A common problem for almost all workplaces is the lack of employees’ engagement. We may blame it on the employee, but when the majority of employees suffer from it, workplaces know they are also part of the problem, or perhaps their management techniques.
However, employees are not hard to satisfy, and they can be happy in a workplace even if they are not paid very large sums. In fact, in a study, 90% of employees said that a more fun work environment increases their engagement and 72% of the engaged employees confirmed that their opinion was taken into consideration by their company. One may consider stress as a normal factor in work, but constant stress is bad. And although a manager has more experience that the employees he manages, but it does not mean employees do not have great ideas.
So treat your employees like you would treat your date to make them happy: talk to them about their interests, care for their opinion and point of view, and offer them activities that interest them, not just activities that interest your company. Their engagement will return with plenty of benefits to the company!
Driving is one of the most dangerous things to do in life, especially in Lebanon (we know our reputation). I have spent long, and I do mean LOOOOONG hours on the roads to know that. Yet it’s a necessity. Just like life, we can’t keep on avoiding it. If we look at it, it really makes sense.
1. You need to get to point A to point B, but you never really know when you will make it, because no matter how well you plan, you will probably be a little earlier or a little later, that is if you make it at all. This applies to every plan we make in life. Lucky are those who stick to the plan and can make it just in time, but for the majority of us, that’s not how it’s gonna happen. Plus, the trip is never as we plan it, there is always the element of surprise hiding somewhere.
2. Along the way, you will find all sorts of obstacles: – People driving too slow but blocking your way, the equivalent of the people who cannot comprehend progress and change, and don’t let others try it. – Potholes that you either drive over, avoid, or fall in. They exist and you cannot really avoid them unless you change your road. – People cutting you off, trespassing your lane, just being assholes overall. No need to ask you how many people you wish you never came across, yet you can’t really avoid them, unless you stay home. – Road cuts, forcing you to change roads, or change destinations. You also – Your own anger and rage. I have road rage most of the time, I haven’t experienced a long drive in the middle of the day during traffic without cursing someone in a long long time. And it does make the drive harder, just like our negative feelings make it harder for us to get through life. This is perhaps the toughest part.
3. Just by being on the road, you are already facing dangers and risks, just like being alive means you cannot be safe from danger. But would you rather live and take some risks? Or stay at home and miss the whole trip?
4. Sometimes, we need to make on the spot decisions, which affect the speed at which we reach our final destination and how we do it. But life is never about comfort, it’s about the excitement and difficulties we get over.
5. The road you choose affects your speed, and your presence on this road affects others’ trip. You can use the highway, you can use the old side roads or just make a whole new road, it’s up to you. But remember, the easy roads are the most traveled and the ones that get flooded the fastest. Sometimes, the good old roads are longer, but you may get faster to your destination. And if neither works, you can always create your own road and be a pioneer. Of course, there’s the cheaters, who can use pull strings, close the fastest roads, and get there while eliminating others unfairly. We hate cheaters.
6. You can drive yourself, you can trust others to drive you, you can choose a destination that is really close and walk the road, and you can stay at home. You either work hard on yourself, choose a road set to you by others or that goes through others, choose a road that is easy for you and doesn’t require much work, or you can live just because you didn’t die yet. If you choose a new road, it may not be guaranteed that you will reach the planned destination, but I guarantee you that you will enjoy the ride and learn more.
7. You can also drive alone or have company, and in both cases there’s a risk. The ones who drive alone may end up stranded and needing help, and those who choose the wrong company can end up in an accident or hurt others because they’ve been following bad advice.
8. The way you drive will impact the road others use after you. Your badly maintained car, your “tiny” gas or oil leak, and the bad tires you use can put others in danger. If you drive recklessly, you are a danger to yourself and to others. Always think of each action you take: is it worth the risk? If I do this step, will I create a benefit or will I be destroying others? If I do this change, am I making it better or worse? Reckless drivers always say: I am fast but I am careful, it will not happen to me, yet there are always casualties.
9. You can follow the rules or break them, and there’s a chance you will get away with it for a few times. But one day, you will be caught, and you will have to take responsibility of your actions. Think of it as karma in life, you think that you will do great no matter what, but it’s gonna come back to you somehow.
10. If you invest some time in maintaining the road, your trip and others’ is better. If you see a rock on the road an remove it, you benefit from it yourself and you let others benefit from it. You may see a pothole and ask for it to be repaired, or you may open a tire shop 50 feet away and make use of it, it’s all up to you. But don’t get upset if someone fixed the pothole, they’re not against you, and it’s their right to advance and choose a solution.
11. Sometimes, you decide to bypass a car but when the opportunity comes, you feel incapable of it, yet you block the road on others EVERY TIME they have the opportunity to bypass you and that car, instead of letting them pass. And sometimes you are that first car, and you drive while making sure no one can pass you by, even through you’re slowing everyone else. Selfish drivers consider themselves the priority just because they were there first, yet they only cause a delay for everyone else, and a long traffic road. In the first case, you are not using the open opportunity correctly and you don’t let others use it. In the second case, you are making yourself an obstacle just to forbid others from going places, but you gain nothing. Which many of us do in life. We grab all opportunities and yet we don’t use them correctly, or we stop others from getting their share of opportunities for a fake sense of being the best. But the truth is, we are not the best, we are just breaking everyone else’s wings so we can be the only ones flying. We know that we are not good enough, and we don’t want to work on getting better, because breaking others is easier than working on ourselves.
Life is not about the destination, but about the journey. I hope your journey gets filled with great experiences and amazing people.
It seems strange that being online is causing pollution. We are using a computer, reducing the need for paper, not travelling distances to communicate, and we are using mostly energy efficient machines that have a low average electricity consumption. So why does being online cause pollution? And what can we do to reduce it? In this part, we will be giving you tips on how to reduce your personal carbon footprint impact. In part 2, we will give you tips on how your company can act greener and reduce its Internet pollution impact! I gathered the best advice from various sources, I hope you will enjoy the content!
Internet Pollution
Are you familiar with the term Internet pollution? It is a term that refers to the pollution caused by the data processing servers and data centers, since they consume a lot of energy. In fact, a data center on average consumes the same amount of energy as 30’000 European inhabitants DAILY! Energy is used to power and cool down servers, and ensures that they operate c continuously in case there’s a failure. Since the world still relies heavily on dirty energy, this energy is causing an additional release of CO2!
Retrieved from CCCB Lab, Source: Jon Koomey.
The Internet pollution, also known as Digital Pollution, originates mainly from activities that require a lot of resources, such as streaming videos, mining for bitcoins, and sending/storing emails.
How can I help?
You may think that as a user, you may not make a difference. It is true that the upgrade of data centers and servers is up to the companies. But you can reduce your own activities’ carbon footprint and energy requirements with a few steps:
Take care of your email
Clean your inbox regularly, and get rid of those thousands of emails that you stored a long time ago to read later on, but never did. If you are a nostalgic person and you saved every email your friends and family sent you, just save these letters on your computer and remove them from your inbox, you’ll be doing the Earth a favor.
Unsubscribe from the useless newsletters that you do not read, it will reduce the distraction created by recurrent incoming mail, reduce the number of emails uselessly stored, and help you find the important emails faster.
Send short, clear, and easy to read emails, with optimized attachements. It will require less energy to send and receive the content, and your recipient(s) will need less time to read the email, and understand your goals better. If the email is unclear, you will receive back another email demanding clarifications, which will cause an unnecessary amount of energy to be spent for additional emails.
Use compressed and light format files in your email attachements and when uploading files to an online drive. If you are sharing a photo with family, prefer JPEG format to Bitmap to reduce the size, and you can always resize it. Although a 10 megapixels photo is cool, unless you need professional work done on the photo, you can have a great photo quality for 5 megapixels as well. You can easily resize the photo using Paint or online tools.
Don’t check your email all the time. To avoid missing out on important emails, we advise you to have a personal email for all the personal emails, and a professional email for all education and work emails. You can stop all the incoming email notifications during work hours from your personal email, and you can disconnect from work by turning off the notifications of your professional emails during your off-work time. Not only will you reduce the carbon footprint, you will also be able to work with much less interruptions and have a better performance during work hours, and be able to disconnect better from work and its stress in your off-duty hours.
Unless you REALLY NEED to, don’t use the “reply to all” option when sending back an email. Send the follow-up message only to the concerned people.
Make use of the subject line in emails to inform your recipient about the content, so they know whether it is urgent/important enough to read on the spot, or whether they can read it later.
Act more responsibly online
This part is really important. You need to reduce any unnecessary carbon emissions that your online presence may cause.
Choose a greener online cloud service, use lighter file formats, and reduce the unnecessary use of online space. We know it’s awesome to have a free cloud storage and put all our treasured memories, but it is also consuming too much energy, when you can keep an offline copy on an external storage and/or your computer. Make sure to back-up regularly your files and remove that 4 year old university project that you saved online when you feared you might lose it.
Reduce the number of photos you share on social media by removing unnecessary photos. These photos take a large space off servers, and with the increasing number of users, companies keep on adding data servers to cover the need. Your school photos are really cute, but do you really need an album of 100 photos to confirm it?
Delete your old accounts if you no longer use them, and don’t create unnecessary email addresses just for fun. Although it’s cool to have 1 extra free month from Netflix when using a new account, it’s doing a lot of harm when you consider the number of users doing it.
Bookmark the websites you always visit, instead of researching them every time you want to use them. It will save a whole lot of energy.
Reduce the time you spend online. Since pages usually keep on loading, if you have a long read, you can download the web page as offline copy, or simply disconnect yourself from the internet until you need to use it again.
Optimize your research by using specific keywords and favorite your frequent searches. Remember that each search is using more energy. Prefer using green search engines like Ecosia, as they use way less energy, and prefer clean energy to dirty one. In addition, many of them use the revenue to support an environmental cause!
Research the companies whose services you’re using. You will discover which ones are working towards greener services and which ones do not care about it at all. A good reference is RE100, a reference for companies that pledged to use 100% renewable energy. RE100 is a global corporate leadership initiative bringing together influential businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity. You can also check Clickclean, an initiative by Greenpeace. They do annual reports on the green performance of large corporations, and they do campaigns to influence companies to turn green through petitions.
The next time you think that you can be more eco-friendly when using online services, think twice! Sometimes, their environmental impact is worse than doing things the traditional way. If you can communicate it live, prefer it to sending emails or instant messages. If you feel safe to store a file on local drives, prefer it to cloud systems.
One person may have a small impact, but when a group of people do it, they can make a difference and inspire others to do so as well. So make sure to inform others on how to reduce their online carbon footprint as well!
I hate complicated methods to color eggs, I always used the coloring kits available in stores. But I realized that I may be harming myself by choosing the easy packed way, especially that in Lebanon, I did not find a natural ingredients dye kit yet. This is why I decided to find the best natural methods to color them.
Although it takes more time than just popping a colors pill or using food coloring, the results are great, the ingredients are majorly cheap, and you have room to get creative and experiment
The coloring ingredients
There are hundreds of ideas out there, my favorite are onions and beetroots for the amazing colors they give. Both ingredients are also very widely used in Lebanon, and were used by families for decades. I retrieved a list of many easy to find color ingredients via Practicallyfunctional.com, shown below. They also included their recommended quantities, but you can add more or less depending on the color intensity you desire. Don’t forget that the original color of your eggs will affect the final result.
You can use many more ingredients, like:
– well brewed camomille tea for light yellow
– strongly brewed hibiscus tea for dark green
– blueberries for a marbled blue
– Hibiscus flowers for reddish blue to lavender
– sunflower petals for pale yellow
– curry powder for pale orange
– paprika for darker orange
– chili powder for red to brown
– cranberry juice for pink to red
– undiluted pomegranate juice for pink
– frozen cherries or raspberries for pink
– simmered orange peels for light yellow
– chopped carrots for red-orange
– Frozen blueberries for grey-blue
– Spinach or parsley for green
You can also mix between different colors and experiment to have more shades and colors.
The coloring methods
You also have either the cold dye method, which is suitable for the lighter colors and to have eggs that last longer, and you can use the hot dye method for richer deeper colors, but with over boiled eggs that last only until Easter is over.
Hot dye method:
Add water, your dye ingredient and white vinegar to a pot and let them boil. The quantity of vinegar recommended is 2 tbsp of vinegar per liter (or quarter in US) of water. In addition add some salt to the mixture to help retain the color. You can also have different color shades if you use baking soda in small quantities, as it affects the acidity of certain ingredients, like cabbage, which affects the resulting color.
Then add eggs, allow them to boil for a few minutes, then reduce the heat to allow the pot’s content to simmer for around 15 minutes. Avoid overcooking the eggs, don’t keep them on heat for more than 30 minutes as they will be overcooked, making them edible for a shorter period.
Remove the pot away from the stove, cover it and and let it rest for an additional 15 minutes or more, depending on the depth of the color you desire.
Remove the eggs, rinse them carefully in lukewarm water, and let them air dry.
Cold dye method:
Add water, your dye ingredient and white vinegar to a pot and let them boil. The quantity of vinegar recommended is 2 tbsp of vinegar per liter (or quarter in US) of water. In addition add some salt to the mixture to help retain the color. You can also have different color shades if you use baking soda in small quantities, as it affects the acidity of certain ingredients, like cabbage, which affects the resulting color.
Simmer the mixture, covered, until the water is well colored. It takes anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours.
Strain the colored water from the remains of your ingredient, let it cool.
Add you hard-boiled eggs to the colored mixture, and let it soak for as long as you see it necessary to reach your desired color. You can even keep them in the fridge overnight.
Decoration ideas
An Easter egg needs some decoration, and by using natural coloring, it is a little tricky. But if you decorate BEFORE coloring, you can end up with really cool eggs.
For patterns, use stickers all over the egg to create patterns, let the egg color, then peel off the stickers, You can also use ropes and tape.
For natural decoration, ciaoflorentina.com recommends that you add a plant on the egg by using some water.
Then firmly enclose the egg in stockings and proceed with the coloring method of your choice.
Once you are done, you will have beautifully decorated eggs.
These are few ideas, there are so many more. If you have tried other methods and they worked, please share them with me as well. I hope you have a great Easter and you enjoy decorating your eggs without worrying about toxic components.
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Crafts are really fun, but a lot of resources is wasted. But sometimes, a little care can help you save your tools and keep them in a good state for longer. In this post, I will add some useful tips that helped me out:
Bad scissors: if your scissors are no longer cutting well, they need to be resharpened. Rather than a scissors sharpener that may not be available, use sand paper: cut with the scissors the sand paper and the abrasion of the paper will sharpen them. You can use a small test paper, and keep on cutting in the sand paper until you’re satisfied. The sand paper can be cut into pieces that you can use for other projects.
Spraying: you want to spray but you don’t want to ruin the covers you’re using? Opt for a cardboard box. Put the item to spray inside it, and spray it to your heart’s content!
Sticky cuts: you want to cut duct tape but you don’t want to ruin your scissors? Run some baby wipes on the scissors prior to cutting, and they will not stick as much to the tape.
Tape residues on scissors: if your scissors have tape or glue on them, they’re not ruined. You soak your scissors in lukewarm water for 30 seconds then open and close the scissors to get rid of the glue. Repeat as much as needed. An alcohol wiping can help you get rid of the stubborn residues.
Old tape roll: if you are finding it hard to use an old tape roll, put it in the microwave for 10 seconds (make sure it doesn’t have foil in it) so that its glue will loosen up rather than stick altogether.
Stained paintbrushes: paintbrushes are not that cheap if you work with high quality. To keep them in a good state, wash the bristles and the ferrule (metal tip that holds the bristles) with shampoo or soap, gently rub to keep the bristles unharmed, then rince well with lukewarm water. They need to be stored either horizontally or vertically with the bristles up.
These are few ideas and I will be adding some more soon!
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2015 is now here and I am back to my job searching, especially that with the new year, almost all companies have vacancies, as most employees get a promotion or leave the company by the end of the previous year. Since I’ve been searching for a while for a job and making job interviews, I have my share of experience in this area. So for newbies in this domain, or maybe future job seekers, I will be giving a couple of tips I learned along the way.
I live in Lebanon, but I believe that what I learned could apply to most companies worldwide. And the first thing I learned is DO NOT FREAK OUT! Yes you try but you can’t help it, but freaking out will not help you at all. The recruiters can be mean and annoying, but if you show them that you are scared, mad or freaked out, they will become even more!
In order to avoid being freaked out, always do a small research before going. Which takes me to tip number 2: a job interview is like a small exam, you study, you can make it! You know the position you are applying for, you know the field the company is involved in, you can search it easily. I always did a small research about the industry or the company I would be applying at, and it always helped me to feel relaxed and at ease. I search for the tasks my job could involved, the most usual techniques used, the essential know-how I would need to start comfortably.
The third thing is related to clothes. Do not overdo it! Not too much makeup, no extra accessories, no need for very high heels, it’s not a very good impression for you ladies to fall head first as you walk in or out of an interview. I went to all of the interviews wearing colorful outfits, dresses, or colorful shirts, an outfit stylish but not too formal, decent, no revealng cleavage, nothing very revealing. I am a young fresh graduate, I woudn’t want the employer to let this detail out, as I am the new blood for their workplace, the energy that will help the company go further towards the better. For the outfits, if you are young, show it, without being vulgar or trashy, and also without having dark outfits. Unless you are a lawyer, I wouldn’t say that wearing what suits your age is wrong. Same for shoes. You wear flat shoes or short heels, and be able to walk around, and it’s better than feeling uncomfortable. After all, if you feel comfortable, you are able to perform better at the interview, without worrying if your tie is crooked or if your fake lashes are falling.
The fourth and final thing I wish to talk about is the way you talk and act. Don’t be too rigid, avoid crossing hands or clunching your fist, it shows that you are worried and anxious. Talk enough, talk calmly, on a normal rythm, not too fast not too slow. It’s a normal conversation. Show that you know what you are applying for. Prepare for the very common questions asked in interviews, such as: where do you see yourself in 1, 5, or 10 years? What is your ambition? Why are you applying to our company? What makes you the most suitable candidate for this position? What can you give for our company? What do you consider to be your major strength/weakness points? And I would advise you not to sound desperate, not at all, you should show that although you need a job, you want the best conditions, you are giving them qualities worth the salary they are giving you, and you deserve even more. However, don’t make your interviewer feel threatened by you, be also modest, as they will see in you a great candidate, but not enough to threaten them. Trust me, it can happen.
These are the most important tips that came to my mind, I hope they will be useful to you when you apply for a job. If you need any supplementary information, feel free to contact me. I wish you all good luck! May the stars be with you 😉
Hopeful Fatalist 