Friendships in the Work Place

You probably spend most of your waking hours at work, so friendships are natural. Working together can easily turn co-workers into best friends, making jobs more enjoyable and the workplace a home away from home instead of a pit of boredom or an arena of stress.

But friendships need to be managed appropriately just like every other workplace relationship. Keep these tips in mind so neither your friendships nor your job are at risk:

• Limit social chatter. Everyone chats a little at work, but don’t let your friendly conversations overshadow your responsibilities. Stay focused on your job most of the time.

• Keep private issues private. When you have problems to discuss, do it over lunch or after work. You don’t want to make your co-workers privy to your personal dramas—and they probably don’t want to listen to them either.

• Avoid gossip. Most of us love to talk about other people, but keep your natural inclination to share rumors about co-workers or managers in check. If colleagues realize you’re gossiping about them, the backlash could be unpleasant.

• Don’t do each other’s jobs. Pitching in to help a friend in a crunch is admirable, but keep to a reasonable limit. Your manager is in charge of assignments and responsibilities, not you. You don’t want to spend so much time helping a friend do his or her job that you neglect your own.

• Include, don’t exclude. You may prefer the company of your friend, but don’t ignore the rest of your office. Invite other co-workers to lunch, and include them in your conversations so they don’t feel left out. You may even make new friends by expanding your circle at work.

Opening Up

Talking to your boss doesn’t have to be a scary experience. Most managers actually want their employees to feel comfortable asking questions and speaking up about problems, because they know that open communication is at the heart of a good working relationship. Overcome your fears by following this advice:

• Learn your boss’s priorities. You don’t want to bother your boss with something he or she sees as trivial. Find out your manager’s plans, goals, and major problems so you can choose what to talk about and what to deal with on your own.

• Get to the point. Managers want to talk, but they don’t want to waste time. Whether you’re writing an email or coming in for a meeting, decide what you need to say and lead off with that so both of you can quickly focus on what needs to be done.

• Present solutions, not problems. Don’t simply walk into your boss’s office with a problem and demand an answer. Figure out the best strategy and offer that as you discuss the situation. Your manager may or may not agree, but you’ll make a better impression if you come across as someone with initiative, not a complainer.

• Prepare to be flexible. Recognize that sometimes your boss is legitimately too busy to drop everything and talk. If the issue isn’t an emergency, ask for a good time to come back. You’ll show that you understand his or her responsibilities, and your boss will appreciate your willingness to wait.

• Commit to honesty. Don’t hide unpleasant facts, or tell your boss what you think he or she wants to hear. You’ll only waste time and lose your manager’s trust in the long run once the facts come out. You’ll win 

your manager’s respect by telling the truth, even when you disagree.

• Listen. Don’t expect to do all the talking. A good manager will listen, and you should show the same courtesy when your boss is speaking. Pay close attention, ask questions to confirm your understanding, and take notes as necessary to show you’re taking the boss’s instructions and perspective seriously.

Surprising Tips for work Success

In the world of work, there are some tips for success that might be obvious – and then there are those that are not so obvious, and in some cases might even sound decidedly bizarre, but the experts swear by them.

One unusual tip is to make sure that you have a messy desk that is cluttered with quality newspapers and paperwork. Apparently, truly busy people always have lots of paperwork to deal with while the really smart are always reading broadsheets. 

Another, perhaps more understandable, tip is to always remember to ask for a business card. Inform your new contact that you will send them an email upon returning to the office and then do so. The key to building credibility is to make sure you do precisely what you said you would. Your new contact finding that email waiting for them as you promised it would be puts you closer to building a degree of trust and furthering that relationship.

Beauty Tips for female travelers

Women traditionally have a lot more to worry about than men when it comes to traveling beauty issues, but the good news is that there are plenty of tips from female travelers that can help you to stay looking good while on the road.

One good tip is to store make-up somewhere that is cool and dry. Make-up, particularly lip-balm, actually melts in hot temperatures, so keeping it cool and dry in a humid environment is very important. Putting it in a fridge when you reach your destination can be a good idea; not only will it protect the make-up but when it is put on it can serve as a very refreshing face cooler too.

Another good tip is to streamline your wardrobe. It doesn’t matter if the same dress is worn for every party or you make use of the same combination of shorts, skirts and tops for several months as you are travelling to different places and so no one will know you have worn them before anyway.

Middle Managers Techiniques

Being in middle management is not an easy job. Middle managers are faced with challenges from both their subordinates and their superiors and long term success is generally achieved by being able to maintain a balance and manage stress. In order to manage other managers, middle managers need to adopt strategies and techniques that promote cooperation and collaboration.

Taking responsibility is vitally important. Establishing clear responsibilities and roles make sure that everybody in a business is aware of who is accountable and for what. This is a technique that prevents confusion, misunderstandings and stress. Creating comprehensive project plans, clear business goals and responsibility matrices directs the work and sets expectations. The most effective managers are able to set high standards and lead by example.

Building relationships is also vital. Effective middle managers are able to develop skills in influencing, decision making to solve problems and negotiation, techniques that help to build a successful management team.

The best results are enabled when managers avoid showing favoritism and establish good communication, as well as maintaining relationships and negotiations solutions in the event of office conflicts. 

Energy Tips For Hard-Working Parents

Being a parent is hard work, often stressful even in the midst of joy. And if you’re not careful, the pressure and pace can drain you of energy (and patience) when you need it most.

For stay-at-home moms and dads trying to keep it all together, here are tips for conserving your health, energy, and sanity:

• Always eat breakfast. A cup of coffee isn’t a meal. Eat a solid, nutritious breakfast to give you the energy you need to face the day.

• Follow a routine. Don’t reinvent the wheel every morning. Have a regular plan for your days with the family so you don’t stress out trying to think of something new to do. Just don’t chain yourself to the schedule—be flexible when problems and opportunities arise.

• Drink lots of water. You can get dehydrated without realizing it, and suffer from headaches and fatigue as a result. Keep a bottle of water handy and drink from it throughout the day without waiting until you feel really thirsty.

• Get fresh air and exercise. Try to get out of the house for a walk once a day. If the weather is too cold or rainy, at least open a window to get the air circulating in your house and in your body.

• Eat healthy snacks. Don’t run yourself down by starving between meals. Some fruit or a few nuts can help keep you going.

• Connect with people. Get together with some other parents for a playdate. Even a quick session on Facebook can help you feel like an adult again. You need mature conversation to stay centered.

• Take a break. Give yourself permission to let the kids watch a video for a half-hour. You’re not a bad parent for taking time for yourself.

• Get your rest. Have a regular bedtime for yourself, not just your kids. Getting the sleep you need will help you stay healthy and calm

Helping Kids Avoid Depression

Many teenagers suffer from depression, leading to eating disorders, self-harm and in some cases even suicide. The causes of depression in the young can be numerous, rangingemployment prospects, exam stress and family problems. In some cases however, depression is caused not by circumstance but by temperament and biology.

Academic pressure is also a big part of the problem in a world that seems obsessed with work. Adults can help children deal with this pressure by not adding to it. Make it clear that as long as your child does their best, the results are not something you care too much about. Tell your children that they are good enough just being who they are and never let others, be it their peers or teachers, define who they are as a human being. The most employable quality in the world is to have an individual mind, not to do well on an exam.

If your child is unhappy, accept it and validate it. Never tell them to just cheer up or refuse to accept the validity of their feelings. Make sure your children can tell you how they are really feeling, rather than have them keep it to themselves or feel guilty or ashamed about it, thus adding to their unhappiness. from cyber-bullying, grim