If you are a business owner or a business owner to be, let’s examine this scenario.

Like other people, you are so excited when you first started your own business. But after a few months, you come to realize that you work longer hours than what you expected…and you even have to work on weekends!

You feel more exhausted than you used to be and you start to have doubts whether you should start your own business in the first place.

You are suffering from, what Michael Gerber says, entrepreneur seizure. Michael says that most small business owners were used to be “technicians” before starting their own business. For example, if you are good at baking, naturally you’ll open a bakery shop.

When you, the technician, become business owner, you bring in the details of a technician to your business. Technicians look at things in a very detail manner. That explains why you end up doing everything yourself.

You want to make sure that you give the best service to your customers. You can’t or you don’t want to depend on other people to deliver the work for you. You probably don’t even trust your own staff.

That’s why, until one fine day, you ask yourself why you are so tired.

Under these circumstances, more often than not, your business cannot run without you. You must be there in order for your business to run. You don’t have a single chance to walk away from your business, let say to go for a vacation.

Do you want to create a business that ties you up and there is no freedom for you at all? The answer is definitely a big no.

To overcome this problem, learn from the highly successful McDonald’s. When you go to McDonald’s, you don’t meet the owner there. You only see a bunch of part time workers who mostly are high school students.

McDonald’s is in every corner of the world. But the owner is not there!

Amazing.

Did it come to your mind that why McDonald’s is so much successful than your neighborhood burger stand even though it’s run by high school students and without the owner around?

Because McDonald’s has designed an effective and efficient burger marketing and distribution system. A system that is so simple that even a high school student can follow.

Back to your business, you can emulate the success of McDonald’s to run your business without your presence as a business owner…with the mind that you want to franchise your business.

That is how you should look at your business and that is how you should run your business.

Think about it, do you want your business to be the next McDonald’s or just a burger stand along the roadside?

If you want your business to be the next McDonald’s, you must learn how to run the business without you. Only by doing this, you can make a big fortune from your business with the power of leveraging.

Abel Cheng offers small and medium enterprises exclusive global profits insider tips in his free publication, Abel Cheng’s Business Diary. To officiate a bi-weekly subscription, please go to
http://www.abelcheng.com/diary.html

I’ve divided my tips into two sections - 5 ways to manage your time and 5 ways to take back your time. Both offer daily or regular practices to try out in your life right now.

The first section focuses more on easing the time pressures in your life, to deal with all of the things you’ve gotten yourself into

The second section focuses on making overall changes to your life. When you take back your time you also take back your CHOICE. When we’re feeling time pressured and stressed out it’s easy to forget that we have any say in the matter. And we do!

5 WAYS TO MANAGE YOUR TIME

1. Choose specific times to look at email during the day - seeing emails as they come in can really distract you from what you’re trying to accomplish and you’ll end up losing time as you go back and forth between activities.

2. The 15-minute strategy. This not only helps motivate you by breaking down large jobs into smaller pieces, it also makes good use of your time. The strategy is to spend 15-minutes on a task and then move on the next. You can come back to the first one as many times as you need to until it’s done.

3. Find a system that works for you for making and meeting deadlines and appointments - a calendar or day-timer. I use a Palm Pilot and have been really happy with it.

4. Plan and cook meals ahead of time. A huge time-saver and also makes it much easier to eat healthier. It could be as simple as cooking an extra portion of dinner and having it for lunch the next day, or you could plan out seven days at a time (which is what I do).

5. Keep up with things - whether it’s tidying up your papers, doing the dishes or working on a report, doing things a bit at a time (see tip #2) instead of letting them pile up to the point of taking you all day, is much more manageable.

5 WAYS TO TAKE BACK YOUR TIME

1. Set and keep your boundaries - if you work for someone else, be clear about over-time and taking work home with you. If you work for yourself, establish the times of day that are no-work zones; good places to start are breaks for meals and deciding when you will start and stop work for the day.

2. Make one day a week “timeless” - rise and shine when you feel like it, eat when you’re hungry and let your inner child (or your actual child!) plan your day’s activities. Warning: This may conflict with the tip below

3. Cut your t.v. time - try limiting it to one hour per day. Or try cutting it out completely for one week.

4. Buddy up and find someone to take back time with. Whether it’s your spouse, best friend, family member or work colleague, if you’re both committed you won’t let each other bow out.

5. Take your holidays! Whether you’re self-employed or work for someone else it’s important to take time off to rejuvenate. You will be more productive for it in the long run.

Where do you need to take back time in your life? Where do you need to manage your time better?

(c) Copyright 2005, Genuine Coaching Services.

Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, is the author of “The Everyday Self-Care Workbook”. To receive one of her free monthly newsletters, subscribe at http://www.genuinecoaching.com/newsletter.html

This is about personal goals and about the easy way to set such a goal. One of the main problems with goal-setting is not the activity to target a goal, but to select one that seems reasonable; not too easy but still serious.

Using the metaphor of climbing a mountain is useful and even better is to add something like a mountain bike. This bike adds the aspect of the tools you need in your way up to the top; the tool that supports you in achieving your goal.

As said, selecting a mountain is the easiest part in goal-setting. If you are not experienced it goes without saying that you shouldn’t target Mount Everest.

The mountain bike is essential in your journey, because here you are presented a choice of using modern technology or just the old stuff. One type of coach could just focus on adding more energy, to hit the pedal some more. But, another coach could tip you that the current bike you are planning to use will not help you getting there.
Don’t underestimate this tool thing, because innovation could just mean the difference in getting you where you want.

The last element is the toughest one and that is you. Any start is simple, but now imagine that you have reached some height, but you are still not there. And your resources are running out. So from that moment onwards is where the hard work comes in.
From that moment on, you will hear voices. When you are indeed alone it is your own voice telling you that to target this other top “which is only a bit lower than the previous set target.” “And it is just as well a pretty goal.” If you are not alone, others will tell you that you are nuts, “why would you go that far?”

But you shouldn’t listen to those voices, because they are fooling you. Concentrate on your job and on your target. This is, if you are serious. And than, you will get there.

© 2006 Hans Bool

Hans Bool is the founder of Astor White a traditional management consulting company that offers online management advice. Astor Online solves issues in hours what normally would take days.
You can apply for a free demo account.

SEE INTO THE FUTURE CREATIVELY AND PRACTICALITY: Planning day-to-day is obviously important, but a good leader must be able to see the long-range picture, to know the history of the organization and have a sense of the direction in which it is traveling. Effective leaders always have the long-range picture in mind as they plan laterally.

RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF STAFF TRAINING: Like a convoy, you are only as fast as your slowest ship. Unless your slowest team members are brought up to speed, you run the risk of losing them, along with the momentum of your group. Therefore, sharing the whole picture with team members and providing them with whatever training, supervision, and support they require pays off in the long run. High initial input pays high returns with human investment. A successful manager makes sure that the team members have the tools they need to handle a job most efficiently and with a minimum of stress.

BE A HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT PERSON: Show a commitment to your team member’s personal and professional development. It pays to care and to be supportive of the human needs of a team. Work is not accomplished through task orientation alone. A good leader fosters esprit de corps, which keep employees motivated. Team members are happy when they feel that their leader appreciates them as individuals, and when team members are happy, work goes smoothly. As an additional benefit, loyal team members become very protective of a leader or an organization over a hump.

Copyright AE Schwartz & Associates All rights reserved. For additional presentation materials and resources: ReadySetPresent and for a Free listing as a Trainer, Consultant, Speaker, Vendor/Organization: TrainingConsortium

CEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates, Boston, MA., a comprehensive organization which offers over 40 skills based management training programs. Mr. Schwartz conducts over 150 programs annually for clients in industry, research, technology, government, Fortune 100/500 companies, and nonprofit organizations worldwide. He is often found at conferences as a key note presenter and/or facilitator. His style is fast-paced, participatory, practical, and humorous. He has authored over 65 books and products, and taught/lectured at over a dozen colleges and universities throughout the United States.

When the New Year is upon us most smart business people take inventory and make plans for the coming year. Most of these actions focus on external items, like deciding on how many widgets you are going to make and sell, or how many new clients you hope to acquire by the end of the first quarter. While this type of inventory and planning is necessary, it is important as a business leader that you take time to inventory and plan for your own development as a leader, and this involves both reflection and introspection.

A good place to start is simply by asking yourself the question: what do you want people to say about your impact as a leader 10, 20 or 30 years from now? Or what would you like your leadership legacy to be? Even better: write down your responses to both of these questions. What comes out on paper may surprise you.

Cartoonist Johnny Hart once noted that a legacy is “something that one should be able to hand down, without having to trump up.” It is not a strategic plan that can be nicely quantified and measured. Rather, it is the sum of all of the outcomes resulting from our behavior that others continue to remember about us. That’s the key here - it’s what others continue to remember about us, not how we remember ourselves. Put another way, it is the cumulative record of how others think we measure up to the person that we had intended to be or that they expect us to be.

Take a moment to think of some of the current or former public or corporate leaders that have been in the news during the past year: The Apprentice’s, Donald Trump; The Oprah Winfrey Show’s, Oprah Winfrey; South Dakota’s former Senator, Tom Daschle; LA Laker’s Guard, Kobe Bryant; Martha Stewart Omnimedia, Martha Stewart; Secretary of State, Condolezzaa Rice; and U.S. President, George W. Bush. For most of us, it is probably very easy to articulate their leadership legacy - the good, the bad, and the ugly.

So, what can you do as a leader to ensure that your legacy is the one that you want to be remembered for? First, successful leaders have a strong sense of their personal values beyond their business values. They have a personal mission and vision for their life as well as their business. And, as you probably guessed, the most successful leaders are those who have found a way to combine the two proactively.

Second, successful leaders have passion. Find what you are passionate about in life and then find a way to incorporate this into your life in some way every single day. To me, passion can be defined as the current that propels us forward to fulfill a purpose or a goal. It is often the source of the creativity, energy, rejuvenation, and inspiration, that all leaders rely on everyday in order to be effective. For me, that passion revolves around helping others be successful leaders.

And finally, successful leaders take time every day for personal reflection and renewal. Reflection is critical because self-reflection is the greatest source that we have for tapping into our own self-knowledge. And, it is by tapping into our own self-knowledge that we grow both personally and professionally, helping us to become the authentic leaders we hope to be.

If you hope to obtain greater self-knowledge, the only way to do that is to find time for silence. In today’s 24/7 media-bombarded world, there are fewer and fewer opportunities that present themselves naturally for reflection. That’s why it is critical that you schedule time for reflection as frequently as you can. Daily would be best but weekly and monthly can work too.

You don’t always have control about what people will remember as your leadership legacy. However, there are things that you can do to ensure that you are remembered the way you want to be remembered. Identifying what you would like your leadership legacy to be is a good first step. Combine that with a strong sense of your personal values and your passion, and, take time for personal reflection and renewal, and you will be well on your way to achieving a lasting legacy that you can be proud of.

Regina Barr is a business consultant with a passion for helping companies develop their full potential by focusing on their most valuable asset: their people. For more information on her programs and services, check out her website, http://www.RedLadder.com and sign up for her free email newsletter, Developing People…Inspiring Success.

Have you ever encountered a person who feels like they are just “unfocused”. Or maybe this is happening to you. Studies have shown that many people (including very successful ones) feel this way. We often get the feeling that we’re stuck in a rut, going through the daily grind, just to stay where we are. Sort of like being on a treadmill: at the end of the day we’re spent, but what have we accomplished?

While most of us are not happy or satisfied with this feeling, some experts contend that this is really a good thing. How can that be? That seems totally against everything we’ve been taught.

The fact is, it’s the people who are not dissatisfied about being in a rut that are the ones who will never get out of it. If we are thinking about our goals, we will stand a much better chance of achieving them.

Three things to think about are:

1. What are we doing to achieve our goals? Are your goal-achieving activities consistant? Do they fit you and your personality?

2. Have you eliminated the waste in your life and your mind? What’s taking your time and energy but not helping with goal achievement?

3. Practice numbers 1 and 2 above!

Remember, though, that great achievements take time. Oh sure, we hear about this guy or that gal that came in and became the top salesperson of their Company in a few weeks flat. Does that ever happen? Sometimes. But, I would suggest that usually that person has spent time and effort elsewhere preparing for this position. Success rarely happens overnight. For example, was Tiger Woods successful the first time he picked up a golf club? I doubt it.

But back to that pit. If you feel like you really are stuck and can’t get out, try doing something radically different. Make some new goals, imagine what life will be like when you’re achieved them, get rid of what isn’t working. Think big and write down new goals or re-affirm your old ones. Also, remember to practice realistic patience.

Shirley Bullington has studied with several personal improvement trainers and loves the subject of goals and goal setting. She operates www.rgoals.com which is a goal and goal resource site. Please go to www.rgoals.com often for goal resources.

One of the most common complaints that small business owners have is lack of time. What most don’t realize, however is that their lack of time stems from a lack of organization. But with a few simple tips - that you can implement immediately - you can literally add hours to your day.

— Putting Things In Their Place

First and foremost, you should live by the motto, “A place for everything and everything in its place”. When you are finished with a piece of paper, a brochure or any other physical document - file it. What usually happens is that you finish using a piece of paper, “temporarily” put it in a stack and then have to spend two hours cleaning up after yourself once a week. Or, you may leave it in a stack and spend two hours a day digging through the mess to find what you need.

Create a filing system that works for you personally and then use it! Perhaps you’d like a filing cabinet? There are also expandable folders and numerous other filing systems. Choose the one you like, create a folder for it and put it where you can find it again if need be.

— I’ll Be Right There

How many times a day do you say (or think) that? Especially if you work from home, you probably have plenty of interruptions that take valuable time out of your day. If you’re a work-at-home parent with young children, it may be a bit more difficult to end interruptions all together, but these tips will help.

1. Set “office hours”. As much as possible, let your family know that between 8am and 11am, you’ll be working. Then again from 1pm until 6pm you’ll be “in your office”.

(Or whatever hours work best for you.)

2. Ignore your email. Well, partially, anyway. Unless you’re expecting some urgent message, don’t stop what you’re going to run check your messages each time you hear the “bell” ring. Decide on the time frame that works best for you and then check your email at certain times during the day. (Perhaps every three hours or so.) During the rest of your work time, turn your email software off so you can resist the temptation to check each message as it arrives.

3. Screen your calls. These days most people have voice mail or an answering machine. Unless you’re expecting a call, let the machine get it. Just as with your email schedule, you can set aside time during the day to return calls. This is a great way to avoid telemarketers, too!

— Automate and Delegate

When those routine tasks start taking up valuable money making time in your schedule, it’s time to either automate or delegate.

It’s all a matter of how you use your time - make money or waste money. You can earn money each hour by performing work or you can waste money by doing every little thing yourself. There are several options you can look into in this area.

Software - There is software available today that will do practically everything! GoldMine or ACT can automate almost all of your contact information, e-mailings, prospect follow-ups, appointments and much, MUCH more. Outlook is an exceptional ‘Day Timer’ type tool that can help with scheduling as well as email. SystemWorks can automatically maintain your computer’s “inner workings” and automatically update your virus protection. There’s a program to do practically anything you need.

Assistance - I know the first thing most small business owners scream is “I can’t afford an assistant”! Maybe not one that comes to your home and spends eight hours a day with you, but you CAN afford a virtual assistant, a college or a high school student.

A virtual assistant is someone who handles projects or duties for you “virtually” from their computer. Perhaps you need to have a report proofread. Just email it to him/her and, once it’s done, they’ll email it back to you. Virtual Assistants can also schedule appointments, follow up with clients, return routine email inquiries and perform numerous other tasks.

You can also check with the career development or job placement offices of local high schools and colleges. They often have students who are willing to work in exchange for a small fee or for the experience itself.

Whatever you do - make the most of your time. Being unorganized not only wastes hours of your day that you could be making money, but it also is a tremendous stress producer. Getting your office, your schedule and your day in order can make for a much more fulfilling and profitable business.

Diane C. Hughes * ProBizTips.com

FREE Report: Amazingly Simple (Yet Super Powerful)
Ways To Skyrocket Your Sales And Build Your Business
Into A Tower of Profits! ==>> http://madmarketer.com/diane