motivation

Sara Blakely had just been rushed to the hospital. She was scheduled for an emergency appendectomy when a nurse glanced at her chart and suddenly lifted her uniform, brazenly revealing her undergarments. This unexpected peep show didn’t faze Blakely a bit (nor did the surgery, by the way). In fact, she was used to it. “People flash me all the time,” she says nonchalantly. “It’s hysterical.” Blakely , 52, is the founder and executive chairwoman of Spanx , the Atlanta-based shapewear company that rocketed to fame after Oprah Winfrey included it on her “Oprah’s Favorite Things” list in 2000. Spanx’s line of slimming, toning and other garments is expansive, including jeans, leggings, dresses and even swimwear, alongside a line of products for men and the shapewear the company is known for. And her loyal customers apparently just can’t help but show off to Blakely that they’re wearing her products whenever and wherever they see her. She’s been flashed at concerts, cocktail parties and ev...

Perfectionists are often great procrastinators. Having stalled until the last minutes, they tear into a project with dust flying and complaints about insufficient time. Perfectionist-procrastinators are masters of the excuse that short notice kept them from doing the quality job they could have done. But that’s hardly the only variety of procrastination. Mine comes with a gnawing feeling of being fatigued, always behind. I try to tell myself that I’m taking it easy and gathering my energies for a big new push, but procrastination differs markedly from genuine relaxation— which is truly needed . And it saves me no time or energy. On the contrary, it drains both, leaving me with self-doubt on top of self-delusion. We’re all busy. Every day we seem to have a giant to-do list of people to see, projects to complete, emails to write . We have calls to answer and calls to make.  By the Inch Life’s a Cinch, by the Yard It’s Hard People usually procrastinate because of fear and lack...

What comes to mind when you see the words “spring break”? Perhaps it’s being enveloped by beachfront breezes, luxuriating in ocean views and feelings of stress melting away with each sip of your brightly colored drink. Rather than mitigating the stress of working parents, however, a week-long school holiday can potentially multiply it , adding to the frenetic pace of life that comes with juggling a career while raising a family. Spring break tips for parents Here are a few tips to successfully navigate spring break as a working parent, as well as how to better address the overall balancing act . Have a plan—and make it in advance Unlike an up-all-night sick child who requires day-of scrambling to readjust schedules, you’ll know at the start of the school year the date of your child’s spring break. Then you can determine if you’d like to: Plan a family vacation during that time (giving your workplace plenty of advance notice) Make alternate childcare arrangements for young chil...

Hey, brain researchers—yeah, you with the lab coats and electrodes. Where are all the studies on how walks benefit relationships? On why taking a stroll together is as great for romance, family ties and friendship as it is for muscles and Reebok sales? My web sleuthing has turned up no such studies. Well, no biggie. Over the years, I’ve developed plenty of my own theories on what makes walking the best thing for human bonding since the smile : 1. Walks benefit relationships by showing you care. Going to dinner with someone could just mean you’re hungry. A movie? Maybe you’ve got a crush on Angelina Jolie. But inviting a friend or loved one for a walk shows you really want to spend time with that person. I’ll never forget how, one day in the mid-1980s, my pal Bill offered to walk with me clear across our New Jersey college town so I could buy yarn. He had zero interest in yarn—which is how I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he was interested in me. (Yes, he’s the Bill I’m now ...

Technology makes it possible to work and run a business from anywhere—and millions of U.S. workers have packed up their cubicles and headed home to do just that . Although they bade a not-so-fond farewell to challenges such as commuting, meetings and rigid hours, the solo situation isn’t 100% rosy: It’s easy to fall into time-wasting traps that deplete energy and sabotage productivity. In Buffer’s “ 2022 State Of Remote Work ” report, 21% of participants reported “difficulty focusing” as one of their struggles with remote work. So, what can you do to stay focused while working form home? How to stay focused while working from home We asked working-from-home experts and entrepreneurs to discuss common problems and solutions. Set boundaries with friends and family. Lisa Kanarek , a Dallas-based home office guru, freelance writer and author, says many entrepreneurs who use home as their headquarters share this thorny situation: Friends and family don’t take your business seriously. ...