1. Stay active throughout the weekend.

Use your time away from the office to refresh and energize yourself. If you spend the entire weekend working from your home office, you’re bound to experience burnout. Try heading outside for a hike or bike ride.

—Chuck Cohn, Nerdy

2. Learn to manage stress to prevent burnout at work.

Stress can easily contribute to burnout if it’s not managed effectively. Adopting simple techniques in your daily schedule—such as meditation, exercise and practicing mindfulness—can help you get mentally and physically fit so your brain is fresh and ready to return to work.

—Anthony Pezzotti, Elevated Media Inc.

3. Change your perspective immediately.

When I realize I’m burned out, I stop everything and change my whole environment. Because I work at home, I might visit a client’s office for a day, attend a conference or go commune with nature. Stepping away from the daily stress and grind and viewing the world from a different perspective, even temporarily, reawakens my curiosity and enthusiasm for work.

—Alexandra Levit, Inspiration at Work

4. Go on a media detox to prevent burnout at work.

Part of the high level of stress and burnout that we currently experience is the intense connectivity and demand for attention placed on us by the supercomputer in our pockets. By checking emails, social media and text messages every few minutes, it’s easy to burn out. Schedule media detox times into your life—entire days or blocks of time when your device stays home, off or both.

—Marcela De Vivo, Gryffin

5. Build downtime into your schedule.

Everyone needs to disconnect and rejuvenate. How you do that is up to you, but build time into your schedule to take a step back and pursue something that feeds your mind, body and spirit. If you build that time into your schedule on a consistent basis, you won’t experience burnout. It’s all about finding balance.

—Nicole Munoz, Nicole Munoz Consulting

6. Get truly quiet sleep to prevent burnout at work.

You get burned out answering late-night emails before you go to bed. And since it is the last thing you end up thinking about, you feel overwhelmed and it can be hard to sleep. Instead, quarantine your computer, phone and TV in another room. Enjoy a good book, then meditate a few minutes so you prepare yourself for a restful night’s sleep without distractions.

—Firas Kittaneh, Amerisleep

7. Delegate tasks that you can outsource.

We usually don’t get burned out by the entire business. It’s usually a few aspects that cause burnout. Although you can try to soothe burnout by taking occasional breaks, until you identify the tasks that cause you to revolt, you’ll keep running into burnout. Identify a few tasks you can’t stand to do anymore and find a way to outsource some or all of them.

—Mark Daoust, Quiet Light Brokerage Inc.

8. Go for a daily walk to prevent burnout at work.

I enjoy a short walk around the block listening to music to get my focus back. I find that when I walk away from a project for as little as five minutes, I come back refreshed with new ideas and perspectives I might have never thought of if I hadn’t left my desk. Sometimes occupying your mind with other thoughts and senses can bring you right where you need to be.

—Stanley Meytin, True Film Production

9. Help someone else.

Accomplishing something meaningful is a great way to recharge, and switching problems is refreshing. Offer to help people without expecting anything in return. Your fresh perspective can be invaluable to them and the simple act of helping someone else will help you get back on track.

—Douglas Hutchings, Delta Solar

This article was updated July 2023. Photo by Kateryna Onyshchuk/Shutterstock

The post 9 Ways to Prevent Burnout at Work When You’re Feeling Stressed appeared first on SUCCESS.

1. Don’t: Say yes unless you really want to.

Research conducted at the University of California in San Francisco shows that the more difficulty you have saying no and setting boundaries, the more likely you are to experience stress, burnout and even depression. Saying no is indeed a major challenge for most people. “No” is a powerful word you should not be afraid to wield. When it’s time to say no, emotionally intelligent people avoid phrases like “I don’t think I can” or “I’m not certain.” Saying no to a new commitment honors your existing commitments and gives you the opportunity to successfully fulfill them.

2. Do: Give gratitude to improve your emotional intelligence.

The most effective way to cultivate positivity in your organization is to acknowledge and reward the behaviors you want. I’ve found that showing gratitude every day has been a game-changer. It helps me recognize, analyze and appreciate the good in my life, which includes the people in my life and the things they do.

—Cody McKibben, Thrilling Heroics

3. Do: Manage your stress.

A cool head makes better decisions and can help you listen better to your team. How you handle high levels of stress can mean the difference between being assertive and poised or being negative and disgruntled. Staying in control of your emotions during stressful situations helps you focus on what’s important.

—Nicole Munoz, Start Ranking Now

4. Don’t: Let anyone limit your joy to increase your emotional intelligence.

When your sense of pleasure and satisfaction are derived from comparing yourself to others, you are no longer the master of your own happiness. When emotionally intelligent people feel good about something they’ve done, they won’t let anyone’s opinions or accomplishments take that away from them.

While it’s impossible to turn off your reactions to what others think of you, you don’t have to compare yourself to others, and you can always take people’s opinions with a grain of salt. That way, no matter what other people are thinking or doing, your self-worth comes from within. Regardless of what people think of you at any particular moment, one thing is certain: You’re never as good or bad as they say you are.

5. Do: Communicate with awareness.

Emotional intelligence is particularly important when pitching a proposal. You need to be able to read people and understand which techniques relax them and which ones alienate them. When I pitch, I’m purposefully aware of their body language and tone of voice, which helps me be aware of emotional signs.

—Adam Steele, The Magistrate

6. Do: Give back to improve your emotional intelligence.

You can hone your emotional intelligence by joining an organization outside the workplace that seeks to do good in exchange for nothing. Leaving the business world behind to help others opens your eyes to the everyday struggles of other people, which can make you a more empathetic, rounded person. These qualities will then be appreciated by those who work with you.

—Marvin Amberg, Caseable

7. Don’t: Forget.

Emotionally intelligent people are quick to forgive, but that doesn’t mean they forget. Forgiveness requires letting go of what’s happened so you can move on. It doesn’t mean you’ll give a wrongdoer another chance. Emotionally intelligent people are unwilling to be bogged down unnecessarily by others’ mistakes, so they let them go quickly and are assertive in protecting themselves from future harm.

8. Do: Reflect on your day.

At the end of the day, reflecting for even a few minutes will give you clarity. Details can easily be convoluted by time, so making a point to reflect daily on your interactions will allow you to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. It’s easiest to be honest with yourself while still in the moment.

—Charles Bogoian, Kenai Sports, LLC

9. Do: Observe those around you to develop your emotional intelligence.

Everyone is different. Strong emotional intelligence and healthy, lasting relationships are formed by knowing how to best engage each person. When you understand their motivations and reactions from conversations with you or others, you can better understand how to foster relationships with them.

—Carlo Cisco, SELECT

10. Don’t: Die in the fight.

Emotionally intelligent people know how important it is to live to fight another day. In conflict, unchecked emotion makes you dig your heels in and fight the kind of battle that can leave you severely damaged. When you read and respond to your emotions, you’re able to choose your battles wisely and only stand your ground when the time is right.

11. Do: Encourage criticism.

To be emotionally brilliant, you have to be able to find feedback valuable, even if it’s negative. Otherwise you’ll end up with a team of “yes men” (or women) and a failing business. The best ideas often come from the most unlikely places. But it can’t happen if you shut your door to criticism.

—Elle Kaplan, LexION Capital

12. Do: Be honest with yourself to improve your emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to accurately identify feelings and emotions—and then put them to use. When you’re interacting with someone, ask yourself, What am I feeling right now? What emotions is this person displaying? Begin this practice by reflecting on one conversation every day and journal the answers to form a habit.

—Brian Smith, Brian Smith Group

13. Don’t: Prioritize perfection.

Emotionally intelligent people won’t set perfection as their target because they know it doesn’t exist. Human beings, by our very nature, are fallible. When perfection is your goal, you’re always left with a nagging sense of failure, and you end up spending your time lamenting what you failed to accomplish and what you should have done differently instead of enjoying what you were able to achieve.

14. Do: Breathe before you speak to increase your emotional intelligence.

This is lesson No. 55 in Richard Carlson’s book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. Carlson instructs readers to always stop and take at least one breath before responding to someone. This simple, short pause allows you to really process what they’re saying and show you’re listening. It will also change the pace of the discussion and allow both of you to connect.

—Neil Thanedar, Labdoor

15. Do: Exercise routinely.

I like to start my day by exercising in the morning. Set aside at least 30 minutes to do cardio, yoga, run, lift weights, etc. For most people, this is the hardest part of their day, so powering through a good workout releases endorphins, increases your mood and puts you in the emotional mindset to take on any challenge you might encounter.

—Dustin Cavanaugh, RenewAge

16. Don’t: Live in the past to develop your emotional intelligence.

Failure can erode your self-confidence and make it hard to believe you’ll achieve a better outcome in the future. Most of the time, failure results from taking risks and trying to achieve something that isn’t easy. Emotionally intelligent people know that success lies in their ability to rise in the face of failure, and they can’t do this when they’re living in the past. Anything worth achieving is going to require you to take some risks, and you can’t allow failure to stop you from believing in your ability to succeed. When you live in the past, that is exactly what happens, and your past becomes your present, preventing you from moving forward.

17. Do: Assume the best.

Brené Brown said in a recent interview, “What if you knew that everyone in the world was trying their absolute best?” That perspective triggers an immediate and powerful shift in compassion. You will listen and connect more (and improve your emotional intelligence) when you assume people are doing everything they can.

—Carter Thomas, Bluecloud Solutions

18. Do: Meditate.

There is something deeply powerful about taking time out for stillness. I’ve become a highly empathetic and intuitive person, which would not be how I described myself less than a decade ago. I feel highly in tune with the world around me as a result.

—Darrah Brustein, Network Under 40/Finance Whiz Kids

19. Don’t: Dwell on problems to develop your emotional intelligence.

Where you focus your attention determines your emotional state. When you fixate on the problems you’re facing, you create and prolong negative emotions and stress, which hinders performance. When you focus on actions to better yourself and your circumstances, you create a sense of personal efficacy that produces positive emotions and improves performance. Emotionally intelligent people won’t dwell on problems because they know they’re most effective when they focus on solutions.

20. Do: Look for meaning to improve your emotional intelligence.

It’s important to reflect at the end of the day to better understand what transpired and how you could have handled it better. Look for the meaning in people’s reactions—it will tell you a lot about what they’re thinking. Sometimes it’s hard to determine in the moment, but you may find the answer if you reflect on it later.

—Andy Karuza, FenSens

21. Do: Respectfully disagree.

If you don’t agree with a decision and need to present an alternative, first put yourself in the other person’s shoes and think about how you would want to be approached. Would you want to discuss this one-on-one or in front of a group during a meeting? Are you being solution-oriented or are you pointing out a flaw? Always consider the other person.

—Sharam Fouladgar-Mercer, Signos

22. Don’t: Hang around negative people.

Complainers are bad news because they wallow in their problems and fail to focus on solutions. They want people to join their pity party so they can feel better about themselves. People often feel pressure to listen to complainers because they don’t want to be seen as callous or rude, but there’s a fine line between lending a sympathetic ear and getting sucked into another person’s negative emotional spiral. You can improve your emotional intelligence and avoid getting drawn in by setting limits and distancing yourself when necessary. 

Think of it this way: If a person were smoking, would you sit there all afternoon inhaling secondhand smoke? You’d distance yourself—and you should do the same with complainers. A great way to set limits and develop your emotional intelligence is to ask complainers how they intend to fix a problem. The complainer will then either quiet down or redirect the conversation in a productive direction.

23. Do: Stick to a mantra that resonates with you.

I center my mantra on the fact that you cannot control other people’s actions, only your own. Often in life, we’re faced with challenging people and situations. It’s in the way we react, feel, think and act in relation to the challenges that will make the difference.

—Stanley Meytin, True Film Production

24. Don’t: Hold grudges to improve your emotional intelligence.

The negative emotions that come with holding a grudge are actually a stress response. Just thinking about the event involved sends your body into fight-or-flight mode. When a threat is imminent, this reaction is essential to your survival, but when a threat is ancient history, holding onto that stress wreaks havoc on your body and can have devastating health consequences over time. In fact, researchers at Emory University have found that holding onto stress can contribute to high blood pressure and heart disease. Holding onto a grudge means you’re holding onto stress, and emotionally intelligent people know to avoid this. Learning to let go of a grudge will not only make you feel better now but can also improve your health and develop your emotional intelligence.

This article was originally published December 2015 and has been updated. Photo by Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com

The post 24 Do’s and Don’ts to Improve Your Emotional Intelligence appeared first on SUCCESS.

Consider this: Do you proactively engage in your day or simply “fall into activity”? In many ways, time is always of the essence, isn’t it? So it’s up to you to effectively manage your time amid a sea of competing interests. The thing is, we have far more control than we give ourselves credit for.

Would you like to get more value out of the hours you have in the day? Check out these time management skills.

1. Audit your time 

The things we invest our time in are not all created equal. The Pareto Principle states that 80% of our time produces 20% of our results—and vice versa: 20% of what we do produces 80% of our results. This means we have to gain extreme clarity on what our “20%” activities are. 

What things are most predictive of you accomplishing your goal? What is most important to you?

In a sea of good things, it is easy to lose track of the great things. Furthermore, saying yes to a few great things means saying no to a lot of good things. This is the hardest part of effective time management strategies: deciding which ostensibly good things need to get pushed down the ladder in order to prioritize the great things. 

We need to reassess and audit how we are spending our time. While weeding through and sorting our priorities is not an easy or quick process, the payoff in what you are able to accomplish as a result is incredibly rewarding. 

2. Begin with the end in mind

Incorporate this time management skill into your daily habits: Identify the most important tasks you need to accomplish and the specific results you seek. Limit your list to no more than three to five items and schedule them based on rigor. Be careful not to assign equally taxing items on the same day. Allocate a specific period of time to accomplish each item, approaching them with a sense of urgency. When a competing interest arises, ask: Is this activity appropriate given what I need to accomplish today? Every once in a while, a dilemma may arise and take precedence, but that happens less frequently than you might think.

“I always end my day by planning the following day, and I always end the week by planning the following week,” says Andrew Kucheriavy, founder and CEO of Intechnic. “This allows me to focus on top priorities as soon as I start my day without having to remember what’s important or worrying about anything derailing me.”

3. Visualize your daily goals

When you wake up each morning, use the time management strategy of deciding then and there what you want to do with the day. What tasks do you want to accomplish? What activities do you want to enjoy? (It’s important to note that daily goals don’t necessarily have to be work related. Perhaps your goal that day is to spend time with your family or enjoy a day on the golf course.) Then, take a few minutes to visualize these tasks as already completed. How would you feel if they were already done? This sense of fulfillment will renew your drive to complete your tasks that day and not put them off any longer.

4. Learn time management skills from the experts

Success leaves tracks. A wise man who had studied success for more than 50 years once concluded that the greatest success principle of all was to learn from the experts. If you want to experience success in any area, find out what other successful people in that area are doing. Then do the same things until you get the same results. Study the interviews, speeches, biographies and autobiographies of successful men and women. You’ll likely find they all have one quality in common: They are all described as being “extremely well organized.”

Becoming extremely knowledgeable and experienced in using time management techniques will be of great value to you—perhaps more than any other skills you can learn. So read the books and articles, listen to the audio and take the courses. Then, practice, practice, practice every day until you master those time management skills.

5. Determine which tasks are priority

Successful people are both effective and efficient. They do the right things, and they do them in the right way. They are constantly looking for ways to improve the quality and quantity of their output. Because there is never enough time to do everything that needs to be done, you must continually use the time management strategy of setting priorities on your activities. Perhaps the best question you can memorize and repeat is: What is the most valuable use of my time right now?

Still not sure how to decide? Try this analogy: In life, everything you could potentially give your time to is either a rubber bouncy ball or a ball made of glass. When you drop the rubber bouncy ball, it will bounce and eventually find its way back to you. It will be fine and is not going to be damaged. However, when the glass ball hits the ground, it shatters—there is no putting it back together.

As you look at your priorities, filter them through the lens of what will bounce and what will shatter. You may find that your time-management decisions become much clearer. 

6. Set deadlines to help boost your time management skills

Some tasks will inherently come with a deadline. But for tasks that don’t, you stand to benefit a lot by setting one of your own. Deadlines have a way of breaking procrastination and can motivate you even when you have no desire to complete the task. It’s important, though, when you set deadlines for yourself that you actually stick to them. If you start ignoring the deadlines you set, soon they will have little value to your time management efforts.

7. Use the time management skill of focusing on one task

Start with your top tasks. The natural tendency is to major in minors and clear up small things first. After all, small things are easier and they are often more fun than the big, important things that represent the most valuable use of your time. However, the self-discipline of organizing your work and focusing on your highest-value tasks is the starting point of getting your time under control and lowering your stress levels.

“The phrase ‘eat that frog’ was made popular by author Brian Tracy. It’s basically a time management technique that says you should tackle the most difficult and most important task on your to-do list first thing in the morning. Crossing off the hardest and highest priority thing before doing anything else has made me more productive throughout the day,” says John Turner, co-founder of SeedProd LLC.

8. Make a to-do list

One of the best time management strategies you can use is a to-do list. Something about writing out the tasks you have to complete on a piece of paper makes them feel more doable. It provides you with a visible, tangible way to see how much you still have to do and keep track of the things that you’ve already done. As an added bonus, marking an item off your to-do list is a feel-good reward in and of itself.

“For me, time management is all about lists. Every day, I have a list of items to accomplish. Some are personal. Some are professional. Some take priority (exercise, investor relations), some get pushed to tomorrow (compliance), some get pushed to next week (blogging),” says Grant Feek, managing director of Private Seller Exchange for Cox Automotive Inc. “Interestingly, I find that the more ‘non-work’ stuff I take on, the more organized and efficient I become overall.”

“I set daily to-do lists and work on the highest priority and most time-sensitive items each day,” adds Adam Mendler, co-founder of The Veloz Group. “While not everything will get done, a lot will, and my time will largely be spent productively.”

9. Stop multitasking—it’s the simplest time management skill

There are people who like to think they are really good at multitasking, but very few of us actually are. Studies have shown that we are almost always less productive when we are trying to accomplish multiple tasks at once. By learning how to prioritize, you’ll be able to get much more done than if you were multitasking. In fact, not only are we less productive when we multitask, it can also increase chances of burnout, as it is both more difficult and more stressful than focusing your efforts on a single task. Instead of trying to get everything done at once, start checking things off your to-do list one task at a time. Focus all your attention on a single task until it is complete.

10. Confront and eliminate distractions

It may seem difficult to avoid the lure of people, technology and other attractive nuisances when compared to “work,” but remember that you’re responsible for the choices you make. What’s the best choice when it comes to time management techniques? Confront distractions. You already know your vices, where you’re likely to fall down. Why not take away the enticement in advance? Recognize distractions for what they are. By mindlessly engaging with them, you lose precious time—time that could be better spent doing the things that matter most.

One of the best time management strategies for confronting distractions? Do a self-audit on where all your time is going. Watch James Whittaker, host of Win the Day podcast, author and speaker share his best tip below:

“The fewer times you are interrupted, the more productive you will be. Pay attention to those things that disrupt you—maybe you need to put your smartphone away or close out your email while you work on important tasks,” adds Blair Thomas, co-founder of eMerchantBroker. “Broken flow can really impede progress. By recognizing what breaks your concentration, you can increase your productivity.”

Another time management technique to try? Limit how often you check and answer emails. “Not everyone is capable of doing this, but I’ve seen it work wonders for those who are a little too frequently on the trigger of their email. It’s pretty simple. You set aside two different times during the day to answer email: once at the start, the second at the end. Anything in between gets avoided unless it’s an emergency—but at that point, someone should be calling you,” suggests Nicole Munoz, founder of Nicole Munoz Consulting.

11. Categorize projects and tackle related tasks together

“Switching between types of tasks is mentally draining. Instead, bundle related projects together and tackle them all at once,” says Firas Kittaneh, co-founder of Amerisleep. “For instance, start your day addressing customer service challenges. Then, move onto marketing campaigns. Afterwards, review new product opportunities. This will make it easier to finalize tasks when you don’t have to mentally toggle back and forth dozens of times each day.”

12. Use apps to support your time management skills

There’s an app for just about anything, including tracking your time and productivity. Consider utilizing the tech like Serenity Gibbons, principal consultant for Diversity and Purpose Consultants, and Stephanie Wells, co-founder and CTO of Formidable Forms.

“Tracking time is like a budget for money. It makes me see what I was doing mindlessly in terms of not using time in the best way and where I can make immediate improvements,” Gibbons says. “I use a time tracker app, which helps me determine what I do every minute of the workday.”

“With so many awesome productivity apps on the market, it’s completely changed how I manage my time for the better,” Wells adds. “You no longer have to sit down and plan out your calendar for the week because productivity apps make it easy to set reminders, stay on track and get things done. Plus, with many of them, you can look back and see all that you’ve accomplished, which boosts motivation even more.”

13. Protect your time

You won’t complete any tasks, no matter what time management skills you use, if things keep interrupting you. “People in general can be distracting. If someone says they want two minutes of your time, it’s almost never two minutes! If I don’t have time to meet with someone for 10-15 minutes right on the spot, I usually have them schedule a time with me. It’s best to manage your day with enough wiggle room so that you can accomplish at least one to two things that you set out to do,” recommends Jennifer A. Barnes, CEO and founder of Optima Office, LLC.

“Work during your peak time, and protect that time from meetings or distractions,” adds Rachel Beider, CEO of PRESS Modern Massage. “You’ll get so much more done this way.”

And consider developing a code for when you’re busy, so you can kindly tell colleagues to leave you alone. It’s a time management technique many in your company are likely to employ. “We have all been in a situation where we want to get back to work, but we can’t quite end conversations with our managers. So we internally developed a code that means, ‘Please don’t get offended, but I really need to tackle this task.’ This tactic has changed the way I manage my time because it means I can work on large projects without interruptions,” says Syed Balkhi, founder of WPBeginner.

14. Delegate more to boost your time management skills

“I learned from my experience that the entrepreneur’s to-do list will never end. You can prioritize your tasks, focus on more important things or set off the time for something particular, but at the end of the day, things just have to be done,” says Solomon Thimothy, co-founder and CEO of OneIMS. “Unless you find a way to clone yourself, you need to develop trust for other people who can perform those tasks better, faster and cheaper than you.”

15. Try the Pomodoro Technique

Francesco Cirillo developed this time management strategy in the late 1980s. “I learned about the Pomodoro Technique a few years back when researching solutions to this exact problem, and I have been extremely impressed with the results,” says Bryce Welker, creator of Crush the CPA Exam. “The idea behind it is to allot 25-minute chunks of time in which you only focus on one task. After each time chunk [called a pomodoro], take a short break before resuming. I’ve gotten more work done in four pomodoros than some full work days!”

Frederik Bussler, director of writing at Howl Labs, shares the sentiments for this time management strategy, adding that breaking your day into pomodoros “helps you stay focused and motivated.”

16. Avoid putting off tasks

As humans, we have this unfortunate tendency to spend more mental energy worrying about tasks we have to do than we spend actually doing them. When you put off tasks, they’re always going to be in the back of your mind. It’s difficult to enjoy leisure time when you’re consciously or subconsciously thinking about the work you are putting off. To avoid wasting mental energy worrying about these unfinished to-dos, always complete tasks as they come up.

17. Reward yourself when your time management skills work

When you complete a task, reward yourself! That doesn’t mean you have to throw a huge celebration every time you check something off your to-do list. For many people, the reward for finishing a task is something as simple as going outside for fresh air or having a snack. Just make sure that whatever rewards you give yourself are healthy and don’t take up too much of your time. For example, eating a box of donuts every time you finish a task probably isn’t a good idea and neither is taking the next two hours off. When done right, though, small rewards can have a big effect.

18. Take time to relax

If you’re like most people, no matter how much you do, there will always still be tasks that you could work on. Sometimes this feeling of never really being caught up can be overwhelming. You may find yourself trying to compensate by working even longer and harder. There may come a point, though, when you will burn out. From that point forward, no matter how hard you try, the work you do is not going to be the same quality as it was before. Plus, the time it takes you to do it is going to increase. What’s worse, burning yourself out certainly isn’t healthy.

It’s important to know when to take a step back and relax. For example, include breaks in your daily goals and reward yourself with short periods of relaxation. However you integrate this time management technique, just know that taking that time for yourself is every bit as important as taking the time to complete your tasks.

19. Evaluate your time management skills and strategies

Evaluate your success by how many critical tasks remain outstanding by the week’s end. Decide what percentage of tasks completed makes for a successful day or week for you. Perhaps it’s 85% to 90%. Carry over any uncompleted tasks to the next week.

By taking a closer look at your performance, you can determine where you need to make adjustments in your time management techniques. Evaluation should occur at two critical benchmarks: daily and weekly. While everything is still fresh in your mind, do a quick assessment at the end of each day. Is there anything that sticks out? If so, consider the impact it’s having on your time and performance. Is it positive or negative? Abandon whatever time management strategy isn’t working and indulge whatever is.

At the end of the week, do a global assessment. Look for patterns and trends. Did you notice time periods that were easy to work within? How about repeated distractions? Whatever you find, go beyond observations. Use what you discover to help you successfully manage your time and maximize your results.

20. Know that “balance” is a myth

When thinking about your time management, look through it with the lens of counterbalance. It’s the reality of how achievers accomplish big things. 

If you are always striving to find a perfect balance, then the only thing you will achieve is burnout. You have to find the ways you can counterbalance. Choosing to say yes to and prioritize one thing automatically requires saying no to something else. We can either fight that and drown or embrace it and thrive. 

Remember that there will never come a day when you arrive at the perfect balance. Time management is a lifelong process, and setting your priorities and allocating your time is only the beginning. You have to diligently check your hypothesis and see if you made the appropriate decision—and if it wasn’t the right decision, the beauty is that you can make another.

Learn how to manage your time with the management skills that work best for you. You’ll find you are able to achieve things beyond your wildest dreams.  

Listen to Ben Fairfield discuss effective time management skills and strategies on SUCCESS Line, a former podcast on the SUCCESS Podcast Network:

This article was originally published in December 2015 and was updated October 2023. Photo by insta_photos/Shutterstock.com

The post 20 Time Management Skills & Strategies to Help You Tackle Your To-Do List appeared first on SUCCESS.

Small talk has earned a bad rap, because to many people it represents meaningless and trivial conversation. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

A recent study published in Communication Research has found that those who engage in any of seven types of quality conversation experience increased well-being and happiness, alongside a reduction in their stress levels. Small talk has its benefits as well; a 2021 study published in the Academy of Management journal found that, despite the distraction caused by engaging in small talk, “employees who engaged in more small talk during their workday reported increased positive social emotions, which translated into greater [organizational citizenship behaviors] and well-being at the end of the day.” 

Ideas for how to make small talk

But increased well-being and positivity aren’t the only benefits of small talk. Engaging in small talk can open the door to interesting and meaningful connections—if you are aware and listening. These tips can help take the stress out of small talk and create a quality conversation:

1. Get your mind right.

If you spend the week anticipating and worrying because you know you will feel uncomfortable, you’ve set yourself up for failure. Remember why you are going—to celebrate a friend on their special day, to meet others who share your interest or to connect with your coworkers.

2. Decide who you’d like to meet before you go.

Take a look at who else will be there and plan to meet those who might share something in common with you. This might be someone who knows a mutual friend, a fellow baseball fan or a business owner living your dream.

3. Read a lot.

The more you read, the more trivia or facts you pick up that can turn into conversation material. It can be online or in books and journals, but it can help drive a conversation with someone you don’t know much about.

—Angela Ruth, Truework

4. Be interested in things to be interesting.

I find people have nothing to say because they don’t seem to have any interests. That makes them uninteresting. However, people with hobbies and interests always seem to have a topic or an opinion to share, and they can use that as a launching point to get someone else involved in the discussion.

—Murray Newlands

5. Make a game out of making small talk.

Trick your mind into making it seem easier and more fun by playing a game with yourself. Commit to at least an hour. Plan to meet at least five people. Challenge yourself to learn two new things. This mental shift can help tame the anxiety and make the conversation more fun.

6. Relax and be present in the conversation.

Rather than try to plan what you will say next, relax and focus on what the other person is actually saying. Listen. Be present in the conversation and the other person will notice. They will feel appreciated, and the conversation will flow naturally.

—Adelyn Zhou, Chainlink Labs

7. Take responsibility for meeting others.

Don’t wait for others to approach you. Say hello first. If you always expect others to make the first move, you’ll be disappointed. And the more you do it, the more comfortable you’ll be.

8. Don’t be the sidekick.

Rather than shadowing the one person you already know, branch out. Meet others on your own.

9. Have your ‘go-to’ small talk questions ready.

Starting a conversation with a new person can be hard. Try, “How do you know _____?,” “What is keeping you busy these days?” or “What brought you to this area?” It doesn’t have to be complicated, just something to get you started and form new acquaintances.

10. Ask thoughtful questions, and then follow up.

I despise small talk, but I love to connect with new people and learn about them because there is always something interesting to glean. If you actually care, it will show. Ask thoughtful questions and really listen to the answers. Then ask great follow-up questions based on their response. Your boring small-talk chat will quickly evolve into something meaningful.

—Darrah Brustein, Darrah.co

11. Be interested. 

Asking questions is the secret ingredient to interesting conversations. Stay away from yes-or-no questions and instead start with easy questions that feel natural. Just make sure to listen for an interesting comment to explore and build upon.

As an example for how your questions might flow:

• How do you know Allison?
• I didn’t realize you were a graphic designer. What kind of design do you do?
• Why did you decide to get into graphic design?
• Oh, I went to school in Miami, too! Where are your favorite places to go when you go back?
• Do you think of Miami as home? How did you make the move from there to here?

Within just a few questions, you can move to more substantial conversations.

12. Really listen to others talk.

People love to talk about themselves. I’ve gotten a lot of great business information by just listening to what people have to say, whether it’s work-related or not. Often, it’s about reading between the lines and listening to what they’re not saying to get a good understanding of the type of person they are, what they want and how I can supply that need.

—Duran Inci, Optimum7

13. Ask about a person’s life, not their job.

I never ask someone what they do anymore. Instead, I ask how they spend their time. Questions like this one open the door to more interesting conversations. If the person’s initial response is work-related, I follow up with, “What do you do when you’re not working?” Just keep asking questions and share comments that relate their story to yours.

—Mamie Kanfer Stewart, Meeteor

14. Learn their story.

I have found that it helps to ask questions about the person you’re talking with. Everyone has a story to tell, and if you enable them to tell it through asking questions, you will not only master small talk, but start the process of building a strong and meaningful relationship.

—David Ciccarelli, Voices.com

15. Be yourself when making small talk!

No one likes a fake networker. In the interest of being more outgoing, don’t be someone you aren’t. Putting out effort doesn’t mean being fake.

16. Share something very honest.

If you want to make small talk bigger, share something that’s very honest about a topic pertinent to you. When you let down your guard, you’re more likely to have more genuine and productive conversations that turn into meaningful connections and not just another business card for the drawer.

—Dan Golden, BFO (Be Found Online)

17. Compliment and shift.

Everyone loves a nice compliment. Find something that you can genuinely compliment the other person on, then shift to a question so as to avoid any awkwardness. 

18. Talk about the environment around you.

Ask questions, respond to the answers, and if you ever run out of things to say, make a comment about the architecture, artwork on the walls, a bird singing outside, whatever. The world is rich with things to talk about if you can stop worrying and move your center of focus away from your own mental and emotional state.

—Justin Blanchard, ServerMania Inc.

19. Plan a graceful exit for when you’re done making small talk.

Every conversation runs its course, but finding a natural end is hard. Just say something simple like, “It’s been great to meet you, and I hope you have the best vacation next week,” before excusing yourself to do something else. Then, move on.

20. Look for others who want to connect.

I recently went to a large celebratory event and only knew the busy host. I noticed another guest taking her time at the snack table and introduced myself. We had a great conversation while those around us caught up with longtime friends.

21. Be an introducer.

If you are talking with someone and another guest looks a little uncomfortable, remember the times when you were that uncomfortable person and try to include others by inviting them into the conversation. 

22. Don’t be the ‘hammer looking for the nail.’

Your favorite topic isn’t everyone else’s. You might love your new grill or your favorite book or TV show, but don’t assume everyone else is interested. Gauge the temperature of the conversation and flow with it.

23. But try to find common ground to make small talk about.

Try to find something that you have in common with the person and your interest will be genuine. Look for anything: hometown, college, sports, dogs. Try to identify something about the person you are talking with that you can relate to; this will make small talk easier and you will come across more genuine.

—Diego Orjuela, Cables & Sensors

24. Don’t expect too much.

Not every get-together will result in new friends. That’s OK. You still accomplished your goal of going when it was easier not to, and you were there supporting a friend or coworker. That is enough.

25. Get in the habit of making small talk.

Don’t constrain this habit to social events. Say hello to the person next to you on the plane before you grab your headphones (I’m working on this). Talk to your waiter. Ask your Uber driver about their day. The habit of saying hello and listening is a muscle you can develop by working on it a little every day.

Try some small talk. You might be surprised where it takes you.

This article was published in August 2016 and has been updated. Photo by Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

The post At a Loss for Words? 25 Ways to Master the Art of Small Talk appeared first on SUCCESS.

How to make time for reading

We asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council—busy people by definition—how they make time for reading. Here are some of their best tips. Use them, and start reading more today.

1. Do it first and do it last.

With the craziness of our daily schedules, it can be hard to find time to read, but we all know how important it is to our success that we make reading a habit. I have found that if you allocate 15 minutes first thing in the morning and 15 minutes before bed to read, you will start your day with ideas that expand your mind and go to bed with something other than work to think about.

—Rahim Charania, American Fueling Systems

2. Make time for reading by putting it on your calendar.

Reading is no harder to achieve than your weekly conference call if you schedule it on your calendar and take it just as seriously. I’ve found that things that don’t make it onto my calendar typically don’t get accomplished.

—Scott Baxter, PlayYourCourt

3. Read while you work out.

One of the only times I have time to read is while I am working out. I like to take an hour a day on the treadmill while reading and learning something. Work out your body while you work out your brain!

—Torrey Tayenaka, Sparkhouse

4. Get off social media to make time for reading.

You can easily spend 30 minutes browsing emails, answering text messages or watching dog videos on Facebook. Discipline your mind to replace staring at a screen with reading a book (or an e-book). You’d be amazed at how those three to five minutes of updating your timeline to see the newest Tweets can add up to a waste of time. We have the time to read; we just don’t manage our time well enough to include it.

—Robert De Los Santos, Sky High Party Rentals

5. Consider audiobooks instead.

Scheduling time to sit down and read is often impossible. Consider replacing reading with audio. Things like audiobooks and podcasts are an extremely efficient way of consuming content. Next time you’re commuting, working out or cleaning, turn on your favorite book. You’ll efficiently fill your dead time, flying through books faster than ever.

—Kyle Goguen, Pawstruck.com

6. Put e-books on your phone.

You can always find time to read as long as you have reading material with you—and what better way to do that than through your phone? I have books on my phone that I read when I’m waiting for anything, like a new update to load on my computer. It can be hard to find time to sit down and read, but having 10 minutes of quick reading throughout the day can be a great break for the mind.

—Bryce Welker, Crush The CPA Exam

7. Learn to say no to make time for reading.

Reading needs to be a priority, otherwise you’ll never do it. So, start by saying “no” to one task a week and use the time it would have taken you to complete the task to read. Once you have that down, say no to two tasks a week and so on and so forth, until you’re saying no to enough things that you can read every day.

—Michael Burdick, Paro

8. Don’t overthink it.

If you run a business, then you read more than you realize. From reports to pitch decks to the news, it’s all reading. This is why it is hard to segregate even more time out of a busy schedule to read books. Rather than striving to carve out reading time, simply allow yourself to go down the rabbit hole and read the content that you find the most engaging, no matter the outlet.

—Ryan Bradley, Koester & Bradley LLP 

This article was published in November 2017 and has been updated. Photo by Prostock-studio/Shutterstock

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We asked the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) for their advice on the best to-do list items for a right-before-the-weekend afternoon, and here’s what they had to say:

1. Celebrate your wins before leaving work on Friday.

It’s easy to look back on your week and think about what you’ve not yet done and what’s still outstanding. A good practice to cultivate is reviewing what went well and celebrating it. It reminds you to focus on your progress, the positive highs, and helps you start your weekend off in the right frame of mind.

—Lea Woodward, Kinetiva

2. Hold a team meeting.

Team meetings on Friday can be a great way to recap the week and plan for the next one. With tasks and objectives clearly laid out, you can also get a head start over the weekend and start Monday with a sound plan. Be sure to set the agenda, record objectives and define responsibilities.

—Andrew Thomas, andrewpaulthomas.com

3. Clean your desk before leaving work on Friday.

Nothing is worse than coming in on Monday morning to a stack of papers, boxes or scattered pens and notebooks. Taking the time to tidy your workspace before closing down on Friday is essential for starting the next week on a positive, welcoming note. Cleaning up your space will also help you mentally start to unplug from work in preparation for the weekend.

—Kim Kaupe, Bright Ideas Only

4. Reflect.

At the end of the day, it’s important to reflect. Before shutting down my computer on Friday evening, I usually ask myself a few questions: “What have I accomplished this week?” and “What do I want to accomplish next week? Next month? Next year?” An entrepreneur should always be aware of their recent accomplishments and reflect to better plan for their future success.

—Joe Apfelbaum, Ajax Union

5. Review next week’s calendar before leaving work on Friday.

Review your calendar for Monday, so you have a head start on the week.

—Phil Dumontet, Whole Sol

6. Put up a killer away message.

First, you deserve to take a weekend. If you typically work on weekends, too, put up your away message to make sure that people don’t expect a quick response. Second, use the away message to drive traffic. Link to an awesome article or video on your website so people can check it out while they wait. I have increased traffic on the weekends because my away message drives emailers to my latest posts.

—Vanessa Van Edwards, Science of People

This article was published in December 2014 and has been updated. Photo by WAYHOME studio/Shutterstock

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We asked the Young Entrepreneur Council for their opinions on the most off-putting things entrepreneurs and self-starters do in conversations. See if you’re guilty of any of these bad conversation habits. And if you are? Stop, stat.

Bad conversation habits to stop ASAP

1. Talking too much

People tend to talk themselves out of a deal by saying too much. Only answer the questions that people ask of you. As a rule of thumb, you should say about 20% of what you really want to. Offering too much information tends to generate more questions, which in turn leads to fear of the unknown. Keep it concise and direct.

—Andy Karuza, NachoNacho

2. Inflating yourself

A little humility goes a long way. I think your work can speak for itself, and oftentimes other people will brag on your behalf when it’s warranted. So don’t go into a conversation and regale us with your inflated ego or otherwise. Get to know the other person by asking questions and finding common ground.

—Darrah Brustein, Darrah.co

3. Saying “I feel like” is a bad conversation habit

You’re allowed to share your gut feeling, but assuming that you can win an argument because of your gut is an issue—not only because it’s annoying, but it takes away your team’s power to do its job.

—Aaron Schwartz, NPS Ventures

4. Poor delivery

If you are not able to properly communicate a compelling elevator pitch or lack knowledge in your industry, you immediately discredit your position in the market. Poor delivery is off-putting because it shows a lack of effort. You have to be prepared to sell yourself. You never know who you will meet and what power they hold.

—Rakia Reynolds, Skai Blue Media

5. Using buzzwords

Whether you are talking to potential clients, users or investors, no one wants to feel like they don’t understand what acronyms you’re using or what you’re trying to convey. There is a reason politicians speak as plainly as possible—so they can get everyone on the same page, and thus on board with their plan.

—Kim Kaupe, Bright Ideas Only

6. Interrupting is a bad conversation habit

Since entrepreneurs often think a mile a minute, they are often cutting into other people’s part of the conversation, thinking they know what they are about to say or already moving on to the next thought. More entrepreneurs need to dial it down, take a breath and actively listen. Speed is good in many situations, but it’s important to take in what others have to say.

—Peter Daisyme, Due

7. Checking your phone

All phones should be put away during conversations. No calls or texts. No browsing. It shows a lack of interest in the conversation you are having with someone. If you are not that interested, change the subject.

—Peter Boyd, PaperStreet Web Design

8. Leading with assumptive questions is a bad conversation habit

People often kick off a conversation by asking an assumptive question that will alienate at least part of their audience. For example, if you ask, “Have you ever been to X?” and the answer is “No,” you just lost that individual. That’s not the best way to build rapport.

—Eric Mathews, Start Co.

This article was published in August 2016 and has been updated. Photo by Ground Picture/Shutterstock

The post 8 Annoying Conversation Habits You’re Probably Guilty Of appeared first on SUCCESS.

No? Then shhh! There are some things you should never be caught saying—especially if you call yourself a leader. Because you have the power to influence people, you’ve got to choose the right words. If you don’t, you risk being a bad boss.

Things a boss should never say to an employee

So that you don’t get caught with your foot in your mouth, we asked the Young Entrepreneur Council, “What should a leader never say—and why?” Here are the phrases they suggest you eliminate from your leadership lingo:

1. “I don’t have time right now.”

Yes, a leader is constantly busy. Tasks and meetings never end, but you should always make time to answer an employee’s question. If an employee is constantly told “Now is not a good time” or “Come back later,” they will stop asking questions. Always have time for your employees. If you are in the middle of something, schedule a definitive time to address their question ASAP.

—Jonathan Long, INFLUENCERZ

2. “Because that’s the way we’ve always done it.”

A strong leader should never shrug off an employee’s suggestions by saying something is the way it has always been done. Strong leaders should listen and think with an open mind. If they genuinely believe an employee’s suggestion is no good, they should take the time to explain why. Strong leaders should be open to suggestions at any point in time and be happy to implement changes for the better.

—Jeff Cayley, Worldwide Cyclery

3. “What were you thinking?”

A good boss should never ask their employee, “What were you thinking?” Employees make mistakes, and it’s important to allow them to learn from those mistakes rather than blame them. When you critique an employee in a harsh or passive aggressive way, the only thing they’ll learn is to play it safe rather than play to win. And that won’t just hurt them—it’ll hurt the whole company.

—Vladimir Gendelman, Company Folders Inc.

4. “Here, let me do it.”

I used to correct emails, edit proposals and chime in on phone calls when I thought I could improve on the way a teammate was approaching a problem or a task. What I learned was that by doing it myself instead of giving feedback and letting the person try again, I was forgoing a critical coaching moment to serve as a lasting way to show someone how to better accomplish a task.

—Ross Resnick, Roaming Hunger

5. “Employee X does this better than you.”

Comparing employees to one another is one of the fastest ways to turn work relationships into rivalries. Internal competition should be healthy, not spiteful. A company’s management team should be wary of suggesting peers are better than each other. Strong leaders make it a point to acknowledge accomplishments without insulting everyone else.

—Danny Wong, Blank Label

6. “You don’t understand.”

Everyone knows effective leaders only hire smart people, but telling them later that they don’t understand something demeans their intelligence. Not only does this damage morale, but it also shuts them down before you get insight into the situation. A strong leader realizes that if there are misunderstandings on their team, it’s their job to open up a dialogue and make everything clear.

—Jared Brown, Hubstaff

7. “Your individual performance can sink the company.”

One of the most toxic things a strong boss should never say to an employee is that their individual performance can sink the company. Instead, strong leaders promote teamwork and the idea that each team member contributes in their own unique way to the overall performance of the company. Employees should never be made to feel the pressure of carrying an entire company on their shoulders.

—Kristopher Jones, LSEO.com

8. “Because I said so.”

There should always be a reason you’re asking someone on your team to do something. A strong leader trusts their employees and allows for enough transparency to help them understand how a request or idea ties back to the company’s mission.

—Abby Ross, Network for Good Donor Advised Fund

This article was published in July 2015 and has been updated. Photo by Josep Suria/Shutterstock

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It takes a different breed to transform an idea into something real, something successful, and Steve Jobs would have tipped his hat to you for signing up for the challenge. “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently,” he said. “They’re not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things—they push the human race forward. And while some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

But how do you know when you’ve finally climbed to the peak to become a successful entrepreneur? What does entrepreneurial success look like?

10 signs of successful entrepreneurs

The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) shares their own moments of glory—those instances when they realized they’d hit it big. Here are 10 signs you’re a successful entrepreneur:

1. When you’re able to quit your day job

I started my business over a period of five years during which I was also employed at an established organization. When I realized that I could earn a good living without that “day job” contributing to my paycheck, it was a major coup. My business may not make millions, but if it allows me to support my family doing what I love, it has succeeded.

—Alexandra Levit, Inspiration at Work  

2. When someone you don’t know has heard of it                                   

The first time I met someone and told her the name of my site and she said, “Oh wow, I know Bluegala,” I knew we were a success.

—Josh Weiss, Reggie

3. You’re a successful entrepreneur when you have a tribe

I knew we had hit onto something big when my students (our clients) began to do our work for us. They were posting, sharing and answering questions from other readers for us. I realized we had a tribe of like-minded people who would do anything to grow together. It made me realize that success is about more than just being a business; it is about creating a worldwide team.

—Vanessa Van Edwards, Science of People

4. When people start taking you seriously

When those around me ceased asking me when I was going to get a day job and began to take my entrepreneurial endeavor seriously, I finally realized that I had reached an important milestone. What I had initially envisioned as a concept had translated outside of the boundaries of my mind into everyday life.

—Steven Le Vine, grapevine pr + consulting

5. You’re a successful entrepreneur when you make your first million

There was just something about hitting that magic number. I was speechless, emotional and fired up for more.

—Vinny Antonio, Victory Marketing Agency

6. When influential media begins covering it

When you see yourself and your business mentioned on popular websites and in mainstream media, it hits you that you are now on the public’s radar and you have achieved something. At that point, people I knew from various places would tell me that they read about me and were aware of my business. This is when I realized that brand recognition for my company was starting to take hold.

—Shawn Porat, OpenFortune

7. When you get your first acquisition offer

To me my business was never good enough. The number of customers or revenue was never where it should be. I wanted more growth. I wanted to impact more lives. And it’s not until someone else tells you how much you’re worth that you realize what you have on your hands. Placing a value on something you’ve created changes everything. It puts all of your hard work into a completely new perspective.

—Logan Lenz, Nucleus

8. You’re a successful entrepreneur the first time you say no to a lead

Having the ability to say no to a client/project/lead is when I knew we were in a good place. It’s a nice freedom to have but a hard one to earn. Being in a place where you don’t have to take everything coming your way is big. You’ll know it when you get there.

—Chuck Reynolds, Wikimedia Foundation

9. When people are coming to you

When you first start a company, you’re going out to drum up business. All of the sales coming in are most likely generated from your direct efforts. I first felt like we were doing something right when we had people reaching out to us asking if we would take them on as clients, without us having done any outreach.

—Kelsey Raymond, Influence & Co.

10. You’re a successful entrepreneur when you see the difference your services make

Working inside the business can prevent you from stopping and celebrating the wins. But I couldn’t help but reflect when I heard that the CEO of a $750 million company cried when he watched a video we created about the founding of his brand. We knew we had a gift for telling stories through presentations and video but never imagined having that great of an impact.

—Kenny Nguyen, Big Fish Presentations

This article was published in January 2015 and has been updated. Photo by PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

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It’s a simple phrase, short and sweet. But how often does it actually come out of your mouth? It’s kind of surprising how hard it really is to make saying “thank you” something that comes naturally instead of another item on your to-do list.

Except it is hard. It can slip your mind. You’re not sure how to say it, or show it. And sometimes it feels awkward (complimenting—giving and receiving—doesn’t come easily to everyone).

But none of these excuses gets rid of people’s innate need to feel valued and appreciated—to be praised and recognized—for their work.

So we asked the Young Entrepreneur Council, “How do you express gratitude to your people?” to make sure you’re spreading the appropriate amount of thanksgiving around your office:

1. Express gratitude when they don’t expect it.

When something is expected, it’s hardly valued. And a general “thank you” seems less sincere than recognition for a specific action. So, I’ll randomly send an email note to a team member that just says: “Thanks for a specific past action, so glad you’re here and what can I do to make your life better?” I ask this last question so they know that I support them and will go out of my way to help.

—Alan Carniol, Interview Success Formula

2. Write personal notes.

I’ve found that taking a few minutes to write a personal (handwritten) note to an employee goes a long way. Doing quarterly fun activities to build teamwork and show our appreciation to the staff as a whole also works wonders. We’ve also given unexpected bonuses when an employee consistently goes above and beyond.

—Angela Harless, AcrobatAnt

3. Boost work-life benefits.

You should always thank your employees for their hard work. However, actions are always better than words, so make it as easy as possible for them to maintain a good work-life balance. Empower them to do what they need to in and out of the office. Offer flexible work schedules, generous paid time off and up-to-date tools to keep communication easy and open.

—Zach Robbins, Leadnomics

4. Hold Friday lunches.

It sounds basic, but it’s gone a long way for our culture. We order lunch every Friday for our company. We all stop working, get together in the break room and banter back and forth while eating lunch. It has been a great way to get to know each other and build great relationships. 

—Brandon Stapper, 858 Graphics

5. Use your words.

Sit down with an employee and tell them how much you appreciate their work. From the other side of the table, it can be nerve-wracking not knowing what your boss thinks of you. Nothing goes further than authenticity. Don’t wrap your feelings up in trophies or money. Just have a human-to-human conversation.

—Slater Victoroff, Indico Data

6. Find out what motivates them.

Whether or not you are a large team, it’s important to recognize that everyone has a different motivator and measures success differently. For instance, some people are motivated by money while others are motivated by project completion. I like one-on-one meetings where I can ask each member how they personally measure success. That way I can show gratitude in a way that makes them feel valued.

—Nina Ojeda, Terkel

7. Stop patting them on the back and start rewarding.

Everyone loves being told they’re doing a good job. But most great employees already know they’re doing a good job. Instead of telling them, show them. People like tangible rewards. Bonuses, company retreats or an occasional “gift” after a particularly successful quarter can go a long way in solidifying loyalty and showing your team you recognize their hard work.

—Blair Thomas, EMerchantBroker

8. Ask for feedback and act on it.

I believe employees feel appreciated when I ask them for feedback and actually act on it. We send a weekly net promoter score survey to our entire team, and I read it every week. Then, I act on the recurring comments. It can be as simple as getting a better coffee machine, which we did last month. I was amazed how much of a celebration that caused!

—Chris Goward, WiderFunnel

9. Add gratitude to your daily routine.

When things move really quickly it’s easy to forget to thank the people you work with every day. That’s why we created a daily routine to express our gratitude. We set 15 minutes aside to discuss what we’re working on and what our core values are. We share examples of how our colleagues displayed these core values, and we acknowledge those who put them into action.

—Stephen Gill

10. Keep it simple and meaningful.

It’s the little things that mean the most. Nothing beats looking someone in the eye and expressing heartfelt gratitude. I also use handwritten thank-you notes liberally. In addition, we also use a custom, in-house platform powered by WeVue for continuous feedback and communication. It helps the whole team share feedback and recognition with each other daily.

—Chris Cancialosi, gothamCulture

This article was published in November 2015 and has been updated. Photo by

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