That is, a digital detox. Who’s with us?

With the July 4th holiday of course comes fireworks, barbecues and thoughts of independence. What better way to declare your independence than break free from the shackles that bind. And by shackles we mean technology.

Yes, we know mobile devices make life easier and oh-so-convenient but they also make it oh-so-possible to work when you’re at the beach, on vacation and in the mode to detach and ultimately recharge.

According to a piece on Entrepreneur, there are a few ways to deplug the next few days.

1. Practice mindfulness. Be aware of the constant distractions. Set aside time on your calendar for a distraction-free zone. No interruptions. You can thank us later.

1. Reset your internal cycle. The piece points out, “A detox allows you to impose a cycle upon your technology use — while it’s constantly available, you can isolate your interaction by cutting it off completely and setting a new schedule once you resume using it.”

3. Reflect on your goals. Be still and evaluate our goals and better yet, how you’re going to accomplish them. What actions are moving you in the direction of your dreams? What achievements have you already surpassed? Take time to celebrate them, too.

4. Change your schedule to change your lifestyle. A detox shouldn’t only be a one-time deal. Sure, you can implement it this weekend but why not make it portable for use down the road?

The piece mentions the detox is a way to boost your lifestyle. “People need to have periods of activity followed by a break when they unplug and reflect. Embrace your design: Stay in rhythm.”

If you’re in the position to run a weekly meeting (or any meeting), raise your hand! Now, keep it raised if you think the best time to hold it is 8 or 9 a.m. Well, according to a Fast Company piece, you may want to think again.

1. Different times of the day have different opportunity costs. Per a white paper, energy levels during the day peak at 8 a.m. Yes, you read that right! Go time. By late afternoon, people start dragging. So, if you have a meeting at 8 a.m., you’re erasing the opportunity for productivity. Read more

San Jose!

Glassdoor released their second annual employment satisfaction report card by comparing cities of overall employee satisfaction, number of employers hiring, business outlook expectations and more.

Results are based on local employee feedback from the past year and as per results, the Bay Area has taken the honors. San Francisco has taken the second spot. In fact, both areas are the homes for a few companies that won the Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Awards, too. Read more

Silently nod with us in agreement if you board a flight and slip on those earphones even though you may not even be spinning tunes on the other end. The goal? Of course, to block out chatty neighbors.

Well, when your boss is flying in the seat next to you on an international flight, the protocol is a bit more formal and professional. According to a piece in today’s New York Post, it’s important to follow your boss’ lead. Read more

If you’ve ever been stumped during a job interview or had an awkward moment of silence, you’re not alone.

So if you want to turn those lengthy moments into gems, the founders of Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre suggest relying on some basic improv techniques to boost your game.

On Friday we conducted exclusive interviews with two of the four founders, Ian Roberts and Matt Besser, at the annual UCB Del Close Marathon. Not surprisingly, the marathon’s press conference kicked off with a ton of energy and excitement and moments after it concluded, Roberts and Besser talked about thepower of “yes, and.” Read more

If you’re stressed out, raise your hand! Yes, we all get burned out at one point or another but when it comes to specific generations, Millennials experience burnout the most.

According to a new survey conducted by Monster Worldwide, Inc., 86 percent of Millennial respondents reveal some level of burnout in their current jobs. This is in comparison to 76 percent of more experienced workouts indicating burnout in their roles. Sidebar: Those numbers seem awfully high, don’t they? Are we working ourselves to the ground? That’s a whole other blog post but still, it makes you think… Read more

Although our beloved U.S. team lost today’s game to Germany, we’re advancing to another match on Tuesday. So if you were squirming today trying to squeeze in a glimpse here and there of the game, just wait until the Round of 16.

Thanks to the folks at TODAY, there are a few quick ways to catch the match without losing your day job.  Read more

Can you believe it’s almost July 4th weekend? We can’t believe it either! And in turn, that means the middle of the year is swiftly approaching.

As you reflect upon your goals and how you’re achieving them, there are three ways to rock out the next six months.

As pointed out in a piece by Amanda Augustine, TheLadders’ resident career expert, there a few key points to keep in mind… Read more

We had to read this twice, too. Here’s the deal — according to a study published in Social Currents from the Southern Sociological Society, job candidates who listed their religion on their resume are less likely to receive an email from an employer. We have to wonder why candidates are listing their religion on a resume in the first place? If we’ve done one public service announcement of the day, it’s to keep your religion off your CV. And political affiliation, too. And if the yoga photo is any proof, we couldn’t even decide what religion to include visually without offending someone else so we went with something neutral: The religion of yoga. Read more

As you know, oh faithful reader, we cover a variety of topics on MJD ranging from salary negotiations to dealing with an unruly boss to office etiquette. As such, we need to touch upon a not-so-pleasant topic today: the communal refrigerator.

According to “Ask Annette” on Salary.com, “The office refrigerator often becomes a free-for-all, a frontier, the domain of pioneers who will stop at nothing to stake their claim on the precious tundra inside.”

So, yes while some aspects of the communal frig can focus on keeping your coveted food and snacks for yourself as no one swipes them, another topic centers around food that grows stale. (Dare we say moldy? Ick.) Read more