Author Archives: kate

Feb7

A Guide For The Overloaded And Overwhelmed

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A Guide For The Overloaded And Overwhelmed

Is it just me or has the pandemic related lockdowns given us more items to add to our ever growing to-do list? Do you find yourself having to take care of more work and more personal action items? I’m sure everyone can relate. And if you’re a work-from-home parent, that to-do list may have grown into a massive one by now.

Lockdowns have limited our mobility and made it harder to accomplish tasks for both work and personal life. This means that we’d have to get creative and find new ways to accomplish tasks, or otherwise, learn to live without. Case in point, during the pre-pandemic days, most of us had systems and clear boundaries between home and work. We get to prepare our mindset during the drive or commute to work and decompress on our way back home. We get to slip in a grocery trip or a bank run after taking the kids to school. We get to declutter the house without kids running around. There are clear stops and starts to our day.

But now – oh now, it’s twice the fun. You get to do all that – corral kids, declutter, run errands, check bank statements while working from home. It’s no wonder a lot of us are feeling overloaded and overwhelmed. How can we get things under control? Here are some strategies:

1. Capture information

When you are confronted with information, distractions, work, and lots of other stuff, it’s easy to forget things. So capture information. Write them down in a notebook you keep specifically for reminders and then get them on your to-do list. If pen and paper aren’t readily available, leave important information on your phone by calling yourself and leaving a voicemail. You can always convert that to text using Google Keep or Evernote.

2. Get one thing done and dusted early in the day

Pick one thing off your to-do list, anything – and get it done early in the day. This will give you a sense of closure and accomplishment and hopefully have a snowball effect that will encourage you to keep going.

3. Put it in your calendar

Assigning a date and time to your tasks will increase the chances of getting it done by a whopping 70%. So put it in your diary or calendar and set a reminder.

4. Just do it

Nike was right. Half the battle is getting started, so start already. It doesn’t matter where you start as long as you do. Then, continue in some sort of logical order – left to right, top to bottom. Keep going till you finish.

5. Get help

Two is indeed better than one. So, if you’re struggling – get help. Another set of hands can really lighten the load, even if only to boost your morale up. Better if you can delegate tasks so you can accomplish twice the work.

What are your tried and tested tips to avoid overwhelm? Share them with us in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

Jan31

How To Spruce Up Your Home Office On A Budget

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How To Spruce Up Your Home Office On A Budget

The average person will spend approximately 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime. That’s roughly equivalent to 3750 days or 35% of your waking hours. Given that you are happy with your job, it’s still too much time to be spent in an office, if you ask me. This is why the option to do remote work has been a welcome and refreshing change. Working from home gives us more control over our work environment than ever before.

Now, that you have the power to customize your work environment, why not level it up? The ideal home office should be as comfortable as it can be. It should also inspire creativity and productivity. Finally, it should help improve your health and boost the quality of your work.

I understand the challenges that come with working from home. So here are 3 common challenges you can find in a home office and some tips on how to improve them.

1. You don’t have ergonomic office equipment.

Most organizations have the budget to provide their employees with ergonomic equipment. However, if you work from home, you might be working off a kitchen table or the couch in your living room. Both options do not provide sustainable lumbar support. This could strain your back and could lead to health issues, especially if you work 8 hours a day.

The good news is that you don’t need to buy an expensive ergonomic chair, although it is a good investment if you have the budget. There are other ways to get comfortable seating. You can purchase a seat cushion that can relieve the stress on your back brought about by hard seats. This article has recommendations for seat cushions. Find one within your budget range.

If you’re struggling with wrist fatigue, you can try out an ergonomic mouse. Pair it with a mouse pad that has wrist support to reduce strain while you work for extended periods of time.

2. You have fluorescent lighting.

Fluorescent lighting is not flattering and will not do you any favors if you spend a lot of time on video calls. The key is to switch to a softer, yellow-toned light or smart light bulbs if you have the budget for it. 

The gold standard is still natural lighting. So, if you can. Set your home office up near a window. Make sure you are facing the light source to make sure that you are always camera-ready. If you work nights, a simple ring light can do wonders for how you look on video.

3. Your home office is cluttered.

The simple and time-tested solution is to de-clutter. You don’t have to spend all your free time cleaning, though. For starters, buy bins and organizers and make sure that every item has a home. This system keeps your clutter “organized” and out of sight. You can sort out the contents of the bin when you have time.

If you don’t have bins and organizers, you can always improvise. Use coffee mugs or an empty wafer roll canister to corral your pens, pencils, highlighters, and scissors. Save your containers and use them for desk knick-knacks like pins, tape rolls, and post-its. Tame your cables with basic painter’s tape. Organize your notebooks and copy paper with bookends. Use what you already have. Get creative.

You don’t have to spend a fortune to create your dream office. With a few changes, you can create a workspace you genuinely love spending time in. What are your DIY home office sprucing up tips? Share them with us in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

Jan24

What Color Is Your Office?

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What Color Is Your Office?

During the New Year, I rearranged my home office with my back against an accent wall. The purpose was for the accent wall to serve as a background to video calls. I was pretty happy with the new arrangement as it meant I had more space to move around. However, a colleague pointed out that the accent wall was a bit problematic. For one, it was bright red. The kind of red you’d find at fast food joints. The color was distracting and it washed me out. Another problem was the color psychology behind the color red. While it does represent power, excitement, and energy, it also represents danger and anger. Too much stimulation makes me feel tired and irritable. Not good for video calls at all.

Our work environments have an effect on our performance. We spend so much time at work, about one-third of our lives. It would make sense to make it comfortable and optimized for productivity so that we feel energized and inspired.

Looking At Color Psychology

There is a general lack of research in the area of color psychology. However, we cannot deny the impact it has on our moods, feelings, and behaviors. Its symbolic impact is recognized universally. This is why areas such as marketing, art, and design rely so much on color psychology. 

Ever wonder why red is such a popular color for fast food joints and restaurants? Take McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, In-N-Out Burger, and Wendy’s for example. They all have predominantly red logos. This is because red is known to increase appetite and metabolism, making you feel hungry.

On the other side of the spectrum, cool colors such as blue, green, and purple invoke feelings of calmness and authority. This is why companies such as LinkedIn, PayPal, Twitter, and Walmart have predominantly blue logos.

Pro Tips:

  • When redecorating your house or your home office, keep in mind the colors of your surroundings and accent pieces. Muted colors are always a safe bet as a background color. Off-white, cream, or a light shade of grey looks better in the background when you are on a video call versus opting for more bold and dramatic colored backgrounds. 
  • You can also go for accent pieces instead of covering your office in one color scheme. If you want a pop of color, try hanging a painting or a poster against a solid-colored wall. 
  • Plants also add a pop of color to your office. They not only bring a bit of nature in, but also add style and beauty to your office. Not to mention their added health benefits as they purify the air inside your office and help you feel less stressed.

Make your workstation a place where you genuinely love spending time. Work is challenging enough, you shouldn’t be contending with an uncomfortable and distracting home office as well.

What does your home office look like? Describe it to us in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

Jan19

4 Ways To Support Your Team Through Omicron

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4 Ways To Support Your Team Through Omicron

The Covid-19 Omicron variant has replaced the Delta variant as the new variant of concern. As of writing, the total number of registered cases surpassed the 300 million mark with 34 countries setting new infection record highs. The dizzying speed of transmission has prompted experts to suggest that getting the virus is not a case of if, but when.

However, we are not completely helpless. Two years of lockdowns and strict health protocols have honed us to be able to keep infections in check and avoid getting sick altogether. Still, we all need to be careful and practice the minimum safety protocols religiously. One slight misstep can mean the difference between wellness and illness.

In these trying times, we need to look out for one another. Here are four ways you can support your team through the rampaging Omicron variant.

1. Encourage vaccination and booster shots.

Vaccination still remains the best way to prevent serious illness, hospitalization, or death from Covid-19 and a booster, even more so. So encourage your team to get vaccinated by sharing helpful and validated information. If you are in a position to provide access to vaccinations, do so. Employers should allow flexible scheduling or paid time off for team members who are getting the vaccine.

2. Revisit your return-to-office plans.

Last year, the workforce was getting ready for the highly anticipated return-to-office. Like a splash of cold water, Omicron has put a damper on these plans. Teams should consider continuing their work-from-home arrangements until infection rates start to dwindle down. If this is not feasible, a skeletal workforce should be deployed.

3. Observe and reinforce safety protocols.

The minimum safety protocols are:

  • Wearing a face mask – the mask should cover up to the bridge of your nose and all the way down to your chin. It has to be snug and must not have gaps. The CDC recommends wearing an N95 mask. If you have an extra one, share it with your teammate who is using a cloth mask as it provides little to no protection against the Omicron variant.
  • Regular handwashing and sanitation – always have alcohol or hand sanitizer ready and share that with your colleagues to encourage frequent sanitation. Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or the length of 2 rounds of the “Happy Birthday” song. Bonus points for singing out loud.
  • Social distancing – stay 1 meter away from your colleagues. Please don’t go to work if you feel ill or have symptoms.
  • Avoiding the 3 Cs – which are confined/enclosed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings.

4. Support mental health care.

This disruption has left a lot of people in a state of anxiety and has a huge impact on our mental well-being. Now, more than ever, teams should strive to support each other. Stay connected, encourage virtual check-ins or virtual water coolers, create a chat group where you can trade health tips, send sympathy cards for colleagues who have lost their loved ones.

We are all going through the same thing, but some might have it worse than others. So, as a general rule, be kind. We all need each other’s help, especially during these times.

How do you support your team through the Omicron surge? Share them with us in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

Jan17

Around The World: Creating And Supporting Global Teams

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Around The World: Creating And Supporting Global Teams

With all the silly apps, Time-wasting games, and fake news, technology still has a lot of good to bring to the world. For one, it has improved communication and helped bring together people from around the world. This brought about the advent of global teams.

Global teams are people who work for a single business but are from all over the world. They give the company the advantage of having a broader talent pool, more innovative and unique insights and ideas, and a wider access to the global network. All of which make a direct contribution to the company’s success.

If you’re working with one, you’re lucky. Here’s how you can create and support a thriving global team:

1. Set regular meetings.
Chances are, your global team is working asynchronously. That means team members are working across different time zones. In this case, constant communication is a must in order for your team to run like the well-oiled machine they are designed to be. Communication is essential to collaborative efforts. So, schedule regular team meetings in order to provide direction and guidance for global team members to make sure everyone is on the same page. Make the meeting easy to add to work or personal calendars and make it very easy to access.

2. Use project management tools.
Online project management tools make it easier to see what everyone is working on at any given time. They enable collaboration and can help you and your team organize work. It also has built-in messaging that helps keep everyone updated and able to send help in the form of feedback, references, notes, or other resources.Once you have given your team clear and concise instructions, let them work and trust that they will be able to deliver.

3. Take advantage of instant messaging.
Urgent messages can slip through the cracks in an email. Especially if you are a team that gets hundreds of them a day. For sensitive information, special announcements, company news, and relevant documents, use email. Otherwise, take advantage of instant messaging for urgent requests and important reminders or instructions.

4. Be mindful.
While having the ability to send instant messages at any given time is delightfully convenient, don’t forget that global teams are made up of humans who need sleep and personal time. Be mindful of time zones and off work hours. Make sure that teammates know they can and are expected to reply only during work hours.

On that subject, it’s also good practice to keep up to date with the latest news in your employer’s/employee’s country. Some people might be going through more than the Omicron surge situation. Major weather disturbances, natural calamities, and unstable politics might add an extra challenge to global teams, so make sure to support them during these events.

What’s your experience with working for global teams? Share them with us in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp