We all respond differently to stress and change.   Most of us develop how we respond to these factors through specific life changing experiences that have occurred in our lives previously.   Some may see a major event of change as a burden; yet others may see it as an exciting challenge and find inspiration.  There are no set rules for dealing with stress and change.  Effective stress management is not easy and it usually takes time and practice.  Through examination of stress management challenges, we can develop some useful tips to help ease the effects of these factors.  Hopefully, once you think about your own situation and your own tendencies toward stress; you can apply the best strategies offered.

1.)   Set Realistic Goals and Allocate Time Effectively:  Realistic Goals should be achievable and should offer a clear route toward success.  Goals that are not attainable will bring the most stress and cause frustration and the feelings of failure.  Setting realistic goals will keep you in control and offer direction.  Also, scheduling more than you can handle is a great stress producer.  Saying “NO” to issues that will stretch your capacity beyond reality is an effective way to avoid the stress of spreading yourself too thin.  Proper allocation of your time toward each realistic goal will create a more manageable work plan.

2.)   Validate Meetings:  Validate and reconsider all meetings.  That may seem like a strong statement – but if you consider that a study by The Wall Street Journal revealed that managers wasted 80% of their time due to meetings which either did not begin or end on schedule.  Think of all the useful applications of that time.  This is a personal pet peeve of mine.  I used to attend daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly meetings on a never ending basis and found very few of those meetings to be useful.  Far too often, meetings become a stage for egos to perform and seldom do they offer useful resolutions.  With all the technical advances we have achieved such as email and teleconferencing….are all these meetings really necessary?  Not to mention the expense of travel and logistics applied to offsite meetings.

3.)   Analyze… Before You Make Time Decisions: When you focus on the tasks at hand; do you handle the minimal tasks first or later?  Most of us do exactly that.  The sense of accomplishment we get from dealing with easy issues make us feel good – it is only natural.  But when we do this we create a delay in focusing on the more important matters and this causes stress.   Analyze the importance of each task and categorize them and allocate your time according to level of importance.   Many business people use the following categories to help them organize:

A.)   Not Urgent – Not Important

B.)   Urgent but Not Important

C.)   Not Urgent but Important

D.)   Urgent and Important

4.)   Stop Procrastinating – Easier said than done!  We all put off till tomorrow what should and can be done today.  This creates a great deal of stress as well.  There are three basic reasons why most business people procrastinate:  1.) They don’t know how to do the task.  2.) They don’t like to do the task.  3.) They feel indecisive about how to approach the task.  Procrastination may be alleviated by taking a large task and breaking it up into smaller more manageable tasks.  Make a list of every task and update and prioritize them daily.  Fight the urge to put things off and your day will be less stressful.

Looking for the best new business opportunities?  Wondering what industries will lead the way for new business filings in the future?  Obviously, most business people should be; since these trends will affect their business opportunities as well.  Based on a recent article in Inc. Magazine the five top best industries for new business are as follows:

1. Environmental Consulting – Going green is no fad – it is a very real and growing industry and is valued at $17.8 billion and is expected to grow by 9 percent per year for the next 5 years.  Every business sector can expect to be affected by the green wave.  Expertise will be in demand for air, soil and water quality management.
2. Translation and Interpretation Services – The old adage that “talk is cheap” does not apply to the new global economy and basically any service that can bridge the communication gap is very valuable.  This segment grew at 18 percent last year and is a $2.7 billion industry.  Budding segments within this industry would include healthcare, website translation and multi-language marketing materials.
3. Home Health Care – Even with the current legislation – this segment is expected to expand by an average of 4.9 percent for the next 4 years.  Out of hospital care and less expensive alternatives are very appealing to the growing elderly population in America.  Physical therapy fields and non-medical home-care hiring are expected to be the leading segments.
4. Mobile App Design – It all started with the iPhone and now with the iPad and all the web-enabled devices available – the market for mobile apps has never been greater.  Demand will be high for programmers, developers and designers.  According to the Dow Jones Venture Source – in the past three years – location based apps have received $656 million.
5. Ferryboats and Inland Water Transportation – Yes – believe it or not – the old fashioned ferryboat is making a comeback.  Sparked by a rise in urban highway congestion – privately run ferry services as well as tourist excursions are on the increase.  A high concentration of success has been found in the Pacific Northwest and the Great Lakes.  As part of the 2009 Economic Recovery Act – the production of ferryboats and terminals is expanding.  This industry grew about 17 percent last year.  One new Coast Guard certified ferryboat that carries 150 passengers costs about $6 million.

While no new business venture is a sure thing – these trends certainly deserve some attention and those who are able to offer complimentary services to these industries are targeting a very real and successful goal.   Whatever industry you serve – we at Harvard Business Services, Inc. are happy to serve you!

An estimated 25 percent of businesses do not reopen after a major disaster, according to the Institute for Business and Home Safety. We all remember those horrific images from Katrina and its effect on the Gulf States and now they are being hit hard again with this oil spill. Natural and man made disasters not only effect individuals; they take a high toll on businesses as well. Getting back to business after a disaster may depend on your preparedness and planning done today. Here are some simple steps offered to help you create a disaster plan for your business.

FEMA and www.business.gov are two groups who will offer helpful support with regard to disaster preparedness. Basically, they each assert the importance of having a plan which stresses the following elements:

1.)    Be Informed – know what kinds of emergencies will affect your company

2.)    Continuity Planning – careful assessment of how your company functions, both internally and externally.

3.)    Employee Emergency Training – your employees are your most important asset – applying internal training and structure before an event will ensure proper reaction and better results.

4.)    Emergency Supplies – make sure you have the basics of survival covered – water, food, clean air and warmth.

5.)    Evacuation Scenarios and Plans – deciding when to stay and leave can be the most important decision you can make in light of a pending disaster – preparing both an evacuation plan as well as an internal shelter plan will prove valuable in times of crisis.

6.)    Fire Safety – Always remember that fire is the number one cause of most business disasters – take the obvious necessary steps to prevent such an event – smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers and a plan of escape are all crucial, and usually prescribed by local laws.

7.)    Prepare for Medical Emergencies – employee first aid and CPR training, keeping first aid supplies in stock and accessible, gathering information on existing employees medical issues and maintaining proper and accurate emergency contact information are all stressed. Installing a defibrillator in your company is also a good idea.

8.)    Pandemics – get as much information as possible with regard to signs and symptoms from local health management officials and recommended prevention and control, adopt policies designed to isolate sick employees form the group – stay home directives, practice overall good health practices and programs supporting good hygiene – such as hand washing

9.)    Protect your information – using techniques such as back up info. storage structure and off site information storage will help greatly reduce the risk of losing valuable data.

In addition, having a risk assessment audit done on your business is one way to plug the holes before they become giant leaks. The important thing is to follow the old Boy Scout Motto: “Be Prepared”!