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Thursday, March 13, 2008

7 Safety Tips for the Office That Keep Everyone Safe

In a day and age where you are almost jaded by the multicolored security alerts that are displayed on the television news every day, it is not surprising that safety notices posted at work are quite often also disregarded or not even read anymore. New hires are required to read a safety manual and sign on the dotted line that they read and understood all of the instructions given, but when push comes to shove, it is anyone's guess if they are not only willing but also able to follow the proper safety precautions and procedures. In addition to the foregoing, after a few months or even years, much of what was read in the early days of employment is forgotten.

As an employer who has to shoulder the insurance payments, it is not at all surprising that you might be wondering how to keep everyone safe at the office. After all, you do not want to waste valuable time with more safety meetings than are absolutely necessary, but at the same time you want to make sure that you have protected yourself against any claims of liability. To this end, here are 7 safety tips for the office that keep everyone safe:

1. Safety rules and procedures should be periodically reviewed. Once a year is a good rule of thumb. The odds are good that you will think of incidents that require mentioning. Upon revision of the safety rules, make sure a copy of the entire safety rules and regulations is handed out to every employee. Have the employees sign a notice that they received the book and that it is their responsibility to read it and follow all of the rules set forth in the book.

2. Have an office layout that makes sense. The coffeemaker should not be stored precariously above the copier or fax machine. Similarly, an aquarium or some plants that require watering should not be set within close proximity of any electric devices, such as computers.

3. Have emergency numbers, such as fire, police, ambulance, animal control, and the non-emergency number of the local police department taped below each phone on a laminated card.

4. Make sure you have safety equipment available. If you are operating a doctor's office where bodily fluids may expose employees to risk, or if you have an attorney's office where heavy boxes of evidence and files need to be lifted, specialized equipment that will prevent contamination or back injuries are required.

5. Prevent junk from piling up. This includes old and new phone books, boxes, and carts that may obstruct emergency exits.

6. Do not take short cuts with the electrical cords. Daisy chaining is a practice that is used to safe a buck, but in the end it may cost you a lot more than had you purchased one cord long enough to do the job.

7. Last but not least, perhaps the most important of the 7 safety tips for the office that keep everyone safe is surprisingly simple: have fire extinguishers available in strategic locations of your office.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Home-Based Businesses and Careers: An Exercise in Self-Discipline

Nowadays, more and more people want to work at home. Many feel, for instance, that their lives are not fulfilling. The daily grind of waking up, going to work, going home, waking up, and going to work yet again takes a gruesome toll on countless people.

As an answer to their ambivalence towards their work, many people are now turning to the possibility of a home-based business or career, hoping that the changed working environment will effect positive changes into their life situation. However, there is an inherent danger in thinking that starting a home-based business will somehow solve all of your problems. If worst comes to worst, your troubles might actually multiply, not lessen.

Working at home is not the simple task that many imagine it to be. In fact, it can be quite difficult. Working from home will actually test the limits of your self discipline and control. There will be innumerable distractions that will present themselves to you, from washing your laundry to watching TV. At home, there is always something to do. One can choose to do chores, cook food, watch TV, listen to music, talk to a family member, and so one. Now these things are important, but they can also take away from what you are trying to accomplish as a businessperson or as a professional. Imagine how difficult it is for a mother of four to keep up a satisfactory career! She might want to build up her client base, take additional training, and write her own book. But she never gets around to it because she has to take care of the children. She has to wake them in the morning, prepare meals, take them to school, fetch them from school, clean up the house, get groceries, and so on. As long as she is in the house, and not in the office, there will always be demands on her time, demands that are probably not compatible to her goals of advancement.

So before you take the leap into starting a home-based business or career, stop for awhile and think. What do you really want to accomplish here? What are your goals? What do you intend to do and give to accomplish those goals? If you are determined on making your home-based venture work, then you will need to exercise plenty of self-discipline. It is hard enough to really work when you are in the office; it will be twice at hard at home! No one will be supervising you and monitoring you; you must pace yourself. It will be difficult at first, but as you go on you will soon find that it is getting easier and easier to do your work. Decide today that you will make the most effective use of your time in order to grow your venture.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Taking Business Classes Can Be Helpful To Your Business

When it comes to owning and running your own business there is always something to learn. There are new ways to save money or changes you can make to allow your business to run smoother. One of the best ways to learn more about business is to take business classes. Even if you believe you know all you need to know, business courses can always be beneficial to you.

When you take a business class you don't have to be the one trying to teach yourself. An instructor can guide you through business topics with the use of slides, books, articles and more. You can find out much more information through a class than you would on your own. You will also find new tools to be helpful in finding information that you may have been searching for. Many people learn better with an instructor or teacher. It's also helpful to be able to discuss business topics with another person. You may see something you already have knowledge on in a whole new way.

Business classes can be educational as well as inspiring. You may come out of the class with a fresh idea for your business. Thoughts on improvements that can be made to take some stress off of you or your employees. You can be refreshed and renewed. You'll receive a kind of business jump-start.

Business can be stressful and complicated. You can become overwhelmed and burnt out over time. By taking a business course you may be revived and recharged. It may be exactly what you need to keep your business on the right path.

Business classes can also be enjoyable. With the right instructor even the dullest of topics can be turned into a great experience. Many teachers of business try to liven up their classes to better keep the interest of their students. When you enjoy a course you remain more focused and involved. You will also better remember what was taught if there are a few humorous moments.

Business courses can also be a way to realize you are not alone. Listening to others speak about struggles as well as triumphs in business helps you to realize that this is the nature of business. Everyone in business has his or her ups and downs. You may find better ways to cope when you have a poor business experience. It can be a complex choice to run your own business, but taking business courses can give you a better understanding of business in a wide area.

No matter the reason you choose to take a business class it's sure to be helpful in some way, big or small. You will walk away with knowledge, understanding and possibly greater hope and confidence for you business. So what are you waiting for? Let the learning begin.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Can You Make Money Online?

It seems that these days everybody claims they are making money online. In reality, what works for some does not work for everybody. Some of the so-called easy ways to make money online don't work at all, and many ideas are not for everyone. Who is making money online?

Some people are making money with websites. Quite a bit of money can be made through selling products or information. Affiliate programs offer another source of income. To make money with websites, you have to learn how to market them. You can't make money online if potential customers can't find you.

Freelance workers are making money online. This group includes freelance writers, graphic artists, typists, accountants, web designers, and just about any other freelance service you can think of. There are boards devoted to freelance jobs, including some sites that allow freelancers to bid on projects. Web designers and content writers can make quite a bit of money.

There are people making money online through auction sites. Some supplement the auction site with a storefront. Though it is possible to make quite a bit of money this way, it is best to start small while learning the ropes. Items to sell on auction sites can be bought cheaply at places like rummage sales and clearance sales.

Many people can make money online. Some make quite a good income. Don't be fooled into thinking it's easy income. After you choose a way to make money online you must then take time to research the best way to get customers. It's not always easy, but if it works for you, you'll be glad you found a way to make money online.

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Thursday, June 28, 2007

Home-Based Businesses: The Opportunity to Work at Home

With the employment situation becoming more and more problematic, thousands, if not millions of people, are turning to self-employment methods to provide for their needs. Self-employment has always been a dream for the millions. Luckily, the growing use of the Internet worldwide is now providing everyone the opportunity to work from home.

But starting a home-based internet business is not the simple task that many think it to be. It actually requires quite a lot of time and effort to begin an online venture. And just like in the real world, there is always the possibility that your venture will not take off. In other words, you can still fail.

The Internet is not equivalent to financial panacea; it is not a magic wand that you can wave and make all your money troubles go away. The Internet is a medium for doing business; nothing more, nothing less. It is getting more and more competitive as time goes by; it is characterized by rapid change. As in the outside world, you will have to keep up to survive.

Don’t be discouraged though. While it is true that the Internet is becoming more and more competitive, it is also true that millions of people now make a decent living through its use. In fact, a select few make more than just a “living”. You can be one of those people. You may not realize it at the moment, but you have the talent and the smarts needed to create your own home-based business opportunity.

The first thing you will have to do is take inventory of yourself. This is where it all begins. If you want to begin a home-based business, you must first ask yourself a few questions. For example, what do you like to do? Ideally, your home-based business should involve something that you really love to do. Remember that one of the reasons that you wanted to start this business was so that you can take better control of your life! If you can make money by doing something that you really enjoy, why not? Think of all the areas that you have natural talent in; areas in which you are vitally interested.

A further question can help you with your self analysis. Ask yourself, “If I had all the time and money in the world, would I still be doing this thing?” If you can honestly answer yes, then you have hit the proverbial jackpot! This activity, product, or service will be your key to success. Not just financial success, mind you, but spiritual success as well – happiness. For what could be a better way to spend your days than doing something that you truly love; something that is meaningful to you?

In sum, before you start a home-based business, think of what you can offer to the market. If you are planning on making your work-at-home opportunity a long-term project, make sure that what you provide is something that you love doing. If you do, you have taken the first step into making your home-based business a success.

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