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Better Work: How You Can Easily Simplify Your Workspace

Life


Creative Commons License photo credit: GrahamIX

It is very hard to work in a messy office. When our room/desk is messy our minds also become messy. In this post I want to look at some simple things you can do to simplify your workspace.

How to simplify your workspace

Here are some basic pointers that you can use.

1. Delete your emails
Something that I realized a long time ago is that it is harder to manage my online business dealings when my inbox is full. I lose track of emails, forget to reply to people and just feel sort of messy. This is especially important if you’re anything like me and get over 100 emails a day.
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Originally posted on March 26, 2008 @ 5:02 am

6 Movies You Must See to Learn About a Better Workplace

Life

Over the years I have seen so many movies that have left a big imprint on my life. In this post I want to tell you about a few movies that will help you look at your work in a brand new light.

6 movies you must see to increase your happiness at work

1. The Pursuit of Happyness

The Pursuit of Happyness

“You got a dream… You gotta protect it. People can’t do somethin’ themselves, they wanna tell you you can’t do it. If you want somethin’, go get it. Period.” – Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happyness

As far as work related movies go this is my favorite. I have seen it a few times now and every time I watch it I get inspired to better myself as a person and make something of my life. Will Smith does a fantastic job playing a father who is struggling to make ends meet and support his wife and child. The trials he and his son go through while he is trying to “make it” are simply magic.

The great thing about this movie is that it shows you that you can achieve anything you set your mind to; even when your circumstances are working against you. But more importantly, you don’t have to compromise your morals to do it.

For more on Will Smith check out another article we wrote about developing charisma.

And before you ask; no that’s not a spelling error. The word “Happyness” is a reference to a scene in the movie.

2. Fight Club

“We’ve all been raised on television to believe that one day we’d all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won’t. And we’re slowly learning that fact. And we’re very, very pissed off.” – Tyler Durdan

Fight Club is without a doubt one of the best movies you can see to change your perspective about work. It is full of modern wisdom that can really help you see your life and your work in a new way. I have written a full article about Fight Club which shares some of Tyler Durdan’s wisdom.

The great thing about Fight Club is that it used a new and up to date method to present a message. If you didn’t learn any lessons from the movie you would have at least had a good two hours of entertainment.

3. Meet Joe Black

Meet Joe Black

Another Brad Pitt movie that made me re-think everything I knew about work. In this timeless movie Brad Pitt plays the human embodiment of “death” who has come to take Anthony Hopkins to the next life. The two forge somewhat of a relationship and end up teaching each other some valuable lessons.

The thing I really liked about Meet Joe Black is that it teaches impermanence without being too depressing. It shows you that you can work your whole life building up an empire but in the end you can’t take it with you when you die.

4. Rocky

Rocky

“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done.” – Rocky

The Rocky movies aren’t really about “work” as such but they can teach you a lot about work. Rocky is extremely humble and genuine and in his pursuit of greatness he learns a lot about love, patience, justice and discipline.

I remember watching the Rocky movies and thinking afterwards that I could do anything I put my mind to. I went to work with a renewed sense of purpose and energy thinking that if Rocky can get himself out of a dead-end job then so can I.

5. To Sir With Love

To Sir With Love

This movie might be before your time (it is way before mine) but it is well worth looking up. My mother showed me this movie when I was in high school and I remember being deeply affected by it.

The movie is based around Sidney Poitier who takes a teaching job in the rough end of London. The students are rough and rude and Sidney takes it upon himself to teach them a few life lessons. It is one of the most inspiring films ever made.

The hit 90’s movie Dangerous Minds was a modern adaption of this classic.

6. Tears of the Sun

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”. – Edmund Burke

(from the title card of the movie)

I don’t really like Bruce Willis and I don’t really like movies about ethnic cleansing but this one really moved me. The movie is set in Nigeria where mass genocide is taking place. Bruce and his team of Navy Seals are dropped into the heat of the action to bring home an American doctor before she is murdered. However, after witnessing several acts of mass murder the troops decide to ignore their orders to return home and stay to help the local villagers escape to Cameroon.

This movie teaches us that sometimes the right decision is the tough decision. Sometimes we need to go against our managers directives in the name of doing the right thing – even if it means we have consequences.

More of the best movies about work

I would love to compile a massive list of the most inspiring work related movies. Leave a comment and tell everyone what movie inspired you. The movie doesn’t have to be specifically about work as long as it helped you learn a lesson that you could apply to your own workplace.

Originally posted on March 24, 2008 @ 6:54 am

The Dalai Lama: What Can He Show You About Peace at Work?

Mind, Mindfulness

The Dalai Lama

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has done more for peace on Earth than just about anyone in recent history. He has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his total commitment to non-violently resisting the Chinese invasion of his country. He has been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor as well as receiving countless honorary university degrees for working towards peace. His message has touched millions of people around the world.

The Dalai Lama and Tibet have been in the media again this week due to the riots taking place in the lead up to the Chinese Olympics. With this in mind I thought we might take a look at some of the Dalai Lama’s teachings and apply them to our work lives.

What the Dalai Lama can show you about peace at work

1. Working towards happiness

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” – the Dalai Lama

We all want to be happy at work. We all want to work in an environment where we feel at peace with the work and the people. But a situation like this does not just arise out of thin air. We have to work towards it. It is unreasonable to expect everyone around us to be happy and joyful as if we are living in some god realm. Instead we have to work towards happiness by being a living example for others to follow.

How can we have peace at work if our own actions are not peaceful?

2. Kindness

“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” – The Dalai Lama

This quote is very important. Kindness is always possible. Even when we feel like we have been wronged and hard done by we have room to be kind. The Dalai Lama had his country stolen from him and his people murdered but he still continues to promote peace and non violence. Surely we can take a lesson from this and solve our petty work disputes with kindness?

3. Being helpful

“If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them” – the Dalai Lama

Quite often at work we are placed in a team where we have to get things done together. Despite this team environment we develop a spirit of competition and one-ups-man-ship where we try to get the promotion or praise ahead of our workmates.

Instead the Dalai Lama often talks about helping others instead of helping yourself. By doing this you will achieve a sense of self satisfaction as well as making someone else feel happy. This leaves both yourself and others feeling a sense of peace. This is especially true if others start to follow your lead.

4. Mindful words

“Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent.” – the Dalai Lama

Our speech can do a lot of good or a lot of harm. This quote looks at how we need to measure what we say and be very mindful of when we say it. A comment made at the wrong time can hurt someone’s feelings and cause them to develop resentment towards you or your work team. On the other hand, praise can really encourage someone to become a better worker and cause them to develop trust and kind feelings towards you.

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Originally posted on March 20, 2008 @ 5:22 am

An Eye for an Eye: What Gandhi Can Teach You About a Happy Workplace

Life

On my first trip to India I encountered the man called Mahatma Gandhi. This man is everywhere in India. He has streets, buildings and airports named after him. There are posters of him in cafes and police stations.

I wondered who he was and why he was so popular and I began to study his life-story. I soon realized that he was going to change my life exactly as he had for the people of India. The man was truly incredible and he has a few things to teach you about your workplace.

So who was Gandhi

Before I tell you how this great man can help you have a happier work life I thought it would be good to take a brief look at who he was and what he stood for.

Mahatma Gandhi was born in India on the second of October 1869. He is considered the father of India because he helped free the Indian’s from British rule through the principles of non-violence, tolerance and compassion. He inspired movements of human and civil rights all across the world.

His early life was spent studying to be a barrister which he simply hated. He was married by 13 in a family made arranged marriage. He learned about vegetarianism and non-harming from his parents and relatives. At 18 he moved to London to study Law. Before he left he vowed to his mother that he would avoid meat and alcohol.

He later spent time in South Africa where he suffered many acts of violence, racism and bigotry. It was here he developed and worked for civil rights for Indians as well as developing his own ideas about justice and truth.

He worked for decades in India working for increased rights for Indians and independence from Britain. In everything he did or stood for he stressed compassion, truth and non-violence.

He was finally murdered by a religious extremist on his nightly walk in New Delhi.

To get a full picture of his amazingly inspiring life you should read his autobiography which will without a doubt have an amazing impact on your own life.

What Gandhi can teach you about happiness at work

So many of Gandhi’s teachings and life stories can be applied to our own lives and can help us find meaning and strength. Gandhi endured a lot of hardships and if we study those hardships we can derive the same truth from them that he did.

1. Making mistakes

“Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.” – Gandhi

It is important to realize that it is okay to make mistakes at work. We learn from mistakes and these mistakes make us better workers. No historically great person has ever achieved greatness without making mistakes. If you worry about mistakes and errors you will stress yourself out.

2. Understanding

“Hate the sin, love the sinner.” – Gandhi

One of Gandhi’s most important lessons was that of tolerance and understanding. Throughout our lives we will be in workplaces with people we really don’t like. We will be part of arguments and we will be pushed to take sides in political arguments.

Gandhi urges us to look at the sin and not the person. The next time someone yells at you at work it is important to develop love for that person as opposed to hating them. Realize that the person who is doing the yelling is unhappy and that is why they feel the need to yell.

3. Arrogance

“It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.” – Gandhi

People do not like being around arrogant people. It is particularly annoying when you have to work with them all day. We have all worked on a project with a team of people where someone is trying to run the show and putting down everyone’s ideas.

Your work will be a lot happier if you take on a humble personality. You will be more popular and people will be more likely to listen to your ideas. You will also learn a lot about yourself.

4. Forgiveness

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” – Gandhi

Often times you will be involved in arguments at work and things will get heated. Or, you might be out for Friday night drinks with everyone from the office and someone says something offensive while they are drunk off their tits. It is in these times that you need to learn to forgive. Being the bigger person in situations like these allows the tension to dissipate and you will be able to get on with your work in a happy and stress free manner.

5. Becoming a leader

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.” – Gandhi


Creative Commons License photo credit: Rev. Santino
This quote is probably the most famous thing that Gandhi ever said. It has inspired millions of people worldwide to do something significant with their lives by instigating changes.

At work you need to be the change you want to see in the workplace. If you are sick of inter-office politics you need to refuse to participate. If you are sick of seeing people get bullied or victimized you need to stand up and say that you won’t be a part of it. Whatever change you might want it is important that you stand up and do it instead of waiting around for others to act.

6. Grudges

“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” – Gandhi

Do not seek to get revenge. If someone gets promoted past you there is no point in holding it against that person. They are not to blame. You yourself are to blame for having unrealistic expectations.

This quote from Gandhi shows us how poisonous thoughts of revenge and retaliation can be. It is important that we strive to solve workplace problems with compassion and peace.

7. Being truthful

“A ‘No’ uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a ‘Yes’ merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.” – Gandhi

Sometimes we say things just to please people. Sometimes we think that a white lie is better than the truth because it will help us avoid a nasty situation. But these situations are where we need to step up and be honest. 9 times out of 10 that white lie will come back to bite us in the butt as we are not being true to the other person, or to ourselves.

8. Peace at work

“Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances.” – Gandhi

We must understand that true happiness comes from mastering one’s thoughts and mind. It does not mater what is going on around you, if you have mastered your mind you will not be affected. If, however, you have not mastered your mind you will always be blown around by the winds of change in the workplace. Even a slight discomfort can ruin your whole day. Strive to find peace from within.

Originally posted on March 12, 2008 @ 9:26 am

How Human Resources Pros Can Help Employees Defeat Imposter Syndrome

Life

It may not be the most glamorous job in the world, but there is an element of flair to working in human resources.

People aren’t reducible to simple numbers or even facts, so recruitment requires a certain amount of insight, instinct, and imagination. Human resources professionals need to imagine how each candidate will fit into the role and the team for which they are proposed.

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