Set boundaries when working from home Create boundaries when working from home and make sure others in the house understand those in order to stay productive. Be aware of your most common distractions, such as TV or engaging in non-work activities, and design your boundaries around eliminating them during work hours. Fast Company online (11/5)
Making the Connection
Don't hog the conversation at networking events Be an active listener and show genuine interest in the person you're engaging with at networking events, rather than scanning the room for your next target or hogging the conversation. Ask easy questions that gently steer the conversation in the direction you're seeking, suggests Kitty Boitnott. Forbes (11/6)Give up your reserved parking space
(Mladen Antonov/AFP/Getty Images)
It's not uncommon for leaders climbing the corporate ladder to develop an inflated ego, and this can negatively affect how a leader learns from mistakes, as well as narrow their vision, suggests executive Jennifer Woo. Avoid an inflated ego by consciously practicing humility and letting go of unnecessary perks, such as a company parking space, that may be feeding your ego. Harvard Business Review online (tiered subscription model) (11/6)
The Landscape
Labor Dept. reports strongest wage growth since 2009 The Labor Department has released wage-growth data that show private workers make an average of $27.30 hourly, the strongest annual gain since 2009. Europe also has seen wage growth, but an arrangement that gives most workers a "13th salary" makes it tough to see to what extent pay has improved. The Washington Post (tiered subscription model) (11/5)
Stress is as bad as secondhand smoke, research says Work stressors, such as more than 40 hours per week or high productivity demands, are as harmful to workers' health as secondhand smoke, research suggests. Work-related and personal stress causes increased cortisol in the body, and this incrementally leads to a multitude of physical and mental health issues. Psychology Today (11/5)
According to new research published in the academic journal Science, the antibodies in llama blood can be used as a protection from the influenza virus. Testing was successful in using the new vaccine on mice, so a nasal spray made for humans would theoretically work successfully as well. Popular Science (11/5)
