Displaying All Posts from September, 2009

Make Work Better with Your Desktop Decor

I was checking out my new desktop wallpaper, which should look familiar to those who have been regularly perusing this here site, and as I laid out my icons accordingly on it I found myself organized and inspired in one fell swoop.

It’s widely accepted that a messy desktop area leads to an unproductive working environment. This holds true not only for your computer’s desktop, but for your physical desktop. The idea of “zenning down” your desk area to the bare essentials is a good idea, but if you go too far towards that route your workmates and superiors may see you not as efficient, but rather wonder if you don’t have enough to do. Silly, yes – but remember that what people often perceive as reality becomes their reality.
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14 Awesome PowerPoint Resources

Joseph Lewis 29th September Software 10 Comments

PowerPoint is stressful, isn’t it? It shouldn’t be. There’s nothing special about it. You use it everyday. It’s just text, diagrams, and pictures. And yet it still manages to eat up whole hours of your time. You have to edit, review, and revise the same slides over and over for other people. You have to sit through hour after hour of slide-based meetings. And you’re probably not entirely proud of the slides you’re making or the slides your organization publishes, are you? Well, that’s just plain wrong.

In our ongoing efforts to bring you workplace information that is at least partially entertaining and very nearly useful, I am pleased to bring you the following presentation design links. Read More

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How to Stop Interruptions

Cubicle Curtis 28th September Productivity 8 Comments

We interrupt this productive work day to bring you this special message on how to avoid distractions.

Hey, you busy? Sorry to interrupt, but I have some ideas on what you can do about all those distractions and interruptions getting in the way of your work. Let’s review what’s keeping you from finishing that report.

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Our Biggest Launch of the Year!

Collis Ta'eed 28th September General 4 Comments

In the last three years our Envato Marketplaces (FlashDen, ThemeForest, GraphicRiver, AudioJungle and VideoHive) have grown like gangbusters, with big communities, huge libraries of files and lots of activity. So when we set out to redesign them earlier this year everyone on the team knew it was going to be big. What we didn’t realise was HOW big it would eventually get! Today it gives me great pleasure to show you …

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Memo:Random #3

N.C. Winters 25th September Memo: Random 9 Comments

MR3_TonerShakin

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Beyond the Cover Letter: Resumé Tips

Stephanie Lewis 24th September Your Job 13 Comments

So you want to apply for that cool new job you saw online today. You want it really badly, right? Well, first you have to get the interview. Here are some things you need to check before you hit the send button, or else your application will end up in the trash.

Make it short and sweet.

Don’t fluff up your job descriptions with whole sentences as to how you were a liaison to so-and-so and consulted for such-and-such. Words like “liaison,” “filing,” and “communication” tell us that you’re trying to cover for having done very little work.

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How Increased Productivity Can Hurt You

Mark Garrison 23rd September Productivity 16 Comments

A big part of being awesome in the workplace is being highly productive. Any time we can get more done in the same amount of time means greater profitability for you personally and the company you work for. Since profitability is ultimately what business is about, increased productivity is a big focus for any organization. But sometimes the increased productivity isn’t worth it. Below we’ll look at some of the possible productivity pitfalls and how to avoid them.

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How Not to Boost Employee Morale

Justin Rush 22nd September Management 6 Comments

Any company, regardless of size, must maintain an engaging internal culture to keep its staff motivated to perform. You have most likely heard plenty of friends and family members thank their particular deity just for keeping them employed, but even in these economic end-times, intra-office tension can cause recurring HR nightmares. Tension causes distraction, which causes glacial productivity. Bad productivity leads high-achievers to seek more promising work. This steady turnaround often results in your workforce resembling more of a remedial vocational training class than a proud and profitable organization.
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16 Resources for Effective Presentations via Web.AppStorm

Joel Falconer 22nd September Site News 1 Comment

Giving presentations is a big part of office life, and to do your most awesome work you need to be really great at delivering them.

We recently published an article that tells you what not to do with your PowerPoint designs, and we’ll be publishing much more on making presentations and PowerPoint work in the near future.

In the meantime, our fellow Envato site, Web.AppStorm, recently published a stellar list of resources for making your presentations more effective and beautiful. From the article:

When going through all the effort to get in front of a crowd, you need to ensure that you communicate effectively. In the past decade, the majority of us have most likely had to sit through a bullet point infested presentation that completely failed to keep us engaged. Or worse, awake.

There are many aspects to giving a good presentation and being an engaging public speaker. The good news is that the web is full of good resources that can help us improve in these areas. By now, most presenters are aware that lots of text in your slides is a no-no and knowing your content is priceless. But even that isn’t enough.

Here are a list of resources that can help you take your talk to another level. Enjoy!

Keep Your Audience in Focus – 16 Resources for Effective Presentations
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What Not to Do Down on the Cube Farm

Michelle Burleson 21st September Office Life 23 Comments

Confession: I committed cube etiquette crimes.

A tuna fish sandwich every other quarter? Yes. An audible YouTube viewing of something juvenile and—more than likely — based on embarrassing bodily functions? Possibly. But, I can’t imagine being the perpetrator of anything you’re about to read. Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be Cube Creeps.

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The Flow Code: The Basics of “Getting To Flow”

Mike Vardy 19th September Productivity 4 Comments

In my last article, I alluded to the teachings of the venerable Barney Stinson, many of whom consider to be The Master of Awesome. Not only does he “walk the walk” and “talk the talk”, but he can also pen a solid opus about it. I recently read his work, The Bro Code, which is essentially a bible for the brotherhood of men. If you adhere to the carefully/comedically crafted code, you’ll become a “balanced bro.” Needless to say, I’m working on it. I’ll get there eventually.

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