10 Horrible Habits You're Doing Right Now That Are Draining Your Energy

One of the greatest ways that you can improve your daily productivity is to cut out habits that drain your motivation. They give you less energy to tackle the day and decrease happiness levels. The challenge is that life is full of distractions.
That being said, letting the distractions consume you will make going through each day much more difficult. You should, instead, look for places in your life that you can change in order to have more energy and motivation. Doing so will increase your output and your well-being.
Here are 10 habits you can quit today that will dramatically increase your energy and motivation, which will lead you to a more productive lifestyle:

 

1. Worrying About What is Out of Your Control

There will be hard times and tough situations that you will find yourself in throughout life. Worrying about something that is out of your control, though, does not accomplish anything.

You cannot control the decisions that the government is making or an unlucky event that happened to you. All you can do is decide what to do next. Although it is challenging to get rid of the angst and constant nagging in your mind, accepting whatever has happened as a given will free up a significant amount of mental space and energy.

 2. Always being a perfectionist.

Not everything is going to be perfect. That is inevitable. There are times when perfection matters, but typically it does not. Therefore, do not let yourself become obsessed with perfection. It is draining because getting something from 95 percent to 100 percent can often be as much work as getting from 1 percent to 95 percent in the first place. Instead, pick your battles. You will free up energy and increase your motivation.

3. Getting sucked up in what others care about.

There will always be people talking or complaining about something. When it is an event or situation that you do not care about, getting caught up in it is draining.
Even 20 minutes with your friends, while they complain about their bosses, will take energy away from you. It is tiring to listen to negative people. You might even be influenced to think the same about your boss when that is not the case. Instead, avoid situations like that. Do not let yourself get distracted or tired from things that you do not care about.

4. Helping people who don't want to be helped.

You might have a loved one that is going through a hard time. It is important to support them however you can. That being said, you cannot change them. The change has to come internally.
Plus, it is exhausting to support others through challenging times. Deciding who to help is at your discretion. In situations where you cannot help, though, it is illogical to try. Sometimes, people refuse to be helped. In these cases, you will only walk away frustrated, tired, and the other person will be no better off.
Look out for these times. Doing so will save you a lot of energy trying to help when it will not achieve much.

5. Paying undue attention to all the subtle actions and words of others.

The words and actions of others can get us down. In some cases, those words and actions can teach us things about ourselves that are valuable to know.
In most cases, though, we read too much into it. Do not worry about the tone of the text message that your friend sent or the small interaction you had with them the other day. They could have just been in a rush or in a bad place.
There are times to worry and think about these words and actions, but pick your battles and understand that the little things are often insignificant. When you are unsure, instead of letting it get to you, just ask.

6. Spending time with people who bring you down.

Over the past few years I'm surrounded myself with only people I really enjoy being around. This wasn't always the case. When starting out my entrepreneurial carreer I surrounded myself with people who would make me money. This was the wrong approach to life. I hated myself each and every day. I dreaded not living up to their expectations. This would always bring me down. 
Instead, surround yourself with people that lift you up. People that accept you for who you are. I would even go as far as to manage your calendar to find a time where you can all be together in person. These times are some of the best times in my life. Times that I live for and get me through the hard times.

7. Doing work you do not enjoy.

It is inevitable to have work we do not enjoy occasionally. If this is your full-time job, though, you should try and change your situation. We work, on average, 40 hours a week. Often, it is a lot more. Therefore, I highly recommend finding work that you love. Spending 8 hours a day doing something that exhausts you without much in return is extremely counterproductive.
I'm not saying to quit your job, but, rather, to try and find something you enjoy more.

8. Skipping your workouts.

It is easy to hit snooze on your alarm or to go directly home after work instead of the gym. Doing so, though, will leave you worse off. Working out releases endorphins, it gives you time to decompress, and it leaves you feeling more healthy.
Missing workouts is an extremely negative habit because of all that it takes away from you. Instead, push yourself to workout a few times a week. It might be tough to motivate in the moment, but it is always worth it.

9. Thinking about unfortunate past events.

 Harping on the past is easy. It gives us a place to point fingers, make excuses and wish for different outcomes. Similar to worrying about what is out of your control, though, thinking about the past does not accomplish anything. It just takes away motivation from the current moment. It will get you down about your situation and wishing that things had played out differently.
Instead, all there is to do now is move forward. 

10. Struggling to say no to people.

We, overwhelmingly, feel a need to please those around us. That is why it is so tough to say no to others. Sometimes, this is good because it pushes us out of our comfort zone. Many times, though, it is harmful. You end up taking on responsibilities or doing things that you do not want.
The solution is to learn how to say no. The transition is difficult at first, but people will respect you for it. Plus, it will give you significantly more time and power to commit to other things.
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You Shouldn't Fear Your Competitors. You Should Learn From Them.

 Shouldn't Fear Your Competitors. You Should Learn From Them.

As is true in most industries, there are days where it probably seems like every time you turn around you've got some new competitor to deal with. Your market space was already a tight one - now you've got to worry just as much about the companies that are vying for the same market as you do about the market itself.

For as frustrating as this can be, however, it also represents a fantastic opportunity that is just waiting to be taken advantage of if you really know what you're doing.

At the end of the day, you shouldn't actually fear your competitors at all. You should see them as a source of education and inspiration.

The Canary in the Coal Mine


One of the biggest reasons why you should try to learn from your competitors instead of fear them has to do with the fact that you're trying to accomplish the same goal. You just have two completely different approaches about how to best do that. You're still operating in the same industry, and you're still trying to reach the same basic audience. From a marketing perspective alone, this is much more exciting than you probably realize.

Remember that success in marketing comes down to knowing as much about your audience as possible to get the right message in front of the right people at the right time. When your closest competitor launches a particularly successful marketing campaign, sit back and ask yourself "why?" Dive deep into exactly what they did and how they did it. What language choices did they make? What print avenues did they explore? What part of their timing played a roll in their success? Did they do anything particularly noteworthy in terms of font or other design selection?

The same is true when your competitor's campaigns fail, too. Why did your competitor's campaign fail to strike a chord with your audience? What mistake did they make? What incorrect information were they working from? How can you avoid this problem yourself?

From a certain point of view, it's almost like you get to naturally A/B test every campaign that you run without spending additional money because you've always got someone trying to hit targets that are very similar to yours. Pay attention to what they're doing and see what works and what doesn't. Then, figure out how to adapt this information to your own efforts. Rest assured, they're probably looking at you in the same way.

You're All in this Together


An even more important reason why you shouldn't fear your competitors is also a simple one: you're truly all in this together. Think about it like this: the audience that you're trying to serve and the audience that your closest competitors are trying to serve are one in the same. You've both pledged to make the lives of these people better through your products and services. Make no mistake, this is a terrific situation to be in for everyone involved.

For starters, competition is healthy. Every time your closest competitor hits a home run with a new product launch or marketing campaign, it shouldn't make you depressed - it should make you want to wake up tomorrow morning and try that much harder.

Your audience will absolutely benefit from this healthy sense of competition and that is an incredibly important position to be in for all of you.
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Branded Promotional Products Make a HUGE Marketing Impact

Branded Promotional Products Make a HUGE Marketing Impact

People love free stuff; they always have, they always will. This is why branded promotional products are so effective. It doesn't even necessarily matter what "it" is. So long as it's free, people are going to come running.


Choosing the right type of promotional products can have a huge marketing impact because of their longevity and because they're functional in a way that people truly appreciate. If you're thinking about experimenting with branded promotional products but aren't sure if it's something that will be worth your time and effort, here are a few key reasons why now would be an excellent time to start.


Branded Promotional Products Earn You the Right Kind of Attention
 
According to a recent study, 53% of people used some type of promotional product at least once per week. More than that, six out of every 10 of them said that they tend to keep promotional products for up to two years.


This means that when you invest money in creating that attractive and helpful branded tote bag, you're essentially putting a piece of marketing collateral out into the world that someone will carry with them for around two years. That is 24 months worth of opportunities for them to use that bag in public, acting essentially as a walking billboard. That's a long period of time to effortlessly keep your brand at the forefront of someone's mind.


Integrating Branded Promotional Products Into Your Larger Campaigns
 
Branded promotional products compliment your other marketing efforts and earn a place among all the other techniques you're using. You also need to know when and where to roll them out. If you're the type of company that will be appearing at a trade show, for example, branded promotional products like USB chargers or even fidget spinners are terrific because they can attract attention to your booth and help guarantee that every personal interaction gets off on the right foot.


Think about it like this - the first known use of branded products as a form of marketing dates all the way back to 1789 when a guy you may have heard of named George Washington was trying to get elected president. The commemorative buttons he used at the time undeniably made an impact on the message he was trying to spread. If it worked for George Washington, you could bet that it will work pretty well for you, too.


When you also consider the fact that adding a promotional product into your larger marketing strategy can increase the effectiveness of your other types of collateral by up to 44%, you begin to get a better understanding of why the "all of the above" strategy is one that is more than worth exploring. 
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Why Developing Good Leaders is Critical to Your Business' Success

 Regardless of the type of business you're running or even the industry that you find yourself operating in, everyone knows that quality leadership is essential. It's equally essential for you to realize that leadership doesn't begin and end with whoever's name is on the door. Experience goes a long way, but the type of raw, natural talent necessary to become a good leader isn't something that can necessarily be taught. It's something you're born with.

That's why when you do recognize that you've got the makings of an excellent leader working with you, it is imperative that you do whatever it takes to help cultivate and develop that talent whenever possible.

Identifying Good Leaders
 
First thing's first: not everyone working for your company has the makings of a good leader, regardless of how you currently feel about them. According to one recent study, only about one out of every ten people have the talent necessary to rise to this status. That means that spotting a candidate isn't something that is just going to happen every day.

When you do see someone with the qualities of an excellent leader, you'll know it. They're usually the first people to arrive and the last to leave. They're the people who keep a consistently cool head under pressure and who naturally seem to help elevate the rest of their teams to the level where everyone involved is doing their best work. They work incredibly hard for seemingly no reward at all because they just don't know any other way to go about their day.

When you see someone who fits that description, make a note of it. They're probably going to be running your business one day.
 
The Development Process

Once you have identified one of these fabled "good leaders," the first thing you have to do is support them in any and all ways that you can. Never be shy about feedback, even when it's critical in nature. The chances are high that they're the type of person who welcomes constructive criticism anyway. Don't just tell them what they're doing correctly; make sure they know what they can do to improve and, more importantly, how they can do it.
Next, challenge them whenever possible. Don't throw your growing leaders into the proverbial deep end of the pool to fend for themselves, but don't allow them to simply spin their wheels either. Challenge and adversity are two important qualities that make all of us stronger. Little by little, this person will start to grow and evolve in front of your eyes and your business will become all the better for it. 

Looking Towards the Horizon 

Finally, remember that good leaders are an investment in the future of your company. Good leaders don't just help in terms of collaboration and more substantial productivity.  They're also innovation creation engines at the same time. By taking the time to develop the good leaders in your midsts today, you're going a long way towards guaranteeing future success for your business.
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Why You Should STOP Checking Your Email First Thing in the Morning

Thanks to smartphones and other types of mobile devices, we're more connected to the world around us than ever before. This certainly has both its advantages and disadvantages.

On the one hand, it's never been easier to get more done while on-the-go. You can be just as productive in your office as you can be halfway across the globe on vacation.

On the other hand, this can lead to a definite feeling that "switching off" is impossible - especially when you consider that according to one recent study, 61% of people check their phones within five minutes of waking up in the morning.

From a certain perspective, this makes a bit of sense - after all, if you want to get as much done in a day as possible it stands to reason that you should check those emails that piled up overnight as soon as you can, right? Well, not necessarily. There are some compelling reasons why you should STOP checking your email first thing in the morning, especially if you're concerned about productivity.

You're Doing More Harm Than Good

The main reason why you should stop checking your emails right when you wake up in the morning is that you're doing a lot more harm than you are good. According to one study, 66% of people say that the first thing they do in the morning is either A) check their email, or B) listen to their voicemail. So don't worry - you are hardly the only person out there making this mistake.

To understand why this is such a problem, consider the fact that according to Forbes the average person checks their email roughly 15 times per day. When people limited their checking to just three times per day, however, their productivity increased, and their stress levels decreased. Part of the problem is that when you check your email, you're at the total will of whatever messages you find. Everything else gets moved to the back burner. It's also particularly stressful if you're waiting for a reply to an important email that hasn't arrived yet.

So why, exactly, would you want to cause yourself that level of stress in the morning?

By both limiting the number of times that you check your email throughout the day AND by making sure that it isn't the first thing you do in the morning, you're in a much better position to get your day off on the right foot. You're beginning your day in the most stress-free way possible, giving yourself a little breathing room to contextualize your priorities and lay out the day ahead without distraction.

In the End

These are just a few of the many reasons why you should STOP checking your email first thing in the morning. Yes, the instinct to try to get as much done in a day is a strong one - especially for a career-driven professional such as yourself. But you need to understand that you are quickly reaching a breaking point - "diminishing returns" doesn't even begin to describe it.

Minimize the number of times that you check email throughout the day and pick your spots very carefully. Your productivity levels, not to mention your stress levels, will thank you for it. 
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Best Practices For Integrating Your Remote Workforce

Best Practices For Integrating Your Remote Workforce

As technology continues to evolve, so do the lives we lead - both personally and professionally. According to one study conducted by Gallup, nearly 43% of employees in the United States spent at least some time working remotely in 2016 - a significant 4% jump from just a few years earlier in 2012. Remote work is such an attractive proposition that it has even begun to play a major role in an employee's decision of whether to work for a particular company - something that poses a number of interesting implications for their employers.

Chief among them is the idea of what a "team" is supposed to be. Your employees are all important individually, but their contributions are supposed to add up to a larger, more critical whole. How is that possible when a large part of your workforce barely sets foot in the office, if they do so at all? In truth, integrating your remote workforce into your in-office one is a lot more straightforward than you might think; you just have to keep a few key things in mind.

Integration Begins With Leadership


The absolute best practice for integrating your remote workforce in with your "live and in-person" employees begins and ends with you: their leader. Never overlook an opportunity, no matter how small, to bring remote employees into the fold and make them feel like they're a part of the greater good. If you start an email chain, for example, don't just include the "in-person" employees.  Make sure that everyone who needs to know is involved, regardless of location.

Don't hold those weekly meetings on-site and then send remote workers a summary after the fact. Embrace the benefits of teleconferencing and allow them to dial-in live and in person. If you're hosting a company get-together or are taking employees out for a well-deserved meal, make sure that you extend the invitation to those outside the office. This is especially important if they work from home (or elsewhere) 100% of the time. These are small moves, but they're also meaningful ones that help remind people that wherever they are, they are equally valued in your eyes.

Encouragement and Communication


Another critical step to take to integrate your remote workforce better involves slightly adjusting the way your in-person teams communicate. Make it a priority to embrace instant messaging or collaboration platforms like Slack to keep team members connected together. Not only will this make in-person employees feel a bit like they're a part of the "remote" world, but the reverse will also be true. Your remote workers will feel more connected to your office as well.

Always remember the one factor that matters the most: encouragement. If someone does a terrific job or blows your expectations away, acknowledge them on the most prominent stage even if they work remotely. Just because someone isn't regularly in the office or the other employees don't see them every day doesn't mean that they don't deserve their fair share of recognition. Any move that you would make to reward an in-person employee should be extended to your remote workforce. Not only will this help make them feel like they're equal contributors, but it will also go a long way towards bringing your teams together to form the cohesive whole that you need them to be. 
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From Survival to Full Bloom

From Survival to Full Bloom

Eliza Blank was tired of the gloomy atmosphere in her cramped New York apartment. Eliza began dabbling with houseplants, and her passion quickly bloomed into a budding small business. In 2012, Blank launched The Sill to bring color and hope to stale Manhattan apartments, equipping new parents by transforming certified plant killers into botanical aficionados. The Sill works to match the right plant to the right space, offering hands-on coaching that helps aspiring green thumbs (and potential customers) feel at ease.
 
The Sill operates both on and offline, recently opening its second brick-and-mortar shop in New York's Upper West Side. Last year, sales topped $2 million, and a website redesign doubled online traffic and newsletter subscriptions. But the Sill had a few obstacles along the way. In the first year, the company's co-founder bailed as Blank hustled to handle marketing, orders, and deliveries. It was me, a desk, and a computer  I was writing the product descriptions, potting the plants, delivering the plants, and doing everything myself . . . I (sometimes) joke that  the CEO, but also the janitor, Blank says. I'm still straddling those two roles. 
                                             
While Blank credits several factors to her success, education as a service was a key component. Since prospects were often daunted by caring for a living product, the company organized sales around blogging, coaching, and newsletters. Not everyone who comes to the website is there to shop. We believe it serves us to serve prospective customers through helpful content, Blank says. As clients gained confidence, sales exploded. Even if blog readers don't come to buy, Blank believes valuable content is a catalyst, because when the time comes to purchase the trust is already there.
Perhaps you've toyed with the idea of business blogging yourself, but you've been hesitant to try. With so much to do, why bother with something that doesn't yield immediate, obvious benefits? Content and social media can be a cost-effective way to not only complement your print marketing but also to promote your company, grow revenue, and enhance your reputation as a trustworthy resource. Check out these tips from  coach Gary to make your business blogging easier:

* Research competitors blogs to learn what works or to strengthen your own unique voice.
Identify your target demographic and blog specifically to this audience.

* Publish in-depth resources that answer questions, offer step-by-step guides, and solve specific problems. Promote your content through social media, direct mail, e-mail, or asking core customers to re-post.

* Involve everyone on your team to contribute topic ideas, design concepts, or content submissions of their own. Work to humanize the company in a way that's enjoyable and fun!

* Consider using guest bloggers to put your content in front of new audiences and give you greater influence and credibility.

Drive People Online with Direct Mail Marketing

Want to drive people online to your growing content? One of the best tools to increase website traffic is direct mail. A Direct Marketing Association study revealed that 78% of people react to direct mail immediately, with 44% visiting the brands website and 34% searching online for additional product information. Recent research shows that very active smartphone users are reading more print materials than any other target demographic!

As you grow your online AND offline presence, we're here to help! As your local printing connection, we're more than just a contracted vendor; were an invested partner, committed to efficiency, precise brand matching, and to the customer care you deserve. Contact us today at 516-561-1468, email: theprintcafe2@verizon.net, or visit our website at;www.printcafeli.com
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