Tackling Technology

A 24/7 Workday? Turning Off Tech to Remain Productive

Just because we can be in touch with our career life 24 hours a day doesn't mean that we should.

I highly recommend, from local Alexandria author Amy Fries, her book Daydreams at Work. In it, she says we need to give our brains a chance to step away sometimes from the details and annoyances in order to think differently. You know that feeling at the end of the workday when you power down your computer, grab your bag and head out into Beltway traffic? You leave the stresses, the projects not yet finished and the office politics behind and you turn your mind to dinner, family and maybe the game on TV later tonight. A normal end to a normal workday — but then there is a buzz in your pocket. An email marked "urgent" asks you to answer a few questions for a presentation that needs to go out first thing tomorrow. Then another reminding you …

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42 Best Buy Stores to Close

Woodbridge store will be spared.

Two Best Buy stores in the Northern Virginia area will be closing, Best Buy announced Saturday.  The Woodbridge store at 2730 Prince William Parkway will remain open as the company closes 42 of its "big box" stores. Stores in Fredericksburg and Landmark Mall will be closing.  In a press release Saturday, the company said it was "not an easy decision to make" in closing the stores.  "We will be working to help these employees find other positions inside Best Buy," said the press release. "If they don’t find new positions, or if they choose not to work at a different location, a transition including severance packages will be available." The company expects that most of the stores will close by May 12. The affected stores are located at 9745…

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Jimmy J.

11:57 am on Tuesday, April 17, 2012

I'm happy to hear that the location in Woodbridge will remain open. Hopefully this will help management focus on customer service and staff training as BestBuy continues to cut costs and close stores. Wake up!   more ›

Best Buy to Close 50 U.S. Stores

Store closures will result in layoffs for 400 U.S. Best Buy employees.

Best Buy officials announced Thursday the electronics retailer will close 50 of its U.S. stores and lay off 400 employees at corporate and support levels.  On the flip side, the company aims to open 50 stores in China in fiscal year 2013. Northern Virginia has 10 Best Buy stores, including a store in Woodbridge near Potomac Mills.  Specific stores targeted for closure have not been announced. The news comes after the Richfield, MN-based company released its fiscal year fourth-quarter earnings, showing a $1.7 billion loss.  The news of closures and downed profits are not a surprise to many.  Best Buy reported shortfalls after its third quarter, and a January 2012 Forbes article suggested the company is moving closer to bankruptcy.  "Though …

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