Greetings People,Marketing Team @ Human Dynamic has released THE WORK LIFE COMPASS issue for , April 2013.Regards,Aidityo GangulyBusiness Development - Human Dynamic
I admit it, I have a love-hate relationship with social media
Sarah Cheng
BenefitsStrengthen personal relationshipsSocial media is often a blessing as it provides a platform to exchange our thoughts and experiences through words or images. Not only can people catch up with family and friends who are far away, they can also reconnect with those with whom they have lost contact.
Expand social and marketing networkPeople can now encounter new acquaintances on this virtual platform, either through the connection of existing contacts, professional connectivity websites, or by randomness. The fact that people can draw resources from one another easily has widened their social and business circles. Incidentally, social media has also become an effective marketing tool in promoting a wide variety of products and services.
When it comes to social media, there are at least one or two types everyone can name. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, all fall under this category. Not only do they penetrate into every home and office, with smartphone and tablet technology, they are also at the tip of our fingers… 24/7!
Did you know that social media has already reached 22% of the global population? (Data released by We are Social, January, 2012). So, what is social media bringing to our lives?
ChallengesThreatens self-esteemNetworking sites often place users into the game of comparison. The disclosure of others’ personal lives and privacy gratifies the user’s curiosity. Eventually, compulsive viewing and unveiling of others’ “wonderful life” – posts of professional achievements, beautiful vacations, fancy dining, new home or vehicle etc., all bring users into comparison and despair. According to the self-fulfilling prophecy, the more one perceives others as better-off and believes the self as inferior, the more likely he/she will encounter low self-esteem.
Disguises the true selfSocial media can create an illusion. In fact, users tend to post items that only portray the ideal self. Their posts reflect how they want to be perceived. The more positive comments, such as “Like” from Facebook, users receive, the more they will believe in their “ideal” self and view the situation as reality, which often, is only an illusion.
Proneness to addictionThe habitual engagement in this virtual world can easily cause addiction. Based on the USA demographic data announced by Brower Media, Socialnomics and MacWorld, the 25 to 34 year-old crowd spends an average of 15 hours 33 minutes on Facebook every month and 22% of teenagers log onto Facebook over 10 times per day. The amount of time they spend in the virtual world is causing them to neglect their real life and responsibilities.
Invasion of privacy and cyber-crimeSocial media acts like a broadcasting network, allowing unknown individuals to scrutinize user’s personal information and stalk their posts, images and videos. An innocent post on personal thoughts may eventually result into public controversy and criticism.
It is true that social media, like many other items, has its benefits and challenges. The question is… What are you doing to make the best use of it?
Do you have a love-hate relationship with social media?E-mail [email protected] and share your thoughts with us.
(Your identity will be kept strictly confidential)
Dear coach,I check my Facebook and Twitter all the time to keep myself updated with others’ happenings. I can’t help but feel uncomfortable when I can’t access it. Ironically, this is affecting my relationship with others. Am I addicted? I want to get my real social life back! What should I do?
3. Build coping skills• Adopt healthy activities to replace the use of social
media• Have a plan for what you would do to deal with
different triggers• Stay connected with the offline world
4. Strengthen Support Network• Share your goals and concerns with your family and
friends• Have a list of activities that you can do with your
family and friends• Join community or interest groups to meet new
friends
Social media vs. Life balanceWinsy Chang
Social Media seems to be an indispensable element. However, misuse of it may evolve into an unhealthy obsession. You’ve made a significant step of realizing how social media has affected your real life. Now, try the following methods to resume your life balance!
1. Keep a daily journal and record• How long… you spend on social media for non-
essential activities• When… e.g. morning / after lunch / before falling asleep• Why… e.g. connect with friends / ventilation… and
emotional triggers… e.g. happy/stressed/bored…• What… you may have missed out on in real life when
you spend the time online
2. Set reasonable goalsBased on the journal, set your own SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound) goals!• Set a timer to remind you of the amount of time used
on social media• Install software programs that block access to
particular social media for any amount of time you have set
• Reward yourself if you have achieved your goal(s)• Encourage yourself through positive statements e.g.
Food seems to be an easily accessible and pleasurable reason to call for a social gathering. However, some popular social foods put our health at risk. Let’s have a look at the following:
1. Alcohol Alcohol offers each of us a different spectrum of benefits and risks. Yet, what comes with alcohol for sure? CALORIES. The higher the alcohol content, themore calories it contains.
Many have heard that moderate alcohol intake may bring cardiovascular benefits; however, few are aware that higher consumption increases a person’s risk of developing certain types of cancer. Studies have shown that oral, esophageal, laryngeal, and pharyngeal cancers are more common among alcohol users than in non-alcohol users (Source: American Cancer Society).
Here are tips for smart drinking: • If drinking is not a pattern of yours there is no need
to start. Exercising or eating healthily would bring you similar benefits.
• If you do drink, drink in moderation: less than 2 drinks per day for men; less than 1 drink per day for women.
• Reduce the amount of mixers to limit the caloric intake.
• Drink non-alcoholic beverages (i.e. water) in between to avoid excessive intake of alcohol and calories.
2. Deep-fried foodFrench fries for Americans, Tempura for Japanese, Samosa for Indian, deep-fried wonton for Chinese are some signature deep-fried foods across cultures. What made deep-fried foods so popular? In 2008, nutritional researchers Boo, Chan, and Fatimah argued that the crunchy and crispy sensation induced the feelings of play, pleasure and delight, which makes deep-fried foods appealing and attractive. Deep-frying adds fat, calories, and toxins into your food while it destroys nutrients like vitamins and minerals at the same time.
Here are tips for smart eating: • Balance your meal with fresh fruits and vegetables
to avoid over-eating crispy foods for substantial filling.
• Skip dips. Dips increase the intake of empty calories also making you eat more deep-fried foods. If necessary, use low-fat dip as a replacement.
• If you prepare the deep-fried dishes, pay attention to the following:• Use unsaturated oils such as sunflower and
soybean oil. • Fry the food with minimal heat (i.e. 350˚F - 375˚F)
to reduce the amount of oil absorbed by the food and the formation of harmful toxins.
Alcohol Calories(Approximation)
12-ounce regular beer 153
5-ounce red or white wine 121-125
3.5-ounce dessert wine 157-165
1.5-ounce spirits 97*as reported in h t t p : / / w w w. l i v e s t r o n g . c o m / a r t i c l e / 76 8 4 3 - c a l o r i e s - w i n e - c a l o r i e s -beer/#ixzz2I0V0lm7Y
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Smartphones equip us with useful functions such as calendars, instant messengers, synchronization with computers and easy access to contacts. It can greatly improve work efficiency and facilitate both external and internal communication. Not only does it strengthen the network among colleagues and management, it also increases exposure to potential clients.
However, employees can get distracted which places an impact on their productivity. Thus, managers look for waysto monitor staff surfing the web on smartphones during office hours. Interestingly, recent research highlights that cyber-surfing does make a better worker. A research done by Dr. Brent Coker, a professor at the Melbourne University, suggests that employees who peek at social media or other sites within a limit of less than 20% of their total time in office are 9% higher in productivity than those who don’t. The virtual world provides a resting zone for employees to restore their concentration.
Smartphones can be a blessing when they are used for energy recharge and work-related purposes; while it’s a curse when games and social media cause employees to slack off. So how can managers manage their employees who are using social media during office hours?
Employees can still check their Facebook or Twitter via their smartphones. How about setting policy restricting the access of social media? It is perhaps necessary to make a clear statement on the company approach toward social media so that employees know what to and what not to do.
Although social media can be a cause of performance problems, should management focus on handling social media usage or pinpoint on specific problems such as missing deadlines? If you are facing the above management challenges, work out a plan with your Work Life Coach now!
Employees on smartphones during work hours: Pro or con?
