Spring is in the air and Spring Break is on our minds. With the pandemic still active around us, we’re finding ways to prioritize our own health while also working to protect the safety of those around us. Here are our Top 5 Tips to help you have a happy and healthy spring season.

1. Consider a “stay-cation” at home. Finding new activities at home or around your hometown may spark some of the best memories ever!

2. Get Outdoors. Hiking, kayaking, a picnic, or even a weekend camping trip are safer ways to enjoy a beautiful change of scenery.

3. Recreate your favorite vacation at home. Are you missing your favorite vacation destination? Recreate it, and avoid the risks associated with airports and a new city. For example, a themed meal, reading in a hammock, a foreign film, or a spa night may help you feel like you’ve gotten away – without the jet lag!

4. Find fun activities with members of your household. Spend time playing games together, have a movie marathon, or learn a new hobby. Just be sure to take plenty of photos!

5. Plan and prepare. There’s no time like the present to consider where you’d like to visit once it is safer again. Research destinations, plan your budget, and work out the details so you’ll be prepared for your next adventure.

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This year has undoubtedly been full of surprises – for most of us, we’ve had to adjust to changes in routine, limit visits with loved ones, or accommodate remote school or work. Even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we think it’s more important than ever to recognize all the things we have to be grateful for this year.

We asked a few of our employees to share what it is that they’re most grateful for as we head into the holiday season, and here’s what they said:

1. Connectivity. “2020 has been a really difficult year for all of us, but there are a lot of things to be thankful for if we look for them! The thing that I am most grateful for this year has been the ability to connect more with my family. The simple things like getting to say good morning each day, cooking dinner together on weeknights, grading my son’s homework, and playing with our puppy have helped us to grow even closer together.” -Brandon Lin, Director of Business Process Transformation

2. Self-Care. “Self-care is essential, especially around the holidays, but even more so this year. 2020 has taught us many lessons, and taking care of ourselves mentally, physically and spiritually is important to me. During the holidays, I usually relax by dedicating time for an early morning run, spend a few minutes meditating and the rest of the days loving on my family, which includes my Yorkshire Terrier, Maxx. Taking care of myself is essential when also needing to care for others.” -Wednesdá Furman, Director of HR

3. Memories. “As Thanksgiving approaches, I realize this year will be very different. It makes me extremely thankful for memories of past Thanksgivings and the traditions that have been passed down over the years. I’m also thankful for family who are willing to do things differently this year to make the ‘Pandemic Thanksgiving’ a safe and memorable one.” -Tammy Jones, Loss Control Engineer, Corporate Risk Department

4. Friends and Family. “I’m grateful for my friends and family. This being a really difficult year to work with all the changes taking place in the world, we tend to lean on the ones we love and care the most for support – especially when we don’t know what’s around the corner. But friends and family will always be there to get you through the tough times.” -Brent Hardesty, Systems Administrator

5. Technology. “I’m thankful for the way this year has helped me better connect with my friends and family who live far away. As I started using more virtual hangouts and video chats as creative ways to socialize while social distancing, I’ve gotten closer to some of my out-of-state friends as a result. It has been a huge silver lining of the pandemic.”  -Megan McManus, IT Trainer, Tech Adoption Team

We know how the fall season goes – work gets busier, papers are due, kids are out of school for the holidays (not to mention how the pandemic has shaken up our usual plans and family get-togethers). As we reflected on ways to stay motivated and grounded throughout the season, we assembled our Top 5 Inspirational Quotes to help us get through:

1. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” –Mark Twain
2. “Failure isn’t fatal – but failure to change might be.” –John Wooden
3. “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you down. It’s the pebble in your shoe.” –Muhammad Ali
4. “I’ve found that there is always some beauty left – in nature, sunshine, freedom, in yourself; these can all help you.” –Anne Frank
5. “You can’t fall if you don’t climb. But there’s no joy in living your whole life on the ground.” –Unknown

We believe customer service is more than a mindset. It’s more than the skills to make a sale or fix a problem.

Customer service is about maintaining healthy relationships that are mutually beneficial for everyone involved. You can improve your customer service at work and at home. Here are five places to start:

Empathy. Try to connect with and relate to the people in your life – from your friend Tim to your Great Aunt Tina. Putting yourself in their shoes and understanding how they feel can make all the difference when they seek your help or input.

Responsibility. Hold yourself responsible for maintaining your personal and professional relationships. If a problem arises, simply having the ability to say “I’m sorry” and “Let me try to fix it” can help ease tension and demonstrate that you’re willing to take responsibility for misunderstandings or mistakes.

Communication. Clear communication is one of the best ways to ensure that both parties understand each other’s needs. And listen up! By listening to someone, not just doing the talking, you’re actually taking the time to hear them. Asking questions can also make them feel valued and respected.

Creativity. Break up your normal, routine decisions. Collaborate with new colleagues at work or discover a random activity to do with your family. Simple choices like these exercise your creative mind, which comes into play when you need to solve a problem or simply keep boredom at bay.

Positivity. A good attitude shows others that you’re truly motivated to be there for them, which helps the other four tips also fall into place. You’ve got this!

Spending more time at home over the past few months has been an interesting journey for many of us. Straying from our daily routines and being distanced from friends and family can leave us feeling isolated, stir-crazy, and anxious. Here are our top five things you can do to bring a little more joy to your quarantine:

1. Take a free online class. There are countless resources available online to learn (or hone) a new skill or hobby like yoga, painting, dancing, or cooking. Taking a one-time course or series of courses can provide you with a tangible goal to accomplish, all within the comfort of your own living room (or kitchen, or studio, or garage…).

2. Cook your favorite meal. Perhaps you miss a certain dish from your favorite restaurant, or maybe you haven’t had your aunt’s famous chicken noodle soup in a few months. Now is the perfect time to gather the ingredients and settle in for a delicious meal – and maybe learn a thing or two while you’re at it!

3. Donate to a local food pantry. With so many people in need right now, there has never been a better time to give. This is also a great way to stay engaged and connected with your community.

4. Perform a random act of kindness. If you’ve ever been in line at a drive-through and had the person in front of you pay for your meal, you know how wonderful that can feel. Random acts of kindness often spur a chain reaction, which can make a whole lot of people feel joy – it can even change a person’s entire day. This can even be as simple as paying someone a compliment!

5. Take a break from social media. Studies have shown that social media can lead to depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, and more. The COVID-19 pandemic has already intensified these feelings, so disconnecting even for one day has the potential to help improve your mood and help you stay fully present in the moment.

Change is inevitable. But as the global COVID-19 pandemic has impacted us in very real ways, we’ve faced significant change within our personal and professional lives. We compiled a few ideas to help us manage through it, and – dare we say it – experience healthy growth as a result.

1. Self-reflect. Introspection is spending intentional time examining your own thoughts and emotions. It can help you grow your understanding of who you are, who you’d like to be, why you made certain decisions, or why you feel specific emotions. Self-reflection enables you to move from just experiencing to understanding during times of change.

2. Connect with others. Human connection is vital to our overall wellbeing. We’re wired to regularly hold fulfilling interactions and conversations with others. Feeling connected can also reinforce a support system, motivate you, and reduce stress. This can be as simple as reaching out for a regular “pulse check” with your friends or teammates, even if it’s from a distance through video chat.

3. Ease up. You may feel a little out of control or overwhelmed when things change. You may feel like you are not living up to your expectations or that your mind is moving too fast to keep up. Ease up on yourself. We once read a great tip to use when things feel like they’re spiraling out of control – it’s to return to the present. Wherever you are, take a moment to identify a few tangible things around you and recognize that in the present moment, you’re breathing and you’re in control. A small step to feeling better.

4. Focus on positive outcomes. Change presents us with the opportunity to grow, so it’s important to acknowledge the things that have improved around us. Write down a few ways this season of change has impacted you for the better. You may surprise yourself with how many you can list!

5. Stay optimistic. Ultimately, it’s important to see the future through a lens of optimism. We couldn’t have said it better than Simon Sinek: “Optimism is different than positive – and it’s definitely not naive. Optimism is the belief that the future is positive, that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and we’re heading there, together.”

With more people working remotely from home than ever before, we’re all finding ways to navigate this “new normal” and remain committed to our work. Here are a few tips we’ve picked up:

1. Establish Your Space: If you don’t have a dedicated workspace, your entire house will end up becoming your office. Take time to create a clean and organized area for work, even if it’s at the dining room table. Setting a few boundaries with family can minimize distractions when you’re in your spot. If not, invest in some noise-cancelling headphones.
2. Set Your Hours. By now you’re probably starting to see patterns in your productivity. While you should always be available for workday meetings, a flexible schedule may help you maintain your momentum. Create a (manager-approved) schedule that works for you, then stick with it!
3. Keep Connecting. Talk to someone every day, but not just about work. Regular communication among team members is necessary to keep projects moving forward. However, ensuring that your coworkers feel engaged is just as important. To create an even better connection, share your video – and your smile!
4. Prioritize… Then Unplug. Many managers fear their employees will slack off without oversight. In fact, remote workers tend to have a really hard time disconnecting. Challenge yourself with small goals each day to maintain productivity. Just be sure to take your time off seriously too, or you’ll risk burnout.
5. Take Care of You. Most people aren’t productive in their pajamas. Take time to shower and put on clean “work clothes” (a slouchy tee is fine) before opening your laptop. Eat healthy meals, drink plenty of water, replace your commute with an afternoon walk, and get plenty of sleep. When you feel your best, it’s much easier to maintain a positive perspective.

Giving feedback to another employee can be very difficult. However, it’s also an essential part of building successful teams. If an individual knows where they need to improve, it can help them grow within their role. Here are our tips for making those discussions a more positive experience:

1. Choose an appropriate time and place. When delivering feedback be sure to leave enough time to discuss the issue without feeling rushed. Choosing a more relaxed environment can be helpful in less formal situations, while potentially difficult conversations should usually be addressed in an office or meeting room. Never give “negative” feedback in public.
2. Start with questions. Because you never know another person’s situations or intentions, it’s best to start the dialog with questions rather than statements. This approach also creates a two-way interaction which can result in more positive outcomes.
3. Be prepared. Identify your goals for the conversation and what you hope to achieve. Take time to consider both the employee’s successes, as well as any weaknesses, along with specific examples. Write them down to keep the discussion on track.
4. Focus on the goal. Effective feedback will encourage problem-solving rather than forcing an employee to change. Make it clear you’re not trying to “fix” them, you’re trying to develop them. By focusing on behaviors and how they impact the team, the employee may be more receptive to development.
5. Don’t sugarcoat it. In an attempt to be kind, we often soften difficult feedback by downplaying it or “sandwiching” it between two compliments. This can dilute your concern to the point that it’s not even heard. Instead, be direct and assertive — then discuss ways to reach a positive, actionable solution together.

If one of your goals for 2020 is to see a better you, you’ll first have to do a little bit of growing. Self-development takes time and energy, but if you’re committed to improving, you’ll notice profound results — both in your personal life and at work! Here are our tips for developing yourself:

1. Understand what’s driving you. Self-development requires internal motivation, so it often helps to pinpoint what’s at the root of your desire for improvement. So, take an honest look at who you are, how you’re wired, and what you want to get out of the journey.
2. Get to know the people around you. A simple starting point is to ask questions! There is likely someone down the hall or on your team whose job seems interesting to you. Ask them about it! Networking is vital in any healthy career, so put your name and face in the minds of influencers.
3. Isolate a particular skill to master. Someone wise once told us: “We can do anything, but we can’t afford to do everything.” When you’re tackling self-development, it’s impossible to do it all at once. If you focus on just one skill for a certain amount of time (developing better listening behaviors, for example), you’ll be more in tune with your progress along the way.
4. Craft a plan. After you isolate a skill to develop, consider 1) practical ways to apply and improve that skill, and 2) a realistic timeframe for making progress. What is your end goal in 6 months? In 1 year? You can always adjust your plan, but try to keep your sights on the end goal.
5. Get comfortable with discomfort. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: True change happens outside of your comfort zone. If you want to develop, you’re going to have to face a little discomfort. Challenge yourself to take on tasks or assignments that stretch the limits of your abilities.

We all have goals in life — both personal and professional. Unfortunately, it’s often difficult to gather up the motivation to make that first step toward reaching them. Here are our favorite ways to set yourself up for success:

1. Be realistic. Those lofty goals may seem motivating at first, but can quickly become overwhelming. Try setting smaller, more attainable objectives to boost your morale and keep you moving toward success.

2. Use the Five-A-Day Rule. Develop a pattern of consistently completing five small tasks each day toward your goals. Small steps will eventually add up to big wins!

3. Take care of yourself. When you’re stressed out and overworked it’s difficult to focus. Make your health (and your sanity) a priority in any goal plan.

4. Keep score. Recording your wins can add to the competition, especially when you’re counting down the clock. If it helps, make a visual chart to keep yourself on track until the finish line.

5. Join forces. Sharing goals with a friend may add some pressure, but accountability can be a great thing. Encourage them to share theirs too — then celebrate each success together!