Top 10 Time Management Mistakes

As a time management consultant, I'm often asked what are the top mistakes I see people make. Here are, in no particular order, the first five of my top ten:  

1. Being a slave to your blackberry or cell phone : You know you have become a slave to your blackberry or cell phone when, almost every time it rings or buzzes, you jump and answer it. Cell phones and mobile email systems can be wonderful tools, but only as long as your control them (i.e. you decide when and how you will pick up and answer). Otherwise, they become a phenomenal time waster eating up to several hours a day. A client of mine, just by deciding to check his email every hour instead of every time his blackberry buzzed, reclaimed a full hour of productive time every day.  

2. Working by emergency : Many clients call me for help because they feel overwhelmed, and find that they never have time for what they really want to do. More often than not, it turns out that those clients work by emergencies. In other words, they take care of the things that scream at them the most and forget about the less urgent tasks until they, in turn, become emergencies. The problem is that most emergencies don't start out as emergencies, they start out as projects or tasks on a to-do list, that got pushed back until something happens to transform them into emergencies. Furthermore, when taken care of before they become emergencies, they often require less time, energy and resources that they do as full-fledged emergencies. Stopping work by emergencies to take care of your projects in a timely manner makes a dramatic difference in your available time ? not to mention your stress.  

3. Not sleeping enough : This might sound surprising in a list of time management mistakes list, but the fact is that sleep is critical to making the most of your time. When tired, we all think and do things more slowly, and are much more likely to make mistakes. Studies have actually shown that sleep deprivation has effects very similar to alcohol. It would never occur to us to get drunk on the evening before an important client presentation, yet we don't think twice about staying up until two or three in the morning to finish the presentation handouts? The result the next morning is not much different, except for the hangover.  

4. Not using a task list, or using an inappropriate one : In my years as time management consultant, I've seen everything from no task list at all ("it's all in my head") to tasks lists 10 pages long. The sad reality is that most task lists don't work because they are too long or too short; not prioritized; too complicated; or simply in the wrong format or medium for their user. On the other hand, a well thought-out task list, adapted to your needs and style, is an extraordinarily effective tool to plan, prioritize, save time and increase your effectiveness. Quick example: A client was spending about an hour each day updating their overlong task list, never finishing their priorities. After some simple re-tooling, the update time fell down to less ten minutes, and my client found their effectiveness sky-rocket.  

5. Not taking time to sit back and look at the big picture : No matter your occupation, it is very easy to get caught up in the "doing" of things, and consider thinking time a waste, "because there are so many things to do." Yet taking a step back on a regular basis to assess the big picture of your life, career, or current project, and taking some time to plan your next steps, before diving back in the daily grind, makes all the difference between being busy (i.e. doing a lot of things) and being effective (i.e doing the things that matter), even on a day-to-day basis.  

As a time management consultant, I'm often asked what are the top mistakes I see people make. Last time we saw the first five. Here are the last five:  

6. Not taking time to relax : Sufficient sleep is necessary, but not enough to ensure that you function at your best, and make the most of your time. Providing your mind with rest is just as important to effective time management. By not giving your brain breaks from work on a regular basis to do completely different things ? engaging in fun activities that have nothing to do with work or obligations ? you slowly lower our performance level, always resulting in much lower performance (hence more hours at work to achieve the same results) and sometimes ending in mental burn-out. 

7. Ignoring your own time management style: There is no such thing as one-size-fits all in time management, but the different styles and the corresponding techniques are not widely taught. So you most likely learned your time management skills from our parents, a teacher, a mentor. If this person had the same time management style as you, you learned and improved your skills. But if this person had a different style, no matter how much you tried, you never were able to replicate their habits successfully, and probably blamed yourself for it. Don't? All you did was try to use for yourself a solution that is not adapted to who you are. Learning your personal style will allow you to develop tools and strategies that actually work for you.  

8. Reinventing the wheel : In my professional life, I've seen too many people re-inventing the wheel on a regular basis. Too many don't take the time to sit down, think through a procedure for activities and tasks that they perform on a regular basis. As a result, every time they need to re-create the whole process, again and again. Taking a few extra minutes to think it through and create a written procedure or checklist can save you untold amounts of time: a client of mine, whose profession requires her to prepare events several times a month, reduced her event preparation time from an hour and a half to 20 minutes just by taking the time to create a checklist of everything she needed.  

9. Not delegating enough : This is one of the most common, and most time-consuming time management mistakes I see. You have built your business on your own; or you have built a career based on your ability to get things done. You now have resources to delegate, but you still perform many tasks that would be more profitably and/or effectively done by others. As a result, you waste time on tasks such as filing, or packing, or drafting letters. You're also wasting money in the process: if your hourly rate is $100/hour, it is the same whether you are in front of a client or filing your papers. By delegating tasks that can easily be done by others, you are freeing time for you to do more of the things that only you can do, and using your resources much more effectively.  

10. No emergency planning : According to the National Fire Protection Association, in 2006 a building caught fire every 60 seconds or every day in America. In other words, most people will be directly affected by a fire in their lifetime. Unfortunately most people don't have a plan to deal with such an event, and will waste enormous amounts of time, money, stress and effort in trying to recover from it. When life's smaller emergencies strike, it's often the same: there is no set plan B, or even plan C, if their child falls sick the evening before an important meeting, or if they themselves fall sick right before a critical deadline at work. Having a backup plan, on the other hand, allows you to immediately spring into action and deal with the emergency effectively and quickly, then be able to move on without stress.  

How many of those time management mistakes do you make?

Yours in Daily Mastery, 
Karin

By Karin Vibe-Rheymer-Stewart, Ph.D. 

http://fabulously40.com/article/id/top-10-time-management-mistakes

8 Mistakes Men Make That Disgust Women

JEALOUSY 
Most guys act jealous when there is absolutely NO reason to... which makes them look extremely silly and foolish. Some guys even think that women are impressed by jealousy, likes it's manly or something... nope. No *healthy* woman would want to be with a guy that feels threatened by other men. Women like men that are confident with themselves and at ease around "the competition." 
Look at it this way, if your girlfriend or date requires constant supervision, if you can't trust her around other guys... then why would you want her? She's not the kind of high-quality woman your deserve to be with anyway.
NEEDINESS 
Clingy, sheepish guys who need to be affirmed and reassured all the time don't get respect (which is EXTREMELY bad because respect is the foundation of attraction). Give the woman of your life some space. Show her how strong and independent you are and then watch how she is drawn to you like metal to a magnet - act needy around her and prepare for her to be repelled.
COMPENSATION 
Buying women gifts, giving excessive compliments, and being too nice all fall into this category - they are all attempts to increase a woman's interest but all fail miserably. Compensating only draws attention to the fact that you have weaknesses - it doesn't cover anything up. Rather than trying to disguise your flaws focus on becoming comfortable with, and overcoming, them. 
COMING ON TOO STRONG TOO SOON 
People (both men and women) have a tendency to get caught up in the emotions of a new relationship and show too much interest way too soon. It is especially unattractive when a man becomes infatuated too easily… believe it or not people like to work for what they get. If a woman feels like your affection was too easy to obtain she won't be satisfied with it.
Don't jump into relationships... ease into them gradually. With relationships it is better to error on the side of caution - take things slow. 
CENTERING LIFE AROUND HER 
Women are attracted to movers and shakers... and repulsed by men who have no worthy ambition or drive to succeed. 
Most people don't feel worthy to be the core of another person's life so when a woman realizes that she is your sun and your whole solar system is orbiting her she will begin to question how boring and unimportant the rest of your life must be. 
When a man becomes dependent on a woman, psychologically, emotionally, or financially he places himself below her (on a psychosocial level) which makes it hard for her to respect him. 
TRYING TOO HARD
We are taught since we are very young that if we want something we have to try our hardest to get it. For instance, we are told that if we want a high paying job we have to put forth our best effort and in the end we will be rewarded because 'hard work always pays off.
Getting women is one of those few things in life where the less you try the better your results will be. When guys try too hard to be cool or likeable it is obvious to women and their actions seem forced, unnatural, and unattractive. 
Don't TRY TOO HARD to be cool, funny, or noticeable - just relax and be yourself.
BRAGGING
Talking yourself up makes you look bad (which is strange since the whole reason people do it is to make themselves look better). Allow your good qualities and life achievements to come to the surface naturally… a woman will admire that 10 - no, 20 - times as much and think much more highly of you than if you pointed it out to her.
BEING SHEEPISH 
Call it what you will (wussy, shy, being a doormat, etc.), women HATE it. Don't allow ANYONE to overstep your boundaries (you do have boundaries, don't you?)... especially not her. 
When a weak, untrained man gets around a beautiful woman he loses his opinions, he loses his ability to say no, and he loses his ability to stand up for himself. Don't be one of these guys… NOBODY likes a push-over, yes-man people pleasers. 
Oftentimes a woman will deliberately test your inner strength by trying to get you to bend your will for her. This is one test you DO NOT want to fail because it will be close to IMPOSSIBLE for her to respect you if you give in to her. 
SUMMARY:
Interestingly enough, EVERY SINGLE ONE of these mistakes that men make which drive women away are caused by, or indicative of INSECURITY!
Did you notice that? It's amazing. Insecurity repels women. Which is perfectly logical because insecurity means BIG problems for women (abuse, mental problems, "baggage," etc.) so if they even sense it, if they are healthy themselves, they will lose interest and leave. Can you blame them? I can't.
Luckily, the opposite is also true. CONFIDENCE ATTRACTS WOMEN, INSECURITY REPELS THEM. Women are DRAWN to real self-confidence like metal to a magnet. NOTHING is more attractive than a confident, competent man. Women are attracted to men with goals, desires, and opinions. Men who are secure and proud of who they are. Men who aren't afraid to be themselves. Men who love to get the most out of life and aren't afraid to achieve… MEN THEY CAN RESPECT!
By Brian Caniglia 
http://relationships.blog-city.com/8_mistakes_men_make_that_disgust_women.htm

I accidently posted for the 7 common mistakes to getting pregnant

1.      Did you know that something as simple as using the wrong lubrication when you have sex can spoil your chances of getting pregnant? In fact, I thought a little lubrication would actually help, to you know, move things along;) Well, it turns out, most store-bought lubricants will damage the sperm and so they are strictly forbidden! The same goes for vaseline or KY jelly. Luckily, there are a couple of things you can use as a substitute. One, is a product called Pre-Seed, which is specifically designed not to be harmful to sperm. If you can't find it, drop me an e-mail and I'll let you know where you can get it. The other alternative is eggwhites. Yup, as in real eggs! You just leave one out for a while (they're much too cold, straight from the fridge), and then you crack it open and use the eggwhite (not the yolk) in place of lubrication. Believe it or not, eggwhites are extremely sperm friendly!! 

2.       many couples are under the mistaken impression that it is helpful to avoid sex during the month except for the time around when you are ovulating. This comes from the idea that if you "save up" the sperm, they will be more plentiful when you need them! Turns out, this is a very big mistake. It's true, if you save up the sperm, you might actually have more when your fertile time of the month comes, but there's one big problem. Most of these sperm will be tired, and sluggish, and unable to fertilize your egg. In order to have the best chance of conception, 
it is necessary to keep the sperm supply fresh! That means your partner should be ejaculating at least every 5 days throughout the month. Of course this does not apply to when you are approaching your fertile time (ovulation), when 
every 5 days is definitely not enough. 

3.       For now, I'm going to talk about one that you need to avoid, as it can actually ruin your chances of getting pregnant if you take the wrong dosage. What am I talking about? I'm talking about Vitamin C. Here's the deal.. Taking some vitamin C is actually a great idea, because vitamin C (in small doses) can do something wonderful to increase your fertility. It actually improves your cervical fluid. You may know that the cervical fluid is crucial for transporting the sperm to your cervix and on to your uterus, where it will eventually meet up with your egg. 
Without good quality cervical fluid, the sperm just doesn't have a chance of surviving for very long. But here's the catch...Too much vitamin C can have the opposite effect. Yeah, that's right...too much can cause your cervical fluid to dry up, and that can just about ruin your chance of ever getting pregnant. So you must be extremely careful to avoid 
getting megadoses of Vitamin C (especially during cold and flu season where we're often advised to load up on vitamin C). 

4.       About stress. This is sometimes a delicate topic among couples trying to get pregnant. People are always saying...."just relax, and it'll happen." Sheesh, don't they know that just causes even more stress!! If you could just get pregnant, you wouldn't be so stressed, yet being stressed might be keeping you from getting pregnant. Talk about a catch-22! In any event, I am not going to tell you, "hey, just relax", but I will point out that there are increasing reports of the link between stress and fertility. In some recent studies, women exposed to "laughter therapy" actually had greater pregnancy rates than those who did not participate. And the best news is, it doesn't take much. Even just 15 minutes a day. So instead of trying to force yourself into relaxing, try something that might make you 
laugh...maybe visit a comedy club, or even watch or rent some of your favorite comedies and see if it doesn't make a difference! 

5.       food you should be avoiding when trying to get pregnant. This is a food that some pregnant women know to avoid, but not many women who are trying to get pregnant know about. What am I referring to? FISH No, not just any fish, but fish that is high in mercury. Avoiding fish 
high in mercury won't actually help you get pregnant, but you really need to know about this information if you're trying to get pregnant. Here's why. When you conceive, and then find out you're pregnant about 2 weeks later, the baby has already been exposed to everything you have put in your body during those last two weeks. Now hopefully, you have 
cut out most of the obvious things that would be harmful to the baby, but you might not have thought about fish. Mercury can get stored up in your bloodstream from too much consumption, and then passed on to the developing baby. Too much mercury can effect the nervous system of an unborn baby. One fish that many people eat quite frequently is "white" tuna fish in the can. This can have high levels of toxic mercury in it and should be eaten only in small quantities. And you should completely avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tile fish (also called golden or white snapper), tuna steaks (fresh or frozen), orange roughy, Spanish mackerel, marlin, and grouper because these fish contain the highest levels of mercury. However, it would be wrong to think it's best to just avoid fish altogether, as fish is loaded with protein, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids -- all of which are an important part of a healthy diet. There are plenty of other varieties -- salmon, rainbow trout, and canned mackerel, for instance -- that contain low levels of mercury and are high in healthy fats. 

6.       You may have heard, there has been an ongoing debate about whether drinking coffee (or other caffeine beverages) can cause a delay in getting pregnant. Studies have been done and the research is mixed--some conclude yes, others conclude no. Some studies now suggest that even one cup of coffee per day can reduce a woman's chances of getting pregnant within a 12-month period by more than 50%. Three cups a day, and the odds drop by more than 175%. Although the caffeine debate is far from settled, Dr. Mark Leondires, M.D., Medical Director at Reproductive Medicine Associates of CT, encourages patients to stay on the 
safe side and avoid caffeinated beverages while trying to get pregnant. I'd say that is excellent advice. If you are trying to get pregnant faster, or it has been taking longer than you had hoped, don't you think it's best to err on the safe side? If you're feeling depressed about the thought of giving up your morning "fix", you should know there are some other beverages that can be a worthwhile substitute, as they actually enhance your fertility. 

7.       When trying to get pregnant it's very important to eliminate as many medications from your routine as possible. Talk with your physician about your prescription medications. You may need to discontinue use or try something new. Male fertility factors contribute to approximately 40% of all infertility cases. Getting pregnant is not just a woman's problem! One medication that has been known to impact male fertility is Tagamet - used to treat ulcers, gastrointestinal problems, and urinary tract infections. This medication can have a harmful effect on sperm production and sperm count. Throw it out!! (Or at least hide it for the time being).

http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1160232.aspx

10 WORST CREDIT CARD MISTAKES

If you have a credit card, you owe it to yourself to use it the right way. Making any of these credit card mistakes could cost money and precious credit score points.

1. Making minimum only payments.

Making the minimum payment on your credit card not only increases the amount of time it takes to pay off your credit card balance, it also increases the amount of interest you pay on your credit card. Increasing your credit card payment helps you pay off your balance sooner and at a lower cost.

2. Paying late.

Paying the minimum on your credit card not only increases the amount of time it takes to pay off your credit card balance, it also increases the amount of interest you pay on your credit card.

3. Loaning your credit card.

When you loan your credit card to someone else, you have no control over the purchases they make. In the end, you’re responsible for paying the bill, even if the person who borrowed your credit card doesn’t.

4. Ignoring your credit card billing statement.

If you don’t open your credit card billing statement, you risk missing your payment due date. You could also miss important announcements about changes to your credit card terms.

5. Letting your credit card get charged-off.

A charge-off is one of the worst things to happen to your credit report and your credit score. The charge-off listing will remain on your credit report for seven years and could effect your ability to get credit cards and loans in the future.

6. Waiting to report your lost or stolen credit card.

The longer it takes you to report a lost or stolen credit card, the longer the thief has to charge up your account. If you report your missing credit card before any fraudulent charges are made, you’ll have no liability for the charges.

7. Maxing out your credit card.

Charging your credit card balance beyond 30% of your credit limit is dangerous to your credit score. Getting close to your credit limit puts you at risk for over-the-limit fees and penalty interest rate your credit card charges when you exceed your credit limit.

8. Closing your credit card out of anger.

Canceling your credit card account will seldom get you anywhere with your credit card issuer. It will almost always cost you credit score points as you drive your credit utilization up. Leave credit card accounts open until you're sure closing the card won't hurt your credit score.

9. Applying for too many credit cards at once.

Every time you apply for a new credit card, you knock points off your credit score. If you start applying for several credit cards within a short period of time, you might notice the denials are more frequent as lenders start getting suspicious about the sudden onslaught of credit card applications. Apply for new credit cards one at a time on an as-needed basis.

10. Not knowing your credit card terms.

Knowing how your credit card company handles late payments makes you more likely to pay your credit card bill on time. Knowing your credit card terms give you more control over your credit card costs. You know how you should and should not use your credit card based on how your creditor will respond to your actions.

By LaToya Irby, About.com Guide

http://credit.about.com/od/usingcreditcards/tp/worst-credit-card-mistakes.htm

Top 10 Personal Bank Account Handling Mistakes

Its not everyday you get to hear this.
"PRINCE Charles's personal bank details have been stolen, they include his vital account number, sort code and national insurance number."
(The People Newspaper, United Kingdom - issue 24 June 2007)
The Prince's secret details are believed to have been on a laptop computer stolen from an accountant's car. The accountant works for payroll firm Moorepay which handles wages for Charles's Duchy of Cornwall estate.
If you think you are a "smooth operator" in all your bank dealings, we still suggest you keep this quick checklist as a guide and reminder to being a prude bank customer.
The 1st mistake is not going through your bank statements when you receive them. If your balance is minimum, you could be charged a fee, or if there is a problem in the statements, you could have it rectified immediately.
The 2nd mistake is very common and has to be avoided. Discarded bank statements or deposit slips can easily lead to identity thefts. Therefore, shred the discarded documents or tear them into small pieces even if they are thrown in trash cans.
The 3rd mistake is, is related to the second mistake. If you review your bank statements in office, during work, don't forget to put it back in your bag or purse after reviewing it.
The 4th mistake is, in order to save time, people usually sign their checks in advance. Please sign or endorse your checks inside the bank, even if it takes a long time. Its not worth loosing your money.
The 5th mistake is to set and use an easy password. Try and choose a non typical password, not like your date of birth or your number plate. Also change your password every two to three months. And never write down your password, except in the privacy of your own home or bedroom.
The 6th mistake is paying unnecessary fees. Various banks charges fees for various services, but not all. Therefore, check out all the banks and their charges before you open your personal account.
The 7th mistake is doing online banking & transactions in public places. Using WiFi in hang out places offers you to go online and log on. This could prove dangerous as, anyone could access your account details using WiFi.
The 8th mistake is using ATM machines, and walking out of the ATM cubicle openly, specially when you are not feeling safe physically. Most important of all, never write down your pin number anywhere, especially on your ATM card.
The 9th mistake is assuming that since you have a personal account in a bank, you have to take a loan from that bank only. That's not the case. You can shop around in other banks and check out their loan offers as well. Maybe they will offer you a better loan plan.
The 10th and the final mistake is that you do most of your banking transactions online. Develop a good relationship with your bank manager and the staff. It will help you in the future in case you ever have a problem.
Its not all that difficult when it comes to securing your bank information, being careful and staying aware of what's going on in your account is the key. Identity theft and bank errors have made it essential that you watch your step and follow simple precautionary measures.
Bonus Tip:Even minor changes in bank policies can create issues, causes confusion headaches and resolving them can cost your precious time and money. We suggest you make it your habit to "always read the small text", take your time scrutinizing and understanding bank policies and ask questions before you sign any contracts.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Saher_Nasir
http://EzineArticles.com/?Top-10-Personal-Bank-Account-Handling-Mistakes---Saving-Your-Personal-Banking