Ever since I started thinking about starting my own business, I have been studying very successful business owners.  There are many things they have in common, but one major factor is that they are all constantly learning and growing. The majority do not achieve their high levels of success on their own.  

The mentor/coach I’m currently working with has a multi-million dollar business and invests thousands of dollars a year in his own learning so he can earn more and have the time to do what he enjoys doing.  He schedules it in like any other important commitment.

In order for your business to be better, YOU (and your people) need to be better.  You will not get better by doing nothing!

So why don't we do it?  Why do we avoid growing our knowledge?  It may be because in order to do this, you may have to get out of your comfort zone.

There’s no excuse not to get off your butt and learn your way to success. It does not matter where you live.  There are events that happen 24 hours a day all across the globe as well as virtually.  There are coaching programs that are one-on-one or group sessions.  There are networking groups on and off-line where you can meet other like-minded people or those playing at a higher level of business than you.  There is something for every person and every learning style.  Saying you have ‘no money’ and/or ‘no time’ are poor excuses.  Investing in you is important.

If you always do what you have always done, you'll always get what you've always got!
~unknown~

Focus on where you want to be, not where you are now! Many business owners spend their whole lives using excuses and end up going nowhere. The money and the time will appear if you are serious about wanting to change and grow.

Your continuous learning (and taking action on that learning) can take you from struggling along in overwhelm to flying high in all areas of your life. How is the quality of your life?  Is it improving?  Are you getting the results you want? Is your business more profitable? Do you have the free time you want to spend the way you want?

Did you answer yes to the questions above?  If so, what have you been doing to get these results?  Then, make sure to keep doing what’s working!  If you are not moving the direction you want, seriously look at why that is and do something different. When’s the last time you invested in your most important asset?  (YOU!) 

The people I know who are getting great results in their business and personal lives are always learning, growing and taking action.  A friend of mine told me this saying, ‘if you’re green you’re growing, if you’re ripe your rotten.” Which one are you? 

To your success!

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1. Have an agenda for your call before you pick up the phone to dial.  This way, you won't hang up and realize you missed an important point only to have to call again.
2. If you need to leave a message, make sure to tell the person a good time to reach you as well as details of what you are looking for.  The person returning your call may be able to answer your questions in a return voice mail or they will call at your suggested time, avoiding phone tag.
3. When you record your outbound message, ask your callers to give you the best time to return their call.  Also ask them to repeat their phone number twice -- this saves you time trying to replay a message to catch the correct number.

Waste time searching for lost files. --> Back up the information on your computer!

Time and aggravation abound when you have a sudden crash of your computer.  Panic sets in and hours can be spent (as well as dollars) trying to recover information on a bad drive.  Eliminate this by backing up your data with a service or on an external hard drive.  Want more on this idea?  Check out my story: Computer Crashed! 400 Gigs Gone! Don't Let this Happen to You!

Switch focus --> Focus on Your Priorities!

It is more important than ever to make sure that the things we choose to spend our time on are the right things.  When you spend time on low priority items, your TIME IS STOLEN!  Peter Drucker encourages us to understand that it is important to decide “what” is to be done first.  Only after that decision is made should we figure out the “how” and “when”.  If you need help figuring out how to set your priorities then check out this special report.

Be a Multi-Tasker --> Schedule "Power Hours"

1. In Can you manage your time? Read - learn the secret - then weigh in on the conversation I talk about a really important concept called the "Power Hour."  Set time aside to focus and work uninterrupted.  Ignore the phone, IMs, text messages, Tweets and any other kind of interruption.  Make sure that all of the resources that you need are on hand and ready to be used. 
2. If you find that you have challenges with hyper-focus (where you lose time by focusing too much on a particular project) then consider using a timer or alarm.  By having the clock running as you work, you become more aware of how long tasks take.  It trains your subconscious to be more productive.  You get more done.
3. "Doing IT ALL" Gets Nothing Done - Is that REALLY True? Of course it is!  Multi-tasking can steal your time faster than you might imagine.  If you have many tasks that need to be done, focus on one at a time.  Give the task your undivided attention and get it done.  Then, move on to the next task.

Attend meetings that do not have value --> Assess the importance of all meetings!

There are a number of ways that you can make decisions.  Holding or attending a meeting is just one.  When you look at your schedule, make sure that you are only attending meetings that add value or where you can add value.  Want more on this topic?  Consider these articles: 10 Things YOU Can Do To Make A Productive Meeting Even When You are Not the Meeting Planner or Key Activity You Should Do To Make The Most of Your Time & Meetings

Demand perfection in everything --> Understand that perfectionism paralyzes.

Are you a perfectionist?  We are frequently our own worst critic.  Please stop.  Perfectionism KILLS productivity.  When you tweak and tweak, always trying to make your service or product perfect; the service or product never launches!  What a huge theft of your time and the potential!  If you give yourself permission to "slip" you will not focus energy on slipping.  Some of the greatest leaders and successful individuals have failed many times.  It is through the failing that real learning happens.

Want more ideas?  Check out this post on creating your NOT to do list.

Comment and Share!

What methods do you use to create your goals?  How do you make sure you stay on track?  Do you think this process would work for you?  I'd love to hear about it and I know my readers would too!  Please leave your comment below. Like what you've read?  I'd love it if you would click one of the buttons below and share this post with your friends.

To your success!

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Centers for Disease Control & Prevention state unequivocally that 80% of our medical expenditures are stress related. http://bit.ly/3Mn9iC

Scary huh?!  In fact, my life used to reflect that statistic!  I have spent the last few years learning about stress and finding techniques that help me to live a happy healthy life.  I've learned that there are a number of different types of stress and depending on the type you are struggling with, you may have different ways to alleviate the irritant.

Anyway, the statistic led to other conversation and one of my readers said that she had no idea how she should de-stress.  So, I posed the question to my friends and here is what they do.  Don't see yours on the listing?  Scroll to the bottom of the page and add it!  There are a lot of people out there wanting to know!

Let Go!

--- "To reduce stress in your life, reduce your attachment to things." --- Judith Forsyth

Warm Water

--- "Sit in my hot tub with a glass of wine- total de-stressing!" --- Tom Larsen

--- I like this one too!  I had a doctor tell me to to soak my feet in warm water and then give myself a foot rub before bed and I would sleep soundly.  He was right!  Sometimes I enjoy a full jacuzzi bath or I will even go and get a pedicure.

Vision a Beautiful Place

--- "Picture being in Martinique and body surfing waves." --- @americannanny 

--- Research shows that if you can create a vision of a place that is clear in your mind, it is almost as good as being there!  Use vision boards to help you with this too.

Quiet/Reflective Activities

--- "I relieve stress with the NY Times crossword puzzle.  Sometimes it takes me all week to finish.  I savor the time working on it." --- @blannie1 

--- "10 min of mind-numbing Solitaire." --- @mdconcierge 

--- "CRAFTS! Either crochet or Scrap-booking. Some times just time with friends - we call going out for ice cream "cheese" so the kids won't want to come, too." --- Gretchen M. Fatouros 

--- "Knit" --- Shawna Knapp Collins 

--- "Massages!! They are wonderful! Especially if you incorporate aromatherapy into it and do a FULL body massage. I am amazed at the number of women that go for a massage and tell the therapist they don't want their hair and makeup messed up. There is a lot of relaxation to be had by having the face and head massaged!" --- Rhonda Shouse

--- I like massages too.  Get someone that really knows what they are doing and you can relieve physical stress for weeks.  Reflexology is worth a try too. 

--- I have a client that spends hours in her garden enjoying nature and watching things grow.

--- Another quiet activity is journaling.  When you take the time to write your thoughts out, you start to gain a deeper understanding of your own thoughts.  Also, the process of writing is actually healing!

--- I read - I have a few different categories for my reading.  One category is "enjoyment" and I do a little reading most nights.

Audio/Visual

---  "Watching TV is my escape.  The stress relief occurs when everyone goes 2 bed & the only noise is the TV.  I can relax & be calm." --- @rstevenw 

--- "A good Turner Classic Movie from the late 30's or 40's." --- Cheryl Vargas 

--- Music of many kinds can drip the stress away from my mind quickly!  If I'm tense from sitting at my desk all day, I might put on some dance music and dance in my office!  It loosens up the muscles and I always laugh when I dance which is a proven de-stresser.  If I am mentally drained, I have more low-key music that I listen to - Mozart, new age jazz or Jason Groban, etc.

--- While some people can de-stress by watching T.V., others can really de-stress by eliminating certain shows from their viewing practices.  Evaluate the types of shows you are watching.  How many of them are negative and how many of them are positive?  If you find that your ratio is more negative than positive, change it for 2 weeks and see how you feel.

Spiritual

--- "I meditate." --- Amye Price Gumbinner 

--- Meditation and prayer are great techniques for getting rid of stress.  Having a connection to something greater than you and connecting.

--- Practicing gratitude - start your day by listing--in your mind or in writing--ten things that you are grateful for.  It is really easy to focus on the things that are not going well in your life.  Force yourself to think of the things that are going well and you'll be amazed at how much better you feel.

Eat!

--- "Have a cookie!!" --- @ilovekookies 

--- "Eleviv.....Natural supplement that gives me a peace of mind like I have never felt before." --- Carla Anderson

--- "A good cry or chocolate seems to do the trick." --- Kathy McFeeters

--- I drink tea - Organic Peppermint tea to be exact.  Love the warm, comfort feeling and taste.

Family Time

--- "I go for a walk each afternoon with my children.  Works every time." --- @rbarberi 

--- I laugh - a LOT!  One of my favorite things to do is spend time with my son and that often leads to laughter.  We de-stress each other.

Physical Activities

--- "Punching bag!" --- @pamelaharper72 

--- "WORKOUT!! :-)" --- @fatlosstips4u & @llyounger

--- "Trap shooting - yes, I have a shotgun now." --- Shawna Knapp Collins 

--- Tai Chi is my newest favorite workout.  I've found it is relaxing and healing at the same time.  My son and I also enjoy the Wii Fit balance games for a combination of laughter and workout!

Cleaning (Really?  Yes, Really!)

--- "Cleaning (dishes, dusting, vacuuming, etc.) + organizing + exercise... in that order =)" --- @dallisonlee 

--- "I scrub-a-dub w/rubber gloves, brush, bucket + fave potion.  Burns calories+sparkling surfaces.  Smells good 2 --- @metrozing 

Enjoying Our Animals  

--- "Walking my dogs - it's a great way to meet the neighbors; I believe we should be more like those relaxed people in colorado and bring our dogs to work." --- Shawna Knapp Collins

--- I'm with Shawna on this one for sure.  My puppy, Danny, and I go for walks and play catch.  The workout and laughter do a lot for stress relief. 

Want More Ideas? 

Check out Entrepreneurs You Must Learn To Relax - Here are 74 ideas to get you started on the TPE site.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS!!

What do you do to de-stress?  It is so important to have something that works for you! I know my readers would love your ideas.  Please leave your comment below. (Reading this in email?  click here to share your comment)

Like what you've read?  Then you must share it!  People need de-stressing now!  Choose one of the buttons at the bottom of this post and share away!

To your success!

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Want to see their actual comments? Check out the pics below. click on the thumbnail to switch between the comments I got on Facebook and Twitter.

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Ellen Hankesis one of our AWESOME consultants at Calahan Solutions, Inc. and I'm writing today totally thrilled and excited for her as she takes the next step on her professional journey.  Ellen does not toot her horn very often, so I want to toot it for her! 

When Ellen started working with us she joined the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization and immediately began growing her skills and knowledge.  This month she became a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization (CPO-CD®). 

The CPO-CD® student spends 17-20 months of intensive time studying and applying this learning in practical application with current clients. The purpose of the NSGCD CPO-CD® program is to develop a Professional Organizers skills and knowledge by utilizing a coaching style relationship.  The CPO-CD® program is specifically geared to improve the quality of service, techniques and knowledge a Professional Organizer provides to their Chronically Disorganized clients.

Ellen's focus for work is helping those that have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD or Hoarding find peace in their daily lives both at home and at work. 

If you have a minute, jump over to Ellen's blog and tell her congratulations. 

To your success!

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We love getting your questions!  Ask one or many!  We review questions on a regular basis and publish in one of our blogs or newsletter.

They offer no cost downloadable spreadsheets for a number of business and personal needs.  Each template that they have created work in Excel and some even work in Open Office and Google Docs.All templates on this site work in Excel. Most also work in Open Office and Google Docs.

Added bonus: If you are looking for tips on effective use of Excel, you can find them on the site too. 

Go there now! http://www.practicalspreadsheets.com/index.html  Check it out and let me know what you think.

Please Share!

I'd love your help spreading the word.  Click one of the buttons below and share with your network.

To your success!

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“What does it take to succeed on a big scale? A tremendous God-given talent? Inherited wealth? A decade of postgraduate education? Connections? Fortunately for most of us, what it takes is something very simple and accessible: clear, written goals.”

According to Brian Tracy, a study of Harvard graduates found that after two years, the 3 percent who had written goals achieved more financially than the other 97 percent combined!

Take time today to create and write down some solid SMART goals.

When you write a goal, use the SMART acronym to help you make sure that you are creating something that you will actually DO!

S = Specific

"I want to lose weight," is not very specific.  How about: "I am going to lose 15.37 pounds or 2 dress sizes."

M = Measurable

Anything that you can measure, you can complete!  "I will network with more people and make better connections for my business."  How would you measure "more"?  Try something like this instead: "I will meet and follow-up with 2 new people at every networking event that I attend this year." 

A = Attainable

Is it possible to attain your goal?  When you create your goals, you should make sure that your goal is possible!  Now, you have to be cautious though.  Don't go too easy on yourself.  Your goals should have some stretch to them so that you can grow!

R = Realistic

"I will fly to Aruba using only my arms."  Uh...no.  There are certain laws of physics that still make it impossible for humans to fly on their own.  Make sure that the goals you create are based in reality.

T = Time Limited

Give yourself a deadline.  "I will write 3 blog posts a week--Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  I will begin my posting on 10/21/2009."

Write down your goals and make them SMART and you will find the success you want!

Comment and Share!

What methods do you use to create your goals?  How do you make sure you stay on track?  Do you think this process would work for you?  I'd love to hear about it and I know my readers would too!  Please leave your comment below. Like what you've read?  I'd love it if you would click one of the buttons below and share this post with your friends.

To your success!

PS -- If you've enjoyed this post and want to see more, why not subscribe to our daily emails (Feedblitz) or through the RSS Feed (click here)?  Or, follow us on Twitter!  Or connect on Facebook!

We love getting your questions!  Ask one or many!  We review questions on a regular basis and publish in one of our blogs or newsletter.

I'm shouting from the rooftops, I’m so excited!  Calahan Solutions, Inc. 

I did not even know that I had been nominated, so when I got the call earlier last week, I was in shock.  If you don't know, this is like the Oscars of the organizing world! There are only four other nominees for this category out of the whole world wide web! WOW! I'm honored to be in the company of some really amazing people and businesses.  To make it even better, I'm associated with a number of them too! 

Affiliated Finalists

Best Organizing Product Retailer - Stacks and Stacks - I have been an expert author for Stacks and Stacks' Clutter Control Freak Blog for a few years now.

Best Office Organizing Product - NeatDesk™ by Neat® - I've been on The Neat Company's consumer advisory panel since 2007.

Most Helpful Organizing Technology - iPEP by Productive Environment Institute - I've been a certified iPEP specialist since the technology was introduced. 

Most Helpful Organizing Technology - Neat Receipts™ by The Neat Company - I mentioned my work with Neat, but I'm also a reseller of their awesome product. 

Best National Makeover Reality Television Program - Extreme Makeover – Home Edition (ABC) - Last October I participated on the strategy and implementation production/builder team for a local build.  It was an amazing experience.

Best Publication Featuring Organizational Information - Real Simple® Magazine - Real Simple has quoted me a few times over the years.

Most Valuable Educational Resource - National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD) - I am a very proud member!

Please Vote!

While my category is restricted to NAPO LA members only, you can vote for my affiliated companies here: https://web.memberclicks.com/mc/quickForm/viewForm.do?orgId=napola&formId=34041. You’ll need to register with your email, but it’s painless. 

If you happen to be a member of NAPO LA, I'd appreciate your vote!

Thanks for reading this and celebrating for a moment with me. 

Please Share!

I'd love your help spreading the word.  Click one of the buttons below and share with your network.

To your success!

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As I walked through the exhibit hall on Wednesday, I did a lot of observing.  I saw a lot of talking and interaction, but I wondered if actual networking was occurring.  Networking is an extremely important component for most businesses, yet there are many people that don't do it right.  They miss the most important step that must be done right --- the follow up. 

Let me tell you a short story to illustrate my point:

About a year ago, I was at an event and talked with an exhibitor.  I was very impressed with their product and asked if they could call me later in the week.  The company representative said "That would be great.  We'll be in touch on Thursday."  That Thursday came and went and I did not hear from them.  Two weeks passed and I gave them benefit of the doubt and gave them a call.  They were very apologetic for not getting in touch with me, but they had some unexpected emergencies come up.  Could they give me a call the following week.  "Sure!" I said.  It has now been over a year and I have never heard from them!  I have not invested any money with the company either.

Learning how to network effectively and follow up is a skill that will help anyone in business that wants to maximize their time and money.  You must have systems in place for follow up!  Stand out from the crowd!  It’s so simple yet most people don’t do it.  The next time you are scheduled to attend a networking event, make sure to start with these basics:

Make sure to have plenty of business cards with you that are printed with your current contact information.

I hear it at every meeting I go to!  "I'm sorry, I did not even think to bring my cards with me."  Your business card is a very valuable tool for networking.  Don't leave home without it!

Bring a pen and note cards, then use them

Once you have met someone, don't rely on your memory to recall the conversation.  Before you move to the next person, write notes on the contact's business card, or a note card that you can reference later.

Before you go to the event, make sure to block your time in your planner/calendar/Blackberry/etc.

Timely follow up is really important.  Give it the attention it deserves and make sure to follow up with everyone you meet or talk with from every event within 24-48 hours.

Have and use your database

Have a database you manage that helps you keep detailed records of all conversations and communications.   Put your networking contact information in the system right away.  If you don't have a customer relationship system, consider the one I love.  Batch-book integrates web 2.0 tools too. 

Stay in touch

Once you have met someone, have a way to stay in touch.  Consider, ezines, newsletters, cards, phone calls, etc.

Repeat!

Unless you have loads of time on your hands, or don't need to make any more money, you can't afford to miss these golden opportunities!  The steps that I have outlined are not difficult, yet many people do not do them.  Help you and your organization stand out from the crowd and do that follow up! 

In future posts, I'll share the systems I use to stay in touch.

Comment and Share!

I know you have some great ideas about networking.  What has worked for you?  Please leave your comment below. Like what you've read?  I'd love it if you would click one of the buttons below and share with your network.

To your success!

PS -- If you've enjoyed this post and want to see more, why not subscribe to our daily emails (Feedblitz) or through the RSS Feed (click here)?  Or, follow us on Twitter!  Or connect on Facebook!

We love getting your questions!  Ask one or many!  We review questions on a regular basis and publish in one of our blogs or newsletter.

Today I'm running off to a fabulous business conference, so I'm keeping my post short and referencing you to a great post by Meryl Evans, who offers 17 ways to kill common distractions a few days ago.  Take a look at it and begin applying his tips right away!

What other distractions do you face? How do you handle them? Please leave your comment below. Like what you've read?  I'd love it if you would click the ShareThis link below and share this post with your social networking friends.

To your success!

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Jennifer:  This problem comes up at least once in the life of every small business.  Here are some things you can do to fight the mounding piles of paper:

Decide to Decide!

You have to stop thinking that you don't have time to organize. Remember that the process of organization only becomes more difficult in time because clutter accumulates. A task that may take you only an hour to do may take you days if you let everything pile up.

In her book, Taming the Paper Tiger at Work, Barbara Hemphill reminds us that we should look at the paper in our office by what we need to do with it.  Whenever you receive information, ask yourself if it requires any action. If it required action, file the document and include it in your files that need urgent action. Otherwise, toss it in the wastebasket.

After an action has been done, ask yourself if the file will be important for future reference. If so, file it in your cabinet. Otherwise, toss it.

Start with an understanding of what you must keep.

Getting organized is not an easy task. Everyday, you are forced to deal with mountains of paper that contain both crucial information and useless garbage. Although paper can serve a great purpose, a huge amount of it can literally wreak havoc and harm productivity. It is important to know the difference.

While there are some standard rules for residential record keeping, your rules are going to be different for each type of business.  Start by talking with your accountant about the papers you MUST keep in order to have proper tax records.  Normally, 80% of what we keep we don't need and will never reference again.  By knowing what you MUST keep, you will eliminate the space you need to take.

The Mechanics of Filing Paper

Although everyone knows that filing cabinets exist, few have tried using them. Even fewer use them effectively.  Look around your space.  Do you have a few 2-drawer file cabinets with wasted space above them?  If so, consider getting 4-drawer file cabinets that double your filing capacity without adding extra footprint space.

Pulling at every drawer of your cabinet and rifling through each folder to find the information you need is a tedious task. One way to resolve this is to devise your very own file system.  One of my favorites can be found here:  www.FindInFiveSeconds.com.

Maybe an Electronic Scanning System Should be Considered

When space is limited, another great option is to go digital!  The IRS now approves electronic images for tax documentation, so there is no legal reason to keep most papers.  (Note, there are contracts, etc. that you would still want to keep in original form, but not many!)

I love the Neat Company and their various product lines.  I've been using their products since 2007 and love them so much that we became a reseller.  Here is a video on one of their newest scanners (along with great finding technology on your PC or Mac!)  If you are interested in considering this type of technology, Email Me and I'll be happy to help you figure out which model is best for your situation.

Comment and Share!

I know you have some great ideas for Jennifer her family business too.  Please leave your comment below. Like what you've read?  I'd love it if you would click the ShareThis link below and share this post with your social networking friends.

To your success!

PS -- If you've enjoyed this post and want to see more, why not subscribe to our daily emails (Feedblitz) or through the RSS Feed (click here)?  Or, follow us on Twitter!  Or connect on Facebook!

We love getting your questions!  Ask one or many!  We review questions on a regular basis and publish in one of our blogs or newsletter.