Category: 1-Minute Strategy

Try designating exactly one of your desk drawers as your happy place, and fill it only with the snacks you like most, the photos you love, your best music CDs, etc.—no tools of productivity allowed! It’s nice to have a tiny perfect retreat, a magical spot always guaranteeing a little workday happiness.

Remember that when you’re not at work, people really care about only one thing: when they’re going to hear back from you about something they need. In addition to telling emailers you’re gone, reassure them in your out-of-office message with a general estimate of when you’ll respond to what they just sent.

When you think of it, the office staff can be divided into two types of people: those who make eye contact, smile and say hello when they pass you in the hallway, and those who don’t. Think to yourself how much more pleasant it is to encounter someone from the former group, and how much […]

Faced with an unpleasant task at work tomorrow? Try this: Show up at the office just early enough to knock it out before the workday officially begins, when all is quiet and pressure is at its lowest. Getting past an onerous duty by the time you’re even officially responsible for starting your shift is a […]

Ensure that everyone is serious about getting on the same page by asking your team this one question: “Are we all now committed to doing this?” Those words change a group decision into a pact.

To make your smartphone easier to recover if it gets lost, try this: Take a photo of a piece of paper that shows your address or a different contact number, and apply this photo as your screensaver. It’s not pretty, but it immediately tells someone who finds the phone where or how it can be […]

Many of us don’t automatically respond to every email with an affirmative “Got it!” or “The process is underway,” whether it’s because we’re pressed for time or don’t want to clog inboxes with such things. But going completely dark on too many emails sends a message anyway, which is, “Whatever. I’m busy here.” Take time […]

What’s the one place in the office where you have a perfect opportunity to connect with higher-ups and talk to them about anything from football to the future of the company? The kitchen. It never hurts to oh-so-innocently time a visit there to the appearance of someone you want to impress or otherwise engage. The […]

Take a tip from Procter & Gamble, where leaders once announced that paper or electronic documents—even multi-million dollar proposals—could not exceed a single page. This rule will make you more focused and creative with your presentation and make it more of a grabber. You can always explain that support material is available upon request.