4 energy management techniques that will help increase your productivity.

I am excited to share a post by guest writer Patrick Del Rosario. He is a freelance photographer and business blogger. He currently works at outsourcely.com, an online platform where employers and remote workers meet to find jobs and hire people online.

When we talk about productivity, the first thing that would surely come to mind would be time management. However, a lot of experts have found a new way on how you can more efficiently achieve increased productivity - energy management.

What is the difference between time and energy management? Well, all of us have a fixed time for the day - 24 hours. However, the capacity for energy that we have is not a fixed quantity. It is true that time management is important but it is through your ability to manage your energy that you can make a difference.

So, how can you be able to manage your energy to improve your productivity at work? Here are some of the ways:

Set periodic goals.

We all have lots of things in our to-do list. In order to efficiently and to better manage your time, it is recommended that you establish daily and weekly goals. With the help of this list, you can be able to plan the amount of work that you will have to do each day. Additionally, this technique is useful in switching between lighter and harder work days.

Try out different ways.

Of course, you do not have to just simply follow your energy levels. You can be your energy's own boss. The best way to control and manage your energy is to try out different ways on how you can boost your energy. Some techniques include exercising, eating, drinking or sleeping. Try these different techniques so that you will be able to know what works best for you. In this way, you can increase your energy levels whenever you need to.

Monitor your energy levels.

Never ever expect that your natural energy rhythms will be the same with other people. Each and every one of us have different internal rhythms . This is why it is a must that you take time to determine what part of the day that your energy levels are at its peak. You can do this by setting your alarm to beat after every hour. Once it beeps, list down what you are doing and what your energy level is like. At the end of the day or the week, it is best that you go over your notes and evaluate the patterns of your energy,

Know how to recover your energy in a smart way.

We are all focused on finding the best way on how we can use energy. However, there is also one important thing that you have to know-- what is the best way to recover your energy. In order to be productive, you also have to know what it is that best replenishes your energy. In this way, you will be able to recover your energy in the best and most efficient way possible.

With these energy management techniques, you can easily and efficiently manage your energy and increase your work productivity in the long run.

the work/life balance conundrum

Welcome back after a well deserved weekend! Yet another great guest post today from Rose Keating, with some great insights regarding work-life balance.

We are living in a unique time – there are currently four different generations working side-by-side in companies across the globe. As our working environment is becoming multi-generational, the issue of work-life balance is getting harder to define.  As the older generations continue to retire, the majority of the workforce will be Millennials (those born between 1980-1995) and Gen Xers (those born between 1965 – 1980).   These two generations have quite different ideas of what work/life balance should look like, and this creates a challenge for companies that are trying to satisfy their employee’s needs.

The term work/life balance implies that the two are separate entities, and that they should be kept that way.  This goal of separation and balance is becoming increasingly unrealistic, especially with the advent of smart phones.  Our work is always in our pocket.  You could be at the beach with friends on a Saturday – work email is there too.  You could be at aunt Lucy’s birthday party –work email is there too!  We are now forced to make the decision of whether we are going to work or not – over and over again each day.

The term also carries implications that work and life are in conflict with each other; it’s a battle and only one can prevail in any given moment.  Some Millennials (also referred to as Gen Y) are turning this idea on its head, and instead accepting and pursuing a blended idea of work and life.  In his post on Penelope Trunk’s blog titled, Twentysomething: why I don’t want work/life balance, guest writer Ryan Healy explains, “There is no need for me to keep work life and home life separate. The majority of weeknights you can find me in front of the computer chatting with a friend, watching TV and messing around with MySpace or Facebook. I may as well send out an email or finish up a work briefing at the same time.”  The Millennial generation grew up in world where it was normal to be plugged-in 24-7, so many don’t feel a need to disconnect from work completely when they get home each night.

Gen X has a different take on work/life balance.  They were raised by a generation that often put work before family, and as a result they tend to value work/life balance more than Millennials do.   For many Gen Xers, family is their highest priority – and as a result they want flexible hours, and the ability to work from home.  A new study from British consultancy JBA, involving almost 25,000 people across 19 countries, found that among older staff, seven out of 10 wanted more choice about their work patterns. But just four out of 10 of their younger colleagues wanted to detach themselves from the office environment.

So how can you as an employee get your work/life balance needs met?  Here are 3 ideas:

1. Seek out companies that share your values around work/life balance.  When you are networking and doing informational interviews, ask questions about work/life balance and company culture. Slowly build a list of companies that appear to share your values.  Then, during the interview process, ask questions to confirm that your perceptions about work/life balance are correct.  You can do this by asking the hiring manager what work/life balance means to them, and how it applies to their life.   If you meet with potential colleagues during the interview process, ask them their thoughts on the matter as well – colleagues tend to be more candid during interviews than hiring managers.  Other great questions to ask potential colleagues who are in the role you are applying for:  How do you feel about your workload? and How much overtime do you typically work in a month?
2. Specifically ask about HR policies.  During an interview, ask the hiring manager what the HR policies are for flexible work hours and telecommuting (or any other work/life balance item that is important to you).  Sometimes you have to read between the lines, as they may not explicitly state the policies.  If they say things such as, “I can work with you on that,” or, “I have some flexibility in that area,” - that is a great sign that there are guidelines, but nothing is set in stone.  If you hear things like, “our policy does not support telecommuting,” or, “due to our clients needs we really have to have everyone here from 8-5pm,” you will know that the manager has a hard set of rules they stick to. 
3. Don’t be afraid to say exactly what you need.   If it is absolutely critical for you to be able to leave early 3 days per week, express these needs to the hiring manager.  The key here is timing – these discussions are best held after an offer is made, but before you have accepted.  You don’t want to start the interview process with demands for a special schedule, but it is important that you be clear about your needs before you accept a position at a new company.  

Rose Keating is a Boston-based Career Coach who specializes in working with millennial women who are in career transition.  She is a strong believer that young professionals can make a significant impact in their organization – if they have the right mindset.  She can be reached at www.rosekeating.com. 

maintaining a healthy work-life balance

Guys and girls, you know that I am passionate about maintaining a balanced lifestyle ☺. I am always thinking of new ways to prevent myself from becoming a work-a-holic. I enjoyed reading what others have to say on the topic, so I selected a few great links to keep you balanced this week:

• Strive for work-life integration, not balance (Fast Company)
• 7 Tips to manage your work-life balance (Get-It-Done Guy)
• Work/life balance - a tightrope for entrepreneurs (the Innovation Rainforest)
• 10 Ways to manage your time better (Classy Career Girl)
• Work/life balance in the home office (Diversity Journal)
• Don't forget the beach: the value of vacations (Movin' on Up)

Do you ever feel like your job is trying to swallow you whole!? No more! I hope these tips have been helpful!!

Enjoy your Monday and have a fabulous week!

freshen up your desk space!

I am no neat freak, but I do know that I work faster and more focused when my desk is organised. Also, if you take a moment to consider how dirty your desk space actually gets after a while, you might want to think about cleaning it more often (even if just for the sake of your personal hygiene and health).

Here are some tips to keep your office neat:

• To print or not to print - One of the biggest contributors to office clutter is the unnecessary paperwork lying around. With every electronic file you come across, take a second to decide if you need a hard copy. Not only will we save trees by saving paper, but you might be saving yourself from death by paper cuts!
• Expiring the filing - Is every file on your shelf or in your cabinet still relevant? Are you required by law to keep them a certain number of yours? If your answer is no, it might be time for a (very therapeutic) shredding session.
• Walk the walk - If your printer is set up right next to you on your desk, you might be quick to hit the print button. But if you try using the communal printer or setting yours up in a different spot, walking the distance each time might help you to think twice before going on a printing spree!
• Purging power - Pick a date every month and set aside an hour or so to get rid of anything and everything that is contributing to your clutter. Old documents, things that belong at home or on someone else's desk.
• Taming the teddies - Sure, you get sweet little gifts or tokens from colleagues on your birthday. Maybe you love displaying your child's latest clay sculpture on your desk? Depending on the size of your desk or cubicle, you might want to evaluate the amount of space these personal items are taking up. Also, the way you "decorate" your workspace contributes to your personal brand at work, which is something you always want to keep in the back of your mind.
• Effortless eating - Preventing a mess is easier than cleaning it up. Obviously it's ideal to eat your lunch away from your desk, but if for some reason you have no choice, try sliding over to a different corner of your desk. You can also flip over your keyboard and put down a paper towel to catch any crumbs. Be sure to wipe/disinfect surfaces now and then if you don't have a cleaning service at the office doing it for you.

We spend so much time at our desks, why not use it as another opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism by putting some effort into its appearance and appeal. I found this cool article on organization for the office - enjoy!

lovely lunchbox ideas

Happy Monday everyone! It's a new week with new challenges and opportunities, so let's have a look at another small thing you can do to change your efficiency and satisfaction at work for the better.

We all know that eating a balanced diet and snacking on healthy things during the day can improve our concentration and productivity at work, while also lifting our moods. I also find that having your lunch away from my desk is often necessary in order to avoid staring at your screen for eight hours straight - very hard for me to do, but I always feel refreshed afterwards.

But I'm so tired of the same old boring lunch every day, so I've found some sites to give us a little lunchbox inspiration:

• Healthy Lunchbox 101: quick snacks and time-saving tips (by Discovery Health)
• Low-Calorie Snacks for Every Craving (by Real Simple)
• Lunchbox Revamp (by Vital Health Foods)
• How to Snack Smarter (by Real Simple)

Happy snacking!

yes you need a bottle of water on your desk

Yes we've all heard it and YES, we need to hear it again... We need to drink a whole lot of water each day and most of us just don't get around to it. Why? Because we are staring at our computer screens and keeping our hands busy on the keyboard (well I am!) ☺.

Like I mentioned in a previous post, something as simple as regular stretching or deep breathing can really improve your mood and productivity at work. Drinking enough water throughout the day will do exactly the same (and also benefit many other metabolic processes in your body).

So I have put a 1 liter glass bottle on my desk that I vow to fill up every morning when I sit down at my desk. My goal is to empty it by the time I go home, and this way I will have consumed half of what is required by the time I leave the office. I drink a glass first thing in the morning and some more when I'm exercising after work. Not always easy, but having a simple goal is better than having no goal - so far so good!

I found this really fun site with interactive images telling you how much water you should be drinking (based on your gender, age weight and activity level) and also showing the effects a lack of water will have on your body, mood and productivity at work. Also check out this post on the top 11 benefits of drinking water - enjoy!!

staying in shape when I spend all day at my desk

I am not crazy about exercise. I always thought that everyone feels like this but I have come to realize that some people really love working out and even crave doing it on a daily basis. Good for them, they don’t need any coaxing or guilt trips to convince them to exercise. But what about the ones like me who need 10 reasons to hit the gym... once!?

To top my frustration, I married one of those sports fanatics. “Man I feel like exercising!” is a phrase I hear from him almost on a daily basis. Imagine the guilt trip that I go on after a comment like that.

But even though I don’t like it much, I have come to acknowledge the benefits that exercise can offer, both short- and long term, so I choose to submit. Here are some things that have made a process a little easier for me:

• Get into a routine - I have decided how many hours I want to fit into each week, and distributed them into 4 sessions per week. I try to do a class on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and I allow off days in between to make room for my elaborate social life J.
• Find a gym buddy - Lucky for me I have a 24/7 eager gym buddy who reminds me every day that we need to work out. Having a gym buddy keeps me accountable, and if I skip class I also let my gym buddy down, so I think twice before skipping. I also have a friend and a colleague who joins me for some of the classes I do, so we can give each other a pep talk when the self discipline starts running low.
• Figure out what you like - I am very interactive by nature, so a group class is more enjoyable to me than a personal gym program I have to follow over by the machines and weights. I also love music, so I prefer the studio classes where we do steps on the beat of a song and memorize patterns or routines. I am not a very competitive person, so I struggle to associate with people in the boot camp class who push themselves to all kinds of physical limits at the blow of the military instructor’s whistle. Other people will love other formats, what are yours?
• Remember why you’re doing it - When I read up on how much working out will benefit me, the motivation comes much easier. If I think of how I want to have a great posture and unlimited mobility when I’m an old granny someday, it’s much easier to sign up for another gym class. The way it lifts my mood and helps me breathe after a very solitary day at my desk really makes it worth it, and letting out in a kickboxing class will do the trick after a stressful day!

I am no pro, and I started exercising way to late in my life so I’m hoping that what I invest now will still make a difference.

I found this post on working out when days are just too short – enjoy!

sitting up straight

Hunching in front of my computer all day is certainly not the reason I chose HR as a career. Am I the only one with neck spasms tense back muscles over here?? I have been craving a massage for weeks!

So there are a number of ways in which I can improve my posture like stretching often and sitting up straight, but the real pain for me is realising that even though I am made for interaction, I am sitting in one place and looking at my computer for the biggest part of my day. So I try to take regular strolls through the office and make use of this time to engage with colleagues and making some eye contact. Not only does it improve blood circulation, but I get a chance to build relationships and get to know my colleagues.

I love to work with people so much, but most of my "working with people" tends to happen via email and phone. Not ideal! This interesting article on what sitting at your desk all day is doing to your body has just reminded me again that this is no laughing matter.

What do you do to take a break from your desk? Or do you enjoy looking at a screen more than connecting with others??