Have You Got the Mindset to Make Money Work For You?

Why is it that we live in such a rich country, yet most people are not rich? At school we are not taught a financial education, or even how to manage cash, we were taught how to work for money but not how to make money work for us.

Also at school we were taught to memorize. When doing an exam you would study for a bit and normally memorize all your notes the night before. If you had to sit that exam a year later you would probably fail because you would've forgotten the information, so it's not really learning is it? Memorizing, and putting into practice are two different things.

For most people, they're also afraid to step out of their comfort zone to try new approaches or strategies to get what they really want in life and end up sacrificing their time and money to a cause they have no interest in. Are you dedicated enough to step out of your comfort zone and make a difference in your life?

Another reason why people won't step out of their comfort zone and have a go in life is their focus. They're not focusing on their destination, for example as Jamie McIntyre explains it, "When driving, do you focus on your destination and where you're heading or do you focus on the bugs on the windscreen?" Those bugs are related to fear and pain. When you mention investing to the un-educated or those without the right mindset, they have the fear and pain of losing money. For most people the need to avoid pain is greater than the need to gain pleasure.

Another point of mention is mindset. In particular, the mindset of the majority of people around money. Most people delude themselves when it comes to money. They think money will solve all their problems, hence the reason why many people buy lotto tickets. But look what happens to the majority of those who actually win lotto, most are worse off three to seven years later.

They never had the mindset to make money work for them. They had more money than their personal development. You only have to look in some trashy celebrity magazines and you'll more than likely find a movie star, rock star or sports star stuffing up their life because they've had more money than their personal development. Mindset is 80% of what it takes to be financially independent, 20% is strategies but without the mindset you'll never implement and fully take advantage of the correct wealth building strategies.

Everyone has so much fear and panic at the moment because of the share market, but for those with the right mindset and education will see massive opportunity. You only have to look at the big players like Warren Buffet, who is among the richest people in the world, to see the great opportunity available. He recently invested over six billion dollars into one of the heavily beaten down global investment banks.

Some people are too fearful, they're afraid of something which has happened to either themselves or someone else they know, but what's the point of dwelling on the past. Would you go flying down the highway looking in the rear view mirror? Hopefully not, so why would you do it in life?

Also, the general cultural belief system around money which the majority of Australian's subscribe to will hold most people back and that is "if something sounds too good to be true it normally is". But if you never take a chance on something or take on any risk in your life, what are you going to be stuck doing for the rest of your life? More than likely you will struggle, whinge and complain about lack of time and money.

Greg Suggate is an accomplished Stock and Options trader and Entrepreneur. Although having a Diploma of Financial Services he has no interest in working in the Financial Planning industry. His goal is to demonstrate to those less fortunate about the benefits of financially educating themselves. To find out more about Greg and to purchase his e-book package detailing his personal trading strategies, visit [http://www.optionsrevealed.com/]


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6 Reasons Why a Kindle Book Is Good for Your Business

Have you ever dreamed of being an author? Let's face it, times have changed, and if you have a message - and one of the ways you share your message is writing - then it's a PERFECT time to publish your own book.

Today you can publish your own book and become an author. Publishing your own writing doesn't require the approval of an established publishing house any more. As long as you have a computer (and an internet connection) you have the option to publish and market your own books online.
Here are six reasons why publishing a Kindle book is good for your business:

1. Proven Buyers. Publishing on Kindle exposes to you buyers! These aren't freebie folks, these are people who are purchasing ALL the time. You probably have an Amazon account. Have you only purchased once? No! You visit Amazon over and over and over. And now Amazon isn't only for books, they sell ALL kinds of products. This translates to LOTS of buyers that can get exposed to your book.

2. Portability. The Kindle platform is perfect for self publishers because it has created delivery platforms for its books, whether you own a Kindle or not. You can read your Kindle book on an iPhone, iPad, Android, even your computer. And, the Kindle itself is a wireless device that is light, durable and easy to clean. Your content is now global mobile.

3. Publishing Speed. There is a process to be learned to publish your book on Kindle, but once you have published your first book, it is easier to add more. One of my colleagues went from idea to published book in 5 days. Your book can be up on Amazon with 24 hours of upload.

4. Visibility. Publishing a Kindle book means that you've the backing of Amazon.com - one of the most searched sites on the internet and the largest online book retailer, to help promote your offerings on their website. When people search for your topic, your book might show up. This can get you in front of highly targeted potential customers that you may have never reached otherwise. Amazon also tends to suggest related titles when you search for something. Once you have several titles published, your visibility will increase also. Amazon offers the tools to make it possible for anyone to publish ebooks, and you can do it too.

5. Income Autopilot. Once you have published your eBook in the Kindle store, it will continue to earn royalties as long as it's on the Kindle store. As you continue publishing additional books, the effect becomes cumulative, and the royalties can start adding up to a substantial income.

6. Credibility. There's nothing that boosts your credibility like being a published author. It's the ultimate calling card for your business. So, what are you waiting for?
As a business owner you need to pay attention to the evolution of marketing and this is certainly one of the big trends right now. Use this medium as an opportunity to share your message and reach a global marketplace. Amazon is where buyers already are. Your peeps are there too. Get into action and put your business on a bigger playground.

Adela Rubio is a Joint Venture Strategist who helps coaches and creatives share their message and build their tribe using engaging listbuilding strategies. She is an expert at creating experiential online virtual events that position you to free your Unique Essence, share your Authentic Message and power boost your reach with Joint Ventures. Let Adela teach you how powerful partnerships can be. Download Adela's free audio "Creating Powerful Partnerships" at http://adelarubio.com today!

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Making Money On Amazon: Become an Amazon Affiliate

In this article I'm going to talk to you about a very different and, potentially, even more promising way to make money on Amazon. I'll explain how Amazon Associates works and look at whether or not it is as good as it sounds.

With this way of making money on Amazon you don't need to see or touch a single product. In fact, you don't even need to have a product. You don't need to do any selling either. Amazon sees to all that for you. It's a method that, with time and effort, could make you even more money than selling something on Amazon - from a lot less work than a conventional product stocking, buying-and selling operation involves.

It's all possible thanks to Amazon's very clever and comprehensive affiliate program that is known in Amazon-speak as Amazon Associates.

Of course, you're probably saying, affiliate programs are nothing new. And you'd be quite right.
But Amazon Associates isn't just any old affiliate program. It's a program that is tried and tested, highly professional, relatively easy to get started in, and on top of all that free to join. Not only that, but it allows you to hitch a ride on the back of the famous, highly- respected brand that is Amazon. That's why if you're new to affiliate schemes, or have tried others before and been disappointed by the results, Amazon Associates could be well worth a closer look.

What is an affiliate scheme?

You probably know what an affiliate program (or scheme) is, but in case you don't I'll briefly cover what they are here. Essentially, an affiliate scheme is an arrangement which allows one Internet marketeer (you in this case) the opportunity to promote the products and services being sold by another and get paid a commission (or referral fee as it is sometimes known) for doing it. It's a very simple idea and it is proven to work.

Amazon's affiliate program is a very advanced and sophisticated yet user-friendly affiliate scheme. When you sign up for Amazon's Associates program you don't need any products of your own. Instead, you introduce or refer potential buyers to Amazon's huge and ready-made range of products. More about exactly how that works shortly. If they then buy something, Amazon pays you a commission on the sale.

Put in very simple terms what is happening is that Amazon are paying you for finding and sending them potential customers. It's basically a classic Pay Per Action or PPA arrangement.
You can be an affiliate for all kinds of companies of course. But one of the advantages of being an Amazon affiliate is that people already know and trust the Amazon brand. So it is (or should be) much more likely that those you refer will buy - and buy more - than other unknown or run-of-the-mill affiliate schemes.

How does Amazon work with affiliates?

Amazon call their affiliate scheme Amazon Associates. Actually, that is a bit misleading. When you join you're not really an associate of Amazon. You're an affiliate pure and simple. The Amazon affiliates program is one of the oldest on the Internet. In fact, Amazon pioneered this method of marketing when the Internet was still in its infancy. It works like this:

1. You set up a website and generate traffic for it.

2. You sign up for the Amazon Associates program.
Once approved by Amazon you have access to a range of tools and techniques which allow you to refer visitors to your site to any or all of Amazon's portfolio of products.

3. You choose the products you want to promote. You then create affiliate links on your site which point to Amazon. If a visitor to your site clicks on one of the approved affiliate links and goes to Amazon and buys something within a certain time period you get a commission on the selling price.

The pros and cons of Amazon Associates

* Pro. You don't need products or services to sell. You don't need to spend time developing, creating or manufacturing them.

* Pro. You don't need to store, handle or ship products. Amazon does that for you.

* Pro. You don't need to handle payments. Amazon does that for you too.

* Pro. You don't need to provide customer back- up/support. The product supplier does that for you.

Now, I said affiliate schemes are basically simple. And essentially they are. But there are one or two drawbacks you need to know about before you start.

* Con. There can be stiff competition. Because affiliate schemes are simple to get into there can be competition from other people doing much the same thing as you. Lots of people are already Amazon affiliates, so there's already a fair bit of competition to tackle.

* Con. There's no product exclusivity. Anyone else can sell the same products and services as you. And you can't control the price... at least not with Amazon.

You'll need to choose a good niche and work hard to persuade customers to buy through you - more about all this later.

* Con. It's not an entirely hands-off business - despite the claims made by some people promoting affiliate schemes. You'll still need a website (in most cases). You'll need to spend time and money generating traffic for it. That can be tricky when you're new to the whole thing.

* Con. Affiliate program commissions can be quite small. A matter of pence per sale in some cases. You need to generate a good volume of referrals to earn a good income. (Amazon promise up to 10% but frankly you'd be safer to bank on 5%.)

Amazon and eBay Trading Made Easy - How do you make money on Amazon? Let What Biz Opp? show you how to sell on eBay full or part time. All the tips, tricks and secrets revealed right here.

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Life Begins At 40 - Essential Tips To Live Life To The Full

"Life begins at 40", the old adage goes. So, you're 40, you're full of energy and you want life to begin - you want to live life to the full for as long as you are able. What should you be thinking about or doing to ensure you can?

This short article will give you a few pointers to the essential things you need to deal with that can have an effect on the quality of life both now and well into the future.

The most essential problem to deal with, affecting the vast majority as they age, is weight - the dreaded "middle age spread". Now, weight alone can be dealt with - reduced - in only one way, and that's by, on a daily basis, consuming less calories than you use. There's no doubt that cutting back on calories so that the daily intake is less than the daily usage will result in you losing weight. But is that enough? A simple cut back on calories alone, as well as reducing your weight, may also reduce your energy level and your feeling of wellbeing.

What you need is not a crash diet of reduced calorie intake but a program of managed weight reduction including a planned diet with a nutrition content to keep you healthy and maintain energy level together with a structured exercise program to keep you toned - and which will also help keep up your energy level!

The right, nutritious diet combined with exercise will also help to keep you in good general health and avoid a lot of age related problems. Using your body will keep it in working condition. There is an abundance of so called "anti-aging" remedies and supplements on the market but beware. Most of them will make little, if any difference. You'll probably age better by generally keeping fit and with a balanced, nutritious diet that provides the necessary intake of "essentials".
Skin problems also arise with age. Apart from medical conditions there're the problems of wrinkling and stretching. These can often be delayed or "covered up" with creams and potions. There are thousands that don't have much benefit but many - particularly some of the more natural, herbal products - that really do improve matters and will not set you back a fortune!

By the time you reach 40 you really should be thinking about your financial future. Do you work? Do you need to work? How long will you need to work? How well are you providing for later years?

What do you need to do to improve the position? If you get your finances right you'll have so much more freedom to live life to the full so this really is something you must consider. This article isn't here to sell working from home or internet business products to you but it would be remiss not to mention the abundance of opportunities on the internet for producing or topping up income.

Finally - happiness. Know what you want from the rest of your life, plan it and go get it! If you need to, get hold of some good self-help reading to get you started and keep you on track but don't use your age as an excuse. You're never too old and it's never too late to go for it!
Please note that this article is for your information and is not technical in nature. Before adopting any course of action please take appropriate medical or other professional advice.

Nigel Moysey
For more information have a look at the website for women over 40: http://www.yourlifebeginsat40.com. We also have a blog and Facebook page linked from the website.

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10 Things You Didn't Know About Affiliate Marketing

Most people have heard of affiliate marketing, even if they haven't actually started doing it. Affiliate marketing is basically referring people to various products and services around the internet. For each sale you generate through your affiliate link, you earn a commission. The size of the commission depends on the products themselves, who is selling them and the percentage offered by the seller to the affiliate.

But what is actually involved in affiliate marketing? What do affiliates do on a daily basis? How do they earn money and how do they learn what to do?

1 An Example Of A Successful Website

There's several ways of marketing products and services online. Many affiliates create a blog first and sell products and services through their blog. Martin Lewis has a very successful website called moneysavingexpert.com. This is also an affiliate website. By creating content and helping people decide which service to use: which credit card offers to choose, the best interest rate etc. moneysavingexpert.com makes money by sending website visitors to various offers. If a sale is made through this website, the link this credited to it and a commission is made. By creating content, offering value and helping people make sensible choices, the website has built a reputation and become more prevalent over time. Google ranks the site highly in the search engines and thousands of people use it to make purchasing decisions every day.

2 How Can I Get Started As An Affiliate?

Affiliate marketing is huge. There are thousands of people already making their main source of income from the internet. To get started as an affiliate you need to learn some basic strategies and build various methods of generating traffic from the internet to those offers. A lot of affiliates start with a simple blog. Many travelers 'blog' about their travels. If you don't have a passion or interest to blog about, you can start by following an online course which will help. See my bio for more info on this.

3 How Long Does It Take To Make A Living?

Some people go into affiliate marketing with the intention of creating a second income. Some people want to make big money. Depending on how much time you can dedicate to your affiliate business, and how dedicated you are to it, is a big factor in determining your results. Results vary from person to person. With a large advertising budget and the right business model, some affiliates have replaced their living in 6-12 months. For others it can take years before it replaces their existing income. Depending on your approach, advertising budget, and business model, it can take between 3 months and several years to build it to a point where it can replace an existing income.

4 Can Anyone Do It?

One of the great things about affiliate marketing is that the technology is now available to allow anyone to build their own online business. As long as you are prepared to learn and implement that knowledge, anyone who can operate an email, can use online platforms and tools to build their own online business. The main thing you need is the desire to learn. Affiliate marketing isn't for everyone though. It does take a lot of hard work and it can take years before you are rewarded financially.

5 What Are The Pitfalls Of An Affiliate Business?

You need to dedicate some time to your affiliate business for it to work for the long term. Some people go into affiliate marketing thinking it is some magic pill which will pay them instantly in cash. Much like a job you can't expect to get out more than you put in. Affiliate marketing is performance related. This means you don't get paid unless you can successfully sell products and services online. If you don't know what you are doing it can take years to do this. You can't be a dabbler and expect to earn the big money. The big earnings are created over years of hard work. Don't expect to achieve this with only a small amount of input.

6 What Are The Best Things About Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing offers an incredible amount of flexibility and freedom. You can work an affiliate business from anywhere in the world providing you have a laptop and an internet connection. You can choose your own hours and build it up around existing work. Many people come into affiliate marketing because it offers this kind of flexibility. They can choose their priorities in life: spend more time with family, choose your working hours, travel and work abroad. No more commuting to work or working long hours for a boss you don't like.

Affiliate marketing also offers incredible scalability. A business which is local is always limited to the people who can travel to that business. An online business can be global. Using digital products in conjunction with a global reach, you can scale using tools and software to reach thousands of people through digital technology. By using automation much of the work involved with an online business can be pre-built. By building automation into the business model, you can focus your activities on reaching a larger audience through content creation and paid advertising.

7 Why Am I Struggling With My Affiliate Business?

A lot of people struggle with their affiliate businesses.This can be for a number of reasons. Firstly building up an affiliate business takes time. You need to dedicate a lot of time to an affiliate business in the first place. Only when you reach a 'tipping point' do you really start to see your progress. Many affiliates simply don't realise how much work is involved. They underestimate how much time they need to dedicate to their online business to make it work.
Paid advertising can allow you to grow your affiliate business quickly. But it costs money and you need the right products too. You can't advertise small value items with paid advertising. You won't generate enough profit to cover your advertising costs. You need a range of products and an email list to advertise through. 

Content marketing takes much longer to work, depending on your chosen area of business. If you find an untapped niche to market your blog in, you can make some fast progress. However, with a competitive niche you will struggle to get noticed above all the other content which you will have to compete with. There's several reasons why you might struggle. The main one is lack of knowledge. Get the right education first and your affiliate business will move much faster.

8 What's The Best Affiliate Model To Use? 

There are many different affiliate models, all offering something different to suit the individual. Some affiliates target search traffic and aim to get their content found on Google. Some create their own products and sell them directly to customers. However, having a range of products which you can sell over and over to existing customers is a great model for long term success. Selling a single item online is limited. It means you can only make one commission from each sale. By choosing membership products to promote which also offer back end sales and a built in sales team, you can benefit from monthly commissions and up-sell commissions for the lifetime of any given customer. Selling membership products is definitely a game changer when it come to affiliate marketing because you make an income from each customer, rather than a single commission. But a good model to choose is one in which you have a passion for and can keep doing for the long term. Choosing products which you have no interest in is a short sighted plan. Think about what you would like to do online to generate an income. If you choose to go with your passion, your business will last much longer, and be more successful.

9 Can I Just Sell My Own Products?

Many affiliates create their own products to sell online. However, when you are starting out it is a good idea to learn the basics of marketing first. That way you can start earning more quickly from your affiliate business. I spent a long time creating my own products when I first discovered affiliate marketing. But I didn't sell anything because of a couple of reasons. Firstly I didn't research whether my products would have a big enough demand. Secondly I didn't know how to market them. By joining a program which teaches you how to market products first, you can start making money more quickly. Don't waste time creating products if you don't know how to sell them. Marketing is a much more important skill for making money online. Once you know this skill, you can then apply it later when marketing your own products and services. Also your own products will be limited in range. By using an existing product range, you can benefit from products which are already selling. You can choose a program which offers high ticket commission, monthly memberships, back end sales and a built in sales team. Building your own products which offers all of these things not a possibility for most people when starting out.

10 What's The Point Of Affiliate Marketing?

Some people struggle with the concept of affiliate marketing.They think it sounds too 'salesy'. When I understood affiliate marketing I immediately found it appealing simply because I needed a flexible way to work around my contract work. I had to drop what I was doing at a moments notice if the phone went. This meant other jobs were awkward to juggle around. No-one wants to employ a 'flaky' employee. I wanted to work from my laptop and affiliate marketing gave me that opportunity. For many people this is the reason why they choose affiliate marketing. They can earn an income from their laptop, choose their working hours and not have a boss or place of employment. You don't have to sell directly to anyone or even talk to a customer. There is no stock to hold. Added to this, the scalability of affiliate marketing which lets you scale up to a global audience and deliver products on autopilot, makes it the best flexible business of the future.

Grab my eBooks "Niche Blogging For Profit" and "The Ultimate Guide To Online Marketing" plus learn how to build your own online business. Access a free video series: http://tim-halloran.com

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Breaking Free From the Mold and Living Life to the Full

Sometimes we are so wrapped up in our hectic daily lives that everything seems to be routine to us. We take everyone for granted and we ignore the little things in our lives. For many people change is not an option, or at least they think it's not. But what if you didn't want to be mediocre like most people? What if you just wanted to break free from the 'normal' life we are all programmed to live?

Taking control of your own life and not settling just for mere existence requires you to have self respect and a passion to succeed in becoming something better than you already are. But it also means that you need to step outside the box and look at what you can change and what you should keep close in your life.

Here are a few suggestions in taking those vital small steps that will make a difference to changing, and living life to its full:

Be Unique - Everyone is unique in their own way, and that is a gift to us all. In this crazy world we live in, everyone is trying to 'mold' everyone else into something that they want. Just don't accept it. You are who you are and yes you are unique in your own way. Don't let people 'program' you into something you are not.

Appreciate People who Care About You - Sometimes we are so reserved by the lies that people tell us that we actually ignore the truth and honesty that we receive from people who actually care about us. You know who cares about you and who is jealous. Who are the people you would call if you were in trouble? Who would have nothing to gain from your downfall and who would take sacrifices to help you? We often take advice from the wrong people; usually people who are fun to be around instead of people who actually care for us.

Embrace Change in Your Life - People usually look at some form of change in their lives as a burden. Don't be afraid to experience change in any form since it has come to you for a reason. A new challenge or maybe a new opportunity you need to explore. You won't find out until you accept and tackle it making it work to your advantage. Life is a roller coaster with its ups and downs, and what you become is how you deal with it.

Enjoy the Little Things in Life - I am sure you have heard the phrase "the best things in life are free". Don't be materialistic and enjoy every moment with your loved ones. Look at the details and not just the whole picture. Don't take everything for granted and look at the small things because one day you might realize that they were actually the big things that made the difference.

Listen to Your Inner Voice - Choose to listen to your inner voice and not everyone else's opinions. Accept opinions but then you decide which road is best for you since it's your journey in life. Remember that the choices you make have an impact on your life. You will have good days that will give you great happiness and bad days that will give you experience.

Let go of the Past and Live the Present - Sometimes what holds us back from living the present and planning our future are the dreadful mistakes or consequences of our past. We all have regrets of the past but guess what; we are all given a 'present' of forgiveness which is called 'the present time'. Letting go can be difficult but sometimes starting all over again can be the best option, whether it's a career move, a new relationship, or just having a new perspective of life.

If today is the day that you want to change your lifestyle, then do it today, because the more you put it off until "Next Week", the less likely you are to ever start. Just take a quick look at this site today to get some free tips about living a better lifestyle www.whatyoucanachieve.com [http://www.whatyoucanachieve.com]

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Design Guide: Creating the Perfect Home Office

Working from home is on the rise. Census. Gov states that in the last decade, the number of Americans who work from home at least one day a week has increased by a staggering 35% (that's 4.2 million Americans!) in the last decade. The importance of having a well-planned, well-designed, and well-organized home office space cannot be underestimated. Having a clutter-free, organized home office space integrated into your interior design can vastly impact your productivity, stress levels and overall well-being. Here is a practical guide to designing your perfect in-home office space

1.) Choose the right space:
The answer may not be as obvious as you might think. While, geographically, that corner in the living room may seem to make the most sense, its important to consider the level of distraction you may be facing in the future. Televisions, children, telephones, and pets can all come as unexpected distractions to your productivity. Choose a space with minimal traffic, minimal use, and minimal access to distractions.
Also, its important to be able to separate work life from home life- the ability to shut a door and "leave work" is absolutely crucial for reducing stress levels and reducing the risk of "burn out". Perhaps an unused dining room, or formal living room could be a better option than using a spare bedroom.

2.) Compliment, not Contradict:
Your home office should compliment the rest of your home. If your home has a traditional design with lots of warm tones- then stick with that. Your home office space should seamlessly blend into the design of your home, not scream "cold, soul-less cubicle". You also want to avoid clashing design themes- you may have that great desk your mother-in-law gave you- but if it clashes with the flow of the room, it may be worth the additional cost to avoid those architectural hiccups. After all, you want your home office to give you a sense of comfort and ease- not be a stark shock to the senses.

3.) Built-in storage:
It may seem like a superfluous or excessive expense to incorporate built- in organization or storage into a home-office when the option to run to a local store and purchase a desk or shelf (with assembly required) is always there, but adding furniture to a home can cause clutter- and when it comes to home office, clutter is the enemy. Talk with your designer about incorporating built-in shelving, cabinets, and drawers into your space. This will not only increase how seamlessly your home office space blends into your home, but will also avoid potential issues with purchasing organizational tools which inevitably add to the problem rather than solve it.


4.) If you invest in nothing else, invest in a good chair:
Likely one of the most crucial elements of any home office- the perfect office chair should be of utmost priority. When it comes to picking the perfect office chair- spare no expense. You'll be spending a huge portion of your time sitting in that chair, so make sure it is as comfortable and functional as possible.

5.) Disregard the Norm:
Make your space uniquely "you". Forget the muted, office beige (unless that's what works for you) and paint or accent your space a color you love. We've already had some discussion about how color can affect your mood, and when it comes to productivity in the office place- we all know how much mood can affect productivity. Set your space up to be relaxing, permanent, functional, comfortable, and is tailored to your needs and wants. Don't be afraid to be daring- as long as the space is functional,then who's to say you can't design your desk to have a built-in snack bowl, perch for your kitty to sleep next to you, or even something as radical as a place to put a patch of grass underneath so while you're working you can take off your shoes and feel the grass under your feet? If you're working from home, you have the distinct freedom to toss aside convention when it comes to design- use it!

6.) Don't underestimate a good view:
In an ideal situation- we could all build our home offices to overlook the skyline of our city, or overlook a white sand beach, but the reality is that we have to use what we can. Giving yourself something more interesting to look at during those brief moments when looking away from a computer will make you more comfortable. A window is ideal- but even a picture or painting you really enjoy can provide those mental breaks that are so important to a productive work environment. No one likes staring at a blank wall, so while most of us can't be afforded the perfect view, treat yourself to the best of what you can.


7.) Illumination:
Give yourself plenty of light. Of course natural light is preferred, but the daylight hours are limited- so make sure that your office space provides ample, bright light with a good hue. You will likely need more light than you'd anticipate- so adding additional light fixtures is an important consideration. Increased light will reduce eye strain and prevent those pesky headaches. Don't forget to choose a bulb that offers light in a spectrum that works for you! Pale, crisp light sitting nearer the blue side of the spectrum often offers added energy and produces ample light. Stick around 900 Lumens minimum (depending on space) and make sure that your light source is in easy access from a seated position.


8.) Ergonomics are your best friend:
We see this word a lot- but when you're setting up your home office design, make it priority. You can save yourself so much time and energy while avoiding serious long-term problems by making sure that your home office space is as ergonomic as possible. We spent hours a day at our desks, and studies show us more and more how negative being seated in the improper posture can wreak havoc on the body. Protect yourself, your safety, comfort, and well-being: make sure you do whatever you can to make your space friendly to your body.

9.) Greenery:
Consider incorporating office plants into your home office design. Adding a plant or two to your office space can have more of an impact than you may think. Studies have shown that having live greenery in a work space can improve air quality, make your room more comfortable, reduce stress, and increase productivity. A plant is a welcomed and reasonable distraction in the moments you take to care for it by watering or pruning- and besides, they look fantastic!


10.) Cable Management:
Often over looked and unjustly so. Nothing can create more of an eye sore in a home office than a nest of cables cluttering a desk or floor. Velcro cable ties are your friend! Talk with your designer about incorporating ways to hide a mess of cables. Make sure that your space is set up for any connection you might need, including adequate electrical outlets. Make sure to leave your equipment layout open to be altered- you never know when you'll be getting some new piece of office tech, or when you may decide to remove a piece of equipment. If the cables are hard to access, or difficult to add to- you'll end up at square one with a nest of cables. Increasing ease of access and efficiency is key!
In building a home office- you should invest as much as is comfortable for your budget. It cannot be said enough how important to mental well-being, productivity, and mood it is to have a working environment that entices you to be there and doesn't add any additional factors which may cause stress. You'll be spending more time in your home office than you will in most other spaces or rooms in your home- so make sure that your home-office reflects that and suits you perfectly. Experimentation is key- and with a great interior designer- the possibilities are endless

 

To read more articles on Interior Design, visit our blog: Leib Designs Blog
For more interior design ideas and inspiration, see our complete Portfolio
Leib Designs is a New York Based Interior Design Firm.


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Bits of Wisdom to Live Life to the Fullest

Last Monday I had a sumptuous breakfast at the Shangrila Hotel, in Mactan, Philippines, courtesy of my daughter and son-in-law who had an overnight stay there and invited me to join them the following day.

It was one great breakfast worth writing about: It started with a glass of ice-cold, freshly squeezed orange juice under the hotel's palm-tree covered patio, then two large fried eggs, a few strips of bacon, and serving of corned beef, two slices of toasted wheat bread, a serving of mixed fruits, with a cup of warm, native black chocolate to go with it.

To aid my digestive process, I went for my favorite aquatic activity right after - snorkeling. What made it different this time was that I snorkeled in the hotel's marine sanctuary.

For the good of 20 minutes, I swam with tropical fishes of different colors, species, shapes and sizes. It was practically a kaleidoscope of living colors swirling all around me. They are so used to swimming with people that you can almost touch them; some had the audacity to nibble the calluses off my fingers.

After what seemed a lifetime of frolicking with marine life, I threw my flippers and snorkel on the beach and free-styled for two laps along the entire length of the sanctuary.

Later, as I sat on the white, powdery sand in the midst of opulent tranquility, and facing the dark blue seas, I fought the temptation of calling it "living life to the fullest."

I was happy, very happy in fact, on that fine and wonderful morning. But I knew that it was all temporary; I knew that had my daughter and her hubby not invited me over, I would never have had the chance of tasting a slice of a life of abundance.

I knew that when I drive out of the gates of the hotel, the environment, the breakfast, the snorkeling and the swim would all memorable experiences, soon to be buried beneath other experiences of the coming days.

It was nice, it was good; in fact it was awesome. But it was not "living life to the fullest." Living life to the fullest is made up of little pleasures that give our lives an even keel, a balance and meaning. It is not of temporary spurts of joy but of much longer sense of serenity and peace of mind.

Living life to the fullest is:

1. Appreciating the little things that come our way:

From the time we wake up in the morning until we sleep at night, our world is full of tiny little things that can make our hearts sing with joy - if only we take the time to notice them.

From the innocent look of your sleeping child, to the sweet aroma of the coffee your wife is brewing in the kitchen. It is to see the beauty of the flowers in your garden, and the butterflies that effortlessly flit from one to the other; it is to hear the hearty "good morning" greeting of a neighbor, or the soft rays of sunshine that caress your skin as you pick up you early morning paper.

Many more will come your way the entire day but these will large go unnoticed because our brains are naturally wired to see the curses, not the blessings in life.

2. Being realistic:

Living life to the fullest is to know yourself, your abilities and your talents, and what you are capable of. It is setting goals that make you sweat a little bit, make you push yourself a little higher than where you are now.

Maybe you need to bite more than you can chew, just make sure you won't choke to death. It is breaking the barriers you previously set for yourself and enjoying every minute of it.

3. It is letting go of the past:

Whatever you do, the past is past and nothing can bring it back. Rather than pine or be sorry for it, be thankful for the lessons you learned. Let it be the launch pad from you set yourself off to explore new territories, new heights.

Learn from it. Life is a constant process of learning, of evolving, of becoming a little bit better - inch by inch.

4. Not being obsessed with material things:

This is going to be a real challenge in this very materialistic world. It is going to take a herculean effort to go for what we need, not what we want; to desire, not to covet.

There is totally nothing wrong with materialism for practical reason, not to clutter our homes with things we really don't need.

You can only wear a pair of shoes or pants at a time. Why drive yourself crazy in wanting to have a closet-full of them?

Living life to the fullest is not of excesses but of simplicity. Happiness is not about what you have, but of what you are doing with them.

5. It is being friendly:

Several weeks ago, I received an email about motivational things which, I am sure, clutter your Inbox as well. It says,

"Send a silent praise to every person you meet today. Wish them well. Send a wave of blessings to every person you talk to and see what happens."

Pretty cool, isn't it?

6. Listening to your heart and soul:

This is called "mindfulness," the latest craze in finding oneself.

Set aside a certain time of the day to listen to your heart and soul. For 10 minutes or so, shut yourself out from the world and focus on that tiny voice, your inner self, and listen to what it is trying to tell you.

Various researches show that your heart and soul are always trying to communicate with you and they are seldom wrong.

This exercise can be the most beneficial thing you do in any given day.

7. Paying back:

We don't live in a vacuum. Each of us is connected to a community which shaped our thoughts, feelings, desires, and the choices we make. Our community helped us grow and become what we are today.

It is only proper to pay it back one way or the other, in any way you can. Not only is it an obligation, it will also make you a better person.

Studies show that unconditional generosity gives the highest form of happiness to the giver.

8. Never to give up:

Living life to the fullest is seeing things through, no matter how difficult or challenging they may be.

We all face obstacles every day. While some can be avoided or skirted around, some have to be faced head on. How you handle them is a test of your character. Will you run away or stand up and fight? Will you buckle down in surrender or stand up fighting to the last of your strength?

Life is replete with examples of ordinary men who gained fame by pursuing dreams deemed impossible by others. The prevailed because they did not give up.

The reason why the world is full of losers is not because they lacked the opportunity or the talent; it is not because they lacked the intelligence or the connections to push them up.

They failed because they gave up.

9. It is being happy:

Living life to the fullest is, first and foremost, being happy. Maybe not euphoric happy or wear a perpetual grin on your face.

Being happy is none of those. It is to have a deep feeling of satisfaction, not contentment, mind you, of not having so many hang-ups a lot of people do that rob them of their peace of mind, their self-confidence and the motivation to achieve their purpose in life.

Living life to the fullest is to live in constant expectation that no matter how bad things are today, the sunshine of the coming day will bring with it the hope that things will be a lot better; that no matter how bad your fall may be, you can still bounce back and do it all over again.

I believe that we all must strive to live life to the fullest. I believe that we all have the inherent ability to stretch our lives as far as it can be stretched, to go as far as our imagination can take us, and to dream dreams that can spur us to achieve what we once thought unachievable.

That even if we failed, it does not carry with the remorse and despondence failures always bring, but a smile on our face knowing that we have given it our best shot.

Joseph Dabon

I am a freelance writer and blogger. I write about a wide range of subjects,.e.g., self-development, health and fitness, success and happiness and elderly issues, http://elderlytalk.com/.

I am also an SEO content writer and copywriter and a website optimizer.

Email me at dabon.joseph@gmail.com or Skype me at joesfortune should you need some help in your writing.

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How To Work Remotely With Your Virtual Assistant

There used to be a time when someone had to be physically in the office to take care of the administrative tasks. Things like typing, answering the phone, filing, etc. But with technology today there's no need for you to have a physical body sitting in an office taking up space. You can hire a virtual assistant to do those things remotely. Having a virtual assistant will enhance your business flexibility.

When you hire a Virtual Assistants Chicago and the virtual assistant works remotely from anywhere you don't have to pay for any health insurance, worry about coffee breaks or extended lunch hour, no equipment to buy like computers, monitors, fax machines or office supplies. A virtual assistant will have her own equipment and office supplies and take care of their own health insurance. So that saves you money! Now it's easier than ever to work remotely online with a virtual assistant.

Skype - Skype is one of the preferred ways to work remotely with your virtual assistant. You can Skype from anywhere in the world. It's easy to set up and if you are not tech savvy you can learn to use it. You can use it from your computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. You can send files, you can share screens with one another. Instead of going back and forth via email sharing screens is a great way for you to actually see what your virtual assistant needs to show or you can also train her on a task while recording it so she can have access to the video.

Dropbox - One of the great things about Dropbox is it is completely FREE!! You get 2GB of space which is a lot of space. You can share files back and forth with one another using Dropbox. In order to do this, all you need to do is place the files in a folder that is designated for sharing. Dropbox is ideal for backing up information. If your computer was to crash or you lose your smartphone you can use Dropbox to access all of the files that were in them. Plus Dropbox can be accessed from any computer since it is a cloud based application.

Email - You can always use good ole email as a way of communication. Some virtual assistants and clients prefer to only use this method of communication with a client. You can check in with one another daily, weekly or biweekly whichever way you agree on to send time reports, or answer any questions.

Project Management Software - There is project management software such as Basecamp, Teamwork, and Asana to name a few that a Virtual Assistant uses to track her time and keep an eye on the projects that she is working on. It lets her know what she needs to do and how much time she has used and has left in the project. The best thing is she can give you access to the software and you can see for yourself exactly what she is doing and how she is using the allotted time. Since you have access to the project management system, you also can add files to the project and notes for the virtual assistant letting her know you have made some changes or added something to the project. Nobody wants to be micromanaged and having access to this system is the same as being able to peek over her shoulder.

So there you have it. There are other ways that you and your VA can work remotely together. It all depends on what you two agree on and what works for the both of you.

Deborah Northcutt is the owner of http://www.FreeYouUpVA.com. I help public speakers, life and business coaches, and sole entrepreneurs by giving you more time in the day to increase your networth and network. I get you out of overwhelm and stress by performing the administrative tasks such as social media management, email organization, calendar scheduling, and responding to speaker requests. For more tips on virtual assistants like my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/freeyouupva.

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5 Steps to Financial Freedom - Practical Tips to a More Passionate Life

Taking the necessary steps to financial freedom is something that a lot of people are after, but when you think about being free, are you just looking for a pile of money?

Most people just want a lot of money, because that, in their mind means true freedom, but in reality you do not need a pile of cash. Living within your means and building a passive income stream is simple. I know, because I have done it.

When you realize that you do not have to make tons of money it really takes the pressure off. The truth is that you CAN do what you love and make a living, you just have to be creative and be willing to try new things.

With all that said, here are 5 steps to financial freedom that are practical and easily implemented if you are determined.

1. Clarity is the absolute first step. Determining what your passions are and what you really want to do can seem overwhelming. I had this problem. The simple solution is to start doing something that you think you like and don't be afraid of making mistakes.

2. Goals come second. Set short-term and long-term goals because they will help tell your subconscious mind what you want. It will in this way help bring you closer to the things you want. Be open to possibilities that you did not expect, because they usually come in different forms.

3. Taking Action is the third step and one that many people have trouble with. Procrastination is a huge time waster. The reason people have trouble taking action is because of fear and not being able to trust their journey.

4. Trusting yourself and the path is essential. When you realize that you can go with the flow of life, even if negative things can happen sometimes, you realize that life is a game that is meant to be played with joy.

5. Enjoying life is something that a lot of people have trouble with. In the end, it is up to you how you interpret each external circumstance that comes your way. Two people can have completely opposite reactions to the same external reality.

Quick Summary
Discovering your passion and learning what you truly love is what it is all about. Now, if you're thinking that you aren't passionate about anything you're wrong, because we are all here for a reason and I promise you that when you dig deeper, you'll find the thing that truly sets you on fire and brings joy to your life.

If you want to learn more and discover how you can get paid to do what you love, please visit my website at http://www.wakeupcloud.com/.

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Social Media Business

Everyone should be looking into Social Media right now because those who don't are going to get seriously burned, and regret not forward thinking. Social Media pushes the names of businesses out onto the web for discussion. It allows a business to connect with the community and advertise virtually for free. If a business doesn't want to get involved in Social Media there could be serious repercussions because other individuals and businesses can hijack brand names and use them in anyway they please.

For example a medium size company, let us call them Righto Inc., might be on the rise to discover there is a twitter account gaining followers, and using a similar brand name to redirect business to their own site. Righto Inc is going to have a certain percentage of their business going through their competition by mistake. Businesses have to think about domain names and social media accounts they wish to preserve so there isn't any complications in the future.

Branding is one of the most beneficial aspects to social media. When a business puts themselves and their logo all over the web it creates a virtual moat around the company protecting them and establishing the company in the public's mind. Nike is a great example of a company that has great well established brand. No one can encroach on Nike's business because their logo and advertising was really well done, making them well-know and visible. The future of Social Media Campaign is bright because they are inexpensive compared to commercial advertisements, which is how Nike originally got huge, by growing their brand and paying for ads, but now days with social media a business can reach an international audience with free social media platforms.

The best way to start a Social Media Campaign is to think long and hard about the domain and user names that should be associated with the business, since the names can never be taken back. The chosen names should really stand out.

Once the domain and user names are established it's important to select the social media websites which will be most beneficial for a business. Usually a business will want to go with big-name sites like MySpace, Twitter and Facebook; but in addition, as the popular ones dwindle down there are so many social media websites, a business might want to pick and choose between the most practical ones.

It is absolutely crucial once these sites are acquired to interact with the community. A Twitter or Facebook account won't help at all if the business is not involved. Social accounts should be following as well as being followed, and accounts should make connections with other individuals and businesses in their industry. Answering questions, promoting and re-tweeting your friends will bond you to your community and get others involved with your business's objective and goals.

It is important businesses design these profile sites with a call to action. Forms and news letters are a great call to action, because an interested potential customer might sign up with a company, so that the company can contact them later. It is also a good idea to have some kind of incentives to attract customers. For example, a business could create coupons so a web-surfer will sign up and get weekly emails about specials. I recently saw Voyeur, a local San Diego Club, do a promotion on Twitter for free concert tickets. The possibilities are endless and one can get creative.

Using a social media campaign is a powerful way to get an online fan base. Getting creative with social media will only help propel businesses forward.

I'm terribly open-minded... Food, travelling, whatever. For example, it is my goal, earlier than later, to live in Europe, Japan and NYC for at least a year in each. I attended a Japanese public high college for a year, so my Japanese is somewhat skillful. I also packed through Europe a few summers back for three months and it was awesome... Sight see in the day and party at night. Music is also important... Music tastes can tell a lot about someone. I like all kinds, from random eclectic indie to ol skool jazz to hiphop, but i guess you would just have to speak to me to work out exactly what.

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