The first day of school is always exciting, but it can also be a little awkward for students who have yet to get to know each other. Make the first day of school fun with a lineup of activities designed to break the ice and help elementary and junior high students get acquainted from the get-go.

The Name Game

The Name Game is an excellent way for you and your students to start learning everyone’s name. Have students sit or stand in a circle, choosing one student to go first by stating their name.

The student to the right then states their name, along with the name of the first student. The game continues, going around the entire circle, with the last person tasked with naming each student in the circle.

Make the game even more entertaining by having each student choose a description that starts with the same letter as their name, such as “Happy Henry” or “Marvelous Miranda.”

The Guess Who Game

Guessing games can be another terrific way to break the ice, such as an amusing round of The Guess Who Game. Pass out notecards to every student, and then have each student write down two fun or interesting facts about themselves without putting their names on the notecards.

Collect the notecards, shuffle them up, and then give each student a notecard. Go around the room with each student reading the facts on the card they have and other students guessing who wrote them.

Wheel of Fortune Variation

If you want to really pump up the excitement, you can set up a Wheel of Fortune game. On the first day of school, try filling the prize slot areas with different letters of the alphabet. If you have 12 prize slots, for instance, each slot could hold two or three letters to fit in all 26.

Have students take turns spinning the wheel. Students whose names begin with the letters in the prize slot where the pointer lands get to come forward and say their name and a fun description of themselves. Keep it up until all letters have come up and the entire class can name each other.

The Would You Rather Game

This game gives students a chance to ask creative questions while getting to know their classmates. Form two lines of students, with students facing each other. Students will interact with their classmate directly across from them, asking a question that involves two options.

For example, a student may ask “Would you rather go to the moon or the bottom of the ocean?” or “Would you rather have a pet monkey or a pet rhinoceros?” After several minutes, move one line down so each student gets a new partner. Repeat as desired.

In addition to first day of school activities that help students get to know each other, you can always keep a collection of motivational gifts on hand to give your students, or create motivational welcome posters for the classroom to keep students engaged and excited all year long. Visit PaperDirect for all your first-day-of-school icebreaker needs!

Office managers across the globe focus on creating workplaces free of unnecessary stress and anxiety for their employees. One effective strategy that’s making headlines and dominating workplace training seminars is implementing mindfulness activities into the day. Being mindful, or fully present and aware in the moment, creates a sense of calm and increased awareness.

Why is Mindfulness in the Workplace Important?

With deadlines, projects goals, and office tension weighing down employees each day, it’s important to give them the tools to relieve stress and release negative thoughts and worry. Hello, mindfulness activities!

Science Daily reported on research from Case Western Reserve University that indicates mindfulness in the workplace helps the staff:

• Improve focus and attention on tasks
• Manage stressful situations effectively
• Work productively with others in groups situations or during one-on-one interactions
• Be more empathetic and compassionate leaders
  

Would these benefits make a difference in your office culture?

4 Ways to Incorporate Mindfulness into the Workplace

Fostering a more present and focused staff doesn’t require sending each employee to a special training seminar. Instead, try a few of these activities and watch for a shift in workplace satisfaction and mood.

1. Offer lunch break yoga classes. Whether you invite a certified instructor to the boardroom or partner with a nearby studio, hosting free yoga classes will help your staff physically unwind and mentally reset their focus though controlled stretching, breathing exercises, and guided meditation.

Inquire about gentle yoga, chair yoga, or a yin practice to accommodate a range of physical abilities in the office. There are many modifications for those who worry about getting on a yoga mat. If you can close your eyes and breathe, you can do yoga!

2. Create a quiet room. Sometimes we just want to take our afternoon break in a serene area away from ringing phones and office conversations. This getaway room should have a no-cellphone policy and focus on relaxation.

A large fish task to admire, soothing music to encourage meditation, a small library of paperback books to read, a stack of colorful stationery for journaling, windows to look out at nature, and plush furniture that invites relaxing are great touches.

3. Declutter the office. Is it time to do a thorough purge and reorganization? Piles of paperwork, messy desks, and overstuffed offices create anxiety and agitation for some. So, clean up!

Donate unneeded office supplies to a local charity, create an archive for files that don’t need to be readily accessible, and encourage employees to take home the things they don’t use, like that broken bike stashed behind a desk.

4. Schedule weekly creative breaks. Channeling our inner, curious child can help us break up the clutter of stress and tasks that fill our minds. Once a week, plan activities that encourage employees to get cut loose.

Here are some creative ideas you and your employees could do together:

• Paint rocks as part of The Kindness Rocks Project
• Build gingerbread houses (then enjoy them with milk)
• Make homemade unicorn slime to squish for stress relief at desks
• Dress up with old Halloween costumes and taking silly photos
• Create vision boards with pictures and words cut out of magazines
• Completing a fiction writing prompt  

Helping your staff shed the stress of the day through mindfulness opens them up to being more focused on their work tasks and satisfied with their job. If you need to stock up on colorful stationery for writing and drawing projects, browse the PaperDirect online store today.

Each person on your team brings unique insight and background to the table. Are you embracing it? Actively recognize and foster workplace diversity through team building to boost office productivity, inclusion, and satisfaction.

Why is Diversity Important?

You might wonder why it’s important to promote and celebrate the cultural diversity in your office. Taking the time to understand one another better ultimately leads to improved communication across tasks, projects, and partnerships, both in the office and with remote workers.

This level of empathy and understanding also filters into client outreach, making your business respected for its level of perspective and acceptance of cultural customs and differing languages. In short, your workplace becomes seen as culturally competent, accepting, and educated – a must in the globalized modern business world.

Team Building Ideas for Your Office

The Hult International Business School recommends several ways to promote diversity in the workplace to nurture an open-minded, globally-poised workforce. Combine these strategies with hands-on team activities in the office and a positive dose of employee recognition to foster workplace diversity.

Educate to boost cultural competency. Host team lunches with expert guest speakers who can educate the group on cross-cultural communication methods to be used both in office and with clients. Then, role play to practice what you’ve learned as a team. Reach out to the communications department staff at your local college to get started.

Integrate a global perspective into office communications. Do you have a newsletter, intranet, or active social media feed geared at the staff? Start sharing news headlines and feature stories from abroad to spark interest in global issues, holidays, and lifestyles. This will build your team’s awareness in a subtle way between moments of direct interactions.

Travel to new places. If you’re planning an off-site employee meeting, conference, or team-building retreat, skip the usual gathering spots and instead focus on a location that will start conversations about various cultures, ethnicities, and languages. Try meeting at a niche museum, ethnic restaurant, or historical landmark, and asking the site owners for a tour or background talk before you get started with your work-focused activities.

Expand workplace celebrations. Everyone loves a party! Look at your office calendar and add a few culturally-diverse holidays that you may not have celebrated in the past to help new employees feel included. Office decor, a theme potluck lunch, or sharing an educational video can build the team’s awareness of the holiday while recognizing the special day.

As your office implements these team building ideas, celebrate those who go above and beyond in making a difference in the office culture. This extends both to dedicated activity organizers and enthusiastic team building participants. Browse our recognition certificates and awards online today.

National Handwriting Day rolls around every January 23, giving you a chance to celebrate the art of handwriting. The holiday dates back to 1977, with the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association choosing the date to coincide with the birthday of John Hancock. Hancock gets kudos for providing the first and most illustrious signature on the Declaration of Independence. You can celebrate your own illustrious handwriting with these six fun activities.

Send a Handwritten Letter

Break out your favorite pen and stationery, and then sit down to write a handwritten letter. Yes, we know. A handwritten letter is a far cry from the usual fast and furious emails and texts you’ve become accustomed to sending. But it can give you a chance to perfect your penmanship while making the recipient’s day.

Practice Your Calligraphy

Break out your fancier pens and thicker paper to give fancy penmanship a whirl. Calligraphy and other types of hand-lettering transform handwriting into art, with styles that range from the elegant and formal to cutesy and sweet. Not sure where to begin? Look for online calligraphy tips or lessons to get the ink flowing.

Leave Notes around the Office

Make it your mission to leave a flurry of handwritten notes around the office. Write them on Post-It Notes, and leave them on individual desks, in common areas, or near the copy machines. The notes can contain wise words, inspirational quotes, or functional reminders. Let coworkers know you’re leaving this notes in honor of National Handwriting Day and encourage them to do the same.

Catch up on Your Lists

Lots of people love lists, and National Handwriting Day is the perfect time to make sure you have all of them covered. Make them fun and flamboyant with patterned paper and colorful ink. Create a list of workplace perks, personal goals, lifetime achievements, or reasons you adore your kids and pets. Get functional with grocery lists, task lists, or a list outlining the best order in which to complete your upcoming spring cleaning.

Experiment with Different Writing Tools

Everyone’s pretty much mastered writing with standard pencils and pens, but they’re not the only writing tools you can use. Play around with different writing instruments to celebrate the holiday. Try different types of pens, such as paint pens, brush pens, glass-dip pens, and quills. Give charcoal, chalk, and a variety of different markers a whirl.

Create Your Own Font

Creating your own font gives you a double celebration of National Handwriting Day. Not only will it force you to create neat and memorable letters, but you’ll be able to enjoy your new font on your computer going forward. Many online programs let you create your own font for use in digital documents, and some of them are even free.

You may end up enjoying the celebration activities for National Handwriting Day that you’ll make them a regular practice. So keep your stationery, notepads and other paper supplies stocked with options from PaperDirect, and then go make John Hancock proud.

Whether you’re aiming to improve your spending habits, time management, or overall perspective on life, tons of free personal development courses are at the ready. Below, we found three websites that list hundreds of free personal development course options from which to choose the perfect course for your new year’s goals.

Class Central

Class Central is the go-to directory for Massive Open Online Courses, otherwise known as MOOCs. These courses can come out of universities that range from Princeton to the University of Edinburgh, companies that include Microsoft and Google, and online course providers that partner with schools, corporations, and professors.

Personal development MOOCs include more than 150 topics, ranging from honing your mental skills to maintaining a mindful life.

Taking the free version of a MOOC gives you access to all the video lectures, discussions, and other course materials. You also have the option in some cases to pay for additional features, such as graded assignments, mentorships, and certificates. Each course has its own study materials, schedule, and added features, all determined by the course provider.

LearnOutLoud

Designed to showcase the top online educational audio and video content, LearnOutLoud has been keeping minds sharp since 2005. One of the most popular sections of the website is the Free Audio and Video Directory, which is home to more than 10,000 courses, lectures, interviews, speeches, audio books, and other content that is free.

Choices range from time management to mindfulness, relationships to business and professional development. More than 850 free titles fall into the personal development realm alone.

DailyOM

While the courses offered on the DailyOm website are not free, you can still learn a lot from the free resources the site provides if you’re looking to deepen and enhance your spiritual life. Register for the free DailyOM, and you’ll enjoy a free daily dose of wisdom delivered straight to your inbox every morning. You can also sign up for free newsletters on the topics of music, horoscope, and inspiration.

The paid courses let you dive deeper into specific topics that range from healthy living to art and creativity, yet the free information may be enough to prompt the positive change you’re seeking.

Free personal development courses provide an ideal means of gaining insight, motivation, and guidance in the direction of whatever goal you choose. Even if you don’t receive a certificate from the course, you can reward yourself with a personalized recognition award, trophy, or gift in honor of your efforts. Check out PaperDirect for ideas!

You’ve made it through another 365 days at the office. Are you ready for the next round? Before you start writing January dates on all of your business correspondence, map out a few New Year’s resolutions for work.

The American Psychological Association says the key to making these ideas work is by starting small, making changes one at a time, asking for help, sharing your accomplishments with others, and remembering that you are a work in progress. Never down talk to yourself for taking a step backward or not meeting a goal. As long as you’re moving forward overall, every small step counts!

Workplace Changes to Make in 2018

After you’re done vowing to help wash dishes in the break room, and limit yourself to one piece of cake per office celebration, get down to business with these productivity-focused New Year’s resolutions for work that will boost your 9-to-5 happiness and creative output.

1. Be on time, every time

Reduce stress and anxiety by being early to a meeting or conference session. You’ll gain a few minutes to network and settle in, which reduces stress and sets you up for an attentive meeting. Set an alarm on your cell phone and notification on your digital calendar as added reminders.

2. Try a new problem-solving approach

We know that staring at a computer screen when you’re stuck just doesn’t work. This year, take a new approach to problem-solving. Get up and go for a walk. Or, close your eyes and meditate. When the boss asks what you’re doing, say, “Brainstorming solutions for X.” You’ll earn brownie points for honesty!

3. Share a daily compliment

Find the positive in whatever is going on at the office, even on the most stressful days. Whether you share kind words with your cubicle mate about her new hairstyle or feel bold and speak up to a superior about an idea of theirs you admire, talking about good things brings the positive energy level up a notch in the office.

4. Audit your workflow

Take a peek at your calendar and see where your time leaks and how much time you realistically need for specific ongoing tasks. Tighten up your workflow (or revamp it if you’ve been following the same routine for years) to coincide with your most productive, energetic moments. It doesn’t make sense to leave your toughest tasks for 4 PM!

5. Learn from others

Make it a point each week to observe a project or task someone else is doing and learn more about it. How does it feed into your role and tasks? Can you do anything differently to make their job duties run smoother? Think beyond your work responsibilities to get a better overall understanding of your company as a whole.

6. Address your weakness

We all have one. Do you keep trying to make time to follow-up with clients, but it always gets put on the back burner? Have you been lax about filling out weekly reports? Consciously figure out how to integrate these duties into your day so they no longer get left behind.

To get in the right mindset for achieving your New Year’s resolutions for work, restock your desk with personalized note cards, stationery, and sticky notes. Browse PaperDirect today!