13 Time Management Tips You Ought to Know

13 Time Management Tips You Ought to Know As a small business owner, managing your time and expectations are extremely important if you want to maintain the proper focus. I struggle with this issue and can be easily distracted by a phone call or a tendency to check my emails more often than is probably needed. Time management is one of those skills no one teaches you in school but you have to learn. It doesn’t matter how smart you are if you can’t organize information well enough to take it in. And it doesn’t matter how skilled you are if procrastination keeps you from getting your work done.. I’m going to share some of my favorite time management skills in this post. I hope they will help you. My personal favorite cut the clutter. Keep a clean desk and desktop, clutter can be very distracting. Use your peak productivity time well and make sure you get sufficient rest. Coffee will not assist you forever. It’s OK to take breaks throughout the day. Some of us are ‘morning people’ others are ‘night owls.’ You know what your strengths and weaknesses are better than me. It’s most important to know how you structure your day and manage your time that makes the difference. Know the best days and times to target your prospective clients or targeted companies â€" which may be different than you first think. Set daily goals for yourself and making sure you dont work past your burn out time. This might include networking in person, making follow-up calls, writing a business proposal or putting a budget together â€" each day complete one specific goal â€" you’ll feel much better being able to check something off your ‘to do’ list. It’s absolutely OK to block out some non-planned activities. Life happens and there will also be some unexpected event or emergencies to deal with. Or maybe you’re under the weather. Plan for some specific time away from the computer and phone, 30 minutes a day. By that, I don’t mean a coffee break or to eat a meal. Talk a walk, run some errands, anything to take your mind off your business. Meet a friend for a cup of coffee. Start your day by prioritizing what you need to get done (To-do list!). Block time out on your calendar each day to ensure you get work done. When you are on a deadline and you need to finish something Close your door (if you have one), put your phone on send to voicemail, close your email, and turn off the instant messenger. It is liberating! Not everything is urgent; yes, some things can wait until the next day. Minimizing distractions â€" distractions are a big time waster. A lot of us have this constant urge to check our email every 15 minutes. There are many other common distractions and it is important to limit them. Make sure social networks serve your purpose. Do you really need to be on all of them? Pick one or two that are really important and discard the rest. Be careful not to check your social sites while at work. It is a big time waster even if big brother is not watching. Decide the time or times when you will check mail and stick to those times. There will always be some distracting message in your in box. Keep your emails short. That is how they are meant to be. Use the phone in preference to email where feasible. Know your target company or companies whether it will be for job search or to find business partners. Starting out, that’s one of the most important things to consider. If you’re not sure what you want to do, it’ll be hard for you to communicate that to another client or company Yes weekends are a time to take a break, but not entirely. Use weekends to review the previous week’s successes (and failures) which will give you the opportunity to prepare your upcoming week. The goal is to hit the ground running on Monday morning.‘ Can you think of more time management tips? Please let me know in the comments! Image: Shutterstock

6 Interview Questions That Will Catch Hiring Managers Off Balance

6 Interview Questions That Will Catch Hiring Managers Off Balance Getting called for an interview is usually the first step towards actually getting hired at the company you desire to work for. After the getting the call, you are likely going to do your best to prepare for the interview so that your chances of success are greatly increased. Naturally, you will concentrate on the questions you are likely to be asked and the best answers to give during the interview. However, another way that you can impress an interviewer is by asking appropriate questions. Here are some questions that will ensure that an interviewer has you in mind when making the final decision on the position. What activities does the person in this position do on a typical day? Although you already read the job description when filling in employment forms as part of the application, this question allows you to hear more about the job from the interviewer. In some cases, the daily activities may differ slightly from the tasks outlined in the job description and this can only be revealed by the person conducting the interview. How is performance evaluated in the position? The channels that a company uses to evaluate its employees reveals a lot about them, thus making this question a very important one for you. Some companies require reports on weekly basis, while others are more flexible in their evaluation processes making working with them much easier. On the other hand, this question also indicates to an interviewer that you are looking for a job that meets your needs not just any job which you can resign from when you get a better offer. Are there any challenges worth mentioning in this role? Every job has its challenges and this question demonstrates that you are ready to face any that may come with the position. As the interviewer list the expected challenges associated with the job, listen carefully and then take the opportunity to highlight your skills that can be used to tackle the challenges that he or she mentioned. According to you, who would be considered as a successful candidate in this position?   This is another question that you can use to display that you are best fit for the job when compared to other candidates that may have sent in their applications. Most times, interviewers consider this question to be a demonstration of your interest to be successful at the job position that they want filled. Furthermore, the question will allow the interviewer to bring out their expectations for the position thus allowing you to offer exactly what they need when restating your skills concerning the position. Is there a career path for someone in this role? If you want to demonstrate that you plan to work for this company for an extended time period and want to build your career with them, this is the question to ask. Most employers are happy with employees that are always looking ahead and want to see the company they work for succeed as well. On the other hand, the question also allows you to know if there is an opportunity to be promoted to higher positions if a vacancy is available thus allowing you to grow your career. Another way to frame this question, would be to ask about their future plans in the next five or ten years. What do you love about being part of this company? This question is likely going to put a smile on the interviewers face especially if they love working for the company. However, if that is not the case, you will have their views about the company so that you can make a better decision when offered the job. All the same, the question will be considered to be thoughtful by most interviewers thus giving them a chance to reveal information about the company that you might have not been aware of earlier. In conclusion, the interview process for any job is strenuous for the interviewer and job seeker but is usually the determinant on whether you will be hired for the job or not. Therefore, aim to leave a lasting impression on the interviewer by the questions asked when given the chance.

Physiotherapy Sub-Specialties A Summary of Options

Physiotherapy Sub-Specialties A Summary of Options Physiotherapy as a health care profession, embraces various treatment modalities such as exercises, heat therapy, massages, electrotherapy, and patient education for treating an ailment, injury, or deformity. Physiotherapy is a treatment pattern that aims at restoring and maintaining a patient’s mobility, function, and overall well-being. Applying physiotherapy helps through injury prevention, physical rehabilitation, health problems, and fitness. Physiotherapists focus on both prevention and recovery. Physiotherapy has evolved in the form of diverse sub-specialties, which enables physiotherapy to deal with various conditions and peculiarities more effectively and appropriately. Below are some of those physiotherapy sub-specialties and their features or uniqueness: Orthopedic/musculoskeletal physiotherapy  This sub-specialty deals with repairing and treating the deformities and ailments that are related to the human musculoskeletal system. This specialty in physiotherapy includes correcting the ligaments, muscles, joints, bones, and tendons. Chronic pains, especially those related to the lower back, are caused by the musculoskeletal system being out of alignment in different areas. Musculoskeletal treatments help you recover muscle strength, reduce pain, increase mobilization, and correct skeletal alignment. So if you have had an injury in recent times that has left you unable to make use of some muscles, or you need to recover muscle strength after a surgery; orthopedic physiotherapy will be your best option at recovery. Neurological physiotherapy Neurological conditions lead to extreme loss of balance, muscle weakness, tremors, muscle spasms, loss of function, and decreased sensation. The application of Neurological physiotherapy aims at establishing mobility and treating various functional disorders that affect the nervous system such as head injuries, stroke, spinal and damage, sciatica, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, aneurysm, Alzheimer’s, cerebral palsy and neurological balance issues signaled by vertigo. Most neurological problems are chronic, and they are unlikely to be healed outrightly, but with physiotherapy, a vast positive impact can be made on such chronic problems. Neurological treatments focus on rebuilding correct neural pathways, balance, motor control, and coordination. Neurological physiotherapy also helps in rehabilitation after brain surgery. Geriatric physiotherapy This sub-specialty deals with certain age-related medical conditions. As people grow older, many conditions affect them such as cancer, osteoporosis (fragile and brittle bones), arthritis (pain in the joints), joint replacements, Alzheimer’s disease, and balance disorders. Geriatric physiotherapy treatment aims to help: reduce pain, restore mobility affected by old age, work around physical limitations, improve physical fitness, and overall health. Geriatric physiotherapists guide the aged or elderly about the restriction to specific movements which can aggravate pain and also provide their patients with gait aides to minimize pain and improve overall mobility by employing specific techniques and exercises. Pediatric physiotherapy This sub-specialty focuses mainly on the physical needs of toddlers, infants, children, and adolescents with a variety of skeletal, neuromuscular, developmental, or other physical disorders. Childhood is a period when the body grows speedily, and problems in childhood can harm the rest of the person’s life. Pediatric physiotherapy is particularly configured and designed to help babies, children, and adolescents to make the most of their growth, overcome problems, and build a healthy skeletal and muscular strength. Pediatric physiotherapists help in correcting defects which are present at the time of birth, improve conditions of acute injuries or delayed physical growth. They also help in specific genetic abnormalities such as cerebral palsy (a medical condition which restricts the overall coordination and movement). Pediatric physiotherapy treatments help children with: cognitive and sensory processing, improving their gross and fine motor skills alleviating pain, regaining balance coordination and normalization of movement Regaining coordination, stability, and standardization of movement. Cardiopulmonary physiotherapy This sub-specialty deals with the treatment of people with heart problems or blood circulation issues. It specializes in the prevention rehabilitation and compensation of people who suffer from injuries and diseases affecting the heart, lungs, and chest. They help people who have had a heart or a lung surgery with rehabilitation. This sub-specialty also benefits people who suffer (or have suffered) from conditions such as pneumonia, heart attacks, emphysema, hypertension, asthma, and chronic bronchitis. Cardiopulmonary physiotherapy can help you grow and access strength in crucial muscles and also help you in improving your endurance. Treatments under this sub-specialty include Right positioning for optimum lung expansion Strategies to help you manage shortness of breath and coughs Correct breathing techniques Deep breathing and circulation exercises Women’s health This sub-specialty in physiotherapy is not very popular around the world like the afore explained. Also called the physiotherapy for women, this sub-specialty addresses main issues related to prenatal care, childbirth, post-natal care, female reproductive system, and problems with infertility. Physiotherapists under this specialty assist women with: Reducing lymphatic swelling Controlling urinary incontinence Activating pelvic floor Relieving pelvic and hip pain during and after pregnancy Strengthening the core In conclusion, aside from these sub-specialties explained above, some physiotherapists specialize in handling athletes (known as sports physiotherapy) and recoveries (known as rehabilitative physiotherapy). These subs-specialties in physiotherapy help physiotherapists focus on peculiar cases and help patients in the treatment process effectively.

What is the Biggest Problem You See on Careers Websites

What is the Biggest Problem You See on Careers Websites Its usually the first place candidates land on when theyre looking for their next job but are they all fit for purpose. Youd think a website which is dedicated to careers should be doing just that, right? Well, according to our panel of 10 experts careers websites dont always get it right. They tell us what issues they have with some careers websites theyve come across. Katrina Kibben They arent built with experience or conversion in mind. So many people rely on a template of stock photos and site infrastructure when they should be building an experience based on the psychology of their best people and designing something that very intentionally provokes excitement and interaction. Katrina Kibben is the CEO and Principal Consultant at Three Ears Media. Kevin Grossman Prospective candidates want more transparency into employers; they want to hear more from current employees as to why they chose that employer and why they stay. They want the “real” testimonials in video and in print on review sites like Glassdoor and kununu. And they’d prefer more engagement with the employer, even before they apply. This could be live chats with recruiters or basic information provided via chatbots. Kevin Grossman is President of Global Programs at The Talent Board. Lori Sylvia Putting a big Apply button at the top on the homepage. That’s what you want, not want candidates want when they first visit your careers site. If they start on your careers site homepage, they’re not ready to apply yet. Candidates want to know first why they should come to work for you, and that means telling your employer value proposition and sharing employee stories. Once candidates become more informed and interested, they’ll apply when they’re ready. And you only want informed candidates who have researched your company and career opportunities and feel there’s a fit. Otherwise, it’s a waste of everyone’s time and resources. Lori Sylvia is the  Founder and CEO of Rally Recruitment Marketing. Manuel Heichlinger One of the biggest missed opportunity for company career pages, is the lack of authentic employee stories which bring to life the culture and values of an organisation. These stories allow a peak behind the curtain which are invaluable for candidate’s considering joining your company. I also think it’s great when a company outlines the steps of their interview process on their website, giving the candidate a clear idea of what to expect in their interviews. And it leaves them feeling the company is one that wants them to succeed, not trip them up. Manuel Heichlinger is  LinkedIn’s Senior Manager for Talent Acquisition. Jeanette Maister Misleading or over-the-top complex job descriptions that easily confuse candidates. Job titles, descriptions and other relevant information on the post needs to be short, concise and simple. If the postings are too complicated, the application process can become muddied because candidates might enter information that may not be relevant to the position. Additionally, careers websites that aren’t engaging enough can turn candidates away. Some examples of good careers website features include adding bios and testimonials from existing employees or creating an attractive, interactive landing page. Jeanette Maister, is Head of Americas at  Oleeo  (formerly WCN). Josh Tolan The biggest problem is that companies take careers page too literally and only list their job openings.They dont provide enough insight on what its like to work there or what the hiring process looks like. There also isnt enough employee generated content or anything that entices a candidate to get bought in. Josh Tolan  is the CEO of Sparkhire. Aida Fazylova Today, applicant expectations have expanded from what they once were. Websites now need to be engaging, interactive, and easy to use. A good career site will have great visuals throughout the page. Having quick links or easy to use forms on a career website, can improve the number of applications received. Also, if job postings aren’t easily accessible, applicants might move on from your company. Not meeting candidates’ expectations on a career website can definitely hurt your chances of fielding quality applications. Aida Fazylova, CEO and Founder, of  XOR.ai. Benjamin Gledhill As I recently discussed in a podcast they simply arent fit for purpose. Everything we do now should follow the consumer model in terms of sharing content that enables someone to make a decision. Re careers sites, they need to be user friendly, mobile optimised, share audience relevant content and take the candidate on a journey from start to finish. They should create excitement and curiousity and embed a feeling of connection with the employer brand. Benjamin Gledhill is the Head of Resourcing at Yodel. Jill Shabelman Careers websites remain one of the most frequently visited resources when candidates are considering a position and organizations that put what candidates want front and center will have an advantage. Sites can miss opportunities with candidates by being difficult to navigate, overrun by company acronyms, and lacking the information people really want to know. At minimum, they should provide different perspectives from people in the business on questions like: Who are the people I may work with? How could I grow here? What is really exciting about the organization right now? What benefits may I get if hired? Jill Shabelman is the  Employer Brand Marketing Manager at Deloitte Services LP. Chris Murdock Job descriptions have long been a struggle for recruiters to cater correctly to both candidates and rational company demand. We’re stuck between writing in a way that’s both descriptive, to realistic and true to the actual job duties up for the position, to being searchable to candidates we wish to attract. Now we’re adding AI in the mix which further complicates how we’re writing and tailoring our messaging to capture quality candidates. Chris Murdock is Senior Partner and Co-Founder at IQTalent Partners.

Government to start teaching mindfulness in schools - Debut

Government to start teaching mindfulness in schools - Debut Its tough to live with the government in the UK. Its not that they dont know what theyre doing but well, it doesnt look like they know what theyre doing. Because for every good decision they make, they seem to make about five absolute howlers. This will undoubtedly go down as one of the more sound ideas theyve had though. The government will reportedly provide the means to teach mindfulness in schools for children between the ages of eight and twelve. Prime Minister Theresa May did previously affirm a commitment to dealing with the mental health crisis in the UK, stating that there is not enough help to hand on the matter back in January. Now she, along with her MPs, are making funds available for controlled trials in 100 primary schools and 50 secondary schools across the country. With the trials, the government aims to find out if mindfulness can reduce stress and promote wellbeing in children. Theyll learn how to recognise the signs of onset mental illness and how to combat them, as well as breathing and relaxation techniques. Meanwhile, teenagers will have separate sessions in order to learn how to deal with anxiety and depression. An intervention at the right time Naturally, we think that these new measures to teach mindfulness in schools couldnt come soon enough. We have already seen worrying trends that have shown that youth happiness is at the lowest level its ever been, while also seeing millennials be the least engaged generation in the workplace. Further studies from the Institute of Public Policy Research have shown that at least three children in every class have a clinically diagnosable mental health condition. The same number, on average, will be admitted to hospital for harming themselves, a 68% increase over the last 10 years. At the same time, an astonishing 90% of head teachers have reported an increase in mental health-related issues in the past five years. With the horrendous amount of pressure on students to succeed, its no wonder that these statistics are the way they are. Many local administrations have been testing their own methods to encourage mindfulness in schools for some time. However, with the life being squeezed out of budgets all over the country, appointments are scarce and waiting lists are long. In some places,  it reportedly takes two months to get an appointment with the local mental health service. Why theres more to do So, while the news that these trials will take place in schools is welcome, there is still a lot more to do outside the classroom. Mays government has set aside £15 million for increased mental health services outside of the NHS, a paltry amount considering the scale of the problem. £67 million being provided for extensive online help will alleviate the situation to an extent, but its hardly a substitute for face-to-face care. Hopefully, the Conservative cuts on public services will relent and the situation will get better, faster. For now, we eagerly await the results of these trial and hope the introduction of mindfulness in schools will be the start of a better time of mental health for the next generation. Download the Debut app and connect with top graduate employers in an instant. Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter

Monday tip Bring a co-worker a cup of coffee - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Monday tip Bring a co-worker a cup of coffee - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog This tip is really, really, really simple: Bring a co-worker a cup of coffe. At some point during the day, without being asked, bring a co-worker a nice cup of hot coffee. Substitute tea, cocoa, a coke, etc. based on your co-workers preference. For extra bonus points: Do it for someone who obviously needs a fresh cup of energy Stealthily find out that persons coffee preference, and bring a cup thats just right (milk, sugar, etc). Bring someone you dont talk to much (or even someone you dont like much) a cup Use the coffee as a chance for a chat with that person Once youve done it, please report back here and tell us how it went. Did it work or fail miserably? Did you do it exactly as proscribed or improve upon the mission in your own way? Share what you did with other people around the world so we can all create more arbejdsglaede together :o) Previous monday tips. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Writing a Resume When You Have a Work Gap

Writing a Resume When You Have a Work GapWriting a resume is the first step towards getting a job. For someone who has just started out, there's nothing worse than to get that call from a potential employer offering a job only to find out that the opportunity isn't there yet. In order to be successful in your first few jobs, it's important to prepare for the potential interview by reading through your resume and looking over your overall work history. You need to put yourself in the right frame of mind to look good in the eyes of a potential employer.If you've had a few jobs in between and have been out of work for a while, your chances of being contacted by a potential employer are slim. This means that you need to write a resume that gives employers a reason to reach out to you. If you're currently employed, your resume will tell the hiring manager why you would be a great fit for the position. On the other hand, if you've had the same job for a while, your resume may not give them enough information to hire you right now.That doesn't mean you need to take out a loan to get your next job. Instead, you can use your existing resume as a starting point. For one thing, it will save you time. When you have nothing else to refer to, you can move back to the section that gives you the best news. Of course, if you don't have a strong work history in that field, this will be all you'll have to work with.So how should you go about writing a resume for the first time? Keep the focus on what you want to accomplish and how you can help the hiring manager gets the job done. With this in mind, be careful to avoid bragging about your previous job experiences.Using 'punchier' information is key for employing candidates that have gaps in their work history, either because they've been out of work for a while or because they've had a small number of jobs. Instead, highlight what your strengths are in your work history. Be sure to list these things as soon as possible. Don't wai t until you've got a decent job history before you get in touch with a potential employer.Also, be sure to include what you need from the position you're trying to fill. Don't be afraid to discuss those skills and traits that you're most likely to bring to a new position. Again, wait until you've had a few jobs before you start talking about where you may need a little extra training. The hiring manager will be impressed with your list of needs and may need to consider your qualifications.Finally, be honest about the gaps you found. List any jobs you were out of work and then list the jobs you were out of work but never long term. Be sure to list your previous jobs in the same order, but keep the detail consistent. The goal is to convince the hiring manager that you can handle the job.Writing a resume when you have a work gap is vital to your success. Use the gap as a learning experience. Put yourself in the shoes of a hiring manager and answer the question of how do I get a job wit h this gap? Start by writing a resume that tells the employer why you are the best candidate for the job.