Wouldn’t we all love to have a dream job? We read about people earning sky-high amounts from their amazing startup, purchasing and inhabiting expensive real estate, travelling the world, being on first name terms with Branson, Musk and the likes. Yep, this is dreaming. There’s also those advertised ‘dream jobs’ (such as being caretaker on a […]
By 2030, the World Health Organisation has forecast depression and anxiety will be the number one healthcare burden, costing upwards of US$1 trillion a year in many countries. Already, studies are revealing a correlation between anxiety, depression and smartphone use — not to mention what smartphones could be doing to our neurochemical balance. The urge to seek distraction People call it ‘smartphone […]
Emotional intelligence or ‘EI’ (colloquially described as EQ) is essential for human development. EQ — skills we can develop The historic privileging of technical problem-solvers is gradually making way (thanks to the work by pioneer Daniel Goleman and many others) for equally valid social and emotional skills. Progress on the work front is piecemeal. I have been […]
If you have a good friend for a colleague you are more likely to be engaged and satisfied at work. Part of being happy at work is having at least a few colleagues with whom you get along well with. For some, these constitute true friendships that transcend location, circumstance and peer level. But for many […]
Glass half full or glass half empty? Why, glass half full, according to some. Norman Vincent Peale and before him Dale Carnegie made their fortunes extolling the power of positive thinking many years ago, and their influence has pervaded workplaces all across the world. Carnegie’s philosophy went beyond simplistic “don’t worry, be happy” mantras — his Depression-era book How […]
We often see TV ads and billboards depicting happy people at work: individuals and teams smiling, saying positive things – even professionals making heart-shapes with their hands. Some are actors, some are real. You could be cynical and hope they mean it, especially in today’s volatile work climate. On the other hand, loving what you do […]
We ache as we read about the death of chef Anthony Bourdain and too many others we know and love driven to suicide. It is tragic, no matter who it is. Depression is frightening and often hidden from those closest to us, sometimes even unrecognised by individuals themselves. Many people suffer depression at times of their […]
You have my attention. I’m listening! I’m all ears. Few of us like to admit we’re poor listeners. The truth is, in our distracted society, most people are not particularly good at listening, and a vital tenet in human evolution is slipping away, unnoticed, as we become busier and paradoxically less focused. Any conversation or […]
Work for most of us is survival. It means the difference between simply existing, keeping food on the table and bills paid, and more importantly enabling us to progress. Work gives us meaning We spend most of our adult lives working. Work provides us with not only money to live, but a sense of identity […]
