BOOKS

‘AUTHENTIC’ ASSISTANCE TO THOSE CAUGHT UP IN RAT RACE

Is your life a nonstop rat race of fatigue, family, work, and pressure? If so, a new book contends the problem could be a matter of having lost sight of your personal values, doing a job merely for the money, or pursuing unfulfilling goals when you really ought to be asking yourself what you consider important. “All you have to do is decide to get back in touch with what you truly care about, with what matters, what makes your life more authentic,” write consultants George and Sedena Cappanelli in “Authenticity: Simple Strategies for Greater Meaning and Purpose at Work and at Home.” Authenticity comes from honestly answering what you assess your life against. Is money the measure? The Cappanellis suggest asking and answering a few questions truthfully.

* Has my work become boring and filled with daily habits I do without real mental engagement?

* Is my job more about financial security than it is learning and enjoyment?

* Is my work more about achieving recognition and status than in adding genuine value?

* Do I really get what I want and need from personal relationships?

* Am I faithful to that inner voice and my gut instincts? Do I ever even listen to myself think?

* Do my daily activities improve the quality of my life?

– Associated Press

WOMEN SHOULD NOT FEAR VACATION TIME, AUTHOR SAYS

It’s a new year and many workers are staring at a delicious new slice of vacation time. But will they have (or make) time to use it this year? For women in the corporate world, using vacation time can be an even dicier proposition than it is for men. Many women are worried about keeping pace, moving up, battling gender barriers, and balancing vacation time with days they must already take off to care for children and families. It needn’t always be thus, argues Mary Lou Quinlan, a former advertising executive. Ms. Quinlan wrote “Time Off for Good Behavior: How Hardworking Women Can Take a Break and Change Their Lives,” which is being released this month. The book, which tells of Ms. Quinlan’s decision to take a five-week break from her job, also covers the experiences of 37 other women professionals who decided their working lives required a break. “When you’re working really hard, it’s not easy to see just how stressed you are,” she writes.

– Associated Press

TIPS ON SHAKING HANDS PROPERLY

Handshakes are a daily rite in the world of commerce, a gesture done most often without thought. But you might want to give this protocol a bit of mulling if you are a businessperson who often encounters new clients, employees, supervisors, and the like. A handshake tells many people many different aspects about you, according to “The Power of Handshaking” by Robert Brown and Dorothea Johnson. A few tips from the book, which details a dozen different sorts of handshakes:

* Offer a dry hand. Clammy hands convey nerves or tension (or a hangover) and can quickly offer someone a negative view.

* Engage the full hand. Touch palms, firmly but not to a crushing degree.

* Pause. This is “the key ingredient of a successful handshake,” Mr. Brown and Ms. Johnson write. Focus on this moment, and be the last party to end the shake. After your meeting, analyze the handshake. You most likely drew a number of impressions about the person, and your unconscious drew even more. You are likely to know far more about this person than you would have believed.

– Associated Press

SALARY TRENDS

SURVEY: WORKERS PREFER TIME OFF OVER PAY

The workplace contest between time and money has raged for years. An employee survey suggests money may be starting to lose that battle. Nearly 40% of 4,600 full-time workers said they would choose more time off work than a $5,000 annual pay hike. That was an almost 20% jump from three years ago when Salary.com asked the same question, and represented a significant shift in employee thinking. “Workers are saying they need a break from the stresses caused by increasing hours, reduced staff, and the push for more productivity,” said Timothy Driver, a senior vice president at the Needham, Mass.-based software company. “It’s also possible that following several years of layoffs and cost-cutting, an increasing number of workers are less inclined to believe that placing work above personal concerns will pay off in career advancement and pay.”

– Associated Press