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Using the Seinfeld Strategy to Create and Maintain Habits

January 6, 2021 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

pillow with hash marks showing daily accomplishments to create habits

It’s hard to believe that the TV show Seinfeld has been out of production for over twenty years. I say “out of production” because Seinfeld reruns seem to live on forever. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed Seinfeld. And I’ll never be able to look at a Junior Mint without laughing again.  

I knew that Jerry Seinfeld was one of the producers and writers of the show, in addition to being a stand-up comedian. What I didn’t know was that many people use his writing technique as a method for developing habits. I’ve been seeing lots of references to the “Seinfeld Strategy” lately, so I decided to do some research.

Basically, Seinfeld says that the secret to his productivity success is consistency. As a writer, he felt the way to achieve success was to write something every day. It didn’t always have to be his best work and that was okay. It also doesn’t mean you can simply phone it in. But the goal was to give it your all every day.

Once he completed his writing for the day, Seinfeld would mark the day with a big red “X” on his office calendar. As time progressed, those big red X’s formed a chain. And he liked it. The big chain of red X’s motivated him to write more. And writing more made him better.

So, the Seinfeld Strategy to creating and maintaining good habits is to never break the chain.

I was reminded of the Seinfeld Strategy recently because someone posted an image on Facebook with the names of months of the year and inside each month’s name were numbers representing each day. The idea being that, if you’re trying to create and maintain a habit every day you do something – like let’s say exercise – then you color in the day. If you exercise every day in the month, then the month’s name will eventually be colored in. If you do that every day for a year, you’ll have a very colorful memento of your progress and accomplishments.

monthly planner to color in when creating habits

As we start the year, we might have some new habits we’re trying to form. Or old habits that we need to get back on track. Using the Seinfeld Strategy could be a fun and effective way to monitor our progress. You can put your “tracker” on the refrigerator as a reminder. Or if it’s something private, you can tuck it away in a journal or planner.

You could also use the “tracker” with other family members. Maybe the habit you’d like to work on is a group activity.

Creating and maintaining habits is hard. Finding fun ways to track our progress can make it enjoyable. The result is we’ve developed a new habit, which is what we wanted to do all along.

Filed Under: Home and Lifestyle, Wellbeing Tagged With: habits, resolutions

What We Are UP To: Happy Holidays Edition

December 30, 2020 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

festive lights on palm trees for the holidays

Watching | Wonder Woman

> We decided to take a break watching holiday movies to rewatch the first Wonder Woman and then see Wonder Woman 1984. Keith and I do miss seeing movies on the big screen, but until things are safer, movies at home will have to do. I’m not going to give away any spoilers, but if you enjoyed the first one then I think you’ll like WW84.  

Reading | The Hustle          

> I’ve become a big fan of curated newsletters. My latest find is The Hustle. I like it for a couple of reasons. First, it curates the latest business news and I believe it’s important to stay on top of what’s happening in the business world. But the second reason is because it gives me some perspective on what other people feel is “news”. It’s easy to fall into an echo chamber and miss out on what others find noteworthy. Check it out.

Remembering | Quiet

> One of the things we love about our neighborhood is how quiet it is…well, at least until recently. This is a fairly new subdivision, and the builder has started construction on a couple new homes near us. Nothing like being awaken at 5a to the sound of cement trucks. ha.ha. The sad news is we’ll be living with some noise for the next few months. The good news is when it’s done…it’s done.

Working On | Rain Barrel

> The county we live in is very eco-friendly and they are encouraging residents to use rain barrels. So, we got one. We’ve never had a rain barrel before. This will be a new adventure for us. Hopefully we will see some positive results, not only for us individually but the county.

Feeling | Patient

> As much as I would like to wake up after the holidays and have the pandemic be gone, that’s not going to happen. There’s a lot that needs to take place. COVID-19 is only one of the issues we’re facing. It’s really tough and challenging but I know that patience is what’s needed. Oh, and don’t misinterpret patience for “not doing anything”. Being patient and working hard will help us achieve our goals.

Planning | Fewer errands and trips

> We’re all reading the same headlines. COVID-19 cases are spiking around the nation. We’re encouraged by the vaccine news but until more definite plans are in place, we’ve decided to curtail our errands and trips outside the house. The good news is that many businesses are being very accommodating to remote customers, especially during the holiday season.

Loving | Soup Season

> The cooler temperatures have arrived in North Florida and that means soup season. Last year, I discovered some soup mixes on the King Arthur Baking site. Easy to make and very tasty! We also made one of our favorite meals using leftover Thanksgiving turkey. It’s a pressure cooker chicken turkey, lentil, and bacon stew.

Geeking | YouTube TV

> We got a little frustrated with our cable provider and decided to see what other options are available. This isn’t the first time we’ve discussed “cutting the cord” but it is the first time we found something that actually suits our television watching needs. YouTube TV offers the channels we enjoy watching at a reasonable monthly fee. You can record programs. And you can cancel at any time.

What’s UP with you? This holiday season, Keith and I are thankful for our health and each other. We appreciate you taking the time to read and comment on Unretirement Project.

Happy 2021!

Filed Under: Fun, Home and Lifestyle, Wellbeing Tagged With: Holidays, home

Happy Holidays!

December 23, 2020 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

holidays nutcrackers and presents

Keith and I wish you and yours the very best holiday season ever. Thank you for reading and supporting our Unretirement Project.

Filed Under: Fun, Retirement Life Tagged With: fun

Resume Tips for Older Job Seekers

December 16, 2020 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

door sign step into your best day for  optimizing a resume

In an article from the Associated Press, older workers are facing higher unemployment numbers because of the pandemic. I wish that I could say that I’m surprised by this, but I’m not. What I am surprised at, is when I hear that older job seekers rely on outdated job search strategies.

I understand that an older job seeker maybe hasn’t looked for a new opportunity in a while. That’s okay. But recruiters are using new tools to find the best candidates, so you have to update your strategy accordingly. One of the first things you’ll want to revisit is your resume.

I asked my friend Meg McCormick SHRM-SCP if she would share some resume tips with us. Meg provides customized resume services at HR Meg. I’ve known Meg for years and she’s a super smart HR professional. She knows what’s happening inside organizations and what companies expect in a job seeker’s resume.

Meg, one of the advantages in being an older job seeker is you have lots of experience. But many career experts say that long resumes (over 2 pages) can be detrimental to your job search. How can someone decide what to include on their resume?

[McCormick] Two pages should be enough space to present your work experience. Anything beyond that, the hiring manager isn’t going to read. I recommend including more details about your current / most recent experience and accomplishments, and fewer (if any) details for any work you did more than 15 – 20 years ago.

Another approach is to summarize earlier jobs under a catch-all heading, such as ‘prior sales experience, 1987 – 1994’. That gives the hiring manager some context into your career history.

Another area of a resume that job seekers are regularly told to get rid of is the objective. What are your thoughts on including an objective in a resume?

Meg McCormick resume expert headshot

[McCormick] The objective usually goes at the top of the first page – this is prime resume real estate. It’s the first place the hiring manager looks, and what you put in that space is critical to making them want to keep reading your resume.

That valuable space is better used for a ‘Professional Summary’, which is a brief statement that explains your unique value proposition for prospective employers. Some call it your ‘personal brand’. You can explain your career objective in your cover letter.

I can see older job seekers using their job search time to not only look for a job but relocate to where they want to be in “retirement”. What tips do you have for someone who is trying to get a job in a new city or state?

[McCormick] The internet is your friend – you can search job postings anywhere in the world!

  • Research the job market in your destination of choice and discover location-specific job boards.
  • See if there are regional placement agencies or recruiters that specialize in your field with contacts in your new locale.
  • Use LinkedIn to see if you are connected with anyone who has contacts in companies located where you want to move and ask if they would make an introduction.
  • Check out regional newspapers and local news channels online to get a feel for what’s happening in terms of business, the economy, and lifestyle in your potential destination.

If you’re fortunate enough to have a job that is well-suited for telework, you might be able to arrange with your current employer to continue remote working for them, but move to your new location. Be sure you agree on work hours, especially if you’ll be leaving your employer’s time zone, and other details of your arrangement. This could end up being a win for both you and your company. One caveat: Don’t make a move like this without checking with your employer first; especially if the move would take you out of state (or even out of the country), there may be tax and legal implications that impact both you and your employer.

An older job seeker might also be faced with taking a pay cut. How can they convincingly answer the pay question, so a potential employer understands they’re cool with less money?

[McCormick] I think it’s better to approach this one first in terms of what’s the salary range for the job. If you’re pivoting to a new career field, your most recent salary is irrelevant to the new job. So, you could say that you’re comfortable accepting a salary in the range of $X – $Y, which you feel is reasonable based on your research and the job description as you understand it. Do your research up front so you have an idea of what the job ought to pay, and adjust for locality and other factors to come up with a fair range.

The nature of the salary negotiation process has changed in recent years. In many states and some localities, it is now illegal for employers to ask for an applicant’s salary history or to use it as a screening factor, such as requesting it on a job application. If you are specifically asked what your last salary was, you can respond by explaining that you know it’s not relevant given the nature of the job you’re interviewing for, and instead asking what the pay range for the position is. Some jurisdictions require employers to provide this information.

Remember to consider other components of the total compensation package in addition to salary. For example, additional paid time off might be more valuable to you at this stage in your life than salary. Or you might be in a position to save a big chunk of your pay in the employer’s retirement plan to maximize their matching contribution. There’s more to compensation than just base salary.

HR Meg blog resume expert logo

Last question. If a job seeker hasn’t had someone review their resume in a long time, I think it would be a good investment to do so. What does a professional resume writer (like yourself) offer that a job seeker would find helpful?

[McCormick] I think it makes sense to have an HR professional review your resume, especially if it’s been a number of years, or if you want to change careers. I have the ideal background and experience to create resumes that get noticed. You’ve probably only ever worked on your own resume; I’ve read and written more than I can count. I have a good sense of what hiring managers want, and I can tell a good resume from one that’s trying too hard to impress. I keep up on hiring trends so I can bring current HR knowledge to each client.

It’s also worth considering that with resume services, you get what you pay for. Less expensive services base pricing on volume, and you probably won’t get an individual consultation with a pro. I provide individual attention and communication throughout the process. You’ll come away with a customized resume that’s appropriate for your industry, featuring a professional summary that conveys your unique personal brand to hiring managers. I do all the work – I don’t outsource. I can also offer assistance with customized cover letters targeted to specific job postings and can review and recommend updates to your LinkedIn profile.

A huge thanks to Meg for sharing her knowledge and expertise with us. If you want to learn more about her services, visit her website at https://hrmeg.com and be sure to subscribe to her blog.

Older job seekers can offer organizations a lot of skills and expertise, but you have to get the interview. Resumes are the first step. Make sure yours will stand out in the crowd.

Filed Under: Careers, Retirement Life Tagged With: careers, encore career, resume

6 Tips For a Successful Video Interview

December 2, 2020 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

artwork showing blank cutout of a person in business clothing to imply a video interview

I wrote an article recently that featured a few tips for a successful phone interview. In it, I mentioned video and realized it might be a good idea to share some tips for a successful video interview. Like phone interviews, video is becoming increasingly popular given the pandemic. And I don’t see it going away anytime in the near future because employers are finding it to be very cost effective.

Like phone interviews, it’s absolutely essential to plan before a video interview. Here are a few things to consider:

  1. Confirm your technology. Generally, phone interviews are shorter and well, they’re on your phone. A video interview could be longer so you might not want to use technology that you’re going to have to hold the entire time. Make sure whatever tech you’re using is charged and ready to go. Test whatever software you’re using for the call in advance and make sure you know what to do if the technology doesn’t work during the interview. The recruiter should give you this information in advance. If they don’t, you should ask.
  1. Plan your background. I recently conducted a poll over on HR Bartender about video backgrounds. They do matter and people pay attention to them. As you’re testing out your technology (see number one above), look at the video background. Make sure that anything you see in the background you want a recruiter to see. As an HR pro, I’m going to tell you that candidates do not take enough time in this area and the number of NSFW items in video backgrounds…yowza!
  1. Think about your wardrobe. I’m not mentioning clothing because you need to dress hip or flashy. You be you. But video cameras can distort your clothing. For example, if I went to an in-person interview, I could wear a striped blouse, and no one would pause. It’s totally fine. A striped shirt on video can be distracting. You want the recruiter to be focused on your experience and strengths, not the pattern on your clothing. So, look at what you plan to wear on video to make sure it’s camera-friendly. And I shouldn’t have to say this, but just in case…wear pants.
  1. Have a pen and paper handy. You might want to take notes during the interview. A question might pop into your head during the conversation. Or you might think of something you want to share. Trying to remember this information will be reflected in your facial expression. Just jot a note – maybe a couple of words to prompt your memory – and stay focused on the conversation.
  1. Prepare your questions. Given what’s going on right now, it’s possible that you might have a phone interview and then a video interview. You will want to have some questions prepared for each. In fact, you might start with, “Last time we spoke, we talked about XYZ, I’d like to hear more.” It’s always good to ask what next steps will be in the interview process. Oh, and don’t be surprised if you’re asked multiple times about your salary requirements. Especially, if the position you’re applying for pays less than what you’ve been paid in the past.
  1. Check your security settings after the call. Many times, you will have to “allow or permit” your technology device to use the video and microphone to conduct the interview. It’s totally up to you, but you might want to turn those permissions off once the interview is over. The downside is that you have to remember to turn them on every time. The upside is you don’t have to worry about security risks.

While the format for interviews is evolving, the purpose of the interview hasn’t changed. It’s for the organization to learn about your skills and experience. It’s also for you to learn about the company. Don’t lose sight of that. This is an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to be flexible and resilient, two qualities that employers everywhere are looking for.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby off the coast of Nassau, Bahamas

Filed Under: Careers, Health and Aging, Money Tagged With: careers, unretirement

What We Are UP To: Breaking Tradition Edition

November 18, 2020 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

scarecrow flower art that is breaking with tradition

One of my Facebook friends recently asked what people were doing for the Thanksgiving holiday. Someone responded by saying since they’re not having a large holiday gathering, that they took a vote and are having pizza for Thanksgiving dinner. I love it! I know that things aren’t ideal right now and there are many things we would rather be doing. But we have to think about our health and safety. That doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun by completely breaking the traditions we’ve adhered to in the past. Here are a few of the things that we’re up to.

Feeling | Grateful

> Despite all of my grumbling about the pandemic, I’m very grateful to have my health, family, and work. I’m grateful for a nice home and plenty of food. I hope that during the Thanksgiving holiday, we don’t break the tradition of taking a moment to remember what we’re thankful for. 

Remembering | The importance of face masks

> I’m confident that I’m not the only person who is tired of the pandemic and the masks, sheltering, etc. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop doing my part. While it does mean that we won’t be able to do some of the things that we’ve enjoyed in past holidays, staying safe and healthy is most important. Keep wearing those masks!

Planning | When to put up the Christmas tree

> We have friends who have already put up their Christmas tree. You might be one of those people too. And we totally get the reasons why. Typically, we wait until December, but we’ve been wondering if breaking the tradition in 2020 would be the right thing to do. I can’t help but think I’m cheating the Thanksgiving holiday. Maybe that’s okay this year.   

Watching | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 & 2

> One tradition we will not be breaking is related to birthdays. My birthday is this month and we always watch the birthday person’s favorite movie. Mine is Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. I love the soundtrack and the superhero fun. 

Working On | Our annual strategy meeting

> We typically try to get away once a year to set goals for our personal and professional lives. We call it our annual strategy session. Earlier this year, we were planning a trip to discuss goals and COVID-19 got in the way so we had the session at home. It worked well so we decided that we will be permanently breaking the tradition of offsite strategy sessions. 

Reading | Further

> Brian Clark is the founder of Copyblogger, a community dedicated to all things related to content marketing. I’ve been a big fan for years. He recently launched a once-a-week electronic newsletter called Further, focused on aging and finding ourselves as we age. I love the writing style and suggestions. Speaking of goals, one of his recent newsletters was about breaking the tradition of starting new goals in January. Why not just start them now?! 

Loving | David’s Teas

> When I’m regularly traveling, I love stopping in a coffee shop to try the seasonal teas. Pumpkin Spice Latte? I’m there! With the pandemic, I’ve been ordering some seasonal teas from David’s Tea. Some of my new favorites include maple oolong and sweet potato pie. 

Geeking | Jeff Granito Designs

> We’ve taken a fancy to tiki art. Our new favorite designer is Jeff Granito. Jeff has worked with companies like Disney, DC Comics, Sesame Street, and more. If you’re looking to add some tiki to your winter holiday season (and who wouldn’t?), check out his site for mugs, shirts, face masks, and more. 

What’s UP with you? Keith and I wish you the best of health and happiness. Thank you for reading Unretirement Project.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby long before the pandemic at the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, NV

Filed Under: Fun, Home and Lifestyle, Retirement Life Tagged With: fun, retirement life

What We Are UP To: Halloween Edition

October 28, 2020 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

halloween yard flamingo skeletons

Fall is our favorite time of year. We’ve always enjoyed Halloween, even though we don’t dress up anymore. But it’s sad to say that this Halloween is going to be different, with the pandemic and all. That being said, we’re trying to still get into the “spirit” of the season. LOL!

Watching | Lucifer

> A couple of years ago, we started watching this show about the devil taking a vacation in Los Angeles and becoming the civilian consultant to the local police department. Then our relocation interrupted things. So, we’ve started watching it all over again. It’s a fun premise and not too heavy on theology. And it’s kinda neat watching it during the Halloween season. 

Loving | Pumpkin Spice

> One of the things that I love about Halloween is pumpkin spice everything. I’ve always loved pumpkin and now that retailers offer limited edition pumpkin spice flavors, I’m in heaven. Besides grabbing a pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks, I try to catch pumpkintopia at our local Trader Joe’s. Their pumpkin bisque is wonderful!

Remembering | Trick-or-Treating

> We’ve made the difficult decision not to participate in Halloween this year. Oh sure, we’re decorating the house for ourselves and indulging in all things pumpkin spice, but we’re not handing out candies. As much as we love seeing kids in costumes, we agree with the Centers for Disease Control that finding an alternative to Halloween might be the best thing to do this year. 

Feeling | Cautious

> We’re starting to hear more people in the science community talk about learning to “live with” COVID-19 – not in terms of contracting the virus, but in being able to carve out some sense of a new normal. Keith and I are still being cautious, but we did venture out recently and went to the Apple Store. It was our first trip to a non-grocery store since February. They did a great job. Took our temperature, everyone wore masks, and practiced distancing. We were cautious and comfortable.  

Reading | Compromised: Counterintelligence and the Threat of Donald J. Trump

> There are lots of books out there right now about the current President. Almost too many. Being a politics and news junkie, I decided that I would read only one. So, I chose “Compromised” by former FBI Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Peter Strzok. The book is very interesting, but I do feel the title is a bit misleading. To me, the book spends more time talking about how the FBI works and the nuances of counterintelligence than really the current political environment. While the book isn’t what I expected, I am finding it insightful. 

Planning | My Vote

> My parents always told me about the importance of voting, but it wasn’t until I met someone from South Africa that it really hit home. Every election cycle, she would get the word out about registering to vote and participating in the process. Why? Because she knew what it was like to have her vote taken away. It’s not too late to make your plan. The next election is November 3, 2020 – three days after Halloween. 

Working On | Computer backups

> We all know that backing up our devices is important. What’s equally important is cleaning out those old backups every once in a while. LOL! We’re making sure that we delete those old files so we don’t max out storage…and end up spending more on storage plans than we need to. 

Geeking | BYGGLEK storage

> IKEA and LEGO have teamed up to provide a storage solution for your LEGOs. The BYGGLEK collection offers different size boxes that you can store LEGOs inside and even create a little LEGO scene on top. A couple of months ago, I purchased the monster sized LEGO pirate ship, and this will be a perfect option to store some of the pieces. 

Let us know what you love about the fall season. What’s UP with you?

Filed Under: Fun, Home and Lifestyle Tagged With: home

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Top Unretirement Articles

  • robotic man looking into a mirror simulating a virtual or Telehealth doctor visit My First Virtual or Telehealth Doctor Visit
  • festive lights on palm trees for the holidays What We Are UP To: Happy Holidays Edition
  • pillow with hash marks showing daily accomplishments to create habits Using the Seinfeld Strategy to Create and Maintain Habits
  • door sign step into your best day for  optimizing a resume Resume Tips for Older Job Seekers
  • holidays nutcrackers and presents Happy Holidays!

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