A few days ago, I was working on a presentation in which I had to do quite a bit of work. It involved reading through a number of profiles and summarizing them into a format that would be easy to read in my presentation software.

It was a bit tedious at first, but I found myself becoming quicker and more effective at the task. Not only that, I began to ignore the things that usually distract me on the internet.  I dedicated all of my focus on the presentation and almost felt myself being “sucked in” to my work.

Suddenly, I heard a knock on the door. My co-worker poked his head in to tell me that the office was closing. I had become so engrossed in what I was doing that I had not even noticed that it was time to leave!

I was in flow.

What is flow?

Flow is a term coined by psychology professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Simply put, flow is an automatic, effortless yet highly focused state of consciousness you can experience when devoting yourself to a meaningful challenge. When you’re in flow, your sense of time is altered and your concentration deepens.

With flow allowing workers to perform at their highest possible level, a state known as optimal performance, it is easy to see how this can provide benefits in the workplace.

The question of flow in the workplace is how to achieve it.

Attaining flow isn’t easy – in fact it can prove often downright elusive. Even I myself have only occasionally been able to get into flow. However, there are ways to increase your chances of getting into flow.

How to get into flow

1. Establish priorities 

Deciding and working on only the most important task is one way to increase your chances of getting into flow. By doing so, your mind will be less burdened by tasks that are less important and that might distract you from focusing on a task.

Because I was focused on finishing my presentation, I was able to ignore everything else and prioritise my task, allowing me to focus and more easily get into flow.

2. Get comfortable 

Your personal surroundings are an important factor in allowing you to achieve flow.  If you are comfortable both physically and mentally, you will be less likely to become distracted, facilitating the opportunity for flow to occur.

There are many different aspects to consider – for example the atmosphere, clothes you wear, and even working relationships can affect your likelihood of getting into flow. If I wasn’t in a physical and mental comfortable state, I probably wouldn’t have been able to get into flow and complete my presentation!

3. Match the challenge of your work with your skills 

In order to get into flow, it is important to have a balance between the challenge of your task and your personal skills. When these two are out of alignment, you will either be too bored or too frustrated to achieve a flow state.

Instead of simply going on with your regular schedule, restructure your work in a way in which your skills and the challenge of the task are balanced in order to attain a flow state. Because of the fact that my presentation challenged my skills without overwhelming me, I was able to achieve the balance so important in achieving a flow state.

You don’t have to be a drone just living out a boring work life while being unproductive. By working to attain flow, you too can increase your performance and become more effective and efficient at work. Not only that, but being able to perform at your best for long periods of time will also help you to have a more fulfilling work life.

Why not leave a comment and tell us how you get into the flow.

Grammar blunders are an inevitable part of your writing career. So don’t be afraid to get caught out. Once caught out, you are responsible for learn from your silly mistakes, and then stop making any more of the same.

As with many things in life, we learn as we do. There is no point in waiting until you know all the right words before you begin your writing project. Do the work. Start now with your limited vocabulary and if you persist long enough, you will emerge a better and more inspiring blogger or writer than you started.

Thanks to our friends at copyblogger for this infographic. Enjoy.

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Have you ever negotiated a deal where you got exactly what you wanted?

Did you stop to ponder what aspects of your negotiation let you succeed?

A few weeks ago, after a few minutes of bargaining, I negotiated a 30% discount on a pair of headphones that suited me perfectly. Surprisingly, the skills used in the negotiation of such a deal can be used in both your personal and professional life.

Within the workplace, being a good negotiator will let you reap benefits that allow  you to more easily achieve success. Not only that, but good negotiation skills will also benefit your business or employer, meaning that your good negotiation skills will make you a far more valuable worker or leader.

After my successful negotiation, I sat down to figure out what I did that allowed me to get myself a great deal.

Here are 5 simple things that I did that you can follow in order to be a successful negotiator.

#1. Do your homework

It is important to have detailed information and a solid plan when coming to the negotiating table. Research the important details and facts. Investigate the history and then put all your knowledge to use and come up with your estimated value.

Before my purchase, I checked prices offline and online. I compared features and determined the value of the benefits to me. I had a solid platform on which to present a reasonable argument for the price I wanted to pay.

#2. Be realistic

It is important to be realistic when negotiating. Overconfidence may cause you to push too hard and make unrealistic demands. You do not want the opposite party to walk away from the negotiation due to your unreasonable request.

Although the deal must be beneficial to you, it is also important to ensure that the other party gains some benefit with your offer as well. You go for a win win situation.

I didn’t try to present an unreasonably low price when negotiating my purchase. Instead I offered what I considered to be reasonable based on my research results.

#3. Act with confidence 

Confidence is an essential trait to have in order to be a successful negotiator. To show confidence, ensure that you are never desperate. Do not be nervous or appear nervous or uncomfortable while negotiating. And make sure you display a positive and confident body language such as looking people in the eye and having an upright posture. Being well prepared will help you to be more confident.

I achieved a successful outcome for myself because I was willing to be confident and not waver on the offer that I made.

#4. Be a good active listener 

What does it mean to be a good active listener? Active listening includes being able to notice and interpret both verbal and non-verbal communication. Being a good active listener will allow you to find areas of compromise and figure out which aspects of the negotiation you will be most likely to win.

Active listening is a good skill to have and it will help you improve your relationships at home and at work.

#5. Don’t get too emotional

Don’t allow the cut and thrust of a negotiation to affect you emotionally. At times, people may use tactics that will affect your emotions in order to override your logic and get you to agree to their deal. Don’t let yourself get too emotionally involved  in the deal, as this may lead to a negative outcome for you.

When my initial offer was rejected, I didn’t get dejected or take it personally. Instead, I continued the negotiation until my position was accepted.

There are some natural bargain hunters who will always ask for a discount or negotiate a more favourable price. If you do not consider yourself good at negotiating, you are not alone as I did not consider myself good at getting discounts. With a little training, you can develop your skills and be more effective in coming to agreements that work for in your favour.

Negotiation skills are useful in every area of life, from buying a car to arranging a pay raise.

When next you find yourself negotiating a deal, put some of these tips into practice and increase your chances of achieving success.

Why not leave a comment about your tip for better negotiation.

The most powerful way to promote personal development is by creating new habits. When you change the patterns of your own behaviour by replacing destructive habits with new ones, you can gain more personal power and move forward towards the person you’ve always wanted to become.

How new habits contribute to your success

The foundation of your success lies in the everyday habits you practice, whether you’re conscious of it or not. Therefore if you want to progress towards achieving your personal goals, it is important that you are aware of the little habits that may or may not contribute to your own success. Everything we do each day has a long-term effect, even though this isn’t always easily felt right away.

Good habits are what helps you lose weight, be entitled to a promotion, and overall just reach your dreams. While there is no scientific formula, there are certain good habits that you can practice that contribute to your personal development. You can learn more about the habits of the most effective people as well in a book review.

Let me share with you five habits which you can adopt for your growth and personal development.

1. Sleep early and wake up early

If you want to be successful, you must create the conditions and the environment that is conducive to success. This means having a personality that is calm yet energised enough to do what you need in order to meet your goals.

Getting enough sleep is one of the underrated habits that people often don’t realize are crucial to being effective. Sleep can help you manage stress better, and have the mental clarity you need to focus on the day’s tasks.

2. Have a plan

Goals are nothing without a framework to build a foundation on. Whether your goal is to create a successful company, lose weight, or manage your finances better; a well thought-of plan is necessary to provide you with the concrete steps you can take each day to meet your personal goals.

Write down your plans and consider having a backup plan in case things don’t work out as planned. It is always better to be prepared. You never know what can happen next, both in your personal and professional life.

3. Learn to be positive

Many people actually benefit from having a gratitude journal. It doesn’t take a lot of time to reflect and just list down a few things each day that you’re grateful for.

Your thoughts become you, and if you want to be successful and well-rounded, it’s important to focus on positive things. It takes conscious effort if you aren’t naturally optimistic, but being able to recognize negative thoughts and counter them on the spot will be a long-term investment on your personal well-being.

4. Take time out to relax

It becomes so easy to get caught up in the daily grind that we often forget to reward ourselves occasionally. How about getting a massage, visits the museum or treating yourself to a vacation.

Recharging yourself both physically and emotionally will give you enough motivational fuel

Learn new hobbies, and make it a point to spend time with loved ones who fill you with positive energy and inspire you.

5. Step out of your comfort zone

There is truth to the saying that your best life lies outside of your comfort zone, and there is reason behind it. Trying new things will expand your mind, which will give you a strength that you can’t get anywhere else. You’ll find that you’re much stronger and braver than you thought so, and this kind of thinking contributes to a better self-esteem.

When you aren’t trying anything new, change doesn’t happen. Change and progress go hand in hand for self-improvement.

Think of ways you can integrate these new habits into your regular routine.

Lifestyle changes to accommodate these new habits can be gradual, but once you’ve opened your mind to it you’ll be able to embrace the goodness that it brings into your life.

Why not leave a comment and tell us about your exciting personal development habit.

Working from home has become an increasingly popular way of doing business, especially with all the advanced forms of technology out there that make it possible to work without the need to facing customers or clients.

If you’re able to balance your time wisely, working from home provides you with a better quality of life. It gives you the flexibility to focus on personal or business projects.

You can be successful by working from home

Whether you’re a small business owner, working mom, consultant, or freelancer, being productive with a work from home position is crucial because your productivity is directly related to your pay. You can choose to spend all hours at your desk slaving away just to earn more, or find ways to work smart and still earn a decent income.

There are many benefits to working from home, and one of them is being able to maximize your time. Imagine waking up in the morning, going through your routines, and sitting down ready to work with a delicious cup of fresh coffee in your hand. You did not have to go through a commute or the maddening morning traffic to get to work.

However, for those that are new to working from home, you may find that there are certain things you can still learn to instil discipline and increase productivity.

Five Habits That Increase Productivity in the Home Office

Here are some habits you can work on that can help you be more productive from your home office:

1. Set strict deadlines

You need to set strict deadlines for meeting tasks that are both big and small. You’ve probably experienced what it’s like to be ultra productive when you’re facing a tight deadline, but find yourself attending to other tasks or giving in to distractions when you’re faced with a small task.

Parkinson’s Law states that tasks expand to the time we give it, so the best way to fight this off is by imposing your own deadlines for all the tasks you need to complete. To get the most out of this habit, I recommend imposing a deadline for all tasks even as small as responding to emails.

A simple timer is a great tool to help you set deadlines. However, you will need to avoid distractions and be disciplined with the time you set.

2. Impose office hours

When I started working from home, I worked at all odd hours. There was no rhythm to my work schedule. Some days I was productive and other days I could not account for my time. After much experimentation, and talking to others who work from home I have come to realise that imposing strict office hours is good for productivity.

Strict office hours will help you enjoy a quality work-life balance while still staying on track with your projects. You will need to find the hours that works for you and then stick to it.

Working from home certainly has the added advantage that you can work whatever hours you want. The hours can be 9 am to 5 pm if that suits you. Experiment and find what works for you and then stick to it.

3. Create a dedicated work space

A dedicated work area away from distractions such as the television, couch, or bed is a must. When you have a specific place to work in, your mind will associate it with business and getting things done.

A dedicated work space will help you focus, rather than slacking off or doing other things. One of the best examples of this is the fact that most people don’t get as much done when working from the bed, which entices you to feel sleepy or catch a nap, as compared to having an actual desk and chair.

4. Control your online activity

The first thing to switch off or restrict access to is your email application. You can take it offline. You can also block distracting websites through the use of programs such as Cold Turkey. This software will prevent you from lingering at social media and You Tube channels.

You can also turn your wifi off completely and concentrate on getting productive work done. Learn more about how to increase productivity by reducing distractions.

5. Prioritise your time wisely

This means that you should be doing all the money-making tasks when you are most productive. For me this is early in the morning until early afternoons. Things such as responding to emails or other tasks that do not equate to a higher pay can wait until later in the afternoon, when people are still online and checking their emails.

For example, you can use mornings to work on projects in order to complete them at a quicker time, while communicating to clients in the afternoon. As long as you get everything done within one business day, you’re saf

When you follow these tips, you can expect to be more productive and see better results no matter what industry you’re in. Working from home is one of the best things about technology today, but managing your time through efficient habits should also follow.

Why not leave a comment below.