Maintaining professional boundaries can be a very difficult task, particularly when working in a professional setting that is small and personal. How do you maintain your distance from people you spend 40+ hours per week with? The short answer is that you can't. You can think you do, but it is nearly impossible unless you literally don't speak all day. Conversation happens, even to the best of us. Night and weekend plans, personal stories and picture-swapping of children and significant others. Any given circumstance may seem isolated until you string them all together and realize, "Wow, these people know a lot about me." It isn't the end of the world. Maintaining professionalism isn't

Q: I have been at my current job for nearly a year. I love what I do, but I am still having trouble fitting in with my co-workers. I want to have friends here, but there is little time for talking, and then we all go home. How can I maintain my professionalism but make a friend or two? A: I believe in workplace friendships. I know the lines can blur between professional and personal, but life is personal. Wanting to make a few friends with the people you spend 40+ a week with isn't unusual or against the rules. I encourage to do the one or more of the following:   Get to work a few minutes early and see if you have a few minutes to make small talk with some of the others Ask if anyone

Q: I have one of those co-workers who always wants to know what is going on in my personal life. Every Monday he asks personal questions about what I did over the weekend, how my boyfriend is and even how my dog is doing. I don't want to be rude, but I am the kind of person who likes to keep my work life separate from my personal life. I know he is just trying to be nice, but frankly I don't want him knowing anything personal about me. How can I make that clear without coming across as unfriendly or just plain mean? A: Don't worry, you aren't the only one with this problem. I think we all have that co-worker who thinks that we are "BFFs" and wants to know all our secrets. You have every r

Let’s face it – it's finally getting chilly in Sacramento and being albino isn’t necessarily the best way to go about things. I don't care if you're a girl or a guy - when winter hits we’re all having to face that dry pasty look! If you want to take the more convenient, and certainly more affordable approach at keeping your skin bronze here’s a few tips to help you maintain a successful tan that doesn’t make you come out looking like you went and painted yourself in orange stripes. Hint number 1 – Make sure that you apply it in the bathroom – fake tan will stain carpet, sheets, and towels so it would probably be the best idea not to do it in your bedroom. Hint number 2 - In order for y