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4 ways to beat the Blue Monday feels whilst job searching
Monday is the least favourite day of the week for many people. It's the first day back at work after a weekend of relaxing and it can often seem harder to motivate yourself to get started. January 21st, otherwise known as Blue Monday… well, it's not only considered the worst Monday in January it’s actually considered the worst day of the year. The party season is over, we're already failing our new year resolutions and the grey days and potential of snow don’t make things easier! Luckily for you, we have put together some top tips on how to beat this depressing day and stay positive with your job search! Step one – Morning exercise Exercise has been proven to enhance your mood and to fill you with motivation. It is best to do this at the beginning of your day so you are motivated for the rest of the day and ready to be productive in your job search! Step two – Smile Smiling releases endorphins which are responsible for making us feel happy and they help to lower stress levels. With this in mind, try smiling whilst sat at your screen job searching – also listening to your favourite song can help to put a smile on your face and make you genuinely happy. It has also been said that listening to music can help you focus during tasks – so remember to have a listen whilst you job search! Step three – Avoid any last minute stress If you know that you have a lot to do on application day, then try to prepare yourself for it over the weekend. If something can be done in advance, such as CV preparation or completing a cover letter ready to be sent off, then find time during the weekend to do this. Doing so will mean that you have less to do on the day applications open and you will be less stressed at the thought of applying. Step four – Sleep well The amount of sleep you get is important to how you wake up feeling the next morning, as well as the quality of sleep you get. If you don’t sleep well or don’t get enough sleep then you are likely to wake up feeling irritable and unproductive! The best way to avoid this is to cut off all distractions for at least an hour before you fall asleep, this way you have more of a chance of waking up feeling refreshed and ready to start your productive day. Trust us, if you just pick even one of these ways to beat Blue Monday you will feel much happier! Can you think of any other top tips to get over Blue Monday? Let us know in the comments below.
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4 reasons to recruit staff in January
Well, the festive period is well and truly over for another year. This can only mean that it is time to kick start 2020 with some new goals and aspirations, right? So what better chance to brush up on your recruiting skills and start recruiting for your dream team! Check out the reasons why you need to be recruiting in January… New Year’s resolutions Lots of people will be making a New Year’s resolution to enter 2020 with. It is thought that over 30% of UK workers consider a career change as the New Year Gets underway as they re-evaluate their lives, finances and aspirations. Data shows that January see’s a huge surge (33%) in Job searches on the top job boards compared to December, therefore there will be an influx of potential candidates to choose from, who are just waiting for your call – don’t miss out! More optimism Each year, January 1st is known to bring a wave of optimism over people. This can be in their personal or professional lives. A person who feels optimistic will go after what they want – so here’s your chance to show them that working for you and your company is the right move. Hopefully your colleagues and employees will be full of positivity and optimism too – a great time to be introducing new team members and ensuring there is a great company culture to make them stay! New Year, new business goals It’s not only job seekers who take time to reflect as the New Year begins, business leaders and Senior team members also take time out to set their professional and business goals and they draw up the strategy, resources and budgets that they need to achieve these. Chances are that if you are looking to grow your business (and you should be!) that you’ll be looking for talented people to help you achieve this. This is your chance to really capture your idea of who you want to employ and take the time to scout them out! Fresh mind Having the Christmas/New Year period off to chill out and recharge – you will be going back to work with a clear mind and can really focus on your recruitment plan and getting it done, instead of being distracted by other things. If you’re taking our advice and want to start recruiting now – why not click here to check out our services for both Permanent and Temporary Recruiting in the UK.
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12 ways we celebrated Christmas
Our favourite festive period may be over for another year but we want to reflect on what made Christmas great at Swanstaff in 2019! We have shared our 12 different ways we celebrated this year and inspiration for you and your team to “step into Christmas” in 2020. Take a look… STEP 1 Put up the office Christmas tree! Finding a spot in the office that’s best to showcase your amazing tree can be the most difficult part of this activity – the rest is just you and your team bonding and having fun! STEP 2 Nothing gets us in the Christmas spirit more than decorating our desks with Christmas lights and Christmassy decorations! STEP 3 Not only can playing music througout the workplace boost morale, playing Christmas music can be a way of getting your employees engaged and in the Christmas mood! You’re missing out if you haven’t heard Swanstaff’s rendition of “All I want for Christmas is you”! STEP 4 Introducing Christmas Jumper Fridays throughout December can be a great way to get your team engaging with work and also with eachother. Showing off funny Christmas jumpers can be a good bonding excerise. Check out our teams Christmas jumper pictures… STEP 5 Buying your team their own advent calanders doesn’t have to break the bank and it can be a great way to show your appreciation to them for their hard work and dedication to the company. STEP 6 Dressing up for National Elf Day is such a fun day that everyone can participate in. It is also a good way to do your bit for charity by raising money for Alzhiemers on the 6th December each year. STEP 7 Holding a Christmas Hat Day is another day that everyone can participate in – however ensure that they are appropriate! STEP 8 I think this one is everyone’s favourite – hold a company Christmas party! This is a bigger way to show how appreciative you are of your staff and a chance to let their hair down! STEP 9 Collecting Christmas charity donations can be a great team building excerise. This year Swanstaff’s internal teams have chosen different charities to send a crate of goodies too. Each team buy, decorate and deliver the goods to the charities in Christmas crates around the Christmas period. STEP 10 The same as decorating your desks – you and your team could decorate the kitchen area together! STEP 11 Back in October for our Wellbeing Week – Swanstaff hosted a Potluck Picnic and it was voted a favourite by our staff – so we have decided to host a Potluck Christmas Lunch for the teams! STEP 12 We took part in secret santa and found that it was a great way to boost engagement and morale within the teams! We also had a surprise visit from Santa himself! Saying goodbye to the festive season has been hard but 2020 is a year to look forward to and achieve great things! If you're looking to base your new years resolutions on your job search, click here!
