Being that my quasi-new magazine crush-du-jour is Entrepreneur, I happened to be eye strolling through some posts online, when I came across a feel-good, albeit spot-on post by David Javitch about the right way to motivate employees.

One of the key points relevant for workerbiatches: If you are a manager or employer, don’t assume that just because you have a smart employee that is highly self-motivated and is comfortable assuming more autonomous roles, you don’t need to be involved in nurturing and supporting that individual.

Javitch gives 10 tips to motivate (and since I can’t think of a way to better paraphrase his tips, I’m going to re-post them here):

1. Praise the employee for a job well done–or even partially well done. (From an employee perspective, praise is always something we can afford to hear more of. It’s also especially important that this praise and thanks come from different stakeholders directly involved in your work and impacted by it and not just the boss.)
2. If an employee is bored, involve that individual in a discussion about ways to create a more satisfying career path, including promotions based on concrete outcomes. (Eh, workerbiatch works too hard to condone this one. In fact, I like it so little I’m going to strike it out.)
3. State your clear expectations for task accomplishment. (Paraphrase and/or regurgitate your manager or have them clearly state back to you what you just said often. Ask questions if you’re not entirely comfortable with direct route or follow via email with a, “This is what I understand the task-at-hand to be…” You’d be surprised how often miscommunications happen and can be the culprit for future tension.)
4. Ensure that the job description involves a variety of tasks.
5. Ensure that the employee sees that what she’s doing impacts the whole process or task that others will also be part of. (I’d also add that once said employee is at a certain level and assuming more responsibility, he/she should be owning more pieces.)
6. Make sure that the employee feels that what he/she is doing is meaningful.
7. Provide feedback along the way, pointing out both positive and negative aspects.
8. Allow for an appropriate amount of autonomy for the employee based on previous and anticipated accomplishment. (This is especially apropos with regards to Millenials.)
9. Increase the depth and breadth of what the employee is currently doing.
10. Provide the employee with adequate opportunity to succeed.

As an aside, I feel pretty grateful to have a work environment at present that pretty much hits the mark on all of the motivational points Javitch addressed. Having worked in a lot of different environments, I realize, like true love, it’s a pretty rare thing and  requires the same level of care and effort to sustain it and keep it healthy.
Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/humanresources/employeemanagementcolumnistdavidjavitch/article202352.html#ixzz0JeYt4RKC&C

A few years ago a pop cult book came out that made a splash. It was aptly titled, “He’s Just Not That Into You.” The basic premise of the book was a wake-up call for women who make excuses for why dudes don’t like them and waste a lot of time analyzing what may or may not be. Well, that idea was so popular (even if the concept was not so novel) it was blown out into a movie slated for release in 2009 starring none other than everyone’s favorite single gal pal,  Jennifer Aniston.

I have a friend and we spend time here and there IMing swapping dating stories and job hunting tales. She always tells me, “You need a job.” To which I reply, “You need a decent date!” What I don’t always tell her and what I’ve begun to suspect is that it might easier to find a lead on a job than it is to go out on a promising date in NYC. And that’s a scary prospect, especially given our dreary economy.

But there are common sense signals in the way of indicators that are pretty universal when it comes to both the job market and dating world. I short, I get it when my friend says, “Hmmm…maybe that means they’re just not interested?” in reference to an unfortuitous sign from a prospective employer I’ve interviewed with.

So here are a few themes I’ve picked up on in my job hunt that usually indicate they’re just [really] not that into you:

• Parting Doesn’t Need To Be Sweet Sorrow: Whether you’ve finished an initial phone screen or made it on to the final in-person interview with the hiring manager, at the end of the interview, the person on the other end should give you some verbal cue as to what the next steps are (i.e., “we’ll be in touch to set up another interview with X”). The more straight-shooter they are with you, the better the sign. If someone just leaves you with a non-committal, “Thanks for your time” without expression of next steps, move on. And if you’re still not sure, ask them about their timetable and see if it elicits any sort of statement regarding your standing.
• I Had You At Hello: It’s a fallacy to think that you’ll go into an interview situation and fall in love instantaneously with the people there. You may love the idea of the job, but more often than not when you visit a place for the first time, both you and your interviewer have on a protective layer of distance since you’re still feeling each other out and deciding if it’s a good fit. Proceed with caution, but don’t take it personally if you’re not sensing “warm, touchy-feely” vibes the first time out. That doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t want you to come back.
• The 48-Hour Rule: Generally, in my experience, when an employer wants a follow-up with you, they get back to you within 48 hours after last contact. Translation: Don’t sit around for weeks pining over one job when they haven’t gotten back to you and run the risk of missing out on other golden opportunities. If you’re still not convinced that they aren’t over you and need more proof, send a follow-up email and see where that gets you. Lick that wound. Bandage it up and don’t throw any pity parties. You have better places to be and be seen.
• Don’t Waste Your Time On The Could Have Beens: Whether it’s a job interview or going out on a date, you’re presenting the best you. Even if you feel like you want a second chance or could have done better, if it’s the right fit the pieces will come together so don’t sweat it too, too much. As I learned watching Jim Carrey on “Oprah” yesterday, there’s an abundance of all things in the universe. That blanket statement carries over to good men and great jobs.

Bubbles are better than boxes.

I’m a creature of habit. What this means is I usually opt for convenience and routine over bouts of spontaneity, but yesterday the stingy pragmatist in me rose up from the ranks and decided to have her say.

As luck would have it, the planets were aligned because just as the cheaper-than-yo mama in me emerged so did the fearless, driven risk-taker. The result? A rather extensive art project.

Ok, so perhaps “extensive” is an exaggeration of sorts. For months, I’ve been meaning to frame two of my brother-in-law’s paintings. It’s a task that’s been haunting and nagging on me to the point that one of the paintings has been rolled up a tube in the trunk of my car for at least 6 months now. My obstinance is blinding at times. And did I mention counter-productive?

So with my two paintings, one rolled up to the point of no hope of ever reclaiming its straightness, I walked into the custom framing shop, with every intention of just picking out a suitable frame, dropping off the paintings and getting back to some of my “pro-bono” writing assignments. They are pro-bono in much the same way, I’m “between gigs” at the moment…

Only when the lady behind the counter started estimating the cost of the paintings if the store framed it versus me framing it in the shop myself and telling me how easy it was to frame it myself, I got to thinking that maybe I might try my hand at it.

Sure, I’d never framed a painting before, but I’d put a photograph in a pre-assembled frame so how much harder could this be? Also, despite all my protests and all the way I tried to talk myself out of it, I didn’t have anywhere I really needed to be.

So off I went to make art. Thankfully one of the dudes who worked there guided me through my first painting. I was also working with metal and I was told metal was “idiot-proof,” but the litmus test (according to the store’s owner) for my imminent success as a framer was whether or not I could chew gum and walk at the same time. Or so he said. Since I could chew gum and talk at the same time, I figured I was adept enough at multi-tasking to take this on. So naturally, I turned to the owner and replied in my ever so confident tone, “Is it really idiot-proof?”

I knew the helpful dude was only a shout away if I needed assistance on the second painting. Only I didn’t. I mean I did here and there. And while I futzed around a bit cause I don’t always retain info as well as I’d like the first time around, and I sweated in the hot studio, when I was done with the second painting I felt like I’d actually done good work and was filled with pride.

It wasn’t so much that now I had two beautifully framed paintings. It was because I’d put myself in an unfamiliar situation where I inevitably set myself up to fail at something, only to succeed in spite of all my angst and concerns.

When I left the shop, the store’s owner turned to me carrying the two paintings and attempting to open the door and chew gum and walk at the same time and said, “You sure you can carry the paintings and open the door and chew gum at the same time?” And I smiled back ruefully replying, “Sure can, sir.”

When I got home I was able to harness this fearless energy into creating what I consider pretty damn spanking good copy. All because I opted for a diversion in my day and sought out the road less taken (at least by me, that is). And maybe, just maybe the next time I’m ready to jump the gun and say, “No, I can’t” to something different maybe I’ll think twice.

Maybe I’m not so helphopeless after all.

Working from home isn’t always as ideal as people would like to think. At the end of the day, you have a job to do just like your friends who work in an office, only you have the added obstacle of every possible distraction to keep you from getting anything done.

It’s self-defeating really. You try and prevent yourself from spending all day looking at random shit online, figdeting with productivity tools till you’re practically joining a MySpace group of anarchists, and just when you think you’re about to do something remotely productive, you turn your head to planning dinner - tuna orzo salad (hot, not chilled).

I’ve been asking myself in the past few days why I can’t seem to stay motivated. It’s a recent affliction and one that I’m having trouble shaking. As a writer, I’m accustomed to the natural ebbing and flowing of the writing process and I’ve learned to adapt to my flow, which isn’t always aligned to Zen philosophy.

In other words, I don’t wait for sheer creative euphoria to hit. I’m too impatient. Besides, I can’t afford to just sit around and ponder things. I have deadlines, not awakenings. In fact, I’m pretty sure that if I don’t produce good content on a fairly regular basis, I might have way too much time for meditation which contrary to the vapid rantings of celebrities kinda rates up there with Madonna’s brand of Kabbalah in terms of usefulness for me.

So how does the average person working from home in a profession that requires solo work keep on track? Apart from the occasional assistance of chemical stimuli such as caffeine? Or the pick-me-up from the quantity of sugar found in 10 Skittles? I’ve found there are actual proven tricks I can play on my brain to will me into working and convince myself that it can be fun. Keep in mind these are all very frugal solutions.

Read about these mind/time-savers after the jump.

1. Walk around naked (if you are alone) – Ok, this one isn’t so literal, but it’s meant to put things in perspective. Choosing a random, free-spirited activity to get you out of your head and out of the context of your work while still being home will help you disassociate yourself a bit from the task-at-hand. This in turn will help diffuse some of your brain’s clutter and make you feel more relaxed. Whether it’s singing, dancing, playing the piano, or doing jumping jacks, make time to get out of your skin once in a while. Do this a few times in the course of your day.
2. Change rooms – I know this sounds crazy, but I play musical rooms throughout the course of a day. I take my laptop from the living room to the guest room to my bedroom and work for several hours in each place. The change in scenery, light, and temperature has a big impact on my energy levels. Each time I move to a new room I feel reinvigorated.
3. Beware the gifted gabber – Sometimes I get fantastic ideas and derive inspiration from chatting with friends online that I can later use to craft my own story ideas. I think chatting online is an effective communication tool for collaboration, keeping people up-to-date on trends and news, and sharing ideas, but I also think it’s a slippery slope that gives way to sloth-like behavior. It’s an easy trap as we’re all social creatures, but don’t suck more than an hour total of your day into chatting, unless it’s directly related to your work. (i.e., interview feature conducted over IM)
4. A foolish consistency will save you – Keeping disciplined is hard, but it’s not impossible. The best way to counteract the distractions is to keep some sort of schedule. For me, I wake up when my husband leaves for work (anywhere between 8:15 and 8:45AM). I have a daily routine of making myself coffee, eating breakfast, and going online to check out my feeds. I’m not really a morning person in terms of being productive and I no longer berate myself for my lack of strong work ethic in the AM hours. I work around my handicap (if you can call this one). I do other things like researching online and getting informed about the day’s stories and events, jotting down ideas for future articles, and sometimes leaving my apt to actually work out or make my morning coffee run. By the time I eat lunch, I’m ready to sit down and do some serious work -until “Days of Our Lives” starts anyways.