The Proactive Pro

Meet Nicholi. He doesn't own a web cam, so he goes to an Apple store, does his thing, records and uploads this video, enjoying himself without minding the people around him. Days later, he finds himself on "Good Morning America."  He's one of YouTube's emerging stars.

What can you learn from this kid?

The idea of working at home seems to be attractive to most people especially during these times with the rising cost of transportation.  Some think it must be pretty comfortable to work in one’s pajamas without a boss breathing down one’s neck or difficult coworkers to contend with.

However, is working at home really for everyone?  Here is a list of pros and cons to help you see if working at home is really for you:

PROS:

1. You get to spend more time with your family.  You’re closer to your kids, an aging parent or anybody you need to take care of.

2. You don’t have to spend for transportation.  You save a lot of money.

3. You don’t have to go through the hassles of commuting during the rush hour.  No traffic jams.  Your office is just a few steps from your bed.

4. You don’t have to dress up, primp yourself up and wear makeup (if you’re a lady).  This saves you more time and money.  Heck, you can even wear pajamas to work.

5. You usually enjoy flexibility when it comes to schedule.  This means that you can work at the time when you are most creative.  (However, this is not true in some cases.  In my case, my work has to begin at a certain time and I have to beat some tight deadlines.)

CONS:

1. Distraction is one of the worst enemies of a work-at-home professional.  There are always chores that beg to be done at home.  There are always “emergencies” that need to be attended to (Sometimes, it’s just a neighbor who needs to borrow your measuring cup).  Also, there is the temptation to engage in non-work related activities like surfing for fun, reading personal e-mails, playing games, etc.

2. There is a lack of human interaction.  Boredom and loneliness could be a problem to most work-at-home professionals.  As I’ve said in my previous post, working at home can be very isolating. Also, there is very little opportunity to engage in healthy professional competition which could contribute significantly to professional growth.

3. No work, no pay.  You don’t enjoy a regular paycheck.  If you get sick and can’t work, you don’t earn.  Most work-at-home professionals work on a per-project basis.  Sometimes, the job ends when the project ends, so looking for a new client could be a problem.

4. You own the equipment that you use.  Sometimes, you have to rely on yourself for the troubleshooting.  You don’t have technical support unless you pay for it (unless you know somebody who would be willing to render technical services for free).  You are solely responsible for the repair and maintenance of your equipment.

5. Your image is less professional.  This can be a problem for work-at-home call center representatives and virtual assistants who need to interact with the clients’ customers.  Oftentimes, when the dogs bark or the kids cry, the person at the other end of the line gets turned off, which could mean lost business for your client and, potentially, lost business for you.

Some of the CONS May be Overcome.  Here’s how:

1. Develop self-discipline.  Self discipline is the number one trait that work-at-home professionals should develop.   When you have self-discipline, you are better able to overcome distractions.  There are also some techniques to maintain focus while on the job.  For more on this, read my previous post “Focus on Focus.”

2. Have a workplace that is free from distractions and noise.  As much as possible, don’t make your bedroom your office.  Talk to your kids and tell them that your home office is off limits.  Tell your family that you should not be disturbed unless there’s a life-and-death situation.  Perhaps, the dog can stay outside while you work.  If you can sound-proof your office, that would be great.

3. Look for long-term clients and keep them satisfied.  That way, you won’t have to worry about being out of work.  If you have an account with oDesk, Scriptlance and other similar sites, you should gather positive feedback from clients.  That way, other potential clients would not hesitate to hire you or they may even look for you.

4. The key to overcoming loneliness on the job is balance.  Working at home can blur the line between your professional life and your personal life.  We should not make our lives all about work.  For more on this, read my previous post, “Loneliness: A Challenge to Overcome.”

5. Invest in durable equipments so you won’t always have to go to the computer shop to have your computer repaired.  Perform regular PC maintenance.  It would be also be good to invest in good anti-virus and anti-spyware programs. However, there are free alternatives that work well.  For a list of good Internet security and anti-virus, software click here.  I also have a blog post on PC maintenance tasks, which is right below this post.

Still not sure if working at home is for you?  Here’s an article from ABC News that lists some questions that you need to ask yourself.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/AmericanFamily/story?id=1059972

I had a difficult day at work today. It all started this morning. My laptop booted very slowly and I had to wait for approximately 15 minutes before my computer was ready to use. Throughout the day, I had to restrain myself from smashing my laptop on the floor because the applications would freeze every now and then. A slow computer robs us of a very precious resource – time. So when your computer slows down, it’s really infuriating and frustrating. (No, the laptop in the picture isn't mine.)

I tried to call on a couple of my friends who are tech guys, but one of them is in Manila (which requires an hour-long plane ride to get to where I am), and the other had to attend his class (He’s still a college student).

Then, I decided to do something about it. (This is what a Proactive Pro would do, right? :0) ) I enlisted the help of my ever-reliable friend, Mr. Google, who pointed me to different websites where I was able to get some information on how to speed up my laptop. I found out that there are certain computer tasks that need to be done regularly, and this is what I’m about to share with you.

1) RUN AN ANTIVIRUS AND AN ANTI-SPYWARE PROGRAM DAILY– Viruses and spyware are bound to make your computer run like a turtle on Valium. They use your computer’s memory resources. The best thing that you can do is invest in a good Internet security suite like Kaspersky, which has outstanding features and a high detection rate against viruses, spyware and malicious codes and programs. However, there are a lot of free antivirus and antispyware programs all over the Internet that can give you basic protection, but only a few of them are trustworthy. Many antivirus and antispyware programs are actually malicious programs in disguise. For a list of safe antivirus and anti-spyware programs, refer to my previous post which is just below this one.

2) GET RID OF UNNECESSARY PROGRAMS AND FILES AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH – One of the reasons why your computer runs slowly is that you have installed too many programs and keep too many files. They eat up your hard disk space leaving the operating system very little room to work with. So take stock of the stuff in your computer. Keep what you need and get rid of those that you don’t. It’s that simple. But if you don’t want to get rid of anything, at least burn them on a DVD or a CD.

3) DEFRAGMENT YOUR HARD DISK – This is what I had neglected to do which is why my laptop was so slow this morning. Defragmentation is like putting books of the same category in the same shelf in a library.  It is done with a disk defragmenter, a software that sorts the files in the hard disk so they can be easily read by the computer. Windows has a built-in defragmenter.  To find the disk defragmenter, follow this path:
Ideally, you should “defrag” your hard disk every other week, but there is no rule of thumb as to how often one should defragment.

4) FREE UP DISK SPACE BY GETTING RID OF USELESS, TEMPORARY FILES ONCE A WEEK – Some programs store temporary files usually during installation. These files and other useless files occupy a lot of space and can cause the computer to slow down. You can use CCleaner to clean up the junk in your computer. (Just in case you’re curious “CCleaner” used to be “Crap Cleaner.”)

5) CHECK FOR REGISTRY ISSUES AND FIX THEM – When a program is installed, an entry is created in the registry. Invalid entries in the registry occur when programs are not installed or uninstalled properly. These registry errors cause the computer to slow down so we need to get rid of them. This task should be done every three to six months depending on how often you install and reinstall programs.

There are a lot of registry cleaners being sold online. I use CCleaner for fixing registry problems. Yes, CCleaner also has a registry cleaner. However, I suggest you should back up registry entries just in case you need to undo the changes that have been made. The nice thing about CCleaner is that before it fixes the registry issues, it gives you the option to back up the registry entries.

CCleaner may be downloaded here.

CCleaner is free, but please donate so that it stays free and available.

When you do the aforementioned tasks regularly, your computer is bound to run smoothly, thus sparing you from the frustration and the anger that I had to suck up this morning. And the best thing of all, it’s worth doing because it saves you time.

Viruses and malware are a menace to a work-at-home professional.  Viruses can destroy your precious files.  Malware can be used to steal your personal information and invade your privacy.  Both can slow down your computer.  Thus, it goes without saying that we need protection from these malicious programs.  However, Internet security programs are not created equal. We all want to get the maximum protection against viruses and spyware.  Below are some of the products I recommend:

KASPERSKY INTERNET SECURITY 2010

Kaspersky is my brand of choice.  I once asked a couple of my techie friends, “What’s the best anti-virus for you?”  Without batting an eyelash, they both answered, “Kaspersky.” 

Kaspersky’s latest product is Kaspersky Internet Security 2010.  This security suite has everything you need to be safe and secure while you surf the Internet.  Some of its outstanding new features are the following:

SAFE RUN MODE – Have you ever been unsure about running an application on your computer?  Or does a particular website have the information that you need but you’re unsure if it’s safe to visit?  With Kaspersky, you don’t need to worry because it lets applications and websites to be run in the safe run mode.  You can check out the program or the website while staying protected from malicious programs or codes.

VIRTUAL KEYBOARD – I love this feature.  Kaspersky has a secure onscreen keyboard that lets you type usernames and passwords.  It protects you from key-loggers, those programs that steal your passwords by recording the things you do on your physical keyboard.  No need to worry about your passwords and your bank account information being stolen. This makes online banking and online shopping so much safer!

GAME MODE – It’s really annoying when you’re playing your favorite computer game and then a dialogue box asks you to update your anti-virus. It breaks the momentum, and it’s especially irksome when you’re about to finish a certain level.  Sometimes, it’s also irritating when your computer suddenly slows while you play because the anti-virus is running is a scan. With Kaspersky, you don’t have to deal with these things because you can turn on the game mode which suspends alerts, updates and scans.  You can play uninterrupted while staying protected.

Of course, Kaspersky has a superior detection rate.  It detects spywares and viruses that are undetectable to other anit-virus and anti-spyware programs.  It protects your PC against a wide range of threats that include:

• Viruses, worms, Trojans and other malware, adware and spyware.
• Key loggers, phishing scams and screen capture malware that can be used for identity theft.
• Rootkits, bootkits and other complex threats.
• Drive-by download infections, network attacks and intrusions.
• Botnets and various illegal methods of controlling your PC.
• Zero-day attacks, new fast emerging and unknown threats.
• Unwanted and offensive web content and spam

If you want to protect your computer, prevent identity and password theft and make online surfing safer for you and your family, you need to invest a good Internet security suite.  For me and for most of my friends, nothing beats Kaspersky.  It's worth every penny.

For more information, click on the banner below:

CASH STRAPPED???

There are free alternatives to Kaspersky.  However, they are less effective. Nevertheless, they offer basic protection. These are the free alternatives that I recommend:

(Note: Why do you need this list?  Some malwares are disguised as free anti-virus and anti-spyware programs!  The programs have listed below are the ones that I have tried and found to be safe.)

ANTI-VIRUS:

• AVG antivirus
• Avira
• Avast
  

ANTI-SPYWARE:

• Spyware Doctor
  
• Spyware Terminator
  
• Spybot
  

MALWARE PROTECTION:

• Malwarebytes
  

FIREWALL:

• Zone Alarm
• Agnitum Outpost Firewall Free
• Comodo Internet Security

CAVEAT:  Some users of these free programs have complained saying that their computers became slower after installing some of these free software.  I recommend that you read the reviews of the software that you intend to download at CNET.com.  Also, it is not advisable to install two programs of the same kind in one computer.  If you intend to download an anti-virus, make sure that the other program (such as a firewall) that you download has no anti-virus bundled with it.  If it has, disable the anti-virus component of the firewall before you install your chosen anti-virus.

The person that can best teach us about time management is someone who is dying, because he or she has very little time left and thus really knows how precious time is.  Randy Pausch was a computer science professor at the University of Virginia who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2006.  He was told in 2007 that he had only six months to live, but he managed to outlive the doctor's prognosis.  Before his death in 2008, he spent his remaining days delivering inspiring lectures.  To this day, he remains an inspiration to me and to millions of others all over the world.

Below is a summarized version of his hour-long lecture:

I find his style of delivery so engaging that I did not mind listening to the whole lecture.  In this lecture, he not only taught some life lessons but shared some practical time management tips as well. If you're interested, you can listen to the lecture in its entirety by clicking HERE.

If you'd like to get a copy of the slides he used in the lecture, you can go to the site where you can download them by clicking HERE.

Dr. Pausch also delivered his famous lecture, "The Last Lecture" on Oprah.  You can watch the video by clicking HERE.

Now, it's one thing to listen to the lecture and another to put the lessons into practice.  I hope that you will enjoy the lectures and find them inspiring as much as I do.

More power,

Time is an irreplaceable resource, and like all other resources, it has to be managed. We often hear about time management but what is time management really? Essentially, time management is self management. There is a lot of self-discipline involved in the tips that I am about to share, but no worries, the tips are not super-hard to follow.

Time Management Tips:

1. BEGIN WITH AN END IN MIND - This is one of the seven habits of highly effective people according to Stephen Covey. To be able to manage time effectively, we need to identify our goals. Why? Because we need to know the things we have to prioritize. We need to know what needs to be done first so that we could move closer to the goals that we would like to accomplish.

2. PLAN AHEAD - Imagine going through the day without knowing what to do.  Without planning, a lot of time will be wasted on thinking of what to do next. Prepare a to do list before going to bed so when you wake up in the morning, you can immediately do the tasks that you need to accomplish.

3. EAT YOUR FROG FIRST - This concept was popularized by Brian Tracy through his book, "Eat That Frog!" It is based on a saying that, "If the very first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog (actually, a toad is much worse), you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that it's probably the worst thing you'll do all day." In other words, when you've done the most difficult thing that you need to do for the day, you'd be more willing to do the less difficult tasks. You'll also have the momentum to do other tasks because you've taken the burden of anticipation of difficulty off your back. Do the most difficult task first and you'll be less inclined to procrastinate on doing the other tasks.

4. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FREE TIME - If a task cannot be done at the appointed time as planned, quickly move on to the next task or find something to accomplish within that time frame.  Don't use it as an excuse to loaf around or to waste time.  Remember, eat your frog first.  The sooner you finish your tasks, the more time you will have for the things that you really love to do.

5. BE ORGANIZED WITH YOUR TIME - There must a time for everything. We only have 24 precious hours in one day, so every minute must be apportioned wisely. Have a time table or a daily schedule displayed prominently in your room, even if you cannot always stick to it. Why? It will remind you what you need to do and help you assess if you are indeed moving toward to your goals, and make you want to go back on the right track.

6. BE ORGANIZED WITH YOUR THINGS - Trying to find something can waste a lot of time and could really be infuriating especially when you're running late. There must be a place for everything -- your pen, car keys, wallet, etc. It will make your day go by more smoothly.

7. FOCUS - The mind can only do one thing at a time. To improve focus, you can race against the clock. Get a timer and give yourself a mini-deadline (in minutes) for each task. But don't pressure yourself; treat it like a game. You can get an download a timer for free by clicking HERE.

Because the mind can only do one thing at a time, multitasking isn't always a good idea. But what if your job calls for multitasking? One thing you can do is incorporate all your activities into a system. That way, your mind can treat all those activities as one unit. And this brings us to our next tip which is,

8. BE SYSTEMATIC - Develop procedures for doing things. Study how you can do things efficiently. Make those procedures as simple as it can possibly be. In no time, those procedures will become automatic to you and you'll be able to finish your tasks in no time.

9. DELEGATE - You cannot do everything, so look for someone or something (we can delegate tasks to things, too, like an answering machine, for instance) that can do the less important things for you. When it's perfectly sensible, hire someone. The less you have to worry about the little things, the sooner you can finish the more important things.

10. TAKE TIME TO REST AND RELAX - Stress and too much work can slow you down and can actually make you less efficient and less productive. Give yourself mini-breaks in between tasks. It will also take your mind off the previous task making it ready to focus on the next one. And let your rest day refresh you and prepare you for the week ahead.

I often hear a lot of people say, "So many things to do and so little time," and "I want to do this and that, but I just don't have enough time!" But if you really think about it, there is almost always time for everything that we want to do, we just have to find it.

If you'd like to learn how to accomplish your goals in the least possible time, I recommend that you sign up for the Simpleology course by Mark Joyner. The first module is free. You will have to pay for the other modules, but trust me, the free module alone is priceless! It certainly is worth your time. To go to the Simpleology website, click HERE.

After a two-month hiatus, I'm finally back. So where have I been?  I haven't gone anywhere.  A lot of things happened that made me busy.  Well, for one, my Mom was hospitalized due to hypertension. She almost had a stroke. I had to work double time to keep up with the bills. Really, a lot of things came up. But in between my activities, I did a lot of thinking.  I had a notebook at hand.  I was scribbling ideas for this blog as they came.  As a result, I've come up with a lot of material. (I was being proactive, you see.)

I am excited about this blog.  See, I've given it a new look to make it easier on the eyes. The font used to be too small to read.  The predominant color is cool blue.  I like it.  Do you?  What do you think?

Please watch out for my future posts.  I have a lot more useful tips and information for work-at-home professionals like me and for work-at-home pro wannabes.

In the meantime, you might want to learn French.  I've been studying French for quite some time now, and I have discovered a lot of things about learning this language.  For some tips on how to learn French quickly and easily, please visit my Squidoo page by clicking HERE. 

Till next time,