Are You A Worka-FROLIC? What Do You Do To Make Work Fun?
June 30, 2008 by Yvonne Russell
Richard St John in his 8 Traits That Lead To Great Success has coined a new word – workafrolic.
Are you a Workafrolic? Yes, that’s right… workafrolic, not workaholic.
In his video about the 8 factors that lead to success he shared that Rupert Murdoch told him he works hard but has a lot of fun. While we may not associate Murdoch with fun in the usual sense, he enjoys his work.
Fun is one of St John’s 8 secrets to answer the age old question – “What leads to success?”
- What do you do to make your work fun?
- Is being a workafrolic more about work life balance or about the actual work environment?
- Or perhaps your attitude to your work?
The 8 Traits That Lead To Great Success book cover image courtesy of Amazon
Productivity Tips for Home Business Owners with Families
June 29, 2008 by Mary Emma Allen
Whenever youngsters are home from school, it’s often challenging for moms and dads (and even grandparents) to continue operating their home businesses, keeping up deadlines, filling product orders, waiting on customers.
I’ve worked worked at home businesses with two generations of youngsters swirling around me…first my daughter and her cousins, now my grandchildren and grand nieces and nephews. Today has been rainy, so grandson and his pal, my grand nephew, have kept busy creating things with building blocks, occasional forays into a video game, creating imaginative games with story characters, and when the rain stopped, romped with the dog in the woods around our house.
They are old enough now (12, and 13) so I pretty much can work on writing (like this blog post) while they keep themselves busy. But tomorrow is supposed to be rainly, too. So we’ll find other rainy activities, perhaps a trip to the library. I have to write some posts about children’s books and library activities, so can research with the boys along.
Find ways to encompass your children into your work, be flexible with your schedule as much as possible, and learn to work anywhere, any time if your business allows, as I do with my writing and did with my quiltmaking in my daughter’s childhood.
Also, check out these rainy day activities at my One Book Two Book blog. They’re especially good for younger children, although some could be adapted for pre-teens and teens.
What busy activities do your children engage in so you can keep your business going…and your sanity…as you juggle family and career?
(© Productivity image courtesy of Yvonne Russell at Grow Your Writing Business.com
(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen
Productivity Tips for Home Business Owners with Families
June 29, 2008 by Mary Emma Allen
Whenever youngsters are home from school, it’s often challenging for moms and dads (and even grandparents) to continue operating their home businesses, keeping up deadlines, filling product orders, waiting on customers.
I’ve worked worked at home businesses with two generations of youngsters swirling around me…first my daughter and her cousins, now my grandchildren and grand nieces and nephews. Today has been rainy, so grandson and his pal, my grand nephew, have kept busy creating things with building blocks, occasional forays into a video game, creating imaginative games with story characters, and when the rain stopped, romped with the dog in the woods around our house.
They are old enough now (12, and 13) so I pretty much can work on writing (like this blog post) while they keep themselves busy. But tomorrow is supposed to be rainly, too. So we’ll find other rainy activities, perhaps a trip to the library. I have to write some posts about children’s books and library activities, so can research with the boys along.
Find ways to encompass your children into your work, be flexible with your schedule as much as possible, and learn to work anywhere, any time if your business allows, as I do with my writing and did with my quiltmaking in my daughter’s childhood.
Also, check out these rainy day activities at my One Book Two Book blog. They’re especially good for younger children, although some could be adapted for pre-teens and teens.
What busy activities do your children engage in so you can keep your business going…and your sanity…as you juggle family and career?
(© Productivity image courtesy of Yvonne Russell at Grow Your Writing Business.com
(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen
Contest/Drawing for Alzheimer’s Book at Alzheimer’s Notes
June 28, 2008 by Mary Emma Allen
Perhaps you’re juggling your home business with caring for an Alzheimer’s parent. If you need inspiration and encouragment, Finding the Joy in Alzheimer’s, edited by Brenda Avadian may help you find a bright spot midst frustration.
Check out the drawing for this book at Alzheimer’s Notes, where I’m a co-blogger, for rules and for making your entry. Drawing closes Mon., July 7.
Incidentally, I have two stories in the book, based on caring for my mom and aunt who had Alzheimer’s. (This also is a example of using personal experiences as inspiration for one’s writing business.)
(Amazon image;click on book for details)
(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen
Virtual Assistants, Mary Poppins & The Four Hour Work Week
June 28, 2008 by Yvonne Russell
June is Family Month at Home Biz Notes. When you juggle a home business with family, defining the work-life balance can be a tricky thing.
Enter the Mary Poppins of the business world - The Virtual Assistant. Just like Mary Poppins, a well chosen virtual assistant can be anything you’d like them to be and can work some magic to boot.
Four Hour Work Week
Tim Ferris, author of the hugely popular The Four Hour Work Week highlighted the many benefits of virtual assistants and outsourcing. His premise is you are better off spending the time on the things you do well (and which make you money). Outsourcing can give you the freedom which inspired you to work for yourself in the first place.
A Virtual Assistant could do
- research
- handle emails
- respond to letters
- handle email campaigns
- write ebooks
- manage mailing lists
- do web maintenance
- handle accounts
- submit articles to article directories
- do graphic design
And so on… depending on your needs, your business and your budget. Budget and time wise, outsourcing and virtual assistants are not just for wealthy entrepreneurs. A virtual assistant can be a good investment. You might hire a virtual assistant for a one off job, a project, or on a regular or permanent basis.
As virtual assistants are contractors in their own right, you don’t have to worry about vacations and medical benefits.
Or… of course, you could start your own virtual assistant business.
- Have you ever used a virtual assistant? We’d love to hear about your experiences.
- Do you have a virtual assistant business? We’d love to feature it. Just get in touch. (Contact details in sidebar).
Fun Friday Post: What Influenced Your Career/Business?
June 27, 2008 by Mary Emma Allen
Your Business Epiphany: What one moment influenced your career or business more than any other?
Each Friday we have a quote, comment, picture, etc. as a springboard for thought at the Business Channel. Then we can take it in any direction we wish.
What influenced me? I’ve had or have many careers (author, quiltmaker, teacher, wife/mom/grandmother) that it’s a challenge deciding upon a defining moment. Yet they all seem woven around my desire to be a writer. No matter what I’m doing, I find time to write and research.
Even though my mother urged me go to college to become a teacher (“writers don’t make enough money to live on”), she encouraged me with my writing. Her father had been a writer, but made his living as a farmer.
Father’s Intervention
My dad never said much about it one way or the other. However, during my first year of marriage, after I graduated from college, he came to me with a advertisement for a correspondence course in journalism.
“I think you should take this course,” he said.
I read it, then replied, “But we don’t have the money.” Jim and I were living on a very short shoestring while he finished college.
“If we go the monthly payment plan, I’ll make the payments until you can pick them up. I think you should take it.”
So for the next two years I worked on that class while we moved across the country with Jim’s Air Force career. I also was able to pick up the payments. When I received my certificate, I wondered what I’d do with it. Journalism wasn’t the writing career I’d envisioned when I originally dreamed being a writer.
Mother’s Suggestion
However, my mom called saying she’d recommended me to a publisher who was starting a weekly newspaper in my hometown. We connected, and I began writing my “Country Kitchen” column for him and eventually another column.
That was the beginning of a career in journalism as a columnist, reporter, editor, freelance writer, and eventually blogger. I also have become a children’s writer (my original writing dream) as a result of my dad urging me to take another correspondence course. I still write “Country Kitchen” for two newspapers!
What are defining moments?
You usually don’t recognize them at the time. However, they start a career or business, set us on another path, get us thinking of new dreams and goals or help us achieve the one we’ve always had.
Looking back, I realize these two defining moments…starting a journalism class and writing for the country weekly…began my writing business journey.
(Amazon image; click on picture for details)
(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen
Travel “Green” On Your Business & Family Jaunts
June 27, 2008 by Mary Emma Allen
Traveling “green,” without harming the environment has become very popular. 
Liz Lewis, my co-blogger at Alzheimer’s Notes, writes a very interesting and informative new blog on this topic at b5media, Traveling the Green Way.
Going “green,” traveling “green,” wearing “green”, in fact, anything “green” that helps save the environment has become a very popular word. So this new Traveling the Green Way should fit right in with current worldwide interests.
Setting Business Goals
Liz also is a good example of someone who sets a business goal and pursues it. About 18 months ago, Liz decided to pursue her dream of becoming a full time writer. She started a blog, My Year of Getting Published, detailing her experiences. After about a year, she joined me as co-blogger at Alzheimer’s Notes and is enjoyable to work with.
Since then, she also started co-blogging at Health Bolt, in b5media’s Health and Wellness channel. Now she’s writing Traveling the Green Way, which expands upon her love of travel and travel writing. (See her travel writing blog, Write to Travel.)
Join me in congratulating Liz.
(Amazon image; click on travel bag for details)
(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen
Come On Now… Does Your Child Really Need Their Own Business Card?
June 26, 2008 by Yvonne Russell
Toddlers with business cards?
Well, I’m all for young entrepreneurs and encouraging children to learn from a parent’s home business, but business cards for toddlers? I don’t think so. Let children be children.
The Courier Mail reports that “growing numbers of parents are investing in business cards for their children.” The idea is that all contact details are in the one place. Commenters were not in favor, with one saying,
…and what happens when these cards fall into the wrong hands?? I wonder if these obsessive mummy’s have thought of that? It’s amazing I was able to make friends when I was little without a business card.
One toddler mentioned in the article “never leaves home without a supply of cards tucked in his nappy bag.” I can understand for a child, it could be a fun “grown up” thing to do, but as parenting expert Professor Matt Sanders says, “kids should be kids.”
- What do you think about business cards for children?
What Is Your Business Story? Are You Telling It In An Interesting Way?
June 25, 2008 by Yvonne Russell
Story is a great way to engage people. Rather than dreary facts and figures, telling stories to illustrate a point and to connect with people is becoming more important in business. What is your business story?
The internet offers so many opportunities for businesses to share their stories.
Check out my guest post at Meryl.net – The Power Of Story In The Digital Age. Meryl is celebrating her blog’s 8th birthday. Head on over there to be part of the fun… prizes to be won too.
A blog that’s 8 years old… Pretty cool, huh?
If you have an interesting business story to tell, email me – contact details in the sidebar. We’re going to feature home business stories here at Home Biz Notes.
Happy National Siesta Day
June 25, 2008 by Yvonne Russell
If you ever needed an excuse for a mid week power nap in your working day, today is the day. It’s the third National Siesta Day.
Benefits listed at the Siesta Awarness site for a 10-120 minute nap include
- More energy
- Improve productivity by over 30%
- Improve alertness by up to 100%
- Reduce stress and the risk of heart disease by 34%
- Better negotiation and communication
- Reduce risk of accidents at work and on the road
- Happiness and wellbeing
Happy National Siesta Day. Will you manage to fit in a power nap today?