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Sorting out the clutter within and around your workspace may seem less like a tool to improve your efficiency as a remote worker, but it is what it is.

Decluttering can be satisfying and when properly done, it gives you a sense of control that is absolutely empowering.

A lot of times we keep things around because we used to need them or think we might need them but that’s not how it always goes and most of these things just end up taking space. When this happens, the joy of having them around fades into some sort of irritation and frustration but by then, we are already too attached to let go. Still, you have to.

Living with or working around excessive stuff can cause you to constantly feel overwhelmed and lead you to procrastination because you already feel exhausted before getting to the things that need to be done.

So, first, think of decluttering your workspace as a way to put your life in order. The same reason why you wouldn’t want irrelevant things or persons to get attached to you is the same reason why you need to let go of anything in your workspace that no longer serves you. And, that reason is as simple as you need to breathe.

Although papers always seem handy and useful, they are one of the easiest ways to clog your workspace and since you work at home with no janitor to pick up after you, it’s very easy to pile them up.

Gather all the papers and carefully look through them to determine what stays and what goes. You may want to keep that piece you doodled on while having a crazy negotiation but remember that if it is not important, it has to go.

If you’re the type who manages stress by doodling, you should consider getting a sketch pad to keep all your doodles in one place instead of having pieces of paper or sticky notes filled with them lying around.

Getting rid of pens can be quite challenging but not only does keeping old pens around take up space, they can be very frustrating when you need one the most. So, save yourself the stress of having to search for a pen that works from a pile of old pens in the middle of a meeting on a sunny Monday afternoon.

Breaking ties with the past can be very difficult but letting go of damaged cables, outdated documents, broken gadgets and lots more, can show you that it’s okay to let go of other bigger things in your life that you’ve held onto for so long.

Also note that decluttering doesn’t always mean throwing things away. Sometimes, all you need to do is sort and organize things accordingly. Doing this helps you to know where to look when you need a thing instead of wasting your time.

Decluttering helps you get organized, manage space appropriately, save time, and working in such an environment is great for your ultimate productivity. Find time to declutter this month, you’d be glad you did.

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It's no news that the covid19 pandemic changed us permanently. From traveling restrictions and bans, to communications channels and companies' culture. Almost all of our everyday experiences have evolved since the pandemic breakout. For most businesses, hosting a virtual meeting has become a norm. In fact, the evolution of meetings into the virtual spaces have gained more relevance and become preferable for most in the last 2 years. This can only mean, more executives, business owners and corporate workers will host more virtual meetings years to come. Hence, there is a need to understand the basic pipelines to an effective virtual meeting. First, the success of your virtual meetings does not solely depend on internet connection. Infact, fast connectivity with poor time management and organization will only ruin your meeting.

So before you commence, be sure to follow these steps:

#1 Select the right meeting software

"Where is the venue?" This is often the first question that comes whenever you invite anyone to your event. It is the same for virtual meetings, you need a virtual space where your guest and speakers can meet. There are several options, however factors like, focus of the meeting, time frame or complexity of the meeting will determine your choice. For work sessions, and training, you may likely need to share your screen, hence tools like Google Meet, Zoom, Skype and Microsoft Teams can be used. Moreover, paying for premium services on these tools gives 100% productivity.

#2 Test run before the meeting

It is important that everyone involved in your upcoming virtual meeting tests the software ahead of time. One of the disadvantages of virtual meetings includes technical problems that may frustrate your guests during the meeting. Major problems can include login difficulties, webcam, or screen sharing concerns. These hiccups in technology can reduce productivity.

#3 Create a timeline

Have you ever attended a 30-minutes meeting that lasted for two hours? I bet you were frustrated and wished the meeting could end immediately. Having a timeline helps you stick to the plan. Ensure that you prepare a timeline before the meeting. List specific topics that will be discussed with a time-bound.

#4 Send out invites

Once the timeline is prepared, send an event invite to your guests. I will recommend that you send the invite at least 2 weeks before the event, so you can send a follow-up email. One important thing to consider when sending invites is the kind of event you are hosting. There are certain tools like Eventbrite to help you register your guests with ease. You can also use the Google form to collect the email address and personal details of everyone who registers for your event. Interestingly, these tools also send reminders to your guests, so you don't have to worry about follow-ups.

Finally, virtual meetings can be more difficult than physical meetings. So, you must pay extra attention to your process, team members and tools. Ask questions from your team members to see the best tool for you. If possible, get a team to help you monitor your organizations.

Have you ever set out on a journey with no particular destination in mind? That sounds a little silly, so let me put it another way. Imagine your friend invited you to a birthday lunch and told you to ask for a restaurant where a birthday party was being held once you got off the bus.

Chances are you’re going to end up in the wrong destination because although you know where you’re going, you don’t have the full information to help you get there. In essence, I have just tried to describe to you what happens when you get on the internet in search of whatever you need without a proper understanding of how to find your way around.

You might be thinking, “it’s just the internet, what could be hard about it”, but would you rather waste your precious time opening and closing unhelpful and unrelated tabs or find relevant information for your query straight away? My best guess is that your time is precious and shouldn’t be wasted.

So, how do you explore the internet?

First, there are many search engines across the world, but according to a 2021 result from a web traffic analysis tool, Google is by far the most popular search engine in the UK, followed by Bing, and Yahoo. And most of the tips I’d be sharing apply to all of them.

Now, let’s skip to the good part like the Gen Zs say these days.

To concentrate on a particular keyword and get rid of unhelpful words in your search results, place a hyphen/minus sign/small dash immediately before the word you want to exclude. For example, typing dieting -vegan in your search bar will provide results for dieting excluding information on vegan dieting saving you time on having to scroll through a clutter of information.

Another way to generate specific results about a certain word or phrase is to enclose it in quotation marks. If you are looking for an application to sort bookkeeping for your SME, typing “bookkeeping apps for small businesses” in the search bar will prompt the search engine to search specifically for that and generate results that lead to a quick resolution of your query.

If you’re looking to find a similar website to one you already know, typing related: immediately before the website address will help you generate a list of similar websites. For example, if you want to find websites like Quora, type related:www.quora.com into the search bar and click search. Voila! The results that you’d get will show you other websites similar to the one you have searched for and save you from having to read long boring articles with clickbait titles.

Oftentimes, the top search results you get during a search are from websites that have been optimized for search engines and the fact that they pop up on the first page doesn’t mean that they will have the best information. Also, the first set of results you’d see are mostly going to be advertisements. They’ve been placed there to sell to you and if you’re looking to buy, that could be a good place to start. Otherwise, keep scrolling.

Another thing you need to have at your disposal is the patience to verify every link and advert before clicking, signing up or making payments. We live in a fast-paced world but a moment of wrong decisions can haunt you for life. To avoid regrets, you can check how safe a web link is by copying it into a link checker like Google Transparency Report where you can know the status of a website as at the time you intend to visit it.

Lastly, to explore the internet in 2022, you need to simplify your search words. Unless it’s really necessary, exclude prepositions, conjunctions, and articles from your searches. These words generate more results than you need and the goal is to save time and have a good experience. So, keep it simple.

Every business owner desires to build a successful business; however, what most entrepreneurs do out of a high level of entrepreneurial enthusiasm, is hop on every potential opportunity for sales and visibility that comes their way instead of finding their focus.

A few years ago, I met up with a guy just starting a consulting business. He just wanted to ensure that he had something to offer every time there was a chance to make money. When I asked him about his offerings, he took his time to read me a long list of the services he intended to provide. Still, by the time he was done, I was as clueless about the focus of his business as I had been before he began his explanation.

After all these years, I still see that guy in many entrepreneurs today.

Although it is not a bad idea to seize opportunities, most business owners mix it up to make sales and keep the business running. They wander all over the place with different offerings and strategies that end up confusing customers as to what the company offers.

To truly succeed in business, you have to set clearly defined goals and achieve – if not all – a significant amount of them. These goals are the key metrics that indicate when you’re on the path to excellent performance and top-notch execution of your business or otherwise. And, one sure way to achieve your goals is by being consistent. But, consistency can be an extreme sport, so the focus is essential. Inconsistency thrives in the absence of focus, but focus helps you keep track of your successes and failures, another important aspect of building your business. One major benefit of being focused is that it ensures that you efficiently exert your entrepreneurial energy. It allows you to invest all your energy and concentration into getting things right before moving to the next phase instead of focusing on multiple things and delivering average results.

At different stages of your entrepreneurial journey, you’d have different things to focus on. For instance, before launching your business, you should focus on defining your niche, your audience, the products or services you are offering, your marketing strategy, and so on. After launching, you can focus on monitoring your leads, managing cash flow, controlling prices, building customer loyalty, and so much more, depending on the scale of your business. Focus is important because it helps you move on to other goals after achieving the set ones. It also helps you to optimize the tasks you're working on and get the best results from them before moving on.

Summarily, paying attention to one thing at a time helps you deliver great value through your business and enhance the growth of your business which ultimately enables you to generate a steady income and have a foothold in the marketplace. If you’re not familiar with doing one thing at a time, my advice for you is to try it for a day, a week, one month, etc., and compare the results you have with what you used to have before you read this post.

Need help finding focus in your business? You’re on the right track! Book an appointment with me today to get started

Teamwork is an excellent tool for the advancement and growth of any business and organization, but leading a team can be daunting. Working with different people from different backgrounds with varying ethics of work and behavioural patterns can be a hard nut to crack, but no matter how hard, you have to find a way to ensure the job gets done.

Here are four ways to achieve efficiency with your team

1. Have a Great Onboarding Process – This is a procedure that helps integrate a new hire into the culture and system of your business and provides them with every information and tool that they would need to settle into your team. The duration of this process varies, but at the end of it, the employee should fully comprehend your goals and objectives as a team.

2. Organize Employee Training – This process enables you to provide your team with the specific skills and knowledge required to function at their best within your organization. It helps to improve the productivity of team members. These training sessions also help identify the strengths and weaknesses of team members, which would enable you to create a work process and environment that efficiently combines team members’ abilities to achieve effective results.

3. Effective Delegation – Effective delegation reduces the chances of overlapping activities and increase productivity. With clearly defined roles and tasks, each team member can focus their energy on putting their best foot forward without fear of being in the shadows of some other team members. This way, each team member gets due credit for their inputs, and everyone can exist in harmony.

4. Feedback – To increase productivity and efficiency, create a system that enables your team members to get feedback on their performances occasionally. This review should focus on improving the quality of work and services delivered by the team. It should also tackle any challenges members might be facing and offer guidance on best practices to enhance performance and teamwork.

5. Clear Communication Chain – Miscommunication is a potent ingredient for failure in any team; it can sabotage the progress of a project at any point. From onboarding to execution of each project, you must ensure that every bit of information is passed correctly and understood by every team member before progressing. You can achieve this by establishing a clear communication chain where team members can double-check every information received, gain clarity and deliver precisely.

Nothing beats a formidable team of individuals who understand the assignment ahead of them. Although it may be quite challenging, building an effective and productive team is an achievable feat.

Although not everyone would initially set off at the same speed, with a bit of commitment from all the parties involved and a structure that allows for growth, every team member would eventually catch up and find their place in the team.

The year 2021 has ended, and you are most likely considering investing your profits. What if I told you to reinvest in your business? Running a business is a lifelong learning process. The best way to remain productive is to ensure that every business element is functional. This includes your team, marketing strategies, and structures. I strongly agree that there are many ways to invest your profit; however, this article will help you discover four ways to reinvest your profits in your business.

Let's Dig In!

#1 Infrastructure and Tools

Purchasing new tools or equipment for your business promotes your growth. It may be expensive or unnecessary, but it will enhance your growth. In many cases, small business owners find it challenging to buy equipment for their business. As a network marketing coach, I invest a lot in tools to enhance my growth. These tools could be as insignificant as subscribing to a website for certain resources or joining a community. I often advise business owners to have the latest tools for their business. Doing so saves time and helps you deliver quality services.

#2 Employee's Training

I know you are ready to buy some tools to make more money, but have you considered if you have the right hands on deck. It's fine if you have no employees or team members, but if you do, invest in your team.

I am a big fan of team management. So many business owners fail to understand that employees are also an integral part of marketing elements. For example, after evaluating your business performance in the previous year, you might consider hiring a consultant to train your employees. Moreover, employee training is a means of marketing. A happy employee will most likely talk about their employer and company.

#3 Marketing Campaigns

As an entrepreneur, I have discovered that investing in your marketing strategies is never wrong. The better your reputation in the marketplace, the higher your chance of profitability. The biggest companies in the world still spend millions of dollars on their marketing campaigns. They wouldn't spend that much if the marketing wasn’t important.

Your marketing campaigns could include running an ad on social media, paying an influencer to talk about your product, or hiring a copywriter.

#4 Company's SEO

Over the years, SEO has become an important tool in digital marketing. In simple terms, search engine optimization is a way to optimize your website to achieve better visibility on Google. Think of your favorite band; the closer you are to the stage, the better your chance of having physical contact with the band. In this case, investing in SEO makes you attract more customers and builds your visibility.

The world has changed, likewise businesses. This is why you must leverage the internet, get a website, build a digital presence. This way, you are headed for more productivity.

Contrary to popular opinions, investing in massive ideas is not the only way to improve profits. Small-scale entrepreneurs often need to invest in these options to increase revenue.

Being an entrepreneur is a learning journey; people’s buying habits change, the market change, and technology changes. Your ability to deal with these changes helps you stay in the game. Being relevant is a product of hard work and consistent improvement in life. I have discovered that success takes a holistic approach. It is beyond perfecting a skill instead of developing a better perspective towards growth and life as a whole.

Self-development can be a catalyst of change that brings you closer to your business. The more you grow, the better decisions you make and the more you can grow your business.

Here are Self-development Habits I Practice Regularly

#1 Read books.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” - Dr Seuss

Reading can expand your knowledge and improve your critical thinking skills. Try setting a reading goal every month to learn something new. There are many self-help and business books out there. Some books like The Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason can be of great help.

#2 Observe others.

Aside reading, studying high profile individuals is relevant for growth. While books gives a visual representation of people’s mindset, observing their lifestyle reflects their true self. You observe their way of life, communication style, fashion style and many more. If you have people who inspire you, identifying the qualities you admire in them will be helpful. Moreso, ensure that you replicate them in your life.

#3 Ask for feedback.

I have come to observe that the reason many people are stuck is because they ignore the importance of feedback. Have you ever been stuck in mediocre situation? Perhaps, you have always repeated the same mistakes at work. One day, you realize there is a way out because you ask questions or summed up courage to ask for feedback. Getting feedback from your colleagues, friends, or superiors is a great way to grow. After completing any project, approach any of these people to give you feedback. You can also ask for feedback regarding your attitude to work, interpersonal and communication skills. Sometimes, you learn new methods for self-improvement when you ask for feedback.

#4 Find a life coach or mentor

As a business coach, I am passionate about helping business owners grow. However, I did not become a coach in one day. I learnt from others, attende conferences, read books and practiced the above. One of the best ways to achieve success is finding a life coach. Coaches are individuals who have experience in specific areas. Finding a coach in the area you struggle with the most is a great way to grow.

Finally, personal development impacts your business and relationships with others. This results in becoming the best version of yourself.

Have you been looking for ways to expand your business and customer base? Collaborating with other business owners is a great way to achieve that. Business partnership is one of the most effective ways to expand your customer base and become more visible in your industry. As an entrepreneur, I have collaborated with different entrepreneurs and businesses over the years. At first, I was a bit skeptical about partnership too. Many entrepreneurs are also skeptical about collaboration for many reasons. Will that work? What if we fail? What if I lose? Worrying about these things is a valid concern.

Given that you found a strong and committed partner, you do not need to worry about these concerns. Of course, you have to run a background check on your prospective partner and consider their goals. If you consider them a great partner, then you are on your way to a successful partnership.

Here Are Four Ways To Build A Successful Partnership

#1 Share the same values.

One of the mistakes entrepreneurs make as regards partnership is looking outside of their circle and neglecting their goals. Your values and goals are your compass to success. Firstly, it is okay if you cannot consider any of your close friend for partnership. Nevertheless, ensure that you choose someone who shares the same value with you. If you are a network marketer with passion to promote health for elderly people. you should consider partnership with someone whose goal is the same. However, your partner might have a different approach. For instance, your partner coniders technology a good way to solve health problems. Partnership is all about shared values, complimentary skills and ambitions.

#2 Clearly define each other’s roles and responsibilities.

After finding a partner with a similar value, it is important to define each person’s roles and responsibilities. Defining roles prevent disagreement and also create a healthy business structure. It also helps you and your partner grow without conflict. Successful businesses ensure that each partner have their job description, and each role can differ. Roles often depends on the skillset and knowledge of each partner. Moreover, you will save yourself from stress when you know what your partner does best.

#3 Select an operational business structure.

What kind of partnership do you want to run? This is similar to your business structure. Before signing an agreement with anyone, you must decide the type of partnership. To avoid comflict, hiring an attorney during this process will help you a lot. Moreover, partnership can either be a limited, general, or limited liability partnership. Each type of business structure has its benefits and downsides.

#4 Make your partnership legal.

Even if you’re starting a business with your best friend, it is important to have a legal document regarding your business structure. The legal document guides capital distribution, fund management, team management and dispute resolution. The truth is partnerships can go sour at any time; hence it is important to draw up legal documents. With the right documents, you can handle any difficulties that may arise.

Finally, once you’ve found your partner, work together to build your business. Prioritize a healthy communication chain to help you build a strong relationship. Partnership is about growing, learning and benefiting from each other’s knowledge and experience.

Founding a business can seem complicated, especially in the United Kingdom. There are many factors to consider before starting your business. From implementing your idea, to registering your company, fundraising, and many more, building your business could be a huge task. This article will guide you on how to start a successful business from scratch in the UK in a few steps.

Let’s dig in!

#1 Research your business ideas: The process of coming up with ideas is time-consuming, but you must ensure that you get through the ideation process to get a great business idea. Most importantly, researching your business idea can be a major determinant of success for your business. It is also crucial that you analyze and define your target market before implementing your business ideas.

#2 Create a business plan: A business plan is a structured outline that entails the business's objectives, core values, and details. Having a business plan helps you sort out your thoughts and present them to potential investors and partners. Moreover, a great business plan creates a big difference between your business and your competitors.

#3 Register your business: There are different types of business registration in the UK. Your business structure determines the type of registration. The types of business structure include sole trader, limited company, private limited company, public limited company, limited liability partnership, and limited partners. You must select the structure of the business based on your business operation.

To register your company, visit The UK's Company Registration and Filling website. Registration takes about 30minutes if you have the required details ready. Registration costs about £12 online, and it takes 24hours to get your company registered. The details required for registration include:

Company name
Address of the company
Details of company shares
One or more director’s words and details
A memorandum and articles of association

#4 Set up your finances, accounting, and tax: After setting up your company's legal structure, financial and tax responsibilities should follow. Before generating income or any financial transaction, you are expected to open a bank account to send, receive and secure your money. You should select a bank carefully. There are many banks in the UK, and it’s important to choose a bank that fits your services best.

#5 Insure your business: After completing your financial requirements, ensure that you protect your business from unpredictable events with a well-established insurance firm.

#6 Create a brand identity for your business: The world's most successful companies have a public face. A brand identity is defined as the elements or values that are associated with your company. To begin your brand identity journey, develop an image that will represent your business in the market. Furthermore, create your website, leverage social media platforms, and have an official email address. Having a brand identity makes you stand out in a competitive environment.

Starting a business in the United Kingdom can seem overwhelming without a guide, which is why I have created this six-step guide to help you build your dream company. Reach out to me if you need clarification or help on your entrepreneurial journey.

Growing a business is not for the faint-hearted. It comes with many challenges, starting from generating ideas, creating products, and to marketing products. I have experienced these struggles firsthand, and I have had to learn to be better positioned for marketing. Poor marketing will water down your business efforts, whether you sell products, information, or services. However, in this article, I will share the best marketing techniques that have really helped me grow through the years.

Marketing Techniques That Yield Amazing Results

Content marketing: As a business owner in the 21^st century, you cannot ignore the power of content marketing. Content marketing is a marketing strategy focused on distributing valuable and relevant content to attract and retain your defined audience. The goal of content marketing is to inform your audience about your brand, product, and services. As an entrepreneur that utilizes social media, I have learned to invest in content marketing. Whether it is a blog post, social media post, or YouTube video, all of these have the power to skyrocket your sales.
Brand influencer marketing: The global market is becoming increasingly competitive. With brand ambassadors, brand influences, and partners, marketing has become easier and enjoyable. Competition definitely makes marketing burdensome. Hence everyone wants to discover the best method to find and convert their audience. Leveraging on the right influencers can help you target and achieve your marketing goals. With the right sales systems and products, you will enjoy massive sales if you have the ideal influencer partnership.
Strategic lead magnets: The efficiency of your marketing campaign is often dependent on your lead magnet. As an experienced entrepreneur, I have discovered that a great lead magnets attracts your ideal customers and could create explosive marketing results. Building a lead magnet is not rocket science. By identifying your audience's pain points you can profer a sustainable solution that they may not know about. Afterward, you determine the type of lead magnet to build. Your lead magnet could be an ebook, checklist, video, or cheat sheet. Remember that your lead magnet must be designed to convert enough people to buy your other products and services.
Create an affiliate program: Affiliate marketing is a great strategy for business growth. With affiliates marketing, you can effectively market your services and products with a low budget and minimal effort. Affiliate marketing is an effective technique that allows you to save the cost of marketing and focus on expanding your business. According to Statista, affiliate marketing is expected to reach a value of $8.2 billion in 2022. Therefore leveraging affiliate marketing to promote your products and services is a great way to skyrocket your business in 2021.