Meryl's Notes Blog

Ah, this is one thing I don’t miss about the corporate world: Signing office birthday cards and notes. I believe in being thoughtful with cards, but it was stressful when you’re the eighth person signing the card and all the good stuff was taken.

The Office, U.S. version of the hit British TV show, had an episode where the employees signed a birthday card and Michael claimed he could write something cool and different. Of course, he didn’t. Instead, he insulted the employee.

Signing a birthday card should be a non-event — and most of the time, it probably isn’t. But in trying to sign the card, an employee starts thinking he doesn’t want to write something already said or maybe his should be more meaningful because he’s buddies with the birthday person. One lucky coworker was a talented artist and almost always drew something funny on the card, unless it was a sympathy card.

How do you deal with it? A one-person business doesn’t have to worry about it except do the remembering. That’s where PDAs and personal information managers are lifesavers.