About Agni Skafidas

Do I need to develop myself?

“How do I find time for my own personal development?” That was a question a client asked me recently and it sparked an interesting conversation. Do you find time or do you make time?

Fed up by her company deciding on her next role, she wanted to take matters into her own hands. Her focus was her own career progression within the same organisation. She realised that there was no question about finding or making time. Making time was her only option if she wanted to determine her future herself.

Michael Moran, the CEO/Founder of 10Eighty, once suggested that we’d plan our careers like our holidays. It’s only January and my team and I had probably 12 chats about the places we wanted to visit this year. There weren’t 12 conversations about how we’d like to develop ourselves career-wise in 1, 2 or 5 years. Do you have these in your team?

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How to get the most out of your time

I was really excited to give a presentation on time management to Middlesex University Dubai students this week. Managing the reading assignments, course work and holding a full-time job is a true challenge. No wonder they wanted to learn how to maximise the 24 hours we all have available.

This presentation came at the righttime. My own week has been a crazy busy and crazy good week for me. My team at work is entering its hot period and there’s still so much to prepare. Sometimes, I wish I could work more but that’d be at the cost of my private life. And I love my private life.

Over the last few days, I helped my neighbour prepare for her job assessment. Hearing how well she did was a fabulous reward for the time we worked on various excel spreadsheets. A client is looking for some additional help on one of his organising projects and this morning, Tony Buzan presented his mind mapping methodology at a breakfast meeting. After tomorrow’s Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, well, 10k for us, I’ll call the spot on the couch to crash.

I’m sure you’ve jam packed weeks. Maybe not just once in a while but for you, it may have become a regular occurrence. How’re you coping with the constant adrenaline rush? And the feeling of stress? While I don’t believe you can have it all like SJP showed in the movie, how come some people seem to manage their maxed out calendars better than others.

They all are clear about what they want and what’s important to them.

What’s your goal?

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Track your time

I’m quite excited. This week, I’m giving a new workshop about time management to university students. It’s such a great initiative to support new students as they’re juggling new responsibilities: Attending class, submitting assignments on time, studying for finals, working their full-time job, raising a family and still having fun with their friends.

We all have 24 hours in the day and yet, some people just seem to be in better control of their time. What sets them apart? How do they just do it?

One activity will focus on how we’re spending our day. Did you ever review where your time goes? If not, do it for a typical week.

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Good-bye jet lag

SnowComing home after business travel is always great. New impressions can be shared and I generally can’t wait for my loved ones seeing their gifts. It’s normally some local food which we share. What better way to expand our horizon and let them be part of the trip.

My return flight from Boston yesterday followed this same pattern. I was glad the meetings were productive, and, as it snowed while I was there, I was also glad warmer temperatures were waiting for me. Sleeping through an entire flight of 12 hours (first time it ever happened!), I also got to meet “Mr. Jet Lag”.

If jet lag is visiting you, how can you say good-bye to it?

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Why do you want to get organised?

As we’re entering now the second week of 2016, you can still find tons of articles sharing tips and supporting you to achieve your New Year’s Resolutions. Organising in 2016 seems to be one of the most selected resolutions this year and I’m wondering what has caused this trend.

While on a business trip, I watched the show “Hoarders”. If you’ve not heard about it, it’s an American series that looks into the homes of people suffering from the behavioural disorder of compulsive hoarding. Hoarders generally cannot part from their stuff. For them, every piece, including the old ice cream tub, has value. Everything! Even if it’s broken, stained or covered in mold.

Now, the vast majority are far from being hoarders. According to Professional Organizers in Canada (POC), 70% of us don’t see themselves as very organised though. No wonder that it’s one of the top resolutions this year.

But why are folks now saying they want to be organised or be better organised?

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New year, new job

As we’ve entered the New Year, many of us decided to have New Year’s Resolutions. You know, things we want to improve or change like spending more time with friends and family, getting fit, eating healthy or looking for a new job. According to The Independent, almost half of the UK workforce are looking for a new job in 2016.

I’ve recently read that only 8% of resolutions are actually achieved. If looking for a new career opportunity is one of your New Year’s Resolutions, you certainly don’t want to belong to the vast majority of having failed their  resolutions. But what can you do if you’re looking for a new role?

Being organised and having a plan can reduce the stress often associated with a job search. The 16 steps outlined here will help you prepare and find that new job you’re looking for.

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Prevent a fire, save your life

This New Year’s Eve did not go as planned. Having direct view of Burj Khlaifa, the tallest building in the world, we celebrated with friends at home and were excited to see some spectacular fireworks.

At around 10:00 pm, my mom questioned her eyesight. “Is that building over there really on fire?” The first message appeared on my phone: “Has the Address Hotel caught fire?” One of the most beautiful buildings in Downtown Dubai stood on fire!

Over the next hours, we were shocked and scared by how quickly the flames took over 63 floors and watched the news to understand what was going on. It was not what we expected.

When the New Year rang in, it was bizarre to watch the fireworks on the left and the burning building on the right.

This night made me realise how fortunate I am but it also made me revisit our safety. What can you do to prevent fires?

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