All I Ever Needed to Know…

I learned in Kindergarten.

I always loved that little ditty. You know what I’m talking about, the poster hanging up in elementary schools across the nation, boasting about how Kindergarten is the hotness. When you think about it though, it is kind of true. I mean, aside from your parents, Kindergarten is where you learn the basics of life…how to hold scissors and cross the monkey bars…how to meet new friends and color inside the lines.

And I don’t know about you but the monkey bar lesson has come in pretty handy in my world. I shudder to think where I’d be without it.

So I’d thought I’d break down some of the most fundamental Kindergarten lessons and see how they apply to Gen Y’s current state of affairs. Break out your giant, bright red number two pencils and listen up.

Play fair. I’m going to go with old faithful on this one, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” (Oh Rev Run is wise beyond his years.) Whether you’re a member of a large sales group or spend every waking hour chained to a cubicle solo, teamwork is involved in your career. No one can do it alone, so in order to stay focused and advance at work you have to be able to play fair. Know your strengths and weaknesses so you can pick up someone else’s slack and pass off more difficult tasks to balance out the load. Be open to others’ ideas and really listen, don’t just hear what someone is saying. It’s the little things that will make your workday easier for you and your team.

Say sorry when you hurt somebody. Being that I’m turning into my mother more and more every day, I’ve realized that I’m a pretty empathetic person. I’m on the same page as Oprah when it comes to sympathizing with my fellow man. I genuinely feel for others regardless of my involvement in the situation, so I’ve never had any problems following this golden rule. But that’s not always the case for our generation. A lot of Millennials find it hard to own up to mistakes or to apologize for something they did. Instead they justify and rationalize any action or consequence to avoid the confrontation. However sometimes it’s better to just be honest and put it out there. No one is going to consider you weak if you apologize. It takes a much bigger person to own their actions and truly repent when stepping out of line.

Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Enough said.

Live a balanced life. This one is perhaps the toughest. It’s insanely hard to reach the perfect balance between your professional self and your social self. It’s different for everyone because everybody has a different schedule, or a different idea of happiness. Regardless, you shouldn’t put all of your eggs into one basket. Keep your life diversified and don’t fall into a routine. At least try not to fall into a routine that doesn’t involve margaritas.

-Marilyn