New Year's Resolutions to Improve Your Work Life

With the close of another year comes the desire to make a change. It is an innate character trait we all have that drives us to improve and continue to get better. For the new year, what better place to implement a New Year's resolution than your career? Whether you are the CEO of a fortune 500 company, or an entry level social media manager at a lower tier marketing company, there are always areas to improve to make yourself a better employee which will only serve to improve your career.

Are you the big dog at the office, or at least in charge of a group of people at your position? Learn how to delegate tasks out to those working underneath you.  For one, this will stress off you and allow you to perform better on a small amount of tasks rather than mediocre on a large amount of tasks. Secondly, delegating more tasks out to your employees will give them a greater sense of responsibility and can in turn, improve their work performance. Keeping everything organized for yourself and these employees will also make your life a million times more manageable.

Let's say you are not the person running the show, and instead are the employee turning out task after task to help improve your company.  There are still plenty of areas where you can improve to make yourself a harder worker and further your career.  One of the biggest things you can do for your career is learning the type of skills that are currently sought after highly in the job market and setting out to master those tasks. Whether they are applicable at your current job, or they can help give a boost to your resume when you are out looking for your next position, learning new tasks that are in demand will entice employers to hire and retain you for years to come.

Another important thing you can do for your career that is often overlooked is going out and making a real effort in networking. Making connections in your field of work will typically carry you farther than you could ever imagine. Sadly, the phrase "it is not what you know, but who you know" is one that is all too common and applicable in today's workforce. This can also work to your advantage however, if you make a conscious decision to go out and network and make real life connections that will further your career.

Follow these tips to make 2015 the biggest year of your career.  Land that dream job or get the promotion you have been working years towards. Little things today can pay off huge dividends in the end. Do you have any other suggestions? Let us know in the comments!

Tips for Staying Healthy at the Office

1. 8 Tips for Staying Healthy in an Open Office

From the close quarters, providing ample breeding ground for germs and the constant noisy buzz to add stress to your day which weakens your immune system, working in an open office environment can lead to more low level illness. In this article by Spencer Blackman, writing for entrepreneur.com, we get several tips on how to keep yourself healthy during cold and flu season. Whether it’s getting away from the office when you can to cut down on some of the stress, or remembering to wash your hands, these common sense tips and hints will be invaluable in helping you stay healthy this winter. Read the full article here to get all the helpful information.

2. 8 Ways to Stay Healthy at Work

There are many ways to keep yourself healthy even when your day is busy at work. In this article by Sienna Kossman, writing for usnews.com, we get some great common sense tips on how to increase activity and decrease our calories while still getting our work done. From always taking the stairs to bringing healthy lunches and snacks from home, staying fit while performing a desk job just takes a bit of forethought. To get all the great tips, read the full article here.

3. 5 Ways to Stay Healthy at the Office During the Winter

In this article by Erica Tseng, writing for imivegas.com, we get some great no nonsense advice on how to stay healthy when those around us are falling prey to cold weather illness. While the weather is colder, it’s also dryer, which means you need to make sure you’re drinking plenty of water. The short days may make it more tempting to stay up later at night but getting enough sleep will go a long way to keeping your immune system running at peak performance.  For these and other great ideas on keeping yourself well, read the full article here.

4. Get Ready for Winter – Keep Warm, Keep Well

Metoffice.gov.uk brings us this helpful article with some great tips on keeping yourself warm and healthy this winter while still staying on your budget. They suggest adding good insulation in your home which will keep it warmer overall and require less energy to keep it at a temperature that feels comfortable to you. In addition, while the weather is cold and damp, that doesn’t mean a bit of good outdoor exercise, is a bad idea. If you can take the cold weather then it’s always good to put some physical activity into your day.  For more information, and some great links, read the full article here.

5. 6 Simple Ways to Stay Healthy This Winter

The folks at Economyofficesupply.com see people all year long and know when their customers are coming into the sickness season. That’s why they’re bringing us this helpful article on how to stay healthy and at your desk instead of home sniffling and miserable in bed. From proper rest and hand washing to remember to wipe down your phone and other items at your desk, if you follow this helpful common sense advice, you may just be the one at your office that commiserates with the people who don’t feel well, but never gets sick. Read the full article here.

Top Office Christmas Party Games

1. Christmas Party Games

If you’re looking for some fun games to try at your next office Christmas party, then you’re going to love this article by the folks at Party411.com. Let’s face it, if anyone knows how to liven up an event, they do. Providing us a whole bunch of fun games and gift exchange ideas, the party411 folks also give detailed instructions on how play the games and arrange for the fun gift exchange themes. Make sure your next office party is filled with the fun and laughter of the season that lets everyone have a great time by reading the full articlehere.

2. 25 Christmas Party Game Ideas

Whether your next holiday party is for your family, your office or your favorite club, the folks at Signupgenius.com have some great ideas for fun games that everyone will enjoy. With fun activities like Christmas Carol charades, imagine the fun with Good King Wenceslaus here, or a wacky Christmas gift wrap relay, try that one with contact paper instead of standard wrapping paper, and many more to choose from, your next holiday party is going to be the one everyone tries to get an invite to. For all the fabulous game ideas, read the full article here.

3. Top 15 Office Party Games to Shake Up Any Office Party

Partycurrent.com has the line on all the fun stuff to do for the holiday season, and in this article they give us the best of the best of office party games to make sure everyone is having a great time at your holiday party this year. The important thing about office party games is to get everyone involved, voluntarily, even the introverts by choosing games that are individual to start and end up by people grouping into little teams. For example, the super fun, murder by winking, game will get everyone engaged and give all participants an opportunity to play along. For the details on that game and a bunch more, readthe full article here.

4. 34 Christmas Games & Party Themes (best parties ever!)

In this fun article by Laurie, writing for tipjunkie.com, we get some incredibly fun game and theme ideas that will make your Christmas party the one everyone talks about. From a fabulous Christmas breakfast theme to a fabulous winter candy land theme and creative and fun games that include a photo booth with dress up options and make your own gingerbread houses, this article is filled with a myriad of fun options. Your only problem will be picking which ones to use at which party, because they all sound like a great time.  Check out all the awesome ideas by reading thefull article here.

5. Free Christmas Office Party Games

If your office is planning a Christmas party, but on a very tight budget, then you’re going to want to check out this article by event planner Cheryl Cireli written for lovetoknow.com. Whether you decide on people bingo, which can get everyone involved without putting anyone who might be a bit introverted in the spotlight, or you choose a romping round of name that song, using Christmas carols, you and your coworkers will have a lot of fun without breaking your office’s budget. Get all the fabulous ideas by reading the full article here.

Why Plants Are Important to Your Office Space

Stress in the office, never heard of it, right? Wrong! In fact, aren’t the words stress and office synonyms? In a lot of cases, the answer is yes, but all kidding aside, did you know having plants in the office space reduces stress? It does. Significantly! It not only decreases stress, it increases productivity, makes the office more comfortable, and environmentally awesome. Here are some great reasons why it would be beneficial to incorporate greenery into your office.

Reduces Stress

Helen Russell from the Surrey University in the U.K., master’s environmental psychology student set out to find scientific proof that plants in the office can reduce stress. In her study, Russell asked participants to take a difficult test in a room filled with plants, and compared their skin conductivity, heart rate and blood pressure with people who completed the same test without plants. Russell’s findings showed that plants eased stress for participants by at least this metric, and that participants recovered from stress more quickly in a plant-heavy environment.

Increased Productivity

In a study published in the “Journal of Environmental Horticulture,” researchers from Washington State University reported that live interior plants helped workers complete tasks with more focus and efficiency. Researchers found that productivity increased by 12 percent in the presence of plants. Additionally, people tested in the room with plants reported feeling about 10 percent more attentive after the task than those tested without plants.

Improves Indoor Air Quality

Growing live plants in the office can help clean the air and even improve your health, according to a NASA study. In 1973, NASA scientists identified 107 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air inside the Skylab space station. Occupants often suffered from burning eyes and respiratory difficulties, later learned to be two of the most common symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome. B.C. “Bill” Wolverton, an environmental scientist working with the U.S. military, discovered that swamp plants actually eliminated Agent Orange from water samples. Expanding on this idea, Wolverton tested out the use of houseplants as a means of improving indoor air quality and discovered growing plants indoors helps eliminate VOCs from the air.  Also found, was that people recovered from illness faster in the presence of plants. 

Make Rooms More Comfortable

The recommended humidity range for human health and comfort is between 30 and 60 percent. Many offices fall short of these figures, especially in the summer and winter months. Low interior humidity can lead to increased fatigue, respiratory discomfort and an overall drop in workplace well-being. When plants are added to a room, the relative humidity rose significantly, but not excessively. In one case, relative humidity without plants averaged 25 percent, and with plants it averaged 30 percent – bringing the room into the ideal comfort range.

So what are you waiting for? We think it’s time to turn your office into a more healthy, productive and stress free place where the only thing you have to worry about now is your overdriven undereducated boss who thinks they’re funny!

5 Office Christmas Party Ideas

#1: 25 Christmas Party Game Ideas

The holidays are coming and with them come the holiday parties. If you’re the one organizing those parties, you’re probably racking your brain trying to figure out fun games and entertainment for your party participants. Luckily, Janis Meredith for Signupgenius.com brings us this fabulous fun article on 25 fun things you can do at your next Christmas party. These activities will be fun for everyone. Whether your office has a holiday party just for employees or employees and their families, you’ll find activities in this article that will keep everyone entertained and filled with joy. For all the great party fun ideas, read the full article here.

#2: Christmas Office Party Ideas: Say Goodbye to Annual Xmas Party Dread

The folks at partycurrent.com have some great ideas for your next office party that will get your coworkers looking forward to it. With so many great hints, from getting out of your office to making sure you’ve got fun games planed, to not forcing everyone to play along and letting people group together the way they want to, there’s some really practical tips that will make your next office party one that everyone talks about fondly. To get all the great tips and hints, read the fullarticle here.

#3: Corporate Holiday Party Themes

When you’re looking for inspiration for your next holiday party, try out some of the theme ideas brought to us in this article by Punchbowl.com. From a fancy shin dig, with black ties and ball gowns, to laid back luau, the options are nearly endless. If your holiday party can include the whole family, consider a carnival theme that includes rides and popcorn and games of chance. There are so many options and you’ll want to consider each one, so check out all the info by reading the full article here.

#4: 12 Christmas Party Themes You Haven’t Thought of Yet

If you want your next Christmas party to be completely original, then you’ll have to read this fun article by Kate Schweitzer for marieclaire.com to get some fabulous fun and unique Christmas party theme ideas. From the ugly sweater theme party, where everyone wears that hideous holiday sweater they could never wear in public, to a reverse Christmas in July party where everyone plays with beach balls and wears their favorite summer wear, there’s plenty of interesting fun party theme ideas that we bet you’ve never thought of before. For full low down on all the good time themes, make sure to read the full article here.

#5: 12 Gift Exchange Ideas for Your Office Holiday Party

The time honored tradition of the office gift exchange is often dreaded because it’s so hard to come up with a good idea to make it more interesting. Luckily, Brittney Helmrich for businessnewsdaily.com brings us this article in which she gives us some fabulously fun and different ideas to make your gift exchange more fun and exciting for everyone. While she gives us the specifics on a few of the exchange practices we’ve all learn to love, she also gives us other great ideas, like the gift auction and a book exchange. There’s so many great ways to spread the holiday spirit and spice up your next party. Read the full articlehere to get all the fun hints and tips.

5 Must Have Office Gadgets

#1. 20 awesome office gadgets and must-haves

From a chair that lets you exercise while you work, to cool looking glasses that help prevent computer eye strain, Stephen Chapman for Zdnet.com, brings us a whole bunch of fun stuff to use at the office. While some of the items, like the annoy-a-tron, might cause a bit of friction with other coworkers if you use too much, there are others like the USB chip recorder that might make you downright popular. From the sublime to the ridiculous, there’s literally something for everyone. If you’re looking for some fun holiday gifts for your office mates, start with this article for some great ideas. Read the full article here.

#2. Darma is a seas cushion that will improve your body and mind

For those of us who work in offices and sit all day, Caitlyn for coolest-gadgets.com, brings us this amazing article on a gadget that can help your posture, breathing and of course sitting. A handy little inactivity monitoring system, this comfy cushion hooks right to your phone and sends you little reminders to straighten up and stretch and get up and walk around.  To get more information on this amazingly comfortable little gadget, read the full article here.

#3. The Shirt Shuttle MK3 gives you a backup shirt for a rainy day

If you’re like most of us, you’ve had those moments when you think it’s going to be a great meeting and just when you’re getting up to go in, you spill something on your shirt. For these less than ideal times, Caitlyn for coolest-gadgets.com, brings us the amazing little shirt shuttle MK3. A hard plastic case that will hold a back up shirt in a crush proof, wrinkle proof container for the next time you need it. Talk about a handy gadget, this could become your best friend the next time you dribble coffee down the front of your shirt. Get all the details by reading the full article here.

#4. Review: Celluon Epic projection keyboard

Has your tablet or phone become your main computing device? If so, there’s only one ongoing problem with our new smaller units of computing power and that’s the lack of a standard keyboard. Fortunately, Will Shanklin for gizmag.com, brings us information on the new Celluon Epic projection keyboard in this article. He gives us all the details on how it works, what it works with and how useful it can be in almost any circumstance. To find out more, read the full articlehere.

Photo Credit: Bo Gao

#5. This Magical Inkless Pen Never Needs a Refill

How many times have you grabbed your pen t sign an important document only to find out you’ve run out of ink? If you’re like the rest of us, it’s probably happened more than you’d like to admit. Luckily, Bryan Gardiner for wired.com, gives us the answer to pens that run out of ink in this article about the amazing new pen from a partnership between the Pininfarina and Napkin companies. This high tech pen looks like it could speed through space all on its own due to the Pininfarina design, but the real magic happens when you go to write something down. This pen needs no ink because the special metal alloy in the tip oxidizes the paper and that’s how it makes its mark. To get all the juicy details on this fun new item, read the full article here.