For every moment you are angry, you lose 60 seconds of happiness.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Where is your stress coming from? Is the daily pressure mounting inside or outside of you? Do you feel stressed on a daily basis or just occasionally? Are you subconsciously adding to your feelings of frustration? Perhaps you are sabotaging your self by not being honest about what you need.

The first step to correcting a problem is to identify where we have a problem. Many times we don’t know what we don’t know. Once we know better, we do better.

Common frustrations and irritants that can be corrected to give us more serenity in life:

1. Skipping meals and poor nutrition
2. Food or environmental allergies. Especially dairy, wheat, peanuts
3. Trying to please everyone. It is impossible.
4. Poor organizational skills, so we have to spend time looking for needed items.
5. Constant noise, no time to think.
6. Self-medication with food, drink, medicine, nicotine or caffeine
7. Blaming other people or trying to control their behavior and choices.
8. Passive aggressive behavior. Speak up for what you need in an assertive voice.
9. Neglecting to recognize how many things you do right every day.
10. Living in the past or the future. Be grateful for today.

S—Stop your thoughts-you cannot think a positive and negative thought at same time.
T—Take a deep breath
R—Reflect on who owns the problem
E—Evaluate if it is worth a heart attack
S—See a picture in your mind of a calm sea, a green mountain, a soft blanket
S—Say out loud over and over; “This too shall pass.”

For more information on books, cd’s and teleclasses to help live a more abundant life, go to www.ArtichokePress.com or www.UseEncouragingWords.com Thank you. You do an important work. I believe in you.

With juggling kids, homeschooling, home, business, everything that we as Mothers have in our hands, it can really get tough sometimes.  So, what do you do to recharge? What helps you make it through and feel creative or inspired or just able to face things again?
Here are some things that work for me.

• Meditate or Pray: Taking time to be still and quiet, and to reconnect can do wonders for the spirit.
• Journal: I journal most days, even if it’s only for a few minutes. I write down my visualization exercises and then I write down at least 5 things that I am thankful for right then.
• Thank Someone: A few times a week I randomly pick someone who I am thankful for and/or inspired by and just send a little note or email. I find that my effort to lift someone else’s spirits lifts mine too.
• Movement: Yoga, pilates, or dancing. I turn on iTunes and exercise or dance with my kids. It can really relieve stress. The days when I least feel like doing this are the days when I need to the most. If I can just make myself move I find I feel much better the rest of the day.
• Quiet Time: Sometimes I light a candle and just sit and read quietly from my Bible or an inspirational book.
• Bubbles: Yes, I know this is a stereotype, but it works. If I’m lucky and the kids are all asleep I’ll give myself 5 or 10 minutes in the bath to relax with bubbles and just work to clear my mind of all the stress.
• Coffee (aka Reward Yourself): I purchase frappucino mix and make them at home as a treat when I’m particularly stressed. Use something you love as a reward for surviving your day.
• Foot Massage or Reflexology: Giving yourself a foot massage or doing reflexology on your feet can really boost your energy level.
• Energize with your Nose: I find certain essential oils to be energizing as well — peppermint, lemon, or orange oils work for me. Some people like pine or rosemary or thyme to energize.
• Identify and Attack: A few days ago I was really stressed and I cleaned out a closet. As strange as that might sound, I identified that I was feeling “out of control” about a particular situation, and so by doing something that helped me feel organized and in control I resolved that feeling, and then was able to focus on work.
• Write it Down: Making a “to do” list before bed helps me sleep better because I don’t worry that I’ll forget something that way. It also lets me easily rank what’s important, and what I can let go of, and that helps me feel more focused and energized.
• Support Group or Coach: Sometimes we all need a little support and encouragement. One of the things that helps me tremendously is when I have a session with my business coach. Just the listening ear, outside perspective, and relentless positivity is so inspiring. I really questioned it before I gave it a try, but I can say that this is one of the best business decisions I’ve made. The accountability doesn’t hurt either when I need to motivate myself to action. Knowing someone else is going to ask if I made positive steps this month is a good motivator. But more than that it’s really recharging to get out what’s going on, what’s going wrong, what’s going right and have someone there to help you through it. So get a coach! Or find a sounding board. Talk to a friend or colleague about being accountability partners. Surround yourself with support and you’ll find comfort and inspiration.

And now, let me give you access to some great free resources for small businesses including 101 Free/Cheap Ways to Market Your Business, 119 Things You Can Outsource, and more at www.michelleshaeffer.com

Michelle Shaeffer has been a work at home mom for more than 10 years and loves to share the tips and strategies she’s learned to help other home based business owners balance, manage, and market their businesses.

We all have a lot of paper coming into our homes constantly; either from the mail, work paper, children’s paper and other sources. In order to conquer the paper problem that many of us experience in our homes and to reduce clutter we need to have a working filing system where we can find anything in 10 to 15 seconds that is in the filing drawer.

Here are tips on setting up a working filing system which will reduce clutter in your home and in your office:

• Use hanging files. Don’t use a manila folder inside the hanging files because they are just something more to purchase, take up more space and they hide the tab behind them. There are a few times where they can be used such as to separate different financial information that is kept in the same folder.
• Organize by categories. Select a color of folder for each category. This keys our mind where to go when we need to find something. Some ideas for categories are:

Action: This is for events or things that have to be done within the month.
Remove/replace: This is for items that is constantly changing like health care information that changes yearly or policies that are sent out twice a year or it is a good place to file telephone lists of association and club members.
Permanent: This category is for things that we will keep “forever” such as warrantees of appliances and other items in our homes. Or for certificates and family histories.
Resource: This is the fun section. We keep things we want to refer back to. Before filing anything do consider if you need to keep it or can you find the information some other way with a minimum of effort and expense.
Taxes: Label a folder for each year you pay taxes. Keep tax records as a general rule for seven years. Go to IRS.gov for complete information.

• When setting up the folders put the tabs in front of the files so they don’t get hidden by other folders.
• In the action files have a tab labeled Bills to Pay. If you get a paper bill immediately put it in this file. Plan on paying your bills once or twice a month on the same day. When that day comes, take the bill out and pay it.

Mark the date paid, clip paid bills together, and move them to the back of the file. Or, make another file that says Bills Paid. Utility bills can be thrown away after paying, but most people are uncomfortable with this, so I suggest keeping bills for one to three months. If they are used for tax purposes, move them to the tax folders. Rotate them to the recycle bin when you pay your bills again. You do not need to save most paid bills because you can prove two ways that you paid it – by canceled check, or credit card, or the next bill that will reflect your payment.

The biggest tip for cutting down the paper coming into your home is to get off junk mail lists. There are several companies that do this for you. Google to find out what one you want to use. Some have a fee others are free.

Pay bills online. This cuts down on paper work, time and money (stamps and for some bills envelopes). Set up bill paying through your financial institution and go in monthly and pay the bills you want to pay. Your institution will notify you when they have sent payment. Make a folder in your email and send this information to the folder. You have a record if you ever need it.

Many people don’t file because they are afraid they won’t be able to find it again, but with the right system that won’t ever happen again. I use the Freedom Filer system and it has saved me a lot of time, worry and money. A good filing system helps reduce clutter in our homes and offices.

Marilyn is a professional organizer who works with women and seniors in clearing clutter and providing organizing tips. Visit her website www.marilynbohn.com for free organizing tips on her blogs, articles and videos.

Setting short-term work goals is important to each of us whether you’re an adult or a child. Without setting attainable goals it’s hard to be motivated each and every day. It’s natural for people to want to feel a sense of accomplishment. It makes us feel good and it makes us feel like we’ve contributed.

How we reach those short-term goals rely on these four key tips.

Accountability – The first thing to decide on is what is your goal? Be realistic when you set it, but make sure it’s not too easy that your goal is not challenging enough. Let’s say your goal is to write X amount of articles by the end of the year. It’s easy to say to yourself you’re going to write this many articles, but really who’s going to push you and motivate you when you’re stuck?

If you belong to a networking group, a writing group or you’re a member of a work at home forum then publicly announce your short-term goals. Don’t just announce it to anyone, but someone you know and who will hold you accountable. They will also be the ones checking on your progress, keeping you on track, offering you support and encouragement.

Focus -There are so many things that can distract us daily. From kids to surfing the Internet we’re surrounded by distractions. Some distractions are beyond our control so there’s nothing we can do about those, but go with the flow. The other distractions we have control over and we need to put those in their proper places.

Get your emails and phone calls out of the way before you start writing. People with young kids are a bit disadvantaged that they have to work around their child’s schedule, but parents have learned long ago how to multitask and make the best of their time. If you can only write in 15 minutes increments that is better than not writing at all.

Putting your full focus on your goal writing task around the same time each day and knowing what topics you’re going to write about makes a huge difference. If you’re losing focus, remember the reason you set your goal in the first place.

If you’re stuck in your writing and you’re doing some other task, it means it’s time for a break. Taking 10 minutes and focusing on a no-brainer task will re-energize your mind.

Execution – Many people set goals, but often set them aside and save them for tomorrow, but there’s no tomorrow. When you’ve prepared, defined and organized your goals, the next step is taking action. Just do it!

Reward – It’s the sweetest deal on what you’ve set out to do. We’ve learned from a young age that positive reinforcement encourages us to challenge ourselves and set higher goals. Whatever your reward is it’s well-deserved.

These four key tips can help you reach your short-term goals. Remember focus and execution are two of the most important things to do in achieving your goals.

S McIntyre is the founder of WorkAtHomeSpace.com, a free work at home resource focusing on providing work at home jobs, daily telecommute job leads, articles, business resources and other work at home related topics.

The New Year is a time when WAHM business consultants can revamp their office and add some new organizational techniques to their direct sales business systems. The classic New Year’s resolution is a perfect excuse to add some new systems to your home party office management repertoire.

Becoming More Organized in Party Plan Businesses Next Year
The old year is almost over and the new year is right around the corner. Time to think about a New Year’s resolution or two. If you own a home party business, one of the most common resolutions is to become more organized in the new year. Home based business office organization is one of the best things you can do for your business and your stress level!

As a party plan business owner, it is important to think of January as “Get Organized Month.” Home party plan Business owners often get so busy and consumed by the actual operation of their business that organization begins to crumble and things start to get messy. Use the start of 2012 to get your business organized.

Get Your Party Plan Business Organized In New Year

• Create a home party business plan. Every business needs one to succeed. Even if you already have a business plan, the start of a new year is the ideal time to revise the old one. A business plan is the outline for your business and should incorporate all aspects of your business.
• Create a filing system for all your papers and documents. If you already have a filing system, the new year marks a great time to clean it out. Your filing should consist of papers that require immediate action, papers that are important but are not of immediate concern, important documents, reference materials, and stuff you should have thrown out a long time ago. Throw that old junk out!
• For all your papers that you need for reference, create an easy to use system. Many business owners spend an inordinate amount of time looking for information or documents. Start the new year by organizing these papers and you’ll save tons of time during the remainder of the year.
• Go through all your papers, documents, and materials one more time. A large percentage of all saved materials are never used again. When people clean out their closets, they apply the rule that if it hasn’t been worn during the past year, it can be eliminated. This rule works for much of your paperwork, though there are obviously some documents you will need as long as you are in business.

When you take the time to clean house you will be more effective in the new year. All businesses are a work in progress and yours should be no exception. A short afternoon of office re-organization will kick your home business business off on a good track for the new year.

When you incorporate these home based and other direct selling business tips into your business you will create a consistent income year round. Learn more work at home business success systems that work for all companies at: http://www.CreateACashFlowShow.com

When people embark on the wild, wonderful world of network marketing, they may not have a clue as to how to begin. Do you approach family first, or try a different approach? One advantage to setting up your own business to achieve MLM success is that you have access to the great advice of those who have championed the system. Seasoned veterans can and have earned up to five figures a week, and so can you.

Bottom line, if you want to see MLM success, you must go in with a good plan. Now, you don’t have to go back to grad school and master the science of business administration to get this to work. Many successful network marketers don’t even have college diplomas. All it takes to start is a passion for the product and the means to reach many people who want to change their lives.

Let’s face it, these days that’s pretty much everybody. Some of us want to lose weight, some of us want more energy, and many of us want some extra money in our pockets to do fun things. With a dynamite MLM success plan in place, you will hone your gift of gab and offer interested people a way to earn a supplemental income that becomes so much more.

Outline the rules of MLM success as you plan your strategy: know the product, know the market, know your potential network, and utilize your natural talents to bring everything together. Above all else, commit to the job, and do not quit!

Your MLM success depends on you, at all levels of the game. Your enthusiasm for your business draws people to try your products, and eventually join your circle of influence. Don’t think of yourself as an anchor, for anchors weigh down objects and prevent them from moving. You want your business to grow and move forward. Think of yourself as a sail, and let the wind at your back encourage you to fly.