#moving to a new place because of money issues can really demotivate a person you know?

[shiny-heart-tree]

Eh fuck it, why not

Got nothing better to do while I'm checking here

ha?

every single person who reblogs this

every

single

person

will get “doot doot” in their ask box

[starduztz]

♓️ Pisces in the houses

🏠1st house (= your ascendant)

- can appear very soft and you feel your way through life

- may have issues dealing with reality and practical things, you prefer living in your dream world instead of facing some harsh truths about the real world

- you kind of have your head up in the clouds at times

- you perceive new situations with an emotional and sympathetic outlook, almost in a dreamy way

- very good at adapting to your surroundings and your ways change a lot depending on your mood, you are hard to define

- not the best at being objective

- very gentle and soft hearted, you care a lot about people

- people might try to use your compassionate nature to their favor

- look out for becoming codependent with people!! you need to balance your caring nature by not forgetting to care for yourself

- always changing in someway and their mind changes a lot also, you prefer making it up as you go instad of having a strict plan to follow

��� 2nd house

- feels confused about possessions and your self worth

- can be too generous with money and have a passive attitude about earning money for yourself or treating yourself, really not the greedy type

- you prefer experiences than physical things

- you love possessions that are in the same standards as your dreams and fantasy, things that maybe almost feel magical to you or like they are out of this world

- spends to experience and sooth your emotions instead of just owning pretty and actually useful things

- can have a hard time being practical with money and being smart with your spendings, you are very driven by emotions and don’t crave the actual money part which can make you passive when it comes to acting in order to earn a steady income

🏠 3rd house

- emotions and logic seem to clash and you can find it frustrating communicating clearly, people might find you very vague and hard to understand especially when communicating about practical and logical matters

- a dreamy and abstract way of communicating

- can be really creative and good at expressing your fantasies and dreamy ideas

- likes to be alone when working with your mind and fantasy, for example while studying, your mind works best in private and you need time to recharge

- can understand people’s intentions through words even though they might not articulate them but you can sense it in the way they communicate to you

- although you have a big mind you are very private about this and prefer to share your ideas with those close to you

- needs to balance and emerge your emotions and logical mind to communicate in a clear and powerful way

🏠 4th house (IC)

- you like to hide away at home and relax your mind, you enjoy privacy when at home

- your home reflects your current emotional state and you are also dependent on your home life in order to recover from the sometimes harsh reality

- you don’t like opening up your home space for just anybody but you would do anything to take care of your family/loved ones, might sacrifice a lot for them

- in your home you are the most sensitive and can easily be troubled with a loud and stressful home environment

- you need stability and support from your family, you depend on them a lot

- can have troubles with seeing family members as they truly are and only seeing them as perfect beings that you love dearly

🏠 5th house

- never stop believing in true love! don’t let the harshness of the world take away your dreams of true love

- you approach fresh love like a fairytale and you open up to it in a dreamy and emotional way!! super sweet loving

- doesn’t really date logically or think about new people in an objective way, sometimes you over glorify people and become blind to their flaws

- you are searching for a soulmate and someone that you can be deep and intimate with

- can be drawn to artsy and dreamy types 

- might attract people that you feel needs to be saved or someone that you feel that you can help in some way, which can be toxic for yourself

- remember to not sacrifice too much of yourself and your emotional energy when falling in love or dating!! 

- you need to feel creative and create in way that looks and connects with your fantasies and dreams but you can have problems finding a hobby or outlet that works for you

🏠 6th house

- maintaining healthy habits and routines might be difficult for you but they are super important for your emotional health

- finds it hard knowing how much work they have the actual energy for and can easily overwork themselves and create problems due to lack of rest and bad planning

- might come as cross as lazy but you are just sometimes demotivated because you can have problems with grounding yourself in your daily life or finding the energy

- super friendly and helpful to coworkers

- can take too much emotional responsibility on your shoulders and be weighed down by it, you might feel that you are never good enough and therefore end up doing everything for people and sacrificing your health

- needs to learn how to step back and let other people deal with shit or stuff that are emotionally draining, you can’t be everywhere

- it’s important that you have a dream that you are following or your relentless working nature will quickly die out due to not feeling motivated or inspired from your current work position 

🏠 7th house (Descendant)

- trust is everything to you! loyal partners are important for you

- might end up with partners that are sensitive, emotional and of the artsy type but you can also attract those who are unstable

- be careful of unstable partners and people that seem far away from you, you need that intimate bond but also someone that won’t leave you without notice

- you need to learn to set boundaries in relationships and not become too immersed in relationships to the point that your whole being is about your partner

- can be too naive about your partner and there’s a high risk of being hurt by your partner if you don’t spot the red flags or flaws that they show, for example cheating or other actions that hurt the trust in the relationship

- you are a compassionate lover who needs to feel needed by your partner

- you want to find a soulmate who you can become one being with

- might have unrealistic ideals for partners, you want them to be super strong and take care of you but it’s usually the other way around (when it really should be an equal exchange of support)

🏠 8th house

- fears of betrayal, failure and never geting that happy ever after can make you not live your life to the fullest

- can be too supsicious of other people, always preparing yourself for betrayal and heartbreak so you can leave before it occurs

- deep. ass. emotional. sex!! they need it 

- might be too eager to please your partner sexually and always feeling like that will make them feel better, but hey don’t forget about your own pleasure 

- sex can be therapeutic or emotionally cleansing for you and therefore you feel like people you have sex with will be helped or healed by it and you might sacrifice your own pleasure for your partner in order to make them feel better

- a lot of sexual fantasies you might not want to actually practice in real life or you are too immersed in your fantasies and at times feel disappointed in the authentic and real life experience when it concerns sex and intimacy

- can procrastinate a lot or put aside problems because you don’t want to think about them right now or process the pain

🏠 9th house

- can have a mystic and spiritual set of beliefs, might be very religious or super spiritual and into your mind 

- your mind wanders a lot and you can expand your mind and beliefs a lot

- curious about deep life questions 

- a visionary mind

-  your mind can adapt a lot yo your surroundings and you might change beliefs or ideals depending on people/places you surround yourself with

- can feel confused about your own personal beliefs and what they actually really are because they are always changing but you don’t fear feeling lost spiritually because you enjoy the trip that your mind takes in order to learn new beliefs, you enjoy the experience on an emotional level

- might not travel at all and actually might prefer dreaming and fantasying about traveling instead 

🏠 10th house (Midheaven)

- it might take you a while to figure out the right career path for you

- not the most practical when it comes to your career and reputation, you can be hard to stay in one place or keep up a public image and always changing or moving 

- can appear mysterious

- super confused about what they want to do and achieve in life, they need to emotionally attach to something in order to be successful at it

- you might become bored with new careers or paths quickly and moving on to another thing 

- you want to do things but can have issues with knowing where the hell to start and this can make you appear lazy 

- helping people or expressing yourself in a creative way or spiritual way would be good and healthy things for you to work with 

🏠 11th house

- friendships can feel unclear and like you don’t know where you are with people and how close you really are, you might even have toxic friends that you didn’t even know about

- you are compassionate towards friends and can be too unselfish 

- might idealize friends too much and be betrayed by them when you don’t think critically of them or you have problems accepting them for who they really are

- can be paranoid when it comes to friendships, at times feeling as if they never wanna hang out or that they disappoint your ideal friend image and that they don’t appreciate the things you sacrifice for them

- doesn’t know when to let go of toxic friends and can hold onto them for too long

- friends sooth your emotional nature 

- you dream of helping the world and people as a whole but in a very dreamy way that might be hard to do in real life

🏠 12th house

- can be quite oblivious to their own toxic or destructive behaviors and habits

- you have a lot of hopes and good intentions towards people and the world but you can isolate yourself and feel alone despite of your loving nature

- fears of being alone but doesn’t show it

- appears strong and tough but actually sensitive and compassionate, tough on the outside but super soft on the inside (they only show this to those they trust)

- feels a need to maintain a strong and independent image, you don't like to get your feelings in the way and hates feeling weak!! 

- needs to listen to their mind and trust your emotions and not feel ashamed of them!!! it’s important to lift the lid and let yourself just feel and deal with your emotions

[paulckrueger]

Should I Quit My Job? How to Know When It’s Time to Leave

The truth is that not every job out there is a good fit for you. Sometimes you need to try ten different jobs to figure out what you really want to do in life. It’s all part of the process. 

But quitting your job is a huge (and sometimes scary) step. And it’s tough to know when to quit a job and when to just keep at it. 

Whether you’re unhappy at your job or don’t feel like you’re maximizing your potential, sometimes it is the best move to quit and find something better. 

Often, top performers change jobs every one to two years to make sure they’re constantly being challenged. Plus, it’s sometimes the only way to really boost your salary. So, if you’re asking “Should I quit my job or stick with it?” keep reading. Below you’ll find some solid reasons for quitting versus staying.

Note: These rules only apply if your personal safety is not endangered at work. If you feel unsafe at work, you have every right to quit before you have your next job lined up. In fact, that may be the smartest decision. 

Want to work from home, control your schedule, and make more money? Download my FREE Ultimate Guide to Working from Home.

Should I quit my job? 7 good reasons to quit a job

1. You have a new job in the bag

Starting with the most obvious reason to quit your job, having another job lined up is an excellent reason to quit. 

Good reasons to switch to another role include better pay, more generous benefits, flexible working, a shorter commute, or promotion and career growth opportunities. If any of those apply, then it’s a no-brainer.

Make sure before you quit, make sure you have a confirmed job offer elsewhere. Don’t make the leap based on an off-hand promise from a friend or family member. 

2. You’re fed up with the toxic work environment

A toxic work environment can totally ruin a job for you, and there isn’t always a clear-cut way to solve it. If you’ve been to HR, spoken with your boss, and manager but nothing is getting resolved, it’s probably time to say goodbye and not look back. 

A toxic work environment can take its toll on your wellbeing, mental health, motivation, and even lead to burnout and other long-term health issues. If it’s truly toxic, it’s just not worth sacrificing your health for a job.

3. There’s no room to grow

If career growth and a future of promotions are what you strive for, you need to know there’s room to grow in your role.

In smaller companies, there isn’t always room to grow. That’s why ambitious people tend to quit once they reach their career ceiling. 

Before you hand in your resignation, you may want to set up a meeting with your manager to share your desire to advance in the company. Be bold and ask what you can do in the next six months to improve your chances of a promotion. You’ll get an idea from this conversation whether it’s a realistic aim or not. If not, you can start your search for a new job. 

4. You just hate your job

Do you lie awake at night worrying about work the next day? Do you feel anxious, depressed, lacking in motivation? These are all signs that the job isn’t a good fit for you. 

If you’ve tried everything to make your job feel a bit better such as talking to HR, coworkers, and managers about issues, then it’s time to plan an exit.

At some point, everyone fantasizes about quitting a job they hate. Hold on though. You need a plan of action beforehand. Don’t just throw your resignation letter down and dramatically shout “I QUIT!”

Plan your exit strategically, and find a new job elsewhere first and try to exit on good terms. You don’t want to burn bridges, especially if you need a reference from your current employer.

Bonus: Want to work from home, control your schedule, and make more money? Download my FREE Ultimate Guide to Working from Home.

5. There’s no sense of purpose

After working in a role for a long time, a lot of people feel like their job doesn’t give them a strong sense of purpose. It’s easy to think that way if you’ve been doing the same thing day in, day out for years.

This lack of purpose doesn’t just suck though. It can lead to you feeling demotivated which can impact your work. Your mental health can even take a hit, especially if the job is stressful AND feels a bit pointless.

If you’re looking for a role that gives you a strong sense of purpose, it may be time to move on. Bringing a sense of purpose to your role is a hard thing to fix because it’s not as tangible as other problems. But it’s just as much of a problem.

You may want to search for other jobs in your field, slightly different roles, management positions with more responsibility, or a completely new career. 

When your career lacks a purpose, this is a cue for many to think about a career change. Maybe you’re done with the corporate world and all you’ve ever really wanted to do was teach. Then go for it. Research what you need, put a plan in place, and work on that goal. Don’t sit around in the same seat for years wondering why you’re bothering.

6. You’re looking for a career change

At some point in their career, people often realize that they’re not doing something they want to do long-term. They may even realize they ended up in a completely wrong field. 

Changing careers can be difficult and scary, but if you’re not fulfilled in your current one, you can and should make the switch.

This is even tougher than finding a new job, so you’ll want to plan this carefully. Do some research on what’s needed for your new career including qualifications and experience. Don’t just leave randomly and realize you need a college degree for your new job field. 

7. You’re being underpaid

One of the top reasons people change their job is because of the pay. After all, it’s a huge factor in why we take a role in the first place. A lot of people find that if they stick in the same job for too long that the pay never quite catches up to the going industry rate. 

If you’ve seen new employees in the past few years join on a better salary than you, this is pretty common. And incredibly frustrating. The first step is to ask for a pay rise. For the best chance to win that pay bump, check out the Ultimate Guide to Getting a Raise & Boosting Your Salary.

If you follow all those tips and your boss still doesn’t budge and say yes, you know the next step is to look elsewhere. Sometimes, the only way to earn more money is to job hop every few years. 

Use this decision tree to decide when to quit a job

Good reasons to stick with your job

1. You haven’t tried all the alternatives yet

If you’ve had a bad few weeks and it seems like nothing is getting better, you need to ask if there’s anything you can do to improve things. Sometimes there isn’t, but you at least need to try. 

If it’s a toxic work environment or working conditions are just bad, your first step is to bring that up with management and HR. If it’s the role itself you don’t like, think about asking to switch to another department or look for internal roles that might be a better fit.

Until you’ve explored these alternatives, don’t just throw the towel in. Unless your health is truly in danger, you don’t have to quit immediately. See what you can change and what you can work with. Give it another month to see if things improve. If not, look elsewhere but at least you’ll know you tried. 

2. You don’t have a plan

Quitting a job can be huge. You’re saying goodbye to a salary, employee benefits, potential for growth, and you may be walking away from great colleagues. That’s why you need a solid plan of action. Ideally, this starts with another job offer or a strong business plan if you’re looking to open a company.

Before quitting, you should spend some time researching the job market, improving your skills, and doing what you can to make yourself irresistibly employable. 

Getting a plan together is also a great way to avoid falling into the exact same situation. If you don’t plan, you could end up in another role that’s a bad fit.

3. You can’t afford to quit right now

Finding a new job isn’t always a quick and easy thing to do. You could have a ton of experience, but the job market is competitive. The last thing you want to do is get overconfident, quit your job, and expect to land a new role by the end of the week.

If you’ve got money tucked away to fund a lengthy job search, then great. But consider holding onto your job for a few more weeks while you job hunt. You’ll be in a much better financial position and won’t have to burn through savings. 

4. What you really need is a break

Burnout is a serious thing. If you’re feeling it, you might think the only solution is to quit. But what you really need is a break. 

If you can take some time away from the office, this should help alleviate it. Take a vacation, shut off your emails, and try not to think of work. This time off can help you get the clarity you need. 

5. You’ve had a bad day 

Everyone has those moments, after a bad day, when you’re angry at everyone and all you can think about is quitting. Quitting may not be such a bad thing, but you need to think carefully.

Whatever you do, don’t just quit out of the blue. It’s not like the movies. You don’t have to dramatically whip off your name tag and throw it on the desk in front of your boss. If you’re angry, go home, and take some time to calm down first. 

You need to think clearly before you make a major decision like this. And you can only do that away from work. 

Assess what you could have done differently, what others could have done differently, and see if there’s a way through it. If not, then you can start planning your exit. 

Chelsie got a 26%+ raise just by asking!

What to do if you do need to quit a job 

The best time to look for a job is when you already have one. If you can tough it out for a few more weeks, you can start your search for a better job without worrying about making rent. This also gives you the opportunity to extend your search, and focus on finding your dream job. 

The last thing you want to do after quitting a job is to desperately take on any job just to replace your income. A plan and a strategy is your best chance of turning this experience into a positive one and leveling up in either salary, work environment, benefits, career progression, or whatever it is you’re looking for. To leave your job on the best terms possible, follow these steps:

Do your research on the job market and start applying

Get a job offer

Pick the best time to resign

Hand in your resignation letter

Give feedback on why you’re leaving

Give enough notice

Have a meeting with HR and/or your boss

Be helpful with your hand-over/finding your replacement

Whether you’re planning to stay at your current job or look for a new one, we have tons of free material on how to negotiate a raise. If you want to maximize your earning potential, just enter your email below to receive my best material on boosting your salary. 

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Should I Quit My Job? How to Know When It’s Time to Leave is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Surety Bond Brokers? Business https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/when-to-quit-a-job/

[yellowmelodyheart]

Hey, Tumblr.

Here’s what’s been on my mind lately, because I need to write out my thoughts more instead of letting them rot inside my brain.

This is by no means a complete list. But it will still be a list of unfiltered thoughts. I’ve just been feeling like I should write more, and why not tumble more, it’s been so long and I feel that I could benefit from it, as my life is in such an unstable state.

The instigator: At the moment, I just [accidentally] saw how much one of the other designers at my company is getting paid (he is a freelancer, not even a full time employee, and I’m still just an intern). And he’s getting paid...A LOT. I didn’t even know that was normal...? It was way more than I would ask for, or even consider, when getting a full time job. So, wake up call. People actually make that much money. I shouldn’t be working for as little as I get paid. I deserve more. It’s time to get a real job, time to really get the ball rolling. Like no lie, probably just going to go home tonight and start applying because this really isn’t okay.

What we deserve: This is an interesting topic to be discussed. From The Perks of Being a Wallflower: “We only accept the love we think we deserve.” And this stands for things other than love...like money, as I was just saying, I procrastinated on asking for a full time position because I didn’t think I deserved it. I knew I wasn’t working at 100% and the perfectionist in me didn’t want them to have anything against me that they could say “no” with, but now after gaining some more perspective, I was wrong and I totally deserved it (and things will never be perfect, and there is no “right” time). And now I think things have switched where all the sudden I realize that I deserve more and that for the work I do, being just an intern and getting paid what I’m getting paid is less than I deserve. And I don’t know if it’s that, or if it’s something else like the weather or some other aspect of my life, but I’ve been way less motivated to do work, involve myself in this work, and be proactive in picking up more projects. Everything’s just gotten so dragged out, I really need to get out and move on. Reasons for me to move on: I need money. Part of me knows that I’m important and that I do a lot of important work, but you can only be an intern for so long. Currently sitting in on a meeting and I know that as a design intern, a lot of this stuff doesn’t pertain to me. Being home the last week, it’s not so pressing for me to be in certain meetings or meet everyone in the office, or really own or be responsible for many projects so I guess subconsciously I feel like I’m not really that essential and that demotivates me. I’ve dragged out my time here for so long that I’m like not that close with people here but I’ve been around for a while. I still don’t know how to connect with people here. I’ve been in a weird state that I don’t know how to properly interact with people in a good way...all I do is give people short responses and pretend I’m okay, and on the outside I look like I’m chill and nothing bothers me and I just like to keep to myself but the real story is that I’m so overwhelmed my brain can’t process things fast enough to create a proper response, and most of what is in the forefront of my thoughts are negative thoughts that I can’t spill onto innocent people so I just keep it in to myself and say very little. Back to things that I can share with people if I leave, the purpose of this company is still so hard for my brain to be passionate about and just grasp in the first place, it’s hard for me to be fully involved.

Side note, don’t know if it’s my Mac screen or if Tumblr changed its font but this text just looks really nice lol

Back to what I deserve:

In dance. (and in all art, for that matter) Everything is subjective. I don’t want to come off as arrogant as a dancer because no one likes that, but I think subconsciously, somewhere inside I think I’m better than I actually am. And because of that and with the fear of being arrogant, I suppress it, a lot, so much that I end up looking like I don’t have any self esteem to other people. I know the way that other people see my dancing is going to be different from how I see it, so I don’t want to put any kind of my own opinion on it. And proof that I see myself differently from how others do is the staging for our set...I personally think I look better in the pieces that I didn’t get into, compared to the pieces that I’m in, especially in this context (dancing next to my teammates). I’m big, I’m taller than all the girls on the team and not the thinnest to compensate. So I just look proportionally bigger. When I dance full out I stand out more...I think I look good when I go full out and don’t hold back, but not when I have to dance on a team where we need to dance as one. So literally the pieces I’m in are all the pieces that require you to go full out as opposed to more subtle and controlled. Before staging I used up a lot of time thinking about how it was going to end up going and most of my thought was less about how I felt dancing and how I felt I looked, but more of how I think the choreographers see me as a dancer...which was the opposite of how I felt about my own dancing. The two pieces I thought I looked better in and felt better doing--I didn’t think they would pick me, and the choreographers that I thought were more likely to pick me, I didn’t really love how I looked dancing their pieces. It’s a small thing that I don’t think should matter this much, but it does make a huge difference, when the way everyone sees you doesn’t align with how you see yourself, it really puts you off balance.

This is why I feel like I’m closest with UPro people. They see me how I want to be seen, and I don’t have to hold back any part of myself when I’m around them. I can be proud of who I am when I’m around them, as opposed to being sorry. I know I’m an important part of the group and that people like me being there. Right now I’m around so many new people--work and dance--and whenever I’m out and around people, I’m consciously, carefully mapping out every move to curate how I come off to other people. It’s tiring. And also around these people, I’m constantly questioning whether my presence is even making an impact. If it doesn’t matter whether I’m there or not, then why do I need to even be there in the first place?

Everything is in flux here. Being home for a week--it was so nice being able to constantly be around something that’s familiar and comfortable. I didn’t want to come back to the city...but sadly, time doesn’t stop for anyone (an idea I still have yet to grasp). I’ve realized I don’t love this city. At all. But I don’t know if that’s a product of all the unknown and instability. Not having a job, only being acquaintances with my roommates, living far, not really seeing people I’m close with very often. But still, I think the lifestyle is too fast and overwhelming for me. And it’s cold here in the winter. I’d love to go to California, but if I moved now I’d have even more issues. There are still too many things I don’t know how to do on my own, and I barely know anyone out there so I’d be even lonelier and even more lost.

I think that’s enough for today. I think I want to make this a more frequent thing...like make a Tumblr post at least once a week so I don’t get brain constipated. Literally was so thrown off this morning I could barely focus today or get anything done. And realized that I’m not where I should be.

PYH | 1702061828

[lesliepump]

How to Manage Technology Change in a Law Firm

As a business consultant to solo and small firm lawyers for the past decade, Jared Correia has helped lawyers deal with many law practice … issues. In his column, “Law Practice Confidential,” he will be answering real questions from real lawyers. To send Jared an anonymous question, use the form at the bottom of this post.

Q: Nobody ever listens to me. At work, at home. Doesn’t matter. It’s like I’m talking to a wall. But, the worst is when I have to onboard any new technology at work. I mean, I think I employ adults, but this is like trying to tell my kids to do something: They look at me for a second, and then run off and do whatever the hell they want, like we didn’t just have a very specific conversation about expectations. Invariably, I will tell everyone in the office that we need to be using a new piece of software, and three months later, no one has even logged in. I give up. Am I going to have to manage my law firm in amber, using the same technology that I’m using now twenty years on?

WC, Woodstock

A: Most lawyers are control freaks. And, that’s not always a criticism. In this case, however, it is. Yes, most attorneys take your view, which can be teased out from your comments as follows: I tell people what to do; and, when they don’t do it, I…pout? Frankly, that’s the size of it when it comes to many attorneys. They’re roaring lions until they step on a splinter and then they plaintively wail for the mouse to come on and remove it already. Far better to have the mouse on board earlier, clearing the splinters from your path instead.

Let me be far less abstract: The way to help yourself here is to let others help you. The reason your staff isn’t buying into your technology change process is that they’re not at all involved in it. This is a general problem for law firms, which can be bad at onboarding generally, but, in this case, it’s fatal to your efforts to upgrade your firm’s efficiency.

Think about it, alpha lawyer: What if someone said to you, basically: ‘Look, just shut up and do it.’ What is the percentage chance that you’re going to to go ahead and do that thing?

So now let me help you to implement an alternative approach.

When a managing attorney introduces something new into a law firm (often it’s a new technology program, but it doesn’t have to be), there are four stages at which staff should be involved: (1) vetting; (2) selection; (3) implementation; (4) maintenance. You likely involve your staff in zero of those stages currently. Let’s address these items one-by-one.

Vetting. Vetting is an essential component of software management. Both regarding the fit for a specific practice, but also about the mounting obligations placed upon law firms for securing client data. Your review of any technology application should specifically focus on whether it’s a secure enough solution for your law firm. Your staff can help in both respects. For your law firm to run at peak efficiency, your staff (including associates) are going to have to be power users of your main software tools. If they’re not, you’re going to be using a small percentage of that software’s capability (if you use it at all), which means you’ll be flushing money down the toilet, while simultaneously becoming far less productive than you could have been.

Your staff also have to be the ones who judge the fit for software. One or more of your staff should also be appointed an ‘all-star’ user. That’s the one who’s really invested in a particular program, who can customize it the way you want, and can be there to answer questions from the rest of the staff. Having an on-staff support person will save you time and money versus purchasing a robust support plan from your new vendor, who will be more than happy to sell you one otherwise.

The chief problem with adopting new software within a law firm environment is that staff are invested in the old software, mainly due to familiarity.

With respect to data management, every state now has a data protection statute on its books, and certain of those require the creation of a data protection program for your business, as well as the appointment of someone to manage it. Often, this role is assigned to a staff person, not a lawyer. If you have someone on your staff who holds that role, it makes sense to include that person in the decisionmaking process for acquiring new software, so that they can vet the product for security.

More broadly speaking, all staff should be included in the vetting procedure. The chief problem with adopting new software within a law firm environment is that staff are invested in the old software, mainly due to familiarity. But, there is also often an unshakeable belief attached to that familiarity: “Because I know how to use this software, my job is safe is long as we use this software.” This feeling is often more deeply embedded in older employees than the younger ones.

The upshot, then, is that, if you want to move your staff off of what they’re currently using, you have to build excitement, and also project the notion that, for your job to be safe now, you need to onboard for the direction we’re going to be traveling in. You may generate excitement by involving everyone in the investigation process. Select (or, better yet: let your staff select, or pare down) three to five options. Let everyone do a private demo. Then, do a group demo, and encourage everyone to ask questions. Have an office meeting following the investigation, and let everyone air their grievances, in addition to telling you what it is that they liked about each product reviewed. Conduct a straw poll to see where everyone stands at the conclusion of the meeting, the effect of which may be to reduce the number of contenders, or to solicit a unanimous vote.

Selection. Of course, when you allow others to become involved in the decision-making process, it’s more likely that they will become invested in the selection process. If a straw poll doesn’t elicit a unanimous choice, take an anonymous survey and elicit responses that way. If a majority decision results, announce that, allow folks to talk about their votes, and why they went in that direction. There may be some smoothing over to do at that juncture; but, you’re a steamroller, and you can manage that. If you reviewed a specific type of product, the talking point could be that many of the features are the same and that preference exists on the margins—in other words: everyone wins, including the minority, because, no matter the choice, it placed the entire law firm on stronger footing.

When you allow others to become involved in the decision-making process, it’s more likely that they will become invested in the selection process.

Now, if you find that your staff wants to go in a different direction than you do, you can either abide by their decision or overrule them. If you decide to overrule your staff, you better have a damn good reason for doing so. If you make a habit of involving your staff in decision-making, this will be easier for them to swallow—sometimes you agree with their decision, sometimes (as the business owner) you make the hard decision to go the other way.

Of course, your staff also knows that you’re the ultimate arbiter in this case, and they understand that they work for you at your pleasure. Not that you lord that over them, but you do need to exert your authority when you feel you must. In this event, of course, defending your choice will require you to take a deep dive into the technology you prefer, and your increased knowledge of that product will be a win for the firm in the long-term.

Implementation. After you’ve made a difficult decision, the next step is implementing your new software. Depending on how much data you need to connect or convert to the new system, either directly from the old system or other repositories, this can be a challenge in itself.

Asking a demotivated staff to help you to transition reams of data to a new location, and to review the reliability of that transition, is a nullification procedure waiting to happen.

Asking a demotivated staff to help you to transition reams of data to a new location, and to review the reliability of that transition, is a nullification procedure waiting to happen. This is where your staff can upend everything you’ve managed to that point, either by active or inactive methods. On the other hand, if your staff has been involved in the process from the outset, they will be more likely to become excited and invested in the transition—or, at least a willing participant to the maneuver. Additionally, the transition and implementation process allows an engaged staff another opportunity to understand the new system more fully, and, in some cases, to suggest improvements.

Maintenance. If your staff is consistently involved in making choices about software from the earliest possible point, you’re selling them something they’ve already bought, instead of foisting upon them something they never knew was coming. No one really likes surprises. It’s why we have an innate need to search out presents, especially as little kids. The party line is that it’s not better to know; but, actually, it kind of is.

So, if your staff has become invested in a software product over the course of months, having had a hand in choosing and implementing it, maintenance should be a relatively simple sell: “Hey, folks this is what we all picked. Now, let’s make it work.” Some staff will be more engaged than others, so take advantage of those all-stars. As part of your general staff meetings, you can implement discussions related to the law firm’s technology platform and its continued relevance. If your staff has been led to know, by actual practice, that they have a say in those sorts of things, they will be far more likely to become invested in making sure that what you have still works for what you need.

This is just one aspect of law firm management, of course. But, if you can figure out a method for involving your staff in the technology choices that you make, that can serve as a mold for inviting participation into a number of aspects of your business. And, at that point, you can truly function as the charismatic leader of a real team, rather than a captain standing alone against a sea, a million knives at your back.

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[deathtoclones]

Hi Emma ^^ How has work been and do you have any plans for Seollal? ^^There’s this thought I have that I kinda wanted your take on if it’s alright? Have you ever been in phases where you are having good weeks and suddenly you feel like you’re in a slump? How did you get out if it? I have a few things bothering me. I finished a huge piece of work this week and suddenly feel a complete lack of motivation to continue with my other big project. Interestingly, I’ve sort of also lost the momentum(1/5)

in terms of my personal “projects”– journaling,studying for driving theory, searching for jobs and trying up to take up manycourses quickly so I don’t feel like a “fraud” when I apply for data analystjobs. I’ve also looked at last year’s finances and realised that I don’t saveas much (ard 36% of my pay) as I want to though I earn quite abit. I don’t evenspend much but a lot of money goes back to my parents (monthly allowance) andinsurance in particular =/ (2/5)

I feel depressed just thinking about it all.Yesterday I just signed up for a private life coaching thing for 6 sessionsthat adds up to about 750 bucks and I’m like…I do know I need some guidance toshift my negative thinking and lots of other issues I have, but 750 feels likea lot. Esp after looking at how little I save. And I still have to budget forvacations =/ (3/5)

To add to all that, I used to have “something”going on with this guy at work but it has completely just fallen off. Just likethat. I don’t see him around often anymore, not sure if he’s busy and all but.A part of me feels “rejected” in a sense. Like I wasn’t interesting enough forhim to pursue things further/I wasn’t good enough for him to behave moreconsistently and clearly with me. Doesn’t help that I get anxious whenever Iwalk around office for fear of (4/5)

bumping into him or his colleagues – who don’tspeak to me but just stare at me. Topping it all off, I just received newsyesterday that my grandma has malignant cancer and it’s kinda made the entirefamily really downcast. Sorry to unload so much on you but I just feel veryoverwhelmed and demotivated and I guess I’ve been bottling this up for sometime. Have you been through something like that before? I’m gonna go listen toa nice podcast right now to calm myself down (5/5)

Hey! First of all, don’t even apologize. It’stotally fine and I often find that one of the best ways for me to deal withthings is to just talk about them and get them out of my head. So definitelynot a problem and I don’t mind trying to help if I can. ^_^ I don’t haveeverything figured out and all, but if my experiences or opinions can help,then I don’t mind sharing.

I definitely have my fair share of slumps,sometimes right after I finish a big project and sometimes right in the middleof one. Usually because I get so overwhelmed by things (whether it’s theproject or whatever is going on in life at the time) that my brain just shutsdown and it’s hard to get back on track. It’s something that I’m sure a lot ofpeople go through, and it can be especially frustrating when you know you havestuff you need to get done but your brain is just like, “Nope. Uh-uh. Nothappening today.”

For me, honestly, I just have to give myself abit of time to not do anything. It’s hard, because I’m definitely someone whoinstantly starts feeling like a failure if I’m not working on something all thetime. But, I just have to remind myself that sometimes it’s okay to check-outfor a bit. You can’t always force yourself out of a slump or to feel happier or less depressed. Sometimes you have to ride it out. So, maybe instead of going home and working on an article, I just have anight where I veg out on the couch and watch whatever TV show I’m into at thetime or a movie. Or instead of working on stuff in between editing at work, I open up arandom story I’m writing or have written and read through it or add or edit. (Confession Time - My secret, go-to happy place is old fanfiction that I’ve written that will never see the light of day... I’ll go write a few paragraphs or rewrite something or just read it whenever I’m overwhelmed or feeling down and it actually kind of helps cheer me up.) Orbrowse through articles or Tumblr. Obviously, if there is something urgent, I’llforce myself to power through and get it done. But sometimes it’s good to just take a break.And usually after a bit the motivation will come back. Maybe I get inspired byan article or book I read, or a random YouTube documentary that I watch. Or Iget an interview that I had been trying for. That’s typically what works forme, though. I’m not sure how it is with others.

Money stuff, oh yes, have I been there. Upuntil recently I have been absolutely horrible with saving (as in, I basically hadno savings until last year). I was always good about making sure I saved up tobuy plane tickets to go home and such, but everything else. Just horrible. Iwould get so caught up in going out and enjoying time with my friends or takingcabs to work that I’d pretty much spend most or all of my paycheck every month.(Don’t even get me started on credit cards… >.

Ultimately, I think that if it’s something thatwill help you out in the long run, then it’s a good investment. With my Koreanclasses, I’ve had friends tell me that I pay too much and they could find me anothertutor for cheaper, but I tell them no thanks. Maybe it would cut my fees inhalf, but I’ve been using my tutor for three years now. She’s good, she knowsthe best ways to work with me and I am progressing. It’s worth paying a little bit more. (Though honestly, I think 50,000 won/hr - 270,000 won/mth is a fair price.)

With the guy, I hate feeling like that. Like Idid something or wasn’t good enough. But I think a good way to try and thinkabout it – at least for me - is that for whatever reason, it didn’t work outbecause it’s just wasn’t right for you or him. It’s not so much anyone didanything right or wrong or that either wasn’t good enough, it just wasn’t theright person or the right time. Or both. It wasn’t a good match. I’ve been trying tolook at my last few “almost relationships” over the past couple of years withthat kind of mind frame and it’s helped. Sometimes it’s a matter of just notbeing the right thing for you or him. And sometimes it’s because he’s asshole. It’skind of hard to really comment on since I don’t know the full story, but Isuppose in my experiences, I’ve been talking to guys and things were neverquite serious enough that they needed a “talk” to end them – they just kind ofended. Either he or I or both of us were just too busy to make anything of it.And ultimately, we weren’t really interested in each other enough to makesomething of it. So we moved on. Other times, we were far enough into thingsthat a sort of talk ending things was needed, but instead they just faded out.So definitely an asshole move in that situation.

And what the hell is with the co-workersstaring? Bleh, every office I’ve ever worked in has been so gossipy and I’vehated it. I’d probably end up glaring back or something, haha! Just ignorethem, if you can.  

I’m so, so sorry to hear about yourgrandmother. Cancer is super scary and it sucks. I went through it with Mom andGrams and it is… yea. I can’t even fully articulate how much I hate cancer. Andeven though I’ve been through it in my family, I still never really know whatto say when a friend or someone I know tells me that their mom or dad orgrandparent was just diagnosed. Hang it there. It’ll be rough for you and yourfamily. But, I guess just let your grandmother know that you’re there for her. She’llneed the whole family to support her through this fight. ^_^

I hope that helps. I totally understand how you’refeeling right now, but just hang in there. It does eventually get better. Andfor the holiday I will be resting. I only get Friday and Saturday off, but I’mworking late shift on Sunday and Monday, so in a way it still kind of feelslike getting a break since I get to sleep in. Tomorrow I’m filming twointerviews for my YouTube project and then going home and doing nothing but layon the couch and watching “Outlander” (just started season 2 last night). I’vebeen going non-stop the last two weeks and really just want a nice relaxingweekend at home, haha! This week has been especially hard since I’ve been upuntil 1 or 2 a.m. almost every night for one reason or another and I just wantto sleep. We’re hoping that we’ll get to leave at 4 p.m. today, so I’m happy toget out, go home and take a nap before I have to go to another magazine hoesikat 7 p.m. Or, I don’t know, I might just back out since I have to get up earlytomorrow to get ready for the shoot.

Hope you have a happy new year!!