5 Ways To Create A Workspace That Enhances Your Productivity

/in /by

StrategyDrive Practices for Professionals Article |Enhance your productivity|5 Ways To Create A Workspace That Enhances Your ProductivityWith the COVID-19 pandemic winding down, businesses have been keen on getting their people back into their offices. Of course, getting used to remote work for the past two years, some won’t take this lying down.

A recent Gallup survey of over 8,000 remote employees found that preference for onsite work has tanked, from 60% pre-pandemic to just 23% moving forward. Meanwhile, hybrid work is seeing a fruitful rise, from 32% pre-pandemic to 59% for the foreseeable future. In short, most people don’t mind coming to the office as long as they still get to work from home.

Not all businesses can adopt a hybrid arrangement, but no matter the setup, they’ll have to make up for all the lost time. Increased productivity will be one of three fundamental characteristics of the future workplace, alongside flexibility and improved communications. Here’s a look at five reliable ways to create a workspace that enhances productivity.

1. Monotask, not multitask

For decades, people considered doing multiple tasks simultaneously the epitome of employee performance. But to quote Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear fame: “Multitasking is the ability to screw everything up simultaneously.”

You may think otherwise, but a study published at Materia Socio-Medica discovered that just adding a new task on top of the current one reduces attention span. Experts say that the human brain isn’t designed to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. Dividing your full attention results in lower work quality, and pressure to improve may lead to burnout.

Focusing on a single task, known as monotasking, results in increased focus and better output. One way to design a workplace for monotasking is to have one computer monitor instead of two, except in unique circumstances. Getting fully-integrated business software such as Jobber and others also works, as users would have multiple functions in one program.

2. Reduce repetitive tasks

Contrary to popular belief, repeatedly doing the same task doesn’t always mean getting better. If the worker doesn’t find the job fulfilling to some degree, they may feel detached from the rest of the workplace. Such feelings can culminate in burnout and, worse, turnover.

Work feels more satisfying when it subjects the mind to new challenges or a change of scenery. To allocate more manpower to these tasks, repetitive ones must be automated; a good example is custom template files like a handyman estimate template. They save businesses time and money by only requiring filling out the details.


3. Get standing desks

Spending eight hours a day on your seat can be unhealthy. In fact, the Department of Labor has a term for such work: sedentary roles. These jobs involve sitting on their workstations for most of the day and carrying no more than 10 pounds of office weight.
Employees feeling back pain and other common work-related health problems most likely stem from sitting all day. Doctors believe such a lifestyle has the same risk of dying as smoking and obesity. As if that isn’t bad enough, they also say that sedentary work accounts for an estimated 60% of a worker’s waking hours daily.

As such, the workplace must enable employees to stretch their legs in between work. However, standing desks take it one step further by getting the body to burn calories by standing—though some designs feature a treadmill underneath. Having these in the workplace doesn’t mean not needing sitting desks; they produce better health benefits when together.

4. Allow midday naps

If this post gave you this tip several years ago, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s preposterous. But now that people have gotten a taste of the benefits of remote work, specifically more control over their time, they’ll undoubtedly demand their bosses adopt this.

In truth, midday naps have been around since before the pandemic. Some businesses have a nap or quiet rooms for their employees to rest before returning to work. While a welcome convenience, these rooms aren’t a requirement. For the budget-strapped company, simply allowing employees a brief rest after lunch will suffice.

5. Have a stocked pantry

If there’s one thing soldiers and office workers have in common, they march on their stomachs. Lunch breaks are a given, but stocking the pantry with healthy snacks can enhance productivity. Experts recommend foods that can be consumed on the go, such as dried nuts, tuna pouches, fruit slices, vegetable sticks, and clementines.

If possible, avoid commercially-made snacks like candy and granola bars, as they’re loaded with an unhealthy amount of sugar. Settle for homemade ones instead.

Conclusion

The importance of productivity has barely changed. If anything, the COVID pandemic has only underscored it even more. Whether returning to the office or keeping the pandemic-induced status quo, businesses must plan to enhance productivity moving forward.

What To Do If You Are Involved In A Trucking Accident

/in /by

StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article |Trucking Accident|What To Do If You Are Involved In A Trucking AccidentInvolvement in a trucking collision, whether you be behind the wheel of the truck or in a secondary vehicle can be devastating. After all, the injuries are often more severe than in other automotive incidents, resulting in the need for more comprehensive care, longer recovery times and even financial complications.

While driving safely can reduce the chances of an incident occurring (in the same way that solid health and safety procedures can reduce the chances of employees getting injured at work), preventive measures only go so far. As such, it’s crucial that you are aware of the steps to follow after an incident, too.

With that in mind, here’s everything you need to do following a trucking accident.

Try to keep your cool. Whether you’re actively involved in the accident or a witness, a trucking accident can be incredibly distressing – which means it’s likely to send your stress and anxiety levels through the roof. However, in order to be as useful as possible to both yourself and those around you, it’s crucial that you’re able to keep your cool. This will allow you to process the situation and act rationally.

Call 911. Following an accident on the roadside, it’s also important that you call the relevant authorities – i.e., the police and ambulance services. This will ensure that everyone involved receives all-important medical attention, while also helping to keep others on the road safe. For example, the police may block or close certain sections of the road.

At this stage, do not try to place blame or assume responsibility for the accident – this information will be uncovered later – and getting help and staying safe is the most important matter. You should also follow typical emergency protocols for roadside incidents, such as putting on your hazard lights to warn oncoming traffic. Of course, you should step out of the vehicle (if safe to do so) and find a place to stand that puts you out of harm’s way. While waiting for emergency personnel to arrive, offer support to those who need it where you are able.


Get medical treatment. Completing a medical assessment, even if you feel fine is crucial – especially as this kind of incident often results in severe industries. While some injuries, such as broken bones are immediately obvious, and others may take a little time to present symptoms, such as concussions.

As such, you should ensure that you meet with a medical professional as soon as possible. They will be able to assess the severity of your injuries and suggest your next step. For example, you may be sent for surgery or interventional treatments, or given the all-clear to go home. Either way, getting this treatment is important and you should continue to monitor your symptoms in the days and weeks following your incident – reaching out to a healthcare provider immediately should something change.

Gather evidence. Whether you will be making a claim through your insurance provider or reaching out to an 18-wheeler truck accident lawyer, it’s important that you gather evidence to support your claim and ensure you receive as much compensation or financial support as possible. After all, between medical attention, medication and repair fees, the aftermath of an automotive accident can rack up a lot of expenses (and obliterate your savings account).

The more evidence you have to back up your story – the better. This is particularly pertinent when you consider the fact that insurance providers for the other parties involved may be looking to shift the blame to reduce the amount they have to pay out and the evidence you provide can counter their ability to do so.

You should gather a range of evidence:

  • Name and contact details of all involved, including any potential witnesses present.
  • Licence plate number of all involved.
  • Witness testimonies and reports.
  • Pictures of the damages caused to your vehicle(s).
  • Pictures of the incident, or dashcam footage.
  • Evidence of injury, such as medical documentation and reports from your healthcare provider.

Prioritize your recovery. The amount of time it will take for you to recover from this accident will vary, depending on the severity of your injuries. After all, in some cases, you may be required to spend a significant amount of time off work in order to rest and recover properly. This can be incredibly frustrating, especially if it is resulting in a loss of income or cancelled plans.

However, no matter how keen you may be to return to normality, it’s important that you follow all medical advice devoutly. As such, even if you are feeling a little better – if your doctor told you to stay off your feet for a month, you must do so. Otherwise, you’re only prolonging your recovery and putting your health at risk once again. During this time, try not to refuse help from those around you. Remember that if the tables were turned, you’d offer the same support to them and there’s no shame in asking for help during your recovery.

Talk openly about how you are feeling. It’s important to note that the emotional fallout that results from a truck or automotive accident can be just as debilitating as a physical injury. During this time, it’s normal to deal with a whirlwind of emotions, from anger to anxiety. According to a recent study, “9% of all automotive accident victims go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder”. As such, it’s clear that caring for your mental health is crucial during this time period – whether you reach out to a friend, family member or licensed professional.

Return to the open road slowly. It’s only natural to feel a little nervous about getting behind the wheel again after an incident of this nature – whether you drive a car or a truck. As a result, it’s important that you start small, so as to not over face yourself and regain some of your initial confidence. Start with shorter journeys, before gradually increasing the amount of time you spend behind the wheel.

 

How Sensible Is Investing Right Now?

/in /by

StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article | How Sensible Is Investing Right Now?

With everybody’s concerns about the economy right now, it’s easy to feel suckered into the notion of doom and gloom. The hardest thing for any business owner or any individual that’s trying to provide a solid financial foundation for themselves is to understand where their investments should go. The rising cost of everything means everybody’s having to penny-pinch even more than normal, and when it comes to something like investing, it’s not irregular to see upturns and downturns in the market. When it comes to investing in stocks and shares, it’s important to get to grips with a few fundamentals.

When Do You Need Returns on Your Investment?

Rather than thinking about profit or loss, it’s far better for you to think in terms of timescale. Because there are a wide variety of stocks and shares on the market, and with each product comes a degree of volatility. New investors are going to consider whether they should put any of their finances into any product at such a difficult time in the world. The reality is that you have to look at whether you need the money now or in the future.

A great example is an investment like cryptocurrency. You can see that it’s had a volatile time, not just in recent years, but ever since it became widely known. AI traders like Bitcoin Motion are helping investors to bridge the gap by automating aspects of trading, but the fact is that with any new or old currency, you’ve got to ask yourself if you need the money right now. If you have some savings, you can invest and you don’t need the money for at least 5 years, you can put some money in.

Holding Your Nerve

Any seasoned investor will tell you about the importance of long-term investment. It’s a hallmark of amateur investors to want short-term results and nothing more, but this is a very myopic approach to investing because anybody who is looking to make an immediate profit is better off investing in a high-interest savings account. This means you can see your money compound fairly regularly. The fact is that there have been major highs and lows over the last few years. The bear market, when a market experiences prolonged declines in price, that occurred in 2020 bounced back and hit new highs by the end of August 2020.

In 2022, we’re seeing a very similar set of circumstances. There’s high inflation, interest rate increases, and naturally, those who are looking for short-term gains are going to be disappointed if they invest in stocks and shares.


What Does It Take to Be a Sensible Investor During Tough Times?

The reality is that we can never predict the future. You can purchase shares in individual companies or buy into a fund that tracks an index or invests in a wide variety of companies; this latter option is going to diversify your portfolio. Arguably, this is the best way to be a sensible investor during tough times. However, the most important thing is to remember that these things have all occurred before. There is nothing new, no matter how much scaremongering occurs online.

The financial crash in 2008 and the Black Monday crash in 1987 are two major events that occurred within the last 40 years, a very minuscule time in investing. It’s very easy to think that any downturn in the market means you should be swift in pulling your investment out, but this is why it’s important to look at seasoned investors such as the Warren Buffetts of the world. These people always understood the value of a long-term investment.

The problem we all have in the modern world is that when it comes to investing and stocks and shares is that people want to jump onto a sure thing. People get cold feet instantly. In order to be a sensible investor, you’ve got to understand what you wish to achieve from your investments. If you don’t go in with a plan, you aren’t going to be able to find the right stocks and shares that suit your risk tolerance, and when something comes up that causes a wobble in the market, you are going to panic and pull out. It’s far better to aim for any form of profit rather than setting yourself a specific amount.

When we talk about being a sensible investor, it’s not about finding the right products or shares, but about ensuring that you have an understanding of what it takes to achieve your financial goals. Investing is an incredibly diverse approach and doesn’t just cover stocks, shares, or cryptocurrency, it can involve profiting through property or even having a good savings account or a Roth IRA. If you are looking to put money into something right now, during these tough times, you’ve got to make sure that you are prepared to weather the storm.

Shampoo and Its Work On Preventing Hair Loss

/in /by

StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals | Shampoo and Its Work On Preventing Hair LossHair loss is extremely common in men and women, with many people experiencing it prematurely too. When you notice that your hair is starting to thin or fall out, you might start to look for a solution that will restore it. Some people might look at getting a permanent hair transplant in Turkey to combat the loss. And other may look into more natural remedies like using rosemary or castor oil. However, there is one product that is often seen as preventing hair loss, and that’s shampoo. So, keep reading and discover how shampoo works and if it can stop hair loss.

Healthy Scalp, Heathy Hair

You might think that shampoo is for cleaning your hair, which is partially true. But really, it’s for cleaning your scalp and removing excess oils. However, using shampoos that are too stripping will cause your scalp to become overly dry. This can then lead to dandruff and brittle hair, as you need your natural oils to protect your scalp and hair. When it comes to shampoo, you want to ensure that you go for one with salicylic acid in it as this will exfoliate your scalp and help boost its circulation. Poor circulation is one of the reasons hair loss may occur, so you want to give your scalp the best opportunity to sprout as many hairs as possible. Your scalp should be neither excessively oily nor overly dry. Having the right balance will ensure that your hair remains on your head for longer and will regrow through at a healthy rate as well.

Shampoo Ingredients To Avoid

Not all shampoos are created equally, and in fact, a lot of them can be really bad for your hair. You might see that a shampoo is labelled as “thickening”, but in reality, these can be way more damaging for your hair. A lot of these thickening shampoos end up clogging the pores of your scalp which then restricts the amount of oxygen that it gets. This will then lead to thinning of your hair and even the loss of it too. Sulfur is a very common ingredient in many shampoos, but again, it can be detrimental for those wanting to avoid hair loss. Sulfur is used to help the shampoos lather up, but it also strips away too much oil from your hair. This then causes it to become overly dry and snap, and you might find that your hair struggles to grow back. You also want to avoid caffeine shampoos. While these are touted as being the “miracle cure” for hair loss, they’re actually doing more damage than good. Too much caffeine on your scalp will restrict the circulation, which is terrible for the growth of your hair. You want to give your scalp as much oxygen and blood flow as possible, so definitely avoid caffeine shampoos.

Ingredients To Look For

While there are lots of things you should avoid, there are ingredients that you should actively look for in your shampoos. Things like menthol can be great at alleviating a dry, itchy scalp which then helps promote the production of healthy oils. Histidine is an amino acid that helps to remove excess copper from your hair and protects it from UVA/UVB damage. All of these things can contribute to hair loss over time, so ensuring your shampoo has histidine is a good preventative measure. Niacin, sometimes called vitamin B3, is also said to be good for your scalp circulation, which will in turn boost the strength and growth of your hair. Keratin and biotin are also in a lot of shampoos, but there is a good reason for this. Biotin helps to encourage hair growth by boosting your keratin production. Your hair is made up of keratin, so without a healthy production of it, you’ll find it hard to see significant growth. Some natural ingredients like castor oil and rosemary oil are said to be great for combatting hair loss as they stimulate your blood flow and allow more oxygen to get to your hair. While there isn’t scientific evidence that supports this completely, there are a lot of people who have seen the benefits they can bring.

When it comes to keeping your hair clean, shampoo is vital. However, the type of shampoo you choose can also have an impact, good or bad, on your hair health. Too many harsh ingredients like caffeine and sulfur can easily cause your hair to become damaged, leading to hair thinning or loss. So, make sure you always read the back of the shampoo bottles and find out exactly what’s in them. Don’t trust what the name of it either. Just because it says it’s a thickening shampoo, once you look at the ingredients, you’ll see that this might not be the case. If you want to prevent hair loss, then you really need to look at the shampoo that you use. You’ll soon see the difference it makes to your hair growth once you start paying attention to the ingredients.

How To Retain Professionalism as Hybrid Employees

/in /by

StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article |Hybrid Employees|How To Retain Professionalism as Hybrid EmployeesThe world of work has been irrevocably changed, and we’re unlikely to ever see a return to full-time office life ever again. But with every adaptation comes a new set of challenges, and when you’re moving from office to home during the week, the lines between your personal and working life can become blurred. It’s important to retain the right level of professionalism when you’re working, but that can be hard to do when you’re working from home.

So how do you ensure that your interactions with colleagues and clients are as professional as they would be if you were in the office?

Use the right channels of communication

When you’re in the office, you can pop by someone’s desk or catch them on the way to a meeting to discuss that task or project. But when you’re all working remotely, it’s easy to let the channels of communication fall by the wayside.

Since remote working often means flexible hours and asynchronous communication, ask your colleagues how they’d like to be communicated with, so you can be sure you’re reaching them on channels they’ll check regularly. It ensures that everyone can be reached easily, but that boundaries are in place to avoid feeling like you have to be connected on every platform 24/7.

Foster inclusivity

Building a fairer workplace is the responsibility of everyone involved, but it can be complicated when you’re working as part of a hybrid team. Inclusivity is the key to driving employee performance and making everyone feel valued and part of the team, so you need to be sure that you’re not treating remote employees as lesser than those working in the office.

Rules are important to ensure that everyone is working on a level playing field and to create a fair team environment. So every member of the team needs to be clear on what’s permitted and what isn’t, so there’s not one set of rules for one group and another for everyone else, and has the opportunity to weigh in and offer opinions before decisions are made.


Check in regularly

Make sure that your colleagues know that you’re on hand to answer questions or queries when they need you to, or even that you’re available to discuss a project or brainstorm ideas when a fresh perspective is needed.

It’s easy to feel as though you’re in your own little bubble when you’re working remotely, but you need to be accessible to your team and flexible to their needs just as you would be in the office. Hiding away at home and dodging emails or group messages is unprofessional and your team dynamic can suffer as a result of it. What’s more, it can mean that your colleagues are left doing more work to make up the difference. Make sure that you’re regularly checking in, responding to requests in a timely manner and being the proactive team member that you would be if you were in the office.

Define goals and expectations

Goal setting is essential to successful remote working, since you have the freedom to work when and how you want when you’re not in the office — and that can often mean you veer off track. You need to have structure and goals in place to keep you moving in the right direction and ensure you’re staying productive, for your own purposes and for the benefit of the business. Remote employees can easily lose sight of the bigger picture, so it’s important to have those common objectives and clear expectations in place so that everyone stays engaged.

Goals are also vital to helping employees stay connected. This structure helps reduce the stress caused by a lack of purpose, where people in the team don’t know what they’re supposed to be working on. Everyone knows what they’re doing on any given day, and they can feel more engaged in the process.

Hybrid working has been adopted by businesses in many industries, but there are still teething issues to overcome, as with any new way of working. To really thrive as a hybrid employee and work productively, it’s important to stay professional and remember that location aside, you still need to maintain the same standards as you did pre-remote working.