Time is Money! 10 Time Management Tips From Highly Successful People

Are you struggling with time management? People often use the term “time management” when discussing productivity. Yet, is this phrasing correct? Are we genuinely managing time? No, we aren’t. Time passes, one second after another, and you can’t do a thing to stop it. In truth, you can’t manage something that is completely beyond your control.

It is my hope that, after going through these so-called time management tips, you’ll realize that accomplishing things is a matter of managing activities instead of time. Deciding what to do and when is the cornerstone of productivity.

Read on for ten activity management tips that will change your life:

1. Brian Tracy; CEO of Brian Tracy International: Plan your day in advance

“The best exercise is for you to plan your entire next day as the last thing you do before coming home from work. When you plan your day the night before, your subconscious then goes to work on your plans and goals while you are asleep. Very often you will wake up in the morning with ideas and insights that apply to the work of the day.”

2. Jason Goldberg, CEO of Fab.com: Focus on one thing at a time

“Pick one thing and do that one thing – and only that one thing – better than anyon else ever could”.

3. Tony Schwartz, CEO of The Energy Project: Prioritize

“Force yourself to prioritize so that you know that you will finish at least that one critical task during the period of the day when you have the most energy and the fewest distractions.”

4. Dustin Moskovitz, co-founder of Facebook: Pick one day to focus on your individual work

“Pick one day a week that you and your team can focus on getting individual work done without any interruptions like meetings. At Asana, we have No Meeting Wednesdays established to encourage flow and productivity across the company.”

5. Steve Jobs: Delegate

“There’s no excuse for employees to have any confusion after a meeting. An effective Apple meeting will include an “action list,” and next to each action item is a “DRI” — a directly responsible individual who must ensure the task is accomplished.”

6. Warren Buffett: Say no most of the time

“The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say ‘no’ to almost everything.”

7. Richard Branson: Conduct your meetings standing up

“One of my favorite tricks is to conduct most of my meetings standing up. I find it to be a much quicker way of getting down to business, making a decision, and sealing the deal. When given the opportunity, I often like to take things a step further – literally, with a walking meeting.”

8. Brian Halligan, CEO of HubSpot: Have time to think

“I try to think a lot and try to increase the amount of time I spend thinking about things versus on the phone or in a meeting… I see people working a lot, and I say what’s your time spent thinking versus working?”

9. Nathan Blecharczyk, co-founder of Airbnb: Do the real work in the morning

“I try to fill my calendar in reverse, from the end-of-day to earlier; I try to reserve the morning for doing ‘real work.’ I find I can focus more in the morning, whereas it’s harder to get focused after having been bombarded by meetings, so I try to save meetings for later in the day.”

10. Benjamin Franklin: Build a consistent day-to-day schedule with time for self-reflection

Here is Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule according to his autobiography:

“5: Rise, wash.
6: Powerful goodness! The morning. Morning prayer and plan for the day. [He asks himself], “What good business shall I do today?”
7: Study, and breakfast.
8-12: Work.
12-2: Read or overlook accounts, and dine.
2-4: Work.
4-6: Evening rest.
6: Put things in their places, ie: cleaning and organizing
7: Reflect on the day with the question: “What good have I done today?”
8: Supper, music, or diversion, or conversation
9: Examination of the day
10: Sleep”

Featured photo credit: Nathan Blecharczyk via i.ytimg.com

The post Time is Money! 10 Time Management Tips From Highly Successful People appeared first on Lifehack.

5 Online Courses Knowledge Lovers Can’t Miss

As Peter Drucker put it, “Knowledge has to be improved, challenged, and increased constantly, or it vanishes.” Knowledge is more than memory. Memories can come back to us unbidden; knowledge can’t. We control knowledge; we use it as a tool to solve problems. Through knowledge, we come to understand problems are a good thing: they prompt solutions. A problem’s not a problem unless you make it one. Our quest for mind expansion, for using more of the brain than the 10 percent we have evolved to employ, is a quest to better the world. We’re not seeking knowledge as a vacuous, abstract exercise. Nor are we seeking to feed our narcissism. We don’t want power. We’re seeking knowledge because now, with the 21^st Century screaming towards the quarter mark, and a means of communicating with the world at our fingertips, we’re more equipped than ever to improve the situation on a global scale. So here are 5 online courses you can take online to increase your knowledge quotient in a diverse array of subjects. And, who knows, with all that knowledge you may just land an excellent job.

Excel University  

 

Benjamin Franklin said, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” No wonder the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) profession is certain to fetch you a reliable income. Excel University offers online courses available either online or in book form, and it’s anything if not thorough. Thoroughness earns Excel University accolades as an online resource: if you’re an accountant, you can use it to learn shortcuts and tricks, continuing your professional education. If you aren’t an accountant and just want to learn how to use the ubiquitous Excel program more efficiently, you can take the “lite” version. Also, the site provides a free evaluation course, so you can sample before you buy.

Adventures in Writing

Anyone who values knowledge knows the value of being well-rounded. After you take Excel University, Adventures in Writing will provide a nice contrast. Stanford has an innovative approach with this one. The creative, graphic novel-style interface models what the writing instructors are trying to teach you. That is, you’ve got to know your readers and find the best way to present information to them. Adventures in Writing wins by recognizing the value of goal-oriented, empathetic writing.

User Experience Design Training

Learning website and app design will make you indispensable in today’s connected world. It’s extremely helpful to be able to ask your teacher a question in real-time and receive the answer as soon as they know it. This is one of the valuable features of AGI’s UX Design Training. Another value is the instructors. These are the articulate, knowledgeable authors of the Dummies and Digital Classroom books. AGI puts a premium on usability. You can request a headset to communicate with your instructor, or simply use your computer’s microphone. Just be aware this course is not self-paced.

Big Data

As the name implies, this one’s huge. Big data is not just a buzzword in the work-world—it’s the exponential increase and availability of data in our world. UC San Diego and Splunk hit the gigantic nail on the head by providing an inexpensive course to sort out what to do with all the raw data. Props to this course for not just explaining the subject. You’ll be reasonably challenged to apply what you learn with the Capstone Project.

Science and Cooking

How innovative is this?

You can either join the ongoing, live course, or access an archived version. You’ll not only learn recipes you can make in your own home, you’ll learn about the science behind why great meals taste how they taste. Kudos to Harvard for recognizing the online format affords mobility in learning. By this, I mean you learn from the chef in their kitchen and the scientist in the classroom. The final touch that deserves cheers: each week, you do an experiment in your own kitchen, a fine way of applying the material to your life.

Featured photo credit: University of Salford via flickr.com

The post 5 Online Courses Knowledge Lovers Can’t Miss appeared first on Lifehack.

Online Resources To Help You Stay Highly Focused At Work

Technology provides access to just about everything we can imagine — but that instant gratification is a double-edged sword. When it comes time to buckle down and get to work, it can be difficult to stay distraction-free and keep our minds from wandering.

According to one study, our minds wander 47 percent of the time. Combine this with noise and other distractions around the office, and it should come as no surprise that the average office worker is disrupted every 11 minutes.

Luckily, there are several online resources that can help you silence the chatter, eliminate distractions, boost productivity, and stay focused at work.

Start the Day off Right with 7-Minute Workout

Exercise is good not only for your physical health, but also for your memory and ability to focus. For many of us, hitting the gym in the morning before work isn’t possible. With the 7-Minute Workout app for iPhone and iPad, you can get your heart pumping in just a few minutes, track your activity, and set goals. The basic version of the app is free to download, but you can pay to upgrade and access various other features, including alternate workouts.

Avoid Internet Browsing with SelfControl

Whether it’s Facebook, a blog, or email, we all have our online Kryptonite that distracts us from getting any work done. SelfControl, a free, open-source OS X app, can fix this. With SelfControl, you can set a timer and block selected websites and mail servers, which is great for when you are on a deadline. Set a timer for four hours and you won’t be able to access your “blacklisted” sites — even if you restart your computer.

Focus Booster

Master the Pomodoro Technique with Focus Booster

The Pomodoro Technique is a time-management method that breaks down work into intervals of 25 minutes, followed by five-minute breaks. This is believed to improve concentration and mental agility. The Focus Booster app is based on this technique, helping you manage your time and dedicate specific time increments to projects. After a free 15-day trial, Focus Booster costs $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year.

Write Without Distractions with FocusWriter

When you are on a deadline and falling prey to writer’s block, even the battery icon and clock on your toolbar can prevent you from focusing on the page. FocusWriter is like a full-screen Microsoft Word, eliminating all distractions. You can look at only the page on which you are working. Available for both Windows and Mac, FocusWriter is free to download.

Relax to Ambient Sounds with Soundrown

Silence isn’t always conducive to productivity. While breakroom chatter or a silent office may work for some, others require the fine balance between sound and noise. With Soundrown, you can choose the type of ambient sound that best helps you focus and boost your productivity. Currently, the free-to-use website offers 10 different options that range from Coffee Shop to White Noise.

Find Your Center with Mental Workout

Sometimes, we need to embrace our inner hippie and meditate. Meditation can increase your ability to concentrate by helping you relax, de-stress, and clear your mind. For new practitioners, meditation can be harder than it looks. The Mental Workout app, which was designed by a meditation teacher and psychotherapist, offers an eight-week guided meditation program for beginners. It also has more advanced options for experienced practitioners. Along with inspirational talks and body scans, the app is well worth the $1.99 download fee.

Conclusion

Beyond using apps that help you focus, set yourself up for success by using the right tools. Make sure your computer is running efficiently and that you are regularly backing up your files. You may also consider investing in a good set of headphones when you need to drown out office noise. Lastly, don’t forget to ensure that your Internet connection is fast enough for your productivity needs. Videos that take too long to buffer and delayed website load times can quickly distract you from the task at hand.

By staying focused at work and using apps to boost your productivity, you can get more accomplished in less time. Start by trying some of these tools at your place of employment to see which ones work best for you.

The post Online Resources To Help You Stay Highly Focused At Work appeared first on Lifehack.

Differences Between People Who Run A Business And True Entrepreneurs

There were many other music players out on the market before Apple came out with the iPod, but the iPod soon came to dominate the marketplace surpassing all others. Why is that? Because Apple products were driven by an amazing entrepreneur by the name of Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs didn’t just run a company called Apple, he was also a truly passionate entrepreneur.

So, what are the differences between people who run a business and true entrepreneurs? Here are some qualities that definitely make the difference.

1. Growth mindset

People who run a business have a mindset of just meeting their minimum expectations. They hope to make their payroll that month, that quarter, or that year, and they hope to reach a certain number. Because of this mindset they do exactly that – they meet their minimum goals. True entrepreneurs have a growth mindset which says “let’s make this a billion-dollar company ” even though at the time the company may be very small. They don’t limit their thinking by thinking so small. They go big or go home.

2. Passion for the business

People who run a business go to the business because “it seemed like a good idea at the time”. They don’t necessarily have a passion for the business. True entrepreneurs, no matter what business they are in, go into a business that they truly have a passion for. They may love the business, they may want to change the world, or they may want to revolutionize a product. Whatever their reason may be, they have a passion for the business that is contagious to all those around them. People who run a business run it to make money, while people who are true entrepreneurs run a business because it is their life’s passion and they can’t not do it!

3. Looking for new opportunities

People who run a business tend to stick to the business that they have. They don’t want to make waves. This leads to eventually becoming stagnant and not growing. True entrepreneurs have a business, but they are always looking for new opportunities, new product lines, new niches, new growth strategies, and new streams of revenue. They listen very carefully to the customers because customers often have the best ideas for new opportunities for their business. They keep their eye on the present, but they’re always looking forward to the horizon for new opportunities.

4. Open to change

People who run a business tend to cling to the old way of doing things. They are not open to change because they’re afraid it will impact their business negatively. Think of all of the video store owners who didn’t adapt to the change with the streaming video who are now out of business. You could say that Blockbuster “block busted”. True entrepreneurs are open to change and actually will look at how they should change their business on a daily basis. They do not let the sleeping dog lie – they go kick it awake and tell it needs to change its ways.

5. Vision

People who run a business are the kind of people who when they buy a house, they can only see the house for what it looks like currently. They can see its total potential of what it will look like in the future. True entrepreneurs have a vision of what their company or the organization is going to look like down the road. If you ask them, they will paint a picture of where they’re going to be in 5-10 years. They have the vision to imagine a future which is unlimited and has tremendous growth opportunity for them and for their employees. This allows them to make decisions not only for today, but also to impact the business in the long-term. Walt Disney was able to visualize what Disneyland was going to be, was going to look like, and how it would succeed, long before anyone else believed in his vision.

6. Work ethic

People who run a business act like employees not owners. When it is 5 o’clock they “punch out” and decide to go home because it is the end of the workday. They don’t realize that their minimum effort each day contributes towards having poor results later. True entrepreneurs know that in order to build an amazing business empire, they can’t do that between the limited hours of 9-to-5. They are willing and able to put in the work even if it means working seven days a week for five years in a row. Of course, when they get results and are amazingly successful, people talk about “how lucky they are”, not realizing that for half a decade they worked nights and weekends. As Stephen Covey, the author of Seven Habits, once said: “Private victory precedes public victory.”

Featured photo credit: Viktor Hanacek via viktorhanacek.com

The post Differences Between People Who Run A Business And True Entrepreneurs appeared first on Lifehack.

3 Cognitive Biases That Affect Our Decisions Every Day

Many people wonder how their life took a turn for better or worse. A person’s mentality often gets overlooked. There are several concepts including The Law of Attraction that people consider it being nothing more than fluff. As a society, we are faced with challenges that forms our cognitive biases. Those cognitive biases affect our everyday decisions. With those years of decisions, we start to have a better understanding about how our lives have become what they are today.

Here are three cognitive biases that affect our daily decisions:

1.  I Can’t Do That

“I spent the last 30 years of my life doing things that others can’t do or won’t do. [Many of my successes have been based on] people telling me that I couldn’t do something.

I was told that I couldn’t build a website development company. So, I built and designed websites for companies like Microsoft and Sun Microsystems,” says Chuck Blakeman (Serial Entrepreneur & Author of Making Money Is Killing Your Business).

Unfortunately, many people fall victim into believing that they can’t do something. Sadly, people are told such things from people that they admire. Like Chuck Blakeman, there are countless examples of people who have taken ideas and turn them into success stories. despite being in the midst of naysayers.

Your task is not to sulk in those beliefs but instead prove them wrong. Success is a journey that starts by taking one step at a time. In my younger years, I wanted to be an international bestselling author. It took me years to realize that I have to truly believe in something if I wanted to see it come to fruition.

I had to first believe that it was possible to become an international bestselling author before becoming one. This year marks a significant milestone in my life, which is being a bestselling author in three countries.

2. I Don’t Need Anyone

“A lot of our happiness or unhappiness comes from the quality of our relationships. Human connection fuels happiness”, says Scott Crabtree (Founder & Chief Happiness Officer of Happy Brain Science).

There are a lot of people who carry around an ultra independent attitude. I personally admire someone who is independent. The problem is that independence can sometimes be used as an illusion for a person’s ego. Independence is obviously better than dependence. However, interdependence is better than both of them.

There is nothing wrong with asking for help. Accepting the help of others will usually shorten the learning curve in anything you want to pursue in life. It does not make you any less independent. Stephen Covey (Author of the NY Times Bestseller, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) agrees that we function best when we recognize and works towards the role of interdependence.

None of us is perfect. We all have weaknesses. So, why not let someone who is strong in your weak areas to help you?

3. I Have No Purpose

“You have to decide your mission in your life. That’s your guide. What kind of impact do you want to have on the planet? Be very clear about it [because if your mission] is hazy, it will be very difficult”, says Aubrey Marcus (Founder & CEO of Onnit).

Many people can make different arguments about the origin of our nature. However, I think the overwhelming majority of us share the same theme on life: You only live once. So, make the most of it. I hope you are moving with the time because it will continue to move with or without you.

Wayne Dyer and Stephen Covey are two examples of inspirational role models who left a legacy for us. My goal is to leave a legacy too. Since the Great Recession, I have helped over 2,000 people reach the finish line and you can too. My message is still the same.

Success is unavailable to the majority because the majority are unavailable.

Featured photo credit: Olichel via pixabay.com

The post 3 Cognitive Biases That Affect Our Decisions Every Day appeared first on Lifehack.

21 Crucial Life Lessons From The Most Successful People

If you want to be successful, you must first figure out what success means. Fortunately for us, the world has already been around for many, many years and has witnessed a number of individuals achieve great feats. Therefore if we want to further ourselves then it makes sense to learn from those who have already achieved what we are trying to do. Blueberry Labs have captured 21 of the most Crucial Life Lessons From The Most Successful People to have ever embraced this world. This infographic contains inspirational quotes from the likes of Muhammed Ali, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs and many more. Write them down, place them on your bedroom wall or read them aloud every single day and you will start attracting greatness to your own path. If you want to be successful then it’s important you surround yourself with successful people and you won’t find any better individuals than the ones on this list.

Photo Credit: Blueberry Labs on http://ift.tt/1PdIGl5 – 21 Crucial Life Lessons From The Most Successful People

Featured photo credit: VIKTOR HANACEK via picjumbo.com

The post 21 Crucial Life Lessons From The Most Successful People appeared first on Lifehack.

15 Habits That Make Ultra Successful People Stand Out

Who the heck doesn’t want to succeed in life?

Despite our drive and ambition for success, we all define success differently. For many, it is all about the benjamins. For some, it’s building good and healthy relationships. For others, it’s simply being content with what you have.

As the founder of a blog called Run For Wealth, I have spent many years studying the concept of success. The pay off line at Run For Wealth is “Run A Fulfilling Life Race”. As such, to me success means leading a fulfilling life.

Whatever your definition of success, I have listed 15 habits of ultra-successful people that will help you live a fulfilling and abundant life.

1. They have an incredible amount of faith

Success begins with faith. You have to dream and believe in a concept. Before anything tangible, deep inside there has to be a conviction that drives you.

You then have to constantly cultivate that dream and concept.

Speak to any ultra-successful person, and they will relate a story that began years and possibly decades before what was seen with the naked eye.

2. They think abundantly

Ultra-successful people understand that the world has more than enough for everyone.

As such, they are constantly in abundance mode. That means they are not stuck on the limitations caused by small-mind and scarcity thinking that leads to greed and manipulation.

They realize that if they simply work hard, smart, and follow their passion they will get their share of the massive cake of ultra-success.

3. They constantly invest in themselves

Self-investment is the most important practical step anyone can take when pursuing success.

Ultra-successful people sow life seeds all the time. They invest both time and money into their future.

In this hectic and crazy world we all live in, the ultra-successful set aside time for themselves. In this world of materialism, they realize the power of spending money on their future success.

4. They work according to a life plan

Nothing happens by osmosis where ultra-successful people are concerned.

They plan their lives. Then, they constantly work their plan. Does the plan always work to the tee? Absolutely not! In fact, most of the time, plans fall apart.

However, the few plans that work, put ultra-successful streaks ahead of the ordinary Joe Sope because the majority of society doesn’t have a plan. They live an erratic life that has no sense of direction and purpose.

5. They lead a balanced lifestyle

Ultra-successful people understand that money is not everything.

They are multi-dimensional. They know that relationships are just as important (if not more important) than money. They know that physical health is just as important as money and relationships. They understand that cultivating a healthy spiritual foundation is just as important as money, relationships and good physical health.

As such, they constantly dedicate time to nurture all the important areas of their life.

6. They treat people with respect

Success is centered around people. Your mentors are people. Your colleagues and/or business partners are people. Your employees are people. Your clients are people.

As such, to succeed, you have to treat people with respect and dignity regardless of their status in life.

7. They focus on their strengths

We have all been blessed with gifts and talents. Within those gifts and talents lies an incredible amount of potential that we need to tap into by working hard.

Ultra-successful people are able to find their mojo. When they do, they spend most of their time harnessing that which they are good at. This doesn’t mean they don’t have weaknesses. It does not mean they negate to improve areas where they are weak.

However, they will not waste their time on areas they are not naturally gifted in under the umbrella of “you can be anything you want to be in life”.

You need only watch shows like Idols to realize that you CAN’T be anything you want to be in life by constantly focusing your energy on areas you are not naturally gifted at.

8. They are transparent

Ultra-successful people believe in honesty and integrity.

In a world where there is so much corruption, the habit of constantly cultivating a transparent disposition can be a massive challenge. In the face of challenges and times of doubt when pursuing your dreams, the temptation to drop your moral compass has the potential to show its ugly head.

Ultra-successful people understand that no amount of success is worth it if you live a life of dishonesty.

9. They take each day at a time

Patience is a virtue. This sounds so cliché until you hit your head against the challenges of life when pursuing your success.

Ultra-successful people understand that “easy come, easy go” is a reality.

10. They manage their time

Time is the most important resource we have.

Ultra-successful people guard their time like hawks. Because they work according to a life plan, their day-to-day activities are deliberate. That way, they are able to navigate themselves through the many distractions that life can throw.

11. They manage their money

Earning and accumulating income and wealth is important. Keeping it is just as important.

Ultra-successful people understand this. As such, they account for their expenditure as much as they do their income.

To them, the ultimate is to build financial acumen to a point where your money works for you. Your money will never work for you if you don’t manage it well.

12. They constantly bless others

“We are blessed to a blessing” is perhaps one of the most basic ‘secrets’ to success.

Firstly, most people live in scarcity mode (vs abundance). Secondly, when pursuing your dreams, life throws so many challenges you become so protective over what you accumulate when you eventually succeed. This is why many ‘successful’ people are loathed when they have to share and bless others.

Yet, blessings increase when you are able to share them. Sharing means you are able to give your time (as a mentor to others) and your money (to less fortunate and those around you). By doing that, your blessings and success accumulate.

13. They use positive body language

They say actions speak a thousand words. Ultra-successful people work hard at ensuring that their body gestures are constantly positive.

Be it eye contact or body posture when sitting in a meeting, they know that these ‘small’ matters go a long way.

14. They constantly challenge themselves

Where challenges are concerned, you only have two options: Either you pro-actively challenge yourself of life will challenge you by force.

When you pro-actively challenge yourself, you have the edge. When life challenges you, you are on the back-foot and you eventually lead a reactive life of putting out fires.

Ultra-successful people understand that challenges bring out the best in us. They don’t wait for challenges to come their way. They go out there and constantly challenge themselves.

15. They are grateful

Although ultra-successful people have been wired to be ambitious, they cultivate an ability to balance ambition with contentment and appreciation. Being content doesn’t mean you settle for mediocrity.

Contentment and appreciation means you appreciate fully what you have in the present. It means you acknowledge those who are your support structure and have helped you to be where you are currently. It also means that your drive and ambition is not fueled by greed and other negative catalysts.

Yes, be ambitious. But, equally important, be content and fully appreciative of where you are currently.

Ultra-success is a constantly evolving status on your life timeline.

Even for those who are “self-actualized” on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, their need to give back or contribute goes through numerous stages that can never hit a ceiling whilst they live here on Planet Earth.

Featured photo credit: Image courtesy of John Hope via flickr.com

The post 15 Habits That Make Ultra Successful People Stand Out appeared first on Lifehack.