Creating A Timelog

Time management can be very difficult for people who work from home. It is easy to get distracted, to get caught up working on things around the house, or to let interruptions get to you.

One way of improving your time management skills are to keep a timelog If you keep a timelog for a week, you'll find many ways you can improve yourself. I've done this a couple of times in a past and have always found it useful. I'll be doing it again shortly.

Here is a very good post on how and why to run a timelog:

http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2007/11/19/why-you-need-to-run-a-timelog-and-how-to-do-it/

Here is the original source post:

http://www.dumblittleman.com/2007/11/do-you-run-timelog.html

Danny

Staying Motivated and Productive

Here is a very good article about how to stay motivated and productive. For most everyone in a home business this can be a challenge and this article provides some wonderful tips.

As you'll see if you read my comment in its comments section, I have a few problems with point #4, but the other 9 are gems!

http://freelanceswitch.com/freelancing-essentials/10-lessons-every-successful-freelancer-has-learned/

Enjoy
Danny

Be Interested in Others

A while back, my wife and I went for supper with one of her friends. It was someone she hadn't seen in a long time (several years). During that time my wife's life has changed significantly. She has changed jobs, moved countries, and gotten married to name a few things. We spent a couple of hours with her friend visiting. The entire time we talked about him. He told us all about his life, job, and relationships. Not once did he ask about my wife's life, her job or her move. Not only that, but he never asked questions about me - someone he had never met. Now thankfully my wife and I (especially my wife) are good at asking questions, so we actually had things to talk about the entire time (well he had things to talk about.... ).

How would you have felt if you were in our place? Chances are you would be a little surprised and disappointed. My wife's friend didn't show any real interest in her at all.

If you want to win friends, develop good relationships and a network, one of the most important tips is to be interested in others. Ask questions, learn about them, and show genuine interest in who they are. Following this tip will go a long way towards success.

Danny

Getting Ahead

Seth Godin has a great post about the difference between trying to get ahead by beating the system and trying to get a head by working the system.

We see this all the time in the home business world. People start a new business and try to re-invent the wheel. They look for any shortcut to get to the tip. These people think that they know how to do things better than those already successful in the company.

The thing is, sometimes these people do get some quick success, however it is always short lived. Those who want do develop a long-term residual income will work within the system, following the path set forth by others. If and when you pass the people who at the top of the company then, and only then, have you earned the right to blaze a trail. Until then, work the system that exists and you will achieve the results that others have.

Here is Seth's Post:
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/05/the-spirit-of-t.html

Danny

Tip For The Frequent Traveler

If you travel long distances frequently, this will be great news for you: Fasting can eliminate the effects of jet lag!

I know I'm going to try it.

For the full article go:
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2252042720080522?sp=true

For a short version, and my source go to Boing Boing:

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/05/26/fasting-may-prevent.html

Danny

Improving Your Social Skills From History's Greats

I came across this great post at The Positivity Blog. It goes through history to find great quotes that teach a lot about social skills - and I might add about leadership. The article is well worth reading, but if you don't have time at least read all of the quotes.

Article is here:
http://www.positivityblog.com

Danny

7 Steps To Improving Your Leadership

Here is a great post!

What amazes me is how many this list will work for people in any business, career, or avenue of life. I think people should print out this list, and post it in front of their desk. Following that take 2 minutes every day to skim the list and remind yourself of things that are important!

http://www.dumblittleman.com/2007/11/7-simple-tips-that-will-turn-you-into.html

Danny

A Real Business Plan

Most people who have a home business do not have a business plan. Even the people who have a business plan often don't have an active business plan. These people may have created a business plan when they started their business but likely haven't looked at it for a long time.

An active business plan is a plan of attack that you can work from on a daily basis. To do this you need to have an overarching business plan. You should develop the overarching business plan and then review it AT LEAST once each year, perhaps two or three times a year.

From your overarching business plan you should be able to plan your week and from your weekly plan you should be able to plan daily.

This also clarifies your planning time. You should spend about one day twice per year focusing on updating your active business plan. This should be in a private location where you can think, reflect and not be interrupted. Then you can spend about one hour each week planning the upcoming week, and lastly spend about 10 minutes each day planning the following day. Keep focused on the activities you have planned in your overarching business plan.

This should keep you on track!

Danny

7 Steps To Small Business Marketing Success

Here is a great podcast from John Jantsch, author of Duct Tape Marketing. It provides great ideas that are applicable to pretty much every type of small or home business.



You can read his full post here:

http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2008/05/21/7-steps-to-small-business-marketing-success/

Danny

What if the Pope Was Coming?

What would you do if you received a phone call that the Pope (or the Queen or Tiger Woods.... etc.) was coming to your business TODAY? What would you do? What you do differently? What would you do the same? How would you get ready?

Take a few minutes to think through those questions and then read the great post by Seth Godin here:

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/04/the-pope-is-com.html

Danny

Working Around The World

A very interesting and valuable read is "The Four Hour Work Week" by Tim Ferriss.
http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/

While I hold a higher value to "work" than Tim does, I really appreciate many of his ideas.

One of the best concepts is that in today's world you can often work from anywhere. That means you can work from home instead of the office. It also means that you can travel the world and work while you do it.

For the month of May, my wife's work has taken us to Istanbul, Turkey. Thankfully, my job and businesses are such that I can accomplish a lot on the road. In fact I will likely accomplish more in May than I would have if we had stayed at home. On top of that, I can use spare time to visit the wonderful sights of this historic city.

I still need to get better at working while traveling. I didn't bring our VOIP phone, and having it would have been helpful. I have missed out on the ability to pick up the phone a few times. Thankfully between email, Facebook and instant messaging I'm getting the communications I need out.

Where would you like to work from? Is it from home, or around the world? Does your job allow you to do that? If not, what could you do to supplement or replace your income?

Danny

Get Started Now

I haven't posted too much lately. That needs to change. As with anything the biggest difficulty is getting started. The only time to start is now! So I'm starting now.

What are you starting now?

Here is an article to help you get started.

http://successfromthenest.com/content/the-only-time-you-can-start-is-now/

Danny