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Business Advice from Surfers, Cartoons, and Nutritionists

Posted by Samara Parker
May 22nd, 2013

Good advice is great.

It informs, motivates, and generally helps us do things better. Monday's blog explored advice from the most fundamental source imaginable... Parents!

Typically advice from parents is about hygiene, savings, and not riding motorcycles. You know — annoying advice!

My parents are no exception, hence my sad lack of motorcycle skills. But they have both been working in HR for over 30 years, so they know a thing or two about recruiting. Which means they are an awesome, but unconventional, source of wisdom when it comes to all things HR. This almost makes up for the motorcycle. Almost!

Todays links are all about advice and lessons from places we wouldn't usually think to look. Like surfers.

Yup. Surfers. What, you ask, do surfers have to do with business? Well, other than motivating us to finish up early so we can hit the beach. Not much. Oh, except maybe how to put an end to procrastination, learn to except failure, and generally get more stuff done in a day. Okay, I take it back, that's a lot!

Next up: cartoons. I'll admit it, I've learned quite a bit from cartoons over the years. How to fight crime, look good in tights, and the importance of masks... But for most normal humans they are not a staple source of advice. These HR-themed cartoons presented by the Harvard Business blog may change your mind. They are a great little reminder of stuff we already know, but tend to forget. I'm especially fond of the first one, which reminds us not to get carried away by fancy titles and qualifications when recruiting. What matters is finding the right candidate for the position. It is also hilarious!

One of the biggest hurdles we face when it comes to getting our jobs done is energy. No employer wants to be so tired that they forget to post new job openings on their Facebook Career Page, forget a candidate's name, or worse, fall asleep mid-interview! Embarrassing. If this sounds too familiar, then maybe it's time to seek the advice of a nutritionist. According to Inc. Magazine, the food we eat can make us more productive and energetic. Here's a list of foods you should snack on to boost productivity. All of them look super tasty too, except maybe flax seeds... but hey, chocolate made number seven!

This last link is my favorite. Yes, it even beat out the article advising higher consumption of dark chocolate (though I am currently munching on cacao nibs!) This blog post is about how you can learn to be successful on the internet by watching Family Guy. You heard me, Family Guy! Even better, it recommends taking a cue from an episode of Family Guy referencing Star Wars. Nerd-heaven.

So there you have it. Go surfing, read the funny pages, eat more chocolate, and watch Family Guy. Not only will your life be more awesome, but you'll up your productivity and garner internet success!