Matthew Gates 12m 2,904 #confessions
The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
We are now over 550 days of a projected 2 weeks into our quarantine lockdown. I am only kidding to an extent: many places around the world are out of the strictest quarantine lockdowns, but there are still restrictions placed upon these areas such as mask mandates or even vaccine mandates and even some places that require both even if you are vaccinated, still requiring a full-on mask to be on your face at all times. COVID-19 has much changed our world and it is now a new reality that will likely last another year or two, though all things do come to an end, and life will eventually get back to some resemblance of a normal life.
Truth be told: there is no “normal” anymore and while we will see many bouts of our old type of lifestyle return, there are many things that will become part of our new world, especially in the United States, where many voters were subject to believe their vote had to go a certain way in order for “things to return back to normal”, however, we will be shying away from all politics in this writing, as this confession is not about who won or how things currently are, but rather the celebration of another year of Confessions of the Professions.
The last thing I will say about what COVID-19 has done in my observations:
- This website was the only one focusing on obtaining the truth and COVID-19 articles during the first few months of the pandemic
- This website was and is still focusing on many aspects of COVID-19 and how it has affected daily life
- Many marketing agencies laid off their employees in 2020
- Many marketing agencies rehired or hired new employees in 2021
- Marketing agency submissions to this website grew in 2020 and 2021
- Freelance author submissions to this website grew in 2020 and 2021
- This website has only been busier with submissions through 2020 and 2021
Confessions of the Professions is headed into its 9th year as a hobby blog and professional website that focuses on jobs, careers, and the workplace. As I’ve stated many times again, I started this blog to remain connected to my passion, which was helping people discover their purpose. To provide the summary of why it exists: everyone has a purpose in life, you may as well do something you love and get paid to do it.
This website started off with just accepting rants about the workplace, about the treatment from bosses and companies. It has since evolved into accepting articles from freelancers and marketing agencies throughout the world. We are proud to continue publishing these articles for free and help anyone who wishes to be a part of a community that has been ongoing for the past decade.
Take a look through our previous years:
Top 10 Confession Highlights of 2020
Top 10 Confession Highlights of 2019
Top 10 Confession Highlights of 2018
Top 10 Confession Highlights of 2017
Top 10 Confession Highlights of 2016
Top 10 Confession Highlights of 2015
Top 10 Confession Highlights of 2014
Top 10 Confession Highlights of 2013
Before we get into the confession highlights of 2021, however, there are some things that we wanted to point out:
- We reached a milestone of over 3,500 confessions
- Unfortunately, the article commemorating it was lost
- We saw another milestone of over 200 different authors alone in 2021 with over 1,600 authors contributing to the website since its induction
- We are receiving an average of about 3-4 rush articles per month which greatly supports this website
- Top countries visiting per month:
- United States (750,000 – 1,000,000)
- China (150,000+)
- Germany (125,000+)
- United Kingdom (100,000+)
- Canada (50,000+)
- Top bots visiting per month:
- Bing (50k+)
- Google (13k+)
- AppleBot (7k+)
- Facebook (3k+)
- Yandex (2.5k+)
- Total Bandwidth uncached served monthly: 35 GB
- Total Bandwidth cached served monthly: 7 GB – 10 GB
- Total Unique monthly visitors: 35,000 – 50,000
- Confessions of the Professions CDN:
- 320 GB of images and infographics
- 12 GB – 15 GB downloaded per month
- 350 GB average bandwidth usage per month
- Redesigned footer section developed for enhanced exposure of all confessions:
- Related Confessions
- Latest Confessions
- Random Confessions
- Popular Confessions
- Latest Infographics
- Random Infographics
- Popular Infographics
- Latest ONET Insights
- Random ONET Insights
- Popular ONET Insights
- Upcoming Confessions
- Upcoming Infographics
- Upcoming ONET Insights
- Confessions of the Professions Highlights Archive
- Reduction of several intrusive advertisements
- As always, we want to mention that because of your continued support, a beautiful project was sponsored in 2020 called My Life As A Woman Project and turned into a booked entitled, “My Life As A Woman: World Edition” – Support our work, obtain a piece of history in the form of a book, and own your copy today!
- Every person who contacts me with proof of purchase may receive two Confessions of the Professions Pens
- If you have not already done so, you can sign up for your own account on Confessions of the Professions and submit your article through the website if you prefer
- Free or Rush options available
- To help you better find what you are looking for on Confessions of the Professions, we have added Five Search Research
- To honor and showcase the work of every author on Confessions of the Professions, we have added the Authors list and are happy to officially put names to their corresponding articles on a primary page, instead of just relying on our Confessions Archive, which only lists every confession
Final Year summary:
- January 2021: 61 confessions, 75,951 words, 1,245 word average
- February 2021: 55 confessions, 55,925 words, 1, 017 word average
- March 2021: 62 confessions, 67,752 words, 1,093 word average
- April 2021: 59 confessions, 67,380 words, 1,142 word average
- May 2021: 63 confessions, 83,281 words, 1,322 word average
- June 2021: 68 confessions, 94,546 words, 1,390 word average
- July 2021: 67 confessions, 89,703 words, 1,339 word average
- August 2021: 72 confessions, 87,736 words, 1,219 word average
- September 2021: 70 confessions, 88,467 words, 1,264 word average
- October 2021: 64 confessions, 86,862 words, 1,357 word average
- November 2021: 70 confessions, 97,504 words, 1,393 word average
- December 2021: 90 confessions, 108,431 words, 1,205 word average
These are just several of the major highlights that occurred during the 2021 year and without further ado, we have chosen the top 10 confession highlights of 2021.
Something that has been driving this website with unique content for years was actually my former boss. Of course, my boss personally does not know this, nor does my boss care that I run a website with tons of articles all about specific actions, but due to those actions, abuse, and constantly getting away with it, while the Top Advisers at my company in command continued to ignore it, considering my boss a senior to everyone and being a valuable asset to the company, after 6 years of working with and for, my boss was finally fired in February 2021.
Prior to this, I’d been threatened with my own firing and berated over any mistake that I made, while anything good I did was completely ignored, nor even brought up in meetings, unless I had to bring it up. My former boss, during reviews, would only focus on the negative aspects of everything I did the last quarter, while completely treating anything good I did as if it never happened.
So when I finally told my boss to please consult all the top bosses and come to some decent severance package, well, it ended in a way that I would have never imagined, suspected, or even dreamed of — his own firing.
Read more about my toxic boss.
2. How COVID Has Changed Work Culture
COVID-19 has been a part of human culture and society for quite some time. While there were variants and variations of it before, where you may have even been referred to by doctors as the flu, the COVID-19 variant brought human society to a halt for over a month, stopping society, causing massive layoffs, and millions of companies to go out of business. However, for the companies that remained and the companies that are newly forming and the companies that are rebuilding, they are coming back in a way that accommodates their business for a world of living with and without COVID-19.
For some businesses, when many were laid off or let go, this did not change the amount of tasks that remained and many workers were now expected to do the job of their co-workers, sometimes working even longer hours. Some businesses incorporated a more “work smarter, not harder” plan and extended even more benefits to their employees.
Read more about Jori Hamilton’s How COVID Has Changed Work Culture.
3. 8 Work From Home Essentials
If there is anything COVID-19 has done, it exposed the fact that many of our jobs can safely be done from during the comfort at home. In fact, for many people, working at home became a good thing as it allowed them to spend more time with family, ditch the childcare costs of daycare, spend more time with each other, and saved on gas and car insurance. It has likely saved companies millions of dollars in rental costs and has shown that many employees could be trusted to work at home.
Working at home for some was an easy transition, however, for others, switching from an office settings to remote work required some changes for people. These changes might include an office space, establishing boundaries with family and work time, having a reliable Internet connection, and several pieces of software, such as a VPN, and hardware, such as dual monitor. See what you might be missing in your home office with this advice from Elizabeth Howard.
Read more about the 8 Work From Home Essentials.
4. Are You Ready For The Military?
Absolutely shying away from any form of politics in this article, and sticking to the true understanding of any military and its purpose, but for most patriotic Americans, the military is a very respected profession. The military is the first and last line of defense against any attack from a country on Earth or any alien species away from this planet that chooses to attack us. The presence of the United States military is common throughout the world and has been portrayed in thousands of movies. The military consists of six official branches:
- Air Force, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserves
- Army National Guard and Army Reserves
- Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserves
- Marine Corps and Marine Corps reserves
- Navy and Navy Reserves
- Space Force
Joining the military is not for everyone and does require you to sign multiple contracts of your commitment to the military as well as subject yourself to multiple task operations that prepare you and get you ready to serve the military. These operations and tasks may require you to get in shape, lose weight, become more mature, and be disciplined. The military also trains you in understanding the tactics of weaponry and war. The military is a great place if you are looking for purpose in your life and will provide direction.
Considering joining? Read more from Precious Figueroa on being Ready For The Military.
5. The Golden Rule: Commandment For Life
I believe we all live by a set of rules that guide our life towards doing good deeds and good things. We are often taught by our parents how to live a particular way, although there many be other figures in our lives, or our own determining factors that guide our own decisions and actions. Sometimes, there are people who make choices that are not good and would be considered bad or evil.
For living in society, there are rules, known as laws, that were established to prevent those living in that society or community, from doing bad things. For most religions, they follow a rule of 10 commandments or guidelines that are meant to be followed and breaking them, according to those religions, may result in not-so-good rewards.
For this confessions, specifically, I dive into these rules to understand: how can you be a better human being? And after going through everything, I came out to just one golden rule or one golden commandment that can be followed. Most people struggle to follow it, but by just living by this one rule in your life, you will have achieved all the other rules.
Read more about The Golden Rule: Commandment For Life.
6. How Do You Avoid Work From Home Burnout?
During COVID-19, many people were transferred from working in an office full-time to working at home full-time. While office burnout was and is still very common, the topic of working at home and burning out is just as likely, if not even more common. When working at home, the stresses of home life will not be completely eliminated, which may include pets and animals among other stresses of daily home life.
There are things while working at home that you can do to reduce burnout and stress, such as taking regular breaks, establishing a work zone and a zone for hobbies and a zone for family. While you may think a staycation is not the ideal vacation, taking a random day off at the beginning, middle, or even the end of the week can help in avoiding burnout while at home.
For more information on avoiding stress and burnout at home, read this piece of advice from Jo-anne’s How Do You Avoid Work From Home Burnout?
7. 5 Great Ways To Improve Your Company Culture
While COVID-19 has some of us working from home, there are still plenty of people who must leave for an office everyday for work. For the most part, many companies have adapted, enforcing mask mandates or simply spacing employees far enough away from each other to work. However, life must go on, and company culture is still a very valuable component to have in the workplace.
Company culture allows for employees to get along, while respecting each others’ differences. It allows employees to not only feel just like workmates, but actual friends and teammates who make work-life better and more productive. Company culture can make or break any company and drive it to success. Samantha Higgins explains a lot more in 5 Great Ways To Improve Your Company Culture.
8. Things You Didn’t Know About The COVID-19 Mutation [Infographic]
The most accurate and up-to-date information likely comes from the CDC news website. Confessions of the Professions has published only articles about COVID-19 that have been observations or facts. It is important to understand COVID-19 and not spread any misinformation. Thus, with this infographic, from Harvey Medic International, information about the ability of COVID-19 to mutate and the concerns about a virus being able to do so is explored in this infographic.
9. Where Have All The Good Servers Gone?
As COVID-19 has seen the layoff of a massive number of servers, waitresses, bartenders, and hosts and hostesses around the world, whether we speak of before or after, and rehiring, the expectations of where all the good servers have gone is in question. There are still plenty of good servers and bartenders out there who do an amazing job and make great money doing so. But in the restaurant business, which during the COVID-19 pandemic has seen an increase in hiring signs, there will be a surge in those looking for work as a server.
Just because it is COVID-19, people are still looking to go out to eat at restaurants and enjoy themselves. If you haven’t been a good server or are looking to improve your skills, then heed to the advice of being a good server, as it seems most have disappeared from the restaurant industry, but as you looking for work and get hired to become a server, read more from Cecille about earning your high tip.
10. Getting Laid… Off
Between 2020 and 2021, millions of people were laid off or fired from their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many companies may have offered severance packages while others simply showed the way to the door. If you found yourself unemployed, or you will find yourself unemployed soon, there are ways to prepare yourself. While you cannot fully prepare for the consequences of being laid off and losing your primary source of income, accepting the inevitable and moving on will help you to find your new job, your new life, and a new source of income. Sometimes, things may not seem as they always are, and in actuality, your new start is a fresh start and perhaps, a blessing in disguise.
Read more about Getting Laid… Off.
Bonus: Why Success Is Hard
Success is something we all strive for but give many definitions when it comes to our own. We often attribute to success to happiness or achieving some desired goal. We may experience failures along the way and even give up. But success hardly ever comes without its obstacles and challenges and may even require one or multiple sacrifices in order to achieve our successful goal. In this article, you will understand why success is not to easy to achieve, why you struggle to achieve success, and what happens when you actually do achieve success.
Read more about Why Success Is Hard.
Honorable Mentions
- CISION Global Comms 2021 Report [Ebook]
- Human Greed: We Are Our Enemies
- 5 Self-Exams Every Recently-Pregnant Mother Should Know
- How Marijuana Legalization Is Growing The Economy
- 5 Career Path Ideas For Adventurous People
We are always excited by every email and person who comes across this website and makes themselves known. We appreciate all your contributions and thank you for helping us make it to 9 years. Thank you for all of your hard work and efforts to help us keep going. We will continue working hard to make this the best community website for understanding jobs, careers, and the workplace. If there is anything you’d like to see or contribute, don’t hesitate to sign up for an account or even send us an email.
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