Sensational Saturday - Good Books - Guess How Much I Love You

***

WE HAVE MOVED TO A NEW LOCATION: SAME GREAT CONTENT, GREAT NEW LOCATION 

www.janeanesworld.com

PLEASE VISIT US AT OUR NEW LOCATION

***

Sensational Saturday - it is sensational to read a book that is good for you and your kids.

Over the course of the last few weeks, the Sensational Saturday articles have focused on older books that are good for you. We have looked at the non-religious inspirational aspects of the Bible,   Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers for its interesting take on the role of genius in success and Think and Grow Rich: A Black Choice for its advice to get the right mental attitude.  This week is all about one of my favorite books, Guess How Much I Love You  by Sam McBratney.

photo credit: euphro via photopin cc                                                   Sensational Saturday, bedtime story, read, love, children, nutbrown hare

Many years ago, in a land far away, when the teenie bopper turned two, one of my sister gave her the book, Guess How Much I Love You for as a birthday present. Today, fourteen years later, that book is old and frayed from use and all four of my children have had me read it to them at bedtime for many, many years. I tease the teenie bopper and tell her that when she goes away to college, I am going to call her and read her the book each night.

For those of you who are not familiar with the story, a little nutbrown hare is telling his dad how much he loves him and the dad, the big nutbrown hare always says he loves his son more. The story ends with a big show of love and a good night kiss. It is a sweet story. If you have not read it, I highly recommend you read it soon. I recently had the privilege of sharing the story with one of the twin's kindergarten class. The children who had not heard the story before, enjoyed it and wanted to hear it again.

sensational Saturday, bedtime story, read, love, children, nutbrown hare

Children crave love and attention. It is wonderful to share it with them via a bedtime story about the love between a parent and child. So, the question for you this sensational Saturday is do you have a favorite bedtime story you read with your kids?

Fantastic Friday - Sharing Your Balancing Secrets

Fantastic Friday - it is fantastic to share the secret of your home and work balancing act.

Each Fantastic Friday throughout the month of December we will be continuing our exploration of ways to balance work and home.  In previous weeks we looked at the notions that all work and no play makes you a dull girl,  all play and no work make you broke and building  teams that respect each other. Today the Fantastic Friday is all about sharing the secrets to your success.

photo credit: RayBanBro66 via photopin cc                                                                                                                    fantastic Friday, balance, work, home secret, share

Almost everyone knows someone who has the home/work balancing act all wrong. These people are easy to recognize. It is the co-corker who is always in danger of getting fired for handling all his personal affairs on company time.  It is the mom who never has time for her husband and kids because she is either always at work or taking care of work when she is at home.

Those are people who do not have their home/work lives in balance. It is human nature to seek out balance and harmony. Often people who are living out of balance are not as happy as they could be. It is a kindness to share your secrets for balance with a person who is living out of balance. I am a work at home mom, so my work and home life overlap very directly. Here are a few of my secrets to balance home and work:

*     have set hours for work - you can train your family that certain time is your work                                                                       time and that you have to work just as if  you went to an outside office each day

*     keep your work area separate from your home area - by separating your work and personal areas, it is less likely that your children will use your reports for coloring books, organization is a crucial component to success

*     have set hours for home - when your family knows the time you will dedicate to their concerns, they will look forward to and appreciate the time you have set aside specifically for family.

fantastic Friday, balance, work, home, secret, share

The secrets for balancing success vary from person to person and you must find a way to achieve balance in your life. However, that is not enough, you must share your balancing secrets with others so we can all live in balance and harmony. So the question for you this Fantastic Friday is what are your balancing secrets?

Thrilling Thursday - Know Where You Can Get Help

Thrilling Thursday – it is thrilling to be able to find help for your business when you need it.

Once your business plan has been completed and you are following it things will start running smoothly for your business. Then sooner, rather than later, problems will arise and you will need help. In the spirit of you don't get ready, you stay ready, prepare a list of resources to depend upon for help before help is actually needed.

photo credit: marc falardeau via photopin cc
thrilling Thursday, business, help, where to get help, when to get help, resources

There are a myriad of sources entrepreneurs can go to for help. The following is a list of resources I have found particularly helpful:

• Small Business Administration
• SCORE (Society of Retired Executives)
• Local University Business Development Centers
• Local Chambers of Commerce
• Social Media Entrepreneur Groups
• Entrepreneurs you know and respect
• Industry lobbying groups
• Professional associations for your industry
• Local Bar Association

The source of help that will be best for you depends upon your industry. It is important for you to compile  a list such of this so that you have names, addresses and phone numbers at your fingertips so that when you need help you can immediately start asking for help. Most people are a little frazzled and out of sorts when problems occur.  Some even resort to panic if the problems are big enough. This is why having all the contract information for several sources of help is a critical part of business operations.

An important part of having places to go for help is knowing when you need help. This is a crucial component in the process as well. The times when an entrepreneur needs help will vary with each individual. The following is a list of some occasions when entrepreneurs may find it useful to get help from an outside source:

• your business is having problems getting or keeping clients
• despite your business' best efforts you are not able to make a profit
• a competitor steals a trademarked idea or practice
• your business wants to expand operations but don't know quite how to do so
• your business is having problems retaining quality employees
• your business gets sued

thrilling Thursday, business, help, where to get help, when to get help, resources

Every business needs help on occasion, it is important to know where to get it and when to ask for help. When you need help, get help early in the process, as early as possible, do not wait for things to hit rock bottom. So, the question for you this Thrilling Thursday is, do you have a ready source of help for when your business needs assistance?

Wonderful Wednesday - You're Out of Work - Stay Positive

Wonderful Wednesday – it is wonderful to stay positive and focused while on the job search.

Each Wonderful Wednesday throughout the month of December has been  dedicated to dealing with what you should do if you find yourself out of work unexpectedly. In previous weeks, I wrote about adjusting your budget,  using your social network in the job search and  starting something new.  Today, in the final Wonderful Wednesday of December will deal with the idea of staying positive and focused during the job search. First we will look at a technique for staying positive no matter how bad things get. Then we will look at an idea for staying focused while searching for a job.

photo credit: AngelaArcher.com via photopin cc

There is no way around the fact that searching for a job is a stressful, aggravating and frustrating process. To try to deny that fact would be fake and disingenuous. However, it is also a fact that a lot of what happens to us is determined by how we react to situations. When  you are especially frustrated, angry, or tired of the search for work, this is the perfect time to put on my favorite outfit. By this I mean put on your big girl panties and fake it until you make it dress. In order to do this you should literally do the following:

• stand up
• take a deep breath
• smile
• tell yourself, this is only a step in your journey, not the end of the line
• force yourself to maintain a smile and a good attitude

Now keep in mind, when you first start this cheer yourself up program, you may only be able to maintain a positive attitude  for a few minutes at a time. That is okay. If you need to repeat these steps over and over throughout the day do it. Eventually you will get to a place where you can maintain a positive attitude for longer and longer periods of time.

Searching for a new job is a time when focus is extremely important. I am an entrepreneur at heart and I got my start helping clients to write business plans in order to get financing. It is natural therefore that I think of business plans when I think of the job search.  When you are looking for work, you are like a business in need of financing.  Gather the following information together and have it at the ready for interviews, conversations and looking through job advertisements:

• resume (this is like the executive summary section of a business plan)
• personal and professional references (this is like the personnel section of a business plan)
• good press, internet articles, social media good points. and the like (this is like the marketing section of a business plan)
• your salary history and current salary requirements (this is like the current financial section of a business plan)

by gathering all this information together and keeping it readily accessible, your mind won't be scattered while you are filling out applications on-line, speaking with interviewers or planning where to look next for work. Once you have all the information listed above at your disposal you should be able to narrow down the areas in which you will search for work and focus your efforts on finding the best job available to you at the moment.

In sum, when searching for new employment you must maintain a positive attitude and stay focused on the task at hand. This will express itself as a calm and confident demeanor that will be evident to employers you come across. So, the question for you this Wonderful Wednesday is what are your secrets for maintaining a good attitude and focus while on the job search?

Serene Sunday- Lessons for Our Children - Don't Get Ready, Stay Ready

Serene Sunday - it is important to teach your children to stay ready.

Each Serene Sunday throughout the month of December has been devoted to sharing lessons I learned and am teaching my children. These lessons are good tips for both children and adults. Previous Serene Sunday articles dealt with teaching our children  it's okay to fail, get all you can and can all you get, and  be a friend to yourself.  Next week, the final Serene Sunday in the lessons for our children series will be - one monkey don't stop no show.

photo credit: C. Young Photography via photopin cc                                                                                         Serene Sunday, lessons, children, get ready, stay ready, teach

The lesson for today comes from a phrase I heard in a rap song while walking in the city, "don't get ready, stay ready."  This is such an awesome lesson and it comes in so many different forms. I know that most people have heard it more than once. The boy scouts talk about being prepared. In the military, people are taught to be ready for the battle to come.  I am a church girl, so in church you might hear them say:

• be ready because you do not know when Christ will return  or
• don't be like the foolish virgins who were not ready for the wedding invite

No matter how you slice it, "don't get ready, stay ready" is a powerful statement.  Often it is the case in life that when opportunity comes, people miss it because they were not ready. Look at some real life examples:

• You want a promotion at work that requires you take a special class, but you never take it
• Your family plans to have pancakes for Sunday breakfast, but you have no syrup in the house

It is important to prepare for what is to come and to be ready for the things to come.  Many opportunities are lost because we are not ready, but planning to get ready. If you want to succeed in life you must learn, "you don't get ready, you stay ready." I often wondered if my children are actually paying attention to the lessons I teach them. My wondering stopped when I heard the following exchange between the twins, age 5 when they were playing a game:
Z:      Stop C I wasn't ready yet
C:     You not supposed to get ready, you stay ready
I had to turn my head so they wouldn't see me laugh.  But you know I was proud. These are children who will not miss opportunities for lack of preparedness. When Monday morning comes and it is time for school, their backpacks have been packed all weekend. Why? Because they don't have to get ready for school, they stay ready. When we are ready to go on vacation, I don't have to tell them to go pack, their suitcases are all ready filled to overflowing with toys and treats.  My babies don't get ready, they stay ready.

Serene Sunday, lessons, children, get ready, stay ready, prepare, teach

Don't get ready, stay ready. It is not smart to miss opportunity. When you miss an opportunity you feel at a loss and defeated. There is a great deal of serenity that can be found in staying ready for things to come. So, the question for you this Serene Sunday is, do you have to get ready or do you stay ready?

Sensational Saturday - Good For You Books - The Greatest Salesman in the World

Sensational Saturday - it is sensational to read a book that is good for you!

Throughout the month of December, each Sensational Saturday article has focused on a book that has been around for a while and is good for you.  The series started with a look at the non-religious inspirational aspects of the Bible. Next we looked at  Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers for its interesting take on the role of genius in success. Last week we looked at Think and Grow Rich: A Black Choice for its advice to get the right mental attitude.  Next week we will be looking at I Love You This Much.

photo credit: The Uprooted Photographer via photopin cc                                                  sensational Saturday, good book, Og Mandino, sales, sell, attitude

Today we are taking a look at Og Mandino's The Greatest Salesman in the World.  This is one of the books that I have read more than a dozen times and will probably read once or twice a year for the rest of my life.  The first time I read it, I did not know what to expect. I read it looking for sales advice. Instead I found life advice. The following are a few pieces of advice from the book that work in business, family and life:

• I will form good habits and become their slave
• I will greet each day with love in my heart
• I will persist until I succeed
• I am nature's greatest miracle
• I will live this day as if it's my last
• I will be master of my emotions
• I will multiply my value a hundred fold
• My dreams . . . my plans . . . my goals . . . all of no value unless they are followed by action

I have always known that everything in life boils down to sales. Therefore I was not surprised when the book advised, "even the word of God must be sold to the people of they will hear it not."  No matter what you do or think in life, it all boils down to sales. If you want your kids to clean their rooms, sell them on the benefits. If you want your co-workers to work hard on a project, sell them on the idea. It all boils down to sales.

If you never read the book, here is the golden nugget, an affirmation for you to take away and use forever: "I will be happy, I will succeed. I will be the greatest . . . in the world." So the question for you this Sensational Saturday is how will you up your game to be the greatest in the world?

Fantastic Friday - When Work and Home Respect Each Other

Fantastic Friday - it is fantastic to find balance so work and home each respect each other.

Each Fantastic Friday throughout the month of December we will be continuing our exploration of ways to balance work and home.  In previous weeks we looked at the notions that all work and no play makes you a dull girl, and that all play and no work make you broke. Next week the final Fantastic Friday of December will look at sharing the secrets of your success. Today, the Fantastic Friday discussion is all about building  teams at work and home that respect each other.

photo credit: Sebastiano Pitruzzello (aka gorillaradio) via photopin cc                                                      Fantastic Friday, teamwork, work, home, balance, respect, appreciate

If you work or own a business you have responsibilities to that job or business to pur forth your best efforts and to work for the best possible results  If you have a family you have a responsibility to be a loving and caring member and to give your best efforts to make your family happy, safe and secure.  In the best of all worlds, these two goals do not conflict and you are able to handle both sets of responsibility with ease and grace.  In the real world, sometimes your responsibility to one group causes conflicts with your responsibility to the other.  In order to remain gainfully employed and to remain part of a happy family you must find a way to get both sides to respect one another.

When you want to have the people at your job or within your business respect your family, you must respect your family. That means you must talk about your family in only positive terms in the workplace. If you complain about your family, those in your work environment will think it is okay to do the same and that you will be willing to  forsake family obligations for work.   Instead, it is important that you create a reputation at work as someone who loves and respects family. If you treat your family with respect you are in position to demand that your job and business treats them with respect as well.

When you want you family to respect that your work or business is important and the time spent there is for the good of the family.  I norder for that to be the case, you must talk to your family about good things at work, not only the bad things.  By sharing good things as well as the bad about work and busienss with your family, you let them know there is something worthwhile and good about your work or business.  This will help your family to realize that your work or busienss should be treated with respect.

Fantastic Friday, teamwork, work, home, balance, respect, appreciate

You work and you are the member of a family. It is fantastic to find a way to balance things so that they respect one another. So, the question for you this Fantastic Friday is how do you balance your work and family life to keep both happy?

Wonderful Wednesday - You Are Out of Work So Start Something New

Wonderful Wednesday - it is wonderful to start something new when you are out of work.

Each Wonderful Wednesday throughout the month of December has been  dedicated to dealing with what you should do if you find yourself out of work unexpectedly. In previous weeks, I wrote about adjusting your budget once you and your employment are separated and using your social network in the job search. Next week, the final Wonderful Wednesday for December will deal with staying positive and focused while out of work. Today is all about starting something new.

photo credit: MebS09 via photopin cc                                                                              Wonderful Wednesday, time, new start, dream, project

When you find yourself out of work, it is a good opportunity to try something new. If you have always wanted to start a business, go into a different field, get  some more education in an area, this is the perfect time to do it!  When you are out of work, you now have time to explore options and try new things. I am not advising that you skip looking for new employment and instead try a new venture. That is a personal choice that varies based on your individual situation. I am instead advising that you have time to do some extra  exploration into some dream projects. We can always find ways to make more money. What we are not able to create is more time. No matter what we do, we still only have 24 hours in each day and 7 days in each week.  When you find yourself unexpectedly out of time, you have a golden gift of time you can use to help some of your dreams come true.  Many projects that we dream of take that most precious resource, our time.

Now that you are unemployed take the time to work on your dream.  So, the question for you this Wonderful Wednesday is, what have you been putting on a back burner that you can devote more time to now that you are out of work?

Terrific Tuesday - What to Do When Your Smart Phone Isn't

Terrific Tuesday - it is terrific to be able to survive if your smart phone stops being so smart.

Each Terrific Tuesday throughout the month of December has been dedicated to what you should do if your technology fails. Previous articles have dealt with why you should use technology even though it fails and what to do if your computer dies. Next week the final Terrific Tuesday technology article for December will deal with the failure of your tablet.  This week, is all about smart phone the smart.

Once upon a time, before telephones were wireless and had computers inside them that could almost  power a space shuttle launch, people had telephone books. These were actual paper bound books that were used to store telephone number, addresses and related information.  The books came in all shapes, sizes and colors.  There were special phone books called "little black books" that were used to keep truly special telephone numbers from being lost forever.

photo credit: blakespot via photopin cc                                                                                      Terrific Tuesday, smar phone, loss, back up, data, save information

Today, our telephones keep our phone numbers, calendars, email, notes, photographs and a myraid of other items. Unfortunately, these precious little wonders get lost, break, dropped into water and stop being smart for a variety of reasons. There fore it is important that we take action in advance to prepare ourselves for the loss of our smart phones.  The first thing that we must do is back up our information on a regular basis. Start with the telephone numbers. If you use Facebook, Twitter and other forms of socia media, I am sure you have seen people write "Hey, I lost my phone, please inbox me your phone number."  All of this  embarrassment and feeling ill at ease could have been avoided had the person only backed up the phone numbers in advance.

Many smart phones have options that allow  you to back up your telephone numbers or to export the telephone numbers. It is a good practice to export all your contacts on a weekly basis. Similarly, you should back up your photographs, calendar and other telephone files on a regular basis.  Many smart phones have  micro SD card used for storage.  Set up your telephone so that all your data, phone numbers, photographs,  calendar etc. are saved on the micro SD card rather than on the telephone itself. Then once per week copy the micro SD's  contents to your computer.  (Last week's article  dealt with how and why to back up your computer.) When selecting a calendar program for your telephone, select one that syncs through the cloud with a calendar program. I use Cozi Family Organizer and Calengoo both of which sync in the cloud, with Google Calendar, and with Microsoft Outlook.

If you are backing up your smart phone when your computer is not working, email the exported contact files to yourself and save the email. I regularly back up my information and send the computer files to an email account I use only to store my files. When your computer is returned, consider printing out your contact information one every few months. Keep the hard copy in a safe place in case a need for it ever arises.

.

It is a reality of life that as smart as our smart phones are, they get lost, break and just plain die, As a result, you must have a plan for keeping your information safe. So, the question for you this Terrific Tuesday is, what is your plan to prepare for the loss of  your smart phone?

Magnificent Monday - You Failed Before, But Move

Magnificent Monday -it is magnificent to be able to fail and keep moving.

Each Magnificent Monday thoughout the month of December has been devoted to the idea of taking action in spite of other things convenient excuses not to take action.  Previous Magnificent Mondays have covered the topics of:

• you are scared but move
• get information and prepare to move

Future articles will deal with the topics:

• you have a full plate but move
• using your accountability group to help you move

Today, the Magnificent Monday article deals with the idea that you have failed before, but move!

photo credit: Argonne National Laboratory via photopin cc Magnificent Monday, fail, succeed, move, perservere, learn

Sometimes, the thing that keeps a person from taking action and moving forward is the knowledge that she has failed before.  The past failure often causes a person to feel as if she shouldn't take a chance and attempt a great a wonderful thing again. It may seem counter intuitive, but it is because a person has failed in the past that she should go for it and take action now.  It has often been said that before making the final version of the incandescent light bulb, Thomas Edison made almost 200 different versions. When asked what is was like to have failed 200 times, Jefferson replied that he did not fail, but found 200 ways not ot make an incandescent light bulb.  That is the attitude you should take when fear of past failures makes you hesitant to take action in the present. You should always find a way to look at failure as an opportunity for improvement. In other words, each time you do not successfully complete your mission, you have learned a way not to complete the mission.

Look for example at a child that is learning to walk. That child will start and fall, start and fall, and start and fall many times before learning to walk. The interesting thing about the child learning to walk is that she will try over and over, no mattter how many times she falls.  Each time she gets up, she learns a little something about how not to walk.  Eventually she has enough knowldge from her failed attempts and she is able to walk and eventually to run. I have raised four children and have encountered numerous others. I have never heard of a child who tried to walk and after a few hundred failed attempts decided she was never going to try again. No matter how often a child lerning to walk falls, she will continue to get up and try again and again until she has achieved her mission and is walking.  Let that be your example.

Magnificent Monday, fail, continue, perservere, try, succeed

It is a magnificent thing to learn and truly believe that no matter how many times you fail, you can get back up and try again and that eventually you will succeed. The difference between success and failure is often just getting the right mental attitude. So, the question for you this Magnificent Monday is how do you find ways to turn failure into eventual success?

Serene Sunday -Lessons for Children -Be a Friend to Yourself

Serene Sunday - it is important to teach our children to to be friends to themselves.

Each Serene Sunday throughout the month of December has been devoted to sharing lessons I learned and am teaching my children. These lessons are good tips for both children and adults. Previous Serene Sunday articles dealt with teaching our children  it's okay to fail and "get all you can and can all you get."  In upcoming December Serene Sunday articles, I will share my ideas on:

• Don't get ready, stay ready
• One monkey don't stop no show

The special lesson for today is one I got from my children's kindergarten teacher, "be a friend to yourself."

photo credit: Gates Foundation via photopin cc Serene Sunday, lessons, children, friendship

My nine year old son is a fourth grader. When he was in kindergarten his teacher, Mrs. Friedman,  at Gladwyne Elementary School, taught the children  that they had to show themselves good friendship.  Five years later, Mrs. Friedman is the kindergarten teacher for one of my twins and I am thrilled to see she is teaching the children the same lesson.

In order to be a friend to others you must treat yourself as a friend.  This is a fact, plain and simple. It is one simple enough for a brand new kindergarten child to learn. Many adults push this lesson out of their minds with the responsibilities and trials of adulthood. We treat our friends with:

• courtesy
• respect
• kindness
• dignity
• understanding

Often, we forget to give ourselves the same treatment and that is a sad thing. If a five year old knows and understands that she should treat herself with respect, she will grow up learning to demand respect from all others with whom she comes into contact. If a five year old grows up learning he should be courteous to himself, he will understand that he should extend courtesy to others. A child who learns to treat herself with kindness will have the tool necessary to show kindness to the world. A kindergarten student who learns he should have a sense of personal  dignity will not lightly destroy the dignity of another.  A little girl who grows up learning she should show herself undestanding and compassion will be able to share those ideals with the world at large.

Be a friend to yourself, everyday. Make sure you get the rest you need, the proper food, the proper circle of friends. When you are faced with a question about how you should behave in a certain situation, ask yourself how you would advise someone you care about to act. Figure out what is the best possible advice you could  give in the situation and take it yourself. In all your actions, be a friend to yourself. It is not wrong to be a friend to yourself, it is the bare minimum that you owe yourself as a human being.  Being a friend to yourself is an important lesson for our children and a lesson we should not forget as adults. By being  a friend to yourself, you make it possible for you to be the best person you can be and thus makes you a better person to have in the world. So, the question for you this Serene Sunday is, what are you going to do to show yourself good friendship?

Sensational Saturday - Good For You Books - Think and Grow Rich: A Black Choice

Sensational Saturday - it is sensational to read a book that is good for you!

Throughout the month of December, each Sensational Saturday article will be about a book that has been around for a while and is good for you.  I have written many times in this space about my love affair with written words. I adore my Kindle 3G and the 3,000 books that are on it!  I get a high from smelling the pages of a new book and the ink intoxicates me. {reviously this month I have shared The Bible  for its non-religious sources of inspiration and Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers for its interesting take on the role of genius in success. Future December Sensational Saturdays will look at the books:

• The Greatest Salesman in the World
• Guess How Much I Love You

I enjoy sharing interesting books and hope my sharing these books with you. Today I am sharing the book, Think and Grow Rich: A Black Choice. All while I was writing this article an Andre Crouch song was running through my mind. The song is Through it All and it talk about what gets him through life. Check it out here:

http://youtu.be/GPI35MohOKU

Napoleon Hill wrote the original Think and Grow Rich and it  espoused his principles on how to become wealthy based upon things Hill studied at the behest of Andrew Carnegie in 1937.  When he died, he left behind the manuscript for what became Think and Grow Rich: A Black Choice  which had specific recommendations for Black Americans to grow wealth. Dennis Kimbro and the Napoleon Hill foundation completed the book. I am sharing this book for the generic principle it espoused that is relevant to each and every person in America regardless of racial and cultural history.

If you read nothing else in the book, read Chapter 11 - Three Magic Words. According to the book, the three magic words that make everything in life possible are "right mental attitude."  I agree the words right mental attitude are magical, special and precious. If  you have the right mental attitude you can make possible impossible things. I have said over and over when I get scared about things I must do I get dressed: I put on my big girl panties and my fake it until I make it dress and get to doing what needs to be done. The right mental attitude helps you to overcome any obstacle, meet any challenge and survive any blow.

sensational Saturday, test of time, rich, think and grow rich, right mental attitude, succeed, good book

No matter what you are doing in life, you must find a way to develop, keep and use the  right mental attitude if you want to be successful in attitude. So, the question for you this Sensational Attitude is what do you do to get the right mental attitude?

Fantastic Friday All Play and No Work Make You Broke

Fantastic Friday - it is fantastic to balance work and play so you are not a broke girl.

Each Fantastic Friday throughout the month of December we will be continuing our exploration of ways to balance work and home.  Last week we explored the notiion that all work and no play makes you a dull girl. Today we will be looking at ways to balance things because all play and no work make you broke! The other areas we will be exploring include:

• building teams at home and work that respect each other
• sharing the secret of success

A reality of modern life is that many of us have a work life and a home life and we must live in balance if we want to be successful and happy. Both work and family are important parts of our lives.  We often hear stories that warn us of the perils of all work and no play. What we do not hear enough about is that all play and work makes us broke. It is important to attend school events with our children and work events with our spouses. At the same time, we cannot ignore our professional obligations.

photo credit: Stuck in Customs via photopin cc     fantastic Friday, work, play, broke, plan

It is important to arrive at work on time each day. On time means that you get to work at least 15 minutes early so that when it is time to start the day, you are actually starting work, not clocking in to work. While at work, keep personal calls, internet usage and personal conversation to a minimum.  As much as possible, handle your personal matters during your lunch hour or on breaks. By being about business when you are at your place of business you are able to do a better job. In addition behavior likes this helps you establish a reputation as a person to be respected and taken seriously in the workplace.

fantastic Friday, work, play, broke,

At work it is important schedule your pojects and assignments thoughtfully and carefully.  If there is an assignment that will require many late nights and weekends, it may not be practical for you to accept them. When accepting assignments think about the impact it will have on the free time you want for yourself and your family. Once you accept a work assignment you cannot fail to complete it because of personal obligations. It is important to take your professional obligations seriously and to remember that you need your job and don't want to engage in behaviour that will cause you to be separated from your employment. It is important to remember that work is a place for work and unless you want to be broke, when you get to work, actually do some work. So, the question for you this Fantastic Friday is, how do you balance work and home so do not end up broke?