VA Secrets Revealed! The Blog

Time-Saving Online Services for Work at Home Moms

When you work from home, it can be difficult to avoid getting caught up in the non-work things that need to be done. You see the unwashed floor, are reminded by the clothes that need to be returned, and get to look at the pile of ironing until you find the time to get it all done.

So what's a WAHM to do? Unfortunately, we have to fit it all in. Here are a few time-saving online services to help those faced by the housework/family/errand time-killers find a little more time for work and have a little less on their to-do list.

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Work From Home Jobs - Weeding Out the Scams

Work from home opportunities are appealing for entrepreneurs looking for some extra income, professionals who work full-time outside the home and want to supplement their salary, and those interested in finding a way to make enough money to be able to work from home. How can you weed out the scams and find legitimate opportunities?

If you do a search online, you will find thousands of websites promising lucrative work from home jobs. Unfortunately, very few are actually legitimate. Not only do the scams waste your time, but if you haven't done your research, they can cost you money as well.

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New Year's Resolutions vs. Goals

The New Year is approaching and excitement is building for what 2009 has in store for us. Do you set goals for the year or do you make New Year's resolutions?

The Difference Between New Year's Goals and New Year's Resolutions

I've always hated making New Year's resolutions. As specific as I try to be, my resolutions always seemed to be abstract and, in many cases, unattainable. They are quickly forgotten. To me, resolutions are more of a desired end result (i.e. be healthier, quit smoking, be a better parent), but they don't give you any kind of plan to get there...

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Ideas for Surviving School Vacation When Working at Home

This time of year means vacation for the school-aged children in your family, but what about parents who work from home...what do you do three days into a two-week break when the kids have tired of all the holiday gifts and are claiming boredom?

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Challenges of Working from Home: Avoiding Feelings of Isolation

A difficult challenge for many work from home moms (and other work-at-homers!) is feeling alone and isolated from peers. It can be very difficult to be inside your house all day with only your work and the company of your kids. Here are some ways to combat those lonesome days.

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Setting Goals for 2009: Oh, the Places You'll Go!

One of my favorite books of all time is Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss, and it always comes to mind when I start my goal-setting process for the coming year. I thought I'd share my process with you, so take a break from your holiday preparations, step away from your end-of-the-year work wrap-up, grab a piece of paper and sharpen your pencil...it's time to move mountains!

Step 1: Reflection

On and on you will hike. And I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems whatever they are.

It's hard to figure out where you want to go until you've acknowledged where you’re been. So the first step in my process is thinking about the past year, looking at the goals I set last year and making a list of all that I accomplished. Here are some questions to get you started...

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Four Ways to Manage Holiday Stress When You Work from Home

I look forward to the holidays -- spending time with family, giving gifts, watching my kids' infectious excitement, listening to holiday music. I'm not going to lie, though; holidays also stress me out! How can we possibly manage all of the seasonal to-do's and constant distractions that are common during this time of year when we work from home?

Prioritize and Just Say "No"

If you work from home, you have probably mastered the art of multitasking...

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Blogging to Promote a Book

Blogs are used in so many ways -- as a personal journal, to share information, to provide advice, to promote products and services, and even as a collaboration tool. A good blog can help identify you as an expert in your field, generate interest and create a following. That is why a blog is a perfect way to promote a book.

Read more about using a blog to promote a book.

Thanks to Grant Griffiths for the invitation to write this post for Blog for Profit as a guest blogger.  If you are interested in learning about how you can use your blog to generate profit, Blog for Profit should be your next stop.

Technology Primer: Social Media 101

What's all the hype about and do you really need to know the difference between Digg and Twitter, a blog and a wiki, or Friendfeed and Friendster? If you want to use the Internet to network successfully, the answer is: YES.

Social media is big. Really big. And some of the leading users are people who work from home: consultants, coaches, virtual assistants, professional bloggers, writers, designers, and Realtors©. If you work from home and don't take advantage of everything that social media has to offer, you are missing out on a huge market, vast potential for collaboration, and a heck of a lot of fun!

So...what is social media?

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Selling Your Handmade Crafts for a Profit

Crafting is a wonderful hobby and can be a good source of stress relief. Maybe your outlet is scrapbooking, making jewelry, or creating hair clips for your daughter and her friends. But is it possible to turn your hobby into a money-making business?

There are many factors to consider when deciding if a crafting business is a good move for you. Here are some questions you should ask yourself...

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