Setting Holiday Hours for Your Virtual Assistant Business

As a Virtual Assistant, once of my biggest challenges has been remembering to give myself regular time off throughout the year.

When I began my VA business, I was even guilty of working up to seven days a week. My reason, although not very sound, was, "The internet never sleeps, so how can I?" I had this idea that if I looked away from my computer screen for a nanosecond I might miss out on an opportunity I could never get back.

You can imagine how long it took until I completely burned out, and I was ready to throw my laptop and all my Virtual Assistant clients out the window!

Since that moment of crisis has passed, I've been pretty good at giving myself at least the weekends off. And I know it's been a healthy schedule change for me. I'm much more creative and more energized when I come back to work after a relaxing weekend away from the computer.

Something I haven't done as faithfully is give myself scheduled holidays - large blocks of time to get out of town, or just spend on things not business-related. I know it's important to set aside a few weeks each year to spend with my family. When I worked outside the home, it was those few weeks each year that made my job bearable.

But since I've been working at home, something has always held me back from giving myself regular vacations. I worry...

What if a client has an emergency and her business falls apart because she can't find me?

What if I miss out on a new client because I didn't get back to her in time, and she finds someone who responded more quickly?

What if my website has a technical problem or gets hacked when I'm not paying attention?

All these and myriad other concerns race through my mind whenever I think about taking a significant block of time off. But these year, I'm putting those worries aside and giving myself the holiday I need. I know when I come back, my business, myself, and all my clients will be much better for it.

Here is how I'm handling these nagging concerns.

Client emergencies. Are my clients' businesses really going to fall apart because I'll be unavailable to them for two weeks? In all honesty, I'm not THAT important. I'm giving them all a head's up that I'm going to be offline for some family time, so we can address any concerns before my vacation starts. But other than that, I think my online world might be just fine without me for 10 days or so.

New clients. It is possible that I might miss out on a new opportunity while I'm away. But if they're looking for someone to help them ASAP, is that person really a good fit for me? My ideal client plans ahead and takes her time considering whether I'm the ideal VA for her. I'm more interested in taking the time to build strong relationships than taking on a bunch of new clients I'm not 100% sure about.

I'll add an autoresponder to my email so potential clients will know I'm on vacation and will reply as soon as I come back. And if they can't wait until then, I'll know I haven't missed out on anything at all.

Techical problems. These are a little harder to escape. If I ran a brick and mortar business, I would have to have the building checked while I was away to make sure no one broke in, or that the plumbing didn't break. So, I'm going to pop by my websites and blogs during my vacation and make sure everything is still standing.

I'll be by a computer during my entire time off, so it won't be a problem to do so. If I was going to be traveling, I would just hire another Virtual Assistant to look after those things for me.

I'm really looking forward to my holiday this year! I hope these thoughts have inspired you to plan a vacation for yourself too. You know you deserve it. And although you'll be missed, the internet will go on without you!

My Personal Best (and Worst) of 2008

2008 has been quite a rollercoaster year for my Virtual Assistant business! At the beginning of the year, I still considered myself on sabbatical from the VA business I launched in 2005, and I wasn't even sure when I would be ready to return to work.

The end of 2008 finds me with an exciting year behind me.

• I'm involved again as a member and volunteer at VAnetworking.com, the very best place for successful and aspiring VAs online.
  
• I have amazing new clients, exciting new ideas of what a virtual assistant business can look like, (no more cookie cutter websites and businesses for me!)
• I'm a lot smarter and I have a much better sense of my direction than I did 10 or 11 months ago.
  

I also began this year with a renewed desire to treat my business like a "real" business. No more playing around and staying in the safe zone. I decided if this was ever going to become the business I want, I would have to be willing to invest real money, make strong commitments. I was ready to take risks - when I made mistakes, I wanted them to be big, but my successes would be even bigger.

This month, I'm taking some time to reflect on what I've done, what worked well, what was a miserable failure, and where I want to be by this time next year.

Over the next several days, I'll be sharing my best and worst moments of 2008 with you here. But before I start spilling all mine, I'd like to ask you about yours!

Here are some of the questions I've been asking myself. How would you answer them? If you'd like to share your answers below, I'd love to read them. I think we can all learn from each others' experiences.

What was your best decision?

What was your biggest mistake?

Best money spent?

Worst time waster?

What do you want to differently in 2009?

When It's Time to Turn Down the Perfect Project

Yesterday, I had to tell a prospective client that I was not the best choice for her next project. It really hurt me to do that, because this is someone I would LOVE to work with, and her project is a perfect fit for what I do.

One thing I have learned this year, though, is to manage my time carefully. If I don't value it, no one else will either.

These days, with my neck injury, I only have a few hours a week I can do any activity at all. I can choose to spend that time maintaining relationships with the wonderful clients I already have. Or I can put it all into a new client, a new project, and let everything else fall by the wayside.

I've decided for me, the right thing to do this time was to say no to this "perfect" project. Because if it was really a perfect project for me, the timing would be perfect too.

10 Tips to Grow Your Biz and Keep Your Sanity - #1

Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be sharing my top 10 tips of how to keep your sanity while still keeping up with your Virtual Assistant business. Even if you're just starting out, it's worthwhile to start structuring you day and developing routines, so you'll have them down pat when you need them.

Here's my first tip - feel free to add your own as we go along!

Set regular office hours.

When you work from home, "flexibility" can sometimes turn into "working all the time," if you let it. Start off right be setting regular office hours, and keeping them. Post them on your website and make your clients aware of what they are, so you don't get calls late at night, or on the weekend, if that's when you take your time off.

Declutter and Organize Your Home Office For Success

by Tammy Embrich

Is your work at home office space organized? Is your desk neat and tidy? Can you find specific business documents on your computer with ease?

Or...Are you completely distracted by the mess in front of you as you work? Are you overwhelmed with that home desk clutter?!

If you answered "no" to the first three questions and "yes" to the last two...you need a work at home office space overhaul. For some people, it is normal to have three or four stacks of paperwork scattered on top their desk.

While for others, those stacks of papers are a real eyesore! A messy, unorganized work area often makes you distracted and unfocused. It is a well-known fact that an organized home office always results in a more productive home business. That same organized work area also saves time and money.

For Example:

If you're wasting time constantly searching your computer for lost documents, doesn't this cost you time and money? The same goes for searching for that one piece of paper among the endless disorderly accumulation displayed in front of you.

So, wouldn't you much rather have a nice, organized home office with everything in it's place? Of course you would!

Unless...stacks of paper, lost documents on your desktop, and mounds of notes cluttering your desk is your cup of tea.

Below are just a few organization tips for your home business office:

1. If you don't own a file cabinet, it's best to invest in one. Obtain a good filing system. Keep a drawer for your household items and a drawer for your home business items. Always keep household and business separate.

2. Keep a business-to-do list on your desk at all times. Follow that list each and everyday, checking off tasks as they are completed. Make a list and stick to it.

3. Keep your files and documents in order on your desk top with their appropriate labels for ease of searching.

4. Set specific business hours. Set aside this time for your home business. Also set a specific time to do your household work. Sure, there will always be things that will come up...you have to run to the store and get milk, or you have to run to the vet. Always get right back on your schedule after these home chores are completed. No exceptions!

5. Look around your office. Is there anything on your desk, in your drawers, or up on a shelf that you don't have any use for anymore? If so, throw it out. Pitch anything you don't need or use. Why keep your work area cluttered with useless items?

6. Throw away junk mail immediately. Always keep a trash can by your desk.

7. You will always have a need for office supplies. But these items take up a lot of space. Invest in some drawer dividers for various different sized items. You can purchase drawer organizers at any office supply store. The idea is to declutter. And again, always throw out things you don't need.

8. If you're confined to a very small work area, you might consider purchasing a laptop. Laptops are getting cheaper by the dozen and they often come with good deals with rebates. Shop around, you may be surprised at what you can find.

Clutter doesn't have to completely destroy your day or your business. Take action and get organized. Don't put it off any longer, do it today! With some effort and a little creativity, you can have a more efficient work space.

Article written By: Tammy Embrich

Tammy is an Internet marketer and offers work at home free job leads, work at home articles, tips, and more. She is the owner of
Work At Home Opportunities
And owner of Real Work At Home Jobs

Tammy's two work at home websites focus on free telecommute job leads, work at home articles, and more.


Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Time Management Tips for Busy Businessowners

By Alicia Forest

Here's a question I get asked all the time:

"I don't know you how do it, Alicia...with two little ones to care for and so few hours in the day to actually focus on your work. Somehow you manage to write your weekly ezine, hold a bunch of teleseminars each month, run your 10-week group coaching program, AND be creating and promoting new offers and new products all the time. I'm so impressed and inspired by you, but more than that, I want to know how you do it all!?"

To be honest, sometimes I wonder myself! Something I often say to other, especially new, mothers is, "despite what everyone tells you to do, do whatever works for YOU." In a way, that's how I started running my business after I had my daughter. I just did whatever worked. I still do.

When she got a bit older, it was easier to manage both being a fulltime mother along with running a successful business. Then enter baby #2 and it was back to square one. It's not easy but it is possible. And here's what's really interesting (mompreneurs, take note): I'm making about $3k more each month since having my son - and I'm working LESS.

Click here to read the rest of the article...

Your Most Valuable Virtual Business Resource

You already know what your most valuable Virtual Assistant Resource is, don't you?

I didn't take care of mine today, and now I'm running low.

It's TIME!

What I try to do is plan my day before I log on to my computer, so I know what I have to get done, and don't get caught up surfing, or chatting in forums, or tweeting on twitter...

That's one of my favorite things about the Virtual Business Startup System. Tawnya Sutherland, the creator of the system, is a super-successful VA, so she knows exactly how valuable your time is. Everyday is broken into "tasks" for you to do, which helps keep you focused and on time... so you don't run out like I just did!

Time Management Tip - Turn Off Your Email Program

Here's one of my favorite time management tips - but it takes a lot of self control!

I turn off my email program.

When my email program is on all day, I seem to be always checking what's new. Usually, I'll find something more interesting to read than the project I'm currently working on... and then my schedule falls apart.

So, I now leave my email program turned off, and check it only twice a day.

To let my clients know I'm not ignoring them, I've put up an auto responder that lets them know I'm around, but I'm busy working on their project, and don't want to lose my focus. Here's what it says:

Thank you for contacting WAHM Articles.

This note is just to let you know I received your message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible, usually within one business day.

To help me keep my focus, I check my email only at 8 am and 3 pm Mountain Time, Monday - Friday. I am not online Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays. If you emailed during these times, I will get back to you as soon as possible the next day.

Blessings today,

Denise

It's amazing how much time this little trick can save! And my clients don't feel slighted because I've let them know I'm doing this so I can give them my best work.

Overcome Procrastination Immediately

by Debbie Proctor

There are many different reasons why people procrastinate. Some do so because they are afraid of making a mistake. Others are so detail oriented that they cannot complete a project because they need to keep looking at it for errors. Others are simply not disciplined and lack focus. Still others bite off more than they can chew. They have good intentions,but then find themselves overwhelmed and not be able to do anything.

There are solutions of how to overcome procrastination. Here are some tips on how to stop procrastinating and start doing:

Never Let Fear Rule Your Life

You are setting yourself up for failure. Ninety percent of what we fear never comes true. Some of us live nightmares in our head over and over.Stop being negative and thinking the worst case scenario all of the time and start doing.

Fear holds people back from truly living their dreams. It is the worst scourge imaginable and is more deadly than any disease. If you have an idea, dream or vision-do it! Do not fear being laughed at or failing. The difference between successful people and others is successful people take action.

Get Organized

Make a list of the things that you want to accomplish. Do this on paper. Then break it down to how much you can accomplish each day. By setting small goals for yourself, you cannot only gain discipline and focus, which will make your life easier, but you can also eliminate the feeling of being overwhelmed. Taking things one-step at a time is much easier than looking at the big project.

Realize That Nothing Is Perfect

Some people will go over and over the same thing to make it "perfect." They might even pride themselves as being a "perfectionist."This is not a good trait-it is a sign of insecurity and very annoying for anyone who is working with this person. You will never get anything done if you are constantly worried about things being perfect.

This doesn't mean that you should allow shoddy work to flow out from under, just that you have to let things go.You must be able to make a decision in order for your ideas to reach fruition. Otherwise, they are doomed to stay on the drawing board and you are doomed to a lifetime of procrastination.

Learn To Say No

This is a tough one. It can be hard to turn down work and projects,especially when you want to be successful. Learn either to say "no" occasionally, or employ others who will do the work for you.Learning to say "no" can be tough, especially for women who are taught as girls to be agreeable. However, if you can say yes all of the time,chances are that you will be overwhelmed and never get anything accomplished.

Are you ready to overcome procrastination? Let this be your pledge:

"I will not procrastinate today. It is unproductive. I have tasks to do, and I will write them down, so I can decide which of them needs to be done by noon. My goal is to finish at least 2 big tasks and 2 small ones."

Then remember these three little words: Do it now.



Debbie Proctor is an online marketing coach. Your success is her success. She teaches marketers how to effectively market any product or service with her online sales formula. Discover her secrets at:
http://www.themaptoperfectwealth.com

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

A Virtual Assistant's Work Day - Tips on Getting Up Early

Ask almost any Virtual Assistant how she (or he) manages her day, and she'll probably tell you she gets up and starts her business day before the rest of her family rises. That gives her a chance to read over any new work that came in overnight and plan her day.

I see a big difference in my own workday when I make myself get up before the kids, and before my clients start their days. If I give myself that extra time to prepare, I'm much more relaxed throughout the day, and get a lot more done.

The trouble is though, I'm not naturally an early riser. Even though I see the benefits of getting up early, I don't like to do it! If you're like me, the following article has some helpful tips on getting up early.

Tips on Getting Up Early by Amber Bishop

Getting up early is one of the secret weapons of the super successful. The saying goes “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise” - Ben Franklin. The reality is most people are not willing to do the work it takes to learn how to get up early. It is a skill or trait that can be learned and not a genetic disposition that some people are born with. In the following few paragraphs I will outline how you too can learn to be an early riser.

The first ingredient for successfully waking up early, is determining that you are going to do it. Your mind set in this has a lot to do with the outcome. But that is not all. There are some tips you can use to trick your body into cooperating with you. Like we stated before this is a skill that can be learned just like anything else, so we need to provide our body or our muscles some memory that allows it to act without thinking. Think about training for this event like you would a marathon. In time it will be second nature. As a home schooling, work at home mom with three young children, I have to wake early before the family to get prepared for our day. For years I had this goal in mind, but never had the reason to do it, until I started home schooling our children. It was at this point I realized for my own health as a person, I needed to create some space for me, and waking up early was the way I was going to get it.

Choose the determined time you would like to wake up. Then take about a week to work your way down to that time. If you are used to getting up at 7:00 don’t jump to 5:00 the very first day. Walk yourself down in half hour increments. Make sure you set your alarm clock across the room from your bed. That will force you to get up and actually turn it off. Once you are up, go directly to the bathroom and start brushing your teeth. This is where muscle memory comes in. Take a day or two and spend about a half hour at some point in the day, other than first thing in the morning and set your alarm. Lie down in bed, and wait for the alarm to go off. Once it goes off, get out of bed directly, shut it off and go to the bathroom and brush your teeth. Do this 4 or 5 times in a row for a few days and then see how easy it will be to wake at your early morning goal. You have provided your muscles with some memory.

Another helpful ally would be a friend who will get up early with you. See if you have any other friend in your circle that has the same goal. Use the mutual goal as a way to hold each other accountable. Start working out together first thing in the morning, or setting a time to IM about the things you want to accomplish on any given day. It always helps in the beginning of adding anything new into your life, to have a partner to help you along the way.

Once you have implemented you early morning routine, there is no need to go to bed super early. Just allow yourself to go to sleep when you feel tired, nothing more and nothing less. This way your body’s internal clock will begin to regulate itself and you will find yourself waking at the prescribed time without the need for an alarm clock.

Lastly, think of all of the wonderful things you will be able to accomplish in those few morning hours before the world is awake. Maybe you will begin to exercise again, or for the first time even. Possibly your business will begin to expand and take off, you will be more organized and understand why people are always saying that they accomplish more in those few hours in the morning then most people do all day.



Amber Bishop is the co-founder of http://www.smartmoms-smartbusiness.com and http://www.smartmoms.freeforums.org online resources for work at home moms. She is also the owner of http://www.homeschool-diva.com She stays home and home schools her three children will building a successful home based business.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Procrastination: What Have You Been Putting Off?

by Sherri Frost

What is it you know you must do and have been putting off? Whatever it is will weigh on your mind until it gets done. Is it something to move your business forward? Maybe it’s something that you need to do for your family. You know what it is. For me, it’s my taxes! No, I still haven’t filed my taxes this year. Once again, procrastination has reared its ugly head and I got an extension. Of course it still needs to be done.

I know, once it’s done, that I will instantly feel better. The cloud will lift and I will feel energized. So why don’t I take action now? Sometimes we wait for someone else to do it. Sometimes we wait until it gets so bad we can’t stand it anymore. Then we get in a mad frenzy, running around trying to get it done at the last minute.

To make things happen, we must take action. Actually, we are always taking action. Napping in a hammock is an action. Is it the one that will get the results you want? Be willing to take the action that will be the most useful in getting what you want.

Do you find yourself checking your email one more time or getting another cup of coffee? There are different reasons we don’t get moving. What is your real reason? Stop and give it some thought. Is it that you don’t know how? Is it that you don’t want to? It may be that there are fears holding you back.

Sometimes the fear of success holds us back. With success comes increased responsibility. What if we can’t handle it? Sometimes it’s the fear of failure. The uncomfortable feeling of self-doubt shows up and we say ‘Why even bother?’

The hardest part is to just get started. Once we do, we usually find that it isn’t as bad as we thought it would be. My son used to spend half an hour complaining about taking out the trash and then only five minutes actually taking out the trash. If it’s something you can delegate, then do so.

Begin with the end in mind and make it a priority! Instead of thinking of all the tedious steps it will take, think about what it will feel like to have the job completed. Once you get it done you know you will feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment. Set yourself up for success by focusing on that feeling.

To keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result is just plain crazy. Sometimes we need to stretch out of our comfort zone by trying something different. Once you get started, the momentum will grow and with your renewed focus, you will recognize the opportunities as they come along.

Your Assignment to get past procrastination:
What are the three things you must do today? Write your top three priorities on a post-it note and keep it in your wallet. What are the action steps you must take to make it happen? Keeping it close at hand will help you focus on it throughout the day.

Work out a system that works for you. Why struggle? My clients generally find that having a system helps get things done. The system must work for you and your schedule. Make it a no-brainer that is easy to follow, one step at a time.

Celebrate the successes! Acknowledge each little success as they happen and you will begin to feel the pride and sense of accomplishment that comes with it.

Don’t put it off anymore! No more excuses!


Sherri Frost, is a Success Coach with Pro Power Services, Inc. in Parkland, Florida, http://www.ProPowerNow.com. Sherri is also on the leadership panel for Mommy Mentors Women’s Business Mastermind Group, http://www.mommymentors.com/. Mommy Mentors is a resource for all mothers to find support, inspiration and information, both in business and life. Sherri can be reached at sherri@propowernow.com.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Time Management for Virtual Assistants

You help your clients manage their time better, but what about your own? :) Tammy Embrich offers some suggestions in the following article.

Work At Home Time Management by Tammy Embrich

Are you finding lack of time for your online business becoming more and more evident?

Are you finding it more difficult reserving well-needed time for your children and family?

Well, you are not alone. All too often, many home based business owners (unintentionally) fail to prioritize their time efficiently. I think time is about the most valuable and limited resource that we have.

Balancing our personal and professional lives is indeed quite a challenge. This important task can be accomplished by taking a look at some significant small steps.

Goals

What are your business and professional goals?

Turn your dreams and intentions into reasonable, achievable goals by writing each goal down beginning with the most important and ending with the least important.

Purchase a special journal all your own for this purpose. Keep this journal close by, on your desk at all times.Write down what you want to achieve yearly, quarterly, monthly, weekly and daily. Plan long projects by breaking them down into bite-sized pieces and dedicating so much time each day for achieving your goals.

Put Together A Work Routine Schedule And Stick With It

Keep A Business Daily Planner On Your Desk. Prioritize your home business according to specific deadlines. Make a note of tasks that need to be completed daily.

For example: Make a note to do your website updates on Mondays, Make important phone calls on Tuesdays, Do your business research on Wednesdays, and so on.

Carve out a reasonable schedule for yourself and base it around your business needs and goals. The most important thing about a schedule is of course sticking to it. Staying focused and consistent is the key element to achieving success in any home business.

Make Time For Yourself And Your Family

This is the most important issue home based business owners face today. You must reserve special time for yourself and for your family. If you don't make time for yourself, you run the risk of business burn out. You need time to yourself to feel refreshed, energized, and ready to tackle the next task that needs completing.

Take at least one half hour to a full hour each day solely for yourself. Take a walk, take a drive, take a nap, read a good book, watch a good movie or favorite program, schedule lunch with a friend. This is so important to you and also your business If you have children at home, you need to also involve them in this important time.

Take your little ones to the park, the zoo, out for lunch, anything...just as long as you take this special time just for you and your children. Always take time out for that special bedtime story, helping with homework, making that special breakfast, or just talking and cuddling. Isn't this the main reason for deciding to work from home...staying home with your kids and spending quality time with them?

Always schedule specific times with your kids, and also with yourself....this will help avoid getting over-stressed and over- worked with your home based business. Children like routine. You will also find that following a routine schedule will make you more productive and successful with your business.



Article written by: Tammy Embrich

Tammy Embrich is an Internet Marketer and is the
Owner of: http://www.onestopwebemployment.com/
And Owner of: http://www.real-wah-jobs.com/

Tammy's two WAH websites focus on free telecommute job leads and more.


Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Virtual Assistants - How to Stay Focused In Your Home Office

If you're a virtual assistant, balancing managing a household, looking after the kids, and taking care of your clients, you can feel pulled in several directions at once! The following article has some good advice.

Staying Focused in your WAHM Office by Barbara Ryan

You all know the drill, you sit down to get some work done and within minutes your engrossed in non-business emails or checking the previous days website traffic stats. Next thing you know, an hour has passed and the kids are up. You’ve gotten little to nothing done and now there are diapers to change, sippy cups to fill, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to make.

Getting your work done on a daily basis means staying focused. How do you stay focused?

Set a work schedule, write it down, and stick to it.
Determine when you can work most efficiently when the kids are in school, napping, or a time of day when they can play well independently. Most likely, it will be a combination of the three.

Limit email and stats checking.
Check business emails at scheduled times and determine this based on the importance of email to your business. Limit checking personal emails to specific times after your work is done or when you need a mental break from working. Check stats only once per day.

Get caller ID.
Yes, screen your calls. You are working and should not be answering calls you know take up your precious work time un-necessarily. Let friends and family know you schedule and that they should not call during these times.

Working from home can be very challenging. Balancing being a mom, a wife, and a business owner is no easy task. Staying focused and keeping a schedule will help run a more productive and successful business, get more done, and have more free time with the kids, which was the whole point of working from home to begin with, wasn’t it?



Barbara Ryan is publisher and co-editor of Mom2Mom Magazine , an online magazine written by moms for moms. Barbara is also owner and designer of Cherish Collages, a custom Photo Collage Design business developed from the love of a digital photography hobby.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Plan Now for a Profitable 2008

The year is almost over. Are you ready to experience a great 2008 in your virtual assistant business?

Setting goals and planning how to achieve them is essential to the growth and success of your business. In fact, it’s impossible to be successful without them. Your goals define success for your business and give you a plan you can follow to achieve that success.

If you haven’t set goals before, planning all your business activities for the year ahead can feel intimidating. You may wonder how you can possibly know today what you should be doing a full year from now.

Below, you’ll find an easy way to set goals for the upcoming year and learn how to make a plan to achieve those goals.


Goals should be SMART

Before you begin your own goal-setting, remember that good goals are SMART. There are a few variations of what the acronym SMART stands for, but here is the definition I use:

S – Specific
M – Measurable
A - Attainable
R – Realistic
T – Time bound (completed by a set time)

Any goal you set should have these qualities.


List your goals

First of all, envision what your virtual assistant business will look like by the end of the next several months. What will you have achieved?

Write down everything you want to accomplish by the end of the year. Make sure every goal you write is SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound).

This list can include anything you want to achieve, such as how much money you want to make per month by next December, how many articles you want to write, how many new clients you will have, which projects you want to have completed, etc.


Make a chart for the year

Next, divide the upcoming year into quarters (January to March, April to June, July to September and October to December) and make a chart for each quarter.

Give each chart five columns with headings that read something like this:

Goal – In this column you will write your specific goal

Measurement – How the goal will be measured

Steps – Here you will list the exact steps you need to take to achieve this goal

Date for completion – Date by which you will have reached your goal

Date completed – The actual date you reach your goal


Charting your goals

Now, return to your list of goals. For every goal on your list:

A. Decide in which quarter you will complete the goal. Write the goal down on the appropriate chart in the “Goal” column.

B. In the "Measurement" column, describe how you’ll measure the goal. Ask yourself, “How will I know when I’ve reached my goal?” For example, one my goals is to write a book about article marketing for small business. I will know I’ve reached my goal when the book is published.

C. Under “Steps,” list the steps you need to take to complete the goal. When Ruth and I set our goals for 2008, one of my business partner's goals was to put an audio recording of a story on her website. The steps she needs to take to complete that goal look something like this:

1. Write story to be recorded
2. Rehearse reading story aloud
3. Record story
4. E-mail recording to Denise to publish on website

While you're listing the steps that lead toward your goal, you might realize you don't know all the steps involved in reaching a certain goal, or that you lack information you need to complete a goal. In that case, consider adding a relevant course or reading a book on the subject to your list of goals.

D. Finally, choose a completion date for the goal and write it down in the appropriate column. Remember to be realistic in setting a completion date. It needs to be attainable or you’ll become frustrated and achieve nothing instead.


Managing Larger Goals

After writing out the steps to your goal, you may discover that a large goal, such as making a certain monthly income by next December, requires that several smaller goals are met first, such as building a bigger subscriber list, offering more products, getting more website traffic, etc. Add any additional goals you discover to your chart where appropriate.


Putting Your Plan into Action

When you’ve followed these steps for each goal, you will have set your goals for
2008 and planned how you will achieve each one of them by the end of the year.

But, even the best plan won’t help you if you don’t take action.

To keep you on track, you may want to plan your year in more detail and break your goals down further into monthly, weekly, or even daily goals, depending on how you like to work. For example, if I want to write 100 articles by the end of next year, I can break that down to the goal of writing 2 articles a week, or writing one article every three days.

Review your goals regularly throughout the year. Make sure your current goals are still desirable, and add new ones if necessary

Follow the plan you’ve just set and you’re on the way to a profitable and happy new year.

Where is all of my time going?

At the end of your work day, are you left wondering where your day went?

If you don't have time to get everything done, it may be time to re-evaluate how you're spending your 24 hours.

Here's a simple exercise that can help you discover where your time is really going.

You can also use this exercise with your clients to help them identify areas where they could use your virtual assistant services to manage their day better.

Choose one day and track all your business and personal activities for that day. Start from the time you wake up in the morning to the time you get into bed at night.

Write down each activity and how long you spend on it.

Include everything you do, including interruptions, time spent thinking and planning, and looking for misplaced items

Do this activity on a regular working day to give yourself a good idea of where your time’s going. Proceed with your day as you normally would.

At the end of this activity, evaluate how your hours were spent. How many hours do you spend solely on your business? Do you see any ways you could manage your time more efficiently? Are there any activities you could outsource so you could have more time to devote to your regular work?

You might be surprised at what this little exercise turns up!

Work At Home Time Management

by Tammy Embrich

Are you finding lack of time for your online business becoming more and more evident?

Are you finding it more difficult reserving well-needed time for your children and family?

Well, you are not alone. All too often, many home based business owners (unintentionally) fail to prioritize their time efficiently. I think time is about the most valuable and limited resource that we have.

Balancing our personal and professional lives is indeed quite a challenge. This important task can be accomplished by taking a look at some significant small steps.

Goals

What are your business and professional goals?

Turn your dreams and intentions into reasonable, achievable goals by writing each goal down beginning with the most important and ending with the least important.

Purchase a special journal all your own for this purpose. Keep this journal close by, on your desk at all times.Write down what you want to achieve yearly, quarterly, monthly, weekly and daily. Plan long projects by breaking them down into bite-sized pieces and dedicating so much time each day for achieving your goals.

Put Together A Work Routine Schedule And Stick With It

Keep A Business Daily Planner On Your Desk. Prioritize your home business according to specific deadlines. Make a note of tasks that need to be completed daily.

For example: Make a note to do your website updates on Mondays, Make important phone calls on Tuesdays, Do your business research on Wednesdays, and so on.

Carve out a reasonable schedule for yourself and base it around your business needs and goals. The most important thing about a schedule is of course sticking to it. Staying focused and consistent is the key element to achieving success in any home business.

Make Time For Yourself And Your Family

This is the most important issue home based business owners face today. You must reserve special time for yourself and for your family. If you don't make time for yourself, you run the risk of business burn out. You need time to yourself to feel refreshed, energized, and ready to tackle the next task that needs completing.

Take at least one half hour to a full hour each day solely for yourself. Take a walk, take a drive, take a nap, read a good book, watch a good movie or favorite program, schedule lunch with a friend. This is so important to you and also your business If you have children at home, you need to also involve them in this important time.

Take your little ones to the park, the zoo, out for lunch, anything...just as long as you take this special time just for you and your children. Always take time out for that special bedtime story, helping with homework, making that special breakfast, or just talking and cuddling. Isn't this the main reason for deciding to work from home...staying home with your kids and spending quality time with them?

Always schedule specific times with your kids, and also with yourself....this will help avoid getting over-stressed and over- worked with your home based business. Children like routine. You will also find that following a routine schedule will make you more productive and successful with your business.



Article written by: Tammy Embrich

Tammy Embrich is an Internet Marketer and is the
Owner of: http://www.onestopwebemployment.com/
And Owner of: http://www.real-wah-jobs.com/

Tammy's two WAH websites focus on free telecommute job leads and more.


Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Be Time Wise, Virtual Assistant!

by Jill Chongva | VADiva.com

Part of the allure of having a Virtual Assistant business is the fact that we can work at home. But as most VA’s will tell you (I’m guessing…) working at home has its pitfalls as well. The myriad distractions of working in a home office can not be ignored, but some smart time-wise strategies can help. Here are my top 5.

(1) Give yourself a work schedule.

When I first started in 1999, I had absolutely no formal work schedule and often felt like I was driving the bus from Speed – 100 mph and about to crash. So I created a very loose schedule that allowed for flexibility to meet the needs of my clients and my family.

I check my email first thing in the morning, before the kids get up, and make up a task list from any projects that have come in over night. I then leave the desk and get the kids ready for, and off to, school.

Once home again, I grab a coffee and settle in for a few hours of solid work time. I get my ongoing projects finished up, get a start on new ones, and schedule the activities needed for work in my Outlook calendar and task bar. Breaking projects down into steps is a tremendous help and putting deadlines on them keeps me in line.

I break for lunch and play with my 5 year old (who has an office with mine) and the dogs. We do some household chores, run errands, etc. over the lunch hour and get ourselves ready for the afternoon.

Tailor your schedule to how you like to get things done. Be mindful of your body rhythm – are you an early riser or a night owl? Schedule your hardest tasks for the time of day you feel most alert.

(2) Be selective about answering the phone.

If you are in the middle of a project that requires your undivided attention, let the answering machine get the phone. Schedule a phone call time, where you can return calls to clients or prospective clients once or twice a day, so you are not constantly interrupting your work flow.

(3) Set your email program to pick up mail every 30 minutes or so.

You are getting your email in a timely manner, but are not so tempted to check it every 10 minutes (classic newbie thing – been there, done that). No one is expecting a response within 5 minutes of sending their email, and if they are see number 4.

(4) Make sure your clients know your turnaround times.

Clients who are not familiar with the way a Virtual Assistant works may sometimes think that you are at their beck and call 24/7. For your own sanity, and theirs, make sure they know that emails are answered within XX hours, and your normal turnaround is XX days or XX hours. Try to discourage them from making everything “URGENT” by having a clause in your contract that sets a higher rate for urgent turnaround times (often less than 24 hours).

(5) Schedule down time.

Go for a walk. Sit on the deck. Getting out of the office/house for even a short time can recharge your batteries and give you the energy you need to grow your Virtual Assistant business.



Jill Chongva is a Virtual Assistant with over 21 years experience in the Administration field. Her Executive Support Services for small business owners assist solopreneurs in making the most of technology to enhance and streamline their business processes.

Her Graphic and Web designs are clean and clear, with a focus on strong content and presence without bells and whistles. You can find out all about her at www.vadiva.com

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com