Go on a ‘Fake-ation’ and Get More Done

vacationThe week before you go on vacation is filled with excitement, tension and anxiety as you rush to get all your work done before you go. For some, that last-minute panic is the only thing that can inspire them to get completely caught up on your work. So why not use the “vacation feeling” to get more done? If you want to catch up on your back log at work just act like you’re going on vacation so you can stay laser focused.

Here are some ideas to get you going:

Clean up & Close up – Make a list of everything you need to get done. Think about all the odd jobs you haven’t gotten around to finishing. If you know there’s something you’ve been putting it off, best to get it over and done with and then you really can relax over the weekend. Read more

5 Tricks For an Easier Morning

sleepingI believe that there’s a lot of truth to the saying “The early bird always catches the worm.” Every morning I wake up at 6:05am, hours before I need to be at work. It’s gives me a chance to relax, do yoga, read the newspaper, check email and eat breakfast before work so I feel accomplished before even getting to the office.

However, I know waking up early isn’t easy, and it’s very tempting to lay in bed until the last minute. So I’ve got some tips for you on how to get up early and get more done.

1. Try an alarm clock app – There’s an app called Walk Up that makes you walk a certain number of steps before the alarm will shut off.  It can’t be fooled either — so you better get up and take those steps!  FreakyAlarm will make you take photos of specific objects or even do mind-testing exercises before it will shut off it’s annoying alarm sounds.  Talk about hitting the ground running!  Read more

4 Things You Never Knew About Labor Day

labor-dayHappy Labor Day!  When you think of this holiday — what comes to mind?  A three-day weekend? A chance for a brief vacation?  A trip to see family and eat BBQ?  The official end of summer?  I know — me too.  But actually — it’s meant to be a tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of America.

Here are some lesser-known facts about the holiday:

1.  Labor Day was almost on May 1st

Labor Day signifies the end of summer, but it nearly could’ve been the start. In 1884, the American Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions declared that by May 1, 1886, all employers institute an eight-hour workday. However employers didn’t respect this, causing workers to strike, which lead to the Haymarket Riot in Chicago. President Cleveland was worried that the tainted history of the date would lead to more riots, so in 1894 he moved the holiday to the first Monday in September. Read more