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The atmosphere is approximately 21% oxygen.   Deprivation kills.  But what if you're getting "just" enough in the workosphere?  Enough to live - but an amount low enough that you constantly find yourself tired...Enter a jolt of Oxygen in your pocket.Oxia boasts itself as the world's smallest, lightest and most fashionable portable oxygen dispenser.  It's a "natural boost of energy anytime/anywhere."  I first read about it on this fitness blog.  And heck, if it's good enough to get Lindsay through her rehab stints and Britney through her multiple pregnancies - it's surely good enough for us.Is portable Oxygen a true "stress tonic?"  Years back - when Oxygen bars were poised to be the next big thing - here's what the FDA had to say.While the results were pretty much inconclusive, we ain't running out to pay for air.  I'm hardly cheap, but I do have to draw the line somewhere.  At $20 for approx. 30 puffs - it … [Read more...] about Oxygen at Work: Are You Deprived?

Sure, you can take your cell phone number with you.  And for the most part, your house number only changes a few times in your life - BUT why not have "One Number... for Life."  That's the slogan of GrandCentral.com - a company that allows you to pick a phone number in your area code (not all locations available yet) and have it forwarded to other numbers.This is a great FREE service for all of you job hunters out there.  Even though you might think your phone number will never change - life gets in the way.  And what happens when that dream job you applied for eight months ago tries to call you at that old number?  Don't lose a job because you lost your number!A Grand Central number is tied to YOU not a specific phone or location.Another great benefit for those on the job hunt is that you can have different greetings for different callers.  We'd never suggest you lie to a potential employer, but it's a nice option to be able to … [Read more...] about WorkHack: Get 1 Phone # for Life

Your boss is watching.  We already know that cameras are everywhere, your Internet history can follow you for life and your boss has too much time on his/her hands.  Here’s a look at how technology is only going to make things worse for the common cube dweller. HEATMAPPINGWhat if your computer monitor was rigged with cameras that tracked the movement of your eyes?  Advanced Eye Interpretation technology is here now, and you better pray that your company can't afford to buy it.  Currently used as a tool to help optimize Web sites by helping the owner understanding what visitors are looking at, the sophisticated eye-movement tech can easily be adapted by corporations who wish to know what their employees are looking at all day.Crazyegg.com recently announced that they are offering faux heatmaps and overlays of what people are clicking on within certain Web sites – for FREE.  All site owners have to do is post a single line of code onto a page and they … [Read more...] about Spy Games at Work: How Your Boss Watches You

There is something special about people who take pride in their work.  You can hear it in their voices, see it on their faces and validate it with their results.Smiling not only makes you look inviting, accepting and nice - but it comes across in your voice too.   And while I know firsthand that it is impossible to wear a smile every minute of everyday - it's something you need to try to do more often - even if it's fake!I'm not suggesting you go as far as joining a Laughing Club, however, next time you catch yourself walking down the hallway at work and you're all by yourself - crack a smile.  I swear it'll make you feel better.  I also swear that it'll make you look nuts - so make sure you're alone!  Smiling is contagious, universal and creates an atmosphere.  Don't hold back - let a rip!Smiling will:- Release hormones to regulate your mood- Increase the number of antibodies that fight infection- lower your blood pressure- boost respiratory … [Read more...] about Secrets of a Fake Smile

On show #55 of the Working Podcast a listener asked how they could buck a nasty trend and start taking their lunch hour AWAY from their desk. Download the show here or listen directly on our home page. While the Voice of Reason did a nice job of addressing the psychological ramifications, I'd like to touch on the potential medical fallout.Why should you get away from your desk for lunch?  Stew on these numbers...# of germs per square inch in most cubicles:• 25,127 on the phone• 20,961 on the desktop• 3,295 on the computer keyboard• 1,676 on the mouse Source: University of Arizona/The Clorox CompanyBut you're not the only scaredy cat who's too busy to break away for lunch:• 78 percent of employees eat lunch at their desks at least two to three times a week. • Nearly 50 percent eat lunch at their desks every day.• 53 percent of all employees take a half-hour or less for lunch.• 24 percent of workers always clean their desks before eating at … [Read more...] about Your Cubicle, The Petri Dish

It looks like the fine folks at Career Builder have run out of bananas.  The chimps behind "Monk-e-Mail" have been given a pink slip and are being phased out. And nope, they're not being replaced with younger monkeys at half the pay - they are being replaced with an old timer: YOU!In order to show you how workplace stress can rapidly age you, the new "Age-o-Matic" campaign allows you to upload your photo, answer a few silly questions about your work environment, add your voice - and voila - you're aged 50 years!Check out my rapid aging here!I definitely think the campaign is clever and will receive a nice amount of buzz.  However, the press release states:"Age-o-Matic instantly produces jaw-dropping, dramatically-altered photos depicting how they will look if they stay in their current positions."Yes, the fact that they are utilizing talking avatar technology is sweet. However, after testing out a few photos, it's very clear the center of your … [Read more...] about See How Work Stress Ages You!