5 Ways to Get More Time Back In Your Day

5 Ways to Get More Time Back In Your Day5 Ways to Get More Time Back In Your Day If theres one thing I could take back with me from the Harry Potter universe, it wouldnt be a magic wand, or a flying broomstick, or even those delicious-sounding chocolate frogs. It would, without a doubt, be Hermione Grangers time-turner. (For those of you who arent as big of geeks as I am, a time-turner is an hourglass-shaped device that lets you turn back time.) Just think of all of the applications it could have in the workplace you could prep for meetings at a moments notice, re-do that presentation you flubbed, and actually head home at a reasonable hour every day. Alas, this is the real world - and as wonderful as they sound, time-turners are just a work of fiction.But while magical time-travel may not exist (at least not yet - get on it, scientists), there are still a number of strategies you can use to get more time back in your day. We chatted with personal productivity ex pert Peggy Duncan to get some of her best tips. Try some of these on for size, and the results might just be magical.The biggest time management mistake people make is not realizing how much time they waste, Duncan says. So before you go making radical changes to your day-to-day routine, make sure you take a look at how youre actually spending your time.Duncan recommends that you keep a time log and track every minute for a few days. Even if you catch yourself goofing off, be honest with yourself about how youre spending your time, Duncan says. You might feel a twinge of guilt after seeing how much of your time is spent on non-essential items, but accurately recording that will only help you see where you can make improvements moving forward.After youve conducted an internal audit of your time management , its time to see where you can shake thing up to streamline things moving forward. You can get back weeks by not working the same way you always have, Duncan says. Spend time f iguring out better ways to get everything done, she recommends. What steps are unnecessary? Is someone else doing it a different way and finishing faster and with fewer errors? Examine everything youre doing, write it down, move steps around, and eliminate all wastage. Searching through your drive for a document when you need it, or thumbing through the files on your desk for a handout you need to bring to your next meeting may only take a few minutes at a time, but those small increments definitely add up. And together, they can be a major time suck out of your day.Save hours a day by creating paper, computer, inbox, etc., filing systems so you can find anything you need the instant you need it, Duncan says. Purge what you dont need, and create a system for the things you keep that puts like items together.Believe it or not, Duncan recommends that you abflug with your clothes closet. While that may not be directly related to work, it does have the potential to help you arrive at the office earlier and ready to tackle the day. Some notable entrepreneurs even go so far as to wear the same thing every day to reduce the chaos of getting ready in the morning - although for the average office-goer, you probably dont need to go to such extreme measures a tidy closet should suffice.On any given day, you probably have a dozen plus tasks that you want to get done - but remember, not all tasks are created equal. While it might be nice to cross off all of the items on your to-do list, the reality is that there are probably some that you can hold off on until later. On the other hand, there are almost certainly some that are urgent or time-sensitive. Because of that, one of the most important things you can do to make the most of your time is prioritizing your tasks. You have to determine what your goals are so youll know how you should spend your time. The things you value and need (not want) will take priority, Duncan says.There are different ways you can fig ure out how to make this work for you, but Ill offer my own little tip. On my to-do list, I list items from top to bottom in order of their priority. Bold means I need to work on them today, and an * means they need to be done today. While Im by no means a productivity expert myself, this has really helped me figure out where my time is best spent.Most of us use a variety of software programs each day - but can you really say youve mastered the ones you use most frequently? While software is designed to make our lives easier, it may just be adding an additional hurdle if you havent learned how to truly use yours effectively. But if you learn how to use the software you touch every day, youll finish everything at least six times quicker, Duncan says. No matter what software youre using, theres almost always some sort of resource to help you get the most out of it, whether thats a series of blog posts, videos, webinars, etc. If you really want to go the extra mile, you may eve n want to reach out to your customer service rep to see if they can offer any hands-on training.You might have to give up a weekend or three to get this done, but youll get all that time back and feel better every day going forward, Duncan says. And unlike dieting or exercising, the results from all these things are immediate

Veterans Day Free Ten Steps Webinars

Veterans Day Free Ten Steps WebinarsVeterans Day Free Ten Steps WebinarsVeterans Day Free Ten Steps Webinars Veterans Day OfferTen Steps to a Federal Job WebinarsResume Place is dedicated to helping you begin a Federal CareerTEN STEPS TO A FEDERAL JOBCurriculum created by Kathryn Troutman in 2002 the most popular federal job search training program for the US military, worldwideIntroduction Accomplishments and How Many Hats do you Wear at Work?Step 1 Review the Federal Job ProcessLearn about federal job titlesStep 2 Networking Who do you know in government?Step 3 Find Job Announcements on USAJOBSStep 4 Find KEYWORDS in the AnnouncementsStep 5 What are your best Core CompetenciesStep 6 Federal Resume Writing Lessons Learn about the 5 page Outline Format Federal ResumeStep 7 KSAs, Accomplishments and the amazing QuestionnaireStep 8 Tips for Applying for Federal JobsStep 9 Track and Follow-up on your Application (YES, you can find what happened to your applications)Step 10 Interview for a Federal Job (this is a TEST).Please attend to learn more about federal job searchITS FREE Free Webinarfor Veterans, Transitioning Military and Military SpousesMonday Nov. 12630 pm to 800 pm ETMonday Nov. 1912 noon to 130 pm ETMonday Nov. 26th630 pm to 800 pm ETKathryn Troutman, SpeakerREGISTER HEREVisit us atwww.resume-place.comfor more great tips and info for veterans and other federal jobseekersProfessional writing services are available for veterans. TEN STEPS TO A FEDERAL JOBIS BASED ON THEJOBSEEKERS GUIDE, 8th EditionBEST BOOK FOR TRANSITIONING MILITARY, SPOUSES AND VETERANS

5 Ways to Beat Stress in the Payroll Department

5 Ways to Beat Stress in the Payroll Department5 Ways to Beat Stress in the Payroll DepartmentIf the pressure of your payroll job is weighing you down, and youre not sure how to deal with stress at work, youre in good company. In anAccountemps study, 52 percent of workers polled said they are somewhat or very stressed at work. Additionally, 60 percent feel employee stress has increased over the past five years.Workplace stress is bad for your productivity, personal happiness, and physical and mental health. But payroll never ends, and it seems that every payday results in at least a few people upset about their withholdings. The good news is you can better manage your anxiety level. If you want to know how to deal with stress at work, here are five ways to reclaim your inner peace.1. Amp up your physical activityExercise can feel like torture when youre in it, but its stress-relieving effects stay with you long after your workout. For one, it increases blood flow to your brain, impro ving memory and helping you process information better. According to the Mayo Clinic, working out also combats depression by increasing the amount of endorphins (aka feel-good neurotransmitters) you produce. Happiness and health go hand in hand.So make exercise a regular part of your life. Opt for public transportation rather than driving. Jog up the stairs in your workplace instead of waiting for the elevator. Take a lunch-time joga or tai chi class to reduce stress and learn to let go. And rather than surfing the web during breaks, head outside for a brisk walk. Before you know it, your workplace anxiety - and maybe even your weight - will drop.2. Learn to unplugBecause people need to get paid every two weeks or every month, its understandable why payroll specialists are reluctant to get away for an extended period. In another Accountemps survey, 41 percent of workers polled said they didnt take any or all of their vacation days because theyre concerned about coming back to a pi le of work. Another 35 percent said they didnt want others to have to manage their workloads.Its one thing to be a dedicated employee, but quite another to jeopardize your mental health. Vacation time exists because you need and deserve that time away to relax and recharge. So go ahead and schedule that week-long break - no guilt or work emails allowed. Ask colleagues to cover for you, and return the favor when its their turn to get away. Be sure to create an out-of-office message so you arent overwhelmed by an overflowing inbox when you return to work.3. Practice single-taskingResearch suggests multitasking is out because it hurts your health and productivity. But mindfulness, the act of focusing on the present, is in. Embrace being in the moment by not getting distracted by another task or problem. When analyzing data or compiling a report, concentrate on the content and not what else you have to do. During meetings, pay attention to the speaker rather than checking your messages . Control your environment so as to reduce distractions. Do you really need to be notified of every email that hits your inbox? The better you are at monotasking - a basic time management technique - the more efficiently you can finish your work.4. Indulge in outside interestsHeres a question to ask yourself Are you letting work creep into your personal life? If youre still toiling away during evenings and weekends, its time to draw some boundaries and work on a pet project. Some excellent choices include those that require you to focus, such as baking, gardening, woodworking or playing an instrument. Or give back to the community by volunteering your skills for a worthy cause. Having non-work interests gives you something to look forward to and provides another means of relaxation.5. Make some changesNaturally, peak periods like year-end processing and reporting deadlines are stressful. But if your anxiety level is high all year long, take a good look at your work environment and consider whether its time to start a job search. Theres no easy way of coping with bad management, a toxic workplace or an office bully. In ansicht situations, you could relieve the stress by finding another employer. While its true that a job change is stressful as well, the peace of mind might be well worth the effort.While no payroll job is 100 percent stress-free, theres no need for work-related worries to take over your life and harm your health. Workplace happiness is within your reach and control.Find out more about how to bring more happiness to the job.READ OUR REPORT