I started to work from home (well, most of the times, except when going for meetings) this year. It's been rewarding and meaningful for my relationship with my kids.

However, sometimes I'm pondering, is it the right move? will I be more productive if I regularly work in my office and around the people who work for and with me?

I just want to know, how about you? What's your main reason to choose to work from home?

"...we know much more about our own work, he said, and partly because most people have a self-serving bias, believing that they've made greater contributions than others recognize."

More here.

******

Our goal is to save you time and help you succeed.

You know how someone will walk up to you (maybe they're a guest in your home, a co-worker, a total stranger) and say "What can I do to help?" It might sound like this:
Need any help?
Is there anything I can do?

Usually, they're asking knowing you'll say something akin to "Nothing - thanks anyway." It's a sure-fire way to get out of doing anything. I have a few suggestions for those who are guilty on both sides of this equation.

The next time someone asks you "What can I do to help?" tell them.
You could go out back and weed my flower garden.
You could pick the ripe vegetables.
You could clean the cat litter.
You could play with the baby so I can get something done.
You could make your bed.
You could move the furniture around while I sweep.
You could source your fifty names the next time I give you a job without reminding/complaining back to me that it's so hard.
You could peel the potatoes.
You could say something nice about my work online.
You could hang the curtain rod on the hard-to-reach window for me.
You could wash the windows.
You could pick up all the groceries I just spilled on the parking lot when the bag broke.
You could cut the grass.
You could sweep the stoop.
You could fix my broken window.
You could make the salad.
You could turn the mattresses.
You could wash the bath tub. Clean the toilet while you're at it.
You could fold the laundry.
You could pick up/sort all the baby's toys.
You could dust.
You could set the table.
You could do your job.
You could cut the dog's toenails/brush the dog/take him for a walk.
You could run to the store.
You could do a lot of things if you'd only just open your eyes to what can be done and be really willing to do something to help.

The next time you think about asking someone if there's "anything" you can do to help, don't. Look around first and see what needs doing. Then do it. Without talking about it.

******

Our goal is to save you time and help you succeed.

Matt LeBlanc helps job seekers in the Nashville area find new work. He shares this story with job seekers, but it's just as true in the work at home field because, increasingly, people are being interviewed by phone for the "phone presence".

The story below is from a HR person:

"I was calling candidates to schedule interviews for a Sr. Accounting position, and this was the voice message from one of them (in a deep dramatic baritone radio DJ type voice)": More here.

******

Our goal is to save you time and help you succeed.

To support working parents, the Obamas distributed laptops to aides with families - before those without children - so they could work from home. They invited the children of some advisers to a White House screening of the film "Madagascar" and a Take Your Kids to Work Day hosted by the first lady. They have created some flexible work schedules and encourage their aides to take their children to work when child care arrangements fall through, as well as to swim in the White House pool or play outside. More here.

Anyone see any (other) issues here? 

******

Our goal is to save you time and help you succeed.

The Small Business Administration says nearly half of all U.S. businesses are home-based and more than 20,000 gross more than $1 million annually. Too many have put that income at risk.

A national survey by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America says 58 percent of the 24 million home-based businesses have no business insurance.  More here.

******

Our goal is to save you time and help you succeed.

Multitasking is a myth," Ms. Gallagher said. "You cannot do two things at once. The mechanism of attention is selection: it's either this or it's that." She points to calculations that the typical person's brain can process 173 billion bits of information over the course of a lifetime.

"People don't understand that attention is a finite resource, like money," she said. "Do you want to invest your cognitive cash on endless Twittering or Net surfing or couch potatoing? You're constantly making choices, and your choices determine your experience, just as William James said." More here.

In our interconnected world, the global economic turmoil impacts individual lives. PJ Wade asks, "How can you put all this change to work for you?" and shares practical insight on the first step to improving your situation. Full Story here.

What are the best ways to to find and attract people looking to work as independent contrators in the shipping industry?

Most career counselors emphasize the need to keep your job skills fresh in the best of times, let alone during a slump in the economy. Technology and "best practices" in all professions are constantly evolving and even the more experienced workers can find themselves trumped by recent graduates who have a better handle on skills that improve the bottom line. If you're wondering how best to remain competitive in the workplace, consider bolstering your training now. Paralegal Studies They're available at the associate, bachelor's and master's degree level and earnings--according to The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)--are topping out above the $70,000-a-year range. Oh, and job openings for paralegals are predicted to rise by 22 percent during the 2006-2016 decade. Education Administration Degree The median 2007 annual wage for elementary and secondary administrators was $80,580. Web Developer Training Senior Web developers were expected to earn to salaries of $108,250 in 2008. Accounting Degree Top earnings for accountants in 2007 surpassed $98,000. Bachelor's Degree in Nursing Read more here. ****** Phone Sourcing is one powerful answer to a company's hiring needs. Phone sourcing can save at least 75% of traditional recruiting fees. Call the experts today! 513 899 9628

This is an interesting article about changing expectations and experiences. Recessions and depressions, of course, are not good for mental health. But it is less widely known that in the United States and other affluent countries, physical health seems to improve, on average, during a downturn. Sure, it�??s stressful to miss a paycheck, but eliminating the stresses of a job may have some beneficial effects. Perhaps more important, people may take fewer car trips, thus lowering the risk of accidents, and spend less on alcohol and tobacco. They also have more time for exercise and sleep, and tend to choose home cooking over fast food.

Can you imagine how simple your life would be if you never had to drive to work? If you have the self-discipline to work from home, the right opportunity could help you get back those commute hours and gain some extra time each day to do whatever you want. Wondering where to start? Here are 10 companies hiring for work from home right now:

1. Alpine Access Website: www.alpineaccess.com Job Title: Customer care professional 2. HireMyMom.com Website: www.hiremymom.com Job Titles: Virtual assistant, professional blogger 3. Sylvan Online Website: www.sylvan.com Job Title: On-line certified teacher 4. National Shopping Service Website: www.nationalshoppingservice.com Job Title: Mystery shopper/researcher 5. oDesk Website: www.oDesk.com Job Title: Various professionals 6. Working Solutions Website: www.workingsolutions.com Job Title: Transcriptionist, customer service representative 7. Language Lab Website: www.languagelab.com Job Title: Teacher, actor, customer service representative 8. 1-800-FLOWERS Website: www.1800flowers.com Job Title: Customer service representative 9. Aetna Website: www.aetna.com Job Title: Account manager, negotiator, customer service representative, nurse and more 10. Elance Website: www.elance.com Job Title: Legal, Web design, engineering, admin, marketing or writing professional

More on these here.

LinkedIn question: Is there any legitimate "work from home" opportunities out there? I am trying to help some people who are looking for ways to supplement their income outside the normal workday and weekends as well as some well stay at home moms that are relatively computer savvy. Does anyone know of "legitimate" work from home opportunities for computer savvy people? See original question and all answers here.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that at last count, 13.7 million Americans were telecommuting. Highly educated workers were the most likely to telecommute, according to the BLS study. Certain jobs and industries are more prone to this arrangement, and some of them pay really well. Here are seven stay-home jobs with standout salaries. Sales Representatives Stay-Home Salary: $68,270

Financial Analysts Stay-Home Salary: $70,400

Personal Financial Advisors Stay-Home Salary: $67,660

Web Designers Stay-Home Salary: $47,000 to $71,500

Software Developers Stay-Home Salary: $83,130

Accountant Stay-Home Salary: $57,060

Marketing Manager Stay-Home Salary: $104,400

The Truth Behind the Telecommute It is not a substitute for child care. It is not for the recluse. It is not entry-level workers.

A study done for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas showed telecommuters earning $44,000 a year saved their company an average of $10,000. More here. ****** Need to know who the Hiring Managers are at specific companies? We can help! Call the phone sourcing experts at TechTrak 513 899 9628

This group has some helpful advice contained within past postings - you might peruse the archives in here. Tell us about yourself - what brought you here and what are your challenges? What do you hope to accomplish? ****** Don�??t miss Glen Cathey, the Boolean Black Belt, on the MagicMethod Network on Tuesday, December 16!

Interesting answers to the following question over on LinkedIn: Does anybody have an idea or recommendation for a home based job? ****** Don�??t miss Tom Cook, Expert Sourcer, expound on quality vs quantity in sourcing on the MagicMethod Network on Thursday, December 4!

Columnist Julie Escobar shares how you must be "present to win" and just what that means. Full Story here. ****** Don�??t miss Glen Cathey, the Boolean Black Belt, on the MagicMethod Network on Tuesday, December 16!

By DANIEL GOLEMAN ONE hot summer day many years ago, I boarded a bus heading up Madison Avenue with a driver whom I still vividly remember. A middle-aged man with a charming manner, he entertained his passengers with a lively monologue on the places we were passing and their history, alerts of great sales, his reviews of movies at theaters we passed and highlights of museum exhibits.

The driver�??s name, I later learned, was Govan Brown. He was a local legend; by the time Mr. Brown retired in 1988, he had received more than 1,400 letters of commendation (and not a single complaint), and his retirement party was attended by hundreds of loyal passengers on the M101 route. Mr. Brown�??s remarkable outgoingness, it turned out, was part of a personal mission: as deacon of a Baptist church, he viewed his passengers, too, as a �??flock�?? whose needs he tended.

I was recently reminded about my encounter with Mr. Brown by Howard Gardner, the psychologist at Harvard best known for his influential theory of multiple intelligence �?? that there are a range of abilities that can lead to success in life beyond math and verbal skills. Mr. Gardner cited the account of Mr. Brown (which begins my book �??Emotional Intelligence�??) as an example of what he calls �??good work�?? �??a calling that combines excellent performance, expresses one�??s ethics and offers a pleasing sense of engagement. That is, the kind of job we�??d all love to hold. More here. ****** Don�??t miss Glen Cathey, the Boolean Black Belt, on the MagicMethod Network on Tuesday, December 16!

AS more small businesses rely on e-mail and instant messaging for their communications, they would do well to use a number of inexpensive methods to preserve privacy and ensure that messages are read only by the intended recipient.

HANG ON TO YOUR LAPTOP LOCK OUT OTHERS ADD THE 'S' OUTSOURCE E-MAIL ENCRYPT E-MAIL BLOCK OUTSIDERS Read more here. ****** Looking for information on phone sourcing? Read through the T and TH Phone Sourcing Classroom Chats over on the MagicMethod network. They�??re listed in the Blog Posts section and are identifiable by the yellow talk bubble that says �??MagicTalk�??.

There's plenty of advice out there to help slash your spending -- get rid of your car, throw out the television, grow your own vegetables, rent out the attic to a college student. But maybe you need a car to drive to work, have no time to garden, enjoy relaxing in front of the tube occasionally, and don't want to bump into an 18-year-old stranger in your bathrobe. Here are eight ways to tweak your budget and save $500 by the year's end -- with minimum hassle, and without radically changing your lifestyle. 1. Cable TV 2. Prescriptions 3. Cell phones 4. Food 5. Drycleaning 6. Utilities 7. Taxes 8. Money rituals Read the details here. ****** Need telephone names sourcing to fill your hard-to-fill positions? Call the experts at TechTrak 513 899 9628

Here are six careers that offer flexibility and self-employment options or pay near the $70k range or better--along with the training you'll need. Post Secondary Teachers Travel Nurses Software Designers Management Analysts Interior Designers Real Estate Sales Agents Read more here. ****** Don�??t have time to phone source to fill your hard-to-fill positions? Call the experts at TechTrak 513 899 9628

Winding Back the Clocks The first week in November marks the end of a long, twisting road. Oh, right, and the elections are next week, too.

The longest Daylight Saving period in American history ends Sunday, Nov. 1, when all states except for Hawaii, most of Arizona, and parts of Indiana will dial back the clock one hour. In optimistic lingo, that's an "extra hour" to sleep, fill out that absentee ballot, and enjoy other lazy Sunday activities.

That should end impatient searches demanding to know "when is daylight savings" (+654%) and "when does daylight savings time end" (+358%). Oregonians have been particularly insistent about seeking out that the extra hour online�??perhaps prompted by older electronic devices which prematurely set clocks back last weekend. Read more here.

"We burn daylight." ~ William Shakespeare, "The Merry Wives of Windsor", Act 1 scene 4 English dramatist & poet (1564 - 1616) ****** Need telephone names sourcing to fill your hard-to-fill positions? Call the experts at TechTrak 513 899 9628

The Six Phases of Work

Corporate restructuring and technology have motivated people to opt out of a corporate office and into an at-home workplace.

Going to the office in sweats or even pj�??s in 20 seconds sounds great, doesn�??t it? But be forewarned: Because the environment at home is so casual �?? working alone or perhaps with one other person �?? the protocols of business or the �??rules of the game�?? tend to be diminished.

Don�??t let casual become careless. Never leave your at-home office for a corporate meeting looking anything but professional. And be sure you maintain the same professionalism when answering the phone at your home office. Read more here. ****** Need telephone names sourcing to fill your hard-to-fill positions? Call the experts at TechTrak 513 899 9628

With fuel prices topping four dollars per gallon in some states, many Americans want to keep their paychecks in their pockets and out of their gas tanks. Thanks to cheap Internet access and fast computers, some workers can perform their jobs just as well from home as they can in the office. Government analysts recently identified ten fast-growing jobs that combine higher-than-average hourly wages with the benefits of working from home. See the ten home office jobs here. ****** Need telephone names sourcing to fill your hard-to-fill positions? Call the experts at TechTrak 513 899 9628