Some people say they're more productive when working around other people, while others say they get far more done when they're alone. I can see the merits in both arguments when I assess how I work best. When I see others working hard, it motivates me to do the same. On days that precede holiday weekends (like today), where many people tend to be out of the office, I often find myself struggling to muster the energy and interest to check things off my to-do list. With no supervisor around to watch over my shoulder, it's all too tempting to watch a YouTube video or check out what's on sale on Amazon and other sites. On the flip side, if there is too much commotion in the immediate environment -- people constantly chatting and interrupting me -- it becomes very difficult to complete tasks. I need some quietness in order to think; otherwise, I end up doing things like reading the same sentence multiple times, thereby reducing my productivity a great deal. Thus, t...

Ever heard the expression, " Familiarity breeds contempt "? I think it perfectly encapsulates how many of us feel when forced to be around the same people each and every day. Don't get me wrong. There are still some kind, generous people out there whom we'd have no problem seeing daily if we had to. Those of us who work full-time, though, have to spend an awful lot of hours -- 40 or more -- in the presence of people we may not particularly like, from high-strung bosses to drama queens and attention hounds. The main reason why people leave their jobs is because they don't see eye to eye with someone in their company, usually their supervisor. As we well know, people in the workplace can be quiet vicious. Some will stab you in the back just to get ahead. Others will ask you personal things they have no business knowing, as I emphasized in my post yesterday -- ANNOYING: The nosiest questions people can ask . Still others might just be so different than you -- w...