Why Managers Should Self-audit

I came in to work and did the same stuff week after week. Sometimes -- who am I kidding -- a lot of the time, I'd leave work with a longer list of the things I needed to get to than I had when I'd arrived. I was on a 5-day loop and never got past the weekly tasks to things that would further the long-term goals my team and I were so excited to reach, and I got tired of it.

Topics: productivity, business meetings, Time Management, Tips + Tricks

Finding Lifelong Interests

Several times over now, I’ve mentioned my hobbies. But I want to offer a bit more of a detailed explanation for their importance. When I was in sixth grade, my grandparents, on a whim, bought me a guitar for Christmas, and that gift changed my life. (Again, notice how individual actions can be massively impactful for other individuals, if not for the whole world). Ever since then, I’ve been in and out of various bands, most of them metal or some variant thereof. I’ve loved every minute of it, having the chance to give musical expression to my thoughts and feelings while creating something with and for other people to enjoy.

Topics: philosophy, contemplation, hobbies, personal health

Changing the World?

You’ve more than likely heard someone say it before: “This will change the world.” Chances are, you’ve said it, or at least thought it, yourself. Perhaps it was about something you’d stumbled upon – another person’s idea or product. Then again, it might have been your own idea, your own product. Maybe you’ve even thought it about yourself.

Topics: philosophy, contemplation, change

The Start of a Long Inquiry

If you’ve read any of my previous blogs, you’ve probably recognized I’m predominantly contemplative, philosophically-inclined, so to say. I enjoy thinking about life’s questions, even if I’ll likely never find the answers to those inquiries. Deep contemplation is, in its own right, rewarding for me.

Topics: philosophy, legacy, death, meaning, contemplation

Are small or large teams better for your overall structure and goals in your organization?

You might think at first that larger teams are more productive due to their overall size. On the contrary, teams of smaller sizes have an advantage over larger teams in regards to efficiency, communication, and work environment. 

Topics: efficiency, productivity, small teams, communication

In an increasingly online marketplace with business automation as the next frontier of every strategy, your company is only as strong as the software you're using. A business’s software "stack" decides how agile it can or cannot be, especially in making the most of available manpower. While that is crucial to the success of SMBs, it goes for larger businesses too.

Topics: efficiency, Tips + Tricks, technology, marketing, Business

Burnout is used to describe the mental collapse that accompanies becoming exhausted performing specific tasks or jobs, commonly to a point where you no longer feel passion and/or a desire to perform anymore. I have worked in the Information Technology space for 16+ years as everything from cable tech to IT Director before becoming a full time developer. I have seen a number of people burn out and switch careers, giving up their comfortable salaries to do something, anything, that doesn't involve computers.

Topics: personal health, efficiency, Work Schedules

Imagine this scenario

You've come to the end of the year and have worked hard to make a living. You were a faithful employee, giving your time in and out of office hours. When someone needed off, you covered for them. When you needed a break, you pushed through to show your commitment to your team. To top it all off, you donated over $500 back to your employer.

What if I told you this scenario was true for 52% of Americans? 

Topics: vacation, paid time off, happiness, SHRM, HRCI, ASAE, APA, AICPA

Greatest Source of Stress

Surprise, surprise - as if you hadn't already guessed. According to Steve L. Sauter of the Nation Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the workplace has become the single greatest source of stress. This is exactly what a healthy work-life balance can alleviate if executed correctly. Society has evolved to a point where much pressure is placed on 

Topics: Work Schedules, Business Talk, Business, personal health, efficiency, happiness, AICPA, APA, SHRM, HRCI, ASAE

The Evolution of Learning

The way we, as humans, learn seems constantly in flux. Not long ago, it was common for schoolrooms to host kindergartners through twelfth-graders alike. Even in the 1950s, there existed singular schoolrooms for children of all ages.

More recently, children grew up with different teachers each year, and if you had a background similar to myself, you might have been in a different building for each grade as well. But even now, the evolution of technology has spurred a simultaneous shift in the educational process, and learning looks quite different than it did even two decades ago.

Topics: Udemy, knowledge, online education, education, courses, continuing education