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?

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

Here’s an interesting post by my friend Cristina Favreau – we had the opportunity to visit in person recently when I was in Montreal, and I find this topic to be a bit fascinating, as I’ve used this technique many times without really considering it time management – which just shows that we can ALL learn something, no matter how skilled we are, in our passion/field!

http://blog.cristinafavreau.com/2009/12/time-management-while-you-sleep/

Today we’ve got some things for you to think about before you blast out that next email with urgent and important information. If you want to only say it once, spend a little more time thinking out what you want to communicate and be sure your point gets across! Here’s how:

Plan Your Message – Think about what you want to say before you say it!

• What is your objective? Why are you communicating?
• Who is your audience? Who needs to know? What do they need to know?
• Plan what you want to say, and how you’ll send the message.
  • Remember KISS, Keep it simple and straightforward.
• Seek feedback on how well your message was received.

Make your message Clear and Concise

• Understand what you truly need and want to say.
• Anticipate the other person’s reaction to your message.
• Choose words and body language that allow the other person to really hear what you’re saying. How would they deliver the same message to you? NLP suggests that by mimicking a person’s mannerisms, we are more effective in communicating.

Deliver your message the right way – by phone, in person, or email – Consider the following:

• The sensitivity and emotional content of the subject.
• How much detail do you need to convey
• How does the receiver prefer to communicate – how do they usually “talk” to you
• How time sensitive is the message, and how long do you have to deliver it
• The need to ask and answer questions, will written correspondence make the task easier if questions arise later?

Communication works both ways (for face-to-face) – to ensure understanding, you have to “read” the person with whom you are communicating, and check for understanding. Don’t assume that because you have perfectly crafted your message beforehand the other person will instantly “get” it.

• Look at the person you are talking with, remember a conversation is an interaction between two people and not a one-way directive
• Pay attention to his or her body language, by observing expressions and body language you can spot potential issues such as: whether or not they believe what you are saying (confidence level), if they understand, if they are in agreement, if they are interested, and any emotions they are feeling.
• Allow the person to speak, without thinking about what you’ll say next.
• Don’t interrupt if they need clarification
• Avoid distractions, try to pick an appropriate time and place to communicate

Seek Feedback (especially for written communication)

Ask people you talk to or write to regularly if they find your communication style effective. Other people may have noticed bad habits you’ve developed without even knowing it. Including the bad habit of not following up to check for understanding!

Working in a remote office or working from home (telecommuting) can have its ups and downs. On one hand, it is much more comfortable to be at home: you can dress down, you don’t have people moving around your workstation all the time, and you don’t have to worry about your co-workers stealing your food from the fridge. On the other hand: you may feel left out of the big decisions, you don’t have an IT guy available to fix your computer, and you may find yourself wasting more time daydreaming.

Most telecommuter’s feel more productive working from home, have higher morale, and that they are better able to manage distractions. As someone who works from home, I agree. However, making the transition can be challenging, and both you and your employer need to address some potential problems in order to ensure a successful transition.

Common Problems

1. Not having a defined schedule – This is #1 because it is the basis for all the subsequent problems mentioned. Without a schedule, there are sure to be misunderstandings about expectations, you will undoubtedly be away from the computer or phone when your boss is checking in, creating mistrust and potentially putting an early end to your new work arrangement.
2. Distractions – You may think that working from home, you will have less distractions. The truth is that you will not have the same distractions, you never have complete control over your environment and as the saying goes, “if it can happen, it will”. Your home phone will ring, dogs will bark, your kids will bug you, and salesman will come to the door – not to mention everything that catches your eye through an open window.
3. Misunderstandings about expenses and expectations – At first, you may not realize the cost of working from home. You will be using electricity, internet, long distance, and in some cases your own computer and software. Paper, ink, tape, staples, pens, notepads, folders, file cabinet, and everything else you have at your fingertips at an office you will need to have at home.
4. Poor communication between coworkers – Having people pop in to your cubicle to pass on a message or to ask a question will be a thing of the past. All too often, you will find yourself out of the loop, and worse – doing unnecessary or duplicate work.
5. Office workers feel jilted, think it’s unfair – Not everyone is offered the opportunity to work from home. Some people simply don’t ask if they can, and others who have requested the option have been turned down. For people who have not worked from home in the past, it is easy for them to envision you on the couch in your PJ’s eating bon-bons.

Solutions

1. Create a schedule – Depending on your employer and their needs, this could be as simple as defined office hours, or as detailed as an itemized task list and what timeframe you will be working on each task. Either way, having a schedule will help you stay focused, and provide peace of mind to your boss.
2. Make sure your home work space is clear of distractions – This goes along with having a schedule, during work time you will need to minimize distractions. Close your office door – and yes, you do need to have a dedicated office area, turn off the TV, even if it’s in another room and turn on your home answering machine.
3. Create a Company Policy for working remotely – If your employer does not already have a policy for working remotely, volunteer to draft one up. It is important to set expectations and obligations for both ends. Even if you don’t anticipate misunderstandings, you need to have a documented policy to fall back on just in case you find, come tax time, or for insurance reasons that you and your employer have a financial or legal disagreement. Having a policy will protect both parties and ensure understanding of responsibilities.
4. Set Expectations for Follow-up and reporting status – Fairly basic, but you and your co-workers should have a system for communicating project status, including delays and obstacles. Covering up or hiding the fact that you were not able to finish your task, or admitting that you have forgotten to do something does not help you or your team. As a telecommuter, it is easy to take on additional responsibilities thinking that you have unlimited time to complete additional tasks. Reality is, in today’s workplace we have a tendency to pass tasks along and forget about it. Having a communication and status sharing plan will ensure tasks don’t slip through the cracks, and will allow others to pick up tasks that need to be done, but you don’t have time for.
5. Don’t try to justify your work arrangement to others – For some employers, it is easier to just say no to requests for flex-time and work from home schedules. They are afraid of the necessary office staff becoming less productive due to loss of morale and jealousy – but truthfully, there are many people who do not want to work from home. However, if you are getting the cold shoulder from office bound employees, it needs to be brought to your manager’s attention. Do not address the issue yourself – it will only lead to more hostility. It is management’s responsibility to make the decisions on work arrangements and their responsibility as well to ensure that the arrangements are fair and respected by the entire staff. As long as you are doing your job well and meeting expectations, it is unlikely that they will revoke the privilege.

Resources

1. How to make a case for working remotely
   1. http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/06/12/how-to-ask-the-boss-if-you-can-work-remotely/
   2. http://www.homewiththekids.com/propose-telecommuting.php
2. Tips on creating your work from home policy
   1. http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/getmobilized/a/remoteagree.htm
   2. http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/getmobilized/a/remotepolicy.htm
3. Staying in touch
   1. http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/trapani/2009/06/master-the-art-of-working-with.html
4. Tips
   1. http://zenhabits.net/2008/01/top-30-tips-for-staying-productive-and-sane-while-working-from-home/
   2. http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/six-effective-tips-to-work-from-home.html
   3. EfficiencyDr website & blog (yes, this very site!)– for efficiency tips that will help you be effective and efficient no matter where you are working from!

If you suffer from overwhelm, procrastination, too many to-do’s and not enough time, then you’ve come to the right place. Here, on the Efficiency Dr. blog, my staff, respected contributors, and I will be providing tips and tools for managing your time and tasks. We’ll share our personal stories (anonymously if they are particularly embarrassing) of times when even our own best laid plans have gone astray, and what we could have done to stay on track.

Encarta’s definition of efficiency (as it relates to our purpose):

1. competence – The ability to do something well or achieve a desired result without wasted energy or effort

2. productive use of resources – the degree to which something is done well or without wasted energy

Being efficient is not about multi-tasking! Research has shown that trying to do multiple things at once is not as effective as focusing on one task at a time.

We can define efficiency more loosely as feeling good about your work and the time it takes you to do it. As human beings; we’re not going to achieve the efficiency level of a machine, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t improve. Essentially this is the purpose of the Efficiency Dr Blog, to provide you with information and techniques (prescriptions, if you will) that will enable you to perform your tasks, work, or projects with satisfaction, and without wasted effort.

So, if you are ready to get more done with less effort, sign up to our RSS feed, follow us on Twitter, and remember to think positive. If there’s a will, there’s a way! Not every method will work for everyone, which is why we will be bringing new ideas to the discussion each week. We are confident that if you struggle with time, at least a few of the ideas we share will work for you!