Match colors from Excel 2003 to Excel 2007

My husband (my IT guy) and I both have Microsoft Office 2007 installed on our computers, and we enjoy using the expanded palette of colors. However, this can be a problem when we work with people who are using earlier versions of Office. Being a resourceful person, he created a color matrix tool for use with Excel which guarantees we use/see the same colors as those with the 2003 version. Check out this cool tool at http://avapss.net/colormatrix.aspx.

Procrastination

You probably know the feeling: you have a looming deadline and suddenly there are a dozen or more things you would rather do. Worse, you do those dozen things because they will only take a minute or two (in your dreams). You might get side-tracked or decide to do this one other tiny project while you have your tools out. By the end of the day, you are no closer to completing the all-important work than you were yesterday.

 

I know—I took a college class on procrastination. I was so good at the subject, I should have gotten an A! Fortunately, I learned about time management instead. Try these tips yourself:

·         Determine how you spend the 24 hours you are given each day (use the journal in Microsoft Outlook, paper and pen, whatever works for you)

·         Decide what is truly important to you

·         Ditch activities that should not be taking up your time (or at least cut back on them)

·         Delegate what you can

·         Do what needs to be done in a timely fashion before the pressure of a deadline makes you want to avoid it or causes you to make costly mistakes

 

What time management techniques work best for you?

Do you blog to communicate ideas and connect people?

I just finished reading Seth Godin’s Tribes. I was struck by the importance of being able to communicate in a manner that unites people.

 

When you design promotional material, send a newsletter or autoresponder, write a blog, create a video, post on forums (or Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.) or build a Squidoo lens, are you building community? Don’t just go through the motions to increase your brand recognition. Dare to be the person who connects people and new ideas.

 

Take a look at Seth’s list of ways to get traffic for your blog. Use this as a blueprint as your practice communicating ideas and connecting people. Add some ideas of your own. Above all, have fun as your build community.

 

 

Priorities

You only have to turn on the news to realize tragedies occur daily, usually to other people in unknown places (but sometimes very close to home). What if your life was changed in an instant? Are you or your loved ones prepared to do business as usual? Would you want to?

 

A car accident a number of years ago caused me to examine my priorities. Suddenly, it was more important than ever to give thanks, to forget the what ifs and walk by faith. To spend more time with those I loved, to affirm with my words and actions that people are more important that possessions.

 

Don’t wait for a tragedy to decide what is truly important. What can you do differently starting today?

With thanks

In celebration of my business anniversary, I want to give thanks to God Who gives me wisdom and strength.

 

I am also extremely thankful for

·         my husband who provides encouragement and support

·         my mentors and those who showed the way in the years I served as a virtual volunteer

·         clients who let me partner with them and then became friends in the process

·         each person who didn’t know what a virtual assistant could do but contacted me anyway

·         those who created the technology that enables me to do work I love and those who keep it up and running.

 

Thank you all! May your generosity and goodness be richly rewarded.

Be an inspired entrepreneur

At some point in life, we all need inspiration, encouragement, and the proper resources to get ahead. I know I did. International Coaching Week has come and gone, but it’s not too late to discover what a coach can do for your personal or professional life. Get ready to evaluate, recharge, ponder new ideas, enjoy support, be accountable, and see results.

 

As a virtual assistant, I’ve had the privilege of working with Elizabeth Barbour as she gets ready to launch her coaching series From Tired to Inspired Entrepreneur: Love Your Work, Live Your Dream™ on February 17, 2009. If you are still undecided about the benefits of working with a coach, I suggest you check out Elizabeth’s program at http://www.inspiredentrepreneur.com/. Be inspired yourself!

Build a better [trade show] image

Build A Better Trade Show Image Week starts February 15 according to Chase’s Calendar of Events 2009. At first glance, you may think this has nothing to do with you. You might be surprised.

 

Trade show exhibitors are encouraged to appeal to visitors’ senses with things like visually-pleasing graphics, soothing sounds, enticing smells, touchable product, or tasty samples. While all of these are important, what about creating a feeling of being welcome, included, and important? In a trade show exhibit, you do this by inviting visitors into your space. You inquire about their interests. You identify with their problems and concerns in a small way, preferably before you launch your sales pitch.

 

It’s no different when meeting someone for the first time. Do an online search on “seconds to make a first impression” and you will discover a very narrow window of opportunity—anywhere from one tenth of a second to fifteen seconds. That’s enough time to offer a smile and a greeting of welcome, to draw someone into your conversation and make them feel included, or to shift the focus off of yourself to make someone else feel important.

 

How will you build a better [trade show] image for yourself?

National Wear Red Day

Tomorrow is National Wear Red Day, part of the American Heart Association’s campaign to increase our awareness of heart disease, particularly in women.

Please familiarize yourself with the signs and risks before it’s too late for someone you love. (I learned this from the doctor after my mother’s fatal stroke.)

 

Know the signs of a stroke:

·         Trouble speaking

·         Sudden confusion and trouble understanding

·         Dizziness

·         Difficulty walking or loss of coordination

·         Severe headache that comes on suddenly with no apparent cause

 

Know the symptoms of a heart attack:

·         Chest pain, pressure, or a burning sensation, usually in the center of the chest

·         Shortness of breath (especially in women)

·         Pain or discomfort  in the back, jaw (especially in women), neck, arms, or stomach

·         Nausea or vomiting (especially in women), lightheadedness, and cold sweats

 

Know what to do:

·         Don’t wait—call 9-1-1

·         If you must drive someone to the hospital (which may result in slower treatment than arriving by ambulance), give the patient an uncoated aspirin first

 

Know what you can do to lower your risk factors:

·         Don’t smoke or stop smoking now

·         Exercise or be more active

·         Lose weight if you are overweight

·         Lower high cholesterol level with diet, exercise, and/or medication

·         Lower high blood pressure with a low-sodium diet and/or medication

·         Carefully monitor your health, especially if you have a family history of heart disease or diabetes

·         Know that age is a factor

 

Network, network, network

As a business person, I’m sure you’ve heard this before: network, network, network. You have probably also heard others (if not yourself) say, “I’d rather have a root canal” [this is a direct quote—my apologies to the many excellent dentists out there] or some similar not-to-be-desired experience. What can you do to make the networking experience better?

 

Go with the expectation of giving something. Mention techniques that save time or tools that save money. Speak highly of another person at the gathering. Put someone else at ease with thoughtful questions. Share your skills or wisdom to address a problem.

 

Unless you are the guest speaker, listen and talk in equal parts. Show an interest in others. If they don’t reciprocate, be thankful for this glimpse at their people skills before you entered into a business relationship or made a deal  for whatever they are promoting in their monologue.

 

Realize people like to deal with those they know and trust but it takes time to build relationships. Who wouldn’t like networking if all one had to do was give a sales pitch and seal the deal? Instead, you are making an investment in people’s lives. This may (or may not) pay dividends down the road in lasting friendships, increased business, or opportunities for personal growth.

 

What do you do to make networking a positive experience for others?