Advantia Business Solutions Blog

Summertime is always welcomed with open arms after a cold winter and a rainy spring, and all we want to do is make the most of it whilst it lasts. If you’re stuck in the office during this beautiful time of year, you might find yourself daydreaming more and working less. While you probably have a summer holiday booked, you still have to be at work for the rest of the season. It can be hard to stay on task, especially since summer is usually the slowest time of the year for most businesses, so it’s important to keep yourself motivated and productive at work. 1. Plan Sunshine Breaks During the winter season it is common that a lot of us choose not to go out for a walk during our working day. However, now that the weather is brightening up, plan some time to get outside and soak up the sun! A mid-day walk can help reinvigorate you for the rest of the day, helping refresh your mind and bring back that motivation. 2. Stay Hydrated Drinking water is a great health habit ...

As National Stationery Week continues on for the last couple of days, we thought it would be nice to know some interesting facts about the subject of celebration. From breadcrumbs being used as erasers to the world’s most expensive pen – these stationery facts are worth the read: 1. The average office worker handles around 10,000 sheets of paper every year It has been calculated that the average tree is capable of producing around 80,000 sheets of paper, which is enough to sustain around 8 office workers every year. 2. The post-it note wasn’t invented, it was created by accident In 1968, Spencer Silver, who was an employee of 3M at the time, was trying to create a super-strong adhesive. Yet despite his best efforts, all he could come up with was a very weak adhesive that could be removed without leaving behind any residue. This accidental discovery was then used to create the world’s first post-it note. 3. The ballpoint pen first gained popularity becau...

National Stationery Week has arrived (25 April – 1 May 2016) and it is a good reminder that we all love having a good selection of stationery in our house or on our desk at work. In this digital age, some people might opt to use their laptops for writing notes or letters, leaving handwriting to seem invaluable. However, the benefits of picking up a pen go much further, with gains for our brainpower and wellbeing when writing by hand. So whilst the nation are celebrating their love for stationery, we’ve taken a look at why handwriting is the best tool for capturing information and inspiring creativity on paper: The public agree! It appears the British public would agree that writing matters. In a YouGov poll for National Stationery Week, 92% of people agreed that handwriting is very or fairly important, while 97% agreed that it’s important to teach handwriting to school children. Calming Increased calmness has been proved to be among the advantages of writin...

With winter finally over, it’s a great time to start thinking about whether you can carry out some spring cleaning in your business to get you set for the rest of 2016. Here are some top tips: Update your website and social media Go through and take stock of what your online presence is like. Is there some copy on your site that could be rewritten to sound better or more accurately reflect slight shifts in your target market, or what kinds of services you are focusing on now? Is your brand being represented as effectively as possible? Now is a good time to tighten things up and fix up all the little details that, although they don’t take a lot of effort, make a big impact. Consider long-term goals While dusting off your business plan from the beginning of the first quarter, think about your long-term goals, both for the company and for your own working life. You might find that your expectations, needs, and ambitions are different than they once were. Maybe your ...

On the 28 th February, all eyes will be on the film industry as the Oscars Academy Awards arrives for its 88 th year. From a personal perspective, most of us love to see actors and actresses dress up, walk the red carpet, and receive awards for their accomplishments. Although, from a business perspective, the Oscars provide some valuable lessons for a successful enterprise. Understand Your Competition Academy Award nominees will rarely go into the ceremony without knowing anything about their fellow nominees, especially if they are nominated in the same category. They also understand crucial details such as what type of outfit they will wear and how they perform in front of the camera. Similarly, you should develop strategies to get ahead of the game by gaining an understanding of your competition. Also, identify your own business’s limitations to help you get the right resources to counter this shortfall. Emphasis on Teamwork The glammed up celebrities you see o...

January is practically over, and a popular New Year’s resolution made by us office workers was probably to lose weight or to keep fit whilst still working full time. It’s no secret that many of us fail to keep these resolutions because January typically includes a lot of stress-eating from returning to the office after a holiday of laziness and leftovers. You may realise your fitness regime is at a stand-still, but the fact is, just because you’re at work all day doesn’t mean you can’t stay fit and healthy. Therefore, use February as a start to make some simple lifestyle and work habit adjustments, such as: 1. Deskercise In the digital age, chances are most of us are desk bound at our workstation and get too little movement during the workday. Perhaps try stretching your leg and arm muscles every now and then or even stand at your desk whilst you work. The good thing is you’re increasing your activity levels…and you don’t even have to leave your office chair! 2. ...