Hi there! I haven’t blogged for a while, and it’s good to be back. Blogging is fun (thank you, Tai Goodwin), it gets the creative juices flowing, and keeps me connected with great people. So the question is, if it’s so much fun to blog, why have I been away for so long?

Earlier this year I ran into a few health issues. Actually, they ran into me and knocked me on my rump. Not only did they take a physical toll on my body, they threw me for an emotional loop. Many days, all I could do was stay in bed (FYI – daytime TV is as bad as it ever was). I was 100% there for my clients, but everything else took a back seat. And like a lot of cars, that back seat had more and more stuff piled on it every day.

So what’s the point of this blog? It’s definitely not to gain sympathy! I’ve always been independent and strong. I knew I would get through this. But as with most life situations, there are a few very important life lessons that I learned regarding maintaining sanity through crisis. I’d like to share them with you, and I hope you find them useful.

1. Calendar everything. Yes, everything. It’s a great way to instantly see if you’re taking on too much in any one area. It also takes away the concern of forgetfulness. Dealing with health issues can make your life extremely busy. There’s doctor appointments, picking up prescriptions, home care (in my case, it was doing my physical therapy exercises)…etc…all that stuff takes time! Allow yourself that time, and calendar it into your schedule.

2. Take it slow. For the first couple of weeks, I assumed I could go at my normal pace. My body, however, disagreed – and told me so in no uncertain terms. By mid-day, I was completely wiped out and in a lot of pain. It’s kind of hard to be at your best when your body is screaming at you at the top of its lungs.

3. Be authentic. Let people know why you can’t attend their event, or why you need to postpone a meeting. Don’t whine about it, though. Take a “matter of fact” approach. Tell them you’d like to attend, but you’re having some health issues and can’t commit to anything right now. And let them know that you’ll tell others about their event via social media. A quick Facebook share or a re-tweet goes a long way with goodwill.

Interestingly enough, I didn’t feel the need to share my situation with clients. I was continuing to manage my client workload (client work was pretty much all I did). I kept this on a “need-to-know” basis. It’s possible to be authentic while still not disclosing to everyone.

So there you have it – life lessons regarding handling health issues (or any crisis, for that matter). As for me, I’m glad to be back. And I’ve been mentally writing this blogpost for a few months now. I just didn’t have the energy to type it and post it until recently (self-care is a good thing!) I’d like to hear your thoughts and comments – please feel free to share!

As a small business owner/solopreneur, you welcome the ‎opportunity to collaborate with other professionals. However, sometimes you might be overwhelmed ‎by project deliverables. The more you take on, the more time seems to escape you. Proper planning ‎and time management will help alleviate a lot of that stress. Here are a few tips to gain control of your ‎projects – and your time.

1. Look at the project in its entirety. Plan your timeline from the end ‎date to the beginning. What materials and information will you need? When will you need it? What ‎resources do you need?

2. Calendar everything. What do you need to do and when? Add ‎tasks to your calendar reminding you to get the materials, information, and resources you need for the ‎project. Don’t get caught saying “I forgot to get/do that.”

3. Allow people enough time to ‎provide you what you need. Don’t catch someone at the last minute with an urgent request. ‎‎

4. Allow for the “25% rule.” If you think it will take you an hour to write something or ‎compile data, allow 1 hour and 15 minutes on your calendar.

5. Excel is a great tool to keep a ‎project on task. You can create a nice Gantt chart in Excel. Alternatively, you can outsource it to a ‎Virtual Assistant!

As administrative experts, we can get things done quickly and efficiently – ‎allowing you to focus on your clients on a level that will amaze and delight them. Are you ready to ‎‎“wow” your clients?

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One of the great things about being an AssistU virtual assistant is the incredible community. We share best practices and support each other professionally and personally. Although I’m a home-based solopreneur, I’m never alone.

As a newbie graduate in 2009, I looked up to the more experienced VAs. They had thriving businesses, seemed to know everything about everything, and were more than willing to share their expertise and ideas. One of the ways they did this was with the AssistU Internship program. A new graduate has a full year to participate as an intern working with a Senior VA.

Fast forward to 2011, and I’m now a Senior VA! I’ve put in my application for an intern to help me with my business. The eight-week, unpaid program allows a new grad to learn new skills while observing how an experienced VA successfully runs a business.
I don’t know yet who my intern will be. I know that we have an amazingly talented group of newbies in our community. I’m compiling a project list and looking forward to learning how to be a great Senior VA!

What can I say?  I’ve been busy and life is good.  I was at a GLBT conference most of last week, making great business connections and learning lots of great stuff.  Bonus – I met some pretty incredible people!  The GLBT community is a strong target market for me, in honor of my moms who were together for 40 years before one of them passed on.  The work I do for GLBT businesses and GLBT advocacy organizations is my way of keeping my moms’ legacy going.  They were pioneers in the gay rights movement in the late 60s and early 70s, and I’m so very proud of them.

Now I’m at a retreat in Central Minnesota, connecting with some amazing women business owners and getting a lot accomplished.  We have a “quiet room” where we have tables, chairs (very comfortable) and wi-fi.  We’re sitting here with our laptops knocking a ton of things off of our task list.  But I have to admit, we’re doing a lot of socializing in the very large, well-equipped kitchen.  We all brought food with us, and we’re sharing in the cooking/cleanup duties.  I’m cooking tonight, so I hope there’s pizza delivery nearby!  We also have a massage therapist here with us, so some of us are getting massages also.  What fun!

Meanwhile, I’m still focused on my education.  When I get back to my office, I’ll have a ton of catch-up to do with my various classes.  But that’s ok – it’s all good.