It’s just the nature of creating something – specifically creating something that involves other people. And if you’re selling anything – ad space, products, services, etc – you’re creating something for other people.

So when you find out you’re marketing isn’t working like you thought or that your great idea isn’t seen as such a great idea by the people in your market – what do you do?

When the sales slow down and the bills aren’t getting paid – what do you do?

And on those days that you have no motivation, no real desire to grind away at making your business work – what do you?

In other words, what keeps you going?

[ read the rest of this article on dmiracle.com ]

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Would you like to get more done in less time with your work-at-home business so you can spend more time with your family doing the things that you enjoy most in life? Do you often dream of a balanced lifestyle that brings you success in wealth, health, and your relationships?

It’s time to make those dreams a reality so you can get on living the life that you deserve. The best part… it’s easier than you may think.

The key to increased productivity is to optimize your brain function. The more focused, alert, and efficient your brain operates, the quicker you will be able to get through your daily tasks.

The most effective tool that you can use to optimize your brain is exercise. But you don’t need to spend hours in the gym in order to boost your brain-power and increase your productivity. You only need 10 minutes.

Let’s put it to the test. I challenge you to take a 10-minute quickie break from the computer. Come on now… I know that you’ve got 10-minutes. Trust me, it’ll be worth it.

Here’s a fast and fun home office cardio workout that you can do right now. No excuses! It doesn’t require any equipment, it doesn’t require much space, and it doesn’t require much time.

OK, so how did it feel? Were your legs burning? Was your heart racing? Awesome!

Now it’s time to get back to work, feeling more energized and focused. You needed that break didn’t you? You feel pretty darn good about yourself to… right?

Please do me a favor and take mental notes on how this quickie 10-minute cardio session impacts the rest of your day. How it improves your productivity, quality of work, and time management.

Aside from your home business, I would love for you to share how the quickie home office cardio impacts your family. Did you have more energy to play with your kids or grandchildren?

The benefits of incorporating home office fitness into your workday are nearly limitless. This is a balanced lifestyle approach. You are using quick fitness to improve your business and quality time with your family. You really can have it all, and you deserve it! Begin today and experience a transformation in your business, fitness, and life.

You ROCK! Enjoy the experience!

Scott Tousignant, BHK has been helping busy work-at-home-moms and dads improve their #1 asset (HEALTH) for over a decade. Scott’s balanced and practical approach to fitness helps busy homepreneurs get more done in less time so you can spend more time doing what you enjoy most in life.

Backed by years of experience and the application of his education in human kinetics, Scott created Fat Loss Quickie, the fast fun home office fitness experience that will quickly transform you into the super-focused, highly productive, beautiful person you really are!

Now it doesn’t matter how busy you are… You’ll never have to neglect your health again!

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There’s an old saying that goes “The only certainty is change”; however well you think you’re prepared for something, there’s always a surprise waiting for you.

Take the latest addition to my family – the birth of my 2nd daughter, Elissa, about a month ago.

Since I’d been through this before, you’d think that I’d be prepared for the nights with activities like disrupted sleep, half-groggy feedings (the baby, not me!) and feelings of fatigue midway through the day (a cosy 2-hour afternoon nap helps a great deal).

Add to the mix, fun activities like planning for my kids’ college fund (Never too early to start these days…), registering their respective domains (I own both BiancaWee.com and ElissaWee.com – no content up yet though!) and running the day-to-day operations of an online business.

While I’m no “Jon & Kate Plus 8″, I have been a little busy. Which is why this guest post is coming about 4 months after Kelly invited me to contribute a piece.

Dealing with Organized Chaos

Since I’m a “respectable family man”, the days of pulling all-nighters to complete a product, or staying awake for 48 hours to deal with product launch hiccups should be a thing of the past…or are they?

Stress? What stress?

Even if my “To Do” list contains 10 items for the day and only half of them get done, I don’t get insomnia or stress over it like I used to.

In the sometimes hectic pace of the 24-7-365 internet, it’s sometimes easy to forget the main reason why we’ve chosen the “work from home” route, compared to slogging it out in the corporate trenches.

The thing is, “Personal freedom” and “financial indepedence” are just buzzwords, unless you’re walking the talk, and not just talking the talk.

The key to finding fulfilment in online marketing is finding your personal comfort zone and accepting what you can reasonably do in the time you have each day (which might ultimately be 2-3 hours of solid, productive work – waaaay before everyone gets up, or after everyone has gone to bed).

Here’re some tips to Getting what you want and getting what you need to get done.

#1 Identifying the difference between “optional tasks”, “good to have tasks” and “need to complete tasks”

“Optional Tasks”

An optional task is something you can cut out of your schedule and not miss greatly (or possibly scheduling it for “Veg Out” time). This could be watching a re-run of a 5 DVD boxed set of “Sex and the City” or “Gossip Girl”.

It might also include meeting up or chatting with online/offline casual contacts who would like to “get to know you better”.

Having and using the power to say “No” can be a life saver here. Also, if you’ve scheduled your time in a planner, you’ll have a clear idea of what needs to be done, vs letting others take your time away. (a little harsh, but if someone’s using what little time you may have left, they ARE taking your time away).

#2 Identifying good to have tasks

These are tasks which would be useful to you personally, or professionally. It could involve watching clips on YouTube, reading relevant blogs and forums, and attending conferences, workshops, webinars, teleseminars, etc.

These can almost be as enjoyable as optional tasks, although they can do you or your business good too.

Prioritizing these tasks and deciding which ones to take up can again free up time for other more important activities.

#3 Need to complete tasks

Unfortunately, if you’re new to managing your time effectively, these tasks might be the ones that get shoved to the end of the day when you’re running on fumes and down to your last legs.

A comfy bed looks positively appealing compared to the humdrum review of sales reports, or planning out and implementing tweaks to your business to improve traffic and sales conversions.

These are the tasks that feel the most “work” like and can be repetitive, monotonous and yes, boring.

However, if you look at the reasons why you’ve made the choice to work from home or out of a small office, you’ll also realize that a solid 1-2 hour block of time at the start of the day (I like the 6am timeslot, right after I’ve given my daughter her feed), or at the end of the day, can give your business (whether fledgling or established) a huge boost.

It’s not all work though. “Need to complete” tasks should also include activities that are personally meaninful to you (and sometimes, your sanity!) I’d also include setting aside time to spend with my wife and older daughter each day.

Putting it all together

While some may have a moment of self-realization and attempt to shift ALL their time to “need to complete” activities and experience a burst in productivity, this boost might be short-lived.

If it’s a radical change to your lifestyle over the past couple of years, it could send quite a shock to your system and lead to burnout.

Instead, what’s worked for me is making gradual changes to my schedule that I know I can follow on a long-term basis.

If I fall off the wagon when it comes to following my schedule, I take note of it and keep chugging along.

One of the maxims that’s helped me succeed is Vince Lombardi’s quote “It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get back up.”

There’s certainly no reason to get lost in transition.

Andrew Wee blogs at WhoIsAndrewWee.com and is co-founder of the internet marketing resource, InternetMarketingCookbook.com.

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When it comes to making the leap from employee to full-time entrepreneur, do you follow your heart, your gut or your money?

It’s a hard question and one that I still don’t have the answer for. If it were up to my heart, I would have left my job a week after I started. If I were to follow my gut, I would have left a couple of months ago. It felt right then and still feels right now!

But if I follow the money, well let;s just say at this time I should probably just sit tight. After all my entrepreneur ventures are still no match for my current salary and I have those two growing kids at home to feed.

I decided to enlist some advice on twitter and asked, “When it comes to making the leap from employee to full-time entrepreneur, do you follow your heart, your gut or your money?

Here are some of the responses:

@tracilove:  Follow your heart & trust your gut – but remember that if there’s no $, it’s a hobby (not a biz).

@multitaskingme: Your gut, your heart, your money in that order

@weddingsites: Definitely your heart, it’s just a feeling you get, plus it becomes too much of a struggle juggling multiple jobs and family

@KenClicktoy: Your gut will remind your heart to remember to make money

@chatterboxcgc: Heart and gut definitely! But money is always there in good ways and bad.

@AskWifey: A little bit of all three – smiles!

While I agree that it’s time I follow my gut and heart and move forward, I thought it would be best to develop an exit strategy.

Set a Date: Decide when you would like to makes the transition to running your business full-time and develop a schedule around that date.

Review Finances: Amanda Steinberg from DailyWorth.com says, “If you’re leaving a full-time job, set up a savings account six months before you announce your departure. Commit to adding to it regularly. Save as much as you can. While six months saved in cash is a pipe dream for many of us, it’s a good north star to shoot for.”

Eliminate Debt: You may need to incur more debt as you vamp up your business, so clearing out old debt will give you some wiggle room.

Build Your Credit: Apply for extra credit.  Save those checks that you get in the mail from the bank and those pre-approved loan offers. They will come in handy if need some extra money for business expenses at a later date.

Create Your Vision: Make sure you have a clear vision of what you want to accomplish. Consider getting a business or life coach that can help support you and create a realistic plan.

Talk to Family: Discuss your plans with your family, they make a great support group, so if issues arise you can work them out together.

Networking: Being a full-time entrepreneur may mean spending a lot of time alone. Start connecting with other entrepreneurs by joining support groups on and offline.

Starting a business takes motivation and determination, leaving the security of your full-time job takes courage. To ensure the highest potential of success formulate a plan before making that transition.

For some more great tips, advice and coaching on taking that final step to full-time entrepreneur visit Deborah Bailey’s blog: The Secrets of Success . Deborah is the author of an eBook called “Boost Your Marketing & You Visibility with Internet Radio”. She is also the founder of Deb Bailey Coaching for transitional entrepreneurs and is the host of the weekly Internet radio talk show “Women Entrepreneurs – The Secrets of Success”.

Good luck on making your transition to full-time entrepreneur.

Read more from Stephanie at BizzieMommy.com.

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Yes, I am a television addict.  That probably shocks a lot of people who are always asking me how I have time to do everything I do and it should confirm once and for all that I don’t do all that I do   (Outsourcing is a lovely thing.)

Actually, I watch a lot of television while I work.  Remember the evil Mac from my home office heaven post?  It’s primarily used as a TV.  (Yep, that’s Hulu.com on the screen.)

There are a lot of things that I do that requires focused attention but there are also a lot of things I do that can be done with a favorite program running on the side – and I have a lot of favorite programs – The Bachelorette being one of them.

So I know you probably couldn’t care less about my TV addiction or that I’m hooked on keeping up with Jillian’s current attempts at finding love, but I do have a topic that I want to pull from the program and that is issue of Ed.

Ed is a tall handsome man from Monroe, Michigan.  He was definitely finding favor with Jillian – but in episode five he shocked us all by telling her that he had to bow out of the program and head home to take care of work.  (His career is listed as ‘Technology Consultant’ and he mentioned talking with ‘his boss’ so he isn’t a solopreneur.)

I have often wondered how these adults manage to walk away from their real lives for such a long time in order to participate in a reality TV show.  Surely they earn something for their participation, but there has to be a pretty bit sacrifice involved.

When Ed told Jillian he had to go home, a part of me totally understood.  Sometimes our work is in a place that requires a lot of our attention. Hopefully not all the time, that would suck.

Jillian was visibly heartbroken and said it was obvious that Ed’s priorities were in a different place than hers.  She talked about risk. She was taking a big risk doing the show so she certainly knows a lot about it.

Love is a risk.  Taking time away from a career is a risk.

I don’t envy his decision at all, how about you?

Have you been faced with a choice like this?  Devoting time to a budding new relationship vs devoting time to growing your business?  Would you put love on hold or even say goodbye to it just to get more work done?

I can’t help but think that Ed was making a big mistake.   But who knows?  We all have to make daily decisions about what we give our time and attention to.

Fast forward to episode number seven.  Believe it or not, Ed came back and asked Jillian to let him back into the group.  He regretted his choice and wanted another chance.  When he walked through the door I think my heart thrilled just as much as Jillian’s, it was so sweet and vulnerable for him to come back and take that risk.  She could say no and leave him looking like a fool on TV.

But she didn’t.

I don’t know if Jillian will choose Ed in the end.  I’m sure she has some tough questions for him about his career goals and priorities.

Of course, I’ll be watching

(And rooting for Ed.)

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“This is a how to think book, not a how to book.”

Marc Warnke’s new book, “ONO: Options not Obligations” is more than just a how to think book, though. It’s an inspirational guide for everyone who wants more independence and fewer obligations in his or her life.

Marc starts out by explaining that most of us live a life of obligations. We have a mortgage to pay and car payments to make, so we get up every day and go to work, and we continue this behavior day after day and year after year without ever realizing there is a different way to live, one without obligations, where you have the option to do what you like with your time instead of the obligation of
going to work.

You might think that a life of options is only available to those lucky few who were born into wealth and don’t have to work for a living, but in “Options not Obligations” Marc gives concrete examples of how everyone can reach a place of options by just making a few simple changes in her life and rearranging her priorities.

He suggests building an “ONO account” and gives some examples of how putting just a small amount of money in an ONO account every month will result in a great deal of wealth through the power of compound interest.

Marc further suggests the way to true wealth is not by selfishly looking out for only our own interests, but by developing a philanthropic attitude in business. By helping others be successful and build wealth, we are often in a better position to build our own.

As you read through the book, you will find “Opportunities for reflections” where the author asks you to think about a particular idea he’s presented. I encourage you to do these exercises. This is a worthwhile book without them, but by sitting down and really thinking through the questions asked of you, you will gain much more than you would by simply reading passively.

“Options not Obligations” is a great place to start for anyone looking to improve her life and financial situation. It is not a step by step guide to making money, but it is a guide to living a better life.

If you’d like to learn more about the book, please visit the website.

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How Many Mornings Do You Wake Up Excited?

Children and brides know what it means to wake up thrilled to face the day, but what about the rest of us?

I don’t think it’s realistic to expect every morning to be like Christmas, summer break or our wedding day – but shouldn’t there be something shiny and enticing about most of our days?

Since becoming an full time entrepreneur, I can honestly say that I get out of bed with positive anticipation way more often not.

How Many Days Do You Spend Doing Things That You Enjoy?

I remember when I worked in a true ‘corporate’ environment.  Most of the day I spent glancing at the clock, always wishing it were closer to five o’clock PM than it was.

Then there was the night job.  Most of the night I spent wishing it were closer to seven o’clock AM than it was.

Don’t even get me started on friends and family. I have a sibling who has hated his job pretty much every minute since he took it twenty years ago.

How Many Nights Do You Fall Asleep Content?

Is your sleep sweet?

I’m not just asking if your bed is comfortable… though I do feel that a quality bed is THE most important item of furniture in your house followed closely by a great home office chair (of course) and comfortable dining room chairs (sit long – talk much).

I’m asking if your head hits the pillow with pleasant dreams soon to follow – or do you lay awake worrying about tomorrow?

What you don’t deal with during the day, you’ll deal with at night – one way or another.  Tossing and turning, fitful dreams – waking up tense and tired.

I know the value of a good night’s sleep – mostly because for many years I didn’t get one.

Why Do I Ask These Questions?

Some people don’t like to be asked tough questions like this.  They don’t like to be confronted with a reminder that they have the ability to choose whether they will enjoy their life.  They prefer to wallow, whine and rage against the machine as if they live lives in helpless captivity.

What about you?  Do you realize you have the ability to choose?

Do you realize that you can make choices today that lead to a more enjoyable tomorrow?

For several years I was miserably unhappy as a homeowner but felt home ownership was a badge of true adulthood and one of those magical keys to financial stability.  One day I realized I was suffering for an ideal that I didn’t even hold as an ideal.  I sold the house and have been a very happy apartment dweller since.

I think it’s crucially important to ask ourselves tough questions.

• Why do we do what we do?
• What are we working so hard for?
• Are we trading in long hours for extras our kids would gladly give up for more time with us?
• Are you working really hard to be someone you don’t even like?
• Are you kissing an ass you don’t even respect?

We’re in charge of our mornings, our days and our nights.  The sooner we realize just how very in charge we are, the sooner we’ll start taking actions that make us happier

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The idea is to get some idea juices flowing around a different topic each week – first here on the Sparkplugging blogs, then blossoming out in the blogosphere.

We kicked things off this week with this topic:

Spark an Idea to Entertain the Kids While You Work

Check out what the creative Sparkplugging Author’s have had to say so far today:

• Eight Ideas to Keep the Kids Busy
• Entertain the Kids While You Work on eBay
• Entertain Your Kids While You Run an Online Store
• And Idea that Entertains the Kids While You Work
• Entertaing Your Kids While You Work
• Entertaining Older Kids While You Work
• Working in the Home Office

Now, if you’ve got an idea about entertainging kids while you get your work done that hasn’t been shared before – please jump in with a post of your own and link back to us so we know that you’re participating.

You can grab the Meme Graphic right here.

We hope you gain some great ideas from this and will look forward to next week’s topic!

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So when you find out you’re marketing isn’t working like you thought or that your great idea isn’t seen as such a great idea by the people in your market – what do you do?

When the sales slow down and the bills aren’t getting paid – what do you do?

And on those days that you have no motivation, no real desire to grind away at making your business work – what do you?

In other words, what keeps you going?

For me, personally, it’s my vision. Certainly it’s the goals I want to achieve, that’s part of it. But it’s not all of it.

What keeps me going is wanting to live the lifestyle I want. Not just talk about it or dream about it – and not just touch it from time-to-time. But to actually live the lifestyle I want.

For me that means putting time with my wife and kids before anything. It means taking a day off when my wife’s sick or needs some rest. It means making 4 day weekends so my family can enjoy a camping trip. It means being incredibly active and highly available to my kids. It means living a life that’s balanced with some freedom.

You see, I don’t want a life where I’m bogged down by my work. If I did, I could go out and work for any corporation, put in less effort and allow someone else to dictate my lifestyle. Sure, I want – and do – make a nice living. But I don’t want my pursuit of money to become more important than what’s more important to me – quality time with my family, hiking, my spiritual practice, etc. All these things I put above making money.

BUT, I still focus on making money – as a means to the ends I wish to live by. So I work in my business to make money solely so I can have the lifestyle I want. And that’s what keeps me going on the days when it’s just not so easy or comfortable to work for myself.

So that’s me. How about you, what keeps you going when it’s less than easy?

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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW8uia0mNOk[/youtube]

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I’ve done it. Wendy’s done it. And it’s likely, if you have a home office, that you’ve done it as well.

Yeah, I know how the lyrics to this song goes: “I’m just eating so I can get a little work done while I’m feeding my face. That way I can get even more done in the day.” Ever hear yourself thinking that one?

So, is the reason you work from home so that you could sit at your desk and eat your lunch – alone…while sun warms the earth and the birds sing their little songs? Do you really think you’re more productive because you spend your lunch in front of the computer?

The truth is, it’s likely you’re not more productive, but less so, when you spend your lunch time at your desk. How could this be so? Well, first, you never work as effectively or efficiently when  you’re doing more than one task at a time. Eating is one task. Checking email, browsing the web, blogging, catching up on social media, building a spreadsheet, writing a proposal, designing a logo – all these are separate, individual tasks. you wouldn’t write a proposal while you’re checking email – so why would you combine eating with any of these?

Yet, efficiency isn’t the key. I’ve worked over some lunches, lightly snacking on my food while I focus greatly on finishing some project for a deadline. I’ve gotten work done doing it that way. But I do know that I’m simply not as effective as when I am only focused on the project.

The key is quality of life. More directly – quality of your business life.

If you’re working from home, it’s because you want too. Whether you’re a entrepreneur, a small business owner or working remote, you’re working from your home office because you can be. If this is true, stop and ask  yourself, “Why did I want to work from home?”

I’m going to guess that you’re not going to site reasons like, “so I could work at eat lunch at the same time.”

For most of us, working from home has something to do with the quality of our life. We think of working at home, we think of freedom, space, relaxed work environment, flexibility and things like that. Yet, are we living those qualities in the work we do? That’s the real question.

So I suggest eating your lunch away from your desk – and if you can, away from your office. Go outside and enjoy the seasons. Eat lunch in the sun or under a tree. Sit, taste your food, chew it slowly and think about something other than work. Doesn’t matter what it is, just get your mind out of work. Feel the warmth of the sun, breathe the air – take deep, belly-full breaths and even close your eyes for a few moments and just relax (don’t fall asleep, though). Feel your feet or buttocks on the ground and just be present. Don’t worry about work – it’ll all the there when you return.

I do this almost daily. Yeah, the work-at-my-desk bug still gets me from time to time. But it’s seldom these days. I make my lunch a time to recharge and focus on living, rather than working. I take time to taste my food and feel my feet. All this helps me remember why I work so hard in the first place.

And if I want the biggest dose of why I work, I have lunch with my wife and kids. I get out of the office, sit down with my family and we all eat lunch together. In the warm months, we might make a picnic in the backyard under a tree for half an hour. Or we might sit under the porch while it’s raining and listen to the rain and talk and laugh. These times are special to me and to the kids. They remember daddy eating lunch with them – and I them. And I remember that they won’t be little forever (my oldest is 4) so I should cherish these times while I can.

Because I work from home, I can.

Where do you eat your lunch?

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The Most Wonderful Time of the Year from Staples via @BarbaraJones.

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Think about it. With a home office, there’s no commuting – which saves time, stress and money. Working from home means you can have lunch with your kids every day. It means you can take a half-hour and roll around with them in the yard. And if you’ve had a late night, no worries. You can roll out of bed minutes before your first appointment and still make it on time. The advantages go on and on.

But, there’s also some major challenges with working from home.

For instance, if you were working in an office building, it probably wouldn’t take your 15 minutes to use the bathroom because your kids are jumping all over you the minute you leave your office. Or, in our case with my wife being a stay-at-home-mom, your spouse thinking that it’s all right to interrupt you 67 times a day. Okay, it’s actually closer to 68.

Before my wife and I married and had kids, I’d worked from my home office for seven years. When we got married, I had no idea the challenges I would face. I figured she just understood that when I closed the door to my office I was unavailable. Nope. Same with the kids.

Now, 6 years later, we’ve worked out a pretty good system for making sure everyone’s needs get met in the family and in my business. All we had to do was create a few boundaries and establish a few rhythms:

• Set office hours – AND KEEP THEM.
  When your office is just down the hall, it can be difficult to set work aside and have ‘off time.’ Yet, it’s really unfair to both you and your family if you’re bouncing in and out of your office at all hours. Establish specific hours on specific days where you’re working. Make this time as though you’re out of house. This is foundational to effectively working at home so I can’t stress it enough.
• Remember your family has rhythms & schedules – AND HONOR THEM.
  One issue we had in our family is that I would need a breather a few times in the middle of the day and so I’d come out of my office and spend time with the wife and kids. This was always on my terms because I decided when I came out and when I went back. And since there was no specific time set each day for me to take these little breaks, my wife and kids would never know when I was coming out of my office. Such, this would interrupt their daily flow and their rhythms. So while fun for me, it wasn’t fun for my wife to deal with after I’d go back to work. So talk to your spouse, if they stay at home, and ask them how your mid-day breaks affect the family.
• Set specific break times – AND KEEP THEM.
  One thing all of us look forward too is eating lunch together. I used to just come out for lunch when I could, which just created chaos. Now, we schedule lunch – as well as those mid-day breaks – so that all of know what to expect. My wife can plan her day and the kids know what to expect – both when the break begins and ends. It’s made our lives much easier.
• Communicate your needs with your spouse – OFTEN.
  It’s highly unlikely your work’s exactly the same every day. Deadlines and problems can lead to all sorts of business turmoil. Or maybe you’re taking on large project that may require extra time. This may change your work rhythms – maybe you need to work a bit more, or maybe there’s going to be more stress. Talk with your spouse about this BEFORE it becomes an issue. If you’re going to take away from family time, be sure that your spouse agrees it’s a good idea, is supportive and has an idea how it’s going to change their life. Sometimes not taking a project that interrupts your life and hurts your family can be the best choice.
• Put a lock on your door – AND USE IT.
  Seems elementary, but it’s wholly necessary. Sure, it’s cute when you’re on the phone with a prospect and your 3 year-old waddles into your office for a kiss. But it’s not so cute when they come running into your office crying while you’re on a conference call with decision makers at a company you’re doing business for. Lock your door and keep it locked when you’re ‘in your office.’ Make it habit.
• Don’t unlock or open  your door during business hours – UNLESS YOU NEED TOO.
  The point of putting a lock on your office door – and using it – is so that your inaccessible just as you’d be if you were working out of the home. That means when your kids or spouse see your door locked, they don’t bother you. If the kids come knocking – and they do – you simply don’t answer. You resist the temptation to open the door. In short order, they’ll get it that when your door’s closed, you’re unavailable. Addendum: You’re also at home and always a parent. So, if you hear your 4 year-old telling your 2 year-old not to touch the hot stove, you quickly go out and deal with it – then return to your office and lock your door.
• Have family meetings before work – DO THIS!
  Inevitably you and your spouse will need to talk about things throughout the day. Of course, if your spouse believes (s)he should interrupt you at every moment there’s a question – just because you’re at home – you’re productivity will suffer – as well as your patience. So create a time in the morning or in the evening – off from work – where you can talk about daily family business. This is the time to make plans, talk about money, pay bills, make decisions on kid’s classes, schedule doctor’s appointments, talk about dinner, remind you to get a hair cut, etc, etc, etc. Then, whatever needs to be talked about has a space and time so that it doesn’t have to be talked about during business hours.
• Use the telephone to communicate during business hours.
  Just as if you were working 30 miles away, ask your spouse – and kids – to use the telephone to reach you if there’s something pressing. My wife and I do this and it works great – even though sometimes I can hear her voice through the door. And the kids can talk to me this way as well. It honors all of our needs while I’m working while allowing her a chance to get questions answered – or to just say ‘I love you.’ (okay, I’m a sap). BTW, IM and email works fine too.

There certainly are other things you can do to establish a home/work environment. The most important things is that you and your family set boundaries that work for everyone. Boundaries that allow you to get your work done while honoring your family’s needs and your responsibilities to them.

Just remember that it’s not all about you getting your work done. You have an impact on them as well. So honor their needs, their rhythm and the ‘work’ they’re doing in and for the family.

As I always say, a peaceful home provides a peaceful home office.

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Jerry: They’re not going back to Florida. They’re moving here.

George: What? Why?

Jerry: Because your parents are going down there. My buffer zone just went from twelve hundred miles down to two feet! You gotta do something.

George: Hey, I’m sorry, you had your buffer zone for many years. It’s my turn to live, baby. (Seinfeld, The Shower Head)

When I started working from home after 25 years in a corporate office, I quickly learned the value of an ample buffer zone.

One of my first freelance gigs was a series of press releases for a European software firm. I was thrilled to have the work, but it was a tough assignment. The software was complex, so there was lots and lots of research involved.

The day of my deadline rolls around, and I’m chomping at the bit. Luckily, my wife is out running errands with her friend Michelle, leaving me blissfully alone with my research notes, hot Genmaicha tea, and a blank Word document. I’m so excited – after all these years I’m actually a professional writer. I can almost see the finished press release now, and the congratulatory emails pouring in from the client.

A half hour later I’m still staring at a blank Word document. Can’t think of a headline. Can’t think of a lead. I’m staring at my notes and all of a sudden I see a thousand keyword phrases and I can only optimize for three. I brew more tea. Feed the cats. Take out the garbage. Return to my computer and play a game of Hearts.

And then as I smell the oaky, popcorn aroma of my Genmaicha tea, everything falls into place. I have the headline. I have the lead. The whole structure of the release is clear as a bell.

I’m typing the word, “The”, and my cell phone rings.

It’s my wife. “Honey,” she says. (I know I’m in trouble already. My wife never says “honey” unless it’s for a reason.) “Honey,” she says, “Can you come over to Michelle’s for a sec? We’re trying to move her TV.”

What can I say? From the office, with that nice buffer zone, I could have said a number of things. I don’t have time. I’m heading into a meeting. I’m wearing a tie. But from home, what can one say except, “I’ll be right over, dear.”

For the next 45 minutes the three of us muscle Michelle’s immense plasma TV from the living room through her ridiculously narrow front door and into her SUV. I’m sweaty, aggravated, and completely preoccupied with my press release. They say, “Thank you, thank you, thank you, Brad.” I flash a charming smile and get the hell out of there as fast as I can.

I rush back to my computer where the word “The” is still on the screen. But I can’t remember the rest of the headline. My brilliant lead – gone. Everything’s a blur, and the deadline is four hours away.

I brew more tea. Play Hearts. Wonder if CareerBuilder has any sweet job listings for a marketing executive. Finally understand why a king built a moat around his castle. It wasn’t to keep other people out, but to keep himself in. Those medieval guys knew the value of a buffer zone, that’s for sure.

Brad is a regular guest contributor to Sparkplug CEO and is an Humor Marketing expert. Here’s more samples of Brad’s business cartoons. You can email Brad about using cartoons in your business or call him at (630) 845-1778.

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So in the spirit of giving our brains a break, please leave a comment and share with us what you are going to do today (or sometime in the next few days) to walk away from your desk & get some fresh air. I’d also be curious to hear about what problem, challenge, or question you have been pondering lately that just might get resolved when you go have some fun!

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1. Work from Home, Stay Sane & Get Work Done
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1. It gets me out of the house. I’m a homebody and love being/working at home, but sometimes it clears my head to get out.

2. It’s “me” time. Being an entrepreneur, a wife and a mother, I’m often the last person on my list. Yoga is something I do for me. I don’t need shopping sprees or manicures, but yoga serves the purpose nicely.

3. There’s no email in yoga. I am an email addict. Even when I tell myself my day is over, I still sneak in and check my email about 4 times before dinner bedtime. Yoga classes really frown on you bringing your laptop in, and as they say, check your problems (and Inbox) at the door.

4. Children aren’t allowed. Don’t get me started about the people who bring their kids to yoga on holidays. But in theory, it’s an adult venue. No whining, no “mama you made me sad” for the 100th time today because I wouldn’t let my child dance in the middle of the street with traffic. I have to remember I am a person, a woman, first, and a chauffeur/chef/tear-wiper/bedtime-story-reader second. That way I am better as a mother when yoga time is over.

5. It’s hard to think about clients when you’re balancing in tree pose. I admit, sometimes my clients come with me to yoga (in my head! I’d never want them to see me in stretchy yoga pants). But as I push myself to get deeper into the moves they leave. And funnily enough, even though I’m not thinking about them (or maybe because of that) I come up with better ideas when I get out.

6. Exercise is good for you (especially the non-sweating kind). I hate running. I’m not competitive. I don’t even like to watch sports. But yoga works for me. Probably because it’s the closest I get to meditating. But it also stretches my body and keeps me fit. Which means I’m healthy in body and mind, am sick less and feel good.

7. Because I can. I constantly am grateful for the fact that I have the luxury (since when is taking care of ourselves a luxury??) to go to yoga twice a week (yes, clients, my Monday and Friday meetings are actually yoga). It makes me work twice as hard so I can enjoy it. Before I left for yoga this morning, I got more done than I’ve gotten done since.

8. I can vent without getting angry. If you do yoga, you get this. All the frustrations that build up, all the “check’s in the mail,” all the whining, the annoying salespeople, the pee spots I slide into wearing socks (it’s from the dog, not the 3-year-old), everything that gets on my nerves all week melts away in yoga. I don’t have to yell or punch anything to dissolve the tension.

Susan Payton is Managing Partner of Egg Marketing & Public Relations, an Orlando marketing firm, and is the blogger behind The Marketing Eggspert. She helps businesses put together their marketing strategy and execute it. From press releases to email blasts, Susan and Egg can help promote your company. For free advice on marketing in today’s Web 2.0 world, visit The Marketing Eggspert Blog.

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Now, I’m not much of a TV kind of gal, but when I do watch, it’s usually TLC. With this new show they are finally shining a spotlight on one of the biggest under-served issues in motherhood :: leaving and re-entering the workforce (hello, why did it take so #$^& long?!). In fact, it’s such a strong need with women in their 30’s and 40’s, Shannon Hutton and I are going to be launching a blog soon dedicated to helping moms work through these difficult transitions.

I have to firstly give TLC and show host Tracey Gold a standing ovation for putting this show on the air in the first place. Interestingly, some moms that I consider some of my best blogging buddies in the industry aren’t so thrilled with the idea, and are being quite vocal about their concerns.

OOoooooohhh, controversy. Gotta love it.

Here’s the TLC show description:

Being a stay at home mother is an all consuming career – and while most moms are wonderfully fulfilled by this choice, other women may wonder about the dreams they left behind. TLC’s new series The Secret Life of a Soccer Mom takes a stay-at-home mom and gives her a chance to secretly live the life she gave up to raise her family. Each hour-long episode profiles the story of a mom as she experiences what her life could have been like if she had chosen to juggle career and family. Guided by Tracey Gol, Mom spends one week outside of the carpool lane and back in the fast lane. The Secret Life of a Soccer Mom gives moms a chance to get back into the careers they left behind.

Episode I :: Adrian Stark

Without telling her family, stay-at-home mom Adrian Stark secretly goes back to work as a high-end fashion designer, while her doctor husband tends to their three girls.

Let me start out by agreeing with Char and Elizabeth on the one thing I just don’t get – why does the premise of the show entail these moms being secretive about this week in career nirvana? Nobody likes to see family members lying – even on reality TV. I guess it serves up a ‘dramatic twist’, but I think it is both unnecessary and undermines the great intentions of the show – to help women pursue a dream they put on hold. And I have to say the Mr. Mom segments were a little cliche – it’s an old joke that reinforces stereotypes.

But that’s all the negative things I have to say about it – the rest of the show was exciting, uplifting, and it even almost made me cry a couple of times. Adrian left the fashion industry 10 years prior to the making of this show, and she was crystal clear about the fact that she enjoyed every minute of the privilege of being a stay at home mom for such a long period of time. There were moments in the fashion designer’s office in which she was freaking out, wondering if she could pull it all off – and when she not only earned the respect of her coworkers, but they wanted to include her designs in a prestigious fashion show, she had one of those brilliantly beautiful moments where she realized that she was not only living her dream but succeeding at it… ah, it brings a tear to my eye again just thinking about it!

Honestly, I think the show started off well, and I can only hope they touch more mom’s lives as they move forward. Will it reignite the infamous Mommy Wars? I guess we can only wait and see about that one, but I give the show creators kudos for respecting both sides of motherhood in this episode.

Want to get on the show?

From the looks of their preliminary TV schedule, they have filmed 5 pilot episodes. Makes me think that there’s plenty of room for one (or ten!) of you to jump on this opportunity and hopefully experience a life-career-changing week yourselves!

From the Get on TLC page:

Celebrating Stay-at-Home Moms!
Are you or is someone you know a stay-at-home mom? Is your life filled with driving the kids from soccer practice, piano lessons, dance classes and back home with barely enough time to get food on the table? Do you feel like everyday is for someone else with no time left for you? If your answer is yes, TLC is looking for you to be a part of a wonderful new show celebrating “soccer moms”.

If you’ve put your needs on the backburner to run a world of diapers, dishes and laundry, we want you! E-mail us your information at: soccermomcasting9@gmail.com

If any of you want me to put in a good word for you, I’ve got your back.

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It is so funny how they can suddenly be so self sufficient on a Snow Day. While they usually need me to help get them dressed, eat breakfast, and go through the bathroom routine, they have done ALL of this themselves before 9:00am today because they are so anxious to get out into that snow. I know that snowmen and snowforts are fun and all, but it won’t occupy them all day. Luckily I’ve been doing this for a really long time and I know how to keep them busy while I have to work… and I also know how to manage my work so that I can have a little fun with them today, too.

The post I wrote at the beginning of last summer 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent is to this day one of the most visited posts on this blog. I wrote it to get me through the summer, so it can definitely get you through one measly snow day.

Seeing I was onto something with that article, I hired Shannon Hutton to write our Seasonal Kids’ Activities Blog to continually provide simple, fun projects that you can do with your kids. She was also just featured today on 5 Minutes for Mom with a set of Super-Simple Valentines Day Projects.

Char Polanosky writes 2 kid-friendly blogs that have been a hit with both parents and kids. Printables4Kids offers just that, lots of free downloadable worksheets and coloring pages. And Doll Diaries is a blog dedicated to the girly fun of dolls, especially the American Girl dolls.

Derek over at Dad Balance has written a post or two to help you out on a snow day as well. Check out his archives in the Hobbies & Interests and Family Time categories.

And Supermom in NY sent me a link I wanted to add, she’s got recommendations for 5 sites for kids I hadn’t heard of before, and they look awesome.

Most of all – put down the laptop or your mouse and go have some fun today. Even if you aren’t sitting on a foot of snow, it’s Friday, so take advantage of the fact that you work at home and get some extra time with your kids today!

If you liked this article, you might also enjoy:

1. 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent
2. Surviving Summer Holidays as a Work at Home Mom
3. Work from Home, Stay Sane & Get Work Done

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1. 5 Killer Reads from eMoms and eDads
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Now excuse me. “Christmas in Connecticut” is coming on soon.

Susan Payton is Managing Partner of Egg Marketing & Public Relations, an Orlando marketing firm, and is the blogger behind The Marketing Eggspert. She helps businesses put together their marketing strategy and execute it. From press releases to email blasts, Susan and Egg can help promote your company. For free advice on marketing in today’s Web 2.0 world, visit The Marketing Eggspert Blog.

If you liked this article, you might also enjoy:

1. Surviving Summer Holidays as a Work at Home Mom
2. From All of the eMoms and eDads at Home
3. Work Life Balance for the Work at Home Mom