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July 12, 2021

Seven Keys to Conducting Productive, Low-Stress Performance Reviews for Remote Teams

If the idea of delivering a performance review strikes fear in your heart, you are not alone. Many people rank receiving or giving a performance review right below getting a root canal. That’s because performance reviews are awkward. When you have a virtual team, performance reviews can feel that much more uncomfortable because you miss out on the benefit of seeing body language.

Although awkward, performance reviews are also essential. They can become comfortable affairs that lead to rich conversations and serve as a catalyst for growth for you and your team.

Having the right mindset for performance reviews is an excellent first step to making them more effective for you and your team. Specific tactics can help ease the planning and delivery process. Read on to find recommendations for both.

 

Keep the Objective in Mind

As you start thinking about performance reviews, remember why they are essential. Performance reviews lead to better performance and greater connection. They are not designed to serve as a “gotcha moment” or a time for recriminations. It’s not a report card like the ones issued in school. It’s a chance for two professionals to honestly discuss how things are going and to look to the future to consider possibilities.

All feedback sharing, and particularly performance reviews, are a tool to deepen relationships between you and your team members. As team members, you share the same goal. But, you both have different perspectives on success. As a business owner, you want to see your business succeed and likely derive great personal satisfaction from that success. Your employees crave personal success through a job well done. In the end, you know your people and understand that they care about the success of your business. Discussing performance is simply a shared acknowledgment of your relationship and its importance for your mutual success. It reflects a commitment to each other’s development.

 

Make Feedback an Ongoing Process

One way to make performance reviews easier is to share feedback throughout the year. Like any skill, practice makes progress. If you only share feedback at specific intervals, flexing the feedback muscle will feel unnatural. You can normalize the sharing of feedback to set a tone of open, two-way feedback with your team. 

Try adding the phrase: “in the spirit of continual improvement” to your vocabulary when communicating with your team. Then, add observations of your performance as well as the groups. For example, try closing meetings with a few comments about the week and encourage employees to do the same. Encourage people to share thoughts about what’s going well and what’s not. Ask people what they are learning. Share your observations about how work is flowing and what you are learning. Be honest about the things you wish you’d done differently and point out that that it’s all in the spirit of continual improvement.

People feel heartened when their leaders are honest about what’s working and what’s not. Constant sharing promotes growth and normalizes the feedback process, especially when feedback is flowing in all directions. 

 

Establish Set Intervals for Performance Reviews

As important as it is to offer ongoing feedback, establishing specific intervals to conduct performance reviews is also essential. 

Many people find that an annual cycle offers the best timing for employee reviews. Annual reviews provide sufficient time intervals between reviews, allowing people to apply feedback from the prior year. This schedule generally works best for long-term employees who work on complex, long-lead projects.

Quarterly review cycles might be suitable for your team if your team members are less experienced, have a shorter tenure, and work on shorter-term projects. In this case, more frequent formal feedback can aid in development.

The key is that review intervals aren’t a one-size-fits-all affair. You might even use different cycles for different team members or at different points in your business. You’ll find success comes more effortless if you have a process in mind and share it with your team members, so you all know what to expect.

 

Set Yourself (and Your Team) Up for Success

You can take a lot of the stress out of performance reviews for you and your team by establishing a few rules of the road designed the ease the process for all parties.

  • Follow a “no surprise” policy. One way to reduce trepidation is to avoid holding a year’s (or quarter’s) worth of developmental feedback until the official performance review. Instead, share developmental input along the way, so employees have a chance to act on it. Any feedback shared during a formal performance review should be a repeat of themes you’ve already discussed. Establish a policy that the performance review is not a time to share previously unheard grievances.
  • Encourage two-way communication during the review. Approach the meeting as a discussion, where you and your employee both openly discuss feedback, not a lecture about all the things that went right or wrong.
  • Take stock of the entire period. It’s easy to be swayed by recency bias and focus on the projects completed most recently. But, with a performance review, it’s vital to have an objective look back at the entire period encompassed for the review. To ensure you have a complete perspective, look back at notes, consider previous projects, and add results from work done across the review period.
  • Gather more than one perspective for the person you are reviewing. If your team is large enough, ask team members to review each other and share their perspectives. If applicable, ask for customer and vendor feedback on each person’s performance. This practice can give you a fuller view of someone’s performance.
  • Ask your team members to complete a self-evaluation as part of the review process. Encourage them to include perspectives on strengths and weaknesses over the last year and set goals for the coming year.
  • Remove money discussions from the performance review. Let your team know that the review will take place in two parts. The first portion will focus on performance over the last period, looking forward to the coming year. The second part of the review process will include a discussion about pay, bonuses, and raises, if applicable. Setting this expectation makes for a more productive performance review and makes it easier for employees to hear your feedback rather than eagerly awaiting pay news.

 

Create a Comfortable Environment

Another way to reduce the stress associated with performance reviews is to create a comfortable situation for you and your employee. Here are some ways to do that:

  • Schedule the review well in advance. About a month before the review, send an invitation to the employee so she can plan accordingly. Setting time aside makes it easier to focus on the review and shows that you see the review process as part of a meaningful conversation rather than just another task.
  • Set aside enough time to talk. A good rule of thumb is to add 30 minutes to what you think you’ll need. That way, you won’t feel rushed, and you’ll be able to have a fuller conversation. If you are only sharing positive feedback, resist the temptation to cut this short and only schedule a brief review. Sometimes the richest conversations come about when time is available to talk. You can always end the call early.
  • Share a written summary of the feedback in advance. Giving the employee a chance to review your feedback before the formal review leads to a more productive conversation, an opportunity to ask questions, and a fuller discussion of performance. It also means that you won’t have that awkward feeling of reading a review to your employee during the time set aside for the review.
  • Use a comfortable format. If you regularly use Zoom or other video conferencing to connect, do the same for the performance review. This isn’t the time to try out new video conferencing software. An old-fashioned phone call is a great option if that makes it easier to talk more openly. Meet in person if schedules and distance allow.
  • Be open to hearing the employee’s perspective on your thoughts. Her thoughts can provide you with greater insight into her performance and give you hints for coaching opportunities.

 

Arrange Your Own Performance Review

When you run the business, feedback on your performance can be tough to gather, and a formal performance review may not seem feasible. But, both are essential for your growth. Encourage contractors and employees to review you and offer feedback on areas where you excel and those where you can improve. This can open your eyes to some blind spots you might have in your performance and help you grow as a leader. 

As you make the request, share this document with them and remind them of the no surprise policy. You will benefit when your team is open and honest with you.

 

How to Handle Negative Reactions

Despite your best intentions and after following all the guidelines outlined here, you may still encounter negative reactions from employees during a performance review. While it can be unsettling, try not to take it personally or to respond in kind. When employees are upset by performance evaluations, it shows they care and take their work seriously.

In some cases, it may be best to pause the review and let the employee take some time to regroup before finishing the discussion. Depending on the feedback, the two of you can decide the best way to move forward with the review and your relationship.

Finally, don’t shy away from performance reviews to avoid adverse reactions. Reviews are critical tools that can help your business grow, help you develop as a leader, and help your employees as they work toward personal success.

 

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June 21, 2021

Five Keys to Building Time-Saving Systems for Your Small Business

When you run a business and lead a team, a lot is happening each day. And, you are likely involved in managing all or most of the work. The chronic stress of shouldering this responsibility can wear down the most dedicated of entrepreneurs. What’s more, it can prevent you from the meaningful work that can help you grow your business and expand it to the next level and beyond. 

The good news is that by creating a system for portions of your work, you can achieve a level of automation that lets you work more effectively on the things that matter, add predictability to your business, gain some time back, and make your life easier. 

The trick is identifying the processes that are ripe for systemization and selecting a system that works for you.

 

What is a System?

Simply stated, a system is a set of processes, tools, people, and strategies that all work together to solve a problem or achieve a goal. 

Creating a system for your business makes every day easier because it lets you have specific actions on autopilot. When routine processes run on autopilot, you are freed from investing mental energy or time into those processes. In short, creating a system for your work can make you more productive. 

Many of the companies you patronize every day have systems in place to automate some element of work. For example, when you order from Amazon, a team follows the steps to get your package to you. The team follows the same steps for each package, which means they have a system in place. Likewise, if you order pizza from a local shop, the workers follow a process to ensure the quality of each pizza. 

At the extreme, emergency responders have a system to respond quickly and efficiently when calls come in. Imagine if the fire department had to start from scratch and wait for each person to gather needed items before proceeding to the call. Firefighters have a system for collecting all needed equipment and getting on the truck as quickly as possible. 

 

Why You Need a System

Finding the right system can free you to focus on more significant, big-picture issues for your business, like business development. It can also make it easier for you to outsource portions of your work to a team. The right system can also help you find more personal time, too. 

If you are just getting your business started, having an organizational system can help make tasks seem less overwhelming. For example, if you produce a video each week, at the beginning the process can feel like a lot of work. But, with a system in place, you can see the steps you followed last time and replicate them, saving you the mental energy of going through the process each time.

In all likelihood, you probably already have a set of systems you use every day. You just don’t see them as official systems. Once you start to see processes as a system, you’ll find more and more tasks that could be moved onto a system. Once that happens, you are well on your way to saving time and energy.

 

A Closer Look

Before you start thinking about developing a system, it’s helpful to look more closely at the elements that comprise a system. 

  • Processes: Developing standard procedures is a large part of creating an effective system. Identifying and documenting the process involved for each system is the lynchpin of the process. For example, consider the case of sending a mass email to customers. Having a standard procedure in place frees you from thinking about the best way to send the messages each time one goes out. Having your processes documented means that someone else can step in and send the emails. Having someone create the content, check the mailing list, proofread the text, and test the email could save you several hours of work.
  • Tools: As you develop systems, you may find the specific tools are a part of the plan. The right tools for your system will vary based on the industry you are in and the types of tasks you are creating the system to accommodate. Tools can range from templates that make it easier to draft routine messages to equipment or software that makes a job more manageable. Part of developing a system is assessing tools and considering the associated costs and benefits of a tool. As you think about the cost of tools, calculate how much time a tool could save you and assign in a dollar value.
  • People: Identifying the people or person who will perform different tasks is an essential part of creating a system. In some cases, you are the person performing the task. In other cases, your system may include adding to your team to outsource jobs. Once you have systems in place, you may find that a Virtual Assistant or another team member can manage the task. Having a system in place makes it easier to find the right person for your team because you can look for team members with the skill sets needed to manage the system effectively.
  • Strategies: A strategy is a plan of action or a policy designed to achieve a goal. When you are working on creating a system of your business, you are doing just that–creating a plan of action with the goal of growing your business by automating certain functions.

 

How to Get Started

Developing systems takes time and patience, but the payoff is significant. A system that works for you and your team is the key to success. Aim to develop a sound system that becomes great over time. As you begin, set aside time to consider which tasks are ripe for systematization. To do this:

  • Track the work you do in a typical week. Write down everything you do to get a close look at how you spend your days. You may be surprised by the tasks that eat up the most time.
  • Identify tasks you frequently do throughout the week by putting a star next to them.
  • Of those tasks, pay special attention to the jobs that tend to be hands-on or time-consuming. 
  • Consider if you can stop doing any of these tasks and eliminate those that don’t add value.
  • From the remaining tasks, consider which ones could benefit from the creation of a system. Look for items that are routine, multi-step, repeatable, frequent, and predictable.

 

Find the Right System

There are a lot of ways to create a system. The easiest way is to work with an Online Business Manager or coach specializing in helping business owners create systems. Hire My Mom is a great place to find an experienced person to help. 

When you post your job, you’ll quickly have access to a wide array of qualified candidates who will be dedicated to helping your business succeed and grow. The site attracts job seekers from across the country with specialized skill sets and a desire to work hard for you.

If you need help sourcing a candidate, HireMyMom’s Concierge service can streamline the process for you. The service was created for busy entrepreneurs and small business owners, like you, who need to hire help but don’t have the time or desire to go through the time-consuming process. With our full-service Concierge service, our HR Specialists will do it all for you from start to finish and present you with the top candidate(s). Once you select the candidate that’s right for you, the two of you can start creating systems to make your business more efficient.

If you aren’t ready to bring in a person to help, several free online resources can help you build a system for your business. Research the options and consider which might work for you. Popular options include the  Productive and Free website and the YouTube series How to Build Systems for Your Business with Greg Hickman. 

Or, head to your local bookstore and library, where you can find several books about creating business systems. Good options include Work the System by Sam Carpenter or The E Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber. If you don’t have time to read a book, search audible for the right option.

 

You Can Do It!

While the prospect of creating a system may seem daunting, you can do it. Start small and focus on the core tasks that can move the needle to free up your day. Soon, you’ll be enjoying the fruits of your labor and the success that comes with a growing business.

 

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May 3, 2021

How to Accomplish More: Organization Tools and Hacks for Work from Home Moms

There is no one trick pony to being a mom, because let’s be honest with ourselves—motherhood is no perfect equation. Over the history of time and the long evolving course of motherhood however, some ancestral knowledge has been passed down from generation to generation. These “wives tales”, in combination with modern technology capabilities, can be used by modern moms to take on the day, and slay any dragons that might come their way. Here are some of the top insider tips we have allocated that can serve as mother’s little helpers.

 

Top All Around Tips and Tricks

All help is good help, and these tricks are passed down to help cut down time wasted so that you are efficient throughout the day, or god willing—maybe even able to have a moment to yourself.

Meal prep: Defrost meat in the fridge, cut up veggies, shred cheese, and do all the preparation needed for your family meal the night before or in the morning. That way when you get up in the morning you can easily assemble everything into a pan to throw back into the fridge or a crock pot— and then dinner is served whenever you are ready.

Make a to-do list: Create a to-do list the night before so you know what you need to tackle the next day and can hit the ground running when you wake up. Having a written record can help to remind you when you get distracted, something that happens easily with children around. With the ability to keep on task your day will be more efficient, and what is more—a study by professors Baumeister and Masicampo from Wake Forest University showed that, while tasks we haven’t done distract us, just making a plan to get them done can free us from this anxiety. Less anxiety is always a good thing as a mother.

Set healthy boundaries: Say yes to the things you can do, but remember to allow yourself to say no or not now to the things you really can’t take on. Don’t spread yourself too thinly to the point where you don’t have time for yourself or your family. Because “mom” is often synonymous with the word “superhero”, a mother has a tendency to try and take it all on. Remember that the best version of yourself is the best for your family, so take the time you need to when necessary.

Create a family organization hub: This can be shared notes on your phone for frequently needed items, or if your kids are younger, this can be a white board or note pad. The lists can include functional things such as shopping lists, or even be a space to share creative thoughts. Centralizing this in a place that is a common traffic area, such as the kitchen or the mud room, makes it available to everyone to have access to it. You can also couple this with a digital calendar that allows you to invite family members to the clan’s various extracurricular events. This allows for every member of the family to post their events and highlight the ones that are special to them. It also helps to put appointments on the calendar, with reminders, so no one forgets important dates. 

 

Modern Day Motherly Applications

If  as a mother you find yourself asking: “Is there an app for that?”—then the answer is yes. Here are some of the more useful apps we have found for moms that need a little technological assistance. 

Delegating duties: TaskRabbit is an online marketplace that will connect you to helpers that can do everyday tasks. Their helpers can assist you with moving tasks, handyman help around the house, gardening, or any other errands or responsibilities you might need assistance with.

Planning proficiency: Cozi is an organizer designed for families, and a game changer when it comes to being a mom with a plan. It can help coordinate schedules, grocery lists, activities, to do lists, and facilitate communication for the entire family. Cozi is one of the best calendar apps for moms because they have truly thought of everything that goes into a mother’s day.

Mom matchmaker:  Peanut is the ultimate app for moms to meet moms. It connects mothers in your geographic area with similar interests. Referred to as “Tinder for Moms”, Peanut can help you meet other moms similar to you or maybe even needing help with some similar challenges you are facing.

Splendid savings: Ibotta is a cashback app that helps you save money on groceries, beer, wine, pharmacy, clothing, beauty & wellness products, restaurants, home & electronics items, and travel. You simply scan your receipts and earn cash back. What a beautiful world we live in when we can get cash back on wine. 

No one ever said that motherhood was easy, but it has always been a worthwhile endeavor. Balancing the many roles, tasks, and extraneous superhero responsibilities is no small feat either, so as they say “work smarter, not harder”. Whether you’re a new mother, a seasoned one, a single one, or an expecting one—we hope these tips will help you in your honorable maternal journey. 

 

 

 

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March 31, 2021

How to Outsource Like a Boss for Home and Work

Have you ever looked at your to-do list and realized you need about 30 hours to accomplish everything you outlined as critical for the day? If so, you aren’t alone. Caring for a family and working are both hugely satisfying undertakings. But, let’s face it, it’s also a tremendous amount of work. 

Here’s some good news–you don’t need to tackle it alone. By strategically outsourcing some tasks, you can find more time and energy to put toward the people and projects that mean the most to you. Here’s a round up of the tasks–work and personal–that are great candidates for outsourcing.

Business Tasks

When you run a small business, it’s tempting to want to do it all. You became an entrepreneur because you’re motivated and hardworking.This combination makes it tough to let go of the reins, even for a task you don’t enjoy or could easily outsource. It helps to have a framework for considering what tasks/jobs make sense for outsourcing. When considering outsourcing, think about:

  • What are you great at doing?
  • What do you like to do?
  • Where would you like to grow professionally?

If a task doesn’t fall into one of those categories, it’s a good candidate for outsourcing. 

 

Quickly Find Virtual Help 

When you are looking for outsourcing help for a business task, consider a virtual team member. With remote employees, you don’t need to provide office space and you aren’t limited by geography. You can find and hire a team member who’s located anywhere with good internet access. 

Using a platform like HireMyMom is a great way to source qualified candidates who are specifically looking for remote work. You can save time and money by turning to a site dedicated to connecting driven mom professionals with small businesses. 

If the prospect of a nationwide search daunts you, consider our concierge service to help reduce the amount of leg work you need to do. HireMyMom’s Concierge service was created for busy entrepreneurs and small business owners, like you, who need to hire help but don’t have the time or desire to go through the time-consuming process. With our full service Concierge service, our HR Specialists will do it all for you start to finish and present you with the top candidate(s). 

 

Build a Remote Team 

Here’s a list of jobs that are often outsourced:

  • Bookkeeping
  • Social Media management
  • Graphic Design
  • Writing/Editing
  • Marketing/Email Marketing
  • Project Management
  • Customer Service
  • Facebook Ad Manager
  • Online Business Manager
  • Virtual Assistant (VA)

 

Consider a Virtual Assistant

In some cases, a virtual assistant (VA) may be the right fit for you. A VA can take care of many tasks, including email response, appointment setting, travel planning, and calendar management. You can find a general VA, who does a wide variety of tasks or one with a speciality in your industry or need. 

 

Personal Tasks

Personal tasks can easily add up and cause stress, making it more difficult to manage the day-to-day workings of life. What’s more, many of them are urgent and important and time sensitive. (For example, dinner must be served every night.) Tasks that can wait tend to grow in time commitment and urgency if you put them off. (I’m looking at you, piles of dirty laundry.) Here are some ideas to help relieve some of the steam:

 

Put Meal Prep and Grocery Shopping on Auto Pilot

Planning, serving and cleaning up multiple meals a day takes a huge time investment. (Especially if your whole family is home all the time.) But outsourcing some meal-prep tasks can make every day easier.

  •  A weekly menu hanging on the fridge takes the guesswork out of each meal. If you don’t enjoy menu planning or just need a break from it, consider using an online meal planning service. Several are available and they allow you to quickly select a week’s worth of meals based on your health goals, family preferences, and budget. Once you select your meals, you can automatically create a shopping list for the meals selected.
  •  We all need groceries every week (sometimes more). But driving to the store to collect them is a major time commitment. You can regain that time by signing up for grocery delivery. Several companies such as Amazon Fresh, Peapod, Shipt, and Instacart, are ready to make it easier for you to fill your pantry. 

While it takes some time to initially get set up with these services, it’s well worth the initial time investment. Chances are you make many of the same purchases each week, so many items will stay on your list for each order. You can even use a menu planner that automatically creates a grocery list and sends it to your preferred delivery service. 

  • If you don’t have grocery delivery available locally, consider the pick up service offered by many large grocery store chains. You submit your order online, pull up at the appointed time, and drive off with a car full of groceries. Both pick up and delivery help you save money by limiting impulse purchases.

Cut Down on Cooking

There are several ways to lighten the cooking load through outsourcing. Consider:

  • Sharing the load by finding four like-minded families and forming a cooking co-op. Each family makes four, family-sized servings of one dish. Meet to swap meals and go home knowing that you have five homemade dinners ready to roll–even though you only had to make one. Keep your circle of chefs small until the COVID-19 situation is resolved.
  • Ordering a meal delivery kit to take away the prepping, planning and chopping.
  • Finding a local chef who offers pre-prepped meals for pick up or delivery. 

 

Find Help with Child Care

You choose to work at home to spend more time with your kids and avoid the expense and hassle of day care. But, that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t benefit from some help with the kids. Finding a good babysitter, even if it’s only for a few hours a week, can really change the flow of your day. Having a few hours set aside without interruption makes it easier to power through your work. Also, depending on the age of your kids, the sitter can help with other tasks, such as:

  • Driving a carpool route for you.
  • Running errands with your kids–think the post office or picking up dry cleaning. This gives you a few hours of peace and quiet, keeps the kids busy, and eliminates tasks from your to-do list.
  • Working with the kids to go through their toys or books to find things they have outgrown.
  • Picking up the stray items you forgot to add to your online grocery order.
  • Walking the dog or other pet care needs.
  • Putting laundry away.
  • Supervising homework/online school instruction.

 

Clean with Ease

Everyone loves a clean house, but the work to get it sparkling can take all day. The easiest way to keep the house spic and span is to hire a cleaning service. If that’s not practical based on your budget or circumstances, these ideas can help lighten the load:

  • Buy a Roomba or other automatic vacuum or mop so you wake up to fresh floors every morning.
  • Drop your dirty laundry off at the laundromat for wash and fold service each week. This frees up an enormous amount of time and cuts down on the anxiety created by looking at baskets full of clothes–some clean, some dirty, and inevitably, one that’s mixed between clean and dirty clothes. 
  • Hire a service for big jobs that can really nag at you. For example, window washing or other seasonal jobs.

 

Reduce Yard Work

Many people find yard work relaxing, but elements of it can be outsourced to free you up to focus on the things you like most. For example, mowing and weeding are good candidates to outsource. With that out of the way, you are free to focus on tending to flowers or other things that truly bring you joy.

 

Don’t Wait to Reclaim Your Time

Outsourcing tasks is a great way to focus your time and energy on the things that matter most to you. Don’t delay–identify the things that someone else could do for you and start enjoying the increased time and energy it provides. 

Tell us what you’ve outsourced and how it changed the game for you.

 

 

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April 4, 2019 0 Comments

5 Springtime Tips You Need to Do Now

Springtime means fresh starts, new beginnings and a renewed purpose, so it’s the perfect time to clean out the clutter and prepare for new growth! To help you get on track, we have 5 springtime tips you need to do now!

 

Clean Your Workspace

Let’s face it, if your desk is messy, it will not motivate you to do your best work. It will also keep you from being productive. One of the most important things to have on your desk is your to-do list. Write down the important tasks you need to accomplish each day with deadlines for each task. The other main thing you should have on your desk is the current task or project you are working on. Everything else should be placed neatly in a file or an organizer to keep your desk free from clutter.

 

Refresh Your Materials

How long has it been since you freshened up your resume, business materials and/or website?  Take some time to review all of your materials to make sure they are up to date and come across as top notch.  Spring weather tends to give us a more positive outlook, so use that energy to restructure, update or overhaul your materials.

You will be amazed at the renewed passion you will feel when you and your business are putting your best foot forward!

 

Get Back on Track

Studies show we tend to put on a few pounds in the winter, but now it’s time to get back on track. Use the momentum of springtime to get more exercise in the fresh air and choose healthier foods.  Look for accountability groups online or download a new app to help you stay on track with getting exercise and making good food choices.

It’s an ideal time of year for fresh fruit, healthy smoothies, and grilling nutritious meats and veggies outdoors.  Look for seasonal produce for even more health and nutrition!

Fresh Air and Vitamin D

Fresh air, especially with the coolness of a spring day, is good for your mind and soul! And after months of winter, we need some sun and Vitamin D! Get outside as much as you can during this time of year.  Start looking for local outdoor events in your area. Go to outdoor concerts, take your pets to a dog park, go to outdoor sporting events or simply make time for daily walks.

Being outdoors gives us renewed energy and a much-needed boost, so it’s only fitting that it would be a perfect start to the new season ahead.

Take Charge

How was your winter schedule? Did you find yourself slacking because of the gloomy, cold weather? Take some time to review your schedule. Where do you need improvement? Have you set any new goals for this season for yourself, your family, your finances and your business? What is one thing you can do in each of those categories to make a small step in the right direction?

Need encouragement and accountability? Join our Facebook community for both!

And if you’re seeking a freelance or remote work from home job, take a look at the recent Job Postings on HireMyMom for some options that may be just perfect for what you are looking for!

 

 

 

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March 15, 2019 0 Comments

9 Tools to Help Your Virtual Team Succeed

In our last article, we gave you 10 Key Questions to Ask during the Interview and prior to that we shared 4 Tips on Writing a Great Job Post.

Now that you’ve hopefully found your virtual professional, we wanted to share some tools to that can help you and your team be more efficient, effective and organized. Below you’ll find a variety of tools from time tracking to management to organization to help your team soar to success!

Harvest makes it easy for users to keep track of the time users spend on tasks and projects. It also allows you to spot trends and compares someone’s work hours vs their capacity week over week. Here are four other time tracking options to consider.

Slack– a platform to connect teams with apps, services and resources. From Slack’s website, “When your team needs to kick off a project, hire a new employee, deploy some code, review a sales contract, finalize next year’s budget, measure an A/B test, plan your next office opening, and more, Slack has you covered.”

Loom allows you to connect with your team via videos. You can record yourself, your screen or both. Save time by videoing notes, how-tos, directions, and more without spending valuable time emailing back and forth.

Asana  is a free team management tool that allows you to delegate and organize tasks into projects. You can track the progress of group projects while also displaying individual to-do lists.

Trello is a task management tool that gives you a visual overview of what is being worked on, who is working on it and what’s next to do.

Zoom is a great tool if you are looking for face-to-face meetings, a way to share your screen or conduct online meetings.

DropBox and Google Docs let you share and access files remotely. No more emailing files back and forth, now you can easily edit and share files instantly.

idonethis makes it easy for your team to provide quick daily status updates and helps you run your team more efficiently.

And don’t forget we offer, our personal “Small Business Concierge Service” which includes:

    • consultation to learn about the position,
    • writing a professional, descriptive and thorough job post,
    • posting the job on our website (once approved by client),
    • reviewing all applicant resumes and cover letters, including a check of LinkedIn to reality check the resume.
    • Scheduling interviews – Reach out to selected candidates, coordinate interview scheduling,
    • Interviews -prep & conduct interviews, record interview notes, save interview recordings, etc. ,
    • Select top candidate(s) to pass along to client, write candidate summaries, upload interview video file(s) to Dropbox, email client with resume, summary and link to video file.
    • Follow up with client, answer questions about candidates, etc.
    • Wrap-up – Send turndown email to candidates interviewed but not selected, etc. along with final notes.

Contact us for details!

 

 

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January 3, 2019 0 Comments

3 Steps to an Amazing New Year

The beginning of a new year is always a great time to reflect on where we are and where we want to be. Focusing on where we can improve and making a plan to get there is imperative. Here are 3 steps to getting your year off to a great start. 

 

First Things First: Get Organized

The new year is a great time to get organized. Start with your desk. If your desk is messy, it will keep you from being productive. Keep only what’s necessary on your desk such as a to-do list and the current project you are working on. Create a filing system for everything else so that you can work without the distractions of everything else. 

Once your desk is organized it will help you focus better on your tasks at hand and motivate you to organize other areas.

 

Second: Set Small Goals 

Once you’ve gotten organized, set some small goals. Goal setting can be intimidating. Who wants to set some monumental goals only to never achieve them? You may have a big goal but you may find it easier to break it down into small daily goals. Once you have those set, you can add weekly goals and monthly goals.

Take some time and think about the different areas of your life (self-care, marriage, kids, health, fitness, career, spiritual, social, etc.) Now set aside a few minutes to set some small, achievable goals. Next turn those into a daily to-do list.

By setting monthly goals, you won’t be overwhelmed. And you won’t feel like quitting if you have a small set back. It’s all about making progress not expecting perfection.

 

Third: Accomplishing More with Time Blocking 

If you aren’t familiar with time blocking, it is a way to schedule your time for maximum productivity. You take your to-do list and create blocks of time on your calendar to complete those tasks. It reduces interruptions and allows you to focus on that one task until its done. You can start by setting up one day for time blocking which may consist of a 30 minute block for email, one hour for social media, and a two-to-four hour block for writing or a project that you want to complete.  The idea is to focus exclusively on the task at hand so you are not starting and stopping and wasting time. If you’d like more insight on time blocking, watch this video.

So there are your 3 steps to an amazing new year in 2019!

 

 

 

 

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October 15, 2018 0 Comments

4 Tips for Computer Organization

As a work from home employee, most (if not all) of your work is done on your computer.  This is great, since you can take your work with you, but it can also get cluttered – and fast! When downloading files, graphics and anything else you need for work, your computer can start to look stressful.

Keeping your computer organized not only helps your productivity, but it keeps your machine running efficiently.

Use folders

A clean computer isn’t just for looks! When you need to locate certain files, staying organized is number one. Folders are a great way to do this, and it can be a helpful system to stay on track.

Create large folders that are more general in nature, followed by sub folders that can narrow down your search.  This allows you to find everything so easily, upping productivity and eliminating frustration.

Delete quickly

Once you no longer need a file, delete it! We often keep files for days on our desktops.  This leads to clutter, stress, and simple disorganization.

Take 5-10 minutes at the end of your day to delete everything that’s no longer needed.  Once your folders and files are set up correctly, you can easily slide each file into the appropriate folder.  This allows you to start the next work day with a clean workspace!

Clean frequently

Make a schedule for computer organization.  Beyond the 5-10 minute daily cleanup, set aside some time each week to look into your folders and clear out any old files.  These take up valuable space on your computer, bogging it down and making it harder to run.

Additionally, you may want to change up your folder or file names, or simply label them in a different way that will work better for you.  Whatever you choose to do, make sure you’re setting aside some time to make these changes on a consistent basis, instead of becoming overwhelmed when it’s ignored for months.

Lastly, make it a habit of cleaning your computer.  There are several programs out there for Macs or PCs that will sweep away old files, or help you to find large file that you no longer need.  This will keep your computer running smoothly and free from clutter!

Label everything

Although we created all of those great folders in tip number one, it won’t be as helpful if your file names are still disorganized.

When you search your computer for a specific file, you need to be able to find it! Make sure you’re taking the time to label your files everyday, and label them in a way that you will remember.  It can help to include the client name, task name, the date, and/or the purpose of the file.

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April 23, 2018 0 Comments

4 Easy Ways to Better Organization

Organization is one of those small things that make a big difference.  Cluttered, disorganized spaces make us less productive, and it can be stressful to constantly feel like you’re playing catch up.

A well-executed organization plan is a key to success in business and at home, and it’s worth the effort to get things to a manageable place.  Read along for some of our best, easiest ways to stay organized.

Clear your space

Start by clearing out! If you’re naturally a disorganized person, the idea of organization can be slightly overwhelming.  Simply start by clearing the clutter and items you don’t like. You can also work to remove unsightly items, such as cords and other things that can be moved out of the way.

According to NAPO and BecomingMinimalist.com, 91% of people said they would be more effective and efficient if their workspace was better organized.

So not only is this task made to make your life easier; it can improve your work!

Make it a habit

Don’t let it build up! Whether it’s papers, digital files, your desktop, your kitchen island, or anything else that’s prone to clutter, be proactive about keeping it in shape.  This isn’t to say that it has to be 100% clear all the time, but make it a habit. Take a few minutes each day to organize each space so that the next day doesn’t feel overwhelming.

Create a system

Once your general clutter is clear, you can start to systemize your organization habits.  This can even be fun! There are plenty of fun storage and organization products at stores like The Container Store, Home Goods, Target, and so on.  You can pick out the items that will look best and serve you best, while making it your own.

Not everyone organizes the same way either! This is another place where you can pick your own style.  Do you prefer digital? There are tons of apps and pieces of equipment that allow you to scan all receipts, documents, and so on, and from there, you can organize them by file. If you prefer paper organization, choose a filing schedule and method that keeps things clear in your mind.

It’s important to keep to your organization schedule as well! Maybe take 60 minutes every Friday morning, or 10 minutes per day, if that’s more your style.  Maybe Monday is 20 minutes of digital file organization, Tuesday is 20 minutes at home, and Wednesday is all of your digital clutter. Make it work for you!

Create files

As we discussed, whether you’re paper or digital is a personal choice.  Things are moving more to the digital realm, but sometimes it’s still nice to have a hard copy.

You might think you can just wing your documents in either format, but it’s never very reliable.  You don’t want things to back up, or worse yet, get lost. Create files that make sense to you, and work to keep everything in its proper place.

Even if your desktop is clean, your individual folders should also be organized.  In addition, if you keep paper files, you should have everything in its correct place, not just out of sight.

Organization doesn’t have to be a challenge! Take some time each day or week, and keep it in the forefront of your thinking.  It will make your life easier and your workload more productive!

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March 12, 2018 0 Comments

5 Tips to Prepare for Spring

Spring is just around the corner! With warmer temperatures starting to become more and more frequent, it’s only a matter of time before spring is here.  We associate spring with new beginnings and a fresh start, so it’s the perfect time to implement some of the ideas below for a great start to the new season.

Get outside

Fresh air equals a fresh mood! Get outside as much as you can during this time of year.  Start looking for local outdoor events and festivals. Go see a sporting event, attend an outdoor concert, or simply make time for a daily walk around the block.

Nature gives us positive energy and an energy boost, so it’s only fitting that it would be a perfect start to the warmer season.

Clean it up

It’s a great time to get that old dirt and dust out! From your living room to your office and pantry, use this time to get it all into shape.  Do a fresh coat of paint in your office, bring in some organic plants, or simply do a thorough cleaning.

You can also air out your house when it’s nice enough! Get the dust out. Start fresh for spring. Clean out clutter and donate, sell, or give away items that no longer serve you. This is great for your own energy and gets you into the feeling of a lighter season.

Refresh your resume

Homes aren’t the only thing that you can clean up this time of year.  Take a few hours to refresh your resume and hiring materials if you’re seeking employment.  Warmer weather tends to give us a more positive perspective, so use that vibe to restructure, edit, or redo your materials.

If you already have a job or business, you can update your website, order new business cards, or simply revise your business plan.

Lighten it up

While you’re lightening your burden in your home, be sure to do the same for your body! Get more exercise in the fresh air and choose lighter foods.  Our bodies typically crave lighter foods this time of year anyway, so fill it with hydrating, nourishing options.

It’s an ideal time of year for fresh fruit, healthy smoothies, and cooking nutritious meats and veggies on the grill.  Use seasonal produce for even more health and nutrition!

Take note of your schedule

How was your winter schedule? Did you cram too much in, or did you have a lot of extra time? Before spring comes, take a few minutes to examine your schedule.  Cna you better allocate your time over the next several months? You might need to fill some work space, or you might need to unload some work.

If you’re seeking a freelance, part-time or full-time work from home job, take a look around HireMyMom.com for some options that will fit into your schedule!

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