This year’s Working Naked day was a huge success. People around the world shed their sweat suits, chucked their daily commute and celebrated the freedom they have to work from home.

Now that this year’s event is over, you have 364 days to think about how you’ll celebrate next year’s big day. And of course, you’ll have plenty of time to figure out what you’re going to wear that day…or not.

Although we officially recognize Working Naked Day once a year, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy the benefits of Working Naked all year long. These guest blog posts I wrote for Bit Rebelsand genConnectshould keep you in the mood for Working Naked.

4 Geeky Ways to Stay Safe While Working Naked 
Whether you’re literally working naked, birthday suit and all, or figuratively working naked — without the support of the corporate workplace — staying safe while working from home is important. After all, if for some reason you can’t work, who’s going to cover for you? These four gadgets can help you stay safe and stay on track when you’re working from home.

Working Naked Day: 10 Ways to Make You More Productive
Working Naked Day is tomorrow and whether you’re working in your birthday suit, a business suit or in your jammies, being productive is important. Think about it: When you work for someone else, your time isn’t your time … it’s your company’s time. When you work for yourself, time is precious and any time you waste during the workday is money out of your pocket. When you look at it that way, being productive takes on a whole new meaning.

There’s still time to get your FREE Working Naked Day gift, a collection of eBooks and guides to help you grow your business. Click here for your gift.

Whichever way you interpret Working Naked, today is the day to celebrate your independence from corporate life, bask in your break from a daily commute, and enjoy the flexibility you have to work from home on your own terms.

Today as you bare it all and enjoy your work-from-home freedom on the 3rd annual Working Naked Day, expose yourself to these six ways to grow your business.

1. Partner with other small business owners

Working Naked can be lonely, but it doesn’t have to be. Connect with other small business owners and find ways to work together. Let’s say that most of your clients are realtors. Think about companies that target realtors, like sign companies and home stagers. You could approach them to put ads on your site, sponsor your seminars or webinars and even share client lists. You’re both trying to reach the same market, so why not work together?

A different option is to work with another business or several businesses to sponsor a contest. By pooling your resources, you can come up with a strong list of prizes. When the contest ends, everyone involved in the contest can share the list of names and e-mail addresses they collected.

2. Update your website

Take a close look at your website. When someone wants to know about your business, or when he or she searches for a business that fits your keywords, what impression does your site give? Your site is your link to the outside world. Make sure that impression is a good one.

Have fun with your site. Add photos and videos. Let visitors get a sense of who you are and what you can do for them. If you don’t have a site — you need to have one — or your site needs a facelift, hire a Web designer. Before you decide which designer to hire, check out the sites they’ve designed to make sure you like their work. Most site designers have a link at the bottom of the sites they’ve created so if you like a site, contact the designer to find out what he or she can do for you.

3. Sign up for a class online or on campus

When I graduated from college, I swore I’d never go back to school. So much for never saying never. I loved school and learned so many skills that I’ve applied to every client I’ve worked with since I graduated. Also, I’ve been able to write for different design magazines and websites that wouldn’t have given me the time of day without my degree.

Consider whether going back to school or learning online will give you the skills you need to serve your clients better. You don’t have to earn a degree but if taking Web design, marketing or programming classes would give you an edge over your competitors, consider investing time learning new skills. Keep in mind that you can write off any expenses related to your classes.

4. Attend a webinar

You can get in your car or catch a plane to attend a seminar, or you can grab a cup of coffee instead, sit at your desk, and attend a webinar. Different websites offer free webinars throughout the year. If you want to learn more about SEO (Search Engine Optimization), check out Hubspot. If you want to learn how to start and maintain a WordPress membership site, WordPress University offers regular, short programs loaded with good tips.

Some webinars are live, but if the webinar time doesn’t work for you, sometimes you can download a recording. How easy is that? Best of all…you don’t have to get dressed to attend a webinar. Seems to be the perfect Working Naked Day activity. The bottom line: nothing beats learning something new while you’re sitting in your pajamas or your birthday suit. Ask your corporate friends how often they get to do that!

5. Read business books and eBooks

I admit I’m an eBook addict, but you can learn so much from experts in every field. The best part is that you can find hundreds of eBooks online, loaded with information, for free. There’s an eBook on almost every subject. Use Google to find eBooks about something you want to learn about or need to know.

The more you read eBooks, the more you’ll realize that you can write (and eventually sell) your own eBooks. Research the topic for your eBook to find out if there’s anything similar available. If so, figure out how to make yours different.

6. Set up a group chat through Skype or over the phone

When you’re Working Naked, most of the time there’s no one around to tell you that your ideas are worthless or even amazing. There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel when you can meet with other entrepreneurs and pick their brains. They can filter your ideas, encourage you (everyone can use a pat on the back) and maybe even tweak your ideas a bit to make them work for you. Also, it’s incredibly helpful to be able to get input from other business owners who may have faced the same problems you’re dealing with now.

Enjoy your day and call your friends who are stuck in a cubicle or in a boring office today and wish them a Happy Working Naked Day. Maybe next year they can celebrate it with you.

How are you going to celebrate Working Naked Day?

Click here to get your FREE Working Naked Day gift, a collection of eBooks and guides to help you grow your business.

source: Tom Newby Photography

“On my desk is an 18″ tall Suzuki Harmonica Bluesman. Every time I sign a contract for a speaking engagement, sell a book or CD, or otherwise make money, I push the button and let the blues man dance and blow his harmonica for a minute or two. It’s basically my end-zone dance for a successful day in the office!”
—Steve Gamlin

“Iced tea in a canning jar with a glass straw! Seriously!”
—Cheryl Newcomb

“I have a 1-ft tall skeleton that holds an Italian Flag and wears badges from dance conferences I’ve attended. This was a study aid when I was in Exercise Science classes and it still has some clay “muscles” I had to make for a practical exam.”
—Mahin Sciacca

“I have a pen holder on my desk that my wife gave me on Valentine’s day.”
—Gaurav Sharma

“I keep at least one harmonica on my desk. Hohner Special 20, key of G if it matters. I find it relaxing to play some music and it works a different part of my brain.”
—Chris Rovin

Other things on other desks:

“As a die-hard Boston Red Sox fan, one of my prized home-office items is a past Christmas gift: Fenway Park infield dirt! It sits right on my desk in a small trophy case! In the cold winter, it’s a reminder that spring will come!”
—John Goodman

“On my desk is a paper ornament with a photo of a rescued moon bear living at the Animals Asia moon bear sanctuary. Seeing that bear (who looks like he’s smiling!) always brightens my spirits.”
—Melissa Dinwiddie

“I keep a little token given to me by friend and fellow publicist Megan Lane of a white little Asian cat that means luck and wealth on my desk. She brings me all sorts of wealth in my inbox- ha! This was a gift from a recent trip overseas and reminds me how lucky I have to work with such great and giving people.”
—Stephanie Krol

“My cat! Seems that the busier I am, the more the cat wants to strut around on my desk and keyboard! She could care less about being sociable when I’m ready to take a break though.”
—Jim Smith

“Something I’ve always had on my desk is a large (unfortunately fake) diamond. I occasionally use it as a paper weight, but it’s mostly just my ‘fidget toy’. When I’m on the phone or re-reading an important email it’s nice to flip through my hands to keep me focused.”
—Josh Weaver

“When I was first married at 33 years old, on my wedding day my father gave me the last piece of my baby blanket that I carried around. He had it put into acrylic with an engraved plate, “Gail’s Meow.” To this day I can still remember crying when he told me that there was nothing left after its last washing. It’s the most important thing on my desk.”
—Gail Mayhugh

On my desk are … barf bags. Yes, really.
—Steve Silberberg

“I love to have a container of newly sprouting seeds on my desk. Each morning, I am excited to see how much they have grown overnight. As they grow I switch them out to a fresh batch to care for.”
—Krayl Funch

What’s on your home office desk?

The truth is there’s no way we entrepreneurs can know everything and do everything well, but we don’t have to. There are experts nearby (virtually and in person) who are willing to share their business experience with other small business owners like us. Best of all, you can get their advice from one source: SCORE.

SCORE is a nonprofit association — it’s been around since 1964 — that provides information and support to entrepreneurs and small businesses around the country. They have 370 chapters throughout the United States and 11,200 volunteers nationwide. They’ve helped 8.4 Million Small Businesses including Vermont Teddy Bear, Vera Bradley Designs, Jelly Belly candy, and more.

SCORE offers advice from starting, managing, and growing a business, to financing and technology. They feature articles on their site from business owners around the world and offer online workshops.

The site itself is packed with information, but they also offer one-on-one help. The SCORE mentoring program matches entrepreneurs with both working and retired executives, and business owners. You can learn from retired CEOs, attorneys, business owners and other professionals who volunteer their time to help small business owners grow their businesses.

One of my favorite features on the SCORE site is the forms they offer, from business plan templates, to profit and loss forms. Why reinvent the wheel when you can get detailed forms with one click?

It’s easy to get lost in the business world, especially when you’re out there on your own. SCORE is worth checking out, and best of all, it’s free.

Before I left my last job, I designed my new business so that when I was ready to have kids, I would be able to work from home and raise a family. I wanted to be able to grow my business and see my kids grow up at the same time.

It hasn’t always been easy to juggle my business and personal life so that my family doesn’t resent my business. Ask anyone who works from home about being pulled in all directions and they’ll admit it’s not easy to give your business and family 100% of your attention, all of the time.

To read the rest of my guest post on Success Your Way, and to learn tips for including your family in your business and making them part of your team, click here.

(I’ve closed comments on this post so you can post a comment on Success Your Way.)

I don’t remember much about my life at four years old, but what I do remember is that all I had was time. My nephew probably had learned that response from everyone around him.

What would you do with more time?

No matter what type of business you’re in, and whether you’re working from home full-time or part-time, time is a valuable commodity. Take the time to consider what would happen if you had more time.

• Would you take the day off, spend more time with your family, or work on your personal development?  If so, let go of tasks that don’t need your attention so you can have more time to spend on yourself or with your family.

• Would you accomplish more? Think about whether more hours in the day would give you more time to work on important tasks or leave you with more time to waste. Everyone works differently but I’ve noticed that when I have all day to work, I’m less effective than when I have only a few hours to work.

• Would you keep postponing tasks that need your attention? Either you’re going to tackle tasks on your to-do list or you’re going to keep putting them off.  Task the tasks off your list that you keep moving forward or the ones you know you’ll never try to tackle. It’s easier to let those tasks go when you consider whether or not those tasks would affect your productivity and bottom line.

Throughout the week

• Stop what you’re doing and evaluate whether you’re working too much. (I admit I’m a reformed workaholic who’ll never go back to my former schedule.) A few signs that you’re working too much are the feeling of dread you may have every morning when you get out of bed. When you work for yourself, ideally you should want to go to work most days.

• Listen to others who may be trying to tell you that your long hours are taking a toll on you and your family. Life has too much to offer to spend day after day holed up in your home office, and isolated from your friends and family.

• Even if you have all day to work on your to-do list, develop false deadlines. When you give yourself extra time to work on a project, you’re not faced with a last minute time crunch to finish a project.

The way you run your business, and how you work from home, will change throughout the years. But the need to manage your time and control everything you face each day, will always stay the same.

Would more hours in the day make you more productive?

If you like this post, check out my new book, Organize Your Home Office for Success.

source: Homini:)

Yesterday while I was waiting in line at a store, a little boy threw a fit. His mom told him to do something and he kept saying, “I don’t have to!” while he stomped his feet. Two candy bars later, the mom convinced him to do what she asked.

That’s one kid who has a strong future in negotiating!

Working for yourself involves having to do things you want to do, have to do and hate to do…even when there’s no candy involved. Fortunately there are a few things you don’t have to do.

To learn what they are, click here to read the rest of my guest blog post on Success…Your Way.

For the past few weeks, I’ve put off finishing a seminar that’s scheduled for next month. I know the material, and I know what I want to say, but putting the information into a PowerPoint hasn’t been at the top of my to-do list.

A few days ago, I realized that enough was enough. I was tired of thinking about the presentation first thing each morning and last thing before I went to bed, so I set aside the entire afternoon to finalize it.

While I had to answer some important e-mails and return a few calls in the morning, I was proud of myself for staying focused and finishing my presentation by dinnertime.

Getting started on a task or a big project is difficult, especially when you really don’t want to handle it. It’s easier to make excuses and avoid taking the first step.

If you find yourself procrastinating on an important project, use one of these five methods to help you get started.

I have the privilege of being a contributor for Success…Your Way. To read the rest of this blog post, please click here.

Guest post by Michelle Shaeffer

1. Write a testimonial.
Think of a product or service you’ve recently received that was fantastic. Now write a testimonial for it and send it to the business along with name, business, URL, and city/state. Include a statement of your permission to reprint it on their site, in their newsletter, etc. If you don’t feel like writing, record it as an mp3 and send. Most (all?!) businesses love to get testimonials or positive reviews and will happily use them on their websites and include your business name and sometimes even a live link to your site.

2. Record a quick how to video and upload to YouTube.
YouTube is a huge source of traffic for many websites.  Using Jing (there’s a free version) or similar program you can quickly and easily create a short how to video with a tip or step by step use of a product or service you offer.

3. Record and share an AudioBoo or CinchCast.
You can record and share AudioBoo or CinchCast audio recordings on your blog, your website, your Facebook page, etc.  Like a podcast or audio blog post.  It’s super quick and easy way to share your thoughts.

4. Submit an article to Ezine Articles.
Notice I didn’t say *write* an article, but *submit* one.  I bet if you take a few minutes and look at your blog, website or ezine archives there’s something you’ve written that’s just waiting to be slightly edited so it’ll work as an article.  Edit and submit!

5. Brainstorm a reason to write a press release & a title.
It can feel like it’ll take a lot of time to write a press release but if you start by just thinking of a reason (new product, new improvement, new service, holiday sale, contest, giveaway, new resource on your site, recent award, etc) and brainstorming the title, then writing that on a note and pinning it up on your bulletin board, you’ll have a great start and then you can write the actual release later when you’ve got a half hour or so.  It’ll be easier to start if you’ve got your reason and title planned.

6. Shout out support to a fellow small business owner or solopreneur.
Pick a small business owner or solopreneur who you feel comfortable referring business to, and who you’ve worked with or learned from, and post a comment on their blog, or write a review for them on Facebook.  Do something public to show your support.  They’ll appreciate it, you’ll get some publicity, and they may just remember you next time they know someone who needs the product/service you provide.  Karma!

7. Order a decal or magnet for your car from VistaPrint.
How fast can you pick one and check out?  Here are the car door magnets and here are the window decals.  Choose one, order it, then slap it on your vehicle and every time you drive around town you’ll be promoting your business!  (So don’t drive like a maniac.  This one may help you avoid traffic tickets, too!)

8. Email a Letter to the Editor.
This one can be a challenge to do in 10 minutes, but it can be done.  Many news sites offer online ways to share your thoughts.  Choose a topic that’s relevant to your business and that will allow you to share your knowledge and present yourself as an expert by offering your two cents in agreement or disagreement with an article they’ve published.  To keep it quick choose one article and one point.  Be succinct.  Include all your contact info.  You may or may not see it published online or in the print paper but you can leverage this by also sharing what you wrote to the editor on your blog/website and turning it into an article or ezine feature later.

9. Check-in with a favorite contact and send a quick gift.
Who’s been referring business to you?  Get in touch with them to say thank you and let them know you appreciate their support.  Send a small gift.  Making yourself “present” in someone’s office it’s great way to stay on my mind.  Many online stores allow you to send an e-gift certificate and it can be done in just a few minutes.

10. Create or update your email signature then send out a fun email.
Is your email signature up to date?  If it’s not rockin’ then try WiseStamp.  Once it’s up to date find something funny like a joke, YouTube, etc (try looking at www.stufftotweet.com) and send it out to friends and family who don’t mind that type of email.  Your goal is to send something they’ll forward to their friends and family and so on, because your email signature will be on every one of those emails.

11. Connect with a colleague and ask how you can promote or support them.
No strings attached, just reach out and see what you can help someone else with.  Focus on building the relationship without asking and watch what happens in the future.

12. Make someone’s day better.
Have you noticed someone dealing with a tough customer, difficult feedback, technical issues or other crisis?  Stop and send some positivity their way.  If it’s someone you’ve worked with, you can share why you value their service/product.  If it’s someone you haven’t worked with then just offer an encouraging word to let them know you care.  People will remember this.

13. Pick up your phone.
Make a call to a client you haven’t been in touch with in a while.  Just check in and see how they’re doing.  Or call a past joint venture or promotional partner.  Make that voice connection with someone.

14. Do a video book review.
Remember, we’re going for fast action.  Grab one of your favorite business books.  Quickly come up with just 2 or 3 things that you learned from it.  Turn on your video camera and share that, along with the title, author and where viewers can grab their own copy.  Keep your video down to 2 or 3 minutes, tops.  Upload to YouTube and embed on your blog or website.

15. Delegate something.
Take 5 minutes to look over your ever-expanding “to do” list an choose one item that you don’t have to do yourself.  Then spend 5 minutes identifying who you already know that can take care of it for you, or who you can ask for a referral to someone reliable, and get in touch to get the ball rolling.  Your small time investment will pay off in getting the busy work off your plate so you have more time to focus on what only you can do best in your business!

Michelle Shaeffer’s Twitter profile describes her as: “Caffeine powered, Libertarian gal enjoying life with my kids and husband. Empowering entrepreneurs.” That sums it up nicely. You can find her helping to simplify online business at MichelleShaeffer or serving up ideas for bloggers at DailyBloggingIdeas.com.

The last trip I took was an inspiration vacation.

It wasn’t a planned trip. It started one morning when my alarm clock went off and I didn’t want to go to work. That can be a big issue when you work for yourself.

When I had a corporate job, I used to dread going to work. Now that I work for myself and set my own hours, I don’t have a good reason to feel that way. But sometimes, I do.

So instead of feeling stressed, which was going to further destroy any enthusiasm I had for working, I quit pushing myself. I decided to soak in as much information as I could.

I knew that no one was going to answer emails for me, finish the guest posts I committed to write or work on the next seminar I was giving in two weeks, so I took care of what needed my immediate attention, and then I gave myself a break.

This is what I did during my inspiration vacation and what you can do during yours:

Set up Skype chats with other home-based business owners

I held mini-mastermind sessions with other entrepreneurs from around the country. We gave each other good ideas for how we could change and improve our businesses.

Connect with others on Twitter and Facebook

I read tweet after tweet, clicked on links and read more online articles and blog posts than I ever had before. Normally I click on articles before I retweet them, but this time I clicked on dozens of links and read the entire articles. I also bookmarked the ones that were more helpful than others. Before you start clicking on links, set a time limit for how long you’re going to stay on social media sites. It’s easy for one hour to turn quickly turn into three or four hours.

Read about successful entrepreneurs

Reading about others who have made it in business can be either motivating or depressing. I’m motivated by successful entrepreneurs, but a little depressed at times, when they’re only 21 and making over a million dollars a year. But of course I’m happy for them.

Exercise while you learn

The big push now is for everyone to stop multi-tasking and focus on one thing at a time. Otherwise, the “experts” say that you’re not going to be effective. That may work for some people, but it doesn’t for me, especially while exercising. I want to learn while I sweat. So instead of watching TV (my brain candy of choice), I read a few books and scanned a few magazines I’ve been meaning to read.

When you work from home, it’s exhausting to be your own cheerleader, motivational speaker and back-patter. Sometimes a vacation, especially an inspiration vacation, can be a good motivator. So can thinking about the alternative: working for someone else.

What do you do to motivate yourself?