Category: working remotely

Sitting at Your Desk All Day? Improve Posture with These Tips

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We spend a lot of time sitting at our desks. What if I told you that your posture could affect your health? The way we sit for hours on end is terrible for the spine, leading to back pain or even worse! But don’t worry, there are some things you can do to improve your posture. Here are a few tips:

Sit Up Straight

Make sure you are sitting up straight by having your computer monitor directly in front of you at eye level. Consider using high-quality gel packs like Accurate Gel Packs to help relieve pressure on the lower back while typing for long periods. If possible, consider getting a standing desk that allows you to stand sometimes instead of sitting behind a desk all day.

Notice Your Posture When You Stand Or Walk

Your sitting area is not the only time to notice your posture. When you stand and walk around, look for areas that need improvement as well.

When you stand up straight, your spine is in its natural alignment. This will help to improve your posture when sitting down as well. To achieve a good standing posture, tuck your chin in slightly, pull your shoulders back and push your chest out. This will help with future back and neck problems as well.

Make Sure Your Desk Is Adjusted to Fit You

Your desk should also be adjusted to fit your body. For example, the height of your chair and desk should be such that when you are sitting with your feet flat on the ground, your elbows are bent at a 90-degree angle. If needed, use a footrest or stool to adjust the height of your feet.

Your Back Needs Support

When sitting at your desk, it is essential to have good back support. This can be done by using a lumbar support cushion or pillow or by adjusting the height of your chair so that your lower back is supported.

Take Breaks Often to Move Around

It’s easy to get lost in your work and spend hours sitting at your desk. But taking breaks often to move around is essential for keeping your body healthy. Get up and walk around the office, do some stretches, or take a quick lap around the building. You’ll improve your circulation, increase your energy levels, and reduce the risk of developing a long-term health problem by moving regularly.

Try Not To Slouch

Sitting at your desk all day can be easy to forget about posture since no other activities are taking up space in your mind. However, if you keep slouching throughout the workday without considering how bad this is for your back and spine, then more than likely, that will lead to discomfort and pain in the future. You might not even realize it, but chances are you’re slouching right now as you read this!

There are several ways to improve posture at your desk job. You can take frequent breaks, stretch periodically and consider investing in a good office chair if possible. In addition, consider working on some exercises that will help with muscle groups you use most often during the day.

Tips for Setting Up Your Home Office

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If you work remotely and can’t manage to find the perfect balance between work and life, it might be time to consider building a home office or at the very least a dedicated workspace. Not only will this give you more space for your business, but it’s also likely that you’ll see an increase in productivity. 

It could also help boost creativity levels and improve organization skills! To get started on designing the perfect workspace for yourself, check out out the tips below.

Create the Space

If it is possible then you should have a room that is a dedicated home office space. If you are considering adding a room to your home to make an office this is also a good option. 

However, bear in mind that when doing construction it is important to check zoning laws where you live and you will also need to prepare for construction by informing your neighbors. 

You need to decide what to do with waste materials from the construction, so renting a 40 yard bin rental may be a good idea to keep the waste organized for dumping.

Of course, if you don’t have a room or can’t add a new room to your home for an office. You should at least find a quiet corner of your home where you can set up your desk.

Lighting Is Important

Making sure there’s enough lighting for your work. A lot of people underestimate how much natural sunlight is necessary for a good environment. Try to put your desk in a corner, where it gets exposure from both sides, or open the blinds up wide if you’re near a window. 

Set up your workspace properly with everything you need to get work done easily and quickly, including paperclips next to the printer, writing utensils in easy reach of where you sit at your desk, etc.

Use Your Desk for Storage

Use your desk as storage for supplies such as paper, pens, and printer ink. This will encourage you to clean up and de-clutter your workspace.

Make sure you have enough space on the desk to work comfortably. You should be able to place your laptop or tablet so that you can easily see it while also being able to keep other necessary items at arm’s reach. 

If possible, buy a table with drawers so that you can store things out of sight if they are not needed during the current project.

If you’ve noticed that you need more movement in your day and can’t seem to get anything done when sitting, consider using a standing desk.

Add plants and Pictures Around the Office 

It’s important to create a space that makes you feel more at home. Adding simple things like some plants or framed pictures on your desk can make it feel less like an office.

Add motivational statements to the wall so that you can stay motivated throughout the day.

Start Setting Up

Setting up your home office does not have to be difficult. The key is to make sure that the space is comfortable so that you can focus and remain productive.

Setting up the right lighting, having a great desk, and figuring out how to store office supplies are some of the best ways to ensure productivity in your home office.

4 Remote Working Challenges (and How to Overcome Them)

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Working remotely can be a fantastic way to build your career and enjoy a better work-life balance. When you don’t have to commute or relocate, you can incorporate your career into your dream lifestyle and make the most of your free time. 

However, this doesn’t mean that you won’t encounter challenges when working from home. To ensure your new working arrangement is a success, take a look at these four remote working challenges and find out how to overcome them:

1. Interruptions

If you’re working from home and other people are around, you might find that you’re regularly interrupted. Similarly, a knock at the door, regular deliveries or even pets can’t distract you from what you’re doing. 

Ideally, you’ll want to have a designated workspace that enables you to distance yourself from everyone when you’re working. In addition to this, make sure your family is aware that you can only be disturbed for genuine emergencies when you’re ‘at work’. While it can take time for everyone to adjust, it won’t take long until your work-from-home routine becomes the new normal. 

2. Loneliness

When you aren’t working with colleagues in a face-to-face environment, your professional life can become quite lonely. In fact, some people find remote working isolating and demotivating, which can affect their performance. To combat this, make sure your team engages in social activities on a regular basis. When you create a community website, host virtual events, and socialize online, you can ensure that all of your interactions aren’t work-based. This gives people the opportunity to get to know each other better and fosters stronger teams, which has both commercial and individual benefits.

3. Communication

Effective communication is a cornerstone of success, but remote working can be a barrier when it comes to actively hearing your colleagues and making your voice heard. While you may not have regular face-to-face interactions with your team, you can take steps to improve communication when you’re working from different locations. 

Making use of appropriate software is one simple way to enhance communication. With instant messaging and secure video calls, for example, you can liaise with team members in real-time. Similarly, document sharing platforms enable employees to work collaboratively and can improve communication, regardless of your location. 

4. Overwork

When you’re working from home, you’ll be surprised at how many hours you put in. In the long term, overwork can be damaging to your health and your productivity, so it’s important to address this from the get-go. 

By keeping regular hours, shutting off devices at the end of the working day, and only responding to communications during working hours, for example, you can ensure that overwork doesn’t become an issue when you’re working remotely. 

Building a Career Remotely

Remote working has many benefits for both businesses and employees, but it is important that you also acknowledge the various challenges it can bring. By doing so, you’ll have the opportunity to implement effective solutions that enable you to succeed professionally and enhance your job satisfaction.

4 Ways Millennials Improved the Workplace

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Millennials have brought a different kind of vibe to the workplace. They are more tech savvy than their predecessors, and the way they view work and the structure of work is radically different. Where once they were seen as the young crop of newcomers, they are now the mature leaders of today. As they begin to lead us through the next few decades of our lives, here are four practices millennials have implemented into our work culture that made things better.

Work-Life Balance

Once upon a time, the harder you worked and sacrificed determined your success. People who didn’t want to work so hard were seen as lazy, but that kind of mentality doesn’t serve the working world anymore and it’s all because of millennials. Millennials were the first group to realize that having time with family and friends is just as important as being at work. When that balance is achieved, workers perform better and their productivity is higher. People also feel that they are better supported at home because they are more present at home helping out and being available. Both areas of a worker’s life are harmonious.

Remote Offices

The rat race was seen as the place to be if you were making moves and changing the world. Not so much anymore. With the growth of technology and virtual meetings, the average worker doesn’t have to wear themselves thin commuting for hours a day to do work they can do from home. The home office or the remote office is where many millennials thrive. Being in an environment of your own making helps keep a person focused and without commuting, a lot of people work earlier and faster and their day can be freed up to relax, take care of errands, and curate a life where work doesn’t seem to dominate all. 

Stop Problems Before They Start

Many people would just let things slide in the office because they were afraid of upsetting the status quo. Not so much with millennials who aren’t afraid to put a stop to things that are just out right wrong. Associations like the Whistleblower Info Center were created because more people are speaking up more than ever about illegal activities or activities that are a detriment to those who do work hard. Millennials have set the precedent for self-respect and promoting a healthy work space.

Quality of Life

The workforce used to put quality of life second, but millennials have changed that conversation. Quality of life has now become the top priority in the working world. When people apply for jobs or consider job offers, quality of life is always the number one question asked in interviews. Millennials want to know how easy it is to take time off for mental health relief and rest. Are hours flexible so that when life issues arise they can be tended to? Millennials know that work cannot rule their lives and that when they feel they are seen and appreciated they can perform better.

4 Questions You Should Ask About Commercial Properties

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Are you the owner of a commercial property? If you are a business owner or a manager, it’s important to handle an asset like this the right way. Here are some of the key questions that you need to consider.

What Improvements Can You Make?

First, you should think about the different improvements that you can make to your business property. Improvements can be used to ensure that a property doesn’t cost you too much money or is more practical in general. For instance, if you have a flat roof, then you can think about applying elastomeric roof coating. This can be used to boost the insulation of a property which will, in turn, ensure that you can lower your energy bills. Alternatively, you could instead focus on the interior design of the building to ensure that it is more welcoming for customers and clients who are visiting. 

Does Your Property Have Curb Appeal?

You should also consider whether a commercial property does have curb appeal. Curb appeal is key because it will make it more likely that customers will want to explore your business and what it has to offer. This is important regardless of whether you are creating an office or setting up a business store. Your business still needs to look great from the outside. If you are wondering how to increase curb appeal, then there are a few possibilities. For instance, you might want to consider adding a unique feature outside your property like a sculpture. 

Is It Secure?

Next, you need to consider whether your business is secure. It’s often assumed that business break-ins are no longer an issue. The reason for this is that there’s a lot of issues surrounding cybercrime these days. While that is the case, break-ins do still occur, particularly if a commercial property does not have the right type of security in place. You need to make sure that you are investing in advanced securing to protect your business assets. 

Are You Better To Buy, Rent Or Work From Home?

Finally, it could be worth considering whether you should rent, buy a commercial property or if you would be better off working from home. The majority of businesses can now be run from home, but there are both advantages and disadvantages connected to this possibility. The main advantage is that you can save money. However, there is still a certain stigma connected to home businesses. Clients will often assume that they are smaller and may not be able to handle the requirements of larger contracts. Renting can be cost-effective but you do still have all the responsibilities of a landlord. These will usually be addressed in your contract. 

We hope this helps you understand some of the key questions that you should ask yourself if you do own a business property and the right changes that you can make here. If you explore the key options then you’ll be able to improve your property in a variety of different ways.

5 Online Activities to Promote Employee Well-Being

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Whether you manage a large team or have a couple of remote members of staff, their well-being should be your top priority. By ensuring your employees are comfortable and happy, they will be more productive at work. In order to run your business efficiently, you need the support of highly motivated staff members. It’s also important to maintain positive relationships with your team, especially if they’re remote. Fortunately, there are a few online activities you can try to boost morale and get everyone engaged. This will then help to promote employee well-being overall.

Quizzes and games

You could start daily or weekly catch-up meetings with a quick quiz. It only needs to be something silly to break the ice. Your employees could play individually or in teams. You could even organize a bigger team-building quiz with prizes to encourage collaboration. Another easy idea is to do a quick scavenger hunt in the home. Remember to choose a game that’s accessible and inclusive. These types of games will help boost morale and strengthen relationships between colleagues, which should have a positive effect on employee well-being.

Well-being events

Many businesses also organize well-being events. These involve sessions about health and wellness topics. These could include health and safety training and the use of LEM Products, for instance, or even lifestyle tips such as how to maintain a healthy work-life balance. You can tailor the sessions to fit your company culture and the type of business you run. 

Physical activity

If you have the option, you could organize a physical activity for your employees to take part in. You could sign up any willing participants to a virtual corporate yoga program, or introduce a personal trainer. Another idea is to plan a fundraising event for your team. Members of staff could run a 10km individually and track and share their results online. Any proceeds can then go to charity. You could also volunteer as a team in the local community and post the results on social media.

Mindfulness

Teach your employees about the importance of mindfulness. You could hire a guest speaker to start a meeting with meditation or to give tips and advice on how to meditate at home. The topic of mindfulness is also common in well-being sessions. You could put together some online resources about it for your staff to use at home. Meditation has many benefits for both physical and mental well-being. 

Feedback sessions
To ensure employee health and well-being, get as much feedback as possible on the activities you try. This will give you more of an insight into which works best. Hold one-to-one feedback sessions with your employees regularly to discuss professional development and their overall feeling at work. This way they’ll have a platform to get their voices heard. Listen to their feedback and actively respond. If your employees express an interest in an area they want to develop, empower them with a relevant new project. This will keep them motivated and improve their job satisfaction.

5 Traits Businesses Should Look for in Remote Employees

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The value of remote employees has been widely recognized as of the global pandemic of 2020, and more businesses have embraced the idea. A post on How to Add Resume to LinkedIn, a lot of business right now are using the popular platform to hire remote team. However, what you may not know is that you need to look for different traits in remote or online workers. The fact that they are not working at your office changes a lot about how you interact with them, as well as what kind of person they need to be to succeed. Here are 5 traits you should look for when hiring remote workers:

1.    Feedback Receptive

Each worker you hire must improve the company’s efficiency. You will need to guide and train them so they become the best version of themselves for your business. Doing so will require regular feedback.

However, not all people are receptive to feedback. You do not get to see them in person or as easily, which means you cannot easily reinforce your lessons or feedback. All your remote workers must be quick to take to feedback and able to apply it without supervision if you want them to provide value to your company.

2.    Open to New Ideas and Training

Businesses by nature are meant to grow and change. Stagnant companies are essentially failing. To keep your company growing, you will not only need to expand, you will also need to train your employees to ensure that their skill sets are up-to-date and remain relevant to the needs of the business.

To that end, any remote worker you hire must be open minded and willing to expand their wealth of knowledge. The easier they are to train, the better they will be as remote employees.

3.    They Have Initiative

Remote workers will be left to their own devices most of the time. While some oversight exists, for the most part they are their own boss. You or your managers will not be present to direct their efforts. Thus, your remote employees must be independent and posses initiative.

4.    They Have a Good Personality

There are traits that a good hire has, according to Forbes. A trainable and feedback receptive person with a positive and likable attitude is far more valuable than a skilled worker who cannot get along with everyone. The company is more than one person.

5.    They are Great Communicators

Nuance is lost when communicating online or over text. Thus, it is important to only hire remote workers who not only communicate well, but do so in a timely fashion. They need to reply quickly to messages to ensure that company systems are not bogged down.

Hiring remote workers can give your company the edge, as it allows you to access talent that would otherwise be beyond your reach. However, you cannot just hire anyone. Hire the right people, and the effort will be worth it.

Renovating Your Office This Year

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Your office is often like a second home. After your house this is the place you spend the most time and it is a place you need to make your own for maximum comfort and productivity. 

Today we want to talk about your office and renovating it for the better this year. Make the most of the space you have and transform it into the perfect workplace for you and your employees. Use these ideas below to change and improve your office for the better in 2021.

Create a zen space 

We all know how important mental health is, and as an employer it is time for you to take control and take action for the health of yourself and your workers this year. One of the ways you can do this is convert a small spare room into a zen space which has calming colors on the walls, beanbags to sit in, and a TV and books for entertainment. You can hang a small sign on the door that indicates when the space is occupied and from this you’ll be able to allow your employees in here when work is becoming too much and they need some time to calm down. A room like this will make a massive difference to the mental health of your workers and will create a healthier working environment. 

Repaint the walls 

One of the easiest ways to transform your office in hours is to repaint the walls with bright and inviting colors. Enough of the boring greys and blues already! Consider instead adding bright and warm tones such as red or orange to the walls to brighten the space and make it more exciting for your employees. Bright colors help to stir alertness as well as motivation in your team and psychologically it will keep them on the ball and make them more productive. 

Invest in better chairs 

Chairs are an important part of your office and you need to invest in the best ones for your team. Make sure to invest in comfortable and supportive chairs for your employees and yourself to reduce to risk do back problems and sick leave in the office. 

Consider an outdoor area 

An outdoor area is a great idea for a commercial property because it will allow everyone to get away from the stake air of the office for a while and reset. You can use a commercial grade cement mixer from https://thompsonrock.com/ to lay a flat concrete surface and then add benches and chairs for people to sit at. A few choice plant pots here and there will also be great and it gives everyone a good space to reset and relax. 

Build a communal area 

A communal lunch area is a great idea and a cafe inspired look will be good for informal meeting with clients too. Consider building a communal cafe in your office and have coffee machines on hand for people to make their own drinks. You can even add plug sockets to allow people to work on their laptops in this area if they prefer this now and again. 

Ensure You Have the Facilities to Accommodate Visitors

If the business you run requires people to visit your office regularly, you’ll need to make sure you have facilities to accommodate those visits. This starts with making sure your visitors have a place to park that’s secure and safe for them. You can hire paving contractors to sort that out for you, and then you can focus on perfecting your meeting area.

Renovating your office for success is a challenge but if you take some of these ideas to your project you could end up with a stunning workspace for everyone in your company.

Why You Should Renovate Your Office

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When you are in charge of your own office, you are also in charge of any changes that you want to make to the building. It may not have crossed your mind before, but when business is going well, a revamp will never hurt! You can impress clients and drum up a good amount of business when you invest in your business premises.

The benefits of a renovated office far outweigh the costs it will take to get it looking up to scratch. Not only that, but you can focus on running your company and know that you can feel pride in what you are showing off to your customers. Upgrading your office does more than you think to make your business look good, and bringing on office architects and builders like TPM Builders will help! So, why should you go ahead and go for it with your office renovation plans? Let’s take a look at some of the reasons below.

  • Boosting Your Image. Renovating the office is a big sign you are successful. You can afford to make changes purely to make your brand look good, and this will lead to you being able to impress your clients. Your image is what sells what you can do to your clients, but if it’s not up to scratch, people won’t pay attention to you. Once your renovation is completed, you can upgrade your brochures and document your renovation journey on your business social media. Clients and prospective clients will be happy to see what you have to offer.
  • Motivate Your Staff. No one likes to work in an ugly, dark space. When you renovate your office, you get to bring in more light and changing the decor can make it a more pleasant place to work. Staff morale goes up as a result, and it’s one of the most critical components in the success of your business. Your staff will want to come to work and they’ll feel more motivated to be in the office as a result, especially if your upgrades involve more perks for them!
  • Better Productivity. An office renovation improves the productivity of all those working in the office space. A business is only as good as those who show up and do the job, and if your staff feel comfortable in their environment, they’ll work better and be happier in their role.
  • Improved Value. One day, you may grow out of your office space and start looking to move. However, if you choose renovation instead, you can expand your office and do more about the value of the property itself. Any positive changes you make will add monetary value, and this will reflect if you ever put your office up for sale.
  • Future Preparation. You already have a business plan we hope, so knowing that you are future-proofing your business with a renovation is a smart idea. You can gain some extra space, and with your advanced planning, you can save money in the long run. Office renovation is a convenient option for upgrading your business, and when you choose to deal with one single contractor for it, you can drive your business to success.

Small Things To Consider When Working At Home

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When you work from home, it can often be difficult to work in the same way as you would in an office and it can take some time to get used to the format of your working day. With the pandemic that has swept the world in the last few months, it is no surprise that a lot of us have had to start getting used to working at home in the long term and this doesn’t look to change any time soon. 

If you will be working at home for a while due to lockdown or even if you have quit the rat race to work on your own projects – today we want to share some helpful advice to keep you working well at home and things you should consider doing. 

Keep water nearby 

It is all too easy to get caught up in your work for hours on end and forget to eat or drink anything. While this is not necessarily a bad thing with food; you need to keep yourself hydrated enough throughout the day in order to stay healthy at your desk and to focus when working. Keep a bottle of water next to you throughout the day that you can take a sip of while working and it will make a big difference to your concentration and your ability to be productive. 

Clean your work area 

It is important when trying to work at home productively to clean your workspace and keep it tidy. You need to ensure that you have a workspace that is fit for purpose and one which is free of clutter. A cluttered space is a cluttered mind – and when working from home it is so important for you to have a tidy space to work in. This also extends beyond your desk itself and if you are situated in your spare room make sure it is not completely covered in clutter and mess because this will draw focus away from your work throughout the day. 

Close the door 

When working at home it is all too easy to become distracted by pets, kids, and even household chores if things are within your eye line during the day. This is why it is a great idea for you to choose a room separate from the rest of the house and shut the door so you can focus on your work. When you go to ‘work’ in the morning treat it as if you are leaving home and shut the door to your home life. It will make working so much easier and will ensure you stay focused. 

Enjoy home comforts

Even if you are working all day it is still a good idea to bring some home comforts to your office space to make it more comfortable as well as personal. There are some brilliant ways to bring home comforts into the room such as hanging art on the wall as well as plants, candles, and perhaps a blanket for when the days are colder. Make sure you feel comfortable at home and this will help you work effectively. 

Consider licensing 

It is important if you are starting a business from home this year that you contact a law firm and get a license to work. You need to have a license in order to practice business in your home and this is something you need to do before you even start trading. Working from home is a great thing to do but it is crucial you are doing this legally because you can get into some trouble if you don’t. 

Create work-life balance 

When working from home it is all too easy to start earlier and finish later than you normally would and this can be dangerous for you if you do this every day. Be sure that you consider a work-life balance when working from home and set yourself a start and end time to your day and stick to it. Working from home can be exhausting and if you burn out you can suffer some serious mental issues as a result and it can even make you physically ill. 

Organize ahead of time 

If you struggle to get going in the morning when working at home it is a great idea for you to start making a to do list the night before your working days. It is a good idea for you to write a to do list at the end of the day ready for your work the next day because it will allow you to get going on your work as soon as you sit down in the morning rather than worrying about what to do.