All posts by John Hall

We’re in the midst of a pandemic. And, no. It’s not only the virus that has been changed in the world as we know it. I’m referring to something called information overload.

To be honest, this shouldn’t be a surprise. We make per day between the 35,000 choices and being plugged in 24/7; we’re burning ourselves out. And that is going to serious effect on our health, productivity, and bottom line.

But, what exactly is information overload? And what are the best ways to overcome it?

What’s information overload?

Interestingly, information overload isn’t a new concept. It’s actually been around for centuries. In particular, in the 3rd or 4th century BCE, when the writer of Ecclesiastes 12:12 griped that “of making books, there is no end.”

Throughout history, from the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution, there were similar complaints. However, the term itself wasn’t coined until 1964 with the work of Bertram Gross, the Professor of Political Science at Hunter College. In 1970, Alvin Toffler popularized the phrase with the release of his book “Future Shock.”

“Information overload occurs when the amount of input to a system exceeds its processing capacity,” writes Toffler. “Decision-makers have fairly limited cognitive processing capacity. Consequently, when information overload occurs, a reduction in decision quality will likely occur.”

In my opinion, that explanation still holds up decades later. But, if you want a more simplistic definition, this is exposure to excessive amounts of information or data. You can also blame everything from email, social media, podcasts, videos, and workplace requests for this phenomenon.

Why is information overload a problem?

Information overload isn’t just a modern-day inconvenience. It can actually impact our health and well-being. In fact, research has found some troubling stats:

• 25 percent of workers experienced significant stress and poor health due to the volume of information required to process.
• 36 percent of managers reported poor health due to the excessive information they were required to process in the workplace.
• 68 percent of those managers felt information overload had had a negative impact on their personal and professional relationships.

Even managers aren’t spared. According to the report “The ‘Too Much Information’ Age: What CIOs Can Do About It,” 42% of IT managers admitted that they’re bombarded by too much information. Additionally, 39% stated they couldn’t determine what information was accurate, and 21% didn’t know the value.

Moreover, information overload can hurt your productivity, performance, and collaboration with others. That should be obvious when you’re not 100% emotionally, mentally, and physically. But, this is also due to the fact this can cause our brains to shut down.

Back in 2011, it was found that when people “reach cognitive and information overload,” brain activity plummets as if a circuit popped. Additionally, they became frustrated and began making poor decisions.

Meanwhile, in the workplace, you have to deal with constant distractions, pointless meetings, busy work, and endless updates. That’s asking your brain to remember a lot of information in the course of a day.

And, if that’s not enough to make you concerned, let’s talk about the financial repercussions. It’s been estimated that information overload is responsible for economic losses of $900 billion a year at work. The reasons for this is that you may fall behind on deadlines, make a costly error, or deliver subpar customer service.

In summation, information overload is bad. And, you need to stop it in its tracks using the 8 following techniques.

1. Become a picky eater.

If you’re a parent, you know how frustrating it is to have a particular child about what they eat. There is an advantage to this. Because they know what they do and don’t like, it’s easier for them to make choices.

You can apply this same concept when determining what deserves your time and attention. For example, not everything you do is a priority. When identifying what’s truly important right now, you can reject unnecessary meetings, delegate busy work to others, and aren’t constantly battling fires.

Furthermore, you can decide what information to ignore at the moment. Let’s say that you, a friend texted you about getting together this weekend. You’re elbow-deep in your work, so it’s not the best time to look at your schedule and make plans with them.

However, when you have a break, you could glance at your calendar. If you’re available, then respond to them. But, don’t feel guilty if you completely dismiss notifications that provide zero-value.

Or, to put this more directly. Only seek out and digest the information that can be used to take action right now. Nothing more.

What if you’re at a crossroads? In a previous Calendar article Deanna Ritchie has a simple suggestion; go back to the beginning. “Clarify the problem, goal, or desired outcome so that you can search for the right information.”

2. Beware of MEDs.

The Minimum Effective Dose (MED) is a concept popularized by Tim Ferriss in The 4-Hour Body. Its definition is actually straightforward, the smallest dose that will produce the desired outcome. Anything more is a waste.

“More is not better,” writes Ferriss. “Indeed, your greatest challenge will be resisting the temptation to do more. The MED not only delivers the most dramatic results, but it does so in the least time possible.”

Focus on the precise information needed to help you reach your goals. You can use this to develop a plan of action. Anything else you consume is just holding you back.

3. Set time limits on information gathering.

Let’s go back to the previous point. Let’s say that you have a leaky faucet. You go online for instructions on possible causes and how to fix it yourself.

That should be your MED. But, if we don’t set parameters, you could end up falling down a rabbit-role. What should have been a quick repair has not turned into you becoming an expert on the various types of faucets there are. Usually, if you’re curious, it’s usually a ball, cartridge, compression, or disc.

To prevent this, establish a time limit. While the length can vary, the idea here is not to spend any more of your valuable time gathering information.

4. Put on your green hat.

Interruptions are bound to happen. Besides interfering with your flow, these distractions can add to information overload. For instance, a colleague knocks on your door and proceeds to fill you in on a meeting that they just attended.

Obviously, this is something that could have waited. And now you’re processing all of the info they just threw in your direction. That’s why you need to manage these disruptions.

“One way to do this is through a visual sign, such as a green hat,” writes business psychologist Dionne Mahaffey. It’s a simple way to let others know, “Do not interrupt me. I am busy.”

“You can look at this through a concept known in psychology as ‘S Delta,’ which is the stimulus that eliminates the reinforcement for a behavior,” explains Mahaffey. “For instance, if a colleague interrupts, he or she is seeking a reward — a response.”

“When that colleague knocks on someone’s door and is ignored, the reinforcer — a response such as ‘How can I help you?’ or ‘What’s up?’— has been withheld.” In this case, the S Delta, which is a green hat, “indicates that reinforcement for interrupting is not available,” adds Mahaffey.

Obviously, you don’t need to literally wear a green hat. Rather, you can share your calendar with others so that they can see your availability. Or, you could go old school and place a sign on your door.

“The main point is that people will soon understand that the typical reinforcer (e.g., answering the knock on the door) will not be provided to any interruptive behavior when the ‘hat’ is on.”

5. Learn to skim.

“Skimming — getting the essence from reading material without reading all the words — boils down to knowing what parts to read and what parts to pass by,” clarifies UMass Dartmouth. When you learn how to do this, you’ll be able to grab the key points and move forward.

If you’re new to this, here are some techniques that you can try:

• Before reading, know what you want.
• Read vertically, as well as horizontally.
• Think like the author. If you’re familiar with their work, then you’ll be able to “focus on the original, meaningful material and skip over the material that just supports the author’s argument without advancing it.”
• Preread before you begin skimming so that you can pinpoint the relevant parts.
• Detect the main idea by reading introductory paragraphs.
• Read the first sentence of the paragraph.
• Don’t read complete sentences. “ If the start of a sentence holds no promise of the sentence giving you the information you want, skip to the next sentence. Read the start of sentences with an eye to whether they will yield useful information, and read them all the way through only if they appear to be useful at first glance.”

6. Streamline communication.

While countless communication tools can make life easier, you don’t need to use them all. It can be too much bouncing back between email, texts, Slack, phone calls, or in-person events. Instead, pick the tool that works best for you and your team.

7. Master the art of batching.

Batching is where you schedule similar tasks together. This works because it forces you to single-task and focuses on one thing at a time. Furthermore, it reduces the cognitive burden we experience when moving from one unrelated task to another.

An example of this would be only checking your inbox and social channels before work, at lunch, and at the end of the workday. You could even go further and create theme days. For instance, Mondays would be creating content all day, while Tuesdays would be reserved for meetings.

8. Daydream and let your mind wander.

“This is where we’re not actively directing our attention anywhere in particular, but we are actively resisting distractions,” explains Maura Thoams, author of Attention Management. “You let your mind wander and just be, and you’re intentionally saying ‘no’ to taking out your phone to send a text, turning on the TV, or even putting in a podcast.”

These are what Thomas calls quiet moments or “in-between” moments. Examples would be when you’re standing in line at the store or walking across a parking lot.

“This daydreaming state is when we have insight when we get ideas, and when our creativity really comes out,” she says. “You can’t command yourself to have an insight, a new idea, or solve a problem. It’s only in those quiet moments when those things can happen. We’ve come to the realization somehow that if we’re not doing, doing, doing, then we’re not productive. But really, the exact opposite is true.”

In a perfect world, you would have the luxury to focus on one thing at a time. But, that’s just not reality. The truth of the matter is that you have to learn to master the art of juggling multiple projects and deadlines — and you can do this.

That doesn’t mean that’s been easy. From my experience, I’ve mixed-up deadlines and have wasted time on non-important activities. I’ve even tried to perfect multitasking only to learn the hard that it’s just not ineffective, but also not achievable.

So, what’s the option here? The short answer? Learn how to stay focused — even when working on multiple projects.

Stay calm; organize and prioritize on.

We’ve all fallen victim to this at some point. You glance over your to-do-list or calendar only to get overwhelmed with everything that you need to get done. I mean how can you not when you can’t see the finishing line?

The thing is, getting all worked up isn’t going to help. In fact, it’s only going to make matters worse by heightening your state of anxiety and stress. As a consequence, it’s going to be so difficult to concentrate that you’ll end up procrastinating.

With that in mind, you first need to get back to homeostasis. It could be through some simple breathing exercises, going for a walk outside, or spitballing ideas with a colleague. Once you’ve regained your composure you organize and prioritize your work.

How you go about this is totally up to you. I’m a fan of techniques like the 4Ds of time management. But, your mileage may vary and may prefer to prioritize everything as A, B or C — or use the 1-3-5 scheduling rule — or the scales method.

Whatever strategy you employ, make sure to prioritize your projects by task, timeline, and crunch time. When you do, you’re ensuring that you’re focusing on the right thing at the right time.

Block your time.

Have you identified your priorities? Awesome! Go ahead and give yourself a pat on the back.

Now it’s time to ensure that you’re going to follow through with them. And, one of the best ways to achieve this? Time blocking.

The concept is simple. You take your most important tasks and assign them a specific amount of time in your calendar. For example, if you need to brainstorm ideas with your team, then you would block out an hour in your calendar for this activity.

Time-blocking works because unlike lists, it actually accounts for time. It also discourages multitasking, reduces stress and anxiety, and protects your calendar. Moreover, you can use time blocking to track your progress and realistically carve out “me” time.

Keep all of your projects on location.

Whether you’re flying solo or collaborating with others you don’t want your various projects scarred across multiple docs, spreadsheets, and communication tools. If so, it’s easy for essential information to fall through the cracks — it’s also time-consuming switching back-and-forth.

Asana recommends creating a project roadmap to keep everyone on the same page. With a project management tool like Asana, you can identify priorities, assign tasks, share status updates, and track each other’s progress.

In my opinion, a solid project management tool that syncs with your calendar is a must. But, you can also use tools like Slack, Google Docs, and Calendar to communicate, collaborate, and schedule meetings with ease. The point here is to streamline the number of tools you’re using to avoid any potential setbacks.

Get in the right headspace.

Imagine that you just sat down at your desk with every intention to get work done. You’ve prioritized your list and blocked out this time in your calendar. But, then in you notice a pile of paperwork or hear your kids screaming from the living room.

Despite all the prep work you did, focusing on the task at hand is impossible. And, if this is the case for one project, it’s probably going to be the same for the rest.

Some simple ways to get into the zone would be removing the clutter from your workspace. If background noise is too unbearable, close the door or put on a pair of headphones. You can also optimize your work environment by investing in ergonomic furniture and surrounding yourself with plants.

And, make sure to avoid distractions by turning off your smartphone. You can also create busy signals, like having a sign on your door or marking yourself unavailable on Google Calendar or Slack.

Embrace multi-teaming.

“Few people today have the luxury of working on a single project at a time; most of us are juggling the demands of many teams at once,” Heidi K. Gardner and Mark Mortensen for HBR. “In theory, this system of “multiteaming” offers a number of upsides.

For starters, you have the ability to “deploy your expertise exactly where and when it’s most needed.” You can also “share your knowledge across groups, and switch projects during lull times,” they add. In turn, you can avoid “costly downtime.”

Of course, if you want to get the most out of multiteaming, you need to collaborate and cross-leverage your team. To do so effectively, you must actually get to know your team so that you know not only what their skills are, but also their goals, interests, and personalities.

Furthermore, you must clearly define and align priorities. And, you also need to provide learning opportunities for the entire team.

Look at your calendar.

I get it, this isn’t the most exciting task. But, it’s absolutely essential if you want to meet expectations. More importantly, it can preserve your sanity and prevent you from spreading yourself too thin.

Set aside a period of time and look at what you and your team have booked for the next month, quarter, or even year. Is your team working on five projects simultaneously? If so, can you stagger the start dates?

Are there are areas where you can consolidate by batching similar tasks together? For example, you’re filming a demo for an upcoming product launch. But, another project could also use this type of marketing. Since you have the equipment and crew, it would make sense to do this at the same time.

Do you have a lull before a busy period? You may want to take some time off. The reason? You’ll be refreshed enough to power through.

I’d also recommend adding some wiggle room into your calendar. Maybe you could bump up a due date just in case you fell behind. Or, you could have blocks of free time in your daily schedule in order to handle interruptions or emergencies.

The key takeaway? Review your calendar and adjust project schedules accordingly. It’s the only way that you’ve going to remain productive when working on multiple projects.

Know your limitations.

When I first went out on my own, I accepted each and every project that came my way. Maybe I was being greedy. But, I also wanted to get my name out there.

Eventually, this backfired. Besides getting burned out, I began dropping the ball by missing deadlines or delivering subpar work. The solution? I became more strategic.

If my time was already booked, I would have to decline new requests. Sometimes that meant losing a gig. Other times though the client was flexible and we worked out a new timeframe.

The point is, be realistic with how much you, as well as your team, can handle at once. If you’re already at full capacity, it may not be possible to take on any new projects.

Whether you call it minimalism, Kondo-ing, or simple living, there are certainly benefits to this type of lifestyle. Mainly, saving time and money. But, it’s also good for your health and productivity. Here are the benefits of simplicity.

To be honest, this has been something that I’ve been working towards in the last couple of years. I just felt that I had too much stuff. I’m talking about a closet jam-packed with clothes, kitchen drawers stuffed with junk, and a calendar bursting with meaningless entries.

So, I decided to scale back. It’s still a work in progress. So fat, however, I have enjoyed the following perks.

Allows you to self-reflect.

Some people swear by a zero-based calendar. Even if you aren’t familiar with the term, you may be living this lifestyle.

Essentially, you’re accounting for every hour of the day — from the moment your alarm goes to when you fall asleep. The reason? When you don’t have any blank spaces in your calendar, you aren’t wasting any of your valuable time.

I get the appeal. I mean if something isn’t scheduled then you may be more likely to put it off. Or, you could let something that’s less important get in the way.

Eventually, you have a cluttered calendar. You overcommit yourself. And, because you must have your time accounted for, you don’t have room to slow down and self-reflect.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve begun to cherish these moments when I’m alone. It gives me the chance to clear my head and realign my focus on what truly matters. In fact, research shows that solitude has a number of benefits including freedom, creativity, intimacy, and spirituality.

Howie Jones in a previous Calendar suggests that when you clean up your online calendar, you should schedule some “me” time. As a result, you’ll be able to “cut down on the load of responsibilities you cram into a day and help you get some needed rest.”

“A strong work ethic is a valuable skill,” adds Howie. “But, not allowing yourself to take breaks can lead to mental illness and burnout.”

Reduces decision fatigue.

35,000. That’s one estimate on how many decisions we make each day. And, if true, that would come out to around 2,000 decisions per hour or one decision every two seconds.

Even if you don’t believe those exact numbers, the truth is that we do make a lot of decisions on a daily basis. Unfortunately, many of them are meaningless.

For example, you want to kick back and relax after a hard week at work. You decide to treat yourself to a movie on Netflix. Next thing you know, you’ve just spent 30-minutes trying to fund something to watch.

In the scheme of things that may not be a biggie. However, just imagine how much time you spend deciding on what to wear, eat, or work on? Over time, you’re going to run into decision fatigue which causes procrastination, avoidance, indecision, or impulsivity.

Simplifying your life can help assist you in this year’s productivity. For example, on Sundays prep your meals for the week. Go through your closet and donate the clothes that you no longer wear. And, remove unnecessary events and tasks from your calendar.

Gives you a chance to engage in self-care.

When your calendar contains fewer commitments and obligations that means you have more availability to attend your own self-care. Even if you have an hour to yourself, you can spend that time meditating or taking your dog for a long walk. You can read, journal, or take a nap if you please.

As Jackie Viramontez once said, “Self-care is not a waste of time; self-care makes your use of time more sustainable.”

Fewer misplaced items.

Research conducted from Pixie, a location app for iPhones, found that on average it takes roughly five minutes and twenty seconds of our time to locate misplaced items. When added up, that comes out to 2.5 days annually. What’s more, collectively we spend $2.7 billion dollars every year replacing these items.

With that in mind, when you simplify your life you have less stuff to lose. Obviously, that means you’re going to save time and money. And, from my experience, you’ll have fewer headaches as well since you no longer have to embark on a frantic scavenger hunt.

Removes friction from your life.

Have you ever had one of those days when you’re exhausted? Even though it wasn’t’ an exceptionally difficult day, you’re spent. But, why?

For most of us, it’s because we’re constantly being pulled into a million different directions. You wake-up and go to work. After that, you have to go to the grocery store so you can cook dinner. And, somewhere in between all this, you have to send out emails, do laundry, and schedule a meeting with your team.

As previously mentioned, there are some ways around this, such as meal prepping. Another option, however, would be to delegate and automate whatever you can, such as hiring a cleaning service or signing up for automatic bill pay.

And, one of my favorite techniques is batching. Instead of jumping back-and-forth between tasks, I group similar activities together. For example, I run all of my errands at once. It may take a couple of hours. But, it’s pretty then doing this daily.

Another example is how I schedule work. I only check my inbox and notifications 3-times a day — before work, after lunch, and at the end of the workday. I also have theme days. For instance, I schedule all of my meetings on Thursdays.

Strengthens relationships.

Between having more availability and removing toxic individuals from my life means that I can spend quality time with the people who really matter. Some of you may scoff at this. But, I think it’s more beneficial to have a closer-knit group of people. In my opinion, it’s better than exhausting yourself with faiweather individuals.

But, don’t take me word on this. Studies show that developing strong relationships can “fight illness and depression, speed recovery, slow aging, and prolong life.” And, as we get older, friendships are good for our brain’s health.

Increases focus.

I think this one is a give-in. When you embrace simplicity you don’t squander your time and energy on unnecessary thoughts and actions. Instead, you put a laser on the vital few. As a consequence, you’ll produce more quality work in less time.

Encourages a clean and organized workspace.

Apparently, a little bit of clutter on your workspace isn’t the end of the world. One study even found that a messy desk can encourage a creative mind. But, I strongly disagree.

Dirty and disorganized desks are a recipe for disaster. For starters, the typical office desk hosts more than 10 million bacteria – which is 400 times dirtier than a toilet seat. When not properly cleaned, you’re just asking to get sick and miss work.

Secondly, it saves you time since you aren’t looking for items when you need them. And, according to a Princeton study, clutter makes it difficult to concentrate.

In short, simplicity motivates you to keep your workspace clean and organized. It’s beneficial to your health and output. And, it gives you a sense of order and freedom of space.

Makes you more effective.

“There are people who sacrifice quality in exchange for quantity,” notes Lou Macabasco for Lifehack. “In order to accommodate and accomplish more tasks, they tend to overlook some important process which leads to poor quality and error.”

And, that’s yet another reason you should embrace simplicity, it will make you more effective. “When you are clear and focus on what you want to achieve, you can concentrate on producing quality work,” adds Macabasco. “Your attention and effort is centralized; you are able to produce quality and efficient output.”

Grants you massive freedom.

Finally, you’ll have the freedom to do whatever you please. Isn’t it refreshing to look at your calendar this weekend and see that it’s not packed to the brim? How do you feel about having fewer obligations and conflicts?

Personally, when I choose a simple life, I felt less stressed, anxious, and rushed. Instead of feeling like I always have to do something for others, I have the flexibility to live the life that I want. And, that has given me more meaning and fulfillment.

Maybe it’s in my blood since my grandparents were exceptional globetrotters. But, I’ve always loved to travel. Getting to take in new sights and sounds, as well as have new experiences, is exhilarating. Additionally, it’s good for you physically and psychologically.

It’s true. According to the American Psychological Association, research has found that vacations gave the following benefits:

• Improved life satisfaction. “A study of over 3,000 Canadian workers found that taking more paid vacation days was positively associated with both overall health and life satisfaction,” note the APA. Why? Because getting away improves work-life balance and decreases pressure associated with work.
• Physical improvements. According to a Framingham Heart study, vacations reduce the risk of heart disease. In fact, those who frequently vacation tend to have longer and healthier lives.
• Mental health benefits. Vacations have also been found to decrease levels of the “stress hormone” cortisol, as well as anxiety. The reason? They take us away from activities and environments associated with stress and anxiety. Even taking a three-day leisure trip will do the job.
• Improved productivity. “A study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group found that professionals who were required to take time off were significantly more productive than those who spent more time working,” explain the APA. That may not far-fetched, but vacations give us a chance to rest and recharge.

But, wait. There’s more!

You can also use vacations to help you get back to a healthy sleep routine or bond with loved ones. Traveling also helps you avoid burnout, enhance creativity, and boost resiliency. You also gain new perspectives. And, well, it’s just fun to get out of Dodge.

While going on vacation usually involves a lot of planning, there are ways to dip out ASAP.

Be flexible.

Beggars, as they say, can’t be choosers. In this case, if you’re looking to go on a last-minute trip, then you can’t be too picky. After all, the destination you may have had in mind may not be an option because it’s too expensive.

There could also be availability issues for flights of lodging. And, logistically might not just not possible — think if you needed to renew your passport or didn’t have time to fly across the world.

With that mind, be open to traveling to new destinations. And, if possible, be flexible with your travel dates. Usually, it’s cheaper to fly on Thursdays and Saturdays. Hotels are typically more affordable during the week as well. Of course, this all depends on where you’re traveling to and from. The idea is to do some research and be malleable with your schedule.

Go against the grain.

Let’s say you decide to get away on the 4th of July weekend and you live in major East Coast metro area, like NYC or Philly, you can bet that everyone will be heading to the shore. And for anyone who doesn’t like the beach, the other options in this area would be mountains like the Poconos, Catskills, or Adirondack.

Knowing this, why would you try to fight with all of these other travelers? Between wasting time precious travel time, like sitting in traffic, and trying to find a place to stay it may not be worth the aggravation. So, you may want to think differently and maybe even go-off-the-grid by visiting a small town nearby or traveling internationally.

Besides the 4th of July example, consider traveling off-season. Personally, I like visiting Europe during the winter or early spring because it’s not as crowded as the summer. The weather may not be ideal. But, at least I don’t have to deal with large crowds.

Search for last-minute package deals.

There are a number of sites dedicated solely to finding last minute travel deals. Examples include Last Minute Travel, Travelzoo, and Travelpirates. You can also use Groupon, Google Flights, and Hotel Tonight to find travel deals. In fact, Airfarewatchdog has an awesome Weekender tool that lets you find flight/hotel packages for, well, the upcoming weekend.

A lot of these deals will bundle flight and hotel deals together. That means you could get a bargain on an amazing trip. I would just read the reviews first to make sure that everything is on the up and up.

Take a road trip.

Don’t overlook the good old fashioned road trip. From my experience, this is one of the best ways to go on a vacation post haste. All you need is a full tank of gas, some tunes, and refreshments. Besides, booking a last-minute flight can get hectic and pricey.

There’s another perk, hotel prices tend to drop drastically as you get closer to check-in. The reason is that they have empty rooms to be filled. So, you could end up finding a room for an incredible price.

Additionally, you don’t have to make it an overnight trip. You could just make your adventure a day trip. For example, if you live in NYC or Philly, you could definitely spend the day at the beach and then come home.

Plan a staycation.

Whether if it’s because of your budget or logistics, you may want to consider a staycation. For example, you could take the day off from work and treat yourself to a DIY spa day or getting outside and taking a hike. If you have kids, you could have a family game night or go camping in your backyard. You could invite friends over and have a film festival or volunteer together. Or, you could sign-up and take a class, either online or in-person, to learn a skill you’ve always wanted to pick-up.

But, just because it’s a staycation doesn’t mean you have to literally stay home. Explore your area by visiting a museum or trying out a new restaurant. If there are any live events going on, like a baseball game or concert, go check them out. Or, better yet, just walk around in a different part of town and see what you run into.

Take a virtual vacation.

Of course, in the times of COVID-19, going on a vacation may not be possible. Even having company over for your staycation may not fly. There is a silver lining though; virtual vacations.

“As with any form of travel, plan your trip in advance by setting up your itinerary,” explains Imani Bashir over at Lifehacker. “You get to decide where you want to go, what you want to see and even what activities you can partake in—all without the hassle of worrying about how you’ll get there.”

“If you can, provide yourself with a space apart from where you sleep or do your work so you can fully immerse yourself into the virtual travel experience,” suggests Bahir. “As much as possible, recreate the ambiance and vibe of your chosen destination.” For example, if you’re going to “the beach” light scented candles that smell like the ocean and put on the sounds of waves. If “visiting a virtual amusement park, try recreating this funnel cake recipe.”

Now, here’s the best part, you can travel anywhere your heart desires. You can talk a walk on Waikiki Beach, explore the Serengeti, or take a guided tour of London. You can even see a Broadway show or rock out to your favorite bands via live stream or virtual concert.

No matter how hard you try, you’re bound to get distracted sometime during the workday. One study from Poly found that 99 percent of employees report they get distracted while working at their personal workspace. And, when a team member gets distracted — productivity suffers.

While there are distractions that you have no power over, there are still plenty of ways that you can help your team avoid interruptions.

1. Introduce a formal process to handle distractions.

If you notice that your team is being distracted by the same things day in day out, it is time to introduce a process to handle it or reinforce an existing process,” states Ben Brearley.

For example, do “you notice that people in your organization are going directly to a certain helpful team member all the time?” If so, “you may introduce a process where that request is sent to a support queue instead.”

Another alternative would be to “introduce a gatekeeper,” suggests Brearley. The gatekeeper, which could be you, is “effective because it provides a barrier which is inconvenient.” Instead of bothering a colleague, and then can get sucked into a side conversation, they must come to you. That’s enough to make them solve a problem on their own.

2. Set clear goals with specific objectives.

“If you notice that certain employees have slowed down their productivity due to digital distractions, it helps to be transparent and direct about your expectations for their performance,” recommends Freedom Founder and CO Fred Stutzman. “They may not have realized how many times they were being interrupted by notifications and how this could impact their work in the long term.”

Also, when you provide your team with “clear guidelines and measurable targets for them to focus on, you can help motivate them to stay on track.” And, it’s a simple way for them to avoid giving in to common workplace distractions.

3. Redesign the workplace.

While there are some distractions that you can’t control, this is not one of them. This could be the one area that you do have the most influence over. But where to start?

Well, if you have an open office plan, you might want to modify it since they just don’t work. Research “shows that such offices result in 73 percent less face-to-face interaction, and a 67 percent increase in email interaction,” writes Pooja Singh. The reason? “All the distracting noise of an open office causes employees to tune out with their headphones, and they resort to sending their queries to colleagues via email instead of standing in front of them owing to lack of privacy.”

Other ways you can cultivate a less distracting work environment? Reduce sound pollution by asking your team to silence their phones and ditching lousy lightning. Also, provide them with ergonomic furniture like standing desks and let them personalize their workspaces.

4. Institute “no interruptions” time and “no-meeting” days.

Because everyone has their own biological prime times, I recommend that you ask your time when they prefer not to be disturbed. You can do this by conducting a poll or survey or simply just asking them. While this won’t please everyone, it could give you an idea of when to implement “no interruption” periods when your team can not interrupt each other unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Also, because meetings are a leading distraction, only hold them on certain days and decree “no meeting” days. For example, make it a point never to schedule a meeting on Wednesday so that your team isn’t getting pulled away from their work. But, if you must have a meeting, make sure that it’s necessary, short, and concise.

5. Recommend distraction blocking apps.

If your team members don’t have the willpower to ignore desktop or smartphone notifications, then suggest that use apps that block distracting apps or sites at specific times. Options would be Offtime, Freedom, Moment, or RescueTime. Or, if you prefer, you can set time limits on Android or screen time on iOS.

6. Establish a plan for urgent situations.

Even if you’ve suggested to your team that they block out specific times to check their phones or email, they may not be able to resist the temptation. I would say that this is most true when someone needs to be updated on an urgent matter. For example, one of my employees has a mother who is in the hospital and they’re constantly checking their phone for updates.

One way around this, suggests Brian Solis, is to “set up a protocol exclusively for urgent messages.” For instance, you could use “a tool that emits a special sound when something is marked as urgent. An easy-to-use setting on computers, phones, and tablets can block out all other notifications, allowing only urgent messages through.” Solis also recommends “making it possible for anyone in the organization to mark an email as urgent, rather than having all emails from certain senders (such as your boss) show up as urgent.”

The key is to use this sparingly. And, if someone is on vacation, please don’t contact them via email. If it is an emergency, then call or text them.

7. Stop overloading your team.

There are two ways that you can prevent overwhelming your team. The first is to stop throwing too much work they way. It’s a simple way to avoid multitasking and worrying about tasks that aren’t currently a priority. Let them finish what they’ve started before assigning them something else.

The second way is through information overload. That means bombarding them with too much information at one time. Or relying too much on technology which has been known to cause collaboration overload.

8. Allow longer breaks.

Your eyes aren’t deceiving you. As Choncé Maddox explains, granting “your employees longer breaks could work out in your favor.” As stated in a report from Salary.com, “employees who admitted to wasting time at work said that common time-wasting activities were talking with other co-workers (43%), online activities (34%), and texting and on personal phone calls (4%).”

“As you can see, nearly half of the employees that were surveyed said they wasted time by chatting with other coworkers, and over a third said they were browsing online,” adds Choncé. “These are all common time-wasting activities that tempt each one of us during the workday.” The reason? It’s just our mind letting us know that “we need a break to recharge our focus.”

“Instead of trying to force employees to work more, you may get better results by giving a longer break so they can do these time-wasting activities off the clock and recharge for the rest of the workday,” suggests Choncé.

Distractions are inevitable. But, instead of fighting against that urge for a break, encourage your team to increase break time by at least 30 minutes.

9. Allow for flexibility.

Remember how distractions pop-up because it’s a sign that you need a break? Well, sometimes that’s because you’re also working against your peak productivity hours. For instance, if you’re a night owl, then it’s counterproductive to force yourself to wake up early and start working first things in the AM.

But, that’s no all. Flexibility could also mean that your team works when there’s no one else in the office — or at their home if they’re working remotely. Because it’s nice and quiet, they’ll be able to focus without interferences like background chatter or massive smartphone notifications.

10. Provide time management training.

“Some believe that time management training doesn’t work,” writes my Calendar co-founder John Hall. “On the one hand, I can why this is true — particularly in regards to traditional techniques.” However, “I don’t think that means completely tossing this idea out the window.”

“Take, for example, a new hire you just graduated from college.” I doubt “that they were ever taught some necessary time management skills, like how to prioritize, organize, and communicate.” In this case, “you might want to sign them up for a time management course or mentor them in techniques that you find to be effective.”

“Moreover, if they tried out one technique that didn’t work, then suggest they try another,” adds John. Both John and I “personally feel that improving your time management is a process.” That means that you must keep making adjustments “until you develop a system that works best for you.” As such, advise your employees of that and “encourage them to keep trying out different methods.”

Even before COVID-19 put remote work in the spotlight, numerous studies highlighted its benefits. For years, flexible work arrangements have been able to improve the morale and health of employees. As a consequence, they’re more productive. What’s more, for businesses, remote work can attract and retain talent and reduce the cost associated with real estate and utilities.

At the same time, working remotely also comes with a cost. “For some people, the feedback and encouragement loop of the work environment is critical to their jobs,” explains clinical psychologist Ryan Hooper. Furthermore, if working from home, it can also be more challenging to set boundaries.

“It can be beneficial to get some household chores done in the middle of the workday, like switching laundry or picking up a child from school,” said Cara Maksimow, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist. However, “the lines between work and home can blur and make it hard to ‘turn it off.’” And, if you’re putting in more hours, then that may bleed into family time or even affect your sleep schedule.

Right now, we are all in the “remote team” giving us a lot of empathy concerning many issues. If you have been the remote team — you already know all about the issues. If you are a newly remote leader, you have likely learned that your remote team needs more contact than you had previously thought.

But that’s not all. “Remote workers often experience symptoms of anxiety and depression at a higher rate than people commuting into traditional office spaces,” reports Dr. Amy Cirbus, Ph.D., LMHC, LPC, and Manager of Clinical Quality at Talkspace. “Specifically, they report feelings of isolation and loneliness and high rates of worry about job performance and stability. Insomnia and sleep disturbance are common, along with increased fatigue, irritation, sadness, and feelings of disconnection.”

“Remote workers report a lack of concentration and focus that can compound and exacerbate these mental health challenges,” adds Dr. Cirbus. “It can lead to a loss of self-worth and a questioning of one’s abilities.” When combined, “these symptoms can have a significant impact on job performance, job satisfaction, and the efficiency of productive work.”

Thankfully, there are ways that you can maintain your mental health when working remotely. And here are ten of your best options.

Take breaks strategically.

“There is a tendency to work throughout the day to overcome some stigma that you aren’t working when not in the office,” says David Rabin, vice president of global commercial marketing at Lenovo. While you may assume that that will help you overcome your guilt, the truth is that doing so will only burn you out.

In fact, according to author and productivity expert, Julie Morgenstern, “Stepping away for breaks are part of productivity; they make you smarter and give you perspective and answers.”

When just starting, this may seem impossible. But, it’s possible if you try out some basic, but effective, time management techniques like:

• Tracking your time in 15-30 minute increments. The reason? It will help you “get a realistic picture of how efficient you can work.”
• Plan a realistic schedule in advance. That means not overbooking yourself and only scheduling what you can realistically get done in a day.
• Plan around your energy levels. Schedule your most important or challenging tasks when you have the most energy and focus. Plan to take breaks when your energy drops.
• Avoid pointless meetings. Never accept unnecessary meetings. Or, consider alternatives like phone conferences.
• Create gaps in your calendar. Instead of working nonstop from sun up to down, leave blanks in your calendar to address emergencies or take a break.

Upgrade your office.

Unless you don’t have the extra space, you need to work in a dedicated work area. Ideally, that would be somewhere that’s quiet and inspiring. Or, in other words, somewhere other than your couch, kitchen table, or bedroom.

After identifying this spot, set it up so that it’s not only functional but can also lift your spirits. At the minimum, this means investing in ergonomic furniture and having the right tools. You should spruce the place up with plants, painting your walls with a color that matches your job, and surrounding yourself with personal items.

Spend time outside.

It’s been proven time and time again that getting out into nature is a simple and effective way to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.

“When people are depressed or under high levels of stress, this part of the brain malfunctions and people experience a continuous loop of negative thoughts,” says Dr. Jason Strauss. Getting outside can counter this thanks to therapeutic benefits like calming nature stress. “Having something pleasant to focus on like trees and greenery helps distract your mind from negative thinking, so your thoughts become less filled with worry,” adds Dr. Strauss.

Socialize.

“Don’t equate “remote worker” with ‘hermit,” writes Beth Braccio Hering. “Connecting with others eases loneliness that sometimes comes with remote work, lifts spirits, and generates a sense of belonging.”

“Look for regular ways to get a ‘people fix,’ perhaps by volunteering, taking a class, spending some days at a coworking space, or setting a weekly lunch date with friends,” she adds. “Likewise, keep in touch with others from your company through emails, video chats, and social platforms as a reminder that you’re part of something larger than your own home office.”

Another option? Foster or adopt a dog — if you don’t already have one. Dogs have been found to improve your mood, lower your stress, encourage you to be healthy, and make you feel loved. Oh yeah. Your four-legged friend also gives you some much-needed companionship.

Get moving.

As I’m sure you’re well aware, physical activity releases endorphins and other feel-good chemicals. But how much should you exercise?

Well, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that those who exercise for 30 to 60 three to five days a week should suffice. Don’t have the time to squeeze in a workout? Even going for a short walk can improve your mood.

Take an “unsick” day.

Piloted by the folks over at Buffer, an “unsick” day is where you simply take a day off from work to take care of preventive appointments. These include visiting the dentist, taking a vision exam, and your annual physical. However, sometimes you may just need to take the occasional day off from work.

Keep stress at bay.

“Research tells us that stress overload not only intensifies symptoms of mental illness but can trigger relapses in individuals who are symptom-free,” says Deborah Serani, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and author of Living with Depression: Why Biology and Biography Matter along the Path to Hope and Healing.

The easiest way to achieve this is by taking care of yourself, like reducing stress-inducing events, not neglecting your health, and finding ways to decompress. “I generally take breaks out of the house — like a short walk, eating lunch on the patio, or just resting in a pool of sunshine on the sofa in my office,” says Serani.

Think about planning your next vacation when we are out of the COVID mess.

Wear your “happy” clothes.

Sure. You could stay in your pajamas all day. But, that’s not going to help your productivity. And, more importantly, it’s not going to put you in a good mood.

“For those who are new to working from home, there is certainly an art to being able to remain focussed and productive in a space which is inextricably linked with comfort and relaxation,” explains Charlotte Armitage, a media and business psychologist at YAFTA. “The key to ensuring a level of productivity in the home is to create a routine and structure that you force yourself to stick to.”

“One of the easiest and simplest parts of a routine to implement is ensuring that you change out of your PJs and into different clothes for working in,” she says. “When the routine of getting changed into new clothes for working at home is practiced enough, psychologically, you become conditioned to associate the changing of clothes with a change of mindset, psychological pace and focus, therefore preparing you for the working day ahead.”

Moreover, getting dressed is an easy way to improve your mental health.

“Routine is important for maintaining our mental health, and getting dressed is an important part of that routine,” she says.

“The idea of staying in PJs all day has some negative connotations associated with it, and therefore if we behave that way, we can start to feel lazy and demotivated which in turn leads to a lack of productivity and low activity levels, and consequently starts to create a negative vicious cycle.”

And, if you want to go a step further, dress yourself — happy — by looking into dopamine dressing.

Set parameters.

“Separating your work and home life is almost certainly the biggest challenge of working from home,” writes my Calendar co-founder John Hall. “It’s all too easy to go back to work after dinner or start working the second you wake up.”

“An unstable schedule or unplanned calendar happens more often with freelancers or people who make their own schedules,” adds Hall.

“While dedication is important, overworking will cause you to burnout,” he states. “Know the signs, and give yourself frequent breaks. Listen to friends and family if they suggest you’re working too much.”

Remember, working from home is a privilege. “Take it seriously, and you’ll take your productivity to new heights.”

Throughout history, calendars have played a practical and essential role. Centuries ago, by following the sun and the moon, calendars were used to predict weather changes so that people knew when it was time to plant crops and harvest them. Suffice to say, calendars were needed for survival. Today, even in tech, calendars are necessary for productivity and survival.

As the years went by, calendars weren’t just used for agricultural purposes. People used them to know when to celebrate specific days, such as a religious holiday, and to keep their daily lives organized. Some of the first paper calendars included planners and diaries, making the calendar an essential tool.

More recently, however, most calendar software products have gone through a digital transformation. As a result, calendars aren’t just essential; they’re a part of our daily lives. We rely on them to book appointments, remind us when to check-into a hotel, plan events, and assign responsibilities to others.

Even better, calendars are readily available. They’re pre-installed on your phone and are part of any digital suite of tools that tech-giants like Google, Microsoft, and Apple provide. And, they can even be placed on your website — also if you have zero coding knowledge.

In this guide, we’ll go over the reasons why you should have a website Calendar and how to add a calendar to your site. We’ll also cover common guidelines and give you a list of what we believe are the best web calendars.

Advantages of Having a Website Calendar

Do you need to place a Calendar on your website? Well, you’re not going to like this answer. But it depends.

Let’s say that you’re in the service industry. Having a website Calendar would be a smart move. The main reason is that if someone wanted to book you for a specific time, they could simply visit your site, see when you’ve available, and book an appointment with you.

Additionally, business owners of all sizes could also benefit from having a web Calendar. If a client or employee wanted to schedule a meeting with you, they could do so directly from your site. What’s more, schools, non-profits, religious organizations, families, and businesses can use a website Calendar to promote and manage upcoming events.

But, if you’re still not convinced, here are the other perks of having a website Calendar.

Your calendar can be accessed from anywhere.

Arguably, the main advantage is that a website Calendar can be easily accessed. Whether if it’s a smartphone, tablet, or computer, your audience needs to head over to your site. Once there, they’ll be able to access your Calendar with them ever even asking.

Keeps visitors updated.

No matter how organized and great of a planner you are, the unexpected is always lurking around the corner. For example, if you had a fundraiser scheduled, and it was outside, impending weather may force you to move to the event to your rain date. It only takes a couple of seconds to adjust so that there isn’t any confusion. Some programs will also automatically notify attendees of the new date.

Painlessly schedule meetings, appointments, and events.

In the not so distant past, scheduling could be a stressful and time-consuming process. Coordinating paper calendars, playing phone tag, and lengthy email threads were the norm. That’s not the case with website calendars. Once Calendar is on your site, anyone can see when you’re available and not. From there, employees and clients can block out a specific time to meet with you directly from your site. You’ll get the notification, and the event will be added to your personal Calendar.

Furthermore, if you have recurring events in your schedule, then you can schedule them as a recurring event right on your Calendar. That may not sound overly important. But, when you do this, it will lock out those dates and times on your web Calendar automatically so that you don’t have to this manually.

It helps you engage and interact with your audience.

Having a web Calendar provides fresh content for your site. You could even create and publish blog posts or videos about upcoming events, like what to expect or where visitors should attend. You could also poll or survey the audience regarding future events. For instance, you could ask them when and where it should take place.

As if that weren’t enough, through your web Calendar, we can collect RSVPs, manage reservations, and sell tickets.

Consolidates tools.

The final advantage of having a website Calendar is that it consolidates the number of tools and apps that you use. That’s because most website calendars come packed with all the features you need to use when scheduling events.

At the minimum, this includes the online calendar itself, as well as scheduling capabilities, RSVP tracking, and automatic reminders. Most web calendars can also handle booking locations and facilities. Some of them even allow you to process payments and promote events through techniques like email marketing.

How to Add a Calendar to Your Website

While the exact process may differ depending on the online Calendar that you’re using, as well as the website builder you’re using, placing a Calendar is straightforward. It’s so easy that in most cases, no coding experience is required. The reason? Then, Calendar will automatically generate a code for you. That is, to put it succinctly, pretty sweet.

Step 1

If you don’t already have an online calendar, then now is the time to find one that meets your needs. Typically, you don’t go wrong with the big three: Google, Microsoft, or Apple. Now we have Calendar. You’re probably already using one of these services. So, why not get the most of them?

However, if you’re stuck, then check out our handy guide to choosing the best online calendar to point you in the right direction. It should also be noted that there are third-party calendar services like Tockify, Localendar, CalendarWiz, and Bravenet that are designed just for this purpose.

Also, if you’re looking for a calendar just for a specific event, then check out apps, plugins, and widgets like The Events Calendar or Amelia. Every website builder offers a Calendar application that you can embed on your site. Merely conduct a search until you find the one that works for you.

Whatever calendar you decide to roll with, make sure that it works across multiple platforms so that it can be synced and accessed by any device.

Step 2

After settling on Calendar, make sure that sign-up and log into your account. Now you can start creating and customizing your Calendar however you like. For example, you can alter the colors and fonts of Calendar so that it matches your brand. If you’re creating Calendar for an event, don’t forget to include relevant information like the date, time, and location of your event.

Step 3

After you’ve created your Calendar, embed it onto your site. Most tools will allow you to do this through a standard cut and paste code. Just copy the HTML code for Calendar, go into your site’s HTML editor, and click on the page where you want the Calendar to go. If you like, you could create a new page just for your Calendar.

Go ahead and paste the code on your desired page, click “Save, and then “Publish” that bad boy. And, that’s it. Go ahead and pat yourself on the back. You just created a web Calendar.

Even better, once it’s on your site, updates that are made to the Calendar in real-time.

It should be noted, however, that depending on the calendar that you use, you may have to tinker with the settings. For example, if you use Google Calendar and want to place it onto your site, you’ll have to make your Calendar public so that anyone can view it.

Furthermore, not all website builders integrate with all online Calendars. And, that process may be slightly different for each. To address this, here are some other resources you can refer to if you’re having a problem:

• How to Add an Event Calendar to Your WordPress Website
• Embedding a Google Calendar
• Adding a Calendar – Wix
• Using Calendar Blocks – Squarespace
• Adding a Google Calendar to Your Weebly Portfolio

What Should Always Be Included on Your Website Calendar

If you’ve gone through the trouble of creating a website Calendar, then visitors expect something to be on it. That’s like walking into a grocery store and finding only bare shelves. Not only is this disappointing, but it also makes you feel just a bit deceived.

With that said, what exactly should be included on your web calendar? Well, that is totally up to you. But, we suggest including the following.

Compelling and Relevant Information

If you’re hosting an event, then you must have the basics on your Calendar, such as:

• The date and time of the event. Ideally, you should also mention when doors open, a schedule of activities, and the time the function is expected to conclude.
• The name and address where the event will be located. Either include a map or a link to the venue’s location, as well.
• How to attend to the event. If tickets are required, mention how much they cost and where they can be purchased. If only an RSVP, include a link so that visitors can easily do this.
• Company and contact information so that if there are any other questions, visitors can get in touch with you.

Other information you may want to include would be the dress code or no-show policy. If you’ve scheduled a meeting, then don’t forget to attach an agenda.

You don’t need to go overboard. But, you should at least include the critical information listed above.

Strong Call-to-Action

What do you want your visitors to do after they’ve landed on your calendar page? To guide them along, make sure that there’s a clear CTA so that they know what actions to take. It could be as simple as “Click here to book an appointment.”

Customized Calendar

As already mentioned, you should customize your calendar so that it aligns with your brand. You could also add visuals, like highlights from previous events or the venue, or use color-coding. Just remember the calendar isn’t too cluttered and is easy to read.

Add-to-Calendar Button

Make life easier for your visitors by including an add-to-calendar button. Now they can click on the button and add the event to their calendar with just one-click.

Other considerations:

• Social media links.
• Time buffers in-between scheduled events.
• Multiple time zones.
• Set when you’re available and when you’re not.
• Integrated events from Facebook, Eventbrite, or Slack.

Finally, if hosting a significant event, you may want to include an accompanying webpage. Here is where you would create an impactful landing page and provide frequent updates. You may also want to have pages for a registration form, FAQ, testimonials, and post-event updates.

What not include on your website calendar:

• Too much information. For example, never put any personal details, like when you’re visiting the dentist. You can also reduce the amount of information included on the calendar by sending out emails or attachments with more specific details.
• Last-minute changes that may lead to confusion or double-bookings.
• Do not accept automatic invitations — unless you want to get spammed.

The Best Embeddable Calendars

Google Calendar

Google Calendar needs no introduction. Since 2009 it’s been one of the most successful time management and scheduling tools available. Mainly because it’s easy-to-use, works seamlessly across all devices, and connects with other Google tools like Gmail and Docs. It also has an unbeatable price, so it’s free. Even if you upgrade to the business option, it only costs $5 a month.

You can also easily embed your calendar onto your site just by copying and pasting it. And, it also integrates with smart scheduling tools like Calendar to unify your work and personal events.

This also made our best calendar apps post earlier this year.

Tockify

Tockify is a free calendar that works on platforms like WordPress, SquareSpace, and Weebly. It also syncs with Google Calendar. It’s also a perfect option if you’re planning an event since it’s super-customizable and comes with features like event submission. Social sharing is also built-in, so you can promote your event on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.

Timely

Timely is another embeddable calendar explicitly designed for events. You can create a new calendar in just a couple of minutes. Or, if you prefer, you import events from other calendars or your social channels. Timely also makes it a breeze to promote your event via social media or email. You can even use this tool to sell tickets.

Timely is free to use; there’s also a WordPress plugin. But, for more robust features, you may want to try out the $9/month plan.

UpTo

Here we have another platform that’s perfect for embedding an event calendar to your site. The calendars are easy on the eyes and interactive. What this means is that visitors can share your event and then add them to their personal calendar.

Perhaps the unique features are that UpTo allows you to not only manage but create, a web calendar though it’s app. Oftentimes with solutions like Google Calendar you would have to do this on your computer. The downside is that there is no free option, and plans start at $9/month.

CalendarWiz

While not free, pricing starts at $9/month, CalendarWiz is a complete calendar solution. You can easily create a customized calendar and then place it onto your with an easy cut and paste code. It works with WordPress, Weebly, Wix, and most other leading CMSs.

CalendarWiz also lets you engage with visitors by offering features like suggest an event and email list forms. You can even have the option to place a mini-calendar on your homepage if you want.

The Events Calendar

If you use WordPress, then The Events Calendar is a plugin you should use the next time you plan an event. Not only is it free, but it’s also ready to use right-of-the-box after installation. With The Events Calendar, you can quickly create recurring events, add custom details, and venue information; Because it’s a WordPress plugin, there are add-ons so that you can accept payments and import data from Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Meetup.

Events Calendar

Don’t use WordPress? No worries. Events Calendars is available for platforms like Wix, Weebly, and Shopify. It also syncs with Google Calendar, is multilingual, and easily customizable. And, if you want to embed it onto your site, just add a short integration snippet.

Localendar

Localcalendar is another popular free embeddable calendar that would be great from teams, schools, families, and non-profits. You can create a new calendar in just a couple of minutes and then use the helpful Publish Wizard to add it to your site. You also have the option to color-code events, create repeating events, and upload your own images.

Additional features include multi-language support, location information, and events reminders. You can also let visitors suggest events as well.

Teamup

If you manage teams, then you definitely should give Teamup a spin. In a nutshell, it’s a handy tool that helps you schedule work, manage your team’s availability, and share upcoming events. After you’ve created your calendar, you can embed it onto your site using the Embed Wizard.

Bravenet

Finally, Bravenet is another free calendar that’s fully customizable and can be placed onto your site. There are some other useful features, like being able to set reminders and recurring items. The downside is that the free version is limited and ad-supported. But, a premium version is an affordable $3/month.

There will be times in life when you choose to keep certain information to yourself. For example, let’s say that a doctor informs you that you may have a serious illness that could require surgery. You’ll have to undergo a series of tests to determine if this is the right course of action or not. The transparency process and issues are similar in business. There are about ten things leaders can do to promote transparency in the workplace.

With your health, you wait to share until you have all of the information.

You wouldn’t want to tell people that you’re going to have surgery. It’s not that they can’t handle it. It’s just that — why concern them or yourself until you have a definitive answer?

You wouldn’t boast that you’re launching a new product or acquiring another company until it’s official.

If you do ahead of time, it may jeopardize your future plans. On the flip side, if sales were lower then anticipated the last quarter, you wouldn’t assume that you’re business is in dire straights. If so, your employees might panic — watch The Office episode, “The Alliance,” to see how downsizing rumors can impact the workplace.

For a business to succeed, you’ll want to promote transparency.

For your business to succeed, you should promote transparency. After all, transparency establishes trust and expands relationships. It can also foster happiness, boost morale, strengthens innovation. What’s more, transparency can create a flatter hierarchy and help establish realistic goals.

Ultimately, transparency is one of the best ways to increase productivity and your bottom line.

But, as the captain of the ship, it’s up to you to make your workplace more transparent. You can do so by using the following ten techniques to promote transparency in the workplace.

1. Hire transparently.

Want your business to be transparent? Then the first place to start is when hiring employees.

On your end, this means clearly stating the job responsibilities and expectations for open positions — both when posting positions and interviewing candidates. If they applied for a specific job, and it’s not what they signed up for, then your relationship is instantly built-on mistrust.

Additionally, you should also hire transparent employees. These are people who hold themselves accountable, are honest about their past, and have integrity. You can find these facts out by checking their references or social media activity. During the interview, watch their body language and how detailed their answers are to your questions.

What’s more, you want to bring on people who are excited about your business. But, more importantly, they should be a good culture fit. You can determine this if they’re willing to buy into your mission and philosophy.

2. Give employees access to information and context.

Critical information should always be readily available. Company intelligence would be anything related to projects, such as deadlines and what parts each person is working on individually. Project management software and shared calendars are both easy and effective ways to do this.

You may also want to share company financials and operational changes. You don’t want to disclose anything too sensitive. But, providing an overview lets others know how your business is performing. And, differently, don’t hold off sharing personnel changes, or anything that affects the daily lives of your team. Be upfront especially with pertinent changes to benefits or pay.

When sharing information with your team, however, don’t forget to provide context. “The key thing people forget in transparency is it’s not about opening up the Google Drive and making sure that everyone can read everything,” Des Traynor, Co-founder of Intercom told Know Your Team. “It’s about the transparency of context as well.”

For example, when sharing revenue numbers also include profit margins and expenses. When you do, you’re letting others know where the business is spending money and how the revenue supports your business.

3. Make face-to-face interactions a priority.

Technology has most definitely broken down the barriers of communication. Thanks to email, Slack, or Skype, you can check-in on how your team members are doing, get everyone on the page, or get to know each better. And, while that’s awesome, nothing beats face-to-face communication.

Walk around the office and strike up conversations with your staff when they’re not focused on their work. Have lunch with them. And schedule one-on-one meetings with them. Not only does this build up your rapport with your employees, but it also allows you to discuss sensitive issues or exchange ideas in a safe and private environment.

4. Hold “ask me anything” sessions or town halls.

I know that you’re time is limited. But, holding these types of events makes you more approachable. It also allows your team to ask important questions and provide unfiltered feedback. And, town halls and “ask me anything” sessions are also perfect platforms to share updates, reinforce your values, and promote collaboration.

To get the most out of these events, though, you should encourage attendees to share their perspectives. For example, you could send out a survey following the event to collect feedback.

5. Act on feedback.

Speaking of feedback, you need to do more than solicit it. You also need to act on it. The reason? It shows that you’ve listened to your employees. And, even better, it lets them know that you’re actively taking measures to improve processes, systems, or even your leadership style.

Even better, get your employees in on the decision-making process. Discussion about decisions a great way to empower employees and keep them engaged. You will make better business decisions if you listen to additional information form your team before making your final determination.

6. Encourage ownership.

When assigning or delegating responsibilities, you can motivate your team by granting them autonomy. For example, instead of micromanaging your team, let them work however they prefer. If possible, allow for flexible schedules and the opportunity to work wherever they like. It’s a simple way to show that you trust them. And it also lessens your workload.

The key is to ask them what they need to get the job done. It’s then up to you to get them this information and resources and coach them from the sidelines.

7. Share the ups and downs for transparency.

I don’t think that most of us enjoy being the messenger of bad news. As a result, you may be tempted to share only the good news like accomplishments, milestones, and how your business is moving forward.

At the same time, you’re also responsible for sharing challenges, setbacks, and obstacles that your business is facing. The last thing you want is to have your team get caught-off-guard when there are a series of layoffs. That’s not great for morale for the remainder of your staff.

However, as I mentioned in the intro, you don’t want your team to panic. For example, you may have a terrible quarter financially. Let your employees know the information and use the stats as an opportunity for you and your team to improve your business before declaring the quarter a failure.

8. Eliminate job titles promotes transparency.

When there aren’t titles, it makes everyone feel that they are equals. As Jessica Yuen, at Gusto realized, titles “were not a measurement of someone’s contributions. They didn’t make us stronger, wiser, or bring us closer to achieving our mission.” They even suspected that titles were actually “adding extra layers and points of confusion.”

They got rid of titles. And guess what happened? It created a “no-ego” culture that attracted the right job candidates and promoted a more collaborative environment. But, the main takeaway was that ditching titles “was a constant reminder that we were on the same team, united by the same purpose.”

9. Don’t bury your head in the sand.

I already brought-up The Office before, so let’s keep rolling with the theme. If you recall, whenever Micheal Scott had to make a significant decision or confront conflict, he would hide. In some situations, like the health care episode, he would pass the buck to someone else, like Dwight.

Obviously, actions like these are not recommended. As a leader, you must address and resolve workplace conflicts and make tough decisions. When you do, it lets your team know that they can come to you with problems and concerns. It’s also another way to invite and listen to feedback while also giving you the chance to explain your decision.

10. Follow the Golden Rule.

Finally, treat everyone as you would want to be treated. That means not playing favorites or dismissing others. It’s also about honoring your commitments and being respectful of other’s time. That may not sound like much. But, again, when everyone feels like they’re on the same level — then they’ll feel more comfortable speaking up and listening to what you’re saying.

There are ways you can help your employees time management problems. At some point, we all struggle with time management. As a leader, though, it’s your responsibility to give your team a helping hand when this issue arises for them. But, can you help others better manage their time? Here are 12 simple ways you can help correct your employees’ time management problems.

1. Work with your team to set the right goals and priorities.

We’re putting in more hours per day — on average it’s 8.5 hours. And, that’s not taking into account the hours we put outside of the workplace — one study reported that 80% of Americans worked an additional 7 hours after hours. At the same time, we feel like we’re hardly getting anything done.

There can be several reasons for this. But, for many of us, it’s because we’re not focusing on our priorities. Instead, we’re wasting precious time on activities that aren’t all that important. But, it doesn’t have to be that for you and your employees.

Block out the time to discuss both individual and business goals with your team. Ideally, these should be daily, weekly, monthly, and annual goals that align with your organization’s mission. Not only will this give purpose and meaning to everyone’s work, but it also ensures that you and your employees are working on the right things at the appropriate time.

2. Help them resolve complex issues.

Do you have employees who are regularly missing deadlines? As just discussed, it may be because they’re devoting too much time to the wrong activities. However, they could be something more behind their time management struggles.

One way to get to the route of this problem is to recommend that they track their time for several weeks. They can use a time log or a time tracking tool like RescueTime or Toggl. This will let them see how they’re actually spending their, as well as how they’re wasting it. With this knowledge, they can set aside the proper amount of time to complete tasks and cut out time-wasting activities.

“Others say yes to too many things, and need help prioritizing what matters (being responsive to your biggest client) and letting go of what doesn’t (trying lots of different fonts on an internal PowerPoint to find the exact right one), writes Laura Vanderkam in a Fast Company article. “You can teach this person to make a short (three- to five-item) priority list for each day.” Vanderkam adds, this you should “go over this list together each day for a few days, and talk about which tasks matter most to you and the organization.”

3. Reduce workplace distractions to help employees’ time management problems.

It should come as no surprise that the workplace is full of distractions. Sometimes distractions aren’t all that bad. They can help ease pain, make us more resilient, and give our minds a much-deserved break.

Of course, when not put in check, distractions can absolutely destroy productivity. As a leader, you should identify the top workplace distractions so that you can squash them ASAP. Here are some of the leading culprits:

• Smartphone notifications. People check their phones a whooping every 12 minutes! You aren’t getting much done you’re glued to your phone. Recommend to your team that they either turn their devices off, put them on airplane mode, or use their operating system’s do not disturb feature.
• The internet. Suggest that everyone use a tool like StayFocusd or Strict Workflow. These will restrict access to distracting websites for specific periods.
• Gossiping and chatty co-workers. There’s nothing with a little social activity. But, do not permit employees from gossiping and encourage them to chat during productivity lulls.
• Hunger. Fill the workplace up with healthy and delicious snacks from companies like SnackNation.
• Clutter. Keep your workspace clean and organized, and encourage others to do the same.
• Meetings. Only schedule meetings that are necessary.
• Multitasking. Encourage everyone to complete one task at a time before moving on to the next.

4. Address “planning fallacy.”

This concept was developed by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky in 1977. In a nutshell, the planning fallacy is not setting aside the right amount of time to complete a task or project — even if you know better based on past experiences. As a result, this can delay when you complete your work — which then will throw the rest of your schedule out-of-whack.

Jory MacKay writes on Inc.com that you can save your team from planning fallacy by:

• Having them take into consideration the amount of time need to conduct research or working with others.
• Being realistic “about how long a milestone will take to achieve.”
• Knowing if they can be held accountable to meet timelines.

S.J. Scott from DevelopGoodHabits.com also suggests that you use time-motion words instead of ego-motion words when giving instructions. For example, use “You only have three hours to complete this assignment,” as opposed to “You still have three hours to complete this assignment.” This creates a sense of urgency.

5. Break projects into more manageable pieces.

“Break projects down into manageable pieces,” suggests Teressa Moore Griffin, founder and CEO of Spirit of Purpose. “The scale of projects can overwhelm employees if they have never learned how to break them down into manageable steps.” Remember when your team feels overwhelmed can lead to procrastination — this, in turn, results in missed deadlines.

“Instead of being disappointed that your direct report can’t work independently, understand why,” adds Moore Griffin. “If the issue is feeling overwhelmed by the size and complexity of a project, work with them to break the project down into its component parts.” You can get started by guiding them in identifying the steps to get from A to Z.

6. Create a culture of flexibility.

This is all about allowing your staff to work around their most productive hours. For example, early birds could arrive at work an hour or two before everyone else and then leave in the early afternoon. Then, those who aren’t early risers could come in later but work until the evening.

Another option would be letting employees work from home one or two days per week. This eliminates the time spent on their daily commutes. And, it gives them a chance to steer clear of workplace distractions.

Besides allowing your team to work during their golden hours, flexible schedules let them better manage their personal lives, partake in self-care, give them a sense of autonomy, and work on passion projects. Not only will this make them happy and more productive, but it will also help you attract and retain top talent.

7. Evaluate the effectiveness of meetings.

Meetings are more than just a distraction. They can also kill morale and productivity. Mainly this is because you’re pulling people away from more important work to sit in a dull and pointless meeting.

Before planning a meeting, ask yourself if it’s really necessary. You may discover that whatever needs to be covered could be handled through email or an alternative like collaboration apps, Wikis, or one-on-one chats.

If you must schedule a meeting, create an agenda, and share it with invitees. Also, only invite ket personal and keep the event as short as possible. And, plan around everyone’s peak productivity hours. For example, if everyone is most alert and focused in the A.M., then have the meeting in the afternoon during productivity slumps.

8. Don’t throw too much at them at once to help employees’ time management problems.

I’m well aware that you have a million things to get done. But, if your team is already at full capacity, what good would it be to add more items to their already packed plate? After all, this will make your peeps stressed, anxious, and feel completely overwhelmed. They may even focus on completing tasks that aren’t a top priority.

I don’t think that there’s anything wrong with making sure that your team has plenty of stuff to do. But don’t overdo it. Only assign items that deserve their attention right now and wait until they are finished before sending them more work.

9. Encourage them to fill out a time management calendar.

“When employees complete a time management worksheet, they sit down and seriously reflect on how they are currently spending their hours,” writes the Wrike Team. “From there, in collaboration with leadership and fellow teammates, they establish priorities and break projects down into manageable chunks.”

Furthermore, by using a time management calculator, “they gain the perspective to realize it sometimes might be best to let go of responding to emails for a few hours and concentrate on more pressing concerns.” And, this can also direct employees to areas where they may need additional training.

Getting started with a time management calendar is straightforward. First, use a calendar tool that everyone is already familiar with and integrates with other applications you commonly use. Next, encourage your team to block out specific periods in their calendar for undisturbed deep work. And, don’t forget to remind them to build in time for breaks and tasks like responding to emails, texts, and phone calls.

If you’re working on a project together, make sure that the calendar is shared. This way, everyone knows who is working on what and when deadlines must be met.

10. Play games.

Time management doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, you can even have some fun with it by playing games. On top of assisting with time management, this can be a great way to build comradery in the workplace.

One such game is, “How long is a minute?” Here everyone gathers in a room. Ask them to sit down, close their eyes, and then stand up when they think a minute has passed, for this to work though; clocks must be covered. It’s a simple way to demonstrate how we perceive time differently.

If you want to try out some different games, Hubworks has six other ones that you can play. Personally, I think “What I Did Yesterday” and “Circadian Rhythm” is the most useful

11. Provide time management training for time management problems.

Some believe that time management training doesn’t work. On the one hand, I can why this is true — particularly in regards to traditional techniques. But, I don’t think that means completely tossing this idea out the window.

Take, for example, a new hire you just graduated from college. It’s unlikely that they were ever taught some necessary time management skills, like how to prioritize, organize, and communicate. As a consequence, you might want to sign them up for a time management course or mentor them in techniques that you find to be effective.

Moreover, if they tried out one technique that didn’t work, then suggest they try another. I personally feel that improving your time management is a process. You have to keep tinkering around until you develop a system that works best for you. Remind your employees that and encourage them to keep trying out different methods.

12. Maintain a healthy balance.

Even if everyone within your organization has improved their time management skills, it’s all for naught if they’re always stressed and exhausted. Encourage everyone to take frequent breaks throughout the day and using their vacation days. Also, don’t contact your team members during their off-hours.

Remember, you must establish time-off schedules so that your employees can stay refreshed. What’s more, you also need to set an example yourself. Stop eating through lunch, go on a vacation, create a spontaneous holiday, and remind employees of the benefits of taking a breather from work.