Productivity @ Home

Family on Board: Why It Matters When You Work @ Home

If you're someone who works @ home (and actually, don't we all "work" in our homes?) part of the recipe for success is understanding the unique nature and demands of your workplace. For those of us who choose to pursue careers from the comfort of our homes, we contend with some special considerations:

• Our work schedule often doesn't conform to a Monday through Friday routine. I'm actually just as busy on Saturday morning as I'm am on Tuesday afternoon due to the nature of my work.
• Our "colleagues" may be virtual. I actually work with over a hundred people that I've never met "in real life". Many of my supervisors are editors with whom I deal almost exclusively by email or an occasional Skype call, or the writers who contribute to my main website -- a volunteer force of talented folks who share their talents in exchange for promotion of their own projects. 
• We share our workspace with folks who don't always "get" what we're about: cranky toddlers, spouses who wonder why we can't get any housework done when we're at home all day, dogs who need to be walked, or kids who come down with illnesses on the only day we have a major meeting planned. 
• Our budgets are microscopic. We must often do without, think outside the box, and rise above.

If you've chosen to work from the comfort of your home, I challenge you to ponder the reasons for your choice. I encourage you to do a bit of pondering about your own work environment: the blessings, but also the challenges. If you find yourself repeatedly running into productivity roadblocks, now may be the time to assess those causes for your detours and to work with your team -- your family -- to share about how you might address them. You might be surprised what happens when you communicate with those you love most about your goals and your occasional frustrations.  

Your turn: What factors have helped you get your family on board as a component of your productivity @ home success?

Related articles

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When Working at Home Goes Wrong

The Importance of Time Off for Work at Home Productivity

Why I Decided to Spend More Time Working From Home

Combatting Cyberbullying

If you have kids and computers, you simply must hightale it over to YourSphere.com and check out the terrific article by my friend Mary Kay Hoal entitled, "Cyberbullying: 5 Steps to Combatting and Documenting". It features an informative infographic, as well as terrific, practical measures we parents can take in our homes to protect our loved ones.

In the article, Mary Kay shares that the following:

According to the Teen Internet Behavior study that was conducted by McAfee, “Almost one in four teens claimed to be a target of cyberbullying and two-thirds of all teens have witnessed cruel behavior online”.

With our kids more wired than ever, the time to discuss issues of cyberbullying -- but also cheating and avoiding adult content -- is now. In our home, the rule is that screens stay in common rooms for protection as well as oversight.

Does your family have policies in place about use of the Internet and social networking? While you're at YourSphere, but sure to check out all of Mary Kay's terrific information for safe computing for your family.

 

Summer Won't Kill My Productivity -- and Other Promises I'm Making to Myself

This is the last week of school for my teenage son Adam, who will enter his senior year of high school in the Fall. As I woke him this morning, I mentally thought to myself "two more days".

Two more days of struggling to wake a teen who (in his mom's opinion) never gets enough sleep.

Two more days of packing him off and then having the bulk of the day home alone while he attends school, music practice and other activities.

Two more days of asking, "Did you do your homework?"

Two more days of cleaning my kitchen and having it stay that way until dinner.

Two more days of knowing that my heart is fullest when my home is fullest...

While the end of the school year throws a bit of a kink into my work schedule, I luxuriate in the less busy days of summer. But there's always a tendancy -- as someone who works from home -- to view these three months until school resumes as "time off". And this year, I truly can't afford any time off. So the following is my effort to mentally formulate a plan that will have me emerging as a winner in August -- a mom who played plenty, but also who got stuff done.

In no particular order, here are a few of my goals for having a non-productity-killing summer:

1. Stick to a schedule. While Adam's allowed to sleep in, Mom's not. Working during the early morning hours when my teen is lingering in bed will allow me time later in the day to enjoy his company and have my work complete for the day.
2. Have realistic goals. This summer is not the time to write a new book, to launch a new project, or to make any life-altering decisions. But it's also not the time to work aimlessly.
3. Take time to dream. Summer is the perfect time for pondering the possible. I'll be traveling quite a lot this summer, and those travel hours always seem to be a great time for brainstorming, making new connections, and imagining the options.
4. Play. More. With one son pretty well launched and another on his way out the door, I recognize the treasure of family time and its fleeting nature too. So while I don't want this summer to be all about not-working, I do plan to lighten my load a bit. I will be taking an extended (and unplugged) vacation for the first time in several years -- and frankly, I can't wait!

Does summer vacation throw your schedule for a loop? How do you keep on track while still enjoying needed refreshment and treasuring family time?

Need a Nest?

Have you heard the buzz about the "Nest", the new "learning" thermostat? Designed to track and emulate your heating and cooling habits, this eye-friendly device is now selling in stores like Lowes and the Apple Store. 

As someone who completely steers clear of my husband's fancy thermostats (which seem to require an advanced degree in engineering to operate) in our home, the simplicity of the Nest appeals to me, but I wonder if this isn't just another slick gadget appealing to my "it's new" nature...

I doubt we'll be installing the Nest in our home any time soon, but I'd love to hear from readers who have seen one firsthand. And kudos to those using design skills and a sense of style to make energy efficiency both stylish and simple!

Lisa Likes: Game of Your Life -- Family Movie Night

Every Friday, I blog about stuff I like in my Lisa Likes feature. 

I was lucky enough last week to have a sneak preview of Game of Your Life, the newest installment of Family Movie Night which will be airing Friday, December 2nd at 8/7 pm on NBC.

Like many of the other Family Movie Night features, Game of Your Life has something for the whole family. The characters are compelling, the story will draw you in and the gaming-related technology featured in this film is sure to please the “wired” members of your household. Here’s the blueprint:

When industrious high school gamer Zach Taylor lands a prized scholarship to the prestigious Digital Institute of Game Design (DIGD), his future breaks wide open. The opportunity to study under gaming legend Marcus Bentton and alongside the country’s most creative minds will certainly propel him into a successful career as a video game designer. That is, if he can pass the infamous freshman project that eliminates more than half of the class within the first three months. Paired with brilliant yet socially awkward teammates Phillip and Donald, the trio persuades Sara Ramirez – a determined and striking team leader with whom Zach has a history (and possibly a future) – to join their team. Working off-campus in the teched-out Lincoln Alley loft, the four set out to involve the entire campus in a quirky new social interactive game. But as the group becomes entrenched in the project, Zach learns that his father Billy, a widower, is facing growing financial woes at home. To help out, Zach accepts an opportunity to work directly with Marcus Bentton on a secretive side project that seems too good to be true. The effort requires nearly all of Zach’s time and energy, which he should be devoting to the project. Struggling to keep it together, Zach is torn between his responsibility to his team, his admiration for Bentton and a chance to help his father. Everything comes to a breaking point when Zach’s team threatens to remove him from the group and the deceptive truth behind Bentton’s project comes to light. With the guidance of Professor Abbie Lambert, Zach must make a decision that not only affects his future, but the lives and livelihoods of the people around him as well. It’s a revealing story that recognizes the magnitude behind the choices we make and the importance loyalty plays in making good decisions.

As a geek, I loved the concept of the film and the fantastic performances turned in by a great team of actors. Lea Thompson, looking better than ever as Dr. Abby Lambert, and the duo of Nathan Kress and Adam Cagley are bright spots in a cast filled with super performers. The pace of the story will keep you tuned in, the product placements were less apparent to me than previous FMN installments, and once again the story leaves you not only with a great morale, but a desire to further interact with these characters. Like several of the other Family Movie Night features, I would love to see this plot expanded into a series.

Be sure to tune in Friday, December 2 at 8/7 pm to NBC. Learn more about the film here and catch up on more Family Movie Night series news atwww.FamilyMovieNight.com.  

 

A Fraud's Advice on Protecting Your Finances

Every Thursday, I share my thoughts on Family Finances.

For those of us who work @ home, we often rely on other professionals to aid us with financial advice, bookkeeping, tax preparation and other financial transactions that are the lifeblood of our family or small business. A recent article at CNN entitled "Confessions of a Con Artist" spells out just how easy it is for us to unwittingly be sent into financial ruin if we're not paying attention.

In the article, convicted felon Diann Cattani spells out just how easy it was for her to start ripping off her employers:

It was a startup, so the owners relied on me to take over the company's business functions. I automated the bookkeeping systems, contracted with all of the vendors and basically did everything that it took to set up the company's infrastructure. I never established systems with the plan to steal from them, but the fact that I implemented everything made things a lot easier.

Cattani's story and her warning to "trust, but also verify" is an important reminder in times when many small business are simply a few bad transactions away from financial ruin. 

Do you employ a contract bookkeeper or business advisor in your small business or family finances? What steps have you taken to ensure oversight of those services?

The Pre-Fab Food Debate

Every Tuesday, I share my thoughts on Family Life.

I found myself fascinated recently by the article "Serving pre-prepared food doesn't mean you're a bad parent" over at CNN. Maybe I'm simply looking for ways to assuage my personal guilt and not cooking from scratch every night of the week -- and I'll freely admit to using Chipotle as a personal productivity crutch far too frequently...

That being said, I think the debate in the comments section of the CNN article points to not only the great divide moms feel over this topic, but also the amazing stress something as vital as feeding our families can create in our homes.

As the CNN article states, many families are seeking shortcuts when it comes to meal preparation:

Nearly half of all Americans use partially prepared foods or ready-to-cook foods to feed their families, according to a 2010 Mintel survey.

Now that there are only three of us living in my household, and frequently only two of us at the dinner table due to my teen's practice schedule and my husband's eratic work schedule, I find myself more concerned with sitting down to the dinner table together than with what's actually being served. I'm not stating that this is a good thing -- I'm just confessing to my personal reality at the moment and seeking your suggestions and ideas for making "easy" more healthy.

I tend to do a great deal of our shopping at Trader Joes and Whole Foods these days, combining fresh produce with partially pre-prepared items. We're also blessed to have a bevy of Farmer's Markets in my home town and ample access to beautiful fruits and vegetables. 

How do you cope with busy meal times? What time-savings strategies do you employ to cut down on prep time? What helps you to keep a healthy balance in your family's meals?

 

Preparing Your Heart and Your Home

Many of my readers will be celebrating with me as we begin the liturgical season of Advent today, counting the days and weeks until Christmas. As P@H is not a religious blog, but one that emphasizes "getting things done where it matters most", I'll simply share that even if you don't celebrate Advent spiritually, this time of preparation can be a wonderful way to focus on being your best this holiday season.

Unfortunately, we've heard all the stories and read all the statistics on the myriad ways in which Christmas has become a secularized, commercialized "me" fest. News programs show us rabid shoppers macing each other to get to the best deals. Our kids are taught to make wish lists that inevitably lead to disappointment. Our calendars are so overbooked that the season which should be most focused on family time passes us by with a whirl of social obligations.

But it doesn't have to be this way. The Christmas season is also filled with opportunities for great joy and service. We are reminded of the neediest in our communities and given ample opportunity to serve them. We write letters (with stamps!) to friends and loved ones and gather for lingering meals. And we focus on giving, a virtue that's always in season.

This Advent, I invite you to take stock of your personal commitments and to prioritize those that most closely draw you to your desired Christmas -- a time of faith, family and fun. Be realistic about what can fit into your schedule. Open your home a few times to friends, even if you simply serve a frozen pizza and a smile. Write long letters or make long distance calls to elderly relatives. Spend as much on food and clothing for those in need as you do on electronics purchases. And, most of all, take time to savor the season -- it will be gone in the blink of an eye.

Tis the Season for Productivity @ Home

As we prepare to enter the Christmas season, I'm pondering now more than ever the need to be organized and effective in running my home and business so that I can savor precious time with family and friends this year. I also want to place an increased emphasis on my personal, spiritual preparation for Christmas -- finding time to do this means being more intentional in my work and better about embracing free time to enjoy my loved ones.

It feels challenging sometimes not to approach Christmas as a series of "to do" lists. My particular faith background helps me to keep this as a sacred period of prayer and preparation, but even if you are not a person of faith, I hope you too will find time to embrace the weeks leading up to Christmas as a time for emotional and spiritual connectedness, not mass consumerism. I was reminded of the necessity of this in my own life yesterday when I spent a few mid-morning hours with my teen at the Mall on "Black Friday".  All around us were families and shoppers, intent on finding those ellusive bargains. What was I doing there? In fact -- crazy as it sounds -- I just wanted to spend a few hours with my son. Perhaps I should have dragged him on a hike or bike ride, but instead we spent some great time window shopping and chatting. So as counterintuitive as it may seem, we found a moment of peace and joy amidst that craziness yesterday.

My goal for the upcoming month and in leading up to new year is to reclaim a sense of the organization and control that has been missing in my world during the past six months when my busyness has led me to a feeling of disorder. Perhaps you've had these times in your own life: moments when you were so busy that you could barely keep on top of the basics.

I know the personal rules that help me to reclaim a sense of "wholeness" -- you likely know yours as well. Now, the trick is enforcing them.

'Tis the Season.

Keep Your Family Safe with a Carbon Monoxide Monitor

Out here in California, we're hearing a lot these days about the dangers of carbon monoxide and the importance of (and now a new legal requirement for) installing CO alarms. The new California law is designed to help protect families from what's often called a "silent killer". To help protect your family take note of the following steps:

• Install a carbon monoxide alarm on each floor and near sleeping areas.  CO alarms are the best defense against this silent killer. They are designed to alert residents before they are exposed to harmful levels, allowing them to exit their residence and get help. At less than $30, these alarms, which may look similar to a smoke alarm, are a smart investment in your health and the health of your loved ones.