Let’s face it, we all get complacent after a while regarding safety, or the “points of failure” = POF.
​
Let's explore this a bit.

Those critical things that we all depend on to run our business, and if they were suddenly not available, being robbed or broken, it would take a lot of time, money, and effort to recover use of them.

This could be a place, a piece of equipment, a vendor or another person. You rely on “it”. And if you don’t address one of those POFs it could be a challenging time for you to recover from the consequences, it probably wouldn't put you out of business but definitely hinder you.

The most “precious” equipment for most business owners is their computer and it’s therefore the number one danger zone.

You probably have a backup of your data, so far you’ve always been fine, so everything is good – kind of – think about it, if you had a backup but your computer itself were to break down, how long would it take to get all the data from your backup to your new, still to be bought and set up, computer?

Or you pay someone to do it.

That could be very expensive, and they might not know exactly what you need or want.

Now imagine the process if you had a second computer that serves as a backup:

- You stop working.
- You move over to the other computer.
- You start working again.

Voila!

For me, it’s a no-brainer to have a second computer. If you have all your data stored in the cloud then the only thing you would need to wait a few minutes for would be the syncing of your data from Dropbox, for the work done that day.

What is your hourly rate? 

How much time or money would the first scenario take?
​
Can you afford to NOT have a second computer?

​4. Use proper grammar (my favourite😊)

If you came across a website that had poor grammar, spelling errors, punctuation errors, or was just plain hard to read, how would you feel about doing business with that company? Would it make you feel confident that their products and services were top notch? Or would you question that their services or products might be as poorly done as their website text?
It is not hard to put your text into a spell checker – some website builders even have a built-in spell checker. If you use the Flesch-Kincaid readability score this could help you determine if your content is easy to read. We all make mistakes, of course, but we should aim for perfect grammar!

I think we all know how it goes: We have two (or more) tasks that are technically possible to do at the same time. So why not do them both?

Well, let's have a closer look!
​

What is multitasking?

We mostly think of multitasking as doing two or more tasks simultaneously. But because the human brain is very limited in how much we can truly do at one time, this is not true. Multitasking is the practice of switching rapidly from one task to another - and we’re not as good at it as we think.

Multitasking can cause people to lose track of what they’ve done, which ultimately results in longer task completion time. Studies show that once a task is interrupted, it takes significantly longer to complete- even if the interruption is brief.

Is it good to multitask?

The short answer is no. Multitasking can be detrimental to both our productivity and our overall well-being. We are less productive, we feel more stressed, we feel anxious, impatient, and irritable.
​
There are some things we can do simultaneously though, i.e. listening to a podcast while doing the dishes, this can even motivate you.
When the task at hand requires a quick reaction time or close attention, multitasking can be fatal, i.e. driving a car and using a cell phone.
​

Only one task at a time?

There are many positive effects of “single-tasking”.

1. Less stressful
Our brain wasn’t designed to work on more than one task at a time, and it’s happier when it doesn’t have to. Once we get past the fear that we’re not being productive enough, we’ll find ourselves enjoying the single-minded attention.

2. Builds momentum
When we focus on one thing at a time, we tend to complete tasks much faster. Plus, as we all know, the real win isn’t getting the task done, but crossing it off our list. Be honest, is there anything more satisfying than that?

​3. Higher quality output
When we give our attention to one task, we tend to make less mistakes. This decrease in errors comes with shorter completion times and a higher chance of getting into a flow state.

4. Strengthens focus
Every time we successfully resist the urge to check our cell phone or start a new project, we strengthen your ability to focus. This habit pays off, like it can boost our creativity and our satisfaction with the work you do.

Data entry is the world's most hated task, followed by filing digital documents and managing emails.
​
These are the top three tasks described by business owners and staff that they hate doing, but end up spending most of their workday on – ripe for human error!

If you are spending large amounts of time during the day doing these tasks, it’s time to stop.

Outsourcing those repetitive tasks that suck your time and energy is one first step in claiming back your work life. But – sometimes just getting started is the hardest part.
​
If you haven’t outsourced before, you may not know how to tackle this and what the benefits are. You might need to consider hiring an Online Business Manager who can help identify those tasks that could be outsourced and help automate some of your processes, so you’re not wasting any more time on these.

The Outsourcing Decision Matrix
​
I found this amazing article that helps figuring out which tasks are ok to be outsourced and which ones better not. It is called The Outsourcing Decision Matrix

​If you need help with any of these issues, just contact me!

Are you tired of Zooming?
​
Are you finding yourself feeling more exhausted than usual at the end of your
day? Feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or just generally drained of energy?
If so, you are not alone. And you could be struggling with what’s known as
“Zoom fatigue”, a result of the frequent calls and online meetings you’re having
to deal with.
​

How to overcome Zoom fatigue

You can adapt to these conditions by implementing a few simple practices that
keep you alert, attentive and well-rested.
Zoom calls (or any type of video call for that matter) are forcing us to focus
more intently on conversations so that we can absorb important information.
We also need to stare directly at a screen without getting any visual or mental
break, and that is tiring.

To make video calls less exhausting, try using a few of the following tips:

1. Avoid multitasking - Multitasking not only affects memory, it also makes
performing simple tasks harder and more taxing.

2. Turn off self-view - Knowing that your video is seen by others can
heighten your awareness of being visible, and that can induce anxiety
and make it difficult to focus.

3. Use the 20-20-20 rule - For every 20 minutes you spend looking at a
screen, take 20 seconds to look at something six meters away (20 feet).

4. Plan short breaks in between meetings and/or classes and webinars.
Stand up, stretch, close your eyes, or even take a short walk.

5. Schedule shorter meetings - keep meetings short and to-the-point if you
can. Not every Zoom needs to be an hour long!
​

What a year it has been!

I just wanted to drop you a quick note to say thanks. Thank you for the hustle, the laughs, and the shared moments that made this year uniquely ours. 
​Through all the ups and downs, your support has been the secret sauce to our combined successes. Here's to celebrating the wins and learning from the curveballs life threw our way.
As we head into a brand new year, let's carry the good vibes, the lessons, and the team spirit that makes us awesome.
Wishing you a relaxed holiday season and a New Year that is as fantastic as each of you!

See you next year!

​When you have a website, you are probably aware that it is not a 'static, nice thing to have', but a living, ever changing asset that you need to work on every now and then.
​

Keep your website updated

Producing regular, engaging content can seem like a “too-hard” task. But at the very least, it’s important to ensure that your website is kept up to date.
​
I was talking to a friend recently who mentioned she was researching for a service, and she found that the websites were mostly outdated with either ​staff no longer working there or – shock – a wrong phone number. She was very frustrated about this. When you have changes in your opening hours or changes in products or services, then update that content on your website.
​Check it regularly (or have it checked) to ensure that your message and content is correct and current.
​

Is your website mobile friendly?

Having a mobile friendly website is one of the most important things to consider. Most of us use our smart phone to google for answers; and most businesses get more conversions and traffic now from mobile phones than they do on computers.

So it is more important than ever to ensure your website is mobile friendly. When your website is not mobile friendly it will not display in a clear and easy to read way on a mobile phone. Simple as that!
​I heard that Google penalises websites that are not mobile friendly in search results, giving preference to the ones that are mobile friendly. 

Professional Website

When you decided to launch your business, you probably didn’t think about all the hats you might have to wear as a small business owner.
From bookkeeper to CEO, from sales person to marketer, small business owners wear multiple hats throughout their day.

It can be very tempting to try and do everything yourself, but the simple truth is that it will save you money if you hire the right people for the job. It will free up the time to focus on what you love and are good at.

There are heaps of free tools you can use to create your own website, but unless you are trained in web design, it will probably not look professional.
Aside from design issues, it can also mean that some major issues are not addressed properly. This may all result in losing sales or leads.

Remember, your website is your online shop front, and you want to put your best foot forward. You don’t want people remembering you for the poorly designed website they stumbled across and left quickly.

A lot of website companies offer a free audit of your website. This audit should let you know which areas need to be addressed, or if the best solution is a full rebuild. Find several companies, listen to their advice, and compare their recommendations and prices.

Clear Message

Imagine this: if you asked someone to look at your home page for seven seconds, would they be able to answer the following questions?

• What do we do?
• What problem do we solve?
• What action do we want you to take?

If you are not able to answer these questions, you need to clarify your message until those three very important questions can be answered after just a seven second review. It might be a good idea to ask friends or family to do this for you. Write down their answers; this will help guide you to write better content to make those messages clear.
​

Kevin Kelly explored in his book “The inevitable: Understanding the 12 technological forces that will shape our future.” the quality of a good question.

Good questions are the key to being ready for new futures and ultimately, when executed well, the most human of our strengths.

Kelly writes: “A good question is like the one Albert Einstein asked himself as a small boy ‘what would you see if you were traveling on a beam of light?’ That question launched the theory of relativity (E=MC2) and the atomic age.
​

• A good question is not concerned with a correct answer.
• A good question cannot be answered immediately.
• A good question challenges existing answers.
• A good question is one you badly want answered once you hear it, but had no inkling you could before it was asked.
• A good question creates new territory of thinking.
• A good question reframes its own answers.
• A good question is the seed of innovation in science, technology, art, politics and business.
• A good question is a probe – a ‘what if’ scenario.
• A good question skirts on the edge of what is known and not known, neither silly nor obvious.
• A good question cannot be predicted.
• A good question is one that generates many other questions.
• A good question may be the last job a machine will ever learn to do.
• A good question is what humans are for (pp. 288-289).”

Thought Provoking!