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Virtual Insider August 15, 2004 Issue 8 by JERPAT
Patty Benton,
Editor © 2005 JERPAT All statements made in this newsletter are not legal advisement or endorsement of a product. All information provided in this newsletter is strictly opinions and suggestions of the Virtual Insider writers. JERPAT Virtual Assistants and the writers for Virtual Insider cannot be held liable.
Missed one of our past issue? Click here
to view our archive. Letters from Legaltypist
"Letter from the Editor" by Patty Benton jerpatvas@comcast.net *********************************************** Dear Readers, Welcome back to another edition of Virtual Insider! It has been an exciting month for me. With the baby growing, I have gotten 2 ultra sounds. My daughter is “talking” to the baby and “hugging” and “kissing” it. This month we are talking about the never ending issue of managing our time. You may seem to get it under control one week, and then lose control for another month. Our writers have put together some tips and ideas to help you get your time management together so you can be more productive. Be sure to visit our Advertisement contest to see the testimonies of some of our readers from their homework last month. Also visit the featured reader to learn more about our subscriber Jackie Aurand. Be sure to send in questions or comments to newsletter@jerpat.org. God bless, Patty
Please send newsletter questions, comments, and ideas to "Questions, Comments, and Ideas" at newsletter@jerpat.org.
"Company News " *******************
JERPAT Virtual Assistants Owned and Operated by Patty Benton www.moretime4u.org and www.virtualvacoach.com Our new domain name is scheduled to be up on August 20th. Please be sure to visit our new domain at www.moretime4u.org.
Legaltypist Owned and Operated by Andrea Cannavina Legaltypist, Inc. added a new service offering last month: English/Spanish transcription; added two new clients; and learned that a Treo 600 can act as a modem for laptop internet access anywhere (no need to find a "hot spot") :).
ePro Virtual Services, Inc. Owned and Operated by Vivi Gonzalez No news this month.
Ennen's Computer Services Owned and Operated by Diana Ennen No news this month.
"Spotlight Feature" Dr. Donald E. Wetmore http://www.balancetime.com ************************************************************* TIME MANAGEMENT HORSE SENSE Every horse race has a first place winner and a runner-up, second place contender. It is not uncommon for the first place horse to earn twice the prize as the second place finisher. Curiously, the number one horse did not have to run twice as fast or go twice as far as the competition to get twice the money. It only had to be a nose ahead of the competition to reap twice the rewards. Time management, personal productivity, and success in life are a lot like the horse race metaphor. To get twice as much in life, in any of our many dimensions, health, family, financial, intellectual, professional, social, and spiritual, we do not have to double our effort and input. We only need to get a nose ahead of where we are now to realize significant increases in our results. Five suggestions, when applied, can help us to get a "nose ahead." First, plan your day, every day, preferably, the night before. Then, when arriving at work, there is a plan of action to direct us forward. Without a plan, temptations may draw us into unproductive avenues where we may serve the loudest voice that demands our time rather than dealing with the most productive opportunity. A simple plan consists of a list of all the items we ideally might want to accomplish during the next day. Prioritize those items in order of their importance. (#1 for most important, #2 for next most important, etc.) Begin the most important item first, then go to the next most important item, etc. Typically, it is unlikely that all items on the list will be completed, but that is fine. Success has little to do with how much was left undone at the end of the day but, rather, what was actually accomplished. We will always leave undone more than we do get done simply because we all have more to do than time permits which says a lot of good things about how good we really are, to have so much entrusted to us by so many! Second, overplan your day to take advantage of "Parkinson's Law" which teaches that, "a project tends to take the time allocated for it." If you give yourself one thing to do during the day, it will likely take all day to complete it. If you give yourself two things to do during the day, you will likely accomplish both. If you give yourself twelve things to do during the day, you may not get all twelve done, but you may complete seven or eight items. Having a lot to do creates a healthy sense of pressure on us to naturally become better time managers. With a lot on our plate, we tend to be more focused, we tend to suffer interruptions less so, and we delegate better. Third, work with a clean desk and work environment. There is truth in the saying, "Out of sight; out of mind." Equally true is the reverse, "In sight; in mind." When items are in our field of vision, we cannot help but be distracted and pulled in the wrong direction where we may major in the minors, busy all day long, but accomplishing little of significance. Fourth, restrict meetings. During any typical business day, there are reportedly 17 million meetings being conducted in the United States. A meeting is two or more people getting together to exchange common information. Simple enough, but probably one of the top institutional time wasters. Always ask, "Do I contribute anything to this meeting?" and "Do I get anything of value from this meeting?" If the answer to both questions is "no," try to find a way out of attending the meeting. Finally, handle paper just once. Get out of the "shuffling blues" when paper is looked at and relooked at again and again while deadlines slip through the cracks as we get buried under a blizzard of paperwork. As you encounter each new piece of paper, if it can be responded to quickly, in a minute or less, respond then and there. If it will require a longer effort, schedule it for a time when you will get to it and then put it away.
Common sense ideas. That's what horse sense is, yes? Enjoy the race. If this article has been useful to you, we have prepared an additional article entitled, "The Tools for Increasing Employees’ Productivity". It’s free. To get yours, email your request for "tools" to:ctsem@msn.com Would you like to receive free Timely Time Management Tips on a regular basis to increase your personal productivity and get more out of every day? Sign up now for our free "TIME MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION LIST". Just go to: http://www.topica.com/lists/timemanagement and select "subscribe". We welcome you aboard!
Dr. Donald E.
Wetmore-Professional Speaker Copyright 1999 You may re-print the above information in its entirety in your publication, newsletter, or on your webpage. For permission, please email your request for "reprint" to: ctsem@msn.com
"Virtual Insider" by Patty Benton jerpatvas@comcast.net ************************************************ 5 Tips to Successful Time Management
Could you do with another hour added to your day? How about 10? Well, unless you are magical, this isn’t going to happen, so you need to learn how to squeeze every second out of your day. This doesn’t mean packing your schedule so full you are exhausted. It means planning your time, so that you get the most out of it. It means finding balance. This does not mean giving up your free time, but planning it. Here’s a plan to get you started: Make a schedule. Outline in detail how you will spend every hour of the day. I schedule in blocks of time for my family, and blocks of time for work. I do this in Outlook and set reminders for things I forget (like marketing). With my work blocks, I get specific and add time to work on marketing, meetings, and such. With family time, I only make note if there is something already planned. Otherwise, I like to leave that time open for whatever we feel like doing. Usually, my rest falls in my family time. Stick to your schedule. Hey, I know things come up, so I’m not telling you to tell your sick child that they have to take care of themselves for the next 3 hours because you are scheduled to work. What I am telling you is to stick to your schedule 99% of the time (the 1% is for that flexible time). If your child wants to go to the zoo, but you don’t have that planned until Wednesday, let them know that right now is time for you to work, but on Wednesday you can go to the zoo. Make a to do list. Every time I think of something that needs to be done, I add it to my task list in Outlook. Then, when I sit down for my blocks of time, I look at my task list and see what falls under what my time is blocked for. This makes sure that I am not sitting around trying to figure out what to do, or trying to remember what it was I wanted to do. It keeps me on my toes, and gets things done much quicker. Be willing to change your schedule. As your life changes, so will your schedule. Be flexible enough to change it, but be fair to yourself and your family when you change it. For example, I have small children, so my schedule is based on their schedule. My day work time is during nap time for them. When they were smaller and took 2 naps (aahh, that was the days), then I had 2 blocks for nap. But, yes, they eventually stopped with 2 naps, and now I had to make one long block. A lot is packed into those 2 hours. I make sure that I take care of business that can’t be done in the evening. Client calls and emails that need a response. Research that needs phone calls done, etc. Enjoy yourself. Don’t make your schedule so rigid there is not time for play. Schedule that time for play. Hey, I have an hour a day set aside to watch Days of Our Lives (no jokes please). I tape it, and then when it is convenient for me and my schedule, I take the time to relax and watch it.
Now that I have said all this, be flexible in your schedule and if the sun is out, go to the park and feed the birds. Just make sure to take care of yourself, and take care of all your “obligations” by being wise about your time.
Patty Benton is the owner of JERPAT Virtual Assistants and JERPAT Web Design, www.moretime4u.org, which provides affordable administrative and web design support to coaches, small businesses, religious organizations, and realtors. Additionally, Patty is a coach for new entrepreneurs interested in venturing into the virtual assistance industry. She has developed a program that is affordable for all. Visit her coaching site at www.virtualvacoach.com for program details and great business resources. If you would like to receive Patty's articles and other tips in your mailbox every month, you can sign up at www.mortime4u.org/home.html. © 2005 JERPAT Virtual Assistants You have permission to reprint this article electronically or in print, as long as the text and byline remain unedited. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.
“Newsletter Ad Swap” *************************
Correction to Last Month’s Swap-please note the archive address is
corrected:
"Virtual Basics" by Diana Ennen DeeEnnen@aol.com ******************************************** Time Management -- Friend or Foe?
As I write this article I’m sitting here with a desk that even a bulldozer couldn’t save, a stack of e-mails to respond to that soon will surely topple 6 figures, and a to-do list that’s turned into the size of a manual. But ... that’s okay ... I achieved a couple goals this summer and was able to let the kids stay home with me the majority of the summer. Summer camp just didn’t work this year. Best yet, I’m on top of this time management thing ... Well almost.
In order to make time management a better friend for me, I needed to get better rewards from it. Try these and see if they work for you.
1. Think of Time as Money: Sounds pretty basic and overdone I know, but try applying it to your business. The next time you spend that extra 15 minutes on an instant message or phone call, apply a cash figure to it. Let’s say, you make $40 an hour, that call was $10.00. Was it worth it? 2. Write it down: What? Everything. Thoughts for your next business promotion. Thoughts on how to “wow” your new client with additional services you provide they might not know about. Notes you just received on the phone about pick-up times for the kids, etc. I have a spiral notebook right by me and it saves me hours looking for a little piece paper that I used to write things on. Also, write a separate To-Do List. A Goals List. A Motivation List. And utilize your Daytimer for all appointments. As a writer, you can imagine how key this is for me. 3. Put Your Thoughts In the Right Place/Focus: Now that you’ve written them down, schedule a time each week or every other week to put them in the appropriate place. Do you realize how much time you spend dreaming and planning. This is part of being a business owner and I encourage it fully! Never stop dreaming!! But dream at the right scheduled time. Believe me you can develop this habit, but it takes practice. When you have work to be done, you need to stay focused on the job at hand. By jotting down your ideas, knowing you will get back to them, you save time now, and also later by not taking up time thinking .. what was that great idea I had last week? 4. Reward yourself often. I’m too good at this. Iced coffee for me. Find something for you. When you have successfully kept your desk organized, your time managed, your clients happy and your kids fed, smile and say, “Hey I did it.” You’ll find you’ll want to get that feeling again, so you’ll hard the next day to accomplish things again.
See, even time management can be fun. I hope you all are enjoying your summer and business is thriving! Till Next Month -- Diana
Diana Ennen is the co-author of Up Close and Virtual: A Practical Guide to Starting Your Own Virtual Assistant Business and Words From Home: How To Start and Operate a Home-Based Word Processing Business. She also operates the Virtual Word Publishing website (www.virtualwordpublishing.com), which is geared toward helping others start their own VA business by providing the necessary tips, articles, links, a directory, etc. She is the president of Ennen's Computer Services and can be reached at DeeEnnen@aol.com. In order to use this article in other publications you MUST include this text box.
“Letters from Legaltypist” by Andrea Cannavina Andrea@Legaltypist.com ********************************************************
One of the most difficult aspects of running my own business, I find, is time management. When I worked at brick and mortar law firms, I would work certain hours and each evening before leaving for home, I would clean up and clear off my desk, organizing what was left over for the next workday.
Now that my office is located in my home (and I have clients from different time zones) I am always “in” and generally work on and off throughout the day and evening. With no defined start or end to my day, I got out of the habit of cleaning my desk at the end of the day and instead began working by the “that which is MOST urgent” rule.
For several years, I ran Legaltypist in this fashion. In fact, it was just this past Spring that I committed to finding methods to make my time more productive and take back some semblance of control in my work life. What I have developed to date works for me, however, I will admit that it is a work in process. Here are a few suggestions:
Develop a To Do or Other “List” System – There is just too much to do when you are the business owner. Therefore, whether you write it on a brightly colored pad on your desk, dictate it, enter it into a PDA/calendar, or leave post its all over the place, you must write down all the tasks that require your attention. Once you have a list, you can look at all your tasks and determine which is most important, next important, etc.
Consistency Rules - In any business there is a certain amount of repetition. Develop a checklist for each of your recurring processes such as adding a client, publishing a newsletter, subcontracting out work, speaking with a new prospect, etc. When you encounter a repeated process, you can save time by simply following your checklist.
Technology Keeps You Sane - Implement technological solutions wherever possible (i.e., auto responders) and use each software application you own to its fullest. For instance, if your accounting software provides a contact manager or your e-mail comes with a calendar and to do list, use them. Not only will you save money, but you will save the time it takes to enter the same information into different programs.
End Each Day the Same Way – review what is left on your desk and pile it by level of importance. If time permits, leave yourself a note as to where to pick up on each project, any matters which require your immediate attention or outstanding calls you need to return. If you test only one of my suggestions, I recommend this one for several reasons:
· It eliminates a great deal of wasted time each morning trying to determine where you are or what you need to work on first; · It provides a roadmap for you to follow throughout your day; · It makes you feel good (at least it makes me feel good) to have a clean desk each morning. Finally, remember you cannot “manage” time, time just is. You have to manage yourself to make the best use of your time. Time Management is one of those aspects of business ownership where everyone could use some improvement – so jump on in, read everything you can on the subject matter, grab a system you think will work for you and give it a try.
Until next month……… Virtually yours, Andrea
Andrea Cannavina is the President of Legaltypist, Inc., www.legaltypist.com, a company which provides secretarial outsourcing and off site transcription to sole practitioners and small-mid sized law firms located throughout North America. Andrea is the Coordinator of the AskAPro section of the Virtual Business Group (www.virtualbizgroup.com), and serves on the By Laws Committee of the International Virtual Assistants Association (www.ivaa.org). To contact Andrea directly, please e-mail her at Andrea@Legaltypist.com, or visit her website at www.legaltypist.com. In order to use this article in other publications you MUST include this text box.
********************* Jackie Aurand Admin Wizard
Jackie Aurand, Admin Wizard Founder and President, has extensive experience in administrative/executive support. During her 20-year career, Ms. Aurand has worked with executives in the fields of law, accounting, insurance, communications, engineering, healthcare, as well as state and federal governments, authors, politicians and several international companies. She has worked with top-level managers and presidents of large companies. "After working as an Executive Assistant for 20 years, I found myself looking for a job when we moved to upstate New York," Jackie says. "At that time, I decided to use the skills and experience I had acquired to start my own virtual assistance business. I had considered doing that for a few years, and the timing seemed right. I wanted the independence to choose who I work with and the projects I take on, while having the freedom of working from home."
As the owner of a unique business, I’ve been interviewed by the Syracuse Post-Standard and a local TV station (the TV interview is on my website). I was thrilled recently to have CNY Business Journal name Admin Wizard as one of the top-ranked women owned businesses in central New York!
I offer a wide range of services: business correspondence and transcription, database management, desktop publishing, event planning, Internet research, large mailings, newsletters, PowerPoint presentations, project management, spreadsheets, and travel arrangements. One area I excel in is trade shows. I can handle all the details (arranging the booth space, assuring all materials are on hand, travel arrangements, hotel accommodations, etc.), so the client just has to be there. If they need someone to represent their business, I can do that also. Something else I offer is personalized letters from Santa, mailed from the North Pole. For real estate professionals, I offer the following services: Mail open house invitations and Just Listed and Just Sold cards; maintain client database; purchase closing gifts; create flyers, brochures & marketing materials; schedule appointments; prepare relocation packages; coordinate closings; newsletters; and trade show representation.
I've been married for 22 years to a wonderful, kind, supportive husband who still makes each day fun and interesting. We live in Syracuse, NY, which has been named the snowiest city in the country! We have one daughter and two grandchildren. We both enjoy the outdoors and when we aren't cross country skiing, we are busy gardening. I love working as a VA and am especially thankful for the outstanding support of my fellow VAs. If I can be of help to any VAs or their clients, please contact me at my website, www.adminwizard.biz.
“Advertisements” ********************
Virtual Accuracy “Assistance for Coaches.com” is a full service VA firm specializing in providing administrative, executive and technical support to members of the coaching industry. VATraining.com, a coaching and mentoring program for Virtual Assistants, was recently released as a new division of Virtual Accuracy. For more information, please visit http://www.VirtualAccuracy.com or http://www.VATraining.com.
I took your advice and decided to take a break for gardening. I love to be outside in good weather and gardening is one of my passions. First I did a brief tour of the flower and vegetable gardens. The flowers are doing so well and look beautiful with the gravel path going through the middle of the garden. The colors contrast nicely with the small statues placed throughout the flower garden. Then on to the vegetable garden. I noticed small watermelons forming, and the tomatoes will soon be ripe. While weeding, I sat down to eat a small sweet banana pepper right in the garden! I listened to the birds chirping and watched two squirrels chasing each other through the yard and up a tree. Taking time for myself is a great idea and I plan to make it a habit. Jackie Aurand Admin Wizard
In an effort to have more “me” time, since I work and live with my husband and son 24/7, I decided to have GIRLS NIGHT on Wednesday nights. Sonja and I get together at a local coffee shop and cackle…it’s a hoot! It is an unbelievably refreshing time for the two of us and we have gotten much closer because of it. Not to mention my energy level is much higher from this mid-week pick-me-up. I might be in the minority, but I believe that “Work/Life Balance” is a myth. While I don’t believe that true work/life balance can occur, I am a firm believer that we can trick the system. As entrepreneurs it is just fact that we live, breath and eat our work. There is no way around it. But we can take a few hours for ourselves and set firm boundaries in our personal and professional lives. – Becki Noles Virtual Accuracy
“What’s Coming Next Month” ********************************** In the next issue of Virtual Insider (September 15, 2004) we will be writing about what’s on our minds. Each writer will be choosing something they have been wanting to write, and will be sharing their thoughts. Please be sure to send your questions and ideas on this topic to newsletter@jerpat.org.
Additional Newsletter Information If you would like to subscribe to our newsletter, please visit us at www.moretime4u.org/home.html.
All statements made in this newsletter are not legal advisement or endorsement of a product. All information provided in this newsletter is strictly opinions and suggestions of the Virtual Insider writers. JERPAT Virtual Assistants and the writers for Virtual Insider cannot be held liable.
JERPAT Virtual Assistants always welcomes article suggestions from our readers, although we cannot promise to print everything submitted. Because of our publishing schedule, we are not able to announce time-sensitive events; however, if there is an upcoming conference or newsworthy event please be sure to submit it, and we will do our best to validate and publish the event WHEN POSSIBLE. While we often mention commercial products, publications, and web sites, JERPAT Virtual Assistants and affiliates does not accept or reprint unsolicited advertising copy. Send your article suggestions to the editor at jerpatvas@comcast.net.
Contact: Patty Benton 303.766.3051 9 am-5 pm MST Monday-Friday
© 2005 JERPAT No part of this newsletter may be reproduced unless specified in the authors byline. Please respect all guidelines provided by our writers. If there are no guidelines provided for a section of this newsletter you would like to reproduce, please send print request to jerpatvas@comcast.net.
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