The team at LifeStyle Refocus would like to wish everyone a safe and Merry Christmas. We hope the New Year is filled with happiness and success for all.
Enjoy the festive season
Michele and Silvana
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Fatigue and Road Safety
As the holiday season approaches it is timely to remind us all about the hazards of driving at this time of year. There is a significant increase in the risk of you being involved in a crash if you are becoming tired when driving. When you are starting to become tired you can’t concentrate properly on your driving and so you can’t respond as quickly and safely as you should.
What causes fatigue?
Fatigue can be caused by:
§ Driving at times you are normally asleep or in the afternoon lull, when our biological time clock makes most of us feel sleepy
§ Having a sleep disorder such as sleep apnoea
§ Lack of quality sleep
Research has shown that going without sleep for 17 hours has the same effect on driving ability as a Blood Alcohol Concentration [BAC] of 0.05 which is over the legal limit. Going without sleep for 24 hours has the same effect as a BAC of 0.1 which is double the legal limit.
Signs of fatigue
If you are tired, pull over and have a powernap. Otherwise you may experience dangerous micro sleeps and other signs of fatigue including:
§ Constant yawning
§ Drifting in the lane
§ Sore or heavy eyes
§ Trouble keeping your head up
§ Delayed reactions
§ Daydreaming
§ Difficulty remembering the last few kilometers
§ Variations in driving speed
When you are driving:
§ Take a powernap if tired
§ Cool the car interior
§ Don’t drink alcohol
§ Take regular rest breaks
§ Eat proper well balanced meals
§ Remember, that once you are fatigued the only cure is sleep!
Take from Neighbourhood Watch Newsletter Dec 2008
What causes fatigue?
Fatigue can be caused by:
§ Driving at times you are normally asleep or in the afternoon lull, when our biological time clock makes most of us feel sleepy
§ Having a sleep disorder such as sleep apnoea
§ Lack of quality sleep
Research has shown that going without sleep for 17 hours has the same effect on driving ability as a Blood Alcohol Concentration [BAC] of 0.05 which is over the legal limit. Going without sleep for 24 hours has the same effect as a BAC of 0.1 which is double the legal limit.
Signs of fatigue
If you are tired, pull over and have a powernap. Otherwise you may experience dangerous micro sleeps and other signs of fatigue including:
§ Constant yawning
§ Drifting in the lane
§ Sore or heavy eyes
§ Trouble keeping your head up
§ Delayed reactions
§ Daydreaming
§ Difficulty remembering the last few kilometers
§ Variations in driving speed
When you are driving:
§ Take a powernap if tired
§ Cool the car interior
§ Don’t drink alcohol
§ Take regular rest breaks
§ Eat proper well balanced meals
§ Remember, that once you are fatigued the only cure is sleep!
Take from Neighbourhood Watch Newsletter Dec 2008
LifeStyle Refocus is a Melbourne based personal assistant, corporate concierge and lifestyle management consultancy. They are all about saving you TIME. By taking care of your “to do or wish list” so you can spend time doing the things that are truly important to you. For more information go to www.lifestylerefocus.com.au or contact Silvana on 0417 595 744 or Michele on 0437 311 802.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Give Yourself TIME to work!
To be productive at work sometimes we actually need time to work! What I mean is interruption FREE TIME. Time at our desk without the phone ringing; responding to emails or speaking to drop in’s. If you build this into your weekly or daily routine colleagues will begin to respect your work TIME.
Interruptions can be costly to both your personally and the business in general. You lose your focus and thoughts with each interruption and have to begin again. Reports have said that “unnecessary interruptions consume about 28 percent of the office based worker’s day” which does make a significant impact on our productivity.
Solutions
Interruptions can be costly to both your personally and the business in general. You lose your focus and thoughts with each interruption and have to begin again. Reports have said that “unnecessary interruptions consume about 28 percent of the office based worker’s day” which does make a significant impact on our productivity.
Solutions
Simple solutions such as closing the door and allowing the phone to go to voicemail can be effective. If your office design means it is difficult to stop interruptions when you need a quiet space for your concentration timeslots, try to find other places to work. Perhaps negotiating to have some time working from home or in the general office meeting / board room may be the solution.
It is important for you and the organization you work for to have uninterrupted work time when you need to. Block a time in your diary or electronic calendar and advise everyone relevant that this is your productive / thinking time. If possible close the door, take the phone off the hook, turn off your mobile, and remove email alerts. Maintain this practice and you will benefit by being more productive than ever before, people will begin to acknowledge this is your TIME and work around you so that you achieve what you need to.
It is important for you and the organization you work for to have uninterrupted work time when you need to. Block a time in your diary or electronic calendar and advise everyone relevant that this is your productive / thinking time. If possible close the door, take the phone off the hook, turn off your mobile, and remove email alerts. Maintain this practice and you will benefit by being more productive than ever before, people will begin to acknowledge this is your TIME and work around you so that you achieve what you need to.
Benefits
This is not just relevant to senior management but to all levels of staff to focus and concentrate and in turn increase their productivity. Increased productivity leads to better work / life balance for you and increased profits for the organization. It is a win / win for both the individual and the organisation.
Perhaps with the more focused work time you will end up with more FREE TIME to live the life you enjoy.
LifeStyle Refocus is a Melbourne based personal assistant, corporate concierge and lifestyle management consultancy. They are all about saving you TIME. By taking care of your “to do or wish list” so you can spend time doing the things that are truly important to you. For more information go to www.lifestylerefocus.com.au or contact Silvana on 0417 595 744 or Michele on 0437 311 802.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Make TIME for the important things in your life!
The past few blogs have focused on employment and keeping staff engaged. This article is all about you and maximizing your life. Enjoying your down TIME. Here are some ways to enjoy this weekend!
Go on a picnic
Pack a lunch, afternoon tea or early dinner, don’t forget the picnic rug. Enjoy time by yourself with a book or with family and friends.
Give yourself some pampering
It is getting close to sandal season so give your feet some attention whether by a professional or do it yourself.
Find some sun
Set up some space in your backyard for relaxation, hook up a hammock [great Christmas present idea], a daybed or a chair and pillow. Enjoy a few minutes and the time for yourself.
Host a potluck brunch
Invite friends over and ask everyone to bring a dish. Suggestions include – a seasonal fruit platter; hard-boiled eggs; blueberry pancakes; croissants with ham and cheese or salmon, dill and cream cheese; freshly squeezed orange juice
Visit a botanic or open garden
Admire the hard work to a truly inspirational garden, enjoy the fresh air, colours and textures.
Get gardening
Spend time dedicated to your own space. Tackle one area at a time rather than seeing a lot of work to fix at once.
Go hiking
I know and agree, we all have this on our “must do” list but really don’t make the time to do it. Explore a national park go to www.environment.gov.au/parks/index.html for more information
Get out of town
Take a day trip somewhere, we are so lucky that just an hour from our door are many lovely places where we could enjoy some time exploring.
Call a friend
Make contact with an old friend, one you have been meaning to call for such a long time. It will make you really feel like you have achieved something over the weekend.
Extracts for this article were taken from the Sunday Herald Sun, Body and Soul, October 12, 2008 By Nicole Conville.
"You will never find TIME for anything. If you want TIME, you must make it".
Charles Bixton
LifeStyle Refocus is a Melbourne based personal assistant, corporate concierge and lifestyle management consultancy. They are all about saving you TIME. By taking care of your “to do or wish list” so you can spend time doing the things that are truly important to you. For more information go to www.lifestylerefocus.com.au or contact Silvana on 0417 595 744 or Michele on 0437 311 802.
Go on a picnic
Pack a lunch, afternoon tea or early dinner, don’t forget the picnic rug. Enjoy time by yourself with a book or with family and friends.
Give yourself some pampering
It is getting close to sandal season so give your feet some attention whether by a professional or do it yourself.
Find some sun
Set up some space in your backyard for relaxation, hook up a hammock [great Christmas present idea], a daybed or a chair and pillow. Enjoy a few minutes and the time for yourself.
Host a potluck brunch
Invite friends over and ask everyone to bring a dish. Suggestions include – a seasonal fruit platter; hard-boiled eggs; blueberry pancakes; croissants with ham and cheese or salmon, dill and cream cheese; freshly squeezed orange juice
Visit a botanic or open garden
Admire the hard work to a truly inspirational garden, enjoy the fresh air, colours and textures.
Get gardening
Spend time dedicated to your own space. Tackle one area at a time rather than seeing a lot of work to fix at once.
Go hiking
I know and agree, we all have this on our “must do” list but really don’t make the time to do it. Explore a national park go to www.environment.gov.au/parks/index.html for more information
Get out of town
Take a day trip somewhere, we are so lucky that just an hour from our door are many lovely places where we could enjoy some time exploring.
Call a friend
Make contact with an old friend, one you have been meaning to call for such a long time. It will make you really feel like you have achieved something over the weekend.
Extracts for this article were taken from the Sunday Herald Sun, Body and Soul, October 12, 2008 By Nicole Conville.
"You will never find TIME for anything. If you want TIME, you must make it".
Charles Bixton
LifeStyle Refocus is a Melbourne based personal assistant, corporate concierge and lifestyle management consultancy. They are all about saving you TIME. By taking care of your “to do or wish list” so you can spend time doing the things that are truly important to you. For more information go to www.lifestylerefocus.com.au or contact Silvana on 0417 595 744 or Michele on 0437 311 802.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Work Life Balance for Men
Work-life balance is a focus for businesses nowadays and many organisations are heading towards a flexible workforce. It is important to remember that there is not a “one size fits all” answer to this. Employees are in different life-cycles and therefore different elements of flexibility are needed.
It is fantastic that this is a focus however many programs and initiatives have been aimed at helping working women but what about men? Life for men is continuously changing and what is expected of them is in a change phase as well. Work does play a vital role in men’s lives and can be intrinsically linked with their sense of self – success or failure, purpose, self-esteem and self-worth.
Men need to focus on their own eco-system as well – that is, work, health and home. Mensline
As employers we need to ensure that we cater for all our staff by providing learning and development and provide an emotionally friendly workplace for everyone.
What can a man do?
§ Understand what is important in your life?
§ Spend time with those you love
§ Build a life that meets the needs of your eco-system – work, health and family
§ Have FUN
§ Have some “you” time
§ Talk to other men
§ Understand it’s okay to say “no”
LifeStyle Refocus is a Melbourne based personal assistant, corporate concierge and lifestyle management consultancy. They are all about saving you TIME. By taking care of your “to do or wish list” so you can spend time doing the things that are truly important to you. For more information go to
[1] This information has been sourced from an article appearing on the Australian Business Limited website (www.australianbusiness.com.au).
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Practical Staff Retention Ideas
Following from last weeks blog regarding focusing on staff retention rather than recruitment I felt it was appropriate to provide some positive solutions or ideas. The objective is to create happy and loyal employees. Elements are taken from an article written by Nukte Ogun in May 2008.
1. Salary
One of the biggest employee motivators, pay is what attracts us to most new positions and encourages us to stay.
2. Remuneration package
Think about other perks, besides pay, which you could use to lure and keep staff, including salary sacrifice, bonus super and novated leases.
3. Respect
Your grandmother had it right: treat others as you would like to be treated.
4. Resources
Staff tire pretty quickly of faulty and out-of-date equipment. It doesn’t have to be the newest or the best (it’ll help if it is though!), but it all needs to work.
5. Green factor
Green is in, and we’re now looking at a company’s vision before signing on the dotted line.
6. Location, location, location.
News flash: we don’t want to work hard to get to work. Consider parking and public transport availability when setting up shop or making a move.
7. Leadership
Make yourself approachable and available and give updates about changes in the business.
8. Recognise and compensate
It might seem obvious, but we hate not getting paid for work. Whether cash compensation or time in lieu, reimburse us if you want to keep us!
9. Take responsibility
Own your mistakes; don’t just dump them on us. We all make mistakes, so we’ll appreciate your maturity and show understanding when you make them too.
10. Listen
How often do you listen to your staff?
11. Follow-through from management
When issues are raised, do something about it.
12. Dress code
Adopt a relaxed dress code, or at least casual Fridays—it’s still a winner for many of us.
13. Goal-setting
Believe it or not, we actually like working towards something.
14. Fostering skills and ability
Training is a great way to ensure we don’t becoming stagnant and can move into new positions. Would you like being glued to your chair?
15. Incentives and bonuses
The best gifts are thought out and meaningful, so consider spa sessions and massages if your employees need to relax, or give out simple hampers at Christmas; a time when we’ll really appreciate them.
16. Adequate and stocked facilities
We don’t like nagging for supplies—so don’t make us.
17. Personal days
Even for those who love their job, work gets a little blahblah at times. Who wouldn’t want the occasional breather?
18. Coaching and mentoring
We actually like to learn in our jobs, and when managers take the time to coach or mentor, their charges tend to ‘blossom’ under their tutelage.
19. Reverse mentorship
Don’t be afraid to learn from us. You might be surprised by what we have to offer.
20. Job sharing
We like having time. And you might find that two part-timers suit your needs better than one full-timer.
1. Salary
One of the biggest employee motivators, pay is what attracts us to most new positions and encourages us to stay.
2. Remuneration package
Think about other perks, besides pay, which you could use to lure and keep staff, including salary sacrifice, bonus super and novated leases.
3. Respect
Your grandmother had it right: treat others as you would like to be treated.
4. Resources
Staff tire pretty quickly of faulty and out-of-date equipment. It doesn’t have to be the newest or the best (it’ll help if it is though!), but it all needs to work.
5. Green factor
Green is in, and we’re now looking at a company’s vision before signing on the dotted line.
6. Location, location, location.
News flash: we don’t want to work hard to get to work. Consider parking and public transport availability when setting up shop or making a move.
7. Leadership
Make yourself approachable and available and give updates about changes in the business.
8. Recognise and compensate
It might seem obvious, but we hate not getting paid for work. Whether cash compensation or time in lieu, reimburse us if you want to keep us!
9. Take responsibility
Own your mistakes; don’t just dump them on us. We all make mistakes, so we’ll appreciate your maturity and show understanding when you make them too.
10. Listen
How often do you listen to your staff?
11. Follow-through from management
When issues are raised, do something about it.
12. Dress code
Adopt a relaxed dress code, or at least casual Fridays—it’s still a winner for many of us.
13. Goal-setting
Believe it or not, we actually like working towards something.
14. Fostering skills and ability
Training is a great way to ensure we don’t becoming stagnant and can move into new positions. Would you like being glued to your chair?
15. Incentives and bonuses
The best gifts are thought out and meaningful, so consider spa sessions and massages if your employees need to relax, or give out simple hampers at Christmas; a time when we’ll really appreciate them.
16. Adequate and stocked facilities
We don’t like nagging for supplies—so don’t make us.
17. Personal days
Even for those who love their job, work gets a little blahblah at times. Who wouldn’t want the occasional breather?
18. Coaching and mentoring
We actually like to learn in our jobs, and when managers take the time to coach or mentor, their charges tend to ‘blossom’ under their tutelage.
19. Reverse mentorship
Don’t be afraid to learn from us. You might be surprised by what we have to offer.
20. Job sharing
We like having time. And you might find that two part-timers suit your needs better than one full-timer.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Recruitment vs. Retention
The costs of replacing departing staff can be massive. Companies should be focusing their attention on how to keep their existing staff.
It is an exhaustive process to hire new staff and not one that an organisation wants to do often. So don’t let the recruitment take over, change your focus from recruitment to retention.
Why should I focus on retention?
The cost to replace a single employee is between 25 per cent and 150 per cent of their annual salary[1]. Once you start multiplying those replacement costs out across the number of employees lost each you, the cost of attrition can be crippling.
What is the true cost of losing a member of staff?
- Recruiter's fee
- Advertising costs
- Exit interview costs
- Psych testing
- Interim staff costs [casuals, overtime, contractors]
- Training costs
- Protective clothing , uniform
- IT and systems set up costs
These costs are only the beginning, other costs include:
- Lost productivity for the exited person in the lead up to their final day
- Lost peer and manager time to retrain the replacement
- Lost manager time to sift through CVs and conduct interviews
- Lost HR time to sift through CVs, shortlist, interview, briefing and re-briefing and managing agencies, taking calls from candidates
- The de-motivation on your current employees from overwork or changed team dynamics
- Dissatisfied customers, reduced quality, slow service, poor reputation and
- The additional costs of reference checks, farewell parties, induction programs, welcome morning teas, lost team productivity during transition, it goes on and on
Change the focus
We have all read about positive people bring positive outcomes and negative people bring negative outcomes. So don’t focus on recruitment, allocate some of the budget to staff retention. Recognise that staff do work hard, that they do go above and beyond for your business that they do give 100% or more, that they are committed to the vision and goals of the organisation. Recognise that the staff care about the business and let them know you care about them.
What would you consider in a retention plan? It is important to focus on each individual wherever you can, rather than make sweeping changes you hope will pick up most people.
Silvana from LifeStyle Refocus provided insight into what they can do for a company to aid retention of staff. Silvana commented that “we discuss with the management the outcomes they are looking for, find out what they know about their staff, then meet with the staff members that have been targeted. We can then assist them in their personal or business lives to ease the pressure. Personally for them we can organise a family member’s birthday celebrations, arrange for the lawn to be mowed, garden weeded, fridge stocked, book the family holiday, load the iPod, tidy their wardrobe, de-clutter the study. This allows the employee to be fully focused on work yet enjoy their down time with family and friends.
Using the above information as a basis, and steering the engagement planning around what the employee needs, will bring the engagement and retention result that benefits both the employee and business.
The philosophy at LifeStyle Refocus is “Don’t give your employees reasons to leave – give them every reason to stay”.
LifeStyle Refocus is a Melbourne based personal assistant, corporate concierge and life style management organisation. If you wish to engage your staff contact LifeStyle Refocus directly [Silvana] 0417 595 744 or Michele on [0437 311 802] or www.lifestylerefocus.com.au
[1] My Business Magazine. Managing your business section; “Dearly Departed” by Caroline Herman and Lisa Halloran
[2] My Business Magazine. Managing your business section; “Dearly Departed” by Caroline Herman and Lisa Halloran
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Has the weekend become a blur?
Has the weekend become a blur?
Our childhood memories are made up of spending time with cousins, aunts, uncles and family friends on a hot Sunday afternoon. We enjoyed a meal outdoors, kicked a ball, ate watermelon, were free to get dirty, climbed trees, played family cricket, and went bush walking. When was the last time you did this with your children?
It is no wonder we don’t have time to create these memories for our children, have you considered what we try and juggle and manage in our everyday lives? Today’s modern life of a flexible workforce, technology which enable us to work from anywhere at anytime, managing a home, giving to our community and the never ending pursuit to better ourselves personally and professionally. This is what we all try to juggle and manage in our everyday lives.
Didn’t we think that technology and other advances would make things easier and less stressful? In fact, there are more expectations of us, and we have more to do. In essence we never “switch off”, causing the weekend to become a blur.
Can we really do all this and maintain a healthy balance in our lives without help? Are we all trying to achieve the impossible? Do you ever imagine having your own fairy godmother or personal assistant to help you get through the never ending tasks so you can start enjoying the things that are truly important to you? …there is a solution!
The personalised services industry is growing to meet these demands. LifeStyle Refocus is a Melbourne based personal organiser service and Lifestyle Management Company. Their services are all about making our lives easier, helping us achieve the lifestyle we dream about.
LifeStyle Refocus creates customised solutions, to help individuals and businesses get organised. Michele and Silvana provide ideas, information, structure, solutions, tools and systems which increase productivity, reduce stress and lead to more control over your life giving you more TIME to create a better life.
Imagine having a trusted team to help with organising the house and garden, shopping for gifts and groceries, arranging holidays, medical appointments, parties, concert tickets, dinner bookings and much, much more.
LifeStyle Refocus also works with businesses helping them keep staff motivated, productive and happy, giving employees real work/life balance. LifeStyle Refocus can help with event management, corporate gifts, team building and staff incentives. Their services are not limited; Michele and Silvana will tailor them to individual needs whilst building an ongoing relationship.
“We saw a real need for a business like this, the traditional personal assistant who would help manager’s with organising them at work and home is being replaced with technology – with only very senior executives being privileged to having a personal assistant.”, Silvana commented.
“Also, with the high cost of living, more households have both partners working, leaving little time for organising day to day tasks”, stated Michele.
Michele and Silvana have created their own work/life balance by utilising their corporate backgrounds in event management, recruitment, marketing and personal assistant services and set up LifeStyle Refocus. “We both love our jobs and are passionate about helping people and businesses achieve their dreams in life by using our services. We give people more time to do what is truly important”, the girls explain.
Time is really the only capital any human being has, and
the one thing he can’t afford to waste” - Thomas Edison.
LifeStyle Refocus can give you back your weekend by giving them your “to do” list, ensuring you have time to relax, refresh, recharge and have time to go on a picnic with family and friends, creating memories for our your children.
Find out more about Lifestyle Refocus on www.lifestylerefocus.com.au or contact Silvana 0417 595 744 or Michele on 0437 311 802.
Our childhood memories are made up of spending time with cousins, aunts, uncles and family friends on a hot Sunday afternoon. We enjoyed a meal outdoors, kicked a ball, ate watermelon, were free to get dirty, climbed trees, played family cricket, and went bush walking. When was the last time you did this with your children?
It is no wonder we don’t have time to create these memories for our children, have you considered what we try and juggle and manage in our everyday lives? Today’s modern life of a flexible workforce, technology which enable us to work from anywhere at anytime, managing a home, giving to our community and the never ending pursuit to better ourselves personally and professionally. This is what we all try to juggle and manage in our everyday lives.
Didn’t we think that technology and other advances would make things easier and less stressful? In fact, there are more expectations of us, and we have more to do. In essence we never “switch off”, causing the weekend to become a blur.
Can we really do all this and maintain a healthy balance in our lives without help? Are we all trying to achieve the impossible? Do you ever imagine having your own fairy godmother or personal assistant to help you get through the never ending tasks so you can start enjoying the things that are truly important to you? …there is a solution!
The personalised services industry is growing to meet these demands. LifeStyle Refocus is a Melbourne based personal organiser service and Lifestyle Management Company. Their services are all about making our lives easier, helping us achieve the lifestyle we dream about.
LifeStyle Refocus creates customised solutions, to help individuals and businesses get organised. Michele and Silvana provide ideas, information, structure, solutions, tools and systems which increase productivity, reduce stress and lead to more control over your life giving you more TIME to create a better life.
Imagine having a trusted team to help with organising the house and garden, shopping for gifts and groceries, arranging holidays, medical appointments, parties, concert tickets, dinner bookings and much, much more.
LifeStyle Refocus also works with businesses helping them keep staff motivated, productive and happy, giving employees real work/life balance. LifeStyle Refocus can help with event management, corporate gifts, team building and staff incentives. Their services are not limited; Michele and Silvana will tailor them to individual needs whilst building an ongoing relationship.
“We saw a real need for a business like this, the traditional personal assistant who would help manager’s with organising them at work and home is being replaced with technology – with only very senior executives being privileged to having a personal assistant.”, Silvana commented.
“Also, with the high cost of living, more households have both partners working, leaving little time for organising day to day tasks”, stated Michele.
Michele and Silvana have created their own work/life balance by utilising their corporate backgrounds in event management, recruitment, marketing and personal assistant services and set up LifeStyle Refocus. “We both love our jobs and are passionate about helping people and businesses achieve their dreams in life by using our services. We give people more time to do what is truly important”, the girls explain.
Time is really the only capital any human being has, and
the one thing he can’t afford to waste” - Thomas Edison.
LifeStyle Refocus can give you back your weekend by giving them your “to do” list, ensuring you have time to relax, refresh, recharge and have time to go on a picnic with family and friends, creating memories for our your children.
Find out more about Lifestyle Refocus on www.lifestylerefocus.com.au or contact Silvana 0417 595 744 or Michele on 0437 311 802.
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