7 Hacks That Will Improve Your Life

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Do you ever feel overwhelmed at work, like you don’t know why you’re there because you just can’t seem to accomplish anything? You’ve tried every trick in the book, you’ve scoured the web for tips on getting more organized, but the idea of becoming more productive just makes you dizzy.

Well we’ve compiled a few fresh ideas that’ll trick your brain into being better, faster, stronger with little to no effort!

1. Think Positive. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: the more positively you think about yourself and your work, the more productive and accomplished you’ll actually become! Never underestimate the power of self-validation. The more you believe that what you’re doing makes an impact, the faster it will manifest into truth. If you think of yourself as unproductive, you will become unproductive.

2. Eat Smart…foods! You are what you eat: eat junk, work like junk. Eat strong, work like a beast! Foods that have high levels of caffeine and processed sugar are terrible for brain activity. That grande latte with an extra shot of espresso or that canned energy drink might give you a jolt of energy and make you feel like you’re awake and getting a lot done, but in reality, you’re just experiencing an overwhelming rush of adrenaline and that always wears off. Instead, try boosting your brain cells with magnesium and fiber packed foods like pumpkin and sunflower seeds, nuts, blueberries, fish, tomatoes, dark green vegetables, avocado and chocolate…oh, yes we did! Just make sure it’s at least 70% dark chocolate or even a handful of cocoa nibs mixed in with some Greek yogurt or sugar-free oatmeal.

3. Get Smelly. Aromatherapy has been used for centuries for several purposes. The olfactory bulbs are little nuggets of nerves connected to the parts of the brain that control processing learning, memory and emotions. The best scents for boosting productivity are lemon and other citrus fruits as well as cinnamon. Lavender, peppermint and rosemary are all very calming, which can help you relax and focus on work, but you risk your workspace smelling like Grandmother’s cottage. You can boost the effect by drinking hot tea with lemon or keeping lemon and orange infused water in a bottle on your desk.

4. Pump It! Get the blood flowing and oxygen circulating by working out while you work. Check out some of our previous posts on getting a little exercise at work for some ideas. In general, just walking around while making your phone calls, or hand-delivering your memos instead of texting them gets your heart rate up and your brain functioning at top performance!

5. Do Puzzles. Exercise your brain, too, by keeping some puzzles at hand. Crosswords, a Rubik’s cube, Sudoku, and other brain teasers are a great way to take a mental break from work, but exercise cognition and problem solving skills.

6. Be a Dictator…to your computer. Programs and software like Dragon are great. Load them onto your computer and you can just verbalize any file you’re searching for, rather than doing it manually and working longer on one thing. Plus, by vocalizing tasks, you are able to focus more intensely on them rather than getting derailed by another train of thought. The riptide of the stream of consciousness is a hazard that no lifeguard can save you from!…wait…what were we just saying…?

7. Last but not least, take a nap! You hated naps as a kid, you abused them throughout college, and now you secretly plan to bring your blanket and pillow for a secret cat nap under your desk every day. Well don’t feel bad. A shocking number of Americans are coming to work sleep-deprived, which makes them sloppy and slow about their work. Falling asleep at your desk is considered humiliating and lazy. However, in countries like Japan, if an employee falls asleep at their desk for a few minutes, they are considered to be dedicated workers and are left alone! A short 20 minute snooze can reset your break, enhance awareness and creativity, and of course, boost your mood! Have a tricky problem to solve at work? Sleep on it! Take a few minutes to close your eyes and the answer will be clear once you’re ready to work again. Several modern companies have facilities on site where employees are encouraged to nap, but that’s not in everyone’s budget. During your lunch break, go out to your car or a seat outside and just relax for a bit and see what a difference it makes!

Well, there you have it. Put a few of these life hacks in place and try to measure just how much more productive your life becomes over the next week of two. We’re confident that any number of these will add up to a much happier, healthier, and more productive you!

Motivated Mentality is Mostly in the Mind

It’s the start of a new week, and while the weather is finally on the upswing again, that doesn’t stop us from thinking that once again the weekend is a long way away. That said, how do you stay motivated when all seems lost? There are only so many quotes you can read, only so many cheerful little desk ornaments you can buy, only so many cheerful co-workers with the pasted-on smiles you can take.

The answer, young paduan, lies within you.

With your mind in the right place, you can motivate yourself easily and carry those tools for success and positivity every day. The best part is, because these tools are all metaphorical, they don’t clutter your desk!

First, make a personal commitment to yourself. Relax: we’re not asking you to put a ring on it. Just make a promise to yourself that you’ll do the absolute best you can and stick to it! By promising yourself to follow through, you’re promising not to disappoint yourself. We are our biggest critics, and we all know how it feels to fall short. Commit yourself to never feeling that way again and day by day, it’ll get easier to follow through. People will look to you as someone who is determined and focused and that, in turn, will get you the respect and recognition you deserve. Instead of working with gaining respect in mind, work with the purpose of being motivated.

As cheesy as it sounds, remind yourself of your strong points. Remember way back when you applied for the job and you were asked in the interview “What do you feel are your strengths?” Hopefully, you didn’t just blurt out the first cliche that came to mind. Instead, focus on something that actually makes you stand out from the rest of the workplace. Every day when you look at yourself in the mirror or the reflective edge of your desktop computer, remind yourself of why you’re so awesome. The validation will come after you tell yourself the same thing over and over. It’s like brainwashing, but the socially acceptable kind: the kind that will result in confidence.

Think of yourself as unstoppable. Use it as your code word,…heck, use it as a password! Reminding yourself that you can overcome challenges will make you believe that you can do anything you want and that no matter how unmotivated you may feel, you have it within yourself to see things through.

Finally, reward yourself! Give yourself the praise and reward you deserve. Your efforts should go rewarded, even if you just take yourself out for a treat or buy a little gift for yourself. People who work themselves to the bone but forget to reward their efforts often burn out and lose motivation. Like a mouse receiving a piece of cheese for pushing a button, motivation is a learned behavior. You have to subconsciously learn that you’ll get something out of following through with your plans and working harder than before.

Keep upping your game this week and see how you feel. We bet you’ll feel pretty good and even more motivated to come back to work the next week!

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Don’t Fear the Failure

For some people, failure is the worst thing in the world. It’s a feeling worse than death for others. And for others still, it’s wonderful! Failure means something different to us all. Most people look at failure as the end of the world, but those with the potential to be movers and shakers see failure as the incredible learning opportunity that it is.

Fear of failure comes from someplace different for everyone as well. It could be from a childhood mistake that has since manifested into adulthood. It could also be a result from personal relationships. Whatever the underlying cause, there are a few things to look out for to tell if you’re afraid of failure.

Self-sabotage is a major marker for fear of failure. The person might tend to procrastinate more than most people, have anxiety attacks, and otherwise shoot themselves in the foot. They might stop dressing or acting professionally, or perform poorly at work.

Others exhibit a reluctance to change or embrace different ways of doing things. They worry they won’t be able to keep up with the change and instead revert to old systems that might be outdated and will inevitably lead to self-sabotage once they can’t perform work tasks adequately.

A person who is afraid of failure is also a hyper-critical perfectionist with low self-esteem. They obsess over minute details and over react when they make mistakes. They lecture themselves for falling below par and not being “good enough.” This kind of self-abuse is very serious and could indicate a more serious issue like depression.

But all is not lost! Overcoming a fear of failure starts at the source. The person has to simply have in their arsenal a sort of hypothetical preparedness kit. The kit should include:

1. Options. If failure happens, they should have options for the next step to take to overcome the failed attempt and analyze the possible outcome for each option so they can adapt more quickly next time.

2. Positive thought. They need to be more forgiving and remind themselves that they will do better “next time” and that it’s okay to  not be perfect.

3. Reminders: it could have been worse. So you didn’t succeed this time. What is Plan B? How will you do better?

Just look at some of these famous failures and how they adapted to succeed after trying again!

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10 Habits of Successful People

Everyone needs every advantage they can get in the working world. Here we’ve compiled some of our favorite tips for getting your day off to a SUCCESSFUL start.

1. Wake up an hour early. Yes, we know, we know. An hour? But that’s what the snooze button was invented for! Well break that habit once and for all. People who wake up an hour early have the time to take care of themselves, eat a healthy breakfast, and gradually prepare for the day without the hectic running around, key-finding, and stressful panic.

2. Early birds also get to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet. In your car or on the train, you might listen to the radio, your music, or the chaos around you. Taking some time to just enjoy the sounds of silence will center your mind and let you be alone with your thoughts.

3. Early to bed…To still get the seven to eight hours of sleep you need, go to bed an hour early. Turn off the Netflix, put down the phone, and get some Zzs! Getting enough sleep amplifies your ability to think clearly when you’re awake, and it boosts your metabolism. If your body is rested, it performs at it’s peak ability!

4. Pack some snacks. Rather than working through lunch, keep some nuts, yogurt, peanut butter, fruit, etc. at your desk so you can graze all day. It’ll stave off the dreaded 2pm wall and keep your blood sugar from crashing and burning.

5. Keep moving. Start your day with a few push ups or a walk around the block. Then at work, keep moving! Print and hand-deliver that memo. Walk to a bathroom on another floor. Movement keeps your blood flowing through your body, especially to your brain, to help you think clearly and stay awake.

6. Talk to friends/family. Taking the time to talk to people you care about and who care you about early in the morning gets you off to a more positive and optimistic start. You can use that energy to power you through that morning meeting you used to dread!

7. Have a mantra. Speaking of positivity, sometimes you have to be your own cheerleader. Motivation starts from within you, so have a key word or phrase that keeps you going through the day.

8. Visualize. Visualization during that quiet time in the morning will clear your head and help you prioritize your day. Decide what needs to be done in what order and following that road map will lead you to a successful end to the day!

9. Check yourself. Keep that check list on you and mark things off as you accomplish them. You’ll be able to actually see yourself kicking butt and taking names and you’ll feel that much better because of it.

10. Purge. At the start of every day, de-clutter your life. Get rid of those old magazines, files, receipts and other miscellaneous junk pieces cluttering your desk. It’ll make you feel better (physically and mentally) and you’ll improve your productivity.

Have a great week!

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Live Cordless!

Wires: they are the price we pay for living in the connected age. Your laptop is connected to the wall. Your mouse is connected to your computer. The keyboard is connected to monitor. The phone is connected to the charger is connected to the wall and the green grass grows all around, all around; the green grass grows all around!

It can be depressing sitting at your desk and seeing all these wires, tangled and dangling. Sometimes, you might feel like you’re surrounded by these little rubber-insulated cords and they are dragging you down. With so many wires draped over your desk and hanging from the walls, it’s easy to identify with Jacob Marley’s ghost from “A Christmas Carol.”

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But there are little tricks you can use to keep your desk not only de-cluttered but a little nicer and more motivating.

Definitely step into the 21st century with a wireless phone! It’s even better if you can invest in a hands-free device, leaving you free to work on other things while you phone into that conference call. Plus, nothing will make you feel more like an awesome super spy like a fancy headset!th

A wireless mouse also gets one more little thing off your desk. Just plug in the little USB and you’re off to the races! Cordless mice come in all shapes, sizes, colors and themes. Some high-end versions even have keys on the side so you can do a few keyboard functions with your hand on the mouse!

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A new innovation in the world of tech are charging pads. Charge it up overnight, then during the day if the batteries in your cell phone or your tablet drops, just place it on the charging pad and it will recharge your batteries…sans cords!

The Kikkerland Charging Station is another (cheaper) option for all your electronics. This one just disguises the cords, hiding them in the fake grass with the cords extending out an opening in the base so you can plug it into the wall or a surge protector under your desk.

And you can disguise that overworked outlet under your workspace by simply draping a dark swatch or material in front of the outlet. What a difference!

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You know the saying, “Can’t see the forest for the trees?” By hiding and disguising all your wires and cords, you’ll see more than just the trees or the forest: you’ll see your own unbound potential!

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