Displaying All Posts tagged with Work Life

What’s on Your Music Playlist – Specific Situations Edition

Loud heavy metal used to make me get all my work done in high school and today I’ve no idea how I was able to think that way. My brother calls me an “old geezer” since opera and folk are more of what help me focus and get work done — though when writing I generally prefer silence. Sometimes a few songs are sure to make me focus (or simply relax) so that I can focus, though songs with lyrics can be distracting as I always seem to pay attention to the lyrics. In that case, electronica is the way to go. Click Here to Read Article …

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Do You Volunteer for an Organization or Cause?

Melanie Brooks 16th September General 9 Comments

I read this recent post, Making Your Passion a Higher Priority, and it hit close to home.

I have recently been asked to sit on the board of the young professionals chapter of my local chamber of commerce. I was flattered and immediately agreed. Not only do I believe in networking opportunities, I believe in my local business community.

Once a month I attend an hour-long meeting and help plan monthly, quarterly, and yearly activities. As the editor of a regional manager I feel it’s important for me to be involved in the community. But I was worried about how to fit my volunteer commitment into my work and personal life. Click Here to Read Article …

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How Relative Is “Being on Time”?

Ana da Silva 21st July Office Life 16 Comments

In some cultures it is acceptable to be late, meaning arriving after the agreed upon time. This makes the definition of “being on time” subjective as some take it as meaning being 5 minutes before the agreed upon time, for others 15 minutes after.

I’ve asked this of many people and some swear there’s no such thing as cultural differences when it comes to being on time. Others argued that everyone knows that everyone else will be 15 minutes late so, in fact, everyone is on time. In today’s increasingly diverse workplaces these differences can create some tension – and make some team members feel they’re being taken advantage of.

Do you deal with this cultural difference in your workplace? What approach do you take? Click Here to Read Article …

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10 Life-Changing Benefits of the Internet Age

Bob Bessette 21st July Communication 16 Comments

It is hard to imagine life without the internet. Actually, I am old enough to do just that.

But it is amazing the effect that the internet has had on our lives. Believe it or not, there are still many people who don’t even own a PC – but that number is dwindling each year. It brings to mind all of the technological benefits of the internet age. My life has certainly changed within the past thirty years due to the internet and it’s a fine time to reflect on the impact it has had over its lifespan so far.

Click Here to Read Article …

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Productive Working Hours: What Are Your Best Work Times?

Susan Johnston 23rd June Productivity 27 Comments

Although most offices operate on 9 to 5 (or 8 to 6) working hours, not all workers work best on this timetable. Night owl workers prefer to burn the midnight oil, working late into the night when there are no distracting coworkers and their brain is at its sharpest.

I, on the other hand, prefer to follow regular business hours (roughly 9-6), so I’m available for dinner or drinks when my cubicle-dwelling friends get out of work. Plus, I like that feeling of accomplishment when the clock strikes noon and I can strike a bunch of items from my to-do list and break for lunch. When I’m still tethered to my computer at 7 or 8 at night, I feel antsy and unproductive (though I’ll do it if that’s what it takes to meet a deadline).

What about your working hours? What are your best work times? Why? Click Here to Read Article …

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Awesome Links #2: Balanced Living, Productivity Apps

Mike Vardy 20th June General Leave a Comment

Today’s dads seek better work-life balance

In honor of Father’s Day, this article takes a look at how the new fathers of the day are meeting the responsibilities of the role both at home and at work.

App demo: Round the Clock

The Unofficial Apple Weblog gives us a sneak peek at an app called Round the Clock. What this productivity app for all of Apple’s line of mobile devices (iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch) does is present all of your calendar information as a pie chart – and that’s just for starters. It’s kind of like having a digital Muji Chronotebook at the ready. It may not be for everyone, but the video is worth a look.

Freelancer’s Wishlist – Father’s Day Edition

Dads aren’t the easiest to shop for – I know, I’m one of them. But sister site FreelanceSwitch has thoughts on what could be a solid (or solid-state) gift for the “freelance father” in your life!

Manymoon: Free Social Productivity, Project Management & Task Management

Fan of Google’s web apps? Then Manymoon has a productivity solution that could be what you’ve been looking for…and it’s free. Definitely something to check out if you (and your team) rely on having stuff in the “cloud.”

Lemonade: The Movie

This movie touches on what we’ve talked about in terms of “dream jobs” here at WorkAwesome, but it also takes it a step further. What if you were given a chance for a clean slate because you found yourself without a job altogether? A pretty inspirng film – and fairly short as it clocks in at just over half an hour. Click Here to Read Article …

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Competence or Confidence?

Peter North 17th June General 7 Comments

Competence or confidence.

Which comes first? Do your ever-improving skills grant you confidence? Or, alternatively, is it your confidence that catalyzes the growth of your skills?

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

You can certainly have one in spades and suffer a conspicuous lack of the other. Some people are brimming with confidence and have no skills to back up all that bravado. Others have a brilliant array of abilities, but don’t have the gumption to put them all to use.

Sure, it would be ideal to have tons of both. But if you could only have one, which would you pick? Which is a “nice to have” and which is a critical component of your working persona? Click Here to Read Article …

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Are Traditional Offices Dead?

Mike Vardy 16th June Office Life 5 Comments

Today Seth Godin posted his thoughts on the state of the “traditional office.”

I hold the man in pretty high regard (he was listed as one of my examples of “really productive people”), and I even took part in this Monday’s Worldwide Linchpin Meetup Day. While not everyone will agree with his ideas, he puts them out there no matter what.

He raises some really great points, including how one can be more productive if they work from wherever they choose.

So, do you think the traditional office is dead? Do you think there’s a place for it in today’s society? Click Here to Read Article …

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Put the Sleeper Hold on Boring Meetings

Joe Taylor Jr. 15th June General 1 Comment

Productivity gurus love to pick on lame meetings.

But let’s be realistic…even top creative professionals have to endure meetings with clients or with project teams. Taking ownership of your work means taking responsibility for the quality of your meetings. Click Here to Read Article …

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Awesome Links #1

Mike Vardy 13th June Productivity 1 Comment

Freebie: FreelanceSwitch Business Card Template

Nothing says “I’m a professional” more than a good business card. And while we discussed business card design here this week, our sister site FreelanceSwitch gives you a free template to download so that you can get started showing people how awesome your work is – and you’re being awesomely productive because most of the work’s already done for you!

7 Tips for a Fabulous Outdoor Movie Night

A movie is the perfect escape from the daily rigors of work and gives you a chance to recharge your batteries so you can maintain a high level of productivity. Outdoor movie nights are becoming more and more popular these days, so here’s a few tips to make sure you put together one that goes off without a hitch!

A Great Starting Point for Productive Trip Planning

Kayak’s got an awesome feature that allows you to narrow down vacation spots by price, location and even temperature range. It’ called “Explore” and you should do just that!

30+ Things You Have to Know about being a Freelancer

New strategies such as telecommuting and flex hours are being used for those who want to stay with their current employer and work from home. But what if you want to strike out on your own and – gasp – freelance? Here’s 30-odd things that will you need to know before striking off into (or running away from) the realm of self-employment.

Sleep and Your Productivity

If you’re tired, you’re not as energetic. If you’re not as energetic, you’re not as productive. How can you get the much-needed sleep you deserve? Michael Hyatt has some thoughts on this… Click Here to Read Article …

What is a Dream Job?

Peter North 12th June General 3 Comments

We are always rolling the idea of a “dream job” around in our heads. Whether you’re sagging your head on a slow workday or sweating bullets during a hectic one, thoughts of your perfect job will cross your mind. What is a “dream job” anyway? It’s different for everyone, but it usually comes to us as an ever-changing counterpoint to our current job: If you’re bored by your current job, you dream of an active, fulfilling one. If you’re overloaded with work, you dream of a slower, simpler workday. If you have no autonomy at your current job, you dream of being an entrepreneur empowered with control over your own destiny.

But, despite all of these passing, changing thoughts, few of us have paused and allowed our dream job the consideration it deserves. Ask yourself: Have you given any real thought or definition to your dream job? Would you recognize it if you saw it? Would you be ready to pursue it if it appeared? If you struggle with any of the answers, perhaps you should stop, sit down, and give the matter your full attention. Click Here to Read Article …

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What Would You Do If You Were Let Go?

Mike Vardy 10th June Goals 12 Comments

The economic situation is tough right now; it really hasn’t eased up much recently nor does it show signs of doing so anytime soon. No matter how productive you may be at what you do, you may find yourself out of work if the proverbial “house of cards” at your place of employment comes tumbling down.

If that was to happen, are you prepared? Regardless of how you feel your position stands in terms of security, you just never know – so it’s good to make sure you’re ready should the need arise.

But let’s take it one step further.

If your job was to disappear tomorrow, are you prepared to do something else instead?

What would you do if you were let go? Would you simply move on, or re-create your work like in some form or another? Would you go it alone? Let us know in the comments. Click Here to Read Article …

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