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Workplace Hero

Health & Wellness Podcasts

The aim of this podcast is for me to arm you, my amazing workplace-casual army, with the weapons needed to combat the potential and perhaps inherent downsides of our chosen lifestyle. Most of us spend at least 40 hours per week at our place of work (47.7 hours is the actual average - even if we only get paid for 37.5 hours). We put time and effort into what our home looks like. We put research into the car we buy or the clothes we wear. Why wouldn’t we put at least that much effort into how we approach our workspace? This podcast will help you optimize, hone and perfect your office habitat so you can truly be a Workplace Hero.

Location:

Canada

Description:

The aim of this podcast is for me to arm you, my amazing workplace-casual army, with the weapons needed to combat the potential and perhaps inherent downsides of our chosen lifestyle. Most of us spend at least 40 hours per week at our place of work (47.7 hours is the actual average - even if we only get paid for 37.5 hours). We put time and effort into what our home looks like. We put research into the car we buy or the clothes we wear. Why wouldn’t we put at least that much effort into how we approach our workspace? This podcast will help you optimize, hone and perfect your office habitat so you can truly be a Workplace Hero.

Language:

English

Contact:

604-369-5015


Episodes

Announcing: the Change Academy

5/27/2020
After a nearly two year hiatus, I am back with an exciting announcement! I have a new podcast called Change Academy and in this short episode of Workplace Hero, I explain what the new show is all about and play you a snippet from Episode #1 of Change Academy.

Duration:00:12:11

How To Self Promote, without being human spam w/ Justin Jackson

6/16/2018
I'm going to come right out and say it. The reason I chose the topic of Self Promotion for this episode is that I have something to sell you. The product is called Weighless and Weighless is a fat loss program. So, as you can probably guess, with the millions on other fat loss programs out there advertising themselves, it is difficult being heard above the noise. So, in our endeavour to rise above all the noise, we have been forced to become self-promotion ninjas.

Duration:00:19:44

Work Expands (or contracts) to the Time Allowed

2/16/2018
Parkinson's Law is a book by C. Northcote Parkinson. And this book is best known for its opening line: Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion. Now, do you recognise it? I bet you do. Honestly, I didn’t know it had a name until I started writing this episode.

Duration:00:13:25

Goal Setting and the End of Season 1

9/8/2017
Top-level athletes, successful business-people and achievers in most fields all set goals. Setting goals gives you long-term vision and short-term motivation and it helps you to organize your time and your resources. -- Goal Setting Hello my cubicle convictions, open space schemers, corner office objectives, home den dutiful and coffee shop schemas. My name is Brock Armstrong and I am not the workplace hero. If there is a Workplace Hero around these parts, it is you my friend. And I will explain why, in a few minutes. Right now, I want to give you some data. The first Workplace Hero podcast episode was released on March 5, 2017. Here is a snippet of the Facebook live video I did to celebrate. Since then, I have released 30 episodes (including this one) which have received a total of about 12,000 downloads, ranging between 647 downloads for Katy Bowman’s “To Sit or Not To Sit” episode and 250 downloads for the “What Happens at Work Stays at Work” episode. When I started the podcast, I of course had high hopes of thousands of downloads and advertiser’s banging down my virtual door but at the same time I really had no idea if anyone would listen or care (aside from my mom). And as you can see, this podcast is by no means a wild, runaway success but it is also by some measures and stats I have seen passed around on the podcast forums, performing better than 95% of the podcasts on the Apple Podcasts app. Even more important than that though, this podcast has been a blast to produce. It really has scratched an itch that I have had for a while. I have worked as a tech and/or producer on 13 different podcasts and all but two or three of them have been interview style podcasts. You know, where two people sit down and have an organic conversation (usually over Skype) and then it was my job to try to make it sound good and make sense. Well, I have always been more interested in creating a more produced, scripted, researched and polished podcast. This is likely due to my background in music and my occasional dips into broadcast radio. Workplace Hero is that podcast. I love the artistry that I can bring to it. The time I take to add sound effects and drum beats and music soothes my soul. Truly. Now, I know I am rambling a bit but I do have a point here… so let me get to it. When I decided to commit to this podcast, I was worried that it would be harder, more time consuming, slower to take off than I had anticipated and I didn’t want to prematurely pull the plug on it before I had a chance to really experience what it was like to be a solo podcaster. I didn’t want to get 5 episodes in, realize that my mom is the only one commenting on the blog posts (which she kinda is) and that I am only getting 200 downloads per episode (remember that I have worked on shows that get 100,000 + downloads per episode so that is my frame of reference) and end the adventure before the podcast really had a chance to grow, build an audience and become part of my daily life. So I remembered (incorrectly, I might add) something I had read that Tim Ferriss said when he started his podcast. I incorrectly remembered him writing that he decided to do 30 episodes to see if he liked liked podcasting. What he actually wrote was “ I decided to try long-form audio for six episodes. If I didn’t enjoy it, I would throw in the towel and walk.” https://tim.blog/2016/04/11/tim-ferriss-podcast-business/ Well, despite what Tim actually wrote, I decided my number was 30. I was not allowed to stop, pull the plug, take a week off or break stride for 30 episodes. Once I reached 30, then I had a decision to make. Until then, it was business as usual. A business that is losing me money and time every week but also a business that I enjoy and hope is helping people in some small way, each week. Today, I am happy to say that I made it to 30. Six months later, here I am sitting down to write the 30th episode. —Fan Fare— It literally says in my script the words fan fare....

Duration:00:19:39

Are You Addicted to Workohol?

9/1/2017
Society tells us that working harder and working more hours is good, but if you have listened to this podcast for a while you know that it is actually damaging you, hard on your fellow employees and even detrimental your company's success. So, let me ask you this. “What is the difference between a hard worker and a workaholic?"

Duration:00:20:10

Work Zones w/ Vanessa and Adam Lambert

8/25/2017
Today’s topic is a fun one. Partially because it is something that I am sure that we can all agree on but mostly because for the first time in quite a while we have a guest hero! Guest heroes, actually. Vanessa and Adam Lambert from Bee The Wellness. We’ll here from them in just a bit but first, let’s talk about a thing known as Work Zones. And no, I am not ta lking about that section of the highway where you see a bunch of pylons and folks in brightly coloured outfits standing around with shovels in their hands while enormous machinery digs a new ditch No, I am talking about spaces around your home, your office or where ever you get your work done, where you can vary your stance, extend your gaze, vary your movement, and even other biomarkers like your body temperature, to keep from getting what Adam will refer to later as “cabin fever” while you are at work. Hello, my cubicle contrasters, open space sundry, corner office opposite, home den dissimilar, and coffee shop specialized. My name is Brock Armstrong, and after you listen to enough of these podcast episodes, I hope to replace the voice in your head - “put your phone down and get back to work - when was the last time you got up from your desk - shouldn’t you have left work by now - always take the stairs.” Is that creepy? Maybe a little… anyway… Today’s topic is a fun one. Partially because it is something that I am sure that we can all agree on but mostly because for the first time in quite a while we have a guest hero! Guest heroes, actually. Vanessa and Adam Lambert from Bee The Wellness. We’ll here from them in just a bit but first, let’s talk about a thing known as Work Zones. And no, I am not ta lking about that section of the highway where you see a bunch of pylons and folks in brightly coloured outfits standing around with shovels in their hands while enormous machinery digs a new ditch No, I am talking about spaces around your home, your office or where ever you get your work done, where you can vary your stance, extend your gaze, vary your movement, and even other biomarkers like your body temperature, to keep from getting what Adam will refer to later as “cabin fever” while you are at work. Before I continue, let’s step into the email zone for a minute… heh. I would love it if you signed up for the Workplace Hero email newsletter over at workplacehero.me. The sign up form is on the righthand side of the page. Because I believe so strongly in the idea of Inbox Zero, I promise that you will only receive an email once per week, and it will be short, to the point and easy to delete. Plus, just for signing up, you will receive a coupon code for 10% off at the online health and fitness store, GreenfieldFitnessSystems.com. Over there they have a huge array of supplements, gear, plans, coaches and clothing that will help keep you healthy and fit. So sign up for the newsletter at workplacehero.me and get your discount code for GreenfieldFitnessSystems.com now. Ok. Let’s meet our guest heroes. AdamHi We are Adam and Vanessa Lambert owners of Bee The Wellness. We have been in the health and fitness business for nearly 20 years and as holistic wellness coaches we focus on the complete picture, including strength and conditioning, nutrition, mindfulness, and adventure. Since creating Bee The Wellness we have helped thousands of people adopt a healthier lifestyle as well create expanded lives through our remote coaching programs and retreats. They also have a great podcast that you can find on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. Just search for Bee (that’s with two Es) The Wellness or go to beethewellness.com and give it a try. A good episode to start with would be the one where they interviewed me! Ha ha… as if you don’t get enough of me already. Anyway. When I asked Vanessa and Adam what issues they saw cropping up in their clients as a direct result of their workspaces, this is what they told me. VanessaAs the majority of our work for Bee The Wellness takes...

Duration:00:12:55

What Happens at Work Stays at Work

8/18/2017
Close your eyes for a second and dig deep into your psyche. I want you to be truly honest with yourself. Can you do that for me? Ok. Do you truly believe that one day you will actually go home from work with a completely clear desk? No projects left incomplete, no phone calls left to make, no emails to follow up on, no documents to edit, and no meetings to book? The honest to dog truth is that there will always be work left undone at the end of your busy day. Admitting this gives us three options: Newsletter Before we dive deeper down this magical list of alternatives, I want encourage you to sign up for the Workplace Hero email newsletter over at workplacehero.me. The sign up form is on the righthand side of the page. Please know that because I believe strongly in the idea of Inbox Zero, you will only receive an email once per week, and it will be short, to the point and easy to delete. Best of all, just for signing up, you will receive a coupon code for 10% off at the online health and fitness store, GreenfieldFitnessSystems.com. Over there they have a huge array of supplements, gear, plans, coaches and clothing that will help keep you healthy and fit. So sign up for the newsletter at workplacehero.me and get your discount code for GreenfieldFitnessSystems.com now. Now back to leaving it all behind OR what happens at work, stays at work. Here are some techniques that I found at Lifehacker.com and crew.co that will help you achieve the last and best of the three options I mentioned. Like a cool down after a hard workout, treat your trip home as positive time to wind down and start the process of relaxation. Play some of your favourite music, or listen to your favourite podcast. I would suggest not catching up on the news or scrolling through social media. Choose something you really like and enjoy and that won’t remind you of work or bum you out about how truly crappy humans can be to each other. There’s a perception that more work equals more productivity, but that’s not always the case. So you never take a sick day, or a vacation, and you are always ‘on-call.’ You also put in about 70 hours a week, so that will pay off eventually I’m sure…oh wait, except it doesn’t. The Economist looked at the data from OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries found that the more productive workers were actually those that spent less time in the office. Lifehacker takes it one step further and puts an actual number on how many hours we work before we begin to see diminished results (hint: it’s about 30 hours a week). If there was ever a reason to leave work at work, this data should be it. You are actually making yourself more productive! This one is more of a psychological one - match your journey time with the time you need to relax. If that means taking the long, scenic route, so be it. If it means stopping at a park on along the way, that’s just fine. Your family and friends will prefer you half an hour later but in a calm and pleasant mood rather than half an hour earlier but in a foul one. Never be in a hurry to get home. If you do, every hold-up, every traffic jam, every pedestrian trying to cross the street in front of you, every late train, or missed bus will be a source of additional stress. Try to take it easy, and I don’t mean you have to drive under the speed limit. Simply treat your commute home as your time—a period just for you. All day at work, you’re at other peoples’ beck and call. Now it’s time to to relax and be yourself. If you need to rant and/or vent, do it before you leave work or do it along the way. Curse the world in the privacy of your own vehicle or yell at the wind as you ride your bike home. Go to the noisiest part of the subway platform and rant where no one can hear you. Just don’t walk in the door when you arrive home and launch directly into a rant. Who wants to bring a cocktail and slippers to that? Take a minute at the end of the day to write down your...

Duration:00:13:10

The Frustration of Chronic Lateness

8/11/2017
For a good percentage of us work-a-day-grumblers, three little words habitually accompany our entrance to work, a meeting, a luncheon or even getting home from work: “Sorry, I’m late.” Does this sound like you? Hello cubicle cutoff, open space overdue, corner office out of luck, home den delayed and coffee shop sluggish. My name is Brock Armstrong and I am… not the Workplace Hero. We’re on that trajectory together, you and I. You can think of me as your very chatty co-pilot. Before we get started, if you enjoy this podcast and the tips and strategies it contains, I encourage you to visit SkywalkerFitness.ca. That is the wellness coaching business that I run. Whether you are wanting to slim down, run a 10k or a marathon, race in a triathlon, pack on some muscle, clean up your diet, or get ripped, I will create a plan for you. No cookie cutter programs allowed. Just 100% tailored programs that fit around your life’s commitments. And for being a Workplace Hero, I will give you a special deal on your first 3 months of coaching. Head over to SkywalkerFitness.ca and send me a note mentioning this podcast episode so I can start building you the perfect program to meet your wellness goals. Let me set the stage for you - It’s Monday morning. In a surprise turn of events, you wake up feeling great! You had a fun weekend of good sleep, good food, fresh air and exercise, and aside from the one drink-drink you had with dinner on Saturday night, you adhered to your long term plan extremely well. Sadly, something goes wonky with the kids, or you take a little too long chatting with that cute barista, or doing your morning journalling, or spacing out on your coffee cup, and you find yourself running late. “Not again!” you think to yourself. “I hate being late!” For a good percentage of us work-a-day-grumblers, three little words habitually accompany our entrance to work, a meeting, a luncheon or even getting home from work: “Sorry, I’m late.” Does this sound like you? A ton of studies have looked into why some of us are chronically late. The truth is that there are many reasons why people just can’t get somewhere on time. But there seems to be one common thread running through the behaviour of chronically late individuals that may be a universal reason for their perpetual tardiness—and it is a surprising one: People are late because they don’t want to be early. Most of us know people who are always on time because they hate being late. I fall smack dab into this category; in fact, I’m freakishly scared of being late. I often arrive places embarrassingly early, which sometimes prompts me to hide out somewhere around the corner, playing with my phone, just so people don’t notice just how early I actually got there. Because people like me hate to be tardy, we always appear to be on time (even if it is because we hid in a stairwell playing Kwazy Kupcakes on our phone for 20 minutes). But just as we hate to be late, another cohort hates to be early. And if you ask them, these anti-early birds say that they really want to be punctual—they just prefer to be right on time than to be early. Wanting to avoid being early, then, is a strong motivation for why many people who are chronically late and honestly it is hard to reconcile these two competing ideals. So why does this second group hate to be early? There are many reasons but here are a few that I found at PsychologyToday.com: 1. It’s inefficient. Being early requires having to sit around with nothing to do (or play with your phone). The waiting time is just short enough that you can’t get into any other project; as soon as you do, the time is up. 2. They hate the uneasiness of being early. They feel awkward and uncomfortable waiting. They might even feel as if others are watching and judging them, whether this is true or not. Arriving a few minutes early makes you feel proud and confident, but arriving too early can make you feel foolish. You fear others might think that you have...

Duration:00:15:06

Re: Fwd: Write Good Email

8/4/2017
Experts agree that your email behaviour has the potential to sabotage your reputation both personally and professionally. Inc.com wrote a story with some of the industry's most seasoned email experts which had them weigh in on how to perfect your email etiquette. We'll take a look at their suggestions in a minute but right now, I want to clear something up.

Duration:00:20:24

Working on Vacation: The Worcation

7/28/2017
I am currently coming to you live from my childhood bedroom at my mom’s house. Yeah, I am taking the week off to visit my mom, sister, niece, nephew, some in-laws and friends. But I didn’t want to break my streak of not missing a week of this podcast since its inception, so here I am churning one out for you while I am “on vacation.” The fact that I am talking into this mic while I am out of office, brings up something that deserves a proper episode one day but today I am going to cover it as quickly as possible (so I can get back to the rollicking game of “boot the ball as hard as you can” that I have been having with my sister’s kids). And the topic I am going to cover today is: working on vacation. I am sure that you have read all the articles about “unplugging” on vacation - but I know you and I know you aren’t going to do it. Because of leaps in technology and the nature of our jobs these days, it’s not like the old days when you put your hat on, left the office and that was that - we can work whenever and wherever we like (or our employers like). But here’s the thing: If you don’t chill out and enjoy your hard-earned vacation, odds are that you’re going to burn out, and that helps no one. So here are a few slightly goofy, not so hard-and-fast dos and don’ts of working on vacation that I found over at FastCompany.com. If you follow at least some of them, you’ll come back to work feeling refreshed and ready to breeze through every item on your to-do list: DO - find a number two for your out of office email reply. Don’t leave ‘em hanging with a generic “Thanks for your email! I’m currently out of the office and you’re screwed until I get back.” The best OOO message includes someone, someone reliable, to field urgent or easy-to-fulfill requests. Find a buddy, with the intention that you’ll return the favour one day, and you’ll come back to work with happier clients and a much less voluminous inbox. DON’T - get super personal about why you’re out of office. A quick “I’m enjoying a sunshine getaway!” is fine, but “I’mma gettin’ crunk on piña coladas with my hot bae #speedo #tequila” is better left unsaid. DO - pick a check-in time and tell your boss. Pick one window when you’re game to check your work email (I like first thing in the morning since I generally get up before my partner), and stick to it. Your boss will appreciate knowing when she can plan to hear back from you and therefore you will be unlikely to get bothered outside of that time. DON’T - check your email 24/7 and answer incoming messages anyway. If you cave once, you’re screwed. It sets the precedent that your coworkers can bother you at any time during your precious, hard-earned vacation. And they will. Believe me. They will… those vultures. DO - jump on a project if you have to. If you check your email at 4 p.m. and they really do need you to jump on something, by all means, take action. Go find a quiet spot where you won’t feel distracted and you can get through the task as efficiently as possible. I did this once while I was on vacation in Japan and I swear it bought me more brownie points with my team than anything I had ever done before or since. DON’T - complain out it to your fellow travellers. It ruins the vibe, man. It harshes the mellow, dude. Finish your work, and then put it out of sight and out of mind. A cold one isn’t a bad idea right now. Don’t mind if I do! DO - post a crap load of photos on social media. It’s your vacation, and you can post yourself swimming with manta rays if you want to. But . . . DON’T - add captions of how happy you are not to be at work right now! That’s just bad form. And you do have to go back to work and face your coworkers again… someday. DO - write down any great ideas that come to you while you are chill. You are relaxed, after all, and that is often when you get creative and might just feel a burst of inspiration while you’re getting a thai massage. Or so I hear. So jot that biz down! but… DON’T -...

Duration:00:07:48

Keep Calm and Quit Your Job

7/21/2017
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average worker currently holds ten different jobs before age forty, and this number is projected to grow. Forrester Research predicts that today's youngest workers (that might be you) will hold twelve to fifteen jobs in their lifetime! Hello, desk displeased, cubicle crestfallen, open space sorrowful, corner office objectors, home den defeated and coffee shop sullen. My name is Brock Armstrong and I am… not the Workplace Hero. You are the real hero here. Well, at least until the end of this episode. Things may change after you hear this one. It’s odd. In school, we spend a lot of time and give tons of attention to putting together a resume, building a CV, and generally how we should go about getting a job – but we give pretty much no air time to how to leave a job, quit a position or walk away from a contract. Personally, as a member of the first generation to not do as well as their parents (GenX) I think this is pretty “meh.” Gone are the days of choosing a career, climbing the corporate ladder, and retiring at 65 with a comfy pension and a gold watch. Many of my friends have had more than 5 jobs in their adult lives. Some jobs ended, some never really got rolling, some we were fired from and some… gasp… we actually quit! According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average worker currently holds ten different jobs before age forty, and this number is projected to grow. Forrester Research predicts that today's youngest workers (that might be you) will hold twelve to fifteen jobs in their lifetime! In 2005, I had been working for the Alberta Provincial Government for nearly 5 years. I was comfortable. I had a pension. I had a great team a decent enough office with big windows and my coworker was also one of my closest friends. We actually planned activities together out side of work! But then, one day it happened. One of the cool, young firms in town not so subtly dropped the hint that there would be a spot for me if I were to become available. The pay would be less and the responsibility would be higher but the projects would be cooler, there was more room for upward growth (unlike my government job where without going back to school, I was already nearing the top of my surprisingly low pay grade) and to top it off I would rarely ever have to wear a tie again. It didn’t take much for me to draft my letter of resignation, cash in my vacation days (which overlapped nicely with my new job’s starting date - talk about double dipping) and make the move. I have been accused before of not having the gene responsible for the feeling known as nostalgia (by my mother no-less) so you may want to take this with a grain of salt but I never looked back. Not only that, I have quit at least 5 more jobs since then. How did I do it? How should you do it? Should you do it? Well, that is what we are going to talk about today. But first, I want you to write down this URL: workplacehero.me/getfitguy that will take you to the Quick and Dirty Tips network website where I recently became the host of the Get-Fit Guy podcast. If you are a fan of these short, snappy and information packed podcasts, you will dig the Get-Fit Guy (and the other Quick and Dirty Tips podcasts). If you want to begin an exercise routine and don’t know where to start, or if you’ve been working out for a while and aren’t getting the results you want, I will give you the tips you need to reach all of your fitness goals. So head over to workplacehero.me/getfitguy or just search for Get-Fit Guy and check it out. Ok, back to quitting your job without leaving a trail of destruction in your wake. Before we get to some good strategies and graceful exits, let’s talk about some not so graceful moves. Quitting the job I told you about earlier was smooth for a few reasons (not including my emotionless heart). The biggest reason was that I had a job all lined up. I also knew and liked the people I was going to work for and I...

Duration:00:18:31

A Pain in the Neck - Literally!

7/14/2017
I know I am not the first one to make this joke but… work can be a real pain in the freakin’ neck! Sitting at a desk in front of a computer screen for eight-plus hours, driving through downtown traffic to get to the office, and even sleeping in a funky position, can all accumulate into one hell of a stiff and tense neck. As we learned at workplacehero.me/ergonomics, creating an ergonomically correct workstation can help but it is not the be all end all. And although I have a standing workstation, take regular breaks to go move around and even do breathing exercises and meditation (by which I mean nap) many afternoons, I still get a stiff neck by the end of most work days. Neck pain can be caused by well really any activity that strains your neck. You might feel pain at the base of your skull and down into your shoulders, or you might feel a knot in your neck. You may also develop a headache. Serious neck pain can limit your ability to move your head and become severe enough to limit your ability to do your job. I got it so bad once that I couldn't ride my bike to work and that was a real bummer. I mean, you have to be able to shoulder check, right? If your neck pain is worse at the end of the work day, it might be related to stress placed on your neck while working. Repeated, prolonged activities that affect muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints cause most neck pain. Examples of these types of activities include: Holding your head forward to read a computer screen; research shows that just using a computer for a prolonged period of time can cause or aggravate neck pain. Repetitive movements of your arms and upper body. Poor lifting techniques — if you do any heavy lifting at work, your neck is at risk for damage almost as much as your back. In most jobs (not all as my nurse have pointed out to me), ergonomics can help you protect your neck. If you don’t remember from the previous podcast episode, Ergonomics is the science of fitting your work environment to your job in a way that is best for your well-being if you simply can’t change your position, get up and move around or simply say no to stay in one location for 8 hours a day. If your work is focussed around sitting at a computer station (as many of our jobs are), well then ergonomics takes into consideration how your desk, chair, and computer monitor can be placed to lessen the stress on your neck. If you work in an industrial setting (or a hospital, retail or other mobile type jobs), ergonomics may involve training you in proper techniques for lifting, standing and using heavy equipment. Get-Fit Guy Ok… pardon me for a second but right now, if you are near an internet connected device, I want you to type this into a browser: workplacehero.me/getfitguy that will take you to the Quick and Dirty Tips network website where I just became the host of the Get-Fit Guy podcast. If you are a fan of the short, snappy and information packed type of podcast like Workplace Hero is, you will likely love the Get-Fit Guy (and the other Quick and Dirty Tips podcasts). The goal of the Get-Fit Guy podcast it to help you enhance your energy, lose weight, boost your performance, and get your body looking better than ever without spending a ton of time at the gym (or a lot of money on equipment). If you want to begin an exercise routine and don’t know where to start, or if you’ve been working out for a while and aren’t getting the results you want, I will give you the tips you need to reach all of your fitness goals. So head over to workplacehero.me/getfitguy or just search for Get-Fit Guy and check it out. Ok, back to how we can avoid being a real pain in the neck. I mean having! Having a real pain in the neck. Some Help Everything from keyboard height, to computer type, to chair type should be considered when making your workspace neck and back friendly. Here are some simple fixes from SpineHealth.com that will go a long way in helping your back, neck and other joints feel better...

Duration:00:15:52

Why We Get Sleepy in the Afternoon

7/7/2017
Hello desk dozers, cubicle catnaps, open space snoozers, corner office conscious, home den dreamers and coffee shop slumbers. My name is Brock Armstrong and I am… not the Workplace Hero. That’s you! The point of creating this podcast was to make you into a Workplace Hero. I am merely along for the ride. You can think of me as a helpful hitchhiker. If you tend to suffer a sleepiness attack in the mid-afternoon, well it’s not all that odd. Many people experience a noticeable dip in their alertness, attention, creativity, energy level, and ability to concentrate in the afternoon. It’s true, the majority of us have been there: after an awesomely kick-ass, productive morning of finishing projects and heading for inbox zero, the clock strikes two and well, hell… you might as well pull down the blinds, slip on your jammies, and slide under your desk The good (and bad news is) that it’s completely normal to feel super-tired once the afternoon rolls around. Circadian rhythms, which affect our sleep patterns, may be to blame for the midday slump. In fact, our “sleep signals” peak at night and during the afternoon, which completely explains the phenomenon of the siesta. Secretly aren’t we all a little jealous of a culture that embraces an afternoon nap instead of scheduling another meeting through it? What happens is, your body releases your brain's natural sleep chemical, melatonin, telling your body that it's time to go to hit the hay, sometime between 2 and 4 in the afternoon. WebMD's sleep expert, Michael J. Breus, PhD, (who we will talk about more later) explains that the exhaustion you feel in the middle of the day is just like the tiredness you feel before bedtime at night as it has to do with a dip in your core body temperature. Right before you go to sleep at night, your core temperature begins to drop, which is a signal to the brain to release melatonin. The exact same thing happens on a smaller scale between 2 and 4 in the afternoon. It's a mini-signal to your brain to get sleepy. Basically, because we wake up super early for work, our body wants to go to bed in the afternoon because our natural clock is telling us to do so. Is all this talk about sleep making you tired? It's definitely making me nod off. *shakes it off* But other factors, like what we eat, hydration levels, and how much time we spend staring at a screen can also affect those droopy eyeballs. There is a great book called The Power of When by Michael Breus (who I mentioned in the WebMD article earlier) that explains something else that is very cool. It’s a thing called a chronotype and I will explain more about that in a second. Right now, if you are near an internet connected device, I want you to type this into a browser: workplacehero.me/getfitguy that will take you to the Quick and Dirty Tips network website where I just became the host of the Get-Fit Guy podcast. If you are listening to this episode when it first comes out, you will see that my friend Ben Greenfield was the Get-Fit Guy before me and the latest episode if actually him handing me the keys… so to speak. I gotta say that am grateful, thrilled and more than a little intimidated to be taking over for Ben. But that aside, if you are a fan of the short, snappy and information packed type of podcast like Workplace Hero is, you will likely love the Get-Fit Guy (and the other Quick and Dirty Tips podcasts). The goal of the Get-Fit Guy podcast it to help you enhance your energy, lose weight, boost your performance, and get your body looking better than ever without spending a tonne of time at the gym (or a lot of money on equipment). If you want to begin an exercise routine and don’t know where to start, or if you’ve been working out for a while and aren’t getting the results you want, I will give you the tips you need to reach all of your fitness goals. So head over to workplacehero.me/getfitguy or just search for Get-Fit Guy and check it out. Ok, now back to whatever the heck a...

Duration:00:20:06

When and How to Ask for Feedback

6/30/2017
Hello desk destitute, cubicle cheapened, open space strapped, corner office commendable, home den derelict and coffee shop subjugated. My name is Brock Armstrong and I am… not the Workplace Hero. That’s you! You are the hero here. The goal of this podcast is to make you into a Workplace Hero. I am merely the doorman at this skyscraper of knowledge. After the recent podcast episode about How to Ask For and Get a Raise (which you can find at workplacehero.me/raise) I got some feedback from people looking for more information on how they can really hone in on being the kind of employee who actually deserves and gets a raise. Some of the questions and comments I received reminded me of a few jobs that I have had in the past where I honestly had no idea how I was doing. Or how anyone else was doing. I would show up, do what I thought my job entailed, collect my paycheque and go home. And as un-rocky as that boat was, I would go home at the end of the day oddly unfulfilled. I was never really disappointed in my work but I also was never really proud or excited about it either. The simple existence of the "like" button on Facebook (and all the other social media equivalents) just proves that above many things, as a society we crave feedback. Whether it is from our parents when we are kids, our teachers while we are in school, our friends or our spouses in the "real world" and of course our bosses at work, we desire feedback and in some cases, we even use it as our fuel or motivation to keep moving forward. So what happens when we don't get any? What happens when we work hard, hit all our deadlines, nail our deliverables and still get met with silence? Worse yet, what happens when we know we screwed up or that we totally half-assed a project and we don't get chastised, reprimanded or even asked: "is everything ok?" Well, that is when we need to stand up, gather our courage and march into our boss's office to ask for the feedback we need and likely deserve. But how do we do that? In an article over at FastCompany.com they say that it is not an easy or natural task, asking for someone’s opinion or evaluation of you and your work, but that it is indeed an essential part of career development. And while we can’t promise that it will be painless, with the proper preparation and the right questions, asking for feedback can be a smooth process. Before we get into the best times and the best ways to ask for feedback, I want to direct you to the website weightless.me. That's a program that I am working on with my friend Monica Reinagel (AKA the Nutrition Diva) where we teach you to stop dieting and start weighing less. Which means that we will share the tips, tricks, strategies and techniques that we use to help our personal coaching clients achieve a healthy weight and lifestyle without dieting. Because well, dieting sucks and simply doesn't work (not for long anyway). The program closes on July 7 so head over to weightless.me to find out more now… otherwise, you will have to wait until the new year to get in and start weighing less. Ok. Back to asking for feedback without sounding needy or lame. Let’s start with the best times to ask for feedback. Of course, the number one time would be to ask during your annual review. For those of you who haven't had one before, an annual review is a routine and formal process where your boss will evaluate your progress and contributions over the last year (or quarter, depending on where you work). If your company doesn't have a formal review process, you should ask your boss or HR department to set one up for you. If those opportunities don't present themselves naturally, I think asking for feedback once per quarter is super helpful without being super overwhelming. The next best time to ask would be before an important meeting, presentation, or project. Think of this as an opportunity to be coached or mentored by your boss. After one of these scenarios is also a good time to ask for feedback....

Duration:00:12:39

How to Prepare For and Return From a Vacation

6/23/2017
Hello desk deserters, cubicle celebrators, open space sleeper-inners, corner office carousers, home den holidays and coffee shop sabbaticals. My name is Brock Armstrong and I am… not the Workplace Hero. That’s actually you! You see, the goal of this podcast is to make you into a Workplace Hero. I am merely your travel agent on this glorious adventure. I received an email the other day from listener Erin Moline who said “Topic idea: how to handle the backlog of email/missed conf calls/missed trainings and how to catch up without a cortisol surge?” For those of you who don’t know, Cortisol is the hormone that is often associated with stress and panic. So yeah, a avoiding a surge of that is a really good idea. We are about to celebrate Canada Day here in Canada, which celebrates the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the Constitution Act which united the three separate colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick into a single Dominion within the British Empire called Canada. Because Canada Day falls on a Saturday, most of us will get Monday off work - giving us a glorious summer time long weekend to revel in what it is to be Canadian… and yes, by that I mean beer. On the Tuesday after that, I bet if you ask a number of folks what they did over the long weekend, some will say that they spent time with family or enjoyed the outdoors. But others will talk about how they used the time to catch up on their work. But if you ask them if they had actually caught up, I can almost guarantee that no one will say “yes”. With the advent of enhanced technology and our 24/7 culture, it is becoming increasingly difficult for employees to ever feel they have all their work done. Today’s work ethic of “more, bigger, faster, busier” creates a trap for many in the global economy. Technology can create efficiencies but it can also overwhelm us and make us feel forever trapped under an enormous pile of busywork. Before we go any further, I want to direct you to workplacehero.me/weightlesswebinar. That’s a program that I am working on with my friend Monica Reinagel (AKA the Nutrition Diva) and over at weightless.me we teach you to stop dieting and start weighing less. Now - if you are hearing this podcast when it first comes out, you are in luck! We are hosting a live webinar on June 24 at 12:00 pm ET where we will share the techniques we use to help our coaching clients to achieve a healthy weight and lifestyle without dieting. And you can sign up for that webinar at workplacehero.me/weightlesswebinar. But even if you missed the webinar, head over to weightless.me to find out more. Ok, now back to some strategies I have used and some that I found in my research that will help you conquer that mountain of work quickly and calmly and also help you reclaim your unused vacation days. 1. Plan ahead. Smart people prepare to take a vacation by planning ahead. This won’t surprise you long time listeners but I like to make a to-do list for all the work projects that need to get done before I leave, and I set up a contact person for any emergencies while I am away. I also make sure to alert all my clients and co-workers that I will be on vacation well ahead of the day. Don’t wait until the day before you leave to spring it on your team. But it is just as important to plan ahead for your return to the office as well. One way to do that, is to build in a vacation day at home. I know that sounds kinda crappy but rather than getting home at 10 p.m. on Sunday night and heading to work bright and early Monday morning, plan on arriving home on Saturday so that you have all day Sunday to buy groceries, wash laundry and get back into your daily routine. You may even want to get a head start on sorting—and more importantly deleting—emails. Giving yourself this transitional day will allow you to tackle your first day back in the office with a little more Zen. 2. Schedule time to catch up on work. The worst thing that you can do is to show up...

Duration:00:14:05

How to Ask For and Get a Raise

6/16/2017
Hello desk directors, cubicle chieftains, open space superintendents, corner office overseers, home den honchos and coffee shop comptrollers. My name is Brock Armstrong and I am… not the Workplace Hero. That’s actually you! You see, the goal of this podcast is to make you into a Workplace Hero. I am merely your virtual assistant on this journey. Think of me as your workplace Jeeves. To earn a bigger paycheck, you’ll need to do more than just a top-rate job. An effective strategy for obtaining a raise also requires documenting your accomplishments, understanding your boss’s expectations and researching your employer’s financial health. Over at Monster.com they list four of the most common reasons that people don’t get a raise. They are: You Don’t Know the Going Rate, You Don’t Know Your Value, You Can’t Justify Your Value, and You Never Ask. The last one is the reason that I have seen the most often. So may great employees, busting the butt, day in and day out for years on end silently wondering “when am I going to get a raise?” Or worse yet, thinking that they aren’t doing as good of a job as they are because if they were “surely I would have gotten a raise by now, right?” Before we go any further, I want to direct you to SkywalkerFitness.ca. That’s the coaching business that I run. Whether you want to run a 10k or a marathon, race in a triathlon, put on some muscle, clean up your diet, or get totally ripped, I will create a plan specifically for you. No cookie cutter one-size-fits-all programs, just 100% tailored programs that fit around your life’s commitments. And for being a Workplace Hero, I will give you a special deal on your first 3 months of coaching. Head over to SkywalkerFitness.ca and send me a note referencing this podcast so I can start building you the perfect program to meet your wellness goals. Now back to getting that raise you so greatly deserve. The thing is, if you don’t ask for a raise and instead you wait for your boss or the company to offer you a raise, without ever raising (no pun intended) the issue yourself, you may never get one. Face it, no one has time in their busy day to keep track of exactly how far above and beyond you are going. And If you don’t have a contract that addresses raises and you don’t ask for one when you feel you can justify it, it’s extremely unlikely that your employer will just make an offer. Of course, business being business, you’re not always going to get the raise you want. When that happens, politely and respectfully ask your boss if you can sit down together and determine what specifically you need to do in order to earn the raise in the future. Try to work out deliverables that are as specific as possible and try to pin down a time frame as well. Take notes, let your boss see that you’re taking notes, and if possible work up something in writing you can both agree to. Ask for her help in achieving those deliverables. Then report your progress regularly. Once you’ve met those specific goals, it will be very difficult for your boss not to grant your raise or at the very least fight for it. Next, identify ways your past work has added value to your employer’s bottom line. Continuing keeping track of this information going forward. More and more, raises are becoming tied directly to performance. Once you’ve established your accomplishments on paper – but before you talk to your boss – find out how your employer is performing. And I mean finically. Many organizations have published data that you can read to gauge their financial health. If your employer is in the red and mass layoffs abound, you should probably put off your request for more money until business begins to stabilize. But if you decide now is a safe time to pursue a raise, go ahead and make your case. Clearly most companies are not looking for opportunities to hand out money. During the boom era of the late ’90s when talent was scarce and retention was top of mind, nearly the opposite was true....

Duration:00:13:52

Dealing with Illness at Work

6/9/2017
Hello cubicle coughers, open space sneezers, corner office blowers, home den fevers and coffee shop sore throats. My name is Brock Armstrong and I am… not the Workplace Hero. The goal of this podcast is to make you into a Workplace Hero. Plus I am currently not feeling all that heroic. If you have been listening to this podcast for a while, you may have noticed that my voice sounds a little different than usual. That is because… I am sick. Yep. I have a cold. In June! How lame is that? Luckily, I am nearly over it and I am also hopped up on cold meds… which could also account for why I sound weird. In any case, today’s topic is timely because it is all about being sick in the workplace. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says people with the flu can spread it to others up to about six feet away, mainly by droplets made when they cough, sneeze or talk. A person can also get the flu by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it, and then touching their own mouth, nose or eyes. Basically, any bodily opening will do. If you work in an office, as many of us do, chances are you sit (or stand) within six feet of a colleague and touch dozens of their icky contaminated surfaces each day. But the good news is, there are steps you can take at work to help reduce your chances of getting (or spreading) the flu. Before we get to that, I encourage you all to visit the webpage workplacehero.me/weightless. That link will take you to where you need to go to find everything you need to know about a new project that I have started with the Nutrition Diva herself, Monica Reinagel. The catch phrase for this project is: Are you ready to stop dieting and start weighing less? The program I am talking about is called Weightless and it is a structured lifestyle change program that combines nutrition science, behaviour modification, professional guidance, and community support. This evidence-based approach is based on research led by the National institutes of Health and has helped thousands of people permanently shed fat and lower their risk of diabetes and other diseases. This is not a diet or an exercise program. You won't be counting calories, measuring foods, eating special bars or shakes, or following rigid meal plans or workout regimens. You will not have to eliminate your favorite foods, battle constant hunger, feel awkward at professional events, or gnaw celery sticks at special occasions. To find out more, head over to workplacehero.me/weightless and sign up now. Ok… now back to how you can defend yourself and protect your coworkers from disgusting illnesses in the workplace. The first thing you can do is clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces. Viruses on surfaces like sink faucets and door handles can spread rapidly, especially in public places such as offices and schools. A study for The Healthy Workplace Project by Dr. Charles Gerba of the University of Arizona found that implementing the program’s “wash, wipe, sanitize” protocol in the workplace reduces the probability of catching the flu or common cold by 80%. It can also reduce the number of surfaces contaminated by viruses by 62%. Notice that I didn’t use the word ‘germs’ like they do in the commercials for those overly ambitious cleaning products. Wondering why? Well, its because germs aren’t a thing. They don’t actually exist. They are little animated monsters that have been made up to scare you into buying way too much hand sanitizer. When people say the word germs, they really are referring to the microscopic bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa that can cause disease. Most of which can be washed away with good old water and some regular soap. The only time I will ever advocate using a sanitizer is when you are very sick, very contagious and not able to stay home from work. Ok… I will get off my non-antibacterial soapbox now and get back to the tips. The next tip is… I already mentioned it but I will say it again - wash your hands with...

Duration:00:12:41

How and When to Say No

6/2/2017
Hello desk deterers, cubicle closers, open space offenders, corner office combatants, home den defenders and coffee shop conquerors. My name is Brock Armstrong and I am… not the Workplace Hero. You see, the goal of this podcast is to make you and me and anyone else we can hooked into a Workplace Hero. You can think of me as your dealer… of helpful ideas. I don’t know who actually said it first but I first heard it from Derek Sivers (the guy who started CD Baby and then later sold it for like a bazzilion dollars). He wrote in Aug 2009: There is no “yes.” It’s either “HELL YEAH!” or “no.” Use this rule if you’re often over-committed or too scattered. If you’re not saying “HELL YEAH!” about something, say “no”. When deciding whether to do something, if you feel anything less than “Wow! That would be amazing! Absolutely! Hell yeah!” — then say “no.” When you say no to most things, you leave room in your life to really throw yourself completely into that rare thing that makes you say “HELL YEAH!” Every event you get invited to. Every request to start a new project. If you’re not saying “HELL YEAH!” about it, say “no.” We’re all busy. We’ve all taken on too much. Saying yes to less is the way out. I love that. And I try to use it in my life as often as possible but what about at work? Can we apply the same rule there? Aren’t we required to say YES when we are getting paid to basically do what we are told? Turns out, the answer is much more complicated than that. If you feel weird saying no at work, you are seriously not alone. You may think people will dislike you, think you are entitled or question whether you are a team player but as paradoxical as it may seem, saying no at the right time and place can help your career. Elana Lyn over at Forbes.com spoke to successful women to find out when to say no at work (and why it’s crucial). “If you aren't getting paid to do something and the task will take away time from accomplishing what you are paid to do, saying no demonstrates your commitment to your role and the value of your time.” — Eileen Carey, CEO of Glassbreakers “My best tip for saying no is to be straightforward and not dance around the subject. Explain that the task, project or activity doesn’t align with your current priorities and, if the situation changes, you will revisit the topic. Also, sometimes you can suggest an alternative solution. Remember, everyone has to say no at some point, so the person will respect your candor.” — Johanna Lanus, CEO and founder of Work With Balance “Asking why is a good substitute for saying no because it forces the opposite side to explain and justify her point of view. Asking why allows you to present your side too. While you might not agree with the justification, you will better understand where your boss is coming from.” — Liz Wessel, CEO and cofounder of WayUp “Part of doing any role well is hearing out any and all opportunities that come your way, such as proposed partnerships, co-marketing or cross-functional projects. At the end of the day, however, you have a limited amount of time and resources, and it's your job to make sure you're spending these resources on the highest-impact endeavors.” — Alexandra Friedman and Jordana Kier, cofounders of LOLA “You should say no when it is going to set a precedent that you aren't comfortable with or that might be harmful moving forward. It is also important to say no when you know that you won't be able to deliver.” — Amanda Greenberg, CEO and cofounder of Baloonr Saying no will provide you with the time and energy to focus on the work that will move your career forward. Remember, as Elana Lyn over at Forbes.com says: No is a complete sentence. As pithy as that thought is, I think it is extremely important to not be flippant or careless with your no. As some of the quotations I just read highlighted, the manner in which you say no is as important as the reason you say it. So, here are some tips to say no with style and...

Duration:00:14:00

Telecommuting - The Art of Working At Home

5/26/2017
Hello cubicle avoiders, open space ostracizers, corner office curtailers, home den dwellers, and coffee shop congregators. My name is Brock Armstrong, and I am… not the Workplace Hero. It’s true! I am learning this workplace stuff along with you, episode by episode, we are both learning to flex our day job muscles at the same time. You can think of me as your workplace safety net. Before we get started with today’s topic… Did you know that there are show notes for all the podcasts over at the website www.workplacehero.me? There is. Quite robust ones at that! I know that the majority of you are listening to this podcast while you are on the bus, in your car, at the gym or otherwise not near a pen and paper - so to take the onus off of you having to try to remember the important points and valuable takeaways, I am making it easy for you. The only thing you need to remember from this episode is www.workplacehero.me/home. Slick eh? Ok, here we go! The other day I posted a short video on Instagram and Twitter asking people what they thought the next episode should be about. I suggested two options: How To Ask For A Raise and How To Prepare For A Big Day (like a presentation or the final sprint on a big project). Well, a fellow with the Instagram handle WholeDoods wrote back (quite quickly, I might add) with a great suggestion. He said: how about “The perils of working from home...how to not turn into a weird recluse who never puts on pants etc.” I wrote back (quite quickly) saying: “That's a good one! I could have fun with that. Thanks!” So that is exactly what we are going to cover on today’s episode. The good, the bad, the awkward and the comfort or working from home. I have been working from home on and off (mostly on) since 2010 and I have made some mistakes along the way that I like to think I have learned from. I have also made some advances in my setup, my workspace, my gear and my work hours over those years. Along with some help from a few articles, I found at Forbes and Inc.com, I will now endeavour to help you avoid the mistakes that I have made. Working from home is great on so many levels. Not having to commute saves money and time and can actually make you happier (as we learned in the episode at workplacehero.me/commute). A plethora of free tools make it dead simple to check in with a decentralized office or teammates that may also be working in their homes, scattered around the globe. And… yes, if you want to work in sweatpants or pajamas, you certainly can. I don’t do it often but I have been known to rock the old sweat-shorts. But there are challenges, as well. How do you keep from getting distracted by things like dirty dishes or that pile of laundry? How do you handle a spouse, partner or roommate who also happens to be home during the day? Also, how the heck do you get anything done if you have kids around? I may not have (or have found in my research) all the answers but here is a decent list to start with. 1. Make A To Do List: First, go to workplacehero.me/todo and listen to that episode. Now, identify what needs to get done every day and make sure to do it. As long as I have a plan on how to complete the list of daily tasks on my personal to-do list, it doesn't matter if or how I may be interrupted or what my actual work hours are, as long as I get things done by the end of my day. 2. Use the cloud: Klaus Sonnenleiter, president and CEO of Franklin Lakes, insists that important documents need to be uploaded to a cloud storage service such as Dropbox or Google Drive. This way you can log in from anywhere and never need to worry about having your files with you. That can come in very handy for those of us who like to get out of the house occasionally and work from a coffee shop or shared workspace. No need to drag along external hard drives. 3. Get dressed: I find that the most important thing for me is to keep a regular routine and that means that I shower and dress every...

Duration:00:20:31

Ergonomics w/ Elle Russ

5/19/2017
Guest Hero: Elle Russ, writer, actor, life coach and host of The Primal Blueprint Podcast. Human-factors engineering, also called ergonomics or human engineering, is the science dealing with the application of information on physical and psychological characteristics to the design of devices and systems for human use. Over at WorkSafeBC.com (the Workers’ Compensation Board in the Canadian province of British Columbia) they say: Ergonomics matches workplace conditions and job demands to a person's capabilities, to improve worker safety and productivity. Applying the science of ergonomics can be especially helpful in reducing the risk of musculoskeletal injury (MSI), which is the most common work-related injury in B.C. What is a musculoskeletal injury, you ask? Well, Musculoskeletal injury (MSI) is an injury or disorder of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves, blood vessels or related soft tissue including a sprain, strain and inflammation, that may be caused or aggravated by work. MSIs can affect the body’s soft tissues: the muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, blood vessels, as well as the joints of the neck, shoulders, arms, wrists, legs, feet and back. The main physical risk factors for MSIs associated with the demands of a job include: - Force: exerting force on an object as part of a task - Repetition: doing a task that uses the same muscles over and over with little chance for rest or recovery - Work posture: the position of different parts of the body when taken outside of the comfortable range of motion (awkward posture); usually combined with static posture (i.e., holding a posture for a long time) - Local contact stress: a hard or sharp object coming in contact with the skin For each of these risk factors, it is important to consider magnitude, frequency, and duration of exposure. Just as a proper diet is made up of a vast array of nutritional components, proper alignment is made up of nutritional loads – varying, unique deformations to the physical structure that result in a particular genetic expression that deems your structure. -- Katy Bowman Important links: Our guest Hero's website: www.elleruss.com The article at WorkSafeBC.com Katy Bowman's article on called Thinking Outside the Chair

Duration:00:34:10