Werdna Yug

You can't escape the chair!No one wakes up one morning and decides that they hate their job.  It might appear that way, but the reality is that there have been warning signs and build up for quite some time.  The same goes for oral health problems.  A Gallup-Healthways poll from earlier this year indicated that one out of every three Americans did not visit a dentist last year.  Whether it's fear, laziness or money holding you back, a visit to the dentist's chair is inevitable, so why delay?Caring for your career is a lot like caring for your teeth; when problems arise, they can be severe.  There's also a good chance that they could have been prevented.  Here's your oral care work maintenance tool kit.Regular Checkups.  If you wait for a problem to emerge, it might already be too late to repair it.  Self-evaluate your situation at work on a regular basis.  Don't be overly reactive, but be aware of problems before they arise.  Take … [Read more...] about Care for Your Career Like You Care for Your Teeth

It Starts with “Thank You”A recent article in the Wall Street Journal, Businesses Mount Efforts to Retain Valued Employees, started me thinking about the topic of gratitude in the workplace. One thing that was particularly interesting in was a study cited in this piece about the discrepancy between what employers think keeps workers happy (“management climate and workers’ relationships with their bosses”) and what employees say (“pay and benefits”).We all know that a “thank you” from a boss can make a worker to feel appreciated. But that doesn’t always mean just a pat on the back for a job well done. Perceptive employers taking a closer look might acknowledge good employees struggling to accomplish tasks/projects with less personnel and resources. How this is conveyed to workers is a key factor, too.The end of my tenure in Corporate World coincided with the rise of the “consultant” - hiring outsiders for obscene … [Read more...] about Small Ways Employers Can Retain Good Employees

“Today, I’m grateful for…”This time of year, it’s important to feel some gratitude and not just for your mom’s amazing pecan pie. When I was a counselor in an alcohol and drug treatment program, one of the first things patients focused on in early recovery was the “gratitude list.” It’s easy - at the end of every day, list at least 5 things (10 is better) for which you are grateful. It became a habit for me. Some really bad days, maybe all I came up with was “I’m grateful I have a garage so I don’t have to hack 10 inches of snow off my car.” But doing it reminded me to pay attention to the good stuff.How about showing a little love to your employer? What?! The same people who gave you a .05 salary increase this year and laid off your buddies? We are all too quick to go for the negative aspects of working in these tough times. But how about the #1 reason to be grateful - you have a job. Many are not so lucky … [Read more...] about Ways to Show Gratitude to Your Employer

Twitter is all the rage these days. Even organizations like ESPN and CNN are using their own accounts to spread their message far and wide. But for some people, employers may discourage the use of Twitter in the workplace. I'm going to share a few ways that might help you to get your tweet on at work. In my previous job, Twitter was blocked, but I found some workarounds. In my current position, Twitter is not blocked, and I have used it to great success with researching and connecting to other professionals in my industry. I can definitely make the case for tweeting on the job! SpreadtweetUsing Excel? You can disguise your Twitter behind a spreadsheet skin with Spreadtweet. All of the basic Twitter functions can be handled from inside this program. If you're not locked in the '90s with the rest of us, and you have Office 2007 or even a Mac, there are versions to match your software's look and feel. Check out the Spreadtweet site for more info. TwitterGadgetGmail has some amazing … [Read more...] about 3 Ways to Use Twitter at Work

You’re probably thinking that I'm going to talk about the fear of public speaking, which is often identified as our #1 fear. But I’m thinking of more subtle fears that people don’t always discuss that make the workplace extremely difficult for some workers.As a therapist, I’ve treated people with diagnosed anxiety disorders, but also milder anxiety symptoms and signs. Worry over finances, health issues, parenting, school and relationships fall into that category. These fears fall somewhere between the two. What kinds of fears do people struggle with at work?    * Interviewing - some folks are natural salespeople and comfortable selling themselves as the ideal candidate to a potential employer. Most of the rest of us aren’t.    * Talking to the boss about “touchy” topics like asking for a raise or time off.    * Long meetings. Any social gathering can be excruciating for some people.    … [Read more...] about Making Common Workplace Fears More Manageable

It’s not online Shopping, It’s “Research”We’re approaching that time of year where workers typically develop a case of “holiday distraction disorder.” Most of us become overloaded with holiday plans and the end-of-year work push. (I’ll suggest some stress-busters later this month.)There’s much discussion about being productive in this time of layoffs and working leaner/meaner. But let’s not forget the fine art of looking productive while goofing off. Now, I’m not talking about the slackers in your office - any efforts they make to look busy are useless. I mean those of us normally hard-working types who just need to blow a few hours or a day or two. One maneuver I perfected while working in a hospital-based substance abuse program was the “consult.” Our staff rotated on a “drunk watch” schedule - part of your day had to be cleared to do an assessment if a drunk/addict stumbled into the ER. … [Read more...] about How to Look Productive While Goofing Off