30 Days Habit Change: Waking up at 5 AM-Freestyle Mind
In this post, Oscar from Freestyle Mind writes about his plan to see if getting up at 5 AM will increase his productivity.

DIY Common Sense Search Optimization-Monday Morning VA
Search engine optimization can seem like a daunting task, but this article gives 4 rules for optimization that can prime your web page for optimal placement page rank.

Are You a Human Decision Making Machine?-Mining Man
Whether followers notice the effort or not, leadership is a skill that requires input to generate successful output (good decisions). The author of this article discusses the book, “The Magic of Thinking Big” by David J. Schwartz and how the book compares things such as effective listening to raw materials used to build the foundation for good decisions.

Don’t Do Work Just for the Sake of Doing Work-From Bottom Up
It is easy to get discouraged when work doesn’t go as smoothly as we would wish. In this article, the author gives tips on how to create a better working environment that encourages productivity.

Sweet Backstabbers-Leadership Freak
If you’ve ever encountered someone in the workplace that seems kind face-to-face, but undermines you behind your back, you’re most likely at a loss concerning what to do. In this article, Dan Rockwell gives some tips on how to skillfully and diplomatically restore your reputation.

Nine Ways the iPad Will Change Time Management-Time Management Ninja
With the controversy over whether or not the iPad will be a truly useful tool, it is interesting to see how people will actually be able to incorporate the device into their daily routines. This article lists nine benefits of using the iPad to aid time management.

How to Abandon a Sinking Ship-30 Days at a Time
Failure is something that we all must face at one time or another. The author of this article gives several observations on how to deal with failure.

How to Profit from Your Passion-Potential2Success
Entrepreneurship has long been a way for businesspeople with great ideas and work ethics to make a living at doing what they love. However, there are a few myths about starting your own business. Ralph Jean-Paul discusses a few of these common misconceptions.

9 Powerful Time Management Tips for Students-Taming Time
Today, most students fill multiple shoes. Many work or raise families as they attend college. This article gives a helpful list of suggestions on how to get the most out of your day.

Demotivation: the curse of success? The choice is yours-6 Aliens
Being unmotivated to complete a certain, necessary task is something all of us face at one time or another. In this article, Ben Lumley discusses how motivation is a choice and that a change in focus could bring about a more positive outlook.

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In a fraction of a second, my mind raced back over the past three years.  I had moved from a rural Fort Scott, Kansas to Grand Rapids, Michigan to head up the IT department for a large non-profit.  The non-profit was trying very hard to get more “diversity.”  They were bringing in diversity speakers to do training sessions. They were careful to have various cultures represented at all their events.  Any printed materials showing people had to show minorities in a much higher percentage than were native in that part of the country.

As the runner closed the distance, my mind went back to what one of the speakers had said.  He explained how, even though you don’t realize it, most people are racist against black people and told everyone to count how many black friends they had.  I couldn’t think of a single one.  While I didn’t think I was racist, the fact that I didn’t have any black friends hit home.

As the runner approached, I decided that, based on everything I had learned over the past three years, there was a high chance that my judgment was being influenced by the fact that this person looked like a thief because I was unconsciously prejudiced against his skin color.  Maybe the purse contained vital medicine for someone at home and he was looking back to see if the person with the syringe was keeping up.  Maybe he was part of some sort of delivery service that would bring someone their purse when they forgot it.  As the distance closed, I stepped to the side and let him pass.  Two seconds later, a policeman tore past us in hot pursuit of the purse snatcher.

Had it not been for the diversity training, he wouldn’t have gotten away.  In those few split seconds, I was practicing racial discrimination–the fact that he was black made me treat him differently than someone else. Had it not been for the diversity training, I wouldn’t have noticed the color of his skin.  How do I know?  When the speaker asked everyone how many black friends they had, I couldn’t think of one, but it wasn’t because I didn’t have any.  I just didn’t define my friends in terms of their skin color. It turned out that, of my close circle of friends, 20% were black. It just took me a very long time to realize it.  After deep soul searching prompted by being told that I was a racist for not having any black friends, I finally started noticing the color of people’s skin.

Isn’t this the opposite of what we really want?

Before  “diversity training”  I saw people in terms of who they were and how they acted–not the color of their skin.  If you treat people differently because of the color of their skin, you are practicing racial discrimination. Training that tries to emphasize, “See that person over there? He/She looks different than you.  How do you feel about that?” teaches you to treat people differently based on the way they look.

I am certain that there are still some serious racial issues with certain people and in particular parts of the country, but many of the current approaches do more harm than good.  If someone is really racist, then it is very unlikely that “diversity training” is going to change anything, and if someone isn’t racist, much of the current training methodology is going to create problems that don’t already exist.

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The Happiness Project : Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun chronicles Gretchen Rubin’s year long project to see if she could increase the amount of happiness in her life. The book blends her personal narrative with facts from her research into a wonderfully fulfilling read. The book is truly brilliant and I highly recommend it.

At the beginning of the book, Gretchen formulates her “Secrets of Adulthood” that she uses to help ground her project.  Here are a few:

• People don’t notice your mistakes as much as you think.
• It’s important to be nice to everyone.
• If you’re not failing, you’re not trying hard enough.
• If you can’t find something, clean up.
• By doing a little bit each day, you can get a lot accomplished.

The book is full of fascinating little facts about happiness. Here are a few random ones that I found particularly interesting:

• An extra hour of sleep each night will increase your happiness by the same amount as a $60,000 raise. (We have a three month old baby and my wife says she thinks the value is slightly higher.)
• According to some study, cutting down on clutter can reduce your housework by 40%.
• It is easier to decide what to wear when your closet offers fewer choices.
• People who use Botox are less prone to anger because they can’t make angry faces.  Act the way you want to feel.
• You need to hug someone for six seconds to promote bonding.
• People will transfer to you the traits you ascribe to others. Gossip about others’ faults will make you look bad.
• 49% of people making over $100,000 say they are happy.  24% of those making under $30,000 say they are happy.

The book is fun to read because it tells an engaging story, but beyond entertainment, it changes how you look at your life and your priorities. You can visit the Happiness Project website to find out more about Gretchen’s book.  She also has a one minute video called The Days are Long, but the Years are Short that is well worth watching.

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Due to his ample girth, Mr. Smith buys two Southwest tickets when he flies. (Correction: Kevin says this is the first week he bought two tickets and he does it because he is shy.  Southwest says he routinely buys two tickets. Doesn’t matter for the point of this article, but I thought I’d be clear.) That way, it guarantees him an open adjacent seat.  If the flight sells out, Southwest keeps the price of the empty seat because it represents money they could have made selling the seat to someone else.  If the flight doesn’t sell out, they refund Mr. Smith the price of his extra ticket.

On a recent flight, Mr. Smith arrived at the airport early and decided to try to get on an early plane if there were any empty seats.  There was an empty seat–but just one. I’m sure you can see the problem here.  Anyway, after boarding the plane and managing to get the armrests down, he was asked to get off and take another flight that had more room.

I couldn’t find any information about how much Kevin Smith weighs, but he did take credit for breaking a toilet. I can’t seem to find any weight limits on the toilets at www.homedepot.com, so I’m guessing it isn’t something that manufacturer runs into very often.

I have a number of thoughts on this whole affair and how it relates to safe air travel, but the part I want to talk about here is at the end of some of the earlier news stories on the “event”.  Evidently, the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance is trying to boycott Southwest.

This revelation prompted two thoughts.  The first was, “How much would it harm Southwest if fat people all refuse to fly on the airline?”  The second was, “The National Association to What?”

Seriously?  I mean is there really such a thing as the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance? Turns out there is.  www.naafaonline.com Now I almost agree with some of their statements. They feel that the US is too “thin-obsessed”. Fair enough, but that isn’t really what they are fighting.  They are trying to make obese people feel ok about being obese.  The Centers for Disease Control says that 67% of “noninstitutionalized” adults are overweight or obese. So what exactly does that mean? They define overweight as having a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 30.  For a typical person who is 5′ 9″ that would translate into 170 to 200 pounds.  Anyone with a BMI of 30 or over is considered obese.

There may be a small percentage of people who fit the lower range of what the CDC calls “overweight” who are in reasonably good health, but their guidelines are pretty generous. If the US is truly as “thin-obsessed” as the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance claims, you’d think it would show up in the statistics.  67% of people are nowhere near thin–or even what would be considered normally healthy for an average person.  Even if we want to assume that the CDC doesn’t know how many people in their overweight category are really in great shape (I don’t know anyone who would go that far), that still leaves 34% of the population in the obese category.

Being obese isn’t like not wearing deodorant where it just inconveniences people. Obesity has real health risks, and diseases that come from obesity are a lot of what is driving up the cost of healthcare for everyone–even the people who are doing their best to stay in shape.

Given all of this, do we really need an organization trying to make people accept their weight and stay obese? This is a cultural phenomenon in the US–the idea that we want to make everyone feel like they are perfect the way they are–even when they really REALLY need to change something.  From what I understand, in many European countries, overweight natives will have strangers come up to them on the street offering the address of a local gym or the telephone number of a dietitian. They aren’t doing it to be mean.  They just naturally assume no one is going to want to be fat on purpose, so they offer solutions that they have found useful, themselves.

And don’t tell me that you’ve heard of some people who have a disease that keeps them from losing weight unless you personally know someone who can eat a 1500 calorie diet, walk a few miles a week and still gain weight.  I’m sure these exceptions do exist, but they are just that–exceptions.

My point is this. Losing weight can be very difficult. It involves a lot of psychological issues and it can be hard to muster the necessary self-control.  But, people will not make big changes in their lives until the cost of staying the same is more painful than the cost of the change.  The last thing we need is an organization that is actively trying to change the culture to make it harder for people to lose weight.

(Ok I said what was on my mind.  Feel free to let me have it in the comments.)

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So what might account for the difference in friendliness between people in rural Kansas and Harvard Square?  I think there is a simple explanation, and it is the same reason people don’t talk on elevators. When you get on the elevator with a bunch of people you don’t know, it is rare for anyone to talk, even if they are people you might talk to if you were in a different physical location. If you want to see what I mean, get on a crowded elevator with a bunch of strangers and try to strike up a cheery conversation.  If there are just two of you, it will probably be no problem, but if the elevator is full, 9 times out of 10 it is going to be really awkward.

The difference is the amount of space you have.  On an elevator, it is very enclosed and very cramped.  Usually you are standing much closer to people than you would in just about any other situation. I think we don’t talk in order to create more of a sense of space by ignoring each other.

I think this is what happens in places with high-density populations.  People create space by ignoring each other.  It isn’t always about being rude. It is about preserving your personal space when you may not have much control over physical proximity.

If I spent an hour throwing rocks at every person I see from my deck or front porch, the chances of me hitting anyone are very slim. Everyone is just too far away.  In fact, the only time I think I’d have any chance of hitting someone is if I timed my little experiment to coincide with the football team’s daily run that goes by our house.  However, if I tried the same experiment from the apartment where we lived in Cambridge, it would probably take me an average of 45 seconds to bean someone day or night and that includes the fact that I have very poor accuracy throwing rocks.  There are just a lot more people in a lot smaller space.

There is a guy here in town who seems to have lost the gene that makes you want to have some personal space between your face and the face of the person you are talking to. He stands way too close and subconsciously you’ll take a step back. He will literally back you into a corner.  It is actually great fun to watch him talk to someone for the first time.

I do have a point that I’m trying to make here (in something of a round about way). If someone doesn’t seem friendly or doesn’t react the way you expect, look first to see if they are reacting to their environment or physical stimuli more than they are reacting to you, personally, or to your suggestion.  There are people who are just plain rude and mean, but often there are nice people who are simply putting up walls or reacting to something else that you may be able to change or control.

Oh, and if you decide to try the rock-throwing experiment at home, you are on your own. I take no responsibility for anything bad that might happen.

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Enlightr

We hear a lot of talk today about how the internet can bring about information overload to those who use it. Enlightr is a product that summarizes important information so that you don’t have to wade through irrelevant information.

MikeKey.com

Michael Key writes about lifestyle design and entrepreneurship at this site. He offers bits of wisdom concerning finances, learning and other topics.

The Paper Tiger

The Paper Tiger is a product that is a hybrid of the paperless and non-paperless office. It uses software to organize the locations of the hard copies in your files. The company offers three systems of varying cost and capability.

Change your thoughts

At this site, Steven Aitchison writes about productivity, habits, thinking patterns and other topics of interest. Steven has also written two books, 100 Ways to Develop Your Mind and 100 Ways to Boost Your Energy.

Guiding Tech

There are times when sifting through a multitude of different how-to sites for information can be daunting. Guiding Tech offers articles that help those needing assistance with troubleshooting computer problems. The site contains informative tutorials to assist readers in solving computer-related issues and learning about new applications and tools.

Zaigham’s web

For those that are interested in web design, this site offers several different HTML and CSS templates. Because layout and design can be so time consuming, these templates could be worth a look.

Potential 2 Success

At this site, Ralph Jean-Paul speaks shares his thoughts about business and money, goal setting, confidence, success skills and more.

AliShabdar.com

This blog offers information on cloud computing, web development, productivity, etc.

The Productive Student

There are many challenges that students must face in remaining productive throughout years in the educational system. At this blog, Arjun Muralidharan shares insights about productivity, student life and technological developments.

The Anand.com

This site offers tips for bloggers on writing, SEO and other related topics.

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Overdrive Digital Library

Many state libraries have digital books, audio books and movies that can be checked out electronically from a company called Overdrive.  Most of the time, all you need for access is a card from a local library or your state library.  The checkout process works like it does for physical books.  If the library has only purchased one copy, only one person can access it at a time.  When you are finished with it, you check it back in, which makes it available for someone else.  You can search for a library here.

Property Tax House Valuations

I imagine the process is different from state to state and county to county, but where I live, you can go in and protest the valuation the county placed on your house to determine property taxes. Basically, you go in and they show why they think the house is worth X and you show why you think the house is worth Y.  If nothing else, it gives you a chance to make sure they aren’t taxing you for a carport or other building that doesn’t exist.  I found it humorous that they had our property listed as having a “deluxe outhouse.”  I’m not sure how the deluxe model differs from the standard model.

Sprint Discounts

Sprint offers a bunch of discounts that you probably won’t find unless you get one of their employees to tell you.  For example, if you work for the USPS, you can get a 25% discount.  There are a bunch of other employers and organizations that would qualify you for a discount as well.  Not working for the USPS meant we had to settle for the 23% discount gained from having a Costco membership. Other phone companies may have similar discounts, so it is worth it to ask a lot of questions to see if there is anything that would qualify you.

DECT 6.0 Cordless Phones

DECT 6.0 is a standard for cordless phones that are designed (among other things) to not interfere with WIFI signals.  Also the headsets and base stations are theoretically interoperable.  This means you can take the handset from a Uniden and hook it to a Panasonic base station.  Also some of the handsets I’ve seen will let you automatically connect to whatever base station you are closest to. As usual, the implementation is a bit more complicated than it sounds, but it does offer some flexibility.  For example, I wanted a handset with an earphone jack and it was possible to add an additional handset of a different model to our existing base station.

DLNA

Digital Living Network Alliance is a standard to let your home electronics talk to each other.  In practice, this means you can do things like use your television to browse and view the photos and videos on your desktop computer. It isn’t quite as simple as it sounds, but it is a very big step forward toward getting everything integrated. If you are in the market for a TV or DVD player, it is worth looking into.

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Many students met the dress code to the letter, but were extremely sloppy in the way that the were dressed. Overall, it would probably be impossible to tell if having a dress code helped make anyone a better student (although it helped guarantee that all the guys knew how to tie a tie by the time they graduated.)

Personally though, I know that my performance is sometimes influenced by how I’m dressed. If I get dressed for business and feel business-like, I function better than if it is 1pm and I’m still working in my pajamas.

Even more important than how I feel is the way others respond to me, based on the way I’m dressed. When you meet someone for the first time, they make a whole slew of assumptions about you based on the available data. One of the easiest pieces of data to latch on to is how you are dressed. If you are dressed professionally, this influences their opinion about whether or not you are likely to behave professionally.

In fact, there was a study that showed students who were allowed to rate a college professor after only having watched a 30 second silent video of him teaching, gave the same rankings as students who sat in his class for an entire semester.

The point is that they were able to pick up enough information in just a few moments, visually, to form the same opinion as students who spent the entire semester in class–or perhaps their first opinions were so strong that an entire semester of teaching couldn’t shake what they had initially decided.

When someone sees you for the first time, they are going to make assumptions (right or wrong) about how you are dressed. These assumptions have a direct influence on how the person interacts with you. So if you dress like someone they would want to work with, you’ll find it much easier to get things done than if you don’t. Your productivity in the interaction is determined in a large way by how you dress.

This is easy to take advantage of. If you are going to a meeting, spend a few moments in the morning thinking about what others are likely to be wearing and how you can dress in a way that will make you as productive as possible. If it is something really important, you might even want to do some research to find out what is acceptable dress for particular situations. For example, if you are going for a job interview, it might not be a bad idea to find out how others dress that work in the position you are applying for. Better yet, if you can find out what the person interviewing you is likely to be wearing, you can adjust your wardrobe that day, accordingly.

This method isn’t going to suddenly make you an extremely productive person, but if it helps you retain even 5% of opportunities you might have otherwise missed, it can make a big difference.

Originally published July 3, 2007.

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Generally, the people who see the border as a barrier are the ones who don’t really understand much about Mexico and haven’t made many trips out of the United States.  People with more knowledge and experience in international travel don’t see the border as a barrier.

As I noticed this great divide in how people perceive national borders, I started thinking about how I view other barriers. There are borders that, in my mind, have become larger barriers than they really are–just because of my lack of knowledge and experience. If I’m not careful, I can let my perception of these borders keep me from reaching my full potential.

The way we perceive social and business borders can have a strong influence on the choices we make.  If we operate with a strong fear of the unknown, we will pass up opportunities simply because they would move us into unfamiliar territory.  Our growth depends on the ability and courage to cross these borders and expand our playing field into new areas.

Originally published January 17, 2007.

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Chandler is free, runs on Mac, Windows and Linux, and was designed for both business and personal use. It is a task manager that allows the user to create notes and add varying levels of detail to those notes. Notes are created by typing in a title in the box at the top of the screen.

Organization

Chandler gives the user the ability to categorize tasks into three major groups: “Now,” “Later” and “Done.” You can also set “tickler” alarms to alert you about an important, time-sensitive task. The program will move a task marked “Later” to the top of the “Now” section when the alarm goes off. A box marked “Reminder” appears in the center of the screen with, well…a reminder about the task.

Calendar integration

Chandler is designed to work with iCal, Google Calendar, Palm and Outlook. The software allows the user to import tasks that are already entered into those calendars into Chandler. The built-in Calendar in Chandler can be synced with other calendars to keep all information current in both programs.

Email

One neat capability that Chandler has is its ability to work with email clients to work with email without leaving the application. The developers make it clear that Chandler is not intended to be a replacement for an email client. Chandler allows the user to send and receive emails that are from other Chandler users, and downloads messages via 3 IMAP folders. According to the developers’ website, Chandler possesses the following features and capabilities:

• Send Chandler notes and events out as email. (Unlike “regular” email, you can edit and re-send Chandler emails)
• Receive Chandler notes and events via email sent by other Chandler users
• Add messages from your email client into Chandler-oriented IMAP folders, from there, Chandler Desktop can copy the messages and treat them as notes and events
• Reply and Forward
• Independent windows for composing messages

Web

Much like Evernote, the Chandler Hub looks and works much like its desktop counterpart. On the Hub, users can share tasks, ideas and other information with those outside Chandler.

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The free version of Evernote allows only so much storage space. To obtain more, users may purchase a version that costs $5 per month or $45 per year. The nice thing about storing everything online is that data is automatically backed up each time the user logs in on any of the synced devices (mobile phone, desktop, laptop, etc.) Evernote runs on many different devices, and is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, iPhone and iPod Touch, Android, Blackberry, Palm Pre and Windows Mobile. On a side note, the premium version of Evernote also allows users to clip Word and Excel documents into the program.

Notes

Evernote allows the user to create simple text notes, save snapshots, clip web pages, and in some cases, take audio notes. For Blackberry and iPhone users, the audio feature seems to work very well.

OCR

Evernote employs OCR to allow the user to search for images according to the text contained in those images. Being able to search for text in images is a great way to save time. If the user needs to capture important information quickly, taking a snapshot for future reference is a handy option. Often, the OCR will even be able to read handwritten text in photos as long as it is fairly legible Finding the text, later, is easy because of the benefits of OCR.  Other reviews have mentioned that the OCR on the free version of Evernote is a bit unpredictable compared to that of the premium version.

Note: Only Premium version users have the capability to search for text in PDFs.

Organization

The most beneficial element of Evernote is it’s organizational system. The software contains several different ways to categorize information, such as Tags, Note Titles and Notebooks. Evernote allows the user to keep track of several projects at once with the “Notebooks” feature. The user creates and titles a notebook, then can further organize the information within that notebook with “tags.”

Web clipper

Evernote also offers an alternative to “bookmarking” web pages. Instead of just saving the web address, the Evernote web clipper add on for Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer and Safari allows the user to save the HTML on the web page as a note with just the click of a button (Web clipper installs automatically for IE when the user downloads Evernote for Windows, and automatically when Mac users download Evernote for OS X).

Web

With Evernote, you can access your notes from any computer that has Internet capabilities. The interface is very similar to that of the desktop version, and should not be troublesome to those that have already used the desktop version of the product. One neat feature of Evernote Web is that the user can share notebooks with either individuals or the whole world. Using the “Sharing” function, the user can specify which individuals to send the notebook to, or create a URL that is posted for everyone to see.

Encryption

Evernote offers a neat function for those that store sensitive information in their notes. For those that want an extra layer of security on the Desktop version of Evernote, the user can right-click on any highlighted information, then select “Encrypt Selected Text.” The program asks the user to type in a passphrase to be used to decrypt the information for future access.

Note: Evernote does not store the passphrase anywhere, so you’re out of luck if you forget it. The box that opens to ask for the pass phrase has this same warning written close at hand, so it is a good reminder.

Conclusion

For those that find themselves drowning in piles of sticky notes, Evernote is a much improved alternative to the former. The organizational system and OCR make it worth a look for those that are looking for help in organizing ideas at work, school or just bits of data from every-day life.

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Years ago, I was a young manager at a large, non-profit organization. About two years into my job, I started noticing an unusual amount of resistance from one of the vice presidents. It got to the point where it seemed as if any decision I made would result in his expending a great amount of effort to get it overturned. It got to the point where it almost seemed silly. I couldn’t figure out what was going on.

Eventually, I spoke with a much wiser retiree who was familiar with the organizational structure. He explained that my problem was that the VP felt extremely threatened by me. This came as quite a shock to me because I had never even considered that this was a possibility. However, as I really looked at the situation, it made a lot more sense.

Over the past 5 years, the VP hadn’t really accomplished much. In fact, most of the large projects he had been put in charge of either never got off the ground or were failing miserably. Some of his projects had gone so far over budget that the CFO was very concerned about giving him any more leeway. I had come in and had a string of successes with some larger and larger scale projects. Many of these projects saved a tremendous amount of money. The CFO liked what I was doing, so it was very easy to get funding for pretty much anything I felt like we needed to do.

I’d like to say that understanding the VP’s motivations helped me to succeed in that environment, but I can’t. By the time I realized what was going on, I had decided that, if I wanted to control my career, I needed to be in business for myself. I’m very glad I moved on, but I regret that I didn’t learn early on how I was being perceived by this individual.

Originally published September 6, 2007.

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1. Replace any old or inefficient windows. Windows are one of the major ways heat leaks out of your house.
2. Seal off drafty windows and patio doors with clear plastic.
3. If you have a lot of outside doors that leak air, you can seal a few off using plastic or caulk putty.
4. If your furnace is more than 10 years old, there’s a good chance that it wastes a lot of fuel. Consider upgrading to a newer one.
5. Insulate the hot water lines around your hot water heater and turn down the temperature of the water heater to the “warm” setting (120 degrees F).
6. Consider “blanketing” your water heater with faced fiberglass insulation. (Do not do this if you have a gas-powered water heater)
7. Wrap any hot water pipes that run through unheated areas of the house. Also, you can insulate cold water pipes to help prevent them from freezing during the winter.
8. Replace your furnace filter about every 3 months.
9. Make sure your cold air returns aren’t blocked.  Your furnace needs these to operate efficiently.
10. Try replacing the weather stripping around the doors in your home.
11. Use a programmable thermostat to reduce heating costs when no one is at home.
12. Uncover all south-facing windows to let all possible sunlight in your home.
13. Keep all vents and baseboard heaters clean.
14. If you have a fireplace, close the damper when the fireplace is not in use.
15. If the damper is old or doesn’t close well, try putting some insulation in it to seal it off. Just remember to take it out before using it!
16. If you like using a fireplace, consider getting an insert that will direct the heat into your house instead of just sending it up the chimney.
17. Consider replacing all of your lightbulbs with energy-saving CFL bulbs.
18. Install a timer on your water heater so it isn’t heating a whole tank of water when you don’t need it.
19. Install foam insulators behind the face plates of light switches and electrical outlets.
20. Check the insulation in the walls of your home. It might need some work in order to keep heat in efficiently.
21. Plant evergreen trees close to your home to block the winter wind.
22. Reverse the direction of ceiling fans to push hot air downward and delay it from escaping the house.
23. Consider hanging thermal curtains to help prevent drafts.
24. Install a dryer vent seal to prevent cold air from traveling back into your home.
25. There are attachments to vent your dryer inside your home so you don’t waste the heat and humidity. (Don’t try this if you have a gas-powered dryer).
26. Check windows for leaks. Windows with wooden frames often warp and become inefficient.
27. Caulk both sides of the trim around your windows.  This is an area where a lot of air can get in.
28. Try not to use space heaters to heat large areas of your house.
29. If you spend most of your time in one room in a large house, consider setting your thermostat low and using a small heater to heat where you are going to be.
30. Remove any window-unit air conditioners.
31. Keep all closet doors closed when possible. There’s no need to heat space that isn’t in use as long as it doesn’t contain water pipes.
32. Make sure that your garage isn’t too drafty.
33. Try to use the clothes dryer for consecutive loads of laundry. This conserves the energy that would be needed to heat up the dryer several times.
34. Replace the caulking around any bathtubs or showers.
35. If your home has folding attic stairs, consider insulating the door with a cover of some sort.
36. If your home has a sliding glass door, check the seal on the bottom to make sure it isn’t letting in cold air.
37. If your water heater needs to be upgraded, consider installing a tankless water heater.
38. Use the oven for baking during colder hours of the day to help heat your home.
39. Install storm doors to help keep out drafts.
40. Use an energy monitor to tell you what appliances are using the most energy. This might help pinpoint areas where you can cut back on energy usage.
41. Make sure that your duct system is working properly.
42. Look into installing a geothermal heating system. While it is a bit expensive, initially, the energy savings provide a long-term cost benefit.
43. Dress warmly when you are inside so that you won’t be tempted to raise the temperature on the thermostat.
44. Make sure that there aren’t any drafts coming in under doors. If there are, consider using a rubber strip to seal them off.
45. If you own a brick home, check the mortar. It may need repair.
46. Replace worn or missing shingles.
47. Seal any cracks in the foundation of your house.
48. Wear socks and slippers.  If your feet are warm, you will feel warmer and can keep the thermostat set low.
49. Install a programmable Energy Star thermostat that will lower the temperature at night and when no one is at home.
50. Close off rooms that aren’t used and shut the vents.

So how do you winterize your house?  Any winterization tips are welcome in the comments.

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This approach is very short-sighted.  First, the very top employees are always going to be in demand.  I’m not talking about good, solid employees. I’m talking about the star performers–the top 5%.  These types of people are always in demand, simply because they are rare.  When an employer treats people poorly, the best people are the first to leave because they have other options.  This leaves the employer at a significant disadvantage because the top performers are responsible for more than their fair share of the company’s results.

Second, even though the other people may stay because they can’t find a job, that doesn’t mean they are going to be engaged.  There are very few jobs that really track employee results.  If an employer treats people poorly, they aren’t going to put the same level of effort into what they do. This is going to happen even if the employees aren’t doing it intentionally.  When you have a bunch of employees who refuse to go the extra mile (or even an extra two feet) to help a customer, you have a company that is in trouble.

Third, employees have long memories.  When the economic condition changes, they will be very happy to leave–even if the employer tries to put on a kinder face. Worse, they will tell others about their experience and the employer may have trouble finding anyone other than people who can’t get a job anywhere else.  Of course, the employer probably won’t realize what is happening.  No one is going to tell the HR department “I’m not going to interview with you because of the way you’ve treated past employees”.

If anything, a poor economy is a chance for companies to really treat their workers well.  There may not be as much money for bonuses and raises, but employers can do a lot by simply being kind.

What are your experiences in a down economy?  Have you found that employers treat you better, or worse?

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