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HEALTHY TIPS TO INCREASE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY IN A CO-WORKING SPACE.

The co-working space is made purposely for young entrepreneurs, freelancers and mobile worker to have a conducive space to work on private project. Co-working space tend have more personality than the usual corporate office.It has an amazing space for creativity, innovation and support.

But, being around people in a vibrant, energetic and buzzing space can have an impact on one’s productivity.People who make use of a co-working space are passionate about their work and want to be productive and use their time to a maximum satisfaction.

Below you can find few tips to improve your productivity in a co-working space;

1.Be Accountable

It is very easy to be distracted in a co-working environment and this can keep you from achieving your goal for the day; this is where self-discipline comes in. However, keep yourself accountable by writing down the task for the day, tick off each task as you complete them and do not let yourself go home without achieving them all. When you are being strict in this, you lay a good foundation for a healthy and productive habit.

2. Make The Task Meaningful

Professionals making use of the co-working spaces need to make their work meaningful if they want to improve on their productivity. When you know why you are performing a task, it makes it less strenuous.

3. Take A Break

The brain is an organ that has a certain limit to what it can absorb for a certain period of time. According to a research, the optimum limit for a brain is fifty-two minutes of challenging, productive and efficient work, with a seventeen minutes break in between. To ensure that you’re productive find out what works best for you and implement the practices and principles behind optimal brain functioning. Once in a while, take a break so as to reset the brain and also ensure you schedule your breaks to avoid becoming a workaholic. Another alternative is to make sure you schedule a rest-day as part of your routine.

4.Foster The Right Kind Of Engagement

It is typical for people in a co-working space to have a chit-chat with each other, but engaging in frequent discussions and chatting does not boost your productivity. If you are going to engage in a conversation make sure it is productive and beneficial to you and others.

5.Manage Your Time Properly

We all know when you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.In a social environment like a co-working space you can easily get swept up in the excitement of things. And before you know it, few hours of your day is gone and your productivity is declining; one can easily get distracted by petty tasks and negatively waste your time. In lieu of this, create a plan that guides you towards the tasks you need to accomplish each day or week.You do not necessarily need to be hard on yourself because you need some flexibility but a little of structure can go a long way.

6.Avoid Procrastination

An interactive and social environment such as a co-working space can easily contribute to procrastination. Procrastination basically occur when you do things you do not have interest in or when you do not have a clear information you need to achieve your task. Just as students who postpone studying subjects they dislike, people procrastinate in a co-working space. Apparently, endeavour to change your “modus operandi” by creating a timeline for your task, breaking the task into smaller milestone, schedule strong deadlines for yourself and take a break when it gets stressful so as not to overwork your brain.

7.Keep Your Work Space Clean And Tidy

There is nothing more discouraging than having to work in an untidy space with papers littered on the verge of avalanche.A clean space is an inviting space where one is willing to work.

8.Make Use Of Technology

There are lots of websites and apps designed to make life easier and enable you to save time in a co-working space. An app such as trello can be use to generate a “to-do” list for the day or week; Websites that enable you to store your document in the cloud; Or apps that check your grammar and record your time expenditure. Making use of this to your advantage can increase your productivity in a co-working space.

9. Protect Your Health Working in a co-working space can be very fun and exciting.You can be tempted to stretch beyond your limits in such a creative and socialized atmosphere and this may develop a workaholic mindset at the detriment of your health. Protecting your health includes having a quality sleep, lack of sleep stimulates a negative attitude towards one’s work and it takes longer time to do basic things. According to a research done by National Sleep Foundation, an average adult needs between 7-9 hours of sleep every night for optimum mind and body functionality. Moreover, try as much as possible to hang out with friends once in a while and endeavour to have a proper balanced diet.

Achieving productivity in a co-working space is not just achieved through constant working, but by taking a break and giving yourself time to recover. When you know what you need to do to make yourself productive, the results will be impressive.

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7 Top Tips to Gain and Retain Clients

INTRODUCTION

One of the main focuses of startups is creating and getting people to be aware of their services. No one starts a company without having people in mind that will benefit from the services. However, it is sometimes difficult to get the desired number of clients as a startup business getting into a business atmosphere where there are already like hundreds of people engaged in what you are planning to do. Not getting clients or customers for a business can be highly detrimental as this will affect the company’s motivation and eventually its output.

In every business, getting clients/customers with the right potentials and who are willing to pay for the services rendered takes rigorous work. Directors and business managers must be willing to go full length and embark on extra activities to get their clients. You must think outside the box to find the best ways to get your services to the right people.

Getting your first set of clients as a startup is very important as this gives you a projection of where your business will be in the nearest future (say like 5 to 10 years).

The number one reason why getting your first clients/customers and offering them the best of your services is because of referral. Businesses are better grown by referral than marketing.

HOW CAN I GET AND RETAIN MY CLIENTS

This is the most crucial question in the mind of every entrepreneur. Follow me as I give you seven easy ways to get your clients as a startup.
Here we go:

1.Establish your Client Base

Before you can diversify your services, you first need to do one service really well. This holds true for pleasing clients, as well. Figure out what demographic needs your service or product the most, and target that demographic.

2. Ask for feedback

Ask for feedback from previous clients to figure out your strengths and weaknesses. Clients will appreciate this follow-up as a means of touching base, and their feedback will help you identify any problem areas, as well as your company’s greatest strengths.

3. Share your knowledge

Give customers a little, and if it’s good, they’ll be coming back for more. Not only will sharing your knowledge encourage clients to look at your services, but it also establishes your business as an expert within your industry.

4. Treat clients like people, not business

The childhood adage of “treat others the way you want to be treated” holds true for business relationships, too. Respect your clients, and they will respect you, and hopefully pay for your product to boot.

5.Email your clients

Capitalize on a client’s potential interest by sending them a welcome email immediately after they sign up to remind them of your company and what you offer. However, also remember that your emails must be permission-based and have an unsubscribe link.

6. Treat clients like people, not business

Reward clients and encourage repeat business by offering perks such as discounts, special deals, early access to new products or whatever else it may be to remind your clients that you care about them and want them to stay with your business.

7. Give them access to your network

Sharing industry-relevant information with your network helps your network stay in the loop while making your clients look good. Not to mention, this strategy also gives clients the chance to share the content you’ve posted on your sites to their own audiences, increasing your brand’s reach.

We hope you have learnt something from this article. Drop a comment in the box below, we will really appreciate.

Co-working: The New way to Work in Lagos

Life is evolving, issues are rising and innovational creativity has become the new trend. Recently, in most developed countries, people are exploring new ideas and are embracing new technological and emerging opportunities that can enlarge their markets and promote their brands. In third world nations, of which the African continent takes the larger portion, Lagos, a city in Nigeria is certainly one of the fastest growing economies with a buoyant market for any booming start-up. This city that has 17.8 million people of different nationalities and cultural origins living in it has been predicted to be the third largest world economy by 2020; holding such a great future for startups.

Without any doubt, the “state of excellence” has reflected the name by embarking on different developmental projects and creating innovations coupled with tenacious efforts to meet up with the first world countries like the United States, England, Canada and a host of others. Little wonder most start-ups and creative industries are trooping into “eko” every day. One of the most interesting facts about Lagos is that it is a potential milestone for any business idea “you can literally sell anything” and grow any kind of business in Lagos.

As we all know that high rate of development comes with different kind of problems. Lagos is not exempted from the list of cities faced with diverse problems and consequences of rapid development. These problems cut across the different sectors including the business and commercial sectors; this makes it quite difficult to start a business in a developed place like Lagos. All entrepreneurs know that starting a business requires putting many resources in consideration. Over the years, the issue of getting an office space has been a major problem for most start-ups, apart from the fact that this aspect requires a lot of financial resources which can be strenuous for young companies, it has also rendered some startups bankrupt or led to the eventual closure of those (startup) companies. The question for every business strategists and entrepreneur is how do I merge the available resources with my idea?

Co-working brings endless benefits to coworkers. From increased productivity to happiness, and other substantial benefits, you can ever imagine, co-working seems to be the next beam of hope for startups and SMEs in a growing economy such as the Nigerian economy and other African countries.

In this post, I’ve gone ahead to compile the top ten reasons so you can get an idea of why you should consider coworking for your business.

Let’s get started with

Expedited Growth

Coworking gives you the right environment to focus on your current and future goals while helping you to be more productive through interactions with other coworkers and.

Expand Your Network

You never know who you might meet in a co-working space. You might make some great friends, you might make some professional contacts. You might even make both! Coworking spaces are all about communities and collaborations. Ally Hub focuses on building communities that bring people who share common interests together. You might also get the chance to find new clients and grow your income, talent and people to work with, and more. By introducing yourself to others, you never know what you might achieve.

No Distractions

Have you experienced the frustration that comes with working in a traditional office environment and be distracted by coworkers’ questions the whole time? If you work from home, you’re vulnerable to distractions by your family. This is why you need a coworking space for your business.

In a coworking space, people respect your privacy – but they’re there to support you if you need it. You can crack on with work, free from distraction, and get more done, faster.

Zero temptation

Working from home is dangerous. The fridge is right there at all times, as is the pantry full of treats. By working in a coworking space, you’ll be forced to eat nothing but the lunch you packed for yourself. Speaking of temptation, there’s also no TV to watch or cozy bed to cuddle up and nap in. You’ll only be surrounded by other hard-working professionals! Coworking spaces get you out of your home (and out of your PJs) where you can work in a clean, professional environment and work like the professional you are.

Stay inspired

It’s easy to feel alone when you’re working from home by yourself. If you see countless people working hard around you, you’ll be inspired to do the same. In coworking spaces, you’re usually surrounded by people from all sorts of industries, exposing you to all kinds of different ideas and ways to stay motivated. In coworking spaces, you’re never alone – unlike if you were isolated at home. You’ll embark on a journey with others who also go through good times and bad times!

Be Creative

By getting out of your home and surrounding yourself with more interesting people, you’re more likely to tap into your creative side more of the time. Coffee breaks in coworking spaces are where the magic happens, and incredible ideas are born. You can share your ideas with others and hear their input – it could just change everything. Coworking spaces have also been found to increase self-confidence by helping you to establish a better working routine.

Better work/life balance

Insomnia isn’t uncommon in people who work from home. Why? Because they can’t separate home from business. By traveling to a coworking space each day, you’ll get into the habit of mentally isolating home from work to enjoy a better work/life balance, and of course, better sleep. It’s best to switch off at the end of the day then focus on work again tomorrow. Coworking spaces help you establish and stick to a routine while still keeping to your own schedule. These spaces are designed to adapt to your needs!

Better Health and Happiness

Studies show that loneliness can literally wreak havoc on your well-being. By being in the company of others, you can recharge your physical and mental batteries. There’s something about seeing familiar friendly faces every day that make us feel good.

Better Internet

This one pretty much speaks for itself. Coworking spaces must have fast internet to cater to the needs of people across all sorts of industries – like video editors and graphic designers or animators who demand high speed and performance. Take advantage of it!

Save money

Not only will you not have to travel or sit in mind-numbing traffic, maximizing your income-producing hours, but you can also save on utility bills seeing as coworking spaces cover this expense themselves. You also never have to worry about dealing with service providers or repairs. If something goes wrong at the coworking space, they have to fix it – not you! Also, renting a coworking space is far cheaper than renting a traditional office.

Honestly, this is just the beginning – and the only way to experience the coworking difference is to try it out yourself!

If you like this post, then drop a comment below and let’s know what you think.

WHY YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS A CO-WORKING SPACE

As an entrepreneur, one of the decisions you have to make is where to work from. Most entrepreneurs choose to run their businesses from their homes which isn’t necessarily the most suitable option especially if your business is just growing and will be open to lots of visiting clients. It can also be difficult to separate home and work life.

This is where the idea of co-working spaces come in. A co-working space brings together remote workers, small business owners and staff, and freelancers in a shared work environment.

The key benefit to co-working spaces is flexibility. Each co-working space has a different space, like an open office with desk areas, or a more enclosed setup (with private offices and meeting rooms).

IMPORTANCE OF CO-WORKING SPACES FOR BUSINESSES

Co-working spaces are flexible in their pricing structure. They help one rent a space on a monthly, weekly, or even daily basis.

Co-working spaces come with improved facilities – everything you need to get your work done. Power, suitable furniture, plenty of desk space, high-speed Wi-Fi connection, etc.

You will network on a whole new level – Co-working spaces are used by a community of freelancers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses, so there are plenty of networking opportunities with people who are also trying to build businesses.

Co–working gives you a flexible and cost-effective solution – A traditional office space rental can be the solution your business needs, but they generally require a long-term financial commitment. You can use a co-working space when you need to on a day-to-day or month-to-month basis. You can rent meeting rooms too. You will not be tied into paying rent for months at a time. Co-working is generally a cheaper option than an office rental.
Co-working spaces come with improved facilities – everything you need to get your work done. Power, suitable furniture, plenty of desk space, high-speed Wi-Fi connection, etc.

There’s plenty of business-based advice available – A co-working space can present a perfect opportunity to get advice on your business. Many spaces are filled with a community and team of coworkers that have varied experiences and skills who can point you in the right direction, offer some advice, or help you think through logistics.

If you’re thinking about co-working, keep an open mind and go for it. The true beauty of co-working for startups is the flexibility to pick and choose what you need and when you need it.