University Culture

Have a Problem You Can’t Solve? Try Daydreaming.

By in Innovation and Problem Solving No Comments Tags: , ,

Daydreaming

Do you ever daydream while you’re at work? If you do, you might think that you’re wasting time and being unproductive. But actually, research has shown that this isn’t the case. You may not realize it, but daydreaming is actually a good problem-solving technique!

Studies have shown that it can benefit you in the following ways:

  1. Get the big picture – When you’re dealing with a difficult problem, you can sometimes get bogged down in the details. Daydreaming can help you to envision the big picture. You can develop a better understanding of where you’d like to be in the future and what you need to do to get there.
  2. Develop new ideas – Recent research has shown that if you stop thinking about a problem and let your mind drift, you can actually come up with some unique and innovative ideas. Even though you may not be thinking about the problem directly, your mind will still be working on it in the background. Thinking about nothing for a few minutes gives your brain the chance to see new patterns and make new connections.
  3. Choose the best approach – Sometimes, you might feel pressured to fix a problem immediately, even if it’s not the best solution. But daydreaming can help to alleviate that pressure. Research has shown that daydreaming can help you to see the problem from a unique perspective and choose the best approach to solving it – even if it might take more time and effort. Daydreaming helps you to work towards something better rather than going for a quick fix.

So the next time you’re stuck on a project and you don’t know how to move forward, it’s not a bad idea to take a break and do a little daydreaming. Kick back, relax, and let your mind wander. You just might find the answer that you’re looking for!

 

Fisher, A. (2015, July 29). 3 ways daydreaming can make you more productive. Fortune. Retrieved from http://fortune.com/2015/07/29/daydreaming-work-productivity/

First Impressions – Two Things Make a Difference

By in Communication, Relationship Awareness No Comments Tags:

Friendly_Handshake

Let’s say that you’ve started a new job, and you’d like to make a good impression on your new coworkers. How should you behave? Well, according to psychologist Amy Cuddy, people base their opinions on two things:

  1. Warmth – Are you someone they can trust?
  2. Competence – Are you someone they can respect and rely on?

In the workplace, people often focus on demonstrating their competence. They want their managers and coworkers to see that they’re smart and good at their jobs. But according to Cuddy, it’s a mistake to only focus on demonstrating your competence. It’s actually crucial to first prove to people that you’re trustworthy.

If you’re obviously competent, but you seem to lack warmth, people might view you as unapproachable, manipulative, or threatening. In contrast, if you’re viewed as warm and trustworthy, people will want to work with you, and they’ll be impressed with their skills and competencies.

So the next time you meet someone new, show that person that you’re someone who can be trusted. Be warm, friendly, and approachable. You’ll be certain to make a good impression!

 

Goudreau, J. (2016, January 16). A Harvard psychologist says people judge you based on 2 criteria when they first meet you. Business Insider. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/harvard-psychologist-amy-cuddy-how-people-judge-you-2016-1

 

Things That Movies Get Wrong About Work

By in Humor, University Culture No Comments Tags:

Movie_Theater

Movies are the best. They are fabulous and entertaining. And I think they’ve taught me a lot about work and how to be an effective employee!

But even though movies can sometimes offer some insight into the workings of an office, they often get so many things wrong. In my opinion, here are some of the biggest misconceptions:

  • We don’t all work in advertising. People in movies do work in a variety of fields. But an overwhelming number of them seem to be advertising executives. And they always need to make a BIG presentation to an important client by some impossible deadline. Drama!
  • We don’t all hate our desk jobs. In the movies, if people don’t work in advertising, they probably work in a cubicle at some crappy desk job, and they hate it. But hey – I’ve worked in a cubicle before, and I thought it was fine! And I bet there are lots of people who feel similarly satisfied with their desk jobs. Desk jobs often provide consistency and cubicles can be very cozy!
  • We don’t all have horrible bosses. Movie bosses are the worst! They’re petty, shallow, demanding, and cruel. Maybe some of you are currently working for a person like this. (If so, you have my sympathy!) But I bet there are plenty of people who feel just fine about their bosses. Personally, I like mine a lot.
  • We don’t all have an office romance. In the movies, a person is either dating his or her scummy coworker (when the perfect person is right around the corner), or dating some other scummy person (when the perfect person is actually his or her coworker). Either way, romance is in the air! Now I suppose that office romances do happen occasionally. But they definitely don’t happen with the amazing frequency that they do in the movies.
  • Sometimes, we actually have to do work. People in movies never seem to actually do work when they’re in the office. (The same phenomena can be seen in movies about college students – they never study or go to class.) In reality, work isn’t all about bantering with your coworkers. Sometimes, we do have to be productive!

So there you go – a brief list of things that movies get wrong about work. But I’m sure I’ve left a lot of important items off this list. So please feel free to provide your suggestions in the Comments section below!

 

Laughter Makes Work Better

By in Humor, Living Well, University Culture No Comments Tags:

Laughter

Laughter is beneficial in many ways. Researchers have found that it relieves stress, makes you healthier (both mentally and physically), and even improves the muscle tone in your face, neck, and stomach! It can also strengthen and enhance your relationships with your coworkers. This, in turn, can help you to be more effective and productive at your job.

The best type of laughter is spontaneous and organic. So if a stand-up comedian suddenly showed up in your office and started performing, that would obviously be great – but what would be even better is if you can laugh with your coworkers on a daily basis. That can only happen if you take the time to chat with each other, tell stories about something ridiculous that happened over the weekend, or engage in goofy activities.

Here’s an example of a goofy activity. Last year, a good-natured coworker brought in one of those free calendars and hung it in our office kitchen. It featured various animals in cute poses. Although the animals were adorable, a bunch of us decided to spruce up the calendar even more. Each month, we would cut and paste images onto the photos to make them more awesome. For example, a hopping penguin was given a jet pack…

JetPack

It was pretty ridiculous, but it made everyone laugh. It helped to make the office a more enjoyable place to be!

So when you’re at work, take the time to laugh when you can. Don’t just rely on your office party-planning committee to provide all the fun. Look for little ways to lighten the mood. Laughter is both contagious and therapeutic!

 

Duncan, R. D. (2014, December 26). Laughter: The ultimate workplace prescription. Forbes. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/rodgerdeanduncan/2014/12/26/laughter-the-ultimate-workplace-prescription/

 

Writing Your Goals

By in Learning, University Culture No Comments Tags:

Writing_It_Down

“If you don’t know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else.” — Yogi Berra

Goals are extremely important in every aspect of our lives. They give us direction, purpose, and satisfaction. At work, we use goals to help keep us on track and to be sure we are aligned with others on our team. You may be writing your goals for FY16 right now. If you are, here are a few pointers that can help.

A goal is a task, project, or activity that is to be accomplished within a certain period of time. Your professional goals should be based on two things: the goals of your organization and department, and your job description.

The Goals of Your Organization and Department

Start by reviewing the goals of your organization and department. If you don’t know what they are, ask your manager for this information. Ask yourself, “How can I help my department or organization to accomplish their goals?” The goals of your organization should influence the goals of your department, which should influence your own personal goals. In other words, the goals should “cascade down.”

Organization’s goals –> Department’s goals –> Your goals

This ensures that everyone in the organization is aligned and working together.

 Your Job Description

When writing your goals, it’s also important to read your job description. It should accurately describe the essential functions, tasks, and responsibilities of your job. If your job description is unavailable or out-of-date, talk to your manager or HR representative to get it updated. Ask yourself these questions:

  • What are the most important components of my job?
  • How am I expected to act with clients, colleagues, and managers?
  • What processes or methods am I expected to use?
  • What are some areas that I need to improve on?

Reviewing your organization’s and department’s goals, and your own job description should help you generate ideas about the tasks, projects, or activities that you’d like to accomplish in FY16.

 

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