As we enter a year with limitless possibilities, it’s important to be aware of what keeps you happy, motivated, productive and inspired…
To your success!
As we enter a year with limitless possibilities, it’s important to be aware of what keeps you happy, motivated, productive and inspired…
To your success!
Just because it’s the last day of 2013, doesn’t mean you can’t still make a few changes today that will affect your business next year.
Put yourself first.
This may not be the usual advice in business but vow to think about yourself above all others, even if it’s just for today. Taking care of your own needs first ensures that you will be in fighting form to care for your business and therefore look after your customers. Putting everyone else ahead of yourself can lead to burn out and eventually failure. If you’re honest with yourself, you know when you’re working too hard, cutting corners because of exhaustion, not paying attention to your own wellbeing. You are the one who is responsible for the success of your business, so who better to put first than yourself.
Believe in yourself.
A positive approach to your business helps things turn out well. Make your attitude toward your business and yourself your priority. If there’s something you feel you don’t know well enough in your business to do the job properly, learn do to it yourself or outsource it to someone else. Having confidence in yourself and your ability to succeed is a major part of growing your business well.
Don’t be afraid of the next step.
Many business people thrive on risk, not that you should risk everything but taking those small steps that you are afraid to take can make the difference between a good business and a great one. Your goals are meant to be reached one step at a time and you can change them as you go along. Today you can take one little step in the direction you really want to go.
Realize how much value you bring to your customers.
The end of the year is the time to look back and pat yourself on the back for a job well done. A growing business that continues to succeed is one where the customers are satisfied and the owner takes pride in where their business is now. Take the time to make a list of everything you did right this year and keep it somewhere handy. It’s a good reminder during the new year when you feel that the going is rough and at the end of 2014, you can add to it.
Pay more attention to your own ideas.
Remind yourself that your business is built upon your ideas and not someone else’s version of what it should be. If up until now you’ve lacked the confidence to change something that is an integral part of your business because of what other people will think, put other’s opinions behind you and dare to be a little different. Control what you can regarding the outcome and leave the rest.
Just like life, your business doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep it simple. You’re not supposed to please everyone. Keep yourself happy and your customers satisfied. Every day can be your best day.
© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2013
Image courtesy of thehandwrittenlife
As the year winds down and we start to look back over what we have accomplished in 2013, a lot of us are tallying up just how many of our goals we reached this year and making a list for next year. One thing those goals may have in common is the amount of time spent on reaching them. But a better use of our time would be to figure out just what we can do for ourselves that will make our goals easier to reach in a lesser amount of time.
If we track our time for a week or even a day, it’s surprising just how much free time we really do have and how much of that we waste on frivolous pursuits – Facebook and Twitter come to mind, as well as several other popular social networking websites. Technology in general has added an element of laziness to our days that we often contribute to work related tasks. If we aren’t participating in social networking throughout the day, we are left feeling as if we are missing out on something. Is this really investing in ourselves and using our time well?
Investing in yourself doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune, or anything at all. But it does mean you will have to spend time on you and for a lot of us, we are quite often the last person we spend time on and when we do, it isn’t spent wisely. When asked how they would prefer to spend their time, most business owners answered with the following: family, health and education. Runners up were long term projects and yoga or meditation. When asked what was stopping them? Lack of time!
Quit wasting your precious minutes and hours. Technology has allowed us to have access to a world full of news. While it’s nice to be informed of everything that is going on globally, focusing yourself locally will cut down on time wasted with news items that will never concern you and shouldn’t concern you. Do we really need to know what every celebrity is doing every day? Spend that time on yourself, your family and your friends. Spend it on your business, your customers. In this way, you are investing in yourself and not scattering your energy.
Spend a few minutes and make a list of what you really want to do this year. This can be personal or business related. Then spend a few more minutes researching, shut down all of the distractions and go do it. Even a few minutes a day can create a habit, especially if it’s at the same time each day. This time can be for exercise, courses you’re interested in, other recreational activities or even getting to know your own locale again. I lived in Toronto for years and never did spend any time getting to know the city – I was too busy working and commuting back and forth to work. What a waste of my time!
Investing in yourself means paying attention to what you are doing. It is a commitment, a promise to yourself to move forward instead of staying in one place and then having regrets once again at the end of the year. It means choosing yourself over the distractions that take up your time. Investing in yourself leads to growth and if you’re finishing off the year feeling as if something is incomplete in your life, now is the time to figure out what you’ve left unfinished and resolve to change it within the coming year. Deciding to change your life from a feeling of incompleteness to one of fulfillment is the most important step in deciding to invest in yourself.
If once you’ve completed your list you find there are tasks that you shouldn’t be spending so much time on that could be delegated, schedule a Discovery Call with us to find out how we can help! (And don’t worry, our call won’t be a sales pitch… We love finding more about entrepreneurs’ businesses and sharing how our team can help you achieve more in less time. The best working relationships are beneficial to both.)
© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2013
image courtesy of Melody Campbell
Learn how to wrap a gift beautifully—while cutting down on cardboard and paper waste—in this infographic!
We all have a vested interest in our businesses, but does killing ourselves to bring about our own success actually result in what we want?
Probably not.
The fact of the matter is, there’s only so much you could or should be doing yourself…
You’re an expert and should value that! Any time you invest in anything other than what YOUR expertise dictates is a waste of your efforts. Let someone else handle everything else.
Experiencing success leads to tough decisions. (There’s only so much of YOU to go around.)
So, what choice will you make?
You can hold on to an intimate small business where you wear all hats. It would only allow for a small tribe, given there’s only so much time in the day for you to nurture and help your clients.
OR
You can delegate all of that ‘other stuff’ to us so you can live the dream you’ve created.
Too often, we find our prospects want to keep everything close to the heart. They feel they’re devaluing their clients for anyone but themselves to be engaged…
In reality, we know that for our clients’ brilliance to truly shine, they need support. It’s impossible to be an expert in all fields and it’s a disservice to your expertise to attempt it.
You can surely achieve success on your own, but you will not grow if your team doesn’t grow with you. The fact is growth requires a team with complementary skills that make you look even better. The ability to delegate those tasks that drive you nuts will also provide great relief.
© Tamara Smith, DemGen Inc. 2013
This infographic provides a great summary of the legacy of Nelson Mandela.
He may be gone from this life, but will be remembered forever…
He proves that one person can change the world.
He showed us that there is no adversity or setback that can not be overcome.
He embodied the idea that a positive vision will prevail – no matter how long it takes.
He may be gone, but we’re still here and the power to make a difference in this world resides in us all.
Source: BestMSWPrograms.com
Whether you’re a busy entrepreneur – or just busy in general – you’re probably no stranger to writing things down to help yourself complete them. The to-do list is a productive technique that people do without even realizing their doing it. The problem is, most to do lists are a jumble of half-finished tasks and large assignments to be accomplished. As with almost anything, there is a science behind an affective to do list. Here are a few tips to help you control those little slips of paper.
1. Make daily and weekly lists
Different tasks run on different timelines. If it’s a particularly busy week, sit down and map out when certain tasks need to be completed, so it’s easier to prioritize the tasks that need to be completed quickly.
2. Prioritize with high impact tasks at the top
Tasks that will either lose or gain you money should always be placed at the top. As finances are key for entrepreneurs and small business, tasks that directly correlate to a financial value should be of high importance.
3. Break down large tasks
Tasks that have multiple parts within them should be broken. If the task is to “Complete Proposal,” be sure to mark down each component within that proposal that needs to be completed. This allows your mind to focus on tasks that can be completed quickly.
4. Sort everything
Don’t throw all your everyday and work to do’s on the same list. Things like grocery shopping and laundry pick up should stay off your lists dedicated to work items, so the lists don’t become jumbled.
5. Don’t jump from task to task (this is science!)
The science of to do lists lies behind the Zeigarnek Effect. This theory concludes that people have a hard time focusing if they began a task they are unable to complete. Jumping between tasks will hinder your productivity because while you’re trying to complete one thing, your mind will remain focused on the unfinished task you left behind. By breaking down larger tasks (tip #3), you’ll find you begin to feel more accomplished and will work through your list quickly.
As an entrepreneur of the 21st century, you may feel slips of paper floating around are a bit unorganized. Try downloading an app to your smart phone that will help you keep everything in order. A well-built, sleek To Do App for iPhone is Any.DO by Any.DO Inc. The app is beautifully crafted and lets you create folders to organize tasks by theme or day. You are able set timers, importance of tasks, make notes, and push back items if timelines change. Any.DO is available in the App Store for Free.
© Zoe Begopoulos, DemGen Inc. 2013
There’s so much you can accomplish with the support of a virtual team! Are you getting the most out of your work day? Here’s how technology can help…