Clare Evans

This blog has moved

2010-03-07T16:05:00.001Z

This blog is now located at http://clareevans.blogspot.com/.
You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click here.

For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to
http://clareevans.blogspot.com/atom.xml.

Working From Home And Being Productive

2010-03-01T14:51:00.000Z

Working from home is great but it doesn't suit everyone. You need to be reasonably disciplined when working from home to avoid the temptation of other things around you. Morning TV suddenly seems enthralling, that DIY project needs finishing, just another cup of coffee before I get started ...

It's less of a problem when you're focused and know where you're going, as you're motivated to get on with it. Organise your day to enjoy the flexibility of working from home and running your own business while still being productive.

If you thrive on having other people around you, you might find it more difficult and more isolating. You may be better finding a shared workspace where you can feel as if you're in the office. Hot desking and co-working offer shared working environments with flexibility. Technology can give you the tools to be able to work from anywhere.

For home workers - I often recommend going somewhere else to work. A change of environment can help to stimulate ideas and productivity. I recently mentioned I'd travelled up to London for a meeting - I got soooo much work done on the train journey. I also regularly go to a local hotel, where I can combine a meeting with spending a couple of hours working - away from the phone and email. Again - it's a great way of getting things done and catching up.

For office based business, I also recommend finding somewhere else to work, so you can get away from the office distractions, find a quiet place to work. This could be a meeting room, an office on another floor, a local coffee shop (although Starbucks tends to be noisy - headphones helps) or even working from home for the day.

A change of environment can be good whether your usual working environment is at home or in an office.

For anyone running their own business you need to take 'time out'. Setting aside time to catch-up or think more strategically about where you're going and reviewing progress and results. I'd suggesting booking out at least a half-day a month for that important "me" business time. Also regularly scheduling times in the week for catch-up, so that you keep on top of things and avoid a backlog - often easier said than done if you're busy, even worse when you're disorganised.

Avoid information overload by dealing with it at source. Stop it arriving in the first place, manage it when it does and understand that not every single piece of information that passes across your desk or through your computer needs to be read or actioned.

Plan on working five days, four days or even three days a week and then organise your work accordingly.

Save Time Enjoy More Of Your Weekend - Shop Online

2010-02-28T13:47:00.003Z

I don't usually venture into the supermarket on a Sunday but weather disrupted plans for today so while I was out I popped in to pick up a few things. More than a few things as it turned out but I was surprised at how full it was for a Sunday morning.

Perhaps like me people were planning something else until the weather changed their plans or more likely the weekend is the only time they get to go shopping, although I can think of other things I'd rather be doing on my day off.

If you'd really rather be doing something else with your weekend, save the two hours you spend shopping - allowing for time spend wandering up and down the aisles, travelling there and back and unpacking and storing said shopping. Shop online - do your shopping from the comfort of your home, takes minutes, delivered to your door. Great for the basics and your regular shopping items, not so good if you like to select your fruit and veg but does save the temptation of those 'special offers'.

Twitter: Finding People To Follow

2010-02-24T11:57:00.000Z

When you're new to Twitter, you may wonder how to find new people to follow or to get more people to follow you. I prefer the natural way to follow people and grow my list of Followers on Twitter. I DON'T auto-follow and I NEVER join lists that promise you thousands of followers. If you're going for numbers then go ahead and do it that way. Here's what I do:

Check out people following me and if they look interesting then I'll happily follow them back.
Look at who's following people I follow or who are following me. This can often turn up a few gems - especially if you move in the same circles, as you'll find people you didn't know were on Twitter.
Check your Twitter stream. Who's replying to your followers? You can often find people to follow through who other people are reply to and Re-Tweeting.
Use tools like Twellow and GeoChirp to find people in a particular industry or in your area.
When you meet people at offline networking events you'll often find that they're also on Twitter, find their Twitter ID and follow them.
Use Google or an internet search engine to check a person's name and see if they're on Twitter. Not everyone uses their own name for Twitter - they may use their Company name.
Check people's contact details in their online profiles - they'll probably list their Twitter name there too (or they should do).
Check #FollowFriday tweets - people recommend others to follow. Add a few of your own and give a reason so other people can check them out too.

You'll grow your followers and you'll find that the more you tweet and the more you participate, the more quickly it will happen.

How Much Time Do You Spend On Social Media

2010-02-17T15:20:00.000Z

An interesting talk from Lee Cottier on "Social Media vs Time Management". http://is.gd/75EcG

Links in nicely to this month's newsletter and to a talk I heard on Radio 4's Today programme this morning discussing comments made on a Twitter account by a Labour MP. http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/listen_again/default.stm

We all know about Social Media but how aware are we of protecting our image in such a public environment?

February Newsletter: Are You Making The Most Of Your Social Media Time?

2010-02-16T11:30:00.000Z

Social Media is a great marketing tool but you do need to be clear about your reasons are for using it. Otherwise it becomes just another source of distraction and a way to while away the hours.

Make sure that you're not spending/wasting all your online time, by following a few basic principles: ...

Read the rest of the article in this month's free newsletter, just register on my website. Free tips, advice, information and news on how to improve your time management for your business and personal life.

January Newsletter: 10 Tips to Turn Resolutions Into Results

2010-01-15T15:05:00.000Z

It's that time of year when we all set our goals make those New Year resolutions - lose weight, get fit, find a new job, get a promotion, make more money. All great goals but how many of us actually stick with it.

I know I often cover this subject at around this time but I think we can all benefit from a reminder. Here are few tips to help you turn your resolutions into results....

Read the rest of the article in this month's free newsletter, just register on my website. Free tips, advice, information and news on how to improve your time management for your business and personal life. There's also a very Special Offer on an Audit Feedback Session for January ONLY.

Brand Awareness on Twitter

2010-01-14T16:02:00.000Z

Hats off to BT, although I could have done without the problem in the first place, they've been pretty prompt and communicative in fixing the fault with my phone line. My phone started playing up on Tuesday. I could make outgoing calls and my broadband wasn't affected - or it could have been more serious - imagine being without Twitter for 2 days!

Having reported it to my provider Utility Warehouse - they passed it on to BT and kept me up to date via text message. Not only did the engineer call me on my mobile before and after he'd worked on and fixed the fault but I've just received a Tweet from @BTCare. Less than 48hrs after it was reported the problem has been fixed.

Good to see that some companies are monitoring their brand on social media platforms.

What's Your Top Blackberry App?

2009-12-14T12:15:00.003Z

I've recently upgraded to a Blackberry Curve - primarily so I can have phone, address book and calendar functions all in one device and sync'ed up with my PC.

So far so good. As with most of these devices it has a wealth of functionality available. I'm getting the hang of the qwerty keyboard which seems slower after being used to predictive text. The camera is great - better than my actual digital camera and about a tenth of the size.

So which are the best Blackberry Apps out there? There are hundreds of thousands of apps for everything and anything. Some are just for fun but some might actually be useful.

What are your top Blackberry Apps that have made your life easier?

Google Maps Mobile - get directions,

How Attached Are You To Your Mobile Phone?

2009-12-11T09:34:00.002Z

I was talking to a group of business advisors this week about the importance of boundaries for time management. One of the topics that often gets discussed is the use of phones - they all had their phones out in front of them in the meeting room.

While technology is great for making our lives easier, the concept that we can now be contacted any time, any place and pretty much anywhere - adds to the number of things that can now distract us in our daily lives.

The level of attachment to their phones and the need to work on their boundaries, was shown when we went for a short walk in the countryside and as soon as they phones came into signal range they started ringing. Even worse they all answered them and then had lengthy conversations.

There's a time and a place for mobile phones and I don't think being out on a walk in the beautiful English countryside is one of them. Handy in an emergency or if you use it for photos, so by all means carry one with you but at least have it on silent!

I know this might be radical but ...

You CAN switch your phone off - let voice mail take a message or if you're worried about losing potential business, use a call answering service.

Especially in meetings - respect the people in front of you and switch your phone to silent or switch it off altogether. Give them your undivided attention.

If you're expecting an urgent or really important phone call, which is more important that the person you're with - let them know, so when it rings they won't feel you're being rude when you answer it.

You don't HAVE to answer the phone when it rings. If you're in the middle of something - finish the task first and then phone the person back. Most phones, especially mobiles will let you know who the missed call was from if they haven't left a message.

You CAN leave the phone behind - is it absolutely essential to take it with you on a short walk or when popping out to the shops?

Switch if off or ignore business calls outside of business hours - otherwise customers and clients really will think they can contact you any time of the night or day.

Take control of your time and decide when YOU are going to use your phone. Don't let it control you.

Microfinance - small scale loans that make a difference.

2009-12-02T17:57:00.001Z

I first came across the idea of microfinance and Kiva (www.kiva.org) when I was discussing a client's long-term goal to set up their own charity to help people in Africa. Microfinancing is an instant, easy way to help without the need to be a philanthropic millionaire.

Prompted by David Ferrers' recent blog post, I've just made a loan to an entrepreneur named Seang La Chea in Cambodia. Her group still need another $150.00 to complete their loan request of $200.00 (you can loan as little as $25.00!). I know we may all be short on cash at the moment but for the price of a few coffees, you can help me get this entrepreneur off the ground by clicking on the link below to make a loan to Seang La Chea's Group too:

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=156583

I chose Cambodia and Seang La Chea's Group, as I visited the country a few years ago and it was the most amazing place with incredibly friendly and genuine people.

I choose exactly who my money is loaned to and what they're using it for. And most of all, I know that I'm helping them build a sustainable business that will provide income to feed, clothe, house and educate their family long after my loan is paid back.

You can go to Kiva's website and lend to someone across the globe who needs a loan for their business - like raising goats, selling vegetables at market or making bricks. Each loan has a picture of the entrepreneur, a description of their business and how they plan to use the loan so you know exactly how your money is being spent - and you get updates letting you know how the entrepreneur is going.

The best part is, when the entrepreneur pays back their loan you get your money back - and Kiva's loans are managed by microfinance institutions on the ground who have a lot of experience doing this, so you can trust that your money is being handled responsibly.

Join me and the team at Zenaid and start making a difference - one loan at a time.

Thanks.

---------------------------------------------------------
What others are saying about www.Kiva.org:

'Revolutionising how donors and lenders in the US are connecting with small entrepreneurs in developing countries.' -- BBC

'If you've got 25 bucks, a PC and a PayPal account, you've now got the wherewithal to be an international financier.' -- CNN Money

'Smaller investors can make loans of as little as $25 to specific individual entrepreneurs through a service launched last fall by Kiva.org.' -- The Wall Street Journal

'An inexpensive feel-good investment opportunity...All loaned funds go directly to the applicants, and most loans are repaid in full.' -- Entrepreneur Magazine

Twitter Account Hacked?

2009-12-01T12:37:00.001Z

Always be wary of entering your online account details into websites. Spammers and hackers are quick to jump on to the latest trends and Twitter seems to be their latest target.

Twitter accounts are regularly getting hacked - judging from the number of my followers sending me direct messages (DMs) to test my IQ or check out my photo with a tempting link to click on. When you click on the link it asks for your Twitter Account details. Of course if you do - they've now got your details.

Check the URL - you might spot something's not quite right - misspelling, seeming to emulate a real URL but with added info e.g. http://www.twitter.com.fake.spam.co.uk

If you find you've been hacked - here's what to do.

http://help.twitter.com/forums/10713/entries/31796

Be wary of third party apps that request your Twitter (or Facebook) account details. If you're not sure - don't. You can probably survive without the latest widget or app rather than risk having your account details hacked.

Spam emails are now enticing you to update your Facebook, Twitter, Myspace account details. Same thing applies for the URL - it's usually not what it appears. Don't fall for it.

Maximize Your Networking Time

2009-11-13T18:56:00.016Z

Yet again I've been out networking quite a bit this week. Getting back, one of my priorities is to make sure I send a personal email out to everyone I met, following up on the initial brief discussion we might have had and reconnecting with people I've already met, sending them info they requested or that might be useful to them or passing on a useful contact.

Networking is a favoured marketing tactic for many small business owners but I'm always surprised by how few people follow up afterwards. This time, out of the 40 or so people I met, I received 3 emails that same afternoon and a couple the following day - mostly just adding me to their mailing list or sending me a list of the services they provide.

The rest of them ... nothing.

In all - I probably met nearly 60 people during the course of the week and less than 10% of them have taken the trouble to follow up.

What a waste of time and effort. So, not everyone is going to be a potential business prospect and not everyone will appreciate being 'spammed' as a new contact on your mailing list but you can at least start building a relationship that lasts more than a few minutes spent exchanging business cards.

Telegraph: Business - "Time to be smarter in business"

2009-10-23T18:08:00.000+01:00

"A busy schedule can leave you rushed off your feet at work ..."

Read the rest of the article at the Telegraph Online.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/technology/smartthinking/6408167/Time-to-be-smarter-in-business.html

Tips For Busy Working Mums

2009-10-14T13:06:00.016+01:00

Before she even gets to work, the average working mum has already spent two hours sorting out herself, her children, her home and her other half before leaving for the workplace - according to a recent survey by Stylist magazine.

The research found that eight in 10 working mothers feel they have “already done a day’s work before they even arrive at the office” and more than half of those without children think the same.

Streamline your early morning routine to make life easier on yourself and those around you.

Have a planner pinned up so you know who's meant to be where when ... and of course check it every day.
Put things away at the end of the day so you know where to find them the next morning.
Keep gym kit, dancing kit etc all together, so you're not searching around for it when the children are off to school.

General time-saving tips:

Order your shopping online - saves hours traipsing round the supermarket aisles.
Plan your meals - a weekend roast can be made into stew > risotto > pasta meal > soup. You'll also know what you're eating when.
Batch cook - make enough for more than one meal at a time - freeze the rest for later when you don't have time to cook.
Get the rest of the family to help out - Mum doesn't have to do everything. Keeping rooms tidy, putting things away, getting dressed - even helping out with household chores.

More time tips, articles and resources on my website.

Do You Take A Lunch Break?

2009-10-12T12:46:00.001+01:00

According to a recent survey by the Spar store group - workers are taking even shorter lunch breaks.

Due to the recession, workers are taking an average of 35 minutes for lunch with many taking less than 20 minutes for their break, if they're not skipping lunch altogether.

Not only are companies benefiting from the extra half hour or more from their employees but this will only add to the stress and pressure in the long term.

Having worked in the corporate world for many years, I know what it's like to only take as long as you need to grab a sandwich and carry on working while eating it at your desk! Sometimes it's a because you've just got too much to do, sometimes it's because you don't want to be seen taking a 'long' lunch break.

Frequent breaks are necessary to maintain productivity and keep working efficiently. Not only do you need time to refuel and that means more than 5 minutes to grab a sandwich but taking a break will get the energy levels going again. If you've been working really hard and running on adrenalin, you need the time to relax.

Not only do you need to make sure you take your lunch break but take regular breaks throughout the day - you'll feel better for it and work more productively.

If you're struggling to fit everything into the time you have available, look at ways of working smarter.

Enjoy your lunch.

Saturday Times Article: "It's never too late to learn how to be punctual"

2009-10-11T15:09:00.000+01:00

A few of my time tips appeared alongside Emma Cook's article on being late and being a busy Mum.

Read the full article on Times Online.

http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/body_and_soul/article6867652.ece

Top Tip For Working With Journalists

2009-10-07T19:21:00.001+01:00

One tip I was given several years ago, at one of Joanne Mallon's workshops that I've never forgotten, was "If a journalist contacts you respond immediately".

Journalists are nearly always working to tight deadlines (maybe they could use some time management!) - they need something submitted within a few hours or a couple of days if you're lucky, so be ready to respond. If they leave you a message or send you an email - get back to them as soon as you can or they'll have moved on to the next available person and your opportunity will have been lost.

Magazines are often planning what goes into print two or three months in advance, so you many be responding in the Summer to something that goes in to the Winter editions. I've recently submitted an article which won't be out until December, even though the deadline was two weeks ago. Newspapers often print more quickly - especially if they're looking for comment on current news.

I get called every couple of months and I'll always call them straight back or if they email me and there's a contact number, I'll call them rather than just reply by email. It's resulted in many of my articles being published in national publications. Not all of them always make it - copy changes and articles get dropped but the opportunity is there if you take it.

Prima Magazine: "Squeeze An Extra Hour ..."

2009-10-04T17:58:00.006+01:00

The November issue of Prima magazine features one of my time tips in the article "Squeeze An Extra Hour Out Of Every Day".

I only found out about it when @businessmum Tweeted that her tips were in Prima and it reminded me to check if mine had made it ... and they had, although I think my original article was for Prima Baby!

Making Calls Whilst Driving

2009-09-19T19:38:00.004+01:00

Someone asked me yesterday, whether using driving time was a good time to catch up on phone calls. Now I'm all for multi-tasking, when appropriate and making use of slack time but this isn't one of them.

While you might think that sitting in the car is a good time to use technology with all the gadgets and attachments that enable us to be in touch and contactable at all times - hands-free, bluetooth, voice activation etc. but driving standards are bad enough without the added distraction of having a conversation on your mobile whilst driving.

I see enough erratic driving with drivers having a phone clamped to their ear - usually hand held and NOT hands-free. Today I saw drivers on the phone, negotiating roundabouts, turning corners and swerving across their lane.

There's a time and a place and being behind the wheel while you're driving is not a place for a phone conversation.

You're having to listen and respond to the phone conversation, which means your attention isn't where it should be.

According to RoSPA, 85% of drivers observed were using hand-held mobile phones. Not only is this now against the law but drivers on the phone are mentally more challenged are more likely to be involved in an accident. Numerous tests and surveys have shown that drivers are more distracted than they might like to admit by attempting to do other things. A moments lack of concentration can all too easily result in an accident and even fatalities.

Now a lot of people may disagree, especially if they treat their car as their office because they're on the road a lot. If you spend a lot of time in the car as part of your work:

- make calls before you leave or when you arrive
- keep calls short if you have to answer a call and only if you're hands-free
- pull over safely if you need to make or receive a call.
- call them back when you can talk properly.

If you call someone and they're in the car and moving - call them back later.

Above all - keep your eyes and mind on the road ahead. Drive safely.

August Newsletter - Networking, The Fine Art

2009-08-27T15:19:00.002+01:00

Social media is very much in the news thee days and there can't be many people who haven't heard of Twitter or Facebook. Everyone is Twittering these days (me included), whether just for fun or to keep in touch with friends and family.

So why do we do it? For a business - it's another form of networking ...

Read the rest of the article in this month's free newsletter, just sign up on my website. You'll also have the chance to get a free Audit Feedback Session plus free tips, advice, information and news on how to improve your time management for your business and personal life.

Following Up

2009-08-17T13:39:00.004+01:00

Networking is about getting to know people, making contacts and building relationships. Once you've made contact, that's only the start. It's not a one-touch, one-way process. It's something that will develop over time.

Many people go to networking meetings - just gather up the business cards, put them into a pile, may or may not add them to their mailing/spamming list but that's probably the last contact they have until they meet them at the next meeting.

So, in order to make your networking more effective,

DO ...
... send a personal message, talk about something you discussed when you met or something they mentioned, share some useful information.
... arrange to meet up and find out more about each other's business and what you can do to help.

DON'T ...
... send a generic message to every attendee - with a sales pitch.
... add everyone to your mailing list by default without asking first or giving them the option to subscribe or unsubscribe.

Network, connect and re-connect ... often.

Finding Followers On Twitter

2009-08-14T09:15:00.003+01:00

One of my Twitter followers recently asked me how to find new people to follow.

Here's a few of the ways I find them.

Check your own followers followers - you might either find someone you already know but didn't know was on Twitter or come across someone interesting to follow.

Check out sites like MrTweet, WeFollow if you're interested in a specific area or business.

Look at Twitterholic and find other Tweeters in your location - town, city, area, country. Great if you're focusing on a particular location.

Look at your Twitterstream - you'll see snippets of conversations with people you're not yet following. If they have something interesting to say, check out their Twitter profile and follow them.

Check out the #followfriday tweets from your followers - who are they following and recommending.

Personally I'd say DON'T autofollow - you may end up following people you really have no interest or connection with or those who are just interested in numbers or have one-way traffic.

AVOID the 'get more followers' or 'find hundreds of followers' schemes - for me, they're the equivalent of junk mail. You'll get lots but how useful or interesting will it really be?

How To Be On Time For Meetings

2009-08-10T19:29:00.004+01:00

Get rid of the SatNav ... yes, really. At a recent meeting I went to one of the attendees turned up nearly half an hour late. He'd got lost. The reason - he was using a SatNav! :)

Now, I'm not saying SatNavs don't have their uses but more often than not people blindly follow them without having a clue where they're going and haven't got a clue what to do when they go wrong or it takes them down a wrong road.

We've all heard stories of lorries getting stuck down narrow dirt tracks, stuck under bridges, drivers ending up in a completely different place to where they intended.

I arrived half an hour early (but then I'm just a smart alec). Here are my tips to arrive on time (other than getting rid of the SatNav).

If coming from a long way away, set off in good time and plan to arrive half an hour early - giving some leeway incase you get delayed.

Check where you're going on Streetmap the day before. This will give you a pretty good map and reference to where you're going.

You can check timing and distance on www.theaa.com Route Planner. Add a bit if you're going to be travelling at peak times.

June/July Newsletter - Planning For Profit

2009-07-03T16:57:00.003+01:00

Most of us are currently tightening our belts and being careful about how and where we spend our money, in the current economic climate. How many of us are as careful about where we spend our time?

Time Management might not seem like a particularly exciting subject but when you think about where you spend your time and what it's actually costing you, it puts the importance of good time habits into perspective ...

Read the rest of the article in this month's free newsletter, just sign up on my website and you'll also receive free tips, advice, information and news on how to improve your time management for your business and personal life.