FLEX Young Professionals hosted a virtual Speaker Series on June 16, 2020 featuring Frank Hajduk (SCORE – Venango) and Zach Embry (Farmers National Bank) on Personal Finance.
**We did experience some technical difficulties with Zach’s audio from 25:50 through 31:17, so if you skip from 25:50 to 31:17, you should pick up where we got back on track and won’t have to hear our troubleshooting! 🙂
By Tessa Byham
It almost feels a little ironic for me to be writing an article about time management. For the last three months, I’ve been juggling working part-time from home with parenting full-time (and growing another human!) and to say the least, it has not been easy. But, I figured I need the refresher and I love a “listicle” as much as the next millennial so here we go:
I just love a good list. When I go grocery shopping I make an initial list and then I make another one that’s organized by store and section (I know). Getting it all out of your head and onto paper is a great way to see what really needs to happen. Write it down, and then organize it by priority. I like to make a top 3 “must-do” list and then everything else goes below. That way, even if you only get those top 3 things done, you still feel accomplished.
Distractions are everywhere. How many of us have become avid bird-watchers since working from home? I can’t be the only one who has started googling “what kind of bird is this” rather than focusing on my work. For this and many other reasons, I’ve tried to implement the 45-15 rule. For every hour of work, 45 minutes is focused on the task at hand, and the other 15 is for a break. A bathroom, snack, Facebook, or bird-watching break—whatever you need. And if 45 minutes feels daunting, start with 15 minutes of focus to 5 minutes of break and work your way up!
You would think to get more done, you should just do it all at once, right? Nope. We actually lose productivity by switching between tasks. Pick one task from your list and don’t stop until it’s done. So many of the things on my to-do list would and should only take me about 10 minutes of focused time, but when I am checking my phone, answering emails, and flipping between tasks, they end up taking so much longer.
Unfortunately, good time management might not be a skill we just have. Like drinking enough water or getting out of bed after that first alarm (I might need to write an article on that next), it’s a learned skill requiring practice. The benefits of honing that skill will help professionally and personally, so let’s give it a shot.
Thanks Tessa, for the tips!
Do you have tips to add? Comment below!
This article was published in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange’s (FLEX) June 2020 edition of the FLEX Your Ideas (FYI) Newsletter.
Congratulations to Charlie on the official release of his first solo-authored book on April 28th!
To Think Christianly provides compelling and comprehensive history in which Charlie traces the stories of notable study centers and networks, as well as their influence on a generation that would reshape twentieth-century Christianity.
This was a project that Charlie has been working on for more than six years and it’s available on Amazon, as well as many independent book sellers. Learn more at ivpress.com/to-think-Christianly.
Charlie is a church-planter and pastor at Oil City Vineyard Church in Oil City, along with his wife Aimee. He was the FLEX Young Professional of the Year in 2018.
This article was published in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange’s (FLEX) May 2020 edition of the FLEX Your Ideas (FYI) Newsletter.
By Becca Weidle
FLEX Member Becca Weidle shared some tips for and protecting yourself from getting sick during this time:
Our internal environment resides in our gut. It’s known as our microbiome and it consists of a vast amount of bacteria. It is a huge component of our immune system and we need it to be diverse. One of the easiest ways to do this is by getting fresh air.
The more variety of places we visit, you guessed it, the more variety in our microbiome. Since we are lucky enough to live in such a nature centric area we can take advantage of this while still keeping our suggested distance. Put simply–take a hike–the exercise doesn’t hurt either, of course.
This is probably the easiest and best thing to incorporate into your daily regimen, if you don’t already. It contains catechins that help to disrupt bacteria AND viruses. Ramp it up by peeling some oranges that you’ve washed and boiling those in your water as well–it’s more than just vitamin C.
Naturally, most of us are concerned about the virus. Some of us are also dealing with unemployment or the challenge of working at home (possibly with kids). These stressors have become constant and their end is uncertain. That’s a lot of stress. It has been proven that chronic stressors “have negative effects on almost all functional measures of the immune system.”
Combatting stress should not be another source of it. So, when you’re feeling overwhelmed close your eyes, feel your feet on the floor and take slow, deep breaths. If it feels right, you could even come up with a mantra to recite, i.e.: I am safe, I am capable, I am calm.
Thanks, Becca, for the tips!
Do you have tips to add? Comment below!
This article was published in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange’s (FLEX) May 2020 edition of the FLEX Your Ideas (FYI) Newsletter.
While we’ve encouraged you to dig into some professional development resources, join us on Virtual Hangouts, and try ways to be more productive while working at home, what’s most important to us right now is how you are doing.
This time has been undeniably hard and we know you’re probably stressed, bored, and maybe lonely as you practice social distancing. We’ve loved connecting with FLEX members and wanted to give an update about what some of you have been up to and how you are feeling during all of this.
Like many, Lauren Lupinacci of Bridge Builders Community Foundations is working from home and said adapting has challenged her patience at times, but has helped her grow personally and professionally. “Challenges I’ve had to overcome include adjusting to a new routine or lack of, relying heavily on technology, and balancing my personal and work life,” she said. “I have also learned to improvise with what I have and be more patient, and that it is inevitable that at least one of our kiddos is going to make a special guest appearance during our daily staff video calls.”
Some young professional business owners or organization leaders have adapted and are now offering services online, including Bobbie with Trailasana Yoga Studio, Charlie with Oil City Vineyard Church, and Elizabeth with St. John’s Episcopal Church. Elizabeth has been sharing videos for her congregation on both Sundays and Thursdays, has been blogging often, and event created and mailed/delivered booklets for those who are not online. The Shepherd’s Green Community Food Pantry at St. John’s has also seen a lot of changes, as volunteers meet ahead of time to pre-pack boxes for community members.
“It has been a big change for the members of our church, but people understand why and are happy about the connections being kept alive,” Elizabeth said. “We have all learned a few new things and while we are looking forward to going back to the church building, our understanding of what it means to be the church outside of the walls has grown and expanded.”
Ben Hart, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Specialist with UPMC Northwest, is surely seeing changes during this time. He has been working closely with the 28 EMS services overseen by UPMC to support day-to-day operations and restock with personal protective equipment (PPE) and decontamination capabilities. “We are adapting to the ‘new’ standard of care from how we approach our patients, how we keep our providers and patients safe, and how we provide training,” he said.
As a teacher, Alysha Graham is adapting and working to still provide a learning experience for her second graders. “It’s been difficult as we figure out the best way to provide the curriculum, as we also work to stay connected with them,” she said. Alysha even created a project, similar to Flat Stanley, to encourage her students to share photos of adventures they are having with her “mini me.”
We’re missing Valerie Perry as she’s still out on a cruise ship headed to the Philippines. Although her contract with Holland America Line is over, she chose to stay on board to limit contact with family at home (although there have been no cases on the ship).
She’s been making videos for the crew, co-hosting a daily morning show with updates and trivia questions, and editing a video for a friend who hosts a workout series (she used to be a video editor). We’ve enjoyed her soothing videos of the ocean on Facebook! She also recently completed her goal of visiting all 50 states.
When it comes to personal experiences with all of this, many young professionals shared how they have managed and also supported others.
Mollie Minman with the Salvation Army has made checking in with people a priority, adding it to her calendar. “During this time I’ve realized the power of just checking in, whether it’s a friend, family member, or coworker,” she said. “Taking a few minutes to let someone know that you are thinking of them and are here if they need anything has been key to maintaining personal and professional relationships.”
Kat Thompson and Laura Ordaz mentioned being in a “slump” sometimes and trying to stay busy with hobbies, including gardening. “We all need to do what we can to get through,” said Kat.
It’s been great to hear from some young professionals, and we invite you to reach out to us. Join us at our next Virtual Hangout or contact us directly through Facebook messenger or email at flex@venangochamber.org. We miss you and hope you are staying healthy and happy!
This article was published in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange’s (FLEX) May 2020 edition of the FLEX Your Ideas (FYI) Newsletter.