Most of us use or used to-do lists to reduce stress levels and anxiety. To-do lists help us with applying structure and offloading tasks from our heads to paper. However, once the 60 or so tasks are on paper, then what? We never finish them and therefore, to-do lists are basically guilt trips. Moreover, to-do lists prevent us from properly prioritizing the tasks. But what are the alternatives? 5 problems with using to-do lists To-do lists are great tools to get rid anxiety and reduce stress on the short run. However, there are many fundamental problems with to-do lists that make ..read more

Gossip at work. We all do it and it turns out that we do it a lot. Constantly in fact. Research shows that 90% of all office talk consists out of gossip, and 15% percent of all emails does. This is a staggering amount and this seems overstated. However, when you talk about the nice Tesla another colleague bought when that colleague is not there, this also already qualifies as gossip. The question is: should we gossip at work or should we avoid this at all costs? Bonding with colleagues There are a lot of articles online that argue we should stop gossiping at work. I disagree with t ..read more

Performance reviews tend to be awkward. Not only for yourself, but also for your manager. Because after all, it would be very strange if you would hear something you did not hear during the year. Yet, these reviews are ingrained rituals in every organization. The manager is expected to point out “areas of improvement”. You should nod politely and be a good sport by asking clarifying questions and promising that you will work on improving in those areas. It is also awkward for the manager, because she / he already told you how to improve during the year and is probably afraid saying somethin ..read more

Ever feeling stressed out because of all the tasks you still have to finish? Feeling stress about unfinished jobs is quite common. It even has a name: the Zeigarnik effect. Here’s more on how unfinished tasks affect your memory and tips to prevent getting overwhelmed. How unfinished tasks overload your memory In 1927 the Lithuanian psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik was researching memory. She conducted research on waiters taking orders and came to an interesting conclusion. She conducted research on how waiters in restaurants used their memory, while serving dinner to their clients. Once t ..read more

Do you want some inspiration for New Year’s resolutions in 2020? Look no further. These 3 tips for personal growth are sure to help you in the next year, both professionally as personally. As New Year’s resolutions notoriously do not stick for everyone, I also have a suggestion on how to apply the tips I will give you in this post. What is positive psychology? Positive psychology is “the scientific study of human flourishing and an applied approach to optimal functioning”. (Positive Psychology Institute). Some of the keystones of this field of research are that strengths are as important ..read more

Psychological safety in teams is not only important for the wellbeing people working in that team. It is also vital for the productivity of that team and for the organization it works for. Therefore, managers and employees alike should watch out for each other and make sure everyone feels at ease.   Why psychological safety in teams is important The majority of the work done today is focused on knowledge work. As the quality of knowledge work is often dependent on the collaboration of multiple people, it is important that teams function well. Research within Google indicates that the ..read more

Achieving greatness in any field of professional and personal expression calls for hard work and dedication. However, spending countless hours learning a skill or surrounding yourself with great people can’t guarantee the desired results if your mind isn’t in the right place and you don’t maintain the right attitude. You set your sights on becoming the next great entrepreneur, analytical marketer, inspiring artist, or a motivating role model for your children? The proper mindset is the key to achieving greatness, and here are the necessary steps to ensure your hard work always pays off ..read more

Employees and teams that are able to effectively work together cross-silo are more effective and productive, research by Harvard indicates. Especially in larger organizations, valuable projects require intensive cross-department / country cooperation to succeed. Therefore, employees who are able to build bridges are getting more and more in demand. Building bridge isn’t easy to accomplish however, as increased cooperation in a big organization also means more distractions and more stress. Here are some tips on how to balance increased cooperation and What professional relationships get pri ..read more

Psychology originally focused on illnesses, diseases and disorders (the disease model). Although there were enough psychologists focusing on (positive) behavior, such as Skinner, Jung and Maslow, it wasn’t until 1998 that positive psychology became a separate field of study. Martin Seligman was the first who coined the term “Positive Psychology” and is one of the founders of this flow of research. Positive psychology has a wide range of applications by employers to retain talent and employee engagement. In this article I would like to discuss the applications of positive psychology that we ..read more

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