Is there anyone who doesn’t appreciate a “Thank you for a job well done?” or “Thank you for your time.”

Hearing those words can make the completion of a tough project all the more rewarding. The words can mean the difference between getting a job or getting passed over.

But spoken words are fleeting. Why not take a few moments and write a thank you to a colleague who did an exceptional job? Have you considered writing and sending a thank you note to a conference organizer or a speaker to thank them for their time and efforts?

Thank you notes are a simple way to express your appreciation.

During this season of Thanksgiving why not take a few moments and make a list of individuals whom you should thank. And then write them a short note. If that’s too much, send an email or even a tweet.

It’s the thanks that counts.

Who will you thank? I hope you will share in the comments section.

Jon Newman was known as the media relations guy. Today he is a partner in The Hodges Partnership, a public relations agency in Richmond, Va.

He told a group of communicators that with today’s media landscape he would be challenged to have the success that he did when he was working in media relations. With fewer traditional media outlets and reporters, and with a fragmented audience, media relations has become more difficult, leading to fewer opportunities and placements.

The game changer, though, is content. “We can produce it in our own way,” Newman said. “There is potential for much greater reach.”

Today when Newman talks about media placements it’s about EOP. Earned media is the media relations piece, while the owned and paid pieces are the content marketing. Companies create content they “own” and place it on a platform they “own” (like a website, blog email newsletter) and amplify it using advertising, Newman said.

Organizations control the message, location, type of platform, frequency and even the measurement. “We can educate, talk about our point of view and share our messages,” Newman said.

“All of the social channels give us opportunities,” he added. “Social platforms are now content platforms.”

This means that you can target specific audiences with content because the demographics are robust enough. “It’s no longer post and pray,” he said.

On LinkedIn, for example, when you advertise you can target by industry and skill set. If you promote a Facebook page for a blog, Newman said it would cost about $5/day, and a person could see more than 100 views per post.

With all the platforms and content in existence, the key to setting yourself apart, Newman said, is quality content. “It all starts with messaging and strategy.”

Some things never change.

In this highly connected, highly wired world, we sometimes need to give ourselves a break.

Aliza Sherman, a speaker, author and web pioneer who has championed women in tech since the 1990s, says it is important to “revisit the places in your brain that help you become more creative.”

By giving yourself a break, you are more likely to be more creative.

Her suggestions to increase creativity include:

• Put pen to paper. Write a letter to someone. Share your thoughts in a journal.
• Coloring books are popular with adults. Feel free to color outside the lines.
• Paint.
• Take a walk.
• Work with your hands. Garden or play with Play-Doh.
• Revisit the places in your brain that help you become more creative. I spent a year taking a photo a day. It helped me to not only see more creatively, but to be more creative.

It’s important, Sherman said, to give ourselves permission to disconnect.

How do you disconnect? Post your suggestion in the comment box. You may just help another reader.