by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Jul 2, 2014 | Productivity, Time Management
The digital ecosphere is chock full of educational posts to help keep you on time, on task and being productive, offering up a variety of viewpoints or suggestions but it is up to YOU to find what works and put it to work. All the tips, tools and sites are of no value unless you actually take action. We all want more out of our days, but simply wishing and reading won’t magically set you on fire.
“ Progress is the activity of today and the assurance of tomorrow. ” Ralph Waldo Emerson
You may already have a few time management or productivity hacks that are your favorites. The ones that keep you motivated and producing or….. you struggle with time and getting things done. The day zips by, the hours keep ticking, yet nothing really seems to be getting done. You want change. You crave the feeling of accomplishment, but you aren’t sure where to start or what to do first.
Set aside your trepidation and bewilderment.
You can instigate change. You CAN make a difference and become more productive, IF you want to. It’s up to you. Once you modify your mindset and gain clarity that you are more than ready, take baby steps, testing out a few tips and systems. You will soon discover what works best for you and your personality.
We all work differently.
No two people absorb or process information in the same manner. Just because Mark wakes at 5 AM to kickstart his day, it doesn’t mean that it is the best time for you. You have your own working hours; the times when you are most productive. Get a handle on it and schedule those hours for some of the more difficult projects.
- Find what works
- Embrace it
- Create a routine
- Stick to it
Ready? Set? Read!!
Time Management & Productivity Round Up
Top 3 Time Management Mistakes Identified By Togglers
Never Feel Overwhelmed Again: The 19 Best Ways to get organize
8 Quick Tips to Master Your Task Management
10 Useful Productivity Hacks for Small Business Owners
61 Productivity Experts Reveal The 3 Best Productivity Tools
How to Be 5 Times More Productive
Productivity Hacks From Startup Execs
7 Effective Time Management Tips To Maximize Your Productivity
Why We Brag About Being Busy (And How to Regain Focus)
25 Productivity Tips Plus One More
8 Tips For Reaching Maximum Productivity
This isn’t an exhaustive list by any means but it can represent a fresh start or a little fine tuning for you. No matter what level you are at, there is always room for growth and progress. By learning to work smarter and not harder or finding more time in your day, you will enhance your productivity, sense of accomplishment and happiness. After all, it is summertime so make the time to enjoy life to the fullest.
Image credit: Michael Kitces
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Apr 24, 2014 | Organization, Productivity, Time Management
How many times have you thought that you need more hours in your day or an extra pair of hands? You know the feeling, looking at your desk, your calendar, your Smartphone, your inbox…. Ugh, it is overflowing with things that need your attention. You can’t torch it. You can’t ignore it, but you can implement a few systems and processes to help you better manage the overwhelm and chaos, moving you to increase your productivity.
For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned. – Anonymous
The Notorious To Do list
The first step toward success is to be cognizant of the level of disturbances which you allow into your day. It could revolve around the daily notifications you receive regarding text messages, emails, news alerts, phone calls or any other immediate interruption that diverts your focus from the task at hand.
- Are you able to turn off or lower the volume of the notifications?
- Can you schedule 3-4 times throughout the day to review/respond to emails?
- Do you need to respond immediately to each byte of data that crosses your desk or your Smartphone?
Tips
- Prioritize and set deadlines.
- Know which projects require the most time and your undivided attention.
- Create your boundaries for working hours and “publicize” them.
- Tune out distractions.
- Stay on task.
Is Your Inbox Abundant with Clutter?
In 2011, it is estimated that there were 3.146 billion email accounts and 2.8 million emails sent and received every day. Wow!
Email has become the most predominant mode of office communications whether it is a quick hello or dissemination of corporate materials, contracts, projects and data. It is a necessity that we cannot live without.
Some inboxes can look like a nightmare of messages and To Dos if not properly maintained or left unchecked for an extended period of time. We are all busy working and managing the flow of information and business operations that it can just become an inconvenience to take the time to delete, file, schedule or otherwise take some form of action with each email. If you continually shy away from inbox management, it not only becomes unruly like a bad hair day, but it fosters a lack of productivity and organization. Who can afford that?
Have you ever spent wasted minutes or hours feverishly searching for an email that contains an important document? It becomes a frustrating unproductive endeavor that is a gross misuse of your valuable time AND time is money.
PING!! A new email is awaiting your attention.
- Schedule time to check your email at various intervals
- Make sure you have appropriate folders and filters for filing.
- Is it urgent?
- Can it be completed in 2-3 mins?
- Can you flag it to read later?
- Have you set up rules/alerts
- Delete it if it isn’t necessary and won’t add any value.
- If there is an attachment, download it and save it in the appropriate document folder
- Forward it with instructions to your virtual assistant
- If it is an appointment, drag it to your calendar
- Have separate email addresses for personal and business use
My Documents
You are inundated with digital paper that requires action and filing. Creating folders is a simple task to ensure your documents are organized and easily found. It can prove very time consuming if you have to scroll through one larger receptacle looking for a needed document. Sure, you can do a broad search but when proper file management is established, you can save a great deal of time and aggravation. Let your digital filing system mirror a physical filing system.
Tips:
- Create folders and sub-folders
- Use short names
- Be diligent about filing
- Separate current and completed works
- Archive older, unneeded documents – store in a separate folder, USB or cloud storage
- Create shortcuts or links to documents you use more consistently. Maintaining a single copy ensures you are always using the most current version.
- Delete unnecessary files
- Create shortcuts of your most used documents and save them on your desktop.
- If you routinely share documents with a group, consider using Google Docs, Teambox, Dropbox or another online sharing tool for collaborating.
- Save your data and make sure you always back up your computer
Taking the time to organize and streamline your office operations, even if it is just your email and documents, will help to increase your efficiency and productivity – which saves you time and money. The less time you must spend rummaging through folders and emails, the more time you have to devote to the your vital business operations and daily procedures.
Have a time and place for everything, and do everything in its time and place, and you will not only accomplish more, but have far more leisure than those who are always hurrying. – Tryon Edwards
Make organization a habit, not a one hit wonder. Get into a rhythm everyday and stick with it, just like you would with any lifestyle habit.
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Mar 25, 2014 | Delegation, Productivity, Small Business
Part of being effective during your work hours is the discipline to spend time on what is truly important even if other things try to steer you off course. Efficiency is learning about your awareness to, acceptance of and ability to determine your real work, the actual tasks and projects that propel you forward versus time suckers, bad habits, procrastination or other low payoff activities that take you away from your personal and professional aspirations. It is a continual building process and without a strong sturdy foundation, you may find yourself with a few cracks, leading to disaster, lost time or missed opportunities.
What are you putting off today and WHY? There are things we hate to do or aren’t all that much of a priority, but what happens when you continually push things under the rug? For one, your To Do list multiplies to such great lengths that some activities just get buried at the bottom.
Procrastination List or To Do list?
Go look at your list, your calendar or wherever you record your tasks and projects. I’ll wait.
How long have some of the items been on the list? Are there any you just file in your head to do, but never make it to a list to get done?
Be honest!! What are you going to do about it? And WHEN?
Stop running away from your lists and responsibilities.
Learn to take action and manage your procrastination.
Melanie Benson Strick, America’s Leading Business Optimizer gives you tips on how to SQUASH your procrastination habits. They are very simple and easy to implement today! Read what she has to say and see if you can’t change up a few of your activities and get more important things done.
“When you find yourself procrastinating high payoff activities because you don’t have time or don’t enjoy doing them, its time to activate a more powerful approach to getting things done.
Here are the four ways to squash procrastination and get her important tasks done:
Delegate. My favorite way to handle tasks that must be done but that drain my energy is to delegate those activities to someone else who enjoys doing them. My motto is if someone can do it better, faster or cheaper than me, get it off my plate.” Melanie Benson Strick
Click to learn about Melanie’s other three suggestions: successconnections.com
What are YOUR tips to manage procrastination?
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Mar 12, 2014 | Productivity, Time Management
Empower yourself for higher performance. Hopefully you are not spinning out of control, missing deadlines and leaving a pile of projects on a wait list.
If you want to be more productive, then you have to make some changes. It takes planning, effort and some realization of where and how you spend your time. Chances are that at the days end, you take time to review what you accomplished and what still remains on your To Do list. If your list is still a bit longer than it should be and you are scratching your head, wondering how does everyone else get so much done, realize that you are not alone.
You can improve. You can increase your productivity.
“When we’re busy, we see that as being productive, when productive is really narrowing down what we need to do.” Cathy Sexton, time management specialist.
Your productivity is partially based on your time management which requires discipline and commitment. There are many hindrances to time management but how you regulate your life, the “time” choices you make and your priorities establish your productivity output. If something is that important to you, then you will get it done; otherwise, you will make excuses. Your success depends on getting the most out of each day.
“What is it that successful entrepreneurs do differently from the rest? How do they accomplish more in the same twenty four hours that are gifted to all?” Brett Relander
Brett Relander’s post: How to Increase Your Productivity as an Entrepreneur clearly outlines 7 simple tips to help you become a more effective and efficient entrepreneur. They are every day cheats you can implement to enhance your productivity and stop wondering how other entrepreneurs are getting it all done. You can do it too!
1. Know your priorities, set long-term goals and break down your activities to achieve your prioritized objectives. With clear targets in mind, you are well-positioned to focus on present jobs and plan for future work. With defined objectives, day-to-day work can be organized in a streamlined manner.
Click to read more: brettrelander.com
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Mar 4, 2014 | Delegation, Virtual Assistant
The Virtual Assistant Industry is a vast network of professional entrepreneurs engaged in helping your business meet its goals for growth, increased revenue, online branding, image and exposure. We are your long term vested partners who are truly part of your team, your daily business operations and your second pair of hands and eyes to ensure everything is successfully managed to your satisfaction.
When you are looking for a vested partner, your goal should be someone with an entrepreneurial mindset who understands what it takes to not only get up and running, but who knows how to thrive in business and in the digital marketplace. While you can certainly choose an offshore call center to help manage day to day tasks, you will be missing out on the bigger part of your business success, a trusted like-minded entrepreneur.
My personal network is comprised of amazing women, dedicated virtual assistants, who are so willing to help one another, answer questions, provide assistance, referrals or even brainstorm. There aren’t too many industries with such a tight group of people who don’t fear competition or sharing of information. The client/virtual assistant relationship is based upon many different factors for each individual partnership and there must be a resonance along with the skill set to make them a cohesive productive team. Speaking from experience, my clients and I all work well together – communication, feedback and accountability are key components for success. Being in business since 2002, I have been very fortunate to engage with some amazing entrepreneurs. I think I learn as much from them, as they do from me. I hope so anyway.
Choosing to delegate is not always an easy step because you feel you are giving up control, but when you partner with an established virtual entrepreneur, you are choosing someone who is in business for themselves and know what it takes to succeed. The 365/24/7 mentality of a driven business owner will have a greater impact on your success, than an offshore call center who has one off task managers. Give careful consideration to your long term needs, your goals and what you expect from your delegatee. Established virtual assistants go above and beyond the request. We are always “on” in terms of your business. A task manager does that one task and nothing more. You may be asking about price and cost effectiveness. Just remember the old adage, “You get what you pay for.” Value, effort, dedication and commitment are priceless.
When I chose to build my team, I had several criteria that I would not compromise because my name goes behind every project, every task. I needed dedicated, focused entrepreneurs that I knew I could trust on many levels. Be patient and invest the time to build your team of like-minded experienced business owners to help you scale your company to the next level.
Tips to help you find a virtual assistant
Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are just three of the online platforms to help you find the perfect virtual assistant for you and your company. Due diligence is very important and shouldn’t be a shortcut to save time because in the long run, it will cost you.
- Ask questions about their business, history, why and when they got started.
- Review their website/blogs.
- Look for social proof.
- Ask for references.
- Request writing and portfolio samples.
- Follow and engage with them.
- Watch their writing style and shared content
- Are their emails professionally written?
- What software and tools do they use, both online and off?
- Do they respond to your email inquiries in a timely manner?’
- How do you perceive their online brand image?
- Are their social profiles sending cohesive messages?
- What are their greatest proficiencies?
- What are their hours and availability?
- Do they have off hours to meet your needs?
- Schedule a call or two.
- Did you feel a connection on the call?
- Were they engaging?
- Were all of your questions answered to your satisfaction?
- Did you get a feeling of authenticity?
- What are their strengths/weaknesses?
- Do they have an entrepreneurial mindset?
What attributes helped you choose your virtual assistant?
