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admin, December 3rd, 2007
A very helpful step you can take to ensure your success as a work at home mom is to set up a nice home office. Many of us start out working from a laptop on the kitchen table, or on the home computer in a corner of the family room. The problem with this setup is that the constant interruptions make it hard to get a lot (and sometimes any) work done. It’s time for your very own home office.
If you have an extra room in the house, it is of course ideal to have an entire room dedicated as your home office, but if that’s not an option, don’t worry about it. Find a room in your house that currently serves a different purpose and set up your home office in it. A spare bedroom, your own bedroom, or even the laundry room are all viable options. Try to find a room with a door you can close and where you can expect to work quietly for at least a few hours per day. It will do wonders for your productivity. I can’t wait until my husband closes in my office. I currently have two open doorways – they will become a wall and a door. I will not only have quiet and privacy, but, an extra wall for bookshelves.
Set up some sort of system for your filing and paperwork. This includes paper files including contracts with clients, marketing and learning materials (CDs, DVDs, and binders), as well as electronic files. A file cabinet or even several storage bins will work well for your paper files. A bookshelf works great for marketing materials. As for your electronic files, set up different sections and folders on your hard drive and in your email software for them. Get in the habit of filing and straightening up your desk and work area before you finish your workday. It will be much easier to get started in the morning if a clean desk welcomes you.
Speaking of desks… You will need some sort of desk and chair in your office. Since you will likely spend quite a few hours each day in front of your computer, be sure to choose a desk and chair that are both comfortable and ergonomic. The last thing you want is a sore back after a long day at “work”.
Other than that, keep your office friendly and welcoming. You want this to be a place you are comfortable and happy in – so feel free to decorate and make it your own. Put up pictures of the kids or those from your last vacation. Hang up a motivational poster. Whatever motivates you to work goes. At the same time, keep distractions to a minimum. That means no TV or radio in the room if it will make you less productive. Find a good balance and before you know it, you’ll have a home office set up that you love to work in.
Categories: Business Tags: | 
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Author:
admin, December 1st, 2007
I’m working on building some Squidoo lenses for Wendy Piersall, founder of eMomsatHome.com. eMoms at Home is the best online magazine for work at home parents – I know I have learned so much there!
So I was exploring the internet for information that I would like to include in the Squidoo lenses, and I found this great interview with Wendy by Brad Baldwin. They were at a conference together in Utah when they sat down to have this talk.
I really liked this interview – it was the perfect length (not too long and not too short) and just gives us as viewers the perfect peek into Wendy’s online world and paints a picture of the successes she has achieved and continues to achieve with eMoms.
Just click here to see the video:
eMoms at Home Founder, Wendy Piersall
(I tried to embed the video here, but, it just was not working!)
The really cool thing about eMoms recently is that Wendy has expanded it to include multiple content channels! When you go to the main page (eMomsatHome.com), you will see the channels at the top of the page. Another cool thing is that there are lots of dads involved in the community over there, one of whom, Derek, is in charge of one of the content channels. There are lots of dads working at home, too, and it’s great to have them involved in what have typically been WAHM communities. I love getting the male perspective on all things work at home.
You know what I think it is? What I think is happening? The internet marketing community has been predominantly male in years past – and the WAHM community, has obviously been predominantly female. (Yes, I even have to say predominantly there, because, I know of at least one dad, in particular, who has been involved with WAHM’s for a number of years.)
And what I’ve seen happening over the last, maybe, two to three years – is these worlds colliding, overlapping, and best of all, gaining valuable insight and knowledge from each other! It has been so exciting to watch. The best of WAHM’s and the best of male Internet Marketers collaborating and creating a whole new community – that of the Work At Home Parent!
And Wendy definitely has her finger on the pulse of that! If you are looking to break into the online world of business, or expand your knowledge of online business – Wendy’s online magazine is the place to be!
Categories: Blogging, Business Tags: | 6 comments
Author:
admin, November 20th, 2007
What are you doing on this fine Tuesday evening? I’m having a rockin’ cool time! I’m Skype-chatting with my friend, Loretta, hanging out in a couple message boards, like Punkymoms and others, and Twittering with friends – and …watching one of my favorite movies, Meet Joe Black! Here, have a look:
And did you know how difficult it is to take a picture of your computer monitor at night? I’ve taken plenty of pics of it in the daytime with no problem, but, at night – man! I turned the flash off and it still didn’t help. And that is how we wound up with a pic of the creep instead of the incredibly sexy Brad Pitt or that lovely Claire Forlani, or even better yet – the incredibly handsome Anthony Hopkins. That creep just creeps me out, too. I’m sure it is just the roles he’s had, but, he gives me the heebie jeebies.
Anthony Hopkins, though, I could seriously listen to him all night! I just love him! And Robert Duvall – I think they’re my most favorite older guys. It’s hard to tell, though, because, I like a lot of those older guys – Al Pacino, Robert Deniro, and the like….
And let’s not even mention Huey Lewis – oh no, we musn’t go there…*swoooon*
I’m telling you, though, I’m just loving this whole setup – the text chatting, the blogging, the message boarding, movie watching – all of it at the same time.
Life is really good some days, you know?
Categories: Relaxing, Social networking Tags: | No comments
Author:
admin, November 19th, 2007
My baby girl is at the school sock hop! I think this makes it her first official school dance! Oh my goodness, yes – it does! She is in the fifth grade!
Isn’t she cute? That is her on the first day of school this year! She was very excited to get back to school!
Anyway – she and her girlfriend came over here and curled their hair, put on a little makeup (just a touch, thank goodness, my sweetpea is very good at makeup and doesn’t over do it) and tried on a few different outfits. Then they walked over to the friend’s house so that her parents could take them up there.
It’s kind of weird that it is on a Monday night, but, this is a super short week, so I guess it’s ok. They only have school today and tomorrow. And then they are off for Thanksgiving.
The Sock Hop is from 6pm-8pm. Awww…my baby at her first dance. My sweet little precious baby girl.
She looked so pretty, too. Her hair is really thick, so the curlers put just the right amount of curl in the ends of it. And then she put on some jeans with a pretty blouse and a lovely, soft blazer from her late Aunt Charlene. It’s a little too small, but, neither she nor I care – because we miss Aunt Charlene so much and we just loved the gifts she gave us – they were always so precious. She is just going to roll up the sleeves a little bit.
It is so lovely to think of Aunt Charlene being ‘at the dance’ with her like that. And my sweet girl just looked so smart – just sharp, you know? I’m so proud of her. She’s not at all pushing her femininity (yet! ack!) – she is just letting it speak quietly for itself.
I think she kind of reminded me of a magazine editor tonight. Smart and lovely – but, in a very subdued, quiet way. While the people around her are loud with it, she is drawing the attention, because of her seeming inattention to it. Do you know what I mean?
I’m so crying now – thinking of my Aunt Charlene and my precious baby girl – and how much they love each other. And how they can be together for this, her first dance.
Precious, absolutely precious.
Categories: Parenting Tags: | No comments
Author:
admin, November 16th, 2007
Or, “There are too many damn words on the internet!”
See, here’s the deal. Lately, I have been so damn distractable! Sure, sure, that’s not a word. I don’t mind, it fits what I want to say so nicely. I’m like a seven year old kid at FAO Schwartz for the very first time. I can’t stop looking. And looking. And looking.
And I cannot focus and do what I need to do – which is maintain my family of blogs. I need to write. I need to blog. I need blinders on – word blinders. Do you think they make those?
I have always distracted easily, don’t get me wrong. I can hear my mother in my head going, “Lately? What are you talking about?” Ha! I know, I know, Momma – I am highly distractable – but, lately it has been unbelievably bad – yes, even for me.
So if someone could just come along and erase the internet just for a few days, so I can get back on track, that would be great. Thanks a lot.
Categories: Blogging Tags: | 5 comments
