5 Ways To Reduce Stress And Boost Immune System While Social Distancing

by Wendy King is the Director of Health and Performance for Hub International

As social distancing becomes our new “norm” over at least the next several weeks, the pressures may be overwhelming. There are challenges finding childcare and keeping necessities stocked, never mind keeping yourself safe at work and out in the world. And how much disinfectant is enough, anyway? We all need to think about practical coping strategies while dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here are five to employ today:

1. Use facts and precautions to manage your fear.

The unknown can be scary and can overwhelm us. Fear can inflate negative thoughts, which leads to unhealthy stress. Ongoing stress releases hormones that get us ready for emergencies, but also severely depress our immune systems. Combat this fear by acting on facts, not misinformation. Look at the statistics and the real numbers of infections being reported by the Centers for Disease Control and local/national officials. You can tackle fear by facing it head-on with facts and smart precautions like handwashing, disinfecting surfaces, and social distancing.

2. Be smart about social and TV time.

Social media platforms can cause incredible anxiety as rumors and misinformation spread on them. Limit time on social media, and don’t instigate hysteria by reposting unvetted information. Limit your children’s exposure to television news. Their perspective is different than adults’, and they will have difficulty processing the facts. Children also notice our emotional state, so try to stay calm and provide facts to help them understand the situation and how everyone can get through this together.

3. Get some physical exercise.

Exercise your body to help keep your mind in check. In fact, aerobic exercise is as important for your head as it is for your heart. It has a unique capacity to exhilarate and relax, provide stimulation and calm, as well as counter depression and dissipate stress. So, take a walk, a run, or even tune in to one of the thousands of free online yoga, meditation or workout videos. Dust off your weight bench and take the laundry off the treadmill. Get on it. Use it.

4. Help each other.

Social distancing does not mean you shouldn’t seek and give support. The upside to social media is that we truly are more connected than ever before. Find out who needs help and offer it, in a way that keeps everyone safe and cared for. Even with social distancing, you can drop off medicine or supplies to a neighbor or friend. Call your church or check in with your online groups to find out who needs a meal that can be left on their doorstep, or a prescription delivered. And of course, if you bought lots of “bulk extras,” maybe spare a few food or household items for those who weren’t able to stock up. Be creative to ensure our social distancing doesn’t lead to emotional distancing for those most in need.

5. Limit poor nutritional habits that weaken your immune system.

One habit to curb is eating or drinking more than 100 grams (8 tbsp) of sugar a day . That much sugar reduces your white blood cells’ ability to kill germs by 40%! Also limit your alcohol intake as studies show that three or more alcoholic drinks daily is enough to suppress your immunity.

If anxiety or stress interfere with your ability to function or care for yourself or your family, seek professional help. Check in with your personal physician, contact your company-sponsored Employee Assistance Program (EAP) if you have one, or call a support line like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) or Crisis Text Line by texting “start” to 741-741.

 

Wendy King is the Director of Health and Performance for Hub International and a leader in the field of healthcare communications and corporate wellness strategy.  She manages Hub’s team of health and performance experts, who provide clients the strategic insight, multi-year plans, and provider resources required to create healthy, high performing organizations.

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How Can Entrepreneurs Sleep More?

For an entrepreneur, sleep is something that often gets underestimated. It is so easy to end up being so busy that you simply forget about or cannot sleep. Also, many entrepreneurs actually see sleep as a time that is being wasted. You should never think like that because of the fact that if you do not sleep well every single night, you will eventually be faced with health problems. This can include the reduced cognitive function and even obesity.

When you launch a business, everything is exciting. You want to do as much as you can. If sleeping problems appear, you are tempted to believe that this is because you need a new mattress, when in reality, this might be the first symptom that your body desperately needs more sleep.

Generally speaking, if you feel tired when you wake up, it is highly possible that you need to sleep more. But how can you find time to sleep when there is so much to be done for the startup? Here are some tips to help you do exactly that.

Schedule Your Sleep.

As an entrepreneur, you are hopefully used to schedule everything, from weekly standups to vendor meetings. Then, why not also schedule your sleep? When you build your weekly schedule, put aside at least eight hours per night for sleeping. This helps you to avoid over-committing to business tasks and you get used to the fact that sleep is an important priority.

Be Extremely Careful With Caffeine Intake.

For most entrepreneurs, coffee is a life-saver. It offers an energy boost that makes it easier to do more things every single day. However, it also makes you stay up more than you want during the night. This is especially the case in the event that you drink too much during the night or even during evenings.

Keep in mind that whenever you use caffeine as a way to get more energy, your body is telling you that it does not get enough sleep. You should seriously consider making a switch to water, herbal tea or even decaf coffee. At the same time, dehydration easily leads to daytime fatigue. When you drink too much coffee instead of water, dehydration can so easily appear.

Make Workouts A Priority.

When you regularly exercise, it becomes easier to fall asleep as soon as you hit the bed. At the same time, workouts are highly beneficial for your body. As with sleeping time, you should schedule your workouts. For the best results, try to do this at least 3 hours before you go to bed. This helps you to fall asleep faster.

Stay Consistent.

Whenever you deviate from the sleep schedule you set up, it is very difficult to catch up. You will simply find it a hassle to get back on the right track. This is why you have to be consistent. Your sleep schedule should be maintained even during weekends. When you do this, the body learns when it is time to go to sleep and it will be easier to rest.

Consider Meditation.

From a psychological point of view, whenever you meditate, the body enters a state that is similar to deep sleep. This is why so many entrepreneurs out there meditate. During a meditation session, vital signs go down, sometimes even lower than when sleeping. The body’s cells get to rest during the middle of the day, offering a much-needed boost of energy.

Keep in mind that not all the tips mentioned above will work in your case. It is important to try different approaches and see what works for you. Just do not underestimate the importance of sleep as an entrepreneur.

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How Can You Become A Better Leader For Your Employees?

If you have recently taken on a management position or own a business, you may be looking at methods that can increase your rapport with your team and help you to become a better leader. Excellent and genuine leadership is vital to the operations of most businesses, as effective communication and high levels of employee contentment can increase the efficiency of your business and the amount of growth that your company experiences.

To find out more about becoming a better manager or business owner, read on for some of the most beneficial steps that you can take towards becoming an admirable leader.

1. Take a Leadership Degree.

Leadership degrees are an excellent option for those who want to learn specific leadership skills, styles, and techniques in an academic setting, or who need a qualification to apply for leadership positions within your company or area. Leadership degrees can help you to build on your basic leadership skills and teach you how to overcome common workplace issues. They can also ensure that your leadership can make a continually positive impact on your business. One of the benefits of taking a postgraduate leadership degree is that you will be able to combine academic learning with workplace experience to be prepared for your future managerial job roles and positions, building on the skills that you obtained through securing your previous Bachelor’s degree.

2. Start Two-Way Communication.

Most effective leaders have two-way communication with their employees that can help both their employees and themselves to grow within their roles. To effectively communicate with your employees, you should consider hosting annual or bi-yearly one-on-one meetings where you can discuss your employee’s progress and the steps that they need to make to improve.

In your annual review, you should discuss:

1. Promotion opportunities
2. Goal setting
3. Their wellbeing in the workplace
4. Any issues or suggestions that they have
5. Their progress within their job role

You should also offer regular feedback to your employees, especially if they have been successful, as this can help to boost morale and ensure that issues can be solved before they start to cause problems. You should make time within this feedback to set your employees’ goals, which they can aim towards, as this can help your employees to understand the right steps that they need to take to improve and can also make your intentions clear.

In return, these meetings and feedback sessions should be safe spaces in which your employees can discuss your leadership with you. You should ensure that they feel able to ask for meetings with you and to give you feedback. Not only this, but you should consider sending out surveys and questionnaires where you can get your employee’s thoughts and opinions anonymously.

Additionally, your instructions to employees should be communicated as effectively and as clearly as possible to prevent miscommunications, which could damage your business and the morale of your employees. You should consider holding daily or weekly meetings, as well as using leadership software applications, to ensure that your employees are all on the same page and that they understand what is expected of them.

3. Grow Your Employee’s Expertise.

To improve your leadership, you should not be focused solely on your own skills. Instead, good leaders can help their employees to grow their own expertise. This increase in technical skills can then enable your employees to become more successful in their job roles, which will ensure that your business remains efficient. Training employees may also allow you to open new services that you previously did not have the skills to staff.

Only 27% of employees say their company champion learning.

To grow your employee’s expertise, you should host regular training programs, either in-house or outsourced, that focus both on reaffirming previous training and honing specific skills that you believe your employees are lacking. You should also consider running schemes such as shadowing and mentoring campaigns, as these can help your employees to gain confidence, understand different job roles, and can even prepare them to take on leadership roles in your stead. You should also consider offering them paid leave to undergo training courses and learn new skills, such as providing employees one afternoon a week for learning and development activities.

4. Reward Your Employees.

However, effective leaders reward their employees often, as this can help to motivate them and ensure that they enjoy and participate fully in their job. There are many ways to reward your employees for hard work, from offering job perks in the shape of in-house facilities, like gyms and cinema rooms, to hosting summer and Christmas parties. These also have the double effect of increasing the bonding of your team and allowing you to show the caring side of your leadership style. You should also work on rewarding individual employees.

These rewards can include:

• Pay raises and bonuses
• Gifts or experience days
• Awards, like trophies and statues
• An office-based reward, such as the best desk or parking spot
• Extra vacation leave

5. Delegate Effectively to Your Employees.

Many leaders believe that they need to take on the responsibility of the whole company themselves, the best leaders know when to delegate tasks. Not only does this boost morale by showing that you trust your employees with responsibility, but it also allows you to manage your workload more efficiently. By doing so, you have the time to focus on your tasks and the welfare of your employees, rather than wasting your work hours on smaller, time-consuming tasks. In this way, the best leaders are part of their team, helping their employees to manage crises and issues that they may be having in return for support from them when you need it. Building up this positive rapport with your employees can help to create a beneficial work atmosphere and means that your employees will be more willing to trust and listen to your instructions.

Although many different leadership styles can all be equally as effective, it is essential to continually work to improve your leadership to ensure that you can get the best out of both your employees and your business.

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Cost-Effective Tips For Large Workforces

If you have a business that employs a medium to large workforce, you will obviously have to meet the costs of running such a company. They are always going to be substantially higher than running a business with a small number of employees. You might have to come up with some cost-effective strategies to avoid paying too much each month.

Here are some of the best tips you can utilise for your business.

Shop Around for the Right Insurance.

Commercial insurance can cost companies thousands so it is incredibly important that you find exactly the right policy for you. There are so many policies out there and some of them might be more suitable than the ones you are currently invested in.

For example, if you own a lot of company cars it might be better for you to find a fleet insurance policy instead of trying to track down individual commercial vehicle insurance policies for every vehicle in the company. If you have a range of different sizes and types of vehicles, this can be a nightmare to secure and manage. If you instead find the right policy for all vehicles in your company from a UK comparison website such as quotezone.co.uk, you can find the right level for coverage in one easy to manage policy.

Invest in All Staff.

Many businesses choose to only invest in either their high or low performers. While both are good paths to take, you also need to make sure you invest in all staff equally. By only focusing on one side, you will let the other fall to one side. This is not good for productivity and you run the risk of losing one part of your workforce as they seek employment elsewhere.

By focusing on the low performers, you can address issues they might be facing. This in turn will help them tackle their tasks more efficiently. With high performers, you will be able to give them a bigger range of skills to call on. You might even be able to move them to a new part of the organisation where they can thrive further.

Standardise Work Processes.

Is there something that every employee will have to do at some point in their time with you? From training courses to filing paperwork, there are plenty of things that could be tackled in several ways. By introducing a standard process, your employees will know what is expected of them.

You need to standardise these processes, no matter how simple they might be. It will reduce the time employees will spend on them and could even automate a lot of processes. Time can then be spent on the tasks your employees should actually be focused on, hopefully generating more revenue for you.

A large business can be difficult to manage, and these are just three cost-effective measures you could take to make things a little easier for you. Start by identifying some of the areas of your business that need the most work and make a plan to improve them today.

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How To Effectively Use The Purchase Order Module In Fishbowl

In business, purchase orders are important to establishing the contract of a sale before an invoice is sent. Fishbowl’s inventory management system can help businesses with the process of creating and issuing purchase orders through its Purchase Order module. Companies can add credit returns items, outsourced items, parts, and miscellaneous items to a purchase order.

Here are some functions of the PO module you need to know.

How to create a purchase order in Fishbowl.

You first need to open the Purchase Order module and click the New button. The New button will create a new purchase order. In the Vendor field, select the vendor for the order by clicking the Search button. If the vendor isn’t yet in your system, choose Add New to create a new vendor. You can find Add New at the bottom of the vendor drop-down list.

While the date will default to the date when the PO is created, it can be changed by clicking the Calendar button or typing it in the field. Order numbers can be manually changed as well. In addition, the class and location group for an order can be adjusted at the bottom of the order. Once you’ve put in all the changes you need, you can click the Save button.

How to add items to a purchase order.

In the Quantity field, enter the desired quantity for the purchase order. Once you’ve done this, choose the part you want to add in. There are a few different ways to do this. You can click in the Part field and select the part from the drop-down list, you can type in the part to search for it, or you can click the search button to open the Advanced Part search. If the part is already there, click on it, and if it’s not, press Enter to add it in. Additionally, clicking the Add Item button will also allow you to add an item to the purchase order.

The vendor’s last cost for a part is automatically pulled when a part is added to the purchase order. The cost will be $0 initially if an item hasn’t been purchased from the selected vendor. Typing in the Cost field allows a business to manually change the cost. The new cost will be saved once the order is issued or fulfilled. In addition to adding items, you can also modify the item types and edit an item. If you need to change the item type, click the Type field of a line item, and choose from the list of types.

When an item needs to be modified, it can be edited in the Order Item table through typing in the field. You can edit many different fields of an item, including Price, Quantity, Vendor Number, Notes, and Type. Double-clicking a line item will allow you to also edit details such as Date, Description, and Class. Once you’ve finished your edits, you can click OK to close the Edit window and save your changes by clicking Save in the module toolbar.

How to issue a purchase order.

When items are added to the purchase order, a bid request needs to be sent to the vendor. Once a response from the vendor is received, adjustments to Price, Quantity, and other fields may need to be edited. Once the edits have been made, the order should be issued. Clicking the Issue button will issue the purchase order. The order will be automatically saved and moved to the next part of the process. Receipts are created for Purchase type items issued, and a Pick is created for Credit type items and Outsource type items issued.

The status of a purchase order can be found in the Status field. There are a few different statuses to be aware of with a purchase order. The Bid Request status indicates a purchase order is created, but not issued. The Issued status indicates a purchase order has been issued, but hasn’t been received. Partial status means some items are fulfilled, but not all items have been completely fulfilled.

The Fulfilled status indicates a purchase order has reached complete fulfillment, Closed Short indicates the purchased order was closed short, and Void means the purchase order was voided. Lastly, Credit Return and Outsource types have three other potential statuses. Picking means the purchase order is being picked, Picked means the purchase order has been packed, and Shipped means the purchase order has been shipped.

How to fulfill a purchase order.

Different steps are taken to fulfill an order depending on the item type. Purchase types are fulfilled through receiving and reconciling the item. The current order in the Receiving module can be opened by clicking Receive PO in the Purchase Order module. Credit return type items are fulfilled through picking, packing, and shipping an item. Outsourced type items are fulfilled similarly through first picking, packing, and shipping an item, then after that, receiving and reconciling the item.

Purchase order module buttons.

Some of the buttons in the Purchase Order module have been discussed already. There are a few others you can be familiar with as well. The Delete button deletes any purchase order that’s in a Bid Request status. Two buttons will replace the Delete button in different circumstances: the Void button and the Close Short button. The Void button is an option for orders that have an issued status. The order will be voided rather than deleted. The Close Short button is the option that appears when an order has been partially fulfilled. When you click the Close Short button, it will close short the unfulfilled portion of an order.

Along with these buttons, there’s the To Receive button that opens current purchase orders in the Receiving module, the Auto PO button, which creates purchase orders for items that have low quantities, and many other buttons. Becoming familiar with all of them can be helpful in using the Purchase Order module effectively for your business. Fishbowl inventory training is useful for managers and employees in learning how to use all of the modules in Fishbowl software.

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How To Survive And Thrive In The New Economy

It seems that we are in a cycle of boom and bust economies that happen every ten years or so. If you are young then you can probably bounce back quickly from these busts as you have years ahead of you to make adjustments.

But, what happens when you are middle aged and one of these busts guts your savings and wipes out your investments? You don’t have much time to rebound and build that wealth back. And if you do, by the time it happens it seems there will just be another bust anyway.

This article will go over several ways that you can make it through these unsettled times. From what’s the best mindset to how to diversify your income, you can find a few answers below.

Protect your money.

The first thing to do is protect what you already have. Your assets need to be protected so you can weather any financial storm brewing on the horizon.

You can try your hand at buying cryptocurrency after you get Bitcoin wallet if you feel like you understand the volatility and know there is a risk. However, since you can withdraw your money at any time and there is no risk of banks closing, you do have more control over your investment.

Every type of market has its own strategy, so make sure you are not trying one method across the board. During a recession, you can also buy bonds like Federal, municipal and corporate. These don’t have a high yield, but they are very safe so you are just trying to not lose what you already have rather than make a windfall.

Invest in yourself.

Machines and technology are replacing workers at a staggering pace. What tech doesn’t kill, outsourcing to other countries surely will.

That means you have to be specialized in whatever you do. If you are just starting out your education, invest in it in the right way. Make sure that you are not going for a career that is too broad. If you are interested in finance you can’t just be an advisor. You need to have a very focused area in which you are an advisor, in other words.

Diversify your income.

One way is to buy property to rent. As a crisis hits, many people can’t afford to buy a home and will need to rent. Having a rental property is not exactly passive, but it can be something that brings in a good side income. When done right, it can even provide a full time income. Property is one of the most recessions resistant ways to invest if you aren’t trying to flip houses.

Another way is to open an ecommerce business. There are plenty of items that are recession proof so find something that somebody needs on a daily basis regardless of what the economy is like and then source that product. Set yourself up with a site to sell it and you’re off. You can find many companies that offer fulfillment services so you aren’t responsible for the shipping or keeping stock of blank t-shirts.

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Everything You Need To Know About Locksmith Career Options

If you believe the locksmith profession has more to do with the past than the future, then you couldn’t be more wrong! Smart locks and technological developments have made the profession even more challenging and offers endless opportunities for the younger generation to develop a career as a locksmith.

As a starting point, we still associate a locksmith with doors and keys. It’s a profession that attracts the curious mind, someone who likes to help others and fix things around the house. If this is you, and you don’t mind being a night owl, then there’s a big chance working as a locksmith is the right career path for you. If you add an interest for modern gadgets and smart home technologies then you have a perfect match.

Let’s take a look at the career options as a locksmith:

Locksmithing Job Outlook.

The profession is expected to gain more popularity in the upcoming years, as more people are expressing their concern about the security of their property. Accordingly, the job growth outlook is projected to grow by 12 percentile points, as long as more technicians specialize in advanced locksmithing techniques to match the rapidly changing needs of customers. They must also stay up to date with brand new smart technologies and security systems that are high in demand today.

Brief Locksmithing Job Description.

• key duplication services
• lock installation for all known types of locks, electronic and smart locks included
• lock and security system upkeep and repairs
• lockouts from cars, homes and commercial spaces
• security assessments, master key plan creation and implementation
• electronic alarm fitting

Common Work Settings.

You could end up working as an individual neighborhood locksmith providing weekend jobs or land a job for a nationwide locksmith company and start a genuine career in the industry. Real estate companies may hire you for re-keying or installing new locks on residential properties for sale. If you are passionate about the security industry in general, you could work for a security system company or another private business. You can also find jobs by being assigned to specialized online portals.

Job Safety.

While the job is a relatively safe one, it does involve a certain amount of risk, especially when asked to do a job in a bad neighborhood and a dangerous location.

All in all, if you are eager to help others, learn everything you need to know about the way locks work and offer your skills at all hours of the day, a job as a locksmith is probably just what you need.

How Much Does A Locksmith Make.

As a beginner, you can expect the minimum wage. Once they will accumulate more experience, their salary will increase, reaching more than $41,000 on average. Expect to work during the weekends, in night shifts or after regular work hours. This could round up the salary incomes. The size of the salary also depends on the location and the work environment. A lock technicians working in the aerospace industry will win more than one that is self-employed. If you live in New Jersey, Alaska or California, you can expect to earn a better living than locksmiths in other states.

Necessary Training And Education.

Locksmiths can be a part of an apprenticeship program and work under the attentive supervision of a professional locksmith or attend a vocational school, join a locksmith association or a community college and obtain a certificate.

When it comes to licensing, different US states have different work experience requirements, but most will ask a future locksmith to have at least one year of experience working for a locksmith service in order to obtain a license. It is also necessary for a locksmith to officially apply for the license, get their background fully checked and even submit their fingerprints.

To further improve their skills and accumulate more knowledge, locksmiths can also join the American Locksmith of America and obtain a certification as a Registered Locksmith, a Certified Master Locksmith, a Certified Registered Locksmith or a Certified Professional Locksmith. In order to qualify for any of these certifications, a technician must pass an exam with a score of at least 70%.

Joining a professional locksmithing organization in the state where you reside will also help you continue to further your education and benefit from group insurance benefits or legal representation on behalf of the association in case of a lawsuit. Plus, the chances of gaining more visibility and attract more customers as a locksmith for cars or homes will increase significantly once you will add the ALOA or other similar organization’s logo to your website.

Is the job for you?

A locksmith is usually described as someone who enjoys solving practical problems by disassembling and reassembling broken locks, making key copies and providing advanced assistance with security evaluations and alarm systems in the residential, commercial and automotive fields. Today the profession also requires an interest in modern electronic and technological developments as more and more people live in what is called “smart homes”. The job is practical more than theoretical and the job market is good. Many start off working for an established service provider and later become self employed as a local or specialized locksmith. Combined, the profession offers some really great career options with good financial stability.

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