Stop Monkeying Around!

Does your office sometimes feel like a zoo? Perhaps you need Ape Management to get everyone sorted out! 

Ape Management is a Dutch company that studies primate behavior to better understand human dynamics in a group setting… much like the dynamics of any office. Founder Patrick Von Veen believes that studying our closest animal relatives is extremely helpful when learning about human relationships, communication and problem-solving. Apparently, stereotypes, managerial hierarchy, chit-chat and bullying are not solely limited to observations at the water cooler.

Ape Management's trainings and workshops for companies conclude with a unique outing to a local zoo or primate sanctuary where staffers observe and apply lessons learned from watching monkey interactions. This unique approach to inter-office politics has been utilized by mammoth corporations in the insurance, accounting and energy industries and receives glowing reviews from HR professionals and staffers alike.  

So, are you and your colleagues in need of a field trip?

To learn more, listen to this Marketplace Story or check out this article on BBC News. 

An Office in the Sky

It is not everyday you get to peek into the office of a CEO. Thanks to Sam Rohn, we can virtually walk right into J.Crew's President and Executive Creative Director, Jenna Lyons' breathtaking office!

Click the link above to see the 360 view, courtesy of SamRohn.com

A couple of things strike me right away. First and foremost: the view! the view! I would not be able to get anything done with huge windows so close to my desk. Also, I find it interesting how neutral the office is. Despite the bright pink desktop and a few small pops of color, the walls, flooring and fixtures are basic and simple.

P.S. Did you notice how the vibe instantly changes as soon as you leave Jenna's area?  The desks and cubicals of Jenna's worker bees are downright plebeian!

New Day, New You

I love to tackle huge, seemingly insurmountable problems. To swoop in and save the day when everyone else has given up on a sticky issue or overwhelming problem. (Cue: super hero theme song!) 

My problem? Cultivating everyday habits like making time for small talk with colleagues, remembering to drop off the huge pile of clothes for donation, or registering for that free class I wanted to take at the library. 

Often, little events and to-dos pass me by while I am busy saving the world.

To my dismay, I recently learned that it takes more than 21 days to form a new habit. Alas, I cannot force myself to do something for three weeks and it will become natural for the rest of my life. Anecdotally, I know this, but why is that? 

Research shows that intention is everything. Pure willpower is not enough! Instead, it is the deep desire to change one's lifestyle that ultimately wins out in the end. So, unless I truly want to get to know my coworkers better, act more philanthropic with my extra resources or become a lifelong learner, I probably will never will.  

So how to get From Thought to Action? Psychologists propose that I spend a good amount of time thinking about what it is that I actually want to do or achieve. Am I simply looking to cross something off the perpetual to-do list? The satisfaction that comes from random acts of kindness? The confidence comes from being a good citizen and neighbor? Turns out that visualization is a very helpful tool when adopting new habits. Not only does it help with motivation, but it also helps identify concrete steps to turn a one-off action into a routine. I like the sound of that, since it harkens back to my strategy for saving the day (see above).

Now if only I could daydream visualize my way to math proficiency... well, I'm working on it.

NB:I got the idea for this blog, which was originally posted on SparringMind.com. 

If you like to nerd-out on behavior psychology and trying new things, this is the website for you!

Zzzzzzzz

The inspiration behind this post should be obvious... 

From the Wall Street Journal: http://on.wsj.com/1e0kRg8

It has been a busy summer: adjusting to the new job, several big work projects, lots of weekend adventures and never-ending yard work. A nap how-to really resonates with me today!

Get To Work

What is your strategy for managing big projects? This is a weakness of mine: not procrastination, per se, but psyching myself out to think that projects are bigger than they really are (and thus, avoiding them).

Thankfully, Bob Pozen comes to the rescue with a few tips on how to tackle big to-dos. (Full disclosure: I have a little enormous crush on Mr. Pozen with his Harvard creds, financial know-how and dreamy hair.)

1. What's the hold up? Identify the stumbling block that keeps you from starting in the first place. Is it fear of difficulty? Worries that you don't have the necessary resources to succeed? Perhaps success is not clearly defined? Figure out what holds you back, brainstorm or research your way around it and MOVE ON.

2. Contrary to Julie Andrews, don't start at the very beginning. Spend time thinking about the ultimate outcome and work backwards. Keeping the endgame in mind allows the project's strategies and tactics to be focused and efficient at all stages of development and implementation. There is nothing worse than realizing you've been chasing a red herring that leads you nowhere...

3. We've all heard it before: perfection is the enemy of the good. I am especially susceptible here. I want the best every time, even to my own detriment (and insanity). Mr. Pozen also shares my spirit of Sanity with a Paycheck and he says STOP! If the opportunity of time or additional resources is there at the finish, you can always go back to tweak or edit. In the meantime, stay on task and keep moving forward. Chances are no one will notice the wobbles anyway.

4. Teamwork. Every successful big project needs a successful team. Every person should play a role and every leader should delegate according to the skills and assets of his or her teammates. Mr. Pozen suggests another important benefit of teamwork that I never thought of: accountability. If everyone is emotionally invested in the outcome, chances are far greater that they will contribute in equal measure to achieve success. 

5. Carrot>Stick. Deadlines motivate some, but usually in a negative way ("OMG! IT'S DUE TOMORROW!") Reward-based motivation spurs action early. Identify milestones in advance and properly reward yourself when you get there.

Want to learn more? Check out Mr. Pozen's book "Extreme Productivity: Boost your Results, Reduce Your Hours" here and also Inc.com's feature on big project productivity tips here.

Change is Good. Now Where to Start?

We all know that change is good for us: trying different foods, making new friends, mixing up our workouts and rearranging our office space  But, it's easy to place "changing careers" into another category altogether. It seems too hard, too far of a leap, maybe even too risky. 

Below is an excerpt from a new blog series by Mark Turcek, President and CEO of The Nature Conservancy. Mr. Turcek used to be a high-rollin' Wall Street big shot until he realized he was ready to make a change. He gives some great advice (advice that I've used in the past and found helpful personally) in this piece posted on LinkedIn:

"My advice for those looking to make a change: Start now. Don't wait. Get engaged immediately..."

Instead of being paralyzed by a fear of change, Mark harnessed it to his advantage and took action: "There was no time to waste." 

Sometimes you have to jump from the deep-end and take comfort that your body will float to the top. Oh yeah, and it will feel really good.

To read Mark Turcek's entire blogpost, head over to LinkedIn.

Travel Tips

Here are my top tips to keep your Joie du Travail mindset while jet-setting around the world:

Pack Snacks. Pre-washed, pre-cut, finger-friendly food. Berries, grapes, carrot sticks, hummus and pitas, granola bites, nuts, cheese cubes, apple slices, whatever*. Throw them in a tupperware with a napkin and you're ready to go. You'll be so happy to munch away on good food while the masses around you suffer through Sbarro or Mandarin Express. *Exception: bananas... they do not travel well and nobody wants to dive into a brown one.

Download the App. Say goodbye to standing in line at customer service. I cannot tell you how many times the Fly Delta app has saved me in a pinch. You can use it to upgrade your seat, find and book other flights when yours is delayed, search old itineraries, book a last-minute hotel, you name it. In addition to Delta, I highly recommend Kayak, Southwest, Hilton Honors, TripAdvisor and XE Currency apps.

Do Yourself a Solid. Solid shampoos, conditioners and detergents save space and sanity when traveling through security with a carry-on. For travel-friendly, non-liquid body care products, I recommend Lush and I cannot live without Wash and Stain bars from The Laundress. You'll never come back to a hotel room that smells like your morning workout clothes again!  Speaking of which...

You Really Should Work Out. Hotel gyms ain't what they used to be. In fact, I am constantly amazed at how nice some are compared to the gym I actually pay for at home. There is nothing worse than sitting in meetings all day, eating out for most meals and returning back to the hotel late at night feeling like a tired old slug. Even 20 or 30 minutes in the morning will give you energy and a positive outlook for the rest of the day. Traveling is taxing - so don't expect to set a PR - but putting on your sneakers will break up an otherwise monotonous schedule and leave you feeling positive. Bonus: You'll be glad you packed tennis shoes when stuck in the airport and want to take a concourse walk instead of watching the same CNN loop for hours.

Photograph Receipts. It is hard to keep up with those pesky crumpled slips of paper. Take a quick photo of your receipt with your phone right when you receive it. It takes 30 seconds and can save you so much hassle on the phone with Finance when you get back.