Category Archives: focus

How To Stay Focused When The Sun Is Calling Your Name

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We finally have nice weather and the sun is a frequent visitor here in Buffalo. Since we’ve been cooped up all winter and spring (that rain!) we all want to enjoy as much of this summer as we can. Only problem…? We still have to work! How many of you look out at the beautiful sun shining while sitting at your desk wishing you could be outside doing literally anything else?! Well my friends, I have good news and I have bad news. For most of us our responsibilities are a year-round thing. But I have some ideas on how to keep your focus in the right place.

Prioritize Your Day – Make a list of everything that needs to be done that day or that week. You’ll get a feeling of accomplishment when you get to cross things off the list while you’re actually getting things done! A list is a way to hold yourself accountable for your responsibilities and unless you put “slack-off” on your list, you won’t have time to!

Shift Your Work Hours – Find out how flexible your job/manager is and if you can switch up your hours. Coming in an hour early means you get to leave an hour early! This would allow for more friend/family time in the sun!

Keep Yourself Busy – If you are busy doing your work or helping others complete a task, you really don’t have time for much else. Keeping yourself busy will help keep you focused and make the day fly by!

Get Outside More – This is our goal! If it’s possible, eat your lunch outside. Or take your laptop and finish that report outside. Even a quick walk or a few minutes outside in the fresh air can help to reboot your mind and body and help finish out the day.

Take The Day! – Most of us get the weekends to recharge, some of us don’t. Whether you do or not sometimes an extra day is exactly what we need. So if you’re capable to take a personal day, do it!

These are just a few ideas on how you can stay focused at work when the sun is shining and calling your name outside. Staying focused through the summer months make it easy to transition into the fall and winter months and keeps you ahead of the game!

Visit our website here: http://www.cpstaffing.com/index.aspx

Visit our open jobs here: http://www.cpstaffing.com/jobs.aspx

 

How Screen Time Can Affect Your Day at Work

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You have a deadline coming up but you just can’t focus… You have material you have to present to your boss but you can’t get organized because you’re fighting the feeling of exhaustion… You promised to help a co-worker out what a project but you left all the documents at home because you were rushing to get out the door due to your lack of energy and motivation… These things could have been prevented if you had gotten a better night’s sleep.

In my household, screen time is a way to relax and wind down from the craziness of the day. And I know for a fact that my family is not the only one that uses these techniques to chill out at the end of the day. However, it is not the ideal way to accomplish this. There have been many studies showing the negative effects of too much screen time; especially too close to bedtime and how it can ruin your sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep, you guessed it, it’s harder to focus and stay awake the next day.

I’m sure everyone has had at least one good night’s sleep and can remember how good you felt in the morning. You feel refreshed, well rested, and ready to take on the day. I know that even more people can easily relate to the feelings of exhaustion, grogginess, and being irritable. This happens when you do not get a good night’s rest.

There are a few things that were suggested to do instead of staring at a screen right before bed:

Read a book! For those of you not familiar with this ancient pastime… a book is a series of pages with words on them that tell a story. Pick one up and try it, you will be pleasantly surprised!

Talk with your family! Gone are the days when people prefer to just sit down and talk with each other. It’s sad really! Talk about what you all did during the day. Talk about what you’re excited for the following day. Talk about things happening farther into the future. Make up stories! The possibilities are endless!

Color! There are the classic children’s coloring books, but they make adult coloring books now too! This is a creative way to wind down and relieve some stress!

Sleep experts suggest putting down all electronic devices two hours before bedtime. But, if that doesn’t seem realistic for you and your family, even a half hour is better than nothing. Electronic devices include: phones, iPads, computers, TVs, and laptops. I know what you’re thinking…IMPOSSIBLE!

I challenge everyone to try this for a week (that’s really not a long time!) and see if you notice a difference in yourself and/or your family members.

I bet you do!

Written by Lindsay Olewniczak

Visit our website here: http://www.cpstaffing.com/index.aspx

Visit our open jobs here: http://www.cpstaffing.com/jobs.aspx

Doing These Things Could Cost You Your Dream Job

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It is very exciting when you apply for a job and get the call to come in for an interview! But there are a few things that may slip your mind amidst all the excitement and nerves. Here is a list of some obvious (or not so obvious) things to remember NOT to do when interviewing.

Arriving Late – Shoot to arrive about ten minutes early. Make sure to factor in traffic and getting lost; if you arrive earlier, no worries. Showing up early will show your possible future employer that you are good at time management and care about the job.

Not Reviewing Your Key Points – Make sure you go over your resume and achievements prior to your interview. This will ensure that you can answer them straight away without referring to your resume. Your confidence will shine through while answering questions about yourself and past jobs.

Not Looking the Part – If you have the time and ability, find out the company’s dress code prior to the interview. If you cannot find this information, always dress smart. It looks better to be over dressed than under dressed.

Smoking Before You Go In – Don’t! That will be one of the first things noticed about you. Not only will the room smell like smoke for the duration of the interview, it will smell like smoke after you leave.

Having Your Phone On – It looks very unprofessional when your phone goes off during an interview. This is a time that should be focused solely on the interviewer and their questions/your answers. Even if you put your phone on silent there may be an alarm you forgot about that might still go off. If it’s possible, turning your phone completely off is the best thing to do.

Using Slang or Curse Words – This is most likely the first time meeting these people and making a good first impression should be at the top of your list. It’s best to come off as polite and not use such words.

Lying or Over-exaggerating – Saying you speak five different languages and lead your previous department to an all-time high will not help you if it’s not true! Be truthful about your accomplishments. Focus on the skills and achievements that could be valuable in your new role.

Bringing Up Personal Matters – Don’t discuss your views on controversial topics or personal issues you may be experiencing. Keeping your discussion professional and positive will look much better to the interviewer(s).

Going Off Topic – Listen carefully to the questions being asked. Try to stay on topic and keep answers concise and relevant. If you go off on a tangent you will miss out on making your point.

Going for an interview can be a very exciting yet stressful experience and there’s a lot to remember to do and not do during one. Try to be yourself and stay as calm as possible. Remember, the interviewer may be nervous too! Good luck!

Written by Lindsay Olewniczak

Visit our website here: http://www.cpstaffing.com/index.aspx

Visit our open jobs here: http://www.cpstaffing.com/jobs.aspx

Wellness In the Workplace

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The end of summer is quickly approaching, kids are getting ready to go back to school, and you may be starting to evaluate your summer fitness progress (or lack there of). Eight hours at a desk five days a week can really take a toll, but at least over the summer, many people have highly active nights and weekends. As we all start to get ready to spend more time indoors, you may be wondering how you can make your workplace a healthy space to aid in your health goals. Read on to learn about our top three tips on how to have a guilt free workday.

Avoid the candy jar. We all know where the candy jar is located at work, and after a long morning, it can be difficult to avoid. A couple M&Ms may seem like no big deal, but they can add hundreds of unnecessary calories to your diet every day if you are not careful. If you are hungry or absolutely cannot go without that 3pm pick me up, try keeping natural sweets on your desk. Grapes, Cherries, or Apples work wonderfully!

Drink lots of water. Staying hydrated is good for pretty much everything. It provides energy, promotes weight loss, helps your skin, prevents headaches, and boosts your immune system, just to name a few benefits. Bring a water bottle to work, and make it your goal to fill it up three, four, or even five times throughout the day. You can also set an alarm if you need that extra reminder.

Walk and Stretch. Walking throughout the day is a great way to promote health and fitness in the workplace. Take a walk during breaks, long conference calls (if you have a headset), or even just every couple hours to reward yourself for finishing a task. It may seem like no big deal, but getting up and moving around can make a huge difference in staying energized. If you are unable to get up regularly, try stretching at your desk multiple times per day to get moving and get a mental break from work.

How have you had success staying healthy at work? Comment below!

Written by Kaitlyn Gahagen

Staying Focused In The Summer

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Whether you are busy starting a new job, immersed in a career search, or just trying to keep up with your usual workload, summer can be a difficult time to achieve your goals. Vacations, beautiful weather, and kids home for the summer all make it harder to stay focused.

If you are having trouble staying focused, have no fear. Follow these tips to make your summer as productive as it can be.

Shift your schedule with the season. During the hot summer months, you may want to start work earlier so that you can leave at a time that allows you to still enjoy the summer day. If that schedule is not for you, consider going in later than usual to enjoy the peaceful and cool morning hours of summertime.

Increase your offline work. Who says vacations can’t be productive? Use your time at the pool to brainstorm your next big idea, read a book that will improve your management skills, or listen to a podcast that sparks your creativity.

Work on your biggest priorities in the morning. This is a good strategy year round, but especially when you are facing distraction. Tackle your biggest job first, and use the rest of the day to take on your small tasks.

Take time to relax. If everyone else in your office is going on vacation, you are sure to get vacation-envy. Carve out some time for yourself to get away and come back refreshed and ready to go!

Have a great summer and make sure to stay focused!