The impact of 50% of American workers not taking vacation time

The impact of 50% of American workers bedrngnis taking vacation timeHave you heard what happens when you lead a life of all work and no play? Beyond becoming dull, a life without a healthy work-life balance can lead to a wide array of negative outcomesboth mental and physical. Its true, the most effective employees arent the ones who work nonstop like robots individuals who work hard but also make time for vacations away from their jobs are the ones who are able to maintain high levels of work efficiency and healthy well-being over the long haul. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) According to a recent report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 73 percent of civilian workers have access to paid vacations. However, a concerning trend is being witnessed across industries in the American workforcemany employees are simply not taking vacations, believe it or not. Approximately 50% of American workershalf of the entire labor forcedont take vacati ons for one reason or another, and its having a big impact, both on employees and the companies they work for.Why dont people take vacation?Lets take a closer look at why this is happening, and its impact.No paid vacation benefitsAlthough the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 73 percent of civilian workers have access to paid vacations, all industries are not created equal and some employers dont offer their employees a full suite of benefits that include paid vacations. For example, only 55 percent of workers employed in service occupations have access to paid vacations. Workers who dont receive paid vacation benefits are typically at the lower end of the wage spectrum, or have part-time, freelance, or contract-based employment arrangements, and often they either cant afford to take time off of work or their work schedules arent flexible enough to take vacation time.Juggling multiple jobsA growing number of people have resorted to non-traditional work situations, either by ch oice or by circumstance, which can include having multiple part-time jobswhich often dont include vacation benefits. It can be tricky enough to take time off from one full-time job when youre juggling multiple jobs with varying scheduling needs and demands, carving out time for a vacation can be a real challenge, one in which many workers cant seem to make happen.The funds just arent thereThe sad truth is that many people simply cant afford to go on a proper vacation they either dont receive paid vacation benefits or live paycheck to paycheck and cant afford to go anywhere even if they can take time off, and would rather just go to work than take time off and have nothing to do.Other life obligationsSome people who work in inflexible work environments have to use their vacation time for non-vacation obligations. Life happens, and everything that comes up that needs to be taken care offrom dental appointments to a sick child or taking the dog to the vet and everything in betweenmay m ean having to use vacation time, leaving no time to take an actual vacation. Although some of us are lucky enough to have understanding employers who are willing to work with us to handle lifes unexpected responsibilities, some of us dont have that luxury.People are afraid to go on vacationYes, this is a sad but true factsome folks are simply too afraid to take a vacation from work. They may either be worried that if they take time away from work thered be no one there to titelbild their responsibilities or afraid that taking time off could make them appear replaceable and put their jobs in jeopardy. In a world where job security is elusive and positions dangle precariously, some workers may not feel like a vacation is worth the risk.The impact of not taking vacationsAlthough there are many reasons why individuals may not want to take time off from work for vacation, the impact of their decisions not to do so is clear. Research has shown that not taking a healthy break from work can lead to a wide range of unwelcome mental and physical effects on the average worker.Job exhaustion and decreased efficiency on the job are not uncommon phenomenon for folks who push themselves too hard without taking some time off for themselves as a result, their perceived dedication to work may actually be working against them, resulting in their becoming less productive and valuable employees. Not taking vacation can also negatively affect employees moods at work this includes increased irritability and decreased patience, which can really place a strain on relationships and communication with colleagues. Job focus and energy are also typically depleted at a more rapid rate without a vacation recharge, which ultimately benefits neither the exhausted employees or their frustrated employers.Not taking vacations has a measurable spillover effect outside of work as well. Think of all the detrimental on-the-job effects we just coveredyou dont think they just magically evaporate when workers go home, do you? Folks who work hard and dont take vacations are much more likely to be unhappy overall, which follows them around whether theyre at work or at home. They typically dread going into work more than workers who take vacations, which likely means weekends full of unease or anxiety over the coming work week. As if negatively effecting coworker relationships wasnt enough, carrying around all of this unwanted no-vacation baggage nonstop is koranvers to have an impact on personal relationships as well. Furthermore, it isnt hard to imagine a cyclical effect coming into play unhappiness at work leads to unhappiness outside of work, which feeds back into itself in a circular, downward-spiraling loop of disastrous negativity.All of these negative feelings and emotions tied up with working too hard and not taking vacations can really take a physical toll as well. The mind and body are interconnected, and job burnout and unhappiness due to not taking vacations can lead to lethargy, increased aches and pains, lower resistance to illness, and a host of other unwelcome symptoms. So, if your reasons for not taking a vacation are tied to financial frugality, consider the fact that what youre saving on vacations might wind up costing you in sick days and medical bills.Looking aheadThe bottom line is that most people need a healthy mix of productive activity and relaxing downtime to function at ideal levels, which makes intuitive sensemost people function at their best when they lead balanced lives.So, now that youre aware of the impact of not taking a vacation from work, what can you do if youre finding it tough to strike a balance? If you cant seem to make time for a vacation, either because of your current work situation or because of everything in your life that youre currently juggling, take a closer look at your routine and see if you can make some adjustments. If its a financial concern, consider creating a savings plan that will help you fund a vac ationeven modest savings over time can really add upAgain, this is not a frivolous thingtaking a vacation is a responsible way to ensure that all the elements of your life are operating properly over the long haul. This might entail getting some help from friends, family members, or colleagues to help you carve out some quality you time, but its a worthwhile investment in your long-term functioning. And if you have a boss or work for a company that frowns on vacations from work, or doesnt offer vacation benefits, then show them this articlehopefully theyll quickly see that employee vacations benefit them as much as it does you.

Best Travel Sites These 7 Take The Pain Out Of Planning

Best Travel Sites behauptung 7 Take The Pain Out Of Planning Theres an array oftravelsites even your average once-a-year vacationer knows well Expedia, Travelocity, Priceline, Kayak, etc plus, of course, your best friends travel blog. While these are indubitably resourceful, there are some less-utilized travel sites that, once discovered, prove invaluable and will lead toa stress-free vacation. And because world travel is a rite of passage for all passport holders, its only right that I share my thus far undisclosed preferences. To follow are arguably the best travel sites you should consider in lieu of the mainstream.Pro Tip Regardless of what travel website you opt to use, always search these websites in a private or incognito browsing mode companies often track your visits and boost prices the more you return. Likewise, online retailers will often charge differently according to your geographic location, so connecting to a remote network and changing your IP address will facilita te your hunt.MomondoTheres no better flight aggregator to search for multicity travel than Momondothe third party platform that compares airfare, pension bookings and car rentals. A lesser-known alternative to Kayak, Momondo offers the option to search one-way, round-trip and multicity flights using the destination take me anywhere, which allows you to check out airfare in the cheapest cities given your specified dates. Then, the multicity option allows you to swap cities in and and out to determine the cheapest routes, as well.If you arent sure where to start, you can scroll over to the Trip Finder tab, under which you can narrow down your search. You can select the type of experience youre seeking, the continent to which youd like to visit (or anywhere), the month in which youd like to travel (or anytime) and your budget. Momondo will curate a list of destinations and deals that can be sorted by popularity, cost or weather, or the fruchtwein social, fancy, cultural, family-oriente d, local or romantic places.SkyscannerSkyscanner is a travel metasearch engine that allows you to book flights and a gamut of accommodation options, and rent cars direct without fees.Perhaps the most distinguishing feature, however, is its flexible airfare search engine. You can search everywhere as your flight destination if youre unsure where to go but certain youd like to travel for travels sake (as long as you can find a good flight deal), so its great for booking last-minute travel.Moreover, you can explore specific dates, entire months or the cheapest month. Skyscanner will populate a list of all cities in ascending order of cost, which is miraculous for those of you who know you have paid time off of which to take advantage, but arent sure where or when to use it.CouchSurfingAvid backpackers know CouchSurfing the remainder of the human population is bemused by its concept. In short, CouchSurfing is a free social networking site and hospitality service for over 14 million loca ls and travelers committed to sharing authentic experiences. Members create profiles and sidestep hotels by offering up their couches/spare rooms/entire homes to each other.And its all free. Theres no catch. People are innately skeptical, but CouchSurfing is founded upon a trust in the good faith of humankind and a common interest in cultural exchange. Travelers use it to meet locals, who can be the best kind of travel guide wander off the beaten path and cultivate insider experiences hosts use it to swap stories, learn from new people from inimitable backgrounds and ensure that visitors love their cities as much as they dobecause theyd want someone to do the same for them.Nothing is expected in return except, of course, for good company. You can also just use CouchSurfing to meet up with locals, attend traveler events in cities across the globe or start discussion boards to research destinations.Rome2RioTraveling on the cheap is a lot aboutgetting there. Rome2Rio has by far the sim plest interface of any travel website to determine the fastest or cheapest routes and modes of transportation for getting from Point A to Point B.When you enter any city, address or landmark as your destination, the global trip planner will instantly pull up flights, trains, buses, ferries and driving options with estimated duration times, fares and booking details containing routes from over 4,800 transport operators in over 158 countries. This includes rideshare and rental car options. The Rome2Rio app also works offline, in the event that you are traveling devoid of data and without WiFi.WanderfulWanderful is an international membership community of likeminded women who have an affinity for independent travel. Its mission to empower women by inspiring and being inspired. Members are offered hilfe before, during and after their travels through the active online community,global facebook inc group,powerful storieson the blog and live Twitter conversations every second Wednesday of the month at 2 pm ET using the hashtag Wanderful.Wanderful also hosts events in 25 cities around the world through its various chapters, as well as two annual events, theWomen in Travel SummitandWanderfest.Additionally, the company hostssmall group tripsto unique destinations to which women might not otherwise feel inclined to venture alone, and it has also recently launched thefirst-ever all-female home-sharing network, through which women can find accommodation for free or small fees in other members homes around the world.SecretFlyingSecretFlyings Facebook page might be the best-kept secret of frequent budget travelersand so very surreptitious. Thats because its one of the single most resourceful sites for finding error fares. While computers often calculate fares, humans are often the ones who post them online. Well, computers can glitch and ordinary people make typos with numbers and mistakes like forgetting to add tax charges. The result a totally valid flight deal that was ne ver supposed to be there.Though some airlines wont honor the deal (theyll cancel and refund), SecretFlying catches error fares rather often. The best way to find them at real-time, before the airlines, is to follow SecretFlying on Facebook and star it to show first in your feed. You can save up to 80 percent on flights around the world by doing so.FacebookFacebook is the third most trafficked website, just behind Google and YouTube, but we often think of it more as a platform that induces jealousy over friends travels than a platform that could facilitate ourownvacation plans.Point blank Theres no safer way to travel than by way of recommendations, which is why Facebook is arguable one of the best travel sites. Through Facebook, you can ask friends to serve as your travel guide by encouraging them to submit tips (all you have to do is turn on Recommendations on your posts) friends can comment with suggestions and Facebook will map them out for you and save them all in one place. Lik ewise, Facebooks Explore tab offers you the option to check out Nearby Places, and then check out those places reviews, locations and contact information on their own Facebook pages.Whether youre booking last-minute travel or youre planning well in advance of your trip, you can also check out events in the area where youll be on vacationso long as your location is updatedand sort through them based on categorical preferences.--AnnaMarie Houlis is a multimedia journalist and an adventure aficionado with a keen cultural curiosity and an affinity for solo travel. Shes an editor by day and a travel blogger at HerReport.org by night.Fairygodboss is committed to improving the workplace and lives of women.Join us by reviewing your employer

Fraud, Deceptions, and Downright Lies About Writing Linkedin Profile on Resume Exposed

Fraud, Deceptions, and Downright Lies About Writing Linkedin Profile on Resume Exposed Show the company that you can achieve higher outcome and take their brand to the next level. Show the recruiters youre worth what they are prepared to pay. LinkedIn is now an unequalled digital marketplace for local and international talent. LinkedIn isnt only an extraordinary means to network, its also increasingly employed by recruiters to post vacancies and, furthermore, to hunt for candidates. The Writing Linkedin Profile on Resume Chronicles Also, it is going to direct you in preparing your resume to acquire the desired job position. You require a top-bedrngnisch resume to find the job that youre scholarship writing service after. Never post your salary expectations on the www or say you expect a specific amount. Because resumes have limited space, your career objective has to be concise. The One Thing to Do for Writing Linkedin Profile on Resume Working with an expert LinkedIn pro file writer is a wise investment in your job hunt and can help you land that dream position. Theywork best for somebody who has a great deal of experience, since they function as a highlight reel of your previous accomplishments. Obviously, poorly written profiles can damage your career as an alternative to advance it, so it may be better to employ a professional writer to take your profile to the next level. Writing a potent LinkedIn profile also takes a deep comprehension of an individuals background and career story, their industry, their skill sets, along with using the platform to make the most of the persons brand. Definitions of Writing Linkedin Profile on Resume A properly formatted ASCII e-resume lets you cut and paste your resume in the body of an email, send it over any email ordnungsprinzip on earth, and be sure your resume will look the exact same no matter where its sent. Additional it functions as a digital business card. Scannable resumes need specific page des igns because computer scanners cant read certain products. One of the absolute most important pieces of LinkedIn is your profile. With over 300 million users, LinkedIn is certainly the suitable social platform to advertise yourself. LinkedIn offers users quite a few ways to create an impressive profile. When you learn to utilize LinkedIn properly, you will never leave. Life After Writing Linkedin Profile on Resume Moreover, it is going to be easy to locate your profile due to the correct keyword phrases which competent specialists of our resume writing service choose. Our available LinkedIn profile writing services make certain that every facet of the resume is tuned in line with the requirement. When you get a brde paper, request a free revision if its lacking something. Get the Scoop on Writing Linkedin Profile on Resume Before Youre Too Late So should you not own a profile, go set one up at this time If you learn to apply all them in your profile and make them complimen t each other, it is going to help you get credibility among recruiters. Usually, a profile will supply the info on your resume while demonstrating that youre ready to survive in the digital age. Basically, a great LinkedIn profile is a 1 step forward to a wide variety of chances. The Good, the Bad and Writing Linkedin Profile on Resume Remember it is possible to get carried away and make your LinkedIn resume too long to work, so make an effort not to get too wordy. Its vital to make sure your LinkedIn profile highlights your abilities and experience. Applying through LinkedIn is extremely easy. Specialists at Resume Writing Lab understand how to create the ideal LinkedIn profiles that catch the interest of numerous recruiters.

5 Ways to Annoy Recruiters Dont Make These Job Search Mistakes

5 Ways to Annoy Recruiters Dont Make These Job Search Mistakes 5 Ways to Annoy Recruiters Dont Make These Job Search Mistakes There are a few people that you should make every effort to please. Corporate recruiters fall into this category. After all, they do hold a lot of influence over your career. All too often, job seekers engage in activities that drive recruiters up the wall. In some cases, these are clueless mistakes. In others, they are misguided efforts to impress or get attention. Maybe you are guilty of a few of these gaffes yourself.1. Submitting resumes when you dont meet the basic qualificationsIts one thing to take a chance at submitting your resume or CV when you come up a bit short on some of the qualifications. Its another thing entirely to submit your resume when you are entirely unqualified. The first might land you an vorstellungsgesprch for a great opportunity. The second irritates corporate recruiters who already have loads of resumes to review.This also leaves the impression that you are desperate, and not in a good way. A recruiter may believe that you are incapable of reading the job requirements, or that you simply dont care. Neither paints you in a very good light.Some applicants do this as a way to make initial contact with a recruiter. The idea is to gain some name recognition and get their resume on file for future positions. Unfortunately, it just doesnt work. A recruiter or hiring manager is more likely to simply discard it without a second look. If you dont have the majority of the qualifications, reconsider submitting your resume.2. Showing up to interviews late or unpreparedHiring managers frequently deal with candidates who are late or unprepared for interviews. This is something that virtually guarantees you will be eliminated from consideration unless there are very extenuating circumstances.If you are going to be late, common sense dictates that you call in advance. Unfortunately, doing this only mitigates the situation sl ightly. The best approach is to consider anything other than showing up on time unacceptable. Be prepared. Learn the route to the interview, prepare for traffic, and know an alternative route.Interview preparation is important as well. You should walk into the conference room or office with everything that you need. This includes a pen and notepad. The corporate recruiter should not have to provide you with anything.If you have been sent to the interview by a placement firm or independent recruiter, remember that you arent just representing yourself. If you are late or unprepared, that reflects poorly on you and the recruiting agency.3. Failing to follow submission instructionsIts important that you upload, email, or otherwise submit your resume according to instructions. Be sure that you use the correct file type and follow all instructions. Corporate recruiters have good reason for providing you with these instructions, they help to ensure that your resume arrives and is seen by t he right people.What if I want my resume to stand out? Some job candidates believe they must engage in tricks to gain the attention of recruiters. One of these is engaging in tactics they believe will make their resumes stand out. For example, an applicant might attempt to deliver their resume in partie in spite of being told to submit it electronically.Dont do this. It rarely works in your favor. More likely than not, your resume will end up with a person who has no hiring authority. That person will likely be told to pitch it.What many people do not realize is that submission instructions arent arbitrary. In many instances, recruiters need resumes and CV submitted in a certain way to comply with regulations.4. Failing to take no for an answerThe idea of the job applicant getting the job because they wouldnt take no for an answer and eventually impressed their new boss with their moxy is a thing of folklore. It makes a great story, but rarely actually happens. The likelihood of som eone changing their mind about a hiring decision because you pester them is slim.If you persist, your behavior can quickly become annoying. Pushiness can even become cause for alarm. Its okay to send an inquiry requesting feedback on your performance. You can even ask if there is anything you can do to improve your qualifications. Once you do that, let things go and move onto the next opportunity.5. Pestering recruiters and hiring managers for feedbackIts perfectly understandable that you are eager for feedback after an interview. Resist the urge to be a pest. After an interview, reach out with a thank you via email. Reiterate your interest in the company, then wait. Dont make contact again until the day after you were told to expect news.If the deadline passes, it is okay to send an email or make a phone call. Please only do this once. Ideally the corporate recruiter will let you know of their decision or where they are in the hiring process. If you dont hear back, assume the answe r is no. You may also note the lack of professionalism.A final note, if you are working through an agency, let them do the work of communicating with the hiring manager. Even if you believe they are creating a communication block, it is beyond unprofessional to end run a recruiter or placement professional to speak to a hiring manager directly.Conclusion Take action to make the hiring process work in your favorNow that you know what irritates them most, lets go over some actionable steps that can help get recruiters on your side.Use social media to connect with companies you are interested in working with.Take a practice run and drive to interview locations at least once before the day of an interview.Invest in a nice pen set and stationary to bring to interviews, or bring a laptop or tablet to tech jobs.Use your persistent attitude to pursue new opportunities when things dont work out.Consider taking a class on written communication or joining an organization like Toastmasters to b oost your confidence and interview communications skills.If you take the right steps, you will be empowered to get the best results possible from your job search.Pat Fredshaw is Recruiting Coordinator and writer at content creation service Essay Supply. She has nearly a decade of experience working as a recruiter and placement specialist. Her passion is matching candidates with amazing jobs, and helping them achieve their career goals. When she isnt working, she enjoys traveling, playing recreational softball, and volunteering at her local animal rescue.

Bald Guys Are Beautiful! So Why Not Hire One

Bald Guys Are Beautiful So Why Not Hire OneBald Guys Are Worth HiringBald Guys Are Beautiful So Why Not Hire OneAn Associated Press story had me falling out of my chair in laughter last week. An expert who just happens to be a hair restoration surgeon says balding people are at a disadvantage in getting hired. Whats the follow-up story going to be a plastic surgeon saying people with large noses are also at a disadvantage in the job market?As proof, the hair doc points out that our last bald president welches Dwight Eisenhower (1953-1961). Of course, the story fails to note that he ran against an equally bald guy, Adlai Stevenson, not once but twice Since Eisenhower, weve elected two presidents with visibly receded hairlines Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon.Never underestimate a doctors subtle marketing pitch.Im bald, and I dont hide that alleged malady. Im also gainfully employed and have been for most of the last 20 years, during which Ive gotten progressively less hirsute. Ive be en hired and not hired by people with full heads of hair and people with shinier pates than mine.So whats the matter with hiring the follically-challenged? Nothing. In fact, I would argue that they have these distinct advantages in the job marketLess chance of a bad hair moment in an important meeting with a client. Most bald guys dont need to look in the mirror to check their hair before entering the meeting room. They might ask a shoe-shine guy for a little buffing, though.You can trust a person who doesnt hide anything. Real bald guys accept their, um, shortcoming, without covering it with toupees or plugs. (Take that, doc) If theyre honest about their condition, assume theyre honest about anything (Nixon notwithstanding).Baldness is a sign of age, and age is a sign of wisdom. And wisdom comes from experience If youre looking for a seasoned professional to get the job done, keep this in mind.If we were to believe all the statistics about who has the best chance of getting hired, youd never see anyone bald in the workplace, nor anyone who wasnt tall, slim, beautiful, and youthful. Tell me do all of your coworkers match that description?

How to Face a Personal Career Crisis and Come Out Smiling

How to Face a Personal Career Crisis and Come Out Smiling How to Face a Personal Career Crisis and Come Out Smiling Typically, if you do face a midlife crisis, it willtake the form of a career-identity crisis. You may lose your sense of purpose in life and your sense of identity. Rather than just hating your manager or feeling bored atyour job, you may feel that your entire chosen career path is meaningless.The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to effectively manage your personal career crisis and come out the other side smiling. Hereare fourtips to help you do just that.1. Take Some Comfort in the Fact You Are Not AloneReports suggest that around half of workers may feelunfulfilled intheir current jobs, so chances are thatplenty of kindred spirits exist around you in the office. These are people with whom you can share your pain and from whom you can seek advice. You can bounce ideas off ofthese people and clarify your thoughts. Some of these peoplemay have a lready gone through the saatkorn crisis, and others may be currently going through it, but all across the board theymay have some practical suggestions.2. See Your Crises as a Career Transition InsteadWe live in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) world, a time of boom and bust, a global environment in whichcompanies and political regimes rise and fall seeminglyovernight.This volatility is felt in thework world the traditional job-for-life has all but evaporated. Todays worker may have between 15 and 20 jobs over the course of their lifetime, according to certain predictions.Furthermore,a 2006 study from New York Universitys School of Continuing and Professional Studiesfoundthat todays professionals are expected to change careers three times in their lifetimes just 28 percent of present-day professionals expect to have lifelong careers.Becausecareer changes are so common and normal, it may serve little purpose to view your career shakeupas a crisis. Instead, take th e more productive route and view it as a career transition opportunity.3. Go on aVision Quest (Metaphorically Speaking)A vision quest isa rite of passage practiced onNative American cultures. It is a meditative exercise in whichthe individual spends a fewdays and nights secluded in nature in buchen to do some deep thinking and find spiritual guidance and purpose.Now, this exact activity might not be everyones cup of tea, but the concept of taking time out of your normal life to open your mind up to newpossibilities is a sound one.Why sit around your office orapartment, moping and wallowing in self-pity, when you can go on a retreat, take a few days vacation somewhere, and let the answers find you? Youll be able to think outside of the box and consideryour career in a much more liberated way, freeing your mind and enabling you to come up with some solutions to your crisis.Dont rule out any options at this stage, however strange the may seem. The professional vision quest is a brainst orming exercise, so just enjoy the journey. Therell be plenty of time for realism soon.4. Come Back Down to Earth and Make a PlanOnce youve had time to brainstorm on your vision quest, its time to make a plan, which involves conductingyour own personal SWOT analysis.Lookat your strengths and weaknesses, your career opportunities and your career threats. Try tomatch your strengths and desires to viable alternative career options and opportunities. Understand what youll need to do in terms of training and thesort of title or status sacrifices you may need to make in order to be a credible candidate on your desired new career path. Also, identify the likely career transition period how long will it take you? Six months? A year? Two years?After following these steps, you should have acareer transition strategy and a positive direction in which to enthusiastically channel all of yourprecious, nervous energy. It could and should be the start of a wonderful journey

Ohio Teen Harvests Energy

Ohio Teen Harvests Energy Ohio Teen Harvests Energy Ohio Teen Harvests EnergyFourteen-year-old Maanasa Mendu of Mason, OH, had a vision of supplying people with energy on demand, without the need for a great deal of cash to pay for it. Putting that thought into action, she created a device called Harvest at the cost of a few dollars and won the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, when she was still 13.I think it was around seventh grade and I just saw this piezoelectric news story, she says. The piece was on a Japan railway station using piezoelectric walkways. I thought, this is a perfect solution for our energy crisis. Then why is it elend being used currently?The device evolved. When Mendu first started, the goal was to use piezoelectric effect to harvest low wind speeds and, as she progressed in the Young Scientist Competition, the decision was made to furtzu sich integrate solar energy harvesting.Among the various parts of Harvest, the stem portion is made from pie zoelectric materials, the main part of the leaf is composed of organic photovoltaic material, and the invention also contains a capacitor unit.A prototype of the HARVEST, a bio-inspired energy device that captures energy in the form of wind, rain and sun and converts it to power. Image Discovery Education 3MShe started off testing in a homemade setup, building a wind tunnel and conducting the test tzu siche for the piezoelectric portion. Then, for the outside environment, Mendu mainly used her backyard and other parts of her neighborhood while keeping a log of the environmental conditions there.The electrical outputs have been more than encouraging but improvements may still be on the horizon. She wants to work on the fact that the present material, in her view, has a very low ability when it comes to converting mechanical energy into electrical energy. Shes even open to possibly utilizing a thermal electric generator. I also have to do a lot more testing to see the practicality of my device, she says. Conducting in many different environments.Up to the ChallengeWhen Mendu found out she had won the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, it was a thrill, to say the least. It was actually really surprising, she says. After meeting the amazing finalists, I was blown away by some of their projects. They were so good so I thought everyone had a fair chance of winning. I was pretty surprised when they called my name.But despite its recognition, she isnt just limiting herself to the Harvest invention. Shes presently at work on another, one that is out to optimize piezoelectric energy harvesting by using aeroelastic flutter.She says her support team at home has made it easier to embark on her journey as an inventor. My family was a pretty important part and they were basically my cheerleaders during the entire process and theyve always been very optimistic, she says. During the days when my device didnt work or when I needed some help with the presentation part, they all were really amazing, including my mom, dad, and little sister.Eric Butterman is an independent writer.I thought, this is a perfect solution for our energy crisis. Then why is it not being used currently?Maanasa Mendu, Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge winner