At the end of the first week of every month, we’re going present the best of what Lifehack had to offer in the previous month. We know our readers are busy — not just with other aspects of their lives, but also reading articles elsewhere — so if you’ve missed out on some of…

It’s no secret that career success often depends on the quality of the relationships you develop with your managers and co-workers. Although office personalities vary considerably, there are certain rules that always apply because we are all human. Here are 9 to keep in mind as you strive to lead, influence, and collaborate with…

They are mad, evil geniuses I tell you! Every year I watch the sale of Girl Scout cookies with amazement. These sweet, innocent and friendly girls all become masters of marketing, sales and business through the months of January and February. And you know what? I happily buy Girl Scout cookies every year. I open…

Extraordinary management requires extraordinary thinking, and these creative workplace strategies are proven to supercharge team productivity over a sustained period. The following are innovative ideas used in companies all over the world to help high-performance teams crank efficiency up a few notches. 1. Schedule a FedEx Day Australian software company Atlassian holds what it calls FedEx…

Effective leaders set their teams up for success. This requires that they avoid any management practices that could potentially kill employee productivity. Inept leadership styles come in all flavors, from the disorganized or forgetful boss to the extreme micromanager. Here are five practices that are guaranteed to sink your workers’ efficiency — and the…

January is an amazing time to starting thinking about what you want in life. It’s fun and exciting to dream about how awesome a new year will be. You set goals, you get excited… Then the excuses set in. “The person who really wants to do…

Many people now find themselves looking for employment. It is not easy. The job market is highly competitive with many applicants for each vacancy. How can you maximize your chances of getting a being employed? Try this 11 point plan. 1. Identify your transferable skills List your main areas of expertise. How many of your skills…

You read it right. I have a surefire way to make this your best year…ever. It does not have anything to do with how many more books you read or how much better your productivity becomes. Instead, it’s the addition of what I consider to be the missing element in many people’s personal or business…

As 2011 draws to a close, we reflect on the year gone by and look forward to the year ahead. So to help you make 2012 the best year yet, check out our recently-wrapped New Tools for the New Year series to get you started: New Tools for the New Year

This has been a tough year for a lot of businesses. The economy has yet to rebound (it may never fully) and with a downtrodden economic situation often comes a despressed workforce. I’m not talking about the overall unemployment problem; I’m talking about the problem that those who have jobs are dealing with: elevated…

Another year is coming to a close this weekend, and it’s been a banner one here at Lifehack. As you’ll see below, one of our most popular posts of 2011 was our 100 Best Lifehacks of 2010 article, which flows nicely into this post which will outline the 100 Best Lifehack of 2011. Unlike last…

Working with a coach has become quite the norm in our modern work world. From professional athletes to successful business professionals, from mid-life moms to college graduates, the reasons for working with a coach are as varied as the individuals. Coaching can take many forms, from individual sessions to group workshops, in person, on the phone…

I need a vacation. For the last couple of months, I’ve been working like crazy getting my book ready for publication, and laying all the groundwork to promote it. I coordinated with my 30 contributing authors to get their chapters polished and ready, I got the books designed, printed, and then shipped out to reviewers, and…

Whether you’re a high-flying manager tasked with leading your team into battle in the latest big company mission, or looking to get a passion project off the ground, falling into that most counterproductive of traps and trying to do everything yourself can be all too easy. After all, these projects are your babies; their success –…

Have you ever given an explanation that your listener wasn’t able to understand? Sometimes, it’s because of an intellectual gap, but that’s not always the case. Quite often, the miscommunication is caused by the difference in how we absorb information. Understanding that difference will help you communicate better with the people around you: your spouse…