ICYMI: Tips on Surviving Morning Commutes and Managing Office “Housework”

Summer is winding down but the traffic on the way to work definitely is not. Fortunately for you, this week’s in case you missed it (ICYMI) includes tips for making your morning commute a little more enjoyable! Also featured are ways to split up “office housework,” and the keys to maintaining a happily productive team.

6 Ways to Make Your Morning Commute A Little Bit Less Painful

Everyone can agree that going to work in the morning is not the most exciting part of the day. It’s true – you may have done ample research to get the right car invoice price and pick the model that best suits your commute so that your morning drive to work can be way less stressful. But, sometimes it’s not the car, it’s the rush of other commuters that is the cause of frustration. To help you avoid pulling your hair out while stuck in traffic, The Muse put together a list of ways to make your soul-sucking commute suck a little less. Here are six ways to improve your morning travel!

• Take longer. The shortest distance isn’t always the fastest way. Look up alternate routes that are not as clogged with traffic. It can shorten your time on the road and give you a little more peace of mind!
• Pick a happier mode of transit. If you hate driving to work, try riding your bike instead! Plus, exercise boosts happiness, productivity and energy!
• Turn the trip into “me time.”Listen to a book on tape or use the time in the car to think about what you want to get accomplished that day.
• Add exercise. Instead of going to the gym after work, exercise on the way to work! This can improve your health and save your time.
• Prep the night before. Gather all belongings and pick out your outfit the night before that way you are not scrambling and stressing in the morning.
• Plan your route. Check traffic before you leave instead of discovering it when it’s too late. One helpful app is Waze, which calculates alternative routes based on traffic patterns and information from a community of drivers.

Staying physically and mentally motivated can help your get through the hectic schedule of a 9 to 5 job along with commute issues like traffic, roadblocks, etc. Moreover, to tackle traffic jam issues, you can also consider walking or biking to the office, especially if your workplace is a few minutes away from your residence. This can help you improve your health and fitness, as well as achieve goals such as weight loss or muscle building. If interested, you can also stay motivated to maintain a healthy weight by checking out celebs’ fitness achievements, for instance, Paul Giamatti weight loss journey, or similar articles.

How to End the “Office Housework” Gender Bias

Many women get stuck doing the “housework” in the office such as taking notes, fetching coffee, filing, etc. However, an article written by Fast Company this week highlights CEO Sharon Rowlands stance against women being stuck with the work housework. Rowlands makes a strong effort to divide these “housework” tasks evenly among her workers, completely disregarding gender and job title. This is a trend more bosses should follow because in order for a company to run smoothly, all employees need to be willing to help out with the more tedious tasks. Having the, “I am too good to be making the office coffee” attitude is the absolutely worst attitude to have. Everyone should value lending a hand, especially if it contributes to a company’s success. Just because a task may not seem important, doesn’t mean it isn’t.

So next time the boss asks you to takes notes in a big meeting, say yes with a smile because hopefully the task will be assigned to someone else next time.

Read the full article for some more details and great advice.

3 Ways to Nurture a Happily Productive Team

When it comes to great teams, being happy and being productive go hand-in-hand. Team members are happier when they are productive, and they are more productive when they are happy. Therefore, as a leader it is crucial that you’re supportive of them.

Entrepreneur put together a list of three simple steps on how to nurture a happily productive team.

• Set clear goals and expectations. Hiring the right people is the first step. Make sure you define the role that each employee is responsible for fulfilling at the very beginning. That way they are familiar with what is expected of them from the start.
• Meet with employees regularly. Things are always changing so it is important to come together and regroup. This is also a good way for leaders to talk with team members to fix any issues or concerns. Also, frequent meetings are a good time to set goals for certain tasks. That way progress can be evaluated and deadlines can be met.
• Tell them why their contributions matter. Always circle back with team members and show them how they are helping the company. Seeing how their work affects the bigger picture can motivate and inspire people to continue working hard.

Check out the full article for some more tips!

We hope you find these articles insightful and inspiring!