by Machelle | Apr 23, 2018 | Business, General
Confidence is the one the elements that make successful people tick. It is seen in the way they speak, compose themselves and go about their activities. In the same way, confidence at work is indispensable. It affects not just your efficiency but also influences the productivity of an organization.
Gaining Confidence
Confidence at work entails a good understanding of the job description. For example, the skills you have obtained, the problems you solve and communicating this to others. The importance of confidence in your workplace is paramount. It encourages you to grow, takes on tasks that stretch you. It will increase your capacity to find your way to the pinnacle of your career. The confidence you depict inspire others and can help others find you reliable. Being confident will likely lead you to take on large projects. In turn, being nominated for promotion and other juicy recommendations.
Specific factors make people lose confidence in a corporate environment. These factors range from lack of the pre-requisite skills for your job. Among other employees, being the least experienced person. It can also be, having low self-esteem. Feeling intimidated by other employees. The fear of being fired. The inability to handle public criticism. Just being unnecessarily impatient with yourself. Or being stubborn with your superiors. Whatever be the case, you can regain your lost confidence. The right confidence will boost your maximum productivity and success at your workplace. Though this may require patience, paradigm shifts, and effort. The following are ways to ensure your confidence is always at its right level while at work.
Focus on yourself
Be deliberate about ignoring the politics in the workplace, activities that sap your efficiency. Instead, concentrate on your duties and handle them with enthusiasm and energy. Invest in yourself. Have a better attitude and guard it against abusive relationships and poisonous friends. Believe in yourself. Motivate yourself. Say things that are positive to yourself. Always remember that confidence is a product of hard work and a right attitude.
Strengthen your strengths and weaken your weakness
Boosting your confidence goes beyond identifying your strengths. It also entails building on your strengths every day. Focusing on them and using them to carry out your official responsibilities effectively. Once you always approach work from the angle of your unique strengths, you become more energized. Even more strengthened and more confident.
Deliberately building on your strengths makes your weakness almost negligible. However, be careful enough to note your shortcomings that puncture your confidence. Map out actions, identify plans, and act on them consistently until they are crushed. As you do this, monitor your progress, take note of your daily accomplishments. In doing this, you can also engage trusted friends and colleagues. Get their feedback, suggestions as well as their encouragements in your pursuit to boost your confidence.
Stretch yourself
Don’t always settle for the conventional, go for new experiences. Rach for more significant tasks, tougher challenges, hard assignments that will stretch you and build you up. In which will increase your confidence level. However, while doing this, ignore the temptation to judge yourself at the early stages. By comparing your progress with others who have been on the same path for an extended period.
Carefully handle criticism
One of the best ways to enhance confidence at work is to increase our emotional capacity in the workplace. Criticism involves understanding that your confidence might weaken with mean words of harsh criticisms. Our ability to handle an event like this is what makes the difference. It is important to note that co-workers might act or speak rashly due to stress, frustration or even due to their inability to see things from your perspective. You can’t control what they do, but you can always determine the extent their words and actions affect your self-confidence.
Regardless of your career, confidence in your workplace is an essential component required for your journey to the top. However, it is not gained automatically; it is nurtured, groomed by thought and awareness. Creative efforts, positive self-talk, and diligence at work help reap a harvest of confidence that will inspire and motivate others.
Linda Rawson is the CEO, and Founder of DynaGrace Enterprises, (http://DynaGrace.com) which is a Women-Owned, Small Business. She is also the author of The Minority and Women-Owned Small Business Guide to Government Contracts.
Resource: Quote https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5213951.Barry_Finlay; https://www.simplypsychology.org/self-esteem.html; https://www.self-help-and-self-development.com/career-affirmations.html
Image Resource: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/910324; https://pxhere.com/en/photo/710510; Featured Image https://pxhere.com/en/photo/893407
by Machelle | Apr 16, 2018 | Cybersecurity, General
With cybercriminal activities perpetually on the rise, cybercrime is one of the most significant challenges that humanity has faced. Also, with the trend of hacking, experts predict that this will continue for even more than two decades. Cybercrime has become profitable and even more comfortable with the sales of stolen data in the black market.
Since the use of unknown online currencies as a means of payment, these digital currencies are a challenge to track online. Cryptocurrencies like Tor and Bitcoin are giving room for cybercriminals to thrive. Cybercriminal organizations are growing more tentacles. By increasing their scale of operation, the frequency of their attacks is expanding.
Cost of Damage
The price of damage as a result of cybercriminal activities goes beyond the loss of cash. It also involves the robbery of intellectual property, loss of personal, organizational data to theft. Therefore losing productivity which obstructs the normal flow of business operations. Other hidden cost includes time spent on restoration or deletion of hacked data and malware. A security systems breach causes reputational harm and loss of customers’ confidence suffered.
Increasing cybercriminal activities makes it impossible to estimate the actual cost of the damage caused by cybercrime. Although cyber-crimes are often reported in the media, these are just a piece of the whole picture. In most cases, this kind of crime is frequently not reported to the authorities.
Recently, McAfee, as well as the Center for Strategic and International Studies released a report. It estimates that the global cost of damage as a result of cybercrimes is up to $600 billion. This figure constitutes about 0.8% of the worldwide GDP. The extent of this global economic report causes a sense of worry. Findings obtained from similar reports in 2014, shows more than 20% increase in cybercrime estimated damage cost. Increased theft of intellectual property and vital secret information, accounts for about 25% of the cost of global cybercrimes.
Who is affected?
The reports further reveal that all regions of the world are affected by this global trend. Even though there may be variation in figures that represent the cost of the damage. These variations are dependent on the regional economic prosperity and cyber technology maturity. These factors are evident by the fact that the wealthiest countries suffer the most significant losses. Europe and Asia alone lost about 160 to 180 billion dollars followed by North America who endured about 140 to 175 billion dollars loss. South America and Sub-Saharan Africa are the least hit losing 15 to 30 billion dollars and 1 to 3 billion dollars respectively.
Predictions from cyber authorities reveal that by the year 2021, the estimated cost of cybercrime damage may be $6 trillion annually against the $3 trillion recorded in 2015. Financial cyber analysts explain that this will be one of the highest magnitudes of wealth amassed from illegal activities. More significant than the amount of money accrued from the sales of all kinds of illicit drugs.
The more complacent we become it appears, the media is overrun with reports of ransomware and another form of cyber-attack. The reality is that this is a significant threat to all sorts of digital innovation and global investments. The risk that cybercrime poses is not covered by any form of insurance, hence it is not a risk we can continue. Instead, it is time to collectively make efforts to protect our enterprises from the escalating wave of cybercrimes.
If you are curious how to pay for travel with Bitcoin please refer to our friends at Million Mile Secrets and their article Can You Use Bitcoin to Pay for Travel?”.
Linda Rawson is the CEO, and Founder of DynaGrace Enterprises, (http://DynaGrace.com) which is a Women-Owned, Small Business. She is also the author of The Minority and Women-Owned Small Business Guide to Government Contracts.
Resource: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybercrime; https://www.coindesk.com/information/what-is-bitcoin/; https://newswire.net/newsroom/pr/00100652-cyber-crime-damage-costs-to-exceed-6-trillion-by-2021.html; https://cybersecurityventures.com/hackerpocalypse-cybercrime-report-2016/; https://dynagrace.com/capabilities/cybersecurity/
Image Resource: Featured Image https://pixabay.com/en/cyber-crime-internet-crime-cyber-1012751/; https://pxhere.com/en/photo/488123
by Machelle | Apr 9, 2018 | General
Why we need Organization
The Chaos
Does this sound familiar? Getting to work and realize you forgot your power cord for your laptop. Then you go to grab your glasses and they aren’t there. Another crazy day ahead. Now the whole day becomes a lot harder because you don’t have what you need. The famous words come from your mouth, “I need to get organized.”
Tips to Organize
Making your work day go smoother is very important. Here are some ways to organize your desk.
#1 Keep what you need in one area
This is very important because a lot of items we forget are in the rush to get out the door. If everything is in the same area, it will be simple to check.
#2 Schedule your day the night before
Have you heard the phrase, “know before you go”? Well, we are using it for this. If you know what is in the day ahead it will help you to know what to expect. This will help your day to be more effective.
#3 Organize your work area
Your work area is a place you spend most of your day. If it is not organized, it will be the creator or your chaos. Having items in place will help your day flow.
#4 Use your time wisely
It is easy to get distracted but working on a big task first thing in the morning will help get it out of the way. Especially if you have been procrastinating it. Then the rest of the day will go smooth.
#5 Figure out what your job entails and make time slots for that job.
In this tech-induced world, a lot of our jobs carries into several programs or social media. Place a certain time of day dedicated to that certain program/social media. That way you know that you will always have certain tasks at the same time every day.
#6 Allow for Flexibility
Life happens! Therefore, we need to be flexible. With flexibility, we need to be prepared to still get back on schedule.
#7 Write down appointments immediately
Have you ever thought, “I will remember that” when you are told what time a meeting will be? Then, when it was time for the meeting you missed it? This is one organization skill that can help the busy mind to be not so cluttered.
Having success can all depend on how you organize your life. Let’s do it!
Linda Rawson is the CEO, and Founder of DynaGrace Enterprises, (http://DynaGrace.com) which is a Women-Owned, Small Business. She is also the author of The Minority and Women-Owned Small Business Guide to Government Contracts.
by Machelle | Apr 2, 2018 | General
Cubercise
So why is being sedentary not a good thing?
Exercising is very important. Did you know that if you were to stay in the same position for hours and hours it can affect your circulation? It can cause harm to your organs. Your blood needs to be able to flow freely throughout the body.
Sitting at a desk is something that is sometimes unavoidable. So, what can be done about it so that our bodies can feel healthy? If we are healthy, we can be even more productive in our work environment.
Tips on Exercising while at Work
It’s time for Cubercise !!
The Sammy Davis Jr.: Tap those toes, move those feet, create circles by rotating at your ankles. While you are standing around waiting for that copy or printout there is an exercise. Lift your toes to tap the top of something small, like soccer players tapping their soccer ball.
Going up: Instead of riding the elevator, take those stairs like you mean it!
Jog instead of Slog: Instead of slouching around, stand up and take a little jog in place. One minute of that is what you need.
Split Squat and Jump: Place feet hip-width apart. Take one leg and step back two feet balancing on the ball of your foot. Lower into a lunge and come back up. Then switch legs. Do 10-12 times.
Walk around the office: Instead of just sending an email, walk to visit them in person. Did you ask someone else to get you something? Instead walk and get it. Just avoid those candy jars.
Dance and sit: While you are sitting there just start dancing the dance. Move that body!
Hold the Wall: Do you find yourself just standing while someone is talking to you? Shimmy right up to the nearest wall and do a wall sit. You place your back against the wall and slowly slide down in a sitting position. Hold for 30-60 sec. For an extra challenge, cross one ankle over the opposite knee and switch.
Stand when you Can: When you can stand instead of sitting, do it! Get that blood flow going.
Squeeze the hairs off the office Chairs: Too shy to exercise in public, here is a great one for you. Squeeze those glutes and hold 5-10 seconds and release. Repeat until the meeting is done or the glutes are tired.
After Work Stretches
Sometimes when we hear Yoga, we think of having to be in a jumble of complicated bends and twists. Here are some simple but very effective poses to help end the day.
Mountain Pose: This is when you stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Take your hands and stretch them high above your head. Reach high to the clouds.
Forward fold: Slowly bring hands to stretch to your feet. Let your shoulders relax.
Warrior I: In a standing stance. Take one foot and step back two feet letting the knee in front be at a 90 angle. Taking your hands and reach high above.
Remember that circulation is key. Let your imagination flow as you find new ways to be healthy.
Linda Rawson is the CEO, and Founder of DynaGrace Enterprises, (http://DynaGrace.com) which is a Women-Owned, 8(a) Minority, Small Business. She is also the author of The Minority and Women-Owned Small Business Guide to Government Contracts.
Image Resource: Featured Image https://pxhere.com/en/photo/780566, http://www.freestockphotos.biz/stockphoto/15250
by Machelle | Mar 26, 2018 | Business, General
Continuing after a disaster
Why Plan?
There is no doubt that business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) are two overlapping terms in organizational planning. Both terms are processes that assist organizations to prepare for the unthinkable. Whether it is disruptive events—whether human-made or natural such as a hurricane, earthquake or power outage caused by something unforeseen.
However, it appears that BCDR planning is frequently overlooked or negligently procrastinated when organizations draw up their annual plans. This is evident in the testimonies of some employees who believed that their organization has little or no ability to recover quickly from a disaster.
So, what is the primary reason why organizations often neglect to incorporate the concept of BCDR planning in their day-to-day operations?
A primary reason why organizations fail to integrate BCDR planning
The primary reason why some organizations fail to integrate BCDR planning into their everyday operations is due to the cost of implementation. The fact is that BCDR planning can be expensive and there is no guarantee for immediate or quick return on investment. The process is similar to buying an insurance policy; that is, investing in something you hope you hope you’ll never need.
Notwithstanding, it doesn’t have to be that way, and BCDR should be considered of utmost importance.
3 Reasons why to integrate BCDR planning into your organization’s operations:
Secure and ensure continuous access for employees
Business continuity and disaster recovery planning are proactive steps aimed at avoiding and mitigating risks associated with disruption of business operations. Bear in mind that the best-laid plans won’t stop disasters from happening (especially natural disasters like hurricane,) but the impact that would have been devastating on productivity and revenue if your employees or customers can no longer gain access to critical business data and applications can be taken care of by BCDR planning.
Most contemporary BCDR planning offers the ability to run applications and access data from backup instances of virtual servers. Such plans allow users to continue operations while primary servers (or original business location) are being restored. Choosing such BCDR planning reduces downtime cost and makes good business sense.
Something better than just backup
There is hardly any business today that doesn’t have one form of backup. However, what happens if a mighty flood like hurricane Katrina wipes off your primary and backup data? A proper BCDR planning entails that businesses should consider sending a copy of data offsite for immediate recovery when disaster strikes. Traditionally, this meant sending tapes to a secondary location or some vaults. However, advanced BCDR planning has made it possible to secure and recover data backup from virtual servers and Cloud hosting. Every business needs backup and continuity.
Business continuity is a must
Having constant access to data is very essential, especially for your customers or clients. It means you need to evaluate your business ability to restore IT operations and ensure continuity. Therefore, a proper BCDR planning considers a business impact analysis or risk assessment which will reveal any weaknesses in an organization’s ability to continue operations that exceed IT use.
Final Thought
Business continuity and disaster recovery are highly essential for the success of any business, regardless of profit motive. Here are a couple of sites to find ideas for planning: https://www.ready.gov/business/implementation/continuity and https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/89510
Linda Rawson is the CEO, and Founder of DynaGrace Enterprises, (http://DynaGrace.com) which is a Women-Owned, 8(a) Minority, Small Business. She is also the author of The Minority and Women-Owned Small Business Guide to Government Contracts.
Image Resource: Featured Image https://pixabay.com/en/stickies-post-it-list-business-2852375/, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:New_Zealand_Sign_Assembly_-_Emergency.svg
by Machelle | Mar 19, 2018 | Business, General
Introduction
Portable classrooms are an innovative solution that creates a productive learning environment and caters to new and changing populations. They ensure the extension of learning activities during school renovations, new school construction or emergency situations. Portable classrooms are also known as modular classrooms and are equally useful as daycares, training facilities or professional offices.
What is a portable classroom?
A portable or modular classroom refers to a building that is constructed off-site in a factory setting. What this means is that the materials used in the construction of the building and the entire process of construction take place within a factory. Instead of bringing them to the site to begin construction where the classroom is intended to be.
Once the classrooms have undergone full construction, they are shipped in parts (or whole if possible) to its future location.
What are the benefits of portable classrooms?
Portable classrooms are famous for specific reasons, and below are some of the reasons why there is a need for these modern building designs.
Mobility/flexibility
Portable classrooms are derived from the fact that they are highly flexible and can quickly be moved from one place to another. They are highly suitable for schools that need additional space, especially in an emergency situation. This means is they can be delivered to a school for temporary use and removed once the need for them is no longer necessary. Also, the school also has the luxury of moving the classroom to any other area of choice. Such benefits are not associated with traditional buildings.
Time-saving
As the population increases, the number of students or people gaining admission into schools also increases to a level that sometimes chokes the schools. The schools need to find a quick solution to the new challenge considering that they have to keep up with the curriculum and academic calendar. Portable classrooms may prove to be the best way to address the challenge posed by a growing student body. Since they take less time to build and deliver, depending on the urgency of the problem. Thanks to modern technology, it will take less than 10 weeks to develop and provide a portable classroom.
Different design options
Another excellent reason why portable classrooms are so famous is the numerous design options from which you can choose. It doesn’t matter if you are leasing or purchasing a portable classroom; there is always a style or pattern for you. You can get a turn-key classroom which is portable classrooms with furniture and fittings included to meet the need of your school. You can ask the manufacturer to customize your design just the way you want it. This includes HVAC systems, safety rails, ADA ramps, decks, and security systems where necessary. With portable classrooms, there is no end to design options.
Relatively affordable
Of course, all housing units are costly, but a portable classroom (though not always cheaper) is quite affordable and cost-effective, compared to traditional buildings. The amount you will spend for a portable classroom will largely depend on the level of customization you want. You can easily cut down on cost by purchasing or leasing an existing portable classroom, instead of going all out for a new one. If ever you’re worried about damaging the structures in transit, you have to put that aside. Portable classrooms are designed to be extremely sturdy, and a used one is a great way to save a ton on your budget.
Therefore, considering portable classrooms is a great idea. Plus they have great benefits in a growing community.
Linda Rawson is the CEO, and Founder of DynaGrace Enterprises, (http://DynaGrace.com) which is a Women-Owned, 8(a) Minority, Small Business. She is also the author of The Minority and Women-Owned Small Business Guide to Government Contracts.
Image Resource: Featured Image http://www.intermodalstructures.com/classroom/, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AULAS_M%C3%93VILES_(27983543002).jpg, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portables_at_Rock_Creek_Elementary_School_-_Washington_County,_Oregon_(2012).jpg
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