9 Easy Ways to Get Started

April 14, 2007 | Motivation, Success, Time Management | Beth Schneider

So there you sit with all these things that have to get done - letters, phone calls, paperwork, deadlines to meet - and... you do nothing! Welcome to overwhelm! I know it's all about goal-setting and then the implementation process, but it feels like simply way, way, way too much to do and not nearly enough time to do it in, huh? We've all been there. I was there yesterday. Chances I'll be back there again.

Look, I know that getting started is almost always the hardest part of any task. So, if you can just get yourself started and you can overcome the overwhelm. Okay, sit up and take notes because I am about to share nine of my favorite get started tricks (and feel free to send me some of yours). See full post

To Delegate or Not To Delegate, Why is that Such a Hard Question?

September 23, 2006 | Delegation, Employees & Contractors, Time Management | Beth Schneider

Excuses, excuses, I have heard them all.
“It is faster if I just do it myself.”
“No one does it better than me.”
“I don’t know what to delegate.”
“I can’t afford to hire anyone.”

Sound familiar? The key to controlling delegation is to establish what tasks are, how they should be completed and what the final outcome looks like BEFORE you assign them to someone. See full post

Go Away, I’m Busy – How to Manage Interruptions

August 22, 2006 | Time Management | Beth Schneider

You are in the zone, working away, the inspiration is flowing. Your hands are blowing over the keyboard like magic. You start thinking about what a productive day you are having. Then suddenly it happens. The phone rings, an email arrives, someone bursts into your office and it’s all over.

Next thing you know, hours have gone by. You look up and think, “How did I get here?!” The day is almost over, you haven’t finished what you wanted to and all that fantastic productivity has just flown out the window.

Interruptions are more than annoying. They can really slow down your business and your productivity. Arriving emails, ringing phones and unexpected visitors are the most common types of interruptions. Here are some ways to deal with them. See full post

8 Easy Ways to Cut Down Email Overload

August 13, 2006 | Time Management | Beth Schneider

I’ll tell you a little secret. Back in the mid 90s I actually used to go for weeks at a time without checking my email. When I finally did, there would be a whopping 20 email messages. A little note from a pal. The occasional work related message. The joke of the day. 20 whole messages, in a week, can you believe it?

Now I get 20 messages in like 5 minutes. Do you ever miss the “good ole’ days” of email? When you could actually sit down, read and handle everything in a small amount of time?

For many, what used to be a great convenience has become just another task to tackle.
No, you can’t give up email cold turkey. It’s here to stay. But it doesn’t have to be so hard or overwhelming. Here are 8 easy ways to cut down on the constant shuffle and overwhelming amount of email you handle every day. And I’m not just talking about spam filters. See full post