Showing posts with label improve your workspace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label improve your workspace. Show all posts

Time Management Tips

 


Managing your time and using it wisely is a journey, and not something that can be easily mastered overnight. Implementing a plan will help you become more productive. Time management requires a significant amount of self-discipline and commitment. If you learn to manage your time better, you will feel more fulfilled on a daily basis. Here are some tips to assist you with time management...

1. Set Goals both short-term and long-term goals for each day, week, and year. Take the time to make a written list of your goals, which will allow you to refer back to the list when you need some guidance. Keep in mind that it is okay to adjust the goals as your personal and business needs change. Use them as a tool to guide you.

2. Give yourself Mini-Rewards. All work and no play is a difficult concept to sustain for very long. Build rewards into your schedule. If there is a task you really dislike, follow it with a task that you greatly enjoy. Build "mini-rewards" into your schedule to increase your productivity.

3. Keep a running "To Do" list and use your calendar with alerts. The To Do list should contain both daily tasks as well as longer-term tasks. Having a To Do list will help keep your attention on the projects that require attention, and prevent some items from slipping through the cracks and being forgotten.

4. Keep your expectations realistic. No one can do everything, and with that in mind, try to set realistic expectations of what you can hope to accomplish.

5. Prioritize the list of things to do. Some items might require immediate attention, while others may be necessary but not as urgent. After prioritizing, try not to become a "firefighter" and only react to the urgent items. Be sure to still give proper attention to non-urgent items as well, as they are important too.

6. Use your time wisely.  If there are blocks of time that you spend waiting or commuting, figure out ways to use that time being productive! Listening to podcasts, reading, writing, proof-reading, reviewing your schedule, planning for your next activity, etc, are all things that can usually be done remotely to fill in some of the unavoidable "dead" time in your schedule. Try to find interesting and unusual productive things to do during those periods of downtime.

7. Set appropriate time limits for tasks. When working on those tasks, monitor the time that each item is taking. If the time dedicated was more than you anticipated, review how you went about accomplishing that task and look for alternative time savers in the future.

8. Organize your space, and remove any excessive clutter. Spending time looking for something is a waste of time and time is a precious commodity. Both your living space and your physical working area should be organized so that you can easily locate anything you need in a moment’s notice.

9. Minimize distractions throughout your day and you will accomplish more. If you find yourself consumed by all different types of social mediums, try to set aside a specific period of time to participate in that social community. The less you are interrupted, the more you will be able to maximize your time. Work on minimizing interruptions and distractions as much as possible.

10. Reflect at the end of the day on what you accomplished. If you were unable to account for a specific period of time, or you found a given day to be particularly unproductive, take an inventory and try to determine where your time management system broke down.

Keep in mind that not every day is going to be as productive as you would hope. Unexpected things always come up, and no matter how hard you try, your expectations just might not be realistic. Do not become discouraged. Instead, simply stay focused and make an effort to increase your productivity the next day. Each day brings a renewed sense of energy with new opportunities to accomplish your goals.

Get the tools you need to excel in your life. Work with a Business and Life Management Coach who has over 20 years’ experience empowering individuals, executives and business owners to attain self-defined success in their professional & personal lives. Book a complimentary session at http://www.denisedema.com  to get started in reaching your goals today! On-site, phone and e-mail coaching available.

Create the Best Environment for Success



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Success in any area of life never happens in a complete vacuum. Often it is just as much dependent on an individual’s will-power and intelligence as it is on their environment and outside circumstances.

To find happiness and success, you therefore need to pay attention and take some control over the type of environments you are surrounding yourself in on a daily basis; even the strongest and brightest of minds will find it difficult to achieve their goals if they are in a completely wrong environment for them. This is because every aspect of your external life has some influence over your internal thoughts and behaviors, especially the people you surround yourself with on a daily basis, and the type of places where you spend most of your time.

Time to look at the people you surround yourself with…..

The first main aspect of our environment that influences our success is the people we surround ourselves with on a daily basis.

For example, a recent study published in a 2013 issue of Psychological Science found that surrounding yourself with friends who are more self-disciplined can also help you become more self-disciplined. This is just one of many examples of how our social network can have an influence over our own behavior and goal-seeking.

It fits well with other research that shows if you hang around people who are unhealthy; it’s more likely you will become unhealthy on some level. And if you hang around with people who are lazy and don’t study for class, it’s likely you’ll end up with similar grades as them too. 

More and more scientific evidence is beginning to show that we become a reflection of the types of people we hang out with the most. This social influence affects every area of our lives: at home, at work, at school, at a party, or wherever.

So take a moment to think about some of your own personal goals and values. Are there any people in your life who are currently holding you back from achieving them? Be honest. 

Instead of spending time with people who are unhappy in life, spend time with people who make you love life and motivate you to improve yourself for the better. That to me is one of the most important characteristics in a healthy relationship. It’s also essential to achieving success. If you have the right people in your life, it’ll be easy to find that extra boost of support when you really need it.

Think about the work environment you spend your time at……

The second main aspect of our environment that influences our success is the places we spend most of our time at.

For example, one important factor that has shown to increase productivity and happiness is giving people some freedom to design their own workplace.
Taking ownership over where you spend your time allows you to choose an environment that motivates and inspires you. A good environment for success should keep your senses stimulated and awake while you work on your goals, while not being too distracting. 

I work with a lot of entrepreneurs who are challenged to stay organized and motivated when working from home. One specific thing you could do if you love the outdoors is to put scenic pictures, plants or a fish tank in your office to surround yourself with nature more. There have been countless studies showing how exposing ourselves to nature can improve focus, minimize stress, and boost cognitive ability.

Another thing you can do is decorating your workspace with motivational posters, quotes and affirmations. These can be great resources to have around the office when you need something to lift your mood. Find images that are visually appealing to you, with designs and colors that make you feel good and set the right tone for you and your goals.

Often times when working for large organizations we can lose a sense of our personal identity. Your office is usually the one place you have some freedom to express yourself, so create a work environment that works for you – something that reflects some of your own values and interests, and something that motivates and inspires you. Pictures of loved ones always make people feel happy.

You can also try changing your workspace around every few months or so to keep it fresh and interesting. On the surface it may not seem like a big deal, but remember this is the place you work at every day, so it’s going to have an influence on your success and inspiration whether you realize it or not. You might as well make it as positive as possible.

It’s about choosing an environment that brings out the best in you……..
At the end of the day, you can’t meet your full potential for success unless you find an environment that brings out the very best in you.

Try to become more aware of the people and places you interact with on a daily basis. Are they encouraging your success or discouraging it? How can you make some changes to your environment so that it better serves you and your goals?
Achieve your full potential and work with a Business and Life Management Coach who has over 20 years’ experience empowering individuals, executives and business owners to attain self-defined success in their professional & personal lives. Book a complimentary session at http://www.denisedema.com