Since the start of COVID-19, Queen’s Sales Association (QSA) has been finding new ways to spend their summer, changing most of their previous plans surrounding work, travel, studies, and volunteering. With five months in, the team has adapted to work from home and the new health-conscious lifestyle. We are excited to share some of our experiences so far this summer and tips we’ve picked up to help you master productivity at home.
Here’s a sneak peek at what the Sharks have been up to so far this summer:
While some members of our executive team have been working at Mackenzie Investments, Shopify, and Investors Group (to name a few) we have also been putting time aside to spend time with family and friends, volunteer for local shelters, and exercise through playing tennis, hiking, and skateboarding.
One of our members, Linda Otamendi who lives in Vancouver expresses how “normal life” is slowly starting to fall back into place. She currently works at Mackenzie Investments and has learnt a lot about the financial services industry as well as sales best practices. She hopes to get back into the office in July so that she has the opportunity of getting to know her co-workers a bit better!
QSA’s marketing director, Chloe Martineau shares how working at Ford of Canada has been rewarding for her data analytic skills. She also has been enjoying her time volunteering and helping a local startup. Chloe expresses how she is glad she is exploring an industry outside of her comfort zone and broadening her portfolio.
Nicole Kovalevsky who is also part of the marketing team has recently launched a start-up fitness business with her sisters and has taken over the promotion and production components of their products. She has been creating advertisements to stimulate demand as well as taking over the business’ website and social media pages.
Andrea Meneses has the unique opportunity to work for Shopify and is now meeting the high demands and requests for e-commerce platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Needless to say, our summer plans have shifted quite a bit since the start of COVID-19. But, this doesn’t stop us from trying new things, learning and exploring within the sales industry and beyond. With this in mind, our executive team has put together 10 Super Tops on Staying Productive This Summer:
1- Take breaks.
One of the most important and underestimated rules in the book. Burnout is real and it really takes a toll on the quality of your work.
2- Exercise.
Exercise is shown to reduce stress, enhance performance, and fight fatigue. It can also boost your mood. Bad day at work? Workout during your lunch break.
3- Change the Scenery/Workspace.
Sitting next to a window while working is known to improve your mood. Changing your workspace, in general, can help you stay motivated and improve your productivity.
4- Keep a distraction list.
Distraction lists are simply a piece of paper that is kept next to you while you work. You can use this sheet of paper to jot down ideas that distract you as you work such as emails you need to send.
5- Create and stick to a well-thought-out schedule - even outside of your workspace.
Sticking to a timely schedule inside and outside the workspace is very important. Whether it be setting aside time to see your friends and spending time with family or taking 5-minute breaks every hour or going to bed and waking up at a specific time every day. Sticking to a good schedule can help improve productivity and is also a crucial skill in life.
6- Create short-term and long-term goals.
When working for hours on end, it can sometimes feel unrewarding. Create achievable short-term goals to keep you working and feeling good about the work you are doing. Long term goals push you to take well-deserved breaks and convince you that hard work really does pay off.
7- Utilize the resources given to you.
Ask your coworkers and managers questions or for feedback. They are there to help you and can often provide diverse opinions.
8- Stay organized.
Not only does staying organized keep you from wasting time on finding things but it can keep your thoughts from going off in the wrong direction.
9- Fresh air.
Whether it be keeping a window open in your workspace or going on walks outside, fresh air ventilation is known to help you make strategic decisions and improves your ability to process information.
10- Reward yourself.
Rewards can sometimes be some of the greatest motivators when doing work. After completing a task or reaching a goal, reward yourself with a break, a movie, a bath, or even a day off. This will elicit positive emotions and cause you to relate hard work with rewards.