Musings of a freelance pa …
Your website copyright date...
Have you changed the copyright date on your website? Read on and I will tell you why it is so important to do this…
How does a small business owner take a holiday?
How does a small business owner take a holiday?
This is a serious question to small business owners … when did you last take a holiday? I’m talking a real holiday not just a day off or a long weekend.
Read on for a few tips so that you can take that holiday …
Write great content fast …
Write great content fast …
Do you put off writing because it just takes far too long? Do you wish you could write faster? Do you envy all those people you see churning out regular content? I bet you do!
Well … read on for my tip to save you time …
Is your desk impeding your productivity?
Are you a desk-worker? I definitely spend most of my working time at my desk. So when I am at my desk I really want the time to be as productive as possible … after all, I don’t want to be there all day. So how do I make this happen?
Well, I’m going to share some tips on how you can really boost your productivity with items on and around your desk.
Read in full …
Tasks to outsource to a freelance pa/virtual assistant
There are many, many tasks that you can outsource to a freelance pa/virtual assistant … all of which will result in you having more time to focus on the tasks you do best AND a healthier work–life balance.
Tasks that you delegate can be:
• Tasks that you hate doing!
• Tasks that you can’t do.
• Tasks that you shouldn’t be doing … because you could be earning more but doing your job and getting an admin specialist to do the admin!
Read in full …
How to juggle time and tasks efficiently
OK so we would all love to have more minutes in the hour, more hours in the day, more days in the week … am I right? BUT we can’t!! There are so many productivity pains … procrastination, unrealistic deadlines, unwanted distractions that steal valuable time, and lack of organisation to name a few. We are all pulled in different directions and there never seem to be enough hours in the day to get it all done. However we CAN use the time that we have in a better way so that it feels like we have more minutes/hours/days … really.
So here are some tips to help you on your way to juggling your time and tasks efficiently …
Have a positive Mindset regarding your To Do list
Have a plan of action
Keep your clients/colleagues informed
Learn to say ‘No’
Acknowledge your juggling capacity
Focus
Have reassessment time
Tick things off ✓ and 👏
Read in full …
Press pause … on a regular basis
I know I say this a lot BUT it is really IMPORTANT!!⠀
Running your own business (or working for someone else) is hard work and we all need to remember to pause ... even if only for a short time ... it is really beneficial.
Read this poem that I wrote …
Editing and Proofreading: what’s the difference?
Do you know what the difference is between editing and proofreading? You are not alone if you don’t … many people aren’t clear about the difference between the two services and what they need. But editing and proofreading are quite different and produce significantly different outcomes for writers so I thought I would write this article to help you evaluate your options. Editing is done way before a proofreader sees the copy and there may be several rounds of editing!
Let me explain …
Simplicity is the ‘soul’ of efficiency
Being organised so that you can complete tasks efficiently means you have more time to do any planning/creative thinking for your business or to enjoy other interests/hobbies.
Here are some tips that might help you complete tasks both efficiently and quickly:
Why I chose to use Squarespace for my website
OK so it took me a long time, and a lot of dithering, but when I finally updated my website earlier this year I chose Squarespace.
In this article, I discuss the main reasons I chose Squarespace for my website and why I believe it is the best website platform for the types of small businesses I work with.
Productivity IN my business ... or the lack of it!
OK so let’s get to the point ... over the last few months my productivity in my business has not been great. Yes I get everything done that I really, urgently, needed to do but I am not productive in my business. Does this resonate with you?
In this article I discuss and analyse why/how I am unproductive in my business and what I plan to do about it! Read on for tips!
What characteristics should a freelance pa have?
Obviously a freelance pa needs to be both knowledgeable and have expertise in a wide range of admin tasks ... but what other qualities will clients be looking for so they feel reassured you will be able to support them and their business?
Let me take you through some qualities that I think are most important … this is a long list and some of the qualities will seem really obvious but need to be considered.
Top tips for an achievable ‘To Do’ list
I just love a list ... for a start it means I don’t forget something but also it gives me a lot of satisfaction ticking tasks off when I have completed them. But, there is absolutely no point in writing a long ‘To Do’ list for a particular day that just isn’t achievable as it will just get you down and have a negative effect on your productivity. So, here are my top tips for an achievable ‘To Do’ list:
Is your business ready to outsource to a freelance pa?
These are very strange times that we are living in … working from home will be unusual for many and a huge number of small business owners will also find that they are home schooling children as well as trying to run their business. Outsourcing admin tasks to a freelance pa may seem even less likely just now BUT are the essential admin tasks getting done? Would it be better that the short amount of time that you have each day, in between juggling everything else, is spent on other tasks that can’t be done by a freelance pa as they need your expertise?
How to work with a freelance pa or virtual assistant
Just because you have engaged a freelance pa/virtual assistant please don’t think that all your admin nightmares will disappear overnight and you will suddenly have loads more time on your hands.
The benefits of a freelance pa to any small business …
Small businesses, and especially solopreneurs, might be wondering whether hiring a freelance pa/virtual assistant is the right road to follow. When you set up your own business it is 'your baby' and it is definitely hard to let go of some of the tasks that need to be done ... but if you want to grow your business you have to let go someday!
Is admin an uphill struggle?
Do you find that you have certain admin tasks that stay on your 'To Do' list week after week because you struggle with time or just really dislike doing them so avoid them? Or do you find your uphill struggle is actually finding time to spend with family, friends or just a having a bit of ‘me’ time because you are tackling those admin tasks on your 'To Do' list at all hours to ensure they are ticked off?
Positive thinking …
How to spot a liar, why some people are luckier than others and why, if you want to distinguish fact from fiction, you should listen not watch …
How to be more organised … here are some tips to start you off
Do you envy those people that just always seem to be on top of everything, know exactly where everything is and never, ever miss a deadline or meeting? Don't worry about it ... you can be like them too if you really want to ... it will just take a little bit of time and effort.