I am not proud to include here. I wish I could eliminate it altogether, but then that would not do justice to my list. So least I could do is to rank it as low as possible. We, women, have to recognize that firstly we are already less in number in a male-dominated industry and workplace. To top that off, we fail to show our support and alliance with each other. We retort to bad-mouthing, being malicious, being envious and drag them down rather than applauding one’s success and showing the sisterhood that is required in this day and age. We don’t have many cheerleaders at the workplace, neither do we have many who understand our struggles as we do. Hence, there is all the more reason to encourage, uplift and root for one another as we reach new heights. To conclude, this list is not an exhaustive one, there are many other challenges too. Some may be unique only to us women, while some may be common to us all. If we look closely, most of these challenges can be tackled with ease. But the biggest challenge that will take centuries more to change is the mindset. Until then we all will need to keep pushing, keep fighting and keep rising to the top. Ladies, you have work to do. Being a leader today will inspire and pave the way for the women of tomorrow to run companies successfully. _You may also want to read other article written by the same author ‘[Career tracking while on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-tracking-career-break/)‘, ‘[Career restarting for a woman on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-restarting-women-career-break/)‘, ‘[Is returnship right for you?](http://hersecondinnings.com/is-returnship-right-for-you/)‘_, ‘[Five things to consider before a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/five-things-consider-career-break/)‘, ‘[5 reasons why working moms are highly productive](http://hersecondinnings.com/5-reasons-working-moms-highly-productive/)‘, ‘[4 Questions to know yourself better and find a suitable career path](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/4-questions-know-yourself-better-find-suitable-career-path/#more-1188)‘, ‘[5 most frequent challenges that women entrepreneurs face](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/5-most-frequent-challenges-women-entrepreneurs-face/)‘ , ‘[Financially Stable and how?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financially-stable-and-how/) ,  ‘[Be aware of your emotions and its effects on you](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/aware-emotions-effects-you/)‘ , ‘[How to be your own goal keeper](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/how-your-own-goal-keeper/)‘ , ‘[What is the best way to say No to Office House Work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/whats-best-way-say-no-office-housework/)‘ , ‘ [Finding your work life balance](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/finding-your-work-life-balance/#more-1586)‘ . _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 9 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Financial Stability ; A Basic Necessity for Every Woman Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-05-14 Tags: career break, Career restart, Financial stability, Financial Independence, women professionals, working moms, Indian women, women empowerment, Home maker, Balance, entrepreneurs, Selfconfidence, Financial empowerment, woman and finance URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Financial Stability](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Financial%20Stability-1621316538747-compressed.jpg) Most of the women are aware that financial independence is a necessity and would spare no effort to save their hard-earned money. But a woman’s financial literacy and awareness is very much lower when compared to men.  Financial literacy is the key to a woman’s financial stability. The S&P Global FinLit Survey shows that 35% of men are financially literate compared with 30% of women and this is found in both advanced economies as well as emerging economies. Low levels of financial understanding have far reaching consequences as women are the literal backbone of the familial system. In most of the rural areas, women do play a major role in financial decisions, but the actual financial literacy levels definitely need to improve. _Financial stability is very important for a woman because_ * It helps her to become independent * Stability brings in peace. The more emotionally peaceful and stable she is, the better the relationships and the environment around her * It improves her confidence and in general, self-worth * Longer life spans make financial stability more of a necessity than luxury To equip women with adequate knowledge and help her to take financial responsibilities, let us try to explore the avenues that she has: 1. **Education & Empowerment** * A woman has to take the initiative to educate herself; Take appropriate courses on personal finance and financial awareness * Sites like Investopedia, Lynda.com, Coursera, Onemint.com are good sources for financial awareness * RBI has financial Education Initiative programs available on their website that caters to everyone right from school children to NGO’s **2\. Own your finances** * Take responsibility of the finances of your home. Sit with your spouse and understand your financial situation, if you haven’t done it yet * Understand your revenues and expenditure * Keep a record of your personal debt * Make a budget * Control impulse spending; Use credit cards for rewards or convenience and not out of necessity * Stop borrowing * Set aside money for emergencies, retirement, children’s education * Pay overdue bills * Keep track of your spending on a weekly or monthly basis * Seek help from financial advisors/wealth manager * Take care of your health **3\. Help your children to understand** * Many parents worry about exposing children to money early as they want to protect their children from societal pressures. It would be a good idea to allow your children to handle money, as per their age, for at least a few of their needs. This will allow them to become familiar with money as everyday part of our life. Financial literacy is an art that has to be mastered by every person to survive as well as to participate in today’s economy. It is not an easy task, but when mastered, it can ease a lot of burdens. _You may like to read other articles written by this author ‘[The power of assertive communication](http://hersecondinnings.com/power-assertive-communication/)‘,__‘[9 effective tips for writing a resume’](http://hersecondinnings.com/9-effective-tips-writing-resume/), ‘[Important interview skills to land your dream job](http://hersecondinnings.com/important-interview-skills-dream-job/)‘, ‘[10 Easy Tips to Staying Motivated](http://hersecondinnings.com/tips-staying-motivated/)‘, ‘[Knowing yourself will lead to true success](http://hersecondinnings.com/knowing-will-lead-true-success/)‘ , ‘ [Goal Planning Tips](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/goal-planning-tips/)‘ ._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Sudha-Divakar-2.jpg)_ _Sudha Divakar_ – A proud stay at home mom. She has worked in the IT industry for 15 years and has taken a break to take care of her priorities. She is an avid reader and enjoys watching movies with her tiny tots at home. She believes that life is full of beauty and must be lived one day at a time. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 5 Golden Rules for Setting the Goals Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-05-09 Tags: Career Change, Career restart, Careerbreak, alternate career, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, business women, career woman, employment, Balance, goal planning, entrepreneurs, Goal setting URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Golden Rules](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Golden%20Rules-1621317049233-compressed.jpg) Les Brown says “If you set goals and go after them with all the determination you can muster, your gifts will take you places that will amaze you”. Life is all about more than just fighting the daily routine. To be an exceptional warrior, one needs to focus on the goals and by the goals life needs to be defined. Goals are the most important part of achieving success. It helps one to stay focused and it helps to confidently neglect the ideas that doesn’t contribute to reaching the destination. Here are the five golden rules for setting the goals 1. **Define goals that align with your vision** It is important to align both personal life goals and career goals such that either one of it doesn’t pull the others leg which might lead to misery. It is definitely not a best practice to set a goal that deviate from our vision. How miserable it is to plan a perfect graduation at the age of 22 and landing up in the career that doesn’t give personal as well as career satisfaction. 1. **A motivating factor** Make sure to set the goals that motivates you. The energy that is spent on the efforts to achieve success should be thoroughly valid and one should have interest in the outcome. If it looks irrelevant in the larger picture, then one cannot make things work in the way they desire, even after trying out for N number of times. Motivation is the key factor for achieving the goals. 1. **Set the goals in writing** The act of writing down the goal makes it real and tactile. One cannot give an excuse of forgetting them. When you write a goal, use the word “will” instead of “might”, “could” or “I would like to”. For example “I will start doing exercise early morning from today” and not “I would like to start doing exercise early morning from today” and it is “I will complete the task by this Wednesday” and not “I might complete the task by this Wednesday”. 1. **Set action plans** Many of us forget to define the steps that is required to achieve the goal by completely focusing only on its outcome. Write down the individual steps to be followed to complete the goal with ease. This will help us to make mistakes but learn and experience out of it. One major advantage of modularisation is that we can track the progress of our journey to reach success. This is more important when the goal is demanding and it’s a long term one. 1. **Stick to the plans** Remember the outcome and the destination will always be the same. But you can reiterate the action plans in such a way that it can be feasible. It is a best practice to keep oneself in track and make regular time to review our goals. The relevance, and necessity should always be high to avoid any failures. At times, whenever we feel lost or down, it is a great idea to get motivated by many leaders who have set their goals high to achieve success.**”****Think little goals and expect little achievements. Think big goals and win big success****”** says David Joseph Schwartz. Think Bigger and Achieve Bigger. You may want to read other articles written by the same author – ‘[Tips for writing an exceptional resume](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/resume-writing/tips-writing-exceptional-resume/#more-1516)‘ , ‘ [Alternate Career Option as a Fitness Trainer](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career-option-fitness-trainer/)‘ . About the author: Mrinalini:  a computer science graduate, with an overall experience of about 6 years in IT industry. Though I had been a techie full time, I always had a love for writing and thirst for becoming a writer. Mother of 3 year old Kid, it took me years to realise, what I needed to make myself end my day completely satisfied. Am a blogger, traveler, adventure lover and an ardent book reader. I read a lot, believe books are the best companions in the world. I love to enjoy each day of my life, as it often comes bagged with full of surprises. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## The Truth about Multitasking Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-05-07 Tags: career break, alternate career, women professionals, working moms, Indian women, business women, career woman, Home maker, productivity, worklife, Multitasking, stress URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Truth about multitasking](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Truth%20about%20multitasking-1621317577977-compressed.png) “Women are great at multitasking” is a positive stereotype people believe about women. It is partly true, considering some experiments, where women actually seemed to have an upper hand at multitasking, owing to their being calm and focused even under pressure, while men were slightly impulsive and quicker to arrive at decisions without giving it as much thought as the women did. The fact, however, that multitasking is a bane for both men and women should be taken into account before we proudly proclaim our superiority at multitasking. Research says that multitasking does not mean that we do two or more tasks at the exact same time. What we call multitasking is actually our brain rapidly switching its attention from one task to another. This shift of focus from one thing to another happens in a fraction of a second, which makes us think we are concentrating on many tasks at a time. If you are, say, cooking a meal and talking to a friend on the phone, you are pretty much juggling both tasks back and forth without realizing it. Your brain focuses on the recipe for a second, then it hangs on to the words uttered by your friend. Again, it shifts the attention back to the cooking, recalls where it left off and you begin preparing the meal once again. You do not realize this process as it happens way too fast for you to understand. Now you know how our brains actually function during multitasking. Women, as a rule, especially in India, are burdened with a lot of work- their own job, cooking, cleaning, looking after kids and the list goes on. As women are expected to look after their homes along with their career, they tend to multitask too much. Multitasking sure does help them get work done quickly. However, multitasking has its ill-effects: * **Decreased Productivity:** As multitasking rapidly changes focus from one task to another, the brain cannot focus on one task properly. It keeps jumping form one thing to the other, and as a result there are high chances that both the tasks aren’t done well. If you talk to your friend while you cook, you could easily miss out on what she said. Or you could mess up with the quantity of an ingredient. * **Reduces ability to focus:** The more you multitask, the more you train your brain to rapidly change its focus. Your brain gets used to concentrating on two or more things in quick succession. In such a case, imagine what would happen if you really want to focus on one task at a time. The brain, out of habit, would try and find something else on which it can shift its focus. If you are a habitual multitasker, there are high chances that you would find it difficult to concentrate on one single thing. If you sit down to read a book, your mind would have occasional random thoughts, you’d be disturbed easily even by little distractions like the sound of a sudden passing. If you are working on the computer, you’d probably be having too many windows and tabs open with your attention shifting quickly from one tab to another. Your brain would constantly try to find another activity to shift its focus on. * **Increases stress:** As multitasking involves rapid shift of focus between two or more activities, you have to strive to complete each of the activities perfectly. This increases the pressure in your mind. The more regularly you multitask, the pressure would increase, leading to stress. * **Impairs Memory:** Multitasking causes over-stimulation of the brain function. Let’s say you are busy shifting focus repeatedly from say, helping your child to do the homework to working on a project from office. In this situation, your brain would take in some information from the project and some information from what your child is trying to tell you. By having too much information at the same time, the brain, in all the haste, cannot decide what part of the information is important, and which isn’t. Also, out of the information that is fed to the brain, very little of it actually gets stored in the long-term memory, because the brain is busy trying to shift its focus continuously. Constant multitasking makes the brain habitual to storing more information in the short-term memory, thus affecting your long-term memory. Multitasking could make you more forgetful. Now you know how multitasking could be potentially harmful for you. In today’s fast-paced life, however, it is quite difficult to avoid multitasking, especially for women like us. Yet, here are some tips you can use to reduce multitasking to a great extent: * Observe what tasks you do together on a daily basis and see if you can separate them to one task at a time. E.g. if it’s your habit to check your e-mails and messages while preparing breakfast every day, break them in to two separate tasks. * If one of the tasks does not significantly contribute to your well-being, let it go. E.g. gossiping on the phone with a friend for hours while doing your household work. * Whenever you do one task at a time, be fully present in doing it. Be aware of each moment you spend in completing that task. * Prepare a schedule of all your tasks in advance and try to follow it as far as possible. Time management also plays an important part here. * If you must multitask, make sure at least one of the activities does not require a lot of your mental energy. E.g. (although it is not recommended,) it is quite possible to eat, and work on a project at the same time. The action of eating is automatic, whereas your brain primarily focuses on the project. On the other hand, if, instead of eating, you are helping your child with your homework, you are reducing the productivity, as both tasks require a lot of your mental effort. * If you are overburdened with responsibilities, do not hesitate to ask for help from a family member or a friend. If they comply, you can focus on important things, while they take care of the rest. It is not easy to get rid of multitasking completely owing to a lot of work and lack of time. But you sure can try your best to keep multitasking at a bare minimum. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author:  ‘[Fun alternatives for ladies on career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/fun-alternatives-ladies-career-break/)‘,  ‘[Bridging the gap using online resources](http://hersecondinnings.com/bridging-skill-gap-online-resources/)‘, ‘[Stress: Lets deal with it](http://hersecondinnings.com/stress-deal-with-it/)‘, ‘[No Matter what the world says, It is ok to… live your life](http://hersecondinnings.com/no-matter-world-says-okay-live-life/)‘, ‘[A little guide to positivity](http://hersecondinnings.com/little-guide-positivity/)‘ ‘[Ways to Selfmotivation- Your key to success’](http://hersecondinnings.com/ways-self-motivation/), ‘[Why you need to prioritise yoursel](http://hersecondinnings.com/why-you-need-prioritise-yourself/)f’, ‘[Challenges after a career break and their solutions](http://hersecondinnings.com/challenges-career-break-solutions/)‘, ‘[Home Business Ideas for Women](http://hersecondinnings.com/home-business-ideas-women/)’  , ‘[The Habit of Labelling](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/habit-labeling/)‘ ._ **_About the author:_** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Radhika_Image-2.jpg) “Radhika works as a visiting lecturer at the University of Mumbai. She completed her B.A. and  M.A (Gold medal) in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. She has a passion for languages especially English, Sanskrit, and German and has written articles on Upanishads. She provides content development services. She likes teaching and writing. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music.” (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## The Art of Saying "No" At Work Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-05-02 Tags: career break, career, Career restart, sabbaticals, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, career woman, productivity, worklife, Balance URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Art of Saying No at Work](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Art%20of%20saying%20no%20at%20work-1621317690813-compressed.jpg) I recall a quote by Richard Branson “If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later’’ ! In reality though, I wonder if this is practical without causing an impact on the quality of job done. The art of saying ‘No’ at work is imperative to ensure balance in life and avoid burn out. Many times, at work, we are set with situations that’s a certain ‘’No’’, but feel tongue tied to utter the same. Whether it’s the laborious assignment, appeal to work on a weekend, request for the business trip – there are numerous instances which don’t suit our convenience. Yet, we end up going overboard and taking those tasks under the impression that saying no might make us look bad or earn the tag of being complacent or uninitiated. There is certainly a demarcation between reality and meeting everyone’s expectations. Going the extra mile when not required will lead to a vicious cycle of unwarranted anticipations, thereby impeding your productivity and resulting in exhaustion. How to say NO in the corporate world without offending? Few tips: 1. **Substantiate your ‘’No’’ with a reason:** Plain refusal to do a job might seem a bit curt. So be honest and explain the reasons – lack of time/ held up with other impending projects, etc., give a brief summary of the same. Rather than saying yes and struggling emotionally and compromising on the quality of work, its best for all concerned to decline the task at the first opportunity. **2\. Understand People’s behaviour:** There are a few who take your generosity for granted. Accepting a task and putting in rigorous efforts will be seen as an opportunity to dump similar requests on you. Be wary of such individuals and their practices, have determination to nip them in the bud. 1. **Try to find an alternative:** Though it’s not your job to find an alternate to handle the assignment, if within your purview, suggest some one of equal calibre to complete the task. Doing so, you might highlight another person’s competence and create more talent. **4\. Don’t take the guilt trip:** Lastly, understand that you are doing your best and there is no need for a guilt-trip. Though it’s a bit difficult in the beginning, you’ll gradually know to set the limits. Avoid comparisons with others who handle anything that comes their way, each of us have our own different paths. To conclude, in any situation – whether official or otherwise, have the determination to reject an opportunity that doesn’t grow you as a person or adds no value. In the end, all of us are only human and biting more than what we can chew is detrimental. Prioritising and setting healthy boundaries is a great way to ensure a vigorous spirit and a productive life. An apt quote by Steve Jobs “It’s only by saying “NO” that you can concentrate on the things that are really important’’. _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), ‘[Importance of networking for success in your career’](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/), ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘, ‘[A new dawn in the horizon – career restart’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/new-dawn-horizon-career-restart/#more-1250) , ‘[Being overlooked for promotion](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/being-overlooked-for-promotion/)‘ , ‘[Addressing the gender paygap disparity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/addressing-the-gender-pay-gap-disparity/) ‘  ._ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) **_Nithya Jagadish –_** I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Finding Your Work-Life Balance Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-04-30 Tags: career break, Career restart, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, Home maker, worklife, employment, Balance URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Finding worklife balance](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/finding%20work%20life%20balance-1621317970350-compressed.png) My mother was working since she was 18 years old. She was a stenographer and typist or now popularly known as Executive Assistant. However, her job was anything but glamorous. She started out by getting paid INR 2/- per page that she typed on a typewriter and worked till I was 18 years old. She has long left her professional life, but even today, after 50 years or so, she fondly recalls her corporate life. Looking at her smile, I was wondering how did they find their work-life balance in a day and age where machines had not yet made our lives simpler. How many of us don’t even realize that washing machine, dishwasher, microwave, oven, and a house help were actually a luxury until the late 90’s? If our mothers could wake up each day to prepare our breakfast, pack our lunches, do all the housework manually, make sure our clothes were ironed and get us ready for school on time, what is our excuse really? Yes, our jobs are a lot more stressful, corporate life today is a jungle where one is always ready to devour you. But they had little help and lower salaries to show at the end of their struggle. So I think we have absolutely no excuse to not find our work-life balance in a technology-driven world today. Over a period of my professional life, talking to wives and mothers and watching my own mother, I would like to give you a few points in the form of an interview, to help those searching for their own work-life balance. **Question 1: Interviewer:** “How do you manage to ensure that important tasks at home and work get done smoothly?” **Working Woman:** “ We must learn to prioritize the tasks we have at hand. This could be a daily task or weekly or out of the blue. For example, if I know that getting my child to daycare by 8:30 AM is important so that I can reach work on time, then I will plan my activities the night before. I will make sure to keep my clothes ready for tomorrow, do the needful arrangements for breakfast, lunch and say no to any invitations during the weekday as far as possible. Hence, to list your priorities and then working towards accomplishing them are of paramount importance to a good work-life balance. One way of doing this is also to learn the art of delegating. Learn to let go of control and allow others to help you achieve the tasks which less of your attention. Allow colleagues and family members help out as much as possible. **Question 2: Interviewer:** “How do you stay connected with what’s happening at home while at work?” **Working Woman:** “We are blessed to be born in the day and age where technological advancements have blurred distance and concept of space. Try and use your break time to connect with your children or husband or parents. Use this time to have video chats, phone calls and check in on them. Communicate with them prior that these calls are check-in calls and to keep it brief and are to share important things. Let them know you are reachable and there for them”. **Question 3: Interviewer:** “What suggestions would you like to give all the working women out there about time-management”? **Working Woman:** We all have 24 hours in a day to accomplish what is at hand. Off this, we have only 8 hours at work and about 6-7 waking hours at home. Hence, the key to having a productive day is to manage your time well. One of the biggest enemies of productivity is distractions. Try to keep your distractions to the minimum. For example, if you are working on a project with hard deadlines and when you have no important task to look into at home, stay overtime to give the project more of your time today. Who knows you may have an emergency at home and you can use that time off, as you are ahead at work.” “Another practical thing you can do is, keep aside specific time to answer to emails, attending to personal calls, interact with colleagues and rationing your break times. Similarly, at home, you can make a habit of eating one meal together and watching less television and instead use that time to bond with each other.” **Question 4: Interviewer:** “How do you know when to draw the line between personal and professional life”? **Working Woman:** “While technology has simplified many things it has also made it difficult for us to disconnect from our jobs. We have access to our emails on our phones and are literary online 24/7. Learn to disconnect from the professional world once you enter your home. Switch off notifications on your work emails and notify your colleagues and Managers that you are not available to take calls post 8 PM.” “On the other hand, it is harder to disconnect personally when at work. But by limiting the use of your phone to not answer to every WhatsApp message or every call from friends or family is a good start. Learn to take only select calls and messages while you are at work. Your dedication is seen and will be reciprocated when you ask to be disconnected when at home with family.” **Question 5: Interviewer:** “ So in all this where is there time for ‘you’?” **Working Woman:** “I learned one thing very early on as being a wife and especially a parent, we have to learn to be ‘selfless’. We have to love selflessly and give selflessly. But time to time, one needs to recoup. Hence, make sure, you set aside some time weekly for yourself. It could be as simple as reading a book in quietness, sleeping or hanging out with your friends or parents. Do whatever makes you happy and rejuvenated, because you need to get up the next morning and do it all over again. **Interviewer:** Any last words **Working Woman:** “I would like to leave you with just this – Each of the role we play, a daughter, a wife, a mother, a colleague, a boss or a friend, each one comes with its own complexity and demands. Take on each of that role as a privilege and joy, and you will see how easy it is to just do everything joyfully. After all, you are impacting lives with what you do.” _You may also want to read other article written by the same author ‘[Career tracking while on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-tracking-career-break/)‘, ‘[Career restarting for a woman on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-restarting-women-career-break/)‘, ‘[Is returnship right for you?](http://hersecondinnings.com/is-returnship-right-for-you/)‘_, ‘[Five things to consider before a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/five-things-consider-career-break/)‘, ‘[5 reasons why working moms are highly productive](http://hersecondinnings.com/5-reasons-working-moms-highly-productive/)‘, ‘[4 Questions to know yourself better and find a suitable career path](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/4-questions-know-yourself-better-find-suitable-career-path/#more-1188)‘, ‘[5 most frequent challenges that women entrepreneurs face](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/5-most-frequent-challenges-women-entrepreneurs-face/)‘ , ‘[Financially Stable and how?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financially-stable-and-how/) ,  ‘[Be aware of your emotions and its effects on you](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/aware-emotions-effects-you/)‘ , ‘[How to be your own goal keeper](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/how-your-own-goal-keeper/)‘ , ‘[What is the best way to say No to Office House Work](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/whats-best-way-say-no-office-housework/)‘ . _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 9 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Say yes to a Sabbatical Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-04-25 Tags: career break, Career Change, Career restart, alternate career, Sabbatical, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, business women, career woman, Home maker, Balance, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Say yes to sabbatical](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Sabbatical-%20rest-refresh-1621324070952-compressed.png) Sitting in office desk… you dream of taking that trip around your favorite cities across the world that you have always wanted to, You want to give your full attention to your newborn baby, You want to give time to family, you want to reconsider your current job or You just want to take a break and just stay at home……. You want some time to get away from it all but the thought of taking leave or quitting job scares you. Taking a sabbatical from career feels insecure. Can you pick up from where you left? What if you cannot get back on same track?  These questions haunt you and you just continue to do what you are doing. A sabbatical does not necessarily have to be a forced leave. In fact, the less it is forced and more with the flow, the better it is for you. You are the best judge of your situation and if taking a break seems to be the most realistic and practical thing to do…… go ahead. You will regret not taking it later. There are lot many benefits of taking some time off from career. Here are few steps that will make you say Yes!!!! 1. **_Rethink –_** Time to rethink gives you the opportunity to weigh your options and without any bias. In fact, this is the best time to research, read, travel, learn a new skill, reacquaint with friends and also look at your life with a different set of lens. A liner life routine often does not show us the curves of our life graph and we just continue accepting the linearity. A different lens will give a different vision…and who knows, maybe that vision is what you need to go for next. **_2\. Reset_** – Once you have thought about it, next step is to plan for it which means to actually put in your application for leave or resign. This is the toughest and the best part. In fact this step actually liberates you and you are relieved of the trappings. It’s a bold and a beautiful step. Resetting is a step out of the comfort zone but that is what gives you the wings to fly again. **_3\. Rejuvenate –_** Finally you are living what you had only thought of and no better happiness than doing it at your own will. Personally, a sabbatical rejuvenates you from all angles. You not only are physically more revived but mentally and emotionally too. This timeline will create moments, memories and milestones. You will treasure these feelings all your life. **_4\. Restart – Now_** that you have done what you wanted to. It’s time to restart again with new vigour and vitality. Few changes, few adjustments and new perspectives. Whether it’s your new role, new job or same role and same job, you are not what you were when you took that sabbatical. You are a new version of yourself raring to go.. And this positivity is well reflected in whatever you do. **_Sabbaticals save you from stagnation and serve your senses. So, say yes to a sabbatical!!!!_** _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Decoding Stress](http://hersecondinnings.com/decoding-stress/)‘, ‘[Communication made easy…](http://hersecondinnings.com/communication-made-easier/)‘, , [‘Personal Finance Planning’](http://hersecondinnings.com/personal-finance-planning/), ‘[Are you financially fit?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/are-you-financially-fit/), ‘[3 M’s… Mantra for Morale](http://hersecondinnings.com/3-ms-mantra-morale/)‘ , [‘Tips for effective interaction with management’](http://hersecondinnings.com/4-tips-effective-interaction-management/), ‘[Adapting to global work culture – locally](http://hersecondinnings.com/adapting-global-work-culture-locally/)‘, ‘[8 Advantages of Online tutoring as a work from home career](http://hersecondinnings.com/advantages-online-tutoring-work-home-career/)‘, ‘[6 Tips for health management at workplace](http://hersecondinnings.com/6-tips-health-management-workplace/)‘, ‘[Marriage and Finance](http://hersecondinnings.com/marriage-finance/)‘, ‘[Passion with a Purpose](http://hersecondinnings.com/passion-with-purpose/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from).  A woman as created by the divine.  An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Beware of Emotions (EI) Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-04-23 Tags: career break, Career Change, Career restart, alternate career, Emotional Intelligence, working moms, corporate employees, Emotional Awareness, Indian women, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker, worklife, EI, IQ URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Emotional Awareness](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Emotional%20Awareness-1621324241522-compressed.jpg) **_“Each life on earth as deep as an OCEAN._** **_Lucky, being a human with different NOTIONS._** **_Racing for life – ideas, feelings, success-all in a big COMMOTION._** **_Sometimes, let’s dive deep in and analyse EMOTIONS.”_** Everyone emphasizes on developing Intelligent Quotient. How much do we work upon emotions? To develop a good Emotional quotient (EQ) or Emotional Intelligence (EI), it’s very important to have emotional awareness. Researches show that Emotional Intelligence can matter more than Intelligent Quotient. Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist who popularized EI, defines Emotional Intelligence as the ability to recognize, understand and manage our own emotions as well as influence the emotions of others. Goleman has developed a framework of five elements that define Emotional Intelligence. The following image shows these five elements – Image credit :- [Pixabay](http://www.pixabay.com/) In this blog, I have tried to relate these five elements with our daily lives at five different levels to increase our emotional awareness. 1. **Self Awareness – At Personal Level** People with high EI are self aware. They understand their emotions, so their feelings don’t rule them. They are confident and don’t let their emotions out of control. They are honest, know their strengths and weaknesses and improvise on them. We can implement this feature at **personal level**. Vipul, who joined his first job attended an important meeting at office and was asked by his senior to write MOM. He did not know its meaning. Without any hesitation, he decided to be honest and asked his senior what it means? This further added to his knowledge.  _**“ Self awareness leads to self progress”**_ 1. **Self Reporting / Self Regulating – At Family Level** It’s the ability to control emotions and impulses. Such people have thoughtfulness, integrity, ability to say NO, comfortable with change. This can help at home – **family level**. How? Control over once emotions and understanding those of others can help a lot in situation of difference of opinions. Vatsal got his job placement in Sales department in a reputed FMCG firm. The job required him to sell cigarettes and alcohol products. For family members, it was happiness packed with the shock of their lives. But, good thing was Vatsal had a courage to say NO to such offer. He was clear not to begin his career by doing work against his own will, though it would have given him a handsome salary package. 1. **Motivation – At Professional Level** People with high degree of emotional intelligence are usually motivated. They are willing to defer the immediate results for long term success. They are highly productive, love a challenge and are very effective in whatever they do. Being motivated can help us at every stage of life. Mother – the biggest motivator who never gives up on her child. She is the one who would never stop encouraging her child to keep trying – be it child’s first steps to learn walking to the biggest career moves. At **professional level** or at work place, highly motivated employees implies high productivity. Sudha joined HR department of an IT company. As a fresher, she was facing challenges each day at work. Her team member Smita guided her initially in preparing MIS reports which was very challenging for Sudha. Had there been no guidance and motivation, Sudha wouldn’t have been able to perform efficiently and get promotion within six months of her new job. 1. **Empathy – At Public Places** It’s the ability to identify with and understand viewpoints of others. Empathetic people are usually excellent at managing relationships. They don’t judge too quickly and live their lives honestly. At **public places**, this feature can help to relate to others, make beautiful, priceless and lifelong relations. Since my childhood, I have seen my father thanking our school bus driver for his safe and careful driving. He would also greet each and every customer at his work place with great enthusiasm. This has helped him having loyal and good customer relationship. **“ I believe Empathy is the most essential quality of civilization.” – Roger Ebert** 1. **Social Skills – At Social Level** It’s usually easy to talk to people with good social skills. They are team players, can manage disputes, excellent communicators, masters at building and maintaining relationships. So, at **social level**, whether its colleagues having lunch together or catching train to work together, having fun together. This helps to keep stress out of equation and eventually contribute towards emotionally intelligent workplace. Emotional Intelligence characterizes the most admirable of human organizations. The three CEO s here use emotional intelligence that expands their businesses. Jeff Bezos at Amazon, Ursula Burns at Xerox and Elon Musk at Tesla. The fourth largest railway network in the world- The Indian Railways has recently started implementing EI training to its officers. A Senior officer says it can help reduce the number of train accidents, better understanding amongst employees, better work coordination, reduction in union strikes etc. So, wishing you best ladies…. beware of emotions, be it yours or of people around you, manage them well, express them appropriately and effectively and work towards achieving success. You may want to read another article written by same author: ‘[Be a child at heart, filled with self confidence](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/be-a-child-at-heart-filled-with-self-confidence/)‘ . _**About the author:**_ Vasudha has a post graduate degree in management and has three plus years of experience in the field of Human Resources. She has been a part time Yoga instructor. She is currently employed as a home maker and enjoys to spend quality time with her kids. She likes to explore new areas of learning. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## What’s The Best Way To Say “No” To Office Housework? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-04-18 Tags: career break, alternate career, women professionals, working moms, Indian women, business women, career woman, productivity, career tracking, Selfconfidence URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![art of saying no at office work](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Art%20of%20saying%20no%20at%20work-1621325247135-compressed.jpg) For your absent colleague or always asked to take notes and share the minutes of the meeting, you are a victim of “office housework”. Office Housework is the tasks that are menial in nature, but needs to get done either way. A [new research](https://hbr.org/2018/07/why-women-volunteer-for-tasks-that-dont-lead-to-promotions) in the Harvard Business Review shows that women are stuck with these reluctant volunteer tasks more as compared to males at a workplace. So women let’s explore what’s the best way to say “NO” to office housework? I was a victim of office housework once too many times myself. I still recall, I was a senior in my team, but also the only women in the meeting that was conducted to discuss important agenda items with our Director. I was immediately thrust with the responsibility to ensure the Boardroom was ready for the meeting with notepads, water bottles, coffee and snacks before we start. Also, I was told, not asked or requested at any point in time, to take notes for each and every meeting that I went to, even the ones which I was leading the discussion for. This amused me. It is not a power game or my pride in my designation. It was about naturally assuming that those tasks belonged to a woman alone, irrespective of her title or role. Many of you can relate and chime in with me. Although we all would like to believe that gender biases are abolished in a mature workplace today, they creep into the system one way or another. I am not saying that it is done intentionally or deliberately, but in the long run, this hurts our growth, our work and we get caught up in time-consuming, useless activities. ### SO THEN HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO AVOID GETTING SUCKED INTO OFFICE HOUSEWORK? 1. **Understanding why office housework is detrimental to you** When you agree even involuntarily to tasks that are time-consuming but thankless like summarizing meeting notes all the time, you are indirectly hampering your daily tasks and goals. It is not about saying no for the sake of it or for just making a bold statement. It is saying no to things that will not further yourself in order to say yes to things that actually require your attention. Do not overburden yourself with activities only because you are afraid to hurt someone’s emotions. **2\. Arrange a one-on-one with your Manager** There is a flip side in saying no to your Manager or team members especially if it is constantly or coincidently one after the other. We all are aware that it can reflect badly on our performance reviews and appraisals as “not being a team player” or “not taking on additional responsibilities”. Hence, the best way to do it is, to not defy your Manager publically. Instead ask for a one-on-one meeting with them. It has been observed that a closed-door meeting helps both parties to be prepared to hear each other out and come to an amicable solution. **3\. Use the words “new challenges” instead of a flat out “no”** Once you have the attention of your Manager in a one-on-one, clearly state your concern and the reason behind denying the work. Request your Manager to assign you new challenges. Tell them distinctly that the task assigned is monotonous and you are looking for new challenges that can help you grow and prove yourself. Also, suggest that some routine tasks should be shared by the other team members too on a rotation basis. This will allow each member of the team an opportunity to work on different things and mundane tasks are distributed equally. **4\. Do not get emotional or feminist about it?** I am not singling this issue out as a female being targeted. This message is not to shame the men or point fingers at them. This article is simply to encourage women to say “no” to tasks that are presumed even by us as our duty. If the task is bogging you down or not adding any value, don’t be afraid to say a no. The additional stress and workload often times are unnecessary burdens that we lay upon ourselves due to fear. You will be surprised how supportive your male colleague or Manager will be only if you bring it to their notice.   Sometimes we women are more to blame, for allowing ourselves to be stuck with the office housework, as its second to our nature. Many times we volunteer for things as we know that we can do it better or no one will do if we don’t, even though the job is a thankless one. I want to reassure you ladies that we need not add to our already heavy burdens. Allow others to pick up the office housework and its ok to say “no” once in a while.   _You may also want to read other article written by the same author ‘[Career tracking while on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-tracking-career-break/)‘, ‘[Career restarting for a woman on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-restarting-women-career-break/)‘, ‘[Is returnship right for you?](http://hersecondinnings.com/is-returnship-right-for-you/)‘_, ‘[Five things to consider before a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/five-things-consider-career-break/)‘, ‘[5 reasons why working moms are highly productive](http://hersecondinnings.com/5-reasons-working-moms-highly-productive/)‘, ‘[4 Questions to know yourself better and find a suitable career path](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/4-questions-know-yourself-better-find-suitable-career-path/#more-1188)‘, ‘[5 most frequent challenges that women entrepreneurs face](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/5-most-frequent-challenges-women-entrepreneurs-face/)‘ , ‘[Financially Stable and how?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financially-stable-and-how/) ,  ‘[Be aware of your emotions and its effects on you](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/aware-emotions-effects-you/)‘ , ‘[How to be your own goal keeper](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/how-your-own-goal-keeper/)‘ . _**About the author:**_  _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 9 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Women @ Workplace Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-04-16 Tags: career break, Career Change, Career restart, women professionals, working moms, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, Home maker, Balance, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Women at workplace](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/women%20at%20workpace-1621325572464-compressed.jpg) These days, we women introduce ourselves as a working women or just a house wife. There are very few women, who take pride in saying that they are a home maker. Whether we women are in the office, or home the fact is that we work everywhere.  The question is how we perceive our work. That makes all the difference. When a woman decides to step out and work, there are many aspects of her personality that needs to be worked upon. She needs to have clarity about many aspects of her life like her relevant career, the flexibility and limitations, the family priorities, and even the dress sense plays an important role. There are few realistic guidelines which will help you to excel at work place as well as a homemaker. 1. **Work Smart:** Working hard is and was always a slogan by many. Working hard is always difficult. So working smart and joyful makes the life even easier. How about you do many things but you still feel like you have not done enough? That’s how it should be. If you are not feeling the same now, then you just need to introspect, if you are in the right career path or not. Do work that you love to do or learn to love the work that you are doing. Have clarity on the type of work you choose to do. 1. **Perception Beyond** : Go beyond the word like peer pressure, competition. It is like living life in installments, sometime joyful and sometime constipated. Focus on your ultimate potential. Get your fundamentals right, please understand that your capabilities will find expression only when you are in absolute relaxation, at ease. Learn to be intense and inclusive and at the same time relaxed and at ease to enhance and unleash your ultimate potential. Being stressful never allows you to unleash your true potential. Train your body and mind with exercise, yoga and meditation to unleash the magic in you. 1. **Be Inclusive**: Be Inclusive to situations at work where people work for you willingly. For this, you have to be first inclusive towards people around you without being judgmental about them. 1. **Address Your Persona Appropriately**: Clothing is an integral aspect of your life. Many people choose their attire based on situations like weather, type of work, tradition, expression of their mood or emotion. So clothing can be a powerful influence in your life. So when it comes to women clothing, or human clothing for that matter; it is not about just wearing an attire, moreover, it is about addressing your persona from outside and in. So choosing appropriate attire sensibly for work will add an extra weightage to your persona. A smarter way is to choose quality over quantity. 1. **Advocate Yourself**: Many of us believe that if we just work hard, we will be recognized and rewarded appropriately be it at home or office. Unfortunately that’s not the fact. We all are born negotiators. The only problem is that we do not realize it and implement the innate skills at the right time. So learn to advocate for yourself for better package, benefits, promotions and positions. Learn to promote your skills and put them to use at the right time. Negotiation skills help to improve self-esteem, and using emotion appropriately to work for you instead of against you. So be a smart negotiator at home and in the work place too. Never give up, and upgrade yourself beyond the thinking of man vs woman. Women are the beautiful Creation, Created by the Creator who has empowered us to create the next generation of life. Realizing and Experiencing this beautiful truth of empowerment, we can excel in all dimensions by accepting challenges and situations whatsoever. Happy Working to All Women! You may want to read other article written by the same author ‘ [Productivity – A Natural Byproduct](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/productivity-natural-byproduct/) ‘  . _**About the Author:**_ **Premsai Samontoray**, is a Master Trainer in Life Skills with an inclusive attitude towards life. She is a motivational speaker who facilitates people to think and act to explore their true potential in their life. She has overall 12 years of training experience and has trained more than 10,000 professionals in Life Skill at various levels of management in various Corporate and Engineering Colleges. She has a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management.  In addition to her innate passion towards the training profession, she is a Certified NLP Practitioner, a Blogger, a Painter and a Yoga Practitioner too. She treasures all her multi-domain experience as they have brushed, groomed, and mentored her professionally as well as personally. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)_You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed. --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Alternate Career Option As Fitness Trainer Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-04-11 Tags: career break, Career Change, alternate career, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, business women, Home maker, worklife, Balance, entrepreneurs, Fitness trainer, Pilate, women's health, yoga, Zumba URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Fitness Trainer](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/workout-1931107_1920-1621326628435-compressed.jpg) There are times where we might feel that we have run a long way and all that we need is a break or a change to refresh ourselves. There are times when one feels tired of the monotonous 9 to 5 job, following the routines and focusing on the deliverable for the day, giving up the dream and following the path that one doesn’t know why he/she has chosen it. Choosing an alternate career is always a wise decision, when you feel saturated and you have reached an end that whatever you do after it would be out of compulsion. Being a fitness trainer is one of the best alternate career option one can consider to refresh the day to day life. There are umpteen number of options available where you can become a fitness expert. Starting from Yoga Trainer , Personal Trainer at Gym to Zumba trainer, one can see the doors are always open that grabbing opportunity lies with us. Since it’s a super-fast world and people are ending up with various health issues where nobody except the doctors understand the problem’s name, keeping oneself fit for a long run has become mandatory. Fitness training is continually evolving fast in the past few years, it offers a range of potential career opportunities for the individuals who are interested in becoming a fitness trainer. It’s a flexible career, which would especially suit well for the women, who find it difficult to balance both career and personal life. It gives them moral support for enhancing their dreams and it also motivates them constantly physically as well as mentally. A fitness trainer works with the client to develop and implement a fitness training regimen that helps them lose weight, get stronger, improve physical performance and maintain the health. But one should keep in mind that to teach someone about fitness, one has to be fit already. It is necessary to choose the fitness speciality and determine the path. Choose it wisely based on the personal interest and professional goals. Doing a certification on the chosen speciality has become mandatory. There are various institutions that provides certificate on fitness training courses with written and practical examinations. The duration of these courses ranges between 2-3 months and would costs nearly between 20000-30000 INR. The most important factors that would stay as a driving force for becoming a fitness trainer is the hard work, dedication and converting the pain into series of successful steps. A sound mind is a sound body. Make sure to synchronize both mind and body by keeping it positive and constructive. Follow a strict diet to keep yourself fit. The world is widespread and it has huge space to fly across. It is we who decide whether to flap the wings to explore its tremendous power or to silent out, setting ourselves back due to hesitation. Choose the best to identify your real self.You may want to read another article written by the same author – ‘[Tips for writing an exceptional resume](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/resume-writing/tips-writing-exceptional-resume/#more-1516)‘ .About the author:Mrinalini:  a computer science graduate, with an overall experience of about 6 years in IT industry. Though I had been a techie full time, I always had a love for writing and thirst for becoming a writer. Mother of 3 year old Kid, it took me years to realise, what I needed to make myself end my day completely satisfied. Am a blogger, traveler, adventure lover and an ardent book reader. I read a lot, believe books are the best companions in the world. I love to enjoy each day of my life, as it often comes bagged with full of surprises. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)_You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career.Disclaimer:“This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## A Tool Kit to Plan a Career Break Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-04-09 Tags: career break, Career Change, Career restart, alternate career, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, career woman, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Toolkit to plan a career break](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/toolkit%20to%20plan%20a%20creer%20break-1621327307457-compressed.png) The circle of life includes milestones, and with every sign ahead, it’s better to ask questions and plan a future. While it may not be the first question that comes to mind, but if one has to go on a career break then keep in mind or ask questions about what next. Career breaks are very healthy and rewarding.  Some of the reasons for the break could be relocation, health, education or maternity. 1. **Conversation** It’s always good to have a 1:1 with superiors at work to see the options available when you do plan to come back. A part of planning is also to design and understand re-entry. A simple conversation with questions about the scope of future work, the point of contact for communications, skills that may be available and provision or reassurance of job in the team, especially in case of maternity or sabbatical. 1. **Evaluation** The immediate reaction to no work is an evaluation of finances, but it is essential to understand where your current skill sets lies. The market has been churning quickly; in some cases, there is a constant competition. With cognitive biases in place and ageism playing a role, there are enough possible issues that people have to list against getting back to the rat race. Then there is the FOMO (fear of missing out), so it’s better to understand where you currently stand in terms of skill, salary, domain, market and soft skills. It’s also good to realise the dream skills that you would like to gain. For eg., a person with technical background might want a business degree. 1. **Skill – Acquisition** It’s simple to know the opinions, and it’s also simple to understand the current ground. While you are away, try to acquire the delta skills or the dream skills that you may want. Plan sabbatical or break in such a way that you do land up adding additional capabilities. Of course, all the recesses have a reason, and I am not saying stop taking care of your baby since you are on maternity break but in the duration, in free time, try to sharpen your saw. 1. **Advisor** Pick a mentor or advisor who can help you with the transition before the break and from the break back to work. It could either be a mentor who has gone through something similar or a person who can keep a tab on you. Choosing a mentor is also essential to understand the blind spot in terms of understanding the market or self. The mentor could also be a support system during the various transitions. 1. **Re-entry:** There are many options to enter back into the market and different roles one could choose from the plethora of options. It’s possible to re-enter to the same company, same position; it’s also possible to enter back to a different company or role. If you plan the ‘break’ properly, getting back to a job should not be difficult. I would suggest revaluation of current skills again before applying to new positions. I would also recommend a reassessment of current team versus your skill sets. The reason for comparison is not about creating a self-complex but to understand and improve in the areas. The idea to plan a career after a break may not be intuitive. It’s possible that one goes on a sabbatical and doesn’t want to get back to a job as well. However, understanding or evaluating options is a fruitful healthy exercise. _**About the author:**_ Nida Sahar is an entrepreneur, an engineer, a technical leadership mentor, a writer and a poet from Bangalore, India. She is passionate about supporting women in science, engineering and technology. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Addressing the Gender Pay Gap disparity Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-04-04 Tags: career break, Career restart, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, career woman, Home maker, worklife, Balance, Financial empowerment, Gender Diversity, Pay gap URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Addressing gender pay gap disparity](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Addressing%20gender%20pay%20gap%20disparity-1621327486685-compressed.jpg) “Last time I checked, there’s no discount for being a woman. Groceries don’t cost us less; rent doesn’t cost us less, so why should we be paid less”? – Hillary Clinton  Quite recently, I read a few articles highlighting the issue of gender pay-gap (average difference between the remuneration paid to working men and women). It’s quite astonishing to see that spanning geographical regions, the practice of women being underpaid is quite normal.  While corporate giants like Google and Facebook strive to even out this issue, it’s vital for every company to address the Gender pay gap disparity as a matter of priority. During my corporate days, there was adequate transparency about the pay-out. I vividly recall being paid as per the grades assigned to our designation, so the concept of pay gap was almost non-existent. Today, as I skim though such articles, it makes me think, “what would I do if such unfair treatment was meted out to me just cause of Gender’’? In India, as per a report published in the Economic times, women earn 20% less than men. Despite the similar educational qualification, skills, and experience, is it really justified?  While any improvement measure for this, by and large, has to come from the top, namely the CEO or people of similar stature, what can one as an employee do? A few suggestions from my train of thought: 1. **Analyse the facts :** Whether it’s through formal communication or a candid conversation with your male counterparts, try and get the numbers right. If you are performing the same roles and responsibilities and yet underpaid, it’s time to have it sorted. **2\. Involve your HR or Supervisor :** Everyone should be paid for the job done and not for their gender. Have an open conversation with your HR or immediate supervisor and ask them grounds for the pay disparity. While the term “Company policies” is quite common, don’t let it deter you from getting what you deserve. Though not a similar situation, I recall being denied a Promotion hike due to the fact that my Yearly hike (performance based) was due shortly. Though both were different, I felt it unjust to be deprived of something that I earned. Post a candid conversation with my manager and expressing my reasons, I had the issue evened out. **3\. Empower Women :** It’s true; no one is going to fight our battles, but us. Not a mutiny or a rebellion, but try and empower women folk around you to speak up for their rights, strive to get paid equally for the work they do and eliminate pay discrimination. Not much debated upon, this topic needs to be bought to the limelight to create an overall awareness and bridge the gap. Sacrificing a lot of things, women work hard and it’s only fair for them to be paid at par with men.  Addressing the gender pay gap will be more effective if employees take keen interest and bring it up at the relevant forums.  As I strongly believe, sometimes, we need to stick up for ourselves. _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), “[Importance of networking for success in your career](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/)“, ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘, ‘[A new dawn in the horizon – career restart’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/new-dawn-horizon-career-restart/#more-1250) , ‘[Being overlooked for promotion](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/being-overlooked-for-promotion/)‘ ._ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) **_Nithya Jagadish –_** I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## The Habit of Labeling Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-04-02 Tags: career break, Positive Thinking, Career restart, sabbaticals, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, career woman, Home maker, entrepreneurs, Habits, labeling URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Habit of labeling](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/habit%20of%20labeling-1621327749829-compressed.jpg) What is labeling? Labeling is attaching a name or an attribute to a person or a thing. Do you remember your school days where you put labels on your notebooks – English, Math, Physics or Geography? Once the labeling was done, you probably never changed it ever again. Labeling made categorization easier and managing notebooks was a piece of cake. You didn’t need to open each notebook to find out what subject it contained. Labeling is fine when it is done to objects. But when it comes to humans, it is a great mistake. How many times have you put labels on people, like “She’s selfish”, “He’s always rude” or “She’s so vain” AND confined your thoughts about them within those labels? And that’s not all. You put labels on yourself, too. You define yourself, your thoughts, and your actions based on the labels you stick to yourself. For instance, “I am not a good cook” or “I have the best fashion sense”. These labels are not always judgmental; they can be as basic as “I am a mother”, “I am a wife” or “I am a daughter”. You’d think, ‘Duh! These are _facts._’ Of course they are facts, but the influence they have on the way you look at life is tremendous. When you label yourself as a “mother”, you are actually limiting yourself to this single label. Your thoughts, decisions and actions revolve around the label of “mother” you put on yourself. Sometimes, you even give up on other roles like “wife” or an “employee” for the sake of the single label of “mother”. It is a great thing that you are fulfilling your duty as a parent, but the fact remains that your mindset is limited. When you limit your mindset to a particular label, you fail to live a life outside it. You generally label yourself based on your relationships with others. You are a daughter, a wife, a mother, and a sister, and you willingly cater to the all the responsibilities that come with those relations. However, there is a tiny flaw in this kind of thinking. While you are busy living up to the labels you put on yourself, you forget the fact that you are a human being who does not need to get bound with any labels whatsoever. No, this does not mean you will completely cease to do what you are doing. It just means that you live your life in a more meaningful way, with an open mind. When you stop labeling yourself, you are not just good to others, but you are kind to your own self. You broaden your perspective. For instance, with if you stick all those labels to yourself, you would struggle a lot to fit in each label and prove it apt. On the other hand, once you free yourself from the labels and gain more perspective, you would take decisions based on what is right in general. For instance you have a one year old child, and you, being a mommy at heart, might want to stay with your little one and take care of it 24/7. However, if you take the label of “mother” off yourself and look at the same situation, you would think about you and your family as a whole, and not just about your child. If you continue with your job, you would be channeling your career, earning some extra bucks for you and your entire family, and at the same time, your little one would be learning to be independent at a young age as you won’t always be with him or her. Did you see the difference between the two perspectives? We spend our entire lives in labeling ourselves and fitting in those labels, without even realizing it.  Here onwards, we must tear off all the labels, open our minds to other prospects, and try to look at the bigger picture. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author:  ‘[Fun alternatives for ladies on career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/fun-alternatives-ladies-career-break/)‘,  ‘[Bridging the gap using online resources](http://hersecondinnings.com/bridging-skill-gap-online-resources/)‘, ‘[Stress: Lets deal with it](http://hersecondinnings.com/stress-deal-with-it/)‘, ‘[No Matter what the world says, It is ok to… live your life](http://hersecondinnings.com/no-matter-world-says-okay-live-life/)‘, ‘[A little guide to positivity](http://hersecondinnings.com/little-guide-positivity/)‘ ‘[Ways to Selfmotivation- Your key to success’](http://hersecondinnings.com/ways-self-motivation/), ‘[Why you need to prioritise yoursel](http://hersecondinnings.com/why-you-need-prioritise-yourself/)f’, ‘[Challenges after a career break and their solutions](http://hersecondinnings.com/challenges-career-break-solutions/)‘, ‘[Home Business Ideas for Women](http://hersecondinnings.com/home-business-ideas-women/)’  ._ **_About the author:_** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Radhika_Image-2.jpg) “Radhika works as a visiting lecturer at the University of Mumbai. She completed her B.A. and  M.A (Gold medal) in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. She has a passion for languages especially English, Sanskrit, and German and has written articles on Upanishads. She provides content development services. She likes teaching and writing. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music.” (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)_You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## How To Be Your Own ‘Goal’ Keeper? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-03-28 Tags: career break, Career restart, alternate career, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker, worklife, goal planning URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![How your own goal keeper](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/How%20your%20own%20goal%20keeper-1621327844793-compressed.jpg) A goal is where you want to reach by the end of your tedious journey called life. The goal could be a long-term goal, like to become a Vice President of HR Department or a short-term goal, like a family vacation to Disneyland. The practice of planning and defining your goal will help you to live a more focused and directed life. So let’s see some simple steps of how to be your own ‘goal’ keeper? At work, goal setting and planning is usually left up to the Management whose major job responsibility entails just this. These large goals then distill down into smaller actionable goals that are communicated to us for execution. This is how organizations function. But this also applies to us as individuals. Every individual must have a goal, a personal and/or professional goal in life. Without these goals, you will be lost and aimlessly living your life. Goal determines response and results. Hence, goal setting and planning is extremely important. This article is going to focus on how to successfully set a goal for yourself and adhere to achieving it. ### Steps for Goal Setting: **Step One: Write down your specific Goal** Determining the results that you want to achieve at the end of the road, is what will help you determine the ultimate goal you will set for yourself. You will have to look far in the future, be realistic about your expectations and most importantly, your goal has to match your caliber. Most people set goals that are unrealistic and unachievable. Hence, consider your resources, personality, and skills that you have and set the goals accordingly. Write down your goal and make it as specific as possible. Then break them down into smaller achievable goals to be achieved over a period of time. Example: To become a Vice President of Human Resources. **Step Two: a SMART way to design your Goal:** SMART is the most commonly used tool for goal setting. S = Specific: The goal should be clearly defined and fixed. M = Measurable:  The goal should be quantifiable and be able to be measured. A = Attainable: The goal should be realistic and within the reach of being achieved. T = Time-bound: The goal must be achieved within a stipulated time. **Step Three: Have a time frame to achieve the Goal:** This is an important step. Determining the specific time-limit within which you want to achieve your goal can be tricky. If you are too lenient with the time limit, then you may become lethargic or weary to achieve it. On the other hand, having too aggressive deadlines can put unnecessary pressure on you, leading to wrong decisions or turns. So make sure your goal is realistically timed. This helps to further break down your smaller goals to be achieved each year. Example:  To become a Vice President of Human Resources in 10 years. **Step Four: Make an action plan for your Goal:** All talk and no action will lead you nowhere. A goal looks lovely on paper but we need to start breaking them down into actionable tasks that we can achieve daily. If I want to become a Vice President in 10 years, then I must ensure that my promotions take place accordingly, along with the increase in my job responsibilities. If I am stuck in a role for too long, I must discuss my growth with my Manager or look outside the company for the desired learning and growth. We need to keep revisiting our action plans, alter and amend them as the years go by. We need to take action when we hit a roadblock too. **Step Five: Assess the price you are willing to pay to achieve your Goal:** The journey to achieve a goal is hard and calls for many sacrifices. It may mean putting in the extra time after work to develop a skill, working on weekends if necessary or sacrificing your family life for a while, until you have reached a certain place, closer to achieving your goal. While these sacrifices are hard, they give you a sense of purpose, a sense of direction and an enthusiasm to push forward to achieve what you have set forth before you. We all have dreams, hopes, aspirations, and goals. These are our compass in life. The personal goals, family goals or professional goals, each in its own place are important and needed to live a life with direction, purpose and ironically a GOAL. What sets us apart from those who are successful or living a purpose-driven life, is that they have their goals written down and an action plan ready to achieve it. Most of us do not have a goal in mind, and you may think it is too late for me. Let me encourage you by saying, it’s never too late. Just let your goals be realistic, achievable and one that makes you happy and not what the world expects. So if today, you don’t have a goal towards which you working, then go find a notebook, lock yourself in a room alone and start scribbling. I assure you you will leave that room as a woman with a plan. _You may also want to read other article written by the same author ‘[Career tracking while on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-tracking-career-break/)‘, ‘[Career restarting for a woman on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-restarting-women-career-break/)‘, ‘[Is returnship right for you?](http://hersecondinnings.com/is-returnship-right-for-you/)‘_, ‘[Five things to consider before a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/five-things-consider-career-break/)‘, ‘[5 reasons why working moms are highly productive](http://hersecondinnings.com/5-reasons-working-moms-highly-productive/)‘, ‘[4 Questions to know yourself better and find a suitable career path](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/4-questions-know-yourself-better-find-suitable-career-path/#more-1188)‘, ‘[5 most frequent challenges that women entrepreneurs face](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/5-most-frequent-challenges-women-entrepreneurs-face/)‘ , ‘[Financially Stable and how?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financially-stable-and-how/) ,  ‘[Be aware of your emotions and its effects on you](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/aware-emotions-effects-you/)‘ . _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ _The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 7 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career.Disclaimer:“This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Issues Faced By Modern Working Woman Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-03-26 Tags: career break, Career restart, Financial Independence, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, Jobs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Issues faced by modern working women](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Issues%20faced%20by%20modern%20working%20women-1621327955590-compressed.jpg) There is no disagreement to the fact that modern day working woman can be called a ‘Superwoman’. She has to balance several facets of life such as Workplace, Society, Relationships, home, Money matters etc. But being a ‘Superwoman is not an easy Cake. As we know that since ages, the female Gender has been through acute discrimination in some way or the other. **Modern Society**: It is said that the, modern day world portrays the woman to be more Liberated, Independent, Educated and in a far better state than the traditional times. Even if we agree to this fact that women are in a better state, the question arises, if this is the complete truth? There are a lot of problems faced by working woman in modern day world that proves the phrase wrong that, ‘women are in a better state’ now. **_Five most common problems faced by the Modern Working Woman:_** 1. **Social Problems**: No matter how modern our society becomes, it has been and still is a patriarchal society. Talking about social problems, working till late hours or doing night shifts are still considered bad across India in many societies. Moreover, safety of women during such late hours has definitely gone for a toss. The reason behind this is again the male dominated society and male ego that wants to stop woman from growing. Way of dressing is another problem a working woman is facing in our society. A lot of people in society has accredited modern way of dressing as the reason for the ongoing rapes as well as eve teasing. In India still there is a notion in majority of the societies that a woman is meant for raising kids, performing household activities such as cleaning, cooking etc. and that she is not meant for earning out of the house and even in some cases take education. **2\. Professional**: Gender discrimination is inherent even in most of the Workplaces. Although some organizations encourage women to grow and get her share of merit, but there are Workplaces where gender discrimination creeps in some way or the other. There are many positions and even professions where preference is given to the male gender and females are underestimated. Apart from this there are problems like Sexual harassment, less pay, gender bias and even discrimination on basis of looks has been witnessed in some cases. **3\. Family Issues**: Our society has listed several duties for a woman as mentioned earlier such as raising kids, household tasks, instructions and expectations from in-laws etc. A woman performs these duties not just for the sake of doing them but, she does them efficiently as she cares for her family and kids. Also, she takes her career seriously as she craves for better prospects, growth and making her own mark in professional field. But she constantly has to strike a balance between the two. This involves time management which modern day woman has to maintain failing which the family life gets affected badly. **4\. Mental, Physical and Emotional issues**: You will definitely agree that a working woman goes through Mental, Physical as well as Emotional problems in her day to day life. Off course there is mental pressure while striking a balance between work and family life. Family rituals, taking leaves, meeting targets at workplace, important meetings as well as Health conditions of family members and kid are a few reasons apart from several other reasons that lead to the problem of mental pressure. Apart from that getting limited sleep or no sleep at all sometimes, not taking meals at proper time, not getting time for physical exercise, not getting sufficient maternity leaves and problems while travelling while pregnancy are some of the Physical issues faced by a woman. On the other hand, Household fights, high expectations from in-laws and relatives, work pressure, not getting expected growth at workplace are some of the emotional problems. **5\. Financial issues**: A working woman is said to be financially independent but still many situations prove this to be untrue. There are families in the society where a woman has to contribute a substantial portion of her Income or the full Income towards family, husband and in laws. Also receiving less pay and less hike in salary as compared to males are inherent in many professions. **Scope**: Although we do not have total control over the norms and beliefs of the society such as inequality, gender bias etc. Also, these things cannot be completely eradicated. Still there are some places where there lies some scope of improvement. Education, movies, media, support from Govt. towards equality of woman in every field, woman safety measures, Change, in social thought are some steps that could be taken to give modern day woman a better and happier life. **Outcome**: Despite all these problems modern day woman is fulfilling all her duties and coping with these challenges with a wide smile on her face. A modern working woman does not ask for more preference or better opportunities as compared to males. Rather she just wants equality with the opposite gender. Is that too much to ask? _**This article is written by our guest blogger Ruchira Chakravorty.**_ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed. --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Productivity: A Natural Byproduct Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-03-21 Tags: career break, Career Change, Career restart, working moms, corporate employees, women empowerment, business women, career woman, productivity, Mindset, Results URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Productivity natural by product](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/productivity-1621328501081-compressed.jpg) Human being, are a rare amalgamation of the CREATOR and the CREATION within us. We are the creator because we choose our food and we are the creation because the food we consume becomes a part of our system. When it comes to productivity and efficiency, they are the natural by-products of an organized mind and body. Productivity can be a natural byproduct only if we love the process journey and work towards it diligently. Being a woman is the most divine creation of nature. The Universe functions in a certain pattern of cause and effect relationship. If there is a cause, then there must be an effect. And being human, we have the intelligence of choosing on which side of the equation we want to be. If we are in the cause side, the Life itself becomes a phenomenal possibility because in this equation we choose and thereby get our desired results. But, if we are in the effect side, we negotiate with loads of excuses and become the mere victim of the situations where we face the after effect of the action we had chosen. If you learn how to organize the body and the mind, then to be productive and efficient is just the consequence, a natural byproduct. **How to Explore Productivity** While productivity is measurable component, however, fundamentally it stands tall and balanced only on the base of things which can never be measurable. Those unmeasurable and highly recommended components which help you to rejuvenate are: 1. **Set The GOAL, but Love the Process:** Focus on the process not the Goal**.** The world around you is a multitude of rhythmic cycles. The Sun also has 24-hour cycle as it revolves around the earth. There is the rhythmic cycle of aging too; from a cute baby, to the can-do attitude of a teen and an adult, and the contemplative nature of our elders. Ayurveda is the practice of observing nature’s rhythms and aligning ourselves with them. Following the Ayurveda way of eating helps us to understand the food and also connect with it in a certain way thereby enhancing our productivity and energy levels. Every month, a woman has the natural ability to shed toxins, emotions, and physical blocks that no longer serve her. Her body cleanses and rejuvenates itself during this period. If we do not take care of this subtle process then we mess up with our productivity and efficiency. A fundamental understanding of this rhythmic cycle is a must to enjoy being healthy and as a result you can focus on your productivity. 1. **Decode your Master Plan:** Our bodies give us a Master Plan to organize our life: Listen to the communication happening within and respond accordingly. 2. **Compete with Yourself Only**: Never doubt your abilities before trying. Train your mind to perceive things as it is without being conclusive and judgmental. Never be psychologically trapped with peer pressure, which is a kind of constipated way of looking at life journey. ”Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.” – Marilyn Monroe Remember, you are much more than what you think. Work on the fundamentals and unleash your potential. 1. **Yoga Regimen for this Sophisticated Gadget**, **Human Being**: As the word speaks “being” means **To Be;** we are the most sophisticated gadget in this world, we need to work on our tools, the body and the mind to enhance the mileage of our life. A daily exercise and yoga regimen with meditation would work wonders to enhance our energy level and productivity. 2. **Prevent Burnout:** Pay attention to the early symptoms of fatigue, and say no to certain activities, when your body demands to refuel. Remember, only you are responsible for your life, and only _you_ can manage it. 3. **Now that you’ve done the inner work, it’s time to take action:** Plan strategically about your personal and professional life so that you are all set to fly high.Happy flying!! About the Author: Premsai Samontoray, is a Master Trainer in Life Skills with an inclusive attitude towards life. She is a motivational speaker who facilitates people to think and act to explore their true potential in their life. She has overall 12 years of training experience and has trained more than 10,000 professionals in Life Skill at various levels of management in various Corporate and Engineering Colleges. She has a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management.  In addition to her innate passion towards the training profession, she is a Certified NLP Practitioner, a Blogger, a Painter and a Yoga Practitioner too. She treasures all her multi-domain experience as they have brushed, groomed, and mentored her professionally as well as personally. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)_You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed. --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Be a Child At Heart, Filled With Self-Confidence Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-03-19 Tags: career break, Career Change, Self-confidence, Career restart, motivation, alternate career, Indian women, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker, Bold, Child like confidence, Fearless URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Be a Child at hear](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/be%20a%20child%20at%20heart-1621328599394-compressed.jpg) **_Innocence of a child is wonderful_** **_That’s what make them lovely and adorable_** **_Let’s find magic in tiny little things_** **_Let’s continue to dream big, soar high and open our wings…_** As a child, we see wonders happening around us in every small things- be it tiny droplets of rain coming together to make that big puddle, be it those disciplined ants who work hard while the sun shines. And of course, that small little princess finds her happiness in the magic that air can create by blowing her little dress like a balloon while she is enjoying her turn around. **_Growing up to be a responsible human beings is a beautiful journey called LIFE._** In today’s hi-tech life, everything seems to be moving very fast and so are we – to keep up with its pace. But, if we try to take a pause for a while and introspect, most of us will find that there are some things in us that haven’t changed, that we don’t want to change because they are meant to be there… for GOOD. That’s our inner urge like a child to always keep learning, keep exploring and keep igniting our minds with magical ideas to create wonders in our personal and professional lives. Let’s look at some of those simple and innocent qualities of children which if combined with the mind of adults will definitely help us feel truly alive and to blossom every day. 1. **BE ENTHUSIASTIC** “_Enthusiasm is the root of wonderful creations_” Without zeal, no mountain can be climbed nor can our goals be achieved. Always keep up your spirits, be it to start a new venture, to do something different altogether or to do a routine job in a different way. It’s our enthusiasm that can help us discover different ways to do the same daily chores and make it more interesting. **2\. BE A LEARNER** Kids are quick learners. The other day, I was watching kids playing in an open area of my apartment. One child introduced a new game which she might have played at school. Within no time other kids picked up the new game and they all evolved as a team playing together. That’s how kids are!!! Always ready to learn. We must try and imbibe this beautiful quality. It will help us be a part of a group wherein we can always learn more and more from each other. **3\. BE FEARLESS** Children speak and act what’s in their heart. They are not afraid of anything or anyone. Sometimes, we adults tend to think more than actually required and imprison ourselves in the barriers of what others say or think about us. Mind you, it’s none of our business to think what others think about us. So, let’s step out of our comfort zone and speak our heart out. **4\. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF** Many of us would have seen kids aged between two and three trying to do big chores by themselves. That’s what I am seeing in my daughter these days. These little kids are such a tiny lot of strong, optimistic and self-confident believers of themselves. They have a very high self-esteem. Let’s be positive about ourselves just like these kids, believe in ourselves and that would be a good beginning. After all, **_“Well begun is half done”._** So, let’s be childlike at our heart, see immense possibilities of doing the same things in different ways not to impress anyone but to embrace the happiness of that moment derived out of making an attempt to fulfill our deep desires. Believe me ladies…it boosts up our self-confidence and places us a step ahead in the ladder of success. Wish you all find wonderful ways to create magic in every walk of life. _**About the author:**_ Vasudha has a post graduate degree in management and has three plus years of experience in the field of Human Resources. She has been a part time Yoga instructor. She is currently employed as a home maker and enjoys to spend quality time with her kids. She likes to explore new areas of learning. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)_You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Tips for Writing an Exceptional Resume Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-03-14 Tags: career break, Career Change, Career restart, women professionals, corporate employees, career woman, Home maker, Resume writing URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null **Why an exceptional resume?** Joseph Abbound iterates that **“Making a strong first impression is as important as ever, especially when meeting face-to-face”**. Though it is a myth that having an impressive resume will always land oneself to their next job, concocting an exceptional resume these days has added advantage of attracting the hiring managers. This article expounds the need of an extraordinary resume and highlights the key features for writing it. **About Yourself** * It is not necessary to write up everything there. It is enough to highlight the accomplishments and skills that are more relevant. * Make sure that the best experiences and accomplishments are visible on top of the resume.This is called “above the fold”, which will grab recruiter’s attention. * Make the information to be concise and keep it to single page. This showcases how the resume is well organized **Formatting** * Only include the subheadings and sections that is really needed. * It is always a best practice to have one inch margin and preferably 1.5 line spaces. * It is not mandatory to include the address, but it’s advisable to add the professional email address and phone number **Skills, Awards and Interests** * Add a section that lists out all the skills relevant to the position and also any certifications that could boost up the profile. * If there is a lot of skill sets related to the position, break down the skills sections further into small lists, and detail it. * Don’t forget to add the awards and accolades received. It can include both career development as well as personal achievement. **Education** * It is always a good practice to highlight the experience first and followed by education. * This section is little tricky as it goes, that it is better to list out the education qualification in reverse chronological order. * List out the ongoing certification courses, professional development coursework as well which will be an added advantage. **Experience** * Keep the most relevant years of experience at the top and include them only if it’s relevant to the position for which it is applied. * It is not necessary to throw light on every industry jargon. It is better to bring down to a level that it is readable and relevant. * It’s is a good practice to mix up the words rather than going for same “Responsible for” as it may bore the readers. **How to Finish it up** * Proof Reading is the best practice to look up for any typos and freeing it up, to make a resume look even better. * Naming a file is as important as considering even minor suggestions into account. * Keep refreshing the contents of the resume for every quarter by including the new skills, new certificates etc. * It is better to save the file as pdf rather than a doc file, as it doesn’t involve any accidental alignment changes which might mess up the Resume’s look. You are all set now to attend that interview you have been waiting for… Good Luck! About the author: ![](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Mrinalini-2-261x300.jpg)Mrinalini:  a computer science graduate, with an overall experience of about 6 years in IT industry. Though I had been a techie full time, I always had a love for writing and thirst for becoming a writer. Mother of 3 year old Kid, it took me years to realise, what I needed to make myself end my day completely satisfied. Am a blogger, traveler, adventure lover and an ardent book reader. I read a lot, believe books are the best companions in the world. I love to enjoy each day of my life, as it often comes bagged with full of surprises. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## How to Stay Motivated On a Career Break Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-03-12 Tags: career break, Career Change, Career restart, motivation, sabbaticals, working moms, Indian women, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker, part time jobs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Stay Motivated](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/stay%20motivated%20blog-1621330641838-compressed.jpg) You’ve finally done it. You’ve decided to take a break from your career. You no longer have to worry about what to tell your supervisor or your loved ones. The decision has been made. The wait is over. Now what? Some women have a detailed plan or a specific goal when they leave their jobs. That’s okay. But some women might not know where to go from here. That’s okay too. If you’re struggling to find purpose or stay motivated while you’re on a career break, you’re not alone. Here are three steps you can take to increase your motivation, sense of fulfillment and overall happiness. 1. **Write Down Your Goals** Take a moment to write down the goals you might have for your career break. Why are you taking a break? What do you hope to gain or accomplish? These goals do not have to be highly specific, but they do have to give you a sense of purpose. This step is highly important, even if you do not plan to return to work. Without goals, you risk playing a passive role in your own life. Don’t be afraid to create multiple goals for yourself. Your ideas for what you want to accomplish don’t have to be extremely clear. On a personal level, for example, you may want to decrease your level of stress. You may need to take care of your family. If you are looking to switch career paths, your goal might be to find an alternate career. 1. **Create Concrete Objectives** Now that your career break has a general sense of purpose, it’s time to put a foundation beneath your dreams and aspirations. How are you going to reach your goals? What steps will take you where you want to go? Let’s begin with one of the examples mentioned above: decreasing your level of stress. At first glance, the method seems pretty obvious. You avoid the things that cause you worry or anxiety, one of which might have even been your job. But how can you actively decrease your level of stress? You might try learning a new skill that has always interested you, such as yoga. If you’re on a tight budget or want to start with something smaller, consider going for a walk every day. If you plan to change your career path, your objectives will look somewhat different. Your first step? Research, research, research. Ask yourself the following questions: * What does it take to become successful in your chosen career? * Where and how do you start? * What skills does the career require? * What skills of your own can you improve? The more you research your desired profession, the easier it will be to formulate your objectives. 1. **Give Yourself the Time to Breathe** If you are a mother or you have a busy home life, downtime may feel like an unaffordable luxury. However, taking some time for yourself may increase your productivity and help you maintain your motivation. Can’t have even 30 minutes to yourself? Try a five-minute stretch break that can be repeated multiple times throughout the day. Or, try waking up a little early two or three times a week to stretch, walk, read or meditate. If you have a little more time to spare, consider volunteering or taking up a fun, part-time job. A small change in your every day life can have a dramatic effect on your overall health and happiness.All The Best! About the Author: Jenna Cartusciello – is a freelance content writer based in the U.S. whose work includes informative, DIY guide articles, political opinion pieces and quirky, creative short stories. She discovered Her Second Innings after her first job when she was looking for career advice. Now, she hopes to help readers the same way Her Second Innings blogs have helped her. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)_You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 5 Vows All Ladies Should Take This Women’s Day Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-03-08 Tags: career break, Career restart, women professionals, working moms, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, career woman, Home maker, Corporate women, Inspire, IWD2019, Women's Day URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Womensday blog](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/womensday%20blog-1621330878364-compressed.png) You are the bearer of life, you are the embodiment of compassion, you are the abode of discipline, you are the bond that keeps the family together, you are sugar, you are spice, and you are everything nice! This Women’s Day, I sincerely urge all the women to take these five vows to make this world a better place for you and other women. * **I will never underestimate myself:** You have the potential to achieve your set goals. The only thing that is hindering you is your self-doubt. Success, like Rome, can never be built in a day. Recognize your potential and the fact that the only way to reach your goals is by becoming a better person than you were yesterday. Everyone is progressing at a different rate. While you may take your own sweet time to achieve your goals, do not, in any circumstance, doubt yourself. This Women’s Day, let us recognize our potential and give up on doubting ourselves. * **I will never let anyone disrespect me:** People around you will say rude things to you, take you granted and underestimate you. They may be doing this unknowingly, but it is your duty to politely tell them off. How you perceive yourself will reflect on how others perceive you. Do not let anyone get away with disrespecting you. This Women’s Day, vow to recognize your value and to make sure others recognize it, too. * **I will uphold the dignity of other women:** It is natural for human beings to criticize and gossip about other people. We want others to fare good, but not better than us. This brings us to the saying “Women are women’s worst enemies”. You might be true to your friends, but I am sure there are some women in your life who you are jealous of, or who you dislike for some reason. And it is totally human to have those kinds of feelings. But, this Women’s Day, let us forget our woes, grudges, and contempt for other women. Let us be glad at other women’s success and achievements. Let us not bring each other down because of trivial mistakes, dress sense, skin colour, haircuts or tattoos. Let us support and encourage our female clan, because no matter how much men try, only a woman can really understand another woman. Let us make the proverb “Jealousy, thy name is woman” a mere myth. * **I will be comfortable in my own skin:** Women are brainwashed by the world that they should constantly look beautiful. A dark skin colour, an overweight body, pimples, and a few strands of grey hair, are looked down upon by many. Women who do not fit in the beauty standards put forth by fashion magazines tend to have lower confidence. This Women’s Day, let’s ditch the undue importance given to outer appearance. Instead of feeling bad about our bodies and trying to cover up flaws with makeup, and flab with body-shaper, let us focus on developing our personality, our values, and our wisdom. Love yourself the way you are. * **My happiness will be my own responsibility:** Being a woman is hard in a world where your every movement is a basis for other people to judge you. People, even your near and dear ones, will not always meet your expectations. If your happiness depends on how other people treat you, there are high chances that your happiness meter will be occasionally down. It will also mean that you would blame others for putting you in a sour mood. This Women’s Day, let us take our happiness in our own hands. Let us be happy in our own spirits. Walking, yoga, reading, painting- take up any hobby of your choice and take control of your happiness. This Women’s Day, vow to treat yourself and other women like queens. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author:  ‘[Fun alternatives for ladies on career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/fun-alternatives-ladies-career-break/)‘,  ‘[Bridging the gap using online resources](http://hersecondinnings.com/bridging-skill-gap-online-resources/)‘, ‘[Stress: Lets deal with it](http://hersecondinnings.com/stress-deal-with-it/)‘, ‘[No Matter what the world says, It is ok to… live your life](http://hersecondinnings.com/no-matter-world-says-okay-live-life/)‘, ‘[A little guide to positivity](http://hersecondinnings.com/little-guide-positivity/)‘ ‘[Ways to Selfmotivation- Your key to success’](http://hersecondinnings.com/ways-self-motivation/), ‘[Why you need to prioritise yoursel](http://hersecondinnings.com/why-you-need-prioritise-yourself/)f’, ‘[Challenges after a career break and their solutions](http://hersecondinnings.com/challenges-career-break-solutions/)‘, [‘Home Business Ideas for Women’](http://hersecondinnings.com/home-business-ideas-women/)._ **_About the author:_** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Radhika_Image-2.jpg) “Radhika works as a visiting lecturer at the University of Mumbai. She completed her B.A. and  M.A (Gold medal) in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. She has a passion for languages especially English, Sanskrit, and German and has written articles on Upanishads. She provides content development services. She likes teaching and writing. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music.” (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)_You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Sisterhood @ Work Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-03-07 Tags: career break, Career restart, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, business women, Home maker, worklife, Balance, Jobs, networking, careers, Sisterhood URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Sisterhood at work](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Sisterhood-%40-work-1200x699-1621331028580-compressed.jpg) “One woman can make a difference, but together we can rock the world’’ – Anonymous. I recall vividly, there were days when I would step into office obsessing about the challenging meetings and never ending to-do lists. All through this, one thing which gave me a sense of relief was the girl-gang I was surrounded with. While we were more than acquaintances, it gave me the freedom to discuss a few things which only another woman could understand. The solace I found in my Sisterhood @ work helped me tide over the petty anxieties of daily life. So what makes this networking vital? The reasons could be many and varied, but for me, it was more a symbol of trust, understanding and fun. Few benefits for having a Sisterhood @ work, from my point of view: * **The Numbers game:** In some industries that is dominated by Men, the number of women are far and few. There are times when one might feel their voices are drowned in corporate decision makings and other pertinent factors. It’s helpful to have a lady pal to discuss your point of view and see things from a different perspective. Having someone to second your thoughts and ease your mind gives a glimmer of strength and confidence, whatever the situation be. * **Morale Booster:** Besides catching up on professional topics, it makes it easier to have a heartfelt chat about varied topics with a friend. While there are abundant subjects to bond over, I have personally experienced that women take genuine interest in your personal life as well. Yes, I do enjoy the discussions about sports and cars, but having someone ask me about my family or my weekend is altogether a different level of satisfaction. Also, studies shows that maintaining a network of women friends in your life boosts your psychological well-being too. * **Growth Opportunities:** A person who knows you personally and professionally, your strengths and flaws, can suggest you better growth opportunities that suit your stature.  In reality, while there could be a limitation owing to family constraints or other personal matters, a person with profound knowledge of the same can analyse and refer you for job openings that would balance work and life. * **Building long-lasting relationships:** Some of my colleagues I met in the early stages of my career are an inseparable part of my life now. I recall spending my innocent teenage days together and going through other phases like marriage, motherhood etc., with them as my backbone. To conclude, women networking at office forges better bonds and has an overall positive impact in all aspects of life.  The care, reassurance and inspiration that one woman would receive from another is a tower of strength to face any odds or impediments. Irrespective of your designation or title, having a coffee break with someone who can understand you is a blessing.  To quote what I read once “When Women support each other, incredible things happen” _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), “[Importance of networking for success in your career](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/)“, ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘, ‘[A new dawn in the horizon – career restart](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/new-dawn-horizon-career-restart/#more-1250)’  ‘[Being overlooked for promotion](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/being-overlooked-for-promotion/)‘ ._ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) **_Nithya Jagadish –_** I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Be Aware Of Your Emotions ; Its Effects On You Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-03-05 Tags: career break, Career Change, Career restart, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Emotional Awareness, Indian women, business women, career woman, Home maker, worklife, entrepreneurs, Emotions URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Emotional Awareness](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Emotional%20Awareness-1621336967708-compressed.jpg) How many times have you heard your Manager tell you, “You are too emotional” or “Let’s discuss this rationally and not emotionally”? I am sure, the later one has been said by our spouses once too many times too. Women, in general, are very high on emotions. This is her strength and if not kept in check can be her biggest enemy too. That made me think of how important it is for us to be aware of our emotions and the effects it has on us. ### What is Emotional Awareness? The acronym “EI”, Emotional Intelligence, has been around for almost a decade now. In fact, it has become a job requirement for certain kind of profiles too like Human Resources, Sales etc. Emotional awareness is simply being able to recognize yours and others emotions accurately. This could be in a particular situation, environment or during a communication. It impacts different aspects of your daily life in regards to how you choose to interact with other people and how you are portraying yourself. Hence, its importance cannot be stressed more. ### Four Areas of Your Life ‘Emotional Awareness’ Helps You Undeniably we women are thinkers, one who thinks from their hearts. We are naturally wired that way. While we cannot change our basic nature and should not, we can start by being aware of it and how it impacts our life and of those around us. * **Your Professional Life:** Let’s take an example. If you are in a discussion with your team and one of your colleagues indicate that you are getting aggressive, what would be your first emotion? Do you take it personally and snap back, do you take it as a feedback or do you over analyze the situation and ultimately term him/her as being rude? If at that moment, you are totally aware of your emotions and theirs, you will be able to create the right response for the situation. Emotional Awareness will help you survive in the corporate jungle and deal with its social complexities. Hence, being aware of the emotions of those around you is equally important to succeed in a workplace, motivate others and grow in your professional careers. In fact companies today assess one’s “EI” for Senior Management or Leadership roles before hiring a candidate. You don’t want someone who will lose their head with team members or clients, only because they are upset about something. * **Your Mental Happiness:** One cannot put a price on mental health and happiness. When we let our negative emotions run wild, we tend to leave ourselves vulnerable to thoughts that lead to depression, anxiety or stress. These are serious mental health issues that the society is struggling with today. This also leads to mood swings that in turn leads to unpredictable behavior that is harmful to you and others. Imagine if we had the ability to know our emotions, reason with it and know the exact steps to take, wouldn’t that be a useful tool to fight those mental health for good. * **Your Personal Relationships:** I personally feel Emotional Awareness is most required in our personal relationships, for we tend to be ourselves the most with the ones we love. So they bear the brunt of our erratic emotions and need to shoulder our emotional baggage. Best of friendships, marriages and family ties break because of that one harsh word said when your emotions were running high and creating a havoc. I have learned this personally in my married life. It is not necessary to voice every emotion and thought you have about your spouse to them. Emotional awareness will help us to gauge the seriousness of the situation and react accordingly. Even if you must say something and is important you should first take into consideration his emotions at that time and say your peace another time when things have settled. A harsh word spoken in haste has never helped anyone. * **Your Entire Being:** You are defined by your actions. What you say, what you do, how you react are all indicators of who you really are. I am not asking you to fake it till you make it. I am only asking you to heighten your sense of awareness towards your emotions that result in your actions and speech. We all want to better ourselves as we grow. One vital thing is to keep your emotions in check. How many times have you said, “I am sorry, this is not me.” That’s indication enough to say that your emotions control you and not the other way. Emotions affect our entire being and shape us into the people we are. Least it deserves is some attention, and pronto. I can’t say I have been more aware or cautious, least of all that I have mastered the art. Until very recently I allowed emotions to make my decisions, take control of my speech and the way I feel. It makes me question my existence and my reaction and relations with others. How can something this small have such great control over us? The answer is simple, we allow it. I would like to encourage my readers that all hope is not lost. We can by just being more aware of our emotions and also that of others, be able to live a less complicated life than we have made it right now. _You may also want to read other article written by the same author ‘[Career tracking while on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-tracking-career-break/)‘, ‘[Career restarting for a woman on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-restarting-women-career-break/)‘, ‘[Is returnship right for you?](http://hersecondinnings.com/is-returnship-right-for-you/)‘_, ‘[Five things to consider before a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/five-things-consider-career-break/)‘, ‘[5 reasons why working moms are highly productive](http://hersecondinnings.com/5-reasons-working-moms-highly-productive/)‘, ‘[4 Questions to know yourself better and find a suitable career path](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/4-questions-know-yourself-better-find-suitable-career-path/#more-1188)‘, ‘[5 most frequent challenges that women entrepreneurs face](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/5-most-frequent-challenges-women-entrepreneurs-face/)‘ , ‘[Financially Stable and how?](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financially-stable-and-how/)‘ . _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ _The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 7 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career.Disclaimer:“This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Being Overlooked for Promotion? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-02-28 Tags: Positive Thinking, Career restart, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, career woman, Balance, Performance appraisal, Selfconfidence, Employers, Promotion URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null  “Every time I thought I was being rejected from something good, I was actually being re-directed to something better” – Steve Maraboli Nothing’s more satisfying than reaping the fruits of hard work. Whether it is in business or personal life, it’s fulfilling to have our efforts acknowledged. Sometimes though, the results seem to be disregarded which creates a void and makes us question our capabilities. Somewhere in the phase of our career, there might have been instances of being overlooked for promotion, a reward that appears to be within the reach, but eludes in reality. While the process is frustrating and at times disheartening too, I suppose it takes a bit of patience and perseverance to overcome such odds. What to do, when situations seem unfair and the toils appear pointless? Few guidelines to cope up during such low-downs: * **Have an open conversation:** Don’t fret or fume, rather collect yourself and refocus. Seek an open feedback with your manager and try to examine the differences in their expectation. Also, use it as an opportunity to apprise them of the skills you acquired, pinning your hopes on this promotion. * **Stay motivated:** Uproot any negative turbulence in your head and control the anxiety to share it with your colleagues. It’s pertinent to avoid spreading any negativity at your workplace .Rather, utilise this instance to scrutinize your methods and realign your strategy. Remember, everything happens for a reason and try to see the brighter side of things. * **Bridge the gap, upskill yourself:** There is always something more to learn. If you realise that the chance is lost cause of skill gaps, address it without delay. Overcoming your inadequacies without loss of enthusiasm when coupled with upgraded skills will make you an indispensable candidate for that next promotion. * **Lateral movement:** After trying everything at your disposal and yet if the promotion is delayed, seek a lateral movement to a different team within the same office. In addition to newer opportunities of learning, a change of environment is a good morale booster. * **Try in a different organisation:** Never feel guilty to try in a different company. A whiff of fresh air might be all that you need. If you feel that your talent is undermined and no amount of hard work or self-development will do any good, muster your strength and knowledge; be open to utilize those skills in a new organisation. The key is to understand that being passed over for promotion is not the end of the world; but it could lead to new and better beginnings, if control measures are taken and adhered to. While persistence is the key, a never-say-die attitude and maintaining a positive spirit during odds will help you to transition the phase with ease. To end with a quote by Vivian Komori -“Life is not about how fast you run or how high you climb, but how well you bounce” _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), “[Importance of networking for success in your career](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/)“, ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘, ‘[A new dawn in the horizon – career restart’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/new-dawn-horizon-career-restart/#more-1250)._ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) **_Nithya Jagadish –_** I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Society – Career Comeback With an NGO Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-02-26 Tags: Career Change, Careerbreak, alternate career, women professionals, Indian women, women empowerment, employment, NGO, Society URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Society career come back](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/socety%20career%20come%20back-1621337449647-compressed.jpg) “ SOCIETY”——– The word is a derivation of the French word _societe_, which came from the Latin word _societas_  meaning ‘a friendly association with others’. A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent [**s**ocial interaction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_relation). A society can also consist of like-minded people who work together for a common cause. Why is society being defined here? Well, society and humans are interdependent on each other. Sometimes we are dictated by norms of the society. And other times we make rules that society follows. Society is important because it provides us with a system and a platform to work together for the betterment of the world. With the collective efforts of the society, we are able to improve our living and social conditions. The support given by society can be of the physical, emotional, financial, or medical form. So, how does this mindset help a woman to make a career comeback?  She can by contributing to the society by being a part of it. Her contribution is valuable, helpful and adds to the collective. Working for an NGO provides an opportunity to make a difference, support others in need and create positive change in communities the world over. There are many organizations and corporate that are primarily NGO and are quite professionalized. So, how can you be a part of it? Here are few tips that could help you step in that direction. 1. 1**. What does your soul call for?** There must be that one cause that you feel deeply for and may drive you. You want to bring about changes in that area and are motivated to do it. Whether you want to work with refugees, animals, children, disabled people, victims of war, the elderly, environment, the underprivileged, rural areas or any other cause that you can think of, there will be an NGO providing solutions and opportunities. Over the years Tata group has helped raise different underprivileged communities, along with scheduled caste and scheduled tribes, through initiatives like Tata Steel’s tribal welfare programmes and projects supported by the Tata trusts. The Aditya Birla group schemes are carried out under the aegis of the “Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development”, led by Rajashree Birla. The centre is engaged in many social activities such as formal and non-formal education, adult education, scholarships for girls, merit scholarships and technical education for boys, girl child education, Widow re-marriage / dowry-less mass marriages, self-help groups (microfinance for women and farmers), integrated agriculture development and many more. 1. **How are you equipped to take up a role**? There is no set rule or degree or skillset that would be your single route of entry into the sector where people from a diverse range of backgrounds or employment history and experience come together for a common cause.  A job in an NGO is just like any other job. It is your personal qualities, skills, knowledge and experience that will determine whether you can get your foot on that first step of the ladder. So, do invest in yourself and develop skills that are valuable to the role you want to do and the organisation you want to work for. If you are digitally literate, you can teach the same. Reliance industries have been contributing to the community in areas of health, education, infrastructure development in various ways. The Infosys foundation partners with various Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) to help the unfortunate earn a sustainable livelihood through the Computers@Classrooms initiative launched in January 1999. Microsoft Corporation also participates in this initiative by providing relevant software. Similarly if you have the gift of knowing 2 or 3 languages then you can be useful in multinational NGOs that aim to culturally work for other countries and communities. 1. **Does previous work experience matter?** It doesn’t matter what your experience is, if you have the passion to support people, you can find a job in an NGO. Some larger NGOs offer internship opportunities that often pay some costs and enable you to learn the ropes from the inside, work alongside experienced professionals and align yourself with a reputable organisation. You can find internship opportunities on most NGOs websites or you can contact with them by phone or email to discuss how you might be able to support them. You can also volunteer for few hours a week. NGOs operate just like any other business, they have people working in accounting, management, fundraising and operations. The larger international development organisations, such as UNICEF, OXFAM and Save the Children, maintain whole departments for marketing, logistics, public relations, business development, human relations, product development, legal and more. Be a part of the change that you want to see!!! _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Decoding Stress](http://hersecondinnings.com/decoding-stress/)‘, ‘[Communication made easy…](http://hersecondinnings.com/communication-made-easier/)‘, , [‘Personal Finance Planning’](http://hersecondinnings.com/personal-finance-planning/), ‘[Are you financially fit?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/are-you-financially-fit/), ‘[3 M’s… Mantra for Morale](http://hersecondinnings.com/3-ms-mantra-morale/)‘ , [‘Tips for effective interaction with management’](http://hersecondinnings.com/4-tips-effective-interaction-management/), ‘[Adapting to global work culture – locally](http://hersecondinnings.com/adapting-global-work-culture-locally/)‘, ‘[8 Advantages of Online tutoring as a work from home career](http://hersecondinnings.com/advantages-online-tutoring-work-home-career/)‘, ‘[6 Tips for health management at workplace](http://hersecondinnings.com/6-tips-health-management-workplace/)‘, ‘[Marriage and Finance](http://hersecondinnings.com/marriage-finance/)‘, ‘[Passion with a Purpose](http://hersecondinnings.com/passion-with-purpose/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from).  A woman as created by the divine.  An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Alternate Career Options for Women Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-02-21 Tags: career break, Career restart, alternate career, Financial Independence, women professionals, Indian women, business women, Home maker, Balance, Hobbies and passion URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null When you consider alternate career options it may not always be the 9-5 regular shift you have been slogging at during a substantial part of your life. This time round you wish to engage in doing something exciting and different. It may be something you have been wanting to take up for sometime but did not feel it was the right time for it. It is also possible that you have finally summoned the guts to follow your passion. Take a look at some of the possible alternate career options that will allow you to express yourself better. **Delve into Creative Writing** If you have always been the closet writer it is now time to come out in the open. Writing is a big industry now with every second person wishing to publish the next Booker Prize category novel. If you seriously feel you have it in you to express yourself perfectly through words, you definitely should give it a go. Moreover, you can also extend your craft to help others benefit. Organize workshops that help others know how they can express themselves. Creative writing is a big and upcoming field with immense potential. Along with being a viable career option it is also an immensely satisfying feeling to see your thoughts flow beautifully on paper. So don’t wait any longer and dip your quill in the inkpot to let the words flow. **Start a Pet Boarding**If you love pets and are unable to get one of your own, there is nothing to get depressed about. The recent advent of a new career option of starting your very own Pet Boarding will help you bring home not one but as many pets as you want. All you will need is a space to board the pets, relevant training and understanding of how to handle pets and a deep love for animals. Moreover, since you will be handling other people’s pets it is important you possess requisite skills to handle medical emergencies. You should also have an access to Vets and animal hospitals so that if things get out of hand you know where to rush to. Once all that is taken care of you can frolic around with your furry friends all through the day with no worries. **Evolve as Gardening Consultant**As more and more people are moving towards environment-friendliness, there is an increasing number of people who prefer growing their own gardens. If you have a green thumb you can definitely emerge as a Gardening expert and help people carve out a green bounty in their backyard or terrace. Moreover, as a large number of urban population live in small cube sized apartments, maintaining a beautiful indoor garden is more in fashion. Hone your skills in indoor plants and help people do up their homes in varied shades of green. **Start your own cafe** If you love having people around you with whom you can chat about almost anything over a cup of hot aromatic coffee then maybe you can think of starting your own cafe. Be innovative with the decor. Make it casual, cozy and comfortable. Throw in a bunch of books to hold on to while you brew the coffee. A good book, people to talk it over with and a cup of hot steaming coffee and life could not be any better. If you are good with your baking gloves, you could also get some hot muffins and other tid bits to fill up your glass shelves. Talking does make one hungry. Running your own cafe will definitely help you do what you like the best and make some quick bucks while you are at it. **Evolve as a Declutter and Organizer Coach**If you are good at Organizing the clutter in your homes and have innovative ideas about how to maximize with minimum resources, you can also think of emerging as a Declutter and Organizer Coach. A training in Interior designing is always helpful in understanding the concept of space and size measurements. However, if you are intuitive, intelligent and innovative there is nothing that can stop you from becoming an expert in helping people organize the clutter that accumulates in their home. Considering an alternate career option is all about delving into your inner self and identifying the real self. It helps you live for yourself as well as others. In addition to giving you the much required financial assistance, it also helps to fulfill your long cherished desires. Take a look around and within yourself to find the right option that suits you the best._You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Tips To Knowing Yourself Better](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/tips-knowing-yourself-better/)‘, ‘[The P-C-R approach to achieve financial stability](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/p-c-r-approach-financial-stability/)‘, ‘[Emotional awareness for personal and professional success](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/emotional-awareness-professional-success/)‘, ‘[Tips to improve your resume writing](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/resume-writing/tips-improve-resume-writing/)‘ ‘[Back from the break – 3 tips to make you rock it](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/returnship/back-break-3-tips-make-rock/)’ , ‘[5 easy and helpful ways to staying motivated](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/5-easy-helpful-ways-tstaying-motivated/#more-1357)‘  .__**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/amrita-chatterjee-1.jpg)[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/amrita-chatterjee-1.jpg) Amrita is a freelance writer currently based out of Pune. She has worked  with organizations as a Technical and Web Content Writer. Her short stories have been published on Amazon and on Juggernaut books. She is an avid traveler and her travel stories are available on her blog – Amritawrites.(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)_You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career._Disclaimer:_“This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Financially Stable and How? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-02-19 Tags: career break, Financial planning, Career restart, Indian women, business women, career woman, Home maker, Balance, entrepreneurs, Financial empowerment, Employers, Money matters URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null Growing up in a nuclear family and having only an elder sister, tilted the dynamics of an ideal Indian household quite a bit. So we really did not have any boys in the house to compete with or share our parent’s biases with. They had two girls since I was born after my sister, they already had a doting daughter, so decided to fulfill their dreams of having a son, by raising me as one. But to be fair, my parents raised us both being financially stable and how! My mother was a working mom all through our growing years. And there was one advise that she gave in her sage way that I will take it to the grave. I want to share that advice with all of you today. She told me never to be financially dependent on anyone. No matter what rubbish the world throws at you, how hard you need to persevere or struggle at a job, you need to work. This was not a power struggle or an advice to be independent so that I can splurge, but that if calamity and ill-faith like divorce or death of a spouse strikes, I am prepared. I must be honest, I have not completely taken her advice in my life and as I write, I do regret that. They say you learn from your own mistakes. Well, I did and here’s hoping that this may be helpful to you readers too. ### What does financial stability mean to me? The best definition I liked was of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It states; “Financial stability is defined in terms of its ability to facilitate and enhance economic processes, manage risks, and absorb shocks”. To make it more relevant to us, I would substitute the word economic processes to personal progress, but I absolutely love the terms, manage risks and absorb shocks. Those are the superpowers financial ability holds. It helps make you independent, frugal and prepared for all that life throws at you. ### What are some of the ways to be financially independent? There are many books, articles, seminars and financial consultants out there who are waiting to hold your hands and walk you through this tough phase of your life. I am a Commerce graduate and still, I was finding it really hard to understand some of the investment tools and how the market works. I started financial planning very late in my professional life, so I have little to show as I write this. Yet, these four aspects helped me to take a step closer to financial stability. **Step 1: Understand your money** We all earn differently. Financial planning and stability are not only for those who are making a lot of money. It is for everyone, housewives, mothers, freelancers, and professionals. The first step to financial stability is to know where your money’s at. What is your income, what are your regular expenses, like rent, home loan, education fund etc and the amount kept aside as savings each month? It is basically tracking every penny you earn. This step requires discipline. There are many apps on your phone that can help you with this. But you will have to be diligent to feed in the data. I say, start with one month at a time. Track the smallest of your expense, even the candy bar you bought on your way back from a long walk. This step will help you to know your spending patterns and determine how to save more. **Step 2: Set a goal and a budget for yourself** In this step, determine your current situation. Based on your income, expenses and savings portfolio assessed above, you can ascertain your current financial condition. Be brutally honest with yourself. Now, from there set yourself a goal. A realistic one – be it buying a home, paying off your debts, living a balanced life or saving up for your business or passion. Once you have the goal in mind, you will be in a better place to begin what’s called “budgeting”. Step One has helped you find out what you need to cut back on. Now find out if you need to get a second job to fulfill the goal set out, or live more frugally, do so. Plan out your finances in a better manner. Budgeting is the easiest thing to do, but actually adhering to it is another story. Many of us have tried and failed miserably. But, like anything in life having a goal, an end to achieve makes the journey possible. You can start by making small changes like cutting off cable, traveling by local transport or carpooling to save gas, not enrolling your kids to fancy schools you cannot afford, cooking more at home and eating out less, are few suggestions that have helped me immensely. You will be surprised as you make a list of your expenses, of how much we spend on eating out. I could have bought a fancy car by now. **Step 3: Stay away from Debt** As far as possible live within your means. Being in huge debts that you can probably never pay-off maybe more of a western thing. I know people who have good salaries borrowing money at the end of the month, from their friends to get basic food supplies like milk, bread etc. It astonished me. On confronting, my friend said that their salary mostly was spent off on paying for EMI’s on things they couldn’t afford in the first place. So my advice to those who are already in debt is to pay off your loans as soon as possible. The large screen TV, expensive cars, the fascination with MacBooks or iPhones that really cannot justify your income, should be paid off first. The next step is to stay away from buying anything that you cannot afford, no matter what. Stay sober for a few years to regain your financial stability. **Step 4: Save Save Save!** I have realized a little too late in my life that the only way to succeed in being financially stable is to save. I was not well informed and hence just let my money rot in the bank. When I saw a large amount reflect in my passbook, I thought it’s my moral duty to spend it on myself. Come on now after all I deserved it right? I worked for it. If you are like me, the first thing you should do is i_mmediately keep aside 10% of your earnings and invest it._ There are many investment options out there. It is like picking your wedding dress, you won’t pick up the first one you see unless you are me (yes, I actually did that). Pick up an investment tool or a saving mechanism that works for you. Since I do not understand markets too well and as one who started her career in recession  (2008), I am afraid of its volatility. Hence, I tend to go for safe investments where the risks are lower, although the rewards are low too. I started a separate account to manage my investments, as this way, I will be able to see what is happening to the 10% of my savings each month and how they have grown over the years. Usually, the banking personnel will help you to invest, but the safest is long-term, less-risk mutual funds, Public Provident Fund, and Fixed Deposits. For me, the fixed deposits are my emergency money. I put aside a fairly large amount in it and basically forget about it. It renews itself each year, the returns are miserable about 7%, but this is not to grow my money, but meet my financial emergencies. And no, going abroad for your anniversary is not an emergency. I want to encourage you to start saving young. Remember, this is what is going to take you through your retirement years. Hence, being financially stable while you are young and allowing your money to grow through investments when you cannot work anymore is an ideal situation to be in. In conclusion, financial stability is for everyone. As we know “ a penny saved is a penny earned”, there is much wisdom in those words. So to sum it up –  _Track your expenses, determine your life goals, budget your expenses and most importantly save 10% of all your income._ Also, be patient. Your money won’t grow in a year or two, it takes a long time to see progress. But all said and done, these four steps will go a long way to help you attain the financial stability that you once thought was only a fairytale. _You may also want to read other article written by the same author ‘[Career tracking while on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-tracking-career-break/)‘, ‘[Career restarting for a woman on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-restarting-women-career-break/)‘, ‘[Is returnship right for you?](http://hersecondinnings.com/is-returnship-right-for-you/)‘_, ‘[Five things to consider before a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/five-things-consider-career-break/)‘, ‘[5 reasons why working moms are highly productive](http://hersecondinnings.com/5-reasons-working-moms-highly-productive/)‘, ‘[4 Questions to know yourself better and find a suitable career path](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/4-questions-know-yourself-better-find-suitable-career-path/#more-1188)‘, ‘[5 most frequent challenges that women entrepreneurs face](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/5-most-frequent-challenges-women-entrepreneurs-face/)‘ . _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ _The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 7 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career.Disclaimer:“This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Goal Planning Tips Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-02-14 Tags: career break, Career restart, women professionals, working moms, Indian women, women empowerment, productivity, goal planning, Selfconfidence URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Goal Planning Tips](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Goal%20Planning%20Tips-1621338355378-compressed.jpg) Having worked in an IT Company, I think I was eternally involved in the activity of Planning and Setting up goals for the employees. It was basically done twice a year, but the process of planning, discussions and actually setting it up felt as if my primary responsibility was only goal setting for myself and others. This activity was being done to drive us towards achieving the vision of the company. **Personal Goals or Passion?** I have always questioned the need for goal planning in our personal lives. Do we really need to set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time bound) goals and track it with an action plan? Is it really necessary to break our visions down into smaller achievable goals?  Achieving a goal does bring you immense amount of satisfaction and your self-confidence does boost up. What happens when the goals are not achieved? We end up dejected. We scream and cry foul for a few hours or even days and again restart the process of setting up the goals. Some of us even go to the extent of not thinking about any goals. Aren’t we supposed to enjoy life and do what we are passionate about. But that does not mean lying on a sofa and being a couch potato all through the year. Whatever others call as goals, I would like to call it as my passion or dreams. It is ultimately the same idea. A goal is a dream with a deadline.  The way to achieve it may differ from one person to another, but the end result is about getting to the place where you have always wanted to be. A highly organised person would like to draft an action plan for each of their passion. A lesser mortal soul may not jot it down on paper but would track it mentally. Is it really necessary to identify our dreams? We do tend to ask ourselves if we cannot just live and spend the day without worrying about dreams. The advantage of identifying your passion or goals are numerous, some of which are mentioned below. * Helps you to **focus**; We tend to get distracted by the innumerable activities that we may have and usually end up doing less or nothing at all. Having a goal in mind diverts your behaviors towards it. _“The body does indeed achieve what the mind believes in.”_ * Seeing Progress is **motivating**. It becomes addictive * You become **accountable** to yourself * Doing something for your passion **reduces stress and frustration** * Everyone has needs. The needs vary from being Physiological, Safety, Love and Belonging, Esteem and Self-actualization. To **satisfy a need**, a clear mental picture of what you need to do is required Start by visualizing what you want to be at the end of 10 years. If that sounds preposterous for you, try taking smaller steps and plan your activities for a month or week. Try to set realistic achievable goals. For instance, I may have the right to dream about being playback singer. Irrespective of the amount of hard work that I may put in, I can never become one unless you are tone deaf. But since I am passionate about travelling and would like to go for solo long drives, I want love to learn to drive a car. So, I can definitely plan to get my driving licence in the next three months – This would indeed be a very good goal statement directed towards your passion. Similarly, a goal statement of “I need to complete learning the python course by Oct 2018, and the digital analytics course by Dec 2018.” is always preferable to “I need to complete learning the python course and digital analytics course by the end of this year. “ **Next Steps after Identifying a Goal** Now that a goal has been identified, we need to focus on what we need to do to attain it. Many a passion or dream has not been achieved due to lack of action. Spend some time and identify the factors that you need to do to enable your dreams and act on them. Try to understand your strengths and weakness and what basically motivates you.  Research and read about success stories of other people with similar paths and envision your life. **Be Patient and Keep Striving** It is very essential to have an optimistic and persistent attitude. You may not reach your goal, or you may find that it is something which does not interest you anymore.  It does not matter as the saying goes” If you shoot for the Moon, you will at least reach the stars”. Keep Striving. The harder you work, the luckier you would get. Remember it is indeed good to have an end to the journey, but the journey is what matters at the end. _You may like to read other articles written by this author ‘[The power of assertive communication](http://hersecondinnings.com/power-assertive-communication/)‘,__‘[9 effective tips for writing a resume’](http://hersecondinnings.com/9-effective-tips-writing-resume/), ‘[Important interview skills to land your dream job](http://hersecondinnings.com/important-interview-skills-dream-job/)‘, ‘[10 Easy Tips to Staying Motivated](http://hersecondinnings.com/tips-staying-motivated/)‘, ‘[Knowing yourself will lead to true success](http://hersecondinnings.com/knowing-will-lead-true-success/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Sudha-Divakar-2.jpg)_ _Sudha Divakar_ – A proud stay at home mom. She has worked in the IT industry for 15 years and has taken a break to take care of her priorities. She is an avid reader and enjoys watching movies with her tiny tots at home. She believes that life is full of beauty and must be lived one day at a time. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## When Life Comes Knocking ; Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-02-12 Tags: Career restart, Careerbreak, motivation, sabbaticals, women empowerment, worklife, Selfconfidence URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Life knocking](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/life%20knocking-1621338697236-compressed.jpg) Knock Knock ! ‘’Who’s it’’? I asked in a forlorn tone. It was just another day with the mundane routine keeping me busy. ‘’It’s me, LIFE” came the reply. ‘’Oh”, said I, “What a Surprise”! Life: Were you expecting someone else? Me: I always expect Gandalf at my doorstep to take me on an adventure. Life: (with a grin), typical, aren’t you? Wishing for things that aren’t around! Me: How could you say that? I am neck deep in chores and bored with the prosaic routine. At times, I feel I am deprived of energy and there is no strength to carry on. Life: I am simple; it’s you who make it complicated. Me: Care to explain? Life: Well, have you heard about the 40% rule followed by US Navy seals? Me: No… Life: It is a methodology adopted to develop mental strength. When you think you are exhausted and there is no more energy, it means you have just utilised 40% of your potential. You still have another 60% left to continue. It’s a matter of telling your brain that you aren’t tired. Me: Interesting though, but does it work? Life:  It’s scientifically proven. I see there is no harm in trying. Me: I suppose so, anything to keep me energised. Also, it would keep me away from brooding on the opinion of people and ponder less on self-doubts. Life: Do you think others care about your opinion and waste their precious time? Me: I am not certain. Life: It’s imperative to stop contemplating about the judgement of others. You are not here to impress or reform the world, but to lead a cheerful existence. Never let the voice of naysayers suppress you. Me: I agree, just that at times, my concentration drifts into such unwanted space. Life: As I said before, it’s all about wiring your mind. I have bestowed you enough to lead a contended existence, don’t compare against others and make yourself unhappy. Me: _I nodded in silence._ Life: There are things that might seem tricky, but maintain your positivity and keep walking; everything might make sense in due course. Me: Perhaps you are right! At times, I miss my job, I miss the hectic schedule. But to think of it, I should enjoy my time with my baby who needs me more than anyone else. In just a matter of time, I can restart my career without guilt! Life: There you go! Stop Overthinking, stay grateful for the things you have and be a ray of sunshine. You will see beauty and find peace. There will be rough patches now and then, but sustain, it’s all meant to strengthen you as a person. Me: That was an insightful perspective. Though it’s all in my head, I suppose I just needed a reiteration! Life: Happy to help, now let me brighten up someone else’s day! As the conversation ended, I felt lightness in my head and energy brimming within to face the day. I beamed with smile as I recollected the quote of my Idol **Maya Angelou –** “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style”. _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), “[Importance of networking for success in your career](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/)“, ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘, ‘[A new dawn in the horizon – career restart’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/new-dawn-horizon-career-restart/#more-1250)._ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) **_Nithya Jagadish –_** I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 5 Most Frequent Challenges That Women Entrepreneurs Face Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-02-07 Tags: motivation, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, entrepreneurs, Selfconfidence URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![chalalnges for women entrepreneurs](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/chalalnges%20for%20womwn%20entrepreneurs-1621338866282-compressed.jpg) Have you ever felt ignored, unheard and disregarded in a meeting that you had called for and were to lead in the first place? I recall many instances where I would be the only woman in the room during meetings and also the most ignored. Now imagine, taking orders or working in an organization that is owned by a woman. What surprises me is that a woman has landed on the moon, yet here on earth she is barely acknowledged for her intelligence, work, and grit. Challenges faced by a women entrepreneur are quite different from those of our male counterparts. Let’s take a look at some of those. Challenges faced by women entrepreneurs: 1. _Expect you to act like a man:_ The first challenge that a women entrepreneur will face is that she will be dealing with a lot of men in her line of work. Men want to do business with other strong, aggressive and competitive men, where they feel like equals. But most men who are raised well will tend to be gentle, soft and understanding towards women. This may make them feel uncomfortable, less competitive and aggressive to do business with. Hence, most women entrepreneurs become someone they are not in order to meet the expectations of this upside down world. _Solution:_ Don’t change who you are. Your character and nature are your strengths. They have bought you this far, trust them to take you all the way to where success lies. 1. _Difficulty to find investors:_ Most venture capitalist or investors actually invest in people more often than the business idea. Historically it is seen that most women entrepreneurs struggle to get any real funding until they have truly established themselves. They show little faith in them and their business proposition. There could be many factors like preconceived notions about women running businesses, their priority, and work-life balancing skills, or their sheer ability to sustain in a male-dominated world of business. Either way for a woman to find investor is as hard as finding a needle in a haystack. _Solution:_ One way to attract investors is to build a great team and a solid business plan. Even if they doubt your individual capabilities wrongly, when they see you have a strong team to back your efforts, new confidence is restored in them. 3. _Not being taken seriously:_ In a male governed industry for a woman leader to find a place and voice is a difficult task. To earn and gain respect from her male colleagues who find it hard to take orders from a woman or least of all trust her to know what she is doing here, will be the biggest challenge as a women entrepreneur. In a society wired this way, will take a long time to change perceptions and it will no doubt be hard work. _Solution:_ Let your work speak for itself. When your employees, colleagues, clients, and investors see your business grow and succeed, they will spontaneously respect and trust their career and livelihood into your hand. In order to achieve this one will have to learn to trust themselves first and build their confidence to deal with different kind of people and situations. 1. _Learning to own your accomplishments:_ What men know to do well is to pat their own backs. They know how to show the smallest of their accomplishments as equal to winning a Presidency. But when it comes to us women, we tend to downplay our achievements and success. While acknowledging your team, people who helped to achieve it, is all very good, you should when due, give yourself some credit. Be it a new idea that will change the course of business or winning over a client who everyone thought had been lost. Again in a world gone wrong, being proud of your accomplishments is no longer considered bragging or brutish, in fact being humble is so passé. _Solution:_ Being humble and yet shouting out your accomplishments from the top of the roof, is an art you will need to acquire in business. Being able to communicate your achievements without making it sound like bragging is hard, but required for the job. 1. _Finding your work-life balance:_ This is especially true for most married women with children. When both couples have high demanding jobs, it leads to neglecting their marriage, children and homes. Women, for the most part, need to slow down to keep the family together. This too I believe is her first calling and privilege. Now, how you balance the two is what will define your happiness and contentment. Most women consider becoming entrepreneurs, consultants or freelancers, due to the flexibility it allows. Once she has found the right scales to balance her home and business, she is unstoppable. _Solution:_ Being an entrepreneur allows you to work on your own terms and conditions. But also knowing that others livelihood are dependent on you is a responsibility you need to shoulder too. What should make it easier is that a woman is a wonder of multi-tasking? We are born with that innate ability to do multiple things with equal passion and attention to achieve results. That been said, we have to align our will and strength to achieve it. Although the number of women entrepreneur around the world is less, that is changing slowly but surely. In today’s digital age any idea can be turned into a business and more and more women are coming up with non-traditional businesses and conquering areas that no man would dare to tread. _You may also want to read other article written by the same author ‘[Career tracking while on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-tracking-career-break/)‘, ‘[Career restarting for a woman on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-restarting-women-career-break/)‘, ‘[Is returnship right for you?](http://hersecondinnings.com/is-returnship-right-for-you/)‘_, ‘[Five things to consider before a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/five-things-consider-career-break/)‘, ‘[5 reasons why working moms are highly productive](http://hersecondinnings.com/5-reasons-working-moms-highly-productive/)‘, ‘[4 Questions to know yourself better and find a suitable career path](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/4-questions-know-yourself-better-find-suitable-career-path/#more-1188)‘ . _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ _The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 7 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career.Disclaimer:“This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 5 Easy and Helpful Ways to Staying Motivated Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-02-05 Tags: career break, motivation, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, Home maker, Balance, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Easy ways to stay motivated](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Easy%20ways%20to%20stay%20motivated-1621339087742-compressed.jpg) Our life is in a state of constant change. Staying motivated as Life frequently meanders through rough patches is a big challenge. However, if you deeply desire something, it is important that you keep going. As Confucius very aptly sermonises “_It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop”. Therefore, let us take a quick look at some easy ways to keep ourselves_ _motivated on_ _those bleak rainy days when the whole universe seems to connive against us and keep us from reaching our goals._ _**Know your Goals**_ _A substantially large number of people often realise, a bit too late, that they have been pursuing the wrong goals. Human beings, most of the times work under the influence of their family and friends. Th__i__s often results in them taking up not what they want to do but what their associates want. If you waste your energy in pursuing something that you do not really want, you are bound to end up in getting demotivated. Make sure that you follow the goal that you want and not one that your family or your friends think you should want. The need, when it comes from deep within your heart is strengthened with your own energies. They are mobilised with that inner force and will help to achieve your goals faster. Make sure you are motivated solely by your own goals and not_ _something that_ _others want._ _**Read, Meditate, Interact**_ _One of the best ways to keep yourself motivated is to surround yourself with good thoughts. Positivity is curated by reading good books, meeting positive people, absorbing their thoughts and meditating deeply on all that you have experienced. Meditation helps to calm your mind, enhance your concentration and strengthen your focus. It helps to drive away the clutter that may have accumulated and enables you to re-focus your energies in the right direction._ _**Take a Break**_ _Life tends to don a cloak of monotony quite easily. Whenever that happens, before the cloak_ _starts to shrink into your skin__, you should shrug it off and break free. Plan a vacation, a picnic, or even a run. Do whatever it takes to break out from your claustrophobic environment and let your lungs breathe in fresh air. A change in place is sure to bring on a new angle in your thought processes helping you to tackle issues better. Taking a break is not an optional luxury but a mandatory necessity._ _Everybody_ _needs to move out in the open far from their closed spaces that they often keep themselves cooped up in. This is important in order to allow the rush of new thoughts flow through your mind once again._ _**Stop Delaying**_ _Procrastination is a social evil and should be curbed immediately. If you cannot motivate yourself to take up bigger tasks, set yourself short timelines and see what you can achieve within_ _that time_ _frame. It is atleast better than not starting at all. Gradually, you will notice that you are not only able to finish a lot but are also ready for more._ _**See the End to Reach It**_ _Sometimes when you feel too lacking in motivation to start working on your goal, it is always good to picture the end result. The joy of achieving what you have set out to do, the happiness you will deliver not only to yourself but also to your near and dear ones will help to egg you on in achieving the task. Results are always a great motivator and if you can perceive what you will gain by accomplishing your goal, starting on your task becomes a tad bit easier._ _Motivation is critical in keeping us moving to achieve something that we desire deeply. However, it is important that we are clearly aware of the goal and the end results in order to remain motivated enough to keep going strong. Keep yourself cushioned in positivity to add that extra push needed to stay motivated and keep moving._ _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Tips To Knowing Yourself Better](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/tips-knowing-yourself-better/)‘, ‘[The P-C-R approach to achieve financial stability](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/p-c-r-approach-financial-stability/)‘, ‘[Emotional awareness for personal and professional success](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/emotional-awareness-professional-success/)‘, ‘[Tips to improve your resume writing](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/resume-writing/tips-improve-resume-writing/)‘ ‘[Back from the break – 3 tips to make you rock it’.](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/returnship/back-break-3-tips-make-rock/)_ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/amrita-chatterjee-1.jpg)[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/amrita-chatterjee-1.jpg) Amrita is a freelance writer currently based out of Pune. She has worked  with organizations as a Technical and Web Content Writer. Her short stories have been published on Amazon and on Juggernaut books. She is an avid traveler and her travel stories are available on her blog – Amritawrites. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. _Disclaimer:_ “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## A New Dawn On The Horizon – Career Restart Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-01-31 Tags: career break, Career Change, Career restart, alternate career, Financial Independence, women professionals, Indian women, Home maker, employment, Balance URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![career restart for women](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/career%20restart%20for%20women-1621339310465-compressed.jpg) “Don’t be afraid to start over. It’s a brand new opportunity to build what you truly want” – Anonymous. Many do have the fortune of an illustrious and continuous career in their lives. For few though, a break becomes warranted – whether it be maternity reasons, family circumstances or health issues, there comes an inevitable break. Candidly, I am yet to step out into the corporate world and restart my career, but time and again, over any social bonding, I am set with the unavoidable question, is it going to be easy to get back in the game? Is there a new dawn on the horizon anytime sooner? Taking cognizant of the reality, I am mindful of this –Technology changes rapidly, things develop at a quick pace and few intimidating terms like Millennials, Gen –Z crop up…all pointing to the fact that the efforts required are more than adequate. Contemplating a lot on the subject, do I tumble down in distress? Certainly no.  All I have a sense of belief that to bounce back, I have to sharpen the axe rather than swinging it harder. Ironically, a major decision such as resuming career after a break is not taken in a day. It’s the culmination of detailed discussions with your well-wishers and endless deliberations with self. Since you’ve already invested ample time in concluding this, it’s only fair to do a few things with precision before heading out into the wide world. A few pointers in the **Pre-resumption** stage: * _**Assess yourself, bridge gaps :**_ Its normal to think that we would fit right where we left off, but developments in the meantime has to be considered. Upskill with relevant knowledge. One option would be to seek help from someone in similar field and ask for their assessment about your stance. * _**Attention to detail :**_ Don’t leave anything to chance, rather try to have a grasp on things. Whether it be resume preparation or cover letter, power dressing for the interview, give it your all and make it your best effort. * _**Mock Interviews:**_ It’s quite normal to feel jittery while facing an interview panel after a gap. Try to involve someone who can give you mock interviews and work on your areas of improvement.  The best thing to do in any situation is to be yourself and be confident. Never be hesitant to explain the reason for your break, define the way this time helped you progress in life. **Post Resumption:** * _**Start slow, absorb:**_ Use the first few days to acclimatize and blend in with the surroundings. Be a fly on the wall. * _**Have a Mentor:**_ In early stages, have a mentor to look up to. It’s fulfilling to have someone to guide and to consult during uncertainty. * _**Seek constant feedback:**_ Touch base with your superiors at regular intervals, bridge any differences in expectations. * _**Acknowledge your efforts, stay positive:**_ Above all, recognize your progress, however small it maybe. Be happy for the fact that you braved all odds for being where you are. To conclude, it’s certainly a bit daunting to restart something after a break. But the bigger regret will be not to try. So if going in for career redemption and venturing a new dawn, gather all the courage and determination and give it your best shot, for where there’s guts, there’s glory! _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), “[Importance of networking for success in your career](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/)“, ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) **_Nithya Jagadish –_** I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) ##### _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 4 Questions To Know Yourself Better ; Find A Suitable Career Path Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-01-29 Tags: career break, Career restart, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, women empowerment, business women, career path, worklife, Balance, entrepreneurs, Selfconfidence URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Know yourself better](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Questions%20to%20know%20yourself%20better-1621339455558-compressed.jpg) We are all raised being told who we ought to be, what we ought to do and ultimately become a reflection of someone else or as per the expectations of the society at large. I am a victim of this myself. I choose a college major based on what was popular then, a masters degree just because my father said so and a career path that was pretty much an end to the choices I had not made. Hence, if experience has taught me anything it is to first know yourself better, that will ultimately lead you to choose a suitable career path. No one can claim that they have figured themselves out completely. It is an ongoing process, one that will change with time and as we grow through life. So how do we get to know ourselves better? I was on a career break a while back and I decided to use that time to explore myself and truly get in touch with the person I am. These five questions helped me to know myself better. Hope it helps you too. ### Four questions to find yourself and your fitting career: Q1. What activities make you happy? An important part of finding yourself includes finding out what you enjoy doing. All of us have some things that bring us immense joy. It could be playing a sport, a hobby, helping others or simply being surrounded by family and friends. It does not have to be a groundbreaking activity or one that will define your career right away. Start by getting to know what you like doing. We usually use our high school and college years to participate in different activities to figure out our inborn talents, gifts, and interests, but like me, if you are in your 30’s figuring out yourself, worry not. It’s never too late to begin, just start somewhere. For example, I love reading but I am afraid of public speaking. So I joined a book club, started attending it regularly and am going to push myself to someday present a book. That does not directly add to my next big career move, but knowing my fear and weakness, and working upon them in a non-threatening environment, gives me a sense of courage, pride, and achievement. Use the spare time you have to explore things you always wanted to do, but never did and find out what you may be actually good at. Q2. What are some of the non-negotiables in life for you? While it may be easy to focus on what we like to do, its harder to define the things that we don’t like. Knowing your non-negotiables form an essential part to choose the right career and role for yourself. For example, lying, fibbing and being ruthless are my non-negotiables. So I clearly won’t last too long in a role or a cut-throat workplace, where such is the demand for the job to get done. I would look for a more streamlined and process-driven organization that would give me a framework within which I can work. That is just me. There are many who enjoy the adrenaline rush, competitiveness, and aggressive workplace and those are good too. Your values, upbringing, culture, and origins are some factors that will play a part in shaping your personality and that define your non-negotiables. Hence, knowing your dislikes and things you cannot tolerate, will make your life easier while choosing a suitable career and workplace for yourself. Q3. What motivates you? Everyone has a motive to wake up each morning. This could be their work, family, children, money or just a sense of duty, either way, there is always a reason behind what we do. Then don’t you think we should find out what drives us and then apply that to figure out our career choices? There many motivations for us to have a job, salary, success, good culture and work environment and the likes. What may work for others, may not be true for you. For many years, I was told to take up jobs that were well paying and just ignore other things like politics, toxic work environment or bosses. But money was never my motivation to work. It was appreciation and encouragement, that made me push myself to do better. I did not realize this at the time, but in retrospect, this always remains my major factor when I am looking for a job change, a new career path or making the best in my current workplace. Ask yourself some hard questions, do you work better under pressure or like things well planned out or do you need a supportive work environment or you are self-driven? Figuring out what motivates you is a healthy activity as it defines your life choices and eventually its impact on your life. Hence, it well worth pondering upon. Q4. What is the reason you do what you do? Our life experiences ultimately shape the person we become. Sometimes we behave in a manner or get upset about trivial things, not because of who we are, but who we have become. If we have had broken relationships as we were growing up, we will find it hard to trust people even today. If we were isolated, ignored and aloof while young, we will find it hard to make friends. We carry all this with us to our workplace, career choices and life decisions, and hence, our actions do not define us. Some of these things we do subconsciously and mostly out of habit. So, if we find out the behavior pattern and try to find the links from our past experiences, it can be helpful to truly unveil who we are. Sometimes journaling, talking to family and friends and consciously working on changing those habits can help us get a step closer to who we truly are. These questions are only the beginning to a journey that you will tread on to unravel the mysteries of yourself. I urge you to devote some time to figure yourself out, to know who you truly are instead of who you have allowed yourself to become over the years. _You may also want to read other article written by the same author ‘[Career tracking while on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-tracking-career-break/)‘, ‘[Career restarting for a woman on a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-restarting-women-career-break/)‘, ‘[Is returnship right for you?](http://hersecondinnings.com/is-returnship-right-for-you/)‘_, ‘[Five things to consider before a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/five-things-consider-career-break/)‘, ‘[5 reasons why working moms are highly productive](http://hersecondinnings.com/5-reasons-working-moms-highly-productive/)‘. _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ _The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 7 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over._ ###### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 11 Alternate Career Options for Women on Break Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-01-25 Tags: career break, Career Change, Career restart, alternate career, Financial Independence, women professionals, blogging, Cooking, Event Organiser, Foreign language, Online Marketing, Recruiter, Teaching, Trading, Tuitions URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Alternate Career](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Alternate%20career-1621341083520-compressed.jpg) Are you tired of your regular 9 to 5 job? Or are you at a stage in your life that you are forced to take care of your priorities at home. Whatever be the case, if you are looking for a change from your regular job, this article may be of help to you.  11 alternative career options for you to choose from… * **Teaching** Most of us remember our teachers from school who shaped us. Some of their mannerisms may have been ingrained in us. Their quirkiness brings a smile on our face even now. Teachers have an everlasting impact on their students. It could be the most gratifying job especially when you realize that you have helped shape up the next generation. Teaching can have many flavours like _Creating courses, Online teaching, Training, Admissions and advising etc._ Alternatively, if your passion is to be an entrepreneur, take up a franchise of an established teaching institute or set up a _training academy_ of your own. Those in IT who have certifications in various courses can conduct trainings or prepare course materials for the same. PMP, Six Sigma, Agile, Programming courses like Python, SAS, R have been popular for many years now. If you are a major in Science, Maths, Hindi, Sanskrit there is an ever-growing demand of online tutors in these areas. If you have nimble fingers, plan to set up Painting/Drawing classes, Classes for Crochet/Embroidery/Clay modelling/Origami… If you can articulate well in English, set up an academy for English language training. Everyone understands the need for soft skills in their Personal, professional and social lives to succeed. Take up a _soft skill training with International certification_ to become a soft skill trainer. If you are a fitness expert and your day does not end with a dose of yoga or swimming, take it up as your profession. You can opt for a Fitness training course, Yoga trainer course, learn Acupuncture, learn Reiki etc and set up your own fitness center. * **Translators** Alongside with technological revolution, and the world shrinking into a global village, proficiency in local Indian languages or foreign languages are being appreciated more than ever. A translator can work through an agency or freelance. There are many translation software’s available online. Irrespective of however sophisticated they may be, you will be needed to ensure that the final piece is complete and readable. A Business analyst who has translated business requirements well will be automatically tuned to do the same with languages as well. However, proficiency in the language is the key here. There are two major types of activities to be done – _Interpreters_ are people who involve in translating a speech into text as it is being spoken and _Translators_ work on any printed material which could be legal, business related, documents, novels etc. * **Trading** If you are a very disciplined person with good analytical skills and have a thirst for research and information with an aptitude in finance, you can look at being a professional trader. * **Gardening** If you are an avid nature lover, taking up gardening as a career could be the best thing that could ever happen to you. There are many short-term courses on Home gardening, Roof top Gardening which are conducted by Horticultural society of India in various cities. Setting up roof top gardens for neighbouring communities, and or even schools or corporates could be an attractive option. A mere glance at the website dailydump.org could entice many a green lover to take a leap in this direction and make an imprint in the green revolution. * **Blogging/Content writer** Though majority of blogs are personal blogs, Technorati estimates that 39% of blogging is done for money. In addition to writing your own blog, contribute as guest blogger for other popular blogs and publications. A lot of companies do pay per article. You can opt to do freelancing or be a part time content writer. * **Cooking** For those who find pleasure in cooking, there are innumerable avenues available. You can plan for conducting classes in your “niche food area” to your community or even kids. Setting up a bakery or juice center or hotel does need good amount of investment. To start off you can try taking up small orders before branching out on your own. Personally, a friend of mine became a great hit in her community as she provides simple home cooked dinner at doorstep. If you love cooking traditional food, you could be attaining instant celebrity status as “healthy”, “organic” is the new mantra. * **Counsellor** To be a counsellor, you will need to major in psychology, social work or counselling. Those who have good communication skills, listening skills and an ability to develop a relationship with many different types of people can give a shot at being a counsellor. Depending on your interests, there are various fields in which counselling can be done – Career, Marriage, Relationships etc. * **Ethical****Hacker** If you are die-hard techie and codes fascinate you, there are companies that you pay handsomely for hacking their websites and reporting security issues.  White hat hackers are in great demand by Government institutions, Educational institutions etc. * **Event****organizer** Anyone who has not heard of Event Organizing as a career can watch the Hindi movie “Band Baaja Baarat” to understand the nuances of it. A fun-loving person who has a penchant for details would do a great job as a marriage organizer. There are requirements for Birthday organizers, Funeral organizers, Party organizers etc. * **Recruiter** If you have a sunny disposition and are a people person with strong decision-making skills, recruitment is the right job for you. You will need the ability to conduct different types of interviews and should be able to attract candidates from various sources. * **Online Marketer** To be successful, almost every business today needs an online presence. Many opportunities exist in the areas of Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing, Google AdWords etc.  You will need to hunt the net for relevant information. You just need to find your niche and your passion and follow the 3P’s principle of life  – Be Positive, Be Patient, Be Persistent – to attain your goal. _You may like to read other articles written by this author ‘[The power of assertive communication](http://hersecondinnings.com/power-assertive-communication/)‘,__‘[9 effective tips for writing a resume’](http://hersecondinnings.com/9-effective-tips-writing-resume/), ‘[Important interview skills to land your dream job](http://hersecondinnings.com/important-interview-skills-dream-job/)‘, ‘[10 Easy Tips to Staying Motivated’](http://hersecondinnings.com/tips-staying-motivated/)_, ‘[Knowing yourself will lead to true success](http://hersecondinnings.com/knowing-will-lead-true-success/)‘. _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Sudha-Divakar-2.jpg)_ _Sudha Divakar_ – A Proud stay at home mom. She has worked in the IT industry for 15 years and has taken a break to take care of her priorities. She is an avid reader and enjoys watching movies with her tiny tots at home. She believes that life is full of beauty and must be lived one day at a time. ###### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Invitation To Be A Guest Blogger Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-01-23 Tags: career break, alternate career, women professionals, Indian women, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker, Hobbies and passion, Bloggers, Guest bloggers, Motivational Writer URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Guest Bloggers Invitation](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/guest%20bloggers%20invitation-1621341459965-compressed.png) ### Her Second Innings Invites Guest Bloggers Who you are? ------------ * Someone who loves writing for pleasure or as a profession * Passionate about issues faced by modern day working woman be it social, financial or professional * Looking for a portal to voice your ideas that could impact women professionals from all walks of life If you said yes to any of the above? We are looking for you. ### What’s in it for you? * Be read by over 6000+ subscribers * Have your blog linked to our portal along with your name and picture * Successful bloggers could be considered for a more permanent role as Content Creator for Her Second Innings ### How to submit your interest? * Submit a sample blog post of about 500-800 words on any one of the topics from the given choices and send it to [blogger@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:blogger@hersecondinnings.com) ### Topics * Motivational write up for women * Issues faced by a modern day working woman (social, financial, home , professional etc.) * Career restarting for women on a professional break **Last day for submissions : On Going** ### Rules All submissions must abide by the following rules * All submissions must be original work of the person submitting the article/post * Plagiarism or copyright infringement is not permitted. * When quoting others, make sure you cite your source. (Give credit where credit is due!) * Profanity or derogatory articles/posts that undermine or make fun of anyone in any manner will be automatically rejected. * If your blog post is chosen for publishing on our website, you may promote the post, by sharing the link to your guest blog on HerSecondInnings.com, on any of your social media platforms (FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Personal Blog or Website etc.) * Once your post is published on HSI you MAY NOT publish the same article/post on any other media. * Affiliate links to third party sites are not allowed and any spam links will be removed from submissions as per HerSecondInnings discretion * All SEO links and alt tags will be audited and edited according to HerSecondInnings’ discretion * HerSecondInnings reserves the right to edit Guest articles/posts as necessary. * HerSecondInnings will share and promote the article/post on its site but does not guarantee audience reach. * Guest blogger must submit a short bio of about 50 words to accompany with their article/post. If you’d like you may also submit a profile picture. * HerSecondInnings may review and suggest changes to articles/posts and may refuse publishing for any guest article/post * By submitting a guest article/post the blogger/writer agrees that you have read and understand the rules mentioned above #### _We are waiting to hear from you!_ --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Tips To Improve Your Interview Skills Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-01-22 Tags: career break, Interview Skills, Career restart, communication, women professionals, working moms, women empowerment, employment, Jobs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Tips to improve your interview skills](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Tips%20to%20improve%20your%20interview%20skills-1621341712469-compressed.jpg) At the young age of 20 I believed myself to possess excellent interview skills. I walked into my first interview confident that I will definitely bag the job. After a series of set questions, the interviewer asked me the last clincher “Where would you like to see yourself five years from now?” “At the top of whatever field I am working in” I answered beaming at him proudly. While that sure was confidence to my young self, however, as I look back at it now, my matured thought processes would deem that as over confidence. Tackling interview questions requires the right balance of modesty, confidence and knowledge. Here are a few tips to help you improve your interview skills. **1.Exude Confidence But Do Not Go Overboard** Your years of experience is sure to make you proud enough to be well prepared for whatever job you apply for. However, while it is a good practice to display your skills and knowledge to your interviewer it is advisable that you know where to draw the line between confidence and overconfidence. While one may help you bag the job, the other may make you lose it. Express your thoughts about how your skills makes you the best fit for the job in a calm and composed manner. Bring out your best through your body language. In certain cases non-verbal communication goes a long way in sending the right message in a much better way than verbal communication. A good interviewer, if he or she is astute enough will be able to gauge your capability from your replies and non-verbal responses. Refrain from being over enthusiastic about your skills and why you think you are the best because it will not help you in achieving your goals. **2\. Adhere to Appropriate Dress Code** Appearances are always critical for first impressions. Your way of dressing talks a lot about how you are as a person. Make sure you find out if there are any specific dress codes that you need to follow in order to appear for the interview. Most technology companies prefer casual dressing. However, traditional companies would prefer a more formal attire. It is better that you are aware of these preferences and are not over or under dressed on the day of the interview. **3\. Do Your Homework Thoroughly** If you recall your school days, the good students would always be the ones who did their homework well. Though, there is a lot more at stake now than your school days, nevertheless, it is always a good idea to maintain the old practice of doing your homework. In this case, it would translate to doing a thorough research on the organization that is interviewing you. Learn about the work they are doing and how you think you are equipped to contribute in their growth. Organizations are not interested only in learning about your accomplishments. Rather if you can weave a connection between how you can use your accomplishments in helping them achieve benefits, that is what will spark their real interest. This is possible only if you know about the organization’s objectives and understand how to match your skills with their vision statement. **4\. Communicate Rather than Just Talk** Interview skills should not be honed to make you talk. Rather gear yourself up to communicate. To conduct effective communication with your interviewer you should listen well. Understand what they are trying to tell you in terms of their expectations, corporate objectives and organizational mission. If you do not listen well then your answers will not be relevant to their need. Irrelevant, out-of-context talk will not be of any advantage to either you or your interviewer. It will be a waste of time both for you as well as for them. Listen patiently to the question being asked before answering. Build the correct frame of reference in order for your communication to be effective. Developing the right interview skills is critical in bagging the right job. It is as important as possessing the appropriate technical skills for it. Without knowing the right way to tackle the interview, you may lose the job despite having being technically fit for it. Make sure you prepare yourself well to face the next interview with confidence. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Tips To Knowing Yourself Better](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/stay-motivated/tips-knowing-yourself-better/)‘, ‘[The P-C-R approach to achieve financial stability](http://hersecondinnings.com/p-c-r-approach-financial-stability/)‘, ‘[Emotional awareness for personal and professional success](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/emotional-awareness-professional-success/)‘, ‘[Tips to improve your resume writing](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/resume-writing/tips-improve-resume-writing/)‘ ‘[Back from the break – 3 tips to make you rock it’.](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/returnship/back-break-3-tips-make-rock/)_ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/amrita-chatterjee-1.jpg)[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/amrita-chatterjee-1.jpg) Amrita is a freelance writer currently based out of Pune. She has worked  with organizations as a Technical and Web Content Writer. Her short stories have been published on Amazon and on Juggernaut books. She is an avid traveler and her travel stories are available on her blog – Amritawrites. ##### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. _Disclaimer:_ “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Passion with a Purpose Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-01-17 Tags: career break, Career Change, Career restart, alternate career, working moms, career woman, Home maker, Hobbies and passion URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Passion with Purpose](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/_purpose_passion-1621341858586-compressed.png) This particular article is a leaf out of my own life. Had I personally not taken this journey, I would not have been able to endorse the concept of ‘Passion with a Purpose’. In my case after marriage I had to go to USA with my husband. I did not have a work permit and so could not do any kind of job that I would be paid for. Since I could not work in my chosen field I did not have many options. But burning desire to do something was always there. We were soon blessed with a baby girl and when my daughter was 3 years old, was when I felt that I had to do something to keep myself creatively busy… and alive. Besides, my BE and MBA degree I am a trained dancer in the Indian classical dance forms Bharatnatyam and Odissi.. So, when I came upon a flyer of an academy “SUR Academy” that was looking for dance teachers, I immediately volunteered to teach. I always loved dancing and performing but never wanted to take it up as a profession. Through teaching the art forms to kids and adults, I discovered a whole new dimension to the art. I personally evolved as a dancer and a teacher but the more I taught the more I learnt. Through the years, with a valid work permit I was also able to earn through teaching. I also got opportunities to showcase my creativity by choreographing for various events and perform on prestigious stages. I also grew within the academy and have been part of its growth and benchmark of being an academy and foundation that teaches and imparts Indian traditional Music, Dance, Spiritual knowledge to one an all in USA. If passion is given a purpose, then motivation is much higher and what we receive in return is much more than we asked for. So, whatever maybe the hobby that you took up or still do as a leisure activity. You can most certainly make it economically viable and also customize your needs accordingly. Whether its painting, gardening, photography, hiking, cooking, stitching, knitting, baking, cycling, travelling, exercise, yoga, religious or spiritual engagements….……whatever it may be. It is your gift and only you have the blueprint of doing it in the best possible way. _Here are some ways in which an alternate career can be crafted out by you….and for you._ 1. You can start by a little bit of polishing of your hobby. Maybe take a crash course, update, upgrade and bit of research.. This activity will make you ready to be able to start professionally. For eg: If you love photography, you could take a course on different techniques and shoot in various places capturing its essence. You can teach the same to other enthusiasts. 1. You can gain some experience by volunteering/ helping/ assisting to equip yourself and have a feel of that environment. 2. There are lot of groups that you could be a part of and associate yourself with. This helps in networking and gaining information. For eg: If you are very good in painting. You can be part of an artistic club and can volunteer to teach the basics of painting in schools/colleges. Honestly, there are so many types of painting and there is knowledge that is untapped and can be spread. There is Oil painting, Watercolor painting, and Pastel painting. Pastel sticks are normally used to create the pastel paintings, Acrylic painting, Sand painting, Digital painting, Tribal art painting… We hardly can distinguish one from the other and yet each one has a unique style. 1. Digital platform provides so many options where one does not have to leave home and yet connect with people and interact. You can conduct workshops/ teach through skype, hold video conferences. For eg: Blogging, Content writing, photography, Teaching languages (there is a huge demand for foreign languages like German, Spanish, Mandarin, Sanskrit), Subjects to students of schools and colleges, Youtube videos of your cooking skills. 1. You can also collaborate with startups and smaller units to display your work and make people aware about it. For eg: You have a knack for fashion jewelry, hand bags. You could collaborate with local boutiques/ local exhibitions/ festivals/ gatherings to carry your style and creations and market them for you. As people start buying and demand increases, you can slowly inch towards getting your own place and have your own enterprise. There is no perfect day or time to start and no particular rule to follow. Just follow your heart, make mistakes, learn from them and build up everything on your own steam. Let the world see “you” in whatever you offer. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Decoding Stress](http://hersecondinnings.com/decoding-stress/)‘, ‘[Communication made easy…](http://hersecondinnings.com/communication-made-easier/)‘, , [‘Personal Finance Planning’](http://hersecondinnings.com/personal-finance-planning/), ‘[Are you financially fit?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/are-you-financially-fit/), ‘[3 M’s… Mantra for Morale](http://hersecondinnings.com/3-ms-mantra-morale/)‘ , [‘Tips for effective interaction with management’](http://hersecondinnings.com/4-tips-effective-interaction-management/), ‘[Adapting to global work culture – locally](http://hersecondinnings.com/adapting-global-work-culture-locally/)‘, ‘[8 Advantages of Online tutoring as a work from home career](http://hersecondinnings.com/advantages-online-tutoring-work-home-career/)‘, ‘[6 Tips for health management at workplace](http://hersecondinnings.com/6-tips-health-management-workplace/)‘, ‘[Marriage and Finance](http://hersecondinnings.com/marriage-finance/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)[![](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png) _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from).  A woman as created by the divine.  An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._  **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Make a Difference ; Become a Mentor Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-01-16 Tags: career break, Mentor, Training, Inspire, Automation, Cloud Security, Data Science, Information Technology, IT trends, IT Women, Mobile Computing URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Become a Mentor](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/become%20a%20mentor-1621342570989-compressed.jpg) ##### **Her Second Innings Invites IT Mentors** **_Successful people from Bill Gates, Sunder Pitchai, Sheryl Sandberg,  Warren Buffet and Indra Nooyi to Satya Nadella and more all credited a big part of their success to their respective mentors._** We need trendsetters, empathetic strong leaders who care about grooming Information Technology Women Community to reach their full potential in terms of technology and leadership. Her Second Innings (HSI)  is inviting senior leaders to create global impact through women empowerment under the aegis of World of Opportunities for Women (WoW) Foundation. HSI was selected for Fortune 500 global mentorship program through US State Department. This opportunity has paved the way for HSI, to create global foot prints and impact the society through technical and non-technical skill development programs. We are building future talent pool with cutting edge technologies that enables us to assist corporates to deploy our professionals using innovative models. Based on industry survey, we are building trending future competencies to enable more women in IT sectors to take Lead in Tech Roles. 1. Full Stack Development 2. Data Science 3. Automation 4. Cloud Security 5. Mobile Computing We would like to invite technical experts who can join the Advisory Council of World of Women Opportunities Foundation. This council will consist of thought leaders and technical experts in their respective fields, to help us with the following : * Frame the curriculum * Identify pilot projects with real time application * Training Assessment, Implementation and Evaluation Process * Guide Associates from the Industry who can train and mentor the professionals The responsibilities of Technical Advisory Council members is to: * Contribute their expertise and thinking to current and future work of HSI in the Technology Space * Be available for support both in person or through calls * Participate in Tech Advisory Meetings to frame the pedagogy for skill upgrade * Allow HSI to publish your name as a member of the Advisory Council * Able to set aside at least one hour per week/ 5 days in a month, to connect and spend time to grow the competencies. In return, HSI promises you: * An appreciation of your time and a commitment not to abuse your time or your generosity * Creating conclave of community event to recognize your contribution to the community **Engagement Term:** * Advisory Council terms are for one year as a pro-bono and can be renewed with mutual agreement \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ **Ready to make a difference?** ------------------------------- **Become a Mentor**  ==================== **Sign up here: [http://bit.ly/ITMentor](http://bit.ly/ITMentor)** ------------------------------------------------------------------ _**Thank you for shaping future work force with new technology and balancing gender act.**_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ For assistance please mail us at support@hersecondinnings.com --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Knowing Yourself Will Lead To True Success Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-01-15 Tags: career break, Career restart, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, career woman, Home maker, Selfconfidence, Freshers, Success URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![knowing-will-lead-true-success](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/knowing-will-lead-true-success-1621342978484-compressed.jpeg) _“Never limit yourself because of others limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination.”_ – Mae Jemison Isn’t it a very strange question to ask whether he or she knows about themselves? C’mon! who else would know about us other than ourselves? But as like everything else in this world, knowing oneself is also an art that has to be learned to be a success in life. Knowing oneself is not knowing about your favourite food or colour but to move a bit deeper from the surface. It is about your insecurities and your idiosyncrasies, your priorities, your beliefs, your values in life and your passions. The first thing that I have always been told and have read in innumerable books and articles on self-motivation is, to know my strengths and weakness. How many of us really know our strengths? If you know your strengths and weakness really well, I am sure you would have found a way to make your life more satisfactory. But we usually fail to recognize them due to various factors. **_Ask yourself the following questions and see if you really know yourself:_** **1\. What are your core values?** These are values on which you would never compromise irrespective of the surroundings in which you are in. Make a list of top 10 adjectives of the characteristic traits that describe you. **2\. What is missing from your life right now?** Too many disappointments could have left you in a state of  numbness and not wanting to desire more. If you want to know yourself better, you need to know what you want and what you are missing in your life right now. Try answering the question, what do I want to be really good at. **3\. What has to happen for you to understand that a change is needed?** Changes has to happen, and we need to learn to embrace it. Do not wait till you hit rock bottom to acknowledge that a change is needed. **4\. What is it that you love doing, even if you are tired or even on a bad day?** What are the opportunities that excite me? What is it that I am willing to give up for getting that opportunity? **5\. How do others describe you?** For instance, would they describe you, as, reliable and as decisive as you consider yourself? Get a reality check for yourself. When you understand yourself better, you get a chance to improve and be better. Getting to know yourself is definitely worthwhile. It makes you happier, and you will be able to make better decisions. You experience less inner conflict and will be able to identify values that motivate you. As Tao Te Ching and Lao Tzu has said, “Knowing others is intelligence; Knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; Mastering yourself is true power.” _You may like to read other articles written by this author ‘[The power of assertive communication](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/communication/power-assertive-communication/)‘,__‘[9 effective tips for writing a resume’](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/resume-writing/9-effective-tips-writing-resume/), ‘[Important interview skills to land your dream job](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/interview-skills/important-interview-skills-dream-job/)‘, ‘[10 Easy Tips to Staying Motivated](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/stay-motivated/tips-staying-motivated/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Sudha-Divakar-2.jpg)_  _Sudha Divakar_ – A Proud stay at home mom. She has worked in the IT industry for 15 years and has taken a break to take care of her priorities. She is an avid reader and enjoys watching movies with her tiny tots at home. She believes that life is full of beauty and must be lived one day at a time. ##### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 5 Reasons Why Working Moms Are Highly Productive Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-01-10 Tags: career break, Career restart, sabbaticals, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, career woman, Home maker, Balance, part time jobs, work from home jobs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![5-reasons-working-moms-highly-productive](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/5-reasons-working-moms-highly-productive-1621343171108-compressed.jpg) I have been hiring for the last 7 years and hence I speak out of  experience when I say that mothers make highly productive employees. I have seen my mother working all through my childhood and teen years, and I can tell you that it was no easy task. I am not a mom myself, but I spoke to many working mothers to conclude that the number one reason for the correlation between a mother and her productivity at work is that it’s a choice she makes. Each day they choose to leave their children at home, to work for your organization. It’s a sacrifice with high stakes and hence should be one that is worth a lot. So let’s dwell a little on the reasons why Working Moms are highly productive, making them a good hire for your company. ### Five Reasons Working Moms Are Highly Productive: 1. _**They are highly focused at work**_ Mothers know the value of time spent away from their children and home. Hence, they make every hour away count. They are well organized, plan their day to ensure the allocated work is completed within working hours and to take no work back home. They are more committed to their jobs. They take lesser breaks and find ways to accomplish the task assigned in the most efficient and time effective manner. 2. _**They know the importance of building relationships**_ Working mothers understand the importance of nurturing relationships at work. They have higher emotional quotient and are more empathetic towards others. It is not that other working women and men do not hold the importance of maintaining relationships or empathy at work, but parents have a heightened sense of the same. An article by Forbes stated that people who have the experience of parenting make for better Managers too. They tend to be more patient, know how to nurture and grow talent and learn to listen and accommodate others which is a big boon. 3. _**They know how to Multitask**_ Mothers have the precious skill of multitasking. They don’t only get the work done but also ensure that the quality is not compromised. This skill is invaluable at a workplace. Many times organizations feel that hiring a mother will be a liability to the organization. But instead they are serious, dedicated and know how to manage things simultaneously, which is a skill that you cannot teach in a classroom and is hard to find. 4. _**They don’t hesitate to ask for help**_ A woman usually does not hesitate to ask for help. This rings more true for a working mom. They do it constantly at home to manage things smoothly. Juggling between work and home is not easy, but they have learned that in a cohesive environment it is doable. Hence, at work too they readily help others and do not shy away from asking for help instead of struggling to do it all. I will go a step further and say that they bring in the synergy that is lacking in the cold corporate world today. 5. _**They know how to say a no**_ For a working mom, nothing is more precious than time. So developing the art of saying “no” comes naturally to a mother over time. It is not that she wants to shrug extra work, but when the task at hand is not contributing to her professional or personal goals, then she won’t be afraid to say no. Taking on extra tasks means stretching yourself further. The priority for a mother is very straightforward and hence work-life balance is of extreme importance to her. She will go the extra mile happily if it adds value to her job and skill but if it doesn’t she will be quick to say a no. I feel that’s a skill I will be very happy to develop soon. I recall at times Hiring Managers hesitating to take on newly married women or mothers. They feel that the work will get compromised, they will have to give them more leeway to things than the rest of the team members and they will be more prone to be irregular at work or jump on the work from home option once too many times. But they couldn’t be more wrong. In fact, you will gain a hardworking, dedicated, sincere and highly productive employee and colleague. It is time to change the way we think and find ways as an organization to accommodate working mothers in our corporate ecosystem. _You may also want to read other article written by the same author ‘[Career tracking while on a career break](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/career-tracking/career-tracking-career-break/)‘, ‘[Career restarting for a woman on a career break](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/career-break/career-restarting-women-career-break/)‘, ‘[Is returnship right for you?](http://hersecondinnings.com/is-returnship-right-for-you/)‘_, ‘[Five things to consider before a career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/five-things-consider-career-break/)‘. _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)[![](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg) _The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 7 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career.   Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Money Matters for Women’s Financial Independence Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-01-08 Tags: career break, Career restart, Financial Independence, women professionals, women empowerment, Selfconfidence, Financial empowerment, Money matters URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![money-matters-womens-financial-independence](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/financial-freedom-1621346603880-compressed.png) **_“The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me” – Ayn Rand._** When I drew my first salary , a mere amount of Rs.3000 more than a decade and half ago, my heart was pounding  with a potpourri of emotions – excitement, satisfaction, sense of achievement, but the one I vividly remember is the exhilarating thought of Independence. Years on and I reckon it’s one of the best moments in life – ability to take control and move ahead. After all, money matters significantly in our lives. Gone are the days when women were financially dependent on someone for their survival – Father, Husband, Children and so on. Today, with the number of working women rising in rapid numbers, the concept of financial independence is much relevant than ever. Women are excellent managers of wealth creation as well as retention. The orthodox of limiting them from handling financial matters at young age deprives them of their decision making capabilities. In my opinion, the main reasons for women to have financial independence are encapsulated below: 1. **Empowerment :** Women by nature possess strong qualities of decision making. A well balanced financial portfolio will give an edge to act independently and make better choices in all walks of life. **2\. Rainy days :** At times of unforeseen contingencies, it’s a blessing to have some money saved up so that the need to bank on someone is minimised. Apart from eventualities, it’s wise to have a Nest egg earmarked for the future. **3\. Improves and asserts self-image :** Having good financial stability boosts confidence and self-image of an individual. I inspire from a good friend of mine, who is 68 years old and though has her children settled in high paying jobs overseas, lives an independent life by running a paying guest accommodation. I suppose it’s all about the mind-set and determination.  **4.** **Have an equal say:** Sometimes, having money is tantamount to having a voice. Be it important decision making in buying a property, deciding on the future of your children or even taking that trip, being financially equipped will have a better say.  **5.** **Foot your own bills:** Little pleasures of life like going out with friends or the occasional splurge while shopping are feel good factors. Being financially independent will give the leverage to indulge in such spur-of-the-moment decisions without seeking approval. **6\. The bigger picture :** Empowered women are assets not just for the family, but for the nation as a whole. Being financially independent will uplift womenfolk on a larger basis. Despite the pay disparities and limits imposed by the society, women have risen above the mundane and paved a way for themselves. A financially independent woman will certainly have the option to lead a life in her stride. Apart from earning, wise saving and judicious spending will go a long way in ensuring financial independence of women. _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), “[Importance of networking for success in your career](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/)“, ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) **_Nithya Jagadish –_** I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) ##### _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Back from the Break – 3 Tips to Make you Rock it! Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-01-03 Tags: career break, Career restart, alternate career, women professionals, Indian women, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker, employment, entrepreneurs, Break URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![back to work](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/back%20to%20work-1621347456618-compressed.jpg) It’s over! The months of wondering where your life has been going, has finally come to an end. It was definitely fun doing your own thing, spending time with that little bundle of joy in your life and see them grow up, and not having to bother about those late night calls and early morning drive to work. No matter what you did, it was definitely worth it! You know why? Because you gave your hard-earned time to the most important person in your life – You! Now it is time to brush up your skills, shake out those boots you had hung up in your closet during your break and get going once again! And believe me this time it is going to be a lot better. As this time it is going to be the wiser, older and smarter you who will be calling the shots. As you blow out that last kiss to your beautiful self and slip on those stilettos here are three tips that will help to keep you sailing steadily. Remember while you were busy polishing your oars all these years, a pretty little gale has been making the career scene quite turbulent. So brace yourself well and you are sure to Rock it! 1. **Do Your Homework** Today we are riding the digital wave. Happily for some and not so happily for others. New careers have emerged while old ones have evolved (and some have been dissolved). Therefore it is critical that you do not go out of shape (physically or careeristically). Read, Talk, Participate and Contribute whatever or wherever you think would be appropriate to help you enhance your career goals. A friend of mine who was an architect had taken a long break when her daughter was born. However, she always managed to make time to participate in any conference being held for topics in her field. She also made it a point to drop in for exhibitions or road shows to keep herself abreast with the latest trends and technologies in her field of work. No matter how hard pressed you are for time, it is always a good idea to chalk out a certain time in the day for self-study and reskilling. It is very crucial to know the depth of the pool you are getting in before you dive.  That will help to make you more confident swimmer and the dive a perfect somersault. **2\. Build a Support System** When you have decided to take the plunge, you need to ensure that your home front is well taken care of. Kids and of course sometimes their fathers will always need taking care of. Since you don’t want to be around always, now that you have decided to make a run for the door, grab anybody else who is available. Your parents, in-laws, friends, nanny. If nobody else is available train your husband/partner. Make sure they understand how important it is for you to keep your cool at work. Tell them all that you don’t want to go wrong at the home front. Let them know what you don’t want to see when you come back after a long day. It always helps to have helpful and understanding people around you who will have your back no matter what. However, it is very important that you should be able to trust whoever, you are leaving your house to. If you are hiring a Nanny make sure you do a thorough background check. For mothers-in law and sometimes even mothers you need to do a deep discussion on why you decide to give up this sublime ‘paradise’ and dive into ‘hell’ all over again. Nevertheless, at the end it will be definitely worth it. Women understand each other the best. They maybe their worst enemies but they can also be their best friends. **3\. Never Look Back** Once you are all set and have handed over your house to your chosen help, NEVER LOOK BACK. Whether it is your own new start-up or a new job you are taking up it is always wise to not keep thinking of what is happening back home while you are at work. If you are happy with the setup you have organized then trust them enough to let them do their work while you focus on yours. It may sound rude but the house can run without you but your work cannot. Taking a break does in no way diminish your worth. Rather it is an opportunity you give yourself to enhance yourself with knowledge, skills and creative abilities. Challenge yourself to reach for the skies because you deserve to achieve your dreams. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Tips To Knowing Yourself Better](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/tips-knowing-yourself-better/)‘, ‘[The P-C-R approach to achieve financial stability](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/p-c-r-approach-financial-stability/)‘, ‘[Emotional awareness for personal and professional success](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/emotional-awareness-professional-success/)‘, ‘[Tips to improve your resume writing](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/resume-writing/tips-improve-resume-writing/)‘ ‘[Back from the break – 3 tips to make you rock it’.](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/returnship/back-break-3-tips-make-rock/)_ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/amrita-chatterjee-1.jpg) Amrita is a freelance writer currently based out of Pune. She has worked  with organizations as a Technical and Web Content Writer. Her short stories have been published on Amazon and on Juggernaut books. She is an avid traveler and her travel stories are available on her blog – Amritawrites. ##### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Ten Things to Let Go for A Happy 2019 Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2019-01-01 Tags: Positive Thinking, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, Home maker, worklife, Balance, Selfconfidence, 2019, New Year, Positivity, Resolutions URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Ten Things to Let Go for A Happy 2019](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Ten%20Things%20to%20Let%20Go%20for%20A%20Happy%202019-1621348419756-compressed.jpg) Another New Year is here and I am sure you are looking forward to a wonderful time full of surprises. However, there are few things you need to cast aside in order to make sure the New Year really brings happiness in your life. **Gossiping:**_“Gossip reflects the insecurity of those who initiate it”_ No matter how appalling, intriguing or accurate a particular piece of information about a person is, refrain from passing it on to others. Not even casually. Resist the urge to give away unnecessary details about anyone. Try not to spread the bad happenings in others’ lives. If you find out that your girl gang has started sharing some juicy piece of news about someone, make it a habit to mention a good thing about that person or try to change the subject. That way you will keep up the positivity and tone down unnecessary drama. Badmouthing others won’t keep your mind happy and peaceful. **Judging:** _“When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself”_ Literally every single person in this world is guilty of jumping to conclusions about other people. The worst part is that these conclusions are derived from some random aspects about that person. Believe it or not, you cannot judge a person’s character based on their dress sense, whether or not they have tattoos, their hairstyle, the kind of job they have or even their past mistakes. Be kind. Open your mind and your heart a bit more and spare some space for all the people who you have been judging so far. There, you are flushing out some mental toxins already. **Grudges:** _“To continue holding on to grudges is to keep feeding your pain”_ Grudges are one of those things that holds you tight on a leash, stopping you from sprinting towards the garden of happiness. It is probably not easy to forgive people who wronged you. But holding grudges against them doesn’t do any good either. What are you planning on? Revenge? Not worth your time, energy, and happiness. Forgive and forget. Not for them, but for your own peace. **Expectations:** “_Peace begins where expectations end”_ Remember all the times when people let you down and you were left with a frown? People are different and they all see the world differently than you do. Hence, it is highly likely that they do not live up to your mark and leave you disappointed. This is why it is best not to keep high hopes from people around you. **Attachment:** _“You can only lose what you cling to”_ Attachment is exactly what keeps those expectations high in the first place. We are attached, nay, we are inseparable from our family, friends, and other things that we hold dear. And, god forbid, if you lose any of them, you plunge in a sea of sorrow. To avoid this, try your best to spend some time alone with yourself without the people or things that you love. This will make sure that you don’t need them all the time to keep you happy. **Complaining:** _“You can complain because roses have thorns or rejoice because thorns have roses”_ Not every situation is going to be favourable to you and there may be times when you have to face a lot of them. A classic response to any unwanted circumstance would be complaining about it to others. However, while you drone away your problems, you are regurgitating the negativity in your head and that prevents you from being a happy person. What you can do instead is not just talk about your situation objectively but also discuss solutions to cope with it. **Blame game:** _“Blame is just a lazy person’s way of making sense of chaos”_ Another human tendency is to pinpoint a person who is the likely reason behind the unwanted situation and then blame him or her. Or you might even have the habit of blaming yourself if you are kind enough to not chide anyone else. However, the action of blaming is degrading in itself. Hence, it is best to avoid blaming anyone altogether and not look down upon yourself or others. **Self-doubt:** “_Self-doubt is the anchor that keeps our ships from sailing”_ This is one thing which makes sure you stay sulky and stops you from reaching your set goals. This year, leave all the doubt aside and believe in yourself. If you ever feel you are not good enough, hammer your mind with encouraging thoughts and keep going. **Impressing the world:** _“It is okay to live a life others do not understand”_ Humans are social animals, but they do not have to go out of their way to cast great impressions on their own species. It is okay to opt for your own comfort and not worry about what it will look like to others for once. Do what YOU like. It is okay if people don’t like your favourite outfit or your life choices in general. Remember what I said about not judging people? This time you should not care about others judging you. Simple as that. **Unhealthy eating habits:** _“Eating is a necessity, but eating healthy is an art”_ This is probably the hardest thing you’d ever have to do. But eating the right kind of food will make your body glowing and healthy, and you would lose some unwanted weight in the process, too. A healthy and happy body will encourage your mind to be cheerful. As they rightly put it “Nothing tastes better than being fit feels”. So kick out all the junk and bring in all the greens. _**Close the doors to all the negativity and commence 2019 with a fresh and brand-new persona. Happy New Year!**_ _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author:  ‘[Fun alternatives for ladies on career break](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/alternate-career/fun-alternatives-ladies-career-break/)‘,  ‘[Bridging the gap using online resources](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/upskill-resources/bridging-skill-gap-online-resources/)‘, ‘[Stress: Lets deal with it](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/work-life/stress-deal-with-it/)‘, ‘[No Matter what the world says, It is ok to… live your life](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/stay-motivated/no-matter-world-says-okay-live-life/)‘, ‘[A little guide to positivity](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/stay-motivated/little-guide-positivity/)‘ ‘[Ways to Selfmotivation- Your key to success’](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/stay-motivated/ways-self-motivation/), ‘[Why you need to prioritise yourself](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/stay-motivated/why-you-need-prioritise-yourself/)’, ‘[Challenges after a career break and their solutions](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/career-break/challenges-career-break-solutions/)‘, [‘Home Business Ideas for Women’](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/entrepreneurship/home-business-ideas-for-women/)._ **_About the author:_** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Radhika_Image-2.jpg) “Radhika works as a visiting lecturer at the University of Mumbai. She completed her B.A. and  M.A (Gold medal) in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. She has a passion for languages especially English, Sanskrit, and German and has written articles on Upanishads. She provides content development services. She likes teaching and writing. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music.” **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Struggling to Increase Your Productivity at Workplace? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-12-27 Tags: Career restart, sabbaticals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, career woman, productivity, Balance, entrepreneurs, Workplace URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Boost your energy and productivity at work](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/boost-your-energy-and-productivity-at-work-1621349610286-compressed.png) Time is prestigious and you must utilize it in an effective way. There are two ways to enhance your output, either start working long hours or do the tasks in a smarter way. Which one do you want to choose? Of course, everyone wants to complete the task in a short span of time. So, why wait for so long? I am sharing some of the tips which you can implement in your working schedule to increase your productivity. **Avoid going to unnecessary meetings** On an average, unproductive meetings cost a number of hours of the employees. Start evaluating the goals of your meetings first before booking your schedule. If you can complete those tasks through phone or email, prefer them and skip such unproductive meetings. **Lay down your own deadlines** There are several open-ended projects which keep on continuing for a long time leading to self-imposed stress. Set your own deadlines for such projects and follow the same. You will be amazed to determine that you will become more productive and focused while setting your own deadlines. **Do the small things first** Most of the time, we leave most of the work for future. At the same time, it starts creating a burden on our mind that we have so many things pending. Why to wait to complete small work which can be done in just five or ten minute’s time. Start completing small tasks first and then move on to the big ones. It will definitely reduce your burden and you can become more productive. **Give-up the perfection illusion** Nobody is perfect then why waste your time to become perfect? Do the best in work as per your ability and start working on next step. There is always a scope to improvise the things at a later stage. **Start taking advantage of your transportation time** You need to travel daily for a number of hours to reach your workplace. How do you utilize your commuting time? Playing game or occupied on social media? Change yourself and start investing this time in reading your emails, messages or planning for the next day. **Stop multitasking** We always think that multitasking is a significant skill to increase our efficiency. However, the opposite is more important. It has been found by psychologists that the individuals who are doing multitasking at workplace are actually losing their productivity and time. Start focusing on one project from now onwards, complete it and then start the next project. You can yourself observe the change in your productivity. **Turn-off your notifications** Of course, the notifications of text, voicemail or email are always alluring. But, if they are creating disturbance in your work… better to turn off your notifications during working hours and make a schedule to check your messages and email. **Take regular breaks** It has been found in the research that individuals who are taking regular breaks are more productive in comparison to those who don’t take such breaks. So, why are you becoming less productive by doing work for long number of hours without taking a break? Take regular breaks and become more productive. **Apply the above mentioned ways in your life and work smarter to increase your productivity at work.** You may also want to read other blogs written by the same author: ‘[Restarting Professional career After a Break’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/career-break/restarting-professional-career-break/), [‘Can Women be Successful Entrepreneurs?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/entrepreneurship/can-women-successful-entrepreneurs/), [‘Sabbatical – Blessing or a Curse for Women Professionals?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/career-break/sabbatical-blessing-curse-women/). _**About the author:**_  [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Neha-Taneja.jpg)[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Neha-Taneja.jpg) **Neha Taneja**: _I have done M. Pharmacy from Panjab University, Chandigarh and possess 3 years of industry experience in Quality Assurance domain. Took a career break for some personal reasons and started doing freelance academic and content writing. Though, I faced several challenges during this tenure, I am happy that I have enhanced my writing skills during my career break._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career.   Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Five Things to Consider Before a Career Break Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-12-20 Tags: career break, Career restart, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, career woman URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![five-things-consider-career-break/](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/five-things-consider-career-break-1621349838601-compressed.jpg) Career break should not be seen as a stigma but a welcome change in a woman’s life. Most of us know that a career break is inevitable, be it a birth of your child, taking care of ailing parents or simply considering a sabbatical to figure your next move. A career break could be a long one that lasts a couple of years or a short one for only a few months. Either way, we want to get back into the workforce and we should not be oblivious to the fact that it may be hard. I highly recommend you these five things to consider before a career break, to ensure you have an easy entry back in. ### Five things to do before taking a career break: _**1\. Don’t leave before you are actually ready:**_ _Sheryl Sandberg_ in her TED Talk mentioned: “Don’t leave before you leave”. This means that you must take into consideration all the factors before going on a sabbatical. The one thing you owe to your professional life before a break, is to advance as much as possible to the top of your career graph. When you leave at a higher position, it is that much easier to get back into the workforce. Your last experience, position, and salary will be your weapon of negotiation when you’re looking for a new job after your break. _**2\. Have a strong professional network:**_ Today the professional networking platform like LinkedIn, conferences, seminars, meet-ups, have brought the world closer than ever before. Know your interest, join similar community groups, connect with like-minded people and build a network of passionate professionals like you while you are at work. Continue to nurture these relationships when you are on a sabbatical too. These are your pillars and support when you are looking for a job once you get back from your career break. We are well aware that references always work better than job boards, where are resumes disappear in a chasm. _**3\. Let your plans be evolving:**_ Most of us who have worked all their adult life, find it very daunting when we are at home by ourselves. We associate our worth with our positions and jobs we do. Our success at work shapes our confidence and we slowly build our routines, plans, and life around our jobs. We all work well with plans like, when should we leave our jobs, how long should the break be and when we should get back into the workforce. But let’s not forget to keep our plans flexible. It will be disastrous to get back to work when you’re not ready or leave a job where you have just got an opportunity to grow if you are rigid with your plans. _**4\. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish:**_ This quote by _Steve Jobs_ has altered lives. ‘Pushing yourself and always learning and exploring new things is what will separate you from the crowd’. In a corporate world, no one is indispensable. Everyone comes with a shelf-life of their own. The only way to not get redundant at your workplace or while on a career break is to invest in learning and your professional development. Read good books, take online courses, attend meetups and seminars that will keep you up-to-date with information in your desired role. _**5\. Find a project outside your job:**_ I know it will be hard to juggle so many roles and expectations, but try to push yourself harder before you start your sabbatical. You can make up for all those days when you are on a break. Having a project like a website, app development, freelance projects, will give you a platform to continue to earn and remain engaged during your career break too. The project does not require to be a time-consuming one. Even a short-term project that will add value to your resume is sufficient. Employers who see that you have the zeal to pursue your passion, even with a full-time job, shows your commitment, accountability and sense of independence. In a world where it comes down to the survival of the fittest, one must at least give a good fight to all the skeptics out there. Our career break should not break our careers. Just by being proactive and following these simple rules, you get back on your career track faster and more successfully. _You may also want to read other article written by the same author ‘[Career tracking while on a career break](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/career-tracking/career-tracking-while-on-a-career-break/)‘, ‘[Career restarting for a woman on a career break](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/career-break/career-restarting-for-women/)‘, ‘[Is returnship right for you?](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/returnship/is-returnship-right-for-you/)‘_ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ _The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 7 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over._ ##### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 10 Easy Tips to Staying Motivated Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-12-18 Tags: career break, Career restart, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker, entrepreneurs, Staying motivated URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![10 Easy Tips to Staying Motivated](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/10%20Easy%20Tips%20to%20Staying%20Motivated-1621350090586-compressed.png) What is the need for motivation? Why do we need to look for motivating ourselves as well as others? Shouldn’t everyone understand that sometimes activities that we do, may not get the result that we expect of. Why is it that some people are more practical and seem to accept failures as part of life, whereas some others cannot even accept a NO from someone? The circumstances, the upbringing, the culture, the society and even the genetic makeup influences how the person would react to a situation. But at the end of the day, we as humans, being the most intelligent species on this world, can practise anything due to continuous learning. The process of being motivated is also a learning process. Humans are social beings by nature. Though privacy is considered the in-thing and most basic requirement of our modern lives, we do need company. Loneliness most often leads to depressions. **Here are a few tips that will help everyone to stay motivated and happy.** * **Stay fit.** We cannot achieve anything if our bodies are not capable of supporting our interests. So, eat healthy, sleep well, practise meditation oryoga or go for running, swimming etc. Follow a routine that suits your style. * **Throw away toxic people.** The earth is the home for all types of species and it is not essential for every species to get along nicely with the other! We are here to live our life and not to please or to be compared with anyone else. Our journey is simply unique. So just throw away the toxic people from your life and surround yourself with motivated positive people. Their positivity will rub off on you, in the longer run. * **Have a balance in your activities.** For a present-day adult, it is very easy to lose their mind in the myriad of complexities and routine work that engulf daily. It is very essential that a balance is maintained among the activities and we try to spend some time on ourselves. * **Read, Watch Inspirational books, videos.** Try to read or watch motivational videos and establish a routine in your life. As simple as it may sound, establishing a routine is the most essential and most difficult step for achieving anything. * **Start early.** The child must be told that failures are part and parcel of our lives. The sun always rises irrespective of the calamity on the earth. If the child understands the simple philosophy behind this statement, the child would never fear failures. * **It’s never the end of the world.** As humans, our brains do get triggered with multiple type of thoughts; some may be good, and some may be bad. It does not really matter. It is a natural process for us to feel Up and Down. But it is very essential that we are alert to it and do not get carried away by a mood. As the saying goes, ‘Its ok to fall down; but you just need to get back up’. Take your time – Cry, Scream or even just sleep, eat your favourite food, watch a nice movie – but just get back up. * **Take one step at a time.** Remember there is no human on this earth who has walked on the day he was born. * **Learn from your baby**. Babies are the best teachers in this world who can motivate us. Just watch how a baby keeps trying to walk or to get up. Just watch them how they keep trying to get something that they want. So, you just need to bring out that child in you who can keep trying without worrying about anything else. * **Have Realistic expectations.** While we need not be immune to others success, it is also very much necessary that we do have realistic expectations. Success, Failures, Achievements are relative. Define what is success for you. * **Empathise and Share.** Every person is fighting a struggle that you are not aware of.  We usually never have time to listen to someone else’s problems. Lend a non-judgemental ear to others. Most of the time, it has been found that we feel better just by venting out our fears and worries. Remember we have just one life to live. So, Live your life to your hearts content. _You may like to read other articles written by this author ‘[The power of assertive communication](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/communication/the-power-of-assertive-communication/)‘, ‘[9 effective tips for writing a resume’](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/resume-writing/9-effective-tips-for-writing-a-resume/), ‘[Important interview skills to land your dream job](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/interview-skills/important-interview-skills-dream-job/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Sudha-Divakar-2.jpg)[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Sudha-Divakar-2.jpg) _Sudha Divakar_ – A Proud stay at home mom. She has worked in the IT industry for 15 years and has taken a break to take care of her priorities. She is an avid reader and enjoys watching movies with her tiny tots at home. She believes that life is full of beauty and must be lived one day at a time. _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent[Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com)after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Busy Day vs Productive Day at Work Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-12-13 Tags: alternate career, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, women empowerment, Job search, careers, Productive Day URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Busy Day](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/busy-day-1-1621350150943-compressed.png) **“Either you run the day or the day runs you’’ – Jim Rohn** Caught up in a web of multitasking, we strive to complete our work within the 9 hours period and head back home with the satisfaction of a day’s labor. Somehow, in the process, we end up extending, despite the meticulous preparation. “ Busy day vs Productive day ’’ is quite a different concept… The former consists of doing sorts of things which keep us occupied, while the latter refers to prioritizing our tasks and completing them on time. So, while the goal is to have a productive day, we have to be cognizant of those time killers which hamper our work and impede efficiency. A few tips to organize your day and be more productive. **MEETINGS:** * Schedule for the noon session: Utilize the morning hours when you have robust energy for completing your tasks. Though meetings are inevitable and form a vital part of the job, schedule them for the afternoon session. An extended meeting in the morning tends to ruin the rest of the day and all other work at hand. * Prepare in advance: Have an agenda, stick by it and be prepared for the Q&A session. That way, you can minimize the time spent in flipping over slides or searching for answers. **HAVE A TO-DO LIST:** Begin your day with a to-do list, ranking in order of urgency. This would ensure you complete the work within the stipulated period and also avoid the risk of oversight of vital matters. **DECLUTTER:** Declutter your desk, discard the unwanted. A clean workplace lets in the flow of unhindered thoughts with clarity. **POWER WALKS AND SMALL TALKS:** In between the hustle-bustle, try to venture out with a pal for a rejuvenating walk. A relaxed mind will provide you with better impetus to focus and complete your chores on time. A little desk exercise should also work. **BE WARY OF TIME-KILLERS:** As much as water cooler talks are necessary, have conscious effort on the duration you spend. There are always a few with leisure time and would seek out your company. Remember to attend to your work first. **HAVE TIME FOR AD-HOC REQUESTS:** Despite the scrupulous planning, there will be a few unplanned tasks coming through your way. Be organized and have some buffer to attend to such requests. **BITE WHAT YOU CAN CHEW:** No matter the work assigned to you, be your best judge and evaluate those which will suit your proficiency, serve as an opportunity for learning and will have less bearing on the work at hand. Handling too many responsibilities will deteriorate your overall performance. Easier said than done…I agree to that. Since each of us is different, the above guidelines are not hard and fast, but merely an attempt to aid in choosing the ones that fit. More so than anything else, having a vibrant and cheerful spirit will give you the push to tide over any challenges coming your way. So soak in, do your best and end your day with the satisfaction of having performed up to your full potential! _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), “[Importance of networking for success in your career](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/)“, ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘._ **About the author:** **Nithya Jagadish** – I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent Sign up with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at support@hersecondinnings.com after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the assessment to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Marriage and Finance Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-12-11 Tags: career break, Finance, Career restart, women professionals, Indian women, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker, Marriage URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![marriage-finance](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/marriage-finance-tips-1621350488920-compressed.jpg) “Marriages are made in heaven” and by the time couples settle down to live the marriage, it comes down to earth.  Well, this is a humorous take on marriage and finance.  Though marriage is the oldest social institution and provides a foundation, it also has political and economic factors too. In the 21st century however couples are confused on how to navigate financially through the marriage. Because the concept of “Finance” and “Money” too has evolved over the years. Couples often have mismatched money styles–one is a spender while the other is a saver. Though this is the best combination and if both the energies can be balanced then finance is not a heartbreaking matter to deal with at home. But to meet at that common point is the real test. If left unchecked, couples end up working against each other, causing fights and tensions. Theoretically, successful couples don’t try to change each other. They adapt their money styles to work for both of them. Here are some simple strategies to combat marital finance. * **_Materialism VS Relationship_**: When couples come together, they have to understand each other’s belief about money.  Many couples put materialistic pleasures ahead of the relationship. Again, it’s not the lack of money, but the use of money that matters. Some examples are, unbalanced lifestyles, feelings of guilt over spending, unrealistic financial expectations (in spending, saving, or investing).  Acknowledging that this is a gap is the first step towards building a bridge. Being open-minded, non-judgemental and empathetic to partner’s ideas, expectations and problems with money is the key. We all have anxiety trigger points that can occur concerning finances. So communicating about these openly will make the job easier. * **_Past Vs present_**: Just like every other experience from childhood or growing up influences our current thought process, money or financial background too has its bearings in the present. So, to discuss completely the way a spouse felt about money in the past is important. How was money earned, saving strategy, if budget was planned, where was investment being made, how their loans and debts cleared. These are yardsticks by which one can assess how money can be used effectively in the present. * **_Earning Vs spending_** : Both earning members/ both spend, one earning member/both spend, one earning member/ no one spends, both earning members/ no one spends. Many combinations exist. But the true picture of earning and spending depends on if both are aware of how much is totally earned and totally spent. Maintaining transparency is not a barrier but is infact a passage for smoother understanding. There could be difference of opinion about a certain expenditure, but never should there be a discrepancy regarding money. This leads to mistrust and arguments. Not worth it. * **_Individual VS Joint account:_** The choice to have accounts is totally dependent on the couple. Both need to empower each other with financial decisions, have trust with money and have mutual respect for each other. Full financial disclosure of individual and joint accounts is a major part. Both have to be honest and discuss financial position, as a couple and individually. * **_Goals Vs Budgets:_**  If a couple does not have a plan, then no goal is marked which means no budget is fixed. Each term is dependent on each other. Making a plan, setting a clear long term or short term goal and accordingly allocating a budget is a fun activity for couples. If done with positivity and enthusiasm. So, if one spouse is taking care of monthly expenses then the other can keep track of long term goals like retirement, annual vacations etc Again, it is important to remember that there is no single rule concerning managing money in marriage.  Marriage itself has gone through an evolution, so the financial aspect too has seen a metamorphosis. Just remember that our monetary plans can transform and mature just as our relationship will. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Decoding Stress](http://hersecondinnings.com/decoding-stress/)‘, ‘[Communication made easy…](http://hersecondinnings.com/communication-made-easier/)‘, , [‘Personal Finance Planning’](http://hersecondinnings.com/personal-finance-planning/), ‘[Are you financially fit?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/are-you-financially-fit/), ‘[3 M’s… Mantra for Morale](http://hersecondinnings.com/3-ms-mantra-morale/)‘ , [‘Tips for effective interaction with management’](http://hersecondinnings.com/4-tips-effective-interaction-management/), ‘[Adapting to global work culture – locally](http://hersecondinnings.com/adapting-global-work-culture-locally/)‘, ‘[8 Advantages of Online tutoring as a work from home career](http://hersecondinnings.com/advantages-online-tutoring-work-home-career/)‘, ‘[6 Tips for health management at workplace](http://hersecondinnings.com/6-tips-health-management-workplace/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from).  A woman as created by the divine.  An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._ ######  (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” \[ninja\_form id=2\] --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Home Business Ideas for Women Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-12-06 URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Home Business Ideas](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/home-business-woman-1621350618876-compressed.jpg) To all the women who want to end their career break, do you find getting back to your old career hard? You try everything from brushing up your old skills to making the most of your networking capabilities, yet  lady luck does not favour you, and you are left at home, feeling defeated. This is not, however, the time to give up, but to explore your fortune elsewhere. You got to do something new. Something which you never have done before. Like starting your own business. Sounds scary, but it is definitely worth a try because you never know- you might reach heights! Here are a few home business options for you to choose from: _**Day-care Centre:**_ People will always need a reliable babysitter for their kids and babies, and it is pretty difficult to find someone who would tend to the little ones with genuine love and care. Create a safe environment for the young ones at your home. You can begin there and then shift the base to a rented place if the demand is more. **_Beauty Parlour:_** This is another field, where you can’t go wrong. Women everywhere always want to look beautiful and beauty parlours are a way to achieve that. Moreover, many hairdressers give a completely unsatisfactory haircut, and we are left with a bob when we asked for a trim. Invest in a beautician course and commence your business at a small scale. You could be that hairdresser that gives the clients exactly what they want. _**Food industry:**_ You could start your own catering business where you can provide delicious food for events. Or you could bake your own biscuits and cakes, and sell them. Start preparing what you are good at and allow the world to taste your recipes. If people love your food, you may even come up with your own brand of food products. _**Handmade Craft Business:**_ From greeting cards and paper-quilled earrings to small sculptures and pots. Engage yourself in some creative ideas and come up with handmade crafts and sell your artifacts. Again, you can come up a new brand if things go well. **_Online Tutoring:_** There are websites like Udemy, Udacity, EDX etc. where you can conduct online classes and earn money. Choose a subject of your expertise and start preparing a course. Topics like Math, Physics, Chemistry, French etc. could be designed for school- or college-going students. Apart from that, you could impart your singing, dancing or sketching skills to people online. _**Event Planning/ Management:**_ All the events taking place around you like weddings, parties, programs can only function smoothly when backed by event planners. They carefully arrange the entire program to make it a success. Gather your organizational skills and start a small business of event management. These little startups may not demand your actual educational qualifications, and you might feel skeptical about the whole concept of venturing into something new. But on the brighter side, all these ideas are more interesting and fun to execute in comparison to a 9 to 5 job. And you get to be your own boss. Your determination and efforts to initiate a business idea will give you a sense of contentment. You would feel glad at the fact that you tried your best to unleash your potential even without a typical job. And if your endeavour does succeed, that would be a cherry on the cake, won’t it? _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author:  ‘[Fun alternatives for ladies on career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/fun-alternatives-ladies-career-break/)‘,  ‘[Bridging the gap using online resources](http://hersecondinnings.com/bridging-skill-gap-online-resources/)‘, ‘[Stress: Lets deal with it](http://hersecondinnings.com/stress-deal-with-it/)‘, ‘[No Matter what the world says, It is ok to… live your life](http://hersecondinnings.com/no-matter-world-says-okay-live-life/)‘, ‘[A little guide to positivity](http://hersecondinnings.com/little-guide-positivity/)‘ ‘[Ways to Selfmotivation- Your key to success’](http://hersecondinnings.com/ways-self-motivation/), ‘[Why you need to prioritise yoursel](http://hersecondinnings.com/why-you-need-prioritise-yourself/)f’, ‘[Challenges after a career break and their solutions](http://hersecondinnings.com/challenges-career-break-solutions/)‘._ **_About the author:_** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Radhika_Image-2.jpg)[![](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Radhika_Image-2-950x1024.jpg)](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Radhika_Image-2.jpg) “Radhika works as a visiting lecturer at the University of Mumbai. She completed her B.A. and  M.A (Gold medal) in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. She has a passion for languages especially English, Sanskrit, and German and has written articles on Upanishads. She provides content development services. She likes teaching and writing. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music.” **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Tips to Improve Your Resume Writing Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-12-04 Tags: career break, Career restart, sabbaticals, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, Home maker, employment, Resume writing, Freshers URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Tips to improve resume](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/tips-improve-resume-1-1621350973590-compressed.jpg) Resume Writing has been your primary focus ever since you have started looking for a job. Probably even before that. As you were busy wrapping up the last semester in college by day, you were probably putting together your resume by night. Presenting your accomplishments and accolades in a smart professional manner to attract the attentions of the desired employer is an important start to your career. However, like everything else your resume too needs an upgrade at a regular frequency. After all your career has indeed come a long way from your first summer job and you too have evolved in the process. Given below are a few tips that may help you brush up your resume writing style so that you have a spanking new resume ready for your next career move. **Rephrase your Summary:** The first thing that one comes across in a resume, after the name and personal details, is the summary or objective section. I remember my first resume had an elaborate section on my objectives. However, in the current scenario, very few employers would be interested in knowing about your objectives. Rather they would prefer to know how you can help them achieve _their_ objectives. Therefore, it is best to dump the objectives part and rephrase it as your professional summary. Make it short, crisp and a smart gist of all that you bring to the table. Ideally a summary is a quick glance at your capabilities that will hook the prospective employers and make them read on.  However, make it sufficiently long enough so as not to be too abrupt. The summary is your sales pitch, so make it the best. **Emphasise on Achievements:** In order to bag the job you need, you have to sell yourself well. The resume is your advertising tool that will help you do that. A common tip in marketing has always been to impress upon the customer why they need to buy your product by emphasising on the benefits that the product brings to the table. Similarly you need to emphasise on your achievements that has helped your earlier organizations reap great benefits. If possible quantify those benefits. For example, Helped in closing   X number of deals; or Reduced the support costs by n %. Help them understand what you have achieved rather than highlighting what your job responsibilities included. It is this sense of benefiting from your services that will stir up their interest and get your resume pushed to the top of the pile. **Map Work Experience Intelligently:** The section on your Work experience is a critical one. This is where you can showcase how you are the best fit for the job by aligning your prior experience with the current job responsibilities. Employers like to see relevant experience. Ensure that you highlight specific instances that perfectly defines that you possess the right expertise and understanding of the job you are applying for. If you have a lot of experience it is best to highlight the significant ones in a bulleted form. Too long a resume may often bore employers. Keep it short, relevant and emphatic. Say less but do not leave out crucial details. **Always Proofread:**  Your resume is the first impression you create on your future employers. It is very important, therefore that you proofread your resume always before sending it out. A badly written resume full of typos is sure to create a bad impression. Check for improper grammar usage, incorrect choice of words, use of appropriate tone, improper spelling, insufficient use of space, no logical usage of content. Though you may not make any edits every time you send out your resume, however, it is always good to run a quick check covering these factors. You may always come up with something that you would like to change. Work on your resume is never complete. You will always have to keep on updating it as and how you progress in your professional path. However, it is important to remember that making relevant and impactful edits is crucial to keep yourself in demand. Adopting the right techniques for resume writing is as important as upgrading your skillsets. While one helps to keep you relevant the other helps to make others aware of your relevance. Both will ensure that you get to be present at the right place and at the right time. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Tips To Knowing Yourself Better](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/tips-knowing-yourself-better/)‘, ‘[The P-C-R approach to achieve financial stability](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/p-c-r-approach-financial-stability/)‘, ‘[Emotional awareness for personal and professional success](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/emotional-awareness-professional-success/)‘, ‘[Tips to improve your resume writing](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/resume-writing/tips-improve-resume-writing/)‘ ‘[Back from the break – 3 tips to make you rock it’.](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/returnship/back-break-3-tips-make-rock/)_ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/amrita-chatterjee-1.jpg) Amrita is a freelance writer currently based out of Pune. She has worked  with organizations as a Technical and Web Content Writer. Her short stories have been published on Amazon and on Juggernaut books. She is an avid traveler and her travel stories are available on her blog – Amritawrites. **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content, and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Rise Like the Phoenix, After a Career Break … Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-11-29 Tags: career break, Career restart, alternate career, Financial Independence, sabbaticals, women professionals, Indian women, women empowerment, Home maker, employment URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Rise like a phoenix](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/rise%20like%20a%20phoenix-1621351486374-compressed.jpg) _“The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter into one of the most creative periods of my life” – Steve Jobs_ Steve Jobs – a Pioneer, a Visionary, an Innovator and a Prodigy. The man who co-founded the remarkable Technology Giant APPLE and turned it into the mammoth that its today. Amidst a power struggle, he was shown the door in 1984, relieving him from major responsibilities. Contrary to how a normal person would handle the situation, Jobs did not sulk into despair. Instead, he went on a journey of self-discovery and acquired the virtues of patience and honed his management skills. He utilised the break to develop the computer company NeXT. Also, he helped to develop the visual effects industry Pixar. Like a Phoenix, he rose from the ashes and built an empire. While it sounds like a fairy tale, no one would certainly know the depth of efforts Jobs took to reform and transition himself as a person and an Entrepreneur. Starting over involves undaunted vigour since it takes more energy than doing it for the first time. Of course it’s not easy to turnover things in a day; nevertheless I suppose a few feats will help to hold the nerve and make the transition seamless. Some pointers: * **Learn as much as you can, Acquire new skills :** While on the break, apprise on topics related to your field. Check for updated requirements and fill in the gaps. Also, try to learn something new in your line of work that adds value. * **Don’t expect things to take a drastic turn, have the patience :** All good things involve time, so have the patience to start slow and grow gradually. Cherish the little accomplishments and move forward with positivity. * **Polish your Existing skills :** Enhance your existing skills and don’t let it fade. Check for niche topics that will make your role in the organisation worthwhile. * **Be ready to face the Generation gap :** If you are set out to work after a considerable gap, prepare mentally for the fact that there will be a considerable generation difference and gelling in will take some concerted efforts. * **Network effectively :** Utilise the boon of networking to find the right job. A person with better insight about your skillset has greater chances of referring you for the appropriate role. * **Seek help :** Never shy away from asking for help. The support you require might come in the most unexpected of forms; there is nothing wrong in asking for it. As C.S. Lewis said “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream’’. Knowing your strengths, setting your priorities right, staying focused and being persistent will ensure a better chance of success. If you had the conviction to start your Career once and succeed, there is little doubt that you can echo the same and establish your credentials yet again. _You may also want to read other articles written by the author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/career-tracking/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/entrepreneurship/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), “[Importance of networking for success in your career](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/importance-networking-success-career/)“._ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) **_Nithya Jagadish –_** I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** **_You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 6 Tips for Health Management at Workplace Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-11-27 Tags: women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, career woman, Home maker, worklife, Workplace, Health management URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Health management at workplace](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/health%20management%20at%20workplace-1621352624965-compressed.jpg) We are at workplace atleast 8-10 hours in a day, and 5 days a week. Technically that’s roughly 21% in a week  that we spend outside our home in a place where we visit every day, work on computers, share many things with people around us.  Other than the individual health hazards that we face like eye strains, tension neck syndrome, weight gain etc, we also are prone to viruses and infection that exist in the air. We cannot control the workplace environment around us, but we can control our adaptability to the environment. How…? Here are few tips 1. **_Crunch the “munch” time_** – our hands and fingers just move to that cookie/ chocolate/ biscuit/ chips that is in the office pantry or that a coworker has so nicely placed on the desk. It’s very tempting but in its own way stealthily adds on calories and also could make you feel sluggish instead of energetic. Healthy snacks are a good option for munch time. Once you start eating healthy, you motivate others to eat healthy too. **_PS: Fruits, green tea, Health bars, and Baked goods are good replacements for high calories snacks._** 1. **_Increase H20  Intake_** – 70 % of human body is water and so our diet too requires us to have more water as input to the body. Drinking an adequate amount of water, around eight to 10 glasses a day, helps in keeping the body temperature normal, body hydrated, skin nourished and hunger at bay. Many fruits like oranges, grapes, watermelon, and apples are good sources of water and can be part of the water intake chart. **_PS:_** _**By 3 pm, when you feel dehydrated and tired, make your body re-energized by drinking water instead of a beverage.**_ 1. **_Walk before/ after lunch-_** Lunch time is the best time to walk. Walking is burning your calories, de-stressing and refreshing too. A good idea to stay in shape. Find a walking partner on whom you can depend on for a daily walk. Someone who will motivate you to walk even when you get lazy or are too busy. Use stairs more than lift, move more than you sit and stay active. **_PS: Make the walking time enjoyable by changing routes every now and then_**. 1. **_Watch your Portion size_** – Eating a healthy and balanced diet as part of lunch is important. One that is rich with proteins, and fiber rather than fats or carbs. But watching the portion size is equally important too. Eventually, you will have to sit for next few hours. So, portion control keeps that in check. **_PS: Add more salads, fruits and antioxidants to your diet._** 1. **_Keep your ENT in check_**– Yes take care of your Eyes, Neck and Tension- Sitting in a upright position, holding the phone and talking for long hours, and limited movement cause neck and shoulder pain, tenderness. Watching the computer screen for long hours cause eye strain, redness and sensitivity to light. Stress and pressure cause Tension which in turn cause headaches. No job is worth risking your ENT. So, make sure your neck is not bent for a long time, relax your muscles by stretching and try keeping stress to its minimum. You should also be able to comfortably read what’s on your screen at that distance, without having to squint **_PS: Keep your screen at arm’s length from the eye level, Use speakerphone while talking and listening, do spot exercises and listen to music to stay focused and calm._** 1. **_Improve your Immunity level_**– There are two main factors that impair immunity at workplace. One is burnout which is another type of stress that effects relationships, moods, sleep cycles and efficiency at work. The other is the virus that spreads through sharing of keyboard, mouse, phone, or someone coughing and sneezing without covering up their mouth and nose. When your immunity is low, you are fast to catch small infections and illnesses that could disrupt your daily routine. **_PS: Have a daily dose of vitamins, exercise to strengthen immunity level internally. Keep a hand sanitizer, disinfectant, wash your hands regularly to protect yourself externally from viruses_**. _Staying healthy at workplace starts with you and self awareness. You are more aware of your limits, when to take a break, when to take a vacation, when to walk, what to eat, what not to eat and when to exercise. So, Think Healthy, Be Healthy and Stay Healthy!!!_ _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Decoding Stress](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/work-life/decoding-stress/)‘, ‘[Communication made easy…](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/communication/communication-made-easier/)‘, [‘Personal Finance Planning’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/personal-finance-planning/), ‘[Are you financially fit?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/are-you-financially-fit/), ‘[3 M’s… Mantra for Morale](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/3-ms-mantra-morale/)‘ , [‘Tips for effective interaction with management’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/communication/4-tips-effective-interaction-management/), ‘[Adapting to global work culture – locally](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/career-tracking/adapting-global-work-culture-locally/)‘_ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from).  A woman as created by the divine.  An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Is Returnship Right For You? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-11-22 Tags: career break, Returnship, sabbaticals, Indian women, women empowerment, Home maker, employment, Jobs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Is returnship right for you](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/is-returnship-right-1621352772450-compressed.jpg) Many women today need to take a career break due to childbearing and rearing when they are at the peak of their careers. However, when they do decide to come back to the corporate world they are seen differently. In order to address such a situation and attract talent, Goldman Sachs in 2008 coined the term “Returnship”. So let’s find out if returnship is the right thing for you. **What is Returnship?** It is an internship program for senior professionals who would like to explore, brush-up their skills and return to the workplace more equipped. It lasts from eight weeks to about a few months where the qualified candidates get an opportunity to be trained, upskilled and be able to network at the workplace while getting paid and a good prospect for employment. Returnship is a good starting point for women with a career break to get back into the game. Only a few large organizations have the facility and infrastructure to run a returnship program. **Why may returnship be good for you?** _Opportunity to upgrade your skills:_ Returnship is built on the assumption that the candidate has some level of required skills. They only focus on upskilling them on new technology or new aspects of the job, concentrating mainly on filling the skill gap. These are usually paid returnships with decent compensation structures. Even if you don’t land up with a job, you will leave learning new skills. _Opportunity to network with other industry professionals:_ Returnships allows you to meet and interact with people from different backgrounds, experience, and industries, coming from a similar situation as yours. The real-time sharing of experiences, feedbacks, and networking with professionals from the industry, goes a long way toward building your career path. _Opportunity to explore different options:_ Some organizations in their returnship program give a more holistic training. Hence, it enables you to explore your new interest and find a new career as it gives you insight into various roles in the organization. **Why may returnship not be right for you?** _A possibility of not getting hired:_ Returnship in an organization does not guarantee you a job. Hence, you must consider this as a part of the bigger plan that is, getting hired and continue to apply to other positions in the job market during the returnship period. _Low compensation:_ Although some returnships pay well, most don’t. So if one of the reasons to get back into the workforce is financial stability, this may not be your best option. _Limited industry options:_ Over 200 large organizations are offering returnships. They are mostly fintech, IT and Consulting organizations. This limits the option for those whose skill-sets don’t match the need of these industries. There is a high demand for qualified professionals there but the competition is high too. Weighing the pros and cons, I still feel that returnship is an excellent opportunity for those who are considering a long-term professional career after a break. Companies today have realized that a percentage of potential women professionals are left untapped due to the stigma attached to a career break and have come up with an excellent solution in Returnship. _You may also want to read other article written by the same author ‘[Career tracking while on a career break](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career-tracking-career-break/)‘, ‘[Career restarting for a woman on a career break](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career-restarting-women-career-break/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ _The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 7 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Important interview Skills to Land Your Dream Job Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-11-20 Tags: career break, Career Change, Interview Skills, corporate employees, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker, Jobs, Resume writing, Selfconfidence URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Important interview tips](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/important-interview-1-1621355098161-compressed.jpg) Now that you have got a call from your dream company, are you getting worried for your interview? Even the smartest and capable person does get a bit jittery before an interview. Do not worry, just be yourself.  Remember that if you do land a job where you had given exaggerated/wrong information, then you will find that you are not suited for the job very soon and will end up in a quagmire. So, the easiest way to prepare for an interview, is by being yourself. But it is very essential that you be **_mentally_** **_prepared_** on how you will approach the interview. Be thorough with what is written on your resume. If you have taken a break in career, be ready to face some questions that would cater specifically to your break period. The interviewer would like to be appraised of what you have done to upskill yourself and to be recruited again in that specific field. It is very essential that you be **_dressed in appropriate clothes_** for the interview. The clothes will have to suit the type of job that you are opting for.  Go for a wardrobe change if you are trying for a job, after a long stint at home. The cue is being presentable and professional without being overboard. You need to appear **_relaxed_** and **_confident_**. It is not necessary that you be able to answer all the questions. Be Honest. But there are some positions where the interviewer may be checking on how you would be managing a situation with very little information. A lot of managerial, sales jobs need these types of skills, where you would start to operate with very little data. If you do not understand the question, **_do not assume_**. Do not hesitate to ask the interviewer to state it again. It is very essential that you listen and let the interviewer know that you have heard and understood what was said. **_Listen to the interviewer_** as he will be giving you information directly or indirectly. Use that to your advantage. If you are uncomfortable with a specific question, state it so. There may be interviews where the interviewer may be testing you on your tolerance or **_stress taking capabilities_**. A project manager or a customer facing sales person could be tested on how they would be reacting on highly stressful situations. So, it is very essential that you remain calm and composed, irrespective of the type of questions. **_Research_** **_the company_** that you have applied for and understand the job description thoroughly. Get **adequate rest** before the interview. Never **_appear desperate_** for the job.  Have a confident and composed nature. An interview does require spending lot of time on reviewing the questions and answers. At the end of the day, it is the opportunity that you have been waiting for. Ensure that you boost your chances by following the tips mentioned here. _You may like to read other articles written by this author ‘[The power of assertive communication](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/power-assertive-communication/)‘,__‘[9 effective tips for writing a resume’](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/9-effective-tips-writing-resume/)._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Sudha-Divakar-2.jpg)_ _Sudha Divakar_ – A Proud stay at home mom. She has worked in the IT industry for 15 years and has taken a break to take care of her priorities. She is an avid reader and enjoys watching movies with her tiny tots at home. She believes that life is full of beauty and must be lived one day at a time. **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Sabbatical- Blessing or Curse for Women Professionals? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-11-15 Tags: career break, Career restart, alternate career, sabbaticals, women professionals, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, Home maker, entrepreneurs, part time jobs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![sabbatical-blessing-or-curse-for-women-professionals](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Sabbatical-Blessing-1621355392438-compressed.jpg) You can find a number of Indian women who have taken a break after a successful career. She was well educated, loved her professional identity and financially independent. She was really enjoying her professional life but suddenly what changes her mind to take a break? An inevitable situation such as motherhood, marriage, ill-health of self or family member during her professional journey and so she had to take a sabbatical. I am sure most of you can relate this situation to yours. Sabbatical could be either by choice or due to circumstances from where she cannot escape. Many a times, she was not ready but had to take sabbatical because of unfavorable circumstances. It could be 2 years, 2 months or 2 weeks depending on the situation, but for some, it is for a lifetime. I have several friends who had taken sabbatical and still haven’t joined back, still struggling to get back to work. In fact, I am on the same page too. Took sabbatical in 2016 but I haven’t stopped myself there. Being from a Pharmaceutical background, it was tough for me to get back into industry. However, I searched for other opportunities and I started working as a Freelance academic and content writer and now I have started publishing my technical and non-technical articles in various websites. So, what are you waiting for if you are on your sabbatical? Start exploring new opportunities which can help you to be in race again. Though, it will take time but I am sure you will definitely succeed. There must be something available for you. You only need to explore the options and start your professional career again.What would be the things to come back from career break? You must not sit idle during sabbatical. Your major focus must be to improve yourself and your life. You must start working to improvise your skills, get involved in learning something new and excel in your life.Women on career break need to find out the skills in which they are lacking or the latest technologies they need to be trained on. You can enroll yourselves in several training programs to improvise your skills. Companies in India are still at nascent stage while hiring returning working professionals in their team. However, there are various companies who are encouraging returning professionals to join back in the race such as **GENPACT – Career 2.0****Google – gCareer****Sapient – SPRING****Amazon India – Rekindle****Accenture – Career Reboot for Women****Axis Bank – Re-Connect****Dr Reddy’s Comeback Careers for Women****Eaton – ReLaunch** Internship programs are budding as an extraordinary progressive step for companies and an effective restart path for women on sabbatical. It supports the women to enter into employment again after a career break. These have been demonstrated as an efficient means to support returning professionals to workforce. It helps to enhance more participation by women employees at the workplace. **Still thinking to get back in your professional life? Start searching the best available options for you. Become independent again and complete your dreams.** You may also want to read other blogs written by the same author: ‘[Restarting Professional career After a Break’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/career-break/restarting-professional-career-break/), [‘Can Women be Successful Entrepreneurs?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/entrepreneurship/can-women-successful-entrepreneurs/), [‘Sabbatical – Blessing or a Curse for Women Professionals?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/career-break/sabbatical-blessing-curse-women/). _**About the author:**_  **[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Neha-Taneja.jpg)** **Neha Taneja**: _I have done M. Pharmacy from Panjab University, Chandigarh and possess 3 years of industry experience in Quality Assurance domain. Took a career break for some personal reasons and started doing freelance academic and content writing. Though, I faced several challenges during this tenure, I am happy that I have enhanced my writing skills during my career break._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Emotional Awareness for Personal & Professional Success Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-11-13 Tags: career break, Career restart, women professionals, working moms, Emotional Awareness, Indian women, women empowerment, Balance, career women, Freshers, Professional Success URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Emotional Awareness for personal growth](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Emotional-Awareness-1621355478973-compressed.jpg) The Harley Therapy Counselling Blog defines Emotional Awareness as “the ability to recognise and make sense of not just your emotions but also those of others.” This means that being aware of what we feel is not enough to make us emotionally aware. We need to enhance the awareness further by identifying, acknowledging and accepting that feeling in others as well. Also successfully predicting our reaction towards this feeling is crucial in enhancing emotional awareness. It is only then that we will be able to handle our emotions in the desired manner. As humans we all have emotions. Enhancing our emotional awareness is crucial in ensuring our social well-being. It is deeply linked with how we perceive and build our relationships with our personal as well professional associates. As professionals we go through a whole gamut of emotions, and being able to decipher those early on will help us improve the way we handle ourselves as well as our relations with our co-workers in the professional space. **Build Better Communication** Radha was a marketing professional and often had to make presentations to her clients. However, before every presentation she would get sleepless nights. The next morning her eyes would be red and she would be really snappy with her team. Her other team mates would avoid her on such days and made fun of her weird behavior behind her back. Gradually this created a distance between her and her team resulting in an overall poor performance. The above scenario is quite a common one for most of us. What Radha suffered was nervous anxiety owing to the fear of public speaking.Radha should have introspected on why she usually did this before a presentation. The moment she mulled over the peculiar change in her behaviour before a particular event she would have identified the reason. It is very crucial to listen to the signs that our body sends us. It will help us identify the feeling accurately. Radha’s sleeplessness, her irritation with her colleagues, the fact that she would snap at the slightest reason were all signs that she should have paid attention to. Maybe once she identified it and labelled the feeling as Anxiety she would have been able to deal with it more effectively. Moreover, being aware of the adverse impact her weird behaviour had on her colleagues would also have helped her in starting that introspection. Probably a short talk with her colleagues explaining her problem and seeking help from them may have sorted the issue. Understanding your emotional self and acknowledging your feelings is the best way to help build the bridge of communication. **Define your Profile for productivity** Ashok was a brilliant data analyst. He had helped his organizations make huge profits through his excellent analysis reports and insights. A few months back Ashok had joined a new organization in a Managerial position. However, a few days into the new job Ashok began to be restless. He hated going to office and even if he did he would take hours to finish his assignment. This he found was strange because he had loved his work. However, the work at his new organization was not as hands-on as he would have liked it. Gradually, Ashok realised his productivity falling. Still he refused to listen to the signs and finally he quit. Frustrations, listlessness and lack of productivity are work hazards that all of us experience. However it is important for us to realise what is it that drives us as professionals. Is it being more hands-on in the job like Ashok? Or does being a Manager and handling excel sheets and monitoring resource planning is what gives us the kick? Once we realise our real calling we can proceed to define our work boundaries so that others too, realise what we are here for. We are the best people to decide what we want to do. If we ignore our inner calling and decide to tread on the path laid out by others we are bound to get demotivated in our professional lives. Evaluating our emotions will help us understand how we perceive ourselves and how we want others to relate to us. Becoming emotionally aware is crucial for a healthy lifestyle. It helps us understand ourselves as well as the world around us better. Inability to decipher your emotions may lead to serious complications like depression, eating disorders, sleep disorders or anxiety like in the case of Radha mentioned in the scenario above. Be aware to remain healthy. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Tips To Knowing Yourself Better](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/tips-knowing-yourself-better/)‘, ‘[The P-C-R approach to achieve financial stability](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/p-c-r-approach-financial-stability/)‘, ‘[Emotional awareness for personal and professional success](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/emotional-awareness-professional-success/)‘, ‘[Tips to improve your resume writing](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/resume-writing/tips-improve-resume-writing/)‘ ‘[Back from the break – 3 tips to make you rock it’.](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/returnship/back-break-3-tips-make-rock/)_ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/amrita-chatterjee-1.jpg) Amrita is a freelance writer currently based out of Pune. She has worked  with organizations as a Technical and Web Content Writer. Her short stories have been published on Amazon and on Juggernaut books. She is an avid traveler and her travel stories are available on her blog – Amritawrites. **_(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)_** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 8 Advantages of Online Tutoring as Work From Home Career. Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-11-11 Tags: career break, Career Change, alternate career, sabbaticals, women professionals, Indian women, women empowerment, Home maker, Balance, Online Tutoring, tutoring URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![8-advantages-of-online-tutoring-as-work-from-home-career](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/8-advantages-1621355558656-compressed.png) A career break could be for many reasons. It could be Maternity break, ill health, health, move to another city, state, country or a perpetual break. To return after a sabbatical and start again is quite frustrating for most women. Reasons are internal as well as external. Externally, the market scenario has changed, technology has changed, pay scales, working modalities etc. Internally there are life events that have been added to the timeline and with it family dynamics as well as responsibilities have changed too. So, practically and realistically, it is a  little harder this time to start from where one has left and restart from the  same field of work. The route could be a little different now, but worth taking it.  Well, as long as the motivation and passion is there, one must keep going. But until then there are few alternative options one can look into in their field of work. practically and realistically, it is a  little harder this time to start from where one has left and restart from the same field of work. Online tutoring is one such option, where you can work from home, and its easy and fun. Here are some advantages: **Flexible hours –** A big advantage is that these type of jobs have time slots of 2 hours per session and one can choose to go up to as many number of sessions in a day. So with a minimum of 2 hours per day one can get engaged in a job. One gets paid for as many number of hours one puts in. **Teach your choice of subject** – After earning all the degrees and working, somewhere our knowledge too diminishes with time. This is a good opportunity to revisit core subjects and teach. There are various subjects for different categories that can be taught. Whether, its subjects taught at school, professional colleges or even computer based programming languages. One has flexibility to choose. **Teach International students** – One also gets the opportunity to teach Students from own country as well as abroad. Many students all over the world need help. So sometimes, if the time zones match then one can also peacefully do this when there is not much activity at home. **Creativity** – Because it’s online, there are creative ways in which one can conduct classes through graphs, maps, charts, assignments. **No travel** – There is no cost in travel or commute as it’s a work from home based job. As long as there is availability and access to internet connection and a machine, one can work sitting anywhere. It is very cost effective. **Manage home and work**– It is easy as one can manage both. As, there is no time lost in travel or commute a 2 hours session can start on time and finish on time. Simultaneously home activities can continue too. Good way of multitasking. **No previous experience required** – This is a big plus as no previous experience is required. There could be few ability testing quizzes and surveys but no experience required. N**o long term contracts-** One can quit when one wants to. Usually no long term contracts are required. So, no notice period to be served or be responsible for any kind of delivery. Most importantly, even if taking up an online tutoring job is a stop -gap arrangement for some time where one needs to do something and get paid while getting trained in a new course or looking for other jobs, it is the best option to work from home. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Decoding Stress](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/work-life/decoding-stress/)‘, ‘[Communication made easy…](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/communication/communication-made-easier/)‘, [‘Personal Finance Planning’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/personal-finance-planning/), ‘[Are you financially fit?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/are-you-financially-fit/), ‘[3 M’s… Mantra for Morale](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/3-ms-mantra-morale/)‘ , [‘Tips for effective interaction with management’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/communication/4-tips-effective-interaction-management/), ‘[Adapting to global work culture – locally](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/career-tracking/adapting-global-work-culture-locally/)‘_ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from).  A woman as created by the divine.  An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._ #####  (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Stand Tall and Face it all with Confidence Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-11-06 Tags: career break, Positive Thinking, women professionals, Indian women, career woman, career women, Selfconfidence URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![stand-tall-face-confidence](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/stand-tall-face-confidence-1621356151105-compressed.jpg) “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence ” – Helen KellerDuring my first year of college, I had the privilege of being an Air cadet in NCC which presented me the opportunity to fly Gliders. In my first session, I vividly recall my Wing Commander saying “Flying is all about gaining Confidence”. Little did I know the significance of those words until a later stage in life. I always had the attitude of “Stand tall and Face it all”. Confidence is something that can’t be built in a day. I believe life is a series of occurrences with each experience and challenge presenting us newer opportunities to strengthen and gain conviction. While there is no ‘’One approach fits all” methodology, I am listing a few pointers that has helped me over the years.• Get out of your Comfort zone :It is cosy to bask in the familiar, but to progress, it’s necessary to step out of the zone and be prepared to feel awkward. Pushing your limits and embarking on the unknown will provide you with immense confidence. • Avoid Comparisons :Many a day is lost in comparing our lives with others. The advent of Social media while a boon, casts gloom when used to equate our living standards. It’s highly pertinent that we develop the maturity to be happy with what we have. • Look for happiness in the littlest of things :It’s not always the money or the sophistication that enriches our lives. Small deeds like talking to a friend after a long break, an evening stroll, the tranquility of early mornings etc. means much more than the materialistic inclinations. You need to find out what makes you happy and do more of it. • Wherever you are, give it your all :Pay attention to detail and enjoy the path you are on. Giving your 100% will increase your zest for life and make it more meaningful. • Maintain a Positivity Journal :It’s fun to have a journal with the events of your life that made you ecstatic. When you walk down the memory lane, it will evoke a string of pleasant thoughts and uplift your confidence to achieve more. • Be grateful.There is goodness around us; all that we need to do is to look for it. A positive mind will enlighten you to oversee the flaws and appreciate the things you are blessed with. Having a grateful attitude will strengthen your mind and enhance your self-belief. Today, I am happy for a few unconventional choices that gave me the strength and poise to become Confident. The intimidation I felt in the early stages gradually transformed into credence and courage. In all walks of life, having a positive outlook and facing situations with Confidence has bettered things for me and those around. _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), “[Importance of networking for success in your career](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/)“, ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) **_Nithya Jagadish –_** I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. ##### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Challenges after a Career Break and their Solutions Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-11-01 Tags: Career restart, Careerbreak, alternate career, Financial Independence, women professionals, women empowerment, career woman, Selfconfidence URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![challenges-career-break-solutions](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/Restarting-career-after-break-1621356364840-compressed.jpg) To all the stay-at-home moms, to all the housewives and to those ladies who have taken a career break for reasons of their own: getting your career back on track or returning to a job after years is a tough task and you have a lot to catch up on. All this while you have been engaged in chores of the house and the thought of being financially independent like before seems like a long lost dream. There is no guarantee for success. However, you must pursue your passion and try to win the job you deserve. You will face a lot ofchallenges on your way to the goal. But don’t worry, you are a woman of grit and can overcome these challenges easily. * **Low Confidence:** Your confidence would take you to the zenith of your career, but unfortunately, this is the time when your confidence is most probably at its lowest. A good way to avoid this situation is to start early i.e. prepare yourself mentally beforehand. It means utilizing your free time for some classes like public speaking, learning a new language or any other course. The main aim here is to interact with new people while you learn something new which, if possible, should be connected to your field. This won’t take much of your time and will gradually boost your confidence. Start gaining confidence on a small scale and you are good to face the bigger challenges. * **Missing out on new skills:** When you quit your job, spend a few years as a homemaker and glance casually at where your field is at…BAM! Everything has changed. Latest technology, new ideas and a modern outlook. Some of it might be easy to catch up on. But the recruiters prefer people who already possess the knowledge of the latest developments. In this case, you’d need to be aware of all the recent developments related to your area of work. All you need to do is stay in touch with people or your previous colleagues who are currently engaged in the occupation you are interested in. Enquire about the latest developments, type of work, requirement of new skills etc. from time to time. If there is anything new to be learnt, you can seek help from your friends and get acquainted with it. That way you will always stay updated. * **Resume and Interview:** This is the trickiest part of the process of getting back to work. A well-written resume and a perfect interview will land you on your desired job. But it is highly likely that the recruiters would be reluctant to accept you because of your former break. The key is to stay honest in your resume and confident in your interview. Do not try to cover up the period of your break by mentioning activities totally unrelated to your job. Instead convey your sincere interest in the job and how you stayed updated on the new skills and latest developments. Do not display embarrassment regarding your break during the interview. * **Less Salary:** Women who return back to their jobs after a career break are paid less in comparison to others holding the same position with similar experience. This is because they may be biased against such women, falsely thinking that they are not fully up to the mark for the job, owing to the gap in the career. You can’t change this mindset in a jiffy. It will take time for people to realize that women like you are no less than other employers. To tackle this situation, you can perform the tasks delegated to you to the best of your capability (which means working better than your co-workers) and prove that you can work as well as others. Then you can politely speak to the authorities about this issue and try to clear any misunderstanding they have about your performance. * **Home Management**: As you join your new job, you will be expected to juggle work and home with equal efficiency. To succeed in both the areas, you need to begin early. During your career break, make sure you involve all of your family members in the household work. Make them accustomed to your absence by joining a hobby class, for instance, which will keep you away from home for a couple of hours. That way you are preparing yourself as well as the family to cope up with the situation. Or maybe just hire a maid if that’s possible. As stated before, finding a job after being a homemaker for years is not piece of cake. Relentless efforts and patience are needed on your part to get back to work. Disappointment and failures may meet you on your path to success, but remember “Do not stop when you are tired. Stop when you are done.” _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author:  ‘[Fun alternatives for ladies on career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/fun-alternatives-ladies-career-break/)‘,  ‘[Bridging the gap using online resources](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/upskill-resources/bridging-skill-gap-online-resources/)‘, ‘[Stress: Lets deal with it](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/work-life/stress-deal-with-it/)‘, ‘[No Matter what the world says, It is ok to… live your life](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/no-matter-world-says-okay-live-life/)‘, ‘[A little guide to positivity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/little-guide-positivity/)‘ ‘[Ways to Selfmotivation- Your key to success’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/ways-self-motivation/), ‘[Why you need to prioritise yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/why-you-need-prioritise-yourself/)‘_ **_About the author:_** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Radhika_Image-2.jpg) “Radhika works as a visiting lecturer at the University of Mumbai. She completed her B.A. and  M.A (Gold medal) in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. She has a passion for languages especially English, Sanskrit, and German and has written articles on Upanishads. She provides content development services. She likes teaching and writing. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music.” ###### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Importance of Networking for Success in Your Career Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-10-30 Tags: career break, women professionals, working moms, Indian women, business women, career woman, employment, entrepreneurs, networking, home makers URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Importance of Networking for Success in Your Career](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/importance%20of%20networking-1621356937538-compressed.jpg) **Networking is not collecting contacts! Networking is about planting relations. – MiSha** A while ago, I read a statement that during layoffs, the person to let go is not the one with low performance, but the one without friends.  If that be true, then so powerful is networking that it’s a necessity than an option. In today’s world, the concept of Synergy is crucial not just for the Individual, but for the business as well. As human beings, we have the vital need to converse, share our thoughts and exchange ideas. It’s wise to have a circle of varied categories – Peers, Friends, Mentors, Ex-colleagues etc. Normally in most organisations, after a level of hierarchy in top management is reached, recruitment happens through word-of-mouth – i.e. the feedback given by an insider with influence has better weightage than recruiting an outside candidate. Summing up few important aspects of Networking: * **Keeps you in the game:** While the business world is flooded with intense competition, it’s hard to stand out. A well connected network will help to get easy identification. A person with an established support group has more chances of landing an opportunity due to the word of mouth influence and access to job openings. * **Helps you stay connected :** As we move on from one company to another, there will be people who are good resources – whether it is in terms of knowledge or as a friend. It’s unwise to lose contact with such folks. Networking helps to stay connected and exchange powerful ideas that have a huge impact on work.  * **What goes around, comes around :** Reinstating my faith in Karma, I would assert that when you uplift someone within your circle through positive feedback and reference, the same shall happen to you eventually. Instead of being lost in an ocean of talent, staying connected will make you conspicuous for a promotion. * **Sharing best practices :** Having a pool of multifaceted personalities and exchanging best practices mutually will help to invent better platform for your organisation. * **Boosts your spirits :** More so than anything else, having a positive set of individuals around you will give the strength and energy to carry on despite ups and downs. A candid conversation with the right person will relax your mind and give better outcomes at work. The knack is to stay connected without overstepping boundaries. A strong network will help you build better bonds and when things don’t seem rosy, you’ll have someone to confide in. With the abundance of social media options, Networking has become easier than ever. _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), “[Importance of networking for success in your career](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/)“, ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) **_Nithya Jagadish –_** I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) ##### _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Gear Up For A Career Change… Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-10-25 Tags: Career Change, Career restart, Careerbreak, alternate career, Financial Independence, women professionals, Indian women, business women, career woman, Home maker, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/CareerChange-1621357325427-compressed.jpg) **How to identify new career……** Career change or an alternative career can be built based on your talents and interests. But if neither are working out you can build  a career by analysing the market demand with sheer willpower and passion for new learning. Few key points mentioned below for new career choice * _You should acquaint through knowledge of the new career you are about to choose_ * _You should make sure this new career must provide for your financial needs. If not at the beginning but must eventually in the future_ * _You should know your competitors of the new business_ * _You should know the scope for growth if you choose to work in different industry_ * _You should establish a steady clientele, so marketing skills are mandatory_ * _You should possess the passion to learn and adapt to your new career_ **My journey……** Couple of years ago, when I was struggling to find my foot back in my previous job industry I got rejected again and again due to my gap in career. I was frustrated and looking for alternative career. My native place is famous for silk sarees. Whenever, I returned after a vacation or holiday from Chennai I used to buy Kancheevaram sarees for my friends. One of my friend Manjali, suggested me to start a home business to sell South Indian sarees.  And so, I started a small home boutique shop, its now 2 years. During these two years I faced innumerable hurdles and breakdowns. The journey was not at all an easy ride. **Testing the water…..** Before heading down to pursue your new career, it is better to test the water and be cautious. If you are starting a new business it is best to start by performing a soft launch. If you are changing to new industry it is best to work as a part timer or on contract for a duration By being cautious, you can identify the problems and derive the solutions accordingly well before the actual phase. Initially in my business I placed silk saree stalls in community centers and function halls to analyse customer’s requirement and to identify the areas where I was lagging skills. Image: Taken during one of the events **Paving the road…..** “No pain No gain” Initial hurdles and struggles tend to pull you down and make you second guess your choice. When I started my business and tried to establish my customer base, mostly middle income group who paid me in monthly installments by cash, I faced with the biggest problem with finance as government passed “demonetization” and “GST”. My customers were unable to pay me back due to cash scarcity. New customers hesitated to buy new products due to the increase in tax. Time is the solution to all my problems. And, it is taking a lot of time to establish the connection again with customers and increase the sale. Yet, this is still my own business and to me “All will be well again”. You may also want to read other article by same author: ‘[Plan your career break and restart journey with these tips](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/career-break/tips-plan-career-break-career-restart/)‘. _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Vijayalakshmi.jpg)_ _Vijayalakshmi_ – “An IT professional. I love to paint still pictures, read crime and thriller novels. I am a proud mother of two boys.” **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 9 Effective Tips for Writing a Resume Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-10-23 Tags: career break, Career restart, women professionals, Indian women, women empowerment, employment, Resume writing, career women, Freshers URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![9-effective-tips-writing-resume](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/9-effective-tips-writing-resume-1621357771945-compressed.png) There are thousands of people who are looking out for a new job and the resume is the first point of entry that he / she can make  to the company. So, it is very much essential that the resume reflects the person’s capabilities and achievements and gets the attention of the recruiters. The following guidelines will help in drafting an employable resume: 1. **Keep it Brief and Concise** Recruiters spend only a few minutes screening the resume. So, ensure that your resume does not run into pages. Highlight in brief your achievements. 1. **Reverse chronological order** There are different ways in which the resume can be organized but the traditional way of stating items in reverse chronological order is always preferred by many. Do not leave any obvious gaps. 1. **Career break** If you have taken a career break, do not try to hide it. Specify the activities that you have done during the break period, even if it may not be completely relevant. For example, you could have completed some certifications, or been part of some community drive or even participated in some event in your neighbourhood school. It is essential to stay updated during the break period. If you haven’t done it, start reaching out and explore what is interesting to you before you start looking for a job. Get enrolled in refresher course. State it in the resume to show what you have done to stay relevant in the field. 1. **What You See Is What You Get** State only what has been done by you and ensure that you are able to describe it in detail when requested for. Quantify your accomplishments as much as possible. For example, State what percentage was the sales target met, how many people were mentored. Stick to the realm of reality. While specifying the positive aspects of the work accomplished, stay honest and do not oversell. For example, your project could have been involved with developing an application for a Supermarket. If you were involved in business requirements collection of a specific module, explain in detail about your role and state in brief about the project. 1. **Do not stick to Templates** Add sections as appropriate for the work that you have done. Not every person’s resume will look the same. 1. **Cover letter** If you do not have relevant experience, draft an attractive cover letter stating your strengths and capabilities and specify as to why you are apt for the job. 1. **Proof read and Save as PDF** Factual errors, Grammatical or spelling mistakes show poorly about you. So, Proof read your resume well. Send it to recruiters in PDF format to prevent any accidental edits. Ensure that you do not include any controversial interests. 1. **References** Do not include references even though it can vouch for your credibility. State that references can be provided on request. 1. **Get help from Professional** If design is not your forte and you are not able to write the resume in a satisfactory manner, get the help of a professional. The additional help is very much worth taking up if you are serious about landing up the job of your choice. Hope these tips are helpful for you to land your dream job!! _You may like to read other article written by this author ‘[The power of assertive communication](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/communication/power-assertive-communication/)‘_ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Sudha-Divakar-2.jpg)_ _Sudha Divakar_ – A Proud stay at home mom. She has worked in the IT industry for 15 years and has taken a break to take care of her priorities. She is an avid reader and enjoys watching movies with her tiny tots at home. She believes that life is full of beauty and must be lived one day at a time. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Career Restarting for Women on Career Break Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-10-18 Tags: career break, Career restart, alternate career, sabbaticals, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, career woman, employment URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![career-restarting-women-career-break](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/career-restarting-women-career-break-1621402936501-compressed.jpg) Women today have proved to the world that they are competent to take on any role and job they aim for. Be it Valentina Tereshkova, first woman in space in 1963 or Stacey Cunningham hitting the headlines for being the first woman to lead New York Stock Exchange in 2018. But in reality, they are the exception than the rule. Most women are still struggling to keep afloat in a corporate setting and it’s even more challenging for those who want to come back into the workforce. The world is not kind to a career break on your resume. It raises a lot of eyebrows and concerns. Let us throw some light on this subject to understand better. **What are some of the major reasons women take a career break?** There are several reasons women opt for a career break. Some of them are: * Childbirth * Relocation of a partner * Migration to a new country * Redundancy or end of contract * Higher Education * Sabbatical – travel, volunteering **What challenges women face returning to the workforce after a career break?** * **Skill gap:** In skilled labour like IT or finance, one needs to be up-to-date with the changes. A long career break creates a bigger skill gap. * **Employer’s skepticism:** It raises questions on one’s capability, seriousness and time commitments which makes the employer skeptical to hire women after a break especially mothers with young ones. * **Position/role offered:** Usually the position and salary offered to women after her break is lower than the market standards. They are asked to compromise on these things, as company view it as an investment to hire women with a career gap. * **Childcare:** This is a major challenge for women who are joining back the workforce who have young children. Most companies lack childcare facilities and do not provide the flexibility to accommodate the lack of it. * **Confidence:** Being on an extended career break makes one doubt their confidence, whether they will be able to perform well at work, adapting to a new environment and most importantly managing home and work diligently. **What can employers do better to absorb women back into the workforce seamlessly?** * **Work Policies:** Companies need to create an environment which is flexible like allowing work from home when required, flexible work timings, providing childcare facilities and right project allocation. * **Company Culture:** Moving away from micro-management and having the trust that they will complete the task assigned. Boosting their confidence, hand-holding them in their initial return and assigning them a mentor can be helpful. To not set them up for failure but provide an environment to thrive and grow. * **Equality at Work:** To not hold the gap against them and allowing them to compete equally for promotions, internal opportunities etc. One must look at their potential and skill they bring in. **How can women with a career gap be more ready for their return?** * **Be mentally prepared:** To prepare oneself of their return. One would have to work hard to prove themselves again in the professional world or if you are a mother, ensuring your child/children are taken care of while away at work, is important. * **Networking:** During the break, try networking with professionals to understand the job market, the current trends and to assist with the right job openings. * **Skill update:** There are many online tools and websites today that can aid in one’s self learning. Learning new skills, sharing knowledge or attending relevant conferences and seminars during the break if possible is very helpful. * **Freelancing:** Maybe taking up some assignments relevant to the field can add to the resume during the time off. * **Be sure of what’s next:** A sabbatical gives one time to think and many a times explore oneself. Be sure of having clear goals, it helps to find the right job. It has been proved that companies that provide the right kind of environment for women who would like to come back into the workforce after a break, tend to be more diligent and great employees. We are not asking for exceptions but just to provide a platform to those who are ready to come back into the workforce. If we mitigate the challenges in front of us today we can solve the problem of women hesitating to take a break to start a family or settle down and the lack of diversity at workplace. A win-win situation for all. _You may also want to read other article written by the same author ‘[Career tracking while on a career break](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/career-tracking/career-tracking-career-break/)‘_ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ _The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 7 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## The P-C-R Approach to Achieve Financial Stability Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-10-16 Tags: Careerbreak, Financial stability, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![PC_R Approach](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/The-P-C-R-Approach-1621403220692-compressed.jpg) In simple terms, Financial Stability is the ability to ensure that you have enough financial reserves for a rainy day. It is a matter of significant importance for both men and women, however, for women this becomes a doubly crucial factor for consideration as the ‘rainy day’ occurs quite frequently and in most cases, in an unplanned manner. It has happened to me a couple of times and believe me I have not only been severely drenched by the sudden shower but have also caught the chill quite unexpectedly. Experience is the best teacher. Hence, I always adopt the Plan – Change – Re-plan (P-C-R) approach to help me keep myself well- perched on high ground, safe and dry from the deluge. _**Plan**_ The first thing I do is to Plan a budget. It took me a good many years to realise the importance of a monthly budget and how it can keep your finances well within check. Once the budget is defined, I chart out a path along which to direct my finances in order to make them stay aligned to my budget. However, we are all mere mortals and can seldom refrain from indulgences. Nevertheless, if such sins do creep in make sure that you do not go overboard. An occasional splurging for an expensive jewellery shopping, Dinner at a fancy restaurant or even a luxury vacation is fine. Ensure that you do not tend to make these a regular item in your budget or else it is sure to go haywire. A good way to ensure you do not waver too much is to set yourself definite goals. These goals should be quantifiable so that you can track and measure them. For example, goals like ‘Reduce credit card usage’ is vague.  You need to define the frequency of usage in order to enable yourself to measure it and know whether you have actually been able to reduce it, and if so by how much. Therefore, the same goal can be redefined as ‘Reduce credit card usage to 1-2 transactions a month’ or    ‘Limit my credit card purchases to X amount’. This will help you keep a track on how well your finances are moving along the path defined by you. _**Change**_ While a budget is mandatory, however, it is not necessary that it remains fixed. Fixing the same amount as your monthly budget is not a practical approach. As every month will have a surprise party or an anniversary you may have forgotten or a premium to be paid, you should be able to adjust your monthly budget to accommodate these new expenses. These changes will require that you exclude certain items from your last month’s budget and include new things. For example, the washing machine can wait for this month as you need to complete the online course before your membership expires. Changing your monthly budget ensures that you are able to make the long awaited purchases or additions that you have been postponing for a long time. It has a huge psychological impact and helps to keep up the motivation to persist in maintaining a highly effective monthly budget. _**Re-plan**_  An obvious outcome of this change in monthly budget is the need for you to Re-plan your budget. Which means you need to start all over again. Pull up an estimate of the expenses you have incurred in the last month, check the inflow you are expecting this month and draw up a list of items you need to do for this month. Prioritize on the list and include the mandatory ones that you simply cannot miss out. For example, a premium that is due, car insurance renewal and of course your mother-in-law’s special day. Exclude all that can be pushed out into the next month and finalise your budget. This will help you stay on track with sufficient resources to back you up when needed. A budget is probably the best thing to ensure you maintain financial stability in your life. The P-C-R trick that I follow is just one of the ways. Devise your own ways and ensure a happy walk all the way to the bank every month. Believe me it is not only satisfying but also a big relief to realise you can well afford to have the extra cheese topping to go with your Pepperoni Pizza. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Tips To Knowing Yourself Better](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/tips-knowing-yourself-better/)‘, ‘[The P-C-R approach to achieve financial stability](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/p-c-r-approach-financial-stability/)‘, ‘[Emotional awareness for personal and professional success](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/emotional-awareness-professional-success/)‘, ‘[Tips to improve your resume writing](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/resume-writing/tips-improve-resume-writing/)‘ ‘[Back from the break – 3 tips to make you rock it’.](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/returnship/back-break-3-tips-make-rock/)_ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/amrita-chatterjee-1.jpg) Amrita is a freelance writer currently based out of Pune. She has worked  with organizations as a Technical and Web Content Writer. Her short stories have been published on Amazon and on Juggernaut books. She is an avid traveler and her travel stories are available on her blog – Amritawrites. (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Can Women be Successful Entrepreneurs? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-10-11 Tags: alternate career, women professionals, Indian women, women empowerment, Home maker, Job search, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![can-women-successful-entrepreneurs](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/can-women-successful-entrepreneurs-hsi-1621403627982-compressed.jpg) India is a country where we have seen Indian women remain restricted to household activities in earlier era. However, things have changed these days and we can see a lot of women entrepreneurs in India. They are coming up with an assortment of development in every sector, be it private or public sector. Those days are gone when women had no professional status. Women are now changing the private and public sectors through their strength of purpose and determination. They are symbolizing the new India where women are enthusiastic to take challenges and gain knowledge from their mistakes and utilize them to become successful in future. What are the things a woman must have to become an entrepreneur? Well, woman only need to develop consciousness, work on existing initiatives, have self-confidence, and zeal to do something. That’s it. These are the ingredients which can support women to bring a successful change. Women have a significant economic, political, financial and social role in India. You can observe several transformational and structural reforms which are taking place in India these days. The time has come when women entrepreneurs are riding their waves successfully. There are women who do not have any background in the relevant sector of entrepreneurship but still they are overcoming the barriers through their determination and doing a remarkable job. From influencing others through starting their own ventures to making a social impact, women entrepreneurs are the influential one in today’s era. Their ceaseless quench to achieve success, persistent enthusiasm and willingness to move extra mile has wrecked all the notions regarding their innate boundaries which were considered as the major obstacles to their success. You can see a lot of women who believe in themselves, confident, possess massive fire to do something best in business. India too has a lake of such talented, fearless and bold women who have remarkable shown their presence within the country or even at international level. Some of the women role models include: **Kiran Mazumdar Shaw,** **Biocon** She has been known to set up a well-established bio-pharmaceutical company, Biocon. She has been awarded with prestigious Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri for her remarkable contributions. **Indra Nooyi, Pepsico** She is successfully running Pepsico, a well-known name in beverage and food industry. She has also been awarded with Padma Bhushan for her professional achievements. **Falguni Nayar, Nykaa** Nykaa, a well-known name in e-commerce industry selling beauty products, has already broken the myth that beauty products cannot become a part of e-commerce. **Rashmi Daga, FreshMenu** Getting different dishes in lunch at office is the widespread expectation of each employee. Rashmi Daga has made this possible through FreshMenu where customers are getting a new menu every day. Customers can have their meal in around 45 minutes. Women have effectively conquered all the unconstructive notions where male dominated world was not even acknowledging the hard work and leadership traits women possess. They have showed the entire world that women can reach any point including the most complicated entrepreneurship world… You may also want to read other blogs written by the same author: ‘[Restarting Professional career After a Break’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/career-break/restarting-professional-career-break/), [‘Can Women be Successful Entrepreneurs?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/entrepreneurship/can-women-successful-entrepreneurs/), [‘Sabbatical – Blessing or a Curse for Women Professionals?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/career-break/sabbatical-blessing-curse-women/). _**About the author:**_  [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Neha-Taneja.jpg)[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Neha-Taneja.jpg) **Neha Taneja**: _I have done M. Pharmacy from Panjab University, Chandigarh and possess 3 years of industry experience in Quality Assurance domain. Took a career break for some personal reasons and started doing freelance academic and content writing. Though, I faced several challenges during this tenure, I am happy that I have enhanced my writing skills during my career break._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## The Tightrope Walk – Combining Career and Family Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-10-09 Tags: Careerbreak, alternate career, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, career woman, Balance, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![the-tightrope-walk-combining-career-and-family](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/the-tightrope-walk-combining-career-and-family-1621403858941-compressed.png) When I met a friend after a gap of 15 years and exchanged life stories, she spoke about a classmate who decided not to have a family for the sake of Career Advancement. The question that raced through my mind is “Does getting married signify the end of professional life or can we walk the tightrope and make both co-exist’’? Despite all these years of waging war for equality and establishing a stance in the society, I strongly feel that there are fewer men set with the question of Career after marriage. In a Country abundant with Culture and Family values, career tends to take a nosedive after marriage. Luckily in the past two decades, there is significant acceptance by the Extended families that career is important to Women as it is to a Man. Also, the concept of day care at work has made it easier to concentrate professionally without sacrificing our domestic responsibilities. As a person who started to work soon after college, I have never felt my thirst to restart my career take a back seat because of family. It’s certainly not choosing one over the other, but to bring all together in the potpourri of life. Of course, it’s not an easy walk.  There are always sacrifices on sleep or social visits, but these are the mandates for a better standard of living. I have been fascinated by the account of Indra Nooyi.  She goes on to narrate that when she went home with excitement to break the news of her being elected as the President of PepsiCo, her Mom interrupted and asked her to go and buy some milk. Upon hearing the news, her Mom advised _“Let me explain something to you. You may be President of PepsiCo. But when you step into this house, you’re a wife and mother first. Nobody can take that place. So leave that crown in the garage.”_ I do agree that the crown has be to be left behind, same is true when going to work – leave all your family matters behind. Wherever you are, give in your 100%. That way, apart from excelling in your work, you also gain the advantage of completing your tasks on time and heading on to take the next mantle. The compelling fact is that with adequate support from your Spouse and Extended family, combining the spheres of Career and Family is certainly doable. _You may also want to read other articles written by the author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/career-tracking/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/entrepreneurship/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/career-tracking/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/alternate-career/career-metamorphosis-expert-to-a-beginner/)_ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) **_Nithya Jagadish –_** I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. ###### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) ##### _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Adapting to global work culture- locally Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-10-04 Tags: Career restart, Careerbreak, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, career woman, Home maker, corporate, Work Culture URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![adapting-global-work-culture-locally](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/adapting-global-work-1621404304650-compressed.png) We live in a global world these days. The growing interdependence of national economies has created a demand for managers and employees sophisticated in international business and skilled in working with people from other cultures. International businesses can be traced back for centuries but today’s escalation in production and distribution has created new demands on the competitive international business environment. Sometimes, it is our resistance to change and adapt which make it a little difficult to work in a setup different from us and our culture. For Example, IKEA has been present in India for 28 years in the form of sourcing products from suppliers and then shipping the products all over the world. In India, IKEA has 48 suppliers and by that extent employ 4,00,000 coworkers. When IKEA India was first being established, as much as 50 Indian workers were being employed and trained to work the “IKEA” way.  These are some of the best practices used by the company to merge Indian sensibilities with European work culture. And well, the practice could work for anybody working for a global brand locally. **_Concept of “Being on Time”_** Indians tend to be late for everything. It may not be an intentional thought or a rude gesture but just something that has seeped into the system. It has almost become customary. The perception of time has been engraved into the Indian culture, where tardiness is accepted. Well, it does slow down productivity and in fact drags the deadlines further. Being punctual and on time is a very good professional ethic. _Tip: Respecting others time is as important as respecting own time._ **_Competitive spirit_** The Supply and Demand of resources versus jobs in India has a disparity due to the overwhelming population count. So, inherently Indians are raised to compete to get the best spot, best deal, best job etc. It becomes a race to go to the right schools and work towards certain goals in a competitive manner. There is also a certain correlation to the competitiveness in India to loosing face and not being allowed to make mistakes. However western world differ a little in that thought. They are a little easy on things, believe that it is OK to make mistakes and to learn. But the Indian culture does not allow mistakes like that. _Tip: Your only competition is you. So work towards improving and not winning!_ **_Accept the similarities, Respect the differences_** There will be similarities as well as differences in the cultures. No matter what the culture of any organization or country is, the foundation always is the basic need to be good by doing good. Treating everybody with respect and inculcating the feeling of togetherness. In India, people care very much for the family life as they often grow up in extended families and on a daily basis can have many family members to relate and cooperate with. In fact this very strong social bond can be an example to follow by foreign coworkers.  If a coworker in an Indian company would get sick and go to the hospital it would be customary for someone from work to go and visit, and this can be a virtue that the western brand can include in their practice. It’s not just about working together but to also find connection about lifestyle and values and beliefs. _Tip: Love, care, nurture……Share and help them spread._ **_Hierarchical structures and Dignity of Labour_**  Because of our history of serving under the British rule for a good 200 years, a certain hierarchical structure has evolved over time. India is very hierarchical and this is shown in the power relationships between individuals and is dominant in official and business contexts. There could be a distinctive separation between managers and employee. However other than the job profiles, everybody needs to be treated equally. And no matter what the job profile is, every human is entitled to receive respect for he /she performs his/her job with dignity and pride. _Tip: Take pride in what you do and appreciate success in what others do._ An important change in adapting to a new work culture is the process of unlearning what you already know in order to learn something new. There could be many barriers. Linguistic, proxemics, value system etc. But if best of both the cultures can be integrated then it becomes beneficial for the employee to have a joyous experience of working. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Decoding Stress](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/work-life/decoding-stress/)‘, ‘[Communication made easy…](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/communication/communication-made-easier/)‘, [‘Personal Finance Planning’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/personal-finance-planning/), ‘[Are you financially fit?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/are-you-financially-fit/), ‘[3 M’s… Mantra for Morale](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/3-ms-mantra-morale/)‘ , [‘Tips for effective interaction with management’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/communication/4-tips-effective-interaction-management/), ‘[Adapting to global work culture – locally](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/career-tracking/adapting-global-work-culture-locally/)‘_ _**About the author:**_  _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from).  A woman as created by the divine.  An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._  **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Why you need to prioritise yourself Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-10-02 Tags: career break, Career restart, motivation, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker, entrepreneurs, Priority URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![why-you-need-prioritise-yourself](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/why-you-need-prioritise-yourself-1621404694173-compressed.jpg) Needless to say, women, especially in India, are expected to be loving and selfless beings who are willing to sacrifice their dreams, desires, and career for the sake of their family. Apparently, your nurturing nature is said to be your inherent characteristic. You are taught to put others’ needs before your own. And if you do not adhere to these unwritten norms you are looked upon as selfish, haughty and mean. And if you do, you probably end up neglecting yourself. Whether you want to be altruistic or a little egoistic is totally your call. However, most of you, I am sure, are more altruistic, which is actually great- for others. Of course, it gives a sense of immense moral pleasure when you do things for everyone else. But you also need to understand that you have duty towards your own self, too, as much as you have towards others. Why you ask? Here’s why- * **Because your home revolves around you:** You might be all involved in your household chores and the needs of your husband and children might be on the forefront. However, whenever any member of the family is in the tiniest kind of trouble, you are the only one person they turn to. Lost a sock? Can’t find the towel? Failed an exam? Couldn’t get a promotion? You to the rescue! In case you forgot, let me remind you: You are important. Only when you are happy, your family can be, too. * **Because other things can wait:** Commitments like attending parties or going out for dinner with friends sound fun. But there are times when all you want is to spend some time by yourself the way you want. If anything isn’t important or urgent, it can wait. Focus on your well being and passions. * **Because you need a break:** If you are a working woman, it is likely that it’s you who manages the home along with your job. And this sure is tiresome. You need an occasional break from the monotony and you would get the well-deserved break only when you prioritise yourself over others. * **Because being a woman doesn’t mean servitude:** There is a difference between being a support system for your family and being an unpaid servant to them. You are an individual with your own needs and wants, hobbies and interests. Do not let your love for your family kill your passions. Instead, seek support from your family so that you all can help each other grow. * **Because you are a role model:** Your beloved children are greatly inspired by you and learn from you. If you occasionally prioritise yourself, you are actually imbibing the value of self-respect in them. Your children, especially your daughter, would understand that their dreams and aspirations are important and that they deserve to be supported in their endeavours. * **Because if you don’t, no one will:** You are an amazing woman and your family members love you. A lot. However, I am sure they take you for granted a lot of times, too. Of course, they don’t mean to, but they do. And under such a circumstance, you have to take a stand for yourself. You have to focus on your wellbeing so that your family realizes you need that time for yourself. Prioritising yourself is not selfishness, it is a necessity. Make sure you are not ignoring your health and wellbeing while you give yourself away for the wellbeing of your family. Make it a habit for all the members of your family to support each other and never take anyone for granted. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author:  ‘[Fun alternatives for ladies on career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/fun-alternatives-ladies-career-break/)‘,  ‘[Bridging the gap using online resources](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/upskill-resources/bridging-skill-gap-online-resources/)‘, ‘[Stress: Lets deal with it](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/work-life/stress-deal-with-it/)‘, ‘[No Matter what the world says, It is ok to… live your life](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/no-matter-world-says-okay-live-life/)‘, ‘[A little guide to positivity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/little-guide-positivity/)‘ ‘[Ways to Selfmotivation- Your key to success’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/ways-self-motivation/), ‘[Why you need to prioritise yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/why-you-need-prioritise-yourself/)‘_ _**About the Author:**_  [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Radhika_Image-2.jpg) “Radhika works as a visiting lecturer at the University of Mumbai. She completed her B.A. and  M.A (Gold medal) in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. She has a passion for languages especially English, Sanskrit, and German and has written articles on Upanishads. She provides content development services. She likes teaching and writing. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music.” **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)**_You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._  Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## No Man is an Island… Build a Network of Support System Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-09-25 Tags: sabbaticals, women professionals, working moms, Indian women, career woman, networking URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![no-man-island-build-network](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/no-man-island-build-network-1621405252980-compressed.jpg) “Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.” – Jane Howard I am captivated by the idiom “No man is an island”. Irrespective of Gender, Designation or Societal status, we strive to build a network of support system around us. I suppose that the innate need to belong to something…..a family, a circle or a like-minded group is quite human. Having left the comfort of my home a short while after college and relocating to a different city, I felt like a fish out of water often. Years of socialising gifted me the treasure of a well-connected network, and also a few friends who consider me a part of their family. The chain of people in your life- Family, friends, colleagues or mere acquaintances gives life its meaning.  No matter how successful you are, having someone to come home to is an indescribable feeling. I believe that it’s not the number of people in your life, but the nature of relationship you maintain that makes a difference. Despite the influence of external circumstances, we exhibit certain traits that we observed as children from our Parents and surroundings. In turn, it becomes our utmost responsibility to be good role models and pass it on to our future generations. Apart from Family and Friends, our Society plays a vital role in our lives, whether it is our Neighbours, the Charity activities we indulge in or the Community service we are associated with. It’s heartening that the concept of Society has come to play an important role not just in our lives, but for corporates as well. Measures like making of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) mandatory and Tax exemptions for charitable activities will encourage to lead a purposeful life. A few advantages of having a well-established network from my personal experience: * **Helps to maintain a healthy balance :** Rain or shine, it’s good to have someone to confide in. Sometimes, it’s a comfort to have a person hear us out, not necessarily to provide solutions. * **Sets healthy benchmarks for our children :** We set the path for our Children to follow, so it better be constructive and worth following. Having a vigorous network of people will instil the quality of choosing the right people in their lives. * **Uplifts people around you:** Apart from growing you as a person, it’s worthwhile to be there for people when they need help. * **The Joy of giving :** When we take things from the society on a continual basis, it’s only reasonable to give some back. To quote Oprah Winfrey “To move forward you have to give back”. If I sieve my thoughts, my greatest memories are not those of expensive shopping or high end stays, but the little talks with people I love, the road trips I have traveled, the silly laughter for meaningless jokes and alike events. And I believe that’s the purpose of life – having people to bank on, memories to think about and dreams to wake up to. _You may also want to read other articles written by the author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/career-tracking/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/entrepreneurship/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/career-tracking/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/alternate-career/career-metamorphosis-expert-to-a-beginner/)_ _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nithya-Jagadish-2.jpg) _Nithya Jagadish_: I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day. **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Plan Your Career Break &; Restart Journey With These Tips Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-09-20 Tags: career break, Career restart, alternate career, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, business women, career woman, Home maker URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/tips-plan-career-1621405519007-compressed.png) The advancement in technology and artificial intelligence is about to achieve a whole new level in the world. In spite of it, these technologies are still not aiding women who had to take career break due to various reasons.  A woman is the central pillar of all the family. She is the essential need for the basic survival of humankind.  Her active role as a daughter, wife or a mother constructs the family as a perfect monument.  Women are so intelligent that their contribution to various industries has boosted the economy of the entire nation and as an individual unit. But, she encounters a phase in her life where a role in the family requires more weight than her career in the balance scale. When there are circumstances where your focus is needed in other areas rather than your own career is it essential to always take a career break? **No, not necessarily.** The decision to take a break has to be taken after thorough consideration of all available options. I have mentioned below a more effective method to achieve a decision by analysing the option’s weightage and outcome. It is always easier to analyse when the thoughts are written down or represented in some form of figures rather than contemplating it over in our head. [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Screenshot-18.png) List down your reason for the break and check in which category your reason falls under and plan accordingly. When it is confirmed that you have to avail a break in such case it is always better to follow the below steps, * _Define the duration of the break and try to restart your career prior to the set duration_ * _Update your knowledge on par with the industry standard during your break_ * _Always be in touch with your ex colleagues and friends during the break_ * _Ensure some time for yourself during the break to connect yourself with industry in which you will resume to work after your break_ A career break mentioned in your resume might always raise eyebrows and question your reason. But you must be determined enough to show your full potential that the break has refreshed you rather than decreasing your capability. After all, a working woman deserves a comeback after a break more than anyone for all the sacrifices she has made throughout her life. _**About the author:**_  _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Vijayalakshmi.jpg)_ _Vijayalakshmi_ – “An IT professional. I love to paint still pictures, read crime and thriller novels. I am a proud mother of two boys.” **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## The Power Of Assertive Communication Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-09-18 Tags: career break, sabbaticals, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, women empowerment, Assertive communication, business women, career woman, Home maker, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![power-assertive-communication](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/power-assertive-communication-1621406364894-compressed.png) Assertive communication is the ability to express our ideas and feelings in an open and uninhibited manner. It is the trait of standing up for oneself and refuse to be taken advantage of by others. It is the recognition of one’s rights while still respecting other’s rights. Typically, women are seen as passive by the society and men are expected to be dominant. However, the behaviour of a person depends on his/her culture, upbringing, emotional support structure, work environment, genes and a whole lot of things. If we can ignore the stereotyping by the society, both men and women can be assertive by choice. For some, assertiveness is a second nature and comes very easily whereas for others it is like every other behaviour, schooled and practised. Given any situation, we have couple of choices on how we can react. We have a choice to be either meek or be assertive. A lot of confusion prevails as to whether a person is assertive or aggressive. Aggressiveness is the ‘fight’ response and is detrimental to relationships. Assertiveness is the logical response and is not driven by emotions. Submissiveness, on the other hand, is the ‘flight’ response where we tend to give away our rights. We are habituated to respecting authority and are told to adjust to situations right from childhood, so that we can live in harmony. But we do not shy away from using aggression over weaker sections when the situation is not conducive to us. Is there a need to be aggressive when we actually have to be assertive? A few tips to practise assertiveness is listed below: * Use a calm tone of voice; Relax and do not appear tense; Do not sound apologetic * Maintain eye contact * Express your feelings clearly, honestly and directly * Emphasize your most important points * Use appropriate gestures and facial expressions * Be an active listener and invite other’s opinions * Learn to say ‘No’ when needed * Use ‘I’ According to healthylife.com, L.A.D.D.E.R technique is a step-by-step procedure to practise to be more assertive in your communication. Step 1 – **L**ook at your needs, wants, rights, and feelings about the situation. Establish a goal for what you wish to accomplish. Step 2 – **A**rrange a meeting that is convenient, where you and the other person can speak comfortably. Step 3 – **D**efine the problem clearly to the other person. Be specific. Step 4 – **D**escribe your feelings using “I” messages. “I” messages let you take responsibility for your feelings. You are not blaming others for how you feel. It helps to connect the feeling statement with a behaviour of the other person. For example, “I felt hurt when you didn’t acknowledge my work.” rather than “You hurt me when you ignored me.” Step 5 – **E**xpress and explain your remarks in an assertive manner using clear sentences. For example, “I would like you to allot this work to someone else as I need to leave by 5.00 p.m.” Step 6 – **R**einforce your remarks by noting the positive outcomes. For many women, the art of assertiveness starts right at home. Kids invariably never follow rules and setting the rules at home is something that most women are forced to. Shouting, screaming and breaking into tears gets you only so far. One of the main benefits of being assertive is that you earn others respect very soon and your confidence boosts up. You end up with the ability to see solutions to any problem as you can think with more clarity. If you have assertively handled a teenager at home, you know that your negotiation skills are at all-time high.  Stress reduces with more clarity of thought. It is a myth to think that being assertive means we will get whatever we ask for. It need not be. Being assertive only means that we express our needs and respect other’s rights, eventually earning others respect for us. _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Sudha-Divakar-2.jpg)_ _Sudha Divakar_ – A Proud stay at home mom. She has worked in the IT industry for 15 years and has taken a break to take care of her priorities. She is an avid reader and enjoys watching movies with her tiny tots at home. She believes that life is full of beauty and must be lived one day at a time. **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/HSISkillAssessmentFrom) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Career Tracking while on a Career Break Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-09-13 Tags: career break, Career restart, women professionals, working moms, women empowerment, career tracking, employment URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![career-tracking-career-break](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/career-tracking-career-break-1621406540874-compressed.jpg) The most important dilemma faced by a woman today who wants to get back to work, is where to start from. Do you want to get back to where you left off or begin anew? I believe it is always good to start with an end in mind, to have a goal to chase. So how can you tackle your career tracking while on a break? **Where to begin?** Start with asking yourselves, what you want to do next? Is it the same role you would like to grow in or explore a new career? The advantage of a career break is that it gives you immense time to think of what you truly love to do and to chalk out your priorities, both personal and professional before you are ready to get back into the saddle. Basically, define a goal, an end you want to achieve. **How to develop a career track?** _Define your Goals:_ Once you have your goal defined, the next step is to assess your existing skills and the skills you need to acquire in order to successfully achieve your goal. This will help you to find out the skill gaps and determine a list to work on. It could mean you will need to start from the bottom, in case of a new career option or exert yourself to pick up from where you left off. _Skill enhancement techniques:_ You can work to acquire those skills through online tutorials, coaching, speaking to industry experts or colleagues. However, this means being completely honest with yourself and putting yourself out there. Being open to feedbacks, setbacks and go on a self-improvement journey is important. Use the time from your career break to enhance your skills and be industry ready. _Write down your goals and plans:_ The best way to ensure that you do not fall off the wagon is to pen down your career track and plan. Break it down to things to do weekly, monthly and on-going. Make sure you assess them from time to time and ask for help when needed. Writing down your goals is essential to achieve them. _Examples of Career Tracking:_  It is important to know where you want to start off at and where you want to be in your professional career as you prepare to get back. These are some of the examples to help understand career track or path better: Engineering: Junior Engineer – Senior Engineer – Team Lead – Project Manager – Management roles Human Resources and Administration: Recruiter/Human Resource Associate – Senior Recruiter/ Senior Human Resources – Manager, Recruitment/ Manager, Human Resource Specialist – Director Human Resource. **How to achieve your goals while on a break:** _Find yourselves a Mentor:_ They are industry experts, currently employed in similar roles as you wish to work in. Mentors provide helpful insights, prepare you for the challenges in the real world and help you to acquire the right skills. _Build a network of professionals:_ In today’s social media rage, no one is really unreachable. Platforms like LinkedIn can be used for professional networking so be a part of online communities of interest. This will also help you to find a job when you are ready. _Be Prepared:_ One can never be too ready to jump back into the professional world. There are many constraints both psychological and professional. One way to tackle this can be to keep yourself in touch with your industry, skills and be well-informed about it. You can also try taking on small freelance projects or pro-bono work to appraise your skills and standing in the market. This way when you get back to work, you are not lagging in the information, challenges, and opportunities in your field. It is understandable that not all career breaks will allow you sufficient time to be an expert in career tracking, but invest some time weekly to evaluate your career path, to decide the level you would like to enter back into the market (beginner or senior) and also keeping your goal, where you want to reach right in front of you the whole time. A career break does not have to stop your career track. You can beat it by following the above tips. **_About the author:_** _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Susan-Kutar.jpg)_ _The first time Susan Kutar (Tamang) realized that words could touch lives, she wanted to be a writer and blogger. She has 7 years of experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She likes to write about topics that impact people, which is educational and leaves the reader with something to mull over._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Tips for Knowing Yourself Better Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-09-11 Tags: career break, women professionals, career woman, Home maker, Knowing yourself, SWOT URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![tips-knowing-yourself-better](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/tips-knowing-yourself-1621406728873-compressed.png) Do you really know who you are?  Irksome though the question may sound but this is the ground reality with most people, especially women. Most of us have been used to towing the given line for so long that we sometimes forget who we really are and what we really want. Knowing Yourself is therefore the critical pre-requisite before you push on the pedal to re-start your Career. The process of knowing yourself is not only daunting but emotionally exhausting. In the process we unveil a host of new findings about ourselves that maybe we had been staving off our whole life. Continuing to keep the lid on these vital aspects will no longer be advisable as we need to rethink and reorganize our strategies all over again. Therefore it is always a good idea to revisit our inner selves and identify who we really are. **Perform a SWOT** The biggest problem that we often face when we sit down to know ourselves more closely is we don’t know where to start. There are so many things that we wish to tell the world about ourselves but how best way to do it. The best and the most popular way of performing this self-introspection is by performing a SWOT. The SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats) Analysis is a self-estimation technique that is almost always dynamic and can never be done at one sitting. You need to ponder over cups of coffee and come back to it every time with new insights about yourself. It is usually practiced by Marketing and HR teams of organizations but there is no harm in you doing one for yourself. It always helps to know yourself in a new way. I remember the last time I did one I found out a critical thing about my writing skills which I did not realise I possessed till that very moment. Do not discard anything from including in the Strengths quadrant. Remember, nothing in life goes to waste. Another tip for putting down an effective SWOT is to think of your weaknesses as your areas of improvement. Once you know what your possible strengths are and the areas you need to improve, just do a ‘Match the Following’ exercise to identify how you can use a particular strength to turn your weakness into an opportunity thereby deterring the potential threat stemming from it. **Highlight your Priorities** Our life is like a flowing river. It meanders itself effortlessly over new bends and curves requiring us to change our course accordingly. In order to stay steadily afloat it is critical that we change and re-align our priorities. Your priorities in life have decidedly changed since your previous professional engagement. It is possible that there is an urgent need to re-skill yourself before you start sending out your resume. Moreover, the new SWOT that you completed have helped to identify new opportunities and strengths that you were unaware of. Redefine your priorities based on these findings and give it your best shot. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Tips To Knowing Yourself Better](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/tips-knowing-yourself-better/)‘, ‘[The P-C-R approach to achieve financial stability](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/p-c-r-approach-financial-stability/)‘, ‘[Emotional awareness for personal and professional success](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/emotional-awareness/emotional-awareness-professional-success/)‘, ‘[Tips to improve your resume writing](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/resume-writing/tips-improve-resume-writing/)‘ ‘[Back from the break – 3 tips to make you rock it’.](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/returnship/back-break-3-tips-make-rock/)_ _**About the Author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/amrita-chatterjee-1.jpg) Amrita is a freelance writer currently based out of Pune. She has worked  with organizations as a Technical and Web Content Writer. Her short stories have been published on Amazon and on Juggernaut books. She is an avid traveler and her travel stories are available on her blog – Amrita writes. **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed. --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Restarting Professional Career After A Break Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-09-06 Tags: career break, Career restart, sabbaticals, women professionals, corporate employees, career woman, employment, Selfconfidence, upskill URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![restarting-professional-career-break](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/restarting-professional-career-break-1621407055961-compressed.png) Returning to the professional life after a career break seems very difficult for everyone. Companies often think that the candidate has lost the relevant skills due to career break and they start refusing such profiles. After being an efficient employee for years, an individual’s candidature is continuously refused by many companies only due to career break. Many women on career break are facing such difficulties to return back to their professional life irrespective of their passion to get back to work. Are you sailing in the same boat? Is this your story too? I must say, Women must not limit themselves due to the limited imagination of others. There are several ways to benefit from your career break. Some of them include: **Bring more positive energy into yourself** Your career break is the best time when you can motivate yourself more regarding your professional achievements earned so far. Try to cherish those professional achievements that you received appreciation for your efforts. It will help you to boost your confidence, and bring more positive energy. You will find more determination and focus to return back to your professional career. **Improvise your skills** Don’t just sit idle during this career break. Taking a course, learning new language or any other skills is of great benefit for you as you will feel more competent.  If you have interest in writing, you can start developing your writing skills like me. I have started writing after taking a professional career break. It helps me to boost my confidence and gained new skills. Initially, I started by writing as a ghost writer in academic and content writing. **Start doing freelancing jobs** You can stay in touch with your professional career by taking some freelance jobs during your career break. There are various platforms available these days for returning working professionals where you can get freelancing jobs according to your skills. These will help you to stay in touch with your professional life. Meanwhile, you can also start searching for full-time jobs. Though, even being a certified Internal Auditor, I have not got any suitable freelance auditing job, but I had developed my writing skills and started doing freelance writing. It helped me to stay in touch with healthcare domain. Are you still waiting for the right opportunity to re-enter into your professional domain? Start focusing on yourself, enhance your skills and get ready to fly. **Become a creator of your own professional life** Based on my own experience, it is not easy to restart your professional career again. The only things you need to do while on career break is to stay motivated, positive, get involved in certain jobs according to your expertise and improvise your skills. Though, it takes time to get back to work but these efforts will definitely help you to again set a benchmark in your professional life. You may also want to read other blogs written by the same author: ‘[Restarting Professional career After a Break’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/career-break/restarting-professional-career-break/), [‘Can Women be Successful Entrepreneurs?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/entrepreneurship/can-women-successful-entrepreneurs/), [‘Sabbatical – Blessing or a Curse for Women Professionals?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/career-break/sabbatical-blessing-curse-women/). _**About the author:**_ **[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Neha-Taneja.jpg)** **Neha Taneja**: _I have done M. Pharmacy from Panjab University, Chandigarh and possess 3 years of industry experience in Quality Assurance domain. Took a career break for some personal reasons and started doing freelance academic and content writing. Though, I faced several challenges during this tenure, I am happy that I have enhanced my writing skills during my career break._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 4 Tips For Effective Interaction With Management Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-09-04 Tags: Effective communication, working moms, corporate employees, women empowerment, career women, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![4-tips-effective-interaction-management](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/4-tips-effective-interaction-management-1621407307916-compressed.png) How do you make yourself seen, heard and talked about by the top bosses? You work hard, smart and are valuable enough to provide inputs but are they listening? More commonly Management holds the responsibility of providing vision, inspiration and motivation for those being led and uses tools like surveys, focus groups, one-on-one meetings and communication activities. They follow the Top-Down approach. But effective communication is established when employees are provided with opportunity to ask questions, receive clarity and accomplish their task with clear steps to complete goals. Communication is only communication if the message gets where it needs to go and is received by those who need to hear it. _Bottom__\-up communication_ (Employees to management) provides information about employee needs, values, perceptions and opinions. This helps the management to select and tailor their programs and policies to meet the specific needs of their employees. Here are few tips to communicate effectively through bottom up approach. 1. _**Make yourself seen**_ – Communicate face to face wherever you can. Research shows that less than 10 percent of the meaning of a message is carried through the actual words. If we just have written communication without any face-to-face communication, people are going to miss the message. Even through technology through videos seeing each other’s’ faces makes a huge difference. Eyes do not lie and you can express better. 1. _**Make yourself heard**_ – While talking, keep your voice and tone low, positive and yet assertive. Using statements like “I fully understand the purpose of the company,” or “I feel like the leadership of the company listens to me” have more effect than statements like “I must have said it five times. I was perfectly clear”. The person who defines whether a message is clear is not the sender but the receiver. Simplicity and clarity are powerful tools to get your message across. If its written communication, keep mails short and to the point.  Remember, quick and easy is better than long and complicated. 1. **_Make yourself talked about_–** Sometimes you alone are not enough to bring about a change. You may need more support. Make people aware of the central talking points. If you are expecting your peers, colleagues to cascade a message or rally for a change throughout your organization, then make sure they are aware of the key talking points as well as the points not to say. You can use multiple means of communication Email, website, meetings, intranet etc. Important messages need to be shared in multiple ways. 1. _**Make yourself accountable**_– It’s very common for messages to get distorted. When people are stressed, their listening decreases and so what they do hear becomes distorted. If you are trying to convey tough message then it’s a good practice to do it through dialogue. For tough messages, one-way communication is not sufficient. Try to Invite questions. This helps people to absorb the message and communications to penetrate. It is not easy to get your message across. But do not lose hope.  Every organization has its own hierarchical structure and more the layers, tougher are the walls to cross. This is not an easy problem to solve, but it is one where you can make a difference step by step. You can always communicate more—and more effectively _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Decoding Stress](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/work-life/decoding-stress/)‘, ‘[Communication made easy…](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/communication/communication-made-easier/)‘, [‘Personal Finance Planning’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/personal-finance-planning/), ‘[Are you financially fit?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/are-you-financially-fit/), ‘[3 M’s… Mantra for Morale](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/3-ms-mantra-morale/)‘ , [‘Tips for effective interaction with management’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/communication/4-tips-effective-interaction-management/), ‘[Adapting to global work culture – locally](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/career-tracking/adapting-global-work-culture-locally/)‘_ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from).  A woman as created by the divine.  An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## See Sawing Life – Balancing With Fun Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-08-30 Tags: working moms, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, career woman, worklife, Balance, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![see-sawing-life-balancing-fun](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/see-sawing-life-1621407509146-compressed.png) “Balance is not better time management, but better boundary management. Balance means making choices and enjoying those choices’’.  – **Betsy Jacobson** Family or Work? – It’s a dilemma that most of us are set with…torn between the endearing love for family and fierce determination to succeed in profession. While it’s difficult to weigh one against the other, best way is to balance it out, thereby creating a very cordial environment. It’s alike a See-Saw, balancing with fun. Normal social construct is that spending more time at office portrays a person’s ambition. Being driven by this paradigm tends to take a toll on the concept of balance. Work – life balance is very vital so that one is not compromised for the other. While we are driven by family values, credit has to be given to the fact that Career is built through years of hard work and unyielding efforts. Both play an important role in our lives. Some tips to balance both: * **Prioritize your day and plan accordingly:** If you need to leave early or will be delayed coming home, set the right expectations with your family members. Check if your better half can come in early if you are held up at work. * **The Art of saying NO:** There is little need to take up every assignment that comes your way. Weigh the opportunity and judge how it will help you grow professionally. If it doesn’t add any value, let it go. * **Delegate:** Whether at work or home, learn to delegate. Spend that time with people who matter in your lives. * **Take Rejuvenation breaks**: Once in a quarter, try to take a week off and disconnect from work. Go on a trip with your family. It will give you the much needed vigour and replenish with better impetus at work upon return. * **Seek help:** Talk to your co-worker or superior and explain how their interference will even things out, not just for you, but for the business as well. Likewise, working in tandem with your spouse and allocating time effectively will build better bonds at home. * **Wherever you are, give it your ALL:** Whether it is at work or home, don’t regret or feel guilty. Instead, focus and give it your 100%, complete your task faster and head onto the other. It’s a blessing to have a satisfying job and come back home to a happy family. If bestowed with both, it becomes your ardent responsibility to strike a balance and ensure both exist in sync.  For centuries, Women have mastered the art of multi-tasking & balancing and we are no exception to that. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Epert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/)._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Nithya-2.jpg)_ _Nithya Jagadish –_ _A commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry. Having handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard, I decided to take a break for a while. Now, a doting mother of a one year old child, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Ways To Self-Motivation – Your Key To Success Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-08-28 Tags: career break, Self motivation, alternate career, Financial Independence, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, career woman, Home maker, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Self Motivation](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/ways-self-motivation-1621407984142-compressed.jpg) What can be greater than a few encouraging words by a friend? What can be better than your near and dear ones cheering you on or boosting your morale? The answer is “self-motivation”. Nothing surpasses being your own little motivator. Your lovely bunch of people definitely got your back. But, the urge to work towards a goal should come from within, always. Here are a few ways to be your own cheerleader. * **Keep goals in mind:** First of all, set your goals. Make sure the goals you set for yourself are realistic- getting back to a job, buying a new house, planning a dream vacation or even losing weight, for instance. Whatever work you’re engaged in, always let the goals be there at the back of your mind. Remind yourself of the goals after you wake up and before going to bed. You can write down your long-term goals on a piece of paper, too. That way you would be documenting them and this shows you are serious about them. Don’t let those dreams fade into nothingness. Let visualization of your goals be your first step to motivation. Do not, however, constantly brood or obsess over them. * **Divide it into little tasks:** Now that your goals are sorted, you need a proper plan to achieve them. Plan out daily or weekly tasks that you need to complete in order to reach your goals. If you are trying to lose weight, plan out your diet and exercise routine, and make a timetable. If a job is what you are searching for, break the goal into little tasks like writing your resume, learning a new skill, searching for the job online or networking in a group of employed friends. * **Treat yourself:** The job of setting goals and tasks and making sure you follow those tasks sure is tiresome. Goals alone won’t suffice to keep up your morale. There is a chance you will give up on your dreams halfway. You will, therefore, need something else. Treat yourself once you complete a task you set for yourself. For example, if you are trying to lose weight, munch on a (small) chocolate after successfully following the diet for a week as a reward. If you fail to follow those tasks, you don’t deserve the chocolate. Or buy yourself a new dress once you master the skill your new job requires. Keep rewarding yourself for every little task you successfully complete. * **Take breaks:** Hard work is important. Taking short breaks is even more important. Do not wear yourself out too much in the pursuit of the goals. Make sure the tasks you have set for yourself include short breaks. Use those breaks to relax. Go out for a walk, read, cook, play with your kid or pet, chat with friends – anything that soothes your mind. A relaxed brain always functions better than a tired one. * **Talk to yourself:** Striking a conversation with someone else is easy. Talking to your own self is an art. Whenever you feel low on morale, talk to yourself like you would talk to a friend. If a friend of yours needed moral support, you would be there for her, right? This time, be there for yourself. Encourage yourself in soothing words. Fill your brain with positive thoughts. Do the talking in your mind. If you wish to talk to yourself aloud, make sure you are alone in a room with the door locked. * **Compare present to past:** Once you have started working on your goals, you need to occasionally check how far you have come. Compare your past self with your present self and see whether or not you have made some difference. There are high chances that you would have covered a great distance if you complete the set tasks regularly. And _that_ would motivate you to keep putting in efforts. Even though your dreams and goals mean a lot to you, they shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the present moment. Fulfillment of dreams is a thing of the future. Working on the little tasks is a thing of the present. Make the present moment as pleasant as possible. Do not let the things you want neglect the things you have. Success isn’t guaranteed. But your efforts are. So you might as well have fun in the process. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author:  ‘[Fun alternatives for ladies on career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/fun-alternatives-ladies-career-break/)‘,  ‘[Bridging the gap using online resources](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/upskill-resources/bridging-skill-gap-online-resources/)‘, ‘[Stress: Lets deal with it](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/work-life/stress-deal-with-it/)‘, ‘[No Matter what the world says, It is ok to… live your life](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/no-matter-world-says-okay-live-life/)‘, ‘[A little guide to positivity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/little-guide-positivity/)‘ ‘[Ways to Selfmotivation- Your key to success’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/ways-self-motivation/), ‘[Why you need to prioritise yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/why-you-need-prioritise-yourself/)‘_ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Radhika_Image-2.jpg)_ _Radhika_ completed her B.A. and  M.A (Gold medal) in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. She has a passion for languages especially English, Sanskrit, and German and has written articles on Upanishads. She provides content development services. She likes teaching and writing. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music. **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities to schedule an appointment for career guidance, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Gender Diversity in workplaces in India Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-08-23 Tags: career break, women professionals, working moms, women empowerment, career woman, Balance, Gender Diversity, Employers, corporate URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Gender Diversity ](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/gender-diversity-workplaces-1621408487794-compressed.png) History shows that women, the world over, have had to fight for equal rights, be it the right to vote, the right to work or even the right to reproduce. Even today when the world has advanced so much technologically, women are not considered at par with men and are often discriminated against even though there are laws that ban discrimination. In India, as elsewhere in the world, as more and more women have access to a higher education, have awareness of their rights, have aspirations and capabilities, their numbers at the workplace are steadily increasing. Indian women are not only handling administrative and clerical jobs but are also taking on managerial positions. But is this increasing presence of women at all levels in the workplace also fetching more rewards and success? Women are often discriminated against and receive less remuneration as compared to men for the same/ similar work. A woman may be more qualified but may be passed over for promotion. Gender diversity is the need of the hour. What is gender diversity? Gender diversity in a workplace is when an organization has equal and fair representation of both men and women.The advent of multi- national companies in India has played a major role in increasing gender diversity. But the Indian companies do not seem to be adopting this mantra of gender diversity. Studies show that women make better leaders than their male counterparts, women in leadership roles are more loyal to their organization, women are more creative and innovative, have better crisis management skills, are good at multitasking and are compassionate. So, Indian companies need to employ more women not only for gender diversity in the workforce but also to increase their productivity and hence profits. But the onus for increasing the gender diversity rests not only on society but also on the policy makers in the companies. The company policy should increase the number of women being employed and should also increase the number of women at the top level. Both men and women employees should get equal pay and women should be given the option of flexible hours to fulfill their family responsibilities and the company should provide childcare options. Finally, we women need to be the change we want to see in the world around us. So, women should support other women, stand by them, appreciate them and celebrate their accomplishments. **_This article is written by  Ritu Kapila._** **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 3 M’s… Mantra for Morale Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-08-21 Tags: Careerbreak, sabbaticals, working moms, Indian women, women empowerment, Home maker, worklife, stress, Positivity, Morale booster URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![3-ms-mantra-morale/](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/3-ms-mantra-1621408568736-compressed.png) Feeling non productive, tired, jaded, low on morale and confidence? Workplace or home, inside or outside, feeling low just creeps in at the most unwanted time. In such situations, we just wait for a magic to happen that would uplift us. A morale booster is needed. Here are 3 boosters that exist within you and you can access them anytime you want. **Motivation** – **_Defined as a reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a particular way_**. What is the reason that makes you jump up and charge ahead? That reason that moves you is what motivates you. Mundane activities start to demotivate us. Its not very exciting to wake up each morning and feel like the day is running you and not the other way round. Whether it’s for a minute, an hour or a day, that one reason that helps you brighten up and lighten up is your boost. Coffee, exercise, a call, a note, a picture, a song, a bird, a dress, a scent, a move, a bend…..the list is exhaustive. These appear non existential but are the very source of sparking up your existence. Notice how these small little things contribute to the day in a big way. Motivation is no magic or a miracle, it’s an element inside you that keeps you going. Stay motivated. **Meraki** – **_This is a word that modern Greeks often use to describe doing something with soul, creativity, or love — when you put “something of yourself” into what you’re doing, whatever it may be._** Meraki in everything that you do will make your work fun and will not stress you out. Most often than not, it’s the thought of doing something which doesn’t seem very important or urgent is what makes us feel drab about it. We procrastinate about it and leave it to do it at a later time. This causes a delay and sometimes we end up having too much to do at the last moment which in turn causes stress. Meraki seems to be a solution to the drab feeling. Also, by doing this, you are creating your own unique signature style of doing something. That is a morale booster. **Meditation _– The act of giving your attention to only one thing, either as a religious activity or as a way of becoming calm and relaxed. Serious thought or study, or the product of this activity._** Meditation is just not spiritual or religious activity. In fact it is more scientific than we think it is. Meditation is focusing or giving attention to one thing at a time. Meditating upon a problem, meditating before a presentation, meditating before a big game. It’s about taking deep breaths, bringing your attention to the task in ahead of you, calming your nerves and pumping all positive energy into the task ahead. By cutting out all the noise and negativity, Meditation   helps in improving performance at all levels. Starting the day with meditation empowers us by elevating our thoughts and vibrations. **_Motivate, Meraki and Meditate………Mantras for morale!!!!!!!!!!!!!_** _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Decoding Stress](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/work-life/decoding-stress/)‘, ‘[Communication made easy…](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/communication/communication-made-easier/)‘, [‘Personal Finance Planning’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/personal-finance-planning/), ‘[Are you financially fit?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/are-you-financially-fit/), ‘[3 M’s… Mantra for Morale](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/3-ms-mantra-morale/)‘ , [‘Tips for effective interaction with management’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/communication/4-tips-effective-interaction-management/), ‘[Adapting to global work culture – locally](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/career-tracking/adapting-global-work-culture-locally/)‘_ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from).  A woman as created by the divine.  An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._  **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Career Metamorphosis – Expert to a Beginner Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-08-16 Tags: Career Change, Career restart, alternate career, working moms, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, career woman, Home maker URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![career-metamorphosis-expert-to-a-beginner](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/career-metamorphosis-1621408967478-compressed.png) _“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it’’ – Steve Jobs_ Change – it’s a word that invokes mixture of feelings – **_Fear_** of the unknown, **_Anxiety_** about the results, **_Excitement_** in doing something new…all at once. For most of us who chose a career way ahead in early 20’s after careful deliberation, retracting from that and hopping onto something new might be unsettling. The metamorphosis of an ‘’Expert’’ to a ‘’Beginner’’ is always a bit daunting. While change is never easy, it takes immense hard work to succeed in a new venture. Often, it’s better to jump in and face the challenges than to sit and contemplate endlessly. Whether it’s intentional or owing to circumstances, few do’s to guide during the transition of Career change: * **Introspect and Act :** Before you begin, analyse your strengths, reassess your skills, areas of expertise and choose the field. Recollect your school or college days and delve into your interests, do a reality check to see if you can still make a living out of it. * **Expect the Unexpected :** Once finalised, understand the requirements of your new job. Work hard and be prepared for any contingencies. Accept the reality that everything will not be the way it was planned.  * **Walk the Rope:** Take baby steps, have measurable goals. Scrutinise regularly and take corrective action plans without delay. Adapt gradually to changes and mentally prepare for the fact that you might have to start from grassroots level. * **Communication is Key:** Build a network of like-minded people – family, friends or people in your field to act as mentors/support group. Talk about your progress and challenges to seek feedback.  * **Trust the Process :** Have the faith to hold on and stay positive. In case of early setbacks, don’t regret your decision, instead change your work methodology and await better results.All good things take time, so breathe in and do your best.  While the metamorphosis is challenging, the satisfaction you derive in starting over and succeeding will be worth the process. As goes my favourite saying by Lewis Carroll “In the end, we only regret the chances we dint take”. _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), “[Importance of networking for success in your career](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/)“, ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Nithya-2.jpg)_ _Nithya Jagadish –_ _A commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry. Having handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard, I decided to take a break for a while. Now, a doting mother of a one year old child, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” \[wbcr\_php\_snippet id=”506″\] **Published on:** \[wbcr\_php\_snippet id=”775″\] --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Career Break landed me on a road I never dreamt of travelling Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-08-09 Tags: career break, alternate career, sabbaticals, corporate employees, women empowerment, Home maker, worklife, career women, part time jobs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![career-break-landed-me-on-a-road-i-never-dreamt-of-travelling](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/career-break-landed-me-on-a-road-i-never-dreamt-of-travelling-1621409213338-compressed.jpg) Yesterday I was on 365th Day of 28th year of my life. Only one year in 20’s then I would be a Trigenerian. Last night before falling asleep I sat for a while to look back into my past, First fifteen years of life is as same as any other kid, catching up on my milestones as an infant, learning fundamental education, running an academic race. During my teenage years preparing for board exam, sailing in science stream to get enrolled into a professional college. With all expectations I started pursuing my professional degree. Like every other individual I had dreamt of how my college days would be fun filled, explore a lot. But it remained same as my previous years. Model exams, practical were integral part of our routine. I reached pre final year where soft skills was introduced which would help every student to grab an opportunity in MNC. Final year sowed the seed of responsibility as a daughter and as an individual. I knew after this I could never relive the life of a student. Landed in a decent job. Initially I was overwhelmed about coding for a specific reason (It was my favorite since my college days. I felt it dealt with getting more creative). I had chosen my career. Days passed I realized somewhere deep in my heart my goals were spoon fed by my boss in addition to someone else having a hold on me as well as my time. I just hated it. I got married resumed working till I availed my maternity break. My little girl changed my life completely. Medical Leave exhausted and I was unable to avail my sabbatical leave due to my companies’ internal policies. With no other option I quit my career halfheartedly. Initial days as a SAHM were quite boring. I felt my state is same as a caged bird. But I never gave up my spirit of creating a niche for myself. I got enlightened with blogging as an alternative source of interest. Initially I commenced it to pour down my parenting experiences so that it would be helpful for other mothers. It reached widely. Though I don’t earn as much as I did during my MNC days I felt this as self-contented. I feel elated when my friends ring me up to enquire about parenting tips. _Finding your passion isn’t about careers and money. It’s about authentic self. The one you‘ve buried beneath other people’s needs.   – Source Unknown_ Author has written a series of articles to pursue Blogging/ Copywriting/ Foreign language as an alternate career option : _[All About Blogging](http://hersecondinnings.com/all-about-blogging/), [Blogging Insights](http://hersecondinnings.com/blogging-insights/), [Tips for sustainable blogging](http://hersecondinnings.com/tips-sustainable-blogging/), [Alternate career: 3 Tips to finding your big idea](http://hersecondinnings.com/alternative-career-three-tips/), ‘[Sneak a peak at copywriting as a career’](http://hersecondinnings.com/sneak-peek-copy-writing/), ‘ [En route to Linguistic Careers](http://hersecondinnings.com/en-route-linguistic-career/)‘, ‘[Lingua Skola for those interested in foreign languages](http://hersecondinnings.com/lingua-skola-interested-foreign-languages/)‘, [I’am a certified language expert, So whats next…’](http://hersecondinnings.com/certified-language-expert-whats-next/) ._ Other interesting article: ‘[Women Empowerment Begins at Home](http://hersecondinnings.com/women-empowerment-begins-home/)‘ **_About the author:_** _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Meenakshi-Chandrasekaran-2.jpg)_ _Meenakshi Chandrasekaran_: _I hold a degree in Bachelors of Computer Science Engineering, eventually landed up in a MNC and served the company as a software engineer for 4 years. Rediscovered my passion towards writing during my maternity break, broke my relationship with corporate and currently pursuing blogging as my career._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ _**Her Second Innings**_, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Are You Financially Fit? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-08-07 Tags: Financial planning, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, Home maker URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Financialy Fit](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/are-you-financially-fit-1621409420580-compressed.png) For any middle class family in India, money means the simple cycle of earning, paying bills, make a living and spending. But this cycle is given many twist and turns. People are earning, but not always by the right means. People are spending too, but not always on the right things. And in between of it all we blame “money” to be the culprit of every sin. Well, let’s ask ourselves then.  Do we use money or does money drive us? Every household also runs on a budget. Sometimes we step over it, sometimes we are miles away from it. A budget however is the only parameter that gives us   a real picture of our finance. Is finance the amount of money saved in bank? The answer is partly yes and partly no. The reason why it is no, is because while the amount saved makes us feel secured about the future, it also makes us feel insecure because it’s there and still not being used. This is almost like a catch 22 situation. This indecisiveness often leads to worries and stress too. Interestingly just like there is a concept of IQ, where a human’s awareness about various aspects is measured. There is an EQ (Emotional Quotient), where a human’s emotional quotient is measured. How aware is he/she about his/her own emotions. On the same lines, FQ (Financial quotient) too should be a barometer. Financial quotient could be the awareness of how well does one manage his/her own finance. We may earn a lot, but not enough to buy simple pleasures. We have more but it’s always less when we need to spend on emergencies. We try to save, but don’t know where to spend or rather when to spend. No matter how many earning members exist or don’t exist in a family, but finance of the family need to be addressed as a whole. There is no secret formula to earn enough or save enough. The only formula to being financially fit is to understand how to use money wisely. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Decoding Stress](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/work-life/decoding-stress/)‘, ‘[Communication made easy…](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/communication/communication-made-easier/)‘, [‘Personal Finance Planning’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/personal-finance-planning/), ‘[Are you financially fit?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/are-you-financially-fit/), ‘[3 M’s… Mantra for Morale](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/3-ms-mantra-morale/)‘ , [‘Tips for effective interaction with management’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/communication/4-tips-effective-interaction-management/), ‘[Adapting to global work culture – locally](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/career-tracking/adapting-global-work-culture-locally/)‘_ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from).  A woman as created by the divine.  An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._  **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com. Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Sabbatical – A Leap Of Faith Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-08-02 Tags: career break, Sabbatical, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, career woman URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![sabbatical-a-leap-of-faith](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/sabbatical-a-leap-of-faith-1621409597385-compressed.jpg) _“The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter into one of the most creative periods of my life.”_ Strictly not sabbatical, the above words mark the wilderness years of Steve Jobs, period during which he was on a hiatus from Apple. Capitalising on the opportunity, he built his ventures – NeXT and also went onto transform Pixar as a giant in the entertainment Industry. Jobs returned to Apple in 1996, and rebuilt it to be a mammoth that its today. In my opinion, it’s productive to take a leap of faith and go on sabbatical for betterment. When set with adverse situations in life, whether it is health, family or any other reason that necessitates a break, there is no need to buckle down and give up your hard built career. All that’s needed is a whiff of fresh air, stay away from the hustle-bustle and start over. Aside from compelling factors, some utilise sabbatical for rejuvenation – to start afresh with enlightened ideas, improved knowledge and invigorated spirit. Fortunately, we live in an age where it’s possible to take a break and disassociate from work for a few months or even years. Sabbatical serves as a refresher for the mind that’s cluttered with frenetic activity. Few do’s for a sabbatical: * Secure your position in the company intact if you plan on returning. Have a healthy discussion with your Manager and explain why this break is a must. * Prepare mentally for the fact that you will have to depart from your hectic schedule. Balance your finances. * Learn continuously- acquaint with familiar topics in your field to gain a strong foothold and stay relevant. * Acquire new skills. It plays a vital part in keeping the mind refreshed and improves brain functionality. * Network constantly. It’s ghastly to come back from break and have a sense of unbelonging at your workplace. If planned and executed well, Sabbatical serves as an inspiration in overcoming the prosaic day-to- day affairs and helps to reinvent oneself. This could be your golden chance to do all the things you wanted to do, but held back owing to time constraints. Of course, it will be filled with moments of doubt, but don’t let it discourage you from taking a sabbatical. For all that you know, a break might give you the much needed strength and energy upon return. Take a leap of faith and go for it. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘_ _**About the Author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Nithya-2.jpg)_ _Nithya Jagadish –_ _A commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry. Having handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard, I decided to take a break for a while. Now, a doting mother of a one year old child, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** _You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com._ Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Women – Get Back To Work Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-07-31 Tags: career break, Career restart, motivation, women professionals, Indian women, women empowerment, Home maker, Positivity, back to work URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Women get back to work](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/women-get-back-work-1621409784924-compressed.jpg) _That’s it!!!! I want to work again. I want to be back in the industry. I want my career back…_ One commitment and hundreds of questions arise with in. Will I be able to do it? Can I manage work and home? Who will take care of my kids? Are my kids safe? Am I doing Right/ Wrong?  Will others be able to take care? How should I get back to work? Whom should I approach…? And if you manage to cross all these questions and reach the interviewer then they will have another set of questions ready for us. Ufff……They are much more skeptical than we are at this point. I wish we could prove it to the world-” we have raised ourselves above questions and self doubts. Hence we are here competing with the laterals….” Of course there should be change of attitude from the industry. It’s happening, but slowly. Let’s decipher what we can do from our side to prove the preconceived notion – “wrong”. Let’s accept this: Once you come out of your comfort zone one thing you must accept is – “Rejection”. Whether you get success or not, everyone gets rejection for sure. Now let us tell Aloud!!! Women getting back to work are much more efficient than often perceived!!! Now isn’t that true… * **Keen to Work:** Women who want to get back are keener about compensating their lost years. They are ready to learn, ready to work, ready to set aside rest of their life provided they have an opportunity to prove themselves. * **Win- Win Situation:** Women after her break has generally passed through all the pregnancy and emergency child care period. She has reduced the huge burden of paid maternity leaves on company. She has very less excuse when it comes to her/children/family health. Now when everything is settling, she is looking to get back. So obviously company is relieved of all unnecessary circumstances. * **Mature and Passionate:** She is a mature, experienced and passionate person. If a person has chosen to restart her career then it’s out of passion and interest. A job at this stage is never a time pass. It is a lot more precious to her as she has invested huge time and effort to get back. * **Diversity and Experience:** She imparts value added diversity and experience to the team. A smart team is the one which is a good mixture of juniors-seniors, creative-technical, men -women etc. In a team an experienced women adds her expertise along with diversity. * **Better Resource:** She will indeed be much more valuable than a novice as she has already gone through rigorous training to get back to industry and her experience will have taught her better communication skills beforehand. She is ready to accept challenges and eager to prove herself. * **No Nonsense person:** She values time hence no gossips, no unnecessary  breaks and absolutely no time for politics….Isn’t that a  pleasant situation…..I am sure  you will admire a no nonsense person who  knows to mind her tongue and talk when necessary. Waaav, that’s realization time. Don’t you feel elated and precious? We are indeed precious but a lot of hard work goes into it and not to forget tones of rejection. Let’s prepare ourselves for rejections as it’s something we can’t evade. Always remember it’s easier to give up than hold on to a dream. We have already taken a tougher path to choose career. Get there with a smile and prepare with perseverance. Finally, let us not lose hope. Remember,“Every Cloud has silver lining”. _**About the author:**_  [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Archana-M-Somayaji.jpg) Archana Chaatra – An  engineer  by profession, I was with Hewlett Packard for some years. After an extended maternity break, I am rediscovering my passion and profession. Writing is my passion, so is reading . I am fond of food, health, music, yoga  and all aspects around it. Not to  forget my affinity towards technology. I am currently following lots of new technology and trends as an aspiring returnee to my profession. **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## A Little Guide to Positivity Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-07-26 Tags: sabbaticals, working moms, Indian women, career woman, Home maker, entrepreneurs, Financial empowerment, stress, Positivity URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Positivity Guide](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/little-guide-positivity-1621409919540-compressed.jpg) None of us have a fairy godmother, who would turn the world in our favor with  the wave of her wand. You need to squeeze yourself out of all the tight spots that trap you, all alone. And when things go really down, you will always get vague bits of advice like “Be positive”. Wait. But how exactly do I be positive? Should I hope for the best? Or should I squint at my miserable condition to spot the good things? Well, you need to do both. And much more. **Keeping fingers crossed-** Hoping for the best forms a very basic step to positive thinking. All you have to do is frequently visualize yourself living the life you want to or any other goal you want to reach, and simultaneously make continuous efforts to achieve it. Simple enough? Not really. Here is something else you will require.  **Cut down on worrying-** Thinking about a bright future is not as easy as it sounds. If the process of success is taking too long, the human mind is bound to have negative thoughts or go into despair. It will make you ponder over all the negative possibilities that may come into being. It will also have discouraging thoughts like “Nothing’s going to change” or “I am stuck up with this forever” or “What if it gets even worse?” Did you see how the mind is gradually pulling you in the swamp of hopelessness? To get out of this, you’ll have to vigilantly watch your thoughts. Whenever a negative thought arises, think whether you can do something about it. If you can, then start doing it already! (What are you waiting for? More negative thoughts?) And once it’s done, you can get rid of that thought forever. If you can’t do anything about it, there is _no_ point in worrying about it either, right? Every single time it pops up, keep reminding yourself that entertaining such thought is consuming too much of your mental energy. Keep telling your mind to calm down. The thought will subside eventually. Here, deep breathing and patience are your best friends. **Face the light-** A clichéd advice, but looking at the bright side is thoroughly helpful in increasing the positivity in your life. But only a few have the ability to do so. No situation is only good or only bad. It is a combination of both good _and_ bad. Only the intensity differs. If you are creative enough, you will definitely find the positive points in any phase of your life, no matter how worse it is. Worse the problem, more creative you can be. Keep searching for the good points. Face the light; even if it is just a tiny ray in the gloom. **Believe-** In what? In the thought that whatever bad situation you are in, it is all for a purpose- for you to evolve into a stronger person; for you to learn some important life lesson; for you to learn to stabilize your mind even in the most difficult times. You’ll never know which. Do you know why the world exists? Do you know why seeds grow into trees? Do you know why things are the way they are? No? Then you will have a hard time figuring out the reason behind the hard times you had to face. Don’t over think. Just believe that it for your own good. Reasonable enough? **Redefine success-** Success, for most people, means anything from winning a competition and securing the first rank to owning a bigger flat and a faster car. If you do not achieve any of this, you consider yourself a failure, and boom! There come all the negative thoughts about self-pity. Success doesn’t always mean the material gains or people appreciating your efforts, talents, and victories. Of course, you can keep your hopes high and work your way to it diligently. But if you fail, focus on the thought that you tried your best. And the fact that you tried your best is a little success of your own. No one may see that, but it remains a thing to be proud of, all the same. Always remember that. Next time, when someone asks you to be positive, you know exactly what you are supposed to do. Remember the thing I said about the fairy godmother? Well, you can hire positivity to be your personal fairy godmother. It may or may not change the world in your favor, but it will change your thinking which is pretty much the same thing. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author:  ‘[Fun alternatives for ladies on career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/fun-alternatives-ladies-career-break/)‘,  ‘[Bridging the gap using online resources](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/upskill-resources/bridging-skill-gap-online-resources/)‘, ‘[Stress: Lets deal with it](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/work-life/stress-deal-with-it/)‘, ‘[No Matter what the world says, It is ok to… live your life](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/no-matter-world-says-okay-live-life/)‘, ‘[A little guide to positivity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/little-guide-positivity/)‘ ‘[Ways to Selfmotivation- Your key to success’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/ways-self-motivation/), ‘[Why you need to prioritise yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/why-you-need-prioritise-yourself/)‘_ About the author: _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Radhika_Image-2.jpg)_ _Radhika_ completed her B.A. and  M.A (Gold medal) in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. She has a passion for languages especially English, Sanskrit, and German and has written articles on Upanishads. She provides content development services. She likes teaching and writing. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music. **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Women Empowerment Begins At Home Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-07-24 Tags: Career restart, Careerbreak, alternate career, Indian women, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Women empowerment](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/women%20empowerment-1621410206300-compressed.jpg) Women have to pay a huge price to get empowered. As a couple, handling 2 P’s (Personal and Professional) will be a cake walk, but practical difficulties pops up when we lead a life in a family. A survey says Women in India more likely to quit their corporate jobs due to “double burden syndrome”. Workplace generally revolves around short term and long term goals, appraisals, meetings, deadlines. Building up a powerful support system at home energizes us to accomplish our career goals easily. Most of the successful empowered women we come across would have faced numerous hurdles at home. I planned to take up feedback’s from three sections of family members – Women (Wife, Mother, Daughter /Daughter in law), Spouse, Elders (Mother, Mother in Law) to decipher the root cause of all the hurdles at home so that it would help you to tackle it your own style whenever you face it. **Women – Balance family and work** I got a chance to query few women on how far their family supports their decision of pursuing their career. Only few replies were quite positive rest tend to be little bitter to hear. Most of the women say that their rapport with their spouse gets affected and few feel that spouse fail to recognize the hard work she put in running the family. Elders at home react in a cold way whenever she has to travel to office in case of any emergencies or family get-together. Consolidating most of their replies lead to a conclusion that most of them have deprived sleep, skip food and spoil their health to sustain in both arenas. **Spouse – Lifeline of every woman who wants to venture out to retain her identity.** My spouse and I had difference of opinion in resuming my career post par tum. My initial thought about him was “He wants me to be financially dependent on him and wants me to give up my career to care for family”. Later we had many rounds of discussions which lead me to a clear picture of what he actually absorbed about my stand on resuming work. His perspective about me was “To earn money at any cost and extend monetary support”. The moment I made him understand the fact that I am not much interested in money but I am on a process of creating my own identity, he would babysit our daughter whenever I was unable to take care of her. **Elders – Support system during absence.** As the tagline conveys that they can only run the show during our absence (once in a blue moon). Most of the elders who are ready to shoulder the responsibilities during the initial days feel fatigue as year’s pass by. This indirectly causes friction in relationships. My mother who was ready to take care of my daughter itself confesses that she can only be a moral support and she hails my decision of not burdening any of the elders in our family. If you are planning for a comeback plan for yourself, get your support system ready. Allow the women at home to achieve empowerment so that they would extend their support whenever you plunge into action. Links to other articles written by the same author to pursue foreign language as an alternative career: ‘ [En route to Linguistic Careers](http://hersecondinnings.com/en-route-linguistic-career/)‘, ‘[Lingua Skola for those interested in foreign languages](http://hersecondinnings.com/lingua-skola-interested-foreign-languages/)‘, [I’am a certified language expert, So whats next…’](http://hersecondinnings.com/certified-language-expert-whats-next/) Author has written a series of article to pursue as an alternate career option for Blogging/ Copywriting : _[All About Blogging](http://hersecondinnings.com/all-about-blogging/), [Blogging Insights](http://hersecondinnings.com/blogging-insights/), [Tips for sustainable blogging](http://hersecondinnings.com/tips-sustainable-blogging/), [Alternate career: 3 Tips to finding your big idea](http://hersecondinnings.com/alternative-career-three-tips/), ‘[Sneak a peak at copywriting as a career’](http://hersecondinnings.com/sneak-peek-copy-writing/)._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Meenakshi-Chandrasekaran-2.jpg)_ _Meenakshi Chandrasekaran_: _I hold a degree in Bachelors of Computer Science Engineering, eventually landed up in a MNC and served the company as a software engineer for 4 years. Rediscovered my passion towards writing during my maternity break, broke my relationship with corporate and currently pursuing blogging as my career._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Personal Finance Planning Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-07-19 Tags: Financial planning, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, business women, career woman, Home maker, entrepreneurs, Financial empowerment URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![personal-finance-planning](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/personal%20finanace-1621410459207-compressed.jpg) American author Hervey Allen once said **“_The only time you really live fully is from thirty to sixty. The youth – are slaves to dreams, the old – servants of regrets. Only the middle aged have all their five senses in the keeping of their wit”_** Well, we need all the wits we can to get through the phase. Unlike the 20’s, a responsibility doesn’t seem real until we hit the 30’s.  Marriage, kid /s, Home loan, Car loan and many other things suddenly feel like a big mountain that we have to cross and cannot have an escape route. **_Break up of goals: Short-Mid-Long –_** Financial planning is always goal oriented. This might sound a bit obvious that one must have short (less than five years), middle (7-10 years) and long term goals (20 years plus). But, it’s the most important step. For instance, as a short-term goal, you may need to plan for the kid’s primary school fees, which could be even as high as Rs 80,000 a year, Or more. Mid-terms goals could be a car (may be a second one), a family vacation abroad, kids’ higher education; long-term goals could mean buying a bigger house, and retirement needs. As a rule, 10 % of the post-tax income of those starting their career at around age 25 can be the starting point. Over time, as the income increases, up to 15 % can give you a good head start and a buffer. As you grow older, and your income rises and financial liabilities add up, make sure you are saving enough towards your goals. In middle age, saving at least 35 % of your post-tax income should be the benchmark. **_Emergency fund:_** Emergencies arrive unannounced and without warning. The best strategy is to be prepared for them. So it is sensible to have a emergency fund. Have at least 3 to 6 months’ expenses kept aside as an emergency fund. This includes monthly living expenses, lifestyle expenses as well as EMIs for your loans. This applies to both, single-income and double-income families. There could be a setback to one’s earning capacity due to a temporary disability or being unemployed for a few months. A medical emergency may crop up at a time when the settlement claim is taking time, or the ailment itself may have a waiting period. In such cases, one may have to arrange for funds to combat the situation. This fund then comes handy. **_Medical Insurance:_** Medical cover for each member of the family is a must. You don’t want sickness to eat your savings. The medical cover which your employer offers covers your spouse and kids. It’s also beneficial to buy a separate family floater policy as well. An insurance coverage between 3-5 lakh is suggested. One can also look into buying a serious disease disability policy, an accidental death-cum-disability insurance for self and spouse. **_Life Insurance:_** Life insurance coverage should be equal to 12-15 times your annual expenses or 8-10 times your annual income. . The actual requirement may, however, depend on one’s age, goals to be achieved, financial dependents, accumulated wealth, etc.Remember to take into account the debts (maybe a home loan) you owe while deciding for a term cover. That way, your family won’t be asked to leave the home if you aren’t around. Also ensure that both partners at least make a paper will, to avoid unnecessary hassles. **_Retirement fund:_** Off course, you want to give your child the best, but that does not mean you ignore your own retirement. Expecting your kids to take care of you and the spouse financially when you’ll grow old isn’t right in this day and age. They will have their own financial worries to attend to when they grow up. If you truly want the best for your kids, ensure that you plan for retirement well in advance. Most financial planners suggest a retirement corpus target which is about 20 times of one’s annual income. Some feel that 30 times can be a better figure as it will take care of inflation. It gives you a reason to work backwards and estimate how much you need to save from today till you retire. In conclusion, one rule that works during finance planning is to “Pay yourself first”. Which means that from your income, first take care of saving and then the expense. Income minus savings equals expense!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘[Decoding Stress](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/work-life/decoding-stress/)‘, ‘[Communication made easy…](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/communication/communication-made-easier/)‘, [‘Personal Finance Planning’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/personal-finance-planning/), ‘[Are you financially fit?’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/financial-planning/are-you-financially-fit/), ‘[3 M’s… Mantra for Morale](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/3-ms-mantra-morale/)‘ , [‘Tips for effective interaction with management’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/communication/4-tips-effective-interaction-management/), ‘[Adapting to global work culture – locally](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/career-tracking/adapting-global-work-culture-locally/)‘_ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from).  A woman as created by the divine.  An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._  **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Broaden Your Intellectual Horizon. Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-07-17 Tags: alternate career, sabbaticals, Indian women, business women, career woman, Home maker, upskill, L&D, Learning URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![broaden-intellectual-horizon](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/broaden-intellectual-horizon-1621410610573-compressed.jpg) _“Learn continually. There’s always “one more thing” to learn.” — Steve Jobs_ In this fast paced world, with new levels of competition sprouting each passing day, continuous learning is a necessity and not an option. In all fields, the need to be ahead of the curve dominates. Fortunately, the advancement of Information technology has bought new arenas of opportunities to learn without the traditional classroom approach and broaden one’s Intellectual Horizon at ease. With rapid innovations in various fields and the threat of automation looming, staying relevant has become indispensable. Apart from learning new skills, it’s pertinent to revisit the skills already acquired to stay significant. Organisations are set with the growing need for upskilling employees regularly to align with their business demands. In my previous organisation, most of the training’s happened through web based modules. The emergence of MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) has made it possible to attend courses at our suitability. Few advantages of learning online: * It’s possible to learn at your time and convenience. Even after a hectic day, it’s stress-free to sit in the comfort of your home and learn. * It’s cost effective. No need to shell out big bucks, most of the online courses are comparatively inexpensive than regular courses. * It suits the speed of each person. There is always the advantage of learning at one’s pace without hindering others. * Saves travel time, no hassle of going to a different location to learn. * One can acquire multiple skills simultaneously. Cross skilling helps to stay ahead of the competition curve. In professional life, we are set with two choices: to learn continuously and accelerate growth or stay complacent and face the risk of redundancy. It’s wiser to choose the former and capitalise on the easy modes of learning available. Fortunately, the world has become a global village today and bestows plenty of opportunities in learning for those who seek. Barring age, designation and gender, continuous learning will help you to acquire enhanced levels of intellect, thereby increasing your chances for a rise up the corporate ladder. I admire the attitude of Michelangelo, who at the age of 87 stated “Ancora imparo“ which translates to ‘’I am still learning”. _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), “[Importance of networking for success in your career](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/)“, ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘._ _**About the Author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Nithya-2.jpg)_ _Nithya Jagadish –_ _A commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry. Having handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard, I decided to take a break for a while. Now, a doting mother of a one year old child, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take [assessment](http://bit.ly/SkillAssessmentForm) to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” \[wbcr\_php\_snippet id=”506″\] **Published on:** \[wbcr\_php\_snippet id=”775″\] --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## I am a certified language expert so what’s next? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-07-12 Tags: alternate career, Indian women, career woman, Home maker, entrepreneurs, part time jobs, Foreign language URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Certified Language Expert](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/certified-language-1621410720559-compressed.png) Passing in a theoretical  exam or completing a course from reputed institute will not grab any opportunity for yourself. You need to practice  the language daily to improve your vocabulary, diction, pronunciation at last your writing skills. Instantly you feel that you can attempt talking with your people around you (to whom the language is definitely going to be some Latin or Greek). **How to gain Expertise in new language?** Facebook groups [The Foreign Language Exchange](https://www.facebook.com/groups/398515677159319) has language experts or like minded people across the globe and they have dedicated Whatsapp group for every language wherein you will have peers who will be native speakers or beginners like you. Daily lessons will help you out in improving your knowledge. If you are looking for any Indian based closed group join [Learn or Teach any Indian or Foreign Language](https://www.facebook.com/groups/VajreshLanguages). **How to progress?** **Translators or Interpreters:** [Translators and Interpreters (ProZ.com)](https://m.facebook.com/groups/ProZcom/) and [Translators n Interpreters Community by Modlingua Closed group](https://m.facebook.com/groups/hrlingua/)  are international  groups for interpreters and translators whereas [Bilingual translator Interpreter India](https://m.facebook.com/groups/466040483745028?view=info&refid=18&ref=content_filter) Indian based group wherein you can find freelancer opportunities. **Foreign Language Trainer:** [LiveGuru.in](https://m.facebook.com/Liveguruin-145928279417780/) recruits online trainers to conduct training’s. Or you can launch your own portal or channel to start teaching people. **Freelancer Content Writer**: Being a Content Writer or Blogger myself I found many opportunities  in a closed group that has been created for [Content Writer](https://m.facebook.com/groups/296912557169935?view=info&refid=18&ref=content_filter) **Tourist Guide:** Have a tie up with tourism or travel agents who can give freelancing assignments to guide tourists from abroad. To become a certified tourist guide you can pursue a course conducted by Toursim Department of India and you can pursue the career into Toursim. **Subtitling:** Are you a movie buff then try your hands on subtitling. Audience are open to international cinemas so this is hot paying job everywhere. You can either have a tie up with any agents or direct look for jobs in LinkedIn or in any social media. Who knows you can even find a place in [UN](https://careers.un.org/lbw/Home.aspx) !! In case if you are looking for any government opportunity then stay tuned to [EmploymentNewsi](http://www.employmentnewsi.in/)**.** Hope you find the series of articles on foreign language as an alternate profession helpful. Links to other articles: ‘ [En route to Linguistic Careers](http://hersecondinnings.com/en-route-linguistic-career/)‘, ‘[Lingua Skola for those interested in foreign languages](http://hersecondinnings.com/lingua-skola-interested-foreign-languages/)‘. Author has written a series of article to pursue as an alternate career option for Blogging/ Copywriting : _[All About Blogging](http://hersecondinnings.com/all-about-blogging/), [Blogging Insights](http://hersecondinnings.com/blogging-insights/), [Tips for sustainable blogging](http://hersecondinnings.com/tips-sustainable-blogging/), [Alternate career: 3 Tips to finding your big idea](http://hersecondinnings.com/alternative-career-three-tips/), ‘[Sneak a peak at copywriting as a career’](http://hersecondinnings.com/sneak-peek-copy-writing/)._ _**About the author:**_  _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Meenakshi-Chandrasekaran-2.jpg)_ _Meenakshi Chandrasekaran_: _I hold a degree in Bachelors of Computer Science Engineering, eventually landed up in a MNC and served the company as a software engineer for 4 years. Rediscovered my passion towards writing during my maternity break, broke my relationship with corporate and currently pursuing blogging as my career._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## No matter what the world says, it is okay to… live your life Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-07-10 Tags: Career restart, Careerbreak, alternate career, sabbaticals, working moms, Indian women, business women, Home maker, Balance, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![No matter world](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/no-matter-world-1621410881800-compressed.jpg) Even the busiest of the people will gladly find time out of their lives to criticize you- behind your back or right on your face. While you struggle to live up to everyone’s expectations, the murmur among the people never seems to die. Each human being possesses thoughts and perspectives of their own leading to the situation that _no one_ will ever manage to please everyone around them. And that sort of thing isn’t even necessary. Really. So, no matter what the world says, it is quite alright to- * **Be a homemaker OR a working woman:** Depending on the thoughts the people around you hold, they will either encourage you to work, or nag you to leave your job; which is absolutely none of their business. You are an adult possessing complete sanity to think about what works best for you. Your choice is your own. Your child, your home, your job, your life. * **Make mistakes:** Unless you are literally or figuratively stabbing someone in the heart, mistakes are alright. If you have hurt someone, apologize and move on. Took a bad decision that ruined your life? Forgive yourself and be cautious next time. You are human. You are bound to make some serious errors in life, but you are intelligent enough to learn from them, right? * **Be selfish:** Being a good human being is like wearing beautiful but heavy earrings. People love them, but you have to bear its weight. It is a treat to others when you are all nice, but a burden to your own self. It makes sense _only_ when everyone else is nice, too. But when there are selfish people around you, it is okay to be selfish, too. It is okay to cancel a birthday party or a wedding to relax at home. It is okay to say no when you don’t want to say yes. People will act like you have committed a great sin by refusing to hang out with them, attend their parties or by refusing to give them a helping hand. But it is absolutely okay to be an occasional introvert or refuse to help others when you genuinely can’t. Don’t overdo altruism. Don’t ignore a dying person if you come across one either.  * **Have negative experiences:** In case you haven’t noticed, the world is filled with both positive _and_ negative stuff, and that their co-existence will prevail whether you like it or not. The positive stuff makes you feel good; the negative stuff does _not_ make you feel good and that’s the reason you strive to attain all that’s good and avoid all that’s bad. But all that’s bad will exist nonetheless, no matter what everyone tries to do about it. Because it’s a part of life. And there’s nothing wrong about that. No need to fuss about it. All you can do is accept it and try to get out of any tight spot you are caught in and help others as well. With a calm mind.  * **Not follow the crowd:** Fashion may work that way, but real life can’t. The crowd you are trying to imitate is nothing but a seeming majority of people who have no idea what they are doing with their life. Most probably, your favorite way to live your life is to watch what other high-class people indulge in and try to impersonate them. Getting the latest _iPhone_, buying expensive clothes, choosing an international school for kids, vacationing in exotic places, visiting dimly lit restaurants (even after the invention of electricity), boozing, having late night parties and posting the photos on social media. If you can’t pull out that kind of a life, you end up thinking you’re a loser. And you stare open-mouthed at those who can. Nah, don’t do that. Your life, your rules.                                                                                       * **Give up:** People swoon over the “Do or die” and “Never say die” attitudes. They like to cheer for those who struggle hard and jeer at those who didn’t. It is a great thing to strive for success, but it also alright to give up on stuff sometimes. Sometimes, your mental peace is more important than recognition, fame, money, and successes. Think about what exactly are you struggling for or whether it is worth so much of your efforts and mental energy. Once you realize that it’s quite alright to shake off the rigid beliefs of the society around you, you can breathe a sigh of relief and go live a life the way _you_ want to. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author:  ‘[Fun alternatives for ladies on career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/fun-alternatives-ladies-career-break/)‘,  ‘[Bridging the gap using online resources](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/upskill-resources/bridging-skill-gap-online-resources/)‘, ‘[Stress: Lets deal with it](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/work-life/stress-deal-with-it/)‘, ‘[No Matter what the world says, It is ok to… live your life](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/no-matter-world-says-okay-live-life/)‘, ‘[A little guide to positivity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/little-guide-positivity/)‘ ‘[Ways to Selfmotivation- Your key to success’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/ways-self-motivation/), ‘[Why you need to prioritise yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/why-you-need-prioritise-yourself/)‘_ _**About the author**_: _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Radhika_Image-2.jpg)_ _Radhika_ completed her B.A. and  M.A (Gold medal) in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. She has a passion for languages especially English, Sanskrit, and German and has written articles on Upanishads. She provides content development services. She likes teaching and writing. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music. **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Be Your Own Boss! Be An Entrepreneur Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-07-05 Tags: Career restart, Careerbreak, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, Home maker, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur-1621410949751-compressed.jpg) **_“I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul”- Invictus by William Ernest Henley._** Gone are days when the tradition of preparing for bank or other competitive exams was inculcated in our minds as a teenager. Breaking barriers, Women have been a powerful force in all facets of work including start-ups. The conventional role of choosing safe jobs is no more a compulsion and the world has given a plethora of opportunities to be your own boss, to be an entrepreneur! There is no need to fit into a mould when you can stand out and create your own identity. With the advancement of technology, it’s possible to start a business and promote the same without much hassle. A few points to be considered before commencing your business: * Understand your strengths and interests. It’s easy to succeed in an industry where your passion lies. * Be cognizant of your finances. Start small, eventually with the expansion, investors would follow. * Capitalise on Social networking sites and utilise it most to promote the brand. * Nothing substitutes hard work, especially in the initial stages when business is at infancy. * Try to have a network of likeminded people who will guide you during testing times. As an entrepreneur, you’ll have the privilege of working at your own hours; implement your ideas that were hitherto not heeded. It’s not necessary to start on giant scale, a simple business from home, working flexi hours and making money is a good option. A friend of mine, Smrity, who had a flourishing career in corporate field, chose to start her own venture of Event Management and today runs it single handed. I deeply respect [Kiran Mazmudar Shaw](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiran_Mazumdar-Shaw), Founder & MD of [Biocon](https://www.biocon.com/). Failing to obtain scholarship in Medical school, she studied the science of fermentation to become a Brewmaster, a non-conventional segment for women. Since brew master was then termed a man’s job, she found no employment in India and went on to work in Scotland. She returned back and started Biocon in her garage with a capital of Rs.10,000. Today, she is a global influencer featuring in ‘[Forbes magazine’s ‘100 Most Powerful Women](https://www.forbes.com/sites/meghancasserly/2013/05/22/the-worlds-most-powerful-female-entrepreneurs-2013/#4d45ba045e87)’ and a self-made billionaire. Though success is not always guaranteed, not trying is regret greater than failure. Being an entrepreneur sure does come with immense responsibilities and at times, no one to fall back on. But it’s the risk that makes this business rewarding. To conclude, it’s true that nothing worth having comes easy. Often, the very thing that tests our resilience is the one that will take us to greater heights. While working for someone and attaining success is one way, starting your own business, running it despite odds and being your own Boss is a sense of achievement that only people with strong conviction will accomplish. _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), “[Importance of networking for success in your career](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/)“, ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Nithya-2.jpg)_ _Nithya Jagadish –_ _A commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry. Having handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard, I decided to take a break for a while. Now, a doting mother of a one year old child, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Why a homemaker should return to her career. Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-06-28 Tags: career break, working moms, Indian women, women empowerment, Home maker, employment, Selfconfidence, part time jobs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![homemaker-return-career](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/homemaker-return-career-1621411959569-compressed.jpg) **_“Once a homemaker, not always a homemaker”_** You are blessed with the ability to bear the offspring of the human species. The teeny baby that just arrived out of you needed you the most and you went for a career break. There are some capable women who got back to their jobs right after their maternity leave was over. Then there are some lovely homely ladies who decided to stay at home just to look after their little ones. Well, kudos to both of them. Let’s talk about the homemakers. Dear homemakers, I know you might now be cozy in the comfort zone of your house, venturing out only to run some errands or meet a few friends. But I also know that you do have a secret desire in your heart to go back to the job you once had, to do something- anything to get back to the life of a proud, working, independent woman. If you don’t, here are a few reasons why you should: * **Money-** Although most people overtly accept the philosophical convention that money doesn’t bring happiness, the thought of having abundant money in their possession is exhilarating for many. You could earn yourself and contribute your share to the income. You can even save some of it for your child’s education, the latest car, an exclusive holiday trip or the exceedingly overpriced branded dresses you longed to have. More the money, more the exciting stuff can you buy. In case you are not a money-minded person, you can conveniently ignore this and have a look at the other reasons. * **Breaking the monotony-** You can’t deny that the life of a typical homemaker involves same old household chores- cooking, cleaning, and looking after the needs of fellow family members. I know you love your family, but all those tasks are pretty boring, right? Getting back to your career would be a nice change from the tedious life at home. Go get a life outside of the house, too. Hire a maid and parade to the workplace! * **Reviving education-** Undoubtedly, you spent your entire childhood, teenage and early adulthood working your way through numerous textbooks, assignments and trying to cram the information into your grey cells. You didn’t do all that for nothing, did you? The workplace is deprived of your valuable knowledge and experience. Just go and play your part there. * **Exploring your potential-** You left the job for the home, didn’t you? Did you have any idea about how far you could have gone in your career if you would have still continued with it? No? Then there is still a chance for you to discover your potential and reach the zenith of your abilities. By all means, do not let your career break conceal your capabilities or let them go unexplored or unnoticed. So, grab a job and get going! * **Peeking at the world-** There are high chances that living a life as a homemaker would deprive you of the goings-on in the field of your career. The world has fast changed since you last visited your office. Once you get back to work, you can catch up on what you missed so far. Also, if you are a little irritated by the behavior of your clan, you may encounter some worse people in the office, which will make you start liking the former. * **No more taking for granted-** I could bet my life on this: if you are a homemaker, you are always, often, or rarely, but definitely taken for granted by the members of your family. You stay at home ready to wait upon everyone and catering to their needs, only to end up getting others’ disapproval. Being a homemaker is a respectful thing, no doubt about that. But it seems that people don’t realize the fact. They may pamper you once a while, but that’s _just_ once a while. Go get a job and watch all of them suddenly appreciate your presence and importance which you should be getting as a homemaker anyway. * **Feeling better about yourself-** There is nothing wrong with being a homemaker. However, a job or a pursuit of your passion as a career would give you a sense of accomplishment and independence. As a homemaker, you work primarily for others, but here you would be doing something for your own satisfaction. And _that_, ladies, is very important in life. Just because you become a mother, you are not entitled to be stuck up at home. If you possess enough motivation, get back to your career and try your luck. If you think that will divert your attention from the house, look on the brighter side that you are going to be an excellent role model for your kids. They will look up to you as a strong woman who did not give up on her dreams. Although there is nothing wrong with being a homemaker (remember, you are equally awesome), there is a world out there, too, waiting for your return. _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author:  ‘[Fun alternatives for ladies on career break](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/alternate-career/fun-alternatives-ladies-career-break/)‘, ‘[Why a home maker should return to her career](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/career-break/homemaker-return-career/)‘, ‘[Bridging the gap using online resources](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/career/upskill-resources/bridging-skill-gap-online-resources/)‘, ‘[Stress: Lets deal with it](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/work-life/stress-deal-with-it/)‘, ‘[No Matter what the world says, It is ok to… live your life](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/stay-motivated/no-matter-world-says-okay-live-life/)‘, ‘[A little guide to positivity](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/stay-motivated/little-guide-positivity/)‘ ‘[Ways to Selfmotivation- Your key to success’](https://worldofwomenfoundation.com/blogs/coaching-career/stay-motivated/ways-self-motivation/)._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Radhika_Image-2.jpg)_ _Radhika_ completed her B.A. and  M.A (Gold medal) in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. She has a passion for languages especially English, Sanskrit, and German and has written articles on Upanishads. She provides content development services. She likes teaching and writing. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music. **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Lingua Skola For Those Interested In Foreign Languages Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-06-26 Tags: career break, alternate career, Indian women, women empowerment, Home maker, part time jobs, blogging, Foreign language URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null If you are very much inclined to learning new languages then this is for you – a consolidated list of trusted centers in and around metro cities in India. _**Chennai**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Chennai-1.png) INaWORD, TheLingua Academy, Sprachlingua –These organizations has trainers for multi foreign language courses and the reviews are good too. _**Bengaluru**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Bengaluru-1.png) _**Delhi**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Delhi-1.png) _**Mumbai**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Mumbai-1.png) * GOETHE-INSTITUT MAX MUELLER BHAVAN is available in all metro cities. It offers courses on German Language * Alliance Française is an authenticated language center for aspirants who want to learn French and its center is across India. **Checklist before Enrollment:** * Walk-in to the centre during a working day. Analyse the environment and initiate conversation with trainers and make sure to clarify all of your doubts. * Courses have been tailored based upon the environment. Before venturing into it narrow down your search mostly the package offered are for, * **Language Interpreter** * **Corporate trainings** * **Conversation course** * **Grammar Course and Writing Course** * Check for reviews and enroll into some groups related to the language analyze the demand and get inputs from fellow language experts who are pursuing a career into it. * Foreign languages are as simple as English so learn with interest rather than a subject (which we really do during our student days!) * Try avoiding online classes or App learning because it will prevent you in gaining real time exposure. * While choosing a Center make sure they have a native tutor as well so that it would really help you out in out of box details of the language, country as well. **Post Enrollment:** * Ensure you converse with your peers in the language that you are learning. * When you get the flow of the language make up your mind to use the words in your daily talks with your partner or children or even in front of your mirror. * Read news papers or journals that are been published in respective languages watch programs /videos in YouTube so helps you to catch pronunciations and learn communication.                                                              **Feliz aprendizaje!!**                                                            **Glückliches Lernen!!**                                                               **Happy Learning!!** You may also want to read blog ‘ [En route to Linguistic Careers](http://hersecondinnings.com/en-route-linguistic-career/)‘ written by the same author. _**About the author:**_  _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Meenakshi-Chandrasekaran-2.jpg)_ _Meenakshi Chandrasekaran_: _I hold a degree in Bachelors of Computer Science Engineering, eventually landed up in a MNC and served the company as a software engineer for 4 years. Rediscovered my passion towards writing during my maternity break, broke my relationship with corporate and currently pursuing blogging as my career._ ##### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Decoding Stress Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-06-21 Tags: Positive Thinking, Careerbreak, working moms, women empowerment, worklife, career women, Selfconfidence, stress URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Decoding Stress](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/decoding-stress-1621413716908-compressed.jpg) Stress is defined as the gap between expectation and reality. Lesser the gap. Lesser the stress. Can this gap completely disappear? Yes if we consciously want it to disappear. So, what is the root cause of stress? Psychologists say that stress is an internal alarm that goes off when a human senses pressure. Now, what is pressure? It is hyped version of a situation which is thrown at us to make us feel “stressed” So, ideally it’s not the external situation that stresses us, it’s our perception of the situation that makes us feel stressed. Our expectation versus the reality is what causes the disappointment in the first place. When we have to match both, stress occurs. Can we really be stress free? Yes we can be if we choose to be.  Some tips to have blinders or rather avoid stress than manage stress. The law of attraction states that the universe responds to whatever we think. It cannot distinguish between positive and negative. So, when we don’t want stress, one way to synchronize it with the universe is to not think of stress as a negative feeling that we have to bear the burden of, but to positively look at decoding it and simplifying it. Most mental and emotional stress manifests themselves as physical ailments. It’s totally not worth having it. Here is a minuscule attempt at decoding stress….positively. **S-**————-**See** Seeing is not just capturing what is in front of the eyes but also what doesn’t. It refers to seeing the situation as a whole. 99 times out of 100, something or someone that caused us to feel stressed could have been a criticism, an opinion that was different from ours, an unfortunate incident that happened to someone else which we feel may happen to us too, or just the comparison of our life with someone else’s. But when we look at the scenario as a whole, we stop feeling as bad as it seemed earlier. **T**—————-**Think** Our thoughts create our reality. So we better think our reality the way we want it to be. Thinking about the situation is good. To look at it as a short term or long term activity that may need more time and attention to sort through. But overthinking kills the essence of it all. **R**——————-**Reflect** Reflect upon it. Does past affect the present situation? Will the overall impact be on future? What are the pros and cons associated with it? What can you do to make it better with the current options available? Is someone’s help needed in a certain capacity or it can be handled by self? All these options can be weighed. **E**——————-**Engage** If action is required to be taken, then go for it. No point in procrastinating about whether to do something about it or not also causes stress. Either you do it or you don’t. Most of the methods we use to solve a problem are experimental. Some are successful, some we learn not to repeat again. But every method is worth a try. It is said that not taking an action is also a decision. **S**—————–**Seek** Seek and see how far you could go. Give it your best shot but not get attached to the result. If the end result is not what you expected, it’s still fine, you tried. You will try again in a different way. But do not lose the motivation to try again. **S——————-Stop** Stop! Yes. If something or someone drains out your time, energy and peace of mind. Just stop with the thinking, reflecting, engaging or seeking. It simply means that it’s not worth it. Because it is negatively affecting you and definitely not worth pursuing further. **_There is so much to be grateful and thankful to god. We cannot demean it by stressing over it. We actually fear to see reality how exactly it is. Acceptance of a situation or person just as it appears is the first step in keeping the expectations also under control. No pressure to change and no stress over no change._** _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from). A woman as created by the divine. An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._  **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.**) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Chasing Dreams – My restart story Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-06-20 Tags: Careerbreak, alternate career, Indian women, women empowerment, Home maker, career women, blogging, Restart Story, Second innings URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![chasing-dreams-my-restart-story](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/chasing-dreams-my-restart-story-1621413890796-compressed.png) Today I was rudely woken up from my slumber by the shrill sound of the phone. Still groggy from sleep I answered the phone but after answering I was on cloud nine. I had become a celebrity overnight and I beamed with joy. The journey of my life was going to be published by Internshala an important website. I went into flashback. The lanky, school-girl who had opted for science in her plus two as she wanted to make her mark in the field of medicine. She came from a lineage of medicos, so it was a natural choice. But it seemed dissecting cadavers was not her cup of tea. So medicine was dropped and the focus was on research. She hoped to discover the ‘Elixir of life’. Armed with a doctoral degree she was ready to face the world. Her only aim was to procure a good job and she was rewarded in the form of a Research Associate-ship. It was a tenure bound project which she completed with elan. She hoped to reach for the stars with her academic excellence but it seems God had other plans for her. She soon found herself in holy matrimony and thus started a new phase in her life. She had procured a good job in a research institute. But within a year of marriage, she had embraced motherhood and career was put on a backburner. Friends and relatives chided her for leaving her job but she had taken the decision. Her husband’s touring job and no family support made her a hands-on mom. She took a sabbatical from work and became a SAHM to bring up her kids single handed. Being sucked into the vortex of family responsibilities she forgot about her career but as soon as her kids turned from toddlers to teens she found time hanging. She wanted to restart her career after two decades but now it wasn’t easy. She was way behind her peers, technology had advanced and she was naive in that field. Employers scoffed at her C.V gap. She was made to look guilty as she had opted for procreation. Their words pierced her heart and she went into an abyss of despair. The tsunami of emotions racing through her brain made her feel worthless. But it is said’ A woman is like a tea bag, you never know how strong she is, until she gets into hot water.’ That was the case and the lady rebounded with renewed vigour with a creative writing diploma and thorough knowledge of technology. Her family stood by her, helping her to find a foothold. Her dormant passion for writing came to the fore and as it is said _a’ strong woman looks a challenge in the eye, and gives it a wink.’_ She did the same, surfed the net and procured an online proofreading job with a publishing house. It was rewarding but not a person to be satisfied with this small project she started honing her skills as a writer. Soon opportunities were thrown her way, she became a published author on print and digital media. She carved a niche on International media. She became a content writer, blogger and above all a confident woman. Today she has her fingers in several pies. She has interned at several places, is a guest blogger and her academic prowess helped her to become The Education Head of a start-up. It seemed she was breaking glass ceilings of a different kind. Having her journey published was a big feather in her cap. As they say age is just a number and her second innings is taking her far than she had dreamt. All these things gave wings to her dreams and we can say’ just when this caterpillar thought her life was over, she turned into a butterfly to chase her dreams.’ And this butterfly is Yours Truly, Dr Preeti Talwar _**About the Author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/preeti-Talwar-image-3.jpg) Dr Preeti Talwar is a science doctorate, freelance writer, blogger, proof reader, content writer with several publications on national and international media. Writing is adrenaline for her soul and being a wordsmith is her forte. **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Stop Limiting Yourself – You Are Capable of Much More Than You Think Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-06-19 Tags: career break, motivation, alternate career, corporate employees, women empowerment, business women, career woman, Home maker, Freshers URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Stop Limiting Yurself](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/stop-limiting-yourself-1621414070473-compressed.png) “You are confined only by the walls you build yourself’’― Andrew Murphy Often, when we think of failures in life, we find it easy to put forth the limitations we are set with….”not enough time’’ or ‘’no resources’’ or ‘’it dint work for me in the past’’. But think about it. All those chances you missed, the opportunities you didn’t exploit…could it be achieved with a little more determination and perseverance?  Sometimes we limit ourselves since we have little conviction in fighting for the things we need, whether it is at work or in personal life. A few experiences in life taught me a very important lesson – your life is in your hands, so are your successes and failures. I quite often marvel at the elephant story contemplating about how many of us are limited by the chain we have tied ourselves with. [_https://academictips.org/blogs/the-elephant-rope/_](https://academictips.org/blogs/the-elephant-rope/) We can conquer all our fears once we unshackle our inhibitions and take control of our lives. Few pointers to guide you expand your horizons and live life to the fullest: 1) Don’t bask in the haven of comfort zone; instead get ready to venture out and feel awkward while learning something new. 2) Take action before it’s too late. Go on a road-trip, apply for that promotion or take charge of the next presentation you dread about. You’ll never know you’re potential if you don’t try. 3) Don’t let past failures define you. Learn your lesson, but have the faith to carry on despite failures. 4) Keep walking, even if it means taking baby steps. Assert yourself that you are meant to do bigger things. 5)  Brush aside the naysayers. Look for motivation in the littlest of things. End of the day, life is not about proving others that you can. But when you lookback, you need to have the satisfaction of having lived a full-fledged one without regrets. The World is full of endless opportunities for those who dare to break the chains and explore. _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), “[Importance of networking for success in your career](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/)“, ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Nithya-2.jpg)_ _Nithya Jagadish –_ _A commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry. Having handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard, I decided to take a break for a while. Now, a doting mother of a one year old child, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## En route to Linguistic Career Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-06-14 Tags: career break, alternate career, working moms, Indian women, business women, Home maker, blogging URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![en-route-to-linguistic-career](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/en-route-to-linguistic-career-1621414766107-compressed.png) You may have to bear with me for a few minutes while I share a short recap. Exactly a month ago one of my bestie, Techie by profession and a doting mother, was in a deep oscillation whether to take up a offer from a Tier 2 MNC or to take a break in her career and be a SAHM for quite some time. The conversation lasted long, more than fifteen minutes. She asked me to explain about the career aspects in learning a Foreign Language. At that time I had no idea about it, but I  knew a few people who were pursuing a Linguistic Career. I concluded that I shall help her out once I ask them and let her know about it. That’s the birth story of this post. **Pre-requisites:** * **Self Motivation-**Never give up attitude. Experts quote that learners feel fresh during their initial days but their zeal to learn fades when they find some hurdles during their process of learning. * **Redefine the course-**Every learner has a unique style in accomplishing their goals. Be it an online study or direct classes make sure you redesign in such a way that it becomes user friendly. It will help you in progress. * **Read for Pleasure-**An urge to read any kind of literature in the target language. Learn the day to day phrases/words which will lead you to break the complex grammatical structures into a simpler one. * **Practice makes Man Perfect:** Speak to yourself in the second language which you are learning. Spend few minutes to narrate the whole day’s activity in the new language. This helps you out to build your vocabulary. * **Ignore Myths-**Age is merely a number **Languages that are on demand in India:** * **Mandarin Chinese** * **Japanese** * **German** * **French** * **Spanish** **Career Prospects** * **Interpreter –**Converting spoken language or sign language statements from one to another. * **Translators**\-Converting written material into destined language * **Language Tutor –**Serving an institute as a teacher * **Tour –**Translate to foreigners during their visit * **Patent Examiner-**Validate the originality of the content which has been submitted for Patent * **Journalism or content writer-** The one can help an organization to write documents in client’s native language. * **Government Public Service**\-Diplomacy, Foreign Service, Intelligence Courses and other details will follow in my next post.. stay tuned! The author has written a series of articles on blogging as a profession, you may find these links helpful : _[All About Blogging](http://hersecondinnings.com/all-about-blogging/), [Blogging Insights](http://hersecondinnings.com/blogging-insights/), [Tips for sustainable blogging](http://hersecondinnings.com/tips-sustainable-blogging/), [Alternate career: 3 Tips to finding your big idea](http://hersecondinnings.com/alternative-career-three-tips/)._ _**About the author:**_  _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Meenakshi-Chandrasekaran-2.jpg)_ _Meenakshi Chandrasekaran_: _I hold a degree in Bachelors of Computer Science Engineering, eventually landed up in a MNC and served the company as a software engineer for 4 years. Rediscovered my passion towards writing during my maternity break, broke my relationship with corporate and currently pursuing blogging as my career._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Fun Alternatives For Ladies After A Career Break Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-06-12 Tags: Careerbreak, alternate career, sabbaticals, women professionals, corporate employees, Indian women, career woman, Home maker, part time jobs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Fun alternatives ](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/fun-alternatives-1621415017773-compressed.jpg) Did you plod your way through a hectic course, take the trouble to secure a good job and toil hard to earn a fat salary only to end up getting married, having children and staying at home totally unemployed? You now have your kids and home as your priority and perhaps you do not want to get back to your career by taking up a full fledged nine to five job like before. But the thought of doing nothing apart from your homely duties is quite discouraging. You have this urge to do something- anything that will showcase your talent, efforts and earn a good amount of money as well. Your formal education might or might not help you here, but this is the time your buried hobbies and passions should surface. Use your skills to earn money- at your own convenience. Here are some ways- * If you often receive compliments for your dishes, use your cooking skills to open a blog or a YouTube channel and share your yummy recipes with the world and earn through advertisements. If you are not too tech-savvy or if you have no technical support, you can provide lunch boxes for the office going folk yearning for homemade food. To take matters further, you can even plan on opening your own little eatery if you have the resources. * Are you the kind of person who enthusiastically stays in shape? If yes, you can either be a yoga instructor, a Zumba trainer or teach any other form of exercise to others. All this is to be done after first getting a proper training yourself, of course. Gather the ladies from the neighborhood and get going. * If you are great behind the camera, then being a freelancing photographer is a perfect idea. You can take up a short course on professional photography and make a start. Events like weddings, parties, get-togethers are plenty and you can choose them according to your convenience. * Fond of languages? Have a knack for writing? Then go for something like blogging, content writing, translation, proofreading, and editing. If you are imaginative enough, you can even write your own book. Fiction, non-fiction, anything you like! * Are you in for creative stuff like designing? If yes, then there are areas ranging from fashion designing and jewelry designing to interior decorator and webpage designing waiting for you. * In case you left your singing, dancing or painting skills in the past, revive them. Teach it to the children in your block or upload instructional videos on YouTube teaching the dance steps, how to sing or how to paint a flawless picture. * Do you find yourself spending too much time before the mirror experimenting with numerous makeup looks? Don’t worry, you’re not vain, you’re just a potential makeup artist. This profession will enable you to build up your passion in the real world! Then there’s YouTube again. There are females who are amateurs in the field of makeup and need tips. You can share your knowledge about makeup through your videos. * If you are an expert on any subject that’s taught in school, then you can be the good old tuition teacher and help the poor kids score better in exams. This sounds a clichéd job, but hey! It’s fun to be around school kids. * Are you totally fantabulous on your social media? You could take this skill further by being a social media manager. There are many companies and institutions keen on being regularly active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube etc. to keep up with the masses. You could do that. * If you adore the quadrupeds, pet-sitting is a great option. People having cats, dogs, rabbits etc. find it difficult to make arrangements for their pets while they are out on a trip. You can take care of them in your own house and enjoy their company. Pet grooming is also an alternative. People love pampering their dogs. You can give your furry clients a nice bath, haircut, and massage. The fact that you can’t or don’t want to pursue your original vocation after your career break should not let you down. Rigid office timings and hectic schedules are not everybody’s cup of tea and there’s nothing humiliating about that. Stuff like creating a YouTube channel, searching for freelancing jobs or gathering people who are interested in learning what you offer to teach is not easy either. You might even need to complete a short course or a diploma depending on the field you choose. Efforts are essential to get it all started and to maintain the tempo. But on the brighter side, you have the opportunity to employ your hobbies and interests as a source of income coupled with convenience and fun.  So, what are you waiting for? _You may also want to read other articles written by the same author:  ‘[Fun alternatives for ladies on career break](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/fun-alternatives-ladies-career-break/)‘,  ‘[Bridging the gap using online resources](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/upskill-resources/bridging-skill-gap-online-resources/)‘, ‘[Stress: Lets deal with it](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/work-life/stress-deal-with-it/)‘, ‘[No Matter what the world says, It is ok to… live your life](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/no-matter-world-says-okay-live-life/)‘, ‘[A little guide to positivity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/little-guide-positivity/)‘ ‘[Ways to Selfmotivation- Your key to success’](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/ways-self-motivation/), ‘[Why you need to prioritise yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/why-you-need-prioritise-yourself/)‘_ _**About the author:**_  _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Radhika_Image-2.jpg)_ _Radhika_ completed her B.A. and  M.A (Gold medal) in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. She has a passion for languages especially English, Sanskrit, and German and has written articles on Upanishads. She provides content development services. She likes teaching and writing. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music. ###### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Career Resurgence Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-06-07 Tags: working moms, Indian women, women empowerment, Home maker, Career Comeback URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![CAREER RESURGENCE](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/CAREER%20RESURGENCE-1621415774896-compressed.jpg) ‘_Everyone falls down. Getting back up is how you learn to walk.’_ **– Walt Disney** Few Women have the luxury of an uninterrupted career. For others, there comes an inevitable situation which necessitates a break.  Besides from break, owing to a multitude of factors, some experience a slump and struggle for a Career Resurgence. Having ruled the roost for years, it seems daunting to make a comeback. There are moments of cynicism, with so many “If’s” and “Buts”. So, is it really that difficult to revive one’s career after a break or a slump? I personally feel it’s all in the head and with the virtues of determination and hard work, it’s possible to make a stellar comeback. During my one-on-one with my team, I came across the predicament of a few who felt buried deep and strived for a revival. In my discussions, I usually recommend a couple of things to be followed vigorously to gain a strong foothold and make headway. To summarise my views in a nutshell: * Start slow and work hard. Don’t expect immediate results or vast transformations. Take time to soak in the work environment. * If you were on break, exploit the skills you have acquired. For e.g., if the reason for break is maternity, utilise the immense patience, hardworking qualities you have obtained in the sabbatical to your advantage. * Highlight your progress to your managers, big or small. It’s not about gloating, but showcasing your potential and reinstating the faith they have in you. * Seek constant feedback and incorporate them in your work. Also, self-evaluate. * Avoid stark comparisons with your peers; rather measure your performance against yourself from where you started and how it’s progressing. * Connect with your support group for help – whether it is friends, family or mentors at work who will handhold you in the initial few days. * Staying positive is the key. Be a ray of sunshine and appreciate the fact that you have a second chance to start over. * Acknowledge your Career resurgence. Encourage and pat yourself for the accomplishments, even if it’s trivial. Career is established through years of patience and arduous work. In the event of a break, remember that you are the one who built it, so endure, give it all you can and get back on track. Years from now, you will look back with pride and cherish all the efforts that revived your career on the path to glory. _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Nithya-2.jpg)_ _Nithya Jagadish –_ _A commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry. Having handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard, I decided to take a break for a while. Now, a doting mother of a one year old child, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 3 tips to increase your self-confidence when you are on a career break Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-06-06 Tags: Self-confidence, Careerbreak, alternate career, working moms, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Tips for self happiness](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/tips-increase-self-1621416485630-compressed.jpg) When I quit my job, a well-meaning ex-boss told me to get back to work as quickly as possible or run the risk of losing my self-confidence. My initial reaction was ‘That doesn’t apply to me. I’m never going to feel low on self-confidence’. I was so sure that she was wrong. 4 years have passed by. And, I sometimes wonder – was she right all along? I have learned the hard way now, that the answer to the above question is – Yes and No. Yes – There are times when we women are likely to lose a bit of our self-confidence. When you have to quit a hectic and demanding career and find yourself all of a sudden with nothing equally challenging (mentally) to do, you feel the vacuum. When you are used to your talent and potential being utilized and suddenly it lies dormant and unutilized, it has a certain bearing on your self-confidence, especially in the long run. And No – One does not feel low on self-confidence all the time. There are only certain times when it strikes. For instance, you apply for a position and notice that your current skill sets are inadequate or outdated.  Or when you notice that your earlier peers have charged ahead with their careers while you are still on a break. Times like these are when you feel irrelevant and low on self-confidence. And interestingly, not everyone loses their self-confidence on a career break. Some enjoy the break, others try new things. But there are ways to avoid the trap of low self-confidence. Here are some easy ways to increase your self-confidence when you are on a career break. **Accept the change** Accepting the change will make you find peace with yourself and your changed circumstance. Constantly second guessing your earlier decision to quit or ruminating doesn’t help. It only creates more internal discord. Accept the change and you will begin to find a change in your perspective towards life. It may even open your eyes to the new opportunities life throws your way. Getting rid of your internal disharmony is bound to have a positive effect on your self-confidence. **Try your hand at different things** The famous ‘Joy Mangano’ is known world-over for inventing the self-wringing Miracle Mop. She was a divorcee with three kids and out of a job. She invented the Miracle Mop when she tried to solve a ‘cleaning problem’ that she and others like her faced day in and day out. And today, she has over 100 patents for her inventions. Like Joy Mangano, try your hand at different things during a break. You never know when you are going to succeed. Even if you do not succeed, the effort of trying shows your grit and your initiative. And every new venture brings about learnings, which helps increase your self-confidence just by having tried. **Stay relevant** Keep yourself updated with the world around you through the internet and any reading material that you can lay your hands on. A career break is no excuse to not stay updated. Staying aware of what is happening around you will reflect on your interactions with others and increase your self-confidence. These are things that worked for me. Let me know if this works for you. _**About the author:**_  _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sruthi_Feb12_400x400.jpg)_ _Sruthi_ was an HR Manager, working for companies like Infosys and Thomson Reuters. After taking a break to look after her child, she now freelances. She enjoys developing HR content and writes on topics related to HR. ###### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career guidance experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Working to Live or Living to Work? Find The Right Balance Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-06-05 Tags: career break, working moms, corporate employees, business women, Home maker, worklife, Balance, part time jobs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Working to live](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/working-live-living-1621416602929-compressed.jpg) **_“Don’t confuse having a career with having a life”: Hillary Rodham Clinton._** The quote makes us think…doesn’t it? We intertwine work with everything else and then start looking for “life” in that whirlpool. Little do we realize that work is just a part of the big picture called “life”.  Often the magnanimity of life is overshadowed by the slice of “work” that is a part of it.  Just like how family, passion, hobby are all slices too. There is no second guessing to the fact that we work an earning towards living and we work more to earn more for a better life.  However, in the midst of it all we fail to acknowledge the existence of life. The present that we are living in. We rush, run and chase but have to remind ourselves to stop, breathe and live too.  Life is the best gift that a human has ever received. But in the pursuit of living we forget the essence of life. So, a balance is sought after for a balance in work – life.  Technically, a woman who has a career and goes out of home to earn is a working woman. But what about the woman who stays at home and works for the home. Isn’t she a working woman too? Yes she is. And very rightly so. So why should “work/life” balance be applicable to a woman working outside the home and not for the one at home. Whether she goes out to work or whether she works at home. . ….a balance is much needed for both. So how difficult or easy is it to achieve the “balance”. The first step towards achieving that is in acknowledging that a household chore is as much “work” as a “presentation” in office. These are not leisure activities. These are time based, scheduled activities that need planning and execution. Hence they do fall under the category of “work” and not “play”. Everybody deserves a bit of relaxation time. A day off from the kitchen and household chores is as much a balance as a day off from work at office. Both contribute to the need for some rest, unwind and rejuvenation. **_Here are some simple and effective tips that are easy to remember and easier to follow:_** 1. _**Working smart**_: If working hard is the rule, working smart is the new age mantra. Not every activity requires huge human effort. Instead, what is required is a bit of multitasking and intelligent working. This idea not only saves time, but also creates more space and time for leisure activities too. 1. _**Rest, Rejuvenate, Relax**_: Going on a vacation or holiday does not have to be the only way to relax and rest. A few minutes or hours of detachment from regular activities or chore to do something is also a way to rewire the tangled up nerves again. An hour of exercise, meeting with friends, a day in the spa, shopping, movie with family are fun ways of relaxing too. 1. _**Creative indulgence**_: Thinking out of the box is not just a marketing jargon. Creative ways of looking and solving something can be applied to simple day to day activities too. This makes the mundane chores also seem exciting. Involving spouses, kids as part of few activities always makes it more fun and less time taking too. 1. _**Give passion to hobby**_: Hobbies are limited to music, art and craft. But when a hobby is given a dose of passion, it immediately gets upgraded to an activity to look forward to. Participation in a marathon gives the everyday walk or run a boost. Being part of an activity that spreads knowledge and awareness about plants gives gardening a boost. **_Work-life balance is necessary. Working for life is good, but adding life to work is even better!!!!!!_** _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from). A woman as created by the divine. An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._  **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.**) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Bridging the skill gap using online resources Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-05-31 Tags: Careerbreak, sabbaticals, women professionals, working moms, Indian women, women empowerment, employment, upskill, eLearning, Free resourses URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![performance gaps](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/ways-bridge-performance-gaps-online-training-1621417459917-compressed.jpg) Perhaps you have very little time. Or maybe you don’t want to spend too much of your money on the new skill; or on a new course; or a new book. Maybe you just need to find a quick way to get little things done. The following online resource links will doubtlessly help you save time, money and efforts to get them accomplished! 1. Learn programming and other topics related to computer science, totally free of cost. These courses on Python, Java, Linux, C++ etc. are divided according to the difficulty level- beginner, intermediate and advanced. Identify your level, choose a course, enroll and get going: * [https://medium.freecodecamp.org/440-free-online-programming-computer-science-courses-you-can-start-in-february-e075f920cb5b](https://medium.freecodecamp.org/440-free-online-programming-computer-science-courses-you-can-start-in-february-e075f920cb5b) 2\. Here is a website dedicated to Java newbies where you can learn Java and JavaScript through hundreds of training videos and learning material: * [https://javabrains.io/](https://javabrains.io/) 3\. If you are a web developer and wish to enhance your skills, then the courses on this website are perfect for you! Ranging from lessons from scratch to the most advanced ones, these online courses are everything you look for as a web developer: * [https://codeburst.io/the-2018-web-developer-roadmap-826b1b806e8d](https://codeburst.io/the-2018-web-developer-roadmap-826b1b806e8d) 4\. Here’s where you will find a list of about 600 courses launched by 200 universities. The subjects of the courses include computer science, programming, data science, mathematics, business, medicine, humanities, social science and art: * [https://qz.com/1120344/200-universities-just-launched-600-free-online-courses-heres-the-full-list/](https://qz.com/1120344/200-universities-just-launched-600-free-online-courses-heres-the-full-list/) 5\. A list of websites offering online education support where you will find a number of academic lessons and courses: * [khanacademy.org](http://www.khanacademy.org/) * [academicearths.org](http://www.academicearths.org/) * [coursera.com](http://www.coursera.com/) * [edx.org](http://www.edx.org/) * [open2study.com](http://www.open2study.com/) * [academicjournals.org](http://www.academicjournals.org/) * [codeacademy.org](http://www.codeacademy.org/) * [youtube.com/education](http://www.youtube.com/education) * [http://www.open.edu/openlearn/](http://www.open.edu/openlearn/) * [http://ocw.tufts.edu/](http://ocw.tufts.edu/) * [http://www.oeconsortium.org/](http://www.oeconsortium.org/) * [https://online.nd.edu/what-we-do/](https://online.nd.edu/what-we-do/) 6\. Flaunt your skills – writing, music, design, marketing, photography and a lot more – by taking up little projects and freelancing. These websites give you a chance to explore and display your talents: * [https://www.freelancer.in/](https://www.freelancer.in/) * [https://www.fiverr.com/](https://www.fiverr.com/) 7\. Publications and blog posts by amateurs as well as professionals are a great way for newbie programmers to stay in touch with the modern developments in the field. The blog posts include other topics too. Here is the link: * [https://medium.com/](https://medium.com/) 8\. Need to look up a book? Love to read? Here is a place where you can access tons of free pdf files of books on a variety of subjects. Browse through the e-books by title, author and genre. Currently, there are 207,557,004 e-books on business, science, politics, etc. Unlimited and free downloads: * [https://www.pdfdrive.net/](https://www.pdfdrive.net/) Some other websites offering free e-books: * [http://ebookee.org](http://ebookee.org/) * [http://sharebookfree.com](http://sharebookfree.com/) * [http://m.freebooks.com](http://m.freebooks.com/) * [obooko.com](http://www.obooko.com/) * [manybooks.net](http://www.manybooks.net/) * [bookyards.com](http://www.bookyards.com/) * [getfreeebooks.com](http://www.getfreeebooks.com/) * [http://freecomputerbooks.com](http://freecomputerbooks.com/) * [essays.se](http://www.essays.se/) * [sparknotes.com](http://www.sparknotes.com/) * [http://www.pinkmonkey.com/dl/all.asp](http://www.pinkmonkey.com/dl/all.asp) 9\. If you have a query that has remained unanswered by your parents, friends or colleagues, just click on the following links, where the question will probably be posted by a user. If not, you can pose a question yourself and get it answered from other netizens: * [https://www.ehow.com](https://www.ehow.com/) * [https://www.whatis.com](https://www.whatis.com/) * [https://www.howstuffwork.com](https://www.howstuffwork.com/) * [https://www.webopedia.com](https://www.webopedia.com/) * [https://www.plagtracker.com](https://www.plagtracker.com/) * [https://www.answers.com](https://www.answers.com/) * [https://www.quora.com/](https://www.quora.com/) 10\. Despite being the most popular, Google is not the only search engine. Here is a list of search engines that can aid you in your hunt for information: * com ([www.about.com](http://www.about.com/)) * AllTheWeb ([alltheweb.com](http://www.alltheweb.com/)) * AltaVista ([altavista.com](http://www.altavista.com/)) * Ask Jeeves! ([askjeeves.com](http://www.askjeeves.com/)) * Excite ([excite.com](http://www.excite.com/)) * HotBot ([hotbot.com](http://www.hotbot.com/)) * LookSmart ([looksmart.com](http://www.looksmart.com/)) * Lycos ([lycos.com](http://www.lycos.com/)) * Open Directory ([dmoz.org](http://www.dmoz.org/)) * Google ([google.com](http://www.google.com/)) * Mamma ([mamma.com](http://www.mamma.com/)) * Webcrawler ([webcrawler.com](http://www.webcrawler.com/)) * Aol ([aol.com](http://www.aol.com/)) * Dogpile ([dogpile.com](http://www.dogpile.com/)) * 10pht ([10pht.com](http://www.10pht.com/)) This blog was compiled with the help of our guest blogger Radhika Deshpande. We hope the above information will be helpful to you to scale up your skills to restart your career journey and to grow in your chosen profession… Good luck for your second innings!! _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Radhika_Image-2.jpg)_ _Radhika_ completed her B.A. and  M.A (Gold medal) in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. She has a passion for languages especially English, Sanskrit, and German and has written articles on Upanishads. She provides content development services. She likes teaching and writing. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music. Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Why you should network even during a career break Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-05-29 Tags: blog URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Networking](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/network-career-1621417833200-compressed.jpg) When I took a career break to look after my child I initially wondered ‘Why would people keep in touch with me when I had nothing to offer them in return’? I blindly assumed that people with full-fledged careers had nothing to benefit from me and wouldn’t be interested in networking. **_I was very wrong._** It took me a while to realize that most people were happy to network and keep in touch with me, even when I was on a career break. I only had to take care of these two aspects: (1) I needed to take the initiative to network, and, (2) I had to be conscious that I did not waste their time in any way Like me, if you were to network during a career break, you will find that as long as you do not waste their time with unnecessary messages or calls, they are most often happy to respond positively to your networking requests. **But why? What is in it for them?** _First_, most people do not have the time to network. Or, they do not make it a priority to invest in creating new contacts or to keep in touch with their existing ones. Which is why, when you take the initiative to create a connection or to keep in touch, they would not have too much of a problem in accommodating it. _You would have, in fact, have saved them the time to network._ _Second_, a majority of the people you network with will be impressed with your drive and initiative, to see that you are still engaged with your field of work despite the career break. Although, don’t expect them to tell you that openly. _Third_, if you had built a great reputation during your earlier stint at work, your acquaintances, ex-colleagues, and connections whom you continue to network with, may slowly start running their ideas through you, or use you as a sounding board. Your unbiased third person’s view would be invaluable to them. **And why should you network when on a career break?** Networking does not always have to be for the sole purpose of getting a new job or access to opportunities. It can also be for merely creating new acquaintances or maintaining relationships. You would benefit by keeping in touch with people in your field of work, understanding different perspectives, developing new ideas or for even bouncing off your ideas with someone knowledgeable in the industry. Networking during a career break ensures that you do not fall off the radar. _And sometimes it can be the only way during that phase of life, to get a peek into the world you used to be an integral part of earlier._ So, if you are on a career break, take the initiative and network. Get rid of the unfounded fear that people wouldn’t want to keep in touch with you. Most people will be happy to network with you even when you are on a break. Don’t worry about those who aren’t. A career break is no reason to stop making new connections or retaining the earlier ones you had made. Networking will help both you and them. _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sruthi_Feb12_400x400.jpg)_ _Sruthi_ was an HR Manager, working for companies like Infosys and Thomson Reuters. After taking a break to look after her child, she now freelances. She enjoys developing HR content and writes on topics related to HR. ###### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career guidance experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Making Dreams Come True With ‘Wishes and Blessings Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-05-24 Tags: career break, alternate career, working moms, business women, Home maker, employment, entrepreneurs, part time jobs, social cause, volunteer URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Making Dreams come true](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/making-dreams-come-1621418181388-compressed.jpg) ‘Wishes and Blessings’ is a unique platform for helping the underprivileged with the aim to spread blessings and fulfil wishes by linking beneficiaries with donors. The NGO works across the spectrum of society surpassing age and gender barriers on diverse causes including education, health, skill development and relief.  Founder, Dr. Geetanjali Chopra comes with an extensive list of educational achievements and experience. She completed her schooling from the Convent of Jesus and Mary, New Delhi, college from Lady Shri Ram College for Women & completed her Masters, M.Phil., and Ph.D. from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. In addition, she has undertaken courses in international law from The Hague and Utretch University in Netherlands. Here are some excerpts from an interview with Dr. Geetanjali Chopra where she talks about her second innings in the social sector, 1. **When was the first time you thought of quitting a well-paying job to do something which would be meaningful to you?** I started my career in the field of journalism and later moved to academics. I taught in India and abroad. I then took up a full time job in centre for policy research as a research fellow and had 5 year stint with them and in the field of academics I was active for 10 years. I was happy, had a good pay check, was travelling the world, writing books and was quite content. But somewhere the inner satisfaction was missing and I felt that I am not able to give back as much as I want to. Maybe because social service is inbuilt and has come almost as a legacy from my grandfather. As a child on my birthday every year, grandfather used to take me to visually impaired centre to distribute sweets or a meal. In March, 2014 on my grandfather’s first birthday after he passed away I thought of doing a feast for kids in his memory.  A visually impaired child came up to me asked me if all the kids could play Holi. That really had me thinking. While working in Centre for policy Research I put up a Facebook post to associates, friends, colleagues and reached out to them to see if they would want to pool in for the cause. And to my surprise people did but that one envelope which did not have a name but Rs 21 in it was what planted the seed of doing something more than this. With 130 blind children who played Holi that year, a stepping stone or foundation for wishes and blessings was registered in April 2014. However since I had prior commitments and projects, I continued to work fulltime for 2 years and finally quit my job in 2016 by which time the NGO had grown multi-fold too and was a trust by now. 1. **What were the different obstacles or setbacks that you faced when you started with the initiative?** Personally, I did have to face raised eyebrows from family and friends circle as the decision I took seemed out of the norms for them. It took some time for them to acknowledge my intentions and accept that my heart was set on to this social cause. They have been my biggest pillars ever since. Professionally the road has had more curves. There are lot of NGOS that swindle people off money with promises of the money being used for noble causes, but people have been cheated. So gaining trust of people who want to help and who want to be helped was a challenge. And we have made ourselves extremely transparent and accountable for every penny that is used. We have never had any situation so far where there has been any breach of trust. 1. **What would your advice be to women who have to restart their careers after a break and sometimes may have to choose a different field or line of work?** I am no one to give advice but based on my own experience I would say “Just follow your heart. everything else falls in place.” Looking back there are  no regrets with choices made. It’s never too late to start what you love to do. No set age to follow your dreams. Whenever you get the calling or you just feel that there is a life purpose that is beckoning you, just go for it. She finally followed her lifelong dream and pursued a career in the field of social service, a decision taken completely from the heart at the cost of leaving a successful career and raised eyebrows from loved ones; this step was the foundation towards making her childhood dream come true. She has also received “**_100 women faces of 2018_**” award for her work in the field of social service. _**About the author:**_  _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from). A woman as created by the divine. An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._ ######  (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Sneak A Peek At Copy Writing As A Career Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-05-22 Tags: Career restart, alternate career, working moms, Home maker, employment, career women, entrepreneurs, copywriting URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Copy writting](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/copy%20writing%20as%20a%20career-1621418546614-compressed.jpg) **What is Copywriting?** Social media marketing technique and it’s quite high paying job as well. Do you remember that we usually leave our mail ids in most of the shopping sites? Since then our inbox would be spammed with promotional mails,  few of the mails would grab our attention and we will fall prey for the item and we will go to the website and grab the item. Have you ever imagined about how those advertisements are made? A copywriter is the mastermind behind all these marketing mails who attracts the customers and makes a successful business. **Basic Mantra: Speak how you feel and write how you speak** Simple advertisement will give you a clear picture of what Copywriting is? [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Slide2.jpg) The sample flyer on the left side is quite monotonous one, whereas the next one is quite unique and we will definitely fall for it because everyone relates the second with their food habit. **Prerequisites for a Copywriter:** * Understand the nuances of Copywriting * Pulse of CW in industry * Types of CW * Take a course and be active in following the groups in social media * Create an identity and start travelling in it. **Content Writing Vs Copywriting:** Being a blogger I have heard about content writing is when Copy writing came to lime light I was bit confused about the variations and I guess even you must be too while reading this post. Here is a short note on how they differ, **Content Writing:** Journalistic kind of profession. You do tones of research on the topic and write the essence of it in a limited way. Like how I am writing it for you. **Copywriting:** Deals with advertisement. You write to promote a particular product. Say if I suggest any copy writing course personally in this post then it would be copy writing. **Have you chosen Copy writing as your alternate career? Need to know more** If you are a bookaholic then the link is for you. [https://kopywritingkourse.com/copywriting-courses-books-review/](https://kopywritingkourse.com/copywriting-courses-books-review/) Else if you are fond of e-learning then Visit  [Kopywriting Kourse](https://www.youtube.com/user/kopywriting) and [CopyCure](https://thecopycure.com/) it’s very interesting. _You may want to read other articles by this author : [All About Blogging](http://hersecondinnings.com/all-about-blogging/), [Blogging Insights](http://hersecondinnings.com/blogging-insights/), [Tips for sustainable blogging](http://hersecondinnings.com/tips-sustainable-blogging/), [Alternate career: 3 Tips to finding your big idea](http://hersecondinnings.com/alternative-career-three-tips/)._ **About the author:**  _**Meenakshi Chandrasekaran** – I was writing large lines of codes before my Little Gal happened to me. An avid reader, i spend most of my time in front of books and laptop. Being a first time mom bringing up my girl helped me to gain more knowledge on every stage of parenting so i just wanted to pen down my experience to be able to read it again and again to relive those moments. Other leisure time activities include experimenting in my kitchen, crafts and gardening._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Doing what you love… Hobbies and Passion to Opportunity Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-05-17 Tags: Careerbreak, alternate career, working moms, Indian women, Home maker, employment, Hobbies and passion, blogging URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![passion and hobby](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/passion%20and%20hobby-1621418947716-compressed.jpg) _If you just work on stuff that you like and you’re passionate about, you don’t have to have a master plan with how things will play out.” – Mark Zuckerberg_ Not all of us are born with exceptional talents, but we do possess or acquire some special skills that makes us stand out. As kids or teenagers, we had the fire and belief that something we are good at is exciting and easy to make a living. Somewhere up the curve, in the struggle for riches and competing with the world, we trade our dreams for a high paying job and a sophisticated life. Is it too late to make a living out of your passion? Well, definitely no. Whether you are starting your career based on a hobby or adapting to it in mid stage, I believe it’s achievable coupled with fair amount of hard work. While it’s an added advantage to do something you like, it doesn’t mean it comes easy. To be a natural at something is a blessing. If one can’t make a full-fledged career out of their passion, its best to incorporate that into the job you are doing. For e.g., I have a knack for writing. Throughout my professional tenure, I was on the lookout for writing opportunities, whether it was for authoring Internal Magazines or drafting communication mails. It’s not always about the money, but the immense satisfaction I derived in doing something I love. To cherry pick my thoughts on the subject: * It’s easy to start, but a bit challenging to keep going, especially to work in those late nights and early mornings. * It’s fun since you enjoy what you’re doing. It liberates from the drudgery of boredom, routine and brings satisfaction in doing something different. * Success is not guaranteed just because you are good at it. To turn your hobby into a career, it requires immense efforts, persistence and not be cowed by external factors or naysayers. There is no alternate for hard work. One of the personalities I admire is the renowned chef Christy Tania, who, being a Project Manager at IBM, stepped out of her comfort zone, followed her passion and today is one of the most celebrated chefs across the world. It’s just a lovely feeling to wake up and do something that excites you. While it’s a dream come true to follow our passion, I believe that it’s not always necessary to give up your profession; it can be also paralleled along with your line of work. Of course, it will take some of your nap or party time. In the end, it’s the hunger for success that distinguishes the determined from the rest of the herd. _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), “[Importance of networking for success in your career](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/)“, ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Nithya-2.jpg)_ _Nithya Jagadish –_ _A commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry. Having handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard, I decided to take a break for a while. Now, a doting mother of a one year old child, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day._ ##### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Stress? Let’s Deal With It Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-05-15 Tags: Career restart, Careerbreak, women professionals, working moms, business women, Home maker, Balance, career women, entrepreneurs, stress URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Stress deal with it](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/stress-deal-with-it-1621419140367-compressed.jpg) “Its not the load that breaks you down. It’s the way you carry it.”  – Lou Holtz Each and every one of us is very well-acquainted with the phenomenon called ‘Stress’ which either is a perpetual companion or pokes its nose periodically, making sure you go mentally haywire. You could find ways to deal with stress anywhere, right from the internet to the sound advice of a friend. They are all the same- exercise, meditation, getting enough sleep, reduce caffeine intake, giving up alcohol, quitting smoking, healthy diet and the list goes on. Do they work? Of course, they do! But, how about we do something different this time, like trying to change our mindsets a bit so that we bid farewell to this nasty part of our life trying to bite our minds off? The first step to a chilled out and stress-free life is to stop caring what other people think about you. No, this does not mean that you turn up really late to an important meeting and be all relaxed about it when you are reprimanded. It simply means “do your best and ignore the rest”. If you know that you have worked to the best of your capability, the job is well done. People – at the workplace or at home – will almost always find something to criticize, in spite of you putting your heart and soul into the job getting done. If they scoff, let them. If they demean, let them. All you have to do is IGNORE. Let your actions do the talking. Never waste your energy in pointless counter arguments. You gave your best and that is all that matters. Always remember, you are answerable to yourself, to your own conscience. Nobody else has a right to bring you down. But what if you are NOT doing your best? What if you fail even after trying so hard? _That_ stuff also stresses you out, doesn’t it? This brings us to the second principle- “Meet your failures with a grin and your mistakes with a grimace”. Think about it – the outcome of your efforts is beyond your control, unless you possess some kind of a luck potion, which I’m sure you don’t. In this case, there is no point in brooding over what has passed. What you _need_ to work on and what you _can_ work on is your drawbacks, which presumably hindered your success. Ponder not over the failed mission, but over that which led to the failure. It is, of course, alright to feel a little disappointed. But it is definitely not alright if this one thing is getting a complete hold over your mind and sucking your mental energy like a leech. No, you do not need that sort of negativity in your life. Move on from your failures. Like a Boss. I’m sure there are a lot of nerve-wracking people hanging around you, like your boss, or your colleagues or even your ma-in-law and other unavoidable relatives. But do you know what hurts the most? _Your own expectations_. Although glorified as rational beings, humans are downright weird creatures- they make mistakes, are selfish, hurt and demean others. You need to accept the fact that perfection is a myth. Roses come with thorns, people come with flaws and unfortunately, you can’t cut those flaws and chuck them away.  The moment you cease expecting too much from people around you, no matter how close they are to you, and start accepting the way they are, is the moment you start leading a peaceful and stress-free life. Imagine not expecting the husband to remember your birthday only to realize he has a huge surprise for you. Lovely! In case he forgets, well, you predicted that! The human mind has a knack for two things- worrying about the future and brooding over the past. Not that it is disadvantageous, but it becomes pointless after a certain point. Learn to let go. Forgive others as well as your own self for any past errors. Made a major blunder while working on a project? Apologize to the concerned person and forgive yourself. You are human after all, and as is mentioned earlier, humans _are_ a bit weird, and that is perfectly fine. The future is another monster trying to deprive you of your sleep. Yes, you need to be prepared for what may come. But that doesn’t mean it should overrule your current peace. Worrying about how you are going to manage both home and the new job? Well, you can plan it in advance, _with a calm mind_, without allowing the thing to constantly bug you. The key to live a stress-free life lies little in trying to avoid a stressful situation, more in being prepared for the situation and the most in _not letting the situation get to your nerves_. It is going take a lot of mental effort on your part to mould your thinking. But it is worth a try. _**About the author:**_  _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Radhika_Image-2.jpg)_ _Radhika_ completed her B.A. and  M.A (Gold medal) in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. She has a passion for languages especially English, Sanskrit, and German and has written articles on Upanishads. She provides content development services. She likes teaching and writing. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music. ###### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Alternative Career – 3 Tips To Help You Find Your Big Idea Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-05-10 Tags: career break, alternate career, Indian women, women empowerment, Home maker, Balance, blogging, working mom URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![alternative-career-3-tips-to-help-you-find-your-big-idea](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/alternative-career-3-tips-to-help-you-find-your-big-idea-1621419312195-compressed.jpg) **_All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them._** **_– Walt Disney_** I still remember this incident which happened few years back, I was single then and one of my colleagues questioned me about my vision for the upcoming years. I smiled and replied him back that I wouldn’t be a part of any MNC and I would land up in some other work which will quench my thirst of being creative. Then he popped up his next question “So you are planning to quit and stay at home or do you have any other plans?” My vision was clear but I had no answers for what’s next? I worked till I availed my maternity break and I broke my relationship with corporate once my leave got exhausted. Friends and well wishers called me often to lift my spirit of getting back to work. I made few attempts to get any work at home projects but I failed to meet the employer’s expectations. At a moment I felt an internal pressure of losing all my confidence. My life changed completely in next following months and my daughter kept me busy around the clock because I was her only care taker. I wonder how fortunate daily waged women are. Despite the low salary she has a liberty to carry her kids to her work place and she can manage both of her roles (worker & mother) with so much grace and no guilt of separation. To kill my time during my daughter’s nap time I browse and learn what’s trending and usually look for the opportunities which can help me out to get an internal satisfaction of what I do without any guilt of staying away from my daughter. It took almost one and a half years to figure out the right choice. _**Planning for an alternative career? Few tips to narrow down your search…**_ **1\. Each and every hobby of yours might not lead you to an alternative career.** I have multiple hobbies. I am in to crafts and love to pen down every single incident of my life. I always love to experiment in my kitchen venture different kinds of cuisines using the veggies from my garden. But unluckily crafter, cook, gardener in me failed to succeed in the process of filling my wallet but writer in me helped me receive a limelight and I made it as an alternative career. **2\. Trial and error with minimal investment** If you are planning to fleet your own business make sure you invest a minimum amount on it and conduct detail research on what you are going to do and always have back up plans too. * If you are in search of internal satisfaction then I would suggest you to research on all the hobbies of yours so that it would help you to find any interesting opportunity that suits you and gains you some monetary benefits. * Never ever try to imitate other’s alternative career decisions. It might not be your piece of cake. **3\. Planning to take up a course?** Every single simple interest of yours has groups in Facebook, join them prior to trying your hands on the new arena. Get insights, opportunities demands about the course and then enroll into it. My cousin who stays at the US visited us last week and he complimented about my blog posts and he was very happy for me. He said even his college friend is into writing and he added that he would introduce me to her so that I can get many assignments. Later he shared her facebook handle. We shared few messages on how’s, where’s & what’s. At last she introduced me into a new term called **Copy Writing**. To be continued in my next post… _You may want to read other articles by this author : [All About Blogging](http://hersecondinnings.com/all-about-blogging/), [Blogging Insights](http://hersecondinnings.com/blogging-insights/), [Tips for sustainable blogging](http://hersecondinnings.com/tips-sustainable-blogging/)._ **About the author:**  _**Meenakshi Chandrasekaran** – I was writing large lines of codes before my Little Gal happened to me. An avid reader, i spend most of my time in front of books and laptop. Being a first time mom bringing up my girl helped me to gain more knowledge on every stage of parenting so i just wanted to pen down my experience to be able to read it again and again to relive those moments. Other leisure time activities include experimenting in my kitchen, crafts and gardening._ ##### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. If you have a flair for writing, join us as a Guest Blogger. Apply here:  [http://hersecondinnings.com/guest-blogger-invite/](http://hersecondinnings.com/guest-blogger-invite/) . Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Maximise Your Productivity To Unleash Your Potential Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-05-08 Tags: Careerbreak, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, business women, career woman, Home maker, productivity, employment, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![maximise-productivity-unleash-potential](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential-1621419579580-compressed.jpg) **“Ten years from now, do you really think all the time you spent gossiping at the water cooler or sitting in some smoke -filled lunch room or watching television will count for anything ?’’ – Robin Sharma, The Monk who sold his Ferrari.** As I read through the words, it set in motion a string of thoughts of the time I spent in Coffee breaks or small talks at the Pantry. Some of us take pride in the fact that we work 12 hours a day, but if it was to be measured against Productivity, will it sum up? Towards the start of my career, I had the flaw of procrastination, especially if the task did not interest me. As a result, I spent much time dreading about it than the time it would have taken to complete. Over a period of time, self-discipline taught me the virtues of Productivity. I started my morning with a to-do list, ranked in order of priority, which set the tone for a fruitful day. I learnt to mix and match, ie doing a task that I like and going onto the other which is less interesting. Also, I learnt to say “No “for multiple Coffee breaks politely, citing deadlines. Since the major part of my day was filled with meetings, I took efforts to comb through the minutest of details that might crop up, thereby avoiding the risk of meetings running behind schedule. In my experience, I have found that rather than sending a thread of emails to a person accessible to you, its time saving to have a face to face conversation. Taking short brisk walks rejuvenates the mind and increases efficacy. It’s fruitful to work nine hours with unbridled energy and focus on spending quality time with family. In case of overwhelming work load, the best option would be to identify someone with the same calibre, and delegate. Engaging in team building activities will certainly uplift the morale and increase Efficiency. I believe in Quality over Quantity. Knowing where to limit will give enough time to complete the work effectively. It’s very important to know your sphere of activities and not to take up all the assignments handed over. So, is it an offence to spend time in small talks? I think it’s perfectly fine, when limited to a few minutes and doesn’t hamper work. End of the day, we as human beings need some social interaction. Organising self and prioritizing will go a long way in delivering better results at work. It’s not about the hours spent at Office, but the hours spent on arduous work. _You may also want to read other articles written by the  author: ‘[Stop limiting yourself](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/coaching-career/stay-motivated/stop-limiting-yourself/)‘, ‘[Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity](http://hersecondinnings.com/blog/career/alternate-career/love-hobbies-passion-opportunity/)‘, ‘ [Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential](http://hersecondinnings.com/maximise-productivity-unleash-potential/)‘, ‘[Be your own boss](http://hersecondinnings.com/be-your-own-boss-entrepreneur/)‘, ‘[Broaden your intellectual horizon](http://hersecondinnings.com/broaden-intellectual-horizon/)‘, ‘[Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’](http://hersecondinnings.com/career-metamorphosis-expert-beginner/), “[Importance of networking for success in your career](http://hersecondinnings.com/importance-networking-success-career/)“, ‘[Busy Day vs Productive Day](http://hersecondinnings.com/busy-day-vs-productive-day-work/)‘, ‘[Money matters for womens financial independence](http://hersecondinnings.com/money-matters-womens-financial-independence/)‘._ _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Nithya-2.jpg)_ _Nithya Jagadish –_ _A commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry. Having handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard, I decided to take a break for a while. Now, a doting mother of a one year old child, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## How involved are you in your financial planning? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-05-03 Tags: Financial planning, Careerbreak, working moms, Indian women, business women, career woman, Home maker, Financial empowerment URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![How involved are you in your financial planning](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/How%20involved%20are%20you%20in%20your%20financial%20planning-1621419792799-compressed.png) Have you read [Sheryl Sandberg’s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheryl_Sandberg) ‘Lean In’? In her book, the COO of Facebook, Sheryl, mentions that the division of chores at her household was traditional. Her (late) husband Dave Goldberg would handle the bills and the finances and Sheryl would take care of the kids’ activities, food and, the birthday parties etc. Dave was at that time the CEO of Survey Monkey and Sheryl is still the COO of Facebook. I for one was relieved to note that it was a traditional model they followed – he handled the bills and finance while she handled the other stuff. Because it reflected mine. And maybe, yours too? Unfortunately, in 2015, Dave suffered a fatal cardiac arrhythmia while he was running on a treadmill. For anyone, the sudden demise of a spouse is indeed an irreparable loss. Yet, anybody’s guess is that an educated and accomplished COO like Sheryl would have been able to ‘more than competently’ handle all decisions including financial ones, despite the sudden upheaval in her life. I wonder if I would be able to. How about you? Would you be able to handle the financial decisions that impact your life and those of your dependant’s ‘if’ life puts you in a spot where you need to? If you are reading this, you probably are well educated yourself, and maybe have had or still have a good job. Despite your education and career, do you make decisions on ‘where’ to invest and ‘how much’ to invest? OR Do you, like most of us women, leave these decisions to someone else, perhaps your father or husband? I personally have nothing against it. It is perfectly fine for us women to leave these decisions to someone else most probably, the ‘men’ in our lives. _But, given the uncertainties in life, we need to **at the least** be aware of the reasons for these financial decisions._ If you are already making the financial decisions for yourself or even participate in decision making, that’s great. But, if others are currently making those decisions for you, a great place to start is to understand why a particular financial decision was taken. Here are some ways to begin your journey towards understanding financial planning. **Ask** If someone else has all along taken financial decisions on your behalf, begin by asking them the reasons for that particular choice. For instance, why did they take a particular term insurance policy, as against the options available? Why did they choose XYZ company over the other? In most probability, the person you are asking will be pleased to take you through their decision making prowess. **Read** Everything you need to understand around finance is available on the internet. But in addition to the internet, it is essential to read the daily newspaper. The newspaper will provide you a 360-degree view of the world around you. If you make reading the newspaper a habit, in the long run, you will be able to connect the dots of what is happening in the world with financial trends that impact you. **Be curious** When you get an opportunity to participate in a discussion around finance, do so. Stay a mute spectator if need be, but given a chance, sit in the meeting where financial planning is being discussed. Even if it sounds like Latin to you, you can always look up the internet for the meaning of what you did not understand or ask those around. We all know that there is no guarantee that life is going to be the same. It is imperative that we understand every aspect of our life, including those financial. The belief that it is _absolutely necessary_ for us to understand the financial aspects of our lives is the starting point. That will automatically make us ask more questions, read more and be curious. If you would like to share about how you make your financial decisions, we would love to hear from you. Your experience could inspire many others to do so too, including me. _**About the author:**_ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sruthi_Feb12_400x400.jpg) _Sruthi_ was an HR Manager, working for companies like Infosys and Thomson Reuters. After taking a break to look after her child, she now freelances. She enjoys developing HR content and writes on topics related to HR. **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career guidance experts would be happy to have a conversation with you.Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Communication made easy… follow these simple tips Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-05-01 Tags: Careerbreak, communication, sabbaticals, women professionals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, career woman, Home maker, entrepreneurs, part time jobs, Employers URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![communication-made-easier](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/communication%20made%20easier-1621420245158-compressed.jpg) The word ‘Communication’ comes from the latin word “commūnicāre, _meaning_ “to share”. And we have enough digital platforms to share our thoughts, opinions and messages. We do not have to express because the virtual world does it for us. Every emoticon is unique and global too. No language barrier there and no translations required. However how effective is virtual communication. Do we understand? Do we get misunderstood? Does the message reach across? Digital platforms and social media are a huge advantage but let’s accept the fact, that with virtual communication people become less expressive. Because there is lesser human connectivity and so it seems more ‘virtual’ than real. As humans we have been blessed with 5 senses…almost 6. We can most certainly use these 5 senses to communicate. And communicate for real. Here are some tips that could be helpful in making real communication. 1. **Intention:** If intentions could be heard, words would not be needed. Often people think that people can read their minds. Ohh if that was true. But one has to speak their mind. By the time the thought changes to words and is spoken, the message loses its essence. So intention to speak is important. If one has thought that a communication has to be made, one will find words to speak. Words just need to be expressed not buried. 1. **SMS- mode**: what this means is to keep the conversation short and simple. Whether it’s a presentation, board room meeting, lecture or a casual conversation. No one has time to sit for long as attention span is less. So keep the message short, concise and to the point. Also, its important to constantly get feedback. It’s only then can a 2 way communication happen. Body language, eye contact, facial expressions are all indicators whether the other person or group is listening and responding. 1. **Active listening** : Active listening is a golden rule of communication… In a conversation  the more we listen, the more we have clarity about what to speak ….or what not to speak. Not everybody will be on the same frequency to understand a joke or a satire or the depth of an opinion. So, it’s best to first listen and understand what the speaker is really choosing to talk about. A good listener makes a good communicator. 1. **Topic sensitive**: India being a diverse country, people tend to be topic sensitive. So we sometimes need to desensitize when we communicate. It’s best to stick to general topics which includes everything but touches nothing. Whether it be politics, Religion, Sports, Fashion, Entertainment. If the receiver is keen on talking more deeply about a certain topic, then it makes for a great conversation. There could be different views and perspectives to an issue that we were not aware about. 1. **Pinch of humour**: Just a pinch of sugar sometimes adds the zing to a dessert which by definition is supposed to be sweet.  Similarly, a pinch of humour often keeps a conversation alive, light and interesting. Sometimes humour also helps to escape out of a communication barrier and a conversation that is not healthy. **_Last but not the least, Communication is nothing but the art of sharing what we think. And sharing is caring. When we talk we feel better, lighter and …..sometimes smarter. As the adage goes “ Talk your heart out” literally means to just say what’s inside of you. That’s the only way someone gets a peek into you. So, talk, speak, write and share because you care!_** _**About the author:**_  _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from). A woman as created by the divine. An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._ #####  (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Networking Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-04-24 Tags: Careerbreak, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, career woman, Home maker, entrepreneurs, networking, Employers URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Networking](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/networking-270x203-1621420376707-compressed.jpg) The animal kingdom lives in herds. I have often wondered if the animal species was born with the innate wisdom of collectivism or they realized over a period that much more could be accomplished if we stick together than leading solitary lives. In modern parlance the same trait translates to networking. A network as we understand it is a group of people bound by a common goal, interest or ideology. Technology has made us more connected than ever. Today there are networks for all genres of people-single, married, weight watchers, vegans. We all want to belong somewhere and understand that there is much to gain from collective wisdom and experience. Networking is not only for the not so well known. Even the who’s who of the world are associated with organizations/societies like the Freemasons. From US presidents and senators, to CEOs and even notable Indians like Motilal Nehru and Swami Vivekananda were reportedly members of the Freemasons. Freemason members claim that the society gives them a sense of belonging and helped shape character. However, networking does not always have to be about following the herd so to say. We are all capable of creating our own herds. One of the not so often mentioned way of creating a herd is either to develop a skill that makes you stand out or to do something notable that is acknowledged by people, that catches their attention. One example that shines out today is that of Mumbai based lawyer Afroze Shah. He saw the deplorable state of the Versova beach and decided to change that. What followed was a call to create network of people who not only helped him spread awareness but also helped clean the beach. People joined in from all walks of life to remove 4000 tonnes trash. The story does not end there, not only did he get a mention from the PM in his “Mann Ki Baat”, he also was recognized as a champion of earth by the UN. And in the process, he garnered a network of people (including the who’s who of society) to make crusade against plastic waste a global one. People connect not with the individual but with the idea, with the goal. If the existing ideas are not worth connecting with maybe, it’s time for fresher ideas to come to the fore. Few years back the Arab spring started with an incident in Tunisia and lead to uprisings in Libya, Egypt, Syria, Yemen and Bahrain. The Egyptian government fell in 14 days without a single shot being fired. The entire revolution was fueled through Twitter and Facebook-which are tools for networking. People were connecting with the idea via a social network and not vice versa. The world today is very closely networked, and our ideas travel much farther than before. The need to belong somewhere is innate to all of us.  The opportunity lies in connecting this need of belonging to an idea or a cause. One of the Forbes articles, rightly mentioned that, people who gain most from networking are the ones who approach it with the single-minded focus that they are in it to help others. Everyone has equal value to contribute. One needs to stop looking up or down at anyone and then alone will one see things just as they are, and we become more open and accepting-so says an enlightened one. _**About the author:**_ _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Monica.jpg)_ _Monica –_ _is a consumer insights professional based in Mumbai. She has worked with FMCG organizations like Colgate Palmolive and Reckitt Benckiser in India and Coca Cola and Unilever in the UK. She has also done stints with organizations like Nielsen, Hewlett Packard and the Lodha group in India._ _She took a maternal break and is currently freelancing with Nykaa.com and also running her own startup called Ubicon, wherein she intends to connect with people through the virtual medium for garnering insights._ _Apart from work, Monica loves barb-e-cueing, networking, swimming and yoga._ ###### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Get over Work-life balance… Work-life integration is more realistic Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-04-19 Tags: Careerbreak, corporate employees, Indian women, business women, career woman, entrepreneurs, Employers, work life integration, working moms Post navigation URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![get-over-work-life-balance-work-life-integration-is-more-realistic](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/get-over-work-life-balance-work-life-integration-is-more-realistic-1621420486398-compressed.jpg) Is your mobile phone next to you as you read this? Yes? Then, chances are that you also begin and end each day by checking the emails and messages on your mobile. Checking the mobile phone for work-related emails, messages and updates all through the day (and even when you get up in the middle of the night) is the new norm. After all, it is quite impossible to meet the boss’s expectations to be ‘on top of things’ if you aren’t connected to work. So is it time to get over the idealistic concept of ‘work-life balance’? I think so. The concept of ‘Work-life balance’ puts work and life at odds with each other, each to be achieved at the expense of the other. Not being able to achieve the ideal ‘work-life balance’ makes us dissatisfied. Often, ‘work-life balance’ seems archaic in a hyper-connected, VUCA world that demands us to be integrated with work like never before. Instead, what is more realistic is – ‘work-life integration’. Because work and life co-exist. Attending official calls even after working hours is a trade-off to the flexibility of taking your kids along with you to work whenever it is required. Work-life integration provides a sense of control to handle both work and life’s various demands simultaneously. In fact, work-life integration is happening all around us. You are likely to have witnessed working parents respond to their emails as they wait to pick up their kids from school. And, the next time you take a vacation at a resort, look around. You may see kids swimming in the pool along with one parent while the other parent completes work. A mindset change from ‘work-life balance’ to ‘work-life integration’ makes the various demands of both work and life seem achievable. Many organizations have realized the importance of ‘work-life integration’ and are beginning to offer flexible scheduling of work, work from home and autonomy over work schedule to allow employees to integrate work and their lives. All this, without compromising business outcomes. ‘Work-life integration’ seems to be a rational evolution of ‘work-life balance’. This is especially true for developing countries like ours where opportunities are scarce and the demand for jobs largely outstrips its supply. Yet, while the world seems to be moving towards ‘work-life integration’, we see New York city officials proposing a law for banning work emails outside office hours for private employees in an attempt to restore ‘work-life balance’. The law revolves around ‘the right to disconnect from work’ after office hours. It protects employees against retaliation from their organization, should the employees choose to disconnect from work after office hours. Workers in France have already won the right to ignore business emails that come after office hours. While we wait to see how these developments unfold in New York, for the rest of the world, work-life balance will remain only a dream given the stark ground realities. For now, ‘work-life integration’ seems more realistic. It helps us handle both work and life without pitting them against each other. You may also like to read “[Stop Second-Guessing Your Decision of Taking a Career Break](http://hersecondinnings.com/stop-second-guessing-decision-taking-career-break/)” written by the same author. **About the author:** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sruthi_Feb12_400x400.jpg) _Sruthi_ was an HR Manager, working for companies like Infosys and Thomson Reuters. After taking a break to look after her child, she now freelances. She enjoys developing HR content and writes on topics related to HR. ###### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career guidance experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Tips for Sustainable Blogging Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-04-17 Tags: alternate career, working moms, Indian women, Home maker, blogging tips URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null Rajeshwari Vijayanand is the face behind Raks Kitchen. Ever since I left my home for work; my ultimate destination for any recipes is her blog. The step by step pictures which she posts for all recipes helps beginners to understand the nuances of cooking in no time. Being a successful blogger for more than ten years she opens up about the secret of sustainable blogging. [![](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/rajeswari-vijayanand-001.jpg)](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/rajeswari-vijayanand-001.jpg) Rajeshwari Vijayanand of Raks Kitchen – Recipe Website 1. **It’s been a decade into blogging. How did it start?** I have never tried cooking nor was interested in entering the kitchen before marriage. After I got married, my mom in law took care of cooking. When I came to Singapore, I had no other choice but to Cook for my family. That’s when I started exploring Internet for recipes and it all began by just recording my recipes online instead of writing down in my diary as a handwritten cookbook. My blog was more like my cookbook online. 2. **There are so many food bloggers, what makes your blog unique?** When I started blogging, there were not as many blogs like it is now. Especially for south Indian everyday cooking. Since I was keen about measurements and good outcome of a recipe, I guess my readers developed trust in my recipes. I was one among very few who started posting recipes with detailed step by step pictures, which made my blog unique and a huge success. 3. **How and when did blogging change into a profession?** After many years of blogging, when I started to get a lot of feedback through comments, mails and messages, I knew I am doing something worthwhile. So I thought I would make it more of my profession than a hobby. 4. **Can we earn through blogging. What are all the opportunities we get as soon as a blog gets noticed?** Yes there are few ways to earn through blogging. As soon as your blog turns 1 year old and has a good number of page views that Google Ad Sense and Yahoo looks for, you can register with them and place ads on your blog. You will be paid as per the number of views you get. You can also earn by posting paid reviews of products, restaurants etc. 5. **Tips for upcoming bloggers?** Blogging should be out of your passion and please do not see it just as a platform to earn. Create good content and out of it you will develop readership, later you can think about earning out of it as well. (To read about other blogging related articles check out these links [All About Blogging](http://hersecondinnings.com/all-about-blogging/), [Blogging Insights](http://hersecondinnings.com/blogging-insights/).) **About the author:**  _**Meenakshi Chandrasekaran** – I was writing large lines of codes before my Little Gal happened to me. An avid reader, i spend most of my time in front of books and laptop. Being a first time mom bringing up my girl helped me to gain more knowledge on every stage of parenting so i just wanted to pen down my experience to be able to read it again and again to relive those moments. Other leisure time activities include experimenting in my kitchen, crafts and gardening._ ##### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. If you have a flair for writing, join us as a Guest Blogger. Apply here:  [http://hersecondinnings.com/guest-blogger-invite/](http://hersecondinnings.com/guest-blogger-invite/) . Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Sabbatical – How to get through it… Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-04-12 Tags: Career restart, Careerbreak, sabbaticals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, Balance, career women, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![sabbatical-how-to-get-through-it](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/sabbatical-how-to-get-through-it-1621420701268-compressed.jpg) _Gauri a software developer, playing a key role in the design, installation, testing and maintenance of software systems in high pressure situations, at times clocking over 50 hours a week. She felt stuck in a rut grappling with exhaustion and discontentment. After wondering for months if while trying to make a career did she forget to make a life for herself, she finally took a break._ _Priya loved her job as a web designer, coding and modifying websites, from layout to function meeting client expectations. She became a mother last year and in absence of dependable support called it quits and became a stay at home mom._ Different circumstances leading to similar situation, a break from work aka ‘sabbatical’. **What is a sabbatical?** Traditionally, a sabbatical involves a break from work for a mutually agreed-upon time frame between employee and employer. But a sabbatical isn’t always traditional. Only a handful of companies in India actually encourage and endorse the concept of taking a break. A person may take a sabbatical on feeling burnt-out or disgruntled at work but more often than not women are coerced into taking a break as a result of familial or motherhood responsibilities. **Myths related to a sabbatical** * once you take a break it is improbable to get a job back. * companies frown upon the gap seen in your resume * taking a sabbatical equals to missing the bus and you can never catch up * once you take a break you lose touch These are some of the common misconceptions associated with taking a sabbatical often leading to a lot of women hesitating going back to work. However these statements couldn’t be any farther from reality. **What to do on a sabbatical?** One may be taking a break on account of being unmotivated or exhausted, looking for some free time or there may be some personal issue but it’s better to utilize the time constructively. It need not be too glamorous involving cruising in the Caribbean or volunteering in the jungles of Chattisgarh but make sure to dust off the cobwebs in your brain while re-energizing yourself with knowledge, skills or experiences. Here is a list of stuff one can do even when on a break. * Travel tops the list of things to do during a sabbatical. Jet set around the world or explore your own city. It is a great way to experience different cultures, meet people and broaden horizons. * Volunteering is a wonderful way to give back to the society while contributing to a worthy cause. Skill-based volunteering gives a good opportunity to sharpen your skills again and be productive. * Reignite your hobbies and passion; find your artistic or creative side. It may even pave the way for fresh career opportunities. * Read those books that you’ve always wanted to read. Going through relevant books, publications, and blog articles is a great way to build foundation for the next step in career. * Build up on your skill sets. There are innumerable free and paid resources available online to learn a lot of things. From new programming language, designing software to social media marketing and creative writing; it’s all available out there. Get new certification or even acquire career-changing new skills. * One doesn’t need to step out of the house to connect with people anymore. These connections become a window into the world and help you feel more up-to-date and not isolated. * Relax and decompress. After all how many people get the option to take a break. **Benefits of taking a sabbatical** A break not only gives a chance to readjust, refocus, and get refreshed for the next stage but may also prove beneficial to the companies. Creative and novel thinking, additional skill-sets and new experiences can be translated to professional gains for both employer and employee. A sabbatical need not be a career deterrent rather it can help one become more self assured, confident and cognizant of life course. It is a fantastic time to relook at your career aspirations, current skills, and new developments in the world. Some people take a sabbatical to explore other interests while some go on forced breaks but utilize this time to have experiences that enhance your existing skills, help you master new ones, and offer something unique to future employers. **About the author:**  [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Samta-Goel-profile-pic-1-2.png) _Dr Samta Mittal – Dentist by education, writer by passion. In my earlier avatar I taught budding dentists and published a book on my subject expertise. A ‘sabbatical’ from work reignited my dormant love for writing. Sometimes I do freelance writing for health/travel portals as well as blog for pleasure on social, cultural issues & other simple little things of life._ ###### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Building Bridges Through Communication Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-04-10 Tags: Careerbreak, sabbaticals, Indian women, business women, career woman, part time jobs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![building-bridges-through-communication](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/building-bridges-through-communication-1621420900517-compressed.jpg) **_“Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind” – Rudyard Kipling_** Working together as a team and being a team player plays a major role in smooth functioning and increasing productivity of an Organisation. Communication between Peers and Management becomes indispensable for the business. There are moments when conversing effectively seems like treading on a thin line. In an Industry that’s dominated by the opposite gender, talking firmly leads to being labelled as boisterous, whereas a calm tone earns the tag of being submissive. It is imperative to strike a balance and maintain the stance of being a professional. In my personal experience, it took a couple of experiences to set the limits and communicate assertively, yet politely. Functioning as a liaison between my Company and the Client, most of my day was spent interacting with people from different geographies, spanning across 42 countries. I learnt that the foremost task is to understand and respect the Cultural differences and communicate accordingly. For instance, I found my peers in Japan to be highly culture oriented and respectful in their conversations, while those in Turkey were extremely task oriented. I learnt to shadow their behavior and converse in the same tenor. While e-mail is an essential form of communication, over dependency on it leads to redundancy and waste of time. In case of differences, it’s best to have personal conversation than shooting strong emails. Involving people in decision making and encouraging them to talk their mind at meetings serve to be very effective. Irrespective of one’s designation, taking a bossy tone does not earn any brownie points. Each individual is different, so the knack to understand and talk to them in a similar fashion. It’s best to find a common ground and minimise differences so that work doesn’t get impacted. A friendly environment at office helps to make decisions amicably and implement projects on time. The trick is to stick to your principles, talk politely yet firmly than trying to be in everyone’s good books. Though it takes time to establish your credentials, setting the right tone at all levels makes the workplace more cordial. It’s a great feeling to wake up in the morning and look forward to go to work, full of vigour. **About the author:** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Nithya-2.jpg) _Nithya Jagadish –_ _A commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry. Having handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard, I decided to take a break for a while. Now, a doting mother of a one year old child, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day_ ###### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Who told you more work is more productivity? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-04-05 Tags: Career restart, Careerbreak, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, business women, career woman, productivity, Balance, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![who-told-you-more-work-is-more-productivity](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/who-told-you-more-work-is-more-productivity-1621420982231-compressed.jpg) Well, simply speaking- productivity is the result or output. But it’s a little more than result, its efficiency of result. Who told you, more work is more productivity? Productivity has many factors associated with it. Work is just one dimension to look at productivity. In fact we should consider many more aspects to productivity. **_Prudence of Time:_** _Time and Tide waits for no man_. Time is always hooked with productivity. Timely delivery is the key aspect to sustain any business. Hence it’s wise to be aware of time management. “Do, Delegate, Delay”- are essential elements of time management. Prioritize the job and do it right away. If you can’t do it then delegate it and get it done. In fact Dale Carnegie once said-“Those who don’t learn to delegate die young” .That simply summons the importance of delegation. Also say, if you cannot get many things done at a time, we can of course wait a little i.e. delay job and better concentrate on job at hand. **_Prudence of Work:_** The basis of the elements of time is Priority and Perfection. Always know what is important at the moment.  Higher the priority, earlier the chore needs your attention. But how much should it be done depends on the level of perfection expected. This level of perfection should be smartly decided. Always remember _– Feed the Eagles and Starve the Turkeys_. Not all chores require 100% perfection. In fact think on who decides standards of perfection. Always limit perfection based on necessity.  Relax your standards at times and tighten your standards some other time. Now that, helps you cover most of your commitments generally. **_Prudence of Health:_** All said and done. Nothing works if the foundation is not strong enough. Health is much beyond the definition of “Lack of illness”. Health gives you energy, intelligence and enthusiasm to begin with. The fitter you are better productive you can be. **_Last but not the least -The most unappreciated, underestimated and vital aspect of productivity –REST:_** It’s simply a pause, silence, a break that helps you collect back your energy and thoughts. A pause goes a long way to provoke creativity, sparkle intelligence, cleanse your perceptions and open your spirit. Do allocate time for silence; for it only increases productivity and helps you forge ahead clearly. Productivity can be inculcated in many aspects of life. Productivity is the genuine virtue to beat competition. It enriches life with confidence and elevates standard of life. It bestows you with time to appreciate life. SO COME ON LADIES! LET’S FIND REASONS TO CELEBRATE LIFE!!!!! **About the author:** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Archana-M-Somayaji.jpg) Archana Chaatra – An  engineer  by profession, I was with Hewlett Packard for some years. After an extended maternity break, I am rediscovering my passion and profession. Writing is my passion, so is reading . I am fond of food, health, music, yoga  and all aspects around it. Not to  forget my affinity towards technology. I am currently following lots of new technology and trends as an aspiring returnee to my profession. ###### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Stay Connected………..Within Reality Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-04-04 Tags: working moms, Indian women, career woman, Home maker, Balance, networking, support system URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Stay connected](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/stay-connected-1621421136738-compressed.jpg) What a privilege it is to live in an advanced era of today. Technology has probably made it possible to stay connected with each other irrespective of time zone, geographical boundary or economic status. We take the aid of wireless mode but are constantly wired with people around us. What an irony is that! However, as much as staying connected has helped us get closer virtually, it may have succeeded in pushing us away from each other physically. A lifestyle where selfies, instagram posts and twitter posts compel us to open up about ourself in the most unusual way, we lose the warmth and naivety of human touch.  Social media is great for staying connected but often stresses us out more than keeping us in touch with each other. We succumb to pressures of trying to look our best for “likes” or fear to be judged for what we post or what we don’t post. So, somewhere the need to be naïve, real, vulnerable, awkward in front of people, among people is also necessary. After all these are the base emotions that help us clear our thoughts and emotions. Human connections are more than staying connected through the digital world. But while technology pushes us to get more and more into our own cocoon, the more we need to try and spread our web. Meeting friends, spending quality time with family, socializing, doing meaningful social services like charity, philanthropy, working towards the upliftment of underprivileged ….are few of the activities that can be done to keep our essence in balance. While we work towards chasing targets, helping others, raising family and many other things, most important is the connection of “me” with “I”. When our inner world is connected enough to sustain the outer world uncertainities of day to day life, then our interpersonal communication with others too improves and stays balanced. As much as we charge our devices, we need to charge ourselves too. And that recharge happens through spending time with people…whether they be friends, acquaintances or….sometimes even strangers. Many people often go to tourist destinations not just for its scenic beauty but also for the opportunity to mingle with complete strangers from a different culture. Travels give our sensibilities good exposure. We tend to learn from varied people of different cultures and often imbibe some of the survival strategies into our own lifestyles. Taking time to travel and expand our horizons also keeps us positively motivated in life. As humans we have been blessed with five senses. Out of which the sense to feel an emotion is the most superior of all. But we rely more on technology to do the emote for us. So instead of pouring all the love, affection, on social media, if we displayed the same to people around us, our connectivity with each other would be more clearer. Every relationship whether it be a boss-employee, parent-child, sibling, friends, coworkers or even a stranger in a mall . The relationship comes into existence only after people connect on a similar frequency. So, as the famous saying goes “ 2 is company, 3 is crowd” can sometimes be given a break. Enjoy being in a crowd as much as YOU enjoy being alone. **About the author:** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png) _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from). A woman as created by the divine. An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._ ######  (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Why women need to be financially independent? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-03-29 Tags: Financial Independence, working moms, Indian women, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![financial independence for women](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/why-women-need-1621421508759-compressed.jpg) Let us begin the discussion from the past, say about two generations back, from the time our grand mothers were running their homes. By running their homes, I mean mentally and physically because the financial reins of the house were entrusted upon the men in the family. Man being the only earning member of the family, happily or miserably took care of all the financial needs of his family members. The women of the house looked up to the men for any need that involved money. And the women in my family, from that era, were quite happy following the same because that was how it was supposed to be. Only when a male member of the family was not able to earn a living did the women step out to support the family and that too came with a lot of restrictions. Then came the next generation i.e. my mother’s generation. A majority of households still had men as the only earning member of a family. As earlier, a woman was still happy and satisfied playing the role of a housewife. If the husband deceived her, died early or in case of any other situation, the wife had no choice but to rely either on her kids or her extended family for both emotional and financial support. In comparison to this majority, there existed a minority of women who were working and were happy being financially independent. They proudly shared the financial responsibilities of the house with their husbands. Some people loathed them but there were many others who felt proud and motivated seeing them. These working women were considered rebels by some people in the society but there was no stopping their independence and the same feeling they passed on to the next generation. Being financially independent is considered a boon for women. With the growing number of extra marital affairs and divorces, it is important for a woman to keep money matters in her own hands. Financial independence helps a woman to rely on herself and support her decisions. When women earn for themselves, they are immediately more in control of their lives. This is relevant to both, women from low income groups as well as from affluent families. Financial independence is especially important for women who live in abusive households. It has been reported that more than 70% women in India face some form of domestic violence. One form of conducting this violence is through ‘controlling the woman’ i.e. restricting finances. Women who are not independent have no choice but to live on in that abusive atmosphere. Financially independent women are capable of taking their own decisions and don’t have to depend on anybody. This increases their self respect and makes them more confident to face any kind of situation in life. Hence, it is important for all women – married, single, separated, widowed or divorced to be financially independent. Indian women are showing the world what it is like to be financially independent. Men are also willing to accept them in this new role. We women these days are educated, confident and independent. The time when a woman’s job was only to take care of her home and family is passé. The men in the society and the world have started seeing women as equal and stronger counterparts. Even though the past was not very promising for women, the present situation has changed and we can only hope that the future is bright and shining for the coming generations. **About the author:** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Anuradha-Kapoor.jpg) _Anuradha Kapoor_ – a freelance author, blogger, content writer, script writer, editor and proof reader. I am one of the top bloggers on mycity4kids and have written blogs for various brands for them. For eg. Dabur Chywanprash, Surf Excel, Mirinda, Quaker Oats, HP Printers etc. I recently published my first ebook on Amazon, titled ‘Love Conquers All’. I have written short stories and episode stories for the ‘Potboiler App’. Hope to keep you all entertained through my stories and blogs. ###### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## A life not so extra-ordinary may not necessarily be an unfulfilled one… Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-03-22 Tags: career break, working moms, Indian women, career woman, Home maker, worklife, Balance, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Life not extra ordinary](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/life-not-extra-ordinary-1621421631780-compressed.jpg) About a decade ago, I was happily living my life in Bangalore. The city has everything that a 20 something could ask for. Moving from Mumbai, the city was much more affordable, it has a cosmopolitan outlook, lot of places to hang out and the city was safer for women than say Delhi. Yes, I was not growing professionally but other than that life was as happy as it could be. I was at peace with myself and my surroundings. To top it all I had a lovely apartment with a balcony overlooking a beautiful garden and a swimming pool. A Mumbaikar can not ask for more. Just as I was thanking the Gods above for the life I was living, the Gods played a cruel joke and sent across a job offer from London. Everything about the London based job was exactly what I was looking for: reputed organization, global role, growth and opportunity to be trained and to work with the best. However, those were only the pros, the cons were going away from friends and family, living in a city with one of the highest cost of living in the world, a place where you will always be an immigrant and a culture that you have to make an effort to get used to. When we are young we don’t necessarily understand the importance of the cushion of family (immediate and extended) and close friends in our life. We assume we can take everything in our stride and all that matters is the professional, material or monetary success at the end of the day. After a lot of over thinking, I did what I thought was right for my career, I moved to London. There was the usual excitement of a new move, but after a while the euphoria died, and reality struck. I was away from loved ones, learning the ropes in a new place, trying to find solace in work, at times trying to fit in socially (certain aspects of that culture could be alien even for people who live in big cities like Mumbai and Bangalore). Not a day passed when I did not miss my life in Bangalore. I remember walking down South bank one foggy evening and asking myself, “I am in the most beautiful city in the world, yet why am I unhappy”. The reason was simple I WAS LONELY, and I was not doing anything about it. It is also not too easy to befriend people when you are in an unhappy state of mind. In this world you will have few friends if you are only seeking (emotionally or materially) from them, however it will be the opposite when you are in a position of strength. The obvious option for any individual in such a situation is to get more active virtually, but virtual existence cannot replace real existence. My only learning in this entire experience was that “when your heart is empty, your head does not work”. Professional and personal life are two wheels in a bicycle which need to move in sync for you to go places.  A unicycle is good for street performers, but it does not really get you places Just a few days back I was watching a Hindi movie “Dear Zindagi”. It’s a story of a woman who is in a professional dilemma. Her career and material aspect of life would probably be better off, if she were to move to another country, however personally she may not be happiest making that choice. When she talks to a psychologist about her dilemma, he asks her a very profound question, “Why do you have to choose the hard option in life, which you know will bring personal unhappiness, when you do have the option of an easier way as well?, Why are you being harsh on yourself and whom do you have a point to prove? Growing up in the developing world I feel the importance of being with family and friends is never emphasized enough. We are only motivated to work hard, beat all competition, achieve extraordinary success in life and be applauded and celebrated for what is perceived to be “successful” by others. But no one ever tells us that the road to so called extraordinary success may at times be lonely, should you not make an active effort to ensure that’s not the case. There is no fun in celebrating success if you don’t have someone to share it with. And success is not just professional. All the while I was abroad I used to wonder what it really means to have a fulfilling life. I would often think that a small grocery store owner in any city in India probably has more in life than me to look forward to. He toils for his own business (his legacy), goes back to his family, spends time with extended family and is there when they need them, has children in time and watches them grow, has time to socialize, as he grows old he has time, company and avenues available for spiritual, religious or philanthropic activities and later on he has a business to pass on to his children. Agreed a lot of phases in the grocery store owner’s life may have also occurred because of lack of choice. However, comparing the store owner’s life with a completely achievement-oriented life which over a period becomes so self-centered that there is not much time for kids, spouse, extended family, friends or self for that matter. All that matters are goals, achievement, position, success and it goes on………. And when you start ageing, there is always some young blood to replace you. Life spent working hard but not much created in terms of legacy. I feel the small grocery shop owner trumps here in terms of fulfillment. The more I thought about it and the more I observed I realized that probably what in the eyes of the world is a life that is not too extraordinary, is probably more fulfilling. There is no greater joy than coming back to a kid who is waiting for you and jumps as soon as you walk in the door, there is no greater joy than celebrating festivals with family, just hanging out with friends, just cooking for family, being there when friend and family need you-just letting them know that you are there for them, come what may. There is no greater joy to know that you are needed in someone’s life, you make a difference to their existence. There is no greater joy than the small things in life that we do not always give importance to. Once we stop chasing the extra-ordinary and start being peaceful and joyful with our state of being, every day is a success, and everything is a celebration. ##### If you liked this article, you may also want to read [Identity of a woman](http://hersecondinnings.com/identity-of-a-woman/), blog written by the same author. **About the author:** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Monica.jpg) _Monica –_ _is a consumer insights professional based in Mumbai. She has worked with FMCG organizations like Colgate Palmolive and Reckitt Benckiser in India and Coca Cola and Unilever in the UK. She has also done stints with organizations like Nielsen, Hewlett Packard and the Lodha group in India._ _She took a maternal break and is currently freelancing with Nykaa.com and also running her own startup called Ubicon, wherein she intends to connect with people through the virtual medium for garnering insights._ _Apart from work, Monica loves barb-e-cueing, networking, swimming and yoga._ ###### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Stop Second-Guessing Your Decision of Taking a Career Break Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-03-22 Tags: career break, working moms, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker, worklife, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Career Restart](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/stop-second-guessing-1621421797109-compressed.jpg) If I were to interview you and ask ‘Describe what you went through when you took a career break to take care of your child?’ Where would you start? Do you start with how your ambitions got axed due to factors beyond your control? Or how you miss talking about your field of work with an adult? Or why you even bothered to study so much when eventually you had to give up everything you ever worked so hard for? **OR** Do you start with how meaningfully you have impacted the lives of your kid(s)? Or how you have been able to provide your kid(s) a strong foundation and inculcate in them the right values for life? Or how you have been able and willing to forgo your career to give them your best personal care and quality time? You may probably respond with a jumble of these. And rightly so, since women give up a significant career or the prospect of having one when they quit in order to take care of kids or family. Let’s face it – we belong to a generation that is bogged by opportunities and the abounding choices only make our decisions tougher. We are educated enough to dream and pursue ambitions, yet many of us voluntarily take a step back to be able to nurture a growing child to our satisfaction. This paradox of choice is bound to plague us. What we need to do is acknowledge that these feeling are part of the phase we are going through and certainly a part of our generation. Our grandmothers most probably never had to make these hard choices. We need to break free from ruminating about having given up one for the other. Ruminating about our earlier decision to quit is an absolute drain on every meaningful day that passes by. It robs us of the present and even the future.  We must remember that at some point in the past, the reason to quit was compelling enough to convince us to do it. Second-guessing the decision is not only futile but also a drain on the precious energy that can be directed towards something more productive. One way to avoid rumination is to pursue something meaningful during those few micro breaks you barely manage to get in the day. Meaningful doesn’t have to be something serious. It could be fun like watching an inspiring movie or reading a thought-provoking book. Watching certain movies can energize some of us positively. The movie ‘Joy’ for instance, was loosely based on the life of ‘Joy Mangano’ and is absolutely inspiring. Reading books that you never got the time to do while studying or working can be a lot of fun too. The ‘Five Dysfunctions of a Team’ by Patrick Lencioni can make you reflect on your past career and rethink on how you could have handled situations. Some women pursue their hobbies of art and crafts or baking during their break, while others take up higher education. Some begin their home business or begin teaching. Whether you make money out of it or not, whether it ever helps you in your career if and when you return to one, it will help you currently stay engaged and happy. And that is reason enough. Only when you are happy will you be able to spread the happiness to your family and those around you. A positive frame of mind will help you see opportunities that you may otherwise miss. Habitually second-guessing your earlier decision to take a career break could make you bitter in the end. Instead, channelize your mind. By doing something meaningful during the micro breaks you get every single day, it will help you appreciate the true value of the decision you have taken. **About the author:** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sruthi_Feb12_400x400.jpg) _Sruthi Subramaniam: An HR Manager, worked for companies like Infosys and Thomson Reuters. After taking a break to look after her child, she now freelances. She enjoys developing HR content and writes on topics related to HR under her own name as well as in the capacity of a ghostwriter._ ###### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career guidance experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Money…..Matters! Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-03-20 Tags: career break, Career restart, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, business women, Home maker, Money matters URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Money Matters](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/money-matters-1621421892349-compressed.jpg) A smile, a clap, a beautiful thought or a friendly gesture…..these are some of the best things in life that are free. For everything there is a price tag attached. A dream of achieving  goal, an ambition of becoming someone, a tourist destination that is worth every penny, an asset that people would envy, a luxury that only few can afford. Money does matter!!!! But it always does not have to seem like a burden. The number of hours one can work and earn is limited but the number of ways in which money can be planned and spent is unlimited. Money comes and goes. However, Finance is what keeps track of money being earned and spent. **_Saving v/s Spending_**: Investment is a kind of money saving technique. When a substantial amount of money is locked for a particular cause for few years, the assurance of that chunk not being spent is there. And it can further be used in future if required. Often investment in property, real estate, land, funds are good ways of stocking up money.  When it comes to spending, there are no clear rules.  Because what may seem a costly luxury to one, would be a simple item for the other.  But it would be good to follow a simple motto “Every penny saved is every penny earned”. So, spending wisely and as much as needed is a simple way of saving too. **_Financial independence v/s Financially independent_:** Financial independence is about having a say in the finance matters of the family even if one is not financially independent. Many women who do the daunting task of being homemakers often neglect the financial matters of the family. To engage in the planning, distribution and execution of how and where money is going to be used is a big step in having financial independence. In this way, the finance of a household can be tracked. And also, collective decisions on buying a certain item of a choice can be made. This does not take away from the fact that being financially independent too is a matter of security for a  woman. Many a times, a woman may need to invest or spend some moolah on something that the family may not approve of, but she may think that it would be wise to do so. In such cases own judgment and money to support that decision complement each other. **_Knowledge v/s Awareness:_** Whether a woman is working or not, whether she earns or not, the knowledge of how finance is planned is essential for her to know. So, participation in the planning stages, taking care of budgets of the house, knowing how much to spend on necessary items and activities, what not to spend on is important. An investment in what sector will bring returns, saving up for child’s education or retirement or both or none. It’s all a matter of choice. However more than knowledge the awareness of how finance is planned is crucial. Sometimes, in a bid to save for future, we tend to ignore the present. Do we ever realize that it’s the present that we are sure of what we can spend on. The future is unknown. So, sometimes when money is spent on small or big things that matters to self and family at the present moment, then these moments become priceless and moments to treasure. It’s fine to go easy on an expensive gift, or a holiday or an item. The returns are smiles, happiness, gratitude and love. **About the author:** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png)  _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from). A woman as created by the divine. An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._ ######  (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Registered users are also eligible for our free online Soft Skills Training program. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## A Shark In A Fish Tank Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-03-15 Tags: career break, Career restart, working moms, Indian women, career woman, home makers URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Shark in a fish tank](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/shark-fish-tank-1621421991707-compressed.jpg) Really, A Shark!!! My God …Poor Fishes. Similar is the reaction when I want to take up a Job. Poor kids, what will happen to them? How about house responsibilities, husband.. Who will take care? Well, who should take care when a women goes to work? How should she manage? Is marriage a curse to career or career a curse to marriage? Do we enjoy marriage more or career more? Which is more important? What is the priority? How should I decide? Relax Ladies…Relax!! We cannot answer for everyone, we can only answer apt to our lives. Since ages nurturing and caring has been part of women persona. Is it her true nature, might be. But mainly inculcated through social norms and psychological manipulations. We blindly take it as our duty because we see it in women around us. However there is no rules and regulations for duties of a women, wife, and mother. It’s all about how much you involve. So how much should we actually involve? Those who really manage home know that it’s never ending job. The more you are at home the more work you have to do. So where should I stop? Now, there comes Mr Shark….. Introduce small shark to your lives to know when to stop. If you introduce a small shark in the Fish tank… All the fishes are active and fresh (for if they relax the Shark will find an opportunity to gulp them up). This is a Japanese methodology to get fresh fishes when fish tanks will be moved from deep sea to main land. ([https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/japanese-fish-shark-story-rohit-gupta](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/japanese-fish-shark-story-rohit-gupta)) We are only scared of the judgmental people (in laws, relatives, neighbours) who say you are not a good wife, good mother, and good daughter in law. But   don’t you realize if you build your self-esteem, you don’t care about definition of “Good”. And Come on! Even if you are all “Goody Goody” – jealous people will surely find ways to irk you. So stop thinking about others. Start thinking about yourself. Go ahead with your Passion, for your Career is not a hindrance, it is just a small shark introduced to the comfort zone of your family. Care but not worry about family. Progress happens at the edge of convenience. All achievements happens out of Comfort Zone. Independence always increases Capability. Let family learn independence. Let them own responsibility. When time is a privilege, discipline will be automatically imbibed. Harm is generally exaggerated than what would actually happen. Let  your self-esteem  take over and this helps you out of  guilt trips. Let your Career Shine for a appropriate Shark introduced  will only  encourage progress, evolution, discipline in life. A life full of enthusiasm is the latest definition of Healthy life. Health is indeed Wealth. Build your enthusiasm to live a fulfilled life. Remember we are here to help others prepare for life. We cannot control or guide life. We are making our young ones capable in their own journey. They will learn when we give space. So help them be strong by introducing a small Shark in the fish tank of your family. Pick your Shark of passion (career) and live your fulfilled life. For even You Have Only One life to Enjoy… **About the author:**   [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Archana-M-Somayaji.jpg) Archana Chaatra – An  engineer  by profession, I was with Hewlett Packard for some years. After an extended maternity break, I am rediscovering my passion and profession. Writing is my passion, so is reading . I am fond of food, health, music, yoga  and all aspects around it. Not to  forget my affinity towards technology. I am  recently  following lots of new technology and trends as an aspiring  returnee to my profession. **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Registered users are also eligible for our free online Soft Skills Training program. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Blogging Insights Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-03-13 Tags: career break, working moms, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker, employment, blogging, Freshers URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Blogging Insights](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/blogging-insights-1621422057169-compressed.jpg) Last blog of mine ([All about blogging](http://hersecondinnings.com/all-about-blogging/)) might have given you nuances of Blogging. If you are very serious about diving into it then this post is for you. **Where to Blog?** During initial days create a page of your own in a free blogging websites like [Blogger](http://www.blogger.com/), [WordPress](http://www.wordpress.com/), [Tumblr](http://www.tumblr.com/), [Livejournal](https://www.livejournal.com/)  and so on. Each one of the sites has its own unique features. Learn about it and select the right choice. **How to Blog?** YouTube channels give you plenty of inputs on how to create your own blog and customize it according to your needs. **Blogger**– [**https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa6MQxJOqv4**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa6MQxJOqv4) **WordPress-** [**https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BMe5dre9M0**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BMe5dre9M0) **Tumblr=** [**https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f\_dNxPFdzD0**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_dNxPFdzD0) **LiveJournal-** [**https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3owpQ7M9jM**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3owpQ7M9jM) **How to create a Fan Base?** * Despite how old you are into blogging make sure you write for other websites which accepts freelance writers to pour in thoughts. This helps you in building an audience base and enables them to trace your every move in the world of blogging. [Sites that accepts guest blogging](https://www.shoutmeloud.com/list-of-50-best-blogs-that-accept-guest-posts.html) * Communication is a major trump card in blogging. Once your post is live in portal, periodically address every comment or input left by the visiter.This helps you in building relationship with readers as well as gives a better understanding of the reader’s requirements. * Don’t have any agenda while writing the more you make it simpler the higher would be the traffic. * While writing quote some of your personal instance or mistakes that you have committed so that readers can relate it with them. **How to Make Revenue?** * Blogging is into writing so follow the social handles of publishers who encourage new writers. Half Baked Beans and Blackbuck publication are quite active in recent years and they help brands in hiring a right candidate to blog on their websites. * If you could sense some traffic in your blog then you can certainly get income through GoogleAdSense, Affiliated Programs, direct Ads, Sponsorship programs, Paid reviews. For More about Blogging peep into [ShoutMeLoud](https://www.shoutmeloud.com/) **About the author:**  _**Meenakshi Chandrasekaran** – I was writing large lines of codes before my Little Gal happened to me. An avid reader, i spend most of my time in front of books and laptop. Being a first time mom bringing up my girl helped me to gain more knowledge on every stage of parenting so i just wanted to pen down my experience to be able to read it again and again to relive those moments. Other leisure time activities include experimenting in my kitchen, crafts and gardening._ ##### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. If you have a flair for writing, join us as a Guest Blogger. Apply here:  [http://hersecondinnings.com/guest-blogger-invite/](http://hersecondinnings.com/guest-blogger-invite/) . Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Miles To Go Before I Sleep… Goal Planning Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-03-08 Tags: career break, corporate employees, business women, career woman, goal planning, career women, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Miles to go before sleep](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/miles-togo-before-1621422132741-compressed.jpg) “If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and inspires your hopes.” —Andrew Carnegie A goal is not an end, but a means to an end. As humans, we are insatiable. When we attain something we desire, we yearn for more, and it goes in a loop. Irrespective of whatever the need maybe, Career, Monetary benefits or any other perks, we are set the constant question “What next”? While climbing up the corporate ladder, many dream of achieving greatness, but only a few attain it. Some drift aimlessly, wherever the wind takes them, without any set targets or goals. When it comes to Career, Goal setting is very much necessary starting from the grassroots level. There is no one universal way of Goal planning; it is left up to the Individual’s attitude and determination in achieving it. In the course of my career, I have sought help from my Managers/Mentors when I faced a setback. To fail is human, but not making a comeback is catastrophic. In a nutshell, some of the lessons I learnt are summarised below: * Understand what you want in the long run. * Set specific short term goals that will help to achieve the long term goals along with an expiry date. It gives immense satisfaction to look back at all the things we have achieved. * It is constructive to discuss the set goals with your immediate Manager. It projects you to be focussed and ambitious, thereby strengthening the chances of being considered for the next available opportunity. * If there is a stumble in meeting the short term or long term goals, don’t wince. Contemplate on your areas of opportunities, prioritize and set revised targets and completion dates. * Seek help, have mentors within the organisation. Focus on constant learning, reskilling and adapt to change. * In the event of a failure, don’t be hard on yourself. Instead rise up, learn from the fall and come back twice as hard. Each day is an opportunity for a new start; it’s never too late to set resolute goals. Work is one of the topmost priorities in our lives, so it’s imperative to succeed in our ventures. Setting deterministic goals coupled with a fair amount of Handwork and Positivity will ensure job satisfaction and a prevailing sense of accomplishment. **About the author:** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Nithya-2.jpg) _Nithya Jagadish –_ _A commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry. Having handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard, I decided to take a break for a while. Now, a doting mother of a one year old child, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day_**(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Registered users are also eligible for our free online Soft Skills Training program. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Bridging the Gap, to Make a Career Comeback Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-03-01 Tags: Careerbreak, sabbaticals, Home maker, employment, career women URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![bridging-the-gap-to-make-a-career-comeback](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/bridging-the-gap-to-make-a-career-comeback-1621422183589-compressed.jpg) Have you taken a break in your career? Did marriage/motherhood or relocation force you to take a career sabbatical? Did the break extend longer than expected? Does the thought of joining back workforce beleaguer you? For anyone who has put the brakes on career for an extended period of time, the mere thought of getting back to work can seem overwhelming and even inconceivable. But don’t have second thoughts; read on as these tips prepare you to make a smooth transition from a career setback to comeback. 1. **Mentally prepare yourself.** Extended break can give rise to self-doubts and re-entering workforce requires courage therefore first step is to build up your self-confidence. It forms the foundation of all great success and achievement. As per Lauren Zander \[Life coach, author and chairperson of Handel Group\] “Confidence is not a noun. It’s a verb. You have to work at it.” 1. **Keep yourself updated.** Re-joining will mean adjusting to a newer and more evolved workplace and employers prefer people who are abreast with the latest trends and developments. Just because you are on a break doesn’t mean your skills have to rust. Read blogs or journals or join an online course to update skills related to your line of work. Consider an internship opportunity geared towards experienced professionals. 1. **Network.** Often ignored networking is a great way to help you search for an appropriate opening or get good references that can increase your chances of getting selected in a job interview. Try to keep in touch with old colleagues, employers and initiate contact with other known people working in similar industry. 1. **Redraft your resume.** A gap may not look well in a resume but trying to cover it up makes it worse. Determine how the skills acquired and updated and experiences you had during sabbatical readied you for the next stage in your career. Prepare answers to specific questions such as – What skills did you learn during that time? In what ways have you become more employable or resourceful for the company? 1. **Flexibility is the key.** Be flexible and open minded while you fix a goal and timeline for yourself, especially in terms of salary as compared to peers. It is often easier to make a comeback in emerging high-growth sectors or smaller firms. Assess your current situation and interests. It is not necessary and sometimes feasible to return to the old role. You can even use this stage to make a career shift. 1. **Seek help.** Ask people around for help for small things and return the favour as and when you can. Hiring a help at home can act as a great way to reduce your work load. Usually, it is the guilt that stops most women from doing what they want. By getting rid of the guilt and detaching yourself from negative people, create a positive environment for yourself. Participate in online support groups. Talk to others who have been there done that. Most importantly leave your inhibitions behind, revisit your career goals and work towards achieving them. Restarting a career isn’t easy but it’s definitely worth a shot. _‘You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream’_ _C.S. Lewis_ **About the author:** _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Samta-Goel-profile-pic-1-2.png)_ _Dr Samta Mittal – Dentist by education, writer by passion. In my earlier avatar I taught budding dentists and published a book on my subject expertise. A ‘sabbatical’ from work reignited my dormant love for writing. Sometimes I do freelance writing for health/travel portals as well as blog for pleasure on social, cultural issues & other simple little things of life._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Registered users are also eligible for our free online Soft Skills Training program. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Gourmet delight, A Journey From Taj to Startup of The Year 2018 Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-02-22 Tags: career break, Financial Independence, Indian women, women empowerment, business women, career woman, entrepreneurs, Employers URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![A Journey From Taj to Startup of The Year 2018](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/gourmet-delight-journey-startup-1621422273878-compressed.jpg) **_“When something is important enough you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.” —-_ Elon Musk** That’s exactly what Raka Chakrawarti did when she set out to start Gourmetdelight. Having spent 10 years at Indian Hotels, she quit the organization in 2013 as Director of Public Relations for Taj and Director of Content Marketing for Indian Hotels to follow her passion – to set up an outlet that provides differentiated food items. At that time there was not much happening in this domain. There was a fledgling awareness about organic and free-range produce. Only a few outlets in five-star hotels were dealing in organic and free-range produce. For the common household awareness and accessibility to such produce was limited. The Taj group had previously explored the organic/free range food concept with its restaurant ‘Pure’, however the concept did not have many takers at that time. Raka liked the concept of Pure and wanted to do more with it. She could gauge that the tide would change and with increasing levels of awareness the Indian consumers would very soon want to know more about what they are consuming and where it is coming from. This self-awareness would create a need for natural produce and that’s what Gourmetdelight would cater to. Having spent a decade in a job she loved, shaking her comfort zone was not an easy decision to make. Raka experienced a lot of turmoil and kept pushing her decision to take the entrepreneurial plunge. Finally, her passion trumped. Armed with an experience in the hospitality industry and a good network of friends to fall back on, she set up Gourmetdelight from a flat in Chembur in 2015, financed with her savings and help from family. The idea behind the business was to find good suppliers, unique items, find products in small batches, and make ‘farm to table’ accessible to more and more kitchens. Within a year demand for her products grew and she decided to take the business online. Gourmetdelight.in was launched in 2016, providing delivery in South Mumbai, initially and then expanding to suburbs. Entrepreneurship is not a smooth ride, it comes with its fair share of toil and tribulations. There are long hours spent at work, lot of missed family time, weekends are often spent at work. Coming from the hospitality industry long hours and working weekends are not new to Raka. She finds greater joy in the long hours now as she is creating value for the business, the customers and the employees. As of now Gourmetdelight is completely bootstrapped. Limited funds have made the team highly creative. The business uses google advertising very judiciously, there are tie ups with various companies for loyalty programs, mailing lists and even banks have been approached to include gourmetdelight.in in their mailing lists. Double hatting comes naturally to the employees here. Gourmetdelight.in caters to about 10,000 customers and the customer base has been growing at a rate of ~10-12% per month. Raka confesses that as of now, hers is not a convenience business that offers 2-hour delivery, however she is determined to get there soon. Organic and free range produce right now is mostly an urban phenomenon and Rakas’s vision is to take the business beyond Mumbai to other metros and abroad as well. There is a large untapped market in places like the middle east and she would like to expand there in future. She also plans to provide catering for meals to customers depending on lifestyle and diet preference. On the business front Gourmet Delight is seeking strategic partnerships, people who can get the right connections, people who can bring expertise, help connect with other businesses etc. Within a span of 2 years, Gourmetdelight has met 75% of its targets and is a few months away from breaking even. There are plans to bring in investment eventually, but only after the business has attained a certain scale. There is a lot of investor interest, already. Raka however wants to be associated with the business as long as possible. Wherever there are trials and tribulations, triumphs are not too far. In Jan 2017 Sundar Pichai came to India to launch Digital Unlocked which is Google’s digital program targeted at SMBs to enable them to go online using Google’s Digital tools. Gourmetdelight was one of the 5 start ups featured in Google’s Digital Unlocked platform. A team from Google came down to Mumbai to shoot a video at the Gourmet Delight facility at Sita Estate in Chembur. ###### (Link to Google’s video featuring Gourmetdelight: **[https://learndigital.withgoogle.com/digitalunlocked](https://learndigital.withgoogle.com/digitalunlocked))** This year itself at the Retail Startup of the year award 2018, Gourmetdelight was adjudged the first runner up. Gourmetdelight competed with 10 startups in the final round to receive the award from a panel of judges comprising the likes of Biju Kurien, Future Groups’ CFO, Reliance’ s Head of retail to name a few. Being a woman has never inhibited Raka.  At times she goes to Dadar market at 5:00 AM (to get familiar with what is selling) and has never felt out of place. Women bring a lot of creativity to the workplace, she says. They have an uncanny ability to create something out of nothing. Not denying the fact that men have their own set of strengths. Looking back at her journey she feels she should have taken the plunge 5 years earlier. She kept pushing it far too long. “I would be at no other place but here”-she says. Being a fitness freak, she can often be seen running at Worli sea face. She ran her first Marathon last year. Most innovative ideas have come to her while in a workout. Raka says that if you truly believe in something you should go ahead and do it. Once you put your heart and soul in it, things will fall in place. Gourmetdelight has not always been a smooth sailing, there have been plenty of rough times, however she says something or the other would always come by to help sail through, sometimes a bulk order, sometimes a large corporate order. Her tip to entrepreneurs/aspiring entrepreneurs is to be consistent, to put one foot in front of the other and keep walking your chosen path. All big businesses were built by consistency. Learn from mistakes and move on, do not give up. Raka greatly admires Elon Musk and feels he is a true visionary. So, its apt to sum up with one of his notable quotes, that best describes Raka’s journey… **“People should pursue what they’re passionate about. That will make them happier than pretty much anything else.”** **About the author:** **[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Monica.jpg)** _Monica –_ _is a consumer insights professional based in Mumbai. She has worked with FMCG organizations like Colgate Palmolive and Reckitt Benckiser in India and Coca Cola and Unilever in the UK. She has also done stints with organizations like Nielsen, Hewlett Packard and the Lodha group in India.__She took a maternal break and is currently freelancing with Nykaa.com and also running her own startup called Ubicon, wherein she intends to connect with people through the virtual medium for garnering insights._ _Apart from work, Monica loves barb-e-cueing, networking, swimming and yoga._**(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to nurture their entrepreneurial streak or pursue alternate careers, or looking for new opportunities to get back to their careers,  [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Mail us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Career Tracking, Yardstick To Achieve Excellence Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-02-15 Tags: career break, sabbaticals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, Home maker, career tracking, employment, career women, Employers URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![career-tracking-yardstick-to-achieve-excellence](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/career-development-image1-1621422653638-compressed.jpg) _“Anything that is measured and watched, improves” – Bob Parsons_ It’s true that work becomes our secondary life. Something so cherished requires constant introspection not only for the Individual, but for the Organization as well. Since ample energy, efforts and manpower is spent at work, it becomes inevitable to ensure it’s on a progressive path. While some start their careers in their respective field, some might opt for greener pastures offering better monetary compensation. Though in the beginning stages it’s reasonable to experiment, there comes a phase where settling in and constant self-evaluation becomes a must. The important aspect of Career Tracking is to be cognizant of the person’s academic proficiency, areas of expertise and then setting deterministic career goals accordingly. Having short term goals and evaluating them at regular intervals yields better results. If an individual is feeling stuck in a job that does not add value, it’s better to make a lateral move in the related field to enhance learning and experience. Also, it’s perfectly fine to take a break, sharpen one’s skills and make a comeback. In today’s era, many companies offer mentorship programs. Apart from imparting knowledge and sharing best practices, such associations do help in understanding where one’s career stands and suggests the improvements needed. If in course of time, an individual is unable to pace up with the set targets, it’s always wise to seek help from peers or mentors.Also, continuous learning ensures to bridge the skill gap and stay relevant amidst stiff competition. Comparing one’s career growth against coworkers or friends serves as a healthy measure of self-improvement.  In addition, making a candid evaluation on factors like set targets versus achieved, knowledge acquired will yield better results. In any situation, it’s better to introspect regularly. While many have a job, only those who constantly assess, equip with relevant knowledge in the field, take corrective actions and make headway become successful. Career tracking serves as an important yardstick in understanding the course of the journey and reap better results. **About the author:** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Nithya-2.jpg) _Nithya Jagadish –_ _A commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry. Having handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard, I decided to take a break for a while. Now, a doting mother of a one year old child, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day._**(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)**  Are you looking for a mentor? If you are a Women professional looking to connect with established industry leaders, for right advice, support and guidance to develop in your professional role.  Join The Global Mentoring Walk – 2018 event in Bangalore and Chennai organised by Her Second Innings in partnership with Vitalvoices, BD Foundation and She The People TV. Sign up as a MENTEE: [http://bit.ly/MenteeSignupForm](http://bit.ly/MenteeSignupForm) (Event information is shared in the form) For further assistance write to us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com). Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## All About Blogging Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-02-08 Tags: career break, sabbaticals, working moms, Indian women, women empowerment, career woman, Home maker, blogging, guest blogger URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![All about blogging](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/all%20about%20blogging-1621422770754-compressed.jpg) Networking has shrunk the earth’s size into a global village. Numerous non-technical opportunities are trending in recent years. Women, nowadays are more inclined to switch to a career that offers  flexibility to work from home, to balance their work and personal life in an efficient way. If you are one among them then Blogging is a best option. Recently I received an invite to attend a Bloggers meet, to my dismay the participants were quite finite compared to the meet held at other locations. Soon I realized that due to lack of motivation many don’t take blogging as a career option. **What is Blogging? – A catalogue of all your work done till date** I remember seven years ago I was a fresher with an offer letter on my hand. I dint receive my date of joining, so I planned to enroll myself for any internship in an organization. I along with two other friends joined an organization as an intern without any pay. They dealt in customizing Word Press into a website as per client’s requirement. We three had a mentor who motivated us in understanding the fundamentals of the industry. During our tea break he encouraged us to create our own blogs and other social handles in order to get acquaintance with the latest trends and get contacts to nourish our growth. One of us asked our mentor how a blog would be useful in building our future in the industry. His reply was **“**A catalogue of all your work done till date**”.** Those words are etched in my memory. **Any Qualifications or Pre-Requisites** Nothing other than * Strong Language Skills-English or any of your regional language will also help. * Decent Writing Skills **What to Write?** * Anything, Parenting, Food, Fashion, Literature, Trip, Restaurants, DIY Crafts, Teaching tricks etc. **Blogging as a Career** * Plan your genre prior to starting your own blog or look for a website which can be a host of your blog. Promote it using social handles. You have to be calm till you get a reach. * Write fruitful content. * Be consistent in writing and make sure your works are quite distinct from others. * Follow pages of organization which shares same interest as yours. Eg.You write much about fashion, follow magazines that deals with it. They would keep you updated on their requirement. Ensure your presence in the page by actively participating in a healthy conversation. * Address every query that’s been posted in your post. This helps you to build a good rapport with readers. If writing is your passion, get started… Happy Writing! Other related blog by the author: [Blogging Insights](http://hersecondinnings.com/blogging-insights/) **About the author:**  _**Meenakshi Chandrasekaran** – I was writing large lines of codes before my Little Gal happened to me. An avid reader, i spend most of my time in front of books and laptop. Being a first time mom bringing up my girl helped me to gain more knowledge on every stage of parenting so i just wanted to pen down my experience to be able to read it again and again to relive those moments. Other leisure time activities include experimenting in my kitchen, crafts and gardening._ ##### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. If you have a flair for writing, join us as a Guest Blogger. Apply here:  [http://hersecondinnings.com/guest-blogger-invite/](http://hersecondinnings.com/guest-blogger-invite/) . Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## The Art Of Balancing Act Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-02-01 Tags: career break, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, business women, career woman, Home maker, worklife, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Art balancing act](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/art-balancing-act-1-1621423153051-compressed.jpg) We all are faced with challenges and choices. Most often a woman has to make a choice between work and family, career and marriage. Well, one does not need to be sacrificed for the other. Both are equally important and contribute in totality to a woman’s life. They can very well coexist with a little smart planning and doing what we call is the balancing act. Here are a few tips that can be followed to master the balancing act. 1. **_Accept the change:_** Most women try to continue the lifestyle they had before marriage, after marriage too. Though this is not an unusual expectation to have, it is an unusual experience for sure. Changes will come. Priorities will change and things may not seem as before. But that’s what it’s all about. To accommodate that change into the current lifestyle. Accepting it makes the transition easier. Further as the brood increases with children, lifestyle will change more. A loud jarring tv channel with constant swaps, or a fight for the remote may replace a quiet evening watching your favorite Tv channel. That’s absolutely fine. Maybe an occasional quiet evening someday will help in rejuvenating. 1. **_Balance and not juggle:_** Most people get confused between balancing and juggling. Juggling is doing too many things at the same time whereas balancing is the art of prioritizing and doing things one by one. A work life balance is achieved when a bit of priority is marked to certain activities. Anything that can wait will have to wait. If a child is sick, he/she needs tender love and care and will have to get priority over a deadline to meet at work. Eventually things sort itself out. 1. **_Let it go, but not grow:_** Any activity that does not immediately require attention can be let go for the time being. But should not pile up and grow to an extent that it goes beyond control. Women find it difficult to outgrow few things. A pile of laundry clothes that used to find its way to the closet perfectly ironed now lying in heaps in the bedroom waiting to be ironed. But that’s fine. It will eventually find its home. However, many weeks of unorganized closet could lead to a bit of stress on the day of clearing. 1. **_Choose to do it right than rush:_** In order to get many things done, people tend to rush and in the process, they fail to get one job done perfectly right. And this adds on to the list of undone tasks again. If one follows above tips then rushing is not necessary. Preplanning on getting the important tasks done first will set the ball rolling. 1. **_Exercise mind and body regularly:_** A balance in life is not possible without the balance of mind and body. Extra work requires extra stamina and extra energy. A balanced diet with regular exercise gives body the required boost. Nature is a big healer too. Walks in parks, having potted plants, vegetable gardens, keeping oneself surrounded by greenery is a good way of receiving healing from nature. They help to soothe nerves and stay calm. Whether it is work, career, marriage, family, children or self. Every relationship is interconnected and linked. And the dynamics depend on interpersonal skills. When we keep a check on our inner emotions and triggers we are equipped and capable of handling the outer triggers and emotions too. The first balance comes from within…….and then shines outward!!!!!!!! _**About the author:**__Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from). A woman as created by the divine. An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._**(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Padmaja-Acharya-1-3.png) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Registered users are also eligible for our free online Soft Skills Training program. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Identity Of A Woman Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-01-24 Tags: career break, sabbaticals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, business women, career woman, Home maker, employment, entrepreneurs URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Identity of a women](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/identity-of-a-woman-1-1621423541144-compressed.jpg) “Women can’t have it all” said [Indira Nooyi](https://www.forbes.com/sites/moiraforbes/2014/07/03/power-woman-indra-nooyi-on-why-women-cant-have-it-all/#5d5268fb36bc) and I could not agree more with it. As a working professional who quit work to embrace motherhood full time, I have gone through moments where I have wondered, “What defines us?” Are we defined by our qualifications or positions held, or are we defined by our relationships or are we defined by our material possessions? Or are we hostage to all of these. These thoughts arise more often when people around me judge my decision not to work. Life is a journey and we are defined by the experiences that we have during this journey. Whether these experiences of life were good or bad depends on perspective. There are a lot of women I come across in situations like myself, who are not happy with their situation. Lot of working women with kids back home are not happy. Again, it’s a matter of perspective towards the choices that we make in life. For a woman staying back at home there is a whole new array of avenues to explore. Be it being active in kids’ schools, cooking, painting, writing, meditation, you name it and a newer experience is awaiting you. Every experience teaches us something in life and makes it richer and more meaningful. The fact that you are not currently in the workforce does not subtract anything from your identity except a paycheque. Not only do you have more time for yourself now, you also have time to add to your skills, and of course you have more time for your relationships. I always used to say this jokingly “If I die working, my company will hire someone else, nothing will stop”. I am not indispensable to my work but I am indispensable to my loved ones. For women who continue working, be thankful for the support system (and in most cases it is extended family) that allows you to do so. It isn’t easy balancing the struggles of work and home, but you have been able to ebb the tide, so thank God for it. It’s quite heart breaking to choose between your child and your work and if the support system is there to help make the choice, you are blessed. The experience of having a family and the support system of loved ones adds a nurturing and accommodating perspective to your work life as well. However, in our endeavour to carve a career for ourselves sometimes we forget “no one on his death bed said, if only I had more time at work”. We forget to give importance to what really matters – ourselves and the people around us. Do what you do because you like doing it and not to prove a point. I am all for women empowerment, but I also feel that in our endeavour to be empowered and financially independent, our nurturing roles have taken a back seat and it is the nurturing aspect that is a woman’s USP at the workplace and also one of the reasons for her success in multitude of corporate roles. But again, that’s my perspective. Whether you work or you have quit, everyday is a struggle and everyday you battle uncertainties -whether you will achieve your goals at work, whether you will get back to work, whether your kids will appreciate your decisions later, its endless. A stay at home mother’s struggle is in no way less than a working woman’s and vice versa. But instead of lamenting about the limitations that having a family puts on us, why not appreciate the fullness of life thanks to a family and loved ones. We fail to appreciate the richness of experiences that we have with family alone. And if there is any doubt in my statement try spending Christmas vacation alone in Europe. To sum it all we are defined by our experiences in life. Everyone chooses a different life journey. A woman who chooses to stay back is not a failure at the workplace while a woman who steps out to work is not a failure back home. We are playing the balancing act while juggling our multiple roles. One of the main reasons for so much chaos in the world is that we have stopped accepting and have started challenging each other more. Change comes with us and who better to make this change than the ones who bring life to this world. Let’s be more accepting of each other’s choices and less judgemental. I have always felt that a life less extraordinary is in some ways more fulfilling. I will delve into this in my next post. **About the author:**_Monica –_ _is a consumer insights professional based in Mumbai. She has worked with FMCG organizations like Colgate Palmolive and Reckitt Benckiser in India and Coca Cola and Unilever in the UK. She has also done stints with organizations like Nielsen, Hewlett Packard and the Lodha group in India._ [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Monica.jpg) _She took a maternal break and is currently freelancing with Nykaa.com and also running her own startup called Ubicon, wherein she intends to connect with people through the virtual medium for garnering insights._ _Apart from work, Monica loves barb-e-cueing, networking, swimming and yoga._ **(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Registered users are also eligible for our free online Soft Skills Training program. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## The Joy Of New Beginnings With A Right Job Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-01-18 Tags: career break, sabbaticals, women professionals, corporate employees, Indian women, business women, career women, entrepreneurs, home makers, hobbies, women URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/The%20Joy%20Of%20New%20Beginnings%20With%20A%20Right%20Job-1621425307951-compressed.jpg) **“_In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take, the relationships we were afraid to have, and the decisions we waited too long to make.”– Lewis Carroll_** More often than not, many of us are set with the question “Am I doing the right Job“? “Am I fit for this role“?  “Should I pursue my hobby as a profession in parallel with my work”? After spending a number of years in the same field, it’s common for monotony to set in.  In the starting phase of career, some do compromise their ambition for a higher paying job that’s outside their interests. Owing to factors like personal constraints, work-life balance or monetary benefits, some might look to work for flexible working hours or projects with different challenges. Thankfully, in this day of rapid advancement in technology, the world has open doors for opportunities that were hitherto only dreams. Alternate career can rejuvenate us from the boredom of routine, whether pursued mainstream or in parallel with existing work. It certainly takes courage to change the course and venture into the unknown after spending years in our comfort zone. While it’s always an option to reskill with new talents and embark on a journey in a different field, I believe that pursuing a career in one’s own areas of interest yields better results. If given a second chance in career, it’s fun to do something that sparks your curiosity. Choosing an alternate career, despite its hitches, could be rewarding as well. Having a professional network of people in your field and seeking their help and support in initial stages will give a strong foothold. Not to forget about the availability of digital learning options which has bought the world closer and interactions much easier. It’s also easier to bank on your circle of family & friends who are acquainted on the subject. Though the metamorphosis is not easy, patience and persistence are the keys in nurturing something new. Starting an alternate career of your forte rekindles your mind and keeps your spirits alive. After all, it’s never too late to start over again. **About The author:**_Nithya Jagadish –_ _A commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry. Having handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard, I decided to take a break for a while. Now, a doting mother of a one year old child, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day._**(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)** Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Registered users are also eligible for our free online Soft Skills Training program. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Work Like A Woman Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-01-16 Tags: career break, Financial Independence, sabbaticals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, career woman, employment, career women, entrepreneurs, Financial empowerment, home makers URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![Work like a women](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/woek%20like%20a%20women-1621425684725-compressed.jpg) How often is a woman irrespective of her age, caste or creed asked ” But you are a woman. How can you do this? Or “ Are you sure you can do this”?  Well, The answer to that question is “ Yes I am a woman, and that’s why I choose to do this”. It’s been far too long that women are still trying to break glass ceilings and are constantly answerable to the society at large. This question has not escaped the rich, famous, influential women too. Leave alone the underprivileged strata. There are many roles that a woman essays as, a daughter, sister, wife, mother and she does so with much grace and élan. In fact, A woman is gifted with the art of multitasking and does a great job of balancing every aspect of her life. A day to day life demands physical, mental, and emotional strength to get through.  Yet, she often is made to crumble under the pressure of societal diktats. Unwritten rules that have no base or structure. It’s time to break the stereotypes of what career a woman should choose and what not. This seems to be the right time. A time to ignore and move away from anything and anyone that does not serve a higher purpose. And work towards realizing one’s own goals and dreams. Women have shown their worth in what was thought to be  unconventional career choices. Be it cricket, Boxing or defending our borders. From driving a tractor in the fields to driving taxis, nothing seems impossible. The type of career is by no means a barometer of why a woman cannot do it. A quote by a phenomenal woman Maya Angelo states that ,” **_A wise woman wishes to be no one’s enemy. A wise woman refuses to be anyone’s victim”._** A woman does not have to be a victim of the society and its thoughts.. She only has to “work like a woman” and the society will follow. **About the author:** _[](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Padmaja-Acharya-1-2.png)_ _Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from). A woman as created by the divine. An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession.  An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me._  (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Registered users are also eligible for our free online Soft Skills Training program. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## 8 Guru Mantras For The New Age Woman Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-01-11 Tags: career break, working moms, corporate employees, women empowerment, business women, career woman, Home maker, entrepreneurs, Employers, Freshers URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ![8-guru-mantras-for-the-new-age-woman](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/8-guru-mantras-for-the-new-age-woman-1621425774034-compressed.jpg) It’s been years since you left your job. Your kids are now in school and don’t need your constant time and attention. Your husband is settled in his job and progressing in his career. Where does that leave you?  In a state of transition of identity and self-confidence that affects a majority of women in late 20s, 30s and even 40s. It is a story of a lot of women as we settle down in our lives confining ourselves in bubbles of comfort not realizing this complacency will come back to bite us later in our lives. Read on to know how to break this bubble – 1. **Take care of your health.** While taking care of the entire family, husband and kids don’t ignore your own self. Only a fit person is able to live life to its fullest extent and being healthy leads to both physical and mental well-being. As women we are more prone to developing Diabetes, Cardio-vascular diseases as well as bone problems such as arthritis etc so keeping fit should not be a choice but a necessity. Go for a walk, exercise, do yoga or dance, do whatever you like but make it something which can’t be compromised. Healthy body leads to healthy mind and happy life. 1. **Eat healthy.** Make sure what goes inside the tummy is healthy. Be mindful of what you eat by making diet richer in calcium and proteins. Being a woman you need it more once you cross 30. When everything and everyone else is gone, all that is left is your body. Nurture it. 1. **Save money.** Try to choose a career of liking and earn your own money. Not only it instills self confidence but also helps in leading life on your own terms as well as may come handy during difficult times. Make it a point to save and invest as and when feasible. Save money and money will save you. 1. **Be independent.** Drive or use public transport, go to the market alone to shop, change the light bulb, open a bank account. Do as many things as possible on your own, minimize the dependency. If you haven’t done it before, start today. It’s never too late to learn something new.   1. **Spend time with your parents.** As we get busy taking care of our younger ones we forget that the ones who gave birth to us are also getting older. It is not the sole responsibility of son to take care of parents, don’t let anyone make you believe that. 1. **Take time out for your friends.** Family, relatives, and kids we manage to take out time for everyone except our own friends. Nurturing your own relationships is imperative. Whether you are 28 or 58, having a heart to heart talk and a hearty laugh go a long way in making a person happy. 1. **Nurture hobbies.** Don’t make others the focus of your life coz when they leave or grow up, you are left scrambling for meaning and purpose of life. Find solace and enjoyment in your own company and for that you need to nurture hobbies from a young age. Read, paint, stitch or knit, grow flowers, cook or click random pictures but do something each day which makes you happy. 1. **Be content with what you have.** ‘The secret of being happy in life is accepting where you are in life and making the most out of every day.’ We all have our own unique life stories with our own share of ups and downs, stop comparing. Try to find contentment in what you have. Someone will always have a bigger house, better car, more money, healthier body or fancier vacations but still be unsatisfied. When you think of it, very little is needed to lead a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.  Let these mantras not be a New Year resolution kind of thing, meant to be followed for a few days and then forgotten. Goals should be such that you are always inspired, moving forward and trying to progress. Give importance to yourself after all you are the lead performer in the story of your life. **About the author:** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Samta-Goel-profile-pic-1-2.png) _Dr Samta Mittal – Dentist by education, writer by passion. In my earlier avatar I taught budding dentists and published a book on my subject expertise. A ‘sabbatical’ from work reignited my dormant love for writing. Sometimes I do freelance writing for health/travel portals as well as blog for pleasure on social, cultural issues & other simple little things of life._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Registered users are also eligible for our free online Soft Skills Training program. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Are You a Financially Independent and Empowered Woman? Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-01-09 Tags: Financial Independence, corporate employees, Indian women, business women, career woman, Home maker, entrepreneurs, Financial empowerment, Employers URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null #### You are a financially independent woman, but are you empowered to take money decisions at home? Sheena is a marketing head at an MNC in Gurgaon. Her take-home salary is around Rs 1 lakh per month. She is well-settled with her husband and one son. She loves indulging in the latest fashion wear and shoes. On the 3rd of every month when her salary gets credited, she goes on a shopping spree. She is also responsible for day-to-day budget management of her home – how much to pay to the maids, milkman, and so forth. However, if you ask how much she saves or invests, she has no clue. Her answer is, “Oh, my husband takes care of this stuff.” Is she financially independent in the real sense? No, she isn’t. In most families, it is the man of the house who is entrusted with the responsibility of key money matters. There is no issue with the husband, father, son or brother taking charge of financial decisions. It is not about not trusting the man of the house. It is not about feminism either. The question is why women don’t take the financial matters into their hands? There could be plenty of reasons: * It is deep-rooted in our minds that men should do all money management in the house. * Women don’t have the confidence to take independent financial decisions. * Women lack awareness about how savings and investments work. * Women don’t want to bear the additional burden of finances when she is already juggling between house, job and family. * There is a general notion that men’s brains work faster and smarter on money-related matters. Whatever her reason may be, a woman who brings income to the house, willingly or unwillingly may not participate in the financial discussions. Life is uncertain – you never know when a tragedy will strike. To the point of being brutally blunt, have you ever pictured a situation where a divorce or partner’s death can leave you in financial tatters? Of course, emotional and physical havoc apart. The realities of life are harsh. Suddenly, you may be faced with situations where you are required to handle all financial issues on your own. So, ditch your rose-tinted glasses and be practical. Take charge of personal finance and be prepared to face any unforeseen financial eventualities. There are plenty of online and offline resources which can introduce you to money management concepts. You can even reach out to a professional advisor. In fact, you have a mentor (man of the house!) at home itself. Why not begin your financial education from there? Find out from your mentor how and where the family investments have been made, where all physical and electronic documents are stored, and what the future investment plans are. This is your first step towards financial empowerment in the real sense. No matter how many times you are ridiculed for taking your time to grasp the concepts, don’t give up. Remember, there is a learning curve for everything. Financial independence gives you a sense of self-worth, but financial decision making is about accumulating confidence and safeguarding yourself from contingencies. **About the author:**  [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Smita-Agrawal-Omar-2.jpg) _Smita Agrawal Omar – An ex banker, who voluntary said adiós to a high flying career to dive into motherhood. When she is not busy juggling between a naughty kiddo and a foodie husband, you can find her donning the hat of a freelance content writer and reading fiction novels to keep her sanity intact. She is a city editor at www.mycity4kids.com and also associated as a wordsmith with various other platforms._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Registered users are also eligible for our free online Soft Skills Training program. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Sabbatical – A Pause & Resume Mode of Career Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-01-05 Tags: career break, Careerbreak, sabbaticals, working moms, corporate employees, Indian women, women empowerment, career woman, entrepreneurs, part time jobs, women URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null #### **_If you get tired learn to rest, not to quit._** Sabbatical is quite an alarming term in every women’s career. Women often opt for it to make their personal transition smoother. I have a decent number of friends in my circle who neither want to give up their career at any cost nor willing to take any break and to my surprise their opinion about sabbatical is more or less similar “I will be outdated and I wouldn’t get any opportunities after this”. Their outlook towards sabbatical is a mirage that has been created over years. While drafting this post I was collecting stories of non-Celebrity woman with successful comeback post hiatus who can inspire you and keep your spirits alive. But I couldn’t prevent myself telling you about **[Sudha Murthy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudha_Murthy) & [Mary Kom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Kom).** I know you all might have read about them. **If you see them through my eyes then you would really find them distinct from other high profile woman.**                                                                           **[Sudha Murthy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudha_Murthy)**  [![Smiling Mrs Sudha Murthy the legend standing in the garden ](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Sudha_Murthy_the_legend-By-Sunainags-Own-work-CC-BY-SA-4.0-httpscommons.wikimedia.orgwindex.phpcurid62206266.jpg)](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Sudha_Murthy_the_legend-By-Sunainags-Own-work-CC-BY-SA-4.0-httpscommons.wikimedia.orgwindex.phpcurid62206266.jpg) Image Courtesy: By Sunainags, commons.wikimedia.org First Female Engineer at TELCO, Computer Scientist and Coder during initial days of Infosys. I read it somewhere that at a point Narayana Murthy told her that either of the two should take care of their start up and other should maintain their family. With a heavy heart she stepped out and shouldered responsibilities of her family. She never took foot prints of her spouse and his organization even after Infosys created a identity globally. She rediscovered herself as a Philanthropist and a successful writer.                                                                               **[Mary Kom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Kom)** [![Mary Kom](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Mary_Kom-By-British-High-Commission-India-UKinIndia-OGL-httpscommons.wikimedia.orgwindex.phpcurid20574945-2-1024x805.jpg)](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Mary_Kom-By-British-High-Commission-India-UKinIndia-OGL-httpscommons.wikimedia.orgwindex.phpcurid20574945-2.jpg) Image Courtesy: British High Commission, India, commons.wikimedia.org She hails from North East Indian Farmer Family. Boxing is everything since her childhood days. In midst she married her man of destiny, delivered a twin took sabbatical post partum. Came back worked rigorously to chase her dream. Now she is a founder of Mary Kom foundation to support athletes across our nation. The simple success mantra that unites both is **“Fueling the Fire of chasing your dreams”.** Cherish every moment and a pause in your career is definitely not a hurdle to reach your destination. Do you want to experience a ‘Me Time’? Few months off from team meetings, onsite calls, deadlines, sitting lethargically in Couch after bidding bye to your loved ones, cooking a complete meal for your family and serving it with Love. Then what are you waiting for? Just go-ahead plan your sabbatical and energize yourself with all positive energies, come back and we shall conquer this world. Stay tuned  for more successful comeback stories of women among us. **About the author:**  _**Meenakshi Chandrasekaran** – I was writing large lines of codes before my Little Gal happened to me. An avid reader, i spend most of my time in front of books and laptop. Being a first time mom bringing up my girl helped me to gain more knowledge on every stage of parenting so i just wanted to pen down my experience to be able to read it again and again to relive those moments. Other leisure time activities include experimenting in my kitchen, crafts and gardening._ (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Registered users are also eligible for our free online Soft Skills Training program. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. --- ## Believe in Yourself – Build Your Self Confidence Author: HerSecond Innings Published: 2018-01-02 Tags: Positive Thinking, Careerbreak, sabbaticals, working moms, corporate employees, women empowerment, business women, career woman, Home maker, entrepreneurs, Selfconfidence, Goal setting, Competance URL: https://blog.gxhub.online/null ###### ![Believe Yourself](https://superblog.supercdn.cloud/site_cuid_ckox4gyg6001el8lhc2jchw7o/images/belive%20yourself-1621426048214-compressed.jpg) #### **” The best way to gain self confidence is to do, what you are afraid to do” – Swati Sharma** Born to a nuclear family and then married into a joint family 21 years ago, my life has always revolved around my folks. Initially, I was happy being married and the new and exciting life did not give me any opportunity to get bored, the result being that I never felt like taking up a career. After a few years, when I started getting fed up of my daily routine and thought of doing something constructive with my life, one of the things that held me back from pursuing the thought was fear of failure. Basically, I understood that I lacked the self confidence that I needed to overcome that fear. This is something which I am sure most of us have dealt with at some point in life. The main question is – how to gain that much needed self confidence? Personally, I have worked on a few ways to beat that fear and that in turn has helped me to achieve that confidence. Below, I am sharing a few tips which have helped me in pursuing my passion and hopefully these tips will help the readers too – * **Think Positive** – The first and foremost thing that I firmly believe in is Positivity. A few years ago, I decided to start replacing my negative thoughts by positive ones. When I started writing, the laziness from years of doing nothing at all used to pull me back, every now and then. I used to tell myself that would writing stories really help me or is it just a waste of time. I knew that these thoughts were polluting my mind and I decided to throw them away from within me and replaced all those thoughts with pure, fresh and positive ones. * **Be Prepared** – Like a student goes for an exam well prepared, similarly if we are prepared for any task at hand, we will naturally have the required self confidence. And that confidence will take us miles ahead in our career. A thorough research of whatever you wish to take up, is extremely necessary for you to go through the task with confidence. * **Increase Competence** – How does one feel more competent? By becoming more competent. And this, you achieve by practice. Like I aspire to become a good writer, I started by writing small blogs, short stories etc and then slowly increased my work. I am sure I would not have been able to bring my career so far if I would have decided to take up professional writing in the very beginning. * **Set Goals** – People often make a mistake of shooting for the moon, and then if they fail, they get discouraged. Instead, one should set up an achievable target and then if that is achieved, a higher goal can be set. The achievement of smaller goals will help you in preparing yourself for the higher ones. * **Be Happy** – Always remember to feel happy and keep smiling in all situations. A smiling face shows your self confidence to other people. They understand that you know what you are doing and are surely good at it, which in turn is keeping you happy. So remember to smile always and spread the happiness and cheer around. I have always abided by these rules and have benefitted from them tremendously. These tips have really helped me in becoming the person that I am today i.e. confident and happy. **About the Author:** [](http://hersecondinnings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Anuradha-Kapoor.jpg) _Anuradha Kapoor – a freelance author, blogger, content writer, script writer, editor and proof reader. I am one of the top bloggers on mycity4kids and have written blogs for various brands for them. For eg. Dabur Chywanprash, Surf Excel, Mirinda, Quaker Oats, HP Printers etc. I recently published my first ebook on Amazon, titled ‘Love Conquers All’. I have written short stories and episode stories for the ‘Potboiler App’. Hope to keep you all entertained through my stories and blogs._ ##### (The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.) Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent [Sign up](http://hersecondinnings.com/) with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at [support@hersecondinnings.com](mailto:support@hersecondinnings.com) after completing your registration formalities, and our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you. Registered users are also eligible for our free online Soft Skills Training program. Disclaimer: “This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.” \[wbcr\_php\_snippet id=”506″\] --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---