Archive for the ‘Time Management’ Category
Everyone has a limited amount of time on this earth. And unlike money, it’s impossible to build up your time reservoir. From the second you enter the earth, the hourglass is ticking. That’s why it’s so important you make every second count. This is particularly true at work. Most people waste an inordinate amount of time at the office. This is why the forty-hour work week is the norm. If done effectively, many people could easily cut their work hours in half, if not more. Here are three tips to help use your time effectively and dramatically cut down on the amount of time spent at work:
#1) Get rid of time wasters
People will bother you to the extent you let them. That’s why it’s so important to prevent them from doing that. A lot of business owners pride themselves on having an “open door policy.” In other words, people can come in any time they want and interrupt them, without consequence. While there’s nothing wrong with allowing your employees to voice their opinion, schedule it. Sometimes you need to set limits. That’s where time blocking comes in. Here you set aside a certain amount of time you will focus on an activity for. During this time you will do nothing but work on that project for that time. Close the door, unplug the phone, and basically get rid of any potential distractions. Be ruthless. Don’t allow yourself to check email during this time, take phone calls, or do anything else that might distract you. Do nothing but focus on the project.
#2) Don’t work for the sake of work
If you give yourself all day to work, you will work all day, every day. Instead, first define the work that needs to be done. When you finish it, you are free to go. Get rid of the “9-5” mentality. If you know you have to work for eight hours before you can go home, you will inevitably fill your time with less useful activities after you get the important things done. Productivity is the only important measurement. Most people measure a good day by how long they worked for. This is totally meaningless.
#3) Eliminate yourself from the equation
If your entire business relies on you being there to do everything, you will never achieve the freedom the business was supposed to provide you in the first place. Whether your goal is to work less, or get out of the picture altogether, building systems that remove you from the equation is the key.
Implement these three tips and you will get more done in far less time.
Deanna Maio, Business Development Strategist & Speaker, teaches women business owners how to grow their business significantly while still having time to live a great life. For FREE tips on how to get more results without working harder, attract more clients, and grow your profits, visit http://www.savvygals.com/
There are all kinds of devices and technologies around to help you save time. But the more things there are to save time, the more it seems like we don’t have enough. Everyone could use a little help getting more done, so here are a few tips on help you manage your time wisely and fit more into your day.
To be the most productive, try making a plan. Each project you take on, be sure to plan it out ahead of time. Include each step you’re going to need to take, and who and what you need to get it done. Once you have an overall plan, use this to make a plan at the beginning of each day. Before you do anything in the morning, make a list of what you need to get done that day. They say that if you start each day by eating a live frog, nothing else you do that day will seem that bad. While you’re probably not going to actually eat live animals, this is a great philosophy to use in your life. Start each day by picking the hardest thing on your to-do list, the thing you’re really dreading. Once you get that thing done, everything else in the day will seem much simpler. Plus, the feeling of accomplishment will energize you and help keep you focused throughout the day.
If you’re easily distracted and nothing seems to be working to stop that, try removing the distractions totally. If you keep playing video games, go somewhere without internet access or a TV. If you keep getting distracted by the kids, work while they’re at school or when someone else is there to take care of them. The whole point is that not having distractions is much easier than ignoring them.
If you have trouble starting work or keeping on task, get a buddy to help you. The biggest problem most people have is keeping to deadlines. If you don’t have someone to report to, like a boss or manager, then you have less reason to get things done. Ask a friend or family member to check on your work and push you to keep going or get started. If you feel accountable, you’ll get more done in less time.
One of the best things you can do to get more done in your day is to take breaks. While it seems counter-intuitive, giving yourself a rest every so often helps you re-energize and make better use of the time you do have. Whether it be taking the occasional weekend off, doing some yoga or deep breathing during the day, or just sitting in a quiet room drinking your coffee, you need to take some time to recharge.
Deanna Maio, Business Development Strategist & Speaker, teaches women business owners how to grow their business significantly while still having time to live a great life. For FREE tips on how to get more results without working harder, attract more clients, and grow your profits, visit http://www.savvygals.com/
Working from home sounds ideal when you're a parent, but the lines between work and home can quickly become blurred as multiple schedules and family demands encroach on your business obligations. To keep your work life separate from your personal life, set some boundaries and stick to them.
1) Set aside an area in your home just for work
Keep potential distractions, like a TV, out of this space. Try to make this space in an area with a door or at least keep it as far as possible from everyday living space. Put some type of friendly "do not disturb" sign on the door to discourage family members from interrupting you. If you're a parent, explain to your children that you need private time and consider having an "open-door" time when they can come in and ask you questions. With a designated work space, you'll not only maintain boundaries but also enjoy the rest of your home more, since you'll avoid seeing your computer and other constant reminders of work you need to do.
2) Keep a schedule
Establish a specific period of time each day that will be solely dedicated to work. The schedule may change each week, but stick to it. Set it at the beginning of the week and post it on your office door. Highlight the "open" times when you will be available for your family. You'll avoid overworking and "under-working" this way, and you can provide your clients with specific times when they can contact or work with you.
3) Separate home and business communications
Keep a separate phone line - complete with voice mail - for your business. Don't answer it after hours. Set up a post office box for business-related mail. This way, you can avoid giving out your home address to strangers, and important mail is less likely to disappear amid the junk. Use email and IM whenever you can, establishing separate accounts for those as well.
4) Do not mix personal activities with business ones
During your scheduled working hours, WORK. At the end of the day, plan the next day, including both work and personal time. Try to keep all work-related activities together so that you can maintain a working mindset during that time. You'll then feel more productive and less overwhelmed by personal obligations.
5) Know your limits, and do not overload yourself
Communicate with your family about upcoming time requirements. During crunch periods, create a temporary schedule in which everyone pitches in to do housework, run errands, and take care of other family commitments. Make a list of chores and tasks and assign those to family members together. When you have to say no to something your family asks of you, try making the closed door, posted schedule, or job roster the bad guy instead of yourself.
6) Make time for yourself
Get out of the house, exercise, do something fun. Reward yourself for your hard work and don't lose yourself in work. You are a valuable asset to your clients, so take care of yourself. And no matter how tempted you are to burn the midnight oil, stop when you say you will. Not getting enough rest will increase stress and hinder efficiency.
Most important, do not compromise on these boundaries. When you give an inch from your work life, your personal life will take a mile. Stick to your guns - kindly and lovingly, but firmly. You'll be a better parent and spouse for it.
Deanna Maio, Business Development Strategist & Speaker, teaches women business owners how to grow their business significantly while still having time to live a great life. For FREE tips on how to get more results without working harder, attract more clients, and grow your profits, visit http://www.savvygals.com/
If you want to get stuff done at work, you need to take breaks. Our brains and bodies aren’t meant to go non-stop. The longer you go without taking a break, the slower you’re going to be working. By taking breaks, you’re going to increase your productivity and probably get more done in the long run. Occasionally, you’re going to need a day off, or even a full vacation. When you work in a regular office, you have specific vacation time that you can take to get out of the office. When you work at home, it’s easy to not only skip vacations, but also to work through weekends and holidays too. If you try to take a day off at home, you’ll often end up working through your break. To really get a break, you need to get out of the office and the house.
You’ve probably heard of people or media outlets talk about office burnout. This is when you get so stressed out at work, you just don’t want to do it anymore. You’re tired, angry, and disinterested in your work, or sometimes anything else. This not only decreases your productivity, it also can be dangerous to your health.
Don’t have time to take off? You’ll get too far behind on your projects? Before you write off taking a break, sit down and think about why you started working at home to begin with. Chances are it had something to do with your family. Whether it was to make more money for them or to spend more time with them, it’s probably about them. If you work yourself so hard you’re having physical and mental problems, how is that helping your family?
When we’re used to keeping going and going, it’s hard to figure out what to do on a day off. However, there are plenty of things you can do for any interest. Like learning? You can go to a local museum. If you like nature, go to your local zoo or park. If you prefer adventure you could take the family canoeing. If you just need to relax you might look into your local day spa. There are endless possibilities to fit every personality. Just because you take a day away from the office doesn’t mean you necessarily need to stop working. One great way to do this is to go to a seminar. The beauty of seminars is not just that you meet new people and learn things, it’s that they’re often in fun, sometimes exotic places. You can build useful business relationships, learn new techniques and ideas, and have a relaxing vacation all at the same time. If there are no useful seminars, you could just go on vacation with someone in your field. You can brainstorm, trade ideas, and relax at the same time.
The important thing to remember is that if you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of anyone else. Taking the occasional day off is a great idea to recharge and refresh yourself so you can get back to being the best version of you.
Deanna Maio, Business Development Strategist & Speaker, teaches women business owners how to grow their business significantly while still having time to live a great life. For FREE tips on how to get more results without working harder, attract more clients, and grow your profits, visit http://www.savvygals.com/
It is easy for time to get away from us. We get bogged down in the details and that is that. When it comes to your home business, losing track of time is crucial. Find out where your time is going and how to rectify the situation.
One way to see where you are losing time is with a time log. We stress “where” instead of “if” because everyone loses track of time. It becomes a problem when that loss of time leads to burning the midnight oil to meet client deadlines, or stress because one or more activities coincide with each other. Stress is the likely result of lost time. Consistently finding yourself in stressful situations can affect your entire life and your health.
Avoid all of that with a few simple experiments. One is using a time log which was mentioned earlier. A time log can be as simple as a spreadsheet document that you can fill out with the names of activities you did during each day of the week. A time log is like a food diary. It tracks your current time management habits for later evaluation. Where does most of the time get lost? It could be at the beginning of the day. When there is not a plan in place to govern your tasks for the day, the day can get off to a sluggish start. You spend time deciding what to accomplish or you begin with one area and see what falls out.
Because you have missed deadlines or forgotten about projects, your day is spent playing catch-up and apologizing to clients. The same goes for the family side of your time. It is hard to find the balance between family life and business. Without a schedule it is next to impossible. A forgotten deadline could mean you are working well into the weekend when you were supposed to take a family outing. Do you skip the outing or delay the project work longer? It is a tough decision that will leave you stressed either way.
Consider charting your time as a way of keeping it from escaping you. You can keep a big chart in your office. A large chart can be purchased if it meets your specifications. The days of the week run along the top with the times running along the side. Color-code the chart for easier reading. Choose two or three colors for business activities and do the same for family activities. Whenever you get a deadline, record it on the chart. Scheduled family activities are also recorded. Each day, block out time for work, personal time and family. In a smaller planner or a digital calendar, record the details of the plan for the work and personal blocks for each day. A chart can help organize your time better than keeping everything in your head. At a glance you can see what your schedule will be like each day.
Deanna Maio, Business Development Strategist & Speaker, teaches women business owners how to grow their business significantly while still having time to live a great life. For FREE tips on how to get more results without working harder, attract more clients, and grow your profits, visit http://www.savvygals.com/
Does it always seem like you are under the gun to get things done? Time seems to get away from you and you don’t know why. Maybe what you need is a way to effectively manage your time. Time management is an age-old problem. Remember Wimpy in the old Popeye cartoons? He’d pay on Tuesday for a hamburger today. Why not pay now? Procrastination is the enemy of all who try to manage their time. If you have been bitten by the procrastination bug, it’s time to take an antidote. Time management issues can be dealt with in three stages: planning, tracking and assessing.
Just like with other issues in life, the best way to handle them is head on, before the problem gets to be too big for us to even want to look at it.
1. Planning
Those who fail to plan, plan to fail. We’ve all heard it and it’s true for the most part. You have to have somewhere to start or you’ll spend half of your day deciding what to do. Planning begins with the end – deadlines. Know how much time you have for each task you have to accomplish. Within that timeline, you can break down the larger goal into more manageable pieces. This method is less of a drain on your resources and your brain. Use a planning tool like a calendar. The calendar, preferably a computerized one, needs to have the capability of looking at a several views: daily, weekly, monthly and yearly. Use the calendar to map out work and personal tasks so that nothing gets overlooked.
2. Tracking
How are you using your time? Use tracking software to monitor how much time is spent on business projects and how much is devoted to each project. Tracking lets you see where time is being lost. Maybe it takes too long to do the research for a project or the final organization of it. If your desk is unorganized, you could be losing what amounts to hours just trying to find what you need. Time tracking software allows you to create categories for the way that you spend your time so you can easily follow. If you don’t want to make that investment, create a time tracking spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel to prioritize tasks each day and track the time you work on them.
3. Assessing
So, where did the time go? Are you spending more time on minimum priority projects and less time on high priority ones, or is it vice versa? Take a look at where you are developing black holes of lost time. On your logs, choose a place for comments about what exactly you did during the time spent on each category during the day. If writing up a proposal is supposed to take two hours but it is taking you four, what is being missed? It is easy for time to escape us. For a business, time is money that you are losing. Re-evaluate how you spend your time and tighten up on projects that are taking too long.
Deanna Maio, Business Development Strategist & Speaker, teaches women business owners how to grow their business significantly while still having time to live a great life. For FREE tips on how to get more results without working harder, attract more clients, and grow your profits, visit http://www.savvygals.com/
Teaching at a rock and roll music camp for 7-14 year olds this week taught me (or reminded me) of some valuable lessons that can help us to running successful businesses. In this, the first article in a two part series, I'll share 3 lessons you can learn from rock camp and how you can start applying them to your business.
Lesson #1: Life is short. Have fun!
While this lesson may seem cliche, it became so clear for me just after the first few moments of being with my eager young students. Laughing, giggling, joking is innate in kids and isn't something they need to plan for, schedule in, or "make time for." Imagine how challenges, obstacles, or decisions would be easier to manage and handle if we just injected a little bit more fun into our businesses. Here are some ideas on how to have more fun at work, whether you work alone, with others, at home, or in an office.
- Write a joke on a post-it and tell it to those who call you or you call during the day
- Before making a difficult call or one you've been putting off, start laughing for no reason for at least 10 seconds, no matter how forced it may feel, then stop and dial
- Dress up one day in a silly outfit. Be a clown, pirate, hobo, or punk rocker. Look at yourself in the mirror often and remember what it felt like to be a kid
- Color in a coloring book, finger paint, make music on a kazoo, or do a dance when you are feeling stressed. You'll release creativity and energy will flow in a more positive direction
Lesson #2: Practice Makes Progress
Each day at camp, each band (there were four) not only practiced their instruments but, also got together for band rehearsal. In 5 days each band will play 3 new songs, and sing on 2 new ones too. Plus, they'll write one collectively as a group. Whether it's playing music, having sales conversations, or introducing yourself at a networking event, practice is KEY to having a great performance. Repetition is the mother of all learning. The more we do anything, if we practice noticing what worked and what didn't, we will improve.
- Read your 10 second introduction or elevator speech out loud every day in front of the mirror
- Call a friend and ask them to practice being a prospect. Walk through your qualifying questions or "free consultation" process with them
- Get dressed in your networking clothes and go to a new networking event. Set a goal to meet 3 new people and try to connect them with one person within your network that would be a good referral partner for them
- Meet with a colleague to practice overcoming sales objections that you might hear from a prospect. Be realistic and offer each other feedback after each role play.
Lesson #3: Classics Never Go Out of Style
This week the bands are playing some of my favorite rock and roll tunes: Twist and Shout, Joy to the World (Three Dog Night, not the carol,) Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me, and Hey Jude. These songs are expertly written and well loved by hundreds of thousands of music lovers. They were chosen for the show because they are songs that would be entertaining and enjoyed by the audience and the bands playing and singing them. How does this apply to your business? 2 things, actually. Give your audience what they want. Here are some thoughts how...
- Ask your favorite clients what they'd like to see from you in terms of new products or services. Survey them as a group, call and ask them three short questions to get their feedback, find trends in their answers, create what they want or find someone to offer it to them
- Don't waste time creating a new product, service, or package and then marketing it if you aren't absolutely sure your target market wants it. (It doesn't count if you think they need it, if they haven't told you they want it too.)
- Remind your target market, current clients, and your past clients of all the services you provide. Send them a note every once in awhile to remind them and make an offer to work with you again. Don't let repeat business fall through the cracks because you've become invisible to them.
- Review the services you provide and find new ways to offer them. Usually work in person, consider working by phone to reach more people. Usually work one on one, consider doing a group program or a one day workshop. See ways to offer the same or similar results and leverage your time by using a different delivery model and you could start reaping the rewards of working smarter in no time.
With these three rock camp lessons, you'll start to feel a new creativity, flow, and rhythm in your business and move closer to being the business rock star you were born to be.
Deanna Maio, Business Trainer & Coach, teaches business owners simple, powerful processes to stop wasting time, start making more money, and create a business that acts as a vehicle for living the life they desire and deserve. For FREE tips on how to increase your income and use your valuable time more wisely, visit http://www.savvygals.com/
I'm convinced there's just too much information available in the world for business owners. We don't need all the options that exist. We need the top two or three options pulled out from the heap, simplified, and then we need to select one and get moving. Information is not what is stopping business owners from getting the results they want. You see, I believe it's a lack of action or support during the implementation process that gets us in trouble. We're trying to get so much done that often we don't get started on the important projects and improvements in our businesses that can make the really big differences:
- More Sales
- Better Relationships
- More Referrals
- Streamlined Processes
- Faster Results
Some people are born doers. Some people are born thinkers. Some think about doing and never get anything done. There are many ways to become a person of action and what works for someone else may not work for you. Action people are usually people who are organized and seem to know exactly how to proceed from one project to another seamlessly and without effort. Others flounder in a world of disorganization, haplessly moving one piece of paper to another location without knowing why. At the end of the day, the doers typically have more energy than at the beginning as they feed on taking action. The flounders at the end of the day are still floundering and can’t understand why nothing has been accomplished and they feel exhausted. They step back to assess their day’s accomplishments and deceive themselves into believing progress is being made, when in realty little or nothing has been done. For these people, organization is an essential key.
Whether it’s for your home or business, make a to-do list and prioritize it. Tips for a successful list include:
- Put only the most important tasks on the list
- Each time you complete a goal or project scratch it off
- Feel the satisfaction
- Don’t mark tasks off until their done
When everything on the list is finished, reward yourself. Even if you don’t quite complete the list in one day, go ahead and celebrate your victories. This gives you something to look forward to and gives you incentive to accomplish more. Again, be honest with yourself and only accept reward when deserved. Another plan of action states that you can waste too much time making lists and you should visualize your task at hand until you have the energy to do it. They suggest you sit quietly, clear your mind of all other things and concentrate on your task or goal at hand. See yourself doing the project in vivid detail. Whatever the job entails imagine yourself doing each and every step. Change the way your think and you will change the way you act and how many results you create.
Deanna Maio, Business Trainer & Coach, teaches business owners simple, powerful processes to stop wasting time and start making more money, and create a business that acts as a vehicle for living the life they desire and deserve. For FREE tips on how to increase your income and use your valuable time more wisely, visit http://www.savvygals.com/
Hiring an intern is a great way to get extra help for your business but in order for an internship to be successful, you must choose your intern carefully. Understanding the concepts of choosing a member for your support team will greatly benefit you. The following 5 savvy strategies will guide you in your decision.
Treat the process of hiring an intern just like hiring an actual employee
Request a resume, cover letter, or both. Do an interview, and give the same tests/questions to your potential intern as you would any other applicant for a similar position. Also, treat the intern as you would an employee. Having a solid relationship is key to success. This will give you valuable insight into the intern's capabilities and work habits.
Keep in mind that interns rarely have a great deal of work experience
It is important not to expect too much right away. Do though, encourage your Intern to ask questions while also encouraging them to find the answer themselves. The usual purpose of an internship is to gain work experience and credits for college. So if you're looking for years of experience in the field, an internship is not going to be the right solution for you. On the other hand, there are some forms of experience outside the workplace that you could consider. Some potential interns may have volunteer experience that is relevant to your business. And most have done extensive coursework in their fields, giving them knowledge they can apply when working for you.
Look for enthusiastic candidates
Someone who is excited about the position will try harder than someone who is just in it because she needs an internship to get her degree. And when most candidates are lacking concrete experience, trying hard and wanting the experience is very important.
Think about which candidate can benefit the most
An internship is a two-way street and should be a mutually beneficial experience. You get work done at little or no cost, and the intern gains valuable experience. But if the experience is irrelevant to the intern's goals, she will be less likely to do her best and have a truly valuable experience. Make sure that your intern is a good fit for the position and that she will leave with new knowledge in her chosen field as well as experience. This will ensure that the internship is a success.
Make sure your intern has realistic expectations regarding the position
She shouldn't expect this to be an ongoing job, even if you plan on considering an intern for full-time employment. If she gets a paying job out of the deal, that's great, but she should be prepared to look for work once the internship is over.
Just like paid employees, a new member of your support team can be very valuable to your business. Taking the time to choose the right one for the job can pay big dividends. By keeping your expectations realistic, communicating them thoroughly, and looking for some key traits, you can find an intern that is perfect for your purpose and is a good fit for your team.
Deanna Maio, Business Coach & Consultant, teaches women business owners how to attract more clients, make more sales, stop wasting time, and create a business that acts as a vehicle for living the life they desire and deserve. For FREE tips on how to increase your income and use your valuable time more wisely, visit http://www.savvygals.com/
As a small business owner, finding good help can be a challenge. Qualified candidates are more likely to be attracted to large companies than small businesses because of their high profile and better pay. If you are very small or just getting started, you probably can't afford to hire someone even part-time but, having office help would free you from the busywork and tasks that get in the way of the stuff that needs to get done to bring in the revenue. One way that you can get good help is by creating your own free powerful support team by capitalizing on the power of academic internships.
Who Are They?
Most interns are college students (though there are some high school students looking for internships) who need more school credits for graduation, or simply want to get work experience. But some are past students or displaced workers who would like to either build skills and experience or try to break into a new field. Both of these groups can be a key asset to your business. And they are often open to working for little or no pay, so they are less costly than bringing on a regular employee.
Interns Can Help With Everyday Tasks
Most interns have little or no actual experience in their field, so they're best suited to small tasks initially. But, don't relegate them to the role of gopher. They'll just need to work their way up to the more complicated tasks. Interns can start out doing the busywork and paperwork you dislike Or maybe it's the administrative and clerical work you may put off or ignore. Once they've mastered that, they can grow into tasks that are more complicated. The timing will depend on the intern's skill level and your needs.
Here’s just a short list of what my interns do for me:
- They manage my email and answer my phones
- Keep my calendar organized and confirm my appointments
- Update my website and manage my social networking
- Help me publish my ezine and post articles to my blog
- Keep my database and email list updated and growing
- Develop processes for running my business smarter
Oh, yeah, and did I mention they do it for free? They need and want experience, skill building, and knowledge for the next stage of their career. I get help. They get another resume entry, everyone wins!
Interns Can Help With Short-Term Projects
If you have a short-term project that you need extra help on, or if your company gets seasonal boosts of business, having interns is a super way to acquire the support you need at a low or no cost. They are often willing to put in extra effort to get a good reference or letter of recommendation from you. And because you don't have an employment agreement, they can stay on with you only as long as you need them.
Here are some projects an intern could help with:
- Preparing receipts and records for tax time
- Organizing a file cabinet or creating filing system
- Scanning important documents or photos
- Direct mail campaigns
- Moving or organizing your office
Interns are great for businesses, and small businesses, including solo-business owners, can benefit from hiring them. Whether you need a temporary extra hand around the office or someone to help with a small project, hiring an intern could be just the solution you're looking for. It's a cost-effective way to help others in your community get much-needed career experience and you get the help you need to stay focused on what's most important in your business.
Deanna Maio , Business Coach & Consultant, teaches women business owners how to attract more clients, make more sales, stop wasting time, and create a business that acts as a vehicle for living the life they desire and deserve. For FREE tips on how to increase your income and client base in your business, visit http://www.savvygals.com/
