People Who Work at Home are More Likely to be Naked!

A "revealing" survey shows that some 10% of Out-of-Office workers wear nothing at all while working at home. While about 39% of respondents of both sexes said they wear sweats while working from home, 12% of males and 7% of females wear nothing at all. The survey, conducted by Insight Express and SonicWALL at the end of 2005, indicates that the growing trend towards home working is likely to breed a more productive and liberated international workforce. The survey was conducted on 941 remote and mobile workers worldwide. 650 responses to the survey came from the United States, with the remainder from Australia, Canada, Asia Pacific, Japan and Europe. The majority of respondents were in the 25 to 45 age range.

About cleanliness, 44% of women said they showered on work-at-home days, as opposed to men, who were slightly more likely to shave than wash. Besides that they enjoy food, music, watching TV and even some have admitted to sneaking in an afternoon nap.

76% of employees surveyed believe that working remotely is an aid to productivity and 61% are also convinced that their managers agree with them. Security came low on the list of priorities, however, with 88% of the individuals surveyed admitting to storing passwords in easily-discovered locations, and only 12% employing encrypted files to store and manage their login data. 56% said they rely on their memories to keep track of their network passwords, while others used the same passwords for all devices, stored the information on cell phones, or stuck notes with the login information onto their computer (4%).

All respondents were relaxed about their personal habits when working remotely. In matters of cleanliness, the difference between the sexes was more pointed: 44% of women surveyed said they showered on work-at-home days, as opposed to men, who were slightly more likely to shave (33%) than wash (30%). 18% of men regularly break off to do household tasks such as laundry, dishwashing or dusting whereas many more women -- over 38% -- found their attention claimed by chores.

Respondents also said they took the opportunity to eat and drink outside standard times (about 35%); listen to music (45%) or watch TV (28%); and 21% of all respondents admitted to sneaking in an afternoon nap. A small percentage of those surveyed (9%) admitted to feelings of guilt about being away from the office. Taking a longer lunch than at the workplace was also relatively rare (12%).

This easy-going approach keeps tempers on an even keel, according to the survey. More than 80% of surveyed workers have never lost their temper with support staff trying to help then fix a problem. Only 40% of polled respondents said they experienced problems when accessing their corporate networks remotely, although fewer than 50% accessed any applications other than Web mail when working outside the office.

More than half of the survey's respondents accessed the corporate network from home on a daily basis, with 86% logging in remotely several times a week. Respondents said that the chief attraction of working remotely was the ability to maintain a flexible schedule. Only 22% of workers used cell phones or PDAs to work from home, but respondents said they expected this type of usage to grow in the coming year.

Persistence is the Key

So, you've embarked on your own home business and, if you are like most, for the first couple of weeks or so you went at it with relentless passion. You spent many days working into the wee hours of the morning learning about and promoting your new business. Each day you eagerly check for sales and dig into your daily routine, again working late into the evening. This usually goes on for a week or two and then something happens. Or, should I say, nothing happens. You've only had a sale or two if you are lucky. Most likely, you haven't had any sales. Human nature takes over. You begin to have doubts. "Maybe I'm not cut out for this business" you think to yourself. "No, that's not it, this business is a scam. I shouldn't have invested my money and time into it!" is your next self justifying thought. Does this sound like you? Well, welcome to the world of working a home based business! Anyone that has ventured into this world has experienced and thought the same thing. But, it's the people who have got beyond this initial disappointment and kept their nose to the grindstone that are enjoying success today. It takes persistence and countless letdowns before you can become successful. "Rome wasn't built in a day", "Stay the course", just to quote a few cliches that are pertinent. Being successful in a home based business takes a lot of hard work and time. Don't let anyone sell you on "get rich quick" schemes. Okay, so now what? How do I get over these feelings of doubt? Recognize that your doubts are a part of the journey of getting to where you want to be. What you need to do is be patient and consistent. STOP working into the wee hours of the morning! Pace yourself. Devote the same amount of time each day to your business. Get into a routine. Spend time with your family and doing other things that you enjoy. What good is the freedom of working at home if you are a slave to it? If you want to slave for a living go back to the corporate world! Read inspirational articles and surround yourself with successful people as much as possible. Most of all, realize that it is your persistence that will pay the most dividends in the long run. You will be successful ... it's just a matter of time.

Why Some People Almost Always Succeed ...

I was surfing the "net" tonight and came across a very well written article that examines why some people almost always succeed. It points out some of the common factors or traits of successful people and touches on many of the points I have brought up in earlier posts. It was written by Henrik Edberg...

Like everyone else I've spent some time thinking about why some people are so successful in life. And what factors in success that are under more personal control than others.

Successful people might be intelligent. Or have had a socially well connected upbringings. Or be naturally energetic and open and positive. But a lot of the factors that make some people more successful at almost anything in life are very much under their control. And much can be improved in anyone’s life by learning from the people that have gone before us.

Here are some of the thoughts on success that I´ve come up with from reading/watching documentaries throughout the years about people such as Michael Jordan, Thomas Edison, Eleanor Roosevelt and Henry Ford. The following factors of success are just a few and I´m quite sure there are a lot more.

They make decisions and take action:

Right or wrong action, they take it. Either way it’s always better than making no decisions and taking no action at all. As Franklin Roosevelt said:
“It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.”

They do things even when they don´t feel like it:

I think this is a pretty huge factor. A lot of us back down when we don´t want to do something, even though it may eventually bring us to a wonderful experience or goal. Successful people may not always like doing some of the things they have to do. But they do them anyway. And in the longer run that makes all the difference.

They do the most productive thing right now:

Instead of trapping themselves in doing productive but not so important tasks or projects they realise what’s most important and do that. And after they´re done with that they do what´s most important again. Instead of just doing a lot of things, they think and plan before they act and try to focus as much as possible of their thoughts and actions on those few very important things.

They do one thing at a time:

Many of them don´t seem to multi-task. Some reasons for avoiding that may be that it creates internal confusion, wastes time and spreads the multi-tasker too thinly. Instead, they do one thing and focus on that until it is done. Then they do the next thing until it is done. Focusing 100% on one task at a time will get it done quicker and better.

They have a positive attitude:

A negative attitude can be very damaging and limiting to one´s life. A positive one can open new doors every day. It can open your mind to new ideas and input and create or sustain great relationships. It helps you through the hard times as a successful person often sees an opportunity within what others would merely see as a problem.

Have a look at Take The Postivity Challenge for more thoughts and practical tips for creating a more positive attitude.

They have redefined failure:

While a lot of people see failure as a way to rationalizing the feeling of wanting to giving up or as a sign that it´s actually time to do something else successful people tend to see it more as useful feedback. They may not like to fail, but they don´t fear it – or at least they have little fear of it - and they know that if they fail they´ve been there before and they can start over again and succeed. This is of course a very useful belief and keeps successful people going while the rest have already given up.

They don´t let fear hold them back:

They overcome fear and slay that dragon whenever they face it. Or they may have defined or redefined reality so that fear is substantially decreased or even gone in some areas of their life.

Doing this enables you to take action on your thoughts. This pulls down the barriers in the mind and create new roads and opens up to whole new possibilities. Have a look at 5 Life-Changing Keys to Overcoming Your Fear for more on both slaying your dragons and redefining your reality to contain less fear.

They have found a purpose in life:

They are internally driven rather than externally driven. They do what they have a burning desire to do rather than conforming to what others think they should do. Even if what the others think may be positive and successful stuff.

The Michael Jordans, the Edisons and the Stephen Kings have figured out what they want to do in life and are doing it (or did it).

The purpose, I think, is largely why they can keep on going and be motivated while others may tire or just go and do something else that they find more purposeful. The successes love their purpose and when they aligned with it then it seems to push them forward with enthusiasm and energy through life.

They don´t get distracted:

When others get too caught up in everyday life to do what they really want to do the successes don´t. They can really focus on actually doing what´s important and what needs to be done. Again, this seems to go back to having a purpose and more clear sense of direction in life.

They value their time highly and plan it out well:

A lot of people don´t value their time that much. Successful people have a purpose in life and therefore they do. They have so much they want and an inner urge to do it and therefore need to plan well to use their days effectively.

They´ve got awesome communication-skills:

So very much of what we do in life has to do with other people. So it seems quite obvious that to be successful you´ll probably have to have good or great communication-skills (or hire someone that has such skills).

People skills is fortunately something anyone can improve and develop. Have a look at Do You Do these 10 Mistakes in a Conversation and How to Make a Great First Impression for some useful tips.

They have an open mind and are willing to learn:

Successful people take the time to study and learn – and often seem to really like doing it - what is necessary to improve their skills. They are open to thoughts, suggestions, solutions, new information and change rather than thinking they already know everything, that there is not much more to learn and that everything should be as it has always been.

What to focus on?

Now, what factors are the most important ones, where should one focus the energy? I am currently focusing on improving my ability to take action, doing what I may not feel like doing and doing the most productive thing right now. To me it seems like these three factors are very important and since they are pretty interconnected they are easy to combine.

I think what you should focus on varies a lot. And it’s up to everyone to figure that out for themselves. But if you´re anything like me you probably already know what areas you need to work on.

If you found this article helpful, please visit http://www.positivityblog.com/.

Let's Talk About ... Making Money!

I knew that would get your attention. Why? Because no matter how much money we have we always want to make more. This world is driven by the need and desire to create wealth. Now as good a notion as having more money than you can spend is, the reality of it is that most of us will never achieve that level and even if we did we probably wouldn't be happy. Now wait a minute! I thought the world was driven by this desire and money would solve all of my problems. Well, it is for the most part and no, it is not the end all to your problems. And that, in a nutshell, is the irony and vicious circle of being caught up in creating wealth. You are never satisfied so you continue to work harder to create more wealth. Working harder means less time for the things you truly enjoy which in turn leads to unhappiness. That is why I much prefer to coach people to pursue success. So, what's the difference? Having unlimited wealth could certainly be viewed as success. Consider this, who is more successful? The person who puts in 12 and 14 hour days at the office, makes well over 6 figures, can afford most anything he wants, comes home to a 4,000 + sq. foot home, but rarely has time for himself or his family. Or, the person who puts in 8 hours a day at the mill, makes minimum wage, manages to pay the bills, including the rent on his 800 sq. foot apartment, but has the time to devote to himself and his family. Many of you will say that the first person is more successful because of his material gains. Many others will say that the second one is because he has more time to harvest family relationships and personal interests. Well, the truth is, there really isn't a right or wrong choice. It's really a matter of personal view and objective. Both individuals are successful in their own right. However, look at the two examples again. One theme becomes obvious. Time! Person A in the example spends his time making money. Person B has less money but more time. Whoever said that "Time is Money" was dead on! Therefore, the key to being successful is to create wealth and have the time to enjoy it with your loved ones. You've heard the quote, "Work Smarter Not Harder". Again ... dead on! That is the key! Seek ways to increase both your wealth and your free time. Sometimes this means changing your outlook on what you consider success. BALANCE. That's what it is about! Find the balance between wealth and time that works for you. How much money do you really need to be happy? Chances are, it is not as much as you think. What if you just spent an hour more with your family or for yourself a day? How much of a difference would that make in your life? Strive to find ways to reduce your workload and get the same results. Strive to spend more time with your family and for yourself. Make the change today. Write down exactly what it is you need to change to be more successful. In the scope of this discussion it's either going to be having more time for yourself and others, devoting more time to creating wealth, or both. Whatever your particular situation is, write down clearly what you need to do and post it somewhere where you will see it everyday. Give yourself a definite and realistic timeline for achieving the change. Work hard at it everyday. Seek success not wealth. Remember, your success is defined by you and your loved ones needs. Ultimately, it is what makes you and your loved ones happy that determines how wealthy or successful you really are. Do not get caught in the vicious circle of just creating wealth.

Quotes to Inspire ...

I've put together some quotes from various sources that pertain to success. There are thousands of success related quotes out there but these, for some reason or another, seem to resonate with me. Read them ... enjoy ... get inspired! When you're finished share a few of your own. I'll start off with one that, as far as I know, is my own (or, at least is my own translation):

"Success is not measured by the final outcome, rather it is measured by the effort put forth to get there." John Lucia

"There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all." Peter F. Drucker

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing." Abraham Lincoln

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." Albert Schweitzer

"The secret of success is constancy to purpose." Benjamin Disraeli

"Yesterday I dared to struggle. Today I dare to win." Bernadette Devlin

"A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him or her." David Brinkley

"Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises." Demosthenes

"My will shall shape the future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man's doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me or I can be lost in the maze. My choice; my responsibility; win or lose, only I hold the key to my destiny." Elaine Maxwell

"I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen." Frank Lloyd Wright

"It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something." Franklin D. Roosevelt

"It is on our failures that we base a new and different and better success." Havelock Ellis

"Those who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try nothing and succeed." (adapted) Lloyd Jones

"Nobody got anywhere in the world by simply being content." Louis L'Amour

"To succeed, we must first believe that we can." Michael Korda

"Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it -- but sail we must and not drift, nor lie at anchor." Oliver Wendell Holmes

"Self-trust is the first secret of success." Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Sooner or later, those who win are those who think they can." Richard Bach

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." Thomas Alva Edison

"Dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish anything if you're willing to pay the price." Vince Lombardi

"Not doing more than the average is what keeps the average down." William M. Winans

"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." Winston Churchill



*Make sure and visit http://www.wisdomquotes.com/ where these and many other quotes can be found.

Are You Really Happy With Your Current Lifestyle?

If you are like the majority of people in the world, you have an average job that demands more than average efforts from you. In return you get to live from check to check, see your family for a few hours each night and weekend, and constantly worry about the security of your position. And, if you make it to retirement age, you get to retire and worry about how you are going to make ends meet on your reduced income. You've seen the TV ads for reverse mortgages to help retired people ... Give me a break! This is reality! You are in the company of millions of people in your same situation. Millions of people that are caught up in the daily grind of eking out a mediocre existence. Generally speaking, ... you work - you retire - you die. Unfortunately, this lifestyle is accepted and perpetuated by our current society. If you are like most, you have witnessed your parents and/or grand-parents go through this very exact cycle. Now you are going through the very same. The fact that you are reading this means that you have at least recognized this fact and are looking for ways out. Is it possible to get out of this vicious cycle? ... A resounding Yes! Is it easy? ... No! Is there one program or method that is guaranteed to allow you to easily break the cycle and live a better life? Again ... No! The key word here is easily. If you are looking for a magic formula that is miraculously going to change your lifestyle with little or no effort from you, you can forget it. Go back to living your over-stressed, paycheck to paycheck life. Now, if you are willing to put some time and effort and invest in a program to better your lifestyle, they are out there. No need to re-invent the wheel. Although the majority of folks are living the lifestyle that you are trying to break free from, there are many others living much better. They have put in their dues and are now enjoying income whether they put forth any effort or not! They have created revenue generating income streams. They work a few hours each day, if they so desire, and spend the rest of their time doing whatever it is they want. It wasn't easy but they got there. You too can enjoy this lifestyle. You have already taken the first step! You have become aware that there must be a better way. You are no longer blindly caught up in the mediocre paradox of life. Congratulations! Now, I encourage you to educate yourself on the current opportunities out there. There are a myriad of them. Be aware of scams. Invest your time and efforts into one that has proven to be successful. Do not quit your current job until you are making twice what you normally make. The bottom line is that you need to take action now! The sooner you do, the sooner you will break away from your current situation. Surround yourself as much as possible with successful people. Learn from their experiences. Before you know it, you will be just as, or maybe even more, successful than them!

Achieve Your Dreams!

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of believing in yourself and making decisions that will benefit you for the rest of your life. We all too often get into our "comfort zones" and hesitate or fail to make decisions, or take advantage of certain situations because we perceive them as risk. Although this is a normal reaction, it is those that are able to rise above the initial thoughts of doubt and "go for it" that are successful in life. I can guarantee you that any successful person you know, whether a personal acquaintance or celebrity, displays the type of "go for it" attitude I'm talking about. These people have believed in themselves enough to take chances and make decisions that others would label as risky. They all have shunned the negativity to rise above normalcy. Think of one person that you would consider very successful. What makes them different than you? The only answer is ATTITUDE! This person will be successful no matter if they were born into luxury or poverty. They will be successful regardless of the amount of education they have. Take everything away from them today and, you know what? ... They will get it all back! It's their positive attitude that drives them to achieve their dreams. They are no different than you! You too have the ability to achieve your dreams! Realign your attitude today by continually telling yourself that you are successful in everything you do. You live, eat, and breathe success! Everything you do is focused towards achieving your dreams. You deserve to be successful! You control your destiny ... no one else does. From this day forward you are a successful person. I know, you've heard this all before in some form or another. But, if you are not living your dreams today, you did not do anything with it! You never took the first step to change your life. You did not change your attitude and outlook on life and look what it got you ... normalcy or maybe even less. If you are living your dream then, congratulations! ... you, at some point, made a life altering shift in your attitude to get there. I would like to use this forum for all to share posts about their successes and the chances they took to achieve them. Let's also talk about failures. After all, what are failures other than steps to success? In this way, we can all benefit from each others experiences. Remember, realign your attitude and gear yourself towards success. You can achieve your dreams!