Get your brain in motion

Month: November 2017

Maximise your time

Maximising time is about properly prioritising things and doing what is really important. But how to do it? Here are some tips:

1) Work out where your time goes:  once you have identified those points in the day where time is clearly being wasted then this will assist you in setting priorities.

2) Set targets: having a firm idea of your targets will help you know where to put in all your efforts.

3) Compile a list to tick: free your mind by making a list of all the things that you need to do, that way you can look at it and tick stuff off as you go.

4) Get your priorities right: Avoid the temptation to do the easy stuff first, rather than the tasks that actually are the priorities.

5) Nail it first time: Do a job when you are in the mood for it, rather than trying to squeeze it in your day when you are tired or hungry as you’ll only end up doing half a job.

6) Don’t procrastinate: try to distance yourself from all those potential distractions that could put you off the tasks you should be doing.

7) Be organised: declutter your home and working environment and give everything a permanent place where you know you’ll be able to find it.

8) Delegate more: free up some time for yourself by enlisting others to do the tasks for you. Passing over tasks that someone else can do, particularly if they can do them quicker and better than you, makes sense.

9) Multi-task: by combining tasks well you can make the most of your available time.

10) Say ‘no’ more frequently: saying “no” will help you avoid overload and potential burnout and you won’t be dumped with additional tasks to look to delegate.

11) Avoid distractions: avoid those things that could distract you unnecessarily.

12) Take time out: taking time out will fully charge you both mentally and physically and you’ll be able to work more efficiently.

For more information, read the full article.

Time

Image source: Flickr –  Sean MacEntee (CC BY 2.0) 

Six Tips for better Work-Life Balance

Experts agree: the compounding stress from the never-ending workday is damaging. It can hurt relationships, health and overall happiness.

Here are some tips suggested by experts to help you find the balance that’s right for you:

1. Let go of perfectionism: the healthier option is to strive not for perfection, but for excellence.

2. Unplug: by not constantly reacting to the updates from work, you will develop a stronger habit of resilience.

3. Exercise and meditate: exercise, yoga or meditation are effective stress reducers. They pump feel-good endorphins through your body.

 

4. Limit time-wasting activities and people: identify what’s most important in your life and make sure it truly reflects your priorities. Then, draw firm boundaries so you can devote quality time to these high-priority people and activities.

 

5. Change the structure of your life: instead of trying to do it all, focus on activities you specialize in and value most. Delegate or outsource everything else.

6. Start small. Build from there: taking on too much too quickly is a recipe for failure, so start with small changes.

For more information read the full article.

Work_life_balance_rat_race

Image source: Wikimedia – By KVDP, Shokunin, Aungkarns – Own work  (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Five ways to listen better

Today we focus more on how to talk and less on how to listen Others. We spend roughly 60 percent of our communication time listening, but we’re not very good at it. We retain just 25 percent of what we hear. This is not trivial, because listening is our access to understanding. Conscious listening always creates understanding.

In this interesting TED Talk, Julian Treasure, sound consultant, shares five ways to re-tune our ears for conscious listening, to other people and the world around us.

EAR
 Image source: FlickrLucas Incas (CC BY 2.0)