If you are one of those people who are having problems concentrating at work and would like to know how to stay focused, this article might help. But sometimes, even if you are a person who has great focus at work, you can’t really get things done because of the workload, maybe it’s time for you to hire a personal assistant. However, when you want to dedicate yourself on finishing an important task and can’t concentrate too much, here are tips which can be helpful in getting you into the groove.

An organized workstation

There are many people who easily get distracted when they are working, especially those who want a quiet and clean environment while doing a task. One thing you will notice about organized people is that their productivity is much higher than those who work with a cluttered desk. Having an organized table or desk at work sends signals to our brain which tends to give a person better focus and concentration.

Have breaks

It is often advised to have short breaks every hour of work, this is for people who work in front of a computer for long periods of time. Staring at a computer for long hours can result in eye strain, fatigue, and headaches. Our brain is not designed like a computer, it needs rest, and a 5 to 10-minute break can help you focus again when it’s time to get back in front of your computer.

Do and think of one task at a time

Have you noticed that while you are doing a certain task and suddenly remember that you have another deadline to meet for tomorrow, you lose your focus on what you are doing? It really is not bad multi-tasking to meet deadlines, but how can you give your 100% percent on the task at hand if you are thinking of something else? Do one thing at a time, after accomplishing the first task, you can eventually go right next to the second.

Schedule

Scheduling gives you time to concentrate and eventually increase your productivity. Have your calendar marked with your tasks, or maybe set an alarm on your phone which will remind you of what task you have to finish within the hour or the day. You will be surprised that by having schedules on your tasks you will be able to concentrate and focus more.

Keep your smartphone away for a while

Nowadays, having a smartphone is a necessity, unlike in the old times where gadgets and cellular phones are not really that important. Today, phones are our best friends and companion. They give us joy and happiness that no one can, but in the staying focused at the job at hand, a smartphone will likely be a distraction, destroying your concentration while working.

One message from a friend who wants to chat with you could spell disaster. It’s okay to have your phone by your side at while at work, in case of emergencies, but you might want to keep it on silent mode and entertain chats and messages right after finishing a task.

Reward yourself

With all the hustle and bustle of everyday work as well as continuously working for weeks and months, you might need to have a break or might we say a nice vacation. There is nothing like having a good vacation to get away from work pressure, going to a place you have never been before. This way, you can clear your mind and get the pressure off your head, giving you a fresh and rejuvenated body before going back to work.

You may want to go shopping with some friends, buy some new things for yourself. Rewarding yourself gives a sense of satisfaction for all the work you have done which in turn will give you drive and focus towards work.

Find your perfect space

To employees who are working remotely, which includes virtual assistants and online professionals, there is nothing better than having your perfect spot for working. Some like it inside the house or inside their room, some like working on coffee shops with Wi-Fi zones sipping their favorite coffee drink while doing tasks. It just depends on the person whether they like to work in a crowded place or a confined and solemn place.

The important thing is to be comfortable with where you work with focus and concentration. Productivity lies with how comfortable you are with your workplace.

Find a nearby gym

Being healthy and fit is another factor for concentrating at work. You need to take good care of your body and health, exercise helps keep the body and health in shape. How can you stay focused on tasks if you’re not well? How can you concentrate if you’re sick? It just makes good sense on how exercise can help you do more at work.

Eat Healthily

Most people who work long hours in front of a computer especially in the office would munch on chips and junk foods. Why not eat healthily? Instead of munching on potato chips, try vegetables, fruits, nuts, some yogurt, or a protein bar. These are some of the best snacks to eat while working which provide healthy fats, protein, fiber, and undeniably filling without worrying about consuming too many calories.

Eating healthy food keeps your body in shape. There is a long line of healthy snacks to choose from, you can easily find them on the internet or might as well consult your medical health professional on what’s best for you.

With a fast-paced world, we are into, employees, workers, and even bosses and leaders are having a hard time concentrating on their tasks. It is a fact that we work really hard to give our families and especially ourselves everyday basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing, not to mention the “wants” which we all are aware of.

Conclusion

Concentration and focus should always be a priority when it comes to working, you can never have good results with what you do without these two factors. Nothing is better than having a clear mind, a comfortable workspace, and a distraction-free environment help get your productivity going. But for those who really don’t have the time get tasks done, those who have tasks piled-up and would not know what to do, help is always available, you don’t need to punish or push yourself to the limits.

Hire someone to help you out and you can always search the internet for people such personal assistants or virtual assistants for you to be able to do more of the things you love without worrying about deadlines and work schedules. Having a personal assistant can help you out on concentrating on other important things in your life. You need not worry about results because personal assistants are very knowledgeable and well-experienced in their scope of work, they can even assist you with personal or business tasks.

Don’t stress yourself with working too hard just to make ends meet and “burnout”. Being physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted can bring you down, creating more problems rather than positive results. Always stay on the positive side.

The post Awesome Tips to Focus and Concentrate Better at Work appeared first on Invoicebus Blog.

There is less of a chance that a person working happily at his or her job will make a precarious mistake. They also get more done in less time.

A qualified individual, who is compelled to work in an unhappy environment for a boss he or she does not sympathize with, is more of a liability than an asset. It is qualified people like these, which sometimes make the biggest mistakes at work and continue to do so.

So is there some secret sauce, which we can serve employees so that they will automatically be happy and more productive at work? No! However, there are a set of conditions, which an office environment can provide their employees for them to stay happy and productive. Keep reading to find out how.

1. Maintaining Flexibility at Work

All good bosses understand the importance of punctuality. Managers are mandatorily obliged to work with their employees’ performance schedules in mind. Some bosses severely reprimand their employees for the smallest mistake. Punctuality and performance are elementary to maintaining cost-cutting measures to boost business growth.

Retaining employees for a long-term by not reprimanding them severely in front of coworkers greatly reduces cost. It is important that employees see their bosses and managers as approachable and flexible. If something does seriously go wrong, this way, the managers will be the first to know. The manager will also be in a better position to take disciplinary action if the situation requires it.

2. Avoiding Grudges

Entrepreneurs understand that it takes time for a business to develop reliability and a reputation in the eyes of the consumer. They also understand that a simple mistake could have a negative impact on the business’s acclaim. This is the reason why managers remember which employees make mistakes performing specific tasks.

Although it is important to keep track of employee performance, there is no need to make it a public affair. Employees cannot be the complete Australian Master of their job without having to face evaluations. It is better to avoid bringing up employee mistakes repeatedly, once the employee evaluations are over.

3. Praising Staff Punctuality

Some employees always show up on time or at least 5 minutes before their shift start timings. No matter what happens, some employees always show up either just in time or 5 minutes late. It is due to the employees that frequently show up late, that the performance of employees who always show up on time takes a hit.

It is imperative that businesses use the best practices to schedule employees. Managers and bosses need to understand that a simple compliment can work wonders for the self-esteem of a punctual employee. This does not mean that the tardy employee’s earnings do not take a hit.

4. Providing Judicious Insight

The performance of each employee changes over time. In the real world, performance factors also change for businesses over time. A factor that was crucial for success six months ago may not be as viable today. The organization may be trying a new business approach in the face of new competition.

Employees constantly need to know whether their efforts are being successful or not. For the productive employee, this means hearing constant praise from the company Crowd Writer of evaluations. It also gives enthusiastic employees, making mistakes at work, a chance to change up their approach towards their performance.

5. Bosses Being Approachable

Managers take consequential decisions on a routine basis. Decisions need to be taken either to confront defeat or to ensure a safe path on the road of success. In both situations, the employees are the players who are facing the direct consequences of success or failure.

One of the habits of successful young entrepreneurs is that they are always approachable for their employees. This gives them a bird’s eye view of the situation at hand from both perspectives. It also gives managers the ability to make sound decisions, which convert into success for the business.

6. Endorsing Consistent Work Standards

Every workplace has these paradoxes, but this is the least talked about subject. Some employees are the manager’s favorites. There are also employees who, no matter what they do, always end up on the bad side. It might be because the lucky employees are related to the manager or went to the same institute together.

Learning from the habits of successful people, we find that failure to have consistent work standards for all of the employees leads to a new set of problems in the workplace. Work jealousy, bad communication, and office gossip are just some of the repercussions of not implementing consistent work standards equally for all employees.

7. Bosses Being Consistent & Persistent

This is the factor, which is of utmost importance for managers and supervisors in all fields of business. Being persistent means persevering in spite of all the obstacles and odds against you. An employee cannot be persistent in their negligence after being notified of the mistake.

Administrators and managers are the only designations, which can be persistent in their decisions. These people drive the business forward. It is not necessary that managers reveal all their intelligence to their employees. It is up to the manager to decide to reveal some of the intelligence in the mutual interest of gaining new insight.

8. Establishing Precise Goals

“I thought he was supposed to that, not me!” This leads to the most conflicts in an office. For a happy environment within the office, all of the employees need to be clear about their roles. In every job, there are certain understood rules and regulations or standard operating procedures, which may or may not be mentioned directly.

Make sure all the employees know exactly what they need to be doing from the time they clock-in to work to the time they get off. Not explaining anything leaves room for the worker to make their own decision. This ambiguity can cause chaos.

9. Remembering Employee Preferences

Some people like to work with other people, others prefer to work alone, and some people prefer to work on weekends. Each worker is just as unique as each individual’s personality. The efficiency of a person working in their desired circumstances increases.

To ensure a happy and productive environment at work, bosses need to understand that employees have lives outside the office. There is no harm in planning social events outside the office with the consent of employees. This will help the entire team to get to know each other better.

10. Involving Employees in the Decision-Making Process

To ensure that morale remains high in the office, the business needs to be productive and profitable. Some employees know more than they are held accountable for by their official job designation. These employees can help steer the business towards higher profits. Managers have a better insight on which employee could be productive to achieve a higher turnover.

Managers can conduct one-on-one meetings or brainstorming sessions online to help gain new insight on solving new business challenges. In the end, it is the management’s decision to decide which solution will be productive and effective in overcoming obstacles.

Conclusion

Ensuring employees remain happy is an easy way of boosting productivity. On the other hand, working in a depressing office environment is not only counterproductive but can also have serious side effects on a worker’s health. Employees continuously working in an unsatisfied working environment have serious health problems. The depression and strain on the mind have an overall negative effect on the body at a much earlier stage. Employees working in a negative working environment are also more likely to develop bad habits.

Employees working in a happy environment are more likely to come up with revolutionary ideas to help their customers. Happy employees are also more likely to share their experiences at work with people at home. This will have a positive effect on brand recognition. Workers working in a happy environment are more likely to show up for work rather than being absent. They are also more likely to stay with the same company for a longer time. This results in a significantly lower cost in comparison to hiring a new employee.

The post Keeping Your Employee Happy Is the Secret for Increased Productivity appeared first on Invoicebus Blog.

As any seasoned entrepreneur knows, though, when your business begins to take off in earnest, it doesn’t take long before unforeseen struggles and challenges begin to appear.

One of the greatest of these can simply be maintaining the positivity and momentum to keep things going over the long-haul. Emotional highs and financial successes are regularly offset by periods of discouragement and belt-tightening. Every time a customer gives you feedback on a “job well done,” another has a criticism or negative review. When you add in the complication of working with employees or professional collaborators on a regular basis, the emotions can become even more strained — and you certainly don’t want to be accused of fostering a hostile work environment.

Simply put, it can be challenging to stay focused and positive throughout all of the drama of the entrepreneurial life. If you find yourself struggling to maintain a positive mindset, though — either for yourself or within your company as a whole, don’t despair. There are many different ways for entrepreneurs to stir up some positive energy in the workplace.

1. Create a Positive Physical Space

If you want to foster things like positivity and productivity, it all starts with your workspace itself. If you set up shop in a dingy, dilapidated office park and expect your employees to simply show up and thrive, you’re likely to be severely disappointed. It’s critical that you take the actual environment of your employees into account if you want them to remain happy and productive.

There are numerous ways to practically go about setting up a workspace that’s beneficial to your employees. For instance, consider the color of the walls and try to incorporate things like blues and greens, which tend to boost productivity while enhancing a peaceful attitude. Make sure that the workspace is well-lit, as natural light is especially important for maintaining positive attitudes.

Keep the temperature and humidity at moderate levels, too. OSHA suggests between 68-76 degrees Fahrenheit and 20-60% humidity. Make sure to add some greenery to spruce things up and try to keep your employees equipped with ergonomically considerate equipment like chairs, keyboards, and so on.

2. Create a Positive Digital Space

If, as is often the case these days, you don’t have a physical workspace to tend to, there are still things you can do to keep your digital collaborative spaces positive. Make sure to do your research and select workflow platforms that are easy for your employees to use. Assuming that employees will intuitively know what to do can add stress and inhibit their work performance.

Also, consider how you’re going to communicate with your employees and collaborators. Emails and texts are efficient, but they’re not very personal. Consider integrating a more human element, such as a video chat or phone call, into your communications on a regular basis.

3. Take Your Team Out

One way to keep things fresh and exciting is to plan corporate outings from time to time. The break from the same old office setting can be a welcome change that helps to encourage moods and boost productivity. Group trips and events can also help to promote teamwork and camaraderie, both of which also factor into your overall work environment.

If you find that you’re running a tight operation with little cash in the budget for expensive or lavish corporate events, that doesn’t mean you’re out of options, either. Consider doing something local like an escape room or rent a larger vehicle and plan a short road trip to a nearby hot spot, park, or hiking trail.

4. Encourage Work-Life Balance

If you’re an entrepreneur, you already know that having a work-life balance is a critical part of finding and maintaining success. If you don’t have regular time to “turn off” from your business and recharge, you’re likely going to find yourself burning out before long.

The same principle applies to your employees and team members, as well. In fact, when it comes to employers, in particular, it’s crucial that you become an active voice of encouragement on the issue. If you push your employees to the point of exhaustion, they’re going to resent their work and their productivity will almost certainly suffer. If, on the other hand, employees feel supported by their employer to genuinely maintain a work-life balance, they’re likely to feel more positive, invested, and productive when working.

5. Demonstrate Authority

Remember that an incompetent boss can breed an intolerant workspace. It’s a concept that satirical entertainment like the comic strip Dilbert and NBC’s sitcom The Office have been highlighting for years.

As an entrepreneur, it’s part of your responsibility to remain informed and up to date on how to run your company, how to balance your budgets, how to maintain a creative vision for the future, and so on. Research and stretch your knowledge regularly, both generally and within your field. Then, demonstrate your business acumen within the office — not in a stuffy, pretentious manner, but with one that exhibits your authority and inspires your employees to follow suit.

6. Teach the Power of Taking Breaks

A boss who encourages taking breaks may seem counter-intuitive, but the science behind the concept speaks for itself. Research has shown that working on a task for 90-minute intervals is more productive than pushing for longer stints. Short, four and a half hour work days also tend to yield more positive results.

Of course, this isn’t a license to avoid work. During work time, interruptions should be minimized, notifications should be turned off, multitasking should be avoided, and deadlines should be adhered to. However, a well-rounded, positive work experience necessarily dictates that an employer publically recognize the usefulness of breaks utilized within reason. This empowers employees to work hard, be productive, and rest in between, all of which typically fosters a more positive overall atmosphere.

7. Empower Your Team

Everyone knows how frustrating being micromanaged by a superior can be. Having a boss looking over your shoulder, correcting you, and making you feel unsuitable to do your own job can be extremely discouraging.

However, that doesn’t change the fact that entrepreneurs, in particular, love to have a hand in every aspect of their company. It’s only natural. Which is why making a conscious effort to empower your team to make decisions on their own can be an important way to truly foster a positive, fulfilling atmosphere within your company. If your employees or collaborators feel that you respect them enough to trust them to do their tasks well, it will naturally lead to greater levels of commitment, positivity, and satisfaction.

As a practical way to implement this concept, consider integrating things like predictive analytics — an exploding market that’s expected to nearly triple in size between 2017 and 2022 — into your operations. This can be an excellent way to provide data that empowers your employees to make decisions without the need for continual oversight from yourself.

Conclusion

There are many different ways to foster a positive work environment within your company. Taking breaks, encouraging work-life balance, bonding as a team, creating positive workspaces, demonstrating authority, and empowering your employees can all make a tremendous difference in the atmosphere and environment of your company. While not every one of these suggestions is required, implementing any of them should go a long way in helping entrepreneurs to maintain a positive, upbeat attitude within their company.

The post 7 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Foster a Positive Work Environment appeared first on Invoicebus Blog.

There are so many ways to increase productivity in the workplace. This article will provide some insight as to how you can successfully improve your productivity at work. Here are 10 different ways you can do that:

1. Keep track of how much time you’re spending and limit yourself

According to some research, only about 17 percent of people can estimate the passage of time accurately. If you thought you were good at it, think again. Rescue Time is a tool that might be useful in this case. It lets you know just how much time you spent on your daily activities such as on social media, replying to emails, word processing, etc.

2. Set self-imposed deadlines

While stress, in general, is considered to be a bad thing, controlled levels of self-imposed stress can actually be productive. It helps you focus on the task at hand and stay motivated. When it comes to projects or work with no deadlines, try setting a deadline for yourself, and stick to it. You’ll be surprised yourself at how much more productive you can be when you’re on the clock.

3. Live in the present

Distraction is the greatest hindrance to productivity. It is almost impossible to pay your undivided attention to a task in today’s world. Even if you made yourself schedule things usually don’t go according to plan. Notifications on your phone or other people can easily distract you and keep you from staying on schedule. Living in the present and concentrating on what’s in front of you will better your productivity.

You may have heard this and it may be cliche to hear, but you should still be doing these two things- First, get rid of whatever has nothing to do with the task. For instance, your phone, the internet or people might be distracting you unless they are essential to your task. Unless they are, shut them down. Period.

4. Take regular breaks

While this may sound counterintuitive, taking breaks on a maintained schedule can improve focus and productivity. Research shows that when it comes to lengthy tasks, taking short breaks allows you to maintain your level of productivity. Whereas if you were to work at a stretch, your performance would obviously deteriorate over time.

5. Stop trying to multitask

Multitasking is considered to be an essential skill for high efficiency, but this may not necessarily be true. In fact, it might be the other way round! According to psychologists, trying to accomplish several tasks at once results in loss of time as well as productivity. Instead, try committing to a single task before moving onto the next.

6. Be proactive, not reactive

Don’t allow your day to be dictated by your environment. Incoming calls, messages, even the weather can influence your mood but you shouldn’t let it affect your day and the goals you’ve set out for yourself. You should set aside time for replying to messages and calling people back, but don’t let these things dictate your day. Try to have a plan at the beginning of the day and stick to it as best you can.

7. Turn off notifications

If you’ve tried and tried to stay away from your phone and still fail maybe you need to try a different strategy. No one can be expected to resist the allure of an email, voicemail, or text notification. During work hours, turn off your notifications, and instead, build in time to check email and messages. This is all part of being proactive rather than reactive (see number 6).

8. Work in 90-minute intervals

Florida State University researchers have discovered that the best performers are those who work in 90-minute intervals, and are more productive than those who work for longer than that at a stretch. Furthermore, they found that subjects work best when they work up to about four and a half hours a day. Sounds too good to be true.

As unlikely as it sounds, decorating your office space with aesthetically pleasing elements such as pictures, and plants, can up your productivity by as much as 15 percent. Spice up your workplace with small things that make you feel happy. It could be lights, pictures, quotes or just about anything you enjoy looking at (as long as it’s workplace appropriate of course).

9. Give yourself something nice to look at

As unlikely as it sounds, decorating your office space with aesthetically pleasing elements such as pictures, and plants, can up your productivity by as much as 15 percent. Spice up your workplace with small things that make you feel happy. It could be lights, pictures, quotes or just about anything you enjoy looking at (as long as it’s workplace appropriate of course).

10. Minimize interruptions as much as possible

Having a chat with a colleague even for just five minutes may seem harmless, but even such small interruptions affect your working pattern and result in a drop in productivity. While it’s impossible to avoid interruptions completely, you should try to minimize it to the best of your ability. This might mean keeping your door locked, putting your phone away, or for especially time-sensitive projects, working from home.

If you feel you must be more productive at work, putting in more hours at the office is not the way to go about it. Taking time to step back and think about how you can work smarter would be of more help.

11. Work faster and save time

When your boss tells you ‘time is money’, he means it in the most literal way a metaphorical phrase can be meant. It’s true that time is a valuable asset. This is why it’s important to be as productive as possible. Some would even go as far as to accuse you of ‘stealing’ company time otherwise.

In this competitive era, it is important to have management software in order to help give you an edge or at least keep up with the competition.

Any modern organization which aims to compete at the top level should invest in an ERP software which helps improve employee productivity, allows for better-informed decision making, smoother internal and external communication, and all these factors lead to better overall performance.

In order to have better competitiveness and achieve market success, it is essential that organizations optimize their business processes for better profit margins.

Keys to work faster and save time:

• Single database for reports and information.
• Rapid and better-informed decision making
• Effective customer service
• Portability

Keeping track of organizational activities, authorizations, and reviews, approve or deny pending permissions has never been easier, even outside of office hours.

Making employees more productive is the key motivation for implementing ERP software. Studies support the fact that at least 10% of companies who have implemented a new ERP system achieve their productivity goals. Needless to say, more productive employees are a valuable asset to any organization.

How ERP improves productivity

With a centralized database, you eliminate the need for backing up and updating data individually. Information can also be circulated throughout the organization much more efficiently, even at short notice. Repetitive and time-consuming tasks are reduced through automation. All these factors add to up to save your company a lot of valuable time. It might not seem like much, but imagine saving an hour, every day, for a year. However, the amount you save, it builds up. This allows you to free up time for other useful activities, boosting productivity.

Setting productivity goals is the first step to boosting productivity. Often businesses who have implemented ERP software fail to manage their tasks because they have no set goals. If you know what you’re shooting for, you’ll know when you’ve got it. Otherwise, you won’t have something to work towards. A well-defined metric for performance and assigned accountability goes a long way, though it might be difficult to quantify performance indicators. Reduction of errors and time spent on tasks that don’t add value are some possible performance metrics, among others.

Some areas where there will be a significant increase in performance are:

1. Improved customer service through improved processes

ERP systems these days are designed to facilitate faster and more efficient communication in response to changes. When it comes to retail customers, for example, especially online, it allows customers to cancel, update or make new orders, communicate those changes to the necessary databases such as updating stock, as well as appending shipping and invoices. Your employees are thus empowered to offer your customers a better customer experience.

2. Better informed decisions

Without an ERP system to facilitate decision making, they are made based on experience, gut instinct, and a lot of guesswork. A lot of valuable time is wasted on justification and redundant discussions. Thanks to an ERP software, your database is updated in real-time, keeping its integrity intact (no duplication of data or several versions of a single file), allowing for better decision making.

3. Higher employee morale

Technical difficulties and everyday struggles with tasks take a huge toll on productivity. In order to keep morale up, reduce the probability of errors, and make tasks easier to accomplish, a smoothly running system is essential. Although morale is not usually quantified as a metric, a happy employee is generally a productive employee.

Having an ERP software implemented also provides these additional benefits:

• Any information updated via the software is automatically updated for all employees, given they have access.
• Less manual labor in updating and propagating important information means more time is freed for doing more productive tasks. Improvements in decision making are imminent as more accurate information is available in real-time.
• Quality information results in more accurate predictions.
• Elimination of errors based on duplicities.
• Grant long-term profitability

An ERP business management system offers several advantages that allow companies to be more productive, in other words, accomplish more in less time. Any kind of edge over the competition should be taken advantage of in today’s competitive climate.

Conclusion

The probability of human errors is lessened thanks to processes being automated. You can save hours of precious time this way. Any accounts are matched automatically and updated in real-time, so there is no need to worry about such problems. If by chance an accounting error occurs, it can easily be traced back and located.

The post Productivity Tips to Achieve More in Less Time appeared first on Invoicebus Blog.

You begin each day with a plan to get so much done, but end up procrastinating or focusing on a less-important task. Productivity is all about efficiency. We’ve outlined five productivity techniques to make the most out of your day.

You must have heard the phrase, well the key is to work smarter, not harder. It’s not about the number of hours you put into work, but the amount of work you put in an hour.

That’s why a sound productivity system should be as simple as possible. In short, it should be able to do everything you need it to do and nothing more. The benefit of keeping things simple is that it gets the possibility of success high.

So how can you reduce your work with the system and increase your productivity? Let’s look at five simple solutions to become naturally productive and lower your stress level.

Shall we begin?

1. Do One Thing at a Time

Our human brains are not wired to multitask. Research has found that when we multitask, it, reduces our productivity by 40%. So we are only fooling ourselves when we say that we can efficiently juggle between lunch, presentations, and whatnot.

The key here is to stay focused on one task at a time, and then you will see how fast you end up completing work. This is because to make any meaningful progress, we need to give some time to focus and get into the flow.

Very often, we are tempted to switch to another work, especially when the task is a difficult one. But resist that urge and keep at the task at hand. It will help you enter the stage of flow and only increase your productivity than before.

In a nutshell, try to make a habit of committing to a single task before moving on to your next project. You can use tools like Timeular that helps you keep track of your time without losing focus. And lastly, don’t try to over-commit and only take the amount of work that is within your capacity.

2. Take Regular Breaks in Between Works

Contrary to what people say that taking breaks will make you lose concentration, it’s quite the opposite. We might think that working for long hours will help us get our work done faster, but we never work as well when we are exhausted. You will only notice a steady decline in your performance.

Working for long periods only leads to tiredness, stress, and decision fatigue, which ultimately affects your overall productivity. Some researches show that taking breaks during work hours helps in maintaining a constant level of performance. It helps in boosting your mood, creativity, and memory.

Take a 10-minute break every hour, and you will come back to your work with a fresh mind and eyes. You can also walk or stretch a little around the office, or spend 15 minutes grabbing some fresh evening air. It will help increase blood flow to your brain and allow you to focus much better.

Thus, you will get improved work results. And in the meantime, you won’t even have to sacrifice your health. So refuel your mind by taking frequent breaks and maximize your efficiency at work.

3. Eliminate Distractions When Working

It’s essential to remove any interruptions from your working environment as well as your working space. You can’t concentrate on your work if you have to answer your phone or talk to someone every 40 seconds.

Your colleague popping their head into your chamber while they walk by may seem harmless, but even a slight interruption can break your workflow and cause a drop in productivity. If there are any other distractions that you are unable to change, you should consider changing your location.

There are various distractions in your working space as well. Start by cleaning your desktop, get rid of items that can divert your attention. For instance, close the unnecessary programs running in the background, i.e. facebook, youtube, etc. that you might not need at those moments.

Nowadays social media is the most significant interference. A report states that a quarter of the average American’s work hours is spent browsing social media for non-work related activities. Continually checking your Twitter or Facebook feed for social media updates can bring a massive dip to your productivity. You can set a limit on the time you spend on social media or disable your app notifications to avoid interruptions.

To sum up, minimize disturbance by keeping your door closed, working from home for time-constraint projects, or keeping your phone on silent while working.

4. Reward Yourself to Stay Motivated

Having a to-do list for the day can help you stay focused and organized. Always create a to-do list before going to bed. It will give you a head start on your morning as you have already planned for the day. Also, try to keep it realistic by including not more than two to three tasks on the list.

So every time you complete those tasks, celebrate your small wins by rewarding yourself. It’s an excellent way to stay motivated and productive. It helps you reinforce positive behavior and eventually, it becomes a habit. And turning hard work into practice is probably the best way to be highly productive and stay persistent in your efforts.

That’s why many organizations even have credible employee review system and appraisal methods in place. It directly impacts the employee’s commitment to work and increases their efficiency and productivity. When the employees are confronted with their progress, they feel confident and encouraged.

Having some rewards to look forward to makes you work harder for it automatically. It makes you more motivated and driven.

5.  Follow Productivity System

Many of you might be unaware of this, but there is a diverse range of productivity systems and techniques.

To increase your productivity, you first need to have a productivity system in place. Don’t just choose any method, instead, try the techniques that appeal to your lifestyle and can adapt to any changes that occur in your life. It should be able to solve any productivity issues that you encounter.

Next, when you have a found a system, you need to turn your productive behavior into habits. Try to follow the techniques as best as you can every day. Once your productivity system becomes a habit, you will use it naturally without even thinking about it.

Some of these productivity techniques include:

• Jerry’s Seinfeld’s Don’t Break the Chain technique helps build productive habits by creating a chain of small wins every day.
• David Allen’s Getting Things Done technique is about the idea of moving planned tasks out of mind by recording them externally and breaking them into actionable items. It helps you stay clear of distractions and focus on your assignment, instead of trying to recall them.

You can tweak small changes to the already-existing system in your favor, so it becomes the best for you.

Conclusion

Becoming more productive will not happen overnight. You will need practice and a mindset change. Always start by making small changes and turn them into a new lifestyle.

Also, keep in mind that not every day will be going to be productive. So don’t beat yourself up over it. Implement these tips into your daily life and focus your energy where required. You will be surprised to know how many more things you can do both in and out of the office.

The post How to Keep Productivity Simple? appeared first on Invoicebus Blog.

One of the factors that contribute to workplace productivity is the surroundings. When employers mismanage and neglect the workplace environment, it can produce an adverse effect on how well the employees work. Just by making an effort to improve the office surroundings is good enough.

There are many simple changes an employer can make to improve office surroundings to foster productivity. Below are just some of these changes.

Color matters

Color has a significant effect on people’s behavior. Color psychology focuses on this concept and society incorporates this concept into a lot of things. Even advertisers and marketers take note of this concept in their jobs.

According to color psychology, certain color schemes can positively affect productivity in the office. Considering adding a healthy amount of blues and greens which are colors that help keep you calm while at the same time boosts your mental capacity.

Ergonomics is a must for office furniture

When a person is in a constant state of discomfort, this can make them fatigued at a faster rate than usual. Fatigued people are productive for a lesser amount of time and produce poor work quality in the end.

To help people work in comfort, it is essential that employers take into consideration the ergonomics of the office furniture. You can start by making sure that office chairs are comfortable to sit at and follow the natural shape of the spine. That is where a lot of employees spend most of their time, so office chairs are a good start.

Adjust the lighting in the office

A poorly lit office can appear gloomy and depressing which will affect the moods of people that work in the office. Aside from that, poor lighting can add stress to the eyes and tire it out quickly, especially when people are working in front of the computer often.

To avoid eye strain and to uplift people’s moods in the office, try to incorporate plenty of natural light inside the office. It can make your office appear more open and engaging and help aid employees’ productivity levels.

Bring freshness to the office with plants

Indoor air quality affects not only people’s health but also their level of focus. Some studies have shown that air pollution can negatively impact productivity, whether or not the poor air quality condition is apparent to the workers or not.

People may think that improving air quality requires purchasing some special air conditioner which is wrong. Buying more plants and placing them around the office is an economical and effective way of improving air quality in the office.

Keep the temperature at a pleasant level

According to a study on temperature levels and productivity in the office, a cooler office proves to be the ideal temperature for productivity but not as cool as people would usually believe.

Ideally, temperatures should stay within the 72 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit range so that people who tend to get cold easily don’t freeze. At the same time, it’s cold enough that the heat does not bother anyone who gets hot quickly.

Consider adding scents to the workplace

Another office change that can increase workplace and employee productivity is adding pleasant scents. Some studies have shown that aromatherapy can help reduce stress levels in the office which can make people more focused at work.

However, do be careful with adding scents in the office as it may have an adverse effect depending on the smell especially because some people may be more sensitive to it. Sticking to subtle scents is the key.

Install artworks in the office

An unexpected change in the office that can improve overall work productivity is the installation of artworks and art pieces in the office. Art can inspire creativity in people, and it lightens the atmosphere in any room.

Having a few art decors around is a great way to improve productivity. Plus, it can also be a way to promote your brand if you are smart about which artworks you plan on putting up.

Allow desk personalization

Another way to improve productivity in the office is to encourage employees to customize their desks to their liking. When people personalize their desks, it creates a private space for these individuals, and it really makes the place their own.

Having a private space allows one to have a space to focus and hone in on work better. Plus, it can discourage talkative neighbors from barging in on someone working when a place looks private and closed off in the first place.

Organize and try to eliminate clutter

The cleanliness of one’s office is an excellent indication of the treatment of employees. When an office is unruly, then the environment is not conducive to productivity and employees are less focused on their tasks.

Encourage employees to organize as they go along their day-to-day tasks and make waste bins available at all relevant areas in the office. When you encourage this behavior, there are fewer safety hazards for you and your employees.

Mind the noise level

With the rise of the open office layout in modern workplaces, there are fewer barriers that hinder noise from reaching people who are working. When a person is working in a noisy environment, studies show that they are significantly less productive.

To control this problem, make sure that there are sufficient noise-reducing measures taken in the office. This way, employees are less distracted and have the opportunity to be at their most dynamic form in the work week.

Maintain a clean and healthy work environment

Maintaining a clean work environment also fosters a healthy environment for work. Thus, it is essential that employers keep in mind the cleanliness of the workplace.

Always have the office regularly cleaned by professionals so that you know that the office is as clean as it should be. A clean environment is a healthy environment, and a healthy environment leads to less sick days for your employees which will significantly boost office productivity.

Provide a place to unwind

Many stressors in people’s lives can degrade productivity. Sometimes, people need a small amount of time to take a breather and recenter their focus and their thought processes.

By providing a place for relaxation beforehand, you are keeping your employees’ well-being in mind and encourage them to be at their best at work. A small rest can be an excellent way to boost employee productivity daily.

Conclusion

Proactive employers create the right kind of environment that not only improves productivity and betters work quality but also creates a solid support group for each member of the team. There are many simple office changes that employers can do to improve workplace productivity and few, if any, will make a dent in the wallet.

Productivity in the workplace affects both mental and physical factors, both of which influence each other as well. The changes listed above address both so you can be sure that these changes tackle productivity challenges from all angles.

With that said, good luck and have a productive day!

The post 12 Ways Employers Can Improve Office Surroundings to Boost Productivity appeared first on Invoicebus Blog.

Today, we will discuss several points and habits of successful people. And who knows, maybe they will help you gain your goals, or they will make you walk the steps towards achieving great success.

1. Minimize noise in your life

It doesn’t mean that you have to avoid loud places and people (of course you can, but that’s not the point). Try to understand it correctly – successful people never say phrases like “I will lose some weight”, “sometime I will make good money”. They think in another way, making clear aims “I will lose weight till next month going to the gym three times a week. Hello, give me a club card please”.

And it really works – if you are precise and concrete in your dreams and desires, you leave no space at all for the mental and physical stop. You can start making a plan and choose your own path.

2. Imagine those things you want to have

It is much easier to achieve goals if you have already visualized them. Do you want to have a business in IT sphere? Turn back to reality and write down all the steps you need to take to achieve your goal.

Just try to understand that it is a very important stage on your way. When you create an image of the final result and the steps you must take, you would get better in succeeding if you send positive energy which definitely increases your level of self-confidence. This allows you to focus on your goals and to play them like the movie in your head.

3.Concentrate on producing, not on working

If you already have your business and have an idea like “I’m going to work hard on my business”, then it is a fail and an immediate one.

Working hard and thinking too much you can spend too much time doing things that could be done faster, without all that over thinking and nerves. Try to understand that you have to work smarter, not harder.

4. Serve others

People divide into ones who consume and others who contribute. While consumers have options to choose a place where to buy, contributors don’t have a lot of opportunities to attract people to buy if the last were once upset because of the product.

A good example of it is a TV show of the famous American woman Oprah Winfrey. Why her show was that much popular? She was so much open and lived with a huge desire to serve her audience.

5. Don’t try to be perfect, try to be excellent

Try to realize that people who are running for perfection are in the huge loop of worrying about what other people will think about them. All this success is about finding your way. You are not perfect, and you can’t pretend to be – you are a human. But as you want to be a contributor, then you have to be excellent. You have to produce things that will be appreciated by consumers and will be bought.

6. Be uncomfortable

Strange advice, isn’t it? But it is the thing which will make you move. And that is probably the best advice of all previous and next ones. You have to start from honest conversations with the team members; you have to get out of your comfort zone and force your team to do the same. Yes, it is a huge stress, but if you are a leader who aspires achievements, you will find the balance. If someone leaves your team, then it is a weak person, who isn’t ready for success. Success is there, right behind the sleepless nights, and the big desire to make an excellent outcome.

Do you remember how did you start riding a bike? It was awkward and funny, you couldn’t find a balance and fell down. It was uncomfortable, someone left this deal and don’t know how to ride a bike even now. But do you remember that feeling when you finally got it? When you found the balance and ride your bike without the help of your grandfather or any other relative? It was awesome, isn’t it? The same is with your own business and success; you have to come across uncomfortable situations, in order to understand what it takes to be in the place you are now.

Having uncomfortable situations will scare you, and look like it is unnatural. But it is more unnatural to live without a dream, money, and aspirations in life.

7. Become completely honest with yourself

Once Michelle Obama said that the only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them. As businessmen/women we are performing things based on our dreams, maybe illusions. Being honest with yourself will show the mistakes you made, what still works and what stopped working.

8. Ask great questions

Always be curious about what you do, talk with people of the same industry, discover something new and ask questions. They also create reliable communication with clients, team members, and other entrepreneurs. You’re more likely to find your tribe when you are willing to ask questions and spark conversations.

9. Know yourself

There isn’t the fastest way to gain success in the world. Each situation is unique. Each person started working according to his/her own talents, skills and ‘fuel’. Of course, you can read a story of a man who wakes up early has a special diet and worked 18 hours a day. It could work for him, but it doesn’t mean you will have the same results. You are the person of other habits and destiny.

Conclusion

To sum it up, do what is good for you, discover the world, try to understand how things work and you will see that success is so much closer than you have thought.

The post Habits of Super Successful People and What You Can Learn From Them appeared first on Invoicebus Blog.

The proverb “Practice makes a man perfect” is totally relatable when you want to make changes to your lifestyle. No man can lead a sedentary, unproductive and uneventful life for long. It will only make him a couch potato, with lesser things to achieve or talk about. With a little effort, things can always change for the better. If you are looking for ways to change your lifestyle and make your days more productive, here are the best five personal habits that can make all the difference.

1. Practice meditation daily

According to a survey, people who meditate regularly are more independent and self-confident. Furthermore, 60% of anxiety-prone people have shown remarkable improvements in their anxiety levels after 6-9 months of daily meditation.

We all know that conflicting factors like anxiety and lack of confidence can bring down the level of productivity. You should certainly consider making time for meditation before you begin your day. It will gradually foster your peace of mind and promote good health.

2. Start your day with a healthy breakfast

Whole grain cereal breakfast is perhaps one of the most important meals of the day. According to a report, it has been found that there is a 20% decreased risk of hypertension among people who consume whole grain cereal breakfast. 93% of Americans agree that breakfast is the most important meal.

Breakfast is considered as one critical meal that can provide us with essential nutrients, providing us with an increased energy level. It goes without saying that positive energy and productivity go hand in hand. Skipping breakfast is a big NO-NO. Even if you have a busy professional schedule ahead of you, always make sure to eat your breakfast and start the day with a bang.

3. Realize the importance of sleep

It’s a common misconception among us that sleep is not an important activity. And this is where we go wrong. Sleep deprivation is directly associated with reduced productivity. Reportedly, 37.9% of people have admitted of unintentionally falling asleep during the day. Do you know drowsy driving is responsible for 1,550 fatalities and 40,000 non-fatal injuries annually? I guess you do not want yourself to be counted among these alarming figures.

A productive lifestyle is closely related to the amount of sleep you manage to get. One must consider sleeping for at least 7-8 hours a day. Overlooking its importance will only lead to a disorganized lifestyle, along with the risk of suffering from chronic insomnia, digestion disorders, an increased level of stress and more.

4. Take short breaks throughout the day

You might think taking breaks will only increase the burden of finishing tasks on time. However, it will help you become more productive, focused and hooked on to the task at hand. When monotony strikes, you cannot expect the day to end pretty soon. People putting in too much effort and overdoing things out of hyper-professionalism are most likely to goof things up in the long term.

According to a report, the highest performing employees take breaks after every 52 minutes of work. This helps them to rejuvenate and refuel their mind with fresh ideas and makes them more productive. Now that you know the math, make sure to implement the same and consider taking significant short breaks in between your work.

5. Become a morning lark, and not a night owl

Embracing a morning routine is perhaps the best practice that can eventually help you to become more productive and successful. According to a study, a disciplined morning routine can keep you younger and provide positive energy. It can help to fight off stress and anxiety. Prof. Eric Miller, Managing Director of an online essay writer firm says …

I encourage my fellow employees to wake up early in the morning and start working on the essays with a fresh mind. I discourage their habit of pushing things unnecessarily and piling them up to complete all assignments by staying up late at night. It really doesn’t work that way. Morning persons are the best when it comes to leading a productive life.

Waking up early in the morning helps you to save enough time for yourself, arrange things accordingly, create a to-do list and set a schedule for the day. The idea is to wrap up your work for the day and refrain from taking your office tasks home.  Call it a night as the clock strikes 9. Follow the routine, and you will be twice happier, energetic, and productive.

6. Exercise regularly to get yourself moving

No, I am not asking you to hit the gym and beef up. You can always consider involving in physical activities that will boost your productivity. WHO has reportedly recommended that adults aged between 18 to 64 years should do least 150 minutes of moderate intensity psychical exercises weekly.

Here’s a list of the best physical exercises that will enhance your productivity:

• Dancing
• Swimming
• Cycling
• Running
• Free-hand exercise at home
• Brisk walking
• Playing basketball

Get more involved in physical activities to beat the stress. Productivity comes from effort, dedication and patience. Put in an effort to practice more of physical exercises and stay dedicatedly to your well being.

7. Learn something new every day

Mastering something new on a daily basis is undeniably one of the best things to do when you want to increase your productivity. Things that can bring in enlightenment are the things that can foster productivity as well. For example, you can learn how to play the guitar, and teach the same to a bunch of young adults during the hours of leisure. It can help you to become a learner and teacher at the same time.

Productivity cannot be confined to limited boundaries. Stay active and strive to improve your learning curve. It’s time to trigger the instinct of the go-getter in you.

Conclusion

Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new – Albert Einstein

Making your life more productive is no rocket science. There will be moments of self-doubt when you will fail to adapt to the changes and think of giving up. When the going gets rough, you should keep putting in efforts. A disciplined lifestyle is never too hard to attain. Once you train your mind to adapt to the changes, half the battle is already won!

The post 7 Personal Habits for a Productive Tomorrow appeared first on Invoicebus Blog.

Anyone who knows me has heard me talk endlessly about team building. Recently, I wrote on our Adventura blog about Exemplary Practices of Experiential Training and Development and how The Learning Methodology companies engage in work to either fulfill or undermine team building goals. In response to that article, a couple of questions popped up that sounded similar to: “We’re not really a touchy-feely kind of company.  What can we do to build/strengthen our teams?”

As I have said many times, the conversation of team building must begin at the base of Patrick Lencioni’s pyramid for highly functional teams – Trust. Pick the authors and leaders you respect and you’ll find those worth their salt suggest; trust is the first and most critical piece for building strong teams. But saying trust and self-awareness is important for your company is a bit like saying a foundation is important to building a house. It’s highly likely it was the first thing you thought of. But why is it the most important element? How can you assess trust within your team and what actionable steps can you take to build trust?

Trust IS the Foundation

I’m a fan of Patrick Lencioni and, especially, ‘The Five Dysfunctions of a Team’ which is widely considered one of the best books (Amazon Top 10 for Leadership Books) on team-building.  When coupled with the knowledge I gained at the University of New Hampshire and subsequent knowledge I gained working as a facilitator for Outward Bound and Project Adventure, it significantly shaped how I view, talk about, and go about building teams.

In the book, Patrick describes the 5 dysfunctions of a team and uses a pyramid to show the levels:

Trust is the foundation upon which everything else is built: the most important piece.  A lack of authentic trust prevents a team from true commitment, accountability, and results.

Along with the ‘Five Dysfunctions of a Team’, there are other notable books that are specifically about trust or discuss trust and its importance:

• Trust Works! By Ken Blanchard: High trust = lasting relationships
• The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey: High trust = high-performance
• The Trust Edge by David Horsager: High trust = foundation for genuine success
• Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek: High trust = Circle of Safety

All of them point to trust as an essential and fundamental piece of the puzzle – in business and in life.

Be more of yourself

Piggybacking off these thoughts and making it personal to myself, trust enables me to be more.  It enables me to:

• Accomplish more and do better work by getting feedback and synergizing
• Grow and learn more by allowing myself to be “open” and receive information
• Teach more and serve by letting me focus my attention on others
• Care more and empathize because I’m not constantly worried about protecting myself
• Be more human

Trust helps you accept deepening relationships and removes politics and silos from the workplace, creating an organization within which people feel safe. At its simplest, trust is a catalyst for your organization to be more: more nimble, more efficient, more effective.  It’s like oxygen for a successful team – one simply can’t exist without it.

As strange as it sounds though, it’s important that it is the right type of trust.

Let's be inbox friends!

Drop us your email to receive a weekly digest of our latest blog posts right in your inbox. We share knowledge on billing, invoicing, and how to succeed in your business.

Our newsletter comes out each Tuesday, it's spam-free and you can unsubscribe anytime with a click.

SUBSCRIBE!

Please check your inbox to confirm your subscription!

What Type of Trust is Needed?

There are two types of trust that are (possibly) present with teams: “common” trust and vulnerability-based trust.

“Common” Trust

The confidence/belief that a co-worker or team member won’t break generally accepted laws, norms, policies, etc.  It’s the trust that you extend to others that they won’t steal the computers if left in the office alone or deliberately corrupt the DB.

It’s the type of trust that we extend to each other when driving.  We “trust” people know the rules of the road, will stay on the right side and stop at red lights.

Without “common” trust, it would be very difficult to operate as a company (or society).  Belonging to the team typically grants you this type of trust. But is this trust enough? Some would say that it is, but in order to truly learn and grow, you need something more.

Vulnerability-Based Trust

A much deeper confidence that you can be vulnerable with teammates.  The belief that you can do things like take risks, ask for help, admit mistakes, or confront and hold others accountable without fear of retaliation, humiliation, or resentment.

This type of trust has to be earned and given.

Strong, high-performing teams base their entire foundation on vulnerability-based trust. It is this deeper trust and acceptance of oneself and others that allow for growth from mistakes, and the only way to learn and build an effective team is to grow. “Common” trust simply isn’t enough.

So, how do you build vulnerability-based trust?

How to Build Trust

Authors and leadership experts offer many great ways to build vulnerability-based trust.  Some of my favorites include:

“Go First”

As a leader, it is your job to model the behavior.  Be the first to “open up” and extend trust to others.  As Ken Blanchard says, “When you open up and share about yourself, you demonstrate a vulnerability that engenders trust.” It’s always smart to lead by example because you set the tone on how the team will deal with success and also a failure. If you don’t succeed on your first try, yet you keep your head high and continue to motivate your team, that effect will not go unnoticed by your team.

“Seek first  to understand, then to be understood”

From another of my favorite books, ”The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’”, this encourages you to listen with the intent to understand rather than with the intent to reply.  It’s not a competition; you have to be willing to stop thinking about winning and open up to considering someone else’s idea. Listen first, always. That’s why they say we’ve got two ears and one mouth, to listen twice as much as we speak.

Create a “Circle of Safety”

You do this by first, treating your people like people. Give them a sense of belonging, a shared purpose, some autonomy, and care for them.  People must feel cared for and safe to trust. Make yourself open, honest, and vulnerable, and others will follow suit as they see you being comfortable in your own skin. This, in turn, will create a feeling of safety for your team as they grow closer to one another and themselves.

Try any (or all) of the “13 Behaviors of High Trust” from ‘Speed of Trust’

Behaviors like, Talk Straight, Right Wrongs, and Keep Commitments.  All of these behaviors help you build trust and strengthen it.

Pick up the “Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Field Guide”

And try any of the exercises inside. Patrick offers a couple of them online for free: Personal Histories Exercise and Team Effectiveness Exercise

Share an experience together

As you know, I recommend any of the Adventura Workshops. Any time you actually get to practice being a successful team, you re-enforce the trust and strengthen the foundation.

Whichever method you choose, it’s important to understand that building trust is not a destination.  It’s ongoing, and you’re either building it up or tearing it down.

In Conclusion

Trust is the key to your success. If you effectively build trust between you and your team, you will begin to succeed at a more efficient and effective rate than ever before, all the while producing less in-house conflicts. Your team will begin to communicate in more effective ways, work in more effective ways, and overall live in a more effective way.

Building this trust in your team is one of the very first things you must prioritize when contemplating ways to grow and learn. Only when you can truly be your open, whole, vulnerable self can you begin to grow as an individual, and when you gather a team of individuals prepared to do so, you grow as a team. That’s why it’s important to build trust in your company. It is the glue that will bond your team together through thick and thin, allowing for success, growth, and learning.

The post Strong Teams Start with Trust: 5 Ways to Build Trust appeared first on Invoicebus Blog.

People who have a part-time job often can’t make ends meet, which is why they need to start doing another job. Also, when you have a family, sometimes even a full-time job won’t suffice to form a sustainable monthly budget.

These two situations are the most common reasons why some workers decide to take another job. Apart from that, there are also people who simply turn their hobby into an additional source of income. Whatever group of two-job employees you belong to, you need to put a lot of effort to organize your life properly. This guide should help improve your time management and your productivity in both jobs.

Check the employers’ terms

First and foremost, when you’re planning to start doing two jobs simultaneously, it’s vital to check if the terms of your employment with both employers. Most businesses have certain restrictions when it comes to their employees’ side jobs. Obviously, if you’re going to work in the same niche, but for a different employer, you might not be allowed to take the other job in the first place.

And even if there are no limitations regarding side jobs, you still might need to sign a non-disclosure agreement or confidentiality agreement with both companies. That way, they won’t ban you from taking additional positions, but you’ll be obliged to keep some business matters in secret.

This is why it’s much more convenient to take on a side job in a niche that’s completely different from your basic/first field of work. For instance, if you’re a teacher, the other engagement could be a translation project, rather than moonlighting in another school. Similarly, a Web developer could make an extra money as a tourist guide, rather than working night shifts for another IT-company, plus it’s healthier.

Hold the reins of your time

When your day is divided between two jobs, you can’t afford wasting a single hour. If you have obligations in both positions every day, it’s extremely important to take a few minutes and plan every day in advance. When you sit down and visualize all the duties you have to do, it will be easier to make a proper schedule.

Planning a day in advance

At the end of every workday, go through your tasks for the next day and create a sustainable timetable. For instance, if you need to commute to the business premises for each of these two jobs, it’s important to calculate the time you’ll need to get from one place to another. If possible, ask your boss at the job that you’re going to do later that day to let you come a bit later, as well. Of course, suggest that you can stay after work in case you don’t finish everything during the work hours. Additionally, making to-do lists for both your business and private affairs will help you cover all the bases.

Family matters

Ironically, people who have a family should be able to spend some time with their folks, and yet, they’re often the ones who need to have two jobs. But it’s crucial to know that family matters a lot, which is why you should squeeze your family matters into your daily schedule.

In line with that, try to make a pause between your two jobs, so as to spend some time with your kids. For instance, you can pick them up from school and have a meal with them. Talk to them about their day at school and let them know that they can count on you. Only two hours a day of such a routine will mean a lot to your kids, plus, you’ll be more eager to go to your second job.

Fill your financial cushion with side earnings

We’ve already stressed out that almost nobody takes up an additional job out of mere curiosity. More often than not, the two-job jugglers are people who need those both sources of income to scrape through.

Nevertheless, some bits of this additional income should be left aside as a financial cushion. Even if you don’t have a family, going the extra mile without putting at least some of these earnings aside isn’t a wise thing to do.

Naturally, you’ll have to sacrifice something to make those savings. For example, you can go to work by bike during warm and sunny seasons, given that you live in a climate that allows for such commuting. As a result, you’ll save some money that you’d spend on fuel. Also, it will be beneficial for your health.

Moreover, you could skip going out for a few nights a month. You can invite your friends to your place for a drink or dinner. These frugal pleasures might result in substantial savings at fund at the end of the year.

However, bear in mind that your additional earnings should be visible in your tax return, especially if one of your two jobs is owned by you. Therefore, try to cope with some nuts and bolts of putting small business accounting under control before you hit that road.

Let's be inbox friends!

Drop us your email to receive a weekly digest of our latest blog posts right in your inbox. We share knowledge on billing, invoicing, and how to succeed in your business.

Our newsletter comes out each Tuesday, it's spam-free and you can unsubscribe anytime with a click.

SUBSCRIBE!

Please check your inbox to confirm your subscription!

Health and emotional challenges

Sleep deprivation, irregular meals and the lack of physical activity are only some health drawbacks of double-tasking. Logically, if you’re trying to squeeze two jobs into a 24-hour day, you’ll eventually start suffering from sleep deprivation. This is even more probable if you’re combining a full-time job and a side engagement.

The segmented sleep routine

One way to get more sleep is to introduce the segmented sleep routine. In a nutshell, you sleep whenever you don’t have to work or do family errands. For instance, a short nap on your commuting bus is a great way to get some extra sleep. Still, don’t do that if you listen to our advice and go to work by bike.

Further, you can try to work one night and sleep the next one. This uneven work schedule might keep you up to date for a while.

Preparing meals on a weekly basis

You can’t lead a productive, two-job life if you eat fast food. While you can have a slice of pizza or a burger once in a while, your diet should consist of proper meals.

What you can do is spend a Saturday or Sunday morning preparing your meals for the entire week. Play some tutorials or podcasts related to your jobs and you won’t notice that you’ve already made the main meals for each day of the following week. Now pack them in separate plastic bags and put them into the freezer. When you get home from work, you can easily warm up one of these meals and eat healthy food in no time.

Families and single people can follow the same pattern to stay productive and still have healthy meals.

Short workout activities

If one or both of your work engagements are sedentary jobs, you’ll have more energy if you have at least some sort of physical activity.

For instance, you can work out and relax while commuting. While it won’t burn too many calories, it will help you refresh your mind and body.

Going to work on foot or by bike is another great way to stay fit while commuting.

On the other hand, if you do both your jobs from home, find at least 20 minutes a day to go for an energizing walk and do some stretching. As a result, you’ll sleep better and have more energy for your work tasks.

Take care of your social life

Those of us who have soulmate-colleagues might not have a need to hang out with people outside of work. However, many people do two jobs that don’t include any interaction with people, and social life is extremely important when it comes to working productivity.

Because of that, find at least two 1-hours lots per week, to have a coffee or take a walk with your friends. As a matter of fact, the latter option is even better if you generally don’t have time to work out.

Whatever you do, don’t exclude yourself from social activities, because they’ll inspire you to keep up the good work on both jobs.

Conclusion

Doing two jobs is a demanding lifestyle, but it can yield multiple benefits. It will keep you safe from losing an income source, as well as keep your personal cash flow in order. Also, having two business engagements will ensure a better quality of living for your family. Still, try to put some of these earnings aside and one day you might be able to stop doing one of these jobs. Finally, find balance between work, sleep and physical activity, so as to have enough energy and inspiration for all the things you do.

The post How to Juggle Two Jobs without Losing Your Mind appeared first on Invoicebus Blog.