With the new year fast approaching, it’s once again time for resolutions. Bear with me now and don’t get too discouraged, as I’m here to help make this a more enjoyable process into your 2008.

Remember last year when you swore up and down you were going to (insert resolution that was KO’d by laziness here) and quickly faded that into the sunset of forgotten promises? Well forget it now… all of it! Stand tall and proud, because this year you’ll realize what you set out to do and become a better person.

Instead of haphazardly making new year’s resolutions that you’ll have trouble keeping up with, make more attainable goals now. For instance, I’ve decided to increase my volunteering efforts to at least twice a month next year.

That’s a minimum of 24 sessions over the course of 12 months, coming out to once every two weeks. I know I can do it, I’ve already tailored my schedule for it, and have built up much excitement mentally. Also, this resolution allows for flexibility. If I cannot make it out to volunteering, there is a week between to make up for lost appointments.

If you’re having a bit of a mental roadblock and cannot drum up a resolution(s), here are 10 to choose from that will boost your career while making you all the more happier.

• 1 - Clean off the desktop area every Friday before leaving work.
• 2 - Re-adjust workspace to be ergonomic, once a month.
• 3 - Give a percentage of each paycheck to worthy charities
• 4 - Contribute a percentage of each paycheck to savings/investments
• 5 - Take a 5 minute walk break every work hour
• 6 - Arrive 15 minutes earlier each day
• 7 - Switch out half of your coffee drinks for cups of tea
• 8 - Drink at least 3 cups of water per day
• 9 - Bring lunch at least 3 days a week
• 10 - Take time to get to know co-workers better

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A warm hello to newcomers and subscribers. Returning from a productive break outside of the Internet, it’s ModWork’r riding back up over the horizon again. I’m excited to be celebrating this thing we all call self-improvement because 2008 is not too far off and it’s a perfect time to focus on better both our business and personal.

Tomorrow morning (Thursday) will see the first of many new articles which I’ve been authoring over the past couple weeks. I encourage you to jump into the growing conversations here on Modern-Worker.com by commenting with your thoughts, ideas and feedback.

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Here at Modern Worker headquarters, it’s been a busy past week! Ok, there’re no official HQs, however I have been focusing on some professional advancements. Not to fear though, as I have drafted some helpful posts which will begin to appear Monday, along with a new radio show episode. “Woot!”

Wishing you all the best in your work and personal life,

ModWork’r

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CBS is reporting that energy drinks jack up heart heart and blood pressure, due to caffeine levels found in Red Bulls, Rockstars, etc. I’m glad to the info is being published, and it really makes me wonder what misconceptions surround these mini jolts-in-a-can.

“In a small study, they found that drinking just two cans of a popular drink increased blood pressure and heart rate within four hours.” - CBS

I’d say that within four minutes I’ve felt an increase the amount of work my heart’s doing (followed by a crash, but I’ll get into that later). I’m not a regular Red Bull slammer, but I have dabbled with the occasional 8.3 ounce aluminum packages of taurine/caffeine combo enough to decide I was better off sticking to good ol’ herbal tea. Antioxidants along are reason enough to have one or two (or five) cups a day!

Take a page from the book of common sense, let’s quickly review several questions we should be asking when contemplating an “energy drink”. Sound good? Good.

• Do I really need a temporary boost in energy?
• Will the crash (end of sugar rush) affect me during work hours?
• Do the ingredients conflict with allergies/medications?
• What alternatives do I have available?
• Is the cost-to-productivity ratio justified?

Posing these questions before cracking open a brew of heart stimulator will lead you down a healthier path.

Additionally, here’s everything you need to know about a Red Bull. Rockstar drinks and such will vary, but this is a good reference for 8.3 oz energy beverages.

Ingredients:
Carbonated water, sucrose, glucose, sodium citrate, taurine, glucuronolactone, inositol, niacin, D-pantothenol, pyridoxine HCL, vitamin B12, natural and artificial flavors, colors, caffeine

Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 1 can; Amount per serving: Calories: 160; Total Fat: 0g; Sodium: 290mg; Protein: less than 1g; Total Carbohydrates: 40g; Sugars: 39g; Niacin: 140%; Vitamin B6: 360%; Vitamin B12: 120%; Pantothenic acid: 70%

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Occasional pressure is part of any job, but how you deal with it is what matters most. Coworkers have shared many stress-busting tips with me over the years and I feel it’s on me now to pass them along to you. I’m a mellow guy, so I rarely have to turn to these, but they’re good to have in the arsenal of tension diffusers.

- Have a cup of water. Water is the essence of life and staying hydrated will help in calming nerves.

- Read a chapter in a book. Or if you’re not much of a novel page-flipper, turn to a favorite magazine. Reading different material other than work, helps to introduce new thoughts.

- Draw a stick figure. Think back to how much fun you had as a child drawing to your heart’s content. Acting childish through sketches boost creativity.

- Close your eyes. It’s far easier to clear one’s mind when the visual sense is shut off.

- Listen to a song. Queue your favorite Tom Jones track and drift off momentarily to a land of the imaginary.

- Eat a piece of fruit. Our bodies need simple sugars to function well. Fruit has these and so much more. The power of naturally-occurring vitamins is uber beneficial.

- Write a note to a friend. On break, take 5 minutes to take out a pen paper. Don’t turn to e-mail; make sure this will get licked, stamped, and mailed.

- Go for a walk. Exercise increases blood flow and iron levels; both of which boost energy.

- Visit a new corner of your floor. Monotony is a leading cause of frustration. Touring the neighboring department will open your eyes to something new.

- Look through a window. A different view (with natural light) will relax the mind.

Now obviously, just one or a combination of these may not completely rid your system of stress. But, you can be sure that they will always lessen the amount of immediate pressure you might be feeling during the day.

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