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Casual blogger? Time to step it up

Company bloggers, make sure you’re familiar with the basics of marketing and communications 101. To reach your audience in the right way, think through four key questions. Once you know the answers to those questions, take the next step and create an editorial calendar specifying what you’ll write about over the next several months.

Put an end to boring photos at work

The three types of photos to avoid in employee publications, according to Mark Ragan, CEO of Ragan Communications: 1. The “grip-and-grin” photograph, or two people shaking hands and smiling at the camera. 2. The “man on phone at his desk.” 3. The “execution at dawn” shot, or a row of standing employees.

Train your middle-age brain

If you often find yourself chalking up things to a “senior moment,” it may be time to train your aging brain. Scientists have confirmed that brains continue to grow through and beyond middle age. The trick is finding ways to keep brain connections in good condition and to grow more of them.

Are you underusing your mouse?

If you’re ignoring the middle button (or scroll wheel) on your mouse, you’re missing some shortcuts and only using your mouse to 70% capacity. Odds are, you get around documents and web sites just fine without using it, but, as Rick Broida points out in PC World magazine, there’s a world of potential in that little button.

8 morale boosters to try now

Workplace budgets remain tight, yet recession-weary employees are more in need of morale boosters than ever. Now’s the time to use a little creativity to reward workers. Here are a few ideas from Harvard Business School professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter, whose advice appears on a Harvard Business Review blog:

Climbing the career ladder

Question: “After making a career change, I am six weeks into a new job at a large health care company. I hope to be promoted to a specific position in the next three years. In trying to get ahead, I understand the importance of all the basic stuff, like good attendance, proper dress, meeting deadlines and so forth. But can you suggest any other smart moves for career-minded new employees?”