Steps toward Effective Time Management

Does it always seem like you are under the gun to get things done?  Time seems to get away from you and you don’t know why.  Maybe what you need is a way to effectively manage your time.

Time management is an age-old problem.  Remember Wimpy in the old Popeye cartoons?  He’d pay on Tuesday for a hamburger today.  Why not pay now?  Procrastination is the enemy of all who try to manage their time.  If you have been bitten by the procrastination bug, it’s time to take an antidote.

Time management issues can be dealt with in three stages:  planning, tracking and assessing.  Just like with other issues in life, the best way to handle them is head on, before the problem gets to be too big for us to even want to look at it.

1.  Planning – Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.  We’ve all heard it and it’s true for the most part.  You have to have somewhere to start or you’ll spend half of your day deciding what to do.  Planning begins with the end – deadlines.  Know how much time you have for each task you have to accomplish.  Within that timeline, you can break down the larger goal into more manageable pieces.  Read more

Five Tips to Beat Procrastination

Why do it today if you can do it tomorrow?  Thinking like that is the beginning of the end when it comes to getting anything done — work or home chores.  The key to being more productive at work is to stop procrastinating before it gets a foothold in your thinking process.

Why do you procrastinate?  There are several reasons and some might surprise you.  Fear of failure is one reason.  No one wants to be make mistakes but they are a part of life and they do happen to everyone.

Fear of success is also a reason why you might procrastinate.  Here is the rationale:  If you succeed you will be expected to do so all the time.  The pressure alone can stop your work. Read more

Phones, Phones, Phones – Essentials or Distractions???

No matter what type of online business you are in, or how you communicate, you will find there are a number of reasons that you will need to use a telephone.  You may need to soothe clients who need to hear a real human voice or you might need to find a way to communicate with your colleagues that is more immediate than that of a simple e-mail or chat session.  The problem is, however, that phone use, whether it is through a landline or through a cell phone, can cause you plenty of problems, especially if you let it get out of control.

For many of us, nothing is more simple or instinctive than calling someone up to chat.  While we may want to keep it professional, there is a good chance that we will spend a lot longer on the phone than we thought we would, and before we know it, the day has sped by and our efficiency is shot. The work we intended (our intentions are always good in the beginning aren’t they?) to get done is being put off until later.  Have you ever experienced this?  This may be a sign that you need to think about your phone use and how it is affecting the bottom line in your business. Read more

Is the Work at Home Life Really Your Cup of Tea?

So, you’re thinking of giving up your job to work from home, or maybe you just want to test the waters to see if it’s do-able. Mothers who earn their living working from home often find themselves the envy of those who hold down “real” jobs, but unless you are one of those moms making your living working from home, you probably aren’t aware of the challenges involved.  Here are some factors to consider that may help you decide if working from your home is really for you.

First and foremost, you have to decide what exactly you are going to do to earn money as a home business owner. Being computer literate certainly opens up many more possibilities, but there are other ways to work from home as well. Your interests and talents should be considered as well as how much of an income you are hoping for.
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How About Our Top 10 Tips for Work at Home Mothers???

Working at home? Having a tough time balancing work and home life? Frustrated with distractions? Wondering if this is what you should be doing? Just wish it could be easier?

Working at home can be challenging, but there are things that you can do to better your chance for success. Read on to find out the top ten tips for mothers who want to work at home successfully.

1. Set up your work space to match your personality. If you are bubbly and enthusiastic, use bold bright colors on your walls, and even for your mouse pad and file folders. Have matching accessories that reach out and make you want to use them. If you tend to be quiet and laidback, a more subtle approach may be more your style. Surrounding yourself with your comfort level, will actually encourage you to spend time in your home office and enjoy what you are doing. Read more

How Phones Can be a Distraction to Online Business Owners

No matter what type of online business you are in, or how you communicate, you will find there are a number of reasons that you will need to use a telephone. You may need to soothe clients who need to hear a real human voice or you might need to find a way to communicate with your colleagues that is more immediate than that of a simple e-mail or chat session. The problem is, however, that phone use, whether it is through a landline or through a cell phone, can cause you plenty of problems, especially if you let it get out of control.

For many of us, nothing is more simple or instinctive than calling someone up to chat. While we may want to keep it professional, there is a good chance that we will spend a lot longer on the phone than we thought we would, and before we know it, the day has sped by and our efficiency is shot. The work we intended (our intentions are always good in the beginning aren’t they?) to get done is being put off until later. Have you ever experienced this? This may be a sign that you need to think about your phone use and how it is affecting the bottom line in your business. Read more

5 Ways to Manage Your Time While Working Online

Struggling with reaching for your goals? Get started on your projects, but getting distracted and losing time that you have set aside to work on projects? Remember the song lyrics, “Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping into the future…”  Feel like your time is slipping away, especially when you sit down and get online to work? Let me help…

There are many ways to manage time while working online. The computer, Internet, and various other types of activities that can be pursued while working may prove to be quite overwhelming when it comes to time restraints or deadlines. If your income is dependent upon the financial success that you achieve online, it is absolutely imperative that you take the time to ensure that you are maximizing each and every minute of your working time. Read more

Avoiding Work at Home Time Stealers

Why is it because you have chosen to work from home that your time becomes easy pickings for everybody else? You know that if you had a regular job, people wouldn’t think of interfering.

You know the drill. Can you drop what you’re doing to help out at today’s bake sale at church? Would you mind looking after their sick child for the day because they have a J.O.B. and can’t stay home? While you’re home, pick up the dry cleaning or stop at the post office for that parcel and on and on it goes.

Short of alienating everyone, it’s not easy to say no when they know and you know that you don’t have any firm time commitments. It doesn’t make it any less irritating that no one seems to value your time or what you are doing with your day. Stop and think about it, how much value do you put on what you’re doing?
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Stop Procrastinating!

Have you ever found yourself avoiding work you know needs to be done?  Like with your taxes…or digging into that big list of things to do… or answer those emails. Something popping into your mind? That too!

This is called procrastination and it can lead to feelings of stress, anxiety and being overwhelmed. It can stop you in your tracks! Not only can it make you feel bad, procrastinating can have negative effects on both your personal and working relationships. Procrastination will keep you from reaching for your dreams.

There are many reasons why someone may be procrastinating. The first and most obvious reason may be that they really don’t want to work on that particular task. It’s natural for a person to avoid working on a task they do not enjoy doing. Read more

Setting up Your Day for Work at Home Success

Working from home can be a truly rewarding experience. There are things you can do to ensure that this occurs. Beginning your day the right way is a perfect way to set the stage for a successful day. 

First things first – start your day by getting yourself ready for “work.” Take a shower, relax with that extra cup of coffee, work the crossword in the newspaper, tidy up the house, drop the kids off at school. Allow yourself time to stop and smell the flowers before plunging in. 

Some of us like to start slowly. For others, immediately heading to the computer, coffee mug in hand and starting in right away, is best. There are no right or wrong answers here. Whatever works best for you is the right way. Doing things your way is how you will begin setting up your day for work at home success. 

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