Thursday 28 November 2013

Winter hair care!

Winter can take its toll on your hair - cold winds, pouring rain, icy snaps, central heating all take their toll on your locks. So it's worth starting a change-of-seasons care regime to keep your hair in the best shape possible.
1. The winter months can dull hair, so invest in a good quality shampoo and conditioner to get a healthy shine. Wash and condition your hair, then blast it with a cold water rinse to help seal in the conditioner to add shine and make your hair easier to style.

2. Your winter hair may already be in damage deficit from exposure to the sun and sea during the summer months, so needs to be nourished from within. Choose an intensive moisturising shampoo and conditioner: look for products with the word ‘replenish’ on them.


3. Add a hair treatment mask once a week to your hair care routine.

4. Moisturise your hair once a week with a hot oil treatment to promote a healthy scalp and nourished hair. Some natural oils that work particularly well include coconut oil and almond oil.


5. Give your hair a new lease of life in the autumn/winter months with a cut to get rid of split ends. Aim to get your split ends trimmed every six to eight weeks as this will promote healthy hair.

6. As the weather becomes colder and the air drier, it takes its toll on your hair and can cause it to become brittle and dry and to break. Indoor heating can also damage hair. Wear a scarf or hat when outside, and add humidity to the air in your home or office - your hair and skin will benefit.

7. To avoid frizzy, static-prone hair in the winter months, keep your hair tied up as much as possible, particularly when out and about, and especially when exercising.



8. If you use heat styling tools, like curling tongs or hair straighteners, then you must always use a good quality, nourishing heat defense spray or leave-in conditioner to protect your hair and keep it looking glossy and hydrated. This is especially important during winter, when cold wind, rain and the added heat from styling tools all contribute to hair damage.

9. Try not to leave the house with wet hair: the cold weather can cause your hair to freeze at the cuticle and cause it to break.



10. Lastly, why not rejuvenate yourself and go for a new look this winter by dyeing your hair a dark, warm color? On-trend colors right now include mahogany, plum and chocolate brown.

Thanks to:
Advice on best ways to keep your hair looking great through the winter months, from Daniel Galvin's creative director Asgar
http://www.zest.co.uk/hair-and-nails/10-winter-hair-care-tips/4438.html

Thursday 21 November 2013

HOW TO CREATE A BETTER WORK ENVIRONMENT

6 SINS OF OFFICE STRESS: 

Are your employees excited to come to the office every day, or do they drag in late? Here at Wasp, we think building a strong (and motivated!) team is essential in small business. Avoid these six sins of office stress and make your work environment a place that employees want to be.

1.      Infrequent Feedback
Employees worry about performance when they don’t receive feedback from mangers. Eliminate this office stress by scheduling regular evaluations. Be sure to discuss positive areas of each employee’s work and areas for improvement. Establish an “Employee of the Month” or other reward system to showcase star performers and give employees a goal to aspire to. 
Also, make sure your employees feel comfortable giving feedback to managers. While some employees may be at ease sharing problems or concerns in a face-to-face meeting, other employees may prefer to provide feedback using an anonymous survey or though a suggestion box.  Regardless of how you approach it, be sure the process is simple and that suggestions are taken to heart.

2.      Mundane Office Hours
Have you ever finished your work for the day at 3 p.m., but couldn’t leave until 6 p.m.? Or do you work best after 10 a.m.? Forget the traditional 9-5 office hours. If it works for your small business, allow employees to decide the set hours they are in the office. 
Or, reward employees on Fridays by letting your team to come in to the office late or leave early. Switching up the norm will allow employees to relax for a few needed hours.

3.      Uncomfortable Work Space
Simple things like glaring computer screens, limited sticky notes or painful desk chairs can cause stress. Allow employees to select desk furniture and keep a “grocery list” for needed office supplies. Don’t neglect unconventional options like standing desks or stability ball chairs as healthy alternatives to everyday office chairs. Around the Wasp office, you can spot employees perched on stability balls, and the sales team sports sound-cancelling headsets to keep office noise out of calls. Check out these tips for more simple stress reducers.

4.      Cubicle Confinement
Don’t trap your employees at their desks all day. Encouraging your team to interact on a personal level can foster better cohesion and a happier work environment. In addition to team lunches or friendly competitions (we’ve seen a few footraces in our warehouse on a Friday afternoon), consider adding a ping pong table or pool table to a corner of the office. Supply the area with waters and healthy snacks like fruit or nuts for a healthy, interactive work break. 
Team bonding shouldn’t end at clock-out. Treat your team to happy hour appetizers, join an intramural league, or start a running group to train for a local 5K. After all, teams who play together, stay together.

5.      Unhealthy Habits
Poor eating habits and lack of sleep and exercise create stress before your employees even enter the office. Help offset unhealthy habits by promoting health while at work. Instead of the all-you-can-eat taco bar, cater deli sandwiches with fruits and vegetables for the company lunch. For casual Friday, let workers wear sweatpants and bring in a yoga instructor for a mid-afternoon workout. 
If your small business is home to a vending machine, encourage your provider to stock healthier options, like baked chips and granola bars, instead of your standard vending machine fare.

6.      Missing Direction
A major cause of stress for employees is not knowing where the company is going and their role plays in to the overall strategy. Involve your team in making long-term and short-term goals. Post long-term goals around the office and give short-term goals to each employee at their desk. When goals are accomplished, celebrate! Employees who know the goals of their company (and know s
pecifically what they can do to help) are more committed team members.
Keep your employees low on the stress meter and watch the returns in your company’s productivity.


With Thanks To
http://www.waspbarcode.com/buzz/6-sins-office-stress-create-work-environment/