I need advice or tips on making my home-office a more fun or motivating environment. My business is primarily transacted by the telephone. Currently, I have all the necessary tools to do my business. But, I am looking for ways to make my home-business into a more motivating/fun environment. Any and all help is welcomed. Thanks in advance.

Jerry

Hey, Jerry!

You're not alone! As a home biz solo show and bizy mom to boot, I used to feel a lack of motivation (and fun) at times! (And to be honest, still do) Just feeling "up to the task" was hard enough during and after a day's daily grind!

Alot of times, I'd reward myself after doing a particular project -- usually it involved chocolate and well, while fun and tasty, it didn't do much for the complexion! :-)

So, I started rewarding myself by doing something I enjoy when I felt like I didn't want to keep working -- went for a quick jog, wrote a personal note/email to a friend, watched a favorite sitcom. Kind of low-key I know, but the trick was to put that carrot at the end of the stick! Those little breaks really helped me get my nose back to the grindstone without the grind!

Since Idea Cafe's motto is a "Fun Approach to Serious Business" -- we've got a few fun things to offer you too.

Yoga@Your Desk is a hoot and a holler! Be glad you're the only one in the office with some of these moves!
https://www.businessownersideacafe.com/bizcomm/bczyoga.html

Fly your own company biz plane -- See what I mean at
https://www.businessownersideacafe.com/bizcomm/bczplanes.html

Check out our Fun Links at
https://www.businessownersideacafe.com/x/xfun/

Check out another chat on this very topic:
https://www.businessownersideacafe.com/BB2/thedailygrind/50.html

Chin up and Smile! We're with Ya!

Best of Biz!
Vickie
Idea CAfe's BizHostess
Maintaining A
"Fun Approach to Serious Business"

Thanks Vickie for the helpful advice. I will try your methods immediately. Thanks again and have a great business week.

Jerry

Hi Jerry and Vickie!

I am also a home business one woman operation, and it has its inherent challenges especially for someone like me who is SOOOO social! SOOOO people oriented!

Most of my coaching is done over the phone or via email, and I teach classes via telephone as well, so I have started attending live, face to face networking events so I can actually look into the eyes of those I am talking to!

I am also joint venturing with other net businesses and have found a Virtual Assistant. She and I are bartering, and what I find is I can delegate to her tasks which I do not enjoy that she enjoys! It is a great WIN WIN situation.

Hope thats helpful!

Julie Jordan Scott
http://www.5passions.com

Hi --

Just a few ideas for you (and since I don't know your limitations, all of these may not apply).

1. Try setting aside an area of your home that is dedicated to your business only. Make it look as business-like as possible -- with a nice desk, desklamps, etc. Don't just stick a laptop on your kitchen table and expect that you will be motivated for an 8 hour day!

2. If you have a laptop, go out during the day, set it up in a little coffee shop or pub someplace and conduct your online business there -- it'll give you a nice change of scenery, make you feel like you're in the world and also motivate you to get dressed and look sharp for the public. In this age of cellphones, pagers and laptops, you don't really need much of an office anyway.

3. If you have a little bit of dough, try to splurge on some fun office "toys." Buy a spiffy little iMac, or the latest version of the PalmPilot -- or if you are low on cash, just buy some brightly colored file folders and post-its. An infusion of color can make all the difference in the world, and business is always more fun when you have nifty toys to play with.

Hope this helps!

Lucy Bowman
Wilmot/Sanz, Inc.
Architecture/Planning Professionals
Email: lucy.bowman@wilmot.com

Hi Jerry,
I use posters! I have about 2 dozen some are motivational topics with words, some are scenery, one is of my favorite basketball player (Pippen) and some are of the whole team. I have also had favorite photos blown up. I hang only 2 at a time and change them frequently. Since the room in my office used to be a bedroom the closet has sliding mirror doors. My first thought was to take them down, but it was one of those things I never got around to. Now I'm glad I didn't! What I do is when I get discouraged, tired,etc I look in the mirror and talk to myself. I know that its said that theres something wrong with people who talk to thmselves, but I console myself with the fact that I'm not answering myself! LOL I hope these ideas help!

Lucy, Julie, Karen,

Thanks for taking the time out of your days to respond to my quest for help. I will try everyone of these methods. Although at present I do not have a laptop or cell phone. Have a great Memorial Day week-end.

Jerry

Hi Jerry,
Glad you are going to try out all of our ideas, one thing I forgot to tell you is: When you look in the mirror to talk to yourself don't forget to take a sec to laugh at yourself! Make funny faces, you'd be amazed at how this works to get you back on track and put things in perspective! I will tell you that at first you feel pretty stupid but keep at it! IT WORKS
Karen

Hi Jerry!

I also use ICQ for downtime, or when I am doing rote tasks. It allows me to socialize a little bit while I am working my on line business. I have created some great relationships this way!

Best wishes to you!

Purposefully,

JULIE
http://www.5passions.com

Julie - I'm new to all this. What is ICQ?

I run a one person branch office with some visitors, need ideas for ways to keep fresh and stimulated. I could easily take all day to talk with one visitor about a new, exiting project and never get my day-to-day paperwork done.

Lani

Hi Lani!

ICQ is a chat program, free for download at http://www.icq.com. I use it for my down times, or when I need company as a home based netreprenuer.

One trick I use is a handy dandy kitchen timer. I set it for when I am on the phone with people, or in conversation stating, "Out of respect for your valuable time"....it works VERY well!

Hope this helps, Lani!

Purposefully,

JULIE
http://www.5passions.com

What excellent ideas. Plus, I feel connected and motivated from this exchange. Perhaps number one should be CybeerSchmooz (and no I don't work for the site!)
I read once that a colorful, full environment is creatively stimulating and I find this to be very true. My walls in my home office are cluttered with pictures my son drew, notes of importance, cartoons, repros of favorite paintings, whatever strikes a cord somewhere inside. It is a matter of taste. Some may find this distracting or messy, but for me, it gets the blood flowing.

Hang in there,
Katherine
TANetwork@hotmail.com

Hi Jerry I paint on tiles for peoples gardens so not only is puter in corner but art table as well. One of may favorite things for decor is, my huge wall map of the states. I use it to check out where people are from. I use thumb tacks on the map to show where my tiles have been shipped to.. and a different color tack to tell me what and where a order is waiting. Yes a map is great fun and you could use it to keep track of chat friends on line. I will know that my business to be will be sucessful by my wall map some day when tacks are all over the place. Hope this is something for everyone to thnik about
Sharma J. http://go.to/tileart