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meeting, advice, tips, tricks, manager, employee
Make Meetings More Enjoyable
 Make Meetings More Enjoyable 660 371 admin
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Workplace meetings can tend to become a drag and become the bane of the employee’s existence. However, there are ways to make these meetings fun and something to look forward to. Here are some tips and tricks:

  • Reduce the number of meetings. If possible, try to use other means of communication, such as text message or email, to deliver information. This way, the meetings you do hold do not seem superfluous.
  • Follow a timeline and agenda. Having a layout of the meeting will help the team know what to expect and gives them a better sense of control, as they now know what will be discussed.
  • Provide food. Who doesn’t love free food?? Something as simple as coffee and doughnuts can help meetings become the highlight of the week.
  • End with something not related to work. The mood of the team can be tense after a meeting, so ending with a funny video or something light can help everyone get back to work off on the right foot.

Did these tips help make meetings for you and your team? Let us know in the comments below!

feng shui, workplace, work, desk, productivity, positive energy
10 Ways to Increase Productivity through Feng Shui-ing Your Workplace
 10 Ways to Increase Productivity through Feng Shui-ing Your Workplace 960 640 Emilie
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We all know that having a clean, tidy desk can make us feel more organized and productive. But often the days get busy and it’s hard to prioritize the cleanliness of our work spaces. However, with these simple tips, we provide you some easy ways to increase your productivity and positivity by easy changes to your workplace environment. Each tip revolves around the practice of feng shui, an ancient Chinese practice which utilizes the rearrangement of objects in specific locations in order to maximize a positive flow of energy. By following feng shui principles, it can create a warmer, more productive place for us to do our job in. The best part? These changes alter the very flow of your workplace, so even when it gets a little messy, you will still have a better place to work in.

1. Orient your desk so that it faces the door. This helps for two reasons. First, it means that you will face people as they enter your office, making you feel more grounded and in control. This is why it is referred to as the “command position.” Second, it will mean that any client or coworker who enters your office will see your face as they enter, making them feel more comfortable. You do not need to be perfectly in front of the door, but you should be looking at it, from the opposite wall.

2. Keep nature prevalent in your office. This can include a small aquarium, plants, or wind chimes; all of which embrace one of the five elements as according to feng shui. Experiment with putting things on different walls/corners of your office, because various placements may have a better flow than others.

3. Be aware of pointed or irregular objects. Feng shui seeks to increase positive energy called chi. The opposite of chi, called sha chi, increases the flow of negative energy. Sha chi is present through irregular and pointed objects, especially when these irregular shapes are in places that infringe on your workspace. For instance, make sure pointed edges of your desks and tables aren’t pointed towards you or clients as they enter. Be aware of how branches outside your window or shadows from buildings outside interfere with your indoor space. Try rearranging what’s inside your workspace to make sure such shadows and outdoor objects interrupt your workplace in less intrusive ways.

4. Increase circular, softer edges. In opposition to sha chi’s relation to straight lines and pointed edges, you can find chi through softer shapes, like circular and soft edges. These shapes are meant to increase flow and circulation, instead of abruptly disrupting flow.

5. Use mirrors. A lot of the time we can’t remove sharp edges in our workplace. We work around a lot of things with sharp edges: desks, computers, filing cabinets. Sharp angles and long straight lines tend to increase the “speed” at which chi travels around the room, making it feel more negative. In order to reduce the speed and make chi travel more slowly, utilize mirrors in your workplace to make it travel more gently.

6. Embrace sense of smell. Smell is a far more powerful tool than we think. In fact, we hardly ever remember how much smell can do! Smell can help with memory, and importantly here, it can help with clarity. Specifically, feng shui believes that citrusy and peppermint based smells with help increase mental clarity in the workplace. You can use candles, fragrant sprays or incense to help put these smells in your office.

7. Learn the importance of color and cardinal directions. In accordance to feng shui, each of the five elements (fire, water, earth, wood, and metal) are associated to different colors and cardinal directions, each of which are attached to certain meaning. Depending on what you want your space to emphasize, you can choose to pay extra attention to these cardinal directions and colors. But remember, feng shui is built around balance. The best workplace will find a balance of all of these elements.

  1. Wood– Creation and Growth- East- Green
  2. Fire– Power- South- Red
  3. Earth- Agriculture- Center- Yellow
  4. Metal– Money- West- Grey and White
  5. Water– Communication- North- Black

8. Remove objects of your “past life.” Are there pictures on your desk with friends you don’t see anymore? Are there awards on your wall from activities you are no longer involved in? Remove these pieces of your past life and embrace pictures and reminders of what currently is bringing you joy in life. By surrounding your office with memories from the past, this creates stagnant energy instead of creating a positive, moving flow of energy which could be embraced by what you currently find exciting and moving.

9. Keep as little on your desk as possible. According to feng shui, energy in your workspace is the most positive when you only keep what you absolutely need on it. That means your computer, phone, pencil holder, maybe a stapler and only the few pieces of paper you need. Imagine how fresh the energy in your office would feel if you only pulled out a file as you needed to use it, and then it went right back in a filing cabinet. Keep your coffee and laptop handy, but keep everything else hidden away until you absolutely need it. And then, remember to put it back away after.

10. Clear out that clutter. Okay, I know I said these are suggestions that help despite clutter, and they do! However, your flow of energy is never going to be as positive as possible as long as you have clutter around. Spend one day filing away anything that is an older project which you are not currently working on. Keeping around these old projects in your line of vision is the ultimate way to feel stagnant energy. By organizing and decluttering, it keeps the energy around you light and fresh.

So there it is! By keeping the energy around you warm and light, it will help not only your productivity, but also your positivity. And the best part is, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to do it. Feng shui principles can easily be embraced with spending very little money, or no money at all. It’s all about rearranging and understanding flow. So good luck with your new and improved workspaces!

Samborn, Hope V. "Go With the Flow: Tapping into Positive Energy in Office Decor through Feng Shui Principles." American Bar Association Journal 87.10 (2001): 76-77. Web.
Bonaiuto, Marino, Elena Bilotta, and Angela Stolfa. "'Feng Shui' and Environmental Psychology: A Critical Comparison." Journal of Architectural and Planning Research 27.1 (2010): 23-24. Web.
Leffler, David. "BEING SOLO: How to Feng Shui Your Law Office." GPSolo 27.5 (2010): 58-59. Web.
Ted Talk, Shawn Achor, Happiness, Work, Success
How to Find Happiness in Your Work
 How to Find Happiness in Your Work 1024 543 Emilie
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Here at United Eventures, we are all about promoting teamwork and camaraderie, so that going into work each day is something you love to do. We think it’s important for everyone to enjoy the work that they do, and appreciate the successes they have made. For this reason, we wanted to share researcher and bestselling author Shawn Achor’s inspiring Ted Talk with you. Achor discusses a major mistake we make by assuming that we will attain happiness if only we gain the success we are looking for. He says that every time succeed at one goal, we raise that goal so that we once again have to work for success. In this way, if happiness is on the other side of success, we will never reach it.

Achor lists several ways that we can find happiness that helps us achieve success, instead of success helping us achieve happiness:

  1. 3 Gratitudes: Each day, write three new things that you are thankful for.
  2. Journaling: Each day, write about one positive thing that has happened over the last 24 hours.
  3. Exercise
  4. Meditation
  5. Random Acts of Kindness: Write one positive email or text each day saying something kind to someone you know.

Achor offers each of these suggestions so that we can find happiness to improve our work, instead of creating an endless cyclical relationship between success and un-fulfillment. Comment below with your thoughts about Achor’s talk!

 

 

work, workplace, career, career satisfaction, fulfillment, happiness
Work or Happiness? Do we have to choose?
 Work or Happiness? Do we have to choose? 561 440 Emilie
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In modern day America, we have been taught time and time again to find something we are passionate about. We are taught that a career is a place to find challenge and fulfillment in life. But this hasn’t always been the case. In fact, many cultures still consider work a necessary means to an end; a task that needs to be completed before you can enjoy the true passions in your life. Instead, the United States has fallen into an era in which we are driven by achieving passion in our work-life, and thus we become more absorbed with demanding jobs that tend to seep into our lives past 9 AM to 5 PM.

In an article by Forbes, several techniques are suggested for finding happiness in the workplace. Overall, it suggests that emotional intelligence is the ultimate tool for finding joy in work. It reminds us to take charge of our life and our desires, while still remembering to let go of things we can’t control. For the whole article, click here.

So what do you think? How should we find joy in our work? Should we find passion in the workplace, or start looking elsewhere? Where does the balance lie between time we devote to work and finding happiness? Share your thoughts below.

deskercise, exercise, workout, desk, office, bicep curl, push up, strength training, matthew locascio, wellness, health, lifestyle
Deskercises: Shred in Your Suit
 Deskercises: Shred in Your Suit 859 643 Emilie
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By: Matthew Locascio

Welcome to the second installment of my weekly blog Deskercises. Showing you how to get a great workout from the confines of your cubicle. Today we’re focusing on upper body exercises you can do while in the office.

Let’s start off with a great warm up and terrific way to rip up those chest muscles. I like to call this one the Office Pleasing Push-Up. Make sure to clear off a small space at the front of your desk. Now place your hands on the edge of your desk at shoulder length apart. While standing move your feet backwards to about a 45 degree angle so that you are holding yourself up on an incline.

With feet now back and even, hands shoulder length apart grasping the edge of the desk and arms extended, do a push up motion. Note that when your body comes towards the desk your chest should be in alignment with the edge of the desk. Try to do anywhere from 10-15 push-ups. Take a one minute break in between and repeat 3 times!

Next we have the Deadline Extension Tricep Extension.  This exercise works the backs of your arms more often and affectionately referred to by people who suffer from flab in that area as “their wings”. While standing grab a heavy book, stack of reports or papers, or anything else with decent weight.

Now while grabbing with both hands hold it behind your head in the area of your upper back where your shoulder blades meet. Keeping the area from your elbows to your shoulder blades in place extend arms upward above your head while only moving your forearms. You should feel the burn in your triceps and make sure not to clunk yourself in the back of the head while doing this! Try for 15-20 reps take 30 seconds in between and then repeat 3 times.

Now for my favorite exercise the Book Worm Bicep Curl. Take two books of the same size and weight and place one in each hand. The heavier the better as long as the weight is not over bearing. While seated at your desk or standing place elbows in at the sides and lock into place so that there is no movement above the elbow.

Now do alternating Bicep curls. Try to stay even balanced whether seated or standing and really try to focus on using those Bicep muscles to lift the books. Try for 20 reps each arm, take 30 seconds and repeat 3 more times.

Finally let’s try to get that posture perfect for your big meeting with the boss with what I call Suit Flexing Shoulder Squeezes. Remember first impressions are everything and if you’re hunched over its going to give off the wrong one. While seated at your desk straighten out your back and squeeze your shoulder blades back and together as if someone has poured an ice cold drink down your back or as if you are trying to hold your favorite work pen between your shoulder blades. Be careful not to shrug the shoulders up as this could hurt your neck. Squeeze and hold for 10-15 seconds. Repeat 6 more times.

Do these exercises and you’ll be looking better in your work attire then you ever could’ve imagined! Best of luck in your workout. Enjoy!

About the Author, Matt Locascio 

Matt is the owner of IHT (In-Home Training LLC).  Matt has been working with North Jersey residents in exercise prescription and fitness training for over 10 years!

Skills

  • Exercise Science
  • Sports Medicine
  • Weight Lose Programs
  • Bridal Bootcamps

Achievements

  • Certified by the American Aerobic Association International (AAAI)
  • Certified by the International Sports Medicine Association (ISMA)
Contact Matt – Email: info@inhometrainermatt.com; Phone # 908-875-3241