Sarah Hinds-Friedl

How to Reuse Your Coffee Grounds

Barista courses in Melbourne can teach you how to make good coffee at home, but what do you do with the leftover grounds? Here are seven creative ...

Fun Corporate Team Building Activities in Brisbane Everyone Will Love

Inspire your colleagues with the best team building activities in Brisbane and connect over anything from smartphone photography to crafty wheel ...

7 Unique Cocktail Experiences in Sydney You Need to Know About

Get crafty with cocktails at these unique cocktail making classes in Sydney! From Australian botanicals to tea-infused vodka, these mixology workshops ...

Make Your Own Cocktails in Melbourne (2024)

Mix, shake and stir margaritas and martinis like a pro with cocktail making classes in Melbourne!

14 Classy Hens Party Ideas in Melbourne

Explore classy hens party ideas for elegant brides with unique arts and crafts classes and experiences. Enjoy fancy fun with flower crowns, cooking ...

Floristry Workshops Have Hidden Benefits (2024)

Discover the wellbeing benefits of being surrounded by flowers at floristry classes in Sydney!

Bring the Party to You with Mobile Paint and Sip Classes in Melbourne

Elevate your team building or private paint party with mobile paint and sip classes in Melbourne!

The History of Ikebana: The Japanese Art of Flower Arrangement (2024)

Boost your creativity and improve your mental health with Ikebana — an ancient Japanese flower arranging technique.

12 Unique Hens Day Activities in Melbourne

Throw a daytime hens party to get the festivities started early and spend more time with the gals with these hens party ideas for daytime activi ...

Why So Serious? Hobbies Vs. Burnout

Discover fun team building activities in Australia to enhance workplace motivation and avoid burnout in 2024 by finding hobbies that you'll love. ...

7 DIY Christmas Decoration Ideas for 2024

Show others the fun in DIY with experience gift cards! From Christmas wreath classes to DIY card making, let them customise their decorations these ...

Are We Losing Our Focus

Revitalise your team's focus with our team building activities in Australia and discover how these exercises can help make a difference in your workplace ...

Alternative Experience Gifts for Him in Sydney

You won't find any book recommendations or tool belts here. Surprise your man with these unique experience gifts for him in Sydney that will explore ...

Looking for Hens Weekend Ideas in Melbourne? Try a Staycation

In need of hens weekend ideas in Melbourne? Rent a house, stock up on the bride-to-be’s favourite snacks and wine and bring a perfume blending ...

Top 10 Experience Gifts for Men 2020

From screen printing to photography and painting classes, here's the top 10 experience gifts for men (or women) in Sydney...

Best Experience Gifts for Her (Or Him) in Sydney

Throw clay, spice rum, pipe macarons and so much more with these creative experience gifts for her in Sydney and give her a unique present she’ll ...

Best Corporate Team Activities in Brisbane for Your Next Office Event

Discover corporate events that are actually fun with team building activity ideas in Brisbane! Show employees your appreciation with corporate e ...

Adapting the Workplace for Millennials

After graduating from a university in Sydney in 2013, I felt confident in my ability to get a job. I had good references, a list of diverse workAfter graduating from a university in Sydney in 2013, I felt confident in my ability to get a job. I had good references, a list of diverse work experience, and had often been complimented on my interviewing skills in the past. Much to my dismay and confusion, though, I could not land a job in any of the fields in which I had the most experience. The phone was just not ringing. With a mound of student debt looming over me, I was beginning to feel desperate to find a position. From close to twenty applications, I was finally granted one interview – as a junior account executive at a small agency in Glebe, Sydney. I took the offer, gratefully. My first few days were tough. I felt my commitment and ability tested, constantly, by those who had been there longer. Many of my senior co-workers were cold and mistrusting. Most didn’t bother to learn my name. It was not a place to make mistakes. Luckily, I adapted to the high-stress environment quickly. Within a few months, I was training new employees, and higher-ranking account managers were requesting to be scheduled with me. I was offered a promotion and a raise a few months later. When I had been with the company for several months, my hiring manager offered an explanation for why my start had been so rocky. She admitted that she had been tempted to throw out my resume simply because of my age. In her experience, millennials, especially those with a university degree, were not dependable. Though she had meant to compliment me on my uniqueness, her words were troubling. I realized that in a workforce that expected me to fail, I could not simply work as hard as everyone else. I had to excel, to exceed expectations, to be extraordinary. And that was if I even got hired in the first place. Soon, I was questioning the notion of turnover in my generation. After all, my boss had a point: I seriously considered quitting early in my employment simply because I felt I was being unjustly treated. But my unfair treatment was rooted in an understandable mistrust of my loyalty (which, based on my willingness to quit, was shaky.) One thing is clear: the rule of generations suggests that existing companies need to hire younger workers to remain relevant just as much as younger workers need to be hired. It is the natural cycle of history. The real question is how we can adapt the modern workplace to meet the needs of millennials and the established workforce today? For more ideas on how to enhance team motivation read our article here. To achieve this equilibrium, a few attributes common to millennials need to be explained. First, the issue of loyalty. The expectation that millennials cannot commit to any one job creates tension in the workplace for the company and the worker, alike. But where did this trend come from, and how can it be addressed constructively? According to a report by PwC (1), the wariness that millennials feel towards settling down with a company may be the result of their intimate relationship with the global economic crisis. In other words, sparsity in the job market may have pressured millennials to take positions that did not align with their professional goals. Indeed, a survey conducted by Deloitte (2) suggests that, while not actively looking for other employment, many millennials maintain an eye on alternative positions and are highly motivated to move up in the professional world when opportunities arise. One way to combat this tendency to jump ship: invest a little time into your younger workers. The same Deloitte survey showed that the majority of millennials are happier with employers who act as mentors and role-models, providing constructive feedback and support. This can be tricky for employers who grew up in a cut-throat work atmosphere, but there is a lot of literature (3) out there to get the positive feedback mill churning. Another key factor driving millennial turnover: a discrepancy in the definition of the workplace. Surveys show that young people want and have come to expect a balance of work and home-life. This is partly due to a gradual blurring of the line between professional/personal divide. Consider, for example, a typist’s job in the 1950’s. On an average day, the typist would arrive at work in the morning, sit down at her typewriter, and work for an eight hour shift. At the end of the day, she would put her cover on her typewriter, say goodnight to her boss, and head home. Once she left the building, her workday was finished. There was no way around it. The typist went home. The typewriter stayed at the office. Alternatively, the work environment, by today’s standard, doesn’t just refer to physical space. Advances in technology have allowed us to take our work not only home, but anywhere that our smartphones can connect to the internet (e.g. the line at Starbucks, on a family vacation, in the waiting room of the dentist’s office.) This new way of working has blurred the lines between our personal and professional lives, especially for the millennial generation, who are constantly reshaping what the workspace looks like. It’s not very surprising, then, that millennials seek a work/life balance that doesn’t leave them feeling like a rung-out dishrag at the end of the day. That is not to say that they are not willing to put in that out-of-office work, but it has to be leveled out with some pretty flexible personal time. When it comes down to the nuts and bolts, millennials aren’t asking for much. We want to to be rewarded fairly for our value, we want some guidance, and we want the opportunity to be a person away from the desk. And when millennials are granted these conditions, we can offer incredible skills for our employers. We are the generation with a handle on technology, a ready willingness to collaborate with our peers, and an intense ambition to create a better society for the next generation. Want to find methods to keep your millennial team members engaged and excited? Let's create a positive and supportive environment together for our workforce today. References: 1) pwc.com/gx/en/managing-tomorrows-people/future-of-work 2) deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/About-Deloitte/gx-millenial-survey-2016-exec-summary.pdf 3) forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2015/10/07/how-to-give-concise-positive-feedback/3/#325dc1d99e3b ...

Zero Waste Bartending: The Future of Cocktail Making in Melbourne

Shake up sustainable drinks that favour foraging, fermentation and zero waste bartending with cocktail classes in Melbourne!

Re-energise Against Burnout

Boost your team's morale against burnout with our exciting team building activities in Australia, from skateboarding workshops to Turkish mosaic ...

Knife Painting Is Just Like Decorating a Cake

Discover this fun medium at painting classes in Sydney and create a textured art masterpiece!

How to Plan the Perfect Hens Party in Melbourne

Make party planning with your besties a breeze with these unique hens party ideas in Melbourne—guaranteed to have you feeling creative, inspired ...

Save Money and the Planet with DIY Christmas Gifts This Season

Want to treat the planet with kindness and save money too? Get crafting and give DIY Christmas gifts to your loved ones this festive season!

Take Cooking Class in Melbourne and Join the Sustainable Food Movement

Dive into Melbourne cooking classes to learn how to cook mouthwatering dishes, meal plan, reduce your takeaway consumption and shop local.

Unique Gift Experiences for Him (Or Her) in Sydney

Forget the last minute shopping rush with these 5 gift experiences for him (or her) in Sydney. Play with fire at a glassblowing class, experiment ...

School Holiday Ideas in Melbourne: Kids Cooking Classes Will Work a Treat

Keep your kids entertained these school holidays with cooking classes for kids in Melbourne! Cooking classes are fun and teach children valuable ...

Why Barista Courses in Melbourne Are Trending in 2024

From brewing at home to sustainable coffee cups, discover why barista courses in Melbourne will be some of the best coffee trends to look out for ...

Stuck for Team Building Ideas in Brisbane? Why Team Cooking Classes Work

Encourage team bonding and boost workplace wellbeing with some of the best group cooking classes in Brisbane!

Why You Should Try Mobile Classes for Team Building in Melbourne (2024)

From cocktail classes to paint and sip, mobile classes are fun team building activities that come to you!

Gift Experiences for Your Creative Man

Do you have a man in your life that needs a creative outlet but also needs a little push to get there? Our gift experiences for him in Sydney will ...

7 Surprising Photography Techniques You'll Learn in Photography Classes

Learn how to take stunning pictures with the techniques you learn at these hands-on photography classes in Brisbane!

Cooking Classes Are Now Being Prescribed as Therapy

Interested in relaxation and mindfulness? Culinary therapy may be just the thing! Give it a try at local Melbourne cooking classes.

Easy Arts and Crafts Classes to Jumpstart Your Creativity

Release your inner creativity with these beginner-friendly art classes in Melbourne, from playing with resin art to snapping good photos.

7 Art Classes Melbourne Crafters Are Raving About

Paint, sketch or capture photos at art classes in Melbourne and find exactly why your local community is raving about!

Get Mindful with the Most Relaxing Art Classes Adelaide Has to Offer

Brush away your worries and drift into mindfulness with these art classes in Adelaide!

What a Beginners Photography Class Can Teach You About Yourself

See the world through a whole new lens at beginner photography classes in Brisbane!

Taste Authentic American BBQ at Cooking Classes in Melbourne

Try BBQ cooking classes in Melbourne for your next team building activities. You'll learn all about the history of American bbq and how to smoke ...

Master Latte Art Designs at Barista Classes in Melbourne

Latte art classes in Melbourne will have you pouring tulip and rosetta latte art designs like a professional barista in no time...

7 Photography Tips You'll Learn at Photography Classes in Brisbane

Capture the beauty of your surrounds at these hands-on photography courses in Brisbane and take home photography tips that’ll have you snapping ...

Get Behind Your Local with Cocktail Making Classes in Melbourne

Experience your local like an insider with the best cocktail making classes in Melbourne's coolest venues!

Why Cooking Classes in Melbourne Are Good for Your Health and Your Bank Account

If you're getting bored in the kitchen or reaching for that takeaway menu one too many times, Melbourne cooking classes are here to help your health ...

Why You Should Try Candle Making Classes in Melbourne

At candle making classes in Melbourne you will learn how to make sustainable and natural candles that won't harm the environment...

Aged Health Benefits and Recreational Classes

The weekend before my great-grandmother passed away at 98-years-old, she took me outside to plant sunflowers. Her daughter and granddaughter putThe weekend before my great-grandmother passed away at 98-years-old, she took me outside to plant sunflowers. Her daughter and granddaughter put up a fuss, claiming that it was too hot outside, and that she should rest instead. She just waved a hand and motioned for me to help her stand up. “I’m going to teach my great-granddaughter how to garden,” she said. I think we were all a little bit surprised. In her old age, Nora wasn’t usually so lucid. It was hot that day (the sunflowers wouldn’t survive the sweltering heat waves of the next few months,) but my great-grandmother didn’t seem to mind. Under her sun visor, she was all smiles. As she walked me through the steps of preparing the flowerbed and spreading the seeds in the fresh soil, my great-grandmother was radiating joy. Of course, she was always excited to spend time with family, but this was something different. This energy and warmth had something to do with gardening. In the years since her passing, I’ve always been incredibly grateful for the chance to share that afternoon with her. I was able to see first-hand how a simple task, like caring for a garden, could have such a powerful impact on a woman who had lived for a century. The fact that something as small as planting a seed could still put such a radiant smile on her face astounded me and pushed me to find more information on the power of leisure activities on the elderly. As it turns out, the benefits of leisure activities for everyone are vast, but they can have a particularly powerful effect on the mental health of middle-aged and advanced-aged citizens. Why should we focus on older individuals? As middle age passes into advanced years, our senior citizens have a difficult transition. The things they took for granted in youth, such as mobility and memory, have become less accessible in older age. Even the most joyful and lighthearted of people have to admit that this loss of function can be frustrating, scary, and depressing. The awareness of this slowing down can be especially accentuated in retired individuals, who can no longer focus on a career or feel a sense of fulfillment in their jobs. Luckily, there are ways to ease the transition. Researchers across the world have been searching for solutions to the problems associated exclusively with the experience of aging, and what they found was something that community centers and elderly facilities have been saying all along: creative hobbies are good for our mental state and physical health. Multi-cultural methods: what are they doing in Japan? A 2015 study (1) from the Hamamatsu University School of Medicine in Japan sought to put previous claims of the effectiveness of certain leisure activities to the test. Though they disproved earlier beliefs that participating in social activities could improve mental health in middle-aged and elderly individuals, they did find some overall uplifting benefits to other leisure activities. Their findings found, for instance, that hobbies, cultural activities, physical exercise, and sports all improved the mental health of elderly Japanese citizens. The effect was compounded when such activities were shared with a companion or group. What about Australians? A similar study (2) was conducted by three scholars in 2013 exploring the effect of hobbies on the mental health of elderly women living in Australia. Their impetus for conducting the study was a body of precedent publications that, although dealing with the benefits of creative activities on mental wellbeing, had largely excluded the effects of such hobbies on the older generation. Their definition of creative hobby was expansive: everything from needlework to photography to china painting was included in study. And their findings were incredible: Women involved in such activities were more likely to be socially engaged and showed a lower tendency toward “osteoarthritis, stroke, depression or anxiety/nervous disorder compared with women not involved in those hobbies” (2, page 7). These women were also more likely to be in physically good shape in terms of functionality and enjoy an overall higher quality of life. The reasoning for these benefits is still somewhat unclear. Experts believe that these types of hobbies probably improve mental health by lowering stress, sparking cognitive activity, and producing feelings of fulfillment and pride in participants. How can we use this information? We can all agree that investing our elderly population is a valuable use of effort and resources. After all, they are our parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. They are future versions of ourselves, as we navigate our own aging process. We certainly wouldn’t be here without them. And in this vulnerable time in their lives, we should put this scientific knowledge to good use. There are lots of possible workshops that retirees and try out or even start themselves such as paint-and-sip classes, stand up paddle boarding, water aerobics, yarn bombing (the rebellious act of covering public spaces with crocheted or knitted works of art). These are just a few examples of the plethora of wacky, fun, unique hobbies out there. This is one of the reasons why ClassBento was started, to make it easier for retirees to try out new hobbies and also allow them to teach their passions and get paid, giving them purpose back in their lives. Our elders deserve it Based on my personal experience with my great-grandmother, I cannot understate the effect of leisure activities on elderly individuals. Seeing the smile light up her face when her advanced years had caused her so much strain and exhaustion was truly a gift that I would encourage every young person to be a part of. So get the older people in your lives involved in a creative pursuit. It will benefit you both! (1) journals.plos.org (2) tandfonline.com ...