Category: Tips and Tools

The novel coronavirus has thrown the business world (and the rest of the world) into chaos. Though the number of business trips has been greatly reduced to increase employee safety, there are still hundreds of thousands of business professionals who need to travel for work every day. This means that all business travelers need to practice safety measures. So, in today’s post, we are going to take a closer look at 4 ways to stay safe during a business trip.

Avoid Driving When You’re Tired

Even if you’re flying across the globe, there is a good chance that you will need to rent a car to get around. Either way, long workdays and flights can make you feel very tired, very quickly. The last thing you want to do is get in the car and have an accident. Be especially careful driving around airports, as there tends to be heavy traffic. This is part of the reason why airports implement airport barricade lights to help people navigate both the exterior of the airport and even the runway. In any case, only drive if you feel that you can focus on the road!

Locate Police & Medical Facilities In Your Area

This tip is especially important if you are traveling abroad, but it also applies in new states or cities that you’ve never visited before. You should always do a quick Google search to find the nearest police station and hospital or medical clinic. After all, you never know when an emergency could suddenly arise that requires fast action. It’s better to take a few extra minutes to prepare yourself than to be put in a potentially life-threatening situation with no idea how to get help.

Have a Plan B In Place

Traveling is always complicated. The weather turns bad, flights get delayed, and in some cases, travel restrictions go into effect when you least expect them. So, always have a Plan B. Whether it’s staying at your hotel for a few extra days or finding an alternative way to get home, you need to make sure that your plans account for various plausible scenarios. For example, let’s say that your flight to your destination gets delayed for a full 24 hours, but you have a meeting in another country tomorrow morning. What do you do? In this event, you should be prepared to connect to the meeting virtually while still having a place to stay nearby until you can get on your flight.

Always Keep Your Work Equipment Secure

Ultimately, business trips should always be about getting work done. If you’re like most business travelers, a lot of your work will be accomplished or managed on your computer, phone, tablet, or a combination of different devices. Ideally, you should try to keep your devices with you at all times. However, if you have plans to just go out for a drink, you might prefer to store some or all of your devices in a secure place, like a safe in your hotel room.

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Do you feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to cross off everything on your to-do list? Maybe it isn’t the problem of how many hours there are, but instead how you use those hours.

Many people, especially those who work from home and take care of their families, feel that there isn’t enough time in the day to do everything they want. This is why it’s so important to form certain habits that will increase your productivity, which in the end will save you time.

Below are four habits you should adopt to start increasing your productivity and get more done throughout the day.

Keep Decisions to a Minimum

The human brain can only make so many decisions in one day. Don’t underestimate just how much your brain works to make decisions all day long, even if they are as simple as what you’re going to eat for breakfast.

Try to keep your decisions to a minimum throughout the day so you have more brainpower to focus on more important things. One way to do this is to create a weekly menu of what you’ll eat and choose your outfits the night before.

Meal Prep Your Food

If you’re adamant about cooking your own meals because it’s healthier and cost-effective, then you probably know just how time-consuming it is. From preparing the ingredients to actually cooking to eating the meal to cleaning the kitchen afterward, it can take more than an hour out of every day.

Instead, try meal prepping your food a few days in advance. Then all you have to do is throw it in the microwave, and it’s done!

You can save even more time when you use meal prep services like Lean Kitchen that deliver prepared nutritious meals right to your door.

Use Productivity Tools

There are a ton of productivity tools you can use to get more done during the day, especially when it comes to working. Tools such as Grammarly can help you edit emails quickly without spending too much time proofreading, or Freedom can block your notifications for an allotted amount of time so you can focus on your work.

There are plenty of productivity tools out there; you just have to find the ones that work best for your situation and your lifestyle. Don’t be afraid to try a bunch until you find the right one for you.

Complete Your Hardest Task First

One of the best productivity habits you can form is to conquer your biggest or most challenging task of the day first. How many times have you put off a big assignment or task because you were dreading it, and it felt like the day just dragged on?

Well, when you complete the hardest task before anything else you have to do, then the tasks you have for the rest of your day will be much more manageable, and you’ll feel much more accomplished and like you have more time on your hands.

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Welcoming a baby into the world is both exciting and scary, especially if it’s your first one. You’ll no doubt obsess over every little detail once they’re born, whether that’s if they’re crying because they’ve hurt themselves or if they simply need a diaper change. While you can’t do much to prevent the diaper change, there are a few things you can do to your home that will prevent unnecessary injuries for your newborn and ensure everything is ready for them. Here are a few ways you can prepare your home for your new baby.

Make any Necessary Repairs

You’re going to be very busy when the baby arrives, so it’s smart to take advantage of the time you have now by making any necessary repairs while you still can. This can be as simple as fixing some drywall, or as complicated as roof repair, in which case you’ll want to contact a professional like Alpha Elite Roofing. The last thing you want to worry about while juggling a new member of the household is whether or not your roof is going to leak or the stairs will buckle under your weight. It’s best to get these out of the way now.

Finish the Nursery

It’s generally a good idea to finish the baby’s room before going into labor. There’s a lot of work that goes into redesigning a room for a baby, so you’ll want to get started as soon as possible. Make sure you’ve got their crib properly built, the walls are painted, decorations are strung about, shelves and dressers are put together, and that you’ve bought everything they might need, like diapers, clothes, and anything else you can think of! You’ll want to optimize the space available so that there is plenty of room for everything your baby will need.

Baby-Proof the House

While your home might seem safe to you upon initial inspection, there are bound to be a few unseen hazards from the point of view of your newest family member. Are there any sharp corners waiting to attack? Electrical outlets that your baby might mess with? Is there anything that could be easily tipped over? How about easily accessible chemicals for cleaning? Try to address these hazards before the big day to ensure the safety of your baby—and you might want to invest in a few baby gates, too.

Get Ready to Meet Your Baby!

Once you’ve taken the time to prepare your home for the arrival of your new baby, you can rest easy knowing that a major project has been completed. Soon your little bundle of joy can admire the work you’ve put into their nursery, and while there will surely be plenty of work to be done afterward—especially once they begin to grow up—you’re at least off to a great start.

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The Great Resignation has millions of Americans quitting their regular jobs to find better employment. In many cases, former employees have become their own bosses. In 2021 alone, Americans applied for a record-breaking 5.4 million business ID numbers.

Starting a new business is both exciting and challenging. The easiest way to mitigate the stress of entrepreneurship is to ensure you’re still earning an income. However, working 40 hours a week while giving your new business the attention it needs is virtually impossible.

Luckily, side gigs that are flexible, fun, and able to provide a steady income do exist. We’ve compiled a list of the best opportunities to keep your bills paid while you’re chasing your dreams.

Delivery or Rideshare Driver

If you have a car and a driver’s license, then delivering groceries, takeout, or even packages for Amazon or UPS can serve as the perfect chance to earn some extra cash while building your business.

If delivering people is more your speed, any city that allows ridesharing offers opportunities to sign up with Lyft or Uber.

Many rideshare and delivery options give you the flexibility to work when it fits your schedule for as many hours as you’d like.

Pet Care

Animal lovers won’t even feel like they’re working as they rake in money pet sitting and dog walking. Whether you prefer to work part-time at a pet boarding facility or doggy daycare or to go out on your own as a dog walker and pet sitter, there are ample opportunities to earn money caring for animals.

Tutoring

Most tutors don’t need an advanced degree — just patience and understanding of the subject area. Many high school and college students earn money tutoring. Check with the guidance office for your school district to find work, or sign up with a site to tutor students online.

Caregiver

The babysitting and eldercare fields are continually looking for reliable, trustworthy caregivers. Parents always need flexible childcare from a dependable adult. Additionally, the eldercare field is rapidly growing, with many positions only requesting assistance with driving or companionship.

You can sign up with a service online or just spread the word that you’re available and interested in these roles. With caregivers in such high demand, chances are you’ll find someone hiring in no time.

Virtual Scribe

Online scribes help physicians by taking notes during the doctor’s rounds, charting patient visits, and entering exam information. If you’re interested in the medical field, a virtual scribe role can be a fascinating side hustle.

While it can prove challenging to find a virtual scribe position without prior training, companies like Provider’s Choice Scribe Services offer training as well as a steady stream of work.

Side jobs can keep money flowing as you ramp up your new business while offering the flexibility to manage both endeavors at once. These low-stress options can make work feel like play, all while earning extra cash.

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You love your career but it involves a lot of traveling. You’d also like to have a family, but you may find yourself wondering whether you can have it all. Can you maintain a travel-based career and do right by your kids at the same time?

In fact, many parents who need to travel for their work find that raising kids into a traveling lifestyle can be an extremely fulfilling way to have a family. Here are some tips for how to stay close to your family while traveling for your job without giving anything up.

Consider Online School for Your Kids

A high-quality online education from online institutions such as sterling.academy can allow your children to get a great education and plenty of consistency in their classes no matter where you go. Switching schools frequently can be stressful for kids and disruptive for their education. However, online education enables your children to receive a quality education without making compromises for your travel schedule.

Have Fun With Lodging

Instead of always choosing a boring budget hotel or taking whatever lodging your company provides for you, consider making where you stay a fun experience. Encourage your children to help you pick out an Airbnb or a fun hotel.

Pick places to stay that give you access to the best parts of wherever you will be. Traveling to a trendy urban city? Pick lodging in the downtown strip where you’ll get to take advantage of being close to the heart of the city. Working near the beach? Pick a hotel or condo near the water so that your kids can go boogie boarding or build sandcastles while you’re working.

Take Your Children’s Wishes Into Consideration

If you are constantly dragging your kids along with you or leaving for considerable amounts of time, you risk causing real disruptions in their lives and a guilty conscience for yourself. Instead, talk honestly with your kids about your travel plans and see what they think.

Make compromises where you can. If all your children want to do is finish out the year with their sports teams, see if you can stick around for a little longer. If your kids are longing to see a particular destination, do your best to work it into your travel plans.

Have it All as You Travel for Work and Enjoy Your Family

You don’t have to choose between having a travel-based career and a family. By thinking outside of the box, you’ll find that you can enjoy plenty of time with your family and travel for work at the same time.

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