Tag Archive for: time management

How to Have a Four Day Work Week

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Business Man With Nowhere To Go

(Photo credit: FábioMakesMistakes)

We’ve all been told that working harder is the obvious path to earning more. However a recent survey found that most millionaires believe that the four day work week is a ‘valid idea’.  Who wouldn’t want Fridays off? I know I’d love that.  But the key to securing your own four day week is not to endlessly pester your boss, but to get more done during those other four days.

Here are five tips to help you get all your work done by Friday.

1.  Schedule important tasks earlier in the week

As tempting as it is to ease yourself into the week, getting your critical tasks out of the way early will save you time. This way you’re not cramming everything in at the last minute and you have time to follow up on tasks if need be.  Plus once you get through the really tough stuff you’ll feel motivated to get more done. Read more

Never Miss an Appointment Again!

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1:22 at Grand Central

(Photo credit: nixter)

A few months ago I wondered when it became acceptable for people to be late to everything. Poor timekeeping is such a pet peeve for me, probably because I work in an industry where time is extremely important.

With that in mind here are some tips to help you always be on time for your appointments: Read more

Find An Extra Hour in Your Day

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(photo credit: wikipedia.com)

If you’re a busy person like me, you’ve probably found yourself day-dreaming about a 25 or even a 26-hour day. A fantasy world where you not only finish all your tasks for the day, you even find time to pick up that book you’ve been meaning to read. Unfortunately I can’t make the day longer, but I do know how you can save one hour at a time.

Don’t let waiting time be wasted time

On hold with the bank? Bored on your daily commute? Use this time to do smaller tasks like reading your emails, checking your Facebook page or paying bills with a mobile app.  This not only saves time, but stops these smaller errands from becoming pesky interruptions at work.

Time saved: 10 minutes  Read more

Bad Productivity Habits That Are Good For You

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“Bad habits die hard” as the saying goes, but there are some you really don’t have to kick to the curb in the name of productivity. No more feeling guilty about that mid-afternoon nap or holding off that work proposal until the night before.

These “bad” habits can actually help with your productivity and get you motivated to work hard:

1. Procrastination: A pending deadline looming over your head, can actually be one of the biggest motivators. It can be stressful to wait until the last minute, but this can really get the creative juices flowing and spark that adrenaline rush you may need to complete a task. I found that there are three crucial times when procrastinating works the best – check them out here.

2. Napping: Feeling tired after that huge lunch or didn’t get enough ZZZ’s the night before? Take a nap! Yes, I said it! Bring back the kindergarten days and take a snooze. You may feel like you are just wasting precious time, but napping for 20 to 30 minutes can really rejuvenate you.

3. Leave the Dishes in the Sink: If cleaning is on your to-do list daily, feel free to skip over it every once in a while.

4. Texting and Checking Social Media: No need to turn off your phone when you are busy working away.

5. Distractions: Surf the web for cute puppies, read the news or watch an episode of your fave show! Distractions can take us away from work, but can also be a great way to take a break. If you feel stuck let yourself wander, it may spark a new idea and relax your brain. Set time limits for yourself so you don’t get carried away. For instance, I sometimes reward myself with an episode of Breaking Bad after checking off a certain amount of to-dos. It keeps me motivated as well as stopping me from binge watching.

6. Stressing Out: When we feel stressed the first thing we want to happen is for it to just go away!

But according to Heidi Hanna, author of the book “Stressaholic: 5 Steps to Transform Your Relationship with Stress”, stress can stimulate us. She says, “It gives us the energy to get things done. A lot of people procrastinate because the stress of that deadline actually fuels that energy. It gives us a surge of adrenaline which, in the short term, is fine.” Heidi warns that stress does become a problem when you begin to use it all the time. So it’s not something that you should be dependent on but once in a while it’s okay!

So don’t break these bad habits, just learn to use them in moderation. Be sure to comment below if these productivity don’ts work for you!

How To Be A Team Player

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Business Meeting

Business Meeting (Photo credit: thetaxhaven)

Working on projects with co-workers isn’t always a walk in the park. There’s always the slacker, or the Negative Nancy, or maybe you just can’t seem to find your place within the group.

1. Break the Ice: Working with new people for the first time can be a little awkward. Whether it’s your first day at a new job, or you’ve never worked with certain employees before, it’s always good to get to know one another. Before you dive into work, grab coffee or dinner with your team. This will reduce tensions, and reduce the small talk when it really is time to get down to business. Here’s a list to get the conversation flowing

2. Remember Your Strengths: Everyone within the group should bring something to the table. Just because you may not be the most outspoken doesn’t mean you don’t belong. Don’t forget why it is that you are a part of the team, and let your personal strengths shine through.

3. Be Reliable: Don’t make promises that you can’t keep! This will make others loose faith in your abilities and your ideas won’t carry as much merit. Also make sure you are always on time – time management is key.

4. Schedule Group Meetings: Things go so much smoother if meetings are planned out. Make a checklist of key points to hit, what everyone should accomplish, and what the next goal for the group is. Meetings can easily fall short if they aren’t organized. The same goes for conference calls – here’s how to make them more productive!

5. Confront The Slacker: The best way to deal with a difficult person in the group is to confront the issue head on. Be honest about the problem, but don’t be insulting or negative. That will just cause tension and awkwardness. Most of the time the person doesn’t even realize they are creating a problem in the first place and are happy to readjust the situation.

6. Stay Positive: No matter the situation is it always essential to keep your head up and stay positive! One bad day at work doesn’t mean that the project is turning into a disaster. Things happen, good and bad, and the group just needs to stay on the same page through it all.

How do you play nice on a team at work?