Once upon a  time, multi-tasking was a badge of honor. The more tasks you can do at the same time, the more impressive you seem to be. But now, we all know the multi-tasking myth. Try task switching instead. That’s when you transition from one task to the next.

Here are 8 tips to help you master task switching:

1. Write it down – what were you doing when you were interrupted or distracted? Write it down so that you can pick up where you left off and easily resume your work. 
2. Edit yourself – take away distractions and major time suckers. The usual are: social media, emails, youtube, apps. But there are hidden distractions too like visual clutter, and if you work from home, the bed and fridge may be pitfalls too.
3. Rank ‘em up – discuss your priorities with your boss so that you both know what needs to get done as a matter of importance. If you work independently, write down your tasks and rank them according to importance. Knowing which tasks are important by ranking them, encourages you to focus on the crucial tasks and respond appropriately to distractions.
4. Schedule communications – make those phone calls and emails at a scheduled time rather than waiting for others to reach out to you spontaneously when they are most likely to interrupt your workflow.
5. To-Do lists are gold – think of them as bookmarks, goal posts, or milestones  that will help you switch (instead of multitask) and not lose your focus. They also serve as a running log of accomplishments which in turn will help motivate you to finish more tasks.
6. Have a routine – create a signal for starting deep work or switching to a new task. For example, you can do shoulder rolls when you’re switching from answering emails to doing research work. Or you can take 5-min pomodoro breaks when switching from one task to another. Some people do jumping jacks before they lock in to a “focus” task, I water my home office plants before I switch to a concentrated task. 
7. Celebrate your wins – start by noticing when you are able to successfully switch tasks instead of doing multiple tasks at the same time. Recognition is the first step to cutting the multitasking habit. Then once you finish a task, celebrate by getting a drink or a snack or listening to a song, getting some coffee or just getting up and going outside for a break.
8. Set yourself up for success – batch your task by similar characteristics – same skill set, same resources, same amount of time it will take to finish, etc. By batching similar tasks, you help your brain transition smoothly through tasks by reducing the mental resources needed to shift from one kind of work to another.

Does multitasking work for you? Have you tried task switching? What are your task switching 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

Our energy levels dip at certain points in the day depending on our circadian rhythms. It makes it harder for us to focus on tasks and some even get cranky when this happens. Here is a list of some energy boosters that might be able to help you during the energy slump:

1. Fresh fruits – fresh fruits are nature’s portable healthy snacks that are not only filled with fiber and nutrients but are great energy boosters as well. If you’re going through a midday slump, try eating a banana or an apricot. They are filled with B vitamins and potassium that help promote sustained energy and muscle function. In fact, pai your banana with low-fat milk or yogurt for an energy combo packed with fiber and protein.
2. Unprocessed food – that cheeseburger and fries combo may increase your energy levels for now but the crash will leave you drained shortly after. It is the same with other processed foods such as canned goods, candy, boxed meals and other foods filled with preservatives, sodium, and trans fat. Your best bet is to stick to unprocessed food which, pound for pound, gives you more nutrition value than quick fix meals.
3. Magnesium – magnesium is needed to facilitate more than 300 biochemical functions in your body – including the breakdown of glucose into energy. Low magnesium levels mean a drop in energy. That’s why if you feel a little low in energy for more than a few days, it could be that your magnesium levels have dropped and you need to increase your magnesium intake. The recommended daily intake (RDI) is 300mg for women and 350mg for men.
4. Nuts and seeds – speaking of magnesium, you can get that and more from eating a handful of nuts and seeds such as almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, chia seeds and pumpkin seeds. Adding nuts and seeds to your diet will boost your mineral and fiber intake and help sustain energy levels. 
5. Power naps – ah, the power nap.  What is the recommended amount of sleep that counts as a “power nap?” Amerisleep recommends 20 mins: “A 20-minute power nap is best for your body and mind. You wake up feeling more alert and refreshed. Sleeping more than 20 minutes can make you feel sluggish, groggy, and more tired than before you napped, but if you have time, you may sleep for 90 minutes to complete a full sleep cycle.”
6. A short walk – you may feel that more movement will drain you of your energy but the reverse is true. A short walk 10-minute around the block will help you feel refreshed and revitalized. The effects last for 2 hours, just enough time to get you over the midday energy slump. 
7. Not skipping meals – especially breakfast as it provides a jolt of fuel that sets the energy for the day.
8. Reduce stress – stress is one of the biggest energy zappers. It also wrecks your immune system and makes you susceptible to illness. You uts can’t win with stress. We all have stressors but the key is to manage them to a level that doesn’t zap our energy out. A tiny amount of stress is actually good to keep us on our toes but chronic levels of sustained stress erodes our energy levels and affects other bodily  functions. So try to keep your stress levels low.
9. Less sugar – sugar has become the new enemy. This white crystal is the new culprit for all kinds of not-so-good things, from insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity, to impaired concentration and memory. Aim to eat more whole grains for a slower and more steady release of fuel instead of eating sugary foods that provide short bursts of energy followed by a rapid crash that can leave you feeling drained.
10. Caffeine – too much caffeine will leave you feeling wiped out, so be careful about your caffeine intake. However, small amounts of caffeine can provide you with just enough jolt of energy. And if you make it a latte, all that milk turns your coffee into a protein drink that not only provides extra energy but a calcium boost as well.

What are your energy booster go-tos? 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

There’s a strong pushback from employees as companies flex their muscles to recall them back into the office. Social media call out, petitions, and campaigns have been launched to let employers know that: employees want to retain the flexibility that remote and hybrid work afforded during the pandemic.

As it turns out, remote or work-from-home FLEXIBILITY is a job feature that most employees are willing to quit or give up extra pay for. This interesting Business News Daily article reports that “employees would sacrifice between 2.6% and 5.1% of their salary for more flexibility. Half of employees care more about flexibility than salary.” It also says “among American employees who have been offered flexible work arrangements, 87% have taken them. Common reasons for taking flexible arrangements include lower stress levels, better trust-building and more happiness overall.”

Isn’t that interesting? Workplace flexibility is now as much a retention “must have” more than just being a company “perk”. That means workplace flexibility is here to stay. Even before the pandemic, a storm was clearly brewing. Tired of long, tiring commutes and overbearing bosses looking over their shoulders, employees are no longer willing to prioritize presence over performance. Gone are the days when you were expected to stay long hours at the office and sacrifice personal time and mental health just to be SEEN at the office. By now, we have proven that being there does not mean doing a better job than those who aren’t at the office physically.

If you think about it, workplace flexibility is an overall win for both employers and employees. It provides employees the flexibility and freedom to work where, how and when they want. Employees discovered the best time they can work most effectively and with fewer interruptions. For example, night owls can work quietly at night when everyone is asleep and early birds can get in some work done early during the day leaving both birds time to be present for their families and do other personal things during their time off work. On the other hand, employers can clearly see an increase in engagement, creativity, and performance. And why not, being able to feel that the company cares for you would drive those engagement numbers right up and actually increase retention.

People need to be able to pursue endeavors that fuel productivity and creativity. Otherwise, they’ll feel like mere cogs in a wheel and feel disconnected from the bigger picture. Empowering employees with more flexibility and autonomy is not only a competitive move for employers or a last ditch retention effort, but an investment in a happier, better-balanced and well-rounded society that benefits us all.

Do you have workplace flexibility? Does your company offer it as a perk or is it now fully ingrained in your workplace culture? What are your thoughts on workplace flexibility? 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

Almost anything we do online requires us to have some kind of log-in credentials or some type of password for gatekeeping purposes. Even newsletters and grocery apps require passwords. 

Not all accounts are created equal. Some are just throwaway accounts that you used to sign up once to get that free item or a discount code and some accounts contain very sensitive information that you would guard with your life. You don’t use the same password for both these kinds of accounts, do you? If you use only one password for all your accounts – PLEASE DON’T. In the immortal words of the Spice Girls “stop right now!” It’s a very, very bad idea to reuse passwords let alone use 1 password for ALL your online accounts. 

People are still terrible at passwords

The bad news, it’s 2023 and people are still using terrible passwords like “1234” or “password”. I’m not saying that’s you. I’m sure you’ve mastered the art of the strong password by now. A strong password, as I’m sure you know, has a combination of these:

• Upper case
• Lower case
• Numbers
• Special characters

You deserve a safe digital life

Aside from good password management, here are some simple ways to secure your digital life:

1. Use different passwords – you already know that it is a big no-no to reuse passwords. Use a different password for every account you create, otherwise, if one account is breached, other accounts could easily be compromised. 
2. Use MFA – MFA means Multi factor Authentication. This security feature adds another layer of protection (like a token or a mobile phone app) in addition to your username and password.
3. Use advanced authentication methods – aside from MFA, other advanced authentication methods include: biometric verification (like thumbprint verification or Windows Hello facial recognition). For next level security, you can use a Yubikey.
4. Secure your mobile phone – you may have strong security protocols in place but if your mobile phone is not secure, that could be a point of failure. So, secure your mobile phone with extra strong passwords, MFA, and advanced authentication (fingerprint or facial recognition).
5. Avoid storing passwords – avoid storing passwords either digitally or on paper. Use a password manager like the ones mentioned in the previous article or if you’re just looking for basic features, use your browser password management features. The convenience of using password managers is that you only have to remember one password, the one that lets you access your password vault. If you haven’t used a password manager before, you can watch an overview of how it works here. (Not advertising this service but it’s the one I’m using.) 

Stolen or weak passwords are still the most common reason for data breaches, so it’s a must to pay attention to the passwords you keep and create and make sure they are strong and secure.

What are your tried and tested security 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

I have signed up yet again for another account which requires me to create new login credentials. As usual, it will ask for a unique username and password. Gone are the days when you would just write down your password in a password tracking booklet. By now, you (and I) probably have a gazillion accounts, all of which require passwords that are at least 8 characters long. To manage these passwords, I now use an online password manager. 

I had no problems with my password manager until the most recent LastPass security breach. The company has yet to provide information on how many password vaults have been compromised and how many users were affected by the breach. This incident has left me (and a lot of people) thinking: is it time to ditch this password manager, and if so, what are the alternatives?

Lastpass, along with others like these listed below are cloud based password management solutions that help end users manage their ever growing password lists online by storing their online passwords in an encrypted format. Here are some other examples of password management tools:

• Keeper Enterprise Password Management
• ManageEngine Password Manager Pro
• Specops Software Password Management Tools
• Dell Password Manager
• 1Password Business
• Hitachi ID Bravura Pass
• Zoho Vault
• SailPoint Password Management
• 1Password
• Bitwarden
• Dashlane
• KeePassXC
• NordPass
• Keeper
• Password Safe

Most of the solutions listed above have enterprise grade security. However, that feature does not come cheap. Some of these tools are quite expensive. It got me thinking: is my password manager safe from a breach, are there other options aside from password managers? 

Browser love

I could use the browser based password managers in the meantime, for basic password management. Most web browsers have a basic level password manager. (You will notice this password management feature when Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox asks you if you’d like to save a password. Yes, it’s that basic.) This is a rudimentary solution but at least it’s better than having to re-use your passwords – or worse, use “1234” or “password” as your password (The top 2 most commonly used passwords used – if you’re guilty of doing this, stop.)

Google has a new and improved password manager built into Chrome that’s slightly better than the rest, but it’s still not as full-featured, or widely supported as a dedicated password manager like those listed above. Apple’s Keychain Access also works nicely and integrates well with Apple’s Safari web browser. The main problem is that if you have any non-Apple devices, you won’t be able to sync your passwords to them, since Apple doesn’t make apps for other platforms. 

Passkeys and whatnots

I could use Passkeys. Passkeys are generated cryptographic keys managed by your device. They’re generated as key pairs instead of passwords, so there’s nothing to remember. However, Passkeys are managed by your device, namely Apple, Google, and Microsoft. That is a single point of failure – and historically bound to happen.

Choices, choices, choices. I think I’ll stick to my password manager for now (for the curious, it’s Zoho Vault). It not only helps me track passwords but generates strong passwords for me to use as well as other helpful features. I won’t leave anything up to chance though, and should make it a point to use best security practices for all my accounts. I’ll share 5 best practice tips with you next time.

Do you use a password manager? Are you happy with the password manager you use? Share your thoughts 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