Mary Vinnedge
Time to Get Serious About Sleep
We’ve all heard and perhaps admired overachievers who need only four hours’ sleep per night (Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer comes to mind). But these folks aren’t doing their health any favors: Research indicates that inadequate sleep disrupts the body’s ability to process sugar, causing metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes and obesity. Wendy, who…
Baseball Entrepreneurs Make Their Pitch
Find a need and fill it—Lee and Jason Jaramillo followed that oft-cited prescription for entrepreneurial success. Both of the professional baseball catchers—Pittsburgh Pirates fans probably remember Jason’s three years with that team—know all too well the pounding their hands take despite wearing a mitt behind the plate. So they devised the $29.99 Forceout glove for…
States of Well-Being
When you think about well-being, what U.S. state comes to mind? Hawaii? Colorado, maybe, or Vermont? Although these states scored well in the new Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, the state that nailed the top spot was North Dakota, and it barely edged out South Dakota. But how do you determine states of well-being? For the report,…
6 Business Texting Rules
The following six caveats are important for texting related to workplace communications: 1. Before you text a customer or business partner, ask permission. It’s simply good manners. 2. Don’t be glued to your cellphone even when you’re working alone or walking down the hall. It creates a wall between you and others so that they may be…
Let Go for Spontaneous Success
Sometimes the harder you strive to do something well, the more you mess up. Edward Slingerland, author of the new book Trying Not to Try: The Art and Science of Spontaneity (Crown), suggests that winging it might not be such a bad idea. Slingerland, professor of Asian studies at the University of British Columbia, explores…
4 Creative Ways to Walk While You Work
Walking can ward off stress, heart disease and diabetes as well as help you stay trim. Take a cue from National Walking Day earlier this month and add steps to your workday by: • Getting your feet in gear when you talk on the phone. Wireless headsets abound, giving you the freedom to stride comfortably.…
When Will You Retire?
Nearly half of boomer workers will work through age 66 or beyond. Money worries figure heavily into the decisions of 49 percent of working baby boomers who predict they won’t retire until age 66 or later, according to new Gallup research. Boomers who strongly agreed that they “have enough money to do everything [they] want…
Texting Do’s and Don’ts
Texting—quick, easy, less disruptive than a phone call—is one of the digital era’s greatest communications tools. But unchecked texting also has spawned rudeness, disrespect, unprofessional behavior and danger. So what are the guidelines for responsible texting? Check out these worthy do’s and don’ts. • Don’t text when people are speaking to you; it’s impolite. MannersMentor.com…
Savoring Saving
A December Gallup poll found that 62 percent of Americans prefer saving money and 33 percent prefer spending it. Before the Great Recession, the amounts were closer to 50-50. The poll found that 40 percent say they are spending less in recent months than they used to, 28 percent say they’re spending more and 30…
Beat the Blahs
“You must get good at one of two things: sowing in the spring or begging in the fall,” motivation champion Jim Rohn said. But how do you break the grip of winter malaise to get sowing? Try these tips: • See the light by opening blinds, using strong artificial lighting and taking a walk in…