Set Up – Get Organized
Introduction – Get Organized – Where to start – Action Plan – Research – Hosting and Domains
The reason we want to get organized is to be ready for ideas.
Here is a video that influenced me.
When I started in 1998 I was making a small amount of money and as my income grew I got into a real muddle. I learnt quickly to get organized so I could handle thousands of dollars a month instead of just hundreds.
I am believing you are going to be the same and get a lot of work and make money so it is important before you get bogged down in management you get organized.
It is said that most businesses fail because they end up spending all their time managing instead of producing. It is also said that most people spend 30% of their time looking for stuff on their computer so get organized first.
The thought process is to try and think of systems so you can pass the job on to staff or VA
Step 1: Backup
I would suggest you buy an external drive for backup and to store all those big files you may not need every day.
Step 2: File Management
Set up folders on your computer, email client and browser. I have a folder called projects and then separate folders inside that main folder for each job and once completed move them to the external drive. Every project gets its own folder where I put everything for that project.
Invoices, graphics, content etc. If I get to much info on a topic I would create a new folder within that project. Its sort of like the navigation system on the right. Everything I do is a project even if some some may be just my own personal projects. If you do this you can find things very quickly. All my files like documents, photos etc have descriptive names for searching.
Step 3: Email Organization
Do the same with your email clients. Set up folders for clients and your different projects. Also, do the same in your browser.
Step 4: Clean Up
Every January I search for all files over 10 MB (10000) and move any big files I do not use onto that external drive. Obviously do not move system or Windows files. I am mainly looking for downloads, videos etc. Put a day aside and do it now.
Step 5: Prioritise
Unsubscribe from any email lists you are part of that you don’t read. If you want to make money you need to be focused and this can be a big distraction.
Step 6: Invest
Don’t buy any more products until you are making money. My key here is that I only buy products from my profits and that will help my business. So for example I purchased Camtasia because it reduces support and makes me money. So many people I train have spent huge amounts of money on so-called money makers and have not made a dime. You should be the one creating the products and selling them.
Step 7: Time Management
You will do more in small chunks. Do not spend hours in font of your computer. Break up your time into blocks and have regular breaks. Get a white board or pad and write stuff down and sketch things first.
Step 8: Document
Document key things you do as this could be a future product.
PC: Ctrl + C Mac: Cmd (command) + C
OK, this one is easy. Highlight any text you want to copy and then hold down the Control key and hit C. You’re data will be copied to the clipboard. Then paste the data to anywhere you like. Works in nearly all windows including your wordpress site and between applications.
Additional TIP. When you paste to word you get all the formatting, tables links that might or might not want. I recommend that if you don’t want all the formatting (which can crash Word) you paste it to Notepad first, then copy it in Notepad and paste it to word. It will be clean of all formatting. Try it and if you’re like me, you’ll keep Notepad on your shortcut bar or at least as a shortcut on your desktop.
PC: Ctrl (CMD)+ V
This is the corresponding paste command to Cntrl. C. Of course, you can use this even if you used your mouse and dropdown menu for the copy function. And you can paste as many times as you want. So, for example when I’m creating a page, I often use the same graphic or the same word many times. I just copy it once and keep pasting till I’m done. And here’s a tip.
Additional tip. If you use unformatted text and you want to replace something you are pasting into, highlight all but the first and last letter and what you are pasting will take on the format(s) of what you’re pasting into. I use this all the time and it really does save me time.
Ctrl (Cmd) + A
This is a way of highlighting everything on the page. Try it now. When you want to copy a story from a web page, simply hit Cntrl. A and then use Cntrl. C and you’ve got it all.
Ctrl (Cmd) + S
Cntrl. S will save your current file without ever leaving the keyboard. If you ever type more than a few paragraphs without hitting Cntrl S. I think you’re really taking a really big chance. Better still try and find the auto save in your software.
Additional Tip. Saving is good, but there’s more. As you type, it’s a good idea to rename your file as you progress. So, if you’re writing a 10 page paper, you shouldn’t always save it as the same file. If you make a mistake, you’ll still lose everything. Here’s the easy way to protect yourself. Every few pages, do a Save As, and add a suffix number. So, if this is the September 18th newsletter,
I’d make it _1, _2 and _3 as I go along. That way I can always go back and pick up the last good draft. I sometimes get to _25 before I’m done. And it’s easy to know which to use, it’s the highest number or letter you’ve used as your suffix. Plus, they always save together so it’s easy to check them, delete them or archive them.
Ctrl (Cmd) + N
Very easy. This will open a new page or browser tab . You can use it to open a new window so that you don’t lose the window you’re on when you choose to follow links off the page. (More later) Or open a blank page in most programs .In most browsers you can use Ctrl (cmd) + T to open a new tab.
Ctrl (Cmd) + P
Hit Cntrl. P and you’ll get your print dialog box without needing to use your mouse. It’s fast. It’s easy. And you’ll save time.
Cctrl (Cmd) + F
This is a good one. Sure it’s the Find box. But it’s really much more. When you hit Cntrl. F, the Find dialog box comes up. OK, that’s good and you’ll use it. But, read on.
Additional Tip. But why do you care on the web? Well often you are searching or you reach a long web page and you have no idea where what you are looking for really is. Well, I always enter a word or part of a word (since I’m a terrible speller) to find just what I want fast. This is a really underused Internet major aid. Try this a few times and you’ll see just how much time you save. You know, everything really is on the Internet. Finding it is the hard part. This works really well with my tip on finding old lost LPs on the
Ctrl (cmd) + Z
Here’s the one I use all the time. I make more mistakes than you can even imagine. Well OK, based on how many typos you find for me (please always eMail me when you find one) I miss a bunch too. Anyway, Cntrl. Z is Undo. In just about any program Cntrl. Z will undo whatever your last action was. A really handy easy aid to use.
And one more. The Bonus Tip This Added Windows Keyboard Shortcut tip is a little different, but it will revolutionize the way you use the web, especially when you use SEARCH ENGINES. First the problem. How many times have you used a search engine to find something and you click on one of the pages you find and it’s not what you want. Often you might go 2 or 3 pages into the site. Well backing up to the search engine is a real pain to do, if you can do it at all. Sometimes the page you’re on won’t even let you use the back button. OK this is a problem we’ve all had. YECH! But it’s easily solved.
When you click on a link on a search engine page, or any link on any page, HOLD DOWN THE SHIFT KEYand CLICK and you’ll open a brand new window when you click the link.
Hold down the Ctrl (cmd) key and click and you will get a new tab. Now when you hit that dead end, that bad page, that useless page and you’re 4, 5 or even 10 clicks in, just close the browser window or tab and you’ll still have your original search engine page right in front of you. This makes searching 100 times faster and easier. Try it. It’s really good! Great you go to the end and I hope you learnt a lot.
Set Up – Get Organized
Introduction – Get Organized – Where to start – Action Plan – Research – Hosting and Domains