How to find work life balance: while still being great at both

WorkWell on April 8, 2015

Trying to juggle a busy work life and a family, whilst still leaving some time for socialising and relaxing, can be very difficult. Too many working mums, and dads, feel pulled in two different directions. It often feels as if there aren’t enough hours in the day to succeed at work and give your children the attention they deserve.

However, it is possible to succeed at both work and parenting. You will need to adjust the way you work and possibly even where you work, as well as how you manage your time and your household. If you’re organised and ready for the challenge, you can do it! Follow these tips…

Tip #1: Set aside a dedicated space for working – and consider getting out of the house!

Many people who work from home, and who have kids, end up catching a few minutes to get work done at their kitchen table. However, trying to get anything done on your laptop while surrounded by dirty dishes, kids toys and endless other household distractions can be a massive obstacle to productivity. You need a separate and dedicated space for working, so you can concentrate fully on the task at hand and also run your business in a more professional manner.

In a blog about the challenges facing homeworkers, travel writer Katie Kelly Bell, cites Jennifer Bradley Franklin, a freelance writer and editor, advising setting aside a place dedicated to work only at home.

“It’s been a huge help to have a dedicated office space and to create some defined working hours. That way, when it’s time to work (hello deadlines!) I’m fully engaged in that and when it’s time to spend time with my husband or friends, I’m 100 per cent present in those moments as well,” said Jennifer Franklin.

If you have the space, set up a home office and, as we advised in this blog, make sure you organise it properly. If you don’t have the space, consider making use of shared workspace, where you work alongside like-minded freelancers, entrepreneurs and start-ups in a professional, fully set-up space. It can be great to get out of the house, and many people find the ritual of ‘heading to the office’ and the motivation-booster of working alongside professional people to be great for their efficiency, productivity and self-confidence.

Tip #2: Separate working and parenting, so you can give each your full attention

Too many working mums feel tugged in two directions practically all the time, never being able to give either their children or their work their full attention. This can lead to feelings of guilt, as well as stress as you never feel you can properly relax. Being an attentive parent and a productive worker is possible – it can be done! You just need to set clear boundaries between the two, heading into your home office or a nearby shared workspace when the kids are at school, and shutting down your laptop when the kids come home. It’s all about time management. It isn’t always easy, as work and parenting time can often bleed into each other, but it can be done.

Tip #3: Make use of services, apps and solutions to save time and make your life easier

Modern technology can be a lifesaver when it comes to saving time and helping busy working mums juggle both work and parenthood. So make use of it! There are apps for your phone to help you manage your time, to give you important reminders and to do lots of other tiny but time-consuming everyday tasks.

For some great time-saving technology, check out Angela Kwan’s analysis of 11 time-saving sites and apps for busy mums in an article published on Good Housekeeping.

Some busy working parents also consider, as we highlighted here, outsourcing to save themselves some time. You can also make use of services such as virtual offices to help you avoid distractions during the day. For example, virtual office services and serviced offices like those at Carrwood Park give you the opportunity to make use of reception services, where your calls are answered and your post received. This can help you avoid the distraction of the phone ringing all day, but you’ll still have the peace of mind that you’ll get all of your messages and never miss a vital call, which is really important as a small business, start-up or freelancer.

Tip #4: Exercise regularly

The power of exercise goes a long way. It can help to reduce stress, boost energy levels and improve your ability to concentrate. The NHS recommends that an average adult should be taking part in physical exercise for 150 minutes a week, although if you have a tight schedule, it could help to gradually work your way towards this. If you are pressed for time, then you could start off by taking a walk at lunchtime, waking up an hour earlier to go to the gym, or even just trying some office exercises. Remember – every little helps!

For quality serviced offices, Leeds and Harrogate-based WorkWell offices provide quality shared office space in Yorkshire. To find out more about achieving a healthy work-life balance, subscribe to the WorkWell

What’s the relationship between good lighting and productivity at work?

WorkWell on April 8, 2015

Many different factors can affect productivity and efficiency in the workplace, but there is one ever-present condition that many people take for granted.

In our blog about setting up an office for maximum productivity, we discussed the relationship between good lighting and productivity. We noted how lighting is one of the most crucial factors in any office set-up, affecting everything from mood to efficiency.

The negative effects of poor office lighting

Poor quality or badly planned office lighting can cause many different problems for individuals and for a company as a whole. Overly bright overhead fluorescent lights can cause glare on computer screens, which can lead to headaches and eye strain. Lighting that is too dim or flickering can cause similar problems, as well as being annoying and potentially dangerous. A negative impact on health leads to a negative impact on morale, which affects the quality and quantity of work a person can get done, as well as potentially leading to higher employee absenteeism and staff turnover rates. Accuracy also suffers under poor lighting, dragging down the quality of work.

Despite all of these problems, many people live with poor lighting conditions without realising or taking action to improve their working environment.

The link between natural light and employee efficiency

So, what lighting should we be aiming for in our workspaces? According to the experts, as much natural light as possible is the key. A recent study by scientist Mirjam Muench compared two groups of people during normal work days, one group exposed to daylight and the other to artificial light. The group exposed to daylight were found to be significantly more alert, even at the end of the working day, while those under artificial light felt drowsier and more sluggish. Cortisol levels were found to drop considerably under poor lighting conditions, which can make workers feel more stressed as well as lacking the ability to stabilise energy levels.

Three steps to improving lighting in the office:

1. Introduce as much natural light as possible.

Business growth, efficiency and marketing consultant Andrew Jensen talks of how natural light is a much superior form of lighting in the office compared to artificial light. Open all curtains and blinds (and clean windows) and consider additional ways to introduce natural light, from new windows and skylights to sun tunnels and outdoor breakout spaces.

2. Reduce use of overhead lights.

Unless they are of very good quality and fit for purpose, overhead lights can cause headaches and eye strain. Some types can also buzz and flicker, both of which are very irritating for your employees.

3. Consider using more task lighting.

Well-considered task lighting in key work areas, just like you would use task lighting to illuminate worktops in a kitchen, can be a great way to improve the quality of the lighting setup in your office.

It isn’t always possible to reinvent your office lighting system, as it is neither feasible nor cost-effective. Under these conditions, as we described in our blog on signs you are ready to leave the home office, it can make a lot of sense to relocate to commercial property such as serviced offices or co-working spaces. Lighting in facilities such as Carrwood Park has been specially designed with productivity in mind, with as much natural light as possible and task lighting where needed. Once you spend a few hours working in a well-lit space, you won’t be able to go back to your dim or overly bright work space – it will open your eyes to the changes that need to be made.

For more advice about office space, Leeds-based Carrwood Park’s regularly updated blog offers tips and advice on various aspects of office design and life.

For quality and professional serviced offices, Leeds and Harrogate-based service provider WorkWell provides the ideal conditions for productive and efficient working.

Our business tips to stop your company from scaring you this halloween

WorkWell on April 8, 2015

As Halloween approaches, there’s only one type of scare you want to experience – the fun kind! The last thing you want is for your business to come to an unexpected crisis, which can come completely out of the blue and could even spell disaster for a fledgling company. However, a business scare can be avoided – you can start by following these 10 top business tips for success:


Never underestimate the importance of a good business plan.

A clear and well thought-out strategy is a key ingredient for success – without it, your business could be facing tough times. You might have a rough plan of how your business will run in your head, but you really need to get it down on paper. Include every detail, however small, and spend time on it so you can figure out how everything will work and anticipate any problems that may crop up.


Don’t try to run before you can walk.

In the excitement of starting a new business, it’s easy to get carried away. This can lead to mistakes such as rash hiring policies and expanding into new office space before your business is ready for it – this is one of the most common mistakes start-ups make, as we outlined in our blog. Business tips for beginners should include focusing on strengthening your business and perfecting what you do best before you consider growth and expansion.

Consider long-term growth alongside short-term savings.

As a small business with a tight budget, it’s understandable that you’ll want to save money on big expenses. However, if these savings in the here and now aren’t the right choice for your business in the future, you could be making a mistake. If you’ll have to shell out again in the future because you’ve bought a shoddy product or paid for a sub-standard service, it’s a false economy. It may be better to bite the bullet and pay a little more now, for the future health and growth of the business.

Be careful of long-term commitment that may not suit your business as it grows.

A potentially disastrous, money-draining business mistake is to sign up for a long-term commitment, such as a long lease on office space or a contract with a marketing company, when it might not suit your business for very long. You’ll end up paying for services you don’t need, trapped in an expensive contract when it’s no longer the right option for you. What you need are flexible approaches that can adapt and change as your business does. Check out our blog on whether to lease office space or consider more flexible options such as serviced offices or co-working spaces.

Trust your gut instinct, but do your research and seek advice too.

A killer instinct for business is essential when you start your own company, but it shouldn’t be the sole thing you rely on. You need to have a degree of self-awareness and recognise that you need to do research or consult an expert if you have a gap in your knowledge. She also recommends having someone to bounce ideas off, and warns against trying to do absolutely everything yourself. So, the ideal combination is knowledge, research and the right advice, alongside an instinct for what is best for your business.

Take the time to understand your market and your customers.

As they say, knowledge is power. Having knowledge of your market and your customers, as well as understanding your company’s place in the market and amongst its competitors, can be a powerful weapon. Do your research, figure out your company’s USP and you’ll be armed with enough data to make informed decisions.

Get the legal stuff right.

Business tip for small businesses should always include getting legal stuff right from the offset. Legal mistakes can sink a business faster than anything else, so it’s important to understand your responsibilities and take them seriously. You need to be clued up on everything from employment law and business structure to data protection, intellectual property and tax. 

Measure performance and set achievable goals.

To work out whether your company is doing well, you need hard data to analyse. Without this data, you can only guess at your company’s performance, which can be very risky – especially if you’re given to a spot of ‘bury your head in the sand’. Get the data, use it to measure performance and set realistic, achievable short and long-term goals that you can come back to in the near future. Achieving these goals can be very satisfying, as well as helping you stay on track and move forward as a company.

Focus on the business as a whole, rather than getting obsessed with a perfect product.

As seasoned entrepreneur Andy Yates writes on thisismoney.co.uk, some business owners get obsessed with tinkering with a product until its perfect – meaning no sales and no money coming in until the product is ready for launch. For the health of the business as a whole, Yates recommends sending the product out there for customers to test and try, and improvements can be made over time.

Be prepared to adapt and change as the market demands.

Another important point to remember related to small business tips is that you should be prepared to adapt and change as the market demands. Businesses that are resolutely stuck in their ways, unwilling to embrace new trends and technologies, will soon be left behind their competitors. This isn’t to say that you should jump on-board every new trend, nor should you panic at a slight change in the market. However, you should be open to new ideas, keeping a close eye on changes in the market and ready to adapt to keep your business ahead.


For a quality and professional serviced office, Leeds based Carrwood Park offers top-quality serviced offices in our co-working centre. For all your shared office requirements in Leeds, get in touch with Carrwood Park.

For more expert business tips for small businesses, as well as advice on choosing the right office space for you, subscribe to the Carrwood Park blog. 

How do you know when your start-up needs to move into an office?

WorkWell on April 5, 2015

There are certain benefits to running a start-up business from home – the most obvious being cost savings. However, if your business is doing well, there is likely to come a time when home working becomes more of a hindrance than a convenient, money-saving solution. But when should you move into an office – is there ever a right time to take the plunge?

Many freelancers, sole traders and start-ups eventually come up against the same problems, which are the key signs that it’s time to look for another solution. For example:

  • You’re ready to start hiring employees, but there is nowhere for them to work.
  • You’re concerned about professionalism – without proper meeting space, you end up meeting clients in noisy coffee shops or in your cluttered living room, neither of which gives your business a professional image.
  • Your work-life balance is off-kilter – with no opportunity to leave work at work, it’s very difficult to switch off and enjoy a family and social life.
  • Productivity is dropping – enthusiasm for launching your own business may have driven you in the early days, but your focus might be slipping now that you’ve been working at home for some time.

These are all signs that home working may not be the best fit for your business anymore, but what’s the solution? There are three main options available to you: leasing office space on a long-term contract, or the more flexible option of renting a serviced office. You can also use a co-working space, which, as one of our blogs describes, is particularly great for freelancers or employees of larger organisations who don’t work close to their main office.

As we explored in our blog about renting a serviced office compared to leasing office space, to determine which is the best option for your start-up company, both now and in the future, there are important questions you need to be asking yourself.

What can you afford to do?

You should only start exploring office space solutions when your business has the funds to do so, whilst still maintaining a financial safety net. To choose between leasing office space and renting a serviced office, consider set-up costs. You may be able to afford a long-term lease on office space in a good location, but have you considered office supplies, computer and printing equipment, furniture, heating, electricity, transportation, phone, internet and reception services, to name but a few? So many business owners miscalculate the true cost of setting up a new office from scratch, which can be disastrous for a start-up that is not yet established.

A serviced office can be the ideal stepping stone for start-ups, as it has none of the initial setup costs of leasing an office. At Carrwood Park, for example, serviced offices are rented on both short and long-term leases, giving companies greater flexibility, and there are no hidden costs at all. You ask for the services you need, and these are all included in the upfront cost of your package, from reception and call answering services to printing, meeting and conferencing. This allows you to accurately calculate how much it will cost you to move into your new office space.

In our ’11 Myths about Serviced Office Space: Busted’ blog, we talked about one of the common misconceptions about serviced offices is that they are expensive. However, if you actually did a comparison between what you actually get from a serviced office package and the setup costs of a leased office, you’d find that serviced offices would often turn out to be the most cost-effective.

Where will your company be in 5 years’ time?

This is the second crucial question to ask yourself before deciding between leasing premises and renting a serviced office. If you commit to a long-term lease when the future growth of your business is far from guaranteed, you may not be able to afford such hefty costs. Your business may not grow at the speed you hope it will, so you might end up with office space that is far larger (and more expensive) than you’ll ever need. It’s really difficult to anticipate the future needs of your business. As we mentioned in an earlier blog, the flexibility that serviced offices provide is one of the key benefits of this type of office.

Serviced offices can be rented for short or long periods, and at a facility like Carrwood Park where there are many different sizes of offices available, you can simply move into a larger space if and when you need it. Download our size guide to find out more about how to decide what size office you need.

Co-working Vs Working from home

WorkWell on February 3, 2015

COWORKING_VS_HOME_COVER

The phone’s ringing, the dog wants to go for a walk – he’s just jumped up onto the kitchen counter and knocked your paperwork on the floor. You’ve got a meeting in the lounge in half an hour and the neighbour’s just popped in for a chat having seen your car in the drive.  To top it all, the washing machine’s just started leaking. Sound familiar?


Surely there’s a better way to run a business!

Read More about Co-working Vs Working from home

Is it better to have an office in the city centre or the outskirts?

WorkWell on February 2, 2015

With countless amenities on your doorstep, convenient transportation and a buoyant hustle and bustle that gets you ‘in the mood’ for work, the benefits of city centre working have long been established and exploited. But did you know more and more firms and working professionals are now seeking office space on the outskirts of a city?

According to a report in Property Wire, office take-up across the six biggest regional office markets in the UK, including Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Bristol, increased by at least 30% in 2014.

As demand for office markets outside London looks set to continue, where is more beneficial for modern firms and professional workers to conduct their working day – is it better to have an office in the city centre or the outskirts?

Transportation

With bus routes, train stations, and tram stops around every corner, city centres are easy to get to and manoeuvre about in, hence their appeal to a broader workforce. However, we cannot ignore the fact that the vast majority of people in England and Wales still use their cars to get to work.

An RAC report released in 2013 found that seven out of 10 people in rural areas get to work by car rather than the train or bus.

We’ve all been there, anxiously ‘clock watching’ as we’re ground to a sickening halt in a queue in city centre traffic as an important impending meeting draws worryingly closer.

In short, offices located on the edge of town eliminate the problem of being stuck in city centre traffic.

With the majority of workers in Britain still using their cars to get to and from work and to meetings, an office that is close to major road networks but avoids congested city centres is an ultra-convenient and desirable option.

Of course we also cannot ignore the fact that many do choose public transport to get to work. As we wrote in an earlier blog about choosing the location of your office space, an office that is close to major roads and is also not far from public transport, such as bus stops and rail links, will mean workers traveling on public transport are able to reach the office with ease.

Good for clients

Not only are these convenient ‘out of the city centre’ offices great for workers but they also mean clients will be able to reach the venue without having the stress of wrestling with city centres – a valuable business asset.

Take Carrwood Park as an example. Here at Carrwood Park we are just two minutes from the M1 and 15 minutes from Leeds city centre, clients and potential clients will be able to locate the office with ease and feel fresh and optimistic when arriving to a business meeting.

On-site parking

Which brings us on to the issue of parking.

As most of us have experienced, parking in a city centre is not only painfully expensive, it can be nigh impossible.

City centre offices that do have on-site parking are a rarity and it is likely that these valuable spaces are snapped up by company directors or by long-standing workers.

By contrast, offices located on the outskirts of cities usually have room for everyone.

Talking about some of the benefits of renting office space on the outskirts of town, the popular entrepreneur website Evan Carmichael speaks of how “poor parking situations” can result in a “financial and personal concern for employees.”

“As long as your office space is still in a location served well by public transport, the major road networks will provide a relatively clear and simple route to the office, not forgetting, still keeping you as a business within easy reach of the central region,” writes Evan Carmichael.

Lower costs

And then there is the cost to consider. Statistics show that you can enjoy offices on the outskirts of town of exactly the same quality as their city centre rivals for cheaper.  When working on tight budgets, renting office space just minutes from a city centre can make a significant difference to monthly overheads and ultimately company profit. 

An asset to your branding

When the convenience, cost-effectiveness and ease of an out-of-town office is considered, opting for an office location on the outskirts of a city is likely to positively affect your branding.

As Carrwood Park wrote in a blog titled ‘How the look and location of your office can affect your branding’, without the headache of wresting city centre traffic, without having to pay elevated parking costs and with the convenience of being able to swing off the motorway into large, purpose-built grounds, employees, colleagues, clients and contractors are likely to show up to the office feeling relaxed, refreshed and ready to do business – a definite brand-enhancer!

For more information about WorkWell’s convenient, quality and friendly offices and meeting rooms on the outskirts of Leeds or Harrogate, download our guide to serviced offices. 

9 New Years Resolutions for your Small Business

WorkWell on February 1, 2015

 New Years resolutions are often made without much thought and are then forgotten about come February. Don’t fall into this trap in 2025.

The new year is a great time for a fresh start, to look back over what did and didn’t work in the previous year, what mistakes were made, and what successes you had. Running a business requires constant review and goal setting, so be inspired by reading our guide on creating a New Year’s Resolution for Small Businesses to help you have a prosperous 2015 with a successful small business.

1. Delegate your workload

Just because it is your business doesn’t mean you have to do everything yourself. There are only so many hours in the day, so delegate some of your smaller jobs to another member of staff or consider getting a virtual office so your phone calls can be answered and a message passed on to you.

2. Promote your business regularly and consistently

You can’t expect new customers to hear about your business if you don’t promote your services consistently. What’s more, it doesn’t have to cost the earth. Writing a weekly blog advising your customers is a great and free way (apart from time) to get your voice heard by potential customers.

3. Join a Networking Group

Networking is a great way to find new customers, get great advice from fellow business owners and also a way to get out of the office. We regularly hold networking events in Leeds here at Carrwood Park.

4. Set realistic goals

Goals are an extremely important way to keep your business on track, but don’t be too ambitious or your goals will feel out of reach and easily get cast away. Start small, and once you have reached your goals, you can be more ambitious with the next.

5. Review and improve goals regularly

Making your initial goals is one thing, but you don’t know if they are working unless you review them regularly. If they are not going as you expected, don’t be afraid to make adjustments.

6. Outsource jobs that are taking up your valuable time

As mentioned above, you don’t have to do all the work yourself. But if you don’t have any staff that you can delegate jobs to, then outsourcing may be more feasible for you. If you have an office in your home, you could consider moving into a co-working space where all the maintenance of your desk area is done for you, allowing you to get on with your work.

7. Set up a content Marketing Plan

Consumers are getting savvy about regular marketing techniques. Instead of telling a customer why your product is great, try creating content that makes them realise this on their own. Become an expert in your field and let them learn to trust your brand. They will come to you for your services when they are ready. Take a look at http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/blog/ for some great advice on how content marketing can help your business.

8. Show customer appreciation

We all like to feel appreciated, your customers are no different. Don’t become like one of the many corporations that refers to their customers as a number on a spreadsheet. Get to know your customers, talk to them and get their feedback. This way you can avoid complaints and improve your services, you will gain fans rather than unloyal customers.

9. Continue to improve and learn new Business skills

You can always be better at something. Whether you learn more about accounting so your year-end makes more sense, or you improve your marketing skills so you can discuss your advertising more effectively. Just because you learn a new skill doesn’t mean you have to do the work yourself. Having an understanding of something will help you discuss better with your employees and will give you a deeper understanding of what they are saying to you.

Whatever you decide to have as your New Year’s Resolution for your Small Business. Ensure to keep reviewing it and working on it throughout the year. Set a reminder on your phone or email to review your progress at least once a month to ensure you are on track.

From everyone at WorkWell, we would like to wish you a successful 2025!