by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Sep 11, 2012 | Delegation, Time Management, Virtual Assistant
As an entrepreneur, your success depends on you, your time and your efforts. Yes, you have heard me say this before, but when we choose to manage every task or project that comes across our desk, we become less efficient, effective as well as stressed out because things are not getting done. Our high priority tasks fall by the way side while we end up doing busy work or more mundane tasks that are essentially a waste of our valuable time.
The actions you take today determine the outcomes of tomorrow.
Delegating the non-income producers is a sure fire way to strike up your productivity and output, generating a spark in your bottom-line. Your virtual assistant can be a tremendous asset to you and your company. Starting with a strong foundation and understanding is key your mutual success.
When partnering with a virtual assistant:
- Know your core genius and delegate other low payoff activities, leveraging your valuable time on essential business functions
- Share your long term and short term company goals as well as those for your VA partnership
- Provide a clear outline of project details, expectations and deadlines
- Define your most desired and effective means of communication
- Utilize your virtual assistant as a brainstorming partner, your own personal sounding board
- Understand that a virtual assistant is not an employee but a business colleague, a collaborator, helping to ensure your business goals are met
- Don’t be afraid to ask about other service solutions just because your need is not listed on their website
- Be prepared to use a variety of web-based tools that will help streamline your communications, social media and project management
- Develop a rapport and positive working relationship with open communications and accountability
- Provide feedback on all projects
Your turn!! What do you feel is most important when working with a virtual assistant?
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Apr 5, 2012 | Organization, Time Management
Time management and organization are paramount to your success and emotional well-being. When you feel short on time, under pressure to meet deadlines, and feel stressed, you are not able to dedicate focused time on the job; your productivity and efficiency declines, creating further stress for you and The Boss.
Think about the times when you have been most productive. You were refreshed, focused and completely on task, with little or no interruptions. To create this environment you must implement an organized time management plan.
What Will Better Time Management Do for You?
TIME MANAGEMENT BENEFITS TO THE ORGANIZATION
- Increased individual productivity, accountability and commitment
- Much more timely individual and team project completion
- More effective communication throughout the organization
- Less negative organizational stress
- Noticeably improved teamwork
TIME MANAGEMENT BENEFITS TO THE INDIVIDUAL
- More control and value from your time and your life
- Increased recognition and reward from higher personal productivity levels
- Improved relationships both on and off the job
- Reduced stress and more enjoyment of everyday life
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Mar 30, 2012 | Delegation, Executive Administration, Time Management
To focus ON your business rather than IN it!
Delegating to a virtual assistant is actually a low cost, high impact solution to your admin and concierge style needs.
May I invite you to consider if you outsourced just 4 hours per week, or 16 hours per month of the back end office details that you must currently attend on a daily basis, how much time you would gain to focus on income generating activities? As you know, when we attempt to manage some of these tasks, allotting 5-15 mins per each, it usually does take longer. Add up this time spent throughout the day and these initially small projects can equate to larger time robbers that keep you from doing what you do best, what only you can do.
There is a large ROI when you choose to delegate on a virtual basis. One of the cost savings of utilizing a virtual assistant is that you only pay for project time and there are no extraneous cost factors. What might help you to further investigate the value of a virtual assistant is a short but eye-opening exercise. For just one week, keep a log or spreadsheet of every task you work on, if you were able to complete it, the time spent …etc and at the end of the week, review your list and see how much time was spent generating revenue and how much time was spent on projects/tasks that could have been successfully delegated.
If you had spent say 15 hours on admin tasks:
• Is that truly your expertise?
• Is this where you generate income?
• What would have been a better use of your time?
• Could you have been more focused on the customer’s needs?
• Would you have had more time for business development?
• Worked ON your business rather than IN it?
Ace Concierge will:
• Increase your productivity
• Enhance your time management
• Improve your efficiency
• Give you back some of your work life balance
• Manage the back end details so you can manage your business
• Be one call, one text, one tweet away for assistance
Think about your options. Ask any questions. Review the data.
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Mar 16, 2012 | Delegation, Organization, Time Management, Uncategorized
In comes the world of technological advancements and Smartphones to aid us with work, life, and staying connected but how has it really impacted our personal and professional lives? When I am out with friends I see so many people furiously scrutinizing their phones, tweeting, texting and checking Facebook updates while ignoring the company they are with. What message does this send to each party? Is what is “inside” their phones so much more essential and stimulating than spending time with one another? Why even have face to face if the other person(s) obviously has no face value?
Remember the days gone past of personal interaction, communication and building individual relationships- being present in the moment without concerns of outside influences: who is saying what to whom or being so obsessed that you miss the “now?” We all used to engage in conversation: sharing value, insight and fostering deeper relationships without interruptions or another person observing their phone for the next message. The wonders of dining alone while in the company of others? Have you been there? Is your eye contact just a fleeting glance in between text messages?
“Life is available only in the present moment. If you abandon the present moment you cannot live the moments of your daily life deeply.” Thich Nhat Hanh
While I haven’t lost the value or benefit of Smartphones, especially as a virtual assistant, but I believe there is a fine line between being rude and discourteous while amongst friends or business colleagues affixed to their phones. I will be the first to admit that I have been guilty, but that was in the past. I have made a concerted effort to be present in the moment as I have chosen to be in the company of the group. If I had a lack of interest, I would have stayed home and merely texted.
What memories do you want to create? How do you want to cherish the time you have with others? Show them you value and respect them by putting away your phone. All of the updates, emails, and text messages will not instantaneously vanish because you didn’t check them at the moment. Life is just too short to persist on this path of seeking immediate gratification of the reading the next best thing, as we end up failing to notice or neglect the wonders of our present moments.
Make your priority the people you are with by giving them your “mind full” attention.
“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.” Henry David Thoreau
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Mar 1, 2012 | Delegation, Time Management
1. Don’t delegate what you can eliminate 
2. Create a plan including accountability and responsibility
3. Delegate things that aren’t part of your core competency
4. Delegate routine activities
5. Outsource non-income generating tasks
6. Create a list of resources if necessary
7. Trust that someone can do the project as well as you
8. Invest in short term training for a strong foundation
9. Provide reasonable deadlines
10. Use the 4 D’s: Do. Dump. Defer. Delegate
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Feb 16, 2012 | Time Management
(Just step away from the work)
In most cultures which have a seven-day week, either Saturday or Sunday is the traditional day of rest.
The American concept of the weekend has its roots in labor union attempts to accommodate Jewish workers who took Saturday instead of Sunday as their Sabbath.[1] The first five-day work week was instituted by a New England cotton mill for this reason.
In 1926 Henry Ford began shutting down his automotive factories for all of Saturday and Sunday.
In 1929 the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America was the first union to demand a five-day work week and receive it. After that, the rest of the United States slowly followed suit, but it wasn’t until 1940 that the two-day weekend began nationwide.
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So create your “ME TIME” this weekend. Didn’t you work for it all week long?
- Turn off technology.
- Be present in the moment.
- Take some time with family/friends.
- Do something fun and spontaneous.
Do you live to work or work to live? Life is way to short to work 24/7/365.
Cheers to you and some well deserved time off. I challenge you to step away and have some fun!!
