Blog - Kevin Guest

Job Action Day: 5 Points to Help Improve Your Career

November 1, 2021/0 Comments/in Blog, Media Placements/by Kevin Guest

Today we celebrate Job Action Day. Established in 2008, the day is intended to empower and inspire hard workers who dream of achieving more.

Out of sight does not have to mean out of mind, yet that’s exactly what can happen with employees working remotely during the pandemic. I regularly engage with leaders in 24 countries around the world, and those who have stayed top-of-mind implement five key practices to stay relevant and connected.

Job Action Day is a day of empowerment. It’s an opportunity to examine your career and discover your passion.

Job Action Day: 5 Ways to Stay Relevant at Work

Here are five key steps you can take to stay relevant and improve during the pandemic.

1. Take an Ownership Mindset

In reality, you are the owner of your career, which means you have to look out for your own advancements, growth, and opportunities. Because no one is more interested in your job than you, acting with an ownership mindset means you’ll be “all in” when facing projects.

2. Develop Strong Opinions & Know How to Share Them

Bosses are looking for would-be leaders who have solid opinions and who know how to share them.

As a boss, I surround myself with those who will bring perspective to the conversation — something the rest of us may not even consider. It’s imperative for today’s workers to make themselves informed, to weigh options, form opinions, and share them with bosses. That’s part of what helps us rise to higher levels.

3. Adapt Virtually & Master Technology

When COVID hit, the world shut down. But those who adapted virtually and mastered technology didn’t skip a beat.

You have to know your tech tools, implement the best ones and connect with the right people to get the job done. When you master the tools, you will be in conversations that matter and meetings that forward key issues.

4. Use Your Voice to Increase Visibility

Using one’s voice allows employees to increase their visibility and influence others with impressive perspectives.

Early on in my career, I learned to use my voice. Research shows that our tech-savvy generation has come at a cost: many people would rather communicate through devices than have human-to-human interaction. That will limit your influence, so you have to use your voice in-person and virtually at the right opportunities. Speak up. Share. Listen, and provide perspective to stay visible.

5. Expand Your Personal Development

Many employees now have more discretional time that was spent commuting or in non-productive meetings. Use that newfound time to improve skills and to learn new ones. Then train coworkers through mini-workshops. That instantly sets you apart as a leader, as one who is improving, and as an executive who is getting noticed by those around you, especially by your bosses.

These timely steps can help employees stay relevant to bosses and secure a solid standing for future growth.

I shared these thoughts and more in a news release that went out on Nov. 1, 2021.

Designed to help others find keys to successful careers and life, All the Right Reasons reveals 12 principles for living a life in harmony. All proceeds from sales of the bestseller are aimed at feeding two million meals to hungry children. Available on Amazon, each book sold provides 40 meals through The USANA Foundation.

Alleviating Fear & Anxiety… Just Breathe

October 25, 2021/0 Comments/in Blog/by Kevin Guest

The importance of self-care, in my mind, can’t be overstated. It’s become a priority in my life over these past 18 months, and it will continue to be a focus going forward.

Recently, on Oct. 10, we observed World Mental Health Day. As individuals across the globe focused on mental health, I shared six key actions I believe can help to bring balance into our lives.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Nourish Your Body
Exercise Regularly
Limit Screen Time
Engage with Others (and the World Around You)
Explore Nature

I invite you to read more about these steps in this blog post.

Self-Care: 8 key tips to help you invest in yourself.

Just Breathe…

One action not listed, but that’s helped me tremendously, is something I’ve talked about previously (and in the video above): Purposeful Breathing.

As part of the #AskKevinGuest social media series, members of my online community have asked questions and I’ve answered a few on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (please feel free to tag me in your questions).

One question centered on my seemingly relaxed nature on stage and asked how I work to alleviate any fear or anxiety that might naturally occur when presenting or performing in front of large groups.

First, I’m glad to hear my anxieties and self-doubts aren’t readily apparent. It’s something I continue to work on. That said, I’ve definitely experienced my share of panic on stage.

In fact, one story I share in my book All the Right Reasons, discusses an especially uneasy moment backstage ahead of a performance at the Grand Ole Opry.

Here I was about to perform on one of music’s most-hallowed stages and a flood of negative self-talk entered my mind. My heart raced, I questioned my abilities, and I couldn’t enjoy the experience.

Fortunately, at that moment, I leaned on a breathing exercise I’d learned. It’s something I now do regularly — before important presentations or performances and any time I catch myself feeling anxious or stressed.

A Breathing Exercise

I take viewers through the exercise in this video, but if you think about a square, you can picture the exercise (closing your eyes also helps):

Breathe in for four counts
Hold it in for four counts
Exhale slowly for another four counts
And finally, maintain the exhale for four counts before repeating the cycle

I usually do that four times. It’s amazing how it sets my mind right. It allows me to become present and to achieve what I know I’m capable of accomplishing.

If you’ve tried this or similar breathing exercises, I’d love to hear about how they’ve worked for you. Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know.

And don’t forget… Just Breathe.

A version of this article originally went to e-newsletter subscribers on Sept. 21, 2021. I invite you to subscribe.

World Mental Health Day: 6 Actions to Maintain Balance During Pandemic

October 11, 2021/0 Comments/in Blog, Media Placements/by Kevin Guest

Recently, on Oct. 10, we observed World Mental Health Day. As you know, self-care became top-of-mind for me over the last several months. As the world focused on mental health, I shared six key actions I believe can help bring balance during the ongoing pandemic.

Some thought the pandemic wouldn’t last this long. Others are predicting it will last until 2025. Regardless, we need even more self-care to make it through, to ascend higher, and to help others.

Six Actions to Benefit Mental Health

Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Nourish Your Body
Exercise Regularly
Limit Screen Time
Engage with Others (and the World Around You)
Explore Nature

Getting 7-9 hours of sleep each day, listening to your body on timing to eat nutritious food, and dedicating yourself to regular exercise are the first areas of focus for self-care. These actions, I believe, will bring a noticeable sense of balance and harmony.

The next three action items place the focus squarely on ourselves. Studies show we spend an average of 4.2 hours per day in apps. The screen time works counter to finding personal balance and calmness.

Nearly everyone is suffering from fatigue with endless virtual meetings that fill our days and devices that pull us into our screens for hours on end. It’s important to unplug, minimize screen time, be more mindful of how long we’re on devices, and look up to engage with other people, nature, and things around us.

If a person feels anxiety over device separation, it’s important to talk to someone. Whether it’s a professional therapist or trusted friends, they can help us see a new perspective and rekindle healthy hobbies, such as a walk outdoors.

I learned firsthand growing up in Montana that spending time in nature is therapeutic. It’s obvious we are natural beings and while in such surroundings, we can almost feel ourselves uniting with nature. Look at this step as an escape, even for an hour, to fields and mountains, which can enrich our soul and quickly bring back balance and harmony.

Simple acts like these get us away from the crowds and allow us to spend solitude time to think and take personal inventory. That level of solitude time will likely become your favorite time of the week.

Learn More

Designed to help others find balance, my book, All the Right Reasons, reveals 12 principles for living a life in harmony. All proceeds benefit The USANA Foundation.

World Mental Health Day, first recognized in 1992, is an international day for global mental health education, awareness, and advocacy against social stigma. It’s led by the World Federation for Mental Health, a global mental health organization with members in more than 150 countries.

I shared these thoughts and more in a news release that went out on Oct. 10, 2021.

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