1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,390 Hi, and welcome to the Talent Trade Podcast. 2 00:00:03,390 --> 00:00:06,150 I am Stephanie Maas, partner with Thinking Ahead. 3 00:00:07,035 --> 00:00:21,465 Today I'm super excited to talk about a ritual that most of us do this time of the year in our homes, and that ritual occurs typically when we have a significant change in seasons, especially going from winter into spring. 4 00:00:21,675 --> 00:00:24,225 Most of us call it spring cleaning. 5 00:00:24,604 --> 00:00:34,295 In fact, this past weekend I was so excited, so motivated, so amped up to do all the things that involve spring cleaning. 6 00:00:34,295 --> 00:00:43,025 I went through my closets, I went through my drawers, took things to goodwill, detailed my car, cleaned off the back porch so I could started enjoying mornings out there again. 7 00:00:43,055 --> 00:00:43,745 It was awesome. 8 00:00:43,745 --> 00:00:45,575 I started grilling for a meal prep for the week. 9 00:00:45,605 --> 00:00:48,035 I was so energized and enthused. 10 00:00:48,410 --> 00:00:56,690 As I returned to work the next week, it got me thinking about, Hey, I spent a lot of time working on my home to get it ready for spring. 11 00:00:57,020 --> 00:01:03,920 What do I need to do with my desk to make sure it's ready for the next season? 12 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:06,510 So I came up with a little bit of a list. 13 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:13,560 Some of these are absolutely applicable to the grind of what we do every single day. 14 00:01:13,860 --> 00:01:19,170 Some of these a little bit more behind the scenes and hopefully will serve you mentally or emotionally. 15 00:01:19,380 --> 00:01:25,260 So there are four categories that I look at when it comes to spring cleaning my desk. 16 00:01:25,590 --> 00:01:26,880 The first one is mental. 17 00:01:27,205 --> 00:01:36,835 I really want encourage you to take a good look and say, okay, we all know how the new year starts, hope, enthusiasm, renewed vigor for what we do and how we do it. 18 00:01:36,865 --> 00:01:54,235 And usually about the 90 day mark, even if we're having a great starter, everything's coming, you know, up roses, it's a great time to revisit and say, Hey, what did I do in the last 90 days other than just the job to better my mental game. 19 00:01:54,445 --> 00:01:55,465 So for example. 20 00:01:55,860 --> 00:01:56,850 What books did you read? 21 00:01:57,150 --> 00:02:03,119 And again, when it comes to the mental side of our desk, I do like books that have something to do with what we do. 22 00:02:03,179 --> 00:02:06,600 So something in the nonfiction realm, although I'm a huge fan of fiction as well. 23 00:02:06,809 --> 00:02:09,929 But you know, did you read something that makes you a better recruiter? 24 00:02:10,139 --> 00:02:20,670 Did you participate in training of any sort that you walked away with specific ideas or thoughts that you are going to apply to your desk to make you a better recruiter? 25 00:02:21,030 --> 00:02:22,859 What have you done mentally? 26 00:02:23,490 --> 00:02:25,740 To better your desk. 27 00:02:26,220 --> 00:02:28,500 And again, this is not a time to beat yourself up. 28 00:02:28,950 --> 00:02:34,740 Sometimes the first 90 days of a year, roar, and it's all we can do to keep pace. 29 00:02:34,950 --> 00:02:36,090 Hey, no problem. 30 00:02:36,420 --> 00:02:37,020 Sometimes. 31 00:02:37,109 --> 00:02:38,730 That's what we've realized, man. 32 00:02:38,730 --> 00:02:45,000 I intended to get all this done and all this reading and due to this training and do this and that, and time completely got away from me. 33 00:02:45,450 --> 00:02:45,960 No problem. 34 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:51,150 This happens, but let's make sure then we have a plan for the next 90 days. 35 00:02:51,450 --> 00:02:58,649 So if we didn't get to what we wanted to, what are we gonna do over the next 90 days to sharpen our sword at our desk? 36 00:02:59,039 --> 00:03:15,929 And then if you were able to do some reading or attend training or participate in anything that makes you better, what have you actually applied And has there been enough time to see if that is an application that you should continue for the next 90 days? 37 00:03:16,754 --> 00:03:22,334 So mentally evaluate your first 90 days, make a game plan for the next 90 days. 38 00:03:23,144 --> 00:03:28,994 Second one is do some, and this is gonna sound crazy 'cause we sit at our desk most of the day on the phone. 39 00:03:29,534 --> 00:03:34,484 But when it comes to spring cleaning our desk, where are we physically? 40 00:03:35,069 --> 00:03:42,449 At this point, we are so incredibly aware that how much our physical health has to do with our mental health. 41 00:03:42,629 --> 00:03:44,640 So again, do an evaluation. 42 00:03:44,819 --> 00:03:50,159 Over the last 90 days, how well did you take care of yourself physically? 43 00:03:50,489 --> 00:03:52,649 Again, not the time to beat yourself up. 44 00:03:53,099 --> 00:03:59,219 Life happens, most of us are super busy, not just with a full-time job, but the roles that we play. 45 00:03:59,580 --> 00:04:03,660 Spouse, parent, sisters, child, all these things. 46 00:04:03,930 --> 00:04:05,490 But let's do an evaluation. 47 00:04:05,730 --> 00:04:19,650 How was the last 90 days in terms of your physicality and what do you need to do or focus on the next 90 days to make sure you're as healthy physically as you can be? 48 00:04:19,890 --> 00:04:25,560 And again, I really wanna say this, and this is so subjective, but you know, you. 49 00:04:25,950 --> 00:04:32,280 I am not suggesting that if you're not a runner, that you sign up for a marathon because you didn't do crap the first 90 days. 50 00:04:32,280 --> 00:04:34,410 Then you suck and you need to get out there and do something. 51 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:37,380 It's so unrealistic and that's so crazy. 52 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:48,600 But if you go, wow, I really didn't carve out the time to work out or take care of myself physically like I wanted to, I am gonna commit to three days a week, a 30 minute walk. 53 00:04:48,750 --> 00:04:49,860 The weather is changing. 54 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:50,760 Great. 55 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:51,720 Just do that. 56 00:04:51,840 --> 00:04:53,460 Just move in the right direction. 57 00:04:53,880 --> 00:05:10,380 If it's you need to button up how you're eating, not go crazy and buy 200 bento boxes and meal prep to the nth degree, I'm not talking about that, but just what can you do to better your physicality so that it matches your mental intentions for the next 90 days. 58 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,290 The third area is emotionally. 59 00:05:13,665 --> 00:05:29,115 Take a look at how you responded and reacted to life over the last 90 days and have a real, loving but honest conversation with yourself about what you need to do better or keep doing. 60 00:05:29,355 --> 00:05:41,655 By the way, this is often a great conversation to have with your support team, whether it be spouse, friends, family, coworkers, whatever the case may be, wherever you get your support, hey. 61 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:46,200 How did I do well with you and our relationship over the last 90 days? 62 00:05:46,620 --> 00:05:48,750 Look, we have very stressful jobs. 63 00:05:48,750 --> 00:05:50,880 Nope, we're not heart surgeons for children. 64 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:52,710 We're not finding the cure for cancer. 65 00:05:53,100 --> 00:05:55,290 But our job is pretty unique. 66 00:05:55,680 --> 00:06:07,800 We must serve many masters at any given point, and it can be stressful and we work on commission, and yet 90% of our day to day is outside of our control. 67 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:09,000 That is hard. 68 00:06:09,420 --> 00:06:13,650 It takes a toll on us, so let's do an emotions check. 69 00:06:14,070 --> 00:06:16,410 Was I more reactive or responsive to life? 70 00:06:16,770 --> 00:06:18,690 Where can I get better support? 71 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:23,100 Where can I be a better friend, spouse, parent, et cetera. 72 00:06:23,925 --> 00:06:25,275 What boundaries can I set? 73 00:06:25,425 --> 00:06:30,795 How can I just emotionally improve my life over the next 90 days? 74 00:06:31,095 --> 00:06:45,285 And again, this all comes in the framework of ultimately being a better human, but also a better recruiter when we aren't flying off the handle or just responding to things like boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. 75 00:06:45,825 --> 00:06:47,865 It makes us better recruiters. 76 00:06:48,405 --> 00:06:51,045 So check in with yourself and your emotions. 77 00:06:51,525 --> 00:06:57,375 And then lastly, and I won't touch a whole lot on this one 'cause everybody has their own systems or non-system for belief. 78 00:06:57,495 --> 00:07:08,145 But I encourage you to check in with your spirituality in whatever capacity that looks like or you and say, Hey, where has this helped? 79 00:07:08,565 --> 00:07:10,335 Where have I gotten off track? 80 00:07:10,335 --> 00:07:11,685 Where could I use some more help? 81 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:12,330 More help? 82 00:07:12,335 --> 00:07:15,010 And again, if you're doing good, thumbs up. 83 00:07:15,645 --> 00:07:17,715 This is not the time to beat ourselves up. 84 00:07:17,895 --> 00:07:24,495 Quite frankly, when I took my car to get detailed, I was like, oh, I just feel like I haven't cleaned my car out in forever. 85 00:07:24,795 --> 00:07:26,565 The truth of the matter is it wasn't really a mess. 86 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:36,330 I, I mean it needed a good vacuum and a little bit of the trash, but it wasn't terrible and it felt really good just to clean up whatever needed to be cleaned up. 87 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:43,080 But it wasn't like, oh my gosh, I've had three, you know, months of food, snacks and all the other things kids put in there. 88 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:48,210 I mean, I had a little bit, but I do a pretty good job, generally speaking, maintaining things. 89 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:50,700 So if that's you, great. 90 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:52,140 Give yourself a gold star. 91 00:07:52,469 --> 00:07:56,159 Make sure you have a plan for the next 90 days and move along at the same time. 92 00:07:56,159 --> 00:08:01,860 If something's gone awry, then let's just do what we can to put things back on track. 93 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:11,130 This is what spring cleaning means for our desk, and let me just help draw it down just a couple of more times to really show how this impacts our desk. 94 00:08:11,610 --> 00:08:15,630 Sometimes when we look at our desk, Hey, we're in this spring cleaning mode. 95 00:08:15,945 --> 00:08:33,255 Sometimes what we need to do is go back and look at the searches we've worked on, look at the candidates we've placed, look at, you know, just really do a nice deep dive into our KPIs or you know, where we've been frustrated at work or you know, what have we tried that didn't work, and so forth and so on. 96 00:08:33,495 --> 00:08:41,954 And sometimes what we discover is a, hey, we are holding on and working searches that we're no longer excited about. 97 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:43,830 We've sent tons of candidates. 98 00:08:44,100 --> 00:08:46,770 There doesn't seem to be any urgency for our clients. 99 00:08:47,100 --> 00:08:55,620 Or, Hey, we've told this client we're working the search and we've had it for 45 days and we've only submitted one candidate, and we're hoping like, heck, they get the job. 100 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:58,260 Well, that's not good work and that's not what we do well. 101 00:08:58,560 --> 00:09:08,460 So part of this is really digging into the details of your desk and saying, Hey, how does that translate into what kind of marketing or biz down? 102 00:09:08,864 --> 00:09:10,844 What kind searches really get me fired up? 103 00:09:10,874 --> 00:09:11,954 What do I wanna target? 104 00:09:12,015 --> 00:09:21,435 Where do I need to hunker down and really scrub the market for better candidates for these clients so that I know I'm serving them well? 105 00:09:21,869 --> 00:09:28,109 This is spring cleaning at our desk, and it is very holistic because that's what we are. 106 00:09:28,469 --> 00:09:33,629 Even though I think at times recruiters have this unbelievable ability to compartmentalize. 107 00:09:33,839 --> 00:09:44,069 It's a short term defense mechanism, and at the end of the day, we operate best when we're operating in a fully holistic way. 108 00:09:44,339 --> 00:09:48,900 So let's make sure that we approach our spring cleaning the same.