Cube Life

Poll Results: How Do You Cope With Workplace Stress

By Caleb Yen on Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Toward the end of April we asked Movin’ On Up readers how they coped with workplace stress. Stress can cause a variety of health problems, from slight headaches to major anxiety, so we wanted to see what our readers were doing to get through it.

Results

The results were fairly close across the board. Just under 22% prefer to listen to or play music, 17.5% work through their problems by talking to others, and 14% exercise. Thirteen percent turn to hobbies, while an additional 12% take time to meditate or practice breathing exercises. Seven percent opt for a relaxing massage, and only 4% choose to look at cute animal pics. Just under 10% selected “Other,” with responses ranging from watching Netflix or TV to playing video games or praying.

So how can job seekers use this information? Everyone has their own “thing,” their own way of dealing with stress. That’s the first thing job seekers need to do—figure out what their “thing” is! Look at all of the survey options and figure out what really calms you down. And if that doesn’t work, invent some of your own. Everyone has different levels and types of stress, so the way each person deals with it is going to vary too.

Anything else you want to tell us about how you deal with workplace stress? Let us know in the comments below!

At Work Cube Life Work/Life Balance

Is Lack of Sleep Killing Your Career

By Caleb Yen on Tuesday, May 16, 2017

According to the National Sleep Foundation, many workers don’t get proper sleep and feel tired throughout the day. Chronic drowsiness and sleep deprivation cause many people issues at work, and many say they feel their work is “sub-par” because of it.

A 2008 Sleep in America poll discovered that 29 percent of employees polled admitted to falling asleep or becoming “very sleepy” at work during the previous month. An additional 12 percent said sleepiness caused them to be late to work within the last month.

Swing shift workers, those who juggle multiple jobs and people with irregular work hours seem to be the hardest hit by sleep issues. Chronic sleep deprivation is also tied to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression.

Chronic Issue
Sleep is often the first thing people give up when faced with heavy workloads, parenting responsibilities, irregular work schedules and time-consuming challenges. The same NSF poll of sleep habits and the workplace found that while workers said they needed an average of seven hours and 18 minutes of sleep per night to be at their best the next workday, they reported an average of six hours and 40 minutes.

Even modest amounts of sleep loss accumulate over time, so a few nights of poor sleep can have a major impact on daily functioning, according to the NSF.

Loss of sleep isn’t just an inconvenience either. In high-risk fields such as medicine, the NSF discovered that when on-call residents work overnight, they have “twice as many attention failures, commit 36 percent more serious medical errors and report 300 percent more medical errors that lead to death than those who work a 16-hour shift.”

Tell-tale Signs That Lack of Sleep Is Affecting Your Career
Sleep deprivation can lead to “tremendous emotional problems,” according to Dr. Steven Feinsilver, the director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.

Signs that employees are suffering from sleep problems include increased hunger, weight gain, memory problems, difficulty in making decisions, reduced motor skills, emotional fluctuations, poor vision and frequent illness.

These symptoms can lead to consequences that have a major impact on your career.

Quick Tips to Get More Sleep

Employees who have these symptoms or think that lack of sleep is hurting their performance can take steps to reverse the trend.

Get evaluated by a physician to identify or rule out a treatable medical condition.
Take advantage of sleep diaries and other resources from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the National Sleep Foundation (NSF).
Ask a physician to refer you to a sleep specialist or center.
Evaluate your career and priorities. Ask to reduce irregular hours or consider a job that does not require shift work.
Have an honest conversation with a supervisor about how lack of sleep is affecting your performance and try to find a mutually-beneficial solution.
Stick to a sleep schedule in which you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on days off.
Keep electronics out of the bedroom.
Limit stress by engaging in relaxing activities before bed, like meditation, reading or taking hot baths.

Although everyone has the occasional sleepless night, chronic sleep problems should be taken seriously before they negatively impact both you and your career.

At Work Career Advancement Cube Life Leadership

Poll Results: What’s Your Workplace Superpower

By Job Journey on Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Faster than a speeding copier? More powerful than an industrial strength forklift? Able to leap heaps of paperwork in a single bound?

Although generally peaceful, the workplace can sometimes be a scary place, with looming deadlines, frustrated clients, and surprise project attacks lurking behind every corner. Your to-do list can seem overwhelming. Who could possibly save us from these sundry evils of working life? Our incredible Movin’ On Up readers, of course! At the end of February we asked you what your workplace superpowers were. Here’s how you responded:

Daringly Dependable flew into first with 27.72% of the vote, with Heroically Hardworking teleporting in second at 24.75%, and Multitask Mastermind speeding past in third with 21.78%.

Commander of Communication was zapped at 8.91%, while Organization Overlord and Killer Conversationalist met their match at 6.93%.

Other responses included Flexible Gap Filler and Eagle Eye. One dastardly villain thought to respond with Sleeping on the Job — most certainly a foe disguised as a faithful reader.

Even with all of these incredible superpowers, there are still going to be days where it’s tough to be a crusader of office justice. But when you’re lost and feeling down, remember that you’re part of a team. And teamwork is the most powerful superpower of all.

Any more workplace superpowers you want us to know about? Let us know in the comments below!

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How Not to Decorate Your Desk

By Job Journey on Friday, March 10, 2017

If you have an office job, you probably spend a lot of time sitting at your desk. And with so much time spent in one place, it’s natural to want your space to reflect your style and make you feel comfortable. After all, your cubicle, office, or workspace is basically your home-away-from-home.

But when it comes to decorating a space you don’t technically own, there are some do’s and don’ts. In fact, if you’re decorating is too heavy on the “don’ts,” it may be costing you your reputation.

According to Barbara Pachter, author of New Rules at Work, “It’s hard to function in a messy office, and people assume your office chaos will spill over to their project and their files will be lost in your mess.”

To avoid this workspace blunder, take a look at these design tips and tricks.

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Have Fun At Work With These Ideas

By Job Journey on Monday, January 25, 2016

We’ve all heard the saying, “If you love what you do, you won’t work a day in your life!” In fact, research shows that happy employees have a real and positive impact on revenues and customer satisfaction. A study by Glassdoor Research found that employees who genuinely like coming to work every day may have a positive impact on a company’s stock performance.

But what goes into loving your job? Is it the work environment, the pay, the people, or the work itself? In the U.S., Jan. 29 is National Have Fun at Work Day, and this celebration might be just what you need to find enjoyment from your job.

To help you make the best of this holiday, we’ve gathered a few ideas for celebrating National Have Fun at Work Day.

Make It Personal
Fill a box with little gifts of praise or recognition and give an item from the box to a colleague who deserves praise. You can give sunglasses to the co-worker who had a bright idea, a Slinky to someone who is always flexible with work, or a rubber ball to someone who bounced back from a particular challenge. Creativity is the key!

Lead the Fun Parade
Be the champion of creating an enjoyable workplace by suggesting silly games on breaks or during lunch. Host raffles for small prizes like calendars or pens, put up scenery posters in windows, or bring breakfast for the team. When you take the initiative to make the workplace fun, people will likely follow.

Make Work a Game
Challenge yourself and co-workers to fun workplace games. For instance, set a timer and have a competition to see who can get the most done by the time the bell goes off. Or, challenge a co-worker to a competition to see who can make the most sales calls in a morning. Making the work you do more exciting can help you love what you do and be productive at the same time.

Trivia Challenge
Gather some interesting trivia facts about each of your co-workers and create a puzzle that matches the trivia fact to the correct employee. Those with the most correct answers earn prizes. This is a great way to get employees to know each other and spark important teambuilding.

Make Training Fun
If your co-workers are about to undergo training, make it a party. Create teams to promote light competition, have a prize for those with correct answers, and give out gifts for positive participation. Adding an exciting element to trainings and meetings can liven up the atmosphere and keep everyone engaged.

Welcome the New Employee
When you hire a new employee, arrange a scavenger hunt for them to meet co-workers, learn facts about them, gather office supplies, and learn their way around the office. At the end of the hunt, lead them to the common area or a local restaurant where their new teammates are waiting.

Fun and Food
Arrange a potluck in which employees bring a dish from their childhood or hometown. Use food to start a conversation about history or culture, and have employees share a favorite recipe and create a company cookbook.

These are just a few ideas to celebrate National Have Fun at Work Day. Has your company ever celebrated this holiday? Share with us in the comments section below!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Cube Life

Celebrate “Clean Off Your Desk Day” With These Tips

By Job Journey on Monday, January 11, 2016

Have you had a good look at your desk lately? What do you see? Do you have piles of papers stacked up, dirty coffee cups lying about, or dust gathering? Is last week’s lunch still lurking behind your computer monitor?

Believe it or not, that cluttered desk may be costing you hours of wasted time and could also add to workplace stress.

Whether you share an office, work from home, or have a work area on a counter somewhere, keeping your work space clean, organized, and uncluttered can help you work more efficiently and give you a sense of relaxation.

Monday, Jan. 11, is National Clean Off Your Desk Day in the United States, and we want to help you not only clean your workspace, but also become better organized for the new year. Here are some tips to do just that:

Start the great purge. Empty your desk’s drawers and throw away or give away anything you don’t use regularly. File those piles of papers into organized folders or recycle them if they are unnecessary.
Organize the purge. As you remove items from your desk and work area, make piles. Have a pile for papers, a pile for office supplies, a pile for personal items, and a pile for everything else. Go through each pile and purge or organize as needed.
Time to sanitize. Now that your desk is bare, clean it. Use sanitary wipes or cleaning spray to scrub the entire area. Use cleaners and computer spray to clean your computer as well. According to a study from the University of Arizona, your keyboard is one of the dirtiest things you touch every day, so make sure to give that a good wipe down as well.
Make your desk make sense. Categorize your items into areas that need immediate attention, things that need follow-up work, and things you can pass along or put on the back burner.
Presentation matters. Try to put your items back in a way that looks pleasing to you and your co-workers. For example, find nice storage containers or baskets and create labels to help keep your space more organized.
Make a goal to clean off your desk every week. Friday afternoons are a good time to do a weekly cleaning and organizing so that your desk or workspace are clean and pleasant for the start of the next work week.

Still not convinced that a tidy work area is important? Consider a report issued by OfficeMax in 2011 that found office clutter undermines productivity and motivation. In addition, researchers have found that people who are organized typically eat better and live longer than people who are disorderly. Convinced yet? Go ahead and break out the cleaning supplies, but remember to keep your organization limited to breaks. While cleanliness is important, it’s also important to respect your work time.

What do you think? Any tips on organization you’d like to share? Give us your best desk-cleaning tips in the comments section below!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Cube Life The Daily Grind

5 Spring Cleaning Career Tips

By Job Journey on Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Spring has sprung, and with longer days, more sunshine, and warmer weather, it’s time to shake those winter blues! The best way to start embracing the new season is with some spring cleaning. It’s time to de-clutter, throw away, and organize for a more productive and efficient workday.

Whether you’re feeling less engaged with your job, looking for a new career, trying to advance to the next level, or just need a little push when it comes to tidiness, here are some tips everyone can use to add some pep to your step!

Tidy up your workspace.
Your desk or work environment is where you spend a lot of time, so tackle it first. Feeling swamped with papers? Create a filing system for your current projects, articles to read, invoices, and other documents. Organize them in a way that works best for you and set a day of the week to go through each folder and do maintenance. Also, keep in mind that less is more. Don’t clutter your desk with stuff you don’t use regularly. A clean and simple desk allows you quick and easy access to what you need.
De-clutter your e-mail and desktop.
Many people feel overwhelmed with their computer and email organization, or lack thereof. Instead of letting your inbox grow to an overwhelming amount, create a digital filing system. Categorize the emails you need to keep, and delete what you don’t. Also, it’s easy for your computer desktop to become a catchall for items you need fast access to. Try to organize these things into a reasonable amount of files. A clean computer will help prevent you from feeling panicked when you need to look for a file or important email.
Pay attention to your calendar.
Feel like you’re always on the go and never have enough hours in the day? If so, it’s time your calendar becomes a proactive tool in your life rather than an enemy. Look at your calendar daily to see what you’ve got going on. Be sure to not overload yourself to the point of exhaustion or burnout. Learn to say no to some requests that come your way or suggest a time that works better for you. Also, set reminders on your calendar to alert you before an event so you’re not rushing from one thing to the next.
Clean up your social media accounts.
This is a perfect time to go through your accounts like LinkedIn and Facebook. On LinkedIn, it’s a good idea to keep your profile current, even if you love your current job. Pay attention to any new people you should connect with or groups you should delete. The same rules apply to Facebook. Are there groups that are sending you way too many messages you don’t want? Do you have any pictures or posts you need to remove? Is there anyone you need to connect with? Although many people see social media as tools just for fun, they can have a big impact on your professional life too. Be mindful of what yours says about you.
Perfect your resume.
Spring is a great time to ensure your resume is up-to-date. Whether you are looking for a job, seeking a promotion, or applying for a volunteer position, it’s important to do regular maintenance on your resume. Add any new skills you’ve learned or projects you’ve taken on, ensure all dates are correct, and update your contact information if necessary. Also, do a quick look over your reference list. Is there someone listed that you haven’t talked to in a while? Give them a call or schedule a lunch to catch up. It’s important to keep these contacts current so you can take advantage of networking.

In addition to these tips, there are many other ways you can spring clean for your career. What are some of your favorites? Share them in the comments section below.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.