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Business – Page 123 – Reginald Chan

Category: Business

How to Enjoy Breaks When Working from Home
Working from home first became a trend in 2020. Now, it’s 2022, and remote working is still an industry norm – despite the recent global pandemic coming to a halt.

The reasons for this are:
- 97% of remote workers don’t want to return to the office full-time
- It enables companies to cut down on costs and operate more efficiently
However, despite the fact that working from home has been popular for a couple of years, many people are still adapting to it. Naturally, one of the biggest complaints that employees have is that they find it boring.

Luckily, there are many different ways that you can make working from home fun and exciting when you’re taking breaks. Here are some top tips and suggestions to try:

Play online games

While on a break, it’s a good idea to grab your smartphone and play some online games. All you’ll need is an internet connection to do this.

A great place to start is by playing online pokies Australia. In addition to this, if you have a little extra time, you should try popular console games such as Fortnite and Apex Legends, which are perfect for casual players.

Catch-up with co-workers

During a break, it’s a good idea to catch up with any co-workers you have that are also working from home. Generally, the best way to do this is either by video call (such as Microsoft Teams) or a messenger app (like WhatsApp).

By staying in touch with your co-workers, it will ensure your relationship stays strong and that you experience higher job satisfaction.

Get fresh air

Getting fresh air is incredibly important for the people that work from home. Here’s why:
- It boosts your health, as fresh air leads to increased oxygen in your body which supports white blood cells
- You’ll feel better and more alert
If you don’t have a backyard or garden where you can do this, it’s recommended that you go for a quick walk around your neighborhood or a nearby park. This way, you’re getting double the benefit due to the added element of exercise.

Do some short exercising

Speaking of exercise, you need to keep exercising when you’re working from home.

This is because you’re likely to sit at your desk for long periods of time, which can lead to muscle cramps and other problems.

However, through regular exercise, you can drastically reduce the chances of these problems occurring.

Providing you have a spacious area in your home, you should do some exercising while taking a break. For the best possible experience, it’s a good idea to invest in home exercise equipment, such as resistance bands and pull-up bars.

As mentioned above, you can also exercise outside. In fact, if you want to, going for a quick run is an excellent idea, as this will get your body in full flow.

Tidy your office space

If you want to be ultra-productive during your break time, you should tidy your office space at home.

For example, there might be clutter on the floor – such as wires and paper documents – that should be tidied up. After decluttering, you’ll feel a lot better – plus, it shouldn’t take you too long!
May 6, 2022
Enhancing Security In The Financial Sector In The Age Of Big Data

Heightened technology adaptation in the financial industry introduces more vulnerabilities and made this sector an attractive target to cybercriminals. In fact, according to recent research conducted by IBM, the average cost per data breach among 500 surveyed companies was $4.24 million. With the need to protect brand reputation and the pressure from regulatory agencies, financial firms are constantly improving their cybersecurity resiliency to gate-keep their customers’ personal identifiable information (PII). Learn more about what security controls financial sectors have in place to mitigate the inherent risks associated with today’s global shift toward mobile banking and online payment schemes.

Advanced Data Security Programs

With the ever-increasing demand for quick payment solutions, financial institutions have been more susceptible to security breaches. Recent heists would also prove that mediocre and outdated data security software is not enough to dodge these cyberattacks. That’s why financial service providers today have incorporated a protective framework made with advanced data security programs. Some examples of this would be data encryption, security assessment, multi-factor authentication, hardware security modules, and limited data access to keep data safe from prying eyes and help identify potentially risky situations before they occur.

While cyber risks are unavoidable, financial institutions prepare themselves by deploying flexible data security approaches to protect high-risk applications as cybersecurity threats continue to evolve. In fact, a report published by the World Retail Banking revealed that 57% of customers say they now prefer online banking and other mobile financial apps to stay on top of their finances.

Highly-Skilled Data Security Professionals

Keeping up with the rising demand for frictionless and cashless financial services can be a challenge for financial firms, especially now that people want apps that are secure and easy to access with just a click of a button. However, in today’s massive digital transformation, cyberhacking and malware have become more prevalent and last year, it was estimated that ransomware is so common that one cyberattack takes place every 11 seconds. This just fuels the industry’s need for advanced data security protocols and highly-skilled security professionals to help them keep pace with technological innovation.

Financial firms know that solely relying on software developers is not enough to ensure absolute security across all aspects of their operations. Thus, financial service providers are working closely with security professionals to make the data exchange process smoother and have their systems analyzed by a firm that specializes in financial services. According to Polsinelli PC, this will also serve as a reliable line of defense against cybercriminals who are attempting to exploit private data or other sensitive information to allow the installation of malware.

Local Regulatory Policies

As financial firms remain to be high-profile targets by cyberhackers, companies belonging to this industry have implemented stricter regulatory policies to control costs and mitigate potential risks. Government regulatory agencies keep a watchful eye on the events in this cyberspace and are ready to apply more onerous policies. The hefty consequences–financial fines and litigation–are imposed in the event of data breaches to ensure that sensitive customer data is protected appropriately. Failure to comply with the said regulations may also damage the reputation of the financial firm and lose customers over other competitors who provide greater security over sensitive information. Some of the specific financial sector laws across the country include the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), Making Online Banking Initiation Legal and Easy Act (MOBILE Act), and Sarbanes Oxley Act (SOX). All of these are done to ensure a seamless and cashless experience at a level of protection that is enough to secure customer information and better manage cyber risks caused by an accelerated digitalization in the financial industry.

International Financial Sector Standards

Data privacy concerns have become a hot topic in the financial sector as financial institutions manage a large volume of sensitive customer data. Breaches of the said data can lead to dire consequences and tarnished brand reputation. From insurance companies to commercial banks, brokerage firms, and everything in between, strict international regulations are imposed to set the standard for data security to protect customers from the rapidly evolving threat landscape in the financial industry. Some of the international standards that affect financial service providers are SWIFT Customer Security Program (SWIFT CSP) and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) to name a few. Likewise, there are also specific regulations imposed by the European Union (EU) along with the European Economic Area (EEA) namely, the PSD2 Regulatory Technical Standards (PSD2-RTS) and Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2) to regulate service providers and make customer payments more secure.

User Education and Employee Training

Just as technologies in the financial industry evolve, so do customer needs and ways to meet them. A data security-centric solution to manage cybersecurity threats is to communicate and educate end-users about the services. Banks and other financial service providers communicate regularly with their customers on system upgrades to ensure that they are well-informed about any changes. The adaptation of this measure is also necessary to help them know if someone is trying to access their account without permission and to extend a culture of security among customers. Likewise, financial institutions are also deploying data security training among team members and staff to minimize the possibility of human error in the future. This data security training focuses on the best practices to protect sensitive data from theft, modification, disclosure, loss, or destruction in both offline and online spaces.

As the trend in the financial industry shifts to all-digital, the need for data security has been highlighted to enhance customer experience and address the heightened risks of cybersecurity threats in the space. Due to the sensitive nature of the data financial institutions collect, these organizations are equipped with advanced data security programs and strict regulatory requirements to minimize any vulnerabilities within a system. And as the pandemic quickened the financial digitalization trend, more and more people are starting to embrace the benefits of using digital payments and wallets.

May 6, 2022
How To Choose The Best Attorney For Pedestrian Accidents

What else can be worse than getting involved in a pedestrian accident? It’s not getting justice or compensation, and the wrongdoer goes scot-free. The pains and scars don’t disappear overnight, and getting justice and closure over the incident might just be good.

You need to get the best pedestrian accident attorney to help you for that to happen. However, finding one is not as simple as you think, but a guide can help you choose the most suitable attorney.

●    Research online

Another thing you can do when looking to hire a pedestrian accident lawyer is to research online. Search for well-known injury attorneys in your state, hometown, or nearest proximity.

Then, you can check rating sites online to see reviews about them, their reputations, and their skills. That’ll help you with a list of lawyers you can trust before deciding who to go with.

●    Identify the qualities you’re looking for

Before choosing a lawyer, you need to identify what qualities and criteria you’re looking for. Choose the qualities you feel are the most important to you.

For example, the criteria may include their experiences with such cases, fee, personality, expertise, and others. Your list will make it easier for you to shortlist the best lawyers.

●    Ask for referrals

One of the ways to find and hire a pedestrian accident lawyer is by asking for referrals. You can start by asking your friends and family if they have ever hired an attorney before for similar reasons or others.

If they have, ask about their experience with the lawyers and the case’s outcome to help you gauge what your experience with them will be like.

●    Shortlist your top picks

Use your selected criteria to compile a list of attorneys with those qualities. Instead of having a long list of lawyers and too many options, you can limit your list to four or five.

This will save you time and stress of consulting with too many lawyers because this will require long talks either on the phone or physically.

●    Review their credentials and track records

Before calling or setting a meeting with any lawyer, you need to review and confirm their credentials and track records. Check their licensing, certification, and success rate to know if you have a high chance of winning if you hire them.

●    Consider availability, experience, and firm size

Another thing you should check is the attorneys’ availability, experience, and firm size. Of course, you need someone who has access to adequate resources to work with and doesn’t have too many workloads that they won’t have enough time to dedicate to your case.

If they work in a large firm, it is good for you because it means they will have more resources to work with, and they would have had a lot of experience working on different cases.

●    Set up meetings and meet with different attorneys

After cross-checking all the necessary details and confirming that your list of lawyers is the best choice you can make, you need to call and set up meetings with them.

Some personal pedestrian accident lawyers offer a free initial consultation. When you meet up with them, ensure you give every detail of the case without leaving out important details so the lawyer can review and give you an estimate of expected compensation.

You also need to ask important questions like their fees, how long it will take to resolve the case, if you’ll be involved, what happens if you don’t win, etc.

●    Works on contingency

You should check if the attorney works on contingency; you pay them from the award proceeds instead of paying hourly. The average contingency rate is 33% but could be higher depending on the case’s complexity.

●    Choose someone you feel comfortable with

It is important that you choose someone you get along with and are comfortable with. They’ll have access to much of your information, and you’ll probably be in close contact for weeks or months, depending on how long the case drags on.

It’s also good if you have someone empathetic, especially if you get frustrated with the case, so they can make you feel better.

●    Choose the best lawyer

After examining and interviewing multiple lawyers, you need to choose the best lawyer you think would do the best job based on their qualifications and your experience talking to them.

Conclusion

Finding lawyers isn’t hard, but choosing the best for your case to help you feel heard is more tasking. You need to ensure that the lawyer you choose is highly qualified, empathetic, and ticks other important criteria you’re looking for.

May 6, 2022
Work Focus Tips to Get More Done

Want to get more done at work? Here are some great tips to help your focus and increase productivity.

1. Avoid multitasking

Many people are usually under the impression that they can effectively multitask. But nothing could be further from the truth. While you might think that handling multiple tasks at once helps to increase your productivity, it actually only slows you down and there is a scientific reason behind this. Instead of being focused on the different tasks at hand at the same time, your brain has to switch between the tasks.

2. Eliminate distractions

Distractions are everywhere – both in our personal and professional lives. If you want to improve your focus at work, you need to first identify the main source of these distractions. If I am not wrong, your main source of distractions at work is most likely your phone. Did you know that your memory, intelligence, and attention all decrease every time you look at your phone – even if it is switched off or on silent mode? This is according to various studies. So, if possible, keep your phone away from sight while you are working. Alternatively, consider using an app like Focus to block your distractions.

3. Schedule breaks

You may have never noticed this, but your attention and retention tend to diminish after only 25 minutes of concentration. You can use this newfound knowledge to your advantage by implementing the Pomodoro Technique. This is a time management system created by Francesco Cirillo. This technique involves breaking your workday into 25-minute chunks separated by 5-minute breaks.

After four cycles, it is recommended that you take a 20-minute break. Why this technique is so effective is due to the fact that your brain understands that it only needs to keep focused for 25 minutes and then enjoy a short break.

7 brain hacks to refocus your attention

In addition to those useful tips from Jim Kwik, we have also provided some useful brain hacks for you to try out. After all, you can never know whether something works until you try it.

1. Keep a distraction notebook

One of the key reasons we get distracted is coming across something we deem important or fascinating, for example, a coupon for Panera, an article about fitness, etc). This is why it is helpful to always have a distraction notebook with you at all times while working.

A distraction notebook allows you to note down everything that you’d want to come back to later. Thus, after you are done with work, you can go back to your distraction notebook and check whether there is something you’d want to get into.

2. Automate some of your decisions

Among other things, Steve Jobs was famous for wearing the same outfit every day. However, what you may not have known is that Simon Cowell, Micheal Kors, and Grace Coddington do too. All these people wear the same things every day to avoid wasting time making a decision about what to wear that day.

So, take a step back and think about some of the decisions that can be automated, for example, what to eat for breakfast or lunch. When such things are already cared for, you don’t have to spend time worrying or thinking about them, thus, you are able to focus more on work.

3. Have a recovery ritual

While the concept of having a recovery ritual is typically recommended for adults suffering from ADHD, it can prove to be very helpful if you struggle to concentrate. Here are some common recovery rituals:

Walk up and down the stairs

Do one-minute stretches

Meditate for two minutes and unwind

Do a quick tidy

Anytime you get distracted while working, you can rely on your recovery ritual to help you refocus. A recovery ritual helps you to feel more energized and allows you to focus on the task at hand.

4. Occasionally shift your workspace

Did you know that a change in your working environment can help you re-energize? By disrupting your typical pattern, you help brain to reboot and stimulate its creativity. To prevent my productivity from stagnating, I choose to move around two or three times in my workday.

While this might be more difficult if you work in a traditional office setting, you can still move and spend a few hours at a vacant desk, or in an empty room or conference room.

5. Always finish what you start

Often, we tend to jump to a new task if it seems more exciting or more important. However, if we kept on doing this, we would never get anything done. While I don’t mean that you stick to a 5-hour project without taking a break, you should, at the very least, spend an hour or so on it before transitioning to the next. Use Track Time 24 to plan your time effectively.

6. Begin with what seems more difficult

Besides aiming to finish what you start, you also need to start with what you don’t think you can finish. In most cases, people procrastinate because they feel overwhelmed by a particular task or project. In case you are feeling overwhelmed by anything, it is always better if you can get started at it.

Remind yourself that you are only going to spend 10 minutes on a complicated task before you take a break. In most cases, you will be able to get into a flow and work on it for even longer than you initially expected. After starting something you have been avoiding to start, it becomes way easier to continue with it.

7. Try a shortcut to focus

This is perhaps the simplest tip on the list. For this, you just need a Hapbee Band and press play on focus. Hapbee is among the most popular wellness wearables. It uses a safe magnetic field technology to transmit signals to your brain and alter how you feel.

May 6, 2022
Useful Tips To Help You Improve Your Real Estate Business

You may have a business that involves the buying and selling of properties. Perhaps you want to make a profit from buying some overseas. Alternatively, you’re interested in property management and operation, or property investment.

Whatever it is that you do, you’re no doubt looking for ways to take things up a level. In this article, we’ll discuss some useful tips to help you improve your real estate business.

Consider Buying For Cash

If you have the cash available, buying a property outright is always an option. This can be a great way to get started in the business, without having to worry about taking out a loan or finding another source of funding like small business loans. Be sure that you have the financial resources available before making any offers on properties. You’ll also need sufficient funding left over so you can continue your business operations.

If you go online you can learn more about buying properties for cash. You’ll soon find companies running a “we buy houses” promotion where they make free cash offers within hours and close in as little as seven days. They buy homes that need cleaning or repairs, or have structural issues, unpermitted work or bad tenants.

Get To Know The Market Intimately And Invest In Growing Areas

It’s important that you know the ins and outs of the market. This includes being familiar with the types of properties that are popular in your area, as well as understanding the trends that are happening. This way, you’ll be able to better serve your clients and find properties that fit their needs perfectly. Not to mention, you’ll also be ahead of the competition who may not have taken the time to learn about their market.

It’s always a good idea to look for properties in areas that are growing and developing. This can be a great way to ensure that your investment will appreciate over time. These properties may cost a bit more upfront, but they can be well worth it in the long run.

Stay Organized And Use Technology

This means having a system in place for keeping track of your clients, properties, and leads. In today’s day and age, technology is a powerful tool that can help you in your real estate business. There are many different apps and software programs that can make your life easier as an agent.

From scheduling appointments to keeping track of properties, there’s an app for just about everything. It can also be helpful to use a CRM (customer relationship management) system to help you. By staying organized, you’ll be able to better serve your clients and close more deals.

Look For Properties That Need Work

These can often be had for a lower price if you fully utilize your negotiating skills. In some cases, these houses may just require some cosmetic upgrades or repairs. If you’re handy, you may even be able to do some of the work yourself and save even more money. Just be sure to factor in the cost of any necessary repair work (including materials and labor) before making an offer on a property.

Once the renovation work has been completed you’ll have increased the property’s value. This means you can either rent it out for a higher amount or make a profit on the resale.

Get To Know Your Clients And Be Honest

Take some time to sit down with your clients and learn about their needs and wants. Find out what their budget is and what kind of property they’re looking for. The more you know about them, the better equipped you’ll be to find them the perfect home.

Your clients are trusting you to help them make one of the biggest purchases of their lives. If you’re not honest with them, they’ll not trust you or use your services again. Additionally, your reputation could be damaged. Rather than your clients recommending you, they could be dissuading others from having any dealings with your company.

Learn To Negotiate Effectively

You need negotiation skills in order to get the best possible deals, and here’s how to improve: First, it’s important that you understand the other person’s motivation. What are they trying to achieve? What’s their bottom line? Once you know this, you can start to work towards a compromise that will benefit both parties.

It’s also important that you stay calm and collected during negotiations. Don’t let emotions get in the way of making a deal. If you can keep a level head, you’ll be more likely to come to an agreement that everyone is happy with. Finally, don’t be afraid to walk away from a deal if it’s not in your best interests. Sometimes the best way to win a negotiation is to walk away from it. If you’re not getting what you want, there’s no point in continuing. This will show the other party that you’re not desperate and that you’re willing to stand up for yourself.

Be Consistently Professional

Give yourself time to grow and learn from your mistakes; there’s no shame in making them – we all do it. Consistency is key when it comes to growing any kind of business. This means being active on social media, writing blog posts regularly, sending out email newsletters, etc.

If you want people to invest their time and money in your business, you need to offer them something of value in return. This could be helpful information, a quality product or service, or anything else that would be beneficial to them. Be polite and respectful to others, dress and speak professionally – and always maintain a positive attitude. Once you’ve closed a deal and the sale has completed, don’t forget to follow up with your clients to check everything is okay.

By putting all the tips we’ve discussed into practice, you’ll be able to improve your real estate business. Not only will your wise decisions make you profitable, but they’ll also benefit your clients. As a result, you’ll become an established company that has every reason to be optimistic about the future.

May 6, 2022
How to Take Microbreaks When Running a Business

When you are running a business, it inevitably means that you are going to be under all sorts of pressure. Therefore, you need to be doing even more to ensure that your mental health is protected and you are in the very best shape to continue steering the ship in the right direction. As well as unwinding properly at the end of the day, it can also be useful to take some microbreaks during the course of the day whenever you have some minutes that you can use them. The major advantage is that you then feel like you are properly refreshed and ready to tackle whatever challenges are in front of you. So, here is some useful advice that can help you to spend these precious minutes in the wisest way possible.

Try Some Meditation or Yoga

There is no doubt that mindfulness has exploded in a big way over the past years, so you could join the growing trend by trying out some meditation. There are all sorts of apps and videos that can certainly help you out when it comes to giving you the basics that you need to complete in order to do this successfully. The other major option that you have in front of you is yoga, which also has the natural advantage of allowing you to stretch your body at the same time.

Play a Game

Sometimes, you need a bit of escapism in its purest form, and the best way that you are going to be able to achieve this state is by playing a game. Of course, the internet has presented us with all sorts of different options, so you simply have to take the time to pick your favourite one. It could be that you enjoy a simply game of solitaire or you prefer the joka room that are out there. Ultimately, it is going to be worth taking the time to experiment and work out which one is right for you.

Take a Short Walk

There is no doubt that being cooped up in the same environment for days on end can be highly damaging to our mental wellbeing. Simply getting out into nature can prove to be a highly effective tonic to this feeling. Therefore, you should certainly take the opportunity to go out for a short walk if you are able to. You are likely to find that you are going to come back in feeling refreshed and able to assess problems in an entirely different way.

Write Down Your Thoughts

While we live in a highly technical world at the moment, there is no doubt that writing down your thoughts can prove to be a great way of blurting out your feelings. You do not necessarily have to put down any sort of structure to it whatsoever. All it takes is a piece of paper and a pencil for you to really get your thoughts out of you and start processing.

May 6, 2022