Organizational Skills
It’s easier to stay organized when the boss can drop in on your office at any moment. Not so much when the only one seeing your messy home office is your cat. Keeping your office organized is crucial to work at home success. It’s also a sign of respect—not only to your job, but to yourself.
Dedication and Professionalism
Sure, it was fun gabbing with the gals at the office but that doesn’t even compare to a Real Housewives marathon on Bravo! It takes sheer discipline—and professionalism—to keep yourself sitting at your desk and working when the TV calls your name, especially when your boss is not around to reprimand you.
Superior Communication Skills
When you worked in an office, you could always stroll down the hallway if you needed some clarification from a colleague. Now, you stroll down the hallway and you’re in your kitchen. Working at home requires excellent communication skills, especially when an email or an IM is unclear. Being vocal about your queries also lets your boss know that you’re serious about your job.
Focus
From your mother calling to your dogs looking longingly at you for a walk, there are incessant interruptions when you work at home. These calls for your attention are something that you simply don’t have to deal with when you work in an office. Being able to avoid distractions (yes, even Facebook counts as one) and concentrate on your work is a definite advantage.
Time Management Skills
When you can start—and end—your work day as you please, it’s easy to let the hours slip by. Being able to keep track of time—and stay on top of your work—without a boss breathing down your neck is a skill coveted by all employers.
When you are revamping your resume, you should definitely utilize your work at home strengths to your advantage. After all, these skills will be beneficial for any job that you apply for in the future.
Jennifer Parris is the Career Writer for FlexJobs, an award-winning service that helps job-seekers find professional opportunities that offer work flexibility, such as telecommuting, freelance, part-time or alternative schedules. To learn more about Jennifer, visit FlexJobs.com or tweet @flexjobs.
]]>Talk to your family. When you land your new telecommuting position, sit down to tell your family about it. Explain that while you will still be home, you might not be as available as you were before. But be sure to celebrate your success--go out to dinner or spend some quality family time together. That way, your kids will view your newly employed status as a good thing.
Create a dedicated space. It's hard to explain to a two-year-old that Mommy is busy working when Mommy works a little in the kitchen, a little on the couch, and a little bit in her bedroom. Create an official office space so that the kids know that when you are there, you're officially on the clock.
Set your office hours. Even if your position offers flexible hours, try to stick to a schedule. This will not only help you as you transition to working at home, but it will also help your children get used to the new routine.
Give your husband a reminder. While your partner is on board with you working at home, he might be the first one to "relapse" and forget that you are actually working. For example, he might ask you to take the car in for a tune up or pick up some extra steaks for the BBQ this weekend--during your working hours. Luckily, this is most likely a habit. So gently remind your sweetie of your work schedule and that house responsibilities now need to be split down the middle.
Hire a sitter. If you think you can type juggle your new job responsibilities with a newborn without assistance (or losing your mind), think again. Every job will have a learning curve which will be harder to grasp if you try to juggle it all alone. So as soon as you get hired, hire a sitter (or three) of your own. This will help you to be as professional as possible in your new position--and keep the kids busy while you work on meeting your deadlines.
Find time for yourself. Between getting your family settled, adjusting to your new routine and trying to balance household duties, you might get lost in the shuffle. Take some time for yourself during the day, whether it's a walk or letting the sun hit your face for fifteen minutes. It will rejuvenate you and keep you centered as you balance work and motherhood.
Get your family involved. Your family might feel left out of the excitement of Mom's New Job. So keep them involved in the process. You can go office furniture shopping together and let your little ones pick out the supplies to help spruce up your new space. Or over dinner after you start working, everyone can take turns talking about how their day was, and that means you, too. Talk about the fun or interesting things you're doing or learning in your new job. When the kids see that you're excited, they'll be excited, too.
Do practice runs first. Before you officially start working, do a dry run of what your day will be like. Pick a weekend day to do this and pretend that you're officially working. See how many times the kids try to interrupt you for a glass of water or how often you have to stop working to break up a fight over the last cupcake. Use this opportunity to explain to them how you're now working and can't be interrupted. This is an easy, less stressful way to break the kids--and yourself--into the new routine without the pressure of actually being on desk duty.
Get advice. Reach out to other moms who work at home to see how they made the transition. Chances are, each one will have advice that she'll want to share. You can talk to friends or even reach out to moms on community boards for their words of wisdom. Learning from these experiences will better prepare you for the challenges--and joys--that lie ahead when you start working.
Be flexible. Despite all your planning, things will go wrong. A babysitter will get sick--and so will your child. Your Internet might go out--right before a company-wide Skype call. Don't panic. These things happen. Try to plan as much as you can but don't be disappointed when you hit a bump in the road. Let it roll off your back and learn how you can do better the next time. After all, like many moms who are working at home, you should never lose sight that you are doing great things for your family--and for yourself.
Jennifer Parris is the Career Writer for FlexJobs, an award-winning service that helps job-seekers find professional opportunities that offer work flexibility, such as telecommuting, freelance, part-time or alternative schedules. To learn more about Jennifer, visit FlexJobs.com or tweet @flexjobs.
]]>Full-time
A growing number of positions now offer the flexibility of working at home full-time. From nurses to nannies, lawyers to linguists, you can probably find a full-time position in your area of interest, earning a full-scale salary with benefits.
Benefits: Working a full-time telecommuting schedule will allow you to not only earn more money, but it also gives you a more stable schedule. It's ideal for moms who are looking for more consistency in their work life, (i.e. working when the kids are in school). It also saves you from having to take on a second job to supplement your income, if need be.
Flex schedule
Maybe you were working in a traditional office and scored a two-day work at home schedule. This type of position might require you to head into the office a couple of days a week, and then work the rest of the time remotely.
Benefits: Having a flexible schedule is ideal for someone who craves a little office interaction. It requires a bit of juggling, as you'll technically be working in two offices, so organizational skills are a must. It also allows you the opportunity to have face-to-face contact with your boss, which is always a good thing.
Part-time
The vast majority of telecommuting positions are part-time. Working from home only half-days (or only a few full days a week) gives you the chance to pursue other passions, or even go back to school to advance your education.
Benefits: Part-time work is good if you have other obligations to take care of (i.e. young children or an aging parent) but still want to earn an income. Having hours--or days--off might make for a perfect work life balance for you, as you'll be contributing to the household but with an easier time commitment.
Freelance Work
A freelance job or assignment generally is a niche job, meaning that the work itself is very specific in nature. Most likely you have studied in this field or even have worked in this industry before. For example, you might have freelance writing assignments or graphic design work. Freelance work can be assigned on a regular basis or be a long-standing working arrangement.
Benefits. Freelance work tends to revolve around something that you're passionate about. People freelance when they don't want to make specific time commitments but still want to work in their industry of choice. Or, you might freelance at a company until a full-time position opens up. The hours you work as a work at home freelancer generally are up to you, making it ideal for moms with young families or robust days filled with their kids' extracurricular activities.
Contract Work
Typically project-based, contract work has a definite start and end date. You might be hired to help a company overhaul their website and social media presence. You'll be given a contract to sign which states the premise of the project, your pay rate and how long it should take to complete.
Benefits: Similar to freelance, contract work often relates to a specific skill set that you possess. It's great for someone who is looking to keep their toes in the workforce, doing what they love, but without a major time commitment. When you finish a project with one company, you might have to look around for a similar position with another brand.
There are many opportunities to pursue your passion, earn extra income and be the parent you want to be--all while working from home. So search for jobs (and avoid the scams!) that meet all of your requirements and your work life balance will be, well, in balance.
Jennifer Parris is the Career Writer for FlexJobs, an award-winning service that helps job-seekers find professional opportunities that offer work flexibility, such as telecommuting, freelance, part-time or alternative schedules. To learn more about Jennifer, visit FlexJobs.com or tweet @flexjobs.
]]>Scammers are coming up with new job search scams all the time, so we're profiling five of the newest scams to give you a sense of what to look out for. Here are five newer job search scams and how to avoid them.
1. Fake URLS make scammers look like large, well-known companies.
Job listings are popping up online that appear to be from a reputable, well-known company like General Electric or CNBC, offering work from home jobs. But these jobs are rarely from the companies they purport to be.
How to spot the scam: Double-check the URL (web address) of the company. For example, the website you're looking at may seem like GE's site but it's really just a fake page made to look impressively similar to the real thing. For example, you might think a URL like http://www.ge.com.in/careers must be GE's careers page, but it's actually a fake. Open a new Internet browser and search for the company by name. Google "General Electric" and then search their REAL website for their careers page. Compare their real hiring site to the one you're not sure of, and you'll be able to spot a scam.
2. Scammers using well-known company names to get personal banking information
The Federal Trade Commission recently refunded $2.3 million to over 90,000 consumers in the U.S. "who were allegedly charged hidden fees by a fake work-at-home service that used Google's name to advertise. The online work-at-home operation, which operated under the names Google Money Tree, Google Pro and Google Treasure Chest, deceptively used Google's name and logo.... The operation promised that consumers could earn $100,000 in six months after signing up to receive a work-at-home kit for a shipping fee of under $4.... The operation didn't tell consumers that, by ordering the work-at-home kit, they were disclosing their account information and would be charged an additional $72.21 each month, the FTC said."
How to spot the scam: This may be a new scam, but it uses the same old tactics to lure in job seekers. It promises a big paycheck but requires you to invest, offering a magic "kit" to help job seekers find a work from home job. The biggest red flag is that this scam requests personal bank account numbers and information. Always beware of job listings that sound too-good-to-be-true and offer strangely large paychecks.
3. LinkedIn users receiving too-good-to-be-true job offers.
A member of our FlexJobs LinkedIn Group recently told us about an unfortunate experience she had with a scammer on LinkedIn. The job seeker told us, "I gave up a work-at-home position with a reliable paycheck because I was contacted by someone through my LinkedIn profile. The company offered me a much better paying position and requested I leave my current position and start there the following week. I did as they requested. I worked for them for 2 weeks and 2 days... and then out of nowhere they said they decided to 'go in a different direction' and let me go. They NEVER paid me -- they owe me over $1,000 and won't respond to my calls or emails."
How to spot the scam: Scammers use urgency to get job seekers to act without thinking. If you're contacted out of the blue by a company offering you a job without having had an interview, don't fall victim to their urgent tactics. Additional red flags include: any company that doesn't allow you to give two-weeks notice at your current employer, that rushes you into making a decision, or that promises you more money than your current job without adding new responsibilities or tasks.
4. Being interviewed for a "job" over instant messenger or IM.
Most interviews for work-from-home jobs take place over the phone or a video conferencing program like Skype. Some even take place in-person. But one place you shouldn't expect to be interviewed? Instant messenger (IM). Recently, scam companies have taken to using fake IM accounts on programs like Yahoo! Messenger and Google Talk to hold fake job interviews.
How to spot the scam: While instant messenger has become a great way for employees to communicate with one another, it's very rare to find a legitimate company using IM to conduct job interviews. If a company wants to interview you over IM, ask for a phone interview instead, and ask for a number to call THEM, rather than giving YOUR number. Before agreeing to any interview, research the company to see if you find any red flags about them, including bad reviews online, poor English language skills, lot of urgent punctuation (!! and $$) in their materials, and requests for you to transfer hundreds of dollars via Western Union for required software programs.
5. Mystery shopping "jobs"helping scammers commit wire fraud.
In 2012, two scam companies were shut down after tricking job seekers into fake "mystery shopper" jobs in order to help them transfer funds. "Idealcorp.net and Survsonl.com promised the chance to work from home helping a market research company gauge customer service at Western Union. Mystery shoppers were issued $2,000 checks, told they could cash them and keep $300 for themselves and wire the rest to someone overseas. They would then report on the quality of Western Union's customer service.... But the $2,000 check turned out to be counterfeit, and once the bank where the con victims deposited it learned it was worthless, the victim had already sent off the $1,700 balance - using his or her own funds. The banks held the victims accountable to pay back the money."
How to spot the scam: Again, these are new scammers using old tactics. Helping a company transfer funds is always a big red flag -- companies should never require you to use your own bank accounts or other personal accounts to do anything for them. Real mystery shopping jobs will never require you to use your own money to make purchases or evaluate a retail experience. Most scam mystery shopping jobs carry a sense of urgency, just like LinkedIn scam jobs. For example, you may be asked to accept the job and cash their check within 48 hours. Never accept a job under the threat of a deadline if you aren't 100 percent certain that the company is legitimate.
If you're looking for an at-home job, it's important to stay knowledgeable about job search scams and how to protect yourself. There are thousands of legitimate telecommuting jobs out there. The key is to be able to find those amid all the scams and too-good-to-be-true offers. Stay alert, trust your gut, and do your research, and the legitimate work from home jobs will come your way!
Brie Weiler Reynolds is the Director of Content and Community at FlexJobs, the award-winning site for home-based jobs and flexible job listings. FlexJobs lists thousands of pre-screened, legitimate, and professional-level home-based jobs and positions with other types of flexibility like part-time positions, freelancing, and flexible schedules. Brie provides career and job search advice through the FlexJobs Blog and social media. Learn more at www.FlexJobs.com.
]]>Of course, you want to go through some basic self-assessment to see where your skills, experiences, education, and interests lead you. And you also want to know the prospects for different careers and industries so you can focus your job search attention wisely.
The career categories that typically have the most available work-at-home jobs include Medical/Health, Customer Service, Sales, and Administrative, but there are lots of interesting and unusual jobs to consider both in and out of these careers.
To get you started, let's take a look at some of the most common and not-so-common work-at-home jobs.
3 Uncommon (But in High-Demand!) Work At Home Jobs
Search Engine Evaluator
These part-time jobs are perfect for people who already like to surf the web, and they offer flexible schedules with the ability to set your own hours. Essentially, search engine evaluators do just that -- they work for Internet search evaluation companies to determine how to improve search engine results for clients. The skills required of a search engine evaluator are the ability to work independently, cultural awareness of your home country, familiarity with news and media sources on the web, and solid analysis and research abilities. The pay for this type of job typically starts at $13 per hour, with a set number of hours each week.
Personal Historian
Individuals hire personal historians to create a detailed picture of their family's history. To capture the personal experiences and memories of the client, historians spend time speaking with individuals, compiling notes, and creating a detailed picture of the information. These jobs require people with excellent interpersonal and customer service skills, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate well one-on-one with individuals. The typical pay for this work is $50 per hour, and the work is occasional, whenever new clients sign up for historical services.
Online Teacher
Virtual tutoring positions are very common and well-known, but did you know that you can take your expertise one step further and become a virtual teacher? These part-time positions are available for anyone with a teaching certification, and are found throughout the U.S. Teachers typically work in virtual classrooms with middle school or high school students to teach subjects like English, music, math, sociology, history, languages, chemistry, biology, and even physical education. The activities for these part-time jobs are very similar to in-classroom teaching positions, and previous teaching experience is usually required. These jobs start around $12 per hour.
3 Common (and Always in High-Demand) Work At Home Jobs
Customer Service Representative
Customer service consistently ranks as one of the most common work-at-home jobs, and with good reason. Companies large and small are hiring virtual customer service associates in a variety of industries, from technology to manufacturing to banking to hospitality and everything in between. These jobs are often full-time, so if you're looking for more of a commitment, the jobs are out there for you! The most common skills sought by these employers are personal accountability, performance management, and conflict resolution. The average full-time salary for at-home customer service jobs is $32,000.
Administrative Assistant
More and more departments and whole companies are turning to virtual administrative assistants help individuals, departments, and offices with phone and email, scheduling, travel arrangements, filing and documentation, event planning, and a variety of other administrative tasks. Much like customer service jobs, virtual admins need to have excellent customer service skills, communication skills, and be extremely organized. With both part-time and full-time schedules available, this type of at-home job is a good fit for many. Pay for at-home administrative assistants usually starts around $12.50 per hour.
Development Coordinator
As long as there are nonprofit organizations in need of financial support, there will be development and fundraising jobs to be had! If you have previous nonprofit development experience, you may be qualified for Development Director positions which, though they are part-time, offer professionals the chance to stay in leadership roles. Other job titles in this area include Grant Writer, Development Manager, Sales Manager, Fund Development Assistant, and Development Assistant. Depending on your interests and values, there is a wide variety of nonprofit organizations who hire for at-home development roles.
As you can see, there are a wide variety of work-at-home jobs to consider. The great news is that each of these jobs offers different options as far as hours and scheduling, so you can most definitely find a job that meets your needs while allowing you the flexibility to balance your work and personal lives.
Brie Weiler Reynolds is the Director of Content and Community at FlexJobs, the award-winning site for home-based jobs and flexible job listings. FlexJobs lists thousands of pre-screened, legitimate, and professional-level home-based jobs and positions with other types of flexibility like part-time positions, freelancing, and flexible schedules. Brie provides career and job search advice through the FlexJobs Blog and social media. Learn more at www.FlexJobs.com.
]]>What Is Online Tutoring?
Online tutoring is a supplemental education tool to enhance learning via the internet, with a specific tutor. It helps students improve their skills in a specific subject in which they are having trouble, or it helps an eager student further their education.
Subject Specialties
As you begin your new business, decide what age range you plan to tutor, the most common being middle school, high school or adult. Are you qualified to teach special needs students? Next, decide what subject you are most qualified to tutor. Interestingly, the most popular subjects for online tutor jobs, in order of popularity, are:
Start your tutoring online jobs with the age level and subject matter that you know best and expand further, once you have a comfortably established client base.
Tutoring Rates, Payment Options and Income Potential
The average rate for a tutoring session, Math, English and Science, is $20 per hour, but can run as high as $50 per hour, based on education, experience and demographics. English tutors frequently offer additional proofreading services at $2.00 to $5.00 per page.
Session-by-session, weekly or monthly payment options must be considered and agreed upon before each new tutoring job begins. Monthly billing statements can be mailed to clients for payment. PayPal is a popular payment system and allows payments to be easily transferred directly into your account.
The Start-Up
Necessary Session Preparation
The format in which you choose to tutor varies based on the tools you own and feel comfortable using. Skype is a strong option for computer-to-computer communication. Instant messaging and other chat programs work in some circumstances.
There are many different curriculums offered within each state. Not every school district within a state uses the same curriculum. Research the products and do not purchase any curriculum software until you have secured clients.
The Importance of Networking
Keeping the lines of communication open with local schools and current and past students will help to keep online enrollment at an optimal level.
Online tutoring employment is a rewarding and lucrative experience as you guide the educational journey of your students to the next level of confidence.
]]>It may seem feasible, as these companies are asking you to make their products at home, and they will pay you for it. However, how realistic are their hidden expectations? Are work at home assembly jobs legit or just another scam in the world of work from home jobs?
The Work from Home Assembly Job
There are many different types of work from home assembly jobs. Most of them are craft related, as opposed to requiring handy work or knowledge of technology. The most popular specialize in beaded jewelry, or other handcrafted jewelry and crafts that require you to paint, cut, sew and hot glue gun products into sell-able items. Wearable beaded earrings, necklaces, crosses and adorable magnetics are among the products you can make from home.
The finished products are sold on the company website and others are sold in stores. For a stay at home mom, the variety of crafts available make the work at home assembly job even more tempting. Yet, there are a few catches.
The Truth About Work from Home Assemly Jobs
With this type of work, you pay a fee to receive a starter kit. It is explained that the fee is necessary to prove you are serious about producing their product and cover costs. The company sends you instructions (which are usually unclear, although they are in step by step format) and some even offer DVDs that show a live demonstration of the products being made (at an additional cost). You will also receive materials and supplies needed to create one or more pieces of the product to be sent in for an inspection they aren't likely to pass. It seems that the company cares about the quality of their products. However, once you do produce a product that passes inspection, you end up shelling out more cash to order more supplies to make more products that need to pass more inspections. This is how work at home assembly companies really earn their dollar: not from the sales of the products being made, but from the people who are making them!
Sadly, most work from home assembly jobs are scams, giving you guidelines that are impossible to meet.
]]>Don't be foolish by thinking that creating professional content is an easy task by any means. It will require much work, discipline, frequent updates and plenty of knowledge.
Building Your Website
Plan out your website strategy first so you have a clear vision of how you want your website to work for you. Designing your website will require some creativity. Before you begin building your website, it may be wise to take some time to view similar websites. This is a great way to find out quickly what you like or what you don't like. You will have the ability to gather information easily, thus giving you a clearer path of the direction you wish to begin.
Outlining Your Content Goals
First, you will want to ask yourself what type of information would be helpful to those who are apt to surf your website. You will select your content based on the type of clientele you are addressing.
You will want to then gather content such as photos, editorials, featured articles, videos, links and associated text that will be of interest to your website visitors. A website that contains the most current information and frequently updated material with helpful links and resources will certainly have many viewers returning repeatedly.
Collecting and/or Creating Your Content
Content for your website may come from many different sources such as existing websites, reprints, print collateral or other media resources. Freelance writers can provide articles for pay-per-word or on a pay-per-article basis. Creating your own content is another option, but keep in mind that it requires quality writing skills and can be very time consuming.
You may wish to have a place on your website inviting contributors to submit articles. Many authors are eager to put forward articles for the publicity as well as the accessibility of your readers.
Nonetheless, keep in mind that no matter where you gather your content, it is always key that all content placed on your website is original and should contain only quality writing. If you use information from other sources, you must accurately site these. Also, regular updates are essential.
Interactive Content
There are many ways to network with your readers, such as through surveys, dialogue groups, chat rooms and forums. When you offer such interaction with your viewers, you will have the opportunity to find out what others are thinking. You will additionally learn your viewer's likes and dislikes. You will have the opportunity to take constructive criticism, and you can establish personal relationships with your repeat visitors. Best of all, this open forum will grant you the chance to make improvements where needed. This content is very useful when used properly.
For a content rich website, it is important to be both committed and disciplined. Remember, if you stay on track, you will soon reap the benefits of a very successful website.
]]>While it's certainly possible to be a successful interior designer without any prior training or knowledge of official interior design practices, many people find that training and courses on interior design help their careers immensely. Whether a course helps you to learn about new aspects of interior design as a career that you were not previously aware of or provides you with business ideas for your home office (or even if it provides you with new contacts and people to help support your career), this can be a very worthwhile investment.
2. Create a BrandOne of the best things that companies have going for them is a brand name. Unfortunately, most freelance workers do not have a recognizable brand name that can help to draw in customers and retain prior clients. Consider marketing your interior design services under the auspices of a company name rather than your own name. Explore other ways of branding to help increase your visibility and to show off your interior design skills to potential customers.
3. Explore New Marketing OpportunitiesThere are many different ways to go about marketing your interior design business. Consider how to best spend your money by thinking of who your target audience is and how to best reach out to them. Consider taking out advertisements in magazines, local newspapers, online, over the radio or even on television. These can provide another great opportunity to not only get your name out into the public field of vision, but to also show your abilities as a designer.
4. Use Word of MouthMake use of the success that you've already enjoyed with previous clients to give your business a boost. You can offer a discount for friends or references that were made by prior clients. Be sure to suggest to your existing customers that they should tell others about your services, and consider offering a discount to them for sharing this information as well.
5. Alternate Pricing StructuresIf you're having a hard time drawing in clients, consider offering a discount to first time customers. A variety of different business models and pricing structures exist for interior designers, and the best one for you will depend upon your client base and your own income requirements.
]]>For children, foreign language learning is an important aspect of education. Learning a foreign language is useful when traveling, and it helps kids with their verbals skills. Kids who learn a foreign language do better on the SAT verbal sections, and they tend to make higher grades. Introducing children to a foreign language can be done in a number of ways.
Experiencing Languages in Person
If you know someone who speaks a foreign language fluently, this can be a great way for children to hear the language. Spending time with foreign language speakers is a semi-emersion tactic that can help children to experience a language being used in an everyday setting. If you don't know any foreign language speakers, going to a foreign restaurant can often create the same experience. Learning a few words of the language and using them in the restaurant with the wait staff is a practical way to practice pronunciation and word memorization.
Use Post-Its with Foreign Words
Writing down the word for any ordinary household object and taping to that object means that the children will see it often and over time will learn to associate the word and the object. Do this with a large number of items, and the exposure to the new language will be constant.
Play Language CDs
Reading a foreign language is one way to grasp it, but listening to
it regularly gives children the repetition they need to learn the
correct pronunciation of the words. Language CDs for children or for
adults can be played in the car or in the home to help kids expand their
vocabularies.
How to Become a Yoga Instructor
The very first step is certification; requirements fluctuate from state to state. Of course, you will need to learn yoga so you comprehend it fully. You may already encompass yoga experience, but if not, enroll in a class and begin the process to obtain as much first-hand knowledge as you can. Invest in some books and DVDs to enhance your comprehension. Practice, practice and practice some more.
Find a mentor to direct and coach you. Once you are certified, you can acquire experience by filling in on some yoga classes. The more familiarity and awareness you possess beforehand, the better chance you'll have to later create a successful home based business.
Education Requirements
As a yoga Instructor, you must complete a teacher certification program. Quite a few American yoga studios present trainer classes, but it's important to find one that works well with your schedule, talents and wellbeing. Conventionally in India, yoga students habitually study independently with their spiritual guide or teacher. However, in America, trainings usually occur in group settings, but personal sessions are also obtainable.
Yoga Alliance is an association that oversees a variety of teacher training schools. You can register with the Yoga Alliance to accrue continual yoga teacher trainings. The Yoga Alliance states that a 200-hour itinerary is adequate to become a yoga instructor.
Transform Your Yoga Space
Select a place in your home that is roomy, yet quiet. If you don't have ample space indoors, converting your garage can be the ideal spot. Easy access to the outdoors is a great way to expand your area while incorporating nature into your lesson plan. An outdoor yoga sanctuary is idyllic when the weather permits. Privacy is imperative so you'll want to surround the outside area with a high fence and/or shrubbery. For your yoga studio, incorporate an altar, wall hangings and philosophy materials.
Get Liability Insurance
To shield yourself and your home-based business, you'll want to acquire liability insurance from the start to protect yourself from possible lawsuits from your students or from teachers that may work for you. Make sure the insurance coverage is adequate enough to guard you in any situation. Yoga Alliance provides its members with discounted liability insurance rates.
Market Yourself
Make up flyers for distribution that offer the first class free. Distribute and leave some business cards in places such as spiritual shops, coffee houses or candle shops. Create a website to attract clients or to direct potential customers. It's wise to join the local Chamber of Commerce. Get involved in the community; the more business owners you connect with, the better chance for your success as local businesses are speedy to support each other. Volunteer your services to nonprofit organizations. When you give to the community at hand, you tend to get back in two-fold.
]]>1. Ask Yourself "What Will This Decision Mean in 5 Years?"
Put things in perspective so you don't get hung up on the small stuff. For instance, if I'm trying to choose between a cheeseburger and fries or a grilled chicken breast with veggies for lunch--not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. Unless, of course, I decide to eat that cheeseburger every single day, then I won't be able to fit in the chair I'm sitting in right now. If a decision really won't affect your happiness or the happiness of others too drastically in 5 years, try not to dwell on it.
2. Match Your Decisions to Your Goals
Some decisions have longer lasting results and will affect your life for many years to come. These are the dilemmas that get so many of us stuck in life. So stuck, in fact, that sometimes we make no decision at all and live by default. We just wait until something happens to us. If you know what you want your life to be like in the next several years, even loosely, write it down. When you have big decisions to make, whip that list out and take inventory. Does this decision align with where you want to be in several years? No? Ditch it!
3. Take Inventory of Your Feelings
If you sit still for just a moment, close your eyes and think, your intuition will guide you. Don't ignore your intuition. Many times, on paper, everything tells us option "A" is the way to go. But if your gut won't let you rest until you choose option "B," maybe your spirit is guiding you to something greater. As very busy, work-at-home women, we can't very often slow down to breathe, let alone meditate in silence. Even if you have to do it in the locked bathroom, get some quiet time to just think. It will do wonders.
4. Wait
We aren't talking forever, but some decisions make themselves. When our youngest started walking recently, I stressed over the decision to put her in preschool or daycare for a few days a week so I could work without having to worry about her getting into things. I dragged my feet, weighed some options, but couldn't really settle on a final decision. One morning I was on a conference call and my daughter walked up to me diaperless and handed me a gift. It was poop! In my hand! I had forgotten to re-diaper her before getting on my call. She started preschool two weeks ago.
5. Get Guidance
No matter how amazing we are (and we totally are!), it can help to ask friends, family or a life coach for outside perspective if you can't find any yourself. A fresh set of eyes may see a simple solution that escapes you when the pressure's on and you feel trapped between a rock and a hard place.
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About the Author: Amy Stewart-Wright is an 80' music listening, WAH rockin', outdoor loving, Moxie Momma who lives in North Carolina with her husband and 4 kids. Her dream and passion is to inspire thousands of women to find their passions and live their happiest life.
First it is important to know how much debt you have. For example, one debt in particular may be your home mortgage. You may have set it up to pay off your mortgage in 30 years. However, paying off the mortgage earlier than its due date can help. You may be able to switch to a 15 year mortgage. Make a payment schedule so you will have an idea as to when you can pay it off. Be disciplined in paying down the mortgage.
Another option may be to move to a smaller house or consider renting. Renting will give you additional cash for savings, since you will not have to pay property taxes or for endless repairs around the home.
Diligent Savings, Investments and IRAsOpening an IRA is an essential part of retiring early. Take a portion of your monthly income, wherein a certain percentage will be saved and invested. Have a savings account where you will not take out the funds before you retire. Invest in stocks, bonds and mutual funds in your investment portfolio. Be active in setting up your IRA. Learn from the experts on how you can increase your wealth so you can enjoy early retirement.
Early retirement is a welcome option for many people today. With the proper plan, motivation and commitment, you can make early retirement a reality for you.
]]>Great photos are crucial when you're selling your products online. It would be wise to purchase a light box for photo taking or simply make your own. Remember, you may only get one shot to catch the consumer's eye, and you want your product to stand out. Eye-catching photographs may be all you need to grab the attention of online surfers as you lure them through your virtual doorway. Here are some pointers to learn to use Photoshop.
Learning Photoshop
Photoshop offers so many features that it may be overwhelming at first; therefore, start slow. There are a vast number of "how to" online articles to assist you every step of the way. Also, local community colleges offer Photoshop classes to teach you the basics like correcting color casts, sharpening your photographs and more. A class can be very beneficial to some while others may wish to experiment with one feature at a time. Libraries, book stores and e-books are other options to learn Photoshop basics and tricks such as removing dust or scratches from your photo.
Adobe Photoshop Tools
Adobe Photoshop supplies plenty of tools to help intensify any image. There are an assortment of drawing tools to take advantage of such as airbrush, paintbrushes, pens and pencils. These handy tools will assist any image creation you dream up. The pattern stamping and erasing tools make it achievable for you to correct or enhance images. You will have the power to reproduce sections of particular images and draw specific shapes such as squares, circles or rectangles.
The Photo-merge tool grants you the ability to take respective images or photos then stitch them together. When you compound these photos into one, you can create beautiful panoramic images.
Retouching Your Photos
You will have fun editing your photos with numerous image retouching tools that Adobe Photoshop provides. Once you master these powerful tools, your friends will be convinced that you possess the gift of taking great photos. Removing unsightly red-eye from each subject in your photo is easy. Removing annoying dust specks without upsetting the image takes seconds. Re-sizing, rotating and cropping your images will allow your photos to stand out.
A Quick Photo Enhancing Tip
To get started, a quick edit tip for photos that are too dark is to click on the Menu at the top of Photoshop, go to Images, go to Adjustments, and finally, click on Curves. Here, you can adjust the lightness and darkness of your photograph by clicking on the diagonal line near the midpoint. When dragging the tip towards the top left corner of the photo, your image will brighten. Be sure to check the preview box initially so you can view the changes as you go. If you're pleased with the photo, simply click okay. Other great features to learn are the Sharpen feature and the use of the Crop tool.
]]>1. The Costumes--Start Early!
Don't wait until October 30th to get your costumes. Your kid will end up wearing a two-sizes-too-big clown suit when he really wanted to go as a Super Morphing Dragon Wizard (whatever that is). Mark your calendar for the first week of October, or sooner if you can, and let the kids choose a few ideas in magazines or online. Make a list of all of the things you need before you venture out shopping. If little Lily wants to be an 'angel princess,' you know you'll need makeup, the costume, hair glitter and that fancy, sparkly wand. Having a list will allow you to monitor your needs as you are shopping. If one store is out of stock or if the price isn't right, you have a reminder as you go from store to store about what you still need to purchase.
If you're pressed for time, buy online and have the stuff delivered to your doorstep. It can take away several hours of torment amongst 10,000 costumes and a whining toddler.
If you are really crafty and love to make things, help the kids find costume ideas that you can create with them. Best to try this with the younger ones though, for some reason teenagers don't tend to appreciate the hand-made matching Raggedy Ann and Andy costumes.
2. Make It More than Door to Door
Many families now prefer Trunk-or-Treat or Mall-O-Ween over door-to-door trick-or-treating. Safety and ease play a huge part in this decision. Let's face it, driving around neighborhoods all night and dropping your kids off at strangers' houses just isn't what it used to be. Whichever you choose, make it fun. Infuse games into the night. Create a scavenger hunt, invite friends to come along in the back of the truck (obeying all laws and safety precautions, of course), play music. What can you do to create a fun filled experience for you and your kids? Think about it, but more importantly, do it.
3. Provide Extras and Unexpecteds
You know what they are: the glow sticks, the black lights and strobe lights, the spooky music, fog machines, people jumping from the bushes. Halloween is about spooky fun. What would you like to see? Could you organize a neighborhood event? Decorate your street? Put on a play in your front yard? Get creative. Make a memory. How do you want your children to remember it? Don't get stressed out by all the details of the holiday. Instead, dress as a creepy old witch, hide on the porch and help your kids scare the snot out of unsuspecting teenagers. Halloween can be fun for moms too!
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About the author: Amy Stewart-Wright is an 80' music listening, WAH rockin', outdoor loving, Moxie Momma who lives in North Carolina with her husband and 4 kids. Her dream and passion is to inspire thousands of women to find their passions and live their happiest life.
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