From the Desk of Janet Barclay

It’s certainly been an exciting month, between attending the 3rd Annual Online International Virtual Assistants Convention, and getting involved with the Virtual Assistant Mastermind Speaker Series and the Virtual Assistant and Home Business Blog Carnival! I’m looking forward to many more exciting developments in the coming weeks.

Here’s what I’ve been writing about on my other blogs:

OnlineOrganizing.com - Technology as an Organizing Tool:

• Scheduling Appointments Online
• Using Facebook to Stay Organized
• Maximize Your Time by Optimizing Your Hard Drive
• Desktop Shortcuts for Outlook Functions

Introvert Retreat:

• Earl must be an introvert
• Successful Networking for Introverts - Three Proven Strategies
• Business Networking - Extroverted Web Weaving for the Introvert
• The IntrovertzCoach

I’ve also written a new article called Is Your Schedule Out of Balance?, which you can read over at OrganizedArticles.com.

Be sure to come back later this week to read more results from my recent Online Marketing and Networking Survey!

I probably visit thousands of websites every year, so I come across all kinds of nifty little tools. I even get around to trying some of them! A few prove themselves to be so handy that I find myself using them time and time again. Here are three of them.

Tiny URL

Have you ever had to send someone a long link like this one?

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=hamilton+city+hall,
+hamilton,+on&sll=55.763528,-4.045969&sspn=0.006616,0.023518&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=addr

Often, their email program will not link to it properly, so unless the recipient knows to cut and paste the whole thing into the address bar of their browser (and is sufficiently interested to do so), they’re not going to see what you’re trying to send them.

With Tiny URL, you copy and paste the link into a form on the website, and it converts it to a nice short one like http://tinyurl.com/4pv4gx.

Universal Currency Converter

If you ever need to calculate conversions from one currency to another, this tool allows you to quickly convert between any two of the top 85 currencies in the world by simply entering the amount and selecting the two currencies in question. (You can even put it on your own website, if you want to.)

Acronym Finder

Have you ever received an email signed something like this?

John Doe, MCCC, CMF, CCM, CPRW, CTL
Member of ICF, PCMA and PARW

If you wished you could figure out what all those letters stand for, you’ll want to bookmark this site, where you can find out the meaning of even very obscure acronyms and abbreviations.

All of these tools are quick and easy to use, and they’re free!

What is YOUR favourite online tool?

April was a pretty busy month, between wrapping up the GHVA website and preparing for my teleseminars, not to mention my regular client work! However, I’ve still managed to post to my other blogs:

OnlineOrganizing.com - Technology as an Organizing Tool:

• Organize Your Email - Part 3
• Google Docs
• RSS Really Is Simple
• Your Very Own Personal Assistant
  

Introvert Retreat:

• Ponderings of an Introvert
• Tips from a Professional Networker
• Virtual Assistance and Introversion
• Let ‘em come to you!

I’ve also written a new article on Going Green in the Office, which you can read over at OrganizedArticles.com.

Enjoy!

It never ceases to amaze me how the Internet has made it possible for us to make friends with people all over the world. One of the people I’ve "met" online is Marcia Francois, a professional organizer who frequently contributes articles to OrganizedArticles.com. Marcia lives in South Africa, so chances are I wouldn’t even have heard of her if it weren’t for the Internet.

Marcia can apparently get through her emails in only 15 minutes a day, and on April 15^th she’s going to share her secrets in a teleseminar appropriately named Conquer Your Email. This teleseminar is being delivered via Skype audio, so your only cost is the very reasonable registration fee. (You can even take advantage of special pricing if you sign up by April 9^th!)

I am so excited about this class that I’ve donated a copy of Maximizing Your Time with Microsoft Outlook 2003, to be won by one lucky participant. I may even sign up for it myself!

I for one am very glad to see that March is over! Now spring is just a wee bit closer (the calendar says it’s here, but we know better!) and as I get ready for my upcoming series of teleseminars, I’m looking forward to opening my office window and letting in some fresh air.

Speaking of those teleseminars, the president of AORCP (the host organization) said it was OK to offer free registration to non-members to this Thursday’s session on Organizing Your Home Office, so if you’re interested in taking part, just let me know, and I’ll send you the information you’ll need to access the call.

Here’s what I’ve been blogging about elsewhere:

OnlineOrganizing.com - Technology as an Organizing Tool:

• For Girls who Love to Make Lists
• My Love-Hate Relationship with my Pocket PC
• Organize Your Email - Part 1
• Organize Your Email - Part 2

Introvert Retreat:

• Power Networking for Introverts
• Speed Networking for Introverts

I’ve also posted a new article to OrganizedArticles.com on A Website for Your Small Business.

Enjoy!