eality mining" research by Ben Waber's team came up with three issues that can improve workplace satisfaction as well as increase productivity by up to 25%. 1) Team members with big networks thrive. People who sat at lunch tables with more friends were more productive: "We found that the people who sat at the larger tables had substantially higher performance," observes Waber. This is because they had created a much bigger network to tap into. Over the course of the…
ientific research has shown that: We can't be sure if blondes have more fun but they do make more money, raise more money and gentlemen do prefer them. Being well-groomed is correlated with better grades. Good grooming is associated with higher wages for men but not women. And if you're ugly and underpaid, guys, definitely shave. Women who remove their pubic hair have better sexual function. A number of factors go in to whether a girl is attracted to men…
s. The deliberate practice that will one day make them famous alienates them from their peers in adolescence. Via Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking: ...the single-minded focus on what would turn out to be a lifelong passion, is typical for highly creative people. According to the psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who between 1990 and 1995 studied the lives of ninety-one exceptionally creative people in the arts, sciences, business, and government, many of his subjects were on the social…
ople whose jobs allowed them to use their signature strengths -- those qualities they were uniquely best at, the talents that set them apart from others -- were consistently happier: We hypothesized that the amount of positive experiences at work (job satisfaction, pleasure, engagement, meaning) is a function of the extent to which the situational circumstances at the workplace allow for the application of an individual’s signature character strengths. For the description of the individual a reliable and valid instrument…
ke more breaks. Via the NYT: A growing body of evidence shows that taking regular breaks from mental tasks improves productivity and creativity — and that skipping breaks can lead to stress and exhaustion. And: Management should encourage employees to devise individually effective break routines, Dr. Levine says. But he also has some general guidelines: try working in intense 15-minute bursts, punctuated by breaks, in cycles that are repeated throughout the day. This works because “the thought process is not…
actice in front of a large audience if possible. Rhetorical questions make your arguments more persuasive. Use a lot of imagery. You can create an instant feeling of familiarity with an audience by using the word "we." There are a number of tips for being making a good first impression, being more persuasive and being more charismatic. Stand up straight to feel powerful and confident. We like people who are prideful. Guys, don't be modest. Trying to seem smart makes…
ke more specific plans. Just setting a date and a time when you're going to do something makes you more likely to follow through. Or just write down the steps necessary to do the work. Use short, painless dashes of effort. Just have at it for five minutes and feel free to watch the clock. Chances are you'll realize it's not so bad. Forgive yourself when you do procrastinate. It will help you get productive. Hey, even procrastination researchers have…
ok at your resume. Reviewing your credentials can remind you how talented you are and induce a "reverse stereotype threat" that boosts confidence. Via Choke: What the Secrets of the Brain Reveal About Getting It Right When You Have To: I immediately think about my research credentials, a trick I developed after discovering that getting people to think about aspects of themselves that are conducive to success can actually be enough to propel them to a top performance and prevent…
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