A lifelike, full-size model named Emma demonstrate ailments that show the dark side of where we’re headed if work comforts continue to go unchecked. While aimed at computer use and seating, its no secret that smartphone use puts a strain on our stature, as does poor driving posture. Source: Fast Company, January 6, 2020. Link. Unless we make radical changes to our working … [Read more...]
Train your brain to perform better under pressure
When we’re under pressure, there are predictable consequences, shares Art Markman: The tendency to focus on all the things that could go wrong, ignoring the positive Our desire to perform at a high level limits the amount of information you can hold in mind at one time, which can limit the complexity of what you can accomplish mentally. Source: Fast Company, December … [Read more...]
5 trick interview questions, be prepared
Experienced recruiters use questions like the ones below to trick you into divulging details you hadn’t planned on sharing during interviews. Prepare to answer these five questions in the context of what the employer is seeking to learn during the interview: Tell me about yourself. Translation: Why are you a good fit? What do you know about us? Translation: Are you … [Read more...]
The advice half of working women need to hear
Ursula Mead’s company, InHerSight, recently polled website users about whether they had ever negotiated their salary < link >. Almost half of the 1,041 respondents said no. Self-advocacy is difficult for many people, but for women in the workplace, it’s particularly complicated. That’s why more women need support from their peers. Source: Fast Company, October 4, 2019. … [Read more...]
Hate distractions? Good. Your perception of reality is at stake
If you’re trying to pay attention to multiple things, you’re not going to be as good at it versus if it were one at a time. It’s not just being slowed down . . . it might affect what you’re perceiving in the moment.” We are constantly inundated with push notices, texts, flashing signs, banners or the next tab. All this distraction may come at a massive cost. It’s not only to … [Read more...]
From “suits” to Luddites – the demise of office attire
Most any attire goes in some offices. This author attributes this to the rise of young founders commandeering successful tech companies, an increase in both remote work and flexible hours and the freelance economy. A recent study found that nearly half of managers said they were concerned employees dressed too casually, while 32% of supervisors named “too much skin” as one of … [Read more...]
National park data helps determine best times to visit
Some animal health pros may make plans to cross national park locations off their bucket lists of places to visit before year-end. Jordan Vincent’s new infographic uses visitor data from 54 national parks between 2013 and 2019 to show the peak visiting times for people using different types of lodging < link >. Source: Fast Company, August 12, 2019. Link. One way to … [Read more...]
Kitten Lady launches book, promotes kitten fostering
Hannah Shaw’s passion for fostering kittens spawned ongoing and time-saving video projects that caught the attention of kitten lovers on the internet. She added an Instagram profile and a YouTube page for potential kitten adopters, then discoveredthere was little information about fostering kittens available. Shaw realized that the animal advocacy world was missing a champion … [Read more...]
People will eat anything (almost) at work
Sales reps have understood for decades what Susan Albers-Bowling, Ph.D., calls mindless eating. “Once you eat unhealthy food in an environment, it can become routine,” says Luke Ayers, PhD. So the donuts, bagels, pizza, cookies and cupcakes just keep coming. We are motivated to try things that are free because it’s low risk. We also feel like we’re getting a deal.” Susan … [Read more...]
3 ways to deal with conflict more productively
“ . . . conflict is an inescapable part of life. You shouldn’t ask yourself, “Will I experience conflict,” but rather, “How will I manage conflict when it happens,” writes Roi Ben-Yehuda. “Few of us are naturally equipped with the tools to self-manage conflict,” he says. ‘So we end up telling ourselves problematic stories that make everything worse.” Source: Fast Company, … [Read more...]
Good writing makes you more employable, no matter the role
It’s never too late to learn what makes great writing, says Jaleh Bisharat. If your writing needs work, he offers reasons to improve along with seven tips on being a better writer: Good writing correlates with crisp thinking Clear, persuasive communication is the underpinning of a successful professional If you’re a good writer, there will always be work for you to … [Read more...]
Opinion – Getting work done while being human – part 4
The fourth installment of this series looks at how children play. Colin Johnson-Zapier suggests we follow the lead of preschoolers to improve our productivity. We added information on adult play and more perspectives on the ever-fleeting work-life balance topic. 5 valuable productivity lessons that preschoolers can teach you, Fast Company, June 14, 2019. Link. Follow our … [Read more...]
Changes in middle class affect business growth
Animal health pros often examine local population economics. Pavithra Mohan reviews the history of the middle class and how the definition of it and expectations of those in it have changed and will continue to do so.. In 2019, the prevailing feeling among the self-anointed middle class may be a lack of financial security and job stability, but also a narrowing path to upward … [Read more...]
Opinion – FREE, one-day shipping is an oxymoron
Amazon recently announced it will spend $800M to bring free, one-day shipping to Prime members. This is an indictment of our increasing inability to plan past our noses. Distribution companies have been fighting this costly next-day fight for years, often without directly assessing the increased costs to customers who require the service. Failure to plan is simply a plan to … [Read more...]
Tech ad parody almost too real to believe it’s not real
We had to share this 'spoof' in light of the attention to cell phone overuse; a phone camera that looks up, so you can keep looking down. Too real for sure! In a new parody ad, designer Alex Cornell makes fun of our ever-increasing smartphone dependency, using the language of tech advertising so precisely that some viewers might not even realize it’s a parody. Source: Fast … [Read more...]
FCC warns, one ring robocall wave in progress again
Robocalls are annoying at minimum. You answer and it may take up to 30 seconds for a person to answer. Now the Federal Communications Commission has issued a warning about so-called one-ring robocalls, a scam that doesn’t require the receiver of the call to pick up the phone, but to call back. In April, Americans received 4.9 billion robocalls, or 163 million calls per day. . … [Read more...]
False beliefs about introverts and extroverts (podcast)
Most people don’t fit neatly into one “introvert” or “extrovert” box. Even people who feel pretty solidly in one camp, can have traits that we often associate with the other, shares Kathleen Davis. This kind of dual behavior is pretty common. It’s not a black and white category. Susan Cain, author. Source: Fast Company, April 10, 2019. Link. How introverts can get noticed at … [Read more...]
Common productivity beliefs that are lies
The early bird doesn’t always get the worm. Ciara Byrne shares productivity practices we believe, but just aren’t so. Some conventional wisdom isn’t so wise. Productivity experts weigh in on some commonly held beliefs that are just wrong. Source: Fast Company, January 4, 2019. Link. Productivity experts share their thoughts on the productivity myths that need … [Read more...]
Why you need to change your passwords in 2019
Experts from the NSA and Darktrace discuss AI, invisible security and changing passwords. Despite the best efforts of the security community, users often resist doing the work required to implement even basic security Source: Fast Company, January 7, 2019. Link. If 2018 is any indication, threats are becoming more sophisticated, harder to detect, and potentially more … [Read more...]
Music that helps you be more productive
Jared Lindzon writes about music in the workplace and its influence on productivity. The choices must address human and animal needs in animal health facilities. We’ve added sources for your consideration that address productivity, personnel and animals. ¯ . . . music is preferred over any other background noise in the workplace. . . A continually changing music stream is … [Read more...]
How to respond if you keep getting interrupted at meetings
Whether during a group meeting or during a one-on-one conversation, getting interrupted is frustrating and sometimes demoralizing. The impact of being interrupted tends to be most negative when it prevents you from finishing a thought. Preparation for interruptions is key, shares Tania Luna. She offers ways to navigate the various norms in different situations. Source: Fast … [Read more...]
Non-verbal client cues you’re missing
Animal health pros are great at reading animals, but often struggle with human interactions. In this article, experts share messages sent through nonverbal displays that are volumes louder than what’s actually being said. Hearing people . . . assume the other person understood us because they heard us, despite language being inherently vague. Source: Fast Company, November … [Read more...]
3 things all emails should include
You probably don’t put much thought into crafting an email. This means it’s likely you are making some potentially embarrassing mistakes. Most of us have not been trained on crafting good emails making them ripe for misuse. As communication tools like instant messaging are added to the workplace, the purpose and strength of email has started to shift, says Nick Morgan. ““Text … [Read more...]
We’re terrible at planning our time. Here’s how to fix it.
The 40-hour work week is a myth, writes Jory MacKay. She describes our bias toward being overly optimistic when it comes to how much time is needed to complete a future task. In other words, we are notoriously bad at figuring out how long a task will take us. . . . most people typically have a window of about three hours where we’re really, really focused . . . we found that … [Read more...]
Policing women’s anger
Gathering knowledge and experiences from a female star athlete, an NFL coach, a governor and conference speakers, Katie Sanders writes about defining a strong female lead. . . . speaking out . . . can be a challenge in the workplace, where women are disproportionately penalized for expressing emotions, especially when they are perceived as angry. Source: Fast Company, October … [Read more...]
How to end your four most common work conversations
Too often we hesitate when it comes to the “ask.” We let our words hang in the air–and hope that our listeners pursue the next steps. Source: Fast Company, August 17, 2018. Link. Judith Humphrey shares how to tell your listeners how you want your message to be acted upon. She covers the call to action in the following scenarios: Networking conversation Corridor chat … [Read more...]
What’s good for GM may be good for you
Everyone in all General Motors offices is banned from walking and talking or texting. This includes CEO Mary Barra. There’s no looking at a phone en route to a meeting, taking calls on the way to the bathroom nor checking email when getting coffee. Safety is one reason, but awareness is another. Source: Fast Company, August 23, 2018. Link. For GM, the smartphone concern is … [Read more...]
When traditional goal setting doesn’t work
A goal should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-sensitive. This is right in most cases. However, in some cases you could spend all your time in the goal-setting process while the market passes you by. So, consider these ideas when you need a non-traditional approach. Source: Fast Company, June 4, 2018. Link. Instead of focusing on changing your habit … [Read more...]
Don’t confuse empathy and kindness
Kindness is certainly a quality to be admired and the world would be a better place if we were kinder to one another. However, there are many situations when being kind is the most unproductive, disrespectful and frankly, the unkindest thing you can do to another human being. Source: Fast Company, May 23, 2018. Link. Here’s what empathy is: It’s putting yourself in someone … [Read more...]
Cover letters are still vital to getting interviews
While cover letters may not carry the importance they once did, those making hiring decisions still rely on cover letters to size up candidates and determine who might be worth calling in for an interview. You can probably boil your full-page cover letter down to a single paragraph or two, without rehashing your resume according to Emily Liou. Source: Fast Company, May 23, … [Read more...]