Posts tagged Work from Home book
Decisions, decisions
Jan 20th
Today I need to take some of my own advice, as outlined in my book about working from home in the chapter on productivity, to decide what to work on first. There are so many things I’d like to get done, preferably now, straightaway, this minute, that it’s hard to plump for one and just concentrate on it.
Sometimes it’s very clear what needs to be my priority, other times I pick one thing and as I do it, in the back of my mind I’m thinking I should be doing something else! For example, I’ve been leaving the dreaded search engine optimisation (SEO) to the bottom of the list for ages, because I couldn’t get a grip on where to start.
I’ve wondered about paying someone else to do it, then changed my mind, and finally bought a copy of Search Engine Optimization: An Hour a Day
I think it’s easier to decide on priorities when you work with other people, as there’s often a common goal or deadline to work to. When you’re on your own it’s harder to make a decision. So when I’ve finished this post I’m going to prioritise the jobs, start with the most urgent and put the rest firmly out of my mind.
How come the Homeworking Book page is now Work from Home Book?
Aug 12th
Judy Heminsley's Work from Home book
If you’ve visited the site before, you might have noticed I’ve made some changes recently. Some much-needed changes, as I’ve been neglecting the site over the last few months to concentrate on promoting Work from Home.
I’m now working on increasing visitor numbers by researching keywords and adding audio and video clips. So that’s why some of the pages have changed their names (eg Homeworkers’ Rooms to My Home Office) and the free guide to overcoming isolation has been given a new provisional title of Beating the Homeworker Blues. Should you have generously linked to the site, you’ll need to check in case your links need updating following these changes.
I have to admit to being a bit of a reluctant web builder. It doesn’t come naturally, but when I put my mind to it, I’m always amazed by how addictive it becomes. I find it very satisfying to see the results up there on the screen, and it’s so fulfilling when ideas start to flow. As with many activities, the crucial part is getting started. Once you’ve done that, the momentum builds up on its own.
I hope you like the changes. There are more on the way, and some new content to add. But for now it’s back to the Google Keyword Research Tool – I sound like a real IT expert, don’t I?
Inbox blindness
Jul 21st
As a minimalist by nature, I hate it when my inbox contains more emails than I can see all at once – when the dreaded scroll bar appears at the side. Although usually ruthless with the delete key, I like to keep messages there in full view until they have been dealt with, in the belief that seeing them there will remind me to do whatever’s required. But sometimes they build up and I somehow stop seeing the ones towards the bottom.
So my apologies if you’ve had a delayed response from me – it’s nothing personal, just a kind of inbox blindness. And yes, I know I give some cleverclogs advice in my book Work from Home about dealing efficiently with emails (page 89 if you’re interested), but it’s so much easier to give advice than to follow it, don’t you find?
The book is launched
Apr 8th
The book launch on Saturday went brilliantly well, especially the mini scones with jam and cream. There are a few brownies and some cake left, but nothing too disastrous for a homeworker who can’t forget what’s lurking in the cake tins. It was lovely to see friends from different phases of my life, especially as they all seemed to enjoy meeting one another and to find plenty to talk about.
Here I am talking to Bill Greenwell, one of my tutors on the MA Prof Writing course and one of the best teachers I’ve ever met. He has mentioned me on his blog – see the entry for April 7 on http://billgreenwell.wordpress.com – which is a great destination for homeworkers like me who have to ease themselves gently into the day and find that good writing on the web is an excellent way to achieve this. Bill has a wonderful way with words (maybe something to do with the fact he’s a poet!) and knows how to tell a good story. I particularly recommend you click on Home at the top of the page and then Previous Entries (bottom of the next) to read Other People’s Stories and The Radiographer’s Story if you want to start your day with a laugh.
The day after the launch I came down with a shocking cold, which is why it’s taken me so long to write a post about the big day. Even when you’re working from home, away from the tensions of the traditional workplace, it can happen that as soon as you relax after a period of stress or working hard, you immediately fall ill. So I’ve had a few days of taking it easy, but now it’s back to the keyboard.
