I’m Moving Into Office Space? Say It Isn’t So!

Change happens – sometimes fast – sometimes slow.  For me lately, it’s been coming at the speed of light!

In September I rented a furnished Lake House in Gaylord with intentions of living downstate during the week and enjoying weekends up north for the winter.  I’ve so enjoyed my up north time – but instead of being satisfied by the weekends – it only makes me want to be up there more!

I fully intended to stick to the plan – but this week, something changed.

Together with my nineteen year old son, I made a big decision:  I’m moving back to Gaylord full time and he will be moving in with his father for the rest of his college years.

I’m a bit dizzy.  I’ve done a LOT of moving lately.  From Gaylord to Lansing, from Lansing to Portland and now back to Gaylord.  Every move had it’s purpose and now that those are complete – here we go again!

I’m a bit tearful.  My baby is moving out!  I can’t think about it too long before tears make their appearance.  My son has lived with me full time since he was born.  He’s never been with his father for more than a week or so in the past.  This is a huge change for both of us!

Even though it makes me feel sad, it’s time.

I have to tell you – I’ve got the best son in the world.

He’s never been in any trouble.  He doesn’t drink or smoke or do drugs or treat young women with disrespect.  He’s smart and funny and enjoyable to be around.

As any mother with an adult son living at home will tell you – even the most amazing sons can end up driving their mamas a bit loopy and that’s certainly true for Sean and I.  He’s an adult, coming into his own, needing to stretch his wings and take control.  The very best thing for both of us is for him to take his testosterone over to his dad’s house where it is better understood

I know this – I accept this – but I’m gonna cry about it anyways.

I’m VERY excited!  I’m moving on to a new phase in my life.  I’ll be ‘on my own’ for the first time in over twenty years.

So how does all this lead to Office Space?

I’m giving up my downstate apartment and will be living in the Lake House full time til mid-May.  The Lake House is fully furnished and there is ZERO room for my stuff, let alone room for my home office furniture.  This presented a huge problem for me.  Add to that the issue of not being able to get fast internet at the Lake House and I thought my move would be impossible.

Then, I woke up from a dream in which I’d just rented office space!  I was shocked!  Office Space? Not ME!  I’m a Work at Homer!  But, with just a little consideration I realized – it’s perfect.

One of the things I’ve so loved about the last two months is that there’s been definition between ‘work days’ and ‘off days’.  Upnorth, I relax.  Downstate, I work. Moving up north full time seemingly erases that definition – but with office space, I can still have that clear line of separation.

We hit Gaylord on Friday to scout out office space.  Some places were too big, some were too small, some were too awkward to get to and one was just right!  I chose space in the North Star Center.  It’s a converted hotel, which means that every unit has it’s own private entrance and bathroom with up-close parking.   Another plus is that it is barely a mile down the road from the Lake House

The move will happen fast!  Just three short weeks to purge and pack and paint and clean… I’ll be settled in before Thanksgiving.

This will change how I work (no more PJs – at least for the next six months!)  and I’m a little nervous about it but I’ve decided to approach it as a fun experiment.   I sincerely doubt that I’d want to make it a permanent arrangement but I’m willing to make the best of it for now.

What Sort Of Coach Do You Need Today?

The Biggest Loser is back in action and I’m a devoted fan.  I tune in every week, looking forward to connecting with the contestant’s journey.   After watching the show for several years, like most Biggest Loser fans, I’ve really come to love the trainers, Bob and Jillian.

Most people I talk to have a favorite. Bob has a rep for being the ‘nice guy’ while Jillian is often described as being the tough one. I understand the comparison. Bob has a softer demeanor and seems to display more compassion for the contestants he trains, while Jillian is confrontational and direct with her advice and feedback.

It’s obvious some contestants feel like they need Bob’s softer side to thrive while others know they respond better to Jillian’s no nonsense attitude.

Despite different personalities, they’re both tough as nails and demand the most from their trainees.  Bob CAN be confrontational when he needs to be and Jillian CAN be compassionate when the situation calls for it.  In the end, they both get some pretty amazing results.

Thinking about Bob and Jillian, I can’t help but think about how we are all attracted to different kinds of teachers in other areas of our life.  Some teachers are gentle and encouraging.  Others are tough and unyielding.

It’s perfectly ok to choose teachers you feel most comfortable with.  We’re always going to feel drawn to some folks more than others.  Every now and then though, I think you can and should open yourself up to a teacher that puts you on the spot in an uncomfortable way.  How else will you break out of your comfort zones and grow?

Gentle isn’t automatically good and tough isn’t always bad.  What matters is that the teacher have the expertise you need and the heart felt desire and ability to impart it to you.

I’ve been blessed to be mentored and taught by amazing women in my lifetime.  There’s been a great mix of gentle and tough.  Gentle mentors encouraged me and built my self esteem while tough mentors called me up to the next level and equipped me with the tools and guts to get there.

What’s my point today?

Choose your teachers smartly.  Sometimes you need Bob and sometimes you need Jillian.  Don’t run from one or the other.  You need and deserve to be encouraged AND You need and deserve to be challenged.

Are You Shooting For The Wrong Goal?

Anyone who knows me well knows that I’m not into sports.  I can get as stoked as the next person over the olympics, but that’s about it. Still,  sports can provide us with some pretty cool lessons.

Eight year old Lennie was really kicking butt on the ice in his first real game.  He was feeling so proud of himself as he wacked the puck straight into the goal – the goalie didn’t even have time to react!  Lennie through his arms up and whooped – only to hear everyone else howling in frustration and laughter.

You guessed it, Lennie shot for the wrong goal.

In his case, it all happened in a moment.  It’s easy for a child to get turned around on the ice and become confused about direction.

The same thing can happen to us.  So much is going on all the time.  So many opportunities, so much advice – it’s a lot to take in and digest.  If you’re not careful, you can get caught up in the moment – you head down the ice in the wrong direction and shoot for the wrong goal.

Ever happen to you?

Putting the Kabosh on Online Distractions

When I worked full time outside the home it was easy to tell real work from distractions.  If I ever had difficulty telling them apart, my boss was always willing to help me out

As a full time entrepreneur, I face a much fuzzier situation.

As a blogger and podcaster, it’s my job to keep in touch with current events and situations in my community.  So social media networks can be work.

On the other hand, when people are tweeting links to funny YouTube videos and asking each other what they plan to have for dinner – social media can be a distraction.

When I’m responding to interview requests or answering a question from a coaching client, email is work.

When I’m looking at pictures of my cute great-grand nieces and nephews, email is a distraction.

What makes a fuzzy situation even stickier is that I don’t really have set work hours.  I work when I want to.  I loaf when I want to.  That’s the sort of life I like – but it can lead to self-delusion.  Sometimes I may think I’m working, but I’m truly loafing.  Then, when I think I’m loafing I may discover I’ve actually been working.

Such Troubles, right?

I love a good distraction as much as the next person, but I have been known to go a little overboard before…

• I lost countless hours trying to beat my son at Bubble Spinner. (And finally did it!)
• I once spend 90 minutes straight paging through the pictures at icanhazcheezburger.com.
• I mis-spent an entire evening looking at gross YouTube videos. (will spare you the link)

Most recently, I gave into the intense gravitational pull that is Facebook games.  Specifically Farmville and Cafe World.

When I planted my first crops in Farmville, it was almost a shameful moment for me.  I’d poked fun at and looked down my nose at all the silly ‘facebook gamers’ for well over a year – and here I was – one of them. (It’s all Angel’s fault.)

Before I knew it, I was celebrating the harvest and anxiously waiting for my pink cow to be ‘ready’.

I tried to tell myself that I would only play it ‘a little’ – but these games are designed to suck you in deeper and deeper. They’re viral powerhouses!  Just when you’ve promised yourself you won’t go back to your farm again today, you’ll get a gift from your friend or see an update about someone’s blue ribbon – and you just HAVE TO click on it and claim your share of the bonus.

It’s virtual Crack.

Again and again I found myself back down on the farm when I really needed to be paying attention to something in the real world.  It got so bad I realized I had to let go and walk away.

Yes, I quit Farmville.  It was hard – but a woman’s got to do what a woman’s got to do.

I am one of the Hungry Women of Internet Marketing – I can’t afford to lose endless hours into a silly online game!  I have businesses to grow and affiliate commissions to earn!

Thank goodness my sweet little virtual Cafe World isn’t a problem

Seriously now.

What online distractions are cutting into your schedule and keeping you from what matters most?

Without Copy, Your Content Falls Flat

This is a guest post by Alice Seba of Contentrix.

Some say that there are distinct differences between content and copy. They claim content is to provide information, while copy is to sell. They say things like:

“When you want to pass on information to the reader, use content. It is a relationship-building tool.”

“When you are trying to sell your products or services, use copy as a sales tool.”

But if you really think about, keeping those purposes separate can end in disaster. Consider the following:

*Why use content on your site if you don’t want it to make the prospects DO something? The relationship will be created and nurtured as you ask them to act on what you have said.

*Good content gives the reader information as well as a directive to buy a product or sign up for a newsletter, email list, etc.

You probably won’t be creating hypey sales-type articles any time soon (I hope), but both copy and content can pull double duty for you to boost your sales. Use the following ideas to get you started writing content that has a greater element of copy to it.

An eye-catching headline will do wonders.

I’m not talking about humongous screaming red fonts here but wording that gets the reader’s attention (and big and bold still has it‘s place).

What do you want your readers TO DO?

Define your goals for the copy or the content. When the potential customer reads it, what next? Your content directs the reader like a call-to-action.

Know your stuff.

When you write, you are the authority on your product and the niche in which you sell. That confidence will transfer to your customers via the content and the copy.

Learn how to make a connection with the audience.

How do you let them know you are speaking to them? Use words like “you” and “your” instead of “we” and “they.” Draw the readers in by identifying with them. Would you connect more with this sentence: “Getting kids to mind can be hard for many parents;” or “You pull your hair out like most parents when the kids decide that they won’t listen to you”?

What is the goal of your content? If you know, you are halfway there. Craft each piece with the intent to inform, relationship build and make the sale. Get them to keep reading with a provocative headline that screams “You have to keep reading!”

For more tips for using the power of words for your marketing, visit Contentrix…your source for straightforward content marketing advice. Whether you’re looking for more traffic, sales or both, Contentrix has it covered.