A bumble bee…Is she asking me about my shape, you may be wondering? And, no, this has nothing to do with the brand of tuna. Let’s take a closer look at the bumble bee for a few minutes.

The bumble bee’s body is large and is supported in the air by two pairs of very thin wings connected together so that they look like just one pair.  A statement attributed to scientists around the mid-19^th century and again in the early 20^th century concerning the ability of the bumble bee to fly has proven to be a myth.  The view was held  for many years that aerodynamically the bumble bee should not be able to fly, but it flies anyway.  Although the original calculations proved to be faulty and we recognize that the bumblebee was created with the ability to fly, people still continue to quote the thought.

Ivars Peterson goes further to confirm that “on average, a bumblebee travels at a rate of 3 meters (almost 10 feet) per second, beating its wings 130 times per second. That’s quite respectable for the insect world.”

The bumblebee CAN fly: Women, more often than men, are told that that they cannot possibly achieve a particular goal.  One that bothered me over the years was when a woman saw the flexibility and opportunity to start her own home-based business and her husband or significant other would tell her that they could not possibly manage a home, their children, and manage a business at the same time.  She needed to give it up or not even try.

It’s hard work for the bumblebee to keep in flight: Like the bumblebee  it will in many instances require you to step out of your comfort zone, plan for your success, set your goals, and work hard to achieve them.

The bumblebee cannot fly if its wing muscle temperature falls below 30^oC or 86°F: We must work our business with consistency and determination recognizing that obstacles will come our way, but we can find ways to overcome them.It’s very easy to lose our motivation if we only work sporadically.  We will fail to see any measure of success.  This applies to both offline and online businesses.

I can recall working with team members in my offline business and someone would say to me, “This is not working for me…I’m not making any money.”  My answer was usually the same, “I hear what you’re saying, but are you working your business?  When was the last time you…..?” (Fill in any of the tasks necessary to attract good customers and provide good customer service).  Their answer was also usually the same.  They had not done anything in or for their business for quite some time but they expected results.  When the results did not come they expressed disappointment.  It’s important to keep our “wing muscle” warm so we can “fly.”

Are you a bumblebee? What hurdles have you had to overcome to start or stay in business?

A growing number of men are pursuing successful businesses from home; however, it would appear that the majority of home-based businesses are managed by women. Many of these women are mothers, especially of small children; wives; caregivers for elderly parent/s; involved in social and volunteer activities, and the list goes on. While these are normal, everyday activities and responsibilities, they can create tremendous stress for solo-professionals working from home.

It is important to maintain a proper balance between personal and professional life when working from home:

a) Location: Your office building is your home. Your office may be a desk and chair in an already occupied room. Or you may have a room designated as your office. Can you make and receive phone calls without interruption or background noise? At the start of your day, do you dress as if you were expecting a client in your home, or as if you were leaving for a job outside the home? Nothing excessive, but doing whatever is necessary to make you personally feel you’re going to YOUR office to work?

b) Setting Parameters: One of the reasons many mothers with small children choose to work from home is the desire and preference to raise their children themselves while others with older children desire to home-school their children. Does your family understand that once you are at your desk you should not be disturbed unless it’s very important? Do they understand that tools (pens, pencils, notebooks, etc.) on your desk are for business purposes only so that you don’t waste your time looking for them when you need them?

c) Setting a Schedule: A basic schedule is essential. Where babies and very small children are involved it can be challenging to adhere to that schedule. You need to know what your goals are on a given day because without a plan the day goes by and you’ve accomplished very little in your business.

d) Managing yourself not just your time: A proper diet and exercise are essential to function properly in any situation. Many solo-professionals I’ve spoken with find this a challenge, and I often do as well. I’ll get so caught up in what I’m doing that I forget to eat, which leads to headaches. Unfortunately, this will only add to your stress level and may result in health issues. Exercise engenders a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction and can create a sense of well-being that allows you to find humor even in stressful situations.

e) Isolation: Many people love working alone. Others hate it! They miss the rapport with co-workers, the watercooler chit-chats and jokes, and face-to-face interactions with people. Depending on the type of business you’re pursuing, you may not have regular interaction with people. Regardless of how much we love our children, most of us crave adult conversation. If you work with clients/customers mainly on the telephone, why not arrange to meet them in person from time to time? If there are networking events in your area, why not make arrangements so you can attend one or two each month?

Working from home does not mean you have to control every situation instead learn the art of delegation. Share responsibilities with other family members. You may also have to learn to say ‘no’ especially when family members and relatives fail to respect your time or appreciate that you have a business to run. Do not rely only on just yourself and maintain a sense of humor.

I would love to hear what you’ve found works best for you. How do you cope with stress as a work-at-home professional? Please share your thoughts in the Comments.

As entrepreneurs we are often affected by many negative things beyond of our control and these can cause F.E.A.R! According to the Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, fear is defined as dread, terror, trepidation; emotions that react to stimulus, external or internal. In addition, I like the definition of F.E.A.R as  False Evidence Appearing Real.

I believe that because we are natural nurturers, women more than men are anxious to see that everything follows a specific path; the slightest deviation from that path causes us intense anxiety and result in fear lurking its ugly head. In our minds we see gloom and doom when the reality is that it may just be a temporary setback.

This is where the Entrepreneurs Fear Factor comes in. Some years ago there was a reality show called “Fear Factor” that you either liked or disliked.  This is our reality as entrepreneurs: we encounter F.E.A.R in our business.  However, there is a simple element that if introduced more often could dilute the level of F.E.A.R we experience.  It’s as simple as injecting humor into our lives and business.  Some of us may have to work harder at learning to laugh at our disappointments, or even laugh at ourselves at times.  Some of the comments I’ve heard over the years, and I quite likely made at some point in my business:

1)   “I’m having a hard time finding or attracting customers or clients” – This is applicable to coaches, consultants, and direct sales consultants among others because customers are the lifeline of our business.  But…Are you prejudging people you meet? You never know who your next client, customer or team member may be. The rules of marketing, even for offline businesses have changed, so it’s important to stay informed and use proven methods to attract the type of people you want as your clients and customers. Be happy and positive! There’s enough negativity surrounding us and people want to be around positive, happy people.

“I don’t know anyone” – Start making a list of the people you already know and pull out all those business cards you’ve been collecting for the past several months. Give the people you’re already acquainted with a call and see if they would like to try one of your new products or line of service they’ve not tried. I would suggest that you work on building a relationship with those persons you’ve never spoken with before you offer them your product or service. When you make your phone calls, have a smile in your voice, be upbeat without sounding fake and keep it short. Convey urgency! When you sound positive and upbeat, it arouses curiosity.

If your business in online only, you would want to be conscious of providing value to your prospects so that they will be motivated to take the next step and become your clients or customers.

3) “I’m tired of calling or contacting my same list of customers” – Don’t call! Send them an ezine/newsletter with short interesting articles. Too challenging right now? Send a postcard to say you’re thinking of them with one or two quick tips based on your niche. Your customers will know you’re thinking of them and because you stay in touch with them, you’ll be the person they call when they need something in your product or service line.

There are many other ways to make your home-based business fun.  Don’t let F.E.A.R rob you of your joy in running your own home-based business, whether it’s on-or offline or a combination. Instead, work on the things you can control and put some fun and humor into your business.

Please share some ideas of what you do when for any number of reasons fear starts to creep into your thoughts and how you keep the “fun” in your business.

Do you have small children?  Are they home for the summer or will be off from school soon?  Are you dreading the disruption in your home-based business schedule?  Many mothers who work from home are already agonizing over the adjustments they will need to make, and it’s understandable.  But instead of adding to your stress by worrying about it, may I suggest you take a moment and reflect on the fact that one of the reasons you were attracted  to a home-based business was the flexibility it afforded you.

As women we wear many hats and being an entrepreneur,  a business owner, comes with it’s own challenges.  However,  while it’s essential to have systems in place so that you can manage your business successfully, these systems cannot be so rigid that you can’t allow for  changes in your schedule when the need arises.

I will admit that when I’m working to meet a deadline or have a number of projects I’d schedule to be completed within a specified period, I’ve felt annoyance when I had to stop and take care of something that I’d not planned for.  Having a sense of humor often helps and I try to laugh at myself at how ‘worked up’ I’m allowing myself to get over nothing, do what I have to do, and get back to my project.  That’s flexibility in action!

During the time I’m working in my business, I’m my own boss so I can take some time off if I need to.  You can too and  try to view flexibility as a means to add diversity as you work from home.

What are your thoughts on flexibility in your business? Please share in the Comments.

People chose to work from home for different reasons.  Many persons who work from home do not have an online business even though they use their computer extensively.  In order to be efficient and productive and thereby contribute to your success, it’s important to have systems in place. Systems are defined as a set of detailed methods, procedures, and routines established or formulated to carry out a specific activity.

Here are three systems in your home office that could be great time savers, but at the same time can rob you of your time if not used wisely.

1.Your Computer As a Time Saver: I cannot imagine running a business from home without a computer.  Your computer allows you to store huge amounts of information and retrieve them with a few clicks of your mouse.  The volume of software on the market allows you to be creative, and of course, access to the internet allows you to communicate quickly and effectively, as well as do research quickly.

If you’re in Direct Sales, for example, you can use your computer to send your customers an e-card.  I like to send an actual greeting card through the US mail and my customers invariably call to thank me.  Just for reading my post, go ahead and click the greeting card link and send a card to yourself or someone you care about.  I’ll pay for your card and your postage.

Your Computer Can Rob You of Time:  To determine how effectively you are using your computer for your business, why not keep a notepad by your computer and do a quick test.  Jot down how much time you actually sit in front of your computer over the course of one week. Then note how much time you actually work in your business.  You may be surprised to find how much time you spend surfing the internet, checking your e-mails during the day, visiting social networking sites, etc. compared to how much actual work you’ve accomplished.  While these are essential yo your business, they can become time-consuming if not managed properly.

2. Your Telephone As a Time Saver:  The telephone gives you the ability to communicate messages quickly and almost instantly.  It can save you lengthy trips away from your income-producing activities and allows you to keep  in touch with your clients or customers, your peers, and others in your network on a regular basis.  It’s also a wonderful medium for providing prompt customer service to your customers.

If you are in Direct Sales, one effective way of using your telephone is to make at least three customer calls each day.  And if you have a team, call at least one member on your team each day.

Your Telephone Can Rob You of Your Time:  Telephone calls can disturb your thoughts and throw your schedule out the door for the day.  Many callers are never content with a brief conversation, and may feel that because you work from home you should be available to talk whenever and for however long they wish to talk.  Ineffective use of voice mail can also be a time waster.  Leave a short, but detailed message rather than “Call me!”  It gives the person receiving the call an opportunity to get the answer to your inquiry before calling you back and may eliminate the need for another phone call.

Even when you call your clients or customers, if this is not to discuss a project and you’re just calling to check on them or follow-up on a purchase, set a limit on the amount of time you talk to each person.  It may sometimes be necessary to start your call with “Hi …. It’s ….. with So and So… I’m just making a quick call to follow-up, etc.”  Hopefully they’ll understand that it’s not a social call.

3. Your Filing System As a Time Saver:  Being able to find an important document immediately is an invaluable time-saving benefit.  It not only saves time but is actually good for your health as the level of frustration and anxiety experienced when an important document cannot be found is not in your health’s best  interests.  There should be a proper place to keep your files, even if it starts with just a box, which should be labeled and files sorted in a logical way for easy retrieval.

Your Filing System Can Rob You of Your Time: The expression “There’s method in my madness” is used by many to excuse their lack of organization.  If you can’t find it when you need it, then there is no method or organization.  Touching lots of paper and files, pulling out drawer after drawer in an effort to locate one document is a waste of your time and is unproductive.

Many years ago I did a Time Management course and the point was stressed over and over that you should touch a piece of paper only once.  The idea is that when something gets on your desk you make a decision immediately where it should go, if it merits further attention, or if it should be shredded.  Unfortunately, I’ve still not reached that lofty goal and of all these systems, my filing system is the most challenging because I’m always keeping that piece of correspondence to read later.  There’s probably a name for that somewhere.

Time Management begins with managing yourself and your resources and your systems are part of your resources.  What systems do you have in place and how effective are they for your business?

This is a reprint of an article I submitted to ezinearticles.com in 2009.  I feel it cannot be stressed too often that starting a business, online or offline, requires a plan.  Too many people start with no goal in mind other than to make money.  There’s nothing wrong with that as we would all like to make money, but in order to do so there must be a plan or a ‘road map’ to lead to the goal.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yvonne_A_Jones

If you are old enough you will recall that in the ’70’s the dream was that in 15-20 years we will become a paperless society because with the proliferation of computers, everything would be stored there and we would not need to have huge filing cabinets.  We can easily laugh at those statements now, can’t we, because it seems that more than ever before we are inundated with paper.  How about you in your home-based business?  Do you find that you spend a lot of time moving different stacks of paper from one place to another in your home office?  Do you often walk in to your office and wish you could just wave a magic wand and make all the papers disappear?  If you do, you are not alone.  But, what can you do so that the flood of papers do not consume your time?

Here are 5 tips to control the flow of paper and manage your time:

1.   E-Mails:  Just about everyone receive lots of e-mails on a daily basis.  Do you really need to print out every e-mail?  You may need to from time to time, but before you print a copy, is a reply required?  You could reply promptly and then print one copy that has both the incoming message and your response.  You may have specific times during the day that you reply to e-mails.  Rather than printing them out, could you ‘flag’ the messages so that you’ll know which ones need to be replied to. Print only after you have responded. In this way you have less paperwork on a given topic.

2.   Regular Mail:  It may be possible to reply with a note written on the bottom of the original letter, or just a phone call may be an appropriate response.  You would make sure to note on the correspondence the time and date you responded and the person to whom you spoke.

3.    Do You Need to File It?:  Many of us, including myself, receive mail and file it away to look at in more detail ‘later.’  Six months later we still have not found the time to look at the “Special Offer” which has expired.  If the offer has expired throw it out!  Why not include in your schedule every two weeks to spend a half-hour outside of normal client hours to go through these correspondence and purge.  Make to decision to file or throw out.

4.    Reading Online Correspondence:  Most of us are on several people’s mailing lists and receive newsletters, ezines, and e-mails daily.  Some information is very pertinent and valuable to our business.  However, how you read is important.  You probably have perfected the art of speed-reading, but do you need to read everything  in every e-mail?  You may need to do that for some, while others you just skim over looking at headings, and others you scan for specific information.  For indepth material I like to print out and read along with a pen or pencil and highlighter.  Keep those for quiet moments when you can focus and concentrate.

5.   Be organized:  Have a system in place for putting away papers so that you touch each the minimum  required number of times.  Moving stacks of paper from one place to the other is self-defeating and time-consuming.  File, don’t pile!  Keep only what is necessary on your desk and outside of cabinets. File away all others.

By implementing these tips, you may find that you are more productive.  Entering a neat work area gives a positive feeling of well-being and encourages creativity and action.  For additional strategies click here.

Flexibility is a self-management skill that is an integral part of your success when running your own business.  It helps to keep you alert  to opportunities to learn new things, but it also helps to prepare you for whatever unexpected twists and turns your business may take.

Being flexible in the hours you spend in your home office will allow you to adjust your hours, as much as possible, to meet your specific needs.  Many women find that they are most productive in the very early morning hours, perhaps before the rest of the family is awake.  Others prefer to rise later and enjoy a few more productive hours at night after the rest of the family goes to bed.

Do you see clients in your home?  You may have specific hours that you see clients in your home so as not to disrupt your family’s routine.  However, your client may on occasion need to see you outside of those times.  Are you willing to be flexible and accommodate your client?  Your willingness to be flexible could mean the difference between endearing that client to you and alienating a prospective or current client.

The key to flexibility in your home based business is to establish a routine for your business that works for you and make a commitment to stick to that routine as much as possible while allowing for the unexpected.

Working from home has its advantages and disadvantages. One of the disadvantages I hear of most frequently and that I’ve personally experienced as a Solo Entrepreneur who works from home is becoming distracted very easily.

Here are 3 things in your home office that you can allow to be time-savers or time-killers:

1.Your Computer As a Time Saver: I cannot imagine running a business from home without a computer.  Your computer allows you to store huge amounts of information and retrieve them with a few clicks of your mouse.  The volume of software on the market allows you to be creative, and of course access to the internet allows you to communicate quickly and effectively as well as research data quickly.

Your Computer as a Time Killer: A time killer, you may ask? To determine how effectively you are using your computer for your business, why not keep a notepad by your computer and do a quick task.  Jot down how much time you actually sit in front of your computer for just one week. Then note how much time you actually work on your business.  You may be surpirised to find how much time you spend surfing the internet, checking your e-mails during the day, visitng social networking sites, etc. compared with just how much actual work you get done.  While these are essential they can become time-consuming if not managed properly.

2. Your Telephone As a Time Saver:  The telephone gives you the ability to communicate messages quickly and almost instantly.  It can save you lenghty trips away from your income-producing activies and allows you to keep  in touch with your network on a regular basis – receiving and conveying information.

Your Telephone As a Time Killer:  Telephone calls can disturb your thoughts and can throw your schedule out the door for the day.  Many callers are never content with a brief conversation, and many feel that because you work from home you should be avaibale to talk whenever and for however long they wish to talk.  Ineffective use of voice mail can also be a time waster.

3. Your Filing System As a Time Saver:  Being able to find an important document immediately is an invaluable time-saving benefit.  It not only saves time but is actually good for your health as the level of frustration and anxiety experienced when an important document cannot be found is not in your best health  interests.  There should be a proper place to keep your files, which should be labeled and filed in a logical way.

Your Filing System As a Time Killer: The expression “There’s method in my madness” is used by many to excuse their lack of organization.  If you can’t find it when you need it, then there is no method or organization.  Touching lots of paper and files, pulling out drawer after drawer in an effort to locate one document is a waste of your time.

Time Management begins with managing yourself and your resources.  Would you like to be able to organize your home-based business so that it’s set up for SUCCESS?  Jimmy D Brown’s report “Homepreneur Habits: How to Run a Successful Home Business” is chock-full of informative topics like setting up a workspace, creating a schedule, and running the day to day operations of your home business.  Click here to get more information.