Freedom by Working Online

What do you feel gives you freedom? To me, it is time, money and choice that comes from having money, and it is the freedom not to have to work for someone else or be governed by government rules about what jobs you must apply for whether or not you can physically do them, but you have lost your disability benefit and are forced to go to the job centre and sign on to get job seekers allowance, as has happened to thousands in the UK because of welfare reform. The more time you have that is your own, the more choices you have regarding what you want to do and how you want to direct the course of your life…. And one of the best ways to free up time? Working online.

This is perhaps the most common example of lifestyle management: working online so that you can start to choose when, where and how you work. Now you can decide to make your work fit in around your lifestyle instead of being forced to squeeze your life in when you can.

However, what do we do with this freedom once we have it? Some people travel the world while working online. They use the ability to work not in an office and instead work on the move. These people travel from country to country, meet new people and see incredible sights, then, they use the rest of their time to work in cafes and bars – anywhere with a power socket and an internet connection. Smart phones with excellent internet access and apps and great deals on data, make this lifestyle even easier, as indeed do tablets with their portability and again, wide selection of apps.

This is true freedom. These people can support themselves but in doing so they are also getting to climb mountains, see famous landmarks and discover other cultures. They aren’t tied to any one place and surely that’s one of the truest demonstrations of freedom. Some do it another way and have a regular job that facilitates working from home, or even if it didn't they have negotiated this with their bosses.

But the reality is that not everyone would enjoy this lifestyle. Some of us need colleagues to avoid going mad and many of us have partners or families that depend on us – we can’t afford to go travelling for days on end. However, you can make adaptions, you can use the same thing to just have more freedom at home.

How about working in cafes near you? Or perhaps there’s a beauty spot you could enjoy working in? Because there’s no commute though, you can spend an extra hour in bed. And if someone invites you out for an impromptu lunch? Then you’ll be free to take them up on that offer!

You can travel more but still come home in between to spend time with your family and with your creature comforts (like tea…) …If you have family and or carers responsibilities, these can much more easily be accommodated in your working life.

The importance of researching company websites

Are you applying for jobs?  If so, it is highly likely that you are using job websites such as Total, Monster, Indeed and many more and also you may be using ads in newspapers. While these are likely to be your initial roots to considering applying for a job, you should also check out the company website for the job you are applying for.

Unless very small, and even many of those that are, most businesses these days have a website, especially as getting an online presence is much cheaper than it used to be.

Business websites have almost become a necessity.  Even locally owned and operated businesses have started using online websites to their advantage.  Although we often think of business websites from a customer standpoint, they can also be of use to you as a job seeker.

You can use online job posting websites and newspaper employment sections to help you find jobs in or around your area.  However, you may find the information that they contain to be limited.  This is most common with newspaper employment advertisements, as they are often limited on space.  Of course, you can still go ahead and submit your resume or a job application for a position that you do not know much about, but you may end up wasting your time.  If you are serious about finding a job, this wasted time is something that you may not have. This is especially so if you have serious financial concerns and or you are registered for benefits at the job Centre and must give evidence that you are applying for jobs, or lose your benefits, or indeed you have already been sanctioned.

If you can get the name of the company that is posting a job listing ether online or in print, you can use that company name for an internet search. This should lead you to websites where that company is mentioned and this website, should you be able to come across it, can be a wealth of information. When examining the online website of a company that you would like to apply to, you may well first want to search the situations vacant section.  This section, if there is one, may provide you with more information on the position that you are applying for.

In addition to this, you will also want to examine the website in general.  If you are looking for a career in retail, examine the company’s website to see where they may have retail locations, which type of products they sell, as well as which type of customers they target. This may help make deciding if you should apply for the job advertised online or in your local newspaper easier.  For instance, you may find that the company you found a job opening for specializes in selling adult entertainment items.  If that the case and if you feel uncomfortable working in that environment, you can simply move on, without having to take any other action.

In addition to helping you decide whether the company in question is a company that you would like to work for, you can also use a company website to your advantage later.  If you are ever contacted for a job interview, the information that you retained from the company website may be able to better assist you.  It can give you an idea of your intended job duties or the type of employees the company is looking to hire.

As outlined above, there are many benefits to taking the time to examine a company website before officially submitting your resume or job application.  This process is one that should not take too much time; therefore, it is an action that you can only benefit from.

Also , think about your connections to the company to which you are applying . Do you know someone who works there or has done so and can tell you more about the company culture ? Check out your Linkedin and other social media contacts and see if they may be connected to the company .

Business owners who started late

Stop Surviving and Start Living

Are you only just about getting by each day ~ surviving but certainly not living? if you are unemployed this can easily be the case, the psychological effects of unemployment and no or not enough income are well documented. Or, to the contrary, are you positive thriving, having just decided maybe to fulfill that dream and start your own business?

Most people go through tough times at some point in their lives and many things happen over which we have no control. Even today, while many of us in the U.K will have been to vote, not one of us has control over who wins the General Election taking place here today. We cannot control those times when a friend drops us for a reason unknown to us, or makes a false claim against us and we risk harassment charges for trying to contact them with hopes of resolving the situation. If a person believes something of you, there is very little chance of changing their mind ...far better to move on and be sure to not in future make any moves that could leave you open and vulnerable to such accusations. you can’t control the weather or what other people do and say. There is something that you do control, though, and that is how you think, how you act, and how you respond to those things that are out of your control.

We should be living, not merely surviving. Positive thinking doesn’t mean that you’re being unrealistic, nor does it mean that you’re sitting on the fence, waiting for goodness to wash over you. Thinking is just the first step, what follows thinking is action. It’s vital to understand that the world is full of challenges, and you can learn from that and create a plan to stop surviving, and start living.

·       Don’t give in to negativity. No matter what it is, don’t participate in negativity, whether it’s gossip, or even such topics as religion and politics, unless you are in the right company, i.e. with political or friends of sympathetic or the same religious views. Keep your focus on your vision, your goals, whether they are for your business or yourself. Start believing that success is within your grasp. Remain positive, work hard, and take actions to grow.

·       Don’t invite judgement. You don’t need to allow judgement from others to enter your life, because by allowing it you’re inviting negativity. You can do amazing things, so don’t make excuses, and don’t let outside judgements cloud your opinion of yourself and knock your confidence~ this can be especially difficult if you have been raised by judgmental parents who put their own limitations onto you.

·       Be accountable. You own your thoughts and you own your actions, so step up and take responsibility. Don’t engage in finger pointing, or pass the blame on to someone else if things go wrong. Look at you, and how you can alter the outcome. Do remember this, you can only be responsible for the things you have the power to change.

·       Be a magnet for success. You want to start attracting money, opportunities, positivity, love, peace, business, or clients? Then focus on what it is that you want, and think positively.  Don’t give power to such things as your debt, or your lack of success. By focusing on negative situations, you’re gifting it your power. Focus your thoughts and attention on how to achieve what you want. This motivates positivity and improves your creative flow.

·       Know your why. What makes you get up every morning? People who are living and thriving know their why and use it as their fuel. Once you finish reading this, take half an hour out and sit and consider your why. What’s important to you, and why do you do it? What is it that you want? Discover the why and stay on track. Behind every goal there is a why, and it’s vital that you take time out to understand it. If you want to accomplish your goals, then you need to understand it to breathe purpose and meaning into it. 

Now, ask yourself this: who are you? Have you just been surviving, or have you been living and thriving? Survivors view the world as uncertain and unfavorable, they’re cautious and think narrowly. Livers and thrivers, though, think positively, they find ways to solve their problems, and act with courage and strength. They think outside the box and believe that every goal is achievable. They take action and work hard to achieve those goals. They never give up!!!

Tips for Working at Home

Success when working at home can be a challenge for many people and the challenge is often about time management and getting a balance. There is the constant temptation to sleep longer in the morning, run errands during the day, or get engrossed in watching your favorite TV program. Then there is also the challenge to keep the boundaries between home life and work life separate.

However, for many people, working from home is a dream come true. It gives a person back a relative amount of freedom to plan their day and feel more relaxed. There can be more time available for children and the opportunity to plan your working day so that you can attend school events, and it can make life easier as a carer. There are also more hours in the day because there is no daily commute to the office.

How can you make a success of working at home? Read on to find out how you can enjoy your dream job without ever leaving the comfort of your home.

1. Have a Good Routine

First and foremost, you need a good routine for your workday. This involves starting and finishing work at a set time every day. It is also important to take a set lunch break to relax and 'recharge your batteries.' However, you do not need to be too strict.

Because working from home gives you more flexibility, you can take a few more breaks during the day than would be possible if you worked in an office.

A good routine with the proper amount of breaks while working at home will make your day much more enjoyable and productive.

2. Dress for Work

Dressing for work doesn't mean putting on a suit, a shirt, and tie or a suit dress if you are a woman. It also doesn't mean working in your pajamas and dressing gown.

So, in the morning you should shower and get dressed as if you were going to the office. In fact, dressing for work affects the way that you deal and speak with people when you call them. Even though they can't see you, if you are dressed for work you will assert yourself more professionally.

3. Have a Work Environment

To make a success of working at home, it is important that you have a proper work environment. If possible, you should have an office space at home that is reserved only for your work. Some people have made space in a converted garage, a spare room, or dedicated a corner of a quiet room for their workspace. This can help you 'leave' work when you finish your day.

4. Don't Mix Work with Home Duties

It can be too easy to get distracted if you are working at home. It is very easy to start doing simple jobs around the home when you should be working. Even something as simple as answering the doorbell can make you lose your focus. If you must run errands, try to do these before or after your workday or during your lunch break.

However, it is important to be balanced with these duties and not go to the other extreme and become so inflexible that the rest of your family wished that you worked in an office!

Try to divide your day between your working time and time for doing chores, don’t fall into the habit of trying to do both at once.

5. Use the Latest Technology

One of the reasons that working at home as become so popular is because of advancements in technology. It is now easier and cheaper to connect with your boss and colleagues remotely. In fact, this has helped many people expand their business because they can now have clients all over the world. For example, you can take advantage of cloud computing by keeping your work documents online.

This makes it much easier to share documents and collaborate with others on them. Skype and Google+ Hangouts have made video conferencing available for everyone. These also allow screen sharing and whiteboards so that you can brainstorm new ideas. This helps you stay in touch with your co-workers and be more productive.

However, don't forget, that if you work as part of a team, it is still good to have a monthly in-person meeting because this can be more productive than doing everything remotely.