Author Archives: Katie

What is the best way to relieve stress for people like me?

by Katie 14/05/2013

We all have different coping styles depending on our needs and personalities.  Active coping strategies are aimed at solving the problem causing the stress.  For example, to reduce feeling overwhelmed by too many commitments, you might choose to cancel some activities.  On the other hand passive coping strategies are aimed at reducing the emotions associated with stress or avoiding the stress.  Relaxation and distraction are examples of passive techniques.

We tend to use different techniques depending on the level and type of stress, as well as our personality.  For example, for mild stress, we tend to use passive coping strategies.  Introverts are often over-stimulated whilst extraverts are often under-stimulated.  So, introverts might like to relax by getting away from their stress, whilst extraverts might like to do something more active.

We all have times when stress gets too much.  Here are some examples of coping strategies that might suit people with different types of personalities:

  1. Relaxation techniques
    If you tend to get agitated easily, breathing, meditation and muscle relaxation are all techniques aimed to reduce tension.  Find a quiet space, free from distractions from others.  Focusing on breathing in and out slowly or relaxing individual parts of the body can help you feel more peaceful and less panicky.  This technique can be useful for clearing your head in order to focus more clearly on what you need to do.  Or, practiced regularly, meditation can be a buffer against daily stresses.
  2. Distraction
    Doing a distracting activity, either with friends or alone, can also help to give you the break needed to clear your head and get back to work, for example.  However, it’s not a long term solution and research has shown that avoiding stress isn’t the best way to relieve it.
  3. Writing a journal
    For people who like to get to the root of a problem, writing a journal can help analyse the problem.  Introverts might appreciate being able to organise their own thoughts.
  4. Building Self-Esteem
    Those who are less emotionally stable are often more prone to stress than others.  If you’re one of these people, relaxation techniques paired with positive thinking may be more useful long-term.  Build up your self-esteem by voicing positive thoughts about yourself out loud.  It may sound silly, but next time you’re under pressure, try saying “I can do this!” rather than “I can’t cope.”
  5. Working towards a healthier and more balanced lifestyle
    Exercise can be great at relieving stress, especially for the more proactive amongst us.  People who exercise regularly are less prone to stress.  Eating healthier and building in regular breaks from the stresses in your life can also make a big difference to your experience of stress.

 

How to find greater happiness at work

by Katie 18/04/2013

Research shows that the majority of UK employees are either indifferent about work or feel negatively about it. Given how much time we spend at work and the effect it has on our overall happiness levels, this is quite worrying. However, the good news is that there are several ways to positively impact your happiness at work.

personality test

Find the Right Role

The fit between your personality and your role, the team you are working with and the organization you are working for is closely related to happiness.

For example, introverts probably won’t love customer service or sales roles as it requires them to interact with customers constantly, which they can find draining. It doesn’t mean that introverts can’t be great salespeople or customer support agents, it just means that they might find less happiness at work than an extrovert would in the same role.

 

Develop Friendships with Your Colleagues

Recent research from Action for Happiness, a leading UK think tank says that “people with strong and broad social relationships are happier, healthier and live longer.” So, building relationships with your colleagues at work is important.  Make time to get to know them.  You can also strengthen those relationships further by understanding the similarities and differences between your personalities.

 

Find Meaning at Work

Finding meaning and purpose at work is another key component for happiness. Some people want to feel that their work makes a difference to others while others just want to help their company grow the bottom line.  Again, the difference comes down to perspective and personality.

 

Come on, Get Happy!

While selecting the right company and role is important, anyone can still tailor their existing job to find meaning at work. While you may not be able to change the core tasks of your role, you can change how you approach and perform your role and do more activities that you enjoy.

By fully understanding your personality, you can find greater happiness through your career. Take the first step by reviewing your free personality profile on PersonaBubble to discover how your personality relates to your work.  You can also compare yourself with your colleagues to help you build relationships with those around you.

Is there such a thing as a happy personality?

by Katie 21/03/2013

Recently, one of my friends described me on PersonaBubble as “a happy person”.  This made me wonder:  is there such thing as a happy type of person, or am I just happy because things have been turning out well for me lately?

free personality test

Is personality linked to happiness?

According to psychological research, there are certain personality traits linked to happiness.  For instance, people who are more extraverted and more emotionally stable tend to be happier .  This might be because of differences in our thinking styles and in how we experience events.  For example, if a friend forgets about a dinner date you’ve planned and doesn’t show up, a more reactive person might take offence and take it more personally than a more stable person.  This interpretation is likely to affect their mood.  There is also a difference between how people manage their moods.  For example, extraverts tend to be happier because they make more effort to change their mood when they are sad.  So an extravert and an introvert might feel just as unhappy, but the extravert is more likely to do something about it.

How much does personality matter?

Some researchers estimate that personality accounts for up to 50% of happiness day-to-day.  Others estimate the role of personality to be much lower- only 25% .  Given both these estimates, it is clear that there must be other factors that are more important, such as our experiences, actions, lifestyle and strategies we use to manage our moods.  Personality does affect happiness, but it is by no means the most important factor.

So, how can we be happy?

Assuming that most people want to be happy in some way, there are things we can do.  The field of positive psychology emphasizes the fact that we are in control of our own happiness.  Yes, some of us may have a tendency to see things more positively than others.  But ultimately, we have the ability to change this and change our mood.  For example, experts say that being grateful for the good things in life, spreading kindness to others and exercising are some of the keys to a happier lifestyle.  A BBC documentary discovered 10 steps to happiness, including “plant something and nurture it”, “have a good laugh at least once a day” and “have an hour long conversation with a loved one each week”.  These little things can make a big difference.

free personality test

Of course, understanding and accepting your personality may help.  For instance, if you have a more reactive personality, realising that your perspective may be skewed can help lift you out of a downward spiral of negative thinking. Overall, there are people who are happier than others, but this isn’t just down to personality.

Being happy is good for us for all sorts of reasons.  People who are happier get ill less often, feel healthier and are less stressed .  And positive psychology gives us a positive message: we are in control of our happiness.

Why not take our test, “How happy are you?” to measure your happiness levels?  And don’t forget to take our free personality test- understanding yourself is one of the steps towards creating a happier lifestyle!

 

Keep your new year’s resolutions by understanding your personality

by Katie 04/01/2013

It’s that time of year when we all take stock of our lives and set some resolutions for the New Year. But according to research by the University of Hertfordshire most people will have abandoned theirs within a week of making them. With this in mind we’ve put together some top tips based on your personality traits to help you make and keep your resolutions.

 

Personality test

Extravert or Introvert

Extravert: As someone who feeds off the energy of others you’ll be more likely to succeed if you tell others about your goals and enlist their help to keep you on track.

Introvert: You prefer to keep things on a one-to-one basis so you’d respond better by working alone or with one other person that you trust.

Tough Minded or Sensitive

Tough Minded: Identify and incorporate the logic for accomplishing your goal. You’re likely to prefer more down-to-earth approach so try and analyze the cause and effect of your resolutions.

Sensitive: Look at the “big picture” of your goal and think about how achieving it will make you feel as you’re more likely to react to emotional stimulus than hard facts.

Collaborative or Influential

Collaborative: Be aware that you might be thrown off track if your plans end up with you in conflict with others who don’t support your new initiatives. As you have an accommodating nature you may be more likely to be swayed by others’ wants, needs or opposition.

Influential: You might want to evaluate and adapt prescriptive plans  set by others as you’re more likely to prefer to take charge of your own goals. If you feel you’ve had a hand in setting these goals, you may be more committed to them.

Structured or Flexible

Structured: You’ll prefer a more disciplined approach and so setting specific times for exercise or specific rules to follow will help you to succeed.

Flexible: Setting goals may just not be your thing. You may have greater success if you focus on the enjoyment or positive experiences you will have with new ways of doing things, rather than thinking that the goals themselves will motivate you.

Stable or Reactive

Stable: You’re more likely to remain calm under pressure so you may want to try and set yourself more challenging resolutions as you’ll rise to these just as well as easier ones.

Reactive: You might find dealing with challenges more stressful than most, so make sure you plan for anything that might get in the way of you achieving your goal, so that when problems do arise you aren’t  thrown off course.

Find out more about your personality by signing up to PersonaBubble, the free online personality test developed by psychologists.

Into the Den: The personality type of entrepreneurs

by Katie 22/11/2012

We’re coming to the end of the current series of Dragons Den, a show which sees’s budding entrepreneurs pitch for investment in their business ideas.  People who put their careers on hold and their finances in the balance in order to attempt something that could  turn into a masterful success or, as we more commonly see in the Den, a total flop. Is there something that sets these people apart from everyone else? Or is it luck that they stumble across an idea that they believe will turn into a successful business?

personality of entrepreneurs

 

Well, it turns out researchers have found that certain types of people are more likely to consider starting a business than others. These people tend to:

  • be ready to take risks, open to new experiences, likely to do things in new, different ways.
  • have a high need to achieve
  • be independent and sure of themselves,
  • handle high levels of stress,
  • be conscientious, meaning that they want to do things right.

That said, anyone can start their own business.

In fact, it seems like the main reason some types of people are more likely to become entrepreneurs is simply that they’re more likely to think about it seriously. If you never think about starting a business, then there’s not much chance that you will ever will! Once your business is started, personality has much less effect on whether it will be successful.

‘There’s a business in everyone’ states the website of the UK Government’s Business in You campaign and understanding why people are likely to start a business may help you recognise what’s holding you back and see how you can turn these things to your advantage. For instance…

  • if you’re not one to take risks, then careful market research before you begin could help you to identify a project that is highly likely to succeed.
  • Or if you’re not as hung up about achievement as the average entrepreneur, then you may be more willing to start small and let your business grow up around you, rather than throwing everything into a project that can’t be guaranteed to succeed.

On the other hand, if you do fit the entrepreneurial personality profile, then it’s definitely worth considering if you’d be happier working independently.

If you like the idea of working for yourself and are wondering whether it’s time to start your own business take our latest test  and find out if entrepreneurship is the thing for you. A word of warning however from Sir Alan Sugar – ‘Once you decide to work for yourself, you never go back to work for somebody else’.

Can your personality determine your fears?

by Katie 16/11/2012

To celebrate Halloween we released a test to find out what scares our users and to see if there were any links between this and their personality. We have now had a look at the results and have discovered some interesting correlations.

We asked PersonaBubble users to rate their level of fear on the following things:

  • free personality testThe Dark
  • Ghosts
  • Spiders
  • Zombies
  • Public Speaking
  • Heights
  • Small Spaces
  • Blood
  • Flying

 

What we discovered was that People who said there were more scared of any of the items in our test seemed to be less socially confident than those who weren’t scared. People who have lower social confidence tend to dislike having to speak in front of groups and becoming  the centre of attention – which would explain why this trait is particularly found in people who said they were scared of public speaking. People who have lower social confidence also tend to have a well-developed sense of what others are feeling and they are acutely aware of subtle changes in sights sounds or other physical sensations. This sensitivity may cause them to rate their level of fear higher than other people.

We also found that a couple of fears stood out regarding their links with certain personality traits.


People who said they were afraid of Zombies were more warm than people who weren’t afraid of them. People who are warmer seek emotional closeness with others and enjoy people who show their emotions openly. Such people may be uncomfortable in situations in which interpersonal contact is not accessible , as Zombies are humans who have had all emotion and warmth stripped from them, this might explain why people with this trait fear them.

 

free personality test

Of the list of fears we presented our users, the  fear of Heights was probably one of the more rational. This might explain why people who say they are more afraid of heights also tend to be more down-to-earth thinkers. People with this personality trait focus more on obtaining information from their five senses and like concrete factual realities. They tend to struggle with more abstract or conceptual ideas which would explain why they are more likely to find heights scary as there is a real factual reason why this is a threat; the fact they could fall to their death.

Which of the things on the list are you most afraid of and how do they match up with your personality? Take our free personality test and our fears test to find out and let us know what you discover in the comments section below.

How can I tell if my personality fits my job?

by Katie 22/10/2012

In our last blog post we explored whether your personality may affect the type of job you enjoy. This week, we give you some tips on how to establish if your job and personality match up

According to a recent study by consulting firm Mercer, fifty percent of employees are checked-out or actively looking to leave their current jobs. This can be the result of a miss-match between an individual’s personality and the job that they are working in, or the company and people they are working with.

personality

 

To uncover whether or not your personality fits your job, here are a few questions to ask yourself:

 

  • Do you feel appropriately challenged or stretched? The right job should challenge and grow you as a professional, but not to the point that you feel uncomfortable all of the time. Try to identify what about the role that is particularly difficult challenging.
  • Do you feel motivated? You can take our poll to shed some light in this area. Some people are naturally more motivated at work than others, but constant lack of motivation could be a sign of trouble.
  • Do you fit in with your colleagues? Discover how you compare to your work colleagues by inviting them to join you on PersonaBubble. If you share some personality traits in common, chances are that you will understand and get along with them more easily.
  • Do you share the same values as your company? Aligning your values and those that the company stands for is critical.
  • Do you feel comfortable in the working environment? Take our poll to find out more about your preferences toward working environment. For example, if you feel like a creative nearly suffocating in a stiff suit, you may not be in the right place.

 

If you answered yes to the questions above, you are a part of the lucky half and probably feel happy and energized at work. However, try not to get too comfortable and continue seeking opportunities to be challenged and building relationships with your colleagues.

 

If you answered no to the questions above, it’s likely that you are constantly feeling stressed, drained or de-motivated (or maybe all of these emotions at once). There are many ways to improve the issue, but diagnosing the source is the first step. Once you have identified the drivers of stress and dissatisfaction, talk to your supervisor about them, as there are likely to be many ways of solving the issue. You may be able to craft your job content to be a better fit with your personality. Next, ensure that you are taking time to build relationships with the people around you at work. Sometimes just having friends around will help keep you motivated. If you have tried all of these things without success, it might be time to consider making a career change.

 

Are certain personalities better suited to certain jobs?

by Katie 11/10/2012

With so many options, how do you make the ‘right’ choice when selecting a new job? There are a plethora of factors to consider, such as your passions, the job location, your income goals, etc. However, one of the most important considerations is how well your personality fits the role, industry, team, and organization you are considering joining.

personality test

 

Finding the right fit with the role and your personality can lead to greater job performance, satisfaction and happiness. For example, here are a few suggestions in terms of fit between personality and roles:

  • Extroverts tend toward jobs that require interaction with others. Roles in sales, marketing and customer service often suit them well.
  • Introverts prefer roles that require less interaction with others as they can find it draining. They may find that technical roles, such as computer engineering, suit them better.
  • Influential types often prefer leadership positions where they are the decision maker. Roles in management often suit them well.
  • Tough Minded types generally prefer roles involving facts and logic. Therefore, roles involving math and science can be good choices for them.
  • Structured types prefer specific plans and precise detail. This is a useful trait for roles such as administrators, solicitors and compliance officers.
  • Reactive types may find it more difficult to deal with stressful jobs than others. Therefore, they may not thrive as an emergency room doctor but prefer roles that involve limited daily stress.

 

It is important to note while certain personality types tend to gravitate toward certain roles, there are no strict right or wrong answers when choosing your career. It is also possible to mold your role around your preferred style.

Discover the Right Fit

By fully understanding your personality, you can make better-informed choices about your career. Taking a personality test is a quick and simple way to do this. Just remember that personality tests results should not be relied on as an absolute assessment of which career or job is best for you since there are many other factors to consider as well. You can review your free personality profile on PersonaBubble and take one of our careers polls for additional insight.

Is your personality suited to your career? Let us know what you think by posting a comment below.

How do I know if we are compatible?

by Katie 26/09/2012

Whether it’s a romantic partner, a friend, prospective housemate or colleague, how can you determine your compatibility with another person?

compatibility

Compatibility doesn’t mean that you are just alike in every way. In fact, on some dimensions it is more the case the opposites attract because you will balance one another’s strengths and weaknesses. However, it is helpful if you share some basic things in common, such as your core values.

Here are a few things you can use to discover your compatibility:

1)    Determine if your values are aligned.

Crack open a bottle of wine or pop the kettle on and give yourselves some time to talk about issues that are most important to you. You could even start by discussing the traits that you appreciate in others. For example, is it better to be humble or to be famous? Is it more important to save the world, or to become wealthy? You’ll then get a good idea if your general values match up or if there might be conflict.

2)    Discover your common interests.

Although having a diverse set of interests allows each of you to maintain a sense of independence, it is helpful to have at least a few common interests and activities that you can enjoy together. For example, do you both enjoy tennis, classical music, cycling or modern art? You can also build new interests together, so try picking up a new activity you can both enjoy.

3)    Understand their personality- and yours.

When your personalities are similar, chances are that you will understand one another easily. For example, introverted types are likely to feel contented in the company of one another while an extrovert may become frustrated with an introvert who doesn’t like to go out to parties. A sensitive type may easily become upset or miss-interpret something from a tough-minded type. A flexible type who loves spontaneity may become frustrated or bored with a structured type who likes everything planned out. While it can be easier having similar personalities, it isn’t necessary for every dimension of your personality to be exactly the same in order to be compatible. Simply understanding one another is the best place to start.

One quick an easy way to establish your compatibility is to get together and take the free personality test on PersonaBubble. You can share and compare your results to uncover and learn more about your compatibility. You can use what you discover to spark a conversation and learn even more about your friends, family or colleagues. Let us know what you discover in the comment section below.

 

Compulsive woodpecker or popular robin? What your emailing style says about you.

by Katie 20/09/2012

How often do you check your email? Are they the bane of your life or can you not live without them? And what does your attitude to emails say about your personality?

email personality

The use of email in business and our everyday lives has increased resulting in the development of particular idiosyncratic patterns of emailing behavior that can either delight or enrage recipients. Researchers at the University of Glasgow and the University of the West of Scotland have examined our different email behaviours and matched them to typical bird-like personalities.

Dr Karen Renaud, senior lecturer in the School of Computing Science at the University of Glasgow, said:

“When we analysed all the findings we realised we could categorise email behaviours and match them to the characteristics of some well-known birds.”

The researchers identified a total of 12 bird-like characteristics of email users, with just one type of bird being associated with perfect email manners: the robin. Robins are people who are admired for not allowing email to dictate their lives and making time to speak to people in person whenever they can.

Dr Renaud added: “What the research really highlights is that email is a great source of stress for many people. Too often, email is used instead of a more suitable means of communication like actually talking to someone.

“It is likely most people will be able to identify some of their email correspondents with these behaviours and perhaps even recognise their own email style.

What type of Bird are you?

Compulsive Woodpecker: Can’t resist reading email at all hours of the day and night.

Hibernating Poorwill: Reads email only occasionally so that senders can never rely on them.

Incommunicado Ostrich: Reads emails but doesn’t reply to them. Often to be seen with the Hibernating Poorwill.

Caterwauling Peacock: Broadcasts emails to all and sundry, claiming that people “need to know” when actually he is grandstanding.

email personality

Pesky Crow: “Leans” on others by means of email, sending multiple versions of the same document, or sending multiple emails about the same topic. This bird inspires fear and loathing in the hearts of other birds.

Buck-Passing Cuckoo: Sends emails to others asking them to carry out some task she should do herself, and then leaves quickly and mimics the Incommunicado Ostrich so that the unfortunate recipient is left carrying the baby.

Back-Covering Emu: Sends emails in order to be able to prove, at a later date, that the information was passed on.

Camouflaging Woodcock: Uses blind copy to send copies of emails to other recipients without the main recipient’s knowledge. Unlike the Back-covering Emu, this bird is seldom seen in all its glory.

Echoing Mynah: Acknowledges all emails. For example engages in exchange something like: “thanks”, then “my pleasure”, then “thanks again”.


Echolalia Mockingbird: A serial forwarder, sending chain emails online petitions and anything else that takes his fancy. Most of these emails have a subject line starting with “FW”. This bird is easily ignored by other birds, but doesn’t know why.Boorish Parrot: Sends abusive or inappropriate emails and fails to understand why others get upset by them.

Night Owl: The midnight emailer, who fails to understand that others do wish to have “time out”. This bird flocks with the Lightning Response Hummingbird.

Hoarding Magpie: Keeps hundreds of emails in the inbox but can never find exactly the one they are looking for.

Lightning-Response Hummingbird: Responds immediately to email, and expects an immediate response in return.

Popular Robin: Simply does not allow email to dictate. They take the time to speak to people whenever possible and do not let email to take over their lives. This bird is the, favourite amongst all the birds.

Can you spot yourself in the 12 bird types above or perhaps you can identify a certain colleague. Let us know what type you are in the comments section below.