Based on the feedback we receive from those attending our time management (The “I Hate Time Management” Program) and stress management (Stress: The Ultimate Paradox) seminars, it’s quite evident that the majority of us appear to have less and less spare time to focus on newspapers, magazines, and television/radio newscasts to catch up on the latest business news. Internet surfing is even more time consuming.

To address that growing concern, we’d like to occasionally offer you a “big picture” update on recent business tidbits. Nothing in depth; just a quick overview to keep you “in the know.” For instance:

• Researchers at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center recently announced that hangovers cost our U.S. economy about $148 billion annually in worker absenteeism and poor job performance.
• Forbes Magazine has released the names of this year’s billionaires from
  around the world. For the 13th straight year, Bill Gates, Microsoft founder, holds the number one spot with $56 billion! Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page are in a three-way tie at 26th with Wal-Mart heir Alice Walton at $16.6 billion. Both men are just 34 years of age!
• Michigan-based furniture-maker La-Z-Boy, Inc. is apparently restructuring
  as they cut 500 of their 11,300 employees, close several plants across the nation, and consolidate several others. This strategy will apparently save them $11 million annually.
• Do you get mad when you see a FedEx or UPS truck blocking traffic by parking right in the middle of the street as they deliver packages to local stores? If so, this should make you feel a little better. In New York City, an average of 7,000 parking tickets a day are issued to commercial delivery services. Last year, these delivery companies paid more than $102 million in fines to the city!
• If you’ve got an ego and a few extra bucks, you can contact Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, and they will actually create a wax replica for you! You don’t have to be a star. They’ll do it for anyone. By the way, the few extra bucks must add up to $270,000!

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management.  For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.