AMVA - Amanda Moore Virtual Assistant

by Louis Bonaventura

Time management is basically about being focused. The Pareto Principle, also known as the ‘80:20 Rule’, states that 80% of efforts that are not time managed or unfocused generates only 20% of the desired output.  However, 80% of the desired output can be generated using only 20% of a well time managed effort.

Although the ratio ‘80:20′ is only arbitrary, it is used to put emphasis on how much is lost or gained.

Some people view time management as a list of rules that involves scheduling of appointments, goal settings, thorough planning, creating to do lists and prioritizing.  These are the core basics of managing your time that should be understood to develop an efficient personal management skill. These basic skills can be fine tuned further to include the finer points of each skill that can give you that extra reserve to make the results you desire.

But there are more skills involved than just the core basics. Skills such as decision making, inherent abilities such as emotional intelligence and critical thinking are also essential to your personal growth.  Personal management involves everything you do. No matter how big or how small, everything counts.  Every new piece of knowledge you acquire, each new bit of advice you consider, each new skill you develop should be taken into consideration.

Having a balanced life-style should be the primary goal in maintaining your time management. This is the main aspect that many practitioners of personal time management fail to grasp.  Managing your time is about getting results, not about being busy.

The six areas that will be improved in anyone’s life are physical, intellectual, social, career, emotional and spiritual.

1. The physical aspect involves having a healthy body, less stress and fatigue.
2. The intellectual aspect involves learning and other mental growth activities.
3. The social aspect involves developing personal or intimate relations and being an active contributor to society.
4. The career aspect involves school and work.
5. The emotional aspect involves appropriate feelings and desires and manifesting them.
6. The spiritual aspect involves a personal quest for meaning.

Thoroughly planning and having a set of things to do for each of the key areas may not be very practical, but determining which area in your life is not being giving enough attention is part of managing your time.

Each area creates the whole you, if you are ignoring one area then you are ignoring an important part of yourself.  It also should not be so daunting a task. It is a very sensible and reasonable approach in solving problems big or small.

A great way of learning to manage your time and improving your personal life is to follow several basic activities.

• One of them is to review your goals, whether it be immediate or long-term goals, often.   A way to do this is to keep a list that is always accessible to you.

• Always determine which task is necessary or not necessary in achieving your goals and which activities are helping you maintain a balanced life style.

• Each and every one of us has a peak time and a time when we slow down, these are our natural cycles. We should be able to distinguish that its time to do the difficult tasks when we are the sharpest.

• Learn to say “No”. You actually see this advice often. Heed it even if it involves saying the word to family or friends.

• Pat yourself at the back or just reward yourself in any manner for an effective result.

• Try and get the cooperation from people around you who are actually benefiting from your efforts.

• Don’t procrastinate. Attend to necessary things immediately. Make the main thing, the main thing!

• Have a positive attitude and set yourself up for success. But be realistic in your approach in achieving your goals.

• Have a record or journal of all your activities. This will help you get things in their proper perspective.

These are the few steps you initially take in becoming a well rounded individual. Personal time management is the art and science of building a better life.

From the moment you the integrate skills used to manage your time into your life, you have opened several options that can provide a broad spectrum of solutions to your personal growth and create more doors for opportunities to knock upon.

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Lou and Robin Bonaventura have been Professional Network Marketers for 4 years. Visit their Blogfor more information on how personal development can benefit you!

Article Source: Keyword Articles

by Kevin Sinclair

In this hectic world that we live in, it can be hard to find time to do the things that you really enjoy. Sometimes it may seem like all you ever get done is chores, going to work and performing tasks for other people. But while these things can take up an overwhelming portion of your time, it is extremely important that you find time for yourself as well. But how can you find time for yourself when there are already so many other demands for your time?

Finding time for you is a matter of setting priorities. If you don’t carve out time from your day to do things you enjoy to relax, you just simply won’t get to do it at all. And if you allow it to happen, other people’s wants and needs will take all of your time and energy until there is nothing left over for you.

The first step to making yourself a priority is to schedule time each and every day for activities that you enjoy. You don’t have to schedule hours; 15 to 20 minutes is just fine if that is all you can spare. Once you have scheduled some alone time, do not let anything else interrupt it. View it as you would an appointment with a doctor or a dinner date with a trusted friend. When other demands for your time arise, don’t be afraid to say that you have plans. You wouldn’t allow an errand that your sister wants you to run take precedence over a work-related meeting; don’t let it take precedence over your time for yourself either.

Once you have scheduled an appointment with yourself, make sure that your family knows that you will not be available during this time. If you have young children, you can lock yourself in your bedroom and put a sign on the door that says how long you will be gone. Ask your partner to keep the children occupied during this time with the promise that you will do the same for him/her. If your family is older, tell them under no circumstances are you to be disturbed.

Carving out time for yourself means that you will have to learn to say no. You might have to ignore phone calls and you will probably have to let some responsibilities and tasks slide. This is where delegation comes in handy. Let the kids clean the kitchen while you take a hot bath after dinner. Let your brother run the errand for your sister. Just don’t let someone else steal that precious time away from you.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that there won’t be circumstances that arise that will tempt you to forget about the time that you promised yourself. There will always be obstacles, but it is how you handle these obstacles that make the difference in the end. If you always give into pressure, then people around you will learn that they can get you to do what they want with a little bit of pressure. Be firm, be consistent; they will get the hint and leave you alone.

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Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of besuccessfulnews.com, a site that provides information and articles on how to succeed in your own home or small business.

Article Source: Keyword Articles

Welcome to the June 1, 2008 edition of Virtual Assistant/Home Business Blog Carnival.

Terry Dean presents Quality Website Traffic posted at Integrity Business Blog by Terry Dean.

Webmaster_1 presents 5 Reasons Why Blogging Is Beneficial posted at The Entrepreneurs Online Magazine, saying, “An article on why blogging is beneficial to any internet business”

Jose DeJesus MD presents Defending Yourself Against Time Thieves posted at Physician Entrepreneur, saying, “Here are some ways to become more effective by avoiding things that steal or waste your time.”

Colleen M. Johnson presents Web Database Management Tools posted at cmjoffice.com Blog, saying, “Discover some information on web-based database options.”

John W. Furst presents Aweber – A Marketing Lesson And Smart Pricing posted at E-Biz Booster Blog, saying, “Are you freaking out? One of the popular Email Marketing Tools provider — AWeber — has new features and new prices. What’s in it for you?”

Jimson Lee presents Free or Cheap Help Desk Support Software posted at CRM Help Desk Software.com, saying, “A quick review of the 2 best free Open Source Help Desk Support Ticket software for your business.”

Cindy King presents How To Use Online Translation Tools posted at Cindy King, saying, “I think free online translation tools are great… for certain tasks. Never use them to write any sales content or sales materials. And think twice about relying on them for any other translations.”

John Crickett presents How To Start A Blogging Business posted at Business Opportunities And Ideas, saying, “A guide to starting a blogging business”

Terry Dean presents From a Sale to An Experience posted at Integrity Business Blog by Terry Dean.

Craig Andrews presents Small Steps for a lot of Traffic Generation posted at Craig S. Andrews.com.

Laurie presents Lawyers and Technological Change posted at Halo Secretarial Services.

Janet Barclay presents Business Lessons Are Everywhere posted at From the Desk of Janet Barclay.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Virtual Assistant/Home Business Blog Carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.