Blog - Page 41 of 84 - Appointment - Online Appointment Scheduling Software

8 Ways to Practice Positive Self-Talk

By Deanna Ritchie | Appointment | No Comments

While making a salad for lunch yesterday, I cut my finger while cutting-up a tomato. It wasn’t severe. But, it was just enough for me to proclaim how much of a moron I am.

Even though you might not be aware of this, we all engage in a little self-talk occasionally. But, what exactly is self-talk, and what role does it play in being productive? And — is your self-talk more positive or negative? Let’s start making it positive.

What is self-talk?

The simplest answer? Self-talk is your inner voice or internal monologue. And, it’s often associated with your self-worth.

Think about it. When you make a mistake, like cutting a finger, you berate yourself for being clumsy. On the flip side, when you get a promotion or beat a deadline, you verbally pat yourself on the back.

Each of these elicits a different response. Negative self-talk makes you feel lousy. Even worse, it can make you feel anxious and depressed.

More interesting, negative self-talk can cause you to lose. Researchers observed 24 tennis players during tournaments. They “found that negative self-talk was associated with losing and that players who reported believing in the utility of self-talk won more points than players who did not.”

Positive self-talk, on the other hand, makes you feel as good as James Brown. Moreover, it boosts your confidence and performance. And, it improves your health.

But, how can you silence negative self-talk and practice positive self-talk? Well, here are 8 strategies that can help.

1. Change your inner dialogue.

It might seem that negative and self-deprecating thoughts appear from nowhere. But, we’re hardwired for negativity. And, when not addressed, this negative bias can impact your behavior, relationships, and decisions.

While you can’t always control these thoughts from automatically appearing, you do have the authority over how you respond to them.

“Believing your self-doubt, worrying incessantly about things you can’t control, and ruminating on the negative will drain you of the mental strength you need to be your best,” explains psychotherapist, mental strength trainer, and best-selling author Amy Morion.

“Reframing your unhelpful thoughts, refusing to dwell on the negative, and purposefully training your brain to think differently. And, this “can help you build mental muscle” as well.

“When you choose to take control over your inner dialogue, you’ll become stronger,” adds Morin. “And the stronger you become, the more likely you are to experience kinder, more productive ways of thinking. It’s a positive cycle that you can create by purposely changing the way you think.”

Build your mental strength.

How can you make this possible? Morin lists the following 7 strategies to help you think more like a mentally strong person;

Replace BLUE thoughts the those that are true. BLUE is an acronym for “blaming myself, looking for the bad news, unhappy guessing, and exaggeratedly negative thoughts.” Whenever you notice these, “respond with a more realistic statement (or true thought).”
Change the channel. If you’re ruminating, distract yourself. For example, go for a walk or perform a household chore.
Argue the opposite. Don’t fixate only on catastrophic outcomes. Also, think about how things might go better than you thought.
Express gratitude. Regardless if it’s through a journal or taking turns at the dinner table, listing the things that you’re grateful for only takes a couple of minutes. But, it has the power to increase your happiness and change your perspective.
Be mindful. Living in the moment “reduces stress, improves psychological well-being, and enhances concentration,” writes Morin.
Ask yourself what you’d say to a trusted friend. “When you’re wrestling with a problem, it can be difficult to find a solution because your emotions affect the way you perceive the issue,” states Morin. “But, it’s much easier to give someone else advice because you’re removed from the situation.”
Embrace a little self-doubt. Use these feelings to motivate you. Think back to when you were in school studying for an exam. If you felt uneasy about a particular topic, that’s where you would dedicate more time and energy so that you felt more confident.

2. Have a failure mantra.

“Yes, mantras and affirmations can be dorky and new-agey,” writes Katherine Fusco for Success. At the same time, “when you feel overwhelmed, the set and repetitive nature of an affirmation can be a nice way to counter the equally set and repetitive nature of negative self-talk.”

That doesn’t mean you have to go full-on Stuart Smalley. However, rehearsing simple phrases like, “I learn through challenges, I am strengthened by this struggle, or even the pithy, No pain, no gain,” might be enough to do the trick.

“Make up your own, post it by your computer,” suggests Fusco. And refer “to that dorky little mantra to bust up the negative thought patterns when they rear their ugly head.” Or, you can use the following four affirmations from Deanna Ritchie In a previous Calendar post;

“I’m going make today a great day.”
“I have a lot to offer.”
“I will never give up.”
“I’m imperfect, and that’s okay.”

3. Create a “Producer’s Motto.”

Yesterday I really couldn’t get into the work zone. I wasn’t happy about it. But, I told myself, “No biggie, you’ll do this tomorrow.”

Occasional putting things off isn’t always necessarily bad. But, if it becomes a daily habit, you’re just asking for trouble. It’s stressful and could do irreversible harm to your personal and professional reputations.

The fix? Replace “Procrastinator’s Mottos.”

These are self-talks encouraging you to procrastinate, with alternatives that make you take action. These are known as “Producer’s Mottos.” And, here are some examples from Luciano Passuello over at Litemind;

Go from“I have to” to “I choose To.” “‘I have to’ is every procrastinator’s favorite expression,” writes Passuello.” It’s also the most disempowering.” Instead of saying this, go to the more empowering “I choose to.”
Finishing vs. starting. “When you focus on finishing something, you direct your attention to a vague, highly idealized future,” he explains. “Visualizing a finished project is motivating for many people, but from the point of view of who’s having a hard time starting a task, visualizing a hard-to-grasp future can be overwhelming — even depressing at times.” Rather, just getting started should be your top strategy.
Long project vs. short task. Anything you need to do can be broken down into smaller, more manageable tasks. For instance, don’t clean the house; start with the kitchen. Writing a book? Zero-in on one page.
Important project vs. imperfect step. “Perfectionism arises and only fuels procrastination even more,” adds Passuello. “The way to overcome this mental block is to simply give yourself permission to be human,” he advises. “Allow yourself to be imperfect just in this next small task.”
“It should be done by now” vs. I’ll feel terrific. “When you say you should be doing something (instead of what you’re actually doing), you focus on comparing an ideal reality with your current, ‘bad’ reality.” A better idea is to think about how awesome it will be after you’ve taken action.
Need to plow through vs. having time to play. Set boundaries on when it’s time to work and when to play. Make it a point to schedule frequent breaks and leisure time so that you can rest and recharge.

4. Avoid all-or-none thinking.

All or nothing thinking is considered a cognitive distortion. Wich, according to Toni Bernhard J.D., are errors in thinking. By engaging them, you’re evaluating “your life in extreme terms: It’s either perfect or a disaster,” explains Bernhard. “You’re either a total success or a total failure.”

“Going to one of these two extremes when evaluating your life is fertile ground for self-blame and even self-hatred,” she continues. The reason? “What you’re really doing is demanding perfection from yourself, since the only alternative you’re willing to consider is a failure, and no one is happy with that.”

To break this thinking, you first need to evoke self-compassion. No need to overthink this. It’s really just being kind to yourself as opposed to beating yourself up.

Secondly, reflect on what you’re good at. Or, think about what you’ve accomplished. No matter how big or small, you shouldn’t discount the positives.

5. Talk to yourself in the third person.

In the summer of 2010, the world anxiously waited for LeBron James to announce where he would be playing next. ESPN even had a special called, well, “The Decision.” And, while controversial, it was when James let us know that he was taking his talent to South Beach.

Here’s what was interesting, however. James used the third person when explaining his decision. Case in point, “I wanted to do what’s best for LeBron James and to do what makes LeBron James happy.”

Psychologist Ethan Kross picked-up on this. He then decided to explore James’ use of self-distancing. “What we find,” Kross told NPR, “is that a subtle linguistic shift — shifting from ‘I’ to your own name — can have really powerful self-regulatory effects.”

In other words, calling yourself by your own name can reduce anxiety. It can also make you more rational and less emotional. And, it may also encourage you to be a little kinder to yourself.

6. Look for silver linings.

Don’t confuse this with strong-arming positivity in your life. After all, research shows that forced happiness doesn’t work. Rather, this is acknowledging the negative while also seeing the good.

Known as the silver-lining theory, research from NYU found that this can heighten performance. In fact, 90% of people who participated in a study found that their negative traits are actually disguised strengths. These include;

You’re not shy, but reflective. You take your time making decisions and tap into the power of solitude.
You aren’t disorganized or sloppy. You’re creative.
Are you too impulsive? That’s not always a bad thing since hyper-scheduling is stressful and doesn’t leave wiggle room. Also, being spontaneous leads to happiness and makes leisure activities more enjoyable.
Do you people find you intimidating? That means that you know know what your values are and what you want. That can even help you induce social change.
Do you believe that you’re irresponsible because you didn’t return a phone call? Maybe that’s because you were spending your time exploring, which makes you happier and self-confident.
Are you the type of person who doesn’t back down or has to be right? You aren’t stubborn. You’re persistent.
Rather than believing that you’re inflexible, consider yourself to be organized. As a result, you’re more consistent and reliable. It also makes how you spend your time much easier.

7. Ditch the toxicity.

Speaking of silver-linings, COVID-19 gave me a chance to get reacquainted with my priorities. Why was that important? Because that encouraged me to remove the unnecessary so that what truly matters to me is my sole focal point.

Sure. Pointless meetings and tasks were the first to go. But so were the septic people in my life, such as those who didn’t respect my time.

One such person that I removed was someone who I finally admitted was manipulating me. I woke-up to the fact that they were sabotaging my self-confidence to keep me bound to them. For instance, if I asked for their insight or feedback, they would tell me that my ideas weren’t unrealistic.

I would have welcomed constructive criticism. But, they instead put me down. And, that, at times, leads me down a downward spiral of negative self-talk.

I’ve since made it a point to surround myself with positive and supportive people. Just know that these aren’t “yes” men or women. They’re honest with you, but without making you feel like dirt.

8. Practice makes perfect.

The saying goes, “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Personally, this is excellent advice when interacting with others. So, why not follow this golden rule when it comes to self-talk?

The next time a negative thought pops-up, don’t let it bring you down. Challenge that thought with one that’s more rational, gentle, and encouraging.

However, this isn’t something that you can change overnight. It’s going to take time and lots of practice. With that in mind, it’s suggested that you begin with one area of your life at a time, such as self-love, health, and wellness, or confidence, and work your way up from there.

How to Optimize Your Videoconferencing Setup

By Jason Barnes | Business Tips | No Comments

To say that Covid-19 has changed things would be an understatement. Perhaps the biggest change we have had to make concerns our jobs. Even if you were fortunate enough to keep yours, there is a good chance you quite literally moved from the boardroom to the bedroom. While there might have been some bumps along the way— maybe involving that pesky mute button or maybe a lack of pants — by now, you probably consider yourself a videoconferencing pro.

With the possibility that remote working will be here to stay, however, it could be time to think about things you could be doing to get more out of your setup. These six tips will help you become a videoconferencing master:

Use Better (or More) Lighting

Everybody wants to see your bright, shining face. It is essential that the room you’re in has enough light. It also needs to be in the right place. Moving a lamp closer to you or putting one behind the device or even just facing a window can make a big difference.

Better yet, think about utilizing multiple lights in your workspace. Try placing a lamp on each side of your desk. For the best illumination, you may also want to consider buying a lighting kit.

Improve Your Camera

The camera in your computer or other device is…fine. If your meetings are typically just brief check-ins with team members, it might be all you need.

However, if you have to give presentations or demonstrate visuals that your team will need to see clearly, your best bet is to buy a webcam. While there are many to choose from, pick one with HDMI capabilities for high-quality video. Also, be sure that it is compatible with Zoom or whatever videoconferencing app you use.

One more tip: Keep the camera at eye level. This is a great way to simulate real, face-to-face interaction.

Upgrade Your Mic

Like the camera in your device, the built-in mic will also probably get the job done. However, if people are constantly complaining that they can’t hear you well, it could be time for an upgrade.

With the rise of telecommuting (not to mention all of those podcasters), there are now tons of mics available, and prices vary widely. Wearing a lavalier mic, a very affordable option, can vastly enhance your audio.

Consider Headphones

Speaking of sound, if you frequently have to ask people to repeat themselves, the problem could be you and not them. Headphones will immediately enable you to get better sound quality. Plus, if you have a noisy household — maybe you have a kid or two at home who’s learning online — they will let you tune out of the cacophony at home.

Those big, over-the-ears, Princess Leia headphones are one option. If you think they’re too obtrusive, earbuds are the much subtler choice.

Boost Your Signal

None of the stuff mentioned above will mean much if you often have trouble connecting with your team. If your internet connection is slow or inconsistent, don’t wait to troubleshoot it.

Try simply moving your device closer to your router. If, however, the router is old or unreliable, a new one may be in order. If getting a new router doesn’t help, try a wired connection. And if even that doesn’t help, ask your internet company to come take a look.

Think About What’s Behind You

You may have the latest bells and whistles, excellent image quality, and audio so clear you could hear a pin drop. But what about all of the clutter on your desk or that stack of laundry behind you?

If you have a mess in your home, you’re certainly not the only one. While you could clean it up before the meeting, just pushing it out of the frame might be your best option. Or, if you can, move your webcam to change the viewing angle.

Whether your stint as a remote worker is winding down or just getting started, don’t wait to master virtual conferences. Even if you go back to the office, rest assured: You have many, many more videoconferences ahead of you.

Busy vs Productive: 9 Ways To Be Productive, Not Busy

By John Rampton | Time Management | No Comments

I recently caught up with an old friend. The first thing he asked was, “How are things goin’?” I replied, “Busy.” That “busy” response was automatic, and I’d even say it’s probably the most common response anyone would receive from entrepreneurs and professionals. For me, the statement also happens to be true, and my team members have also been hard at work Calendar. We wouldn’t want it any other way.

Have you ever asked yourself if you’re merely acting “busy?” If you’re looking busy just to be a pretender — is that a bad thing? I would respond, “yes,” just being busy (as a pretender) is a “bad” thing. If you’re juggling multiple tasks, like responding to emails and being active on social media — business productivity is not made up of these types of careless actions. Admit to yourself that you’re staying busy under the guise of being productive, and these actions will not help you move closer to your goals. In short, you’re just wasting your time.

To make sure that you’re not falling into the “busy for nothing” trap — here are nine ways you can help yourself be productive. As a result, you’ll be more effective at work and will have the time to focus on what matters most in your life.

1. Identify what is important and necessary.

Busy people are known for jumping quickly on every assignment. They have no hesitation in accepting requests for their time — and people love them for that. The thing is when you’re continually putting out fires you end-up focusing on things that are urgent, but not essential.

If your choice is to be involved in the crucial but not critical — have a clear understanding of what you are doing. These actions will have you failing to meet deadlines and you won’t reach your goals. Productive people can identify what is important and necessary. They make the most important things a priority over the things that can either wait or that don’t have a deadline.

2. Optimize your organization.

Are you so busy that you don’t have time to sit down for five minutes and do nothing? Even people who are running multiple businesses aren’t that busy. The truth is that you’re just not organized. There’s a vast difference in the mental processing of the person who is ahead of deadlines and someone who is perpetually late.

Instead of running around frantically — productive people have a solid organization strategy. The key is finding the methods, techniques, and tools that work best for you. Some of my personal favorites are:

Creating a simple to-do-list with no more than three “most important tasks” (MITs).
Using to-do list apps, such as Wunderlist or Todoist, to organize and share my lists.
Automating recurring tasks. Automate using Buffer or Hootsuite for social media updates, canned email responses, or chatbots for customers service. Calendar can make smart scheduling suggestions and there are also tools that can send out recurring invoices.
If you create content for your business, then you need an editorial calendar and template. The editorial calendar and template will keep your company’s marketing goals on track.
Rely on proven time management methods like the Pomodoro Technique. It helps break down larger projects into smaller chunks and will remind you to take breaks.
In the kitchen, a chef has a system called “mise en place.” This chef system is a process they use to arrange all of their ingredients and tools before cooking. This prep-work helps account for their time, prevents looking for misplaced items, and helps them concentrate. I like laying out my clothes the night before work and having all tools (computer, cords, materials) in the bag ready to leave.

3. Create a system to minimize distractions.

You’re in your office preparing for a meeting. You hear an email notification go off on your phone. Instead of ignoring it — you stop what you’re doing and read the email. Now you’ve lost your train-of-thought and can’t get-back-on-track for a couple of seconds. These seconds and microseconds add up over time to a lot of distraction.

Distraction is a common occurrence with busy people. They allow themselves to get distracted.

Those who are productive, however, have created a system and put it in place to reduce distractions. For example, they work on their most important tasks in the morning. During this time they close their door and turn-off smartphone notifications. When completed, they have a specific amount of time dedicated to mundane tasks like email.

4. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Another difference between productive people and those who are not — is that busy people get lost in minor details. Productive individuals focus on macro issues. As long as you get from A to B efficiently, it doesn’t matter the exact route you took. It just matters that you got there.

Skip striving for perfection and obsessing over every little detail. Focus on hitting key milestones that help you achieve your objectives.

5. Say “yes” strategically.

Busy folks rarely say “no.” They say “yes” to most requests — whether that’s taking on a new assignment or RSVPing to a party. “Yes-ing” everything will eventually pack a schedule with things that do little to improve a persons’ lives.

Productive people are more strategic with their time. They know that saying “yes” is a time commitment that prevents them from focusing on priorities. They will only say “yes” to requests if it helps them achieve their goals. If their value goals are not being pursued, they’ll politely say “no.”

6. Be willing to make sacrifices.

There’s a belief that as entrepreneurs or business owners you have to sacrifice things like spending time with family or doing the hobbies that we’re passionate about doing. There may be some truth to that if you want to be busy 24/7.

Productive people are willing to make sacrifices if that gives them more time to rest, spend with the people who matter most and pursue interests like a side-hustle. Establishing “business” and “out-of-office” hours helps to reserve needed quality time. Examples would be unplugging on the weekends and quitting committees or organizations that are not building you in some manner.

Some people may not get you and you may even frustrate others when you’re not available on a Saturday afternoon. But, you’ll feel less hurried, overwhelmed, and stressed. Most importantly, it ensures that you aren’t neglecting your own self-care and priorities.

7. Surround yourself with productive people.

A 2014 study found that friends can influence our choices. Depending on your friends, that could be either good or bad.

For example, productive people surround themselves with those who encourage, support and motivate them. These productive people are usually competent with their goals. On the other hand, busy people surround themselves with those who indulge them. It may be fun to veg out and watch movies all day, but that is rarely the best use of your time.

8. Weigh the pros and cons before jumping on a trend.

Whether it’s the latest social or business trend, busybodies are all over it and that’s not always the worst thing in the world. But, these trends may not have enough lasting value. As a result, busybodies spend time jumping from trend-to-trend.

Before jumping on any bandwagon, productive people will weigh the pros and cons of the trend. If it’s not providing value or improving lives, then the direction isn’t worth the time or financial investment.

For example, it seems like everyone wants to have their own podcast or YouTube channel. People are making a fortune with this type of content. However, if you take a step back, you’ll realize that it’s only a small fraction of people who are making money on these channels. Are these channels the type that would help you with your career or life goals?

9. Be honest about your progress.

At the end of the day ask yourself if you had an incredibly busy day without any rhyme or reason? Or did the work you did today bring you closer to your goals? This honest introspection should become a daily ritual. Asking yourself these questions about your productivity and will help you put your work in perspective. You’ll be able to differentiate between what’s a priority and what’s not.

Questioning yourself will give you an opportunity to think about what went well with your day and what didn’t — giving you the opportunity to make adjustments going forward.

4 Covid-19 Changes to Keep for the Long Haul

By Gunjan Saini | Knowledge Base | No Comments

Covid-19 has forever changed our work, our social interactions, and even how we view ourselves. We’ve come to understand our own limits better, even as we’ve learned the importance of self-care. That doesn’t mean, however, we’ve enjoyed the experience.

Let’s be honest: Plenty of those changes we’ll be happy to discard once it’s safe to do so. Which of them, however, should we consider keeping for the long haul?

While you’re likely sick of social distancing, there are a few changes beyond more frequent handwashing that you should keep long after the pandemic has ended:

1. Setting Your Own Schedule

Covid-19 turned our world upside down and turned our days into a grey fog of sameness. We learned, intentionally or not, how to clear the haze by controlling our schedule.

We need our work time, our quiet time, and our family time. As Calendar suggests, we thrive on routine, and losing it can leave us feeling lost and disoriented.

Make a point, if you don’t already, to separate your work and play spaces. Set clear work and “office” hours. When it’s time to put one down, take the other up with a vengeance.

To be clear, you don’t need to have every minute of the day rigidly scheduled out. But if there’s one thing you should hold on to once the pandemic is over, it’s the importance of making time for all aspects of your life.

2. Embracing Mental and Emotional Care

You’ve likely heard the phrase “collective trauma” more than once over the past year. You may have even experienced its symptoms: chiefly irritability, frustration, and depression.

For many of us, this has required making a conscious effort to cope. It’s meant figuring out what keeps us sane in a world that has, too often, seemed like it’s gone mad.

Maybe you need to schedule in gym time, some counseling sessions, or even a Covid-safe spa day. Or, to the point above, it might just entail making sure you have uninterrupted family time on your calendar.

Do what you need to take care of yourself. Make your mental and emotional health your top priority this year.

3. Taking Being Sick Seriously

Too often, we treat common colds as annoyances we have to push aside and power through. It’s understandable: colds aren’t, generally speaking, serious illnesses. Covid-19 reminded us that some infections, however, are.

According to LinkedIn, workers took an average of just 2.5 sick days in 2018. Sick employees aren’t only less productive, but they risk infecting others and affecting their productivity.

The bottom line is, overextending yourself when you’re sick doesn’t help anyone. Focusing on what’s important and taking the time to recover, on the other hand, helps everyone.

That might involve staying in when you want to go out with friends. It might mean rescheduling a meeting or moving an in-person appointment to a virtual one. Realize that your being ill affects others. So stay home and focus on recovery.

4. Telecommuting

This change should catch no one by surprise. Over the past year, “telecommute” has become almost as familiar a word as “pandemic.”

To be sure, not every job or industry is suited for at-home work. Not everyone will have the option to work remotely once Covid-19 has passed.

For those who can telecommute, however, the arrangement can be a godsend. Remote workers are as productive as, if not more productive than, their in-office team members. Leaders can leverage the perk to expand their talent pool and to save on office costs.

Make no mistake: offices, gyms, and schools will reopen once the pandemic is over. But at the same time, telecommuting is here to stay.

Although it can be difficult to see silver linings in something like a pandemic, Covid-19 has its share. The challenge, of course, is seizing them at the same time you steer your life back to “normal.” Fortunately, you have the entire world as company.

Beware of Toxic Productivity

By Deanna Ritchie | Appointment | No Comments

It may seem like a modern concept — but we’ve been striving for productivity for centuries. For example, one of the earliest mentions of productivity can be found in the classic economics text Wealth of Nations, written by Adam Smith in 1776.

What’s more, Benjamin Franklin came up with the first to-do-list in 1791. Even the day planner has been around since 1850. But, in the 21st Century, technology has almost made us obsessed with productivity.

Don’t believe me? Google “productivity” for the heck of it. You’ll get around 561,000,000 results!

On a daily basis, we’re bombarded with tools and hacks that promise to make us more productive. The problem is that eventually, we get burned out.

Then, the pandemic hit. For many of us, that meant we had “extra” time on our hands. With a scrapped daily commute, blank social calendar, and nothing else to do, we could be even more productive.

To make matters worse, this is what we were advised to by experts. Our social feeds were filled to the brim with people who suddenly became bakers, musicians, or contractors. There was no longer an excuse not to get things done.

What is toxic productivity?

“It’s tough enough to be productive in the best of times, let alone when we’re in a global crisis,” Chris Bailey, a productivity consultant and the author of “Hyperfocus: How to Manage Your Attention in a World of Distraction.” told The New York Times.

“The idea that we have so much time available during the day now is fantastic, but these days it’s the opposite of luxury,” he said. “We’re home because we have to be home, and we have much less attention because we’re living through so much.”

Next thing you know, you have new responsibilities and obligations. Eventually, you feel so overwhelmed that it’s like your underwater. And, you actually have less time to kick back and relax.

Even worse? You might have felt like a failure if you weren’t making the most of every minute in lockdown.

“It’s called toxic productivity,” explains expert nurse Emma Selby, clinical lead at health & fitness brand Results Wellness Lifestyle. “It can be defined as an obsession with radical self-improvement above all else.”

“Ultimately, it’s an unachievable goal,” adds Selby. Regardless “matter how productive you are, the result you are left with is a feeling of guilt for not having done ‘more.’”

Obviously, that’s counterproductive. More concerning is that this can impact your health and wellbeing during these uncertain times.

The signs of toxic productivity.

Not all productivity is toxic. Throughout the pandemic, a lot of us figured out how to get more done in less time. How so? By finally identifying our priorities and not dealing with distractions like in-person meetings.

A study from Prodoscore actually found that calendar time had dropped almost 23% vs. the year prior. However, from May to August 2020, productivity levels were up 5% when compared to 2019.

The downside? People were working through the weekend. The study reports that “year over year from May through August, employees are working 42% more on Saturdays and 24% more on Sundays in 2020 than in 2019.”

And, the latter is an example of toxic productivity. But, since this is different for everyone, here are some common red flags to determine if your productivity is toxic.

It’s impacted your mental health. You feel more anxious, depressed, or restless.
You’ve forgotten obligations and personal responsibilities. Examples include not remembering a family member’s birthday or skipping your workout, a healthy meal, or a good night’s sleep.
Your relationships have become stained. Are you not fully “present” when interacting with others? Have you been told that you’re working too much? Have you alienated those closest to you, like not responding to texts or making time for them?
You have unrealistic expectations. For instance, putting in a normal 8-day for work when you also have to homeschool your kids.
Feeling like you’re on the verge of burnout. Usually, this involves feeling less energetic and focused.
Attaching self-worth to hours worked. Just because you worked for 8-hours doesn’t mean you were productive. In fact, if you work more than 55 hours per week, productivity begins to drop sharply.

How to avoid toxic productivity.

Have you noticed any of the toxic productivity signs listed above? If you answered yes, don’t fret. There are simple ways to put a stop to toxic productivity before it interferes with your health, work performance, and relationships.

1. Don’t be productive, be smart.

Productivity is focusing on things that matter most to you. It’s those baby steps you’re taking to reach a goal. And, certainly not trying to keep with what you’re friends are posting on social media.

In short, don’t be productive just for the sake of being productive. Instead, be smarter and do more in less time by;

Scheduling your most important work about your internal clock.
Use Parkinson’s Law to your advantage, like cutting deadlines in half or gamifying tasks.
Follow the 80/20 rule so that you’re focusing on the vital few.
Manage your energy, not your time.
Stop chasing perfection and think done.
Re-use previous materials.
Keep tabs on your emotional exhaustion.
Keep your saw sharp by taking breaks and enhancing your skills.
Set your ideal schedule and then work backward.

2. Adjust your goals and expectations.

I’ve enjoyed working from home — and for some people, they’re actually mote productive without commuting, meetings, and talkative co-workers.

At the same time, there also days when you aren’t going to get as much done at home. You may have children to take care of or catch-up on household chores. There will be certain tasks that you literally can not do at home since you don’t have the right tools or equipment.

Additionally, there’s only so much you can actually do in one day. Don’t overcommit yourself. And, be honest about what you can realistically accomplish.

3. Redefine what breaks are.

Taking breaks doesn’t mean that slacking off. These are vital if you want to stay fresh and rejuvenated. Besides, there are perks to being lazy every now and then.

Besides taking frequent breaks throughout the day, disconnect on the weekend. And, if you feel like you need a personal day, go ahead and take it.

4. Embrace simplicity.

“Whether you call it minimalism, Kondo-ing, or simple living, there are certainly benefits to this type of lifestyle,” writes Calendar Co-Founder John Hall. “Mainly, saving time and money. But, it’s also good for your health and productivity.”

Rather than adding more to your life, scale things back. When you do, you’ll enjoy the following perks;

Having blank spots in your calendar allows time for self-reflection.
You’ll reduce decision fatigue.
You’ll finally have the chance to engage in self-care.
There will be fewer misplaced items.
It removes friction and conflicts from your life.
It strengthens relationships, focus, and effectiveness.
You’ll have a clean and organized home and workspace.

5. Establish clearly defined boundaries.

It’s not always possible. But, try to stick to a routine where you have a clear working and non-working hours. Even if your schedule is flexible or changing, leave work at work when you’re done.

Of course, this is a challenge. However, it’s not impossible. You could designate tech-free zones in your home, put your phone on “do not disturb,” set time limits on email, or ask a family member to hold you accountable.

6. Focus on positive self-talk.

“Do you define your sense of self-worth by how productive you are?” asks Dr. Therese Mascardo, Founder of the L.A. Digital Nomads, and CEO and founder of Exploring Therapy. “If so, you may find yourself caught in a cycle of chasing accomplishments that give you a temporary sense of worth until that wears off and you need yet another accomplishment to make you feel valuable.”

“To heal your self-talk, start seeing that your value is not in what you produce or accomplish, but in who you are,” advises Dr. Mascardo.

“Ask yourself, ‘Would I have these same expectations for someone I care for deeply?’” No? “Then you shouldn’t have these expectations for yourself, either.”

In fact, get into the habit of talking to yourself like you would a friend. And, if you’re really struggling with self-talk, get support from a therapist. They can help “you heal toxic narratives that have kept you stuck in a cycle of addiction to productivity.”

7. Don’t compare yourselves to others.

“Social media is always a two-edged weapon,” writes business analyst Man To Ip. “On one hand, social media like LinkedIn allow us to explore opportunities like never before. With the help of these tools, it is way easier nowadays to expand our network and get the latest information from companies.”

On the other hand? “These platforms promote a kind of competition among peers or even among strangers.”

“During this lockdown period, it is common to see that many people posting what online courses they have finished, what skills they have picked up, or generally ‘how they have used this period wisely,’” he adds. “Don’t get me wrong; I am not saying that we should not equip ourselves with various skills or we should not give advice to other people.”

“Overall, these feeds have no problem at all, but toxic productivity comes in when we over-compare ourselves with others because of this information. It is, of course, good to have done five online courses in a month, but by no means you are a ‘loser’ simply because you have just done three courses instead of five.”

12 Productivity Hacks You Probably Aren’t Using

By John Rampton | Appointment | No Comments

Sometimes the conventional wisdom and obvious advice that you’ve heard a million times doesn’t cut it when need a major productivity boost. During these times you might need to think outside the box and use the following 12 productivity hacks to get you back-on-track.

1. Work when you’re most effective.

“Everyone has times of the day when they are more efficient. They also have times of the day when they tend to drag their feet,” writes Max Palmer in a previous Calendar article. “If you want to maximize your effectiveness throughout the day you need to identify your peak hours.”

After you’ve identified when you’re more effective, “it’s time to optimize your schedule,” adds Max. “The tasks that require the most concentration need to be taken care of when you’re at your best.”

For example, if you’re at your peak between nine am to noon, and you’re a freelance writer, then that’s when you should writing your most important, challenging, and undesirable assignments.

Once you’ve eaten that frog, you can tackle those smaller, more enjoyable, and less important writing gigs.

2. Unsubscribe and unfollow.

Our tastes change frequently throughout life. For instance, if you got into Crossfit several years ago you probably started following trainers on social media, signed-up for newsletters and purchased the proper gear and Paleo cookbooks.

Today, however, your body can’t handle Crossfit. Now all of those newsletters and feeds aren’t relevant to you. But, they’re still filling-up your inbox and feed.

Take a couple of minutes to unsubscribe and unfollow newsletters and feeds that are no longer providing you with value. This way you won’t be spending as much time maintaining your email and social accounts since it’s lean and mean.

I would do this at least once a month so that your inbox and social feeds don’t become too cluttered.

3. Work from a communal space.

Most of us can’t focus when there’s a conversation right next to us. You can forget about getting any deep work done when that jackhammer is going to town on the sidewalk in front of your office. As a result, we tend to lock ourselves in a completely silent office.

The fact, however, is that ambient noise can actually make you more productive.

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found ambient noise of 70 decibels increased productivity more than relative quiet.

So if you work from home relocate to a co-working space. Instead of shutting your office door spend a couple of hours at your favorite coffee shop. The white noise, vibe, and java will keep you going.

4. Use a treadmill desk.

I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of people raving about the benefits of standing desks. But, how about you take that to the next level with a treadmill desk?

Researchers at the University of Queensland found that standing up while you work and walking on a treadmill desk reduces stress and boosts productivity.

Lead researcher Nicholas Gilson, an associate professor with the university’s School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, said in a press release, “We found people who use activity-promoting desks were more able to focus on urgent tasks, avoid non-urgent tasks and manage stress better than people sitting at a desk all day.”

Dr. Gilson added, “The workers who used sit-stand or walking desks allocated attention most effectively and had lower levels of cortisol – known as the “stress hormone” – in their saliva.”

You can purchase a new treadmill desk, like the LifeSpan TR1200-DT5, on Amazon for just over $1,500. You could also purchase workstation to go with your existing treadmill or, if you’re creative, you can probably build your own for a couple of hundred bucks.

5. Create a mini-crisis.

I wouldn’t recommend doing this all-of-the-time, but there are moments when we work best under pressure. Let’s say that you’re heading out-of-town for a business trip or family vacation. I can guarantee that the week leading up to your departure you’re going to be hustling so that you don’t have to worry about work while you’re away.

You can recreate this sensation by blocking out less time than you think you’ll actually need to complete a task. Instead of blocking out three hours for writing, cut it down to two. Instead of an hour dedicated to emails, spend only 30-minutes. You’ll be surprised at how much more you’ll get accomplished when you have less time to spend on a specific task.

6. Sleepless.

This doesn’t mean that you should only get four hours of sleep per night. After all, quality sleep ensures that you’ll have enough energy to make it through the day.

This means that you don’t need to sleep for eight or more hours every night.

Clinical studies show that we only need 6 to 7 hours of sleep. Imagine what you can do with that extra hour or two of time instead of sleeping.

7. Optimize your workspace.

It’s no secret that maintaining a proper workspace boosts productivity, creativity, and energy. But, how many of us actually take the time to optimize our workspaces?

You can start today by making these quick workspace changes:

Invest in ergonomic furniture — particularly your office chair. It can be a bit pricey, but it’s worth it if you want to become more efficient while remaining comfortable.
Clean and organize your workspace. This means putting stacks of paper away, cleaning-up messy computer cables, and placing everything back where they belong so you can find them when needed.
Locate your workspace to a spot where you’re exposed to natural light. If there aren’t any sunny spots, purchase a full spectrum light.
Put some live plants in your workspace. They purify the air and come with psychological benefits that can boost productivity.
Face your workspace towards the door. Having your back to the door can make you feel insecure.

I’d also add that you set your workspace to the right temperature. Researchers at Cornell have found that offices, where temperatures were 68 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, made 44 percent more mistakes. Offices at optimal room temperature, which is around 77 degrees Fahrenheit, made fewer errors.

8. Listen to the right kind of music.

As mentioned above, white noise can increase your productivity. This also includes music. In fact, according to research from Dr. Teresa Lesiuk, those who listened to music while working not only completed their tasks faster, they also had better ideas.

The caveat here is that you have to listen to the right type of music. This includes classical, ambient soundtracks, video game music, epic music, and the sounds of nature.

Focus@Will is a handy app that can boost your productivity by finding the right music to help you focus more.

9. Take a cold shower.

This may seem a little out there. But as noted by researchers at the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam, “Cold bathing is a common custom in many parts of the world.” In fact, humans have experimented with water temperature variation for centuries. “In ancient times, Roman bathing was based around the practice of moving through a series of heated rooms culminating in a cold plunge at the end.”

Modern research has found that taking a cold shower can strengthen your immunity and circulation, help you recover after exercise, and make you more alert and energized.

This doesn’t mean you have to take a 5-minute shower in freezing water either. You can start off with a warm shower and follow that by a 30, 60, or 90-second blast of cold water to get your day started.

10. Hydrate.

If you want to be at peak productivity, then you need to be fully hydrated.

It’s been found that even just a one percent drop in hydration can result in a 12 percent reduction in productivity! A three or four percent drop in hydration can lead to between 25 percent to 50 percent reduction in productivity.

To stay fully hydrated, make sure that you’re drinking at least two liters of water daily. Make sure to update this in your academic calendar as well!

11. Know exactly how long your breaks should be.

This may sound counter-intuitive, but we need to take breaks throughout the day. But, as As Tony Schwartz, CEO of The Energy Project, perfectly explains, “Without any downtime to refresh and recharge, we’re less efficient, make more mistakes, and get less engaged with what we’re doing.”

Studies have found that in the morning we can stay focused on a task for around 90 minutes before we start to lose focus. As such, we should then take a 20-minute break every 90 minutes. That makes sense it follows our natural body rhythms.

In the afternoon though, we should use the Pomodoro Technique where you work in 25-minute chunks and then take a five-minute break. When the fourth time comes around you take a 25-30 minute break. This works better in the afternoon since our biological rhythms have stabilized.

If that’s too much too figure out, break for 17 minutes every 52 minutes throughout the day. The idea is that we need frequent breaks throughout the day in order to stay focused and energized throughout the day.

12. Declutter your Calendar.

Do you wake-up in the morning, look at your calendar, and become instantly stressed? It’s probably because you’re calendar is too cluttered. And when you have too much planned in one day, it’s impossible to accomplish everything that needs to get done.

Take the time to clear the clutter from your calendar by:

Every night review your calendar and select only your top 3 priorities for tomorrow.
Review all of your recurring events and commitments. Some of these may no longer be valuable or fit into your schedule and may need to be removed.
Stop filling your calendar with tasks that only take a minute of your time.
Share your calendar with others so that everyone knows your availability.
Keep a separate calendar for work so that you’re calendar isn’t jam-packed with work and personal entries.
Stop saying “yes” to every request and invite.
Use a scheduling assistant, like Calendar, to eliminates those back-and-forth communications when scheduling appointments.

8 Tips for Cutting Down on Unnecessary Customer Emails

By Jason Barnes | Business Tips | No Comments

The daily task of reading and responding to unnecessary customer emails can feel like an endless routine. You might think you’ve communicated every piece of information clearly and thoroughly. But some customers just don’t do their homework before sending an email with a question you thought you had already answered.

Finding ways to cut down on unnecessary customer emails will decrease the amount of time you spend in your inbox and increase the amount of time you can grow your business. Here are some helpful tips for reducing unnecessary customer emails while keeping customers happy to continue working with you.

Implement Online Scheduling

Your business may thrive on a personal touch that includes friendly small talk every time a customer calls to make an appointment. It’s more likely, however, that people want to quickly schedule, cancel, or confirm appointments as quickly as possible and move on.

Offering an online scheduling option is a win-win for you and your customers, as it lets busy people communicate important information quickly and efficiently. Online scheduling also reduces scheduling errors, which are both frustrating for customers and costly in terms of staff time.

Better still, an online scheduling system gives customers the power to choose their preferred date and time for an appointment. This feature helps eliminate any potential back-and-forth emails and promotes a heightened sense of appointment “ownership.” Customers are far more likely to keep an appointment they set themselves.

Make Information Available Across Multiple Channels

Pay attention to the questions that seem to require an infinite number emails from you and your staff to answer. This is perhaps the simplest way to determine what information you should be providing to the public. The channels you select to convey that information may vary — your website, social media, and/or print — but the need to do so is plain.

Not that you’re trying to cut your customers off from all human contact. You’re simply seeking to serve them by heading off frequent questions. In doing so, you make your life easier as well.

Be the Change You Want to See in the World

Of course, no business will be able to entirely dispense with email anytime soon. Given that reality, consider the following tips for sharpening your own email conduct. After all, one of the best ways to encourage the behavior you want to see in others is to model it yourself.

Send Fewer Emails

This may sound overly simplistic, but every time you send an email, you invite the recipient to click the “Reply” button. Letter writers like to say “You gotta write ’em to get ’em,” but the reverse is also true. If you want to receive fewer emails, stop sending so many yourself.

Communication theorist Marshall McLuhan famously said, “The medium is the message.” Keep his point in mind when deciding whether email is in fact the best medium for the information you need to convey. A quick phone call, Slack message, or in-person conversation might be more appropriate.

Think Twice Before Clicking ‘Reply’ or ‘Reply to All’

Have you ever been part of an endless email thread of office lunch orders? If yes, did you enjoy putting work on hold long enough to read Ben’s request for beef on rye?

There are two equal and opposite errors to avoid when considering the dreaded “Reply to All” button. The first is needlessly copying a message to tons of people who don’t need to see it. The second error is not replying to all when all parties actually need to be informed. Choosing the right mechanism probably takes less than two seconds of thought and demonstrates respect for other people’s time.

Improve Your Subject Lines

We all skim our email inboxes trying to sift for important messages. Writing clear, specific, concise subject lines will endear you to your email recipients as it enables them to prioritize reading and responding as they think best. Providing only pertinent information will serve to minimize confusion.

Best practices include limiting every email message to one topic. If your email includes multiple issues and questions, it’s likely that one or more of them will be missed in the response. Don’t drift; stick to providing details only on what you’ve highlighted in your subject line.

Get to the Point ASAP

When speaking, it’s common to include superfluous details that help illustrate your point or reference a related situation as an aside. If you compose emails the same way you talk, though, even the simplest requests can turn into a novella.

Your goal should be to minimize the amount of time required for a customer to interact with your message, not win an essay competition. Lengthy emails will fatigue your recipients and increase the likelihood of a confused response.

Keep your salutation friendly but brief. Get to the point. Use your first few words to tell your recipient why you’re reaching out, what you hope to accomplish, and the expected time frame for a response. By doing this, you’ll avoid miscommunication and head off further emails requesting clarification.

Remember when email promised to make our work lives so much easier? The daily grind of reading and responding to unnecessary messages has since ballooned into a major contributor to lost productivity. But by following these tips to cut down on unnecessary emails, you’ll soon be able to reclaim your inbox — and your sanity.

How to Get Just as Much Done this Month With Only 28 Days

By Max Palmer | Time Management | No Comments

February is the shortest month of the year. 28 short days mark the end of the winter season. This month is marked by Valentine’s Day, and the Super Bowl. Sorry, this year is not a leap year — so NO 29th day this year.

Even though it’s only missing a few days, February can feel painfully short. Trying to maintain productivity and reach your monthly goals will be much more challenging. However, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to regardless of time restraints if you leverage your online calendar. Getting just as much done in a shorter month only requires some time management:

Calendar Your Goals

Take your New Year’s resolution, monthly goals, or February aspirations and start adding them to your Calendar. Break them down into actionable steps, perhaps by a week or even by the day, to really visualize what you have to do in only 28 days. You’ll have a productivity map from start to finish that shows you just how much you need to accomplish.

Take a fitness goal, for example. If your goal is to run 100 miles each month, you’re going to have to add in some longer runs during the month of February. As you bundle up for some chilly morning jogs, you can take comfort knowing you’ve planned ahead and won’t need to participate in a marathon on February 28th to meet your quota.

Wake Up Early

Waking up even a few minutes earlier than usual will open up so much more time in your day. This won’t be easy if you’re a night owl, but the productivity boost you’ll see will be worth the sacrifice. You could opt for a late-night, but after a long day of work, your productivity is bound to take a hit once the sun goes down.

Use your Calendar to craft the ideal morning routine. Start by pushing your alarm back, as horrible as that may be to do the night before. Then, fill your morning schedule with activities that will get you going as soon as your feet hit the floor. Try 15 minutes of stretching and a timed shower, so you don’t doze off and end up wasting the morning hours you so carefully squared away.

Pack in Your Weekend

While the weekend is a great time to get some needed rest before returning to work on Monday, it’s also your best chance at fitting in with everything else you hope to do this month. Even a few hours on Saturday and Sunday will significantly escalate what you’re able to accomplish in a short month.

Open up your online calendar for February and look at their weekends. Are they barren of any activities? Look for ways to fill them. You might notice that your evenings are overflowing with plans that you can push back to the weekend, allow you to focus on things one at a time, or squeeze in an extra task to help reach your monthly goal.

Stay Focused

It takes an average of 23 minutes to regain focus after you’ve been distracted. That’s a lot of wasted time that quickly adds up if you find yourself distracted frequently. To truly make the most out of each and every day, you’ll have to figure out how to keep distractions to a minimum.

Start by eliminating obvious distractions from the surrounding area. Keeping your cell phone on silent and face down is a great start, as smartphones are perhaps the number one distraction in the world today. Take note of any music or images that distract you as well so they can be removed.

If you still find yourself flipping tabs to social media or losing concentration over the course of the day, try a time management technique to help hone your focus. For example, try this guide on the Pomodoro method. It’ll insert scheduled break times into your online calendar to give you hyperfocus in short bursts.

Learn to Say No

It’ll be challenging, but you may have to say no to a few situations to ensure you have the time you need to meet your goals. Instead of going out for drinks on Friday night, finish up some tasks for your startup or finish the house project you’re determined to get done by Spring.

Of course, you don’t have to say no to everything, but be aware of your limits. Achieving maximum productivity requires some self-mastery. Your friends will understand if you need to take a bow a few weekends in order to tend to your business, home, or career while on a time crunch.

Do as Much as You Can in Advance

Procrastination gets the best of everyone. Unfortunately, even a tiny mistake in time management can cost you big time. By planning things in advance, you can hedge yourself against procrastination, laziness, and fatigue slowing you down.

One example can be found in meal planning. Say you work from home and want to take a lunch break. If you don’t have anything prepared, you’ll spend valuable time preparing something or running to a less than healthy fast food restaurant. If you used your weekend to prepare meals for the week, you wouldn’t have to sacrifice as much time and would be able to focus on your work.

These time management tips and tricks will help you year-round, not just during the shortest month of the year. Keep that Calendar handy, and be proactive with how you use your time, and you’ll never fall short of what you hope to accomplish.

Self-Service Your Customers Will Actually Appreciate

By Jon Bradshaw | Knowledge Base | No Comments

Reliable customer service is at the center of your business’s client retention strategy. When your team is available for real-time support, customer satisfaction will follow.

However, 24/7 customer support requires significant resources and isn’t always sustainable. The solution? A comprehensive self-service platform.

Recent data shows that 67% of customers prefer to self-serve rather than talk to a customer service representative, so now is the time to implement this strategy.

Self-service allows customers to book appointments and find answers on their own, which in turn saves your business time and money. A robust self-service framework paired with traditional customer service features can help businesses streamline client support, boost customer satisfaction, and allocate resources more effectively.

The real challenge, though, is getting your customers to use these tools. This guide will cover the basics of self-service and offer some tried-and-true methods for bringing your customers on board.

Prioritizing Efficiency: The Basics of Self-Service

Before diving into the how-tos of customer self-service, it’s important to break down this popular approach. In a self-service framework, the client is able to find the answer to their question without contacting customer support. Self-service also applies when customers quickly make online appointments rather than calling or emailing your business directly.

The benefits of self-service are twofold: clients find the answers they’re looking for without picking up the phone, and your business saves money on customer support personnel. This cuts down on wait times and boosts customer happiness, while allowing your business to focus on everyday operations.

There are a few self-service options that businesses should keep in mind when building out their framework.

Online Booking Systems

In traditional customer support models, clients call or email a business to make an appointment. However, this method can lead to phone tag, long wait times, and simply too many calls for the business to manage. Online booking platforms are a highly effective way to streamline appointments and provide accessible scheduling to a diverse customer base.

Knowledge Bases

If your customer service lines are routinely flooded with the same types of questions, a knowledge base can be a useful tool to implement. This page on your website will include answers to your most frequently asked questions, as well as multimedia features like video tutorials and graphics. You can organize the questions by topic and use this page to point customers toward other self-service features, including your online appointments platform.

Automation

One of the most common ways that businesses automate customer service is through chatbots — an industry that’s projected to be worth $9.4 billion by 2024. AI-powered chat features can answer questions automatically and point customers to the tools they’re looking for. You can also set up the chatbot to funnel customers to service representatives when necessary.

Self-service will look different for every business. Appointment-based businesses will benefit greatly from online booking systems, while businesses that sell products might focus more on bolstering their knowledge base. Pinpointing the services that will best serve your customers will set you up for success.

Leading Your Customers to Self-Service: 5 Key Steps

When it comes to creating useful self-service tools for your customer base, developing the platform is only half the battle. You also need to get your customers to use it.

The reality is that many of your clients will tend to stick to what they’re used to. With a bit of persuasion, though, you can change that. Here are a few key ways to show your client base the value of self-service.

1. Promote Your Self-Service Features

Customers won’t use self-service tools if they don’t know they exist. So be sure to market your self-service features just as you’d market your product or service.

Email marketing, onsite pop-ups, and social media posts can be effective ways to highlight the service. Remember that it can take time for customers to adapt to these changes, so plan to keep marketing your new platform long after its launch.

2. Incorporate Multimedia

New online services can be intimidating. However, you can make these platforms as accessible as possible through multimedia promotion, incorporating videos and graphics when marketing your self-service tools.

For example, you might create a pop-up video that guides customers through the online booking process. This technique brings the self-service feature to the client’s attention, while showing them exactly how to use it.

3. Create Clear Navigation

Ask yourself these questions: Are our self-service tools easy to find on our website? Is our platform easy to use? Can customers easily jump between services?

Keeping your customer on the site and encouraging them to self-serve starts with clear website navigation. Be sure that your self-service tools are in your header and footer menus. It can also be helpful to route customers to these tools through onsite buttons.

4. Make It Social

With over 1 billion Facebook Messenger messages flowing between brands and consumers every month, it’s clear that social strategy and customer support are often one and the same.

Consider how your business can use your social platforms to guide customers to self-serve. This can involve setting up automated message responses that include a link to a self-service tool. You can also link directly to your online appointments system through your social media pages. Your messaging should promote the idea that your new services are available 24/7 for your customers’ benefit, not yours.

5. Gather Feedback

Self-service should truly serve your customers’ needs, so it’s important to collect feedback from them and assess whether these tools are effective. You also need to watch your data.

Keep track of how much traffic these tools are generating, how long customers are staying on the self-service pages, and how your sales numbers change after implementing these platforms. This information will help you adjust your self-service tools to better support your clients.

Self-service is a user-friendly and scalable solution for customer support. As more consumers flock online, your investment in a self-service platform is likely to reap fast dividends. Once you direct your customers to these tools, your business can renew its focus on providing a better product or service.

Plan the Perfect Valentine’s Day Using Your Calendar

By Abby Miller | Appointment | No Comments

Valentine’s Day is approaching fast — and with it comes another opportunity to express your love to those closest to you. Instead of buying a card from just any ole store — have a special one made. Ask around for recommendations for the finest candy you can get anywhere. Or, this year, even this last minute — you may want to come up with a plan that’s well thought out.

Whether you’re trying to impress your crush or spice things up for your spouse of 20 years, your Calendar will help you orchestrate the best Valentine’s Day ever. Here’s how:

Set the Date

Valentine’s Day 2021, is this weekend — Woot! Woot! on Sunday. This lovely day bodes well for a lot of planned events as the weekend allows for more flexibility in your schedule. Having Valentine’s on the weekend lets you book a special get-away. Book it TODAY!

Once you’ve got the day locked down, pin down a start and end time for your Valentine’s Day or Weekend event. While a surprise or two can make nice additions to the holiday, leaving the time as an unknown can be inconsiderate to your partner or date.

Be sure to let your date know your exact timeframe — on the times you have in mind. Send a Calendar Invite so it’s nailed down.

Brainstorm Some Ideas

If you leave all your planning to the last minute, you’re going to have a tough time putting together a memorable night. You should be brainstorming ideas right now so you can come up with an idea that will have your date head over heels. If you’re struggling to come up with something, maybe this list will help:

Movie night at home or the theater
Dinner for two at a restaurant or picnic style
Walk in the park
Rollerblading/Ice skating
Painting class
Zoo or aquarium visit
Bike ride, either mountain or tandem
Massage or spa day
Head to a hotel for the weekend and include many activities

Any combination of these activities and any others you think of are viable options. Think about what your partner would enjoy the best and that will make the decision easy.

Consider a Double Date

It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but a double date can make Valentine’s Day just as fun if not more so. You can plan an event with some good friends or have some people tag along if you’re a new couple trying to break out of the awkward stage. In the end, it’s up to you, but your Calendar will come in handy when coordinating any future group dates.

Just like you would with your date, create an event and share it with all participants. Talk to them beforehand so you can find a time that works for everyone and so they can RSVP. The event will act as a reminder of where you hope to meet up for the evening’s activities.

Write Up an Itinerary

Now that you’ve got the bookends set, it’s time to fill up the pages in between. Draft up an itinerary for everything you have planned so you can work out the kinks. Making sure you have enough time for everything you have in mind will make for a smooth evening.

If you only have one thing in mind this will be a cinch, but there are still some logistics to consider. If you have dinner plans, you’ll need to plan to make a reservation in advance and make sure you arrive on time. If you plan to catch a movie, write down start times in your online calendar so you don’t miss the opening scene.

Get the babysitter set up.

Planning a dinner for two at home? You’ll need even more prep if you plan to put together an evening all by yourself. Use your Calendar to give yourself plenty of time to fetch ingredients, set the table, and prepare a delicious meal. Whole Foods always has good, healthy and fun meals — just order a meal, if you are worried. I’ve grabbed Trader Joe’s prepared meals, also, and it was totally great!

Lead Up With Acts of Kindness

Don’t save all your love until Valentine’s Day alone. Plan some small acts of kindness leading up to the holiday to really show your appreciation to your better half. The commitment of your relationship should dictate to what level you should express affection. A spouse or long-time partner can handle a lot more “love” than someone you’re just dating. But Valentine’s is about liking and getting to know someone, too.

Want to surprise your significant other at work? Use your shared Calendar to send them flowers at just the right time of day. You can also surprise them with a lunch delivery or Valentine’s Day card to set on their desk. They’ll be feeling butterflies before Valentine’s Day even begins.

Clear Your Calendar

Nothing will ruin the mood faster than a call from work or the fact that you pushed back laundry day and are wearing the same outfit for the third consecutive day. Clear out your Calendar of anything that will get in the way of your romantic day together. Clearing your Calendar will help you to plan your schedule both before and after Valentine’s Day. Clearing your Calendar is fun — but Valentine’s is, well, funner…

In the next couple of days, you should plan to get as many errands done as possible. Tending to your responsibilities will help you to focus on nothing but your date. Considering this Valentine’s Day is on a Sunday, it would be in your best interest to get everything in order for Monday morning so there’s no last-minute scrambling before you have to head back to the office. OR — considering February 15th is President’s Day — you may already have that day off too.

Hold the Follow Through

Valentine’s Day can be your romantic highlight of the year or it can be a springboard for your relationship to progress even further. Plan some follow-up for the day after Valentine’s Day to show your partner that you love them even when it’s not a holiday.

Your day-after plans don’t need to be extravagant. Planning a simple phone call to reminisce on the night before and ask them how their day went is a lovely gesture. A little card saying how much you enjoyed your date or weekend can also go a long way.

Can you feel the love tonight? You will after some proper planning and spending time with the right person. After all, love, like, and fun — is what makes the world go ’round.