Time Management Strategies for Getting Organized

Posted on September 28, 2007 by yourownvirtualassistant

This is a good article for giving people great strategies for managing their time. If you want to build additional time into your schedule, these tips are a great way to make your time much more efficient.

Do you constantly find yourself running out of time? Do you get everything done that you want to each day or do you find yourself with more activities then you are able to handle? If you can relate to these problems then you need some time management strategies for getting organized.

Know what you want

Before implementing any other time management strategies for getting organized you need to know what you want. If you have no goals and do not know what you actually want to achieve with the time you have been given then you will find yourself saying “yes” to everything, even where you should be saying “no”. Knowing what you want to achieve keeps you disciplined in your time management.

Write down your Goals

In order to implement time management strategies you need to know what you want, but even people who know what they want do not always manage their time effectively. Strategies for getting organized also include writing down those goals. Take some time to write down what you want to achieve in life. What is it that you want people to say about you when you reach the end of your life? What dreams do you want to fulfill? Write them down and then set goals which say when you want to have achieved them by and how you are going to go about achieving them.

Prioritize

What are your priorities? When implementing time management strategies for getting organized you are going to need to think carefully about what is most important to you. Many possible activities will come your way each and every day and if you do not know what your priorities are then you may find yourself doing all the trivial things rather than those things that are really important for achieving your goals. Priorities should be worked out regularly with the help of a to-do list.

Create a To-Do List

Goals are extremely important in effective time management strategies but they can also be long term and if you do not have other strategies for getting organized then you may not accomplish those goals. Create a to-do list regularly and order it in terms of your priorities. Then you will have a workable plan for achieving your goals and can systematically work through your to-do list, accomplishing those things that are most important to you.

Categorize your activities

When looking at all the activities which occupy your day try to break them down into a number of categories. This categorization needs to be done on two levels. Firstly work out what activities you need to do, what activities you can delegate to others, and what activities are actually not important to be done at all. Delegate those activities that can be delegated, cut out the unimportant activities and then re-categorize the activities that only you can do and that are important for you to do. You may want to categorize this list into categories such as work, family, social, physical (health), spiritual, etc.

Use a Weekly Planner

Once you have categorized your activities the last of our time management strategies for getting organized is to use a weekly planner. Block out times on your weekly planner when you can do those activities that you need to and that you categorized above. Use different colors for different activity categories. Take time regularly to fill in your weekly planner and then review it daily to ensure that you do not miss any important events and that you stick to your goals.

Don’t Procrastinate

One of the worst enemies of effective time management is procrastination. It is important that you start implementing these time management strategies for getting organized today. If you wait until tomorrow, you may never put them into practice so start today.

In conclusion, effective time management begins with strategies for getting organized such as knowing what you want, writing down your goals, prioritizing your to-do list, categorizing your activities and using a weekly planner. These time management strategies should be implemented regularly and begun immediately to ensure that you reach your goals and accomplish all that you want to with your life.
About the Author

Manage your todo list. Get JetTask task list software from JetTask.com.

[tags]goals, to do lists, planning, time management[/tags]

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How to Save 2 Hours Every Day using Pareto’s 80-20 Law

Posted on September 27, 2007 by yourownvirtualassistant

This is an interesting aspect to time management and how to implement it into your life, and not just in business. The important key here that I feel was missed out on is that in order to implement it, you really have to be aware of where your time is being spent, and how effective is each task you perform.

Vilfredo Pareto worked as an economist in 19th Century
Italy. We can still use his theories in today’s 21st
Century Internet economy !

His 80-20 law applies to many things, including Time
Management. For example, his law says that 20% of your
customers provide 80% of your revenue. It says 20% of your
time spent on a project gets it 80% towards completion.
80%
of people working in the computer business only do about
20% of the work, and the other 80% is done by the 20% star
workers !

So how does this law apply to time management ? How can
you use it to save 2 hours every day ?

Think about any jobs you must do. Think about any projects
you’re working on or about to start. We all want to do the
best possible job. But how about this ? How would you
like to get three jobs done in the same time as one ? How
would you like to finish one job a lot quicker, and spend
the extra time with friends or family ?

Pareto’s law can help you do exactly that !

First of all look at the ‘big picture’ of your project.
What are you trying to achieve and why ? What main
benefits do you want ? Make a simple schedule of work.
Get started and work as quickly as possible. It could be a
report on a new market. It could be a new product
specification. Maybe you’ve got to write a simple piece of
software ?

When you’ve done all you can, stop and take a look. It’s
good isn’t it ? Now leave it there. Yes, I said leave it
there. You’ve achieved about 80% of your target. Yet
you’ve only spent about 20% of the time you’d eventually
give to that piece of work ! What would you normally do ?
More research. Try to add in more bits. Endlessly fine-
tune it. Perhaps you’d start again because you decide it’s
no good ?

Leave it at 80% and start with something else productive.
Follow the same procedure with the next task, and then the
next task.

If you use Pareto’s law your productivity will go through
the roof ! Your results will amaze your colleagues … and
yourself ! Suddenly people will start saying, “How does he
get so much done ? How does she work so efficiently ? I
don’t understand how he’s getting these great results, when
I saw him in the park playing with his children
yesterday!”

Pareto’s law works. Start using it today, and see your
productivity soar !

===========================================================

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Neil Stelling is Marketing Manager of DigiLectual Inc. He has an MBA and B.Sc computing qualifications

[tags]pareto law, productivity, time management[/tags]

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How To Reorganize Your Time To Accommodate A Home-Based Business

Posted on September 25, 2007 by yourownvirtualassistant

This time management article is similar to the previous article because it talks about planning as the main ingredient to time management. Focus on those tasks that are most important to you during the day, and leave the ones that don’t take you to your goals for the day. Again, the next good article would be a follow up with long term planning as a long term time management strategy and lifestyle.

Almost everyone needs or wants more money coming in, and with this desire most would like to start some sort of extra income-producing project. The trouble is, not many of these people seem able to fit “a second job” into their time schedules.

It’s true that most people are busy, but extra time for some sort of home-based extra income-producing project can almost always be found. It may mean giving up or changing a few of your favorite pastimes – such as having a couple of beers with the guys or watching TV – but if you score big with your extra income project, you will have all the time you want for doing whatever you want to do.

The first thing to do is to sit down with pencil and paper and list your daily schedule. What time do you wake up? Then step-by-step, list everything you do each day. Most people will find that they have about three hours each day that can be utilized in a more constructive or efficient manner. As we’ve noted above, you may have to give up the time you waste in your local pub or a few television programs you watch, but it will be worth it in the long run.

Efficient time management boils down to planning what you’re going to do, and then doing it without backtracking. Start by making a list of the things you want to do tomorrow, each evening before you go to bed. Schedule your trips to the store or wherever to coincide with the other things you have to do, and with your trips to or from work. Organize your trips to take care of as many things as possible while you’re out of the house. Take stock of the time you spend standing around shooting the breeze – especially the time you spend on the telephone – and eliminate all that isn’t necessary.

Whatever chores you have to do at home, set aside a specific time to do them, and a specific amount of time to devote to them. For instance, just one hour a day devoted to yard work would probably make your property the envy of all your neighbors. Don’t try to do a week’s work in one big flurry. Whether it’s painting your house, fixing leaky faucets, or mowing your lawn and trimming your shrubs, do a part of it, or one particular job each day, and you’ll be amazed at your progress.

Take care of all your mail the day you receive it. Don’t let those bills and letters pile up on you. If you’re unable to pay a bill immediately, file it in a special place that’s visible, and note on the envelope the date you intend to pay it. Answer your letters the same day you get them.

The important thing is to think of time as your most valuable asset, because it is. So organize! Decide what you have to do, and what you want to do. From there, it’s just a matter of arranging priorities.

Once you start listing and planning what you want to do, and then carry out your plans, you’ll find plenty of “extra time” for handling virtually any kind of home-based income-producing project. People in general may not like routines or schedules, but without some sort of plan as to what is supposed to be done, the world would be mired in mass confusion.

Laws, ordinances and regulations are for the purpose of guiding people. We live according to an accepted plan or way of life, and the better we can organize ourselves, the more productive and happy we become.

The secret of all financially successful people is simply that they are organized and do not waste time. Think about it. Review your own activities, and then see if you can’t find a couple of extra hours in each day for more constructive accomplishments.

When you begin planning, and then when you really become involved in an extra in come-producing endeavor, you should work it exactly as you have organized your regular day-to-day activities – on a time-efficient basis. Do what has to be done immediately. Don’t try to get done in an hour something that’s realistically going to take a week. Plan out on paper what you have to do – what you want to do – and when you are going to do it. Then get right on each project without procrastination.

Finally, and above all else, when you’re organizing your time and your business, be sure to set aside some time for relaxation. Be sure to schedule time when you and your spouse can be together. You must not involve yourself in anything to an extent that you exclude other people – particularly your loved ones – from your life.

Taking stock of the time you waste each day, and from there, reorganizing your activities is what it’s all about. It’s a matter of becoming more efficient in the use of your time. It’s really easy to do, and you will not only accomplish a lot more, you will also find greater fulfillment in your life.

Copyright © Kevin Purfield

Kevin Purfield owns the Wealth System Online Resource Directory where you can find everything you need to start,run and grow a home based internet business at: http://www.wealthsystemonline.com/pluginprofits.htm

kpurfield@wealthsystemonline.com

Posted in Business Time Management | Tagged , | Leave a comment

How To Make Time For Your Home Business

Posted on September 25, 2007 by yourownvirtualassistant

This time management article comes from the place of using your time more efficiently by planning out your day first. It gives some very straight forward ideas and a good followup article to this one would be to mention tools and strategies that would help with the planning of the day. And to also go into the benefits of planning out the week and the month.
Almost everyone needs or wants more money coming in, and with this desire most would like to start some sort of extra income-producing project. The trouble is, not many of these people seem able to fit “a second job” into their time schedules.

It’s true that most people are busy, but extra time for some sort of home-based extra income-producing project can almost always be found. It may mean giving up or changing a few of your favorite pastimes – such as having a couple of beers with the guys or watching TV – but if you score big with your extra income project, you will have all the time you want for doing whatever you want to do.

The first thing to do is to sit down with pencil and paper and list your daily schedule. What time do you wake up? Then step-by-step, list everything you do each day. Most people will find that they have about three hours each day that can be utilized in a more constructive or efficient manner. As we’ve noted above, you may have to give up the time you waste in your local pub or a few television programs you watch, but it will be worth it in the long run.

Efficient time management boils down to planning what you’re going to do, and then doing it without backtracking. Start by making a list of the things you want to do tomorrow, each evening before you go to bed. Schedule your trips to the store or wherever to coincide with the other things you have to do, and with your trips to or from work. Organize your trips to take care of as many things as possible while you’re out of the house. Take stock of the time you spend standing around shooting the breeze – especially the time you spend on the telephone – and eliminate all that isn’t necessary.

Whatever chores you have to do at home, set aside a specific time to do them, and a specific amount of time to devote to them. For instance, just one hour a day devoted to yard work would probably make your property the envy of all your neighbors. Don’t try to do a week’s work in one big flurry. Whether it’s painting your house, fixing leaky faucets, or mowing your lawn and trimming your shrubs, do a part of it, or one particular job each day, and you’ll be amazed at your progress.

Take care of all your mail the day you receive it. Don’t let those bills and letters pile up on you. If you’re unable to pay a bill immediately, file it in a special place that’s visible, and note on the envelope the date you intend to pay it. Answer your letters the same day you get them.

The important thing is to think of time as your most valuable asset, because it is. So organize! Decide what you have to do, and what you want to do. From there, it’s just a matter of arranging priorities.

Once you start listing and planning what you want to do, and then carry out your plans, you’ll find plenty of “extra time” for handling virtually any kind of home-based income-producing project. People in general may not like routines or schedules, but without some sort of plan as to what is supposed to be done, the world would be mired in mass confusion

Laws, ordinances and regulations are for the purpose of guiding people. We live according to an accepted plan or way of life, and the better we can organize ourselves, the more productive and happy we become.

The secret of all financially successful people is simply that they are organized and do not waste time. Think about it. Review your own activities, and then see if you can’t find a couple of extra hours in each day for more constructive accomplishments.

When you begin planning, and then when you really become involved in an extra in come-producing endeavor, you should work it exactly as you have organized your regular day-to-day activities – on a time-efficient basis. Do what has to be done immediately. Don’t try to get done in an hour something that’s realistically going to take a week. Plan out on paper what you have to do – what you want to do – and when you are going to do it. Then get right on each project without procrastination.

Finally, and above all else, when you’re organizing your time and your business, be sure to set aside some time for relaxation. Be sure to schedule time when you and your spouse can be together. You must not involve yourself in anything to an extent that you exclude other people – particularly your loved ones – from your life.

Taking stock of the time you waste each day, and from there, reorganizing your activities is what it’s all about. It’s a matter of becoming more efficient in the use of your time. It’s really easy to do, and you will not only accomplish a lot more, you will also find greater fulfillment in your life.

__________________________________________________________

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[tags]home business, time management, planning[/tags]

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How To Beat Procrastination At Work

Posted on September 23, 2007 by yourownvirtualassistant

This is a good follow-up time management article to the previous one because it goes deeper into the mindset of how time is viewed by the individual, and talks about some of the habits we may have the cause us to not make the best use of our time. This article really discusses the some of the reasons we procrastinate and some of the solutions to overcome procrastination.

Listen. If you don’t beat procrastination at work the long
term consequences could be serious.

Take this example of how expensive work procrastination can
be…

The assignment that your boss gave you several days ago
still isn’t done. The assignment is a report that your
boss needs to take to an important meeting, and you may get
a big promotion if the meeting goes OK.

You’ve had plenty of time to get it done, but still just
don’t do it even though your future career could be in
jeopardy. What’s wrong with you?

You are one of the millions who procrastinate. You feel
inadequate, guilty, depressed and have low self-esteem.

Procrastination means avoiding doing tasks, which need to
be done – sometimes doing them at the last minute or
sometimes never doing them at all.

The reasons for procrastinating are as numerous as the
excuses one can make for not completing tasks.

A few of these reasons for procrastinating are listed below:

1. If you are a poor manager of your time and have
trouble identifying your objectives, you most likely are
overwhelmed by your tasks.

You try in vain to prioritize them, and failing at that
you’ve even been known to secretly throw a few written
requests into the trash, and later claiming you never got
them. You are a procrastinator.

2. You find it hard to concentrate. You may think
about what you’re going to cook for dinner or you daydream
about your next golf game. So you put off getting the job
done; you sit and think about it but take no action.

3. You may be easily distracted by outside influences
such as ringing telephones, other folk’s conversations, and
may even spend time performing “no-brainer” tasks such as
sharpening pencils, shuffling papers, or make endless trips
to the restroom or coffee bar.

4. Your self-esteem is very low. You have a negative
image of yourself and believe that you’re an underachiever
who can’t succeed at much of anything. You also may be
bored with the task at hand and lack enthusiasm.

But listen up – you CAN break the procrastination habit at
work as well as in every other area of your life.

Here are a few suggestions for beating procrastination:

1. Go on; admit that you have some fears and
anxieties about your ability to get the job done!

It’s a perfectly normal feeling, and once you face your
problems with concentration, time management, and the
inability to make a decision, you can take steps to change
them.

2. Instead of brooding about your problem areas,
identify your strong points, set your goals and priorities
and develop a “can do” attitude.

3. Use time wisely. The value you place on yourself
and your work has a direct bearing on your ability to do
your work in a timely, consistent manner.

4. Set priorities and perform each job accordingly.
Tackle the jobs you dislike aggressively; it’s best to get
them done and out of the way. Consider breaking large
assignments into smaller segments (if time allows).

5. Take a couple of minutes frequently to stand, stretch or
move about to energize both your body and your brain. If
possible, get some fresh air during breaks and your lunch
hour.

6. Take the initiative to change your work environment if
it causes distractions. Placing a barrier such as a tall
plant in front of your desk will block the view of
co-workers passing by.

Make sure you have the information and supplies at hand to
avoid the temptation to wander away from your work area.

A few changes in your attitude and work habits will make a
dramatic difference in the way you perform your work.

Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time (BK Life)The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free PlayThe Procrastinator's Handbook: Mastering the Art of Doing It NowProcrastination: Why You Do It, What to Do About ItIt's About Time!: The Six Styles of Procrastination and How to Overcome ThemTime Management for the Creative Person: Right-Brain Strategies for Stopping Procrastination, Getting Control of the Clock and Calendar, and Freeing Up Your Time and Your Life

Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a
very popular free report that reveals how to crush procrastination and
sustain lasting motivation. Apply now because it is available for a limited
time only at: http://www.getmotivatedstaymotivated.com/special.htm

[tags]time management, procrastination, habit, work[/tags]

Posted in Business Time Management | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

How Are Your Viewing Your Time

Posted on September 16, 2007 by yourownvirtualassistant

This article gets us to think about how we spend our time is based not on what devices and tools we use, but what is our mindset about time management. This is very key because it doesn’t matter what tools and devices we have with us, if we don’t use them, they don’t matter at all. Time management is more a function of how we view our time, and not what tools we have.

In working with and coaching people across the country, one of the top requests we continually receive is how we can help people manage their time better.

Many people think of their time management skills in relationship to their time organization device. Yes… your calendar, Outlook, or PDA can be an extremely valuable tool in helping you to organize your time, but those things are not your time, nor do they have any power to determine where you use your time.

Time Management is a mindset. It is the way you look at and value the hours and minutes of each day.
When you hold onto the mindset that there is a shortage of time, that it is scarce… that is what it becomes. When you consciously choose to look at your time in a state of abundance, it becomes abundant. Your power to manifest your reality now and will always be one of the greatest influences in your experience.

Who determines where you spend your time? You do. Who determines how you view your time? You do. Breaking old patterns can certainly be challenging and I know that you have the power to do so.

While your time is a limited commodity, it is not a scarce one.

None of your other commodities regenerate themselves. If lose your money, it is gone until you earn it again. If you ruin a friendship, they aren’t guaranteed to return. When you health is compromised, it takes an incredible effort to restore it. When you waste your time you lose the opportunity alone, not its future value. What other commodity can you completely waste or abuse and wake up the next morning with a replenished supply?

This is not to say your time isn’t precious. I would agree 100% that your time is one of your most valued resources. That doesn’t mean it has to be limited. Our greatest intangible resources are never limited – they just require focused energy to be harnessed.

My best advice is to ask yourself what is the source of your mindset about your time. When did you first start feeling overwhelmed? What actions could you take TODAY to start creating positive momentum? What are your priorities? When is the last time you created a TO DON’T list? That’s right, a list all the things you need to STOP doing to waste your precious day and get you off track.

Have fun, take control of your life, and…

Be FREE!

Eric is president of Freedom Speakers & Trainers, www.deliverfreedom.com & an instructor & personal coach on memory, goals, attitude, time management & communication. He is a national know memory trainer that has worked with thousands of companies to enhance their memory. He is co-author of Winning The Name Game, an at home study course that teaches individuals how to remember the names of everyone they meet. www.winningthenamegame.com �

Time Management from the Inside Out

[tags]time management, timemanagement, planning, personal development[/tags]

Posted in Time Management | Leave a comment

Home Business Start with Time

Posted on September 15, 2007 by yourownvirtualassistant

This article has some good ideas about what kinds of activities should be done for people who want to have home based businesses.  The key is to determine which activities are not important and waste time and not do those activities.  Other things that deal with time management are also important that this article talks about.
Almost everyone needs or wants more money coming in, and with this desire most would like to start some sort of extra income-producing project. The trouble is, not many of these people seem able to fit “a second job” into their time schedules.

It’s true that most people are busy, but extra time for some sort of home-based extra income-producing project can almost always be found. It may mean giving up or changing a few of your favorite pastimes – such as having a couple of beers with the guys or watching TV – but if you score big with your extra income project, you will have all the time you want for doing whatever you want to do.

The first thing to do is to sit down with pencil and paper and list your daily schedule. What time do you wake up? Then step-by-step, list everything you do each day. Most people will find that they have about three hours each day that can be utilized in a more constructive or efficient manner. As we’ve noted above, you may have to give up the time you waste in your local pub or a few television programs you watch, but it will be worth it in the long run.

Efficient time management boils down to planning what you’re going to do, and then doing it without backtracking. Start by making a list of the things you want to do tomorrow, each evening before you go to bed. Schedule your trips to the store or wher ever to coincide with the other things you have to do, and with your trips to or from work. Organize your trips to take care of as many things as possible while you’re out of the house. Take stock of the time you spend standing around shooting the breeze – especially the time you spend on the telephone – and eliminate all that isn’t necessary.

Whatever chores you have to do at home, set aside a specific time to do them, and a specific amount of time to devote to them. For instance, just one hour a day devoted to yard work would probably make your property the envy of all your neighbors. Don’t try to do a week’s work in one big flurry. Whether it’s painting your house, fixing leaky faucets, or mowing your lawn and trimming your shrubs, do a part of it, or one particular job each day, and you’ll be amazed at your progress.

Take care of all your mail the day you receive it. Don’t let those bills and letters pile up on you. If you’re unable to pay a bill immediately, file it in a special place that’s visible, and note on the envelope the date you intend to pay it. Answer your letters the same day you get them.

The important thing is to think of time as your most valuable asset, because it is. So organize! Decide what you have to do, and what you want to do. From there, it’s just a matter of arranging priorities.

Once you start listing and planning what you want to do, and then carry out your plans, you’ll find plenty of “extra time” for handling virtually any kind of home-based income-producing project. People in general may not like routines or schedules, but without some sort of plan as to what is supposed to be done, the world would be mired in mass confusion

Laws, ordinances and regulations are for the purpose of guiding people. We live according to an accepted plan or way of life, and the better we can organize ourselves, the more productive and happy we become.

The secret of all financially successful people is simply that they are organized and do not waste time. Think about it. Review your own activities, and then see if you can’t find a couple of extra hours in each day for more constructive accomplishments.

When you begin planning, and then when you really become involved in an extra in come-producing endeavor, you should work it exactly as you have organized your regular day-to-day activities – on a time-efficient basis. Do what has to be done immediately. Don’t try to get done in an hour something that’s realistically going to take a week. Plan out on paper what you have to do – what you want to do – and when you are going to do it. Then get right on each project without procrastination.

Finally, and above all else, when you’re organizing your time and your business, be sure to set aside some time for relaxation. Be sure to schedule time when you and your spouse can be together. You must not involve yourself in anything to an extent that you exclude other people – particularly your loved ones – from your life.

Taking stock of the time you waste each day, and from there, reorganizing your activities is what it’s all about. It’s a matter of becoming more efficient in the use of your time. It’s really easy to do, and you will not only accomplish a lot more, you will also find greater fulfillment in your life.

Copyright 2004 Richard Schramm

Richard Schramm is a man with 2 business’ and a family I’m using a system to add thousands of opt-in leads to my list for virtually zero effort – and it’s all 100% free. Find out more: http://www.listinferno.com/?i=2509&c=a5 �

[tags]home business, time management, time[/tags]

Posted in Time Management Tips | Leave a comment

Fail to Plan….or Plan to Fail

Posted on November 2, 2006 by yourownvirtualassistant

This is an decent article about running a business and how the subject of time management fits into all of the other aspects of a business. The author says that time management is the key to business planning. His illustration of how he uses time management techniques for business is interesting, yet so common that we wouldn’t ordinarily think of it as a time management issue.

Running a business, whether it be an offline multi-billion
dollar company or an online part time [tag]home business[/tag], they
share many similar traits.

One of the biggest obstacles I have endeavoured to
translate to many, many [tag]small business[/tag] / home business
people, is a very simple phrase……’ Treat It Like a REAL
business, Because It IS a REAL Business’.

The fundemental reasoning behind so many failures in small
business, is the clear lack of willingness to act like a
real business. Many people may ‘ have a go ‘, they could ‘
give it a try ‘, or ‘ let’s see what happens ‘ – all with
the.. ‘ what have I got to lose? ‘ attitude. THAT, my
friends, is one of the biggest secrets to FAILURE.

OK – s let’s assume that your small business / home
business / BizOp etc., is NOT you main source of income. It
is NOT responsible for putting food in you family’s
stomachs, it is NOT what keeps a roof over your head…..
it is NOT the sole form of income that you, your family and
your Bank Manager rely upon.

So look at it like this. If it WAS, would you put as much
effort into it as you do now? I can pretty much guarantee
that your efforts would be substantially more, because
everything relies on the success of your business,
via-a-vis the money your business generates.

Well, now we have ascertained that you should be running it
like a real business…….Are you?

  • Do you have a business plan?
  • Do you know each step that your business will take over the next week, month, year, three years….?
  • Have you prepared your agenda for acquiring new customers, products, joint venture partners?
  • Do you have a time-table of events?
  • How often do you research, analyse, read-up and check out your competitors?
  • When was the last time you contacted your client base?
  • Do you offer them special offers, free resources and reports? What about surverying them and asking for their opinions?
  • How often do you do all this?
  • Does your business have a ‘company objective’?
  • Has your ‘company’ it’s own ‘customer mission statement’?
  • Have you set yourself / your business targets….use my S.M.A.R.T. Principle…… …….targets which must be
    • Specific………….. each item / area of business must be targeted spcifically.
    • Measurable…….. be able to measure your targets, how much, how often etc.
    • Achievable……..don’t think that you can sell 2 million units if your competitors only sell 50 units.
    • Realisitc………….. behonest with yourself. Can it be done?
    • Time-bound…….give limitations and deadlines to whatever you are planning. Open-ended is no good.

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Effective Time Management for Busy People

Posted on October 26, 2006 by yourownvirtualassistant

I like this time management article because it gives some great tips on how to save time and 2 areas of our lives where we waste most of our time during the day. It gives some good tips on how we can manage our communications, meetings and visitors so that we are using our time most effectively. As usual, most time management techniques work only as good as we implement them, but these are as good a tips as any.

Do you ever find yourself wishing there were more hours in the day, because there is “never enough time” to get everything done? Do you sometimes feel that you are juggling too many obligations over the course of a day?

At the same time, do you ever feel amazed at how some people seem to accomplish so much in the exact same amount of time allotted to us all?

Just as the fundamental key to becoming wealthy is proper money management (managing your earning, saving, investing and spending), the key to succeeding in accomplishing all the goals you have set for yourself is effective time management.
Recently, reporter John Stossel of ABC’s 20/20 television newsmagazine exploded the myth that Americans have less free time now than previous generations did. Once he learned how to manage his time better, he found he was able to write a book (Give Me a Break).

Surprisingly enough, however, perhaps the most important reason for learning to [tag]manage time[/tag] more effectively is to safeguard one’s health.

Studies have shown that the frustration engendered by the difficulties in coping with our many daily interruptions – telephone calls, e-mails, unexpected visitors, unplanned meetings, sudden emergencies, etc. – leads to increased levels of stress. The effects of this stress can be gastric and digestive distress, as well as intense fatigue and exhaustion.

Moreover, brain research has found that stress-related fatigue is linked more to anxiety about NOT having completed what we wanted to complete than to the acute form of stress generated by crises that occasionally come up. Hence, the supreme importance of time management.

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Don’t Think Time Management – Think Conflict Resolution

Posted on October 9, 2006 by yourownvirtualassistant

I like this article about time management because the author, Cathy Goodwin takes the approach of managing your time by setting up a system onf handling problems from your clients and customers. A big part of this system is to train your clients from the beginning, how you work, charge for time and handle service calls. This article gives a new way to look at time management

David began, “I have a major time management problem. As an editor, I often get two clients calling with assignments. They call around ten AM and both want their projects completed by mid-afternoon. Then a third client calls around lunchtime with a crisis. So I have too many projects – all at once. The next day the phone is silent.

David’s dilemma made me think of Jennifer, who worked for two bosses, Blue and Green. Blue would give her an assignment to be completed by noon. Green would call five minutes later with another assignment – you guessed it – to be completed by lunchtime. Jennifer was stressed and frazzled all day long. We helped her negotiate with her [tag]internal customers[/tag] – her management team – to set up a service delivery schedule that would be fair to everyone

Whether your customers are internal or external, the key is to design consistent policies to avoid conflict. Here are some suggestions that worked for my clients

1. Train your customers from the get-go.

Clients typically are nice people who have no clue about what it takes to deliver your service. For example, one client sent me a project, along with a ten-page single-spaced set of “notes.” When I called with a question, she asked, “Can’t you just read the notes?” I explained that I might spend an hour searching for the answer to my question — and I would have to charge accordingly. Sometimes clients will pay the fee as long as they get to remove themselves from the fray – but sometimes they’ll prefer to become more involved. It’s up to you to give them that choice.

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