SMART Living Archives

Thinking Of Going Solar? Read This

June 5, 2013
David S. Chang

Everywhere you go these days, you hear an advertisement about solar. By some estimates, there are more than 250 solar companies in Hawaii, with dozens more opening up per year! The average energy price on Oahu is about 35 cents per kilowatt/hour, and it’s much higher on the Neighbor Islands, with Kauai at almost 42 […]

June 5, 2013
David S. Chang

Bruce Kasanoff Every time you encounter another person, think: help this person. It’s not altruistic. Nothing else can so quickly supercharge your career and improve the quality of your life. When you walk into Starbucks for a coffee, think help this person about the barista who serves you. Instead of being frustrated that he isn’t moving fast enough, […]

June 5, 2013
David S. Chang

James DeMedeiros Looking for the secret to fitness success? Here’s 25 of the most valuable tips from our fitness professionals and experts. Are you tired of putting in the effort at the gym and not seeing results? Many people show the drive, determination, and consistent effort, but don’t reach their goals. If this sounds familiar, […]

June 4, 2013
David S. Chang

Marla Tabaka As the boss, you have to know it all and always be in the right. Wrong. Try these simple, yet powerful words to build trust and lead with integrity. We all make mistakes, say the wrong things, and misjudge a situation from time to time. But not everyone will admit their errors, especially […]

June 4, 2013
David S. Chang

Paul Spiegelman It’s noble to promote from within, but irresponsible if it’s without preparation. Here’s what you should do. I’m sure this is familiar. You have a great employee, who does strong work, and is ready for more responsibility. So you make him or her a supervisor, manager, or leader of others, and you’re happy […]

June 4, 2013
David S. Chang

Aimee Groth What’s the best predictor of success? IQ, talent, luck? Nope. It’s ‘grit,’ more than anything else. Through her research at the University of Pennsylvania — and firsthand experience teaching in New York City’s public schools —psychologist Angela Duckworth has found that the ability to withstand stress and move past failures to achieve a goal is […]

June 1, 2013
David S. Chang

By: Chad Brooks, BusinessNewsDaily Contributor While most of us would love a career we are passionate about, too many employees are stuck in jobs they don’t even like, let alone love. Finding a way to do what you love for a living benefits both you and your employer, but how do you turn your dream into a […]

May 30, 2013
David S. Chang

by Amy Jen Su and Muriel Maignan Wilkins If you want to empower, engage, or motivate others, don’t just focus on increasing your positive behaviors. Pay attention to what you need to stop doing as well. Why? Because people remember the bad more than the good. To quote from a previous HBR article, How to Play to Your Strengths, […]

May 30, 2013
David S. Chang

BY STEPHANIE VOZZA The timer that rings when your pizza is done can also help you become more productive at work. Francesco Cirillo was a student at Guido Carli International University, a business school in Rome, in the early 1990s when he discovered the impact of timing tasks. “I was easily distracted and unable to focus,” he says. […]

May 27, 2013
David S. Chang

History of Memorial Day and Memorial Day by the Numbers THE MUFFLED drum’s sad roll has beat The soldier’s last tattoo; No more on Life’s parade shall meet That brave and fallen few. On Fame’s eternal camping-ground 5 Their silent tents are spread, And Glory guards, with solemn round, The bivouac of the dead. – Theodore […]