This week was really exciting, but also a bit overwhelming. I've set aside the first half of 2o11 to focus on myself... really focus on myself. It feels quite weird, from time to time, but my goal is get to know myself and to give myself a good foundation for the rest of my life.
For my inner happiness I am exploring interests such as personal training, learning French, and socializing more. I'm also working with a life coach, which I've written about here and here, to learn how to love myself unconditionally.
For my physical happiness I am working with a physiotherapist to get limiting pain under management so I can freely pursue my fitness goals. I'm seeing a massage therapist regularly to help with pain management, relaxation and recovery. (I don't think I've mentioned it before, but I have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndromes. I am currently relatively asymptomatic, and I'm working on keeping it that way!) I'm also back lifting weights a couple of times per week, after trying to focus on aerobic activity for a few weeks and finding that it's still not my cup of tea! I've also started working with a Cesar-therapeut.
What the heck is a Cesar-therapeut? That's what I asked when my massage therapist mentioned it. Therapeut means therapist in Dutch, but that didn't really clarify anything for me. So I googled it. Ummmm. Yeah.
Bravely, based much more on my massage therapist's suggestion than on any understanding of what might happen, I made an appointment. I had my first visit last week. I have never heard of any practitioner in Canada doing anything similar, so I just have to describe it. Basically, a Cesar-therapeut works with people to improve how they move. They work with all age groups in lots of different ways.
After getting me to strip to my undergarments and submit myself to her steely gaze from all angles, my therapeut looked up from her clipboard and said, "Well, you stick your butt out, so then your belly sticks out to compensate, and then you hold your upper-back too far back to compensate, and then you have to round your shoulders forward to compensate for that." I'd been wondering why I've lost a lot of body fat but still had a sticky-out belly!!
In about 5 minutes she had me doing a couple of exercises to correct all of that, that I'm supposed to keep doing on my own. I found it very interesting because the point of the therapy is to get my body moving more naturally - rather than still moving the way I did when I was compensating for intense, constant pain during a two-year-long fibro flareup. And for me to do that on my own, rather than ongoing visits. She wants me to not have to come back at all!
Another new thing that happened this week was an invitation from my boss' business partner to set up a marketing planning sesssion for our gym with the key players at work. This came out of a bunch of marketing ideas I described for them, just for kicks, a few months back. They thought I knew what I was talking about and I'm now exploring a third role at my job! Receptionist, personal trainer, marketing dynamo!
I also ran 5 billion errands, counselled my husband who was really in quite a funk for a few days, worked crazy shifts and had a meltdown about feeling so full of enthusiam and ideas and so stuck on what to do next! Also about my work schedule for next month, but that I resolved by telling the colleague who does up the shift schedule what my limitations are going to be from now on. Assertiveness is my middle name. Ha!
So yes, my life is in a state of limbo, and it drives me nuts. I like to KNOW everything. I don't like plans changing, I don't like the unexpected, I don't like the unknown. But, on the other hand, I am absolutely sure that I am on a great path, that I have a great partner, and that no matter what the future holds, I will be happy anyways!
Showing posts with label Work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Work. Show all posts
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Wanna Get Fit?
Wanna get fit? Just call me! I earned my Personal Trainer Certificate with a score of 92% on the exam. I still have lots to learn, and I hope I always feel that way! It's so exciting to know that I have a solid base, and have lots of options for my own growth while guiding others to reach their own goals!
For my own development as a trainer, I currently have four goals.
- Find the beginning, and start there.
- Keep it simple.
- Keep it short.
- Keep it fun.
So what I have to keep in mind is that a potential client will fall anywhere along the myriad continua of fit-unfit, informed-uninformed, experienced-inexperienced, and enjoyment of working out. What they all have in common is an interest in getting or staying fit.
I am developing a fairly standard set of questions that cover what I need to know about my client before developing a plan. I need to know about their health, their eating habits and activity level, what activities they enjoy, and their goals. I also need to know what they 'know' about fitness. Oftentimes people don't realize that information has changed, or that they've misunderstood something. Not every question needs to be asked, some would only come up if the client asked about it.It's important to start with the basics.
- Why is the client here?
- What do they already do in support of their goal?
- What is the thinking behind what they're doing?
- Is it getting them what they want?
- What are their limitations?
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Personal Trainer In Training
I have been spending a couple of hours twice a week with a personal trainer at my gym. Boy am I learning a lot!!
The goal of this time is for me to gain practical experience as a personal trainer. If I had this job, at my gym, I would be responsible for developing programs for all sorts of people. I would also be responsible for just being there to answer questions, to help someone with form, suggestions, or as a spotter. I'd be there in case of emergencies and to do some light cleaning, such as emptying all the wastepaper baskets of the tons of paper towel that get tossed in there after clients wipe down their machines.
I was aware of some challenges going in:
The goal of this time is for me to gain practical experience as a personal trainer. If I had this job, at my gym, I would be responsible for developing programs for all sorts of people. I would also be responsible for just being there to answer questions, to help someone with form, suggestions, or as a spotter. I'd be there in case of emergencies and to do some light cleaning, such as emptying all the wastepaper baskets of the tons of paper towel that get tossed in there after clients wipe down their machines.
I was aware of some challenges going in:
- I am officially fluent in Dutch, but the fitness world has a jargon all it's own. I am often unfamiliar with the names for things. What's more of a challenge is knowing how to explain to people how to perform exercises.
- I am not sure how to balance working with people as both an authority figure and a partner in their progress.
I have discovered that the language problem is really more of my problem than an objective challenge. Memorizing specific phrases, using body language, and using English if I get desperate are all fairly simple solutions. (Most Dutch people also speak at least reasonable English, sometimes also another two or three languages.) I just have to let go of that perfectionism that sometimes stops me from trying if I don't feel certain.
The part about balancing how I work with people leads me to the challenge I found once I started practicing what I've learned. And that is: Find the beginning, and start there!
The feedback I've gotten has been that I can improve in three key areas:
- Keep it simple ~ The clients need to know in summary that their program will get them to their goals. If they are interested, they'll ask for more information.
- Keep it short ~ The clients need to know what to focus on. That's it.
- Keep it fun ~ The clients need to enjoy their workouts and see results.
This new path I'm trying out is a challenge! But, it's one I can definitely meet. It will call for patience, attention, and practice.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Dutch Work Culture
The first difference between working in Canada and working in Holland is that 99% of jobs are covered by a union contract. Sometimes the contract is specifically developed for a particular company. The big companies want contracts that cover their situation, such as having branch offices in another country. But if you are the sole employee at a restaurant, then you are covered by the restaurant workers' employment contract.
And when you get a job, you sign a one-year contract. The employer is obliged to keep you until the end of the contract, unless you do something egregious in which case they have the right to fire you. You can leave anytime, with one month's notice.
After the year, you get another contract. Same rules. If the employer isn't going to renew your contract, they let you know a month ahead.
The second difference between Canada and Holland are wages. In Holland you never need to tip, because all those restaurant workers covered under that contract earn enough to live on. The minimum wage here works out to about €8,50/hour. Which is about CDN$11.50/hour. Assuming a 35 hour work week, that's just over $20,000 annually. And while yes, Holland does have high taxes, they are progressive the same way as in Canada. We all get taxed the same on the first $x or €x that we earn, and then as people earn more they get taxed more on the amounts within the next tier. So no one in Holland legally earns less than $20,000/year, pro-rated for part-time workers.
A third difference is illness. When you are hired in Holland you get instructions on how to call in sick. Sometimes you call your boss, sometimes you call another company as well as your boss. In either case, you have to tell them what's wrong. You describe your symptoms and answer any questions they have about what medication you're taking, if you have a cough or a fever, etc. In Canada, your boss isn't allowed to ask you about your medical situation! Most jobs I held in Canada, I had to call in every day I was sick before 8am, and if I was sick more than three days I had to return to work with a doctor's note stating that I had been too ill to work on whatever dates. In Holland, once you've called in sick, you have to call in well again before they let you go back to work. If you're sick for quite a while, your company will send a doctor around to visit you. When you call in sick, you are expected to be at home until at least 2pm, at which time it is understood that you might have to leave the house to pick up your kids from school or get some groceries. Of course a doctor's appointment is an exception.
But the biggest difference is your relationship with your boss. Bosses in Holland care about having happy employees. Their job is to keep people happy and satisfied, and to work with them to find a solution if things aren't going as well as they could. Bosses' primary function is to make sure that the people who are supposed to be getting the work done are doing it well.
During the first year I lived here, I worked as a mail-deliverer. I was shocked when a Dutch friend suggested I talk to my boss when I was getting frustrated with my schedule. I had assumed I would have to just go get another job. I called my boss, who adjusted my contract, reduced my hours, and got me working in another area closer to home. He was happy to do so, and in fact had a couple of other suggestions that made my job easier as well. I just about fell over from the shock!
My next job was a receptionist in a busy gym, offering aerobics and spinning classes, fitness facilities, squash and tennis courts, a large lounge as well as a sauna and steamroom. I expected the language to be a big challenge, but the job itself was certainly not beyond my capabilities. What I have found most interesting is that my boss sees himself as equal to me. If I have a concern, a question, or feedback of any type, he is glad to hear it. He doesn't always agree with me (shock!) but he is absolutely open to how I see things. And this is just how things are in Holland. In talking with my Dutch colleagues, most of whom have work experience elsewhere, I have learned that Dutch bosses value employees who understand the business' priorities. And the best way to get employees to value the business' priorities, is for the business to value the employees.
We get presents at Christmas and we get compliments when things are going well. When things aren't going as well, we are invited to a meeting to figure out how we can do better. All ideas are welcome. I have to tell you, it's a wonderful feeling.
I worked for almost 20 years as a secretary in various positions in several companies in Canada. Twice, for about a year each time, have I had bosses that treated me with respect. That was, by far, the exception.
I was usually treated a bit like the photocopier - there, with a job to do, and very annoying if I broke down or didn't produce as fast as desired. In the course of those 20 years, I had two extremely bad bosses. What they shared in common was the idea that I had been hired to do their bidding. I got jobs such as going to another building to see if a key worked, or making photocopies of a schedule that had been used 30 years previously. Nothing wrong with those tasks, if it was part of something. But I was just told to have it done within the hour.
Good bosses, on the other hand, have treated me like a prized consultant. It was assumed that I could do whatever they asked, so they didn't waste my time or theirs breaking a job down into baby-steps. They told me their goal, and expected me to figure out how to reach it. It was a trusting relationship, and I loved the challenge. And they loved the results.
The two bad bosses? I wasn't the only secretary to leave within 3 months.
And when you get a job, you sign a one-year contract. The employer is obliged to keep you until the end of the contract, unless you do something egregious in which case they have the right to fire you. You can leave anytime, with one month's notice.
After the year, you get another contract. Same rules. If the employer isn't going to renew your contract, they let you know a month ahead.
The second difference between Canada and Holland are wages. In Holland you never need to tip, because all those restaurant workers covered under that contract earn enough to live on. The minimum wage here works out to about €8,50/hour. Which is about CDN$11.50/hour. Assuming a 35 hour work week, that's just over $20,000 annually. And while yes, Holland does have high taxes, they are progressive the same way as in Canada. We all get taxed the same on the first $x or €x that we earn, and then as people earn more they get taxed more on the amounts within the next tier. So no one in Holland legally earns less than $20,000/year, pro-rated for part-time workers.
A third difference is illness. When you are hired in Holland you get instructions on how to call in sick. Sometimes you call your boss, sometimes you call another company as well as your boss. In either case, you have to tell them what's wrong. You describe your symptoms and answer any questions they have about what medication you're taking, if you have a cough or a fever, etc. In Canada, your boss isn't allowed to ask you about your medical situation! Most jobs I held in Canada, I had to call in every day I was sick before 8am, and if I was sick more than three days I had to return to work with a doctor's note stating that I had been too ill to work on whatever dates. In Holland, once you've called in sick, you have to call in well again before they let you go back to work. If you're sick for quite a while, your company will send a doctor around to visit you. When you call in sick, you are expected to be at home until at least 2pm, at which time it is understood that you might have to leave the house to pick up your kids from school or get some groceries. Of course a doctor's appointment is an exception.
But the biggest difference is your relationship with your boss. Bosses in Holland care about having happy employees. Their job is to keep people happy and satisfied, and to work with them to find a solution if things aren't going as well as they could. Bosses' primary function is to make sure that the people who are supposed to be getting the work done are doing it well.
During the first year I lived here, I worked as a mail-deliverer. I was shocked when a Dutch friend suggested I talk to my boss when I was getting frustrated with my schedule. I had assumed I would have to just go get another job. I called my boss, who adjusted my contract, reduced my hours, and got me working in another area closer to home. He was happy to do so, and in fact had a couple of other suggestions that made my job easier as well. I just about fell over from the shock!
My next job was a receptionist in a busy gym, offering aerobics and spinning classes, fitness facilities, squash and tennis courts, a large lounge as well as a sauna and steamroom. I expected the language to be a big challenge, but the job itself was certainly not beyond my capabilities. What I have found most interesting is that my boss sees himself as equal to me. If I have a concern, a question, or feedback of any type, he is glad to hear it. He doesn't always agree with me (shock!) but he is absolutely open to how I see things. And this is just how things are in Holland. In talking with my Dutch colleagues, most of whom have work experience elsewhere, I have learned that Dutch bosses value employees who understand the business' priorities. And the best way to get employees to value the business' priorities, is for the business to value the employees.
We get presents at Christmas and we get compliments when things are going well. When things aren't going as well, we are invited to a meeting to figure out how we can do better. All ideas are welcome. I have to tell you, it's a wonderful feeling.
I worked for almost 20 years as a secretary in various positions in several companies in Canada. Twice, for about a year each time, have I had bosses that treated me with respect. That was, by far, the exception.
I was usually treated a bit like the photocopier - there, with a job to do, and very annoying if I broke down or didn't produce as fast as desired. In the course of those 20 years, I had two extremely bad bosses. What they shared in common was the idea that I had been hired to do their bidding. I got jobs such as going to another building to see if a key worked, or making photocopies of a schedule that had been used 30 years previously. Nothing wrong with those tasks, if it was part of something. But I was just told to have it done within the hour.
Good bosses, on the other hand, have treated me like a prized consultant. It was assumed that I could do whatever they asked, so they didn't waste my time or theirs breaking a job down into baby-steps. They told me their goal, and expected me to figure out how to reach it. It was a trusting relationship, and I loved the challenge. And they loved the results.
The two bad bosses? I wasn't the only secretary to leave within 3 months.
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