by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Sep 17, 2014 | Delegation, Virtual Assistant
How often do you just want to collapse at the end of the day; falling into the couch like you’ve become an integral part of the fibers? Letting it absorb all the day’s hectic work, demands, challenges and headaches? It’s like a warm embrace from a heating pad.
I know you’re wiped out…
Oh come on! You know that feeling. You heave a huge sigh and every muscle seems to release while you close your eyes in a moment of tech-free silence. Yes, you DID turn off your devices, even for just a few minutes.
You’ve stolen a few minutes of luxurious bliss. You’re content and relaxed.
UNTIL… suddenly, your mind hops back into overdrive; reviewing your day, your ‘To Do’ lists and what needs to be done ON and IN the business.
It’s exhausting and exasperating.
Does it ever end you ask? Is there a break from the rat race? A few minutes? A few hours? …Anything??
Brain Diversion
Try this, visualize yourself on an island retreat in the Caribbean where gentle breezes sway your hammock under a palm tree and your chilled glass leaves condensation on your fingers. You take a sip as your tongue savors the tantalizing fresh island coconut, pineapple and rum combination while the tin sounds of the steel band lulls you into a sense of comfort and relaxation.
Then, reality slaps you on the forehead and you open your weary eyes to sadly see the evidence all around you of mounds of work needing attention. Ack.
Get a grip and take a look at your options.
- You can return to working for “The Man” giving up your entrepreneurial dream, punch a time clock, be an employee, and live by his rules. (Sigh)
- You can commit a heinous crime where the feds pay for your housing, meals, healthcare, clothes, gym membership and maybe even a law degree. (Yikes)
- Lastly, you build a solid strategy leveraging your time and focus your core skills so you aren’t burnt out and dragging at days end. YAHOO = You Have Other Options.
I venture to guess that number three is the most inviting? I hope so.
Delegating
Delegating has long been a success tool for growing your business. There are hundreds of articles focused on the positive power of outsourcing. The goal is moving the low-payoff activities from YOUR desk so you can focus on your core genius, the things only you can do.
Build the Team
Forming a team is a growth mentality. It can take an army to build a business. A team to orchestrate your success and manage each facet of your internal systems and processes. You can’t wear every single hat in your business and expect to experience forward movement. You can get stuck, stagnate or otherwise hit a plateau and that isn’t why you founded your business. Failing to off-load those low-payoff tasks also caps your income opportunity.
As others point out, delegating isn’t a fad or a quick fix but a time tested method to help you scale your business beyond yourself. Think about your business and your goals. What should you be outsourcing?
In order to grow a successful business, it’s important to let go of some perfectionism and delegate certain tasks so you can focus on your strengths. Diana Adams
“You cannot grow your business all on your own so stop trying to. It’s time for you to trust others to help you. Without delegation your business will be limited by your own time and energy.” Matthew Swyers
My advice for entrepreneurs who wish to expand their business? Simply let go. Take on only the responsibilities you and only you can do. And as for the rest, delegate. Jane Wurwand
If you want to grow your business past a certain level, you’ve got to add more people. You’ve got 24 hours in the day, and you’re never going to get more. So if you need to take care of more stuff… because that’s what you need to do to grow a business – do more stuff – you’ve got to add other people’s 24 hours. You’ve GOT to delegate. Laura Roeder
Most entrepreneurs have great talents but many times they think they can do it all. That can really stall the growth of the business. By outsourcing the day to day back-office tasks, the business owner has more time to focus on generating income. Laura Lee Sparks
Outsourcing has made a powerful impact on their growth, productivity and bottom line. Small business, augmented by a global pool of human capital, can compete directly with the biggest players in their space, and win. David Walsh
At first I felt like I was the only person who could do the work efficiently; I wanted control over everything. But I wanted my business to grow and in order to do that I had to let go and start delegating. Tonya Thomas.
When you outsource, you can focus your time, attention and resources on your company’s core competencies–and spend your time setting new goals and finding ways to achieve them. Nancy Mann Jackson
WOW. Those are some pretty impressive quotes, don’t you think? You may know some of these of these business owners or maybe you don’t, but no matter what, they are leveraging their skills, time and expertise with the help of others. They are creating virtual teams to outsource various aspects of their daily business competencies in order to grow.
If they can do it, you can too.
You may be digging in your heels, putting up your hands, saying you can do it all yourself. Take a peek at your perceived roadblocks and determine how to best overcome these hurdles. I know how it is as I was the same way but I knew:
- I had to practice what I preach
- If I wanted to grow, I had to delegate
- I needed to work more ON my business rather than IN it all of the time and outsourcing was the tool
I did it and I have never looked back. Yes, a virtual assistant also delegates to virtual assistants.
If you’ve ever thought about delegating or have a few questions, let’s talk about your options because you don’t have to build your company alone.
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Jul 29, 2014 | Content Marketing, Social Media, Time Management
Turning on your computer or your phone is similar to opening the floodgates of hell for information overload. With daily bombardments of blog posts, news and websites, it is no wonder our brains haven’t exploded from over consumption. You can spend exhaustive hours reading, processing and filtering information every single day while just sitting at your desk or local coffee shop. It is an abyss or a dark hole that sucks you in and tightens the grasp on your brain. Fingers of words encapsulating your every thought, every move to retain your attention and drive you to take some kind of action.
The seduction and lure of content is the possessive lover of our society. The soft caress of the enticing paragraphs tickling your mind to keep you reading, distracting you as the hours tick by unnoticed. Until the end of the day when you wipe the sweat off of your brow, wondering where the hours went.
“Information overload” is one of the biggest irritations in modern life. There are e-mails to answer, virtual friends to pester, YouTube videos to watch and, back in the physical world, meetings to attend, papers to shuffle and spouses to appease. A survey by Reuters once found that two-thirds of managers believe that the data deluge has made their jobs less satisfying or hurt their personal relationships. One-third think that it has damaged their health.” The Economist
This may seem a little melodramatic, but think about the time you actually spend consuming all of this intel. It is the nature of the beast in your digital environment, trying to garner the newest, the latest, the greatest, the biggest, or the best, for your business, yourself, your clients and your community but heck, what a job in and of itself.
How would we conduct our businesses or gain knowledge and insight into social media without the research and reading? We need it. We do it. But at what cost?
With each article or piece of content, you must consider what to do with it next: like, comment, share, purchase, join, blog about it, bookmark it, or even search more about the topic. When you share it, you will think about where you will repost it and not just your own social channels but what about places like bizsugar.com or inbound.org? The possibilities are numerous.
Researching and reading isn’t just a simple process in your online world. There is more action to be taken which helps to build your engagement and community. It’s strategy and tactics. Sure you enjoy reading the content and probably learning something new, but it is what you do after that which counts even more.
You have a business to operate and make successful yet you must operate online as well. How much time can you invest or do you invest in maintaining your presence, building your reputation, connecting, networking, sharing, reading, commenting and engaging?
You know the drill. It is an extensive, arduous process that takes you away from truly focusing on your core business. While all of this is a “requirement” for your business, you need to develop some systems and processes enabling you to balance your time and efforts to be more productive and efficient.
Tips for Romancing the Data Overload:
- Make a list of the blogs, platforms, thought leaders and news aggregators you like to visit on a daily basis. Keep track of any daily content alerts you receive – more data to be consumed. You hopefully have created targeted lists or groups on each of your social media channels so you can easily locate those thought leaders and colleagues whose content and engagement you value most.
- Create a schedule of when you will interact, search, curate and share content. Allot yourself a specific amount of time so you don’t get sucked into a worm hole of reading and distractions. Use a timer if you must.
- Stay focused and resist the temptation to jump around from one platform to the next. Multi-tasking your reading and activities is not only a time waster but harmful to your health. Bookmark posts or use a “read later” tool like readability.com if something really sparks your interest. Add it to your swipe file if you feel it is a great idea generator for a later blog post.
- Unsubscribe from content that is no longer of interest or just clutters your inbox
- Set clear boundaries on your time – tune out and stop crunching the content
- Understand that it is physically impossible to read and digest every byte of data that is pushed your way. You are constantly inundated with new content every nanosecond. Can you really process it all? No and you don’t have to.
Staying current is important for your knowledgebase and success of your business, but if you are buried in the content surplus every day, then who will run your business? Your clients?
Managing your social media, online reputation, digital space, community and marketing is a full-time job, BUT so is running your business. Your laundry list is a mile long to effectively manage each of them and it is pretty much a catch 22 to be able to marry the entities together without being a drain on your effort. Don’t let your data overload seduce you away from your company, your life or your goals. Learn to filter what you need and when. Execute an effective plan with time restraints and a set strategy.
It’s time management. It’s teamwork. It’s about creating a balance.
The systems and processes you design for your business and social media workflow are key toward scaling your company as well as creating the optimum online community.
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Jul 16, 2014 | Organization, Small Business, Time Management
We have all heard that time and again, but it holds true. If you live and work in disorganization, your mindset and output will reflect your surroundings. Sure, we have some disorder or “organized piles” of stuff, but when there is overload, it overflows.
Clutter influences the way you work and the way you live. It impacts your brain. Learn to effectively manage versus just restyling the mountains of possessions, papers, contracts, or whatever lurks in your office or home. Streamline your physical and digital environment for success and focus.
“A recent survey says a disorganized workspace can lead to decreased productivity and unprofessional behavior.” Inc Magazine.
When you create a more structured environment you become more efficient and effective. You are no longer scrambling to locate important papers, files, emails or even your keys. Your time management increases as does your personal and professional productivity. Your setting is not just about physical space but mental as well. If you reside in chaos or mayhem, it does transmit into your work habits and daily living.
Your surrounding clutter competes for your attention, distracting your focus and thought process. I personally must have a clean and organized environment or I will only be thinking of what may be in the sink or if laundry needs folding. Everything has a place and it must be there when I work. Sure, a little OCD but I run my business the same way.
“When your environment is cluttered, the chaos restricts your ability to focus. The clutter also limits your brain’s ability to process information. Clutter makes you distracted and unable to process information as well as you do in an uncluttered, organized, and serene environment.” Princeton University
According to the National Association of Professional Organizations, paper clutter is the No. 1 hindrance for most businesses. Some studies conclude that the average person wastes 4.3 hours per week searching for papers, which adds stress and frustration to the workplace while reducing concentration and creative thinking. Clutter creates chaos, untidiness and ineffectiveness in every aspect your life and has the great potential significantly influence your personal productivity.
When personal productivity declines, every aspect of your life will be impacted.
Fired up and ready to reclaim your productivity?
- Set aside time weekly to manage and organize information
- Clean out your inbox
- Use cloud storage
- Put things in their proper place when you are finished – don’t merely move away. Put it away
- Always organize your desk at the end of the day
- Establish routines for clearing the mind overload
- If you must file, then do it. Don’t let items sit on your desk, counter or inbox. It is disrupting
- Don’t keep things that aren’t necessary or vital to your existence. Aunt Betty’s tattered hair ribbon won’t garner money on on the open market. Loving memories last longer
- “More” doesn’t mean more – it translates into jumble and disorder which means distractions. Clear off counter tops and desk space so you can function.
- Donate to charity
- When you bring in one new item, throw out two
- Work on one room at a time until it “feels” good
- If you haven’t used or viewed it in 6 months, do you really need it?
- Know that your value is not your stuff. It does not define you
- Create deadlines to ensure you stick to your toss it and organize program
- Once you have cleaned and decluttered a room or space, maintain it
Decluttering and clearing out the chaos, both physically and spiritually will help you gain clarity toward a more productive life. Make the time to invest in yourself.
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.
