Practically Perfect PA

DECEMBER 15, 2015

If I had to make a list of all of my favourite office technology and software Microsoft Excel would most certainly be missing from the top ten (urm… it probably wouldn’t make the top 100). I do hold a grudge against Excel I must say. Mostly because of all the time spent on Excel doing expenses for Executive’s that had that habit of chucking months and month’s of receipts at me with no idea where they came from or what they were for.

Keyboards 182

Keyboards Microsoft Excel Filing AT&T 182

Office Organization Success

DECEMBER 17, 2015

Last month I celebrated 14 years in business. Wow — that’s quite an achievement! And to celebrate I became an LLC! It was something I’d been thinking about doing for the past few years but never really got round it. And finally, I made an appointment with my attorney and let her handle it all. The driving force behind going this route is simply for legal reasons; I wanted to protect my personal assets and have a very clear division between business and personal.

Legal 138

Legal 2016 Training UPS 138

Small Business Labs

DECEMBER 28, 2015

Over the past 8 years we've published an annual top 10 small business trends list ( click here to see last year's list and a link to prior years). This year we decided to shake things up a bit. Instead of our usual 10 trends, we're covering 3 broad trend areas. And in addition to trends you should pay attention to, we've add a few technology trends that are getting a lot of hype that we think you can ignore in 2016.

2016 133

2016 2015 2011 Policies 133

Laughing all the Way to Work

DECEMBER 17, 2015

Starting a new job is more than just changing where you work. You have to learn a whole new way of doing things, from how to log onto the computer to filling out a purchase order form. There is a new work culture to adapt to and a new language of acronyms to try and sort out. Even though they can seem like small things, at the beginning you are trying to do your best to impress and can feel a bit helpless when the phone rings and you realize you don't know how to answer it.

Agenda 122

Agenda Sprint 2015 Medical 122

Speaker: Joe Sharpe and James Carlson

Payroll optimization can be one of the most time-consuming and complex factors of small business management. Yet, organizations that crack the code on streamlining employee compensation often discover innovative avenues for growth. With the right strategies in place, outsourcing and streamlining payroll processes can result in substantial time and resource savings.

Payroll

Eco-Office Gals

DECEMBER 14, 2015

Clean water is crucial for human survival and health. For thousands of years, many civilizations have risen and fallen on the ability to secure sources of water and use them to their advantage. To this day, there are parts of the world that have low water security and have to rely on water that may be contaminated with pathogens, chemicals or both. There are two major ways to produce water that is fit for human consumption.

Environment 116

Environment Health UPS 116

Eat Your Career

DECEMBER 7, 2015

It’s that wonderful time of year again…where we all drink eggnog and sing merry songs as we reflect on the past and make plans for the future. It’s the perfect time for a quick career reassessment! That’s why I’m sharing this super-fast exercise to help you determine your End-of-Year Career Fulfillment Rating. It’s a very simple tool, but helpful nonetheless.

Goals 116

Goals Environment UPS 116

Office Dynamics

DECEMBER 2, 2015

Image via Pixabay by kaboompics. It’s fairly common for holiday job seekers to try to turn their seasonal positions into long-term and even permanent work. And certainly, some employers look to these short-term hires when they’re ready to bring someone on full time. While not all holiday jobs turn into permanent ones, some do, and if you’re hoping to turn a holiday position into your next career opportunity, these tips will help : Avoid Retail.

Holidays 116

Holidays Monster Interviewing Training 116

Small Business Labs

DECEMBER 1, 2015

GE, the large industrial conglomerate, is re-positioning itself as a digital company. Their recent ads describe GE as an "indugital" and "digidustrial" company. And yes, I agree these marketing efforts are still a work in progress. They've coined the term  "The industrial Internet" to describe their efforts and market.

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2020 2014 2015 Networking 122

Laughing all the Way to Work

DECEMBER 30, 2015

It's funny how as I have moved through my career from office to office the way I organize myself has changed. When I was at the law firm, I used tasks extensively and had a wait bin where I put things I was waiting on. I had a lot of trigger dates I needed to remember such as when to file a statement of defence after receiving a statement of claim, or putting in a reminder when the mandatory mediation kicked in.

Filing 116

Filing Travel Time Zones International 116

Clutter Coach

DECEMBER 30, 2015

by Okay, so maybe it is time to declutter than closet. This basic technique works for desktops, drawers, cupboards and any other spots where you keep a lot of stuff together. It’s not for attics or out of the way storage spots where you’re allowed to keep things that are rarely used and off-season clothes. This is for high traffic spots.

Clothes 100

Clothes Gifts UPS 100

Speaker: Tim Buteyn, President of ThinkingKap Learning Solutions

Join this brand new webinar with Tim Buteyn to learn how you can master the art of remote onboarding! By the end of this session, you'll understand how to: Craft a Tailored Onboarding Checklist 📝 Develop a comprehensive, customized checklist that ensures every new hire has a smooth transition into your company, no matter where they are in the world.

Equipment

Eat Your Career

DECEMBER 7, 2015

It’s that wonderful time of year again…where we all drink eggnog and sing merry songs as we reflect on the past and make plans for the future. It’s the perfect time for a quick career reassessment! That’s why I’m sharing this super-fast exercise to help you determine your End-of-Year Career Fulfillment Rating. It’s a very simple tool, but helpful nonetheless.

Goals 100

Goals Environment UPS 100

Practically Perfect PA

DECEMBER 17, 2015

Modern personal assistants have come a long way from secretaries working in typing pools. These days, a personal assistant is more likely to be involved in making key decisions, even managing budgets. Personal assistants now work with chief executives and, in some cases, perform roles on their behalf. The increased job spec of personal assistants can be traced back to the economic downturn of the 2000’s, which caused many employers to reduce staff numbers.

Calendars 153

Calendars Filing Email AT&T 153

Office Dynamics

DECEMBER 9, 2015

This title might seem strange to you: How can executive assistants be like Zappos. Hear me out. In case you have not heard of this cutting-edge company, Zappos has 1,600+ employees who produce in excess of $2 billion in revenues annually. Zappos sells online shoes and clothing for men, women, and children. Tony Hsieh , 41-year old CEO, is a simple man.

2014 109

2014 2016 Clothes Stress 109

Small Business Labs

DECEMBER 8, 2015

The Economist's New Materials for Manufacturing covers what it calls the "golden age" of materials. Key quote on what this means: New, high-performing substances such as exotic alloys and superstrong composites are emerging; “smart” materials can remember their shape, repair themselves or assemble themselves into components. Little structures that change the way something responds to light or sound can be used to turn a material into a “metamaterial” with very different properties.&#

Clothes 116

Clothes Forms AT&T UPS 116

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Management

Laughing all the Way to Work

DECEMBER 28, 2015

During the holidays it is important to have people in the office to keep things going. I like working during this time because you can get so much done that you normally don't have time to do. Here are some of the things I will be doing: Cleaning out my desk drawers - I just started this job a little over a month ago. The girl who was there before me was there for 9 years and before they hired me there were two temporary people sitting at my desk so you can imagine the desk drawers were very dis

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Staples Holidays Agenda Filing 116

Clutter Coach

DECEMBER 27, 2015

by This year, don’t let your New Year’s resolutions be just another list of to do’s that you never get to and feel guilty about. Here are some tips on how to make some resolutions that you can actually keep. Don’t pick too many. Challenging yourself is a great idea, but be kind to yourself too. Keep in mind that a resolutions typically involve major changes in lifestyle and habits, and those don’t occur overnight.

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Lifestyle AT&T Goals 100

Productivityist

DECEMBER 25, 2015

In this edition of The Productivityist Podcast I speak with Simon Tyler, author of The Impact Code and The Simple Way. We talk about raising your impact level in business, simple ways to be more productive, and much more. Relevant Links. Simon Tyler | Website. The Impact Code by Simon Tyler. The Simple Way by Simon Tyler. Simple Notes | Simon Tyler.

Holidays 63

Holidays Twitter 63

Practically Perfect PA

DECEMBER 4, 2015

Let’s face it most of us don’t sign up to this assistant malarkey because of the short hours. We kinda know that we are not going to start the day at 9am and be out the door at 5pm. The hours are unpredictable and we are often the last to leave and the first to arrive. We also expect to get the odd phone call in the evening / middle of the night / break of dawn.

2016 149

2016 Social Media Negotiating Phones 149

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Sharing your authentic self in a virtual interview can be an unwanted challenge. How do you break through the digital barrier when conducting a virtual interview and share your exceptional self? Think in unconventional ways to elevate the virtual interviewing experience.

Interviewing

Office Dynamics

DECEMBER 7, 2015

Welcome to the final installment of this year’s series of Monday Motivators e-zines! It’s been a great year, and I can’t thank you enough for joining us in our continuing journey to promote workplace excellence and administrative effectiveness! In this special edition, I want to cover a topic that’s worth repeating every year because it is so important to helping or hindering your career.

Holidays 109

Holidays Promotion Management Etiquette 109

Small Business Labs

DECEMBER 22, 2015

Pew Research's The American Middle Class is Losing Ground helps illustrate one of the most powerful trends impacting society - rising economic uncertainty. The reason economic uncertainty is growing is fairly straight forward. Middle income jobs have become harder to find, employment in general is less stable and wages and household income's have been stagnating.  After much debate, there is broad consensus around this topic.

2015 109

2015 2014 Policies 109

Laughing all the Way to Work

DECEMBER 19, 2015

Dolly Parton's Nine to Five no longer applies to me. I've become an early bird. For those who know me that will seem almost impossible, but I've done it. At least during the work week and it's proving to be very interesting. I was always a 9 to 5 person, but would typically arrive a few minutes late. I always felt guilty about it and would sometimes get looks from the other girls or they would make a joke about me being late again, but I was a late night person and always worked well past 5, but

Stress 109

Stress UPS 109

Clutter Coach

DECEMBER 24, 2015

by Going back to work after vacation is often a let down. On top of that, there’s all the work that’s been waiting for you and the dreaded email inbox that, if each message were printed out, would bury your office knee deep in paper. A very concise and easy to use method for cutting that inbox down to size is provided in a post from one of the David Allen Co. blogs.

Email 100

Email Calendars AT&T UPS 100

Advertiser: Aggregage

New vaccine mandates and testing policies will affect employers with more than 100 workers. Get Paycor’s free, customizable vaccination policy template to communicate critical details and new requirements to your employees. Get Paycor’s Template today!

Policies

Productivityist

DECEMBER 2, 2015

This is a guest post by Paul Ellsworth. He’s a writer and teacher and his passion lies in watching you reach your full potential. You can connect with him on his website here or on Twitter @paultellsworth. At one time, I had my morning routine down to a science. I would set my alarm in the bathroom the night before. I’d put out my clothes, set the coffee to brew, and have my work space ready.

Clothes 63

Clothes Twitter Facebook Filing 63

Practically Perfect PA

DECEMBER 9, 2015

In today’s global society being bilingual is one of the most advantageous skills you can have. With several financial, employment, as well as social and health benefits to knowing a second language, it is surprising that only one quarter of Brits are actually able to speak in another tongue. Learning a new language takes time and dedication, but the development of smartphone technology has brought new opportunities to fit learning into your daily routine.

Learning 143

Learning 2013 2012 Medical 143

Office Dynamics

DECEMBER 4, 2015

It’s time to move on–but how do you break it to your boss? Question: “What is the best way to tell your boss that you are looking at other job opportunities? We have a great working relationship; I’m just ready for something different.” – Debbie, Executive Secretary. How would you tell your boss? Share your comments below on how you tell your boss difficult news.

Skills 109

Skills Training Management 109

Small Business Labs

DECEMBER 17, 2015

We get an weekly email from John Burns , a real estate consulting firm. What caught our eye was their discussion of Airbnb. Key quote: We recently conducted an apartment feasibility study for a proposed new building where the developer was considering including some units devoted to Airbnb users. Even at conservative assumptions on rental rates and occupancies, the Airbnb apartments were likely to generate more revenue per unit than the standard leased units.

Retirement 109

Retirement Purchasing Expenses Email 109

Speaker: Tim Buteyn, President of ThinkingKap Learning Solutions

💢 Do you find yourself stuck in never-ending review cycles? Are you wondering if your Subject Matter Expert actually got that last review request? Are you having trouble trying to decipher impractical or conflicting feedback? 💢 If any of these scenarios sounds familiar, you may benefit from a crash course on managing SME relationships!

Collaborate

The Shrink for Entrepreneurs

DECEMBER 10, 2015

We all – us entrepreneurs – want to be “in-the-zone” as much as possible. The term gets thrown around a lot. What does it actually look and feel like? Crystal clear thinking. Singular purpose. Impervious to any distraction. Excited. Enthusiastic. Passionate. Like a laser-guided missile homing in on a target. Like the total alignment of mind, body, spirit and purpose.

Holidays 62

Holidays Facebook Email UPS 62

Clutter Coach

DECEMBER 21, 2015

by John Trosko , president of NAPO in LA, just reminded me that it’s time to vote for your favorite organizing product, helpful organizing technology, best organizing TV show, and more! Voting is open to the public and continues through December 31. You can read more about it and vote here on the NAPO LA website. Help spread the word about whatever it is that helps make your life easier, more productive and better organized!

2008 100

2008 100

Productivityist

DECEMBER 31, 2015

As I write this, there are 37 hours left in 2015. It’s amazing how quickly the calendar year has flown by. It seems as if each year passes faster than the last. At the end of each calendar year, I like to look back and see where I’ve been and what I’ve done. Thankfully, this is a really easy thing to do because I journal every day. This Friday (January 1) I’ll spend the majority of my day reading my journal entries from 2015.

2015 63

2015 2016 Calendars 2013 63

Practically Perfect PA

DECEMBER 14, 2015

Over the last few months I have been busy behind the scenes working on the programme for Assist 2016. It is coming together beautifully so I thought now would be a good time to share 10 reasons why I think you lovely lot should attend. It is on Friday 26th February in London. We have packed the day full of brilliant content, speakers and lots and lots of practical sessions designed for you to take back to the office with you.

2016 122

2016 Social Media 2015 Restaurants 122

Speaker: Tim Buteyn

Let's set the scene: you’ve identified a critical performance gap in your organization and need to close that gap. A colleague suggests training, but you suspect there’s something going on that training can’t address. How can you determine if training is the right solution before you commit your budget and resources to a new training program? In this webinar, you will learn how to determine if training is the right solution using the Behavior Engineering Model.

Training