Category Archives: Administrative Support

Oct1

The Perks of Coffee

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The Perks of Coffee

October 1 is special. It falls on a Monday and signals the start of another productive week. It also signals the start of the last quarter of the year and tells us that – fall is here! There’s another thing that makes October 1 extra special. October 1 is International Coffee Day. In honor of the work fuel that keeps countless shift workers, employees, students, and parents alive, here are 5 fun facts about the beverage we all know and love.

Coffee aromatherapy
The moment you hold that warm mug of coffee in your hands and that rich, coffee aroma wafts in the air, you immediately get the benefits of coffee. It’s that powerful! You don’t even have to drink it yet, to get its amazing benefits. Research shows that the smell of coffee and just being exposed to its aroma could reduce stress and instantly perk you up. You get all that sans the caffeine. In fact, this study shows that the smell of coffee “is enough to reverse the effects of sleep deprivation on the brain.” Coffee has 800 compounds, most of them are tied to the scent. And we all know that scent triggers memories, feelings, and connections. We may associate these with wakefulness.

Coffee for improved health
Did you know that coffee can help improve brain function and memory? Coffee has compounds that help prevent beta-amyloid build-up that may contribute to the onset of Alzheimer’s. Not only does it keep us awake, but it also helps our brain function better and helps improve memory. No wonder it is the go-to drink for students who are burning the night oil.

Coffee as a mood booster
This study that ran for a decade, found that “depression risk decreases with increasing caffeinated coffee consumption”. The secret – Dopamine. Dopamine stimulates the brain’s pleasure centers and is a substance associated with happiness and euphoria.

Coffee lifeline
Interestingly, coffee also reduces the risk of suicide. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine and The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry, reveals that “the risk of suicide among adults drinking 2-4 cups of coffee (the equivalent of about 400 mg of caffeine) a day was 50% less than the risk for adults who drank decaffeinated coffee or one cup or less of caffeinated coffee.” This could again be due to the fact that coffee stimulates the production of Dopamine, as well as Serotonin and Noradrenaline – all of which are feel-good substances. However, you should not self-medicate with coffee, as the same study shows that “drinking more than 4 cups of coffee didn’t drop the suicide risk lower.” So, the age-old saying stands true – take everything in moderation.

Coffee for beauty
Those coffees scrubs aren’t the only thing good for your skin. The antioxidants found in coffee also helps your skin look great, your hair shinier, and the chlorogenic acid compound in coffee stems retinal damage.

Who would’ve thought that this humble beverage could be so much more than a wake me upper? There are so many reasons to love coffee and now you know 5 more.

How about you? How do you like your coffee? We’d love to hear about it. Share them with us in the comments. Stay humble and hustle hard!

 

Written by Jaie O. The Help

Sep10

5 Ways to Show Your Computer Some Love

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5 Ways to Show Your Computer Some Love

Aside from the bed, in front of a computer is where we spend most of lives. Well, that’s very true today. CNN reports that the average American spends more than 10 hrs a day staring at a screen – with computer screens taking up an average of 7 hours of that time. That number is still growing.

While we have no control over the amount of time we spend in front of a work computer – we can mitigate the unhealthy effect by doing some stretches and getting some activity into our daily routine. I’ve written about light stretches here.

Now back to the computer screen. If you are a normal office worker, you spend a lot of time in front of this device and for most people, work done in front of a PC is their bread and butter. You would want to take very good care of it to keep it in tiptop shape for many years to come and to maximize this very important investment.

Most PC’s have an average lifespan of 5 years – longer if you take care of it well. Here’s how to keep your PC in tiptop shape and make it last longer.

1. Keep it clean!
Nothing shows wear and tear like having a dirty screen and keyboard. Dust, dirt, and grime can cause PCs to malfunction and keyboard keys to stick. Fans clogged with dirt can cause your machine to overheat. A dirty screen can and will affect the display So wipe down your machine, use a keyboard vacuum or canned air to remove dirt from your keyboard and PC fan. Those food crumbs aren’t helping either, so brush or vacuum them out. Clean your screen with a microfiber cloth and a screen cleaner (never use a glass or window cleaner – that can dull out your display). And please, for the love of god, never place an uncovered coffee mug near your keyboard or laptop.

2. Cooling effect.
When the room temperature is high, your PC or laptop fan works overtime to cool down the device. So, help it along by NOT placing the PC or laptop in a hot place and keep it out of the sun. The glare won’t help your eyes either. Keep the device well ventilated to ensure that the fan can dissipate the heat from your device properly.

3. Update.
Always update your OS – it keep things running smoothly. Don’t forget to update your antivirus as well. Doing that will not only save your device but save your sanity.

4. Get a surge protector.
An electrical surge can fry your hard drive. If you are in an area prone to storms or electrical surges due to fluctuating power supplies, get a surge protector. Invest in a good one, otherwise, you might find yourself buying another machine.

5. Be careful.
Treat your machine with care. Don’t try to move PCs around – pick a spot and hunker down. Moving it around might dislodge parts in the machine. Carry your laptop like a fragile vase. Sure, they’re built to be mobile but don’t be willy-nilly and go about holding it on one hand with coffee on the other (disastrous results, trust me). Buy a nice padded case for it.

Got any other tips for computer care? Share them with us! Stay humble, hustle hard!

 

Written by Jaie O. The Help

Sep4

Do the (side) Hustle!

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Do the (side) Hustle!

It’s September and as the weather starts to get cold, we start to heat up with excitement for the holidays. In the next few months, a plethora of holiday celebrations are about to arise – and expenses are expected to rise along with them. We’re looking at clothing and costumes, candy, decorations, trips, gifts, and food. And just about now, we’re gearing up for these expenses.

Even if we’re working a full-time job, everyone would welcome earning a little more money on the side. Some people are looking to augment their income, some people want to monetize and earn from their hobbies, and others are looking to build a business while working a full-time job. Whatever your reason is, there are a lot of professional careers and hobbies that can be a fun and lucrative way to earn more.

For the enterprising employee who needs ideas for side hustles that he/she can do while working a day job, this list is for you!

Tutoring:
Got a musical skill? Are you good at playing a musical instrument? There are a lot of parents who would like their child to learn a musical instrument – and with good reason. Learning a musical instrument at a young age builds character and has a lot of benefits. Teach a child to play the piano or the guitar. Or you can even give them voice lessons if you’ve got amazing vocal chops!

Are you good at math and science? You can probably work with older kids or teens on their maths. I know I needed help with algebra and geometry when I was younger. You can probably even help young adults who are at Uni with their calculus and statistics dilemma. Teach them your tips and tricks so that they can learn how to solve problems differently from textbook instruction.

Are you good at English or know another language? Why not be a remote language instructor? If you have ESL certification, you can teach to an older and more professional demographics. In countries like Japan, Korea, Hongkong, and UAE, people pay around $25 an hour for English lessons. Foreign languages (French, Spanish, Japanese, German, etc.) fetch a very good price, too. It’s a great way to make a solid income and “meet” friends from around the world.

Home Business:
Do you like cooking for other people? If you’ve got awesome baking skills, why not put that to good use? Even if you’re just a weekend warrior. You can sell your baked goodies for parties, weddings, and events. Most of them happen on a weekend anyway.

Got a hobby? If you’re good with needle and thread, you can accept alterations or create your own “clothing line” If you can only sew in a straight line, pajamas, pillowcases, and shopping bags are a great starting point.

Professional Online jobs:
If you have the skills and/or certifications for one of these, you can freelance your way into money making projects:
● Graphic Design
● Web development
● Accounting
● Virtual Assistance
● Writing
● Transcribing
● Consultancy (Design, Travel, Wellness, Career, etc.)

Hopefully, these ideas can help you side hustle your way into more moolah for the holidays. Got any more ideas? Share them with us in the comments. Stay humble, hustle hard!

 

Written by Jaie O. The Help

Aug27

PC clean up

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PC clean up

The average shelf life of a desktop PC is 5 years. After that, bugs and kinks start to show up, and they show up earlier if you’re a heavy (and quite careless) user. If you want your desktop or laptop to run smoothly and prolong its life, you should set time aside to do annual checks. After all, we do it for our cars, our teeth, our cholesterol – why not do an annual “health check’ for the thing where you spend most of your work and social media life?

Digital clutter tends to accumulate when unchecked and create all kinds of havoc on our electronic devices: smartphones, tablets, PCs, and laptops. First, they slow down your devices, and then they turn it into an expensive paperweight.

So what can a non-techie person do? Fear not, you don’t have to be a computer expert to be able to clean up your gadgets. Here are some easy ways to control digital clutter. Be sure to do these every few months to make sure your electronic devices run smoothly

The easiest place to begin is the system desktop. The desktop (of your PC or laptop) is not a repository for documents or screenshots or downloads that you have not yet organized into its own folder. You should not just save things there because they don’t have a home. Either delete them or find a home for them.

Speaking of deleting items from your system desktop…empty out your recycle bin or trash. These files still take up space on your device, so clear them out. It’s the easiest way to free up some space on your device.

Photos also take up so much space and create clutter. Seriously, we take so many photos of the same thing at different angles hoping to chance upon the perfect picture. It’s amazing how much thought we put into getting the perfect shot. You’re not really thinking about posting all 10 selfies so might as well remove all selfies that do not do you justice. Choose your favorite pose (1 max!…ok, 2 then) and delete the rest where you’re just posing differently in the same place, wearing the same outfit.

Take a page from the minimalist book and meticulously delete or remove any app on your device that is neither useful nor brings you joy… Remove that game you’ve already beaten, that editing software you never use, the fifth iteration of a task tracking app (you need just one anyway). If you haven’t used it in a 6-month time frame, chances are you’re never gonna use it.

If you’re noticing a slow down in your startup time or if your device is getting buggy or glitchy – it’s time to take it to the experts for a tune-up. Yes, a device tune-up is a real thing. Unless you’re extremely tech-savvy, leave it to the experts to clean up your devices. Otherwise, you might risk getting some or all of your files deleted.

Always make sure your antivirus is updated. Every click leaves a digital footprint and those footprints can be muddy or can track bugs and other undesirables into your device. So make sure you have an antivirus installed to help protect you from attacks and keep your system running at its optimum performance.

What is your digital device clean up rituals? Share them with us! Stay humble, hustle hard!

 

Written by Jaie O. The Help

Aug14

Stay Focused

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Stay Focused

Some employers have an open time policy. They set a window of log in hours, say from 7 am to 10 am and then it’s up to the employees to come as they please provided that they finish 8 working hours.

Having a flexible schedule is one benefit that most employees look for in a company. In fact, in order to attract top talent, schedule flexibility is one benefit that potential employees look for. A flexible schedule affords employees autonomy and ownership over their own time and schedule, offering the choice to avoid traffic and toxic commutes during peak hours. It also imparts a sense of trust and confidence from the employer to the employee that they value.

But having no defined work hours might prove to be more challenging than having a set work schedule for some. It forces daily adjustments. Sometimes, consistency is just what employees need in order to be more productive. Autonomy is a mixed blessing.

If you are struggling to stay focused on a flexible work schedule, here are a few tips to keep you productive and consistent at work.

Routine:
You may have a different start and stop time every day but keep your activities consistent. Start your day the same way no matter what time you start or come in for work. A good routine would be: some personal time as soon as you get up (meditating, reading, exercise, making and/or checking your to-do list etc.), shower and get dressed, breakfast, coffee, and then get to work. Having a routine makes sure you have enough time to get personal prep and essential work things done and be able to anticipate having to slot in unexpected or ad hoc errands and task into your day.

Hard stop:
Set a hard stop for yourself – a time when all things involving work must come to an end. Some people find this hard, especially those who take work home. They log out of their terminals from work but essentially continue on their laptops when they get home. If you do step one (have a routine and set a schedule), then you should be able to accomplish all the items on your task list by the end of the day. Unfinished tasks can wait till the next day. Freelancers and people who work from home should have an end-of-work-day routine. It is a signal that the workday is finished and personal time has begun. Office workers can just log off or clock out but at home, workers may miss this and continue working till the wee hours. So a good end-of-day routine is in order. Cleaning up your desk and powering down the PC is one way to signal the end of the workday.

Communication:
Keep your boss and co-workers updated. Starting work at different times for teams that are working on the same project could be hard to coordinate, so keep communication lines open. This would be helpful for answering team questions, showing results, emergency team meetings, etc. Also, let your teammates know when you’ll be going offline. You might have an important doctor’s appointment, bank errands, or somewhere you need to run off to. Let them know you’ll be out of office for a while and how long you’ll be gone so they know when they can expect an answer or a report from you. Keep your phone lines open while you’re out.

How do you stay focused on a flexible schedule? Let us know your tips in the comments. Stay humble and hustle hard.

 

Written by Jaie O. The Help