Tag: work

Two simple rules for managing my work life

I have two simple rules for managing my work life:

  • Don’t think about work after office hours
  • Ask why, and don’t be afraid to say no

As simple as these two rules are, they’re invaluable for maintaining some semblance of sanity and a reasonable work-life balance. These were my only two pieces of advice to a new employee, and I wish someone had told them to me.

Document the Why, not just the How

Documentation is important. Everyone knows this. Unfortunately, documentation is too often confined to the how of the work, and leaves out the why.

It’s not easy to “check out” but you should do it anyway

My rule is very simple: if I’m not in the office, I’m not working. If you need something, let me know, but I’m not seeking out stuff to work on during “me time”.

Five Things I Wish People Knew About Me

We live with a stream of constant tweets, check-ins and status updates, and yet how much about these social media “friends” do we really truly know? And how much about ourselves do they know? My guess? Not much.

Learn When to Say No.

The one skill that’s been most helpful to me professionally, more than any tech knowledge, is knowing when and how to say “No.”