Office Etiquette for Beginners

 Office etiquette that can help maintain a professional and respectful workenvironment.

Office Etiquette for Beginners

By following these guidelines, you can create a positive and productive work environment for everyone in the office. 

Here are 9 crucial office etiquette that can help maintain a professional and respectful workenvironment:

✓ Be punctual: Arriving on time shows respect for others and sets a positive tone for the workday.

✓ Dress appropriately: The way you dress can affect others' opinions of you, so it's important to follow the dress code if there is one.

✓ Be polite and respectful: Use please and thank you, avoid interrupting others, and avoid using offensive language or gestures.

✓ Be a good communicator: Be clear and concise in your communication and actively listen to others.

✓ Avoid distractions: Keep your phone on silent and step away from your desk to take calls or attend to personal matters to avoid disturbing others.

✓ Be organized: Keep your workspace tidy and organized, and make sure to return any borrowed items promptly.

✓ Respect others' privacy: Avoid accessing or sharing confidential information without proper authorization.

✓ Take responsibility: Own up to your mistakes and take the initiative to solve problems, rather than blaming others.

✓ Be a positive influence: Encourage and support your colleagues, and avoid gossip or negative talk that can harm morale.

By following these guidelines, you can create a positive and productive work environment for everyone in the office.

******

Life Skills Training & Student Community

Image Courtesy: International Youth Foundation

Life Skills Training & Student Community

Here are 9 pointers why life skills training is of crucial value for student community.

The challenges children and young people regularly face are many, and require more than even the best numeracy and literacy skills. That is why 164 nations, under the UNESCO, include life skills as a basic learning need for all young people.

Here are 9 pointers why life skills training is of crucial value for student community:

✔️ Improved self-awareness: Life skills training can help students understand their strengths, weaknesses, and overall personality, allowing them to make better decisions in their personal and academic lives.

✔️ Effective communication: Good communication skills are essential for success in both personal and professional settings, and life skills training can help students develop these skills.

✔️ Time management: Life skills training can help students learn how to prioritize tasks and manage their time effectively, leading to better academic performance and reduced stress.

✔️ Critical thinking and problem-solving: By learning these skills, students can tackle complex issues and make informed decisions in their personal and academic lives.

✔️ Resilience: Life skills training can help students develop resilience, which is essential for overcoming challenges and achieving success in the face of adversity.

✔️ Stress management: Stress is a common issue for students, and life skills training can provide students with strategies for managing stress effectively.

✔️ Interpersonal skills: Good interpersonal skills are essential for building strong relationships with others, and life skills training can help students develop these skills.

✔️ Career readiness: Life skills training can help students gain a better understanding of their strengths and interests, allowing them to make informed career decisions.

✔️ Improved mental health: Life skills training can help students develop healthy habits and coping mechanisms, leading to improved mental health and overall well-being.

******

9 Best Ways to Become Confident

The more confident you grow, the easier it will be for you to silence the voice inside that tells you, "I can't do it."

Almost every aspect of a successful and satisfying life is connected to one's level of self-confidence. The more confident you grow, the easier it will be for you to silence the voice inside that tells you, "I can't do it." 

Here are 9 best ways to become confident:

✔️ Set and achieve small goals: Setting and achieving small goals can help build self-confidence by providing a sense of accomplishment.

✔️ Practice self-care: Taking care of oneself, such as getting enough sleep, eating well, and exercising, can help boost self-confidence.

✔️ Surround yourself with positive people: Being around people who are supportive and encouraging can help boost self-confidence.

✔️ Learn to accept compliments: Accepting compliments gracefully can help build self-confidence by reinforcing positive self-perception.

✔️ Speak up and express yourself: Speaking up and expressing oneself can help build self-confidence by allowing others to see one's thoughts and ideas.

✔️ Learn from mistakes: Learning from mistakes rather than dwelling on them can help build self-confidence by teaching us to be resilient.

✔️ Try new things: Trying new things can help build self-confidence by expanding one's skills and experiences.

✔️ Practice assertiveness: Being assertive can help build self-confidence by allowing us to stand up for ourselves and assert our needs.

✔️ Don't compare yourself to others: Comparing oneself to others can be detrimental to self-confidence. Instead, focus on your own progress and accomplishments. 

“Believe in your infinite potential. Your only limitations are those you set upon yourself.” ― Roy T. Bennett

******

Hard Work = No Limits

Lionel Messi pushed his boundaries to go from being the “smallest player on the pitch”
to one of the greatest athletes of our time.

Hard Work = No Limits

As Lionel Messi also knew that his height was his shortcoming, he practised football very hard to compensate for his shortcoming. He never stopped playing football even during his treatment period.

Do you know? Lionel Messi at a height of 1.7 m (5' 7”) is shorter when compared to the other football players.

Since his childhood, Lionel Messi, who was nicknamed “Leo”, dreamed of becoming a professional footballer.

Lionel Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency (GHD), a rare disorder which was enough to shatter all his football dreams.

Lionel Messi’s father was able to afford his treatment only for two years and after two years, he was not in a position to afford for his treatment because the treatment was expensive as it cost at least $1,000 per month.

As Lionel Messi also knew that his height was his shortcoming, he practised football very hard to compensate for his shortcoming. He never stopped playing football even during his treatment period.

His love for his dreams was bigger than the obstacles in his life. Today, Lionel Messi is one of the best footballers in the world despite struggling from a medical condition, poverty and many setbacks.

Lionel Messi pushed his boundaries to go from being the “smallest player on the pitch” to one of the greatest athletes of our time.

Remember, “You have to fight to reach your dream. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it.”

Today, Lionel Messi is one of the best footballers in the world despite struggling
from a medical condition, poverty and many setbacks.

******

How To Improve Your Communication Skills?

Communication skills come in different shapes and sizes.

How To Improve Your Communication Skills?

Every aspect of your job depends on communication, and how well you can communicate directly correlates with how well you can do your job. Here are specific things to do that can improve your communication skills.

Over the last few years, soft skills (= life skills) have been at the forefront of hiring professionals’ minds. With millions of people working from home and many others transitioning into a new career journey, soft skills are highly sought after.

With so many different avenues to convey your thoughts (email, phone, video, chat tools, etc.), strong communication skills (one of the many soft skills) will always be crucial. Employers are always looking for prospective employees with solid communication skills.

Communication skills come in different shapes and sizes – meeting with clients, working with colleagues, and speaking to various stakeholders.

This has become even more relevant with the increase in remote work - bad communication skills have been highlighted by the increased use of messaging rather than face-to-face workplace communication.

Every aspect of your job depends on communication, and how well you can communicate directly correlates with how well you can do your job. Here are specific things to do that can improve your communication skills:

➡ First, be a good listener by practicing active listening. Take notes if possible.

➡ Record yourself communicating. Review the recording and look for places to improve. 

➡ Watch your tone and be mindful of your nonverbal communication.

➡ Be respectful. Maintain a positive attitude and smile.

➡ Build your emotional intelligence and empathy.

➡ Always proofread and eliminate anything that strays from your message as you prepare your thoughts.

➡ Take time to create a thoughtful response.

➡ Before you speak, know what you are going to say and how you are going to say.

➡ Practice public speaking and tailor your message to your audience.

➡ For small talk, focus on topics included in the FORD method: family, occupation, recreation, and dreams.

➡ Ask questions and summarize the other person's main points.

➡ and last but not least, make communication a priority for your development.

Inputs from: Harvard Division of Continuing Education & Professional Development - Harvard Division of Continuing Education

******

Are Life Skills Really Crucial?!

Each skill is unique in how it helps students, but they all have one quality in common. They’re essential in the age of the Internet.

Are Life Skills Really Crucial?!

Education should prepare our students for the future, whether that involves going on to further study, joining the world of work or becoming an engaged member of society.

21st Century skills are the abilities that today’s students need to succeed in their careers during the Information Age. These skills are intended to help students keep up with the lightning-pace of today’s modern markets. Each skill is unique in how it helps students, but they all have one quality in common. They’re essential in the age of the Internet.

According to Harvard University, all youth need to develop a set of core life skills to manage school, work, outside interests, and social relationships successfully. No one is born with these skills, but everyone can learn them through practice.

Adolescence is also a vital “window of opportunity” for building core life skills — and for practitioners/ teachers to provide support. During this period, the brain strengthens its most-used connections, making them faster and more efficient, and “prunes” away less-used ones.

No one is born with these skills, but everyone can learn them through practice.

As the different areas of the brain mature during adolescence, their ability to function as an interconnected system improves. Practicing core life skills during adolescence helps the brain build the most efficient pathways to support these skills throughout life. 

Shawn VanDerziel, Executive Director at National Association of Colleges and Employers, has pointed out 3 important concerns,

1. Communication, critical thinking, and teamwork are the most important competencies to have when entering the workforce.
   
2. Career centers alone cannot fix this.
   
3. Incorporating career readiness and career competencies into curricular and co-curricular activities is required - which should help narrow this perceived skills gap.

As per International Youth Foundation,

Life skills—like critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and conflict management to name only a few—are needed for success in life and work. We call them 'life skills' to encompass the ways this set of skills is transferable across a day, career, and lifetime. They are as necessary to navigating the relationships and day-to-day decisions that determine success in a family as they are on the job, at school, and within a community. Life skills training is a standard part of many youth employment programs because life skills are considered essential to the modern workplace and are expected to make youth more employable.

To paraphrase, renowned author Steve Taylore-Knowles:

"Education should prepare our students for the future, whether that involves going on to further study, joining the world of work or becoming an engaged member of society. Education is a process that enables students to take their place in society as effective learners, as effective professionals and as effective citizens. We need to equip our students with the kind of skills that will enable them to meet those challenges. These are skills that you, as a successful, effective #professional, probably use every day without too much thought. You go into a meeting and put forward your point of view while listening and absorbing the views of your colleagues. You make decisions, solve problems and communicate with others. And you use the same skills in many different aspects of your life."

******

Remember to Smile!

Smiling Can Trick Your Mind Into Being More Positive?

Remember to Smile!

There is a strong link between action and perception. When your muscles say you’re happy, you’re more likely to see the world around you in a positive way.

Do You Know Smiling Can Trick Your Mind Into Being More Positive?

Groundbreaking research from the University of South Australia confirms that the act of smiling can trick your mind into being more positive, simply by moving your facial muscles.

The study, published in Experimental-psychology evaluated the impact of a covert smile on perception of face and body expressions. In both scenarios, a smile was induced by participants holding a pen between their teeth, forcing their facial muscles to replicate the movement of a smile.

The research found that facial muscular activity not only alters the recognition of facial expressions but also body expressions, with both generating more positive emotions.

Dr. Marmolejo-Ramos says. “There is a strong link between action and perception. When your muscles say you’re happy, you’re more likely to see the world around you in a positive way.”

Research shows that children smile an average of 400 times per day, compared to the average happy adult who smiles 40-50 times per day and the typical adult who smiles only 20 times per day.

Smiling not only offers a mood boost but helps our bodies release cortisol and endorphins that provide numerous health benefits, including: 

• Reduced blood pressure 
• Increased endurance 
• Reduced pain 
• Reduced stress 
• Strengthened immune system

Someone has aptly remarked, 

"Use your smile to change the world but don’t let the world change your smile".

 ******