work habits

From how fast you respond to email to being the office grump, your work habits affect how people see you. Here’s advice on mastering the right habits.

how to give constructive criticism at work

If you’re like a lot of people, having to tell someone their work isn’t good enough can feel awkward, even when the feedback is necessary and constructive — and even if you’re a manager whose job it is to have those conversations. But if you approach it in the right way, asking for changes to […]

Read the full article →

is it insensitive to be excited for snow at work?

A reader writes: I love winter weather and snow, always have. I live in a large city in the northern hemisphere, so it’s good I like winter since, you know, it’s a solid 4-5 months of my year. Due to global warming, though, our winter has been increasingly warmer and wetter, which drives up my […]

Read the full article →

I work from home and can’t focus

A reader writes: I graduated in 2018 and began a job where officially I’m a freelancer but in reality 99% of my work comes from one person. I record my hours and bill my client for them, and we have an unofficial agreement that I will make myself available to work X number of hours […]

Read the full article →

how much can I pet my cat on video calls?

A reader writes: I have a somewhat low-stakes question that has been puzzling me lately. I’m wondering where the line is for interactions between me and my cat on Zoom calls. What is professional and what is not? My team is informal, with no dress code, and we sometimes show off our cats on video […]

Read the full article →

managing mental health at work: a round-up

Here’s a round-up of posts about managing mental health at work. talking to your boss should you tell your boss if you’re struggling with mental health issues? should I disclose my depression to my boss? how to talk to your boss about mental health issues should I tell my boss I’m in therapy and on […]

Read the full article →

how to say no to things at work

Here’s a round-up of advice about how to say no at work. the basics how to say no to a work request can I flat-out refuse to do a project? how to say “that’s not my job” how to tell someone “this is your job, not mine” how to tell coworkers “you need to do […]

Read the full article →