You’ve been working on this great idea for a website and you’re almost ready to take it from the “idea” stage to “reality”. You’ve done your homework. You know your market and you know what your visitors will be expecting when they land on the site. You have a detailed website blueprint ready to go but you have one little problem.

You have no idea how to build a website much less add the features that you want on it.

Not to worry. I’m going to share some tips with you that will not only allow you to build a professional website with all the bells and whistles that you want, but build it quickly and get your site live in an incredibly short period of time. Trust me. I started in this business in 1999 and back then I was in exactly the same spot that you are today.

How to make your business a reality

The solution to this problem is actually pretty simple. Think about this for a moment. An architect can use his creative talent to design a beautiful home but once the plans are complete you don’t see him strap on a tool belt and start to build it do you. He’s a planner not a builder…just like you. He’ll contract out the construction to carpenters, electricians, plumbers and the other dozen or so other trades that are needed to complete a new house. you can do the same.

Once you’ve identified the elements of your website that you need built, finding the skilled labor is a snap. Outsourcing has always been around but given the economic conditions of today, there are far more talented freelancers either looking to moonlight or opening their own businesses as contractors. Finding them can be as simple as entering a Google query or visiting established freelance sites like Elance.com or vWorker.com.

Outsourcing – it’s like visiting a grocery store full of talent

Traditionally the freelance sites were heavily skewed to technical services but today you can get just about anything you want. If you need a virtual assistant, customer service department, ghost writer, database developer, data entry jobs, bookkeeper, translator, video production, voice artist or even more specialized services an an infrared photographer they are all available on a project basis.

Maybe the best way to illustrate how to use freelancers to get your site fast tracked is to look at my wife Arlene’s first website EpilepsyMoms.com. At the time she had zero technical skill. But just like you she was passionate about the subject and had done her research and prepared a comprehensive website blueprint.

Lessons to learn

When she was done with the planning it became obvious what tasks needed to be done by others so she started posting projects on the outsource sites and others to get bids for the work she needed completed. It’s important to note that Arlene followed some best practices when posting and evaluating bids (I’ll share those in a minute) and as a result she got her site up and running in record time.

Arlene didn’t need huge projects but they did include a custom header, newsletter cover, an embedded audio file and the ability to post her podcasts on the site. Just remember that size doesn’t matter when you’re talking outsourcing. You can outsource a simple photo retouch service or a complex website design and development project. The sky is the limit.

Top 10 tips for outsourcing

Tip #1: It’s Not Expensive

Outsourcing is not as expensive as you think. Don’t postpone posting a job thinking that you can’t afford it. Put it up and if the bids are outside your budget simply cancel the project. No blood no foul.

Tip #2: Describe Job In Detail

It is really important to post a detailed description of what you want done. Don’t just list generalities like “Need 10 articles on Solar Photovoltaic PV Systems.” Drill down. Say how many words you want, who’s your target audience, will you provide keywords, what format you want etc.

Top #3: Use Milestones

List in your description your requirement to use milestones so the project is broken into chunks. This allows you to monitor the progress of the project rather than waiting for the deadline and hoping it’s all done.

Tip #4: Evaluate Feedback

Look at the bidder’s history and see what kind of feedback he or she received from other buyers. Do they have relevant experience and do they have a good reputation.

Tip #5: Negotiate Price

Don’t be afraid to negotiate a price but do be aware that many providers see haggling as the sign of a difficult client and may withdraw their bid.

Tip #6: Answer Messages Quickly

Keep communications between you and your provider open during the time of the project. If he or she has a question be sure to respond in a timely fashion.

Tip #7: Pay Quickly

Everyone likes to get paid on time. When you receive services from the provider and you’re happy with the work, pay promptly. The provider has the ability to leave feedback on the buyer and the last thing you want to see is “pays slowly” next to your name.

Tip #8: Stay Within The System

Don’t take work off the site. Occasionally a provider will offer a “better deal” if he or she can work directly for you. If they try this trick to avoid paying commission on their earnings, just how honest and ethical do you think they’ll be in their dealings with you? Saving a few dollars is simply not worth the risk.

Tip #9: Build Lasting Relationships

Evaluating bids and making informed decisions is half the game in outsourcing. However when you’ve run a series of projects and you’ve found providers that turn out professional products and are easy to work with then build a relationship. Invite them on your next relevant project.

Tip #10: Build Your Feedback

Building a brand is important in whatever you do including hiring freelancers. Don’t be shy about asking providers to leave positive feedback. The better your reputation the more you will attract the cream of the crop providers.

Now you know what to do and how to do it. Go out and get your site built and start making a difference in your business.

About the Author

Recognized as a leading expert in affiliate marketing training, James Martell is President of Net Guides Publishing Inc. and host of the “Affiliate Marketers SUPER BootCamp.” A sought-after speaker, James has presented at Commission Junction University, Affiliate Summit, The System Seminar, Digital River Lab, Webmaster World’s Pubcon, Affcon, and more. He is also the host the “Affiliate Buzz”, the 1st ever and longest running affiliate marketing podcast in the industry. James relies on outsourcing for the creation of his websites, graphics, articles, podcasts, and video in order to streamline his business, enabling him to break away from the daily grind.

There’s no question about it, working at home has many great advantages. No more traffic chaos, no more rushing to get out the door and eating breakfast on the run. The weather forecast and road report are not a big concern for you because you no longer have to leave home at peak times to get to work. Not to mention the perks of being your own boss and setting your own schedule.

While working at home has its many advantages there are also a number of things that you need to watch out for if you want to become really successful. Making money may be your goal but remember that success is not all about how much money you can make. It doesn’t matter how much money you have if the means of making that money has attributed to ruining other areas of your life.

Working at home is going to mean different things to different people. There are those that have an office set up at home because they are providing a service for others such a writing, accounting, book keeping. Also internet marketing has a growing number of followers with many of them becoming very successful working for themselves in the affiliate marketing industry.

Obviously not everyone that works at home will be working at a desk all day. There are those that sew, bake, teach oil painting lessons or look after children, plus the host of other ways people make their income at home. While some of the tips here are more specific to those working at a desk all day there is certainly something for everyone.

• Our health should be a top priority to us all. However, when you change your routine and start to work at home a few things happen that can jeopardize this, especially if you sit at a desk all day. Unless you make physical activity a priority in your day you tend to get less exercise than you would by going out of the home to work. Let’s be honest you do not have to move very far for anything that you need when you are at home. Even those little walks you used to take to and from the parking lot and going out to get your coffee make a difference. Working at home can easily and quickly lead to weight gain of several pounds. This is not a good thing because it affects your health and fitness level. Be sure to make time for exercise. You want to be able to be healthy and fit enough to enjoy your financial success.
• Staying motivated is a big problem for many. Some people can get easily distracted and pulled away from what they should be doing. Try not to get side tracked by things that have nothing to do with what you are working on. If you have a problem with this, try setting up a timetable of the hours that you will work each day and add some milestones of what specifically you will achieve in that time. You will feel so much better when you achieve what you set out to do. Procrastination and excuses can become a habit preventing you from achieving your outcome. Once you have met your milestone then you can go do something else.
• Learn to take regular breaks. While some have an issue keeping on track others get so focused on what they are doing that they end up sitting at their computer for long periods without moving, taking any breaks or even eating. This is not good for you either. Set up a plan of what you hope to achieve that day. Work when you are supposed to be working but do take proper breaks and eat properly and regularly.
• Working at home is no excuse for becoming a slob. If you look and feel sloppy that will not inspire you to do your best work. You don’t have to dress up but be respectable and don’t work in your pyjamas or underwear all day.
• Find out what is the best working environment for you. What inspires you? Some people find background noise annoying while others find certain types of music actually helps. What about lighting? Adequate lighting is important especially as you get older and find yourself struggling to read the small print. Are you stuck in a corner looking at a wall when you could be near a window? Do you work better in the morning, afternoon or at night? Think about it, there could be a few minor adjustments that you need to make that could make a big difference to your productivity.
• Stay organized. It is easy to become disorganized and waste time trying to find something that you need. You could be working in a confined space so it’s even more important to have a system in place that works for you. De-clutter, get rid of things that you no longer need. It’s common to become overwhelmed when surrounded by clutter.
• It’s so easy to become isolated when you work at home. There are those that spend all day and night in their homes and may not see a soul. Make a point of getting outside to see other people. Make sure that you have some other interests. Take a day off and phone a friend to play a game of golf or go practice your swing with a medicus golf trainer. Meet a friend for lunch. Visit your family. Make an effort to stay in contact with others.
• Separate your work life from your personal life. As excited as you may be about what you are doing you also have another side to your life. Don’t neglect what’s really important to you. Spend time with your family and friends. Take care of yourself. Have some hobbies and interests and add some fun too. Balance is Key!
• Setting attainable goals. Set goals that are attainable but that are still a bit of a stretch for you. If your goals are too small you may feel they are not really worth going for and if they are too big you will feel they are impossible to reach and not even try.

About the Author

Shirley Price lives in Beautiful BC. Shirley is trained in Life coaching, NLP, Solution Focused Counselling, as well as being a workshop facilitator. Shirley has written a number of articles on retirement and is the publisher of a website for the over the 50s. www.lifebydesignover50.com

James and Arlene Martell recently celebrated 25 years of being married. At a time many businesses – and marriages – are struggling or failing James is running a successful full time business as an affiliate marketer that has thrived for ten years.

With three grown children and a teenager at home certainly it is and has been a busy household. Whether it’s taking a little time for the pets, attending activities for the children or training others to do his business, it’s certain that his days are full.

Like most of those working from home it is important to work hard in order to make a living. There is no boss to pay you if you lose track of time and don’t get everything done. For this reason James has learned the advantages of working hard but there is more to learn about working from home.

Sometimes just an overnight trip is enough to take a break for a new view on a project. For this James and Arlene occasionally head to Seattle, a 2 ½ hour drive from Vancouver, for a Seattle Mariners baseball game. If booking a hotel through Priceline.com you can get a 4 star hotel for just $50, allowing an overnight for family time, walking down to the pier, a market unlike anywhere else and the unforgettable landmark the Space Needle. Seattle is a perfect place to unwind and worth a trip for an unforgettable overnight stay. Stop for fish & chips and relax with the laid back pace of Seattle and all she has to offer.

The Advantage of Down Time

Certainly it’s important to keep pressing on when business calls. It can mean long days and although you might not start until 10 in the morning it can mean working until midnight on a project that is pressing or in updating information for customers one more time.

Long stretches of work mean striving to stay productive. Staying focused can be difficult on days when someone calls to chat because – well you work from home so are available. There are many reasons things can pile up and you need to step back, breath and take a break. Remember why you’re doing this.

Like James Martell it’s not to work yourself to exhaustion! The reason most love their home based business is because it isn’t working all the time. James has employed what he calls “breakation” – this means leaving home and the business behind.

These short breaks may be a weekend or even an overnight trip somewhere. For James and Arlene this can mean taking a short to Dancing Firs, their favorite local B&B in White Rock, BC Canada. This is a beautiful property overlooking the Pacific Ocean just 40 minutes from downtown Vancouver where the sunsets wash away the stress.

Additionally there’s a hot tub, paths that lead down through the terraced landscape right to the ocean. There’s a luxurious bed, fireplace and wake to a wonderful organic breakfast. This is a highly recommended place to stay to recharge, with three private luxury suites. Dancing Firs is a place that James highly recommends, as it’s a 5 star place with all the amenities to recharge.

One way to get recharged is to take a day before and after a conference or other event for an extended stay that enables you to get back to work with a new outlook. For example, when James and Arlene attended the ShareASale Think Tank in Newport Beach, California this was the ideal opportunity to take a “break-ation”. Arlene booked an extra margin of time and they spent several days relaxing at Disneyland. Because it was the off season lines were shorter and there was less wait time even for the popular rides like Pirates of the Caribbean and Indiana Jones.

This allowed a relaxed state of mind for the conference, then an extra night was booked at the Hyatt Regency and the day after was spent exploring the southern California beaches. This extra time is a great deal because you’ve already bought the ticket to travel to the convention.

A break-ation just makes sense. It allows a mental break as well as a physical one from the business, which we all need no matter how much we love our work. Further it allows more focus on the job when we return.

Despite the mistaken belief that working at home will be a smooth transition from the traditional 9-5 office job, the reality is there are many obstacles that can put a wrench into the mix.

Unless these issues are recognized, acknowledged, addressed and handled with firmness, and diplomacy, it can wreak havoc on your dream of living the ideal lifestyle of working from home on your business. It may be as simple as buying an ergonomic task chair to as complex as the change in family dynamics. The downside of not following these simple guidelines is poor productivity, lack of focus, concentration, diminished creativity and minimal, if any, profits.

It just takes commitment and dedication to get in the right mindset and adjust to changes as well as get others, friends, family and neighbors on board and recognize the boundaries you must establish.

Whether you are just starting a new home based business or decided to have a home office for your existing business, here are some essential issues you must be aware of.

1. Start With a Blank Canvas

Before you outfit your office make a list of everything, and I mean everything (furniture, equipment, storage, filing space) you feel you will need before you buy anything.

2. Atmosphere

You should feel relaxed and the room should flow and be filled with things you love and feel comfortable around. Still it should be professional looking-it is your profit center. Whether it is a separate room, separate space made with a room divider or office work station that can close up, setting aside this separate area creates an office environment more conducive to productivity.

3. Comfort

Seating is crucial when spending hours on end at a desk or computer. The benefits of investing in an ergonomic work chair more than outweigh the cost. These chairs cradle your body while supporting your back and spine, as well as reduce muscle aches, pain and tension. This leaves you feeling less fatigued when you end your work day.

Room temperature is also important for comfort. Make sure you have enough ventilation and the room remains cool or warm enough. Some options may be ceiling fans to cool or space heater to warm if the temperature can’t be regulated. If closing the door creates an uncomfortable temperature consider using a folding screen across the doorway or change the door to a louvered slat door for better air circulation

4. Accessibility

If you are shut off from the family and that concerns you make necessary accommodations or changes. I you want to keep an eye on the children but need quiet, a glass insert in the door to see out and they can see in is an option. If you don’t want constant view, a glass door with an attractive curtain where you can peek out but don’t have to open door works well.

5. Determine work style

Experiment and see what works best for you –everyone has a different rhythm and styles of work flow. Do you like to walk around when on the phone (make sure there is room for that- don’t put in so much furniture and office equipment that you are cramped. Do you prefer sitting in a comfortable lounge chair? Do you like to recline in your office chair? Is it leather executive ergo chair or a mesh task office chair? If you are a work at home parent hire someone to watch the children during your work hours. There are a number of alternatives, part-time a few hours a day, perhaps a few days of the week, a college student, a retired neighbor or friend. Think out of the box.

6. Not treating your home business like a Business

This is a huge mistakes many home business professional make. Just because you work from home doesn’t mean you never have to make any hard decisions or choices. This includes creating a business plan, organizing and scheduling your day, setting goals and deadlines for projects and tasks and considering yourself a professional.

7. Isolation

The good news is that you don’t have to deal with “office politics” and all that goes along with that life. But what you may miss is the camaraderie and company.

Set aside time for lunch dates with friends. Go to a coffee shop, library, park to work for awhile. Arrange a weekly breakfast meeting with others that work at home, colleagues or business acquaintances. Breakfast is great as it is early; usually it takes much less time therefore leaving plenty of time to get your work done. If you make these consistent it becomes a ritual that allows a feeling of belonging as well as networking.

8. Stress

This is an issue that can arise from guilt, working too much or not enough. Set aside time through out your work day to take breaks. Set an alarm after a desinated period of time and make sure you get a change of scenery or take a mental break. Maybe it’s a walk outside, playing with your pet, having a cup of coffee and sitting on the porch listening to some music or practicing some yoga moves.. Whatever relaxes you or takes you “away” is ideal.

A common problem is that you never end your work day. Beware of the trap of working too much. At the end of the day leave work “at the office”. Close up shop whether by closing the door, putting up the room divider screen or shutting the office armoire doors. The steps out of your office are the transition commute from work life to home life. Remove any concern (if your not you should be) over lost computer files and data by making sure you have a computer data backup recovery plan. This can either be an online service or a manual process you do yourself.

9. Separate Home From Business

Make sure whatever sign you give family for the do not disturb signal; you commit to. If you don’t respect your time, they won’t respect it either.

Don’t answer personal calls when working. The same rules of do not disturb should be observed by friends and other family members. They wouldn’t be calling you at the office if you worked outside the home during business hours to chat would they? Nor would they drop in and start using your computer for their personal use .

10. Being Taken Seriously

Lots of people who work in a traditional or “normal” work environment don’t think it’s a real business if you work from home. There’s not much you can do to change the opinion of others but what you can do it take yourself and your business seriously and treat it as you would if you worked outside of the home.

A well designed, functional home office space is key. It will help you feel professional yet reflect your personality. You get the best of both worlds. Although the desire to work in your PJ’s is alluring-keep in mind your outward appearance does influence you mood, confidence and morale. This doesn’t mean you have to be decked out, it just means business casual comfortable can have many meanings. Plus if you have to run out to the post office or banking-your appearance will speak volumes about how you think of your business and as a result the way others do.

Being productive in your home office may take some time, effort and planning but think of the rewards you’ll reap; freedom, flexibility and independence. Keep in mind distractions; disorganization, lack of comfortable seating and not treating your home based venture as a business are all detrimental to productivity and ultimately profits.

About the Author

Denise Zangoglia is a home office professional who has been working from home since 1999. She is the publisher of TheHomeOfficeCafe.com, a website devoted to helping entrepreneurs and work at home professionals with resources for creating an ideally designed ergonomic work space along with tools to support and grow their business. This lifestyle allows her enjoy her family, pursue her love of horseback riding and experience life at its best. She writes on a variety of topics ranging from office setup/design and productivity to home based business resources such as on line data backup, website creation and marketing strategies.

Working at home can become an empty whole if you do net set goals, time limits, and a little bit of structure on yourself. We are all humans and if we are going to do something, it’s always best to have a plan especially when it comes to finances and working. The better you make use of your time the more money you’re essentially going to make. What better way to plan then using goals and motivation to set guidelines?

A goal can best be described as the light at the end of the tunnel, what I mean to say is; a goal is a checkpoint, a mental note that says this is where I am working to be. If there are no checkpoints, you’re kind of just running around in circles. For instance, there are small goals built into our minds like woodwork, why is it that we brush our teeth? Why do we put forth that effort? Well we put forth effort because our goal is to reach a point of having healthy and appealing teeth. So setting goals for work is the same basic function, you want to have four pages of your work done at the end of the day, that’s your goal. With that goal in mind you build a structural guideline to make it happen, knowing that it’s the best outcome.

Time to Start a Plan

Once you have figured out your goal it is best to start a plan, if you know you can do one page an hour and want to have four pages finished before the end of your work day schedule it to make it happen in the most efficient way possible, perhaps two pages then a lunch break then two pages and you decide there if you want to set another goal or call it a day. Working at home is all about coming up with ways to keep yourself focused so that you’re working in the most efficient ways possible.

Motivation is one way to assure you’re going to stick to your plans for instance if a job is paying you one hundred dollars a day to finish a project make a mental note that you will put aside ten dollars each day for yourself and if you accomplish your goals you can go out and spend that weeks worth of “you money” on whatever it is that makes you happy whether that be a movie, manicure, a new outfit, whatever.

Just remember that by setting goals and motivating yourself with rewards and “checkpoints” you are building a more disciplined and more efficient you.

Thinking of working from home? What type of business will you have? What do you really want to do? Working part-time  at home is a great motivation; however, you should consideration a few facts. If you plan carefully, these questions will have the same answer. Keep an open mind, though. You may need to begin in one direction to arrive in another. Knowing the demographics of your idea is very important. Chances are, a home business has been an idea in the back of your mind for a while. Do you still feel passionate about that idea?

One method to help you decide is to assess your personal strengths. Try this, of all the places you have been employed, which job did you like the most? Why that one? Chances are, if you dig deep enough, it wasn’t the job you liked as much as it was how successful you were at the job. Contemplate this and you will discover your strengths. For example, I enjoyed my previous employment because I am successful at project management and I love a challenge! I love writing, too! Hence, came along my plan for a home business. I can acquire projects, successfully complete them, and receive recognition and payment for them. From my own home! And I don’t have to eliminate all communication; I still talk with people! Consider what your strengths are and use them to arrive to the perfect home-business for you!

Also consider how much time you can commit. If your desire is to work 2-3 days a week, then you may not want to begin your own business in its entirety, but rather offer services to other businesses. This way, you choose the days when you are available and regulate your income. If you decide on operating your own business, then you need to set aside ample time to do so. Home businesses do not mean less work, just more flexibility. As a mother, you no doubt value the opportunities you have to spend with your child. I do. When you are employed, you have to ask for time off and your co-workers (who don’t have children) complain about covering for you. Being at home allows you to adjust your time however you wish!

Once you have settled on an idea, seek support and guidance for your small business. Your local SCORE program is an excellent place to start. You can meet with successful business owners who can share advice and experiences. They can guide you in the right direction for information on licensing, funding, legalities and much more. Do it soon. It is the smartest step you will make for your home business!

I am a researcher by method and advise you to do the same. Research your idea online. What do you find? If there isn’t much out there, don’t get discouraged. This could be good news. You may have just supported your reason for following through with your idea. If you discover there are many people implementing your idea, that is okay too. Carefully separate the facts. If your idea is selling Tupperware (don’t laugh) and you discover there are a million people who are also in the Tupperware business, then look for clues as to how you can make your business better. You don’t have to change your passion, just channel it differently. What can you offer that your competitors are currently not? In what ways will you differentiate yourself from the norm? If you decide to do something entirely different, repeat these steps each time until you are comfortable enough to move forward.

Working at home offers many benefits that could save you both time and money. It could even possibly save your mind if you are the type that is stressed out in a formal work environment. In today’s economy, it’s important for people to use everything they know to make the world work for them, rather then fighting to conform to the world’s demand. There are several things that make working out of home very enjoying, time worthy, and fantastic. So, we’re going to go over them.

Clothing

No one like’s spending hundreds of dollars on clothes. Okay, wait. Some people like spending hundreds of dollars on clothes, but no one likes spending hundreds of dollars on clothes they don’t like, or can’t wear anywhere other then the work place. People don’t like being confined to uncomfortable itchy fabrics that don’t breath and leave sweat marks around the armpits that could embarrass even the most beautiful of people. As a woman, I like to think of this as one of the biggest reasons working at home is for me. I can wear what I want, I don’t have to get up at five in the morning and get ready to go to some stuffy office with a million people that are all equally uncomfortable, I simply wake up and grab a bite then get to work. The comfort along with the cost of business clothing being eliminated makes this job a blessing for me and cuts down my spending quite a bit, leaving me one happy business woman.

Commute

Another pain about working in the office is the commute. Not only does getting there take up twenty minutes in itself as well as time you could be using to sleep to get up and get ready, but think of what you spend on gas. With gas prices sky-rocketing, no one can afford to drive to work anymore, and some people even have to drive less other then work as a sacrifice, miss any of your kids’ soccer games lately? Needless to say, it’s much cheaper to cut out those 15 miles there and back and the extra gas money that your car is burning through and just stay at home to work.

So, between the business clothing you don’t have to buy, the gas money you’re not eating up for work, the benefits begin to become more apparent. With that money you can do anything, spa day anyone?

Computers are now in almost every home, either for personal use or for business use.  It is important to know how a computer works and what it can do for you.  You can think of your PC as an office, and so it should be organized like your office.

Organization

Ignoring a cluttered computer will slow down the computer’s performance and make it hard for you to find things.  The desktop, email and favorite web sites are the main areas to keep organized on the computer.

Phone Lines

When hooking up a computer, you should have a dedicated phone line so that you can get a high speed Internet to be able to get on the World Wide Web (www) to search for information that is wanted.  The computer is an opening with eyes to the world.  Getting bored with what you get on the computer is highly unlikely.  You can get as many email addresses as you want, but only a couple are necessary for business.

PC Protection

Before you ever go online, it is very important that you have an antivirus, something like Norton or McAfee, and that it is up to date with virus definitions so your computer won’t catch a virus and cause it to shut down.  A Spam filter is also a good thing to have on your computer.  The only problem with a SPAM filter is that it decides what it thinks is Spam and keeps it from going to your email, while some of the things may not be Spam, and you miss important emails.

Organization

Like an office, your computer can accumulate a lot of unnecessary files, so to keep this clutter under control a utility called a disk cleaner is used.  This only takes a few minutes, and should be done periodically.  It helps your computer to run faster.  Another thing that needs to be done is to defragment files.  Defragmentation can be scheduled just as backup and maintenance is on the computer.

Shortcut Keys

On your computer, you can create a shortcut from your folders to your desktop for the files you use the most, to access them quickly.  Keeping your desktop in order and getting the icons off that you don’t use helps also.

Software- Keep it Up to Date

Software is something that we need, but aren’t really sure which one to buy.  Obtaining the right software for your computer depends on what you’re looking for.  Your computer comes with an operating system, usually Windows.  Then you have to go from there and find what you need.  In business one of the main software programs that you need is Microsoft Office.  This program includes Microsoft Office Word, the word processing program,  Microsoft Office Excel, a bookkeeping program, Microsoft Office Outlook, an email program, Microsoft Office Power Point, a program that you can make programs in for presentations and slide shows, and much more in the Microsoft Office program.

There are so many programs out there and depending on what you have in mind depends on the program you will get for your computer and download.  The advantage is that there are a lot of programs that can also be downloaded from the internet.  If you don’t like the program, you can go to Add/Remove in the Control Panel of your computer and Remove the program.  This is highly recommended so that you’re not using a lot of space for no reason.

Until you decide what programs you want on your computer, a lot of them are already in your Windows Operating System.  Be sure and check it out to see what you have, and then get your computer organized with the files, etc., so you know what all you have on it.

In an article published by IBM, the number of people pained by the home to work and back commute was unveiled. People testify in very high percentages to the inconvenience involved in getting to and from work, something that people who work from home don’t have to face. IBM is coining this as Commuter Pain and is allowing people to speak out on their frustrations. With frightening statistics, they are giving us an inside look at how commuting to and from work is causing a major negative impact on their lives.

Missing Work

According to IBM, 27-35% of people around the United States have polled that traffic has gotten so bad; they have turned around and went home. A loss of a day’s income and a waste of gas this seriously makes me wonder why these people bother putting all the extra effort forth to work jobs outside of the home, if not only to make ends meet. If this isn’t bad enough, they also report that 35-45% of Americans have decided not to even bother making a trip as traffic was predicted to be unbearable. These percentages really make me glad that I work from home.

Performance and General Well-being.

The missing work isn’t even the scariest part of this report. It is shown in IBM’s poll that 35-50% of people report increased stress and 28-36% reported anger caused by the commute to and from work. 19-27% report that their commutes have impacted their school or work performance in a negative way.

These percentages only motivate me to succeed in online work and working from home in general, they are shocking. I wasn’t aware, as many people aren’t of the damage caused by commuting to and from places that are necessary to get to. There are even reports of sleep loss. Sleep loss, stress, plummeting work and school performance, anger…Are all of these things we want to deal with as a society? These things add up and most of them can truly prevent living a healthy and happy lifestyle considering most people work from 3-5 days a week on average. 30% of people stated in the survey that they would like the opportunity to work from home, which is why it is my opinion that we should spread the word about how much simpler and efficient it is to work at home and make available many more jobs for people in need.

Starting a home business is not as easy as you may think.  First and foremost you have to decide what type of business you will start and is it profitable.  Just picking a business out of the air will not work.  It has to be a business that you know something about.  Once you have decided on a business, then comes the planning.

Work space, support space and active storage are three of the main areas you have to concentrate on.  In looking for the work space in the home office, you have to decide where the most appropriate place is to separate the home office from the home space.

Organizing your Home Office Space

Organizing a home office is important to keep it from spilling over into the whole house.  The key to a well organized and well run office is a good filing system.  A good filing system is a workable system that is simple.  When paper enters your office it falls under Take Action, Read, Trash, Hold 30 Days or File.  Once your papers are sorted into one of these categories, which shouldn’t take more than half a day, keeping your office clutter free becomes a much simpler matter.  As with any home office the object is to get you organized and productive.  Always set up your home office in an area that it will be productive.  It is best to have it in an area where the clients do not walk through your home.

Now that you have the home office space picked out, it’s time for equipment.  A desk, possibly an L shaped desk.  They offer a lot of desktop room and take up less space in some cases.  Then the chair should be a high back, comfortable, desk chair.  Being comfortable while working is very important.  Book cases for any extra space that they can fill and either a two drawer or a four drawer filing cabinet.

For the machine equipment, it can depend on your business.  Some of the suggested pieces are a good computer with an all purpose printer, which includes the printer, copier, scanner and fax.  Have a dedicated phone line put in to put the printer/fax into and your high speed internet.  Have a separate computer for the home than the one for business.  This allows family to use the home computer whenever they like and not disrupt the business one.  Make sure that cords are long enough, and insure enough electrical outlets by using surge protectors.  Make sure that all the cords are placed so that no one can trip on them or that they can be seen.

Organizing Hardware and Software

Buy business programs to put on your computer, or any other program you need.  Make sure all boxes are placed on a shelf where they can be seen.  In some of the programs you can make a file and then store anything you want in them.  This is important so that when you write a letter, instead of printing a copy, you can put it in a file on the computer.  It saves a lot on paper clutter.  Have at least 2 business emails.

Office supplies should be bulk.  Especially printing paper as this is used for fax receiving and copying.  Again, this is where paper clutter comes into your office.  A paper shredder is important to have so that papers can be destroyed.  Having trays on your desk for in/out going and filing is also a big helper and wastebaskets.  A business checking account and business cards are very important to have.  A large grease board to write each weeks plans and things to do for the business.  Organization is the main focus for the business.

Lighting in your home office is very important and using indirect lighting sources is the best way to avoid uniform levels of light.

Limiting Office Distractions

Now comes hours.  You have to set business hours just like any business does.  Establish family time.  Stay within the business hours you set.  Don’t isolate yourself from the family by being a workaholic.

In your home office space, be sure to remove any family pictures or awards.  The person coming into your home office already knows where you live but you don’t know who they are so its better not to advertise who your family members are, in a place of business.  Make rules for the family members about coming into your home office space.  If it’s important, have them call you on the phone, just like they would have when you worked away from home.  A home office isn’t an invitation to an open house for the family.

Getting your home office off the ground and working will take some time and a lot of work, but if it’s a good idea for a business, it will take off in no time.