Get Over It!

Posted on November 13, 2012 by Kimberly McCloskey

Recently an acquaintance was visiting and somehow or other the topic of conversation got turned to what our husbands do, or don’t do, around the house.

I’m extremely fortunate in that my husband has done the cooking for years and has always helped with chores. However, recently as I’ve become more involved with my growing business, my husband has completely taken over the laundry, cleaning and shopping.

My friend said she didn’t like how her husband folded laundry, so it was something she always did. The first thought that popped into my head was “Get over it!”

Just as quickly as the thought formed, I realized I used to feel the same exact way. I used to refold all the laundry, too. Then one day when I was pressed for time I caught myself doing it and asked myself why. Did it really matter that hubby didn’t match up all the corners on the towels or sheets? Did it matter that he has a tendency to put the folded edges in when he stacks them? Or that he folds shirts and pants the opposite of how I do? I mean, in the scope of everything that’s important, did it REALLY matter how he folded laundry?

No.

At that moment, I “got over it”. I figured if I let him fold everything, eventually it will all be the same way in the closets and the drawers and I could just go with the flow. Is it that big of a deal when I grab a towel from the closet it usually unfolds as I pull it out? Nah.

So I gently told my acquaintance, “Get over it.”

My point is that when we entrust a task to another person and allow them to be completely responsible for it, as long as it gets done, for the most part it doesn’t matter HOW they accomplished it. In my case the laundry is being washed, dried, folded and put away and that’s the ultimate goal anyway.

My advice to you is that when you finally decide to let go of a task that you’ve been doing for a long time, something you do without even thinking about it because it’s just second nature, let it go. Sure, give advice along with it, maybe some pointers and reasons behind why you’ve “always done it this way”. However, remember that advice is just a suggestion and if the task-taker can still accomplish the job doing it in a way that works better for them and still comes out with the correct results, get over it.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE? You sure can! Include this complete blurb with it: © 11/13/2012 Kimberly J. McCloskey, Professional Virtual Assistant, in her attempt to help all people improve their personal and professional productivity, shares her insight through her newsletter “Productive Pointers”. Her natural artistic abilities, organizational skills and a love for detail shine through her creative writing for blogs, newsletters, articles, information products and more for her clients.  Learn more at www.VA-Partner.com.

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A Little Bit of Encouragement

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Kimberly McCloskey

There are a lot times in life when we all can use even just a little, itty bit of encouragement. A little bit sure can go a long way.

Would my husband really want to continue dredging through 72-hours of online class work if no one acknowledged his hard work?  Would a volunteer put himself out there again if no one recognized his dedication to a cause?  Hardly.

If we as bystanders don’t do or say anything, how can we expect others to be excited about and continue what they are doing? We can’t. Encouragement is fuel and we all need it to persevere.

It truly doesn’t take much to encourage others. It’s not something you have to plan out or orchestrate. It should come from the heart in the joy of the moment and be spontaneous or at least happen before too much time has lapsed. It’s positive reinforcement right then and there.

  • Begin with interest. A genuine, deep interest in what the person or group is doing is best because your enthusiasm should spill forth without much thought. On the other hand, you don’t have to care so much about the project as long as you care about the person and the same outcome should result. Think about a child taking violin lessons; even if it’s difficult to listen to the screeching strings in the beginning, your child is enjoying this fresh endeavor, learning a new skill, being involved in a group or team, and gaining a significant life lesson in the end. You’ll do them a disservice if you don’t cheer them on.
  • Express your approval. How many times has a thought popped into your head that you didn’t say out loud? How many times would that same thought have been perceived as a form of encouragement by the recipient? Saying something as simple as “The sautéed spinach tastes really good” or “I can’t pinpoint what it is, but you look vibrant and happy today” can lift someone’s spirits and turn their whole day around. No matter what positive thought pops into your mind — articulate it. Set it free to do its work!
  • Be appreciative. My goodness, a simple heart-felt “Thank you” once in a while can go a long way especially for those redundant or bothersome tasks no one wants to do. “Thank you for sweeping the floors” or “Thank you for taking that phone call for me” shows them that what they’ve done has not gone unnoticed. Sometimes we assume they know we appreciate their efforts, but in reality they might feel as if they are being taken for granted. Don’t let this happen. I’d be lost if hubby didn’t help around the house with laundry, chickens, meals, trash — the list goes on — so I try to thank him when he’s listening (not during football).
  • Special recognition. Sometimes something unexpected is warranted. Recently the rescue where I volunteer was selected to participate in a potentially profitable popularity contest. One of our volunteers took it upon himself to reach out to every one, every where he could think of in order to garner votes. Then every day, twice a day, for several weeks, he manually calculated our standings and emailed a reminder status/update. His words and actions were encouraging us to keep voting … and ultimately we won. So the board of directors, rightly so, sent him a public letter of acknowledgment for his extra dedication to the cause.
  • Be their rock. Sometimes we just need to know we have someone to turn to when we’re floundering with a project or goal.  We need someone in our corner we know will instill some confidence and remind us of why we’re doing this in the first place. Think of your friend trying to lose weight who knows she’s on the edge of falling off her weight loss program in the middle of the afternoon when the munchies strike and reaches out to you to steady her. She knows that you’ll always say something to keep her on track, so you can be instrumental in keeping her confident and secure.

Every single day people in our lives are doing things they might not enjoy or find difficult or feel are unrewarding.  It’s our job… it’s everyone’s job… to offer encouragement to those around us.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE? You sure can! Include this complete blurb with it: © 10/17/2012 Kimberly J. McCloskey, Professional Virtual Assistant, in her attempt to help all people improve their personal and professional productivity, shares her insight through her newsletter “Productive Pointers”. Her natural artistic abilities, organizational skills and a love for detail shine through her creative writing for blogs, newsletters, articles, information products and more for her clients.  Learn more at www.VA-Partner.com.

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Life Lessons Taught by a Paraplegic Cat

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Kimberly McCloskey

Holly is a young paraplegic cat in my foster care. She was injured at the tender age of three months and hasn’t stood on her own since. Until now.

Looking at the picture of Holly standing (pretty much by herself) and reviewing the video over and over again, has reminded me that there’s a life lesson in here that’s bigger than what you might see on the surface.

Help from others is a good thing. Generally you can’t do everything alone, no matter how much you want to. Get help from others to assist you in their areas of expertise or something they are enthusiastic about. For me, I’m eager to help Holly walk so I do various therapies with her at home. The neurologist is excited to see her walk with the use of his therapies, and fans are willing to pay for this visit. Holly might not be standing if it weren’t for everyone pitching in.

If unconventional practices seem to be working, stick with them. There are a lot of people out there who look at me funny when I try to describe the type of therapy the neurologist – a surgeon – uses on Holly. There’s a whole other large group of people who are rooting on the whole process. I agree that some things the neuro prescribes or performs don’t necessarily make sense for the scientist in me, but proof is in the pudding and Holly stood – basically on her own – following her last treatment.

Your gut will guide you to do the right thing. This goes for me, Holly and everyone who cheers us on, sends us donations, gives us gifts, or just friends us on Facebook. We know in our heart we’re doing the right thing by Holly, even if it seems strange or almost useless, why would Holly deserve any less? Additionally, if you think about it, Holly lost use of her back legs when she was a mere three months old – that’s young! She’s a year old this month and we don’t know that Holly remembers anymore that she used to walk. However, in watching Holly on a daily basis and seeing her stand with Dr. C, it seems to me that Holly knows in her gut that she’s supposed to stand and supposed to walk and by golly, she tries.

Surround yourself with friends who encourage you. Without a doubt, it’s extremely difficult to do anything when the people in your life don’t support you in your efforts to reach your dreams. Holly has a whole host of friends on her Facebook page who cheer on her every photo and video, offer words of encouragement, provide solid and sound advice, and share in the setbacks when they happen. They certainly make my endeavor with Holly easier to bear.

Accept the gifts of others. If someone wants to give you something to help you along, take it. At times it’s difficult to ask for things we know might help us in our quest. On the other hand, there’s probably someone within our circle who knows exactly what those things are without our asking. If one of them gives you a gift, no matter how significant or overwhelming it seems, swallow your pride and take it. They want to help you, so let them.  Benefit from it, be grateful for it and show your appreciation, of course. The most recent gift Holly received was a cart built for animals with paralysis. It was an expensive gift, but one that will allow Holly to be safely mobile, in a standing position, and have the opportunity to use her legs if she wants to.

Persistence pays off. In this instance, it’s not necessarily Holly’s persistence but I will say she doesn’t give up easily when she wants to get somewhere. She just doesn’t know that the people around her who continue to push her (help her) to walk are actually having their efforts pay off… finally!

You can reach your goals in life by remembering each of these important lessons. If you do the right thing, stick to your guns, and seek and allow help from others, anything can be achieved. Anything.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE? You sure can! Include this complete blurb with it: © 9/13/2012 Kimberly J. McCloskey, Professional Virtual Assistant, in her attempt to help all people improve their personal and professional productivity, shares her insight through her newsletter “Productive Pointers”. Her natural artistic abilities, organizational skills and a love for detail shine through her creative writing for blogs, newsletters, articles, information products and more for her clients.  Learn more at www.VA-Partner.com.

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Does the word ‘compromise’ make you cringe?

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Kimberly McCloskey

When someone mentions the word “compromise”, do you cringe? Does your mind automatically drum up feelings of unease and agitation? Does it make you feel defensive and cautious?

Yeah, well, me too. But I’m working to get over it. Our reactions are based on our interpretation of the word, so we simply have to change it from a negative to a positive. It’s all in how we think.

See, recently I found myself in a situation where I felt forced to compromise and in doing so felt that the end result would reflect poorly on me as an individual as well as my business. Now, this wasn’t a question of ethics. Instead, it was a creative project that I volunteered to do (and was given the blessing to proceed as I saw fit) and after 30 hours invested in it, I was asked to add one particular element that would have stood out like a sore thumb. I no longer wanted to brag about all the beautiful work I did. I was embarrassed to be a part of this project. And I felt like my character and creative abilities were being sabotaged. In the end, it was agreed I could take the components that were provided for this particular element and re-do them to match the rest of the project. This way I got the look and feel I wanted and the other person got the information they wanted. Win-win.

Compromise is actually happening every day, whether we’re conscious of it or not, from my husband and I deciding on where to go on vacation and how long to stay, to feeding the cats 10 minutes earlier than usual or not.

So, how best to compromise and not let it bend us all out of shape?

  • Realize that the world doesn’t revolve around you. Referencing the project above, I was completing this for a non-profit organization. Even though I was given the reins to run this show, didn’t mean it was my show. The ultimate goal was to portray them in the best possible light.
  • Communicate with the other party; why are they making this request? Maybe the case in point is deciding where to meet friends for dinner. Each has his/her own favorite restaurant and believes that in itself is a good enough reason to win out over the other. My husband selected one based on nostalgia, but my friend chose one based on her knowledge of the quality of the food. Maybe pricing or location will need to be the determining factor.
  • Figure out what really needs to happen; are any of the components unnecessary or unrealistic? When I go out of town, I have to make arrangements for someone (and sometimes multiple “someones”) to take care of my animals. It’s through the good graces of family and friends who are willing to deal with my clowder that allows me to go out of town. Is it vitally important that the cats get fed at 6:30 a.m. like when I am home? No. It’s unrealistic to expect that, so I allow the caretakers to arrive on their own schedule.
  • Will all options on the table ultimately lead to the desired end result? Figure out which ones do and work only with them. When getting ready to go on vacation, I have a To Do List two pages long. Other people (clients, family, coworkers) also have needs they want met before I leave. Do these things further prepare me in taking a vacation like packing my clothes, setting up email autoresponders, or making sure there’s plenty of food for the cats while I’m gone? Not all of them! So there comes a time when knowing it will be done later is good enough.
  • Know that in the end, it will still get accomplished. I know that the non-profit project will be a resounding success even though it’s not exactly as I envisioned it; dinner with our friends will be enjoyed no matter where we go to eat; the cats will not starve while I’m gone; and I will go on vacation, enjoy myself, and know I’ll be needed when I return.

Compromise is simply taking a slightly different route to your destination. You’ll still get there and it may even be more beautiful, fun and fulfilling than you imagined.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE? You sure can! Include this complete blurb with it: © 8/18/2012 Kimberly J. McCloskey, Professional Virtual Assistant, in her attempt to help all people improve their personal and professional productivity, shares her insight through her newsletter “Productive Pointers”. Her natural artistic abilities, organizational skills and a love for detail shine through her creative writing for blogs, newsletters, articles, information products and more for her clients.  Learn more at www.VA-Partner.com.

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What Do A Rock Concert, Chickens And A Friend Living With Cancer Have in Common?

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Kimberly McCloskey

Photo taken by my niece Krystal Gorman

What do a rock concert, chickens and a friend living with cancer have to do with each other? Quite a bit, actually.

In all seriousness, I have a long-time friend who has been living with stage-4 cancer for over a year. When things took a turn for the worse last month after she had a heart attack, we took a day to drive the 3 hours to pay her a visit. Having someone in your world that is fighting every day to stay alive, tends to help you reflect on your own situation more often than not. In doing so, you realize how much you have to be grateful for and how short our time on this earth can really be.

Live by the spur of the moment… sometimes. It was during this drive that I realized my intuition was guiding me to do something special for myself. The short story is that one of the founding members of my favorite rock band was finally on tour promoting one of their best-known albums. I had only just found out about it and it was coming down to the end of the tour. In spite of the tickets costing more than I remember spending 20 years ago, the closest venue to me being 4 hours away, and taking place in just 2 weeks’ time… I decided to go for it. The result was a mini-vacation for my husband and me, the chance to see one utterly astonishing performance that I’ll never get to see again, and another opportunity to go visit my friend with cancer. It was 2 days worth living for.

Put a new twist on an old routine. I have been talking about getting egg-laying hens since last fall, but things didn’t fall into place for that to happen until just a couple weeks ago. In spite of my husband not being too thrilled with the idea (we’ve never had chickens), I let events unfold that allowed the chickens into our life. Outside of having to build a pen for them, the only other “work” involved was to figure them into my daily routine. I have to say they’ve become quite entertaining! They make happy chicken noises when we take them scraps and they give us two eggs every day. Not a bad trade off!

Allow yourself to daydream. Some of us, as adults, fall into a place of being too serious all the time. We don’t allow ourselves to daydream about owning the 1800′s B&B we’re vacationing in or buying 180 acres of gorgeous mountain land complete with pastures and a stream. Our conscious mind immediately shouts out “Stop! That can’t happen so don’t set yourself up for disappointment by thinking about it.” But, do you know what? It’s better to let our self daydream. Let our mind wander and enjoy all the visions that come to our head about whatever it is. They’ll make us smile.  So what if the realities of making it happen seem too great! Instead, we’ll tear down the walls we’ve erected to protect us and allow in a little bit of some much-needed fun.

Above all, remember our friends when they need us because they won’t be around forever. Take the time to visit and be there for them through the rough times. Be that special someone who doesn’t drop off the radar because we’re scared to visit and see our friend deteriorate. It seems to me that most of our so-called friends have a tendency to run when the going gets tough and the only folks who stick around are family. I know my friend thoroughly enjoys visiting with someone other than her relatives and seeing her happy, even for a short period of time, is worth any uncomfortable feelings I might have… which actually hasn’t happened.

By allowing these little freedoms, these diversions from our normal way of behaving, we’re opening up to allow in more good feelings, great ideas, inspiration, and creativity. Laughing and experiencing joy releases all of the tensions that build up, it relaxes our muscles, and the radiance lingers. Listen when intuition speaks and just go with the flow and it’ll all be good.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE? You sure can! Include this complete blurb with it: © 7/16/2012 Kimberly J. McCloskey, Professional Virtual Assistant, in her attempt to help all people improve their personal and professional productivity, shares her insight through her newsletter “Productive Pointers”. Her natural artistic abilities, organizational skills and a love for detail shine through her creative writing for blogs, newsletters, articles, information products and more for her clients.  Learn more at www.VA-Partner.com.
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7 Untraditional Signs That You, Too, Are A Procrastinator

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Kimberly McCloskey

A few weeks ago during a group coaching call our coach made a comment along the lines of “95% of people admit they procrastinate and the other 5% lies about it”. At first I was quite shocked by the comment – I don’t lie (honesty is one of my core values) and I don’t think I procrastinate. So I listened to the rest of the call maybe with a little bit of a closed mind. But as the day wore on, the thought kept nagging at me… was I, in reality, a procrastinator, too? No. It couldn’t be. Could it?

I thought back to that morning before the call and how unmotivated I was that day to begin working. I had several client projects stacking up, but none that I could complete before the call got started. Even though some of them were my least favorite tasks, others were the ones I enjoyed doing the most, but I didn’t feel inspired – or in the zone – to begin. I chalked it all up to it just being a dreary day and maybe I needed more coffee.

However, points that were made during the call kept creeping into my consciousness and ringing little bells of recognition. Was I excessively checking my email that morning? Yes. Was I shuffling around papers and folders but not really doing anything with them other than saying “I can’t start that now”? Yes. Was I striking up conversations disguised as information-gathering sessions with my colleagues via IM? Um… yes.

By the end of the day I sent a message to my coach and said that I didn’t believe the 5% of people were being untruthful about procrastinating, I think maybe we just DIDN’T KNOW.

Here are some untraditional signs that you, too, are a procrastinator.

  1. Do you wait for the right moment to do something like start a project, have a conversation, or make a call?
  2. Do petting the dog and folding laundry seem like top priorities at the oddest times?
  3. Do you believe that you work better under looming deadlines?
  4. Do you have a poor sense of time in that you never can accurately guess how long something will take to complete?
  5. Do you dislike saying “no” to requests, so instead feel resentment having to complete a task you didn’t want to do in the first place?
  6. Do you lack confidence in your ability to perform a project?
  7. Do you fear how people will react?

If you nodded your head through most of that list, you’re probably thinking much like I did when I first had the same revelation, “No way. I had no idea that I procrastinate!”

So what to do about it?

Well first, it’s great that you now recognize your tendencies to procrastinate. Welcome into the fold of the 95% who know! Recognition is half the battle, so now it’s just the matter of shifting your thought patterns when you realize you are again dragging your feet but telling yourself you’re not.

  1. There is no “right moment” to do anything. You need to create the moment by either breaking down the project into smaller, more manageable increments or focus on the best possible outcome to give you that hit of happy-juice or motivation to start.
  2. Prioritize. Do you really have to fold laundry right this minute when a client is waiting to hear from you?
  3. No one really works better under stressed conditions; this is when mistakes are made. By starting on something when you’re relaxed and have plenty of time to complete it, you’re allowing your creative energy the opportunity to flow.
  4. Allow yourself double the time to do anything and everything. If you logically think you can run all your errands and be back in one hour… throw logic out the window and allow two hours for the traffic you’ll get tied up in, for the longer-than-you-wanted line at the bank, and for running into an old acquaintance at the corner store.
  5. If you have the option to decline an offer in which you really don’t want to participate, turn it down. You can’t do everything for everyone, and you certainly can’t do it well if you never wanted to do it at all.
  6. Perfectionism is an unrealistic dream. So start where you are now, work with what you have, and know that producing something that’s less than perfect is so much better than not ever starting.
  7. Don’t let your fear of other people’s possible reactions cripple your ability to start anything. Do the best you can knowing that criticism will make you better and stronger in the end. And if the opposite happens, where you build something magnificent and people start knocking on your door asking for it too – be happy! This is obviously a great talent of yours and you probably loved doing it, so now you have the opportunity to do it more.

It’s ironic how, all my life, I was proud of myself for not being a procrastinator. After all, I thought people who procrastinated were just flat out lazy. Now I know better. Now I understand that our minds like to trick us into believing we’re busy and productive, when in reality we’re just stalling.

So, the next time you find yourself feeling “unmotivated”, think about the lessons you learned here today and reassess the situation, then remove the blocks and beliefs that are holding you back!

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE? You sure can! Include this complete blurb with it: © 6/13/2012 Kimberly J. McCloskey, Professional Virtual Assistant, in her attempt to help all people improve their personal and professional productivity, shares her insight through her newsletter “Productive Pointers”. Her natural artistic abilities, organizational skills and a love for detail shine through her creative writing for blogs, newsletters, articles, information products and more for her clients.  Learn more at www.VA-Partner.com.

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It’s Okay to Throw Stuff Away

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Kimberly McCloskey

I want to reiterate: it’s okay to throw stuff away. I’m not talking about wrappers from fast food joints or the used cat litter. No. I’m referring to stuff that you might consider perfectly acceptable, usable and handy… but that which you haven’t used, thought about or even remember having in a long time.

Come on, you know what I’m talking about.  Open any closet in your house or junk drawer in the kitchen and you’ve begun a mini treasure hunt through useless items you’ve collected possibly for years. The plastic cap-thingee that you just know belongs to something important and you’ve held onto since 2006, the mostly dried up bottle of glue whose lid you keep promising yourself to unclog, the really cool multi-tool gadget you’ve never actually used… you get the picture. Ditch ‘em or donate them. Free up the space.  Clean out the clutter.  Rid yourself and your home of the junk!

Now, you might be wondering why I’m on a tangent about “stuff”. Well, it’s because I’ve now attended two conferences in less than one month’s time and I came home with goodie bags from each. I admit, I came home high on information and determined to look though, read and use every single goodie bag item I was blessed to receive. I also admit that first goodie bag sat on the floor of my office for four or five weeks before I ever opened it. And do you know what? Most of the stuff was junk; meaning stuff I knew I would never use. Granted, there was a part of me that felt compelled to keep it all, like the organizers from the event somehow bugged the “stuff” and knew what I was keeping or tossing.

With the help of a group coaching program I recently started attending, I learned it was Okay to throw stuff away. There are no Useless Crap Cops who are going to swoop down on me for getting rid of the oversized drink huggies, hard plastic mouse pads, glow-in-the-dark necklaces or pens after pens after pens! And after I brutally went through the first goodie bag, I went through the second, and then I went through the books and cubbies stacked on my desk and the storage cabinet… you get the picture. I want you to know that it felt FANTASTIC. It was such a liberating experience to haul those trash bags (and donation boxes) out to the garage. I was able to enter my office space and BREATHE.

So I want to tell you how to do it too!  When cleaning out a junk drawer, closet, storage container, file cabinet, wish list or whatever, ask yourself these questions:

  1. When was the last time you used this? Do you even know when that was? If you don’t know… ditch it.
  2. Are you keeping this because Aunt Ethel gave it to you and even though she lives 1200 miles away you’re afraid she’ll know if you throw it away? If so… donate it to a good cause. She’ll never know.
  3. If this “thing” happens to be a tidbit of information, would you be able to find it again by doing a Google search instead of keeping it in your file cabinet for another three years? If so… trash it.
  4. Is this something you totally forgot you even owned? And you’ve never even needed it?  It’s already “gone” in your mind, so it’s time to make it gone for real.
  5. Are you keeping this thing because you’re sure that one day it might come in handy?  Really?  There’s nothing else that you use regularly that wouldn’t replace this useless item that’s taking up space?  I doubt it.
  6. Does this “stuff” happen to be something you thought one day you would get around to doing, like a pattern for a quilt or an Adirondack chair?  Re-evaluate where you are now in your life and determine if it’s something you still really want to do. If yes, then by golly, start on it! If no, then it’s time to acknowledge that sometimes your hobbies and goals change and no one can hold you to something you’re no longer interested in. Give them to someone who is.

That ought to cover it! One of these six questions should be sufficient in helping you plow through all the junk you’ve been gathering, weed out the useless and invasive clutter, and free up a significant amount space in your home, office, garage, car… wherever!  The side affect is that your mind will magically feel relieved, like you just took a mini vacation. Trust me.  Try it.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE? You sure can! Include this complete blurb with it: © 5/15/2012 Kimberly J. McCloskey, Professional Virtual Assistant, in her attempt to help all people improve their personal and professional productivity, shares her insight through her newsletter “Productive Pointers”. Her natural artistic abilities, organizational skills and a love for detail shine through her creative writing for blogs, newsletters, articles, information products and more for her clients.  Learn more at www.VA-Partner.com.
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8 Ways to Keep Your Creative Juices Flowing

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Kimberly McCloskey

By Guest Blogger: Charla Mahon

Experience teaches us ways that are tried and true, and that has its place so that we don’t keep retracing the same steps. However, new and creative ideas are often needed to help move us forward. Often, a business is successful to the extent that it embraces creative thinking.

Business owners know that creativity is needed to tackle everything from business marketing to problem solving. Creativity doesn’t always just happen, though, and sometimes we get in the way of our own creativity. So, what can we do to foster creativity? Here are some suggestions:

  1. Get a good night’s sleep. With unfinished work or housework to do, the lure of a good TV show, and the enticement of other distractions, sometimes it is a chore to make oneself go to bed. But, remember that it’s very hard to be creative when you’re tired.
  2. Leave big decisions, problem solving, and certain tasks for peak times. Each of us has certain times of the day when we are the most alert and, therefore, the most creative. Sometimes it just makes sense to put off making big decisions or doing certain tasks until these times of the day. You may even find that you’re more balanced in your approach to problem solving during these times.
  3. Don’t procrastinate. I can hear you asking, “Say what?  How can this help me to be more creative?”  Dreading a task that you know you have to do drags you down and inhibits creativity. You may find yourself thinking, “I’d love to start something new, but I have to do THIS first before I can start THAT.”  Well, do it then!  Handling dreaded tasks and clearing them off your plate makes way for creativity.
  4. Vary your routine. Trying something new in your routine, however small, will often stimulate new ideas.  You could exercise before work, eat a different breakfast, or read something that inspires you.
  5. Take a break from the morning news. It’s good to be informed, but sometimes we need to shut out anything that will deter us from creative thinking. I’ll be the first to admit that some news stories are inspiring, but there’s an equal chance that they will be worrying if not downright depressing. You won’t know until it’s too late, so sometimes it’s best to wait to catch the news later in the day.
  6. Visit a new place. This will also stimulate new ideas. But, where should you go? You don’t always have to go far. Many times we overlook treasures in our own communities, but they are there if we look for them.  TIP: Ask school children where they went on their last field trip. You can get some good ideas that way!
  7. Practice creativity. If you don’t already have a creative outlet, try a new hobby or craft. If that’s not practical for you, make a more conscious effort to be more creative during your day. Ask yourself if there’s a different way that you could be doing a given task. You may find that different is better.
  8. Memorize your new ideas, and then write them down. Have you ever had the unfortunate experience of being inspired and then when you go to write down your new ideas, you’ve forgotten them?  I have, so now what I do is stop for a minute, retrace my thoughts and memorize how I got there. Once I feel comfortable that I’ve got it, then I grab the pen and paper.

How do you encourage creativity?  Do you have responses to my ideas or additional ones to share?  If so, please comment below.

“The world is but a canvas to the imagination.”  — Henry David Thoreau

Charla Mahon is the owner of Concord Virtual Office Services. She provides internet marketing, WordPress, and project management services to small businesses. Charla also helps authors to launch their virtual book tours. She is a member of the International Virtual Assistants Association (IVAA) and holds an Internet Marketing Specialist Certification as well as IVAA’s EthicsCheckTM certification.  For more of Charla’s blog posts, visit her website at www.concordva.com.

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Convention Lessons

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Kimberly McCloskey

During the last week of March I attended my first business-related convention and I’ll tell you what, it was nothing like I expected! The presenter not only had a stage, she started the “show” with a band, hired a professional and well-known comedian to emcee the event, showed movies, played upbeat music, had an exhibit area for sponsor booths, and had a multitude of speakers… all in addition to the material she was teaching! Talk about information overload!

But it was all good. I was given the opportunity to meet several fellow virtual assistants and a couple of clients I had never met face-to-face before. Of course, I met a LOT of other people too since there were over 650 people in attendance.

So you might expect this newsletter to cover some of the topics I learned regarding marketing, networking, promotion, business planning… but I’m not. Instead I’m going to share some of the nitty-gritty nuts and bolts I learned about the process of attending a convention instead. Even if you don’t travel to conventions, I think you’ll find some of this information to be useful even for vacations!

  • Make a list of what you need to take. Most people know I’m a huge fan of lists, and traveling is no exception. I made a list, starting a week in advance, of everything I knew I wanted or needed to take and added to it as the thoughts popped into my head. It’s fantastic for those last minute things that you might otherwise forget in the rush to leave.
  • Roll your clothes when you pack them. I never tried this trick before but I actually was able to fit far more clothes in my suitcase than I’m used to packing. I don’t think it cut down on wrinkles, but as long as I hung out my clothes, the wrinkles lessened.
  • Taking extra vitamins might not be enough to keep you from catching something! This particular event was held at a hotel located in the Orlando airport. Meals were eaten among the general travelers. Even though I washed my hands often and don’t touch handrails and such, I still came down with one of the worst “colds” I can ever remember having. I can’t speak for its effectiveness, but next time I’m giving Airborne a try.
  • Be yourself. Everyone lately is talking about being authentic, being different, standing out from the crowd to get noticed. I learned through networking with some folks that simply being myself got more attention than when I tried to put on the professional business woman guise. Yes, I am one, but that’s not the skin I am comfortable in. So, be yourself and be relaxed.
  • Have plenty of business cards HANDY. Conventions are typically places where you’re expected to network… i.e. exchange business cards. Someone showed me a great tip for keeping my business cards accessible: I put them inside my plastic name badge holder but behind the name badge. It worked like a charm!
  • Establish a collection method in advance. Have a system for where you will put all the business cards you collect, as well as all of the receipts. There’s nothing more frustrating than knowing you have a piece of paper with important information on it and can’t remember which of five places you might have put it.
  • Have a plan for doing something with all of those business cards once you get back! I made notes on the business cards I collected so that I would know who they were later when I reviewed them. When I returned home, I decided with whom and how to keep in touch… and I followed through. I’m amazed at how many folks, especially the booth sponsors, have not added me to their mailing lists or reached out in any way. That’s poor follow-up.
  • Somehow you will always come back with more than you took. This convention gave us notebooks, binders, bags and countless other goodies that took up far more room than you would expect! Plan for this additional baggage in advance, especially if you are flying.

Traveling can be stressful, confusing and overwhelming, but if you take just a little bit of time to plan in advance you’ll find you can lessen the hectic moments of panic. Enjoy your travels!

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE? You sure can! Include this complete blurb with it: © 4/13/2012 Kimberly J. McCloskey, Professional Virtual Assistant, in her attempt to help all people improve their personal and professional productivity, shares her insight through her newsletter “Productive Pointers”. Her natural artistic abilities, organizational skills and a love for detail shine through her creative writing for blogs, newsletters, articles, information products and more for her clients. Learn more at www.VA-Partner.com.

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Is Your Spelling a Pet Peeve, Part 2

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Kimberly McCloskey

I recently began reading a book about personal branding and its relation to how you look and behave. My thoughts — because I enjoy writing and it’s a service I provide to several clients — jumped directly to how your personal branding is also affected by how you present yourself on paper.

Anyone who reads a blog, e-newsletter, website or sales copy (along with thousands of other materials) is going to form an opinion of the author in addition to, and outside of, the topic being discussed. If multiple typos are seen, the reader will probably become somewhat distracted and may even begin to question the author’s credibility. Think about it, you probably do this yourself!

So if YOU are the author in question, isn’t it important to put in a good solid effort to produce material that is free of silly mistakes that others might interpret as pet peeves? I think so!

In order to help YOU improve your writing with some of those pesky words that people tend to confuse, below is a list of tips on how to tell them apart. I’ll admit that this list contains some that I struggle with, too.

Advice vs. advise

I know, I know, this is a tricky one but I have a super simple way to tell them apart besides the C and the S.

Advice is a noun meaning to make a recommendation or give a suggestion about something. She wanted my advice on how to pill a cat.

Advise, however, is a transitive verb meaning to recommend or inform. I was advised not to feed the dog 12 hours prior to surgery.

The difference, to me, is in the sound of the words, how they are pronounced in addition to the spelling. In my head, I rhyme “vice” with “mice” and based on whether or not it works, I know which is the correct spelling.

Affect vs. effect

Affect means to influence somebody or something. If I can use the word “influence” then I know this is the spelling I need to use.  How will the tornado affect the local economy?

Effect has several meanings: a result or giving an impression. Again, I use the E in result to connect me to the correct spelling. The overall effect of her makeover was remarkable. Another meaning is being in force, such as The new rules don’t go into effect until next week.

Then vs. than

Then refers to a specific time, in addition to or therefore. Life was easier back then or I have to walk the dogs, then I can cook dinner.

Than exists to introduce a comparison. As you are saying the word in your head, listen for the subtle difference in the pronunciation. There’s more of an A sound in this version and that should help you with the spelling. I’d rather be hiking than sitting in an office.

Bare vs. bear

Bare means naked, basic or minimum. They only provided the bare essentials.

Bear means several things; most common being the big furry animal, but it also means a difficult thing to endure or to tolerate. In theory, if the definition of your word doesn’t relate to the first description, this second spelling is probably the right one. I can’t bear to see photos of starving and neglected animals.

Council vs. counsel

Council is a noun and means a group of people elected to run local affairs. They’re holding a council meeting tomorrow afternoon.

Counsel has several definitions ranging from a court lawyer to someone who gives advice or the act of giving advice.  The key to telling the difference between the two words rests in the S-E-L.  For me, I associate the SEL with “sell” which is an act of doing something, which translates to the act of giving advice and something which all lawyers do.  I will seek his counsel before making a decision.

Stationary vs. stationery

Stationary is an adjective meaning not moving or staying in one place. The tip here is to associate the A at the end of the word with the A in adjective or stay.  He rides the stationary bicycle every morning.

Stationery is a noun and means things used for writing like paper and envelopes. In this instance, I associate the E at the end of the word with the E in envelopes. I enjoy writing personal notes on beautifully embroidered stationery.

Principal vs. principle

Principal as noun means most important person or school administrator and as an adjective means primary.  This time I immediately focus on the spelling of the second half and play this sentence in my head My school principal was always my pal.  And to further carry the meaning, I continue the sentence with … and was the principal reason I went into teaching.

Principle, on the other hand, means ethical standard. This is one of those words where if the above tip doesn’t work, then this must be the correct spelling. As a matter of principle, I recycle everything I can.

Lose vs. loose vs. loss

Lose means to have something taken away or have it misplaced. It may be helpful to simply think to yourself “Is it lost?” and connect the two spellings. You will lose your spot in line if you walk away.

Loss is the fact of no longer having something or reduction. Weight loss can be a life-long battle.

Loose means not firmly attached or free. My association for this spelling always goes back to the 1978 Clint Eastwood movie “Every Which Way But Loose” and it helps. For you, maybe consider the spelling of loose having two O’s and free having two E’s. The loose step makes me stumble every time.

So there you have it!  A whole second cheat-sheet of commonly misspelled and confused words that you can keep handy for quick reference… unless you memorize some of the tips I shared.

If you happen to be a writer but lack the confidence to know that you’re putting out professional and intelligent-sounding materials to your blog, newsletter or emails, consider partnering with a copy editor or proofreader like me to become your sounding board.  It’ll give you peace of mind and increase your credibility in the eyes of your audience.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE? You sure can! Include this complete blurb with it: © 03/13/2012 Kimberly J. McCloskey, Professional Virtual Assistant, in her attempt to help all people improve their personal and professional productivity, shares her insight through her newsletter “Productive Pointers”. Her natural artistic abilities, organizational skills and a love for detail shine through her creative writing for blogs, newsletters, articles, information products and more for her clients. Learn more at www.VA-Partner.com.

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