As you start to bring in more clients to your virtual business. You’re going to need to get organised. It’s an absolute must.
The key is to be able to focus on what you do best, without having your brain cluttered with multiple”to do” lists and information. You want free and easy thinking that will give you the confidence to be creative.
As you apply the principles and strategies I share, you WILL get more clients. You WILL be handling multiple tasks. So you need to put systems in place to support you right now – before you get to that state of overwhelm.
Ask youself …
How do I handle multiple clients without feeling overwhelmed?
How do I manage a project to make sure everything is done on time according to schedule?
How do you keep your clients updated and informed?
How do you delegate and monitor responsibilities?
Here are 4 tips that have made a difference to me achieving more, are staying brain clutter free …
1. Use Virtual Office Collaboration/Project Management Software
Choose the right collaboration software and you’ll be able to manage your projects, people, calendar and documents with ease. The key is to finding the right software to support you. I’ve seen many people invest in software, only to find that it only did half the job they wanted it to. It was more trouble that an aid.
After looking and comparing hundreds of office collaboration software packages, my first pick is Feng Office. Feng is easy to use and it has some unique features I couldn’t find elsewhere. The “look and feel” is particularly impressive. Some people may say that “look and feel” isn’t important, that the functionality is what counts”. I say yes, functionality is important, but so is the “look and feel”. If you look at your monitor and want to run because the desktop is overwhelming then that’s not a good thing. With Feng Office, I look at my monitor and feel organized and at ease. That’s how you want to feel.
Take a tour and you’ll see what I’m talking about:
If you’re just starting out, there is FREE software available called Officezilla. It has some great features – calendar, document management, project management and forum, just to mention a few. The other great thing is that it is free.
There are hundreds of other virtual office collaboration tools on the market. The key is to knowing what you want and making sure your software has the features you need. I recommend taking a trial first.
2. Use an email system that allows you to have multiple accounts …
I love the features in Thunderbird. It’s free and it makes email management simple. All your email boxes at your fingertips in one screen but completely separate. You can tag your emails for priority or responsibility. There is a brilliant colour code feature so it’s easy to manage your emails. Knowing who’s got what, and what’s sent where. Trying to manage my multiple email boxes before Thunderbird was a nightmare.
http://www.mozillamessaging.com/en-US/
3. Dual screen set-up
If you’re working with one monitor you’re creating more work for yourself. Invest in an additional monitor so you have two screens in front of you. Now I am working with dual screens I just could not turn back. After John upgraded to dual screens he was hooked. This is especially important if you are web designing, comparing documents or using multiple web applications. Actually, I’d say – if you’re a virtual assistant handling multiple clients, with multiple web applications – get dual screens. The investment will pay for itself very quickly.
4. An efficient document retrieval system
If you ever wonder – “where is that document”. Or “what did I call that document’. Or worse still, “I can’t find that document”. You need to change your habits fast. An efficient document management system is important. This one step will eliminate the stress that comes from not being able to find something! The idea is to have what you need at your fingertips. Set aside some time to set up your document folders into groups and categories. Create an easy file naming convention. Don’t put this off to another day.
These are just 4 easy steps to achieve more in less time. As you get organized and learn more about the simple things you can do to be more efficient, you will see results. You’ll feel less overwhelmed. Your brain will be less cluttered and you’ll be free to get creative and focus on the things you love doing.