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While stress causes some people to crumble, mentally strong people are able to thrive despite added tension. In fact, they view adversity as an opportunity for growth. Whether they're dealing with financial setbacks, health problems, or workplace difficulties, mentally strong people don't let stress drag them down.

Here are 7 ways mentally strong people handle stress effectively:
1. They accept that stress is part of life.
While some people waste time and energy thinking things like, "I shouldn't have to deal with this," mentally strong people know that setbacks, problems, and hardships are inevitable. When stressful situations arise, they devote their efforts into doing what they can to move forward. Even when they can't change the circumstances, they know they can always take steps to improve their lives.
2. They keep problems in proper perspective.
Rather than think that a flat tire has the power to ruin their whole day, mentally strong people keep inconveniences in proper perspective. When tempted to catastrophize a minor event - such as thinking one mistake could ruin their whole career - they respond by reframing the message they give themselves, and refuse to allow a pessimistic inner monologue to take hold.
3. They take care of their physical health.
Mentally strong people recognize the importance of keeping their bodies in smooth operating condition. They recognize they won't be able to combat stress if they're worn out and running on empty. They exercise, get plenty of sleep, and maintain a diet that keeps them healthy.
4. They choose healthy coping skills.
While some people turn to alcohol, junk food, or other unhealthy vices to help them escape stress, mentally strong people cope with discomfort in a productive manner. They allow themselves to feel uncomfortable emotions like anxiety, fear, and sadness head-on. They use healthy activities, like going for a walk or participating in a hobby, to cope with emotional pain.
5. They balance social activity with solitude.
Sometimes, in an attempt to avoid facing problems, people fill their schedules with social activities. Others deal with stress by withdrawing from friends and family. Mentally strong people strike a balance: They maintain a healthy social life even when they're stressed, but they also reserve time to be alone with their thoughts.
6.They acknowledge their choices.
Stress can cause people to feel like victims of bad circumstances. Mentally strong people acknowledge that everything they do, from the time they wake up until the time they go to sleep, is a choice. They're willing to say no to things they don't want to do and they accept responsibility for their behavior.
7. They look for the silver lining.
Mentally strong people don't necessarily see the world through rose-colored glasses-they have a realistic outlook-but they do look for the silver lining in tough circumstances. They recognize that good things can come from stressful situations. Rather than allowing hardship to turn them into bitter people or helpless victims, they choose to use stressful circumstances to become stronger and better.
Amy Morin is a psychotherapist, keynote speaker, and the author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do, a bestselling book that is being translated into more than 20 languages. To learn more about her personal story behind the book, watch the video trailer below.

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7 Ways Mentally Strong People Deal With Stress

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While stress causes some people to crumble, mentally strong people are able to thrive despite added tension. In fact, they view adversity as an opportunity for growth. Whether they're dealing with financial setbacks, health problems, or workplace difficulties, mentally strong people don't let stress drag them down.

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For most people, juggling the demands of a career and a personal life is an ongoing challenge, especially at a time when many companies have slashed their ranks-and expect more from the survivors.

Achieving the elusive "work-life balance" can often feel like an impossible goal, especially for people who strive to give everything 100%. In today's "do more with less" competitive reality, how can we manage careers and families, and feel satisfied with both?

People who study workplace culture emphasize that someone's best individual work-life balance will vary over time. The right balance for you when you're single will change when you marry or have children. Experts also say that a few small steps can go a long way toward staying sane at work and home.

First, prioritize. "If you want balance-and not everybody does-you have to force yourself to edit yourself personally and professionally," says Jody Greenstone Miller, an author and chief executive of Business Talent Group, a supplier of high-end business talent for consulting and project-based roles.
In Pictures: 8 Steps To Work-Life Balance
Consider all the things that compete for your time, and decide what to keep and what to discard. If you volunteer with three nonprofit organizations, select the most meaningful one, focus on it, and stop scattering your attention among all three.

"Focus on the things that are important to you, and don't do the extraneous stuff," says Miller. "It's a discipline that doesn't come too naturally to most of us."

If your firm allows staffers to telecommute, consider working from home a few days a week. When discussing this option with your boss, approach it from a position of strength. Describe how the flexibility could ultimately help your company. Consider saying: "I like my job, and feel that I'm an asset. I'd like to talk about ways I can make my work here as productive as possible. I'm in a not-so-unique situation of caring for my elderly parents (or whatever your situation may be), and working from home once or twice a week would give me much-needed extra time. I believe I'd be able to give you better work, since I'd be less distracted."

You might be surprised to find your boss sympathetic-particularly if you're a top performer-because he or she is in a similar situation. In this economy, employers that can't give raises might be willing to offer other benefits. They want to treat their best employees well, so that when the economy does turn around those employees don't flee to other companies.

Technology is a good servant, but a bad master. Remember that BlackBerrys, iPhones and other devices exist to make your life easier, not to rule it. Identify certain times, like dinner, when your household must remain tech-free. Mention this window to your manager and co-workers. "Set up your rules and adhere to them," says Barbara Wankoff, director of workplace solutions for the professional services firm KPMG. "This doesn't make you inflexible or unresponsive; it just allows you to be more in control of how you work. Be a role model to your staff and colleagues."

Loretta Penn, former president of Spherion Staffing Services, takes it a step further: "You don't have to respond to every e-mail or voicemail as soon as it comes in. Just because someone else deems something a priority doesn't mean you should too."
Here are 8 ways to achieve better work life balance:
Learn Your Employer's Policies. Inquire about your company's policies on flextime and working from home. If you're a strong performer, you have a better chance of negotiating an arrangement that works for both you and your employer.

Communicate. If you won't be available for certain hours during the day or weekend because you're dealing with family issues, let your manager and colleagues know, and get their full support.

Use Technology to Your Advantage. Technology should help make your life easier, not control it. Ban technology at certain times so that you can focus on your family or friends.

Telecommute. Telecommuting a few times a week could help free up valuable hours. You'll be able to focus on work for long stretches at a time and use the extra hours to meet personal responsibilities.

Learn to Say "No." Remember that you can respectfully decline offers to run the PTA or serve on an extra committee at work. When you stop doing things out of guilt, you'll find more time to focus on the activities that truly bring you joy.

Fight the Guilt. Superwoman--and Superman--are fictional characters. Real people can't devote 100% to everything they do. Stop feeling guilty if you miss an occasional soccer game or bail on a colleague's going-away party.

Rethink Your Idea of "Clean." Unmade beds or dusty moldings are not signs of failure. Try to get used to a little messiness and spend more time enjoying your life. If you can afford to outsource help, pay someone else to clean your house.

Protect Your Private Time. Allow yourself to daydream in the subway or appreciate good weather on your walk to work. If you don't allow yourself pockets of personal time, you'll become too burned out to fully appreciate any part of your life.
In Pictures: 8 Steps To Work-Life Balance This article is an update of one by Helen Coster and Tara Weiss that ran previously.
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8 Ways To Achieve Better Work-Life Balance

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For most people, juggling the demands of a career and a personal life is an ongoing challenge, especially at a time when many companies have slashed their ranks-and expect more from the survivors. Achieving the elusive "work-life balance" can often feel like an impossible goal, especially for people who strive to give everything 100%.

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Are you ready to increase your knowledge base, add to your skill set, and meet incredibly talented people? If so, online learning tips might help you save time and money while you gain those benefits.

An online course allows you to set your own study schedule, work at your own pace, and learn from the comfort of your favorite recliner or coffee shop.

Of course, there's a caveat. Isn't there always?

It's this: If you want to learn to study online, you have to set boundaries, limits, and goals for yourself. There's nobody to rap your knuckles with a ruler if you don't meet your objectives for the day.

You can use these online study tips to prepare yourself for self-directed learning and to keep your study habits on track for maximum knowledge absorption and retention.

How Does Online Learning Work?

Online learning works by communicating course material over the internet and helping students learn new skills via digital materials. You learn online all the time if you ever conduct Google searches, but this is a little more concentrated and focused.

You've probably spent more than a few hours in classrooms during your lifetime, so you understand the basic anatomy of studying and learning. However, if you've never done it yourself online, you might not know how it works.

In most cases, you'll sign up for an online course. The course creator will let you know what materials or technology you need, then either give you all the course materials right up front or release them slowly as you proceed to each new step.

During the online course, you might complete homework assignments, study texts, watch videos, listen to audio lectures, and take quizzes and texts. The exact format will depend on the course's format and subject matter.

Everyone takes a unique approach to teaching an online course, but that's good news.

Everyone also takes a unique approach to online learning. You'll just want to follow the best practices for online studying to make the most of your eLearning endeavor.

12 Study Tips for Successful Online Learning

Before we dig into the meat of our study tips, let's go over a few basic facts.

First, if you're taking an online course, you need to have a genuine interest in the material. Otherwise, you won't feel motivated to finish the coursework.

If you want to gain knowledge, but you're not interested in the process, you might have to dive back into your school-age years. Use some of the tips and tricks that parents employ to help their kids love the learning process.

Additionally, you must sign up for the course when you have enough time to devote to it. If you're only giving it half your attention, you won't get much value from what you learn.

With these facts in mind, let's turn you into an online studying machine.

1. Familiarize Yourself With Online Learning Practices and Expectations

Many people jump into online courses with a lackadaisical attitude. If you take that approach, you'll cheat yourself out of valuable content.

Approach online courses and studying just like you would if you were sitting in a classroom, right under a professor's nose. In fact, you can pretend like a professor is standing over you while you study if that helps.

Next, figure out what you want to get out of the course. You know you're going to pay attention, study, and take the course seriously, but what end result do you desire?

Master a specific skill

Improve your competence in a specific area

Get ready to obtain a license or certification

Expand your knowledge about a subject

Feel more comfortable conversing about a topic

Gain a rudimentary understanding of a subject

Each of these goals will require different levels of devotion and course complexity to achieve. For instance, if you're an English-speaking person and you want to become fluent in French, you'll need a different course than someone who just wants to learn the basics for an upcoming trip to Paris.

If you're clear about your expectations, you're far less likely to get disappointed when the course ends. You'll go into it with a particular objective in mind.

Write down your goals on a piece of paper for later review. As you sort through your options for online courses, you can figure out if your goals and the course material match up.

Finally, check in with yourself during the online course. Do you feel comfortable in the learning environment? Can you remember what you learned back at the beginning of the course.

Since many online courses proceed quickly, you might feel obligated to keep up with a fast pace. Don't. Instead, allow yourself to work at your own rate of speed. You're not in competition with anyone else.

At the same time, avoid giving yourself too much time off or too much slack. If you're constantly putting off your studying time or neglecting to move on to the next section, give yourself a serious pep talk.

You can also ask someone to serve as your accountability partner. He or she will check in with you regularly, ask about your progress, and provide any needed encouragement. You might even become each other's accountability partners as you take the same course. You don't have to stick to the same schedule, but you can provide motivation for one another.

2. Confirm the Course's Technical Requirements

The main difference between studying online and studying in the classroom is that you're responsible for the learning environment. You provide the place to work, the computer, and any other items you need, including a machine with the necessary technical requirements.

In most cases, any computer with internet access will suffice. However, some courses involve more serious hardware.

For instance, let's say you're taking an online course in video editing. You'll need a computer that has sufficient memory and a strong enough graphics card to handle video-editing software. Additionally, you'll need the software itself, which might come with a hefty license.

Try not to sign up for online courses until you know the technical requirements. If you can't meet them yet, put off the course until you can buy or borrow what you need.

Some classes might require headphones so you can listen to audio presentations or a printer so you can make hard copies of documents. Whatever the case, if you start the course without the necessary equipment, you'll quickly fall behind.

3. Ensure Reliable Internet Access

If your internet access isn't reliable, you might get interrupted throughout your course. Worse, you'll waste your time and resources.

You can often find excellent WiFi at a coffee shop, internet cafe, or similar public space when you can't rely on your home's connection. While the occasional storm and outage are beyond your control, you want the best chance of not getting disconnected.

These days, online instructors often use live forms of teaching, such as webinars. If your internet goes out during one of those events, you can't participate in the conversation along with your other classmates.

Signal boosters, extra modems, and other technological fixes can help improve your access to reliable internet at home. Additionally, consider using your desktop computer if it's wired to your modem instead of relying on a laptop or mobile device that depends on a wireless connection.

4. Create a Dedicated Study Space

You don't need to replicate your third-grade classroom in your home to participate in online learning. However, you do need a comfortable place to work.

When choosing a place to learn and study, look for a few essential qualities.

Light: A dark room or space can become claustrophobic and even depressing. It will also lead to faster eye strain and fatigue. If you have a dark home or office, consider adding extra sources of indirect light. You can buy inexpensive desk lamps with rotating heads at Target or Walmart for less than $10.

Ergonomics: If you try to sit on the floor with your laptop balanced on your knees, you're going to wind up with a sore rear end, a stiff neck, and aching shoulders. Ergonomic work spaces allow you to focus on the study materials. When you're uncomfortable, pain and stiffness will distract from your work and make you less likely to return to studying.

Ambiance: Some people can work easily in a crowded coffee shop or restaurant, while others need absolute silence, and still more need to listen to music or keep the television on in the background. Don't assume that you learn best in pure silence. Experiment with different environments to figure out how best you work.

Distractions: Let everyone in your family know that you're taking an online course. Ask them not to bother you while you study so you can focus on the material. You might even turn off your phone and close your internet browser tabs except for the one you use for studying. Once you get distracted, returning to work becomes increasingly difficult.

Supplies: Do you need a fresh cup of coffee? A bottle of water? Maybe a bag of carrot sticks in which to snack? Before you sit down for an online course, get everything you think you might need. If your coffee is within easy reach, you won't have to interrupt your studying to go into the kitchen and prepare a pot.

Some people have their own home offices. Such a room provides an ideal place to study online, but it's not the only option. Consider the dining room, kitchen, or bedroom as long as you won't get distracted by family members.

Additionally, choose the right time of day for online studying and learning. Maybe you learn best when you review materials in the morning, right before work, or perhaps you're a night owl, and you're most comfortable when burning the midnight oil. Find out what works for you.

5. Identify Your Learning Objectives and Goals

Earlier, you decided what you wanted to get out of your online course. Now you need to learn your instructor's objectives and goals.

This is important because it will inform the course's direction. If a professional creates an online course on fitness, he or she could have several goals for students:

Increasing muscle tone

Losing weight

Improving range of motion

Increasing flexibility

Lowering body mass index

Improving endurance

If you want to lose weight, but your instructor has designed the course around bulking up, you might not feel satisfied with the results.

In other words, your goals and the instructor's must align.

Read as much as you can about the course before you sign up. If necessary, contact the instructor to find out about the material's objectives. You can then make an informed decision about whether it's right for you.

Once you know your goals and objectives, write them down-preferably in a place close to where you'll work. Review them every day before you sit down to go through course material or to study your notes. Keep them in mind as you progress through the program.

If you feel you're not hitting the objectives, reach out to your instructor or to other students. Figure out where you might have gone wrong, then devise a plan to get back on track.

However, don't push yourself to meet objectives or goals by a deadline someone else creates. You know how quickly or how slowly you learn, so design your milestones based on that knowledge.

6. Build a Study Plan

Now it's time to get serious about your actual study sessions. If you have a written, stable plan, you'll be more likely to stick with it after you start your course.

There's no right or wrong study plan. The right one will work with your schedule and allow you to fulfill your other responsibilities and obligations.

However, don't be afraid to push yourself. If you're constantly striving for better results, you'll get through the course faster and feel more fulfilled at the end of it.

Leave Room for Error

Something might come up in the middle of a course, such as a sick child or an unexpected deadline at work. Try to leave yourself a little wiggle room in your schedule to accommodate those unexpected setbacks.

For instance, if you think you can complete part one of a course within three days, give yourself five. You might meet your three-day goal, in which case you can pat yourself on the back, but if it takes you five days, you won't have to rearrange your study schedule for the future.

Create a Study Calendar

A calendar works best for sticking to a regular routine. You can pencil in study times around work, family, and friends so that it becomes one of your top priorities.

Your schedule might not permit you to study every day. That's fine. If you can only commit to weekends, add your online course to the calendar for Saturdays and Sundays.

You can use an electronic calendar or a paper one. If you're used to one or the other, stick with it, because you're accustomed to checking it for appointments and other commitments.

Write Detailed To-Do Lists

The to-do list can become your best friend during your eLearning adventure. They can help you study more efficiently and get things done faster. Plus, you get the accomplishment of checking off each item as you complete it.

Depending on your personality, you can make broad or extremely granular to-do lists. Go with your preferred method. If you like to write things out step by step, do so, because you'll feel more comfortable with the process. Alternatively, you can group together different items for simplicity's sake.

Set Time Limits

One way to increase your productivity and efficiency is to force yourself to study for a specific period of time. If you're often restless, consider setting a timer for 15 minutes. When the bell goes off, get up, walk around, and return to your desk for another 15 minutes. If you do this four times, you'll have studied for one hour total.

Online studying can lead to eye fatigue, so those breaks in study sessions will give them a rest. Plus, you can work out any stiffness in your muscles and clear your head before you return to the material.

However, make sure you work for the total amount of time you think is necessary to complete your goals and check every item off your to-do list. If you need two hours of concentrated study time, you could work eight 15-minute sessions or six 20-minute sessions. Break them up in a way that feels comfortable for you.

Stick to Your Schedule

Try not to let yourself off the hook when it comes to studying. A life-threatening emergency is one thing, but the latest "Game of Thrones" episode doesn't qualify as a valid excuse for skipping your study time.

Many online courses, as mentioned above, involve live events that you participate in online. Missing those might not result in an unfinished course, but you won't get as much value from the process. Try to attend those events and to turn in any work by its assigned deadline so you don't fall behind.

7. Ask for Help When You Hit a Wall

It's hard to ask for help. However, if you remain stuck during your online course, you must speak up if you want to get the full value of the education.

We all struggle with study materials sometimes, and depending on your preferred learning style, you might have better luck with some modules than with others.

If you need clarification, communicate with your instructor or other students. Many teachers set up preferred communication channels, whether it's email, instant messaging, or direct messaging on social media. Try to use that channel to get answers to your questions.

Just remember to phrase your question politely and to give as many details as possible.

For instance, you might say, "I'm struggling with the section on [topic]. From the video, it's not clear how I [perform a specific action]. When you have time, could you elaborate about [specific list of details] so I might understand it better?"

Fill in the blanks with details pertinent to your course.

If your course involves interactions with other students, befriend them. Learn to ask one another for help. In most cases, you'll struggle with different parts of the course, so you can help each other through the rough patches.

Of course, you can also seek guidance in the real world. Maybe you have a friend or relative who has experience with the course material. Getting help from someone you know might feel less uncomfortable, especially if you're new to online learning.

8. Take Regular Study Breaks

Did you know that studying for too long can have serious consequences?

Insomnia

Loss of concentration

Eye strain and fatigue

Poor knowledge retention

Inadequate performance on tests

Loss of memory

To avoid these consequences, give yourself plenty of breaks. If possible, get away from your study area. Go outside for a walk or to sit on your porch and watch the neighbor kids play touch football. Grab a cold beverage and a snack, then veg in front of the television for half an hour.

Avoid looking at a screen during these breaks. Yes, you should even avoid texting your latest squeeze. Focus on other parts of your life that involve different parts of your brain. You'll thank yourself later.

9. Participate in Online Discussions

When you discuss course material with other students and instructors, you often learn more than if you were to rely on the provided study materials alone. Furthermore, you'll gain a sense of community and camaraderie that can make online learning more enjoyable.

Learn to Communicate Effectively

People can't assess your body language or tone of voice when you're communicating via email or instant messenger. Learn to communicate effectively online by keeping sarcasm to a minimum, saying words and phrases out loud before you type them, and taking other people's lead when you start conversations.

Just because you're online doesn't mean you have to default to text speak, either. Try typing in complete sentences and avoiding confusing jargon. Pretend you're communicating with a college professor.

Pay Attention to Signals

Other people in an online discussion often send signals about the accepted etiquette in a given forum. Pay attention to those signals.

For instance, do they usually type short, to-the-point sentences or long paragraphs? Do they joke and tease one another, or do they stick to strictly educational exchanges? Are people using emojis or including links in their communications?

Respond to Others' Contributions

It's easy to think about online learning as a one-sided affair. After all, you're by yourself in front of a device, learning from someone else who's sitting behind another device. However, if you think only of yourself, you'll miss out on some of the fringe benefits of online learning.

If someone else asks a question and you have the answer, offer it. When you help other people and respond to their frustrations, you create trust and loyalty, and those people will be more likely to respond when you have questions of your own.

10. Stay Motivated

It's easy to lose motivation halfway through an online course. Remember when you wrote down your own goals and objectives for the course? Keep reminding yourself of them. That's why you put them in black and white and stored them near your workspace.

If you're feeling frustrated or confused, take a break to clear your head, then ask someone you love for advice. Maybe you just need to vent for a few minutes, or perhaps your loved one can provide motivation when you can't generate it on your own.

Most importantly, remember why you decided to pursue online learning. Get back in touch with that motivation so it can fuel you through the entire course.

11. Reward Yourself for Sticking to the Program

We all need a reward now and again-even if said reward contains a few extra calories than we usually permit ourselves.

Of course, you don't have to use French macarons as your reward. Maybe you get an extra half-hour of television in the evening, or maybe you'll buy that bestselling novel you can't wait to read.

Whatever the case, create a reward system that sends positive messages to your brain. Over time, you'll learn that learning produces that reward, so you'll get a taste for more knowledge.

There are several rewards you can try.

A date night with your significant other.

New clothing or accessories

An afternoon at the park

Time with your family or friends

A computer game you've wanted to try

Think about the things you love to do, then tie one of those to your online learning adventure.

12. Review, Revise, Repeat

You didn't think it was over, did you?

People learn throughout their lives. You're constantly picking up bits and pieces of new information, but when you pursue an online course, you get an infusion of data that can help your brain stay active and your mind engaged.

Continue to review this list of online study tips as you work through your online course. Upon completion of the course, try another one. The more you learn, the more satisfied you'll feel.

Especially if you let yourself eat those French macarons.

Conclusion

Online learning has taken the world by storm. Nearly 6 million students are enrolled in online courses through colleges and universities, for instance, but the online learning marketplace extends far beyond degree programs.

You can find hundreds of fine online educators who want to help you reach your goals. Each one offers something unique to share, so you can take multiple courses on the same subject if you want to derive the most benefit from it.

Even better, you might find yourself wanting to switch roles. You could create your own online course, which would allow you to not only share what you've learned with your customers, but also generate some money for your effort.

It's never too late to start learning-or to start teaching.

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12 Study Tips For Online Learners: Succeed in your eLearning Course

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Are you ready to increase your knowledge base, add to your skill set, and meet incredibly talented people? If so, online learning tips might help you save time and money while you gain those benefits. An online course allows you to set your own study schedule, work at your own pace, and learn from the comfort of your favorite recliner or coffee shop.

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Synopsis

"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein." ― H. Jackson Brown Jr.

A lot of folks in our society try to be hyper-productive.

You know - the people who scurry from task to task, always checking e-mail, organizing something, making a call, running an errand, etc.

The people who do this often subscribe to the idea that "staying busy" means you're working hard and are going to be more successful.

While this belief may be true to an extent, it often leads to mindless "productivity" - a constant need to do something and a tendency to waste time on menial tasks.

Instead of behaving in this way, I choose to do things differently.

Working Smarter, Not Harder

The old adage, "work smarter, not harder" has become a staple in the way I go about work of any kind.

Instead of being robotic in how I approach tasks, I try to be thoughtful and always ask myself if something can be done more efficiently or eliminated altogether.

Managing my time isn't about squeezing as many tasks into my day as possible. It's about simplifying how I work, doing things faster, and relieving stress.

It's about clearing away space in my life to make time for people, play, and rest.

I promise you - there really are enough hours in a day for everything you'd like to do, but it may take a bit of rearranging and re-imagining to find them.

21 Time Management Tips

I compiled this list of 21 tips to hopefully nudge you in the right direction.

Remember: There are innumerable hacks and tricks to manage your time effectively. These are some tips that I find helpful, but everyone is different.

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

1. Complete most important tasks first.

This is the golden rule of time management. Each day, identify the two or three tasks that are the most crucial to complete, and do those first.

Once you're done, the day has already been a success. You can move on to other things, or you can let them wait until tomorrow. You've finished the essential.

2. Learn to say "no".

Making a lot of time commitments can teach us how to juggle various engagements and manage our time. This can be a great thing.

However, you can easily take it too far. At some point, you need to learn to decline opportunities. Your objective should be to take on only those commitments that you know you have time for and that you truly care about.

3. Sleep at least 7-8 hours.

Some people think sacrificing sleep is a good way to hack productivity and wring a couple extra hours out of the day. This is not the case.

Most people need 7-8 hours of sleep for their bodies and minds to function optimally. You know if you're getting enough. Listen to your body, and don't underestimate the value of sleep.

4. Devote your entire focus to the task at hand.

Close out all other browser windows. Put your phone away, out of sight and on silent. Find a quiet place to work, or listen to some music if that helps you (I enjoy listening to classical or ambient music while writing sometimes).

Concentrate on this one task. Nothing else should exist. Immerse yourself in it.

5. Get an early start.

Nearly all of us are plagued by the impulse to procrastinate. It seems so easy, and you always manage to get it done eventually, so why not?

Take it from a recovering chronic procrastinator - it's so much nicer and less stressful to get an earlier start on something. It isn't that difficult either, if you just decide firmly to do it.

6. Don't allow unimportant details to drag you down.

We often allow projects to take much, much longer than they could by getting too hung up on small details. I'm guilty of this. I've always been a perfectionist.

What I've found, though, is that it is possible to push past the desire to constantly examine what I've done so far. I'm much better off pressing onward, getting the bulk completed, and revising things afterward.

7. Turn key tasks into habits.

Writing is a regular task for me. I have to write all the time - for school, work, my student organization, my blog, etc. I probably write 5,000 - 7,000 words per week.

The amount of writing I do may seem like a lot to most people, but it's very manageable for me, because it's habitual. I've made it a point to write something every day for a long time.

I rarely break this routine. Because of this, my mind is in the habit of doing the work of writing. It has become quite natural and enjoyable. Could you do something similar? (Read " The Simple, Powerful Guide to Forming Any New Habit ")

8. Be conscientious of amount of TV/Internet/gaming time.

Time spent browsing Twitter or gaming or watching TV and movies can be one of the biggest drains on productivity.

I suggest becoming more aware of how much time you spend on these activities. Simply by noticing how they're sucking up your time you'll begin to do them less.

9. Delineate a time limit in which to complete task.

Instead of just sitting down to work on a project and thinking, "I'm going to be here until this is done," try thinking, "I'm going to work on this for three hours".

The time constraint will push you to focus and be more efficient, even if you end up having to go back and add a bit more later.

10. Leave a buffer-time between tasks.

When we rush from task to task, it's difficult to appreciate what we're doing and to stay focused and motivated.

Allowing ourselves down-time between tasks can be a breath of fresh air for our brains. While taking a break, go for a short walk, meditate, or perform some other mind-clearing exercise.

11. Don't think of the totality of your to-do list.

One of the fastest ways to overwhelm yourself is to think about your massive to-do list. Realize that no amount of thought will make it any shorter.

At this point in time, all you can do is focus on the one task before you. This one, single, solitary task. One step at a time. Breathe.

12. Exercise and eat healthily.

Numerous studies have linked a healthy lifestyle with work productivity. Similar to getting enough sleep, exercising and eating healthily boost energy levels, clear your mind, and allow you to focus more easily.

This is a tactic recommended by one of my favorite bloggers, Leo Babauta. Basically, do less is another way of saying do the things that really matter.

Slow down, notice what needs to be done, and concentrate on those things. Do less things that create more value, rather than more things that are mostly empty.

14. Utilize weekends, just a little bit.

One of my favorite memes depicts a gentleman casting his work aside, declaring, "It's Friday! F#%$88u this shit." The following image reads "Monday", and the man is stooping to pick up the papers he'd tossed to the ground.

This is comical, but I've found that it's amazing how doing just a little bit on weekends can really lessen the workload during the week. Aim for 2-4 hours per day. You'll still leave yourself plenty of free time for activities.

15. Create organizing systems.

Being organized saves tons of time, and you don't have to be the most ultra-organized person in the world either. Systems aren't complicated to implement.

Create a filing system for documents. Make sure all items have a place to be stored in your dwelling. Unsubscribe from e-mail lists if you don't want to receive their content. Streamline, streamline, streamline.

16. Do something during waiting time.

We tend to have a lot of down-time where we don't try to do much. Waiting rooms, lines at the store, time on the subway, on the elliptical at the gym, etc.

Find things to do during this time. I tend to have a lot of reading for classes, so I bring some of it almost everywhere I go and read during waiting time.

17. Lock yourself in.

No distractions, no excuses. Sometimes, the only way I'm going to get something done is if I'm under lock and key, alone in a room. If you're like me, realize it, and act accordingly.

18. Commit to your plan to do something.

I kind of mentioned this already, but it's worth repeating. Don't flake on your own plan to do something!

Be resolute. Be committed. Be professional about it, and follow through. A firm will to accomplish what you decide to accomplish will take you anywhere.

19. Batch related tasks together.

Let's say that over a given weekend you need to do two programming assignments, write three essays, and make two videos. Rather than approaching this work in whatever order you feel, group the like tasks and do them consecutively.

Different tasks demand different types of thinking, so it makes sense to allow your mind to continue to flow with its current zone rather than switching unnecessarily to something that's going to require you to re-orient.

20. Find time for stillness.

In our go, go, go world, too many people don't find time to just be still. Yet, it's extraordinary what a stillness practice can do. Action and inaction should both play key roles in our lives.

Discovering time in your life for silence and non-motion reduces anxiety and shows you that there is no need to constantly rush. It also makes it easier to find your work pleasurable.

21. Eliminate the non-essential.

I know this one has been mentioned in one capacity or another already, but it's one of the most useful tips you can take away from this post.

Our lives are full of excess. When we can identify that excess and remove it, we become more and more in touch with what is significant and what deserves our time.

One Last Tip (The Best One)

There's one final tip I want to mention. If you remember one thing from this post, remember this:

Enjoyment should always be the goal. Work can be play.

We get so caught up in busyness that we forget to enjoy what we're doing. Even when we focus on working smarter, we're still often too focused on getting things done.

This should never be the point. Always ask yourself: What can I do to spend more time enjoying what I'm doing?

The goal should be to arrange your commitments in a way that you're happy living out the details of your daily life, even while you're working.

This may sound like a pipe dream, but it's more possible than ever in today's world. Be curious. Be open to opportunity. Know yourself. Embrace your passions.

Wonderful things will happen. Best of luck implementing these tips, and let me know if I can do anything else to help you.

Your Friend,
Jordan Bates

P.S. 'Like' Refine The Mind on Facebook here to stay in the know.

"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein."
― H. Jackson Brown Jr.

This article originally appeared at Refine The Mind.

Tags: focus, habits, jordan bates, refine the mind, time management tips, time management tools

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Work Smarter, Not Harder: 21 Time Management Tips to Hack Productivity

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"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein." ― H. Jackson Brown Jr.

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Exercise is a wonderful tool for relieving stress.  A short walk everyday will help.

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You must include time for yourself when you are trying to balance work with home and school.

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Make a dedicated place for studying. Use white noise or soft music to cover distracting noises.

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Prioritize what needs to be accomplished in a day and do the most important things first.

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Stress Management: How to Reduce and Relieve Stress

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Overwhelmed by stress? You don’t have to be. These stress management tips can help you drastically reduce your stress levels and regain control of your life.

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"Balance is beautiful." - Miyoko Ohno, Japanese bridge designer

I have a close friend named Norm who is a great photographer and a great person in general ... recently he was telling me that all he does is work.

That might sound familiar to some of you - I've certainly been there at different points in my life, although these days I have to say that I've found a pretty good balance between all the important things in my life, including work, family, and other things I'm interested in.

Norm asked me to write a post about work-life balance, because although I think Norm is pretty happy with his life, he's interested in expanding his life beyond work. I think it's an interesting question that most of us have to address at some point or other.
Work *Is* Life, To Some Extent

The first thing to point out is that work isn't separate from life - it's a part of it. For some people, it's not a fun part of life, but for others, it's a passion. Either way, it's a part of our lives, good or bad.

Of course, when people talk about a work-life balance, they mean that we should find a balance between work and our personal lives, which is definitely true. But it's important to realize that if work is really something you love, you don't need to cut it short in order to spend more time at home in front of the television.

So the key is to remember that what we're looking for is a balance between the things we love - not just work and the rest of life, but work and family and hobbies and chores and everything else.
What Do You Love?
What are the things you love to do? That's the question to start with. My friend Norm loves photography, but I think he also really enjoys jiu-jitsu and spending time with close friends, among other things. For myself, my favorite things in the world include spending time with my family, writing, reading and running. What's on your short list?

One of the things on your list might be your work - or the work you want to do (as opposed to the work you're doing right now). But others could include your favorite hobbies or other passions, ways to relax and have fun, exercise or other outdoor activities, reading and learning, shopping or eating or entertainment, volunteering, or spending time with people who are important to you. There are as many other possibilities as there are people in the world, of course.

Create your short list now, and then continue to the next section.
Creating Space in Your Life
It's time to take a Big Picture look at your life - how are you spending your time right now? How long do you work (and how much of that time is spent on doing what you really love about your work)? What do you do before and after work? What do you do on your days off?

Now think about all the things you do, and how many of them are on your short list. For the things not on your short list, what can you eliminate? Some things might be big commitments that are hard to get out of - but over time, you can get out of them. Learn to say no, and learn how to tell people that you can no longer commit to doing something. It's not always easy, but remember that this is your life, and you should do what you really want to do, not what others want you to do.

Really think hard about how you can eliminate the non-essential things in your life (the non-short list stuff). Work on this over time, and create the space in your life that you need for the things you love. Be sure to allot that time you've created to the things on your short list - don't just use it up with television or other space fillers.
Finding That Balance
Once you've created space in your life for the things you love, it's just a matter of finding the right balance between them. You could have a life filled with all the things you love doing, but it could still be almost all work. While there's certainly nothing wrong with that if you love your work and it doesn't have negative consequences (on your health or family relationships, for example), for many people it's better to have other things balancing out their lives.

Why is a balance between several things that you love better than just one thing that you love? Well, there are a number of reasons that would depend on your situation. For one thing, if you have an office job you might not be getting outdoors enough, or getting enough exercise, and your health might suffer. Another reason is that you might have family and/or friends and if you work all the time you're neglecting them - and those relationships will suffer. You might also get lonely if you work all the time. Another major problem is burnout - working all the time (or doing any activity all the time) can lead to stress and fatigue, and could make that activity less enjoyable.

Variety is a good thing - it keeps life interesting. So mix things up a bit. Here are some ideas for doing that:

Schedule time blocks. This is good for those who use their calendar a lot or can stick to schedules well. Schedule chunks of time throughout your week for all the things that are important. I suggest scheduling everything but work first (unless you're on a set work schedule and always start and end at the same time) ... this will ensure that you get everything in and that work doesn't overwhelm the schedule. Be sure not to overschedule, filling up every free minute, because no schedule is kept to the minute. Better to have space between your time blocks than to have to skip something because the previous block ran too long.

Set limits. This is good for work or anything else that you tend to do too much. If you work 10-12 hour days, for example, set a limit of 8 hours per day, and stick to it. If you have a flexible schedule, you might consider working even less if you're trying to make more room - many people have figured out ways to make a four-day workweek work for them (or a 4 Hour Workweek). What I've found is that if you set a limit (of 8 hours or 4 days or whatever), you'll find a way to do the essential tasks within that limit. That might mean eliminating the non-essential tasks, cutting back on time-wasters such as casual Internet surfing, or automating or delegating or outsourcing things you don't absolutely need to do yourself.

Make dates with family and friends. Instead of just saying, "I want to spend more time with my family and friends", try actually making dates with them. That might mean romantic dates with your spouse or significant other, or non-romantic dates with your friends or kids or other family members. You don't have to call it a date, but just schedule time with them on a regular basis to do something together. It doesn't even have to cost a lot of money - it could be something simple like taking a walk in the park or playing board games or cooking dinner for each other or watching a DVD with popcorn.

Make dates with yourself. Often we make time for our family or other loved ones, but we neglect ourselves. Schedule time for yourself, doing something you love doing by yourself. For me, that's reading and running, but others might like crafts or meditation or yoga or going on hikes or surfing or whatever. Just make the time and don't miss that date!

Have a partner. Sometimes it helps to make an appointment with a partner, whether that be a training partner (my sister is my training partner) or someone who is going to help you with a project or do a hobby with you. This works well whether it's first thing in the morning, or right after work, or during lunch or on the weekends. Oftentimes you're more likely to stick to an appointment if you have a partner.

Examine your life regularly. I use my running time as a time of reflection, and you should use your alone time similarly if you can. Often our lives become derailed from the track we set it on, and as a result we don't realize where our lives are going until we really examine them. Or we can get so caught up in a routine that we don't realize we can change it. Regular self reflection is the answer: think about how your life is going, how you're spending your time, and decide whether you need to make changes. Then schedule time to make those changes immediately - or make the changes right away if possible.

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving." - Albert Einstein

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How To Find That Elusive Balance Between Work and Life : zen habits

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"Balance is beautiful." - Miyoko Ohno, Japanese bridge designer I have a close friend named Norm who is a great photographer and a great person in general ... recently he was telling me that all he does is work.

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Asking and answering questions is one of the most effective ways of learning, whether you're studying alone or with a group, and nothing beats full participation in class for quick learning. Ask questions during class, without making a pest of yourself, of course, and answer your share of the questions posed by others.

Tony Wagner has a lot to say about why asking questions is more important than knowing the right answers.

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Do You Have the 10 Study Skills Every Adult Student Needs?

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Asking and answering questions is one of the most effective ways of learning, whether you're studying alone or with a group, and nothing beats full participation in class for quick learning. Ask questions during class, without making a pest of yourself, of course, and answer your share of the questions posed by others.

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One of the most effective skills you can have in life is powerful and effective time management. If you're not managing your time well, there's no way you're going to reach your goals at work and the life outside of it. Sure, you might make some progress. But your time management will be an uphill battle if you don't take your time seriously. For people who squander and waste the precious little time they do have, they know all too well how difficult achieving even mildly difficult goals can be.

eclipse_images | Getty Images

The truth is that time is the greatest equalizer in life. No matter who you are, your age, income, gender, race or religion, you have the same amount of time as the next person. Whether you're filthy rich or dirt poor, your time is the same. It's not about how much time you have. It's about how effectively you manage your time.
Related Video: 20 Quick Tips for Better Time Management
So if you're serious about achieving your goals, not only do you need to set those goals the right way, but you also have to get serious about avoiding distractions and becoming too immersed in the bad habits that you know you need to quit. Time-wasters need to fall by the wayside, and serious grit-and-bear-it hard work needs to take its place.

The trick? Find a good time management system and work it. There are many. It's entirely up to you on which one to choose. But if you don't want to become part of the 92% statistic of people who fail to achieve their long-term goals, then you need pay attention to how you use the precious little time you do have in this world.

What are the best tips for managing your time?

One of the biggest problems that most entrepreneurs have isn't just in how they can get enough done in such a demanding market, but also how they maintain some semblance of balance without feeling too overworked. This isn't just about achieving and going after goals around the clock. This is also about quality of life.

Balance is key. If you lack balance in your life, you're going to feel stressed out. Even if you're able to effectively juggle your responsibilities, without proper balance you're going to eventually reach your breaking point. So, it's important to not only follow a system that will help you get things done, but also one where you prioritize personal and family time.
Related Video: How to Manage Time With 10 Tips That Work 1. Set goals the right way.
Don't forget to do things like take a walk in the park or just sit and listen to your favorite music with headphones on, or paint a picture, go on a date night and so on. That's more important than you can think. And when you do that, you achieve some semblance of balance. Life is short. So don't ignore those things while you reach for your bigger goals. With that said, here are 15 crucial time management tips for getting the proverbial job done.
Related: Exercise Is a Waste of Time. Set Goals and Start Training to Achieve Them.
There's a right and wrong way to set goals. If you don't set your goals the right way, then you'll lack the proper targets, which will force you to fall off track. But when you set them the right way, the sky is the limit. Use the SMART goal setting method to help you see things through. And when you do set those goals, make sure you have powerful deep down meanings for wanting to achieve them.

2. Find a good time management system.
Related: How to Manage Time With 10 Tips That Work
One of the tips for managing your time is to find the right system to actually do it. The quadrant time-management system is probably the most effective. It splits your activities into four quadrants based on urgency and importance. Things are either urgent or important, both, or neither. Neither (quadrant 4) are the activities that you want to stay away from, but it's the not-urgent-but-important quadrant (2) that you want to focus on.

3. Audit your time for seven days straight.
Related: 8 Great Time-Tracking Apps for Freelancers
Spend seven days straight assessing how you spend the time you do have right now. What are you doing? Record it in a journal or on your phone. Split this up into blocks of 30 minutes or an hour. What did you get done? Was it time wasted? Was it well spent? If you use the quadrant system, circle or log the quadrant that the activity was associated with. At the end of the seven days, tally up all the numbers. Where did you spend the most time? Which quadrants? The results might shock you.

4. Spend your mornings on MITs.
Related: The Psychology of Getting More Done (In Less Time)
Mark Twain once said, "If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first." His point? Tackle your biggest tasks in the morning. These are your most important tasks (MITs) of the day. Accomplishing those will give you the biggest momentum to help you sail through the rest of the day.

5. Follow the 80-20 rule.
Related: The 80/20 Rule and Listening to Your Inner Procrastinator
Another great time management tip is to use the 80-20 Rule, also known as the Pareto Principle. This rule states that 80% of the efforts comes from 20 percent of the results. In sales, it also means that 80 percent of the sales come from 20 percent of the customers. The trick? Identify the 20 percent of the efforts that are producing 80 percent of the results and scale that out. You can do this with meticulous tracking and analysis.

6. Instill keystone habits into your life.
Related: 25 Best Habits to Have in Life
Charles Duhig poignantly coined the keystone habit in his book entitled, The Power of Habit. In architecture, the keystone is the stone that holds all other stones in place. Similarly, keystone habits help to not only solicit other good habits, but also help to eliminate bad habits as well. Focus on keystone habits and you'll get much better at managing your overall time by making your habit development much easier.

7. Schedule email response times.
Related: The Hidden Costs of Ignoring Email
Turn off your email throughout the day. When your email is pouring in, it's easy to get distracted. Schedule time to read and respond to emails. If there's something urgent, someone will call or text you. But when you have your email open, those distractions interrupt your thought flow and it's harder to get back on track.

8. Eliminate bad habits.
Related: 10 Bad Habits You Must Eliminate From Your Daily Routine
One of the biggest time-wasters we have are our bad habits. Whether it's Netflix binge-watching, excessively surfing social media, playing games, going out frequently to drink with friends, or so on, those bad habits take away the precious little time that we do have. Use your time wisely by eliminating your bad habits if you're serious about achieving big goals in life.

9. Take frequent breaks when working.
Related: The Secret to Increased Productivity: Taking Time Off
One study suggests that you should work for 52 minutes and break for 17. You might not have the luxury to do that. But you should take frequent breaks. If you're an entrepreneur working for yourself, this is crucial. It's easy to run on fumes and not even know it. Keep your mental, emotional and physical states at peak levels by breaking frequently.

10. Meditate or exercise every morning.
Related: 7 Things Every Entrepreneur Should Do Before 7 a.m.
You might not think that this will help to better manage your time, but meditating and exercising every single morning gives you balance. Cut the toxins out of your life and get serious by doing this and watch as your energy, stamina and mental focus takes a drastic shift.

11. Make to-do lists in the evening for the next day.
Related: How to Spend the Last 10 Minutes of Your Work Day (Infographic)
Every single evening before bed, make a list for the next day. Look at your goals and see what you can do to help move you closer. This doesn't happen overnight. It takes time. But by making to-do lists, you're effectively setting goals for the day. Daily goals are easier to achieve while helping to move us towards the longer and bigger goals. But that happens by creating to-do lists.

12. Find inspiration when you're feeling lackluster.
Related: 10 Ways to Stay Inspired for Life
Turn to YouTube, TED Talks and any other inspirational source you can turn to when you're lacking inspiration. It's hard to stay on track with your time when you lose that drive inside of you. Find ways you can turn the fire back on by focusing inspiring content and seeking out others who've achieved big goals.

13. Get a mentor who can guide you.
Related: Choose Your Mentors Wisely: 3 Traits to Look for in a Great Mentor
Finding a mentor is crucial. It's easy to get distracted and dissuaded when you don't have someone guiding you. But when you can personally rely on someone who's been through the wringer and can help you achieve your goals, it's easier to stay on track with your time. Find a good mentor that can help you along your path.

14. Turn off social media app alerts.
Related: There Are Always a Million Distractions. Here's How to Silence the Noise and Pay Attention.
Incessant social media app alerts aren't helping you with your time. It's definitely hurting you. Turn them off. You don't need alerts every moment or to know everything happening with your friends. It's not important. What's most important is to have some peace of mind and be better able to focus on the task at hand.

15. Declutter and organize.

Studies have determined that clutter in our environment helps us to lose focus. When we lose focus, we lose time. If you want to avoid that, declutter and organize. Don't do it all at once. Start small. One drawer today. A shelf tomorrow. Maybe a closet the next day. Just one per day. You build momentum and eventually find yourself turning into an organizing warrior.

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15 Time Management Tips for Achieving Your Goals

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One of the most effective skills you can have in life is powerful and effective time management. If you're not managing your time well, there's no way you're going to reach your goals at work and the life outside of it. Sure, you might make some progress.