Simplify Your Work

16 Years—Crediting Two Amazing Leaders In Shaping a Life Right Here in Little Old Mount Airy

2011-03-17T11:27:00.000-07:00

This is not exactly a typical Simplify Your Work post. Instead of blogging about how you can simplify your work and balance your life, this is a post about how 2 people simplified my work and my life.

As I write this post, my now 16 year old, a sophomore in HS is marching and playing the bass drum in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade with the Linganore HS Marching Band. Mind you, this is not just any St. Patrick’s Day Parade- this is thee St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Yes, we’re talking New York City!

I was unable to make it to the parade, but my husband and his parents are in New York City right now, beaming with pride of course as they watch their first child and grandchild enjoy and be part of such a wonderful organization and tremendous experience. And I'm talking...amazing! Two days in NYC with 150 band students--um, you have to be amazing!

As I watch the parade streaming live, I can’t help but think it was just yesterday my first baby was born. November 9, 1994 they placed him in my arms and life as I knew it changed forever. This baby who is nearly 6ft tall and weighs over 200lbs is now 16! OMG! How did that happen? Now he’s mature, respectful, reliable, responsible, caring and dedicated. Ok, sometimes he still reverts back to a regular irritating teenager, but all in all, I’d say we’ve done a pretty darn good job!

But it wasn't just me. (and my husband of course!) All the sudden it hit me. I couldn't help but think about the people in his life who have made a tremendous impact. Elementary school was not easy for Josh, he had some challenges. His first grade teacher was like an angel. She helped this first time parent navigate the waters and put some processes in place to help Josh move forward. Always a resource, and always compassionate, she was the brainchild and a staunch advocate for her students and she was my rock!

Fast forward 8 years later. Josh enters high school and joins the Marching Band. Linganore Marching Band is among one of the largest bands in Maryland and very well known and respected. The band has been instrumental (no pun intended) in Josh’s high school life as he has experienced the discipline of working hard, working as a team and being a part of something bigger than himself. In his freshman year he was awarded the most improved musician of the year! Nothing to sneeze at out of 150 band students! He found his niche, he’s in his element, it finally all clicked for him.

Where am I going with this? Well, you see, Kevin Lloyd is the Director of Linganore HS marching band. And Beverly Lloyd was Josh's first grade teacher. And yes, that would be Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Lloyd! How ironic is that?

I always knew if he was in the Marching Band, he would be under the direction of Kevin Lloyd, but I guess I didn't realize until this very moment what it has meant for Josh and his future. As I reflect on the past 16 years of my child’s life—and the tears role down my cheek because I am so darn proud of him, I really can’t help but be so very thankful for one family who has made such a tremendous impact. I give credit to two amazing teachers and leaders for shaping part of who my son has become--an amazing young man with many gifts and talents and a bright, incredible future!

Love you Josh! (Oh I know he is probably going to kill me for posting this, but that's what Mothers do!) And thank you Mr. And Mrs. Lloyd for being so passionate about what you do and all your students. You both rock!

Do I Look Like the Laundry Fairy?

2011-03-09T13:27:00.000-08:00

Is it me? Sometimes I feel like I have the word “Laundry Fairy” stamped on my head! Do you also have a laundry fairy at your house? I don’t know about you, but at the age of 12 I was washing, drying, sorting, ironing and putting away my own laundry.

Do you think your sheets will just change themselves?

Listen up and listen good. I like things simple and I like things organized. If you have dirty laundry, get it to the laundry room. If you don’t, guess what? You're shit out of luck. 16, and 12 year olds are old enough to get their ducks in a row.

Listen up again. I’m not you’re maid. It is your responsibility to pick up your dirty clothes off the floor, bring to the laundry room, sort and bring up when folded. You have it easy. I do the washing, drying and folding. BUT that’s all I will do. Unless you request something special of me, like hemming, sewing, dry cleaning, etc…it's not happening.

Will I long for laundry when my kids are grown? NO! I never liked it before they arrived, so please, be responsible and if you do find the "Laundry Fairy," please send her my way.

Tips and Tricks to Keep Track of Time & Stay Focused

2011-03-03T05:30:00.000-08:00

Sometimes It's Hard To Stay On Track!

Are you often distracted or have a hard time concentrating on one thing? Even with my very detailed daily “To Do” list, I sometimes get off track.

I recently started using timers and alarms for everything I do. Trying to keep calendars and schedules straight with managing client work, deadlines for two blogs and 1column, and covering local news for a local on-line news magazine as a citizen journalist was getting a little blurred. So now my “To Do” list also lists times and how long a task should last. I find myself all over the place, so I put a few things in place including using a timer to get myself under control.

When focusing on a project or tasks, pull out all the stops.

Close ALL windows on your computer including facebook, twitter, and Email.

Silence your phone. Notifications will only entice you to be distracted.

Turn off the ringer for your home phone or land-line.

Turn on your timer.

It’s easy enough to buy a timer, but you can google timer and find free timer or utize timers found in many different programs and software.

I use Toodledo for my daily “To Do” list. Toodledo has a built in taks timer on both the PC version and the Ultimate “To Do” list app for Android.

Client Spot, an online collaboration and communication site also has a task and project timer.

Phones have alarms and alarm apps you can utilize for all kinds of things. I use my Android alarm app to remind me to put the clothes in the dryer, eat lunch, or anything that I need to do at a certain time. I know if I’m absorbed and focused on writing an article, a blog post, or handling client projects, I will neglect to look at the time.

What do you use to measure your time and keep you on track?

3 Easy Steps to a Great Plan

2011-02-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Do you have a plan?

The truth of the matter is, planning is everything. If we fail to have a plan, we plan to fail. Want to simplify your work? Have a plan. Want to balance your life? Have a plan!

Don’t say you are going to start something, unless you have a plan. It’s that simple. Starting anything without thinking it through is a recipe for failure, whether it be completing a report or a home improvement project, starting a new diet and exercise plan or creating a financial plan, planning your retirement or plays for a football game, or building your dream home.

The process of planning also ensures that your end result is the best end result possible. Not planning and ending up with a less than desirable result at the end of the day could also have negative consequences.

Planning and preparation is time consuming., but taking the time to brainstorm, prioritize and apply time management to will ensure you see any project or any long term plan you’re implementing through successfully and on time.

Step One

No matter what your project the first step is figuring out the time involved. The more in advance you begin your planning, the longer you can spread out your time line. It’s worth it to plan ahead.

Step Two

Create a time-line. Figure out exactly when each part of the project needs to be completed. Give each task a start and end date. Transfer the tasks to your to-do list or schedule and whatever collaboration tool you use if this is a shared project.

Step Three

Monitor your progress weekly or even daily depending on the project or task. Adjust your time-line as needed.

Projects and tasks often change whether they be personal or business related. Having a plan in place makes it easier to adjust when we are asked to make changes or move up a deadline.

Don't be without a plan and get help if needed.

Do you have a plan in place for your projects or larger life-goals? A retirement plan? A financial plan? If you don't, make 2011 the year you add these very important planning tools to your agenda.

Organize your Household=Organize Your Life

2011-02-17T13:27:00.000-08:00

Ah yes…another post about working from home!I just can't help myself! Every time I find something that works I have to share!

Ah, the perils and the blurred boundaries of working from home is the primary factor contributing to the discipline levels of stay at home professionals. Why? Because without an organized household, everything suffers, and those who work at home have to work harder to have a more organized and more balanced space in order to succeed.

When you work from home, it’s harder to ignore the messes, the dishes, the laundry, the bills that have to be paid, the dust, the vacuuming, the weeding, the flowers that need watering, the errands that need completing, the car that needs washing and the dogs that need your undivided attention! You can close the door to your office, but you have to eat and go to the bathroom. Ultimately, something is going to nab your attention and so if you don’t have things in order, you could inadvertently be thrown off course.

My advice- make a plan and stick to it!

Utilize the time before your work day begins to take care of straightening up, organizing and laundry. When you come back to the kitchen or any other space during your work day, it will already be tidy and you will be able to eat lunch, get what you need and continue back to your office.

If there is something you have to take care of that’s not business during your work day, add it to your to do list as if it were part of your business tasks.

Create a “household to do list” and add anything calling your name throughout the day to your list. Put the list aside and then take a block of time later in the evening to take care of the items on the “household to do” list.

Delegate household chores and duties to other family members and follow up to make sure they're done. (There’s nothing more irritating than delegating and then finding it wasn’t done..been there, you don’t want to do that!)

Close the doors to rooms you don’t want to see during the day—(i.e. your kids rooms, bathroom) These are areas of stress that can lead you astray.

Create a family plan and have a family meeting to explain and implement the plan. Let everyone know that your success is dependent upon their participation in keeping things neat and orderly. When you are strumming along in your business and things are going well, don’t forget to thank them for helping you achieve your goals!

How do you stay organized and avoid distractions working from home?

“New Look” Fantastic Facebook Page Course Is Here

2011-02-04T12:20:00.000-08:00

My friend Craig Cannings at VAClassroom is always one step ahead of the game and 2011 will be no different.

On Monday, February 7, VAClassroom will launch their New Look Fantastic Facebook Page Course.

Here are some very interesting and amazing statistics!

Did you know?

In 2010 Facebook Surpassed Google in the number of visits on a monthly basis.
In 2010 Facebook added another 275 million members to their database, up from 200 million in 2009.
In 2007, facebook only had 7 million users.
Over 50% of all Facebook users (around 600 million) access facebook every single day.

In 2011 more and more businesses will use Facebook to grow awareness of products and services, increase their brand recognition and grow their business.

Facebook is evolving and changing so quickly, small business owners find it difficult, time consuming and overwhelming to keep up with the changes. Administrative Consultants and Virtual Assistants have a unique opportunity to build up their client base by offering Facebook services. Check out this video by Craig Cannings of VaClassroom.

The Not-To-Do-List

2011-02-02T12:50:00.000-08:00

On My Desktop!

…Do you have one?

The past month I’ve been working on my 30 day challenge with Chalene Johnson. If you haven’t read my blog posts lately, I encourage you to check out the challenge. It’s been very inspiring!

The 30 day challenge is all about accomplishing your goals. It really helps you to zero in on getting things done and increasing your productivity, namely--mastering a highly detailed and very effective To-Do List. I’ve really come a long way with my new To-Do-List. I am on top of it, perfecting it every night and then again in the morning.

When you work from home, distractions really eat away at your productivity. Even though I’ve been mastering my new and wonderful time-saving process, I was still getting distracted. So what are we talking about here? We are talking about the typical distractions in a home-office environment.

There are many people who may be under the impression that working from home is a “cake” job. I’m here to tell you, it’s not. The cake part is only that you are your own boss and you’ve earned the flexibility to be free of the corporate 9-5. The truth is, you have to concentrate so much harder to accomplish your tasks. Any innovative time-saving process we can implement –we do. It’s all about trial and error.

Then I remembered something called a Not-To-Do-List. I first heard of a Not-To-Do-List several months ago on this blog. "Using a Not-Do-List to Manage Your Distractions" by Alyssa Gregory.

Basically, a Not-To-Do-List is a list of all the things that steer you off-course and eat away at your time. Anything that you really need to avoid, or that you really need to schedule in order for you to avoid it eating away at your productivity during the day.

So I set out last week to keep both a to-do and a not-to do list. My biggest distraction is personal phone calls. I tend to be a yapper. (Big surprise there!) I know I shouldn’t, but I answer the phone anyway. My other big distraction is social media. Not when I’n using it to network on a professional level, but when I find myself getting caught up in the personal side. This would be Facebook.

So, where do we start?

Make a list of all the things that distract you during a typical day. Here’s mine—

Answering personal phone calls
Personal Facebook
Cleaning and Laundry
Email notifications
Throwing in the towel on snow-days

It may not seem like a lot. But do you know how much time can get sucked away responding to emails, hanging on facebook or girl chat? We’re talking hours! Cleaning can eat up an entire day!

Distractions can be different from day to day. Depends on your schedule, if you are out and about or if you are in for the day. Sometimes tending to the laundry can throw me off course, unless I re-focus myself and get right back to the task at hand.

This is how I implemented my system-

I put my list on a sticky pad and put it in a prominent location where I can see it while I work. (Separate from my To-Do list that I check back on every hour or so.)
I shut off all email notifications. No bells, dings or pop ups.
Set aside certain times of the day to return calls, check emails, and check facebook.
Schedule cleaning just like an appointment but not during business hours.
On snow days I close my office door and tell my kids I’m at work-do not disturb.

If the phone rings that triggers me to look at my Not To Do list and recognize answering the phone is going to keep me from being productive. Unless it’s my husband, or the schools, I have this thing called an answering machine.

Scheduling the cleaning for weekends or in the evenings helped me to recognize there’s a time for that task, just as if I worked outside of the home.

So far, this new Not-To-Do-List along with my new very detailed To-Do-List is really working! There is nothing better than the feeling you are getting closer and closer to your goals with every “check!”

How about you? Do you use a To–Do-List? Have you ever thought about a Not-To-Do List?How do you stay productive and on track?

Time Well Spent

2011-01-27T13:40:00.000-08:00

Complete a To-Do List for the next day!

Do you take time at the end of each day to organize your space? If you don’t, it may be a good habit to start.

Having a clear beginning and end of each work day is critical to stay organized and on top of your work load. I often tell my clients to take 20-30 minutes at the end of the day to put papers away, shut down windows and to create the next day’s "to do" list.

When you leave your office in disarray, and don’t write down lingering thoughts, it leads to hap-hazard beginnings to the next work day.

Knowing exactly what you accomplished, where you left off, and where you need to begin makes a big difference in your overall efficiency and even helps you sleep better!

Here’s a plan to start—

File lose papers-if it’s something you are working on create a pending file, or a things to do today file. Put sticky notes on anything that you need a reminder for.
If possible, get in the habit of scanning documents for electronic filing. Shred documents if you no longer need hard copies.
Close the windows on your computer. Make sure you save all your documents.
Create your to do list for the next day. Check out my post; Handling the Clutter in Your Mind for great info on making to do lists. You also may want to try the 30 day Challenge with Chalene Johnson to help you create the ultimate daily to do list!
Keep a regular planner to write reminders and your daily to do list. NO this is not redundant. You never know when your computer will be down. It’s always a good idea to have a back-up.

Working on your focus at the end of each day will not only save time, but will also get every day started on the right foot. One can never be too prepared. You will be very impressed with your increased productivity!

Do you take time to get organized at the end of each day? Share your daily organizational tips!

It Starts With a Promise

2011-01-20T09:52:00.000-08:00

Put a big sign on your office door—

CLOSED FOR THE WEEKEND

We say we want to balance our lives. However, when we work from home the boundaries are often blurred.

Most entrepreneurs start their own businesses because they are motivated, ambitious, want flexibility and more time to spend with loved ones, only to find that working for yourself demands even more of your time and attention.

It takes hard work and perseverance to succeed in business. Often times that means working weekends and late nights. But if you're not rested, if your family is neglected, if your health is neglected, then what’s it all for? And is it worth it?

In the New Year, we make many promises to ourselves. We set out with high expectations and most of the time those promises are squelched by February. Why? Because we set unrealistic goals and don’t take the time necessary to take care of ourselves and tend to all the areas of our lives to achieve balance. When we aren’t balanced, it’s difficult to propel forward in our lives.

Do you want to make changes? Do you want to break away from the chains? Do you really want to try and achieve that work-life balance in 2011?

Start with a promise.

“Note to Self- I promise that this year will be different. I am going to gain more balance in my life. I am going to reconnect with my friends, my family, my hobbies, my interests and myself.

Start with one small step. We’ll call it step 1. Close your office on the weekends. Yes, I said close it! Close the door,power down the computer. I promise it will still be there on Monday. You can check messages via your smart phone and respond to anything urgent.

Step 2. Let clients know that you will no longer be available on weekends if you have made this your practice in the past. When you set boundaries, you’ll be amazed at how much more you’ll be respected and understood.

Habits are hard to form, but even harder to break. I don’t expect this will happen for you overnight, but I do promise you will see things more clearly once you've allowed yourself to attain more balance.

Are you trying to achieve more balance in your life in 2011? What processes and changes are you making? Please share!

The Three P’s of Success

2011-01-12T08:50:00.000-08:00

Combat the Clutter In Your Mind!

Purging, Prioritizing & Planning

Happy New Year! I spent time with family over the holidays and neglected both of my blogs. However, now it’s time to get back into the swing of things and I’m feeling mighty ambitious! I came across this quote over the holidays and just love it!

"Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful." ~Author Unknown

Do you despise clutter? There’s no better way to simplify your work than to eliminate the clutter! Clutter is what really creates the chaos, whether it be the clutter in the form of paper, or the clutter in your in-box, on your desk, in your laundry room, or your vehicle. Not only is this clutter in the form of stuff but it’s also what I like to refer to as mind clutter. Every time you think about it, it adds a layer of clutter in your mind.

I spent the first week of the new year purging. Purging thoughts and purging things. De-cluttering of things and thoughts is good for the soul. Read more about handling the clutter in your mind. If you want to change your mindset this year and become more productive, more successful, or accomplish any number of goals you have set, the first step is to create a system for remaining clutter free.

So what is all this clutter and why do we accumulate so much? We just do. By nature, most of us like to hold on to things. We like to save things for sentimental reasons, for some day, for our children, our grandchildren, and so on. There's nothing wrong with saving things for a specific purpose, but many times our good intentions just get in the way of our real intentions.

It’s time to change your mindset! Start by incorporating the three P’s-- Purging, Prioritizing, and Planning.

Purging

Using the quote above-

Is it useful? Really? Are you ever going to be a size 4 again? Do you really need anything that has a “someday” attached to it? No, I don’t think so. Get rid of it.

Is it beautiful? Have your tastes changed? I know mine have. My decorating tastes, my fashion taste, everything! If you don’t like it anymore, it’s OK to get rid of it.

Is it joyful? If it only brings you angst, get rid of it. Things don’t typically bring us joy, so this category can relate to relationships. Yes, clutter can sometimes come in the form of relationships that no longer are fulfilling or are draining.

In the book, Take Time For Your Life, Author Cheryl Richardson shows you how to identify the things that drain you and eliminate them-people, places, and things.

Prioritizing

Take the time to figure out what your top 3 priorities/goals are for the year. Chalene Johnson offers a FREE 30 day challenge to zero in on your priorities and integrate only those tasks associated with your priorities into your every day life. Through this program you learn to-

Brainstorm to figure out your priorities

Zero in on what you need to do to stay focused on those priorities

Be Accountable

Planning

The final part. Now that you’ve gotten ridden all the extra “stuff,” and you’ve figured out your priorities, all that’s left is creating an action plan to see it come to fruition. By looking at your top three priorities,create your goals for the year. Ask yourself “what do I want my life to look like one year from now?” Once you have that vision on paper, specify exactly what actions will determine how that vision will come to fruition.

Create a vision of your life one year from now

Ask yourself what specific action you will need to take in order for it to happen

Figure out what it takes for that action to happen.

Incorporate those tasks into your schedule as part of your planning process

Take some time this month to de-clutter in all areas of your life and implement processes that will help you to stay clutter free! I promise it will be the first step in finally moving closer to your goals and dreams!

Nab An Accountability Partner For 2011

2010-12-17T03:33:00.000-08:00

And finally stick to your plan!

Do you have great ideas that never come to fruition? It may be time to hook up with an accountability partner.

After meeting for coffee with my friend, Kelly Frager (Owner of Etiquette for Everyday) and reading Pat Mussieux It’s Time To Re-Organize, my creative juices are flowing! Thank you ladies. ; ) Thinking about 2011 and everything I’ll need to focus on in order to take my own business to the next level really has me pondering one question--what do I need to do differently next year?

Every six months I go through a transformation seemingly getting closer and closer to reaching my goals. However some things just never come to fruition. That’s when the light bulb turned on! Hello! It’s not the goal, it’s the goal setter. Yes. It’s me. I need more accountability.

I’ve learned that goals have to be broken down into manageable pieces. I’ve also learned that unless I have someone to keep me accountable, some things just 'aint happening sista.' (You know exactly what I mean!)

As we prepare our 2011 New Years Resolutions---promises to ourselves that we are going to do our best to reach our goals both personally and professionally, don’t just regurgitate the same old “I will lose weight, I will be a nicer person, I will succeed in business.” If you are repeating the same resolutions year after year, it’s time to get yourself an accountability partner.

What’s an accountability partner?

No this is not a new service professional; an accountability partner is someone who shares the same goals and values--someone who will keep you on your game and who is also looking for accountability in their own life.

It could be two friends coming together, or two colleagues. It could be husband and wife, business partners, best friends, sisters, mother-daughter. Anyone who you know you can count on to keep you on task and accountable for ultimately reaching those goals by year end.

Start with last year's goals.

What were the goals?

Were they realistic?

What was the outcome?

Analyze

Why didn’t you meet your goals? Time? Money? Economy? Education? Confidence? Take my poll; What’s holding you back from taking your business to the next level? … here. I plan to create a detailed analysis of my findings for 2011.

Now that you know what you haven’t accomplished, it’s time to focus on 2011.

Create a new list of goals that are attainable.
Break it down into monthly manageable steps.
Find someone who needs accountability and form an alliance!

Now that you have a partner, what’s the next step? Stay tuned for part II of this series—Creating an accountability agenda--what to cover in your accountability partner sessions and making it work!

Simplify the Holiday Season Part II

2010-12-09T09:28:00.000-08:00

Getting the year in order!

Sometimes the holidays are thrust upon us and it can leave you feeling tired, grumpy and irritated! Last week I shared tips on simplifying the holiday season for those who are not prepared. Read last week’s post here.

This week I've got great tips on how you can get yourself organized for next year so the holidays can be more enjoyable. How about avoiding the holiday overwhelm by having it all under wraps (no pun intended!) by Thanksgiving?

Am I crazy? Well, maybe a little, but I like being organized! The goal here is to not let the holidays and all the things that go with it creep up on you! There’s certain things you can purchase and do throughout the year to plan ahead. Being ready for the holidays will give you a whole new lease on life and you'll be able to enjoy the month of December entertaining friends, attending parties and holiday events. How’s that for a novel idea?

Okay, so put these things on your calendar and make every attempt to try to stick to it!

Step one- Turn a closet or a small room into a secret “stash space.” If you must, secure it with a lock so little people don’t happen upon your stash.

December (yes now.) If you have wiggle room in your budget, and you’re still in shopping mode for this year, think about next year too. If you see a cute wine bottle bag, pick up a couple instead of just one. If something is on sale and would make a good generic gift for anyone, grab it now.

January—Time to stock up on wrapping paper, cards, ribbon, bows, possible stocking stuffers (of course nothing edible, as it can go bad.) and holiday décor. If you noticed your bows have faded, or you need new garland for the fireplace, take care of that now before you pack it away. Most places slash prices by 75%!

February— Picking up a Valentine gift for you honey? You might also find something to put away for the holidays, or a birthday. Planning ahead for any event is really the goal, so think about birthdays and other special events .

May and June- Celebrating our Mom’s and Dad’s. Sometimes it’s hard to shop for our parents. Retail stores typically have great sales with great ideas for Mom and Dad during this time. Take advantage of any great sales now and add it to your stash.

July—Doesn’t it feel like July was just yesterday? You were at the beach, toes in the sand, thinking 6 more weeks until school starts! –Hence, the back to school sales have begun. Why is that important? Well if you have teenagers or tweens, they want are clothes. When you do your back to school shopping, take note of particular items they want. What they don’t get in August, you can purchase for the holidays.

September—Everyone is back at school and Fall is fast approaching. Wow, the year went by quickly didn’t it? Time to assess your stash. Have family members send you their wish-lists. (Older kids: electronically with links to items—younger ones…how about circling what they want in a catalog?) I know it’s only September, but wasn’t it just July? Once you have all wish lists, create a master list of what you still need to purchase. Start looking for sales. (hint: some holiday sales start as early as Columbus Day) and finish that shopping! (Create a list of a few items for other family members to purchase for eachother.)

October—Wrap. Yes, I said it. It may seem a bit premature, but why not? (You should already have wrapping paper on hand since you purchased in January!) You’ll be getting ready for Thanksgiving in November, not to mention other things!

November--Find a family photo from vacation, or schedule a professional family photo for your Christmas card or newsletter. Your goal is to get your cards signed, sealed and delivered by December 1, so get started! Shop on Black Friday if you really want to, or shop cyber Monday if there’s still a few things you need to make your holidays complete.

December—Decorate and Delegate! Weekend of Thanksgiving or week after, pull out the boxes and let the decorating begin. Decide when you are getting your tree and make it a family event. Provide them each with their own lists of things they can purchase for eachother. (From September.) Send them shopping while you enjoy a night by the fire watching “It’s A Wonderful Life!”

You've purchased, wrapped, sent cards, decorated and now all you have to do is actually enjoy the holidays for once! Just don’t forget to repeat for the next year! : )

Happy Holidays!

Ten Steps to Simplify the Holidays Part I!

2010-12-02T06:39:00.000-08:00

Do you dread the holiday season?

Putting time aside for buying gifts, wrapping, decorating and baking is a full time job. The busier my our lives become, the more difficult it is to fit in a month of 75 extra things to do. This time of the year in particular can wreak havoc on your schedule, and if you are not prepared, mentally and physically, it can leave you feeling tired, grumpy and irritated.

I found myself not looking forward to the holiday season at all. It became a chore of unpacking, wrapping, cleaning and eating way too much! (not that eating is a chore, but taking off the pounds afterwards is no longer simple.)

I’m not the world’s best traveler either—perhaps the whole packing / unpacking thing was hijacking my holiday spirit.

I didn’t really want to bring the rest of the house down with my “bah-humbug” spirit, so I started thinking about how I could improve the situation. I made a list of the tasks I no longer enjoyed, but wanted to find the true meaning of the holidays in those tasks one again.

If you are looking to gain back the excitement of the holidays without losing the entire month of December or your sanity, here are some tips to jump start that process. There are things you can do now to help with this year’s festivities. Look for part II next week for tips to plan ahead for next year!

You’ve earned the title of "Décor Director." That means--delegate, delegate, delegate. Some processes apply to everything. If you haven’t decorated for the holidays yet, involve the family. Really. Depending on the age of your kids (mine are 16 and 12) they totally know the set up by now. Have your spouse (carefully) pull out the boxes, and everyone get unpacking.

If you haven’t started shopping, have no fear. Instruct your family members to create a wish list including prices and links for on-line purchasing. Even after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you can continue to get great deals on-line with no shipping costs.

Dedicate one afternoon during the week, or one evening (over the next week..just one!) to shopping online or making a trip if necessary to any stores to complete ALL (yes I said all) your holiday shopping. Make sure you’ve included any last minute gifts typically forgotten. (i.e. boss, neighbor, teachers, colleague, friends)

Gift carding is ‘in.’ When in doubt, everyone loves a gift card. Don’t agonize over gift decisions. If you’ve thought about it for more than a few hours, you’re over thinking.

Kids as young as 8 can do their own shopping. Drop them at the mall (if older) or pick another day to shop with them (if younger) with a budget and have them pick out gifts for Mom , Dad, grandparents, and eachother.

Keep delegating; kids can wrap gifts too.

Purchase several bottles of wine as a stash for gifting. This is a simple, no brainer, low cost gift option. When you head to holiday parties or gatherings this year, you won’t be spending any time stopping to “pick something up” or worse, forgetting a gift for the hostess!

Leave the baking to the bakery. Really. You can get wonderful cheesecakes, holiday cookies, and dozens more holiday treats at your local grocer’s bakery.

If your family is begging you to make the famous Christmas brownies or Chanukah Latkas, put it on the calendar (right now) and make it a “family” event. You’ll be less stressed, and for once, you’ll enjoy time with family during the holiday frenzy. A novel idea!

Holiday cards and newsletters are very time consuming. A newsletter could be your best bet this year by getting everyone involved. Have each member of your family contribute the bit about themselves. It’s more authentic coming from each family member. Besides simple editing, all you will have to do is copy and paste, print, stuff and seal. Utilize technology to print your envelopes from your online address book and delegate,delegate, delegate again by having your kids stuff, seal and stamp.

Everything’s done. Don’t forget to make sure that everyone pitches in after the holidays are over and it’s time to pack it up.

Do you dread the holidays? Please share how you get through the craziness of the holiday season!

Stay tuned for Simplifying the Holidays Part II… Tips on Planning Ahead.

3 Quick Tips on Setting Limits

2010-11-18T13:59:00.000-08:00

Over Scheduled? Over Committed?

Some people are really good at setting limits. Others—not so good. If you find yourself going in a million directions, frazzled and overwhelmed, your problem may be that your not setting limits.

Over committing is something that we’re all guilty of at one time or another. As the parent of two very active teens, I have committed to all sorts of things over the past two years, including Chairing many events and serving on the Board of my daughter’s swim team.

Setting limits is something I’ve been working on over the past year. Simply stated, no one person can do it all. There needs to be reasonable expectations regarding what you can accomplish within a specific time period.

While being involved with your community, your schools and countless other activities are all good things, you’re not helping anyone if you’ve simply got too much on your plate.Recognizing that you over commit is the first step towards being able to set reasonable and workable limits and figuring out what you need to eliminate.

Learn to say NO!—Really. You don’t have to say yes to every event, every appointment, or every request that is made of you. Check out my previous blog post How Saying No Can Be Liberating. You will find tips on how to say no gracefully.

Know your limits--What you can accomplish in a day? Many of us think we can do so much more than we really can. Time is a valuable commodity. Knowing how to manage it, and what tasks fit in certain time blocks will help you, your family, your work relationships and your overall well being.

Delegate—The dreaded ‘D’ word. When is it time to ask for help? Knowing when to delegate is an issue that many people face. As we continue to wear many hats in business, as parents and as part of our communities, there are some tasks that could be handled by other professionals or other members of your family. Make a list of tasks you are willing to delegate and a list of people you trust. Then figure out who is a good fit for each task.Check out 30 Days of Delegation by Erin Blaskie for additional delegation guidance.

There may be times that you'll want to seek the help of a professional. Virtual Assistants can help with a variety of administrative and marketing tasks as well as personal tasks; a VA will also be able to look at your work load and analyze your work habits to further assist you in determining where you need to cut back as well as how you can be more productive.

Learning how to say no, what you can accomplish in a day and what to remove from your plate will go along way in helping you to achieve balance and success in your business and your personal life.

How do you set limits? Please share your ideas!

Time For You!

2010-11-10T06:26:00.000-08:00

Ummm YES! It's necessary!

Do you schedule time for you? Time to take a walk? Take a bath? Take your child for ice cream? Or shopping? How many times have your kids come to you begging for attention? Or your spouse or other family member for that matter?

Scheduling time for you doesn’t have to be only about you; it can also be about what and who is meaningful to you. When you schedule time for what is meaningful to you, it allows for reflection.

Go ahead, give it a try. When you are on a date with your spouse, lunch with a friend, an outing with your child, or at a yoga class for yourself, how do you feel? What are you thinking about?

When I allow myself time for what is meaningful to me, I feel as though a huge weight has been taken off my shoulders. For the moment, I'm not thinking about what I have to get done today, or tomorrow, but other more relaxing and simplistic thoughts; like wow, I need to do this more often.

These are the times that I start to feel more balanced.

We all need to STOP and insert reflection time in to our busy schedules. Doing so will give you a new burst of energy, and clear your mind to tackle your goals and dreams.

It’s not that hard to do:

Make a list of things that are meaningful to you.

Prioritize.

Go to your schedule and find room for at least one meaningful thing a week. (to start)

If you chose something that only involves you, share it with someone so that you are held accountable.

If you chose something that involves someone else, send an invite or call them right now! You are both accountable!

Sometimes allocating our time appropriately allows us to recognize what's important, and maybe some things that are not so important.

How do you make time for you?

What's Your Work At Home Style? Part Three

2010-10-12T07:37:00.000-07:00

Working from home is both........... awesome and horrible!

In parts 1 and 2 of this series I shared that “aha” moment recognizing not all entrepreneurs are made from the same cookie cutter mold. What works for others isn’t necessarily going to work for me, vis-versa.

If I really wanted to make this work, I would have to come up with creative and alternative ideas to keep me on track and productive. That might mean having to work harder and longer than the average person who isn’t as easily distracted or as easily engaged and enticed. (Code for slightly ADD) After some brainstorming, I created and implemented a very specific schedule; each time I find myself off course, I return back to the schedule to refocus.

Implement a morning power hour to handle all the personal and business virtual errands that are necessary instead of handling at all times during the day.
Be very realistic of how much can be accomplished during a day, or even an hour. Under-schedule instead of over-schedule.
Create a list of three items to accomplish each day and keep referring back to the list.
Take a break from the computer every two hours; throw in some laundry, have a snack, take out the garbage, get the mail. It’s OK to do these personal things and then get back to the schedule and the “What to accomplish today” list.
Have lunch OUT of the office (and out of the house) at least once every other week (or once a week as long as it’s not breaking the bank.) Try to make it a networking opporutnity at least once a month!

Allowing time for distractions actually works for me rather than denying them. Along with continuing to remember that “it’s a marathon, not a sprint!”

There is something about working for yourself vs. working for the man that makes me willing to keep trying.

So what does this mean?

I’ve discovered that all the hemming and hawing regarding maintaining boundaries when working from home and keeping your work life and personal life separate was actually the “thing” that was preventing me from moving forward! Indeed there has to be boundaries, but let’s face it, we still only have 24 hours in a day; unfortunately, the laundry doesn’t wash itself, and new clients don’t just “show up” on your doorstep.

Bottom line for me is that I am admitting that working from home is going to take additional perseverance, hard work and dedication to create the kind of balance that naturally exists when working outside the home. I definitely don’t fit the cookie cutter mold and that’s OK! ☺The boundaries you choose to utilize must create an environment that truly fits with your unique situation and life style and that’s the key to moving forward.

This “aha” moment for me was priceless.

As a Virtual Professional and business owner I know that “stuff” happens every day sometimes preventing us from moving forward. It’s how you overcome these distractions and how you work through the slightly over-rated “glamorous” image of working from home that eventually determines if you will be successful.

Work from home? Feel free to share how you make it work.

What's Your Work At Home Style?

2010-10-04T05:50:00.000-07:00

When working from home is both awesome and horrible!...
Part Two

In Part I of this series, I shared that “aha” moment regarding recognizing that not all entrepreneurs and at home business professionals are made from the same cookie cutter mold. What works for others isn’t necessarily going to work for me, vis-versa.

I’ll be honest; I suffered “boundary” overload trying to weed through the “how” and the “why” you should do “this” or “that” when working from home. When making the decision to work at home, I just didn’t give enough thought or analysis to the entire boundary matter and how it would or would not work for me.

Frankly, I thought I would go into my office, work and call it a day. NOT!

Once I arrived in my “at home” office I was inundated with information and resources regarding managing work/life boundaries when working from home. (I believe I’ve read them all and have even written a few that give the exact advice I am no longer completely in favor of!)

What I’ve learned is simple, really. Not every tip is going to work for every person; I found many tips unrealistic for my work-style and some that I could make work...(with a little finagling.)

At the end of the day, it’s really is a matter of trial and error.

Here are just a few examples of what didn’t work for me and why I got off track:

Don’t answer personal phone calls during business hours: I’m a people person; I always want to answer the phone, even if it’s a friend and it’s during business hours. Sometimes that means I lose time chatting. Don’t get me wrong; sometimes I do ignore the phone ringing but trying to adhere to rigid rules regarding phone calls doesn’t work for me.
Set aside specific times to check email: I don’t like reading email only twice a day; my in-box fills up way to fast and takes me longer to read, file or delete, and then I end up missing something important. In addition to my clients, I communicate with teachers, guidance counselors, coaches etc.. all the time and some messages are time sensitive. This is the world in which we live.
No personal errands during business hours: I like the freedom of being able to browse and shop online when I remember I have a special event to attend without worrying if my boss will catch me. I also enjoy going to the grocery store at 2pm when it’s empty and Walmart without the 12 yr old daughter who wants everything!
Schedule personal appointments etc. for after business hours: it’s much more convenient to schedule Doctor, Dentist or other appointments during business hours as we have very busy schedules after school. Not to mention that everyone else is trying to schedule their appointments for after business hours too, giving you more options and flexibility when you take the mid morning or early afternoon time slots.

It’s all about flexibility; wow, isn’t that the reason we all wanted to work from home in the first place?

Let’s get real. I’ve done the corporate grind and left for many reasons. However, the one thing that nobody talks about is that the corporate world does have one benefit. It creates a natural work/life boundary.

Everything is neatly compartmentalized for you; you're basically just going through the motions. (Of course I don’t mean that literally!) You don’t have nearly as much flexibility and much less time with your family, but (in most cases) when you're home...you're home. When you're working, you're at work. The boundaries are clearly defined.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mean to insinuate that it’s easy because I know it isn’t based on my own working mom-corporate world experience. But it is pretty cut and dry; go to work, and you are in office mode; return home and you are in “personal mode.” (Unless you take work home…totally different subject for another blog!)

So, perhaps this is why so many “work at home” professionals try and create that same environment when working from home. The set-up works and for many keeping things separate and distinct is what drives them to success. But for others, it's not so simple. (like me!)

The question then becomes, is that why you chose to work from home and are the boundaries that you have set up effective?

I’m sure there will be those who disagree and I might get some hate mail for this, but this is a very personal perspective. At the same time I am sure I am reaching many like-minded entrepreneurs who’ve had the same epiphany. Working from home is both awesome and horrible!

Feeling a little frustrated and disappointed, I did a little soul searching. In part 3 of this series I will share some of the creative ways I am making “working at home” work for me.

What kind of entrepreneur are you?

What's Your Work At Home Style?

2010-09-15T08:30:00.000-07:00

Not All Aspiring Entrepreneurs Are Made From The Same Cookie Cutter Mold
(Part One)

As an aspiring, Virtual Assistant I’ve learned that NOT all entrepreneurs and at home business professionals are made from the same cookie cutter mold. I’m not the same as the next Virtual Assistant and what works for others isn’t necessarily going to work for me; vice versa.

Sometimes all you need is the right ‘aha’ moment(s) to figure out that your work style is unique; you must build upon that work style and put systems in place to best fit that style. (Instead of changing work style to fit a particular system.)

I’ve been having many ‘aha’ moments lately. Perhaps because I have finally cleared my plate of all drains. I shared a few weeks ago how learning how to say NO has actually helped me to move forward, think clearly and tackle all the loose ends that have been hanging around my business for the past several years.

One of those“aha’ moments brought me to this realization; no matter how you slice it, when you work from home your personal life and your business life will often cross paths. (Um, what was I thinking when I thought I could just ‘close the door?’) You can set up all the boundaries you want if you are disciplined enough and it works for you. Unfortunately, many of us aren’t disciplined enough, and if it doesn’t work for you, that’s OK, you just have to figure out what does work.

Yes, that was my ‘aha’ moment. It’s OK if my style of working does not fit the cookie cutter mold. As long as I get it done and I’m happy at the end of the day, what does it matter?

When you begin your work-at-home life you should be prepared for all that will be thrown at you regarding “how” and “what” your work-at-home life should look like and be very clear regarding how you will work at home. If you’re not, your path will look much like mine has looked over the past two years; extremely inconsistent and ineffective.

In the book Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career by Herminia Ibarra, one of the shared strategies is to

"Stop trying to find your one true self. Focus your attention on which of your many possible selves you want to test and learn more about."

Take a look at additional strategies here.

Pigeonholing myself into one way of balancing the boundaries surrounding my work style steered me way off course. I was trying to live up to a certain “work at home” image and fit into a neat little prescribed package. However for those of you who know me, I’m not exactly a rule follower. : )

With a lot of correction and adding the word NO to my vocabulary, I managed to pull myself back on track and have created strategies for my specific work style.

In part two of this three-part Blog series I will share why I got off track, and the changes I’ve implemented that are conducive to my families schedule and my lifestyle that have helped me get back on track.

Are you stifled by boundaries?

How Saying 'NO' Can Be Liberating!

2010-08-29T17:30:00.000-07:00

Work from home? Have trouble saying no?

Repeat after me; ““Let me check my calendar, I will get back to you.”

I woke up out of my stupor about 3 months ago when I realized that my business was stagnant; my volunteer life was sucking me dry and preventing me from focusing on my business. It was time for me to make some choices.

This week I sent my youngest off to middle school, cut up my PTA card, peeled off my activist badge and turned in my Board member credentials. I can’t tell you how amazingly liberated I'm feeling!

When I quit my full time job as a Bank Manager nearly four years ago, I noticed that I suddenly became everything to everyone. I had a big problem with the word NO.

I soon recognized a pattern that sounded like;

Since you're at home, would you____________?

If you have the time, could you ____________?

Just because I work from home does not mean that I have more time than those who work outside the home. In fact, as a small business owner I have to focus even harder to stay on top of my client work while at the same time managing my own administrative and marketing needs.

Often times friends and neighbors imposed on those boundaries. They really didn’t grasp the concept of Virtual Assistance, or the time constraints involved in building a successful business. In their defense, they’re also are not mind-readers. I couldn’t really expect them to understand until I clearly communicated my priorities and defined my boundaries.

I learned the hard way that keeping your plate clear of all extraneous requests and volunteer positions is absolutely imperative. Starting a business at home is stressful enough as the boundaries of work and personal things are bound to be blurred. Staying focused day after day is the key to success.

Here’s a few tips on how to handle such requests;

“ I’m sorry, I don’t have the time, my client load is full right now.”

“Let me check my calendar, I will get back to you.”

“No, I just can’t fit it in this quarter, check back with me in a few months.”

“Sure, I can drive to soccer on Tuesdays if you can do Thursdays.”

“Right now I am really focused on building my business and I just don’t have the time, but thanks for thinking of me.”

“No, I can’t. That’s our family day and we have been striving to make that a priority in our lives this year.”

If you’ve conquered saying no, please share your story or a few tips!

Back On Track

2010-08-25T05:57:00.000-07:00

Jump right in, the water is fine!

A few weeks ago I read 10 Reasons Your Business Needs a Blog. Great post by Alyssa Gregory. It's true; most businesses would benefit from having a Blog. Of course this wasn't a news flash for me; blogging is just one of the many things I do for my clients. As a VA, I also have my own Blog. (Yes, this Blog you are reading right now! )

OK, so what's the big deal about this particular post? Well, let me explain. Yes, I have a Blog, but what's the point of having a Blog if I’m not Blogging? The last time I posted was in April!

Reading Alyssa's Blog post was an "aha" moment for me. (Thank you Alyssa.) Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back on the horse. (And I'm not just talking blogging; for me, it's the whole enchilada!) If I continue to procrastinate waiting for all the stars to align, it may be another year or more before I take action. (Or in the case of all the stars aligning, maybe never.)

Anyone or any business can have a Blog; it’s the act of posting to the Blog that's often neglected. If you are serious about taking that step and setting up a Blog, consider also creating and implementing a Blog Plan and a Blog Calendar as part of the entire package. (FYI, I can help you with this!.) This will ensure that your blog continues to have fresh content, and prevent you from becoming the "on again" "off again" Blogger that I've managed to become.

In my training as a Virtual Assistant through AssistU, I learned "why smart, creative, talented people don't let themselves succeed." Many small business owners fall into this category; for me, falling short on blogging (among other areas!) is just one small example of sabotaging your own success. (Guilty!)

How about "10 Reasons Your Business Needs to Plan, Schedule and Post on a Regular Basis?" It's time to add that to my Blog Calendar, now that I've preached about creating one! (Post coming soon!)

I realized jumping back on the wagon doesn’t have to be sooooo complicated. Moreover, it doesn't need to be a precise, specific, and well thought out perfectly executed plan right now. Just get started and everything else will fall into place.

How’s “just do it” for a call to action?

So, here it is. The life of a micro-business owner and entrepreneur; passionate Mom of a teen and a tween; wife and life partner of 22 years; dog lover, beach lover; political junkie and wine connoisseur who has the kind of sticktoitiveness needed to ultimately be successful. (And sometimes certifiable 40 something woman who tells it like it is, no holds barred.)

BTW.."sticktoitiveness"-my new favorite word you can find in 5 Steps To Dealing with the Relentless Pace of Marketing) "Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint."

I hope you will join me as I get back on course (3rd time's a charm!) in my journey to simplify my work, balance my life and inspire others to do the same. I look forward to meeting and engaging with many new (and old) friends along the way.

Are you standing in the way of your own success?

Pick Yourself Up....

2010-04-02T04:57:00.000-07:00

Reading my last post, March 5, 2009, I realized I have a lot of catching up to do. What better way to start than with 30 days of organizing.

I was so excited yesterday about the next 30 days, I posted it to facebook, tweeted it, and then realized I forgot to blog about it. Well, let me tell you, if you are already organized, the next 30 days will propel you to organization paradise. If you are not an organized person, life as you know it, is over!

Yesterday, I tackled my calendar. I scheduled everything that has been on my mind and clouding my vision regarding both my business and personal life! I also listed everything that I want to organize over the next 30 days and scheduled specifically what I will organize each day; I scheduled the "big" jobs for the weekends!

Today, I am going to plan and organize my workouts (have you heard of Insanity?) to get ready for a mini-triathlon in 5 months! On the business side I am creating new business cards. Gotta love Vistaprint.

What did you organize yesterday? What are you going to organize today? How are you implementing your 30 days of organization? Please share so we can really get some organizing going on!

Some Fighting Going On In Heaven Today

2009-03-05T09:35:00.000-08:00

This post is dedicated to the memory of

Frank Lopopolo

Husband - Father - Grandfather-

Great Grandfather

August 3rd 1926 ~ March 5th, 2009

It’s sobering to think that the loss of a life is what it takes for us to sit up and take notice of our own lives. Today, I lost my grandfather; now I am sitting up.

I went back to my first blog post and there it was. The first rule of thumb; you can't just sit around wishing, you got to really do the work. You must really walk the walk.

My grandfather, Frank Lopopolo, walked the walk. He was truly an amazing man. My kids will tell you he made the most amazing meatballs. He was the only real male role model I had growing up. I learned to swim in his back yard, and learned to make home made chicken soup in his kitchen. Fourth of July and Christmas Eve are memories that that I hold near and dear to my heart. He was my sounding board and my hero. I know he was very proud of me, and I deeply loved him. It may not have been obvious, but he instilled in me the resolve and fortitude of "I can," and helped me to reach for the things I wanted.

He was a stubborn Italian man. Hmm, wonder where I get my stubbornness from. He was a strict father and ruled with an iron fist. We heard all the stories. He was passionate about politics and baseball. We had many political debates as I grew into a young adult and became a parent myself. We danced at my wedding and I remember it as though it were yesterday.I cherish the moments that I got to spend with him in the last few years, and I am so happy that he got to spend time with my children. I am relieved that he will no longer be in pain, and that he will have peace. It comforts me to know that he will be reunited with many who have gone before him, especially my mother, his daughter. I wish I could be a fly on the wall in to watch the look on his face when he sees my mom in all her beauty. Although I have to tell you, there may be some fighting going on in heaven today between two of the most stubborn people I have ever known. But I know in the end, there will only be be hugs and tears, as they watch down upon the loved ones they have left behind.

It has been nearly a month since I have posted on my blog. All good intentions slip away, but today it hit me, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Life is too short to fold your underwear. Life is not waiting for me, and life doesn’t care that once again I have put too many things on my plate. The one thing I set out to do this year was to simplify my life…not complicate my life.

Today, a dear friend sent one of those email chains. Send to 10 friends and blah blah blah. I usually delete and don’t forward. Today, I was drawn to read it. Everything happens for a reason., hence the reason for this post. Today I will get back on the path that I strayed from. If you have found yourself not following the path that you want to be on then perhaps this list will help you too.

Slow Down
Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe
Say NO to projects that won't fit into your time schedule
Delegate tasks to capable others
Recognize that less is more.
If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it!
Laugh, and then laugh some more!
Talk less, listen more.

One last thought. “Life is like a tea cup. There’s only so much “stuff” that will fit. If you fill your cup with the wrong things, and the wrong people, you won’t have time for the right things and the right people.” Unknown author.

Starting a New Business- Where Do I Go? What Should I Do? Part II of II

2009-02-09T11:45:00.000-08:00

Last week, I wrote about building a foundation for your business, and how important it is to have that foundation in place prior to your start-up. Once you have your foundation in place, you can move on to the next steps.

There are literally thousands of resources available to help you start a business. I am a big fan of the checklist. My kids will roll their eyes if you ask them about the checklists I have created for them! When it comes to getting things done there is no better way than to get it out of your head, and into a format. Speaking of checklists, here is a great article that walks you through both building your foundation and every thing else you need to consider when starting your business.

Through on-line research you can find checklists and other great tools to help you get your ducks in a row. Check out your local Chamber of Commerce or the Small Business Adminsitration. These are great starting points, and are valuable resources for your search. Although my primary resource is being part of, and having access to the prestigious AssistU network, I have also come across interesting and incredibly business savvy VA’s who have created amazing start-up tutorials, blogs, and e-books. Lisa Taglia’s e-book, “ The five key steps to your Virtual Assistance business,” is a great tool for those who are looking to become a VA. This handy package included a VA start up checklist, a business plan workbook, an hourly rate calculation, and marketing plan workbook.

In my opinion, a good rule of thumb is to find two or three really great resources and try to stick to any guidelines that they have outlined. Too many resources make for a hodge-podge of information and goes back to that information overload thing.

After a year of focusing on my checklist and securing my foundation, I am proud to announce that my ducks are all in a row, and in a few short days, my website will be up and running! Giving yourself enough time, not rushing, and carefully weighing your options are great strategies that will ensure your reserves are abundant and your resolve is strong.

If you are starting your own business and don’t know where to turn or what to do first, just be sure to find at least one or two leaders in the industry who can guide you through building your foundation first.

Are you starting your own business right now? Would you like to share your thoughts, your fears, or insight? Please do!

Starting a New Business- Where Do I Go? What Should I Do? Part I of II

2009-01-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

If you are thinking about starting your own business- or if you have already started one and are feeling overwhelmed…you are not alone.

It is utterly amazing the amount of information readily available for entrepreneurs and new business owners. Google the word "entrepreneur," and you will quickly understand that statement. There are so many great resources, however, it all can be pretty overwhelming. Understanding what information is necessary and what you can put on the back burner is the key to avoiding the overload.

One of the most important points that I learned through my VTP training at AssistU (the premier training program for virtual assistants!) was that building the foundation of your business is the key first step. You must be able to have a foundation in place that includes key advisers, and plenty of resources before you just open up shop. Years ago when I was young and naive, (And I am still young!) I attempted to start a party planning business. Let’s just say-I did not have my ducks in a row, and it was painfully obvious at the end of the first year that I had made some costly mistakes. The biggest being that I dove in head first, but did not know how to swim. Ahh.. this goes back to "everything happens for a reason."

It really is imperative that you hire advisers who are necessary for your business type before you put the open sign in the window. The four types of advisers that I have for my home based business are:

Accountant

Attorney/Pre-paid legal service

Insurance

You want to start out on the right foot by keeping your business financial records separate from your personal ones. If you don’t already have an accountant, now is the time for you to consider hiring one. Even if it is just to help set up your books.

For most new business owners, having an attorney on retainer, or through a pre-paid legal service to review contracts and for any other legal questions that arise, is a wise business decision.

For those who work from home, a reputable and dependable IT guy or IT company is crucial to ensure that your systems are always running at top speed, and you are protecting yourself from viruses, etc.

Additionally, all new business owners must think about business insurance. You want to be able to safeguard your equipment, and your reputation, and you would be remiss if you overlook this critical foundation piece.

This foundation of your key people is by far the most important first step when putting your company together, regardless of whether you are starting a home-based business, mom and pop shop or bigger type business or franchise. My goal is to help you to simplify these choices so that they are not as overwhelming as they may seem. I know for me, I spent a little too much time looking elsewhere for advisers when I should have started in my own backyard. Often these advisers are already part of your personal financial team. No need to look elsewhere if you have been happy with the service they have provided for personal matters.

Next week I will touch on the many other things that have to be decided on when you venture out to become a successful entrepreneur.

Attaining a Work-Life Balance- Handling Distractions When Working From Home Part II of II

2009-01-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

Are distractions driving you crazy?

Owing your own business is both rewarding and challenging. There is no doubt that getting real work done at home requires oodles of initiative, desire, and discipline. Preparation and just a few basic rules are the keys to avoiding those distractions and getting things done.

The first step is to develop and keep a routine. This week I incorporated a routine into my daily work hours and it is amazing how much I have accomplished. There is a strong sense of accomplishment when you are soaring through the day productively and on schedule.

Organizing your at home work day is even more important because you don’t have anyone to keep you in line. If you are meeting deadlines at 4am, or still in your pajamas at 3pm it may be time to implement a schedule that prioritzies your workload and creates some balance.

Create lists. Ok, Ok, I admit- I am a bit list crazy. Growing up I watched my mom at the kitchen table, drinking her coffee and writing never-ending lists. Those of you reading this blog post who know me well- are laughing out loud!

Here is a list of ideas to help keep distractions at bay.

Have two phone lines—one for work and one for home—and don’t answer the home line while you’re working. (Guilty!-Friends stop calling!)
Keep the door to your office closed while you’re at work, and even when you’re not. Getting boundaries in place right away will go a long way towards future success.
Use one calendar combining home and office so everything is in one place. (I use Outlook, and can look at all my calendars in overlay mode or side-by-side.)
Set a weekly schedule and do your best to stick to it. Make a list of everything you want to accomplish for a week, and then schedule it like an appointment.
Set reminders or use flags for important items such as conference calls, and other meetings that don’t usually ocurr on a daily basis. This will prevent you from missing the call. (Guilty!)
Check your e-mail three (ok…maybe four) set times a day. Turn OFF the e-mail alerts, otherwise you will be tempted to check more often.
If you are participating and belong to social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIN, use a service like ping.fm to write status updates to all networks.
Turn off the TV. You can Tivo and watch later. (Guilty.)
Be sure to incorporate exercise into your day. Take breaks, or even take a mid-day walk to get refreshed and revitalized. I like to work out late morning; Helps me to refresh and re-focus.

If your business is growing, don’t make the mistake of thinking you can do it all. You may want to consider hiring a Virtual Assistant. (Like me!) Check out Erin Blaskie’s 30 days of delegation.

Starting a business or growing a business? Do you get distracted? Are you overwhelmed with all the things you have to do in a day? Do you have a routine? How do you organize your work day? Please share your thoughts!

Attaining a Work-Life Balance- Handling Distractions When Working From Home Part I of II

2009-01-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

So it goes- all the good intentions of new years resolutions can fall to pieces when you lose focus or become distracted. We start out with high expectations. However, when working from home you typically don't plan for distractions; hence the unraveling begins.

Distractions are a part of our every day lives. You often say to yourself “where did the day go?” Or perhaps “where did the month go?” How can you handle those “little tiny”…or “VERY BIG” distractions and not let them interfere with the task at hand? You have a couple of great days; distraction crushes the momentum and it is hard to get back on the horse. How you handle “distractions” is what will determine your ability to achieve success and live your entrepreneurial dream.

I was focused and adhering to the intense- “take back my life- and get everything I want out of the new year” plan, when one little pop-up- “you have mail” changed the entire momentum. An e-mail from Josh’s teacher regarding a very serious matter; talk about distractions-that’s a BIG ONE!

In a corporate office setting I most likely would not be checking personal e-mail, grades online or doing the laundry! I would not be distracted by twitter fox updating to the right, e-mail dings, or that constant impulse to check facebook and linkedin. Nevertheless, I don’t work in the corporate world and frankly don’t ever want to again. My point? You have to be highly focused and disciplined to be a successful stay at home business owner. Putting systems in place to help you avoid the little distractions and handle the BIG ONES will go a long way to helping you to attain that work-life balance.

Fortunately, this little set back inspired me to work even harder, and was the inspiration for the subject of today’s two-part blog!

Today, I work from home and I am a virtual assistant. Today, I am a stay at home mom. I am defined by neither, yet I am defined by both. My kids are either going to become a hindrance to the process, or become part of the process. I choose the latter. Today, I choose empowerment over defeat. Today, I am going to put processes in place so that at the end of day, the week, and the month, progress will replace stagnation. Boundaries and keeping an eye on the prize will replace frustration. Today, I am one step closer to that attainable work-life balance goal.

How about you? Share what processes you have in place to achieve a work-life balance and what keeps you focused. Next week, in Part II of this series find out what action steps you can implement to help get work done and simplify your work and life.

Everything has a place; There's a place for everything

2009-01-09T08:02:00.000-08:00

This is what we tell our kids with the hope that one day it will actually sink in! Maybe instead of Goodnight Moon, we should have been reading this book when they were toddlers! Someday-Alexa will automatically empty her swim bag, rinse her suit, and re-stock her bag for the next practice! Josh will hang his jacket in the handy hook in the mudroom and not leave his backpack in the middle of the kitchen floor. Ah-what a day that would be. J As a side note-for laughs, check out this blog about finding a place to put your purse in the car!I really hate when it falls on the floor!!

In this fresh new year of simplicity and bright beginnings, I find the “everything has a place” rule even more necessary to achieve that life-work –joy balance we are all trying to attain.

In this age of technology overload-there needs to be a place for all that “electronic stuff” too.

When I started the training phase of my journey in becoming a Virtual Assistant through AssistU’s Virtual training program, I found myself signing up for endless newsletters and feeds full of information on how to start your business. Additional training and webinars through VAClassroom and Business Services Etc., (just to name a few) as well as various types of collaboration tools and more continuously bang at my in-box door. As you can imagine, before long I was suffering from “in-box overload.” I was feeling pretty overwhelmed and this was causing undue stress and tension- but I did not want to miss a thing!

That’s when I realized it’s time to have a different email address for all this business stuff. (That did not stop the in-box overload although it obviously makes sense to have separate email addresses.) So there must be a way to get this information neatly tucked into a file without me having to “physically” do it? Out of sight and can follow up on later idea. Then of course just a little playing around with outlook-produced that “aha” moment. I just had to give it a rule! Now I know most of you already know about this handy tip-but there may be some of you who don’t- and you may be in need of such a solution. So here's to you getting out of in-box hell! After I upgraded to Outlook 2007 I also discovered that RSS feeds can also be directed right to your RSS feed file! Everything has a place- life is good! Now if rules could just be assigned to our kids as easily as email!

I also believe “there’s a time for everything.” Mom always said “everything happens for a reason” and she was a wise lady indeed. I truly believe that there is a time for everything, and if things do not happen precisely when we plan for them, or other things get in the way, there is a reason for that. There was a reason why it took more time than I anticipated to start this blog, and the VA practice I am just about to launch. There truly is a time for everything.

What about you? Is your timing right? Are you going in a new direction in your life? Is there place for everything in your house? Your office? Share your secrets here so others can learn from your journey too! Everyone is looking for help in January and every month to simplify their life and their work!

Starting the new year out right!

2009-01-01T13:45:00.000-08:00

Here it is-2009! Out with the old and in with the new. My marketing plan calls for starting a blog...and although it is not listed as my top priority- who cares! I decided I wanted to take a chance and start blogging now! After all a good way to start a new year is by reaching out, and finally getting things done! Procrastination and fear of the unknown-gone! It's not perfect, and that's ok. It's a work in progress!

Ok- so what is this blog all about? Well it is about a process, and goals-one being to "simplify my life!" Hence the name...Simplify Your Life. I have learned that by becoming better organized and eliminating things in my life that are drains, I will have more space and time to propel forward- and stop standing still. My intention for this year is to work my plan, instead of just talking, and take risks instead of just dreaming. It's time to walk the walk.

So the first rule of thumb that I learned through my weekly dose of moxie; You can't just sit around wishing, you got to really do the work. I will call 2008 my wishing year. Actions will dominate in 2009.

I am looking forward to seeing some friends here along the road in this hope-filled, exciting, scary, crazy and in the words of an awesome lady; Stacy Brice "a kick-ass, moxie-filled, gonna get everything I want, New Year!" :)

So, what about you? Is it your year to get up, dust yourself off and w ork your plan. I hope that you will join me as I embark on this journey, and through the process- I hope all of your dreams will also come true!

Happy New Year!