Building Relationships

The key to locking into any relationship is to invite someone to talk, and then listen. Do not just sit there waiting for your turn to say something. Ask them questions and dig deeper. You will be surprised at to what you will learn from the other person because everyone you meet has something new to offer. Use your words and attitude to create a spotlight. Let the person you're speaking with know he or she is important, and important to you, by the way you talk, even over different communication services. And when you talk, be enthusiastic about it. Upbeat people by definition likable. While you are talking with them, always look for the good and be patient because sometimes, it takes a while for it to come out but it is definitely there. Lastly, treat them the way that you want to be treated. Sounds simple enough but we tend to forget about it a lot.

Changing Your Homepage

When you boot up your computer, your homepage or even web application should offer you something inspiring. You could set your homepage to Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day. It will help with your vocabulary and it is my firm belief that everyone's vocabulary is very lacking. You could also have it load to the Astronomy picture of the day. Stargazing has never been easier or more informative. You could also start your day with a song or poem of the day if you are one of the creative types that just loves to get your juices flowing. Perfect for fans of factoids, you can find out something new every darn day of the week with "Today I Found Out." Finally, you can enjoy a regular dose of cuteness with the excellent Daily Kitten site. The site does just what it claims to do, delivering a lovely picture of an adorable kitten every morning around 10 am. Cheers and to starting the morning right.

Bringing Value to Your Employer

No matter how high up in the company you may be, it is imperative to be constantly able to add value to the company. You will be able to have a higher salary, be given opportunities to advance, and have your position be protected when time get tougher. First of all, simply meeting expectations will not be enough for you to get ahead. There are questions that you can ask yourself to honestly see just how valuable you may be to your employer. They are as follows:

1. Am I consistent in my attendance, my work, and my results?

2. Am I improving each year?

3. Am I moving forward with purpose and not resting on my past accomplishments?

4. Am I spending most of my time at work with top performers?

5. Have I recently added to my job description on my own initiative?

6. Do I set goals for myself beyond the ones my supervisor sets?

7. Do I regularly ask for feedback on my performance from my boss and my peers?

8. Does my performance compare favorably with my peers?

9. Do I collaborate well with others and have good professional relationships?

This might be what it really boils down to, whether you are in software development or in the marketing department of your company. Use the questions to evaluate yourself and create a plan for improvement. 

Phone Separation Anxiety

Do you suffer from it? Apparently being away from your phone can lead to "physiological anxiety" and "poor cognitive performance." These are the results of a new study done by the University of Missouri. The findings suggest that when people do not have their phones but see them and hear them while not being about to answer them will cause anxiety. Of course, the phones did not ring when they were with the person so there are some limitations to this assessment of our relationship with phone services. On the whole, this study at least identifies the type of questions that we should be asking ourselves when we are constantly looking at our phones. Not to mention the feelings we get when the battery is running low and there is no charger in sight. What were we doing three decades ago when this was not even a question? How did we survive?

Taking Steps to Improve Your Health

First of all, if you work in an environment where there is a lot of sitting at a desk, get a standing desk. Yes, they are affordable and if anyone says anything trying to be smart, you can always come back with the fact that sitting can significantly shorten life and there is nothing funny about that. I mean we are talking about developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancers. If the standing desk is not an option, you could use mobile or business applications that remind you to get up and walk around. As you are walking around, remember to take a stroll outside because it will boost your mood as well as start all those creative juices flowing. Also, try to work next to a window during the day. It will help your body regulate its internal clock. Keeping things in a natural light, place a plant in the living room or your desk. the color green can be beneficial to keeping stress down and creativity up.

Google Glass Competitors

Google's approach with Glass was to provide the wearer with what it called "glanceable" information, shown on a virtual screen just above the right eye. By building Glass this way, Google was making a clear statement: it's for ultra-convenient and hands-free access to very specific information such as news and updates and sharing using internet phones and other communication services. Glass is intended to complement the moment you're experiencing, not take you out of it. What if that is not what people are looking for? Augmented reality and by extension, virtual reality, might be something that people are looking for according to several trends. Epson's Moverio glasses change the game and the whole screen can be a digital display. The glasses run at $700 but the bulk and the cord that is attached to the side makes it something that needs a lot of improvements if more people are going to be wearing it. Also, I think that the middle ground between reality and virtual reality that we call augmented reality is just hype. We like both sides of the spectrum, not the middle.