Channeling your Inner Samurai At the Office.

Ever feel like decapitating your coworkers? Probably nothing that extreme, but we all have our days when we’d love to tell our fellow office inhabitants to go stick it where the sun don’t shine.

Well recently one Japanese school girl did take it to the extreme by decapitating one of her schoolmates. No one at the school thus far can come up with any reasoning for the young girl’s actions, but police are still investigating. The most surprising piece of this entire crime is that the attacker came right out and admitted she did it! Talk about cut-throat.

While the young girl’s actions are nothing any of us sane business people would ever consider, I’m sure we all have a story or two we could tell about inter-office rivalries.

At the place I worked prior to this year, there was a woman who had a split personality. Every day was different; one day she would be the most pleasant, chatty, likeable person in the office, and the next she’d have some criticism for anything anyone did. We called her second, less likeable personality, Marge. Did I mention on top of her constant criticisms she was very bossy; despite the fact that she was very far from holding a managerial position! “Marge in charge” quickly became her alternate personality’s label.

Most of the other girls in the office were pretty intimidated by her. They never stood up to her attitude; which of course just fed right into her power trip. I however don’t have that sort of will power to be able to bite my tongue. There is one instance in particular I can remember her being her bossy, negative, critical self, and I could feel my blood beginning to boil. After a few minutes of her going on and on, I couldn’t take it any longer and snapped right back at her tenfold. I drew my sword, raised it above my head in full warrior’s stance, and did what warriors do; figuratively speaking of course.

My actions towards her aren’t something I’m completely proud of. After all, an office can barely handle one bully, let alone two bullies battling it out to the bitter end. However I think every now and then you have to take a stand and let people know you’re not there to be batted around like their play-toys. You’re there to do your job, and make some money, and maybe if you’re lucky have a little fun along the way.

So while I do not advocate inter-office violence of any sort (especially the kind involving decapitation) I do think it’s necessary to stand up for yourself. If you’re having problems with a coworker, your boss isn’t going to want to hear about it. They’re basically going to tell you “tough shit” and to figure it out on your own. So in my opinion its better not to involve your boss until you have no cards left in your hand. Do everything you can to take care of the bullying problem yourself first. But don’t think of it as a battle to be won, think of it as a problem solving exercise. Your boss will take note of your efforts, and with that approach there is less likely to be negative consequences for everyone.

sources:
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB124252456960327328
http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/28/world/asia/japan-schoolgirl-murder/index.html
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mbvd/japanese-girl-allegedly-decapitated-15-year-old-classmate

Images source:
Shutterstock 

When Tweeting Accidentally Ricochets Into Social Change

NYC is in an uproar lately. Well, all the time actually. But what I’m referring to is the recent incidence of police brutality in Staten Island; an incident so heart breaking that it has New Yorkers in a furry.

Eric Garner, 43 years old, was being questioned by police while standing outside of a small beauty supply store. According to a witness he had just broken up a fight a little while before. Familiar with the police for illegally selling untaxed cigarettes, Garner insisted he was just minding his own business and they had no reason to have approached him. And according to the recording of this encounter, they really had no reason to arrest him at that moment either.

After several minutes of back and forth banter between Garner and the two police officers, one of the officers approached Garner, put him in a choke hold, and the other helped wrestle him to the ground. They held him in a choke hold on the ground for some time and other officers approached. Garner kept telling them that he couldn’t breathe and they ignored his cries for help.

Garner having asthma, was sent into cardiac arrest by this incident and soon after died.

The NYPD is facing some major heat for this unfortunate situation; as they absolutely should. Using a chokehold to restrain someone was outlawed years ago by the police department, for fear that they would bring about unnecessary injuries or deaths.  For no reason whatsoever should an officer have to use one on someone; especially someone like Garner who was clearly not resisting arrest by any means in the video.

Not long before this tragic encounter the NYPD, in an attempt to create more of a positive image for the police department and in an effort to strengthen their relationship with the community, set up the hashtag “#myNYPD” on Twitter. The police department asked followers tweet any photos they have of themselves or family members with officers. They ended up getting more than they bargained for.

Instead of an influx of heart-warming images, the twitter nation started tweeting photos of police brutality. And not just in the New York area; people were tweeting about the LAPD as well. While some of the images were quite disturbing, this is exactly the type of social media efforts that create social change.

The death of Eric Garner, coupled with the outrage of New York residents, and the NYPD’s recent twitter escapades could be the start of a beautiful era of change. We live in a world today where people think racism has died off. But instances like this prove otherwise.

The NYPD says they welcome both the positive and negative pictures that people have been tweeting, but with the majority of them being brutally negative, I’m not sure how they plan to handle the negative attention these images will inevitably draw.

While I would normally feel awful for any “business” whose social media plan went so terribly wrong, I’m on the public’s side in this one; where for us I think it went magnificently right. It just goes to show that there’s strength in numbers, especially when those numbers have the potential to grow continuously via social media.

Sources:

http://mashable.com/2014/04/23/mynypd-hashtag-anger-police/

http://mashable.com/2014/07/19/nyc-mayor-investigation-man-died-chokehold/

Image/ Video Source:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhqHEgIgSGU#t=39

Female News Anchors Making Fashion Statements- Something I Never Thought I’d get the Chance to Say.

As most women who have ever had to work a conventional job know, dressing for the part isn’t always easy. Actually it’s never easy unless you own your own business or get to work at home; which in that case the answer is always pajamas. Most of us are not blesses with such circumstances though, and we’re faced with questions like, ‘is this skirt too short, too tight, to colorful?’ even. We worry about our hair and makeup because, god forbid we go a day without attending to it, someone at the office wonders if we’ve come down with some fatal disease. We ask ourselves if we should choose the comfortable shoe, or the one our male boss seems to notice even though we almost broke our ankle wearing them on our way through the parking lot last week. It’s a nightmare of a world that our male counterparts don’t really have to consider.

We’re ridiculed for our choice of outfit when it appears to be too ‘sexy’ for the work place, but we’re made fun of when we dress anything remotely like a man. It’s this never ending circle of wrong. However there may be some sort of tiny light at the end of this very long tunnel.

Recently on CNN, a couple of female news anchors spoke out about the changes happening in the TV news industry regarding women’s’ dress. They spoke about the ridicule they had experienced over the years for their choice of attire, and the pressures both from coworkers and society to dress a certain way. However they did acknowledge the progress made over the last twenty to thirty years or so, saying that Michelle Obama Made it okay to wear sleeveless dresses on the air. Mrs. President isn’t single-handedly responsible for the progress that’s been made though; for years now we’ve seen the rules about how female news anchors are supposed to look become more and more relaxed. The rules about their hair length have gotten less rigid, they no longer have to wear bulky blazers, they’re allowed to show their arms, and most importantly- they’re allowed to show some sort of individualism in the way that they look. Yes, this individualism is still extremely limited, but it’s progress.

It’s not just female news anchors experiencing this either. I’ve seen changes just in my short lifetime in business women’s wear. I remember being little and getting ready with my mother in the morning. Almost every single day she wore a long skirt to her ankles, pantyhose, and some sort of cardigan or sweater over the ever-popular turtleneck. And today I couldn’t tell you the last time I remember her wearing pantyhose, or a skirt for that matter. I smile at the changes that have been slowly creeping into women’s closets. While small, I think these changes mean bigger things for woman in general. I think we’re finally starting to transition away from being told how to dress, to telling the world how we want to present ourselves. That in itself is a milestone in the fight for women’s rights.

So I have a few questions for women of all ages, what do these changes mean for you? Have you seen this progress in your lifetime? at your place of business? Who in your world has helped blur the rigid lines of women’s wear? And a big question that I’m not quite sure how to answer, are these changes for the best? Or are we heading down a road wear our male coworkers may start disrespecting us for the way we’ve chosen to present ourselves?








Sources:
Cnn.com

Photo Source:
Shutterstock

5 Fool Proof Ways to Gain a Larger Instagram Following

Speaking from a slightly Insta-obsessed point of view, Instagram is by far my favorite social media platform to date. When it first made its debut, I’ll be quite honest; I wasn’t sure exactly what the point was. It was an entirely new concept to just share photos rather than a whole album from an important life milestone, or just a status update. And at the beginning, there was no one to really share your pictures with, since no one else quite understood this alien concept yet either. And then one ordinary day, it took off.

People began realizing the benefits of such a simplistic social sharing tool. We’ve become saturated by too many “improvements” on other social platforms, and this was one of the first to take everything back to the basics, while at the same time introducing an entirely new concept.

One of my favorite things about Instagram (other than its simplistic nature) is the ability it gives users to connect effortlessly with people on the other side of the world. Yes, Facebook, Google+, Myspace, etc. all essentially allow you to do the same thing. However, Instagram does a fantastic job at paving a non-creepy road to online interaction. Because you’re able to connect with people who have similar interests, share quick little comments, or even just show some love with a ‘like’, it takes the creep factor out of Insta-interactions, and leaves you with comfortable mini-conversation.

This ease of conversation is what allows community building. Instagram allows users to connect with people of similar interests, hobbies, or even target audiences without being overbearing or pushy. This is a key factor that plays into brand growth. When you start actively interacting with other users, it won’t be long before you see your page’s popularity increase.

So for those of you who don’t have an account set up for your business, blog, or brand, it is most definitely the time to change that! And here are a few simple tips to help you get your Instagram up and running and active.

1. Make sure that your bio and profile photo are the absolute best representation of your brand. If users find your page to look “sloppy” or ascetically unpleasing, they’re bound to move on quickly. Make your bio easy to read, and give your audience something to remember; maybe it’s a quote that’s driven your business’s success, or your company’s mission statement, or even just a simple, clean statement about your company. A quick tip to make it easier on the eyes is to write your bio in your smartphone’s notepad, then copy and paste it into the bio section. This allows you to “return” a line rather than having everything bunched together.

2. Post at the right time of the day. Think about your target audience and when they are most likely to check Instagram. Probably before and after work, during lunch, and before bed. Get in tune with their schedules and post when you think they’ll be looking. Also very important- don’t over-post. More than one picture in a six hour time span will annoy followers and probably lead to them unfollowing you at some point. One post every day is a fair amount; it will keep your followers engaged, but not annoy them.

3. ENGAGE. I don’t just mean liking picture after picture. Leave comments, and meaningful ones. Saying something like “looks awesome” wont intrigue the photo’s owner and therefor won’t entice them to give your page a look. By leaving relevant and meaningful comments on other user’s posts, you’re more likely to gain followers who are truly interested in what you’re doing. And don’t be afraid to comment back when people leave you comments. This is probably even more important. By responding when someone interacts with you, you’re letting them know that you’re interested and appreciate their acknowledgement.

4. Use photo editing apps. There are a million out there, and a ton of free ones. Using them to edit light, photo size, contrast, color, and even add words or graphics to your photos is more eye-catching to someone scrolling through their feed. Some of my favorites are VSCOcam, Instasize, and A Beautiful Mess. There are a bunch of other great ones out there; you just have to experiment and find what works best for your purposes.


5. Using hashtags is important, but overusing them can be detrimental. No one wants to see a hashtag paragraph while scrolling through their newsfeed. And anyone who stumbles on your account and sees your over-usage will catch on to the fact that you’re just looking for more followers and will move on from your page. It’s important to use only key hashtags; do a little research and see what is most relevant, or most searched for your product or brand. Using just a few, and mixing them up for each individual post will accomplish the same as using a giant paragraph full of useless tags.




Image Source:
SHUTTER STOCK

5 Easy ways to Make your Small Business Greener

Over the last few years, both businesses and consumers have become more aware of the astronomical damage the United States has done to our environment through production. Practices that we’ve held for years, we’re now being told are unsustainable, irreversible, and wasteful. However, even with the severity of the environmental damage we’ve caused, it is taking businesses a bit longer than expected to jump aboard the green-train. This could be for multiple reasons, but the most common reason being that business owners think it costs too much to make the change. But I’ve got some simple suggestions for businesses big or small, and even ones run from home, that are a sure-fire way to decrease your carbon footprint, and even save you some money in the long run!

1. Shut down, or unplug if possible, all electronics at night. Many people leave their computers, monitors, and even fans running when they leave for the night. This is a super simple way of using less energy, and it will also save you some monthly utility money! Why unplug? You may ask. Well even when appliances and electronics are turned off, they still use a tiny bit of energy while they’re plugged in. So taking the extra second to unplug will save you even more money, and is better for the environment.

2. Go paperless! This is the most common green practice. It should almost go without saying, especially in today’s electronically saturated world. However It is one of the most important steps in decreasing energy and resource usage, so I feel the need to mention it. Things like making a mandatory email policy rather than handwritten notes, letters, or bills will save paper. Look into making any invoices or statements completely paperless. Push your employees to use direct deposit instead of issuing standard checks. Offer emailed receipts to customers rather than paper versions. The list could go on and on forever, but making a conscious effort to reduce your paper trail is of utmost importance, and probably one of the easiest ways to make your business greener.

3. If you’re a business that sells refreshments of any sort, offer real dishes and utensils rather than paper or even worse, Styrofoam, dishware. Cutting the use of these products will most definitely save your business money, but also save hundreds of pounds of waste every year!

4. Make Recycling easy for your employees and customers. Make sure to have separate and clearly labeled bins for recycling. Most people, given the chance will recycle rather than throw away their cans, bottles, and paper. As long as you provide the proper receptacles you certain to reduce your weekly garbage load.

5. Get an energy audit. There are multiple companies or engineers that can come to your business or home even, and tell you what you can improve on to reduce your energy usage. This is definitely a good idea to do at some point, even if not right away; in the long run you’ll save an enormous amount of energy and money.

Why You Should Be Open To Volunteer and Charity Options As A Small Business

 Starting a small business comes with numerous obstacles. There is never a dull moment - and it doesn’t get easier with time. Making sure your business is successful takes time, dedication, and creativity. One thing a lot of small business owners tend to take for granted is all of the good things that accompany the act of community service. Many owners aren’t concerned with making sure to develop a strong community bond from the beginning because they have a million other things going on.

However,  the key to a successful small business is establishing and maintaining that community bond.

 There are multiple things small business owners can do to start building a stronger community connection. The best way to get involved is to know what your customers are interested and involved in. Making an effort to get to know them will open up opportunities you may have overlooked, such as: you can offer your space after hours as a meeting place for different groups or organizations, or volunteer a team of your staff at different community improvement projects.  It could also be as simple as sponsoring a team or event. And the best part: most of these things cost little or next to nothing other than the time of you and your employees.

Finding some way big or small, to contribute not only helps improve the community, but it is excellent free publicity. Recent studies by Cone Communication and Echo Research have illuminated the benefits of community outreach. Many American consumers have admitted to shopping at certain places or buying certain products because they value that company’s community efforts. AND - by building such a great name for your business through community involvement, you’re also building a loyal customer base.

So, here are some tips on getting your business involved:

1.       Get your employees, and/or families on the same page. In order for your community efforts to work, you’re going to need a team who is equally as jazzed about all the benefits of helping out the community. Most successful small businesses are not a one man show, and this shouldn’t be either.  Not only does getting your employees involved look good, but it creates leadership opportunities that might not otherwise present themselves. It also allows you to connect with your employees on a deeper level than you normally would during normal work hours.

2.       Don’t just expect these things to show up on your door step. Going out of your way to find community service opportunities is when you’ll really begin to broaden your potential customer reach. Just because a volunteer opportunity may seem small or abstract doesn’t mean it won’t be beneficial to your business. You can find opportunities through word of mouth, a little internet research, watching the news, or even getting your employees together a couple times a month to brainstorm.

3.       Get involved and stay involved. Volunteering just once or twice a year may have the opposite effect on your business; if customers just think you’re getting involved in the community for the publicity of it, that may leave a bad taste in their mouth. Making it a goal to give back to the community in some way at least once a month will help keep your name in good standing, and also keep your employees on track with your community goals.

4.       And last but certainly not the least- let your customers know what you’re up to. By keeping your website or blog up to date with what you and your team have been doing in the community, you’re helping foster that good name that you want for your business. It’s a somewhat subtle way to keep new and old customers in the loop, and it also let’s your customers know that you’re not afraid of using social media. We all know how wonderful the internet can be as a marketing tool; and this is just one more way to advertise your business, without seeming to try.

Keep these four things in mind, and you’ll have no problem building and maintaining a beneficial relationship with your community.


 Sources:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226974
http://www.independentwestand.org/community-involvement-equals-more-business-%E2%80%93-a-real-winwin/
http://www.padgettbusinessservices.com/blog/community-involvement-is-crucial-for-small-businesses 

Image Credit:
ShutterStock
 

7 tips for decreasing your caffeine consumption while maintaining your energy

            Some days making it from 9 to 5 can seem unfathomable- nearly impossible; especially without my morning cup of joe. My love affair with coffee is somewhat of a love-hate relationship. I love coffee; my body hates anything after the third cup. Coffee isn’t so much about the caffeine for me as it is about the ritual. Getting to work, powering up my computer, mixing my coffee while I mentally prepare myself for whatever my day has in store, and nursing my soul through the morning with cup after cup of rich, nutty, piping hot (or in the summer months, frosty cold) coffee. But I get to about eleven am and I lose all focus, my knees and hands start shaking, and  I scarf down some sort of food and fast, so I don't keel over. 

I haven’t quite mastered the coffee rush. 

So, I’ve painstakingly learned when to cut myself off. And even though I manage to escape the faint feelings, I lose a little bit of steam, and after lunch it’s all down-hill from there. With that, I’ve come up with some decaffeinated tricks to battle my coffee urges, all the while increasing my energy levels. 

7 Tips For Decreasing Your Caffeine Consumption While Maintaining Your Energy

1. Eat a nutritious, filling breakfast

We’ve all been told never to skimp out on the most important meal of the day, but so many of us are guilty of it. Especially those of you with kids, dogs, or just spouses who are, dare I say it - distracting in the morning rush. But even if it means making a giant batch of oatmeal in the slow cooker to last me the week, I make sure to eat something before I start my day. Eating breakfast tells your body that it’s time to get moving, provides nutrients for your body to thrive on until your next meal, and eating a healthy one will yield the most energy. 

2    2. Don’t just eat breakfast, but eat smaller

Eating big meals is what America is all about. Making sure we eat three meals a day is an ideal we’ve all grown up on. However, we’re all familiar with that lethargic feeling that accompanies large meals. I’ve made it a habit to eat about five or six small meals throughout the day. It helps me avoid the sleepiness, but also makes me feel wonderful spiritually- who isn’t happy when they get to eat all day long?
 

3    3. Schedule your most grueling work for the morning

Humans naturally retain their highest energy levels in the morning hours, so powering through your toughest (or most boring) work in the AM can help make the rest of your day more productive.

4    4. Turn down the temperature

Under normal circumstances, this suggestion would be the farthest from my mind considering I always feel cold. However, I have noticed that I’m much more alert when I’m a little bit chilly. The heat naturally contributes to lethargy, and even though it might feel nice to be in a toasty office, the cool air is better at keeping us awake.

5    5. Let there be light

This probably goes without saying, but light even in unnatural forms makes us feel more alert and helps increase productivity. Our bodies naturally respond to light, and when it’s dark out our bodies start to think that it’s nap time. If like me you aren’t blessed with a window nearby, invest in a decent desk-lamp.

6    6. Disrupt yourself

I start to feel to the sleepiest when I’m working on a project for a long stretch of time. So instead of trying to stick it out and make it through the project, I switch gears. Taking a break from one task and working on a quick project in between can help reboot our brains a little bit. And I always feel a bit more accomplished when I can cross little things off my list.

7    7. Nap

Now, don’t get me wrong; I’m not suggesting you lay your head down on your keyboard and take a little afternoon siesta while the rest of the office is slaving away. But most jobs generally allow you to take a couple breaks throughout the day. So instead of sitting in the kitchen or chatting it up with a coworker when you’re feeling exhausted, maybe sit outside or head to your car and take a ten to fifteen minute cat nap. Even taking naps at home on the weekends or during a busy evening can help you feel better rested throughout the rest of the week.

Sources:

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/7-caffeine-free-ways-to-increase-alertness.html

http://www.yast.com/productivity/20-ways-boost-energy-relying-caffeine/