Five Reasons You Should Write to Help Your Business

Most business owners are overwhelmed with the day to day running of their businesses that they dont have time to put into business promotion. I encourage you to take time and write a quick article now because even one article can give you many lasting benefits in the future.

The article can be short, just pick a topic you are an expert in and write. You'll see that you'll quickly be able to fill a page or two. Now edit it. Edit some more. That's it you are done.

Here are five ways this article will help you:

1. Establish yourself as an expert

2. You can use this article in your brochures etc that you give to clients with "originally published on website name", giving you more credense.

3. Be seen by many new people. The readers on the site you write for will now know who you are (if you are memorable enough).

4. Get qualified leads driven to your site via links on your article(s).

5. Increase your "page rank". There have been books written on search engine optimization, but here's basically what it means: Google (the most popular search engine) displays search results combining the keywords searched for and the sites reputation (page rank). So a higher page rank gets you listed higher which gets you free clicks more often. So writing for sites with a high page rank can get you more free search engine visitors.

MetOpen gives its readers the option of writing relevant articles. Submit your article here and use metauthors to see how well it does!

About the Author
Heshy Shayovitz is president of Metropolitan Computer Solutions. He received his MBA from New York University.

Time is on Your Side ? Manage it Wisely

How do you manage your time? Or is the more appropriate question do you wish you had better time management skills? I have clients and friends who rely on everything from legal pads to brightly colored sticky notepads to manage their time and appointments ? practically everything in their life. I don't understand why some folks place so little importance on something as important as time management!

As a professional Virtual Assistant, I have numerous clients and tasks I must complete every day. I also have a hectic personal life, full of family responsibilities and my hobbies. Organizing my time is critical to my success and to maintaining my sanity.

Submitted for your reading pleasure, and to enhance your brain, are some of my tips for effectively and efficiently managing one of your most valuable resources: time.

Determine What Works Best for You

We're all different in regards to time management -- what works for you may not suit me or my style. Are you constantly on the go and need your calendar at your fingertips? Or, do you prefer to keep a paper calendar? Do you loath computers and all they stand for, or are you so wired Edison would be jealous? Whatever tools you choose to include in your arsenal, ensure they're tools you'll use consistently.

The Building Blocks of Better Time Management

My time management tools are Microsoft Outlook? and my trusty PDA. Outlook serves all my appointment, e-mail and tasking needs in one easy-to-use package.

Two of my favorite Outlook tools are the Categories and Labels features. Categories allow me to classify my calendar items and tasks in a variety of ways, such as Clients, Potential Clients, Personal, and so forth. In addition, you can also Advanced Find (search) Categories, so no more wasted time looking for a calendar appointment or journal entry for a particular client.

Unlike the seemingly unlimited number of Categories you may setup, you are limited to ten (10) Labels (at least in the 2002 version). Labels allow you to color code your Calendar so you'll know at a glance which items are personal in nature, and which are client related.

Consistency is the Key

Whatever system you have in place or are considering to implement, the key point to remember is consistency. Follow the same procedures each and every time, without fail. Ensure you put good habits into play and more important, follow those good habits!

When I create new appointments or tasks, I use the first few characters to define the "owner" (client or myself) of that appointment or task. For example, when creating items for client Tom Smith, I'll preface all items with TSMITH. When searching for items for Tom, I know if I search for "TSMITH" I'll access all items related to this client. I'll also apply a Label to my appointments, such as TeleCon, PCI (Potential Client Interview), or Personal.

I pad all appointments with a 15-minute buffer on each side. I also schedule breaks during my workday.

My clients appreciate that each Monday I release my "Lori's Schedule" e-mail, a brief note notifying my clients when I'll be out of the office for that week. For example, all my clients know I'm a member of the Editorial Team for a well-known eZine and they know that unless it's an emergency, I am not available during this meeting.

When I interview potential clients, interns and vendors, I keep detailed conversation notes in the memo field for that Contact. I date all telephone conversations and apply color coding (font coloring) to each conversation. All interviews are kept to 30 minutes ? no exceptions. My Desktop timer helps me keep track of the time, and sounds a horn .WAV file when it's time to end the interview.

If I need to follow up with someone, I immediately create an appointment, applying Categories and a Label, and attach any necessary external documents (Word, Excel, etc.). For Calendar appointments, I also keep track of the number of times I've attempted to contact that person. Example: For vendor Lisa Andrews, I'll preface the appointment with LA(2), where the parenthetical (2) means this is my second attempt to contact Lisa. I allow a maximum of three follow up attempts ? no exceptions. Chasing people down is a waste of my time -- time I'd prefer to spend making money and running my business.

You Make the Call

Pet Peeve: Folks who call me and have no clue what they want to say. I've been known to hang up on such occasions, so let's ensure you don't make the same mistake!

A few basic rules of etiquette follow:

1. Peace & quiet rule the day, especially if you're making a business call. If the kids or your husband are home, close the door to your office. If there's a large amount of street traffic, go to an inner room in your home, as far away from the noise as possible. You don't want to shout over the din; instead, make the din disappear.

2. Know what you're going to say! I've advised numerous clients to have either an index card or a sheet of paper with the bullet points of what they want to say. I do something similar ? in the Calendar appointment for the telephone call, I include bullet points in the memo field and make notes during the course of the conversation.

3. Keep it brief. Make your point, get down to business and let's rock and roll.

4. Be on time. Have respect for the person you're about to call. They've set aside valuable time to talk to you.

You've Made Your List, Now Check It the 2nd Time

Spend a few minutes at the end of your day to review tomorrow's calendar. Doing so will get you prepared for tomorrow and will jump start your memory if you forgot to do something. Do you have any faxes still waiting to go out? Did you remember to call the printer and OK the proof? Any prep work you need to do for tomorrow? Take five minutes, review your calendar and to do list and then complete any last minute work.

It's All Relative ? Well, Your Relatives Think So

I know many people who have home-based businesses and at least 75% of them do not have a "family policy" in place. How can you work effectively from home if your girlfriends are calling you all the time, and if Uncle Joe stops by several times a day? Answer: You can't. What to do? Inform your family and close friends that unless it's a dire emergency, the family chit-chat and visits need to be kept to a minimum. For your part, you must ensure you call your dad at the end of the day to check in, and tell your girlfriend Lisa that yes, you can have lunch with her on Thursday. It's all about balance: part work, part play. Too much of the former will make you crazy!

"No" is Not a Four Letter Word (Subtitle: Even if it were, you should still utter it now and then)

Say this out loud, "It's okay for me to say no." Doesn't that feel better? More important, do you believe it?

Do not allow the procrastination or the good intentions of others to encroach upon your time. If you do not have the time today to handle a task, be honest and say so. Offer alternative dates and times when you are available, ensuring you mark these times as "unavailable" on your calendar so you don't book other appointments during this time.

Remember, time is money. Learn how to organize and manage your time--you'll be glad you did!

Copyright 2005 Lori Davis. All rights reserved.

Lori Davis is Director of the Future at Davis Virtual Assistants, a New York-based VA firm. To learn more about Lori and DavisVA, please visit http://www.davisva.com and http://loridavis.typepad.com/davisva/. You may contact Lori at 917.319.8224 and via e-mail at lori@davisva.com.

Groove Network. Are you in it?

If you are in a business that passes documents around to be reviewed and edited over and over before they are ready to be posted for advertising or for a client, then you have probably already heard of a software solution to help keep your "floating" documents organized from Groove Network. You may not be aware that there is another option out there. In this article you will be presented with some basic information about the differences in collaboration software from Groove Network and NextPage.

Idea behind collaboration software.

The central idea behind having collaboration software is that it allows business professionals to work directly with other business professionals by allowing them to work together to create business documents, presentations, and budgets. Most collaboration software is centralized. This allows business professionals to work on the same documents at the same time from different locations. Some centralized collaboration software solutions include Groove Network, Microsoft SharePoint, Documentum, and Filenet.

Groove Network Advantages.

There are a few advantages to using centralized collaboration software such as Groove Network. The main advantage being that they work very well for team collaboration. Groove Network's software keeps all files, projects, and data in one centralized location that everyone who is working on the project can access. This allows them to review and update the same document that everyone else has used, which essentially keeps everyone working on the same page.

Drawbacks to Groove Network.

While the collaboration software solution provided by Groove Network is very useful and beneficial, there are a few drawbacks to using it. The main disadvantage being that Groove Network's software requires the use of an IT infrastructure. Another potential drawback is that it requires an extensive amount of installation time. Other collaboration software options out there also require everyone you work with to have the same software in order to share information. All of these drawbacks to centralized collaboration software can be very expensive and inconvenient.

Are there any other options?

An alternative solution to the centralized collaboration software is NextPage. NextPage 1.5 Collaboration Software tracks documents with Digital Thread technology. Say, for instance, that you are working on your company's budget. You want to make sure that your facts and figures are correct so you send your spreadsheet to several of your co-workers for review. They look over the spreadsheet and make the necessary changes. They then return their spreadsheet version to you, and with NextPage 1.5, you simply merge the document versions together into one. NextPage 1.5 lets you see all of this visually via a graphical version history. With the graphical version history, you would always know where the various versions of your spreadsheet are stored, what changes have been made, who has reviewed your spreadsheet, when the revisions were made, and how the revisions fit together. NextPage makes it easy to see where the document has been and what revisions have been made.

So what are the major advantages of using NextPage?

The major advantages to using NextPage's collaboration software include the following:

? Do NOT need a centralized server

? Do NOT need an IT infrastructure

? Installation can be done in a matter of minutes

? Will work with associates who are NOT NextPage subscribers

? Solves document management problems where they originate

In conclusion, if you are in a business that could greatly benefit from using collaboration software, look at and evaluate the possible software options out there and see which one will be of the most benefit to you in your company. I have presented a few ideas for you to think about and get you started in your decision. So get out there and organize your document management!

Mike Nielsen is a client account specialist with 10xMarketing - More Visitors. More Buyers. More Revenue. For more information about Groove Network, visit NextPage.com

Jesus Christ: The First, The Last, The Eternal

Luke 17:20-17:24 Jesus Christ. The First, The Last, The Eternal. Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

There are many times in our lives where we ask ourselves the question;"What is my purpose in Life?" And there are some who make a living, telling others exactly what it is. Many write books covering the subject and others make movies and presentations, but none really address the answer very clearly. Haven you seen time after time children killing themselves because they say that there is no purpose in their lives? The demands of this life time and especially of this upcoming generation is weighing down many a persons spirit, cutting them to the bone, not leaving them any recourse but to go with the flow, being swept away with peer pressure and company abuse. So what is the answer, is it in a book, a movie, a presentation or a single mans idea of life? No, The answer is in Jesus. Lets read a little Scripture and look at the Son of Man.

Luke 17:20-24, And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

Counselors, psychriacrist and others say they know what people need, but they never mention Jesus. Jesus, The Son of Man, Son of God, Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Word, The Prince of Peace, The Lord of The Sabbath, The Christ, The Seeker of the Lost, The Avenger, The Rewarder, The First, The Last, The Eternal, The Faithful Witness,The First Begotten of the Dead, The prince of the Kings of the Earth, The Bright and Shining Star, The Alpha, The Omega, The First, The Last, The Morning Star, The Holder of The Key of David, and the Amen. Man writing book after book explaining what our purpose is in this life, giving us, theology, terminology, making trees, animals and even man gods to pray to and seek healing from. False hope, false doctrine, Idol worship and man science.

Trying to explain our origin from science, evolution and revolution, new wave religions that can neither hear nor answer prayer. Mankind building up man as a demigod, searching our purpose from the stars and from the Big Bang Theory.

Mat 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

Matthew 11:27 is a perfect place to start finding your purpose on this earth. You must be known of The Father, you must be recognized by the All Mighty, without Him there is no purpose in your life, except to die and be judged. Is your purpose in life to posses? James 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Jer 17:11 As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.

Luke 12:19-20 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? The Bible says no.

[Ref.Jam_1:6, Jam_1:7; Job_27:8-10, Job_35:12; Psa_18:41, Psa_66:18, Psa_66:19; Pro_1:28, Pro_15:8; Pro_21:13, Pro_21:27; Isa_1:15, Isa_1:16; Jer_11:11, Jer_11:14, Jer_14:12; Mic_3:4; Zec_7:13;]

Is our purpose in life to receive Glory from our name and position in life? John 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. 1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; 2Co 12:6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. Gal 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Phi 3:18-19 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) Well the Bible says no, mans glory is fading and foolish to try to achieve.

Is our purpose in life to gain riches? Jesus said; "Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!" "the deceitfulness of riches" Luke 16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 1Ti 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; James 5:2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Rev 18:15-17 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!

For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, Well again the Bible says no. So then you ask, "What is our purpose in life and who is this Son of Man, Jesus Christ?" The answer is simple; Romans12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Our purpose in Life is to be a living sacrifice to God, to seek His Glory, His Wisdom, His Knowledge, His Acceptance as Children of The Almighty. Our purpose in Life is to Serve as our Saviour Served. Then can we also say that our purpose in life is not to be subject to ordinances?

Col 2:20-23 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh. Can we also say then, that this Son of Man is a living word from God that is a guide to righteousness, to Glory, to Honor, to Life, not as we know it but a life eternal in Spirit and not in the flesh? A regenerative Spirit that leads us to God?

Mat 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; Mat 18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. Mat 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Jesus, The Son of Man, Son of God, Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Word, The Prince of Peace, The Lord of The Sabbath, The Christ, The Seeker of the Lost, The Avenger, The Rewarder, The First, The Last, The Eternal, The Faithful Witness, The First Begotten of the Dead, The prince of the Kings of the Earth, The Bright and Shining Star, The Alpha, The Omega, The First, The Last, The Morning Star, The Holder of The Key of David, and the Amen. Seek out the Son of Man while He still may be Found and know your purpose in Life.

Temple of Spirit & Truth Ministries
A.R.Smith Sermons International
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithsermons/

Living with Lunatics: They?re Crazy and They?re in Charge!

They're out there? they look like people you know, but they're different. Someone has sucked out their brains and turned them into mindless oafs. They are dangers to society, dangers to your work environment, and dangers to themselves. But the most troubling fact is that they are in charge! They are making business decisions that affect your livelihood and you don't know what to do. Help is here!

Normally, when things go crazy most people turn to their supervisors or managers. But what do you do when the problem and the first source for assistance are one in the same?

1. Check your emotions. Emotional responses seldom solve problems. Locate a co-worker (a sane one, if possible) and vent your emotions. Redirecting your anger or frustration away from the person who can terminate your employment is a wise thing to do.

2. Sort out the details. List the issues you are facing and prioritize the list from most important to least important. Then work from the bottom of the list eliminating issues that aren't worth the fight. Ask, "Is fighting for this issue worth the potential consequences, such as jeopardizing my job?" If the answer is not a resounding, "YES!" eliminate the issue.

3. Organize your thoughts. Once you have identified the critical issues, get a pad of sticky notes and begin to write individual thoughts pertaining to each issue. Then organize the thoughts under each issue from strongest to weakest. Eliminate any statements that cannot be substantiated. What you want are straight-forward statements that lead to a solution. Building your case on assumptions and hearsay will be more destructive than constructive.

4. Rehearse your argument. Some thoughts are difficult to communicate, so practice saying what you intend to say. You might discover that your argument is clear in your head but stated in a confusing way. Enlist a neutral party to listen to your statements and to provide feedback or ask for clarification.

5. Be positive. A full frontal attack will put most anyone on the defensive, so approach the conversation with respect and a positive attitude. In addition to identifying the problem, offer to be a part of the solution. Ask for the privilege of helping develop a solution to the problem. A positive attitude will keep the conversation calm and prevent emotion from overtaking the thought process in which you engaged.

6. Accept the outcome. Realize up front that things might not go your way. Be satisfied with your effort to offer a solution. You can't control how other people respond; you can only control your reaction--and that can be a struggle sometimes! Many managers need time for suggestions to simmer. You might be surprised to see your suggestions incorporated into a future action.

7. Maintain confidentiality. One of the worst things you can do is leave the meeting and start telling everyone what took place. Show respect for your manager and your employer even if it requires biting your tongue. If you are so miserable that all you can do is complain, do everyone a favor and find another job! If you're the type of person who demands your way, chances are you'll find something wrong with every job and every boss!

There's no doubt that we find ourselves in frustrating situations having to implement plans that seem doomed from the start. Sometimes we reject ideas because of our disrespect for the person who generated the idea. We need to make sure that the person in the mirror isn't the real problem! Think about it!

Dr. Terry Hadaway is an author, editor, university professor, and conference leader. He is the author of 30 Seconds to Chaos: Mastering the Art of "What If" Thinking, and numerous articles. His is considered by many to be a leading authority on adult education and is a gifted communicator. For more information visit http://www.thinkezine.com.

7 Tips on Using Food Diet Remedies for Your Common Health Ailments

Making simple changes to your food diet can help remedy some of the common health problems. Increasingly, more health experts are acknowledging that natural food is a good alternative medicine against many diseases. The use of antibiotics or drugs may not necessarily be the "cure all" answer. Recent studies have shown that cabbage, garlic and apples, etc provide good nutritional remedies.

If you are interested to find out more, there are quite a couple of health and nutrition books that are available on this topic.

However, before you gorge yourself silly based on the recommendations in these books, here are 7 tips to ensure that you don't run into more health problems:-

1) If the recommendation is on a natural food, then it is generally considered safer versus one that is not. Examples of natural food will include your vegetables and fruits. Two examples of non-natural foods are instant noodles and salty pototo chips in a packet.

2) Proceed slowly as you may not know if you are allergic to that food or not. Your food allergies may also extend to natural foods too eg. peanuts.

3) It is best to take the remedies in small quantities and diluted form. You can increase the concentration once your body is okay with it and there are no apparent symptoms.

4) "Listen to Your Body" and discontinue any remedy if you experience any body discomfort.

5) Exercise caution if you want to give natural remedies to your children. If you are unsure, always consult a doctor.

6) If you are on medication, check with your doctor first before taking up any suggestions relating to your food diet.

7) It is recommended to rotate the consumption of a wide range of fresh and natural foods and juices.

Sandra Kim Leong believes in using natural food and nutrition remedies for common health ailments. For more information, please visit her article resource site at http://www.food-diet-remedy.com

To reprint this article, please leave all content intact and links active to her site.

Its the Heart (and heat) of the Wedding Season - Sun & Heat Protection During an Outdoor Wedding

So, you decided to opt for an outdoor wedding under the sun amidst the lake, ocean or beach. Are you sure you have considered all the aspects of an outdoor wedding? Did you consider the fact that you and your guests are going to be outside for many hours throughout the day in the beating hot sun? Some people worry so much that it's going to rain or be cold that they completely forget to prepare themselves for the sun and the heat. The last thing you want is for you or your guests to be burnt for pictures and leave the wedding early because they are sun-fried. So here are some sun protection tips to keep in mind whether you're the bride, groom or guest at an outdoor wedding:

Do not tan in a salon or outdoor prior to the wedding. Tanning of any sort is bad for your skin and can cause peeling right before the wedding.

If you want to get the outdoor tanned look, opt for self-tanning products that will give you the same effect without harming your skin. There are many lotions and foams that work wonders on the skin.

Make sure you apply sunscreen numerous times throughout the day. Encourage your guests to do so as well. Indicate on the invitation that the wedding is outdoors and remind them to bring sunscreen. Here's an idea - hand out small decorative bottles of sunscreen as an early wedding favor for your guests.

Try and avoid the sun as much as possible between the hours of 10am and 4pm. The sun's rays are strongest at these times. Perhaps it's a good idea to get pictures closer to the morning or early afternoon, before anyone is too tired (or burnt) from the sun.

Pack (and tell your guests to pack) cover-ups, shawls, wraps and hats for protection against the heat of the sun. Shawls are perfect for covering up your shoulders since they are a prime area for burns.

The coordinator of the wedding should ensure there are tents and umbrellas for shade. This is very important because spending the entire day in the sun with no shade can cause heat exhaustion and be harmful to your health.

Finally, make sure there is plenty of water for you and your guests. There's nothing worse than being hot and thirsty. Lack of water can cause dehydration which can be very dangerous for you and your guests. Have water coolers setup in different areas so they are easily accessible for everyone.

Keep in mind the precautions listed above. It will ensure that your wedding goes smoothly for you and your guests. After all, it is the most important day of your life and you don't want to take any chances of something ruining your special day!

Samantha Taylor spent several years working in the weddings industry as a wedding planner. When she isn't being a mom of two wonderful children, she works as a freelance writer for http://www.yourwedding101.com - a site that offers information about everything related to planning a wedding - from wedding dresses to finding the perfect wedding cake and more.