12 Essential Web Browser Extensions

These are 12 of the web browser extensions that I found useful in all my personal-related and work-related online stuff.

1. Google Docs Offline - This is a useful extension for the Google Docs application so that you can literally use your documents offline and then re-sync afterward.
2. Currency Converter - This is a useful extension to easily convert different currencies which you can add and remove if you want to know specific currencies only.
3. SimilarWeb - This is an extension that is used to monitor rankings of website traffic and analyze it for other online purposes.
4. Grammarly - This is a useful extension for correct grammar usage for your writings.
5. Google Keep - This is a very useful tool especially if you want to just save specific website and keep a note on it.
6. Majestic Backlink Analyzer - This is a tool used for analyzing backlinks on your websites.
7. Open Multiple URLs  - This is a useful tool if you want to open multiple websites simultaneously.
8. Alexa Traffic Rank - This is a tool used for analyzing traffic rankings for your website.
9. One-Click Translate Page - This is useful for Firefox user who wants to translate websites that uses a foreign language as their primary language.
10. Swift Selection Search - This is a useful Firefox extension to easily search specific highlighted words using your favorite search engines.
11. Ghostery Privacy Ad Blocker - This is a Firefox extension designed for privacy protection.
12. Hunter - This is a useful extension that you can use to find email addresses on websites.

References:

http://enlistmoms.com/top-12-blogging-tools/

12 Ways for Stress Relief

This is one interesting article I have read online. These tips are applicable not only for home business owners but also to everyone regardless of status in life.

12 Ways to Help Relieve Stress 

Owning your own online home business is wonderful, but if you are like me, there are days when you feel down and stressed. You just can’t seem to get going. Sometimes sitting in your lonely home office, it seems like you are the only person on earth. You feel like you are locked in a cage with no way out! This can also be compounded by a slump in your business sales and/or success!


When you feel like this, it is hard to get any work done and can be very counterproductive for you. You must step back, take a break, clear your head and get rid of some stress!
I have found a few things that can help alleviate these problems and would like to share them with you.
1. Get up and get away from the computer for awhile, even if it is only for 10 – 15 minutes. Walk around the house, stretch your muscles, do some neck and back stretches. These can do wonders!
2. Take a walk. Get dressed, go outside, breathe in the fresh air and take a 20 – 30 minute walk. This is one of the most invigorating things you can do to clear your head and get the cobwebs out. Walking is the one activity I would recommend the most.
3. Call a friend or family member and just chat for awhile. This can also be a great way to lift your spirits and confirm your suspicions that there are other people on this planet! ;-) Chat for awhile and laugh a little. Laughter is a great medicine!
4. Have a little fun! Put on some of your favorite music and dance around the house. Let loose and have some fun. Act goofy, crazy or waltz yourself to China. This helps get out some of the frustrations and pent up emotions that can cause the blues.
5. Just relax! Turn everything off, (including your computer), make yourself a cup of coffee, cocoa or just plain water. Just sit in complete silence and watch the birds outside or put a cool cloth over your eyes. Let your mind just go blank for awhile. Forget everything and just relax!
6. Exercise your mind! Show your mind that there is more than just the computer. Do a crossword puzzle, play a few games of solitaire, or read a book. These are all great ways of getting your mind off business and clearing out all the old to make way for the new.
7. Do some housework! This might not be the most fun thing to do, but it helps take your mind off business for awhile and believe me, after about an hour of housework, you will be more than ready to get back to business!
8. Take a TV break! Watch a program that allows you to escape to another world. After you are finished you just might be glad to be back in your world.
9. One thing I do when business gets the better of me is to shut the computer down for the day and turn my attention to other things that need to be done. Just taking a small break from business can help, but when things are really stressful we may need a longer break.
10. Get some sun! After being indoors so much, we need to get out and get some sun. The sun is very good for your mind and body. Sunshine is a very good anti-depressant! But do remember to wear protection so you don’t get too much exposure.
11. Enjoy time with your family! Play a game, take a walk, watch a heartwarming family adventure movie, or just sit and talk. No matter how hard we work, we need to make time for family.
12. Eat healthy foods! This we all know, of course, but it is much easier said than done. Start by changing one meal at a time or adding one healthy food a day. The better we feel, the better we can handle everyday stress!
I hope some of these pointers will help you relax and get back to business. I know they have been a great help to me more than once. Sometimes when you are feeling unproductive, stressed our or just plain tired, the idea is not to work harder but to stop working and give your mind and body a well-deserved break!
About the Author:
Terri Seymour (also known as “The eBook Lady”) has over ten year’s online experience and has helped many people start their own business. Visit her site at http://www.seymourproducts.com for resources, $1 resell ebooks & software, affiliate programs, free ezine and free business ebook with Master Resell Rights. http://www.seymourproducts.com/free.shtml


Read more at BusinessDiary.com.ph: http://businessdiary.com.ph/6236/12-ways-to-help-relieve-stress/#ixzz3O6abimbe

12 Tips To Be Productive

1. Waking up early in the morning when there is less distractions.
2. Planning your day the night before for about 15 minutes.
3. Having company headphones to avoid disruptions.
4. Bundling similar tasks together for efficiency.
5. Finding your golden hour when you are at your best.
6. Finding a mentor who is willing to give time to you.
7. Using Cloud notes which is a practical way to make lists nowadays.
8. Listening to your body's natural rhythm by taking rests if it is needed.
9. Hitting 'Reply' button to answer emails.
10. Working from home as an alternative productivity method.
11. Making a To-Do list as an effective tool for accomplishing tasks.
12. Not eating breakfast by saving a big meal later for the day.

Based on 12 Productivity Hacks for Entrepreneurs post of Scott Gerber at business.com blog.

12 Tips For Work From Home To Work For You

Work From Home

Not every one is capable of doing work from home. Anyone can start work from home but only a few succeed and are able to maintain and sustain this alternative source of income. In light of this, here are some recommendations which you can apply if you work from home or if you have plans to work from home.

• Schedule.

• Creating a schedule is a good way for developing time management skills, and helps improves yourself to be well-organized and become a self-starter. The fact is that work from home release us from the traditional 9-to-5 or 8-to-5 schedule but working without any structure can seriously hurt your productivity according to entrepreneurs Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson in their book "Remote: Office Not Required." The recommendation is to divide your workday into three sessions, if possible, arranged to your liking: a "catch up" time to go through emails and read the news, a "collaboration" period when you work with coworkers on projects or talk about planning with your manager, and a "serious work" time when you get through the most difficult assignments of the day. Setting up a schedule makes it easier to maintain a distinction between your professional and personal lives. 

•  Savings.

• Even though you are working from home, you must consider saving part of your earnings to have a buffer in case of emergencies. Learn to have a savings goal by having a target amount of savings so that you will be motivated to save.

• Skills.

• Improve your technical skills because technical help is not always around when you encounter technical problems. You are left to your own devices if you encounter a technical glitch and you may be left alone wondering what to do. There are also some free and some paid softwares you can use for giving presentations and are really useful for you to become conversant such as Web-based meeting programs like GoToMeeting, Cisco WebEx, Join.me, TeamViewer or Google+ Hangouts.

• Paperwork.

• Get the proper business paperwork, with emphasis on "proper", especially for those who have small home business operations, proper tax registrations, business and occupational licenses and permits from different agencies are needed to operate legally. Also, you need to pay taxes in order to avoid future problems with tax agencies.

• Insurance.

• Do not forget about insurance. Try to find out the regulations regarding home business insurance because you also need to protect your valuable equipment against theft or injury to yourself. 

• Dress.

• Get dressed. Although business attire is not necessary, you still need to work using a decent dress and not pajamas. Choose something that makes you feel good. Wear colors such as yellow, orange, and purple which reflect creative auras and has psychological benefits. This is another way for you to have boundaries between work and relaxation.

• Workspace.

• Find a workspace. Designate a room exclusively for your office or workspace. If this is not feasible, then find a  corner or other empty space that will serve as a workspace for you. Whatever you do, never bring work to bed. The best work-at-home jobs are often ones that demand a quiet space where there are few distractions. Try to make the "area" for purposes of work only.

• Out.

• Go out and work outside.
  
  Try to change the aura of work occasionally by going to the nearest coffee shop, bookstore, library, or park which is especially effective for boosting your creativity level. 

• Socialize.

• In person, if you have extra time, get off the computer, put your phone away, and socialize. Participate in conferences, retreats, seminars, workshops or meet up with friends for coffee or lunch. 

• Network.

• Network electronically by getting active in Social Media groups like LinkedIn groups that relate to your work, employer, alma mater, past employers, or other interests that suits you. You can comment on posts and add your own two cents which shows a part of your expertise and gives you a virtual feeling of being connected to a community. But be careful of photos that you posts because it might be use unknowingly by others and might lead to you being scrutinize by others. 

• Creativity.

• Routine is a slow process of creative suicide and in order to avoid boring yourself to death, try to develop a new technique for your routine by downloading a new software, decorating your workspace, calling instead of e-mailing, discovering a potential partnership, reading books, attending workshops or taking on an intimidating challenge which can get your creative juices overflowing again.

• Break.

• Take a break. A break is one of the biggest advantage you have if you work from home. Sitting for long periods of time without a pause is personally and profesionally unhealthy. Try to go for a walk, have lunch at the table, reserve an hour for reading magazines or newspapers or prepare your dinner. Never take a break that consist of more screen time. It's not good for your eyes. It's bad for your health. Try to relax. Get some fresh air. Walking rejuvenates us and stretching helps boost our energy. If you are tempted to do a mid-afternoon nap, if you have a budget, consider working at a local coffee shop or library. According to the book "Remote: Office Not Required" by the entrepreneurs Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, "It sounds counterintuitive, but the presence of other people, even if you don't know them, can fool your mind into thinking that being productive is the only proper thing to do."

The Book "Remote: Office Not Required" available at Amazon

References:

9 Tips For Staying Motivated When You Work From Home

How To Make Working From Home More Productive
10 Tips For Working From Home

Working from home: 6 tips to ensure productivity

Remote: Office Not Required

Remote: Office Not Required Hardcover 

My Biggest Takeaway on 37Signals’s New Book on Remote Work (Hint: It’s Not Technology)

A Book in 5 Minutes: “Remote: Office Not Required” by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson