Time Archives - BOLLYWOOD SURKHIYAN

Perfect Time to Invest in Nepal

Business opportunity in Nepal has been underestimated for far too long. Entangled in political revolution for almost two decades, investment in Nepal was definitely a risky proposition. However, as political agenda has now rightly shifted towards economic growth, with a stable government in place, Nepal has become the perfect place to invest.

Achieving a GDP growth of 7.5% in 2017, the signs of a revitalized economy have already been felt. In recent years, there have been notable improvements from government in eliminating crippling power cuts and crafting investment friendly bills. The drastic increase in Foreign Direct Investment in Nepal is a clear sign that it is high time to capitalize in the economic boom that is here and now.

Hydropower, tourism and cement industries are thriving. The service sector and small to medium enterprises aren’t far behind to benefit from the rapid growth in business activity in the country which has been parallel to development in infrastructure. The entrepreneurial movement has taken pace and young entrepreneurs with big visions are emerging in Nepal whose contribution can be directly felt in every sector. With the very large potential and inexpensive labor, the return on investment in this unsaturated market would definitely be higher than investing in any saturated market.

WHY 2018?

Political Consensus

After two decades of political unrest, the Central Government formed with majority and committed to promote investment and economic activities

All political parties incorporating economic issues as major agenda

Stable province and energetic local government focused and dedicated to the improvement of livelihood of people.

Regional Presence

Nepal recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the framework agreement on China’s One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR)

Government of Nepal Committed to improve connectivity with both neighboring countries through road and railway

Being a Member of South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectorial Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Free Trade Agreement, it savors a duty and tax-free experience

Ease of Doing Business

Nepal was ranked third after Bhutan and India among South Asian countries in the ‘Ease of Doing Business Report 2017’ by the World Bank.

Nepal has recently revised its law and regulation to make it more investment friendly and is in continuous improvement process.

100% ownership to Foreign Investors is allowed in most sectors.

Investments as per Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) signed with Finland, India, Germany, Mauritius, Qatar, United Kingdom, and France Mean a more friendly investment opportunity.

Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement signed with Austria, China, India, Korea, Mauritius, Norway, Pakistan, Qatar, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Location and geographical convenience

Nepal is located between two of the world’s largest economies known for their highly accelerated economic growth: India and China

It has an access to the market of approximately 2.7 billion population.

Open border and a duty free trade with India and a duty free access to China for over 8000 products.

Capable Human Resources

Government initiation to improve technical skill and competence of work force required for rapid economic development

Out of 28 million population 61% are the working population.

Participation of women population is comparatively high among the South Asian countries.

The labor cost is low.

Where to Invest?

a. Hydroelectricity

Being the second richest country in hydroelectricity potential, Nepal has a huge future in this sector. Supported by its geographical inclination, Nepal has a large number of steep, eternal rivers; development of massive hydroelectricity projects is a possibility. Since Nepal is a developing nation with a crunch of funds, resources haven’t be used to their potential. Also, India, the southern neighbor will always have a demand for clean and cheap electricity due to which there is always a market for the hydropower projects in Nepal. With more than six thousand large and small perennial rivers flowing all over Nepal including three major rivers Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali, there is a huge business opportunity in hydropower in Nepal.

b. Transport

Nepal is a landlocked country with a topographical diversity making transport evidently difficult. Thus, the need of proper transportation facilities is acute. There is a need of different transports such as cable transport, railways, water transport etc. As a result of geographical diversity, there is a lack of roads all over the country, and even the roads in the urban areas are in bad condition and need expansion; therefore developing better roadways and investing in new road projects are a priority for the government making this a good venture to invest in. Availability of a huge mountain range benefits the cable transport projects. Also, Railways could have a huge potential of replacing other transport facilities in the southern plains. Existence of only one international airport is a major problem and therefore a major business opportunity. Transportation projects which have big budgets are the perfect sector to invest in Nepal.

c. Agriculture

Agriculture sector being the largest contributor in the GDP of the country is the factor that dominates the economy. Till the 1980s, most people were dependent on agriculture for earning a living, however lesser number of population is reliant on agriculture as their livelihood. Agriculture as business is still not seen as a profitable venture by a large segment of population.

Nepal is geographically and topographically fit for agriculture and with perfect climatic conditions. This is also a plus factor for growing and reaping rare medicinal herbs. New technologies contributing to agriculture is very rare, making the possibilities of introducing this is a huge investment opportunity in Nepal. Production of cash crops as a business idea could be a profitable business as commercial agricultural projects are still not big in Nepal.

d. Tourism

Bearing a diverse geographical condition, a very rich and divergent culture Nepal attracts a magnificent number of tourists making tourism a leading economy. Eight out of the ten world’s highest peaks and other various mountain ranges dwell in the country which shapes it as a hub for mountaineers, rock climbers, hikers and others who seek adventures. Nepal is the birthplace of Buddha and a home to a lot of Hindu and Buddhist shrines, attracting a huge mass of pilgrimages on a yearly basis. The temples and monuments dating back to history and having huge archeological importance, a lot of archeologist are also welcomed annually. The number of tourists entering Nepal is inclining at an exponential rate, with foreign tourists staying in the country for an average of 11.78 days. The unique flora and fauna is another reason for the possible growth of tourism. Every year a new attraction, new wilderness and new adventure unfolding in one of the remote areas of Nepal. The country has a whole lot of skilled porters and guides who could be hired in a very low wage. All these factors make tourism perhaps the best sector to invest in Nepal.

e. Infrastructure

Infrastructural development is one of the vital needs of Nepal. Due to the large earthquake in 2015, there were devastating losses in the major areas of Kathmandu valley and other areas, which called for a dire need of creation of earthquake proof infrastructures. Since the transportation facilities need a lot of improvement, this could be a sector to invest in as well. The Nepalese government has always been supportive of investors trying to work in the infrastructure sector.

f. Information Technology

IT field has dominated the world at this point and Nepal is no exception. Nepal has a mass of skilled IT graduates who could be hired in very cheap wages. As it is an upcoming interest in the Nepalese scenario, new talents and ideas could surely be explored. IT companies emerging as a new business venture; the competition is less if you decide to invest right now.

g. Mines and Minerals

Nepal lies in the central part of the Himalayan Belt, making it very rich in minerals. The Himalayan region consists of clusters of metallic and non-metallic minerals. Nepal is also known for exporting a range of beautiful decorative stones. Even with the presence of bulks of minerals scattered all around the Himalayan range, Nepal itself has not been able to extract these minerals. The existing mineral extraction businesses are less in number and are not very effective. Ample opportunities exist for the investors who could invest in cement factories, lime extraction, coal, magnetize, talc clay etc. So if anyone decides to invest in this sector, this could be a very profitable business endeavor in Nepal.

h. Health & Education

Health sector is in a very poor state in Nepal. It needs a lot of improvisation and improvement. Therefore, it would be very profitable for someone who is interested in investing in Nepal in this sector. Likewise the education sector is largely lagging. A lot of students go abroad each year for quality education. These should be good reasons to invest in Nepal.

I. Telecommunication

With the increment of population and growing business and technology, telecommunication is a pressing need. There are only a few telecommunication companies in Nepal, and therefore less competition. Geographical conditions being challenging in the country, even the existing networks have not reached the remote areas. This generates a massive opportunity for anyone wanting to conceive a profitable business in Nepal.

Nepal is moving towards a liberal foreign investment policy and is aiming to create an investment friendly environment to allure Foreign Investments in the nation. Foreign investment both as joint venture operations with Nepalese investors or as 100 percent foreign-owned enterprises are highly encouraged by the Nepalese government. With comparatively lower taxation and ease of doing business, Nepal is one of the ripest destinations to invest for both Nepalese and Foreign Investors.

Time to Learn Another Major Language or Two!

On Sunday, the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia reached a grand finale with France hoisting the coveted gold trophy after beating Croatia 4-2. And soon the new season of the English Premier League will kick off as are other leagues in Europe. For soccer lovers, these are exciting times!

What is of more interest to me though is how all the transnational players that ply their trade in these lucrative leagues communicate effectively. I mean how do their coaches manage to get the message across on the training field to all these players of different nationalities? Could it be that a player that speaks many languages has more chances for success in these cutthroat competitive leagues than those who don’t?

Multilingualism gives one an edge over others

Oh yes, multilingualism gives one an edge over others. Arsene Wenger who was at the helm of Arsenal FC for 22 years became hugely successful not only because of his coaching nous but also because of his ability to speak many languages. Monsieur Wenger speaks six languages fluently: French, English, Japanese, German, Italian and Spanish. This ability helped him to transmit his ideas clearly and easily to the players who could not speak English. For example, when he signed Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona in 2003, the latter didn’t speak or understand a word of English. Thus Wenger always interacted with him in Spanish. He also encouraged him to learn English and by the time Fabregas left the club, he was bilingual; very fluent in English and Spanish.

Wenger’s realization that the ability to speak many languages helps players to bond and understand the world and football philosophy better saw him advocate for language learning in Arsenal’s youth setup. The benefits from this quickly spilled over so much that everyone knows about the “Arsenal way”, which is basically about Arsenal’s synergy; Arsenal players having a bond akin to one close family as well allowing their feet to speak a language of their own on the field by playing quick, beautiful and aesthetic football that is hard to imitate.

Also the fact that football managers and players that are multilingual have been hugely successful wherever they have plied their trade shows that speaking many languages is a huge plus. For example, Pep Guardiola who has been very successful in Spain, Germany and England as a manager speaks German, English, Catalan, Spanish and Italian. Jose Mourinho who is also one of the most successful football managers speaks Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian and English fluently.

Cristiano Ronaldo who has four times won the Fifa Ballon d’Or as the best player in the world speaks Portuguese, Spanish and English, whereas Manchester United star Romelu Lukaku who was born in Belgium but has Congolese roots is fluent in six languages: Dutch, French, English, Spanish, Portuguese and Swahili.

All these coaches and players are hugely successful because their ability to speak many languages helps them to easily receive and internalize messages. It gives them that extra edge and boosts their confidence. They can easily settle into many geographical realms and feel at home, thanks to their ability to easily interact with the natives of those areas.

As people continue to intermarry and travel, being multilingual becomes a necessary skill that comes with many opportunities. Moreover, many countries today have more than one official national language, thus those unable to communicate in at least two or more major languages such as English, Chinese, Spanish, Arabic or Hindi, will soon be left behind in a world that gets more complex and competitive with every passing day. However, translation companies have also kicked in to save the day with services like Somali translation services, Yoruba translation Services, Malagasy translation services, Africa Conference Interpreters among many others.

Indian Bloggers Income From Blogging Full Time

Bloggers like Amit Agrawal and Harsh Agrawal are earning more than Rs 40 lakhs per month. Not only them, several bloggers earning Rs 40 lakhs per month in India.

If you have patience and passion to write, start blogging. You need to spend minimum Rs 3000-5000 to book a domain and start web hosting. We will provide you tips to start blogging to earn money from home. Blogging is a secure passive income. Rest is a history.

Select a niche market. There are 100 of topics available to blog. We cannot be master of all. But, we can try to blog on different topics. After blogging for 20-30 articles, we will get an idea. Automatically, we will understand our expertise, passion and fun in writing.

We can start with travel blog, shopping or food. If you are good in technology, try for it. The market is open. Do not fear for the competitor.

With each blog, you will learn and perform better than the previous blogs. There is no thumb rule to be a successful blogger. Those earning Rs 10-20 lakhs per month by blogging are like us.

They also suffer setbacks, disappointment and even left blogging before tasting success. So, read popular blogs in India. Some are writing hindi blogs and earning a lot. We have to learn and earn.

There are various tips to start blogging to earn money from home available in YouTube as well. Watch them and read the success stories of successful bloggers in India. Below we will provide some blog examples.

I am giving a list of top 15 heavy traffic blogs in India. Learning from them will give us an idea how to start blogging to earn money from home.

BloggingX

Udit Goenka

Labnol.org

YourStory.com

Trak.in

Bloggers Ideas

Digital Deepak

99Signals

ShoutMeLoud

Bloggers Passion

JagoInvestor.com

Techpp.com

AllTechBuzz.net

PhoneRadar.com

VegRecipesofIndia.com

Before you close this page, see the income of best bloggers in India. We are showing the expected income per month from blogging.

Blogger (Earnings per month)

Amit Agrawal ( US$ 60,000)

Harsh Agrawal (US$ 52,434)

Faisal Farooqui (US$ 50,000)

Shradha Sharma (US$ 30,000)

Varun Krishnan ( US$ 22,000)

Srinivas Tamada (US$ 20,000)

Ashish Sinha (US$ 18,000)

Arun Prabhudesai (US$ 15,000)

Do you want to become a blogger and earn Rs 40 lakhs per month. You can be a stock traders and earn more. But, stock market is risky. Blog is not risky.

Don’t asked me how much I earn, I am just starting. And I will disclose my income after 2 years. For this I need patience, dedication and consistency in blogging.

Best Time to Hold Business Meetings is When?

Studies show there is no best time to hold a business meeting. However, acceptable times for having meetings can depend on the culture of a corporation, career type, work group, or country. The key to finding the best time is what will work for the group who is meeting and for the type of activities that are expected to be carried out in the meetings. If the meeting activity requires information sharing, then this can be done at a leisurely pace if desired or accomplished at a quicker pace to prevent too much irrelevant discussion. If the meeting requires a significant amount of participation, such as problem solving or idea generation, then a time when people tend to be most active and ready to work creatively would be preferred.

Early morning is often considered good for high participation meetings as people are much fresher and more ready to discuss ideas. Also participants have not yet encountered any problems with their regular work day that may distract their concentration. In contrast to early morning, if the desire is to keep meetings short, scheduling time later in the morning or just before lunch break will often keep people from going off-track as they do not wish to miss their lunch break. A pre-lunch meeting should be no longer than one hour.

Lunch meetings can be beneficial as they often save people some time by combining eating with getting work done or information shared in a group setting. Lunch meetings should include light, low-fat, and low-sugar foods containing both carbohydrates and proteins to boost alertness during meeting and decrease the sleepiness factor for the afternoon. Consider small sandwiches or salads containing chicken or turkey. No alcohol should be allowed in the meeting. Instead serve water or tea which is better for participants than sugary soft drinks.

Meetings held too early in the afternoon may conflict with people’s lunch schedule which could mean no shows or late comers. This time can definitely relate to their inner clocks, according to some studies many humans are wired for more restful functions from 2:00-4:00 PM. Some countries even encourage restful activities sometime after lunch. Since this could mean nap time to some, if a meeting is planned for mid-afternoon, it should be on a highly participative topic to keep people interested and not a meeting requiring lights-out such as presentations or viewing videos. Whereas, late afternoon meetings may be a more relaxed time as many will have much of their daily work already done and off their minds. However, if the meeting is too close to quitting time people may be thinking about what they need to do after work rather than concentrating on the meeting topic. Participants may get irritated if the meeting goes past the designated stop time as this may make them late for personal plans. If a hurried meeting where little time is wasted is desirable, then late afternoon might be a good time to plan the meeting as long as the agenda is adhered to and the meeting ends on time.

Other things to consider when holding a meeting is how long the meeting will be. Most informational business meetings can be covered in 30 to 90 minutes depending on the number of people sharing data and whether a question and answer period is allowed. Participative meetings may be one to two hours typically. However some meetings may require more time due to complexity of the issue to be discussed, urgency of the problem to solve, or needed training or change management to present to group. If a meeting is longer than an hour, a short break during the meeting should be planned. For meetings where participation is low, a break should be every 45 or 60 minutes to allow group to leave room for 15 minutes or stretch for 5-10 minutes. For high participation meetings like problem solving or idea generation, the breaks can be a little further apart and should be planned at logical changes in meeting activity or topic.

Since there is no best time to hold a business meeting, always plan a culturally acceptable time when people are most ready to work together. The key to finding the best time is what will work for the group who is meeting and for the type of activities that are expected to be carried out in each meeting, such as information sharing or a more participative process.

Are Business Plans a Waste of Time?

I recently attended a national entrepreneurship conference along with a number of other college instructors and well-known entrepreneurs. I found it interesting that two concurrent sessions offered conflicting points of view on business plans. One session featured a panel of successful entrepreneurs questioning the real world relevance of business plans. The other session focused on teaching students to quickly and correctly develop business plans.

I was intrigued by the panel discussion so that’s the session I attended. None of the entrepreneurs on the panel had ever written a business plan-at least to launch a business-yet they were all extremely successful. The revelation that they did not use written plans is not surprising, most entrepreneurs don’t. One reason given by the panel for forgoing a formal business plan is the natural tendency for entrepreneurs to cling to a business plan they wrote due to the investment in time and effort. The reality, they said, is that things change so much in the real world of business that the assumptions underpinning a business plan must often be altered or even abandoned to allow the business the flexibility necessary to survive. In addition, the entrepreneurs were adamant that a good plan will not make a bad idea work and a great idea probably will not be hampered by a poorly written plan-or no plan. Another concept discussed in the session was that what the entrepreneur is really selling to the venture capitalist or angel investor is the entrepreneur. One of the panelist remarked that, “If the investors believe in you, they will invest in your business.” The consensus from the panelists was that investors look for passion and vision in addition to the idea. They must be convinced that the entrepreneur is capable of persevering and making good decisions and adjustments to keep the business moving forward. Since there were college instructors in attendance, and most entrepreneurship programs require written plans, all entrepreneurs on the panel diplomatically agreed that requiring a business plan as part of a course or program of study was not a waste of time. They concurred that the process itself could offer valuable insight.

As a college entrepreneurship instructor I try to convey as realistically as I can the realities that entrepreneurs face. After attending this conference I realized that students may have difficulty reconciling the two seemingly conflicting points of view presented in the workshops. Certainly my students are aware of the statistics which suggest that most entrepreneurs enter a business without a written plan. To attempt to convince them otherwise would be disingenuous. If the panel was right why bother with a business plan at all? I believe that the answer can be found in the last nugget offered by the panel of entrepreneurs; it is the process that is most beneficial.

The planning process does not begin with the business plan. In fact, it is a mistake to write a plan too early. A feasibility analysis should be conducted prior to writing the plan so that the key assumptions underlying the plan are properly vetted. The research conducted as part of a feasibility analysis can also lead the entrepreneur to better understand their business. For example, if a focus group is used to better understand the target market, new insights can be gained which can lead to the development of a more competitive business model. The results of the feasibility study and the articulation of a compelling and competitive business model are the most critical components of a business plan. Coupled with a cash flow analysis these facts can be critical when procuring the necessary resources to launch a new enterprise.

Another point I like to make with my students is that the importance of a business plan depends on the type of business. A retail store with large capital requirement, inventory, payroll, etc. is completely different than a new venture in a technology driven industry that is rapidly changing and evolving. A business similar to Facebook, for example, has much less need for a formal business plan than the owner of a new sporting goods store.

In addition, the amount of borrowed capital required to launch a business will impact the need for a formal plan. Venture capitalist typically will want to review at least certain sections of a formal plan as part of their due diligence.

I believe that the entrepreneurs had a valid point regarding the tendency for business owners to become too attached to a formal plan. A critical time occurs when the business is launched and the entrepreneur begins receiving real feedback from customers. The decisions made at this juncture can make the difference between the success and failure of the venture. Should the entrepreneur hold to the assumptions of the plan or should minor or major adjustments be made? The entrepreneur needs to remember that the business is not on autopilot just because a polished business plan is in place. Adjustments must be made as conditions warrant.

The panel was not wrong when questioning the necessity of a formal business plan, but the planning process is distinct from the plan. A business plan, whether required or not, will enable the entrepreneur to better articulate their vision which may make writing a plan well worthwhile.

The Best Time Management Tips for Catering Business Owners

While mapping out your goals and your day is good, it is also good to be flexible. Life seldom accommodates a perfect schedule, and when you try to fit into one, you will only stress yourself out.

Stress does not help you get more done; on the contrary, it hampers your productivity. In some cases, the best approach is to accept that certain tasks won’t be completed on schedule. You can do this and still stay focused on your important objectives. What it does mean is that you don’t have to panic if something you planned to do in the morning has to be put off until the afternoon. Do what you can and move on. If you are too much of a control freak, you will only drive yourself (and others) crazy!

Each day, start by thinking about your goals for the next 8 hours and write them down. Once you have them all written down prioritize them. All of your high priority items go up top and the low ones down below. You can now use this organized list as a “to do” list. There is no better feeling than crossing items off one by one. These lists will save you the time and frustration of wondering what you should do next, instead you can ask what’s next on the list.

Anyone knowledgeable about time management will tell you that, to be truly productive, you must learn how to delegate. People who try to do everything themselves seldom get very much done. The trick of delegating is to find others who can do the smaller, less important tasks for you. Then you can devote more time to your true objectives. It’s hard to focus on the big picture if you’re constantly dealing with tiny details. Delegation is something that many people have difficulty with. You will just have to learn to get over this.

Figuring out good time management skills for a catering business owner can be hard to do at first. The more work you put into your time management skills the quicker you will see how focuse and on task your days are. Before too long you could be as good or better than the most organized person in your office. It is good to have goals. Just don’t get carried away. Leave time for fun in your life. It is important to remember that your body and your mind both need to relax from time to time!

How to Write an Article in No Time Flat

To make the most of your business blog, company newsletter, and online article directories, you need to be able to write quality articles on a regular basis.

If you haven’t been writing articles to build your business, you may think it will simply take too much time to do this week after week. But you’re wrong! It isn’t difficult to do this once you get the hang of it.

Here’s how to write an article in no time flat!

Step 1. Start with keywords.

It only takes a few minutes to use an online keyword research tool to identify the exact keywords people are using to find articles about the very topic you wish to write about. Once you’ve identified these exact keywords, use them to create a catchy title for your article. You’ll want to incorporate additional keywords into the article itself. But don’t overdo it on the keywords. Your main goal is to write something helpful for readers, not just attract them to your article through keywords.

Step 2. Determine the best structure for your article.

If you’ll be giving tips or steps in your article, then it’s easy to create the structure for your entire article. Simply start with an introductory paragraph, then list your tips or steps in bulleted or numbered form, then end your article with a concluding paragraph that ties everything together. Incorporate your keywords into the text as you go.

If it isn’t quickly apparent how you should structure your article, then use an article template. You’ll find many free templates available online. Simply Google “free online article templates” and see what comes up. Article templates give you an easy-to-follow structure so all you have to do is fill in each section of the template with the appropriate content.

Step 3. Include a call-to-action for your readers.

To make the most of each and every article you write, you want your readers to do something as a result of reading your article. Maybe you want them to sign up for your mailing list, subscribe to a free e-course you’re offering, or leave a comment. The thing is, you have to tell your readers what you want them to do. Just one sentence at the end of your article, like – Sign up here for my newsletter by putting your name and email address in the boxes at right – will do. Just remember to include some call to action with every article.

Follow these 3 steps to easily and quickly create quality content for your blog, newsletter, and article directories each and every week!

Try it!

Maximize Your Time: 10 Tips for Extreme Productivity

1) Know your work style and use the tools and systems that match. If you work well with technology, use your computer, phone, and apps for your scheduling and organization. If you are a visual person, consider using a paper calendar and a written to-do list. If you are a people person, develop a team around you to complement your strengths. If you work alone, find time to focus and remain distraction-free. If you are a morning person, attack the most important tasks early in the day.

2) Use ONE calendar. Sometimes people will have several calendars: one for family, one for work, one for personal appointments. Keep ONE calendar for everything. Use different colors or type styles to differentiate categories. Personally, I am very visual and remember things better when I write them down, therefore I have a paper calendar for my appointments, but due to the need for dynamic communication I have a Google calendar to support my scheduling, which might appear like two calendars, however, this calendar is a mirror of the paper one and has everything on it. While it is extra work to have both, it is one calendar (paper or digital) with all the information.

3) Make a to-do list at the end of each day. Your mind naturally begins to work on the list as you sleep. When you awake, you are ready to work, are very productive and organized. Estimate how much time each task will take you and only put on your next day to-do list what is reasonable to get done.

4) “Eat your frog first.” A Brian Tracy concept*: Do the hardest thing you have to do all day first before you do anything else. Doing this will provide you with the feeling of success in having a “burden” off your back and the momentum to accomplish the remaining tasks.

5) Have a clear goal; write it down and read it daily. When you have a goal you know what to focus on and work toward. If you do not have this at the front of your mind, it is easy to get caught up with the urgent things of the day or trapped in reacting to e-mail, phone calls, interruptions, and other people’s emergencies.

6) Have a “power hour.” Designate one hour each day to close the door, shut down e-mail, turn off the ringer on the phone and guard yourself from interruptions. Have a pre-picked project that you will work on during this time only. Make sure to go to the bathroom, get a drink, and do whatever else you need to in order to ensure you do not leave once this hour starts. Give yourself 30 minutes after this hour to return calls, e-mails, and care for people with whom you need to follow up that you missed during the POWER HOUR.

7) Touch it once. This means e-mail, mail, papers, etc. Touch it and make a decision. File it, toss it, or put it in a place for action. Sorting bins are helpful for this. Sorting bins often have labels like: read, file, do this week, urgent, bills, etc. Also, if your subject lines in e-mails are accurate, it is easy for both you and the recipient to find the e-mail. Paper, soft copy (computer), and e-mail folders should have matching labels.

8) Have daily habits. After you develop a routine of things that are simple but important, your body will naturally do them. This is important because we can get distracted by our regular routines and use them as vices to interrupt, procrastinate, and prolong important things that really need to get done. If you start your day right, you will be ready to do those urgent and important tasks, increasing your everyday productivity.

9) Pre-prep. Have you ever been amazed on cooking shows how they make a complicated dish in 10 minutes? OK, part is edited TV time, but they also have everything pre-prepped for quick assembly. Why not do the same? Prepare your information packets and new client folders, turn common documents into a template, set up e-mail group/ distribution lists for teams, etc.

10) Maximize car systems. Listen to a book on audio to maximize your windshield time and learn. Have a bin to put important things in, rather than having them all over the car. Have a trash bag to catch the liter. Always have a bottle of water in the car with you; dehydration causes fatigue, memory loss, and low concentration. Make sure your contacts are portable (e.g, phone, planner, business card file book) so you can keep people and numbers at your fingertips (so that you can call if you’re running late, caught in traffic, etc.). Enjoy relaxing, breathing, and taking in the day while driving (rather than cleaning, talking on the phone, etc.)

When you implement a few simple productivity strategies and develop them as time-saving habits, you will quickly enjoy the benefit of more time and energy and overall increased productivity.

*Tracy, Brian. Eat that Frog! 21 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler, 2001

Time Management Techniques For Small Business Owners – 7 Steps to Getting More Done in Less Time

Otherwise known as… how to knock the competition bandy whilst having more free time to have fun and spend with your family and friends. The primary aim for any small business owner is to make more profits. In order to be successful in business, time management techniques are critical.

Follow these seven essential steps:

1. Goals

What do you want? Why do you want it? If what you’re working on isn’t taking you where you want to go… you’re ultimately wasting your time. I consistently see people talking about time management habits without ever mentioning this first important step.

2. Break big projects into smaller tasks

This makes getting things done more manageable. It will reduce the risk of you becoming overwhelmed by your workload. Use project management software such as Mindmanager. This gives you an excellent visual overview of the tasks that need to be successfully completed. You can also see: In what order they logically need to be done. Who has been given responsibility for each of them. When they need to be completed. And how you will measure successful completion.

3. Prioritisation.

Prioritize the importance of the tasks. This depends on not only what will create the most profit for your company. But also what tasks need to be completed before others can even begin.

4. Outsourcing/delegation

Outsource or delegate all non-critical, time-consuming tasks. The only tasks you should be doing are the ones that create the most profit and value for your company. Do the tasks that you are best at and most enjoy… and offload the rest.

5. Systematization.

This applies to any task or activity which needs to be repeated within your business. Document step-by-step, the most efficient way to carry out the task. Make this documentation available to all your employees. As more efficient and effective ways are discovered to complete this task…update your documentation. The ultimate goal is that every task is carried out in the same efficient way every single time.

6. Time planners.

Have one for every working day, week, month, and the forthcoming year. Put the tasks that need to be completed into your planers based on your previous prioritisation. Stick rigidly to these planners. Make sure you that you successfully complete each day’s tasks. There will always be times when this is not possible. Update your planners appropriately. Cross off each task is its completed. Move on to the next task straightaway.

7. Set a time limit for each task

Your accuracy of judging the required times will get better with practice. Unfortunately, the human mind as a habit of filling the allocated time you set for any activity. Tell yourself you need an hour to complete it. An hour it will take. Tell yourself you need all morning, and surprise surprise, all morning it takes. Use an egg timer. Find out what the most efficient working period of time for you is. For most people it is between 40-90 minutes. When you complete each time period, get up and walk around for five minutes. Get the blood flowing. Move on to the next allotted time period.

These may sound like relatively simple time management techniques. The fact is they are incredibly powerful. You don’t need to over complicate things.

Sit down next Sunday and plan your working week using these seven steps. The following Saturday review how much you have achieved. I think you’ll be shocked and pleased at how much you’ve achieved in your business.

Top 50 Job Sites Worth Your Time

Your carefully crafted cover letters and resumes are considered worthless if you do not have a clue where to submit them. In the midst of this recession, you might get yourself lost and lose your path to success and these documents you spent so much time perfecting will do nothing but look pretty in the documents file of your computer. However, behind the curtains of the economic depression, there lies wide and broad range of job openings that you can imagine are found conveniently online. So, if you really are tough enough to pursue your dream occupation, here is a list of top 50 job sites and their descriptions.

Entry Level Job Sites:

* After College – this is specifically created for college students and recent graduate students. This is both an employment and internship site that allows seekers to post their resume. This site has a search engine, providing seekers easy access to numerous openings across different states. For more convenience, hopefuls can filter their search by type, area, industry, and type of career. The site also offers information and career advice.

* CollegeGrad – currently, the number 1 entry-level site as it provides search service for college students and recently graduated students. It is probably the only entry-level site that list down the Best in Class Employers, Top Intern Employers and Top Masters Employers. The site also offers job search advice and virtual career fair. Furthermore, it allows resume posting, and internships searching.

* College Recruiter – a site designed for providing entry-level job and career opportunities for college students, recent graduate students and graduates. It also displays part time and full time job listing.

* Raytheon – offers listings and descriptions for the current opportunities. It has jobs section that gives every seeker the chance to look for the perfect work according to their field of interest, location and type choice. It has profile matching and internships and co-ops features to help college students and recent college students have hands-on experience. The site also offers recruiting events specifically for North America.

* The Job Box – This site is open to high school and college aspirants. It brings opportunities from seasonal and part time to entry-level job and internships. Job seekers can search using keywords, category and location. The site includes career news and resources.

International Job Sites:

* BilingualCareer.com – site dedicated to bilingual or multi-lingual job seekers. For the sake of communication, the seekers are required to be at least knowledgeable in the English language. The site also allows applicants to search by location, industry and keywords. In addition, seekers can search by language. This site also provides advice on interviews and resume creation. Job seekers can post their resume here.

* Indeed.com – it is a meta-search site that aims to pull thousands of postings from different places around the world. It compiles together job postings from major boards, top newspapers, professional associations and career centers. Job seekers can browse by title, company, location and keywords.

* jobalot.com – this is one of the mega-meta sites that use simple search interface. From hundreds of job sites and thousands of listings, seekers can simplify their search by searching using keywords and location, and browsing by category. In this site, searchers can learn about job hunting process. The site is also dedicated to providing information about continuing education opportunities.

* Jobs.NET – a site that accommodates applicants across the globe, allowing them to browse through thousand of employments, post confidential online resumes and receive tips and advice about job hunting. Seekers can search by criteria, such as keywords, location, recent postings, salary, position, industry, company size and so on.

* LatPro – this site is dedicated to provide assistance to Hispanic and bilingual professionals. It is a leader in online employment all over the world, giving seekers the opportunity to scan through listings from employers that are pre-screened. It also allows hopefuls to post multiple resume, create email job agent and access career resources.

* Monster.com – considered one of the oldest career sites online. It has thousands of job listing across the globe. The site includes career advice, relocation services and an auction-style marketplace, perfect for independent professionals.

* Prohire.com – it includes more than 150,000 postings from all over the world. It is one of the free sites with the largest database. Seekers can submit and post their online resumes and check out competition and openings within their location.

* TwitterJobSearch.com – this is Twitter’s search engine for job seekers twitter users. Applicants can search using keywords. The results are then displayed using tweets.

* Yahoo! HotJobs – considered one of the best resource sites online. It offers search resources for seeking professionals, free of charge. Online users can create their own personalized career management page that provides the necessary tools for fast, convenient and safe search.

General/Diverse Job Sites:

* Best Jobs in the USA Today – this is a site with comprehensive resource. It is integrated with databases, corporate profiles, post resume feature and career resources center.

* CareerBuilder – probably it has the largest diversity of listings. It posts help wanted ads from the leading newspapers today at the same time provides listings and openings from leading employers. As its name implies, the site helps to build a seeker’s career by providing resources such as tips and advice.

* Careerjournal.com – allows seekers to broaden their search. It has great resources of articles that guide searchers on their hunt. The site is created by The Wall Street Journal.

* CareerPark.com – Posting a resume on this site is relatively easy. Also, it brings convenience to seekers searching for job using the Internet. In this site, seekers can find other helpful career and sites online, increasing and widening their options.

* DiversityWorking.com – This site is perfect for ethnic and sexual orientation groups. As a diversity site, searching professionals are allowed to search for jobs by posting recency. In addition, seekers can search by location, type, industry and keywords. Furthermore, seekers are given an option to either sign up or not in the site’s free newsletter. Also, hunters can post their resume here.

* FreshJobs.com – a site endeavors to provide the freshest listing online. Its database consists only of postings not older than 7 days. The search can be filtered by skills, benefits, location, company and type of job. For matching service, seekers are required to sign up. Post a resume here and get a confidential mailbox.

* GOJobs.com – considered as a general job board, this site provides help to applicants searching for openings. The listing can be browsed by state, keyword and function. Also, it is a site dedicated to bring information to seekers.

* Jobfox – utilizes Mutual Suitability System to match seekers to opportunities. This matching sites has an in-depth profile system to be able to learn the seeker’s experience, wants and needs. The opportunities are rated based on how the seeker matches the description. Also, the employers are matched the same way. This site has membership fees.

* JobSimply – a site providing wide range of opportunities from part time and summer jobs to professional and executive jobs. Seekers can look into retail, hospital, restaurant, teenand cruise ship jobs. They can search through industries, locations and keywords. The site also includes resources about career tips and advice.

* Jobzerk – a site that is socially driven, allowing its members to interact and communicate to each other. As a community based site, searchers can publish and share useful information about their search and/or hiring process.

* Juju – this is one of the best sites for finding interesting career resources. In this site, seekers can look into 15 different sites such as CareerCity, CareerMosaic, JobOptions, NationJob and so on. Searches can be quickened using keywords.

* NationJob Network – a search service integrated with thousands of latest listings. It features company profiles and it is incorporated with email job matching service, based on your qualifications and preferences.

* Net-Temps – one of the top sites where seekers can scan thousands of postings and post their resume. The postings include contract, temporary and even permanent jobs. The site is designed with tools and resources, including career enhancement articles.

* Realmatch.com – a job-matching site that requires seekers to submit their qualifications and preferences and matches the information provided to the employer’s requirements. Searching professionals can use the listings to search for job by keyword and location.

* Vault.com – this site has more than 150,000 postings from up to 27,000 employers. Due to its popularity, the site branched out into recruitment. It has insider reports on different companies and it allows seekers to search through multiple criteria, including categories, keywords, experience, location and date posted. The site also has email job matching service.

Local/National/Specific Job Sites:

* Careercast – One of the coolest portals that feature niche and local jobs from all over the United States and Canada. It gives seekers the freedom to choose where they want to live and work. To search for a job, seekers can filter the listing by title, category, and company. There is also an advanced option to better target the right openings for the seekers. Also, the portal gives searchers the opportunity to post their resume.

* CareerSurf.com – It accommodates US and Canadian seekers from different industries and niche. Job seekers can search for different types of jobs using category, location and keywords. It also accepts resume from applicants and posts them.

* EmploymentGuide.com – This is a good option for searching jobs locally on the United States. Currently, the site developed around 56 metropolitan areas listings. As a career site, seekers can post resume and find helpful career advice on this site. And with the integration of localized areas listings, seekers can now look for position in a prospective geographic area.

* FindARecruiter.com – This is ideal for seekers looking for recruiting or hiring professionals such as headhunters, executive search and staffing firms. The applicants can browse into the site’s database with more than 10,000 recruiters. For searching option, seekers can use the company’s name, location and specialty.

* GetTheJob.com – It is a portal specifically designed for direct employer jobs only. It collects different posts from different corporate career centers of different companies. When approximated, this site probably has at least 2 million of openings information. For email alerts, seekers are required to register.

* JobCircle.com – It is considered the largest non-newspaper affiliated job board in Mid-Atlantic, operating in 10 states. The site provides information, discussion and careers. Seekers can browse and search for the job they wanted and they can also post their resume.

* Jobcentral – formed by the alliance of two non-profit associations, this site has an extensive network across US. It provides employment and career opportunities to hopefuls in different industries and category, from entry-level to chief executive position. Seekers can search by company.

* Job Search Shortcuts – providing links to thousands of listing web pages, seekers can browse and search jobs in up to 30 metropolitan areas nationwide. For faster search, searchers are allowed to search by category and by city. This site connects seekers to their prospective employers.

* LocalHelpWanted.net – it is incorporated with numerous features and benefits for searching professionals. The site allows seekers to view and narrow the listings by state and major city. The members can post different kinds of resume, including audio resume, video resume and portfolio once registered. This site has a membership fee. However, seekers can still use the basic services without a cost.

* myCareerSpace – allows seekers to search by category, region or keywords. It accepts up to five different online resumes for applying online openings. The site is integrated with hunting resources such as career expos, salary, relocation, insurance and so on.

* SnagAJob.com – it is probably the largest site for searching part time and full time jobs. It is built with career resources and advice and seekers can scan the listing by type, and location. It also has email alert feature upon registration.

* thingamajob.com – a free career site, allowing job searching and online resume posting. It has alert feature and career tools for seekers to utilize. Job searches can be done by categories, location, keywords and date posted.

Professional/Niche Job Sites:

* Dice.com – this is designed specially for technology professionals. It is great career site that provides more than a thousand of openings for professionals. The list can be filtered for search convenience by job type, location and employer. It securely protects confidential profile from seekers, making seekers’ resume safe from devious minds. Here, searchers can find useful career resources and they can create email job alert.

* USAJOBS – open to seekers looking for information about jobs and employment in the United States Federal Government. The listing can be viewed by keyword, occupation and location. Seekers on this site can post their resume and register for job matching service. The site also has resource and tips for job seekers interested in working at the government.

* VetJobs.com – designed specifically for veterans and transitioning military personnel. It also accommodates seekers with relation to a veteran and it allows seekers to post resume online. The openings include all levels and types of jobs. Job seekers can view results by type, keyword and location. The site also includes key resources for veterans.

New Concept Job Sites:

* The Interview Exchange – a job board that rates seekers based on how closely they matched on the position. The job seekers can receive the matching results via email. Also, it permits seekers to post their resume.

* Jobirn: Insider Referral Network – known for its uniqueness, this site has a job board, online interview system and employee referral system, connecting job seekers to employees of their prospective companies. The purpose of the employee referral system is to assist seekers in getting a referral.

* JobShouts! – a site that uses the power of social media. It helps create connections and provides matching results for job seekers. As much as possible, it delivers real time job postings at the same time automated one click searching from different social media networks.

* Jobs in Pods – this is a web 2.0 site. It gives seekers the opportunity to listen to their prospective employer’s jobcast. This includes audio interviews that discuss the company’s culture, benefits and how to and where to apply. The podcast comes with blog post for information and links about employers and

* LiveHire – one of the innovative sites today. Through this site, job seekers can get online interview via webcam. However, seekers need to submit their professional profile first and if employers are interested, they will contact prospective employees via email. This is highly recommended for long-distance job search.

* Simply Hired – Job seekers can be updated when new jobs are listed via email, social media networks, blogs, homepage and even through mobile phone. This is a search engine for searching job listings using keywords. The results will come from multiple resources.

Featured Sites:

* LinkUp – a job search engine with new and unique features. The site has the list of more than 20 thousand jobs from company websites. It is always updated with comprehensive job listing. Job seekers can search by title, keyword, and by location. The site is also built up with WorkSearch, a tool to track how long a jobseeker is searching for a job. It also has Tabs feature where in a job seeker can keep track of his job searches.

* TweetMYJOBS – a job board that provides notification of open positions INSTANTLY via short messaging service. The site tweeted thousands of jobs within a day and at least a million in just a month. This new innovative service brings together recruiters, hiring managers and job seekers. Browse jobs by company or by location.