The Best Ways to Prepare for Retirement

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article | The Best Ways to Prepare for RetirementRetirement can be daunting, especially when considering a pension at the start of your working life. However, with the right preparation, you can make retirement a simple and relaxing process, devoid of money worries and other concerns that you will want to leave behind in the working world.

Your Workplace’s Pension Scheme

Firstly, you should ensure that you auto-enroll in your companies’ pension scheme, where possible. Although it may be tempting to opt out and receive the extra money now, employers contribute 0.8% of their gross income into your pension scheme. In the long run, this means that you benefit extensively by waiting to reap the rewards of your hard work.

Your Home’s Equity

Many people would suggest that relying on your home’s equity in retirement is a good idea. However, although a popular way to gain extra money during retirement, there are both negatives and benefits to releasing your home’s equity for this purpose. Instead, it is best to save beforehand and ensure that you are already prepared for retirement by the time your working life is over.

Save Throughout Your Life

Although your quarter-life crisis may seem too soon to start saving for your distance future, the best way to prepare for retirement is to start saving as soon as possible. Whether this is your first pay-check or a little bit later, saving early can give you the best rates on compound interest which can drastically increase your retirement fund.

For instance, if you save £100 a month over 40 years rather than double that amount over 20, you can make almost £48,000 more in interest.

Prepare for a State Pension

Although state pensions may feel as if you are being paid back for your hard work, state pensions only provide you with £115 a week to live on, which can be difficult if you are paying rent and other bills alongside this. You may also have to wait longer than expected for this, with the age correlating to current life expectancy, which means that the boundaries are constantly changing. Therefore, it is important to ensure that you have multiple funds to support you in your old age by starting an independent pension fund.

Check Your Pension’s Performance

Next, you should always check your pension’s performance to ensure that it is growing at the pace which you expect. Many pension schemes can change over time and affect the amount that you are putting away, and so ensuring that you track your pension’s performance over time is important to prepare for your retirement.

Compare the Best Annuities

The best annuities can often be found on the open market than through your current provider. Although many people rush into buying an annuity with their pension company, there are often 60% differences in annuity rates between the best and worst annuities available, meaning that it is important to look around for the best one.
For more pension advice, contact Portafina, or follow their social media on Portafina’s Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter.

Disclaimer: The above information is not financial advice. For any financial decisions you need to make, please talk to a qualified financial advisor.

Getting Things Done: The Golden Rules Of Productivity

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It should be fairly straightforward, right? You come into work in the morning, do whatever is needed to be done to complete the tasks before you, and then go home at the end of the day. Job complete! Except it isn’t that easy. We aren’t all as productive us as we should be, and work is often less unfinished come close of business. It can be frustrating, especially if we are then forced to work overtime as a result.

Here then, are what we have termed the Golden Rules of Productivity. By adhering to each principle, you should, as our title suggested, stand a better chance of getting things done.

Rule #1: Prioritise your day

There will be some tasks that need to be completed during the day, and others that can wait until a later date. Therefore, focus on the most important tasks first, and only when they are done, focus on the other things. This way, you won’t run the risk of having to stay behind at work to complete those tasks that come with a deadline. Continuing with this principle, consider doing those jobs that you hate first too. While they will be a drag, you will be less inclined to procrastinate if you make an effort to get them out of the way first. You will then have more time to concentrate on the other tasks that are on your to-do lists.

Rule #2: Simplicity is king

Don’t get bogged down with tricky or time-consuming tasks throughout the day. If you can find a way to simplify your business tasks, then do so. There are some ideas in the linked article, for example, with descriptions of software tools that are designed to deal with some of those tasks that you might need to focus on during the day. And there are hundreds of other apps and programs available that are designed to streamline your day and boost your productivity. Do your research and download anything that could help you manage your workload.

Rule #3: Focus on your strengths

It is highly unlikely that you are competent at every task that befalls you each day. And even if you are, there will be some tasks that could be handled by others. Therefore, concentrate your time on those tasks that a) you have the skills to complete, and b) that directly fall under your remit. Then outsource or delegate any other aspect of your business that would only slow down your productivity otherwise. Thinking about your IT, as an example, you could hire an IT consultant if you aren’t proficient or don’t have time to concentrate on this one area. A company such as Ntiva gives you more time to focus on core business functions, as they have the expertise that you might otherwise lack. Think about the tasks that take up your time unnecessarily, and find the people to help you.

Rule #4: Take a break

By working extensively without any breaks, you will tire yourself out, both physically and mentally. As a result, your productivity will suffer, as your lethargy will cause you to work and think slower than normal. During the day then, plan to have a break at regular intervals so you are always in peak condition to work. And the same applies at home. If you are always taking work home with you, you will limit the amount of time you get to rest. Your sleep might then suffer, and when you return to work the next day, you might get less done because you are in a tired and exhausted state. Focus on your work-life balance, and enjoy your downtime so you can be fully refreshed when you’re back at work.

Rule #5: Just say “no”

When a colleague wanders over to have a chat with you, say no if you know you have work to do. When a client offers you more work, say no if you know you won’t have time to complete it on time, or to a quality level. When you are tempted to check Facebook or any other time-wasting activity, tell yourself no, as these innocent activities will only eat into your time otherwise. There are times when you might say yes to improve your productivity. If somebody offers you a helping hand, then do answer in the positive if you can rely on them. But in all of those instances that could stop you from getting things done, just say no!

Final word

Adhere to the rules in this article, and you will stand a better chance at getting things done in the day. You might then have the opportunity to go home and relax, instead of taking your work home with you, or worrying about anything that has been left unfinished.

Let us know what you think, and if there are any other rules that should be added to this list, please share your ideas with us.

How to Improve Your Future Prospects

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professional Article |Life Skills| How to Improve Your Future ProspectsOne of the many things teenagers worry about it is their future, and how successful it is going to be. This can be a very stressful experience for you, but there are lots of things you can do that will help improve your life skills, finances, and chances of having a very successful career and future.

Scholarships

Many young people who want to go to college are hoping to be offered a scholarship. Not only will this take away the stress of debt piling up, but you can do what you love while away at college, for example, play football or baseball.

There are over 25 different athlete scholarships available which can pay you up to $40,000 per year of your college fees. The first thing you will want to do to secure your scholarship is to make a video to send to colleges; you need to make sure this video shows what you can do to the best of your abilities. Your skills are going to need to stand out so take this video seriously. This is what coaches at colleges will be judging you on and will make the difference between the score and ultimately the kind of scholarship you get.
It’s important to remember that even if you get offered a scholarship not to forget about your school studies. You will need the grades to get into college, and if you don’t keep up a good enough standard in college, then your scholarship will be taken away. So, make sure you prioritize your homework just as much as your sport.

Get a Part-time Job

Something that benefits many young people who are looking to improve their future is by getting a part-time job. Not only will this show future employers and colleges that you are keen to work it also improves your skill set.

It can give you leadership and teamworking skills, and you will learn how to multi-task with your school work, your hobbies and your work life which is what being an adult is about just as much sometimes. Getting a job will teach you lots of life skills that you wouldn’t have learned anywhere else such as communication skills and will make you stand out amongst your peers, plus it gives you the chance to have a bit of extra cash.

Delegate your time wisely

While you may be thinking about your financial future, having a part-time job shouldn’t mean it takes over your life completely. It is called part-time for a reason, and it means you should be able to get the right balance between your work, school, and home life. So, if you find yourself neglecting your school work because you are working more hours than you originally planned, it might be worth considering re-looking at how you spend your time and speaking to your manager about cutting back your hours.

Set up Goals

To keep in line for your future, setting achievable goals is key to remaining focused on what you want to achieve in life. These goals should be realistic to reach and need to be written down so that you can refer to them and change or update them.

Savings Account

Something that you might find that your parents have done for you is set up a savings account or a trust fund that you will be able to access when you turn 18. This will benefit you a lot so make sure you spend this money wisely – consider if you actually need the money yet, if you don’t then save it for when you will need and appreciate it.
Don’t worry if your parents haven’t set up one; there’s no need to panic as you can start a savings account at any time. There’s always time to save, and so if you get a scholarship and have a part-time job, you can start saving to make your future after college more secure.

Believe in Yourself

The most important thing for your future that you need to start doing right now is believing in yourself! Once you believe in yourself, you can do anything, and you will see yourself becoming more confident and will go on to have a very successful future.

The Significance of Self Control

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When it comes to virtues, self-control is one of them. It used in describing an attribute in a person. There are several secrets in how to exercise self-control and also pass this attribute to children. It is not always an easy task but it can be achieved.

Definition

Self-control entails the fight between doing what is wrong and right. It consists of controlling your emotions, behaviors or impulses so that you can achieve better goals. This is an attribute that is hard to exercise but it is beneficial. Self-control is a virtue one needs in order to put into practice any resolution that has been set.

Importance of Self-control

Self-control is very important. It has a very significant impact on future results. For that reason, it has to be taken seriously. Lack of self-control will prevent you from achieving the desired results. Furthermore, its absence just presents some dire consequences which would have been avoided if only you gave your actions second thoughts.

The lack of self-control makes you engage in impulsive emotions and behaviors. You will make poor choices and decisions that will harm you. You also get to react poorly whenever you miss out on what you had desired. You tend to react impulsively like a toddler who has been denied something he/she wanted.

Adults need to try as much as possible to exercise self-control in whatever they do. It helps you react in a better way even after you miss out on something. You will be able to manage anger and avoid any physical violence. The lack of self-control will see you react with rage and anger. In short, you get unhealthy coping ways.

People who lack self-control end up making unethical decisions. They will always react with anger is things do not go as they wish. These people also lack the drive to get committed to fulfilling their goals. This is what separates successful people from failures. Successful people exercise self-control which is not the case with those who fail.

Self-control vs Empathy

Empathy and self-control are controlled by a similar part of your brain. This part of your brain is known as rTPJ( Right Temporoparietal junction). An experiment was conducted by Alexander Soutscheck on the part that controls empathy. This section was altered by Alexander and the end result is the inhibition of one’s self-control. This research was supported by Rebecca Saxe.

How to develop self-control

In case you want to have self-control in your life, there are a number of practices you can adopt. They include the following:

• Get Sufficient Sleep

Insufficient sleep is one of the causes of self-control problems. Sleep deprivation leads to unethical behaviors which include lack of self-control and poor decisions. Ensure you put in place a proper sleeping schedule to develop your self-control.

• Get a ritual

You can come up with a ritual that will help you develop your self-control. This ritual should be able to affect your self-control in a positive way.

• Pray, be mindful and meditate

Praying and meditating are responsible for resetting your thinking process. You will be able to refocus your mind and enhance your self-control.

How to enforce self-control in your children

It is a good idea to enforce self-control in your children at a younger age. This will help them to grow up with a better personality and character. How do you instill this virtue in them anyway? You have to continue teaching your children self-control even in difficult situations. Your children will master the art of overcoming difficult times pretty well. This is an attribute that will really boost their self-control. You can also gift your children every time they react in a positive way despite being in a difficult situation. This will help instill in them self-control.

The Self-control Journey

This is not a character trait that you will get overnight. It is a process that requires commitment and dedication. You have to keep trying even if you fail to exercise self-control when it matters. Every time you are able to exercise self-control effectively, acknowledge yourself. Through that, you will be able to develop your self-control.

Verdict

Capitalize on self-control in your quest of meeting your goals. You can make use of Professional and Graduate Studies division at Cornerstone University in order to get new opportunities and skills. You will be exposed to practical applications of self-control that will really benefit you.

How To Be More Productive When Working Online

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article |Productivity |How To Be More Productive When Working OnlineBeing more productive as a business online largely depends on having the right tools and the right knowledge to use them effectively. IT now lies at the core of any successful business. Employees need to know how to use a computer effectively if you are going to reap the gains of productivity and efficiency. Nonetheless, this typically revolves around a lot more than knowing how to type on Microsoft Word. With the array of software solutions available today every business has differing requirements from their employees.

Nevertheless, the issue comes because not all businesses have the capability to provide training days for their staff. They may not have all of the equipment necessary for example. Thankfully, this issue is one that can easily be solved. An IT mobile classroom provides a great option for small to medium size businesses. Companies will come to your site and they will set up a training room in your conference or meeting room. They will provide you with the perfect platform for carrying out any courses or workshops you wish to hold.

The most obvious benefit of going down this route is convenience and time efficiency. After all, if you were not to use the services of an IT mobile classroom then you would have to move all of the desktops from your business into one room. This is extremely inconvenient and may not even be feasible in a lot of cases because of servers and different connections. A mobile IT classroom takes all of this hassle out of your hands. The company in question will bring all of their own equipment and they will set it up themselves in a mere matter of minutes.

Nonetheless, convenience is not the only key factor associated with this service. You should also consider the cost efficiency of this solution too. There are several ways small businesses can make savings by going down this route. For those who don’t have the resources, the only alternative to a mobile IT classroom is to send your staff away on a public course. This will need to be paid for per person and so is assured to be more expensive. Not only will the course itself be, but you will need to subsidise for travel expenses and possibly overnight accommodation too. And then there is the fact that you do not require permanent facilities and therefore there is no need to spend on equipment.

Another issue associated with taking a public course is the fact that you have no control over what your staff are being taught. After all, your need for the popular Office 365 solutions may be different from another company’s, which is why in-house consulting and training is a must. If you have in-house training you can ensure that your employees are only focusing on tasks that are going to be used whilst in the workplace. This ensures no time is wasted. Optimum efficiency will be gained and you don’t run the risk of the workshop being ineffective. Not only this, but you can be assured that all of your staff will be in attendance. When inconvenience is caused by having to go to a new location etc, quite frankly you will note that a few people fail to attend. You don’t have to worry about this if the training is carried out in-house.

If you don’t currently have the facilities to carry out training courses and workshops on premises then assess all of your options before sending your staff on a training course. Opting for an IT mobile classroom is something that is likely to provide you with much more benefits and therefore is definitely a more viable and advantageous solution.