Sunday, March 20, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
15 Rules for finishing off the day
15 Rules For Finishing Off The Day
1. Clear, clean-up and tidy your desk – by clearing your workspace you will enable you to start the new day with a clean slate in all respects.
2. Try to have only one working or project on your desk at any one time, ensuring you to focus your attention on that one activity.
3. Throw unnecessary paper in the bin – get in the habit of removing rubbish and unwanted paper from your desk each day. This will also assist your ‘clear desk policy’ if that works for you.
4. Put files away each day – keep files off your desk unless you are working on them. It is not good for office security to have valuable company information available to anyone who might wander past your desk. Place them in locked cabinets or drawers.
5. Adjust your priority on tasks for the next day. What may have been B minus today can become A double plus tomorrow
6. Check the time of your first appointment the next day – if you know what your first commitment for the day will be, you can plan the rest of the day around it. It also allows you to book travel time to that appointment and any preparation you may need to do beforehand.
7. Start your “to do” list for the next day – carry over important tasks form your current day’s list, add new tasks for the following day and your planning will save you a few minutes the next morning.
8. Put your reading file in your briefcase – start a reading file and carry it with you to read on your way home on public transport or while you are in a queue – you can get through your reading easily if you carry it with you and make the most of each opportunity,
9. Wash your coffee cup or empty your water bottle – start each day afresh by cleaning up the night before.
10. Switch your phone on voicemail if appropriate – if you are not going to be in the office until later the next morning, this will allow any early morning callers to leave you a message.
11. You may like to change your voicemail message if you are not going to be in the office the next day to advise callers where they could reach you or an alternative number.
12. Get those final email messages and memos out tonight, not tomorrow. Rule number one of business momentum is to have other people busy for you, not the other way around
13. Switch off your computer, screen and printer – be environmentally friendly and save power and money where you can.
14. Remind yourself of your achievements of the day – take a minute to remind yourself of what you achieved in your day. You may like to record it in a journal or diary. Celebrate your success
15. When you switch off, switch off! Let go and go home
An initiative of the Financial Services Sales Academy www.financialservicessalesacademy.com.au.
1. Clear, clean-up and tidy your desk – by clearing your workspace you will enable you to start the new day with a clean slate in all respects.
2. Try to have only one working or project on your desk at any one time, ensuring you to focus your attention on that one activity.
3. Throw unnecessary paper in the bin – get in the habit of removing rubbish and unwanted paper from your desk each day. This will also assist your ‘clear desk policy’ if that works for you.
4. Put files away each day – keep files off your desk unless you are working on them. It is not good for office security to have valuable company information available to anyone who might wander past your desk. Place them in locked cabinets or drawers.
5. Adjust your priority on tasks for the next day. What may have been B minus today can become A double plus tomorrow
6. Check the time of your first appointment the next day – if you know what your first commitment for the day will be, you can plan the rest of the day around it. It also allows you to book travel time to that appointment and any preparation you may need to do beforehand.
7. Start your “to do” list for the next day – carry over important tasks form your current day’s list, add new tasks for the following day and your planning will save you a few minutes the next morning.
8. Put your reading file in your briefcase – start a reading file and carry it with you to read on your way home on public transport or while you are in a queue – you can get through your reading easily if you carry it with you and make the most of each opportunity,
9. Wash your coffee cup or empty your water bottle – start each day afresh by cleaning up the night before.
10. Switch your phone on voicemail if appropriate – if you are not going to be in the office until later the next morning, this will allow any early morning callers to leave you a message.
11. You may like to change your voicemail message if you are not going to be in the office the next day to advise callers where they could reach you or an alternative number.
12. Get those final email messages and memos out tonight, not tomorrow. Rule number one of business momentum is to have other people busy for you, not the other way around
13. Switch off your computer, screen and printer – be environmentally friendly and save power and money where you can.
14. Remind yourself of your achievements of the day – take a minute to remind yourself of what you achieved in your day. You may like to record it in a journal or diary. Celebrate your success
15. When you switch off, switch off! Let go and go home
An initiative of the Financial Services Sales Academy www.financialservicessalesacademy.com.au.
Budgeting
Quick Facts from GFS… Budgets
· In today's tough economic climate, it is more important than ever to budget and establish a savings plan. This is because budgeting is the best way for you to take control of your finances, save money and plan for the future.
· Some times it was easy to get away with a more casual approach to financial planning: you could be sure of earning enough to pay your bills, even if this meant looking for some extra overtime or taking a second job for a while. But those times are rare and wasted if you do not take advantage of them.
· A sound budget and a savings plan will help you achieve your immediate needs and long-term financial security. Few individuals or families know just how they spend their money.
· They know that at the end of their pay period - weekly, fortnightly or monthly - it is all gone. A budget will change this. It is the direct and sensible approach to personal money management.
· Basically, a budget is a financial plan that itemises an individual's or a family's spending and helps accomplish short-term and long-term goals.
· Its main purpose is not to get you out of trouble - although it will help. Better still, it will keep you out of trouble in the first place.
· In fact, a budget is really an essential part of everyday life. Without a budget it just is not possible to cope with those unexpected bills and to see at a glance, how you can most easily cut back you’re spending.
· The ultimate aim of budgeting is to ensure that you can:
o Adequately meet all your financial commitments and
o Have some money left over to save.
· Set a savings goal that is within your reach and will not put a strain on your budget. Even if you begin by saving only a small amount each pay period, this will add up over a year to a respectable amount.
· Everyone will have his or her own savings target. But, as a general rule, we suggest you aim to save 10 per cent of your gross annual income: five per cent for short-term aims and five per cent for longer-term intensions. While this may not be practicable now, it is worth aiming to reach this goal in the future - and sooner rather than later.
· People with young families should aim to build up an emergency fund equal to three months take-home pay in case of retrenchment or emergencies. Remember:
o Your savings will help you through those difficult times and emergencies;
o Savings will free you from day-to-day money worries;
o If you have money saved, you can use it in emergencies instead of credit cards (with their high interest charges);
o By saving, you will establish a financial track record, which will be important when you apply for a loan for a major purpose (house, land or car);
o Your longer-term savings will help you build up income-producing investments for a better, more secure lifestyle;
o By saving and investing responsibly, you will contribute towards Australia's future by helping to create a national savings pool to fund our development and reduce our dependence on foreign capital;
o A dollar saved is a dollar earned
· Deciding to budget does not mean that you have to cut out spending on discretionary items that are important to your lifestyle.
· But you should be realistic about them and become a disciplined shopper (as well as a disciplined budgeter). This will help make your money work better for you. Here are just a few ideas on this important topic:
o Consider buying lower priced "generics" or items of a similar nature to your regular purchases;
o Switch to less expensive versions of goods or services.
o Shop harder for the best possible deals on items you must have;
o Avoid buying items that are of limited value to you or your family;
o Become a comparison shopper: watch the advertisements and be aware that prices vary from day to day on a whole range of goods from furniture to food;
o Watch for genuine sales and specials;
o Deal with shops, which offer good service and will take goods back without argument if they are unsatisfactory.
o Shop for seasonal specials and stock your freezer. But buy in bulk only when you know you can use everything you intend to buy - otherwise you will have to throw a lot of it out. Waste is costly.
o Phase your purchasing of big items like furniture and major electrical goods over three to five years and buy only when you really need and can afford the items;
o Think about buying good second-hand items - check-out auctions and garage sales;
o If you are holding money in a special savings account, you can often use it to pay for an item - and get a discount for cash;
o Buy Australian-made goods in preference to imports - buying Australian helps save jobs and reduces the nation's overseas payments and debt problems.
· But you should be realistic about them and become a disciplined shopper (as well as a disciplined budgeter). This will help make your money work better for you. Here are just a few ideas on this important topic:
o Consider buying lower priced "generics" or items of a similar nature to your regular purchases;
o Switch to less expensive versions of goods or services.
o Shop harder for the best possible deals on items you must have;
o Avoid buying items that are of limited value to you or your family;
o Become a comparison shopper: watch the advertisements and be aware that prices vary
o from day to day on a whole range of goods from furniture to food;
o Watch for genuine sales and specials;
o Deal with shops, which offer good service and will take goods back without argument if they are unsatisfactory.
o Shop for seasonal specials and stock your freezer. But buy in bulk only when you know
· You can use everything you intend to buy - otherwise you will have to throw a lot of it out. Waste is costly.
o Phase your purchasing of big items like furniture and major electrical goods over three to five years and buy only when you really need and can afford the items;
o Think about buying good second-hand items - check-out auctions and garage sales;
o If you are holding money in a special savings account, you can often use it to pay for an item - and get a discount for cash;
o Buy Australian-made goods in preference to imports - buying Australian helps save jobs and reduces the nation's overseas payments and debt problems.
· Try to be as realistic as possible. Do not make the budget so tight and demanding that it will be impossible to achieve your goals. Do not make it too generous - or you will destroy your incentive to budget and save. Be flexible - but disciplined.
· Partners should budget together. But involve everyone in your household - tell them about your budget and savings goals and why it is so important to achieve them.
· Do not be discouraged if you cannot get your budget to work - try again. Once you have set up a workable budget, you will find that budgeting becomes a habit.
· Today is the best day to begin budgeting.
· There are two main items to consider: your INCOME and your EXPENDITURE.
In the section headed INCOME, list all your incoming money (after tax).
· Expenditure:
o When you begin compiling your expenditure, it will be helpful if you have by you all the receipts from last year's bills that you can find.
o If you do not have these, keep a detailed list of your spending over the next few months. If you see some items that you can cut back on, note them for future attention.
o If you look after your possessions, they will last longer. Money spent on maintenance to extend life of a costly item can be money saved.
o Learn to be a good supermarket shopper. Make up a shopping list - and stick to it. Avoid impulse buying. Once in a while it is OK to buy something you do not really need. But if you let impulse shopping get out of hand it will overload your trolley and destroy your budget.
o When you have completed your Budget, add up all your income and expenditure and subtract the expenditure total from the income total. What is left over is your spare money for the year.
o As this is a yearly figure, you will need to divide this by 52 to bring it down to a weekly figure, by 26 to make it fortnightly or by 12 to make it monthly. This money is yours to spend or to save; we suggest you save it each pay period.
· You may find that you have a shortfall - in fact that you are spending more than you earn.
· If this is the case, you will need to go back and reassess your expenditure or, look for ways to increase your income. You may have made a mistake with your calculations. Or you may need to cut down on some area of your spending: entertainment, gifts, clothing, and luxury items.
· It is better for you (or your family) to make these decisions, rather than have them taken out of your hands.
· This will enable you to see at a glance the payouts you will have to make each month to the nearest dollar. This means you can calculate the minimum amount you need to have available to meet your bills.
· Some months you will be more heavily committed to repayments than in other times of the year. Be sure you are adequately covered so you will not be short of money.
The advice contained herein does not take into account any persons particular objectives, needs or financial situation. Before making a decision regarding the acquisition or disposal of a Financial Product persons should assess whether the advice is appropriate to their objectives, needs or financial situation. Persons may wish to make this assessment themselves or seek the help of an adviser. No responsibility is taken for persons acting on the information provided. Persons doing so, do so at their own risk. Before acquiring a financial product a person should obtain a Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) relating to that product and consider the contents of the PDS before making a decision about whether to acquire the product.
· In today's tough economic climate, it is more important than ever to budget and establish a savings plan. This is because budgeting is the best way for you to take control of your finances, save money and plan for the future.
· Some times it was easy to get away with a more casual approach to financial planning: you could be sure of earning enough to pay your bills, even if this meant looking for some extra overtime or taking a second job for a while. But those times are rare and wasted if you do not take advantage of them.
· A sound budget and a savings plan will help you achieve your immediate needs and long-term financial security. Few individuals or families know just how they spend their money.
· They know that at the end of their pay period - weekly, fortnightly or monthly - it is all gone. A budget will change this. It is the direct and sensible approach to personal money management.
· Basically, a budget is a financial plan that itemises an individual's or a family's spending and helps accomplish short-term and long-term goals.
· Its main purpose is not to get you out of trouble - although it will help. Better still, it will keep you out of trouble in the first place.
· In fact, a budget is really an essential part of everyday life. Without a budget it just is not possible to cope with those unexpected bills and to see at a glance, how you can most easily cut back you’re spending.
· The ultimate aim of budgeting is to ensure that you can:
o Adequately meet all your financial commitments and
o Have some money left over to save.
· Set a savings goal that is within your reach and will not put a strain on your budget. Even if you begin by saving only a small amount each pay period, this will add up over a year to a respectable amount.
· Everyone will have his or her own savings target. But, as a general rule, we suggest you aim to save 10 per cent of your gross annual income: five per cent for short-term aims and five per cent for longer-term intensions. While this may not be practicable now, it is worth aiming to reach this goal in the future - and sooner rather than later.
· People with young families should aim to build up an emergency fund equal to three months take-home pay in case of retrenchment or emergencies. Remember:
o Your savings will help you through those difficult times and emergencies;
o Savings will free you from day-to-day money worries;
o If you have money saved, you can use it in emergencies instead of credit cards (with their high interest charges);
o By saving, you will establish a financial track record, which will be important when you apply for a loan for a major purpose (house, land or car);
o Your longer-term savings will help you build up income-producing investments for a better, more secure lifestyle;
o By saving and investing responsibly, you will contribute towards Australia's future by helping to create a national savings pool to fund our development and reduce our dependence on foreign capital;
o A dollar saved is a dollar earned
· Deciding to budget does not mean that you have to cut out spending on discretionary items that are important to your lifestyle.
· But you should be realistic about them and become a disciplined shopper (as well as a disciplined budgeter). This will help make your money work better for you. Here are just a few ideas on this important topic:
o Consider buying lower priced "generics" or items of a similar nature to your regular purchases;
o Switch to less expensive versions of goods or services.
o Shop harder for the best possible deals on items you must have;
o Avoid buying items that are of limited value to you or your family;
o Become a comparison shopper: watch the advertisements and be aware that prices vary from day to day on a whole range of goods from furniture to food;
o Watch for genuine sales and specials;
o Deal with shops, which offer good service and will take goods back without argument if they are unsatisfactory.
o Shop for seasonal specials and stock your freezer. But buy in bulk only when you know you can use everything you intend to buy - otherwise you will have to throw a lot of it out. Waste is costly.
o Phase your purchasing of big items like furniture and major electrical goods over three to five years and buy only when you really need and can afford the items;
o Think about buying good second-hand items - check-out auctions and garage sales;
o If you are holding money in a special savings account, you can often use it to pay for an item - and get a discount for cash;
o Buy Australian-made goods in preference to imports - buying Australian helps save jobs and reduces the nation's overseas payments and debt problems.
· But you should be realistic about them and become a disciplined shopper (as well as a disciplined budgeter). This will help make your money work better for you. Here are just a few ideas on this important topic:
o Consider buying lower priced "generics" or items of a similar nature to your regular purchases;
o Switch to less expensive versions of goods or services.
o Shop harder for the best possible deals on items you must have;
o Avoid buying items that are of limited value to you or your family;
o Become a comparison shopper: watch the advertisements and be aware that prices vary
o from day to day on a whole range of goods from furniture to food;
o Watch for genuine sales and specials;
o Deal with shops, which offer good service and will take goods back without argument if they are unsatisfactory.
o Shop for seasonal specials and stock your freezer. But buy in bulk only when you know
· You can use everything you intend to buy - otherwise you will have to throw a lot of it out. Waste is costly.
o Phase your purchasing of big items like furniture and major electrical goods over three to five years and buy only when you really need and can afford the items;
o Think about buying good second-hand items - check-out auctions and garage sales;
o If you are holding money in a special savings account, you can often use it to pay for an item - and get a discount for cash;
o Buy Australian-made goods in preference to imports - buying Australian helps save jobs and reduces the nation's overseas payments and debt problems.
· Try to be as realistic as possible. Do not make the budget so tight and demanding that it will be impossible to achieve your goals. Do not make it too generous - or you will destroy your incentive to budget and save. Be flexible - but disciplined.
· Partners should budget together. But involve everyone in your household - tell them about your budget and savings goals and why it is so important to achieve them.
· Do not be discouraged if you cannot get your budget to work - try again. Once you have set up a workable budget, you will find that budgeting becomes a habit.
· Today is the best day to begin budgeting.
· There are two main items to consider: your INCOME and your EXPENDITURE.
In the section headed INCOME, list all your incoming money (after tax).
· Expenditure:
o When you begin compiling your expenditure, it will be helpful if you have by you all the receipts from last year's bills that you can find.
o If you do not have these, keep a detailed list of your spending over the next few months. If you see some items that you can cut back on, note them for future attention.
o If you look after your possessions, they will last longer. Money spent on maintenance to extend life of a costly item can be money saved.
o Learn to be a good supermarket shopper. Make up a shopping list - and stick to it. Avoid impulse buying. Once in a while it is OK to buy something you do not really need. But if you let impulse shopping get out of hand it will overload your trolley and destroy your budget.
o When you have completed your Budget, add up all your income and expenditure and subtract the expenditure total from the income total. What is left over is your spare money for the year.
o As this is a yearly figure, you will need to divide this by 52 to bring it down to a weekly figure, by 26 to make it fortnightly or by 12 to make it monthly. This money is yours to spend or to save; we suggest you save it each pay period.
· You may find that you have a shortfall - in fact that you are spending more than you earn.
· If this is the case, you will need to go back and reassess your expenditure or, look for ways to increase your income. You may have made a mistake with your calculations. Or you may need to cut down on some area of your spending: entertainment, gifts, clothing, and luxury items.
· It is better for you (or your family) to make these decisions, rather than have them taken out of your hands.
· This will enable you to see at a glance the payouts you will have to make each month to the nearest dollar. This means you can calculate the minimum amount you need to have available to meet your bills.
· Some months you will be more heavily committed to repayments than in other times of the year. Be sure you are adequately covered so you will not be short of money.
The advice contained herein does not take into account any persons particular objectives, needs or financial situation. Before making a decision regarding the acquisition or disposal of a Financial Product persons should assess whether the advice is appropriate to their objectives, needs or financial situation. Persons may wish to make this assessment themselves or seek the help of an adviser. No responsibility is taken for persons acting on the information provided. Persons doing so, do so at their own risk. Before acquiring a financial product a person should obtain a Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) relating to that product and consider the contents of the PDS before making a decision about whether to acquire the product.
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