From Fired to Hired How to Deal with Sudden Job Loss

From Fired to Hired How to Deal with Sudden Job LossIf youve been laid off or gotten fired, this sudden job loss canfeel like the end of the worldthe end of stability, the end of your paycheck, the end of your career. It can feel like a big black hole of uncertainty. Whether it was the result of something you did, or the result of a complicated web of back-room decisions that arent entirely clear to you, the end result is the same you need a new job, and you need one fast. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) So how does one go about doing this, when you feel defeated and unemployable? Well, its elend an easy process, but getting back in the game as quickly as possible is what you need to do.1. Embrace the Grief2. I Got Laid Off. What Can I Do?3.I Was Fired for a Reason. Am I Unemployable?Embrace the Grief (Briefly)When it happens to you, its devastating. When it happened to me, I had an inkling it was comingthe crisis-laden company I worked far was slowly and systematically eliminating positions at the end of every quarter, like hurling deck chairs from the Titanic. Still, although I certainly knew it was a possibility, and that I should probably departure coming up with a Plan B, I didntand then on that Friday morning, when I was invited into a managers office for a vague meeting, I realized my doom had caught up with me I would be included in the next round of layoffs. I dont actually remember much from that morning, except breaking my longstanding rule of never crying at work, and feeling at a total loss for what to do next.RELATEDHow to Bounce Back From a Lay-offHowever, even if I did have a great Plan B lined up for myself in the event of my job loss, I still dont think it would have overcome those initial feelings of grief and failure. At TheLadders, they liken job loss to any other kind of grief, with similar stagesThis isnt really happening, elendlage to ME. Im a good employee, I get my work done, I toe the com pany line.This wont really stick. Theyll recognize their mistake, Ill come back on Monday, and well move past this crazy misunderstanding.How DARE they do this to me? I gave them the best four years of my career.This is all my fault. If I had just done more, Id still have my job. I sucked at my job, and they finally realized it.Im never going to leave my house again this is so humiliating. Everyones going to judge me for losing my job.What actually happened here? Why did this happen to me, and what can I do about it? What do I want to do?Okay, things have changed and I need to get a job. What should I do now? Even if you saw it coming, even if its not your fault (economics, company politics), even if it is your faultits horrible to find yourself in the position of being rejected professionally. So if/when it happens to you, I recommend taking a little bit of time to absorb reality and let yourself move through these stages before you dive back into the job hunt. You need to be in th e right mindset, otherwise youll be less than your best self as you search for your next opportunity.I Got Laid Off. What Can I Do?If youve just been laid off, your job loss was likely due to circumstances that were beyond your control. That can make it even harder to get back on track, because you may never know why your name came due on some list in HR. Youre not left with a specific idea of what you can do to improve your professional game and frame it for the next job. If thats the case, see this as a chance for a general professional makeover.RELATEDSo You Just Got Fired. Now What?Decide what you want to do.Do you want to stay in this industry? Is it time to go back to school, or try something new? Take stock of your skills, your experience, and your career goals, and use those to figure out what you want to do. If the conclusion you come to is, I need the same kind of job ASAP to pay my bills, thats great too. The important part is that you take the time to think through your immediate needs and wants for your career.Overhaul your resume.Whether it was last year that you last pulled out this doc, or many years ago, this is your chance for a fresh start. Dont just recycle your tired old resumeput in the time to make it an accurate representation of where you are right now in your career.Work your network.Side benefit you dont have to be discreet about your job search like you would if you were still at your old job and trying to fly under the radar. You can be openly searching for new opportunities, reaching out to recruiters and former colleagues on LinkedIn, announcing on social media that youre looking for a new gig. Dont be afraid to let people know what youre looking for in your next job.Your network could also be great for providing moral support, even if they dont have concrete job leads for you yet. Dont underestimate the power of friendly voices helping you get through a tough transitional phase in your professional life.Dive into the job search. Once youve given yourself some lead time to wallow a little in your post-layoff grief, its time to start looking for your next job, pronto. If you have financial resources that allow you to take your time, great. If you dont, it just means you need to spend less time on the grieving and reflecting, and be ready to start combing job boards, searching for specific companies youd like to work for, and getting your resume in order. The average job search takes six months, so the prospect of speeding up that process can be dauntingbut not impossibleBe honest.In interviews, your job loss will come up, especially if theres now a gap between that job and your current job application. Its okay to admit you were laid offits a common experience, and interviewers get it. If you use phrases like they eliminated my position or the company was restructuring, people understand, and will likely sympathize without putting an invisible red flag next to your name. Theres no shame in rebounding from an unexpected job loss. And you can use this as a chance to emphasize your resilience and your commitment to your career. The best way to look at the post-layoff job search is as a search for opportunity. Sure, its one with the added stress of needing (rather than wanting) to find a new job, but its an opportunity nonetheless.I Was Fired for a Reason. Am I Unemployable?No Going from fired to hired is possible. If you were fired for illegal or unethical activity, well, that makes your battle a more uphill one. But if you were let go for a mistake on the job, or for poor performance, this is your chance to grow bigger than thator find another career path for yourself. What it comes down to is this people make mistakes. Its up to you to frame that mistake as one youre not going to make again, and that youve overcome.Think hard about your next job.You were fired from your last jobis that directly attributable to a particular action (for example, you were chronically late), or to an inabili ty to do the job? If its something like the former, and it is more of a personal issue to tackle than a professional one, thats something you can work on by yourself, while emphasizing your qualifications. If its that you couldnt do the job, then this is your time to decide if this is a path you want to continue traveling is there another job that would be better suited to your experience and your skills, especially after you got burned with this one?Frame the narrative.Putting got fired or let go with cause on your cover letter or resume is going to lead to a quick no way from most employers. You can fudge this a little by saying I left suggest that you were laid off. Just be aware, when youre coming up with your narrative, that you might be called on this, either via a background check or interview questions about how you left your previous job. Its important not to lie outright, but you can try to control the narrative.Get outside references.If you were fired, youre likely not go ing to be going to your former boss for a glowing review. If you have other colleagues there who can speak to your good qualities (and wont talk about the, um, less-than-stellar circumstance of your departure), use them. Even better, get references that arent related to your last, disastrous job. You need to rebuild your professional brand, and you want to use good support to do that.A reference from your former company may not even be out of the question. If youre gracious, and acknowledge that you understand why this happened, they may be willing to give you a discreet letter of recommendation.Keep moving.After youre fired, you have less runway for a job huntyou might not qualify for unemployment benefits, and if this was sudden, you might not have a hr of resources saved up for a long job search. Its important to be ready fairly quickly to start searching for your next job.Reinvent yourself.This may be necessary, especially if you have done something serious and specific that led to your job loss. Its not enough to maintain your career status quo anymore. Its time to improve your skills, take classes, maximize your resume, and decide what it is you really want to be doing. This may require you to take a cold, hard look at why this last job didnt work out, and what you can do to move past that. Maybe this will mean switching careers, where you can emphasize your skills while shifting the focus away from your previous experiences. After all, your most recent job didnt work out for a reasonisnt it possible that youre in the wrong field? Either way, this is an opportunity to figure out what your career phoenix looks like, rising from the ashes of old mistakes.However you came to lose your job, the pain and fear of it are very real. Its so important not to let that start to define you, or your career goals. If youre proactive and willing to spend some of your unexpected down time taking a close look at who you were when you lost your job, who you are now, and wh o you want to be, that can help you bounce back from even the ugliest setbacks. And remember youre not alone The job market is full of people moving in and out for all kinds of reasons, and youre not the first one to try to stage a comeback. Many of us have been there, and are proof that its not the end of the world. Good luck with your journey

Essential Tips for Moms Returning to Work

Essential Tips for Moms Returning to Work Essential Tips for Moms Returning to WorkFor mothers looking to re-enter the working world, heres how to bypass some common roadblocks you may encounter. TWEETAfter years of soccer practice and playdates, you might find that its time to leave that world behind and return to work. The U.S. Census Bureau reports more than five million women choose to take a hiat from work to raise their children. But more than 75 percent of those women decide to return to their careers within a year of their children celebrating their tenth birthday.There are many roadblocks for mothers returning to work competition from recent graduates, fear they may take another hiatus, lack of recent experience and continuing education. What fruchtwein women dont realize is these are all preventable, with a little ingenuity and practice.Translate activities into experienceJust because you spent the last five years working on committees at your childs school and you technic ally have an employment gap doesnt mean you dont have experience. You just need to convince employers that you have the skills and experience, just not from the typical career path.Pull up a copy of your old resume and compare it to the work you did for school organizations or community volunteer groups. Does anything pop or seem familiar? Those are the experiences and achievements employers are looking for.For example, lets say you are applying for a marketing job. Last years fundraiser for the school dance comes in handy. List the description and achievements as followsST. JOHNs CATHOLIC SCHOOL, Atlanta, GA achter monat des jahres 2013 to achter monat des jahres 2015Fundraiser SpecialistSpearheaded campaign to raise funds for schools dance and special activities. Designed flyers, brochures and donation cards using Adobe InDesign. Coached team members with little to no marketing background how to proactively seek funds and build connections. Increased community engagement by proac tively networking with business leaders, spiritual mentors and dedicated parents.Raised $30,000 first year managing marketing campaign, and brought in more than 100 volunteers and student workers.Increased fundraising revenue by 15 percent during following years campaign.Acquired $150,000 yearly commitment from Staples, supplying all office supplies for charity events and organizations.The most common experience found during your employment gap is school work. But many mothers volunteer with community organizations and causes to supplement their time. Be careful when listing these activities. Make sure to clarify this was volunteer work and not a paid position.Freelance projects count towards experienceSome mothers choose to freelance in their spare time. Those projects may include design, typing, receptionist work, transcribing, etc. These are considered paid work experience and should be listed under job history on your resume, thereby helping to eliminate an employment gap.But do nt list every single job separately. This can come across as job hopping or lack of dedication. Instead list yourself as the company and go from there. The following position shows how to write a freelance transcriptionist job, one of the most common work-at-home jobs.MEGAN SMITH, Atlanta, GA August 2013 to August 2015Medical TranscriptionistEntrusted to transcribe medical records for local physicians, nurse practitioners and dental professionals. Optimized records making them easy to organize, retrieve and file. Monitored entries for errors, and promptly corrected each file once inconsistencies were found. Ensured HIPPA and other federal, state, local and industry standards and requirements adherence.Compiled more than 2,500 records using various data entry, medical record and shorthand systems and software.Reduced in-accuracy by 15 percent for one physician and 50 percent for another, earning awards and increased compensation for both practices.Notable clients include Dr. Jay Gri ffin, Delta Dental of Atlanta and Atlanta Dental College.Should I create a job title?Experts disagree on whether mothers should create a job title or not. On one side of the fence, resume consultants say a large employment gap will automatically disqualify you for an interview. Others claim choosing a title sounds corny, and the hiring manager may not take you seriously. Both are true.While it is never advisable to advertise large gaps in work history, there is no need to departure fabricating a job description and title. Yes, mothers work very hard to take care of the children and family. They spend free time working for the school and nonprofits. But these are addressed using different methods.Using the methods prescribed for freelance work and volunteerism listed above will eliminate the need to cover up large gaps in work history. Otherwise, if you dont have any volunteer or freelance experience, it may be time to start looking at your duties at home. This should not be listed i n the career section. Explain this in the cover letter.Searching for a job and returning to work is never easy, but that task becomes much more difficult for mothers who left the workforce several years ago. Looking at your skills, extracurricular experience and professional training can help make the search and transition simpler. Just remember three simple rules, and the rest is gravyBe patient dont give up.Be honest, and mention your situation early in the cover letter.Focus on what you can do, not what youve missed.Let TopResume help you write the next chapter of your career. Heres how.Related Articles

New York Life Named Among Top Companies For Women Technologists

New York Life Named Among Top Companies For Women Technologists Below is an article originally written by PowerToFly Partner New York Life Insurance Company. Go to New York Lifes page on PowerToFly to see their open positions and learn mora.AnitaB.org has named us to their 2018 Top Companies for Women Technologists list. The list, now in its seventh year, recognizes companies building workplaces where women can thrive. Companies are measured on their representation, programs, and policies. This recognition demonstrates we are not only committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce, but we view technology innovation as a strategic imperative.Read more about the award here. One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant advancements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind.. . and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats analyzing an architects plans or laying bricks on top of a scaffold. And men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in reality. When was the last time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 million construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot more to offer than steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it needs women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel Innovation/h2pNot only is diversity the socially and morally right thing to do, but it is also actually an excellent business strategy. pResearch presented in the Harvard Business Reviewshows that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. This is further supported by a study conducted by Gallupon the performance of gender-diverse teams versus single-gender teams, which found that the difference in backgrounds and perspectives led to better business performance and problem-solving. h22. Capitalize on Demand/h2pThe construction industry is currently experiencing a labor shortage. The industry itself is booming and projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, with total spending projected to exceed $1.45 trillion in 2023/a. However, most construction companies are unable to meet the rising demand. pAccording to the Associated General Contractors of America/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive innovation and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive option for other women.h24. High-Income Potential/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choice for women looking for a high-paying job,pThe 2018 Construction Craft Salary Surveyconducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research revealed that salaries for many skilled craft areas are increasing. Project managers and project supervisors topped the list at $92,523 and $88,355, respectively. The next set of highest-paying jobs include those of combo welders ($71,067), instrumentation technicians ($70,080), pipe welders ($69,222), power line workers ($68,262) and industrial electricians ($67,269). Of the 32 categories of workers in the survey, 19 positions earned an average salary of $60,000 or higher.h25. Sense of accomplishment/h2p The construction industry can give employees a unique sense of achievement. Yes, the job is stressful and the work can be demanding, but nothing beats the feeling of being able to build something from the ground up. pHow many professionals in other industries can point at a school, a hospital, or a skyscraper and say I helped build that?pThe construction industry has a long way to go in combating gender bias and supporting women in the workforce, but given the current demand for workers, theres no better time to pick up a sledgehamm er (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.

Keeping It Cool

Keeping It Cool Keeping It Cool Keeping It CoolLooking up into the sky can remind us of some of humanitys greatest achievements. The moon landing is one. And though you may need a telescope to see it, the planet Mars reminds us of the next possible frontier in space. But ur universe potentially offers us so much mora without ever leaving the ground. That we havent taken more advantage of that medium-sized star in the center of our solar system surprises Shanhui Fan, professor of electrical engineering at Stanford University.The universe presents an enormous thermodynamic resource and there doesnt seem to be a large amount of work that looks into it and tries to explore it, he says. Weve known for a long time about what the universe can do and yet its been this way.According to Fan, the solar industry is an incredibly fast-growing industry and the advantage of solar cells can be utilized to a much greater degree. But even though the sun is involved, the strange thing about these cells is that greater efficiency can actually be achieved by keeping the cells cooled, something that is not such an easy task.You would think Fans team of researchers opted to work on the roof of the electrical engineering building just to get closer to the sun, but it was actually chosen for its construction flat and smooth, just like they needed to put their work to the test. They put silicon material over a solar absorber, which Fan says has a similar makeup to a solar cell, and waited to see if cooling would take effect.These two solar absorbing structures may look the same, but the one on the right has a cooling layer on top. Image Prof. Shanhui Fan / Stanford.It was within minutes that we saw the cooling effect but the experiment ran for several hours where we had the structure on the roof and recorded the temperature of the structure, he says. We found it had a temperature of about 13 degrees Celsius, which is truly much cooler relatively speaking when compared to the structure w ithout the layer on top of it. This is not a solar cell experiment, but if one can lower the temperature of a cell by even 10 degrees Celsius then that would translate into an efficiency enhancement of perhaps more than one percentage point. That would be very significant, and it could save a great deal of money, especially when you consider solar is a billion-dollar industry.The absorber was partly inspired by an earlier radiated cooling project of which Fan was a participant.When you look at a practical solar cell, every layer serves a number of different purposes, he says. The overlayer typically is used for protection purposes and what we point out in our work is, its inefficient to do protection. For the functionality for these overlayers, a longer term challenge is designing overlayers for cooling purposes but also to be able to preserve all the other functionality for these overlayers.The potential applications for their work are numerous, he says. Were talking about a catego ry we call lower preserving cooling, he says. An absorption property of a given object, for example. Think of color and solar and the effect on temperature. For example, lets say you have a red automobile, which means it absorbs a certain amount of sunlight. But you want it as cold as possible under the sun. This work may help that. Again, the universe is offering up answers, we just have to take advantage of it.Eric Butterman is an independent writer.Learn about the latest energy solutions at ASMEsPower Energy Conference and Exhibition. For Further Discussion The universe is offering up answers, we just have to take advantage of it.Prof. Shanhui Fan, Stanford University

5Â Steps to Improving Engagement in Meetings

5Steps to Improving Engagement in Meetings 5Steps to Improving Engagement in Meetings The interview for that new job youre hoping to get. The coffee date with your rolleal hero and, hopefully, future mentor. The make-or-break sales demo with that perfect-fit client. The last-ditch attempt to mend a broken partnership.When everyone in the room understands whats at stake, engagement is automatic. We dont worry about engagement in these situations. Instead, we focus on success. When you are clear about why your group needs to meet and what you want to accomplish together, engagement is natural.Sadly, many meetings lack this clarity.The good news Every meeting can be as focused, compelling, and engaging as the high-stakes meetings listed above when you follow these five steps 1. Define What You Want People to ContributeGet clear about what you want to help each person actively do or say during the meeting. Engagement involves more than simply paying attention Active engagement results in observable behavior.It helps to visualize the meeting in advance and think through everyone invited. Picture in your mind what each person will do in your best-case scenario. Thats the engagement you want.If you picture someone just listening quietly, they probably dont belong at your meeting. Of the 16 types of meetings businesses run, only two (training and broadcasts) expect a passive audience. The rest of our business meetings are not spectator sports only active players belong in the game. 2. Ask for EngagementDo you want written feedback? Verbal input in a go-around? A show of hands? Get specific and provide examples.This seems obvious, and thats actually the problem. To the person leading the meeting, its obvious how things should play out, because they have thought about it in advance. Meeting leaders frequently forget to fill everyone else in, though. They dont give people advance notice about how to prepare for the meeting, and they dont ask clear questions during the m eeting. Then, they get frustrated when no one participates.Remember You must explicitly ask for engagement to get engagement. 3. Make Space for People to EngageMake koranvers you have enough meeting time for engagement. For example, to get feedback from 10 people with each speaking for just two minutes, you need 20 minutes.Many leaders prefer meetings with five or fewer people precisely because its far easier to make sure everyone has a chance to contribute in a small group. We cant keep all meetings tiny, though. With more people involved, you have three options- Make the meeting longer so everyone has time to speak.- Break out some facilitation skills. There are great ways to engage large groups, all of which require advance planning and some know-how to pull off.- Accept that youre going to basically ignore some of the people in the meeting.This last option is the default choice in most corporations. Its also a lousy way to treat people. 4. Acknowledge ContributionsAt the very le ast, people who make a contribution to the meeting deserve thanks.For many individuals, speaking up in a group means taking a personal risk. Some people are shy, and some environments are hostile. Whether the risk arises from internal or external factors, it still takes courage and effort to overcome. When this contribution is then glossed over, when its dismissed, or when you havent made time for it, people learn that the risk was not worth the effort.Many high-performing kollektivs make a point of reserving time at the end of each meeting for sharing appreciations, where individuals publicly thank one another for specific contributions. This is a fabulous way to acknowledge the value people bring, improve team relationships, and reinforce the benefits of contributing for those who might be reluctant to speak up. 5. Use What You ReceiveMost importantly, make sure contributions made during the meeting impact what happens after the meeting. With our high-stakes meetings, this is a no -brainer. Can you imagine a salesperson failing to send over a contract after a successful demo? Hardly. In these cases, we know that the decisions we make in the meeting will result in action after the meeting.That shouldnt be different for other meetings - and yet, it often it is.For example, strategic planning workshops are notorious for creating a significant outcome that never gets used, and not because they fail to engage participants. Its possible to run a fabulously engaging workshop to build out your companys strategic plan, only to then have that plan sit on the shelf for a year.When it comes to engagement, the rule is use it or lose it. Clever facilitation tricks cant get people engaged if they learnengagement doesnt matter. When people see theyve made a difference, however, theyll contribute again.- Every meeting presents an opportunity for engagement and the creation of new value. For some meetings, this opportunity is obvious. For others, we have work to do. When you follow the five simple steps outlined above, youve got a great shot at transforming every meeting into one worth your teams investment.J. Elise Keith is the cofounder of Lucid Meetings and the author of Where the Action Is The Meetings That Make or Break Your Organization. Connect with her on Twitter EliseID8.

You are less likely to meet your significant other at work now

You are less likely to meet yur significant other at work nowYou are less likely to meet your significant other at work nowIf you watch cable, it may seem as though everyones meeting their significant other at work. Superstore, Brooklyn Nine-Nineand even The Flash - the meet-cutes on the job abound in our binge-worthy TV shows.But though it may seem romantic, that kind of intimate relationship isnt oh-so likely in real life. Only about 20% of heterosexualcouples met as coworkers in the 90s, and now that numbers just above 10%. The probability of meeting at work is even lower for same-sex couples.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraIn fact, a recent researchdraft by academics at Stanford University and the University of New Mexico found that, from the end of World War II through 2013, there was one way that at least heterosexual couples tended to meet, and its something we take for granted The intermediation of friends.Onesclosefriendsandfamilyhave, probably since the beginning of time, been the essential network foci that enable connections to other people,i.e.thefriendsofonesfriends, according to the research note.The internet has replaced our friendsIn other words, for decades and maybe centuries, our friends have been setting us up, and weve gone along with their blind dates and party introductions. But no more. Not since the Internet took over our dating lives.The report uses data from a 2017 survey to show that, beginning around 2013, the most popular way heterosexual couples are meeting is online (same-sex couples have been more inclined toward the online space for decades).Meeting online has displaced every other way of meeting, including meeting at work,Michael Rosenfeld, one of the authors from Stanford, told Ladders via email. Second, greater awareness of sexual harassment as a problem has possibly put a damper on peoples initiatives to woo their co workers.They have quite a few hypotheses on why apps and websites such as Tinder, eHarmony, and Match.com are replacing loved ones as our matchmakers. The pool of candidates is much larger online, they say, and matches may be potentially more discreet than dating a friends friend. Contrary to what most may think, online dating could seem safer to some people, who appreciate the chance to vet their date before meeting in-person. And dating apps tend to be up-to-date with good algorithms, compared to the social judgment of a friend that could perhaps be off.Whatever the true reason, it seems were not looking to our office mates for potential matches, nor are we seeking recommendations from our friends and family as often. Its all about the online space now, so dont believe your favorite sitcom.WefindthatInternetmeetingisdisplacingtherolesthatfamilyandfriendsonceplayedin bringingcouplestogether, the notes authors wrote.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will ma ke you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

19 activities super successful people do over long weekends

19 activities super successful people do over long weekends19 activities super successful people do over long weekendsWith the long weekend approaching, it is interesting to look at how super successful people spend their free time. Do they totally unplug from work or do they use this as a time to pursue more projects? Or, do they just have six-hour brunches?Here are the long weekend activities of several successful people.1. They dress differentlyFashion mogul Tory Burch has a weekend wardrobe. I dress differently in the country than in the city. I wear tennis whites or our lightweight button-down camp shirts with espadrilles, she told Travel Leisure. And Im more drawn to color- my closet in the Hamptons is very colorful.2. They update their social mediaThe weekend can be a great time to share what you are up to on social media.Fashion designerRebecca Minkoff, as well as Burch and Lauren Conrad, love to post photos to Instagram on the weekends. While otherbeibeis like Ryan Seacrest , Nina Garcia, and Martha Stewart all love a good Pinterest post.3. They go to brunchSuper successful people love a good brunch. Martha Stewart is known to throw some great ones.4. They play with their kidsTwitter cofounder Biz Stone said in the new book My Morning Routine How Successful People Start Every Day Inspired, Ive been playing with my son upon waking up since he welches born. My routine has changed very little since he came along.Jessica Alba, the CEO and Founder of The Honest Company, also devotes her weekend to her three children and husband.5. They take thinking breaksBusiness magnate Elon Musk wrote in a Tweet recently, Need to have long uninterrupted times to think. Cant be creative otherwise.Ladders is now on SmartNewsDownload the SmartNews app and add the Ladders channel to read the latest career news and advice wherever you go.Virgin Group founder Richard Branson also agrees with this school of thought. Open your calendar and schedule time just to dream.6. They wor k outWorking out is a big part of most successful peoples weekend routines. The benefits of exercisewhen you have a stressful job have been reported on obsessively. In addition to helping with stress relief and giving you more energy, exercise boosts your cognitive functioning and improves your memory. Burch and Vogue editor Anna Wintour play tennis, Vanguard chairman Bill McNabb aims to fit in a midday workout three or four times a week. Katherine Power, the CEO of Clique Media, says Every Saturday, I do Cardio Barre in the valley with my childhood friend and Sunday is my day of rest.7. They totally go off the gridThough some people love to be on social media all weekend, others totally check out. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg turns off her schmelzglas on weekday nights and for parts of the weekend also. MSNBC news host Rachel Maddow likes to go to her cabin in Massachusetts, which has no television.8. They prep their meals for the next weekSundays are a great time to prep your meal s for the whole next week (especially work salads) Cameron Diaz is known to cook up a storm on Sunday to prep for her week.In my house, on Sundays, you can usually find me in the kitchen getting my food ready for the week, Diaz writes in her book,The Body Book. I tell my friends that I cant meet for lunch I tell my nieces and nephews that if they want to hang out, it will have to be at my house. I make sure not to have any meetings or calls scheduled during that time, because that time is SO IMPORTANT for me.9. They go on strategy walksSome combine exercise with brainstorming like DiaCo CEO Nadia Boujarwah. She told Business Insider that she and her cofounder, Almost every weekend we go on a long walk, most often down the West Side highway, and spend a couple hours outside, thinking about bigger-picture questions. Some of the more creative thinking happens then.10. They do yogaYoga differs from normal exercise a bit because of the meditation component. Stanton Kawer, CEO and chairma n of Blue Chip Marketing Worldwide, explained in his article forForbesthat, Yoga helps make me a more effective CEO by reorienting my outlook on lifemy buoyancy of spirit. I spend 90 minutes in a studio feeling like a 10-year-old boy. How could I not have fun? I am doing the real work of building muscles and increasing my agility, but with poses with Sanskrit names like Surya Namaskar or equally fun English names like Warrior. I begin in tadasana, or mountain pose, as I set my intention, and I end up in savasana, or corpse pose, allowing my mind and body to clear out from a period of extreme labor.Skinnygirl CEO Bethenny Frankel, a devoted yogi, said in an interview with SELF, Yoga makes me feel really good and it makes me calm. Yoga absolutely helps with my overall happiness. Anything soothing that is going to make you feel more peaceful is beneficial in all aspects.11. They indulge in foodBravo executive and TV personality Andy Cohen works out a lot but he also loves to indulge. S ome of his favorite cheats include Reeses peanut butter cups, chocolate chip cookies, and dark chocolate. He also likes an omelet on the weekend.Ben Anderson, the cofounder and CEO of Amino Apps, also likes to try new restaurants.12. They get to know their users or customersAnderson told Business Insider, Sometimes Ill chat with our users. Thats kind of a hobby of mine, to get to know them better and really understand who they are so I can build a better product for them.13. They practice their hobbiesWarren Buffett can be found playing his ukulele on the weekend and Meryl Streep enjoys knitting.14. They get spiritualRyan Williams, the CEO of Cadre, regularly attends church on Sundays. Its something thats pretty meaningful to me, spirituality. Its nice to be able to disconnect from the professional side of things and put things into perspective.15. They workAuthor Gretchen Rubin saves certain tasks for the weekend.One hour working on non-recurrent, non-urgent tasks - the kinds of l ittle jobs that drag me down, but never get done, she says. Ive found that something that can be done at any time is often done at no time, so I use Power Hour to order a new office chair, fix my shredder, make a photo album from my last year of photos, etc.16. They readRubin also makes time for books.I have something called Study Time, when I spend an hour doing study reading. That means reading a book thats not for work, but something that I justwantto read.17. They get up super earlyMany super successful people like Apple CEO Tim Cook and Ellevest CEO Sallie Krawcheck do not sleep in, even on the weekends. Melody McCloskey, founder and CEO of StyleSeat, trained herself to be a morning routine and now rises at 545 AM most days.Of course it wasnt easy at first, she told CNBC. It was torture getting up that early I was never naturally a morning person. But now its become routine, and I wake up pretty early on weekends too.18. They help othersSocial media expert and influencer Natali e Zfat says, Like most of us, my weekdays are largely focused on work (and by proxy, myself). How canIentice new clients?How canIfinish my to-do list?How canIaccomplish more/achieve more?To offset the extreme focus on myself and my business, I strive to spend my weekends helping others whether professionally (carving out an hour to help a friend fix their resume) or personally (checking out apartments with my friend whos about to break up with her boyfriend). I sort of become a Jewish mom on the weekends, and Im ok with that.19. Reflect on the weekBill Gates looks at the weekend as a time to reflect. Its fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.