Watercooler Wisdom

While some people are enjoying the lazy days of summer poolside (how I wish I was one of them!), many others are hitting the pavement looking to find the perfect job. But with the large pool of recent college grads plus seasoned professionals looking to make the next big leap in their careers, how do you get noticed among all the prospects?

One of my good friends just turned 30 and in the days leading up to his birthday we were working hard to find a creative and fun idea for his party. We finally came up with something that was a big hit: a personalized photo banner! 

It’s that time of the day. The time when you wander over to the office refrigerator to extract a bland-looking plastic container with an even more bland turkey sandwich trapped inside. To make matters worse, it’s Friday and you have had the same turkey sandwich every day this week. The temptation of chain-food restaurants lingers outside your office door, making it even harder to stick to a budget or diet plan. With our New Year’s resolutions in mind, I’ve got some helpful tips below to get you away from that burrito place down the street and back into saving money and eating right!

It’s that time of year, the much-anticipated holiday office party. It’s a chance to step away from the computer, meetings and projects to spend time getting to know your co-workers and celebrate the team’s accomplishments of the year.

Games are a great way to encourage mingling among departments and provide a fun opportunity to get to know each another in a casual setting. Here are some interesting ideas for holiday games:

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I have an awesome team. We work hard and spend a lot of time together, and it always feels good when I can give them a “shout-out” for their achievements. I’m especially reminded of this as Thanksgiving rolls around. We will all gather around the table next week to give thanks for family, friends and health, but I think we should also remember to express our gratitude to the colleagues who make work life a little easier.

As managers, we might not always be able to reward our teams and colleagues with raises, bonuses or glamorous two-week cruises to tropical paradises. Luckily, there are some things we can do to show them our appreciation.

When I was a fresh out of college, in my first “real” job with my first “real” paycheck, I remember that one of my first big purchases was a nice set of luggage. I agonized over the style, the brand, the features, the pieces I needed…I wanted it to be a quality set that I could use for many years to come. I finally settled on a sturdy collection of wheeled, expandable luggage. (I’m not a light packer!) With all those decisions and all the options for snazzy colors and styles available, you may be wondering what color I chose…Just basic black, along with the rest of the world, it seems!   ...read more

A few years back, I travelled a lot for work. I was criss-crossing the country and I often had need to find a quiet place to work where I could get on the Internet and really get some work done. Back then, my options were a bit limited...

First, you have your bookstores. But finding place to sit down in a busy store tends to be difficult. On the bright side, they’re usually pretty quiet.

Then there are the coffee shops. A place to sit is easy to find, but whether or not you can get work done is another issue entirely! People scrambling in to get their coffee fix, others pounding away on their own keyboards, and still more customers having a leisurely conversation over a cappuccino. For me, all that hustle and bustle doesn’t help me concentrate on that big presentation. Don’t get me wrong, I like that atmosphere when I’m not working and just hanging out, but not when I have a deadline!

Luckily for me (and others who work like me) FedEx Office has announced that it will offer free, unlimited Wi-Fi in virtually all of its Print & Ship Center locations by the end of October 2010. ...read more

As many of our Out of Office readers most likely already know, a business trip can be a great source of stress and nerves, particularly the night before you hit the road. Somewhere between practicing your presentation and packing just the right outfit, the anxiety hits hard.

But every good road warrior knows that the best offense is a good defense: be prepared. Good preparation for a business trip – whether it lasts two days or two weeks – can be the difference between basking in the glow of your boss’ praise or quietly wishing things had gone differently. By following these three tips for perfect preparation, you will not only survive but thrive during your time away from the office.

Labor Day is fast approaching – and while this is an occasion to reflect on and celebrate our hard work at the office, those long desk hours can get really exhausting! Here are a few tried-and-true tips that the Out of Office team uses to rev up the workday and avoid those dreaded afternoon crashes.

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• Change Gears – sometimes breaking up your daily routine can be the perfect way to refocus. Get away from your computer and chat with a colleague about his or her weekend or schedule a quick team check-in to find out what everyone’s working on.
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• Corporate Cardio – working in an office can lead you to become “one” with your chair. To prevent this from happening, take a brisk walk around the office. This will get your blood flowing and help you tackle your projects with renewed energy.