Don't Give Up Your Day Job

by: Kathleen Jerauld-Brack

Someone called me the other day and talked about how he is going to need to make some money soon and wanted to start up a web site. I explained that the two concepts did not necessarily go together.

My advice? Well, for what it’s worth, I would say forget everything you ever knew about brick and mortar businesses and start all over again.

A solid business plan for a web business is really going to elude you until you get in there and get your feet wet first. It ain’t that easy. There are a lot more people selling get rich quick packages than there are people getting rich. You must surf and read, surf and read, surf and read. After a few months figure out who does have some real business credibility and follow that person and the links he or she connects to. Do something you know how to do and dissect it until you can find a niche. Starting a web business without the basic knowledge of whatever business you pick is fool hardy at best. Don’t pay for information you can get for free. Those first months of surfing should give you some pretty good leads. Don’t go it alone. Find a friend, mentor or relative to bounce ideas off of. Be open to honest feedback. You know who will give you honest opinions and who will not. I love my relatives but we will never be in business together.

Study the business you want to get into and how it works on the web.

Research the concept, develop a rough plan and refine as you continue to research. Plan, plan, plan. Don’t touch your retirement savings.

Take a look at a real business plan, (you can find them free on the web) and start sketching in your ideas. Revise it at least ten times. Be realistic about money. It’s expensive to market anything on the web, -you’ll need to learn to find additional ways to get the word out.

Spend much of your free time in bookstores or libraries perusing books on marketing, sales, web design, budgeting, time management and personal success stories. I think book stores tend to have more of the most current stuff as far as web marketing is concerned.

Build an alternate plan for your business plan. Make a contingency plan. Make a goal sheet with target dates. What do you (your name) need to learn more about in order to operate on the web in addition to your craft? Web design? Marketing? Search Engines? Self promotion? Again, follow the leaders – err on the conservative side and stay objective. Can you sell? Selling your goods, selling yourself, and selling your credibility is more important for the success of any web business than you can imagine right now.

You might want to make an appointment with a person at SCORE at the Small Business Administration. They have all been through the fire, can give you realistic feedback, show you how to develop a business plan and where to look for financing.

Don’t give up your dream. But don’t give up your day job yet either.

About The Author
This work is the original work of the author and is copyrighted 2005. All rights reserved.

Kathleen Jerauld-Brack. BFA Graphic Design and Fine Art. Is recipient of many Art and Literature Awards. She is also Webmaster of: http://www.BestPlacetoEat.com | http://www.BestRestaurants.us.

A Solution-Focused Workforce

Imagine that your manager turned your department into a problem-free zone where instead of bringing your problems to the manager to solve, you were encouraged to devise your own solutions. Imagine if everyone focused on dealing with issues so thoroughly that things were anticipated and handled before they became problems.

Many people believe that it is the manager’s job to solve the problems in the department so they run to the boss every time a problem occurs. True, it’s the manager’s job to ensure the department functions optimally. It’s the manager’s job to assist the staff in developing the critical thinking skills necessary to produce results that maximize the department resources and produces the best results. The manager provides support and encouragement. The manager’s job is to manage the process and to provide assistance if needed. By expecting the manager to solve every minor crisis, the staff relinquishes responsibility for their own work and they disempower themselves.

It’s easy to complain. Complaining, blaming, justifying and making excuses are ways of avoiding responsibility. It creates a black hole of negativity, and negativity breeds negativity. It drains us of our energy and our time. Have you ever had to endure the ongoing complaining often heard on department floors? It can go on and on. Some people will even spend their entire lunchtime complaining. What a waste of time and energy. How do you feel when listening to that? Does it help move you closer to solving the issue?

It’s easier to find someone to blame for something being wrong than for everyone to take responsibility for creating workable solutions. And yet, what is the purpose of blaming or finding someone to blame? What is gained, if anything, by blaming someone? How do you feel when you are blamed? We all make mistakes. Most people do not go out of their way to make them. It is more important to discover a better way to perform the work or find a solution, that way everyone learns from the mistake.

Collaboration

Imagine what things would be like if everyone was focused on finding solutions. No complaining. No blaming. How would it feel different in the department – even throughout your company - if everyone pulled together to find possible solutions? Brainstorming sessions could be held where everyone’s ideas are enlisted. Then the ideas can be discussed at greater length for feasibility. When given the opportunity, people are very creative. Your staff holds the key to solving the issues on your department. They know the processes and the problems. They know what works and what doesn’t and if you assist them to tap into their wisdom, they will find their own answers. Support is needed from management. When priorities are identified, teams created and assistance enlisted from others, the synergy created is exponential.

When people pull together and collaborate to create solutions that work, everyone wins. Customers are happy, staff is able to get the work accomplished and everyone is focused on what needs to get done rather than whose turn it is or who forgot to do what. There is also a lot less stress and work actually becomes enjoyable again. What new ways can you think of to solve a problem or issue in your department? What can you delegate so that you can free up time for the activities that you must do? Examine your possible solutions. No excuses. What can you do to make your department work better?

Seeking excellence

You may be thinking that this seems unrealistic. Before you judge the concept of a problem-free zone, try it in your department. Conduct a staff meeting, post instructions for everyone to follow and see what happens after one week. How does it feel? Did anything change? How did you feel when people focused only on generating solutions and working together to implement the best possible resolution? What worked, what didn’t? What needs to happen now?

Tolerate nothing but the best from your coworkers. Some people will allow one minute of complaining before they interrupt and ask for the person to focus on a possible solution. Point out to someone – gently - if they are complaining or justifying. They may not be aware that they are doing that. Notice how you feel when the focus is on making things better rather than spending energy on how things aren’t the way you want them to be. Problems are opportunities in disguise. Think of every problem as an opportunity to get creative with coworkers and create solutions that make everyone feel good – or at least, get the job done without making everyone aggravated, causing unnecessary stress and draining everyone of energy. If everyone takes on the responsibility to create solutions, imagine what can be accomplished. When we force others to use their brilliance and critical thinking, who knows what is possible?
About the Author:

Julie Fuimano, MBA, BSN, RN is a Success Coach and co-founder of Nurturing Your Success, Inc. Her passion is coaching clients on leadership and career development, communication, team building, marketing and branding. You may visit Julie at www.nurturingyoursuccess.com or write to her at Julie@nurturingyoursuccess.com. You may also call her directly at (484) 530-5024.
Copyright 2002 by Julie Fuimano. Source: Articleavenue.com

5 Ways to Prevent Heat Exhaustion in the Workplace

Individuals who work in industrial workplaces suffer from heat exhaustion on a daily basis. Some work environments can get as high as 45 degrees which can potentially become very dangerous for workers. Heat exhaustion is a condition which is caused by over exposure to heat which results in the deterioration of bodily fluids.

Heat is exhaustion causes dizziness, weakness, nausea and can potentially cause the individual to faint or pass out. This poses great danger in worukplaces in which employees are consistently operating heavy machinery. If an individual passes out for even one second their life could be in great danger.

There are many ways to prevent heat exhaustion especially for those working in an industrial workplace with harsh working conditions. The following is a list of the top five ways to prevent heat exhaustion in the workplace:

Drink Lots of Water - Dehydration is a key factor in heat exhaustion. The hotter you are, the faster your body absorbs liquids and the more water you will need in order to function properly. Always have water on hand and try to keep yourself as hydrated as possible at all times.


Work in Intervals - Working an entire shift without a break is sure to put you at high risk of heat exhaustion. Take a break every hour or so to ensure that you get a breath of fresh air. Separate yourself from the overly hot work environment because being in those conditions for 8 hours straight is unsafe.


Take the Night Shift - Depending on your situation, this factor may or may not be possible. The hottest times throughout the day are between 11 in the morning and 4 o'clock in the afternoon. That said, (if it is possible) I would highly recommend working during the night when temperatures are considerably lower.


Rest - Make sure to get a good night sleep before a long day in an industrial workplace. Rest will energize your body and mind for the day and will make you less likely to become weak and suffer from heat exhaustion. At least 7-8 hours sleep is recommended per night.


Eat - Like resting, eating will also provide you with the energy your body requires to fight off heat exhaustion. Make sure when you take your breaks, you also have a small snack which will keep you fueled for a couple more hours.



Following the guidelines listed above will decrease your likeliness of suffering from heat exhaustion on the job. If you do find yourself experiencing the symptoms of heat exhaustion, leave work for the day. Heat exhaustion is your body's way of letting you know that it needs to cool down and rest. Ignoring the symptoms can put you and your body in severe amounts of danger.

Jim Staller has worked in the industrial field for more than 15 years. In his spare time, he serves as a contributing writer for Industrial101.com - a site offering information about static eliminator items, inventory management software, EMI Shielding and more. Source: Articleavenue.com)

Taking Humor Seriously in the Workplace

By Steven M. Sultanoff, Ph.D.

How serious can we be about humor in the workplace, and how humorous can we be about the seriousness we often find there? According to a Robert Haft International 1985 survey only 15% of workers are fired because of lack of competence.


The remaining 85% are let go because of their inability to get along with fellow employees. When asked about the qualities of an effective employee, senior administrators and human relations personnel check humor as one of the choice attributes of a desired employee.

Why has humor become a recognized asset in the workplace? Humor facilitates communication, builds relationships, reduces stress, provides perspective, and promotes attending and energizes.

Humor Facilitates Communication

Humor provides a non-threatening medium through which an employee or employer can communicate with others without intensifying the emotional temperature of the relationship. Consider the frazzled secretary who posts the sign "I have only two speeds, and if this one isn't fast enough then I'm sure you're not going to like my other." Or the somewhat scattered boss whose messy desk is complimented with a note that says, "A Creative Mess is better than Tidy Idleness." The message is clear, yet the communication is done in a light and, therefore, less stressful way. The secretary's sign pokes fun at the situation, and the boss's note pokes some fun at himself.

Humor Builds Relationships

The development of staff cohesion and a sense of team effort in the workplace can be effectively facilitated by the use of humor. Bulletin boards, electronic mail, intra-office memos, voice mail, etc. all offer mediums through which we can share humor with co-workers. Office jokes taking the seriousness of work lightly provide us with the opportunity to become more connected with others.

Humor Reduces Stress

Work is often associated with stress, and we know that stress is one of the main causes of illness, absenteeism, employee burn-out, etc. Humor is a great stress reliever because it makes us feel good, and we can't feel good and feel stress simultaneously. At the moment we experience humor, feelings like depression, anger, and anxiety dissolve.

Humor and, its partner, laughter also reduce stress by activating the physiological systems including the muscular, respiratory, cardiovascular, and skeletal. In fact, we may even lose muscle control, as many of us have, when we laugh so hard that we fall down or wet our pants. Laughter has been labeled a jogging and juggling of the internal organs. When we laugh we feel physically better, and after laughter we feel lighter and more relaxed.

In addition, humor provides a psychological stress reducer as it snaps our thinking to another channel. Norman Cousins called it trainwrecks of the mind. One of the characteristics of humor is that it involves incongruity. We find things humorous when they are incongruous or mismatched. Good jokes guide us down one path only to suddenly track us onto another. The tracking is what we call the punch line. As we are tracked over, our thinking shifts and, in fact, breaking the mind set of the thinking leads to increased creativity.

Consider the story of the midwestern farmer crossing Harvard square searching for the library. He approaches a stately looking gentleman, who happens to be a Harvard English professor, and he asks, "Excuse me sir. Can you tell me where the library is at?" The professor looks somewhat disdainfully and replies, "At Harvard we do not end sentences with prepositions." After a pause the farmer turns back to the professor and asks, "Well then, can you tell me where the library is at...Asshole." In this joke we are guided down one path and suddenly tracked over to another. The incongruity is what we experience as humorous.

Humor Provides Perspective

Another way in which humor oils the gears of the workplace is by providing perspective. Ashleigh Brilliant (known for his one- liners often found on postcards) says, "Distance doesn't really make you any smaller, but it does make you part of a bigger picture." Consider the Ziggy cartoon where Ziggy is lying on the psychiatrist's couch and the psychiatrist is saying, "The whole world isn't against you...there are BILLIONS of people who don't care one way or the other."

Humor Promotes Attending and Energizes

We know that all good lecturers have many jokes, stories, and anecdotes that are shared in order to command attention and energize the audience. Humor wakes us up and increases our attending. An office bulletin board loaded with cartoons, one liners, jokes, pictures, etc. is one way to invite humor into the workplace. A few moments of humor at work can lead to increased productivity as the newly energized employee returns to his or her task.

In working environments where humor is supported there develops a culture that utilizes the humor to reduce stress and provide perspective. We have all heard humor directed at lawyers, medical personnel, scientists, engineers, business persons, educators, etc. Learning to laugh at ourselves and our work lightens the load.

Humor is a major career asset, so let's be serious about humor and use humor to lighten our seriousness in the workplace. As we increase our personal humor quotient and spread our humor contagiously to others, we will begin to see the "lite" at the end of the tunnel.
Source: http://www.articleavenue.com)

Love Your job

Tip: "Love your job"

" If you can't be in the job you love…

Love the job you're in (or the way you do it) "



LOVE YOUR JOB !

Friends ! loving your job is an extremely useful tip for reducing tension from life :- Love your job.

I know that not everybody among us is fortunate enough to have a job of his/her liking. We all are living in a fiercely competitive era. In today's time, just being eligible for a job is not enough. We have to be most eligible than all other eligible persons to get a dream job. Now to be the most eligible of all is not that easy. It depends upon a number of visible and invisible factors such as our family background, our educational qualification, our physical appearance (in some jobs at least ), our performance in a particular exam etc. Since not everybody can be the most eligible one, most of us will have to contend with other jobs which may or may not be of our liking.

Let us consider your present job. It may be the case that you are doing a boring, routine and less rewarding job. May be you are not getting the chance to work at your full potential in this job. Certainly a man/woman of your caliber deserves something better. And if you are making all the necessary efforts to get the perfect job in your dream company, I give you my best wishes for your efforts. However, it is my humble advice that while you are searching for that perfect job, enjoy the way you are doing your present one, and keep celebrating and expanding all the other joys of life that surround you.

No matter how bad, boring, frustrating, and less rewarding your present job is, one thing is certain - you'll go nowhere by fuming and fretting about it ! Consider this : at any given moment your job is the main source of your income. Your bread and butter comes from the money you earn in this job. You pay your monthly bills, your taxes and your child's school fee from the salary of this job. You take your wife out for a dinner and give her a beautiful present from the money you earn from this job. Your present job is the platform on which you'll lay the foundation of your future dream job. So dear friend your job is no that bad. Just see the positive side of picture. Love your job , respect it.

I know it is not very easy to love our boring and dull jobs. However, if we want, we can easily make our job interesting . A little bit of effort & innovation can make any kind job interesting. Let me give you a very useful tip : If you want to make your job interesting, then ask yourself - "How can I do this job in a better way ? How can I improve my productivity ? " Just think over these two questions and you will get the answer. The best way to make your job interesting is to constantly find the way of doing it in a better way. Here are few benefits which you'll get by loving your job:

(1) Your productivity and performance output will increase.

(2) Your image in the eyes of your seniors will improve.

(3) You will feel less tired and exhausted at the end of the day.

(4) Your overall relationship with your colleagues will improve.

(5) You will be able to finish your work quickly if you do it with passion.
As you love your job and do it wholeheartedly, you will not find the time for fuming and fretting over its negative aspects. You will remain busy in it and will not feel frustrated or tense owing to the dullness or monotony of your present job.