How Women Entrepreneurs Can Beat The Work From Home Blues

Are you a woman working from home and feeling the blues of going solo with your business? If so, this article provides a few tips on how you can navigate (and cope) with the work from home lifestyle. Although many might envy you for having the freedom to work in the comfort of your home, it doesn’t come without a few minor inconveniences as well.

There’s no one to talk shop with, no one to keep you accountable and no one to argue or debate with to learn some new angles. No need to fret though as we have compiled a few quick tips on how to traverse this exciting, yet challenging aspect of your career.

* Find Accountability Partners – One of the biggest complaints about women who work from home is the lack of accountability from others. There’s no one who will check your work, ask about progress, etc. This is entirely true, however there are things you can do to self create some accountability for yourself, things such as joining or creating a mastermind group of sorts. Joining or creating a mastermind group is an excellent way to stay in touch with others and also commit to certain projects, especially when you know others are watching. Find one online through sites like Meetup.com or offline via a networking directory and get that accountability you’ve been craving.

* Step Outside The Home – Working from your house can have its many blessings, but it can over time also get quite stale. One of the best remedies for a stale environment is to change it. Step outside and venture forth into a coffee shop, library, university study hall, a relative or friends house, etc. The idea is to spice it up a bit and try a new setting with a whole new ambiance. This should work wonders for your mood, your attitude and most importantly – your productivity.

* Develop a Strict Work Schedule – something that has worked for me and a few of my friends is keeping a schedule that helps with maintaining a moderate work/life balance. Whether this schedule is during the day or at night, the key is to make it consistent and to stick with it. This aids in setting boundaries on what is considered “work time” versus family or play time, since the the lines can blur quite a bit while doing both at home. Figure out when you’re the most productive and set up a daily schedule you think you can keep and watch your productivity soar.

The wok from home blues are very real and if not monitored carefully can even make you sick, but there are things you can do to cope and not only cope, but exceed at your home based career. Our tips above will steer you in the right direction. Best of luck.

This article comes courtesy of Missy Diaz who writes for UniversalLifeInsurance.org – an online life insurance quotes provider. You can find more information about our site via the link above.

A Pottery Business Working From Home

Are you good at making things? Do you have the skill and enjoy making clayware? This could be a great constructive working from home based business that bring in some extra income. Pottery making could be a rewarding and gratifying spare-time activity that is not too expensive, once you have all the initial tools of pottery making. Furthermore the outcomes of your efforts are really functional products to have your home or sell the internet or at your local craft bazaars and flea markets.

Well-made and carefully hand-picked pieces of pottery can make wonderful gifts as well. There are numerous uses for pottery besidess bowls, baking dishes, containers, pitchers to hold liquid, vases, pen and pencil holders – the possibilities are just about unlimited for what can be done with clayware once you have the basic tools and some basic skills that are needed to create marvellous functions of art.

Keep in mind that making pottery is not a one size fits all operation. There were many different techniques for creating clayware throughout history by many different cultures and the results are all similar but whilst remaining rather unique to the culture, the clay, the people, and the history of those who have created the clayware. With today’s pottery the tool markings are often symbols of the artisan and are unique to that particular artist.

While learning to make clayware it is fundamental that you are willing to acquire many different styles in order to have more versatility. The more styles and techniques you acquaint yourself with the more potential you are to find a style that you most enjoy and have a wider range of skills to draw when creating new product. Pottery is an immensely useful skill to have. Take your time to learn as many as you have access available to you.

Use your resourcefulness when creating your clayware. Those small signatures are the precise things that allow one artist to stand out amongst the masses. If you can create a style that is uniquely yours then you will enjoy far greater income from your pottery business working from home.

Even if you are just learning to make pottery as a hobby the more styles you have mastered, the more you will enjoy making your own beautiful pieces and the more versatility you will have in their creation.

Whether you use your skills to create platters, bowls, cups, plates, bake ware, spoon rests, vases, or any number of other delightful creations you should find great pleasure in your pottery business.

Do You Have The Right Characteristics To Work From Home?

It  is true to say that working from home is not from everyone. Not everyone has the willpower to switch of the television whilst eating their breakfast and make their way into the home office for work at 9AM. On top of that, with no boss around to make sure you are keeping on top of things how can you ensure that you are completely motivated? And of course, and then there’s the internet to distract you… YouTube… Facebook… Twitter… the list goes on!

So; how do you know whether you have some of the most important characteristics to work from home?

Are you good with time-management?

Time-management is one of the biggest factors whilst working from home. One of the main advantages to working from your home office is that you can select your own hours. If you want to stay in bed and start work a bit later… fine, but be prepared to make up those extra hours at another time. If you don’t have the right time-management skills you will fall behind with your work; resulting in unimpressed clients and a stressed household whilst you try to get the work done in a panic.

Self-Discipline

Yes, one of the greatest distractions is the internet. When there is no one else in the room to check what you are doing, your office can quickly transform into a digital playground. Having that self-discipline to just say no to the internet or any other distraction in the room is vital. This also includes turning away friends and family members who either call you up suggesting a quick coffee and a chat. This can be a big distraction and break up the day, and it is likely it will be more than a quick get together. If you think you can successfully control yourself and knuckle down to the project in hand, you are completely on the right track to working from home.

Communication Skills

Since you are not in the office, your colleagues aren’t simply a few steps away therefore communication with colleagues is vital, and is essential for getting work down quickly and efficiently. Working from home means that you must have suitable methods of communication to your work office. You must always be contactable, whether that is by mobile, landline, WhatsApp, Instant Messenger, or Skype. Establish with your colleagues what the preferred mediums of communication are, and do your best to always be available via them.

Learn when to turn off the laptop

On average, workers spend five hours a day looking at a screen. If working on a big project when at home, it can be tempting to spend all the hours in the day trying to crack it… but be warned that this will indeed turn your eyes square. Remember that outside your office there is a whole world; make the most of it. Getting face-to-face human interaction is very important still on a daily basis, so see some friends to see in your lunch breaks or even walk down the local coffee shop to make some new ones. However e strict and keep your social meetings within a schedule so your afternoon doesn’t disappear. Meeting others is a great way to refresh, gain a new perspective and it can be motivating.

So you can see, to work from home you need to be a disciplined person; knowing when, and when not to work. At the end of the day, if you are getting high quality work done in good time at home whilst upholding a healthy social life and lifestyle… you are doing much better job than most of the other people that work from home in the world!

About the author: Kirsten works from home for a company called vouchercloud.com. She manages the social media content and works on voucher campaigns such as the latest Pizza Express discounts campaign. It has taken time to adjust to working from home life and taken a large amount of self control to maintain a healthy working load.

The Pros and Cons of Working Remotely

A  few months ago, Yahoo caused a mini ruckus amongst its employees with the controversial decision to ban staff from working remotely. The argument spread across the business world and all corners of the internet, with many voices providing strong arguments both for and against avoiding office life. So, working from home: is it the ultimate dream scenario for members of the rat race, or a descent into distraction and unstructured anarchy?

The good points…

Of course, one of the biggest pluses to working from home is not having to wake up at some ungodly hour, force three gallons of coffee down your neck and then get herded on to a ram-packed vessel of public transport, like cattle in suits. Or, if a car is your preferred mode of transport, there’s no need to sit in nose-to-tail traffic while listening to inane radio chatter and some god-awful chart music, which is essentially only making your ever-building road rage even worse.

Scheduling your own day can not only make your life easier but can have some real benefits on your emotional wellbeing. If you wish to start planning your day around some trashy daytime television and walking the dog, you can! You’re not chained to a desk in a stuffy office with awful halogen lighting, instead you can head down the local trendy coffee house or feed the ducks in the park whilst simultaneously locking down that killer deal or finishing a project. Organisation is a must here, however, as there’s no one breathing down your neck – you essentially become your own human resource management.

Your home can be as peaceful or as noisy as you’d like it to be, so you can get on with that writing those reports, inputting that data or have a clear head and a lot less noise for coming up with inspiring blog posts. All without Maureen from two desks over coming to tell you about her latest medical ailment or loudmouth Bill bellowing down the phone from everyone to clients to his angry wife.

The bad points…

That office camaraderie, the juicy office gossip, the chatter about what’s happening in the news or that hot TV show the night before all goes out the window. It’s just not the same having these kinds of chats on Facebook or an electronic messenger service, and some of the best friendships have been built from random small talk around the coffee machine. The social aspect of work will clearly decline and you may miss people more than you realise!

Is your home really an ideal haven for work? Not only is a separation of work and home sometimes beneficial when it comes to switching off and winding down, but are other people living there? Would a partner want you hanging around the house all day if they are there too? Let’s not forget the multitude of distractions the internet provides. If there’s no one around to stop you constantly checking your Facebook, tweeting or scouring YouTube for videos of animals dancing, would you have the strength to stop yourself?

While it may be cheaper and, in some ways, more efficient for employers to have people working from home, this can also cause some problems. Cloud storage systems, HR software and email become a lot more important – if one of these goes down, it could cost the company a lot of money. It can also be harder to communicate effectively with staff and for staff members to communicate with each other. Those brainstorms and meetings can’t happen so easily without top notch internet connections, quality webcams and devices for everyone. Emails can get missed or misinterpreted without face-to-face discussions and clarifications of even smaller things can take longer to happen. It’s much easier for someone to pop to the next office and discuss a project in more detail rather than waiting for someone to finish Instagramming their home made lunch on social media before taking a mid-afternoon nap that accidentally lasts until 11pm.

About the author:

Sam Reynolds

Start A Home Business For Stay Home Moms

Starting an internet business for stay home moms working from home is one of the fastest and smartest ways today.

Let’s face it, all moms want to be home with their children. A work at home job is great for just that reason alone…

Many women are busy being moms, and wives, and members of the community, starting in a home business can boost the feelings of self worth, and that makes everyone in your life a winner!

Moms who started businesses provides good role modeling for their children, pays taxes for essential programs, and a community where people exhibit pride and hard work is a better place to live for all of us.

Extra income. We all could use more of it. Whether it’s to paid of debt, build a retirement, or just simply make ends meet. With the right direction, a home based business can start producing income almost immediately.

By working from home means there are no expensive wardrobes. Can you envisage no longer being forced to purchase expensive work-clothing, and the money you save on your family budget?

Working at home, you can schedule your time to be available for a field trip at school, or to just take a “do nothing day” once in awhile and spent a day at a park and relax. How many bosses would give you the day off to relax?

With your own business, you are no longer have a boss looking over your shoulder. You decide how much you work, and how much money you earn. No more being paid less than you are worth, no more begging for a raise. If you prepare yourself right, you can pretty much combine hard work and perseveration to create unlimited income.

Your business is an investment! Build it right and successful enough, you could earn a handsome income and have the freedom to stay home with your children.

Nevertheless, today’s women have a great deal of pressure to do it all… many times they find they are not successful unless they make a lot of money, are perfect mothers, never gain a pound… you get the idea. Operating a home business is not for everyone, but if you want to follow your dreams, work from home, and make a good income, starting a home based business is a smart way to start.

The 3 Keys to Working from Home Successfully

Working from home can often be a double-edged sword. While many professionals aspire to this sort of freedom, as working from home also comes along with the opportunity to manage your own responsibilities and, often, be your own boss, it is also a difficult lifestyle to perfect. As great as it is be able to work from home, it’s also important to do it correctly and in a way that benefits both your personal life and your career. If you’ve ever thought about working from home, or if you already work from home now, consider these three keys to going about it successfully:

1. Find your ideal work flow and space

If you’re going to work from home and do it well, then one of the most essential first steps is to figure out how you work best. When you just start out working from home, it usually begins with a month or so of getting up and working in your PJ’s in front of the TV. It seems like an ideal situation, at first, until boredom and restlessness start to kick in. Or, even worse, your work starts to suffer. Because of this, it’s essential to separate your work time and home time. Even if you’re working from home, you don’t need to function as if it’s a Sunday afternoon. The most important thing to do for yourself and your business is to take the time to figure out exactly what you need to function best at work. If you need to create a separate work space or divide your work time to meet your most productive hours, then do that. You will never have a productive and positive work from home experience until you tighten up these very important loose ends.

2. Propel professional connections

When you’re working from home, you automatically lose that personal connection with former colleagues, and even your own employees. But, there is no reason to feel like that is inevitable. The key to working from home is to be very proactive about making connections. It’s very important to work harder to make and maintain your connections with other professionals when you work from home than you would otherwise. Join social networks and stay active on them. Go to career fairs and industry events. Never miss an opportunity to congratulate a colleague or peer on a job well done or a recent career success. It’s also a good idea to hold events and meetings of your own. The basic idea is to not wait for social circumstances to come to you, but to create them for yourself and the people with whom you would like to associate.

3. Get out of the house

Working from home can be a huge blessing. It’s great to be able to make your own schedule and do what you need to do from the comfort of your own home. The only problem with that, though, is getting a little too comfortable in your own home. When you find yourself staying inside all day or feeling like you’re cooped up, you have to make sure to get some more rhythm into your life as quickly as possible. Not only can a hermit lifestyle affect your personal life, it will surely seep into your professional success. Make sure to get out of the house as much as you can. Work at a coffee shop or take breaks to exercise or run errands. This will allow you to keep a normal lifestyle and have the opportunity to meet people and get some fresh air every day. The last thing you want to do is shut yourself out from society and turn the opportunity to work from home into a negative presence in your life.

Eliza Morgan loves to read and write, and she has always been dedicated to journalism that is accurate and helpful to readers. She regularly blogs for www.businesscreditcards.com. Please email her at elizamorgan856@gmail.com with questions or comments.

Working From Home Might Be Right for You If…

Deciding whether or not working from home is right for you can be tough. Working from home can be lonely, and it can be just as unpleasant as working at an office, depending upon your employer. If you decide to start your own business from home, it can be quite stressful to get your company off the ground. Working remotely definitely involves taking a risk. After a while, you may discover that it wasn’t the right choice for you. On the other hand, working from home might be the best thing you’ve ever done. Ultimately, your specific situation and work preferences will determine whether or not working remotely is ideal for you. However, there’s a good chance it is right for you if…

You’re a student

Tired of coordinating your work schedule with your class schedule? Most work-from-home employment options provide you with the flexible work schedule you need as a college student, so you don’t have to miss a single class and you can always study right when you need to.

You’re a stay-at-home parent

The cost of daycare is on the rise, and daycare’s simply not affordable for many parents. When you work remotely, you can make money working from your couch, take care of your kids yourself, and avoid paying exorbitant daycare costs. If your kids are already in school, you won’t have to worry about setting up a carpool arrangement with other parents. Your work-from-home job will most likely provide you with the flexibility you need to drop off and pick up your kids as necessary.

You’re tired of the rat race

Wasting your life away in traffic and under the oppressive florescent lights of an office room may be taking a toll on you. Having the freedom to work where you want and when you want might be just what the doctor ordered. There are plenty of online job opportunities and online business opportunities that will allow you to make your own hours, support yourself financially, and escape the rat race.

You’re retired

Sometimes your pension and Social Security benefits just don’t cut it. If you’re looking for a way to make some extra money without having to miss out on enjoying your retirement, working from home might be the solution. You can work part-time from your kitchen table, secure your financial future, and still have time to do all the things you always wanted to do when you retired.

You’re struggling to find a job in your field

The job market’s tough. If you’re currently unemployed and struggling to find work, you may be starting to consider work-from-home job options. Reputable online companies are actively searching for additional remote workers, unlike most traditional employers who are busy laying people off. You may also find that starting your own online business is highly profitable and rewarding. Choosing to work from home can definitely help you lose the unemployment woes.

Aniya Wells is a freelance blogger whose primary focus is writing about online degree programs. She also enjoys investigating trends in other niches, notably technology, traditional higher education, health, and small business. Aniya welcomes reader questions and comments at aniyawells@gmail.com.

The Pros and Cons of a Home Based Business

The Advantages and Disadvantages of a Home Based Business

Home based businesses are common nowadays. Catering services, writing, and baking are a few examples of businesses that can be done inside your home premises. This trend has been done by many entrepreneurs because of the numerous benefits it serves them. But just like other business models, it also has its disadvantages.

Advantages

1. Save up!

Who doesn’t want to lessen costs they incur for their businesses? Working from home lets you save up your money and time. Your site is your home. This means that you don’t have to pay any rent, transportation, utilities and all other expenses you may think of. You’ll also save time allotted for travel if your work is based from home! Making you save a HUGE chunk of your earnings!

2. Convenient

Working on your own zone makes you feel comfortable. One doesn’t have to wear business attire, can wake up anytime they want, can watch their favorite show while working, and a lot more. Now that’s how we spell convenience.

3. Save up on Expenses

Having a home-based business enables you to save on electricity, telephone, and other related expenses. Such expenses are shared within the household.

4. Flexibility

Being flexible is required in every business, whether conducted in the office setting or at home. The only difference would be on how you work within an environment. Sometimes a sickening aura of the office or your employees can affect your work. At home, you’ll be able to do different projects at the same time without being “stressed out”.

5. Support from Family

They say there’ no place like home. This is because it is where you and your family live. This can be an advantage if you have a home-based business since you can ask them for help when you need it. And if you’re lucky, you’ll have that service for free!

Disadvantages

1. Limited benefits

Having a business operated from home means convenience but also means no government mandated benefits. These benefits may not impact you at first but it will definitely get handy for you.

2. Family vs. Work

It is hard to separate your work life and family life especially when you stay at home working. For instance, if there’s a sudden plan of going out, you can’t easily decline invitation since they can brag you until you say yes.

3. Can’t Socialize much

Working at home ties you in it. This means there can be very little human interactions. This also means that your network of friends can be lessened than if you work in a corporate setting. This can also sometimes cause depression for the owner.

4. Distractions

One can be too overwhelmed when their home based businesses. They can be laid back at times thinking that they can do their tasks anytime they want. Some may opt to do their household chores, do movie marathons, etc. this can be done though if your business doesn’t require much but if it does, your business might be a disadvantage for you.

5. Unclear Expense Delegation

Although having your business at home can save you some money, monitoring where it goes is hard. For example, if you have your computer turned on the whole day, your electricity suffers. But how do you know if what you earn is enough to cover up the expenses you made?

Now that we have seen the two sides of a home based business, it’s time to weigh things out. Personally, I prefer working from home because we work well when we’re comfortable. The disadvantages can be avoided if we choose to. It’s always a matter of choice and priority. We should just keep in mind our goals and the rest will follow.

 
Author bio:

Alexis Thompson is a former Mountain Backpacker and a 26 year old mother of 2 daughters, Sophie and Rhian. She is into almost all types of Music especially The Fray and Hillsong. She also has a passion in Singing and Scrap Booking. Follow her escapades on her Twitter.

12 Reasons Why Work At Home

The internet and the personal computer has giving birth to a new breed of entrepreneurs – the work-at-home workers. Technical advancements in the converging fields of computing, telecommunications and the internet further added to the explosion and success of working from home.

Today there are no physical boundaries that prevent individuals from working online at home anytime they choose.

What is more, today within the corporate structure due to downsizing, sourcing out and business process out making teleworking more dynamic. More and more home-based enterprising individual worldwide are finding out the immense benefits of running their businesses at home.

List below are 12 reasons to work online from home. Why individuals are getting more intent in working from home:

1 Working from home offers you limitless freedom from traffic congestion, office politics, and best of all no more boss to watch over your every moves, which offers the flexibility of schedule and more time with your family. All the same working from home take whole lot of motivating, discipline, time direction and scheduling. An added inducement is that you are able to wear anything you desire since you’re working in the comforts of home.

2.Work at home online business gives you another opportunity to save money because you don’t have to spend extra money for gas since you do not have to commute to work.

3. Corporal retrenchment doesn’t mean large corporations have altogether ceased most of their operations; they have simply out sourced the case-by-case processes to other people like yourself in order to lower their operating cost. This is where you come in as a work-at-home enterpriser by offering your service. Working in your personal computer online entails you the time you need to establish your own income-generating opportunities either by marketing goods or providing services.

4. Being given a business from home is cheaper than operating and maintaining a separate business location where you pay rent, utilities, etc.

5. A home business has numerous tax advantages since you can deduct a part of your operating expenses and depreciation on your home as a legitimate business expenses,

6. Working from home gives you extra quality time for your family. One of the all powerful reasons to put up a home based business is the fact you work your own hours – you are own BOSS! You get to set your own schedule for the hours you want to work which is highly beneficial for single parents, stay at home moms and those who want to augment their income after retirement.

7. In engaging your own business you gain first-hand experience in various areas of operation: marketing, promoting, sales, strategic planning, business development and research. Further more, you don’t have to give up your present job, as long as the work does not interfere with it. Being your own boss, you can start your home based business part-time until you can generate the equal (or more) than your present income, then you can leave your present job and work full time on your work-at-home business. Just remember, you get to set your own hours when you work at home in your own business.

8. Work online at home are the rage of new and creative money-making opportunities. Now you will be able to use your creativeness to come up with niche product or service for money-making. This is how many today’s big businesses get started; they were at the right place at the right time with the right business opportunity.

9. No more worries! Having your own business means you never have to worry about receiving your walking papers from your employer. You are no longer expendable. The burden of worrying about job security disappears because you are now in business for yourself.

10. It feels good to be in control of your personal life and destiny. An person gains more self-confidence by taking the plunge and starting his own business because it acquires a lot of courage to do so. It builds a sense of pride and achievement, which far outweighs the doubt of the risks involved. Being just an entrepreneur is ample motive to reach for excellence in his or her own business. Assurance and pride is a great incentive, the more successful you become the harder you will want to work and push yourself to achieve the goals as you forged your business plan.

11. Cash – the main reason why so many is pursuing in any sort of work-at-home online opportunities. Financial gain is the most obvious reason why people start a business. The corollary gain, however, is the sense of security financial gain bring into your life and the things you enjoy.

12.Retiring early is not a bad idea at all. If your business turns out to be a runaway success, it would be the icing on the cake to be able to retire early than your peers.

These are just a few of the persuasive reasons why it is advisable to embark on your own work-at-home job, online or otherwise. Rather than grinding away on a 9 to 5 job, there are many opportunities of earning money and allow you with freedom and resourcefulness to enjoy living with your family.