This week I have the privilege to take some time out from human interaction and have booked myself into a well-known local hotel chain just to get away from the hustle and bustle of life to recharge my batteries.

 

Those with disabilities (specifically physical disabilities) know the challenges we face daily when venturing out of our homes due to physical accessibility issues. For this reason, I made sure I did some homework before making a reservation to eliminate any surprises I may face on arrival at my choice of accommodation.

 

According to the website of the chosen hotel – under “accessibility” I found the following:-

  • Accessible guest rooms have a 32-inch wide opening (I’m not a wheelchair user so this was not relevant to my particular needs) so . . . moving on . . .
  • Bathroom vanity in guest rooms for disabled person height
  • Bathtub grab bars
  • Lowered electrical outlets
  • Registration desk (with no further explanation regarding accessibility so I assumed it must be accessible?)
  • Restaurants and lounges (no further explanation regarding accessibility so I assumed it must be accessible?)
  • Route to accessible guest rooms is accessible
  • Self-operating lifts or sloped entry
  • Toilet seat in guest room for disabled persons

 

 

Based on the above, I felt comfortable enough to make a reservation as I was led to believe that my physical disability would be reasonably accommodated. On arrival, however, this is what I discovered.

 

  • Reception/Reservation Desk – although manageable for me, would be too high for a wheelchair user (just thought I’d mention this)
  • Check-in documentation: part of the check-in documentation was a document I had to complete with my contact details and sign at the end after having read the Terms and Conditions. The terms and conditions text was so tiny even with a magnifying glass and spectacles I would have battled to read it – in addition to the fact that the lighting in the Reception area was poor which would make things difficult for anybody with low vision as well. When I mentioned this to the Front of House person assisting me she just smiled sweetly (poor angel is merely an employee and felt powerless to do anything about this). I did ask for the text to be read to me but was not taken seriously. Against my better judgement I signed the document assuming the terms and conditions are “standard”.
  • During the check-in process I mentioned that I would need one of the “mobility accessibility” rooms (I had mentioned this when I booked online as well). The lady kindly said she noticed (due to my crutches) that I would probably not be able to make my way upstairs to the rooms so she would see which rooms are available to assign to me. At this point I asked whether there’s no elevator in the building and she said “no”. The only access is via the stairs – in spite of the website stating “self-operating lifts or sloped entry”.
  • Restaurants (lunch and dinner) – upstairs and the only access is via the stairs but room service is available (at a cost plus tip obviously). The dining room for breakfast is on the ground floor next to the Reception/Registration desk.

 

 

Back to the “mobility accessible” rooms . . .

 

There was no mention at any point that what is classified as “mobility accessible” rooms are two of the self-catering units (one needs to walk back out of Reception, up a sloped walkway through the parking area to the self-catering units).  Only two of the self-catering units are “mobility accessible”– one has a bath only (with grab rails) but to access this unit one needs to climb 6 – 8 relatively steep concrete steps on the outside of the building to get inside. If you’re a wheelchair user or someone like me unable to climb stairs, then this one is not an option.

 

The only other option available (the one eventually assigned to me for the duration of my stay) was one with a level walk-in surface with a shower – not a walk-in shower though so not accessible for a wheelchair user.

 

I did not have a tape measure with me to measure the entrance so would assume it’s a 32-inch wide entrance as mentioned on the website? My estimation is that a standard wheelchair would be able to enter but the door is on such a tight hinge that you would need someone to keep the door open for a wheelchair user to enter. A slightly larger motorized wheelchair (depending on size) might be able to make it through the door.

 

 

The bedroom/en-suite bathroom:

  • Huge double/twin beds with very little space between the bed and the wall on either side so a wheelchair user will have to access the bed from the foot end and slide all the way up to the top – and exit the bed again from the foot end of the bed.
  • Access to en-suite bathroom – from the foot end of the bed, the turn into the bathroom (in my opinion) is too short so a wheelchair user would struggle. If able to manage the turn into the bathroom, the wheelchair user would have to ride straight into the bathroom facing the bathroom vanity and then not be able to close the door. To access the toilet the wheelchair user would not be able to make the turn to the right, which means the wheelchair user would not be able to have access to the toilet (even though it is claimed that the “toilet seat in guest room for disabled persons”.
  • Shower in this unit – as already mentioned is not a walk-in shower (even though it’s a shower big enough for two people to shower at the same time) which means it would not be accessible to a wheelchair user.
  • Bathroom vanity (in this unit) is oval and very deep which means that a wheelchair user would not be able to access the bathroom vanity (in spite of the website saying “bathroom vanity in guest rooms for disabled person height”). With an inaccessible shower and inaccessible bathroom vanity, the wheelchair user would need to be bed bathed by a carer and not be able to travel independently.
  • “Lowered electrical outlets” (according to the website) – the few “lowered” outlets are so low a wheelchair user would have to fold themselves in half to be able to reach the outlet.

 

So . . . does this hotel “branch” pass the test of being “mobility accessible”? What do you think?

Event Management

For those who are wondering what I do all day, let’s do a quick update.

 

(Full day) Virtual Assistant for the Western Cape Network on Disability Find us on Facebook as Provincial Co-ordinator, including attending meetings and all related Secretarial duties.

 

(Evenings) Virtual Assistant  for Retina SA Western Cape Find us on Facebook as temporary Branch Administrator and Events Co-ordinator. We have three big events coming up: AGM on 4 August 2018, High Tea 2018 fundraiser on 9 August 2018 and Ripped Genes 2018 Music Concert fundraiser on 28 November 2018.

 

Event Management

Fundraiser

Evenings are broken down even further working as Project Manager on special projects for a private company broken down into a certain amount of hours per week.

 

I’m also an Executive Board member (not paid) for a non-profit organisation called Institute for the Promotion of Disabled Manpower (IPDM) which requires me to do loads of reading amongst other things

Home

 

Last year (2017) I was approached by WordPress South Africa to assist them with their annual WordCamp Cape Town event as an Accessibility Wrangler (help them ensure that the venue for WordCamp Cape Town 2018 is accessible to persons with disabilities (not paid).

 

WordCamp is a conference that focuses on everything WordPress.

WordCamps are informal, community-organized events that are put together by WordPress users. Everyone from casual users to core developers participate, share ideas, and get to know each other.

With an estimated 250+ attendees, this 2-day conference will have 2 tracks, 20 speakers and more than 20 volunteers making it the ultimate event for WordPress users, developers and enthusiasts in Cape Town. More details regarding this event will follow as soon as we’ve finalised the details.

Pencil 1 and 2 November 2018 (Save the Date) into your diaries in the meantime.

 

This challenge is a powerful way to tap into your greatness and create an extraordinary life.

 

What you will need:

  • Pen (coloured pens, pencils, crayons) whatever writing instrument you feel comfortable with
  • Paper – as much as you need

 

  • Go somewhere in nature for an hour: Don’t take your phone or anything that will distract you. Find a place to sit comfortably, and start dreaming – write out what your perfect day would be like.

TIPS:

  • Write everything down and be as detailed as possible.
  • Don’t stop writing until you get every single thought or idea on paper
  • Let go of any shame or guilt and just focus on what it is your heart desires
  • Have a clear vision of what you want NEXT in your life over the next 6 to 12 months
  • How do you want to feel right now?
  • What types of experiences do you want to surround yourself with?
  • What kind of impact do you want to have?

 

  • Put your plan into practice by creating an itinerary:
    • Create an itinerary on a different sheet of paper from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed in 15 minute to 30 minute intervals.
    • Start slotting in your perfect day activities in-between your regular daily activities.
    • Start living what you envision and put it into practice every single day.

Hi everyone

You must be wondering what on earth has happened to me? It’s been a while since I’ve been on my site and this has purely been as a result of working way too hard on everybody else’s business except my own.

I’ve just completed another successful event being a High Tea Fundraiser for Retina SA Western Cape Branch.

Have a look at the pictures here to see what’s kept me so busy – Click here: http://

The next event in the pipeline (also for Retina SA Western Cape branch) is their annual Ripped Genes Music Concert Fundraiser where we source local Artists and Performers willing to show off their talents Pro Bono to raise funds for finding a cure for genetic retinal blindness.

This concert was a huge success last year and we are looking forward to building this year’s concert into a bigger and better event.

The next few months leading up to the end of the year is going to be really busy but when you’re doing what you love it doesn’t even seem like work at all.

Hope to chat again soon.

hands-1369316__180

 

MARKETING CHALLENGE:

 

Q: How much time do you (honestly) spend on marketing each day or week?

 

Challenge: Every time you post on social media, write a blog, update your website or attend a networking event, over the next 7 days, make a note of how long you spend on it. Write it down on paper, in your diary, set an online timer or use a stop watch. The method you use is entirely up to you. The most important part of the challenge is timing it.

 

By the end of the week, add up the time spent and answer these questions:

  • How much time are you currently spending on marketing your business? Do you think this is enough? How can I help you? Let me know in the comments box below or drop me an e-mail at info@prioritybizservices.co.za
  • Share your plans for being more productive in your marketing efforts with us in the comments box below.

 

Don’t forget to check out our Facebook page and make sure you “like” our page to stay up to date with what’s happening in the administration field.

 

Follow me on Twitter (business):  https://twitter.com/PriorityBizServ

Follow me on Facebook (business) at:  facebook.com/prioritybizservices01

E-mail (business): info@prioritybizservices.co.za

Website: http://prioritybizservices.co.za

Find me on LinkedIn at:  https://za.linkedin.com/in/nataliejohnson2

Skype (by prior arrangement): http://skype.com/natalie.johnson539

 

 

 

pencils-1365337__180

 

Just in case you are wondering what’s happening on my side of the world right now I thought I would give you a quick update on projects I am currently working on . . .

 

What am I working on right now?

  • Retina SA (Cape Town) – Working as temporary Administrator for Retina SA (Cape Town) is really going well. Very excited about the upcoming variety concert to raise funds for Retina Research.

 

  • Bootcamp Training Manual –  Re-designing Fitness Training Manual for Bootcamp Trainers – this is an ongoing project.

 

  • Proposal writing for NPO’s – Assisting with Fundraising Proposals  for Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) – combined budgets of R20m. This is an ongoing job which hopefully will generate some income very soon.

 

  • Voice Over work – Selected as Voice Over Artist for Children’s book in two languages (English and Afrikaans) – waiting for book to be published. Should be ready to start Voice Over work by December 2016.

 

Follow me on Twitter (business):  https://twitter.com/PriorityBizServ

Follow me on Facebook (business) at:  facebook.com/prioritybizservices01

E-mail (business): info@prioritybizservices.co.za

Website: http://prioritybizservices.co.za

Find me on LinkedIn at:  https://za.linkedin.com/in/nataliejohnson2

Skype (by prior arrangement): http://skype.com/natalie.johnson539

 

 

 

i-need-your-help

 

I hope your week is off to a wonderful start.

 

I am in the process of planning my content for the rest of 2016 and I’ve hit a mental block.

 

I’ve been posting content weekly for a little more than a year now and think that maybe it’s time for a little overhaul.

 

As I was trying to figure all this out, I realised something.

 

I NEED HELP!!

Specifically, I’d LOVE your help

 

What I would love your help with is . . .

  • Any burning business related questions you want to ask
  • Any particular topics you want to hear me talk more about here on this page
  • Would you like or prefer me to share business related information via short video messages?
  • What would you like popping into your inbox from me every week? Would you like me to do a weekly/monthly newsletter? If so, what topics would you like me to cover that would inspire and empower you and help you build a thriving business?
  • If you would like to receive a weekly/monthly newsletter from me, please provide me with your e-mail address for my mailing list.

 

If you could spare a minute or so just to give me some feedback I would appreciate it so much.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

Would you prefer a short video more than reading posts here? Do you prefer Podcasts to video? Do you want a newsletter?  If yes, how often? Weekly or monthly? What topics would you like covered?

 

Let me know anything and everything that will help inspire me to create content that you will love.

 

I look forward to receiving your feedback in the comments box below.

 

Have a lovely week.

laptop-1209008__180

 

Three things nobody wants to admit about their time management:

  • How much we procrastinate
  • How long it takes to complete a task
  • How unwilling we are to delegate

 

Here’s a little Productivity Challenge for you – are you ready?

 

FOCUS ON ONE THING (free template available on request):

 

HOW THIS CHALLENGE WORKS

 

  1. Write down all your projects or goals you’re actively working towards at the moment or over the next month.

 

  1. Prioritise your projects or goals so you know what you need to focus on. Ask yourself this question: “Out of everything on the list, what’s the one project or goal I’d love to have completed by the end of 30 days?

(Think about the projects or goals most aligned to your big business vision . . .  you want to focus on something that will really help you move forward in your business).

 

  1. Pick your project or goal i.e. pick the number one project or goal you can focus on for the next 30 days.

 

Commit to focussing on that ONE PROJECT or ONE GOAL almost to the exclusion of everything else you need to do – all your focus and energy goes into this.

 

Naturally you will still answer the telephone, respond to e-mails etc but your main focus for the next 30 days should be this ONE PROJECT or GOAL.

 

AN EXAMPLE:

Let’s say it’s your goal to get your website up and running or your goal is to revamp your existing website. What steps do you need to take for the next 30 days to get this done?

 

At the end of the 30 days, let me know how it went.

books-1035087__180

 

What’s slowing you down probably isn’t a huge procedural issue, but a bunch of small, anti-productive habits that add up over the course of your day. Fixing small challenges can have a big impact on your day.

 

Respect the 2-minute rule:

Think about the important piece of paper that you shuffle from one side of your desk to the other instead of dealing with it immediately. Then, two days later, you find yourself picking it up again.

 

This is where the 2-minute rule comes in. Many of our immediate responses are to shuffle rather than to just act. Break the habit and just act – take 5 seconds to assess whether something will take you less than 2 minutes to do. If it passes the test, DO IT IMMEDIATELY!

 

Look at the emails sitting in your inbox from last week. Take 5 of them, and, with each one, determine whether you can act within 2 minutes. If you can, do it immediately. If you cannot, wait till later. Always remember, nobody will hold it against you if your reply is shorter than usual. The main thing is to reply and get it done.

 

 

sunflowers in the field in summer

sunflowers in the field in summer

Check your e-mail on the go:

No, don’t check your emails while driving, but when you have a few minutes here and there during the day, when you’re waiting in line at the coffee shop, waiting for your next appointment to arrive and so on.

 

The underlying and most important thing about checking email on the go is that you make your “desk time” sacred. This is when you get real work done. Often, emails are not “real work”. Reply, forward, archive and delete from your phone. If a message requires more, you can save it for “desk time”, then you’ll have a much smaller pile that actually requires your attention than your typical overwhelming unopened inbox.

Action:

  • Don’t check your email from your computer today (yes, I know, you can’t help refreshing that screen as you’re reading this now).
  • Set aside tomorrow morning to answer any email from today that require more than what you could type or do on your phone.

business-idea-1240830__180

 

I don’t know if you are like me always walking around with a million things going through my head at the same time? by the time I sit down at my desk I try to do a To Do List for the day but because there is so much going on in my head I don’t know where to start.

Well, here’s a brilliant idea that works so well for me. It’s called a Brain Dump Planner. This is not your To Do List. This is the place where you write down (dump) every single idea as they pop into your head. You need one of these on your desk whole day every day while you’re working and as an idea or thought pops into your head, you immediately write it down on your Brain Dump Planner. Don’t worry too much about what you need to do with the thought or idea immediately. Leave that for the end of the day.

At the end of the day, have a look at everything you have written down on your Brain Dump Planner and decide what needs to be done about the task. Use the triple “D” system. Decide whether you need to Delegate the task, Dump the task or Do the task. As simple as that.

Delegate that which you need to delegate (via e-mail or whichever way you choose), Dump the ideas that can and need to be dumped (by drawing a line through them on the page) and what’s left to do now gets written on your To Do List for the next day.

Simple, isn’t it?

 

BRAIN DUMP PLANNER

 

Today’s date: ___________

Write down anything that distracts you – Google searches to be done, random thoughts, new ideas, whatever. The point is . . .  if you write them down, they’ll stop popping up when you’re “in the zone” doing what needs to be done now.

 Use the triple “D” system (Delegate, Dump, Do)

 

Task

Delegate Dump

Do

       
     

Has this post helped you?

Let me know in the comments section below. I’d love to hear from you.

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