Archive for the ‘E Tips’ Category

E Note-Self Discovery Exercise

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

One of my FAVORITE parts of being a time coach is being able to work with Fabulous individuals such as Phil Lawler. You can check out the cool self discovery exercise he developed below.

Enjoy!

Elizabeth

Prepare to get your introspect on. (Self discovery)

Step 0: Set aside some YOU time during the day where you can be alone, and pensive. Schedule it in, so you don’t feel guilty that you aren’t working on something else, or forget to do it, or so you can just make sure your immediate to-dos are done and you won’t be interrupted.

Step 1 (Time Estimate: 10-90 minutes)

Think about the kind of person you would like to be: What would you like to change? What do you want to keep the same? (Because you can’t really change other people.) (Also, capture these things positively; don’t say, “I don’t want to dread swimsuit season,” or “I wish I wasn’t a super stressed parent,” or “I wish I didn’t have a total lack of will power.” Instead, how about, “I wish I was more fit” or “I want to spend more time with my son,” or, “I’d like to be a better Christian.”) If your heart sings at the idea of being an astronaut, but a voice tells you that you can’t do it – ignore the voice. Get it out there for show. Even if you can’t be an astronaut, it may be a clue to a direction that will LEAD to job/life satisfaction/passion, etc.

You can write out lists, mind maps, draw pictures, write a short story, make a photo collage, do a mock interview with a voice-recorder. Or pick out historical, fictional role models, or old photos you admire. Or you can make your own combination of things. If it helps, you could even write out a solo-play, pull out some props and video tape your mad-acting skills. Just be honest, and try to be positive.

Here are some questions to get the juices flowing:

* Would you like to change how you react to certain events?

* What adjectives describe you now, and which would you LIKE to describe you?

* Who are the important people in your life, and what do you wish to be to them?

* What sorts of things do you REALLY wish you had more time for?

* What fields or social causes or sciences or tools or skills do you wish you had?

* What do you wish you could spend LESS time on?

* Is there anyone (or thing) that you’d cut out of your life?

* What do you LIKE about your life right now?

* Do you like how you keep your living/work/travel environments?

When you’re done, you’ll likely have a huge chunk of unordered, subconscious detritus floating across several pages… so, now what?

After you’ve let yourself DREAM, the process continues with sorting, prioritizing and pursuing the ideas that you most want to make a reality.

To dreaming BIG and making it happen!

Elizabeth

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time coachprofessional speaker who empowers individuals  who are overwhelmed and frustrated because they want to achieve a life of peace and balance but are struggling to make it happen.

She helps  them to clarify their goals, make an action plan, focus and prioritize so that they move forward, feel peaceful and have time for themselves and the people they love.

Elizabeth has been featured in Inc magazine, The Chicago Tribune, and on NBC, and is happy to be interviewed for your broadcast or publication.

If you want to receive helpful information on achieving a life of peace and balance & be “in the know” on my latest adventures, check out http://www.ScheduleMakeover.com

E Note-Direct Sales Time Management Tips

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

I hope you enjoy these Simple Tips For Time Management In Direct Sales guest post!

With the busy lifestyles everyone has today, time management becomes a concern for all direct sales professionals. Juggling family, activities and business while keeping your priorities in order can be a challenge. Many party plan or direct selling professionals joined their home business company for the purpose of creating income without taking away from family time. Now they may find themselves in a dilemma on how to do both effectively.

  • Manage your personal commitments.
  • Manage Your Email
  • Use proven systems

Personal Time Management

We all have a tendency to over-schedule our personal time and then have difficulty squeezing in our business activities. One thing is certain and that is that you cannot manage time. You can only manage your commitments. Most direct sellers and their families would benefit from fewer personal commitments. Studies have proven that children are feeling stress due to over-committed families. One sport or two activities is good, but several are too many for the average child. When there are several children in the household, the running from commitment to commitment produces stress for Moms, Dads and kids alike. The whole family will have a better quality of life and improved productivity when everyone learns to say no to over- committing to personal activities.

Email Time Management Help

You can free up some of your time by learning how to manage your email inbox. For starters the time spent on checking emails will go more quickly when you check it every day. Systematically checking your email reduces the enormity of it and generates income for your business. If you are in business to make money, then check your email daily.

Delete-Delete-Delete
Delete all irrelevant messages before beginning the review process. When you first open your email, start at the top, and highlight the first message in the list that is to be deleted. Holding the control button down, go down the column and highlight each one to be deleted. When you hold the control button down, you can just go down the column and touch everyone that you want to delete. You should be able to tell by the subject bar which ones those are. Do not mess with forwarded email, spam, social games or any rubbish. This is a really quick process, just hold the control button down and touch each one to be highlighted. You will have a column of blue highlighted emails, then just push delete. And wham! They are all gone!

Deal With It And Move It
Deal with each email as you have the time. After it is taken care of, responded to, printed out, etc. you can either file it or delete it. If it is an email that you want to save, move it to a folder that you have already set up on the side. You can have as many folders as you want under your inbox. Some examples: publicity, direct sales consultants, tech advisor, potential hosts, opportunity leads, etc. If you do not have time to take care of something, since it will take more time than you have at the moment, then just leave it in the inbox. Your inbox is only for incoming mail and mail not dealt with yet. What is in your inbox should all fit in one view pane at all times.

Did I say check your email every day?!

Proven Time Management Systems

There are hundreds of simple time management systems that will make good use of your time so that you can have balance between business and family.

Some systems may include:
• An accounting system for your finances (QuickBooks is good.)
• Data or contact management system
• Scheduling your hours
• Creating a business plan

Your direct selling company may include software for both financial management and data management with your submission process. Use it! The learning curve in the long run is worth it because they are designed to create efficiency.

Simple systems that make businesses efficient are what direct sales time management is all about. Frequently the home business owner needs only look to the corporate world to see what all successful businesses do and copy the same systems at home.

Deb Bixler retired from the corporate world in 2000 to enjoy life as a work from home business owner. In the first 9 months as a direct seller she built a sales team and show schedule which provided her with an income capable of replacing her corporate business salary of $80,000 per year. After 7 years of using direct sales as her total household income, Deb now teaches and trains direct sales professionals all across the US and Canada.

http://www.CreateACashFlowShow.com

Direct Sales Time Management

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time coachprofessional speaker who empowers individuals to build businesses and achieve work/life brilliance™ through Schedule Makeovers™. Her empowerment coaching frees individuals from guilt, overwhelm, and frustration!

Discover how you can start enjoying your life TODAY! Look forward to talking with you!

Elizabeth has been featured in Inc magazine, The Chicago Tribune, and on NBC, and is happy to be interviewed for your broadcast or publication.

E Tip-Social Media Time Management

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

Social media can create major overwhelm.

Here’s a great slide show on how to combat it. Enjoy!

Elizabeth

P.S.–Click on the “Full” button at the bottom of the slide show to see it in full screen version.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time coach & professional speaker who empowers individuals to build businesses and achieve work/life brilliance™ through Schedule Makeovers™. Her empowerment coaching frees individuals from guilt, overwhelm, and frustration!

Discover how you can start enjoying your life TODAY! Look forward to talking with you!

Elizabeth has been featured in Inc magazine, The Chicago Tribune, and on NBC, and is happy to be interviewed for your broadcast or publication.

E Profile-Nannies Galore Founder’s Time Tips for Parents

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
Tamara Mickelson-Founder & CEO of Nannies Galore

Tamara Mickelson-Founder & CEO of Nannies Galore

Being a parent is a wonderful privilege and an incredible responsibility. Nannies Galore founder and CEO Tamara Mickelson shared these time management tips for succeeding as a working parent:

1.  Keep Lists! If you are like me, you keep a list for everything.  Grocery list, chores, bills that need to be paid, etc.  Lists seem trivial to some, but are a lifesaver to me. It is a habit that I formed years ago, and has proven to work over and over again. Crossing things off of my list gives me a sense of accomplishment, leading me right into my next task.  Keep a list!

2.  Say No! When I started my own nanny website, it was pretty easy at first.  But as the weeks went on, businesses began calling and asking for favors, articles, money for advertising, events to host; basically asking for my time.  Working full time outside of the home, raising my daughter alone, and operating a website business are things that I need and like to do, but I have to structure my time to make it effective and harmonious. So, when it comes to scheduling parties, events, charities, etc, I just learned to say no (thank you) to those that I truly cannot commit to.  Say No!

3.  Breathe! If you are not in an exercise program yet – you need to be.  I understand that gyms and classes cost money and our economy has left most of us without any; however, you can do a lot of things at home.  You can run or jog around your neighborhood and even do yoga.  Just simple stretching to music that calms you will help tremendously – you can meditate at the same time.  Look for free downloads on the internet on exercise, yoga and meditation. Schedule time to breathe!

Tamara’s Web site is filled with nanny profiles from all over the United States so families can find quality childcare: Nannies Galore Check it out & read more about her story below.

To your work/life brilliance!

Elizabeth

A bit more on Tamara:
I am a single mother working full time and raising my child alone.  Due to unfortunate circumstances a few years ago, I found myself in desperate need of a live-in nanny for my one year old daughter. I logged onto a nanny website and was lucky to find one right away. She worked for me for 6 months. It was a wonderful experience and we still keep in touch.

Since then, I have been hiring my nannies and babysitters from websites just like this one.  Being a member of several nanny sites gave me plenty of choices when it came to the right care. As a parent, I like having choices when it comes to hiring someone I trust to take care of my child.  My daughter is now 4 years old, and we still have a live-in nanny.

In 2008, I developed a strong desire to create my own nanny website, so here I am! I will be hiring my next nanny and babysitter from nanniesgalore.com.  Will it be you?

Good luck with your search!

Nannies Galore is featured in the January 2010 issue of Sacramento Magazine ~get your copy at Starbucks or your local grocery store.

About Real Life E®

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time coach & professional speaker who empowers individuals to build businesses and achieve work/life brilliance through Schedule Makeovers. Her empowerment coaching frees individuals from guilt, overwhelm, and frustration!

Discover how you can start enjoying your life TODAY! Look forward to talking with you!

Elizabeth has been featured in Inc magazine, The Chicago Tribune, and on NBC, and is happy to be interviewed for your broadcast or publication.

E Note-Moving Tips Video & Go Penske!

Thursday, September 10th, 2009

Here are my time saving moving tips in video format. If you’d like to read the related blog post, check out Move Stress Free & $500 From Penske.

This post was inspired by the fact that I won $500 in a Penske Share Your Move sweepstakes with a story and photo of my journey from Des Moines, Iowa, to Ann Arbor, Michigan. To check out my story, and find out how Penske can help you save time and money, go to: Share Your Move

Have a brilliant day! Thank you Penske!

Elizabeth

P.S.–Also, you can find other fun photos of my moving adventure in this Facebook album: Click Here

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a key note speaker, trainer, and does phone and e-mail coaching on time management for work/life brilliance™ through her exclusive Schedule Makeover™ process. Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to offer you tips on savvy scheduling and time management for work/life balance. You can find out more at http://www.RealLifeE.com/coaching or http://www.ScheduleMakeover.com

E Note-Move Stress Free & $500 From Penske

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009
Find out how I won $500 by clicking on this photo

Find out how I won $500 by clicking on this photo

Over the last nine years, I’ve averaged 1.4 moves/year (i.e. almost as much time packing, moving, and unpacking as simply settling into a place). No matter how many times you move, it’s not easy.

Fortunately, I’ve discovered a few time coaching strategies to reduce moving stress:

Start a List

As soon as you decide you’re moving, a million little to-dos from talk to your banker to pack grandma’s vase in bubble wrap will start to float around in your head. This can lead to two not-so-helpful responses:

  • Manic running around in an attempt to do way more than you can do in a night or weekend.
  • Paralyzing despair that you can never get everything done so you might as well flip through channels or flit through Facebook for hours.

May I suggest this much more helpful alternative: Create a list in a word processing document, your phone, or PDA where you write down everything that comes to mind.

As you add to this list, categorize to-dos by date and/or by milestone. For instance, if you know you need to have your apartment cleaned out by September 20, you can put that task under that specific date on the list. But if you know you need to talk to your insurance agent after you’ve decided where you will live, you can categorize that action under the heading “Once I know where I am living.” To keep yourself on track, set aside specific times each week when you will review the list and move forward on what you can accomplish right now. Everything that you can’t do until a future designated time or milestone stays out of your mind and on the list.

Block Off Your Schedule

No matter how well organized you are, unexpected delays and activities will happen. To stay on the safe side, block off one to two weeks before and after your move to focus solely on packing and moving activities in your time outside of work. I know it sounds extreme, but it’s critical that you limit lunch dates, sporting games, TV time, networking events, and almost everything else that’s even somewhat optional from your schedule. Try to avoid planning personal and professional meetings during that time frame, and if necessary, put up out of office messages that tell people your response will be delayed.

It’s so much better to give yourself extra time and space before and after your move than to freak out on your friends when you’re no where near done and the moving van is pulling up or to spend months getting settled because you didn’t unpack using the initial post-moving momentum. (Trust me-this works!)

Recruit Help

You can move alone, but I don’t advise it. If you’re not having professional movers pack you up, ask friends & family to come over and help you pack or at the very least assist with lugging boxes. If you choose the former, make it into a movie and pizza night that happens to include boxes and packing tape in place of a tub of popcorn in their hands.

If you need help the day of the move, I recommend contacting a large number of people about a month in advance and then sending out reminders, two weeks, one week, and a day before. Offer free food and drink and express your undying devotion and appreciation for their service to you. (Believe me–you’ll be so happy you did!)

Also, if you’re planning on renting a truck, check out Penske! When I did my research, I found that they had much less expensive truck rentals than other companies (especially if you sign up to be a AAA member). Plus the staff helped me with all of the timing of picking up and dropping off my truck and car trailer in the most efficient manner.

I had such an amazing experience with Penske that I entered their sweepstakes with a story and photo of my journey from Des Moines, Iowa, to Ann Arbor, Michigan. And I won $500! To check out my story, and find out how Penske can help you have a stress-free move, go to: Share Your Move

Have a brilliant day! Thank you Penske!

Elizabeth

P.S.–Also, you can find other fun photos of my moving adventure in this Facebook album: Click Here

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a key note speaker, trainer, and does phone and e-mail coaching on time management for work/life brilliance™ through her exclusive Schedule Makeover™ process. Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to offer you tips on savvy scheduling and time management for work/life balance. You can find out more at http://www.RealLifeE.com/coaching or http://www.ScheduleMakeover.com

E Tip-Save Time on Incorporation

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
Time Management for Business Development

Time Management for Business Development

One of the questions that women frequently ask me about starting their own businesses is:

How do I set up the legal side of my business?

This is an important question because the business structure you choose can have a big impact on:

  • Whether  your personal assets are at risk if your business is sued
  • Your tax rate for your personal and business income

When I went through this process over three years ago, I did some online research, called the IRS and Secretary of State, and ended up working with a lawyer. I got everything figured out for my S-Corporation, but it took a great deal of time. There were so many questions to ask to make sure I didn’t miss anything.

Fortunately for all of you starting a business right now, there’s a much simpler and comprehensive resource: BizFilings.com

I really like this Web site because it contains:

  • A Learning Center about the different types of legal structures
  • Step-by-Step Information on the process for forming these entities
  • Multiple Programs that include compliance reminders

I recommend that you check out BizFilings.com to get a sense of what legal structure might work best for you and if you want further reading, I’ve listed some other helpful Web sites below.

Have a brilliant day!

Elizabeth

If you’re struggling to get your business off the ground, check out www.ScheduleMakeover.com or contact me at esaunders@RealLifeE.com. I can help you develop a schedule for moving forward on your dreams of business ownership.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time coach and trainer who empowers women in business to build businesses and achieve work/life brilliance™ through her exclusive Schedule Makeover™ process. Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to offer you tips on savvy scheduling and time management for work/life balance and business development.

More Resources on Business Legal Structures:

Small Business Administration: Loads of information on starting a business

LegalZoom.com: A comparison of business structures

List of articles on business structures

E Tip-Banish Guilt By Sticking to Your Hours

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

Me-Enjoying Spring-Guilt Free!

Me-Enjoying Spring-Guilt Free!

I feel so guilty that I’m not spending more time with my family.
I feel so guilty for taking a vacation.
I feel so guilty for not getting that project done…

Sound familiar?

Many women in business and particularly women business owners and mompreneurs struggle with feeling guilty that they’re not doing enough, being enough, and putting enough time into each part of their life.

I can definitely relate. Before I discovered the keys to work/life brilliance™ (revealed through schedulemakeover.com), I would feel guilty for not working any time I had a spare moment. But after I decided to set my hours and the number of hours I worked per week, I strengthened my ability to focus during work hours and then gave myself the freedom to not work the rest of the time–Guilt Free!

I know some of you might think, “What?! I don’t want to be someone who just wants to clock in and out.”

Don’t worry. I’m not suggesting that you become apathetic. But I know from my own experience and those of others that if you are motivated and passionate about your work and don’t set hours, you will end up neglecting your life and often won’t focus on what’s most important when you are working. (See this WomenEntrepreneur.com blogger’s post on how the Schedule Makeover™ process helped her succeed both personally and professionally.)

To start thinking about what your ideal hours might look like, ask yourself these questions:

* What number of hours would I need to work in order to have time for the other activities I enjoy and for self care?
* When do I have the most energy?
*Am I most productive in the morning or at night?
* Are there particular days when I’m able to work more or less? (i.e. you may be more motivated on Mondays or have a class on Thursdays)
* Do I perform better working straight through lunch or do I function better when I take a break?

For Lauren Berger of WomenEntrepeneur.com and InternQueen fame, her ideal hours were: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays.

I completed a Schedule Makeover™ on Lauren that worked within her preferred hours and gave her time for exercise, sleep, friends, and building her business–all without guilt!

Now that’s what I call work/life brilliance™!

Elizabeth

If you want to end your feelings of overwhelm and guilt and step into the future with confidence and enthusiasm, contact Elizabeth today. Why suffer from burn-out, overwhelm, and guilt, when you could be free today!!!?

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time coach who empowers women business owners to achieve work/life brilliance.TM Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to be interviewed for your publication or broadcast.

E Tip-Work at Home Mom’s Time Management Tips

Friday, April 24th, 2009
Holly Reisem Hanna-The Work at Home Woman

Holly Reisem Hanna-The Work at Home Woman

Another recent Twitter mompreneur friend is Holly Reisem Hanna. Holly is the founder of The Work at Home Woman, an online business resource and blog for women and mothers who wish to work from home or become self employed. (Basically, she’s living the dream and wants to help you do the same!)

As a mother of a busy two year old, the founder of The Work at Home Woman, and as a Social Network Liaison for a small publishing company, Holly knows how important it is to balance her professional responsibilities while creating quality time for her family and friends.

Here are Holly’s Top 3 Time Management Tips for Creating Work/Life Balance:

Create a Schedule for Yourself: I work at home part-time so it’s easy to get distracted by the laundry, household chores and family members. My two year old requires the majority of my attention so I schedule my work time in before she wakes up in the morning, and then again while she’s napping in the afternoon. This allows me time to write and work without interruptions. By creating a schedule you designate a time slot for all the activities in your day keeping you on track.
If you are working full-time from home and have small children or an elderly parent that requires the majority of your attention, try hiring a college student or care assistant to help you out. This will help to alleviate distractions and allow you to stay focused on the task at hand.

Stop Multi-Tasking and Start Single-Tasking: For most of our lives we have been taught to multi-task, and in some situations it is called for, but the majority of the time it is a huge time waster. By single-tasking, you can fully focus on the task at hand and complete it without interruptions. Give yourself a block of time to complete each task, and stop watching the news, catching up on email and answering phone calls, you’ll be surprised at how much more efficient you’ll become.

Cut Out The Television: T.V. can be a wonderful escape from reality, but nobody needs more than a few hours per week. Make time to watch your favorite programs, but then turn it off and make time for those activities that you say you never have time for. Try reading a new book, sign up for a Pilate’s class or spend quality time with family and friends. By cutting out the mindless television watching, you can free up many hours of extra time to do other more rewarding activities.

These are great tips for any work-at-home entrepreneur! I follow all of them and find it really helps me to put boundaries on my work week.

Do check out Holly’s Web site at The Work at Home Woman for Work at Home Jobs and Resources!

Have a brilliant weekend!

Elizabeth

P.S.–If you’re interested in taking control of your time so you work at home effectively, contact me to set up a consultation.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time empowerment coach who frees business owners to achieve their dream lifestyles. She specializes in empowering women business owners to achieve work/life brillianceTM

Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to be interviewed for your publication or broadcast.

E Tip-How a Mom Juggles a Job and a Startup Business

Friday, April 24th, 2009
Mompreneur LeNesha Carey

Mompreneur LeNesha Carey

Hello friends!

This year, I’ve really become a fan of Twitter (I am RealLifeE). One of my favorite parts of this social networking tool is that I can easily connect with people of similar interests. One of my recent connections was with LeNesha Carey (On Twitter: MBAMompreneur) who is in the process of starting her first business along with working as a project manager for defense contracts.

Here’s what she has to say on work/life brillianceTM:

Everyday, I’m gaining tips on how to balance business and mommy duties as I am in the
process of working full time, while starting a business, maintaining a blog, and being mom/wife/friend. (Wow!)

Here are Her Top Three Tips:

Empower Children to Help in the Home: I’ve empowered my 11-year-old daughter (since she was 8 years old) to do chores, cook, wash her own clothes, etc.  We have scheduled days in which she will even prepare dinner for the family.  Not having to focus on the everyday things that our children are more than capable of completing has saved me tons and
taught her real life skills.

Delegation is Key!: With my business startup activities, I focus on those things that I’m passionate about and am successful at.  I delegate as much as possible of everything else.

Make Use of Travel Time: To catch up with friends, family, or a good book.  When home, I can focus on business activities or mommy duties.

Sounds like spot-on advice to me. If you’d like to read more about LaNesha’s “Real-Time Journey Starting a New Business,” check out her blog at: http://www.MyBusinessAdventures.com

It contains tons of useful links and information on mompreneur events and resources.

Still one more post to go in our mompreneur series!

Elizabeth

P.S.–If you’re interested in taking control of your business so you have more time to build your business, contact me to set up a consultation.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time empowerment coach who frees business owners to achieve their dream lifestyles. She specializes in empowering women business owners to achieve work/life brillianceTM

Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to be interviewed for your publication or broadcast.