Keep Your Cool This Summer With Daily Acts of Kindness

Keep Your Cool This Summer With Daily Acts of Kindness If youve ever crammed into a packed, sweaty subway car on a sweltering July morning, you know that a hot morning commute can set the tone for your whole day. Multiple studies have shown strong correlations between heat and aggression. And sometimes this aggression can be wrongfully taken out on coworkers. Whether you walk, drive, use public transportation, or work from home, there are myriad tiny ways the heat can affect your mood - and your work.But theres no reason you cant beat the heat and keep your cool at workHow, you ask?Great question Each time youre feeling a little on edge because youre too sweaty to think straight, imagine that your coworkers/friends/family might be feeling just as exhausted and overwhelmed... think of all the things those people could do to make your day better, and then do it for them insteadIts about seeing the good in each day, and actively looking for ways you can improve others days as well.Were halfway through our monthly challenges for 2019, and this month, were challenging you to bring positivity to your office/work environment with daily abrollcontainer-transportsystem of kindness. Below Ive shared some ideas you can try out at the office or at home. Daily Acts of Kindness Challenge - Ideas to Get You StartedBuy a coworker lunchGive a compliment (stick to choices people have made or work theyve done)Hold the door openBring in coffee/breakfast to shareAsk a coworker whos new to grab lunchSay hi in the hallwayDonate to a friends fundraiser/charityWatch someones child for freeLeave your waiter an extra generous tipPay for someones bus/metro fare if theyve forgotten their cardHelp a coworker solve a problemBring your neighbors paper to their front doorMake a meal for someone who could use some supportWrite a handwritten thank you to someone whos helped you in the pastGive out cold water/gatorade to folks working outdoors (maybe your mail person, garbage collectors, or anyon e youve hired to work on your yard)VolunteerCall an elderly relative you havent spoken to in a whileShare an article or post thats made you smile with someone else who might appreciate itKeep an extra umbrella at your desk at work so you can lend it when it rainsTell a coworker when theyre doing well at work (this includes your peers, bosses, and those below you)When you get good service, write a nice review or share what they did with their bossText family/friends you know are going through a tough time to check inPost sticky notes at home/work with positive phrasesSmile Sometimes the littlest things make all the difference---So get out there, and look for a way to make someone elses day, every day. (No need to come up with a fresh idea for each day, just do something kind for someone else every day.)If youre competitive, enlist a friend who you can text at the end of each day to ask what they did. The friend whos completed the most acts of kindness by the end of the month wins bra gging rights - and the opportunity to complete one last act of kindness by taking their losing friend out for a conciliatory dinner.Jot down what you do each day and be sure to let us know what other great ideas you come up withRelated Articles Around the Web 30-Day Kindness Challenge Doing Good Together One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant advancements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind... and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats analyzing an architects plans or laying bricks on top of a scaffold. And men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in r eality. When was the last time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 million construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot mora to offer than steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it needs women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel Innovation/h2pNot only is diversity the socially and morally right thing to do, but it is also actually an excellent geschftsleben strategy. pResearch presented in the Harvard Business Reviewshows that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. This is further supported by a study conducted by Gallupon the performance of gender-diverse teams versus single-gender teams, which found that the difference in backgroun ds and perspectives led to better business performance and problem-solving. h22. Capitalize on Demand/h2pThe construction industry is currently experiencing a labor shortage. The industry itself is booming and projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, with total spending projected to exceed $1.45 trillion in 2023/a. However, most construction companies are unable to meet the rising demand. pAccording to the Associated General Contractors of America/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given th e highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive innovation and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive option for other women.h24. High-Income Potential/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choice for women looking for a high-paying job,pThe 2018 Construction Craft Salary Surveyconducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research revealed that salaries for many skilled craft areas are increasing. Project managers and project supervisors topped the list at $92,523 and $88,355, respectively. The next set of highest-paying jobs include those of combo welders ($71,067), instrumentation technicians ($70,080), pipe welders ($69,222), power line workers ($68,262) and industrial electricians ($67,269). Of the 32 categories of workers in the survey, 19 positions earned an average salary of $60,000 or higher.h25. Sense of accomplishment/h2p The construction industry can give employees a unique sense of achievement. Yes, the job is stressful and the work can be demanding, but nothing beats the feeling of being able to build something from the ground up. pHow many professionals in other industries can point at a school, a hospital, or a skyscraper and say I helped build that?pThe construction industry has a long way to go in combating gender bias and supporting women in the workforce, but given the current demand for workers, theres no better time to pick up a sledgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.