9 Gadgets to Warm Up Your Waiting Room

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How to Handle Appointment Scheduling When Schedules Change

While some people love winter, no one enjoys being cold. Customers who are freezing in your waiting room won’t be very happy during their visit. And if they’re not happy with their visit, they aren’t likely to come back. 

Although it might sound like a small consideration, it means a lot to your customers: Keep your waiting room warm and toasty. If your HVAC system isn’t up to the task, these gadgets can go the distance:

1. Smart Thermostat

The No.1 problem with keeping a waiting room warm is the constant opening and closing of doors. Each new customer brings with them a chilly breeze, preventing those already in the room from getting comfortable. You can solve this dilemma with a smart thermostat. 

A smart thermostat sense uses predictive technology to crank up or down the heat. Yours might signal to your HVAC unit that it should preheat the office at 9 a.m. to account for how frequently your front door opens. To save money, you can lower the office temperature when people aren’t there, perhaps from 5 p.m. until the next morning. 

2. Space Heater

Remember how your family kept that back bedroom warm in the winter? A small space heater can make even the chilliest of offices comfortable.

Space heaters come in many shapes, sizes, and price ranges. Do your research to find the right one for your waiting room. Smaller waiting rooms can get away with smaller heaters. Rooms that are larger or draftier, or have doors that are constantly opening and closing, may need a larger model. 

3. Electric Fireplace

Why not take the power of a space heater and add some holiday flair? An electric fireplace provides a cozy atmosphere that creates psychological comfort as well as actual heat. 

The one drawback to an electric fireplace is that it requires more setup than a standard space heater. You can’t just plug a fireplace into the nearest outlet and call it good. 

Look for a place where a fireplace would be appealing. If you buy a wall-mounted unit, pay for professional installation. Not only will doing so save you a lot of work, but it will reduce the risk of fire. 

4. Hot Chocolate Machine

Some days are so cold you need to warm yourself from the inside out. When layers of clothes and space heaters just won’t cut it, a mug of hot chocolate will do the trick. This delicious solution can liven up any waiting room. 

When installing a hot chocolate machine in your lobby, be sure to keep COVID-19 in mind. Use disposable cups. Clean the area as frequently as possible to prevent the spread of the virus. 

5. Draft Stoppers

Even when your company’s doors are closed, chilly air can still slip through the cracks. Stopping those winter winds will keep everything inside warm while cutting your heating bills down to size.

Best of all, draft stoppers are easy to install. A simple door skirt takes only five nails and five minutes to attach. A crack-sealing foam takes all of 30 seconds to spray. Give stoppers and filled cracks a fresh coat of paint to improve their visual appeal. 

6. Heating Pads

Many businesses provide little treats for their customers, like a doctor’s office with a jar full of lollipops. Who’s stopping you from doing the same with hand and feet warmers? Little personal heating pads would make a great addition to your waiting room for those customers who just can’t seem to warm up.

One difference between heating pads and treats is that the latter doesn’t need a warning sign. Encourage customers to be cautious with heating pads, especially on direct skin. Provide towels for them to wrap heating pads in. 

As with any shared office item, be sure to clean heating pads and towels after use. Look for ones that are machine washable to make this easy. 

7. Heated Massagers

A waiting room with a massage chair is an instant winner. Plus, back and feet massagers often come with a heating setting to melt away stress and sore muscles. 

Providing enough massage equipment for a full waiting room can be a tough bill to foot. Consider providing a few and placing a time limit on how long each customer is allowed to use it. That way, every customer gets a chance to de-stress and warm up. 

8. Drying Rack

Snow, hail, and freezing rain leave customers not just cold, but wet as well. Don’t make customers sit in their wet clothes. Provide a rack near the door so they can hang coats and gloves up to dry.

Unlike the massage chair, this is an inexpensive upgrade. If you want to do something unique, offer a shoe-drying station where customers can put their cold, wet feet until their name is called.  

9. Face Masks

This two-for-one solution might already be in place. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, many businesses are requiring all customers to wear masks. While their goal is to reduce viral transmission, face masks also provide warmth.

To feed two birds with one scone, provide masks at the entrance of your business for all visitors. Doing so will keep everyone healthy and warm up noses that have been nipped by Jack Frost.

A warm customer is a happy one. Be careful not to bake them, but do make them as comfortable as you can. That way, as soon as they leave your business, they’ll want to go back. 

Motivation Secrets of Productive People

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Motivation Secrets of Productive People

Make no mistake about it. Motivation will increase your productivity.

“Motivation and productivity are twin concepts in organizational development,” wrote Kristina Dems for Bright Hub.

“First, motivation works as the means toward attaining productivity as an end. Another point: Motivation is the best road to follow to reach productivity as a favorable effect. Lastly, motivation is the stimulus to trigger productivity as a response.”

Think about how this effects you and effects your life. When you’re not feeling motivated, you’re not going to accomplish much. That’s because you don’t have the drive to get things done.

And, to put it lightly, that sucks.

Now you’re behind on your planned goals or a task, which means you’re going to get behind another and another. Eventually, everything starts to pile-up. With no end in sight, you become even less motivated.

That’s why the most productive people employ the following motivation secrets to guarantee that they’re always ahead of the game.

1. When plans are made, they anticipate obstacles.

Peter Gollwitzer, a professor of psychology at New York University, in New York City, conducted a study in 2009 that compared two groups of women who wanted to be more active. The groups were both provided information on how to live a healthy lifestyle.

However, the second group was also taught how to foresee obstacles by using if-then statements. For example, if they wanted to jog, but the weather is poor, then what will you do? The women would say, “if it’s snowing, then I’ll go to the gym and use the treadmill.”

Suffice it to say, the second group fared far better.

Gollwitzer concluded that those who plan for obstacles are more likely to follow through on projects. This is because they don’t have any excuses for completing the task at hand.

2. They “don’t break the chain.”

Years ago software developer Brad Isaac asked Jerry Seinfeld if he had any tips for a young comedian. Seinfeld told him that the only way to become a better comic was to create better jokes. And the only way to create better jokes was to write daily.

But, that was just scratching the surface. Ultimately, the legendary comic unveiled his unique calendar system that kept him motivated every day.

Jerry told Isaac to get a huge wall calendar “that has a whole year on one page and hang it on a prominent wall.” Then, go get a red magic maker.

He told Isaac that for each day he writes to to put a big red X over that day. “After a few days you’ll have a chain. Just keep at it and the chain will grow longer every day. You’ll like seeing that chain, especially when you get a few weeks under your belt. Your only job next is to not break the chain.”

“Don’t break the chain,” Seinfeld said again for emphasis.

Isaac says that this “works because it isn’t the one-shot pushes that get us where we want to go, it is the consistent daily action that builds extraordinary outcomes.” And, those daily actions build habits.

3. Live life from their calendars.

According to The Busy Person’s Guide to the Done List, by Janet Choi and Walter Chen of iDoneThis:

  • 41 percent of to-do list items are never completed.
  • 50 percent of to-do list items are completed within a day, many within the first hour of being written down.

Why is this the case when so many people swear by to-do-lists?

For starters, tasks on your to-do-lists are distinguished between those that only take a couple of minutes and those will last hours. Additionally, they emphasize the urgent instead of the important. And, they can add unnecessary stress.

Because of these reasons, highly productive people don’t use to-dos. They live from their calendars instead.

“Use a calendar and schedule your entire day into 15-minute blocks,” says Jordan Harbinger, co-founder of The Art of Charm. “It sounds like a pain, but this will set you up in the 95th percentile as far as organization goes.”

“If it’s not on the calendar, it doesn’t get done. If it’s on the calendar, it gets done no matter what. Use this not just for appointments, but workouts, calls, email blocks, etc.”

4. They don’t multitask.

Despite the myths, multitasking doesn’t make you more productive. In fact, it slows you down. This is because your brain is switching tasks and focus, which means it takes you longer to complete tasks.

In order to stay productive, you need to focus on thing at a time. Due’s Miranda Marquit uses the Pomodoro Technique to stay focused on one specific task at a time. This also boosts productivity since you’re dedicating your mental energy on one specific item.

As a perk, since you’re giving this one task 110 percent, chances are that there will be fewer mistakes. This means you won’t have to back and fix your errors, you can just move onto to something else.

5. Not controlled by technology.

“I was a Division I college athlete, and I grew up with five brothers and two sisters. I’ve always been a competitor. [But] I’ve learned that productivity should not be a competitive sport. You’re never going to win,” Cathy Engelbert, CEO of Deloitte, tells Fast Company.

“I am responsible for almost 80,000 people. I prioritize people over tasks. One Note allows me to put different tasks [involving] each of my executive-team members in a tab. That way when I talk to them, I can be more effective, because the five things I want to talk to them about [are right there].”

“If I looked at email and Twitter and texts [during the day], I don’t think I would ever give my full attention to anything. You cannot be insightful if you’re deluged with information.”

Engelbert adds, “We’re all drowning in data. We all need moments of recovery. For me, that includes not going right to my phone when I wake up in the morning. I got on a plane about six months ago, and I forgot my phone. For two days, I didn’t have my phone, and nobody died.”

Her final words of advice? “Technology should help you do your job, not control your job.”

6. They use a notebook.

Richard Branson, Bill Gates, and Sheryl Sandberg all carry a notebook around. The reason? They rely on pen and paper to keep track of and remember all of their thoughts and ideas.

“I can’t tell you where I’d be if I hadn’t had a pen on hand to write down my ideas as soon as they came to me,” Branson wrote in a blog post.

“You think you’ll remember, but you won’t, and you’ll forfeit all the thoughts that flood you after you’ve freed your mind from remembering the initial spark,” adds Drew Hanson.

For Sandberg, she uses a notebook as a kind of daily planner. She jots down her to-do lists. Once she’s accomplished those items, she rips the pages out of her notebook. It’s a simple way to stay motivated for staying on track.

7. They work backwards from the future.

Steve Jobs once asked, “If today was the last day of my life, would I want to do what I’m about to do today?”

“If too many days passed by with the answer being ‘no,’ he’d adjust his lifestyle until he hit a consistent yes,” explains HubSpot’s Scott Tousley. “This forced Steve to define long-term goals and stay motivated.”

This may sound drab, but the most productive people “think about the end of their lives,” which helps them define their legacy.

With this in mind, they then “work backwards to achieve those goals.”

“This touches on the psychological theories and models of motivation. If we’re driven by a purpose, we’re more likely to work extra hard,” says Tousley.

But, how does starting with your purpose keep you productive and motivated?

Starting with a purpose or “personal mission statement,” leads to the creation of long-term goals. Long-term goals lead to smaller goals, which create to-do-lists.

So, if you want to productive like Steve Job, define your purpose first and everything else will fall into place.

8. They’re friends with time.

Really productive people, or RPPs as Marie Forleo calls them, are friends with time. In other words, “they don’t look at time as the enemy.”

If you do, you’ll end-up always struggling with productivity and motivation. And, this makes sense. Whenever you could something the “enemy” it’s only going to end-up being a source of pain.

Instead, make time your ally. You can start by ditching time-stealing habits like multitasking and procrastination. You can achieve by practicing:

  • Mindfulness. This will help you focus on one task at a time.
  • Acceptance. Concentrating only on what you can control.
  • Authenticity. This encourages self-management since it helps you decide what to do and when to do it.

9. They create theme days.

Want to know how Jack Dorsey juggles all of his obligations at Twitter and Square? He creates theme days. Here’s what Jack said about this in 2011:

“The way I found that works for me is I theme my days. On Monday, at both companies, I focus on management and running the company…Tuesday is focused on product. Wednesday is focused on marketing and communications and growth. Thursday is focused on developers and partnerships. Friday is focused on the company, the culture and recruiting. Saturday I take off, I hike. Sunday is reflection, feedback, strategy, and getting ready for the week.”

How has that schedule help Jack work eight hours at both companies?

The first reason the schedule works is that it establishes a rhythm. You know what to expect every day because you’ve created a routine to keep you focused.

Secondly, it challenges you to complete tasks on certain deadlines. If you record a podcast every Tuesday like John Lee Dumas, then you know that you have the podcast prepared by that day.

Finally, it batches similar tasks together. This keeps you productive since it streamlines activity and eliminates distractions.

10. Bring optimism and fun back into the picture.

This may sound hokey, but research shows that the key to motivation is bringing optimism and fun.

Ron Siegel, a psychology professor at Harvard University, explains:

“Our modern brains are still wired up for the ancient evolutionary purpose of surviving in a dangerous environment. Over a million years or so, we developed specialized neural structures that selectively tuned in to danger signals. The prospect of getting attacked necessarily outranked all other neurological priorities.”

And, unfortunately, we still go into that survival mode. Instead of thinking about the pleasurable and rewarding experience of conquering a task, we focus on anxiety and fear.

For example, you just started a new business. You’re probably dwelling more on the fear of failure instead of the excitement of improving your community.

The best way to overcome this? Create basic two-columned pros and cons list so you can notice that the joys outweigh any fears or anxieties. When you actually see the positive, you’ll get yourself out of the rut you’re headed into.

As Rick Steves has written, “Be fanatically positive and militantly optimistic. If something is not to your liking, change your liking.”

Add These 9 Appointments to Your Calendar Next Year

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Right now, you’re probably planning for the holidays — both personally and professionally. What’s more, there’s a good chance that you’re winding things down so that you can be rejuvenated for next year. While there’s wrong with either, it also wouldn’t hurt to get a head start on next year’s calendar.

I’m in no way suggesting that you begin packing your calendar to the brim. But, if you want to be productive and organized, then definitely start planning ahead. In fact, successful people like “Shark Tanks” Robert Herjavec are big proponents of this.

Why Plan Your Calendar in Advance

Herjavec is known for mapping out his calendar at least a year in advance. ″[It] allows me to manage my time and prioritize,” he explains. “It doesn’t mean that everything on the calendar needs to be locked in, but it gives me an idea of where I’m going to be and when so I can maximize my time.”

He famously told Entrepreneur that he would meet with his assistant and kids’ school counselor when his children were younger. The purpose was to go through “each and every” school holiday and event they had off.

“Because of that, I never missed a swim meet. I never missed a school play. I never missed anything,” he said. “I’d fly from L.A. back to Toronto to be with my kids for one day. That’s the great thing about having your own business — the freedom to control your schedule and to do with it what you want.”

In addition to your personal obligations, you should also block out recurring tasks or projects with deadlines. The reason? Well, as the adage goes, what doesn’t get scheduled doesn’t get done.

However, the same idea applies to appointments that keep you healthy, happy, and productive. Again, if you don’t book them now, something else is bound to pop-up. So, to avoid potential calendar conflicts, I recommend that you add these to your calendar sooner than later.

1. Annual Physical

As the name implies, this is a yearly visit to your primary physician. At the minimum, they are going to check your vitals. These are usually the basics, like your blood pressure, heart rate, weight, and temperature.

However, they may also want to discuss your family’s medical history. They could also do additional blood work or testing, depending on your health background and history. And, this would be the time to bring up any health concerns or questions that you have.

Regardless if you’re in peak physical condition or have your head in the sand, this is an essential appointment. The last thing that you need is to have a health problem to become worse because you skipped your annual physical.

Additionally, depending on your gender, background, and lifestyle, you may also have to book further doctor appointments. These include dermatology, appointment, gynecological exam, or mammogram.

2. Dentist Appointment

The American Dental Association suggests that you get your teeth cleaned every six months. I know. You brush twice a day and floss. But, these regular cleanings help stave off cavities and gum disease.

Furthermore, your dentist is also checking for gum disease, tooth decay, or impacted teeth. Just like your annual physical, if you ignore any dental problems, they can become a painful and expensive experience. Even worse, it could lead to serious health problems, including brain or heart infections.

3. Eye Care Checkup

Do you wear contacts or glasses? If so, then you definitely need to see an optometrist regularly. What if you don’t? The hard truth is that as you get older, your vision just isn’t as good as it used to be.

That may not be a problem right now. But, if not addressed, it could result in gnarly migraines to getting in a car accident. Also, you’re going to be checked for things like cataracts and glaucoma.

The American Optometric Association recommends getting an eye exam at least every two years. After 40, however, you’ll probably want to do this annually.

4. Therapy Check-in

Did you know that 450 million people have a mental disorder? Of course, different models will require various treatments and timeframes. In most cases, though, you will probably meet either once a week or every other with a therapist in-person or via teletherapy.

Typically, this will be for a couple of months — usually 3- to 4 months. However, your course may take longer, depending on your needs and treatment. No matter the length of time, it’s imperative that you don’t neglect your mental health as it influences every aspect of your life.

If it’s an emergency, please call 911 or SAMHSA’s National Helpline 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

5. Mentor Sessions

Most mentoring programs recommend that a mentee and mentor get together once a month. For some, that may suffice. But, for others, you may need to up that frequency.

For example, during your startup’s early stages, you may want to grab coffee once a week. But, as your business begins to take off, you may only catch-up every quarter. And, eventually, that may dwindle to just an annual event.

In other words, when establishing the relationship, you and your mentor will connect regularly. As time goes on, that may become less regimented. Just note that this would be something that you discuss in advance.

6. Legal Parley

“At first glance, this may not seem like a good way to keep costs down, but you’ll be amazed at how much it reduces the endless rounds of phone tag that plague busy entrepreneurs and attorneys,” writes Karen E. Spaeder in the “Where to Start Looking” section of Start Your Own Business.

“More important, a monthly five- or 10-minute meeting (even by phone) can save you substantial sums by nipping small legal problems in the bud before they have a chance to grow.” Overall though, you probably don’t need to meet with your lawyer unless you need legal advice for:

  • Starting a business
  • Bankruptcy
  • Disability claims
  • Wills and trust
  • Divorce
  • Criminal charges
  • Car accident resulting in injuries
  • Lawsuits
  • Wrongful termination or discrimination

7. Financial Advisor Meeting

According to a 2018 survey by Northwestern Mutual, money was the dominant source of stress for almost half of Americans — 44% to be exact. Additionally, data from the American Psychological Association shows that money is the main stressor for Americans. “Regardless of the economic climate, money and finances have remained the top stressor since our survey began in 2007,” the results revealed.

Considering the uncertainty following COVID-19, I can’t imagine that this will change any time soon. I wouldn’t be surprised this gets even worse. As such, to protect your financial future, regularly meet with your financial advisor.

“While every investors’ needs are different, we recommend meeting at least once per year for a portfolio performance review,” writes Bruce Smith, CFO and Chief Compliance Officer at Premier Financial Group. “You’ll also want to speak with your advisor regularly about rebalancing your portfolio to avoid concentration, manage risk, and keep your investments well diversified.”

However, there are exceptions, most notably, life changes like marriage, death, illness, job changes, or the birth of a child.

8. One-on-Ones With Your Team Members

Whether you do this weekly or bi-weekly, the key is consistency. That may seem like a lot, but you can do this either in-person, by phone, or through electronic messages like email or Slack. Your primary reason for this is to check-in on your team and make sure that you’re on the same page.

After determining the frequency and meeting preference, this can be scheduled as a recurring event in your online calendar. For example, you could block out your one-on-ones on Friday afternoons. So, if you meet with a team member from 1 pm to 1:30 pm, you just need to schedule it once, and it will automatically be added to both of your calendars.

9. Updating Investors

Depending on what stage your business is in, this can vary. Some advise you to update investors every 4-8 weeks, while others claim that every 3 months is best. But, if they’re highly operationally involved, this could be daily.

Usually, you can shoot them an email. But, that ultimately depends on your relationship. Regardless, make sure to keep them in the loop if you need help, want insights, or build trust.

Planning Appointments Around Winter Weather

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The weather outside is frightful, and while your waiting room might be delightful, it’ll take some extra effort to get customers there this time of year. Cold weather, slick roads, and dark afternoons make it more difficult to book and keep appointments.

You don’t need to let the winter blues affect your business. With a few tweaks, you can make sure your customers feel welcome and comfortable:

Revamp Your Waiting Room

Few customers will brave winter storms to trek to your business if your waiting room is cold and dismal. Up the festivity by making your waiting area more comfortable and warm for your guests.

Start, of course, with social distancing measures that protect customers from COVID-19. Next, look for ways you can make the area more homey. Space heaters, Christmas decorations, or a COVID-safe hot chocolate bar are all solutions you can implement.

Amend Your Late Policy

Icy roads and snowy weather make driving difficult. They also make travel times unpredictable. 

You shouldn’t punish customers for travelling safely. Consider amending your late policy for the rest of the winter.

Show some leniency to late customers. For example, you might make it a rule that they must call to advise you of their tardiness in order to receive amnesty. You can also tack on a few minutes to your policy before late charges and cancellations kick in.

Your no-show and cancellation policies might also need a glance over if you live in an area that experiences heavy snowfall. A blizzard can put even regularly paved roads out of commission. You can’t blame your customers for not showing up if they can’t use the roads.

Increase Buffer Periods

Another step that can help careful drivers feel comfortable making appointments is by increasing your buffer times. This way, you have some wiggle room if a customer shows up late. 

Buffer periods are particularly useful in winter. A break between appointments can be used to shovel snowy sidewalks, switch out wet floor mats, or stoke the fire if your waiting room has a fireplace. 

Add Incentives

If you’re struggling to convince customers to venture out, it might be time to break out some incentives. Rewards can motivate even customers in deep hibernation to make the trip out, helping you flesh out your appointment calendar.

Holiday deals are an easy — even expected — marketing strategy to boost winter appointments. Discounted prices are always motivating, especially when holiday parties and presents take a big chunk out of consumer budgets. If you can’t afford to offer a discount, consider a goodie bag or gift card. 

Mind Your Exterior

When snow and ice come, prioritize taking care of the outside area of your property. Promptly clearing parking lots and sidewalks of snow and ice will prevent injuries. Plus, it increases your curb appeal, which can encourage walk-ins.

Check with your city counsel to see if they take care of snow removal in your area. If not, hire someone to plow your parking lots for you. If all else fails, send an employee out with a shovel.

Make House Calls

Here’s your chance to experiment with a new business model. If you’re having a hard time getting customers to come to you, bring your business to them. If your business allows it, this can be an effective way of maximizing your bookings. 

For example, hair stylists can bring their scissors, comb, and hair dryer to a client’s home. Mechanics can perform an oil change in someone’s driveway. As long as you can keep your employees safe and follow COVID-19 guidelines, give it a shot.

Do Some Cold Calling

Winter is made for cold calling. All jokes aside, reaching out to potential customers may be enough to get them to give your business a shot in the winter months. 

With each call, be sure to point out the efforts you’re making to provide an excellent appointment experience. Cover your COVID-19 precautions, your waiting room’s features, and your speedy service. The better it sounds, the more likely your sales pitch is to work.

Adjust Your Hours

If all else fails, you can adjust your business hours to accommodate your appointment list. Reducing store hours, for example, can cut down on your heating and electric bills. If you can’t get customers in the door, don’t waste your money. 

When in doubt, ask customers about their preferences. You may simply need to shift your business hours up or back a few hours. 

Winter can be a tough time for both businesses and consumers. Put in the effort to lift their spirits, and they’ll put a little something extra in your stocking, too. 

Good Leaders Don’t Surround Themselves With “Yes” People

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When you’re hiring, your initial instinct might be to build your company full of people pleasers. After all, wouldn’t it be nice to have people who are more than willing to help? You probably also like the fact that your new hire wants to explore new opportunities and they are extremely reliable.

If you’re fortunate, as you suppose, your new hire will probably even share similar backgrounds and interests. And, you probably won’t have to worry about them causing any trouble — like questioning your leadership skills.

Sure. In theory, that sounds like a good deal. Realistically, though, only surrounding yourself with “yes” people is a terrible, no good idea.

The dangers of “yes” people.

The major drawback of people pleasers is that they have problems with time management. Because they’re willing to lend a hand or take new responsibilities they fall behind deadlines. Also, since “no” isn’t in their vocabulary, they end-up stretching themselves way too thin.

Eventually, that reliability that made them an asset is out the window — they may even become resentful of you. They’re now scrambling to catch-up. And, that’s just a one-way-ticket to Burnoutville.

What’s more, they also have difficulty maintaining a healthy relationship with work and life. Everyone, no matter who you are, needs time away from work. It’s a proven way to rest and recharge so that you can be at 100% peak productivity.

Being on all of the time may also cause problems with their personal relationships. Instead of attending a family gathering, they’re trapped in the office working on next week’s presentation. That may not seem like a bid deal, but relationships are the key to happiness — and if you’re not happy, you’re not productive.

As if that weren’t enough, they are unwilling to share with you critical feedback. As a consequence, this may prevent you from correcting workplace operations. They may also be hesitant to make suggestions on how to improve the products or services you offer.

Also, if they aren’t transparent with you, then don’t expect them to critique you. I understand that hearing constructive criticism is never easy. But, it’s essential if you want to grow as a person and leader.

The solution? Well, as industrialist and founder of Wrigley Chewing Gum Walter Wrigley Jr. once said, “When two people always agree, one of them is unnecessary.”

In other words, don’t surround yourself with “yes people.” Instead, have a diverse team that challenges you. And, you can do that by…

1. Fill in the blanks.

Take a good look at your team. What skills are lacking? How diverse is your current staff?

Answering these questions is a great starting point. Hiring someone based on specific needs is obvious. For example, if you need a coder, then you’re going to go out and find the best one available But, the second question can be tricky.

“Although you own the business, don’t be fixated on hiring people from only particular backgrounds,” recommends Choncé Maddox in a previous Calendar article. “After all, the business world is very dynamic. To ensure you are adaptable to inevitable changes, get employees from as many backgrounds as possible.”

“As much as where the concerned employee is coming from is important, it is their potential to grow with your business that really matters,” adds Choncé. “In just about five to ten years, your business is going to change. Ask yourself where the concerned employee fits in the whole picture.”

If need further assistance hiring a diverse team, here is a 6-step process from Ideal:

  • Conduct a diversity hiring audit on your current hiring process
  • Pick one metric to improve for your diversity hiring
  • Increase your diversity hiring in your candidate sourcing
  • When candidate screening, look beyond criteria like their prior company, school, or personal connection.
  • Increase your diversity hiring in your candidate shortlisting using technology to remove bias
  • Evaluate your diversity hiring metrics

2. Grant autonomy.

While there are times when you might have to micromanage your team, most of the time you need to grant autonomy. For control freaks, that can induce a panic attack. However, it’s one of the best ways for your team to learn and grow.

More importantly? Giving your peeps this type of freedom keeps them motivated and engaged. And, on your end, you’ll have less on your plate.

Simply put. Autonomy is a win for everyone from the top to the bottom. And, despite your fears, it’s easy to implement if you do the following:

  • Clearly communicate why the work they’re doing is important. Don’t forget to also frequently share your mission and vision as well.
  • Allow them to speak their minds. Solicit feedback on your performance. You could also leave room at the end of meetings for them to share their opinions. Or, you could go old school with a suggestion box.
  • Let them choose how, when, and where to work.
  • Allow them opportunities to showcase their strengths and pursue their interests.
  • Give them the right tools and resources to succeed.
  • Make sure that you’re delegating the right job to the right person.

3. Listen effectively.

“Leaders who don’t listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing to say” — Andy Stanley

Arguably, one of the most important traits leaders can have is to actually listen to what others are saying. Sometimes that can be as easy as speaking less and asking lots of questions. Other times you may need to utilize techniques like not going into the conversation with an agenda.

Overall though, getting back to communication basics is your best course of action. I’m talking about making eye contact, not looking at your phone, and responding accordingly. You may not like what you’re hearing, but that’s no excuse to lose your cool.

4. Let them fail.

As someone who has experienced failure, I can tell you that it’s never a pleasant experience. At the same time, failure has pushed me to become more resilient. I’d even say that it’s been the greatest teacher I’ve ever had.

With that in mind, let your team have an occasional setback. I know that just the thought of this may keep you up at night. But, it will encourage them to grow as individuals and think innovatively.

In the immortal words of Micheal Jordan, “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

5. Seek out different perspectives.

Outside of work, you should also surround yourself with people who challenge you. Besides helping you embrace this at work, it will help you become a better person. And, you can do so by:

  • Joining an exercise group that pushes you and holds you accountable.
  • Attending conferences, after-hour meetups, or mastermind groups outside of your niche.
  • Finding a creative community, to learn something new or discover a new interest.
  • Networking and engaging with people who have diverse opinions on social networks.

9 Ways to Bring in Business Around the Holidays

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The holiday season is a “love it or hate it” time for businesses. Some industries are overloaded during these short months, as demand skyrockets for popular gifts. Others, like lawn care, experience the opposite effect, seeing a dramatic decline until the weather warms up again.

Whether you’re balancing an increased workload or trying to stay busy until spring, one thing is for sure: Optimizing your holiday workload is a matter of managing your time effectively. 

Adjust Your Appointment Slots

Your scheduling software is essential for perfecting your workload. To accommodate a greater volume of appointments, you can add new time slots into your software. If you can’t cut the margin of time between appointments, make space by extending your company’s hours. 

Another strategy to maximize each appointment is to extend its length. If you can squeeze more services into each appointment, then you might be able to bring in more revenue by booking fewer customers each day. 

Focus on Safety

The 2020 holiday season will be unique due to COVID-19. Business will put a premium on making customers feel safe and welcome. To encourage yours to drop by, focus on your office protocols.

Enforcing a PPE policy, cleaning regularly, and enabling social distancing are all measures you can take to promote a safe and healthy environment. The safer you can make customers feel, the more appointments you will be able to book.

Look to Seasonal Workers

If your business is seeing a huge influx of appointments in preparation for the holidays, you might need to expand your team temporarily. Seasonal workers can help your team handle the extra influx of customers.

What if your full-time employees are trained professionals — the sort that can’t easily be replaced by seasonal hires? Consider hiring students in their respective fields as assistants. Surely, these employees can help with logistical tasks, such as organization and cleanup. A mechanic who doesn’t have to clean the shop floor afterward can service more vehicles, for instance. 

Tighten Your No-Show Policy

With the holiday rush, you might be turning away more customers than normal. Instead of saying “no” to those who book and show up on time, tighten up your no-show policy.

This feeds two birds with one scone: Not only does it discourage bad customer behavior, but it shows appreciation to those who follow the rules. Just be sure to post your updated no-show rules in obvious places, such as on your door and the homepage of your website.

Hold a Holiday Promotion

If your appointment schedule looks a little bare, it’s time to whip out a classic holiday promotion. Nothing gets consumers more excited this time of year than discounts.

Your promotion of choice can be as simple as a price cut or as complex as a referral program. When in doubt, ask your customers: Would they rather save a little on every purchase, or save a lot when they bring a friend to your place of business? 

Whatever you choose, advertise the deal as widely as you can. Email it to your customer list. Post it on social media. Ask your partners to mention it to their own clients. 

Add a Gifting Option

Not everyone you meet will be interested in your promotion or services, but they might know someone who is. To expand your reach and fill your appointment slots, add a gifting option. 

Most companies do this with a simple gift card. You can go that route, or you can add your own flair by putting together gift baskets that can be purchased and distributed. Include in each basket a gift card along with some holiday treats or products from your partners. 

Go Mobile

If your line of work allows for it, take your business on the road to expand your holiday reach. For example, massage therapists can set up shop at malls to reel in shoppers for walk-in sessions.

Use this opportunity to promote your permanent location. Make a good impression, and you’ll convert what would’ve been one-time customers to regulars.

Lean on Walk-Ins

Under normal circumstances, relying on walk-in appointments is an inefficient way to run your business. However, if your appointments are few and far between, you can use walk-ins as a way to increase your revenue. 

On days when you don’t have many appointments booked, post online that you have a lot of availability. Offer a walk-in deal to the first few customers who arrive. Encourage them to tell their friends.

Say Thanks

To your loyal customers, send out a holiday message to thank them for their loyalty. This is a great way to recognize their loyalty and to remind them that it may be time for another visit. 

Another approach is to highlight your top customers on your social media pages. People love public recognition even more than a private “thank you.”

Be proactive this holiday season. Don’t just deck the halls; deck your schedule. By the time Christmas comes, you’ll be counting your blessings. 

How to Foster a “Connected Culture” Remotely

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While the COVID-19 may have resulted in more people working from home, the truth is, working from home was already having its moment. In fact, between 2005 – 2017, there was a 159% increase in remote work. And, regardless of what happens when there’s hopefully a vaccine, the majority of people who have been working from home would like to continue doing so — even it’s just a couple of days per week.

And while there are flaws, those who work from home tend to be happier and more productive. However, if you want to take it up a notch, then you need to foster a “connected culture.” According to a survey from RingCentral, “58% of employees who said their companies are attempting to help them connect said they feel physically healthy.”

Furthermore, “75% of employees reporting high levels of emotional well-being said they feel more connected to their colleagues.” In short, if you and your team want to thrive in a remote world, then you need to make this a priority. And you can accomplish this feat by taking the following steps.

1. Culture is more than just ping-pong tables.

“The first thing to realize is that your culture has to be built around more than ping pong tables,” writes Wade Foster for Zapier. “Games and other group activities that lend themselves to being in person are simply not a possibility on a day-to-day basis for remote teams.” As such, “your culture has to be built around something more than playing table tennis to unite the team.”

Instead, Foster states that culture is about how you work. Specifically, it should be rewarding. And, most importantly, it should be built around your mission and values.

2. Promote clear, open, and frequent communication.

“Communication – the human connection – is the key to personal and career success.” — Paul J. Meyer

Communication is, without question, the cornerstone of any healthy and productive community. In addition to making collaboration possible, this helps everyone get to know each other better. And, more imperative, this is how you share your company’s values and expectations.

What’s more, you need communication to give and receive feedback and address conflicts. And, it’s the only way that you’re going to keep everyone in the loop.

Tried and true solutions, like email, project management software, and conference calls are a start. But, you should also think outside the box. Some ideas would be:

  • Before your weekly Zoom team meeting, have everyone go around and recap their weekends.
  • At Buffer, team members share an aspect of their personal life they want to improve on Hackpad. You could also kick off each event by acknowledging a team member’s work or give them a birthday shoutout.
  • Host a weekly AMA (ask me anything) — make sure it’s the same time and day.
  • Plan a virtual lunch or after-hour events, such as a movie or game night.
  • Encourage virtual water coolers using tools Donut.
  • Have different Slack channels, like #Pets or #Music, so that your team can connect over common interests.
  • Create virtual clubs, like a book or film, for your peeps to bond over.
  • Schedule one-on-ones to check-in with your people.

And, to recreate an open-door policy, set your status to available on platforms like Slack or Hangouts. If others see that you’re online, then that’s when they can ask you quick questions or share a concern. If this will be a long time commitment, then share your calendar with them, so schedule a one-on-one.

3. Save teams from information overload and burnout.

Information overload, as described by Calendar co-founder John Hall, “is exposure to excessive amounts of information or data.” While not exactly a new phenomenon, we use media for an average of 12 hours and 9 minutes per day. Moreover, since we’re working from home, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to unplug.

As if that’s not enough, we’re feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information being consumed. As a consequence, this is making us more stressed. It’s also negatively impacting our relationships and productivity.

While communication is critical, you also don’t want to over-communicate with your team. For instance, to avoid Zoom fatigue, you could replace video meetings with email, Slack, or whatever text method you prefer. Since this requires some extra effort, you’re more likely only to share relevant and essential information.

You could also follow in the footsteps of Help Scout. The company switched their weekly all-hands call with a video recap that’s sent every Monday.

“I love the Monday video updates,” states Nick Francis, Help Scout CEO. “They’re a great way to keep our remote team connected, celebrate accomplishments and update everyone on company news. The weekly team update has turned into something we all look forward to and talk about over the course of the week.”

4. Create psychological safety.

“A culture of psychological safety enables employees to be engaged,” writes Jake Herway for Gallup. “They can take risks and experiment. They can express themselves without the fear of failure or retribution.”

“Juxtapose this type of culture with one where employees feel too intimidated to speak up or share a new idea,” adds Herway. “It’s hard to imagine these employees can mentally allow themselves to be engaged at work.”

How can you cultivate psychological safety among remote teams? Start with the following techniques:

  • Share your mistakes, struggles, and weaknesses with your team.
  • Encourage feedback and ask for suggestions.
  • Invite them to challenge your ideas.
  • Rather than pointing fingers, use mistakes as learning opportunities.
  • Find ways for quieter members to contribute. For example, if they’re not comfortable speaking in front of others, they can share their ideas with you through email or one-on-one.
  • Let all team members be involved in the decision-making process.
  • Grant autonomy by letting them work when and however is best for them.

5. Overcome a challenge together.

While this may seem impossible when apart, you and your team can still bond over a challenge remotely. At Calendar, we’ve set up health and fitness challenges over Slack. Groove HQ has also done this with a 30-day push-up challenge.

“It may sound a bit odd, but right away, it felt energizing,” noted CEO Alex Turnbull. “Like we had just developed a deeper relationship across the team in a matter of hours.” In fact, over the next month, “tackling a shared goal has helped us connect on a deeper level than we do in our regular day-to-day work.”

The challenge was also “another touchpoint for our team to communicate with each other on,” says Turnbull. And, it helped counter the dark side of working alone.

“Even those of us who prefer to work ‘alone’ can struggle with that isolation every now and then,” he writes. “That’s why it’s so important to take breaks, play, have a social life, or do whatever it is that keeps you sane.”

6. Create a mentorship program.

One study found that mentors were more satisfied with their jobs and committed to the organization. Additionally, mentoring programs can develop new leaders, increase diversity, and retain your top talent. Also, they create a learning culture, promote personal and professional development, and reduce stress and anxiety.

Best of all? You can use your existing communication methods. For example, you could pair a new sales team member with a seasoned vet. From there, they could have weekly video meetups or quick chats with instant messaging apps or MentorcliQ.

7. Listen to Bill and Ted.

Finally, as William “Bill” S. Preston Esq. famously said, “Be excellent to each other!” How you decide to be kind and show gratitude is totally up to you. It could be something as simple as letting a colleague vent or offering to help them solve a problem.

You could also randomly send them a handwritten note or text thanking them for all of their hard work. If you have the budget for it, you could also send them snack boxes or goodies for their families, like books or dog toys.

And, if your entire team knocked it out of the park this past month, throw a pizza party. Just pick a time and then order some pies from their local pizzerias. Once you arrived, you could hop on Zoom for your virtual celebration.

Advent Calendar

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For those in the family that still eat meat — we’ve eaten the turkey and we’re full.  As soon as the Thanksgiving dinner is over, I want to rush and start decorating for next month’s holidays. This year with COVID-19, I want to skip to January first, or at least to vaccine first — whenever that is. But we’re keeping the Advent Calendar.

There are a lot of ways to celebrate and enjoy any holiday season. One holiday tradition that many families use is called “the Advent” calendar. The traditional Advent Calendar counts the days from December 1st to December 24th. But, what exactly is an Advent calendar? Where did it originate, and how are we using advent calendars today?

We’re hopefully going to answer those questions, and more, in the following article.

What is an advent calendar?

The word advent comes from the Latin word adventus, meaning the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event. In Christian theology, advent refers to the next or second coming of Christ. But what exactly does this have to do with a calendar?

According to Got Questions, “Centuries ago, the importance of this event caused many Christians to feel that it was inadequate merely to mark off only one day on the yearly calendar for celebrating this incredible gift from God.” As a result, “they felt the need for a period of preparation immediately beforehand” to show their gratitude for the first Christmas.”They could then not only take time themselves to meditate on it, but also teach their children the tremendous significance of Christmas.”

This lead to the four-week period preceding Christmas that starts on the Sunday closest to St. Andrew The Apostle. Many people use an “advent calendar” to help people countdown and build excitement for a holiday on December 25.

As explained on DaySpring, “One window, page, or entry is designated for each day through Christmas Eve. Daily entries help tell the story, many with devotion or Scripture to reinforce the true meaning of Christmas for the whole family.”

The origins of advent calendars.

Historians aren’t exactly sure when people first began to celebrate Advent. Some historians believe that people in the 4th Century used this time to prepare for baptism when they converted to Christianity. Others claim that it was a little later and in the 5th Century when monks “began fasting thrice weekly in November, either to prepare for Christmas or Epiphany, during which new Christians were baptized each year.”

“But the timing of Advent was not routine until after Roman Emperor Constantine commemorated December 25 as Christ’s birthday during the fourth century. (The Eastern Church follows a different calendar, celebrating Christ’s birth on January 7.),” wrote Elizabeth Dias in Time.

The Advent calendars that we’re more familiar with appeared in the 19th Century. During this time, German Lutherans started to use lit candles or chalk marks on doors to mark the 24 days before Christmas.

“They first emerged in the mid-1800s as another tool to focus on the reason for the season,” adds Dias. “Before paper became readily available, many families used small candles or even blocks to mark each day approaching Christmas. Later, calendar doors opened to Bible verses that tell the Christmas story.” Over time, these paper doors would reveal images or objects like chocolate.

The first printed advent calendar.

Some people considered that the first Advent calendar was a handmade, wooden calendar made in 1851. In 1902, according to Weihnachtsmuseum, the oldest printed Advent calendar was a clock. “It is supposedly the ‘Christmas clock for children” from 1902 with rotating brass hand whose dial begins with 13 and whose panels mainly contain Christmas carol verses.

Just two years later, in 1904, a newspaper called Neues Tagblatt in Stuttgart, Germany, included an Advent calendar insert as a gift to its readers.

But in 1908, Gerhard Lang and his friend Reichhold opened a printing office. The cardboard Advent calendar influenced lang this his mother made for him as a child and began producing the first-ever printed Advent calendar. These calendars contained a small colored picture for each day in Advent. It was also Lang and Reichhold who came-up with the idea of adding small doors and windows to the calendars to help build excitement among children during the season.

Soon, other printing firms were manufacturing Advent calendars in the early 20th Century to meet demand. Unfortunately, the outbreak of World War I forced Lang and others to slow down production. But, production picked back up in the 1920s. Before World War II, Lang finally had to close his business for good. Having to close his company was a result of the combination of the rationing of cardboard and the Nazi ban on calendars that contained images.

The advent calendar goes international.

Thankfully, following the war, Richard Sellmer Verlag of Stuttgart was granted a permit from United States officials allowing his company to print and sell calendars once again in Germany.

By the 1950s, Advent calendars became increasingly popular around the world. President Dwight D. Eisenhower is credited for popularizing the calendar after Newsweek published photographs of him opening an Advent calendar with his grandchildren on Christmas morning.

Today, the company Richard Sellmer Verlag is still operating and supplies millions of Advent calendars to more than 30 different countries.

How advent calendars have changed with the times.

Although Advent calendars originally stemmed from Christian-themes, as the 20th Century went on, these calendars were marketed to assist children in counting down the days until Christmas. Nowadays, many celebrations in varying religions or holidays are accounted for with advent calendars. Celebrating all holidays, with all events and all religions is fun and might put a bright spot in the dim year.

For example, as Alissa Wilkinson notes for Vox, “The text accompanying the needlepoint Advent calendar sold by Lands’ End is typical of this marketing approach: ‘A little gift or treat every day can help kids get through the urgent days leading up to Christmas.’”

“Pockets in the calendar can be filled by parents with toys or treats, small gifts to satiate the excited child,” adds Wilkinson. Today, you can easily find Disney or Lego themed Advent calendars that used as marketing tools aimed at parents — for their children.

Advent calendars have also become common among “disposable-income-laden adults.” For instance, “there’s a calendar for Godiva chocolate, Diptyque scents, Ciaté London nail polish, and Revolution cosmetics. Or you can sample a variety of themed products: jerky, whiskey, gin, scotch, rum, craft beer, cheese, sex toys, and beard oil,” says Wilkinson.

That doesn’t mean that all Advent calendars have forgotten about their religious origins. There’s a Christian version called a “Jesse Tree” that combines the Christmas tree with an Advent calendar.

Interesting facts about advent calendars.

Want to know even more about Advent calendars? Here are seven interesting facts for you to enjoy. And, you may also want to use this knowledge to impress your friends and family throughout the holidays.

Start dates will vary.

Advent, according to most Western Churches, begins on the Sunday four weeks before Christmas Day. That means depending on the calendar for that year, the first day of Advent could be in late November or early December. In other words, Advent calendars do not always begin on December 1.

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Advent is actually called the Nativity Fast. Because in most years, it begins in mid-November; it lasts closer to six weeks instead of four.

Sundays are very important.

In the church, each of the four Sundays on the Advent calendar has a special meaning that is related to topics like the Prophets, the Messiah, or John the Baptist. Sundays are so important that some churches will not permit funeral masses these days.

The third Sunday, however, is called Gaudete Sunday, and it’s a time to celebrate the arrival of Christ. It’s common to hear the clergy preach about joy and redemption and for Christians to reflect on what they’re grateful for.

The color violet.

Many of us associate red and green with the holiday season. However, the time before December 25 is all about violet and purple. The reason? These colors represent repentance and fasting. As such, it’s typical for priests to wear these colors and decorate churches with violet.

Observants light candles within an advent wreath.

It’s been the tradition to place four candles within an Advent wreath during this period. The wreath was meant to symbolize the immortality of the soul. The candles represent the four Sundays of Advent.

Advent calendars don’t have to be actual calendars.

We may think of Advent calendars as physical objects that you place in your home. The truth is that they don’t always have to be what we consider a calendar. For example, in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, it’s a tradition to also have a calendar in the form of a radio show or TV show.

There’s also a musical Advent calendar app from Naxos and design and coding advice web in the digital 24 Ways Advent calendar, which dispenses design and coding advice over the 24 days leading up to Christmas. With the emergence of voice calendars, there are ways to use Alexa as an Advent Calendar.

And, there are some places around the world that stage living Advent calendars. One such location is the English city of Henley-on-Thames. The most expensive advent calendar.

The most expensive advent calendar.

For some reason, in 2018, Mondial Pink Diamond Atelier unveiled the most expensive Advent calendar in the world. This handcrafted piece took 18-months to create and contains “specially selected, natural Australian timbers and embellished with precious gemstones, gold, and silver as well as hand-made, crystal chandeliers.”

How much is this calendar worth? Just a cool $4 million.

The most massive advent calendar.

According to Guinness World Records, “The largest advent calendar is 71 m (232 ft 11 in) high and 23 m (75 ft 5 in) wide and was built at St Pancras station, London, UK, to commemorate the station’s refurbishment in December 2007.”

On the other end of the spectrum, students and members of the University of Regensburg’s micro-and nanostructures group built the smallest Advent calendar in 2007. How small? Well, it would take five million of these calendars to fill a postage stamp. How to start an Advent calendar.

How to start an Advent calendar.

If you want to start your own Advent calendar, you may come across two different trains of thought. The first is that you would start with the highest number and countdown. In other words, you would count back from 24 to 1. The second is the calendar would begin with one and work up towards the highest number.

“If we are to use the historical context, it seems that the proper way to work through an advent calendar is starting on with the box labeled: one,” writes Kaitlyn Wylde in a Bustle article. “The point of the calendar is not to countdown, but rather to count up towards the days before Christmas.”

“Think about it this way: if you were going to use candles for your advent calendar, you’d want to end up with 24 lit candles, not one,” adds Wylde. “So, work your way up through your print calendar.”

With that out of the way, you next want to find an advent calendar. “The simplest can be posted on the wall, the fridge, or anywhere in your home; others range from tabletop devotionals to themed and decorative choices,” states DaySpring. Depending on your taste, these can be traditional or modern calendars that have already been made for you.

Personalizing your Advent calendar.

If you’re into DIY, you can also make your own Advent calendar. It doesn’t have to be too complicated. In fact, you want to keep things simple. The key is to make sure that you have the correct dates that align with the current calendar year. After that, you can use boxes, envelopes, or holiday shapes to represent the “dates.” You can then decorate them and fill them with whatever you like.

There are also digital Advent calendars, such as MyAdvent. You can upload whatever images you like and then add your own voice message or video for each “date” of the calendar. You can then share your calendar with family, friends, employees, or customers via email, social media, or a unique URL.

Regardless if you’re creating your own physical Advent calendar or using an online version, you’ll also want to personalize it. For example, you could add events and activities to each day of the Advent.

The addition of an advent calendar to your holiday celebrations might be any activity that is already scheduled in your December calendar plans — such as holiday parties or movies on TV. It’s an effective way to prevent scheduling conflicts during the hectic holiday season.

Finally, you don’t have to wait until the holiday season to use an Advent calendar. You could apply the concept to count up to a family vacation or product launch at your business. Each day leading up to the big event could include items to generate buzz. Let’s say your family is going to the beach. The four weeks before departing each day of the calendar could consist of things like sunscreen, sunglasses, and flip flops.

9 Things You Need to Do Every Morning to Have a Productive Day

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15 Productivity Hacks that Have Become Irrelevant (Thanks COVID)

Want to be in the same league as the most productive and successful people in the world? Then you need to make the most of your morning by doing these nine things. When you do, the rest of your day will be extremely productive and fruitful.

1. Plan the night before.

Because we have a limited amount of willpower and decision-making abilities, you want to eliminate as many decision-making tasks in the morning. This is why American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault ends his evenings by jotting down the three things he wants to accomplish the next day.

It also explains why Mark Zuckerberg and President Obama had limited wardrobes.

“You’ll see I wear only gray or blue suits. I’m trying to pare down decisions. I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make,” President Obama told Vanity. Fair.

When you have fewer decisions to make your saving mental space and will have better productivity throughout the day.

2. Wake up refreshed.

You also can’t have a productive day if you don’t wake-up feeling refreshed. Think about those days when you only got 4 hours of sleep. You’re dragging the entire day.

Establish a nighttime ritual where you limit or avoid stimulates like alcohol, caffeine, and electronics right before bed. Instead, have a quiet and relaxing evening by meditating or reading. And, don’t forget to go to bed at the same time every night.

Ideally, your bedroom should be as dark and quiet as possible. It should also be a little cool. This way you’ll sleep undisturbed the entire night and will wake-up refreshed and ready to take-on the day.

3. Create a morning to focus your mind.

Claire Diaz Ortiz, a productivity expert and author of Design Your Day, says that if you want to be more productive — then you need to create a morning routine that works for you. She explains that how you start your day anchors you and ensures that you stay focused.

According to Renzo Costarella in a previous Calendar article, here’s what you should include in your morning routine:

  • Wake-up before everyone so that you’re free of distractions.
  • Drink at least one 24 oz. glass of water when you first wake-up.
  • Exercise for around 30 minutes before breakfast. If possible, do this outside since taking in that sunlight first thing in the morning lets your internal clock know it’s time to start the day.
  • Eat a healthy breakfast — that means skipping sugary cereals and pastries.
  • Read for at least 10 to 15 minutes so that you learn something new.
  • Practice mindfulness for about 10 minutes — this clears your mind and assists with focus.

My morning routine also consists of writing in my journal — hey, it’s worked for Da Vinci, Mark Twain, Oprah, and Tim Ferris.

I also make my bed every morning. It’s not that I’m a neat freak. It’s a small task that gets your day off to an excellent start.

“If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day,” said U.S. Navy Adm. William H. McCraven. “It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another. And by the end of the day that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed.”

4. Set a daily intention.

You know, I never really did this until I came across this article from Purple Carrot. It’s great advice, so I’ll let them explain:

“Setting your daily intention is just like paving your day ahead. In the early part of the day when things are calmer, and you have a moment to think clearly, set your intentions focusing on at least two goals that you want to accomplish for the day. Have extra time? Write these goals on post-its and bring them to work with you so you’re constantly reminded of what you want to accomplish.”

I want to emphasize that last part there. Research shows that writing down your goals enhances your goal achievement.

5. Daily affirmations.

“Affirmations are short, powerful yet simple statements intended to help you manifest a particular goal,” writes Choncé Maddox. “This is power is positive thinking and it only takes a few minutes to recite some positive affirmations.”

6. Avoid your phone.

Don’t just dive directly into emails, texts, and social media when you first wake-up. Doing so will help you lose focus. Even worse it steals your time and gives it to other people.

Instead, spend these precious first moments of the day to do something that you find relaxing, such as walking your dog, meditating, or reading, This will help set calm and positive tone for your day, as opposed to a frantic start.

This may take some discipline, but try to avoid your phone until after you’ve eaten breakfast.

7. Schedule your day.

Want to get all all of you tasks done? Then make sure that they’re scheduled into your calendar.

As entrepreneur and author Dave Kerpen explains, “If it’s not in my calendar, it won’t get done. But if it is in my calendar, it will get done.”

“I schedule out every 15 minutes of every day to conduct meetings, review materials, write, and do any activities I need to get done. And while I take meetings with just about anyone who wants to meet with me, I reserve just one hour a week for these ‘office hours.’”

Don’t forget to also schedule in breaks and your lunch.

8. Network over coffee.

Yes. Coffee is good for you. So while you’re enjoying that morning cup of Joe do a little networking. For example, you could reach out and connect with colleagues on LinkedIn or Twitter. Or, you could schedule meetings with potential business partners or investors.

9. Eat the frog.

Brian Tracy, author of “Eat the Frog,” has based his morning philosophy off of a quote from Mark Twain: “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”

Obviously this doesn’t mean literally eating a frog. The frog is “your biggest, most important task, the one you are most likely to procrastinate on if you don’t do something about it.” As the day goes on, this doesn’t just linger over our heads, we have less energy to complete this task.

Don’t put this task off until later in the day. Tackle it first thing in the morning and get it done.

Disciplines That Pays Off: 11 Time Management Tips for Freelancers

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As a freelancer, time management is one of the most important skills that you need to develop. If you aren’t properly managing your time — then you’re not going to earn as much money.

Are you spending an hour or two of social media every morning? This may not seem like a biggie — but is this your time-suck? You have to decide this. Could you have been working, networking, or strengthening your skills? Should you have been doing that?

I’ve been freelancing for a decade. Time management was something that I definitely struggled with over the years — and still do occasionally. What I’ve found, however, is that it takes a lot of discipline to effectively manage your time as a freelancer.

These eleven time management tips for freelancers have definitely helped me in the time management area. As a result — I’ve become a more productive and successful freelancer.

1. Rethink your to-do-lists.

I’m a big fan of to-do-lists. I would say that most productive people are. The thing is, if you aren’t using them correctly — they can become too frustrating and demotivating. If you have a to-do-list containing 30 vague items like “check email,” make phone calls,” and “write blog posts,” you’re not going to be very productive.

Reasonable, specific, and prioritized.

To-do-lists need to be reasonable, specific, and prioritized. Instead of 30 items listed in the way those above  str — trim your list to under 10 items. Make them more detailed — and compelling — like: “email Jim,” return Sue’s phone call,” and “write two time management blog posts.”

How will you do your experiment?

You will need to experiment and find an approach that works best for you. Some people love the traditional checklist on paper or bullet journaling. Others rely on apps like Todoist or Trello. Some freelancers  prefer adding the to-do-list to their calendar.

There’s one of my favorite techniques — the Eisenhower Matrix — which is a to-do list that’s divided into four quadrants: Do first, schedule, delegate, and don’t do.

2. Track your time.

If you want to improve your time management, then you need to see how you’re spending your days and how long it takes you to complete tasks.

You could go old school and carry around a notebook with you for a week. Jot down how long your morning commute takes, the time you spend wasting online, or the amount of time it takes to complete a task. You can use your phone’s stopwatch to assist you.

You have many choices — including staying just as you are.

However, there are hundreds of software and apps that can do this tracking and timing for you — through timers and time sheets. How long you spend on specific websites — Timely, for example, automatically tracks your time and then makes smart suggestions on where you can  improve.

However — knowing — can help you decide.

The idea is that when you track your time you’ll be able to see how and where you’re wasting time. It will also give you a better idea on how long it takes to complete a task and when you’re most productive. Knowing this can help you create a schedule.

3. Make and stick to a schedule.

“Being self-employed means you can literally work whenever you want. Experience shows me it’s best to set specific work hours,” writes Choncé Maddox in a previous Calendar article. “If you don’t, you’ll run the risk of procrastinating, missing deadlines or becoming easily distracted and falling behind.”

Setting specific work hours.

Choncé also says that, “It’s important to set your work hours because you also want to know how much you can realistically accomplish in a workday.” She uses block scheduling and a to-do list to organize her tasks for the day. It’s a simple and effective way to help “get a full understanding of what my day is going to look like and what I’m going to be working on.”

“Once I get toward the end of my set work hours, I know it’s time to wind down and start wrapping up. This helps me transition into other areas of my life without feeling stressed out or ‘guilty’ for stepping away from my business.”

Here’s a rough example of what my daily schedule looks like:

  • 6:00 – 7:00 A.M.: Stretch, breakfast, email, and RSS feed.
  • 8:00 – 11:00: Research and outline articles.
  • 11:00 – 12:00: Meet or touch base with clients.
  • 12:00 – 1:00: Lunch, email, texts, social media, and RSS feed.
  • 1:00 – 2:00: Exercise and take the dog for a walk.
  • 2:00 – 5:00: Write articles for clients.
  • 5:00 – 8:00: Dinner, finish client articles, and prepare for tomorrow.

Bonus Tip:
Work during off-hours. I try to get my day started early, like everyone else. This way I’m not distracted by the other people in my home, emails, or texts. I’ve even gone into coffee shops after dinner because they’re not as crowded at that time.

4. Identify and eliminate distractions.

Distractions are arguably the biggest barrier between you and effective time management, as well as productivity. The common distractions are smartphones, social media, email, and messaging platforms.

The easiest fix of all — turn off notifications.

The easiest fix is to turn off any alerts or notifications on your phone or computer — both Android and iOS devices have “Do Not Disturb” features.

However, if you’re freelancer working from home, you may have to deal with distractions like the TV, your family or roommates, household chores, noisy neighbors, or not having the right tools or equipment.

Ever heard of earplugs or “Beats?”

Find which distractions are hameping your productivity and then find solutions. For example, you may want to start working at a coffee shop or coworking space since they eliminate most of the distractions listed above.

If that’s not an option, then have a dedicated work area that’s in a quiet location. Ideally, this is would be a spare room where you can close the door.

You should also invest in noise-cancelling headphones and dedicate one day a week to household chores so that they don’t take your focus away from work.

5. Break larger projects down.

You just received a large project assignment from a client. Your first instinct is to look at the entire project as a whole. As a result, you get overwhelmed and procrastinate because you don’t know where you’re going to start.

Break down large work projects — just as you would any project.

Instead, break that project down into smaller tasks. For example, when I’ve had to write an eBook, I focus on one chapter at a time. I start by researching and outlining only that chapter that I’m working on. After it’s been outlined, I focus only on writing that chapter.

A place to start and makes the project seem much more manageable.

Here’s another tip I’ve learned along the way –break your day into blocks. This is a productivity hack known as the Rule of 52 and 17.

So when I’m writing a big project, I block out two hours of writing into my calendar with a 17-minute break in-between where I go for a block, meditate, or clean the dishes real quick. This keeps me focused on what I’m currently working-on, while also preventing distractions from disrupting my flow.

6. Limit your client base.

When you’re just starting out as a freelancer you have no reservations in accepting each and every gig that comes your way. It’s not a bad idea when you need the cash and building a portfolio.

Eventually, however, you’re going to start working with more high-profile clients. Because they’re paying you decent money, they’ll demand more of your time. In this case, you may no longer be able to handle those smaller jobs.

You take the next advice — when you have the luxury to do so — and not before you are covering your bills. Until bills are paid — shut your mouth and hustle.

Additionally, you may also want to fire specific clients — even if they pay well. I know that may sound ridiculous, there are just some clients who demand constant revisions because they’re perfectionists or don’t know what they want. This prevents you from getting other work completed, which means you may have to part ways with them.

7. Just say “no!”

Your best friend texts you asking if you want to go to lunch. A client emails you asking if you can start working on a project ASAP. Your gut reaction may be to say “yes” to either situation. This means you’re getting pulled away from the work at hand.

I know that you don’t want to offend anyone, but sometimes you just have to say “no.” If you’re swamped, then you need to let the client know that you have a full plate today and can’t start on their project until next week. If you’re in the “zone,” then plan to have lunch with your friend on another day where you have some more flexibility.

8. Work in batches.

“Batching is a form of productivity where you arrange tasks in set groups,” writes best-selling author Amanda Abella. “In other words, you block off time on the calendar for similar tasks.”

For me, when I go to write — I do all of my research and outline for the day’s articles in the morning. I then write all of my article — then edit and format them. This way I’m not switching between tasks or bouncing between tabs.

When it’s time to write, I can just crank an article out, instead of researching, writing, and editing it at the same time.

9. Gamification.

This doesn’t mean that you literally turn you work into a game. It means using game principles in your process to motivate you and make work more fun.

This gamification can be accomplished by:

  • A reward system. You completed a project ahead of the deadline, so you reward yourself by going out with your friends.
  • A point system. You receive points for completing tasks, such as earning one point for cleaning out your inbox.
  • A timer. You have a specific amount of time to complete a task.

Find out which one of these suggestions beats with your heart. You will have to figure this out — if you succeed at freelancing.

  • Compete with a fellow freelancer. Set up a challenge to see who can complete a task or project faster.
  • Chart your progress. I’ve tracked how many words I can write in a day. It’s amazing how many more words I can write now compared to when I started. And, it motivates me to do even better.

10. Outsource and automate.

As a freelancer, I’ve had to learn many new skills over the years in order to market and manage my business. Whenever I have to balance my books or market my services, I’m taking time away from work.

Learn when it is time to outsource and automate the extra tasks.

For example, I recently had to launch an email marketing campaign for a client. Even though I know how to, I found someone on Fiverr to get it started for me. This way I could focus just on creating a content calendar and composing articles for the client.

Once set up, the campaign used automation to respond to clients, such as receiving a welcome email when signing-up for the newsletter or receiving a confirmation of a sale.

11. End-of-day reviews.

“Before finishing up work tonight, review your calendar and reprioritize your meetings, appointments and planned work for the next day. Look to see if you can reschedule non-priority meetings to the following day if you need to,” suggests Jason Womack, author of: Your Best Just Got Better: Work Smarter, Think Bigger, Make More

You should also look into the following week of your calendar to see “if you can collapse two meetings into one by meeting with two people at the same time.”

Don’t forget to locate “and schedule 30 – to 60 – minute chunks of a time (perhaps even multiple times per day) during which you can close your door or turn off your email or phone. You can take these chunks of time if you must focus on a single project or priority without being interrupted.”

Jason Womack adds that he has found his clients like this technique and have reported that they “become more aware of the changes they can make for a more productive, engaging day.”

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