How do you accept help?  Last month we had our annual holiday department luncheon.  I had organized the entire event because I want it to be somewhat of a surprise to my department.  The food, the decorations, even the holiday movie trivia game this year was a surprise to everyone.  It gives me such joy to see everyone arrive in the meeting room and smell the smells of whatever meal I have ordered for them and take in the sights and sounds of the winter wonderland that I have created for them.  During the luncheon I will walk around making sure that everyone has what they need.  A refill of a side dish or a slice of dessert, whatever it takes to make my department feel that they are thought of and well taken care of. 

After the party was over, I was asked if I needed help.  Of course my reply was “no”.  I wanted the experience to continue for the rest of the afternoon and to me helping clean up would break the “caring” feeling that I was trying so hard to evoke.  Several people asked a couple of times if they could help me with the clean up and I continued to answer with “no thank you”.

Later in the afternoon I began to think about how I would feel if I really wanted to help someone who had just given of themselves and I was not allowed to.  It made me think about another time when I had said no thanks to help from a friend I had years ago.  This very good and wise friend had said to me that by not allowing anyone to help me, I was not letting (I believe the word she used was “robbing”) others to feel the same joy.  Ouch!!!

In my many years of Admining, I have experienced that a good portion of Administrative Professionals are hardcore people pleasers!!!  I am a people pleaser who always wants to do for others.  But if it would “please” others to help me, am I truly a people “pleaser”?

Thank you Beth, (my good and wise friend from years ago) and Kristin (my good and wise friend and co-worker from this holiday department luncheon), for reminding me to allow others to help me.  I do not ever want to be accused again of robbing others of joy. 

How do you take help?  Are you a robber or a receiver? Please let us know in the comments below.

Jackie

A few weekends ago I was a proctor for the SSAT test.  This is a test that students take who wish to enter into a private school such as Lake Forest Academy where I work.  Believe it or not, we administer this test every month and usually have a houseful of students taking it.  We have repeats who are looking to achieve a better score, and new students not sure of what the exam entails.

Some of the students looked very nervous and anxious while others looked cool, calm and collected.  It made me think about how we, as Administrative Professionals, are often “tested” and how we “look” when we are.

Now of course I do not mean “tested” as in sitting for an exam.  I mean “tested” within our daily work life or even our home life.  How prepared are we?  Do we perform nervously or anxiously, or are we cool, calm and collected?  Here are some tips to look cool, calm and collected when you are being “tested”.

1. Stop judging yourself.  When I am under pressure, I tend to talk to myself.  Many times I will catch myself chattering negatively.  Stop it!  This will continue to put undo pressure on yourself.  Do yourself a favor and quiet your negative chatter.  Consciously choose to change the chatter to positive thoughts.  Positive thoughts are your secret weapon.
2. Surround yourself with your Inner Circle.  Just like you should choose positive thoughts, you should choose positive people to be around.  Avoid the negative Nellys of the world.  It is more difficult to stay calm when you have doom and gloom in your ear.  It will drain your energy and make you more anxious.
3. Choose one!  It is very easy when you are being “tested” to jump from task to task.  Stay focused.  Commit to one small task at a time and break down the large tasks into smaller tasks so that you can concentrate your efforts.  Mistakes happen when you jump from one thing to the next.  Take the time, choose one task and commit yourself to focus.

You have all the tools you need to keep yourself cool, calm and collected.  You know them.  I need to be reminded (often) of these three tips and once I remember, I take a breath and dig in. 

Here’s to more cool, calm and collected days in 2019.  You have got this!!!!

Jackie

Welcome all of my visitors from my old website and welcome to all new visitors.

I will be posting new content every Monday, hopefully, on all things pertaining to being an ADMIN!!!!  I truly love what I do and have done it a few years, ha ha ha.  I have many ideas for posts that will hopefully help you on your journey as they have on mine.

Thank you for taking the time to hop on over here.  If there is anything specific that you would like to see in a post, please do not hesitate to let me know.  My goal is for both you and I to learn together from each other.  

Here is to a fulfilling 2019 for us all.

Jackie