Erika's Blog - Northern Connections

I wanted to share with you how I manage to keep my Inbox down to about 6 emails, tops.
1. I do a quick scan as I open my emails to see if there is anything urgent.
2. As I open and read each email, I take action immediately. I don't read it and then go on to the next email. I decide whether it requires action from me or is it an information email.
3. If it requires a response, I do it right away. If I cannot respond right away, I leave it in the inbox for now.
DON'T OPEN THE NEXT EMAIL UNTIL YOU HAVE DEALT WITH THIS ONE.
4. If it is an information email, I decide whether I may need to refer to it in the future. If so, I save it in one of my personal folders. If I don't think I will need it again, I delete it.
DON'T OPEN THE NEXT EMAIL UNTIL YOU HAVE DEALT WITH THIS ONE.
By the time I have read through all my emails for the day, I should only have the action items left in my inbox that I can't respond to right away until I have gathered more information.
So that's my method. It has worked for me for years. People are amazed that my inbox is not overflowing like theirs is. Saves me a lot of stress and time in not having to re-read messages.
Try it and let me know if it works for you.

Visit my web site at www.erikamartlew.com

Labels: business, stress, time management

As I have been growing my Virtual Assistant business over the past few months, and getting very overwhelmed and stressed out with demands, I decided it was time to hire a Coach. I was fortunate to be able to find exactly the support I needed in marketing my services and especially learning how to optimize my web site and learn more about internet marketing. My coach, Tawnya Sutherland, from http://www.mediamage.com/ has been invaluable in helping me move along and to focus on specific areas. Through our weekly teleconferences, she gave me expert advice, suggested areas to work on, provided constructive criticism and feedback and steered me to helpful resources. Hiring a Business Coach should not be considered an expense, but an investment in yourself and your business. You will see immediate results.

Erika



For all your Virtual Assistant needs, visit my web site at http://www.erikamartlew.com/.

Labels: business, coaching, virtual assistant

I attended a seminar yesterday on Adrenal Fatigue. When I ask friends it they have ever heard of it, the answer was "no". I found out about this 21st century epidemic from a newsletter I receive on women's health issues. What an eye-opener the seminar was. We learned about how constant stress (whether good or bad) can eventually fatigue your adrenal glands which can lead to all kinds of problems, including energy production, electrolyte balance and fat storage. The adrenals are responsible for producing over 50 hormones, one of which is cortisol. You've probably heard about that I'm sure. It controls our immune system. Some people who end up off work with a stress disorder, may find out that they have adrenal fatigue. It is becoming a common problem because of our busy lifestyles, lack of relaxation, sleep deprivation, poor eating habits or excessive caffeine intake, which all combine and have a cumulative effect on our overall health. The good news is that simple changes can work to build stress resistance and help the adrenals function properly. For more information, a suggested book is "Adrenal Fatigue, the 21st Centure Stress Syndrome" by James L. Wilson.

Visit my web site at www.erikamartlew.com

6/13/07
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Labels: health, self care, stress