Workaholics Beware: You Could Get Fired For Working Too Much

Being Punished for Being a Workaholic?

That is exactly the case for the employees at an HR Software company in Utah according to this article. The founders of the company have a strict "No Workaholics" policy that they enforce...complete with sanctions.

One worker was almost fired for regularly working more than 40 hrs a week. The company founders experienced first hand the havoc working too much can have on an employee. Work/Life balance isn't just a saying for this company but a priority.

The article is complete with research data to back it up.

Studies show that it is hazardous to you health.

67% increase in the risk of developing heart disease for people who work 11 hrs a day versus 8 hrs a day.

Those who work 50 hrs a week or more are three times as likely to develop an alcohol abuse problem

It is not productive

50% of employees are less effective because of the stress of their jobs.

I liked this article.

It defies the status quo. I love finding articles on how to do work better that challenge the conventional thinking. I have never been a 9-5 job person and for years I thought something was wrong with me. I am fine. I just prefer a different work environment. Taking a stand like these entrepreneurs let's me know that you can create a work culture that is based on valuing employees and their sanity as a strategic business decision.

It is a short article. Read it and tell me what you think?

Would you want to be sanctioned for working too much?

Would you feel better about your company if they had (and enforced) such a policy?

Is Technology Killing Interpersonal Communication Skill?

I started reading Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology by Neil Postman, a professor and communication expert on identifying how technology changes how we communicate. Postman wrote most of his works in the late 80s and early 90s however as I am reading his views now, it as if he wrote the book yesterday.


Though Postman is accused of being a technophobe, one who fears technology, he really isn’t. He is the other voice to the technology enthusiasts. He points out one problem with technology is that while we herald it for the ways it will make our lives “better” we never stop to consider what problems it might cause. 

The Cure For Sarcasm

Courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

I had to read the article called “One Thing Your Employees Need (But Rarely Get)” because I was curious to know the answer. It didn’t surprise me to discover that employees (and might I add employers) need self-respect. 
 
What did surprise me was the author’s connection between sarcasm and the erosion of self-respect. We all know what sarcasm is and can generally recognize it when we hear it. Though familiar with the word, I looked it up anyway. 

Dr. Oz on Listening

On Dr. Oz yesterday, he had a woman on the show who regularly yelled at her rambunctious brood of boys. He tested her heart rate and blood pressure to show her how her communication style was affecting her health. He actually said, "the way you are communicating to your family is literally killing you."

In this woman's defense, she wasn't a monster of a parent. Far from it. She was just a mom with active kids who don't listen. Any parent can relate. When the kids don't listen, we raise our voices to get their attention. We get frustrated and even angry. Medically measuring her body's response to this form of communication was an eye opener for her. She was putting herself at risk for a stroke!

Listening Is A Human Need?

When it comes to listening, people usually want to know "how can I get people to listen to me?" 

They can site incident after incident of how a boss, coworker, or family member doesn't listen and the rift it is causing. They recognize the problem and are living testimonies of listening gone wrong. 

So here is my question. If you know first hand how frustrating it is not to be heard, then why aren't you doing all you can to make sure you aren't causing that same frustration to others? 

In this post, I talk about listening as a need and reveal 4 ways you can become a better listener.

Learn To Be Yourself

This summer I took my kids to see Rio in theaters.

We own the DVD of the movie and have seen it hundreds of times. I thought it would be the perfect way to introduce my young children to the movie going experience without producing too much anxiety about the big screen, dim lighting, and loud sound. As the movie started, the anxiety of the unknown left my kids and they melted into the familiarity of the characters, music, and lines they knew all too well.

I too experienced the movie in a new way. 
Here are 3 ways you can learn to be yourself...Rio style!

Respect: The Foundation To Good Communication

"Respect is a communication skill that bring the world together" 

~Leslie Dickson, CEO of ProVoice Inc, a leadership skills development company

Aretha Franklin asked for a little respect in her iconic 1967 hit song. It earned her 2 Grammys and eventually an induction into the Grammy hall of fame. Fast forward to present day and people are still asking for respect. 


The hallmark of a BRAVE Communicator is that respect is the foundation of all her or his communication activity.


First, you have to respect yourself, your reputation, and your growth enough to be as honest and guilt free as possible when you exchange ideas with others.

Second, you have to respect other people enough to learn how to listen, and  accommodate their communication needs.

Exciting News! Guest Blogging on Adam Smith

I am really excited to announce that I will be a regular contributor to the Adam Smith Blog beginning Aug 19, 2013.

Adam's is a leadership blog that inspires and directs you in living a purposeful life. Subjects include relationships, communication, creativity, focus/time management through discipline in your life and how you can more effectively share your story and valuable information to your readers through social media.

I have really enjoyed reading his content over the last few months and was honored when he asked if I would join his team!

Adam has collected a team of writers to post daily on subjects like leadership, time management, relationships, social media, creativity, and my personal favorite, COMMUNICATION!

Now you can get even more great communication tips from me every Sunday on Adam's blog. Of course I will be re-posting them here as well :)

Check out his introductory post on all of his new writers (including me) at the link below.

http://asmithblog.com/focused-content-from-experts/

Exciting times ahead!

Want BIG success? Think Small!

I read an article called Why Thinking Small is the Secret to Big Success by Lewis Howes. The premise was that in order to have success you should consider starting small.

Howes doesn't suggest breaking down big goals into the smaller pieces. This writer suggested beginning with a small unrelated goal. Why? To build confidence and momentum.

This article intrigued me because in order to live BRAVE sometimes we need to debunk the common cliches and common ways of thinking.