Workplace Wellness Archives

5 TIPS TO GET YOU THROUGH JANUARY

At the start of a new year, there is a lot pressure to get back into the usual daily routine after the Christmas break. January can be an especially challenging month for everyone, but with a little effort you can set yourself up for success this year by trying our 5 tips to get you through January that will help you by reducing stress levels and encouraging productivity. From learning a new skill to staying social, these methods are simple yet highly effective approaches towards making sure you hit the ground running this month. If you’re ready to discover how you can get through this January in the most productive and healthy way possible, read on!

Start a New Hobby

Did You Know?

Art helps to increase the connectivity and plasticity in the brain. New or complex activities will lead to the creation of new connections between brain cells.

When it comes to life satisfaction, starting a new hobby can be incredibly rewarding. Not only does it open up the opportunity for you to gain knowledge, but it also sets you on the path to discovering and improving your capabilities in other areas of life too. Enrol in an art class or try your hand at knitting, two cosy skills for these cold, winter nights. Learn to play an instrument or join a sports club. These can be rewarding hobbies that can impact your future in very positive ways, from meeting new friends to discovering talents you never knew you had.

Go for a Lunch Walk

It’s important to find meaningful ways to spend our lunch break while the sun is out and make the most of our valuable time during the day. In January it’s dark in the mornings and dark when work is finished so it’s difficult to get some sun rays. Some great options are taking a walk or jogging around the neighbourhood or local park to get that vitamin D in. Not only does this help you stay physically fit, but it can also be great for recharging mentally. Studies say the best time to get some Vitamin D from the sun would be between 10 o’clock in the morning and 3:30 in the afternoon. Ideas will be flowing when you return to work and you’ll be feeling more productive after that 3 pm slump.

Eat Healthily

To stay healthy in the colder months, aim for around 2,000 calories a day for women and 2,500 calories a day for men. This is the same as your recommended daily calorie intake, but you need to increase it slightly to keep warm!

Winter can be a difficult time for healthy eating habits; with holidays like Christmas and New Year’s, there can be temptation around every corner, like finishing off that box of Quality Streets. However, by learning some new skills in the kitchen, you can set yourself up for delicious and nourishing meals for the rest of the winter. It is important to keep your immune system strong during winter and to create dishes that are good for both your body and soul.

Try these 3 simple ideas:

Start your day with porridge which is filled with energy-boosting iron, and add sliced fruit to make it more flavoursome.
Eat smaller but healthier meals by portioning them out by hand instead of emptying them out, which can leave you eating more than your body needs making you feel lethargic.

Hand Portioning Guide:

A portion of protein is 1 palm.

A portion of fat is 1 thumb.

A portion of vegetables is 1 fist.

A portion of carbohydrate is 1 cupped handful.

A snack portion, if needed, would be the complete size of 1 palm.

3. Cook and then freeze nourishing soups and stews to keep you warm and full during these dark days. TIP: Adding some ginger to them can aid in warding off flues and colds.

Apply for that Job/Course

Job hunting can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t need to be. With the right preparation and guidance, you can take your career in a new direction and make strides towards achieving your dream job! Whether you are applying for a new position or want to explore potential courses, there are many options available that could help move you closer towards achieving your goals. From researching job openings to preparing resumes and cover letters – begin with baby steps in January and work your way towards the end goal. Recruit Island’s New Year New You blog gives you the current job openings available now. It could be the boost you need to start your new career journey.

One company with current vacancies, offering further development courses is Servisource, who have a Learning and Development programme that provides internal staff the option to develop their leadership potential, and confidence, and equip them with the necessary skills to become future leaders within the business.

Another useful learning platform is LinkedIn Learning, it provides video courses taught by industry experts in software, creative and business skills and is a subsidiary of LinkedIn. All the courses on LinkedIn fall into four categories: Business, Creative, Technology and Certifications.

It can be a great way to learn while working, with plenty of options to choose from. There are so many different upskilling courses, just begin with the first step of applying/joining and you’ll be a pro in no time!

Stay Social

Did You Know?

Loneliness is associated with higher rates of:
Depression, suicide, heart disease and dementia.

It’s important to stay social and avoid hibernating during the month of January. As January begins and winter continues to bring feelings of isolation during these challenging times, it is more important than ever to stay connected with friends and family. It’s the perfect time to rekindle relationships or build new ones that can help you feel connected in an isolated world. It should be a priority for you in order to prevent feelings of loneliness and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is a type of mood disorder, a variant of major depressive disorder (MDD) associated with seasonal changes during the winter months.

So call that friend and go for that coffee, join a Meetup group or call a family member and check in.

Similar to other depressive disorders, SAD tends to be more prevalent in women than men.
SAD is generally first diagnosed between the ages of 18 and 30, but SAD can and does affect any age group.

It’s good to take care of yourself during January and these tips will help you to do just that. Working long hours can take its toll, especially in the winter months, it’s important to stay on top of your routine and remain positive. Soon January will be over and spring will be blooming in no time.

Check out our current vacancies and opportunities today!

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5 TIPS TO GET YOU THROUGH JANUARY

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Innovative Ideas, Workplace Wellness

5 Ways to Manage Your Workload in the Run-Up to Christmas

Christmas time always creeps around faster than expected, the month of December seems to come and go in the blink of an eye. You decide to check over that list of things to do before the end of the year and instead of ticking off your workload, you realise you have far more left to do than you expected right before your Christmas break! Don’t worry, in order to keep you stress-free this year, here are 5 ways to manage your workload in the run-up to Christmas.

1. Focus on what’s urgent

Work list at Christmas to manage your workload

Make a list of duties you can realistically get done before Christmas. Focus on the urgent tasks and do them one at a time so you can tick them off with satisfaction as soon as they are done. There is no point in keeping items on your list that will take far too long and that are not even urgent in the first place. Can they wait until the new year? Only list the most urgent items and focus on them.

2. Decorate your workspace

Decorate that desk to get in the festive spirit! This will bring your mood up and make your desk look super pretty too. Everyone in the office will be jealous of your decorative display. Why not pop on some Christmas tunes too to create a cheerful atmosphere? You’ll be dancing and ticking off that work list in no time at all.

3. Call on helpers

Helping co-worker at Christmas to manage workload

If you are taking on too much, call on helpers. It is not just Santa who needs helpers. Spread the load and if there is something someone else can help with, then why not ask them, I am sure they would be happy to help. It is Christmas after all!

4. Time off work scheme

It is always good to avail of any time off work schemes with your employer during the run-up to Christmas and over the Christmas period. At Recruit Island, everyone is looked after and has the support they need. To ease the stress of life over Christmas, Balance Time was created which is a flexible time currency for everyone in Recruit Island to cater to important non-work commitments as and when they arise. It will help you balance your time over the Christmas period, one of the busiest times of the year. This means if you have an appointment, Christmas shopping, or a favour that you need to fulfill during the working day, Balance Time can be used. You essentially take the time needed but you make back that time within 1 week (or as specified by your manager). Balance Time is intended for sporadic work/life conflicts that occur.

5. Take a break and eat that mince pie staring at you

Work Christmas coffee to manage your workload

Without regular breaks it is difficult to stay focused as our brains get tired and we tend to lose concentration. It is important to take regular breaks to refresh. Why not eat that mince pie that is staring at you and make a nice cup of tea to gather your thoughts before your next item is ticked off.

So be sure to follow our above steps and you’ll soon be singing out the door with that list ticked off, ready for those Christmas ho ho ho holidays!

From all of us here at Recruit Island, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Find out more about our job opportunities here

Previous Posts

Career Guidance, Workplace Wellness

International Volunteer Day

Today December 5th marks International Volunteer Day celebrating the theme of solidarity through volunteering.

This year’s campaign highlights the power of our collective humanity to drive positive change through volunteerism. There are many advantages of volunteering, it is an excellent way to meet new people, give back to the community and help people in need. It gives you a sense of purpose while also increasing your social skills. It can even help your chances at gaining employment as it looks good on your CV, showcasing your commitment to improving yourself and helping others in society and the world.

Did you know? International Volunteer Day

60% of hiring managers see the act of volunteerism as a valuable asset when making recruitment decisions.

92% of human resource executives agree that contributing to a nonprofit can improve an employees leadership skills.

6.5% of working-age people worldwide engage in formal volunteering via an organisation or association.

3 Types of Volunteer Work

There are many different types of volunteering programmes and it can be difficult to choose which one is the best for you. Here we list 3 types of volunteer work where you can put your skills to good use and help out.

Volunteering for Environmental Issues

As people are becoming more environmentally aware, volunteering in this area is becoming more popular. People know that it is vital to act sooner rather than later when it comes to our environment. This type of work can include farming, environmental conservation and even working with ecovillages. It can be fun if you like the outdoors, like animals and don’t mind getting a bit dirty.

2. Volunteering in Healthcare

This is an ideal situation for medical students in order to gain training however, you don’t have to be a medical student to do this type of volunteering. You could simply visit patients in hospital to keep them company, work in health food shelters or even fundraise for cancer research, the list is endless.

3. Volunteering in Education

This is a great way to give someone the knowledge you possess and can involve working with children or adults. There are a range of countries where you can travel to and do this. It will allow you to gain teaching experience as well as helping those in need.

Servisource and Volunteering

At Servisource and CPL, we have the opportunity to get involved in a volunteering programme called INSPIRE, an online mentoring programme. we believe in giving back to the communities in which we operate, which is why we actively encourage our people to avail of this chance to get involved. With our Volunteering Time Off initiative, we ensure that employees get paid for any days off used to volunteer. The programme aims to match a young person with a professional role model to support and guide them. We know that mentoring works and having a positive role model in life is critical in order to prosper.

About the Mentors

INSPIRE works by matching a young person with an experienced professional. We want you to be that positive role model and make a difference in a young person’s life. Volunteer mentors commit to regular meetings with their mentee for up to one year and Innovate Communities provide the required training and support to help them become a successful mentor. This mentoring programme is online as you could be matched with a student from anywhere but if proximity permits you can meet them in person.

This is what the mentors have to say:

Ciaran – Senior IT Developer

I find I’m feeling quite energized seeing how the mentee is drawing on my expertise. There is a real sense of satisfaction about being able to help someone younger from my community. I’m learning there’s more to these young people than I may have thought. I see my mentee’s confidence building with every meeting. I see him leading more with every interaction and being more and more specific and honest about what he needs from me.

Marian – HR/Training Consultant

I’m really enjoying it. I’ve noticed my mentee’s thought process has widened from when we first met. She is thinking about the bigger picture, the longer term and about her career.

About the Mentees

Mentors are currently working with over 150 young people aged between 18 and 25 years of age. These mentees are diverse– Irish, Migrants and Immigrants (First Generation), Irish Black, Irish Asian and represent many different nationalities. They are HEAR (Higher Education Access Route) students studying Business & Management, Computers & ICT, Health & Social Care and Science and Pharma etc. The majority are the first in their family to go to college, don’t have a professional network to engage and have voluntarily signed up to INSPIRE to receive access to a mentor.

There are a range of volunteering opportunities to choose from around the world. With an array of benefits from it such as valuable work experience, learning new things and making new friends, why not give it a try and see how your help can benefit the world. You can find out more about the INSPIRE mentoring programme here and even sign up with their online application form.

So happy volunteering and let’s help each other in solidarity throughout the world!