Creating Ecosystems of Success – Page 13

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.

Online Networking Success

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success, and key area of focus is Technology. Networking is an important part of anything you try to do these days whether it’s starting a business, starting a blog or writing a book. Knowing how to network online can be the one piece that puts your project over the top, and not knowing how to do so could kill it. The following contributed post is thus entitled, Online Networking Success.

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Networking is essential for any professional or business owner. Over the years, networking has changed considerably, with the vast majority being conducted online nowadays. But, are you networking effectively? There is a big difference between networking and simply liking other people’s posts or seeing how many connections you can get on LinkedIn. With that in mind, read on for five top tips for successful online networking.

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Start local – When you are first getting started with online networking, it is a good idea to stay local. You may think that this is counterintuitive. After all, isn’t the whole point of using the Internet to reach a global audience? While this is true, and there are many benefits to gain by reaching your immediate geography in some situations, there are advantages of starting in your own backyard. This means that you will build a social network and have a better shot of meeting face-to-face, which will help you to establish quality connections that you can build on.
Find a shared point of reference – When you are looking for people to connect with, it is good to look for something you have in common, for example, someone with the same causes or interested in volunteering, like Drew Fasy, clubs and organisations, previous employers, or your hometown. By referencing this when reaching out to the person, it gives them a reason to connect with you, offering a good conversation starter.
Have a clear reason for choosing the person in question – You need to have a clear reason for wanting to meet the person in question. The person will be more likely to give you some of their valuable time if you give them a reason why you need to meet them specifically.
Put some thought in – Before you meet with someone, you need to put some thought into what it is that you are asking for. This ensures that there is a clear structure and that the person you are meeting has a distinct idea of what it is you want and how/if they are able to assist. Don’t be vague – lines like “I want to pick your brain” or “I would like to meet you” just don’t work. Would you want to give someone your time if they simply said that?
Ask for the meeting – A valuable contact is not made by simply connecting with someone on LinkedIn. You need to talk to the person, preferably face-to-face, but if that is not possible, a video chat will suffice. This is the only way to learn from someone or get the help that you need.

So there you have it – some top tips to help you with online networking. As mentioned, online networking should be viewed as a starting point, you then need to connect with the person face-to-face. Of course, this is not always geographically possible, but with video chat available nowadays, you can use this instead.

5 Errors That Can Negatively Impact Your Future

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success. We all have the potential to be successful in life, though not everyone maximizes their potential. It’s important to be aware the many factors that can hold you back. The following contributed post is thus entitled, 5 Errors That Can Negatively Impact Your Future.

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Your future isn’t written in the stars. It is up to you to make it as good as you can. Alas, this is nearly always easier said than done. While we have all the tools to be the best version of ourselves, we also possess a few flaws that can make us the worst version of yourself. The trick is to be aware of them; if you understand some of the actions that can lead to a less than stellar future, then you’ll be better able to stay on the right path. We take a look at five examples below.

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Not Looking After Yourself

It might sound all good and well working as hard as you can to progress your business, but this is a false friend. If all you’re doing is working, then when are you dedicating time to work on the other sides of your being? A person who works twelve hours a day and has no outside activities will crash pretty quickly. A person who has a cut-off point, and makes time for hanging with friends, exercising, and cultivating their character will have the right, stable mindset needed to be a success.

Following the Lead of Others

They say that everyone is the average of the five people they spend the most time with. As such, it’s imperative that you’re surrounding yourself with people who are going to push you to be the type of person you want to be. Even friends that we know and like can have a negative impact on us. If they make a habit of engaging in reckless behavior, then you may suddenly find that you’re in need of a criminal defense lawyer. Few people go out in life believing they’re going to end up in trouble with the law, but by following the lead of others, that’s just where they end up.

Lack of Goal Setting

It is important that you live in the here and now. Little good can come from having your head too far in the past or the future. Yet while it’s worthwhile practicing mindfulness and experiencing what’s right in front of you, it’s imperative that you’re setting goals for the future. The future is going to come sooner rather than later, and if you haven’t made any plans, you might find that you’re stuck in a position that you’d rather not be in.

Dreaming Way Too Big

They say that you should dream as big as possible. And you should. But it’s important that you also have your feet firmly on the ground. Having big plans for the future will serve you well, but it’ll be your ability to do the boring aspects that move towards that dream that really counts.

Not Treating Other People Well

Finally, remember that you can’t reach the top by climbing over other people. You need to work with people – treat others well as you’re moving to the top, and they’ll be there to help you up again if you fall.

Inspiring Yourself Each & Every Day Is An Art, Not A Science

The first principle of my blog is “Creating Ecosystems of Success”. No matter whom it is, successful people tend to share and operate off a set of common traits. Many of them have discipline and have to ability to inspire themselves to continuously make progress and see their missions through to completion. The following contributed post is thus entitled, Inspiring Yourself Each & Every Day Is An Art, Not A Science.

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Discipline might be reduced to a science. It is the switch left on to complete the circuit of action, to say ‘yes’ to things that keep us going. It is the ability for that power circuit to connect, to continually feed itself. But if the discipline is the container of that energy, then inspiration is the raw electrical form of energy that flows throughout. Without focus, it can be chaotic. Properly directed, nurtured and sustained, it can be powerful.

Inspiration is as important as anything if you hope to be a successful business leader, or to simply achieve what you set your mind to. Nothing worthwhile in this world comes without some form of action, but it will mean little if you’re not feeling the process. Inspiration provides the fuel, but it can also help you use that forward momentums to push in the best directions possible.

Inspiring yourself each and every day is an art, not a science, with this advice, you should feel so too:

Those You Admire

Finding the stories of those you admire and staying routinely excited by them can help you not only learn the power of self-belief, confidence and creative thinking in the face of obstacles, but how you might be a trailblazer yourself. You might look to those who have succeeded from your cultural community, such as Cynthia Telles NUHW. You might look to world years, those in your industry whom you respect, or even friends who have qualities you would like to emulate. If you don’t have your heroes, it can be worthwhile finding some. Just keep in mind that these people are also fallible human beings, and they shouldn’t be made into an idol figure for you.

However, if you apply the correct mental classification to their story, you might find similarities that you can take inspiration from. This might help you realize that the challenges you need to overcome perhaps aren’t as targeted to you as you might have thought. Stories like this can get us over the hard days in our craft, or help us consider what is truly possible. Sometimes they can help us remind ourselves of just how good things can be provided you’re willing to work through the hard times here. It all makes a difference, so don’t be afraid to cater to that, as we all need a little pep talk from time to time, no matter how we find it.

Charting Your Progress

Charting your progress can be infinitely useful when it comes to finding the right path forward. Not only can this keep you measured, but it shows you how far you’ve come, clearly in front of you. When we make strides (however they are defined,) it’s easy to stay humble in our mindset. We might think it’s a matter of good luck or good networking. We might gain impostor syndrome, which can be hard to shake and slowly erode the confidence we might have to work with on a daily basis.

If you look at your progress clearly, you can often find the things you deserve to be proud of yourself for. They are likely much more numerous than you might expect, and absolutely deserve your attention if you’re careful enough to give it. Charting your progress might be done through viewing hard and fast business growth statistics, simply keeping a journal both professionally and privately, or simply taking the time to slow down and reflect once in a while.

Pushing Your Limits

Pushing your limits is often something we hear of when dealing with motivational advice online, but it can be hard to implement as a practical daily reality of our lives. We simply might not know where to start. But all of this uncertainty can be avoided if we just try hard with certain tasks we might be struggling with.

Reading around our subjects, staying committed, trying new things and thinking creatively are all examples of a new potential change we can make, and often make the most difference on a daily basis. Then, when pushing through and achieving a better result than before, we realize the push was completely worth it, and we feel renewed energy and confidence. This goes for almost any discipline in life, no matter what. Most people give around 40% of their effort on a daily basis. Be someone who hopes to enhance that number. Work smarter, and always dedicate yourself to improvement. Before long, you will be improved.

With these simple tips, inspiring yourself each and every day is sure to be a worthwhile venture.