Hardly Blog

Barriers to Work-Life Balance

In the 21st century, “work-life balance” has become a buzz word. ADP states “the term was first introduced in the 1970s and 80s as stressed baby boomers strove to achieve a balance between career, family and other areas of their lives.” Now, work-life balance is promoted as the antidote to burnout. Taking vacation days and […]

Career Journaling for Success

If you’re anything like me, the hardest part about applying for a new job is writing a cover letter and preparing for an interview. It’s not the writing or the talking per se, but trying to remember the crucial aspects of my work experience. When it comes time for my yearly review, I sometimes struggle […]

Is ‘Culture Fit’ Perpetuating Bias?

When I interviewed for my first job at a market research firm in D.C., I distinctly remember them asking questions around ‘culture fit.’ My future boss asked me to take a personality test, while the HR manager asked which values I shared with the company. I later found out that my boss and I were […]

4 Types of Work-Life Balance

Last month, we talked a lot about motivation: What type of motivators there are, how companies can keep employees engaged, and what works best for you. We quickly realized understanding motivators is only part of the equation when it comes to finding a company that fits your individual values. Another important aspect that determines whether […]

Motivate Employees by Celebrating Milestones

How to motivate employees and keep them engaged is a question management teams continue to ask themselves. Long gone are the days when Joe joined the firm right after graduation, was promised a pension in exchange for loyalty, and stayed for 20+ years at the same company. Now, the reality is searching for jobs has […]

How to Motivate Yourself Intrinsically and Extrinsically

At Hardly, we’ve been thinking a lot about what drives behavior. What propels us into those productivity windows or makes us want to go above and beyond? Goals are great, but only if we have the motivation to achieve them. Motivation is about increasing your desire or reason for doing something, whereas willpower is about […]

Productivity Plan: Expectations vs. Reality

Have you created a productivity plan that was unrealistic? Here is a reality check on what productivity really looks like.

9 Quotes About Productivity For Inspiration and Application

“Productivity” is one of the hottest buzz words in today’s work environment. The word is plastered all over self-help books and is the topic of podcasts and motivational speeches alike. We all aim to be productive, but sometimes we aren’t sure how to get the best out of ourselves. So, I thought it would be […]

The 5 Best Apps for Productivity

Summer 👏 is 👏 here 👏!  It’s time for the beach, barbeques, and early release on Fridays. Unfortunately, for us adults, summer does not mean school’s out. But, if you play your cards right you can work hard and play hard. The name of the game is productivity. The more you can get done in […]

Is Remote Work More Sustainable?

Hardly explores whether working from home is having a positive impact on the environment or whether the change is negligible. While no more commuting may be reducing greenhouse gas emissions, this is only a sliver of the equation. Read more to find out what else should be considered before making a judgement.

Spring Cleaning for Better Productivity and Less Stress

Hardly provides tips on how applying spring cleaning to your home office can increase your productivity and decrease your stress. From decluttering your desk to purging emails you no longer need, this post will guide you through refreshing your work space so that your career can bloom this season.

Hardly Headliners Ep.1: Founders talk about Professional Life

In this episode “Hardly Headliners”, meet the founders: CEO, Allison Braund-Harris and CTO, Roger Harris. Hardly Content Creator Leigh Hall learns more about them, both personally and professionally! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyLKR6lpF3w Transcript Allison: Hi, I’m Allison, CEO of Hardly. Roger: And I’m Roger, the CTO, and we’re excited to answer some questions. Leigh: Hey guys it’s Leigh here, content creator for Hardly […]