Psychologists, writers and experts on personal growth shared their opinions on how to become more successful, productive and organized in the new year.

1. If a task only takes a minute, do it immediately

This rule is easy to follow, and it gives amazing results. By quickly dealing with small matters that would otherwise hang over our souls, we feel calmer and more energetic.

2. If you want to achieve something, associate it with what you love.

Dan Ariely, professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University

Take your favorite ritual - for me it's morning coffee - and associate it with some productive activity. For example, I am writing at this time.

I associate something pleasant with another action that I sometimes like and sometimes don't, and as a result I get almost conditioned reflex: I drink coffee, which means I write.

3. Do you need time to think? Don't let him encroach

Cal Newport, assistant professor of computer science at Georgetown University and author of Head to Head

I like to set aside dedicated time on my calendar to think about difficult problems, as if I had a meeting. And then I protect this time from any encroachment, as if I had actually made an appointment, and if someone tries to schedule something, I say that I am busy.

4. Break your to-do list into categories

Every Friday I think about the week ahead. I make a list of my highest priority items in three categories: career, relationships, self. Having categories is important: it keeps me in mind that there should be something in each category, and this simple technique helps maintain balance.

After that, I look at the calendar for the next week and plan my time. Not

I always manage to put everything in its place, but common task- complete the things on the list by the end of the week. That’s why I keep a list of things to do on paper - it’s really nice to cross them off.

5. Compassion and more compassion

My main advice in terms of personal effectiveness is: more compassion. Yes, usually this kind of advice is about looking at a problem from a new angle, deep focusing, working on momentum and other similar techniques, and all this is undoubtedly very useful.

But it is empathy that makes us human. We have bad days when everything falls out of our hands, and it seems that there will be nothing good ahead. Will. Yes, there will be times when we will be distracted, lazy, distracted, and work or other matters will more than once give us sleepless nights.

But you shouldn’t wallow in self-flagellation and whine that everything went wrong. Compassion allows us to forgive ourselves, realize that anything is possible, although it takes practice, and teaches us to move forward again and again.

6. Balance your tasks and strengths

Ron Friedman, psychologist and host of the 2017 Productivity Summit

It's not what you do that matters; it matters when you do it. Our cognitive abilities manifest themselves differently throughout the day. As the day wears on, most of us become significantly less able to process new information, plan tasks, and resist distractions. Therefore, the better you can match your tasks to your strengths, the more you can do with less energy.

7. Start the New Year with an empty inbox—and try to keep it that way.

This time of year I like to go through my inbox and reorganize my folders and settings to sort more efficiently email.

Look at the 50 or 100 most recent messages in your inbox and set up your mail so that any unnecessary emails - such as newsletters or notifications - go into designated folders.

Spend a few hours deleting unwanted emails, then drag any remaining mail for the year into a large Archive folder labeled by year. you will begin New Year with a clean drawer, and the new settings will allow it to remain that way in the future.

8. Make achieving the task a necessity.

Steve Levinson, clinical psychologist and author of The Power to Get Things Done

The key to peak performance is to forget what you already know—or think you know—about motivation. We typically assume that there is a direct correlation between how much we want a certain outcome and how achievable it is.

However, there is a much more constructive way of thinking - think of motivation as something that needs to be custom-made to achieve each goal. By “custom order” I mean that you must intentionally put yourself in a situation in which achieving the goal will feel like a necessity.

My favorite example: After several unsuccessful attempts to start going to the gym, Joe created a situation that changed everything. He set himself a condition: he would only have one deodorant, which would be kept in his locker at the gym. Thus, in order to avoid the unpleasant smell during the day, Joe had to go to the gym willy-nilly. When he got there, the idea of ​​just putting on deodorant and leaving seemed stupid, so he stayed to study. In essence, Joe outwitted himself, and morning exercises eventually became an integral part of his regime.

9. Set a time frame for checking email

People who check email are divided into two types. These are “reactors,” who rely on notifications and scan their inboxes almost constantly to deal with emails little by little throughout the day, and “dispensers,” who set aside a few time slots to check email and ignore correspondence for the rest of the day.

Recent research shows that the more often we check email, the more stressed we become.

Try setting aside two or three periods of 30-60 minutes each day to check your email.

10. Create a 15-minute list

To combat procrastination and use micro-segments of your workday, use the 15-minute list.

This is a list of tasks that can be completed in 15 minutes or less. Keep it with you to take advantage of awkward hiccups, like queues, and turn them into productive micro-segments of work.

This list will also help when procrastination gets the better of you. You can quickly complete a task that will give you some energy, and then move on to work on a more complex project.

11. Set three goals every day

The Rule of Three is my favorite productivity ritual. Every morning I think, “What three things do I want to accomplish by the end of this day?”

In just a few minutes, you'll separate the important from the unimportant, review your long-term goals—or New Year's resolutions, if you're practicing them—and can think about how to spend your time, attention, and energy that day.

If you want to increase your productivity level, I also recommend setting three goals for each week or month.

Prepared by Taya Aryanova

I was thinking about how to achieve maximum results from my employees. Increasing labor productivity has always been the most important and challenging task for leaders at all times.
Managers solve this problem in different ways: some pay a lot of money, others train and develop their staff, others come up with different systems. Every sales organization has super sellers whom everyone looks up to with admiration and respect. These people show results many times above average. What sets them apart from the rest? How do they manage to do more? And most importantly, how to transfer their experience to others? We will try to find answers to these questions in this article.

First you need to figure out what distinguishes super sellers from the rest of the sales staff? I’ll say right away that we will not consider parameters that we cannot influence, for example: age, education, gender, work experience, etc. Let's consider only as well as .

Knowledge

Do the best salespeople know the product better than others? On the one hand, it would be logical that the one who knows better sells more, but in practice everything is not so straightforward. Most of the outstanding sellers reached their level very quickly, while certification shows that many have a below average level of knowledge. This applies to both the product and the product that needs to be sold. Very often, a great seller cannot answer simple questions: ? etc. Therefore, a tool such as training will not be able to seriously affect the number of sales. Naturally, in every organization, employees must be trained, and the better the training system is set up, the easier and faster your employees will achieve high results. Naturally, the level of knowledge must be checked at least once a quarter; naturally, you must conduct training to improve your skills and to master a new product or to refresh your knowledge on a seasonal product.

Skills and abilities

Motivation

You can talk about motivation for a very long time, divide it into types and subtypes and show the importance of motivation. Only one thing is important - the best salespeople are people with very strong internal motivation. You need to understand that any result, including a large number of sales, is achieved only with hard work. And the more an employee works, the more he sells. The problem is that the seller has a lot of excuses for his poor results and it is difficult to verify them. For example, at a factory everything is simple, the result can be assessed in the number of finished products, etc. Sales in this regard are a more complex process; some clients need to be led to a purchase for a very long time and only after days and months have passed will we see the result.

It is clear that a manager cannot stand behind the seller’s back all day and monitor whether he is selling correctly, but these are not always applicable and it is important to ensure that the seller himself is interested in a high result. Naturally, there are a lot of methods for monitoring and evaluating personnel, there is also such a wonderful tool as “mystery shoppers,” but all this does not motivate people, but simply gives you an understanding of the current situation. Probably everyone has come across sellers who are uninterested in selling, who simply did not want to communicate with you and seemed to be deliberately dissuading you from buying. The seller has a lot of opportunities to avoid communication with the client or make this communication short and ineffective. That is why motivation must come from within and the stronger it is, the better.

It is strong internal motivation that is the main thing distinctive features strong seller.

But how to create strong internal motivation?

First, you need to understand what the employee is motivated by, how he breathes and lives, and if he doesn’t have strong motivators, then help him find them. Then you need to connect this motive with the goals of the company, then all that remains is to maintain this motivation.

It is important to understand that most people, without your help, are not able to force themselves to work; in order to understand this, you just need to look around and see how many beggars and poor people there are around. What prevents these people from changing their fate and receiving a decent salary? Nothing but your own laziness and unwillingness to work and change yourself. Most are not ready to leave the comfort zone they are in.

To sum it up

In order to achieve the maximum from the seller, the manager needs to solve several complex problems.

1. Build a training system so that knowledge is easily absorbed by sellers;
2. When training, devote 80% of your time to practice, trying to instill sales skills. Train sellers in nonverbal communication and rhetoric, and sometimes psychology;
3. The line manager is required to devote a lot of time to motivating staff. Applying both individual and group motivation;

I would like to draw attention to the fact that not everyone is born for sales and many will not be able to become outstanding salesmen due to a lack of talent. Therefore, spend more time on those who have a predisposition to sales, this is well written in the book “First, break all the rules. What the world's best managers do differently by Marcus Buckingham and Kurt Coffman.

Guest reviews in your ads are visible to all users. How can you ensure that these reviews have maximum effect and increase the trust of new clients?

Make reservations through Sutochno.ru

This is the first step towards a good review: a guest can leave a review in your listing only if the reservation was made through our website or mobile application. Why is it so important to get good reviews on Sutochno.ru? Because our service is one of the largest in Russia, with daily traffic of more than 30 thousand people. Have reviews on large resource- this means gaining additional trust from guests.

Ask guests to leave reviews and rate “Excellent”

Good reviews on Sutochno.ru not only help you gain trust, they also allow you to get the “Superhost” status. To achieve this status, you must complete , and two of them relate to reviews: at least 5 guests per year must share their opinion, and 80% of reviews must be rated “Excellent”. Therefore, if you see that a guest was satisfied with their stay, ask him to leave a review on Sutochno.ru with a rating of 5 points. If he liked you, he is highly likely to do so.

Respond to reviews

If a guest left a good review, thank them in a reply comment. If negative, then it is better to apologize for the inconvenience caused and inform that you will take measures to solve the problems raised. Perhaps a dissatisfied client will only be partially satisfied with such an answer, but future guests will see that you pay attention to negative reviews and improve your service.

If you received a review on Sutochno.ru, you can write a response.

Negative feedback is an opportunity for development

If a guest wrote a bad review, then in a response comment you should not enter into a discussion and persistently prove that you are right (even if you are actually right). In such cases, it is better to calmly state your view of the situation and explain that you did everything in your power. If the guest’s complaints are truly justified, write that you will definitely correct the shortcomings. When other guests read the review and your response, they will see that you adequately respond to criticism and are working to improve the quality of your services.

In addition, negative feedback helps you understand what exactly you need to improve. After all, if one guest has a complaint, it may be repeated by others. Therefore, it is better to “play ahead” and correct the shortcomings.

Good reviews justify the cost of stay

When you have a lot of positive reviews, you can set favorable prices for accommodation. The cost will seem justified, even if it is higher than average.

The more reviews, the higher the average rating

Statistics show that with a large number of reviews average rating gets taller. And there are usually more positive reviews than negative ones. Therefore, we return again to the first point: make reservations through Sutochno.ru. The more reservations, the more reviews. And the more reviews, the higher the rating.

As an artist, you put a lot of effort into creating creatively perfect and technically flawless images. You spend time, effort and resources to attract suitable people and use the necessary equipment. You study the topics that are in highest demand to create best works. But in the digital imaging market, a perfect image alone does not guarantee success.

Accurate, well-chosen metadata (i.e. titles and keywords) play no less a role than the quality of the images, since they are the bridge that needs to be built between the customer’s needs and your product. Here are some useful recommendations, which will help you attract buyers' attention to your images.

RIGHT! Write precise titles that describe the image. Imagine the image's headline is the headline of a news article and try to answer the basic questions: who, what, where, when and why. Of course, not every image shows people or a specific moment in time, but you should try to be as specific as possible.

WRONG! Try not to use the same title (or the same set of keywords) for multiple images that have a similar subject. Yes, it may seem like a logical way to save time, but it can actually have a negative impact on potential sales. For example, if you shoot a series of images of bouquets made up of different flowers, and you simply title them all as “Flowers,” a customer looking for something more specific will have a hard time finding them. Your images will compete for attention in search results with thousands of others. But if you name them differently, for example, “Bouquet of Fresh Red Roses” and “Bouquet of Hydrangeas,” your chances of attracting the attention of a customer who is looking for just such an image increase significantly.

RIGHT! Provide specific information or unique properties. Be sure to mention any special techniques if you used them, external features or the angle that distinguishes a given image from another that shows the same subject. For example, you are filming a fairly common subject - a meeting, but you are doing it from above. This is the main aspect that definitely needs to be mentioned! If you're creating images using popular Instagram filter effects, you can include the word "Instagram" in your keywords and title. You can also use the word "Polaroid" to describe a square image with a white edge, simulating a photo taken with a Polaroid camera. Although both words are associated with brands and trademarked products, it is acceptable to use them in such cases because they describe certain external features.

WRONG! Do not include trademarked brands in the titles or keywords of images intended for commercial use (except in the two situations mentioned above). While there is no specific list of restricted keywords, you can get an idea of ​​what keywords may be by checking out the Objects and Items section of our list. For example, you could create a commercial illustration of a generic smartphone that resembles (but does not directly copy) a phone, in present moment on the market, but you can't use "iPhone" or "Apple" in your keywords. (However, you may include trademarks in titles and keywords for images and illustrations intended for editorial use.)

RIGHT! Think conceptually. Use words that describe feelings and emotions if we're talking about about images with models. If you're working with illustrations of a computer, for example, you might want to use conceptual words like "technology" or "communication."

WRONG! Don't use spam or inappropriate keywords. You cannot use keywords that humiliate, insult, or are obscene. You should also not use certain words that are acceptable on their own but have an inappropriate meaning when used together, such as “teen” and “sexy” in a description of the same image. We regularly check our collection for keyword spam (spam refers to the use of inappropriate keywords) and the use of inappropriate or inappropriate keywords.

If you notice that keywords have been removed by a Shutterstock reviewer or admin after your image has been accepted, don't just add them back. In such situations, you should be sure to first contact author support at submit@site and find out why the keywords were removed. If you add keywords that have previously been removed, you may receive a warning, your account may be suspended, or your account may be deleted altogether.

Working from home may seem like a dream: there is no need to waste time and money on travel and business lunches, there are no annoying colleagues and no office routine nearby. Professionals know what a pleasure it is. You can choose the pace of task completion, put a comfortable chair and not suffer from tasteless office coffee. But this ideal picture also has a number of disadvantages, the main one of which is a lot of distractions. Household chores, TV, children, animals are always nearby.

How to set boundaries between home life and work? How to achieve maximum performance? These 15 rules will help you solve a problem productively.

Rule No. 1: arranging a comfortable workplace

Ideal if you have personal account or a separate desk for work. It is important that the work area is used only for its intended purpose. Create a calm atmosphere, remove unnecessary objects that distract attention. Take care of a comfortable chair or armchair so as not to have problems with the spine. You can work either at a full-fledged workstation or set up a small area with a laptop stand. A person working from home has a unique opportunity to provide himself with the most convenient things possible, rather than putting up with office standards.

Rule No. 2: Determine work hours

Due to being in home environment It’s not easy to clearly create a minute-by-minute schedule. It is especially difficult for those who have small children at home. In this case, it is necessary to delegate the authority to care for the children to someone else, and schedule the day yourself according to a schedule that is convenient for you. Imagine that you are at a standard job and plan your day. Arrival at workplace- strictly on schedule. Don't relax!

Rule No. 3: constant contact with colleagues and superiors

Working from home doesn't involve much face-to-face interaction with co-workers and your boss, so it's important to constantly check your email, read all messages, and stay active. Make it clear that you are available throughout the workday.

Rule #4: Schedule lunch

Lunch break should be a mandatory item. You can order food, prepare a fresh dish, or reheat leftovers from last night's dinner. Try to eat light but nutritious foods. The main thing is to reboot, give your body a rest and recharge for new things. Limit your time for lunch; it should not be long.

Rule No. 5: do not clean during working hours

Remember: you are at work, you have a schedule. Switching to washing/tidying/cleaning distracts attention and prevents you from concentrating on business. All household responsibilities must be transferred to non-working hours or weekends. It is better to plan these things in advance.

Rule #6: Keep errands to a minimum

Sometimes home office workers prefer to do family chores (grocery shopping, shopping) during working hours in order to free up a day off. But this is fraught with conflicts: your superiors may need you, or they may need urgent revisions to the project, an urgent call, and a host of other force majeure circumstances. You can manage to finish personal affairs during your lunch break or warn your colleagues in advance that you will not be there at a certain time.

Rule No. 7: Constant self-control

Discipline is the hardest thing about working from home. But you need to set yourself up in such a way that there should be the same order in your head as if you had to go to the office early tomorrow morning. Sanity should always come first. Work at your convenience: someone likes to cope with difficult tasks, leaving simple things for later, others do the opposite. Personal feelings should tell you what is best for you specifically. All people have different abilities to perceive information, so it is impossible to say for sure which option will be most acceptable in a particular situation.

Rule #8: Leave the house at least once a day

An ordinary office worker is forced to leave home every day to get to his place of work. If you work from home, it’s easy to stay within your own walls all day: you can make purchases in online stores, order delivery of food and services. It's tempting, but wrong. It is recommended to take short walks every day, at least around the block. If you are not in the mood or able to go out at all, you can simply breathe fresh air on the balcony and ventilate the room well.

Rule #9: Delegation of Authority

When discussing work schedules, the need to shift childcare responsibilities to assistants or a nanny has already been mentioned. This principle also applies to caring for pets. Use this time to focus as much as possible on your work. Many relatives may tell you that you are at home anyway, why not combine work and caring for children or animals. You can be sure: productivity will drop significantly if you are constantly distracted by children’s requests, feeding them and putting them to bed. Do not agree to such conditions if you want to achieve maximum results in your work.

Rule #10: Be professional

A true professional will never come to a meeting in unkempt clothes or with a rumpled hairstyle. Therefore, be a professional: do not sit at your desk in pajamas and slippers, do not be tempted to spend the day relaxed - this has a detrimental effect on the productivity of the day. You will have better results if you dress neatly and bring your appearance in order. You will become more confident in answering phone calls and feel more composed.

Rule #11: Have reliable technology

Technological progress should come to your home. A few things that will help you work as productively as possible: a modern computer, a home printer, a headset for hands-free calling, a reliable and fast Internet connection, applications for correspondence and management of your schedule and client base. Without these things, your workday simply won't happen.

Rule #12: Making a To-Do List

The main advice is to not enter into a new day blindly. It's important to make a to-do list. Priority is always given to urgent matters that cannot be delayed. It is most effective to plan things in advance in the evening.

Rule #13: Set Clear Boundaries

Working hours are only for work, just like the workspace is only for business. At the end of your working day, the schedule of which you have set yourself, you can confidently “close the door” and go to rest. Don't stay up late unless emergency circumstances require it. Otherwise, the productivity of the next working day will be significantly reduced.

Rule #14: Reward

One of the most rewarding benefits of working from home is the ability to reward yourself without the prying eyes of your co-workers. You can come up with your own reward system - it could be nice little things, purchases or dessert. It is important to follow the sequence of actions and reward yourself fairly, otherwise the whole point of the idea will be lost.

Rule #15: Family support

Try to explain to your family the specifics of your activities and enlist their support. Let them know your work schedule and when they might disturb you. If hints don’t help, a win-win option will help - a door with a lock and a “Do not disturb” sign.