-
-
Search
-
Categories
-
Archives
-
Suggested Sites
-
Admin
Backing up your data
Everyone says it…everyone knows you SHOULD do it…but how many ACTUALLY back up their data on a regular basis? I had a scare this past week with my data. My desktop decided to crash on me this week. I THOUGHT my external hard drive was backing me up every day. Well, I had forgotten that I’d temporarily disabled it a few weeks ago because it was interfering with something I was working on. Luckily I had recently synced it with my laptop and I also have an external hard drive. I spent almost 2 days doing a system restore, deleting all the crap programs that come with computers and re-loading MY software. I’m still not back to 100%, but I’m at about 95%. I’m still finding little things here and there I need to tweak, but nothing major.
I signed up for the free trial from Carbonite.com and am SLOWLY getting my data backed up to their servers…it’s been backing up for 3 days now and from the looks of it it’ll be backing up for AT LEAST that much longer. Several other VAs in my sphere of influence rave about Carbonite, so I’m giving it a shot. The price for unlimited backup space is less than Mozy’s unlimited backup for home users, and the little dot system they use to let you know if a file is backed up gives me some peace of mind.
The Value of Your Time
I recently ran across this article about the value of our time. How many of us stop to think what the TRUE value of our time is? Do you really want to your time sifting through your e-mail (most if which is probably inconsequential), or creating that print ad or mailer? Many outsource tasks they do not enjoy or have time for, such as housekeeping or lawn maintenance. It has become so common to outsource these tasks that for most people they don’t even think of it as outsourcing.
Now take a look at your other daily tasks, whether it be returning e-mails, sending routine information to potential or current clients, entering transactions into your financial software (QuickBooks, Quicken, Microsoft Money, spreadsheet, etc.), or any of a hundred or so other tasks. Make a list of the top 5 to 10 that you truly do not enjoy doing, don’t have time to do yourself, or don’t have the skills to do properly. If you outsourced these tasks to a VA, how much time and frustration would that save you? You could be spending that time focusing on the income generating tasks of your business, or you could be spending that precious time with your loved ones.
The Laptop – Post Purchase
I’ve had my laptop for 3 weeks now. I’m using it more than I thought I would. I knew I would use it while keeping an eye on the kids outside, but I’m also finding myself sitting on the couch most evenings working and researching instead of exiling myself upstairs to the office. The choice to go with the 17″ screen to get the numeric keypad on the right side was a wise choice for me. I’ve been doing some clean-up bookkeeping for a client this month and so far I’ve logged 20 hours of my billable time on that laptop. It would have been a nightmare for me to try to enter all those numbers using the top row of keys instead of the 10-key. I know you can get an add-on USB 10-key, but that’s just one more thing to have to keep up with and find a place to set it when you’re working – and when you’re working on your lap, that can be difficult. For anyone who works often with numbers in their line of work…I highly suggest not pinching pennies and go with the 17″ screen with an integrated 10-key.
