Copyright 2011 Shannon L. Buck: How to Live the Freelance Life

                                                     Family Time

Family time is important but, when building a business, you can’t always carve out enough time to spend with everyone who deserves it. When your children want to connect, and you are unable to stop what you are doing, invite them to help you out. Allow them to talk about whatever they want, and let them know that you appreciate the time you are spending together. For instance, your children can help with:

• Editing
• Photocopying and printing
• Filing
• Organizing
• Office cleanup tasks

Be sure that, when you are not working, there are things that you are doing along with your family, such as:

• Making ‘dates’ with each member of your family, as well as with your family as a whole.
• A family chore afternoon each week.
• Running errands together.
• A family game night.
• A movie night.
• Family walks after dinner.
• Preparing meals together.

When young children are in your care, you might have a table set up for them in your work area. Provide them with pencils, paper, coloring books and other items that will allow them something to do while you work on necessary tasks. Conversely, a carpeted floor may be used. You might have a tote filled with items for them to use just while you are all in the office.

My suggestion is to get used to low-volume talk, even if that means you have to work on tasks that need less concentration while the children are there. Your children will feel closer to you just by being in the same area, and they will have fun pretending to ‘work’ along side you.

Quick Writing Tip

Family tales are great memories, that are fun to write about.

5 Writing Prompts

1. Article Idea: A dream family vacation.
2. Article Idea: Activities for preschool age children.
3. Blog Idea: Family life.
4. Book Idea: Teen Entrepreneurs
5. Book Idea: Child Entrepreneurs

Quote

The family is a haven in a heartless world. 

~Attributed to Christopher Lasch~

Challenge

Get your family together. Go to the calendar and schedule a family night each week.

Special Report

Your Teen Can Help Your Freelance Career

In this Special Report, you will see how it is possible for your teenager to help you out while you are building your freelance career and how much, if anything, you should pay him or her for that help. Teens can be a big help with things like:

* Their younger siblings.
* Keeping up the house.
* Business tasks.

Special Report

A Freelancer’s Helper

In this special report, A Freelancer’s Helper, I will show you the value of having people to help you with every day tasks while you work. Each person will have different needs, and this report will help you to decide what help would be best for your circumstances.

  Copyright 2011 Shannon L. Buck: How to Live the Freelance Life

                                                     Inspire Me

What, or whom, inspires you?

I have many people and things that inspire me: My family, my friends, my cats. My home and the world around me.

I find it inspiring to walk along a river bank. To walk the bike path, snapping photographs of nature. I am always inspired to write when I come from spending time on the mountain, as well.

Books and movies always inspire new ideas. While reading or watching, an idea will often pop into my head that I have to rush to record on a sheet of paper, lest I forget it completely.

To find what inspiresyou, try:

• Sitting in a crowded restaurant, watching and listening to the people around  you. What do you see? What do you hear?     
• Sit back and watch your friends and family interact with each other. What do you feel?
• Take a long drive, or a walk in nature. What do you notice?

Quick Writing Tip

Writing about what inspires you can be a healthy exercise.

5 Writing Prompts

1. Article Idea: Your favorite family activity.
2. Screenplay Idea: A quirky friendship.
3. Poem Topic: Nature.
4. Novella: Overcoming the fear of crowds.
5. Novel: You watch a movie, and then start living it.

Quote

Inspiration and genius - one and the same.

~Victor Hugo~

Challenge

Find something that represents whatever it is that inspires you. Place it in a prominent place, either on your desk, or elsewhere in your office area.  

Special Report

Formula for a Successful Blog

In this special report, I show you how easy it is to set up a successful blog for your business. Whether you own a store online or off, you work in one of the many freelance fields or you work in another area all together, you will find this Special Report useful.

Special Report

A Freelancer’s Helper

In this special report, A Freelancer’s Helper, I will show you the value of having people to help you with every day tasks while you work. Each person will have different needs, and this report will help you to decide what help would be best for your circumstances.