Your co-workers are your family away from home. Working 8am to 5pm five days a week means you spend upwards of 45 hours per week together. You can suffer through, or you can do your best to enjoy each other’s company.

Here’s some advice for getting along with someone who isn’t easy to work with:

• Always maintain your professionalism. Treat every task, team project, presentation and meeting as though you’re being evaluated, and be prepared to carry your weight. Don’t give a troublesome co-worker a reason to place blame on you for a failing project.
• Avoid workplace gossip. Spreading rumors makes you look immature and petty. Telling other co-workers about your dislike of a member of your team can – and usually does – end up hurting people’s feelings and creating more workplace drama. If you must discuss your frustration, find a trusted friend or colleague outside of work and brainstorm ways to address the situation.
• Approach the person who is causing the problem and have a private discussion. Explain how their actions are impacting you. Be pleasant and agreeable as you talk with your co-worker. They may not be aware of the impact they have on your work environment. 

Unfortunately, some people just won’t care, but try to come to an agreement about positive and professional actions and move forward.

A recent University of South Florida study has shown that coffee may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease…as long as it’s the caffeinated kind.

The study showed that levels of the hormone Granulocyte colony stimulating factor are increased in individuals who drank caffeinated coffee. Higher levels of this hormone are linked with a more rapid production of new neurons, and the connection of existing neurons in the brain.
 
To get the most benefit, Gary Arendash, Ph.D., professor at the Florida Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, recommends drinking about four cups of coffee per day, but before 4pm so the caffeine doesn’t negatively affect your sleep patterns.

Are you a decaf drinker? If so, would you consider switching to get the Alzheimer’s-fighting benefits of caffeine?

If you’re one of the approximately 50 million Americans who works in a cubicle, you know the advantages - relative privacy and a customizable environment - and the disadvantages, such as frequent interruptions and a distracting noise level.

To help make your cubicle life more productive and pleasant, try these tips:

• Focus – Have a to-do list posted somewhere in sight so that if you do get distracted, you can easily glance at your checklist and find your way back to being productive.
• Design – Create a personalized space with artwork, photos, desk orientation, etc. where you'll feel happy and comfortable while working.
• Respect – Stay off the speaker phone, refrain from playing loud music, and avoid hosting meetings inside your cubicle to keep your nearby co-workers happy.
• Clean – Dust, tidy and vacuum your cubicle space regularly to keep things organized, neat and functional.

It can be pretty intimidating to confront your supervisor about a mistake he or she has made, but the consequences of staying silent could be worse. When you know you are right about a matter that's important to business, it’s best to be honest and speak up.

Kerry Patterson, co-author of The New York Times best-seller Crucial Conversations  and co-founder of VitalSmarts – a corporate training and organizational performance guide – offers these tips to ease the awkwardness of this type of situation and help solidify your working relationships:

• Approach your supervisor in a private setting to lower the potential for embarrassment and defensiveness.
• Start your conversation by communicating respect for your supervisor and your good intent in pointing out the mistake.
• Stick to the facts of the situation and avoid language that sound like judgment or personal opinions and conclusions.
• Agree with your supervisor wherever possible.
• Be open and encourage discussion about the discrepancy and discuss perspectives with a goal of learning why a decision was made

Following these steps can help you navigate this tricky situation, and show your peers and managers that you're paying attention and invested in the well-being and future of your company.