ITList Information Technology Blog » Pace http://itlist.com Current IT field related information Mon, 27 Dec 2010 04:35:43 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 Tips for Effective Time Management http://itlist.com/tips-for-effective-time-management/ http://itlist.com/tips-for-effective-time-management/#comments Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:31:56 +0000 bikram http://itlist.com/?p=2565 Time is one such element which has always evoked mystery, has not stopped for any one. One universal truth – it’s truly beyond anyone’s control. Many of us fail to keep pace with it, often complain about not being able to cope with it and find 24 hours too less for a day. Well, that’s where the need for time management comes. It just takes few techniques to make the best out of 24 hours and accomplish the more throughout a day. Taming the time under own control is possible with these valuable time management tips. Take a look.

  1. Most important criteria for effective time management is organized self. Initially it may be difficult. But try to build up daily ‘to do list’. Such daily planner will keep you organized and disciplined too. Also prioritize events with star mark, which need to be done first.
  2. Get rid off your lazy attitude and pushing things for the next day. What needs to be done in the morning should be done, rather than unnecessarily pushing it to evening or next day. Adhere to your time table, it will keep you stress-free.
  3. If your job asks for big decision, take it as soon as possible rather than avoiding it. Avoiding problems won’t solve them. Act now. Examine the problem, go to its root cause, find solution and execute confidently. Don’t be afraid of risks.
  4. If you are a team worker and you have authority to delegate work, do it effectively. Keep those tasks for yourself which seek your special involvement and attention. Less important tasks you can distribute among your team members. It will help you in managing work pressure and also perform better with good team involvement. Distribution of work load and responsibility will keep all happy.
  5. Take good care of your health. You can perform your duties effectively only when you are mentally and physically fit. So don’t neglect your diet, sleep and mental well being. If your hobbies or your family keep you happy, spend your spare time with them. It will keep you at ease. Don’t forget, happiness is key to success.
  6. Stress is integral part of daily life. But physical activities like sports, exercises, swimming, yoga, cycling, and running help one reduce stress and stay fit. Include them in your daily life. If a spa indulgence or massage helps you to de-stress, go for it.

With these tips you will find time is your best friend and it’s so easy to walk hand in hand with it.

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3 Questions to Ask During Your Job Interview Even When You Are Desperate http://itlist.com/3-questions-to-ask-during-your-job-interview-even-when-you-are-desperate/ http://itlist.com/3-questions-to-ask-during-your-job-interview-even-when-you-are-desperate/#comments Sun, 21 Mar 2010 04:38:13 +0000 bikram http://itlist.com/3-questions-to-ask-during-your-job-interview-even-when-you-are-desperate/ Many people sit on the interview table with a set notion that it is the job of person (s) on the other side of the table to pose question, and their job is limited to providing right answers to questions asked to them. Nothing could be more wrong than this. An interview is not your viva that happened in your school and/or college. It is an opportunity for both the parties to know each other and see if both of you are compatible or not. To this end, both parties need to ask questions. Till now, I have talked a lot about how to properly answer your interviewer. In this article, I will talk about 3 important questions you must ask your interviewer even when you are desperate to get the job.

Question 1: Role and responsibility

This seems obvious, but it is not. The exact role of a sales engineer in one company can be slightly or completely different from the roles and responsibilities of the person on similar job in other company. This applies for all kinds of jobs. Therefore, it is imperative to ask about the role you are expected to play and responsibilities you have to take should you get the job. This will remove the blind spot and help you decide.

Question 2: Whom you will report to

Another seemingly obvious question that cease to sound obvious the moment you step through the giant door of your office on the first day. Save the horror of confusion and sounding horribly stupid by asking this question during your interview. This knowledge will also save you from workplace bullies who like to corner every unprepared newcomer.

Question 3: Work hours

Ask your interviewer what is a typical work hour for a person in your position in the company. Ask for a realistic answer. Do not believe when they say is 9 to 5 or 9 to 6 because it is never so. Work may starts from 9 or 10 or whatever, but never gets over at 5 or 6 or whatever is told to you. The world out there is very competitive, so to keep pace people work for long hours. Hence, you need to ask about work hours in real sense.

Could there be any question more important than these? Let me know your view on this subject.

 

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Exercise At Work To Keep Focus http://itlist.com/exercise-at-work-to-keep-focus/ http://itlist.com/exercise-at-work-to-keep-focus/#comments Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:01:02 +0000 SamElli http://itlist.com/?p=1547 The key to being a better worker is pretty much the same as the key to enjoying virtually every other aspect of life.  Being physically fit makes for better workers, and even if you just have an office job, where your only physical requirement is staying awake during long days in front of your computer screen, the more fit you are, the better of a performance you are going to kick out.  The better shape you are in the sharper your mind stays, this means eating right and exercising regularly.  You’ll be surprised at the results it will have on your personal and professional life.

But there’s more to the exercise to be a better worker concept.  Studies also show that those who find time to exercise at work also kick out better performances on the whole.  There’s a reason Japan has made it a habit to provide for exercise time for every worker during the work day.  Often times taking the entire work force to the roof of their office buildings for a period of cardiovascular activity, before returning to work.

Physical activity has a way of resetting your mind if you’ve been having trouble working through a particular issue at work, giving you a reprieve to reset yourself, and better focus on something else.  Your mind will be better off for it, and when you return to work you’ll feel more relaxed and you’ll be able to concentrate much more effectively.  Exercising works out stress, and emotional tension that you may have, freeing yourself so you can continue in the grind.

A few exercises you can do at the office with ease include:

You could sit on an exercise ball instead of a chair for a period of time.  This will strengthen core and back muscles, improve posture, and burn a few extra calories.

Stand up once every hour or so, flap your arms around a bit and walk around, even if you only have a small space to walk around.  Pace back and forth, and move your arms, this will get your blood pumping, and help you refocus, and calm yourself.

Get a wireless headset for your phone so you aren’t stuck being stationary at your desk while you’re talking.  This way you are free to move about, and motion is always a good thing for keeping you focused and exercised.

Finally, anytime you need to navigate between floors at work, try using the stairs instead of an elevator.  This will help you get in much more physical activity than you would normally be getting, keep your heart working, your blood pumping, and your stress as far away as possible.

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Increase Your Productivity http://itlist.com/increase-your-productivity/ http://itlist.com/increase-your-productivity/#comments Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:38:28 +0000 SamElli http://itlist.com/?p=1426 During the daily grind it’s very easy to fall off the wagon and have a day where you don’t feel as though you were quite as productive as you should have been.  Some days you may just feel everything has gotten too monotonous and are forced to sit at your desk and zone out because of the fact.  Or you may just be having an off day, as everyone does at some point, and usually more than just the one time. But there are plenty of things you can do to increase your productivity, day by day, and help yourself fight off your urges to be anything less than productive.

Clean up your desk, as a first option.  Keep your workstation clean and neat looking, as that will always improve your mood and increase the likelihood that you will feel better, and feeling better means productivity.  A clean work station is a happy workstation after all.

Organize that desktop, it’s not enough for your station to just be clean, but you should have everything well organized as well.  The better your organization is, the more you’ll be able to accomplish quickly.  Accomplishing your goals at a comfortable, quick pace will help you feel better, and a positive attitude will help you continue working hard and being as productive as possible.

Don’t let your email ruin your workday.  Everyone has trouble keeping up with their inboxes over the course of the day, but the key is to know when you’re too bogged down, and when it’s okay to give up on trying to keep up with everything for the day.  If you find yourself trapped within the depths of your inbox, try to find the messages that are most pressing, and concentrate on those, leaving the ones that are not as urgent for a later time.  This way you won’t feel trapped, and will be able to keep a positive productivity healthy attitude.

Finally, don’t surf the internet at work.  Reading about stories, or visiting fun websites at work can be bad for your personal morale, as it will remind you that you are stuck at work, even if you do not want to be.  Commit that time at work completely to the job, and focus more on accomplishing your tasks, and taking positives from that.  This way you stay focused, and upbeat about work, not about what else you could be doing with your time.

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