Displaying All Posts from July, 2010

Bad Email Habits and Annoyances

We’ve talked about increasing email productivity and managing email overload in the past. But what about email habits? Do you think your message composing style could irritate some of your recipients?

Well, it looks like it could. At least that’s what Lifehacker’s readers mentioned when they were asked about the email habits they loathe. You’d be surprised to know that even innocuous words like “Cheers” in the email signature offends some people.

The post is definitely an interesting read if you care about the human psyche. And if you have any comments and thoughts on what you think are bad email habits and annoyances, let us know.

The Worst Email Habits and Annoyances You Should Avoid (or At Least Be Aware Of)

Click Here to Read Article …

Popular search terms for this article:

bad emails, bad email habits, bad email, bad work emails, email habits, bad e-mail habits, bad email practices

Monday Morning Anthems

The alarm rings on Monday morning and you groan. It doesn’t matter whether or not you love your job—waking up and getting a move on at the beginning of a new work week after two days off is no small feat. But one thing that can help get us geared up to return to the office is music. (Just be mindful when it comes to actually playing it in the office.)

What songs do you find yourself turning up in the car or on your iPod as you head into the office to start the week? Maybe Elvis Costello’s “Welcome to the Working Week”, “Let’s Go” by the Cars or “Manic Monday” by the Bangles? How about the classic R.E.M. tunes “Get Up” or “Finest Worksong”? Does Iggy Pop help you rock out and find a “Lust for Life”?

Maybe you need to throw yourself a dance party to really get motivated—a little Lady Gaga, M.I.A. or Justin Timberlake, perhaps? Or maybe you seek productivity inspiration from that inveterate hustler, Jay-Z.

(By the way, we already know you listen to MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This” to get pumped for a big presentation. Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone.)

What songs get you motivated for the workweek? Click Here to Read Article …

Memo:Random #38


Click Here to Read Article …

5 Top Web Comics for Adults

Reading web comics on the weekends could be a nice way to freshen up your mind after five days of busy schedule.

This list contains some of my top web comics for adults, especially geek adults. My love for all things tech is reflected in this list too. Click Here to Read Article …

Popular search terms for this article:

COMICS for ADULTS, adults comics, topwebcomics, top webcomics, best adult comics, top web comics, comics adults, comics adult, comic for adults, best adult comic

Awesome Links #7: Defeating Distractions, Blog Boosting, Freelancing Fees

The 7 Secrets of Running a Wildly Popular Blog
A top direct marketing copywriter shares his tips on using personality and likeability to build your blog’s popularity.

20 Strategies to Defeat the Urge to Do Useless Tasks
Ever find yourself refreshing Facebook or cleaning out your desk instead of doing what’s really important? Read this post!

Three Reasons You’re Not Charging What You’re Worth
Many freelancers and other self-employed folks sell themselves short, but this post shows them how to break this habit and start charging more.

5 Ways To Boost Your Best Business Relationship
These days, finding a job or getting promoted is all about relationships, and this post shows you simple ways to strengthen those contacts.

Freelance Decor: 6 Motivational Posters from the Movies
Lastly, we bring you a fun, light-hearted post from our sister site, FreelanceSwitch, with humorous motivational posters. Click Here to Read Article …

Should Speed Reading Techniques Be Taught in School?

I picked up a teach yourself book at a friend’s today about speed reading.  It states that with speed reading one can maximize their time and improve their reading efficiency.  I’ve never met people who speed read but it seems like such a good idea. If we all could speed read we would be able to go through all of the information we go through every day much more quickly, allowing more time for our work.  It leaves me wondering why speed reading isn’t taught in school as a skill – along with algebra shortcuts and writing short hand.

Do you think speed reading techniques should be taught in school?  Do you think or know if it really helps? Click Here to Read Article …

Popular search terms for this article:

reading techniques

Fast Recipes for Work #2: Cup o’ Chocolate Cake

Here’s another of my favorite fast recipes. How many times have you been slaving away at the computer, trying to squeeze in that last bit of code, those final tweaks to the copy, or the final lines in your design when you were struck with an overwhelming urge for chocolate cake?

Sadly, this happens way too often here in my house. While I feel a bit guilty when I “forget” to tell my wife that I made a chocolate cake – I feel more so when there isn’t any left to share with her.

So I was delighted to come across this recipe – as it’s a personal-sized cake (well, really – what cake isn’t personal sized?).  And the best part is it will probably take you longer to eat it than it will to cook it!

This is a “Freelance Favorite” called Cup o’ Cake – but you don’t have to be a freelancer to enjoy it.  If you’ve got a microwave at work, you can bring the ingredients and mix them up for your afternoon coffee.  Why buy a $5 cupcake when you can make something like this?

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp flour (all purpose is ok, cake flour is better)
  • 3 tbsp Cocoa powder
  • 4 tbsp sugar (haven’t tried it yet – but you could probably use your fav. flavor Quik and skip the cocoa)
  • 1 med egg
  • 3 tbsp milk (evaporated milk might be pretty good, too)
  • 3 tbsp oil (or melted butter if you want to be decadent)
  • 2 tbsp chocolate chips
  • 1 large mug

Add the dry ingredients and chocolate chips to the mug

Add egg, then milk and oil.  Mix very well. (A large mug is handy here, or this might be a bit messy)

Put the mug in the microwave, and cook on high for 3 minutes

Take out of the microwave, empty mug into a bowl.  Smother cake with canned chocolate sauce, ice cream, whipped cream or all of the above

Hide bathroom scale.

Enjoy! Click Here to Read Article …

Popular search terms for this article:

cup o cake recipes, cup o cake recipe

5 Novel Ways to Unwind from the Workweek

The weekends are a time when I need to get away from the rigors of a tough workweek.  Even though I oftentimes bring my work home with me, at least in my thoughts, I usually can separate my weekends from the work week.  Finding different and interesting activities to do on the weekend tends to invigorate me and adds a lot to the end of a long workweek.  Here is a brief list of some activities that work for me:

1. Take a Hike.

I have always been a nature lover and either climbing a mountain or just walking a trail on the weekend is a great way to relax and unwind from the workweek.  It is such a stark contrast from sitting in a cubicle and that is what makes it so enjoyable.

2. Visit a Farmers Market.

My wife and I are lovers of great food.  To make great food you need to start with fresh ingredients.  We oftentimes visit local farmers markets on the weekend where we get to see fresh produce from farms in the surrounding area.  You tend to pay a little bit more than the non-local produce in the supermarket but you are 1) supporting local farms and 2) purchasing the freshest produce you can get for your scrumptious nightly meal.

3. Try a new specialty drink.

These days, finding a recipe for a specialty alcoholic beverage is a few clicks away.  I love to explore the variety of different recipes that I can find for frozen margaritas, cosmopolitans, or, better yet, a drink that I have never even heard of.  Add some spice to your weekend and try something new.  It could even be a new wine from a local vineyard.  You’d be surprised at the quality of wines you can purchase from local vineyards, even if you don’t live in Napa or Sonoma.

4. Day Tripping.

As I write this article, I am on vacation.  This time I did not have anything planned, which was different from my typical vacation.  As a result, I was able to take day trips to unfamiliar locations.  Sometimes we just get stuck in the same routine and don’t explore surrounding areas that may be an hour drive from our home.  Venture out and explore your surroundings.  You may just find that it is a lot more interesting than you had assumed.

5. Visit your local library. Really!

OK this one may sound boring to most of you but recently I have really started to take advantage of my local library.  Until I actually checked it out, I didn’t realize that there are a multitude of movies and CDs available for free.  And don’t think that you can’t get the latest books to read.  I can even go online and check out books from my local library which makes it very convenient.

Weekends can go by very quickly but if you fill them with exciting and interesting activities you may find that, by the time Monday morning comes, you just may be ready to tackle the upcoming workweek.  At the same time, you may start planning what your upcoming weekend may entail. Click Here to Read Article …

Popular search terms for this article:

ways to unwind