life hacks Archives | Page 10 of 28

Stay ultra productive at work with these simple and affordable tips:

1. LIGHT IT UP

A well-lit room increases concentration and effectiveness. In fact, a study by National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that employees who were exposed to natural lighting stayed focused on the task longer that their “sun-deprived” counterparts.

Replicate the effects of this study by positioning your table by the window or by placing a bright table lamp on your desk (here’s an IKEA table lamp for only S$4.90).

2. EMBRACE ERGONOMICS

Although most of our lives are spent while sitting, we are not designed to sit at desks all day. This is why people who are working a full-time job at the office may experience occasional back pains and other long-term problems. Avoid this and the costly hospitalization costs by investing on ergonomic chairs. Ergonomic chairs are designed to support your posture and boost your comfort while you work.

Purchase yours at LAZADA for as low as S$49.90!

3. STAY FOCUSED

Stay focused by eliminating all the unnecessary distractions such as noises and social media. Avoid online distractions by closing tabs that you do not need, keeping your phone on silent, and by not logging onto your social media accounts. Afterwards, drown out the background noises by wearing earplugs or headphones.

4. KEEP IT CLEAN

Excess litter and scattered rubbish can make you feel overwhelmed and distracted. Clean up your work space by organizing important documents inside drawers or labeled boxes. Also, organize your files with descriptive folders in your laptop or computer.

5. EXERCISE REGULARLY

Aiming for better time management skills and increased ability to beat the deadlines? Consider spending 30-60 minutes of your time per day to exercise. According to science, keeping your blood pumping at work may elevate your productivity for about 15%!

6. PAINT THE SPACE

The colors of your workspace automatically stimulates you and induces color-motivated behavior. Thus, you must alter your space based on your desired goals. If you want to boost your alertness and creativity – go for yellow. For improving reading and relieving stress and fatigue – go for green.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

And if you want to reduce your feelings of aggression and irritation (with your demanding co-workers or horrible boss), decorate the space with nothing but pink!

Sources: 1, 2, 3 & 4

How To Start A Business While Keeping Your Full-Time Job And Sanity

Manage the stress of your full-time job while running a side business without going crazy with these 6 tips!

1. DETERMINE THE REAL REASONS WHY YOU ARE BUILDING A BUSINESS

Getting a clearer understanding of why you want to start a business is a crucial first step that every budding entrepreneur must take. Whether you want to accomplish a childhood dream or you are motivated to become your own boss, knowing your drives will help you focus and commit to your dreams. When you are committing to your dreams, you make sure to see it through to success.

2. READ THE FINE PRINTS

Before getting your full-time job, I am sure that you signed a contract or some paperwork for the HR department. Find those files and make sure that you did not sign any agreements that prevent you from building your own business. Get professional legal advice if necessary.

3. USE YOUR TIME WISELY

You are given the same number of hours as Bill Gates or Oprah Winfrey each day, maximize it! In a week, say you are given 40 hours of work and 56 hours of sleep, you will have about 72 hours left to spend wisely. Successful entrepreneurs strategically make the most of what they have instead of wishing for more time.

4. DEVELOP NEW SKILLS

As a start-up, you are testing every aspect of your business including the amount of labor necessary. Do really a marketing team or can you handle the marketing aspect by yourself?

Instead of hiring professionals to do the job for you, you can commit several hours in developing skills. Online educational websites such as General Assembly and Skillshare offer free and paid courses on a wide range of topics such as marketing, photography, and design.

5. SHOP FROM B2B WEBSITE

If you are planning to start your own shop or online business selling goods, you need to know where to source for your items. Sites like Taobao is the way to go, but if you want to enjoy greater discount or better price for each quantity of item, you need to purchase in bulk. That’s where VolumeBest, a B2B online trade site dedicated exclusively to wholesale and volume business buyers, can help you save money.

Volume Best carries a good range of consumer products such as mobile accessories, lighting peripherals, watches and other electronic goods at a very good price. They also offer free and secure UPS shipping to ensure that you receive your goods on time.

6. OUTSOURCE IF NEEDED

To finish the tasks faster and make money while you are at your day job, consider outsourcing.

When you decide to hire help, good sources of quality yet low-cost labor are university or polytechnic interns. If you are willing to spare some time to training, both of you can benefit from the experience. Think about it! You are giving a worthwhile experience and good recommendation for the intern while the business is receiving low-cost (and sometimes free) services.

7. ACCOMPLISH WHAT IS IMPORTANT

The Pareto Principle states that for many events, about 80% of the outcomes stem from the 20% of the causes. Simply, only a portion of your efforts lead to the effects. This is why the smartest decision is to focus your energy on the things that yield higher returns. When you are juggling two jobs, do not beat yourself up with the unnecessary investments and drama. Rather than doing everything, accomplish only what is important.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

How To Face The Challenges Of Stressful Deadlines

Love-hate relationship is a perfect description of my affair with deadlines. Deadlines are important because they give you a structured workflow but, it can be very stressful at times. Not to mention, you may encounter several due dates scheduled all at once.

Picture yourself heading towards the end of the day while accomplishing about 30% of your task or project that is due tomorrow. The clock is ticking fast. The real pressure is on. If you feel like panicking – pause! Calm yourself down. You do not want your clients to end your collaborations nor do you want your reputation to be destroyed by your lack of time management skills. Instead, eliminate the distractions and focus on the task itself.

Also, avoid this stressful situation from happening again by following these tips:

1. SET REALISTIC GOALS

No matter how excellent your time management and organization skills are, you will still find yourself in a difficult position if your deadlines are not realistic. If you are a freelancer, clients will typically ask you to assign a deadline by yourself. When this happens to me, I make it a point to have at least 1-2 days in excess in case emergencies arise such as requested revisions. But if you work in the office, ask your boss for at least 1-2 hours in excess to create a high-quality project.

2. ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS

In a world where the cat videos rule, you must eliminate all the distractions. Close the unnecessary tabs, keep your handphone on silent, and refrain from logging onto your social media accounts. By doing so, you will find yourself to be more productive than ever.

3. TAKE THINGS SERIOUSLY

Beating the deadlines is a serious act. Commit yourself entirely to the tasks by writing them in a piece of paper or in an Excel spreadsheet. Refer back to the list to reduce your procrastinating tendencies.

4. RANK EACH TASK

Before you begin, you must look at your list and contemplate on which project is the most important. Mark it as “high priority”, which you will aim to finish first. After getting passed the time-consuming and complex tasks, you will find yourself accomplishing more as you finish the smaller tasks quickly.

5. REWARD YOURSELF

After a hard day’s work and seeing your clients or boss satisfied, you must reward yourself for a job well done. No other questions asked.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Sources: 1 & 2

Honestly, Why Are You Buying Insurance?

Insurance is a safeguard against unfortunate and unforeseen events. It is a strategic way to manage various risks. Insurance companies offer individuals or policyholders protection from potential losses in exchange of payments called premiums.

Aside from guaranteed coverage, what are the honest reasons why people buy insurance? On the flip side, what are the insurance company’s objectives as they offer their services?

OBJECTIVES OF INDIVIDUALS

As you age and progress along the stages of life, you become more and more aware of how necessary insurance is. A number of factors may lead to this realization such as seeing your elderly parents and starting your own family. While you know that you are supported by your CPF account as well as your Medishield Life, you can realize that it may not be comprehensive enough to meet your lifetime needs. This can serve as your wake up call to evaluate your present financial situation and plan for your future and that of your loved ones.

The exact reasons why people buy insurance is unique and highly subjective. However, here are some of them:

a. Worried about critical illness – consider health insurance.
b. Worried about permanent disability – consider life or term insurance.
c. Concerns about the loss of belongings – consider general insurance.
d. Concerns about death (as a breadwinner)- consider life or term insurance.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

OBJECTIVES OF INSURANCE COMPANIES

Nowadays, insurance companies offer a wide array of insurance products and policies that cover areas from property, health, and travel. Insurance companies must satisfy certain objectives to effectively function and meet their clients needs. Before purchasing one, know some of their objectives:

a. Pooling Money

By collecting premiums from a number of individuals or businesses, the insurance companies are able to pool their money together. They then pay out for the relatively few claims filed each annum. Keep in mind that majority of the policyholders do not file claims over the same period.

b. Financial Competence

Another objective is to ensure the policyholders that they are financially stable. Once one or more policyholders report that they were not duly compensated, society’s confidence in the system may be gone.

c. Influencing Behavior

One of the most important aims of insurance companies is to reward and promote responsible behavior. For instance, individuals with lower records of vehicular mishaps are more likely to be quoted with a lower car insurance premium than those with unsafe driving records. Rewarding safe driving practices can increase the likelihood of such desirable behavior.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Sources: 1 & 2

4 Money Decisions That Will Bring Future Satisfaction

1. BUILDING AN EMERGENCY FUND NOW

What happens next if your ridiculously expensive car needs an engine replacement? If you are like countless people in the world, you will opt for using your credit card or taking loans. This will only build piles of debt.

Instead, you must commit to building an emergency fund to use during the “rainy days”. Financial professionals recommend to save money that can cover at least 6 months’ worth of your living expenses.

2. SAVING MORE FOR RETIREMENT

If you envision a life of comfort after you leave the working scene, you will not regret your decision to maximize your contributions to your CPF account or to your retirement plan.

Remember that the amount of money you need to save depends on what type of lifestyle you want to achieve during your retirement. You will need more savings if you plan to purchase a rest house, travel the world, keep your cable TV subscription, and other luxuries. Building your retirement plan while young can bring huge advantages to your financial future because of the power of compound interest. So start boosting your retirement savings as soon as possible!

3. EVALUATING THE RISKS BEFORE INVESTING

Before you lose some or all of your savings, it is important to understand the risks of the investments. Investment hazards include credit, liquidity, market, concentration, inflation, and devaluation risks. Taking a higher risk can potentially give you higher returns. But you have consult a financial adviser first.

As you make informed choices for your wealth, you will appreciate the day that you evaluated the risks before investing.

4. AVOIDING DEBTS

The debt that you accumulate in your 20s (e.g., student or car loans) can haunt you for the rest of your life. So before you take one more responsibilities such as getting married, starting a family, and buying a flat…you must avoid and eliminate your debts first.

Start by paying off the debts with high interest such as quickly as circumstance permits. Then, avoid accumulating debt by purchasing items that you can actually afford.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Sources: 1 & 2

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