How to Prepare Kids for New School Rules

In less than two weeks, my girls will be back to school following a hybrid model. It’s nerve-wracking, to say the least. I realized that if I am feeling this anxiety about what this new school year will look like, then I am sure my girls are also worried. Especially when you consider all the new school rules. Here is what I am doing to ease their fears and prepare my kids for new school rules due to COVID.

Wear Masks Now

I wrote a blog recently about how to prepare your kids for wearing masks to school. My main tip was to start wearing masks now. I cannot emphasize this enough. Don’t leave mask enforcement up to the teachers. See my blog Preparing Your Child to Wear a Mask at School for tips.

Demonstrate Social Distancing

Let’s be honest. Social distancing is hard – even for adults. When kids get to see their friends in the classroom after being apart since March, it is going to be extremely hard to practice social distancing. Take time to demonstrate what social distancing with friends looks like, such as not hugging, sharing, or whispering. (it’s pretty sad to actually write those examples though.)

Teach Healthy Habits

Talk to your kids about the importance of healthy habits, like washing their hands and sneezing or coughing into their arms. Go ahead and purchase mini hand sanitizers they can keep in their bookbags and cubbies. We’ve also started having our girls sanitize their hands every time they enter a vehicle after being in a public space and plan to stress this rule when it comes to school.

Talk to Them About What to Expect

You absolutely must talk to your kids about what to expect. If they show up to the school to see plexiglass dividers around desks and no toys lying around, they will be heartbroken. Instead, spend time talking about the differences they should expect and do so in a positive way. A psychologist from Boston Children’s Hospital suggests talking about things like: “What will the classroom look like? What will lunch and recess be like? What extracurricular activities or clubs will your child have or not have? How will they access extra supports, like tutoring or counseling? Walking through the specifics can give your kids something concrete to hold onto.”

Start Screening for Symptoms

Most schools are implementing some sort of screening for students. Whether you will be responsible for taking temperatures or your child’s school, it is a good idea to start screening for symptoms now. If kids are used to doing it at home, then they will be more prepared and unafraid at school.

Explain the Risks

It’s also important to explain the risks of COVID-19 to kids in a language they can understand. They need to know why these new school rules are in place so they will be more inclined to follow them.

Keep Your Opinions to Yourself

Lastly, keep your opinions to yourself. It’s not going to be perfect. And there will be plenty of times when things do not go according to plan. But, keep your frustrations and opinions to yourself and avoiding spewing your feelings to your child. This will only make kids feel more anxious about school.

What other tips do you have for the upcoming school year? Let me know in the comments!

10 Tips for Exercising on the Reg

With gyms still under many restrictions, it is easy to let your healthy exercise regiment slide. Even without a pandemic, we’ve all been there. Sometimes it is hard to find the time and the motivation to do our workouts. But regular exercise is so important for our overall well-being! Today, I’m sharing 10 of my favorite tips for exercising on the reg. No more excuses!

1. Allow Someone to Hold You Accountable

Accountability is so important when it comes to exercise. Simply telling your partner that you plan to exercise in the morning is a great way to make yourself actually get up and moving when the alarm rings. If you think your spouse will not be the best accountability partner, there are apps you can use. Check out Bare Minerals 6 Fitness Apps to Keep You Accountable & Motivated.

2. Work Out with a Friend

Not only is working out with a friend fun, but it is also a great way to build stamina. You will strive to match your friend step for step or move for move. If you are social distancing, Peloton allows you to work out with friends.

3. Use an App for Reminders

Don’t forget to exercise by setting phone reminders. You can take it to the next level by downloading the app Workout Plan, which allows you to create a fitness schedule and sends you reminders.

4. Do What You Love

My favorite tip for exercising on the reg is to do what you love. It really is that simple. If you love going on morning runs, taking dance classes, or going to CycleBar, you are much more likely to do it. It won’t feel like a chore you dread – it will be something you look forward to doing.

5. Create a Playlist

Good music makes you want to move. Trust me – it’s scientific. According to Science Daily, “A new study has shown that listening to high-tempo music increases the benefits of exercise for physical fitness and reduces the perceived effort involved.”

6. Reward Yourself

After working out consistently, treat yourself to something nice. Now, I don’t mean heading to Starbucks to get a giant sugar-calorie-filled iced coffee. I mean, treat yourself to a manicure or a new pair of yoga pants.

7. Track Your Progress

It’s important to track your progress because it helps you discover what works and what doesn’t. There are tons of workout tracking apps available. Check out Lifewire’s 10 Best Workout Log Apps of 2020 for iOS and Android.

8. Follow Encouraging Fitness Accounts

When it comes to who you follow on social media, you want to stick with those people who encourage you. Of course, there are some accounts that are unhealthy to follow, but I love Women’s Health list of the 33 Best Fitness Instagram Accounts To Follow For Major Motivation.

9. Cheer Yourself On

Be your own cheerleader. When you start to get tired, cheer yourself on. Remind yourself that you are strong and capable. It may feel weird at first, but positive self-talk has been proven to change our mindsets.

10. Fit in Quick Fitness

One of the main reasons I miss a workout is because I don’t have enough time. But now I have learned to fit in quick fitness whenever and wherever I can. For example, HIIT workouts are all the rage right now. These are high-intensity interval training exercises that are around 20 minutes. Do a quick search on YouTube and you will find tons!

Share your best tips for keeping up with workouts in the comments!

Moms, Stop Carrying the Weight of the World on Your Shoulders

If 2020 has left you feeling even more overwhelmed as a mom than usual, you are not alone. Our new normal has been incredibly difficult for women – especially moms. Moms are being asked to be moms, employees, and teachers all at the same time.

According to CNBC, “In fact, 74% of U.S. mothers say they feel mentally worse since the pandemic began. […] The report, which gathered responses from more than 3,000 millennial moms between March 9 and April 23, found that 97% of moms between the ages of 24 and 39 say they feel burned out at least some of the time, with the pandemic only making things worse.”

Moms were already used to doing more than their fair share, but the pandemic has exacerbated it to an unhealthy degree. We cannot keep carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders. We have to find ways to release our grip and ask for help.

The Mom Mental Load

Even if you don’t know what the mom mental load is, you’ve likely been carrying around your own. Slate explains, “Sometimes called the ‘third shift’—following your first shift at work and the dinner-and-homework shift once you get home—it is the planning, scheduling, negotiating and problem-solving work that goes into running the business of your family. The mental load is the behind-the-scenes work that makes anyone in your family showing up to anything (dentist appointments, volunteer shifts, play dates, child’s birthday party) on time, properly dressed and if necessary, with gift in hand, possible.”

As natural caregivers, moms tend to be the ones that do most of the caring – meaning we are the ones who care about the way the house looks, how our kids are dressed, if they are healthy and happy, who gets which present, and so on. We fill out the school forms, talk to teachers, and arrange carpools. We schedule well visits and dental cleanings. We go Christmas shopping and birthday shopping.

It. Is. Exhausting.

And that was BEFORE the pandemic.

How to Stop Being the Family Micromanager

If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that we are resilient. We do not need to micromanage everything in our homes or have jam-packed family schedules. Here are some things you can do to decrease the weight of your mom mental load.

• Share the load. It’s time to ask for help. You do not have to carry the entire load yourself. If you are married, ask your partner to help you. Point out some of the things that take up brain space and ask him to take over, such as scheduling doctor’s appointments.

• Let go of perfect. If you don’t get the dishes done, your family will survive. Let go of having a perfectly cleaned home. Your mental health is a bigger priority than dusting the blinds.

• Stop comparing. There will always be another mom who seems like she can do more than you or is more capable than you. So what? Stop comparing yourself to other moms and focus on making your home a place your kids want to be (and all that requires is your love and attention).

• Release some control. Sometimes, moms are responsible for the weight on their shoulders because they can’t release control. For example, maybe you fold the laundry because your spouse doesn’t fold the way you like. Does that really matter in the long run?

• Know your limits. Learn to recognize your limitations. If you are verging into unhealthy territory (such as not sleeping), it’s time to assess and see what part of the load you need to drop.

Preparing Your Child to Wear a Mask at School

For many moms, our kids have been at home with us throughout the spring and summer, which means they haven’t had to wear a face mask for an extended period of time. But this will all change once school starts back up since many schools are requiring masks. This is just one of many changes we can anticipate for the upcoming school year. Fortunately, pediatricians, counselors, and teachers have all come up with great tips to make it easier for kids to wear masks at school.

Talk About Why Masks are Important

First, you need to explain why they have to wear a mask. Kids know this is different from the past, so you need to explain why this new rule is in effect in an age-appropriate way. For example, explain that wearing a mask is something we are doing for safety like how we wear seat belts in the car.

Childrens.com explains, “COVID-19 spreads mainly from person-to-person through respiratory droplets from coughing, sneezing or talking. A cloth face covering acts as a barrier to help prevent the spread of those respiratory droplets […] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 2 years and older wear a cloth face covering, with the exception of anyone who has trouble breathing or is unable to remove their mask without assistance.”

Practice Wearing One Starting Now

Don’t wait until the first day of school to start having your kid wear a mask for a long period of time. Start practicing wearing a mask for long periods of time now. A good trick – have your child wear a mask anytime she uses a screen. Trust me, their love for screen time will quickly trump their hate of wearing a mask.

Play Pretend

Another way to encourage your kids to wear a mask at school is to let them play pretend. Allow your kids to put masks on their stuffed animals and dolls. Pretend to go to school and act out wearing a mask in class. This is also a good opportunity to demonstrate how to put on and take off masks. Your child may also like explaining to her toys why wearing a mask is important.

Have Family Members Model Mask Wearing

The best way to teach your child how to wear a mask is to wear one yourself. Kids will notice if you fail to wear a mask in public and will be ready to question why they have to wear one to school and you don’t. In addition to modeling it yourself, ask some of your other adult family members to model their masks for your kids. For instance, ask grandparents, aunts, and uncles to send photos or videos of them wearing their masks.

Allow Your Child to Choose the Mask

At this point, there are tons of masks options available. Let your kid pick out a mask pattern that she likes, and she will be more likely to wear it. Who knows? Mask fashion may be a real thing for students in schools and kids may want to have a “cool” mask like they want a “cool” backpack.

Get the Right Size and Fit

Last but not least, make sure you get a mask that is the right size and fit. If the mask doesn’t fit, your child will be uncomfortable, and it will make wearing it for long periods even worse. You may want to invest in some mask toggles that allow you to adjust the masks behind kid’s ears to fit them comfortably.

What tips do you suggest?

How to Deal with Self-Doubt as a Mom

As much as I can appear on social media to have it all together, I struggle with self-doubt just like any other mom. I think the world has set women up to doubt themselves – mothers, especially. According to Psychology, “Self-doubt has  been  defined  as  uncertainty  about one’s abilities, potential for success, or competence in performance situations.”

How many times have you questioned your abilities as a mom? But, even though it is common, it doesn’t mean we should just accept it. Self-doubt is unhealthy and can actually make it harder for us to succeed.

Here are the 6 things I am trying to do when self-doubt starts nagging.

1. Treat Yourself Like a Friend

Be honest with yourself. You are much harder on yourself than you would ever be to one of your friends. You say things to the face in the mirror that you would never utter aloud to someone you care about. When you start to think bad thoughts about yourself, try practicing self-compassion instead. If you wouldn’t say it to a friend, then don’t say it to yourself.

2. Change Your Thought Pattern

Along those same lines, you need to change your thought pattern. If you tend to think negatively (especially about yourself and your abilities), you need to stop. When those thoughts cross your mind, don’t let yourself go there. Instead, change your train of thought and don’t dwell on the negativity.

3. Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

A huge problem for moms is that we spend way too much time comparing ourselves to other moms. The comparison trap leads to self-doubt. Speaking of comparing yourself, don’t compare your mothering to someone else’s highlight reel (as seen on social media). Instead of focusing on what someone else does better, remind yourself what you do well.

4. Get to the Root of It

I think it is important for you to get to the root of the issue, too. There are times when it is important to think about why you may be feeling the way you are. Is this an ongoing feeling or something new in this season of life? Could you just be hungry or tired? Is it something you need to talk to a therapist about?

5. Surround Yourself with Positivity

Negative thinking is contagious. If you spend time talking with negative people, it won’t be long until you start thinking negatively, too. In the same way, if you are listening or reading negative things, then your mind is going to be full of negativity. Instead, surround yourself with positive people and ideas.

6. Be Proud (But Not Prideful)

One more thing. Women are taught to be modest, but too often, that means not acknowledging our accomplishments. We’ve all done something that we are proud of. Own it. Hang that certificate on your wall. When thoughts of self-doubt start trickling in, remember what you have accomplished. Begin with the basics – you’ve kept your kids alive. Good job, Mom!

Healthy Teeth – What to Pack in Kids’ Lunchboxes

If your kids are heading back to school in any capacity this school year, you are likely feeling anxious. One issue that is apparently keeping parents awake at night is school lunches. We already know that our school cafeterias will be shuttered, and many kids will be eating in their classrooms according to the new CDC guidelines. This means cafeteria meals will be delivered to our kids’ classrooms at lunch time. Whether or not you are a fan of school cafeteria food before, this year you may be feeling a little more hesitant.

According to The Grocer, “Our research shows 57.3% of parents of school-aged children are now more inclined to give their kids lunches packed at home to avoid the risk of contamination and have more control over what their children are eating.”

However, many parents don’t know how to pack a good lunch for their kids. And even more, parents don’t know what types of food are good for their teeth. I mean, we all know sugar is bad for their teeth, but we still pack their lunchboxes with pre-packaged foods that are full of sugar. I’m guilty of this one myself.

The Grocer claims, “A 2016 University of Leeds study that found just 1.6% of kids’ packed lunches meet the nutritional standards set for food served in school canteens. It revealed just 17% of children’s packed lunches contained vegetables and 52% featured more than the recommended number of sweet snacks.”

Only 1.6% of kids’ packed lunches meet nutritional standards. Yikes! If you are guilty of just tossing in whatever pre-packaged food makes your mornings easier, here are some foods you should pack in kids’ lunchboxes instead.

Crunchy Veggies

Did you know that crunchy veggies work like toothbrushes for your kids’ teeth? It’s true! Since you have to chew more to eat these veggies, you produce more saliva. This helps you wash away food particles and bacteria on the teeth. So, throw some carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, broccoli, and celery in the lunchbox.

Crisp Fruit

Along these same lines, crisp fruits like apples, also help you produce more saliva. Along with the chewing, their natural water helps to clean the teeth. Plus, sweet fruits like strawberries are a great alternative to sugary snacks and treats. Add some yogurt, which is high in calcium and great for your child’s teeth, to help them embrace fruit as dessert.

Yummy Cheese

Kids love cheese, so this is an easy one for parents. Cheese is high in calcium and phosphorous, so it helps your kids have strong teeth. Plus, parents don’t have to worry about spreading germs since it tends to be pre-packaged.

Water

Finally, go ahead and invest in some reusable water bottles for your kids this school year. Not only will they keep your kid from exposing themselves to germs at the school water fountain, but water is the healthiest thing for their teeth.

What do you pack in your kids’ lunches?

The COVID-19 School Supply List You Really Need

At this point, we all know the 2020-2021 school year will be different. If you have decided to send your school to kids this year, your school supply list is probably a bit longer. This is because classrooms are no longer allowed to have communal supplies, so your kids will need their own pencils, crayons, markers, etc. But, in addition to the basic supplies they need for learning, there are 10 additional supplies every parent should consider purchasing for this COVID-19 school year.

1. Masks

Many schools are required students to wear masks, if not for the full day then at least during class transitions. Now is the time to stock up on kid’s face masks. Even if you have reusable face masks that can be washed, it is wise to have several. We know our kids are going to lose them or mess them up, so you might as well always have an extra mask on hand. Target and Old Navy are selling cheap face masks for kids. Crayola is also selling packs of masks for each day of the school week.

2. Mask Accessories

It is also a good idea to some mask accessories to make mask wearing easier for little ones. For example, many people like mask extenders because it allows them to wear a mask without it resting behind their ear too long. Additionally, you can purchase mask toggles that allow you to shorten the length of the mask cord to fit small faces. Finally, it is wise to purchase some lanyards for kids to wear that they can clip their masks on, so they don’t get lost or dirty at school.

3. Hand Sanitizer

Keep hand sanitizer on hand – in your vehicle, your purse, and your house. And get kid-friendly hand sanitizer holders that they can attach to their book bags. Bath and Body Works has cute ones for kids.

4. Pencil Box

Since kids are not allowed to share school supplies, get them a cool pencil box just for their personal supplies.

5. Household Cleaning Products

Stock up on disinfectant wipes and Lysol spray. You are going to use it more this year than ever before. Don’t forget – when the coronavirus first made it to the U.S., these products sold out. Get them while they are readily available.

6. Reusable Water Bottle

Kids should not be sharing drinks and drinking from the school water fountain isn’t a good idea either. Instead, invest in a quality reusable water bottle with a design your kid loves. It is probably better to get more than one - because kids.

7. Forehead Thermometer

Many schools are requiring parents to take their kids' temperatures each morning before school. This is where a forehead thermometer will come in handy. Keep it by wherever you keep your car keys.

8. Device Sterilizer

Remember when your kid was a baby and you had a fancy sterilizer for bottles? Well, you need a new one. There are several different device sanitizers available for sanitizing cell phones, keys, and other things your kid may bring home from school.

9. A Computer

Yes, you signed up for your kid to go to school. But for many parents, this also includes some virtual school days. Even those planning to go to school five days a week will face the possibility of returning to virtual learning if there are COVID-19 cases in their school. That’s why this is the year to go ahead and invest in a computer.

10. Noise-Canceling Headphones

Along those same lines, get some good headphones for your kid to do their virtual schooling without distractions in the home. While you’re at it, pick yourself up a pair, too. Every mom who survived quarantine deserves a nice pair of noise-canceling headphones.

Are You Wearing the Right Size Bra?

After months are not wearing a bra, women across America are begrudgingly putting a bra back on as they head back to work. And many are surprised by how uncomfortable their bras fit. But, what if the problem isn’t the bras but rather that women are wearing the wrong size bras? Statistics suggest that 80% of women are wearing the wrong size bra. No wonder they are so uncomfortable!

Your True Bra Size May Shock You

The truth is many women have an idea about bra sizes, but they are often wrong. For example, many women assume a C cup is big and an A cup is small. As Wirecutter explains, “When trying on sports bras, one of our testers was surprised to find that a 34JJ bra fit much better than the 40H they thought would fit—that’s a difference of two band and cup sizes.”

Moreover, women tend to get one bra size stuck in their heads and that is what they always wear, but just like clothes sizing, it varies from brand to brand. Women should pick the bra by how it fits rather than the size.

How to Tell If Your Bra Fits Correctly

Sometimes women get stuck wearing their same everyday bra until it falls apart. Imagine how awful that would be if that every day didn’t even fit correctly? Instead, you want to make sure your go-to bra fits you correctly and comfortably. Use these bra fitting tips as a guide:

• Your bra band should fit snuggly but comfortably on the loosest setting. As the bra stretches over time, you need to be able to tighten it. If you can stretch the band far from your back, you need to go down a band size.

• The band should not ride up. It should stay in place even when you lift your arms.

• The straps should not dig in or fall off your shoulders.

• Wirecutter says, “For underwire bras, the gore (the center piece joining the two cups) should lie flat on the center of your chest. If it’s floating off your body, your bra may be either too big or too small (you can look for other fit signs to determine whether to size up or down), or you may just need to try a different style or brand.”

• As far as the cups, you shouldn’t be spilling out. That means the cup size is too small. In contrast, gaping or wrinkling is a sign the cup size is too big.

For the Best Fit, Get a Professional Fitting

So, let’s say you haven’t had a bra fitting in more than a decade or since before you had kids. It’s time. As breastfeeding mothers are well aware, your boobs do change. That means your bra size changes, too. This means you need to get a professional bra fitting done. I know many women think this is a form of torture, but bra fittings have evolved from the days when a Victoria’s Secret fitter would measure you with measuring tape.

Recently, I had a professional fitting at Soma. And my mind was blown. Soma uses a smart bra to accurately find your bra size. Real Simple explains, “[The] new SOMAINNOFIT new smart bra uses copper fibers that connect to Bluetooth technology that then sync to a smartphone app, giving you specific measurements all while you’re wearing the bra.” Upon entering the fitting room, I was given a SOMAINNOFIT bra. Once I had the bra on, the bra fitter scanned the tag at the back with her mobile device to find my perfect size.

If you don’t have a Soma store near you, you can order a bra and measure yourself at home. Additionally, online stores such as Third Love, offer online tools like a Fit Finder to help you find the right bra for the size and shape of your breasts.

Are Your Kids Bored Yet? How to Stop Their Complaints.

School hasn’t even been out that long, and the kids are already started to whine and complain of boredom. I know they are spending more time than usual at home, but enough is enough. My job is not to be their full-time entertaining cruise director, but if I allow them to think I am the one responsible for preventing boredom, then they will think it is my job! No more.

Plus, experts even suggest boredom is good for our kids. Dr. Dibya Choudhuri, a professor with the counseling program at Eastern Michigan University explains, “It is a normal human emotion. To try to prevent children from ever experiencing it is probably unhealthy.”

So, from now on, I’m letting my kids be bored. All I am doing is offering the following five suggestions when kids complain of boredom.

Send Them Outside

I’ve found the best cure for boredom is to send my kids outside. We’ve got a swing set and a yard where they are free to run around and free. Whether they are pretending to be princesses or pirates, or they spend time searching for bugs, they are keeping their minds occupied and getting a healthy dose of Vitamin D. This summer, we also invested in an inflatable water slide that keeps them happy and entertained for hours.

Encourage Them to Use Their Imaginations

While my role is not to entertain my kids, I do think I have a responsibility to provide them with objects that encourage their imagination. That’s why we keep musical instruments, craft supplies, costumes, and coloring stuff in our house. When the kids say they are bored, I encourage them to find something to do that requires their imagination. They put on plays, draw beautiful pictures, and build amazing Play-Doh structures.

Have Them Help Around the House

Let’s not forget about the classic – If you’re bored, you can help out around the house! When my girls are whining about how bored they are, I like to remind me that they still haven’t completed their daily chores and that now is a good time to get started. While they don’t always rush to start their chores, they do stop complaining about boredom.

Suggest They Work on Something for School

Now, I know the idea of suggesting your kids work on something for school sounds like a joke but hear me out. They have been out of school forever because of the coronavirus! You might be surprised that they don’t mind doing a little ABC Mouse or completing something in a workbook. If that fails, there is always summer reading!

Remind Me to Think of Others

Lastly, if your kids are bored, it is the perfect opportunity to encourage them to do something nice for someone else. When my girls are bored, I often suggest they do something nice for a specific person (like Dad or the neighbor). They’ve drawn homemade cards, picked flowers, and done someone else’s chore.

Ways to Boost Your Career Post COVID-19

Where do you want to be professionally in a post COVID-19 world? According to CNBC, “Young workers, those with lower levels of formal education, Hispanic and Asian women, and minority workers more broadly, are among the demographic groups hardest hit by the tens of millions of job losses generated by the COVID pandemic.” Many of these women and others like them have lost their jobs or have had their hours and earnings significantly cut back.

What this means is that many women are going to be looking for new jobs after this is all over. Since there will be many people competing for jobs, it is important for women to do all they can to boost their career opportunities post COVID-19. Here are five things you can start doing today to better your career tomorrow.

Update Your Resume

The first thing you want to do is update your resume. Unfortunately, many of us don’t update our resumes regularly and just wait to update them until we are looking for a new job. When we do it this way, we forget about the many things we have accomplished. That’s why experts recommend regularly updating your resume. For example, the next time you complete a big project, add it to your resume instead of waiting. Plus, it is important to update your resume with your current career goals in mind. Your resume should highlight the skills and experiences that will help you land the career you want in a post-COVID world. And don’t forget to update your resume on LinkedIn!

Learn Something New

If you are hoping to move up the ladder in your current career or move into a new career, then it is wise to learn something new that applies to the job you want. Fortunately, this is easier than ever before. You can enroll in a wide variety of free or paid online courses that can teach you hard or soft skills that are beneficial to your career. Check out Udemy or LinkedIn Learning to see what is available in your field.

Find a Mentor and Return the Favor

It’s hard to ask for help. But if you have a mentor, it is much easier to get help. That’s because the whole purpose of having a mentor is having someone who can guide you towards career growth. Sometimes you learn just by watching them. If your current workplace does not offer a mentoring program, then find one on your own. Find someone who is a bit ahead of you and ask if you can take the person out to lunch to get some career advice.

Then, return the favor. Being a mentor to someone just entering the workforce will not only make you feel good, but it will also help you grow. You’ll be surprised by how much you learn about yourself and your career by sharing your experiences with someone else.

Use Social Media for Networking

Facebook was founded as a social networking site. The keyword here is networking. With so many social media sites today, we tend to forget the initial intended purpose was for networking. When it comes to boosting your career, social media is a great tool for networking. Make sure your social media is professional and then start connecting with others in your industry. If you haven’t started networking on LinkedIn, now’s the time to start!

Digitize Your Professional Materials

You seldom send out paper resumes nowadays. Instead, it is important to make sure you digitized your professional materials. Since so much job searching, recruiting, and interviewing is done online, it is wise to have a file dedicated to your professional materials. This means creating a file that contains your updated resume, cover letter, and portfolio that you can easily access and send to potential employers. Depending on your career, you may want to create a website for these types of materials that you can easily link to when applying for jobs.