It's that time of year again. The holiday parties are long gone, and you're finally able to break the habit of writing 2004 instead of 2005. Along with the cold of winter setting in, people are calling in sick more often and the drain of office life is at its worst. Before you sink any further into the doldrums of the mid-winter slump, it is time you take control of the situation and give your coworkers that much needed shot in the arm (and we mean that literally).

A "good" manager will take his or her troops out for a little rest and relaxation every once in a while. For me, this has taken many forms over the years. I have had fancy meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I've sat in the company's box seats for various sporting events, gone go-cart racing and even played at expensive golf courses that I would have never paid for myself.

These are all very nice ways to recharge the batteries, but at what cost? "A lot of money," according to the guys in accounting.

Thanks to our friends from the Land Down Under, there is a cheap and fun way to release tension and build team unity: The FireWheel RBG (Rubber Band Gun) will not squeeze your company's wallet, and I can guarantee your staff meetings will never be the same again.