Tools
Be on the lookout here for tools to help you manage your work.
=============================================
Let me know what kinds of tools you use to handle your heavy workload.
Be on the lookout here for tools to help you manage your work.
=============================================
Let me know what kinds of tools you use to handle your heavy workload.
Bruce,
Good work!!
This is great….I agree with you 100%
Some things are easier said than done.
Keep up the good work!
An assistant - one of my best tools. You can’t do it all, you have to delegate, and investing time in training will pay off later when the pressure is really on. Decide you can work out the cost involved. Yes you can find someone to work partime or just here in there, it will help. Also, be willing ot give to them, then they will give back. All working relationships ideally need to be symbiotic and balanced. That is one of my main mantras in life.
A computer that works is helpful. Two printers at least, one for now, one for backup. Lots of ink on hand. Those things always run out at the most inopportune time.
In my business, two CD roms, two burners, well you get my drift. When something is down it is no fun.
The pad of paper - lists for today, ideas, reminders - different colors, I like that.
Dry Erase - looksee at the whole month while on zee phone. Combine it all. Different color pens there too.
I buy a lot of blank CD’s - you know the plastic cover on those bulk CDs? (I buy them by the hundred) - well, after I have gotten through a stack, that little clear cylinder type cover turned over is a great catch-all for various little things I gather, like biz cards and phone numbers, postit notes with all kinds of doo dahs on them, later to be put in the database or where ever they should be logged. I can’t say how many times that little catchall has saved our butts! I know you need to keep you desk clear, but that thing is damn handy for me.
Well that is all I can think of for now.
Kati,
Thanks for the post! Very valuable advice, especially the assistent. The trick here is to make use of the assistant the proper way…making a company procedure manual so that the duties of that assistent is “crystal clear.” You don’t want to duplicate their duties, nor micro manage them….that is the best way to utilize that tool.
Bruce
(your host)
Many of the workaholics I work with want to break free of corporate to work from home so they can stop being workaholics, but what they soon discover is they only add to the workload when they try to go it alone.
Like Kati mentioned, assistants are a life saver. They can be VA’s (virtual assistants), college students requiring placement, someone you barter services with — even your own kids or spouse.
As far as physical tools are concerned, I recommend a variety of applications to automate repetitive, time consuming processes.
Here are just a few (specifically for those building a business on the Internet.)
- autoresponders (to automate communications with others on a recurring basis through e-mail)
- merchant accounts and shopping carts (so you don’t have to manually process transactions)
- http://www.hbbsourcecards.com (to create an automatic referral generating process so you don’t have to physically hunt down new clients/customers)
- affiliate programs (by creating your own, you’ve just built yourself an automatic 24/7 sales force who will sell for you - and without the payroll reporting headaches)
I hope this provides some help to those who find themselves overwhelmed while trying to balance work and a new business.
Laurie Hayes
P.S. All the best to you Bruce and thank you for sharing through this blog. There is great value here for the serial workaholic.
Laurie, thank you for your valuable advice regarding managing work loads! I appreciate your input and you are welcome anytime to come back and post more responses. Please tell your friends and “co-workers” about this site!