If you’re thinking about working from home or questioning your decision to work from home, consider these pros and cons.

Pro: Your overhead is low and you can furnish your office however you wish.
Con: You’ll need to carve an office out of living space in your home.

Pro: You can set your own hours.
Con: You have to be disciplined and keep some type of schedule. By disciplining yourself and getting on a regular schedule, you can still be productive while enjoying the benefits of working from home.

Pro: Associates or other business professionals won’t be nearby to bother you.
Con: You risk feeling isolated, “out of the loop,” and even lonely. Consider meeting regularly with other small business owners for coffee or lunch.

Pro: You don’t have to waste time traveling to meet with clients or waiting for clients to arrive.
Con: Clients will see how you live and work, unless you find a way to set your office apart from the rest of your home. French doors, a folding screen or even room-dividing bookcases can help.

Pro: No commute so you save time, energy, and money.
Con: You can’t escape your work, especially if your home office is in your bedroom.

Pro: You can merge your personal and professional lives.
Con: Trying to juggle both personal and professional obligations at the same time can be a challenge.

What made you decide to work from home or what’s keeping you from working from home?

source: Today's Innovative Woman

Years ago when my older son came home from his first day of Kindergarten and I asked him what he’d learned, he said, “My brain is full!” After attending a few small business conferences this year, I understand how he felt.

This week I’m speaking at the Today’s Innovative Woman Success Summit and I can’t wait to interact with other business owners. When I spoke at their conference two years ago in Los Angeles, I was thrilled at how much I learned at the information-packed sessions ranging from how to market your business to growing your online presence.

Not only did I learn great tips and strategies from the speakers, I picked up a few tips from the attendees as well. This was no group of slackers!

Before you go to your next live conference, consider the following tips.

Consider the benefits.

Make sure that the conference you want to attend will help you grow your business. Unless you’re attending a conference that’s in town, going to an out-of-town conference can be expensive and may not be worth your time and money. Even if it is in town, the conference should be worth the time you’ll need to take off from your business.

Take notes…plenty of notes.

Whether you use an iPad, a legal pad or your laptop to take notes, be consistent. When you use one place to take notes, you don’t have to waste time searching for them when you need to refer to the notes again a few months later. When I was a speaker and an attendee at a conference a few months ago, I left with pages and pages of valuable notes and strategies that have helped me take my business to the next level.

Start a to-do page.

At one of the conferences I attended, the event planner provided each of us with a detailed booklet that featured each speaker’s bio and room to take notes. I took notes on the speaker’s pages. On a separate to-do page, I listed action steps. Taking notes is one thing…putting the information to use is another. The day after the conference, I highlighted the key to-do items and added them to my to-do list and overall project list.

Network, network, network.

During each break, I make a point to meet at least 3-4 new people. During one conference, they held a contest for the person who collected the most business cards (I lost).

At one conference, almost every person I met was prepared with a one-sentence “elevator pitch.” When I asked someone what she did, she’d answer, “I work with (insert type of business) to help them (insert three benefits).” Brilliant! In one sentence I learned what they did and what type of people they helped.

I’ve “virtually” attended plenty of Webinars, and at times I walk away from my home office with tips I can use. But nothing beats the energy, enthusiasm and inspiration that a group of successful entrepreneurs (both male and female) can provide at a live conference. The next time a Webinar invitation hits your e-mail, think twice and consider going to a live conference instead.

What did you learn from your last business conference?

Dan is a professional humorist and speaker, and one of the funniest people I know — aside from the salesperson at Nordstrom who asked if I wanted to try on swimsuits. So when he told me about some organizing products he knew would never be made, I was intrigued.

1. “Always clean & empty” storage shed

This wonderful device is installed in your backyard and filled with all the stuff you want to keep, but don’t really need. At random intervals, a large dump truck comes along and empties your shed. The next time you go outside with Aunt Mabel’s Crock Pot, you’ll be amazed at how much space you have. Additionally the items are sold at local charity thrift stores. It’s recycling at its best!

2. “I’m not your mom” clothes organizer

This wonderful device looks complicated with its hooks and pockets, but each has a purpose. You hang a pair of pants on the lower hooks, the shirt goes on the upper hooks, socks clip at the bottom of the pants, underwear fits inside the pants on a special hook, and shoes slip in pockets under the socks. When you’re finished you have an entire suit that hangs in your closet, ready to wear!

3. Always-in-style closet

This great labor-saver uses a system of hanger conveyors like the ones in your local dry cleaners, except they have ten year’s worth of space on them and go up into your attic. By the time the first things you hung up make it back into your closet, they’re back in style. You’ll be the envy of your chic friends.

4. Neat home hologram

Just once, get everything neatly and perfectly arranged. Then install the Neat Home Projector in the ceilings of your rooms and take an archive picture of everything in perfect order. From then on, no matter what condition each room is in, people will only see the perfect hologram. This is especially helpful for teenage boys’ rooms. Just think, every time you pass by, their room is immaculate. Optional “Fresh Scent” hologram projectors really complete the picture and are well worth the extra cost.

5. Trash to treasure box

We’ve all heard the term “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Well, this great device puts this into action. Place one of these boxes under the sink to catch kitchen garbage, trash from the bedrooms and bathrooms and any place you collect trash. Once the box is full, close the lid and voila, it’s a pre-priced “mystery item” for your next garage sale. Now your trash really can lead to treasure! Encourage the purchasers to prolong the suspense by waiting until they get home to open their “treasure” box.

Which of these organizing products is your favorite?

1. Bathe daily and try to change your shirt and underwear at least every other day.

2. Clean up your office once a week (even if you just remove coffee mugs and food wrappers).

3. Limit your work hours…you need to sleep.

4. If you have a deadline and you want to stay focused, turn off your e-mail alert.

5. If your home office is a mess, meet with clients somewhere else. Clients may say they don’t mind your mess, but they do, and they may try to figure out how to fire you.

6. If possible, don’t let your kids use your computer. If you get a virus, you can’t work. If they get a virus, they can’t play computer games. Do the math.

7. Make sure your mute or hold button works. Sometimes they don’t, which means you may have some explaining to do.

8. Don’t answer your business line if your kids are screaming or your dogs are barking. Caller ID and a hold or mute button can only do so much.

9. Set ground rules with your friends and family and let them know that even though you work from home, you’re not available to wait for the cable guy or plumber.

10. Don’t use a chair from your dining room or kitchen as your desk chair. Instead, invest in an ergonomically correct chair.

11. Teach your kids to leave your office supplies alone. In fact, buy them their own set.

12. If you’re (literally) working naked, please wear underwear while sitting at your desk. ‘Nuff said.

What rules do you follow for working from home?

Source: bluishorange

When you start a business from home, you may have think that you have plenty of storage space in your home office. As you grow your business, don’t be surprised if your storage space shrinks quickly. After all, no matter how much storage space you have, you probably want more.

When I first moved into my latest home office, I thought that I would have plenty of room for my books, supplies, projects and anything else that belonged in my home office. A few months later I realized I was wrong. I bought two bookcases, added shelves to my closet and donated a huge box of supplies I’d never used. Now I have extra storage space and I’m able to find what I need more easily.

Before you give up on finding more storage space, try these tips.

Think vertically.

If you have limited floor space, look up and put your walls to work. First, add freestanding bookcases or install shelves above or near your desk. You can use the shelves to store books, reference materials and supplies. An easy way to store and organize supplies is to use decorative baskets and containers.

Shelves further away from your desk and ones that aren’t within reach, are ideal for storing souvenirs from your last trip, family photos or the last award you won from a trade association. The key is to keep the items you use often nearby, and anything else on another surface.

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

Even though my sister is still disorganized — she’s fine with it — she knows it’s possible for anyone to get organized. But some people are stubborn and refuse to get organized because they believe a few misconceptions about organization.

I want to set the record straight.

Misconception #1—Handle paper once.

This is not only impossible, it’s unrealistic. Whenever I hear an organizing expert tell others to handle paper once, I cringe. Instead of pressuring yourself to handle paper once, get in the habit of doing something to move each piece forward. The point is to keep the paper in play until it lands in a file or in the recycle bin. It’s a waste of time to pick up the same piece of paper and put it back repeatedly.

Misconception #2—Always keep papers stored out of sight.

Some people work better when their desk is clear, while others swear they can’t work unless they’re surrounded by stacks of paper. A company I consulted with a few years ago, made their administrative assistants clear off their desks at the end of the day. In the morning, everyone wasted around 20 minutes setting up their desks.

You don’t have to keep your desk clear. Instead set up systems so you can find the papers you need when you need them.

Misconception #3—Everyone should be organized to the same degree.

Different people work differently. Although a neighbor or a friend works a certain way in his or her home office, you can work differently. Find the level of organization that works for you, and then work to maintain it.

Misconception #4—One planning system should fit everyone’s needs.

One of the companies that hired me last year to present a seminar, wanted me to “fix” the associates who were now even more disorganized and confused after attending a two-day time management seminar (That’s an oxymoron, don’t you think?) The company giving the seminar sold one type of planning system and expected everyone to use it.

Keep in mind that planning systems (both paper-based and electronic) are designed by a few people for everyone to use. Pick the system that fits your working style and if after a month or two it doesn’t work, find another system.

It’s easy to believe things you’ve heard for years, especially when you haven’t challenged them. Instead of following a certain way of working, change what you’re doing, especially if you’re not getting the results you want.

What misconceptions have you stopped believing?

Voice mail is invaluable to most companies, but is only as effective as the person using it. Consider these 5 ways to make voice mail more effective.

1. Help callers save time

When you record your voice mail message, let the caller know within the first few seconds whether or not he or she can bypass it. Long, boring messages are annoying, and most of the time callers don’t listen to them anyway. Instead of wasting callers’ time by making them listen to a long message, give each person the option to go straight to the tone.

2. Communicate clearly

Your outgoing message should be short, simple, and professional. Don’t forget to include your website address to help callers get more information about your company. Also include your e-mail address to give callers another way to contact you. If you notice that you get the same question day after day, add that answer to your voice mail.

3. Check your message

Don’t assume that your message is flawless. After you record your message, listen to it to make sure there aren’t any unwanted background noises and that your voice sounds clear. One of my clients didn’t realize that her dog was howling in the other room while she recorded her outgoing message. A few weeks later, one of her friends filled her in and she recorded it again while siting in her car.

4. Stop playing games

At the end of your message, ask the caller for the best time to return his or her call. Make sure you do the same when you leave messages for others. This will help you avoid phone tag, and if you don’t want to talk to that person, you can call during the times they said that they wouldn’t be available.

5. Be selective

Not all voice mail systems hold an unlimited number of messages. Instead of saving all of your messages, do something with them. After you write down or enter the message and number, erase it. Otherwise, callers may get a message that your voice mailbox is full.

How do you make your voice mail more effective?

source: ganesha.isis

Some people think I’m extra organized because I always enter notes in my iPhone. The truth is that I have the world’s worst memory. I can remember faces, not names, and directions, not addresses.

Over the years, I’ve taken a few steps to try to improve my memory or at least fake that I have a better memory than I do. By using the simple strategies below, I’m able to finish projects on time, avoid annoying friends and clients, and remember important dates.

Consider these four steps tips for improving your memory.

Add an attachment to your e-mail before you write your message.

Have you had to send a follow-up e-mail after you’re forgotten to include an attachment? I have. By adding the attachment before I write the message, I don’t have to send the follow-up message. The best part is that my friends and clients have stopped sending me e-mails — some of them in an annoying tone — asking about attachments I was supposed to include.

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

Some people forget that not everyone who works from home is an entrepreneur. Along with those of us who work for ourselves, corporate sales reps and other corporate employees work from home full-time, too.

Another group of people who work from home are telecommuters, those who work from home a few days a week instead of working in a corporate office every day. Whether you used to work from home and then had to go back to the corporate world, or you want a more flexible schedule, or you want to avoid a daily commute, telecommuting may be the perfect solution for you. Before you approach your boss about telecommuting, ask yourself a few questions.

Are you computer literate?

Telecommuters can work anywhere, and at all hours, simply by having the right equipment. When you telecommute you’ll need the basics: a computer, an All-in-One machine, and a separate business line (or you can use your cell phone) with voice mail. While you may not have an in-house IT department to deal with any computer problems, you can hire a tech support company to help you.

Do you have room to work?

No matter what size your home may be, there’s always room for a home office. Think outside of the home office box and use a spare bedroom, guest room, dining room, or any other space where you know you’ll be able to work. Whether you use a laptop or a desktop computer, keep in mind that you won’t need much space to work.

Do you have a childcare plan? 

Working from home isn’t a substitute for childcare, especially when your boss expects you to be productive between 9-5. So if you have kids you’ll need to hire help, enlist a family member to babysit, or find a daycare center you trust.

Do you know what you’re supposed to do?

Consider whether you have a clear job description. Do you know what your boss expects from you? Depending on your boss, you won’t have the personal contact with him or her that you did before — which can be a good thing — so you need to set clear deadlines and set up weekly face-to-face meetings.

Are you a self-starter?

Anyone who works from home will agree that it’s easy to get distracted. You don’t have the refrigerator, laundry and even your family around to keep you from working when you’re in a corporate office. When you work from home, you need to be able to motivate yourself to start working each day and to continue working throughout the day.

How organized are you?

Having basic organizing skills from time management to project management are important when you work from home. If you’re disorganized, it’s up to you to organize your office and avoid wasting time looking for supplies, papers and anything else you need. Learning new organizing habits could be a matter of survival.

Telecommuting isn’t for everyone, but if you’re a self-starter and can work without being supervised all day, telecommuting may be the next step for you.

Would telecommuting work for you? Do you know someone who telecommutes?

He never knew why, but I did business with his competitor instead of with him.

No matter how talented you are, or how great your business reputation is, at some point you’re going to have to get past business gatekeepers. Consider these three gate-crashing tips.

Don’t push harder

When you can’t get through to someone, your first thought may be to push harder. Instead of making progress, you’ll aggravate the person on the other end of the line. At that point you essentially squelch any chance you may have had of seeing or talking with the person they’re protecting. And by the way, yelling, “Don’t you know who I am?” rarely works.

Make a list

If you don’t know it already, personal assistants and receptionists should be at the top of your list…the “be extra nice” list. They’re the gatekeepers and they can mean the difference between letting your calls go through, answering your e-mails, and giving you access to key contacts.

Get to know the gatekeeper

The more you call a company to try to reach a key contact, take the time to get to know the gatekeeper’s name. It’s even better if you can learn more about him or her. Keep good notes and when you call, ask the gatekeeper about his or her kids, talk about the weather, or ask the person about anything else to keep the conversation going.

Gatekeepers can make your business life a bit easier. By taking the time to get to know the person who can potentially block your way, you can break down barriers between you and your key contacts.

How do you get past gatekeepers?