Back in the day, people used to get up, go out of the house, and go to an actual office in order to get some work done. Fast forward to today, many of us actual do remote work. It can be a perk of the job, an actual way of working or, can be brought about by particular circumstances. In this day and age, almost all of us are familiar with the concept of remote work.

Remote work is a working style that allows professionals to work outside of a traditional office environment. It is based on the concept that work does not need to be done in a specific place to be executed successfully^[1]

With businesses going global and teams being spread across different locations and time zones, it is very important to stay connected and to have the right tools. Building visibility and having solid communication strategies are the best ways to help teams feel that they are part of the company no matter where they are in the world. This boils down to 2 things: having the best collaboration tools and having failproof avenues for communication.

Collaboration tools:

Teams must be able to work together even though they are physically apart. Collaboration tools enable this. The best collaboration tools must give teams the ability to create together. Some of the features to look out for when choosing collaboration tools are:

• Ability to share information in multiple forms (documents, pdfs, spreadsheets, presentations, images, and other multimedia files, etc.)
• Ability to edit and make comments in real-time
• Ability to share or forward information within the app or via 3rd party applications
• Has multiple useful features like 3rd party integrations, spell checks, etc.
• Easy to use
• Has privacy settings, user permissions, access control, and data sharing hierarchy (meaning you can control who sees what)
• Cloud-based

Here are a few of my favorite online collaboration tools:

• Google Docs (of course)
• Zoho Docs
• Dropbox Paper
• Microsoft Office 365
• Evernote

Communications tools:

The strength of teams lies in how well they communicate. Team members have to be available for each other to answer questions and exchange ideas. They have to be able to touch base every now and then to create, execute, and recalibrate. This is why communication tools are very important. These tools are an excellent alternative to face to face meetings. They also increase team member visibility they don’t have to be physically present at the office but they will be able to join meetings and planning sessions from anywhere in the world. This empowers teams and makes sure that all ideas are equally important and that no one gets left behind. Some of the features to look out for when choosing collaboration tools are:

• High-quality audio/video calls
• Reliable and easy to use
• Searchable message history
• Ability to send and share files
• Powerful privacy settings

Here are a few of my favorite online communication tools:

• Zoom
• Skype
• GoToMeeting
• WebEx
• Google Hangout

What are your favorite remote work tools? Share them with us in the comments. Stay humble, hustle hard.

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

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^[1] What is Remote Work?, Remote Year

Millennials are always getting flak for being constantly on their phones. The running joke is that the millennial generation is addicted to their phones but hate getting phone calls. That may be true, but they’re not the only ones who are constantly scrolling away on their smartphones.

There’s a series of reports^[1] from Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project that’s been going on for quite a few years now. It explores how different generations use technology. While we can all make sweeping generalizations about how each generation uses their gadgets, and how many do they even own for that matter, this report actually has surprising data that can prove useful if you want to understand how differently your spouse, your parents, your kids, and your peers use technology.

First of all, let’s define the generations and their age range so we know who belongs to which. These are the current guidelines^[2].

• Gen Z/Post Millennials: 1997 – present
• Millennials: 1981 – 1996
• Gen X: 1965 – 1980
• Baby Boomers: 1946 – 1964
• Silent Generation: 1928 – 1945

Find your birth year so you know which generation you belong to and learn some surprising facts about how your generation owns and uses gadgets. Take note that these generational distinctions aren’t an exact science though. They’re just tools used to help in analysis and reporting. Here are some of those findings.

Phones

It’s no surprise that phones top the list of most owned gadgets. You’d probably be hard-pressed to find a person who does NOT own a phone. Eighty-five percent of Americans age 18 and older own a cell phone. That’s a high number right there.

Surprise fact:

1. The remaining people who do not own a phone live in a household with at least one working mobile phone. So, they may not own one, but they definitely live with someone who does own a working mobile phone.
2. The only two activities that are popular for all phone owners are taking pictures and sending text messages. In fact, taking pictures tops activities more than sending text messages.

Computers

Laptop ownership has gained popularity and is slowly overtaking desktop ownership. But while the Millennial generation is the only generation more likely to own a laptop vs a desktop, Gen Xers come close. Also, more Gen Xers own a desktop than Millennials do. Desktop is still king – with more users owning desktop computers overall.

Surprise fact:

1. More Baby Boomers own a desktop than Millennials. Millennials actually come in third in terms of percentage of American adults who own a desktop computer.

Game Consoles

Sixty-three percent of all adults ages 18-46 own a game console like an Xbox or Playstation. That number drops to 38% for those ages 47-56. It’s no surprise that those who are parents and with children living at home are approx 2x more likely than non-parents to own a game console.

Surprise fact:

1. It’s a fun tie between Millennials and Gen X in terms of game console ownership, with 63% of each generation owning a game console.

Can you relate to any of these findings? Share your thoughts with us in the comments. Stay humble, hustle hard.

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

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^[1] Millennials, Pew Research Center

^[2] New Guidelines Redefine Birth Years for Millennials, Gen-X, and ‘Post-Millennials’, Mental Floss, 2018

Do you use a calendar app? I use Google Calendars and link all my online calendars to the stock calendar of my phone. One nifty trick I learned to keep myself organized is to add all tasks, events, and travels as calendar entries. I add travel time to airports as calendar entries, and I even put errands like grocery shopping and laundry in. Ideally, I like calendars where I could see an overview of my week and then switch views to see a daily overview so I can check my phone every morning to get a summary of how my day looks like. This doesn’t mean things don’t slip through the cracks, I do forget to add entries in sometimes, but it reminds me of all the running tasks I need to do.

The calendar app that’s right for you will depend on your needs. Do you need a daily reminder or constant notification of upcoming tasks or events? Do you need a shared calendar that you can manage collaboratively with co-workers or even housemates? I don’t really set reminders or notifications(because that overwhelms me), but I do link all of my online calendars to the one on my phone. I also have a shared calendar that I mostly use to share my availability for work projects. Clients can look at it and see at a glance when they can book me in for a meeting. Even though all of my entries show up in one calendar app, each online calendar is color-coded so I know which event or task is associated with each account. It is streamlined but organized.

Calendar apps have two basic functions: to show you your schedule and to remind you of upcoming tasks and events. At its root, a calendar app should help you manage your time. Here are a few key points to look for when choosing a calendar app:

• Easy to use – must be intuitive and should not have a steep learning curve
• Well designed – should be designed with function in mind. Pleasing aesthetics is also a major plus.
• Customizable – should have features that are useful and relevant to you and should be adjustable to your need and style.
• Easy to share – giving other people access to your calendar can be a big help (i.e work projects or household management), make sure the calendar app you pick is collaborative and compatible with other devices.

Here are a few Calendar App suggestions that you might want to check out:

• Any.do (Android, iOS, Web) – for organizing superstars
• Apple Calendar (iOS, macOS, Web) – for Apple loyalists
• Cozi (Android, iOS, Web, Windows) – for household management
• Google Calendar (Android, iOS, Web) – for no-nonsense scheduling; free and all-purpose
• Microsoft Outlook Calendar (Android, iOS, macOS, Windows) – for business
• My Study Life (Android, iOS, Web) – for students and educators
• TimeTree (Android, iOS, Web) – for collaboration

What Calendar App do you use? How does it help you organize your schedule and manage your time? Share your thoughts with us in the comments. Remember to stay humble and hustle hard.

Written by Jaie O. The Help

If your office desk looks like the inside of a hospital room – bare, drab, and sanitized – it’s time to shake things up and add some character to it. Not only will it make your office desk look cozier and more homey, it will also improve the air quality of your work environment, reduce workplace stress, and enhance productivity. It also gives your eyes a welcome break from staring too long at a computer screen. In addition, larger plants can act as space dividers between workspaces.

Here’s a list of the best indoor plants for beginners. They’re in the beginner category because they are fairly low maintenance and hard to kill. They require minimal care and aren’t so persnickety. They will just want a little love and affection, plus water and sunlight. Some of these are small enough to keep on top of your desk, but most require a small dedicated space near sunlight.

The Peace Lily, or Spathiphyllum
The Peace Lily is at the top of the list for a reason. It can thrive in low office lighting and is an excellent air purifier. It is very easy to maintain, especially for first-time plant parents, because it will let you know when it needs to be watered in the most dramatic way ever – its leaves droop. Alternatively, this drama queen will let you know that it’s very happy by producing flowers.

Chinese Evergreen, or Aglaonema
Another low maintenance plant, the Chinese Evergreen is known for its tolerance to low light. It doesn’t require everyday watering, and best of all, it removes toxins from the air

Snake Plant, or Sansevieria
The Snake Plant is also also known as mother-in-law’s tongue or ribbon plant. It makes for excellent room dividers because the leaves grow tall. The plant has waxy, succulent leaves, so it doesn’t have to be watered every day. Snake Plants can actually go without water for a while. You can go on a two-week vacation and be welcomed back by this plant.

Spider Plant, or Chlorophytum comosum
Is one of the easiest plants to propagate because it produces “pups” which are small spider plants that you can just detach from the mother plant to grow more Spider Plants. They are very versatile and can be displayed as hanging plants or potted plants.

ZZ Plant, or Zamioculcas zamiifolia
The majestic ZZ Plant has beautiful, waxy, succulent dark leaves and thick branches. With that description, you know that it can stand without watering for a while. The plant can tolerate low lights. It’s one tough cookie that can stand a bit of neglect. As a bonus, some of the plants even produce flowers. Do not overwater this plant though, as the leaves will immediately turn yellow.

Do you have any indoor plants for the office? Which is your favorite one and why? Share your answers in the comments. Remember to stay humble and hustle hard.

Written by Jaie O. The Help

Companies encourage productivity and success but understandably frown upon inappropriate behavior. It’s an unwritten rule but most employees frown upon close personal rapport between co-workers. This is because employers want to prevent unprofessional behavior and office friendships might (but not necessarily) lead to conflicts of interest, favoritism, and abuse of authority. That’s why making and navigating office friendships can be a bit tricky in the workplace.

Workplace friendships are very different from personal friendships and have different human dynamics to consider. However, a healthy work-life balance requires having people at the workplace whom you can trust and rely on for professional guidance and work issues. So how do you navigate the professional sphere and still make friends at the workplace? Here are some hard and fast rules to live by:

Thou shalt establish boundaries
Establish your boundaries early on. In the process of making friends, small talk and office banter is a good way to ease yourself into friend circles. However, nobody can afford to chit chat the whole day. You should be able to recognize when your social interactions turn into a distraction. Discipline yourself to get back to work after a talk by the watercooler. Or get a seat away from friends so that you have an excuse to extricate yourself from conversations and get back to work.

Thou shalt include non-friends in work projects
The easiest way to collaborate is to get to work with people who you already have a connection with. We fall into the trap of picking friends to collaborate with during work projects because you already know their strengths and what they can contribute to the project. However, make sure to include non-friends in a work project. Otherwise, you won’t be able to avoid group thinking and your ideas will be homogenous. Include your other colleagues so that you get great input and new ideas.

Thou shalt not gossip
Laughing with friends at the office make colleagues outside your circle nervous. Colleagues are concerned about hearsay and having that feeling of being excluded from conversations or not being in the know. Avoid making your colleagues feel uncomfortable by including them in conversations. If a conversation with a workplace friend is starting to turn negative, have the decency to pull back and keep the conversation on track. Another good tip is to never, ever gossip – with other friends or behind people’s back. This is a generally good life tip to live by.

Thou shalt treat everyone fairly
Listen to everybody, not just friends. This is the best way to make sure you avoid real or perceived bias. Listen when others bring up an interesting topic or share information and opinion. Make everyone feel valued by giving everybody equal attention, not just those you are closest to at work.

What are your hard and fast rules regarding office friendships? Share them with us in the comments. Remember to stay humble and hustle hard!

Written by Jaie O. The Help