Home Sweet Office: Comfort in the Workplace

Having a home office makes business easier since you do not have to leave the comfort of your home. However, if the office is not as comfy as your home, you will not like spending time there and it would feel like any other cubicle. Do your best to make your home office pleasant and homey.

Comfortable Seating

Spending the entire work day in an uncomfortable desk chair will make you annoyed, achy and frustrated. That is not beneficial for your work or your health. So, do not try to save extra money by using chairs from your dining room.  You need to ensure your posture is correct to help with blood flow to your brain, by using an ergonomically comfortable office chair you can achieve this without breaking the bank. Spend a little extra money on a quality durable chair with proper back support and with adjustable height for better flexibility.

Maximize the Lighting

The light from your computer screen and an overhead lighting are not enough, and can create a rather cold atmosphere. Those are not pleasant work conditions, so you need to lighten up the mood a bit. Harvest as many daylight as possible, since it is the best source of light and brings warmth into the room. Set up a stylish desktop lamp and relieve eye strain. Always have several sources of light, because dark and gloomy office is never a good place for doing business and can greatly affect your mood.

Introduce some Colour

White plain office may drive you crazy with its emptiness. Introduce colour into your workspace and make it pleasing to the eye and mind. Repaint the walls into some pastel colours to warm the room up. Spread colourful rugs or carpets and make your office cosy. The furniture should also have some colour in it, and complement the whole office interior design with stylish accessories such as cushions with patterns, stylish vases with fresh flowers and tasteful curtains. Also, hang some artwork to decorate the walls, or simply set up a few of your family photos. Fill your office with vibrant colours and energy, and you will never get tired of your office’s good looks.

Stay Clean and Organized

Ban any eating at the desk so you would avoid messy workspace and annoying crumbs all over the place. If you drink coffee or other beverages while working, use coasters and avoid stains and mug rings on the desk. Additionally, organize the office according to your needs and avoid clutter. File papers daily and label those files, bins and storage cabinets. Make sure to always restore things to their right place and to straighten up the place for a few minutes at the end of the day, so you would maintain clutter-free office and organized mind.

Adjust the Temperature

Comfortable office requires comfortable room temperature for effective working. If you are too hot or cold, you will only be distracted by adding or extracting more clothes, or by wiping the sweat off of your face. If possible, install an air conditioning in your office and find the optimal temperature for you, if not, always have a small cooling fan on your desk, or a space heater to adjust the temperature. Having a comfortable body temperature will only encourage your creativity and productivity because it does not have to find the ways to accommodate itself.

Keep the Wires under Control

To avoid any stumbling over wires and cables or tangling up of you equipment, you need to keep the cords under control. There are various creative and simple ways of keeping the cords in order and you just need to get yourself to organize that mess. Tie the cords together or untangle them and label each one of them; separate the cords with paperclips or tuck them under your carpet. However, if you still find this frustrating, you can always switch to wireless devices and solve the problem on the long run.

Do not hesitate to spend some extra time and money on creating a comfy home office. No good will come out of messy, disorganized and annoying office. Make yourself at home and enhance your performance.

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Occasions, Gatherings and Food Safety: Things to Consider When Hiring a Caterer

Catering in Manila is often a spectacle of wonderful colors, different food and fun-filled events that pulse with life and excitement but behind these wonderful happenings are dozens of hours of preparations, negotiations and often times even pest control! People just want to get their events right so to get it right, here’s a few things to consider when hiring a caterer:

Img src: shortcourses.angliss.edu.au

Menu – When someone considers a caterer, one also has to consider the menu.  If looks could be a basis for judging a person then the menu should be the catering equivalent of that. If the customer disagrees or dislikes the menu then that’s a good sign that they haven’t found their caterer yet.  Food will always be the heart of any event because people simply love to eat so if a customer wants their event to be successful then they have to get the food right and by extension, they have to get their caterer right.

Passion – Caterers have to be passionate in that they love what they do and that they’re willing to do it for their customers.  Even the best endeavor in the word will fall short if the people who run it do not enjoy what they do so when looking for a caterer, look for someone who’s driven and dedicated to what they’re doing.

Safety – As stated above, when organizing an event a lot of things should be considered and chief among them is safety. Gauge a caterer by their menu and their passion but scrutinize them for their views on safety. Everybody loves to eat but nobody wants to get sick from eating so to minimize casualties, a customer should thoroughly investigate whether or not a caterer is up to par with regards to safety.

In connection to safety, caterers should also be informed and they should be willing to accede to the fact that some people may have some allergies. Adjusting a few ingredients in the menu is also an option but for safety’s sake, good communication between client and caterer is key – and the caterer should be willing to adjust to suit their customer’s needs.

Punctual – Nobody wants their guests to go hungry because not only would that put a damper on the event but that would also mean that the caterer hired are people who do not make good on their promises.  People expect quality of service and being late is definitely a big no-no for both organizers and caterers alike so if people want good service, they should only deal with caterers that cares about their client’s time.

Professionalism – Everybody has standards, caterers included. When considering a caterer, one has to consider their cleanliness, their values and most importantly their professionalism. Without this virtue, they will be more susceptible to being sloppy or worse, they simply will not hold up their end of the bargain. Professionalism may seem like a minor thing if compared to the other factors to consider in this list but professionalism is the cement that holds all of the virtues together so customers should keep this in mind.

Communication – There should always be an open line of communication between client and caterer to ensure that everything goes according to plan, from planning to setting up to packing up, both sides should always be open to communication. If a caterer is not willing to communicate with the client then the client should choose a different caterer. Open communication is the key to a great working relationship.

There are a ton of factors to consider in hiring the perfect caterer but that is one of the fun things to enjoy when planning an event.  The customer can go nuts in the planning stages but they should always remember that the real key to a successful event is if everybody is having fun – the organizer included.

Author Biography:

Kimberly Marie Gayeta (Kimmy)is a Communications Degree holder, passionate writer, currently working as a local Public Relations Officerand an online Marketing Representative.

Thoroughly fascinated about travelling, leisure, and living the good life!

Follow her on twitter: @kimmygayeta

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Not About the Size: Advantages of Having Small Cars

A few years back, car manufacturers were all about creating the best sports utility vehicle ever, thus abundance of SUVs in the market. Then, various small vehicles like the Toyota Wigo arrived in the Philippines’ market, introducing fuel-efficient vehicle options to the public. This changed the attitude of consumers when it came to purchasing a vehicle.

Imgsrc: http://www.dpccars.com/

If you are looking for a car to buy, you have to consider a few things first, such as why you want to purchase a car in the first place. If you want to own a car mainly because you need a fast but safe way to get from Point A to Point B, then you should think of buying a small car like the Toyota Wigo. Small vehicles are very advantageous compared to its hulking counterparts. To help convince you, here are some of the benefits of owning a small vehicle.

Fuel Efficiency

You have to consider its maintenance as well as gas usage when you are buying a new car; after all, what’s the point of purchasing a car if you can’t afford the fuel needed for it to run? If you want a fuel efficient vehicle, then you should buy a small car as since they are lighter thanks to their smaller engines, making them more fuel efficient than larger vehicles.

Ease of Driving

The Philippines, especially the Metro, is littered with narrow and one way streets, which may be difficult for big cars to maneuver in. You need to be a good driver to avoid hitting something as you make a turn or try to park your car; however, try putting a small car in place of your humongous vehicle and you’ll have a better chance of driving out of that narrow maze without scratching your car. With a smaller vehicle, you can make a U-Turn, Parallel Park, and navigate crowded streets with ease.

Environment Friendly

When you purchase a small car, you are helping Mother Nature. How? Since smaller vehicles are fuel efficient, it makes fewer poisonous gas emissions in the environment too! In addition, it is so much easier to wash a small car, meaning you don’t need to waste a lot of water to wash your Toyota Wigo clean. This is especially helpful if your city or province is experiencing an especially dry spell this summer.

Affordability

Compared to larger vehicles, smaller cars are a lot cheaper due to the lesser amount of materials used for production just like mufflers also made in the Philippines which are no wonder a lot less costly than metal parts made elsewhere. Lesser materials mean less money used, allowing the company to sell the cars at a lower cost. Since smaller vehicles also have great gas mileage, they are definitely a better choice compared to larger vehicles.

There are certainly a lot of perks in buying a small car instead of a larger vehicle. Not only are they cheaper, they get better gas mileage and are more fuel efficient too. This means a small car is not only more affordable, it’s also easier on your budget in the long run.

Author Biography:

Kimberly Marie Gayeta (Kimmy)is a Communications Degree holder, passionate writer, currently working as a local Public Relations Officerand an online Marketing Representative.

Thoroughly fascinated about travelling, leisure, and living the good life!

Follow her on twitter: @kimmygayeta

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Safety Home Precautions for Elders

Filial love is defined as the love that a child holds for its parents and it is this same emotion that causes people to care for their parents regardless of how much time passes and this holds true for everyone even for the elderly in homecare.  Love is also one of the reasons why humans look out for family especially when they are sick or even when they are simply older and wiser!

Imgsrc: http://www.blvd.com/

Elderly in homecare are sometimes looked after by specialized caregivers and there are standards that people should set when they opt for homecare but one thing that people should never take for granted is safety. There are a lot of affordable home appliances in the Philippines that cater specially to homecare but making the home itself a safe environment for the elderly is a challenge that should be taken seriously. 

Measures that people should take to make their home safe and sound include but are not limited to the following:

1.   General Safety – Generally, people would want their parents or the elderly safe anywhere so here are a few safety tips for the home.

a.    Buddy System – Assign a buddy to take care of the elderly in emergencies or when needed.

b.    Prescription Walking Aid – Use the correct height for walking aids. Incorrectly measured walking sticks may cause unwanted accidents.

c.    Rails – Install safety rails to high-places and the stairs.

d.   Lighting – Install sufficient lighting to every room. Majority of slips occur because of poor visibility or poor lighting.

2.   Bathroom Safety – Attach handle bars in the showers or some skid-proof matson the floor to prevent slipping. Majority of accidents that occur among the elderly happen in the bathroom and often these injuries worsen because the elderly are left without emergency care because they are locked in the bathroom.

a.    Leave the lights on at night – Some of the elderly may have trouble seeing so leaving the lights on at night in the bathroom should lessen their risks in the bathroom.

b.    Mark the faucets clearly – Clearly mark the faucets to help elders distinguish between hot and cold. This will help prevent chills or scalding them when they take their baths.

c.    Install double-sided locks – Install locks that may be opened on both sides to prevent the elderly from locking themselves in the bathroom as well as having the ability to open the door for them in case of an emergency.

3.   Kitchen Safety – Kitchens are definitely a dangerous place for anyone, especially for children and the elderly so here are some ways to make the kitchen a safe environment.

a.    Cleanliness – Keep the floors and the tabletops clean and uncluttered to ensure that the environment is trip free.

b.    Mark appliances clearly – Label the appliances and their on and off switches as well as their voltage to avoid fire related accidents.

c.    Level objects – Store heavy objects at waist level. Majority of the accidents that occur in the kitchen occur when a person slips or falls whenever they try to reach for something heavy that’s placed on a shelf at eye level.

4.   Medicine Safety – Majority of medication may prove to be fatal when taken in the wrong doses.

a.    Organization – As stated above, label medicine correctly and dispose of expired medicine.

b.    To each his own – Never take another person’s prescription medicine. Go directly to a doctor and have them prescribe medication to the patient.

Safety may seem like a troublesome mess but it should never be compromised, especially for your loved ones.

Author Biography:

Kimberly Marie Gayeta (Kimmy) is a Communications Degree holder, passionate writer, currently working as a local Public Relations Officerand an online Marketing Representative.

Thoroughly fascinated about travelling, leisure, and living the good life!

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