Business Education

Entrepreneurs Can Use These 5 Tricks to Fight Drowsy Days

Everyone pushes through drowsy days. In fact, a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals 35 percent of adults ages 18 through 60 do not get the recommended 7 hours per night. That leads to a perpetual sense of tiredness. And, if this affects you, you know full well it’s not good for your productivity. But, if you’re unable to get a decent night’s sleep, you’ll need ways to cope to get through the workday.

5 Ways to Beat Drowsy Workdays

There’s a lot you can stop doing to be successful in business. When it comes to sleep, you can also stop doing a few things. First and foremost, give yourself some tech-free time in the evening, particularly before you go to bed. About an hour before you go to sleep, turn off or silence your phone, tablet, laptop, desktop, and other devices. Also, get in a routine. Go to bed and wake up at the same time.

We live in a fast-paced world where everything is quicker and more urgent. In leadership, in business, and in life, it seems we’re always behind: It needed to be done yesterday! It needs to be done now! Why isn’t it already done? Our days are hectic and our nights are busy. We constantly have to be on and available. Unsurprisingly, the side effects of this constant rush include an epidemic of fatigue. —Inc.com

When you’re an entrepreneur, you work long, hard hours. And, it’s not easy to just relax and unwind at night when you have so much idle time. It’s natural to mull over the day and to plan ahead for tomorrow. But, you need a good night’s rest to be your best. However, you can’t let go and toss and turn through the night. Now, that familiar mid-afternoon 3 o’clock yawn grips you. What do you do? You need to make a good impression when you have a face-to-face meeting. Even if it’s just another day, without a big agenda, you might still need to fight fatigue. Here are a few helpful suggestions for beating those drowsy workdays:

Leave your workspace. Being in the same environment for hours can easily lead to boredom (especially if you’re already tired). So, do yourself a favor and get outside. A walk around the block. A trip to the nearest mall for some quick window shopping. Just get out of the office for 15 or 20 minutes.
Have a quick, healthy snack. Fruits, vegetables, and nuts are excellent sources of nutrition. And, some even help perk up your blood sugar levels. That’s enough to give you some more energy. It’s also a great way to counteract the effects of a big lunch that bogs you down.
Do a little exercise. You don’t necessarily have to go outside to reinvigorate yourself (although it does really help). You can exercise right in your workspace. Do a few stretches and follow-up with some simple calisthenics.
Tackle a few no-brainers. Tiredness can also be made worse by staying on a difficult task. One solution is to go with a few mundane chores. Take out the trash, clean the kitchen, organize your desk, anything that doesn’t require a lot of concentration will do the trick.
Play some music. It’s a well-known fact that music stimulates the brain. And, it also impacts the body itself. So, put on some of your favorite tunes and get into the rhythm. Your attitude will quickly improve and you’ll feel reinvigorated.

What do you do to power your way through a drowsy afternoon? What methods allow you to cope the best? Please share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a comment!

Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

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Why Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner Teaches Us a Great Business Lesson

December 11, 2017 No Comments

Yes; you read the title correctly, hosting Thanksgiving dinner can teach us a very good business lesson. How; you might ask? Well, think about it this way. When Thanksgiving rolls around and you’re hosting dinner, what’s one of the first concerns which goes off in your head? Of course, being anxious about getting the meal cooked right is one. But, equal to that is how much of a mess your home is! You begin to panic. It’s a total mess. Things are everywhere. The floor is dirty. And, you notice just how cluttered it is. Time to do some serious cleaning and organizing. Why Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner Teaches Us a Great Business Lesson It’s a known fact that where you work affects just how you work. For example, if you worked in a chaotic environment, like an elementary classroom, you’d have little choice but to stay well-organized. However, too many business professionals let their workplace become disorganized. And, it causes needless wasting of time. So you’ve got a messy office you’d like to tame. We’ve all been there, and many of us still are there. You may think that the people behind your favorite productivity and organization blogs are immune to such things like clutter and disorganization, but more often than not we’re brimming with organization tips, tricks, and solutions because of our own struggles with disorganization. —Lifehacker.com Now, you might disagree. There are people who believe a messy workplace doesn’t really matter at all. But, it actually does. Organization is a key factor. It’s particularly integral to success. Without organization, there’s too many loose ends. Those can easily become distractions. Or worse, cause serious problems. How to Do Office Organization Right When you ignore disorganization, it inevitably comes back to bite you. It’s a quasi-blind spot. A well-organized workplace has big advantages. First and foremost, it gives you a genuine feeling of control and competence. That directly translates into improved and increased productivity. Second, because it’s organized, you’re more free of pointless or counterproductive distractions. Third, it allows you to put your focus where it bests serves your interests. So, let’s look at how to do office organization right: Purge with purpose. The first step is to get rid of as much junk and useless stuff as possible. Purge everything that’s unnecessary or unusable. Take this seriously and you’ll feel an instant sense of gratification. You’ll also be amazed how much space you free up. Designate catch-it spaces. There are all kinds of things that come into a workspace, be it an office, a workshop, or retail store. So, designate where that stuff goes. For instance, a place for things like an umbrella, bags or briefcases. As well as a place for incoming documents and other things. Basically, live the phrase, “A place for everything and everything in its place.” Keep your workspace clutter free. The single best way to stay organized is to keep clutter away. Don’t ignore junk, things, and stuff that come into your workspace or you’ll fall right back into the same cycle. Keep it free of clutter and you’ll develop a good habit. Prioritize and always act accordingly. Another good habit to develop is prioritizing. It’s a great way to know what’s next and what can wait. A shotgun approach is a sure-fire way to disorganization and confusion. Plus, you’re unlikely to get very much done. How do you deal with junk and get organized? Have you found you’re more productive when your office is neatly organized? Please share your thoughts and experiences by commenting! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

How to Avoid People Who Waste Your Time

May 24, 2017 No Comments

Successful business entrepreneurs obsess over their companies and know instinctively the phrase, “time is money,” is true. It’s why business owners hire others to do tasks they could otherwise do themselves: accounting, marketing, paperwork, and so on. However, not everyone in the world of business is adept at executing, some, talk and do so a lot — a whole lot. They procrastinate, squander time on trivial tasks, and have long conversations without an objective. What’s worse, is some of us are not only susceptible to time wasters, we’re also enablers. How to Avoid People who Waste Your Time Enablers are generally very caring, thoughtful individuals and they don’t like to hurt others’ feelings. Even business people who are laser focused and get things done are time waster enablers, because they interact and hire them. While it seems completely counterintuitive, you don’t really know a person’s qualities until you get to know him or her through your work together. Someone might appear to be just as focused and enthusiastic but appearances can be misleading. We’re all too busy, spending our days in back-to-back meetings and our nights feverishly responding to emails. (Adam Grant, a famously responsive Wharton professor, told me that on an “average day” he’ll spend 3-4 hours answering messages.) That’s why people who waste our time have become the scourge of modern business life, hampering our productivity and annoying us in the process. —Harvard Business Review You contract and hire individuals based on their previous work but it isn’t until you really begin to interact with them you learn their true character traits. While you might be impressed with their body of work, you probably aren’t at all eager to become a victim of someone who wastes your time. The really big problem to overcome is to spot time wasters and that’s very difficult, because it could be anybody, not just an employee or contractor, but also a partner, vendor, customer or client. The trick is to identify as soon as possible those who are most likely to waste your time from those who get things done. You can do this by looking for certain personality extremes: Negative individuals. Head down, slumped shoulders, complete with a scowl or frown, negative people tend to broadcast their misery physically with body language. Even those who manage to look composed will definitely show their true colors when speaking. They portray themselves as victims, bring you and others down, and worst of all, waste your time. Super happy people. Happy-go-luckily, big smile, with large, enthusiastic stride, super happy individuals might be a blast and cheer others up, but, these people can be a bit too exuberant. These can easily be signs of immaturity and even though jubilant, they’re not serious about much of anything. These individuals will definitely liven up a room, but, they’ll also waste your time and do so with a big grin and bellowing laughter. You’ll be trying to get things done while they’re cracking jokes and carrying-on. Gossip spreaders. People who can’t wait to tell you the latest about this or that with him or her are to be avoided at all costs because they’re involving you in the drama as well, even if you don’t know it. Individuals that take gossip to a whole new level aren’t interested about getting things done, they are only interested in spreading rumors and stirring-up drama to justify their agenda. Emotional people. Speaking of drama, those who revel in spreading rumors and gossiping can also be very prone to being emotional. They go from one extreme to another and never seem to be on an even keel. These individuals do little else than waste their own time, as well as others. They tend to be irrational and irritable and ought to be completely avoided. Another two personality types who can be total time wasters are attention seekers and self-centered individuals. The former will always want to be the center of attention, no matter where they might be, while the latter will step on toes and cross lines in a self-serving manner. This is why it’s imperative to surround yourself with positive, focused individuals who get things done and share your enthusiasm so that you can achieve your goals. Want to find out about what a business coach can do for you? [shareaholic app=”follow_buttons” id=”26833294″]

Why Young People Avoid the Trades (And How Business Owners Can Change That)

March 18, 2026 No Comments

The trades are entering a new era. The next decade will bring major changes in workforce demographics, technology and business models. Companies that adapt will thrive. Invest in leadership Future trade businesses will rely on strong leaders who can manage teams, develop talent and maintain culture. Leadership development should be a priority for every growing company. Develop systems Successful businesses rely on systems that allow them to scale operations while maintaining quality. Processes for training, project management and communication help companies grow sustainably. Prepare the next generation Ultimately, the future of the trades depends on the next generation of workers. Companies that invest in recruiting, training and mentoring young professionals will shape the future of the industry. The trades have always been about building things that last. Now it’s time to build businesses that do the same.

Entrepreneurs Can Use These 5 Tricks to Fight Drowsy Days

5 Ways to Beat Drowsy Workdays

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Why Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner Teaches Us a Great Business Lesson

How to Avoid People Who Waste Your Time

Why Young People Avoid the Trades (And How Business Owners Can Change That)

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