Are You Team Trello or Team Asana?

Are you Team Trello or Team Asana?

Project management is an integral part of any business, and with the availability of many digital tools, it has become easier to manage projects remotely.

Two very popular project management tools are Trello and Asana.

Both Trello and Asana have unique features that make them suitable for different kinds of businesses and different types of projects. I tend to find that people usually have a strong preference for one over the other! Here, we will explore the benefits of using Trello, versus the benefits of using Asana.

The Benefits of Trello

User-Friendly Interface

Trello’s interface is one of the most user-friendly interfaces out there. It has a simple and intuitive drag-and-drop system that allows users to move tasks around easily. This makes it an ideal tool for small businesses or teams that do not have the luxury of a dedicated project manager.

Trello Logo

Flexible

Trello is incredibly flexible in terms of its usage. It can be used for anything from managing projects to tracking personal tasks. The tool can be customised to fit the needs of a specific team or individual.

Visual Approach

Trello’s visual approach to project management is another advantage. The tool allows users to create visual boards with cards that represent tasks (think notice boards with post-its). Users can add comments, labels, due dates, and attachments to each card. This makes it easy for everyone on the team to know what tasks are being worked on and what needs to be done next.

Mobile App

Trello has a mobile app that makes it easy for users to access their boards on the go. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices and has all the same features as the desktop version.

Integration

Trello integrates with a wide range of third-party applications, including Google Drive, Dropbox, and Slack. This makes it easy for users to collaborate with others outside of Trello and ensures that all project-related data is centralised.

The Benefits of Asana

Task and Project Management

Asana is primarily designed for project AND task management. It allows users to create projects and subtasks and assign them to team members. The tool also provides a clear overview of project progress and deadlines.

Asana Logo

Collaboration

Asana is designed with collaboration in mind. It has a feature that allows users to comment on tasks and share files. ‘Doers’ of a particular task can also add followers to their tasks to keep everyone in the loop (removing the need to send update messages, for example).

Reporting

Asana provides users with detailed reports on project progress, team performance, and individual productivity. This makes it easy for managers to identify areas that need improvement and make data-driven decisions.

Templates

Asana offers a range of templates for different types of projects, including product launches, event planning, and marketing campaigns. This saves users time and ensures that they don’t miss any important steps.

Integration

Much like Trello, Asana integrates with a range of third-party applications, including Slack, Google Drive, and Dropbox. This makes it easy for users to collaborate with others outside of Asana.

Conclusion

Both Trello and Asana have unique features that make them suitable for different kinds of businesses. Trello is ideal for small businesses or teams that do not have a dedicated project manager. It has a simple and intuitive interface, is flexible in terms of usage, and allows users to create visual boards with cards that represent tasks. Asana, on the other hand, is designed for both project and task management. It offers detailed reports on project progress and individual productivity; provides a range of templates for different types of projects; and is designed for collaboration.

Ultimately, the choice between Trello and Asana will depend on the specific needs of your business.

Are you already ‘Team Trello’ or ‘Team Asana’? What are your favourite features?

If you’re new to project management tools, which one do you think you’ll choose?

5 Ways Hiring a Freelance Virtual Assistant Can Save You Money Over Hiring In-House

5 Ways Hiring a Freelance Virtual Assistant Can Save You Money Over Hiring In-House

The world is changing fast, and so is the way we work. The rise of technology and the internet has made it easier for people to work remotely, which in turn, has led to the emergence of Virtual Assistants who work online, on demand and on the clock. 

In today’s fast-paced business environment, entrepreneurs and small business owners are always looking for ways to cut costs and stay competitive. One way to achieve this is by hiring a freelance, or on contract virtual assistant instead of recruiting one in-house on PAYE.

Fast Paced World

Here are some ways that hiring a freelance virtual assistant can save you money:

Reduced Overheads

When you hire an in-house assistant, you have to pay them a salary and probably provide their office space, equipment, and various other overheads. On the other hand, when you hire a freelance virtual assistant, you only pay for the hours they work. This means you can save money on overhead costs and invest the money saved in growing your business.

No Recruitment Costs

Recruiting an in-house assistant can be time-consuming and expensive. You may have to advertise the job, screen CVs, conduct interviews, and perform background checks. All of this takes time and money. However, when you hire a freelance virtual assistant, you don’t have to worry about any of that. You can find a virtual assistant online and hire them within a few hours.
1 hour tasks save you money

No Training Costs

When you hire an in-house assistant, you may have to spend time and money training them. This can be costly, especially if the assistant needs specialised training. However, when you hire a freelance virtual assistant, you should be able to find someone who already has the skills and experience you need, or you can work with an agency like YES if you have various needs that can’t be fulfilled by one Virtual Assistant. This means you don’t have to spend time and money on training.

Flexible Scheduling

When you hire an in-house assistant, you have to pay them for a full day, even if they only have enough work to fill a few hours. This can be a waste of money! However, when you hire a freelance virtual assistant, you pay them for the exact number of hours they work. This means you can hire them on a project basis or for a few hours a day, depending on your needs. This flexibility can save you a lot of money in the long run.

Employees

No Employee Benefits

When you hire an in-house assistant, you may have to provide them with employee benefits such as health insurance, pension contributions, and paid time off. However, when you hire a freelance virtual assistant, you don’t have to provide any of these benefits. This can save you a lot of money over time.

In conclusion, hiring a freelance virtual assistant can save you money in several ways. You can reduce your overheads, avoid recruitment and training costs, enjoy flexible scheduling, and avoid providing employee benefits. By hiring a freelance virtual assistant, you can focus on growing your business and achieving your goals without breaking the bank.

Lessons in Entrepreneurship and Work-Life Balance taken from Kate Foster of “Workin’ Moms”

Lessons in Entrepreneurship and Work-Life Balance taken from Kate Foster of
“Workin’ Moms

We’re big fans of the hit Netflix television show “Workin’ Moms” and thought it would be fun to look at Kate Foster’s journey starting her own public relations (PR) agency, which ultimately becomes a great success. While Kate’s story is fictional, there are many valuable lessons in entrepreneurship and work-life balance we can learn from her journey as an entrepreneur.

Workin' Moms

Passion

First and foremost, Kate’s success in starting her own PR agency came from her passion and dedication to her work. She was motivated by her love for public relations and her desire to make a difference in the industry. This level of passion and dedication is essential for any entrepreneur who wants to take the leap from being an employee to starting their own business. Without this drive to succeed, the road to success can be long and arduous.

Vision

Secondly, Kate had a clear vision for her PR agency. She knew what she wanted to achieve and was willing to put in the work to make it happen. She focused on building relationships with her clients, and then her team as it grew, and delivering exceptional results. Her approach is often gutsy and she regularly goes above and beyond to get the right results (her PR work for Sloane Mitchell springs to mind). This clarity of vision and focus on delivering value to clients is critical for any business to succeed.

Networking

Another key lesson we can learn from Kate’s journey is the importance of networking. When she started out, Kate leveraged her existing relationships and made new connections to help grow her business. She attended industry events and conferences and made a concerted effort to maintain her connections and also connect with other PR professionals. Down the line, as her business developed, she hired two PR execs whom she had previously worked with: Mo Daniels and Richard Greenwood. This level of networking is crucial for any entrepreneur looking to grow their business and establish themselves in their industry.

Perseverance

Kate’s journey also highlights the importance of perseverance and resilience. She faced many professional and personal challenges and setbacks along the way, but she never gave up. She continued to push through, even when things got tough, and was ultimately rewarded with a successful business.

Work-Life Balance

Kate Foster’s story also provides insight into the importance of work-life balance, especially for working parents. Throughout the show, we see Kate struggle to balance her demanding career with her responsibilities as a mother – and even deal with the surprise of becoming a stepmother! Even though we could argue that she is a workaholic, running her own business does enable Kate to have some flexibility and she does eventually find a way to make it all work by prioritising her time and setting boundaries. 

Workin' Moms work-life balance

She makes a conscious effort to try to be present for her family whenever she can – and to make time for the important moments in their lives, even if it means sacrificing some work opportunities – we often see her racing from one appointment to another!

Kate begins to delegate more, which she initially finds hard – for example in season 6 she initially rejects Rosie’s closing speech for the PR event for the book about multi-level marketing scam companies, but eventually allows her to give her own speech. It can be hard to relinquish control but it is an essential part of business growth.  

Support

Kate also recognises the value of support systems and enlists the help of her husband, other family members and sometimes her best friend, Anne Carlson, to manage her responsibilities at home. By delegating tasks and sharing the workload, she is able to create a more manageable work-life balance. The childcare is not always to Kate’s liking, with issues with a nanny giving her son the wrong milk and then her own mother not liking the dog… but somehow she muddles through! This serves as a reminder to all entrepreneurs and working parents that finding a balance between work and family is essential for overall wellbeing and success. It requires intentional effort and prioritisation, but with the right support and mindset, it is possible to achieve a healthy work-life balance (albeit not always perfect…).

Workin' Moms success

In conclusion, Kate Foster’s journey in starting her own PR agency on “Workin’ Moms” provides valuable lessons for anyone who wants to start their own business and we can’t wait to see how this evolves for her during season 7. So far, we can see that by being passionate and dedicated to your work, having a clear vision and focus on delivering value to clients, networking, persevering through challenges, achieving work-life balance and being willing to learn and adapt, you too can achieve success as an entrepreneur.

Are you a fan of the hit series Workin’ Moms? What are your main takeaways? Does Kate’s business journey inspire you?

How to Set Goals and Achieve Them!

Whether you’re reading a self-help book or speaking with an accountability buddy or coach – and whether your focus is on your business or personal life – if you want to make any kind of significant change then one of the first things you will need to do is to set goals.

Books and coaches all speak about the importance of goal setting, as doing so will help you to turn your goals into action plans, then into reality and finally into success!

Define what’s important to you

It’s a good idea to brainstorm the kind of changes that you would like to make to your personal and / or professional life and think about the goals that will help you to make these changes. Defining goals enables you to narrow down what you actually want to achieve and what you actually want the future to look like.

With effective planning, larger goals can be broken down into individual, manageable action steps and this ensures that your goals will be targeted and achievable and that you will reach the level of success of which you have dreamt.

Make yourself accountable to others… and yourself!

Writing down your goals can make you more determined to achieve them – it strengthens your commitment and also gives you something concrete to refer back to. This boosts your desire to achieve and makes you accountable to yourself, ensuring that you move that goal forward.

Sharing your goals with a colleague, coach, friend or partner can also be very effective. When we share our intent with others, it heightens our desire to achieve and makes us accountable to another interested person, who may check in on progress. Sharing can also be inspirational! It’s a good opportunity to bounce ideas, fine-tune a goal and gain a different viewpoint on a particular project.

Create a timescale

All goals need a timescale: this transforms a goal from a dream into reality.

It shows you for how long you will be working on this goal and by when it will be achievable. Setting a timescale should be done at the same time as you narrow down your focus and break down your goals into manageable steps. You do need to be realistic though! Take into account your other commitments and how much time you can actually make available.

This vital part of goal-setting helps to prevent overwhelm, procrastination and uncertainty. Importantly, it gives constant clarity and the motivation to keep going.

Celebrate!

Once you have defined what you want and by when you will achieve it, you will then have something against which you can measure your progress. You now have a clear means of gauging how far you have come in achieving what you want; the ability to see your next steps and a clear indication of the things you can celebrate achieving and overcoming.

It’s so important to celebrate achieving the small steps and to be grateful to anything or anyone who has helped along the way.

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to achieve the end goal, as with the right planning (and patience!) you will turn your dream into reality!

What goals have you set yourself for 2020? Are there any goals that you didn’t achieve last year – if so, how can you rewrite them to make them achievable in 2020?

Featured image by Nghia Le on Unsplash 

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