Some Software to Keep You Focused

Top whoppers workers use on why they're, er, 'running behind'

(NEWSER) - Not a morning person? You’re not alone. More than 15 percent of people are late to work at least once a week, reports CNN, and almost a quarter of those give an excuse rather than tell the truth. The best (and, at the same time, worst) excuses offered up as real excuses: I’m late because… More»

Arizona municipality tries to put brakes on spread of swine flu

(NEWSER) - In a desperate attempt to curb the spread of swine flu, Pima County, Ariz., has notified its employees that they could be canned if they come to work sick. Any employee with a fever over 100.4 accompanied by any other flu symptom will be sent packing. “It seems like we are being a bit draconian,” allowed a county official, but “we want people to feel free to call in sick.” The local government is urging private individuals and businesses to adopt similar policies. More»

Chronic distraction —a self-inflicted malady—may seem comic, but it's deadly

(NEWSER) - We all complain about the myriad distractions in the wired world, but Bryan Appleyard goes further in the Guardian: Distraction is not just annoying, it can kill you, and will be the downfall of democracy. “Chronic, long-term distraction” may be as deadly as smoking, and the habits of the contemporary, Googled-in human, “scanning and skimming, not pausing to think,” is killing the whole idea of an informed citizen. More»

One in five of us go out for drinks after work with co-workers; it's not all good

(NEWSER) - Is it happy hour yet? About 20% of Americans regularly go out for drinks with colleagues after work, says a survey from careerbuilder.com. Reuters runs down the highlights:

• Most go out just to be social, but about 30% say they do so to gossip or only because they feel obligated.
• Only 4% dared admit to breaking out in karaoke with co-workers.
• 5% said they shared company secrets while under the influence.

Email, IMs keep employees available and distracted

(NEWSER) - Google, Microsoft, Intel, and IBM are partnering are on a new initiative to help workers distracted by emails and instant messages improve their productivity, the New York Times reports. The Information Overload Research Group, a nonprofit launching next month, will devise cultural and technological solutions to reduce the digital deluge that’s costing firms $650 billion a year in productivity. More»