These practical tips are scientifically proven to help you study more effectively.

Find Out Your Personality Type

It might seem a bit off-topic at first, but different personality types absorb information differently; some students might find it easier to stay on track by creating a strict daily routine.

On the other hand, students with other personality types might find it easier to stay motivated without the restrictions of a tight routine. 

Myers Briggs personality test breaks sixteen personality types into letter categories.

While the first two letters of the test determine whether a person is introverted or extroverted, indicating if studying alone or with a study group is best, sensing vs. intuition MBTI results explain how different personality types process information. 

Those with prominent sensing traits study better by summarizing material making the environment more interactive to engage senses, and when using diagrams, charts, and tables.

On the other hand, students with intuitive traits should consider rewriting material in their own words, reading out loud, and highlighting important information. 

Silence Your Phone

During study times, it’s wise to switch off or silence your smartphone and keep it in another room, away from your study area.

Phones can be distracting; a phone call from a friend could disrupt your focus, or the desire to scroll through a few TikTox could set you off for hours.

Create The Perfect Study Environment

Whether you need an interactive learning environment or not, you’ll still benefit from adjusting your study area to maximize learning.

For some, this might mean investing in a better chair and desk, while for others, a lighting plan and less clutter might be the answer. 

A suitable study area must have a comfortable desk and chair, enough natural and overhead lighting, a variety of study tools, and as few distractions as possible. 

Choose The Right Music

If you need an interactive learning environment, it’s important to choose the right kind of music.

It’s no secret that classical and instrumental music boosts focus and learning in students of all ages. Moreover, other genres, such as hip-hop, can hinder your ability to concentrate and absorb information. 

Eat More Superfoods

Superfoods can improve cognitive functions effectively. So consider snacking on blueberries, avos, nuts, salmon, leafy greens, and even dark chocolate. 

With this, if adjusting your diet isn’t entirely optional, you could consider replacing superfoods with a supplement.

Omega-3 fatty acid supplements can benefit brain health, while magnesium capsules can boost focus and mental clarity as well. 

Don’t Rush

Students often make the understandable mistake of rushing through study times. Unfortunately, rushing through your study material will reduce the chance you absorb any information. Instead, give yourself enough time to study without feeling the pressure of a ticking clock.

The post How to Make your Study More Effective appeared first on One Cent At A Time.

Yet this isn’t the situation at all. The average salary in 2023 for college graduates is $55,260, according to a National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) survey. But, many people also make a very comfortable living without a college education. If you do not have a formal college education or plan not to have one, do not fret if you would be eligible for a high-paying job. There is a new category of employment that prioritizes skills over training and previous work experience. Jobs classified as “new-collar” demand some hard skills but may not necessitate a four-year college degree (or an extensive work history). A two-year degree program, an apprenticeship, a certificate program, or vocational training are common ways for individuals to acquire the skills they need for the job.

Here we are listing 10 such high-paying jobs in the Us that do not require a college degree.

1. Cybersecurity  analyst

A qualified cyber professional with a focus on network and IT infrastructure security is known as a cybersecurity analyst. The cybersecurity analyst works diligently to foresee and stop these attacks by having a thorough understanding of malware, cyberattacks, and cybercriminals’ actions. Having a bachelor’s degree in computer science, programming, or a related discipline is often necessary for work as a cybersecurity analyst. Nonetheless, as the demand for cybersecurity grows, businesses are putting more emphasis on employing employees with the necessary computer science, programming, IT security, and technical experience rather than a specific degree that may be attained through training and experience. The average salary for an information security analyst is $82,496 per year in the United States.

2. Web developer

Today, there is a huge demand for web developers that can build and maintain websites. Employers have different requirements for this high-paying job, but if you can demonstrate that you produce good work, many will overlook the lack of a formal degree in your field. Becoming a web developer typically requires computer literacy, strong numeracy skills, a solid creative ability to learn, and one or more programming languages, such as HTML or CSS. Although it may take some time, these abilities may typically be learned on one’s own without the aid of a traditional college education.

Web developers are well-paid, as well. The average salary for a web developer is $76,049 per year in the United States and a $2,500 cash bonus per year.

3. Computer programmer

Computer programmers use programming languages to create, test, and maintain code. Millions of people utilize the tools and software that these crucial technologists produce every day. Computer programmers collaborate with larger software teams while working independently. Programmers create the instructions that are used to carry out operations on computers. Moreover, a programmer’s duties include identifying bugs, correcting errors, and troubleshooting problems. These individuals need to be detail-oriented, have a creative mindset, and be proficient in a number of programming languages while it is true one does not require a related college degree to be a programmer. One will need to build expertise through self-learning, independent skill-building, online courses, and boot camps to avail of this high-paying job.

The average salary for a computer programmer is $72,172 per year in the United States.

4. Commercial pilot

Large commercial aircraft are flown by commercial pilots, frequently for freight and commerce. While airline pilots often need a bachelor’s degree and experience, commercial pilots require a commercial pilot license and 1,500 hours of flight time. It takes an average of 10-22.5 months to complete your flight school training – depending on the program you choose – before going on to obtain your 1,500 flying experience.

According to The May 2021 Occupational Outlook Handbook, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the salary for this high-paying job  is $99,640 per year

5. Real estate agent

You may find success in the real estate industry if you have a strong network of contacts and a natural talent for sales. Although state regulations differ, this area of business does not require any formal degree. But, it can take a while to establish a name for yourself, build a reputation, and begin to generate considerable income from real estate.

The average salary for a real estate agent is $95,015 per year in the United States. 

6. Sales representative

Instead of selling directly to consumers, sales agents do business with enterprises, governments, and other organizations. Sales representatives are crucial to the marketing of products for manufacturers and wholesalers. To be a sales representative you need not have any former college degree, but excellent negotiation skills, polite persistence, and accountability. A high school diploma or its equivalent is sufficient for many professions, but prior sales experience is helpful.

The average salary for a sales representative is $68,157 per year in the United States and $10,900 commission per year.

7. Electrician

Electricians install, maintain, and repair the electrical power, communications, lighting, and control systems In homes, businesses, and factories. While being an electrician would require no such college degree, electricians have to go through an apprenticeship program. Typically, an apprenticeship program for electricians lasts four to five years. Classes in apprenticeship programs are supplemented by hands-on training in the workplace. Although entry to these programs often simply requires a high school diploma or its equivalent.

The average salary for an electrician is $59,182 per year in the United States and $9,438 overtime per year.

8. Insurance sales agent

A person who sells insurance policies is known as an insurance sales representative. To increase their customer base, insurance sales representatives have to call and meet with existing and potential clients. The objective of an insurance sales representative is to learn about the needs of clients and match those needs with the insurance plans that are available. Although a college degree is not necessary to become an insurance sales representative, you do need to have exceptional interpersonal skills. Agents need to have excellent sales abilities in addition to great people skills, to find, cultivate and keep clients. Agents can develop their skills by visiting a range of seminars and taking part in accredited training courses.

The average salary for an insurance agent is $55,583 per year in the United States.

9. Computer support specialist

Computer support professionals assist businesses and individuals with their hardware, operating system, and software issues. They help people in person, over the phone, and online. Although most computer support professionals may not require a college degree, they must have strong communication skills given the volume of phone conversations, in-person meetings, emails, and chats they engage in daily.  Support specialists need to guide users step-by-step through the fix by asking the correct questions in order to identify the problem, establish a solution, and implement it. They frequently require to have completed a few computer or IT courses or to hold an associate’s degree. Several businesses mandate that their computer support specialists complete a certification course.

The average salary for a technical support specialist is $54,978 per year in the United States.

10. Actor 

Actors appear in the theater, in movies, and in television projects. Their responsibility is to interpret a writer’s screenplay and represent various characters to an audience on stage or in a film. They must read scripts, and prepare for auditions. Learn about their characters, memorize and practice their lines, and play out their roles. Formal education is not necessary to begin a career as an actor, but it is vital to learn the skills necessary for acting, such as script reading and memorization, dancing, and music lessons.

Actors make a median salary of $46,960.

The post 10 High-Paying Jobs In America That Don’t Require College Degrees appeared first on One Cent At A Time.

A thoughtfully cured home office space will let you enjoy the surroundings while working out that last bit of the to-do list. Here in this blog post, I list 20 ways to decorate your home office without having to call for a professional. 

1. Minimalism is the perfect amount of something

There are ample reasons minimalism is the trend of the decade be it fashion, lifestyle, or your home office decor.

A simple clutter-free space with simple furnishings and easy-to-process colors does not strain your vision. It has its own way of liberating your mind and sparking productivity.

2. Keep it bright 

Bright light is an aid to your otherwise dull thought process. A bright home office with a natural light source can be helpful to wake up your senses in the morning and offer you a great place to think and create.

Bright natural light can cut down on eye strain and headaches. In absence of natural light or for the evening hours set up a table lamp on the desk

3. An accent wall brings out the oomph factor

Make at least one wall in your home office stand out. Go for a quirky wallpaper or a contrasting color on the wall to make an impact.

4. Acknowledge the need for ample storage

Storage is integral for any home office as there will always be more office supplies than you can manage.  Organizing is the primary factor in making things look less chaotic.

If you have the budget go for customized built-in storage from floor to ceiling to maximize every inch of your home office space. Other than that cabinets with pull-out drawers serves the purpose

5. Compliment your office decor with the overall statement of the house

In addition for your home  office space to be functional and private, it also needs to match up with the design or the palette of the entire home

6. Lookout to a view

Bring up your desk to overlook the window to a surreal nature view. Not to worry if you are not blessed with a view but annoying traffic, a pretty picture mounted on a wall or your vision board does the job.

7.  Upgrade your tech setup

It is very elementary for a remote employee working from a home office setup to have a smooth functioning tech setup.

Invest in a wide-screen monitor, an ergonomic keyboard, and noise-canceling headphones. For comfort invest in blue light-filtering glasses and stress balls.

8. Invest in an ergonomic chair

You will spend hours of your life sitting in your office chair. An ergonomically designed chair will not only make your time in the office comfortable but save you from potential spine problems.

9. Add a hint of freshness to the air by installing live plants

Love how the sight of green makes you feel all fresh and bubbly? Bring in a small green buddy at your home office for a hint of freshness and add an aesthetic appeal. Bring a low-maintenance easy-to-keep plant if you are afraid of killing it.

10. Keep the work desk clutter-free

Clearing away everything after work and reassembling it when you sit down is the key to keeping your desk from piling up with junk. Other than that make sure that your digital devices are close to the outlets. Encase the cords on the desk by hard covers and feed the cords into a cap that hides the cords. Unwind the cord mess behind with cord winders or wire organizers.

11. Don’t overdo it

Your office is different from your home. Thus even if it is a thing to overdo your home with decorations, art pieces, and paraphernalia, your office needs to stay away from all that clutter.

Please refrain from treating your office as a blank canvas to fulfill all your art desires at a go. The lesser, the better.

12. Setup a mini library

A home office is a perfect place for you to set up a library you can opt for all work and productivity collection or a mix and match of everything like fiction, finance, science, and productivity. 

13. Install holders in the drawers

Store all your office supplies in containers and baskets rather than just stashing all of them away in your drawer. Categorize and place like items together.

14. Utilize the wall space

Make up a gallery wall or prop an inspiration board. You can also use your wall space to hang filing systems, calendar to track events, shelving, etc. Vertical space utilization can be very effective for small office spaces.

15. Build a coffee counter

You won’t have to walk up to the kitchen for your caffeine breaks anymore if you install a mini coffee bar at your home office. Keep all the essentials like the cup to the pods stashed away in a concealed cabinet with only the press on the countertop.

16. Hang art pieces 

Your home office could be the perfect area for you to experiment with art choices and furniture as is it not a common space. Go and add the beautiful art piece your partner didn’t approve to put up in the living room. 

17. Up-cycle unused furniture

Decorating your office space always doesn’t have to cost a fortune. You can always use the otherwise unused piece of furniture that has been lying around by giving it a new look. I had collected pieces from garage sales to keep in my office cubicle.

18. Add a cozy sofa

Adding a little comfort to your otherwise military home office wont hurt your productivity. Add a cozy sofa for winding out at intervals. Add a homely touch by throwing in a blanket and a throw pillow.

19. A little show-off won’t hurt

Instead of hiding your hard-earned trophies in storage, put them to work in your home office. Set up a corner where you show all your cherished pieces of possession, like the medal you won at the essay competition while you were still a high school student or the recent best employee of the year award. These are small inspirations that keep you going

20. Put in the personal touch

Your space is reflective of the person you are, so put in that personal touch. A picture of your family as a standby at the work desk will make you remember why you are doing things that you are doing. Put up the violin you learned to play when you were young and in love to stir up your muse.

The post 20 Home Office Decoration Ideas appeared first on One Cent At A Time.

To help you set yourself up for a year-long journey of self-efficacy, we’ve provided you with 51 options for new year’s goals.

Also as a personal finance blog, we are listing up actions you can take to make sure you are positioning yourself for financial success. 

 Save this post,  and make notes.  We would also suggest you keep a  track of your new year’s goals by using a planner.

51 New Year Goal To Achieve In 2023

1. Make a budget

The key to achieving almost every other financial objective is budgeting. Making a budget is an excellent way to keep track of your cash flow and expenses. Sticking to one helps you with planning what you would do with the surplus. Using budgeting software on your smartphone is one of the simplest methods to keep track of your earnings and outgoing costs. There are several cost-tracking applications on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

2. Make savings a priority

One cannot emphasize enough the importance of savings in achieving financial security. If you have just started earning and have no idea about what to do with your money rather than your expenses, just start with saving for this year’s new year goals  Be strict with your expenditure so that you prioritize savings more than impulses.

3. Pay off a loan

When creating a financial strategy for the year, consider including debt settlement as one of the objectives. Start with a short-term loan that you can pay off without it getting cumbersome 

4. Increase your credit score

One of the most crucial figures pertaining to your personal finances is your credit score. Consider your credit score as a grade that demonstrates to lenders how responsibly you handle debt. This figure is taken into consideration by lenders when determining whether to lend you money and the interest rate at which to do so. Banks are more inclined to lend you money or issue you a credit card if your credit score is higher. Moreover, raising your credit score might help you save money since it can get you a reduced interest rate.

Related: How To Improve Your Credit Score

5. Open up a credit card 

Get yourself a credit card for this year’s new years goals if you do not have one, even if you do have one you can apply for a 2nd or a 3rd. Credit cards can quite be advantageous in your financial journey as you do not have to carry cash. Secondly, it boosts your credit score making money easier and cheaper to borrow.

Related: How To Pick The Best Credit Card From a Thousand Cards

6. Start saving for an emergency fund

 Investopedia states emergency funds are a financial security that creates a safety net around your family. An emergency fund is intended to serve two functions. First of all, it can aid in covering any unforeseen costs. Second, if you lose your work, it could be able to temporarily replace your income

Uncertain about the amount to save? As a general guideline, you should set aside between three and six months’ worth of spending. I personally do and recommend an 8 months’ worth of expense

Related: What is Emergency Fund, Do I Need One?

7. Buy Insurance

If you still did not buy insurance this is your sign to decide on the insurance that you want to buy. Even if insurance is based on a probability factor, this is one tool that will protect you from financial losses

Your lifestyle will determine the kind of insurance coverage you need and how much coverage you require. Health insurance, life insurance, automobile insurance, renters’ insurance, house insurance, and disability insurance are the most prevalent forms that most individuals have.

Related: Investing as a Form of Insurance

8. Decide on asset allocation

The process of allocating your investments among various assets, such as stocks, bonds, and cash, is known as asset allocation. Asset allocation analyses a portfolio to try to strike a balance between risk and return. The choice to allocate assets is a private one. Depending on how long you have to invest and your risk tolerance, each stage of your life will require a different allocation strategy.

9. Plan of investing if you aren’t already

If you have not planned about investing, start now. As intimidating as it might sound to a beginner here one cent at a time I make your investing journey as easy.

Note: It’s critical to assess your risk tolerance and choose investments that can help you achieve higher risk-adjusted returns and inflation-adjusted returns.

10. Prioritize spending money on experiences rather than a thing

Materialistic gains might give you joy, but this year try spending on experiences. Go out on a date with your partner rather than buy that sneaker you’ve been eyeing for a while.

11. Plan on your retirement

If you are in your twenties and thirties retirement might sound like a joke to you now. But thinking about your retirement objectives and how long you have to achieve them is the first step in retirement planning. It takes decades to get to the position of financial cushioning that will lead to a fun – comfortable retired life.

12. Improve your financial literacy

When it comes to making prudent financial decisions, increasing your financial literacy is a sensible step that is sometimes disregarded. Financial literacy plays a major role in your capacity to handle your money effectively. Its objective is to assist people with a fundamental grasp of finance to have a better awareness of the complexities of budgeting, tax minimization, and investment

13. Explore  a side hustle

With all the financial goals on the list like saving, investing, and paying off a debt does it not become overwhelming for your current paycheck? Here is where a side gig comes into play. A well-researched side hustle can ease you off with an extra source of income

14. Nurture an interest

Remember that wish you had while in high school to be able to play a stringed instrument? Start it this new year. 

15. Learn a new skill

Constantly upgrading yourself will help you boost your confidence and your self-worth. Try learning a new skill, be it related to your career like upgrading your excel skills, or something very different like baking.

16. Make a vision board

Have visual interpretations of all the goals and intentions that you wanna achieve this year as a vision board. Save that up as your screen saver in your digital devices so that you can take a look at it daily and be reminded of your goals.

17. Practice mindfulness

When our mind wanders, we get disconnected from our present selves and quickly become preoccupied with compulsive thoughts about the past or worry about the future. And it stresses us out. The ability to be completely present, and aware of where we are and what we are doing,  is mindfulness. This year start practicing mindfulness in everything that you do.do it in the present, with no intentions of the outcome, no worries about the future

18. Start journaling 

Journaling is a great way to keep track of the time that is passing. If not every day, journal about the days that were a highlight in the week. Keep a record of the day you had a good experience and also the day you felt you could no longer move forward

19. Get into a discipline 

Discipline is very important to keep the good going. Without discipline, no amount of life coaching can pave way for your well-being. Whatever you decide to do, you have to keep on doing it. Day one it is the motivation that strikes the match, rest discipline is what keeps it going

20. Start making to-do lists the day before

Did you ever realize how much time you just took just to decide the tasks that you have to accomplish for the day? Make this habit a thing of the past by making up your to-do lists the before.

Related:101 Ways to Beat Procrastination and Increase Productivity

21. Have a task timeline ready for about the upcoming 6 months

Have a detailed timeline of the major tasks you have to take over in the period of 6 months to a year. Use a calendar app for this purpose.

22. Think less

Life is gonna be as it will be, no given amount of thinking can change certain things from happening or not happening. Effective planning can make the curve lot smoother but uncertainty is always one step ahead. So this new year make it a point not to think too much and spiral into the web of feelings just to degrade your own mental health

23. Reward yourself

Reward yourself for every little achievement that you do. It always doesn’t have to be extravagant. Had a long predictive day, reward a cozy night and Netflix and chill to yourself 

24. Brush up your soft skills

Be it the professional aspect of your life or the personal, soft skills are what make you stand out from others. This year brush up on yours. 

25. What do you not want to repeat? 

In a list of what are the things that you want to achieve this year also have a column of things that you do not want to repeat. For example, avoid a bad financial decision you took or a certain diet that did not work out for you.

26. Be grateful

Be grateful for what you now have, where you are in life, and for whatever you made out of yourself. and who you are at this time rather than stressing about what you could be.

27. Travel bucket lists

This year have a bucket list just of places that you want to visit.

28. Try  a new restaurant each month

Try out a new restaurant each of the 12 months of the year.  Explore different cuisines from all over the world 

29. Self-care

Self-care and self-love in this era of distracting and misleading social media are so important to keep the mental equilibrium in place. Take care of yourself, love yourself a little more than the past year, cut yourself some slack, and take it easy

30. Eat healthily

This new year aim to eat healthily. Include more greens and fiber for good gut health. Cut off processed and packaged food and switch to organic at-home prepared meals.

31. Make your own breakfast 

Ditch the habit of ordering takeout whenever you’re hungry. Start prepping your own meals starting from the most basic like breakfast. Not only will it reduce the cost of meals but also is a lot healthier option

32. Cut down on caffeine after sunset

Avoid intake of caffeine after sunset for more ease in falling asleep

33. Commit to a healthier sleep cycle

Get your circadian rhythm straightened, sleep by 11 pm max, and try to get up early.

34. Practice body positivity

With all the pressures from society to look a certain kind, fit a certain box be kind towards yourself. Be positive about how your body looks and be grateful for its functions so complex for your life processes

35. Get into motion

With all the sedentary lifestyles that we are leading it isn’t a surprise we develop lifestyle diseases at such an early stage of our lives. Take out time each day to be in motion.  Target to walk 5000 steps daily, do some freehand exercises first thing in the morning, stretch out, do strength training, take the stairs, etc.

36. Make meditation a way of life

Try guided meditation to manage stress and focus better

37. Don’t neglect your dental health

Though you might be reluctant to do your health screenings at regular intervals, dental health awareness is really not as par. This year resolute not to neglect your dental health. With regular brushing and flossing, also make it a point to visit the dentist’s office once in a while

38. Dedicate some time each day to cleaning  chores

Assign 15 minutes each day to cleaning. Cleaning each day contributes to a clutter-free space. A clutter-free space reflects a clutter-free mind. 

39. Cut down on screen time

Apart from your what’s a necessity try and cut down on screen time. 

40. Reduce your waste

Go for sustainable living by reducing waste. Cut on the packaged food and shift to fresh foods that are home-cooked for better health benefits and also reduced plastic consumption

41. Avoid the negative influence

Stay away from people and environments that have a negative influence on you, make you worry, and make you feel any less. 

42. Relax 

Find time to unwind. Relax 

43. Constantly learn

Keeping yourself open to learning lifelong elevates you as a person. This year make it a point to keep a receptive mind so that you constantly learn something

44. Get more organized

Planning ahead and organizing your work will increase your efficiency and productivity. You may accomplish significant goals and objectives by maintaining good organization and creating successful strategies.

45. Get better with stress  management 

Without proper stress management, your body could be on high alert all the time without it. Chronic stress can eventually cause major health issues.

46. Do an electronic declutter

Once in a while go through your electronic devices and make them free of any united files applications. Not only will it save up space but also lets you manage and access files on  your devices better 

47. Focus on relationships

This year focus on relationships a bit more than usual. Put your phone to good use by calling up your friends and family. Make time for each. Value the importance of family in your life.

48. Inculcate a reading habit

Reading gives you life lessons. It sharpens your thinking and increases your creative ability. This year aim to finish off one book each month

49. Set intentions rather than tangible goals

A number-oriented goal is what leads to pressure and therefore anxiety and fear in case it is not achieved. This year try setting intentions like you want to get healthy and not burn a certain number of calories. It is a much more holistic approach

50. Renovate

 This year plan to renovate your study space or your kitchen. Give it a new look and a new feel to your old self.

51. Revisit your goals list to tick off

And lastly, keep on revisiting this list to tick off the goals you have achieved on the way. Be proud of your accomplishments.

The post 51 New Year Goal Ideas For 2023 appeared first on One Cent At A Time.

Though we know you are just reading this while procrastinating a work of priority, hail there. This might be a motive for you to kill your procrastinating habit and get going. And this read would definitely be more productive than your random search instincts like finding out if your headache indicates a brain tumor,

Before we discuss ways to beat procrastination let us first get to the base of it and understand what it is and the psychological mechanisms of  why it occurs even when it comes with remorse, guilt, and all the negative emotions

Why Do We Procrastinate?

 Most procrastination comes from the fact that we always have to feel inspired or stimulated to work on a task at a particular moment.

Procrastination isn’t always bad for us. It is the body’s automatic response to protect oneself by avoiding tasks our brains perceive as threatening. One of the ways your brain decides to handle this threat is by doing tasks that are less stressful, like how you avoid sitting down on that due assignment and rather scroll on your phone for no good reason

•  The effect called the present bias is a significant additional factor. It is a phenomenon in human behavior that has been seen to cause procrastination. The present bias describes our propensity to be motivated more by short-term incentives than by long-term ones. This is why putting things off feels fantastic right now.
• Procrastination is also pretty common in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Those suffering from OCD  have tendencies towards maladaptive perfectionism which leads to concerns about mistakes, doubts about actions, and an overall worry about external expectations causing one suffering from OCD,  a procrastinator.
• A lot of adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have trouble getting things done. It can be tough to get started on work when you’re so easily distracted by external and internal stimuli, and it can be even harder if the task is difficult for you. One of the characteristics of the disorder that causes procrastination in people with ADHD is their difficulty managing their time.

If you can boil down any of the above-mentioned causes resonating with you, don’t be hard on yourself. It is workable, with a little willpower and help.

101 ways to beat procrastination 

1. Just go and blatantly start the action-  

The most obvious thing to kill procrastination is to start with the task without thinking hither and thither. Like Mark Twain once said,  “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day”.

2. Break the tasks into small little manageable chunks–

Break your tasks into realistic bite-size chunks to be able to approach them better without getting overwhelmed by their vastness. For example, if I have to write up an article for a blog post I break it up into 3 large chunks, the topic research, the basic framework, and the final draft copy.

3. Set realistic goals-

Setting unrealistic goals makes your fear worse and none of what you intend to happen. Set a maximum of 4 to 6 tasks you wanna accomplish that day, or even less to begin with. Write them down. Do two tasks, but do them to your satisfaction. 

4. Make up to-do lists the day before–

a lot of time is lost in deciding what is to be done that day, so it is best if you plan your days in advance. It saves you the hassle of deciding what to do and what not to do. Wake up, take a look at the look at the to-do list and go about it, simple! Ain’t it?

5. Pick the hardest task first

When you do away with the hardest task for the day, your brain does a little happy dance. The rest left are less challenging in comparison and won’t put you in a defensive mode.

6. Just do it for  5 mins –

Fight the urge to procrastinate, and sit with the work just for 5 minutes. After that, you are free to opt-out and go do whatever you feel like. But there comes the catch, once you start doing something, you might not hate it as much as you thought you would and it is not that difficult to finish. The initial momentum is what takes the most effort.

7. Stimulate your motivation–

give yourself doses of motivation to do the work you have been procrastinating on if you feel you can’t sit without being driven. If there isn’t a driving force, build one.

8. Set yourself instant gratification –

Your brain tends to be to motivated by instant gratification, so give it that. For tasks that have far-fetched outcomes, set up a small instant reward like a bar of chocolate, or an episode of your favorite Netflix series that awaits at the end of the completion.

9. Try and make tasks more enjoyable–

For example, when a chapter of a book becomes too boring to read, I refer to explanatory videos which are based on interaction-based learning. Sometimes sensory cues make your hectic work easier.

10.  Make procrastination difficult–

Hold the bull by its horn. Make procrastinating difficult by putting away distractions where it is difficult to approach

11. Give yourself permission to make mistakes–

Don’t be an idiot to think you can not make mistakes, Humans are entitled to make mistakes, accept that. A better way to deal with mistakes is to keep room for correction. Cut yourself some slack to make mistakes.

12.  Fool your brain by preponing the deadlines –

Did you notice how deadlines make you do your long pending work in a night? To avoid such tense situations, prepone up the deadlines and work towards them.

13.  Set deadlines for work that don’t have deadlines –

Certain tasks have long-term benefits and thus have no such deadline, like the side course you are pursuing apart from your regular course of education. Set up a deadline of about  6 months to complete that.

14.  Create a detailed timeline with specific deadlines–

Create a timeline ahead of about 6 months and list all the deadlines you have to meet in that given period of time. Your timelines must not be lenient  – i.e., if you don’t finish a certain task that is listed for today, by today, it will jeopardize everything else you have planned after that. This way, it creates the urgency to act and you are able to beat procrastination

15.  Build up your attention span–

This is what I actively practice, building up my attention span in small chunks of 10/20 minutes at a time. Suppose you put up a timer of about 25 mins to do work, for the next session set that up to 35 minutes and challenge yourself to sit through that.

16.  Use time management techniques–

Use time management techniques to beat procrastination, like the Pomodoro timer, time blocking, and keeping an account of the hours in a day to see what exactly 24 hours look like in your life

17.  Use the Eisenhower matrix–

The Eisenhower Matrix is a productivity, prioritization, and time-management paradigm that enables you to prioritize a list of tasks or agenda items by first classifying them based on their relevance and level of urgency.

18.  Build a discomfort habit–

You can not always be comfortable, get used to a little discomfort in life. Me, I absolutely loathe paperwork, but somehow miserably I make myself go through that.

19.  Create a sense of urgency-

Develop a sense of urgency to fool your mind to do the work. Urgency works wonders to beat procrastination

20.  Use visualization technique–

Use visualization techniques to aid you with learning tasks and make them less daunting.

21.  Know that nobody cares for your excuses–

That sick excuse you’re providing to your superior body is of no use, none of it will make them care for you any better than you not meeting deadlines

22.  Have accountability buddy–

Sometimes humiliation does the job, so keep an accountability buddy who you can account for honestly about your day’s work.

23.  Reclarify your goals in life-

If you frequently put off doing something in your life, consider whether this still supports your short- and long-term objectives. As you learn more about yourself, it is possible that you transcend your goals, but you don’t alter them to reflect this.

24.  Get a vision board–

Draw up a vision board stating everything you wish to achieve and hang that in the range of your eyesight. Whenever you are procrastinating, look at that and ask yourself, if the certain engagement brings you any closer to what you envisioned.

25.  Stop waiting for a perfect time–

This is complementary to people who strive for perfection. Know that now is a perfect time. Like Mother Teresa said “yesterday is gone,  tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today, let us begin.”

26.  Upgrade your acquaintance circle-

The people we are with influence our behaviors. Identify the people, friends, or colleagues who provoke you to incline towards a positive action  – most likely the doers, hustlers, and hard workers – and hang out with them more often. Soon you will inculcate their drive and spirit too.

27.  Tell others about your goals–

Telling others about your goals is a great way of using external push as leverage. When you talk about your projects to other people around you like your parents, friends, and colleagues, that creates accountability. And by the nature of people, they are bound to ask about the status of your work.

28.  Pre-commit publicly-

This is more or less the same thing as above, it just involves a bigger circle of people. Announce your goals in your classroom or even post them on your social media account.

29.  Change your environment–

If you are not feeling productive at your work desk try and change your environment, shift to a library from your home, or sit by a well-lit window to beat procrastination and increase productivity

30.  Restructure plans that don’t work out –

plans and targets which are not accomplished are not to be forgotten, restructure them in your later schedules.

31.  Stop chasing perfectionism–

There’s no such thing called perfection, all that there is a sense of pseudo-perfectionism. For instance, I was quite good in literature and language in my school days (no bragging intended), but for some reason, I never got a perfect score. The reason my teacher said, that there is always room for improvement. For all 15 years of my school life, I strove for that “perfect” but never got any closer until I realized it’s an illusion, it’s like a mirage, it’s there but not there.

32.  Give meditation a try–

Have you given meditation a try if you are not being able to concentrate? What meditation does is raises your consciousness and help you stay in the present. When you stay in the present you concentrate on the immediate other than regretting the past or constantly planning about the future.

33.  Give importance to your health–

Oh, I bet you this is a real deal, most times I feel sluggish and lethargic, and there are high chances my health is not at its best. The cues are subtle, but you have to understand what your body is trying to tell you.

34.  Get your circadian rhythm straightened–

There’s a reason that humans sleep with the sun setting down and waking up with the sun rising. If you wanna be a cool guy sleeping the day? Know that it messes up your melatonin levels and natural sleep regulators which in turn affects your productivity. Try and avoid electronic screens an hour before sleep.

35. Exercise a few times a week –

Move those limbs a bit, and induce a little movement in your muscles. You would be amazed at how energetic you feel with regular workouts.

36. Get your vitals checked regularly-

Notice a certain drop in your energy levels? There are high chances that one or more of your vitals are on the err side. Get your iron levels, hemoglobin levels, vitamin D, thyroid, and diabetes levels checked at regular intervals

37. Try starting with basic supplements–

Introduce dietary and nutritional supplements into your regimen.

38.  Stay away from addictions –

Stay away from addictions of all kinds, be it TV and Netflix to hardcore like substance abuse and alcohol.

39.  Don’t be too harsh on yourself–

Beating procrastination also comes with killing the negative emotions attached to it. Take action but don’t be so hard on yourself that you start to have opposite repercussions.

40. Change your negative affirmations to positive affirmations–

Negative brings in negative and positive induces positive. Try changing your “Oh I couldn’t accomplish this, I’m a failure” to “I tried my best, will certainly do better the next time”

41. Take a break–

Breaks work wonders when there is burnout, take a break, rewire and get back

42. Change your mood-

If you’re irritated or frustrated, sit down, change your mood or wait for it to get better before resuming.

43. Adopt the two-minute rule-

Here’s what the rule by David Allen which says: if you can do an action in two minutes or less, tackle it at the moment — and don’t delay. Tackling it at the moment would help you beat procrastination.

44. Stop multitasking–

you can quite argue on the same but I feel the human brain is not hard-wired for multitasking. Do a single task at a time with the utmost concentration.

45. Assess your cause for procrastination–

Try and ponder on what exactly is the reason you procrastinate

46. Get treated for underlying medical causes–

In continuation to the above point if you think you have conditions that need to be looked at professionally like OCD and ADHD don’t hesitate to reach out for help

47. Play a game of roles play–

People occasionally discover that they do better when they are living out a particular identity. When you work, put yourself in “CEO” mode and conduct yourself as a CEO would, even if you are only handling emails or other seemingly unimportant tasks. Create your own modes that correspond to your lifestyle and your tasks.

48. Learn to say no-

Being able to say no to something you forcibly say yes to just because you can’t say NO can take you to heights. Having good barriers is a great way to have control over one’s life

49. Learn to challenge yourself–

Don’t be too comfortable. Constantly challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone

50. Take power naps–

Power naps of 5 -10 minutes in between heavy grinding are a great way to relax your brain.

 51. Disconnect during your tasks–

When you are focusing on important tasks, just disconnect from the world, by all means, put away all your notifications and urges to digress in that period of time

52. Take note of your distraction triggers–

Try and track what exactly makes you want to procrastinate, what are the occurrences just before that moment, find out if that has a pattern, and address it to beat procrastination

53.  Have a list of your go-to distractions–

List up all the things you get distracted by and make them less accessible in your work time.

54. Face your fears–

No fear remains a fear until you decide to face it.

55. Give yourself a small pep talk–

Don’t underestimate the power of a little self-talk to motivate your ass.

56. Create routines and habits–

Try molding yourself to certain routines and habits

57. Use apps and websites for your aid–

Instead of being a slave to technology, make use of it for your assistance, use apps to manage your time, website blockers, reminders, and planners.

58. Take inspiration–

Inspirations keep on fueling your motivation, don’t forget your daily dose of it

59.  Read books on the topic–

There are n number of books on self-development and time management. Wanna procrastinate? Procrastinate by reading those. Some books that are suggestive: Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy, Getting things done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen,7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.

60. Listen to instrumental music–

This is what I find very helpful while doing things that don’t require a cent percent of my attention, I listen to instrumental music without lyrics so that I don’t have to focus on anything other than just the tune

61. Wake up early –

Waking up early gives you a lot of room in your day to plan and act accordingly

62. Start your day as if you would if you had to go work in an office setup–

wake up, take a shower, wear clothes that you would wear out, and sit at a setup. This has a telltale effect on productivity if nothing at least better than being a couch potato and typing away.

63. Stay hydrated –

Drink water at regular intervals to keep you hydrated

64. Envision your future-

Envision your future about what it looks like with your procrastination and without it, what would you like it to be, and act accordingly

65. Take the decision–

Don’t fickle too much, just take the decision 

66. Be disciplined–

Develop a sense of discipline and stick to it

67. Be determinant–

Be fiercely determined and stick to your determination

68. Develop a positive addiction–

Get addicted to productivity, wellness, to mindfulness

69. Use the 10 -90 rule for planning–

The first 10% of the time you spend planning will save you as much as 90% of the time in getting the job done once you get started.

70. Use the 80-20 rule–

The 80-20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, is a familiar saying that asserts that 80% of outcomes (or outputs) result from 20% of all causes(inputs)

71. Practice creative procrastination –

You have to procrastinate on something, therefore, procrastinate on small tasks (small frogs).

72. Apply the law of 3–

It states that whatever energy a person puts out into the world, be it positive or negative, will be returned to that person three times. You would get fruits 3 times the amount of effort you put

73. Upgrade your key skills–

Constantly upgrading your skills is a dominant factor in your productivity. Never stop learning. Get better all the time. It will keep the fire burning in you. The better you are at a  task, the more motivated you are.

74. Identify your key constraints and eliminate them–

identify what hinders your productivity and makes you lean towards procrastination and actively eliminate them. Is it the notification from your social media, the sound of the Tv blazing from the other room, or a feeling of lethargy? Be digitally stranded the time you are putting into your work, go talk to the neighbor and let them know of your concerns regarding the TV sounds, and take a 5 min nap for all the constraints mentioned above. Do the needful.

75. Temptation bundling –

Temptation bundling is a concept that came out of behavioral economics research performed by behavioral economist and professor Katy Milkman at The University of Pennsylvania which states that you bundle a behavior that is good for you in the long run with a behavior that feels good in the short run.  It is a pairing of a pleasurable indulgence with behavior that provides delayed rewards. It combats present bias by making behaviors with delayed benefits more instantly-gratifying. The basic format is: Only do [Something you enjoy] while doing [Thing you procrastinate on].

76. Being consistent–

consistency is the key, in the long run, any aid and ways  to beat procrastination only hold viable if continued for a long time

77. Distribute it –

If something will take you considerable hours to complete, don’t sit down and try to conquer it all at once. You’ll get bored pretty quickly. Either break it up over a period of a couple of days or break it into chunks separated by different tasks within the same day. Either way, you want to make sure you’re not trying to focus on one thing for too long, it just becomes monotonous and your efficiency drops.

78. Incorporate mindfulness–

Being conscientious about the circumstance, you can develop self-compassion and forgiveness. Not only can being kind to yourself reduce procrastination itself, but it can also reduce some of the negative effects of procrastinating. 

79. Stop overestimating–

It’s also important to acknowledge that we can often overestimate the unpleasantness of a task. So give it a try! You may find that it’s not as bad as you thought, after all!

80. Stop underestimating–

stop underestimating your power, to begin with, if you will to, you will do it.

81. Know that you are not alone– a large percentage of people suffer from procrastination and are actively battling it. Do not think of yourself to be alone and stressed out.

82. Be the master of your brain– Don’t let that monkey- brain of yours take control of yourself, make it do things according to your own will and judgment

83. Rephrase your internal dialogue–

The phrases “need to” and “have to,” for example, imply that you have no choice in what you do. This can make you feel disempowered and might even result in self-sabotage. However, saying, “I choose to,” implies that you own a project, and can make you feel more in control of your workload.

84.  Act as you go–

Tackle tasks as soon as they arise, rather than letting them build up over another day

85. Join a community–

Join a community where other fellow procrastinators actively battle with it

86. Creating the desired ambiance in the room-

While light therapy is not a panacea for depression, it has been found to aid with some of the signs and symptoms, including fatigue, sleep issues, anxiety, moodiness, hopelessness, and irritability. You can remain calm and concentrated with the aid of mood lighting. When you feel depressed or if you have SAD, try using light bulbs with blue light in the afternoon, red/amber light in the night, and white light (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

87. A little competition with a fellow procrastinator–

Compete with a friend of yours who suffers from the same and see who procrastinates the least at a given task. The drive to win would make you beat procrastination

88. Manage your energy, later your time–

Push yourself when you have your daily peak productive hours, not when your energy levels are low take a nap or a walk and start working right afterward if you feel tired after a period of hard work, take a break and recharge your batteries if you’re emotionally irritated, talk to other people and calm yourself down first

89. Be lenient with acceptance–

Accept that sometimes you’re simply not in the state to be productive and that’s okay. We are all only human. You can’t just work hard constantly. Sooner or later, burnout happens. 

90. Overcome the fear of failure–

In my case, this has been such a blatant example that it has taken me years to get away with it. I would immediately begin to ignore it as soon as I began to fear the outcome. It was such a knowledge that any effort I make will be for naught and won’t be able to prevent me from failing. This is a very negative attribute, I wholeheartedly urge you to come out of that feeling and start working without the fear of what result it will yield

91. Delegate–

Delegate the tasks which can be taken care of by others

92. Outsource–

Outsourcing is also similar to delegation where you hire a third party to perform your tasks

93. Automate–

Start an automation mechanism in places where possible, like automate your recurrent emails, automate your bills, etc

94. Dissociate failure from one’s own worth –

Failure, my friend is the best thing that can happen to you in life, it shows you an aspect of motivation you never would get from something else. Once you fail, you would know what success actually tastes like. And failure is in no way connected to your self-worth, any number of failures does not and never will define your self-worth. Self-worth is what you decide for yourself and work towards it

95. Visualise–

visualize yourself being productive, being the best self you want to be, and one day you would be that.

96. Listen to a power song–

Pick a song that really gets you pumped up, and play it whenever you want to tackle something you’ve been procrastinating. The brain likes to have a trigger to create a new habit, plus you’re more likely to follow through when you’re feeling good in your body and mind.

97. You don’t have to finish everything-

you don’t have to finish up everything on that to-do list you made, for every 3 finished tasks if there is one unfinished, know that you are good.

98. Make it a game–

Oh how do I emphasize how fun this is, whenever I find a work monotonous I treat it as a game, like how many words can I complete in an hour, how many words are of good vocabulary and etc 

99. Think about the consequences of procrastinating–

Think about the consequences of procrastinating, how much time will it take up in your life, what goals you will miss out on, and how will your life look 10 years from now if you go on like this. If that makes you shiver and you don’t want to suffer the consequences, go and put a stop to it, act accordingly to beat procrastination, and boast your productivity

100. Create a not-to-do list–

As important as a to-do list is for you, creating a not to do list to refrain you from doing things that waste your time, is equally important.

101. Believe in yourself–

Last and most importantly, believe in yourself, you are the one who can do it, and you have control of your own life and actions. 

Any number of bio hacks and tricks are only possible with tenacity and an iron will. If you are attempting to understand that, you will. And the fact that you are reading this blog shows that you are making an effort to kill procrastination. Keep going, my friend; active efforts are not in vain.

Let us know in the comment sections if you think we missed something and also don’t forget to put in your valuable suggestions.

The post 101 Ways to Beat Procrastination and Increase Productivity appeared first on One Cent At A Time.

Little sparks flew in all these boggling minds about new explorations or just something which was always at the hind nook of the brain of something they always wanted to. A little voice and a little time give rise to a side hustle, and if it’s carried out with a bit of passion it could turn into a profitable business.

Even if the side hustle doesn’t give you scrumptious returns, an extra penny never hurts.

But starting a side gig is easier said than done. Outside of setting up the mindset to work on a certain gig, one also has to consider the startup expenses, whether or not one would be able to manage considerable time for the startup, and also if one has the energy to manifest on something new and demanding.

 According to statistics 

• 93% of working Americans have some sort of a side hustle,
• 37% started a side business to pursue a passion,
• 41 % started a side gig to spend more time on things that bring them solace.

 While it is an intriguing thing to go forward with a side gig, the biggest hurdles to starting and maintaining one are 

• Being able to make time for it (accounts for about 30%)
• Finding and working on the right idea (accounts for 28%)
• Not knowing the initial approach (about 14%)

But now that you start with one, how are you possibly going to juggle multiple responsibilities such as your full-time work, your family, and your kids, and then again find time for your side gig?

Well, as all things that seem impossible are kind of possible, the possibility of it coming into one’s consideration is the biggest proof of it being done.

Now the question arises how? As to that, we, here on the site, would help you with ways you can implement to wring out a little time from the same old 24 hours you think you make use of it to the fullest.

Wake up early

No doubt this tops the list. Waking up early in addition to several health benefits could also be beneficial to you in finding a little time to accommodate work you otherwise don’t find the time for.

Start with pushing back the waking time by small little chunks of 10 -20 minutes to finally pushing it by an hour 

• Set up a recurrent alarm: the lazy guy’s way of setting up a recurrent alarm and putting it in a place unapproachable from your bed could do wonders in compelling you to wake up even when you’re not feeling damned driven in those woeful morning hours.
• Have an early dinner the previous night: try having dinner a couple of hours before your bedtime the last night. What that does is stretches up the time you are without food, so if nothing motivates you an empty stomach looking to break the fast surely would
• Have arrangements ready for an alluring breakfast: the previous step brings us to this step which is having laid the arrangements for a good breakfast or a starting drink the night before would be the reason one looks forward to waking.
• Wake up and get going: as soon as you wake up don’t stretch in bed, get up, tie the shoelace and feel the wind outside, do a little warm-up, a jog maybe to wake your senses up
• Keeping the habit going: okay enough of trying to tie a carrot to move a donkey, now be a man and keep up the work even on weekends and on days you just don’t feel like making it a solid part of your routine.

Implementing time management techniques

• Pomodoro technique: The Pomodoro® Technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. It is a structured method made up of processes, tools, principles, and values to learn how to deal with time and turn it from a vicious predator to an ally to boost productivity. It is based on a series of principles built on self-observation and awareness. it is centered around the idea that work should be broken down into regular intervals separated by short breaks. One works for a given set of time as for say the standard that is 25 minutes and then takes a break for 5 mins and continues the cycle.
• Keeping a spreadsheet accounting for the hours in a day: in this technique, one has an account of all the hours and minutes in a day. By doing so you could easily find out what eats up the exact hours in a day, how much of it is productive and how much of it is just lost as a buffer. And there’s a cent percent chance there’s always a couple of hours that just went away doing nothing, once you identify that you know the drill. One could easily find plenty of such excel  templates to maintain online  
•  Start to schedule up the night before: starting to schedule up and making a to-do list the day prior frees you up a lot of headspaces and makes room to know the priorities for the day. Blocking off time in your day also creates consistency and eliminates distractions leaving you with more time to work on your side hustle
• Align your calendar with weekly goals: schedule up all the work that you have and wish to accommodate in the following week. That lets you keep a track of all that is to be done,  lets you measure your progress for the week, and holds you accountable if you miss a day’s work so that you compensate for it by the week
• Stop multitasking: whether it’s watching television or reviewing the files of the “other work” just don’t do any of those while you’re working on your side hustle, treat it like it’s the most important thing that’s to be done at that moment in time. Putting your mind on different things simultaneously distracts you with irrelevant information causing you to get puzzled and have less clarity of mind. Eventually, the work takes up much more time for completion  in comparison to things done with undivided attention

Get past distraction

Staying at a high percentage of efficiency in the era of digital distractions can be quite a daunting task.

So how do you stretch your attention span and start producing high efficiency in whatever you do, enhancing the quality of your work?

1. One could use tech to kill tech-related distractions. Be digitally stranded for the time you’re putting into your side hustle.

2. Go old school for hind research, use ink and paper to jot down ideas, and try using apps that block notifications from the apps that you don’t wanna look at when you’re engaged.

3. Keep away the scrolling and swiping tendency away from your reach for the time being.

4. You could also try and train your mind to see the break time as a rewarding time where you could freely be just distracted.

To conclude, it’s all in willpower. If you want it, you’re gonna make time for it.

Just a little effort and a couple of extra hours each week could make a big difference in what you are and what you would be.

And, who knows if this side gig of yours makes way to a happy corporate escape and lets you be your boss for the rest of it?

As I’ve always known and followed, the first step to accomplishing something is to want it.

Wanting is the key.

Go forward and implement these and let us know in the comment section what you find the most helpful also don’t forget to add things you think that we might have missed.

The post The Art of Finding Time for Side Hustles appeared first on One Cent At A Time.

To find a job at this late stage of life you have to develop a vast skill set and be able to do things a25-year old will excel at. Most importantly, you have to start developing these soft skills as early as you can.

In today’s global job market, getting young and coming college graduates is not a tough task for employers.

Developing soft skills is not rocket science. It’s not similar to Maths or Physics. It’s what makes your personality and image.

Career Soft Skills For 50 Years Old

Look Good

It’s going to take you a lot of effort in your 50s, but it’s worth it. Take up physical exercise, get enough sleep, don’t overeat and avoid any stress.

And finally, work out your style. Review your wardrobe and get rid of things that make you look old and tired of life. If you are fond of experimenting, don’t try too hard.

Crazy hairdo or tattoos on your face can scare off your future employees as may they consider it to be inappropriate for your age.

Have a very professionally taken photograph serve as your LinkedIn profile picture. Always be dressed extremely well, particularly on the day of the interview. Your choice of dresses should reflect your maturity and youthful exuberance at the same time.

Cultivate Contacts

It must become your habit. Make friends, not just some colleagues you are getting along with. It’s critical that you interact with them outside of work. If you don’t have already, open a LinkedIn account. Be a frequent LinkedIn visitor. Share your thoughts and interesting facts of your industry.

If you don’t have already, open a LinkedIn account. Be a frequent LinkedIn visitor. Share your thoughts and interesting facts of your industry. Put well thought of comments on others’ posts. At the same time, Make sure not to overdo the usage.

At the same time, make sure not to overdo LinkedIn usage.

attend parties, local networking events, share stories, encourage each other and forget the word ‘networking’. Be a good friend and stay in touch.

Don’t neglect communication with the younger generation. Don’t be afraid to be not properly understood. You can give them tons of precious insights.

They can give you a broader mindset. Younger colleagues and fresh specialists are no longer children. They will appreciate this friendship as much as you will.

Why does it matter?

Recommendations sometimes work better than a well-written CV. Recruiters and HR’s are prone to believe people, not paper. Take this advice seriously and you’ll acquire new friends and plenty of new career opportunities.

Have a Hobby

Get a hobby and fall in love with it. Later on, when you’ll closely approach retirement, it may become your career and bring you a stable income.

You may be an excellent lawyer, but at home, you sew wonderful clothes. You may be a top-ranked journalist, but at home, you spend hours drawing pictures and portraits.

Don’t give up on hobbies. Try everything when you are young. Unleash your capabilities and gifts. When you are 50, they are going to serve you a good job.

Welcome Any Feedback

Sometimes it may be harsh. Sometimes it may be devastating. Still, there is no reason to give up or get angry. Yes, it can offend you.

But, don’t abandon what you were trying, fix it. Figure out why are you making mistakes and don’t repeat them.

Any type of feedback is good. Positive one should motivate you to work harder. And negative ones should motivate you to introspect and to course correct. They are both useful.

Don’t attribute your failure to your age. Attribute it to lack of knowledge. Then gain as much knowledge as possible.

Be a Real Pro

Evolve in what you do well. The business you are operating is not a limit. Explore the new, follow the industry trends, develop a profound knowledge of your field.

You will see that companies will be hunting you no matter what your age. Make excellent use of your experience. Excel at things you were once an expert in.

Doing certifications and professional publications help young and old, alike.

Learn, Learn, Learn

Probably, the most vital advice anyone can give you. Learn. A lot. Read books, watch movies, dig into psychology, act bold and embrace challenges.

Travelling is underrated. When you travel, you change. Seeing the world can turn your life and mind upside down. Closing yourself within four walls and watching TV has the opposite effect and leads to degradation.

The educational power of the internet is strong. Studying online is getting more and more popular. Courses, lectures, tons of books are available to practically anyone. Enjoy and learn something new.

The ease of access to the internet and with educational institutions now offering up courses online has helped plenty of people to further into new careers or be better equipped at their current ones.

Much like how retired nurses returning to work has been made easier with the help of some of these programs.

I have seen that YouTube videos are the most useful tools for learning something fast.

From day to day home maintenance, landscaping to understanding the DNA structure and the easy explanation of the “Theory of Relativity”, YouTube has them all.

Be a Pleasant Person

Kindness, generosity and good personality payout. Don’t let your problems store up. Resolve them, and keep your demons under control. Never lose your temper in front of others. Socialize and be the perfect person to have around.

Also, don’t make something extraordinary out of your age. Asking for respect or bragging about your past achievements is no good.

Never gossip. It’s critical. One gossip and you are doomed. It will take years to recover, so make sure you are not getting involved with it. After all, it’s dirty.

What’s It All About?

Often people are biased against themselves. They think they might be too ugly to perform as a model. They think they might be too boring to be a TV host.

They think they are too old to change their lives and question how to find a new job when they are 50+. Even there are job income options for retired elderly persons.

Ugly, boring, and old people don’t exist. But confident people do. Most middle-aged people dramatically lack faith in themselves. In reality, they are capable of everything.

So, have that faith and belief in you while you look for the career opportunity.

The post Career Soft Skills For 50 Years Old appeared first on One Cent At A Time.

In recent years, more businesses are embracing flexible approaches when it comes to working hours and where work is completed, allowing some employees to work from the comfort of their own home. While this may seem like a dream, it actually requires a significant amount of discipline, as there are so many distractions in the home.

If you’ve recently started to work from home, you will benefit from this guide which will help you to increase your productivity levels.

If you’re working from home then you’re more likely to find keeping your productivity levels up difficult. Then, before you know it, your deadlines are looming and you’re even more stressed then you were before! 

If you’re used to the office setup, it’s harder to get accustomed to the home-office situation. With no people around you, you feel a huge difference.

Due to health issues, or the health of my wife and son, I do work at home (WAH) whenever needed.

I find it is not easy to maintain productivity while working from home. I am a manager and I need to be in constant communication with my team.

We follow the agile methodology of software development. This requires the team to be in one physical location. Naturally being at home is challenging when you need to be physically present.

Your productivity tends to decrease on this special work at home days.

But good news, there are simple tweaks you can make to increase your productivity while working from home.

So, what can you do to help keep your productivity levels up? Read on for some helpful ideas and tips that will get yours through your working day. 

Design a productive home office

The first thing you need to do is designate an office space in your home. If you have a spare room, you could consider turning this into your own private home office.

To ensure you stay productive, you should try to keep the design as simple as possible with neutral palettes.

You should also invest in a practical desk and a matching chair which is comfortable but not too much, as you don’t want to fall asleep on the job!

If you live in an apartment you may not have an additional room, so instead, you should select an area in a quiet place which is separate from the rest of the home.

A lot of buys to let property companies are recognizing this trend of remote working by developing apartments with built-in workspaces.

Create a daily schedule

One of the most important things you need to is put together a daily schedule, as this will help you stay on top of your tasks.

You could do a weekly plan, but more than likely you may be assigned different jobs by your manager, even if you’re self-employed and your manager is essentially you.

You could choose to plan your tasks using a scheduling software or keep it simple with a diary and should make sure that you put them in order of most essential duties followed by smaller tasks that can be pushed to the next day if need be.

Remove any distractions

The main issue with working from home is the problem of procrastination, which includes everything from scrolling on your phone, binging your favorite series, or simply staring at the four walls of your office.

One of the biggest distractions in this day and age is definitely social media, which is now seen as an addiction that almost every millennial has.

If you’re guilty of this addiction, you should consider a social media detox during your working hours.

To help you do this, you could put your phone on do not disturb or delete the apps to curb your temptation.

You should also make sure you inform your friends and family of your hiatus, as they may be worried if you go off the grid for long periods of time.

Take time for yourself

Last but certainly not least is the need for some self-care, as without this you may fall into a rut and may not produce your best work.

This should involve taking some breaks by going outside for some fresh air or even dedicating an hour lunch where you can eat or practice some yoga.

Whatever you decide to do, you should make sure that it provides you with some time to clear your head and refresh before getting back to work.

Productivity while working from home requires planning 

The best way to stay productive is to keep busy! Make a plan of what you need to achieve today – preferably the night before – and try your best to stick to it.

Making a plan makes it easier for you to stay focused and move onto each task in turn. It also helps you to prioritize, so you’re less likely to feel overwhelmed and let your productivity slump.

Whether you’re contacting customers about orders, or checking your work using a free plagiarism checker, if you take control of your day with a good plan then you’re more likely to keep going! 

Take plenty of breaks

Taking breaks might sound like the exact opposite of what you want to achieve, however taking regular breaks will help you stay focused on your busy workload.

Every hour or 90 minutes or so, make the effort to get up from your desk, stretch, have a glass of water and move your body.

Getting up from your desk allows you to refresh and reset your mind and it will help you return to your workload with a fresh and determined outlook.

Use a calendar 

Having a calendar of all your appointments, deadlines, and important dates you’ve got coming up will ensure you’re on top of everything.

When we feel overwhelmed we don’t feel like working so having a calendar to help you will be a step in the right direction.

Use the calendar available to you on your mailing account or use a traditional one if you prefer!

Your workspace is important too

Having a workspace that works for you will certainly help boost your productivity. Your workspace actually impacts your productivity. A clean and well-decorated cubicle lifts your mind.

Keep your workspace free of clutter, clean, tidy, and organized and you’ll certainly feel more inclined to work there. Add a potted plant to keep the air fresh.

Set up your home workspace near a window so you don’t feel trapped and isolated and try to keep all your stationery and work documents well organized. 

Treat yourself

Keeping productivity levels high is much easier if you reward yourself for hitting certain milestones. Gone through your inbox?

Reward yourself with a cup of coffee and a biscuit. Finished an order early?

Treat yourself to a quick catch up on social media. There are lots of ways you can treat yourself throughout your working day.

You’ll be amazed at how much work you get through when there’s a treat waiting for you at the end of it! 

Set small goals for a day

When everything else fails, try to set small goals like below. They work like a charm

1. Have to one-on-one’s with your team members in the next 1 hour
2. Reply to 5 emails in the next 3o mins
3. Setting up all meetings for next week in the next 1 hour
4. Send weekly report to your manager, even if it was due later in the week)
5. Complete at least one short training for self-development
6. If there’s a long pending thing – set a goal to complete that today

Conclusion

With little planning and change in small habits, you can increase your productivity while working from home. You can be more productive as you have lesser disturbance and interference from others at work.

The post Enhance Productivity While Working From Home appeared first on One Cent At A Time.

I spent on average 30 mins each way every weekday. Mostly I listen to NPR radio. occasionally I listen to songs, especially when NPR runs their fundraising campaigns. Some times I call my parents back in India while driving.

Very rarely I listen to podcasts, mostly personal finance related.

More or less I try to use 1 hour of my daily life productively. I drive so no active work can be done during my commute. Somedays I can listen to audiobooks or podcasts apart of listening to NPR.

We live in the Miami suburb, traffic is not bad, not a bumper to bumper anyway. Commuters living in bigger cities face a nightmare every day to get to work.

Irrespective of your mode of commute, you can use this time somewhat more productive way. Think about what you do at present and then compare it with the options below and see if you can better use your time.

Tips to Make Most Of YourCommute Time

These are the tips by which your commute can be more productive.

Listen to NPR

This is my routine to tune in to my local NPR station every day. In 30 mins I get most of the important news and that reduces my net surfing time for the morning news.

This is a huge save of productive time for me and definitely, I get much more information than I could by reading for 30 mins.

This is professionally helpful as well, you always get a ‘conversation starter’ if you are aware of the current affairs.

Every city has its local version of NPR radio station which you can tune into. From politics to sports, to debate on current issues,  and local news, NPR is always full of information.

Set Up a To-Do List for the Day

Some people like to spend their commute working out what they need to do today.

If they have an actual to-do list with all of their goals for the day, they can feel a lot more accomplished and ready to take on the world.

It can be as basic or as detailed as you need it to be. If you are going to be driving during your commute, consider using an audio-to-text app to help you organize your day.

Google keep is a highly recommended tool if you are interested to explore.

Listen to a Podcast

Many productive podcasts are covering a whole range of topics.

Whether you want to listen to a discussion of current affairs or some sort of self-improvement podcast, there are plenty out there which could capture your attention.

If you will be driving, make sure you can connect your phone to the car speaker using Bluetooth or an auxiliary cable.

I listen to podcasts from other personal finance bloggers.

Meditate

If you take public transportation, why not try meditating? There are several different meditation apps out there that encourage you to put your head down and just zone out for a moment or two.

These apps can help you improve your mentality towards several different problems like a lack of sleep or productivity. Taking time on your commute to work on these issues might be the gap you need.

Learn a Language

Most people like to try to learn a language in their spare time and a commute provides you with the perfect window of opportunity to do so.

There are several apps out there which turn language learning into a game and makes it super easy for you to pick up vocabulary.

You can even still find free language learning apps which can be done on the go; perfect if you need to drive for your commute.

Completely Disconnect

Finally, some people like to make their commute as an opportunity to completely disconnect from the world. Put your phone on silent and in your bag and occupy your time with something else.

You could read a book or try coloring or puzzles. You could even just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Take it as an opportunity to clear your mind and focus your attention away from the stress of work.

A commute is a set period every morning and evening and this gives it all the potential you need.

Take advantage of these precious moments now and try one of the tasks we have listed above. Before long, you will hopefully be experiencing the benefits of your productivity at this time.

Readers, share your suggestions and comments below.

The post 5 Ways to Make Your Commute More Productive appeared first on One Cent At A Time.

We have a separate bedroom designated as office space and music space. During the day I occupy the room, as SMB doesn’t yet work.

It was very difficult to adjust in the beginning.

Especially with a 4-year-old boy, with his school off.

It was difficult for my wife and son too, they are not used to my working from home.

They can’t talk loudly, they can’t play music or turn on the TV.

But, after 2 weeks, all three of us adjusted to the new normal.

I discovered that remote working can be amazing sometimes – no soul-destroying commute, no co-workers looking over your shoulder, no one pinching your sandwich from the office fridge, what more could you ask for?

But, working from home does have its challenges.

As I found out in the last 2 weeks of working from home.

Anyone who works from home will tell you that it’s not all unicorns and rainbows.

A recent report found that employees who worked outside of a normal office environment were more productive than people who work in an office.

But, they also spent longer on their work, had an increased work pace and pressure, endured interference from other sources, and in some cases were more stressed.

Especially due to Corona virus-related economic impact and possible mass job cuts. The work suddenly feels like more challenging!

Below is a list of some of the biggest challenges faced by remote workers and how you can overcome them:

1. Working too Much

Most businesses don’t like the idea of their employees working from home because they think they’ll slack off if they don’t have the physical, in-person oversight.

That’s why they come up with special regulations for work at home people.

They call it “Work at home policy”.

Many companies decouple decision making to immediate managers.

In the same company, you find one team very lenient on WFH (Work From Home) whereas another group has strict rules around it.

However, in most cases, the opposite tends to happen.

Remote workers often work overtime and find it hard to switch off.

There are dozens of ideas to help you overcome the challenges of remote working.

Some of the ideas to stop yourself from working too much include:

• Be organized – set up a timetable and try and stick to it.
• Be strict – set a time when you’re going to stop working to achieve a good work-life balance.
• Create boundaries –if you can, create a dedicated office space that you can shut the door on when you’re not working. This will help you relax when you’re not at work.
• This boundary will also prevent outside distractions when you’re at work, in a meeting or solving complex problems.

2. Prioritize Your Work

Remote workers need to be good at time management because they don’t have others managing their time or environment for them.

Sticking to a schedule can be hard, but it’s an important part of working from home.

You also need to try and avoid distractions.

There area number of things you can do to help ensure you get your work finished on time:

• Prioritize your work – complete the most important work first
• Limit the number of tasks you need to complete–avoid any unnecessary tasks by using the Eisenhower matrix or plan to complete five small things, three medium things or one large thing a day.
• Don’t manage your time, manage your energy –your energy levels will go up and down during the day. Tackle large tasks when you have the energy to complete them well.

3. Reduce Interruptions

Interruptions can happen both inside and outside of an office environment.

In an office, you might have employees who want to chat, whilst at home, you might have a pet that wants some attention or the doorbell might ring.

If you have young children at home, it can be extremely tough to get work done.

There are a number of things you can do to try and reduce the number of interruptions you experience.

These include:

• Let others know when you’re busy –you could place a sign on the door or you could wear some headphones.
• Explain why you don’t want to be interrupted –tell your family that it’ll take you longer if you have to keep stopping what you’re doing.
• Childcare for young children is key – if you have young children in your house and you are their main carer then your focus will be on them. If you can, try and organize childcare for the hours you work.
• Keep your work hours consistent –don’t answer the doorbell or calls during work hours. Remind friends and relatives that you are working.
• Escape – if you’re still struggling to concentrate, then escape to quiet somewhere, such as a library.

4. Communication Issues

Many people find it hard to stay in the loop when they’re working from home.

If you’re a remote worker then you need to have good communication skills to find out what’s happening in the business.

There are a number of different ways you can stay in touch with your colleagues, including email, video call, and the telephone.

Companies use some kind of instant messaging tools as well. In our case, we use Skype and Slack.

BTW, slack is a free toll, organizations of any size can start using Slack for better coordination between their employees.

These days when my entire team is working from home, we go into multiple Webex video call sessions.

We work in an Agile scrum-based environment. If you’re familiar with the agile development model, you’d know the importance of co-location.

We solve problems and brainstorm ideas during those short 15 minutes bursts, we call Jamming. I encourage my team to Jam as frequently as possible.

5. Technology

Although technology has improved a great deal it can go wrong at any time.

It’s a good idea to think about how you’ll cope if the technology you use suddenly stops working.

For example, how would you cope if your laptop no longer turns on?

We had big chaos this week, in my team.

One of my co-workers was a bit heavier while using disinfectant wipes on his laptop.

His Mac stopped working!

To make the matter worse, he returned from India a week back and couldn’t go to my work tech concierge due to mandatory 14 days quarantine rule put in place.

We somehow managed to get him a replacement laptop, after a lot of effort.

You need to take proper care of your computer, phone, headphones, etc.

For peace of mind, it’s a good idea to have a back-up plan in place in case the worst happens, e.g. having a spare laptop, just in case.

Working from home can be amazing!

Who doesn’t want to be their boss and be in charge of what hours they work?

However, there are many challenges work-from-home employees face. Follow some of our top tips to overcome some of these issues.

If you’re running a home-based business and need resources,  here are our top recommendations to set you up for success:

The post Coronavirus and Working From Home, How To Overcome 5 Challenges appeared first on One Cent At A Time.