What is Procrastination?

Procrastination is the avoidance of doing a task that needs to be accomplished. It is the practice of doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable ones, or carrying out less urgent tasks instead of more urgent ones, thus putting off impending tasks to a later time. (source Wikipedia)
When you are running your own business, procrastination can directly affect your ability to be successful, so it necessary not only to be able to recognise it when it happens but also to take steps to get back on track as soon as you can.

Recognise  Procrastination

If you are honest with yourself you should know when you are procrastinating but here are some useful indicators that will make it very obvious!
• Waiting until you are in the right frame of mind or mood until you tackle a task
• Doing other duties that are not business related such as housework or online shopping
• Moving a to-do item from your daily task list, day after day
• Sitting down to complete a high priority task and then immediately getting up to make coffee/tea or go to the bathroom
• Filling your day with low priority tasks
• Telling yourself that you will do it tomorrow!

Understanding Why

Usually, procrastination boils down to 1 of 3 issues
1. You don’t like doing the task that needs doing
2. You feel overwhelmed by the task either in its size or in the skills you need to complete it
3. You are disorganised with all your tasks and so don’t fully understand the importance of the task you are avoiding.

The Solutions

Luckily there are solutions to all of these issues. If you don’t like the work that needs to be done, consider out-sourcing it! It may seem like an unnecessary expense, but it would likely take someone else that loves that task half the time that it takes you and it would be kept up to date and so would cut down on time needed there too. Meanwhile, you can move on to doing tasks that earn you money, that you love doing! If your core business activity that generates you money is something that you hate doing, then you are in the wrong business! If outsourcing is not an option, then try to schedule a set amount of time to work on the task and then reward yourself with being able to move on to something that you do love after your time is up. This way at least the task is moving forward and not getting further and further behind.

If you are overwhelmed by the size of the task, break it down into smaller more manageable pieces and consider software options that may be able to automate parts of the task, doing some of the heavy lifting for you. Create a list of all the “parts” of the task and schedule those parts into your to-do list. If you can intersperse them with other tasks that you do like doing to give yourself a break. If you are worried that you don’t have the knowledge or skills to complete the task, at least take a closer look at it. Sometimes our fear tells us we can’t do something before we have even tried. However, it is usually not the case when we take the time to try. Alternatively, again you can always look at outsourcing the task to someone that does have the skill set.

Disorganisation can cause all kinds of setbacks and delays. You cannot do your best work when you are down to the wire and have an urgent deadline to meet or even worse, what happens when you can’t accommodate another client request because you don’t know what you already have on your plate or when it’s due. To do lists are a must when you lack organisation. Your brain cannot focus 100% when it keeps randomly remembering other tasks throughout the day that need to be complete. Getting it down on paper alleviates your wondering thoughts. Once your list is written, it’s time to prioritise. Check out our time management blog post here for some great time management strategies.

Use a Reward System

Assigning rewards to tasks can help your motivation.  Create a list of items that help you to feel good and use them as rewards to get tasks completed.  Items such as food or drink, change of task breaks, and even monetary rewards for completing big tasks can help.  Remember though that procrastination is a habit and will not change overnight, but you can implement new habits to help!

Now go write that list!

 

Meet Zoom – The company labels it self as “One Consistent Enterprise Experience” and offers Online Meetings, Business IM, Video Webinar, Zoom Rooms, H.323/SIP Connector and a Developer Platform!

From a price point, it really doesn’t get any better, with plans ranging from $0.00 to $19.99USD a month any small business owner can get started with web and video conferencing, without spending any money, so now there is no excuse to take your communication to the next level!

Lets dive into some features of Zoom!

Hosting a meeting – with unlimited one on one meetings, you can host with or without video and using screen share – the perfect tool for trouble shooting, showing demo’s, or connecting with friends and family!

Join a meeting – your host provides you with an access code, you plug it in and away you go!

Schedule a meeting – you can send out calendar invites to a meeting scheduled in the future and even create re-occuring meetings!

Cloud Recordings –  Cloud recording allows you to record meeting video (active speaker) and audio in the Zoom Cloud where the file can then be downloaded and/or streamed from a browser via HTML 5 or Flash.

Webinars – Zoom Video Webinars allow you to easily conduct large online events with video, audio and screen sharing for up to 50 video participants and 10,000 attendees. The features in Webinar are tailored for managing large audiences with branding, registration, host controls, polls, question & answer, raise hand, chat, recording and reporting.

Zoom Rooms – Zoom Rooms is a software-based room system that runs on a Mac Mini with the iPad as the room controller. You can start an instant or scheduled meeting with a single tap, screen share via wired HDMI or wirelessly on WiFi, and connect with attendees on H.323/SIP endpoints, telephone, desktop or mobile devices.

Controls – the controls are simple to use once logged in on the website you get the below hand tools to manage your meetings and chats!  There are also apps for both Android and Apple so you can chat on the go!  Several extensions are available to manage meetings right from calendars such as Google and Outlook.  The meeting functionality features Whiteboard, Screen Share, Delegation of Ownership and the ability to record, to name but a few.

Chat – working just like Skype, you add users with their e-mail address and then you can IM as well as set up groups for communication to more than one person. Sending pictures, files and screen capture is also available in chat.  There are even a few emoji’s!

I am loving my experience with Zoom so far and for the ease of use and fee, I really don’t think a small business can find a better platform for communication!

 

1. I only need one Virtual Assistant
Not true! Whilst there are some very good general administration Virtual Assistants out there, there are also some great ones that specialize in certain areas of business. To get the best advice and service, it is generally better to hire a VA that can specialize in an area you are looking for. For instance a VA that specializes in general administration is going to be great at things like creating documents, proof reading, answering the phone and calendar management but their desk top publishing skills will not be as proficient as that of a Graphic Designer. It is impossible for a general administration VA to keep up on training and skill development in all categories. If you only need a few social media info graphics created, great! If however you are looking to enhance your brand and make sure your image is well represented you should be looking for a VA that specializes in Graphic Design.

2. A Virtual Assistant is so expensive
Well that depends on how much you value your time and your earning power. If you are in a profession where you can command a high hourly rate for your billable hours, then it makes sense for you to work on things that earn you money and hire a VA to deal with all the time consuming stuff that, a) you don’t know how to do so it takes you twice as long and b) you hate doing! Book keeping for instance, a VA specializing in book keeping has a much lower hourly rate than an accountant and once they have a system in place for you may only need a few hours a month to keep on top of your paperwork.

3. I need lots of work available for my Virtual Assistant to do
Virtual Assistants work for more than one person generally. The beauty of a VA is that you don’t have to hire them on a full time basis or even part time. Most VA’s will have an hourly rate and you can hire them by the hour to do certain one off projects. If you know you have a regular amount of monthly work, many VA’s will have a retainer service where you can hire them for the same amount of hours every month. They will usually offer the retainer service at a lower rate than the hourly service.

4. A virtual Assistant can easily steel my business ideas or clients
This can and has happened, so it is important to ensure that you have safety measures in place to protect you against this and also that you have a good relationship with your VA. A reputable VA will put a contract in place at the beginning of the working relationship that will outline of the terms of the working arrangements as well as covering privacy, confidentiality, and ownership of materials produced.

5. All virtual Assistants work from home
Whilst most VA’s do work from home, you can also find some that have set themselves up in an office environment and others that will commute to your work premises for certain tasks.

6. Having a Virtual Assistant is only a part time or temporary solution
It can be a temporary solution whilst you figure out what your long term administration needs are, but there is also the option once you have found a good VA that you bond with to have a more long term relationship in place. For a VA, it is far more beneficial to have several long term clients than it is to constantly take on new and one off projects.

7. Getting a good Virtual Assistant can only happen if I go through a freelance site
Whilst some freelance sites or specialty Virtual Assistant site offer a screening process, many don’t and so the reliability and skill level of the VA is taken at face value. Always do your homework, regardless of where you find your VA. There are some virtual assistants out there that figure it’s an easy job and don’t have the skills and knowledge that others do so if you want to you can ask for certificates, resumes, testimonials and references.

8. Using a Virtual Assistant is more work for me because I have to tell them what to do all the time
You many need to spend some time initially with your VA, explaining exactly what you need doing if you are asking for a specialty task to be done or if you like things formatted in a certain way but after that it should be plain sailing and your VA will just “get on” with the tasks you have asked them to do. In some cases you may not even need to spend a great deal of time explaining things. Generally VA’s have skills that allow them to connect well with their clients and have an aptitude for knowing what you need doing before you do – that’s why we do what we do!

9. A good virtual assistant needs to have degrees or certification
It’s always good to have certifications for training as it shows how committed your VA is in keeping their skill levels up, however, training rarely makes up for experience and many VA’s learn tips and tricks on the fly. Just because your VA doesn’t have many certificates or a degree, doesn’t mean you should write her off! Charles Dickens for instance had no formal writing qualification!

10. Becoming a virtual assistant doesn’t cost anything
For a virtual assistant working at home, start-up costs and overheads can be significantly lower than other business startups, however once again it depends on your VA, if they specialize in a certain area and require any equipment and also how seriously they take their business and education. Some required software can be costly and setting up an office with good equipment is not cheap either. Ongoing education can also be expensive.

11. Virtual Assistants only work for Internet Based Companies
Not true. Whilst it might seem that the “virtual” assistant is best matched to a “virtual” company, many virtual assistants work for premises based companies. Many premises based companies have significant overheads in comparison to virtual companies and so the option of a Virtual Assistant often works out as a much better cost effective solution for administrative work.

12. A virtual Assistant is cheap to hire
Just as virtual assistants are not overly expensive in the grand scheme of things (dependent on their specialty) they are also not necessarily cheap to hire either. You should expect to pay more for a Virtual Assistant than you would for a full or part time admin assistant as you are paying for convenience. Remember though that you will not be paying any employee costs such as tax, vacation and sick pay and insurance for your VA.

13. It’s hard to communicate with a Virtual Assistant
Whilst it might seem strange initially while you get used to not necessarily having someone in the office next door to discuss your administration tasks with, generally Virtual Assistants have set themselves up with great communication tool for ensuring that the lines are fully open. From project management software that keeps track of times and tasks to instant messaging solutions that allows you to contact your VA almost all the time during their business hours, communication should be the least of your worries when hiring a VA.

14. My Virtual Assistant will be available for me whenever I need her
Your virtual assistant, like you should have business hours, so if she does not work weekends and stat holidays, she will not be available at these times and this is something you should clarify when you begin your working relationship. If you are only hiring your Virtual Assistant for 5 hours a week, then that is when she is available to you. Unless you are paying her 40 hours a week she will not be able to drop everything for something you need immediately. Good lines of communication, however and a thorough understanding of your working relationship at the onset will ensure that you get what you need for the most part. Your VA may be able to take on last minute urgent work. This may come at a premium price dependent on what you need but may be an option.

Now that you understand more about what a virtual assistant does and doesn’t do and some of the myths you have heard have been dispelled – go hire one, your business will thank you!

Vehicle mileage is one of the most common areas that is recorded incorrectly in the accounting process.  Many people put through their fuel receipts as an expense, some also put through maintenance and other vehicle expenses.  The only time you should be doing this, is if the vehicle is owned by the company.  Whilst this may sound like a great idea, if you utilize your vehicle for any kind of personal use, you are subject to various “usage taxes” if you class it as a company vehicle and it really doesn’t work out in your favour unless the company vehicle is parked at company premises each night.

 

If your vehicle is not owned by your company as is the case with most sole proprietors, the best way to claim your expenses is through mileage.  The Canadian Revenue Agency allows a very healthy:

 

• 54¢ per kilometre for the first 5,000 kilometres driven; and
• 48¢ per kilometre driven after that.

 

Of course you have to be able to demonstrate that you actually drove the KM’s you say you did to be able to claim, so you need to keep some kind of mileage log, along with all of your gas receipts and maintenance receipts.  Even if your trips were mostly personal you should keep your gas receipts!

 

At the end of your fiscal year, add up all of your KM’s in your log  and multiply it by .54¢ if it’s less than 5000kms and put that amount through your books as an auto expense! Easy Peasy!

 

Download my Mileage Tracker PDF form below for you use or check out some of these Apps for smart phones!

Mileage Tracker PDF 

 
 
 
 

• Fuel Buddy
• Trip 2.0 Mileage Tracker
• Mile IQ