Delegate or Drown

Why waste your precious time working on tasks, which are definitely not your forte when you can delegate or invest your money on a product or service which will free up your time? You can then focus on the more important areas in your work and your life.

Debbie's Story

Debbie was the Director of her own computer company, employing four staff.

Debbie had a hectic lifestyle. She worked long hours, had three children and a husband to organise and on top of that was in the middle of a major renovation of her own home. To make matters even worse, she was also studying for a Bachelor of Computer Science!

No wonder she was stressed out!

Here was a situation where she had overburdened herself unnecessarily. She had far too much going on in her life and something was about snap!

Debbie was unable to sleep properly with all the worry and strain of juggling everything and had neglected her own self in the process.

Debbie looked tired and haggard when I first met her. She was 15 kg overweight and looked at least 10 years older than she really was. She had lost touch with what was really important to her. Debbie was trying to be superwoman!

She had taken on far too much and was forced to review her lifestyle (or lack of it) or she would either have a nervous breakdown or die in the process.

The Solutions

In working with my clients I always get them to write down all the activities and responsibilities they are currently involved in, both at work and home.

By writing them down you can clearly see what is really important and what isn't. You can also see where you fill up your day with unnecessary activity.

With Debbie there were many areas where she could free up her time to give her the time for herself as the number one priority and get some sanity back into her life.

Before Adding, Look at Subtracting

I suggested to Debbie that she needed to look at which activities and responsibilities she could defer, delete, delegate or outsource.

This is what she chose to do:

Defer her Computer Science Degree until the following year.

Organise a building company to project manage her home renovation. Up until that time she had been organising the whole project on her own!

Hire a babysitter with a car who could pick her kids up from school and run them around to their activities. The babysitter would also cook the dinner and do other light domestic duties.

Utilise her bookkeeper much more by delegating to her basic administration tasks, which she was very capable of doing. Her bookkeeper was only employed three days a week and was delighted to work an extra day assisting Debbie with other tasks.

Attend her local gym at 6.00 a.m. three mornings a week and once on the weekend. She also sought advice on her diet.

Within four weeks you could see the change in Debbie. She was more confident now that she has taken control of her situation. Her life was getting back on track!

The Final Word

It's really easy not to invest money in yourself.

Do you spend money on your car, your computer, your business, your home and other 'things' in your life?

Are you not worthy enough to invest in yourself? Is the price you pay for neglecting yourself really worth it?

What can you defer, delete, delegate or outsource so that you can have more time for living your life?

About The Author

Lorraine Pirihi, principal of The Office Organiser (<a href="http://www.office-organiser.com.au" target="_new">http://www.office-organiser.com.au</a>) is Australia's Personal Productivity Coach

Lorraine specialises in working with businesspeople showing them how to dramatically boost their productivity, reduce the stress and the mess in their lives and have more time for enjoying their life.

We Offer a Broad Range of Services and Products including:

Coaching for small business owners and professionals

Keynote presentations and workshops

Books, CD's, DVD's and on-line learning programs

Take action today! Contact Lorraine to discuss your specific needs at <a href="mailto:lorraine@office-organiser.com.au">lorraine@office-organiser.com.au</a>

Taking Time Off For Your Business

As a business owner, wouldn't it be great if you could take time off whenever you needed to? Unfortunately, most small business owners worry that the business will fall apart if they're not there to mind the store. Too often, they simply lack the appropriate resources for their business to keep going in their absence.

"Taking time off is as important as food," says Charles Tuttle, leader of a group of entrepreneurs in North Carolina. Don't worry if this statement raises a red flag for you. Although taking time off can be especially challenging and downright impossible sometimes, it's important to know that you can do something to make it happen. It takes deliberate work on your part and here are a few simple ideas to get you started.

Find a way to make work fun. If your work is stressful, build in laughter to ease the stress and tension. Take frequent breaks to stretch or breathe if you're sitting all day. Fun makes the passing of the day more enjoyable. Try it and watch your fabulous day unfold!

Take leisure time in smaller chunks. Look at opportunities to journal, meditate or read between appointments and activities. It may seem pointless but it goes a long way in developing your time management skills while caring for your need to unplug. Tap into a little bit of spare time in your productivity process. It's a great way to balance the scales in your favor!

Plan personal time on your calendar. Your calendar reflects your commitment to priorities or what's important in your life. Typically, if you set aside the time on your calendar, you will observe it. Plan, then act to ensure you're creating plenty of break time and doing something important in your life. You'll have a greater sense of integrity and accomplishment at the same time.

Consider taking time off on a weekday. Who said you can only have fun on the weekends? Take time off in the middle of the week or even at the beginning! You'll be surprised at how imaginative you'll become while creating your fun time.

Identify unconventional ways to take time off. Time off may mean snuggling on the couch in your favorite bathrobe. It may also mean turning the ringer on the phone off, turning the TV and radio off or going to a park to feed the ducks. Your assignment (should you choose to accept it) is to get away from your business ? whatever that means for you. Most entrepreneurs are in business because it offers freedom and flexibility so learn to capitalize on it!

Acknowledge yourself weekly for your accomplishments. What you do is hard work so pat yourself on the back for it! Select rewards that nurture and care for you like a facial, manicure, massage or other spa treatment. Treat yourself to a movie or read a good book. The more you acknowledge your progress, the more you'll enjoy the journey!

Reward yourself for completed projects. You deserve a reward for completing the big projects in your business. Accordingly, let the reward match the milestone you reach when you complete a project. Plan a day trip, weekend getaway, or seven-day cruise. Whatever you enjoy, these are moments to treasure. Establish your reward at the beginning of the project so you'll have an incentive to motivate to move you forward.

These are a few simple ideas to help you practice taking time off from your business. Remember, whether you're just starting, squeezing a few moments out here and there or in full throttle, taking time off is good not only for you. It's great for your business, too!

Wendy Y. Bailey is a Personal and Business Coach with Brilliance In Action, a professional coaching organization that helps women entrepreneurs, business owners and business professionals blend their personal and business lives. For more information, visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.ebrilliance.net/">www.ebrilliance.net</a>

Time Management: Setting up your Schedule for Success

Would you describe yourself as extremely busy? Do you often feel tired and stressed out? Sometimes our ambition is our worst enemy. Many of us with big goals try to do way too much. We spread ourselves a mile wide and an inch deep. We are involved in many different things, but aren't excelling at any one thing. Beware of mediocrity. Most of us want greatness. If that describes you, then you must prioritize your endeavors and adjust your schedule accordingly. Assess your current schedule. Make a list of everything in your life that takes time. This includes school, work, extracurricular activities, sleeping, eating, studying, exercising, talking on the phone, hanging out with friends, chores, bathing, etc. List EVERYTHING. Then note how many hours per week you need for each item to do it well. Add up the hours. While there are only 168 hours in a week, many of us need two or three times that to accommodate our schedule. This is where stress and mediocrity come from. Make your list again, but this time, find a way to limit yourself to 168 hours. There are only two ways to do this: reduce the number of weekly hours per item, or reduce the number of items. I recommend the latter. Cutting activities you enjoy out of your life can be painful, but it's necessary.

Then, to work more efficiently, try some of the following tips:

1. Make a daily to-do list. This will help you organize your day and prevent you from forgetting important tasks.

2. Prioritize your to-do items. Some tasks are not as critical as others. Assign each task an A, B or C rating. A items are important tasks that must get done right away. B items are important, but not as important as A items. C items are things that need to get done at some point, but there's no rush. Once you've assigned a rating to each task, re-write your to-do list with all the A items on top (in order of importance), then the B and C items. Complete the A items first. This may seem obvious, but think about how many times you've put off an important (sometimes unpleasant) task so you could call a friend, clean your room or do something else that really didn't need to happen at that time. Stick to what's important.

3. Group similar activities together. Make all your phone calls at once. Run all your errands at once. Transitioning from one type of activity to another takes time, so group like to-do items together and complete them at the same time.

4. Overlap. Sometimes you can do two things at once. For example, you can read while you do the laundry. You can write a letter while you're on the bus. Be careful about doing multiple tasks if one of them requires your focus.

5. Identify and avoid time wasters. We all have them. I like to check my email. Some people like to take unnecessary naps. Some people look for things to clean and organize as an excuse not to work. See what you do that wastes your time and stop doing it.

6. Identify and avoid distractions. My cat likes to jump onto my lap when I work. Some people work with music on, but then start singing. Maybe your phone rings a lot and you always answer. Eliminate these distractions when you need to get stuff done.

7. Find a good place to work. See where you're most productive and focused.

8. Organize your workspace.

9. Keep flat surfaces clean.

10.Use an effective filing system. Make sure you know where everything is.

11.Take pit stops. Sometimes taking a 5 minute snack break or a 60-second breathing break can re-energize you and improve your efficiency.

12.Do more during your most productive hours. Some of us are morning people while others are night owls. Work during your best time. Many people think they must work harder to be successful. In most cases, they just need to work smarter. Take time to manage time. Otherwise, it will manage you.

Motivational speaker Scott Greenberg gives live presentations and workshops all over America. For more information on Jump Start Performance programs and leadership books, visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.scottgreenberg.com">www.scottgreenberg.com</a>.

Organize Your Time

Most people want to start a home-based business to make more money to supplement their income. The issue though, is finding the time to make this happen.

Most people are busy, with family, an existing job, and the general feeling that there are not enough hours in a day.

However, extra time to start a home-based business project can almost always be found. It may mean giving up or changing a few of your favorite pastimes, like watching TV but if you become successful with your home-based business project, you will have all the time you want for doing whatever you want to do.

The first thing you need to do is take inventory of your daily schedule. What time do you wake up? Then step-by-step, list everything you do each day. Most people will find that they have about three hours each day that can be utilized in a more constructive or efficient manner. As noted above, you may have to give up a few television programs you watch, but it will be worth it in the long run.

Time management is about planning you're time efficiently, and following that plan effectively. Start by making a list of the things you want to accomplish the following day, each evening before you go to bed. Try to consolidate your trips to the grocery store with the pick up of your children for example.

Organize your trips to take care of as many tasks as possible while you're out of the house. Take stock of the time you spend standing around shooting the breeze with a friend or neighbour, or the time you spend talking on the telephone. Eliminate all that isn't absolutely necessary.

When you have chores to do around the house, set aside a specific time to do them, and a specific amount of time to devote to them. For example, just one hour a day devoted to laundry or dusting and vacuuming should be sufficient to make your household clean and liveable. Don't try to do a week's work in one day. Whether it's painting your house, fixing leaky faucets, or mowing your lawn and trimming your shrubs, do a part of it, or one particular job each day, and you'll be amazed at your progress.

Take care of all your mail and emails the day you receive it. Don't let those bills and letters pile up, or leave a potential client waiting for your reply to an email.

The important thing is to think of time as your most valuable asset, because it is. So organize! Decide what you have to do, and what you want to do. From there, it's just a matter of arranging priorities.

Once you start listing and planning what you want to do, and then carry out your plans, you'll find plenty of "extra time" for handling virtually any kind of home-based business project.

The secret of all successful people is simply that they are organized and do not waste time. These people wake up each morning ready to seize the day. You should be no different.

Review your own activities, and then see if you can't find a couple of extra hours in each day to devote to your home-based business.

You should plan your work the same as you have planned your regular day-to-day activities, on a time-efficient basis. Do what has to be done immediately. However, don't try to do what would normally take you a couple of days in an hour. Once again plan out what you have to accomplish, what you want to accomplish, and when you are going to get it done. Then get right on each project without procrastination.

Finally, and above all else, when you're organizing your time and your business, be sure to set aside some time for relaxation. Be sure to schedule time when you and your family or significant other can be together. This is very important if you hope to be successful.

Taking inventory of the time you waste each day, and restructuring your activities into your money making venture is powerful stuff. It's a matter of managing your time more efficiently. It's really easy to do, and you will not only accomplish a lot more, you will also find greater fulfillment in your life. Best of luck.

Copyright 2004 Dirk Wagner

About The Author

Dirk Wagner is CEO and owner of <a href="http://team4success.biz" target="_new">http://team4success.biz</a> and the free, easy to install #1 home business toolbar with automated updates.A website dedicated to helping the home-based business entrepreneur start and succeed with there very own home-based business.

Time Management -- Urgent vs. Important

&quot;It's just been one of those days?I can't seem to get anything done! I've got way too many things on my &quot;To-Do List&quot;. Oh the list started out innocently enough as a single handwritten column on one sheet of lined paper; but now it's grown to a three-column table in a spreadsheet software program! I get no satisfaction from checking off each item as I finish it. For each task I complete, at least two more are added. I began my work day at 6:30 AM with grandiose plans of completing a special project before Noon. Now it's 16 hours later (10:30 PM) and I still have not finished the project. My anxiety and frustration are mounting. Tomorrow's list has already been written and it does not include the things left undone from today's list! I don't know if I'm going to make it through the week with all of the demands upon my time and energy. I need help?quickly!

A Juggling Act

I wrote the above entry in my journal several days ago. What a day that was! How about you?been there lately?

Life can be such a juggling act. Like professional jugglers, we try to keep 5 or 6 balls moving through the air at the same time. But unlike professional jugglers, we rarely succeed.

Everyone is so busy these days. Work is performed at a frantic pace and people are in such a hurry. There is an air of impatience and intolerance-a lot of frenetic darting to and fro that is almost out of control. It's very difficult to keep your priorities in line when life is so fast paced. But the negative consequences of so much activity-stress, damaged or broken relationships, poor health---can wreak more havoc than what we think we will gain.

The Urgent

I tried for years to use a paper-based time management system with columns similar to this: &quot;Must Do?Need to Do...Like to Do&quot;. I'm sure you've used something like this (maybe even now). The problem I encountered was that I never seemed to get around to doing much in the &quot;Like to Do&quot; column, which was very discouraging. The &quot;Must Do and Need to Do&quot; items consumed all of my time.

So I switched to a simpler paper-based system with the following columns, &quot;Urgent&quot; and &quot;Important&quot;. Now, I was sure to spend my time wisely. Unfortunately, I found out that the urgent things monopolized my time and pushed the important things to the back-burner.

Here are three examples of &quot;The Urgent&quot;:

<ul> <li>Pressing or burning imperatives that must be completed immediately.</li>

<li>Critical or vital tasks that someone else insists be performed without delay.</li>

<li>Unrelenting and persistent routine demands on your time.</li> </ul>

The Important

&quot;The Urgent&quot; often masquerades as &quot;The Important&quot;. However, not everything we do is important. To identify what's important to you requires that you answer three questions:

<li>Will the activity I am about to participate in make a significant and lasting positive impact on others?</li>

<li>Is what I am about to do an unselfish act that will bring happiness or joy to others?</li>

<li>Do my actions and activities promote balance in my life or are they all-consuming?</li>

The Bottom Line

Identifying &quot;The Important&quot; requires focus-a concentration of energy, effort, and thought. &quot;The Important&quot; is where you should spend most of your time. Now, before you send me screaming emails, I don't mean that you shouldn't address &quot;The Urgent&quot;. Instead, consider the following:

Focus on &quot;The Important&quot;!

Priority is the key to managing &quot;The Urgent&quot; and focusing on &quot;The Important&quot;. Before you leap to complete a task, take a few moments to think about its true priority. Does it need to be done right at this moment, or is there something else on your list that should come first?

While others may demand that everything on your To-Do List must be done immediately, you and only you can really determine what should be done first, second, third, etc. (It's not possible to do everything at once; priority must be given to each item).

Today, I've taken a dose of my own medicine and committed to focusing on &quot;The Important&quot;. So far, I've accomplished at least one thing that will have a significant and positive impact on others-finishing this article.

Althea DeBrule, entrepreneur and seasoned human resources executive, has focused for more than 30 years on helping people achieve their career goals. Creator of The Extreme-Career-Makeover? and a founding partner of RADSGroup Organizational Consultants, she is recognized for her bottom line and practical application of career development and management strategies in a way that penetrates hearts and compels action. She speaks and teaches with inspired talent, humor and contagious zeal at management conferences and leadership retreats nationwide, and has been featured in CFO Magazine, Strategy@Work, Human Resource Executive Magazine. Althea is the author of Bosses & Orchards, a compelling and candid book about how to make your work relationship with your boss succeed.

To discover how you can take your career to a new level, visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.extreme-career-makeover.com/">http://www.extreme-career-makeover.com/</a>

Time Management: How to Stay Motivated and Get More Done

If you can motivate yourself at will to get any task done, you'll have taken a huge step towards managing your time better. There are several practical ways to increase your motivation.

There are a couple of facts to remember about human beings in general. One, newness is a great spur to motivation. Think about when you took up a new job. Everything was fresh and you applied yourself to your work with great enthusiasm.

But that wore out after a few weeks or months. You settled down into a routine and work become dull and uninteresting again. That's because you lost your sense of newness.

The second thing to remember is that while the human mind can accomplish a stunning range of tasks, the same mind is also easily distracted. Some studies show that the average person's attention span does not exceed 35 minutes or so. Others claim it's even less.

This tendency to get distracted easily is a key reason why we often have a hard time motivating ourselves to do a task.

With that in mind, here are 8 things you can do to get and stay motivated.

#1. Recognize your penchant for getting distracted. Take short breaks every half an hour or so; walk away from your workstation. Experiment and find out the optimum length of time you can work before you need a break. You'll find your motivation goes up during the time you stay at the task.

#2. To satisfy your need for freshness and change, alternate between two tasks. If you keep at a single task for too long, you're almost certain to lose motivation.

You can even exchange specific tasks with another colleague, if your work situation permits it.

#3. It has been shown that soft music, especially baroque music, is a great aid to work. If possible, arrange for background music at your workplace.

#4. Make your work environment more appealing by using humorous posters (like those 'Dennis the Menace' posters) to make you smile. Have several available and once in a while, change the posters.

#5. On a related note, potted plants can be great stress relievers. Place one or two around your workstation. Do water them as needed; wilted plants are no good!

# 6. Create a list of the most important tasks you need to do the next day. Prioritize the list. And keep working in the order of your priorities. Being able to check off the most important items for each day is in itself a terrific motivator.

#7. Anytime you feel the stress getting to you or if you feel particularly distracted, just lean back in your chair and close your eyes for a minute or two. Hum a favorite tune softly. If you can't relax in your chair, go to the restroom and do so.

#8. Implement a reward system for yourself. Decide in advance what you'll reward yourself with when you complete certain tasks. It could be as small as an inexpensive trinket from a gift shop or a chocolate bar. It could even be a stroll in a nearby park.

Don't neglect the reward routine. It's one of the best motivators there is.

Burt Carlson is a top corporate executive whose passion is helping people get more out of life by managing their time better. He has written on <a target="_new" href="http://www.time-management-facts.info">time management skills</a>, <a target="_new" href="http://www.time-management-facts.info/overcoming-procrastination.html">overcoming procrastination</a>, <a target="_new" href="http://www.time-management-facts.info/time-management-and-work.html">time management at the workplace</a> and many other topics.

Organization Tips That Add More Hours To Your Day

One of the most common complaints that small business owners have is lack of time. What most don't realize, however is that their lack of time stems from a lack of organization. But with a few simple tips - that you can implement immediately - you can literally add hours to your day.

--- Putting Things In Their Place

First and foremost, you should live by the motto, "A place for everything and everything in its place". When you are finished with a piece of paper, a brochure or any other physical document - file it. What usually happens is that you finish using a piece of paper, "temporarily" put it in a stack and then have to spend two hours cleaning up after yourself once a week. Or, you may leave it in a stack and spend two hours a day digging through the mess to find what you need.

Create a filing system that works for you personally and then use it! Perhaps you'd like a filing cabinet? There are also expandable folders and numerous other filing systems. Choose the one you like, create a folder for it and put it where you can find it again if need be.

--- I'll Be Right There

How many times a day do you say (or think) that? Especially if you work from home, you probably have plenty of interruptions that take valuable time out of your day. If you're a work-at-home parent with young children, it may be a bit more difficult to end interruptions all together, but these tips will help.

1. Set "office hours". As much as possible, let your family know that between 8am and 11am, you'll be working. Then again from 1pm until 6pm you'll be "in your office".

(Or whatever hours work best for you.)

2. Ignore your email. Well, partially, anyway. Unless you're expecting some urgent message, don't stop what you're going to run check your messages each time you hear the "bell" ring. Decide on the time frame that works best for you and then check your email at certain times during the day. (Perhaps every three hours or so.) During the rest of your work time, turn your email software off so you can resist the temptation to check each message as it arrives.

3. Screen your calls. These days most people have voice mail or an answering machine. Unless you're expecting a call, let the machine get it. Just as with your email schedule, you can set aside time during the day to return calls. This is a great way to avoid telemarketers, too!

--- Automate and Delegate

When those routine tasks start taking up valuable money making time in your schedule, it's time to either automate or delegate.

It's all a matter of how you use your time - make money or waste money. You can earn money each hour by performing work or you can waste money by doing every little thing yourself. There are several options you can look into in this area.

Software - There is software available today that will do practically everything! GoldMine or ACT can automate almost all of your contact information, e-mailings, prospect follow-ups, appointments and much, MUCH more. Outlook is an exceptional 'Day Timer' type tool that can help with scheduling as well as email. SystemWorks can automatically maintain your computer's "inner workings" and automatically update your virus protection. There's a program to do practically anything you need.

Assistance - I know the first thing most small business owners scream is "I can't afford an assistant"! Maybe not one that comes to your home and spends eight hours a day with you, but you CAN afford a virtual assistant, a college or a high school student.

A virtual assistant is someone who handles projects or duties for you "virtually" from their computer. Perhaps you need to have a report proofread. Just email it to him/her and, once it's done, they'll email it back to you. Virtual Assistants can also schedule appointments, follow up with clients, return routine email inquiries and perform numerous other tasks.

You can also check with the career development or job placement offices of local high schools and colleges. They often have students who are willing to work in exchange for a small fee or for the experience itself.

Whatever you do - make the most of your time. Being unorganized not only wastes hours of your day that you could be making money, but it also is a tremendous stress producer. Getting your office, your schedule and your day in order can make for a much more fulfilling and profitable business.

Diane C. Hughes * ProBizTips.com

FREE Report: Amazingly Simple (Yet Super Powerful) Ways To Skyrocket Your Sales And Build Your Business Into A Tower of Profits! ==>> <a target="_new" href="http://madmarketer.com/diane">http://madmarketer.com/diane</a>