5 Ways to Have Fun While Getting Work Done

Being a productive employee who's engaged in your work takes effort in itself. Part of that is creating an environment which is enjoyable to be a part of. Having fun at work is a great way of keeping your spirits up, your productivity high, and staying engaged in the work. You spend the vast majority of your waking-hours working, so why not make it enjoyable? Happy people tend to be more productive, less prone to burnout, and are even sick less often. Being happy at work also means you'll get more enjoyment and fulfillment out of your job. As a result, you'll find it easier to stay motivated, be creative, and get on with the great work you know you can do. But how do you make your job enjoyable? Let’s take a look at five strategies for making and keeping work fun.

1. Get involved in extracurricular events

The main source of fun in the workplace is often all around you: your coworkers! Look for fun ways to increase your interactions together. Organizing events, office contests, and day trips can inject some fun into your day-to-day routine. If it’s someone’s birthday-- celebrate it! Be careful, though, that fun events don’t become a distraction. Keeping these events short and concise is the key— if they take up too much time, this will make your work more stressful as you’ll have to catch up on the work you missed— not fun at all.

2. Take the time to work on creative projects

Every employee has a list of tasks they need to get done, but they also have those longer-term, bigger-picture projects that require some creative thinking and brainstorming. When you’re in the midst of the daily grind, it’s sometimes a good idea to take a break and work on something else. These alternative projects give your mind the opportunity to expressive itself a little. Without fun mind exercises like these, it’s easy to get bogged down in the more straightforward work your job entails.

3. Gamify your work

Gamification is a term you might have heard without necessarily understanding what it’s all about. Basically, it involves turning everyday tasks and activities into a game. In a work setting, this would involve adding attributes to your task that make completing it more like a game. Try coming up with a system of points and rewards for the accomplishments you need to get done— the bigger the accomplishment, the bigger the reward. There are also plenty of apps out there that can help you with gamifying by enabling you to set reminders and track your points.

4. Be kind to yourself at work

It’s all very well working hard and getting a lot of things done, but part of making your job fun is taking care of yourself. Be sure to step away from your work at consistent times throughout the day. Short breaks enable you to give your brain some space to relax and give you the opportunity to refocus on the tasks at hand.

5. Customize your workspace

Transforming your work space into a more personalized, comforting area can be a great way to have fun while getting work done. Try bringing in some pictures of your loved-ones from home to create a personal touch to your desk. People also decorate their desk with all kinds of knick-knacks and toys they enjoy looking at. Some workplaces do have limitations on what you can and can't decorate your desk with, so it's always advisable to check with your HR department before undergoing any drastic redesigns. Most companies are fine with how you keep your workspace as long as it doesn't become a distraction to other employees. Think carefully about how you can make your work area more fun, and go wild-- even the process of decorating can be fun!

Having fun at work means better work

Part of being a productive, valued employee is putting yourself in a position to get things done. By adding fun to your work environment, you can not only improve your mental health but improve your ability to be productive as well. While you should take care not to have so much fun that it becomes disruptive to your work, a little fun can go a long way.

Ready to find a fun job where you can be productive and produce your best work? Click here to upload your resume and let J & J Staffing Resources find you your next position!

Powering Through the Holidays: How to be a Glutton for Productivity

With the holidays coming up, you probably have a lot going on. The festive period is great for spending quality time with family, attending work parties, and eating great food. It can also, however, be the cause of a significant slowdown in your productivity at work. With so much going on, it can be easy to get caught up in the excitement of the season. Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can boost your productivity and make sure you get things done during the holiday period.

Switch off distractions around you

Technology can be a great help in boosting your productivity at work, but it can also be a huge distraction. The internet, cell phones, and social media can be the bane of worker productivity. These things are constantly vying for your attention-- a text from your best friend, an email, and “likes” on your latest Facebook post. It may seem like these disruptions aren’t a big deal, but think about it: the number of texts you receive throughout the day adds up. Each disruption means you have to spend time refocusing and re-engaging in what you were working on before.

If you feel you are easily distracted by the technology around you, try using one of the many browser extensions that enable you to block certain sites or turning your cell phone off. Even knowing that you won’t be disrupted by the sound of notifications on your phone will be a big help in letting you focus on the task at hand.

Beware the myth of multitasking

There has long existed a myth about an “efficient” worker as one who is handling multiple tasks at once. We may believe these people are successfully taking care of multiple items all at the same time. In reality though, this is impossible. The human brain is actually incapable of focusing on multiple things at once. Instead, when people think they are multitasking, they are actually switching from one task to another very quickly and spreading their attention thinly across those tasks. By focusing instead on one task at a time, you are far more effective and efficient in getting work done.

Working through your tasks

To get through your work, it helps some people to have some kind of system. There are many productivity systems out there like Getting Things Done, Personal Kanban, and the Pomodoro technique. Finding the right one for you is often a case of trying different ones out and seeing which work best. You can even take certain aspects of one productivity system that work for you and combine them with aspects of others. Whatever method you choose to work through your tasks, it’s a good idea to start by making a list of things you need to accomplish. A list of your tasks enables you to see exactly what needs to get done and prioritize it effectively based on its importance and when it’s due. More advanced users often make different categories of lists. For example: items that need to get done, items they are waiting for responses on, and more long term project-related items. However you decide to do it, the most important things about a productivity system is that it works for you.

Take care of yourself

When on a productivity kick, it’s tempting to try to do everything. Don’t fall into this trap-- it can actually be counterproductive. People will stay later at work for longer hours to try to get more accomplished. This is a great way to burn out quickly and actually end up accomplishing less. Instead, you need to take care of yourself if you want to be productive. Exercising regularly is a great way to ensure you’re in peak physical health. By exercising, you improve your stamina to be able to get through the day, improve your mental health and ability to handle stress, and reduce illnesses that keep you out of the office. Taking care of yourself also extends to the workplace. Even though you’re working hard, be sure to take regular, short breaks. Breaks allow you to decompress and clear your mind before getting back to working through your tasks.

Constantly improving productivity

Working more productively is a constant effort to come up with different systems, processes, and tricks to create the ideal mindset and environment to get things done. Taking the time to implement some of these tips as a starting point will go a long way to keeping you on track through the excitement and distractions that come with each holiday season.

3 Workload-balancing Methods for New Hires

It happens to new employees all the time. You lean back in your chair, thinking that all your assignments are complete, when suddenly you have the anxiety-inducing revelation that you’ve forgotten a major task. Soon you find yourself scrambling to get things done and worrying like it’s the end of the world as you watch the deadline for that big project draw near.

Stop. Take a deep breath and relax. It’s very easy to get overwhelmed when starting a new job and losing track of tasks is incredibly common for many people. Fortunately, there are many methods that will help you keep your workload organized and delivered on-time.

#1: Prioritize Your Work Accordingly

More often than not, the biggest stumbling block for new employees with deadlines comes from not knowing which tasks to tackle first. Since most new hires will have very little familiarity with how long certain assignments may take to complete, they usually end up going about their work in the order it arrives. 

If you feel that certain tasks may take too much time, try to schedule out your tasks to ensure more pressing assignments are handled first.

#2: Schedule Out Your Tasks

There are many different ways to plot out your workload, but most people make the mistake of not scheduling tasks accordingly. In addition to keeping your all your tasks organized, keeping an up-to-date calendar also ensures that proper attention is giving to important tasks so that they are completed on time. 

You can either use Microsoft Office or any of the numerous cloud-based browser calendars to plot out your assignments.

#3: Keep Detailed Records of Your Work

If you work for multiple clients or deal with numerous company departments, you may end up losing track of what needs to be accomplished during the workday. By keeping detailed notes handy, you can easily check to see what’s been completed and what still remains to be done. Consistent recordkeeping is also invaluable in a crisis should you ever make a mistake and miss a task.

By keeping a list of your total tasks in a Microsoft Word or Excel file, you can conveniently record and edit your work over time.

Getting the Job Done: Best Practices for Deadlines and Goals

If you’re a hiring manager, you certainly know how challenging it can be to find the right person for the position you’re trying to fill. Time and time again, you’ve brought onto your team qualified, talented people with a wealth of background experience in their selected fields. Yet, once they start working, you notice something is amiss. 

Perhaps deadlines just aren’t being met or the employee does great work but doesn’t get enough done. Maybe tasks that should take a handful of hours to complete turn into long, drawn-out projects. While these issues can definitely be troubling, in most cases the solution to these problems can be something as simple as setting the right goals and deadlines.

Often times, the biggest obstacle for new employees to overcome is getting a good grip on how long it takes to complete particular tasks. While they have experience dealing with the tasks you’re assigning them, it’s important to remember that every company handles deadlines and goals differently. 

The next time you see your new employee is having trouble getting things done, try the following:

Make Instructions Abundantly Clear 

Sometimes an employee may not realize how complicated a task actually is and could end up missing deadlines due to not prioritizing correctly. If you feel that a project or assignment is fairly complex, you will want to make your instructions as clear as possible. This results in fewer questions for you later and a more thorough understanding of the task for the worker.

Set Realistic Deadlines

 

Setting deadlines can be tricky, especially when you are dealing with a new hire. Try to remember that a new employee will need a little extra time to get through tasks as he or she is still learning what’s expected of him or her. Try not to set tight deadlines initially unless absolutely necessary.

Set Milestones and Goals to Encourage Growth

A popular way to get employees to develop the right behaviors is through setting goals and milestones. You should always take time to meet with your new employee to agree on goals for their development. Many managers use this as an opportunity to correct poor behaviors, like being unpunctual or to further develop core strengths, such as attention to detail. 

 

By using the above behaviors, any manager can help improve the effectiveness of their new hires. However, should you find that these techniques are not working you may want to contact a staffing agency to help you find a more efficient employee.

If you and your company are in need of premier staffing solutions, contact us at J & J Staffing Resources today.

Did I Hire the Right Person for the Job?

It happens more often than you think. After going through dozens of resumes and conducting numerous interviews with job candidates, you end up making a hire that seems like the right choice. However, after only a few weeks you begin to realize that something is amiss. The person you hire for the position is not shaping up to be what he or she claimed they would be. Suddenly, you are having second thoughts about the hire altogether.

Sadly, this sort of scenario happens more often than many managers would like to admit. While professional staffing agencies go out of their way to extensively screen job candidates, companies that choose to hire without outside help may end up hiring people who are simply not qualified enough or have the right personality to work for them. 

The next time you’re trying to decide whether a new hire is or is not a good fit for your business, try asking yourself the following questions:

Does the Employee Take Initiative?

These days, everyone is trying to land a great job. As a result, most new employees tend to jump at the chance to show their enthusiasm and take on new responsibilities. If you find your recent hire tends to shirk away from responsibility or makes a lot of excuses in general, this may be a sign that he or she is content to do the bare minimum.

Does the Employee Keep Steady Under Pressure?

Good stress management is an important ability for an employee to have, and many people do lack the capability to properly handle hectic business situations. While it’s fine for someone to get a bit nervous about deadlines from time to time, you want to make sure that’s as far as the stress goes. If your employee has a habit of becoming so stressed that he or she cannot do the job effectively, then they may not be a good match for your business.

Does the Employee Perform Well in a Team Setting?

The ability to work well with others in a team environment is a common trait that many employers look for in job candidates - and for good reason. Rarely is there an important position in a company that does not require constant cooperation with other employees or departments. One of the key hallmarks of a bad hire is that he or she is unable to successfully work with others. Should you find that collaborative efforts with your new employee constantly result in project setbacks and other issues, then it might be time to let that employee go.

Should you decide that need to replace a bad hire, J & J Staffing is always able to help you. We assist businesses in finding qualified job candidates through our comprehensive staffing services. Contact us today if you are looking for excellent employees who would fit well with your company.

Hitting the Ground Running: Adapting to a New Job

For as intimidating as the interviewing process may be for job seekers, starting a new job can be even more overwhelming. In the current challenging job market, many job candidates focus solely on getting into an interview and then getting hired. Once employed, however, these hardworking men and women often find themselves unable to meet their own expectations and instead begin stressing themselves out. 

Of course, it doesn’t have to be this way. Being an effective and valuable employee means needing to make sure you are able to adapt to your new workplace environment and setting up the correct behaviors from the start. Everyone wants to work hard and eventually be recognized for their efforts, but without taking the correct approach you may end up exhausting yourself before you even begin. 

The following are just a few ways that new hires can start on the path to success:

 

Never Be Afraid to Get Questions Answered

Many new employees worry about being perceived as inexperienced or unknowledgeable, and because of this they try to ask as few questions as possible. However, while no manager wants to have to constantly respond to questions throughout their work day, employees should always try to find answers to any inquiries they may have. This could mean either asking someone directly or doing a little research on their own.

 

Get to Work a Little Early, Stay a Little Late

It always helps to show a little initiative at work and employers want (and expect) you to be on time all the time. You should always  leave for work just a little bit earlier in order to avoid traffic or weather delays, and you should always stay a bit later to take care of tasks you may have been assigned. This reflects well on you and will reassure employers they made a good hire.

 

Become a Proficient Planner and Know Your Pace

Time management is a crucial skill for any employee to have and it’s doubly important when beginning a new job. One of the greatest causes of stress for new hires comes from being unable to balance out a workload and feeling like you’re forever stuck in crunch time. In order to prevent this from happening, you should always have things scheduled out to accommodate and correctly prioritize your job duties.

It’s a simple fact of working that there will always be stress, but frustration and anxiety can be managed when using proper time management techniques. Just be certain to make sure your new job is something you want to do and that you work with the correct behaviors in place.

Remember, if all else fails and you realize your new job isn’t for you, J & J Staffing Resources can help. As a leading provider of professional staffing services, we can get you started to finding your new career. Contact us today!