Category: 1-Minute Strategy

Seeing red? Keep that color to a minimum in your work space. Researcher Andrew Elliot found that people don’t work as well when they see red. Too reminiscent of a teacher’s red pencil, perhaps?

Beware of “spontaneous trait transfer.” Whatever you say about other people (She’s brilliant, funny, a slacker, rude, hard-working …”) shapes the way people see you. So, if you must complain, try to frame your observation in a problem-solving, positive way.

Studies show that participating in a variety of activities helps preserve acumen, creative thinking and a “vigorous” mind. So if you’re doing a boring, repetitive task at work, stimulate your brain cells (and the connections between them) by wearing headphones. Download interesting podcasts to keep learning new things. Outside of work, join a book club, […]

Since talent grows with persistence and effort… failure should be seen as simply an opportunity to learn and improve. Unfortunately many people avoid failure at all costs, seeking to solve the same problems over and over. People like to feel competent, but if they shy away from new tasks because of a fear of failure, […]

Bring the same curiosity and energy to your work life as your personal life. Jot down your successes and failures in a journal. Reading your entries later reminds you how far you’ve come and helps you prepare for job interviews. Even a 1-sentence diary can jog your memory to help you communicate your narrative as […]

Too busy to chat? Don’t ask “How are you?” but then continue to talk without allowing any opportunity for an answer.  Instead, you can be polite without inviting a long-winded reply. For example, try: “Hey, I hope you’re having a great day. Can we discuss that report…?”

At odds with a co-worker on how to handle a joint project? Tactfully Speaking columnist Colette Carlson suggests you politely point out that it is a joint assignment. Say, “Your perspective is very valuable and I’ll give it some thought.” That gives you time and distance to go back to your desk and think it […]

It’s not always bad to procrastinate, it can even create a productive time to work through other tasks. Stanford University philosophy professor John Perry advocates doing small, low-priority tasks as you defer a larger, important task. This can build a sense of accomplishment and energy and keep your productivity high even while you defer work.

Writer Anne Lamott offers this pearl to remember when working through a huge task. “My 10-year-old brother sat at the kitchen table near tears,” surrounded by books on birds, immobilized trying to finish a report he’d had three months to write. “My father put his arm around his shoulder, and said, ‘Bird by bird, buddy.  […]

Beware of “spontaneous trait transfer,” whatever you say about other people (“She’s brilliant, funny, a slacker, rude, hard-working…”) shapes the way people see you. So, if you must complain, try to frame your observation in a problem-solving, positive way.