Fastcompany. When was the last time you said "no" to someone you knew? I bet you really have to think about that. I know I did. In the past week, I’ve said "no" to exactly two people–that’s out of all the requests from my friends, family, business partner, agent, editors, and clients. On the other hand, this week I’ve said "yes" over 50 times to those same people.
"Yes" to work requests, "yes" to social invites, "yes" to requests for help from family and friends. I say "yes" to everything because I don’t want to come across as mean, lazy, boring, or uncaring, but it's exhausting. My life would be so much easier if I could just say "no" more often—so why can’t I? "Saying ‘no’ is not something that comes naturally to the majority of people," says Susan Newman, PhD, social psychologist and author of The Book of NO—250 Ways to Say It—and Mean It and Stop People-Pleasing Forever.
Newman says our lack of ability to say "no" isn’t some kind of personal flaw we’re born with—saying "no" is a learned behavior. 4 College Essay Words You Shouldn't Use in the Business World. Who needs English when you have emoji? We love to include a birthday cake, heart, smiley face or even a pile of poo to describe the mood or moment.
And this week, Facebook launched — at long last — Facebook Reactions, which gives us a range of emoji to share how a post makes us feel (we can choose from Like, Love, Haha, Yay, Wow, Sad and Angry). Combine emoji with tweets and hashtags, and it’s like we created a new Internet-based language. What’s next? Frankly, Emoji 101 would be better than the writing style so many of us carry from college to the business world. Thanks to emoji, tweets and hashtags, I believe it’s OK to drop the fancy talk and sound more human. Here are four classic college essay words that need to go. Also check out my post on why we also shouldn’t use “such as.” 1. Example in an email: Thanks for sending me your presentation ahead of our big board meeting. Corrected version with “however” removed: Thanks for sending me your presentation ahead of our big board meeting. 2.
55 Great Sites for When You Need to Take a Break at Work. How often do you find yourself with weird breaks in your day—breaks that are too short to get any real work done, but too long to just sit there? If you’re like us, you probably just end up browsing Facebook during these moments. But not anymore! We’ve put together a list of 55 sites for every mood, so that no matter what you feel like looking at, you’re guaranteed to spend those three minutes productively. Or at least, more productively than if you were liking your niece’s kindergarten graduation photos. If You Need Some Inspiration 1. Here’s where the world’s top designers and illustrators go to show off what they’re working on. 2.
You’ve probably browsed Kickstarter before, but have you ever used it for inspiration? 3. Each May, The Webby Awards gives out its “Best of the Internet” awards in five major media categories: websites, interactive advertising and media, online film and video, mobile sites and apps, and social. 4. Behance was established as portfolio site for creatives. 5. 6. Productivity Tools — Dorie Clark. TO be confident. Raise your professional profile (workplace GOOD) So you want to get ahead in your career? Join the club. Everyone is looking for ways to stand out and get noticed. If you’re worried about blending in with the crowd, it’s time to increase your visibility and raise your professional profile. Here’s a simple two-step process to do just that.
Step 1: Contribute More Value Obviously, you want to get noticed for good things. To do this, you have to get creative. Improve efficiencyImprove the quality of work productSave money for the companyEarn money for the companyFix problemsPrevent future problems You’re looking to achieve one (or more) of these six “value add” outcomes. How can I make this process more efficient? Whenever possible, take action on your own. Whenever you accomplish one of the 6 “value add” outcomes listed above, take note of your success and the measurable impact your actions had on the organization.
Step 2: Get Vocal Don’t keep your added value to yourself. While this two-step process is “simple,” it’s not necessarily easy.
How I Stood Out from 437 Applicants To Get Hired At My Dream Company. How do you get hired at one of the world's best companies? You know, one of those fun companies with great culture, a challenging environment, and has unlimited perks of seemingly everything. With everyone applying for these jobs, I asked myself a question: How can I stand out from the hundreds of other applicants? Well, I'm excited to say with a little bit of luck and a little bit of planning, I figured out how. Now I'm surrounded by incredibly smart (and fun) people, propelling my marketing career forward, and experiencing perks such as unlimited vacation, health insurance, 401k matching, tuition reimbursement, free books, free beer, and more. If you're looking to land your dream job, wherever that may be, I'm here to share my experience of exactly how I landed mine.
Step 1: Find the job listing that fits your experience and goals. I have a background in using content to grow a business. Except here’s the crazy part: I wasn’t even going to apply for the job in the first place. Damn it. 1. Abraham Lincoln's Unconventional Technique For Handling Stressful Conflicts. In 1842, a young Abraham Lincoln learned a valuable lesson that changed his life forever. This lesson was so important, it propelled him to become arguably the most efficient president in United States history. He led The Union to a Civil War victory, abolished slavery, strengthened the federal government, and modernized the economy. The crazy part is the lesson is supported by modern psychologists as well.
In fact, neuroscientists from UCLA and University of Texas-Austin discuss the positive effects on the brain. In addition, Lincoln’s unconventional practice produces the following benefits: Reduces stress Solves problems more effectively Resolves critical disagreements with others So what did Abraham Lincoln learn that propelled him to becoming one of the most influential men in history? Well, it started in 1842 when he publicly ridiculed an obnoxious politician named James Shield through the local newspaper. The town roared with laughter, but Shield's was a proud man. Robert E. B.F. Advice to My 24-Year-Old Self: 8 Career Lessons I Learned the Hard Way.