Zero to 90….

March 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Photographer: Mike Rakoski

I cannot believe that Spring is here. Where does the time go? Spring brings many changes to our lives; our bodies start to want lighter food as it awakes from its winter slumber; our family activities start to pick up and our businesses start to see increased energy. This is a perfect time to think about change, because people already associate the spring season with renewal and transformation. But do you have enough time?  Even though we have gained one extra hour of daylight, does not mean you stay at work one more hour. Daylight savings time should be used to get out during daylight, enjoy those spring baseball games, take a walk at … [Read more...]

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Organize office emails: 4 techniques

December 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Whether your email inbox is cluttered with spam or work-related email, the following techniques can help you gain control of your wild inbox.   1. Move task-oriented email messages out of your inbox if they will take longer than five minutes to handle. Drag each message to your Task folder and change the subject name, so you'll know its topic at a glance. Then, delete it from your inbox so that all your to-do's are grouped in one place.   2. Drag email to your Calendar to schedule time for yourself to work on it. Estimate how much time the task will take, then drop it into your schedule.   3. "Add a reminder” when you use a … [Read more...]

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5 ways to spot scams in your job search

November 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Source: The Career News; Abridged: Careerealism NEW YORK, NY -- Avoid wasting your time chasing down scam job listings. Here are some tips to help you spot any red flags in a job post: There isn't a company name in the ad. Blind ads can be used to gather personal information about individuals as part of an identity theft scheme. Protect yourself and use the confidentiality feature offered by most job boards. The e-mail address ends in @yahoo, @gmail, @hotmail, etc. Not all companies have a company e-mail. However, if there's a company name in the ad, not having a professional e-mail might be something you should consider looking … [Read more...]

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What Can You Outsource This Month? HOLIDAY GREETINGS!

November 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment
SOC_SimplifyTheHolidays

The Holiday Season is the perfect time to show your clients appreciation, to show them you care about them more than just once a year. But how do you find the time to sit and write all those Holiday cards, or find one that truly expresses your gratitude? What if I can show you a card system that will produce high level cards, personalized with your message, your business logo or even a family photo, addressed, stamped and sent in less then half the time that you spend in the Hallmark store at half the cost. Would you be interested? Have you heard of SendOutCards, the gratitude card system? I have been using this system for just about a year … [Read more...]

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SUCCESSion

August 28, 2012 By 3 Comments

“A business without a dream is like a life without a purpose.” ~ Michael Gerber Last week the West Suburban Women Entrepreneurs hosted a program 'SUCCESSion'. Since the event it made me re-evaluate some of the processes I have in my business, as well as, the processes I do for my clients. Being self-employed it is so easy to overlook the value of what you have created. For me the stage I am in for succession planning is to build my work environment on systems. During the program the panelists shared a tip with us to start out with something as simple as taking something that you do repeatedly and create it into a template, by doing this … [Read more...]

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9 eco-friendly solutions can help get your business in order

August 21, 2012 By 1 Comment
ecofriendlybsngirl

Inspired by a friend/client, Green Home Experts, I have implemented several different ways I can be greener in my home and in my business. There are endless ways to create a greener workplace from using recycled products to installing doubled-paned windows for better insulation. The best way to start is by taking small steps. Here are a few ideas you can work with. Green up your commute. Since your workday begins when you arrive, let's start with how you get there. The best-case scenario is to telecommute by working from home (Like me!). Today's technology--e.g., video conferencing (Skype), instant messaging (FB and others) and online … [Read more...]

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Social Media Checklist for Businesses

August 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Social Media Checklist

Handy Social Media Checklist Courtesy of: The Whole Brain Group … [Read more...]

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What Can You Outsource This Month? Collect Contact Information

August 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Outsourcing

COLLECT CONTACT INFORMATION! Need specific information about current or prospective clients? With a little research performed by a Virtual Assistant you can collect all the data you need, including phone numbers, email addresses, social media links, etc. They can then enter the collected data into spreadsheets, documents, address books… whatever is most useful to you. Interested in support from a Virtual Assistant? Call or email me today! Remember that we work as a team, so don't worry if this is not your area of expertise. Please help spread the word! Please share this email with your friends and colleagues. We offer a 20% discount for … [Read more...]

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8 Tips for managing your job search while employed

August 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment
secret-agent-man

Employees leave companies for a variety of reasons. Whatever your reasons are for leaving, job searching while employed requires secret agent-like discretion and stealth. So to channel your inner secret agent consider the following covert moves: Keep Your Job Search And Work Separate: Never search for jobs using your company's computer, and never use your work email to touch base with potential employers. Be Very Careful Who You Tell: Entrust your search only to those you know will keep your search quiet. Schedule Interviews Strategically: Schedule interviews before or after work or during lunchtime. If your interviewer isn't flexible, use … [Read more...]

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[Productivity Monday] 2 Great ways to get stuff done

July 23, 2012 By 4 Comments
login_dude

Abridged: PickTheBrain As a Virtual Assistant it is my job to keep my clients productive in their business, whether I'm knocking off the tasks on their to-do lists or holding "them" accountable for a certain task at hand.  Recently, it's been the latter of the two. This month I stumbled across two very cool ideas as it pertains to productivity - and I think they are important because they are so easily overlooked. Both are worth noting and then incorporating into your routine - they are great habits to form. So without further ado, Here are 2 Great ways to get stuff done: 1. Don't wait for the right mood: Our 'moods' are some of … [Read more...]

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