Lifestyle

Taking a Vacation from Your Home Business

Sun, 06 May 2007 17:18:51 -0400

When you work for yourself, can you really take a vacation from your home business?

The simple answer is "yes." After all, isn't that why we work at home? Don't we want more freedom, more opportunity to spend time with our families? Then how is it that so many work-at-home entrepreneurs end up working more hours, and taking less time off, than regular folks?

The highly disciplined art of working for yourself works two ways. Sometimes we need to focus just as sharply on our quality of life. It's just too easy to "get addicted" to watching our stats, checking our email... What if we applied the same discipline to our lifestyle?

Everyone relaxes differently, and I like to divide my home business into seasons, that way, I have some months in which I can totally devote myself to new projects, setting goals, and researching and learning about new opportunities.

I confess, when there's something new on my plate, I can't leave it alone, and it's not uncommon for me to work until after midnight, mastering new techniques for making money online.

But I have to be equally strict with myself about time off.

From time to time, I make a new list of two things:

Why I am I doing this? What are my goals for the money I'm making, how much do I need, and how much can I share with my favorite causes, or spend on my family for the fun stuff?

How much time off do I need in the next three months, and where can I fit it in?

By writing these things down, I am able to set short-term goals for the next three months. It helps me focus on my immediate "to do list," along with giving me something to look forward to. If I set certain goals for myself, along with a deadline, I get more done.

Likewise, if there's a reward at the end of the three months, I can, without any feelings of guilt, leave it all behind and enjoy the income I have earned.

You might do it differently, but remember to stop and smell the roses. Reward yourself with a vacation or treat after reaching each goal, then return to work renewed, and you'll find you're more focused in short bursts.

If You Produce "Junk," You Will Not Succeed...

Thu, 03 May 2007 17:03:37 -0400

Thinking about building an empire of "throwaway" web sites, just to make some quick money? Think again.

While it's true that there are internet marketers out there who can teach you the "insider secrets" of building an AdSense Empire... sooner or later, all of the "secrets" are discovered, and the method starts working.

As a work-at-home entrepreneur, this means you get to start all over again, stay up all night researching new cutting edge methods to 'trick' the system, and go in a whole new direction - all the time.

Maybe you enjoy the adrenaline. Maybe you don't see the point of building a real online business, when every day there's a new way to make a quick buck.

I learned a lesson about this the hard way. I began with a web site for my half price camping club. The site was designed to give information to customers, attract new members, and create a community, with everyone feeling at home and contributing. It is very successful, and sales online were good. It only took FIVE years! That's right. Five long years went into building a true online resource for campers.

I have to admit that a lot of what I learned about bringing new customers to the site came from "internet marketing gurus." Their information was true, and could be applied to any business... so, I studied, I implemented, and I grew.

THEN I discovered AdSense and other online advertising programs for my web site. I slapped up some code, and by that evening, I was shocked to see that my account actually contained a few dollars. How easy! In the coming weeks, I studied AdSense with a new enthusiasm, thinking, for the first time, about how it applied to MY web site.

I began to master it, and soon began to enjoy a fantastic side-line income from my web site that required NO additional product, production, or customer service. Needless to say, I was hooked.

A few weeks later, I decided to throw together some sites, JUST for the purpose of selling AdSense space... something for nothing - why not?

Guess what? Across the board, my AdSense income dropped. The junky new sites were bringing down the revenues of my GOOD sites, and I was being penalized for sloppy, careless web site building that offered no real value to advertisers. Lesson learned.

Today I am definitely still building new web sites. The difference is, I build them based on things I love, I fill them with quality information, I invite other writers to contribute, and I grow real communities, that have real value. The AdSense Gods have spoken... cream will rise to the top, and junk will not survive.

If you are thinking of growing web sites, and using AdSense to monetize them, realize that it takes time, and it takes great content to build a loyal following. Choose subjects you care about, create your sites as if the content were all that mattered... because in the long run, you can't "cheat," and building something of quality not only creates reliable income - it brings repeat visitors, which will make YOU wealthier.

Work at Home Lifestyle: Do You Need a Separate Room for an Office?

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 23:26:02 -0400

So here you are, ready to work at home. But what exactly do we mean by "home office?" How much space do you need? Does it have to be a separate room? What if there's nowhere to put it? Let's talk about what a home office really means, and how to set up your home office to match YOUR working style...

It's almost impossible to write an article that is a one-size-fits-all solution to setting up a home office. For each one of the millions of internet entrepreneurs who work at home, there is a different answer to the question, "What should a home office be?"

To give you a good example of what I mean, my best friend, Melina, and her husband came over for dinner tonight. She walked in the door as relaxed and smiling as a person can be, put her salad in the fridge, and slapped a file folder down on the counter... then poured a cup of coffee. With her feet on the chair next to her, she told me all about her trip to South Carolina, laughed at my story about my mail-order bee hive (a new hobby), and we gossiped for about twenty minutes while the men put the steaks on the grill.

Near the end of dinner, she grabbed my cordless phone, picked the file folder up off the counter, and made a collection call to one of her customers in her storage business. She was cheerful and bright, got a credit card number for the late payment, scribbled it on the outside of the folder, hung up, and jumped right back into the conversation. She hardly even broke her stride, mixing business and pleasure as seamlessly as if she were swimming. Obviously, all Melina needs is a pen, a folder and a phone to be productive and make money. Wish I could!

By contrast, even though I am working from our vacation home, I was near tears for the first two weeks here because my desk had not arrived. I ordered it the minute we unpacked, and because of a delay in shipping, I hardly got anything done for two weeks! My laptop was on the breakfast bar, internet blazing, phone line in order - but I couldn't settle down, couldn't find my files, couldn't think about what I should do next. I'm obsessively organized - and I'm a work-at-home entrepreneur that needs structure - no matter what!

To tell the absolute truth, I am quirky about my office. I have a specific ivy plant that must be on the left corner of my desk. I need a scented candle beside it. I have six favorite books which must be visible from my desk. I have lucky pens, and cannot work with any other brand. This is all true, and after reading what I just wrote, I may need a prescription. Still, that's how I work, and don't expect me to "do-it-on-the-fly" like Melina. It's just not my style.

Whether you work like Melina, or are quirky, like me, your home office is your base. When you work at home, you deserve to have the environment you need to be most productive; so, take a careful look at your work habits, then design your office around what it takes for you to get things done.

At our "real home," my office is a playroom, office and laundry room. That might sound less than ideal, but it's the best place for me to do business full time. It's a large room, and since the kids homeschool, I like to have their desks near mine, so that I can help them with their lessons. Not to mention, I'm on the internet so much - I know better than to let the kids get online without supervision! With all of us in the same room during the school/work day, it's convenient and friendly. I get to be with them, and we have learned to respect each others' needs in our separate endeavors.

The fact that the office is also a laundry room means that I only do laundry at night. It's one of the little compromises I have to make to work at home, because it sure sounds unprofessional for someone to hear the spin cycle when I'm making a business call!

My favorite thing about working from home is that I can have all my favorite things nearby to inspire me. I have a brilliant collection of motivational books, and sometimes, just seeing a title will remind me of something I learned - that I can use right now. We also have three parrots, and they are friendly, happy creatures who love to be out of their cages, on perches and stands (and fake trees) close to their people. When I work at home, the parrots are with us in the office, quietly preening, sleeping or snacking - and very content. When they misbehave (this means screaming, showing off, talking very loudly and bossing the dogs around), we just put them in their cages until they settle down. I would not dream of owning such beautiful creatures if they were forced to live locked up all day long while we were at "an office."

So what corner of the house can you turn into "your world?" It doesn't have to be big, and it doesn't necessarily have to be separate from your family, but it has to be functional, comfortable, and most of all, you have to be able to get rid of distractions in your work place.

A few items to consider are:

Is there room for your desk and chair?

Are there plenty of electric outlets near your desk for your computer and peripherals?

Is your internet wireless, or do you need to locate yourself near a hookup? Can you install another hookup near your office area?

Do you have a nice view? A window or sliding door is nice, if possible, and gives you moments of relief when you need a mental break.

If you don't have a separate room, can you arrange your furniture differently to create the illusion of a separate area?

And last, but not least, I strongly suggest that you avoid putting your office in a place where you will be constantly reminded of other chores around the house, or where television is watched. It can be impossible to concentrate with too much going on in your office, and you will find that household distractions simply side-track you from your goals for the day.

Please feel free to add your comments to this article, or to the forum, if you have other tips, suggestions, dos-and-don'ts, or ingenious solutions for creating a home office.

Your Work at Home Coach,

Anne Pierson

Work at Home Lifestyle: A Word About WHY?

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 22:25:15 -0400

I have my reasons for wanting to work at home. If you are reading this, you probably do, too. Whether your reasons match mine or not, we're in the same boat... we want the freedom to control our lifestyle, be our own boss, set our own hours, and call the shots about what we do for a living.

It's more possible than ever to make the leap from an office job to "work at home," and this site is not just about work at home opportunities; it is about US, the real people who make up the "work at home network" on the internet.

This series of articles will focus on the reasons we work at home, the challenges we face, and things that enhance the work at home lifestyle. I've discovered so many things that help me work online and enjoy a professional office at home, and many of them are for pure enjoyment. That's why I work at home in the first place!

For example, I got up this morning, had coffe with my husband and chatted until about 9:00, then I washed the dishes, got dressed, threw a load of laundry in the wash... and settled down to check email about 10:00 am. That's what I call a great morning, and a perfect schedule for me. Your hours may be different - if you're a morning person, you'll probably get started hours ahead of me, and you'll be finished long before I start my "night shift."

I prefer a quick once-over in the morning, then a long, long break all afternoon. My kids homeschool, and that's when we do their lessons. They're not morning people, either! For a few hours after they finish, we play with our exotic parrots, the kids ride four-wheelers in the country around our campground, and I often spend the quiet time in the afternoon reading, researching, or watching a movie. At night... that's when I set the world on fire at my "home office."

Being able to schedule my work around my "peak times" and "bad mornings" is my favorite thing about working at home, but other parts of it are very important to me, too.

One of the best things is working with a laptop. I can take it anywhere - and I do. We're at our winter home right now, on beautiful Lake Bruin in Louisiana, and when the weather is nice, I just take the laptop outside, wi-fi button turned on, and I work on my creative ideas while I watch the clouds drift over the lake. The sound of wind chimes is soothing in the background, and those are the times when I think, "This is the life!"

Other times, the phone rings, it's someone with a big ad agency that I am dying to get together with, and the dog starts barking, the parrots begin to riot, and the kids come crashing into the room arguing... and those are times when I think, "I wish I were at the office!" But truth be told... I'll never go back. Even with the challenges of working from home, it's well worth it.

There are just a few things I would strongly recommend to anyone just getting started with a home office:

If at all possible, a separate room or area of the house that can be a "quiet place" for your phone calls

A combo scanner/fax/copier to take care of all of your office communications

A good, fast internet connection

A comfortable, truly ergonomic computer chair

A desk that is comfortable and has storage space, made for computer use

I can't emphasize enough - be good to your body when you work at home! Take care when selecting your chair, and don't forget about comfort. You'll be spending a lot of hours there.

With just the most basic office set up, you can accomplish anything, but from the very beginning, you're going to have to draw some lines in the sand. If you want to work at home to enhance your life - don't forget to enhance your life! Here are a few guidelines below, to help you balance work and family life. You MUST separate the two, at least a little.

Set a schedule for yourself, and stick to it. You won't make any more money by working 12 hours a day than you will working 6 hours - if you stay focused and don't allow distractions during your "work day."

Set limits with spouse and children. Work time is work time. When you're working, let your family know that you expect them to honor your time and space.

It's perfectly okay to schedule your work around your family's demands - and often necessary - but do be sure to have some structure, and let everyone know when you expect to be undisturbed.

Treat your work space as separate from your home. Even if you don't have an "office," create an area that is ONLY for work-related items. It's hard to focus on your goals when there is a dirty laundry basket or car parts on your desk!

If you can't afford a separate phone line, coach your spouse and kids about how to answer to the phone professionally, and create a professional answering machine message.

That's just the tip of the iceberg about HOW to work at home, and future articles will cover where to get office supplies, how to work from home in rural areas, great services available to small, small businesses, and much more.

For now, just create your own world wherever you can. Get started - that's the important thing. The rest is a matter of taste and lifestyle - and it's a work-at-home lifestyle that is uniquely yours!

Your Work at Home Coach,Anne Pierson