Double A is Our Partner in the Fight Against Breast Cancer

Double A is Our Partner in the Fight Against Breast Cancer

This month’s blog comes to us from our Vendor of the Month, Double A Paper.

We are proud to partner with Double A, as they join the Fight Against Breast Cancer.

Breast-Cancer-Awareness

Double A Paper is proud to donate to the City of Hope Breast Cancer Program this month.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month has been observed every October since 1985. It can have different meanings for different groups of people. For some, it brings up memories of a tough moment in their lives. Others view it as a chance to show their support for the over 2 million women worldwide who are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is also known best for its pink theme color as people around the world adopt the pink color and display a pink ribbon to raise awareness about the importance of prevention and routine screening for the early diagnosis of breast cancer. This October, Double A is proud to “Think Pink” by reflecting on the impact of this disease and continuing our dedication to make meaningful contributions to this important cause through financial donations to the City of Hope Breast Cancer Program.

Breast cancer is among the most common cancers affecting women in the United States. It accounts for 30% of all new cancer cases in women each year. While often viewed as a women’s disease, it’s important to remember that breast cancer has no gender. Men are also at risk. In 2024, more than 360,000 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer.  Approximately 2,800 will be men, who carry a 19% higher mortality rate than women, largely due to lower awareness, which leads to delayed treatment. Early detection and proper treatment significantly improve survival rates and quality of life for those affected. We encourage everyone to remind your loved ones, to get regular screenings and self-examination for early detection of breast cancer.

Breast cancer affects more than just the individual that is diagnosed, touching families, friends, communities, and businesses. When someone is diagnosed with breast cancer, families often become caregivers, taking on both the emotional and physical burden of supporting their loved ones through treatment and recovery. Listening and providing emotional support can make a big difference for both patients and caregivers. Even though some patients may not survive the battle, their resilience inspires us to support their journey toward recovery and well-being. It’s not just the patients who fight, but also their families and caregivers who walk alongside them. There is no shame in losing the fight. Expressing condolences and offering ongoing support to the grieving family is also valuable in the healing process. They need to know that they are not alone.

At Double A, a leading manufacturer of premium copy paper, we believe in creating Better paper, Better world. Supporting this cause aligns with our mission of making meaningful contributions to society. The City of Hope is one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S. Together, we stand in solidarity with the millions of patients, survivors, caregivers, and ALL who are touched by this disease. You have the power in your hands to make the world a better place! Join Double A in the fight against breast cancer. Learn more about the City of Hope Breast Cancer Program here à (linked to https://www.cityofhope.org/clinical-program/breast-cancer).

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Double A Paper is available from Penny Wise Office Products, www.penny-wise.com

How to Structure Your To-Do List

How to Structure Your To-Do List
Author:  Julie Morgenstern

This month’s blog comes to us from Organizing Expert, Julie Morgenstern, Best Selling Author of “Organizing From the Inside Out”.  If you’re feeling overwhelmed this fall, this blog is for you!

Do you struggle with your never-ending to-do list? Before long, the whole thing becomes so overwhelming that you stop actually looking at it. You might default to doing whatever is flying at you or what is screaming the loudest. This is a very common phenomenon. Because we have so much to do in our lives, it’s really easy to be overwhelmed. 

Whether it’s paper or digital, there are a few principles I recommend to structure your to-do’s so your list becomes approachable. The great unlock is to remember that a to-do is not connected to a when rarely gets done. Each to-do has to get assigned a day or a time. Otherwise, you’re just hoping to do it when you remember it or when you have a free moment (which doesn’t ever seem to happen). Instead, with just a few actionable tips, your to-do list can transform into a realistic game plan to get your most important tasks done.

Integrate To-Do’s Into Your Calendar

A master to-do list can go on for 3+ pages and become so overwhelming you avoid looking at it altogether. I’ll never be able to finish everything on this list, we think to ourselves, so why bother trying? On the other hand, your calendar represents all the time you have to get things done. For every to-do, ask yourself, “When am I going to do it?” and then schedule it into your calendar, just like a meeting. You’re creating a “Do date” (as opposed to a Due date) for yourself. Your calendar becomes a sort of silent assistant, planning and protecting the time, motivation, and accountability to get things done. 

Categorize to Track your Balance

It’s very hard for people to switch their mental gears between very different types of tasks. When your to-do’s are captured in a chronological list, you can feel fragmented as you toggle between work tasks and home tasks or deep thinking and admin tasks. Instead, take time to clearly define the various categories you need to allocate your time between. Define the categories that make sense to you–it can be as simple as Work, Home, and Personal, or more specific within your workday–e.g.Client, Team, Admin. If you capture your to-do’s by category, you’ll be able to keep an eye on the balance across your various roles and responsibilities. And, if any category gets too heavy and is using too much time, you can quickly see what is getting short shrift and come up with an action plan to get back in balance. 

Use Action Verbs

A to-do needs to be concrete, actionable, and clear. Start all to-do’s with an action verb. Vague notations, such as “Board report” or “Blog”, burden you with having to remember what you meant and will slow you down as you take the time to remember,” What am I supposed to do with that blog?” Instead, try “Write the first draft of blog.”, or “Polish final draft of blog.” Then add time estimates next to each to-do, especially if you tend to overbook your days. Jotting down a time estimate for each task keeps you very conscious and realistic about how much you can realistically get done in a day. And if you end up with any free time, like a 60-minute meeting gets canceled, you can easily scan your list. You are ready to grab a 60-minute task from your to-do list that fits right into that new opening.

Ultimately, structuring your to-dos on your calendar, in categories, with action verbs and a time estimate, takes the pressure off. You’ll no longer avoid the long ambiguous scroll of to-dos. Your plan becomes realistic yet flexible. Your time is properly allocated to the most important tasks — and when more things feel do-able, more things get done.

Schedule your To-Do list in Planners, Calendars or Notebooks, available from

Penny Wise Office Products, 1-800-942-3311, www.penny-wise.com

Gear Up for the School Year with these Popular Items

Gear Up for the School Year with these Popular Items

The new school year will be here in the blink of an eye (don’t tell the kids!) and your classrooms, computer labs and offices will need new gear. We’ve got you covered with some of the popular items found here.

The Board of Education

Whiteboards are essential for both teaching and planning, but not all can hold up to the heavy use of busy classrooms. They can scratch and dent easily. And the ghosting and staining from dry erase markers make the board frustrating for teachers and students to write on and read.

If you want to be named the value valedictorian, invest in the Quartet® Porcelain Magnetic Whiteboard for your classrooms and offices. The porcelain surface gets an A+ when it comes to smooth writing, clean erasing and extreme durability. No ghosting, staining, scratching or denting either. It’s backed by a 50-year surface guarantee, too, so you can be confident it’ll be around for a long time.

Trusted Tech

Computer labs, classrooms, administrative offices…they all rely on tech. And with the number of people using that equipment every day, it can take a beating.

“This keyboard won’t type the letter ‘E’, the spacebar sticks on that one, and that mouse doesn’t connect to any computer.”

You can’t afford to have equipment malfunction when teachers need to teach, students need to learn and administrators need to, well, administrate. The Kensington® Pro Fit Wireless Desktop Set is a desktop duo you can count on.

The keyboard has a thin membrane that protects the electronics from liquids, so accidental spills from coffee, soda and water can be wiped away without worry. The two-button mouse is ambidextrous — no need to swap it out for lefties and righties. Everyone can click and scroll without missing a beat.

Listen Up

Headsets are a staple for computer labs, language labs and office work. They help keep students focused (as much as kids can be) and give staff hands-free flexibility to multitask comfortably. But many headsets in the market fall short of daily school needs. They may be incompatible with applications or operating systems, fail to filter out distracting sounds, or simply be uncomfortable.

The Kensington® H3000 Bluetooth® Over-Ear Headset checks all the boxes. It has multipoint Bluetooth® 5.2 technology and universal device compatibility, so you can rely on it to work seamlessly with popular calling applications, operating systems, mobile devices and voice assistants like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Siri, Google Assistant, Windows, macOS and Chrome OS. Passive noise cancellation technology blocks out surrounding noise, while environmental noise-canceling microphones suppress distracting sounds. Adjustable, ergonomic earphones deliver all-day comfort with their cooling-gel earpads and swivel earcups. Plus, the industry-leading battery life helps ensure the headset won’t stop working halfway through a lesson or call.

A Cut Above

Paper trimmers are workhorses in shared workspaces, cutting countless flyers, photos, artwork and documents with precision. If yours just aren’t making the cut anymore (figuratively AND literally), replace them with a trusted Swingline® ClassicCut® Ingento™ Guillotine Trimmer. It’s designed to handle high-volume creative projects. The strong die-cast metal arm with 24″ self-sharpening guillotine blade slices through up to 15 sheets of paper with ease. The solid maple base with grid lines creates a beautiful and durable surface that lasts. And the trimmer comes with a 10-year limited warranty, so you know you can count on it semester after semester.

Protect & Preserve

Bulletin board projects, hallway signage and classroom materials take a lot of time and effort, but students going class to class can quickly take a toll. There’s a simple way to protect all that hard work — and save teachers and school staff the precious time and cost of redoing them again and again —lamination. It puts a clear layer of protection between your documents and students, helping to prevent tearing, bending and staining.

The GBC® Ultima 65™ Laminator is a go-to for busy educators because of its incredible versatility. It can handle everything from bus tags and handouts to signage and posters. Plus, user-friendly features and EZLoad™ film loading system of the Ultima 65™ are intuitive, making operation and reloading as simple as possible.

To learn more about these and other Quartet® , Kensington®, Swingline® and GBC® products and help you gear up for the new school year, Contact: Penny Wise Office Products, 1-800-942-3311, email: customercare@penny-wise.com

Back to School Freebie from Pentel

Back to School Freebie from Pentel

This month’s blog brings you something fun for the new school year, from our friends at Pentel.

Pentel of America is known for their wide selection of beautiful, long lasting writing instruments.  They have everything from brilliant gel pens to markers to mechanical pencils.

They offer everything you need for Back To School, including this special freebie. 

Everyone could use a little flair to their assignment sheets, right? We think so too. That’s why Pentel worked with professional calligrapher, Missy Briggs – @missybriggs to develop this super stylish assignment sheet for students.

This beautiful design will make tracking school assignments fun and easy! 

Add your own special touch, using Pentel Pens to add bright, bold color to your assignment sheets.  Record all your assignments in one place or create one assignment sheet for each class. 

Here’s a small sample of the full page document:

Click below to download your free Assignment Sheet from Pentel.

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As you shop for school supplies, be sure to stock up on a wide variety of Pentel pens and markers available from Penny Wise Office Products.

www.penny-wise.com

Three Ways Planners and Calendars Can Make Your Days Easier

Three Ways Planners and Calendars Can Make Your Days Easier

Do you recognize this story?

Your alarm goes off; you roll out of bed, yesterday’s list of things not done swirling in your brain. You are somewhat unmotivated because you already feel behind. That makes it hard to pay attention to how you are starting your day.

You pad down to the kitchen to get coffee.

Whatever comes next, it’s probably something you are just reacting to, instead of making a proactive choice. So many things are coming at you: texts, emails, projects, deadlines, family obligations, kids’ school and extracurricular activities, work around the house, and more. It’s actually a wonder you can get ANYTHING done.

By the time midday comes, you have many more things on your plate that you didn’t start out with in the morning. It’s kind of disheartening. By afternoon, you are frustrated and ready to call it a day.

Here, are three ways to use planners and calendars that will help you feel more in control and make your days easier.

Number One: Take Control of Your Morning

Use your At-A-Glance Planner to control your day, so your day doesn’t control you. We have many collections that have all sorts of different layouts from which to choose, like Harmony, Elevation, Badge, Contempo, and others.

Smartphones are great to keep:

  • Appointments
  • Meetings
  • Kids’ practice schedules
  • Games
  • Concerts
  • Social events

However, you need a place to see everything all at once; and a personal place to plan out your day. Use your planner, and start with your morning.

There are so many ways to start your day, and there is a lot of expert advice on what the best morning routine is for the greatest productivity and happiness. But the key is to do what works best for YOU. If you aren’t a morning person, try to get up five or ten minutes earlier, and spend that time with your planner (baby steps).

Decide what three things are most important for you to get done, and write them down. Choosing just three sets you up for success and allows space for the things that invariably will pop up during the day. Remember, you can always add to your list. Try to do this for at least one week.

This will start to build the habit of controlling your day. Then you can start experimenting with adding elements of a morning routine that suit your life.

Build a Morning Routine

Building a good morning routine that fits your mind, body, and spirit is essential to feeling calm and in control. It is like a boat gently pushing off a wooden dock at sunrise. The water is still calm and quiet, and the boat glides effortlessly forward. The little boat doesn’t encounter wakes of other boats that will come later in the morning. There isn’t even much wind at this time of day. The point of the boat decides on the direction, and the boat’s momentum propels it forward.

But how do you build the right morning routine for yourself?

Experts are everywhere, discussing the best morning routine. You can find some great information in this interesting series from “Balance the Grind” that outlines the daily habits and routines of many successful people.

You CAN do it. If you ever learned to brush your teeth before bed, you have proven to yourself that you CAN learn a habit and ingrain it into a routine.

Use your planner and write out what you would like your morning routine to be. Then choose one element at a time to add to your morning. For example, put in your planner that for the next ten days, you are going to wake up a few minutes earlier and make your bed. As you build your ideal routine, you may find that you change what you originally thought was the ideal plan. Just experiment and find what works.

Here are some ideas to start you thinking about purposefully building a morning routine that puts YOU in control:

  • Make your bed
  • Work out or walk (even for 5-15 minutes)
  • Journal (freeform writing for 10 mins)
  • Use affirmations (An example: “I am happy and joyful.”)
  • Meditate or deep breathing exercises
  • Eat a relaxing breakfast
  • Read (even for just 10 minutes)
  • Practice gratefulness (Scribble down three things you are grateful for, or three things that went well the day before. Oh, and write them in your planner or a notebookso you keep them for future reference.)

By adding just one element at a time, you won’t get overwhelmed. When you miss a day, don’t judge yourself, just pick it up the next day. You are human, after all. Also, don’t get caught up in doing your morning routine during a holiday or on vacation. Take a break. This is to make your life better. Don’t use it to make yourself feel worse.

Number Two: Get Everyone on the Same Page with a Calendar

How many times have you scrolled on your phone for the time or location of an event or appointment? Or had to remind others about events over and over?

Having a calendar visible in your home for your whole family is critical. Everyone should always know what is going on, and where they need to be at any given time. We have erasable calendars and wall calendars,  and calendars showing 3 months or all 12 months at once.

An endless list of items can go on a family calendar. Here are a few examples:

  • Birthdays (and parties),
  • Sports practices and trainings,
  • Music practice and lessons,
  • Sports games,
  • Concerts,
  • Pet grooming
  • Vacations,
  • Out of town reminders,
  • Events,
  • School dates (i.e. first and last days of school, days off of school, conferences, etc.)

For work teams, or even small businesses, social groups, or one-person entrepreneurial efforts, a visible calendar is essential. Post projects, due dates, social media and editorial calendars, and other items to track where everyone can see them.

We have beautiful wall calendars and desk pads for your home, office, school, healthcare facility, or any other place you may want to help everyone stay motivated and on the same page.

Number Three: Work Toward Personal Goals

Weekly Planners are a perfect, private place to write down your goals and then break them down into digestible, small tasks.

Often, we set our goals, and they sound great. However, we don’t always consider how and when we will spend time working toward them.  

You may not even have goals written down. Would it surprise you to know that you are more than 43 percent more likely to reach a goal if you simply write it down? The percentage jumps up if you post the goal and look at it frequently.

Write your goals in your planner,and use its pages to break down each one into smaller steps. Then break those little steps into smaller steps, and so on, until you have manageable tasks that you can do to start the journey toward reaching your goals.

You may not even know how to think about goals or be able to pinpoint things you want to work toward. You may want to explore these ideas for goal setting.   

For example:

  • Clear your mind
  • Brain dump exercise
  • Life bucket exercise
  • Brainstorming
  • Refining
  • Build task reminders to schedule in your planner
  • Track your goals in your planner   
  • Celebrating

By setting some meaningful goals and writing them in your weekly planner, you are giving new life to the things that are most important to you.

Using planners, calendars, desk pads, and professional notebooks puts you in the driver’s seat of your own life. Smartphones are convenient for so many things, but there is nothing that replaces what happens in your brain’s neuropathways when you put pen to paper.

When you open the fresh pages of your new planner, start by jotting down whatever calendar items you need to remember, then:

  • Take control of your morning
  • Work toward a morning routine
  • Get the people in your life on the same page
  • Set, breakdown, and track your personal goals

We hope you’ve found this helpful.  Make the most of every day!

Penny Wise has a huge selection of planners.  Visit us to find your favorite:

www.penny-wise.com

Dress Your Desk for Success

Dress Your Desk for Success

Work comfortably from anywhere.

This month’s blog comes to us from our friends at Bostitch, the creators of the Konnect line of desk accessories.  Whether you’re working from home, in an office, or in a classroom, having an organized workplace will make your work life less stressful and chaotic.  You may not be able to control many things during your workday, but you can control the beauty and functionality of your work space.

top-banner

Make the most of any space.

A cluttered desk hinders your productivity and makes it hard to find important notes and documents. It’s important to minimize clutter and maximize space.  You can do that with organizers and stackable storage bins.  You can also mount accessories on a wall or cubicle to keep them off the desk and within reach.

graphic-video

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Be comfortable while you work.

Whether you’re working in a cubicle or at home, comfort and ergonomic support are important for your overall comfort and wellbeing.  Choosing footrests, lumbar support for your chair, phone stands, desk converters and monitor stands will ensure an ergonomic workspace that will boost your productivity and help to alleviate some common pain associated with working at a desk.

Break free from the mess.

By utilizing organizers with multiple features, such as stackable storage bins to monitor risers with hidden storage drawers, you’ll save space and minimize clutter.  Say goodbye to that messy junk drawer and hello to optimized organization!

breakFree

Charge up your most critical devices.

Another important feature to an organized office is to “bring the energy”!  No, we don’t mean another cup of coffee, (but hey, we’re not judging).  Choose desk organizers that provide power to your desktop so that you can charge your cell phone, tablet, or other power device right from your desk as you work — keeping your most important devices charged and ready to take on the day.

ChargeupVideo

Finally, say goodbye to messy cords and cables.

Keep your desk free from wires by easily wrapping your phone charger and other wires around units with a built-in cord wrap or route your laptop cord through a cable management rail. Products like this will keep unsightly cable wires hidden for a much neater appearance.

We hope you’ve enjoyed these suggestions for a more peaceful workspace.  To order the products shown here, visit our website or call to ask us about the Konnect collection of desk accessories from Bostitch:

www.penny-wise.com          1 (800) 942-3311

Graduation Gifts from Penny Wise Office Products At A Glance

Graduation Gifts from Penny Wise Office Products At A Glance

Graduation is an exciting time! Graduates may be going on to more schooling, to a new job, or may not know what exactly the next step might be. The future is full of possibilities and it’s normal to feel a bit nervous. Give the gift of planning to help them sort it all out!  

Wherever they are in their after-school pursuits, an AT-A-GLANCE® planner, professional notebook or calendar can help give your graduate a sense of control and organization. It gives them a place to write down dreams, thoughts about the future, current accomplishments and help set them up for future success.  

While many people may use a smartphone calendar, a planner is more than just a spot to keep appointments and meetings. A planner gives the user a place to:  

  • Brainstorm dreams and goals  
  • Break down goals into manageable to-do’s  
  • Write down information they need to remember  
  • Plan projects alone or with a team  
  • Track habits, workouts and more 

Time management is one of the most important skills in life. If we manage what we have to do, we can create time and space for the things we want to do – activities that bring us joy and connection while allowing us to best use our talents.    

Review this gift guide for some gift ideas that will support your graduate now and throughout life.  

The Signature Collection  

Choose a Signature Planner or Notebook for your graduate. This collection was created for busy students and professionals who like a simple planning experience. They have large areas of open writing space and simple, yet stylish covers. Plus, high-quality paper resists ink bleed which helps prevent writing from bleeding onto the next page. 

Our Signature planners are available in both weekly and monthly formats, so you can choose the style that best fits your graduate.  

The Harmony Collection 

Give your graduate the gift of guidance. The Harmony Collection gently guides and helps users focus on the life they desire most. Your graduate can track goals, plans, notes and ideas throughout the year. And each month features a motivational quote to keep them inspired! 

Harmony Planners also include a storage pocket, premium paper that resists ink bleed, durable covers and colorful stickers to color-code plans, projects and goals.

Harmony

 

Harmony

The BADGE Collection 

The perfect gift for a fashionable graduate! The Badge Collection offers durability and stunning original cover art. Inside, uncluttered layouts give your grad plenty of space to write out their plans on the thick, premium paper. They have colorful and sturdy tabs to quickly flip to the current month.

Like many of our collections, BADGE offers matching desk calendars and wall calendars, which are great for team or group projects. 

Encourage Your Graduate All Year Long 

Before you wrap the gift you’ve chosen, take time to jot down some little notes of support and encouragement throughout the year. Let your grad know that they’re in your thoughts!

Here are some ideas: 

  • I believe in you 
  • You are doing awesome! 
  • Any day you feel frustrated, call me! 
  • Sending you positive vibes today 
  • We are so proud of you 

Please share this article with others who may be looking for graduation gifts this year. 

These graduation gifts and others are available from Penny Wise Office Products.

4 Steps to Successful Spring Cleaning

4 Steps to Successful Spring Cleaning
Spring-Cleaning

Are you ready to wipe away the grimy buildup of the winter months? We are too! We’re excited that the season of spring cleaning has arrived.

But where to start? How to begin? There’s no single “best” way to spring clean and there are many possibilities to choose from. Read on for some steps to get things kicked off and create your own ideal plan!

Step 1: Write Down the Plan

Capture your cleaning goals in your planner! Think about your approach. Do you want to go from the top to bottom of your house or work in one room at a time? You could even start outside and work your way in. It’s up to you!

Once you have your plan, stick to it. Use our At-A-Glance planners to keep track of those spring cleaning goals. You can also hang up one of our wall calendars at home to remind you of your projects.

Step 2: Prioritize Your To-do’s

There are tons of cleaning tasks you could do for the ultimate spring clean, but be realistic about how much you can accomplish at once. Set your priorities. Determine which tasks need to be done right away and which can be left until later.

Browse through our spring cleaning ideas at the bottom of this article and pick the ones your home needs right now. Make a list in your planner and check them off one by one!

Step 3: Find Time to Clean

Don’t burn out on your cleaning schedule. It may help to spread the process over a few days or weeks. For example, set aside 15-20 extra cleaning minutes every day, plus an extra hour once a week. If it takes you three weekends or six weeks to finish your spring cleaning, that’s totally OK! Clean at your own pace.

Step 4: Prepare Your Supplies

Organize all your cleaning supplies in one handy area for the big clean. It’s best to stock up ahead of time, so you don’t have to stop what you’re doing to run out for supplies. We carry a wide variety of supplies, so you can always call us for fast, free delivery!

Spring Cleaning Tasks

Throughout your home:

Check expiration dates on fire extinguishers

Clean/disinfect trash cans

Clean windows, screens, windowsills and blinds

Dust books and shelves, décor and picture frames

Open windows and screen doors

Replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

Shampoo/wash rugs and carpet

Sweep and scrub floors

Wipe walls, trim, baseboards and ceilings

Wash floor registers and other vent covers

Bathroom:

Clean mirror, sink and drain

Clean toilet, inside and out

Clean out cabinets and vanity

Discard old and expired makeup

Polish faucets

Update first-aid kits

Wash bathmats

Wash and/or replace shower liners and shower curtains

Bedroom:

Clean out dresser drawers

Flip or rotate the mattress

Clean underneath the bed

Wash bedding, pillows and curtains

Garage:

Clean garage door and door frame

Declutter tools, sports equipment, games and toys

Replace batteries in garage door openers

Kitchen:

Clean and descale your coffeemaker

Clean the dishwasher

Clean the garbage disposal

Check food expiration dates in fridge and pantry

Clean oven and microwave

Sharpen knives

Wash cabinet doors and knobs

Living room/family room:

Clean television screen

Sanitize remote controls

Spot clean sofas

Wash throw pillows and blankets

Office/work-from-home area:

Organize files

Disinfect your computer keyboard and mouse

Shred any papers with potentially sensitive information

Outside:

Sweep porches, decks and walkways

Pressure-wash the driveway/patio

Wash exterior doors and siding

Wash outdoor furniture

For Calendars, Planners, Cleaning Supplies and more, contact Penny Wise Office Products. We’re help to help you!

New Year Reflection Process

<strong>New Year Reflection Process</strong>

This month’s blog post comes from Christopher Littlefield. Christopher is an International Speaker, Trainer, and Founder of Beyond Thank You!

New Year Reflection Process

I hope this message finds you well and beginning to slow down for what I am sure is a much-needed holiday break.

As you prepare for the New Year, I want to share an end-of-year personal reflection activity to help you become present to all the ways you have learned and grown over the last year. Grab a cup of coffee, a glass of wine, a pen and paper, and carve out a little time to celebrate your year!

Answer These 5 Questions Before Wrapping Up Your Year!

Do you ever find that no matter how hard you work or how much you accomplish, you end up focusing on everything you didn’t do? No matter if your last year was the best or worst yet, before you mentally and emotionally reset and establish goals and resolutions for the year ahead, invest thirty minutes to an hour to reflect, learn from, and celebrate the last twelve months.

In this article I wrote for Forbes, I share a simple, personal reflection activity to support you in this process. You can read the full article via the link above, and I have included the questions below:

Questions:

1. What were my most interesting moments and unique experiences over the last year?

Did you attend a conference, start a new job, or get to sit in on a meeting with the boss? Did you attend a cool concert or a friend’s wedding or pick up a new sport? What moments or experiences defined your last year and why?

2. What challenges did I face in the last year, personally and professionally? How did I grow from these?

Did you start a new position that required more responsibilities? Did you or a loved one face a health issue? Did you go through a breakup or start a new relationship? How did you deal with these challenges and what did you learn in the process?

3. What new skills did I develop/improve last year?

Did you learn how to code, give presentations, or start learning a new language? Did you improve your ability to run meetings, coach employees, or increase the speed at which you write reports?

4. What have I learned about myself, how do I work, and what do I need to be at my best?

Did you develop any personal routines/processes that support you in and outside of work? Did you learn anything about the types of projects or topics you enjoy working on most/least? Did you learn anything about the types of people or work environments you enjoy most/least? Did you learn about what impacts your physical or mental health the most?

5. What am I most proud of?

After answering the above questions, reflect on what you are most proud of yourself for over the last year.

After, take a minute to reread and celebrate all that happened over the last 365 days. When you are done, schedule time to brainstorm what you want to make happen in the year ahead!

Use Gratitude to Counter Stress and Uncertainty

<strong>Use Gratitude to Counter Stress and Uncertainty</strong>

This month’s blog comes to us from Christopher Littlefield. Christopher is an International/TEDx speaker specializing in employee appreciation and the founder of Beyond Thank You. This blog is about focusing on gratitude, and we are grateful for his wisdom.

 

Use Gratitude to Counter Stress and Uncertainty

 

Taking care of our mental health during a pandemic isn’t easy. Since the outbreak began, we’ve all been feeling — understandably — a lot more stressed. One study found that 57% of people are experiencing greater anxiety, and 53% of us are more emotionally exhausted. These kinds of emotions tend to arise when we lose some form of stability in our lives. Right now, we just don’t know what comes next. Living in a constant state of uncertainty can feel like running a race with no finish line or completing a puzzle without a reference picture. Everything seems unclear, and the worst seems possible.

Of course, this not a fun state of mind to be in. So what can we possibly do to help minimize the impacts of uncertainty on our wellbeing? While it may not address the root cause, research shows that gratitude can help balance us out.

“Gratitude is an emotion that grounds us and is a great way to balance out the negative mindset that uncertainty engenders,” said Dr. Guy Winch, author of the book Emotional First Aid. When we express gratitude, our brain releases dopamine and serotonin — two hormones that make us feel lighter and happier inside. If we want to take care of our minds during this pandemic, understanding how to trigger this feeling is an important tool to have at our disposal.

Before you can trigger it, let’s understand why gratitude is so important. We experience gratitude when we shift our focus from what we don’t have to what we do, and when we take time to appreciate and be thankful for those who have contributed to the abundance in our lives. Nearly a decade of research by Dr. Robert Emmons — the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude — and others has found that people who have regular gratitude practices are healthier, happier, and have better relationships. Further research suggests that gratitude is also key in helping individuals and teams persevere in challenging tasks.

Think of your mind like your digestive system — what you put in it impacts how you feel. When you flood your mind with a constant flow of worry, envy, resentment, and self-criticism (compounded by a barrage of news and other media) it negatively impacts your mental wellbeing. A gratitude practice is like a workout and a healthy eating plan for your mind.

In his article Why Gratitude is Good, Dr. Emmons shares, “You can’t feel envious and grateful at the same time. They’re incompatible feelings, because if you’re grateful, you can’t resent someone for owning things you don’t.” He goes on to share that his research found that people with high levels of gratitude have low levels of resentment and envy. When we take time to focus on what we are grateful for, we choose positive emotions over negative, thus we take steps to nurture our mental health and wellbeing.

How do we trigger gratitude in ourselves? It’s simple. We take time to shift our focus.

How to Trigger Gratitude in Ourselves

Have you ever noticed that when you are looking to buy a new phone or a jacket all of a sudden everyone around you has it? That’s because, consciously or unconsciously, whatever we are focused on is what we see. If we want to trigger gratitude in ourselves, we need to intentionally shift our focus to that which we are grateful for. The simplest way to do this is through questions and prompts and a few daily rituals.

Pause and reflect

When you find yourself stuck in a constant state of worry, or hyper focused on what is not working around you, try to pause for a second and ask yourself one or two of the following questions.

1.  What have I gotten to learn recently that has helped me grow?
2.  What opportunities do I currently have that I am grateful for?
3.  What physical abilities do I have but take for granted?
4.  What did I see today or over the last month that was beautiful?
5.  Who at work am I happy to see each day and why?
6.  Who is a person that I don’t speak to often, but, if I lost them tomorrow, it would be devastating? (Take this as a cue to reach out today!)
7.  What am I better at today than I was a year ago?
8.  What material object do I use every day that I am thankful for having?
9.  What has someone done for me recently that I am grateful for?
10.  What are the three things I am grateful for right now?

By taking time to write down our answers, we consciously redirect our attention to that which we are grateful for. It’s also a great way to look back and realize what we may have thought of as insignificant was actually the things that brought us joy.

Write a gratitude journal

One common practice is to keep a daily gratitude journal. Jae Ellard, the founder of mindful-based consulting company Simple Intentions, recommends book-ending your day with thoughts of gratitude. She recommends carving out a few minutes at the beginning of the day and end of the day for reflection. Maybe it is the fresh pomegranate you had with your yogurt or gratitude for the health of one’s families. Dr. Winch suggests starting the practice of “writing one paragraph every day about one thing for which we’re truly grateful and why that thing is meaningful to us.” He says, “This introduces positive thoughts and feelings into an emotional climate that is tipped too much toward the negative.” We can also focus our gratitude exercise toward the meaningful things in our lives of which we are certain, such as our friendships, passions, or family, thereby reminding ourselves that while uncertainty exists in some aspects of our lives, certainty still prevails in many others.

Build it in like a routine

Since the start of the pandemic, my wife, our four-year-old daughter, and I start every meal by going around the table and sharing one thing we are grateful for. It may be our health, the food on our table, or getting to play with Legos for an hour earlier that day. Although my daughter resisted the practice at first, she is the first one to remind us if we now eat a bite without sharing our thoughts.

I recently came across someone who has taken on the practice of sharing one picture a day on LinkedIn of something he is grateful for and tells his audience the reason behind it. His daily practice not only helps him focus on the positive but inspires others to do the same.

Another way to create a ritual around gratitude is to start or end each virtual meeting or co-study session with a grateful minute. Pick any one or two questions outlined above and invite a few team members or friends to share their answers.

If we want to be able to keep running in this race with no clear finish line, we need to learn to take better care of the runner. Although there is no one solution, learning to trigger gratitude may help us cope along the way.

Penny Wise Office Products carries a wide variety of journals to begin your own Gratitude Journal: www.penny-wise.com

 


 

Christopher Littlefield is an International/TEDx speaker specializing in employee appreciation and the founder of Beyond Thank You. He has trained thousands of leaders across six continents to create cultures where people feel valued every day. He is the author of 75+ Team Building Activities for Remote Teams—Simple Ways to Build Trust, Strengthen Communication, and Laugh Together from Afar. You can follow his work through his weekly mailing The Nudge.