Productive & Organized

7 Tips for Organizing Your Home-Based Business

Home based businesses are more than a passing fade.  In fact, they continue to grow in numbers. According to the Small Business Administration:

• Small businesses make up more than 99.7 percent of all employees.
• The latest figures show that small businesses create 75% of the net new jobs in our economy.
• Home-based businesses account for 53% of all small businesses.
• 24 million Americans are self-employed from home on a full-time basis
• 1 in 5 businesses located in an office or industrial area started in the home, including Ford and Apple.

This is an exciting time for the entrepreneur!   There are many advantages to owning your own home-based business.  You can fold laundry while you are on a conference call or do a little gardening when you are stuck on a problem.  Many people dream of owning their own business some day, but are afraid to try it. Indeed, being in business for you involves risk. 

Getting organized is a challenge for most business owners.  It is often more difficult for individuals that operate their business out of their home.  Many distractions can keep you from focusing on your business - a sunny day, your children, etc.  Many home based business owners frequently do not have someone to hold them accountable other than themselves.  The following items are provided as tips for your success.

This is the Year & NOW is the Time - Take the Self-Assessment to See If You Qualify for a F'ree Strategy Session

"I'm not making excuses anymore.  I'm tired of looking for important papers.  I'm tired of wasted time.  I'm tired of not focusing on my business like I should. This is the year and now is the time!"  That is what I heard from a new client as I was talking to him this week, and I could not agree more!  2009 was rough on a lot of us.  2010 is the start of something new, something better.  Success IS in your grasp!  Do you feel it?  I hope you do.

I want to support that success, so I've decided to open my calendar and offer a limited number of f'ree strategy sessions via telephone or skype.

Interested?  Then start by taking this self-assessment:  http://www.calahansolutions.info/self-assessment.html

You will get your results online and via email immediately and if you qualify for a strategy session, we'll contact you to set up a time to talk. 

What are you waiting for?  Make a change to make 2010 your best year yet.

To your success!

Sometimes we just have to laugh @ our procrastination (video from @AgentXPQ)

Sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself to really have an "a-ha" moment.  @AgentXPQ decided to do just that!  Check out this short 1:20 minute video and see if you relate and then let me know what you think! 

High Performers Versus Low Performers - 7 Ways to Tell the Difference

(Guest Post: Barbara Brown, PhD)

What's the difference between a high-performer and low-performer? That question occurred to me after reading findings from the company Leadership IQ. Out of 16,237 employees, only 3,896 self-identified as high-performers! If you move beyond the shocking realization that everyone did not label themselves as high-performers, you might come to the realization (shocking or not so shocking) that employees know how good they are.

Life Coaching Tips to Organize Yourself For Success

(Guest Post: Natalie Dee)

Nothing succeeds like success. A small 'victory' on your chosen path fills you with joy and gives the strength and confidence to pursue further. To make success a habit is difficult but not impossible. Strength and confidence along with hard work and determination may help you progress in the desired direction. How do you organize your progress so that your life goals are realized? The process is as important as the destination.

Planner Or Tickler (1-31) File? - How to Use Both For Optimal Professional & Personal Productivity

(guest post by Meggin McIntosh)

A question that often comes up in workshops as well as on my blog is this one: How do you suggest people use their calendar (planner) in conjunction with the tickler (1-31) files? Sometimes I wonder if I am duplicating my efforts by using a calendar and the tickler files. It seems like the tickler file is a good place to keep the papers that go along with the tasks, but there still feels like there's some redundancy when I prioritize my to-dos that are in the form of paper and the daily to-dos on my calendar. What are your thoughts in this area?

The Great Calendar Debate - Paper or Electronic - 21 Experts Weigh In

We are in the home stretch of 2009 -- bring on 2010!!  One item frequently purchased at this time of year is a calendar or planner for the upcoming year. 

But, what is the right kind of planner to use?  Some say the traditional paper planner is the best, while others swear by their smart-phone or on line tool.  How do you decide what is best for you? 

Keep reading to learn what my colleagues and friends had to say about the "Great Calendar Debate."   They provide tips to help you decide as well as some recommended tools.

Do You Have a Yeah/Yuckie List? Maybe You Should

I'm sure you are thinking, "Stephanie has lost her mind!"  A Yeah/Yuckie list?  That sounds like something kids would do and maybe it is, but today, we're going to talk about why you might want to make one of your own.

A Yeah/Yuckie list is a thought process you can go through to help you determine if you are spending your time wisely.

Taking Time Off Improves Productivity

Would you like to see these things happen in your business?

• Better communication between team members
• Closer relationships and more shared personal information between team members
• Better planning
• More streamlined planning  
• Improved client service

Then you should consider encouraging (even better forcing) your staff to take time off in predictable patterns.  You will gain productivity benefits.  This according to the October issue of the Harvard Business Review who published a 4 year study on this very topic. 

Accelerate Your Earning Through Beefing Up Your Learning

Ever since I started thinking about starting my own business, I have been studying very successful business owners.  There are many things they have in common, but one major factor is that they are all constantly learning and growing. The majority do not achieve their high levels of success on their own.  

Don't Get Your Time Stolen -- 6 Mistakes to Avoid

You can't call the police and file a report on today's topic, but it is one of the worst thefts that can happen in life.  Time theft is stealth--it sneaks up on you.  Don't let this happen to you!  Today we need to be vigilant with our businesses.  Every expense must be reviewed, even investments of your time and energy.  Here are 6 areas for you to get under control this week and know you won't get your time stolen again.  First, the mistake --> then what you really should do.

One Key to Success - Make SMART Goals and Write Them Down

Brian Tracy, motivational speaker, says,

“What does it take to succeed on a big scale? A tremendous God-given talent? Inherited wealth? A decade of postgraduate education? Connections? Fortunately for most of us, what it takes is something very simple and accessible: clear, written goals.”

According to Brian Tracy, a study of Harvard graduates found that after two years, the 3 percent who had written goals achieved more financially than the other 97 percent combined!

How to Waste Time and Lose Money Networking

We have all heard the phrase, it is not what you know, but who you know (and in today's social networking environment it is even about who they know!)  On Wednesday I had the pleasure of attending a fantastic business women's conference.  (Look to the right and you'll see the awesome Cindy Fleming on the left, Martha Mayhood Mertz on the right and I'm in the center.)  Connections with the right people put you on the path to success. Being able to leverage your people networks saves you time, energy, and money.

As I walked through the exhibit hall on Wednesday, I did a lot of observing.  I saw a lot of talking and interaction, but I wondered if actual networking was occurring.  Networking is an extremely important component for most businesses, yet there are many people that don't do it right.  They miss the most important step that must be done right --- the follow up. 

Reader Asks: How can we organize paperwork for more room & keep our bills/receipts in order?

This week, Jennifer from Knoxville, Tennessee wrote us with a paper and space question:

Hello. My parents are owners of a restaurant and I believe we have outgrown our little building how can we organize our paperwork to give us more room and to keep our bills and receipts in order? 

Jennifer:  This problem comes up at least once in the life of every small business.  Here are some things you can do to fight the mounding piles of paper:

How much time does Web 2.0 take and Preview of New LinkedIN Prod. Tool

Today's post is really short, but I wanted to share a great post that talks about how to look at your social networking.  The author gives some fantastic resources and perspective on how long various social networking activities take.  Check it out!  http://virl.com/dbdb3/

Also, LinkedIN just came out with a new way to manage your contacts on LinkedIN.  Check out this short video to learn more.

To your success!

Monday Motivation: Evaluate Your Current Position for Business Success

If you are like many business owners, this economic downturn has you looking at your business in different ways.  Are you and your staff as effective as you could be?  Maybe it is time for a business review.

My colleague from Connecticut, Carrie Dubray of www.OrganizedbyDubray.com, shared a great exersize for this very thing.  Check it out and try it!

Must see video - Gain Control of Your Paper

Paper is by far the #1 reason people contact us.  The paperless office that was promised back int the late 70s / early 80s never happened.  My friends at the Monticello Corporation created a new video that does a great job of talking about how to gain control of paper.  Take a watch and tell me what you think!

Get Your Special Report: Priority Setting - Working on the Right Things

“Efficiency is doing things right, but effectiveness is doing the right things."
 ~Peter Drucker~

In today’s economic climate, it is more important than ever to make sure that the things we choose to spend our time on are the right things.  Drucker encourages us to understand that it is important to decide “what” is to be done first.  Only after that decision is made should we figure out the “how” and “when”.

When you consider your system for setting priorities, you must focus on doing the right things, rather than simply doing things right.

• Are you in charge of leading your business or department?
• Do you have a large list of abandoned projects all sitting at various levels of incompletion? 
• Do you have a list of projects that do not reflect your best work?
• Do you struggle with figuring out how to focus your time and energy and work on what is truly important?

If so, you'll want to closely examine what's on the pages of this special report.  I reached out to my contacts from around the globe and asked them to share their favorite priority setting tips and tricks to help YOU be successful.  Get yourself on the track to better productivity by seeing these 40+ tips.   

I hope you enjoy the report! I also hope that you will teach others how to focus on what is really important in their life.  If you find value here, please let your peers know about this report. You can find the original page for the report here: http://bit.ly/PrioritySetting.

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To your success!

 

www.NetworkWithSteph.com

 

7 Steps to Free Up Room On Your Brain’s Hard Drive so You Don't Lose Your Mind! (Part 4)

For the past few days, I have talked about why our brain is like a computer and shared the first five of seven tips on what you can do to free up room on your brain's hard drive.

Today I'll share tip 6 for freeing up space and getting rid of brain clutter.

6 Organizing Strategies for Coping with the Recession

We are living in challenging times. Some of my clients have lost their jobs, health insurance and security.  Colleagues and clients that own their own businesses are experiencing fewer clients and less profit.  I understand.  I own a business too.  However, it is time to take control!  Today I'll share some strategies to ride out the economy.

Do you work from home? Then Check Out these 115 Productivity Tips!

I'm honored to share that tip I submitted was featured as part of the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur’s “155 Ways to Work at Home Without Distraction."

Mike Michalowicz, of The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, has combined a list of strategies to eliminate distractions while working at home.

If you’re constantly distracted by household pests (spouses, kids, pets, chores…) then head over here for the full list of productive policies.

You can check out the 115 Tips here: http://www.toiletpaperentrepreneur.com/blog/the-155-ways-how-to-work-at-home-without-distraction

To your success!
     

Automated Delegation - Good or Bad? Answer: Both! It depends on how you implement.

Yesterday, my brother commented to one of my time tips and it really made me laugh.  

He brought up a good point -- Facebook and other social networking sites can be real time-killers if you are not careful.  Then, I realized that I have not really shared my experience or the tools that I use to stay productive online.  That will begin to change today by sharing one of my "secret weapons."

Stop Wasting Time at the Office Supply Store! Have an Organized Shopping System

It happens all of the time.  You go to the store and one of two things happens:

-- you go for one thing and buy 12
-- you get what you went for but once you're back at the office you realize you needed something else

Either way, it is costing you time and money.  Stop the madness! 

Make a list of the supplies you and your coworkers use. Then, make copies of this list. As you run out of
a particular item, just check it off or circle it on your list. On your next trip to the supply store, bring the list with you and get everything you need. Use this system religiously and you'll always be well-stocked, and ready-to-go when needed.

To your success!

Steph

Go here for more on time management!

Key Activity You Should Do To Make The Most of Your Time & Meetings

Yesterday, I wrote about 10 Things YOU Can Do To Make A Productive Meeting Even When You are Not the Meeting Planner.  Today I want to share the #1 Important thing you should do to make sure you are using your time well in meetings.

Only Attend Meetings You Really Need to Be Attending

Is this one of those "no duh" statements?  I don't know about you, but I have been asked to attend a NUMBER of meetings in my personal and professional life.  Back when I was in the corporate world, I could have as many as 5 meetings scheduled at the same time!  One of the best time/meeting tips I ever mastered was to NOT attend meetings I really did not need to attend. 

10 Things YOU Can Do To Make A Productive Meeting Even When You are Not the Meeting Planner

Have you ever been a part of a meeting like Dilbert?  It is likely you have!  I read a blog posting today that covered productive meetings much differently than I'm used to reading and I will share the tips with you today.

Computer Crashed! 400 Gigs Gone! Don't Let this Happen to You!

Like many small companies, Calahan Solutions is not on a big corporate server environment.  The company is ran on PC desktops and laptops (OK MAC Lovers, I know you are going to have comments for me, but at this point we don't have MACs).  The hard drives of those computers are the life-blood of the company. 

Then it happened... the unthinkable!  I went to my desktop computer about a week ago and turned it on.  It made a really odd whirring sound and I thought to myself "this can't be good..." 

Do you have a business continuity and disaster preparedness plan?

Disasters strike every day and they strike QUICKLY!  People don't plan to participate in a disaster.  Unfortunatly, many don't prepare to avoid consequences either. 

In the past few days we started a series on being prepared.  Today I'll share some awesome resources that will help you map out your plan in no time.

Office Safety Checklist - Be Ready

Disasters strike every day and they strike QUICKLY!  People don't plan to participate in a disaster.  Unfortunatly, many don't prepare to avoid consequences either. 

Yesterday we started a series on being prepared.  Today I'm going to share an office safety checklist as well as some awesome web sites.

Is Your Business Ready? 72% of biz that lose data in a disaster are not around 2 years later.

Disasters strike every day and they strike QUICKLY!  People don't plan to participate in a disaster.  Unfortunatly, many don't prepare to avoid consequences either. 

According to a University of Wisconsin report, 29% of businesses that lose data in a disaster are out of business in 2 years &  43% never re-open their doors at all!  Are you prepared?  No?  Not Sure? Keep reading to find out what you should be doing to limit your risk.

Time and Power - the 80/20 Rule & Your Not To Do List

 
In today's economy more than ever in recent times, making the most of the time we have is extremely important.  Time is money!

Do you have a NOT-to-do list?  Many people don't, but did you know that the 80/20 rule applies to our time and to-dos just as much as the clutter on our desks?  Today I'll share some thoughts on how to start building your own NOT-to-do list. Put these tips into practice and you'll be guaranteed to save you hours in your day!

"Doing IT ALL" Gets Nothing Done - Is that REALLY True?

 
One of the things that I had promised myself while on this trip in Pittsburgh was that I was going to do a lot of catch up reading.  The first book that I started and finished all on Monday was Dave Crenshaw's The Myth of Multitasking: How "Doing It All" Gets Nothing Done.  As a recovering Multitask-er (or Switchtasker as he puts it) I was excited to get to this book.  Keep reading for my perspective on this book, key points discussed and how you can get your own copy.

Unusual Coach, Maybe - Lessons You Can Use in Your Business - Yes!

Danny, our golden Havanese puppy is one of the most unusual coaches I have ever had! In the past few years I have learned a number of things that were good reminders for my business and your business too.

Articles in the News on Organizing

There are great articles and blogs all over the net, but sometimes it is hard to determine which articles are worth the time to read and which ones are better left alone.  So, I've started a new posting on this blog.  As I find great content, I'll share it with you weekly.  Keep reading for this week's great items.

There are great articles and blogs all over the net, but sometimes it is hard to determine which articles are worth the time to read and which ones are better left alone.  So, I've started a new posting on this blog.  As I find great content, I'll share it with you weekly.  Keep reading for this week's great items.

The Best Leaders Dont Have to be in the Office

If you want to run a successful business, one of the first steps is to learn to implement systems so that you don't need to be at your business all of the time. Your office should be able to run without you. In fact, there are very few successful entrepreneurs that are also micro-managers. As a business leader, your focus should be on growing your business, not the day to day operations. For many that is a really hard transition. So, take it step by step. One great place to start is by making sure that your business can function when you are ill or away on business trips. Here are three tips to help you kick that process off.

9 Tips for Effective Telephone Use

Today we are busier than ever.  Our systems need to work with us to make the most of our time.  Telephone and Voice mail usage has increased and being able to effectively manage the tools is what this article is about. Here are 9 tips to help you make the most of this great tool.

Systems & Processes Will Help You Do What You Really Want

If you have ever wondered about creating systems in your business, then consider reading the post I'll introduce now. Rich Schefren, owner of Strategic Profits, had a great post today. He titled it "Anybody Seen the Instruction Mnual?"

Rich talks about how taking the time to outline a process can really help your business (and any other activity you are managing) boom!

He also gives you a link that will allow you to get four fabulous "Cash Maps." A Cash Map is what he calls the process flow that he has developed for different business processes. These flows will "light a light bulb" for you on what your possibilities are.

Check them out and let me know what you think!
To your success,

Delegate Today! Social Networking

There are a number of things that you can do to increase your profits and have hours in your day that you enjoy and prosper! Even if you do not have employees, there are things you can do to delegate activities. Don't let activities you cannot stand or are not money makers chew up your time!
Today, I'll talk about social networking.

Are You Financially Responsible With Your Business?

Where do you spend your time? Where you choose to spend your time directly reflects the financial outcome for your business.

Today, I'll focus on ways that you can evaluate and adjust how to spend your time so that you can positively impact your bottom line.

Even When It Is Quiet. . . We Should Listen

It is about midnight here and I am inspired! How well do you listen? I mean, REALLY listen? To yourself, your surroundings, others...  Maybe you should try the test my son and I did tonight.  It has given me some new insights I'll share now.

Save Money - Work from Home - but be Ready for Mobile Challenges

With the rising cost of gas, many employers are looking to telecommuting or 4-day work weeks to help defray the cost of commuting.  Employers look at cutting down on workers' commutes  I love this idea! 

However, if you are considering making a change to your schedule, or to where you conduct your daily work, there are some things you should consider:

Effective Writing with Skribit

We're experimenting with a new tool on this site.  It is called - Skribit. I have always wanted a way for you to participate in my decision making and now you can!  You can tell me about the topics you would like me to write on and others can vote on that topic.  Find the Skribit box in the upper left and tell me what you want to read about.

If you click on the title "What Should I Write About," in the box beneath, you'll see a place for you to write your suggestion in the box and hit submit. Right now I'm letting anyone submit a comment.  If it ends up getting abused, I'll have to switch to asking for you to log in first.

Reasons to Use Skribit for Your Writing

GREEN Business Practices

Reduce -- Reuse -- Recycle.  We have heard those words for quite some time now.  Some of us take those words more seriously than others, however, did you know that by going "green" with your business you can:

• help the environment
• market to a different segment of the population, and
• help your bottom line?

How long does it take for a person to get organized and is it possible to stay that way?

Productivity and organizing project timing varies by project and person. Here are some factors that impact the length of time a project may take:

How Organized is Your Business? Part 5

Yesterday I asked you how organized your business was.  Did you consider your answer?  Today I'll share a thought on how you can move yourself to a business more organized.  Schedule the Strategic.

How Organized is Your Business? Part 3

Yesterday I asked you how organized your business was.  Did you consider your answer?  Today I'll share a thought on how you can move yourself to a business more organized.  Write Your Processes Down!

How Organized Is Your Business - Part 1

According to the Small Business Administration small businesses make up more than 99.7 percent of all employees.  Add to that the latest figures that show small businesses create 75% of the net new jobs in our economy and you can see how important small businesses are.

Office Clutter - Is Yours Multiplying?

Office clutter tends to multiply like bunnies or grow like weeds. It is not all about the way things look.  Excessive clutter makes your business less productive and less profitable.

Now, you may not be an expert at organizing, but making sure that your business is better organized should still be a strong consideration, especially if things are starting to get out of control.

Organized Business! How Organized is Yours?

According to the Small Business Administration small businesses make up more than 99.7 percent of all employees.  Add to that the latest figures that show small businesses create 75% of the net new jobs in our economy and you can see how important small businesses are.

Small Business Owners have a very challenging job.  Many small business owners go into an industry because it matches their passion or is something that they are really good at.  What many start up business owners do not realize is that it takes a LOT more than being good in a particular industry to successfully run a business.

Most of the time, small business owners need to wear many hats - visionary, product developer, marketer, bookkeeper, secretary, janitor and more!  Overwhelm is easily around most corners!  Below we provide some thoughts to help minimize that stress.

Supply Management - 8 Tips for Keeping Your Supplies in Order

So how many push pins and paper clips do you really need at your desk?  Office costs are going up by the minute and we are frequently to blame!  Walking by the supply room...  we grab a few boxes "just in case" not really knowing if we need the item or not.  So, we end up with a bunch of stuff in our office or cube that takes up room and that we do not use!  So, consider these tips for your space.

Organizing Tool - Are Your Christmas Cards Done?

I have to take a minute to tell you about one of my favorite organizing tools that crosses both my business and my home life.  It is called SendOutCards.  Before I found this system, sending out cards used to take me DAYS -- hey, I have a large list of people I send to!  Now, It takes less than a half hour to send all of them. 

I can honestly say that this system has made me a better person.  Sound weird?  It sounds weird to me too.   Keep reading to see my company card (I'm proud of it) and learn about a special deal I have for the readers of my blog!