How To Make Goals Actionable

The other day I was talking with a member of our Office Space Coworking in Akron.

He wanted examples of short, intermediate, and long term goals. He wanted strategies used to support these goals as well as some tactics he could use to implement those strategies.

This is a need felt by many small business owners, entrepreneurs, executives… generally any of your ambitious types wanting to do big things in the world.

My short answer? See the master, David Allen (www.davidco.com).

Now, the long answer.

I’m a HUGE GTD’r and have been for the past 3-4 years now. While Allen’s the first to admit he’s basically ‘packaging common sense.’ His system was the first to really ‘click’ with me. Simply put, GTD works because it’s simple.

Know your outcome, state your next step.

However, for a lot of people it falls a bit short when planning for the long term. GTD does address the importance of clarifying your desired outcome across multiple ‘horizons’:

• 10k – current projects
• 20k – roles / responsibliities
• 30k – 1-3 year goals
• 40k – 3-5 year visions
• 50k – your reason for being on the planet

But most people spend so much time at the 10k level, they rarely get the opportunity to step back enough to reflect on the bigger picture. Or if they do, they just don’t have the tools to turn their long term goals into tangible next actions they can be working on today.
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Staying Sane: Being Productive, Even in the Slow Times

So you just submitted a big proposal to a prospective client who could really make a difference for your business. If this one comes through, it could make your year – or at least it could cover your payroll for the next few months. You are naturally patient, understanding that it will take time for your prospective client to consider your proposal and potentially review competitors’ proposals.

Rather than waste this “waiting time” with busy work, why not make the most of it? Avoid going stir crazy – by making your time as productive as possible, you’ll feel better and you’ll likely be moving your business forward by acquiring new leads or cultivating existing ones.

Tips for Tapping into Time

We’ve outlined some key tasks that will not only make you feel productive, they will actually produce results. From contacting prospects to getting your business organized, the following tips are all key investments in your business and future.

Schedule a minimum of two hours a day for phone calling

Make your phone calls in the morning while you are your referrals are both fresh and alert, treating this time as you would any important appointment. Your objective for your calls is to create interst, gather data and make an appointment. You’ll feel good when you can get those parts completed.

Call your best customers

When’s the last time you talked to them? They are your best business asset, so invest time into them. A simple phone call is always appreciated. See how they’re doing, what’s new and if there’s anything you can do for them (and don’t forget to record new information into a customer profile!)

Go to industry or association events

Usually, networking activities are the first thing to go when we get busy. Now that you have some space, get up and get out. Talking to people – whether colleagues or potential clients – is not only good business relationship management, but a welcome social outlet.

Work on your customer database

Now is the time to start recording all of the interactions, phone calls and lists that have been either stored in your mind or on disparate pieces of paper. Taking the time to organize in a database (Microsoft Excel or Access are completely sufficient) will pay off in the long run.

So, did you get the call back? If it’s a good answer, great! If not, don’t take rejection personally. It is to be anticipated and is a natural part of the selling process. Learn from it by using it as a valuable feedback tool and keep persevering!

Finding the Elusive Balance

“We do not remember days, we remember moments.”-Cesare Pavese

Long, long ago, employees worked from 9-5, Monday through Friday. Sure, there were occasional exceptions, but most of the time, the boundaries between home and work lives were clear.

Those were the days.

The world certainly has changed, and in many ways has made our lives easier with technological advances making our lives more efficient. But at the same time, the boundaries between work and home are blurrier for many workers, especially if you own your own business and/or work from home. The challenge ahead for many of us is to strike that balance to create the meaningful moments in both our work and home lives that keep us going.

By strict definition, work-life balance is a person’s control over the conditions in their workplace. It is accomplished when an individual feels dually satisfied about their personal life and their paid occupation. It mutually benefits the individual, business and society when a person’s personal life is balanced with his or her own job. The work-life balance strategy offers a variety of means to reduce stress levels and increase job satisfaction in the employee while enhancing business benefits for the employer. In our increasingly hectic world, the work-life strategy seeks to find a balance between work and play.

It isn’t easy to juggle the demands of career and personal life. For most people, it’s an ongoing challenge to reduce stress and maintain harmony in key areas of their life. Here are some ideas to help you find the balance that’s best for you:

• Keep a log. Track everything you do for one week. Include work-related and non-work-related activities. Decide what’s necessary and satisfies you the most. Cut or delegate activities you don’t enjoy, don’t have time for or do only out of guilt. If you don’t have the authority to make certain decisions, talk to your supervisor.
• Manage your time. Organize household tasks efficiently. Doing one or two loads of laundry every day rather than saving it all for your day off, and running errands in batches rather than going back and forth several times are good places to begin. A weekly family calendar of important dates and a daily list of to-dos will help you avoid deadline panic.
• Rethink your cleaning standards. An unmade bed or sink of dirty dishes won’t impact the quality of your life. Do what needs to be done and let the rest go.
• Fight the guilt. Remember, having a family and a job is okay — for both men and women.
• Nurture yourself. Set aside time each day for an activity that you enjoy, such as walking, working out or listening to music. Unwind after a hectic workday by reading, practicing yoga or taking a bath or shower.
• Set aside one night each week for recreation. Discover activities you can do with your partner, family or friends, such as playing golf, fishing or canoeing. Making time for activities you enjoy will rejuvenate you.
• Get enough sleep. There’s nothing as stressful and potentially dangerous as working when you’re sleep-deprived. Not only is your productivity affected, but you can also make costly mistakes. You may then have to work even more hours to make up for these mistakes.
• Read up on it. Some good resources are “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” by Richard Carlson and “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living” by Dale Carnegie.

Memo to Office Space Coworking Members!

I’ve tried to touch base with each of our members the last few weeks to let everyone know about our recent move to the 3rd floor of the Selle Bulding. I didn’t get to everyone, so this email is make sure we’re all on the same page.

While any change has its trade offs between the old and the new, we are excited and hope you see the move as a step forward.

As we work the kinks out, I look forward to hearing your feedback and concerns.

We’ll work to address each in turn and do our best to ensure Office Space Coworking continues to meet — and dare I say ‘exceed’ — your expectations.

Please scan the info below to get all the juicy details AND to learn about some special announcements we have coming up in November (including a 2nd location in Cuyahoga Falls)!

If you have any questions or concerns – please don’t hesitate to call: 330-272-0315
-kelly

What you need to know:

Where exactly are we? We’re suite 302 on the 3rd floor.

Has my mailing address changed? No. You can still use Suite 101 on your mailing address. We’ve coordinated with the USPS, UPS, & FedEx and any shipments to Suite 101 will still get to you. Both Suite 101 & 302 will work as a mailing address. You may want to update your business cards / letterhead the next time you order supplies, but it is NOT required.

Where do we park? Couple choices here.

Lower Parking Lot:
You can still park in the lower parking lot and walk up the 2 flights of stairs. I exercise (and I think we can all agree I need it).

Upper Parking Lot:
From 7am-4pm on week days we have 3 spaces open to us on the upper parking lot. Just don’t park in a spot that says ‘reserved’ for Corner Stone or ASW and you’re good.

After 4pm or anytime on the weekends — it’s first come first serve on the upper parking lot.

Under the bridge:
We have 8 parking spots under the bridge. Which is just a short walk to the ramp leading up to our space.

Do I need new keys? Nope! You’re old keys will still work. The exterior doors are keyed the same and on the same timer. The upper doors’ lock is actually the silver lock on the left side of the doors. It’s an electronic lock. You just insert your key, turn it about 1/8 turn to the left and the door will unlock.

Any problems or concerns — please give me a call and we can walk through this together. If there’s any problem with your key, we can just issue you a new one.

How do I reserve a room? One of the improvements, I was mentioning. We have 4 rooms which can be reserved online.

• 2 Conference Rooms (‘A’ & ‘B’) which capacity for 10-20 people each depending on the configuration. Each contains a whiteboard, and LCD monitor for presentations.
• 2 Team Rooms (‘C’ & ‘D’) each with 3-4 work tables and (soon to be installed) whiteboard walls (great for brainstorming). These rooms can be reserved for 1 or more people. We also have a portable projector which can be reserved and brought into these rooms as necessary.

Schedules will be posted for each room both online (http://www.officespacecoworking.com/reservations) and on scheduling boards outside the room for increased visibility.

What’s this about a 2nd Location?
Plans are in the works to open a 2nd location in Cuyahoga Falls.

It’s a great location with free parking, private offices & plenty of space for meetings & presentations. It’s right off the Front Street mall between Portage & Baird street.

Office Space Coworking members will have full access to both facilities.

We’ll be hosting a special preview of the facility to get your ideas on the design, look / feel, & amenities before launching the Grand Opening in December. In other words, you’ll get a look at the space before Heidi gets to do her interior design magic.

If you’d like to see us open a 2nd space in Cuyahoga Falls, please let me know. We need 6 charter members to sign on before we can commit to the new location. Special Discounts & Incentives will be announced shortly for Charter Members

If you’re interested in learning more, please contact Heidi @ 330-272-0315

Thank you for your continued membership & support!

-Kelly Brown