5 Simple Tasks to Delegate so That You Can Free Up More Time

Very often solo business owners know they have a need to partner with a Virtual Assistant (VA), but are not really sure how a virtual assistant can help them grow their business – they don’t fully understand what services the VA provides. This is usually discussed during the client consultation process, but sometimes the client can still feel a little overwhelmed and are not sure about delegating their workload – in fact that is how one of my clients felt recently!

If you’ve not partnered with a Virtual Assistant yet, these tasks will make an ideal ‘first project’ for you to work together on. If you’re already working with a Virtual Assistant, have a planning session with her right away.

By letting go of these five tasks that you SHOULD be delegating ensures that you can free up your time and focus on your clients and income generating activities:

#1 Designing promotions

Need to send seasonal cards to your clients? Or maybe you have a special holiday promotion? A VA can help you here by designing custom cards, calendars, flyers, postcards, brochures, or any other promotional item.

#2 Organizing and maintaining your mailing list

Is your mailing list all together in one place? Or is it on bits of paper and business cards that you’ve collected over several months, or even years? Do you even have a mailing list? Your VA can help you here by setting up and maintaining a mailing list for you. She can maintain your list all year round so that you can send regular mailings and promotions to your clients.

#3 Sending out your promotions

So, now you have your custom-designed promotions, and your up-to-date mailing list, but do you have the time to send out your promotions? A VA can help you here by sending out your seasonal cards and promotions for you. Once you have your promotional literature and mailing list organised, then your VA can save you HOURS of time by sending them out on your behalf – via email or post.

#4 Planning your Event

Thinking of hosting a teleclass or workshop? Your VA can organize and plan that event for you–from sending out the invitations to collating the RSVPs, producing the literature, or booking the venue – with today’s technology all of this can be done online!

#5 Helping you plan your marketing campaigns

If you’re already thinking ahead, then your VA can assist you by helping you to organize your year-round marketing campaigns.

Your VA is your long-term partner in your business, and a person to hand over those time-draining projects to, giving you the time to focus on your business.

And they want your business to succeed just as much as you do!

Popularity: 8% [?]

Are You A Dreamer Or A Schemer?

The world needs entrepreneurs more than at any other time in the last century and an online business guru has come up with a way for would-be business owners to test whether they are likely to be a success or failure.

Guy Kingston, a serial entrepreneur who successfully started one of the first private enterprise businesses in post-communist Russia, says the motivation behind starting a business is often the key to success.

Mr Kingston, whose Mind Your Own Business podcast provides free help and advice to business owners said: “Every entrepreneur is driven by their dream of what they want to achieve through business. By asking themselves a few simple questions they can work out what their motivation is and from that you can pretty well work out whether they are likely to be a success or not.

“Many people are really dreamers, who like the idea of running a business but can’t cope with reality. The ones who will succeed are schemers, who will do everything they can to ensure success.”

Mr Kingston, whose website www.myobpod.com features free written, audio and video advice for entrepreneurs with no sponsors attached, sets out the following check-list for would-be entrepreneurs to test out whether they are a dreamer or a schemer.

See which statement applies to your thoughts then see whether this is a dream or a scheme.

“I want to build a business so that I can employ lots of people and be a big boss.”

Guy’s verdict: Dreamer: “if empire building is your main motivation you will probably fail.Costs need to be kept tight in a growing business and the regulatory environment surrounding employing people makes them very expensive. Operate with as few people as possible and the empire will grow.”

“I’m really confident in my idea and my ability to make it work, but there’s more to it than that.”

Guy’s verdict. Schemer: “Positive thinking alone is not enough. Whereas you won’t succeed without it, it is not sufficient alone.”

“Running my own business will mean I will be able to have greater flexibility and time for myself and my family”

Guy’s verdict: Dreamer: “You have more time if you are employed by someone else. Of course you have to get the balance right but don’t see being an entrepreneur as a passport to more spare time.”

“I know I have skills that my employer doesn’t appreciate and I want to sell them direct to people”

Guy’s verdict: Schemer “Often the core of a good business comes from an individual’s talents. Just make sure that it is more than your nearest and dearest who think you are good.”

“I have certain abilities but if my business is really going to take off I’ll need to pick quite a few other people’s brains to bridge the gap.”

Guy’s verdict: Schemer: “The best entrepreneurs beg, steal and borrow ideas from everyone and then adjust them to their own situation. They also recognise early on that they aren’t good at everything.”

“I have inherited some money and I think the best way to use it is to buy a business that I can run.”

Guy’s verdict: dreamer “Buying a business is about a lot more than just having the money. Many successful businesses have disappeared very quickly once under new ownership.”

“My partner / best friend and I get on so well that we would be awesome in business together and we are going to come up with something between us that we can do together”

Guy’s verdict: dreamer “Running a business together puts a great strain on any relationship. Although it works well for many people there has to be more to substantiate going into business together than the fact you are great buddies or soul mates!”

“I want a mentor who’s been round the block a few times.”

Guy’s verdict. Schemer: “Just as you wouldn’t want a brain surgeon who’s never done brain surgery before, you don’t want a business advisor who hasn’t run a business of their own. Experience trumps qualifications and theories any day.”

“Everyone likes the items I produce as part of my hobby so I am going to pack in my job and do it commercially.”

Guy’s verdict. Dreamer: “Hobbies rarely turn into good viable businesses. Before making the leap it is important to check out every aspect of the business model.”

“Business is fairly simple. You just buy things in and then sell them at a cheaper price. That is the basis of my plan for trading”

Guy’s verdict. Dreamer: “This is someone who needs to do a lot more planning on things like stock levels and what the market will stand before venturing into being an entrepreneur.”

Popularity: 5% [?]

What Type of Eater are You?

The various types of eating personalities:

Unguided Grazer! Eating occurs any time and anywhere, since food is an afterthought. Your diet varies from one day to the next because there is no structure or planning. The one thing that is consistent is that the foods are convenient and readily accessible. Because food is often consumed while the grazer attends to other activities, you frequently lack a conscious connection to your hunger and eat past your point of satiety. You aren’t getting all the right nutrients, are probably eating excessive amounts of calories, fat and salt and your portions vary from small to oversized.

Nighttime Nibbler! You consume 50 percent or more of your daily calories from dinner and nighttime snacking. You may go all day without eating anything, since you aren’t hungry or are denying your hunger. Some nighttime nibblers don’t eat during the day because they put their work, family or travel schedules ahead of taking care of themselves…an approach that backfires. Dinner is often repeated snacking that ends only by falling asleep. Since you consume most of your calories when your metabolism is slowest, your excess calories are more likely to turn into fat.

Convenient Consumer! A diet of convenience: packaged, bagged, microwavable and frozen foods are the staples of your diet. All foods listed in your diet diary bear a brand name that is posted on the box, menu or restaurant chain. There are few (if any) fresh foods or home-cooked meals. The problem with this dietary pattern is that these foods are generally higher in fat, sodium and calories and lower in fiber than fresh foods cooked at home.

Fruitless Feaster! You enjoy a plain meat and potatoes menu. With the exception of a daily glass of orange juice and an occasional apple or banana, the feaster sticks to proteins, breads, pastas, fats and desserts. Feasters miss out on the vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients of these powerful foods, which are low-calorie to boot.

Mindless Muncher! You are committed to eating three meals a day. However, there is also snacking going on throughout the day and night — whether you’re hungry or not. Some people snack out of fear of getting hungry. Some snack to fight boredom. Others can’t pass up a package of food, a vending machine or a snack shop. Simply the sight or smell of any food triggers their compulsion to eat. The problem is that mindless eating causes you to eat excess calories while not really tasting or enjoying your food.

Hearty Portioner! You may feel that your stomach is a bottomless pit and you eat oversized portions in an effort to fill it. Some hearty portioners overindulge on unhealthy foods, while others eat too many healthy ones. In both cases, they eat quickly, their weight is climbing steadily and they feel powerless to change the pattern. With a food diary generally showing an intake that is two to five times the norm, you were probably raised as a member of the Clean Your Plate Club. You’re usually stuffed after eating, feel ashamed of your gluttony and swear you won’t overeat again. You may also suffer from indigestion, heartburn, or reflux after meals, along with sluggishness and fatigue.

Deprived Sneaker! You eat a diet of “good” foods only to fall off the wagon and overeat “bad” foods. Instead of eating a small slice of chocolate cake, you eat eight fat-free cookies. Then, you still feel deprived. Having what you really wanted from the beginning would have saved you many calories and emotional suffering. For the deprived sneaker, food is always a battle between eating “good” foods in public that you don’t always enjoy and sneaking anything “bad” in private that tastes good but makes you feel guilty. You never feel satisfied.

Popularity: 3% [?]

A man can go two weeks without eating. But if he
doesn’t rest at all, he can only survive for one week.
Sleeping provides us the time to rest our internal organs,
eyes and brains. Poor sleep quality can cause internal
damage to our internal organs and brains. Therefore,
sleeping is very important to us. If you wish to have a long
life and stay healthy, please take note of the advice below.

5 DON’TS when you are sleeping

DON’T SLEEP WITH WATCH
Watches can emit a certain level of radioactivity. Though
small, but if you wear your watch to bed for a long time, it
might have adverse effects on
your health.

DON’T SLEEP WITH BRA / UNDERWEAR
Scientists in America have discovered those that wear bras
for more than 12 hours have a higher risk of getting breast
cancer. Well the same goes down there for guys….. imagine
having a prostectic part. So go to bed without it.

DON’T SLEEP WITH PHONE
Putting the phone beside your bed or anywhere near you is
not encouraged. Though some of us will use phones as alarm
clocks, but please put the phone as far as possible.
Scientists have proved that electrical items including
mobile phone and television sets emit magnetic waves when
used. These waves can cause disruptions to our nervous
system. Therefore if you need to put your mobile phone near
you, switch it off first.

DON’T SLEEP WITH MAKE UP
People who sleep with make up might have skin problems in
the long run. Sleeping with make up will cause the skin to
have difficulty in breathing and problem in perspiring. You
will also need a much longer time to go into deep sleep.

DON’T SLEEP WITH OTHERS’ WIFE OR HUSBAND
You may never wake up again.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Details

• Title: Crazy for You
• Also known as: Crazy for Love / Crazy in Love
• Episodes: 16
• Broadcast network: SBS
• Broadcast period: 2007-Feb-03 to 2007-April-01
• Air time: Saturdays and Sundays 21:55

Synopsis

Suh Jin Young is an aviation maintenance technician. Her fiance Jae Hoon passed away in a horrible traffic accident. Kim Chae Joon dreams of becoming an aviation maintenance technician but he encounters prejudice because he is an ex-convict. He killed some one with his car. Suh Jin Young gives him a chance to work under her and they fall in love. However that love is severely tested when they both discover that the Chae Joon’s victim was Suh Jin Young’s fiance Jae Hoon.

Cast

• Yoon Kye Sang as Kim Chae Joon
• Lee Mi Yun as Suh Jin Young
• Kim Eun Joo as Jo Min Hee
• Lee Jong Hyuk as Lee Hyun Chul

Popularity: 7% [?]