The words "I need" can be very harmful during salary negotiations, says workplace expert Lynn Taylor. Your end of the negotiations should be focused on getting the compensation you deserve for your contributions to the company, not getting a specific amount because you need it to pay your bills, Taylor says. Business Insider (10/26) How to be more productive in less time You can become more productive by using the first hour of every day on a specific, important task and not prioritizing your email inbox, says productivity adviser Laura Vanderkam. Make sure to schedule your free time in advance while using Friday afternoons to plan out your strategy for the next week. Business Insider (10/26)
Making the Connection
What to do when your network is too large If your network is so big you have a hard time keeping in touch with everyone, prioritize a smaller number of important relationships within the group, writes Caroline Ceniza-Levine. Set up an organized plan for maintaining relationships that focuses on immediate follow-ups with those you meet. Forbes (10/26)
The average premiums for midlevel Affordable Care Act health plans will increase by about 25% next year, but subsidies will be available to cushion the blow for consumers. "The odds are good you'll find plans more affordable than what the public debate about the ACA might lead you to expect," says Kathryn Martin, assistant secretary for planning and evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services. Bloomberg (10/24),The Washington Times (10/24)
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SmartBrief Originals
Original news, insights, analysis and best practices from SmartBrief.com
LinkedIn to offer training courses this week LinkedIn will offer thousands of free training courses this week to help its users gain new skills to help them get hired. The company says the courses will help professionals prepare for increases in open positions in early 2017. CIO.com (10/26)
Balancing Yourself
Technology makes it hard to turn yourself off Mobile devices have contributed to a culture where professionals feel they should always be available to work, writes Mercedes De Luca. This development has led to health problems and lower productivity while failing to improve the work quality of most professionals, De Luca writes. Entrepreneur online (10/25)
The Water Cooler
Are hexagonal clouds the secret of the Bermuda Triangle? Meteorologists have detected odd formations of hexagonal clouds above the Bermuda Triangle, a region in the north Atlantic where at least 75 aircraft and hundreds of boats have vanished. The phenomenon can lead to 170 mph winds and could be the reason so many craft have gone missing. BigThink.com (10/22),YouTube/SET (10/21)
