How to develop effective time management skills

01/07/2024 by

Time Management SkillsTime Management Skills:

Developing effective time management skills is an essential ingredient for success, and I’m sure you’ll agree. You can’t add real value without making the best use of your time.

However, making the best use of it is not always easy in practice, is it?

So, how good are you, dear reader, at managing your time?

Do you have a reputation for being ruthlessly efficient and productive, or are you someone who’s always struggling to keep up?

When someone asks you to do something in the office, do you accept their request without question and simply add the task to your ‘To Do’ list? If you do, you’re not alone. Many people will do that, in my experience.

Alternatively, perhaps you’re the type who thinks carefully relative to your priorities before you accept such a request. Now be honest. We’d all like to think we’re the latter, when in fact far too many people are the former I think.

Productivity is what matters:

In the world of work, it’s easy to confuse being busy with being productive, but these two concepts are not the same thing at all, are they?

For instance, you can be busy doing things that don’t need doing at all. Whereas being genuinely productive means delivering real results from high-value tasks, which can only be done by someone with your skills.

And let’s face it, reputations are built by being productive, not merely by being busy. It’s the results you deliver, not the energy you expend, that matter most.

Time is your most precious resource:

How often do you hear someone say, “Oh, I would love to do that, if only I had the time.“

And yet we all have the same amount of time, i.e. 168 hours per week.

Time is simply a resource like money, although it’s more important than money. I say that because you can get more money, but you can’t get more time. None of us can do that, can we?

So you must learn to use your time wisely. Time is your most precious resource, so you must develop effective time management skills.

High-value tasks must take precedence:

Modern pressures mean it’s easy for us to try to do too many things. We can all be a bit like that, including me, dear reader.

Our lives are cluttered with too many activities, too many objectives, too many distractions, and far too many demands on our time.

The result is that we tend to lose focus on what matters most and in the end we don’t do anything as well as we should have done.

In my experience, in most jobs, you’ll find that 90% of productivity is down to completing the top three or four major activities within that job. What I call high-value tasks.

If you take the top three major activities – the high-value tasks – associated with your job and focus on those to the exclusion of just about everything else you’ll almost certainly maximise your productivity and efficiency.

Most common time management mistake:

The problem is, when we’re working, we seem to find it easier to focus on minor tasks and random actions requested by other people.

We feel obliged to accept requests from others. It’s a common mistake of which we can all be guilty.

Now, while tidying up all those minor tasks might make us feel like we’re achieving some quick wins, we’re usually fooling ourselves.

By the end of the day, we’re usually left with a sense that we haven’t done all we should have done, and that leaves us feeling stressed.

And that’s when we start to think about how we might improve our time management.

We can’t do everything, nor should we try:

We must recognise that we can’t do everything, but we can be selective about what we choose to do.

And if we’re going to get those major tasks of higher value completed, then they must take precedence over those low-value, minor tasks, which can always wait if necessary.

High-value tasks should always take precedence over low-value tasks.

Work smarter:

People often think of time management as a skill that would allow them to work faster. Well, let me tell you this: that’s not the idea at all.

Effective time management skills allow us to work smarter rather than harder.

Instead of getting lost in the minutiae of everyday life, with effective time management skills, we focus on and prioritise those things that will add the most value to our productivity. In other words, we focus on high-value activity.

The law of three:

So. if time management is an issue for you, dear reader, start by taking a good, hard look at your list of daily activities and asking yourself these three questions:

  1. What single task can only I do and, when completed by me, will add the most value to the business?
  2. What’s the second task on my list that only I can do, and when I’ve completed it, will allow me to add the most value to the business?
  3. What is the third task on my list that only I can do and that, when completed by me, will add the most value to the business?

Once you’ve identified your list of three major, high-value tasks, that’s where your focus should be each day before you touch any other minor tasks or accept random requests from other people.

Most powerful time management tool:

The point of work is to deliver results. You’ll deliver the best results if you concentrate on your top three major tasks first.

And never forget that you’ll be judged by the results you deliver. No one cares what you have to do for someone else, they only care about the results they expect from you.

Your time is your time, and you must decide how it is to be used most effectively.

Just because someone asks for a piece of your time doesn’t mean you’re obliged to give it to them at the expense of your productivity. Never be afraid to deploy the most effective time management tool of them all.

And what is the most effective time-management tool? It’s the word NO.

Think of the word NO as a baseball bat.

Whenever someone requests that you do something, NO is how you can whack that request right out of the ballpark.

Be in control of your time, at all times:

You’re not obliged to agree to a request even if someone asks nicely. It’s reasonable to be working to your priorities.

All too often we feel obliged to do things for other people when we should have just said politely, “No, I’m sorry, but I can’t do that right now for you because I have to deliver this by 5 pm and it’s a priority.”

If our productivity matters to us, and it should, then our focus should always be on our major, high-value deliverables.

Unfortunately, we allow ourselves to be driven by the agendas of other people.

However that’s not good for our productivity, nor is it good for our well-being or stress levels.

People will take everything you’re prepared to give:

I can tell you from experience that other people will take everything you’re prepared to give and a bit more besides. That’s the nature of people.

However, if you fail to deliver what you’re being paid to deliver, then no list of incidental work completed for other people will be accepted as an adequate plea in your defence when your boss wants to know why you’ve failed to deliver your high-value results.

If you’re painting my house, I’ll measure you on the quality and timeliness of your work, not the amount of help you gave to my neighbour by, say, looking after her dog.

What you do for other people is irrelevant to me, should you fail to deliver what I’m paying you to deliver.

Focus on your priorities:

In reality, if your colleagues can’t get something done by you, they’ll simply ask someone else. So let them.

Why worry? Just be very polite when faced with a random request, but say NO firmly. I can tell you this: you’ll have to be disciplined, but it’s a habit worth developing.

We can all be guilty of expending far too much of our energy helping other people achieve their aims, to the detriment of our interests and our ability to deliver high-value results.

To achieve anything of significance in life, we must be focused on our major activities.

We must concentrate on completing our big three major high-value deliverables daily and focus relentlessly on working towards achieving our own goals generally.

The need for balance:

If you’re asked to do something, then it’s perfectly reasonable to say NO, if doing otherwise would prevent you from delivering the results you’re being paid to deliver on time.

Yes, of course, occasionally there will be tasks you’re obliged to accept for whatever reason.

However, mostly being firm in declining such a request is a sign that you’re assertive and in control of delivering as much value as possible.

Another polite but firm response to a request might be something like, “Sorry, I would love to help you with that, but I cannot right now because I have my hands full with the deadline for this project.”

As with everything, there is a balance to be struck, of course.

Sometimes it’s in your interest to do someone a favour because one day you might need them to return that favour. That’s reasonable, provided you always retain a primary focus on keeping your main things the main things.

Conclusion:

You should always ensure that you’re making progress towards achieving your big three deliverables and your own goals generally.

It’s perfectly reasonable to have your agenda and a desire to achieve your own goals and add the greatest value only you can add.

If you want to make a difference, focus on your three major activities.

Those activities that only you can do.

And to ensure that you’re doing that, don’t be afraid to use the most effective time management tool of them all whenever necessary. Use the word NO politely but firmly.

Always keep the main things the main things.

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The purpose of life: What’s it really all about?

01/06/2024 by

THE PURPOSE OF LIFEToday, I want to explore the purpose of life. To me, life must have a purpose. Why are we here?

What’s life all about when it all comes down to it?

Should life just be a treadmill of meeting other people’s expectations, or should our aim simply be to lead lives that make us happy?

The purpose of life

What does life mean to you, dear reader?

Do you ever feel that you’re just living life on a treadmill, constantly running to meet the expectations of everyone around you?

Perhaps you worry about what other people think about you. If you do, you’re certainly not alone.

Too many people waste their time worrying about what others think of them.

If only they realised that other people spend little or no time thinking about them at all.

Your approach is just as valid as the next person’s

Most people are too busy trying to deal with their own lives. They don’t have the time to think much about anyone else’s life.

So why not just be yourself and lead your own life on your terms?  No law says you must lead the life others think you should lead.

Your approach to life is just as valid as the next person’s, and as long as you’re not hurting anyone else, you’re free to choose how you live.

Don’t try to be something you’re not

You can only be the person you are. Anything else would be fake, wouldn’t it?

Just be yourself and accept yourself for the person you are. You’re a true original, and you can be truly proud of that.

Remind yourself frequently that you’re better than you think you are and that you’re as good as anyone.

Constantly reinforce your self-belief

If you haven’t got much self-belief right now, then a sensible strategy would be to fake it until it happens naturally. And that will come with the little successes you’ll achieve over time.

Never consciously try to impress anyone else. It doesn’t get you anywhere worth going. Just do what comes naturally to you.

You’re only going to have this one life, so live it on your terms. Enjoy your life for what it is and make the most of it.

Don’t let life happen, make it happen

Never, ever just let life happen to you; decide on the life you want and then make it happen.

It’s important to know what you want, and you should never give up until you get it.

Always be you, but make it the best version of you.

And remember this: an original is always more impressive than a copy. So don’t copy other people. Be original.

Life begins outside your comfort zone

And remember this too: life begins once you’ve stepped beyond your comfort zone. That’s where the real challenges are, and that’s where you will grow.

And you must never stop growing.

So step outside your comfort zone, look those challenges in the eye, and just give them a wink.

You’re more than a match for them all. They should be quaking in their boots.

Go on, live life! Now!

It’s later than you think.

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How to get along with people and make the world better

01/05/2024 by

How to get along with peopleHow to get along with people? It’s a classic problem. We don’t have to like people, but life’s better if we can get along with them. But how?

Life’s great challenge:

Dear reader, do you have problems getting along with other people?

Do you find it difficult to deal with some people as you go about your daily routine?

Well, it’s true; some people can be challenging and quite difficult at times. I’m sure most readers will have had that experience occasionally.

However, in my experience, most people just want you to be nice to them. They want to be respected for who they are and treated with courtesy.

I’ve learned over the years that if you respect people and take a genuine interest in their lives, then generally they’ll respond warmly to you. Not all, perhaps, but certainly most people.

How to get along with people:

Think about it.

We all just want to be treated with courtesy and respect and appreciated for who we are and what we do, don’t we? Certainly, I do. Don’t you, dear reader?

If we accept that as true, then the way to get along with other people is not difficult, surely?

The trick is to treat people with courtesy and respect, regardless of who they are or what they do. Treat them as you would prefer to be treated.

Be kind and considerate to them as individuals, and there’s a good chance that they’ll treat you well too.

You don’t have to like people, but life’s better if you can get along with them. And if you can get along with them and get to know them, then you might just get to like them in time as well.

The world can be a better place:

If we can all get along, then it will make the world a better place.

If we can all be kind and considerate to our fellow human beings, then we could have a world free from strife and tension.

So go on, show people some respect, show them a little appreciation, take an interest in them for who they are and what they do, and above all, never underestimate the power of a thank you.

I always feel better if I think I’m appreciated, and I’m sure you do too. We all do.

So the trick to getting along with people is simply to treat them as you would prefer them to treat you. It works every time for me.

And I’m confident that it will work well for you too, dear reader.

So go on, make every effort to get along with people, and make the world a better place.

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How to overcome laziness in 4 steps

01/04/2024 by

HOW TO OVERCOME LAZINESS Laziness can get the best of us, can’t it?

We’d all love to be more productive, but often we lack the energy and drive.

Do you ever feel a little work-shy and sluggish, dear reader? If you do, you’re not alone.

The problem is that if we don’t deal with our laziness, we can never get anything done.

And if we don’t get anything done, work and chores all pile up, which increases our stress levels. Small jobs can become very big jobs if we get into the habit of leaving things for another day.

And that makes it even harder for us to get going and get things done.

We have to be on top of our work all the time, whether we’re in the office or at home.

And to do that, we have to be on top of our feelings of laziness and force ourselves to get going if necessary.

Do you need help to overcome your laziness? Don’t worry; help is at hand.

How To Overcome Laziness In 4 Steps: The Video

In this short video, Emil Ihsan-Alexander Torabi offers some useful advice on how you can overcome your inclination to laziness, should it be a problem for you.

We can all be lazy at times, and I’m as guilty as the next person. However, the tips in this video have helped me, so I recommend them to you.

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11 great one-liner jokes that will make your toes curl

01/03/2024 by

GREAT ONE-LINER JOKESHere are another 11 one-liners brought to my attention by readers, which I thought I’d share with you.

I can’t be sure of their origins, but they all made me smile, and I hope they brighten your day too, dear reader.

These are great one-liner jokes that will make your toes curl, I’m sure. I hope so anyway.

Enjoy them all.

Great one-liner jokes:

  1. A girl’s thoughts when she starts dating a guy – Date #1: That’s a really nice shirt. Date #2: Wow. That’s another nice shirt. Date #3: That’s the shirt he wore on our first date. Date #4: OK, he’s only got two decent shirts.
  2. The four sweetest words you can use when people didn’t listen to you? I told you so!
  3. My wife and I often laugh about how competitive we are. But I definitely laugh more.
  4. I prefer living in the past. At least the cost of housing was much cheaper.
  5. Military personnel can be charged for losing equipment. In the army you’ll pay $150 for losing your rifle. That explains why, in the Navy, a captain will always go down with his ship.
  6. I gave my wife the silent treatment for an entire week. At the end of it she said to me, “It’s been nice this week, we’ve really been getting on well.”
  7. There’s a new support group for compulsive talkers. It’s called On Anon.
  8. I’ve just found the worst page in my dictionary. The content is disgraceful, disgusting, dishonest, disingenuous and disreputable.
  9. Why bother keeping up with the Joneses when you could drag them down to your level. Surely it’s less expensive that way?
  10. For Christmas or birthdays, buy your kids a set of batteries and just put a note inside saying “Toys not included.”
  11. My favourite hobby is going down to the beach and burying metal objects that have the words “Get a Life” inscribed on them.

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If any of these great one-liner jokes made you smile, please share this post with your friends on social media.

When you share, everyone wins.

It’s always a good idea to pass on the smiles.

Put a smile on someone else’s face, and you’ve done your good deed for the day. So go on, please share this post now.

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10 inspirational quotes about New Year and the hope it brings

01/01/2024 by

10 New Year QuotesAs you enter a new year, it’s always a good idea to reflect on where you are and where you’d like to be.

The old year has gone, and it serves you only for the lessons you’ve learned along the way.

The year ahead is full of possibility, and it’s yours to shape it as you’d like it to be.

So go on, make it count, and enjoy every minute. Life is short, and you must make the most of it.

Remember, it’s not about where you’ve been; it’s where you’re going that matters most.

And remember also that the future’s yet to be written, but you have the pen.

So, where will you be going?

To get you started, here are 10 quotes about New Year to help you think about where you’re going and why.

Quotes about New Year:

  1. If you asked me for my New Year’s Resolution, it would be to find out who I am. ~Cyril Cusack 
  2. New Year’s Day. A fresh start. A new chapter in life waiting to be written. New questions to be asked, embraced, and loved. Answers to be discovered and then lived in this transformative year of delight and self-discovery. Today carve out a quiet interlude for yourself in which to dream, pen in hand. Only dreams give birth to change. ~Sarah Ban Breathnach 
  3. And now we welcome the New Year. Full of things that have never been. ~Rainer Maria Rilke 
  4. The New Year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals. ~Melody Beattie 
  5. Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. ~Oprah Winfrey 
  6. Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, “It will be happier.” ~Alfred Lord Tennyson 
  7. I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something. ~Neil Gaiman 
  8. Take a leap of faith and begin this wondrous New Year by believing. Believe in yourself. And believe that there is a loving Source – a Sower of Dreams – just waiting to be asked to help you make your dreams come true. ~Sarah Ban Breathnach 
  9. Make New Year’s goals. Dig within, and discover what you would like to have happen in your life this year. This helps you do your part. It is an affirmation that you’re interested in fully living life in the year to come. ~Melody Beattie
  10. New Year’s Resolution: To tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time. ~James Agate

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If they were then perhaps they might interest others you know too.

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If you could share it now then I’d be forever grateful.

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How to become a digital nomad: 10 steps to freeing your soul

12/31/2023 by

HOW TO BECOME A DIGITAL NOMADThe monotonous cubicle, the soul-crushing commute, the constant ping of emails, and the endless, pointless meetings. For many, these are the things that define the modern workday. However, what if you could break free from these shackles and trade your office chair for a hammock in Bali, a café table in Dubai, or a mountain vista in Colorado? Certainly, a laptop lifestyle is possible, and many have liberated themselves from geographical constraints and found the freedom to forge a work-life blend as unique as their passions. The question is, how to become a digital nomad?

How do you, a mere dreamer chained to the nine-to-five, make this digital nomad dream a reality? Well, here is a roadmap.

Summary:

This guide offers you a 10-step plan to get you from where you are to where you’d like to be.

These steps are summarised as follows:

  1. Charting Your Course: Finding Your Digital Compass
  2. Gearing Up for the Journey: Essential Tools and Skills
  3. Choosing Your Path: Remote Retainer, Freelance Freedom, or Entrepreneurial Leap?
  4. Building Your Digital Haven: Crafting Your Online Presence
  5. Launching Your Voyage: Taking the First Tentative Steps
  6. Embracing the Nomad Life: Challenges and Triumphs on the Open Road
  7. Finding Your Rhythm: Work-Life Harmony in the Digital Age
  8. Adapting and Evolving: A Journey, not a Destination
  9. Giving Back and Connecting: Leaving Footprints, Not Just Carbon
  10. The Ever-Unfolding Chapter: The Digital Nomad Odyssey Never Ends

Following the 10-step plan, there is a list of suggested essential tools you’ll need to work effectively. Yes, every trade needs a set of tools, and being a digital nomad is no different.

How to become a digital nomad:

Step 1: Charting Your Course: Finding Your Digital Compass

Before you begin, you must recognize that, as a digital nomad, you will be self-employed and you will be creating a business. And any business must offer its customers a value proposition.

You can only generate an income if you have something to offer that adds value to other people in some way.

Perhaps you can write in an engaging and entertaining style. Maybe you can offer people solutions to their problems. Alternatively, you may be born to sell. Such skills are pure gold for the digital nomad.

To get going on your journey, you will need to consider what you have to offer and how it might be used to generate income via a laptop and the internet.

So, a period of reflection is key here.

What does it mean to you to be a digital nomad? In escaping the corporate treadmill, what is it you want to do, and how much income will you need to do it?

Essentially, you will need to define your vision with clarity, for it will guide every subsequent choice you make.

Create an inventory of your skills and passions. Are you a coding alchemist, a content-weaving wordsmith, a social media maestro, or a virtual assistant extraordinaire? What is it that you can do better than most people?

The time taken to identify your strengths, your skills, and what you want to achieve is crucial. These things will form the bedrock of your income-generating engine. Never underestimate your need for income. You won’t get far without it.

Step 2: Gearing Up for the Journey: Essential Tools and Skills

Every artisan needs a tool set, and the digital nomad is no different.

And every business will need assets from which to generate income.

As a digital nomad, your tools and assets will be things like a good-quality laptop, an internet connection, a VPN subscription, and reliable cloud storage.

You will need to master online communication tools like Zoom and Slack if you’re going to have a virtual office.

And don’t forget, you’ll need to hone your time management skills, for you’ll be your CEO and, potentially, you’ll be juggling deadlines and managing distractions in exotic locations.

Furthermore, given that you’ll be starting a business, you’ll need to learn basic bookkeeping and financial planning. Living on the road demands fiscal prudence.

The message here is that you will be starting a business, and business requires investment. You can keep investment to a minimum if your budget is limited, but you will need to spend some money on tools and assets that will allow you to work effectively and efficiently. A full list of essentials is included at the end of this article.

Step 3: Choosing Your Path: Remote Retainer, Freelance Freedom, or Entrepreneurial Leap?

There are three main routes to digital freedom.

  1. Embracing the remote work revolution: You can seek a location-independent position at a company that values talent over spreadsheets.
  2. Freelancing: Taking on specific tasks for companies or entrepreneurs as a freelancer offers the benefit of setting your rates and working on projects you find interesting. However, this does require some hustling and marketing prowess.
  3. Digital entrepreneur: This path would involve building your own online business, be it an e-commerce store, YouTube channel, consulting practice, creative brand, or building affiliate marketing websites.

Each path has its pros and cons; choosing wisely based on your risk tolerance, skillset, and income goals is important here.

Step 4: Building Your Digital Haven: Crafting Your Online Presence

Every successful business has a solid reputation and brand.

In the virtual marketplace, your brand is your currency. So, you will need an online and social media presence.

You will need to build a professional-looking website and create a social media portfolio to showcase your skills and experience.

You can’t be a solution to anyone’s problems if they don’t know you exist. Marketing is all about raising your profile and capturing people’s attention and buying intent.

So, you will need to cultivate a strong online presence through social media engagement and content creation.

But that’s not all. You will need to put yourself about a bit too. That means networking with fellow digital nomads and potential clients through online communities and forums.

Remember, your online persona is the first impression others may have of you, so you must make it memorable and authentic.

Step 5: Launching Your Voyage: Taking the First Tentative Steps

Remember this: everyone who ever mastered anything started as a complete beginner.

To become a successful digital entrepreneur, there is much you will need to learn. You won’t master it all in five minutes. There will be a learning curve and you must accept that it will take time.

However, don’t wait for a perfect alignment of the stars. The way to learn is to just get going, and you’ll absorb what you need to know as you go along.

It’s perfectly reasonable to start small. You don’t even need to give up your day job at the beginning of your journey.

Test the waters with freelance gigs or remote work opportunities while keeping your current job.

This will provide you with a financial safety net, and it will allow you to refine your skills and workflow and start generating some initial income from the business.

When you start gaining some traction in terms of income and confidence, then you can take the leap of faith.

Once your business is going smoothly, then you can quit your job, sell your belongings (or rent them out for passive income), and book that one-way ticket to your dream destination.

 Step 6: Embracing the Nomad Life: Challenges and Triumphs on the Open Road

There’s no such thing as the perfect job. Every job comes with a certain amount of hassle and chores we wish we could avoid.

And the nomadic digital life can be a bit of a culture shock. It can also be lonely and frustrating when unreliable internet speeds test your patience.

However, finding reliable co-working spaces and building a local community can combat isolation.

And if you spend much of your time in a country other than the one in which you live permanently, then mastering basic, local language skills is a good way to foster deeper connections and enrich your experience.

Remember, resilience, flexibility, and not taking yourself too seriously are your essential travel companions.

Another thing to bear in mind is that you don’t have to do everything yourself.

You can delegate specific tasks to virtual assistants to free up your time to do those things that only you can do to maximise the value proposition for your business.

And virtual assistants can be based anywhere and paid per job they do for you.

Outsourcing certain tasks can be a great way to scale up your business. ProBlogger, Fiverr and Upwork are good places to find freelancers to do specific things for you, particularly content creation, writing and image design. However, if you’re looking for a good virtual assistant at a price you can afford, then you should try onlinejobs.ph.

Step 7: Finding Your Rhythm: Work-Life Harmony in the Digital Age

When you work alone, it’s easy to lose your focus. And, if you want your business to be successful, focus matters.

So, you must be very disciplined, and boundaries are crucial.

You must set clear working hours and stick to them religiously. Yes, you can be flexible with yourself occasionally, but generally, you must stick to the working hours you set.

Designate no-screen zones to give your eyes a break and avoid digital burnout.

If you’re working in exotic locations, explore your surroundings, immerse yourself in local cultures, and prioritize experiences over endless work cycles.

Remember, the laptop lifestyle is about freedom, not just from location but also from the tyranny of the clock. The world may be your office, but it’s also your playground. So, allocate a little me time so you can enjoy it.

Step 8: Adapting and Evolving: A Journey, not a Destination

Business is about solving people’s problems to make a profit. However, people’s problems are changing constantly, and you must change and adapt to keep yourself relevant.

There’s no work for gas lamp lighters anymore, nor is there any need for a slide rule manufacturer. Things change, and you must too.

Being a digital entrepreneur is a continuous learning curve.

So, be prepared to refine your skills, adjust your business model, and experiment with new income streams.

The real art is to create multiple income streams so that even if one suddenly dries up, you still have an income overall.

Remember, life is a constant stream of opportunities just waiting to be exploited by the enterprising and fleet-footed.

Technology evolves, trends shift, and unexpected opportunities arise. Embrace change, for it keeps your journey dynamic and your mind nimble.

The digital life is not a sprint to a finish line but a marathon of self-discovery and personal growth.

Be open to embracing new cultures, skills, and even career paths. Your laptop lifestyle can morph and evolve. Just because you start as a writer in Thailand doesn’t mean you cannot move on to become a yoga teacher in Costa Rica one day. It’s about fulfilling a need and going where there’s most demand for those who can fulfil the need.

You’re not a tree, so you can always go to where the best opportunities appear to be.

Remember, flexibility is your greatest asset, so use it to navigate your unique path.

Step 9: Giving Back and Connecting: Leaving Footprints, Not Just Carbon

Life is not just about what you get. Much more important is what you give. It is a fact that those who give generously are usually rewarded for their benevolence.

Being a digital entrepreneur isn’t just about personal liberation; it’s an opportunity to contribute to the communities you encounter.

For instance, volunteering your skills with local NGOs or social enterprises adds purpose and depth to your travels. It’s also a great way to build a network of useful business contacts.

There are plenty of ways to add value. Teaching English, or any language, assisting with environmental projects, or sharing your creative expertise can leave a lasting positive impact.

Remember, you’re not just a visitor; you’re a temporary citizen of the world, and responsible tourism is key.

Beyond volunteering, actively engage with local communities.

If you can learn and use a few words of the local language and some basic phrases, you’ll be amazed at how much people will appreciate you making the effort, even if you make a few mistakes along the way.

Embrace local customs and enjoy the unique cultural experiences your destinations offer.

And don’t forget to strike up conversations with people you meet. It will enhance the experience immensely.

Step 10: The Ever-Unfolding Chapter: The Digital Nomad Odyssey Never Ends

To become a digital entrepreneur is to set out on a journey that never ends.

The beauty of a laptop life lies in its inherent flexibility.

It’s not a one-size-fits-all proposition, but a canvas for crafting a life that truly resonates with your soul.

As you navigate this digital odyssey, remember, that there’s no fixed endpoint.

You may choose to settle down in your dream location, build a remote team, or continue your nomadic journey indefinitely.

The world is your oyster, and the laptop is your pearl. You can embrace the constant evolution, the unexpected detours, and the endless possibilities that lie ahead of you. It’s just like candy on a shelf, you can reach up and help yourself.

Bonus Tips:

  • Embrace slow travel: Resist the urge to tick countries off a bucket list. Immerse yourself in one place for a longer period to truly connect with its culture and people.
  • Invest in travel insurance: Be prepared for unexpected medical emergencies or travel disruptions.
  • Stay healthy: Maintain a healthy routine of exercise, healthy eating, and adequate sleep. Your body is your travel companion, take care of it!
  • Disconnect to reconnect: Schedule regular digital detox periods to recharge your mind and soul. Remember, there is a wonderful world outside your screen.

The Digital Nomad’s Essentials:

Here’s a basic set of essentials for budding digital nomads:

Tech essentials:

  • Reliable laptop: Your workhorse – prioritize portability, performance, and battery life.
  • Smartphone: Stay connected and explore with a good phone plan and local SIM cards.
  • Power bank: Charge your devices on the go, especially in places with unreliable electricity.
  • Universal adapter: Plug into different power outlets globally.
  • Noise-cancelling headphones: Focus on work and block out noise in bustling environments.
  • Cloud storage: Securely store your files and access them from anywhere.
  • VPN: Security matters and it offers a route to streaming services that may not be available where you are.

Productivity tools:

  • Project management software: Trello, Asana, or Todoist can help you stay organized and manage tasks.
  • Time management apps: FocusKeeper or PomoDone can help you stay focused and productive.
  • Communication tools: Zoom, Slack, and Skype are crucial for staying connected with clients and colleagues.

Travel essentials:

  • Comfortable backpack: Carry your everyday essentials and laptop safely and comfortably.
  • Packing cubes: Organize your luggage efficiently and keep things tidy.
  • Travel insurance: Protect yourself from unexpected medical emergencies or travel disruptions.
  • First-aid kit: Be prepared for minor injuries and ailments.

Optional, but helpful:

  • Portable router: Create your own Wi-Fi hotspot if public networks are unreliable.
  • Offline language apps: Learn basic phrases and communicate in new languages even without the internet.
  • Travel accessories: Eye mask, earplugs, neck pillow, water bottle – for enhanced comfort on the road.

Remember: Customize this list based on your specific needs and travel style.

Some digital nomads might prefer tablets over laptops, while others might require specialized software for their work. Invest in quality gear that will last longer and avoid unnecessary frustration.

Bonus tip: Join online communities and forums for digital nomads! They’re a great source of information, support, and inspiration.

Conclusion:

The laptop lifestyle is a thrilling adventure there for the taking. So, step into the unknown, embrace the uncertainty, and write your unique chapter in the ever-evolving story of the digital nomad.

The world is yours to explore, one click at a time. However, remember this, it’s not about escaping the world, but about creating a life you truly love within it.

So, spread your wings, fire up your laptop, and chart your path to boundless freedom and endless possibilities.

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Thank you.

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How to become a Virtual Assistant

12/30/2023 by

How to become a Virtual AssistantIf you’re looking for a role that will allow you to work from home with some flexibility in terms of time commitment, then becoming a virtual assistant might well appeal to you. If so, you might be wondering how to become a virtual assistant.

Well, without further ado, let us explore today’s topic.

Summary:

In this post, I explain the six-step process for how to become a virtual assistant.

These steps are:

  1. Identify your skills and niche.
  2. Address any skills gaps.
  3. Invest in the right equipment.
  4. Set up your business.
  5. Start marketing your services.
  6. Get your first clients.

In more detail, the following is what you need to know:

The Six-Step Process:

Step 1: Identify your skills and niche

The first step to becoming a virtual assistant is to identify your skills and niche.

What are you good at?

What do you enjoy doing?

Once you know your strengths, you can start to narrow down your niche and target your services to a specific type of client.

For example, if you are a strong writer and editor, you could niche down as a content creation virtual assistant.

Perhaps you’re good at social media. Could you manage someone’s social media for them?

Alternatively, if you are organized and detail-oriented, perhaps you could become a virtual administrative assistant.

Essentially, it’s all about what you have to offer a client or clients and what you could best specialise in.

Step 2: Address any skills gaps

Now, you’re going to offer a professional service to clients. That means you must have all the necessary skills. Some you may have already; some you may need to acquire.

So, once you know your target niche, create two lists. The first list should be an inventory of the skills required. The second list should be an inventory of the skills you possess now.

Compare the two lists and identify any skills gaps.

Then you can start to get the necessary training and skills you will need to offer the best possible service.

There are many online and offline courses available that can teach you the skills you need to be a successful virtual assistant.

Some of the most important skills for virtual assistants include:

      • Time management
      • Communication
      • Customer service
      • Writing and Editing
      • Social media marketing
      • Project management
      • Basic accounting

Step 3: Invest in the right equipment

To be a successful virtual assistant, you will need to invest in the right equipment.

This will include a computer, a reliable internet connection, a headset, and a printer.

It’s worth getting top-quality equipment if you can afford it.

You may also want to invest in some software that can help you with your work and productivity, such as a project management tool, a customer relationship management (CRM) system, and a time-tracking tool.

Step 4: Set up your business

Once you have the necessary skills and equipment, you can formally set up your business.

This will include choosing a business name, registering your company, and setting up your finances, including business bank accounts.

You will also need to create a website to showcase your skills and experience.

The website should include some positive testimonials from people you’ve worked with, if that’s possible.

Step 5: Start marketing your services

You cannot be the solution to someone’s problem if they don’t know you exist.

So, once your business is up and running, you must start to market your services. There are many ways to do this, such as online job boards, social media, networking, and cold emailing.

When you are marketing your services, be sure to highlight your unique skills and experience.

You should also be clear about your rates and your availability.

Step 6: Get your first clients

Once you start marketing your services, you will start to get leads from potential clients.

It is important to qualify these leads carefully to make sure that they are a good fit for your business.

Once you have qualified a lead, you can set up a call to discuss their needs and how you can help them.

Be prepared to answer their questions and explain your services in detail.

If you make a good impression on the potential client, they may hire you for a project.

Once you have completed your first project, be sure to ask the client for a testimonial. This will help you attract more clients in the future.

Here are some additional tips for getting your first clients:

  • Network with other virtual assistants. They may be able to refer you to clients or give you advice on how to find work.
  • Offer free consultations. This is a great way to show potential clients what you can do and how you can help them.
  • Write guest blog posts or articles for industry websites. This will help you establish yourself as an expert and attract potential clients.
  • Get involved in social media. Join online communities for virtual assistants and participate in discussions. This is a great way to connect with potential clients and build relationships.

Conclusion:

Becoming a virtual assistant can be a great way to make a living from home.

By following these tips above, you can increase your chances of success.

I hope this article helps you. Good luck.

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5 very powerful quotes with reflections on their meaning

12/28/2023 by

very powerful quotesIf you’re looking for some very powerful quotes, dear reader, then there are five great ones here for you today.

And I’ve added my reflections on what they all mean.

I hope you find the quotes interesting. Certainly, I did. And I hope my comments also add some value to you today.

Please feel free to pass them on to your friends.

Very Powerful Quotes:

1. Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly until you learn to do it well. ~Zig Ziglar

Even the greatest exponents of any skill you care to mention started as complete beginners. That’s a fact.

Whether it’s a great football player like Cristiano Ronaldo or a rock guitar god like Jimmy Page, they all had to start somewhere.

In the beginning, they wouldn’t have produced anything special, I am sure, although they may have shown some early talent, I guess.

Anyway, dedication to their craft and a determination to hone their skills is what would have taken them from being ordinary to quite extraordinary.

To be good, talent helps, of course. However, nothing matches dedication and determination if you are to excel at what you do.

If you want to be the best, you’ve got to get started, and then it’s all about practice, practice, and more practice.

Before you can be the best, you’ve got to pay your dues first.

The very best people will have spent thousands of hours developing their skills long before entering the public’s consciousness.

People who succeed have paid their dues and earned their success.

You don’t get anything for nothing.

What you get out is proportional to what you put in.

That’s the first law of achievement.

2. You’re never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. ~C.S. Lewis

Age is just a number. It doesn’t have to be a constraint on your life.

You’re not on the scrap heap just because you’ve reached 50, 60, 70, or whatever.

You can still learn something new, and there are still places to go and explore.

Perhaps you’re too old to play for Liverpool FC but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t get involved in football (or soccer, as many prefer to call it) in some way.

You may never be able to play the guitar like Jimmy Page or Eric Clapton but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t learn to play a musical instrument.

You may never win an Oscar but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t get involved in amateur dramatics.

And you may never outsell JK Rowling but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t write a book and get it published, or at least self-published.

With the Internet, eBooks, and social media, the opportunities for making your name have never been greater.

Today, you can write an eBook, self-publish it, and sell it on Amazon. I’m told that’s exactly how EL James of 50 Shades of Grey fame started.

If a book seems like a big step, then how about writing a blog?

WordPress is not difficult. I spent $100 on a one-day course to learn WordPress and I’ve never looked back.  And of course, knowing WordPress, you can set up a blog easily and quickly.

One of the advantages of age is that you’ve learned a lot along the way. So you can share your wisdom and experience.

You can make a real contribution if you want to.

So why not give it a go?

It’s never too late to become the person you really could be.

You’ve got a lot to offer. Please don’t keep it all to yourself. That would be such a waste, and there’s still an opportunity to leave a legacy.

3. With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts. ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Yesterday’s dead and gone. However good or bad it was, it’s now nothing more than a footnote in history.

So leave the past where it belongs – in the past.

Today is different.

At the beginning of a new day, anything is possible.

Learn from the past, of course, but don’t dwell on your mistakes, your bad luck, or the disappointing outcomes you wish had been different.

You can’t change the past, so focus on what can be achieved today and in the future.

Take strength from the present and think positive thoughts.

A positive mental attitude will carry you further than you think.

Remember: You’ll never have today again, so make sure you enjoy it.

4. Be miserable or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice. ~Wayne Dyer

Now, life may have been mean to you, dear reader, but so what? The reality is that life’s been mean to a lot of people.

However much life’s let you down, you’ll find that no one’s impressed with self-pity. No one wants to go to a pity party.

Self-pity is an unattractive quality, to say the least.

Everyone’s struggling with their own lives, so they don’t need your misery to bring them down even further.

If you want to be appreciated, then you have to be positive.

It all comes down to the choice you make. It’s better that you add something to other people’s lives rather than take something away.

You can choose to ignore your troubles and be positive, or not.

It’s a fact that your outlook, sunny or otherwise, will have an impact on how you’re treated by other people.

Cheer them up, and they’ll love you.

Make them feel depressed, and they’ll head for the hills the moment they see you.

So what are you going to be? Remember, it’s a choice.

You can be the person who makes people smile when you enter a room.

Alternatively, you can be the person who makes people smile when you leave.

That choice is yours, but I know which one I prefer.

5. The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, and whose presence calls forth your best. ~Epictetus

How often do other people put us down?

They belittle our ambitions and tell us we’re getting above ourselves.

“You’re not good enough for that,” we’ll hear people say.

“You don’t have the brains or the talent” will be another response.

Then you’ll be told, “Oh, people from your background can’t do that; it’s not for you.”

Eventually, if you’re not careful, you start to believe it all.

And then you’re destined for nothing more than a life of mediocrity, just like those people who were putting you down.

And that’s the point.

The real issue is that they resent your ambition because they don’t have any ambition or lack the confidence to try anything new.

They dislike the idea of you going places and getting on in life because they’ve never achieved anything.

Their opinions are presented to you as well-meaning advice, of course. However, they’re jealous.

They deliberately put you down in the hope that you won’t achieve anything more than them.

So, don’t be fooled.

Surround yourself only with people who encourage your ambitions.

People who will offer you guidance to help you get to where you want to go.

Don’t allow negative people to put you off.

If you want to do something, then you have a go at it.

If you stick with it, you can succeed. Other people do, so why not you?

However, even if you don’t, it’s better to try and fail than never to have tried at all. At least you’ll know for sure whether something was right for you or otherwise.

Don’t allow the years to slip by with you wondering what might have been.

The message here is: Believe in yourself and keep company only with positive people. The negative ones will just do your head in.

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Very Powerful QuotesSo, dear reader, was this post worth a little piece of your time?

Did you enjoy reading it? Did you find the quotes inspirational?

If you liked it, then please share this post with your friends on social media.

People love powerful quotes, so go on, please share this post now.

If you could share this post, I’d be forever grateful, and you’d be helping a keen blogger reach a wider audience.

Thank you for your support, dear reader.

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21 truly inspirational quotes that’ll make you think

12/27/2023 by

21 TRULY INSPIRATIONAL QUOTESIf you’re looking for some truly inspirational quotes, then I have some great ones for you today, dear reader. So, take a few moments to be inspired.

And then, please feel free to pass them on.

Truly Inspirational Quotes (1-10):

  1. Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression. ~Haim Ginott
  2. Being considerate of others will take your children further in life than any college degree. ~Marian Wright Edelman
  3. Every man has three characters: that which he shows; that which he has; and that which he thinks he has. ~Alphonse Karr
  4. You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him. ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
  5. The measure of a man’s character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out. ~Baron Thomas Babington Macauley
  6. Clutter in our lives weighs us down emotionally. Have a good clear-out occasionally; you will feel liberated, and it will give you the confidence to move on. ~Roy Sutton
  7. A truly loving parent won’t be looking for payback from a child. The child’s happiness, self-confidence, and independence are the only rewards of good parenting. ~Roy Sutton
  8. The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realise that you control your own destiny. ~Albert Ellis
  9. If we want our children to possess the traits of character we most admire, we need to teach them what those traits are and why they deserve both admiration and allegiance. Children must learn to identify the forms and content of those traits. ~William J. Bennett
  10. My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that achievement is the knowledge that you have studied, worked hard, and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others, and that’s nice too, but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success. ~ Helen Hayes Brown

Truly Inspirational Quotes (11-21):

  1. If you want it, don’t wish for it; work for it. ~Betsy Plumb
  2. Pay attention to those who disagree with you. ~Author Unknown
  3. Never underestimate the power of fear as a motivator. ~Lucius B. Wack
  4. We only truly realise what people do when they’re no longer there to do it. ~Elmer Trivitt
  5. Few things matter much, and most things in life don’t really matter at all. ~Author Unknown
  6. Done in the name of compassion is not the same as acting with genuine compassion. ~Joe Gilali
  7. You don’t have to be perfect. If you’re doing your best, then no one can ask any more of you. ~Albert Corker
  8. All behaviour is conditioned by the societies in which we live and the people we surround ourselves with. ~Tom Irwell
  9. We live in an age when idiotic ideas take precedence over what everyone knows to be common sense. ~Philomena Mangan
  10. Don’t sit back and wait for things to happen to you or for people to give you things. You’re not entitled to anything. ~Mark Billingham
  11. Success in life has nothing to do with qualifications. Find a way to add value to the lives of others. Then pursue it with commitment, determination, and a desire to deliver that value better than others do. ~Joseph Crosby

Please share these quotes with your friends:

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So go on, please share it now. If you can do that for me, I’ll be forever grateful, and you’ll be helping a keen blogger reach a wider audience.

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