Stress, pain, misery. Starting a small business sounds like fun. And it is, actually–fun, rewarding, and ultimately life-changing. But it’s also a huge undertaking, which shouldn’t be approached with a half-baked attitude. You’re not a candidate on The Apprentice, willing to stake your hopes and dreams on a comedy business plan that would be laughed out of any serious investor’s office. This is your life, and the livelihood of your family. It’s your chance to turn your idea into a reality.
It’s no coincidence that start-up similes almost always end up being about marathon runners. Of all the small businesses that make it, none have done so by luck. Getting off the blocks is one thing. Running the race to the finish line is quite another. You’ll need to do the business equivalent of training, eating right, and listening to the people who know how to push you further. And that process begins with a few home truths. Knowing what you’re getting into is the only way to understand what you’ll have to do to make it.
So get your mental gym shoes on, and come with us. We’re going on your first training run…
If you don’t believe in your brand, no-one else will. It’s the simplest, oldest and truest bit of wisdom in the small business playbook. You can’t pitch an idea you can’t get behind. And you can’t navigate through the tough times if you’re sailing a ship you don’t love. The simple reality of every start-up is this: if it’s going to succeed, you have to be able to convince investors, clients, and staff to come on board. If you can’t even convince yourself, it’s all over.
Doing the same stuff as all the other brands, but a little bit better? Same same but different isn’t good enough. For a start-up to make an impact, it’s got to offer a completely new way of solving consumer problems. For every successful small business, there are hundreds of ideas that didn’t make it off the drawing-board. Inspiration’s what you need, if you want to be a record-breaker.
Bigger, faster, harder, stronger? Not if you’re a start-up. Pump up your brand with unnecessary gear – flashy premises, a high-rolling lifestyle – and it’ll look great for about three minutes. But when the first emergency hits, and you’ve got no credit left to fall back on, all those show attributes will fall away faster than you can say ’24 miles to go’. No, the secret to long-term business success is to run like (you guessed it) a marathon expert. Actually, scratch that. An ultra-marathon expert. Steady, smooth, and conserving as many resources as you can. Endurance is your best asset when the road is long.
Many entrepreneurs start a small business with a view to selling it on. But the exit plan, while it’s a keynote for investors, shouldn’t be the reason you bring a start-up to life. The best businesses succeed because the people who started them created something they really wanted to own–and if they sold in the end, they did so because someone made them an offer they couldn’t refuse. Or they’d taken the company as far as they wanted to go, and it was time for fresh life to be injected into the brand.
If you’re not building something you’d want to keep, you’re not building with enough care.
It’s just business, they say, as they do something that in any other walk of life would be called unethical. But here’s the newsflash from the start-up world: an entrepreneur and her business are often the same thing. It’s not just business at all. It’s who you are, and how you want your clients and partners to perceive you.
When you build a small business, you’re frequently doing it for reasons that go beyond simple monetisation. You want something that’s different from the world of big business. A friendly way of doing things is part of your proposition. Competition is good, but underhandedness will bite you in the butt in the long run. Be nice (don’t confuse niceness with weakness, btw), and you’ll be treated nice. Get treated nice, and you might just survive.
Anything can be started in your spare time – but at some point, a successful hobby becomes a full-time commitment. The scary part is, all of a sudden you’re not dabbling with your start-up on the side. Now you’re out in the cold with no holiday pay, no sick pay, no PAYE and no clue. And you’ve got a whole lot of time to fill with a growing business.
The big question, to which there is no magic answer, is ‘how do I find the business to fill the time?’ This is the crux of every ‘shift moment’. The bit between having your idea and realising you’ve got a fully-functioning business is the bit that makes you or breaks you. And the first investment you put into it is more time, with no monetary return.
Simply speaking: you have to free up the time to chase the investors, perfect and market your product or service, and test your small business in the real world. And during those crucial months, you’ll need to give all of your working time to a project that probably isn’t making you any money.
No successful small business ever got off the ground without investment. Even if you start with nothing, and run on nothing for the first year, you need to start putting aside cash for the times you can’t do without it. Budgeting for a start-up isn’t just about controlling the financial factors you know about. It’s about squirrelling capital away for the mistakes that come out of nowhere.
The life of an entrepreneur is often stressful. But don’t confuse long days and impossible deadlines with the misguided belief that pain is good. Pain is painful, and stress hurts.
Ultimately, working every hour in every day and never having any fun will take you down, and your small business will go down with you. Successful businesses are run by people who are prepared for stress. They know it’s coming, and they have systems in place to deal with it. Time spent away from the office. Time spent with family. Stress makes you ill, and ill people can’t run start-up brands.
When you’re all alone in your garage, staring at the screen of a MacBook and wondering if you can afford a space heater, who’s going to help you see that you’re not crazy? A support network is the difference between a visionary and a crackpot. And it takes many forms. Your family and friends are there to give you the emotional support you need, as your small business takes its first nervous steps on its own. Professional networks are there to bounce ideas off, to share skills, and to offer expertise and practical advice. Find people who have been through the process of creating a start-up, and accept all the assistance they’re willing to give.
Kids running around screaming? TV on in the next room? Suddenly working from home isn’t looking so good. Wherever you locate your small business – home office, coworking space, cafe – atmosphere is vital. Good work happens when your professional space is separated from your domestic space. So no more working in the kitchen. Find a place you can dedicate to the creation of your idea. Surround yourself with the things that make you work better. Be tidy. A successful business has a home of its own, and that’s the place you go to be an entrepreneur. Kitchens are for making sandwiches, not business connections.
There. We’ve made it to the end of the first run together. There’ll be many more training miles to clock up before your small business is running smooth and steady. But with every piece of information you collect, and every connection you make, your stamina will rise and your technique will improve.
Every start-up post you read takes its metaphor and stretches it to breaking point. So I’m going to sign off with one more piece of–not advice exactly, but, well, I guess it’s a homespun truth to ease the pain of all that stretching down you’re doing right now. Here’s where the start-up becomes a different thing from a marathon runner, subjectively at least. Marathon runners will always tell you, with a faraway look in their eyes, that you run distance on your own. You don’t. Marathons are run with other people. That’s how you make it to the end. Look around you. Take advice from the brands and entrepreneurs that have travelled this route before. And good luck.
Ten things all professionals should master in 2017New Year, New You, right? Many apply this mantra to their personal life, but we also believe it could be applied to your professional life too. So we’ve provided you with some solid and achievable goals that should be on your list to master throughout 2017, to make it the best year yet for your professional development.
It can be easy to lose your creative sparkle once your daily workload begins to build. Many begin to push their blogs to one side, give up on writing that book or pop their paintbrush down for a little longer than they should. However, having a daily time slot where you can unleash your inner creativity will help clear your head, putting you in a better frame of mind for the day. You never know, you may also create something wonderful. Only time will tell.
A picture can often speak a thousand words, and in this ever growing visual world having the knowledge on how to create simple designs and images will make your life a lot easier. Even if you only master the basics on how to tweak or pull together small designs this year, it will put you in great stead for the coming years also. Why not get started and learn the basics in under 25 minutes?
Regardless of the type of environment, you work in; there’s no denying that a good working knowledge of Excel will make it easier. From keeping track of your finances to creating daily reports, having in-depth knowledge of Excel is a vital tool that every professional should master. To help you get started, take a look at this article.
Having the right team around you can make or break for many professionals, and one thing that is vital to master is hiring the right candidate. While many enlist specialist teams’ help with the recruitment process, knowing how to correctly hire for yourself is the best way to ensure you will be left with the best team. Knowing what you require from a candidate and picturing how they’ll fit within your team is essential for employee retention and general peace of working within your business.
Success is different for each professional, but having a clear vision of what you class as success and how you would measure it is extremely important. Take some time to consider what you would class as professional success, and look at a variety of ways you could measure it. Once you feel comfortable with one form of measurement, stick with it. A clear measuring tool will give you a great indication of the direction in which you’re heading.
Whether it’s taking on board feedback you’ve been given, factoring in changes in your chosen career or even just making a note of advice from family and friends. Set aside your emotional responses and take a step back to really absorb information from others in your life. Listening is an important part of communication, and often one of the toughest things to master.
Not only is skill sharing a way to help you develop professionally, but it also helps other people grow. Many of the skills we’ve learned and developed have been honed through the help of others, and being able to share skill sets and learn from others is a key cornerstone for professional success. Co-working is a great way to share skills in a relaxed and comfortable environment.
With lives getting busier and work demands growing, it can often feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day. Not only should you be working on ensuring all work is complete promptly, you should also focus on ensuring your work/life balance is equal. Remember, if you have a dedicated desk with Us&Co you have access to your space 24/7, allowing you to plan your days perfectly.
Many of us depend on our computers for our day to day lives, not to mention to thrive in our chosen business areas. Learning a handful of keyboard shortcuts will not only make your life easier but also help you amaze at your next board meeting. Here are some to get you sorted.
When you’re your own boss, it can often feel like saying no is a big faux pas and that you should be grabbing every opportunity that comes your way with both hands. However, saying yes too often can cause more problems than it will solve. Learning to say no occasionally will help ensure that you can manage your time better and help you focus on the items that truly matter.
Tackling each of these steps throughout the year will leave you ringing in 2018 ready to tackle anything the year has to throw at you.
5 easy new year’s resolutions you may actually keepWe’ve all been there, the clock strikes midnight and we enter the New Year full of optimism and motivation that the coming year will be “your year”. We get swept up in the moment and make a long list of resolutions, from quitting smoking to giving up chocolate and going to the gym 5 times a week. And we’ve all been there on the 15th January where these resolutions are already a thing of the past and totally not feasible. So why not make this year different? Set yourselves some quick and easy resolutions that you will actually keep and that could really help make 2017 YOUR YEAR.
Giving something back not only helps others and puts a smile on someone’s face but can also make you feel really great as well. It doesn’t have to include large sums of money, it can be anything from random acts of kindness like buying a round of coffees for your colleagues or taking home a baked treat to your neighbour, to donating a few hours of your spare time to a local charity at the weekend. Try it this week and see how it makes you feel.
As the age old saying goes “every day’s a school day”, you may not be a student anymore but that doesn’t mean the education has to stop. Take a few minutes out of your day and learn something new, even if it is just a random fact of the day (try googling “fact of the day” and see what comes up). Got a bit more time? Then why not start an online course, there are thousands out there from business management, to sign language, to mindfulness and well-being. Keep your brain active this year; remember knowledge is power.
Now this one is definitely easier said than done. We are all guilty of doing everything possible to avoid the task in hand. Quickly checking emails, writing a shopping list, making plans for the weekend, scrolling through Instagram, cleaning, whatever your crutch may be, make 2017 the year that you stop. Make a to-do list with realistic deadlines and deliberately pick the most unpleasant item first, to get them out of the way. Mange your technological distractions, limit how often you check your phone/emails; lock it in a drawer if you need to. And stick to completing one task before starting another. All of these things should slowly but surely help to cut down your time spent procrastinating. Try it this year; you know you’ll feel so much better after completing your to-do list.
The thought of switching off completely can fill some people with dread, and may not be totally practical for your work or social life. But taking baby steps to cutting down your technology use can really help to cleanse your mind and aid productivity. For example keep your bedroom tech-free, and avoid aimless scrolling right before bed. Alternatively why not try Freedom, an internet, social media and app blocker which works on phones, tablets and computers. It allows you to block certain websites and apps for particular times during the day, to help improve your focus and productivity.
It’s always important to look after number one, so make sure you find time to treat yourself this year. Whether that be buying yourself that pair of shoes you’ve had your eye on, a new book or the latest bit of tech. Big or small, treats of any size can help to keep a happy and healthy mind. You definitely can’t fail at this resolution.
Keep us up to date throughout the New Year with how you get on with these resolutions through on Facebook or Twitter and tell us how you’re making 2017 your year.
Write emails that always get a responsePeople like to feel special and important, which means your email should in turn make them feel that way. Always use the person’s name when beginning your email and try to slip in something that shows this email is tailored specifically to them. For example, if you know they like cycling, try asking if they’ve been on a bike ride recently. These personal touches will show the recipient that you care and took the time to email them, making them want to repay the favour.
People can often be put off by a long email not only because of the time it will take to read and digest but because they feel like they’ll have to send a long response back, which will use up more of their valuable time. Try and condense what you want to put across into as few words as possible. Make it snappy and to the point, allowing for a fast response. If you have a lot to say, maybe try to schedule a follow up call instead, at a time where you’re both free.
Aside from looking unprofessional, typos and mistakes make it seem like you don’t really care and haven’t put much attention to your email, and if that’s the case the person you’re emailing isn’t going to want to put the time into responding. Put your email through a spellchecker, read it out loud and if possible ask someone else to cast a glance over it.
Give the person you’re emailing a heads up so they know to look out for your email. If you know you’re going to be receiving an email, it’s easier to look out for it so that it doesn’t get lost in your inbox.
Could what you’re sending via email be said in a more efficient way? For example in person or over the phone? Whilst email may be the most used form of communication at the moment, you should never underestimate the power of a phone call or face to face meeting.
Seven free websites worth spending your time onProviding live-streamed online courses on a number of topics from web and app development to online marketing, with many of them free, Platzi can help widen your knowledge on a variety of different technological areas.
Mental Floss want to bring you interesting facts, trivia and information on things you didn’t know to help increase your knowledge whilst also putting a smile on your face; perfect to add to your small talk and pub quiz repertoire.
A global online learning community that is full of free, high-quality online education resources, ALISON helps empower you to continually improve. Add further strings to your bow by studying areas outside of your business area.
Devoted to ideas worth spreading, TED provides short videos on a wide range of subjects that can help inspire, educated and engage you with a new way of thinking. Many of them are less than ten minutes and can often leave you feeling motivated for hours.
Feed your curiosity and learn something new with Brain Pump’s extensive library of videos on topics ranging from Space to Food. If you feel like sharing your own knowledge, you’re also able to submit your own videos too.
A diverse selection of courses from universities and cultural institutions located all over the globe, FutureLearn believes in creating an enjoyable, social learning experience. Delivered one step at a time, and easily accessible from mobiles, tablets and desktop, it’s perfect for those who only have five minutes spare.
If you’ve ever wanted to learn a new language, here is your chance. BBC Languages provides courses and support to help you learn a wide range of different languages. You can listen to causes online, downloaded as an mp3. and also print it out to take with you, useful for a long commute or spare 5 minutes.
With a rapid number of businesses embracing the use of digital channels for communicating, it can often be difficult to find the time for face to face meetings. However this vital form of communication may appear to be, below we lay out why you shouldn’t discount this effective use of communication.
It‘s easy for things to be misconstrued when sent via email or through other forms of communication. When speaking face-to-face you’re able to pick up on a person’s body language, which more often than not, communicates what it is they’re actually saying. Turns out 93% of communication effectiveness is determined by non-verbal cues, making talking face-to-face more important than ever. By meeting face to face all people present should feel they are leaving the meeting on the same page, fully understanding what is needed. It can also prevent information from being taken the wrong way.
The use of online tools for correspondence has proved very useful for business success, due to the fact it’s quick, always on and not location dependent; however it can lack a personal touch. When you meet someone face to face, you can create a connection with the person in turn making the discussion more memorable. At the end of the day people do business with people, not entities.
Time is precious, and money, to many, especially an entrepreneur! Whilst it may appear that face to face meetings are less efficient and a drain on your precious time so are often cast aside in favour of sending multiple emails, they can actually be a more efficient use of your time. This is because face to face meetings tend to be shorter due to a greater pressure to get to the point, giving you more time to focus on the actions that derive from it.
A large majority of people are visual learners, which means following along with conversations over the phone make it easy for some people to miss a point and, at times, difficult to follow the conversation. Not only can people follow speakers visually in a face to face meeting, presentations can be displayed for clarification too; allowing everyone to leave on the same page.
Whilst conference calls are all well and good, you can’t always tell if people are giving you their full concentration, and emails present the issues of getting lost in overflowing inboxes. In a face to face meeting however, it’s much easier to tell who is listening and taking on board what you’re saying.
How to function on little to no sleepSleepless nights tend to frequent many an entrepreneur. From burning the midnight oil to restless nights worrying over events from the day, it can be hard ensuring you get your full recommended eight hours each night. Whilst we all know sleep is extremely important, and that you hopefully manage to squeeze in those vital hours, in this post we look at how you can still function on those days where sleep is all too lacking.
Whilst we’re aware that your day is likely to be chock full of important tasks, if possible, try and find 20 minutes in your day to have a catnap. It may seem like 20 minutes is not enough, however anymore could leave you feeling groggier than before. Find a quiet place, perhaps your car, a quiet corner of your work space, or you could even call a taxi and have it drive you around for 20 mins in silence (it may be extreme, but sleep is important!) and allow yourself to have a nap. Whilst it won’t make up for hours missed the night before, it should give you enough energy to make it through the day.
When functioning on little to no sleep it’s definitely not the right time for you to try and handle it all. Take that person who has offered their help in the past up on their offer. Find the person you trust most in your business to give you a helping hand with your day’s task. Asking for help is something you should always be doing, but when you’re running on very little steam, it’s vital to your business that you do so to make sure tasks get completed in time.
If you usually drive to your work space, consider taking another form of transport on days you’re feeling particularly drowsy. Not only is it not safe to drive when you’re tired, when using public transport you can find time to fit in a little snooze (see point one), or just take a moment to let your mind relax. The extra stress of trying to navigate rush hour traffic could leave you feeling even more exhausted then when you began the day.
Breaks should already be part of your everyday routine, but especially so when you’ve had little sleep the night before. For every hour, set aside ten minutes that will allow you to switch off, refocus and regroup. Not only will this help give your brain a breather, it will give you a fresh perspective on the job which you’re doing.
It’s no secret that vitamin D is an important vitamin that many of us are lacking; however on those days where your sleep has not been sufficient, it’s even more important that you up your dosage. Using one of your breaks, take some time to go outside and soak up some fresh air and (hopefully) sunshine. Whether the sun is shining or not, the fresh air will leave feeling more invigorated and awake.
Big, heavy, mainly carbohydrate based meals can leave you feeling sluggish, which is the last thing you want when you’re already lacking on sleep. Smaller meals filled with protein and wholegrains help to fuel your body and produce more energy, without those dreaded sugar crashes two hours later. Check out our previous post on eating yourself efficient (LINK) for interesting ways you can incorporate foods into your diet that will keep you going from morning till night.
We’ve spoken before on the importance of prioritising your day; however this is equally as important on days where you’ve had little sleep. Plan to tackle your biggest tasks in the morning, the time when you’ll have the most energy, and leave smaller tasks to the afternoon where your focus may be lacking. And don’t forget point two; if a task is too big, and too urgent to wait, ask for help!
The good thing about being an entrepreneur or working for yourself is that you can choose the hours in which you’re working. If you’re feeling too drained to continue, there is no shame in taking the afternoon off to recuperate, getting an early night and hitting the ground running the following day.
15 ted talks to fuel your entrepreneurial fireUnless you’ve been living under a rock for a while (or an extreme amount of paperwork) we’re sure you’re aware of the “ideas worth spreading” initiative that is TED. Uploading videos from speakers who come from all over the world, there is a plethora of content ready to inspire and teach you. Here we have found some of the best talks that will fuel your entrepreneurial fire.
In his talk ‘The Tribes We Lead’ Seth Godin discusses how marketing strategies have progressed from the ‘Factory Cycle’ and ‘Television Cycle’ to what he calls the ‘Tribe Idea’. The Tribe Idea comes from the theory that tribes have shaped and changed the world. In a tribe you find people you want to connect with and who want to connect with you; you don’t force people to do anything. Rather than inventing something and trying to sell it, you organise people and start a movement. Godin ends his talk by asking you three questions. Who are you upsetting? Who are you connecting? And who are you leading? There are people out there waiting for you to show them where to go, so go lead!
Navi Radjou is an innovation strategist who helps businesses with limited resources do more with less. In his talk ‘Creative Problem-Solving in the Face of Extreme Limits’ Radjou discusses the Hindu word “jugaad”. Jugaad means an improvised fix that is born in adversity, using what is most important to deal with what is scarce. In his frugal innovation revolution, Radjou shows plenty of examples of human inventiveness at work. Proving it’s not what you have, it’s what you do.
In this talk Ludwick Marishane, one of Google’s brightest young minds in the world, tells the story of how he created a life changing product just by using his Nokia 64 phone (shocking, we know). Watch as he tells his tale of business learning (people in adversity don’t buy in bulk, they buy in demand) and becomes the youngest patent holder in his country. He ends his inspiring speech by asking, what’s stopping you?! Which is a very good question.
There are leaders, and then there are people who lead. This is what Simon Sinek discusses in his talk on ‘How Great Leaders Inspire Action.’ Beginning his talk by discussing the ‘golden circle’(why, how and what) and examining how successful businesses operate, Sinek gives an insight into how certain brands are more successful than others. Spoiler, it’s to do with our brains. He then ends his speech discussing the components that make a great leader, something all entrepreneurs look to emulate.
In this short talk, watch as Derek Sivers talks you through a video that encompasses what it takes to start a movement, in less than three minutes. In this simple but effective video we see the importance of not just a leader beginning movements, but the impact of the first few followers that join them. Proof that if you have courage to pursue something you believe in, people will follow.
If your life were a book and you were the author, how would you want your story to go? This is the question Amy Purdy asks you in her talk. After losing both of her legs when she was 19, Amy has gone on to push off of the borders created for her and become a professional snowboarder. Her speech discusses how obstacles can do two things, stop you in our tracks or force you to get creative. Something all entrepreneurs should keep in mind!
Re-telling an anecdote of the moment he handed a woman a lollipop and in her words changed her life, Drew Dudley’s talk discusses what leadership really is. Instead of treating leadership as something we aspire to, something that’s frightening due to its power; he wants us to redefine what leadership is. It’s not money, power, titles and influence; it’s the ability to change just one person’s understanding of themselves. Definite food for thought.
Find yourself doubting your abilities and have 3 and a half minutes to spare? Then Richard St. John’s talk on the 8 secrets of success is something you need to watch. Condensing years of interviews with some of TED’s finest, he shares with you the real 8 secrets behind some of the world’s most successful people.
In this talk, Sarah Lewis helps distinguish mastery from success. Whilst success is what we all aspire to, without mastery we will be unable to continue to succeed. The art of the near win propels us in our ongoing quests, and Lewis believes that mastery is in the reaching not in arriving. She ends by discussing how true masters realise there is no end.
After founding a wide range of start-ups Bill Gross shares his secrets for start-up success. Looking into the 5 key elements that lead to success, Gross finds that timing, more often than not, ends up being the key factor. This video is a very interesting watch for entrepreneurs who are getting ready to take their first steps.
Author of the book ‘Eat, Pray, Love,’ Elizabeth Gilbert discusses how she overcame her fear of failure after her book became a best seller. After the success of her book ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ Gilbert felt that she had no way to win and even considered quitting writing. Her talk discusses how to generate motivation regardless of any negative outcomes, and how your creativity can survive its own success. Gilbert believes to do this; you need to find something you love more than you love yourself.
This easy to watch, humours talk, by Shawn Achor, helps us to consider how our brains are operating and help us to move forward in a positive way. Achor wants us to change the lens in which we view the world, as 75% of job success is due to positivity and optimism. If we live thinking happiness comes after success, happiness will always be over the cognitive horizon.
In his talk, Jason Fried discusses how you can make your office environment more productive, for both yourself and your employees. He discusses the main offenders to office productivity, M&Ms, whilst giving suggestions on how you can make your workplace more efficient.
Beginning a new business can often leave you with areas you hadn’t even considered before, going wrong. This video teaches you to embrace these issues and almost make your mistakes part of your brand. Renny Gleeson teaches you that the little things, done right, matter and that a simple mistake can either tell someone what you are not, or remind them why they love you.
When looking for business inspiration, you can’t go far wrong with a talk from Richard Branson. In this TED talk he discusses a wide variety of aspects about his business life, and gives insight into his entrepreneurial spirt. One of the most important takeaways from this talk comes right at the start where he discusses his thoughts that running a company is about finding the right people and inspiring them.
Productivity hacks to make better use of your timeNo one likes to feel flustered, and how often do we hear the words “there aren’t enough hours in the day”? Well our tips below can help you make better use of those precious hours and become a productivity powerhouse.
Find yourself always in meetings? Noticing that too often the conversation goes off topic? Why not try having your meetings standing up? We’ve all heard it before but it really works! Why? It’s because, quite honestly, no one likes to stand on their feet for too long, which means you’re far more inclined to get the job done and have your meeting wrapped up in no time.
Ok, by this we don’t mean just blurting out a straight out NO! What we’re talking about here is learning to say no to some of those ‘side of desk’ conversations when people ask you “…do you have 5 minutes to talk about…” If you’re in the middle of something, don’t let it distract you from what you are doing, simply say no and arrange a more suitable time.
Most of us get to the desk in the morning and write ourselves a to-do list, and sure, they can work. But what’s better?! Building yourself a schedule! Rather than a to-do list, a schedule will help you feel more in control of your time. If someone wants to book an appointment check your schedule and see where it will fit in without compromising your other tasks.
Decluttering your workspace is almost a form of therapy. An untidy desk can feel a little daunting but the process of clearing it up will not only make physical space but also help clear your headspace, giving you more time to focus on the good stuff.
Eating well will positively affect your productivity throughout the day. Getting the balance right can be tricky to begin with but you’ll soon begin to reap the benefits. All the usual applies, not too much caffeine, not too much sugar, more protein to keep those hunger pangs at bay, and enough water to keep you hydrated and switched on. You’re not going to get anywhere if you feel sluggish and lethargic. Find out the best places to eat near Us & Co and fuel your day the right way.
Overwhelmed by what you have to achieve in just one day? Take 5 minutes, stand up, take a walk and re-focus. According to research carried out by The Draugiem Group the average person should work for 52 minutes at a time. The regular breaks will help you tackle more when you’re at your desk.
Five steps to help you wake up ready to goWe all know waking up can be a daily struggle, and we also know that feeling refreshed after a good night’s sleep is conducive to a productive and successful day. In light of this we’ve put together five steps that help you wake up in the morning prepared to make the most out of the day ahead.
As soon as you finish work for the day, write yourself a list of jobs you need to accomplish the following day. By writing everything down at the end of the working day, you will already know what you have to achieve when you return to your desk the next morning. This can also help you clear your head and give you space to relax in the evening.
Preparation is the key to many business men and women’s success. Don’t just take our word for it, ask the most successful person you know, and we bet preparation is right up there with how they attribute their success. Before you go to bed (or as soon as you get home) prepare everything you need for the next day. Set out your clothes, pack your lunch and even make your breakfast. Not only does this mean you can spend extra precious minutes asleep, you can also start the day in a calm way knowing things are already taken care of.
Letting as much natural light into your bedroom as possible will help your body to wake up feeling naturally more refreshed in the morning. However, if you don’t have the luxury of being able to leave the curtains open for fear of flashing your neighbours why not try using daylight bulbs to give the illusion of natural light in your room. Turning on a lamp when you first wake up will help send signals to your brain that as it’s light out, it’s time to wake up.
As tempting as it may be to hit snooze in the morning, don’t! Instead, get up as soon as your alarm goes off. Hitting snooze doesn’t give you any beneficial sleep, but it does add to the groggy morning feeling we’re all accustomed to. Why not use the extra five minutes to do something productive or have some ‘me’ time?
Exercise is great at waking up the body, getting the blood flowing and leaving you ready and raring for the day ahead. Whilst finding the time for morning exercise may seem like a difficult task, the adrenaline and endorphin rush from getting up and going out will make you feel alert and refreshed for the rest of the day. If you really can’t find the time to get out and about, why not try some yoga whilst you’re still in bed instead?