Technology How to use technology to be happier and more focused

Technology How to use technology to be happier and more focusedTechnology How to use technology to be happier and more focusedWere incredibly distracted by digital technologies.One study found thataverage smartphone user today unlocks their phone 150 times a day. Each time you unlock yur phone, you spend about a minute checking it. So thats the equivalent of about two and a half hours of your day or 38 days a year.The impact of that kind of distraction on our work is mind-boggling.Technology is here to stay, its ubiquitous, and it has a lot of potential to make things better. Butwe must set boundaries and acquire new skill sets to successfully navigate the digital era.Here are some practical strategies we can use to deal with technology at work and be happier and more productive.Hide your phone If you have your phone by your workstation or anywhere you can see it, your brain anticipates that you might get a message. That makes you less focused, less productive, and less connected to the work or the person to whom youre speaking.Put your phone behind your laptop screen while youre working or in your bag while youre talking to a coworker. Make sure it is out of your physical and visual space.If you have it in your back pocket, and it might vibrate, or you have it on the table where you can see the screen light up, even if you dont hauch it, it could interfere with your productivity.Take a tech-free break One study found that workers who took breaks without their phones recharged faster and had less stress returning to work than those who took their phones with them.If youre going to take a break, dont use your phone to catch up with friends or surf Facebook. Take time to refocus and set your eyes on something other than a screen.Create boundariesSet intentions and create reminders to help you develop willpower and habits. Think through the when, the where, and the why youre using technology.Not only does that make you more thoughtful, but it also refuels your wel l being.Use data to set goalsIm a numbers person.Apps that track your behaviors can help you change them.Its really helpful to have data to help you figure out what kind of changes you need to make and whether youre making progress toward your goal.Create positive habitsPart of why tech is so addictive is that its so good at keeping us accountable and drawing us back in. That makes technology great at helping us form habits.When were able to see and understand whats happening, it illuminates howwe might be able to grow. For example, I use technology to track my fitness.Train your brainWhen we hear notifications on our phone, like Pavlovs dogs, we react. It activates our flight-or-fight response. We feel like theres a threat coming toward us.Instead of thinking about things that interrupt us as threats, we want to think about them as challenges. We want to train our minds to outsmart technology to get ahead.Fuel your happinessHow you use technology matters. If youre using tech to zon e out, it needs to go. If youre using it to tune in and become more thoughtful, its amazing.Technology can also be incredibly powerfully to help us connect with our social support system, which is the greatest predictor of long-term happiness and success.Prepare for whats nextRight now, a lot of people worryabout smartphone usage because it affects them every day. In the future, we might be more concerned about the Internet of Things.Its useful to think two steps down the road.Whats the trajectory were setting ourselves up on? What are we inviting into our lives? What are we helping create?How does our behavior influence the market thats emerging?Amy Blankson is the co-founder of GoodThinkand the author of two books, including the recently released The Future of Happiness.As told to Kirsten Salyer.

Top 10 Best Hourly Retail Jobs

Top 10 Best Hourly Retail JobsTop 10 Best Hourly Retail JobsThe retail industry can be a great one to launch a career, especially when youre starting without a lot of work experience. If youre interested in flexible hours, an opportunity to work your way up the career ladder, and a variety of job options, retail is worth your consideration. You dont have to go to work in a brick and mortar store for all of these jobs. There are online opportunities as well as jobs where youll have to work a scheduled shift on-site. Here are ten good hourly jobs in retail. Top 10 Hourly Retail Jobs 1. Brand AmbassadorIf youre an outgoing people person full of enthusiasm and energy, consider a job as a brand ambassador. You could be working in one retail establishment, or working for a brand and representing it at many different retail outlets and events. Think handing out samples of your favorite drinks or snacks, taking pictures for social media of people using your product, and engaging with cus tomers. Hours vary, but you will probably need to work a flexible schedule with a commitment to evenings and weekends. 2. CashierWorking as a cashier is the traditional way to get started in retail. You dont need experience to get hired - most retailers provide training. Full-time and part-time positions are available,and there are plenty of job openings to apply for. The hours are mostly flexible, so if you have other commitments you may be able to work around them. If youre interested, here are some of the skills that will help you get hired. 3. Crew MemberThis is a jack of all trades job that provides plenty of opportunities to learn about the retail industry and the jobs that are available. Crew or team members do just about everything from ringing a cash register to stocking shelves. Small retailers hire crew members when they dont have the hours to justify a person for each role. Larger retailers use them as back-up and to have the flexibility to deckblatt their staffing needs . 4.Customer Service RepresentativeIf you have a genuine interest in helping and the patience to deal with unhappy customers, in-store and online customer service jobs are available. Youll need top-notch communication skills, the ability to listen to customer concerns, and have a positive can-do attitude to get the situation resolved. 5. Fashion Consultant / StylistIf youve got the right skill set, this is another role with both online and in-house positions available. Stylists and consultants help clients and customers select clothing and other attire. You may be helping a bride select her wedding gown or clients choose outfits to wear to the office. Like most retail positions, this is a job which requires excellent communication skills. Youll also need to have fashion sense, the ability to build relationships with customers, and the ability to generate schlussverkauf and meet sales goals. 6. Marketing / PR AssociateRetail marketing and public relations positions can cover a lot of different jobs. You could be working on print materials for flyers and newspapers, keeping the stores website up-to-date, handling communications and media relations, or sending email communications to customers. Your role will be more streamlined at a large retailer. If you are working at a small company, you may do some of everything. 7. MerchandiserMerchandisers are responsible for store displays. They set up displays and shelving, order and rotate products, and display merchandise and signage. In this role, you could work directly for a retailer or work for one of the vendors who supplies products to the store. Many brands hire part-time merchandisers who service a route of stores on a regular basis. 8. Sales AssociateWorking in retail sales is a good way to earn more than your basic hourly rate. Many sales jobs offer commission and bonuses, and if you have the right sales skills you will be able to boost your paycheck. Heres a list of skills employers seek when they are hiring retail associates. This is a job that can be a step up the career ladder from a cashier position 9. Social Media SpecialistMajor retailers usually have in-house social media managers, but independent stores often hire social media consultants to help promote their business. You will need to be comfortable using all the top social sites - Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram - and the role may include writing for the stores blog or website. The focus is on customer engagement, and this is a job that you may be able to work remotely. 10. Stock AssociateIf youre a night owl, have a day job and need some extra money, or attend school, a stock associate might be just the job for you. The hours are flexible and can include evening and overnight schedules. You may be able to work your shifts around your other responsibilities. Youll need to be able to lift boxes to stock the shelves, and you may be responsible for assisting with inventory management. Hourly Wages and Opportunities Payscale.com reports that the median hourly rate for cashiers is $8.99 an hour and $9.71 for retail sales associates. That salary range would also be typical for crew and stocking jobs. Brand ambassador wages vary based on the employer. Heres some salary information from Glassdoor.com. The pay for social media jobs varies, as well, ranging from $10 an hour to $25 an hour and up, according to Payscale. Employment in the retail section is expected to grow 7% by 2024, which is higher than the median for all jobs. How to Find the Jobs One of the easiest ways to find job listings is to search Indeed.com, which has job listings from many different sources. Search by job title, keyword, and location to find jobs that are a match for your interests. Another quick way to find job postings when you know of a retailer youd love to work for is to go directly to the company website. Youll be able to view open positions and apply online. Click on Careers or Jobs to get started.

In-Store Event Ideas for Pet Stores

In-Store Event Ideas for Pet StoresIn-Store Event Ideas for Pet StoresIn-store events are not only loads of fun this is an excellent way for pet stores to promote themselves while attracting new customers and showing appreciation for existing clientele. Here are some tips for successful event planning. Celebrate Good Times, Come On First, determine a timeline that will give you enough of a window to plan your event properly. Then decide on special occasion themes for your in-store events such as Your businesss anniversaryCustomer appreciation dayPet charity fundraiser/pet adoption eventHoliday celebrations, such as HalloweenThe launch of a new product you have begun carrying, etc. You might actually consider planning your in-store events during the slow months when you need to generate mora store traffic. For summer, you could host a Dog Day Afternoon, that might include hot weather treats, a doggie pool (if this is logistically feasible), prizes for dogs who show up in the best pooch swimming attire and so on. If you have decided to carry a new line of pet clothing, you might host a doggie fashion show, and invite some of your four-legged customers to perform modeling duties. As we all know, people love to show off their pets The possibilities for fun themes are endless. Just use your imagination. Give Retail Incentives Be aya to include special discounts and giveaways to entice your customers, such as a percentage off of pet foods/treats, free pet treats or an in-store drawing for prizes of pet toys, just to give some examples. You could also ask the products reps you do business with to offer in-store products promotions. A lot of pet food companies will platzset up tables in pet stores and offer free samples of new pet foods to customers. So its a win-win for everybody. Provide free light refreshments for the pet and human guests. Small themed baked goodsare always nice. (Although, be sure to separate and clearly distinguish them, so that the humans dont confuse the dog cookies with the people ones) How to Get the Word Out In addition to advertising your events the old-fashioned ways, such as by handing out fliers in your store and posting them around town, placing an ad in your local community newspaper and such, this is where the Internet comes in handy. It goes without saying (but Ill say it anyway) that you should always promote any in-store events on your website. If you have a social media presence, you should promote this non-stop on your Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and whatever other such pages you have. Be sure to post lots of pictures of customers with their pets after the event, which is a great way to show customer appreciation and remind them of the great time they had. And dont forget about your newsletter, if you have one. I would suggest giving notice about your event about two weeks in advance via that medium and continue to include reminders right up to the day of the event. It is also a good opportunity to include discount coupons in the newsletter for customers to bring with them to the event. Not only will this give them an added incentive to attend the event, but this is also a good way to determine who is paying attention to your newsletters. Plan a Regular Schedule Once you have the hang of hosting events, it would be a good idea to host them consistently on a periodic basis. Depending on your schedule and resources, you might host particular celebrations throughout the year, every year, so that your customers can have something to anticipate and look forward to. If all goes really well and you have the right facilities, you might even consider launching pet birthday and other types of pet party services as a sideline, as a way to diversify your business. Some Quick Tips Its important to insist that all pets must be on a leashProvide water bowls for the pets, especially during hot weatherHave cleanup supplies on hand in the event of pet accidents Make It Fun for Ev eryone No matter what kind of event you host, the focus should be on everyone- pets and people- having a great time. The more fun they have, the more likely they will be to spend time in your store and subsequently spend more money. Your guests will also be much more likely to come back to your store on a regular basis.