Tag: remote work

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How to Be Energetic All Day

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If you are wondering how to be energetic all day, it’s probably for two reasons. One: there is a time when you feel irresistibly inert and drowsy. Two: a person you know is an absolute ball of fire, perpetually busy, with a spring in their step. You know it’s achievable.

 

The question is: how?

 

Common Causes of Low Energy

 

Before you start working on your energy levels, it’s a good idea to figure out why you feel exhausted.

 

The possible causes can be subdivided into three categories:

  • medical issues
  • lifestyle setbacks
  • mental blocks

 

Medical issues are the number one factor you should consider. Low energy can be a symptom of a thyroid gland condition, vitamin deficiency, digestive tract issues, depression, hormone imbalance, anemia, and a number of other diseases. Pick up the phone and book an appointment with your healthcare provider.

 

Lifestyle setbacks are the habits and activities that impede your energy levels. These are often self-imposed, such as going to bed at 2 a.m.

 

Mental blocks suck the life out of you to the point where your brain enters defensive survival mode. Working a job you hate or maintaining a troubled marriage are some classic examples. A mental block is often a symptom of a systemic issue.

 

And while these categories can (and usually do) overlap, today we are going to focus on lifestyle – because it is something you can act on immediately.

 

How to Be Energetic in the Morning

 

A happy morning starts in the evening: post-wake-up energy levels are determined by what you do before you snooze.

 

  • Do you normally fall asleep after 11 p.m.?
  • Do you sleep in a poorly ventilated room?
  • Do you use a phone or computer before bed?
  • Is your pillow too low or too high?
  • Do you like midnight snacks?
  • Do you wake up multiple times a night?

 

If you have answered “yes” to any of the above, there might be a problem. Sleep has a dramatic effect on overall health, and it’s especially noticeable in the morning hours.

 

According to the World Health Organisation, a perfect sleep lasts 7 to 9 hours, starting before 11 p.m. Abstain from looking at electronic screens for at least an hour before you retire (although screenless devices like Scripter are fine). Make sure your bed is comfortable and supports your spine properly.

 

Additionally, you should always eat a hearty breakfast. For an active day, it is a must. (Note: coffee isn’t breakfast.)

 

How to Be Energetic in the Afternoon

 

Although an energetic morning usually results in a productive afternoon, sometimes you just can’t help but feel exhausted before the workday is over. These little tricks can help you maintain and regain your energy.

 

1. Take a break and walk around.

 

Physical activity does wonders to your mind and body. Find an excuse to move, be it an errand or thoughtful pacing. Those 5 or 10 minutes can make all the difference.

 

2. Open your window.

 

An inexplicable ennui in the middle of a task might mean there isn’t enough oxygen in the room, so make sure you are breathing fresh air, even in winter. This is an overlooked yet incredibly common problem. Avoid it. 

 

Furthermore, make sure there is enough light, as the brain often mistakes closed blinds for the sunset.

 

3. Do not browse social media.

 

Scientists confirm that our brain has not evolved to process the amount of information you can find on social media. It is easily overwhelmed. If you mix social media and other tasks, it will get overwhelmed for sure. Anxiety, absent-minded behavior, and disinterest in face-to-face conversations are some of the likely consequences. Schedule your internet time for when you have nothing else to do.

 

4. Eat your lunch.

 

Skipping lunch makes you sluggish, so eat your food and (you guessed it), hydrate.

 

5. Take a power nap.

 

A cat nap that lasts between 20 and 30 minutes will restore your energy levels, and it’s a great way to clear your head, especially in the afternoon. However, if you cross the 30 minutes mark, you will enter deep sleep and wake up feeling groggy. Set your most annoying alarm.

 

How to Be Energetic in the Evening

 

You are not supposed to be very energetic in the evening: around sunset our bodies prepare to rest for the night, releasing hormones and making us sleepy. Ideally, you should embrace the snooze and follow it. Any artificial methods to prolong wakefulness affect your health, so we will not recommend them. Just go to bed.

 

Conclusion

 

Energy levels are impacted by multiple factors, both physical and mental. If you want to be an active person, it is important to take charge of the factors you can control. This might mean an extra check-up, changing lifestyle, improving habits, or consulting a mental health professional. Either way, staying energetic all day is doable.

 

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How Does Richard Branson Take Notes?

If you know how Richard Branson takes notes, you get a glimpse of his mindset – and who would pass up that kind of opportunity?

 

Best known as a founder of Virgin Group, Richard Branson is a rock star of an entrepreneur. His unconventional wisdom has made him obscenely rich, but more importantly, he succeeds in making his dreams come true.

 

According to Branson, he owes a large part of his achievements to one simple habit: robust, consistent, everyday note-taking.

 

I urge everybody to take notes, whatever they are doing, wherever they are going, he says. Get out there and ask people questions, and write down the answers.

So How Does Richard Branson Take Notes?

 

Most business people are extremely private, and others (like Elon Musk) intentionally cultivate the air of mystery. Researching their productivity tricks is quite a task, especially if we are talking about top execs.

 

Richard Branson breaks the pattern.

 

For years and years, Branson has been nothing but transparent about his mindset and strategy. He enjoys being a mentor and an example. That is exactly why we know a lot about his note-taking methods.

 

First of all, Branson’s note-taking is underpinned by practical reasons. He makes a compelling case for why you should record everything:

 

Some of Virgin’s most successful companies have been born from random moments – if we hadn’t opened our notebooks, they would never have happened.

 

Indeed, most ideas are lost. We forget up to 50% of new information within an hour. You can’t rely on your memory too much.

 

Next, Branson elaborates on how his note-taking technique works.

 

Step one is active listening.

 

Become a great listener. […] Really listen.

 

Then he suggests you pick a tool. (According to Branson, phones are not ideal for the job; interestingly, most successful people hold the same opinion.)

 

It doesn’t matter what form they [notes] take – laptops and phones are better than nothing – but I prefer a pen and paper.

 

And when Branson takes notes, he writes down a lot:

 

I was the only person who took notes the entire time – and boy did I take notes, I ran out of white space and had to write over my notes, my hotel notepad, my report and even my name tag!

 

Finally, Branson always reviews his notes trawling for gold. While this step is commonly overlooked, it might just be the key to Branson’s success.

 

…when it is time to review my notes I can see which themes bubble to the top and which issues keep coming up. Using this practical evidence, I can decide what to prioritise.

 

You do not have to work in business to follow his advice. Students, doctors, managers, content creators – no matter who you are, taking notes is a great way to improve your life.

 

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7 Tips for Work From Home Productivity

Maintaining productivity while working from home can be a challenge for many. This is especially true if you’re not used to remote work and don’t have the experience of tackling some specific WFH issues like the lack of set-in-stone schedule or social media distractions.

 

In this article we aim to give you a crash course on how to best handle working from home.

 

The pro tips below are going to focus on your efficiency and getting things done without burning out.

 

  1. Schedule your work sessions.

 

The thing with remote work is that it’s nothing but deadlines. You decide how to pace yourself. There are no car/bus rides to work, but there is also no one to tell you it’s time to go home. While that may seem like a breath of fresh air at first, a tight schedule is a good thing.

 

Why?

 

To put it simply: if you set up a schedule, you work faster. If you don’t have a schedule while working from home, you’re likely to spread the workload on your day in a thin layer, kind of like butter on bread.

 

This leaves you with less free time and fewer results.

 

  1. Get distracted on your own terms.

 

When you work from home, there is no one to scold you for watching cat videos instead of finally rendering that 3D model. On the other hand, there are plenty of people who peek over your digital fence just to say hi, share a memo, or engage in small talk.

 

Make sure you disable the unimportant notifications. Let your significant others know when you’re working. Don’t let social media interrupt your work flow.

 

  1. Know when to stop.

 

You don’t stay at the office until midnight every week just because you feel like it. There are laws that prohibit employers from exhausting their employees like that.

 

And yet we all tend to break the rule by staying up late to work some more.

 

This way you disrupt your sleeping schedule and cause other unpleasant surprises for your body.

 

Here we go back to the first tip: your schedule is going to prevent you from overworking.

 

  1. “If you want to be smart – run.”

 

Physical activity benefits your body and mind. Finishing tasks faster, coming up with creative ideas, and feeling better in general will make you more productive working remotely.

 

Our advice: exercise. Take walks. Do fitness. Dance. Hike. Anything but sitting still all day killing your spine and blood vessels.

 

  1. High quality rest only.

 

Working from home while rested is much more fulfilling than working on your last legs. Strangely, even the scheduled and regular rest can leave you feeling tired – mentally, physically, or both.

 

In most cases this means you don’t relax during your free time.

 

Don’t think about work. Don’t look at work. Don’t call renovating your apartment, taking children to the doctor, scrolling social media, or buying groceries “rest”. We’ve all been there. It’s not worth the fallout.

 

  1. Communicate with colleagues.

 

Remote work is a lonely business only if you let it become one. Communicating with others helps you exchange experiences and (frankly) stay sane.

 

It doesn’t matter if you work for a large company or freelancing, you can always find someone to talk to about your job.

 

Attend the team building Zoom calls with your colleagues. Find the internet spaces catering to your occupation. Ask for and provide advice. Stay in the flow.

 

  1. Set up your personal work space.

 

Multiple studies have proven we need personal space to stay productive, at home or at work. This is a chief reason why open-plan offices failed.

 

But your personal space for remote work has the additional requirement of it being a work space. Make sure the environment helps you accomplish work tasks comfortably and on time.

 

The common mistake here is mixing work and entertainment, especially getting distracted by the features of your own laptop or PC. In many cases, using a different browser and using tools to showcase time spent on entertainment websites can help you keep the strong urge to watch cat videos in check.

 

Love What You Do

 

The main ingredient to productivity is passion. If the job makes you experience joy and fulfilment, you will always strive for productivity, whether you work from home or at the office.



Senstone Inc. is here to help you capture ideas and boost your workflow. Visit our homepage to learn more.

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Climate Change Impact: Remote Work & More

The impact of climate change is growing, covering more territories and affecting more people all over the world. Unfortunately, the workplace is no exception here. Both employers and employees are going to experience many climate-related changes in the following years.

 

Carbon Footprint: Office Edition

 

Measures have to be taken to reduce the effects of climate change, and the places where people spend their work time can be managed to help reduce carbon emissions.

 

  • Vehicles. Commuting? Good (for the environment). Driving to work? Not so much. Until all cars go fully electric, we have to make sure we drive as little as possible. While for many people a car is the only option, others should consider car sharing or public transport. Companies can invest in electric vehicles, replacing the older ones with the new, cleaner technology.
  • Environment-friendly office. A lot of good can be done if you pay attention to detail. Switching to a paper-free office will reduce the toll on forests. Recycling waste correctly helps preserve air, water, and soil. If your place has the cafeteria and it uses plastic utensils, that’s another seemingly little thing that goes a very long way.
  • Remote work. The less we commute back and forth, the smaller our carbon footprint. Working from home should be an option whenever possible to lower the impact on climate.

 

In short, sustainability culture, support policies, and climate awareness are crucial to making the workplace eco-friendly. And the more companies adopt this thoughtful approach, the better for all of humanity.

 

The Art of Adaptation

 

Sadly, we are past the point of mere prevention. The consequences of our actions are catching up to us already. Deadly heat waves in Canada, the Middle East, and India. Climate refugees and climate tourists. Floods, droughts, and storms.

 

We are going to have to adapt to the new conditions. Climate change management in the workplace is going to become vital.

 

When it comes to the impact of climate change, the most immediate threat to the workflow is heat. In many places summer temperatures can – and do – get dangerous. Air conditioning will become a must, but in some cases the work might need to slow down significantly. Again, remote work might come into play. Outdoor jobs might introduce night shifts (for example, construction workers in the Middle East sometimes work nights to avoid the sun).

 

Furthermore, we are going to see new jobs. More and more people are going to get involved trying to mitigate the impact of climate change. Technology, communication, research, management are going to need specialists equipped with the knowledge and relatively few have right now.

 

It’s hard to predict exactly how climate change is going to unfold. We might make a scientific breakthrough to help us along – or not. We might cause a global catastrophe and aggravate the situation – or not. All we can see is the general direction where things are going.

 

In any case, climate change already affects every continent and every nation. To keep the world economy afloat, we are going to have to change our ways.

 

Prevention and management of rapid global warming will help us maintain supply chains and workplace productivity. Unless we meet the challenge head on, the transition might be too rough for quite a few companies, and this is something we all should consider.

 

Senstone puts your productivity and well-being first. To learn more about our wearable voice assistant, visit the homepage and subscribe to our social media.

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6 Tips To Double Your Productivity With Remote Work

With more and more people getting vaccinated – 37% of the world population is no joke, – restrictions are lifting, yet we exist in a strange remote work limbo. Some offices are open three days a week while others are back to normal, and some are fully remote.

 

Although there is hope and an expectation that businesses will return to their pre-pandemic operations, this will perhaps not happen soon enough. 

 

While many jobs cannot be remote – hotel management, care-taking, delivery, home repair and airport management, to name a few, there are just as many jobs that benefit from a remote or hybrid work model that profit employer and employee – jobs in digital, e-commerce, engineering, education, entertainment, and more. 

 

With remote work, small and midsize businesses can be productive in the new normal, sometimes even more so than before the pandemic. This mutual benefit is not something that one lets go of easily. 

 

1. Hire from abroad, spend less.

Renting an office, arranging for the equipment, then looking for talent in your area… Should I continue? Sometimes it’s cheaper to hire a guy from another continent, sitting in his flat, with his own computer and all the skills you need.

2. Work from home, earn more.

For many, remote work can be the only way to cross above the average salary. With long-term remote-work environments encouraged by the market, people from developing countries and isolated areas have a better chance at higher income.

3. Make time management easy for everyone involved.

As absurd as it sounds, managing activities remotely is often more effective than doing it in person. Sharing to-do lists you know your co-workers can see has done wonders to the general productivity.

4. Use time zones to your advantage.

International companies can effectively work 24/7 by recruiting based on the location of the employee. Of course, customer service is the most obvious winner in this respect.

5. Capitalize on the change in public perception.

The pandemic normalized reaching out to professionals from across the globe. For service providers, it’s a great opportunity to expand the client base. For consumers, it means more options.

6. The structure is already in place.

Covid-19 forced businesses into adopting new tools, so by now, they are commonplace. You need zero extra effort to invite a remote worker to the team.

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