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Work/Life Blur

Blurring the lines between work and life.

Network Leader: Rebecca Thorman

Groups > Work/Life Blur

Jim Armstrong I was inspired last week from an article I read on Fast Company, which outlined how businesses and individuals can build their brands through quick, to-the-point videos. We're following a similar model in 2012 for Get Busy Media and will be including more video in our content moving forward...to provide users another means to engage with us. We would love to hear your thoughts on how you use video for your small biz--> http://bit.ly/zdWZ6b

2 days ago from Social Media, Work/Life Blur and Young Entrepreneur Community 1 more

Jim Armstrong What are your thoughts on the proposed SOPA and PIPA bills? Congress will begin voting on these two bills on January 24th. In the meantime, we would love to know your thoughts. Join the discussion over at Get Busy Media--> http://bit.ly/wGnymY

2 weeks ago from Work/Life Blur and Young Entrepreneur Community

Joann Hello Rock Stars! As we kick-off 2012, I'd thought I'd share a special video with you with a simple Rock Star message. http://bigpicturefinefocus.wordpress.com/2011/12/21/a-christmas-gift-for... or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD_yXwzL1DY&context=C3b4b5b5ADOEgsToPDskI... I also invite you to visit the Playground of Connoisseurs of LIfe www.bigpicturefinefocus.com for more goodies! Here's to the amazingness of 2012!

4 weeks ago from Work/Life Blur

Jim Armstrong Looking to lose weight, gain muscle mass, optimize your sleep or eat healthier? You're not alone. Millions have pledged to address one of these topics for their New Years' Resolution. Tim Ferrriss' latest best-seller, The 4-Hour Body is put to the test by Dave Kelly, our resident life hacker and minimalist--> http://bit.ly/rLXzYr

5 weeks ago from Work/Life Blur, Social Media and Travel Addicts 1 more

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Jim Armstrong: @Matthew - thanks so much for your insightful comment. This is very valuable information for anyone looking to try the HITT program. I think you ...More@Matthew - thanks so much for your insightful comment. This is very valuable information for anyone looking to try the HITT program. I think you would find David Kelly's life-hacking website useful (he is the author of this post). You can find more about training, nutrition and fitness at: http://dmkthinks.org/blog/.

Thanks again Matt.
5 weeks ago

Matthew Cantwell: Thanks Jim, I'll look into it.
5 weeks ago

Cameron Plommer What do you do when you are horrible unmotivated at work, unfocused and unable to get things done?

12 weeks ago from Work/Life Blur and Productivity & Time-Management

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Vickie Elmer: Sometimes I will rearrange tasks and deadlines so that after I finish the so-so, less engaging ones I get to dive into something I really enjoy. I ...MoreSometimes I will rearrange tasks and deadlines so that after I finish the so-so, less engaging ones I get to dive into something I really enjoy. I also notice that on days when I have little to do, I feel slower and less motivated. That's fairly easy to solve - just add a volunteer or work project that is fun to the mix.
6 weeks ago

JRandom42: Break what you need to do down into bite-sized chunks that can be completed quickly and with moderate effort. Keep your checklist handy and ...MoreBreak what you need to do down into bite-sized chunks that can be completed quickly and with moderate effort. Keep your checklist handy and meticulously check off each thing as you complete it.

For me, strong coffee and some good classical music set the background for getting things done. Focus on the task at hand, and don't get distracted too often. Take SHORT breaks every hour, and then get back to work.

At the end of the day, look at your list of things you've checked off, congradulate yourself for getting things done, put it away, and pick it up again the next morning.
6 weeks ago

Jim Armstrong Hi Brazen! What do you all have in store for 2012? What are your goals and aspirations for the new year? Here's 8 resources I am committed to making a part of my life that will help de-clutter my life and lead to improved organization and efficiency for 2012--> http://bit.ly/uqNutK

7 weeks ago from Work/Life Blur, Online Media Jobs and Social Media 1 more

Brett Kunsch What book has most influenced your behavior in 2011?

9 weeks ago from Book Shelf, Personal Development, Professional Development and Work/Life Blur 2 more

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Michel A. Legault: Team of Rivals, The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin. A great book on Team Building, believe it or not.
7 weeks ago

Keith Marshak: The Zombie Survival Guide by American author Max Brooks. Are you prepared for the coming zombiepocylapse?
7 weeks ago

Jim Armstrong Zaarly is the new kid on the tech scene block but this tech startup's future sure looking promising. We take a closer look at the meteoric rise of Zaarly. What are your thoughts on this platform? As a small business owner, would you consider using Zaarly?--> http://bit.ly/rNplNs

9 weeks ago from Social Media, Social Media Marketers and Work/Life Blur 1 more

Dr. Woody Starbucks Etiquette Violators! My article on those pesky patrons that can make working at Starbucks tough! Let me know what you think? http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/11/07/starbucks-etiquet...

13 weeks ago from Work/Life Blur, Young Professional Women (YPW), Young Professional Men (YPM), Human Resources and Recruiters Unite!3 more

Jim Armstrong Have you been yearning to get your small business exposure but don’t have the marketing dollars to make it happen? Google and American Express have teamed up to provide small businesses with a contest to make this a reality.--> http://bit.ly/uzOZUu

14 weeks ago from Social Media, Social Media Marketers, I am Gen Y, Work/Life Blur and Young Entrepreneur Community 3 more

Jim Armstrong Ever wonder about the psychology of Craigslist ads? What makes them effective and what leads to duds that never sell - well, David Kelly looked into this for us. Very interesting tests conducted on how to put together the most effective & engaging Craigslist ad --> http://bit.ly/sW9y6N

15 weeks ago from I am Gen Y, Social Media, Social Media Marketers, Work/Life Blur and Young Entrepreneur Community 3 more

Steve Murphy and Michael Rubino recommended this

JRandom42: Actually, the most effective Craigslist ads are the ones with multiple pictures of cute kittens, especially tortoiseshell girls.
14 weeks ago

Edward Antrobus: Saying the gender you need for compatibility with existing roommates, and when the unit will be available seem like a no-brainer to me. What, ...MoreSaying the gender you need for compatibility with existing roommates, and when the unit will be available seem like a no-brainer to me. What, people are going to guess?
14 weeks ago

Vickie Elmer I like looking in on workplace celebrations and rituals. So I really enjoyed learning about Halloween celebrations at the office for a handful of D.C. companies. My piece in the WashPost CapBiz is online: http://wapo.st/oZ5v3R . So what kinds of masks and munchies and party will your office have for Halloween?

15 weeks ago from Creatively Inspired and Work/Life Blur

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Edward Antrobus: Back when I worked in cube-land, I'd wear my Halloween tie, but that's about it. Aside from the candy, I was never huge into Halloween. Coming up ...MoreBack when I worked in cube-land, I'd wear my Halloween tie, but that's about it. Aside from the candy, I was never huge into Halloween. Coming up with costumes is just too much effort for me.
15 weeks ago

JRandom42: In the past few years, I've appeared as a Republic Clone Trooper, or more recently, as Master Chief John-117 from Halo.
15 weeks ago

Ryan Healy Is it just me or do you guys think "work/life balance" is a totally outdated paradigm? Why would you want to separate work from your life?

139 weeks ago from Work/Life Blur

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Edward Antrobus: I was just having this conversation with a friend yesterday. The important thing is to remember that there is a difference between "work" and ...MoreI was just having this conversation with a friend yesterday. The important thing is to remember that there is a difference between "work" and "vocation." For those with a vocation, I can see how it might be easy for lines to blur. But I believe that the majority of the population does not have a vocation. And if you only work, even if you consider it a career, then your fulfillment will come from outside of your job and it makes sense to keep the two separate.
16 weeks ago

Alex Dea: I like to view it as a sliding scale. At times, I think I have balance in my life. I am able to adequately manage the things at work while still ...MoreI like to view it as a sliding scale. At times, I think I have balance in my life. I am able to adequately manage the things at work while still maintaining my lifestyle (ex: going to the gym, seeing friends, traveling etc) but there are also times when I don't have it and am not able to do those things. While its not ideal, I know that when I don't have great balance that it will come back, but if it goes on for too long of a stretch then I know I need to either do or say something to fix it.
16 weeks ago

Al Smith, III BOOK RESEARCH: Please take 5 min. survey on Gen X/Y career advancement strategies... https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CareerAnatomy. Please post to Facebook/Twitter. I'm working on an important project and am on the hunt for quality DATA!!! I am 29 and have a very successful career, however many of my coworkers and peers can't say the same thing. I want to figure out what our generation is doing to get ahead and share that with everyone.

17 weeks ago from Work/Life Blur

Rebecca Thorman I don't know that I believe perfectionism is all that bad - like anything, it can get out of control, but I look at it as just another work style. Working in a start-up, one of my key lessons to learn was to sign off on something when it was "good enough." But I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have gotten hired had I not been so meticulous and results-oriented in my past positions. My boyfriend, on the other hand, has a more big-picture approach. I think the key is just to recognize your work style.

56 weeks ago from Perfectionist Rehab, Work/Life Blur, Productivity & Time-Management, Upstarts! and Entrepreneurs 3 more

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JRandom42: There's no such thing as perfectionism out of control when writing and debugging software.
20 weeks ago

Heath Port: To your point Rebecca, it is always good to have awareness of your work style, values, etc. It will help you gravitate to the type of work that ...MoreTo your point Rebecca, it is always good to have awareness of your work style, values, etc. It will help you gravitate to the type of work that will make you feel more fulfilled. To pretty much everyone else's point we all have points in our jobs where we may have to go against our style a bit to get the work done. Like your boyfriend I am more a of big picture guy myself and tend to get demotivated if I have to spend too much time down in the weeds, but throughout my career I've had to demonstrate that I could also focus on the detail every now and again to get things done. Otherwise I would just be floating around in the "idea space" and those ideas would never get executed. There is definitely a give and take there.
20 weeks ago

Jim Armstrong Jim Kras saw a problem in the marketplace: nutritional supplements were losing their identity. He built a business around offering customers a better product that was tied back to a brand...amazing story of how one man carved out his brand in a giant category by leveraging the internet. Latest post to Get Busy Media--> http://bit.ly/pCiLtF

22 weeks ago from Young Entrepreneur Community, Work/Life Blur and Social Media 1 more

Kim Luu Cheating is everywhere. What happened to true personal pride? I saw an interview with students regarding the Florida business school cheating scandal. Students were saying that cheating is normal in life and everyone cheated at the school. They felt that highlighting cheaters and punishing them is just a witch hunt. I thought it was rather sad that holding someone to a basic standard is now considered to be bullying. Do you set a higher standard for yourself than the world demands?

64 weeks ago from Work/Life Blur, Entrepreneurs, Economics and Finance and Blogging Ideas 2 more

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: ISTM, the article Jeremy points to fully validates my point. If the article is accurate (you never know), the students were using ...MoreISTM, the article Jeremy points to fully validates my point. If the article is accurate (you never know), the students were using publicly-available material to prepare for an exam, without warning not to. This is, to use Ioannis's definition, not "dishonest". They were just trying harder. Yes, they obtained an advantage. Good for them. People who try harder *should* obtain an advantage.

If you didn't think of this for yourself, you would probably feel bad. Accusing people of wrongdoing, because they thought of a way to achieve that you didn't, is a gross misuse of the word "cheating". It's also a common use. As Jeremy notes, people will often accuse others of "cheating" just because the alleged cheater had an advantage they didn't think of. Claiming that advantage was unfair or "dishonest" is just a way to reduce the playing field to the lowest of the low.

Ioannis: I see you as the police officer. Good is good; bad is bad; good people are good people; bad people are bad people, and there can never be any blurring of the lines or crossing thereover. As you can tell, I think you're wrong. I also think history shows you are wrong: the 6 shelves of my (tiny) law library, and the 300,000 volumes of my law school library, show that life is never so simple.

My job (I'm an attorney, and I have 25 years experience) involves frequent accusations of nearly criminal behavior by people who really were only (1) skirting the line, (2) merely in error, or even (3) not paying attention. The distinction between "right" and "wrong", at least in the realm of human behavior, is quite grey. Human acts are not engineering.

Moreover, when two parties (or institutions) have a fuzzy line drawn between them, it is in both of their interests to take actions to see if the line was really crossed. You can see this frequently yourself in what people deduct on their taxes, on what is allowed in antitrust law, in what is considered a "reasonable" search or "reasonable" use of force, and at least 100 other examples. See, e.g., International Conflict for Beginners (Roger Fisher).

And Ioannis, your definition, while appearing clear, includes many hidden normative statements which allow the accuser to include legally and morally correct behavior within "cheating". Just what does *dishonest* mean, for example? As Jeremy points out, much "dishonest" behavior serves a higher cause. And I will point out that quite often, "dishonest" behavior is merely dishonest in the ear of the listener.

As an amusing grace note on this, I note a religious interpretation I find hilarious in its effort to reconcile honesty with social peace. It is a commonplace to say on a wedding day that "the bride is beautiful". But this is not always factually so. Accordingly, at least one school of thought declares that, on their wedding day, *all* brides are beautiful, just for being brides. Now, who is being dishonest here?
59 weeks ago

Ioannis Kremezis: A classical definition of "cheating" and wishful thinking!!!
You have understood wrongly my thinking.
@Jeremy: "Also that definition..." I didn't ...MoreA classical definition of "cheating" and wishful thinking!!!
You have understood wrongly my thinking.
@Jeremy: "Also that definition..." I didn't mean that. You apply totally wrong and see everyone as a cheater.
@Steven: I don't see everything as on/off but you forget that on/off also exists between many levels of grey.
"My job.." and "Moreover,..." paragraphs are the bitter reality.
"And Ioannis..." paragraph I didn't make any law and any accuser. In order to be precise I use a dictionary meaning.
Another difficult choice among grey zone:
Who is the bad guy, the one with good purpose and bad manner or the one with bad purpose and good manner?
As an another attorney said: There are people like angels with dark secrets and people like devils who sometimes act in a honest way.
59 weeks ago

Cameron Plommer I wrote up this short Job Satisfaction survey for a project at work. Would love to get your feedback if you are currently employed full-time, part-time or self-employed: http://www.keysurvey.com/survey/384175/ac70/

23 weeks ago from Brazen Careerists on Twitter, The Career Hot Seat!, Entrepreneurs, Social Media Marketers and Work/Life Blur 3 more

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Kathryn Smith: I meant "it might be one of the more interesting points"**** not important points
23 weeks ago

Stephanie: Just took the survey-- best of luck!
22 weeks ago

Jim Armstrong Need to de-clutter your life but don't know where to begin or who to reach out to? Enter Korinne Kubena Belock, the professional organizer. Learn how she launched her business and became an overnight success. The latest post to Get Busy Media--> http://bit.ly/qQ1F13

23 weeks ago from Young Entrepreneur Community, Work/Life Blur, Social Media and Social Media Marketers 2 more

Katrina Olsen Here's your chance to present to other young professionals! We are looking for presenters for the 2012 Omaha YP Summit. Here is the proposal link: http://j.mp/SummitRFP RFP Submissions due 9/9. Topics could be related to: Personal & professional development, Community & civic responsibility, Business start-up & development, Health & wellness, Public engagement, Inclusivity, Public transportation and urban design. Let me know if you have any questions!

24 weeks ago from Work/Life Blur

Dr. Woody Is Incivility at Work on the Rise??? Check out my column & take our quick poll on incivility at your workplace! I'll share the results next Monday! http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/08/15/how-is-workplace-...

25 weeks ago from Young Professional Men (YPM), Young Professional Women (YPW), Work/Life Blur, Entrepreneurs and Young Entrepreneur Community 3 more

Dr. Woody: Share your thoughts on Incivility at Work! Take the quick FoxBusiness Poll. No registration or sigh-in needed!
25 weeks ago

Jana Schuberth Ohhh, long time no see Brazeneers. I've been having a busy summer... but right in time for your new job search, here's an article about the Secret to finding the perfect work for you! Best of luck for the hunt! http://www.janaschuberth.com/blog

27 weeks ago from European Bloggers, Work/Life Blur, Ask A Coach and Young Professional Women (YPW)2 more

Noel Rozny: Welcome back! :)
26 weeks ago

Mozart Any Community Manger here? For the folks that do online marketing/engagement! How do you draw boundaries between work/life when your job is being online?

27 weeks ago from Work/Life Blur

Rebecca Thorman recommended this

Rebecca Thorman: I use Hootsuite and have different panels for personal and work. So I have to click on a different screen to check out personal and vice versa. I ...MoreI use Hootsuite and have different panels for personal and work. So I have to click on a different screen to check out personal and vice versa. I also think that people over-estimate how much time you need to spend online to manage both things. Get off your email and all the social networks and do some actual work/living! ;)
27 weeks ago

Noel Rozny: Rebecca makes some great points! I would also add that devoting your work day to your work accounts (with some minor cross over to your personal, ...MoreRebecca makes some great points! I would also add that devoting your work day to your work accounts (with some minor cross over to your personal, if you use personal to promote work stuff) is good. If you're working to build your personal presence, leave that to nights and weekends.
27 weeks ago

Kim Luu Here are the jobs that employers are hiring for. Straight from the horse's mouth. Manpower's survey of talent shortage based on employers worldwide. http://us.manpower.com/us/en/multimedia/Global-Shortage-Survey-Results.pdf Skilled trades tops the list along with sales. The lack is real. Fed Reserve exec told me he can't find enough finance PhD to fill positions at $240K/yr. They had to hire from outside US. Are your job skills in demand?

37 weeks ago from Entrepreneurs, Personal Development, We're Hiring, Economics and Finance and Work/Life Blur 3 more

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Leona: great source, thanks for sharing!
28 weeks ago

Sunanda Nair: thanks for sharing.
28 weeks ago

Jim Armstrong How many of you have ignored loved ones or family members while you're at work? Have you been guilty of working in a silo and neglecting all else but your work. We address the issue of working in a "silo" and how to avoid putting work ahead of more important priorities. Hope you enjoy the post, have a great weekend! http://bit.ly/mODwm5

30 weeks ago from Work/Life Blur

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JRandom42: I'm a little confused. My job generates the income I need to support my family. Is there any more important priority than supporting my family ...MoreI'm a little confused. My job generates the income I need to support my family. Is there any more important priority than supporting my family financially, when my job is the sole family income?
30 weeks ago

Jim Armstrong: @Corbin thanks for your kind words!
30 weeks ago