Sweet N Social

Tag: time management

  • How to Easily Organize Your Day and Increase Productivity While Working From Home

    How to Easily Organize Your Day and Increase Productivity While Working From Home

    “Everyone is self employed and your employer is you.” ― Todd Stocker

    Quora Question: Are you working from home? What are the tips to help you stay productive?

    I retired from the military in 2010. The last “traditional” job I had outside the home was in 2019. I currently manage two YouTube channels, a podcast channel and five Meetup groups. I also write a weekly blog working Monday through Thursday.  

    What has been the biggest ‘aha’ for me was realizing I have the right to create my own schedule. For example, I use to ask people, “what day did they want to conduct the recording for the podcast?”  I no longer ask.  Now provide the days and times I am available. If they are interested in being a guest most of the time, they have found the time to hop on my calendar.  It’s like my mother use to say, “when there is a will, there is a way”. This also goes for our schedules and our productivity goals too.  Once you determine what is important to you, you will find the time to get it done!

    Here are a few of suggestions I would like to offer in helping you stay productive:

    1. Use a daily or weekly planner.  Take time to brain dump all the things you want to get done along with the target date for completion. Seeing your tasks written out helps to get the things on your list done. If you are operating with the thoughts in your head, you won’t be able to get a clear picture of what’s going on in your head.  Writing things down helps to make your thoughts visible.
    2. Implement daily exercise like a walk.  Movement helps to gain clarity. With more clarity, you can determine what is your priority for the day. 
    3. Eliminate distractions.  One of the things I implemented was setting my phone to automatically enable the Do-Not-Disturb function daily.  Most phones have an emergency override feature so you can always be reached. Use that DND time to work on important tasks that require your undivided attention.  
    4. Make sure you get up and move throughout the day.  As I mentioned, movement helps with clarity.  With clarity comes focus.  If you are having trouble focusing, get up and move. I sometimes turn on my music and just dance around to get my body moving.
    5. Use your smart devices to your advantage.  I use my Alexa as my personal assistant.  Use it to set reminders for daily tasks and appointment reminders.
    6. Say no to activities that are not helping you accomplish your goals.  I had to scale back on attending networking events, “free” webinars, and scrolling social media sites of others.  I learned to guard my attention like I guard my money.  Remember: everyone is via for your attention these days.
    7. Celebrate your wins.  Set personal target dates with rewards for accomplishing them.  It’s amazing how hard we work on days just before we go on vacations. Use this kind of thinking to your advantage.  Set daily, weekly, or monthly goals that will inspire you to work hard and then reward yourself.  

    Thank you for taking time out to read this post. I would love to learn more about who you are and what you do. Feel free to connect with me through a Meetup group.

    Quote Source: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/self-employed

    1. Confident Strides Women’s Empowerment Network https://bit.ly/CSWENMeetup
    2. Confident Strides Personal Development Network Group https://bit.ly/CSPDNMeetup
    3. Confident Strides Women’s Professional Network https://bit.ly/CSWPNMeetup
    4. Confident Strides Entrepreneurs Network https://bit.ly/CSENMeetup

    To connect with me: https:///confidentstrides

  • How to Plan and Focus More of Your Time and Increase Productivity

    How to Plan and Focus More of Your Time and Increase Productivity

    “Once your mindset changes, everything on the outside will change along with it.” ― Steve Maraboli

    Quora Question: What advice do you give to make the most of the hours of the day and be more productive?

    As an entrepreneur, I think the number one thing to making the most of the hours of the day and to be more productive is developing your mindset and establishing your “why” behind what you are doing each day.  Your “why” determines the “how” and the “what” behind all the activities you do each day. 

    Once you know your “why”, you can ask yourself questions that will help you determine what is going to get you your desired results like, “what is the priority for today?”.

    Mindset determines everything first and foremost.

    Once you understand your “why” here are some additional suggestions that can aid in your productivity, especially for those who work from home:

    1. Use a weekly planner. Brain dump every task that you want to accomplish within your week along with your target date for completion. There is something about taking the ideas from out of your head and putting them down on paper.
    2. Go for a daily walk or run. These types of activities help to gain mental clarity for the tasks of the day. 
    3. Reduce the number of distractions throughout the day.  For example, my phone comes on automatic “Do Not Disturb” mode every day for a four-hour period.  Distractions can be the biggest enemy in productivity. 
    4. Get up and move around throughout the day. If you are struggling on staying focused, getting up and moving helps to relax the brain.  This is a great way to reset and spark new ideas.
    5. Set office hours.  This works great with suggestion #3 because it helps to put you into work mode mindset.
    6. Find an accountability partner.  Sometimes we work harder for others than we do for ourselves.  Share you goals with them and then schedule “check-in” calls with each other.
    7. Give yourself grace. There will be days when you are more productive than others.  Sometimes a non-productive day is what helps to reset yourself.

    Quote Source: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/mindset

    Thank you for taking time out to read this post. I would love to learn more about who you are and what you do. Feel free to connect with me through a Meetup group.

    1. Confident Strides Women’s Empowerment Network https://bit.ly/CSWENMeetup
    2. Confident Strides Personal Development Network Group https://bit.ly/CSPDNMeetup
    3. Confident Strides Women’s Professional Network https://bit.ly/CSWPNMeetup
    4. Confident Strides Entrepreneurs Network https://bit.ly/CSENMeetup

    To connect with me: https:///confidentstrides

  • Abandon Doing What Comes Easy and Devote Your Time to The Life you Want

    Abandon Doing What Comes Easy and Devote Your Time to The Life you Want

    “Your days are numbered. Use them to throw open the windows of your soul to the sun. If you do not, the sun will soon set, and you with it.” ― Marcus Aurelius

    Quora Question: What do you do to pass the time other than social media (Reddit included), TV or reading a book?

    My favorite “go-to” activity is always a walk in the park. I love getting out and connecting with nature. But like anything in life, I have times when I just don’t feel like walking. So, I would ask myself, “what else can I do that I can do for free?”

    Here are some things that happened when I stopped watching TV, reduced my time on social media and applied action from the information I learned from the books I read. 

    I discovered Zentangle drawing on a networking call one day which is like a form of meditation. I started learning a foreign language last year. I learned how to use the editing software that came free on my computer and created my own podcast and used the video to create a YouTube channel. I made time to play and learn from my granddaughter on days I don’t have to work. I dedicate quiet time for self-reflection and journaling which has been life changing. I started and organized Meetup groups and connect with people in such places as India and Africa and I write for two blogs.

    One of my favorite quotes I read that made such a huge impact was “Create before you Consume.” -Marie Forleo. 

    Time is always “passing by” but it is what you choose to do with your time and the kind of life you want to live that determines the quality of life you will have. Watching TV and surfing the internet are easy things to do, dig deeper and find out what you can create!

    Thank you for taking time out to read this post. I would love to learn more about who you are and what you do. Feel free to connect with me through a Meetup group.

    1. Confident Strides Women’s Empowerment Network https://bit.ly/CSWENMeetup
    2. Confident Strides Personal Development Network Group https://bit.ly/CSPDNMeetup
    3. Confident Strides Women’s Professional Network https://bit.ly/CSWPNMeetup
    4. Confident Strides Entrepreneurs Network https://bit.ly/CSENMeetup

    Quote Source: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/goals-in-life

    To connect with me: https:///confidentstrides

  • LoPrioritize Your Priorities

    LoPrioritize Your Priorities

    ClockOne of my top priorities is to always take care of the people or things that take care of me. Whether it is making sure the family is taken care of, the park passes are current or the car needs maintenance, whatever allows me to keep moving forward in doing what I do best is what I take care first. Take care of those things that take care of you. Focus on what makes you happy and brings you peace and fulfillment.

    Photo credit: click here.