You are here: Home / Archives for Home office

Home Office Truth vs. Perception

February 27, 2012 By 11 Comments

source: funnyjunk.com

Those of us who work from home are misunderstood. Some of our corporate friends think we watch TV all day, rarely take showers and work only a few hours each day.

We know the truth.

We work long hours, are just as productive as our corporate counterparts and have perfect hygiene (most of the time). While we may not wear corporate uniforms, we’re still productive.

When I saw this collection of photos, I couldn’t resist sharing it.

What do you think? Is this truth or perception?

Filed Under: Working at home Tagged With: , ,

6 Ways to Make Your E-Mails More Effective

February 20, 2012 By 12 Comments

working from home One of my clients had to do damage control when her marketing department kept dropping the ball on large projects. She figured out that the marketing manager’s staff had stopped reading his e-mails.  He was a frustrated writer who couldn’t resist sending long e-mails to his staff, instead of sending clear, easy-to-read messages.

E-mail is an effective and time-saving way to communicate with others, especially when it takes the place of meetings and calls, but writing clearly is important. There are a six ways to make your e-mail messages more effective.

1. Educate instead of impress [Read more...]

Filed Under: Working with clients Tagged With: , , ,

5 Ways to Show Your Clients You Care

February 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

source: schipulites

My friend’s grandma used to say, “Don’t do special for me.” She didn’t want anyone to make a fuss over her because she knew her family cared and they didn’t need to prove it to her.

What about your clients? Do they know you care? Meeting your clients’ needs, completing their projects on time, and helping their business grow is part of your commitment to your clients. It’s also one way to show them indirectly that you truly take an interest in them.

Consider these five easy, inexpensive, yet more direct ways to show your clients that you care.

#1 Congratulate your clients on milestone events

When a client is celebrating a birthday, anniversary or a promotion, you can send an e-card, but a card you send via snail mail can mean even more. Don’t just sign the card…include a short, personal note. Although you’ll want to acknowledge happy occasions, don’t forget the sad ones. One of my clients recently lost her husband to cancer, so I sent her a card and made a donation to the charity included in her husband’s obituary. It was a small gesture but I wanted her to know that I was thinking of her during a difficult time for her and her family.

To read the rest of my guest post on Success Your Way, click here.

 

Filed Under: Working with clients Tagged With: , , ,

What’s On Your Home Office Desk?

January 26, 2012 By 4 Comments

No matter how you interpret what Working Naked means, it doesn’t mean that your desk has to be bare. The picture below inspired me to find out what other people have on their desks that have nothing to do with work. A desk that’s all work and no play, can make any home office desk dull.

lock dog stapler clock

source: Tom Newby Photography

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Home office design Tagged With: , , ,

Disorganized? No Problem…You’re Still Doing Something Right

March 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I’ve made a career out of helping people organize their home offices, make better use of time and avoid the pitfalls of working from home. Some home office professionals I meet are very organized, while others are so frustrated about the way their home office looks, they work in their kitchen or family room instead.

Last week, I gave a seminar to an incredible group of business owners and after the session I spoke to a few of the attendees.

One woman stood out.

She waited until everyone had left the room and then sheepishly admitted to me that her home office was a disaster. She was ashamed, upset and convinced she was a failure. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Balancing home/office Life, Home office organizing Tagged With: , ,

There’s Always Room for a Home Office

December 6, 2010 By

Some people tell me that they don’t have space in their home for a home office. But no matter what size home you have, there’s always room for a home office.

Filed Under: Making money from home, Working at home Tagged With: , , ,

How a $5 Gig Can Lead to More Business

November 24, 2010 By

what would you do for $5?A few days ago I needed someone to handle a small graphic design project with a quick turnaround. My business coach (you’ll learn more about him in a future post) suggested I find someone on Fiverr. I clicked on the site and found people with talents I didn’t know existed.

The services (actually gigs) on the site range from creating music for your next video, to getting advice on how to get your story or event covered in the local news, to creating a blog. Then there’s a guy who will post a sign on his “badass motorcycle” and take a picture, a guy who will call someone and take the blame for you and another person who will mail your pet a Christmas card. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Making money from home, Working at home, Working with clients Tagged With: , , ,

Making Space for a Spouse While Working From Home

August 26, 2010 By

I admire couples who can work from home together and not strangle each other by the end of the day. It’s not that I’m unreasonable, bitchy or territorial (at least not all of the time), but there’s no way I could stand to share an office with a spouse. Period.

Part of the reason is that I’m from a family of five kids which makes me want my own space, my own supplies and as much privacy as possible. This site is called Working Naked, after all.

The other part is that too much of a good thing can be bad. You may adore your spouse but if you spend every day and night with him or her, you may drain the fun out of your business and your relationship.

If you’re still willing to work with your spouse, there are a few ways to keep the peace so no one [Read more...]

Filed Under: Balancing home/office Life, Home office organizing, Home office setup, Making money from home, Time mgmt./Productivity, Working at home Tagged With: , , , , ,

What Image is Your Business Projecting?

August 16, 2010 By

When I hired someone to design my first Web site for another business I owned several years ago, I thought it looked incredible. When I look back at that crappy site, I can’t believe I was proud of it. My site and business focus have changed over the years. Now this site reflects who I am and what my business can do.

Do you know how your business looks to the outside world? As your client base grows and your business gets busier, you may start to ignore the basics. Take time to look at your business from an outsider’s point of view.

  • Analyze your Web site. Does it reflect the tone and style of your business today?  Your product [Read more...]
Filed Under: Balancing home/office Life, Making money from home Tagged With: , , ,

Yes, It’s OK to Say No When Working From Home

August 6, 2010 By

In Jeffrey Zaslow’s Wall Street Journal article, “Yes, I’m Home. No, I Can’t Pick Up Your Child,“ he writes that those of us who are working from home are finally saying no when someone asks for a favor.  The response from readers was mixed. Some people could relate to the article and were happy that someone finally acknowledged the problem.  Others thought that anyone with a home-based business is home anyway, and should be able to help others no matter what.

Here’s the deal: just because we’re working from home doesn’t mean that we’re available to wait for repair calls, UPS deliveries, or to pick up a friend’s kids from school when that friend can’t leave work.  Of course when it’s an emergency, there’s no question whether you should help out. But there’s a point where others can take advantage of you.

One woman in Zaslow’s article who was asked constantly for help from friends and neighbors, turned errand requests into a job.  She works part-time for a new online company called taskrabbit, that matches “senders” (people who need someone to do an errand for them) with “runners” (people who will handle the errand).  Now she’s paid for her time. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Balancing home/office Life, Making money from home, Working at home Tagged With: , , , , ,
« Older Posts
Hide me
Sign up now for an excerpt from Organize Your Home Office for Success!
Name Email
Show me
Sign up now for an excerpt from Organize Your Home Office for Success!
Enter your e-mail address below to get an excerpt from Organize Your Home Office for Success. You'll also receive updates and occasional promotions that are available only to subscribers. We respect your privacy and will not share your information with anyone.
Close