Check out this article. Vicki Gerson offers some good work place habits to keep you feeling in fine fettle for your workday.

“Feel Healthier at Work

By Vicki Gerson

Tips for Reducing Physical and Visual Stress at Your Desk
Your neck and shoulders ache, your eyes are dry and blurry, and you think you’ve pinched a nerve in your ‘posterior’ from sitting in that darned wobbly chair. There are enough headaches in your job that you don’t need the body aches that plague you.

Many of the experts who design the equipment and furniture for the workspace go to great lengths to ensure their products are ‘ergonomically’ pleasing to the user. Chances are, however, that your office space isn’t as up-to-date as it could be for comfort. And as you know only too well, ergonomics – – defined as fitting a workplace to the worker – - isn’t a one size fits all proposition!

Make Your Chair Fit You
Whether its newly designed furniture or pieces that have been around, each chair needs to be adjusted to match your physical needs. Take the time to ensure that your chair is at the appropriate height for you, that there aren’t loose pieces and that the backrest is positioned correctly.

• When you sit, keep your feet flat on the floor. Your knees should be kept close together.
• Your chair should be able to support your legs without too much pressure on the back of your thighs.
• Your back should fit snugly against the backrest; don’t perch on the edge of the seat!
• Don’t sit in the same position for hours. Shift positions frequently.
• Think about your posture. Slouching won’t make you feel better at the end of the day. Learn how to sit properly in your chair so you feel great!
• Tighten screws to stop the chair from wobbling or buy a new one if all else fails.

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We all know how important first impressions are, especially in a career. Here is an article from Avery  about making a good first impression.

“Make First Impressions Count
No matter what the social event—whether it’s a social gathering, business meeting, or company function—you’re meeting new people and sizing them up. And they’re doing the same with you. Did you know that people make judgments about each other within the first minute they meet? Those first impressions can easily become lasting impressions. So what do you want those first few seconds to say about you?

When first impressions make the difference, it’s important to understand how you come across to others. Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., is the founder of Quintessential Careers, a leading career development site. He shares his tips and insight on the way we impact people, whether it’s in person or on paper.

First Impressions Made in Person

Attire

Whenever you’re meeting people for the first time, whether you’re networking, attending a business meeting, or dating, it’s essential to look the part. In other words, dress for the specific occasion, even if it means doing a little research up front. Think of how you want to be perceived by the people you’re about to meet and dress accordingly, advises Dr. Hansen.

Grooming

Hair should be neat; not the wind-tunnel look. For women, less makeup is always better than too much, and a light perfume or cologne is acceptable, but be careful of overwhelming the people in the room with the scent. Keep in mind that being well-groomed can make people think you’re efficient and reliable, while being unkempt and untidy makes people think you’re disorganized.

The Handshake

Make it simple. Extend your right hand and grasp their hand gently but firmly. No bone-crushers, and certainly no four-handed, one-hand-over-the-other shakes. Definitely no sweaty, clammy, or wimpy handshakes, either. If necessary, carry a handkerchief in your pocket and wipe your hand before you do the meet and greet.

Conversation

The world doesn’t revolve around you, and neither should your conversations. Be sure to engage the other person when you talk, and use their name for emphasis. You can, of course, talk about yourself, but don’t make the whole conversation about you, and keep stories short. Look for common ground with the person you’re talking to, and share stories about that common interest.

Attitude

Nothing works better in any situation than having and expressing a positive attitude. Let your enthusiasm for any new situation show, and leave your problems at the door.

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Commuting can be a twice-a-day nightmare. What do you do to keep yourself calm and productive during rush hour? This article from Acco Brands give some great tips on how to make the most of your time while sitting in your car.

“Seven Survival Tips for Your Commute

Pair urban sprawl with the revitalization of the city center and you get many people forced to live far away from where they work. If you drive, that can mean lots of idle time gritting your teeth and watching brake lights in front of you, right? Well, it doesn’t have to. Use some of these easy tips to transform your commute from a frustrating waste to productive “me time.”

1. Become a news buff.
Instead of having time to linger with your favorite newspaper or morning news show over breakfast, you have to tackle a dizzying drive. That doesn’t mean you have to forego being able to ace a current events quiz. Tune your radio dial to all-news or current event stations, like National Public Radio, and soak up the knowledge.

2. Learn a new language.
If you’re planning a trip why not brush up on the local language so you can impress the natives? Even if you’re not crossing any borders, your commuting time gives you an opportunity to listen to those fun language tapes. And let’s face it, the next time someone cuts you off, repeating hola is probably a lot better for your stress level than yelling other choice phrases.

3. Catch up on the bestseller list.
Even if you’re sitting behind the wheel of a car, you can still get some quality reading done with the help of audio books. Most libraries and bookstores stock a whole slew of both educational and just plain fun titles.

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Here is a great article from Avery with some solid advice for the presentation of your presentation. Enjoy!

“Use Perspective to Create Presentations

This is a great article from Barb Friedman highlighting Wilson Jones products. She’s a professional organizer!  Write Now! carries everything you need to make sure your office is running efficiently – from filing cabinets to binder tabs. Check us out Write Now! to see how we can help you out.

“Is Your Office In Working Order?
Setting Up a Workspace That Suits Your Workstyle
By Barb Friedman

Many people think their office should be organized just like their co-worker’s. The truth is, setting up your office in your own way can be a lot of fun! It is your space to develop into a pleasant environment that best suits your personal workstyle. The problem is, we don’t usually dedicate time to finding systems that work the best for us. Before you tackle your work projects, it’s important that you decide what types of organizational systems will most effectively support you in getting your daily work done.

The key to setting up an office that works is creating a home, or a specific place, for all the papers, files and materials that make up your office. It’s just like organizing your garage: you identify a specific place for lawn & garden supplies, car maintenance supplies, winter accessories, toys, etc. In your office, just like in your garage, you should create a “home” for files and equipment alike.

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Focusing on green in April. Write Now! Office Products is proud of its wide selection of green products. We even have a Green Catalog.  Here is a great article from Smead sharing ideas on being more green.
“Making Your Office Earth-Friendly
Even though offices have moved into the electronic age, the use of paper is not slowing. That’s why it’s more important than ever to help the environment by recycling and buying products made with recycled materials.

It is a common myth that recycling is critical because it saves trees. Because of tree farming and forest management, there are more trees now than 70 years ago. The real problem is the country’s landfills, which are nearing capacity at an alarming rate. That is why Smead is taking an active role to help reduce landfill waste.

Keeping the World Sustainable
At Smead, keeping the world organized also means keeping the world sustainable. In 1989, Smead realized it could have a positive impact on the environment by diverting used paper from landfills and re-using it in the manufacture of filing products. Today, every Smead-branded paper product contains post consumer recycled material, and more than 140 products are made from 100% recycled paper.

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Did you know that Write Now! OP offers a wide variety of Virco furniture? Take a look at our selection, Write Now!

Virco Corporation is doing their part in making a greener earth. Not only are many of their products green, but they’ve made decisive strides in other ways. Here’s a few of their accomplishments:

“Resource Recovery Accomplishments
Over 305,242,619 pounds of recyclables have been processed by Virco since 1989.

Through out comprehensive resource recovery program – which includes over 40 items – Virco recycles:

• More than 1.0 million lbs. of cardboard and paper per year (since 1989, more than 31.5 million lbs. have been recycled);
• More than 1.4 million lbs. of steel and other metals per year (since 1991, more than 114.5 million lbs. of steel and other metals have been recycled);
• More than 1,700,000 lbs. of plastics, including compression-molded hard plastic in 2008 (since 1991, more than 11.1 million lbs. have been recycled);
• In addition, Virco has recycled more than 127.6 million pounds of wood dust, particleboard, and pallets over the last 10 years.
• In 2008, we diverted more than 2,900,000 pounds of demolition waste from landfill disposal.
• In 2007-2008, Virco recycled 45,000 pounds of electronic equipment; we also recycled 2,950 pounds of tires.
• These efforts have enabled over 15,000,000 pounds of waste to be diverted from landfill disposal each year, on average since 1989; we average approximately, $130,000 in annual savings by diverting waste from the landfill.

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Here’s an article from Smead about the effect our brain’s make-up has on our work.  It’s pretty interesting.

Check out our great Smead products. Write Now!

The Right-Brained Office vs. The Left-Brained Office

The right brained office is actually going to look very different than the left brained office. If you have ever wondered what your office says about you, your right brain or left brain probably holds the answer. If you really think, it’s likely that your office shouts out whether you are a right-brain or left-brain dominant person. One of the quickest ways to improve your productivity is by setting up a workspace supportive of your dominant brain style.

RIGHT- BRAIN RATIONALE

The right-brained person usually has a creative flair, a strong visual sensibility and a holistic approach to putting space together. The right-brain person benefits from a workspace that uses lots of color along with options for keeping work papers out in the open. Tools such as literature sorters, project file boxes and Smead Open Rolling Files give a right-brained person the visual cues they need while keeping papers contained and organized. These options avoid the out-of-sight, out-of-mind syndrome that pushes a right-brained person to create piles instead of files.

Another good method for the right brained office is the use of attractive and colorful file folders, magazine holders, binders and portfolios. This will inspire the right-brained person to organize with products that create a visually stimulating environment. The right-brained person will not only better remember where info is stored; they’ll actually enjoy using these artistic tools.

LEFT- BRAIN LOGIC

While the right-brain dominant person works better with everything out in the open, the left-brain dominant person does better in a well ordered workspace with everything behind closed doors except for the task at hand. Left-brain oriented persons do best when a logical home has been established for everything. They thrive on tools such as divided desk drawer trays, wire step files and labelers.

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I’ve always wondered how toner cartridges are remanufactured. Here is how Clover Technologies Group”the world’s largest collector and recycler of cell phones, inkjet and laser cartridges” does it. Check out the OEM compatible, remanufactured toner cartridges on our site!  Also look for other Green solutions, Write Now!

“All incoming materials: drums, toner, blades, PCRs, magnetic rollers, etc. are verified against stringent standards before they reach the production floor.

1. INCOMING RAW MATERIALS INSPECTION
All incoming materials: drums, toner, blades, PCRs, magnetic rollers, etc. are verified against stringent standards before they reach the production floor.

2. SORT & GRADE
All empty cartridges are sorted and graded. Only premium empty cartridges are used to ensure optimal quality.

3. RECYCLE
All packaging materials, used hoppers and non-conforming components are disassembled and recycled.

4. SPLIT & CLEAN
Empty cartridges are carefully disassembled and cleaned using a proprietary state-of-the-art process. Through automation, Clover precisely splits the toner hopper with custom splitting equipment and the hopper for the sealing phase.

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