Finding Out the Best Time for Posting on Social Media Sites

As of writing, there are over two billion social media users. This makes social media an excellent way to interact with our users. This is also why over 90% of brands use up to three social media platforms for their marketing campaigns.

One challenge, though, is how our users are found all over the globe and thus logging into their accounts at different times. The nature of social media is that everything happens in real time. Users can miss out on a lot of things while they’re not logged in. 

We can’t spam our followers’ news feeds with updates 24/7 so the ideal scenario is to find out the most optimal time to post. That is the key to getting in touch with your audience.

If you can post during the best time when many users can see it, you get to receive messages, likes, and comments and respond to them as well. That’s the beauty of it. If you can make this happen, the users will most likely recommend you to their friends knowing that someone is always at the other end waiting to reply to any queries.

In this post, we will help you identify the optimal time to post on social media sites. We will look at the many different factors that can also contribute to making sure that your social media marketing campaigns will be successful.

LinkedIn

linkedin

Each social media site has their unique appeal. For LinkedIn, with over 300 million users, it is for building networks among business professionals. Over half of the members access their LinkedIn accounts through the use of their phones, checking it out at least once a week. LinkedIn is a great platform when it comes to generating leads for B2B businesses.

As for the best time to post contents on LinkedIn, the most sensible would be during Mondays to Fridays at 10 AM to 6 PM. This is the typical working schedule and most LinkedIn users log in to their accounts during this time. They don’t normally check their LinkedIn accounts on weekends or from 10 PM to 6 AM.

If you really want the best hour for posting, it is at 10 AM to 11 AM on Tuesdays. If you post during this time, you’ll have the best chance for likes, clicks, and shares.

Twitter

twitter

Twitter is a popular micro-blogging site that users access both at home and at work. Most users are within the age bracket of 18-49 years old. Twitter is a great source of trending topics around the globe. Just like LinkedIn, users access their accounts usually with their mobile phones while they are on their breaks in their office or even while traveling.

The nature of tweets is that they are short-lived. That is the challenge for business.

For Twitter, the best time is from 12 PM to 3 PM. This is usually during the lunch breaks of employees. In addition to that, Wednesdays at 5 PM to 6 PM works great as well. For B2B businesses, weekdays are the best times. For B2C businesses, tweeting will work best during weekends.

See Also: 12 Awesome Tools For Efficient Twitter Searches 

Facebook

facebook

Now let’s proceed to the social media platform with the most number of users reaching up to 2 billion. Facebook is both used at work and home. It is accessed both through a computer and through mobile phones. Facebook is used at any time of the week, weekdays and weekends.

Don’t be surprised that users spend almost about an hour in this social media platform. So the best time to post your content on Facebook will be at 1 PM. Around 3 PM though is the best time to get more clicks. If you want to get the most engagement, Thursdays at 8 PM will do the trick.

See Also: 4 Good Reasons For Marketing With Facebook

Takeaway

Now you know the best times to post on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. You can take full advantage of this information so you can make the most of your content marketing strategy. All you need to do now is to create the best content possible.

Make sure to share something that your audience will find valuable, informative, and interesting. If you can do this, you will surely get the clicks, shares, likes, and comments that you are hoping to get.

Don’t be afraid to try new things and experiment with other schedules and other types of contents. The techniques and results vary from business to business so make sure that you learn what you can about the things that will work best for your business.

Once you know the right formula, the results will soon follow. You can then replicate your technique to other sites as well as other campaigns.

 

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5 Ways to Woo Her This Holiday Season

Gift giving can be tricky for many of us guys. We’re never quite sure what to get our loved ones, how much to spend, where to shop, or even how to wrap the gift. Perhaps your partner takes care of everyone’s wish list and you have it pretty easy. That is, until it’s time to shop for her.

Here are five tips to help you woo her this holiday season. Follow these and you won’t be left wandering the mall on Christmas Eve searching for the perfect last-minute gift for the woman in your life when the shelves have been picked bare.

Pay attention

pay attention

Most women drop hints to their partners constantly. They linger at a too-expensive sweater. They talk about the sweet new technology a friend has. They mention how much they love the boots their co-worker was wearing at the office party.

We can be more intentional about listening for these clues. You probably hear them all the time, but you either do not catch them or just brush them off as small talk. Dig a little deeper when she starts talking about something like that to see if it’s something she’d love under the tree come Christmas Day.

Buy her an experience

Picking out clothes, jewelry, and home decor for someone else can be difficult especially if you just aren’t sure of her taste (even after 10 years of marriage). Surprise her this holiday season by planning a date together. You can book a wine tasting package, buy tickets to the musical she’s always wanted to see, or plan a getaway weekend.

Think about things you have always talked about doing and pull strings to make them happen. She’ll love your thoughtfulness and intentionality with this gift, especially if you do all the legwork (like arranging childcare).

See Also: How to be a Good Husband to Make Your Life a Bed of Roses 

Pamper her

pamper her

Mothers are always taking care of everyone. It’s in their nature. So this year, take care of her. There are probably several luxuries the woman in your life would love to have but would never splurge on for herself.

Buy her a certificate for a massage, pedicure, or facial. Score even more points if you plan it with a friend’s husband and get it to where your ladies can go together. She’ll be singing your praises over and over as she relaxes her troubles away.

Get the kids involved

It’s so easy to make the holidays all about the kids. But why not teach your children when they are young that life—and holidays—aren’t always about them?

Take them shopping and let them pick out a gift for mom. Or, take them to a local craft fair and let them make something special for her. She’ll love getting a separate, thoughtful gift from her children.

Surprise her with a service

For some women, there is nothing better than having something unexpected taken care of for them. Hire a professional to deep clean the house the week before the holidays so she doesn’t have to worry about it. Take her car in and get it detailed inside and out. Order a meal service like Blue Apron, so she doesn’t have to worry about meal planning and prepping for a few days.

Giving her the day or night off by taking care of something on her to-do list will win her over time and time again.

See Also: 10 Ways To Woo A Girl The Right Way! 

The holidays are a fun time to think about how we can show love to the people we care about the most. Sometimes it can get so tricky and difficult that we run out and buy the first necklace we see or perfume we smell. Instead, think about your partner, what she likes and values, and then take one—or all five—of the tips above and really woo her this holiday season.

 

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How to Transfer Music from iTunes to Android

Are you stumped on how to transfer music from your Apple phone to your android phone?

Apple iOS and Google’s Android are currently dominating the market for mobile phones. These two operating systems have totally different compatibilities and hardly match.

Transferring music from one device to another of the same operating system is easy but what about when you’re transferring music from iTunes to android? It’s really a million dollar question for sure. Here we have come up with a unique solution. If you follow the guide given here in step by step manner, then you can successfully transfer all kind of music files from iPhone to Android devices.

Here we have come up with a unique solution. If you follow the guide given here in step by step manner, then you can successfully transfer all kinds of music files from iPhone to Android devices.

How to Transfer Music from iTunes to Android

transfer music to android

Friends, first of all, I want to mention some things here-

1. Please do NOT try this process if you have a rooted or jailbroken device. It may not work and moreover may harm your devices.

2. Connect your devices to Wi-Fi or high-speed data connection. It’s not a must-have requirement but you can face a lot of issues if you try to do this with slow internet.

See Also: How to Transfer Music from iPod to iTunes 

Step by step guide to transfer music from iTunes to Android devices

listening to music on android phone

Buddy, go through the steps mentioned below and let us know whether you are facing any problem or not. Don’t be shy to mention the issues as this is a never ending process of knowledge sharing.

Double twist: Install the app and you can sync iOS devices to any Android devices and can transfer music files.

Transfer music files through double twist app- PC method

Note: All the transferred files will be synced into the SD card, and you can get those files from the Music folder of your SD card.

Follow these steps –

  • Install the app named “double twist” in your computer.
  • Connect your phone to your PC using a USB cable to turn on MTP (Mass storage mode)
  • The system will recognize the device automatically and will flash a single window for syncing your files. Just going through the options, you can initiate music file transfer immediately.

Transfer music files through double twist Air Sync app- LAN method

This is a paid version of the above-mentioned app. It may cost you around $4.99. Using this method, you can transfer a lot of files within few seconds using the Wi-Fi or LAN. One requirement though is that both devices should be in the same LAN network. Otherwise, it won’t work.

• Launch the app, and it will show a 5 digit password to be paired with the device.
• By entering the code, you can pair up the devices and initiate the process.
• This seamless process can transfer a lot of music files in a minute!

That’s it, friends, you are done! Let us know your experiences and any issues you might experience.

See Also: Hack Your Soundscape To Boost Your Productivity 

 

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10 Life-Changing Tips That Will Boost Your Happiness

Once or twice, we find ourselves in a dark place in our life. When this happens, we all know how difficult is to see the light at such times. Everything seems impossible in the midst of these situations.

Here is a list of life-changing tips that can help us achieve a level of happiness and peace. They can help us throughout the dark times and make us stronger and more willing to fight for what we deserve.

Begin with some small, simple positive changes, and later on, make your own life philosophy.

Priorities

Learn how to prioritize effectively. We need to be deliberate when choosing what we want instead of what we need. All we human beings want is being respected, having enough money, and being healthy.

From the moment we have all these things, we can achieve a level of happiness. We will have the ability to concentrate on other things to improve our life.

Get to know yourself

We need to have quality alone time for ourselves to identify what makes us happy. We can use our free time just to sit alone with our thoughts and focus on finding ways to improve our life. 

Seek guidance

We should never be ashamed to ask for help. When it comes to important decisions, we need to make sure we are executing the right ones. Talk to a trusted friend or contact a professional in that area and discuss your feelings and thoughts. A sounding board is always welcome.

Accept your flaws

accept your flaws

No one is perfect, period. Everyone has flaws. We need to face them and embrace them. When we are curious and creative, making mistakes is normal. Those mistakes are the ones we can learn from.

We should never feel bad if we are different. Being different is what makes us special.

See Also: Self-Acceptance: The Key To True Happiness 

Work on your confidence

It depends upon our attitude of how we perceive the universe. Not only do we need to start believing in ourselves, but we need to work on our confidence. We need to establish the things that we love about us and all the skills we have. If we believe in ourselves, nothing can break us.

Spend quality time with friends

quality time with friends

Social activities are a must. Such activities make us feel like we belong. Be aware that having good friends that care about us is a privilege. If we have some friends we don’t enjoy hanging out with us, we need to approach such issue with positivity.

Eat amazing food

Eat healthy, fresh and unprocessed food that is good for our mood and wellness. We should enjoy all the pleasures and benefits that healthy food can bring.

Food is not just something we consume to produce energy. We need to start thinking about food as a treat, not just a need.

Get quality sleep

Make sure that you are able to sleep well and soundly. This tip has an important impact on our overall health and happiness. Quality sleep can make us feel more energized and centered.

Our image is important

The way we present ourselves in front of others is really important. Sadly, not everyone is able to show their real selves to the outside world. Instead, they project an image that is far from their real selves because they are affected by judgmental remarks and what others think.

It’s important to be confident in who we are, love oneself, and be unafraid to present ourselves to others as we really are. If we want others to respect us, we need to respect ourselves first.

Make yourself happy

Concentrate on doing things that make us happy. We need to concentrate on doing the things we love doing, things that make us more prosperous and more relaxed, and things that make us feel less stressed.

See Also: 10 Things You Should Know About Creating Your Happiness

Such a journey will require strength and courage. We need to find a way to manifest all these life-changing tips to better our lives and become a happier person in the long run. We can, and we all deserve it.

 

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20 Best Productivity Apps and Programs for 2017

So you want to level up your earning potential, move towards work that’s more fulfilling, and do more with less effort. That’s awesome.

Over the years, I have kept up to date with all the productivity apps and some have stood the test of time and actually produced results. However, more and more new apps pop up every day.

It’s my duty to sift through the noise for your to find out which ones are actually worth your time. Is it the simplistic one? Or is it the complicated and hard to use one? Is it the free version? Or the paid version?

So let’s begin. Here is the master guide to productivity with the best twenty productivity apps I have come across:

1. Momentum App

momentum-app

This browser extension is a life saver. A lot of successful people emphasize the power of focusing on one task. This app greets you and asks you what your main focus is. Each time you open up a new tab, the app pops up and reminds you to stay on track. It replaces the browser tab that is there by default that usually tempts you to go to unproductive websites.

2. Harvest App

harvest-app

This browser extension measures your time. Being successful means being brutally honest with how you spend your time. You can set a timer for each activity you do and label what you are doing. At the end of the day, you can check how long you spend on each activity and adjust from there. What’s great about this is that it syncs in with other productivity apps like Asana.

3. Forest App

forest-app

This is an extension that uses the power of the Pomodoro Technique and gamification. When you start the timer, it will grow a tree from a seed. Your goal is to focus on one task for 25 minutes until the tree is fully grown. It makes productivity more fun. It’s customizable so that you can change the 25 minutes to whatever you want.

I recommend the free version because the paid version is unnecessary. It just gives you more pretty trees to choose from and lets you use this on your phone.

4. Site Block

This extension does what it sounds like. It blocks the websites you do not want to visit. One day, I tried logging how much time I wasted on social media websites. I thought it was nothing. It felt like five or ten minutes here and there. But it turned out to be a huge chunk of my day. These websites psychologically suck you in so that one quick video turns into ten. This site blocker has been so helpful.

It also tells you how many times you visited that site while it’s blocked. This has opened my eyes to how often websites like Facebook and Youtube are almost a reflex to me when I get bored.

A lot of people say they will not use this because they are scared to see how much time they waste. So they sit there in ignorance and continue to waste massive amounts of time. I suggest using the Nibble technique to get over this qualm. You do not have to get rid of hours of wasted time at once. But what about starting at just one less minute?

5. Time Tracker

This extension does what it says as well: it tracks your time. What’s great about this one is that it logs every different website you go to. You can check it out in detail to see where you spend your time. You will be surprised sometimes how much a certain website sucks your time and adjust.

6. Timestats

timestats

Similar to Time Tracker, but with a twist. It graphs out your time into a pie chart. It’s very accurate and the interface is a lot cleaner. One problem it has though is how it bunches all the activities under 1% under a single category.

7. Ad Blocker Plus

ad-blocker-plus

Do you know there are free extensions that block all ads that play on a website or video? This has been available for so many years and yet I am still amazed how many people still do not know about it.

This has probably saved me years of my life. I still cannot believe it exists.

8. Pomodoro Timer

pomodoro-timer

One of the most well-known productivity techniques is the Pomodoro Technique. Basically, you focus on just one task for 25 minutes and then take a forced 5-minute break. This extension is just like the Forest App but there is no animated tree involved (just a timer).

9. Evernote

evernote

No productivity list is complete without Evernote. But what is it?

It basically lets you write and store documents, sketches, memos, pictures, and more online through the cloud. You can access it on your phone or on a computer. I like to use Evernote for storing important work-related documents, notes, or pictures. Usually, these are long-form material and what’s great about it is that I can pull it up on my phone or any computer and continue to add to it.

See Also: 8 Top Productivity Apps for Your Smartphone Can Help Make Your Life Easier, More Productive and More Organized

10. Google Keep

google-keep

This is a new one I just found, yet so useful. It’s available and accessible on your phone or your computer as long as you have a Google account. It’s a great way to store quick notes or voice memos. I jump to this every time I have a quick idea for an article, song, or video. This has helped me save so many ideas I would have forgotten about.

What’s great about it is that it’s stored online so if you lose your phone or computer, it’s safe. It’s also accessible anywhere with Internet access. And the best part is that you can color the notes, share them, and they organize themselves in a pretty manner.

It’s intentionally made to be a very simple platform with few options. Therefore, you cannot format your text in any way.

11. Buffer

buffer

For me, I have always had a huge dislike for any “social media automation” tools. Like many “productivity apps”, they end up being more of a waste of your time and a drain on your cash. But one exception is Buffer.

What makes it so awesome? It’s simple and easy to use. There are not so many choices that it gets confusing. It does what you need. You can schedule out a queue of posts and randomize the order if you want.

12. Slack

slack

I hope you have heard of Slack. Because everyone (at least in the tech, personal development, and business world) has. It’s evolved into a replacement for email between people who want to talk to each other in a company.

The problem is that email gets really messy when the conversation starts getting long. You have to dig through tons of nested emails to find what you need. Plus, sending documents, attaching files, or communicating with a group of people makes it worse.

Slack solves this by being something in between email and instant message. Messages and files sent to a group of people or a single person are neatly organized and clear as day.

On top of that, there are customizations you can add to make it your own. You can have it alert your phone with the app or pull up a GIF if you’re feeling funny.

13. Pocket

pocket

This app has been all the rage in the last year. It’s known as the app to brain dump the articles you want to read later and have them read out loud by a computer if you are extra busy.

It’s very simple. When you find an article worth reading. You hit the button and it saves it for offline use. When you are free, you can return to an article on your list on your phone or computer.

It is available as a browser extension, an app for Mac, for iOS, Android, Kindle Fire, WebOS and more.

14. Do Nothing For 2 Minutes

do-nothing-for-2-minutes

This website is crazy simple. Want to destress after a tough moment? Go to the website and listen to free music of natural waves. If you move your mouse even slightly, it resets and tells you to try again.

Everyone needs a quick break once in a while to recharge.

15. Basecamp

basecamp

The rival to Slack is Basecamp. And while Slack can be used for free without having to upgrade to a paid plan, it’s harder to use Basecamp without signing up for a monthly subscription.

It is web-based, but you can also check how you are doing with their mobile-app. It gives you a clear and easy to understand dashboard when you log in. You can add discussions, to-do lists, documents, and more. Of course, you can collaborate and talk to coworkers while using this as well.

16. Instapaper

instapaper

The Internet is filled with interesting, crazy and new information (and sometimes so much we cannot handle it all). Driven by curiosity and personal development, you can spend a lot of time at work reading trivial articles. If you want to fix this, Instapaper is worth looking at.

With one click, you can save it to be read later. It also suggests topics and articles through what you have saved already.

17. Writeroom

writeroom

Available for the MacOS, Writeroom creates a completely distraction-free setting for you to do your best writing. For Windows users, try a similar app called Zen Writer.

18. Remember the Milk

With a name as interesting as that, you just have to read on.

This is a popular productivity app that puts your tasks in a to-do checklist. It has its following of diehard fans. It lets you share your tasks with friends and leverages the power of checklist.

The book The Checklist Manifesto really explains why checklists are so useful. Check it out for further reading, but essentially, it walks through top achievers like surgeons and architects who made crucial mistakes by not using a checklist.

19. 1Password

1password

Don’t you want to pull your hair out when you forget a password? And don’t you want to kick yourself when you use up all your attempts and have to wait twenty minutes?

The worst part is that you cannot have a universal password because that’s how all your accounts get hacked. So how do you save all that wasted time?

You have a secure app and extension that stores all your passwords and remembers which one it is for which site. I have tried a lot of apps and extensions like this and all of them had their problems. Some of them required you to have a really long master password that you would always forget. Others would require really clunky photo and thumbprint verification on your phone to get in. This one is moving in the right direction though so try it out.

20. Sleepyti.me

Have you ever wondered if you are being less productive than you could be because you don’t know much about the science of sleep or sleep cycles? If not, it’s true.

This site solves this problem for you by letting you know when you should sleep and wake up based on your personalized sleep cycles. If you don’t like this one, there are plenty of other tools and apps that do similar tasks. Sleep is a crucial but often overlooked part of everyone’s life. Having the right amount can literally double your productivity.

See Also: 4 Free Business Productivity Apps To Help You Grow Your Small Business

Conclusion

There is some truth to the idea that “productivity apps actually make you less productive.” There are a ton of apps and extensions that waste you more time and money trying to set them up, learn how to use them, navigate through it. But some productivity apps can help.

In this world of information overwhelm, it’s important to wade through the garbage to find the few apps that actually use technology to help us. Do not get overwhelmed by this list. Instead, pick out the one or two that you would find the most use in.

Now, I have a question for you. What’s your biggest issue with productivity and what’s your dream situation? Be as specific and detailed as possible. I’d love to hear your answers and I’d be more than willing to help you out in the comments below.

 

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Three Ways to Build Trust In Your Life

Trust is foundational for any relationship, whether business or personal. When trust breaks, a fracture occurs in the relationship. These fractures weaken the foundation of the relationship, with more fractures creating an overall unstable relationship.

If you want to maintain strong relationships, here are three behaviors that help retain a healthy trust and reduce fractures:

1. Match your words and actions

words-and-action

How would you respond to the question, “Which tells the true nature of a person — words or actions?”

Around 99.9% of people I have asked this question to have said, “Actions.” When you say one thing and then do something different, there is a break in trust because you have created dissonance in your behavior that does not ring of authenticity. When your words and actions match, there is not a question of which is your true nature.

See Also: How To Know Which People Truly Care About You

2. Think in terms of no judgment of good or bad, or wrong or right

There is a difference between saying (or thinking)- “That guy is stupid.” versus “I do not care for the way he did that work.” You put barriers in place by trying to determine the value you have to another person and what you believe.

When you assign judgment of good or bad or wrong or right to another individual, you reduce the open ability for other people to be creative and innovative thus stifling the wish to build a relationship with you. It is a subtle difference in thinking that plays a significant role in building trust.

3. Keep the focus on the goal, not the problems

relationship-goals

If you have a certain amount of time and energy in your life, then you have to decide where you want that energy to go. Think about how much time you spend talking about how bad something or someone is at work or home. You can either put that time and energy into keeping everyone focused on the goals (happy marriage, work plan, etc…) rather than chipping away at the fractures.

See Also: 6 Reasons Why You’re Still Single

Building trust is an investment in your life and the life of your relationships. If your goal is to maintain healthy relationships, these three behaviors can help cement your relationships and help keep your life’s foundation firm.

 

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Drained at Work? A Second Job Might be The Answer

Are you feeling drained and listless at work? One of the biggest reasons we find ourselves frustrated from our jobs is because we don’t have an outlet for things that are important to us but we need to keep at it because of bills and general adult responsibilities.

Us millennials have two major problems hanging over us: crushing debt and the desire (with no outlet) to do something meaningful. Some of us went to college with the hopes of a guaranteed job when we graduated. It’s now a hilarious thought on hindsight.

Unless you graduated with a degree in one of the STEM disciplines, you probably didn’t land your ideal job right out of college. And that’s likely the reason why you’re stuck in a job you feel has no real purpose, and why your student debt is still hanging over your head.

See Also: STEM careers – How to Find the Best Job 

A second job can help solve both of those problems. Here’s how you find one that won’t kill you.

5 Steps to Finding the Right Second Job

1. Consider your schedule

work-at-home

This isn’t your main job (at least not yet) so you need to find something that can mesh with your current work schedule. Work-from-home jobs are perfect because the schedule is very flexible and you can work in your PJs.

2. Find something meaningful

One of the problems we need to solve is you feeling like you aren’t doing something valuable. So, we need to find a job that fulfills that need within you, whether it’s the need for a creative outlet, or to make an impact on the world around you.

3. Find something that pays

second-job-pays

Volunteer work is nice, but when you have debt, your priority needs to be on paying it off so you don’t have it hanging over you and stressing you out. Find a second job that pays and put all that extra money towards your debt.

4. Consider a second job in a new career field

If you really can’t see yourself ever being happy in your current field of work, find a second job in a field that you’re interested in as a new career. It’s a great chance to try something new and to gain valuable skills that could help you land a new job.

See Also: 7 Steps On How to Figure Out Your Career

5. Find a balance

Consider the extra time your second job will take and why you need it. If you really are looking at training for a new career, it’s worth putting in extra long days to make the second job work.

If you’re just looking for a creative outlet and money to put towards debt, you need to find a second job with hours you can sustain for a long period of time. A second job can give you the outlet you need for meaningful things in your life, but it can also be draining if you aren’t careful.

Sometimes we just need to recharge our batteries by doing something we love. Whether that’s playing in a band, doing graphic design, or working part-time in a bike shop, we need a place to realize our passions. A second job can help you do that, and help you work through your debt at the same time.

 

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4 Tips on How to Keep a Happy Workforce Without Breaking the Bank

For most business owners, our people are our biggest asset. Our work staff likely have the largest effect on our bottom line, and it’s important that we let them know they are appreciated.

There is nothing that improves productivity as much as taking the time to ensure your employees are happy. Outside of huge yearly bonuses and scheduled raises, how can we accomplish that?

They say that money can’t buy happiness, so here are some easy ways to improve the working lives of your staff without spending a lot of money.

Create a Clear Career Path

One of the things that people value most in their jobs is the idea that they’re working towards something. Over time, mild frustrations at work can grow to become serious sources of stress. Nothing amplifies this more than the feeling of being “stuck” in a dead-end position.

Creating a clear, easy to understand career plan for employees is the easiest way to boost productivity. Not only will you have a system in place to move your most productive staff into a more authoritative role, but your employees will have something to work towards.

Make Balance a Priority

balance-work-and-family

Outside of the office, all of your employees have a life. Unfortunately, life isn’t always predictable. If your staff is forced to constantly choose between their job and their life, then can easily feel resentment towards their job.

Having a little flexibility with your scheduling will allow employees to take time for themselves and their family. Not only will your staff be happier at work, but they’ll be happier in all aspects of their lives.

See Also: 5 Ways to Balance Work and Family Time Even if You’re a Workaholic

Ask for Input

Business doesn’t always have to be a top-down structure. Sometimes, the people on the ground level are the ones who have the most input on your business. Taking the time to get feedback from your staff is a great way to make them feel involved.

When employees are actively contributing to your business instead of just blindly following orders, they feel much more proud of their involvement and the job becomes a source of pride, rather than just an obligation.

Reward Dedicated Employees

reward-dedicated-employee

It’s not always about financial reward, sometimes it’s just about recognition. There are sure to be a few members of staff who are always willing to give their best on every project.

Taking the time to publicly recognize the contributions they’ve made to your workplace and thank them is a powerful morale boost, and serves as an inspiration to other employees to follow in their footsteps.

Encourage Staff to Leave Their Comfort Zones

Nobody wants to be another cog in the machine, repeating the same tasks day in and day out until retirement. As your staff gets comfortable in the work environment, they may want to try out different responsibilities.

At first, it might not seem wise to take a talented employee and place them in a new role, but the ability to learn and grow will bring them much more job satisfaction. Plus, employees of having a wide array of skills are often much more effective.

See Also: 5 Steps to Creating an Inspiring Workplace 

 

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Building Self Discipline For A Strong Personality

Raise your hand if you’ve started a diet only to break it two hours later? How many times have you promised yourself to start going to the gym from tomorrow then six months later, you’re cancelling your gym membership. And how many of you promised to work for those washboard abs or flat tummy only to reach out for that last cookie?

Self discipline is a habit wanted by all but owned by only a rare few. Most of us wish we knew how to increase our self discipline but we just can’t seem to be able to.

Yet, all successful people possess self discipline. They knew what they wanted and they kept at it until they were finally successful. It is vital for a strong personality.

Self discipline doesn’t just improve one’s chances of success; it has been proven to make our lives healthier and happier. But it’s easier said than achieved. Learning how to increase self discipline requires time and effort. It’s difficult but it isn’t impossible.

To kick start your journey, we’ve shared some techniques for how to increase self discipline below:

Set SMART Goals

set-smart-goals

It’s important to have a clear, precise goal in mind as it acts as a motivator. It’s easier to step away from the cookie jar if you know why you’re stepping away. Yet most goals are often defined in vague or unclear terms.

SMART goal setting is an alternative that ensures that goals are set and accomplished. It is often recommended to people who want to learn how to increase self discipline.

See Also: How to Set Personal SMART Goals To Succeed 

SMART Goals are:

Specific: What particular behaviours/attributes do you want to gain or get rid of?

Measurable: How will you know you’ve achieved your goal?

Achievable: Are you setting yourself up for failure or is your goal realistic?

Relevant: How does your goal fit in with your dreams and hopes?

Timely: What time frame have you set to achieve your goal?

By having a clear ideal to work towards, it makes it easier to increase self discipline.

SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE

Rome wasn’t built in a day. Neither will you magically gain tons of self discipline in a number of hours or days. It can be a hard and discouraging process but the reward is ultimately worth it.

To quote Plato:

“The first and best victory is to conquer self.

The trick is to start immediately and do a little, every single day. Over time, it will become much easier to stick to the goal and it will start feeling more natural too. The idea is to keep at it, no matter how hard or tiring it gets. Always keep the finish line in mind and use it to motivate you when the going gets tough. This will help you greatly in learning how to increase self discipline.

See Also: Top 10 Self-Discipline Techniques

REMOVE TEMPTATIONS

remove-temptations

Trying for that perfect beach body? Stop stocking chips or cookies in the kitchen. Instead, fill your refrigerator and cabinet shelves with healthy snacks that will let you indulge cravings minus the guilt trip! Hummus, crackers, and pita chips are all healthier alternatives than chocolate chip cookies.

Temptation is the biggest problem people face when they want to learn how to increase self discipline. Temptations can break the best of us and there’s nothing worse than going on a binge and breaking that perfect streak.

The solution? Out of sight, out of mind. The less temptation there is, the less inclination to go off the course.

Building self discipline can be an arduous, difficult task. Ultimately, it’s about conquering the negative habits in one’s personality and growing as a person. Learning how to increase self discipline is the first step in growing professionally and personally. Having a strong personality is a key component in being successful.

 

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6 Stepping Stones Of A Successful Married Life

I’d like to share with you the secrets of our successful married life in my personal story below.

A gush of memories swirled through my mind as I treasured his laughter lines ‘once again’ in my 35mm memory-book. From the day we made our vows, my marriage has not been a moment less than a “happily ever after” affair. And for that, I solemnly thank my beloved best friend and the man I call my better-half.

I am glad I found you both in a single person.

I second that marriage brings along a pile of responsibilities and introduces heavy words like commitment, compatibility, and compromise in life’s glossary. And to be honest, after every lovey-mushy gesture is exchanged and explained, you realize that “being hitched” is nothing like what they show in a Hollywood rom-com. But, cheers to my husband as we turned this bumpy ride into a breezy cakewalk for us. Hand-in-hand we crossed the 6 stepping stones that make a marriage successful.

A brief memoir of the same is given below….

Took The Vows We Kept Forever

wedding-vows

“My cheeks still flush red on the thought of my wedding day. How we stole glances through all the relatives”.

Fifteen years back, we made a promise to love, value, and honor each other in sickness and in fitness, in scarcity and in prosperity, in the bad, and in the good. I had a typical Indian wedding where we began our journey by taking 7 rounds around the ‘Holy Fire’ holding each other’s hand.

Looking back, I remember how tough it was for us to control our sleepiness while the priest explained the significance of the seven vows; but, it was never really hard to live by them! With the help of my partner, it was a cinch to make our way to love, through the misunderstandings, disagreements, disputes and disharmony that could’ve taken over our peace.

Hustled Together To Build Better For Us

“Together We Win”

That’s what he said on my first work day after marriage.

We come from a conservative joint family where going out for work on the 3rd day from your marriage does raise a few eyebrows. However, that could not even hold me for a second when I saw my husband & mother-in-law waiting for me at the door with a wide grin.

Throughout my extended working hours to unplanned official trips, one thing that remained the same was his constant support. In return, I showed the same understanding when his work took him to Canada for 3 years.

In these past 15 years, we did not spend every night in the comfort of one another’s arms; but that only made us strong, both financially and emotionally.

Complained Constructively

“Before you let that wrath out, remember ‘love’!”

I will call myself kind but not a ‘sweet talker’; reason being, my inability to pick the right words in the moment of anger. It could be the best or the worst thing to find a partner with the same temperament. I am glad that we willfully turned our worst into the best.

Marriage taught me well to complain constructively. While misunderstandings and fights can find their way out anytime, we learned to think about the intention that we bear before speaking to each other during tough times. It made us realize that you can easily get a good outcome if you get yourself in a calm and right mindset before you complain.

See Also: 7 Ways to Make Your Angry Wife Happy 

Learned to Put Marriage Before Material

“Marriage brings along many changes in your life. And at times, it turns a reckless person like me into a careful investor.

While money is considered as the number-one reason for fights in a marriage, it was bliss to have each other through its every knock. After spending years doing ‘yours, mine, and yours’ we finally learned to do finances the right way. We learned to combine finances and manage them jointly from our parents, and luckily it worked wonders for us in our journey.

Welcomed Warmly A New Responsibility

baby-sleeping-in-arms

“When I held my daughter in my arms for the first time, happiness filled my life and my eyes welled up with water.”

From the day you get the good news to the day you hold your first child in your arms, the entire feeling is blissful. The transformation that you see in yourself is endearing.

From a person without much care, you now have the responsibility of a new life. Parenting a child is an out-of-the-world feeling for both of us, which cannot be narrated in words.

Dear husband, thanks for showering upon me all your love and care during those nine months.

Made Through All That Seem Tough

“Couples that are meant to be are the ones who go through everything that is meant to tear them apart”

We love each other indubitably, however, in all these years I realized that success of a Marriage does not depend entirely on affection; it depends on the promises made and the actions taken to fulfill the vows with utmost sincerity.

See Also: 4 Simple Ways to Keep Your Marriage Awesome

In our love story- I did what he cannot, and he did what I couldn’t. Together we made through the rain to the shining sun. J

To lead a successful married life, the most important thing is love. If you share the bond of love then everything will fall in the right place on its own.

These were the six stepping stones of my married life that made my relation with my husband stronger. And I wish you the same happiness, if not more.

 

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