The Small Blog

Fri, June 18, 2010 - 9:17:05

The Power of the Handwritten Note Goes Digital (Yes, you read that right.)

In our book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference, we write how the simple act of sending a handwritten note can help you set yourself apart.  And now, a fun new website by the people at Pilot has brought the power of the handwritten note to the digital realm.  On their new website visitors can create personalized fonts from their very own handwriting, and then use it to “write” emails and post Facebook status updates.

While it probably won’t change the way most people go about their daily online communications, it underscores the unexpected effect one little handwritten note can have.  In a world where Times New Roman has become the norm, your own writing can be a real attention-getter… even if you didn’t score an “A+” in penmanship.

Posted by Linda and Robin
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Fri, June 11, 2010 - 9:51:42

Smartphones Affect Kids in Unexpected Ways, but Small Talk Can Help

With this week’s unveiling of Apple’s hotly anticipated iPhone 4G, many people are thinking about smartphones more than ever. But, a new finding published in The New York Times this week questions whether the same productivity devices that help people stay connected at work are causing a disconnect at home. 

Sherry Turkle, director of M.I.T.’s Initiative on Technology and Self tells the New York Times that in her five-year study of 300 children and their parents, she noticed a remarkably similar set of responses. Kids whose parents were constantly glued to their smartphones felt hurt, ignored, and resentful.

Posted by Linda and Robin
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Thu, June 10, 2010 - 3:54:44

What World Cup Soccer Can Teach You about Business

Tomorrow, soccer fans and teams from all over the world will gather in South Africa to kick off the FIFA World Cup.  Despite the common belief that Americans just don’t like soccer, the Wall Street Journal reports that other than South Africans, Americans have been purchasing more tickets to the event than anyone from any other nation. This news piqued our own interest—and it got us thinking about what business people could learn from the world’s most popular sport.

Posted by Linda and Robin
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Sun, June 06, 2010 - 10:30:40

California Legslators Mandate B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Bag)

Wednesday, in a big win for the green movement, lawmakers in California passed legislation banning the use of disposable plastic bags in pharmacies, supermarkets, convenience stores, and other retail establishments, in hopes that encouraging the use of “B.Y.O.B.” reusable bags would make a significant difference in the health of the environment.  It made us wonder how many of those little bags each of use every day without even noticing it—and what we found out was astounding.

According to PlanetGreen.com, every five seconds, 60 thousand plastic bags are used in the United States alone.  Over the course of a year, those little plastic bags add up to more than 500 billion worldwide—with some environmentalists estimating numbers as high as 1 trillion.  In other words, something as seemingly insignificant as a plastic bag can have a huge—and lasting—impact.  And by making one nearly effortless change, each of us can harness the power of small to change the world.

Posted by Linda and Robin
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Sat, June 05, 2010 - 10:26:01

The Power of the Three-Day Weekend

It’s hard to believe, but summer is here and for some people that means family vacations, weekends at the beach, and fun in the sun with friends.  But if you’re like the 60 percent of Americans who can’t get away for a lengthy summer vacation, you can still experience the emotional benefit of a big trip even if you only have one Friday to spare. 

According to research published by Applied Research in Quality of Life earlier this year, the simple act of planning a vacation has a profound impact on personal happiness—and the best part is, the length of the vacation has no bearing on the positive effects planning and anticipation cause.  In the study conducted by scientists at Breda University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, planning a vacation was even more effective at boosting mood levels than going on a very relaxing extended holiday.  While a vacation described as “very relaxing” had positive effects lasting two weeks, those enjoyed by vacation planners lasted four times as long.

Posted by Linda and Robin
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