25 Nov, 2024 | Uncategorized
Our planet faces enormous environmental challenges, and believe it or not, every little thing we do (or don’t do) adds up to make a big difference. Just think about it—choosing a reusable coffee cup or saying no to a plastic straw might feel like a drop in the ocean, but when millions of us make those same small choices, it’s like a wave of change!
Simply put, sustainability means ensuring that our actions today don’t stop future generations from having the resources they need to thrive. Whether it’s conserving water, cutting down on waste, or biking to work instead of driving, it’s all about finding a balance that works for everyone—people and planet alike.
It Starts With You (Yes, You!)
Have you ever wondered if turning off your lights or recycling that tin can really matter? Well, it does! I often jump on my proverbial soapbox to shout about how these tiny changes can start a domino effect. Imagine if your entire street, town, or even country started doing just one small sustainable act each day—the impact would be huge!
Yes, the big corporations have an important role to play, but don’t underestimate the power of small businesses and individuals like us. As someone who cheers on sustainability every chance I get, I’ve seen how adopting even the smallest green habits can inspire others to take up the torch. And when businesses get on board by adopting eco-friendly practices, they set the stage for a greener economy.
No need to flip your life upside down to make a difference. Start with baby steps:
– **Reduce**: Think before you buy. Do you really need it? Could you borrow or fix something instead of buying new?
– **Reuse**: Ditch the disposables. How about investing in some snazzy fabric shopping bags or a stylish refillable water bottle?
– **Recycle**: Get to know what goes in which bin. A little sorting can go a long way!
The more we know, the more we can do. That’s why I love to share all sorts of tips and tricks on my socials. Whether through a blog post, a downloadable resource, or even a chat over a cup of tea (biodegradable teabags, of course!), spreading the word about sustainability is key to growing a community that cares.
A Green Legacy
Embracing sustainability isn’t just good for the earth—it sets up a thriving world for future munchkins. And let’s face it, who doesn’t want to be a hero for the planet? Like I always say, “If I can do it, so can you!” We’re all part of this big, beautiful world, and each of us has the power to make a positive mark.
We can all have a sustainable journey, and no action is too small. Every choice counts, and our choices can lead to a big, beautiful wave of change. Ready to dive in? Let’s make sustainability a part of our daily grind. Here’s to creating a legacy that lasts—join me, and let’s be the change we want to see in the world!
14 Feb, 2021 | Sustainability
Why it’s time to go greener…
Having recently watched David Attenborough’s new documentary “A Life on Our Planet” on Netflix, I feel extremely inspired and compelled to try and live a more sustainable life. Before watching his documentary, I had already started making little changes at home to reduce my carbon footprint; buying more plants, getting a wormery for my small garden and changing to energy-saving lightbulbs. However, after watching David’s emotional plea to the world to act now as it may not be too late, it really struck a chord with me that it’s not just big commercial firms that can make the difference, but individually, we can make an impact too. Some may question “What is the point in making changes when we individually make up such a little proportion of the overall global carbon footprint?” But the simplest answer in response to that question is, in fact, when we do actively contribute to lowering the average carbon emissions burned, informing and educating others to do the same, all whilst supporting policy changes and advocating for green businesses, then yes, a single person can make quite the difference.
Especially in today’s climate wherein more and more people are now working remotely instead of going into the office, people are individually using more energy to heat or cool their houses than the energy used by an office building that heats everyone. The energy and bandwidth people use on things like video calls translates to CO2 emissions, meaning that computer and internet usage aren’t without consequences. Moreover, materials and transportation to ship supplies or equipment to remote workers burn environmental resources, along with a host of other negative impacts. So, although there are many positive impacts highlighted in the media about remote working such as reduced commuting saving on gas and electricity, less paper used, etc., it is important to realise that we are still creating a footprint and so we ought to make it as green as possible!
Therefore, I thought I’d share some of the tips I have researched and found along the way that I now do/use myself and hope that others may feel inspired to do the same!
Try not to keep the thermostat too high – Each 1-degree reduction can lead to an 8% saving on your energy bill and carbon emissions.
Curtains and blinds are a great way to keep heat in overnight.
If you’re feeling cold, layer up or put a jumper on to keep you warm.
Also, put on a pair of thicker socks. You lose a lot of heat through your feet and so this can be helpful in warming you up quicker.
Make sure your computer is completely switched off at the end of your day. Set to ‘sleep’ or lower power mode when on lunch breaks.
Fill up the kettle using your mug rather than the tap. You can judge how much water you really need, speed up boiling time and put a dent in your energy use.
Invest in a smart power strip that’s programmed to lower power based on usage. Do not use a tumble drier, instead use a clothes airer, or if possible, a clothesline.
Only use your washing machine when doing a full load.
Reduce your meat consumption to minimise your carbon footprint.
Try to plan ahead for lunch. Consider making extras for dinner to store in the fridge for tomorrow’s lunch or use any leftovers to avoid food waste.
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Turn wastepaper into extra notetaking pages.
Use project management software to help with task management (e.g. Trello, Asana and Monday).
Paperless notebooks such as reMarkable, Moleskine, Rocketbook Core can be permenantly reused.
Bamboo decomposes significantly faster than plastic, but it’s just as sturdy.
Examples: Bamboo pencil holder, monitor stand and book stand.
A wormery can convert wastepaper and organic kitchen waste into bio-rich, high quality compost and concentrated liquid feed.
This one may depend on whether you have the space for it, such as having a garden to store it.
If you haven’t got a garden or a specific place to store a wormery or composter, then greenify your office instead!
Plants make your office look prettier, but they are also known to help improve overall air quality and absorb harmful pollutants.
Get milk delivered in glass bottles that can be recycled, instead of plastic bottles from the supermarket.
Think about changing your loo roll, kitchen roll, dishwasher tablets and cleaning products for eco-friendly options.
There are so many things that we do on the daily that we wouldn’t even typically think would waste a lot of energy or use up a lot of unncessery resources. But, after researching everything more deeply, I’ve now found that these tips have really helped me to do that little bit more to be greener and I hope they’ve proven handy to some of you!
1 Jan, 2021 | Productivity, Wellbeing
The Catch-22 Debacle…
Today’s blog is not only directed at Virtual Assistants and Online Business Managers, but also to the wider public too. Having personally seen just how hard it is for my son, who’s recently graduated from University, to find a job or gain any form of experience, I’d like to share some ways in which small or large businesses could potentially help those who are actively seeking work experience, yet finding it virtually impossible to succeed in their efforts!
With the sheer diversity of opportunities on offer, alongside the growing economy and increasing employment prospects, many individuals view young people today as being extremely lucky in having such a scope to choose from. However, this is far from the truth. An emerging flaw has presented itself within the current job market, wherein School leavers and University Graduates alike, are finding it exhausting and almost impossible to find a job without previous experience within the field they are applying for. This seems to epitomise the classic catch-22 situation; in which one needs experience to get a job, and a job to get experience. This leaves today’s generation of young people systematically disadvantaged, hopelessly searching for work and dishearteningly receiving the same response each time – “You do not fit all the criteria due to no/little previous experience”.
Work experience matters. – This is where you can come in! If you are a business that can make space for a young individual to gain some crucial experience, then please look at the following ways in which you can massively help:
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Recommend contacts and introduce them to platforms such as LinkedIn and Twitter, allowing them to connect with individuals and companies which yield a professional network that may come in handy for future career moves. Helping to improve their online presence increases their employability prospects.
Give young people the opportunity to build their skillset within a business environment, use their initiative, gain confidence, and develop communication and organisational skills. This is an easy and effective way for them to gain transferable skills, whilst also gaining their youthful exuberance for your company.
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Help young people earn a wage whilst acquiring first-hand knowledge of a job or organisation, aiding their permanent employability prospects down the line.
Providing a unique opportunity for Graduates and Leavers in these perplexing and changing times to still gain invaluable experience and develop their online software skills.
This experience can be beneficial for both parties involved. It provides young people with the chance to use their acquired skills for future endeavours, whilst also benefitting businesses through young, eager individuals with a passion for learning and developing creative concepts and new ways of thinking. It can effectively cultivate critical business and leadership skills for those with no prior knowledge within a certain environment, which in return, can aid a business through helping to attract and retain great new talent that becomes the lifeblood of their business!
By setting up programs for School leavers and Graduates, it helps companies showcase themselves to their customers, who will see – and respect – a business’ efforts to improve the community. It can impact bottom line, increase a company’s visibility and boost their reputation; employees who’ve felt fulfilled and satisfied throughout their journey tending to show more devotion to their company and recommend their company to friends. – Further increasing productivity too!
I personally have been able to give a University Graduate some work experience by helping to structure and create content for my social media. It’s been great to get a different perspective and has also allowed them to gain some experience whilst still searching for a more permanent position.
So, please take a minute to have a think to whether your business could also help our younger generation with work experience programs – the benefits extend much further than you may think!
19 Nov, 2020 | Productivity, Technology, Wellbeing
At first, remote working may feel like a dream!
No managers overseeing your work, no physical boundaries to your workspace, no commute, and no pressure to dress up in work attire (unless on a work zoom call!) However, this dream may soon fade as reality sets in that you are now completely responsible for your time keeping and the way in which your days are structured.
With 52% of our current global workforce working from home at least once a week, it can be a very difficult transition and something that many, if not most, people cannot just effortlessly slip into.
Having such a large mass of unstructured time on your hands can quickly become overwhelming. Without receiving direct feedback, it can be hard to ascertain how well you are using your time and your work may not immediately be as visible as it is in an office context. Therefore, I have put together some tips that can help you get on top of your workload whilst working from home.
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It is important to understand how long different tasks take, so that you can allocate a certain amount of time for different pieces of work across your week.
Automatic tracking apps such as Timely, Toggl or Harvest can handle this for you.
If you are self employed and have many clients, it can also be useful to track time when you are NOT working, so that you can see what distracts you and for how long.
It helps maintain healthy work patterns – showing you the number of hours you work each day, so you can offset any imbalances and protect yourself from burnout.
I have a client meeting at 09:30 every day, so I always know that I must be up and ready to engage for a specific time.
It’s useful to set consistent ‘core hours’ for your work, including dedicated availability hours so colleagues know when they can contact you and when they can expect a response.
Always outline what you want to achieve by the end of the week and sketch out the tasks required to get there. Each day frontload your most important tasks (and typically the most complex) to capitalise on your fresh focus.
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‘Time blocking’ is a highly effective method for getting you started with your most daunting tasks. It requires you to set finite portions of time for different activities in your day, ensuring that the amount of effort you put in stays proportionate to the value of the task.
If you have several clients, it’s imperative to keep ‘time blocks’ so each client receives your undivided attention for your allotted amount of time. It prevents you from overworking on one client’s work and leaving yourself tight for time for another.
With remote working, it’s easy for work to bleed into your downtime, and no clear cut-off means that you may work longer hours than you would in the office.
At the end of your workday, shut down your electronics and move into another room or area. This physical boundary enables you to take a step back from the workload and enjoy some time away from your desk to recharge your batteries and come back with a clear head.
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To help with productivity, block unimportant notifications on smartphones and ensure you don’t have ‘background visuals’ such as TV taking away from your full attention. It can lead to mistakes being made. Just opening one notification on Social Media can lead you down a rabbit hole and take your attention away from your work. You can check your notifications on your break.
Try anti-distraction tools such apps like LeechBlock or FocusMe. The first is a smart browser extension on Chrome or Firefox which has a timer that allows you to choose which sites you want to block, when you want them to be blocked and how long for. The second is an app of similar effect, enabling you to create productive routines by blocking sites, as well as having a Pomodoro timer and activity tracker to see exactly where you’re spending your time.
Sitting on a sofa, bed, or at the kitchen table for long periods of time can play havoc with your posture. Sit/Stand desks and office chairs will help, but if you do not have these, then just try to find a seat which keeps your back straight and supported.
Taking 5-minute “microbreaks” has been proven to improve cognitive performance.
Take a break from all your screens as this can cause visual stress from looking at them for too long. Instead, get some fresh air as this reduces anxiety and aids mental focus.
Creating a playlist and listening to your favourite music may also prove to be effective at helping you to unwind and go to your happy place! Personally, I choose different music depending on my task. It’s good to do things you enjoy as it can really help lift your mood and improve your mindset for the rest of the day.
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Keeping in contact with friends and family is important for both parties involved. It shows that you care about them and want to know how they’re doing, strengthening your relationship and relieving anxiety
It can also be a massive mood booster on your side, allowing you to blow off some steam and have a laugh.
I am lucky enough to have a separate office space as I work from home permanently. I have made it into a little haven of serenity.
I have lots of plants surrounding me and plenty of natural light.
My desk is clear and tidy (mostly), and my cat sits with me most days. I have everything I need within arms’ reach and a cup of tea and bottle of water are always to hand.
Before clocking off each day, check your schedule for the following day to ensure you’re ready for any early-morning meetings.
After you finish a particularly trying work block, take a break and treat yourself to a tea and your favourite snack.
This is a great motivator to keep you feeling positive and increase productivity.
I hope these tips prove useful in helping you to manage your time more wisely whilst working from home. Although many of these tips may seem obvious, sometimes the simplest ideas get forgotten and so it’s good to have a reminder!
