General

The following is from one of my favorite human beings on this fine planet, Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh:When we do walking meditation, the point is not to get somewhere, but rather to practice, using walking as the object of our attention. Even when we do have to get somewhere and must drive to do so, there is an opportunity for practice. Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese Zen master and poet, has written a number of gathas, or brief verses, for enhancing our mindfulness during everyday activities, even driving a car.Before starting the car, I know where I am going. The car and I are one. If the car goes fast, I go fast.If we are mindful when we start our car, we will know how to use it properly. When we are driving, we tend to think of arriving, and we sacrifice the journey for the sake of the arrival. But life is to be found in the present moment, not in the future. In fact, we may suffer more after we arrive at our destination. If we have to talk of a destination, what about our final … [Read more...] about Commuting Advice: Driving Meditation

Here's your 'Get Out of Meetings Free' Card.Meetings are the ultimate in annoying teenage foreplay: There's lots of awkward stroking and nothing ever seems to get accomplished.  We all know this futile exercise is nothing but a time and money waster.  Well thanks to the Meeting Miser from PayScale.com, you can now calculate exactly how much your time in a meeting is costing the company - down to the cents per minute.Just tell the calculator where you are located and the titles of the people attending the meeting.  PayScale will then use their collected salary data (which in my experience is pretty accurate) to do the math. I'm only worth about 50 cents a minute.  But given some of the marathon meetings we have in my neck of the woods - it adds up fast!  How much is your meeting time worth? … [Read more...] about WorkHack: How to Get Out of Meetings

This is a guest blog from my sister, Lydia M.C. She has nothing to promote except for her disdain for the minutia of work.It’s on the lips of every interviewee and plaguing resumes across the land.  A single word that is anything but single: multitasking.We’re probably all guilty of saying the words, “I’m an excellent multitasker,” but do we really want to list this as a job skill? A life skill?According to dictionary.com, the first definition that pops up is: The concurrent operation by one central processing unit of two or more processes.  The definition is amended further down, stating Often used of humans in the same meaning it has for computers, to describe a person doing several things at once.So basically, multitasking was originally used to describe a computer - and we humans have taken it on as our own, intentionally mimicking the actions of a computer.I guess my brain just isn’t as equipped as a Pentium 7 or my husband's fancy … [Read more...] about The Argument Against Multitasking

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, democracy just doesn’t work”That is probably one of my all-time favorite Simpson’s quotes. Newscaster Kent Brockman expresses his disgust after Congress rejects a bill to save Springfield from a comet impact after one senator attaches a $30 million rider "to support the perverted arts."That very line often springs to mind when I’m at work. Usually during a meeting or after reading the 15th reply to a damn near company-wide e-mail regarding some decision that no one can seem make. As much as the line amuses me it is also something that I can’t help but feel is so true and so applicable to today’s workforce. Now I’m not sure about you, but in the world of media, the democratic process is taken to new heights. Maybe the hipper-than-thou, every-one-counts, way of running a business or conducting a meeting is more intrinsic to my line of work than others, but lately it seems to me that we spend more time dancing in circles and visiting and … [Read more...] about Democracy in the Work Place: A Project Killer!

It never ceases to amaze me how many adults still look forward to getting all dressed up in a Halloween costume to wear to work. Call me a stick in the mud, but other than a costume party Halloween is a holiday for the children. In fact I stopped trick-or-treating long before many of my peers did; I was 12 the last time I participated in knocking on people's doors to ask for candy. No one forced me to stop. I guess I just lost interest. But another Halloween is upon us and while my wife takes the kids around the neighborhood I'll stay home and hand out the candy. I think maybe this year when a child at my door asks 'trick-or-treat' I'll go with the trick. See if these kids have anything planned. After all, why should candy be an automatic? You gave me the option. If you're unprepared don't dare say, "treat please."This blog, however, is not about how the Grinch Stole Halloween. No, I’m more interested in Halloween in the workplace. I so look forward to coming in and … [Read more...] about Halloween at the Office

There's an expression that has always been around, but recently, it's been inescapable: "Find your inner- _______."  For example, if I was suffering from serious writer's block, a buddy might lean in and whisper, "Hey Andrew, just find your inner-blogger." Or if one of the Iron Chefs is stumped on what to do with octopus eyes, the Chairman might offer the following advice, "Find your inner-chef."Well here we are, at the beginning of another "full" work week. No holidays, no planned days off for my boss and nothing but a series of mind-numbing meetings ahead.  Let's welcome a special guest to the Jobacle blog, Donald Trump.  He's here (in spirit) with some helpful quotes to challenge you to find your inner-ANYTHING.Trump Quote:  "Deals are my art form.  Other people paint beautifully on canvas or write wonderful poetry. I like making big deals...That's how I get my kicks." How do you get your kicks?  Before … [Read more...] about How to Find Your Inner Self

This could be painful for some of you, but I'd like to ask you to think back to grade school.  Think about most of the teachers and how they would single out one kid behaving badly and then threaten to punish the entire class.  Unfortunately, this is a poor practice that is running rampant at the workplace. Whether it's a product of fear or laziness - I don't know.  But what I do know, as one of the "good" kids, it sucks to be punished for the actions of others.What ever happened to the merit system?They tell us it still exists but I happen to think that's a bunch of bullsh**.Ten vacation days. Five sick days. And the same lousy rules for everyone.Why are we all treated as equals when clearly some of us have earned more than others.Don't get me wrong.  The office is also afflicted with a serious case of self-entitlementitis. However, there's a difference between those who EARN and those who feel they DESERVE.THE EXCUSE: "If I do it for you, I have to … [Read more...] about The Office Has Murdered the Merit System

Being a follower of the philosophy of Taoism I find myself returning to the Tao Te Ching time and time again whenever I feel the need to be reminded of a basic set of fundamental rules to guide my life. As basic as these principles are, it is so easy in today’s high-speed culture to lose site of the little things that can add up to so much. Having said that I would like to share with you one of Taoism’s strongest teachings, and one that I find so helpful with regards to my career: Focus on the path and the goal will take care of itself.Unlike today’s goal-driven society Taoist masters only ever speak of “the Way.” In fact “the Way” is the closest translation we have in the English language to describe Tao. So many of us find ourselves so bogged down and distracted these days (often self inflicted) that we begin to miss the little steps. The ones that often lead to bigger problems. As a result we regroup and try to regain some level of control. … [Read more...] about Goals Are for the Unenlightened

In light of Marie Osmond's fall on Dancing With the Stars, I thought it was a fitting time to revive one of the very first Jobacle blog posts: Fainting at Work - What You Need to Know!For the second time in my career (lucky me!) a co-worker fainted within 10 feet of me.  I'll be honest.  I heard a thump, looked up, saw nothing - and assumed all was ok.  Two minutes later a secretary noted, "Oh my God, _______'s down." All kidding aside, I feel like crap for ignoring the thump.  So, if you hear an inexplicable sound - investigate. Aside from ignoring the poor guy as he lay motionless (it's our understanding that it was a case of extreme exhaustion from overworking), I realize that I hadn't a clue what to do.  Sure, call 9-1-1.  I left that to someone else. Then I bee-lined for the HR office and let them know, figuring someone there would be equipped for this type of situation. They weren't.  Beyond that, I was pretty helpless.  In … [Read more...] about New Phenomenon: Fainting at Work

"It doesn't happen, so who cares? There's always next year. It's not like it's the end of the world." That, my friends, was a comment made last week by Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez when the Sox were one game away from post-season elimination. Since then, the Red Sox battled back and have gone on to beat the Cleveland Indians in a best of 7 series. This season Manny earned $18,279,238.00. Being a big Yankee fan I had my usual knee-jerk reaction, which basically came down to cursing Manny. I’m not a fan (obviously) and it usually makes my skin crawl to see Manny succeed… which is often.Once I picked up my eyes (that had rolled out of my head) I began to wonder if Manny was onto something. Granted, I think the guy should keep his bullshit comments to himself. But I must say that after watching the Yankees bad pitching and lack of any offensive threat - maybe what they needed most of all was to not play this game as if it were life and death. I can’t … [Read more...] about Trouble at Work? Be Like Manny.