Everyone has attempted to multitask at some point in their life. Maybe it started when you were attempting to watch TV and finish schoolwork in your younger years, or attempting to talk on the phone while finishing up an important report. Multitasking is a way that we try to get more out of the time on our Calendar. Here’s what science says about multitasking.

Multitasking might be your favorite way to forge through your daily tasks. The logic is flawless. Accomplishing two things instead one thing is always better. Or is it? If it takes you twice as long to accomplish the two tasks at once, is it really a good idea? Let’s find out what science has to say about the feasibility of multitasking.

What is multitasking?

Before we discuss whether or not humans can handle multitasking, let’s define the word. Multitasking is attempting to do or more things simultaneously. Unlike segmented amounts of time for a task, such as half an hour interval, multitasking is attempting to complete two or more things at the exact same time. If you are dividing your time between tasks and focusing on one thing at a time, then you are not multitasking. But, there are ways to get more done in a day.

Can humans multitask?

Unfortunately, science seems to agree that humans simply cannot multitask. Although the idea of multitasking sounds amazing, only a very small percentage of the population can actually do it. You might still disagree and believe that you are an effective multitasker. However, the science behind the conclusion that multitasking is inefficient is everywhere. You might be able to multitask but it is costing you productivity.

What Science Says About Multitasking?

The human brain seems to be set up to handle one task at a time. It is impossible to change the way our brains are set up, so it is better to accept reality and avoid multitasking. If you choose to multitask, then you are costing yourself time and efficiency that you cannot get back.

Split attention

Dividing your attention between two separate tasks is almost never a good idea. Best-case scenarios, you have half of your attention on two separate tasks. Worst case scenario, you are unable to focus on either task and take extra time to complete both. Not only does multitasking affect the overall amount of time it takes to complete tasks, but it can also lead to a poor quality product for your efforts.

Time costs

When you attempting to multitask, you are switching back and back between tasks. Multitasking equates to losing time while you switch back and forth. As you continually shift your focus between tasks, you are forced to lose your concentration on one task and transfer it to the next. Incrementally, you can accomplish things by returning your attention to a single task enough times. The time lost in between tasks can add up.

You may be able to save time by focusing on one task, completing, and finally moving on to the next task. If you choose to forgo multitasking, then you will be able to focus on a single task until it is complete. Through this concentrated effort, you will be able to finish one task in a timely manner and then move on to the next task.

Difficulty focusing on a task

As you work through your tasks, you may notice that you have difficulty focusing on a particular task as you continue to jump between tasks. When you break your concentration and switch tasks, it can make it extremely difficult to refocus your attention. Although it is different for everyone, interruptions can cause you to lose your focus and prevent you from completing a task in a timely manner. Figure out how to motivate yourself each day on your big tasks.

One study found that it tasks an average of 25 minutes to fully return to a task after you have interrupted. If you think of the switching between tasks as an interruption, then you may have a better grasp of the lost productivity. The constant interruption from one task to another can cause a break of focus that is difficult to restore.

Are there exceptions?

Yes, according to one study, around two percent of people were able to multitask effectively. These supertaskers are actually able to complete two tasks simultaneously without a decrease in their effectiveness. The other 98% of people were unable to multitask at all. It is fairly likely that you are in the 98 percent of people who cannot multitask. However, a select few are able to perform multitasking with ease. You may believe that you are a “supertasker” but do not allow yourself to be deceived by your own brain. It is very likely that you cannot multitask well.

What about the easy tasks?

Of course, there some easy tasks that you are capable of completing simultaneously like watching TV while folding your laundry or listening to a podcast while cleaning your house. Simple things that do not require too much of your brainpower to complete on their own are usually easy to lump together.

However, any tasks that require focus should be done individually. A good example is texting while driving. Unfortunately, this is a way that many people multitask. Studied have shown that drivers that text cause accidents similar to drunk drivers. Any task that could put your life at risk is not a task that you should attempt to multitask.

Any task that requires focused attention should be done without a competing task. For example, you should avoid completing important work assignments while working on another task. Even if the competing task seems simple, like talking on the phone, it is capable of taking your attention away from the important assignment. It may take you longer to produce a subpar version of the assignment if you continue to multitask.

How to remove multitasking from your Calendar

You should consider removing multitasking from your Calendar. The science is clear: humans cannot multitask effectively. Unless you are a “supertasker” then it is time to quit your multitasking habit. If you’re skeptical that multitasking less will help you to accomplish more, — then just try it for a few weeks. Maybe you are one of the two percent who actually can multitask? However, you might be surprised how much more you are able to accomplish without multitasking compromising your productivity.

It’s long been known as a fact, that productivity at work plummets during the summer — especially in July and August. A study by Captivate Office Pulse found that during the summer, productivity decreases by 20 percent. Additionally, attendance drops by 19 percent and work turnaround time increase by 13 percent.

There are several reasons why this is the case. The most obvious is that a lot of people are taking vacations during this time of year. Even if you’re still hustling, employees, investors, vendors, and clients might be out of town. It’s tough to get things done when decision-makers are out of town.

Another culprit is the weather. Most of us can’t focus when it’s nice outside. Since we’d rather be outdoors, we get more distracted. Research from the Harvard Business School backs they claim up. They found that crummy weather conditions, like rain, encourage us to be more productive since we aren’t getting cognitively distracted.

Moreover, we get distracted by FOMO. We see a friend relaxing on the beach, and we focus on how awesome that would be instead of working. There’s also the weather. When it’s too hot, it’s harder to make decisions and humidity makes lose concentration. As a result, we crank up the AC. But, when it’s too cold, we tend to make more errors.

So, yeah. Summer doesn’t just slow you and your business’s productivity; it can put you in a slump. Of course, there some ways to prevent this from happening. For example, shifting your priorities, having meetings outside, and shaking up your routine. But, fighting against this all summer can be exhausting. Instead, use this lull to your advantage and become productive during your summer slump.

1. Catch up on some reading.

I don’t have to tell you just how vital reading is. While I do read daily, there are times when I don’t get to learn as much as I would like. But, thankfully, I can always count on the summer to catch up on books and even industry publications.

The best part about reading is that you don’t have to catch up on reading. Reading can always be a part of what you do. Read something light if you wish to, during a long weekend or vacation. Or maybe — heavy reading should be done right now? What works best for your learning? Because the office is usually a little less hectic, I’m able to read in my office during breaks throughout the day.

2. Learn something new.

Just like reading, learning is essential for entrepreneurs. Make time for this piece of your life. Of course, a lot of us are way too busy to stop what we’re doing to make this something we do daily. However, since there’s some downtime right now, it’s the perfect summer activity.

What you want to learn is entirely up to you. But, it should be something that will help you grow as a person. You may choose to improve by learning a new language, how to play a musical instrument, or enhancing your existing professional skills. Other options would be to get out of your comfort zone and to explore your city or trying out a new productivity technique.

3. Schedule more lunch meetings.

I’m a big fan of lunch meetings. I’ve found that there aren’t as many distractions and there’s more flexibility with time. Most importantly, it allows you to spend valuable one-on-one time with clients, prospects, and employees. Spending one on one time is particularly true if you want to build a relationship with a new networking contact.

Additionally, it’s the perfect excuse to get out of the office for a bit. And, if you pick up the check, there’s no better way to show your appreciation.

If lunch meetings aren’t always an option, then consider walking meetings. Or relocate a team meeting from the conference to a park. Doing so will spark creativity and help keep everyone in good spirits.

4. Volunteer.

Volunteering is another activity that we should do more often. It doesn’t just make the community better; it also gives you a chance to strengthen your skills and network. And it just makes you feel amazing.

Let’s say on Friday afternoons you and your team help build a community garden or teach a class for free. You could also mentor or coach aspiring entrepreneurs. Or, speaking of coaching, see if any local sports teams need coaches or someone to raise money for them.

5. Focus on your body.

Last winter, I neglected my health. I wasn’t exercising as much and eating like crap. Going into the new year, I wanted to focus on my body. Of course, that’s still a juggling act between all of my existing obligations and battling the elements.

While I’ve been able to follow through with this goal, I’m going to kick it up a notch. With a little more free time, and the desire to get outside as much as I can, this summer I’ll be focusing on eating healthier, exercising daily, and meditating. Using a calendar for scheduling will ensure I accomplish my goals. Eating right, exercising, and meditating will give me the energy and stamina to be more productive, while also reducing the amount of stress in my life.

6. Strengthen your leadership skills.

Being a founder doesn’t automatically mean that you’re a natural-born leader. A lot of entrepreneurs struggle with this day in and out. However, this is the perfect season to change that around.

During the summer, enhance your leadership skills. That sounds broad. So, I suggest getting some feedback from your team to see which areas you should focus on. For example, if you need to improve your communications skills, then seek out advice through books, podcasts, webinars, or Ted Talks. Record yourself during a meeting to see your performance — I did this and found that I spoke too quietly. Check out productivity hacks backed by science.

7. Re-organize your work environment.

You would be surprised at all of the stuff you accumulate over time. If left unchecked, this can create a cluttered and disorganized environment that is blocking you from being productive. So, send your spare time tossing out items you no longer need and organizing your files. And, don’t forget to clean out your inbox as well.

After you’ve cleaned and organized your workspace, you might want to re-organize it as well ultimately. You may find that the new layout is more functional. And, sometimes changing things gets those creative juices flowing.

8. Attend industry events.

I can’t tell you how many events I’ve not attended because I’ve been so swamped. But, if you have some free time this summer, then that’s when you should attend as many events as possible.

Not only will this get you out of the workplace, but it’s also a chance for you to learn new information or become aware of the latest trends. There’s also plenty of networking opportunities as well.

9. Spend more time getting to know your team.

How many times has an employee asked if you have five minutes to chat, and you respond that you’re “too busy?” That excuse doesn’t fly right now. And, whether you realize it or not, getting to know each other will be beneficial for everyone.

When you get to know your team, you’ll be able to motivate them better and inspire them since you’ve built a relationship. Also, it shows your team that you have a genuine interest in your employees. As such, they’ll be more engaged and loyal to you and the business.

10. Tackle your deferred project list.

I think we all a list of items that we’ll get around to eventually. Even if they’re important, we tend to forget about our listings when they’re not urgent. Take the time to reconsider your lists and deferred projects. Update all account information and get price comparisons done on insurance providers. In other words, get all the smaller projects out of the way that have been bugging you

If you don’t cross these items off now, then when? And, if this list continues to grow, then it will become too overwhelming to address. Go ahead and set some time aside to get these tasks done and over with finally.

11. Think about your future goals.

“Unhook from the minute-to-minute, day-to-day franticness and give yourself some space,” David Allen, author of the popular book Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, told Forbes. “Lift your head up and look at the longer horizon. What would you like to have accomplished? What do you want your life to look like a year from now or even five years from now?”

Since the office is quieter and you aren’t as busy, you can finally answer those questions. And, you can start making plans on how you will achieve them.

12. Take a vacation.

Finally, don’t forget to have some fun this summer. And, for most of us, that means getting out of Dodge and going on a vacation.

Everyone, including entrepreneurs, need to step away from work occasionally. It will clear your head, alleviate all of that stress, and help you develop fresh ideas. Along the way, you may also learn and partake in new experiences. It also allows you to spend quality time with friends or family.

If you can’t go on an exotic vacation, then plan a weekend getaway that’s within driving distance. And, there’s always the staycation where you stay home but unplug for a couple of days. Whatever you do, take the time to enjoy yourself this summer so you can come back refreshed.

According to the report, “The State of the Remote Job Marketplace” from FlexJobs, 3.9 million Americans — or 2.9 percent of the total US workforce — now work from home at least half the time. FlexJobs is also predicting that one-third of employees will work remotely within the next decade. But, not everyone is built for remote work; find people who are.

Technology made the freelancing and remote employee possible. The arrangement is beneficial for both employees and employers.

Those with flexible work options are more productive and healthier both mentally and physically. Additionally, remote work reduces employee turnover, saves businesses an average of $10,000 per year in real estate costs (employees save around $5,240 in expenses), and it’s more eco-friendly.

At my company Calendar, most of my team works remotely. While we’ve all enjoyed the benefits listed above, I’ve also noticed that I have access to a deeper talent pool, while my team enjoys a healthier work-life balance.

While there are still challenges — it’s not the easiest of tasks to manage a remote team — having a remote team is an ideal solution for me. But, that’s also because I surrounded myself with a team that is cut out for remote work.

How can you tell if a potential employee can handle working virtually? Here’s how you can find out.

Look in the right places.

There are hundreds of websites and job boards where you can find remote workers. But, not all job boards are equal.

For example, Fiverr is a great place if you’re on a tight budget and need work as a voiceover for your podcast. But, if you need a developer or social media manager, you need to look at more quality websites. These sites typically only showcase talented workers who have unique skills.

I would suggest trying out UpWork, WeWorkRemotely, Toptal, and Flexjobs to start your search.

Don’t forget to tap into your network. I’ve found some of my best team members just by asking for referrals from people that I trust.

Create job posts that attract quality, remote workers.

Let’s say that you want to post a job opening on a site like Toptal. You want to compose a job posting that not only excites potential candidates but also separates the top remote workers from the rest.

For example, I’ve seen new businesses looking for freelance writers on a site like Freelancer.com. They simply want to get lots of content on their new website. Because they don’t have a ton of money, they’ll hire writers who aren’t the greatest because they don’t charge much money per hour. If they were looking for full-time content writers, this definitely wouldn’t fly.

So when creating your job post make sure that you clearly state how much the worker will be paid, what your expectations are, and the minimum requirements and qualifications you want.

Also don’t forget to include links to your website, articles that mention your business, and any other relevant information about your company, such as what you do and who the founders are. This is a simple way to prove that you’re a legit business only looking for the best-of-the-best.

Screen your remote worker candidates.

Now that you’ve got some applicant showing interest in joining your business, it’s time to screen the potential employees. This not only ensures that you hire people who can successfully work remotely, but it also guarantees that you’ll find people who will fit in with your company’s culture.

• Consider the characteristics you want in an employee. For remote workers, keep a lookout for those who are self-motivated, disciplined, highly responsive, and possess strong communication skills. It also doesn’t hurt that they have previous experience working remotely.
• Use several different interview methods. When I interview potential employees I start with an email and then schedule a brief 10-minute call on Skype or Zoom. The email is testing their responsiveness and written communication skills, while the Skype call gives me a better understanding of their personality.
• Ask the right questions. This will provide you with the right information you need to determine if the candidate can work virtually. Skillcrush has a list of 18 questions you should ask during a remote job interview, such as “How do you schedule your day?” “How do you prioritize tasks?” and  “How do you use technology throughout the day?”
• Check out their social profiles. LinkedIn is a great resource to learn more about the candidate’s past work experience or identify references. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram provide insights into the individual’s personality.
• Assign a task. As someone who has freelanced previously, you never want to work for free. However, if someone is applying for a top-notch gig, they won’t mind a little homework since they understand that this showcases their skills, as well as proves that they can meet a deadline and work independently.

Review samples and references.

Even if you’ve assigned a little task for a potential employee to complete, you still want to look over samples of their work — which could simply be a link to their online portfolio. This way you can be certain that their specific work will meet the needs of your business. You should always ask for a couple of samples when they apply for a job.

On top of samples, ask for at least two references. You can then ask these references if the person was able to meet deadlines, understand directions, and submit high-quality work. You could also inquire about their communication skills and if they were willing to attend virtual meetings.

If you’re nervous don’t make a full-time commitment.

If you’re still on the fence about hiring remote employees, you can always hire someone to complete a one-off task. It’s perfectly acceptable on services like UpWork to do this. I would say freelancers and other virtual employees wouldn’t be opposed to this either since it gives everyone a chance to see how the assignment goes before committing to a long-term relationship.

Remember, you’re looking for someone who isn’t only skilled, but who can also meet a deadline, work independently, and gels with the culture of your business. For the remote worker, they want to be sure that they can work with someone they get along with as well.

After starting a new business, you’ll need some way to spread the word about your existence. Marketing involves improving your brand recognition and visibility while attracting new clients. Most entrepreneurs turn to digital marketing. It’s an accessible way to market and advertise your business. Your success in this area isn’t a guarantee.

If you want your business to be successful, you’ll need to think about the efficiency of your marketing strategies. In other words, how much are you getting compared to the time and money you’re investing? Doing this calculation is called your return on investment or ROI. It’s affected by many factors, including the strategies you choose and how you execute them. Most marketers focus almost exclusively on how much they are paying versus how much they are getting in new revenue. But, tt’s also essential to think about how you’re managing your time.

What steps can you take to make sure you’re marketing your new business as efficiently as possible?

Understand Your Goals

First, it’s crucial to identify and understand your goals. Obviously, marketing and advertising are all about raising awareness and attracting new customers. But, what are you specifically trying to achieve, and what are your highest priorities? For example, is it more relevant to you to increase brand recognition, or is it better to get new paying customers as soon as possible? A new source of revenue can play a significant role in which strategies you choose and how you execute them.

You’ll also need to think about your timeline. Some marketing strategies have a very high ROI. These strategies are useful for a wide range of businesses, but they take a long time to develop—sometimes months to years. Other strategies take effect immediately. Sometimes, they guarantee traffic to your site or new leads. Yet, they tend to be much more expensive. What balance would be most appropriate for your business? And, is a short-term or long-term focus more important for you?

If you don’t understand your goals initially, you won’t be able to come up with an effective marketing plan.

Work With an Agency

Thanks to the abundance of content on the Internet, it’s possible to learn the basics of how to market a new business on your own. However, for most businesses, it’s better to work with a digital marketing agency.

According to Crown Media Tech, “Agencies have access to more resources than the average business owner can gather on their own. It’s the only way to make sure your campaign funds are being used efficiently.”

Digital marketing agencies tend to have access to many different niche experts. Rather than hiring a generalist or tracking down a network of your own niche specialists, you can rely on the specialists within an agency. Digital marketing agencies tend to have extended networks. They also have more flexibility when it comes to workloads and service provision. Then, you’ll never have to worry about shortfalls or gaps between availability and needs.

Even more importantly, marketing agencies tend to hold themselves accountable to high standards. They want to keep you as a client. If results are lackluster, they’ll usually go the extra mile to troubleshoot the campaign and make things right.

The flip side is marketing agencies usually cost a few hundred to several thousand dollars a month to employ. The cost depends on the services you’re using. Compared to the results you get, this is still cheaper than what you’d pay for an in-house team.

Learn What You Can, When You Can

Even if you’re delegating most of your marketing work to an external agency, it’s a good idea to learn as much as you can about marketing and advertising. The crucial knowledge about marketing will help you make recommendations for your campaign. It will also be useful for evaluating new angles to try. You can get a critical lens through which you can understand your agency or employee actions.

Start With One Core Strategy 

If you’re trying to manage your marketing strategy on your own or if you’re coordinating with a small team, start with one core strategy for your campaign. The core strategy doesn’t have to be your only strategy. But, it should be the focal point of your campaign.

In terms of how to market a new business, a core strategy is beneficial for several reasons:

• Specialty expertise development. If you and your team are focusing almost exclusively on one strategy, you’re going to learn at a much faster rate. Over a period of weeks to months, you and your team members will grow to be much better versed in this strategy. Then, your expertise will start paying off.
• Noise reduction. If you’re new to the world of marketing analytics, focusing on one strategy will help reduce noise in your measurements. You won’t struggle to figure out which of your sub-strategies is having the most impact on brand recognition. Instead, you can focus on the effects of your core strategy.
• Min/maxing. In most marketing campaigns, it’s better to spend a lot of time and money on one, high-quality strategy than to distribute those funds amongst multiple, lower-effort strategies. In other words, this is a focus on quality over quantity. By starting with one core strategy, you can give it your full attention instead of half-heartedly pursuing a dozen strategies simultaneously.

Establish a Clear System for Communication 

Much of your marketing success will be dependent on your ability to communicate your ideas and collaborate with others. The principles of communication applies to most situations. Whether you’re meeting with an agency regularly to discuss new ideas and provide direction, or you’re coordinating with a team of writers to ensure your content is relevant.

For starters, establish a clear hierarchy and a precise arrangement of responsibilities. Who is responsible for organizing and coordinating meetings? Which marketing items require your approval, and which ones can be managed independently? You’ll also want to decide which mediums are most appropriate for each type of communication. For example, in-person meetings tend to be counterproductive, primarily when a group email could have accomplished the same goals.

The idea here is to improve the level of transparency and the clarity of communication between groups while minimizing the time spent communicating those ideas. Much of your communication is going to depend on the abilities of the individuals in your network. You may have to mentally translate, as they may not be able to express their ideas and needs as concisely as possible.

Experiment and Make Cuts

As you become more comfortable with your marketing campaign, start to experiment with how you market a new business. That could mean gradually incorporating new marketing strategies with which you’re unfamiliar or trying new angles with your existing focal strategy. Either way, experimentation is all about trying new things, measuring their outcomes, and keeping the angles that work.

It’s easy to become complacent with a marketing strategy. If it’s earning you decent results, you’ll be inclined to keep it running as-is. However, this blinds you to the possibility that there may be a different angle or different combination of strategies that can easily outperform it.

It’s also essential to cut consistently underperforming strategies. You may feel inclined to keep a strategy around indefinitely because you worked hard to understand it, or you’ve already invested so much in the “how-to.” This action is known as the sunk cost fallacy. In some cases, it’s best to cut your losses and move on with something else.

General Productivity Habits

If you’re trying to accomplish more in the marketing and advertising space, you can also focus on strategies designed to improve your bottom-line productivity in general. For example, you could invest in an app (or multiple apps) designed to increase your productivity. You could spend time physically exercising or meditating in the morning, clearing your head, and readying you for the day ahead. A different tactic is to invest in a better project management app or a task management system. Then, you can enforce new rules in how projects and tasks are assigned.

Another strategy is to develop a better hierarchical system for prioritizing your own responsibilities during the day. There isn’t a right or wrong way to approach this since different strategies will have varying levels of effectiveness on different individuals. However, it’s vital to give multiple ideas a shot. Then, see how your productivity is affected.

Practice How to Market a New Business

Marketing a business efficiently isn’t the result of a binary decision; you can’t flip a switch and suddenly start spending your time and money in a highly efficient way. Instead, it’s a gradual process. You’re going to make lots of mistakes as you try to better understand your business and its target demographics, but every mistake you make will bring you closer to an “ideal” setup.

Be ready to fail and ready to learn from your errors. As long as you’re actively trying to improve and make things more efficient, you should be able to succeed.

Conferences can be a great way to connect with people in your industry, build real relationships, and even grow your business. It’s the perfect place to meet new people who are in a similar situation, and there are often many opportunities to learn new tactics and strategies. But how doe you stay productive during a conference?

As with all networking events, you’ll want to get the most bang for your buck. You also want to stay productive and get something accomplished while you’re at the event. Expect your schedule do be all over the place during a conference.

Tips to manage time and stay productive during a conference.

Have Someone Handle Emails and Urgent Messages

You probably won’t have a ton of access to email while you’re away at a conference. Sure, you’ll have WiFi, but do you want to be logged on and responding to emails and questions the whole time? Probably not.

Instead, ask someone from your team to handle emails and urgent messages to keep things flowing. Work ahead so that critical deadlines are met and use a detailed auto-responder to help with emails.

Include essential links and FAQs in your auto-responder so that people emailing you during the time you are out of town — can take basic steps on their own. With essential links, your clients can schedule a future call with you or communicate with your assistant.

When you return from the conference, you’ll be grateful that you have a more manageable workload and inbox situation.

Don’t Just Sit in Sessions All Day

Don’t get me wrong; conference sessions can be super helpful and eye-opening. However, you can watch presentations at any time thanks to webinars and YouTube videos.

What you can’t do often is interact with a wide variety of people all at once. Take advantage of the opportunity to chat with people and build connections.

Add a few critical sessions to your itinerary and take good notes. Remember that some conferences will allow attendees to review recordings of the sessions so they won’t miss anything. Setting your schedule up to attend meetings and connect with more people in person will help you stay productive during a conference.

Meet People on the Way

Don’t underestimate the opportunity to meet people at every stage of the conference. You may want to introduce yourself when you’re volunteering, waiting at the elevator, or in line at the hotel restaurant.

Strike up a conversation with people and learn more about what they do and what they’re looking for at the event. Who knows, you may be able to work with them in some capacity in the future.

Also, if there is an expo hall, be sure to network with the vendors seeing as how they likely sponsored the event. It never hurts to know credit sponsors and build relationships there.

Set Up Meetings and Coffee Dates

If there’s someone that you want to meet at the conference, take advantage of the opportunity and set up a meeting or quick coffee date with them. You don’t have to sit together for hours, but just a 20-minute chat can make all the difference.

Sometimes conferences can be overwhelming and so busy that it’s hard to sit down with someone one-by-one. The best thing you can do is email people in advance to get on their calendar and meet up.

That way, you ensure that a connection is made and you can follow up after the event with the next steps.

Take Breaks When Needed to Stay Productive During a Conference

As an introvert, I often need time to take breaks and rest at long networking events like conferences. Don’t push yourself too hard, especially if you’re getting tired, overwhelmed, or groggy. Retreat to your hotel room for an hour or two and take a nap, check emails, or do something to revive your energy.

If you have light work to do, you may even find it helpful to check emails and complete short solo tasks. Taking time off to refuel will allow you to stay productive during a conference and avoid burning out too soon.

Realize that you can’t do everything and be everywhere during the experience and prioritize your time and energy.

Go to Bed at a Reasonable Time

Sure, some great connections can be made at night or during evening events, but you don’t want to overdo it. It’s essential to wake up at a decent time so you can start your day off strong and get enough sleep that you feel energized.

Try a Walking Meeting

Running around from one place to the next during the conference? It can be super busy but if you want to chat with someone, try a walking meeting or a quick catch up.

If the person you want to talk to is headed somewhere, offer to walk with them and strike up a meaningful conversation. A quick connection can be a great way to get questions quickly answered, get a new lead, or offer some help from your end.

Overall, conferences can be a great way to learn new things, catch up with old friends, and make new contacts. Being able to manage time well and stay productive during a conference is still vital. It’s not a vacation. Conferences can be quite expensive, so you want to make sure you get the most bang for your buck

It’s common to find yourself trapped in a two-hour meeting, discussing irrelevant topics and losing sight of your day. However, if you do them correctly, meetings can be productive, to-the-point and engaging. While it can be a struggle to check off all three of these things, a number of companies are getting creative in the ways they approach making meetings less boring.

Ways to Make Meetings Less Boring

From Pixar’s “Note’s Day” to Buffer’s “Masterminds,” check out these seven out-there ways companies are revamping their meeting methods.

1. Note’s Day

It’s no surprise that one of the most creative companies in the world also has some of the most creative internal strategies as well. In order to keep employees engaged and create an open dialogue of idea-sharing at every level, Pixar created “Note’s Day.”

On Note’s Day, the entertainment company puts things on pause in order to facilitate company-wide brainstorming sessions. On this day, Pixar employees gather in small teams to share ideas and discuss relevant issues and company challenges. Leaders from various departments drop into other teams’ meetings to understand and hear the varying viewpoints.

2. Goalfest

When it comes to reaching goals and tracking performance, it can be tricky to find an effective method. However, cloud computing platform DigitalOcean discovered its own way of doing so: “Goalfest.” In an hour-long meeting once a week, the small team at DigitalOcean joins a shared Google Spreadsheet, where they each set and share their goals for the following week, and publicly score how well they did on achieving the previous week’s goals.

Not only is this a good way to keep employees accountable for their work, but it also opens up discussions for improvements, recognitions, and challenges.

3. Masterminds

At social media management company Buffer, their program “Masterminds” has been one of the forces behind their happy and effective workforce. Because the Buffer team works entirely remotely, the company came up with a creative way to connect employees.

Dubbed Masterminds, the internal program pairs up two team members who provide regular support and advice to each other. The pairs connect once a week and typically share their progress and achievements, as well as their top challenges and setbacks.

4. Talks at Google

It’s not always about bringing people together within a company—sometimes bringing influential figures and industry professionals in is also a surefire way to boost employee morale and engagement. At Google, the tech giant launched its own speaker series for employees called “Talks at Google,” where it invites a variety of guests to speak on a range of topics.

Whether you’re a Google, a million-dollar startup, or a six-person team, bringing in influential speakers and resources outside of the company is a great way to keep things fresh and innovative within the company. Suddenly, your team sees meetings as less boring.

5. Hackathons

Hackathons have become highly popular amongst today’s startups and tech companies. Now, they are a way to make meetings less boring, too. Businesses have started to organize company-wide hackathons where employees collaborate intensely on tech-related projects over a certain period of time. Facebook has become particularly famous for its hackathons.

In fact, they are basically a part of its DNA and one of the network’s oldest traditions. Facebook holds hackathons throughout the year, and they have not only become a great way for employees to interact and work together, but a plethora of beneficial things have been invented as a result of them like tagging friends in Facebook comments and “Liking” friends’ posts.

You don’t have to be Facebook to host a hackathon either. Today, a number of tech companies are hosting their own hackathons, discovering the abundance of benefits that come out of them, from teamwork and relationship-building to new products and innovations.

6. Moment of Zen

Amidst all the chaos, Poll Everywhere manages to find some balance in attempting to make meetings less boring. At the end of every internal meeting, the tech company has a “Moment of Zen” where they take time, as a group, to learn something new or reflect on their day. At this time, leaders will share inspiring quotes or stories and team members will discuss wins and highlights and give compliments to their co-workers.

7. The Swear Jar

No one likes a two-hour meeting that was scheduled to be 30 minutes. Lost time from meetings is a common phenomenon in the workplace. The team at Tripping.com found a fun a solution: using a stopwatch, anytime a meeting goes over 30 minutes, the person who called the meeting must put $5 into the company’s “Swear Jar” (AKA happy hour fund).

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