Having colleagues as friends. Yay or Nay?

It has been a month from my last post. Work has been pretty occupying. I finally decided that I must blog about something and guess what comes to mind? Having colleagues as friends.

We spend most of our time with colleagues and no doubt; you can not avoid making friends except if you have decided not to make one for reasons best known to you.

It is good you have these guides handy if you would want to make one. (Ladies in particular).

1. Do not make friends with someone who is liable to gossip. This is harmful as they will spread all information they know about you. Your private life becomes public. (Girl! I guess you don't want that).
2. Find one who shares similar interests with you. You will always be comfortable with this person.
3. I will advise against making friends in groups as it looks like cliques. Moreover, it tends to breed rivalry and misunderstanding ( ladies in particular).
4. For those with sensitive profession e.g legal/HR department, you need to choose a friend who is emotionally intelligent. Problems could arise when your friend's personal interest clashes with the organisational policy or legal binding. You also need to be emotionally intelligent and have a high sense of confidentiality before having a colleague as friend to avoid the tendency of  'talking too much to a friend'.

Right now you may be thinking, do I need to make friends in the work place at all? No need to be negative about the thought. Having a colleague as friend also has its advantages.

• Research has shown that friendship at work improves quality of work
• Having friends at work increases job satisfaction
• Having a common purpose enhances company loyalty

Unexpected friendships are the best ones

Do you have more to add? Why not share your opinion? Enjoy your day.

No pain, no gain

It is Monday again. And you are thinking ' when will this hustling stop'? Well, you can't avoid the act; that's the way to survive especially in a city like Lagos.  Every responsible human must hustle because you have got bills to pay, people who depend on you financially, strangers you would assist along the way, I can go on and on.

True. It can be overwhelming. You are not alone. The following ways can ease you while hustling which leaves you refreshed and vibrant.

1. Be organized. Most of us are 'learners' in this aspect. There are short courses to enlighten you on this. You could also research online.

2. Work smart.  Hard work pays when you are smart about it. There are lot of resources on this depending on your industry.

3. Be realistic. Even when you have got big dreams. Let your daily actions be geared towards your dreams. Chase that dream! But be realistic.

Share your views. 

Brand Yourself...

In the work place, there are ways you can distinguish yourself from others without appearing to be self absorbed and self-aggrandizing. If you want people to see you as powerful, act like a credible leader.

As a brand, have your own mission statement and review every six months to make sure you still believe what you wrote.

Whatever you are doing today, measure yourself against the following;

# You've got to be an exceptional expert at something that has real value.
## You've got to be a visionary, a leader, a teacher, a far sighted imagineer.
### You've got to be obsessed with pragmatic outcomes. "

                              Source : Linkedin

" As you scope out the path your'career' will take, remember the last thing you want to do is a manager"
            Credit: Yolanda N George-David
            Brand yourself, creating your own value.

Vacation on my mind...

It is the sixth month of the year and for me, I am already thinking ‘how do I spend my vacation? An average Nigerian hardly goes on vacation. Most people think vacation is meant for the affluent. But you know what? You can go on vacation either alone or with friends/family. You don’t need to leave the country!

When was the last time you went on vacation? 2years, 3? 4? 5? Common! OK. Let’s start with how you can commit more on travel.

First, you need to change your mindset. Travel is not meant for the affluent only. You too can go on vacation. Everybody needs it. Travel gives you memories you want to cherish for life. Visiting new places leaves you with experiences that give you exciting vibes and most important, you increase your knowledge.

Second, create a travel budget. You may think ‘ but I don’t earn well’ Yes, you don’t but considering the fact that you need to widen your horizon not just with books but by seeing things for real; you need to save for it. If you start the savings in January as low as 5,000 naira, you get 60, 000 naira by December of the same year.
Now you are wondering? Who goes on vacation with 60,000 naira?

Third, start small. You don’t need to start with Obudu ranch in Calabar or Dubai. You can visit a nearby town and learn about their culture and lifestyle including tourist sites. You live in Lagos? Why not visit Abeokuta or Ibadan and discover the difference from Lagos? Remember, almost all states in Nigeria has a tourist site.

 Agodi park &gardens in Ibadan                          Source : hotels.ng

If you are still in doubt that your monthly income is not substantial enough for a vacation, then you need an extra income stream.

The western countries know the importance of vacation on health. Also, the fact that travel broadens horizon and understanding. Why don’t we imbibe the same attitude and grow both individually and nationally? Let me hear your views in the comment section. Enjoy your weekend.

Working mom : Relax and bond

Image credit: madamenoir

As a working mom, you might not go out whenever there is a public holiday. There are other ways to enjoy your PH without leaving the neighborhood. You know the beauty of it? It leaves you refreshed for resumption of your duty. Try the following even though you are extroverted*winks*

Make sumptuous meals for your family. Eat nutritious meals with your family, let them know that the working mom still got her *cooking skills* despite her job.

Watch movies together with your spouse and kid(s). Go for movies with humour. Comedy will crack your ribs and what's better than laughing together as a family?

Play games as a family. It doesn't have to be computer games. Why not opt for educative ones like scrabble or ludo.

Communicate with your kids. You hardly spend enough time you wished with your kids right?

Stroll your neighbourhood. You will be surprised at things you never noticed due to your daily rush to work.

Exercise. Staying fit and healthy is also important to the working mom right?

Update your knowledge. Remember, working with old methods will not give you anything different. Reading to stay abreast of information in your industry or profession may give you new ideas. Innovation is key to successful business.

Do you have other suggestions on how a working mom can enjoy her PH indoor? Please drop your comment.

Enjoy your public holiday.

Fuel hike : will my employer increase my wages?

Did you notice that people have already adapted to the N145 fuel hike? That leaves me with the question- will my employer increase my salary? We can't deny the fact that high cost of transportation is not the only challenge we are facing. It has affected other aspects of man's survival. Soon, we shall hear landlords, schools and healthcare facilities increasing prices as a result of fuel hike.

Truly, it is a tough season for both employer and employee. Let's consider the suggestions below on how to ease this tension;

Ask for a raise - before you do this, know the value you are adding o.

Have a second means of income - when you are set to do this, ensure it won't be in conflict with your employer's tasks.

Change Your Employer- this is the only option you've got if the above mentioned is not meant for you.

Do you have other suggestions? Would love to know in the comment section.

We go survive now abi?

Live a life of excellence

I was at an event yesterday. The visionary of this event is Dr. Femi Paul. The theme? Excellence in life 2.0, breaking new grounds.

Dr. Femi Paul observed that the culture of excellence is rare in Nigeria. Hence, the birth of this workshop. Eradicating mediocrity from our society, transforming mindsets, optimizing potentials while propagating excellence is his dream. It was an enlightening forum graced by passionate speakers such as the CEO of healthplus pharmacy- Bukky George, a video interview of the chairman of First Bank of Nigeria - Ibukun Awosika speaking to the audience.

Dr. Femi Paul's topic- the power of observation was really an eye opener. Ever thought of why some people are winners while others just admire? The difference is because ordinary people look and admire, winners admire and aspire.

"The power of observation is the ability to discover significant discoveries by simply being more observant than people in the normal daily living"- Dr. Femi Paul.

Opportunities are around you. All you need do is look for the one that will work for you. Have a lovely week ahead.

Dr. Femi Paul; visionary of excellence in life series.