How To Be Punctual At Work

Punctuality is something that seems to be gradually slipping away nowadays. Some people are described as being "fashionably late" and you could almost set your watch by the time others are late. But, even if your social life is always in arrears, punctuality at work is still important.


The thing is that making phone calls, producing reports and attending business meetings need to happen on time, otherwise all sorts of other schedules slip.


So how can you be more punctual at work?


It could be as simple as setting your watch ahead of time. This used to be a lot easier before Windows decided to correct for all those inaccurate built-in computer clocks but it may still be an option.


Set yourself an alarm before the deadline. You'll know how long it takes you to get ready for things like meetings - making sure all your notes are ready, that you've had a restroom break and that your caffeine levels are suitably adjusted. Then - rather than pressing snooze when the alarm goes off - make it a habit to start preparing immediately. If that's an issue, build in an extra five minutes (or whatever) "faffing around" time so that you still arrive before the deadline.


Aim to be early. That may be a completely new concept for you but it has the advantage of some built-in flexibility. If you're aiming to arrive, say, 2 minutes early then there's a bit of time that can be used if necessary to still arrive on time. Who knows, you might even start to enjoy not rushing around like the Mad Hatter.


Time yourself doing things. We often underestimate how long certain tasks take. If your mind thinks that something takes 3 minutes but it actually takes double that on a day where nothing "bad" gets in the way then you're facing a punctuality recipe for disaster. Timing yourself will take more time at first but once you begin to realize just how long things really take then you'll be better prepared to meet those deadlines.


Talking of deadlines, don't do what Douglas Adams did when he was alive - he once said that he loved the wooshing sound that deadlines make as they fly by. That's sort-of OK for someone who wrote funny prose for a living (and even then it probably didn't help his income) but not for serious business deadlines.


If your deadline involves a journey between where you currently are and where you need to be, build in some slack. Car journeys don't always run smoothly, planes and trains can happily ignore timetables on occasion. It's all right to be late once in a while because something unexpected happened but if you know that the roads always get busier at certain times of the day then it makes sense to build that in to your calculations and help yourself to be more punctual.
Overall, a lot of being punctual at work or elsewhere is habit. If you decide break your old habits and be more punctual in future then that's a good step to take.






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How Can You Manage Your Time - Online Success Tips

Your online success will depend highly on your ability to manage time. Most people starting in this business still have day jobs. Because of this, you must plan your day carefully in order to make significant progress. Assuming that you are still working, let's map your extra time.


If you sleep eight hours a night you only have sixteen left. Your job requires ten hours as you add preparation and travel time. You will then spent three hours per day with family and handling practical matters. With all of this said, most people only have three hours daily to run their online business. This is why proper time management is essential to your success. Here are a few things you can do to maximize your time.


1. Give yourself an extra hour by sleeping seven hours a night instead of eight.


Seven hours is enough sleep for most people. Waking up early will give you a competitive edge.


2. Set a specific time for leisure.


You will spent too much time at leisure if you don't schedule for it. I would recommend spending an hour at most for relaxation.


3. It is beneficial to set up a system.


The key is to do things at the same time daily. You set up a system of writing or networking every day at a certain time. Soon this will become automatic and it will be easier to work. This will allow you to do more in the same amount of time.


4. Maximize every second available.


Pay attention to the five or ten minutes in between activities. You could be waiting for a client for example. These small segments of time add up. Successful people use all of their time in a productive manner.


5. Get off your smart phone!


Your phone can be your biggest asset. However, it is also your biggest enemy. Most people are using their extra time to check Facebook, twitter, and to play games. It would be smarter to use your phone to read books, manage money, prepare business proposals and other productive things.


There is a great question to ask yourself before participating in any activity. "Am I doing something that has redeemable value?" In other words, are your actions in alignment with your goals? If not, then the action is a complete waste of time. You will be successful if you have the discipline to follow these principles.






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Are Time Wasters Sucking Your Profits Away?

Hear that? That's your profits going down the drain due to digital time wasters. These are online sites and media that suck us in and keep us hostage from focusing on more profitable endeavors. Digital time wasters include social bookmarking sites like Reddit, 9Gag and StumbleUpon, as well as some things we think are a  productive use of time like email, Twitter and Facebook.


But what often happens is we get on one of these sites, and before you realize it, you've consumed hours of your time - and you didn't even realize you got distracted.


But now is the time to get control of these time wasters. Just follow these five steps.


Step 1: Identify the Cause


Which digital time wasters are your biggest time sinks? The answer varies from person to person. Some people browse from joke to joke on 9gag, while others incessantly check email every hour. Some people spend far too much time on Facebook, while others are hooked on Pinterest.


Whatever it is for you, start by observing your own behaviors and identifying your biggest culprits.


Step 2: Set Specific Times to Check Them


The goal isn't to eliminate the browsing of these sites. Instead, the goal is to limit the checking of these sites to a manageable amount that doesn't distract from your day to day activities. Set a few specific times to check these sites. For example, you might check Facebook once before work, once at noon and after work as much as you like. Or you might check Reddit only once a day, at night.


I personally use my 'waiting' time to access these sites: when I wait for the school bus to arrive with my kids, when I am waiting for the teapot to boil, when I am waiting at a doctor's office. (You get the idea!)


Step 3: Let the World Know


The decision to stop these time wasters becomes much more powerful when you let the world know. Let your peers,virtual assistants, and your Facebook friends know that you'll no longer be checking email (or whatever site you chose) every hour.


People will help hold you accountable and make sure that you don't waste undue time on these sites.


Step 4: Block the Sites


This fourth step is optional. For people who have trouble with self-control and eliminating distractions of their own accord, one option is to simply block your computer from being able to access these sites. This works best for purely entertainment sites like Reddit or StumbleUpon, rather than facilities that you also need for work like email.


Step 5: Review and Improve


How has your productivity been since you implemented these changes? Take a look at your results after week one and see what happened.


Ask yourself: Is this sustainable? Can you keep your digital time wasters at this amount forever, or do you feel like you're being overly strict? On the flip side, do you think you need to be even stricter to achieve maximum productivity?


Remember, it takes 21 days to change a habit, so keep at it for the best results.






Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Are-Time-Wasters-Sucking-Your-Profits-Away?&id=6984426

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Time Management Tips - Empowered Compassion Actually Creates New Opportunities

Time management tips possess power to shake up your life, if you're willing to challenge yourself. Here's how to stretch for success.


Embrace Opposites to Welcome Challenge
Dramatic quality of life improvements can't be tacked onto the end of an unexamined day, like the tail in a childhood game of "Pin the Tail on the Donkey". Approaching things the same way you have for years will reliably give you... the same.


One of the most potent transformations embrace opposites. Then you create a new fusion of potentials. Empowered Compassion™ is such a concept.


Combine Yielding And Forcefulness
Tender and strong... This echoes the flow in your life when you take new risks, building from a base of solid inner balance.


Accepting yourself as you truly are, you pace yourself realistically.
Rejecting a veneer of false confidence, you open yourself to learn as you go.
Genuine self-empowerment embraces both realism and compassion. Your humanity and sensitivity are the basis of your strength. You easily and graciously refuse to be put on a pedestal or to take on superhuman challenges.


Engage Your Imagination
New ideas must move you deeply to change your life. What images arise when you hear the words, Empowered Compassion? Do you see yourself growing to meet a wider range of opportunities?


Exploring how you can bring Empowered Compassion into your life awakens potential. For a minute or two in the morning, before you enter the busiest part of the day, meditate on fresh possibilities. See yourself relating with Empowered Compassion in a situation you currently find stressful. What changes?


Allow Yin And Yang To Join Forces
As mentioned, Empowered Compassion derives its strength from its underlying paradox. Because Empowered Compassion embodies yin and yang - acceptance and striving - inhaling and exhaling, it's applicable almost everywhere.


Empowerment is the masculine, or yang, component. When you empower yourself, your core strengths keep you upright yet flexible, like toned core muscles.


You are defined and focused. Your boundaries protect the hours of your day as a force field of intentionality.
You know that solving problems supports your evolution.
You find pleasure in creating large and small goals.
You remain realistic and alert to life's constant changes.
Compassion is the feminine, receptive yin. It's extremely helpful to notice how it enhances your strength just as much as the yang - but in very different ways. Here are some examples:


Compassion provides a natural antidote to perfectionism. Self-acceptance overpowers a swarm of perfectionist pests like fearful people-pleasing, procrastination, and over-polishing work. Think of how that can free up both your energy and your time!
Because compassion sees and accepts everything without judging or punishing, it becomes easier for you to befriend and learn from mistakes. So you approach challenges with curiosity rather than fear.
Your empathy towards yourself and others helps you to create and maintain a balanced perspective.
To create opportunities that are big enough to engage you, call on all your strengths that lead to Empowered Compassion.


And to move toward your Heart-Based Time Success, sign up for our free gift, The Finding Time Success Kit. It includes "The New Finding Time Boundary Template: 9 Simple, Sequential Steps to Find More Time and Recharge Your Energy!" Using a workbook format, this powerful and practical time template will help you progress beyond disappointment and frustration and discover that 24 hours really are enough! Claim your free gift here: http://optimize.thetimefinder.com/template/


Offered by Paula Eder, Ph.D. The Time Finder Expert.
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Time management

Developing time management skills is a journey
that may begin with this Guide, but needs practice and other guidance along the way.


One goal is to help yourself become aware of how you use your time
as one resource in organizing, prioritizing, and succeeding in your studies
in the context of competing activities of friends, work, family, etc.


First: try our exercise in time management:
How do you spend your time each day?


Strategies on using time:
These applications of time management have proven to be effective as good study habits.


As we go through each strategy, jot down an idea of what each will look like for you:


Blocks of study time and breaks
As your school term begins and your course schedule is set, develop and plan for, blocks of study time in a typical week. Blocks ideally are around 50 minutes, but perhaps you become restless after only 30 minutes? Some difficult material may require more frequent breaks. Shorten your study blocks if necessary-but don't forget to return to the task at hand! What you do during your break should give you an opportunity to have a snack, relax, or otherwise refresh or re-energize yourself. For example, place blocks of time when you are most productive: are you a morning person or a night owl?
Jot down one best time block you can study. How long is it? What makes for a good break for you? Can you control the activity and return to your studies?


Dedicated study spaces
Determine a place free from distraction (no cell phone or text messaging!) where you can maximize your concentration and be free of the distractions that friends or hobbies can bring! You should also have a back-up space that you can escape to, like the library, departmental study center, even a coffee shop where you can be anonymous. A change of venue may also bring extra resources.
What is the best study space you can think of? What is another?


Weekly reviews
Weekly reviews and updates are also an important strategy. Each week, like a Sunday night, review your assignments, your notes, your calendar. Be mindful that as deadlines and exams approach, your weekly routine must adapt to them!
What is the best time in a week you can review?


Prioritize your assignments
When studying, get in the habit of beginning with the most difficult subject or task. You'll be fresh, and have more energy to take them on when you are at your best. For more difficult courses of study, try to be flexible: for example, build in reaction time when you can get feedback on assignments before they are due.
What subject has always caused you problems?


Achieve "stage one"--get something done!
The Chinese adage of the longest journey starting with a single step has a couple of meanings: First, you launch the project! Second, by starting, you may realize that there are some things you have not planned for in your process. Details of an assignment are not always evident until you begin the assignment. Another adage is that "perfection is the enemy of good", especially when it prevents you from starting! Given that you build in review, roughly draft your idea and get going! You will have time to edit and develop later.
What is a first step you can identify for an assignment to get yourself started?


Postpone unnecessary activities until the work is done!
Postpone tasks or routines that can be put off until your school work is finished! 
This can be the most difficult challenge of time management. As learners we always meet unexpected opportunities that look appealing, then result in poor performance on a test, on a paper, or in preparation for a task. Distracting activities will be more enjoyable later without the pressure of the test, assignment, etc. hanging over your head. Think in terms of pride of accomplishment. Instead of saying "no" learn to say "later".
What is one distraction that causes you to stop studying?


Identify resources to help you
Are there tutors? An expert friend? Have you tried a keyword search on the Internet to get better explanations? Are there specialists in the library that can point you to resources? What about professionals and professional organizations. Using outside resources can save you time and energy, and solve problems.
Write down three examples for that difficult subject above? 
Be as specific as possible.


Use your free time wisely
Think of times when you can study "bits" as when walking, riding the bus, etc. Perhaps you've got music to listen to for your course in music appreciation, or drills in language learning? If you are walking or biking to school, when best to listen? Perhaps you are in a line waiting? Perfect for routine tasks like flash cards, or if you can concentrate, to read or review a chapter. The bottom line is to put your time to good use.
What is one example of applying free time to your studies?


Review notes and readings just before class
This may prompt a question or two about something you don't quite understand, to ask about in class, or after. It also demonstrates to your teacher that you are interested and have prepared.
How would you make time to review?
Is there free time you can use?


Review lecture notes just after class
Then review lecture material immediately after class.
The first 24 hours are critical. Forgetting is greatest within 24 hours without review!
How would you do this?
Is there free time you can use?


Select one of the ten applications above.
and develop a new study habit! 
Try something you have a good chance of following through and accomplishing. 
Nothing succeeds like a first successful try!


Try the University of Minnesota's Assignment Calculator


Develop criteria for adjusting your schedule
to meet both your academic and non-academic needs


Effective aids:
Create a simple "To Do" list
This simple program will help you identify a few items, the reason for doing them, a timeline for getting them done, and then printing this simple list and posting it for reminders.
Daily/weekly planner
Write down appointments, classes, and meetings on a chronological log book or chart.
If you are more visual, sketch out your schedule
First thing in the morning, check what's ahead for the day
always go to sleep knowing you're prepared for tomorrow
Long term planner
Use a monthly chart so that you can plan ahead.
Long term planners will also serve as a reminder to constructively plan time for yourself


Source: http://www.studygs.net/timman.htm

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