Today I want to share with you the single thing I do that has the biggest impact on my work efficiency. This may not be the best tip for you, it may not even work for you, but this is what I have found to be the biggest determination of whether or not I feel efficient and productive at work. The best part is, it’s pretty simple, all you have to do is plan.

What I mean by plan is that I have found that when I come into work with a plan for what I want to accomplish that day, I find that I am dramatically more efficient then if I don’t have a plan. For me, planning simply means looking at my task list at the end of the day before, or my calendar, and seeing whats coming up, then picking one or two large items that I want to knock out the next day, knowing that when I come in in the morning, those are going to be my focus. It sounds incredibly simple, but for some reason I find that this has a dramatic impact on my productivity.

The most interesting part about this to me, is that even on days when I don’t necessarily follow my plan, i.e. something comes up in the morning and I have to spend all day dealing with it, if I came into the day with a plan, I am still more efficient then if I didn’t. I think it all ties back to mindset. Coming to work with a plan for what you are going to work on, even if you don’t wind up working on it, puts you in the work mindset from the very beginning. If you don’t have a plan for the day, its easy to get caught up in distractions and generally not be as productive as you could be simply because you never got fully into your work mindset.

I encourage you all to try it out for a week. Start on Monday by figuring out either Friday afternoon or Sunday evening what you plan to work on on Monday, and come in Monday morning ready to get it done. Then keep it up for the rest of the week figuring out the day before what you will work on the next morning; finally, come back next week and leave your comments about whether or not you found that this helped your productivity.  I am interested to see if other people see the dramatic difference I did…

I’m a big keyboard shortcut fan.  I am a touch typist, and therefore can key in pretty quickly what I want to do.  By using keyboard shortcuts, I can keep my hands here rather than moving over to a mouse to do the same thing, distracting me from what I’m working on.

Here are some of my favorite keyboard shortcuts:

If you’re a mouser rather than a keyboarder, you may not agree that this method is any faster than using your mouse; however, if you are a touch typist, I encourage you to try some of these and see if your speed doesn’t increase…

How’d you do?  Let me know!

The web is a wonderful tool.  It provides us with useful information (as well as whimsical, amusing, and outright weird).  One of the best ‘inventions’ in recent years is information aggregator sites.  The most common aggregators are those that will search for a string and show websites that may be related.  There are several websites out there that will do this; I’m a fan of Google, but know others who are fans of other aggregators.  Aggregators are also industry-specific – the most common/well-known ones are probably travel sites.

Oftentimes, in the not-so-distant past, when a traveler wanted to find out the rates for a car, hotel, or airline, they would visit each site (or call a travel agent).  Now, most travelers will visit a site like kayak, expedia, travelocity, hotwire, Priceline, etc. to shop for several fares simultaneously – and will book through these sites, or may do additional research based on the results.

What other aggregator sites are you a fan of?

In our last post, we talked about doing tasks right away rather than adding them to the to-do list for later.  Here’s a corollary:  keep a scratch pad next to the phone or computer to jot things down quickly.  If you keep your to-do list on the computer, you can sometimes minimize the window or task pane, and jot it down on that list as easily; but if you don’t, it’s sometimes helpful to jot things down to remember later.

If I’m writing an article for a magazine, I may want to remember to include an anecdote.  Rather than write a formal outline of the article, I’ll simply jot down “include story about xyz” to ensure that I don’t forget to include later on.  Is this something that needs to go on my to-do list?  Probably not, since I’m in the midst of writing now (although “write article by next Tues” may be on my list, subtopics under it most likely are not).  By use of this throw-away technique, you can ensure you are making the case in point while not cluttering up a more formal memory jogger instrument like a to-do list.

Makes sense?  What are your thoughts?

A perusal through time management books, efficiency books, etc. will show you the importance of to-do lists.  To-do lists definitely have their place – it’s one of the ways that we make sure that we don’t forget to do important (and not-so-important) things.  However, look at how long you are taking to work on your to-do list for the coming week or day – could you spend 30-50% more time, and actually DO the task?

Let me give you an example:  I remember that I need to set up a doctor’s appointment for Monday.  You can either write down “Call Dr for appt” or you can pick up the phone and actually make the appt.  [Of course, this presumes that you are writing this during business hours.]   It may take you 10 seconds to jot it down, or 2 mins to complete the call; however, there’s one less thing for you to do.

Try keeping your to-do lists for things that take 5 minutes or more – and take care of the smaller things as you think of them.  We’ve implemented this methodology in our staff meetings, and so end up with a shorter list of actionable, but longer implementation time, items rather than a long laundry list of things that will take 2-3 mins to do each.  It’s improved our internal system considerably; give it a try and let us know how they work for you!

I’m doing a lot of travel right now, and keep noticing simple efficiencies that could make everyone’s life easier – not from the airlines’ standpoint, but from the traveler/passenger standpoint.
Here’s a couple of things I’ve noticed:
• Folks exiting security screening stop in a tight area, like a narrow aisle, to put on their shoes. Suggestion: move 2-3 feet further along, where you’re not blocking everyone behind you, and put your togs on then. Or slide over to the wall so that we can get by you.
• Ditto for adjusting your luggage, purse, camera, briefcase, etc. on the jetway. Move along into the terminal, THEN stop to position everything just so (or move aside to do this rather than right in the middle of the aisle).
• Understand the rules – overhead is SHARED SPACE. This means your newspaper, hat (yes, I’m talkin’ to you, Tex), purse, or other small item should be stowed under the seat rather than expecting everyone else to instinctively know that your hat needs 12.8” of space so the crown doesn’t get creased, or that your purse may have a mirror in it that could get broken, or that you’ll want that newspaper once we take off, so nothing should be put on top of it…. You are also more than welcome to leave it home, stow it in the seatback in front of you, or hold it on your lap. Really, we won’t mind.
• The airline is not nursery school. Your child who doesn’t know what “inside voice” means is NOT cute as he yells his observations loud enough to wake the dead (yes, Sammy, this is you). We all don’t care that the wheels on the bus go round and round, all the livelong day, nor do we want to hear this sung over and over AND OVER. This is what they invented coloring books, connect the dots, and portable DVD’s with earphones, and children’s Benedryl for. I’m not talking about crying infants here – I’m talking about 3 and 4 year olds who need to learn that they are not the center of EVERYONE’S universe, even if they ARE the center of yours.  And 3-4 hours on a plane is a REALLY long time for us to put up with your child’s antics.

OK, reading this list over, I realize I’ve morphed from ‘efficiency tips’ to ‘pet peeves’. Maybe it IS time to get off the road for a while… 

Welcome March! We start the spring season this month and for many people that means spring cleaning and organizing. For me this year it means moving. I have moved a lot in the past 10 years and I’ve become pretty good at it, but every time I tell myself that I’ll do it differently next time. I always say I’ll get rid of extra stuff this time. I convince myself I’ll have a garage sale or donate it. This has yet to happen. The truth is a lot of the stuff I can get rid of is still packed from last time, so it’s much easier to leave it packed and load it up with everything else.

What makes moving this time extra hard is that our new house is not ready yet, so we’ll be staying for a month or so in a rental. The trouble is, now I have to pack two sets of boxes, one set for the essentials I’ll need to get me through my month of a temporary living arrangement, and everything else. Doesn’t seem too hard does it? Like packing for a vacation, right? Not quite!

Here is the strategy I use:

Room by room – Pack least used rooms first – save your bedroom and bathroom for last. Pack everything in the guest bath and guest rooms.

Item by Item – All decorative stuff (dustables) should be packed first. Followed by pillows, fabric items, roll up rugs, pack lamps etc. Pack all books, electronics stereo equipment, CDs. Label the cords and wires for all with tape and/or put in individual Ziploc bags. Save large framed wall pictures for last.

Kitchen – Plan on not cooking or baking and using paper plates. Eat all leftovers during the packing period or throw them out. Pack all but a few med size storage dishes, one pot, one sauce pan, one measuring cup, one cutting board, two knives, a wooden spoon – leave out the crock pot and the coffeemaker. Don’t procrastinate in here, the kitchen can be puzzling and a bit overwhelming. You really can do without most of your stuff. Pack the spices, baking ingredients, dry goods, cans, etc. Throw out the almost empty stuff or anything you can’t remember when you bought. Leave out all cleaning supplies.

Home Office – Pack all books, dustables, etc. Put files in file boxes – label them! Box up all general office supplies, pens extra notebooks, paper. Clear off you desk completely and set out only what you’ll need to pay bills and complete work. Now is not the time to try and start a project like organizing your receipts and old bills. Again, labeling is important here, you’ll thank yourself when you go to unpack.

Personal Bathroom – Set out one set of towels, pack all the rest. Set out your daily use toiletries. Forget about what if you want to get dressed up to go out. Pack anything you don’t use on a daily basis. (If you end up missing it, you can always make a quick run to the drugstore) Pack all medicines, throw out (responsibly) anything expired or missing its instructions or labeling. Throw out all near empty bottles. Go through your make-up and put together one cosmetic bag to use. Pack the rest (or throw out according to same guidelines as food and medicine).

Bedroom – Pack all clothes not in season first. Then switch to dustables and decorative items. Go back to closet and drawers, pack more clothes that you won’t wear (if you haven’t worn it in a while – you won’t now, pack it). Switch to packing any bedroom electronics, lamps, stereos, CD’s etc. Leave out the alarm clock. Pack all your exercise gear, maybe set out one work-out outfit if you regularly use it. Pack extra pillows, sheets, bedding. Then go back to your clothes – pack a suitcase like you’re going on a trip. Anything left over in the closet or drawers- pack it!

Voila! You’re done! Now the last things to do will be pack the wall art, move the furniture, and clean your way out. I’ll let you know next week how well I follow my own advice! Do you have any moving tips to share? Please leave a comment below on what works for you.

How many times have you been steadily working on something when “oops” all of a sudden you accidentally close the window, or hit the back button, or a power failure causes you to lose your work? It’s happened to me 3 times this week! Many programs are getting better at incorporating auto save but many, especially web-based applications do not have this obviously useful feature yet.

Most recently I was working on our company newsletter using the web-based newsletter creation tool, and accidentally hit the “go back” browser button rather than the “Undo” button within the newsletter application. Errrgh!

To make it more frustrating, even though the application says “be sure to save your work at regular intervals”,  doing so,  by clicking the save button (always at the bottom of the page…) takes you off your editing screen and asks if you want to test the newsletter now. Then you have to go through two screens to get back to the editing screen! How inefficient is that?

What can be done about this poor programming? Unfortunately very little, unless you design your own app, or shop around specifically for this feature next time. We can learn from it though. After all, what’s there to do but go back and start over?

Yes, it can feel like starting over is a huge loss, but what you do differently the second time around can make it better than before. You might catch mistakes you overlooked the first time, you may find an easier way to complete the task, or you may even have a creative moment that didn’t happen the first time around. You never know! It’s definatly not the end of the world, and if you don’t look at it as wasted time, then it won’t be.

How has being forced to start over made your work better?

Building Your Relationship with Your Business

Today I want to talk about the relationship you have with your business, is it a healthy relationship, or do you suffer from one of the following issues?

Do you have a love-hate relationship?

One day you’re in love with your business, the next you hate it and wonder why you started it. We’ve all been there. An exercise you could try would be to brainstorm what you like and what you dislike about your biz. Then, come up with ways to minimize the parts you don’t like. It could mean hiring some outside help, or getting rid of a service or product that causes you more grief then profit.

Are you co-dependant?

You are always thinking that you should be working when you’re away from your computer.  You get distracted when you’re spending time with your family, wondering if you have new email or thinking of what you want your next marketing promotion to look like.

If you can’t think of anything else you’d rather do then work, it may be time to take up a new hobby or join a book club. Make an effort to talk to people as people, and not just for the sake of business networking.

Do you cheat on your business?

If you want to be efficient at running your business, you have to commit to working hours. Do you spend time away from work when you know you should be working?

How’s your accounting? Are you borrowing money from your business account to get your hair done (and trying to justify it as a business expense)?

If you create content or material for your business, how much of it is 100% original and how much is “borrowed” or inspired from your competitors?

Take a look at your habits. If you don’t feel like you’re getting much out of the business, perhaps you aren’t as committed to succeeding as you should be.

Are you Growing Apart/Have you lost the spark?

If every day you dread working in your business, it’s time you take a look back at the reasons why you started it in the first place. Pull out that dusty business plan. What did you write as a mission statement? Did you set goals for the business? How far have you come to reaching those goals?

It may be time to re-assess your plan and make new goals. Re-word your mission if it is no longer meaningful to you. What? No business plan? Well, it’s high time you put in writing why it is you’re in business. This exercise could very well get you out of the rut.

Are you jealous of your business?

How can you be jealous of your business? Look at your relationships. Are you closer to your clients and talk to them more often then your friends? Maybe you’ve built a strictly business persona for yourself and are afraid to let your real personality shine through? Or, you could be at a loss to converse about anything other than business.

Consider what aspects of your personality make you good at what you do, and then think about how those same aspects make you an interesting person outside of work. What other traits do you possess that don’t necessarily apply to your job? Give yourself credit for having a broad range of gifts and talents in addition to your great business skills.

Like they say in couples counseling – being open and honest about the problems in the relationship is the only way to overcome the hurdles and strengthen the bond. What better time than Valentine’s Day to take your relationship with your business to the next level?

Aah February… it always comes as a surprise that the new year is so quickly progressing. Then before you know it February is over!

But, before it is over, we have the sweet holiday of Valentines Day. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, We’re dedicating our next two posts to relationship building.  The article below offers some excellent advice on the subject. We hope you take the tips to heart and not only start building some new relationships, but strengthen some existing ones.

Tips For Building Relationships

By: Louise Yates

If you’re starting up a new business, one of the key skills that you have to learn is about selling yourself and your services but to most people this doesn’t come naturally.

Many folks feel uncomfortable in these situations especially when dealing with strangers and it gets to the point where you are continually looking to find the next line to keep the conversation going rather than focusing on the subject matter of the conversation.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could sell to people that you already know, and even better if these people not only understood your business but were also able to recommend it to their friends and associates?

This is the principle behind business networking – a low cost method of promoting your business in a way that also embodies a relaxed and friendly environment.

But before you start “selling” the key is to build relationships and this starts with getting to know, like and trust people. So try these business networking tips and market your business in a way that makes you feel comfortable.

How To Get to Know People?

You’ve got to be able to concisely describe yourself, the service that you offer and of course it’s benefits. Let’s face it, if you can’t describe them, then how can you expect others to recommend you?

Try to be clear about what you want – what is your target market and who do you want referrals to?

Think about how someone can recognize that other businesses may need your service? This is critical for getting others to recommend your business in the right moment.

Prepare promotional material that clearly and accurately states what your business is about. Take your business cards for example and ask yourself whether they pass the “Ronseal” test – do they do what it says on the tin?

How Do You Get Others To Like You?

Rules 1, 2, 3 & 4 are all the same. Give, give, give and give.

1. Always try to help others before asking for help yourself.

2. Never criticize anyone.

3. Give written or verbal testimonials about the services of others whenever you can.

4. Always be supportive to others when they need it.

How Do You Build Trust?

Follow these three simple guiding principles and the trust will come:-

Firstly just be yourself, don’t try to be someone you are not. It’s you that people want to get to know, if you put on an act you won’t be able to keep it up and people will see through it.

Secondly, if you commit to do something for someone then do it! If you can, do it faster than you promised and exceed expectations.

Thirdly, pay people on time. You’re in business and your word is your bond. If you want a reputation for not being trustworthy, telling others that “the cheque is in the post” is the fastest way to building a bad reputation.

Summary

Apply these business networking techniques and you stand a real chance of developing your business in a way that you feel comfortable; in fact, you might even start to enjoy it!

About the Author

Louise Yates shares business networking information and business networking tips for word of mouth marketing, generating referrals and free sales leads together with performance business coaching for your work, life and career development.

(ArticlesBase SC #417642)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Tips For Building Relationships