Tag: Time

How To Make Sure That Your Days With Friends Are Memorable

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success, and a key focus is Health/Wellness. A key aspect of a happy life is spending time with friends and relatives. It’s important to consider how you can maximize your time with them. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Make Sure That Your Days With Friends Are Memorable.

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OK, so we know what you’re thinking. When you see your friends, all of the things that you do with them are memorable, right? And anyway, isn’t the most important thing that you can spend that time together, whether you’re doing the most exciting – or the most boring – things ever? Whilst this is true of friendship, you should also make sure that you can look back on your time together, and be sure that you all did some exciting things, rather than sitting in the same old seats, in the same old bar. It’s just not the same really, is it? Here’s how you can make your days with friends memorable.

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Go on a road trip

When it comes to making (and sometimes breaking) friendships, there really is nothing like a road trip. Figure out which ones of you are up for driving, and whose car you’re going to take, and get out there and experience things. The best conversations that you’ll have are in motels at 2am, or on the top of a mountain, looking out there at all of the stars. Sometimes, friendships are made a lot stronger by experiencing what the world has to offer together, and you will have to solve some problems together along the way. This is what will make you friends for life, so pick out a route, and get out there with your friends.

Join a sports team together

Another thing that undoubtedly makes your friendship stronger is joining a sports team together, and there is no level of comradery quite like those who are in the same team with each other. Perhaps you’re into baseball or basketball, or you want to try out a new sport? Why not get some golf gear from www.rockbottomgolf.com and see whether you can have some great fun out there on the course? If your friends are sporty then this is a great idea, and your successes and losses will really bring you together, and mark out some memorable days for the future. Try something new, and get your buddies on board!

Eating is important

OK, so eating is important for reasons related to staying alive, but it’s also an important part of any friendship. As Anthony Bourdain said (a little more eloquently), a meal doesn’t fix everything, but sitting across from somebody at dinner is one step of the way there. Sharing a meal together with your friends (and some drinks) is one of the best ways to catch up with one another, and to really spend your time enjoying each other’s company. No phones at this table, thanks, we’re having a good ol’ fashioned chin wag, and enough food to make us almost fall asleep in the restaurant. This is what friendship is all about.

So, if you want to make sure that your days with friends are memorable, then travel together, join a sports team, or simply just go out for dinner. You never know what’s going to happen, and that’s why it’s better to give your old haunts a miss for a while, in favor of something new!

Ways That Taking Your Business Digital Can Save Time And Money

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. In our current digital age, many tools are now used to conduct business and commerce. Not adapting and incorporating these new methods could ultimately cost you time and money. How do you not lose your competitive advantage? The following contributed post is entitled, Ways That Taking Your Business Digital Can Save Time And Money.

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Saving money is the goal of many businesses, especially smaller companies still looking to find their feet. Digital solutions can give your business a boost and help you to save time and money, freeing up both to focus on the more strategic side of your business. If you’re not making the most of digital technology for your business, take a look at some of the following ways that taking your business digital can help.

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Cloud working reduces clutter and commitment to an office

With cloud computing solutions, you can take your business anywhere, allowing you to easily work in any location. Cloud computing also helps you to work with employees in remote locations, making it easier to hire freelancers to help you carry out different business functions. Take a look at cloud storage solutions that will benefit your business and provide it with extra security at a low cost.

Turn your HR digital

Managing HR functions can be difficult, and with more importance being placed on personal data protection than ever before, you need to implement systems that will keep data secure and make HR easier to manage. The ServiceNow HR module is a useful tool for businesses that will make managing cases simple and makes it easier for employees to access vital information. Digital transformation can be a tricky process, but with the right system, the process becomes much simpler.

Embrace digital marketing

Traditional marketing methods are becoming more and more expensive. Television and press ads can be a large expense for businesses, with a shorter exposure period. Digital marketing, however, provides you with several possibilities to engage with audiences, at a much lower cost. With digital marketing, you can create campaigns easily according to your own budget, helping your business to save money.

Save on your travel costs

Traveling to meet clients, colleagues and conferences can soon eat into your budget, but it doesn’t have to. Using video conferencing services can change the way you do business, helping you to have face to face meetings without having to spend time or money traveling. The quality available from video conferences is amazing compared to what it was even a few years ago, helping to make communication easier for your business.

Use online project management tools for better productivity

Managing projects is easier than ever thanks to online project management tools. Manage deadlines, assign tasks, collaborate and more to help your projects run more smoothly. Project management tools are great for businesses of all sizes, and can boost productivity across your teams.

While there are benefits and dangers associated with technology, there’s no doubt that it can save time and money for your business. By exploring the different tools and applications that exist, you can find some excellent solutions for your business. Take advantage of free trials to help you choose the right digital solutions for your company, and let digital transform the way you work.

3 Software Programs and Apps That Can Improve Your Life, Rather than Steal Your Time

Two of the major focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Technology. While there is a danger in becoming too consumed by the new technologies available to us, many of them can help improve our lives. Which ones are particularly helpful? The following contributed post is thus entitled, 3 Software Programs and Apps That Can Improve Your Life, Rather than Steal Your Time.

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The modern world is rich in technology so advanced that it would have been unimaginable to the average person even just a few short decades ago.

No matter what our interests in life are, and no matter our jobs and hobbies, it’s possible to vanish down a bottomless rabbit hole of endless information, stimulation, and entertainment, at the drop of a hat.

But while many modern technologies have brought with them immense benefits — such as the ability to communicate with our loved ones on the other side of the world, or to acquire a Windows 10 pro key and create an entire business structure within days — there are plenty of downsides to be wary of.

There are predatory companies out there, and exploitative apps, games, and software programs that have been designed to hijack our consciousness and trap us in a psychological feedback loop.

Here are some examples of software and apps that can help you to improve your life, rather than just serving as a timesink.

RescueTime — to reduce procrastination and enhance your awareness of how you’re spending your time

If you’re even just so much as slightly inclined towards procrastination or a disorderly lifestyle, having a computer with an internet connection is something akin to leaving a hungry child unattended in a candy shop.

Human attention is easily hijacked by novelty, probably because in ancient days, noticing novel information could mean the difference between life and death. Is that odd shape in the pushes a vicious wild animal, or a tasty meal?

These days, Google, Youtube, and social media offer a never-ending stream of novelty, meaning we easily fall into a cycle of endless surfing.

RescueTime is a service and software program that can help to free you from that vicious cycle of procrastination and enhance your awareness of how you’re spending your time. It combines an activity tracker, with a web blocker, report system, and more.

Beeminder — to help you stick to productive behaviours and avoid unproductive ones

We are all largely defined by our habits, and we tend to revert to our familiar behaviour patterns whenever we zone out a bit or are put under stress.

For that reason, it’s a very good idea to carefully focus on developing productive behaviours, and avoiding unproductive ones. Repeated often enough, good acts become good habits, and bad acts become bad habits.

Beeminder is an innovative service that allows you to set habit goals, which you then commit to with your money. Every time you stray off course from your desired habit, you pay exponentially more in penalty fees.

You Need a Budget — to give you a clear bird’s eye perspective of, and control over, your financial life

Good financial management can be tricky, especially when it’s so easy to buy all kinds of glossy, attractively-advertised products online with a couple of mouse clicks.

You Need a Budget — also known as YNAB — is a budgeting tool build around the principle of “zero-based budgeting” and “giving every dollar a job”. It’s relatively straightforward to use, and it can give you a crystal clear perspective of what’s happening with your financial life.

That in turn, of course, gives you a lot more power over your financial life.

Where Your Business Is Wasting Time And What To Do About It

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success. Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Arguably our most valuable resource is time and the same is true for your business enterprise. It’s thus valuable to maximize time and not waste it. The following contributed post is entitled; Where Your Business Is Wasting Time And What To Do About It.

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Do you realize that your business could actually be wasting an inordinate amount of time? If you’re not actively making sure your business is being as productive as possible and making the most of time and other resources you have available, you might really struggle to make your business a success.

Below, we’re going to discuss why your business is wasting time and what you can do about it. Take a look and you’ll change your business for the better:

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You’re Still Doing Reports That Are No Longer Necessary
There’s a tendency in both public and private sector businesses to do reports more often than necessary. Compiling these reports is without question one of the biggest wastes of time and resources. Not only is time wasted when they are created, but by even looking at them and discussing them!

Using Social Media Too Often
You do need to use social media as a business, but if it isn’t being used properly then it’s just a huge waste of time. One specific mistake often made is that companies aren’t looking at the analytics of their social media promotion – if you’re not looking at this how will you ever know if it’s working? Algorithm changes are something you need to take into account too. This means analytics and data reporting are essential. Hiring a social media manager who has got to grips with all of this will be a huge help.

Not Updating Your Outdated Processes
Just because something worked when you started business 10 years ago doesn’t mean that it needs to be done in the same way today. If this is your attitude then you probably have a ton of outdated processes that need to be updated. There are likely all kinds of software and machinery that can help you to become more productive and efficient; letting computers take control of workflow management can save time, increase efficiency, and more.

You’re Not Outsourcing Correctly
Outsourcing correctly is imperative to your business. Business IT Consulting for example, can help your business to save a ton of time, as well as a fortune in terms of saved downtime. With the right partners you can make your business far more efficient. You have to get rid of the urge to keep everything in house, as this is never the most effective thing to do!

Communicating Too Much
If employees are always communicating by email or chat, it can be a waste of everybody’s time. Encouraging open communication is a must, but there’s a difference between communicating productively and communicating all day without really getting anything done. Make sure they know the difference. You shouldn’t micromanage or ban them from talking, but they should know how to do so effectively.

Are you wasting time in your business any of the above ways? What are you going to do about it? Leave your own thoughts below. Thanks for reading!

Spend Less Time Doing The Business Tasks You Hate

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. When starting any business enterprise, it’s important to be able to effectively manage your time so you can focus on the tasks that need your attention the most and not spend time tasks that don’t need it. The following contributed post is thus entitled; Spend Less Time Doing The Business Tasks You Hate.

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Whilst there are certain to be tasks within your job that you enjoy doing, there are also likely to be tasks that you dread – this could be anything from accounting to making phone calls. Fortunately, there could be ways to make these tasks easier and less daunting. Here are just a few ways to spend less time doing the tasks you hate.

Delegate them

If you have employees, one way to deal with these tasks could be to simply delegate them. Obviously, you want to ensure that your employees are capable of doing these tasks – if they’re not trained in this area or if they’re just as busy as you, delegating this task could be unfair and could result in it being done badly. There’s an art to delegating and the best employers know how to get the right balance. You should treat employees by giving them tasks they want to do from time to time. At the same time, you should also take on some of those difficult jobs to inspire your employees to do the same – if you’re not prepared to get your hands dirty, your employees may start to wonder why they should be expected to do so.

Outsource them

Another way to free up these tasks could be to outsource them to a professional that isn’t an employee. This could mean parting with a little extra cash, however by hiring a professional, you’re certain to get the job done competently. You can outsource practically anything nowadays. A few common tasks include office cleaning, marketing, accounting, IT support and legal support, however you can also outsource other tasks such as planning business trips, making phone calls and even answering emails. Always read testimonials and reviews before choosing a company to work with so that you get the quality service.

Automate them

Some tasks may be able to be performed by software. For example, it’s possible to build rotas and monitor work progress using software. It’s also possible to use software to automate invoices and bills – if you click here you’ll find one such programme. Such software may require paying a subscription fee, but this could be worth the added efficiency. You should always do your research before choosing software – this could include reading reviews online, attending software demos or downloading free trials.

Consolidate them

There could be tasks that can be streamlined to make them easier. This could include storing all your information in one place such as choosing one insurer with an all-in-one business package or going paperless so that all your files are digitally stored in one location. Whilst having lots of different options may save you money, it can sometimes make life confusing and could be making various admin tasks more gruelling.

What’s Stopping You From Seeing The Big Picture?

Some of the key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy and Money, and both Business and Entrepreneurship. Depending on what kind of business you’re starting, a major key is eventually working on the business as opposed to working in it as described in “The E-Myth” by Michael E. Gerber. This contributed post is thus entitled; What’s Stopping You From Seeing The Big Picture?

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The devil is in the details when it comes to your work but getting stuck in those details while trying to run a business can make you oblivious to the big picture. Without a little distance and perspective, it can be much harder to notice the biggest obstacles, the best potential strategies, and the solutions your team needs. How do you get the perspective you need when you’re constantly in the trenches with the rest of the team?

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No time at all
You have to make the time to work on your business, not just in it. Everyone has multiple responsibilities and a need to be able to juggle them. Being able to prioritize both your workload and your time can be crucial. Learn how to structure your workday, breaking it down into blocks of time that you can assign to multiple tasks. This way, you can find the time every day to take on the most crucial and urgent managerial or admin tasks while still leaving time free to strategize.

All the admin
If you’re taking care of all that administrative work yourself, you might never be able to find that time in the first place, however. There are a few steps to cut back on how much you have to deal with yourself. You can automate, using accounting, payroll, and HR software to take out the man hours necessary to keep all your systems up to date. For elements that need a human touch, like answering the phone, you might want to consider a virtual assistant, too.

Tech troubles
More and more businesses are relying more heavily on tech. They can help us unlock magnitudes more productivity, but the more we rely on them, the more our success becomes tied to them. If you’re spending a significant part of your working day solving tech issues, then managed IT services might be what you need. Not only can you use them to identify and solve problems much more quickly, but they could improve or build a network that makes you tech even more versatile and valuable.

Unempowered employees
If your team isn’t empowered to make their own decisions or work proactively, then a lot of your time is going to be spent babysitting them. This isn’t always necessarily their fault, but a result of a company culture that doesn’t encourage employees to be more engaged. You can change that by getting them more informed and involved in the overall objectives.

Not enough insight
Taking a bird’s eye view of the business can help you identify workflow issues and potential improvements to communication and cooperation. If you want to implement any strategy, however, you need to know how it looks on the ground, as well as the challenges your team faces. For that reason, you need to put an effective employee feedback loop in place.

Getting that perspective is crucial for a business owner but you should never forget what it’s like to work with the rest of the team, too. Their perspective can be just as helpful as yours.

Business Leaders – Are You Wasting Time?

Some of the key focuses of my blog are: Financial Literacy, Money, Business and Entrepreneurship. A key aspect of any successful business is the efficient use of time. The following contributed post is thus titled; Business Leaders – Are You Wasting Time?

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Wasting time is the number one ‘no-no’ when it comes to anything to do with business life. We hear that ‘time is money,’ and that’s no accident. Any business leader, at least those successful the world over, will have mastered the art of effectively using their time. Honing your own personal schedule is all very well and good, but when looking at the larger picture, your business may be telling you something else entirely. If your business is wasting time, even in small ways, its inefficiency can build and build in its aggregate form.

It might take time to inspect and fully make effective, but a business concerned with improving its growth and optimizing it’s process will need to cut out the fat sooner or later. Here are the places you might look first:

Payroll

Your payroll department is often the last thing you’ll establish when you’re starting to grow your firm. This is because a certain amount of employees may not warrant a dedicated specialist to come in and handle these hours, it might be that the manager or the owner takes care of this. This task is unlikely going to be the only one undertaken by the person responsible in this case. While you must always dedicated the correct amount of time to this task lest you make mistakes that can cost the satisfaction of the employee you have impeded, you can always implement time-saving options to help you deliver your duties well.

For example, using a service to create a paystub can help you organize dedicated formatting efforts for your payroll, both calculating and providing proof of income and charges to your employees routinely and with predictable formatting. This can be very helpful if dealing with a team of variant roles and variant hours worked, as templates can be saved and you can adjust via hours, salary or any other payment criteria your business has setup. Payroll can often be the most intense and important consideration to get right, so taking out any human error and providing a uniform formatting option of proof can help the person responsible take care of this task appropriately each time.

Dead Weight

None of us enjoy having dead weight on our time. This is perhaps one of the easiest ways to reduce total staff motivation, waste money on salaries and have to conduct time and money into the cleanup that a faulty staff member will need to cover them. This means that inspecting your staff routinely to ensure they’re working hard as per reasonable standards, that they are paying attention to your policies and security/safety protocols, as well as ensuring they care about the end result of their work can help you identify anyone who isn’t pulling their weight, or who is willfully neglecting it. In certain industries such as hospitality and retail, this can be quite a common occurrence. With a skilled, reasonable and rational eye, you can decide to conduct training efforts, motivate that person further, or let that person go.

With these two simple tips, you can cut plenty of wasted time from your schedule, and the larger flow of your business.

Your Five-Year Plan

Two of the principles of my blog are “Creating Ecosystems of Success” and “Long-Term Thinking and Delayed Gratification”. A key to being successful is looking into the future, setting goals and planning the steps towards achieving those goals. The following contributed post is thus entitled; Your Five-Year Plan.

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Do you often find yourself just going through the motions of your life, without any clear goals or targets? Just living life day to day, without purpose or focus? Many of us do. Then, a few years down the line, we look back at what we’ve achieved and find that nothing has changed. We still have debts, we still live in the same place, our relationship hasn’t developed or grown, we’re no closer to getting what we really want from our life, and our career has stalled.

Well, this happens when we don’t have a plan. You’re never going to hit your goals if you don’t have any. You get one life, you should be making the most of it. A five-year master plan can help you to do this. Five years is a great period of time. A lot can change in five years. Think about who you were five years ago, what you enjoyed doing, who your friends were. Now, look at your life today. In five years, we grow, we change, we start to enjoy different things, we meet a lot of people. You might eat differently, look after yourself more or less, and even go to bed at a different time. Five years is long enough to make massive changes and achieve a lot, but not too long that you can’t look ahead with focus and determination. So, here’s a look at how to create a five-year master plan to help you to develop and get what you want from life, as well as some ideas of things that you should include.

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The Benefits of a Five-Year Plan

If you are the kind of person that just lives day to day, you might not see the point of a five-year plan. But, it can have some definite benefits. It gives you focus. Instead of a general idea of what you want to do with your life, you’ll have clear and well-defined goals for all areas. Five-years means that you’ve still got time to be spontaneous and do what you want, as long as you get back to your plan and continue working towards your aims. It also helps you to prioritize, to stay on track, to keep motivated and to say no to things that would take you off course.

Merely sitting down and writing goals forces you to think about what you want and reflect on your choices so far. You are also statistically more likely to achieve things if you’ve written them down. Something about writing down a target makes it real and gives you a greater focus to achieve it.

How to Create One

Sit down and think about your life so far. Think about what your dreams were when you were younger, and if you still want the same things now. Then, write yourself a Wishlist. Think of your ultimate goals and dreams, no matter how outlandish they might seem. Write them all down. Even those that might take longer than five years to achieve.

Then, ask yourself why you want these things? Will hitting these goals make you happy or improve your quality of life? Try to picture your life if you reach these targets? Take some time to imagine your ideal life. Now, look at your list again, do you need to add or remove anything?

Now you’ve got the what’s and the why’s. It’s time to think about the how’s. This is potentially the most crucial part of your master plan. Without plans, your goals are vague and unreachable. Ask yourself what you can do to meet your targets, or to get significantly closer to them. Write these down too. Now, let’s take a look at some of the things that you might want to include.

Money

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Money is often a big part of our future plans, and your goals might depend heavily on your current financial situation and what you want from your future. If you need to borrow to help you achieve other goals, this is the website to help. If you need to save, or pay off debts, work out how much you need to save each year.

You might have something specific that you’d like to achieve financially, perhaps saving enough to start a business, or to buy a house. Or, you might want to improve your credit score and pay off your debts. Five years is long enough to make massive changes to your financial situation. Think about your goals and take the time to make a household budget to match.

Relationships

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Your relationships will also depend on where you are now and what you want in the future. If you are in a relationship, marriage and children might be in your near future. If not, you might want to think about meeting the right person and starting down the road to settling down.

Wherever you are romantically, there will be other relationships that you need to nurture. Make giving your friendships plenty of love and attention a goal. You might also want to rekindle old relationships, mend family feuds or meet new friends and expand your circle.

Career

Your career is a big one. Getting your career right can improve your financial situation and allow you to take more time for your relationships. Do you have any burning ambitions? Do you want to start your own business, or would you like to dive into a career change? If you are happy where you are now, you might just want to aim for a promotion or try to learn more about your industry to become more confident at work.

Health and Fitness

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Our health is something we often neglect when making plans for the future. Especially when we are young and healthy. But, it shouldn’t be. Your health and fitness are essential to a happy and long life. But, your goals don’t need to be huge. They might just be to carry on what you are doing or to make small improvements to your diet. Think about small, realistic changes that you can make that will improve your health and fitness.

Break it Down

Now you’ve got your five-year targets, you should think about breaking them down. A five-year master plan is fantastic, but it can be hard to stay focused when something is so far away. So, break it down and make plans for the year ahead. Thin about what you can do in the next 12 months to help you to reach your goals.