Gift Ideas: Office and Co-workers

Nov 26, 2018 | | 0 comments |
And its that time of the year, when we are ready to say thank you and spread on the cheer. For today, I thought I would share some gift ideas that would work for your peers and would be thoughtful and something that can be used in work or home setting. 

I have kept prices fair reasonable and the ideas very practical that can be used on a regular basis, I do hope you love them :)


  1. Desk decor- I like to personalise my desk and space, this piece not only makes the place warm and cosy but definitely more cheerful. 
  2. String lights- I use this at home and they are long lasting, you can definitely use them in your Christmas tree or home desk. 
  3. Bluetooth headphone-  you can carry it to the gym or work, portable and without the hassle of wire and comfy on the ear. 
  4. Bluetooth Speakers- I love mine and it can be a nice gift to those who love listening to music, audio books or podcasts
  5. Label maker- who doesn’t need to organise their space, time saver and life saver 
  6. Laptop desk (adjustable)- know someone who is always working, the desk can be used multiple ways and this would make anyone happy, its on my wishlist too.
  7. French press travel mugs- If you are coffee person like me or know someone who needs their morning fix specially with the winer closing in, this gives you the flexibility to carry with them

  8. Doodle Notepad/Diary- who doesn’t like a good doodle option, they have even been told to have benefits  
  9. Borosil Glass Lunchbox- if you carry our own lunch and prefer to say no to plastic, this is for you. 
  10. Office plant- simple and yet very effective gift for someone who loves their desk space to look they have a personal touch to it 
  11. Fruit infuser water bottle 1 litre- the most in thing now and for the health freak in your team who only drinks water, this just fancies it up and ensure they remember you everyday 
  12. Copper Water Bottle-lot of advantages of drinking from copper bottle, this is practical and yet blingy. 
  13. Daily Planner- the one who like to be organised and on top of their game, reasonably priced and can be carried in the office bag 
  14. Leather Gift set-need a little formal gift option, try this one when you don’t know much abut the person’s preferences, this for sure will make everyone happy 
  15. Goal setting planner (free)- don’t want to be spend, why not print this out and gift in a folder  


There you go, now you can get shopping (contains affiliate links) for your coworkers and next post coming up on recommended books for gift giving.

(Pic courtesy: Google Images)


Ready for a new job? Heres the hows and whys?

Your chances of accepting an offer are statistically significant 2.6% to 6.6% higher if you were referred by a current employee than if you weren’t, mentions  Glassdoor. 

So, what do you think- does knowing the right person get you a job?

It clearly does.  So, how do you find the right person, the question is what are you doing when looking for the job.

How do you know you are ready to find your next job?

People don’t quit their job, they leave their bosses- I find it true in a lot of cases including my own and Harvard Business review confirms

Richard Branson believes that “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough that they don’t want to”. 

While a lot is said about bosses and managers, its also your responsibility to let them know what you are looking for and who you are. Sometimes opinions about you are formed in your absence, so its important to discuss your goals and interests with your manager as well. Bringing it up politely once in awhile ensure your boss hasn’t forgotten about it and when the right opening comes up, he or she might let you in. 

To ensure your boss is helping you, don’t forget to do your work. If that doesn’t work and things seem real stagnant or bad and you are tired, see lack of advancement and opportunities- it might be time to start looking at the market.


Career Fulfilment- Its said that when you have the right combination of Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose in your work you are fulfilled (Read Drive by Daniel Pink ). 

Culture plays a crucial role as well and how you fit in matters.  

Tony Hsieh of Zappos  known to hire based on the social/cultural fit of candidates mentions   “We’ve actually passed on a lot of really smart, talented people that we know can make an immediate impact on our top or bottom line, but if they’re not good for the company culture, we won’t hire them for that reason alone”. 

To buy the book "Delivering Happiness" click here .To know more about their hiring process, click here .

If you find yourself not fitting in and constantly feeling the need to not be yourself but someone else to impress, it can be an indicator to move on. 

How to look for a job?
Well, simply put you have to put a plan in place. Knowing the right person matters, now you have to look for one.

Eye on the Market- Look at the current market situation and asses your own skills, you should know where you want to be and the role you are eyeing by now (thats why you are ready to quit). Find out who’s hiring in the market and then look up your contacts in Linkedin and other social platforms you are part of. Platforms like Meetup (based on similar interests) could also be a great source for knowing openings. List out the desired companies and then get to work. Find either contacts inside or email people in the role (similar) about the work, advancement opportunities and the company in general. If everything seems to go well and you feel positive about it- ask for a referral. 

Work with you mentor/sponsor- Hopefully you already have one by now, they can always use their contacts or expertise to redirect you the right person or openings. Incase you haven’t been lucky enough to find a mentor, sign up where you have mentors waiting to work with you , you don’t have to engage in cold calls or random emails anymore, thats a thing of the past.


Find out about the Prospective Company
Even before applying for an open position, consider if the move is right for you. Moving from one job to another to move again in a years time is not a good idea. So ensure you know the company, the culture and the feedback before you decide to invest your time there. Glassdoor is a great way to get the reviews and then get it validated with direct questions with your contact within the organization. 

Nail the Interview
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? There are multiple resources that share the tentative insider scoops on interviews. You can find some of them listed below.


Negotiate
30% of women don't bother to negotiate at all, while 46% of men negotiate,” according to Katie Donovan, founder of Equal Pay Negotiations. So, you decide what its that you really want to go for and at what point you would like to close the discussion. 


Good Luck!


(Pic courtesy: Google Images)

How to Organize your Personal Space and Recharge

Hello November! 

So, its been crazy busy here and as you might have figured with the lack of posts. Days and weekends just breezed by and at some point I just had to stop myself and breathe. Hows your schedule lately? 

My space (both headspace and personal) is always very important for me, to recharge myself thats what I have been trying to do. 



And thats what I am sharing with you today- How to Organize  your Personal Space and Recharge.

I didn’t have the luxury to take time off, however its a continuos cycle for me, so I figured I can just get on with my checklist organise myself  and take a step back.

 And if thats what you would like for yourself, keep reading. 

1. Clear out the Space- The mental cluttered space which hasn’t had the time to allow you to move about freely. When I have a lot going on, sometime I am really very organised/productive  and sometimes I just crash. I crash primarily when I have no time to recharge. 
    1. So, I tried to not clutter my mental space more and just let myself breathe. I just ensured my energy level was fine for my job and home (priorities). Rest had to wait.
    2. I tried doing something I enjoy- listened to some music, decided to go back on track with my wellness journey and again focus on basics
    3. I also got some flowers, added a new rug to the living room and got a French press. Small things that make me happy and bringing my attention and awareness back to myself- mindfulness. 
2. Find Myself and Purpose in Life- We are constantly changing because of the environment we are in, the people we are surrounded by. With time we change and thats a wonderful thing, so the goal you had for yourself even 6 months ago might not be something you want now. So, I really had to look within and figure what I wanted and what my next 5 years goal was and then re-orient myself. So, if it didn’t make sense for me in the 5 year plan scenario, its not worth stressing for. 

3. Take Couple of Hours off- Well, I couldn’t take a day off, but Saturday afternoon I just did nothing. Spent on my couch watching Youtube  and ordered Pizza. 

4. Keep the New Goals Visible- So it can always been seen, use a planner or just write it down in your mirror anything that works for you. Create a morning routine around this and feel good about yourself. That just might be the trick of getting the focus back and of course…….

5. Try New Things- There are plenty of reasons why trying something new is scary for a lot of us;  however try out without putting a lot of pressure on you. So, don’t just change quit your current job because you want to go globe trotting. Take time to plan, consider the future and then go for it.  

I hope this evens out things for you as it has for me. If you need a planner to get back to your new schedule you can download one here for free.



Have a wonderful week ahead!

(Pic Courtesy: Pinterest and Soma Bhattacharya)

Happy Weekend!

Nov 3, 2018 | 0 comments |
Have a playful weekend:)




(Pic courtesy: Soma Bhattacharya)