Fantastic Friday - Balancing Home and Work with the 5 Second Rule

Fantastic Friday - it is fantastic to be able to continue to balance home and work and make both sides feel special.

Each Fantastic Friday throughout the month of November has been dedicated to the work//home balancing act. Previous articles have covered the plan fail dichotomy and balancing work vacations and school schedules, balancing family time vs office networking time and balancing home and work when priorities change. Today, the final Fantastic Friday of November will deal with making each side feel special.

A reality of life in modern day America is that most people have responsibilities both inside and outside the home. While for the most part work home hours and work hours don't coincide, it is natural to think of obligations to one side while on duty with the other. When you are at work, whether you work at home or a traditional workplace, your employer, employees and customers expect you to be at work and thinking about work. Likewise, when you are at home, your family wants you to think about their needs and not pending issues at the office. However, the reality is that we do not turn off completely just because we are at home and we do not turn off home automatically just because we walk into the office building.

When you arrive at work, you have an obligation to perform your work duties. It is natural that you would think of things that are going on at home for example:

• your spouse just got laid off
• your teenager is not doing as well as he should be in school
• your daughter is having trouble adjusting to her new middle school
• you are out of side dishes for that night's dinner
• you have not done laundry in three days

While at work these things will cross your mind over and over again. Don't try to pretend it will not happen, it will. When it does, use the five second rule. That means, pay attention to the situation from home that has caught your attention, but only for five seconds. Spend five full seconds thinking about the issue from home, trying to find a solution or alternative and then put it out of your mind and get back to thinking about your work obligations. The five second rule allows you to deal with the home issue, put it aside in a rational manner and then get back to the current obligation. Your job deserves your full attention and good efforts so use the five seconds to allow you to get things in order and back on track.

Fantastic Friday, balance, home, work, life, satisfied, five seconds

Likewise when you are at home, work issues will cross your mind even though you are at home. There are things from work that will cross your mind. For example:

• your supervisor is not pleased with your work and is threatening to have you fired
• your co-workers shirk their responsibilities and have ruined the report due tomorrow
• one of the people who reports to you has been absent from work and not called in for 3 days

You spouse and children are only moderately interested in these issues. They are concerned with the school work, dinner and laundry. When you are at home, and work issues cross your mind, use the five second rule. Think about the work issue for five seconds and then move on back to your family obligations.

Family life and work life often intrude upon one another, when they do it is important to think about the interruption for only a brief time, five seconds, and then move back to the role you are currently living. So, the question for you this Fantastic Friday is what do you do when your thoughts of home and family get intertwined?

Sensational Saturday - Better Blogging, Better Business

Sensational Saturday it is sensational to read interesting things and improve your skills as a blogger and as an entrepreneur.

Each Sensational Saturday I am going to give you some great articles on blogging and business that I have found interesting during the past week. Be sure to check both sets of articles, there is often relevant overlap!

For Bloggers

1. Many bloggers are concerned about content curation, getting good information organized and on the pages of their blog. This artcle from SocialMediaTips.com is actually ten different articles covering what they consider the 10 best blog posts on content curation in 2012.  http://www.smartmediatips.com/what-is-content-curation-top-10-blog-posts-2012-you-cant-miss/
2. I have had several conversations with bloggers about organizing blog posts and editorial calendars. I have my posts planned out months in advance. Every blogger with an editorial calendar has a different approach. Here is one to check out. http://www.smartmediatips.com/what-is-content-curation-top-10-blog-posts-2012-you-cant-miss/
3. Bloggers who are using google analytics to check out their blog's reach and performance often get stuck on "bounce rate." Here is an article explaining bounce rate and why you should pay attention t it. http://www.smartmediatips.com/what-is-content-curation-top-10-blog-posts-2012-you-cant-miss/
4. Bloggers often ask me about where I publish my blog other than Janeane's World . I actually submit my blog posts to about 13 different locations each day. This article is an oldie but goodie that talks about different places to post your blog after publication. http://www.searchenginejournal.com/20-essential-blog-directories-to-submit-your-blog-to/5998/
5. This week I had conversations with several bloggers about using photographs from the internet in their blog articles. Here is a good article for explaining the rules and regulations on that issue. http://socialmediatoday.com/lggodard/955461/5-rules-about-using-web-images-your-blog?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Social+Media+Today+%28all+posts%29

For Entrepreneurs

1. Entrepreneurs are ever aware of the importance of networing in growing their businesses. This article from Entrepreneur.com has what they call 7 KeyHabits of Super Networkers. http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/224819?fb_ref=fbrec
2. I have never met an entrepreneur who did not want to build a profitable business. This article from one of my Facebook friends, Dr. Will Moreland gives ten tips for building a profitable business.  http://www.launchwhileworking.com/ten-tips-for-building-a-profitable-business-part-1
3. Many entrepereneurs are searching for ways to build a better mousetrap, to innovate in business. This article from the Harvard Business reviews gives an interesting take on the matter.  http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/11/innovating_innovation_at_scale.html

If you come across an interesting article for bloggers or business people you would like me to highlight here, please email it to me at: janeanedavis@janeane's world.com

Sensational Saturday - it is sensational to get better at what you do. So, the question for you this sensational Saturday is what steps are you taking to make your blog and business better?

Sensational Saturday - Favorite Books - Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

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Sensational Saturday - it is sensational to read a book as a child and still enjoy it as an adult.

 

Sensational Saturdays throughout November have all been about sharing my favorite books. We started with the Bible, then The Bourne Identity, next came The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes. This final Sensational Saturday for November is dedicated to Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. I have shared my favorite books each Saturday and have encouraged you to do the same. I hope you have enjoyed the exercise, as much as I have enjoyed sharing it with you.

 

 

photo credit: cliff1066™ via photopin cc
Sensational Saturday, read, favorite book, Song of Solomon, Toni Morrison

 

 

Song of Solomon was written by Toni Morrison in 1977 and is one of the reasons she was given a Nobel Prize in literature. To sum the story up  in a few words, it is the story of a family who lives in a southern town before blacks were treated with equal rights in America. One of the things I liked most about the book was Not Doctor Street. When black men from the town went off to fight the World War, they wrote back to an address on Doctor Street which was were the only black doctor lived. The postal employees did not like this and marked the address with the actual name of the street and said it was "not doctor street." As a result, the GIs started writing the letters addressed to "Not Doctor" Street.  The post office stopped arguing and just delivered the mail to "Not Doctor" Street. I liked this because it affirmed to me, that people who band together in one voice can accomplish anything they set their minds to accomplish.

 

There are a great deal of twists and turns in the book and numerous plot twists, references to the Bible, and to American history. When I first read the book the end was unexpected, but as I learned to appreciate foreshadowing and predictive writing, the ending seemed more perfect with each reading. I like the book because after all this time, almost thirty years, I still laugh and cry at the same parts. I am still confused by the same passages and I can tell what is going on in the story just by judging where the page is in the book, without even looking at the words.

 

 

A book can be an old, comfortable friend if you let it. And just like friends in the real world, you can come back to a book after years apart and start up again as if you were never separated. So, the question for you this Sensational Saturday is, what book is an old friend to you?

Fantastic Friday - Balancing Home and Work When Priorities Change

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Fantastic Friday - it is fantastic to be able to continue to balance home and work when priorities change.

 

Each Fantastic Friday throughout the month of November has been dedicated to the work//home balancing act. Previous articles have covered the plan fail dichotomy and balancing work vacations and school schedules,  and balancing family time vs office networking time.  Next week the final Fantastic Friday of November, will deal with making each side feel special. This Fanastic Firday is all about balancing home and work when priorities change.

photo credit: prashant_zi via photopin cc
fantastic Friday, balancing work and family, balance work and life, priorities

Most families in America have at least one parent who works for pay either inside or outside the home. This means their are obligations that shift in priority. For example, when you have a major project deadline on Monday and major changes happened on Friday morning, your job will have a major priority over the weekend, which is normally family time. Simillarly, if your ten year old starts throwing up on Wednesday night and Thursday morning has a fever, is still vomitting and in pain, your sick baby is your priority. This example is not unusual, it is part of life as usual for working parents.

In the world of changing priorities between home and work, preparation is key to success. When at home, it is important to make your spouse and children feel that they are important, special and one of the reasons why you work. When you have established a reputation as a person who loves family, appreciates family and believes family is one of the most important things in the world your family will be understanding when you have to put in exta time at work.  At the same time, when you have established a reputation at work as someone who comes to work and works, doesn't spend the work day on personal matters and gets the job done, when you have to take time off for some personal emergency, it will be more easily accepted.

fantastic Friday, balance life and work, balance work and family, priorities

The bottom line is that your reputation at home and at work influences how those around you look at you. You must take care to create a good reputation as a person who is trustworthy, honest and cares about home and cares about work if you want to have each side be understanding when you must temporarily  give a priority position to the other side. So the question for you this Fantastic Friday is have you prepared your home and work for changing priorities?

Thrilling Thursday - After the Turkey- Then What?

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

Thrilling, Thankful Thursday - after the turkey, conquer a new challenge.

Thrilling Thankful Thursday. To celebrate the holiday, I am taking the day off and sharing with you one of my recent and popular stories.  In the weeks since Ioriginally shared the details about my move from Blogspot to WordPress I have received a lot of calls and emails from people axius to do the same. Here is another look at the move for those of you considering making a move yourself.

Those of you who read this blog on a regular basis, (I appreciate each and every one of you) have noticed some changes to the way this blog looks. The look changed because this week I switched platforms and moved my blog from Google's Blogspot platform to a self hosted Wordpress.org platform.  I have resisted this change for quite a long time, but finally after speaking with a few people at the recent PowerUp Weekend in Washington, D.C. I  put on my big girl panties and made the switch.

Many of the people I spoke with told me I should pay a website designer and get the move done. However, this is Janeane's World so I figured Janeane should do the moving, so off I went. Everything I did was free.  I am sharing the process I went through with you because, if I can do it, you can do it and here is how.

1.     I already owned my domain name, www.janeanesworld.com and it was linked to my Blogspot blog. I had purchased the domain name from GoDaddy.com  and like their customer service department a great deal.

2.      I was in the habit of copying my blog articles from Blogspot to a Wordpress.com account everyday, so I had a full copy of  my entire blog on the Wordpress.com site already.

3.      I called the customer service department at GoDaddy and told them I already had a domain name and wanted them to host my blog and attach my domain name to my new Wordpress.org blog.

4.     GoDaddy sent me a series of email, with instructions on how to proceed. The customer service people told me it could take several hours to be ready to start the process, but it took less than one hour. The emails came almost at the same time.

•  The first email was my hosting credentials, information I would need to provide Wordpress to set up the self hosted blog account.
•   The next email was a link to the FAQ page from Wordpress.org which I found quite helpful. I am attaching a copy of the link here for your ease of use.  WordPress Hosting FAQ
• Next GoDaddy sent me an email telling me it was time to build my website along with another helpful email. help guide.  Keep in mind, a blog is just a type of website

5.     I went to the Wordpress.org site and downloaded WordPress 3.4.2 and GoDaddy sent me an email telling me the program was downloaded and it was time for my personal touch.

6.     Next pick out one of the more than eight hundred themes for your blog design. My Blogspot blog header  was designed for me by Brandi Jeter of Mama Knows It All and it is a beautiful peace of art.

With a little trial and error, I was able to add my personal header to the template of my choosing.

6.     I learned that most of the good stuff on Wordpress.org comes from something called Plugins which are programs that do all kinds of cool stuff. I will talk more about them later.  The first plug in I installed was the Blogger Importer Plugin.  This plugin was really cool because it imported all my blogger blog posts including comments!

7.     I then copied my buttons etc from my Blogspot blog to my new Wordpress.org blog by using the text box. It was not intuitive, but every time I had a question, I got answers relatively easily.

8.   Here are some of the plugins I got and found useful:

• All in One SEO pack, to help my blog be recognized by the major search engines
• EP Social widget - to add those neat social media sharing buttons at the end of each post
• Jet-Pak for Wordpress to allow me to use some great features and connect with my free Wordpress.com blog site
• Linkwithin - to put links to random previous blog posts after each new post
• Network Publisher - so that when I publish my blog on Wordpress.org it automatically posts to several other networks including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr and a host of others

9.     The last thing I added was the Google Analytics  plug so that I can keep track of relevant statistics with my blog.

All in all, it was a fun and rewarding experience and I am glad I was able to do it myself. I successfully made the switch, own my content and can advertise or do whatever I want. I highly suggest you set aside a day or two and try the process for yourself. If you get stuck, send me an email or leave a voice mail message on this blog. You can move your blog from Blogspot to Wordpress.org if you take your time and go step by step. So the question for you this Thrilling Thankful Thursday is after your turkey what challenge are you going to set out to conquer?

Wonderful Wednesday - Take a Chance - Write an E-book

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Wonderful Wednesday - it is wonderful to take a chance and write an e-book.

Each Wonderful Wednesday throughout the month of  November has been devoted to taking a chance and starting something new. The first Wednesday was about taking a chance and starting a business, last week was about taking a chance and starting a blog.  Next week the final Wonderful Wednesday will deal with the issue of taking a chance and starting something new. This week is about taking a chance and writing an e-book.

photo credit: edvvc via photopin cc                                                                                             wonderful Wednesday, write, e-book, research, prepare, move

As I blog and met more and more people I come across more people who talk about moving from writing a blog to publishing an e-book. More often than not, they talk about writing the e-book as if they are dreaming the impossible dream.It amazes me that no matter how successful their blogging activities are, they scared to go the extra mile and write the book. But, I am a superwoman and I believe in dreaming the impossible dream. When my husband tried to teach me to play pool, I said, it's simple, "You put the ball in the hole." That attitude of breaking a complex scary thing down to its simplest components has served me well all my life.  I apply that same idea to the idea of writing an e-book. If you want to write an e-book, publish it and sell it, you can do it and start today. As with most things, the fist step is preparation:

1.     Pick the topic you are going to write about

2.     Research the topic to be sure you understand it well enough to share it with others

3,     Draft an outline for your book

4.     Write your book

5.     Proofread your book

6.     Use software to turn your word processed draft of a book into e-book format. There are many free programs like Nitro PDF that have an e-book converter built into it. Amazon's Kindle website gives free and detailed instruction on how to make your book an e-book.

7.     Shop around or an e-book publisher or go to Amazon's Kindle website for detailed instruction on how to create an e-book to be published on the Kindle platform to self publish the book.

8.     Start using all your contacts virtual and real world in order to publicize your book.

9.     Breathe a sigh of relief and be happy at your dream accomplished.

Admittedly, this is a simple explanation on the process involved. People who are serious about writing an e-book will see these instructions and feel motivated because they recognize this as something they can accomplish. People who are not serious will look at these same instructions say they are too simple and go back to dreaming about writing an e-book but never actually do it. Writing an e-book, like so many other endeavors is a thing that requires you to just get up and do it. As the cool people say, don't talk about it, be about it. If you ever dreamed of writing an e-book, it can be done and you can do it, if you just do it. So the question for you this Wonderful Wednesday is, when are you going to let the e-book that is inside you out?

Terrific Tuesday - Election History - George Bush, Al Gore and the Teenie Bopper

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Terrific Tuesday - it is terrific raise politically aware children.

Each Terrific Tuesday throughout the month of November will be dedicated to discussions of elections past and present. Our first Terrific Tuesday of  November urged everyone, no matter who their candidate of choice, to go vote, last week was about discussing election results respectfully. Next week, the last Terrific Tuesday of November will be about John Kerry's presidential campaign. This Terrific Tuesday is about the Bush/Gore rase of 2000 and my Teenie Bopper when she was a Baby Bopper.

photo credit: @mjb via photopin cc                                                                                                        Terrific Tuesday, election, political, aware, children, respect

In November of  2000, my teenie bopper was a precocious 4 year old who was seeing talk about the Bush/Gore race all over the news as a result of her father's political addiction. She decided Al Gore should win because he cared more about keeping water clean than did George Bush. It was cute to see her walking the streets of  Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania with her Gore Leiberman campaign button and the campaign poster she kept in her bedroom window. When the election results were announced then litigated and then finalized, the baby bopper was not happy. She said then and says now that George Bush stole the election and was not a legitimate president. This was her at four, so I should not have been surprised at her teenage years, but that is another story.

Since that election she follows carefully and attentively politticians and election results and examines the relevant issues from her perspective each election. Please do not tell her you do not vote she will lose all respect for you. The point of this article is not to share any particular agenda. After all, if you are reading this, you know I am one of those far left wing liberals. The point of this article is to say tha tin politics, like with so many things in life, our children watch what we do, form an opnion and then coy what they see. We are always told not to talk about sex, religion or politics in polite company. Howver, imagine a world where our children grow up politically aware and attentive. Imagine how life would be if politics were a subject like sports and our children grew up learning to pay attention and root for their own side without resorting to cheap name calling and mean spiritedness when disagreements arise.

I have a friend who is two of the most horrible things on earth, a Cowboys fan and a Republican. She and I tease each other about sports and politics on a a regular basis, but we don't take it personally and we respect each other's opinions.  In fact, when she runs for election again, I am going to be one of her campaing volunteers. That is the kind of example I want my children to see: you can disagree over politics but still remain friends.  So the question for you this Terrific Tuesday is,  what type of political children are you raising?

Magnificent Monday - Using Vision Boards to Take Action Now

Magnificent Monday - it is magnificent to use vision boards to help you take action now.

Each Magnificent Monday throughout the month of November has been dedicated to the idea of getting  to TAN -Take Action Now.  Most people have things they want to accomplish, goals they would like to reach and journeys they would like to make. There is one thing stopping them, a refusal to TAN, take action now. The first Magnificent Monday article in November was about, why you should TAN. The second article on TAN was about using mind maps as a tool. Next week, the final Magnficent Monday in the TAN series will be about using accountability groups as a tool to help you TAN.  Today, is all about using vision boards as a tool to TAN.

photo credit: deb roby via photopin cc  Magnificent Monday, vision board, take action

In October of this year, I was fortunate to be able to attend PowerUp Weekend as a Social Media AMbassador. It was incredible and remarkable as well as a high that I am still experiencing. One of my favorite workshops of the day was given by Dr. Nicole Cutts from Vision Quest Retreats.  Now like most people, I had heard of vision boards and thought I knew what they were. I wasn't that into the idea, but I went to the workshop anyway. I am so glad I did!

Vision boarding is an incedible tool for getting to TAN. During the workshop, we learned that a vision board is an actual board, an actual physical picture of what you want reality to be. When creating a vision board, you find pictures in magazines of what your desired reality is and you create a collage of that reality. One of my goals is to be in better shape. My vision board had pictures of sneakers, grass and a gorgeous dress I want to fit into as a result of my efforts to get into shape. An interesting thing about vision boards is that they show the end result you want to achieve, not how you are going to get there.

There were a few principles we talked about while vision boarding that helped explain why the process works. These ideas were the law of radiation and attraction and the law of intention and desire. In sum, the idea was that what goes around comes around and you reap what you sow. So, if you want something, put in the work to get it. Or for the old computer people GIGO, garbage in, garbage out.

At the workshop I learned that vision boarding was not just a free for all glue pretty pictures onto some paper type of thing. Instead there were rules and guidelines such as:

• do a separate vision board of reach goal or area of your life
• you should put a photograph of yourself on the vision baord
• when discussing your vision board, talk about the photos as if those things are happening now
• use only positive thoughts, affirmations and words when discussing your vision board

A vision board is a useful tool to take action now because it allows you to sit down and actually see what you want the world to be like. You go throught the work of creating a literal vision of your goals. It is really interesting because a vision board helps  you with the old Jesse Jackson saying, "If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it, then I can achieve  it."  With a vision board your mind conceives it because you think of the idea and your heart believes it because you create the collage of your vision and put a photo of yourself actually in the vision. I am a witness, it actually works. When I saw my collage with my face on top of the gorgeous dress, surrounded by the beautiful natural scenes where I run and exercise, I really believed it was happening and that I would be in shape.

A vision board is a tool. It helps you see where you want to be. A vision board helps you to speak a thing into existence. There is no reason why you can't start vision boarding now. I am electronics happy so I started my second vision board with my Kindle Fire, the Evernote program and websites like Pinterest, Photoshop and Photopin. I put the pictures into Evernote and I now have vision boards that I carry with me and can access on my smart phone, Kindle Fire and computer. Now that I have the vision boards and I see all my dreams coming true, I have a clear picture of what the end is going to be. This enables me to Take Action now and follow the steps to go from my vision being in my mind, to being on my vision board, to being a thing that I am doing and one day have accomplished. A vision board is an incredible tool that gives you the vision of your goals so you can Take Action Now and make your vision a reality. So the question for you this Magnificent Monday is what are you putting on your vision board?

Serene Sunday - Who to Inspire

Serene Sunday - You can find serenity in being an inspiration to other people.

Each Serene Sunday throughout the month of November is about inspiration. Previous articles have talked about what you can do with inspiration  and what inspires you. Next week, the last Serene Sunday of November will be about creating an inspiring atmosphere.  Today, is all about being an who to inspire.

photo credit: h.koppdelaney via photopin cc
Serene Sunday, inspiration, inspire, fire, kindle, spark, push

Inspiration is often defined as the process of being mentally stimulated to do something or to feel something. Inspiration is often thought of in relation to something creative. Inspiration is that special something that spurs a person to accomplish something she is thinking aout. Inspiration is what kindles the fire that energizes a person to greatness. Inspiration is a most wonderful and amazing thing. In fact, inspiration may be thought of as one of the most precious gifts in the world. In the spirit of it's better to give than to recieve, take this opportunity to go and spread inspiration.

Look around you, there is someone in your circle who has a dream but is afraid to go for it. She is looking to start a business, but she just won't do it. She keeps reading books about business. She belongs to every business networking site on the internet, but she still just won't  go for it. She needs inspiration, a spark to stimulate her to go from dreaming about starting a business to actually starting her business.

Even closer, take a look at your spouse. Perhaps he is thinking about going for a promotion or making a lateral move to another company but is feeling a little nervous about the move. It is a good opportunity for him and for the family. He needs you to provide the inspiration to keep him moving forward and going toward the new opportunity.

Perhaps you are like me with a  teenie bopper on her way to college who is not getting all her homework done to your satisfaction. She needs inspiration to stay at the top of her game all  the time so that attending Howard University becomes a reality and not a would have, could have.

In other words, the answer to who you should inspire is anyone you care about. Inspiration, like encouragement should be spread like butter on bread.  Whenever you see someone who has a dream, a desire or a hope and needs a little push to go for it, you have a target for spreading your inspiration, take aim and start spreading. So, the question for you this Serene Sunday is, who are you going to inspire next?

Originally published on www.janeanesworld.com

Sensational Saturday - Better Blogging, Better Business

Sensational Saturday it is sensational to read interesting things and improve your skills as a blogger and as an entrepreneur.

Each Sensational Saturday I am going to give you some great articles on blogging and business that I have found interesting during the past week. Be sure to check both sets of articles, there is often relevant overlap!

 

For Bloggers

 

1. Many bloggers are interested in monetizing or making money with their blogs. I read an interesting article this week from my Facebook Friend, A Proverbs Wife  wrote this interesting article on how to do just that. http://aproverbswife.com/affiliates-2


2. Some bloggers blog for personal pleasure and some blog to get their words out to as wide an audience as possible. This article from the Niche Mommy Network gives some great ideas on how to get more page views for your blog posts. http://www.thenichemommy.com/get-more-page-views-for-blog-posts/


3. There are bloggers who syndicate their content on a variety of social media outlets. Here is an interesting aritlce that tells  bloggers how to get Tumblr  functionality on Word Press blogs. http://diyblogger.net/tumblr-functionality-for-wordpress-bloggers?utm_source=DIY+Blogger+NET&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=089d40e3e0-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN


4. Bloggers are constantly wondering how their work is being received in the market place. This is an interesting article on what to look at when analyzing your blog's performance. http://www.momcomm.com/2011/07/five-things-to-watch-in-your-blog-analytics/


5. Many bloggers I know are looking for ways to turn their blogs into e-books. This article has some nice ideas for doing just that. http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-easy-ways-turn-blog-ebook-free/

 

For Entrepreneurs

 

1. Entrepreneurs are increasingly using social media to market and publicize their business efforts. This article has some great tools for using social media wisely and effectively. http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/24-must-have-social-media-marketing-tools/


2. I am a contributing editor for Project Eve.com, the ultimate networking site for women. The following article is from one of my ProjectEve.com fellow writers that explains why entrepreneurs need to get active on Google+. http://projecteve.com/m/blogpost?id=6468698%3ABlogPost%3A43821


3. Almost everyone has heard the expression, it takes a village to raise a child. It also takes a village to raise a business. Check out this article on Mastermind Groups and see how you can apply these lessons to your business. http://nacwe.org/10-ways-a-mastermind-group-can-propel-your-business-to-the-next-level/


4. Almost everyone has heard of Pinterest and how individuals are pinning up a storm. Pinterest is now open for business accounts as this article details. http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33839/pinterest-finally-rolls-out-business-accounts-how-to-set-yours-up-today

If you come across an interesting article for bloggers or business people you would like me to highlight here, please email it to me at: janeanedavis@janeane's world.com

Sensational Saturday - it is sensational to get better at what you do. So, the question for you this sensational Saturday is what steps are you taking to make your blog and business better?

 

Originally published on www.janeanesworld.com

Sensational Saturday - Favorite Books - Collected Works of Langston Hughes

Sensational Saturday - it is sensational to read a book so much that the pages are bent and the corners are worn out.

Each Sensational Saturday throughout the month of November I have been sharing my favorite books of all time. I have shared the Bible, and The Bourne Identity. Next week, I will be sharing Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon. I am a bookaholic. I love to read and carry books with me everywhere I go. I still think one of the best things my husband ever did was give me the Kindle 3G. Now I carry more than 3,000 books in my purse at all times.

Sensational Saturday, Langston Hughes, poem, read, favorite, learn

 

This week is all about my favorite poet, Langston Hughes and the book, The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes. My husband bought me this paperback volume about ten years as a birthday gift and I have read it so much it is getting a little thread bare. I have been a Langston Hughes fan since I was a young child. I like his books as well as his poems. He is my all time favorite author. If anyone wants to get me in a good mood, pull out some Langston Hughes verses and I will melt in you hands. My husband just has to mention some of my favorite Langston lines and I turn to putty in his hands.

I do not have the space to share all of my favorite poems, so I will just share a few lines from a few of my favorite poems. Sit back, relax and enjoy these beautiful words.

 

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Sensational Saturday, Langston Hughes, poem, read, favorite, learn

Dream Variations

To fling my arms wide

In some place of the sun,

To whirl and to dance

Till the white day is done.

Then rest at cool evening

Beneath a tall tree

While night comes on gently,

Dark like me-

That is my dream!

 

 

I like this one because of the freedom and imagery of flinging arms, dancing with wild abandon and then being enveloped by my friend, the night.

 

 

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Sensational Saturday, Langston Hughes, poem. read, favorite, learn

Negro Speaks of Rivers

. . .

 I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young

I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.

I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.

I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln

went down to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy

bosom turn all golden in the sunset

 . . .

 My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

 

 

I like this one because it paints such a beautiful picture in my mind.

 

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Sensational Saturday, Langston Hughes, poem, favorite, learn, read

I, Too

I, too, sing America.

 I am the darker brother.

They send me to eat in the kitchen

When company comes,

But I laugh,

And eat well,

And grow strong.

 I like this one because I grew up in the days before a black president was a reality and I dreamed of the day it would come to pass.

Ok, this last one is my favorite poem, by my favorite author. I began to love it as a child when I dreamed of being a mother who worked hard and sacrificed everything for her children and wanted to encourage her children to fight and never quit no matter what. I am happy to report, that dream, based on the words of a poem from so long ago, has come true.

Mother to Son

photo credit: K2D2vaca via photopin cc
sensational Saturday, books, favorite, Langston Hughes, poems, knowledge, learn

 Well, son, I'll tell you:

Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

It's had tacks in it,

And splinters,

And boards torn up,

And places with no carpet on the floor—

Bare.

But all the time

I'se been a-climbin' on,

And reachin' landin's,

And turnin' corners,

And sometimes goin' in the dark

Where there ain't been no light.

So, boy, don't you turn back.

Don't you set down on the steps.

'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.

Don't you fall now—

For I'se still goin', honey,

I'se still climbin',

And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

 

 

Now that I have shared these words from one of my favorite books, you have gotten to know me a little better. The books we read tell others a little something about us. The books we read a lot tell a lot about us. So, the question for you this Sensational Saturday, is what is a book that you have read over and over until it is threadbare?

 

Originally published on www.janeanesworld.com

Fantastic Friday - Balancing Home and Work - Family Time and Networking

Fantastic Friday - it is fantastic to be come up with a plan to balance work and home.

Each Fantastic Friday throughout the month of November will be dedicated to the work//home balancing act. Previous articles have covered the plan fail dichotomy and balancing work vacations and school schedules. In upcoming weeks the Fantastic Friday articles will cover balancing home and work when priorities change and how to make each side feel special. This Fantastic Friday is about family time vs office networking time.

 

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Fantastic Friday, family, work, balance, superwoman

 

It is a fact of life that modern workers have obligations to their families as well as obligations to their work. In the past, parents could get out of obligations at their children's schools by saying they had work obligations. The children would be disappointed, but would understand and the parent would go to the work event. Today, children are less understanding of obligations other than their own.

This week is American Education Week, my children's elementary school invited parents to come to school to see learning in action. All three of my children wanted me to visit their classes. My husband has a hurt ankle and was thus unable to attend. So at the same time I was due in three different classrooms. I started in one twin's kindergarten class, moved to the next and then on to the fourth grade class. At the same time, I was had to prepare for two social media jobs I was applying for and the project management position I needed to get.

My children did not care that I had work obligations. They did not care that I had to put on my Superwoman cape and be in three places at once. The clients whose social media accounts I was attempting to obtain did not care about me not wanting to disappoint my children. But, this was one of those occasions where I had to put on my big girl panties and get the jobs done. This is real life, this is what grown ups, people who have work and family have to do every day of the week.

As a business person with obligations to do professional networking and parents with obligations to our children we must find ways to balance work and home and keep both sides satisfied with our performance. Sometimes finding balance means that we must divide our time intelligently. For example, during the upcoming holiday season, instead of staying at the office party for for all four hours you only stay for two. Finding balance may mean that you may have to arrive at the office party is two hours late so that you can go to your children's school event first, Other times finding balance may mean that you are typing business notes into your smart phone during a school play.

 



In reallty, there are are only 24 hours in each day and you must find a way to balance all your obligations at home and at work. So the question for you this Thrilling Thursday is how do you balance your obligations at home and work?

Originally published on www.janeanesworld.com

Thrilling Thursday Business Planning 3 of 5 Marketing

Thrilling Thursday - it is thrilling to develop a plan for business success.

Each Thrilling Thursday throughout the month of November will be dedicated to creating a plan for starting or running your business. At the end of November, if you follow the articles and complete each section, you will have a complete business plan you can use to operate your business or seek financing. The last two Thrilling Thursday articles in November have covered the purpose statement, executive summary and business information as well as personnel and organization. Future Thrilling Thursday articles in November will deal with:

• current financial information


• financial projections

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thrilling Thursday, business planning, plan, action, now, marketing

As was discussed in Part One of this series,  a business plan is a tool for gathering all the important information about running your business and your financial condition all in one place. A well done business plan will help you run your business on a day to day basis according to a preset, well thought out and organized plan. Even in times of unexpected crisis, a business plan is a great tool, to keep you focused, on track and mindful of the big picture you have set for your business. This Thrilling Thursday section will be dealing with the business plan sections marketing information.

This major section of your business plan will describe the market your business competes in and your strategy for competing. When filling in this section, be as complete and accurate as possible because it can help you keep your goals in mind as you proceed with your business. The marketing information section of your business plan is composed of a great number of sections, including:

• market analysis


• market research


• competitors


• market segments


• target market


• marketing mix strategy


• products/services


• promotions


• distribution


• pricing


• suppliers


• marketing goals

Market Analysis 

In this section you will provide real concrete information about the market in which you will compete.  List out current situations, trends and projections for the market in which you will be operating. Do not simply guess, read magazine articles in print and via the internet, and even talk to people in the industry for their opinions.

Market Research

Use this section to explain to the reader any research you have done about the products or services you will provide. Supply and explain any industry analysis, customer information and market share data your research has uncovered.

Competitors 

If you are going to succeed in business you need to know who your competitors are by name, location, sales and market share.  Providing a simple pie chart graph like the one below may be particularly helpful in giving the reader a quick idea of your place in the market for your products or services. Select three competitors and discuss them in terms of strengths and weaknesses. It is important to know this because their strengths may be areas for you to strengthen your own operations. Likewise if you know the competition's weaknesses, you may find a place to   increase your strength and fill a need in the market. This is a place for you to detail the strengths, weaknesses and advantages of  your business.

Market Segments  

Use this section of the business plan to describe the market segments in which you plan to compete. When describing the market segments, be detailed and provide information on the demographics, geographic areas and as much information about your potential customers as possible. Pay careful attention that you match your products or services to your customers' needs and wants.

Target Market 

In this section, state the primary market where you want to compete. Provide the demographics, geographical areas and other identifying information. Take special care to describe as well as profile who it is you want to sell your products or services.

Marketing Mix Strategy

This is the area of your plan where you will describe how you intend to market your products or services. Give information on the various marketing methods you will be using and how much you will rely on each marketing method.  List out how you will market each individual product or service. 

Products/Services

List what you will sell, what products or services are you offering to the public. This is the section where you will list and detail customer service plans, market positioning, inventory control and quality standards you have established fro each product or service you will sell.

Promotions

In this section, explain how you will promote your business. Use this space to talk about the types of advertising you will use (such as media, direct sale, sales promotions, publicity campaigns and the like). Promotion is an important part of your business operations, explain your promotion activities here. 

Distribution 

No matter how good your products or services are, and no matter how much better you are than the competition, you cannot succeed in business unless you have a plan for getting your product and service out to the market you want to serve. Explain how you plan to distribute your products or services. State whether you will be using direct distribution or established channels. Describe how your business site's location, parking and security etc work with your distribution plans. If you have a location open to the public give a floor plan showing where customers will be permitted and will receive products or services. In addition, provide information on any retailers, wholesalers or suppliers with whom you you plan to work.

Pricing  

Use this section to explain your overall pricing policy. Give an estimate of the average sale amount. Describe the terms and conditions of any sale. Explain any credit plans and terms you intend to offer your customers.

 Suppliers  .

This is the place to provide all your supplier information including name, location, product, amount and any special supplier agreements.

Marketing Goals

Use this section to share your marketing goals for the business. In this section include measurable, definite outcomes. List the tools you will use to measure your progress on completing each goal.

Over the course of the next week, complete these sections of the business plan so you will be prepared to start the section on current financial information with next week's article. As always, if you need assistance or guidance as you complete this section feel free to contact me:

Janeane Davis

James, Davis and Associates

2737 Cambridge Street Suite 2

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19130

215 5826 3897

businessplanning@janeanesworld.com

A good understanding of the marketing environment of your business is an important component of your business plan and crucial to your business' success. So, the question for you this Thrilling Thursday is do you have a good marketing plan for your business?

Originally published on www.janeanesworld.com