Are you taking breaks all wrong?
Taking breaks. We all do it and we all know that we need to. No matter your business field or level, taking breaks is necessary in order to achieve maximum productivity (yes it’s backed by science, just read along). Most of us have been involved in work situations where colleagues work through lunch, stay late at the office and even continue working from home. Some organisations that do not incorporate modern management approaches regard this as an “exemplary work ethic”, however as we all are aware, taking a break can be essential to producing better quality work. According to a research by University of Illinois in 2008, the brain’s attentional resources drop after a long period of focusing on a single task – even short pauses could significantly increase someone’s ability to focus on that task for longer periods of time. So, have you been taking your much needed breaks all wrong? Read along to see some tips for taking effective breaks and maximise your productivity.
Take A Walk
Usually, we reach for social media to distract ourselves from work when we feel like we need a break. Going through your Instagram or Twitter feed does work, however these activities do not really re-energise your brain, as stated by Andrew Deutscher, the VP of Business Development at The Energy Project. Leaving your desk to take a walk, even for a short while does indeed help your brain to recharge. According to British Journal of Sports Medicine, taking a walk decreases stress hormones that generally contribute to fatigue. This is also backed by Ph.D. David J. Linden in his article for Psychology Today, where he states taking a walk during your break will release serotonin and dopamine, which are hormones associated with increased mood and even memory!
Take a Social Break
According to the State of the American Workplace report in 2012, employees are less likely to experience burn-out if they have social ties in the workplace. So why not take your breaks with a fellow colleague? The communal areas at many office spaces are not just there by coincidence – at Us&Co we have coffee areas on each floor where you can take breaks with fellow co-workers away from your desks. Taking a break with your work friends, will help you to feel refreshed, relieved and ready to focus on your work while reducing stress and anxiety, as proven by a study of neuroscientists Panksepp and Watt in 2011.
Take a Mindful Break
The meaning of mindfulness can differ from one person to another – deep breathing exercises, meditation, yoga or even minutes of idleness can make one person calmer and more mindful, while having no effect on another. A study published by the National Academy of Sciences in 2007 prove that meditating during your breaks helps lessen cortisol (stress hormone) in your brain and lower anxiety. Another finding is that certain meditation techniques can promote creative thinking, allowing you to find new solutions and perspectives when you get back to work. If you don’t know how to get started with meditation or need a little help to completely “get in the zone”, try an app like Headspace (available on iOS and Android) where you can find guided sessions even for when you have only 1 minute to meditate!
Take a Reading Break (Not Work Related Stuff!)
There is a reason why an average CEO reads 5 books a month. A study conducted in 2013 claims that reading fiction books during your breaks help increase your empathy while keeping your mind off work. This is a great win-win situation as heightened levels of empathy allows you to better understand your team and clients, as well as contributes to your leadership development. Supporting this, a team of cognitive neuropsychologists at University of Sussex found out that reading helps reduce stress levels by 68%.
Make Sure You Can Relax At Home
Creating a relaxed and productive workplace is – surprisingly – not exclusive to your office. You need to make sure that when you come home for the evening, you are able to rest and unwind. Surround yourself with your favourite comforts and find yourself a space that is as stylistically far from your office as possible to help you keep things separate. In particular, it is crucial to perfect your bedroom decor. For expert advice on how to make sure the layout and design of your bedroom helps your relaxation, read this Bedroom Decorating Guide from Mattress Insider.
Bonus Tip: Look at Cute Pictures!
Yes that’s true, According to a set of experiments conducted in Japan examining the effects of viewing cute images on task performance. Looking at cute photos can make you more productive! The study mentions that looking at pictures of kittens or puppies (or whatever you find cute!) makes you feel a nurturing love, resulting in your brain being more alert and active. So next time you are on a short break, don’t skip those cat videos.
At Us&Co, you can find the opportunity to take a break however you like – take a walk outside on the riverside or in the nearby greenspaces such as St Dunstan-in-the-East. Alternatively, make use of our breakout spaces located on each floor with your colleagues over a great cup of Mozzo coffee. Are you ready to take a look? Book your visit today.
Six ways to create a business people want to work for
Provide the opportunity to grow
People like to know that they’re working toward something in their career and that they will be able to progress within their roles. Highlight, from the offset, the different ways people will be able to progress their career whilst working for your business. Not only will it provide your employee with the drive and determination to grow in their position, it will also give everyone a transparent way of knowing what to expect and what is expected within the business.
Create a welcoming work environment
The more welcoming your working environment, the more likely it is people will want to work for you. It sounds simple, but is often overlooked by many business owners. There are many different ways you can ensure your business is welcoming to both new and existing employees. For example you could assign each new starter a ‘buddy’ who will help show them round the office and help them settle in, you could also create weekly or monthly lunch clubs so that everyone can socialise with one and other and get to know each other outside of their position within the business.
Have a personalised rewards scheme
People like to be rewarded for their hard work, and often work harder with an incentive, however not everyone is motivated by the same thing. Sit down with each employee and find out what drives them and what they’d like as a reward for reaching targets. Whilst it may take a bit of time to implement, you will see the return through the positive impact it will have on each employee.
Use personality as a key hiring factor
Whilst a high valued skill-set is extremely important when looking for a new hire you should also take the time to learn about each individual on a personal level. New hires can play an important part in affecting the environment you’ve created in your business. When considering which person you should hire, take a moment to reflect on the personality of each candidate and who you think would be the best fit with the rest of the team. If possible, take the time to introduce them to the rest of the team before their official first day.
Allow employees to build a culture
With people spending the majority of their time at work, it’s important for them to feel comfortable in their surroundings, and a way to do that is to allow them to build a positive work culture. A sociable office culture that has been built by the employees themselves can make them excited to come to work every day and will make them feel more relaxed when they’re there which should create a positive culture.
Have a clear business mission
A clear business mission ensures everyone is on the same page and working toward the same end goal. It also means that people will be attracted to your business because the passion people have within the business will be palpable. People like to know who it is they are working for and what they’re working towards. A clear business mission also helps employees share your businesses message with people they meet outside of work, you never know they could also be a lead.
Five things entrepreneurs can learn from comedians
Whilst you may not think there is much to learn from comedians, other than ‘how to be funny’, there are actually many secrets a comedian could share that would provide a large learning curve for budding and existing entrepreneurs.
They learn as they go/they adapt
When you set out to begin your own business you probably had a plan in mind of how things were going to go and a clear plan on how to succeed. However, in business, and life in general, things don’t always go as planned. A comedian in a show might get caught off guard by a heckler, they may stumble over some words and lose their direction, but they don’t stop. They quickly adapt and move on, taking the experience on the chin and using it to forward their future stand-up routines. The same applies to entrepreneurs. Maybe your business plan takes a little detour, learn from the experience and adapt your plan for the future.
Be optimistic
Prepare for the worst and hope for the best is a common thought process by many. Comedians and entrepreneurs however have to keep optimism in their mind. Positive thoughts often breed positive outcomes, which is something both entrepreneurs and comedians aspire toward. When comedians speak out to their audience, they’re hopeful that responses will boost the rest of their routine; they aren’t constantly thinking it will fail miserably and ruin everything. When trying a new idea, entrepreneurs should adopt the same mind-set.
Stay calm
Standing on stage in front of loads of people expecting you to make them laugh can be quite tricky, and nerve wracking. Yet, whilst comedians are in this stressful situation, they remain calm and collected. This ability to stay calm in stressful situations is imperative to an entrepreneur’s success. Many situations will arrive that could cause alarm and stress, however if either a comedian or entrepreneur doesn’t stay calm, the situation could continue to spiral out of control.
Remain patient
Things don’t always go the way you envision them to, and often take more time to come into fruition than you once planned. For comedians this may be getting the right punchline for a joke, and for an entrepreneur it could mean waiting for an offer to go through. Having patience during these times can make the payoff that much greater when the time does come.
They take risks
Whether it’s a joke that lies right on the line, testing new techniques or even performing their set at a bigger venue than they’ve previously performed at, comedians are constantly taking risks in order to improve. Entrepreneurs need to follow suit. The best entrepreneurs are rarely known for playing it safe, and often have to take big chances in order to see a big payoff. Whilst it can feel intimidating at the time and like you should hold back, you’ll find the reward for taking the risk is much better than the safety net you were once in.
Taking up yoga will help you pay the bills
Incorporating yoga into your daily workout routine and wellness efforts can be beneficial not only to your health but also your business. Businesses that offer yoga as part of their wellness program have found that their health insurance premiums have reduced and their bottom lines increased.
Benefits
Increase energy
Not only can sitting still at a desk all day reduce your productivity it can also create stress and drain your energy. Adding in some simple yoga stretches can increase blood circulation which helps to reduce fatigue and increase energy levels. Check out this article for yoga you can do at your desk.
Reduce pain
Yoga can help alleviate the pain from even the most severe problems. It can also reduce the pain associated with headaches, carpal tunnel, neck strain etc. This means you will spend less time focusing on aches and pains and more time on your business’s needs. For more information on yoga for pain relief, see this article.
Reduce stress
One of the most common factors affecting employee’s health at work is stress. Stress accounts for millions of pounds lost due to reduced productivity and absence. But, good news; yoga can help reduce stress, and the side effects it presents. This means that more staff are in work than off sick and more productive whilst they’re there.
Improve concentration
Due to the hustle and bustle of business life, concentration can often be lost. Yoga, however, can help people find their inner focus. By concentrating on their breathing, it allows people to minimise their distractions and concentrate on the task at hand. No more multitasking or procrastination for you!
Aids in thinking and learning
Studies have found an impressive link between people who practise yoga and their brain functionality. People who practise yoga or meditation are twice as likely to complete brain-computer interface tasks and learn new tasks three times as fast as those who don’t.[1] Looking to get more done in the day? Yoga!
Successful people who do Yoga
If we still haven’t convinced you on the benefits of yoga, see the successful people have made yoga work for them.
Sergey Brin – Co-Found of GOOGLE Inc.
Russell Simmons – Co-Founder Def Jam, Founder Phat Farm
Oprah Winfrey – Entrepreneur
Arianna Huffington – CEO of Huffington Post
Hillary Clinton – Former Secretary of State and First Lady
[1] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/yoga-secret-workout-highly-successful-people-chloe-carmichael-ph-d-
How to survive the office christmas party?
Office Christmas parties are a classic. For most it is an opportunity to bond with colleagues over drinks and finally talk about something other than work. For others, it is an event that you attend only because you have to. No matter which side you’re on, we prepared a basic guide for you to survive this year’s office party.
1. Have a big lunch
If you’re lucky, your Christmas party may include a full three course dinner. Otherwise, you may only get finger foods on the night itself. If you are going to survive a night full of drinking you need to make sure you have a big lunch. Hangovers have a lot to do with how you metabolize alcohol, a meal with a mix of protein, carbs and fat before drinking a sip of alcohol will help you escape the dreaded hangover the next day.
2. Stay hydrated the entire night
If you follow this simple rule, we promise your night (and morning!) will be much easier to deal with: Drink a glass of water for every other alcoholic drink you’re having. This way you will save yourself from a terrible hangover the next morning and actually will be able to commit to the following rule.
3. Show up the next day (they will not buy the “bug” thing)
We’ve all been there. The morning after the night before is never easy. The chances are, most of your colleagues will be feeling the exact same way so there is no point in lying. And to be fair, having that “bug” every year, at the same time… Really?
4. Don’t go too wild
We all enjoy having a few drinks and a good time with colleagues with a chance to not talk about work! But be careful and set your limits straight up: you do not want to wake up with a feeling of wanting to apologise to someone – especially to your work buddies!
The unwritten rule is to have fun: This is time off-work, so give it the love it deserves. If you need a venue for any kind of corporate party why not come and use our top floor Event Space overlooking the Thames? Check out our latest events on our Instagram and give us a call now to start planning yours.
How to master public speaking
The thought of public speaking can often leave people feeling anxious; however as an entrepreneur it’s a skill that needs to be mastered. Not only will it help you in meetings with investors, it will also help you feel more confident selling your services in general. In this post we present some top tips to help you master public speaking in no time.
Learn about your audience
Before you even begin planning your speech you should take some time to research and understand your audience. This allows you to then construct your speech with your audience in mind. For example how you talk to investors may be different to how you speak to clients.
Practise
We all know practice makes perfect so why wouldn’t you practice your public speaking? One way to feel calmer and more in control on the day of your speech is to practise and ensure you know your speech well enough beforehand so you don’t have to rely on prompts. Make sure you practise your speech aloud so that you’re aware of pace and intonation. Practising your speech out loud will also highlight the true length of your speech, making it an important task if you are subject to time constraints.
Choose the topic carefully
If you have control over the topic of your speech then take precautions to ensure your speech is relevant and contains useful insight which will be of interest to your audience, if they are learning something they are more likely to stay engaged. You should also make sure that you know the subject area inside out, making sure you’re able to answer any questions that may arise from it.
Tell a story
Instead of just relaying information to your audience members, get them excited about what you’re sharing by taking them on a journey. Don’t make your speech all about facts and figures. Provide your audience with something interesting that excites them and captivates their attention.
Remember to breathe
Sounds like an obviously one but you’d be surprised how many people forget to control their breathing. Taking regular pauses for breath not only gives the audience time to take on board what it is you’re saying, but also allows you to stay in control whilst you’re talking. Forgetting to take regular deep breaths can often leave you feeling flustered and contribute to you losing your train of thought.
Make eye contact
Take the time to briefly make eye contact with different audience members as you speak. This not only helps you become more personable but helps you gauge audience reaction. Along with this it will also help the audience feel more included in your speech.
Be authentic
Don’t try to put on a persona that isn’t you. People will respect the fact you’re being genuine and you’ll find it much less daunting if you aren’t worrying about people noticing if you’ve broken character.
End on a high
By ending your speech in a strong fashion your audience is left with something to remember you by. A good ending will also leave the audience with something for them to think about.
Answer questions
Leave time at the end of your speech to allow for questions from the audience. You should also make yourself accessible after the speech in case of any queries audience members may have.
Ask for feedback
Throughout the whole process of planning your speech ask as many people as you can for feedback. Asking people beforehand can help you improve before the day and improve your confidence, whereas asking for their thoughts after can help you improve for next time.
Whilst public speaking may be daunting at first, the more often you make speeches, the easier it will become.
How to stay positive when running your own business
Whilst setting up your own business is an extremely exciting time, it can also be quite daunting, fraught with ups and downs. We want you to enjoy every moment of your new venture so we have found five ways you can stay positive when you start running your own business.
Learn to delegate
When beginning your own business, it can often feel like you’ve got the weight of the world on your shoulders and that, because it’s your business, you need to tackle it all by yourself; that’s far from true. They’ll be people around you who are rooting for you to succeed and more than willing to help along the way. If you already have a team around you, (and even if you don’t) find someone you can delegate tasks to. Chances are there are people in your team who may have more experience and capacity to help you accomplish the tasks clogging up your to do list.
Work in an environment that motivates you
The environment you choose to work in can have a massive impact on the work you produce. A small room with your computer in and little else is unlikely to give you the oomph and drive both you and your business needs. A bright and fun office filled with like-minded people who will continue to push, drive and motivate you can not only have a positive effect on you, but also the work you’re producing, in turn aiding the success of your business.
Remove negative people
Just like your working environment, the people you surround yourself with can have a massive impact on your own state of mind and the work that your business produces. Take a moment to assess the people in both your working life and personal life. Are they pushing you further towards your goal or putting roadblocks in the way? The same goes for clients. If you’re working with a client who is being extremely difficult and you can see the effects trickling into the way your business is operating, consider cutting them loose. Not only will it alleviate the strain they’re placing on your business, it’ll free up your time to focus on other more fruitful clients.
Find different ways to define success
We all measure success in different ways and can often get caught up in the desire of being ‘successful’. However if you change the parameters in which you define your success, it can often have a positive impact on your business and yourself. Perhaps stop thinking of success in monetary value and find a new angle, such as the feedback you receive from clients.
Learn to say ‘No’
Much like our first point, when beginning a business it can often feel like you need to say ‘yes’ to every opportunity coming your way and feel like if you don’t there is the possibility you may not get another chance. However, if you continue to say yes and end up stretching yourself too far, you won’t be able to sufficiently deliver on all the things you’ve said yes to in the first place. When taking things on, take some time to consider if you can really handle the work you’re saying yes to. There’s no shame in saying no.
Simple ways to boost your concentration at work
Step away from the phone
Our phones are the biggest distraction in all of our lives, right? It’s so easy to get lost in group chat, or scrolling on social media that you don’t realise how much time you are wasting. We’re championing the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ policy to keep our concentration levels high, put it on silent, in a drawer or face down on your desk. Whatever it is… can wait ‘til lunch.
Your emails can wait
Just like your phone pinging/flashing/vibrating every few minute, receiving emails is just as distracting. “But we can’t ignore work emails” we hear you say… yes you can. A study at Loughborough University found that the average UK office worker checks their email around 36 times an hour. That’s a lot of time wasting. There’s lots of thing you can do to stop pesky emails from disrupting your workflow, why not try disabling desktop notifications or turning off automatic downloads and see if your concentration levels improve.
Set reasonable + achievable goals
There’s nothing quite like a to-do list as long as your arm to demotivate you the minute you start work. Prioritise and break it down. By setting reasonable goals for the day it will be easier for you to track your progress and you’ll feel more accomplished after ticking them off. Even better, if you can allocate time for each goal you’ll be more likely to power through without wasting time.
Reclaim your lunch hour
We’re all guilty of eating at our desks and working right though our lunch hour but you really need a break to disconnect from what you’re doing and reset your mind. Make the most of breakout areas, local parks (when it’s warm) or go and meet a friend.
Another good way to boost your concentration is to go let off some steam at the gym during lunch. Studies show that a 30 minute workout can boost your concentration for the rest of the day, not to mention help you with your beach body goals… However we’re not all lucky enough to have our gym on our work-doorstep. Stretch your legs and get some fresh air into your lungs. Trust us, you’ll feel energised after stretching your legs and ready to power through the rest of the afternoon.
Cut the coffee
No, not entirely… we wouldn’t suggest such a thing. That late afternoon coffee when you’re working late? Forget it. You might think you need it at the time but who wants to be kept awake at night by caffeine? Not us! Which brings us to our next point…
Get some sleep
Here are some random facts about sleep and why you should get more of it.
(Facts via https://sleepfoundation.org)
1. “Man is the only mammal that willingly delays sleep.”- We’ve all been there, “just one more episode” later and we’re full of regret after setting your 6am alarm and realising you’ll only be sleeping for 5 hours tonight.
2. “In general, most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night. However, some individuals are able to function without sleepiness or drowsiness after as little as six hours of sleep. Others can’t perform at their peak unless they’ve slept ten hours.” – Know what works for you, if you know you can’t function on any less than 8 hours, change your routine and watch to see your concentration levels change. Getting the right amount of sleep with keep you feeling energised and motivated.
3. “We naturally feel tired at two different times of the day: about 2:00 AM and 2:00 PM. It is this natural dip in alertness that is primarily responsible for the post-lunch dip.”- Taking our advice on lunchtime exercise will keep you feeling energised, but you can also beat the post-lunch slump with a well-timed coffee. Make 2pm your last of the day to ensure you power through the day and aren’t left staring at the ceiling all night.
10 things people don`t know about mindfulness
Mindfulness is something many people are adopting in a bid to lead a more open-minded, calm and thoughtful life. Many people have pre-conceived expectations of what mindfulness is and what it can do, leaving many dismissive. Here we share ten things that may surprise you about practising mindfulness.
Anyone can do it
Anyone can be mindful. It doesn’t lend itself to a specific age or gender; this means anyone can practise it. Even you!
It’s not just about relaxation
Mindfulness teaches us how to be aware of our surroundings and what is going on in our lives. It’s not a tool used with relaxation in mind, rather a tool to help build awareness in everyday life.
It takes time to learn
Whilst many think mindfulness is something you can easily pick up, in order to master it properly it will take time to learn. However, with regular practise you can quickly improve, just like exercising a muscle, and you only need to spend around ten minutes a day practising.
It increases awareness
The more you practise mindfulness, the more aware you will become. Developing your awareness means you will react less, miss fewer opportunities and become more understanding of the people and the world around you. What entrepreneur doesn’t want that?
It boosts creativity
Mindfulness has proven to support both divergent and convergent thinking (coming up with ideas and solidifying those concepts); perfect for those in creative fields.
Helps manage pain
Studies have found that 80 minutes of mindful meditation can help cut pain perception in half. Studies have also found that people who practise mindfulness have a higher pain threshold than those who don’t practise.
Improves decision making
Due to the fact mindfulness helps clear your mind and give you new perspective, it removes any bias from your brain and can help you make decisions more clearly.
Improves mood
Research has found that people who are in highly stressful and emotional situations, but practise mindfulness, are more alert in the moment without being overly emotional. This means you will be able to approach things in a detached, yet thoughtful manner.
Improves Empathy
Mindfulness has also been found to provide brain activity in regions linked with empathy during and after practise.
Reduces feelings of loneliness
With just 30 minutes of mediation a day, feelings of loneliness can decrease coinciding with feelings of compassion and resilience increasing.
If you wanted to get started with mindfulness, apps such as HeadSpace are a great place to start.
Why business cards still matter in a digital world
Whilst you may think business cards are a thing of the past due to the ever growing popularity of online operations, the business card is something that should not be left in the shadows. In this post we discuss the reasons why business cards are still extremely important to your business.
It makes you memorable
When at networking events filled with lots of other people it’s easy for people to forget your name and your businesses name (don’t take it personally!) However, when you hand someone a physical record of your encounter, it makes it a lot easier for them to follow up on any conversations you may have. If you feel that you’ve made a good contact at a networking event, a business card containing your details and an easy way to contact you makes both of your lives easier, and it increases the chance that conversations will be followed up.
They add professionalism
Believe it or not business cards still help make your brand appear more professional. Whilst you may be an online whizz, many still judge a business by how they come across offline as well. A well designed business card will lead people to your website and digital presence, which they may miss without seeing your card first.
You’re always accessible
People who have your business card are able to access your information at all times. This means they’re not dependent on having decent (or any) internet access to retrieve your contact details.
They make interactions personable
Technology is great and has opened up a wide range of new communication tools but, it can often feel quite impersonal. With a business card however, you bring back the personal touch that so many desire; in turn making your connections feel that little bit deeper.
Wider promotion range
Unless you’re going into stores that have tablets and phones on display, it can be difficult for you to leave your businesses’ details lying around. With a business card you have the ability to leave one in your local sandwich shop, on the notice board of a busy coffee shop and even at important networking events. This allows you to promote your business to a whole host of people outside of the digital world.
Whilst these are all great reasons on why you should still be using business cards if you’re not one for keeping business cards or are desperate to bring a digital edge to the use of business cards, why not use an app like Evernote? This will allow you to save snaps of business cards, file and store them in a simple manner so you can benefit from both!