All
  • All
  • Products
  • Articles
  • Videos
  • Galleries
  • Conversations
  • Social

work life

Christmas Gifting Etiquette
Etiquette

Tips For Holiday Gifting — Awkward Situations and All

Giving and getting gifts can be a joyful occasion or an incredibly awkward one.
by

Giving and getting gifts can be a joyful occasion or an incredibly awkward one. Whether you hate a present but have to pretend to love it or you left someone off your list, you can handle almost any situation by remembering these tips — and what the holidays are all about.

  • Be honest: If someone gives you a present and you don't have one for them, you could always tell them you left it at home. But they'll probably be able to sense the truth, and if you didn't get them anything because you don't have the money or don't know them that well, there's nothing wrong with that. It might feel uncomfortable, but it's best to be as honest as possible. Say you really appreciate it and you're embarrassed you didn't have the time to get them something. Chances are, they'll understand.
  • Don't think of it as a competition: Should you feel awkward if you get someone a mug and she gives you a pricey pair of earrings? While that's not ideal, it's important to remember that gift giving isn't a competition and the point of the holidays is to show that you care. It's clichéd but true: it's the thought that counts.
  • Give a gift receipt: Whenever you can, always include a gift receipt. Even if it's your sister, you don't know if she'll like the shade of lipstick or if the sweater will fit her, so don't be offended if the person exchanges the gift for something else. The same goes both ways: don't feel bad about trading your gift in for something else that better suits your taste.
  • Think small: There are certain people we're not sure if we should buy something for or not — the new person you started dating? The friendly neighbor who recently moved in? Even if you just bring them some homemade treats, they'll be sure to appreciate your kindness. And for these situations, it's great to pick up a few extra small gifts while you're shopping; you never know when they will come in handy.
  • Write thank-yous: When everyone is giving and getting, it's normal to wonder whether it's appropriate to write thank-you notes or not. While a handwritten card is always a nice gesture, an email saying how much you love the gift is just as thoughtful and fitting.
Everyday Apps For the Working Girl
Geek tips

The Working Girl's Guide to Apps

Breathe — we found apps to help you keep up with your career-building Wonder Woman status.
by

Breathe — we found apps to help you keep up with your career-building Wonder Woman status. Balance everything from work, play, and monthly budgets with a few fast swipes of an app. Solutions for scouring a deal on the perfect blazer and saving time during your lunch break are right in your pocket, so pull out your smartphone and start downloading. Unfortunately, we haven't found an app to add more hours to the day, but these 10 apps should keep you going in the meantime.

Source: Instagram user mycharlievalentine

Dropbox Notability Starbucks Gilt Gmail Transportation My FitnessPal
View 10 Photos
Sheryl Sandberg Leaves Work at 5:30
Poll

Do You "Sneak" Out of Work to See Your Kids?

There isn't a specific date on the calendar, but sometime in the past two decades, the 9-to-5 workday disappeared, and the quantity of time spent in the office came to outweigh the quality of work completed.
by

There isn't a specific date on the calendar, but sometime in the past two decades, the 9-to-5 workday disappeared, and the quantity of time spent in the office came to outweigh the quality of work completed. For moms who work outside the home, the shift has been extremely difficult, reducing the number of families that eat dinner together and generally reducing the amount of time parents and kids spend together. The only option for some moms who hope to see their tots before bedtime is to sneak out of the office and then "prove" that they are still dedicated by sending emails throughout the night.

Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook's COO, has been an outspoken advocate for working mothers. In a recent interview for the PBS Makers series, the mother of two admitted that she leaves work at 5:30 every day in order to see her kids, but didn't talk about it for years. She said, "I walk out of this office every day at 5:30 so I’m home for dinner with my kids at 6, and interestingly, I’ve been doing that since I had kids. I did that when I was at Google, I did that here, and I would say it’s not until the last year, two years, that I’m brave enough to talk about it publicly. Now I certainly wouldn’t lie, but I wasn’t running around giving speeches on it." She also admitted that she feels like "there's no such thing as work-life balance. There's work, and there's life, and there's no balance."