As we lead such busy lives, fitting in a daily workout can become quite the challenge. However, squeezing in targeted exercises a few times a day is better than skipping an entire workout. Here are a few exercises you can do at the office (suggested by this article):

In the Elevator

As we all have heard, you can get some exercise in by taking the stairs instead of the elevator. However, taking the stairs isn’t always the most ideal when heading to a meeting. Instead, try doing wall sits in the elevator by pressing your back against the wall, dropping to a 90 degree sitting position, and holding the pose for the duration of the elevator ride. Wall sits are great for working your quadriceps, glutes, and core.

 In the Restroom

While washing your hands, rest your forearms on the counter and do single leg squats. Life one leg off of the ground and bend into a squat position with the other leg, making sure the knee doesn’t go too far over the toes. Do 10 squats per leg.

 At your Desk

While sitting at your desk, or even at a meeting, you can do ab vacuums to build strength in the deep abdominal muscles that support your posture and aid in stability. Draw your abdominals in, pulling the naval towards the spine, and hold for a count of three then release. Another exercise you can do at your desk is leg raises. Sit at the back of your chair and bring your legs up and lower them without allowing your feet to touch the floor. Start with sets of 12 then gradually increase up to sets of 20. Leg raises work the lower part of the abdominal wall, close to where the belt buckle is. As for arms, try some tricep dips at the end of your chair. Scoot off of the chair, hold on to the end of the chair (your arms should be behind your body), and lower your body.

 In the Car

Ab vacuums can not only be done at a desk, but they can be done in the car as well. For an arm workout, try isometric contractions. Hold the bottom of the steering wheel, flex your biceps and hold for a few seconds. For triceps, hold the top of the steering wheel then flex and hold your triceps.

At the Airport

Squeeze in some cardio by walking around the airport. Many airports have walking paths, yoga rooms, and even full-service gyms for travelers to utilize.

It’s summertime, which means most of our employees are booking vacation. God bless Martha; she has taken on the task of scheduling everyone, making sure no one overlaps and even accommodating last minute requests. Meanwhile, I’ve been cramming in order to reach deadlines before my own holiday. At moments like this, now that Martha is our administrative assistant, I really don’t know what I did without her.

Today, the vacation calendar needs to be finalized. I don’t want to disturb Martha, but I need to make sure she is on schedule to have the project completed. Casually, I pass by Martha’s desk to check on her progress. That’s when I see a glint of panic in her eye.

“Anything wrong, Martha?” I ask.

“No, thanks Rona. Just a few last minute vacation switches. I’m trying to get everything finalized here but the changes are never ending!” She forces a smile.

“Martha,” I start, “don’t be afraid to say ‘no’ if you have to. People will understand.” I try to give her a reassuring look, but she isn’t buying it. She’s still new to her role, so I feel the need to give her a little advice. “Why don’t you email out a deadline, and stick to it? Tell everyone that you will accept changes until lunchtime, but that a final schedule will be posted in the break room this afternoon.”

Now, she smiles. “Is that okay with you?” she asks me.

“Of course! Sometimes, when we’re trying to wrangle everyone in the entire office, we just have to put our foot down. Don’t worry. I know you’ll do a wonderful job.”

“Thanks, Rona! I’ll get started on that final vacation reminder email.” Martha furrows her brow and looks back to her monitor. I’m happy to have helped, and head back to my office reassured that Martha has everything under control.

Around 3pm, I head over to the break room for my afternoon coffee. On my way in, a colourful note on the bulletin board grabs my attention. It’s Martha’s vacation schedule and it’s beautiful!

I stand in front of it for a moment, admiring Martha’s attention to detail, as Brigid enters the lunch room. She laughs when she sees me deep in thought, inspecting the schedule. “That thing is etched in stone!” she says. “Martha used the label maker to put everyone’s dates and names in different colours. And then she laminated the thing!”

I smirk at Martha’s approach. She’s putting her foot down, alright.

On the way back to my office, coffee in-hand, I stop at Martha’s desk again. “I noticed your vacation schedule in the lunch room,” I say, “and it seems you’ve gone above and beyond yet again.”

Martha cracks up, “You should have seen everyone pouring over it, like the Rosetta Stone. They kept saying, ‘Laminated?! What if I need to change something?’”

“Well, even when we put our foot down, sometimes people will come to us with very reasonable requests…” I admit.

“Oh, I know,” she says with a smirk, “and that’s why I used the Swingline GBC SelfSeal NoMistakes Laminating Pouches — they peel and reseal, so I can make changes if I need to. Just don’t tell the others!”

We share a laugh over her sneaky tactic. Looks can be deceiving, and Martha’s vacation schedule sure looks final. It’s yet another sign that she’s the right woman for the job, and I can rest assured that the office is in good hands while I’m on holiday. As for the non-permanent lamination, that will stay our little secret.

Being able to remember a person’s name shows that the interaction you had with them was important to you. However, as there are people who have the skill of being able to remember names, others have a difficult time with it. Using strategies from this article to practice remembering names can help improve your name retention abilities:

Repeat names throughout the conversation

Repetition helps the brain form necessary connections for retaining information. Address a person’s name throughout the conversation, especially during greeting and parting.

Make mental associations

Associate a person’s name with something memorable in your world. The more bizarre the association, the more likely it is that you will remember the connection. For example, if you were to meet a person named Jay who is a music producer, you could picture a blue jay at a mixing board so that you can remember both his name and occupation.

Study names in print

Make use of name tags, it is just as important to listen as it is to read. When you are able to read a name and have a face to assign the name to, it helps imprint the connection in your memory.

Ask for clarification with difficult names

It is perfectly fine to ask someone to repeat their name for you. When the name is repeated, say it again to yourself for verification.

If you forget a name, address it head on

Try to offer any information you know about a person if you have forgotten their name. This information could be something as simple as where you had originally met. If you have an idea of what a person’s name could be, go ahead and give it a shot and ask them if you have remembered correctly. If not, then apologize – it happens to everyone!

Have you ever thought about how much time you spend sitting at the computer? In today’s workplace, we often sit at our workstation for eight hours a day, five days a week. Little things like typing, slouching or neck turning can add up over time, and if your workstation isn’t ergonomically optimized, you might be wind up with a repetitive stress injury.

Repetitive stress injuries (RSIs) are caused by the minute movements that we perform over and over again. How can you prevent them? Simple: invest in an ergonomic workstation. By reducing strenuous movements throughout the day, you can improve your posture, your productivity and your energy. In fact, when a workstation is ergonomic, studies show that employees report a 20-40% increase in overall productivity.

It’s never too late to change your workstation and better your posture. Here are two simple changes to make your computer more ergonomic:

• Adjust your monitor position. Is your monitor sitting at the proper height? If not, you’re probably slouching and straining to see the screen. This can lead to poor posture, as well as pain in the neck, back and shoulders. To adjust your monitor, consider a single- or dual-arm monitor adjustor, like a 3M™Easy Adjust Monitor Arm. If you use a laptop of tablet, consider a Fellowes I-Spire Series™ Lift.
• Add a privacy filter. Privacy filters don’t just keep unwanted eyes off your screen; they make sure you’re looking at it head-on. By applying a privacy filter to your screen, you will instantly know if you are sitting askew of your workstation. A filter will remind you to adjust your chair and your neck, preventing neck tension or a more serious RSI. Consider a 3M™ Widescreen or Laptop Privacy Filter to get the job done.

Learn more about what you can do to make your workstation more ergonomic using the image below:

Ah, the sweet sound of the school bell. If your kids have been home all summer, you know the relief that comes when September strikes. You also know that back to school season can be bitter sweet. This time of year brings about a lot of change, which means adjusting schedules and planning, planning, planning.

When it comes to change, nothing works like a good strategy. Forethought is your best friend here, which means it’s never too early to get your ducks in a row. Whether you’re returning to work after a long summer holiday or are about to send the kids back to school, prepare yourself with these time management strategies.

• Use a calendar AND a planner. It’s important to have a household calendar, one that everyone has access to. This can be posted on the fridge, by the breakfast table, or the front door. A household calendar will allow you coordinate plans with family members, thus avoiding the dreaded double-booking. In addition to your household calendar, get a personal planner. This is a great tool for setting deadlines and personal reminders. Between a calendar and planner, you’ll have personal and family plans under wraps.
• Always give yourself more time. Think it’ll only take 15 minutes to drive the kids to school and get yourself to work? Give yourself 30. By allowing buffer time, you’ll avoid the stress of last-minute delays.
• Create a daily routine. Repetition is the best practice for honing in on time management. If, every morning, you make the coffee, walk the dog and wake the kids in the same order, you won’t have to constantly check the clock; after a week, you’ll know how long these tasks take you, and you can organize your morning without constantly checking in on your time.

For more ways to tackle time management and back-to-school schedules, check out LifeHack.org.

As we all know, it is important for us to be active to improve our health. But what we might not know is what exactly physical activity does for our bodies. As said in this document, we need to try to fit in as much physical activity as we can. Adults should be getting 30 minutes of moderate activity every day to meet the body’s requirements.

Here is what physical activity does to our bodies:

• Helps to prevent heart disease and breast, uterus, and colon cancers
• Strengthens your lungs and helps them work more efficiently
• Tones and strengthens muscles
• Builds stamina
• Keeps your joints in a good condition
• Improves balance
• May slow bone loss
• Improves energy
• Helps with relaxation and stress
• Allows for better sleep
• Helps you feel more lively
• Improves your mood

As we can see, there are many benefits of physical activity, and each one helps improve both our personal and work lives. It can help us become more efficient workers as stress is easier to handle, our moods will be improved, and fatigue won’t slow us down. There are also many ways to be able to meet the daily 30 minutes without having to go for a run. Some examples of moderate activities include:

• Housework – that’s right, vacuuming the house does count towards your daily physical activity!
• Gardening and yard work
• Stretching
• Hiking and walking
• Biking
• Dancing
• Weight lifting
• Golfing

Most of these activities can also be considered vigorous activities depending on how intense the activity is. Most sports are considered vigorous activities as well as yoga and pilates. You can go even further and fit in exercise during work as well, check out our previous post on ways to exercise at work to get some ideas. Exercise is enjoyable for all, so try to find a sport or an activity that you enjoy and give your body the exercise it needs!

Ah, the sweet smell of coffee in the morning. It’s usually already hanging in the air when I arrive at the office, but today I don’t detect our signature scent.

I head toward the break room to switch on the coffee machine, and that’s when I see Andy. Sweat is rolling down his forehead, he’s got his sleeves rolled up and the coffee machine is broken into a million little pieces.

“Rough morning, Andy?” I ask as I put a hand on his shoulder. He jumps, startled by my presence.

“Rona!” he shouts in surprise. “You scared me. I’m a little… on edge this morning.”

“You don’t say?” I respond with mock sarcasm. Poor Andy. If ever he needed a cup of coffee, it seems it would be now.

“I hate to say it, but I think the coffee maker is about to meet it’s final resting place,” he tells me. “I fixed it last week, but my old tricks aren’t working.”

Now, I’m the one sweating. We have no room in our budget this month for a new coffee maker, and our office runs on 50% hard work and 50% good coffee. It’s only 8:30AM, but if we don’t have coffee when others start trickling in around 9AM, I fear a riot.

I’m about to enter panic mode when I remember something. “I have just the answer!” I respond, rushing to my office to grab this month’s Office Plus flyer. In a flash, I’m back at the break room. Now, both Andy and I look like we’ve run a marathon. We’re sweaty, we both need a coffee and we dread being the bearers of bad news about the broken coffee machine.

I open the flyer to page six and point at the Breakroom Upgrade feature. “All we have to do is go to www.play4fun.ca/monthly and enter to win a new coffee machine!” I say enthusiastically to Andy.

“Do you really think we can win it?” he asks with a smirk.

“Why not?!” I respond. “We’re due for a little good luck.”

“Let’s do it!” Andy says, snatching the flyer from my hands and excitedly running over to his computer. I follow him, we open the web browser and within a minute, we’ve entered to win a much needed (and seriously upgraded) coffee machine.

“But we still have to break the bad news to everyone…” I start, as I smell our office’s signature scent wafting in. It’s fresh coffee!

Martha rounds the corner with a tray of paper cups. “Anyone in the mood for a cup of joe?” she asks with a smile.

Andy and I are like kids in a candy store. We take our cups with gratitude, and ask Martha just how she knew about the coffee machine.

“I tried to pre-set it last night. I usually have it auto-brewed for us when we come in. But the thing just wouldn’t work!” Martha says as Andy and I sip our sweet, sweet coffees. We nod in agreement with her, familiar with the frustration of finding an out-of-order coffee machine.

“Thank-you, Martha.” I say. “You have no idea how much we need this right now.”

Today, we’ll enjoy our coffee. And tomorrow, we’ll all be bringing a thermos to work. With a little luck, though, we’ll be brewing from our brand new coffee machine by next month!

If your office needs a new coffee machine as much as we do, enter to win here. Or, maybe leave it off your to-do list. If we’re the only office that enters, I like our odds…

Happy Thanksgiving, Canada! It’s time to give thanks, and we’re here to get the ball rolling. Wondering what you’ll say this year at the table, surrounded by your most cherished family and friends?

Well, it should come as no surprise that most of us are thankful for the people in our lives, our family and friends. Clearly, we’re all thankful for those closest to us, and here at Office Plus, things are no different.

We’re thankful for you, our readers and our customers. We’re thankful to be part of so many wonderful communities across Canada. We’re thankful for local business owners. We’re thankful for the mutual support we share with all of you.

So, here comes the big question. This Thanksgiving, what are you thankful for? Tell us in the comments, and then go home and tell the ones you love. Because that’s what Thanksgiving is all about, right? Okay, okay. It’s also about the turkey…

It’s been a busy month, that’s for sure. Back-to-work in September meant a lot of new projects, and now I’m spending most of my lunch hours in the conference room, trying to dig my wa

y out of work piles. It’s a blessing to love the work I do, especially at a time like this.

Today, I’ve already had three project meetings and the whiteboard is a sea of muddy colour. The stench of dry erase markers is giving me a headache, so I walk outside to grab a breath of fresh air.

The sun is shining and the breeze is crisp in that new autumn way. Fall might just be my favourite season. The turning leaves and the smell of fresh cool air is so romantic. I walk back to the office revitalized, and ready to tackle the afternoon of meetings ahead.

As I open the front door, our package delivery arrives behind me. I hold the door open and offer to sign for the packages, since Brigid is still on lunch break. It’s a new delivery from Office Plus. I decide to take the boxes up to my office. Maybe a bit of supply stocking will be just the break I need before diving back into that conference room.

I open the first box, and it’s a godsend. Expo Low Odour Dry Erase Markers, Whiteboard Care Cleaner and magnetic push-pins. It’s like Brigid re

ad my mind. We’re so desperately in need of better whiteboard supplies.

Like a kid in a candy store, I pile the new supplies in my arms and head to the conference room. The muddy whiteboard is like a challenge. I smirk before dousing it in the cleaner spray and wiping it clean. Our porcelain whiteboard is crisp white once again, I sight I haven’t seen since the day we bought it. I open a window to let out the smell of our old dry erase markers — a cheap pack that Brigid bought from the Loonie Shop in a pinch. I throw the rest of those markers in the garbage, then grab the new pack. As I uncap the marker, I can’t help but take a whiff. It might as well be aromatherapy after the month I’ve had. Finally, the conference room won’t smell like a chemical processing plant.

I glance at the clock; 1:05p.m..Brigid is back from lunch now, so I head over to her desk to thank her.

“Brigid,” I start, “those dry erase supplies are a dream come true.”

She laughs, “Every time I’ve passed the conference room this month, the Whiteboard has looked like a preschool finger painting project. How on earth were you able to read anything off of it?!”

“Lots of squinting,” I say, half-serious.

“Well, I’m glad the supplies are finally here. You can give your eyes a rest.”

“And my nose!” I say, with maybe too much excitement. “Those old markers absolutely stank.”

“No offense, Rona,” she starts with a smirk, “but you’ve been living in that conference room so long, you were starting to smell like them.”

We share a laugh at my expense, which is fine by me. I was ready to throw in the towel earlier today, but between the gorgeous fall air, Brigid’s thoughtful Office Plus order and the reminder that my staff is every bit as hardworking as I am, I’m ready to tackle the day.

But not before I hoard a bottle of the whiteboard cleaner in my desk. The Whiteboard at home — the one my kids use for drawing — could use a good scrubbing, too.

During interviews, we all try to tell the potential employer that we are a perfect fit for the position because we work hard and are team players. As great as this sounds, it doesn’t make you stand out from anyone else applying for that position. Here are 5 interview clichés to avoid:

“I’m hard working”

That’s great to know, but the candidate that was just interviewed 20 minutes ago most likely said the exact same thing. Instead of just saying you’re a hard worker, tell the interviewer how you’re a hard worker and give examples of things you have done that prove you to be a hard worker. Stand out from the others by telling the interviewer that you get results.

“I’m a team player”

You aren’t going to say that you don’t work well with others, so potential employers won’t be convinced by this phrase. Instead, let them know of teams you have built and worked with and explain how you contributed in that group. As well, this is a perfect opportunity to slip in a conflict that you were able to resolve within the team.

“I work too hard”

When you’re asked what your weakness is, don’t say that you work too hard. Also, don’t say that you’re a perfectionist either; this is one of the top answers so make up something else. Give the interviewer a real weakness of yours but make sure that it isn’t too incriminating of a weakness. For example, if you’re applying for an accounting position, don’t say you’re bad with numbers; say something like you aren’t very good at speaking up in meetings” and let them know what you are doing to overcome this weakness.

“I’m open to anything”

Don’t tell this to a potential employer. It sounds desperate and employers don’t like that. Instead of saying this, explain why you want this job as opposed to any other job. It shows you are passionate for their company rather than just getting a job.

“I’m perfect for this position”

This is exactly what you want the employer to know, but you can’t say it just like that. Instead, demonstrate how perfect you are for the company with your success stories and show them that you researched both the role and company in depth. Talk about the company and how important the things they do are to you, this is just a fancier way of saying “I will fit in” and will no doubt stand you apart from the rest.

View original article here.

Whether you are creative or not, there is some belief that creativity can be exercised and improved on. If you find yourself in a creative block, or you just want to exercise your creativity, try some of the methods from this article to stimulate your creative thinking:

Consume content you wouldn’t normally consume

Reading articles and blogs in our own industries spike our interests, but they don’t help much with sparking creativity. That is why reading blogs, articles, and books in a completely different industry can help spike creative thinking. Just choose an industry you are interested, or moderately interested, in so that you don’t lose interest on the activity with something you find boring.

Write a 500 word article with no topic

This is a fun exercise as it gives you the opportunity to freely write. Don’t choose a topic, don’t make a title, and don’t edit what you’ve written. Just write whatever comes to your head, you’ll end up with a crazy article in the end that is sure to have you feeling creative.

Go to a Movie

It’s always fun going to a movie, but who knew it could stimulate creative thinking? Movies will pop questions and theories into our heads to predict what will come up in the next scene or even the next movie.

Talk with someone you don’t know

It can be a visit or a phone call with someone you don’t know. Have a stranger tell you their story; it could really be an eye-opening and mind-expanding experience. They may teach you things you never knew, or even give you a different perspective.

Eat differently

There are studies that say our diets affect the way we think. If you want to start thinking differently then try eating different and healthier.

Do a “No Bad Ideas Brainstorm”

Get at least one other person to join you in a 45-60 minute brainstorm session with no technology and no criticism. Come up with a topic and write down every idea you have whether it is good or not. Odds are, out of all of the ideas you came up with, at least a few will be good. The more you do this, the better you become at it.

Stress can hit us at any time at work and leave our minds cluttered and frustrated. Here are a few short ways to relieve stress when it hits you at work:

Peel an orange

Focus on the motion of peeling the orange and how the rind feels between your fingertips. Try to peel the orange in an unbroken coil, it will refocus your mind on something simple and pleasurable and give you some time to relax.

Eat a banana

Bring a banana to work with you every day, they contain high levels of potassium that regulate blood pressure to relieve stress and improve energy and recovery.

Play dramatic music

Music with a strong drum beat and dramatic sequence can be equally as relieving as classical music. Hum along to one of your favorite songs to put you in a happier mood.

Massage your ears

Your ears contain many nerves, so learn the pressure points that help with stress and take some time to massage them.

Play paper ball

Scrunch up balls of discarded paper and toss them in to your trash can. Set a goal of getting 5 paper balls in the trash. You will instantly feel good about yourself when you reach your goal.

Find a ridiculous screen saver

Browse through some images to find a ridiculous one that will make you laugh.

Draw a messy picture

Put your pen on paper and don’t lift it for 60 seconds. Your drawing doesn’t have to make sense or look like anything, the point is to relieve your overwhelmed mind with a mindless activity.

Blank out

Stare at a point on the wall and allow yourself to blank out for a minute. A way of clearing a congested mind is to accept defeat and temporarily do absolutely nothing.

Wriggle

Wriggle your toes, fingers, nose, and legs to waken your body and promote circulation.

View original article here.

As the weather is cooling and winter approaches, we start to see everyone around us catching the common cold and sometimes even the flu. This article describes in detail the precautions we can take and how to handle an illness if we do end up catching one.

Here’s how you can prevent catching any of the illnesses going around:

• Wash your hands as much as you can
• Never touch your mouth, nose, or eyes without washing your hands
• Don’t share food or other things that go in the mouth (ex. Double dipping your chips)
• Try to have your family cough and sneeze into tissues, if there is no time to grab a tissue have them cough or sneeze into the inside of the elbow instead of the hands
• Avoid sharing personal items like toiletries, towels, and pillows
• Get proper rest and good nutrition to improve resistance and boost immunity
• Use paper towels instead of community towels in bathrooms and the kitchen
• Avoid contact with objects that an ill person has been in contact with
• Try not to sleep in the same bed as a sick family member
• Disinfect hot spots in the home such as phones, remotes, handles, switches, and computer accessories

Make sure to have extra toothbrushes and personal tubes of toothpaste for each family member, plenty of tissues, and medicine such as throat lozenges and cough syrup before an illness strikes. Remember that colds and flu spread fast, so always make sure that you take any actions needed to prevent catching what everyone else has. As well, if you do end up catching an illness, make sure you take the required amount of time off of work, or work from home if it is an available option, so that you don’t spread what you have all around the workplace.

Here is a great infographic on the common cold & how to prevent it:

Source: http://graphs.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Common-Cold-1.jpg

Back to work season means another thing around here: back to cold season. I’m not talking about the weather, but about that pesky little virus that seems to travel around the office once the thermostat dips to a certain level. I’m a big advocate for prevention, so you’ll never catch me without a fresh bottle of hand sanitizer and a full stock of multivitamins.

Prevention is great when it works, but sometimes it doesn’t. Case in point, Brigid. She’s been fighting a tickle in her throat all week and although she keeps insisting that she’s “just fine”, I can tell she’s not feeling herself.

I hate to penalize anyone for being a hard worker, but sometimes you just have to throw pride to the wind and accept the inevitable: Brigid is sick and needs to go home. And so I head over to her desk to give her the “bad” news.

“Brigid,” I start, “you aren’t seeming yourself today. Has that bug finally caught you?”

She masks a sniffle and her already red nose. “No!” she insists. “I’m still just fighting it off. Nothing a few doses of cold medication can’t fix.”

I let out a sigh and give my best concerned look, “But Brigid, your poor nose! I think you need a day off. You aren’t helping anyone if you wind up getting even worse. Rest is the best medicine.”

She looks a bit hurt, as though I’ve called her bluff. “Really, though, I can stay –”

“I know you can,” I reassure her, “but what if someone else winds up catching it? Or worse, you run yourself into the ground and wind up with pneumonia? Please, Brigid, take the day off. Just one day. If you feel better tomorrow, you should come in. If you wake up feeling beat, just stay in bed and know that I’ve got you covered.”

I can see the look of resistance on her face soften. She’s giving in. “I guess a nap would be pretty nice right about now.”

I let out a little chuckle, “Of course it would be! Your body needs it.”

“Can I just finish up these emails first?” she asks me.

“How about you fire off a quick response saying that you will address your emails tomorrow. Let people know that you are taking a sick day.” I smile, relieved that Brigid will be going home to rest.

“Okay,” she says as she cracks a meek smile. “I’ll be out of here soon, then, Rona.”

“That’s what I like to hear! Rest up.” I say to her as I turn to walk back to my office.

When an employee is sick, it’s always a delicate balance to make sure that they are taking care of themselves while also protecting the health of everyone else in the office. Had Brigid insisted on staying for the day, I may have offended her in suggesting that the rest of us are better off without her. As far as I’m concerned, no project deadline is worth the health of my employees. I’m so lucky to have staff that agrees with me.

A quick pump of hand sanitizer and I’m ready to tackle my own emails. Suddenly, though, I feel a bit of a chill. Is it just me, or is my office especially cold today? And maybe I need a sip of water, because there seems to be a tickle in my throat…

Take a deep breath, because it’s almost shovelling season. Here in Canada, snow is both a wonder and a burden. But it doesn’t have to be a pain. Shovelling can put a lot of stress on the body, but if we find efficient ways to modify our routine, we can save ourselves a lot of trouble.

1. Plan ahead. Is there a car in your driveway? Do you know where you’ll pile the snow? Start by clearing cars, because that snow is going to wind up right back in the driveway. Then, pick an easy-to-access spot for snow piling. Nothing is worse than dumping snow only to shovel it back up to move it.
2. Push, don’t lift. It’s called shove-ling. So, give that snow a shove. Push it out of the way and you’ll avoid the strain that comes along with lifting.
3. When you need to lift, do it right. Bend your knees and use the leg-straightening movement to give you momentum. When your knees are moving, you’re less likely to engage your low back.
4. Don’t twist. Often, when we’ve got a shovel full of snow, we twist to empty the snow into our pile. Twisting while lifting is a sure ticket to back pain. Instead, if you’ve got a full shovel, move your feet and turn your whole body to drop the snow into the pile.
5. Dress for movement. Maybe it’s freezing outside, but snow shovelling will get you warm, quick. For optimum movement and to avoid strain, free up your arms by waiting a vest instead of a coat. Wear boots with good traction and gloves that can grip.
6. Stretch it out. After shovelling, you may feel stiff or achy. Gently stretch your muscles so that tension doesn’t build up and result in an injury.

What are your favourite shovelling tips? Let us know, in the comments!

Article inspired by Popular Mechanics, Toronto EMS, Huffington Post and Art of Manliness.

Can you believe it is that time of the year again? We sure can’t but it does give us the opportunity to do what we love most: connect with you!

First and foremost we would like to thank you for making 2014 such a pleasurable year for us. We hope that you enjoy reading our blog posts, watching our videos and sharing our infographics as much as we enjoy reading your comments and having you as part of our online (and offline) community.

As we prepare for new adventures in 2015 the Office Misadventures team, Office Plus and all our local stores across Canada would like to send out a lot of holiday spirit and best of wishes to you, your colleagues and families this holiday season.

Here is a little something from us to you, we hope you enjoy it:

Still recovering from the stress of the holidays? Maybe there’s just one more thing on your mental to-do list; maybe you just can’t seem to find the energy to stay productive; maybe you already ditched that New Year’s resolution.

Around here, we believe the key to busting stress is organization. By keeping up-to-date calendars, personal organizers and notebooks, you can rest assured that everything is accounted for.

Personal organizers are the thing if you’re forgetful — keep your appointments and do-to lists at hand. Notebooks are great for tracking progress on that New Year’s resolution. And every household runs smoother with a family calendar on the fridge.

So this year, resolve to get more organized! To keep yourself motivated, check out our Ten Tips for Keeping Resolutions.

CES (Consumers Electronic Show) is an annual gathering place for all technology lovers. The convention is held in Las Vegas every year, and has acted as a global stage for the latest innovations.

Last year we posted the coolest gadgets from CES 2014, and we want to keep you updated for this year as well! Check out some of the most cutting-edge technological advancements set to emerge in the market place in the near future.

1. Virtual and Augmented Reality

Within the USD 699, developers have created images with applications that blend into the real world creating virtual and reality games!

USD 699 Augmented Reality Glasses http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-latest-tech-at-the-2015-ces/

2. Instant Picture Prints from your Mobile

With the ZIP Mobile Printer you can instantly print polaroid pictures from your cellphone.

Polaroid Zip Mobile Printer
http://www.cnet.com/pictures/instant-prints-from-your-phone-with-polaroids-zip-printer-pictures/

3. Eye Glasses that Stop Fatigue

Jin Meme’s smart glasses eyewear tracks your posture, eye movement and can indicate how fatigued you are. Take a look!

4. Control all your Home Gadgets from your Phone

Apple’s iHome Smart Plug allows you to control any device that uses a wall socket from your phone using Siri. From your garage door, lights, and robotic locks, Siri has a lot more available to boss around!

Apple iHome SmartPlug http://www.cnet.com/pictures/apple-homekit-gadgets-of-ces-2015/4/

5. A Closet that Cleans

Who says closets are only meant for hanging your clothes? LG’s Styler will put your clothes through a dry cleaning process and is paired with an application so you can control the system from your phone.

LG Styler Clothes Care System
http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/7/7511191/lg-weird-everyday-appliances-ces-2015

6. Mirror, Mirror on the Wall…

Panasonic unveiled their Smart Mirror, which does a little more than show you your reflection. This mirror can show you what you would look like with different makeup or facial hairstyles.

Panasonic Smart Mirror
http://recode.net/2015/01/06/ces-snapshot-new-make-up-and-a-mustache-with-panasonic-smart-mirror/

7. Holographic Computers

HP revealed their virtual reality holographic display computer this year. Paired with a headset, the HP Zvr provides a true holographic viewing of images on the screen.

HP Zvr
http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/563180/hp-zvr-virtual-reality-display-shows-holographic-projections/

8. Personalized Bicycle

The Connected Cycle is a bike peddle that is equipped with GPS and GPRS that monitor your movements, act as a fitness tracker, and is connected to an application on your phone that activates itself once the peddle starts moving.

Connected Cycle http://www.psfk.com/2015/01/ces-2015-connected-cycle-will-track-down-bike-thieves.html

9. Next Generation Gesture Control

We already experience gesture control with our phones, or tables – by swiping, scrolling and tapping. But this next generation gesture control by Elliptic Tabs uses “Multi Layer Interaction”, which allows the device to display or move depending on your hand movement without having to touch the screen.

Elliptic Tabs Next Generation Hand Control http://www.zdnet.com/pictures/top-tech-products-revealed-at-ces-2015-so-far/2/

10. Printing Food

XYZPrinting revealed their new printer unlike any other. The 3D printer creates shapes from food items rather than plastic (such as other 3D printers) and consumers can select from a touchscreen menu which item they would like to print.

XYZPrinting Food Printer
http://www.zdnet.com/pictures/top-tech-products-revealed-at-ces-2015-so-far/12/

Today, it’s out with the old and in with the new! I love the energy around the office after the holidays. Everyone is closing end-of-year accounts and there is a constant buzz about the halls.

Brigid has been especially buzzy as of late — she’s my superstar this month. Alone, she’s brought in three new clients and upgraded several others. She has so many clients on her plate, I thought her head might explode at the idea of Office Clean-Up Day. A whole day without addressing client files? It seemed like a lot to ask.

But, to my surprise, she’s ahead of schedule and thrilled to join the office in a low-key day of chore work. She passes my office door with an arm-full of papers.

“Next up, shredding!” she says to me with a smile. I can hear the loud crunch of the shredder already — Andy has been doing invoices for me all morning.

But then, a not so pleasant sound. The crunching turns to cracking and finally a loud thud.

“Andy!” Brigid shouts from down the hall. I leave my office to see what’s happened to our poor, old shredder.

“It wasn’t me! She’s an old girl,” Andy says pleadingly to a ticked-off Brigid.

“Sure,” Brigid rolls her eyes, “just like it wasn’t you who broke the toaster last month.”

“I didn’t know you couldn’t stick knives in there!” Andy says, seeming a bit defeated.

“Has the old shredder finally given out?” I interject.

“See?” Andy turns to Brigid, “old shredder.”

I give a laugh at Andy’s retort. Everyone has been working so hard for me today, and as it’s a day of new beginnings, it’s the perfect time to unveil something that just arrived last week. In all the excitement of the holidays, I completely forgot to unpack it.

“Hmmph,” Brigid sighs, “what are we going to do without our shredder?”

“I might have the answer…” I say, “just wait here.” Andy and Brigid exchange a puzzled look as I’m running out the door toward my office.

A short moment later, I’m back with the coveted package.

“Is that?…” Andy starts.

“The new Swingline® Stack-and-Shred!” I beam. It’s everything our old shredder was not. “Now, you won’t have to hang around in here shredding all day, Andy,” I say. “With this shredder, you just fill it with your stack of papers and walk away. It shreds up to 100-pages at a time.”

“I never thought I’d be so in love with an office supply,” Andy jokes while batting his eyelashes.

“Just, don’t stick any knives into it,” says Brigid.

It is true – every office has certain rules that play an important part in maintaining a safe and happy workplace. Some of the most essential rules tend to go unwritten, which is why we are here to help! We’ve listed 10 unwritten office rules that, if you follow, will ensure happiness for the whole office. Take a look!

1. Never steal your colleague’s lunch

 2. Don’t come to work if you’re sick and contagious

3. Always clean your dishes

4. Avoid using wacky typography

5. If you drop someone else’s food on the floor, tell them

6. Don’t waste paper

7. Write down any phone messages

8. Do not disturb your colleagues if they are busy

9. Know how to handle the coffee pot

10. And last but not least, incorporate fun into your office for a more positive working environment