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10 Office Must Haves to be Productive

blog post Office Must haves

Working from home has many temptations, such as wanting to sleep, or watch T.V. when you really should be working. I was so excited to have a designated office space when we bought our home. I was so tired of working on the couch in front of the T.V. or in the bed. Not only is it distracting, but it is just bad all around ergonomically. I cam up with this list of must haves to be productive, as these were the 10 essentials I wanted for my home office.

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  1. Desk

Having a great desk is a must. As an entrepreneur I spend a lot of time in my home office. Making sure I had a great desk was a Must. I actually built my desk and shelves for my office, because my husband and I wanted a space that we could both share comfortably. But you find a similar one here.

Picture of my desk and shelf system I built for my home office.

2. A comfortable Chair

It was such a joy to be able to work in my office in a comfortable chair. No more slouching on the couch or laying in the bed, trying not to fall asleep when working. I Found two really comfortable chairs for my husband and myself. I looked for chairs that had support for your back and were adjustable. Check out the one above, which is similar to what we bought.

3. Great Computer

Having a good computer is essential I needed something sleek that could fit in my carry-on, but also durable, with good speed, and memory. My husband bought me a Surface Pro 4 when I graduated with my PhD. Hands down the best laptop/tablet that I have had so far. It is so durable and has so many features. Find a good laptop that meets all of your needs and you will be very productive.

4. Lighting

I adore natural lighting when I am working in the day time. I get really inspired to do my best work when the sun is shining and the birds are chirping. In the evening I like to keep the lights bright but natural. Check the bulbs and lamps I found here and here.

5. Surge protector

One thing that I have experienced in the past was a power outage. Thank God none of my appliances had a shortage, but it could have been bad. I immediately bought a surge protector. Essential to protecting your tech items and giving you peace of mind. Find the ones I bought here.

6. Multipurpose Printer

I always find myself needing to fax something, so it was important that I had a printer that could scan and fax. No need to run to Kinko’s to get that important document off, when you can do it at home. Check out this 4 in 1 printer.

7. Paper Shredder

Shredder

First of all, I get a lot of junk mail, so being able to keep the clutter down is important. Also, I have sensitive documents that I work on, and if I do not need to keep them I need to safely dispose of them. Make sure you get a cross shredder like this one here, to make sure your documents can’t be put back together.

8. File Cabinet

As I said, keeping the clutter down is a must to a productive office. I have two file cabinets, which have locks on them that I keep important documents. I multipurpose my file cabinets for decorative pieces, so that they flow with my office space.

9. Calendar

I may be just a tad old school, but I love having a calendar I can touch. I also have a wall dry erase calendar that I keep on the wall in the office. I still use my phone calendar, but more as a back-up. You can find similar calendars here and here

10. Plants

There is nothing like having a touch of nature in your environment. Not only is it a good decoration piece, but it gets the oxygen and creative juices flowing for me. Something about the smell of my plants.

Bonus: Feng Shui

There is no sense having all these functional things in your office with no order. Find a balance of items that work with your creative process. The more comfortable you are in a space, the more likely you are to be productive. Consider candles or a Zen Garden to give your space some balance.

Did these must have help you plan your office? Let me know in the comments below!!

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Business Pie: The Recipe for Business Success

Business Success

In celebration of National Pie Day, I wanted to give you a mix of tips for business success. When you combine the best ingredients for your business you will be success bound.

Think about your favorite pie, rather homemade or store bought there are certain ingredients that are must have. My favorite is the homemade dutch apple pie, but Mrs. Smith’s will do in a crunch!! It’s all about the fresh apples, the cinnamon and who can forget the streusel!! My mouth just waters thinking about it… back to business

What does Pie have to do with business?

When talking about your recipe for business success, making sure you have the best ingredients are important. While every business is different there is always a mixture of of ingredients that are needed to make the business grow. When you put these ingredients together you can make great things happen for your business. Here are my top five for business success.

Top 5 Ingredients for Business Success

The pan: Every great pie starts out with the perfect pan, you are the pan of your business. A great business owner is the FOUNDATION of their organization. As a a result, they not only guide the business but they cultivate an environment of growth and potential. And after every great pie is gone, the pan remains. Leaders need to be durable and work well under pressure, so I am not talking your aluminum pie pan, I am talking stoneware!

Natural Ingredients: When you say your are making a homemade pie, you for sure should be making a homemade pie. A true pie connoisseur will see right through the flour on your face and and apples strategically placed on the counter. The same goes for business success HONESTY and INTEGRITY are everything! If you say you are going to do something, do it! The worst thing you want is your business to be seen as a fraud or fake. Put in the work to develop your skills. Be the real thing!!

Mix of ingredients: Every good pie maker understands that it is not just that one ingredient that sets the pie off, it is the mixture of ingredients. As with business success BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS is important to your process.  Having the emotional intelligence to understand your team and their needs. In addition, understanding what your clients and the community expect and need from your business. Being able to cultivate relationships is a major key to business success.

Secret Ingredient: And this is what makes your grandma’s pie the best you have ever had!! It’s that one ingredient that you never would have though of, that pinch of salt, or dash of orange juice that sets the pie off!! In business this is called INNOVATION. It is the ability to think outside of the box and take risks.  You want to stand out among the crowd, you have to think more abstractly.

Smell: And now the pie is done, that smell tells it all. With smell being the first part of taste, consider that COMMUNICATION is the first taste anyone will get of your business. Do you know your mission and vision? Can you communicate information about your business in a concise and effective manner? The way you communicate can make or break your business.

Make Your Business as Success!

Did these tips resonate with you? Are you looking to make your business stand out? Let us help you make you business the success you are working towards. Send us a message in the form below and let us help you and your organization with all of your leadership and develop needs.

 

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