Stop! Let me off this train, this wasn’t the ticket I bought!
August 25, 2011
By Alycia Edgar, Coastal Accounting Services
Your train is hurtling along and the countryside is whizzing by. With each paddock you are getting closer to your destination. Ahh, its comforting to know you’re on the right path, you will get to your destination and everything will be in order.
Next thing you know, the ticket inspector is heading towards you, but where is your ticket? Oh hang on, here it is… but wait a minute, this isn’t the train I’m supposed to be on……..
Could you feel the dread rising from the pit of your stomach? That feeling where you’ve worked so hard, lined up all your ducks in a row and then BAM! The last piece of the puzzle doesn’t fit. It was all for nothing. I’m sure that’s how the contestants on The Block felt this week when their properties were passed in at auction. All that hard work and nothing to show for it.
We can all lead ourselves on such a ride that when you reach your destination, you wonder how on earth you got there. You’re positive this wasn’t where you set out to go. You’re intentions were great, but something happened along the way, the train changed tracks and hurtled you off in another direction.
You know what? Pick yourself up, grab another ticket, jump on board another train and head off towards your intended destination. It’s just a detour! And, yes, detours can make the trip so much longer, but here’s the best bit. You learn so much from a detour – you see things you would never have seen, make decisions you would never have made, meet people you would never have met and learn things about yourself you would never have thought possible.
Detours can be painful when you realise you’ve been on one and when you think about the wasted time and resources initially.
But nothing we do in life is a waste of time or resources if we can learn from it. Every new piece of information, thought process or a-ha moment helps us to fill in our map on this journey of life to get to our own pot of gold – whatever that may be.
So the next time you’re cursing yourself for wasting time, stop reacting and reflect. I’m positive you will be able to pinpoint the learning from the situation.
If all else fails, grab a glass of wine – reflection may just come easier. 
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY ALYCIA EDGAR
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Alycia Edgar – Coastal Accounting ServicesAs an accountant and former surf shop owner Alycia understands the issues that small business face everyday. She believes you can work on your business effectively simply by understanding your business numbers. She creates innovative systems and processes that enable business owners to be highly focused and productive in their business, including Bookzkeeper – The Accounting Survival Kit for Small Business. To get tips on how your numbers relate to working on your business, simply visit here
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What are Your Favourite Business Books?
August 11, 2011
By Yvette Vignando, www.happychild.com.au
About 11 years ago, I changed careers from lawyer to executive coach and now also publisher of a parenting site. I still have a deep interest in the law and social justice issues, but one of the benefits of the career change was that my reading became more diverse and interesting. Much of the reading material for lawyers is fairly dry and prescriptive – but when I moved into the area of personal and professional development, I found there were thousands of fascinating books to read – and of course, not enough time to read them all. To help me sift through the many books available, I’m always looking for other people’s recommendations for business development books that have helped their business or changed their point of view.
When I go to conferences and presentations, one of my favourite questions to ask successful business people is – what are your favourite business books? Then, I go online to find the best prices, order a few and stack them up beside the bed in the book avalanche to read in between novels and magazines.
I’m going to give you a one sentence description of five books that I have found useful or inspiring – I hope one of them does something special for you. They are not my top five books, but rather a diverse selection of interesting references. Importantly, I am asking you to please also share a book of your own with ABN blog readers, along with a one or two sentence description.
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Small Business, Big Brand by Carolyn Stafford
A small book packed with big practical ideas that anyone can implement straight away to build their brand presence without a large financial investment.
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YouTube for Business; Online Video Marketing for Any Business by Michael Miller
Ideal for anyone needing a comprehensive overview of the features of YouTube for marketing, including helpful screenshots and links and how to make YouTube work with your website.
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The Profit Principle by Peter Fritz and Jeanne-Vida Douglas
Reviewed before on this blog, this is an inspirational and mentoring-style read that gives entrepreneurs plenty of food for thought about how they are approaching their business development.
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I Want What She’s Having by Naomi Simson
Business biography by the highly successful founder of Red Balloon Days, recounting the inevitable ups and downs of starting an online business with a small investment and from a home office; a story of determination and never giving up.
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The Other 90%; How to Unlock Your Vast Potential for Leadership & Life by Robert Cooper
A book to go back to over and over again, totally inspirational stories and explanations about increasing our emotional energy, creativity and performance by tapping into our ‘hidden capacity’ – turning a vision into a reality.
Please share one of your recommendations with readers, and with me.
By the way, you may also like to read Suzi Dafnis’ post “My Top Five Books from 2009” for more recommendations.
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY YVETTE VIGNANDO
- Starting a Business – What Do You Want to Know?
- Overwhelmed by Your Own Deadlines? Think Again.
- Blogging for Startups – Do You Blog?
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Yvette Vignando - www.happychild.com.auYvette is pursuing her passion – to take action that helps children develop great social and emotional skills as a foundation for a happy and successful life. Formerly a lawyer and then successful executive coach specialising in Emotional Intelligence, Yvette was encouraged by her experience of MentorNet to launch her business – a website for parents that publishes practical and engaging information about raising children with emotional intelligence. Yvette looks forward to sharing the challenges and successes of her experience as she navigates her way through the adventures of launching a website, and tackles online sales and marketing, an evolving business plan, and the growing universe of social media. Yvette hopes that by following her personal and professional development as an entrepreneur you will also be inspired to follow your passions.
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Make Care Fair – the cost of not having affordable and flexible childcare
July 18, 2011
By Amy Lyden, Australian Businesswomen’s Network Advocacy Advisor
Recently I met with two fellow advocates for greater affordable and flexible childcare.
Roxanne Elliott is the Founder of www.careforkids.com.au, a wonderful online resource for parents including a childcare vacancy alert. Roxanne has conducted the CareforKids.com.au Annual Child Care and Workforce Participation Survey for the past six years.
Here are some key findings:
- 1/ 4 of women returning to work after having children say working simply isn’t viable (because of the high cost of childcare), but choose to work for independence and keeping “in the game”
- 40% pay over $300 per week in childcare costs and 25% pay $200-$300 per week
- 76% believe they should not have to pay fees on a public holiday when no care is provided
- For those claiming the child care rebate (CCR), 82% said the 50% rebate level (which came into effect in 2008) has made a significant impact on the affordability of childcare
- 94% believe that all legitimate childcare should be tax deductible (family day care, registered care)
- 80% also believe you should be able to claim the same benefit for registered nannies
Impact
OK – so it sounds expensive and we get that people want greater flexibility around deductibility and options. But what is the impact of expensive and inaccessible childcare?
I met with Jen Dalitz, Founder of Sphinxx, a social enterprise committed to the advancement of women as leaders. Jen established the “Make Care Fair” campaign earlier this year when she personally experienced frustration at the lack of affordable support available for families with children. Jen’s extensive research on this topic found tremendous impact on both a women’s career and economic standing, as well as impact on workplace participation and the Australian economy overall:
Impact on women:
- 48% of woman said the cost of childcare negatively hit their career, but not their partner’s career
- 72% of women said their partner’s career had not been held back at all
- (This creates a earning deficit between partners and it’s quite often the woman who forgoes her earning power and therefore ends up with less superannuation and assets overall.)
Impact on workplace participation and the Australian economy:
- For every AUD$1 the Government might spend on childcare, the Government would get back AUD$1.86 in revenue from the improved workforce participation rate
- 51% say one parent would have to quit their job if the costs of childcare increase
- 50% of parents would increase their hours of work if care was more affordable
- Affordability of childcare influenced the departures of 64% of employed parents from the workforce
- 60% of carers who do not work would return to the workforce if care was more affordable
Note to the Australian Government: It is good for the economy for women to be in the workforce.
OK – there is a case here, but what can I do?
Please sign the Make Care Fair petition here.
Having access to affordable and flexible childcare will benefit ALL Australians.
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY AMY LYDEN
- “Balance is B*llsh*t”
- Budget Impacts for Small Business and Working Families
- Managing yourself for HIGH Performance
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Amy Lyden - Advocacy Advisor – Australian Businesswomen’s NetworkAn entrepreneur and specialist in ecommerce and online strategy, Amy has had over 13 years of practical experience in these areas. Launching her first website in 1998 Amy was at the forefront of an online revolution without even realizing it. Within a year this site became and remains today a #1 ranking site and global community of pet lovers that attracts over 4 million visitors a year. This Australia-based business, Bow Wow Meow, now sells product online to over 100 countries worldwide. Amy sold this business in 2007 and turned her energy to the nonprofit sector. Amy is currently the CEO of Australian Scholarships Foundation, an organisation that facilitates scholarships for education and training for people who work in the nonprofit sector. Amy is the recipient of numerous business awards including the 2006 NSW Telstra Business Women’s Awards for Innovation, the 2002 National Telstra Business Award and the Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World Grant. Amy is an Ambassador and former Chairperson for the Australian Businesswomen’s Network, an organisation that supports female entrepreneurs. Amy was also invited to serve on the Commonwealth Small Business Council, an initiative by the Federal minister for Small Business. Amy has been profiled in the following books: “Women’s Business, Women’s Wealth” by Amanda Ellis, “Female Entrepreneurs,” by Leiza Clark and “Secrets of Female Entrepreneurs Exposed!” by Dale Beaumont. Amy is passionate about using technology to connect people globally for positive change.
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Overwhelmed, Overworked and Over It!
July 17, 2011
By Lisa Murray, Revive Business Coaching
Days off have been few and far between for me lately and on more than one occasion I have found myself going ‘enough’! When you love what you do, it is too easy to get caught in the trap of working every minute available and that can soon lead to overwhelm.
We all know that when we are unwell, it’s a good idea to stop (not slow down, stop!). Overworking is an illness… an addiction… and a surefire way to end up overwhelmed and exhausted if we don’t keep it in check.
I talk to many people who have gone through significant change in their business in the past year or two and who are now scrambling to pull it all back together. Most of these people are burned out or on the verge of a melt-down. From personal experience, I know working harder never fixes the problem once you are at this stage.
So the first step is to take a few days off, ideally at least a week. Whatever is happening can almost always be delayed a week and you’ll get through the challenges a lot easier if you have some time off to regenerate and allow yourself some clear space.
Yes, you may lose some income or you may not meet the deadline you promised your client – but would you be willing to be honest and say: “I will do a much better job for you if I have a week off, I hope you understand.” Most people are willing to be flexible when you explain the situation. If they are not, it may be time to ask another question: “Are they really my ideal client?”
Too often as business owners and senior managers, we put everyone first except ourselves. When we don’t care for and nurture ourselves first, everything feels really intense, our energy depletes, our focus is scattered and we can’t see the possibilities in front of us. This is where overwhelm sets in.
Once we are rested, it is time to set some boundaries. I have stopped trying to fit in everything and everyone who is making demands of me. Instead, I am looking at what feels rewarding and what can be achieved with ease.
The word NO has finally become a clear part of my vocabulary! And so far, I have found that in virtually every case the person involved has found another solution! I do like to put it a little more joyfully though: ‘I’m sorry, that doesn’t work for me, what else is possible?’ usually allows the person to discover another approach.
When we set ourselves up as the source of the business, everything revolves around us. How much of our overwhelm can dissipate when we stop being the centre of everyone’s universe? Most of it! What if we were willing to allow the flow to show up instead? Would that be more blissful?
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY LISA MURRAY
- Blisscipline Trumps Discipline
- Startup Savvy – Leveraging Your Budget
- 5 Strategies for Leading Consciously
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Lisa Murray – Revive Business Coaching/Bliss TribeLisa Murray is an experienced business mentor who brings bliss back into your business. Her holistic, unconventional and creative strategies help small business owners design authentic, ease-filled and profitable businesses. Through her BlissTribe community, Lisa is a catalyst for business owners to choose a phenomenal, rich and joyful life without compromise! The sky is not the limit… there are no limits… unless you choose them! Lisa connects the dots for you… she is an idea generator, a sounding board, a skilled facilitator, a strategist, a problem solver and a contribution to the authenticity and potency of you creating the business you truly desire and deserve. What else is possible? Ask and you will receive!!
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“Is that really what you meant to say?” How semantic saboteurs can dumb down your brand.
July 15, 2011
By Susan Wareham McGrath, Susan Wareham Immigration Services
I was driven to write today’s post by the number of grammatical errors and misspellings I come across regularly, on websites, blogs and paper-based promotional material for all types of businesses – often the first contact I have with an organisation.
There is nothing more irritating to a word nerd like me than grammatical glitches, clunky copy and sloppy spelling. That’s not to say that writing outside traditional grammatical rules is always a bad thing. After all, the purpose of communication is to convey a message – and sometimes it can be more effective to take the grammatical “road less travelled” to get your message across.
The problem is that some errors are so very bad that it’s obvious they were made from ignorance or a lack of attention to detail. And the bad news for business owners is that such semantic saboteurs can impact negatively on the public’s perception of both their brand and their business.
So here’s my personal hit list of errors that dumb down brands – and turn off prospective customers and clients.
The Wandering Apostrophe
In my eyes, the worst offender of all is the wandering apostrophe. As a punctuation symbol, it looks innocent enough, but oh! how that little curve grates on my nerves when it’s used incorrectly, particularly when it’s used to denote a plural.
Apostrophes are generally happiest when used to indicate the omission of one or more letters (for example, the contraction of “it is” to “it’s”); and to indicate the possessive case (for example, “the cat’s fur”).
The use of apostrophes to denote plurals (for example, “the sentence contained two comma’s”) is wrong, as is a significant exception to the possessive case rule above – the use of “it’s” to denote ownership.
Whenever I see “it’s” used to indicate possession, I can’t help but expand the contraction – to me “the cat licked it’s fur” reads “the cat licked it is fur”. Such errors are not only grammatically wrong, but can smack of unprofessionalism to prospective clients who care about such things.
Heterographs
Almost as bad as the uncorralled apostrophe is the incorrect use of “your” versus “you’re”, “too” versus “to” and “their” versus “there”. It’s really not that hard to take a few seconds to think about what you’re trying to say and check that your words reflect your intent. In fact, it’s so easy, why would you not do so, when initial impressions of your business and brand are at stake?
Weasel Words
Weasel words are words that are deliberately used to gloss over bad news, or to make a statement misleading; for example, “Send in your details and be in the draw to win a car every day for a month.”
The reality is, of course, that a draw will be held each day of the month in question, with a car allocated as the prize of each individual draw. But the copy was written in such a way that it implies the winner of the draw would win between 28 and 31 cars, delivered in daily increments over the period of one month.
Weasel words fool very few people and can lead to a perception that the business using them is focused on spin rather than service – “selling the sizzle rather than the sausage”.
Comma casualties
Reading text that places commas incorrectly, or fails to use them at all, puts me into a state of punctuation paranoia – for example, the difference in meaning between “Let’s cook, James” and “Let’s cook James” is quite significant – and all due to the strategic use of a comma.
Dangling participles
“Eating my lunch, the sun shone brightly.” Really? The sun was eating the writer’s lunch while shining brightly? Of course not. What the writer meant to say was “As I was eating my lunch, the sun shone brightly”.
If the meaning of a sentence is anything less than crystal clear, it’s time for a redraft!
Unfortunately, the damage an unaware business owner can do to their brand doesn’t stop with the written word.
Are you as tired as I am of hearing clichés like “singing from the same hymn sheet” thrown into business conversations? And what about speakers who read their PowerPoint presentations out to the audience word for word?
It’s really not that hard to enhance your brand through the effective use of communication tools. That’s why it’s so irritating when a business doesn’t.
What are your communication bugbears?
MORE GREAT POSTS BY SUSAN MCGRATH:
- Getting on board to overcome professional isolation
- Quotas on Boards. What’s the real issue?
- What I Want for International Women’s Day
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Susan Wareham McGrath, Susan Wareham Immigration ServicesSusan Wareham McGrath is a skilled and experienced Australian visa and immigration consultant; jobsearch strategist and career management consultant; professional writer, blogger and social commentator. She holds a degree in psychology, an advanced diploma in human resource management, a post graduate qualification in public policy development, a national training accreditation and registration as an Australian migration agent with the Migration Agents Registration Authority. Susan is a strong advocate for the personal and professional advancement of women, and after serving as an Advisory Board Member of the Australian Businesswomen’s Network since 2007 is now the ABN’s National Special Projects Manager.
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Carbon Pricing – Australia’s Future. The impact on you and your business.
July 13, 2011
By Julie Wise, The Silver Owl
On Sunday, the Australian Government announced the details of its ‘Clean Energy Future’ package.
Suzi Dafnis and I, along with all the ABN’s resources are working hard to bring out the details on how this change will impact the small business owner. This is a complex and fundamental change to our economy and the devil is in the details, that we’re only just going down into.
However, let’s start our journey by first going through the package’s design, the context and the timeline. This special edition post will attempt to look at it in parts, 1) FAQs; 2) what has been announced; 3) economic analysis from our leading analysts and 4) where to now.
Is Australia going in alone on carbon pricing?
No. Carbon pricing schemes have already been introduced into many countries who adopted the Kyoto Protocol earlier than Australia. Carbon pricing has been active in New Zealand (2008) and throughout the European Community since 2005.
It’s a fact that Australia’s institutions and institutional investors – including some superannuation schemes - already trade in carbon credits in these overseas markets just like any other share market.
Is it a price or is it a tax?
Economics define a price as something that is paid ‘once’ for the purchase of a good/commodity/service. While, the definition of a tax is a fee payable on income on a recurring basis. World-wide carbon trading schemes are seen as a price, as users or producers only pay once for each tonne of carbon emissions.
Like other countries, Australia relies on its taxation system to deliver a government’s economic plan. So this is why everyone plays the language – price vs tax - to suit their occasion or opportunity.
What’s the package?
The elements have been widely published (probably to death). Let me do it one more time at a high level so that we’ re on the same page.
The Carbon Pricing Mechanism:
| Fixed price | A start price of $23 from July 1, 2012, rising to $24.15 in 2013 and $25.40 in 2014. |
| Then ETS | On July 1, 2015, carbon price will transition to a fully flexible price under an emissions trading scheme. For the first 3 years, there’ll be a fixed bottom price of $15 and a fixed top price of $20 above expected international price. (there is allowance for inflation) Think of a share market: Companies will have carbon credits for sale & others will need to buy these credits |
| Gases covered | Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and perfluorocarbons from aluminium smelting. |
| Scheme coverage | Will encompass stationary energy, transport, industrial processes, non-legacy waste and fugitive emissions. 500 companies will be required to comply to the leglisation. These companies are responsible for around 60% of the nation’s emissions. |
| Fuel & Transport | Transport fuels will be excluded. However, the carbon price will be applied through changes in fuel tax excise for domestic aviation, domestic shipping, rail transport and non-transport fuel use. Heavy on-road will be covered from 1 July 2014. |
| International linkage | From the start of the ETS’s flexible price period companies can use approved international credits for up to 50% of their obligations. |
| Carbon Farming Initiative linkage | From the start of the ETS, credits under the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) can be used for compliance subject to a 5% limit. After the start of the floating price, these credits can be used for 100% of your liability. |
| Financial impact on the Aussie Budget | Revenue from sale of permits will raise $7.74bn in the first year with $4.2bn being distributed for the household assistance measures (ie the changes to the tax scales) and $3.0bn for the “support for jobs” program (assistance for people employed in affected industries). |
What are the economic impacts?
Talking to some of the economists inside Australia’s banks and the RBA, their summaries are:
- The introduction of the plan removes some of the uncertainty that has been dogging the Australia economy.
- The policy is broadly neutral in economic terms.
- The compensation packages are very complicated so it is still not clear if all the policy uncertainty has been resolved in all sectors or all industries.
- Smaller impact than the GST: The direct impact is smaller than the introduction of the GST – i.e., it raises just 1/3 of the income that the GST does so the impact on prices should be the same.
- There should be no implications for monetary policy: As the direct impact on prices should be small and transitional, the RBA should look though the temporary spike in inflation. Thus the carbon price has no direct implication for interest rates or money markets.
- Minimal impact on overall economic growth or jobs: This does not mean there may not be significant adjustments within and/or between industries. For example, the estimated carbon price burden on the coal industry appears to be relatively small ($1.80/t) but some mines may face higher cost structures and/or higher emissions burden than the average. So while the coal industry, on average, can still grow at solid rates, not all mines may be able to grow with the industry.
- Compensation: Lower income households will be over compensated, while higher income households (around 10% of households) will receive no compensation at all. It has been estimate that up to 1/3 of households will be worse off after the introduction of the carbon price (i.e., no or under-compensated).
- The compensation payments will be delivered in the 2nd quarter of 2012 (worth around $1.5bn).
Unfortunately, the mountain of debate has overshadowed the significant taxation reforms involved in the package.
The tax-scale changes contained in the package are those many have been calling for and formalised in the Henry Tax Review. Very important to expanding Australia’s workforce is the raising of the tax free threshold from $6,001 to $18,201. Not only does this help to offset the impact of the package, it removes the point that for some ‘benefits were more economical than earning and paying tax.’ In turn, this should help expand our workforce, especially in the areas of skill shortages. It will be particularly relevant for part-time and casual workers.
What’s Next?
- The carbon price scheme will be legislated in September/October (it does appear that the Government has the numbers to secure safe passage of the package through both the House of Representatives and the Senate).
- Obviously, we will continue to see fierce political debate on this issue.
- Australian business will adapt, innovate, improvise and overcome.
As I mentioned, there are many more details to pour through as this is not simple and the real analysis has only just begun. I will update as I learn more.
One thing you and I DO know! What’s said in opposition stays in opposition. A new government will not roll back a revenue raising scheme. Change it yes, roll it back no! And so, just like when Australia introduced decimal currency, the metric system, floated our dollar, the GST and the online revolution, we adapted, learned and now live with the changes. It will be the same with the carbon price scheme.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY JULIE WISE
- Build your Business: Oprah Winfrey Style
- Things I’ve learnt About Business!
- YOU: Your Business’ Most Important Asset
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Julie Wise – The SilverOwlJulie has over 25 years in business operations, strategy and performance improvements. She is an accredited Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumnus of the Institute of Executive Coaching. She established The SilverOwl specifically to help businesses with their strategies and operational efficiencies. With Julie’s wealth of experience, and network of associates, The SilverOwl provides access to a vast range of business performance solutions and experienced professionals. Julie is on the Australian Business Women’s Network Advisory Board and the NSW Committee for the Australian Women’s Archive Project. In Jan 2010, she joined the Fred Hollows Foundation.
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“Balance is B*llsh*t”
June 8, 2011
By Amy Lyden, Australian Businesswomen’s Network Advocacy Advisor
I was contacted recently by an organisation that is doing some work for a corporate client. This client has a female employee who is searching for the “right” balance between motherhood, work and family. She is feeling guilty for being at work and also feeling guilty when she’s not getting things done at work because she’s with her child. She is essentially searching for a “formula,” a “how to manual.”
It is the classic dilemma that has been an albatross on many-a-necks of working mums. There seems to be a myth out there about “balance.” The myth that as women, we need to learn how to “balance” the “right” amount of time and energy into our careers and businesses, our families and our children. For those women who choose to work (or as in most cases have to work), there is always the little nagging feeling that surfaces every now and again about if she’s doing the “right” thing by working and not being available to her children 24/7.
First of all, to quote my dear friend Suzi Dafnis, “Balance is B*llsh*t.” Suzi was asked how she “balances” her work and family/personal time in an interview many years ago. Of course, much to the dismay of Suzi, the journalist pulled this tasty sound bite out of their entire conversation and made this the headline. But I love it. (It’s funny that this question rarely comes up in interviews of successful businessmen, but almost ALWAYS with women!)
Balance is whatever feels right to YOU. No one can tell you what that “formula” is. No consultant or employer is going to provide the magic combination. You must experiment and CHOOSE what works for you, your family and your business or employer.
CHOICE is the key word here. Choosing what you do and how you do it brings empowerment. Even if conditions aren’t optimum in any area of your life, choosing to accept where you are at gives you freedom. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t have goals and a vision for your ideal scenario – of course you should. But by choosing what you are doing at the moment and living in that moment, you will be freer.
When we look to the green field over the fence (pining for our children when working or thinking about work when with your kids), we set ourselves up for misery.
Be present. Spend every moment that you are with your kids REALLY being with them – turn off the phone, twitter stream, TV. Engage.
Feeling guilty takes up energy – vital energy that you need! Instead of feeling guilty at work, get into it. Thrive. Be the best you can be. As a result, you’ll be better at home too.
One last word that I believe contributes greatly to happiness and a sense of sanity in today’s increasingly busy world – surrender. Things aren’t perfect. Let it go… breathe… laugh… enjoy. We are only here for a short time, so let’s try to make it a good time.
And write your own manual.
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY AMY LYDEN
- Budget Impacts for Small Business and Working Families
- Managing yourself for HIGH Performance
- Celebrating 100 Years of International Women’s Day with Unity Dow
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Amy Lyden - Advocacy Advisor – Australian Businesswomen’s NetworkAn entrepreneur and specialist in ecommerce and online strategy, Amy has had over 13 years of practical experience in these areas. Launching her first website in 1998 Amy was at the forefront of an online revolution without even realizing it. Within a year this site became and remains today a #1 ranking site and global community of pet lovers that attracts over 4 million visitors a year. This Australia-based business, Bow Wow Meow, now sells product online to over 100 countries worldwide. Amy sold this business in 2007 and turned her energy to the nonprofit sector. Amy is currently the CEO of Australian Scholarships Foundation, an organisation that facilitates scholarships for education and training for people who work in the nonprofit sector. Amy is the recipient of numerous business awards including the 2006 NSW Telstra Business Women’s Awards for Innovation, the 2002 National Telstra Business Award and the Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World Grant. Amy is an Ambassador and former Chairperson for the Australian Businesswomen’s Network, an organisation that supports female entrepreneurs. Amy was also invited to serve on the Commonwealth Small Business Council, an initiative by the Federal minister for Small Business. Amy has been profiled in the following books: “Women’s Business, Women’s Wealth” by Amanda Ellis, “Female Entrepreneurs,” by Leiza Clark and “Secrets of Female Entrepreneurs Exposed!” by Dale Beaumont. Amy is passionate about using technology to connect people globally for positive change.
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Overwhelmed by Your Own Deadlines? Think Again.
April 21, 2011
By Yvette Vignando, www.happychild.com.au
One of my favourite magazines is Scientific American Mind. Not your typical business magazine. I read it because I am fascinated by how, why and what people think and I like to learn about the brain science behind it. I also read it because it sparks ideas for articles on the happychild website. But often the articles have a relevance to business development; this month my attention was caught by the article called “Looming Deadlines: How the pressure of a due date distorts our perception of time.”
Psychological scientists at Swansea University have found that the more complex a task, the closer the deadline ‘feels.’ The researchers conducted a variety of experiments all indicating that even when deadline dates are identical, a more complex task will always ‘feel’ like it is looming closer than a less complex task.
In small business, and especially in the start-up phase, the tasks are numerous; many of them are complex – and you are trying to complete most of them yourself. With nobody to delegate tasks to, it’s no wonder that entrepreneurs feel swamped. I have this feeling frequently. The Scientific American Mind article reports that there may be an upside to these feelings of being overwhelmed – if deadlines feel closer and more rigid for a complex task, we are more likely to pay attention to them; apparently this feeling makes us more conscientious and might help us respond better to the challenge.
So I have been thinking about how to use this information. It is definitely worth looking into systems, planning strategies and the expert advice available on how to better manage time and tasks. But it’s also important to manage the mental stress associated with the busy life of the entrepreneur. If you read Gary Vaynerchuk’s book, Crush It (which I love – and I wrote about it here ….) you could be forgiven for feeling inadequate for not staying up all night and beating those deadlines. But in fact most of us also need sleep, exercise and relaxation to keep happy and well. If you have those last three habits under your belt, then I’m going to suggest one more thing: Make the complex tasks less complex.
If you feel overwhelmed by a series of complex tasks and their deadlines, the best approach is to think about them differently. One complex task can be divided into a number of less complex tasks with a number of different deadlines. Using this process is more satisfying as you can check off parts of the larger task and feel a sense of accomplishment as you do this. Instead of focusing on the more complex task due next month (getting your tax return documents and records ready for your accountant), you could focus on a simpler task (collating all your charitable deduction receipts) with a shorter deadline. You have less stressful ‘distorted deadline’ pressure and you are still working towards the same task in the end.
Because the research indicates that task complexity distorts your sense of time and makes you ‘feel’ as if the deadline is looming, your new approach means you’ve used brain science to improve your business. I would be interested to know if you try this strategy.
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY YVETTE VIGNANDO
- Blogging for Startups – Do You Blog?
- Begin it Now – a Entrepreneur’s Quick Guide to Procrastination
- 5 Things I Did Not Know About Being an Entrepreneur
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Yvette Vignando - www.happychild.com.auYvette is pursuing her passion – to take action that helps children develop great social and emotional skills as a foundation for a happy and successful life. Formerly a lawyer and then successful executive coach specialising in Emotional Intelligence, Yvette was encouraged by her experience of MentorNet to launch her business – a website for parents that publishes practical and engaging information about raising children with emotional intelligence. Yvette looks forward to sharing the challenges and successes of her experience as she navigates her way through the adventures of launching a website, and tackles online sales and marketing, an evolving business plan, and the growing universe of social media. Yvette hopes that by following her personal and professional development as an entrepreneur you will also be inspired to follow your passions.
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How much is too much caffeine?
April 12, 2011
By Catherine Pritchard, Radiance Healthcare Centre
A cup of your favourite coffee in the morning is an absolute must for many, but how much is too much?
Caffeine can keep you awake. We all know that, but why? One reason is because caffeine likes to hang around in your system. If you have a coffee with 200mg of caffeine at 3pm, there will still be 100mg of caffeine in your blood stream 6 hours later at 9pm making it difficult for you to get to sleep. The reason you can’t get to sleep is because caffeine interferes with adenosine. Adenosine is produced in your brain and is vital to the process that helps you get to sleep and to enjoy deep sleep.
If you have that desperate need for a coffee in the morning before you can function, consider that your body is trying to tell you that there is more going on than meets the eye. You are meant to wake with lots of energy! All of us! If you aren’t bounding out of bed in the morning, then consider that instead of a caffeine hit, your adrenal glands might need some TLC. Stress and juggling many balls in life greatly impacts our adrenals and the production of cortisol which helps us have energy in the morning. Unfortunately, drinking lots of coffee to compensate for a stressed out adrenal gland will fatigue it even further. Consider nutrients like Vitamin C, B5 and herbs like Liquorice and Rehmannia to nourish your adrenals and dramatically pick up your energy without a coffee in sight! You can actually have your adrenals tested through a salivary hormone test for cortisol.
The news on caffeine, however, is not all bad. Some research points to caffeine benefiting weight loss and increasing dopamine, a neurotransmitter in your brain that is responsible for you experiencing pleasure.
When it comes to caffeine, it’s all about balance. Ensure you add up all your caffeine sources. You can be having more than you think you are! Despite 200-300mg/day being given the green light, there are other schools of thought that believe this amount is too high. Having one coffee per day, ideally in the morning, should satisfy those that love coffee whilst ensuring that your body is functioning optimally. However, if you do suffer from anxiety and insomnia, you should avoid caffeine altogether.
Caffeine content
| Beverage | Amount (ml) | Caffeine (mg) |
| Double espresso | 60 ml | 45-100 mg |
| Brewed coffee | 240 ml | 60-120 mg |
| Instant coffee | 240 ml | 70 mg |
| Decaf coffee | 240 ml | 1-5 mg |
| Tea – black | 240 ml | 45 mg |
| Tea – green | 240 ml | 20 mg |
| Tea – white | 240 ml | 15 mg |
| Coca Cola | 355 ml can | 34 mg |
| Dark chocolate | 30 ml | 20 mg |
| Milk chocolate | 30 ml | 6 mg |
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY CATHERINE PRITCHARD
- Eight Ways to Minimise Headaches
- Kick start your year with a healthy, scientific detox
- Surviving the Silly Season – 10 Healthy Tips
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Catherine Pritchard - Radiance Healthcare CentreCatherine is a scientific naturopath who is experienced in working with business women to increase their energy, motivation and productivity. Her innovative programs are based on the latest research and incorporate simple dietary changes so that you can get the most out of each and every day. Prior to commencing her career as a naturopath almost 10 years ago, Catherine was an industrial chemist in an oil refinery. Her scientific background caused her to seek out the latest technology to assess your health, energy and vitality. In conjunction with a thorough assessment, these state of the art tests allow her to personally prescribe you the most suitable nutrients that will make the greatest impact on your health and wellbeing.
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Eight Ways to Minimise Headaches
March 4, 2011
By Catherine Pritchard, Radiance Healthcare Centre
Headaches to most people are a nuisance solved by taking a few panadol. Quick, easy, problem solved. But is it? Headaches are not natural and it is possible to go through life without any! A headache is your body’s way of saying that you are not in balance and often a few dietary changes or key nutrients can be all that is standing in your way from being headache free.
Headaches can be caused by any of the following:
- Dehydration
- Stress
- Nutrient deficiency
- Hormonal imbalance
- Food intolerances
- Food additives
- Allergies
- Sinus
- Blood pressure
- Excessive intake of caffeine, alcohol, nicotine or drugs
- Withdrawal from caffeine, alcohol, nicotine or drugs
- Low blood sugar
- Constipation
- Poor digestion
- Eye strain
- Poor posture, spinal misalignment especially of the neck and TMJ (jaw)
Eight keys for headache sufferers
- Water, water and more water! Drink a large glass of filtered water at least every 2 hours.
- Take a magnesium supplement: Headaches can be due to a constriction of blood vessels in the head. Magnesium dilates blood vessels and can reduce the severity and length of the headache. Magnesium is also essential if there is stress or tight muscles present.
- Avoid MSG (flavour 621 – present in most flavoured types of chips and crackers), food additives such as preservatives and artificial colours and flavours.
- Avoid coffee, caffeinated drinks and soft drinks.
- Increase your vegetables and fruit and decrease your sugar and junk food.
- Supplements like 5 HTP, essential fatty acids and vitamin B6 have all been found to be beneficial.
- Rub peppermint or lavender oil into your temples.
- If these things don’t make a difference then consider:
- Herbal bowel cleanse program to rid body of toxic waste supervised by a practitioner
- Eye sight and blood pressure check
- Chiropractor/osteopath examination
- Hormonal imbalance particularly evident if you suffer headaches just before or during your period. Herbal medicine and nutrients such as Chaste tree and vitamin B6 are useful in this case
A note for migraines sufferers
Migraine sufferers should avoid foods containing tyramine (cheese, chocolate, citrus, coffee, cold cuts of meat, herring, smoked fish, wine, sausage, sour cream and vinegar) and phenylalanine (MSG, aspartame, nitrates found in processed meats).
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY CATHERINE PRITCHARD
- Kick start your year with a healthy, scientific detox
- Surviving the Silly Season – 10 Healthy Tips
- 5 Super Foods for Super Business Women
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Catherine Pritchard - Radiance Healthcare CentreCatherine is a scientific naturopath who is experienced in working with business women to increase their energy, motivation and productivity. Her innovative programs are based on the latest research and incorporate simple dietary changes so that you can get the most out of each and every day. Prior to commencing her career as a naturopath almost 10 years ago, Catherine was an industrial chemist in an oil refinery. Her scientific background caused her to seek out the latest technology to assess your health, energy and vitality. In conjunction with a thorough assessment, these state of the art tests allow her to personally prescribe you the most suitable nutrients that will make the greatest impact on your health and wellbeing.
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