by Kirby Hasseman
Working from home is not a new phenomenon for many people around the country. But with government officials and medical experts telling Americans to stay home, it has a bit of a different feel. There is a difference (for most of us) that we are allowed to work from home and we have to work from home. This is why we posted this blog about free tools for working remote AND we asked our remote team for tips on how to be productive at home. As a leader in an organization, we want to make sure our team members that work from home not only are able to do their work, but that they still feel very much a part of the team. We want to keep the sense of team and culture, and do our best to keep morale high during these stressful times. That is why at Hasseman Marketing, we think you should create a “work from home” kit. While we can certainly create this as a kit, just understand these are just a few branded pieces that might help to team build a bit during this stressful time.
Webcam Blocker
Nearly every laptop has a web cam now, and it’s critical for online meetings. On the other hand, it can be a way you can be hacked and spied on. Give your team some peace of mind with this inexpensive piece.
Mic Blocker
The same concern can be true with our mic. Want to make sure people are not listening in on your conversations? You can keep that from happening with this simple branded piece.
Water Tumbler
Help keep the members of your team hydrated and healthy. This cool drinkware piece is a great size and has the double wall vacuum style that keeps coffee hot and water ice cold. This is the perfect piece to have with you all of the time. We did this in our recent Brand Box and the response was super good.
Sticky Note Jotter
Another piece that got a ton of positive feedback in the recent Brand Box was this Jotter. It’s a great piece to keep beside the phone or your desk so you can take quick notes during that Zoom call. It’s one of those pieces that can be used every day.
Mission Pack
Finally, if you want something to put all of these items in, and to be a great and functional branding piece, once the crisis has passed, I love the Mission Pack. This is a stylish backpack that your team can use when they are “working remotely” for years. I even did a video about this a few weeks ago…you can check it out here. These are just a few items that can help you keep the team feeling productive and together while they work remotely. Like I said, this is just a blog to get you thinking. We can gladly help you create a kit for yourself. Please contact us if you have any questions about putting a kit like this together for your team. P.S. This is also a great kit to use when you bring on new team members to make sure they get a dose of your culture and brand when they walk in the door! Thanks for reading and engaging. We will keep the content coming. Just make sure to check in on our blog each day for more!
by Kirby Hasseman
As a country, we seem to be able to disagree about just about everything. But there is one thing where there seems to be consensus. We are living in a strange and stressful time! Thousands of workers are suddenly being asked to work from home. (We posted this blog with free tools to help here) And while, for many of us, this is a cool perk, we are not used to working remote every day. On the other hand, some workers have been doing this very thing for years. So we decided to get tips for working remote (from remote workers).
At Hasseman Marketing, we have several team members that work remote nearly every day. So we went straight to the source to get tips on what to do…and what not to do.
Jeff Wickerham
Seven years ago I learned that going from working in an office to working from home was a big change. My biggest tip, give yourself grace in changing your work space. You need to figure out your own schedule and what works best. For me, I learned I could put a load of laundry in washer, work, use then break of the washing machine to switch clothes to the dryer, go back to work, and then use the ding of the dryer to signify another work break for me.
It sounds simple, but in the beginning, I felt bad for taking those breaks. Now, I am comfortable with it and I am able to get work and home life done.
Bree McAndrews
1.) GRACE – Pray your work team and clients give you grace when your little one screams for the third time on the conference call “Mom I have to go potty!”
2.) TECHNOLOGY – important to know what you need to be successful: phone, computer, good internet connection, etc. Flexibility to be mobile like a laptop is good too to change up the work space or visit customers if needed.
3.) STRUCTURE and routine. Kirby always preaches track your activity which brings on more productivity – It also helps with follow ups and keeping all projects on track.
4.) SNACKS – hide them. Out of sight out of mind.
5.) BREAKS – take healthy breaks – 15 minute walk, send a thank you, check in with a family member or friend, let your mind air out for a minute
6.) EXPENSES – if you are allowed expenses, track them weekly/monthly. Tax time is the worst when you don’t keep up all year.
7.) OFFICE – dedicated work space away from screaming toddlers and snacks. Your dog is allowed in.
Eric Dingler
Establish and keep a routine that includes things like; eating and showering.
Bonus tip: establish and keep a “workspace” that you only use for work.
Kelly Bowe
Get up at the same time every morning and start work at the same time every day. (as if you are punching a time clock).
Oh…and couples: Try to work in different rooms LOL
Jay Sabine
(There’s going to be distractions!) …so, “Plan the work, Work the plan”
I have a daily updated (to do) list that I keep on my phone, (so it’s always available at my finger tips). I add activities, projects, dates, or just ideas that I want to develop. It helps keep me focused and/or can help me prioritize what is most important when my schedule gets interrupted. I check it every AM, add to it throughout the day, and delete completed task at the end of every day – which is a great reward and gives you a chance to review and plan for the next day.
It’s simple, but it’s what works best for me.
Also, for couples suddenly working from home together: get yourselves an imaginary coworker to blame things on. Trust me!
I think there is a ton of great information here for working remote…whether it’s your first time or even if you are a veteran. If you want more content like this, check out our blog page here. Oh, and one of the great books about working remote is by Jason Fried and you can find it here.
by Kirby Hasseman
It’s time for Episode 37 of the He Said She Said Podcast with Hasseman Marketing! This podcast is designed to give an inside look at being married and being entrepreneurs and the projects we are working on and the challenges we are facing! We talk about business, family, community and more. So listen in and let us know what you think!
On this episode we talk about…
Trending Topic
This week Kirby and Amy talk about the CoronaVirus (yes again). The topic is still trending, and they talk about how their view on the crisis has changed in the past week. They took a trip recently (you can see video of that here) and they talk about that trip and why it’s SO important to continue to evolve your views as the facts evolve.
Weekly Whirlwind
This week in the Weekly Whirlwind Amy gives a quick update on what she is doing to keep the building project rolling forward. Kirby talks about how is week is focused on creating content and planning for the next few months. He talks about a podcast with Bill Petrie where he was inspired to plan through the crisis. You can check out that podcast here.
Lesson In Life
This week in the “lesson in life” Kirby and Amy talk about the Self Care and Headspace. In this stressful time, it’s more important than ever to create time to separate from the chaos and allow your brain some room to breathe. Listen in as they discuss how Amy does this in the evening.
Shout Outs
Each week we want to give a shout out to an organization or an individual doing good work. This week Amy leads the way talking about how the Truck Driving community is being overlooked in this crisis. We thank all of the first responders and all of the people that are helping to keep the country rolling through this stressful time. We don’t say it enough…but thank you!
So that’s a wrap! Thanks for listening to Episode 37 of the He Said She Said Podcast! Any feedback will be welcome as we try to provide you value! If you want to subscribe you can do that where you normally get podcasts…or you can head here to follow on Soundcloud.
Thanks so much for listening! If you have any topics you want Kirby and Amy to cover, please comment and let us know! Oh…and if you like this content, check out this page where you can find all of the content we create!
by Kirby Hasseman
As the news about the Coronavirus has changed, developed and exploded over the last week in the U.S., it has been hard to escape. There has been panic buying, mixed information, quarantines and lots of shouting! And while there have been some nice gestures from individuals, for the most part it feels like this virus is making us drown in negativity (especially online).
That’s why now is really good time to consider creating a policy of “Giving Out Joy.” Whether as an individual, or an organization, we have the opportunity to stand out in a very crowded landscape. This is not to say that we do not educate ourselves on the very real threats in the world. It’s about understanding them, and being an island of inspiration anyway.
Here is an excerpt from my recent book “The Give First Economy,” that feels even more true now than when I wrote it.
Give Out Joy
Some days it feels like the world is drowning in negativity. Studies will tell you that 89% of what you see every day is negative. Whether it is through the media, social media or even in the 3D world, everyone seems to be frustrated or complaining.
And don’t just blame the media. That’s lazy. The fact is, most days CNN is not who is filling up my Facebook feed with bitching. It’s us. It’s you. Don’t get me wrong, the media helps fuel this fire, but they are not the only ones throwing logs on it. We all have a share of the blame.
The great thing about social media is that everyone has a voice. The bad thing is…everyone has a voice. As you turn on your device, it seems half the people posting are snarky trolls and the other half create a new reason to play the victim every day. Negativity is all around us.
Once we understand that, the question is obvious. What do we do about it?
The answer is simple (but not always easy) …Give Out Joy.
In a world where nearly 90% of what we see is negative, most people are hungering for something different. We are looking for someone to shine a light on good things. We are looking for inspiration. And the reality is, when you push out good and joy into the world, we stand out in a crowded marketing place.
When we are creating a business, an organization or a personal brand, we are always trying to prove to the market place we are better. But as Mike Michaelowicz says (author of Profit First, Pumpkin Plan and many other great business books),
“In the minds of our customers, better is not better. Different is better.”
The fact is, when seemingly everything we see in the world is negative, a positive person (or brand) can be a shining light. It stands out. So by giving out joy, creating joy and spreading joy, you start to stand out in the marketplace.
Now you might be thinking, “Great. But I am already a positive person!” My guess is, you are not as positive as you think. (Sorry to be negative). The fact is, as humans, we are not great at self-auditing. That’s why surveys will tell you that MOST people think they are an above average driver. The math tells you that’s not true.
So how do we know if we are positive or negative?
Let’s start with a simple exercise.
This is something I have done is sessions I give all over the U.S. I start with a simple question.
How many of you know someone that is constantly negative on social media? They are always complaining. As I say “They are pissed off if they can’t find something to be mad about?” This always elicits some chuckles as everyone in the raises their hands. Everyone knows this guy or gal.
Then I follow up with another simple question.
“How many of you ARE that person?”
Silence. No hands. People start to look around the room and small uncomfortable laughs start as they realize the joke.
Then the punchline comes as I say, “I have given this talk all over the country and I have never met the one jerk that is filling up all of our Facebook feeds!”
No one thinks it’s them. As I said, we are not great at self-auditing. We don’t think we are being negative. We think we “are just venting.” We might even think we are being funny. But we, generally, don’t think we could possibly perceived as a negative person.
Let’s go to the tape!
Go to your Facebook feed (or your social media outlet of choice) and look at the last 10 posts. Be introspective. Think about how they might be looked at from the outside world. Now, if 4 or more of those posts could be perceived as negative (and that’s not up to you, right?), you are likely thought of as a negative person by many of the people that follow you.
Oh…and here’s the caveat. Political posts and religious posts can be viewed as negative.
We all have that “crazy uncle” that posts on their favorite social media platform about 9 times a day outlining why the current U.S. President is a criminal. Sure…those people are easy to spot. But what about you? What do your posts look like?
The push back I sometimes get when I am speaking has to do with “religious” posts. What do I mean by that? I am not suggesting you should not celebrate your faith. I am suggesting that tone matters. Consider it.
On the other hand, you really should be authentic. You should not just change your personality to fit what people want. I don’t think you should and I am not suggesting that. If you WANT to post political rants, that’s your call. What I AM saying is you should be intentional. Most people just sort of randomly post and share without any real thought as to how they are perceived by the outside world.
I do think you should be intentional about it. And, if you want to stand out and make a difference, and create a personal brand that people want to follow in the Give First Economy, I think you should consider intentionally being joyful.
Where to Start
If you like the idea of pushing out more joy but are wondering where to start, here are a few ideas. Use these as a jumping off point and run with it!
Share Joyful News: This doesn’t have to just be about the highlight reel of your life. Seek out good things in your community and share them! Look for good things in your organization or relationships and give them a shout out! It will not only be a great and joyful noise coming from you, but it will make them feel good too!
Create Uplifting Content: If you are so inclined, write blogs that help to uplift. Create Instagram posts designed to admire. Edit a video together where you interview people doing good in your industry. Shining a light on the good in the world can always be a great place to start.
Give Compliments: We will talk more about this in the next chapter, but make it a point to give people praise.
Smile: Want a funny exercise? The next time you drop your kid off at school (or drive to any public place), take the time to look at the faces of the other drivers. Wow. You will see a LOT of grumpy faces! Take the time to give people your smile. It’s funny…you will see people give it back.
There are plenty of ways to give out joy…and it’s more important than ever. Please consider spreading that joy today. Oh, and if you want more content like this, please check out our blog page here. And you can find my book “The Give First Economy” here on Amazon.
by Kirby Hasseman
It’s time for Episode 36 of the He Said/She Said Podcast with Hasseman Marketing! This podcast is designed to give an inside look at being married and being entrepreneurs and the projects we are working on and the challenges we are facing! We talk about business, family, community and more. So listen in and let us know what you think!
On this episode we talk about…
Trending Topic
This week Kirby and Amy talk about the CoronaVirus and the effects of that. They give their (uneducated) takes on the issues involved and the hysteria around it. Listen in and let us know what you think!
Weekly Whirlwind
This week in the Weekly Whirlwind Kirby talks about getting ready to travel and getting as much done as you can on a short week. Amy gives a short update and tells us that work on the floors are coming!
Lesson In Life
This week in the “lesson in life” Kirby and Amy talk about the need to take a breath. Whether it’s this new Coronavirus or whatever the latest 24 hour news cycle entails, we all need to learn to breathe and calm down.
Shout Outs
Each week we want to give a shout out to an organization or an individual doing good work. This week Kirby and Amy give a shout out the Coshocton County United Way. They will be hosting the 16th Annual Coshocton Clean Up Day coming April 18th. This is a great event. In addition, Amy gives a big shout out to Jade Hasseman who has created a clothing drive for those in need in Coshocton County.
So that’s a wrap! Thanks for listening to Episode 36 of the He Said She Said Podcast! Any feedback will be welcome as we try to provide you value! If you want to subscribe you can do that where you normally get podcasts…or you can head here to follow on Soundcloud.
Thanks so much for listening! If you have any topics you want Kirby and Amy to cover, please comment and let us know! Oh…and if you like this content, check out this page where you can find all of the content we create!
by Kirby Hasseman
Ray Allen is one of the most prolific 3 point shooters in NBA History. He has won multiple NBA championships and has one of the most beautiful jump shooting motions you will ever see. He is (was) a Pure Shooter in the most wonderful sense of the word. He made it look easy. But when people say he was a “natural born” shooter, Allen would get frustrated. Why? Because by saying his ability was just “given,” it minimizes the thousands of hours of work that went into his craft. It explains away the blood, sweat and tears that created his perfect shooting motion. He didn’t earn it. It came easy.
Making things look easy, often take a lot of work.
I was reminded of that story recently, when someone pointed out to me that I am a positive person. They said “You always see things as glass half full.” It was said (and meant) as a sincere compliment. But every time someone describes me a “positive person,” it leaves me wanting to explain. You see, I don’t think that I am naturally a positive person. I don’t wake up every morning whistling dixie and I have to fight off negative thoughts all of the time. As a matter of fact, early in my career, I would guess that many of my co-workers would say I was anything but positive. But over years of study, I have learned that most of us perform better when our brain is primed with positive thoughts. If you want to dig deeper on this, the book Happiness Equation is fantastic.
I have worked to become more positive. So why does it bother me when someone says “you are just a positive person?”
It minimizes the work.
I am hardly the Ray Allen of positive thinking. But I do work at it. A lot. The idea that I wake up every morning with a blindly positive attitude negates the amount of work I do to put myself in a better state of mind. This statement dismisses the lengths I have gone to create a morning routine that sets my day up correctly. It explains away the exercise, the meditation, the discipline I have developed to work on focusing my mind intentionally. I am not a naturally positive person. I don’t know that anyone is. The fact is, studies tell us that 89% of what we see in the world is negative. If that’s the case, we all need to be diligent in how we focus our mind. I am hardly perfect. But I do that work.
It takes away their responsibility.
By simply saying that I am a positive person, many people let themselves off the hook. Being positive seems like work, because it is. If it just comes naturally to others, then they don’t have to put in the work themselves.
It is not (just) about positive thoughts.
While I strongly believe that putting positive thoughts in your brain help it perform better, the idea is not to be delusional. It’s not that you don’t see the negative the world has to offer. That is probably the thing that bugs me the most. If nearly 90% of what we see is negative, then please don’t think that I don’t see the bad. That is insulting. I do see the challenges. I don’t JUST see the challenges. It’s not about having only shiny, happy thoughts. As a matter of fact, some studies will tell you that people that only allow overly optimistic thoughts in their mind die younger! Why? Because they are unwilling to do the real work they need to do to prevent or improve their situation.
It’s not about having only positive thoughts. It’s about having accurate thoughts.
Obviously, there is good and bad in nearly every situation. My goal is to get an accurate diagnosis. Then, with both the good and bad in mind, I want to see how I can best move forward to create the best outcome.
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