49 Benefits Of Hiring An Experienced Skilled Worker

By hiring more experienced employee, you lower costs of the company car insurance, you lower your health related expenses, and a lots more:

1   Wisdom and Intelligence

2   Maturity to make sound decisions

3   Ability to assume responsibility sooner because less training is required.

4   Ability to assess, identify and act upon situations with colleagues, customers better because of knowledge from  experience in life and work. Not learned in classroom

5    Make good mentors and coaches in their fields of experience

6   You do not lose 2 hours of productivity time per day for texting

7     Less arrogant

8     Valuable long-term relationships and industry contacts built over the years

9     Can provide objective advice to younger managers because he/she isn’t trying to climb the corporate ladder.

10. Less DRAMA

11 Understands the value of “Teamwork” and can work as an individual as well.

12. Real arguments instead of duhh-reactions.

13. Usually able to “make do” when necessary – cobble something good out of odd and unmatched parts. Think school pageant costumes on a moments notice.

14. Older workers are able to speak and write in complete sentences, with correct English. This is helpful in writing and speaking with customers, as well as internal reports.

15. Less expensive car insurance.

16. Able to advise younger manager without threatening his/her position.

17. Given previous experience, better able to separate wheat from chaff; what is critical and what is not.

18. [Hopefully] thinks before commenting, thereby providing a calming influence, easing workplace stress.

19. Experience, experience, experience… nothing beats experience! Not only in our professional field, but in personal relationships, dealing with all types of personalities we’ve interacted with throughout our careers.

20. Not afraid to roll up your sleeves and do whatever it takes to get the job done

21. Older workers, or at least this one, are less likely to take a job that they will absolutely hate, therefore increasing the likelihood they will remain in the position. Worker loyalty is not dead, it is simply better seasoned.

22. A more experienced employee understands with greater depth and clarity the true risks and rewards that accompany certain tactics and strategies, with a lower risk of repeating the negative aspects of history.

23. Experienced employees also know how to navigate an organization and gain traction for the most valuable and rewarding ideas in a diplomatic manner so as to gain support in a positive way. It is hard to teach these skills. They must be learned on the job.

24. Less maintenance for their manager

25. The ability to take constructive criticism constructively without the drama.

26.     The ability from life experience and travels to relate to different cultures and accept others of different background and beliefs.

27.     We are progressive – blending new technology with life wisdom

28.     Minimal learning curve.

29.     The older — mature — employees avoid office politics, which can be a time-wasting energy drainer in the dynamics of any office.

30.     Mature workers also accept a job with the intent of staying with it, as opposed to too many younger workers today who treat it like a marriage (“If I don’t like it I’ll quit.”)

31.     The value of the law of the harvest that includes, seeding, nurturing, cultivating, protecting and finally harvesting and storage for the future and new crops. This law applies in any industry, organization and job. The seasoned worker will know how to make each step work. The new worker still needs the mentoring.

32.     Knowing the value of learning from past mistakes, and assimilating that into future work decisions.

33.     Having the ability to see the short and long-term effects of various decisions

34.     Appreciate the fact that EVERY interaction I have with anyone can lead to a possible connection, job, assistance, etc., later.

35. The ability to develop lasting collaborative relationships with all levels in an organisation.

36. Older employees have a greater value of time and know how to prioritize tasks.

37. We are not distracted by the bar, or the nightclub, or the latest romance gone wrong.

38. We consider our work a duty and of prime importance in our life, we understand the meaning of loyalty, good ethical behavior comes naturally, we have a sense of duty.

39. Young people are still looking for the best opportunity, whereas older workers understand by a certain age ‘you should have a lot more focus on keeping to a reasonable standard of living

40. Have seen the ups and downs of markets

41. They have already learned how to manage stress.

42. Are willing to stay on task or at the jobsite until the work is done. Determined.

43. Understand a responsible work ethic and appreciate continual learning opportunities as a way to add to skills.

44. Older workers know their areas of expertise and are confident in them.

45. Older workers are not as likely to job-hop or job-shop.

46. Arrives on time and usually before starting time; Leaves after quitting time; Spends less time watching the clock

47. Have lower Health Care costs.

48. Technical issues are not intimidating – we have learned how to dig into the problems and find meaningful long-term solutions.

49. We know when to compromise and when to push. We have learned the techniques needed to find balance in tough situations.

Stefan Baginski
you can click here >> to learn about Stefan, or read more at www.imuswiss.wordpress.com

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CERN and the Wigner Research Centre for Physics inaugurate CERN data centre’s extension in Budapest, Hungary

Geneva 13 June 2013. CERN1 and the Wigner Research Centre for Physics2 today inaugurated the Hungarian data centre in Budapest, marking the completion of the facility hosting the extension for CERN computing resources. About 500 servers, 20,000 computing cores, and 5.5 Petabytes of storage are already operational at the site. The dedicated and redundant 100 Gbit/s circuits connecting the two sites are functional since February 2013 and are among the first transnational links at this distance. The capacity at Wigner will be remotely managed from CERN, substantially extending the capabilities of the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid (WLCG) Tier-0 activities and bolstering CERN’s infrastructure business continuity.

WLCG’s mission is to provide global computing resources to store, distribute and analyse more than 25 Petabytes of data annually generated by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). It is a global system organised in tiers, with the central hub being the Tier-0 at CERN. The LHC data are aggregated in the Tier-0, where initial data reconstruction is performed, and a copy is archived to long-term tape storage. The Tier-0 then sends out data to each of the 11 major data centres around the world that form the first level, or Tier-1, via optical-fibre links working at multiples of 10 Gbit/s. Smaller Tier-2 and Tier-3 centres linked over the Internet bring the total number of computer centres involved to over 140 in about 40 countries. WLCG serves a global community of 8,000 scientists working on LHC experiments, allowing them to access distributed computing and data storage facilities seamlessly. Every day WLCG processes more than 1.5 million ‘jobs’, which is equivalent to a single computer running for more than 600 years. High-performance distributed computing enabled physicists to announce on 4 July the discovery of a new particle, which was later on confirmed as being a Higgs boson.

“The experiments’ computing resources needs will increase significantly when the LHC restarts in 2015. Hosting computing equipment at the Wigner Centre to extend CERN’s data centre Tier-0 capabilities is essential for dealing with this expected increase, and to the success of our physics programme. The remote capacity will also contribute to business continuity for the critical systems in case of a major issue on CERN’s site” said CERN Director-General Rolf Heuer. “A number of sciences currently face exponential data growth. This innovative approach with Wigner could point the way for research centres to run their services in the future.”

The CERN Tier-0 data centre extension in Budapest adds up to 2.5 MW capacity to the 3.5 MW IT load of the Geneva data centre, which has already reached its capacity limit. The contract with Wigner started in January 2013 and can carry on for up to seven years. The capacity in Budapest will gradually ramp-up following CERN’s needs. Operating remotely from CERN this capacity helps build knowledge, as well as create expertise and solutions with cloud computing to face big data challenges linked to exponential computing needs in all fields of research.

“The opening of the Wigner Data Centre and the beginning of our IT collaboration is a small step for CERN but a big step for Hungary,” concluded Peter Levai, Director General of the Wigner Research Centre for Physics.



Contacts:

CERN Press Office, press.office@cern.ch

+41 (0) 22 767 34 32

+41 (0) 22 767 21 41



To know more about WLCG:

www.cern.ch/wlcg

www.cern.ch/wlcg//wlcg-google-earth-dashboard



Follow CERN at:

www.cern.ch

www.cern.ch/it

http://twitter.com/cern/

http://www.youtube.com/user/CERNTV

http://www.quantumdiaries.org/

Risk Advisory Services White Paper

Milliman

May 2010

Enterprise risk management (ERM) is a process of assessing and

responding to all risks, including organizational and systemic risks

that impact the ability of an organization to meet its objectives.

The general activities in a formal ERM process include risk

identification, evaluation, prioritization, treatment, monitoring,

reporting, and integration into strategic decision making and key

business functions. It is important to understand the challenges

organizations face in implementing ERM processes before we

look at the value that a sustainable and repeatable ERM process

can bring.

Companies have traditionally struggled with assessing the business

value of ERM. Competing priorities and business line fatigue after

seemingly endless rounds of assessments from Internal Audit,

Compliance, and even external regulators have contributed to failed

ERM initiatives. In addition, some companies have rushed through

what at many times has been a board-mandated compliance effort

to institutionalize ERM as one-off events rather than implementing a

sustainable and repeatable ERM process.

In many cases, the efforts have been under-resourced

and, for the broader risk evaluation and mitigation

initiatives, have not had buy-in from executive leadership.

Executive sponsorship and involvement stand at the

heart of a successful ERM initiative, without which

many companies have failed in their efforts to implement

an effective ERM process. With so many competing

priorities, companies also struggle in setting aside

appropriate resources to launch and sustain an effective

integrated ERM process.

An ERM process and risk management framework has

to find synergy with the organization’s culture and not

the other way around. Too many times we see a company

wanting to implement what another company is doing with

regard to ERM. Although best practices are an excellent

way to start thinking about ERM, this thought process

should be complemented with a good understanding of

a company’s own unique culture, strategic objectives,

structure, risk management practices, and operations.

There is not one universal solution for ERM. A customized

approach is crucial to finding the maturity level of an

ERM solution that works for a specific company, based on best

practices, extensive research, interviews, and in-depth knowledge

of how an organization operates (see Figure 1). The process has

to be embedded and integral to support the mission, vision, values,

and objectives, and not just a snapshot from a single point in time

or an annual risk assessment report.

Additional reasons for failed ERM initiatives are that a company’s

objectives have not been integrated into performance management

and poor collaboration with other risk processes. Aligning

incentives with risk management efforts can be critical to the

success of an ERM initiative. Incentives reinforce the tone and

culture of the organization and motivate employees to respond; this

could have more positive results than a forced compliance effort. It

is crucial to get buy-in from employees on the benefits of an ERM

program prior to implementation, and there is no more effective way

than through incentives based on actions and expected outcomes

around risk-managed activities. The integration of ERM with key

risk processes such as audit, compliance, and business continuity,

ERM: The Value Proposition

Joanna David-O’Neill

Mark Stephens

5

4

3

2

1

Optimized

Risk-adjusted

corporate

performance

Embedded

Risk management

driving the decision-

making process

Established

Consistent compliance

communication and

accountability

Formalized

Basic compliance

audit and

risk

awareness

Undelveloped

Basic non-compliance

audit failure, risk silos

Fully automate

enterprise risk process

Analyze risks

Quantify risks

Delegate action/controls

Manage and mitigate risks

Approve and assess

risk data centrally

Identify and communicate concerns,

issues, risks, or incidents using one system

Respond to risk or

control surveys

Figure 1:

er

M Maturity Stage

S

Milliman Copyright 2010

Milliman

Risk Advisory Services White Paper

May 2010

ERM: The Value Proposition

2

for example, is also essential to realizing the value of an effective

ERM process. Companies in a higher maturity level (See Figure 1)

are seeing the business value in decision making as a result of the

collaboration of their ERM program with other risk processes.

Milliman’s Risk Advisory Services consults with organizations to

develop an optimal ERM solution that matches with specialized

corporate needs. Some companies have fully resourced ERM

departments, while others have very restricted dedicated internal

resources. Milliman can assist companies with their ERM initiatives

using the following approaches:

Review the current ERM processes and determine the steps

•

required to raise the maturity level to the desired state.

Design, build, and test a customized ERM process and

•

framework and develop organizational consensus through

vetting of the initial prototype.

Adapt an outsourced ERM business process model.

•

Companies wanting to protect against the downside of risks often

reach for ERM as a compliance tool, but the true value of ERM is

recognized when it is integrated into the organization’s culture and

embedded into strategic decision making and business planning.

We see the following as significant benefits that organizations can

achieve if they invest the time and resources to select a suitable

approach to their ERM needs:

Performance management

•

: Increase certainty of achieving

critical key performance indicators

Capital efficiency

•

: Align capital more accurately with the risks

being taken and ensure that risks are being suitably rewarded

Stakeholder management

•

: Better alignment with expectations

of key stakeholders

Operational excellence

•

: Reduce impact of surprises and boost

the benefits of a well-managed portfolio of risks

Reduction in Total Cost of Risk (TCOR)

•

: Free up capital to

further invest in growing the business

In February 2010, Standard and Poor’s (S&P) published the

report “Enterprise Risk Management Continues to Show its Value

for North American and Bermudan Insurers,” which links effective

ERM programs to increases in share value and reduced volatility

in earnings. In the report, Howard Rosen, the primary credit

analyst, says in part,

“Although average stock prices declined among all public

multiline insurers in 2008, companies with more advanced

ERM programs experienced smaller stock price reductions.

Those companies whose stock performance was better (i.e.

those whose price declines were smaller) had received higher

ERM scores. On the other hand, those companies whose

stock prices had larger declines had lower ERM scores. This is

consistent with Standard & Poor’s view that more robust ERM

programs are the most valuable in times of more pronounced

stress. Looking at ERM scores relative to stock performance in

2009 reveals a different pattern” (See Figure 2).

Figure 2:

er

M and Share Price

c

hange (Jan. 1-

n

ov. 14, 2008, %)

Excludes mortgage and title insurers. Source: Standard & Poor’s.

© Standard & Poor’s 2010

Rosen continues,

“Companies with Excellent and Strong ERM scores—companies

whose stock prices performed better during the more stressful

2008—still improved during 2009, but didn’t need to perform

as well as companies with lower ERM scores to return to their

pre-2008 levels of performance” (See Figure 3).

Figure 3:

er

M and Share Price

c

hange (Jan. 2-

d

ec. 31, 2009, %)

Excludes mortgage and title insurers. Source: Standard & Poor’s.

© Standard & Poor’s 2010

0

(10)

(20)

(30)

(40)

(50)

(60)

(70)

Excellent ERM

Strong ERM

Adequate ERM

Weak ERM

Share price change, Jan. 1 - Nov. 14, 2008, %

30

25

20

15

5

(5)

(10)

(15)

Excellent ERM

Strong ERM

Adequate ERM

Weak ERM

Share price change, Jan. 2 - Dec. 31, 2009, %

0

10

PCtipp.ch: Die 10 besten Neuerungen in iOS 7

PCtipp.ch: Die 10 besten Neuerungen in iOS 7

Multitasking

Der Handgriff ist bestens bekannt: zweimaliges Drücken auf die Home-Taste blendet die zuletzt geöffneten Apps ein, was einen schnellen Wechsel erlaubt. Neu ist, dass nun auch die Fenster zur jeweiligen App angezeigt werden. Besser noch: iOS soll sich merken, wann ein Benutzer eine bestimmte App oder Website verwendet. So werden der Inhalt oder Status-Aktualisierungen bereits vorgängig über Wifi heruntergeladen, damit sie beim nächsten Aufruf sofort zur Verfügung stehen.

Kamera-App

Die neue Kamera-App fotografiert wahlweise quadratisch und bringt einige gelungene Filter mit. Das allein macht sie zwar nicht zu einer Gefahr für Instagram & Co., doch viele Anwender werden jetzt auf eine App von Drittanbietern verzichten können.

Mehrseitige Ordner

Ordner sind in ihrer Aufnahmefähigkeit nicht mehr beschränkt, sondern können den Inhalt auf mehrere Seiten verteilen. Damit wird es möglich, drei Dutzend Fitness-Apps hinter einem einzigen Symbol zu verstecken – zusammen mit den guten Vorsätzen.

Neue Wetter-App

Gibt es etwas Wichtigeres, als das Wetter? Nein. Und gibt es eine schönere Wetter-App, als jene unter iOS 7? Kaum.

CERN and Ars Electronica launch open call for the third Prix Ars Electronica Collide@CERN

 

Geneva/Linz, 3 June 2013. CERN* and Ars Electronica** today launch an open call for artists working in the digital domain to apply for the third Prix Ars Electronica Collide@CERN***. The winner will receive a fully funded residency at CERN and Ars Electronica to create new dimensions in their artistic practice by encounters with the world of science. This is the third year of the collaboration between CERN and Ars Electronica.

“Applying for this residency was just irresistible,” said the sound sculptor Bill Fontana****, winner of last year’s award. “It promised to immerse me into the unknown world of particle physics. As an artist, these experiences into the unknown and unexpected are vital for us – even at 65. You never grown out of this need if you wish to develop as an artist.”

Bill Fontana starts the first part of his residency at CERN this July, and will preview some of the sound pieces he makes there at this year's Ars Electronica Festival, Total Recall – The Evolution of Memory, from 5 September to 9 September.

"After two very successful years of creative collisions between the arts and science with our Collide@CERN programme, we are looking forward to discovering even more extra dimensions in these powerful interactions thanks to our unique and special cultural partnership with Ars Electronica, Linz," said CERN Director General Rolf Heuer.

"Sound is one of the most powerful and immediate senses connected to memory which we have,” said Ars Electronica Director Gerfried Stocker. "So we will be really interested to see what Bill Fontana, one of the world’s most renowned sound sculptors, presents at this year's Ars Electronica Festival, which is dedicated to the evolution of memory. How will Bill use sound to remember the impact CERN has on him? Come and find out."

Last year's Prix Ars Electronica Collide@CERN open call attracted hundreds of entries from 44 countries around the world. This year, like in the others, artists from every field of the arts are encouraged to apply:  architecture and new design, visual arts and sculpture, experimental sound work and music, generative art and film, and social media projects that explore how people relate to science and technology are all welcome. The only proviso is that applicants must use digital techniques in the production and/or the development of their proposed project. The closing date is 26 September 2013 and applicants should submit their entries online, including a short personal-testimony video outlining why they want the award.

"Bill on his 4 day introduction visit to CERN this January created a 24 track recording piece because he was so inspired by his experience here." said Ariane Koek, CERN's cultural specialist. " For a world renowned artist to react like Bill did shows the value of what we are doing. We all can’t wait to discover the next artist whose imagination is going to be blasted by interacting with the new ideas of particle physics and to see what s/he does as a result of the experience. "

Online submissions open June 3 2013 and close September 26 2013: http://collide.aec.at/

 

Contact:

CERN Press Office
CH - 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 767 2141/3432
Fax: +41 22 785 02 47
Press.Office@cern.ch

Ars Electronica press office
+43 (0) 732 7272 38
+43 (0) 732 7272 638
christopher.sonnleitner@aec.at

Further information:

http://arts.web.cern.ch
http://www.aec.at/prix/en/collide/

For more information on Bill Fontana, www.resoundings.org

CERN Council updates European strategy for particle physics

Brussels/Geneva, 30 May 2013. At a special meeting hosted by the European Commission in Brussels today, the CERN Council* formally adopted an update to the European strategy for particle physics. Since the original European strategy was put in place in 2006, particle physics has made considerable progress in elucidating the laws of nature at the most fundamental level. CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has begun routine operation, producing its first major results, and the global particle physics landscape has evolved. The updated strategy takes these changes into account, charting a leading role for Europe in this increasingly globalised endeavour. “The strategy we have adopted today recognizes Europe’s strength in depth in particle physics,” said President of the CERN Council, Agnieszka Zalewska. “Europe’s success is built on strong universities and strong national communities working constructively together and coordinating their efforts through the strong European focal point of CERN.” A very important issue for the strategy is preserving and building on the European model for cross-border research. CERN, in close collaboration with research institutions in the CERN Member States and under the guidance of the CERN Council, will coordinate future European engagement with global particle physics projects in other regions. The strategy notes that cross-border collaboration in science, as exemplified by the CERN model, pays dividends for Europe in terms of knowledge, innovation, education and training. Key points of the strategy are that Europe, and the European particle physics community, should: - Exploit its current world-leading facility for particle physics, the LHC, to its full potential over a period of many years, with a series of planned upgrades; - Continue to develop novel techniques leading to ambitious future accelerator projects on a global scale; - Be open to engagement in a range of unique basic physics research projects alongside the LHC; - Be open to collaboration in particle physics projects beyond the European region; - Maintain a healthy base in fundamental physics research, with universities and national laboratories contributing to a strong European focus through CERN; - Continue to invest substantial effort in communication, education and outreach to engage global publics with science. Created in 1954, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) is governed by the CERN Council. The CERN laboratory near Geneva, which has evolved into a leading example of successful collaboration among nations, is host to a scientific community of over 11000 users representing 100 nationalities. It has made significant contributions to our understanding of the Universe, most recently with the discovery of Higgs bosons, brought major contributions to technological innovation in fields as diverse as medical imaging and information technology, and it has given us the World Wide Web.

The updated strategy is reproduced in full at the back of this brochure. Copies of the strategy are available from the CERN press office: Email: Press.office@cern.ch Tel.: +41 22 767 3432 *The CERN Council is Europe’s strategic body for particle physics research. It was established along with the European Organization for Nuclear research (CERN) in 1954 by a convention signed between 12 Member States. Today, CERN has 20 Member States, two Associate Members in the pre-stage to membership and one Candidate for accession, each of which appoints delegates to the Council. The Council is ultimately responsible for all important decisions relating to CERN; it determines the Organization's policy in scientific, technical and administrative matters, approves the programmes of activities and adopts the budgets. Each Member State has two official delegates, one representing the state’s government administration and the other national scientific interests. Each Member State has a single vote and most decisions require a simple majority, although in practice the Council aims for a consensus as close as possible to unanimity. The Council is advised by a Scientific Policy Committee and a Finance Committee.  

10+ ways to be more productive

24 Comments more +

By Alan Norton

September 8, 2010, 9:48 AM PDT

Takeaway: If you often reach the end of the day and wonder why you got so little done, it may be time evaluate your working style. Alan Norton offers 11 productivity boosters that can help get your days back on track. We would all like to get more accomplished during the course of the workday. During my career, I needed to end each day feeling that I had been productive and had accomplished something of importance. Except for the occasional lost day, I fulfilled those needs. Here is how I did it. Note: This article is also available as a PDF download. 1: Use the right tools Tools separate us from all but a few animals. And for good or for bad, that’s why we humans are so good at changing our environment. Tools are essential for modifying and managing the information landscape. And the proper use of the right tools can arguably have the most significant positive impact on our productivity at work. Whether it’s hardware, software, or the chair you sit in, using the best tool for the job can make a huge difference in the amount of work you get done. It’s not always easy to determine which tool is best. Know your options and research which tool best meets your needs. New tools are being developed all the time. Keep up to date to determine whether more effective tools are available. 2: Properly manage your time and your tasks Simple time management can help you make more effective use of your time. Know what you intend to accomplish before starting each day. You may want to write these tasks down, but I learned to do simple daily planning without any special tools. I found it easier to break my day into morning and afternoon and reevaluate my working plan at lunchtime. Longer term tasks and goals should be written down for reference by you, your team, and your management. The project plan is often used in IT but other tools exist that may better fit your needs. Order and prioritize your tasks in a meaningful way. How you prioritize depends on how you work, who you work for, or who pays you: Bosses’ wishes Due date Project plan Highest paid Queuing Squeaky wheel Pain avoidance (squeaky wheel) is probably not the best method of prioritization, but let’s be realistic: It happens. There are tools designed specifically to help you prioritize your tasks. Whatever method you use to manage and prioritize your tasks, it should be flexible enough to allow you to choose an alternate task. The project plan may call for you to build the database on week three but when week three rolls around, you might prefer to work on another task. The plan should allow for task substitution where possible. 3: Learn to say no It’s a lot easier to juggle five balls than eight. You may not be able to say no to the boss, but when possible, pare back your to-do list. If the list gets too long, consider segregating it into current and future tasks. Having too many items on your plate can be discouraging, and a motivated person is more productive than a discouraged one. Learn to say no to interruptions. You wouldn’t interrupt your child while in school. Except for emergencies and the occasional honey-do item, you should encourage others to avoid interrupting you when you’re hard at work. 4: Focus on one task at a time It is a common misconception that the conscious mind can process more than one task at a time. It’s just not possible if the tasks require conscious selection and action. The best multi-taskers may quickly switch from one task to another, but they still can focus on only one task at a time. Experiments have shown that productivity drops when multi-tasking. It may be in vogue to listen to an MP3 player, text your peers, and work all at the same time, but your work will suffer if attention is placed on that other activity, even if only for a moment. I believe it is possible to listen to music in the background and actually be more productive. However, listening to and comprehending any talk, including the news, commercials, and talk radio is counterproductive. 5: Know when you are not productive We all seem to have those times during the day when we just aren’t totally with it. Recognize when you are unproductive. Is it mornings? Late afternoons? After lunch? Use these times to do repetitive, simple-to-accomplish tasks. I was unproductive in the mornings, so I would read and answer my email, return phone calls, and schedule conference calls. I would walk to other buildings to make face-to-face contact with my customers and keep current with what was happening. It got my blood moving and the exercise made me more productive later in the day. We are not machines. Productivity begins to suffer when focusing on one task for too long. When you begin to feel tired or unable to focus, stop working. Take a break or take an early lunch. Lower productivity can be long-term as well as short-term. Recognize the warning signs of burn-out. Take a vacation, sabbatical or schedule some downtime when you see the first signs of physical or mental exhaustion. 6: Take advantage of nonproductive time Any work that can be accomplished when traveling or during other lost nonproductive hours means that you can focus on more important tasks when back in the office. I often organized receipts and filled out my expense report when flying back from a work trip. Waiting in line and walking to lunch are great times to accomplish tasks that require careful consideration and thought. You may be tempted to multi-task while driving, but that is a bad idea. 7: Sleep on it It’s counterintuitive, but when you’re stuck trying to solve a particularly difficult problem, set it aside until tomorrow. The answer to a difficult problem has often come to me in that quiet time between lying down to sleep and dozing off. If it didn’t, starting the next day with a fresh perspective often helped solve the problem. In addition, getting the right amount of sleep will help you be more productive. This is different for each person, but is typically between seven and nine hours each night. 8: Leverage past work I call this the copy-and-paste method of increasing productivity. If you are a programmer, reuse proven code. If you have a presentation to give, there may be existing graphics, text, or slides that can be recycled from a previous PowerPoint. Use standards and templates when appropriate to save time. Consider developing a library of work that can be maintained and mined for reuse by your department or company. Sharing this library will make everyone more productive. 9: Look before you leap Sometimes, I used to get up and go for a walk right in the middle of the workday. Thankfully, no one ever stopped me to question what I was doing, but I often wondered what others were thinking. And thinking is exactly what I was doing. Taking the time up front to develop a plan of attack away from interruptions can save hours of wasted effort. 10: Know the business and your business IT often supports many types of businesses. From manufacturing to nonprofit, knowing how the business you support works will make you more productive. I was fortunate to work with managers at Hughes Aircraft Company, who invested a lot of their time to take me on tours of the plant and explain their business to me. I also spent a lot of time on my own, watching and learning how the cogs of the machine interfaced and turned. Book learnin’ and a degree laid the foundation, but I didn’t really understand how business worked until I was thrust into the big machine. Your job might be a developer redesigning parts of “the machine” to make it work more efficiently. You might be responsible for greasing and repairing the giant cogs and gears. Whatever your job, you need to know it inside and out. If your skills aren’t up to snuff, ask yourself what you can do to improve them. 11: Telecommute I was often able to accomplish twice the amount of work at home as compared to working in an office. It’s not that hard to see why, when you consider all the distractions and interruptions in the workplace. There is a big caveat though. The telecommuter has to be the right kind of person with the right tools in the right environment. A separate office is best so you can close the door at the end of your workday and separate your personal life from your work. The payoff Increased productivity helps the team and company, but what’s in it for you? You can check off items from your never-ending to-do list more quickly. You are more likely to have a greater sense of accomplishment. You are more likely to complete that important task or critical project on time. You are more likely to get the more important and more interesting tasks. Your bottom line can be affected in a significant and positive way when performance appraisal time rolls around. Additional resources Video: Take control of your day with these time management tips — Jason Hiner Avoid the interrupt-driven model of time management — Chip Camden Creative time management can save your sanity — Tricia Liebert Getting it all done, the art of time management — Jeff Dray Master these 10 processes to sharpen your project management skills — Tom Mochal 10 best practices for successful project management — Tom Mochal 10+ ways to be productive when you’re brain dead — Steve Tobak Author’s note I want to thank Osiyo53@… for his comments about interruptions, which I borrowed for the Learn to say no item.