I've been working as a professional for a few years now. I was until mid-way through last year doing a lot of contracting for Architectural firms in Dublin and had been hearing of 'cut-backs', 'economic uncertainty', the 'downturn' and many other phrases like that since January of 2008.

Even in my current workplace you hear those words a lot and you see things like KPIs, Cost Cutting exercises and the rest being used like they were going out of fashion.

So here's my proposal: a swear jar, only the swear words are recession related! 20 cent a 'swear'. The money could be used within the office (or home or wherever) or to make it really hurt could be donated to charity. My guess is if it was the latter the amount of swearing would really decline. People would be much more likely to curb it if they knew they wouldn't be getting something back...