10 Smart Ways to be Productive at Work

To be productive is to work smart. The most important thing is to identify those important things that you want to accomplish and how you want to get done efficiently and effectively. Here are some smart ways to be productive without being stressed:  

1.      In the morning: The beginning of a new day is always packed with the freshness of the mind and fullness in energy for you to tackle the most important and complex issues of the day. It is assumed that you have had a good night’s sleep. Get it done in the morning and you will be pleased to get other things done like a piece of cake. 

2.      Work with your heart: You do a thorough job when you are interested in what you do. You work with focus and enthusiasm. You take pride in your work and things get done once and for all. 

3.     Take breaks: Taking breaks is to refresh your mind and restore energy for the task ahead of you. Run some errands and walkabout. Productivity diminishes when you work continuously because fatigue sets in; mistakes occur and you will be wasting time to redo it. 

4.      Take your lunch break: It is a wise thing to get out and enjoy your lunch outside of your workplace. It is good to have a change of environment to unwind and regain your balance. 

5.      One task at a time: Do not worry about other things you need to attend to. Focus on the task at hand and work with concentration. It is less stressful and more productive. 

6.      Clutter-free desk: Remove everything else out of the way and work with tools required for the job at hand. Looking for something you need on a messy desk is frustrating.  

7.      Attend to things immediately: In the midst of doing your work you get interrupted by a phone call or a message,  act on it immediately if it takes only a few minutes. Write it down if you need to attend to it later.

8.      Established a routine: A daily routine is like a good habit. Over time you have found out the best sequence of getting various things are done in a day. Just stick to it. As an example, it is good to do some serious work in the morning, after lunch you can do tasks that are not so demanding and in the evening you review what you have done for the day and plan ahead to work   more productively in another new day.   

9.      Start work early: Go to work ahead of others so that you can work with peace and without disturbance. While others have just arrived for work you can have a cup of coffee to celebrate getting done an important assignment.  

10.  To-do list: In the evening the day before or in the early morning you prepare a list. When you do it you are actually thinking and planning ahead. You give priority to important tasks. This list mentally prepared you positively for the day ahead of you. It is a relief for you when each task is done and you cross it out.   

“Nothing is less productive than to make more efficient what should not be done at all.” 
― PETER DRUCKER

5 Simple Cures to Work Smarter and Save Time

You’ve heard the expression “work smarter, not harder” before, but what does that mean exactly? When your inbox is packed, there's a giant stack on your desk and the phone keeps ringing, how are you supposed to get it all done smarter?

The truth is many of our common ways of doing things aren’t actually productive. When you focus too heavily on the act of doing over the brilliance of planning, you can be spinning your wheels with a lot of extra activities that aren’t driving any results. That means lots of time wasted on things that aren’t worth your attention or that could be handled in a more efficient manner.

As Benjamin Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Here are five simple cures to help you work smarter in the days ahead:

1. Structure. The wealthiest entrepreneurs know that having some structure to your schedule creates a routine of success. If you’re running around willy-nilly stomping out fires instead of planning your business’s future, you’re going to burn out and fall behind. The key to an effective workday is setting some structure in place. Get up at the same time Monday through Friday and carve out a routine, for instance; wake up, work out, eat breakfast, answer emails, phone calls, block out time for actual planning and work, check your email again, phone calls again, then be done for the day.

When you break out of your structure and start answering emails and phone calls all day and all night, you are actually wasting a lot of time. Having structure allows you to prioritize your day, trains your staff and clients when they’re going to have access to you and also allows you to carve out dedicated time for family, friends and yourself. Structure makes you a smart entrepreneur.

2. Drop the myth of multitasking. Perhaps for a few of the world’s most talented mothers, there is such a thing as multitasking. But for the rest of us mere mortals, drop the idea that you can multitask and be effective. The brain isn’t wired to do two tasks well at once. Focus on talking, typing, working or thinking, but don’t try to do more than one. You end up wasting more time trying to correct your words or rewrite your email. Your brain is losing efficiency each time it jumps to a new task. Focus on one thing at a time, complete it fully, then move to the next. This will help you gain much more time in the long run.

3. Urgent does not necessarily mean important. Part of being an entrepreneur is using sound judgment. You have to know your business model and products. You have to trust your judgment to hire vendors and staff. Apply that same sense of good judgment to the urgent vs. important tasks that arise everyday. Part of the brilliance of working in a structure is that in many ways, it eliminates this urgent vs. important issue.

If you check your email or return calls in scheduled batches of your structured routine, it trains your staff and clients to figure out their own problems. Have the judgment and discipline to step out of the easy habit of thinking every urgent thing is important -- it’s not. Learning to let urgent go will save you a tremendous amount of time and stress, so you can work smarter and focus on what’s important instead.

4. Turn it off. Smartphones and wi-fi are amazing. It’s easy to take them for granted now because they’ve become a part of life that wasn't around just 10 years ago. Yet entrepreneurs such as Bill Gates and Richard Branson still managed to build billion dollar empires with a landline phone.

All this connectivity is convenience at its best, but it can also be incredibly disruptive to your workflow. To work smarter, you need to find times in the day when the instant message options are off, the email notifications are blocked and the phone is on do not disturb. All those pings, chimes and vibrating distractions take your brain out of a creative process. Only you have the power to turn all the distractions off and focus on blocks of time devoted solely to work, the creative process and your business.

5. Take lots of breaks. How can you take lots of breaks and still get anything done? Easy! It’s all about structure again. When you plan out your day to have moments of time between tasks for breaks, you’re setting yourself up for success. When you go, go, go, you end up burning out big time. However, if you set up time for short walks, meals and other small blocks of time to reset your brain and fuel your body, you’ll have the energy and juicy brain matter you need to go strong all day.

Don’t feel guilty about getting up from your workspace every two hours for water, a snack and a few laps around the block. Keeping your body fueled and rejuvenated will keep you working smart for a long time down the road.

Source: 5 Simple Cures to Work Smarter and Save Time

Productive Use of Technology for Free

This is why I loved technology: if you used it right, it could give you power and privacy.

–Cory Doctorow

When you have the necessary hardware like a personal computer, an iPad, a printer and internet connection you can take advantage of technology and utilize for free and productively:

1.      Line: According to Wikipedia Line is a Japanese proprietary application for instant messaging on smartphones and personal computers. Line users exchange text messages, graphics, video, and audio media, make free VoIP calls, and hold free audio or video conferences.  Our son is in Singapore and we are in Malaysia; we always connect and talk till the cows come home without spending a single cent by using Line. While we use an iPad, my son is using a Samsung Android smartphone, so we can’t use Apple‘s FaceTime to chat online face to face.

2.      Email: I am sure you have subscribed to free email services like Gmail, Hotmail, or Yahoo. You get free and instant written communication instead of snail mail which still costs you a postage stamp.

3.      Sending Documents: You can send a document instantly just by scanning it and attaching it to your email. It is very much faster than using one of the courier service providers which is also costly.  

4.      Time management: There is no need to use a hard-copy calendar. Use Google Drive calendar or iCloud calendar. It is free and very versatile and productive. I use the iCloud calendar to record things to do weekly, monthly, yearly and in the future like renewing my passport in 5 years' time. All you need to do is to develop a good habit of checking your calendar daily.  You can add, update, revise and delete items in your schedules anytime anywhere because the application is in the cloud.

5.      Breaking news: Where can you get instant breaking news? It’s only on the Net. By the time the news hit the newsstand it is already stale news.

6.      Work: There is no need to buy Word or Excel, just use the applications of Google Drive to crunch your figures and write your articles.

7.      Save and read later: Pocket is an easy-to-use application to save what you want to read later anywhere anytime on your PC, laptop, smartphone, or iPad. Again it is free.

8.      Cloud storage: There is no need to keep a hard copy of everything and avoid clutter. Leave all your files, listing as passwords, memos, photos, and mind maps in the cloud. The storage is free. Use Google Drive or iCloud.

9.      Explore and learn: There is no better place like the Internet to read and learn new things and keep yourself updated. As a writer, I get ideas and do research on the Net. 

10.  Online transactions: Previously you have to drive bumper to bumper, under the hot sun to run your errands. When you arrive you have to look for a parking lot and then queue up later to pay. Now you can buy movie tickets, do banking, pay bills, purchase bus and airline tickets in the comfort of your own home online without wasting time and paying for petrol and parking fees. As a smart shopper, you can even save money by getting a free movie ticket when you buy online on a Thursday at GSC.

Are you making use of technology productively and for free? 

What can you do productively when there is no internet connection?

In most places of work, people are at a loss when the system is down and without an internet connection. Here are a few tips to occupy your time productively when the system is offline:

1.      Software in your hard disk: For those people working on finance and accounting they still can carry on working like a breeze because the software is installed in the hard drive. You have no choice but to stop work when your system is stored in the cloud. While your accounting system is disconnected and out of reach you still can use Excel to crunch your figures and as a writer, you are still able to use your word processor.

2.      Clear clutter: It is a good time to tidy your desk and arrange your files so that you don’t have to search high and low for a misplaced file.

3.      Think and write: In the event that your computer system is totally out of order you still can spend time productively using your pen and paper to generate ideas for your project or the next article. 

4.      Take a break: It is the best thing to do when you have to stop work. Take a coffee break, catch up with your co-workers and release your tension. When the system is up and running you are fully charged to carry on working online.   

5.      Run errand: Need to post a letter or pay your grocery bill nearby? Do it now and use the time wisely.  It’s good to get out of the office and get some fresh air outside.

6.      Communicate: No email? No problem. Communicate by phone or visit the person in the next office and sort things out face to face. You can study the other person‘s body language while discussing an important issue.

7.      Review: Take a look at your to-do list for the day; reschedule and eliminate those things that you can do in the following day and identify the next important task to do. You can also review your personal goals and objectives. Are you on target? What is the next important step to take?  

 

8.      Getting things done without online distractions: Take advantage of the time to complete whatever that you have put off doing provided it is not an online-related job.

9.      Organize your PC: Clean up your PC and delete unwanted files and programs to create more space. Your system will also run faster. Create categories and delete those bookmarks that are no longer used.

10.  Spring-clean your PC: Unplug and remove the cover and clean the dust. The cooling fan is especially dusty. 

What else can you do when the computer system is down? 

How To Manage Your Life Productively

Create Happy Productive Life

Productivity in life is more than getting more things done. It is about living a balanced life. It means when you work you are able to get done those things which are important. You are also able to take breaks to unwind and relax while at work.  There is also time for you to spend with your family. You are also able to allocate time to exercise and to be alone. There is also time in your life to socialize and make important connections.  You know personal finance is important to you and you are able to spend time regularly to review your budget. These are important areas in your life, when you are productive you are able to manage your time wisely.

How do you go about doing it?

1.      Purpose in life: You are born into this world to play a role. Find out your purpose in life and create a personal missions statement.  Your purpose in life is closely linked to your interests and passion. It is also about what you are good at and capable of doing. What you do best is also creating value and contributing to society. You are able to fulfill your ambition and aspirations. You are happy and satisfied when you know you have found your role in life. As an example a sweeper may be a minor role in life because it is what he can do. His role is still important and essential to maintain a clean environment for all of us. 

2.      Manage your mind: Your mind controls what you do every day. Positive thoughts create positive emotions so that you are cool, calm and collected to manage your life under stressful situations. You are able to focus and get things done one task at a time.

3.      Manage your body: Health is the foundation of your life. Good health promotes energy and vitality. Eat healthily and exercise regularly. Sufficient sleep every night is crucial to recharge your battery and for you to stay alert all day.    

4.      Productive habits:

·         A routine for everything: It is important to create a routine in your life so that life goes on smoothly. Such routines like getting up early, enjoying your breakfast, working out in the evening after work and reading a few pages before  going to sleep. 

·         Daily things to do: Getting ready a to-do list in the evening for the following day is a productive habit of many successful and famous people.  According to an article,

The Amazing History of the to-do List – and How to make one that actually works, Benjamin Franklin is a great example of someone known for using lists to encourage his own self-improvement. Benjamin also set himself a strict daily routine, which included time for sleeping, meals, and working, all set for specific times of the day. 

·         Write things down: Ideas need to be captured immediately in writing.  Moreover, it is a good habit to write things down so that you will commit to taking action.    According to the article, Start Writing Things Down, It Will Skyrocket Your Productivity by Kosio Angelov, Get in the habit of writing stuff down. Get into the habit of getting it out of your head, out of your mind, and on an outside medium, and you’re going to see how your entire productivity, your organization, and your flow and focus are just going to get better. Do it over time, put it as a habit, make it a point for you to write stuff down, and your productivity is going to increase dramatically.

·         Do it now: Instead of procrastinating; you do what needs to be done right away. There are other issues to attend to on another day and you may not be able to do it in a rush.

·         Be prepared: Like getting a to-do list ready, it is a productive habit to be well prepared. As an example, before you go to attend an interview in an unfamiliar place, you will identify the location and find how long it will take you to reach there beforehand so that you will not be late on an actual day.    

·         Embrace technology: Use online tools. A good example is cloud computing. Keep your files with cloud storage providers such as Google Drive or iCloud so that you can access them anywhere anytime to get things done.  

Conclusion

Obama is one of the powerful people in the world; his role is to manage America. However, he is just like us; he needs to spend time with his children and wife. He needs to take leave to release stress at work. He has to manage his tax affairs. What about you? Do you know your purpose in life? Are you focused and do those things which are important in your life daily? Be purposeful be productive.

Free Cloud Storage that I Use Productively

According to the article, What Is Cloud Computing, cloud computing means storing and accessing data and programs over the Internet instead of your computer's hard drive.

Who are the free storage providers that I take advantage of cloud computing productively?

They are Google Drive, Apple iCloud, and pocket.

Google Drive 

I get 15 GB of free storage form Google Drive to keep pictures, files, designs, drawings, recordings, videos, and anything at all, and view them anywhere anytime.

In addition, I use a spreadsheet to keep track of my monthly expenses and I do a content audit as suggested by Neil Patel in his article, How to Conduct a Content Audit on Your Site. I also use Mindmap  to do brainstorming of my life in several important areas like career, personal finance, health, family, relationships, and future plan and save it at Google Drive. 

I keep many online and bank account passwords in one document so that I can access them anywhere whenever necessary. I find that this is the best way of arrangement for me.

The other day  when I sent my iPad for repair I had to transfer my passwords to my hard drive because the technician would  have access to my iPad and my data. This is one security issue to watch out for because your date is in the cloud and available on all your devices.

Apple iCloud 

Apart from getting free storage for 5 GB, I get many free services similar to Google Drive:

Mail: As the name suggests, it is for emails

Contact: You can keep a list of people you know and their phone numbers with notes.

Calendar: Use this to keep track of appointments, things to do in the future.

Notes: Whatever you want to jot down you can do it here

Reminders: Keep your appointments and schedules here so that you will not forget.  

Find my iPhones: Get online and locate your iPhones and other Apple gadgets when you can’t find them.  

Pages: This is for you to write articles and create documents.

Numbers: Use their spreadsheet and crunch your figures here

Keynotes: This is the place to prepare your presentations.

I mainly use the Calendar to manage my routines and things to be done in the future.

Pocket

Pocket was founded in 2007 by Nate Weiner to help people save interesting articles, videos, and more from the web for later enjoyment. Once saved to Pocket, the list of content is visible on any device — phone, tablet, or computer. It can be viewed while waiting in line, on the couch, during commutes, or travel — even offline.

Pocket is the place where I store articles to read later using PC at home, in the office, or on the go using my iPad. It is free.

Conclusion

Life is so easy with cloud computing because you can access your files and get work done at home, in the office, or while you are travelling.

Are you using free cloud storage? Share your story.

10 Daily Habits of Productive People

Efficiency is doing a thing right; effectiveness is doing the right thing. Productivity is doing the right thing the right way.

Productive people are successful in their own field of expertise. They work hard and they also work smart by getting important things done without hurrying by or under undue stress because they adopt similar daily productive habits.

1.      To-do list and daily routine: A to-do list works hand in hand with their daily routine. They have already established their productive routine and they will just slot in the daily tasks as stated in their to-do list for the day. The list is short and priority is given to the most important tasks and it is scheduled in the morning, their high energy period.      

2.      Daily exercise: Daily physical activity is an essential part of their productive daily habit. When it is carried out after work, it is to unwind, to recharge, and to refresh physically and mentally. They get outside to be with nature and breathe in the fresh air.  

3.      Early riser: According to an article, The Power of Mornings: Why Successful Entrepreneurs Get up Early, it is mentioned that for 15 years, Starbucks President Michelle Gaas has set her alarm for 4:30 a.m. to go running. Gretchen Ruben, popular author of The Happiness Project (Harper Perennial, 2011) wakes up at 6 a.m. and works for an hour before her family rises. They have established a regular sleep routine to enjoy a good night’s sleep for around 8 hours. When they are up and about early they have ample time to have a workout, a healthy breakfast, and the time to visualize the day ahead of them.

4.      Learn: Productive people are constantly learning; they ask questions. They are curious and they want to know more so that they can apply what they have learnt to practical uses and be more productive.   

5.      Positive outlook: They are many ways productive people stay positive. They get support from positive people and when they work they are able to  reduce their stress levels to a minimum because they are proactive and are able to manage their time effectively

6.      Do it now: Taking action is the hallmark of productive people. They plan and they execute their plan. They will not do things all by themselves but employing skillful delegation to get things done.

7.      Live now: Mindfulness is focused attention on the present. It is a productive habit. Productive people avoid multitasking and reduce distractions to the minimum. At work, their mind is here and now. In a 2011 Vogue feature, Arianna Huffington, President & Editor-in-Chief, Huffington Post Media Group described early-morning yoga and meditation as two of her "joy triggers.” Huffington has spoken out on the benefits of mindfulness not just for individual health, but also for corporate bottom lines. "Stress-reduction and mindfulness don't just make us happier and healthier, they're a proven competitive advantage for any business that wants one," she wrote in a recent blog.

8.      Think, plan ahead and be prepared: Productive people do not put out a fire. They are proactive and take preventative measures to avoid emergency situations just like a maintenance manager in a factory doing regular checking with a checklist. In the case of busy entrepreneurs, they foresee challenging situations ahead of them and work out a flexible plan. They are prepared; they visualize the end result and work backward.

9.      Gratitude: According to an article, Increasing Productivity with Gratitude, it is mentioned that increasing productivity with gratitude is, indeed, a highly effective process. Why? In a nutshell, giving and receiving thanks increases the release of dopamine, therefore raising your energy. This neurotransmitter plays a critical role in the function of the central nervous system, and it is also linked with the brain's complex system of motivation and reward. Who doesn't feel more productive and content where higher levels of motivation and reward are involved?  Productive people keep a gratitude journal and write a few things that they are grateful for every day. They say thank you more often and they express appreciation regularly to the right people.

10.  Taking breaks: Productive people are not ruthless to get more done. They know it is counterproductive. They take breaks and especially their lunch break. They get out of their workplace and get outside for a change of environment to relieve tiredness and exhaustion and to refresh the mind.

Conclusion

Productive people are the master of time and tasks. They are focused on the things that produce results. They have time for work, play, family, and for themselves alone. They know what is important in their life and they allocate time to do it every day. They are super achievers and at the end of each day, they are satisfied and happy with what they have accomplished for the day. 

20 Habits You Must Kick Right Now and Be a Better Person

Old Habits New Habits

Better, faster, stronger.

This is not only the mantra of fans from Daft Punk and "The Six Million Dollar Man," but also from life hackers around the world who are looking for ways to make their lives better. The first step on your way to self-improvement is to level the playing field by getting rid of bad habits that are slowing you down. 

By eliminating these 20 bad habits, you set up yourself to tackle any challenge.

Social

People are, by nature, social. When we put our heads together, we are able to achieve great things, such as the Pyramids or the Powerpoint presentations due Monday.

1. Being Late

"80% of life is showing up," recommends Woody Allen. If your personal clock keeps on running 15 to 30 minutes behind everybody else's, then people are going to stop relying on you and find a replacement. Make it a habit to show up to meetings and appointments 15 minutes early. This buys you time for any last-minute surprises and shows people that you are taking them seriously. Being on time is the easiest way to show respect.

2. Texting During Conversations

A major turn-off for co-workers, friends, and relatives is your obsession with your smartphone or tablet during conversations. Trying to answer an email and posting a tweet while your spouse is asking you what would you like for dinner is just plain rude. Not to mention that it's making you dumber. Studies show that multitasking lowers your IQ as much as missing a whole night's sleep — and more than smoking pot.

3. Making the World Circle Around You

Complaining too much, constantly fishing for compliments, de-emphasizing actual compliments, and cutting people off mid-sentence are red flags that you are too self-centered. You are not the center of the universe, and your problems are not bigger than everybody else's. Start using "you" more often than "I" and make an effort to let others speak more than you do. Remember that "being a good listener" is a compliment, and one that shows others that you care for others.

4. Telling "Little White Lies"

No one likes being lied to. Yet, we still keep telling ourselves that is okay to do tell white lies. Even those lies that supposedly hurt nobody cast a shadow of doubt on your integrity. Tell enough of them, and people won't listen to you anymore. To start limiting the number of lies you dish out every day, try the "Little Jimmy Test." Little Jimmy is your five-year-old kid — would you be okay with him saying what you are about to say?

5. Oversharing in Social Media

If you Instagram, Vine, or Facebook every aspect of your life, you may be alienating yourself from friends and family. Not everybody wants to be tagged in every picture or be included in every check-in. Respect the privacy of others and ask before you share any information about somebody else.

Health

Remember your New Year's resolution to lose weight this year? It is going to take more than wishful thinking to get it done.

6. Drinking Soda

Studies have shown that people that consume soda have an 11% increase in cholesterol compared with people that drink other beverages. And drinking diet soda is no good either. In a 10-year study, people who drank two diet sodas a day had a 500% increase in waist circumference. Switch soda for water and you will keep both your cholesterol and waistline in check. On top of that, drinking water when we are thirsty boosts our brain's performance in mental tests.

7. Binge Drinking

While light to moderate drinking has been shown to have health benefits, pounding three or more drinks in a row, raises your blood pressure and lowers your vitamin B1. This vitamin is necessary for a healthy nervous system. Stop binge drinking and, if you must drink, limit yourself to two drinks.

8. Late Night Snacking in Front of TV

Not watching what you're eating is going to increase the amount of food you gobble. By eating while distracted not only do you eat 10% more, but also 25% more at a later meal. There are three ways to attack this bad habit. First, hide snacks from yourself so that you are less likely to reach for them. Second, use a very small plate to limit the size of your snack. Third, choose lighter snacks, such as fruits and veggies.

9. Skipping Breakfast

Mom was right, again. Breakfast is indeed the most important meal of the day. Men that frequently skip breakfast have a 27% higher risk of suffering a heart attack or fatal coronary disease, compared to those that eat breakfast daily. In the case of women, skipping breakfast increases their risk of type 2 diabetes. Make your momma proud and take the time to fix yourself a healthy breakfast every day. (See also: 9 Make Ahead, Freezable Hot Breakfasts)

10. Wearing Headphones All the Time

If you are using your headphones at 60% of their maximum volume for a total of 60 minutes a day, then you are already a victim of irreversible hearing loss. Start observing the 60/60 rule regarding volume and duration, buy larger headphones that rest over the ear instead of inside the ear, and preserve your hearing.

11. Getting Sunburned Too Often

Your risk of melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, doubles if you have five or more sunburns. Don't test your luck. Make it a daily habit to use sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher. Hats, sunglasses, and UV-blocking clothing are also good ideas. Limit sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and keep completely away from tanning booths.

Financial

"Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver," said Ayn Rand. It is time to reclaim your seat at the driving wheel and kick these financial bad habits to the curb. (See also: 25 Dumb Habits That Are Keeping You in Debt)

12. Paying Credit Cards Late

One of the top reasons that your credit card balances never seem to go down is that you keep paying past the due date. Every time you do that, you're slammed with a fine of up to $35. On top of that, your creditor is likely to increase your interest rate after too many late payments. To fix this, set up an automatic payment plan or contact your credit card company to move your due date.

13. Buying "Deals" for Premium Goods

Have you ever had to buy something because it was a once in a lifetime deal? Turns out you may have been better off without such deal in the first place. Research suggests that "coupons for premium-priced products can actually make consumers spend more money than they would have spent in the absence of coupons." Our minds are tricked to focus on the coupon rather than total price, so we end up spending more than we originally intended. By focusing on saving $200, you end up spending over $1,000 and…

14. Busting Your Budget

The king of all financial bad habits. You need to kick this one as soon as possible.

When making your budget be sure you're capturing all your spending. By making a very thorough list, you will plan ahead better and increase your chances of keeping within your means.

15. Overspending on Media Consumption

Your iTunes habit may be killing your hearing and your wallet. The price of $1.29 per song may not seem that much, but if you buy 100 songs throughout the year, then you are spending $129. If you have your iTunes account connected to your credit card, yes that credit card that you always pay late, you need to re-evaluate your media consumption. Analyze your options and check out whether paying per song or buying a subscription is the better deal.

16. Not Saving for Retirement

Make your golden years truly golden by starting a retirement account. It is never too late and there are options available, no matter how close you may be to your retirement age.

Productivity

Becoming more productive is at the top of almost everybody's to-do list.

17. Taking Mental Notes

Talking about lists, your main productive challenge may be that you're not committing tasks to paper. Start using the notes app from your smartphone to jot down your objectives for the day. Include important information, such as what is the deadline, what you need to complete it, and who you need to contact. Check your list several times during the day so that you can clearly see what you need to do.

18. Not Committing to Deadlines

Deadlines force us to take action. Here is a quick lifehack from psychology and behavioral professor, Dan Ariely: "Publicly committing to a deadline is a powerful motivator because it puts your reputation on the line." Nobody likes to disappoint friends and colleagues, so this gives you that second wind and adrenaline rush to meet your deadline on time.

19. Being Too Available

If you have Skype, Twitter, Whatsapp, email, and a smartphone on at all times, your work output is going to suffer. While it is a good idea to be accessible, it has to be within specified hours. When you need to get work done, you need to limit your access. This means turning off the phone, shutting down messaging apps, and finding a private space. If you committed publicly to a deadline, your friends and coworkers understand that you are trying to meet that deadline.

20. Overfocusing on Email

Email is a productivity trap.

• If an email chain goes beyond two replies, pick up the phone.
• If a co-worker two cubicles down emails you too much, walk over to her.
• Your incorrect use of email might make you look rude.

What are some other bad habits that need to be in this list? Please share in comments!

Source:20 Habits You Must Kick Right Now and Be a Better Person

5 Things To Do Before Bed That Will Jump Start Tomorrow

Being effective as an entrepreneur is often about hard work, but even more importantly it’s about smart work. Great entrepreneurs know that time is limited and valuable, so they need to make the most of each waking hour.

There are many factors that contribute to working smart -- but planning and proper sleep are among the top performance increasers.

To maximize your time and efficiency, here are five essential and easy things you should do before bed that will make help transform your waking hours into super productivity.

1. Take a look at your calendar. As the saying goes, failing to plan is planning to fail. By reviewing your calendar the night before, you’ll know what’s ahead for the day so you can be prepared and plan for the best method to tackle your objectives. You’ll sleep better knowing that you’ve already planned for the day ahead and you’ll rise in the morning knowing that you’ve already taken care of the leg work to get a jump start on the day.

There’s another old saying, “If you don’t use your head, you’ll end up using your feet,” and that proverb goes a long way for productivity! Come up with a strategy the night before on how to tackle tomorrow.

2. Get the gym bag ready. Whether you go to the gym, run in the neighborhood or walk your dog, have your exercise gear out and ready to throw on for when you wake up. Getting your clean clothes together and ready is a life hack lots of entrepreneurs use to minimize the risk of skipping their workout.

It only takes a minute to lay out your gear, but it’s a great shortcut for making sure you get your fitness in every morning. Taking care of your health is an important part of the entrepreneurial lifestyle.

3. Turn off your phone. Sleep is a crucial part of the successful entrepreneur’s healthy lifestyle. Once you’ve checked your calendar and you know what’s ahead for tomorrow, put the phone on silent or turn it off to ensure it doesn’t beep, chime or ring and disturb your REM cycle. Disruptions to your sleep will leave you tired and slow your performance.

To keep your productivity at its highest level, make sure you eliminate any hindrances to your sleep cycle. That email or text message can wait until tomorrow. Turn off your phone or put it on silent to ensure a good night’s sleep.

4. Write in your journal. No, not the “dear diary” kind of entries. Keeping a journal is a practice that can help you process the day and make sense of your thoughts. Keep your journal in the nightstand and every night take a few minutes to review the day’s triumphs and write down what you’re grateful for that day.

Don’t make this a boring, unthoughtful experience. Think of it as a nightly meditation -- just two minutes of reflection thinking about the day’s highlights and writing them down will transform your waking and sleeping thought. It’s part of a wealthy lifestyle to appreciate all the great things of the day: doors held open, great conversations had. 

Whatever the highlight, list it and prepare your mind for great sleep.

5. Read a real book. One last thing to contribute to your good sleep is to read a quality book. You can decide what a quality book is to you, but reading before bed is a great way to make that final transition into sleep.

It will also keep you away from bright lights and electronics (hint: don’t read on your phone or tablet, the light might disrupt your eyes and affect your sleep cycle) and soothe your body into the sleeping process.

Source: 5 Things To Do Before Bed That Will Jump Start Tomorrow