Category: Pamela Ayuso

How to Effectively Keep Track of Everything You Have to Do

Days are full of activity and go by in the blink of an eye. Between one thing and the next, it will show if ideas and work are not managed properly. We will miss a deadline, forget to call a big client back or drop the ball on an important assignment. Executing is key but so is following-up to ensure that everything that was needed to be done was done on time.

Fear not: there are ways to combat this. All that is necessary is developing a system to keep track of all your to-do list items and ensuring the system works to follow through on all these tasks.

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The Benefits of Implementing Processes in Your Business

Organizing the operations of a business into processes can be time-consuming and perhaps overwhelming. I did not realize just how much we do on a daily basis until I started cataloging everything. From the calls we make and the proposals we send out, to negotiations with suppliers and communication with accounting, everything we do includes different steps that need to be documented.

The investment, though, pays off: your firm will benefit immensely from implementing processes.

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The Importance of Research as a Tool for Growth

As an entrepreneur, it seems that one has to be an expert in close to everything, including software, marketing, human resources, and sales. However, it is next to impossible to have specialized knowledge in all of the departments that are needed to run a business successfully. Although it would be ideal to have advanced degrees in these fields, research and self-study can be the next best tools for acquiring the needed information for growth.

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5 Benefits of Hiring Freelancers to Help You Out

As you grow your business, you will need to rely on many capabilities, which you may not have within your firm. But what happens if it is only you and a few employees? Your budget probably doesn’t allow for hiring a professional for each of your many needs.

This is where freelancers come in. They can truly be lifesavers for a small firm. Expert freelancers exist who specialize in anything you can imagine. They can work with your firm on a short-term, contract or ad-hoc basis, helping to solve your current (and future) problems.

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How to Improve and Grow Your Business with Effective Processes

So many things to do, so little time: the demands of work can seem endless. There is a certain number of things that need to get done, and throughout the day, we go from one to the next. There never seems to be enough time, and it may seem sometimes impossible for things to get better.

There is, however, an alternative to merely surviving. To rise above the daily to-do list, you can set up processes for yourself, your employees, and your company. These same tasks that engulf a business can be organized into overall processes. The procedures that are designed for the firm will provide more organization, efficiency, and accountability for the work that needs to be accomplished every day.

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6 Reasons You Will Love Wrike Like We Do

A few years ago, I would spend an hour or two every morning meeting with individual members of our team. During these meetings, we would go over all the assigned tasks and projects to see where we stood. Activities were assigned verbally and written in each person’s organizer. In follow-up meetings, I would find that we had miscommunicated, and the to-dos had been misunderstood. Valuable time had been wasted. We soon realized that this method was too inefficient, and something had to change.

After researching the benefits of Cloud software, I knew a Cloud-based project management system was right for our firm. Project management software would allow us to share tasks and deadlines as well as improve our effectiveness as a team. Because we did not have an IT department, we needed software that is constantly upgraded and easy to implement. I weighed many options and finally chose Wrike. Here’s why we love Wrike.

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It’s Easy to Fill Your Scarce Time: Make It Count

Time is our most precious commodity; it cannot be purchased or recovered. We all get the same 24 hours in a day.

Since making more time is not an option, the next best choice is to control the way we use it. However, this is easier said than done. Everything seems to require time. Meetings, clients, employees, new projects, problems, and day-to-day business are incessant. The never-ending demands can easily take up all available time.

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How to Effectively Set Your Next Project in Motion

Starting a new project from ground zero is probably one of the hardest things to do. Sometimes I have a wonderful idea, a whole new project I’m ready to start. I’m convinced it’ll change everything for the better and I’m ready to go. Then, I sit down in front of my computer to start working and everything suddenly goes blank, leaving me with no clue where to start.

When this happens, I try to go back and re-discover my original inspiration. Even though the excitement is almost always still there, I don’t know how to get started. I usually sit there for a few more minutes until I can’t take it anymore. Finally, I end up shutting down my computer and continuing with my day so it doesn’t feel wasted.

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It’s a Jungle Out There with Unlimited Opportunities

Life is inherently messy. Relationships, events, and opportunities change every day. The points of reference one may have one day may greatly differ the next.

As human beings, however, we crave control and continuity. We want to believe things are fixed, but they are not. Life keeps changing: people move away, businesses shut down, cities evolve, and new regulations are put into effect. Demands fluctuate, and expectations change.

However, this is not necessarily a bad thing. The constant change can also provide an opening where a firm can stand out in comparison to competitors, and even provide areas for growth.

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What Next? How to Figure It Out When You Are Not Sure

What next? It rattles around your mind. You are ready to grow in a new direction, yet the future seems wide open, and you have no idea where to start.

Whenever this happens, I recommend focusing on doing what is right in front of you. Start with those loose ends that you know are there but have been ignoring. You know those things that keep popping up in your mind over and over again? Pay good attention to them. They keep coming back for a reason.

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