Are You Reaching 100%?

Over the course of my career as a virtual assistant, I have noticed that it is very difficult, when adopting a new system or process, to be successful without going all the way to 100%. Whether it’s for my business, or a client, if I don’t commit, and go the distance as soon as possible, bedlam sets in.

Can you imagine, for example, trying to move to an electronic calendar when you’re still writing in your paper version? You don’t know which calendar is up to date so you have to keep checking and cross-referencing both.

Or how about a new billing system? Keeping some customers in one and some in the other as you slowly transition, is a recipe for disaster.

The point is, even if you’ve put in the effort to get the new system 90% of the way there, you can’t have confidence that it’s accurate – because it’s not. And this is why so many efforts to change how we work fail. You have to be 100% in, as soon as possible.

With that in mind, and whether it’s a new calendar system, contact management software, project management tool, or something else, here’s how to make your move a success:

1. Commit. Make the decision that this is the right thing for your business or your client’s business and don’t look back. Second-guessing is a waste of time and hinders progress.
2. Make the time to make the move. Set aside an entire day. I know, that sounds like a lot. But I guarantee that you’ll waste far more than that with all the back and forth and after-the-fact fixes if you don’t.
3. Be thorough. If you’re moving your calendar, move every appointment, every birthday, and every event that you have in your paper calendar. Don’t say, “I’ll do the birthdays later.” We both know that won’t happen!
4. Get the support you need. Make sure you have someone with experience to answer your quick questions while you’re making the move. There’s nothing more frustrating than wondering if you’re doing it “right” while you’re in the middle of doing it.

Making changes in the way you run your business or that of your clients can be daunting – but it need not be frustrating and painful. Prepare before you move and then get to 100% as fast as you can!

If you’re not already a member of our Facebook Group, The Virtual Assistant Connection, and would like to join, here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thevaconnection/