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How to Create a Reopen Plan by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

As the shelter-in-place laws begin to easy, many business owners are looking toward their future. But nothing is going to be the same, and opening up business will not be as simple as going back to business as usual. No matter the industry, changes are going to have to be made, and care will have to be taken when reopening business.

Here are five things to consider while creating your reopen plan.

Know the laws in your state.

The first step to any reopening plan is to make sure you are compliant with any laws in your state. Make sure you stay up-to-date on any shelter in place laws, but also keep an eye on things like recommended building capacity. You may not be able to fill a restaurant to full occupancy, for example. This may affect your time table.

Of course, for many, these laws are changing every day. Make sure you keep your finger on the pulse and be prepared to change and update your plan as new information becomes available.

Consider any logistical challenges.

Some businesses will have more difficulties than others operating in this post-COVID environment. Will your prices have to go up to compensate for the lowered occupancy? Is it feasible for you to test temperatures at the door? These are the questions you should be asking yourself to ensure the smoothest transition.

Some “best practices” might simply not be possible or beneficial for your business. Take the time to consider these carefully and make sure you have the best possible plan for you.

Get serious about cleaning.

As day-to-day work resumes, it is important not to let safety measures go lax. It is incredibly important for all of your employees to understand that regular cleaning is imperative. You should be purchasing masks for them, and consider investing in additional safety measures such as barriers in front of registers to ensure both their safety and the safety of your clientele, for example.

Ultimately, though, it will be the responsibility of your employees to keep things clean and safe, even when work life starts to pick up again. Make sure they understand that this is in their best interest as well as the best interest of your clients.

Consider the little things.

While talking about reopening seems easy in theory, in practice there could be things you had not accounted for. For example, consider the size of your bathrooms and the space between stalls. Can people easily move around while safely social distancing? Or what about your parking lot? How filled does it get, and what does foot traffic look like.

These are things that are easy to overlook, but can create challenges in the long run. Think of your business from a very analytical perspective and try to catch these things before they actually become problems.

Be prepared to take it slow.

As difficult as it might be to hear, these past few months have marked a dramatic shift for everyone, and we will not be able to return to normal overnight. Even as you open your business, consider taking it in phases—for example, having employees come into office in “shifts” and have them work remote on off days.

But even while you are taking it slow, there are things you can do to take advantage of time. If your employees are not going to be working the same number of hours, for example, now is a good time to invest in training, to empower them to make the most of their time.ournal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

 

20 Ways to Avoid Distractions While Working from Home by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

Working from home presents a unique set of challenges, as many are finding out for the first time during this COVID-19 crisis. One of the main issues people face is maintaining focus during work hours, even though they are surrounded by at-home distractions like chores and family members. Here are 20 tips for avoiding distractions while working from home during the shelter-in-place.

  1. Maintain a strong work/life balance. It is easier to focus on work when you give yourself enough time to focus on your life. While working from home, it is tempting to let one bleed into the other, but this can lead to procrastination and difficulty in maintaining boundaries.
  2. Prioritize your to-do list. Distractions often happen because we are not sure what we are meant to be doing. Get rid of this confusion by knowing which items on your to-do list are the highest priority, and tackle those first.
  3. Download social media blockers on your computer. If you find yourself scrolling through Twitter or Facebook during work hours just a bit too much, there are extensions you can use to block these sites during work.
  4. Put your phone away. Scrolling through your phone is an easy way to lose time. While you do need it nearby to field work calls, putting it somewhere where it is not easy to reach but still easy to hear is ideal.
  5. Take scheduled breaks. Breaks help you stay motivated during the time that you are actually working. Letting your brain rest also improves focus and overall morale. Try getting up and stretching every hour or so.
  6. Get noise-cancelling headphones. If your home is a louder one, this is a must. Keep your focus by playing music, or rain/nature noises to block out sounds. The headphones will also be a signal to others in the house not to bother you.
  7. Keep up good diet and exercise. Diet and exercise play a huge part in focus. If your body is in poor condition, your brain will be, too, and it is a lot harder to stay focused when you feel ill. Make sure to eat foods that keep you focused, and exercise regularly.
  8. Work away from chores and clutter. It is harder to focus when you are surrounded by clutter. If you can see the laundry that needs doing, the kitchen that needs cleaning, or the floor that needs sweeping, it will be harder to focus on work.
  9. Get an accountability partner. If you struggle with staying self-motivated, having someone that you check in with regularly can be a huge help. Let them know what you intend to accomplish for the day, and have them do the same to you in return!
  10. Play background music. As mentioned earlier, music can help block out unwanted noises. But the right music can also help improve focus on general. This is different for everyone, so experiment with the sort of music you listen to.
  11. Offer yourself rewards when staying focused. If your deadlines seem less pressing than usual, use rewards to motivate yourself. This will keep you on task and will make things much easier for you in the long run.
  12. Break up large tasks into smaller ones. It can be tough to stay motivated on long tasks, which leads to us getting distracted. But breaking them up into smaller tasks makes it easier to feel accomplished, which improves momentum.
  13. Turn off all non-essential notifications. Every time your phone buzzes, you lose your focus. Turn off notifications for apps that are not essential. This way, you are only looking at your phone for things that actually matter.
  14. Do not keep an email tab open. We lose a lot of time to our inboxes. Unless you are expecting something urgent, try not to have your email open all the time. This way, you can focus on the task at hand and only the task at hand.
  15. Use the Pomodoro technique. It can be hard to focus when you feel overwhelmed, or if you do not give your brain regular breaks. The pomodoro method or a similar way of working helps to mitigate this. Set a timer and work through it, then give yourself a short break.
  16. Schedule updates with your coworkers. If you are used to keeping up-to-date with coworkers, this transition can have a negative affect on your focus. Using a platform like Zoom for scheduled check-ins keeps everyone motivated and on the same page.
  17. Make sure your technology is right for the job. If your computer is slow, it is harder to keep your momentum and easier to give into distraction. Invest in a good, fast computer for work, and it will be much easier to keep up.
  18. Set long-term goals. Sometimes, we give into distraction because we are not sure why we are doing something. Having longterm goals and making sure your daily tasks relate to them in some way will help with this.
  19. Create a family plan. There are some distractions that we cannot control: things like family. But talking with them and making them understand your schedule can be a great first step in minimizing the amount of distraction you have.
  20. Use a separate browser profile for work. Browsers like Google Chrome allow you to have different profiles, which affect things like search history, saved passwords and bookmarks. Separating work from your usual profile is a good way to minimize online distractions.

 

20 Tips for Optimizing Your Home Office in 2020 by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

Amidst this pandemic, many people are working from home for the first time. This means that people who otherwise would not give much thought to their home offices are being forced to look at them in a more constructive light. There are ways to set up a home office for success, and small details can make a big difference. Here are 20 ways you can improve and optimize your home office for a productive work day during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  1. It is all about location. Make sure your office is in a convenient location. It should be somewhere where you do not do anything else — if possible, avoid spaces where you eat and sleep. Try to limit activity there to work activity only.
  2. Pay attention to which way your desk is facing. Some people prefer to have their desks facing the window, while other people feel more comfortable facing the door. You may want to experiment to see what makes the most sense for you.
  3. Make sure distractions are out of sight. It will be hard to focus on work if you can see the pile of dirty laundry that needs to be done, or the dirty dishes in the sink. Take an “out of sight, out of mind” approach and make sure that the only things you need are within view.
  4. Minimize email checking. It is easy to lose entire hours to answering emails and following up on projects. Try to minimize the amount of times you check your email per day. If possible, consider turning off notifications as well.
  5. Keep supplies stocked. In order to set yourself up for success, you should have everything you need. Keep a running tally of when you are getting low on things. Now more than ever, conserve resources where possible so that you can minimize the amount of times you go out.
  6. Add some personalization. Your home office should be a comfortable place for you. So do not be afraid to add some pictures or decorations that make you happy and inspire you.
  7. Be aware of what is behind you. While remote working, you will probably have video conferences. That means that everyone will be able to see what is behind you. Take the time to keep that area clean and clutter-free.
  8. Invest in good headphones. Headphones help minimize distractions, especially in multi-person households. For very noisy locations, invest in noise cancelling headphones.
  9. Keep track of your coworkers. It is harder to know what is going on in your coworkers lives when you cannot talk to them regularly in person. Try to stay updated personally as well as professionally with regular texts or a chat room.
  10. Make your office suit your needs. Your work is unique, so it makes sense that your home office should be unique, too. Consider what you get out of your work office and how you can recreate that at home.
  11. Do not be afraid to move things around. Keeping things fresh will help you stay motivated and productive throughout the day. If you think your furniture might look better arranged differently, take the time to do that.
  12. Keep your desk “off-limits.” If you have children or roommates, make sure they know not to move things around. Your desk should also be off-limits to you when it is not “work time.” This will make sure that you stay focused when you are actually at your desk.
  13. Use natural lighting. When possible, use natural light from outside as opposed to artificial light. Also try to be aware of how much screen time you are getting, and try to take care of your eyes as much as possible.
  14. Have a source of fresh air. Just something as simple as opening a window can improve your mood and make it easier to focus. Identify any sources of fresh air in your office and take advantage of them.
  15. Brighten up the room with plants. Plants add a bit of color to otherwise plain rooms, and can provide a healthier atmosphere.
  16. Have everything you need within reach. This will minimize the temptation to get distracted by searching for something. It will also make sure that you are able to stay organized.
  17. Keep a “catch-all” drawer. To avoid your desk getting too cluttered, have a drawer to put anything that you do not know what to do with in the moment. Then, schedule some time to clean out that drawer regularly.
  18. Have a designated place for your phone. With no one around, the temptation to scroll through social media on your phone is a bit higher. Minimize this by putting your phone somewhere where you can hear it in an emergency, but not reach it.
  19. Make sure technology is taken care of. Nothing will kill your motivation faster than a malfunctioning computer or spotty wifi. Also, make sure you invest in whatever you need to be productive, whether that is a printer, a scanner, or whatever you use regular in your office.
  20. Clean regularly. Clutter can lead to anxiety and distraction. Schedule regular cleaning times for your office space.

 

20 Tips for Working from Home during the COVID-19 Outbreak in 2020 by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

During this unprecedented pandemic, many people are working remote for the first time. For some, this can be very difficult to adjust to, especially since it was so unexpected. But having a productive day from a remote office is possible! Here are twenty tips for working through the COVID-19 pandemic while staying safe and protecting your mental health.

  1. Get dressed in fresh clothes. This does not mean that you have to get fully dressed in the same clothing you would wear into the office. But you should not be wearing the same clothes that you wore into the office, either. At a bare minimum, change into fresh pajamas.
  2. Keep to a regular schedule. It can be tempting to sleep in and make up the lost hours later in the day. But keeping to a routine can help your mental health in these trying times. Do your best to work at the same time you would during a regular work day.
  3. Exercise regularly. Exercise keeps your mind sharp, and your mood stable. This is actually one of the benefits of working from home, because you can take a break to exercise whenever is most convenient for you.
  4. Eat healthy. This is another way to manage stress in these times. Often, we only feel as good as we eat. If you are consuming a lot of junk food, it can lead to lowered mood and motivation to work. Do your best to prepare healthy meals instead.
  5. Schedule your meals in advance. Since you are working from home, you have your whole kitchen to work with. This is exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. You can become paralyzed by choice and wind up falling back on easy but unhealthy options. Planning in advance helps to avoid this.
  6. Try to limit snacking. There is nothing wrong with snacking. But, again, when your whole kitchen is open to you, it pays to be cautious. Mindless snacking can lead to overeating, which causes fatigue and lack of motivation. Just be mindful of how much you are eating.
  7. Connect with co-workers regularly. Isolation is poor for your mental health, and isolation from co-workers specifically can be detrimental to teamwork and progress. Make sure you are regularly connecting with coworkers or employees to keep track of each other.
  8. Keep updated on project status. When everyone is separate, it is easy to lose track of where everyone is on a project. A platform like Asana or Proofhub can help assure that nothing is getting lost in the shuffle.
  9. Use video conferencing. While it can be tempting to just email or call, a video conference adds a more personal touch. It also helps to encourage team members to get dressed and keep up on their hygiene, which can be easy to forget in stressful times.
  10. Invest in good technology. There is nothing more frustrating than technological errors when you are trying to work. So if you are going to be remote for any extended period of time, it is important to invest in the best technology possible for your industry.
  11. Be protective of your work time. Interruptions will want to come up. Chores will need to be done, family will want your attention, and more. While this is not always possible to ignore, try to make work time dedicated to work only.
  12. Reduce distractions with headphones. If you live with roommates or people who are also trying to navigate quarantine, asking for quiet hours is not always possible. Instead, invest in a good pair of noise cancelling headphones. Sites like mynoise offer a range of white noise options.
  13. Have a designated work space. Working from bed is tempting, but is not always the recipe to being as productive as possible. If you have a desk, this is a good time to use it. If not, try working at your kitchen table, using a different seat than the one you eat at. Just do your best to have a separate “work” station to get you in the right mindset.
  14. Move around. When you work remote, you are missing out on a lot of the usual movement, from walking to a neighbor’s desk for questions to moving for lunch. Do your best to get up and stretch for 5 minutes occasionally.
  15. Make lists. These are frightening, overwhelming times, and even people who are good at prioritizing might be struggling right now. Getting what you need to do done in writing helps to prioritize and make sure that nothing is getting forgotten.
  16. Set deadlines when they aren’t available. Sometimes, our response to stress is to procrastinate. And this can be troublesome when a job has no specific deadline. So set one and make sure that you do not just ignore tasks entirely.
  17. Ask for feedback. Because you aren’t just a cubicle away, people may not as readily offer feedback in these times. Make sure you are doing the best job possible by reaching out to ask for it. This also ties back into keeping connected!
  18. Be kind to yourself. Since you have all of this “free time,” you might feel obligated to be “more productive.” But that is not sustainable, especially when you are dealing with fear and stress from a pandemic. Do not worry if you are not being productive every moment of every day.
  19. Do not work after hours. Sometimes, emergencies happen and working after hours is unavoidable. But, in general, try to keep to set work hours. This will keep you from getting burnt out or overworking yourself.
  20. Keep up on education. If you find that your work is dwindling, now could be a good time to revisit classes that you have not had time to take. This will allow you to come back from this pandemic with a new and revitalized vision for your business.

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. KayDr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

20 Ways to Grow as an Entrepreneur in 2020 by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

The hallmark of an entrepreneur is someone who is always striving and working to be their best. As such, a lot of entrepreneurs benefit from setting goals that can help them grow into the best person they can be. I have put together a list of 20 goals that entrepreneurs can pursue in 2020.

  1. Start a blog. Starting a blog is more than just a way to promote your business or grow your audience. It gets you thinking about what you do and why you do it in new ways. Writing a blog can help you solidify what is really important to you.
  2. Join a new networking group. One of the best ways to grow as an entrepreneur is to meet new people. Networking groups are a great way to make connections and learn from people in your industry.
  3. Join a LI group. What are people in your space talking about? LinkedIn Groups are full of relevant articles, conversations and more. If you want to keep up to date on latest trends and what other people are thinking about them, this is a great step to take.
  4. Revamp your website. If your website is outdated, chances are good that you have not really considered how your business looks or how you would like to appear to your audience. A refresh can change the way that you think about yourself even as it changes the way others see you.
  5. Try a new business venture. The best way to grow is to try new things. Even if you later decide that this is not for you, it does not hurt to at least try. Being open to new experiences moves your career in new and interesting ways.
  6. Take a risk. It can be tempting to stay in our comfort zone. But real growth comes from trying things that might fail. Through risks, we learn — whether that is because we succeeded, or because we discovered a way not to do something.
  7. Do public speaking. Public speaking is something that a lot of people are understandably frightened of. But it is great for improving your confidence, connecting with new people, and making you a better business person who communicates clearly.
  8. Start a vlog. This combines the benefits of blogs and public speaking. It also encourages you to show off what makes your business great — and it means you will likely be keeping your workspace looking its very best.
  9. Go on a retreat. Retreats are different from vacations (which, to be clear, you should also be taking). They are a chance to engage with what you do in a different location, learn more about your industry, and get away from the daily stressors that keep you from being your best.
  10. Ask for help. As you grow, you might begin to feel as though you do not need help from anyone else. But this cannot be further from the truth. Never be afraid to reach out to others who are at different stages than you for help.
  11. Find a niche. Who is your audience? If you cannot answer this question clearly and concisely, you probably do not have a niche. Finding one helps you to be more focused in your efforts, targeting people in more meaningful ways.
  12. Know your limits. As much as it is important to “hussle” and do your best, you are not a robot. You need to know when to take a step back, when to stop for the night, and when to delegate tasks that you cannot do.
  13. Start a podcast. Podcasts are becoming even more popular, and are an inexpensive way to get your voice and thoughts out there. Take the opportunity to listen to podcasts in your industry and see what others are doing.
  14. Set actionable goals. Goal setting is an important part of growth and success, but something that many overlook. Take the time to set actionable goals and make sure you set deadlines to complete them.
  15. Track metrics. How do you know if you are actually growing? You track your progress. This is why metrics are an important part of growing as an entrepreneur. They allow you to make sure that you are on target for completing your goals.
  16. Do something that scares you. We do not grow by staying in our comfort zones. Facing your fears and overcoming obstacles is an important part of growth in any part of life, and entrepreneurship is no different.
  17. Try a new social media strategy. Do you have a social media strategy? If so, when was the last time you updated it? Social media is constantly evolving and changing, so a refresh is always a good idea. Look at the new platforms available and see where your audience is.
  18. Poll your clients. Do you know what your clients actually think about you? Are you in tune with their needs? Reaching out to see why and how you can meet the needs of your existing clients can be enlightening.
  19. Take a class. No matter how long you have been in business, there is always room to grow. Take a class on something new or on something you feel you know well. No matter what it is, you will probably learn something.
  20. Empower people to learn. This might mean running a class or a webinar of your own. But it could also mean hiring someone to create custom learning content for employees around you. This leads to you being surrounded and supported by an intelligent workforce.

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. KayDr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

20 Themes for 2020 by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

When attempting to accomplish the business goals they set at the beginning of the year, some people get overwhelmed because they bite off more than they can chew. There are too many tasks, and they are all independent of each other, and there just is not enough time or stamina to complete all of them.

This can be avoided by choosing a cohesive “theme” for your goals. This ensures that every goal is related to itself and is focused on a single end result. It helps reduce burnout and increase motivation.

But what are some themes for your goals to follow? Here are 20 to keep in mind in 2020:

  1. Progress. This is a great theme for beginning businesses. Often, we have big dreams about where we want our business to go. But the work of actually getting there can be discouraging. Shifting or mindset—and our goals—to be more about the journey than the destination is a powerful tool.
  2. Growth. Sometimes, we get so bogged down with small inconsequential goals that we lose sight of the big picture. That is what this theme is all about. It helps businesses focus on growing revenue, customer base, or whatever they are looking to improve.
  3. Innovation. What problems are your customers facing? This theme challenges you to create goals that address those problems in new and exciting ways. If your business is beginning to feel stale or outdated, this is a theme you should consider.
  4. Experimentation. As professionals, sometimes we get stuck in a routine, and a belief that the way that we have always done thing is the best way. This theme is all about challenging that belief. Picking goals that encourage experimentation can energize employees and open the door to new opportunities.
  5. Positivity. A little complaining is to be expected. But too much of it can infect your workplace culture, turning it into a negative place that your employees want to escape from. If this sounds familiar, make positivity the theme of your goals this year.
  6. Generosity. There are endless reasons and ways to give back. Making it the theme of your goals encourages you to not only get connected with your community, but also think of ways to meaningfully provide for your customers and employees.
  7. Boldness. Businesses succeed when they take risks. Make being brave the theme of your goals this year. What scares you? Whether it is public speaking, trying a risky marketing venture, or a new technology, tackle it with your goals this year.
  8. Connection. If we get too bogged down in the day to day work, we run the risk of becoming isolated, especially solo entrepreneurs. Make connection a theme of your goals, and reach out to more networking groups and professionals with the goal of making relationships, not just generating leads.
  9. Mentoring. As we get further along in our business, it is important that we share the knowledge we learned with the next generation. Making mentoring the theme of your goals is personally enriching, and also helps those who are where you once were.
  10. Confidence. This is something that people struggle with, no matter how much experience they have. Tackling confidence as a theme in 2020 will make you not only a better professional, but will overall improve your happiness and mental health.
  11. Unique. What sets your business apart from the rest? Make cultivating this the theme of 2020. By doing so, you help yourself stand out in a business landscape that is increasingly loud and difficult to break into.
  12. Acceptance. There are so many things about business we cannot change. For 2020, make the theme of your goals be acceptance. Focus on the things that you can do, and do not waste time worrying about the things you cannot.
  13. Delegation. It is easy to fall into the trap of doing everything because we think that our way is the only right way. But this can quickly lead to fatigue and burnout. Make your goals this year revolve around delegation and training employees to take on tasks that are eating up your valuable time.
  14. Opportunity. We often become blinded to good opportunities because we are too wrapped up in the here and now. This theme, then, focuses on recognizing and accepting those opportunities as well as actively seeking them out.
  15. Disruption. Look at the fundamental truths of your industry. Which ones could stand to be challenged? Having this theme for your goals adds some much-needed excitement into your day to day work.
  16. Relaxation. Excitement is important, but it is not the be all end all of your career. If some of your goals sound a little too similar to what you have been doing, you might be due for a break. There is nothing wrong with prioritizing self-care and relaxation as a theme.
  17. Balance. Depending on your personality, you might work too hard or find yourself too distracted by other obligations. Make your theme this year, then, be about balancing your obligations. Whatever has been neglected should be your priority.
  18. Activity. What new things could you be doing? Maybe this means finally starting that incentives campaign or launching a new hashtag to reach out to an audience. Whatever it is, make it tangible, and make sure you are actually doing something.
  19. Talent. A business is only as good as its employees. This theme, then, focuses on finding the very best, and investing in the training that will make your current team be as successful as they can be. This is a theme that will yield amazing results.
  20. Education. No matter how long you have been in business, there is always more to learn. And the same could be said of your employees. Investing in both your education and theirs makes sure that you are providing your clients with the very best service.

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. KayDr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

20 Ways to Excite Employees in 2020 by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

Business owners ask how to make their employees more productive, more focused, or more loyal. Less frequently, they ask how to make their employees more excited. And this is a problem, because learning how to excite employees can often lead to employees that are more productive, focused, loyal, and more.

Making your business somewhere they want to work, instead of somewhere they need to work to get a paycheck, is incredibly powerful. But how can you do that? Here are twenty suggestions to get your employees excited this year.

  1. Call out good behavior. You might be surprised how effective simple acknowledgment is at exciting your employees. People want to be recognized when they do something well.
  2. Start an incentives program. Rewarding employees for good work is a great way to get them excited about doing it! Little things like gift cards can make big impacts.
  3. Let them try new things. If employees do the same thing day after day, the work gets stagnant. What excited them on day one might not excite them on day 30. Let them shake things up by trying new things, and you can make sure that they stay excited about what they do.
  4. Give them ownership of their work. It is a lot easier to get excited about work that feels like it is uniquely yours. So by giving employees ownership over their work, you help make them feel excited about it.
  5. Encourage volunteering. People like feeling like they are having a positive impact. Encouraging volunteering on company time helps make the day-to-day job more exciting, because they are able to help people as well.
  6. Offer flex time or remote opportunities. These are very exciting to employees, because it allows them to take control of their own schedule. It also helps to remove some stressors that could impede excitement, such as difficult commutes.
  7. Remember things about them. Employees will be excited to work for you if they think you see them as a person. Remembering things like their birthdays or hobbies can shows that you care.
  8. Make sure there is room for growth. People will not be as excited for their position if they do not think that there is room for growth. Make sure you are checking in with employees about five and ten year plans.
  9. It is all about workplace culture. If your workplace culture is one of excitement and innovation, it will rub off on your employees. If your workplace culture is one of stagnancy and complacency, that will rub off on them, too.
  10. Keep them up-to-date on what the company is doing. It is hard to get excited about things when you do not even really know what is happening! Make sure your employees are up-to-date on whatever it is that your company is doing.
  11. Take interest in their goals. This goes back to our point about growth, and showing interest in your employees as a person. Show that you care about their future as much as they do, and get excited with them about their opportunities.
  12. Try to “gamify” tasks. People are predisposed to like games. Whenever possible, try to make tasks more entertaining and exciting by turning them into “games.” This can tie into the incentives mentioned above, with rewards being given out when they hit a certain point.
  13. Focus on core values and intrinsic motivation. External motivating factors like incentives and perks are very exciting. But internal excitement is just as powerful. Make sure that your employees understand and share the core values that are at the heart of everything you do.
  14. Make your office space amazing. Nothing energizes and excites us more than our surroundings. So make sure that your employees are surrounded by things that are thought-provoking or entertaining!
  15. Encourage competition… Competition is a great way to get excitement into your employees’ days. It makes them get engaged in their work on a different level, and gets them communicating with other employees.
  16. But do not pit employees against each other. All that said, at the end of the day friendly competition should be focused on the first word, not the second. Make sure that the competition is designed to encourage camaraderie and that no one is feeling as though they are being actively worked against or slighted.
  17. Plan a retreat. Sometimes the best way to get employees excited by work is to get them all to take a break. And a retreat is a way to turn that break into something productive, whether it is used for team-building purposes, education, or just some well deserved relaxation time.
  18. Be honest. They say that “honesty is the best policy,” and this certainly applies to keeping employees excited. Be up-front with them about what is going on.
  19. Make sure employees know why they are doing something. If you want to get your employees excited about their work, make sure they understand the meaning behind it. It is hard to get excited about tiny pieces if you do not know where they fit into the big picture.
  20. Give them the chance to learn. People love to learn, and find it exciting when they are able to put new lessons into use. Give your employees that chance by sending them to classes custom-tailored to their work.

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. KayDr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

20 Ways to Give Back in 2020 by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

A common New Year’s Resolution, especially for businesses, is to “give back” to the community. But for as often as the concept comes up, few businesses actually follow through with it. Often, this is because the business has a base misunderstanding of what “giving back” is.

There are so many ways to give back. Here are just 20 of them for you to implement in 2020:

  1. Start a charity program. The most common one is where you pick a charity for employees to donate to, and after a certain amount of time, you match the donation as a company. This encourages charitable giving and supports a good cause.
  2. Give employees time to volunteer. Allowing employees to volunteer hours on company time does far more than help a good cause. It also encourages employee retention, as being able to give back is incredibly important for a lot of people.
  3. Reward employees for volunteering. For every employee who is eager to volunteer their time, of course, there are some that are more reluctant. Make volunteering more enticing for them by offering rewards if they hit a certain number of hours, for example.
  4. Start a scholarship. Scholarships are a great way to give back to your community. It encourages higher education in youth, and is a relatively simple way to show that you care. Making the scholarship a contest allows it to reach a wide audience.
  5. Get involved in your community. Never underestimate the power of simply being there when people need you. Whether it is to help clean a park or providing aid after a natural disaster, find a place where you can be of use and go there.
  6. Partner with a non-profit. Partnering with a non-profit allows you to give your services to those who are in need. An established non-profit will have an audience that you can provide for, making it easier to reach the people you want.
  7. Sponsor a food drive or similar event. Sponsoring events allows you to provide for your community in an easy, effective way. It gets important goods to the people who need it, and it allows you to get involved in a real, tangible way.
  8. Share your knowledge by running a class. Many people do not consider the amazing impact that sharing their knowledge can have on a community. An in-person class or a webinar allows you to educate people on what you are an expert in.
  9. Buy from local small businesses. When possible, buying local does amazing things for your community’s economy. It also encourages loyalty and improves overall morale. And, of course, it supports small businesses.
  10. Collect donations from customers. Many companies have a tip jar, and a similar process can be used to collect donations for the charity of your choice. Most people are willing to throw in a bit of change, and that sort of thing adds up.
  11. Turn volunteering into a team building exercise. Encouraging employees to volunteer as a group has several benefits. In addition to providing even more aid to people in need, you also encourage employees to get to know each other outside of a professional setting.
  12. Volunteer with causes that align with your core values. If you are going to donate time or money to a cause, do not just pick it at random. Instead, make sure it aligns with company values and how you want to present yourself.
  13. Sponsor a youth sports team. Again, giving back to the community is not just about charity. Sponsoring a youth sports team is a great way to give back to schools and the students in them who are trying to shape their futures.
  14. Hold a contest. This is a simple but fun way to get involved in your community. Holding a contest fosters a sense of fun and friendly competition between people. It will get people in your community interacting with each other, which is important.
  15. Offer your skills when appropriate. If you notice a small business or family struggling with a service that you are able to provide, do not be afraid to lend a helping hand! People will remember you as the person who came to their aid.
  16. Give free resources on your site. Want a less labor-intensive way to give back to the community? Offer free resources on your site—things like blogs or white papers provide valuable information to your community free of charge.
  17. Offer special deals for those in need. An example of this is a restaurant that allows patrons to purchase a second meal so that people who cannot afford one can have one for free. You will see this frequently at pizza places.
  18. Put a focus on “going green.” This does more than give back to the community — it gives back to the world by making it a healthier place to live. Making an effort to lower your carbon footprint and improve the environment is an important step in becoming a kinder business.
  19. Auction off things you no longer use, and donate the profits. Sometimes items outlive their usefulness to your business. But that does not mean that they cannot be useful to someone else. Sell them and donate the profits.
  20. Donate products that do not sell. This can tie into the action above. Simply donating the items you no longer need to people who could use them is a great way to give back. It also ensures that you are not being wasteful.

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. KayDr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

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20 Ways to Stay Motivated in 2020 by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

January has hardly begun, but already people are forgetting or giving up on their resolutions and goals. This is a process that happens every year, and it happens because once the “shine” is off the new year, it can be incredibly hard to stay motivated.

However, “hard” does not mean impossible, and with a bit of effort you can stay excited and engaged with your goals all year long. Here are 20 ways to keep your motivation up in 2020.

  1. Break your goals into chunks. If you try to tackle a large goal, you might wind up discouraged by just how much work there is to do. But splitting your goals into smaller parts will help sustain a feeling of accomplishment across a span of weeks or months.
  2. Set an intention for each day. This intention can be big, like starting on a project that you have been putting off, or small, like waking up five minutes earlier. But having at least one “win” every day can keep you feeling motivated and excited!
  3. Practice positive thinking. Optimism is learned. And people who think positively often have more positive experiences in life. How you approach things will often attract the sort of results you want to see, so try your best to catch your self in negative self-talk and replace that with more positive thoughts.
  4. Stay grateful. Practicing gratitude is an important part of motivation. At the end of the day, go over the things that happened that you are grateful for. This will help you to start the next day with motivation and excitement!
  5. Make sure each goal has a “why.” Nothing kills motivation faster than not having a clear reason for your goal. After all, if you do not know why you are doing something, what is the point of doing it? Put your “why” somewhere you can see.
  6. Get friends to hold you accountable. It is a lot harder to “slack off” on goals when you know that someone else is counting on you to do them. Make it reciprocal, too — help your friends stay on track with their goals, and you can get motivated by their success as much as your own.
  7. Reread your goals regularly. As we get into the day-to-day grind of life, it can be easy to lose sight of our larger goals. So take some time to read your goals weekly, or even daily. Keeping them top of mind will help you stay motivated to achieve them.
  8. Start slowly. When we set our goals, it can be tempted to jump into them all at once. But this can often lead to burnout and a lack of motivation. Instead, find a place to start small with your goals, and build your way up from there.
  9. Track your progress. If we cannot see the strides we are making, we run the risk of giving up entirely because it feels like it is not making a difference. Finding a way to track your progress can help motivation. Daily trackers are a great way to do this, because it encourages you not to “break the chain.”
  10. Schedule in time to work on your goals. It is easy to say that you will work on a goal “when you have the time.” But if you follow that train of thought, it will be easy to find excuses to never start. Set yourself clear deadlines and then schedule in time to work before your deadlines, too.
  11. Schedule days off, too. As important as it is to work on your goals, constant work is not sustainable. Make sure that you are taking regular breaks in order to keep your mind and your motivation sharp. You will find yourself returning to your goals with renewed excitement.
  12. Be sure to “unplug.” We live in a world with more distractions than ever before. It makes keeping up with goals very difficult, and motivation is hard to keep when it feels like there are a thousand more interesting things we could be doing. Schedule time to eliminate distractions like phone and internet.
  13. Identify your procrastination triggers. Some people procrastinate when they are stressed, others procrastinate when things feel like they will take too long or go too slow. Realize what your procrastination triggers are and come up with a plan to combat them, to keep motivation.
  14. Have a five and ten year plan. Where do you want to be in five and ten years? Identify that, and then take the time to consider how this year’s goals will help you reach the person you want to be in the future. This will make it much easier to stay motivated.
  15. Mix professional goals with fun goals. Having “fun” goals is a great way to stay motivated. Make it a goal to take a trip somewhere you have always wanted to go, or to try something new that you have always wanted to try. Working on these goals will make it easier to work on your more professional goals.
  16. Do nightly reviews. Take some time at the end of your day to review what you did to work on your goals, how it made you feel, and what you want to do next. Keeping track this way will help you stay motivated to take next steps.
  17. Reward yourself for completing goals. Rewards and incentives are powerful motivators. Do not be afraid to give yourself some when you finish a goal! This will help you stay motivated for the next ones, as you will be excited for the next reward!
  18. Help others set goals and intentions. Helping other people set their goals can be incredibly motivating. Seeing other people succeed gives you the drive and excitement that you need to succeed, as well!
  19. Celebrate your successes. Celebrating and simply giving yourself a “pat on the back” feels good. So while it can be tempting to simply check off one goal on your list and move onto the next one, take some time to recognize that you did well.
  20. Learn new things. Learning is a powerful motivator. When we educate ourselves, it empowers us and makes us want to take that new knowledge into the world. Employees are more motivated by custom classes, which is why more businesses are investing in them.

———————————————————————-

Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. KayDr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

20 Ways to Grow Your Business in 2020 by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

2020 is just around the corner. This start of a new year — and a new decade — is an exciting time for business owners. It is a time for goal-setting, strategizing, and looking to a future of improvement and growth.

In that spirit, here are 20 ways to grow your business in 2020:

  1. Join more clubs. This includes not only networking groups, but also clubs that are dedicated to other things. The more people you meet, the more potential clients are in your circle. Obviously, you should not push sales too hard on everyone you meet. But make sure they know what you do.
  2. Build a social media strategy. If you have not started a social media strategy already, this is the year to begin. When people find out about you, they will be googling you. It is important that you have a social media presence to show that your company is real.
  3. Get client testimonials. These should be displayed prominently on your social media, website and possibly on your clients’ social media, too. Testimonials are an important part of making companies appear trustworthy and worthwhile to potential clients.
  4. Start a blog or podcast. Blogs and podcasts do a lot for a company’s image. They can turn you into a figure of authority, or humanize you, depending on your needs and your audience. Strategically providing for potential clients will make them more likely to hire you in the future.
  5. Track data and metrics. To grow a successful business, you need to know what is working and what is not. That means identifying the actionable metrics you can track, and keeping an eye on them. Adjust your strategy depending on what they say.
  6. Conduct a customer survey. What do your customers actually like about you? What you think might be very different from the reality? Take the time to actually ask them how they interact with your business, and be sure to highlight the things that they like, while improving what they think needs improvement.
  7. Volunteer in your community. In addition to being a genuinely good thing to do, volunteering allows your business to become more tied to your community. This helps you reach a wider range of people around you, and positions you as someone who cares.
  8. Host a webinar or other event. Similar to blogging or podcasts, hosting a webinar or a similar event is a great way to get “on the radar” of potential clients. It also shows that you want to provide them with a mutually beneficial relationship.
  9. Keep up on your email marketing. Email blasts are an easy thing to forget, but they should not be. This keeps you top-of-mind for people on your list, which can really improve your rate of referrals, as well as improve your business with current clients.
  10. Watch your competition. Know what other people in your space are offering. Then you can focus on what makes you different, and put emphasis on why people should choose you over others. In addition, you might be able to see trends in what customers want.
  11. Give back to your customers. Positioning your company as one that genuinely cares about your customers can do a lot for your reputation. Offering simple gifts or deals can help bring in new customers who are interested.
  12. Hold a contest. Visible contests, like hashtags on social media, can help get the word out about your business. It can also tie into the above point about giving back to customers, if you offer prizes at the end of it. Contests are exciting and fun.
  13. Partner with other businesses. This will allow you to offer an even wider range of services to clients. People do not necessarily want to be in contact with a bunch of different businesses. If, by hiring you, they get access to many other services, that makes you convenient and easy to work with.
  14. Acquire other businesses. This is another way to provide a wider range of services, with the added benefit of adding more people to your team.
  15. Simplify what you do. This might seem a bit antithetical to the last few points, but being really clear about what it is you offer can help you find the clients that actually want your services — and, on a similar note, it can help those clients find you.
  16. Get better at delegation. This will allow you to put more time toward networking, reaching out to current clients for more work, and all-around growing your business.
  17. Reward your team. While you are giving your team more responsibilities through delegation, make sure you take the time to show them how much you appreciate them. If you want your business to grow, you need the team to accommodate that growth.
  18. Become an expert. Learning new things is always important for business owners. But when you are attempting to grow your business, it is critical. You need to stay up-to-date on the latest trends in order to provide what customers want.
  19. Be consistent in messaging. Often, people will not hire you the first time they hear about you. But if they hear about you consistently, you will be on their mind when they actually need your services. Keeping messaging consistent is what will keep you memorable.
  20. Invest in training. If you want to grow your business, your team needs to be prepared to provide the services you offer. That means training them. Online training is a great option because it allows your employees to learn on their own terms.

———————————————————————-

Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. KayDr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn