Wednesday, November 27, 2019

5 Tips to Help You Lose Your Negative Attitude at Work

5 Tips to Help You Lose Your Negative Attitude at Work5 Tips to Help You Lose Your Negative Attitude at WorkWhen you see a problem at work, do you complain to your coworkers or do you try to do something to fix it? If all you do is grumble and whine, nothing good will come of it. Workplace negativity is contagious. Complain to one coworker and he or she will, in turn, complain to another, and so on. Before long, one persons negative attitude will spread to five more and then 10 more, and so on. As the example above demonstrates, negativity has a way of spreading through a work environment as the fire spreads through a gasoline-doused haystack.Before long, all everyone will be doing is discussing the problems, and not only wont they be solving them, they wont be getting anything else done either. The result will be a loss of productivity. Why You Should Lose the Negative Attitude Its no wonder bosses dont like workers who whine incessantly. If you earn a reputation as a Negative N elly, it may land you on your bosss least favorite employee list. So what can you do, instead, when you see things that arent the way you think they should be? Is it better to keep your mouth shut so you dont cause the spread of workplace negativity? Is it better to say something? A problem can only be resolved if someone brings attention to it but if you dont plan to be constructive, keep your thoughts to yourself. If you, however, would like to be, known as a problem solver instead of a complainer, speak up. If you do it the right way, you will make a positive change that could do a lot to improve your work environment. Rather than raising your bosss ire, you may instead be the recipient of his or her appreciation. Here are 5 things you can do that will help you lose the negative attitude and bring about change. 1. Dont Try to Fix What Isnt Broken We sometimes see problems where they dont exist. For example, you may not like how something is being done in your workplace. You m ay think theres a better way to do it but that doesnt mean your assessment is correct. Before you say something, take a moment to think about it. Ask yourself if your way is really better or is it just a different way of doing something. 2. Take Your Complaint Through the Proper Channels If you complain to your coworkers, all you will do is spread negativity. And if youve been paying attention to this article, you know by now that is something you want to studiously avoid doing. Figure out who in your organization is the right person with whom to discuss your concerns. You want to pick someone who will be receptive to your ideas, but you must also make sure you dont go over anyones, for example, your bosss, head. 3. Only Give Constructive Criticism Anyone can complain. If you want to do more than that and really help affect change, you should have some ideas for how to solve the problems that are bothering you. Before you take your complaint to the right person, do your rese arch so you can come up with possible solutions. Then use your critical thinking skillsto evaluate each one and decide which will bring you the best results. 4. Pitch In Get ready to get your hands dirty. If you point out a problem and present a list of possible solutions, get ready to help implement them. This will demonstrate to your boss that you have a stake in making improvements that will benefit the company. 5. Know When to Give Up What you think of as a serious issue, may be less of one to the person to whom you voice your concern. If the problem is simply something that annoys you, you may just have to give up or look for another job. There may not be anything you can do to change his or her mind. If the problem is one that is extremely serious, for example, it involves something illegal or unethicalor is clearly doing the company harm, you may have to escalate your complaint up the chain of command. Its a risky move and could harm your career, but you will have to ask yourself if you can live with yourself if you do nothing.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Game-Changing Multitasking Tips from People Who Work 80-Hour Weeks

Game-Changing Multitasking Tips from People Who Work 80-Hour WeeksGame-Changing Multitasking Tips from People Who Work 80-Hour Weeks Some people dread the idea of multitasking at work , or juggling more than one ball in the proverbial air. But others make multitasking at work look like an art form. So we spoke to several career superstars, many of whom are logging up to 80 hours a week at the office, to get their best tips on how to multitask at work - extra hours not required.Switching from a desktop computer to a laptop has been a game changer. I am able to take work with me wherever I go . Whether it is the back conference room sitting in on a staff meeting or at a coffee shop in between meetings, using a laptop allows me to remain connected and maximize my time so I can work on multiple things wherever I am. Plus, if I need to escape from the open office environment to really focus and tackle my to-do list, I am able to sneak off to a quiet spot. - Jamie Wat t Arnold, senior vice president, Profiles, Inc.Without my Outlook calendar or Google drive, I would be lost. You can use Outlook for more than just reminding you of deadlines or meetings - you can use it for reminding yourself when to start big projects or activities, so youre not working on a big strategy days before its due. I also use it to section chunks of my day to remind me to work on projects so that its on my calendar and alerts me ahead of time. - Eleana Collins, director of WarschawskiI verstndigung im strafverfahren with paper only once - as in, once a document is in my hand, I decide to either place it in my action needed file, or file it in my clients file or throw the document away. I dont allow clutter to accumulate. - Claire Hancock, partner at Hancock Injury AttorneysThere will be times when youre asked to provide the same information on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. You have to ask yourself, how can I automate this process ? Is there a way to get thi s done faster? Learning how to build spreadsheets and formulas in Excel will be a huge time saver. You can drop mass data into a spreadsheet and have it auto populate to view the numbers in an organized fashion. There are also programs you can research and find online that may make certain reports or information that you typically use easier to access or view. If you are always on the go, it may be smart to open a Dropbox account to have files with you at all times. - Octavio Vargas, business consultant at EBE ConsultingDont let your work get you down. When youre working long hours , it can seem like you are pushing the more important things away, like family commitments. However, if you try to keep a positive mindset, you will find that your work and your efficiency to do said work both improve. Just think about how all of the hard work you are putting in right now is going to help expand your career later. - Ryan Jones, web developer at Advanced IT ServicesI wake up every day at 430 a.m. After my morning gebtheit , I arrive at work by 7 a.m.., which ensures that I have approximately two hours before the majority of my office clocks in. During those two hours, I tackle my most difficult tasks, which free up my afternoons to focus on value-added projects for my company. Start big and end small has proved to be my most efficient work habit. - Ryan Hutchins, senior analyst at Economics Partners, LLCOne of the keys to good multitasking is to get up once in a while and walk around - shake off the cobwebs, so to speak. Im a writer, and on a typical day Im working on up to three different ghostwritten books, two blogs, a couple of LinkedIn profiles, and other smaller projects. Its easy to get engrossed in the work - multitasking between this and that - and never take a break. So, I get up once per hour for 15 minutes and walk around the block, look at things, hum to myself, and then get back to it. This helps keep the back from aching and the mood fro m souring. - Richard Lowe Jr., writer and owner of The Writing KingSetting limits on how many tasks I am willing to multitask at once has also been helpful. Its fairly easy for me to just follow my nose - just like a dog - moving from one thing that catches my attention to the next until I have 15 windows open on my computer, the day has ended, and I have not finished one little task. By setting those limits - for example, do just two tasks at once - Im better able to complete. - Tamara G. Suttle , M.Ed., LPC, ACS

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The main thing Millennials want the most from their workspace

The main thing Millennials want the most from their workspaceThe main thing Millennials want the most from their workspaceIf you think all Millennials care about is avocado toast and traveling you would be wrong (though they do care about those a lot.) What they really care about is workspace according to a new report from WeWork and market research company Ipsos thatsurveyed 4,112 workers ages 18 and older across the U.S., United Kingdom, France, and Germany between Oct. 3 and Oct. 5, 2018. Apparently what they really care about is their work environment.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWhen U.S. workers were asked what would make them more satisfied with their current job environment, the top responses focused specifically on the workspace were great work areas, more space and privacy, and clean workspaces. This preference outweighed other benefits including higher pay, better hours, better management and more vacation. And though there have been recent arguments against open office spaces apparently Millennials cant get enough of being around people. They crave it. The survey found they love to work in common spaces and in dining halls. Even people working independently want to know that people are around and available to them.Emily Roemer ofEmily Roemer Designssaid, When I moved to NYC and started my own business I was worried about a lot of things finding clients and working in an environment where I didnt feel lonely or confined were on the top of that list. I immediately knew this was the place for me when I saw the cool neon signs, met the nicest people the community leads and other members, and the learned that they have an extensive member network online.Though when they need privacy they like a phone booth (those relics of the past.)Perhaps it is because Millennials really value collaboration, the survey also found. The poll found that 67% of s atisfied workers interact with people outside their company one or more times a week and 52%of satisfied workers collaborate with five or more people in their offices on any given day, and rank opportunities to work on a collaborative team as the best way to give their careers a boost.About3.4 milliongave notice in July 2018 alone, so this hiring season will be a big one as weve already begun to see many pursuing new careers in the new year.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people