Had a great Valentine’s dinner with hubby last night. We cooked lobster and steak. Evening was going good until he dropped the green beans all over the floor (carpet) but no worries it cleaned up. Then we decided to watch a movie and had rented Revolutionary Road. Okay not a good movie to watch on Valentine’s. Very depressing and I had no idea how it ended. Horrible!

Then, he had cleaned the litter box for the cats but turned the entrance to the box around by accident so the cats couldn’t get in it and of course one of them pees and not on the tile where I could easily clean it but on a bed mattress. Ugh!!!

Of course you can only laugh at the most romantic Valentine’s Day ever!

Thanks to Liz Nonnemacher of www.WickedlyChic.com for sharing some great resources with us…

“This made to order magazine holder (in a variety of colors) is great for storing magazines..which I always seem to have lying on my desk.”

It’s from Decorative Instincts, $30.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22599200

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“For just $4, you can have one of these business card holders on your desk. These come in a number of fabric choices. From Kreative Karryalls.”

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39954598

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“Check out these fun retro cans from Rhizo Designs. For $14, anyone can do better than the silly plastic cups that I have on my desk ”

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39949463

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“Finally…I have to promote one of my advertisers, Plumeria Bay. Yes, at $164, they’re pricey. However, every single item from this shop is so worth it. There’s nothing more cozy than working in your home office with a luxurious blanket wrapped around you.”

http://www.plumeriabay.com/products/cotton-blankets-bla.aspx

Thanks Liz for this great resources and your tips! Be sure to check Liz’s site out at www.WickedlyChic.com

Talk about an office to go, Restoration Hardware sells huge Steamer Trunks that act as a portable office. To make your work seem as chic as the Jazz Age ocean linter, trade in your desk for this office in a steamer trunk. Now you really can go anywhere!

I get asked a lot from entrepreneurs who are just starting out and haven’t yet claimed a space of their own and really have everything strewn on the kitchen table what they can do to divide off a space for themselves.

Okay I’m not a huge supporter of cubicles but this is a really neat idea especially if you have an open floor plan in your house and you need to section off a space for your office.

Hand in hand with scheduling yourself time during the day, don’t forget that you need to have a life outside of work. Taking time away from your business is important to recharge your batteries, your creativity, and your sense of self.

If you’re trying to save money, every financial advisor will tell you the same thing. “Pay yourself first.” If you don’t take care of you, no one else will. Starting and running a business takes long hours and a lot of work, but burnout is a real danger, especially for entrepreneurs. Time off becomes an alien concept, as we too often become used to 80-hour work weeks, always wondering “is there something I’m missing back at my work?” Keep that up for too long, and your dream job of working for yourself from home becomes just as tedious and boring as working 9 to 5 for someone else in an office somewhere. What you need to do is plan some time off for yourself and just like your daily schedule, stick to it.

Here are 5 hints you might try:

1. Plan it out. Create a list of the projects you’re working on so you can schedule your vacation time when you don’t have any important deadlines. Give advanced planning time so you’ve got time to deal with any surprise conflicts.
2. Brief your clients. I used to have the problem of setting a vacation to start on a Friday and then get POUNDED with work on Thursday afternoon. By the time I got it finished up, it was Saturday night. Make sure your clients know that any work received after a certain day and time will not be addressed until you get back from your trip. Don’t be afraid to say “No” unless it’s an absolute emergency.
3. Schedule your time off during down-time. Every business has some form of down-time during the year. Try to schedule your vacation during one of those times so you don’t feel that you have to be working.
4. Take mini-vacations. Instead of taking a 2-week holiday, try taking long weekend trips 4- or 5-day weekends just to break up the monotony of work.
5. Take time off to learn new skills. If you’re the type of person who can’t just kick back and relax, take time off from your business to take a class on something you’ve always wanted to learn. A new hobby or skill or language will be the excuse you use to get away from the computer for awhile to give your batteries a chance to recharge.

Vacation anxiety is a common fear among all business owners, especially entrepreneurs. You’ve got to remember though, working 20-hour days adds up to a crappy product. You’ve learned how to schedule your days, but don’t forget to schedule your life as well. Give yourself permission to live. After all, that’s probably one of the reasons you started your own business in the first place.

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© Copyright 2009 Sheic Space®, LLC. All rights reserved.

Angee Robertson is the Founder and Editor of Sheic Space Online Magazine. Sheic Space celebrates the shift from a masculine workspace to a feminine workspace by sharing how other business women use their office space to support their creativity and nurture their soul. Be sure to visit www.sheicspace.com to sign-up to receive your FREE subscription.

If you’re like most people, very often you find yourself struggling to get everything done (or working late into the night). Whether you’re running your own business or working in the corporate arena, it’s sometimes hard to remember that there are only 24 hours in a day, and some of those hours have to be used for sleep, food, and general living. Once those hours are gone, there’s no way to make more of them, so we’ve got to use the ones we’ve got wisely. If you constantly feel like you’re playing catch-up and working 15-hour days, you’re probably over-extended.

Budgeting your time and making the most of it comes down to setting up a solid schedule and sticking to it…as much as you can. Stuff happens, so make sure that the schedule you put together has enough flexibility in it to deal with crises and changes. It’s a good practice to schedule only about 75% of your day so that you can deal with unforeseen challenges.

The first thing you want to do is consider whether you are a morning person or an afternoon person. Most of us fall into one of those categories, and it’s a good idea to schedule your most important projects during your “up time whenever possible. If you’re the type of person who doesn’t “wake up” until noon, you certainly don’t want to schedule a meeting with your biggest client at 7:00 AM. So make sure you take your personality into consideration when you’re setting up your schedule.

Set up a Schedule

As simple as it sounds, setting up a schedule can be very complicated. First, you want to decide on a format of paper or computer. Why paper in this age of technology? Because it’s very easy to jot down notes on a piece of paper, and if you have a paper calendar, you can have it open on your desk for easy reference. You also don’t have to worry about accidentally deleting a paper copy of something. But paper isn’t always the only answer, as computers have alarms and reminders, warning systems for overlapping projects or meetings, search capabilities for specific items, etc. The easy answer is to use a combination of the two, just make sure that you update both of them so you don’t cause an unintentional conflict.

Setting your schedule is usually something you want to do at the end of the day for the next business day’s work. Allow yourself about 10-15 minutes to accomplish it, and put it into your to-do list.

Now, you’re going to want to write down everything that needs to be done. Start with items from yesterday that didn’t get done. Include any projects that you’re working on for your own business or for a client, even phone calls that you need to make in that day or other types of appointments. You might even want to schedule time to check e-mail and voice-mail. Make notes as far as importance of the task and the deadline for its completion. Major tasks should be broken down into their component parts so you can set aside time each day to work on it instead of trying to compress it all into one day.

Once you have your list, give priorities to each entry based on the deadline (items with an immediate deadline take higher priority) and based on what the item is. Items that directly affect your business and are essential need to be ranked higher, as do those that might lead to a high payoff for you. Items that are not due immediately can be moved down the list. Don’t be afraid to schedule time for yourself for planning and organization. You are your most important client!

Once you’ve got your list and you’ve prioritized it (put a star by one or two of the most important items so you know what to work on during any “down time” you might encounter), it’s time to put it on the calendar.

Lay out your Calendar

On your calendar, start with your most important item from your To-Do list and put it into your most productive time slot (if you’re a morning person, schedule it for the morning work hours). Take the next most important item and put it into the next productive slot, and so-on down the list. Using this procedure will have you working on your most important tasks when you’re most “up in your day. Remember, most projects will take more time than you think, so schedule a little extra time for the most important ones. If you have a special phone call or appointment, schedule projects to finish well in advance of the call so you don’t run long and call in late.

Don’t over-schedule your day. Remember, block out about 75% of your day so you’ve got flexibility for those unforeseen challenges that can, and often do, arise.

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© Copyright 2009 Sheic Space®, LLC. All rights reserved.

Angee Robertson is the Founder and Editor of Sheic Space Online Magazine. Sheic Space celebrates the shift from a masculine workspace to a feminine workspace by sharing how other business women use their office space to support their creativity and nurture their soul. Be sure to visit www.sheicspace.com to sign-up to receive your FREE subscription.

by Alyssa Gregory

We tend to be more productive when we’re comfortable and healthy. One of the most important and easily overlooked elements of our comfort and health is the ergonomics of our workspaces.

If you work from home, you probably don’t have corporate guidelines ensuring that your setup is ergonomic. Plus, because of time and budget restrictions, you may not be doing everything you can to keep your body and mind working comfortably.

The Risks

Do you think your home office is fine because you feel fine? Don’t stop reading just yet! Even if you don’t have any recurring pain or discomfort right now, your workspace may still be unhealthy. Some long-term effects of a non-ergonomic work environment, especially for those of us who sit in front of a computer for most of the day, include:

• Stress on your muscles and joints
• Overall fatigue
• Pain in your hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, necks, or back
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Vision and eye strain
• Tendinopathy and bursitis (caused by overuse and repetitive motions)

The Test

Here are the most essential ergonomic guidelines you should be following while you work.

Y / N	My computer monitor is centered to where I am sitting, placed an arm’s length away and my eyes hit approximately 2″-3″ below the top of the monitor.
Y / N	The lighting in my workspace is indirect fluorescent lighting that doesn’t flicker.
Y / N	I sit in an adjustable chair that has lower lumbar support with my feet flat on the ground and my thighs parallel to the floor.
Y / N	I follow the 20/20/20 rule. That means I take a 20-second break every 20 minutes and look at least 20 feet away.
Y / N	I keep my wrists in a neutral position while typing, shoulders relaxed, and elbows at my side.
Y / N	There is no direct glare on my computer screen from lights or windows.
Y / N	I get up and stretch my back, hands, wrists, legs, neck and shoulders regularly during the day.
Y / N	My desk is setup so I have space on either side of it and easy access to the rear for cables, plugs, wires, etc.
Y / N	I don’t click too hard on my keyboard or mouse while working.
Y / N	I use my elbow instead of my wrist to move the mouse, and use keyboard shortcuts whenever necessary (or I have a trackball or joystick mouse that limits the necessary movement).
Y / N	I use a headset, earpiece or speakerphone for long calls.
Y / N	I use a document holder to prop up paper I am reading from while I work.

Your Grade

If you answered “yes” to all of the items above you get a passing grade in ergonomics and less negative long-term health risks from your daily work. Congratulations! If not, make some changes to your workspace and see the difference they make.

The tips above were compiled from Healthy Computing, an authority in office ergonomics and safety.

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Alyssa Gregory is the owner of avertua, LLC, a full-service virtual assistant firm. She has been designing websites since 1995, and has a passion for supporting small businesses. Alyssa provides business tips, advice and news through her Small Business Idea Generator blog.

by Ali Brown

While many business-owners have difficulty delegating work, at a certain point it becomes necessary to move the business forward. Hiring an assistant can help you run things more efficiently, letting you focus on the big picture as your assistant takes care of administrative tasks. Some companies hire admins to work on-site, but many others are using virtual assistants to take care of tasks like scheduling or invoicing remotely.

Here are five signs that you need an assistant.

1.    You forget to perform tasks like updating your website or confirming appointments. Sure, the world keeps turning even if your website hasn’t been updated or a few appointments get missed. But think how much better off your business could be if you didn’t have to think about these tasks or feel guilty for forgetting them! An assistant can easily be trained to help with marketing or scheduling so that these business functions always happen when they should.

2.    You waste time looking for lost documents or emails. In addition to your time spent performing menial tasks, losing an invoice or accidently deleting an email costs you even more time! If you’re so frazzled that this happens on a regular basis, then it’s time to hire help. An assistant will ensure that you stay on top of invoicing and filing so that you don’t miss payments or make costly administrative mistakes.

3.    You don’t have time to see family or friends. Every entrepreneur needs some downtime to relax and recharge. Spending time with family and friends is a great way to do this, so if you find yourself skipping out on brunches or birthday parties in favor of work, then it’s probably time to reprioritize. Hiring an assistant, even one who works just a few hours a week, frees you up to focus on what matters. And having time for yourself and the people you care about will also benefit your business, because you’ll be refreshed and ready to tackle new challenges.

4.    Your billable rate is higher than an assistant. Hopefully this is the case for most business-owners. Let’s say that you bill client at $100/hour and an assistant bills you $20/hour. Rather than taking time away from your paying clients to send out invoices or book appointments, pay an assistant her $20/hour while you earn $100/hour from your clients. Even after you pay your assistant, you’ll still bring in $80/hour that you otherwise wouldn’t have time to earn. So when you think about it mathematically, hiring an assistant makes a lot of sense (and cents)!

5.    You’ve been putting off tasks that you dislike. Most of us have tasks we dread doing, such as filing, following up on overdue invoices, or balancing the books. Imagine if *poof* all those ugly little tasks magically got done so you could spend time on more important tasks (because, let’s face it, many of us waste time procrastinating on these sorts of tasks anyway).

It doesn’t take a fairy godmother or a magic wand. All it takes is a little legwork to find someone you trust to get the job done.

Once you decide to hire an assistant, you can ask your colleagues for recommendations or log into websites such as IVAA.org (the International Virtual Assistants Association) to start your search.

© 2009 Ali International, LLC

Self-made multimillionaire entrepreneur and Inc. 500 CEO Ali Brown is devoted to creating financial freedom for women globally through the power of entrepreneurship. To learn how to create wealth and live an extraordinary life now, register for her free weekly articles at www.AliBrown.com

by Jan Marie Dore

The environments we surround ourselves with are often overlooked as a potential nurturance for both our work and our daily lives. Our surroundings shape the way we think and feel. Exceptional achievers make sure their surroundings reflect their commitment to perform at their best.

Your office space can reflect your intention to do great work that makes a contribution to the world. It can provide aesthetic nourishment where the colors and textures of the interior space nourish your creativity and inspire you, or it can leave you feeling exhausted and unfocused.

We need only to step into different offices to notice how they affect us.

Close your eyes and picture this. It is morning, and you are walking into your office to start your work day. You step onto a lovely patterned carpet, and walk over to your beautiful, functional wooden desk. You sit in a very comfortable chair that supports your back, and gaze out the window at the sunny day. A fresh breeze blows in from the open window. You hear the sounds of birds singing and leaves rustling in the wind. A large green plant is in the corner and a vase of fresh flowers is on your desk. A beautiful lamp infuses warmth and soft light throughout the room. Your eyes are drawn to a lovely piece of art on the wall, then to an artefact you bought on your latest trip, and then to an array of family photos.

Would this type of space uplift your spirit and inspire you to do your best work?

You bet it would!

Yet, very few people take the time to create for themselves an office that is truly nourishing and uplifting.

If our offices are beautiful and inspiring, then what is produced in those offices will have a sense of purpose and integrity. The challenge is to seek a way to occupy your office space in a way that harmonizes with your personality, energy, and purpose.

Look closely at your workspace. What is the message that your office area currently communicates to you and others? What do you see that stimulates your creativity and inspires you to do your best work?

If your workspace doesn’t currently nourish your creativity and effectiveness, take a moment to mentally create the perfect space for you to do your best work. Think about changes you could make, even if you’re on a limited budget, to create a more inspiring work environment.

Could it be by moving your desk so that the view is more inspiring? Or by adding fresh flowers, a plant, or music? What about adding a water fountain, a wind chime, a poster, or a beautiful piece of art to your workspace? Or, choosing to write with pens in a rainbow of colors?

Are your office and desk areas visually stimulating with lots of pictures, photographs, quotes, and memorabilia? Or, you may prefer a clean, uncluttered state for working.

Only you know the type of surroundings you will thrive in. Determine what you need in your environment to inspire your best work. Decide how to change your space so you feel more inspired and creative – and watch your productivity and satisfaction levels soar!

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© by Jan Marie Dore of Femalepreneurs.com.
Jan Marie Dore mentors coaches, speakers, consultants and other solo-professional women to work fewer hours and make more money with online business building strategies. Get your free ‘Professional Women’s Success Kit’ and other marketing resources at http://www.femalepreneurs.com/ezine