Skip to main content

lynda - ”3 Steps to Getting the Right Things Done” by Ali Brown

As a home-based entrepreneur, help can come to you in many forms, from the kid’s morning carpool to a personal assistant who can help with errands and organizing. Most of us know we need the help, but we put off making the decision with all types of excuses, like “I can’t afford to hire someone!”or “I don’t need to have someone else do THAT. It’s so easy—I can handle it!”


Contrary to our limiting beliefs, HELP comes in all shapes and sizes. And, you don’t have to be an advanced business owner, or spend a ton of money to deserve an extra hand. These days there are independent contractors and affordable hourly workers that can free up HOURS of your time each week… if you just let them.


Here’s how to get started…


1. Get an idea of your weekly to-dos for your business and your personal life.


Make a general list of projects and tasks you’d like to get done this week. Here’s an example of what this would look like:


Pick up dry-cleaning

Buy file cabinet

Sell books on Amazon

Book travel for sister’s wedding

Drop clothes off at Goodwill

Clean out pantry

Buy daughter’s bday present

Write ezine article

Lunch with potential client

Make follow-up calls from networking event

Check status of brochures and business cards at the printer


It’s likely you’ll come up with a mix of personal and work errands and project-related tasks that have to do with your home and your business. Clearly, there will be a few items that you and only you should do. (In our above example, the client lunch and follow-up calls, would best be done by you, especially if you’re just starting out and are building a reputation for yourself.)


But, most of the items on your list could easily be delegated to someone else.


2. Decide WHO’S going to do WHAT.


The above exercise should unveil the TYPES of tasks that make up your life and business. You’ll find that there are housekeeping tasks to keep your home running smoothly, and there are also work-related administrative tasks. You also need to put on your managerial hat on, while keeping your money-making, business owner eyes on the “prize” at all times. Yes, it’s a lot, and that’s why your next step is to start delegating.


Family Members – This may sound like an obvious solution, but some women don’t like to recruit their family members to help them in their businesses—and some even have a hard time asking for help with family-related concerns. But asking your family to help out with home matters isn’t just appropriate, it can help to make your loved ones feel like contributing members of your “tribe”, and empower them to be proactive in the future.


Examples: Cooking dinner, giving rides, grocery shopping, booking travel, making purchases, post-office, FedEx runs, etc.


Hourly Assistants – If you’re adamant about keeping your errands out of your family life, then consider hiring an assistant on an hourly basis. A personal assistant can take on a wide variety of home and business-related work—and you can rely on them to manage your tasks professionally (and without any whining—unlike some reluctant family members! ;)).


Examples: Personal shopping, booking travel, pet/plant sitting, organizing, rides, etc.


A Virtual Assistant (VA) specializes in traditional administrative tasks, and can be a lifesaver when it comes to keeping books and managing vendors. Some are more tech savvy and can help with website maintenance, HTML, WordPress, etc. Others are great at proofing and writing. So, think about the main tasks you want to delegate and try to explore the various types of VA out there, so you can find a great fit for your particular business. VA rates range from $15 an hour to $100, depending on their specialties.


3. Start Small


If you’re feeling cautious of how much you want to let go, start small. Do a trial run with a new VA, or personal assistant, and see how your family members respond to you asking for help. Once you can get an idea of how things are working, you can move things around accordingly.


And, if you’re still uncomfortable with hiring a designated assistant, don’t forget about all the low-maintenance forms of help available to you these days. A few ideas: Have a cleaning lady to come to your house once a week, or find a babysitter to watch the kids two afternoons a week. Call a travel agent to book your next vacation, and explore your options when it comes to a bookkeeper or accountant. They may not be “hires” in the typical sense of the word, but these are other forms of help that will save you time, and free you to focus on the parts of your life and your business that you’re passionate about!


QUESTION: What is ONE task you can delegate this week to free your time and energy? Share below, and let us know how it feels to reach out for help–and receive it!


==========


© 2013 Ali International, LLC


WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE?
You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:“Entrepreneur mentor Ali Brown teaches women around the world how to start and grow a profitable business that make a positive impact. Get her FREE CD “Top 10 Secrets for Entrepreneurial Women” at www.AliBrown.com






via Ali Brown - Entrepreneur Mentor Featured on ABC's Secret Millionaire", Small Business Coach and Consultant for Women http://www.alibrown.com/blog/2013/07/25/%e2%80%9d3-steps-to-getting-the-right-things-done%e2%80%9d-by-ali-brown-2/
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

lynda - Jane Wurwand, Founder of Dermalogica, this week on Glambition Radio

Jane Wurwand is not only the founder of the #1 brand of skin care in the world, but she’s also changing women’s lives on a global level . I’m thrilled to have her as my guest on today’s episode of Glambition Radio . Jane (originally from the UK) and her husband launched their business back in 1983 in Marina del Rey, CA with $14,000, no bank loans and no investors. Today, Dermalogica boasts sales of more than $250,000 million a year and is sold in 86 countries around the world! It’s a true rags-to-riches story, and she tells all in our interview . What many people may not know about Jane is that she is also fighting to empower women all over the world. She founded FITE , Financial Independence Through Entrepreneurship, which invests in local grassroots initiatives to help women and girls become leaders . To date, her FITE program has helped fund more than 40,000 loans for women to start or grow businesses in over 65 countries! (Visit JoinFITE.org to see how you can get involved.) O
Post a Comment
Read more

SMART Goals 101: Goal Setting Examples, Templates, and Tips - Brian Tracy

I think you’ll agree with me when I say: We’ve all heard that SMART goals are important . But a lot of people are left with questions about them, for example: What exactly are they? How do we use them correctly? Are they really contributing to your success? Here’s the deal: When it comes to achieving success, one of the most important steps that you can take is setting good goals. It is also important to recognize, though, that not all goals are created equal. In this article, we’ll take a look at a special class of goals called SMART goals and how you can use them to heighten your chances of success. FREE SUCCESS TOOL: Brian Tracy’s 14-Step-Goal-Setting Guide What is a Goal? A goal can be any objective that you set for yourself and push yourself to achieve. Sometimes that goal may be small (like waking up an hour earlier than you normally do) and sometimes it may be larger (like earning a promotion). But here’s the kicker: While having goals of all kinds is almost
Post a Comment
Read more

bosanchez - The Bias of Fathers

One day, I was at a Christmas party. And parents were forcing their small kids to sing, bribing them with lollipops to banana splits to doll houses to Boracay vacations. One father — a friend of mine whose name I won’t divulge as it would be hazardous to my health — brought his little five-year-old daughter to the front. Because he even had a Minus One prepared, we thought, “She must really be a good singer.” So everyone clapped their hands and cheered as the music started. Then the five-year-old began to sing. Or at least made some kind of sharp noise.  But she didn’t get one key right. The cute little girl was absolutely tone deaf. From beginning to end, she sounded so awful, the experience was similar to having an endoscopy without the anesthesia. But the father was right beside me, still taking photos, still smiling from ear to ear, his eyes glued to his little daughter. He looked at me and smiled, “She may not sound right, but can you see how lovely she sways her hips?” Th
Post a Comment
Read more