Self-Assessment

Beware of 'spontaneous trait transfer'

Whatever you say about other people (“She’s brilliant, funny, a slacker, rude, hard-working ...”) shapes the way people see you.

Spend more time 'unplugged' in 2012

The latest technology trend? Going low-tech and “un­­plug­­ging” to get our most meaningful work done. Many are realizing we may need to take drastic mea­­sures to “switch off.” Here are some low-tech suggestions:

3 things you should focus on every day

Instead of worrying about what di­­rec­­tion your life will take in one year or five years, keep your focus on three things—today. Ask yourself:

Spice up a 'same old, same old' job

If you’ve ever wanted a new challenge to keep your administrative job from feeling “same old, same old,” consider how Catherine Russell must feel. She has played the same role in an off-Broadway play for 25 years. She offers good advice for staving off the feeling that your work is repetitive:

Assess company culture to gauge 'Where am I going?'

Gauge your long-term prospects with your current organization by assessing its bottom line and culture. Here are the questions you'll need to answer and the steps you'll need to take, divided into four key parts:

Do you have entrepreneurial passion?

Entrepreneurship isn't just about making money or starting a business. It also means having a passion for doing something you love: devising a new procedure, planning a meeting, creating a more organized back office. Take this quiz to assess whether you have an entrepreneurial spirit:

Good therapy for a give-aholic

If you're a "hyperhelper" or "give-aholic," ask yourself these questions, suggested by a psychologist, when someone asks you to do something:

Do you have an instant ethical compass?

What sort of motto or guideline helps you work ethically every day? Admins work in a reactive frame of mind most of the day, says Nan DeMars, author of You Want Me to Do What? “Basically, we have to react accord­ing to our instincts and trust our internal gyroscope.” DeMars recommends using this fast compass:

Think twice about quitting in a huff

In the world of baseball recently, the manager of the Washington Nationals suddenly resigned. The Nationals had just beaten the Seat­tle Mariners when Jim Riggleman quit. If you're considering quitting your job, Riggleman's case of­­fers at least three things to consider:

Reason No. 101 not to multitask

Do you multitask while checking your BlackBerry? According to Ryan Hamilton, an assis­tant pro­fessor of marketing at Emory Uni­ver­sity, you may have a more difficult time controlling your temper or staying on a diet. A new study finds that frequently switching your mindset weakens your self-control.

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