Just finished reading (Well, skimming.) an Inc.com article about 37Signals founder, Jason Friedman. Read “The Way I Work”. In the article, Friedman mentions having morning relaxation time before splashing into his daily e-mail reading. It made me think about my own work routine.

Honestly, I’m not so sure I have a work routine. Depends on the calendar. Lately, my weeks have consisted of 1 or 2 days in the office before dashing off to teach an Excellence in Speaking Institute for Ty Boyd Enterprises or chaperone an overnight field trip with one of my boys. Occasionally, I get a full week in the office, but it’s landscape is dotted with very necessary phone and face-to-face meetings (Tuesday thru Thursday), administrativia (Mondays) and productivity coaching sessions (Fridays) — all with a bit of white space scheduled in here and there.

Ooh, maybe I’ve just described a routine?

In any case, I try to make the most of whatever time I have, but there always seems to be more to do.

I had a cool realization last week: “My best is good enough.”  Afterall, I told myself, “It’s all I have . . . all I’m capable of.”
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For work at home professionals, the nature of our “workplace” can be . . . well, a barrier. Traditional work relationships are based on manning a desk or cubicle in an office. Colleagues pool resources to produce, sell and maintain a product or service.

When you work at home or on the go, “out of sight, out of mind” can easily prevail. Whether you are a home-based entrepreneur or a telecommuter, you don’t want to be forgotten by clients or colleagues.

Many work at home professionals are already making the most of today’s technology. You may use e-mail, instant messenger and social media like Twitter or Face Book to stay visible. These useful communication tools may be the right course in some situations, but more personal and immediate connections are necessary to stay connected.

I don’t know about you, but once I have responded to a slew of e-mails or spent a few moments on Facebook, I have to move on to completing work projects. E-mail messages can get lost in the crowd. It’s weird that we tend use every technology tool on the market – except, one of the oldest and most basic, yet effective.

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Okay, well. We have been live for a while now haven’t we?

I’m sure you’ve noticed the changes. It’s a Smart Decision!™ – the blog that brings you and (so many other work at home professionals) productivity articles, tips and tools – has a new look and a whole boat load of new resources. Things like virtual productivity workshops & telecourses, coaching programs and even (yep) an online store filled with audio lessons, ebooks, and other productivity resources just for work at home professionals.

We’re adding resources that have been in the making for nearly two years. The most special of which is our new online community expressly for geographically dispersed teams, telecommuters, work at home entreprenuers — or soloprenuers, as I call them — and other “virtuals” who want to share all the ways you find balance and stave off insanity in your home office.  What a great way to expand or start developing your “people network”, eh?

Consider this your special invitation to join today!

The It’s a Smart Decision!™ Online Community is just getting started, but you can bet people like you will make it well worth the two minutes it might take you to sign up.

Join Now

To join, click this link now, complete the quick form and hit go. You’ll get a confirmation e-mail (to confirm it was really you) and that’s it. Voila!  You are a member of the one of coolest (and most mobile) new online communities on the net.

See ya there!