Tips and Tools – Page 123 – Business Plus Baby

February 13, 2016February 12, 2016

How to stick to your goals

download-1002802_640 If you’re like most business owners, you have a ten-page list of goals and things you’d like to accomplish. Working from home, there are also numerous distractions that get in the way of achieving success, both work-related and family-related. The key to continuously checking things off your list is to learn how to set and keep personal deadlines. Here are some tips to help:

Be Realistic

So what could be the problem with setting goals? Well, there are those people that set large and totally unrealistic goals and those who don’t set goals at all. Or perhaps the goals are so small that they don’t help you accomplish anything. When creating your goals, take the time to make sure they’re realistic.

For example, if you have a goal to write a 30-page report to market your business, make sure you give yourself enough time to get the job done. Trying to complete the report in a single day may be biting off more than you can chew. Instead, a two-week goal writing two or three pages a day may be more realistic.

Leave Room for Error

One common mistake is to push your schedule to the deadline. Inevitably something will happen to prevent success. Continuing with the example used above don’t save that 30-page report for the last minute. Your internet will drop out, you’ll wake with a stomach ache or your car will break down on the way home from running errands. Make sure you schedule your days so that your project is completed on or before you need it.

Learn Your Triggers

Everyone has a few triggers that prevent them from being as productive as they’d like. Maybe you are easily distracted by Facebook and find yourself unintentionally spending hours on the site. Maybe you get caught up in email or daytime TV?

Learn your triggers and then create systems to manage them. For example, if you get caught up in Facebook, block the site on your computer during your productive working hours. If you enjoy watching daytime television, structure your work hours around your favorite shows and don’t turn on the TV until you’ve accomplished your set tasks for the day.

Finally, make time to relax and celebrate your successes. Taking time off from being productive is just as important as setting and achieving your goals. In fact, it may be more important. When you allow yourself to step away from your goals and your business, you’re able to return to them renewed and refreshed. It helps you maintain focus and a positive attitude.

Once you learn how to identify triggers and set realistic goals, you’ll find that you’re able to accomplish much more in less time. There’s satisfaction in that. There’s profits and business growth too.

February 11, 2016

Smart ways to grow your home business out of the house

Launching a home business is the perfect way to be an entrepreneur around other commitments. But there often comes a point when you’re ready to expand your home-based business further afield. Perhaps the kids are getting a bit older, or you need to get some storage or office space. You might want to start looking at working with other people. They could be freelancers or full-time employees. If you wish to go beyond the confines of your home office, there are lots of ways you can start to grow your company. Here are a couple of the things you can do to take your business further as you have more time to work on it.

Expand Your Products and Reach

When you launched your business, you might have focused on one product or a limited set of products. Starting to expand what you sell is one of the first steps in growing your business. With a wider product base, you can begin to bring in more customers and sales. Think of the product you began with and consider what helps to complement them. For example, if you sew baby blankets, you could start to make sleeping bags, bibs, and other baby items. Choose products that will tempt your existing customers so that they expand their orders.

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Image source:nikcname

Finding Somewhere to Base Your Business

When your business starts to get bigger, you might feel cramped in your home office. Even though it might still be only you working, you might want somewhere else to work. You could also need some storage space if your stock is starting to take over your house. If you wish to get out of the house, you can start looking for the perfect office space for rent. If you’re on your own, you might only want a small office or even just a desk. If you’re planning on hiring employees, you’ll need somewhere that suits all of you.

Hiring Employees

You can’t do everything on your own forever, and you may need to start hiring some help. You don’t have to start with full-time employees. Many business owners begin by taking on freelancers for different projects. They could be for both long-term and short-term work. After a while, you might want to consider taking on a permanent employee. However, this a little more complicated than working with freelancers. You need to make sure you don’t rush into anything, and that you know all your rights and responsibilities.

Turn Your Business into a Franchise

Turning your business into a franchise is another way to grow it. You might want to stay working at home but encourage others to start a home business too. It’s an excellent way to expand to new locations without having to do the work of running different branches. Of course, you should still provide guidance and supervision. But you won’t have to have a huge office or even several of them to manage.

You can grow your home business in a number of ways to suit you. However big you want it to be, you have options to expand.

February 9, 2016

3 Common strategies for stock trading

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Photo credit:

Stock trading is becoming more and more common among individuals. Whether you want a full-time income or you just want to bolster your cash flow, there are a lot of benefits to well-planned stock trading. Like anything involving money, if you don’t approach trading with a good plan in place or it could all end in failure. Here are some common trading strategies which you may want to use.

First of all, day trading. This is probably the most widely-known method of active trading. You can probably guess something about this kind of trading simply from the name. Day trading involves buying and selling stocks within the same day. Except in special circumstances, the stocks are sold within the same 24-hour period, and no set position is held overnight. If you already know something about the day trading niche, then the whole idea may seem a little daunting. This would be understandable a decade or so ago, when most day trading was done by specialists and professional traders. These days, however, digital trading has made it much more accessible. Investopedia did a great article on novice day trading strategies.

Next, taking advantage of splits. Stock splits are where a share is split into two separate shares, with half the value of the original. The ratio isn’t always 2:1, but most splits are. Splits are often something of a double-edged sword. Depending on the stock in question, valuations can soar. If you’re a relatively small investor, these stocks may be completely out of reach. Even if you can afford these stocks, it might not be practical if you’re trying to maintain a diverse portfolio. Despite these complications, you should pay attention to splits, and know how to react to them. Reverse splits are usually done when a stock’s price gets so low that it’s starting to look worthless. Here’s some info on an apple stock split which should make things a little clearer. Generally speaking, a split is usually a reason to buy and a reverse split is a reason to sell.

Traders crowd the post that handles Morgan Stanley on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange near the close of trading, Wednesday Sept. 17, 2008. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped about 450 points, and investors seeking the safety of hard assets and government debt sent gold, oil and short-term Treasury's soaring. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) — Photo credit

Finally, there’s swing trading. Swing traders are usually most active when a trend breaks. As a new trend begins to establish itself, prices are liable to fluctuate greatly. As this kind of volatility settles down, swing traders will buy or sell. Swing trades are typically held for more than a day, but a shorter period than most trend trades. When executed properly, swing trading will put you a few steps ahead of your average day trader or trend trader. For a complete beginner, I recommend trying a different trading strategy to begin with. Successful swing traders usually have to form a specific set of rules, based on a lot of in-depth technical analysis. Because of this, it’s a much better idea to gain some experience of stock trading before trying your hand at swing trading.

Whatever strategy you choose, always approach the stock market with caution. Trading can be a massive financial benefit to you, but only if you apply a lot of analysis and care.

January 30, 2016

3 Office furniture styles you need to know about

furniture-802031_640 Whether you’re setting up an office for the first time or you simply fancy a redesign, it’s likely that you’ll be looking to fill your workspace with pieces of furniture that are comfortable, convenient and cool. So, if you want your work areas to exude professionalism and style, keep reading.

Modular seating

To give your office space a relaxed vibe, you could use modular seating. Modular seating solutions are free-moving and configurable, meaning you can switch up the shape and layout of the furniture to suit you. This type of furniture is especially great for use in communal spaces, such as break rooms and other socialising areas. If used here, your employees can move the chairs around as they wish, creating a much more laid-back atmosphere. If you’re interesting in kitting your office out with modular seating, you should look out for models that are covered in soft material. Additionally, this type of seating is usually available in a range of bright, vibrant colours, so you could make sure you choose a design that complements your brand image. For example, office furniture specialists Furniture At Work™ offer their cubist modular seating in a range of colours, from blue to black to red, so you shouldn’t struggle to find a suitable design.

Credenza desks

Typically speaking, credenza refers to a solid piece of furniture that sits on the floor with no legs. However, this can open to interpretation, and the world of modern design tends to identify a credenza desk as being a long, low cabinet. In terms of office design, credenza desks are an ideal surface solution if you’re looking to combine style and convenience. While they look great and exude professionalism, credenza desks can also act as a storage solution. Many designs feature drawers and cupboards. Due to their solid build, these type of desks are perfect for executive offices.

Bistro chairs and tables

While they may be useful in some environments, plastic chairs often don’t cut it when it comes to office style. Instead, you could use bistro chairs and tables. Bistro furniture is often available with a metal or wooden finish. If you have an outdoor area you’d like to improve, metal tables and chairs are ideal, while if you’d like to upgrade the furniture in your office kitchen, wooden models may be more appropriate. It’s important to remember that office style goes further than the desks and chairs you supply your staff members with, so you could ensure your entire workspace looks great by updating your furnishings.

From modular seating to credenza desks to bistro chairs and tables, there are various furniture styles that could help revamp your office in an instant.

January 28, 2016January 28, 2016

7 of the best offices in the world

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Willis Building and Lloyds Building, photo credit

f you’re sitting at work, staring at plain white walls and row and rows of half-asleep employees, you might be thinking, ‘is there more than this?’ Well the answer is, yes! There are many offices across the world that are oozing charisma and fun, so while you wait (and wait and wait) for your boss to whip out a pool table, buy a HD TV and go wild with colourful paints, here’s where you could be working. Sorry if you’re reading this on a Monday morning and now feel even more glum, but it could be the inspiration you need to get back on that job search.

Lloyds of London headquarters

Want to work somewhere visually stunning? Then look no further than Lloyds of London’s super swanky, super modern headquarters. Nestled in the heart of the Square Mile it was named by job website Adzuna as the most eye-catching corporate building in the UK thanks to its unique architecture, which includes internal escalators that criss-cross up the middle of each floor.

Corus Entertainment, Toronto, Canada

At over 500,000 square feet and housing over 1,000 members of staff, Corus Entertainment’s unique workspace is not only spacious but also boasts an array of impressive features including a five-story atrium with a three-story slide, boardroom tables shaped like ice hockey rinks, TV studios and a comfortable lounge for employees to enjoy throughout the day.

Google offices worldwide

As one of the most fresh and trendy companies in the world, it’s perhaps no surprise that Google has some pretty wacky offices across the globe. While your average employee is thankful if there’s a canteen or drinks machine, Google employees are messing around on scooters, shooting down slides, playing on a putting green or simply chilling in space-age egg chairs.

While the Google office in Zurich boasts a fireman’s pole, videogames and a hammock-filled zone, the Google offices in Amsterdam have caravan meeting rooms.

Innocent Drinks, Fruit Towers, London

The offices of Innocent Drinks are every inch as quirky as the brand itself with park benches, synthetic grass and ping-pong tables making Fruit Towers a great place to work. As well as resembling more of a picnic area than a workplace, Innocent Drinks also provide staff with free breakfast every day and an endless supply of smoothies – now that’s a reason to get up in the morning.

Selgas Cano, Madrid, Spain

What better way to advertise your architectural practice than by building your very own incredible office? Designed by Spanish architects Jose Selgas and Lucia Cano, this innovative office space is located in the woods near Madrid and features curved windows made of transparent acrylic which create a unique tunnel-like environment.

Red Bull, London UK

It’s becoming more and more common these days for brands to have offices which reflect what they do and this can certainly be said of Red Bull, whose Soho headquarters are as edgy as their products. As well as a three-story video wall, a fun slide, bar café and a roof offering spectacular views over the West End, the office space also has a quirky reception desk which displays the patterns left behind by skaters, skateboarders, planes, race cars and bikes.

DTAC HQ, Bangkok, Thailand

It’s not every day you find a circular library amphitheatre, indoor running track, indoor football pitch, and concert/performance spaces at work, but that’s exactly what the DTAC headquarters offer. To top it off, the views of Bangkok’s epic skyline are nothing short of spectacular from the roof terrace, making this a much sought after place to make a living.

As you can see, there are many wonderful offices across the globe, so if you’re looking for a change of career, why not aim high? After all, you could end up having a desk in one of these wonderful locations.