Be First Class

Month: April 2017 Page 1 of 2

Taking work home is more stressful than being at the office

By

On April 24, 2017

In Business

When you have stacks of work piling up at the office, do you ever pack it up, take it home and continue working there? If so, you may be interested in some research that I read recently. This suggested that taking work home can have a detrimental effect on our stress levels and health. The research was carried out by the University of Surrey and Insurance firm AXA PPP Healthcare.

Given the development of phones, laptops and tablets today’s workers are part of an “always on” working culture and the first generation to have to cope with the ramifications of that. Many people I speak to frequently answer emails, take calls or plan meetings at home when they could be relaxing. This “always on” state is linked to cardiovascular disease according to the research.

The 550 city workers who took part in the study were attached to heart monitors. More than half of them were more stressed at home than at work due to continuous thoughts about their job. Stress levels remained extremely high until 8.30pm. Some in the study continued to be stressed until 1am.

The researchers believe “spikes” in workers heart rates were caused by dealing with work problems at home. The monitors showed that more than 25 members of staff at a London bank woke up between 3am and 4am thinking about work. Some even started to read or send emails.

Co-author of the report David Plans, a researcher at Surrey and developer of the BioBeats monitors used in the study said “Everybody knew that always working was bad but now we can measure when it’s happening and exactly what damage it is doing. It was much worse than we thought.” He added “Dealing with work while at home is pernicious to health and directly linkable to cardiovascular disease.”

For me the research highlights another issue. The advancement in technology and the increasing cost of office space and travel means that more and more people are working from home rather than traveling into the office. There has also been a significant increase in the number of self-employed people working from home. This type of work can blur the lines between home and office life. It can also mean that people don’t get as much social interaction as they did when they worked in an office. Therefore it’s important that they have established some clear boundaries and rules to work effectively.

Some tips to work effectively at home:

  • Be clear about your working hours – so that you maintain good work/life balance
  • Clearly define workspace within the house, which helps manage potential distractions from family members.
  • Take regular breaks from the computer screen every hour to give your eyes and brain a rest. A chance to stretch your body.
  • Keep work space clear and clutter free to reduce stress levels and aid productivity.
  • Ensure you have a clear and realistic to do list including your top 3 priorities for the day.
  • Have a ritual to officially finish work at the end of the day. Have a set cut off time. If you have an office space, close the door and switch off your technology.
  • Consider going for a walk at the end of the working day to create a clear break between work and leisure time

This week, whether you work from home or not, why not take a few moments out to reflect and consider what steps you can take to ensure that you switch off from work and aren’t “always on.”

This week’s quotation:

“It is requisite for the relaxation of the mind that we make use, from time to time, of playful deeds and jokes.” Thomas Aquinas.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk

5 ways we can make a positive difference in the world

By

On April 17, 2017

In Business

The world seems to be at an interesting point. When you turn on the news there are lots of examples of conflict and erratic behaviour by people in power and much fear and uncertainty being felt and expressed. The way that countries interact and trade with each other is being shaken up by the election of a new US president and the UK’s preparations to leave the European Union.

Recently, I’ve heard numerous people say that the world appears to have gone mad and that they are concerned for the future. Others have said that the world is no longer predictable and that they feel that big changes are afoot. All of this appears to be creating a palpable anxiety and tension within people.

Although you can be forgiven if the negative talk makes you want to bunker down and hide, I believe this can be an opportunity for us all to step up and resolve to change things for the better. Yes, there are big issues at play in the world but despite this we can all do things individually to make a positive difference to our part of the world.

When I sat down to write this blog, I heard the journalist, author and broadcaster Caitlin Moran being interviewed. Coincidentally she expressed an interesting idea which is along similar lines to the theme of this blog.

She said “Everyone has got one idea that can make the world a better place.”

Here are a few simple ideas and thoughts about actions that are within our control that we can all take to make a positive difference to our environments and relationships:

  • Perform acts of kindness

Being thoughtful, friendly, generous and considerate in our personal and professional dealings has a huge positive impact on other people’s moods. It creates good feelings and energy. As the old quotation says “No act of kindness no matter how small is ever wasted.”

  • Listen more than we talk

We are given two ears and one mouth for a reason! When we take the time to be really present, in the moment and actively listen to what others are saying, it makes a huge difference to relationships. It helps people to feel heard, valued and important.

  • Be polite and show respect for others

“Treat others as you wish to be treated yourself.” Appreciate the contributions of others. Remember to say thank you for help and support you receive. Show respect for other people’s feelings and opinions even if they are different to your own.

  • Look for the good in others

We all have unique talents, strengths and gifts. Adopt the belief that everybody is doing their best in life with the resources and knowledge that they have. Consciously look for the positive qualities of others and what is good about them.

  • Inspire others with positive words, thoughts and actions

Always be conscious of the impact you have on others. When you show courage, resilience and determination, it inspires others to do the same. Use positive empowering language and avoid wasting time and energy on negative talk and gossip.

This week, why not pause for a moment and consider what individual action you can take to make a positive difference to your environments and relationships.

This week’s quotation:

“Everyone can do simple things to make a difference, and every little bit really does count.” Stella McCartney.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk

More people seem to be in transition

By

On April 10, 2017

In Positive Attitude

I seem to be meeting an increased number of people in some form of transition; whether it’s changing job or career, contemplating starting their own business, moving house or they have left a long term relationship. I know that there are always people in transition but it appears that there is an increased number of people going through major transition at the present time.

I’ve been contemplating why this is happening. There seems to be a shift in people’s attitudes towards life. I’m wondering if any of the following are influencing people’s behaviour and motivating them to introduce some change into their world:

  • Being fed up with the busyness of life and having insufficient time to relax, for leisure and family time.
  • Worn down by a life of all work and no play.
  • Reaction to the major political changes and conflict going on in the world.
  • The impact of technology and social media usage.
  • The effects of globalisation and greater consumerism and the emphasis placed on material items.
  • Anxiety, fear and uncertainty created by negative news stories and scaremongering.

As a result of some of the above, it seems people are taking a step back and re-evaluating what they want from life and re-prioritising what’s important to them. Many are looking to remove some clutter and complexity from their life, simplify things and reduce stress levels. They are looking to create more life balance and increase the amount of time they spend on leisure activities, with their family and enjoying life’s simple pleasures.

I know from my personal experience of moving from corporate life to forming my own business in 2000 that major transition is a very interesting time. It creates mixed feelings ranging from excitement and optimism to fear and uncertainty.

We all like to feel we’re in control of events and can predict outcomes. When we’re contemplating some change we would like some certainty and guarantees. Unfortunately, life doesn’t come with guarantees, we have to take a leap of faith and step outside of our comfort zones.

As I’ve mentioned transition can be a scary time and our minds can exacerbate our feelings of uncertainty and insecurity about the future and trigger a fear of the unknown. As John Milton said “The mind is its own place and in itself can make a heaven of hell and hell of heaven.” It’s capable of playing scary or happy movies. We have the remote control to this movie playing via our unconscious mind. Whilst it’s vital you are realistic and honest with yourself about what you’re considering, it’s important that you visualise some positive outcomes and things working out.

Some of the main reasons that people stick with what they know, even if it makes them dissatisfied or unfulfilled are a fear of change, the unknown or failure. This can mean they stay in a job that makes them unhappy and where their talents aren’t fully utilised. Whatever the challenges that their present circumstances bring, they figure that it’s better to stick with the devil you know.

When people consider whether to make a change to their life, they can sometimes decide to stick with what they know believing they aren’t capable of meeting the potential obstacles and challenges that change will bring. However, I’ve seen numerous examples where people are able to rise to the challenge and show great resourcefulness when change and transition has been forced upon them by redundancy, loss, illness, relationship changes etc.

Perfectionism and wanting circumstances to be absolutely perfect are another obstacle and reason for procrastination and staying with the known. A major sense of responsibility can also mean that people don’t take the risk for fear they won’t provide adequately for others. Whilst I fully understand this, life is short and it’s important that everyone makes the most of their potential and opportunities and ensures that their personal happiness is a priority.

If clients are considering transition such as career change or starting their own business, I recommend that they comprehensively evaluate their options, undertake some thorough research and planning. It’s also important that they listen to their heart and intuition and stay true to themselves. This holistic approach helps develop confidence and creates a feeling that they’re properly prepared. It helps them to feel that they’ve done as much as they can to get comfortable with the risks they face and taken steps to mitigate the impact.

I recommend that they spend a minimum of thirty minutes a day developing their plan. Small consistent steps lead to extraordinary results. Being this thorough and disciplined really helps confidence and to create some choices. I also advocate asking for help and seeking the opinions of people who’ve made the transition that they’re contemplating. Having an objective, impartial and outside view to test out ideas, act as a sounding board and to express concerns to without fear of judgement is vital.

If people are setting up their own business, I stress the importance of them learning to sell themselves, to get clear on what they’re offering and why it’s unique. Being able to clearly explain what their product/service does for people and the benefits it brings is imperative.

When you are thinking about transition, it’s useful to consider the following:-

  • Clarify why you desire this change, your motivations and confirm to yourself that the change is realistic.
  • Be clear on your starting position and set yourself a deadline to gather information, evaluate options and make a decision on whether to proceed.
  • Identify the obstacles and challenges that you need to overcome.
  • Get clear on resources available to support you – e.g. people, information, knowledge, money etc.
  • Develop a plan with steps and milestones.
  • Visualise a positive outcome.
  • Decide who you will be accountable to, in order to stay on track.

This week, why not take a few moments out to reflect and consider the following questions:

If you knew that things would work out, what change would you introduce into your life? Whose help would you enlist to support you?

This week’s quotation: “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” Jimmy Dean.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk

Page 1 of 2

Next

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén