A successful business woman who works from home on the internet spends a lot of her time alone with her computer. In my case I often have one or two social networking sites open during the day, which provides the social aspect of my work at home. I'm not sitting in an office with people physically, but very much engaged with others online...and from all over the world!
Every now and then you discover a person who lives not so far from you, or one who is passing through your area when traveling, and would like to meet you in person! Such was the case for one of my online friends who uses the name "Wednesday-Elf". She is part of a network of crafty working grandmothers who keep in touch with one another and encourage one another.
In her delightful little story "Meeting an Online Friend in Person", you can see how this can happen, and how our relationships with those online truly are deeper and more meaningful than some may think they are.
Related Post: Loneliness While Working from Home
Updated 11/30/18
Showing posts with label Working from Home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Working from Home. Show all posts
Monday, March 24, 2014
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
All Work and No Play Makes Grandma...
I'm not quite sure what all work and no play makes a Grandmother or Grandmother aged woman, because I am not able to sit still long enough to find out. In fact, I have been busy writing online so much today that I'm about ready for another get up and move about moment.
What is it that you enjoy doing as one who works from home? I am sure if you have grandchildren, it is finding time to spend time with them. But what are your leisure activities? Do you enjoy reading? Crafting?
What is the last book that you have read? What craft project are you working on?
I do my reading in the evening before bedtime, and most evenings, if I wasn't enjoying time outdoors but sitting indoors with my husband, I crocheted while watching whatever he enjoyed on TV. There are only a few shows and movies that I really enjoy myself, but I enjoyed keeping him company. At this update some years later, I am a relatively new widow, and still keep pretty much the same schedule.
It is tempting to come in here to my laptop and spend time on my computer during the evening, but I try to make an effort not to do that, as leisure time is so important, as is unwinding during the evening hours before settling down to a good nights sleep.
Updated 11/30/18
What is it that you enjoy doing as one who works from home? I am sure if you have grandchildren, it is finding time to spend time with them. But what are your leisure activities? Do you enjoy reading? Crafting?
What is the last book that you have read? What craft project are you working on?
I do my reading in the evening before bedtime, and most evenings, if I wasn't enjoying time outdoors but sitting indoors with my husband, I crocheted while watching whatever he enjoyed on TV. There are only a few shows and movies that I really enjoy myself, but I enjoyed keeping him company. At this update some years later, I am a relatively new widow, and still keep pretty much the same schedule.
It is tempting to come in here to my laptop and spend time on my computer during the evening, but I try to make an effort not to do that, as leisure time is so important, as is unwinding during the evening hours before settling down to a good nights sleep.
Updated 11/30/18
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Interested in becoming a VA or Virtual Assistant?
If you have wondered what is involved in becoming a Virtual Assistant, you will want to visit a site owned by someone I've been acquainted with online for a number of years.
A Virtual Assistant in simple terms is someone who does typing and other secretarial and clerical type work from home for any number of clients. Services you offer will be based upon your skills, you decide what you can or cannot do.
Please take a moment to visit VA Directory and look at the main links on the page and the drop-down menus along the top to learn more. There are links to post your job, for VA training, a forum, and so very much more for anyone who is interested in knowing what it means to work from home as a Virtual Assistant.
Updated 11/28/18
A Virtual Assistant in simple terms is someone who does typing and other secretarial and clerical type work from home for any number of clients. Services you offer will be based upon your skills, you decide what you can or cannot do.
Please take a moment to visit VA Directory and look at the main links on the page and the drop-down menus along the top to learn more. There are links to post your job, for VA training, a forum, and so very much more for anyone who is interested in knowing what it means to work from home as a Virtual Assistant.
Updated 11/28/18
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Is Network Marketing for Everyone?
I was actively involved with a network marketing company several years ago, and am still a member and customer, but not involved in the business part of it any longer. At the time, though, it was fun and there was some success. I made a bit of money and won 4 trips, a couple for myself, one that I went on with my husband, and one that we went on as a family of 4.
Whether or not you are successful at this type of business depends upon how much support you receive, how persistent you are, and many other factors. If you are interested in learning more, you will find some support at Mark Hall's MLM Opinion, a site that offers advise and support for those who are interesting in this type of business. Some network marketing companies are also called multi-level marketing businesses, this is what the letters M L M stand for.
Though some tried to discourage me from getting involved with the company I did, in my case, it was successful for a time, and part of some very happy memories.
Updated 11/28/18
Whether or not you are successful at this type of business depends upon how much support you receive, how persistent you are, and many other factors. If you are interested in learning more, you will find some support at Mark Hall's MLM Opinion, a site that offers advise and support for those who are interesting in this type of business. Some network marketing companies are also called multi-level marketing businesses, this is what the letters M L M stand for.
Though some tried to discourage me from getting involved with the company I did, in my case, it was successful for a time, and part of some very happy memories.
Updated 11/28/18
Friday, April 13, 2012
Loneliness While Working at Home
It is not uncommon to feel a sense of loneliness when you are working at home, especially if you have moved from parenting to an empty nest. You looked forward to the day when all that chaos and confusion of combining raising children and working at home would end. You longed for the day when you could focus on your work without distraction. That day has come and gone, it was nice for a while, but now there may be a gnawing sense of loneliness that has taken up the place where chaos and confusion used to reside.
This may not be everyone's experience, some may thrive on working alone, but it is my experience. I have been searching for and discovering some helpful solutions to this. Some I am practicing, others need to be added to my life to broaden and expand it. Let me share a few things that I've found helpful in overcoming loneliness while working at home. Some suggestions are not new, but we often need reminders to get back on track.
Following are some suggestions for overcoming loneliness while working from home:
Updated 11/28/18
This may not be everyone's experience, some may thrive on working alone, but it is my experience. I have been searching for and discovering some helpful solutions to this. Some I am practicing, others need to be added to my life to broaden and expand it. Let me share a few things that I've found helpful in overcoming loneliness while working at home. Some suggestions are not new, but we often need reminders to get back on track.
Following are some suggestions for overcoming loneliness while working from home:
- Find other friends who work from home on Facebook and Twitter - this won't completely fill the void, because we need to hear real voices and see real tangible people to do that, but it helps a lot. There are many groups of people with like business interests that can be found and joined on Facebook. Using the Hashtag (#) feature on Twitter you can search for "tweets" about things that interest you and share as well. I suggest that you turn off the "notifications" feature when you join or are added to a group on Facebook or you will be overwhelmed with emails...but do keep up with the groups, you do that by going to the "Home" link in the upper right and looking at the list in the left margin. Open up a tab on your browser with your Facebook account during working hours, and twitter as well, so you can interact when you wish, and share your accomplishments. I have a separate account for business acquaintances and friends on Facebook, that window is open during working hours, and in the evening I check in on family and personal friends on my personal account.
- Go out for a walk, alone or with your dog if you have one, and exercise. I try to walk or do Yoga each day, and do fail to do so some days, but also do manage to get out there more and more. It helps so much to get outdoors for an hour or more and run into neighbors and take in some sunshine, or walk in the rain with an umbrella when possible. You can do a little in the gardens and feel a sense of accomplishment.
- Get up each hour and do a chore around the house. This helps me so much mentally and physically. It's not good to sit for hours a day if you are physically able to get up and move. If you must sit due to a physical condition, learn about sitting exercises you can do and do some each hour to aid circulation. Youtube has many exercise videos, look up "chair yoga" or other exercises that can be done while sitting.
- Call a friend or family member and talk a bit so that you hear a voice. Though social networking, emailing etc. are nice, there is nothing like an "old fashioned" talk on the phone and visit with a friend over a cup of coffee.
- Get involved in a hobby or activity through your community center or go to a Woman's Bible Study. I do the latter each week which gets me out among women who like to share their joys and trials and support one another in and through them.
- Consider ways that your work might include tangible or visual contact with other people. Some work done from home includes this naturally, like those who go out and show products in homes as part of their business, but for those of us who are writers, more creativity may be needed. Join in on video chats and other visual forms of interaction. You will find that if you "social network" as discussed in #1 above, you'll hear of events taking place like this that you can take part in. Do so when you can.
Updated 11/28/18
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Can you find legitimate work on the internet?
Grandmothers, or those of us old enough to be grandmothers, have a unique lifestyle. We don't have to juggle being mothers with working from home, unless we are raising grandchildren.
I remember when my children were young, life was busy, and there was a lot of energy, and a routine during much of the year. I worked from home then, and always thought that when my children were grown, it would be so much easier to get even more done than I was at that time. I'm not sure that's so true. I find I need to be even more disciplined, and make my own routines. They are no longer "pre-made" for me by my children's activities and school schedules.
Following is an article written by a Joel Nickerson about finding a business that suits your lifestyle. It's not necessarily written for grandmothers, but maybe just reading it will spark some thought. I hope that you find something helpful in it!
There are several different reasons why somebody would want to start a home based business. For some, it is a matter of necessity and they either need to replace work that they have recently lost or need to earn additional money in order to make ends meet. Other individuals look for work at home business opportunities because they like the challenge of working for themselves and enjoy making money on their own instead of making it in a corporate environment.
Regardless of why you want to start up your own home based business, however, finding the one that will work is the most important first step that you will need to take. Although there are many different choices as far as a home business opportunity is concerned, the Internet has really added some interesting aspects into the mix. In fact, there are many individuals who are starting up their work at home Internet business and fitting it directly in with their various lifestyles. How is this true?
First of all, an Internet home based business can be run at any time of the day or night. Next, you get out of a home based Internet business exactly what you put into it. Even if you don t have much time at all when you re first starting out, it is still possible to see results from small efforts.
Picking a home based business is something that should not be done on the spur of the moment. There are literally thousands of home based internet business opportunities out there. Some are legitimate, some are questionable. Once you find the right one, however, you will recognize it. When that time comes, do your research, talk to some people who are already involved in the program, and take the opportunity and make something of it. If others are happy with the program chances are you will be too.
Perhaps you have tried to work on the Internet before and have not really seen much in return for your efforts. It can be very discouraging if you are working in the wrong corner and trying to do something that is not going to produce any results, no matter who does it. The best thing that you can do in these circumstances is to find someone to follow in order to know which way you should go. As a matter of fact, having a mentor in front of you is one of the best ways for you to become successful with your own Internet business in a short period of time.
Although it may seem simplistic, having a mentor to follow is not something that should be overlooked. If you choose the right one, they have already forged a path to success themselves and can take you by the hand and lead you there as well. Sure, it is going to take some work on your part but it will be well worth the effort whenever you see it pay off and your home based business succeeds.
Author Resource: I have checked Joel Nickerson's links that were provided in the original article, and they are no longer active...but the advise is good.
Updated 11/28/18
I remember when my children were young, life was busy, and there was a lot of energy, and a routine during much of the year. I worked from home then, and always thought that when my children were grown, it would be so much easier to get even more done than I was at that time. I'm not sure that's so true. I find I need to be even more disciplined, and make my own routines. They are no longer "pre-made" for me by my children's activities and school schedules.
Following is an article written by a Joel Nickerson about finding a business that suits your lifestyle. It's not necessarily written for grandmothers, but maybe just reading it will spark some thought. I hope that you find something helpful in it!
------------------
There are several different reasons why somebody would want to start a home based business. For some, it is a matter of necessity and they either need to replace work that they have recently lost or need to earn additional money in order to make ends meet. Other individuals look for work at home business opportunities because they like the challenge of working for themselves and enjoy making money on their own instead of making it in a corporate environment.
Regardless of why you want to start up your own home based business, however, finding the one that will work is the most important first step that you will need to take. Although there are many different choices as far as a home business opportunity is concerned, the Internet has really added some interesting aspects into the mix. In fact, there are many individuals who are starting up their work at home Internet business and fitting it directly in with their various lifestyles. How is this true?
First of all, an Internet home based business can be run at any time of the day or night. Next, you get out of a home based Internet business exactly what you put into it. Even if you don t have much time at all when you re first starting out, it is still possible to see results from small efforts.
Picking a home based business is something that should not be done on the spur of the moment. There are literally thousands of home based internet business opportunities out there. Some are legitimate, some are questionable. Once you find the right one, however, you will recognize it. When that time comes, do your research, talk to some people who are already involved in the program, and take the opportunity and make something of it. If others are happy with the program chances are you will be too.
Perhaps you have tried to work on the Internet before and have not really seen much in return for your efforts. It can be very discouraging if you are working in the wrong corner and trying to do something that is not going to produce any results, no matter who does it. The best thing that you can do in these circumstances is to find someone to follow in order to know which way you should go. As a matter of fact, having a mentor in front of you is one of the best ways for you to become successful with your own Internet business in a short period of time.
Although it may seem simplistic, having a mentor to follow is not something that should be overlooked. If you choose the right one, they have already forged a path to success themselves and can take you by the hand and lead you there as well. Sure, it is going to take some work on your part but it will be well worth the effort whenever you see it pay off and your home based business succeeds.
Author Resource: I have checked Joel Nickerson's links that were provided in the original article, and they are no longer active...but the advise is good.
Updated 11/28/18
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
How to get Housework Done if You're a Working Girl
Working girls, whether single, moms or grandmothers, can benefit from a few tips on how to mix work with housework. This can be especially challenging if you work from home.
I happen to work from home, but this can help even if you work outside the home. Personally, I came off the long winter months feeling down in the dumps. I wasn't able to balance my work with my housework, and always felt pulled to be doing money-making things when cleaning, and cleaning when working. At home, all of your responsibilities surround you.
I did something that many can do. I set alarms in my phone to remind me to run and do various things around the house. Not only did it benefit me in getting work done, but also got me up from sitting regularly throughout the day.
Many have heard of FlyLady.net - this is a site that will set you on the right course...but you are responsible for setting up a schedule that fits your lifestyle. She has daily routines all set up for you and ways to organize your time. You can receive reminders by email and also encouraging stories, if you have time to read them. At this update there is a very helpful app that you can add to your smartphone to keep track of what you've done and what you still need to do.
For example, she has what she calls a "Home Blessing" where you go through your home in an hour in 10 minute segments get a number of things done. Some do each 10 minute task spread throughout the week, I like to do it in an hour, it's good exercise and starts off the week nicely. I do this each Monday, and have set alarms in my phone with each task - they go off every 10 minutes and I move on to the next thing. Having a small home, and being young..or I should say physically fit...helps too. If our home were larger, I may set each task for an additional 5 minutes and spread the tasks over the week a bit more, but for now, Monday's work for me. The wonderful thing I've learned is a lot more time is spent thinking about getting a thing done than actually getting the things done.
Another thing that I do from FlyLady is the weekly zones. You focus on a main room, and maybe an additional small room, each week. I've set an alarm in my phone at a time that is suitable to me for "flylady zone" and when it goes off, I look in the emails that come in for the "Flight Plan" of the day, and do what is suggested for that zone...it inspires me, and I may do a little more than suggested, or on weeks when I'm ill or days when my husband has days off, I don't mind as much when I don't get to a mission, because things in general are so much better than they were before I started.
I feel so much better about my home...it's not perfect...but it's also not my master any longer...I'm mastering it. I feel better when I'm sitting down to do my work because I know an alarm will go off to remind me to do a task around the house...I don't have to take up "brain power" that's needed to focus on work to remember, and it feels so good to get up and move around when the time comes to do that task, and so good to see the results!
You can do this too...even if you are depressed by your surroundings and situation now...push through it, the results will go a long way to helping your state of mind.
Updated 11/28/18
I happen to work from home, but this can help even if you work outside the home. Personally, I came off the long winter months feeling down in the dumps. I wasn't able to balance my work with my housework, and always felt pulled to be doing money-making things when cleaning, and cleaning when working. At home, all of your responsibilities surround you.
I did something that many can do. I set alarms in my phone to remind me to run and do various things around the house. Not only did it benefit me in getting work done, but also got me up from sitting regularly throughout the day.
Many have heard of FlyLady.net - this is a site that will set you on the right course...but you are responsible for setting up a schedule that fits your lifestyle. She has daily routines all set up for you and ways to organize your time. You can receive reminders by email and also encouraging stories, if you have time to read them. At this update there is a very helpful app that you can add to your smartphone to keep track of what you've done and what you still need to do.
For example, she has what she calls a "Home Blessing" where you go through your home in an hour in 10 minute segments get a number of things done. Some do each 10 minute task spread throughout the week, I like to do it in an hour, it's good exercise and starts off the week nicely. I do this each Monday, and have set alarms in my phone with each task - they go off every 10 minutes and I move on to the next thing. Having a small home, and being young..or I should say physically fit...helps too. If our home were larger, I may set each task for an additional 5 minutes and spread the tasks over the week a bit more, but for now, Monday's work for me. The wonderful thing I've learned is a lot more time is spent thinking about getting a thing done than actually getting the things done.
Another thing that I do from FlyLady is the weekly zones. You focus on a main room, and maybe an additional small room, each week. I've set an alarm in my phone at a time that is suitable to me for "flylady zone" and when it goes off, I look in the emails that come in for the "Flight Plan" of the day, and do what is suggested for that zone...it inspires me, and I may do a little more than suggested, or on weeks when I'm ill or days when my husband has days off, I don't mind as much when I don't get to a mission, because things in general are so much better than they were before I started.
I feel so much better about my home...it's not perfect...but it's also not my master any longer...I'm mastering it. I feel better when I'm sitting down to do my work because I know an alarm will go off to remind me to do a task around the house...I don't have to take up "brain power" that's needed to focus on work to remember, and it feels so good to get up and move around when the time comes to do that task, and so good to see the results!
You can do this too...even if you are depressed by your surroundings and situation now...push through it, the results will go a long way to helping your state of mind.
Updated 11/28/18
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Do You Have a Facebook Page?
The old year goes out with the face of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, on the cover of Time Magazine, and the new year comes in with a question from me.
Have you started a "page" for your business on Facebook? Have you joined Facebook? I joined long ago, but did nothing with my account at all, just let it sit for what could have been a couple of years, I've lost track. But finally I started spending more time visiting and updating personal facebook page, and since have started a profile for more business related things on Facebook....but I have yet to do a "page" and keep it going.
Many of you probably know that you can make "pages" about your business. The pages do need to be updated regularly, and if you have many interests like I do, you are going to have to have a plan to visit those pages...something to remind you. You do receive an email once a week about activity on your pages, just as you receive one telling you about friend's birthdays on you personal profile page. You access the business and interest pages that you make from your main profile page by clicking "account" in the upper right of the page, then going down to "manage pages" in the drop-down menu.
Take some time to explore Facebook, if you haven't already, it seems like everyone is using it.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Updated 11/27/18
Have you started a "page" for your business on Facebook? Have you joined Facebook? I joined long ago, but did nothing with my account at all, just let it sit for what could have been a couple of years, I've lost track. But finally I started spending more time visiting and updating personal facebook page, and since have started a profile for more business related things on Facebook....but I have yet to do a "page" and keep it going.
Many of you probably know that you can make "pages" about your business. The pages do need to be updated regularly, and if you have many interests like I do, you are going to have to have a plan to visit those pages...something to remind you. You do receive an email once a week about activity on your pages, just as you receive one telling you about friend's birthdays on you personal profile page. You access the business and interest pages that you make from your main profile page by clicking "account" in the upper right of the page, then going down to "manage pages" in the drop-down menu.
Take some time to explore Facebook, if you haven't already, it seems like everyone is using it.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Updated 11/27/18
Monday, August 23, 2010
How a Military Purse Brings Comfort
I'm so happy to introduce you to another Grandmother many times over who's creative gift lead to making a military purse for someone that brought joy and comfort, and that lead to making another...and another. I'll let Jackie tell you her inspiring story in her own words.
"My name is Jackie Thompson and I live in Killeen, Texas. I am the proud mom of 2 boys and 1 step daughter. My husband and I have 9 grandchildren and 1 more on the way. They call me nana, grandma, mawmaw and each time I hear those words it is the sweetest sound to me.
"I started out making cloth dolls and have done well with that but I wanted more. I decided to make a purse for a friend of mine whose husband recently joined the Army. I wanted to make something for her that made her proud and represented her husband, so my purses were born.
"The day she received her purse she had people coming up to her wanting to know where she got her purse and how they could order one. Needless to say I have been blessed with orders since I began my new venture. The best thing about my business is getting emails and phone calls from my customers telling me how proud they are of their purse/bag. These bags/purses are not just regular purses, they are keepsakes, reminders of your loved one who is serving or has served in the military. What better way to keep your soldier close to you while they are away than to carry one of these purses with you. It's like having a part of your soldier with you every time you walk out the door."
At this update, the link to Jackie's craft site no longer works, perhaps she is out of business. I tried to find her without success, so hope she will one day find us again.
Updated 11/27/18
"My name is Jackie Thompson and I live in Killeen, Texas. I am the proud mom of 2 boys and 1 step daughter. My husband and I have 9 grandchildren and 1 more on the way. They call me nana, grandma, mawmaw and each time I hear those words it is the sweetest sound to me.
"I started out making cloth dolls and have done well with that but I wanted more. I decided to make a purse for a friend of mine whose husband recently joined the Army. I wanted to make something for her that made her proud and represented her husband, so my purses were born.
"The day she received her purse she had people coming up to her wanting to know where she got her purse and how they could order one. Needless to say I have been blessed with orders since I began my new venture. The best thing about my business is getting emails and phone calls from my customers telling me how proud they are of their purse/bag. These bags/purses are not just regular purses, they are keepsakes, reminders of your loved one who is serving or has served in the military. What better way to keep your soldier close to you while they are away than to carry one of these purses with you. It's like having a part of your soldier with you every time you walk out the door."
At this update, the link to Jackie's craft site no longer works, perhaps she is out of business. I tried to find her without success, so hope she will one day find us again.
Updated 11/27/18
Friday, June 4, 2010
10 Tips: How to Be Your Own Telemarketer
In observance of "Telemarketing Awareness Week", I thought it might be a good idea to take a look at good telemarketing practices.
1. Don't use an automated service to make your calls for you...there is nothing I hate more than receiving a call from a "machine" or recording....now known as "robo-calls". I hang up on these as soon as I know it's a solicitation and block the number on my iPhone.
2. Try to sense whether the person you are calling is a "get to the point" type person or someone who will want to be engaged in conversation before you try to sell them. Personally, my heart sinks when someone I care about calls and carries on friendly conversation, only to find out further into the conversation that they are calling me about something they are selling. I'd prefer that they say a few friendly words, then tell me what they are calling about...depending upon how things go, we can do the friendly talk later.
3. When you speak to someone in person or by phone who may be a potential customer, or team-member if you are a network marketer, tell them you will be calling and if possible agree on a time that is good for them.
4. Don't call at dinner time...and take into consideration time zones if you are calling out of your time zone.
5. Personal pet peeve - don't call soliciting business or sales on Sunday. Again, this is something I, personally, don't appreciate as I believe that Sunday is a day set aside to rest...yes, many have to work on Sunday, I know all that....but am just giving you something to think about. If you know the person you are dealing with, you'll know how they feel about calls on certain days of the week.
6. Don't call over and over again if a person has made it clear that they are not interested in what you are offering. I would say call no more than twice, then if it's clear they are not interested, let some time go by, perhaps contact them another way, keep in touch as a (sincere) friend, and see what opens up over time. I had a woman who called me constantly, once or twice a week, finally had to put a stop to it. She is sending along emails now and then, I don't mind that so much, and who knows...one of these times I may just click on the link in that email. (It's years later at this update, and I never did, and finally did tire of the emails.)
7. Don't be put off if a person isn't interested, if you're a sensitive type, hearing "no, I'm not interested" can bring you down, don't let it...in reality, only a small percentage of those you contact, especially if you are doing "cold calling" are going to be interested...so move on.
8. DO offer something special to a customer that has made a purchase, or to encourage them to make a purchase, like a percentage off their next order, or a free item with their next purchase.
9. DO at the outset, identify who you are clearly when you call and ask whether you are calling at a good time.
10. DO ask for referrals if all goes very well with your contact.
I'm sure there are many other helpful tips, and pet peeves, feel welcome to share yours in a comment.
Image credit: 526663 on Pixabay
Updated 11/27/18
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Generations of Immigrants, a Personal Story
Hello all,
Thanks, Claudia, for creating a community of working grandmothers. What a neat idea!
This is my introductory post, and I'll make it about emigration and extended families. [Emigration is the act of leaving one's country to live in another, immigration is the process of becoming part of the new country].
I emigrated from Holland to Canada with my geologist husband in 1969 at the age of 25. I have never been sorry for a single moment, but only recently have we started to realize how much the next generation is deprived of extended family.
I come from a close, matriarchal family.
My mother had 4 sisters and her father died when Mom was 12. "Oma van Eijk" was definitely a presence in our childhood.
I was always a bit scared of her, and did not like the way us kids had to behave better than normal (we were really pretty good) when Oma came to stay with us. We did have some good times together when I went to stay with her in her home. But I did not start to fully appreciate her courageous and difficult life till long after she was gone.
My father's parents were more fun, especially since they lived in a downstairs flat with, oh joy! a backyard with an apple tree, a gap in the hedge that led to Opa's brother's backyard next door, and even a few chickens at the end of the yard.
Besides that Oma only 5 feet tall, if that, and was a lot of fun to measure yourself against.
When I met my husband his redoubtable and remarkable grandmother on mother's side was still alive. "Moele" lived in a huge home filled with antiques and souvenirs of her many years in the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. She organized a lavishly catered family reunion every Christmas season where all the nieces and nephews gathered. She told us (in 1965) that she wanted to stay alive to see a man land on the Moon. She did. Quite a lady.
I can't say the extended family was a daily part of our lives, but there was definitely a network of aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents that one took for granted and it was there in the background.
My parents used to visit here a lot, Mom almost once a year. But none of my siblings had kids, for various reasons. The family tree has shrunk instead of expanded. Four kids, two grandchildren, one great-grand, at least so far. There is still hope :).
This leaves my children in the world without cousins on that side of the family. My husband's sisters had 5 kids between them, but his family is less close than ours.
This was simply not a big deal when they were growing up. We were part of a rural "back-to-the-land" community, with friends taking the place of family. But the young have all scattered, as they must to find more opportunity than a small resource town can offer.
Fortunately our daughter married into a small but close family and her in-laws live in the same town as us. We are good friends, so we are creating an extended family in that way. It is great!
There really ought to be a word for sideways relations. What do you call people with whom you share a grandchild? Our grandson, who will remain un-named because my girl guards her privacy, has cousins on his father's side. The other grandparents of those cousins live here too, and have kindly included us in a sort of sideways extended family. We have even had Christmas at their place.
What do you call people whose grandchildren are cousins to your grandchild?
We need to enrich this language!
Anyway, that's enough for now....
Ien in the Kootenays, Mother of daughter, 33, who just got her PhD in microbiology, and son, 28, a geologist like Dad who is moiling for gold in the NorthWest Territories, one brilliant grandson, 9.
I market wild whole foods products for middle-aged women who are so exhausted and muddled that they can't even finish their own sentences anymore, like I used to be, and I have a special interest in keeping kids with ADD off drugs! Don't be afraid to ask, I don't believe in "selling" and will gladly share everything I have learned on ADD. (There was originally a link to a site, but it is no longer connected to the author at this update, and I cannot find her. Perhaps she will find us one day.)
Updated 11/27/18
Thanks, Claudia, for creating a community of working grandmothers. What a neat idea!
This is my introductory post, and I'll make it about emigration and extended families. [Emigration is the act of leaving one's country to live in another, immigration is the process of becoming part of the new country].
I emigrated from Holland to Canada with my geologist husband in 1969 at the age of 25. I have never been sorry for a single moment, but only recently have we started to realize how much the next generation is deprived of extended family.
I come from a close, matriarchal family.
My mother had 4 sisters and her father died when Mom was 12. "Oma van Eijk" was definitely a presence in our childhood.
I was always a bit scared of her, and did not like the way us kids had to behave better than normal (we were really pretty good) when Oma came to stay with us. We did have some good times together when I went to stay with her in her home. But I did not start to fully appreciate her courageous and difficult life till long after she was gone.
My father's parents were more fun, especially since they lived in a downstairs flat with, oh joy! a backyard with an apple tree, a gap in the hedge that led to Opa's brother's backyard next door, and even a few chickens at the end of the yard.
Besides that Oma only 5 feet tall, if that, and was a lot of fun to measure yourself against.
When I met my husband his redoubtable and remarkable grandmother on mother's side was still alive. "Moele" lived in a huge home filled with antiques and souvenirs of her many years in the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. She organized a lavishly catered family reunion every Christmas season where all the nieces and nephews gathered. She told us (in 1965) that she wanted to stay alive to see a man land on the Moon. She did. Quite a lady.
I can't say the extended family was a daily part of our lives, but there was definitely a network of aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents that one took for granted and it was there in the background.
My parents used to visit here a lot, Mom almost once a year. But none of my siblings had kids, for various reasons. The family tree has shrunk instead of expanded. Four kids, two grandchildren, one great-grand, at least so far. There is still hope :).
This leaves my children in the world without cousins on that side of the family. My husband's sisters had 5 kids between them, but his family is less close than ours.
This was simply not a big deal when they were growing up. We were part of a rural "back-to-the-land" community, with friends taking the place of family. But the young have all scattered, as they must to find more opportunity than a small resource town can offer.
Fortunately our daughter married into a small but close family and her in-laws live in the same town as us. We are good friends, so we are creating an extended family in that way. It is great!
There really ought to be a word for sideways relations. What do you call people with whom you share a grandchild? Our grandson, who will remain un-named because my girl guards her privacy, has cousins on his father's side. The other grandparents of those cousins live here too, and have kindly included us in a sort of sideways extended family. We have even had Christmas at their place.
What do you call people whose grandchildren are cousins to your grandchild?
We need to enrich this language!
Anyway, that's enough for now....
Ien in the Kootenays, Mother of daughter, 33, who just got her PhD in microbiology, and son, 28, a geologist like Dad who is moiling for gold in the NorthWest Territories, one brilliant grandson, 9.
I market wild whole foods products for middle-aged women who are so exhausted and muddled that they can't even finish their own sentences anymore, like I used to be, and I have a special interest in keeping kids with ADD off drugs! Don't be afraid to ask, I don't believe in "selling" and will gladly share everything I have learned on ADD. (There was originally a link to a site, but it is no longer connected to the author at this update, and I cannot find her. Perhaps she will find us one day.)
Updated 11/27/18
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Tips for Self-Employed Grandmothers
I used to love to visit the various article sites to see what I can find...after all, people are writing these wonderful articles to be read. At this update, article sites have become unpopular, as they lend to "duplicate content" on the internet, the same people posting the same articles at all article sites, with links to their business sites. It seems that this is frowned upon in recent years at this 2018 update, as many article sites have closed down, and the links within the articles are no longer active.
Nevertheless, back in the day, the following article caught my eye, and does have some helpful information. I must say that I'm inclined to like the idea of working in my comfy sweats and slippers...but that's because of the kind of work I do at home. Read the following, the article was entitled "What to Know Before You Start Working from Home" by Jerry D. Wilson.
--------------
Working from home is not a trend, it is now considered a very cost effective and efficient way of doing business. A great number of companies today are hiring people specifically to work from their own homes. Some of these companies even financially supplement these home offices with office allowances, the paying of phone and high-speed Internet connections and office supplies.
If you find yourself in this seemingly enviable position here are some things you should think about to help keep yourself at the top of your game.
Dress for success even when working from home
Do not fall into the trap of going to work in your pajamas. While this may sound fun it is not. Your productivity will plunge, your attitude will suffer and your overall efficiency will be below acceptable levels.
How you dress effects the way you think. This may sound funny but it is totally true.
This is why Casual Day at the office may only be coming to work without a tie. In most cases Casual Day does not include shorts, a tee-shirt and no shoes. If you are working from home you should never consider yourself to be on permanent Casual Day.
When I conduct sales meetings I always stress that the participants should dress accordingly. In most cases I issue instructions with the meeting announcement that all attendees should dress Business Casual for my meetings. No ties, no blue jeans and no shorts. If someone wants to wear a suit, that is fine. I would rather see someone over dress than under dress.
For working from home, you should always get up, get showered, shaved and dressed appropriately for your day at work. Do not take shortcuts with your morning routine or your apparel for work. Keeping up appearances will make for a better attitude at work.
Keep your Office out of the Bedroom
It may sound like fun to have your desk in your bedroom but it will hurt you in the long run. If you are going to work from home find a different room to set up your desk. Having your desk in the bedroom will make for some very long days and nights.
The temptation to work after hours will always be there if your desk is in your bedroom. During the night, you might even hear the sound of an E-mail coming in and get up to check it out. (I speak from experience on this one.)
You also need the mental advantage of going to work. I like to tease my wife in front of other people when I joke that my wife makes me walk to work each morning. After a short chuckle and a weird look directed toward my wife I explain that I walk down the stairs and across the house to my home office.
I am able to walk into my home office and begin the day like I was walking into a corporate headquarters. I have a door to my office that I can close at the end of the day when it is time to go home. Having a door to my office gives me the physical border that I need to begin and end the day and help keep my work from invading my home life.
Take a Lunch Break
The tendency will be to cut yourself short with your lunch breaks. Do not do this. Take your breaks. Get out of your office. Go to the water cooler every once in a while.
I found that when I physically left the house for lunch that I was more productive in the afternoons. The break gave definition to the mid-day or halfway point of the work day. Getting out of the house also made it less restrictive to the space I found myself in.
Also, I was able to make friends with people so I could have the interaction that you will miss from working in solitude. Make some lunch appointments with friends, especially those in similar positions as you. Your productivity will flourish because of it.
Limit the Interruptions
Working from home provides temptations for others in the home to interrupt whenever they feel like. This kills productivity and should be limited whenever possible.
One of the best pieces of advice I give for this is to suggest that the person interrupting be asked what they would do if I were working from an office downtown:
Well, you get the idea. If they would not ask you to do whatever it is if you were working downtown then they should not ask you if you are working from home.
Another good visual explanation of how interruptions need to be limited is holding a pencil horizontal. Explain that this pencil represents the time it is going to take to complete the project you are working on. It is fixed, it is rigid and unable to be shortened. Now explain that the interruptions you get only shift the timeline further and further beyond quitting time. The project must be completed and the interruptions only delay the completion of the project.
The one exception I make for this hard and fast rule of limited interruptions is if you have children. You should allow for breaks from work to see them off for school and for when they come home from school. These should be happy times in your family and your children need to see you on both of these occasions. Do whatever you can to make your children feel special during these times and you will not be interrupted so much by them at other times.
A Home Office can be more Productive
Updated 11/27/18
Nevertheless, back in the day, the following article caught my eye, and does have some helpful information. I must say that I'm inclined to like the idea of working in my comfy sweats and slippers...but that's because of the kind of work I do at home. Read the following, the article was entitled "What to Know Before You Start Working from Home" by Jerry D. Wilson.
--------------
Working from home is not a trend, it is now considered a very cost effective and efficient way of doing business. A great number of companies today are hiring people specifically to work from their own homes. Some of these companies even financially supplement these home offices with office allowances, the paying of phone and high-speed Internet connections and office supplies.
If you find yourself in this seemingly enviable position here are some things you should think about to help keep yourself at the top of your game.
Dress for success even when working from home
Do not fall into the trap of going to work in your pajamas. While this may sound fun it is not. Your productivity will plunge, your attitude will suffer and your overall efficiency will be below acceptable levels.
How you dress effects the way you think. This may sound funny but it is totally true.
This is why Casual Day at the office may only be coming to work without a tie. In most cases Casual Day does not include shorts, a tee-shirt and no shoes. If you are working from home you should never consider yourself to be on permanent Casual Day.
When I conduct sales meetings I always stress that the participants should dress accordingly. In most cases I issue instructions with the meeting announcement that all attendees should dress Business Casual for my meetings. No ties, no blue jeans and no shorts. If someone wants to wear a suit, that is fine. I would rather see someone over dress than under dress.
For working from home, you should always get up, get showered, shaved and dressed appropriately for your day at work. Do not take shortcuts with your morning routine or your apparel for work. Keeping up appearances will make for a better attitude at work.
Keep your Office out of the Bedroom
It may sound like fun to have your desk in your bedroom but it will hurt you in the long run. If you are going to work from home find a different room to set up your desk. Having your desk in the bedroom will make for some very long days and nights.
The temptation to work after hours will always be there if your desk is in your bedroom. During the night, you might even hear the sound of an E-mail coming in and get up to check it out. (I speak from experience on this one.)
You also need the mental advantage of going to work. I like to tease my wife in front of other people when I joke that my wife makes me walk to work each morning. After a short chuckle and a weird look directed toward my wife I explain that I walk down the stairs and across the house to my home office.
I am able to walk into my home office and begin the day like I was walking into a corporate headquarters. I have a door to my office that I can close at the end of the day when it is time to go home. Having a door to my office gives me the physical border that I need to begin and end the day and help keep my work from invading my home life.
Take a Lunch Break
The tendency will be to cut yourself short with your lunch breaks. Do not do this. Take your breaks. Get out of your office. Go to the water cooler every once in a while.
I found that when I physically left the house for lunch that I was more productive in the afternoons. The break gave definition to the mid-day or halfway point of the work day. Getting out of the house also made it less restrictive to the space I found myself in.
Also, I was able to make friends with people so I could have the interaction that you will miss from working in solitude. Make some lunch appointments with friends, especially those in similar positions as you. Your productivity will flourish because of it.
Limit the Interruptions
Working from home provides temptations for others in the home to interrupt whenever they feel like. This kills productivity and should be limited whenever possible.
One of the best pieces of advice I give for this is to suggest that the person interrupting be asked what they would do if I were working from an office downtown:
- Would you ask me to help carry in the groceries if I were in an office downtown?
- Would you ask me to change a diaper if I were working in an office downtown?
- Would you ask me to watch the kids?
- Would you ask me to walk the dog?
Well, you get the idea. If they would not ask you to do whatever it is if you were working downtown then they should not ask you if you are working from home.
Another good visual explanation of how interruptions need to be limited is holding a pencil horizontal. Explain that this pencil represents the time it is going to take to complete the project you are working on. It is fixed, it is rigid and unable to be shortened. Now explain that the interruptions you get only shift the timeline further and further beyond quitting time. The project must be completed and the interruptions only delay the completion of the project.
The one exception I make for this hard and fast rule of limited interruptions is if you have children. You should allow for breaks from work to see them off for school and for when they come home from school. These should be happy times in your family and your children need to see you on both of these occasions. Do whatever you can to make your children feel special during these times and you will not be interrupted so much by them at other times.
A Home Office can be more Productive
- You have a quiet atmosphere where you are surrounded by things you love.
- You do not have to listen to the office gossip or office politics.
- You should never be late for work and you are going to love the commute.
Updated 11/27/18
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