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Yes, it’s well into September, I know. I need to “get with it.” Let me explain. I haven’t always been the most reasonable person. I don’t mean irrational, by any stretch. I mostly mean that I have a funny way of going about things, and that my way sometimes may not make the most sense, especially when you consider that it’s 2013. For example, two weeks ago, I was looking for a book, and instead of sitting still, and calling the bookstores in my area, I got on my bike and rode to each one in turn, only to find that the book was out of print, from 5 different booksellers....

These days, meetings are labeled as a waste of time and companies are avoiding having them as much as possible. What happened? According to this infographic, meetings cost money and time- two resources that businesses are careful to spend and allocate. With over 25 million meetings everyday in the U.S. alone, it’s understandable why this time could be put to better use. From another perspective, businesses can’t simply stop having meetings all together....

As the importance of the cell phone increases, the amount of time used on the phone increases. And anything that takes much of your time can help increase or decrease your productivity. Have thought about how your phone is laid out recently? Do you organize your phone as often as you organize your desk or your calendar? Does your phone help you stay organized and productive or hinder you? Learn why decluttering your phone can increase your productivity in these six simple steps....

In some ways, it could be psychological ‒ when no one else can hear, it’s just you and your music. It feels a bit like having a soundtrack to your life. As you ride the train, or go jogging, or walk through town, you’ve got your own music setting the mood and determining the rhythm. Do Headphones Really Sound “Better”? No, it’s not just in your head. Music really does sound different through headphones to the vast majority of listeners, and you have physics to thank for that....

Not only can relationships between these two diametrically opposed personality types cause considerable pain, but they are also exhausting and emotionally draining in equal measure. So while some may argue that these unions reflect nature’s way of restoring balance to the world, the individuals involved are often left search for answers. From a more analytical perspective, however, there are grounds to believe that both empaths and narcissists boast attributes that appeal to the others’ psyche....

I believe that life is given to us to challenge, to grow within, to step out of comfort zone and achieve the bravest dreams. To make your dream come true – make it as goal and act. Make a plan, clear steps for each day. And you will see how your life takes a new level, each day will count, you will take the best out of it and experience lasting changes....

Due to its remote location, there were seldom any trains stopping at the Kyu-Shirataki Train Station on the island of Hokkaido, Japan. The station was scheduled to close down in 2013. When 18-Year-Old Kana Harada’s parents learned that their daughter’s only method of transit to school would end, they asked Japan Railways to keep the station open for their daughter. Much to their surprise, the railway officials agreed to keep the station open for the duration of Kana’s schooling....

The woman who makes the difficult choice to leave is coincidentally, giving herself a great opportunity. When she chooses to leave, she elects to reckon with her sense of self-worth, happiness, and guilt. Hebbard says that the woman who works through the emotions that arise, makes the decision to leave from a place of empowerment. Oftentimes, the decision process is a meandering, dialectic one. In other words, we go back and forth on what we think is the right thing to do perhaps several times before we come to a final decision....

I would like to suggest that telling people they need to always engage in positive thinking is one of the worst pieces of advice one could possibly get. Let me explain why. What do negative thoughts come from? If you are having negative thoughts—such as, “I’ll probably fail at this new project,” “He doesn’t really love me,” and, “I screwed up again”—they are the result of negative beliefs formed earlier in your life....

The following list is based on a schools’ reputation and the quality of their MBA programs. 10. Duke University: The Fuqua School of Business Although the average annual salary of Duke graduates is significantly lower than Stanford’s ($141,772 vs. $184,566), this prestigious school still offers a wide range of employment opportunities for its students. Duke’s campaign to open facilities in England, Dubai, India, Russia and China reinforces international connections and career prospects....

Everyone can really benefit from having a fire safe, since they’re great for protecting important documents in case of a fire or natural disaster. There are a variety of models available, each one with a different level of fire protection. There are also gun and commercial safes. Once you decide on the type of safe you want, then you have to decide where you want to put it. You can have a standalone safe, which can be placed on a flat surface, or you can choose a floor or wall safe....

This makes for a tense and uncomfortable workplace, as well as a warped view of reality. Worse still, it produces that habitual “us versus them” mentality, which destroys relationships, undermines co-operation, and slowly renders us paranoid. A world of self-induced paranoia The urge is strong today to reduce everything to simple, “A versus B” choices. Essays and self-expression are replaced in schools by multiple-choice questions. Forms come full of boxes to check and sentences to be “crossed out where not applicable....

It’s surprising just how much impact the office design can have over your overall happiness and work performance. The office design may be so important to some people that they may even leave their job in order to find work where their office design is more suited to them. From the small confined office cubicles of old, to the telecommuting world of the modern day, we look at the pros and cons of the most popular office designs around....

According to this source, workers are more likely to finish tasks in a given time span, increase their concentration, and benefit from boosts of creativity. Not only that, but the advantage of tuning out distracting noises is undeniable. So, next time your boss thinks you are shirking duties by plugging in your earbuds, point him or her to this post! Featured photo credit: Sascha Kohlmann via flickr.com

To allow the process to run as smoothly and quickly as possible, hiring managers sometimes enlist the support of a recruiter or the human resources department. Prior to the beginning the search process, the hiring manager will share a list of attributes and desired skills they want prospective candidates to possess. The recruiter or human resources representative will then quickly narrow candidates by reviewing resumes, cover letters, referral documents, social media profiles or through screening interviews....

Developing your style isn’t something you can follow a strict set of rules for. There’s no one “right” style; your own style is really just a compilation of the things you’re comfortable writing about and methods you use to write. Some people have a very flowery, flowing writing style. Others write in short bursts of thought and focus entirely on the main points of what they write. You could be either, or – most likely – you fall somewhere in between with your style....

But I also bet you read them anyhow. Why is that? Maybe it is because our lives revolve around getting things done. From the moment you wake in the morning to the time you close your eyes at night, you spend the day fulfilling responsibilities, completing tasks and working towards goals both big and small. For some this revolves around home life, cooking, cleaning and looking after children. For others it’s buying and sell stock or painting magnificent paintings....

Tired of bad weather predictions? Weather apps aren’t accurate enough to warn you about a storm front that is quickly approaching. Most are only able to tell you what you can find out by looking through the window. Now there’s a better way to determine if you should bring an umbrella to work. BloomSky is a mini-weather station that can be mounted in your backyard. Because of its strategic location (not being 10,000 miles away like most weather satellites), it can provide reliable feedback about the weather and predict small changes....

In the office, character can make or break a team. You might be in an all-star team with impressive skills, but if you can’t work together, progress can’t be made. A great way to ensure that you are a great asset to your team and from a larger perspective- the company you work for, you have to be flexible. This means being able to work with different people, under less than ideal circumstances....

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