 Image credit: Tranmautritam from Pexels It’s kind of important how many hours you’re putting in at the office, but what really counts is the hours of valuable work you’re putting in while you’re there. Of course, if you’re at the office for 14 hours, then you’ll naturally make some progress. But wouldn’t it be better if you were there for nine hours and putting in nine hours of productivity (or close to it, anyway)? Productivity is something that all people and companies struggle with, but there are ways to nudge it in the right direction. In this blog, we’ll look at how you can do just that.
Physical and Mental Sharpness Many people hit a slump at some point during the day. This could be in the morning or mid-afternoon. Most people just assume that the slump is just part and parcel of working life. But that’s not the case -- the truth is that there’s a cause for most slumps, and if you can reduce or eliminate that slump, then you’ll get more work done. It all comes down to mental and physical sharpness. There are many things that can compromise both of these things! If you’re not sleeping as well as you could, or you’re drinking too much coffee (they cause a spike in energy but then a crash), then you won’t make it through the day at your best. Sometimes, people aren’t fully alert until it’s nearly midday. You can avoid this by going for a run and taking a cold shower first thing in the morning. If you do that, then you’ll hit the ground running when you reach the office. Structure Your Day Humans are not very good multitaskers. Actually, we’re awful at it, even though we think we’re not. If you’re trying to juggle too many tasks at once, then it’ll come as no surprise if you’re not making as much headway as you’d like. You can get around this by focusing on one task at a time. A little bit of structure to your day can lead to big results. Start with the most pressing jobs, and then work your way down the list. Get the Tools We all waste more time than we’d like on tasks that don’t yield results yet have to be performed. The good news is that in the age of technology, there’s usually a solution to every time-consuming task. If you’re spending too much time processing large printing jobs, then printing software can help. If you’re spending too much time coordinating and communicating with your team, then a program such as Slack will help. The list goes on. Whatever the issue is, there’ll be a solution. Delegating Tasks Are you taking on too much responsibility yourself? You’ll have a lot on your plate, but you don’t need to have everything on your plate. Hiring an extra set of hands or outsourcing certain tasks to third-party companies can free up significant amounts of time, which you can then use to focus on the tasks that’ll help drive your business forward.
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 Image credit: Victoria Heath on Unsplash Financial uncertainty has prompted many to start thinking about a Plan B to help supplement their existing income, while others have spent lockdown pondering whether the career they thought they wanted is right for their long-term future. Entrepreneur Europe caught up with one CEO to find out how she runs her business in 3 hours at night!
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As machinery deteriorates, or new employees join the business who have little knowledge about the safety needs of your business. Coupled with other elements that are out of your control, such as damage to the company from bad weather or criminal activity, keeping the workplace safe is an ongoing battle.
According to RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) 69,208, injuries occurred in the workplace. With the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) declaring that, from 2019 to 2020, 111 workers were killed at work. Do not think because an accident hasn't happened to you that it can't happen. – Safety saying, early 1900's With these sobering facts about the potential risks of workplaces causing injuries and deaths to transpire, it's ever so important to mindful of how we operate our businesses, and below features ideas of how you can do it. Workplace assessment Depending on the size of your business, and the number of employees you have, shall determine whether an assessment conducted by you shall suffice. Or whether your business would benefit from a professional workplace assessment, from an external company, to identify what areas of the business need improving. Included in your workplace assessment, you should identify your workplace cleaning needs. It is usually the best decision to outsource any cleaning needs to ensure that your business is kept as clean and tidy as needed. It is important that your employees feel safe and comfortable working in a well-maintained environment. For example, Dose office space cleaning services help to minimise bacteria and ensure that your employees are free from cross-contamination. Workplace illnesses can be costly due to employees needing time off work or being unproductive due to illness, so taking measures to reduce it is essential. Mandatory staff training Staff training is a necessary element for creating a safer workspace. To ensure staff use best practices, prevent accidents occurring and know what to do if an urgent situation unravels. Training should be relevant to your company. For instance, in businesses operating heavy machinery, PUWER regs must be followed, and part of the training program should revolve around how to use this machinery safely. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) PPE is essential in the workplace where staff are exposed to harmful or dangerous gases, chemicals, materials, bacteria, animals or heavy lifting. Examples of PPE include steel toe capped boots to prevent workers from hurting their feet if they drop something heavy on them. Steel capped boots are appropriate in businesses such as delivery companies transporting bulky goods and construction sites. By identifying what PPE is necessary at your workplace, you can provide staff with equipment to keep them safe and protected. Open discussion It's essential to be open to workers suggestions about health and safety hazards around the business. Because employees have insight into processes within the company which you might not have experienced. Opinions and ideas from staff can also support you with instilling actionable strategies, to ensure your business takes steps to become a safer environment for all. Consequently, consult your employees on any changes that may significantly impact their health and safety at work before implementing them. In addition, consult them on the risk they face in their course of duty, the measures that can be taken to lower or eliminate these risks, and procedures for dealing with risks. Furthermore, get their views on the health and safety implications of implementing new technology and what should go into planning health and safety training. It would be best if you also were actively involved in these open discussions by being forthcoming about safety incidents. Luckily, you can use incident response software to keep workers informed about crises in real-time. Safety in the workplace across the world has been and always will be an ongoing issue, and no business premises are 100% safe. Several internal and external influences could compromise the safety of a company at a moments notice. Which is one of the reasons why safety in the workplace should be something that's worked on continuously. Only then can your business limit the risks of potential dangers harming the workforce. By continuously looking for ways to protect workers rights and develop a safer working environment for all, you can prevent the likelihood of;
 Image credit: Anna Shvets on Pexels COVID-19 has undoubtedly made it challenging to go about your typical life and routine. It’s more imperative now than ever to take measures into your own hands to stay healthy and well during these uncertain times.
It’s better to be proactive than it is to make poor choices and put yourself at risk for becoming ill. Take the following tips into consideration as you begin to explore how you can maintain your health and happiness even though there’s a lot of chaos happening in the external world. Care for yourself and stay connected so that you can remain healthy and well and avoid any unfortunate turn of events. Follow the Guidelines The WHO guidance recommends FFP2 face masks during outbreaks of infections such as the Coronavirus. Invest in the right PPE equipment to stay healthy and well while traveling to and from work or while you’re out in public running errands. It’ll keep you and others protected and help to ensure that you aren’t contributing to the spread. Also, practise social distancing and be sure to wash your hands often. The guidelines are in place to keep you safe and well, so it’s important to take them seriously. Focus on Your Mental Health Another tip for staying healthy and well in times of uncertainty is to focus on your mental health. Self-isolating and lockdown can be tough on your mind and social life. You may be feeling sad or low because of all the disruptions and bad news that’s going around. Therefore, commit to participating in activities that will boost your mental health and ensure you stay well. It’s all about keeping your thoughts as positive and possible and decreasing the amount of stress you’re feeling. Meditation and deep breathing exercises are usually very useful in helping you to slow racing thoughts so you can feel better fast. Connect with Others Virtually If you’re a social person, then distancing yourself from others may be a real challenge for you. However, it’s what’s going to keep you from contracting COVID-19. While you may not be able to see everyone you want to in-person, there are other ways to stay connected. For example, use virtual methods such as phone, email, and videoconference to help you maintain and nurture your relationships with others during these uncertain times. Take advantage of all the ways technology can keep you interacting with those you love and care about virtually. Invest in Self-Care It’s vital that you also invest in your self-care during uncertain times to stay healthy and well. It includes getting daily exercise, eating well, and going to bed at a decent hour and not getting caught up in negative thought patterns. The better you take care of yourself, the more energy you’re going to have and the better mood you’ll be in most days. Use this extra downtime to invest in yourself and relaxing and resting as much as possible. There may be activities and projects you can take on around the house that you usually wouldn’t have time for before the virus outbreak.  Image credit: NordWood Themes on Unsplash Being cooped up at home means a lot more sitting and scoffing! The Mirror has a guide of how you can stay healthy during the lockdown!
 With a third of the global population living under lockdown, many are turning to science for the answers on how to be happy in these difficult times. By the evening of 26 March, 1.3 million people were enrolled in a Yale University online course entitled: The Science of Well Being. BBC News has the story...
 Isn't life just hectic? Non-stop from the minute you climb out of your pit until you collapse into bed? BBC Worklife have a feature about 'how to reduce 'attention residue' in your life!
 Your CV on average can take just 34 seconds to be rejected! The Sun has some of the do's and don'ts for your CV check!
 Photo credit: Life A Journey Hiring managers are now saying that emotional intelligence is valued more than IQ. Fast Company have a quick read to why emotional intelligence is one of the fastest growing job skills.
 In the world of more and more companies trying to adopt a four-day workweek, Microsoft Japan tried it and saw a 40% increase in productivity! CNN Business has more on what could become more common!
 If you're the boss and trying to motivate your team but not getting very far, its possible that you could be going about it the wrong way! TonyRobbins.com has some pointers to help you moving in the right direction!
 Demanding bosses, overworked with no spare time, staying longer than you should be? If workers had more time, what exactly would they want to do? Inc has 5 things that well be on that list!
 The answer before I even ask is already yes! Could you work a 4-day week? Of course you could! Its already a 4-day week in Norway, Holland and Denmark to name just a few and there are plenty of calls for more countries to do the same!
One woman tried the 4-day week and gave an account of her own experience! The Mirror has more! |
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