Improving Productivity

It is common to feel unsatisfied when a work day ends, due to non-completion of work. It is difficult to stay productive and feel satisfied at the end of each work day. Productivity helps you add hours to your work schedule and here are some ways to increase your productivity:

1. Complete the most difficult tasks in the morning, while starting your day at work. Do not leave them for the last. Leaving them for later would simply drive your intent from pursuing them. Always take up the difficult, lengthy tasks in the morning and the shorter, simpler ones in the evening.
2. One of the most important factors behind not feeling productive is lack of love for one’s work. If you do not love what you do, chances are you will never feel charged up and inspired to do it. Always choose a profile of your liking.
3. Don’t think too much about the tasks given to you. Just start the work without giving it much thought, or without getting dreaded to complete a certain task.
4. There will be times when you wouldn’t be as productive and efficient as other days. Think of it as normal and don’t get too worked up thinking about it.
5. Try to stay away from the Internet. Of all things leading you to an unproductive day, the Internet is one of the biggest culprits.
6. By making a list and prioritising your tasks, you would be much better off in handling them than going ahead without any written plan. Feel in control of your work and don’t fret.
7. Half of the generation today is sleep deprived. Make sure you get enough sleep before starting your day. Sleep away to glory on weekends and make do for the time lost on the weekdays.
8. Find time to exercise daily, even if that means spending ten minutes stretching your muscles at home. After a eight- or nine-hour shift, our bodies need oxygen. And only a good night sleep and exercise can guarantee that. Stay in shape and say bye-bye to lethargy.

These are some of the suggestions that can make your life sorted and work easier. Follow these on a daily basis to increase your productivity at work and also at home. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to write and add on to the list.

Confident By Choice.

You must have read a zillion articles by now on how you should feel confident about yourself. Dalai Lama once said, “With realisation of one’s own potential and self confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.” We have a lot to learn from that quote. The lack of self confidence can hold you back from pursuing your dreams, as much as it can stop you from becoming successful in your endeavours. Confidence is an important life skill that needs to be developed. Confidence is neither arrogance nor being cocky. It is when a person has accepted himself/herself as he/she is, without trying to change anyone’s perception about them and without feeling any superior or inferior to anyone around them. It is very tricky to develop this skill because it demands one to be comfortable in their skin, which in today’s phoney times is rather difficult to attain. Many of us, who struggle with it and so feel the need to overcome it, are motivated to make it that which defines them and their life. Let’s see how with these simple steps you can not only become more confident but start thinking confidently too. Be Attentive: Pay attention to yourself, in everything that you do: talk, listen, walk, work, behave et al with confidence. Becoming aware of the self is one of the most important steps to building confidence in you. When Words Act as Windows: When one uses words like “maybe”, “I don’t know”, “let us see”, “I’m unsure”, “I’m guessing”, and others similar words and phrases, you are giving away a lot on your unsure and hence less-confident self. While you can mutter these words under your breath when awaiting significant news, don’t utter such words in front of anyone around you. Your Voice: A Powerful Tool: Have you listened to your own voice, ever? Do you know how powerful and impactful it is? Do you feel confident of speaking to somebody, using your voice as a tool to change the tonality of the conversation? Use your inner power to make an impact with your voice. Believe me, it is one of the most powerful tools you have to instil confidence in self. Decide On The Feet: Don’t be indecisive if asked to express your opinion. Don’t get caught up. Express your inner feelings clearly and swiftly. Be decisive! Don’t say things like, “I really liked the book, but. . .” Either you like it or you don’t. It is as simple as that. Love Thyself: Absolutely and most importantly: Love yourself! Do you think you are a good person? Can you stand the nature of your own body double? Love yourself because it is one of the greatest acts of confidence. There are many other steps like maintaining a good posture, letting go, living in the present moment, starting to say “No”, wearing clothes that make you feel good and confident, taking and giving away compliments generously, being yourself, etc. Contribute to the post by telling us in the comments’ sections steps you take to feel and think more confidently.

Curb Mindless Spending.

How you can keep from mindless spending in this age of plastic cards is a matter that needs addressing. We had written a post on how to not waste money when we came up with the idea of this blog, and on the request of our dear readers who wanted to read more on the subject, here we are blogging about it! Read both the posts in continuation to derive meaning.

Having a couple of cards in your wallet can make you feel richer by a few thousands, but do they actually make you richer? Well, just for a moment. We thought we should come up with some budgeting tips to cut back on your discretionary spending because everyone, no matter how hard they have tried, has stood guilty of not saving enough money. As well, many a time people start spending more money to support their habits, disempowering ones at that, therefore failing to realise if they are indeed wasting it in the process.

Let’s say that for a shopaholic or a smoker, the ones who happen to equate their spending as fair and are unable to beat the habit. Only being conscious of where to cut back can solve half of the problem. These are tried and tested ways to stop wasting your hard-earned money:

Plan: The most simple and effective way is to plan ahead of every month. So, what’s your priority for the coming month: Holidaying, Spending a Night Out, Birthday Gifts, DVDs, Eating Out, Food and Clothing, Rent, and so on. Decide on what’s most important for you and make your own spending decisions.

Question: Before making that big purchase, ask yourself some questions. Like “Can I afford it right now?”, “If I can, do I really need it at this moment?”, “Can it wait for another month?”, “Let’s go ahead with it, but I can at least check with other manufacturers before offering my card or cash. . .” Based on your answers, say a Yes or a No to the commodity you are out to buy.

Say No: Have a No Spend day twice in a month. That will not only help you keep a check on your daily spending, but also give you a feeling that you have saved some money. In hindsight, it might not come across as much helpful, but having about twelve No-Spend-Days in the period of six months can certainly help your pocket.

Save: One of the most rewarding ways is to save your money, little by little, every month. Put in your money in a fixed deposit or keep away a certain amount each month from spending. You would be surprised at how much you can actually save at the end of the year.

Contribute: Whatever little you can contribute toward your monthly ration (read home) expenses can put your money to good use, aside from making folks at home happier. Try it! There’s nothing better for your parents than seeing their children’s conscientious attitude toward home spends.

What are your tips to curb mindless spending? Share them with us in the comments.