ARTICLES

Written By Rich For You.

Every Weekend Is A 3-Day Weekend!

One of my favorite authors is Tim Ferriss, who wrote "The Four Hour Workweek", "The Four Hour Body", and "The Four Hour Chef". As I was speaking to one of my clients the other day, we started to discuss how much time is wasted on the job with superfluous meetings, emails, and antiquated projects. I then said, "Wouldn't it be great to cut down on all the days we work and squeeze 5 days into 4?" Could we work faster, more efficiently and effectively? Do we really need to move the 8 hours from a Friday and distribute 2 hours to Monday-Thursday? What would happen if we said we'd get the same job done in 32 instead of 40 hours?

I know — your reflexive/debate mind is clicking in: "Not everyone can do this. There are some workers who are paid hourly and many businesses who need to be open 5, 6, and 7 days a week." I agree, but stick with me for a moment.

Let's amend the hourly discussion and still maintain a 40 hour workweek, but you might work 10 hours a day? With those businesses who need to remain open, they can schedule their associates to spread out over the "3 day weekend". Instead of 9-5, we would work 8-6 (or 7-5, or like me 6-4) - ensuring 10 hours every day.

Families can spend more time together, workers are more productive while they're on the job, less impact to commuting congestion, and everyone will enjoy 72 hours of vacation each week. I know it would make even the worst job more bearable.

Schools might still be on a 5 day schedule, but parents might be integrated in their kids learning and help out at school. Maybe that 'free' day is a volunteer day to help out the less fortunate, clean up a park, or assist a senior with their shopping.

I still think we can do the 32 hour week — rarely do people work 8 hours a day full out, using every fiber of their time.

What would the world be like if we took one day a week and spent it helping one another?

I would LOVE your feedback. Tell me how you feel — and how you would do it!

Read More

10 Gifts For You To Succeed In 2011.

As my holiday gift to you, here are my 10 most read & requested posts from 2010:

As my holiday gift to you, here are my TEN most read & requested posts from 2010:

Set Your 2011 Goals In Two Steps.

It’s December 2011. Many people are scrambling to get their end of the year targets complete. Many are trying to reach out to prospects and recalcitrant clients to make that sale. Some are lining up their teams for that final push. A select few are slowly winding down their work for the eventual hibernation during the last two weeks of the month. How do you guarantee a great 2011?

5 Tips On How To Treat New Employees.

Whew! After a phlanx of interviewees and resumes, late nights, early mornings and lost lunches, you’ve just hired that new team member. Now you can sit back and focus back on work. Not so fast. It’s important as they’re new boss to make this transition period in their life bump- and trouble-free. It will not only behoove you, but will also ensure that your new hire is happy, engaged, enthusiastic, and motivated.

RUN OUT and Get This Book Today.

I LOVE Michael Port. Okay, I’ve never met the guy, but I do love his book. When I run into a good business book (and there are a lot of stinkers out there), I promote it. The man is a genius. He not only develops and publishes the bible on “Book Yourself Solid”, in it, he links to a workbook which is a very powerful way for one to really LEARN his techniques. I use this book everyday.

How You Sabotage Your Success.

I had to FedEx a letter to a prominent executive the other day. Easy? You have to be kidding. I used the same process I coach with my clients everyday. Same template (modified), same process, same delivery. The funny thing is, you wouldn’t believe the myriad of ways the fear, uncertainty, and doubt took over in my mind to stop me from doing this. Just watch my pain.

10 Ways To Have Fun At Work.

You work 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 250 days a year, for approximately 40 years. You can either have fun or turn it into a clock-watching, tedious, and painful nightmare. Your choice.

Is Your Career A Rollercoaster Or Are You Driving It?

This week was chock full of incredible conversations with clients, colleagues, partners and prospects! All had wonderful ideas and goals. Kudos! One of the topics that I discussed with many of them was my theory that our world is changing. Are you driving your career?

What’s Killing Your Career? The Laws of Nature.

Newton’s First Law of Motion: An object at rest tends to stay at rest unless acted upon by a sum of physical forces. This is the typical employee at work today. As long as they have a job, they won’t take any risks, butt any heads, or raise their hand at a meeting. In essence, they are an “object at rest”. And this employee/object will remain at rest (no movement – no raises, no promotions, no new projects, no GROWTH) until “a sum of physical forces” are acted upon it.

I Just Saw An Accident This Morning.

I commute every day on I-95, the most travelled highway in Connecticut. I was in the middle lane, trundling along at 60-65 mph, and the traffic ahead reduced their speed due to congestion. And then it happened.

Stupid Things People Do At The Office – Take Work Home Over The Weekend.

Friday just flew by. And now you packed up your briefcase with folders and ran out the door at 7 PM. You’re planning to do some work this weekend to catch up before Monday rolls around and you’re behind the eight ball. Your first mistake . . .

$14.27 Can Change Your Career. Guaranteed.

Every so often, a person comes along, writes a book, and changes the way people act. Napoleon Hill did it with”Think and Grow Rich”. Dale Carnegie — “How To Win Friends and Influence People”. Peters and Waterman — “In Search of Excellence”. Stephen Covey — “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. And Keith Ferrazzi — “Never Eat Alone”. Here's the next business bible . . .

Get set for an unbelievable new year! - Rich

Read More