7 Delightful Benefits of Getting Organized

Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it's not all mixed up.  ~A.A. Milne

It is a productive habit to get organized. It means you plan ahead for everything you do such as your daily life, making a trip or getting ready for a presentation.  Spending a little time to get organized reaps many wonderful benefits:

1.      Save time: Getting things done at the same time on the same spot is more efficient than moving about to get a job done.  Being organized means spending less time in doing actual work and gaining more free time to do what you like and get better quality of life. Always plan ahead to achieve the expected results.

Failing to plan is planning to fail. ~Alan lakein
 

2.      Save money: Organize your documents such as your credit card statements so that you pay on time to avoid late payment charges and also avoid negative impact of your credit worthiness. Do you waste money to replace items you can’t find at home? Getting organized and avoiding clutter at home are effective ways to reduce expenses.

3.      Reduce stress: When you are organized at work. You meet deadlines without feeling overwhelmed or the need to rush about. It is simply planning your work and working your plan. You are also able to accommodate unavoidable interruptions if you have given allowance to meet delay or unexpected emergencies.

It is best to do things systematically, since we are only human, and disorder is our worst enemy. ~Hesiod

4.      Achieve more: Getting organized is getting more important things done in less time. You are not trying to do more by squeezing more work into the available time, but to use the free time for creative uses.

Have a time and place for everything, and do everything in its time and place, and you will not only accomplish more, but have far more leisure than those who are always hurrying. ~Tryon Edwards

5.      In control: An organized person is a confident person. He or she is in control of their activities. To get organized is to be free, avoiding confusion and getting clearer thoughts for better decisions.

Good order is the foundation of all things. ~Edmund Burke

6.      Less clutter at home and at work: You will be able to locate things easily and quickly when you are organized at home and at work. Each item has its place in the house and at the workplace. You are more effective.   

7.      More productive: When you are organized, you are able to focus on the task at hand , work  with peace of mind and nothing else to worry about.

Organization is not an option, it is a fundamental survival skill and distinct competitive advantage. ~ Pam N. Woods

Start now and take small steps to organize your life and time. 

7 Powerful Reasons to Communicate at Work

To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others. ~ Anthony Robbins

Effective communication is essential to get things done at the workplace smoothly as planned with expected outcome.  The following reasons support the importance of communication at work:   

1.       To inform: This is the way to update the staff and keep them well-informed of the happenings in and around the company. With proper information workers can improve customer services with reliable facts and figures.  Staff will get to understand the company better and be engaged. It is an effective way to build bond and trust. To inform is to treat the workers as part of a family. 

2.       To clarify: Proper communication at the right time is crucial to avoid confusion and misunderstanding.  When changes are taking place in a company, communicate to reduce fear and conflict.  It is a good way to control the situation.

3.       To motivate: The most effective way to get commitment from the staff is to motivate them.  Appreciate and value their contribution by expressing praise and compliment. Getting noticed for doing a good job is important to boost their enthusiasm and confidence at work.

4.       To teach: If you want others to get things done as envisaged, you have got to teach and educate them. Let people know what is expected.  Share stories of success to inspire the workers.

5.       To understand: To socialize with your staff better is to get to know them better. Talk to them and listen. It is a fruitful way to connect and improve relationships with fellow workers. It also demonstrates the importance of those people that you engage with.

6.       To ask: To communicate is also to obtain feedback and find out what the staff want and do the right things in the best interest of the staff and the company.

7.       To work as a team: When communication is aligned with actions, it is a powerful way to influence others to achieve goals collectively. When an austerity drive is initiated, senior staff responded with pay cut, their action will encourage others to watch and trim expenses. 

 Communication works for those who work at it. ~John Powell

5 Successful Ways for Newly Employed

If you put all your strength and faith and vigor into a job and try to do the best you can, the money will come. ~Lawrence Welk

Congratulations!  You have successfully secured your first job.  Take the opportunity to do the right things from the beginning.  Developing good habits and building a long-term career for advancement are the steps to take. Here are five things that matter the most when you have just started out:

1.       Build trust: You were employed because of your technical capabilities. The employer is not so sure how much you can be trusted in how you do the job. It is important to build the trust of others in you right from the beginning. Go to work early. Get the job done fully as required and promise only when you can deliver. It takes a long time to build trust. Work diligently to build your reputation.     

2.       Reaching out: The first important thing is to get to know your job. Be observant, listen and learn from others. As you learn write it down because you cannot remember everything. Get to know the nitty gritty of your job by asking questions. Be humble so that others will tech you willingly. Find out the structure and culture of the establishment. Be willing to accept criticism with an open mind.

3.       Build relationships: Building rapport with fellow colleagues by remembering people’s names. Acknowledge others with a smile. Cooperate with other and get things done as instructed so that you will be likable.

4.       Work hard: There is no substitute for hard work. You can work smart but you still have to put in effort and be ready to do more to show your interest in your new job.  Working more and talking less is the way to go.

The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work. ~Harry Golden

5.       Be responsible:  Show excitement and enthusiasm in your new job. Whatever you do your work comes first. This is to establish commitment. Do what you have to do, big or small, meticulously and aim for excellence.

There is joy in work. There is no happiness except in the realization that we have accomplished something. ~Henry Ford

To find out what one is fitted to do, and to secure an opportunity to do it, is the key to happiness. ~John Dewey

Top 30 All-Time Personal Finance Posts (Part 3)

21. Why You Should Keep Your Credit Cards


Are you thinking of cancelling your credit cards for good? Before you do, consider the following:




22. 7 More Effective Ways to Save Money

What are the children asking from Santa Claus this year? Here are the answers:

A job for their mom or dad. Money for the heating bill. Food or a place to live. Maybe gloves or boots.

Time is so bad that children don’t ask for things for themselves. It boils down to the fact that we really need to save for a rainy day. Here are more ways to save effectively:

23.  How Many Bank Accounts do You Need to Manage Your Personal Finance? 


One of the aims of personal finance is to control your spending according to your budget. It is also part of your financial plan to save sufficiently.  An effective way to achieve your goals in these two areas is to maintain three separate bank accounts.

24. Malaysia’s Credit Rating and Ringgit Foreign Exchange Rates

According to Standard & Poor , the long-term local-currency rating for Malaysia was cut to A from A+, with a stable outlook, while the foreign-currency rating was affirmed at A-. The downgrade has impacted negatively the exchange rate against other major currencies. 

A weak Ringgit stimulates expert but discourages import. It will cost you more when your children are studying abroad or when you purchase items online at Amazon.    

25.  Can You Choose Wisely Between Savings and Debt Settlement?

You are in debt and you also want to save for a rainy day. What do you do? If your income is comfortable enough to cover savings and settling debt, it is good to do both at the same time -reduce your debt and build up your nest egg. What if your fund is limited and you have to make a choice? I would suggest you pay off your debt first. The reasons are not hard to find:

26. Tortoise’s Way of Making Money

You must have heard about the story of the race between a hare and a tortoise and eventually the tortoise won the race slowly but steadily. Similarly you can’t get rich quickly in investment. Making money is for the long-haul:

27. 10 Tips to Avoid a Default on a Car Loan and Bankruptcy

According to a news item in The Star, there were more than 500 bankruptcy cases every month due to failure of people to service loans for their hire-purchase of motor vehicles during the past five months this year. How can you prevent such a thing from happening to you? 

28. Wisely Selecting a Savings Account

In mid November Charles wrote a fantastic post addressing how to decide between paying down debt or saving. His bottom line: your debt interest rate will always be higher than your savings account APY, so pay down your debt.

But, what if your debt is under control? Below I highlight some key metrics to analyze when selecting a savings account, in addition to showcasing some of the best savings accounts on the market! 

29. What an Emergency Fund Can do for Your Car Loans and Credit Card Debts

Your current earning may be good enough for you to qualify for a car loan or get you credit cards. However, it is not good enough when you are unemployed. You need an emergency fund.    

30.  Effective Ways to Avoid Credit Card Debt


The most important thing about  credit cards is your mindset. When you have a credit card, what is in your mind? Are you going to entertain yourself and your friends with the card or to buy things your want on credit? Stop thinking about the word credit and treat your credit card like cash. Take advantage of your credit card for the following purposes only:

Top 5 Things to Do In Life

Our biggest regrets are not for the things we have done but for the things we haven't done. 
~ Chad Michael Murray

Nurse reveals the top 5 regrets people make on their deathbed is a touching account of those who are about to die and confess their regret for what they did not do in their life. It is never too late to learn from their mistakes and do the right things in life:

1.      Do what you want to do: Avoid people who give you negative feedbacks to discourage you from going after your dreams. Accepting challenges is an effective way to grow in life. Live your dreams and live your life. You will regret later because you fail to achieve what you want dearly in life.

The great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do. ~ Walter Bagehot  

2.      Do not neglect your family: The key is a balanced life. You can work hard and smart but at the end of a day your family still comes first. Spend quality time with spouse and children. Money will not buy you the harmony of a family life because your presence is more important than anything else.

 A man should never neglect his family for business. ~Walt Disney

3.      Express your feelings: You never know how soon is too late. Express your love to your loved ones. Say thank you to people who serves you. Write an appreciation letter to someone who has support you. Be grateful to your employer for giving you a job you like and enjoy. Count your blessings and express your kind thoughts.

Life is very short and what we have to do must be done in the now. ~ Audre Lorde

4.      Be happy: Do remember that happiness is a choice. You will regret in life when you keep postponing your happiness to a future date which never arrives. Live in the moment, enjoy what you do every day and fill your life with happiness. 

The purpose of our lives is to be happy. ~Dalai Lama

5.      Be connected: The most important thing is to pay attention. Find out what is happening in other people’s life and express your concern. Always call and stay in touch. Meet from time to time to catch up with each other and celebrate the success and mourn their losses of those in your circle.

I do believe we're all connected. I do believe in positive energy. I do believe in the power of prayer. I do believe in putting good out into the world. And I believe in taking care of each other. ~Harvey Fierstein

The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time. ~Mark Twain

5 Free and Easy Ways to Promote Your Blog Posts

When you have posted a new article, it is just the beginning of your daily work. The next 5 steps are important to broadcast to the world of your new post or else nobody will know it because there are close to 182 million blogs in the blogosphere, according to Blogpulse. These 5 free and easy steps will be effective to send traffic to your site. It will only take you 10 to 15 minute to do No. 1 to No. 3.   

1.      Pingfm: I go to Pingfm to notify all social networking sites at once when I have posted a new post on my blog. Among the sites are Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, FriendFeed and Delicious. All those who are connected with me will get to know my new post. They can click the link and be directed to my site to read my post.

2.      Blog carnival: Next, I join relevant blog carnivals with the new article. When your article is accepted by the host of the carnival, your article link is listed together with others in a carnival post. The regular readers of the host’s blog will follow the link and go to your site.  

3.      Google+: At the moment, Google + is not listed in Pingfm, so I do it manually and ping my new post at Google+. Those who have added me in their circles will be notified of my new post.

4.      RSS: It is done automatically by FeedBurner when you have set up the feed at your site. Your RSS readers will be able to read the full feed when your post is live. They are able to read your post without going to your site, but they are your loyal followers. They may recommend their friends to visit your site.     

5.      Email: It is also handled automatically by FeedBurner when there is a form at your site to subscribe to your blog posts. Email Subscribers will just open their mail to read your new post. They may not go to your site, but your post can go viral when they like it and redirect to their friends. It will prompt their friends to visit your site.

When you promote your blog posts, you are also promoting your website to be more authoritative, influential and popular.

·         Technorati: Current links that you have created when your posts are accepted in blog carnivals are valuable for your Technorati Authority and its ranking.  The more links mean higher ranking for your blog.

·         PageRank: When your posts are popular and other authoritative sites are linking to you, it will be a boost to your PageRank.

·         Traffic Rank: More people reading your posts mean more traffic to your site. When your site is active you will achieve better Alexa ranking.

·         Klout: When more people respond, share and act upon your content, you will be getting more influential as indicated by your Klout score. 

·         Social outlets: Are you getting more followers? Do they “like” your posts? You will attract more people to connect with you when what you have written are what they are looking for.

You don’t have to pay a single cent to promote your blog posts. Are you doing it?

Quote

Life is a grindstone.Whether it grinds us down or polish us  up depends on us.



L. Thomas Holdcroft