Category: Creating Ecosystems of Success

Encourage Healthy Employees With These Wellness Strategies

The first principal of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success and a key focus is Health/Wellness. No matter which kind of organization you’re running, a key component will be the wellness of your employees and staff. Helping them stay in top shape will all but assure that you will get maximum productivity out of them. The following contributed post is thus entitled, Encourage Healthy Employees With These Wellness Strategies.

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Did you know that healthy employees are one of the best assets that any business can have? It makes a lot of sense when you think about it – healthier employees won’t get as sick quite as often and so won’t have to take as many days off to recover from illnesses. That means that you won’t waste any money paying for employees to take days off. But that isn’t the only reason why you need to encourage good health amongst your employees. You will find that fit and healthy workers are a lot more productive, as they have plenty of energy and drive.

There are lots of employers who already know just how beneficial healthy staff are, and so have stepped up measures to encourage healthy choices both in the office and at home. Here are a few popular wellness strategies that work well with employees. Perhaps you will want to try some out with your own staff.

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Get Them To Ditch Their Cars

I’m sure that a lot of your employees will drive to the office. This may be the most time-efficient option for people, but it won’t be doing their health any good. It’s worth trying to motivate the employees who live close enough to the office to walk or cycle to work. There are a few ways you can incentivize these choices. For instance, you might want to install some bike racks outside your office so that cyclists have somewhere to keep their bikes safe and secure while they are working. To try to get their workers walking to work, some companies offer their employees wearable devices, like Fitbits to track their daily steps. Running weekly or monthly step competitions within your office will certainly encourage your workers to walk more!

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Help Them Fight Personal Injury Battles

No matter how fit we may be, it can still be possible to end up in accidents and injured. If an employee does end up injured, they may be forced to take a considerable length of time off work. There are ways you can help them speed up their recovery, thankfully. One thing some companies do is build a relationship with a personal injury attorney who they can then get to represent their employee in court. You can contact Sachs Waldman for more information about these kinds of attorneys. Getting a good lawyer on board will greatly improve their chances of winning compensation which they can then use to invest in their rehabilitation and healthcare. Before you know it, the employee will have returned to a full bill of health and will be back in the office.

Encourage Healthy Snack Choices In The Office

Healthy eating goes a long way to helping us maintain good physical and mental health, so you should try to encourage your employees to opt for healthy snacks whenever they feel a pang of hunger. The best way to make sure that everyone reaches for a piece of fruit instead of a chocolate bar is to offer some free healthy snacks and drinks in the office kitchen. A large bowl of fresh fruit will go down really well, especially with those workers who want to satisfy their sweet tooth. It’s also a good idea to offer some cereal bars and other healthy snacks that aren’t too calorific, sugary, or fatty. As well as offering the usual teas and coffee, make sure there is some bottled water and fruit juice for your employees as well.

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Promote Social Connections Between Coworkers

Lots of research has suggested that employees who make friends with their colleagues and coworkers often enjoy being at work than those who don’t. It makes working together a lot easier, and employees who are friends will often support and help their friends a lot as well. So, it will be really beneficial for you if you promote the creation of social connections between your workforce. There are many ways you can do this, but one of the easiest is organizing office drinks on a Friday evening every so often. Most companies host these drinks every two weeks or on a monthly basis.

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Offer Support To Staff With Mental Health Troubles

These days, we all know how difficult it can be to maintain good mental health. Some studies have shown that employees who are emotionally supported in the workplace often find it a lot easier to maintain better mental health than those that aren’t. So, it’s really worth rolling out some top support strategies to all of your employees, especially those who really struggle with serious issues like depression. For instance, some companies like to welcome a councillor into their office once a month, and offer their employees the chance to book a session with them. You should also prevent the development of any workplace bullying and make sure that no one is ever overstretched with their workload.

Offer Gym Memberships As A Perk Of The Job

You will already be offering your employees plenty of perks of the job, but do you already offer them a free monthly gym membership? More and more businesses are now offering this to employees, as most gym memberships are too expensive for individuals to buy on their own. Once you do offer a membership, you will find that your workers are a lot more likely to go to the gym on a regular basis. As a result, they will quickly get fitter and their overall health should also improve.

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Install Office Showers

If you have the space in your office, you should think about installing some showers. This should encourage more employees to run or cycle to work. Lots of people are put off from getting to work in these ways because they will have to spend the day sweaty at their desk. But once showers have been installed, they will be able to take a quick wash so they are fresh for the day ahead.

Once you use these wellness strategies, you should notice a difference in your staff!

Your Most Valuable Resource: People & How To Take Care Of Them

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success and two key focuses are Financial Literacy/Money. Whether you’re running a business or another class of organization, taking care of your employees is critical. Creating an environment where they feel as though their best interests are being considered will assure their loyalty to management. The following contribute post is therefore entitled, Your Most Valuable Resource: People & How To Take Care Of Them.

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The idea that you can have a successful company with happy customers and not treat your employees well is ridiculous. In fact, the whole systems works on a trickle-down effect, with happy employees supplying the best productivity and service, and so pleasing customers. Something that then leads to better profits. Happily, even if you haven’t thought of your business in these terms before you can significantly improve how you treat your employees with the advice elbow. Read on to find out more.

Leadership

Great leadership can make all the difference in how your employees feel about their work. Such leadership may not always be what you think it is either. In fact, it’s not about striding around the place barking orders or even having the ability to do all the tasks from top to bottom yourself. Instead, it’s about having a strong vision for your company both inside and out.

What this means so that you need to have an accurate idea of how you want your company to run internally and balance this with the successes and profit you make. You need to draw a line in the sand and decide that you will treat your employee with respect no matter what their role, and insist that they treat each other this way as well.

In fact, bullying, intimidation, and unpleasantness is often something that can degrade an employee’s work experience and job satisfaction. To that end, you need to have up to date policies that deal fairly with any instances of this as well. If you want our employees to feel happy and safe at work that is.

Safety

Of course, your employee’s safety is also crucial in terms of the task you are asking them to do. In fact, businesses have a responsibility to those that work for them. What that means is it’s crucial to be aware of any laws and guidelines concerning the type of tasks you need them to do.

In fact, even in an office environment, there is plenty to be aware of such as desk height and ergonomics as well as manual handling training. Where employees are shows how to move boxes correctly, so they don’t end up injuring themselves.

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However, in more specific environments there are even more safety issues to be aware of. For example, when working with machinery the risk of employee harm is much higher, but it can be reduced by using items like cable housing and protective carriers. Something that you can visit Dynatect Manufacturing for more information on. A place where you can also find help with others ways that you can improve your machine process to increase its safe use and productivity.

The same is true when your workers are using construction equipment and heavy machinery too because these things have a partially high risk of causing harm or damage if they are not operated properly.

To that end, proper induction training courses for each piece of specialized equipment are needed, as well as regular refreshers at appropriate intervals as well. Clear signage to remind those that are working around such machines of the danger they pose, as well as the safety gear they need to wear are also vital aspects of looking after your employee’s safety in such environments.

Physical Wellbeing

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Another way that you can show your employees that you care about their well being is by encouraging them to be as healthy and fit at work as possible. In fact, this is something of a new idea that is taking off, with many business offering exercise classes within work time. Some companies are even choosing to offer meditation or power nap breaks that allow people to rest and recuperate, as well, something that is also good for reducing stress levels.

Another way that many businesses can show concern for the physical well being of their employees is to install office furniture that encourages movement while working. This may include a standing desk, treadmills, and even balance ball chairs which are known to be excellent for posture and core strength.

Of course, all of these items do cost money, but what most smart employers realize is that if their workforce is physically more healthy, they are likely to be more productive as well. In fact, integrating such programs in a work environment can significantly reduce sick days and so boost company productivity, and save on cover over the long term as well.

Salary and Wages

People don’t tend to work for free, not unless they are lottery winners or secret millionaires that is, and that is why to show your care about your employees you need to offer them a decent salary and benefits package.

What that means is that the salary you pay needs to be comparable, if not better to your closest competitors in the market. Although, if you can’t match them in terms of cold hard cash, you may wish to consider introducing an excellent employee benefits scheme that includes discounted or free gym membership and other perks. Something that you will be able to purchase as a compare documented price and so will work economically for your business as well as for boosting morale.

Social

Lastly, if you want your employees to enjoy work and feel valued and so stay with you for as long as possible, creating a community atmosphere in the workplace is essential.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that you ignore sensible guidelines about appropriate behavior at work, but instead it’s about introducing opportunities for workmates to spend quality time together outside of the office.

Some firms do this with regular social evenings, while others prefer team building activities like adventure weekends away. The idea being that not only does this strengthen bonds between individual employees and help them to communicate and get on better at work, but also allows people to feel more integrated and valued as well.

Something that can contribute to a feeling of belonging, and so help to boost your employees’ overall job satisfaction. It can even reduce your worker attrition rate, and so work out better for your budget as well.

After all, if people are your most essential resource, it’s crucial that you look after them in the best way that you can.

4 Reasons Why You Should Take Focus and Specificity Seriously in Your Life

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success. One of the keys to being successful is focusing in your goal and not becoming distracted. Approaching your life with focus and specificity can all but ensure you success. The following contributed post is thus entitled, 4 Reasons Why You Should Take Focus and Specificity Seriously in Your Life.

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It’s generally pretty common for all of us — at least at certain times in our lives — to be somewhat chaotic, disorganised, and to lack specificity and focus as we go about fulfilling our day-to-day obligations and moving towards what we hope will be prosperous and meaningful futures.

While it’s understandable, however, to fall into this kind of pattern every once in a while for a limited amount of time, allowing yourself to go through life in a permanent haze of unfocused vagueness, can be absolutely devastating to your ability to live a fruitful, uplifting, and successful life.

If you listen to many of the more influential coaches, advisers, and commentators on personal and professional growth and success out there, you’ll find that there’s a commonly recurring theme that focus and specificity are essential to success and happiness alike.

Here are just a few reasons why you should take focus and specificity seriously in your life.

Often, being precise in how you handle matters can forestall later troubles and complications

It likely won’t take you too much time spent reflecting, to notice that there are just certain things in life which require a high degree of attention, specificity, focus, and care, in order to turn out right.

If, for example, you are installing a new complex network infrastructure at your workplace, failing to have a data cabling installation expert on hand to perform — or at least, oversee — the procedure, is likely to result in some pretty serious trouble if not immediately, then certainly a short way down the line.

When all is said and done, many of the problems that we encounter in our lives — including many of the most pressing and difficult to come to terms with — happen as the result of the fact that we failed to perform our due diligence at the onset of a given project.

In fact, the same is often even true of our interpersonal relationships. When marriages break down, for example, it very often happens as the final straw in a long and drawn out process, during which one or both parties failed to attentively and specifically address the issues that they saw arising in the relationship, when it would have been possible to handle them without them devolving into major crises.

Whenever you’re dealing with something that really matters — you should be as focused and specific as you can in handling it. That focus and precision can often forestall serious problems and complications down the line.

Time is limited, and to achieve meaningful things, it has to be leveraged effectively — therefore, failure to focus can have catastrophic consequences

It can be pretty disconcerting, to say the least, to reflect on your own mortality. And yet the hard reality of life is that life itself is finite, and we each only get a certain amount of time with which to do everything we want, forge meaningful relationships with other people, and leave something behind that we’re proud of.

Of course, it should go without saying that achieving meaningful things, and doing meaningful work, is difficult and requires a high degree of focus, specificity, and attention.

When you see people who are very successful in a given area of life, it is typically the case that they have been extremely focused and disciplined with their time, and have dedicated a major chunk of their waking hours to that particular field.

Allowing yourself to exist in a chronically chaotic and unfocused state, on the other hand, only means that your time, and your opportunities, disperse as a result, and that you end up with nothing meaningful to show for things as a result.

Of course, this is a nightmare scenario for most of us. So, for the sake of achieving something meaningful and uplifting with your life, it’s by far in your best interest that you leverage your time and energy effectively, and spend them on the things that matter most.

Being specific and precise in your words and in the formulation of your goals and intentions, can keep your actions in line with your true values

It would be difficult to convincingly argue that living with integrity isn’t one of the most — perhaps the very most — important thanks in life.

No matter what hardships you’re facing, or whatever other goals you may have, if you always abide by your own moral code and stay true to your values and principles, it’s possible to live life in a way that makes you proud of the person you are, and justifies and counterbalances the struggles in life, too.

On the other hand, people who betray their morals and principles for anything else, such as in order to make more money, are always figures of scorn and contempt for the rest of the world — and usually for themselves, too.

Of course, people often go against, or at least fail to live up to, their own values, not due to conscious choice so much as the fact that they just weren’t thinking very clearly about things.

If you always put an emphasis on being specific and precise in your words and in the formulation of your goals and intentions, you can exercise a much greater degree of consciousness over the way you’re conducting yourself through life, and can live with significantly more integrity as a result.

Specificity may force you into a more action-oriented mode of living, which in turn has various benefits

A lot of people are, so to speak, essentially addicted to abstract hypothesising on any number of different topics.

Sometimes this is conscious and intentional, but very often it’s just the consequence of failing to make coherent plans and to construct effective strategies for implementing those plans.

By always holding yourself to the principle of specificity, you are more likely to work through the details of your plans and goals in a systematic manner, and to turn them into things that can realistically be actioned.

The result of this — a more action-oriented mode of living — can, in turn, have various benefits, not least of all greater productivity.

Are You Cutting Your Boss’ Decisions Enough Slack?

Two key focuses of my blog are Creating Ecosystems of Success and Career Discussions. Stepping up into management doesn’t just mean an increase in pay, but it also involves a whole new set of responsibilities and decisions to make that most staff level employees aren’t privy to. The following contributed post is thus entitled, Are You Cutting Your Boss’ Decisions Enough Slack?

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As an employee, it feels as if you and the boss are at war. Not literally, but metaphorically. You ask for things and suggest improvements and they go about their business as usual. It’s incredibly frustrating when they don’t listen, especially if the idea could transform the company.

It’s easy to see bosses and managers as incompetent. They are stuck in their ways and make decisions for their gain and nobody else’s. Of course, they got to their position through hard work and competency among other things, so they aren’t inept. If anything, they know things you don’t and haven’t yet considered.

Far too often, workers don’t cut their boss’ decisions enough slack and the relationship suffers as a result. You’re more than welcome to go down this route but it won’t work out well for you in the long-term. The better option is to try and see it from their side. Why doesn’t the person in charge drop everything when you have a light bulb moment?

Trade-Offs

Not everything is as straightforward as it appears to the untrained eye. You might want new desktops and iPads for remote working, yet it isn’t a case of making an order. For a boss, an expense such as this will require a trade-off in another area of the company or further down the line.

An example is the impact the cost will have on the budget as a whole. New software and hardware might raise productivity a little, but it won’t help with employee training. If the boss considers the latter to be more important, they won’t make the tradeoff as it doesn’t make any business sense.

No-brainers do exist yet the majority of the time it requires the person in charge to play politics. Yep, even for the most basic of decisions.

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Humanity

The last thing anybody wants to see is layoffs. Watching colleagues and friends pack their things and leave the building is a heartbreaking sight. It’s also scary because you know you could be next. Redundancies don’t discriminate as one way to limit the number of layoffs is to fire high-earning workers.

You might think there are other options on the table; however, the reality is different. Asking people to go part-time or to take a redundancy package isn’t always viable. Depending on the company’s finances, the budget might need cutting to the bone. Also, don’t forget that they have to think about the future as well as the present. It isn’t enough to lay off people to stay above water – the business needs breathing space.

Bosses have to do whatever necessary to stop the firm from going under. Their allegiance is to the company.

Health And Safety

Why is that there? What do we need this for? How come this makes no sense? It’s not uncommon for employees to judge the internal processes of the workplace. After all, an inefficient format makes your life more difficult and it’s stressful.

What workers often forget is the topics of health and safety. Bosses must ensure everyone is safe within the workplace particularly if you work with heavy machinery. That’s why there are electric chain hoists in warehouses which lift small to medium loads vertically. Machines that do it horizontally often swing the load and it’s a potential danger. Pretty much every piece of equipment or resource in the workplace has a meaning, and it’s usually health and safety related.

The next time you wonder why something is the way it is, remember your wellbeing. The odds are the management has put it there for your benefit.

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Fairness

Sometimes, a decision will improve the business as a whole yet it’s tough to implement. The reason is simple: the perception of fairness. Employees who feel their coworkers are getting preferential treatment will rebel. Once this happens, the morale of the team hits rock bottom and everything starts to go wrong.

Home-based work is worth considering in this context. You know that it would suit your life if you could have some independence a couple of times a week. Although the boss agrees, there is no way they can sanction it if there is going to be a backlash. Everyone will want the same and it’s impossible to allow. After all, some people aren’t made for unstructured hours.

So, if a boss makes a decision and you know it’s wrong, think about the bigger picture. As a rule, the togetherness of the team is always going to come ahead of the individual.

How do you see your boss’ decisions now?

10 Ways to 10x Your Productivity

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success. No matter what you’re trying to accomplish, it’s important to be able to get the most out of yourself and your abilities. While important, it’s not something that obvious to everyone. The following contributed post is thus entitled, 10 Ways to 10x Your Productivity.

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We’re all looking to squeeze more from our lives, yet we are limited to only having a certain number of hours in each day. Therefore, we need to find ways to get more done in less time.

In this article, we’re going to take a look at ten great ways to boost your productivity this year.

1. FIND OUT WHEN IS BEST TO WORK FOR YOU
We all have our own inner rhythm when it comes to the best time of day for us to work, for instance, many creative people find that working through the early hours of the morning can be the most productive time for them, whilst for most people, the early morning tends to be their most productive time as their brain is refreshed and their body is re-energised.

You need to work out when you are at your most productive, and focus on building a schedule around your natural rhythm rather than trying to adjust your natural rhythm, which can feel like a very difficult uphill struggle, at the end of the day.

2. WORK IN MORE LIGHT
One of the most vital components of creating a focused work environment is that of natural light, as the lighter a room tends to be, the more easy it tends to be to focus on the task at hand. Therefore, if you’re used to sitting down to work in a dark room, you’re setting yourself up for an uphill struggle.

Get somewhere with an abundance of natural light, or even artificial light, at worst case; just think of how much clear and productive people tend to feel when walking around an art gallery – in parts its the decluttered nature of galleries, but another large part of this is the fact there is so much light bounced around the space due to the white walls and lighting setup.

3. WORK IN SPRINTS
If you think of how much more calories people burn in high intensity interval training, where they might go flat out for twenty seconds, then rest for ten, and then go again – the same is true when it comes to focusing on your work. There are many advantages of the rotating shift, for the same reason, and you want to try to adopt this approach to your own work.

Focus in short bursts, rather than for long blocks of time, using something known as the pomodoro technique in order to ensure you maximise the maximum output when working.

4. USE THE PARETO PRINCIPLE
The Pareto Principle talks about how 20% of your activities will tend to account for 80% of your outcome… meaning, there will be just a few tasks or activities on your to do list that will have a massive impact on how much you achieve. Therefore, you want to prioritise those tasks and focus 80% of your energy on the 20% of tasks that will get you the most results.

5. USE LISTS
The world’s most successful people tend to use lists for everything. There are a wide variety of apps available to help with this, such as Wunderlist, that can help you keep track of your most important tasks. There’s something psychologically rewarding about ticking items off of your to-do list as this builds momentum, in that if you’ve ticked 3 out of 5 of your items off that list for the day, then you feel very motivated to get the other two finished.

6. DON’T TRY TO DO EVERYTHING YOURSELF
Whether in business, or your personal life, try to avoid the temptation to feel like you need to do everything yourself. Try not to overstretch yourself by taking on too many tasks and be sure to outsource low value but high time tasks, for instance, cleaning, to a supportive network of people that help ensure you get more done.

7. TAKE A VACATION
It’s really important to take a vacation from time to time, and have weekends, as so many people feel the need to work through their weekends and like they don’t have the time to take a vacation – yet, actually, the productivity benefits of having some down time are absolutely massive. Think of how even the fittest of boxers still require rests between rounds, and it’s only as a result of having that rest, that they can keep going – and come back stronger.

You need to allow yourself time to rest, and time away from your work, therefore taking a vacation from time to time and ensuring you use your weekends, are great ways to improve your productivity.

8. WORK WHEN YOU WORK
You want to be ensuring you “work when you work” meaning, when you sit down to work your focus is 100% on the task at hand – you don’t have the TV on in the background, or kids playing around your home office. You have a one track mind, in terms of the focus you have for your task – and this idea of working when you work means you can also “play when you play” or “rest when you rest”.

Too many people today are trying to cram too much into their lives, all at once – trying to balance multiple things all at the same time. The most productive way you can go about any task, is to sit and focus on it, in a very single minded manner.

9. CHUNK IT DOWN
Sometimes, we spend so much time fretting about how to approach something, that we never get started. For instance, let’s say you feel overwhelmed by having to write a big report – the first thing you want to do, is to break it down into headings and subheadings so that you can then start to fill in the gaps. Therefore, the first thing you want to do when dealing with a big task is to create the structural framework so that you can then go about filling in the gaps.

10. GET UP EARLIER
This one might sound incredibly simple, but get up an hour earlier, and use this hour to get your most important tasks done. It will skyrocket your productivity levels.

11 Ways To Make Money Outside Of Your 9-5

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success, and two key focuses are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. There’s an argument out there that the smartest way to live is to have multiple sources of income. As such, many individuals have given a lot of thought to how they can create second- or third-income streams outside of their 9-5 jobs. The following contributed post discusses how to create multiple income streams and is entitled, 11 Ways To Make Money Outside Of Your 9-5.

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Making money by going to your 9-5 job every week is certainly an honorable way to earn money. However, more and more people are beginning to realize that if they want to lead truly comfortable lifestyles and build wealth, they are going to need more than one source of income to do it. In fact, the most wealthy people in the world often have 6 or 7 different sources of income. The less you have to rely on one source of income, the better!

Below, we’ll go into 11 ways you can make money outside of your 9-5 so you can begin working on bringing in cash from various sources:

1. Rent Out A Part Of Your Property
If you have a property and you don’t use all of it all the time, you could consider renting out a part of it. Even renting out your driveway could help you to bring some extra cash in from time to time! If you have a spare bedroom you could rent that out, provided you don’t mind sharing your home with somebody else. Alternatively, you could look into a site like Airbnb to rent out your entire home when you’re going to be away yourself. You could make money while you’re off on your own vacation!

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2. Sell Things You No Longer Use
Go through each room in your home and collect things that you haven’t used for 6 months or more. Usually, if you haven’t used something in 6 months you can pretty much guarantee you won’t use it again (unless it’s some special item that you only really need for emergencies, that is). You can use sites like eBay to sell these items and make some extra cash. If you’d rather cut out the middleman costs, selling on Facebook or even hosting a garage sale can be just as effective.

3. Offer Your Services As An Online Freelancer
If you have a little spare time, you could always offer your services as a freelancer using sites like Upwork and People Per Hour. You could proofread, write content, design logos, or do anything else that you think you’re good at! It can take a little time to get work when you’re just starting out, but it can be a nice way to make a decent side income in your own time.

4. Start Blogging/Vlogging
Blogging and vlogging should be done first and foremost because you are passionate about what you want to share. If you’re doing it purely for the cash, you’ll probably get fed up and end up giving up after a short time! You should create quality, consistent content because you have a message you want to share and you enjoy it. Enjoyment will keep you going when your subscribers aren’t growing and you’ve made a miniscule amount of money in months. Consistency is key if you want this to be a way for you to make money!

5. Turn Your Passion Into A Side Hustle
If you have something you’re truly passionate about, it could be possible to turn it into a side hustle. Maybe you like making jewelry or reupholstering furniture; if you’re serious, you could spend your spare time building up this business. Eventually, you may be able to leave your 9-5 job and work for yourself. However, you’ll want to make sure you’re aware of the reasons most new businesses fail. It won’t be easy, and you’ll still need to work hard in the beginning. You really have to love it and you really have to want it!

6. Investing
Investing can sound like a scary word, especially to beginners who have only ever put their spare cash into savings accounts. However, it’s essential if you want to ensure your financial health for the future and give yourself a chance at being truly wealthy! There’s a plethora of information out there that can help you to get started, and you only need to start small. You can even find apps like Moneybox to help you get started. The important thing is getting started and committing a portion of your earnings to investing regularly – then you’ll build up momentum and be able to learn as you go along. You’ll be glad you started now. The earlier you start, the more you can take advantage of compounding!

7. Smart Spending
Smart spending can sometimes be all it takes to help you make money outside of your 9-5. There are numerous ways you can do this. For example, by making sure you buy items that will enable you to make more money in the long run, like Disney DVDs that become more valuable once they are taken off the shelves (rather than items that lose value, like brand new cars). You can also spend smartly by using cashback sites when you buy, and you should be able to get a portion of what you spend back each time. Then you can try smart spending alongside the NFL betting guide or make a sports bet with any online site that gives you the opportunity to bet on real or imaginary games. Be warned about betting, however. Using this method comes with an element of risk that you should keep in mind, and you should be wary of if you have a gambling problem. However, if you are able to monitor your spending, you could win big if you bet wisely.

8. Create Online Courses
If you have a lot of knowledge and/or passion on a certain subject, how about creating online courses to help others learn? You can create courses about just about anything these days, and the great thing is, you only have to do the work once. The courses can sell again and again and you will continue to make money!

9. Write Ebooks
Ebooks can help you to make cash if you do some keyword research and figure out what people want to know about. Both fiction and non-fiction are an option, although you may need to write lots of ebooks to make a decent sum of money.

10. Start Your Own Ecommerce Business
Ecommerce businesses are extremely popular, and for good reason. Pretty much anybody can set one up using sites like Shopify, selling items that they feel passionate about.

11. Advertise On Your Car
There are companies that will pay you to have an advertisement for their business on your car. All you have to do is fill out a form stating where you drive and how much you drive, and any suitable offers will then be sent to you. The company will remove the ad when the campaign is complete and you will get paid. Easy!

The Dos And Don’ts Of Being Successful In The Modern Age

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success. What it takes to be successful today has changed from what it took just 10-20 years ago. It’s very important to understand the attributes and qualities of successful people and then cultivating them in yourself. The following contributed post is thus entitled, The Dos And Don’ts Of Being Successful In The Modern Age.

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Being successful in the modern age can be tough. Success doesn’t come easy, you have to work at it consistently – plus, it isn’t linear, which means you might think you’re making progress and then be faced with evidence to suggest otherwise. In no way should your ‘journey to the top’ be a straight line. Here, we’re going to discuss the dos and don’ts of being successful in the modern age, so you can avoid some of the pitfalls and figure out how your dreams are within reach for you:

Do Forge Your Own Path
First of all; you have to go after what you want. Oftentimes, this means forging your own path. Other people and their journeys can inspire you, but the path has to be entirely your own.
You shouldn’t be comparing yourself to anybody else, or trying to copy step for step what they did. There will be things you have to change and tailor to yourself, and that’s fine. Ask anybody in the same industry how they got their and their answer will be different. Ask any CEO how they started their business and the answer will be different.

Don’t Let Mistakes Stop You
There are always going to be mistakes when you’re trying to do something big. The key is to appreciate mistakes, as you can learn from them. You can learn a valuable lesson from each and every mistake that you make, so make sure you assess what it is your lesson could be.

Do Trust Your Gut Instinct
As a business owner, one of the most important things you’ll learn how to do, is trust your gut instinct. Being able to listen to that feeling in your gut that something is or isn’t right is a valuable skill. Humans have gotten pretty great at ignoring their intuition, what with technology taking over and so many things out there making us doubt how we feel. However, if you can sit and meditate over something even just for a small amount of time, you should be able to assess how you truly feel about it.

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Don’t Get Distracted
There are many, many distractions that can take you away from your goals. Social media is just one thing; you also have things like emails, work that doesn’t matter (why not automate?), and multitasking. All of those things can be a big distraction and stop you from doing what you set out to do.

Do Keep Your Family And Friends Close
Making sure you keep your family and friends close can be considered an achievement in itself, these days. Some people have the misconception that they will have to live in the office and work ridiculous hours in the beginning. While you’ll definitely have to work hard, you shouldn’t neglect the people closest to you. Success should be about balance just as much as it’s about working hard and getting things done. It could help you if you take a look at some of the most successful people and their families to get a feel for how they may have helped them, such as Saud Bin Saqr al Qasimi family history. Have a look at a few people you admire or want to be like and learn as much as you can about the process (but don’t forget, this is your path to forge).

Don’t Underestimate the Importance Of Your Mindset
Your mindset is going to be absolutely imperative to your success. If you’re doubtful of whether you can actually succeed and you’re not sure if you’re just being crazy, there’s every chance you won’t make it. You literally need a ‘can do’ attitude, or even an ‘I am going to’. There should be very few doubts in your mind about whether you’ll be able to do what you’re setting out to do. The fewer doubts you have, the higher your chance of success creeps up.

Do Track Your Progress
In order for you to ensure you’re heading in the right direction, you should make sure you find effective ways of tracking your progress. There are numerous ways to do this depending on what you want to achieve. You can use your business plan to track your progress, for instance, although it’s advisable that you stay flexible with your plan just in case anything changes – things often will, in this day and age. You could also use project management systems and software to ensure that you’re on track.

Don’t Use Goals As A Hindrance More Than A Help
Goals can be used to help propel you forward, but if they aren’t set properly, they can actually encourage unethical behaviour. Unrealistic goals have led companies to lie about sales in the past, just so they could say they met a goal. Goals should be achievable, and they should be as detailed as possible. How do you want to achieve your goal? Why do you want to achieve your goal? Make sure your goal is also easily measurable.

Do Continue Learning No Matter What
As the owner of your business, a lot of what goes down is all on you. You don’t have to know absolutely everything there is to know, and in fact, many business owners choose to learn a lot of stuff as they go. If you wait until you know everything, you’ll be waiting a ridiculously long time. That being said, always continue learning; read books every day, go on courses and to workshops, and do all you can to expand your knowledge both personally and professionally.

Don’t Go It Alone
You don’t have to go it alone. There are many things you can do to ensure you have support and perhaps even another viewpoint, if you need one. Many entrepreneurs and business people choose to get a mentor, as they have often been in their shoes and can help them to see what needs to change.

Being successful in the modern age is tough, but some may also say that it’s easier than ever, what with the plethora of information out there. There’s no better time to follow your dreams!

Why Your Business Goals Might Actually Be Redundant

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of success and two of its key focuses are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Goal setting is important for anything you want to achieve. In some instances though, goals can be a hindrance. The following post discusses how to set reasonable goals for your business and is entitled, Why Your Business Goals Might Actually Be Redundant.

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Almost everybody talks about the effectiveness of setting goals. Everybody says how goals can help to keep you focused, help you to achieve more, and be beneficial in a plethora of other ways. However, that’s only really if you’re setting goals the right way and taking the correct approach. For those who aren’t pros at goal setting, they can actually be more of a hindrance than a help. That’s right; in some cases, setting goals can actually slow you down and stop you from achieving what you want to achieve. Let’s talk more about this below!

Focusing Solely On Reaching A Goal
When your team is focusing solely on achieving a goal, they may not be performing other tasks.
In short, your focus can become too narrow when you are focused on a goal, and you might even find that you sacrifice one goal for another goal. Something has got to give when you’re hyper focused on achieving a goal. More often than not, you will experience issues in other parts of your business. While you can get help from companies like WGroup IT Management consulting if you’re finding you haven’t got time for other aspects of running your business, you will still need to be realistic and balanced about what you are able to achieve.

Goals Can Be Limiting
Most people don’t realize that goals can be limiting, too. People tend to relax and take a break once goals are achieved, which often means they have overexerted themselves and won’t be motivated to do regular work for a while. People can get so used to having a goal that they don’t do much when they don’t have one to work towards.

Goal Setting Can Cause Bad Behaviour
Goal setting can actually encourage people to lie and cheat. For example, it isn’t unheard of for businesses to create falsified earnings to reach goals. This can cause no end of issues for the company.

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When Do Goals Work?
Goals can work when you know exactly what you want to happen, and you’re not too concerned about secondary behaviours. You’ll also need to figure out whether unethical behaviour is a big risk or not. Always set goals with caution, and discuss the steps needed to be taken. Do what you can to prevent unethical behaviour. Research has shown that having individuals do an activity because they find the work rewarding in and of itself is much more effective than doing it because they have been given a goal. In fact, being given that goals can undermine this intrinsic value of work.

Most business owners don’t realize the negative effect that goal setting can have on their business and the people within it. However, now that you are aware of when goals can go wrong and when they can actually work, you may be able to set more effective goals when you need them and get more done in the long run.

How will you set goals moving forward? Let us know!

The Most Common Causes Of Stress And How to Deal With Them

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success and a key focus is Health and Wellness. Stress effects a lot Americans, ultimately impacting their quality of life and health. How do you know if you have stress? The following contributed post is entitled, The Most Common Causes Of Stress And How to Deal With Them.

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Did you know that around 80% of American adults suffer from stress? Stress can be a positive thing, and some of us work better under pressure. However, in the vast of majority of cases, it has negative implications for both our physical and mental wellbeing. If you’re struggling to cope with stress, you’re not alone, but statistics don’t always provide comfort or reassurance. With stress such a prevalent factor in modern-day life, it’s useful to explore the most common causes of stress and look into practical measures and coping mechanisms that could prove beneficial.

The most common causes of stress
Stress affects us all of us to a degree at some point in our lives. There are endless reasons why people may experience stress, but some are much more common than others. Here are some examples of the most common causes of stress.

Work-related stress
Most of us are familiar with the feeling of sitting in a meeting and feeling like the information is sailing way over our heads or turning on our laptops to be inundated with emails. Often, work-related issues are associated with feeling like you have too much to do, or worrying that the jobs that are on the table in front of you are beyond your skill set or level of experience. Additional factors may include not getting on with your boss or a colleague, or working too many hours. If you’re leaving the house at 6am and not getting home until 10pm, there’s a clear lack of work-life balance.

If work is making you feel on edge or anxious, you’re struggling with your current workload, and you have issues with a certain person or a group of people, there are steps you can take to try and combat these problems and find solutions. If you’ve got too much on your plate, talk to your boss. It may be possible to get some help, to share projects with other members of staff or to adjust your schedule so that it gives you a better balance. Many people are choosing to work from home more, for example. If you have issues with colleagues or your employer, approach the subject with that person or ask your boss or a senior colleague for advice if you don’t want to dive straight in. Communication is often key in this instance, as the person you’re struggling with may be completely unaware of the way you feel or the way they’re behaving towards you.

Image via https://pixabay.com/en/work-stressed-accounts-man-working-2005640/

Relationship breakdown
Relationships can bring us down or build us up, and often, the links we have with people have a major bearing on our mental health. If you’re in a loving, secure relationship with a partner, this can make you feel like you’re on cloud nine. In contrast, if you’re arguing all the time, you put each other down, and you’ve lost sight of why you’re even together, this is bound to contribute to stress, as well as other emotions, such as anger, frustration and sadness. The breakdown of a relationship is never easy to cope with, but if you have children, you’re married, or you share properties, businesses or circles of friends, it can be particularly challenging and distressing. Even if you know in your heart of hearts that you’re making the right decision breaking up with your partner, it can cause you to be confronted with overwhelming emotions and a sense of grief.

If you’ve decided to go your separate ways, it’s wise to focus on your emotional recovery and your mental health, as well as trying to get organized and address practical measures. One of the best ways to eliminate stress related to the uncertainty of going through legal processes is finding an attorney with expertise in family law. Research firms and ask around for recommendations. Meet with your attorney, ask as many questions as you like, and gather information about what lies ahead. When it comes to dealing with your emotions, reach out to close friends and relatives, give yourself time to heal, and don’t blame yourself. When you’re ready to open up, you might find it beneficial to talk to a therapist or somebody close to you.

Picture credit https://pixabay.com/en/divorce-separation-relationship-908743/

Money worries
Money worries are among the most common causes of stress, especially among millennials. If you’re struggling to survive from one month to the next, you’ve got bills to pay, or you’re in debt and there doesn’t seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel, this can cause you to feel anxious and worried. It’s not always easy to deal with financial issues, but there are avenues that are worth exploring. If you’re finding it difficult to bridge the gap between paydays, or you tend to overspend without realizing, budgeting is an incredibly useful tool. You can use money management apps, spreadsheets or even a pen and paper to track what’s going into and out of your accounts and monitor spending. If you’re in debt, and you can’t seem to find a way out, it’s wise to seek help from a debt adviser or to get in touch with a charity that provides free information and guidance. There are options out there that you might not be aware of, and you’ll probably feel much better once you’ve you spoken to somebody about your situation.

If you’ve lost your job, or you only work part-time, think about ways you could boost your income. Register with recruitment agencies, upload your resume to job sites and consider a sideline. If you’ve got practical skills, creative talents or hobbies, for example, could you use those abilities and interests to supplement your income?

Image from https://www.flickr.com/photos/pictures-of-money/17123251389

Stress affects us all, and it can be hugely debilitating. If you’re prone to stress, or you’re worried that stress is taking over your life, don’t suffer in silence. Lean on friends and family for support, talk about how you feel, and seek out practical solutions. Talk to experts who have experience in helping people in the same boat as you, and don’t be afraid to seek medical help if you feel like you’ve tried every self-help technique in the book and you’re still struggling.

Renovate Your Office For A More Productive Environment

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success. No matter what your line of work is, having a productive work environment is critical. In order to do this, you must consider what’s important to your employees. The following contributed post is thus entitled, Renovate Your Office For A More Productive Environment.

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A productive environment is often the one thing a company lacks. Because it can either go one of two ways. It can either be super exciting and energetic, but with a lack of control that means employees rule the roost and do as they please, rather than it being a place of perfect balance. Or you get the offices that are just so boring and horrible to work in, that the lack of life leads to poor productivity. So when you have no clue how to really manage an office, and what you should be doing to make sure your employees are happy more than anything. Because if you want our first clue as to how to run an office, and how to make it super productive, you have to know that putting your employees happiness first, rather than ignoring it, is key. So, we want to show you how you can renovate your office to make it a place that harbours employees happiness, yet aims to be one of the most productive in the world.

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Employee Feedback

Employee feedback is so important if you wish to create an environment that’s perfect for all. Because at the top of the food chain, you might not have all of the information, and you won’t know what it is like to have to sit through a day in your office. Well, you won’t know what it is like for your employees, anyway. They could give you a really constructive idea as to how they think the office should be, and what it might be lacking at the minute. They could even give you criticism as to how you can renovate your management. Sometimes the people you put in charge just aren’t right for the job, and you won’t truly realise that until you get an insight into the people working for them. Sometimes better people in management is all you need.

The Life & Soul

It has to have life and soul in it if you want to make sure your office environment thrives, and the best way to do that is to have a complete overhaul, and make everything bright and interesting. You could get van hire for the day so that you can take all of your old things out and to where they need to go, and bring in anything new. You could also hire a painter and decorator to make sure the place ends up just the way you need it. We recommend using bright colours and features to brighten the place up a little, and using things like indoor plants to lift the mood. They have been proven to bring spirit and life to a room!

What Feeds Creativity

To feed creativity, you need to have space for your employees to relax, recharge, and then face the rest of the day. Having a great social area where people can put their feet up during breaks is so important. We also think you should have things like mood boards to help your employees brainstorm any ideas as they go.