Should You Offer Unlimited Vacation Time?

By | Business Tips | No Comments

To employees, unlimited vacation time is a dream come true. But the question isn’t how to sell the perk to your employees; it’s whether or not offering it is a smart business decision. 

Giving unlimited vacation time to workers comes with obvious concerns. How do you ensure no one abuses this benefit? How much will it cost the company? Will it inconvenience the team?

Unlimited vacation time has its benefits, but it’s not without drawbacks. Before you roll out this benefit, think through them carefully. 

Why You Should Offer Unlimited Vacation Time

Just ask your team: There are plenty of reasons to make vacation time an unlimited affair. With the policy in place, you’ll:

  • Attract and Retain Top Talent

If you want to hire the best talent, you need to give them benefits they won’t find elsewhere. Top candidates will have several options available, and they’ll look beyond salary numbers to make their decision.

Offering unlimited vacation time is a perk that stands out. Only a handful of companies, like HubSpot and Sony, currently offer it. Make sure you can compete. 

  • Increase Employee Happiness

Everyone wants work-life balance. Both new hires and tenured workers will be happy to see this perk added to your benefits package. 

Taking breaks frequently helps to cut down on the stress and burnout of a 40-hour work week. While you can’t afford for employees to take time off every week, they’ll appreciate simply knowing they can step away when they need to. 

  • Promote Ownership and Accountability

Employees who take control of their time are more effective than those who don’t. They’re more willing to think outside the box and need less hand-holding for everyday tasks. An unlimited time off policy can instill that sense of ownership in your team.

The good news is, this policy can also promote accountability. No matter how many days team members take off, they still need to fulfill their responsibilities. Learning to balance their obligations and free time will help everyone grow. 

  • Save Money

Did you think you could cut costs by offering unlimited vacation time? The truth is, you can. As long as employees aren’t abusing the system, this policy has lower overhead costs than a traditional vacation plan.

With traditional vacation plans, employees accrue sick and vacation time based on hours worked. Companies were expected to pay this time out, even if employees left before taking their allotted hours off. With unlimited paid time off, employers only incur costs when workers actually take time off. 

Why You Shouldn’t Offer Unlimited Vacation Time

Not all organizations offer unlimited vacation time, and for good reason. Weigh these concerns against the positives:

  • Abuse of Privilege

While management always has the final say on whether workers can take time off, employees may still try to abuse the privilege. A worker who takes months off at a time with no thought as to his or her duties is not an asset to the company.

With unlimited paid time off, you have to be careful about how long of a leash you give. Allowing one employee to take a ton of time off for no other reason than because they want to can cause other workers to do the same. 

  • Underuse of Vacation Time

As strange as it sounds, some employees with unlimited vacation time actually take less time off than they otherwise would have. In fact, researchers suggest underuse of the policy is a bigger problem than overuse. 

Why? Because the policy can promote a competitive culture, in which employees take fewer days off to keep pace with their coworkers. They may fear taking too many days off will disqualify them from promotions or pay raises. 

One solution is to set a minimum. Perhaps employees must take at least one week off per year, but they’re welcome to take more if they wish. 

If you go that route, establish a norm. Do most workers at your company take between four and six weeks off per year? Then say so when explaining your unlimited vacation time policy. 

  • Misuse of Vacation Time

With an unlimited-paid-time-off plan, setting expectations is key. If this allowance involves trade-offs, make sure employees understand them.  

For example, must employees on the plan take calls and emails from work while out of the office? If employees are expected to be available for work every time they want a day off, they may not be so keen on the policy after all. 

Every business owner will weigh these factors differently, and that’s OK. Do what makes sense for your team; if it doesn’t work, try something else. Experimentation, including with employee benefits, is how great companies are built. 

How World-Class Creatives Use Their Online Calendar

By | Appointment | No Comments

The videos you watch, the ads you see, and the memes you share on social media all have one thing in common: Brilliant creative minds designed them.

What creatives do is incredible, but it’s hard work. Inspiration can run dry, and it can be difficult to get the ball rolling some days. So how do world-class creatives do it?

Calendar Tips From Creatives

Using an online calendar can help creatives, and you, maximize their time and efforts. Here’s how:

1. Keep Track of Holidays

Because they’re so widely celebrated, major holidays make creating content that connects with consumers easy. Creatives use these dates as starting points for their campaigns.

Creatives also need to keep an eye on holidays for more practical reasons. Often, holidays dictate when you have off work, when projects are due, and when brand events should be held. Regardless, it’s a good idea to highlight them in your online calendar.

2. Develop a Content Schedule

Creative professionals don’t create in a vacuum. To make sure the world sees their work, they put together a content schedule. This calendar describes when and where their content will be shared.

This type of schedule is helpful for every profession. There are specific times better for making cold calls, meeting with clients, or even finishing up paperwork. Figure out the times that work best for your tasks, and use your online calendar to optimize your time usage.

3. Set Deadlines

There will be times, as a creative, when you feel stuck. Sit for too long, and you won’t get anything done. Working under deadlines can boost momentum and hold you accountable for projects you need to complete.

With that said, deadlines can be stressful. Be cautious about how many you set and at what cadence. What’s important is pushing yourself forward — something deadlines in your online calendar can help you with.

4. Get Inspired

Some of the best pieces of content have come from outside inspiration. Whether it’s to gather new ideas, take a brain break, or get help with a challenging assignment, making time for some recreational activities can help you find that spark of inspiration you need.

Schedule some time in your online calendar for activities that aren’t directly work-related. Getting outside, diving into a book, or attending an event can provide new insight into your life and be a delightful way to pass some time.

5. Use Color-Coding

Is it any surprise that creatives use their calendars in creative ways? One of the many options is to use color-coding to organize your calendar events. Each color represents a category, which makes it easy to distinguish between types of tasks.

Difference colors can represent certain activities, promote work-life balance, or even order tasks by level of importance. Choose your palette, and start coloring your own calendar.

6. Organize Challenges

When it comes to your career, you have to be constantly improving yourself. This boosts your work quality and opens up doors for bigger and better opportunities down the road. Creatives are especially well-known for their thirst to grow.

One way creatives challenge themselves is by planning a daily activity that hones their skills. For example, an artist can start their daily routine by drawing a sketch using a style they struggle with. Go ahead: Put a daily event on your calendar to challenge yourself creatively, personally, or professionally.

7. Implement Time Blocking

Multi-tasking might be a skill you pride yourself in, but it doesn’t make sense for most creatives. Each project has its own parameters and style to follow, which takes a lot of attention. Time blocking can be used to tackle assignments one at a time.

With time blocking, you organize sections of time into individual blocks. Let’s say from noon to 1 p.m.; you want to work on a social media video. During that block of time, that’s all you focus on. Once the clock strikes one, you move to your next project.

8. Get the Worst Out of the Way

Every job has its downsides. Creative jobs are no exception. While these tasks aren’t enjoyable, they must be done. Using an online calendar can help you get them over with quickly.

Schedule your least favorite activities first thing in the morning. Tackling these tasks before doing anything else means you’ve already gotten through the worst part of your day. That way, you can then focus on the aspects of your job that you enjoy. If you save the worst for last, you’ll be dreading it all day, putting a damper on everything else you do.

9. Balance Your Time

One of the greatest tools an online calendar has to offer is time analytics. This allows you to see how your time is distributed so you can fully optimize it.

For creatives, this ensures every area of a project gets proper attention. Planning, executing, and distributing are important steps, and time analytics can reveal whether each area is getting the time it deserves.

You can learn a lot from the creative minds of the world. Not only can you admire their bright minds, but you can also emulate how they use their time. To create a brighter future for yourself, look to world-class creatives.

The Relationship Between Confidence and Productivity

By | Knowledge Base | No Comments

When it comes to productivity, there are hundreds of ways for you to step-up your game. You could learn how to prioritize, manage your energy, or spruce your workspace. Unfortunately, we often neglect to discuss the role that confidence plays in this game. Here is the relationship between confidence and productivity.

But, what exactly is confidence? Well, depending on your ask, that definition can vary. However, I think that Kathy Kay and Claire Shipman have a solid explanation in their book The Confidence Code; “confidence is life’s enabler – it is the quality that turns thoughts into action.”

The authors add that being confident “isn’t about throwing your weight around or talking over people or always being the first to jump in.” It’s not even an attitude of faking it until you make it. Instead, it’s all about taking action — even if you stumble along the way.

Richard Petty, a psychology professor at Ohio State University who has studied confidence for decades, told Kay and Shipman “that confidence is essentially the stuff that turns our thoughts into action.” Or, to put it another way, “it greases the wheels for action.”

What’s more, research from Cameron Anderson, a University of California, Berkley professor, found that confidence improves a person’s social status. It also provides them with psychological benefits. These include self-esteem, task motivation, and persistence.

Additionally, a lack of confidence can hold us back from succeeding and forging forward. That’s because this keeps us locked-up in our comfort zones. We also ruminate about failing, what we can’t control, and how we measure against others. As a consequence, we procrastinate or obsess over being “perfect.”

The good news? It’s totally feasible to become more confident. And, when you build this up, you’ll bolster your performance and productivity.

1. Commit to fear and failure.

In his book, The Mindfulness Solution, Harvard Medical School professor Ronald Siegel recommends:

“Think about your worst fear. Spend time with it. Now make your fear worse by getting closer to it. Imagine the worst that could happen. Now focus on your breathing. Feel your body relax. See, you didn’t die, did you? You’re on your way to conquering your fear.”

You don’t exactly have to dive in headfirst. The idea is to do something that scares you in implemental steps. For example, if you’re petrified of public speaking, take a class, improve your communication skills, and practice in front of friends or family.

As for failure, you don’t want to make a monumentally bad decision. Instead, start small. For instance, send an email without proofreading it. Just like facing your fear, you’re still alive to fight another day.

More importantly, failure allows you to learn and grow from your mistakes. In my personal opinion, failing is the best teacher you’ll have in life.

2. Pay attention to your speech, posture, and body language.

Close your eyes and visualize someone whom you consider to be confident. They’re probably well-dressed and have a clean workspace. What’s more, they don’t slouch and seem to always remain calm, cool, and collected.

That’s a tall order to fill. But, you can follow in their footsteps by:

  • Dressing for success. What you wear definitely affects your productivity. That doesn’t mean that you always need to be dressed to the nines. But, if you need a little confidence boost, putting on your “power” outfit can do the trick.
  • Keep your workspace clean and organized. Besides emitting a sense of professionalism, this is simple to reduce stress. The reason? You aren’t scrambling around searching for misplaced items.
  • Speak slowly and loudly. It gives the impression that you know what you’re talking about. And, it ensures that everyone hears what you have to say.
  • Strike a pose. If listening to the Madonna song helps, go for it. Additionally, studies show that open, expansive postures make you feel more powerful.
  • Pay attention to your body language. Stand up straight, make eye contact, and control your breathing.

3. Focus on the bright side.

“Thinking positive can manifest itself in several ways.” For starters, change your focus. The reason, according to Tony Robbins is because “Where focus goes, energy flows.”

The thing is, we have a tendency to harp on what could go wrong as opposed to what could go right. “Think about how you’re going to nail your presentation and how pleased your coworkers will be to hear it,” adds Robbins. “What you focus on becomes your reality – and that includes what you focus on within your own mind.”

To start, scrap negative words from your vocabulary. Next, replace them “with positive ones and start seeing the bright side of situations,” he suggests. “By changing your focus, internally and externally, you’re changing your state. And by changing your state, you’ll change your life.”

4. Raise your curiosity.

“Curiosity is at the base of all intelligence — without the desire to learn things, there is no advancement, innovation, or growth,” writes Laura Winter over at Thrive Global. “It drives creativity and innovation, fills us with wonder, and is a source of intrinsic motivation,” adds Winter. And, this “desire to know pushes us beyond fear and towards our goals.”

How can you achieve this? Ask questions and be open-minded. Find opportunities to learn and experience new things on a daily basis. Meet new people. And, dabble with different interests.

5. Manage confidence-killing thoughts.

It’s normal to be paralyzed by negative emotions when stepping out of your comfort zone. However, Angie Morgan, cofounder of the leadership consulting firm Lead Star and co-author of Spark: How to Lead Yourself and Others to Greater Success, suggests that you challenge these negative feelings.

“If it is real, decide how you would manage it,” Morgan says. “If you’re manufacturing the danger, let it go.” The best way to go about this? 20-minutes of daily meditation.

6. Take care of your health and well-being.

In my opinion, taking care of your health and well-being is self-explanatory — but it’s not self-explanatory to some people. If you don’t feel good emotionally, mentally, or physically, then how can you be confident in your performance?

Mainly this is because physical activity releases endorphins. It also boosts your energy and reduces stress. And, one study found that it can improve body image and self-esteem.

In addition to exercise, make sure that you get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. You also need to eat a healthy and nutritious diet. As an added bonus, this will can also improve your mental health.

7. Rethink your inner circle.

How can you become more confident when you’re surrounded by negative individuals. You know who I’m talking about. Those toxic, naysaying folks who hold you back.

Instead, spend more time with those who are supportive and inspiring. They should also be the ones who will build you up instead of tearing you down.

8. Implement a “Daily Success Review.”

According to Meg Sigler in a piece for Psychology Today, this is similar to the gratitude exercise “Three Good Things.” For those unfamiliar, this is where you list the awesome things that you experienced during the day. To make this stick, however, you also need to explain why.

In this case, though, you want to “focus on three successes, large or small, that you had on a particular day.” Next, set aside just 3-minutes to reflect or write down your accomplishments.

Sigler clarifies that you should bask in both major accomplishments and small wins. “By focusing on daily victories, you reinforce your constructive actions and thoughts,” writes Sigler. As a result, you’ll be more likely to repeat this behavior and become more confident along the way.

You Can Stay Focused Even With Multiple Projects

By | Appointment | No Comments

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.

9 Easy Ways to Encourage More Appointments

By | Appointment | No Comments

Entrepreneurship has never been easy. But during Covid-19, small business owners have struggled more than ever to drum up appointments. Even as shops open again, consumers are hesitant to take the risk. 

While you can’t make the pandemic go away, you can implement some creative methods to encourage consumers to stop by. Use these 9 easy ways to encourage more customers to make appointments and venture out:

1. Enable Online Booking

The easier it is to make appointments, the more likely it is that customers will make them. Making an appointment online is much easier than making one over the phone or in person. In fact, some customers might actively avoid those interactions and prefer to do everything digitally.

It’s one thing to have online booking available; it’s another to make it user-friendly. Start with a functional, visually appealing website. Choose a booking platform that lets customers change appointment times, cancel appointments, and reach out with any questions. The easier it is to use, the better.

2. Start a Rewards Program

Customers might not immediately see a need to make appointments, so give them a reason to. A rewards program provides an incentive that can get customers on the fence to book. 

Research backs up the success of rewards programs. One study showed that businesses that used successful loyalty programs enjoyed two and a half times more growth than their competitors. Not only does it help retain customers, but it can draw in new ones.

3. Offer Recurring Appointments

Once you get a customer to book an appointment, ask them if they’d like to make another appointment as they’re checking out. In this short window they’ll remember their experience and, assuming it was positive, they are more likely to commit to another one.

You can also add incentives for booking multiple appointments up front. For example, you can offer a 10% discount to customers who book two or more appointments at a time. They’ll save a bit of cash, and you’ll get more certainty around your future revenue. As a bonus, customers who pay for their appointments upfront are less likely to become no-shows.

4. Send a Newsletter

All you need to send a digital newsletter to your clients is their email address and a bit of creativity. Newsletters can contain coupons and seasonal deals, and encourage them to make a visit if they haven’t for some time. 

In your digital newsletter, make sure to include a link that takes customers directly to your booking platform. Make sure this link is prominent enough for them to see in every newsletter. 

Be tasteful with your email newsletters. Obnoxiously frequent ones will be deleted before they’re read. Send them rarely, and customers may be confused as to their purpose. If newsletters are too wordy, customers likely won’t bother reading them. Too short, and what’s the point? 

5. Leverage Social Media

People spend a lot of time on social media these days. By posting regular updates and fun seasonal tidbits, you’ll keep your business top of mind. 

Some social media platforms let businesses add booking information directly on their pages. Get the right message out at the right time, and your bookings will fill up fast.

6. Update Your Voicemail

What do customers hear when they call your business? If the information is old, or the recording poor-quality, consumers may think twice about booking an appointment. 

Update your voicemail frequently. Make sure it includes instructions for online booking, your hours of operation, and the physical address of your business. These details help callers solve their own problems, while you focus on serving customers.

7. Minimize Wait Times

One of the main reasons people opt for appointments over walk-ins is to make their wait time as short as possible. If customers still have to wait a half an hour even with an appointment, then they aren’t likely to bother booking an appointment next time. 

Some days will inevitably be busier than others, but there are still variables you can control. Perhaps you need to schedule an extra hand on days that are packed with appointments. Or perhaps giving consumers the option to book further out can smooth out the up-and-down nature of appointments. 

8. Nurture Relationships

Nothing keeps a customer coming back more than feeling like they belong. When business leaders take the time to connect with their clients, they build relationships that keep customers around. 

Find ways to interact with each customer who walks through your doors. Get to know them beyond their business needs. Ask how their day is going. Small, caring questions and comments can make all the difference.

9. Plan Special Events

Want to really get people out of the house? Plan a special event they just can’t miss. Offer prizes and discounts, and you’re sure to draw a crowd. Use this opportunity to schedule future and recurring bookings.

With that said, special events shouldn’t be common. They’ll lose their power if they become a weekly or even monthly occurrence. 

Select a date and time carefully: When is the biggest subset of your customers likely to be free? After 5 p.m. on weekdays? On weekends?

Encouraging appointments requires effort, but don’t be discouraged. Your customers want your business to succeed just as much as you do. 

How Do You Deal With Always Being On?

By | Business Tips | No Comments

Without trying to boast, I love being an entrepreneur. Being my own boss means I get to pursue what I’m passionate about. I can set my own schedule. And, all of the hard work I put in is for my family and me — not someone else.

At the same time, there’s a dark side to entrepreneurship. I know we tend to put individuals like Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, and Jeff Bezos on a pedestal. But, we are rarely open-up about the setbacks, stress, and “always-on” culture that it entails.

For example, Musk seems proud of the fact that he works 80 to 100 hours per week. In crunch time, that may be a necessary evil. But, that’s just not sustainable over the long run. In fact, it’s been found that working over 50 hours per week makes you less productive.

Additionally, we fall poisonous tropes. These include putting on the persona that you’re perfect and unshakable. We also can’t separate ourselves from our companies. And, being a founder isn’t just tricky; it can also be alienating.

Because of all the above, it’s not surprising that there’s a mental health crisis in entrepreneurship. Just how bad is it? According to a study by the University of San Francisco researcher Michael A. Freeman, founders are

  • 2X more likely to suffer from depression
  • 6X more likely to suffer from ADHD
  • 3X more likely to suffer from substance abuse
  • 10X more likely to suffer from bipolar disorder
  • 2X more likely to have psychiatric hospitalization 2X more likely to have suicidal thoughts

So, how can this be resolved? Well, removing the stigma surrounding mental health and seeking help is a start. But, I also believe that you need to make self-care a priority. And, most importantly, learn how to stop always being on.

1. Set priorities, not tasks.

“Founders and A-type personalities tend to live and die by their calendar and their task lists,” writes Jake Chapman for TechCrunch. “Unfortunately, task lists are just reminders that there are countless things to be done.” And, because “task lists are infinite, “this is a recipe for unbearable mental strain and unmanageable cognitive load.”

“The definition of anxiety is when we perceive that our ability to achieve is overwhelmed by the tasks at hand, which is inevitable when our tasks are ill-defined, too large or seemingly unending,” adds Chapman. So, scrap your task list and replace it with a daily priorities list.

What exactly is this? Well, it’s merely where list only the urgent AND essential items. “Completing these items may be more difficult, but getting them off your plate is infinitely more satisfying,” Chapman says.

But, what if everything is a top priority? Take a second and really think about that. The chances are that’s not true. But, if you need help determining this, try to focus only on the items that push you closer to your goals.

If that doesn’t help, use factors like due dates, ROI, or the consequences of not following through. You could also use the popular Eisenhower Matrix to determine.

2. Build your willpower.

Those who have the power to self-regulate “can mitigate the stress of constant connectivity,” explain Charn McAllister, DJ Steffensen, Pamela L. Perrewé, C. Darren Brooks, and Gang Wang for HBR. We also call this “willpower.” And, it’s merely the ability to resist temptations, like responding to emails during family game night.

Of course, this is much easier said than done. Just imagine you’re anticipating an important message or phone call from a team member, client, or investor. You probably can’t resist the urge to check your phone every couple of minutes.

However, just like any other muscle, you can build up your willpower. But, this won’t just happen overnight. You have to keep working at it over time.

Even better? Willpower has been found that be universal. That means that “the willpower used to resist that second piece of cheesecake is the same willpower that can keep you from checking your phone for the 14th time this hour,” explain the authors.

How can you strengthen your willpower? The authors recommend starting with the basics. For example, since you’re primarily working from home because of COVID-19, continue making your bed, eating healthy, and sitting-up straight when working.

“All of these little, minor disciplines are small workouts that strengthen your overall willpower and will ultimately help you in separating your work life from your home life,” they add. Promaiarly, when it comes to setting and sticking to your boundaries. When you “clock-out” for the day, then you’re done with work until tomorrow.

3. Kill your ideas.

“For a passionate person, the more you care about what you do, the more you’re trying to solve a problem, the more ideas you’re going to come up with,” says Scott Belsky, co-founder of Behance. “There’s a tendency to be addicted to the energy and excitement of new ideas, but that’s not a long-term high – it’s short-term.”

Like most entrepreneurs, I definitely belong in that group. As a result, my mind is always racing with a million ideas.

Personally, I think that this is both a blessing and a curse. Thankfully, Belsky, who is also the author of Making Ideas Happen: Overcoming the Obstacles Between Vision and Reality, says you can counter this by killing your ideas. And, you can do this by:

  • Listening to those you trust. “When we come up with ideas ourselves, we’re drunk on them,” he says. “We don’t have a sober bone in our body to recognize what’s working and what’s not.” That’s why you should bounce ideas off others to get their honest feedback.
  • Having a bias towards saying “no.” “In day-to-day operations, the tendency should be to kill new ideas that can get us off track or over budget,” says Belsky. Wait. Isn’t that the antithesis to innovation? Belsky argues that it’s more about timing: “You have to know the difference between regular operations and one percent of the time when you’re coming together to brainstorm and solve problems. It’s during that 1% that you have to suppress the immune system of the team and let new ideas take hold.”
  • Being stingy with your resources. “An idea happening is the perfect storm,” Belsky says. “There’s a confluence of events that needs to happen. You have a need for whatever the idea proposes; you have time when you can focus on it and pursue it, you have the resources required, you have the capacity.” If you don’t meet those criteria, you don’t want to continue pursuing it.

I’d also add that whenever an idea pops up into your head, you write it down. I always keep a notebook on my desk. But, when I’m out and out about, I’ll put any thoughts into my phone’s notepad.

Besides getting these thoughts out of my head, I can then determine what to chase. As for the bad ideas or thoughts bothering me, I rip them up and toss them in the trash.

4. Clean-up attention residue.

You just responded to an email or crossed off an item from your to-do-list. You’re feeling pretty good. And, while that can help you build momentum, it can also stay with you.

We call this phenomenon has been called “attention residue.” In addition to having a negative effect on your productivity, it can make it difficult for you to “turn-off” — especially when working from home.

But, there are ways to control attention residue. For example, when work is done for the day, quit your email, social media, and messaging programs. You could even turn off your phone. That may cause anxiety. However, I’ve learned that if it’s essential, they’ll leave a message and I’ll get back to them when I can.

Dr. Keith Webb also recommends physical movement, such as standing up in-between tasks. For the last couple of months, I’ve transitioned from “work” mode to “home” by taking a walk as soon as I’ve wrapped up my obligations for the day.

5. Make an appointment with yourself.

Finally, to ensure that you make time to do things outside of work, use your calendar. Just like booking appointments with your team or priorities, block out time during the things you enjoy. It could be an hour in the morning fro exercise or lunch with your best friend.

The idea is to add non-work priorities to your calendar. Now you don’t have the excuse that you “don’t have time.” Better yet, this can be could for your mental health and provides a much-needed distraction from work.

I would add that you don’t want to overdo this. Instead, you need to strike a balance. That means putting your priorities into your calendar first. But, also leaving room for flexibility. For instance, you’re at the store and run into an old acquittance. Your calendar is free for the next two hours, so you offer to buy them coffee and catch-up.

How to Help Your Kids Use an Online Calendar Safely

By | Appointment | No Comments

Digital tools are wonderful, but they aren’t risk-free. It’s important to take safety precautions when using any type of technology, including an online calendar.

With kids, safety is ALL more important. A child, even an older child — is simply less aware of the dangers of the internet. They may not see the harm in publicly sharing something like an after-school activity, which is where parents come in.

What can you do to help your kids use an online calendar safely?

1. Be an Example

The best way to teach your kids anything, frankly, is through your example. If you limit who you share events with, follow your Calendar with discipline, and log off when you need a break — then so will your children. Act carelessly with your online Calendar, and nothing you preach differently about it will stick.

Every tip in this article you should apply to yourself. Take notes on how you can improve — and make sure your kids see you doing it.

2. Set Ground Rules

A great place to start is with ground rules. These basic guidelines should be easy to remember and simple to follow.

What sorts of events should your kids put on their online Calendar? What sorts of events should they keep to themselves?

Think, too, about how they add events to their calendar. Is it OK if they’re using their smartphones to adjust calendar events late into the night? Should they practice doing Calendar-ing in the morning from the family’s desktop computer?

3. Teach Proper Safety

Show your kids the ropes when it comes to safety procedures. People they don’t know don’t need access to their daily schedules and routine.

Remind them not to share their Calendar information with strangers. Encourage them only to let trusted friends and family edit events that they’re invited to.

You should also teach your kids not to leave their devices unlocked or unattended. A little carelessness is all it takes for their privacy or personal data to be compromised.

4. Check Security Settings

Online Calendars have top-of-the-line security features built into them. But by default, many of them are toggled off to make online Calendars more shareable.

Check your children’s online Calendar settings often. Make sure all your kids’ Calendar events are private unless specifically shared with someone else. Opt-out of any organizations that may allow others to overlay your kids’ calendar on their own.

5. Change Passwords

Another thing to check is the password for your child’s online Calendar account. Make sure it’s complex and tough to guess, with a mix of numbers, letters, and special characters.

Make sure, too, that your kids change their calendar password frequently. That way, if someone were to get a hold of an old password, it would do nothing for them.

I like to change my kids’ password myself. They seem to accept this better, as teenagers — especially — think that they are too busy to bother with this task.

6. Focus on Sharing

Online calendars make it easy to create and share events. However, sharing events with the wrong people isn’t the best idea. Anyone can set up an account with a name that’s not their own, so ensure your kids know the person behind the name they see on the screen.

Consider asking them to only share events with family members at first — especially younger children. If they get the hang of it quickly and understand not to share every detail with everyone, loosen the reins a bit.

7. Explain the Dangers

To kids, most rules seem like nothing more than adults trying to ruin their fun. If they don’t understand the need for the rules, they’re more likely to break them.

To prevent sliding rules, help them understand the dangers that come from poor online Calendar safety. Talk through how child predators find and target kids. Discuss the consequences that they’ll face if they use their Calendar improperly or carelessly.

The goal here isn’t to scare them into submission. Rather, it’s to help them understand the need for safety precautions because of the real dangers that are out there.

8. Be Open

Let your kids know that they can and should come to you with any questions or concerns. If they feel like you’re unwilling to entertain “dumb” questions, they’ll try to find solutions independently.

Develop relationships with your children so you can be there for them whenever they need you. If something major ever does come up, you’ll be glad you did.

9. Maintain Access to Your Child’s Calendar

As a parent, you have a right to access your kids’ online Calendars. Not only does this help you manage their schedule — and yes, you’ll know when to pick them up — but it also lets you keep an eye out for suspicious activity on their accounts.

Having access and being able to see your child’s events on their Calendar helps you be more involved in their lives. Missing a sporting event or school functions is tough when you check their Calendar every day.

There’s a fine line between being a watchful parent and an overbearing one, so be careful — especially with older teenagers. Bonus Tip: don’t make comments on how they “do” their Calendar (keep your yapper shut)!! It’s their Calendar, and they will put “other” things on the Calendar that you wouldn’t choose to add.

However, an extra set of eyes can help spot any safety concerns early.

Online Calendars are extremely beneficial. A Calendar is teaching and training your child how to schedule and remember events — but they can be misused accidentally by kids. Our local school has an online Calendar for older children. Calendars are the future, in life and in business, so use them — but teach your children wisdom with their Calendars.

As with any other digital technology, be a pro-active parent. You’ll set your kids up to be productive, social, and, yes — safe.

8 Fall Activities Every Team Will Enjoy

By | Business Tips | No Comments

Fall is the best season of the year. The kids go back to school, and the weather cools down to a bearable level. But as workers break out their sweaters and jackets, they may need a boost before winter.

Team-building activities can provide this energy for your company. They’re a way for employees to renew their motivation and tighten the bonds of teamwork. After a summer of vacations, they glue everyone back together.

With that said, seasonal team-building events are key. Solely doing evergreen activities won’t provide the same spark. These activities are especially suited to the fall:

1. Take a camping trip.

Fall is one of the best times to go camping. You don’t have to worry about sweating so much or freezing to death. Plus, the mosquitos are gone, so the bug spray won’t be flowing heavily. 

If you take your team camping this fall, assess everyone’s comfort level. Some people may be thrilled, but others may be apprehensive. 

The good news is, camping doesn’t have to be hardcore. Cabins may be a better move than tents. The more experienced campers can always rough it on their own time.

To round out your trip, choose at least one of these outdoor activities:

  • Hiking
  • Fishing
  • Bonfires
  • Singing
  • S’mores 

Nothing helps people unwind like getting outdoors. And there’s no better time than fall to do it.

2. Visit a corn maze.

Another delightful outdoor fall experience is a corn maze. This classic activity provides some healthy competition in a low-pressure setting. 

Employees can do their best to get out of the maze in the fastest time. For maximum team-building value, try it in teams. Assigning roles like “scout” and “navigator” reminds participants everyone has a part to play. 

While you’re there, why not have a picnic? Bring along food and drinks to unwind after everyone exits the maze. 

3. Go apple picking.

Get your baskets ready for this team-building activity. Heading to an apple orchard is yet another way to enjoy the spoils of fall. 

At an apple orchard, you can collect bushels of fruit. But there are a variety of other things you can do as well. You can shop for different products, take a hayride, and get some cider. 

This experience makes for great family fun. Encourage everyone on the team to bring their kids and spouses along for the fun. 

4. Carve some pumpkins.

Now that it’s pumpkin season, help your team get their creative juices flowing by carving up these squash. Head to a pumpkin patch, and grab a big pumpkin for each person.

For a competitive aspect, announce a caving contest. After an hour or two, get everyone together to vote on their favorites. 

Afterward, these pumpkins can make great decorations for the office. Put them beside your front door, or in a conference space where everyone can admire each others’ work. 

5. Head to an Oktoberfest celebration.

Oktoberfest occurs from late September to early October. Chances are good that there’s a celebration happening in your area. Why not take the whole team out for some hearty food and beer? 

 If you can’t find a celebration near you, you can always throw one yourself. Cook up some German favorites together, or host a cooking competition. Make it a potluck for sake of variety.

Make your Oktoberfest celebration a party by playing trivia games related to the occasion. Does anyone know when the first Oktoberfest was celebrated?

6. Rake leaves for your community.

Looking for a way to have fun while helping others at the same time? Sign up to rake leaves for local businesses or elderly community members. Doing so unites your team around a common cause while giving them some exercise.

Maybe someone in your group knows someone who needs help with the leaves. If not, you can partner with an organization oriented toward community service. Senior citizens, people with disabilities, and nonprofits could certainly use the help. 

Nothing feels better than making a difference for others. Ring in the season by doing it together.

7. Do a Halloween escape room.

Your team is full of smart cookies. Put your puzzling skills to the test by heading to an escape room. Find a Halloween-themed one to fit with the season.

Be sure to book a time around Halloween before things fill up. Work through the clues together without scaring yourselves into a tizzy. Do it in record time, and your team will earn a spot in the escape room’s record books.

8. Go to a Haunted House.

As another suspenseful activity, you can go to a haunted house this season. Even the calmest of your colleagues will have trouble holding it together. See who’s the most scared, and make memories you can laugh about for years to come. 

Don’t let the season go by without a bit of team building. It doesn’t take a lot of planning to enjoy each other’s company. And whatever your team’s preferences, fall has something fun for everyone.

When to Say “No” to an Appointment Request

By | Appointment | No Comments

Businesses are built on loyal customer relationships. But what if even the most loyal customer is asking for too much?

You might feel that way with some customers’ appointment requests. Maybe they insist on a slot that’s unavailable, or perhaps they want to skip a critical part of the process. And while you don’t want to deny them, it’s sometimes necessary. 

Saying “no” is about establishing and maintaining boundaries. Declining appointment requests protects your time and gives customers clarity about what you can and can’t do. At the end of the day, you don’t need to feel guilty saying “no” to a customer if their request would harm your business.

With that said, you must be careful about when you say “no” to appointments. In these situations, it’s perfectly reasonable to reject a customer’s appointment request:

1. When there isn’t space

If you don’t have room in your schedule, you simply can’t accept a new appointment. And with the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses are required to by law their operating capacity. Making exceptions puts your employees and customers’ health at risk.

The good news is, this issue can be addressed with self-service scheduling software. Customers can see all your available appointments and choose one that works for both of you.

Beware, though, that some will call anyway asking for a spot. If you let one person bypass the scheduling system, others may follow suit. Don’t let that become part of your reputation.

Remember, you can always put a customer on a waiting list in case there’s a cancellation. Otherwise, say “no” to appointments when there’s no space. Most customers will respect your decision if you explain the circumstances. 

2. When a drop-in would be better

Not every customer needs a full-blown appointment. If someone has a quick question, don’t bother scheduling a time slot. In this case, a drop-in works best.

Drop-ins can be difficult to manage if that’s not the way your business runs. But if you can accept the occasional walk-in, you can save appointment space for those who really need it.

Your solution might involve directing people to drop in on a case by case basis. Another option is to post guidelines on your website. Perhaps you use an interstitial page to share your drop-in guidelines with customers before they book. Empower customers to make choices that benefit everyone.

3. When they want to schedule too far out

A customer may want an appointment slot that is too far in advance. Perhaps they want to save a slot during a particularly busy time, or maybe they assume you’re booked far into the future.

It’s good for customers to be proactive. Unfortunately, a lot can happen in a few months, and you may be planning a major transition.

Avoid booking appointments when you don’t know what to expect. It’s better to simply turn down an early-bird appointment request than to call back months later to cancel on a customer. 

4. When they want to schedule too close

Say a customer wants an appointment within an hour. You might have an open slot, but can you prepare in time? 

Organizations like law firms and doctor offices need time to review case notes. They may simply not be able to provide a professional level of service with such short notice. 

If that’s the boat your business is in, don’t be afraid to say so. Protecting your company’s reputation requires you to turn down requests that would result in sub-par work. Cutting it too close doesn’t result in a good outcome for anyone. 

Instead of denying these customers outright, give them an alternative. If they won’t accept a later appointment, you might suggest a DIY solution or refer them to a partner. 

5. When their request isn’t fair to other customers

If you have a customer that feels they should get their way at any cost, be polite but firm. It’s not just a matter of protecting your schedule; it’s also about treating your other customers well. 

Think about how you’d feel if someone else scooped an appointment from you at the last minute. You’d probably think twice about scheduling another one at that business. 

What about loyalty programs? They’re a way to reward customers. The special treatment in this case is unmerited and out of the ordinary. You may not satisfy this one customer, but your “no” does make a difference even if no one else acknowledges it.  

Saying “no” to customers seems like the opposite of what a business should do. But sometimes it is necessary to do so with appointments. The “no” you say to one customer is actually a “yes” to another one. 

How To Focus on the Vital Few

By | Knowledge Base | No Comments

One fateful day around 1895 avid gardener and economist Vilfredo Pareto noticed something peculiar. Only 20% of the pea pods in his garden produced an astounding 80% of the crop. Here is how to focus on the vital few — meaning the vital few (in everything) that are producing your biggest results.

Pareto then applied this to principle to the macroeconomics in his homeland of Italy. What did he find? A whopping 80% of the land was owned 20% of the people.

Since then, the Pareto Principle, which is also known as the 80/20 Rule, has been applied to nearly every facet of life.

In business, 80% of a company’s sales come from 20% of its customers. For athletes training, 20% of the exercises and habits have 80% of the impact. And, when it comes to traffic accidents, 20% of motorists cause 80% of them.

But, it’s also a popular technique when it comes to time management and productivity. Perhaps that’s why some influential people have modified it throughout the year. Examples include:

  • Peter Drucker. In his book The Effective Executive, Drucker suggests that in order to highlight the vital 20%, you must eliminate the trivial 80%. He calls these “posteriorities,” which are pretty much just the opposite of your priorities.
  • Richard Koch. As the author of The 80/20 Principle, Koch definitely knows a little about this concept. He suggests that you can unlock enormous potential by leveraging the magic of 20%.
  • Gary Keller and Jay Papasan. The authors of The One Thing suggest you focus on your lead domino. When you do, all of the other dominoes will fall into place. “You need to be doing fewer things for more effect instead of doing more things with side effects,” they write.
  • Tim Ferriss. The author of The 4-Hour Workweek pairs the Pareto Principle with Parkinson’s Law to reduce time by setting deadlines.

How the Pareto Principle Impacts Productivity

There might be a misconception that the 80/20 Rule means working less. That’s not exactly true. After all, it has nothing to do with actual periods of time.

Instead, it’s a way to help you laser-in on what’s most important. When you identify these areas, that’s where you want to dedicate most of your time and energy. As a result, you won’t be squandering these valuable resources on the unnecessary.

But, if you’re still a little lost, I think Brian Tracy has a clear explanation. “The Pareto Principle is a concept that suggests two out of ten items, on any general to-do list, will turn out to be worth more than the other eight items put together.”

“The sad fact is that most people procrastinate on the top 10 or 20 percent of items that are the most valuable and important,” which is known as the “vital few.“ Instead, they “busy themselves” with the least important 80 percent, aka the “trivial many.”

Why’s that a problem? Because the “trivial many” do not contribute much to your success. In fact, it’s counterproductive since this can lead to:

  • More stress. If you devoting too much time on activities that don’t produce results, you’re going to feel overwhelmed. Eventually, because you’re constantly playing catch-up, you’re going to get burned out.
  • Increased engagement. Will there be some tasks that aren’t always the most exciting? Absolutely. But, spending too much time on them will leave you feeling bored and frustrated. Over time, you may decide to just check-out all together.
  • A cluttered calendar. Even if you love what you do, you still need time away to pursue passions, interests, and hobbies outside of work. But, if your calendar is jam-packed with trivial items, then how can you achieve this healthy balance?

Apply the Pareto Principle to Focus on the Vital Few

So, how can you focus on the vital few? Well, there are a variety of strategies you can employ. Some are more complex than others. But, I’m all about simplicity. As such. I feel that there are five strategies that can encourage this.

1. Simplify your to-do-lists.

Have you found yourself never finishing your to-do-lists? It’s a common problem that most of us experience. In fact, 89% of people fail at crossing off all of the items on their list.

While there are a variety of culprits, like easily getting distracted, the main reason is that you have too many items listed. To counter this, you need to make your list more manageable. And, you can realistically achieve this by:

  • Mapping out your 1-3-5 items. Here you would identify your main priority, 3 medium priorities, and 5 smaller to-dos. Determining these lets you know what priorities to schedule first and what you can focus on afterward.
  • Employing a priority matrix. The most common example of this would be the Eisenhower Matrix. It’s a simple strategy where you place everything you have to do into one of the following quadrants; Important and Urgent, Not Urgent and Important, Not Urgent and Not Important, and Neither Urgent of Important. Again, this lets you know what your vital few are. Even better, it helps you determine what can be delegated or deleted.
  • Identifying your MIT. Your MIT is your most important task and comes before anything else. Ideally, it should be aligned with your goals.
  • Creating a “done” list. “Don’t throw away your completed lists,” writes Abby Miller in a previous Calendar article. “Instead, get a binder and place these ‘done’ lists in there.” Why? It helps you “track your progress, see if they are any recurring tasks, and it builds morale. After all, seeing what you’ve already accomplished can motivate you to keep on trucking.”

2. Track your time.

Whether you use a productivity journal or time tracker, this is an essential step. Without tracking your time, you aren’t able to see how long commitments truly take you to complete. More importantly, this will help your spot and eliminate time wasters.

For this to be effective, you should track your time for about a month. Afterward, you should analyze the results. Hopefully, you’ll notice that it takes your 3 hours to complete your MIT. Knowing this, you would block out that amount of time in your calendar — preferably when you’re at your peak performance.

There’s also another benefit of tracking your time. It lets you know when you’re more likely to get distracted or interrupted. That means you can then plan accordingly. For example, if a colleague or housemate bursts in your office at the same time every day, you can schedule a break at this time or ask them to come back at a better time.

3. Restructure your routine.

Here’s another reason why you should track your time. It lets you create a daily routine. Again, that means scheduling your most important items onto your calendar when you’re most productive. It also makes planning easier and provides you with structure.

But, there’s more to it than that. It also helps you eliminate unhealthy habits and engage in healthier ones. For instance, if you know that your energy dips after lunch, that’s when you could engage in physical activity or catch-up with a friend.

4. Train yourself.

To be more specific, you should be constantly enhancing or learning new skills. The reason is straightforward. It will guide you in working faster and more sensibly.

However, you should also work on other areas where you’re struggling. For example, let’s say that you have difficulty concentrating. You could fix this through meditation, organizing your workspace, the Pomodoro Technique, or single-tasking.

5. Think beyond work.

Finally, use the 80/20 Rule outside of work. Why? Because it will promote a healthier and happier life.

Take reading as an example. While it’s one of the best ways to spend your downtime, trying to read too many books can be overwhelming. Instead, focus on the couple that will have the greatest impact on your life.

You could also apply this to the apps on your phone, customers, interpersonal relationships, or products/services that you offer. In short, you can use this concept to pinpoint what’s most deserving of your time and energy.

Register Now & Get a 30 Day Trial Register Now