Good to see you again! Don't forget to subscribe to my RSS feed. You don't want to miss out on upcoming valuable posts and opportunities!

People love working from home, but how much work are they getting done?

It is very easy to get distracted with home related tasks that have a negative effect work related productivity.  Working from home is not about getting the closet reorganized, weeds pulled, pantry cleaned out, or laundry done. Ladies… I am especially speaking to you on this one! We women tend to be juggling so many different hats and multi-tasking in so many areas, that we can easily get less accomplished in our home-based business ventures. While this may not deny your success, it can certainly delay it.

I have many friends in network marketing and internet marketing. When I ask them how their business is going, they don’t have great things to say. It’s not rocket science, but it does require laser-like focus.  Remember one of my favorite quotes… “Discipline Determines Destiny”! Start forming good habits early on. If you start right.. you will finish right.

How can you have a profitable home business if you focus on the wrong tasks? You have to focus on tasks that are going to grow your business.

Most people who are successful with their home based business will say they wanted to work from home for a few main reasons.

• Time Freedom and Flexibility to spend more time with loved ones and more time doing what they love
• Financial Freedom - working an 8-5 job rarely brings the level of financial independence that dreamers seek
• They had a passion, a cause, a “why” for getting into that particular work

Certainly there are many reasons people decide to start a home based business, but getting more house chores done is usually not in that list. Increasing your focus will increase your productivity, which will increase your profits, which will increase your passion to pursue this dream of working from home.

Too many times entrepreneurs give up because they are not seeing results, not realizing that it is their failure to plan and position their days that leads to their problem.

Challenge yourself to break out of that “stuck in a rut” syndrome. Change your plan of action and you will change your results.

The 8 Point Productivity Plan

Pre-planning

You should have a game plan for every single day of work. Get your home chores done the night before and write out a list of scheduled tasks for the day. Then set the order for those tasks. Now, when you wake up in the morning , you are focused on your mission for the day. Cross off items as you accomplish them so that at the end of the day you can easily look to see what you accomplished for the day.

Early Bird Gets the Worm

Get up early in the morning and start your day just like other hard working folks. Success in a work from home business is not obtained by sleeping in and not having a schedule to follow. It  is counter-productive. Think of how much more you could have gotten done in those extra 2 or 3 hours of time. Take control of your business. Take control of your days.

Dress for the Occasion

When we look better we perform better. That is not my rule – it is scientifically proven. Don’t stroll around in your pajamas expecting to accomplish great things. Dress for great things and you will accomplish great things. You will realize that when you are dressed for a day of business you will be more productive, feel more confident, and be more assertive in your actions.

Daily Roadmap

It is scientifically proven that our minds and bodies are more alert and productive in the morning hours. This is why most surgeons perform the difficult surgeries in the morning hours (when they have that option, of course).  Get the most important tasks done in the morning hours and schedule meetings or conference calls in the afternoon hours.

I’ll Call You Later

Many times friends or family members who do not work think that because you work from home that it is o.k. to call for an hour of chit chat in the middle of your day. This is sabotage. They are not doing this to you intentionally, but one or two calls in a day and you miss out on opportunities and get less done. Remember, you are in control of your day. Do not answer personal calls or politely tell folks you will call them back at the end of the day. Interruptions are the major cause for uncompleted tasks.

Break Time

There are studies proving that an exercise break in the middle of the day improves job performance. Jim McKenna is known for his studies showing that with midday exercise consistently increases performance through sharper mental states and better time management. Take 30 minutes for  a bike ride, a walk in the park, or a trip to the gym. You can still do your hard workout sessions in the morning if you are already in the habit, but don’t exclude this short little afternoon session.

Mastermind with Mentors

We all have so much to offer and share with the world. Having lunch with a business colleague, industry leader, or mentor a couple times each week will keep ideas fresh and allow you to see different viewpoints. You get energized in sharing success with others and you will find that these little lunch dates keep you focused, accountable, and action oriented.  Life is about relationship building and meetings like this will enrich your professional and personal life.

Review, Revise, Repeat, Reward

At the end of every day it is important to review the list you made for the day to note what actually was accomplished, the results of that, what new requirements have arose from this, what didn’t work, what needs to be rescheduled, what tasks are repetitive, and so on.   You should strive to accomplish at least 75% of your list each day. Naturally, there are going to be those days where “life” gets in the way, but strive for your 75% on a consistent basis and you will gradually see rewards emerge from your efforts.

The first step is taking the first step. Start implementing new habits today.

• Take Action
• Take Control
• Stay Committed
  
• Create Results
• Live the Dream!
  

Remember… People will judge you by your actions, not your intentions.

You may have a heart of gold, but so does a  hard-boiled egg!

In our society of today, getting customer support is as simple as sending an email, opening an online chat window, or making a phone call. Despite the lack of face-to-face contact, there is still a lasting impression made on the customer. Did the person on the other end appear competent and caring or did they come across short toned and annoyed?

The future is here for customer service. Technology makes seeking out support faster and easier than ever before, but are digital age companies sacrificing true service with automation?

Offering outstanding service on the Internet is not hard, but it can be rare.
There are a few simple steps that can be followed to provide good “old fashioned” service in a modern fashion.

Provide Each Person with a Personal Response

Notice the word “person” and “personal“. We must not forget that there are people at each end of this line of communication – whether it is a computer, a phone, or a drive up window.
People elect the email option because their time is limited and it is a quick solution, but they still want to be satisfied with a personal response.

Many times companies trying to cut every corner to save money, take automated customer support beyond acceptable limits. Each customer has a unique situation and a unique question. They deserve an equally unique answer to their problem. Even if time is saved with a stock response altered with a “copy” here and a “paste” there, it will still oftentimes come across very stale and robotic.

You Can Be Clear and Be Sincere

It is perfectly acceptable to be clear and to the point, but be sincere in your response also. Think about how you would feel if you were in the customer’s shoes and dealing with the same problem. be empathetic to their situation. Answer the customer they way you would want to be answered. Go that extra little mile to give the customer the help they need and deserve. It could mean the difference between a happy customer and a lost customer.

Always Offer Live Customer Support

While e-mail has become an standard form of communication, live customer support is still necessary in many situations. The overwhelming information available on the Internet can scare some customers who are not as technically savvy as others.

Live customer support will make your company stand out from your competition and will create trust and loyalty among your customers. Sometimes people have exhausted all of their online options and just need help from a real, live person.

Make Sure Answers Are Available

The only thing more frustrating to a customer who needs live support is live support that doesn’t have a clue how to resolve the issue. It is great for a customer support rep to be warm and friendly, but they have to be knowledgeable too.

The customer has more confidence in the company when they can talk to someone who knows what they are talking about.

Provide Outstanding Service to Have Lifelong Customer Loyalty

Too many companies hide behind web sites and message boards to save a buck, skimping on the customer service. Companies need to understand that customer service is an integral part of the business and will contribute directly to the bottom line. Customer service is Key!

Bed bugs! Yikes! The seem to be

It was heard on the news but it’s just so hard to believe!

Seriously? So now we have to worry that, while we are sleeping, these little creepy, crawly vampires are going to get under the sheets and suck the liquid life out of us.

Are we going to bring one home from a movie theater? a retail store?

I love watching the HBO series True Blood, but I am not to keen on the idea of these little parasites coming into our home uninvited.  I had to check to see if any areas of Fort Worth had been hit. Of course! The Fort Worth Housing Authority is evacuating over 200 residents in an apartment complex near downtown Fort Worth.

As much as I enjoy them… I think I am finished with garage sales and estate sales for the summer. The thought of Bed Bugs hiding in furniture or seams of clothing pretty much ends the purchasing fun for me.  Travel or stay in a hotel right now? No way!

I think my head is itching just writing this and my dog is scratching from watching me scratch.

Hmmm… Having said that… Maybe there are no bed bugs…. maybe it is all power of suggestion.

My advise… Buyer Beware or Dare to Be Bitten!