Yearly Archives: 2022

Are You Prepared for a Storm?

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If you live in the Gulf Coast region, it’s best to be prepared for hurricane season. Preparation can help you stay safe if and when disaster strikes, and ensure your belongings stay safe as well. Remember these hurricane and storm preparation tips so you can stay safe no matter what Mother Nature throws at you!

If the Power Goes Out…

There’s a greater chance of power outages during storms. Now is the time to test your flashlights and replace old ones. There are many options available from small, keychain flashlights to larger, floating lanterns or rechargeable area lights. You should have spare batteries available as well. You should have AA, AAA, and 9 Volt batteries available. When looking for emergency supplies, such as batteries, make sure they’re not expired and/or damaged. Also consider a portable generator. This will help run fans, refrigerators, or any other important items in your house during a power outage. Set it up outside in a well-ventilated area and make sure to buy gas before the arrival of the hurricane. Now is the time to find your extra extension cords to hook up to your generator.

What to Prepare

Be prepared with water and non-perishable food like protein bars that do not require refrigeration or cooking before eating. In the event of power outage, store at least one gallon of water per person per day for at least five days. Storm preparedness includes being able to feed yourself and your family if the power is out; keep canned goods and bottled water handy for this reason. If a hurricane is headed your way, chances are you will have no access to fresh water after the storm. Fill up your bathtub beforehand so you can use that water to flush your toilets.

Pack Appropriately

In case of emergency, you’ll want to have access to some tools. These tool kits should include basic hand tools that will help you but won’t take up a lot of space. Keep an emergency radio charged and ready for any and all updates from local authorities.

You will also need to stock up on cleaning supplies. When the storm is over, you’ll need to clean up any debris that was left behind. We recommend having a bucket/wringer combo and a microfiber mop head. You may also need disposable gloves, large garbage bags, and industrial cleaners.

Pack an emergency bag with clothes, toiletries, important documents like birth certificates, passports or insurance papers, first aid supplies, and anything else that might be needed during the storm. Hydration packs are a great way to conveniently store water without bottles taking up space in your bag.

Emergency Information

Keeping an emergency contact list is an important step in preparing for any natural disaster. Disasters can strike quickly, and you don’t want to be left wondering who to call when your power goes out. An emergency contact list should include at least one phone number, email address, and physical address of every person or business that could help you during an emergency. Other important information to have on hand: bank institution contact information, home insurance phone number and policy numbers, and neighbors phone numbers and evacuation location.

Make a Plan

Make sure everyone in your family knows where they will be meeting up if they are separated during the storm. If there’s any chance of flooding or other emergencies at home, make plans to evacuate. If it’s impossible to find a safe place to go before the hurricane hits, head to the nearest high ground. And if you have pets, make sure their carrier has food and water.

Stay Informed

The most important thing you can do is stay in touch with your local authorities. They will provide you with accurate and updated information about what to expect before, during, and after a storm, and if/when you should evacuate. Keep your emergency radio on hand to listen to updates. Also locate your phone charger and any extra battery chargers. Your phone will be a great source of find out information through local parish and state social media channels, as well as news outlets.

The more prepared you are, the better off you’ll be in any situation.

Call today or order online to get your supplies in time!

What is Biophilic Design?

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Biophilic design increases our connectivity to nature through direct and indirect exposure to features from nature, as well as spatial and aromatic conditions. Having a connection to nature can decrease stress levels, enhance mood, and improve cognitive function, allowing you to focus better and for longer periods of time. Also, increasingly, companies are starting to pay more attention to the mental and physical well-being of their employees, customers, and visitors. Biophilic design is a way of doing that with the design of the space itself.  

Plants 

Plants in an office next to the desk

Incorporating plants into the workspace is one of the easiest ways to bring the outside indoors. You can do a little as bring in a few small plants or something large and impressive, like building a plant wall. We often notice what is directly in front of us to determine our mood. Therefore, having something real-looking and organically-growing, like a Peace Lily, Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree or Snake Plant, within eyeshot can help us find peace and help promote focus. Plants can also help improve the air quality of your space, as they improve the oxygen levels indoors through photosynthesis and will naturally filter out potentially harmful toxins. This can help alleviate employee sickness and absenteeism in the long-term.  

Smell 

Smelling a flower

 
Smells are naturally attached to memories. More and more companies are turning to Olfactory Branding to help encourage employees and visitors to have a positive association between a specific smell and your brand. By capitalizing on this positive association, you are allowing for increased focus, positive outlooks, and improved collaboration among your team. Use natural smells like Summer Rain, Jasmine, and Freshly Mown Grass through either a metered dispenser or through the HVAC system.  

Lighting 

Natural Lighting in a building space

Natural lighting is good for you. That’s a given. It can boost your mood, help improve your circadian rhythm and sleeping habits, and boost your Vitamin D, which reduces inflammation. But just how do we get natural lighting into a workplace? Windows, skylights, glass doors, and more are all great ways of bringing in natural light. But if you don’t have the ability to have skylights, floor-to-ceiling windows, French doors, etc., there are plenty of other ways. Sun lamps are a great investment for a darker workplace and will mimic the intensity of the sun throughout the day.  

Colors 

Desks and chairs

While “Earth tones” is often reserved for browns, taupes, and ambers, the earth has many more colors than that. Use colors that mimic natural landscapes. Light blues or whites on the walls and/or ceiling for the sky, browns and greens for carpets, and stone or natural wood-toned flooring. Pepper some reds and purples and yellows throughout the space as accents.  

Learn about more ways to update your workplace today!

Hybrid Work Essentials

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In the modern workforce, a hybrid work environment is becoming increasingly more available. In fact, up to 83% of the current workforce prefers a hybrid work model in those instances where 100% remote work is unavailable. According to a Gallup poll on hybrid work environments, approximately 53% of all work environments will be hybrid going forward.

This means that both employees and employers have to find the tools that work best for both environments: remote work and corporate work.

Commuting Essentials

Whether you drive, walk, take a train or bus, or fly to work, you’ll need to carry some things. Namely a laptop, headphones, travel mug, reusable water bottle, meal prep containers, etc. Make sure you have an adequately sized and comfortable travel bag. Having the things you both need and like with you while you’re commuting to work will make the commute easier. Take advantage of a public transportation commute with quality headphones to listen to the morning or afternoon news to stay up to date on current events, listen to conferences, podcasts, music, or simply block out the noises around you.

Bring your homemade coffee to the office in a travel mug. That way, when it’s time to make another cup, you can help environmental efforts by reusing the same mug. The same is true for your reusable water bottle! Fill up from the office water cooler while you’re at work and before you head home to stay hydrated and healthy throughout the day.

Checklist

When commuting, be sure you have a quality travel bag for your trips to and from your office. This will hold all your commuting essentials.

Office supplies

1. Travel Bag

2. Laptop

3. Chargers

4. Headphones

5. Travel Mug

6. Reusable Water Bottle

7. Meal Prep Containers

8. Proper Clothing for All Weather

9. Hand Sanitizer

Corporate Office

There are a few essentials that are necessary for both your corporate and remote offices. Proper workstations with ergonomic seating, storage, charging capabilities, and access to food/water are ideal, however not always possible. Whether people who work remote are working from their home, a hotel room, a beach, a coffee shop, etc., there are some things that need to be available. If you’re working in a corporate office or in a remote workplace, follow along with these checklists to make sure you’ve got everything you need for success.

Corporate Office Checklist

Computer supplies and chair

Since you’ve brought your travel mug, laptop, reusable water bottle, and meal prep containers from home, now is the time to focus on what you need for your immediate workstation.

1. Ergonomic Workstation

2. Ergonomic Seating

3. Ergonomic Keyboard/Mousepad

4. Monitor Stand

5. Storage

6. Telephone

7. Headphones/Headset

8. Pens and Paper

Remote Office Checklist

Other computer accessories

Whether you’re working from home, a coffee shop, or a hotel lobby, having certain things will ensure an efficient and productive workday.

1. Device Chargers

2. Reliable Wi-Fi

3. Laptop

4. External Storage

5. Headphones/Headset

6. Wireless Keyboard and Mouse

7. HD Webcam

Get Everything You Need for Your Workplace from LAOP!