 Image credit: Spencer Selover from Pexels When we are working, one of the biggest challenges that many of us face is procrastination. We have all been there. We know we have a big task to go and need to get it done, but somehow we find ourselves doing something else that is totally unrelated and probably a lot less important. You know exactly what you should be doing, but somehow keep putting it off. No matter the industry you work in, whether it be teaching or strategic planning services, it is important to get things done. Here are some top tips for how to stop procrastinating and make the most of the tasks that you have to do.
Get organised If you don't have a plan for what to do, you are much more likely to get distracted. Instead, set out exactly the steps you need to take and it will help you to achieve your goal. Write a list of everything that you need to do and put it in order of priority for when it needs to be completed by. If you have one big project then break it down into smaller, more manageable chunks. This will make the task seem a lot less daunting and easier to face. Don’t let yourself get distracted No matter how hard a worker you think you are, nobody can work their best when they are surrounded by distractions. In order to not let yourself procrastinate, get rid of anything around you that might tempt you not to work. For example, this could be your phone which is constantly pinging with notifications of messages and social media, your TV with shows on in the background, or even family members who might be at home if you are working from your home office. Try and find a quiet place where you can just get your head down and crack on with the task at hand. Be sure to take breaks If you don’t let yourself take breaks then you will soon get burnt out from the job that you are trying to do and get distracted. You will soon lose focus and won’t work as hard as you should. Let yourself have a break every couple of hours at least, where you get up, walk around and stretch your legs. A simple change of scenery can help to refresh your mind and make sure that you work through your task list a lot more efficiently. Remember the main person you will let down is you When you are putting off tasks that need to be done, it is important to remember that the main person you are letting down is you. While others might be relying on you, you will ultimately have to face the flack from not doing it correctly or submitting something in time. Remember this and how much easier and less stressed you will be if you complete the job you need to do, as soon as it comes in. These are just a few top tips to help you to stop procrastinating.
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 Image credit: Brett Jordan from Pexels Hands up here if you procrastinate? Come on be honest, there is no judgement here!
If you've ever put off a task that you know you really need to do, but instead found something else more shiny to distract yourself, its very possible that its not because you're lazy! The New York Times can tell you why procrastinating has nothing to do with self-control...  Image credit: Max Fischer from Pexels Trying to study and can’t concentrate? It’s possible that your surroundings could be having an impact on your ability to learn. Studies show that surroundings can affect our concentration and motivation. Below are some of the environmental factors to consider.
How comfortable is it? When we’re not comfortable, we’re likely to be distracted. It’s important that our learning environment is cosy so that we’re not constantly shuffling around. Make sure that you’re not studying from an uncomfortable chair. If you’re studying at home at a desk, consider buying yourself a height adjustable office chair. This will allow you to position yourself at the right height and will provide the lower back support that you need. What’s the lighting like? Poor lighting can make it harder to concentrate. Ideally, you want lots of natural light pouring in while you study - natural light can help to reduce anxiety and lift our mood more so than artificial light. Many schools have started looking into modular building hire, investing in purpose-built classrooms with lots of natural light. It’s worth noting that while natural light can improve concentration, it needs to be positioned correctly - if students are studying at computers, you should ideally avoid having a light source directly behind as this will cause screen glare. Instead light should be pouring in from in front or from the side. How noisy is it? Many of us are easily distracted by loud noises. At the same time, silence may increase anxiety levels - many of us need some background noise to concentrate. A good learning environment should have the right balance. When studying from home, choose a room that is fairly quiet where you haven’t got sounds like the TV or washing machine to distract you. Ambient sounds and low-volume music could be worth trying to see if concentration levels are improved. Is there a lot of clutter? Being surrounded by clutter can negatively affect concentration. You should consider whether your learning environment is tidy and organized - and if not what you can do to reduce clutter. Finding ways to store clutter away out of sight can help. When studying at home at a desk, try to keep your desk relatively tidy. Are the colours affecting your studies? There have been many studies into colour psychology when it comes to learning. Certain colours can be more suited to certain types of learning. Blue tends to be a good colour for improving concentration, while green can help to nurture creativity. Yellow can be an uplifting colour that is great in young kids’ classrooms. Red is a colour that is generally best avoided aside from heavily practical areas - it is an energising colour and may increase stress levels due to its association with dangers, making it ill-suited for study tasks that require concentration. In all cases, it’s better to use colours than it is to stick to neutral tones. Whites, greys and blacks are uninspiring, which could negatively affect concentration when it comes to creative tasks.  Image credit: Cliff Booth from Pexels Are you fed up with the daily grind? Of being answerable to someone else and turning the wheels of a corporate company that has little impact on your day-to-day life? Perhaps you need more freedom and flexibility from your work life. Your personal situation or home dynamic has changed and the 9-5 is no longer working for you. Or maybe you have just decided that now is the time to pursue a labour of love and do something you want to do to earn a living but you are not quite sure what that is. Here are some career inspiration ideas that can provide you with the opportunity to be your own boss.
A personal trainer If you have always had a flair for fitness and a love of training then why not apply your passion to personal training? PT courses can be found online or in-person up and down the country and offer prospective students all the tools, resources and accreditations they need to take on the role of PT. If you love fitness and wellbeing then what better option than to spend your day in the environment you love helping people to improve their fitness and health too. Marketing If you have a marketing or public relations background going solo and creating your own marketing agency can be a great move. If you know Active mail from Mailchimp and content marketing from SEO then why not use this to your advantage and be the boss, instead of an answer to one. With the explosion of social media and online marketing more and more businesses recognise the need to up their marketing game and need the professionals to help them do it. Outsourcing to marketing departments is growing amongst even the smallest of businesses - and the best bit is you already know how to market your marketing business effectively. Catering Maybe your passions lie in the kitchen. Did your love of baking step up a notch during lockdown? Or you have long dreamed of running a restaurant. If you have a flair for food then why not consider setting up a catering company? With catering becoming increasingly accessible more and more people are turning to paid caterers to supply the refreshments for parties, events and gatherings. What is more, the rise in food deliveries and takeaway services is really opening up the market for new online-based takeaway outlets. Maximise on this lifestyle shift and turn your pastime into a passion lead career. Life coaching Life is stressful and can be difficult to navigate and as such people are looking to life coaches to help them work their way through their busy, complex lives and achieve their personal goals. If you love to listen and help others then consider life coaching. You do not need any formal qualifications to set up as a life coach but obtaining some qualifications will make you more attractive to potential customers. You will also want to feel confident in your ability to really make a difference in other peoples lives. Online life coaching courses can be found easily and can be quick and inexpensive to complete. Public Speaking Public speaking is a phrase that scares so many but for others they thrive. The art of speaking face to face to a live audience now takes shape in many different ways in the modern world. Speaking to an audience, including pre-recorded speech delivered online, formal or informal as well even in front of TV cameras. Should you feel that you do need some guidance, this post over on RMH of Bangor describes the tools you need to deliver a speech that no one will forget. Whether the thought of public speaking is nerve wracking or just another thing you know you'll smash, its definitely a powerful way to connect with others.  Image credit: Alexander Mils from Pexels Many people talk about protecting your income for the unexpected and having savings for those "just in case" times in your life. But if you do not know when something will crop up, can you adequately prepare for it, and exactly how do you manage to sort your life and finances for something that may never happen?
The covid pandemic has already shown us how the world can change instantly, and many people have had their lives disrupted by the events that have transpired since early 2020. Few have been lucky enough to come out of this unscathed despite the end of the pandemic not even being in sight yet. Change Your Mindset If you think "it won't happen to me," then think again. This train of thought has tripped up many people in the past, both during and pre-pandemic times. While things might seem safe and secure now, things won't always be this way, and failing to plan is planning to fail, as they say. So change your mindset from it will never happen to what can I do if it does happen! Savings Having a reserve fund that you have been squirreling away can help to support you in times of financial strain. try to save at least 10% of your income each month, 20% if possible. Even having one month's worth of expenses saved up can take the immediate pressure off if something happened to you. While compassionate truck accident attorneys can help you put a claim in against a truck driver, this will take time, and even the smallest savings fund can be of use when you are unable to work. For example, say after that road traffic collision you needed to take 3 weeks off work. Would you get paid for this time? If you're like most people, you want to plan and make sure you're doing everything possible to save on your taxes. That's why the Swyftx crypto tax calculator is such a valuable tool. This easy-to-use calculator can help you save money on your taxes each year, and it's available for free on our website. Enter the information about your crypto transactions into the calculator, and it will do all the hard work for you! Plan Ahead Financial events such as house improvements, scheduled medical treatments, holiday expenditures, and vacations are expenses that should be anticipated throughout the year. These expenses can take a toll on your wallet, but with sound budgeting and money-saving habits, you can spend with confidence. Once you've eliminated the element of surprise from predicted annual spending, you've already enhanced your monthly income and expenditures. While a budget is typically thought of as a monthly blueprint for your finances, do not hesitate to plan farther ahead, which can be especially beneficial when your income is uncertain. By planning for the foreseeable, you increase your chances of avoiding financial calamity if something truly unexpected occurs. Protect Your Assets You work tirelessly throughout your life to grow and build your assets and money. Building a nest egg takes time, so safeguarding your assets is just as critical, especially when the unexpected occurs. If you have valuable personal things or collections, such as a wine collection or other collectibles, you can insure them to avoid paying out of pocket if they are damaged or destroyed. Not only will homeowners insurance and life insurance for seniors over 70 secure what you've fought so hard for, but they'll also assist ensure your family's financial security in the event you're no longer around. If you want extra protection, you can cover for accidents and disability at work, so in the event you are unable to work via one of these options, you can support yourself with a payout. Income protection can payout a percentage of your full-time wage if you cannot work for long periods. Even if this pays your essential bills and mortgage or rent, it is one less bill to worry about. For your family, you are seen as the asset to them that simply can not be replaced. Diversify Your Income To improve your savings capacity, one of two things must occur: either reducing your expenses or raising your income. Increase your income in various ways, including taking on part-time work or beginning a side hustle, requesting a raise from your present company, looking for a new job with higher compensation, or starting your own business. While starting a business or side hustle is not for everyone, increasing your wage through a work change may be a far more feasible option. Bear in mind that current research indicates that staying in the same employment for an extended period of time likely limits your earning potential. The extra income you generate can then be used as a support buffer in the event of emergencies. Protecting your income can look like different things to different people, and not everyone has the option to save a large lump sum each month. However, starting small can help you improve your finances and work towards a bigger goal to give you peace of mind that you will be ok if the unexpected happens. Even if just for a short while.  Image credit: Pixabay from Pexels Have you been thinking about moving across the world for your career? If the answer is yes, then you need to get ready to be able to do this properly. You can’t just up and leave at the drop of a hat, so things need to be planned out and sorted well before you can leave. In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the things that you are going to need to do, so keep reading if you would like to find out more.
Packing Up All Your Stuff The first thing that you are going to need to do is pack up all your stuff. You are going to need to take a lot of your stuff with you when you move, and you are also going to have to get rid of a lot of your items. You’re not going to want to take everything with you to a new country, especially if you are going to be seeing this as a new start for you. Pack things up and decide whether they are coming with you, getting sold or simply getting thrown out. It shouldn’t take too long to get all of this done if you work through it in an efficient manner. Make sure that you are only taking the things that you need, hold sentimental value, will help the transition or are needed for work. Finding Somewhere To Live You need to find somewhere to live in the new country you are going to. You can’t just go out there and stay in a hotel until you find somewhere as this is going to be super expensive. Instead, get ahead and find somewhere that you like before you even start packing. Once you figure out how much you can afford, you will be able to find somewhere that fits your budget nicely. Just make sure that when you are finding somewhere to live, it is close enough to the location of the business office you are going to be working at. Long commutes are not something you want, especially in a place you won’t know that well yet. Being Sure Of Your Job Finally, before you go, you need to be sure of the job that you have. You don’t want to move across the world only to find that you don’t actually like the job on offer. Or, that you do like the job but you don’t like the place. Companies like Origin Legal offer opportunities in places like Dubai, so if this is somewhere you would like make sure you look into this and others similar to this. We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the things that you are going to need to do in order to get ready to move across the world for your career. We wish you the very best of luck, and hope that you are happy when you arrive at your new home. |
Author - Chris
Author, Editor, Creator of Learn Develop Live Archives
July 2023
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