How to Balance Your Remote Work with Your Personal Life

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At first glance, working from home can sound like a dream come true. After all, who doesn’t want to stay in their pajamas, run to the gym in the middle of the day, or sip on a latte while you work from the coffee shop down the street?

However, as you settle in, it can be more and more difficult to prevent your work from bleeding into your personal time. And when the work is on your laptop rather than at your office building, it can be hard to put down. 

When it comes to preventing burnout and creating a healthy separation, it’s all about the habits you create for yourself. Here are 3 tips to help you tow the line for a better work life balance:

1. Create Your Own Workspace

Instead of moving from room to room throughout the day, dedicate a specific space to work in. If you need to get out for a change of pace, go to an internet cafe. This way you don’t find yourself being interrupted if others are in the home with you, or distracted by household chores and the TV. It’s best for example, to leave the bed and the couch off limits. Setting these kinds of physical boundaries will help you enjoy spending time in these spaces more because they won’t be associated with work. 

2. Take the Time to Get Ready

Put the pajamas down. We promise you will feel better and more confident about your work if you dress for the part. Getting ready for work, even when you don’t plan on leaving the house has been proven to help remote workers stay focused. Not to mention, you’ll be less likely to shy away from the last minute video call if you look presentable. 

3. Break up the Day

If you find yourself going all day without ever leaving the room, it’s time to build in some breaks. Segregating chunks of the day by tasks and then setting little rewards for yourself can help you stay productive and meet those all too necessary deadlines. Everyone needs to get outside, move and interact with others in person from time to time.

Additionally, having a somewhat set of office hours can be helpful in making sure that when you’re supposed to be spending time with family, you actually are. While this can be difficult if you’re working with others in a different time zone, it’s imperative to enjoying your down time fully, especially given you don’t have the transition that comes with a commute.

At Number 8, we help companies connect with qualified remote employees to help with software development. We also focus on helping companies improve their internal IT processes. If you’re interested in learning more about Number8 and what we do, give us a call at (502) 890-7665, or check out our information page here!

6 Tips for Keeping & Motivating Your Employees

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Building a good team is hard, keeping it intact and running full speed ahead can be even harder. As employee retention rates drop across all industries, getting the most out of one’s team, while ensuring they’re all satisfied with their jobs and invested in the outcome of the business is becoming quite the balancing act.  

Because every person is unique in what drives them, taking advantage of multiple strategies is key. Here are 6 techniques to keeping a team focused, happy and inspired.

1. Make time for everyone.

While team meetings are worthwhile in their own right, nothing is as effective as individual attention and feedback. Routinely speaking with each and every team member helps to build a sense of accountability and allows for mentor ship when needed. Everyone wants to feel as if they are contributing something worthwhile. It can help immensely to recognize a team member’s work and show them how their efforts are being utilized. 

2. Provide opportunities for growth.

One of the biggest reasons employees leave is a lack of advancement. Even employees who come in feeling ambitious and excited may start to look elsewhere if their role has no evolution, the company doesn’t promote from within or they’re not being challenged enough. Growth can come in many forms. Sometimes it’s as simple as bestowing a team member with more autonomy, new responsibilities, or additional training. Allowing staff to innovate and take ownership of their tasks often means they are inspired to go the extra step. 

3. Cultivate an open office environment. 

When it comes to making people happy and getting the job done, communication is king. Creating a culture of openness means employees are more likely to speak up and be proactive about potential problems because they feel comfortable doing so. In an office where everyone feels that their perspective is valued, it’s easier as a leader to meet the needs of a team and fulfill project requirements. 

4. Lead by example.

Employees, good and bad, tend to look to their superiors when it comes to work ethic and office habits. In order to instill job satisfaction and motivate one’s team to achieve great results, those in leadership positions need to exemplify the kind of behavior they believe it takes to get there. This starts with striking a good balance between one’s work life and personal life. Instead of expecting the whole team to work long hours, look for them to come in on time and limit personal activities while in the office. These ideals begin and start at the top. Even taking some much deserved time off is a great way to show one’s team that diligent work is rewarded and that self care is valued as well as understood.  

5. Design the office for productivity. 

Everything from lighting, to furniture, noise control and decor can impact a team’s productivity. Take a look at how your office is designed. Does it enable collaboration or distraction? 

6. Create a team atmosphere.

Even if everyone works well on their own, it can boost moral and productivity to act as a cohesive unit. A simple routine lunch or team outing where everyone get’s to socialize and interact on a more personal level can improve how they communicate and work together. 

At Number8, we connect companies with IT talent and software developers that are fully trained in agile product development. By encouraging talent to come up with creative solutions, they remain motivated and positively contribute to a healthy company culture. If you’re interested in learning more about Number8 and what we do, give us a call at (502) 890-7665, or check out our information page!

Tips on Managing Remote Workers

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While it’s ideal in terms of a project’s completion to have a big team working simultaneously around the world, the reality of doing so can make managing a project and a team that much harder.

Here are a few tips to effectively managing a remote workforce and making sure everyone is on the same page.

1. Have clear expectations and instructions.

If you’re not careful, miscommunications can arise quite often in the world of telecommuting. When it comes to assigning tasks it can be most beneficial to first explain the overarching objective of the project and then outline how you wish them to fulfill their responsibilities, and by what date. This can help cut down on timely revisions. Additionally, don’t be afraid to offer constructive criticism. Honest feedback is essential in order for a team member to reach his or her goals and continue to grow in their abilities. 

2. Be aware of the time difference.

While it’s great to have a team that works while you can’t, working with a staff in a different time zone means you have to be patient when it’s their turn to have time off. It’s up to you to walk the line between keeping them accountable by monitoring their use of time, and being realistic when it comes to setting deadlines or waiting for a response to an inquiry. Consider making a schedule everyone has access to so the whole team knows when they can and cannot reach each other, and implement a system for reporting what tasks were done when.

3. Be inclusive and offer incentives.

It’s just as important that your remote staff feels appreciated and in the loop as your onsite staff does. Rewarding them for going the extra mile and getting their opinion every once in a while will ensure that they are as invested in the outcome of the project as you are no matter how far away they are.

4. Keep a standard of professionalism.

Communicating online in today’s world has become increasingly relaxed. However, it’s still worthwhile to communicate with your remote staff in a way that shows leadership and respect. This is business after all and your employees will be less likely to slack off if they are held to a higher standard of conducting it.

At Number 8, we help companies connect with qualified remote employees to help with software development. We also focus on helping companies improve their internal IT processes. If you’re interested in learning more about Number8 and what we do, give us a call at (502) 890-7665, or check out our information page here!

How To Design Your Office to Be More Productive

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Where you work is just as important as what you do. Office designs have come a long way since the early 20th century and are still changing year to year. What makes for a productive office environment? There are plenty of details, both big and small, that can contribute to office productivity or create a distracting environment. From the lighting to the desk layout to the color of the walls, the environment you’re in is important for your success at work.

Open office space designs have received a recent uptick in popularity. The open design is thought to enable users to be more collaborative. It is also thought that open spaces prevent employees from slacking off due to the visual accountability they are held to. However, for some, open office spaces are seen as distracting and chaotic. There are plenty of companies out there who stick to the cubicle set-up or closed door offices and that method works for them. While it has been proven that office design affects employee productivity, the design of the space itself isn’t actually as important as the details within the design. There are certain aspects of the office environment higher ups should be paying attention to if they want to improve productivity.

Design Details That Influence Office Productivity

1. Lighting

Employees spend 8-10 hours a day in their office environment, so it is crucial that the office is adequately lit. Working in a well-lit area reduces eye strain, headaches, fatigue, and irritability. In a recent study, it was proven that productivity increases as much as 16% when employees are placed in a well-lit workspace.

2. Ventilation

Just like lighting, ventilation is another crucial detail to consider when designing a productive workspace. OSHA estimates that employers lose a total of $15 billion annually “due to worker inefficiency and sick leave” that is associated with low air quality. Installing air filters and incorporating fresh air will improve productivity, lower absences, and save the company money in the long run.

3. Color

Color is a huge part of office design and picking the right colors to incorporate can effect productivity levels. Blue is a color proven to increase productivity. Orange is another color that promotes energy, so it is often used on office walls. If blue and orange are not colors you prefer, a study from the University of Massachusetts shows that incorporating any color in office design promotes creativity and improves morale.

4. Office Furniture

Of course, it is important that the desks and chairs in your office look nice and appear professional. However, it is more important that your employee’s desk spaces fit their bodies correctly. There are a few quick checks you can do to make sure a desk space is ergonomic including:

  • Eyes are two to three feet from the computer screen.
  • The top of the monitor is at eye-level or slightly below it.
  • Feet are resting on the floor or a footrest.
  • A chair that can be adjusted for height and recline to relieve spinal pressure.

5. Temperature

It is a common misconception that a colder office is a more productive environment. Most offices are kept around 66 degrees for this reason. In all actuality, a warmer office environment can lead to increased productivity. A study from Cornell linked “warm offices to fewer typing errors and higher productivity”. The study also determined that an ideal office temperature is between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit.

These five design details are a great place to start for those looking to make their office spaces more productive. Regardless of where you work, consider lighting, air quality, your desk area, and how you’re physically feeling. If you are going through a phase of being less productive than normal a slight switch up may help.

Costa Rica’s Sustainability Initiatives

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Costa Rica is a designated blue zone. This means it’s an area of the world which is residence to some of the longest living people on earth. People who live in certain regions of Costa Rica live beyond the world’s average life span. This is in thanks to resources in the area and the emphasis on community in day-to-day life. To preserve the blue zone status the area has received, Costa Rica’s sustainability initiatives are becoming a long list of goals to achieve over the next decade. These initiatives will help to ensure the region preserves its natural beauty, maintains its blue zone status, and continues to set an example on sustainability for other countries to follow.

Sustainability has been a huge buzz-word on the Internet for years. With recent reports on climate change, it is becoming a phrase that is heard more and more often. In order for our world to stay habitable, countries need to take major steps to reduce their carbon emissions. It is also crucial for countries to maintain their area’s ecological welfare. And Costa Rica is leading the race when it comes to setting sustainability initiatives and meeting them. Over 10 years ago, the country announced a plan to ban single-use plastics by 2021. The country also heavily relies on reusable energy and, after investing in wind and solar power, Costa Rica is mostly carbon neutral.

Costa Rica’s Sustainability Initiatives Through the Next Decade

Costa Rica’s sustainability initiatives moving forward include going completely carbon neutral by 2025. With the country on track to ban single-use plastics by a set goal date, Costa Rica is hoping to achieve carbon neutrality soon after. Currently, the country can run for up to a quarter of a year on renewable sources. However, their transportation still depends on fossil fuels. Over the next 7 years, they plan to become completely carbon neutral. In doing so, will become the first ever completely carbon neutral nation in the world.

Saving Wildlife & The Planet

Costa Rica’s sustainability initiatives are set to save the area of the planet the country occupies in addition to going completely carbon neutral. Five years ago, in 2012, the country banned sport hunting through a unanimous vote. Costa Rica is the first country in Central America to take this initiative toward preserving wildlife. This law came to fruition due to the number of tourists visiting to hunt trophy animals including jaguars, pumas, and parrots. Anyone caught violating this law will be hit with a $3,000 fine or sentenced to four months in jail; however, the local population is still allowed to hunt and fish as their lives often depend on it.


The country’s attempt to protect its wildlife and the lands they live on extends past shore and into the ocean.

 In the last quarter of a century, Costa Rica has been able to double the amount of forest cover in the country while also tripling its GDP. And 7 years ago, in 2011, the country created the Seamounts Marine Management Area to protect marine life surrounding Costa Rica. This oceanic management area is larger than the United State’s Yellowstone National park which covers 2,219,791 acres. It is the second largest marine protected area in the world after the Galapagos Islands.

Costa Rica is a country where the residents are happy, healthy, and the government is working to preserve that. It is second to Switzerland in a list of the “greenest” countries in the world. Costa Rica has also topped the global list of countries ranked by happiness three times in recent studies. The sustainability initiatives the country has set to carry it through the next decade will only better the country and its 4.9 million citizens as a whole. Costa Rica hopes to clear the path for other countries to follow in its footsteps before it’s too late.