Working with Deadlines: Tips you might never think of!

“If it weren’t for the last minute, nothing would get done.”

This quote is inevitably true, don’t you think? Most of the time, people have problems managing their tasks which eventually increase the stress level. The reason is simply because they wait for the last minute to get the work done. But do you want to be the last-minute man that’s always in a rush for the rest of your life?

Befriend with sticky note and calendar 

Deadline is something to do with dates. Make sure you highlight those dates in different colors so that you won’t miss anything.

Via Pixabay

Sticky note is one of the useful reminders you can count on. Stick it on your laptop, in front of the door, or anywhere you like. Let say you have a deadline tomorrow, trick your brain by thinking that your deadline is tonight. Mark today’s date and put the sticky note somewhere visible.

Strike out your list each time you finish on something
People are so busy making to-do lists when the real problem is that they don’t strike out the already-done lists.

It makes a perception that you still have a pile of lists to do. Striking out your lists one by one tells your brain that you have accomplished the work. The idea is to manipulate your brain to think that you are almost done.

Multitasking? A Big NO
Avoid doing multiple activities at once. Zheng Wang, a study researcher from Ohio State University said that multitasking does not make a person more productive, it only makes you feel emotionally satisfied.

Via Pixabay

Working on many things at a time forces you to split your focus. It is not effective and it doesn’t bring a better result. Hence, what you need to do is to work on one thing at a time according to your list.

And once it's done, don't forget to reward yourself with a treat!

Be more present
One of the reasons why some people fail to meet deadlines is because they can’t focus on one thing at a time. We've all been there. We sit in a cubicle space, our eyes are staring at the screen while our fingers are dancing on top of the keyboards and suddenly they stop doing what they do because Mr. Mind - who's supposed to help you finish off- still wanders around Hawaii.

A research surveyed iPhone users and found that when they were paying full attention to what they were doing, they were more likely to report feeling happy.

So, the next time you have to finish something, put your smart phone in the drawer, close those tabs that try to ruin your deadlines and turn up the music if it makes you calm.

Don't forget to pay attention to the reward you're going to give yourself once you make it. No matter what job you have, deadline can become a pressure if you don’t know how to manage it. But really, it is not something to be scared of.

Gotta go, my 3-scoop Chocochips, RumRaisins, Greentea ice cream is waiting! :P

employer Tips: Employer Tips on the Importance of Showing Appreciation

A boss is not someone who will cry with an employee in the bathroom. It’s not the nature. And an employee will not want to befriend with the boss either.

If you are a boss, don’t ever wish to become your employees’ number one favorite person. But you need them to get the job done excellently. So, what should you do?
Things you don’t know but you should know

Every individual has a desire to be admired or noticed. In a business that’s filled with competition and sales pitch; workers might need a little boost to make them reach a higher target. There’s nothing that scares an employee more than a fierce-looking boss behind the desk. If you want a positive working environment with positive people surround you, you should appreciate what they do.

 You may be feeling under pressure. And so do your employees A survey conducted by Terry Bacon stated that 74% employees want their manager to appreciate who they are and what they do. The data proved that you are not the only person who is feeling stressed when things go wrong. Your employees actually want to fix things and want you to appreciate the temporary failed project to gain a successful goal next time.

They are trying to tell you, “If you appreciate my work today, I promise I’ll give my best tomorrow.” Employees need a typical leadership role model in this imperfect life Life is already not perfect. But a boss can step up as a peacekeeper to make sure things go the way it should. You don’t really need to show your emotions to them as they do well, but you can say a sincere “Good job!” or “Thank you!” in return.

Don’t worry; it doesn’t lessen their respect to you. The idea of giving appreciation is to accelerate their work. As you admire them, they will want to show you something more; better sales, better customer service and better business. 

Appreciate employees to grasp something important from them
Your employees might notice a thing or two about the competitors. But what’s in it for them if they tell you? Of course, they want you to appreciate their little investigation during their lunch break. Employees are the first-line guard against your competitors. If you don’t want them to be at your competitor’s side or leak your company’s big issues, you have to make them feel safe and great about working with you.

What kinds of appreciations do you give to your staffs? I'm eager to know! Kindly leave comments. Thanks!

How to Stay Calm When Working with Difficult Colleagues

Working environment can be a playground that may bring fun and disaster at the same time. Dealing with office problems can be difficult especially when it involves human beings who are blessed with different kinds of characters. Hence, if it’s not about the work, it must be about the coworkers, right?

It is a tough thing to be calm when you work with difficult colleagues but here are the lights that will guide you to arrive calmly at the end of the tunnel! Realize that you are living on Earth, not heaven. Let’s admit, difficult people do exist. Even if it is not in a form of ‘colleague’, it will always appear in other forms such as ‘friend’ or ‘cousin’.

So, instead of complaining about how lame your coworkers are, you should focus on the fact that no matter how nice you are, difficult people are always there. In business, competition is something you can’t run away from. The promotion, the target, and other elements of work require you to become a tough person to survive.

Remember, these mean colleagues are there to test you. By admitting that difficult coworkers exist, you know where you stand and you should get on with what you do without paying too much attention to them. Use them as your source of motivation Difficult colleagues can be those who turn down your ideas or say something negative about you.

However, you need these people to make you a better person. Why not taking their comment as a second opinion? Your colleague must be an expert at something and his critic might just be the answer to help you out.

Instead of swallowing their negative opinion wholly, digest it slowly and make sure the ‘nutritious’ comment can bring out the best in you. Keep calm and ask, “What’s wrong with me?” Before you stand up and confront the annoying colleague of yours, make sure you have thought about it with your cool mind. Talking with difficult people is already a problem and using a higher tone to talk to them will only make it double.

At the moment where you can’t think of anything else but to be mad, take a deep breath and ask yourself, “What’s wrong with me?”, “Why do I even care?”, “I am not going to lose my job because of you!” Consider this as your special skill Dealing with whiners and bullies at work should be done in private because these kinds of people will not back down in front of audience.

They tend to be synical due to their low personality dimension. This is why they easily blame others without looking at themselves. However, you have to do it professionally and calmly. The problem is not you, it’s them So far, you think you are a nice person but you have no idea how you can act crazy because of that one particular coworker.

Often times, you might think that you are the one to blame and have this guilt on your shoulder you can’t put down. Never let yourself get thrown off the balance because of another person. Being calm requires regular practice especially in this hectic phase of working life. Keep in mind that silence is not always golden. Calm is.