Tips How To Manage Time

“Time management” is the process of organizing and planning how to divide your time between specific activities. Good time management enables you to work smarter – not harder – so that you get more done in less time, even when time is tight and pressures are high. Failing to manage your time damages your effectiveness and causes stress.

It seems that there is never enough time in the day. But, since we all get the same 24 hours, why is it that some people achieve so much more with their time than others? The answer lies in good time management.

Let this list be a catalyst to get you thinking regularly about how to refine your own practices.

#Schedule

Any activity or conversation that's important to your success should have a time assigned to it. To-do lists get longer and longer to the point where they're unworkable. Appointment books work. Schedule appointments with yourself and create time blocks for high-priority thoughts, conversations, and actions. Schedule when they will begin and end. Have the discipline to keep these appointments.

#Complete Most Important Task First

This is the golden rule of time management. Each day, identify the two or three tasks that are the most crucial to complete, and do those first. Once you’re done, the day has already been a success. You can move on to other things, or you can let them wait until tomorrow. You’ve finished the essential.

#Learn To Say "No"

Making a lot of time commitments can teach us how to juggle various engagements and manage our time. This can be a great thing. However, you can easily take it too far. At some point, you need to learn to decline opportunities. Your objective should be to take on only those commitments that you know you have time for and that you truly care about.

#Don’t Think Of The Totality Of Your To-Do List.

One of the fastest ways to overwhelm yourself is to think about your massive to-do list. Realize that no amount of thought will make it any shorter. At this point in time, all you can do is focus on the one task before you. This one, single, solitary task. One step at a time.

#Buffer Time

Don’t pack everything closely together. Leave a 5-10 minute buffer time in between each tasks. This helps you wrap up the previous task and start off on the next one.

#Know Your Goals

Make sure you’re engaging in activities that support your business goals, both short- and long-term. Everything else is a potential time-waster. Your daily plan should revolve around working on tasks and activities that directly relate to generating income and growing your business.

#Eliminate Your Time Wasters

What takes your time away your work? Facebook? Twitter? Email checking? Stop checking them so often. One thing you can do is make it hard to check them – remove them from your browser quick links/bookmarks and stuff them in a hard to access bookmarks folder. Replace your browser bookmarks with important work-related sites. While you’ll still check Facebook/Twitter no doubt, you’ll find it’s a lower frequency than before.

#Find Time For Stillness

In our go, go, go world, too many people don’t find time to just be still. Yet, it’s extraordinary what a stillness practice can do. Action and inaction should both play key roles in our lives. Discovering time in your life for silence and non-motion reduces anxiety and shows you that there is no need to constantly rush. It also makes it easier to find your work pleasurable.

#Take Care Of Yourself

Be sure to get plenty of sleep and exercise. An alert mind is a high-functioning mind and one that’s less tolerant of time-wasting activities.

10 Of The World’s Most Breathtaking Coworking Spaces

Coworking is on the rise, and for good reason—it’s estimated that 40% of the workforce will be made up of freelancers, solopreneurs, and independent contractors by 2020. While freelancers consistently report higher job satisfaction levels than traditional employees, they often face a problem that their in-office counterparts do not: Social isolation.

Any city vying to stand up a tech or innovation hub has to have coworking spaces for budding entrepreneurs, remote workers, and freelancers. Beyond forgoing conventional office spaces and lengthy lease contracts, coworking spaces offer like-minded individuals a sense of community; a place to learn from others; and valuable networking potential.

#WORKPLACE ONE  (Toronto, Canada)

They think a workplace should be more than a building with offices inside. They think of a place where teams collaborate, where clients congregate, where creative people do great work, and deliver great results. A workplace is where innovation, productivity and ideas thrive!

They rent workplaces. Shared facilities, with shared services, in prime downtown locations. Short-term, long-term, you decide. They’re flexible and offer many options and a few locations (including 3 in downtown Toronto and a new location in Kitchener Waterloo) that are sure to fit your coworking needs. Rent a desk, virtual desk, or lounge and get busy creating.

#COCOVIVO (Isla de San Cristóbal, Panama)

At Coco-Vivo, daily interactions with the jungle, the ocean and its inhabitants, keeps them constantly in awe of, and eternally grateful to the nature around.

They are there to assist their guests to seamlessly unite with this wild environment - while maintaining a high level of comfort and fun. All of their energy there is generated from Solar panels, their water is collected from the rain, and their waste is composted.

There, freelancers can go swimming, hiking, paddle boarding, or horseback riding, then head back to use the solar-powered-Wi-Fi at a shack on a farm or in the waterfront bungalow to get some work done. Other perks: An inflatable trampoline and fruit trees on the property. Your inspiration has arrived!

#The Box Jelly (Honolulu, Hawaii)

BoxJelly is a coworking space which services monthly memberships, as well as meeting & event space reservations for members and non-members alike.

More than just an office or business center, BoxJelly thrives from the interactions that its members have with one another and the space. The emphasis on community helps to foster a collaborative environment, from which innovation is bred.

#The Factor (Berlin, Germany)

They are a next generation business club fostering innovation. They connect the right people to build relationships that truly matter. Their mission is to empower entrepreneurs to make a real impact and create the world of tomorrow.

Their curated community brings together the brightest minds from all over the globe. Their network includes freelancers, startups from all possible stages and verticals, established corporations as well as investors and leading influencers from politics and science.

It’s more of a campus for entrepreneurs and professionals to come together to launch new ideas.

#KoHub (Koh Lanta, Thailand)

They are a coworking space based on one of the most liveable islands in the tropics. They are a welcoming, fun and productive oasis for people travelling through Thailand. A perfect place for people looking for an island break from the city or location independents seeking a friendly community of like minded people.

Their family style environment is a haven for someone looking to enjoy the island life for a while. They provide the best internet on the island in a relaxing atmosphere. People are often surprised by how big KoHub actually.

#Hubud (Bali, Indonesia)

Hubud [Hub-in-Ubud] is a collaborative working space home to a diverse community of local and visiting creatives, techies, entrepreneurs and businessfolks, changemakers, downshifters and truth-seekers.

At Hubud, over 200 strong are working together to find new ways to thrive. It’s founded by expats in an adopted region, whereas other global counterparts exist in their home environments. The center does much to cultivate international interest in order to change the way individuals and companies work.

#Proximity Space (Montrose, Colorado, USA)

Montrose is on the leading edge of what is possible when a community decides to face the future with intention and innovation. With a gigabit connection and main street frontage, Proximity Space has quickly become an anchor in the evolving downtown ecosphere.

With the launch of the Proximity Space, entrepreneurs and innovators are discovering the power that lies in sharing ideas and letting the creative juices flow. Young people now have a positive environment to study and work on projects together. Travelers have professional and quiet space where they can catch up on their work. New business opportunities are being launched because of the ability to share ideas in an environment that is filled with the latest technology and individuals who know how to turn dream ideas into reality.

#HiVE (Vancouver, Canada)

HiVE is a sustainability-focused concept that brings freelancers and entrepreneurs together. For the nomadic environmentalist, the space offers a community member option to connect with likeminded or “hot desk” for the digital nomad who needs a break from coffee shops.

#Talent Garden (Barcelona, Spain)

Talent Garden in the first international network of coworking with a focus on digital. It is a space for tech/ digital/ creative entrepreneurs, freelancers, startups, companies - all the digital ecosystem members to meet, work, learn and collaborate with each other.

 Talent Garden Barcelona is the first campus in Spain, bringing talents from creative industries, digital and tech. It hosts up to 35 members, offers three closed meeting rooms, lounge, creative and game areas, partner offers and extra services needed for the young entrepreneur.

#Pawa 254 (Nairobi City, Kenya)

PAWA254 was created to support and foster young creatives and promote arts and culture geared towards social impact in Kenya. They are a growing collaborative space that brings together students, professionals and enthusiasts from dynamic creative industries to network, collaborate and learn with the primary aim of social impact.

Their mission is to advance the artistic skills of young creatives, promote arts and culture in Kenya and expose the transformative power of the arts through programs, trainings and workshops. Their vision is to facilitate a bold, innovative and thriving art and media landscape to create social change in Kenya.

These are the best coworking spaces we found across the globe. Each one brings something unique to the table. Out of the 10 coworking spaces mentioned, which can you picture yourself thriving in as a freelancer? Do you have a recommendation of a unique space that isn’t on the list? Leave them in the comments!

Business Success Tips for Startups and Small Businesses

Toying around with the idea of starting a company? Worried about things that may go wrong or making the wrong decisions? Did you just start a company but are concerned about how you are doing things? You are not alone, and you definitely are not in unchartered waters.

There are not only many thousands of people just like you who are working on starting their own company or have just launched their company, but there have been thousands of people who were once in your shoes who’ve gone on to grow some wildly successful companies, many of which you probably have heard of or even use on the regular basis.

#Talk to People

It sounds like a given, but a lot of first-time startup founders are actually pretty timid when it comes to putting their ideas out there, either because they don’t want to risk other people stealing them or they fear fellow entrepreneurs will think they’re foolish.

But without talking to people—customers, advisors, experts, potential investors, and the media—you won’t be able to get the feedback you need to make your idea better. The more you talk it through with different types of people, the easier it is to refine it and produce something that will truly resonate with your customers. Your customers’ feedback can help you work through any bugs or imperfections.

#Right Name

You want people to remember your name (be able to recall it). The more readily your name can be recalled, the easier it is for you to expand your reach to users/customers/investors.

In order for a name to be memorable, it should be unambiguous and somehow distinctive. If it sounds like many other names out there, people are not going to recall it (or if they do recall it, they're not going to recall the right one).

So, how do you know if your name is memorable? You don't. That's why you need to test it. Tell people your company name in various contexts (on a website, in an email, in person, on the phone, etc.) — and see if they can recall it a few minutes or a few days later. It takes a bit of work, but it's worth it. The good news is that if your name is not memorable, it'll show up in the data pretty quickly. And, as disheartening is that the name you love just doesn't test well — better to know now than years from now when you have a bunch of equity (emotional and otherwise) invested in it.

What makes a name simple?

1. quicker to type-in (especially on mobile)
2. easier to spell-out to someone over the phone
3. more efficient to include in a tweet (or other “length constrained” channels)
4. simpler to come up with a logo for
5. less likely to be acronymized or otherwise shortened by others

#Choosing The Right Market

It’s easy for startup founders to believe the whole world will love their products. After all, founders eat, sleep and breathe their products. The reality is that only a small portion of the population is interested in your product.

If you try to market your startup to everyone, you waste both time and money. The key is to identify a niche target market and go after market share aggressively.

How do you choose the right market?

1. Market Size – Are you targeting a regional demographic? Female? Children? Age? Know exactly how many potential customers are in your target market.
2. Market Wealth – Does this market have the money to spend on your product?
3. Market Competition – Is the market saturated? As in, are their many competitors?
4. Value Proposition – Is your value proposition unique enough to cut thru the noise?

#Make Customers A High Priority

Though it should go without saying, your customers keep you in business, which means that customer service should be at the top of your priorities. But customers can do more for your business than make purchases. They can also help you to improve your products and services so that your business can thrive. By listening to customer feedback, you too can learn the best ways to improve your products and services to meet your customers' needs.

#Location Still Matters

Even though more businesses are starting out online, your physical location can still be an important factor in the success of your business. If you plan to set up a physical shop, you'll need to go where your target audience is. If you plan to set up an online store, you still need to consider your location, at least for networking and economy purposes.

Here are few questions that can help you decide on the best retail location for your business.

1. Is the facility located in an area zoned for your type of business?
2. Is the facility large enough for your business? Does it offer room for all the retail, office, storage or workroom space you need?
3. Do people you want for customers live nearby? Is the population density of the area sufficient for your sales needs?
4. If you choose a location that's relatively remote from your customer base, will you be able to afford the higher advertising expenses?
5. Is the facility consistent with the image you'd like to maintain?
6. Are neighboring businesses likely to attract customers who will also patronize your business?
7. Are there any competitors located close to the facility? If so, can you compete with them successfully?

#Social Media

Startups tend to choose the social media networks they engage on without much strategy. The two most common mistakes are trying to master every network and trying to master certain networks just because the competition is doing it. If all of your competitors are on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, you should be too, right? Maybe, but maybe not.

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Reddit, Pinterest and now Instagram, are some of the most popular social networks today. All of them can be great content promotion and community building tools, but they all have unique characteristics. Facebook, for example, is typically powered by your existing customers who enjoy visual posts like pictures and video. Twitter, on the other hand, is often powered by potential customers who respond well to links (e.g. blog links).

Each social network ‘works’ differently, as in, how the community takes, interprets and digests your sharing and content varies. Reddit is often referred to as a very guarded network and detests spammers. Unlike twitter, here you can’t just schedule various messages every day. You can’t just jump on, run some ads and expect people to upvote all your content. Be mindful of the network and community you are trying to reach, it may not be in the social space you first thought.

#Budget

At the end of the day, it all comes down to the money. How much can you afford to spend on your startup marketing strategy? Remember that while inbound marketing leads cost 61% less than outbound marketing leads, they are not free. Set a budget early in the game and accept that limitation.

57% of startup marketing managers are not basing their marketing budgets on any ROI analysis.

More importantly, carefully plan how you intend to divide that budget. Maybe your blog has been your most powerful tool to date and you want to invest 40% of the budget on it. Or maybe you want to spend 35% of the budget to develop a new eBook or online course. Just be sure you have the logistics settled before you start spending (or you might just lose your hat).

Coworking News, Magazines and Blogs

News and Magazines

#Deskmag

Deskmag is the magazine about the new type of work and their places, how they look, how they function, how they could be improved and how we work in them. They especially focus on coworking spaces which are home to the new breed of independent workers and small companies.

#CoworkNews

CoworkNews is the destination for daily breaking news about the coworking industry. Coworking is one of the fastest growing movements in the world today, with new spaces opening daily in cities all over the world. Whether you're an industry leader, a member of the press, or a shared workspace enthusiast, CoworkNews will help you stay up to date and in the loop!

#New Worker Magazine

New Worker Magazine is the independent digital publication by and for the freelancers, entrepreneurs, remote workers and independents that make up the global coworking community.

#Alltop

The purpose of Alltop is to help you answer the question, “What’s happening?” in “all the topics” that interest you. They do this by collecting the headlines of the latest stories from the best sites and blogs that cover a topic. They group these collections — “aggregations” — into individual web pages. Then they display the five most recent headlines of the information sources as well as their first paragraph.

Coworking Blogs

#Tony Bacigalupo

He's believing we're here to help each other. His work focuses on the global coworking movement and related efforts that encourage the gathering of empowered, like-minded individuals.

#Craig Baute

His name is Craig Baute and he is a native son of Michigan living in Colorado. He is most known for his coworking company, Creative Density, in Denver with multiple locations and the consulting projects that he do for people interested in joining the coworking movement.

#Coworkworldwide

They are inspired by the concept of Coworking, its inception, exponential growth and its future place in the world of work.

#Coworking Blog

Coworking is redefining the way we do work. The idea is simple: that independent professionals and those with workplace flexibility work better together than they do alone. Coworking answers the question that so many face when working from home

#Alex Hillman

He builds communities, has started one of the longest running coworking communities in the world, writes a crapload of words every day, tweets a little too much, coaches people to be the best version of themselves possible, can’t stop learning new things, and does his very best not to take himself too seriously.

Coworking - The REAL Pros And Cons

Coworking is becoming more and more popular as prices of independent office spaces are soaring. Buying office space, especially in New York, is getting quite expensive these days. When exploring options for yourself or your company you are surely going to come across a few coworking spaces. When considered one of these spaces, make sure to take note of these advantages and disadvantages first! To find out if a coworking space is the best option for your startup, analyze its pros and cons.

Pros:

Lower Costs
If you enjoy the convenience that state-of-the-art offices offer but don’t have the cash to pay for it, a co-working space may be the solution. You’ll have access to copiers/scanners, fax machines and possibly freelancers willing to perform helpful tasks. Because it is a shared environment, the costs will be far less than a private office. You also won’t be forced to sign long leases and you’ll maintain freedom and flexibility.

Networking
You can never make too many connections while you’re building your business. What better place to construct a solid network than a communal work environment? Besides being around other self-starters, many co-working spaces provide access to venture capitalists, angel investors and professionals, like lawyers. Who knows? Maybe you’ll discover your next colleague while having a coffee in the break room or land your first investment.

Creativity
Sometimes, it can take an extensive amount of time and energy to figure out solutions to our problems. By being in a collaborative work environment, you can reach out to other entrepreneurs to get their advice. Often times, they will have experienced a similar issue and may offer a creative solution or practical suggestions.

You get support for technical challenges
It is always nice to have a team who is up for taking on technical challenges and swapping insights. For example, if you’re sharing office space with a tech startup, you will be able to deal with various problems without having to spend any extra money.

Cons:

Distractions
A co-working space is supposed to increase productivity -- it’s not an excuse to watch hilarious clips online or have nuanced conversations about last night’s basketball game. Remember, you’re there to work. Keep the socializing to your scheduled breaks.

Competition
It is possible that you’ll find yourself in direct competition with someone sharing your co-working space, and it can be a bit uncomfortable. Stay focused on what you want to achieve. If you can, try to turn a potential competitor into your ally. If you’re both talented and have similar goals, maybe the best way forward is to put your heads together.

Annoying Coworkers

The people at your coworking space become your coworkers, in a sense. This means dealing with personality quirks and annoying behaviors, just like any office space. Most people are pretty great, but one rotten apple can spoil the whole experience.

Conclusion

Now that you’re equipped with all the facts, are you still stoked about a coworking space? Or would you rather work from your bed in your pajamas? Let us know.

The Ultimate List Of Coworking Spaces In Europe

Coworking spaces all have one thing in common: they provide a space, with a desk and other office like amenities to make it possible for you to complete your tasks. But many have special and interesting offerings that could make you cry of joy. And…since the only way we can really get to know the spaces is by visiting them and unfortunately, we are not able to visit all – We decided to “web” travel through many of the hottest cities in Europe in search of the coolest alternative places to work, their location and their perks!

Paris, France

#Numa

The key to digital innovation is not technology but the entrepreneurial spirit. Public authorities and companies must seize this transformation as an opportunity to step up their innovation cycles.

NUMA’s mission is to take companies out of their comfort zones, to assist them in developing the methods, mind-set and network they need to become the leading players of the future!

#Coworkshop

Coworkshop is located near two of the major train stations, Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est and close to the Saint Martin Canal in the 10th district of Paris. It is a collaborative workspace perfect for young entrepreneurs, freelancers and students in need of a relaxing yet professional place to work. Coworkshop provides a space where all are welcome. You do not have to make a deposit; just come in, work and enjoy the space. For us, the difference is our strength!

London, England

#Campus

Campus is global network of spaces where big ideas are shaping the future. Operated by Google for Entrepreneurs, we have a dedicated team at Campus committed to creating a thriving startup community. Reach out to us on social or come say hello in person.

#Central Working

Central Working was started to address challenges that James Layfield, CEO, believes all new business owners are affected by; the first was the space. Why sign leases for three, four, or even five years when you have no way of knowing how big or small your business will be in that time? Wouldn’t you prefer a space with soul, and a place you can envisage yourself going to work everyday? Somewhere you’ll be more likely to connect with the talent that you want to attract.

Rome, Italy

#CoworkTalenti

Whether you’re a freelancer, entrepreneur, small business or startup founder, CoworkTalenti provides the ideal environment for you and your business to thrive. Get you’re work done, keep yourself happy and productive, be part of a community and find clients, partners and friends alike.

#Famo Cose

 The function of a Makerspace is to create new opportunities, helping to develop the potential of a startup accompanying it in its growth.  FAMO THINGS wants to be a micro-business support, providing advice for fundraising campaigns, advertisement and marketing along with the necessary legal and fiscal support.

Copenhagen, Denmark

#Founders House

Founders House is famous for the core focus on technology companies, and their homey coworking environment. Here, community is actively used to help founders grow their companies faster. The co-working space is located in the middle of Startup Village where leading growth-stage startups live, and of which all leading nordic investors are members. 

#Rainmaking Loft

Rainmaking Loft is a co-working space set up by Rainmaking, one of Europe’s leading players within entrepreneurship. We support tech startups by providing them with a highly inspiring work environment at an affordable price.

Berlin, Germany

#Thunderbolt Collective

Thunderbolt Collective is a coworking space in Kreuzberg, the creative heart of Berlin. It is home to some of the top internet companies in the city. Some of our attractions include a beautifully decorated loft space surrounded by windows, quiet conference rooms, game area, napping room, candy wall and the amazing location.

#tuesday coworking

Tuesday coworking is an independently owned and operated coworking space in Schöneberg, Berlin which is open to flexible individuals or teams in need of an office
infrastructure without the distractions of home. Come by for a tour of our shared workspace, meet our community and drink some hot chocolate with us!

Amsterdam, Netherlands

#Workspace6

Workspace6 is 280m2 of flexible space for the creative and the adventurous to bring their ideas to life. And play pong. The Workspace6 community is comprised of creatives, web nerds and independent doers. Sometimes alone, sometimes together, they make cool shit happen.

#BounceSpace

At BounceSpace, talent is a highly valued resource. From the talented craftsmen (barista, bike repairer, barber) to all of the modern masters housed in our space, from designers to lawyers (and everything in between). The person or company next to you should be just as much of a reason to join us as the nice desk or room we offer. Our community houses some of the brightest people around, and that’s something we cherish deeply. Lots of activity and a buzzing atmosphere is what makes it BounceSpace.

Barcelona, Spain

#Betahaus

Betahaus is more than a coworking, it’s a happy family living in an amazing house. We’re looking for people with ‘beta spirit’. Each applicant should pass through a personal interview with a Betahaus team member in order to be accepted.

#Valkiria Hub

They believe that talent, innovation and creativity are needed in order to foster a collaborative environment in which personal and professional development are paramount.
Through their services – including co-working, mentoring and event organization – their aim is to build a community which is pillared by the ideas and energy of those businesses, organizations, freelancers and entrepreneurs who, like them,  passionately work to provide value, generate new ideas and innovate.

They also have their own Restaurant. Perfect to combine work and food. Check it out.
Restaurant Bistro - Valkiria

Stockholm, Sweden

#Impact Hub

At Impact Hub Stockholm, they pride ourselves on being a business incubator, innovation lab, and social enterprise community. Their coworking space is launchpad for purpose-driven ventures. It’s home away from home. They offer a unique ecosystem of resources, inspiration and collaboration opportunities to help maximize the impact of business and projects.

#Things

THINGS® is a 2000 m2 co-working space at KTH Campus down-town Stockholm for selected start-ups with hardware as part of their solution and global ambitions. They work in areas like Internet of Things, wearable technology, medtech, 3D scanning/printing and smart grid technologies. What makes THINGS® unique is that they are independent from investors and manufacturers, our members have access to unparalleled prototyping and testing capabilities and last but not least, their partnerships with a number of the most successful and innovative export companies in Sweden.