As if the pressure of holidays is not enough, let me remind you that you have limited time to plan and host a holiday party with your virtual colleagues. Now, before you convince yourself that such a feat simply can’t be done, read on. I’ve compiled five easy steps to help you make a holiday get-together more than a remote ... Read More
Christy Schutz
5 Tips for Achieving Balance and Remaining Productive During the Holidays
Once Halloween is over, I usually blink and the next thing I know, I am knee deep in all the frenzy and chaos that comes with the holidays. I am stressed, miserable, and what’s more, I am less productive than ever. Well, in an attempt to take a pre-emptive strike against this negative state of affairs this year, I’ve decided to ... Read More
Book Review: The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown
I just finished a wonderful book by Ph.D., L.M.S.W., Brene Brown, called The Gifts of Imperfection. Apparently, her book has been around for some time (it was published in 2010), but I only very recently discovered it, colorfully displayed on an end cap at my local Barnes and Noble. Even after purchasing it several months ago, the ... Read More
Five Ways to Cure Work-at-Home Office Fever
It may have something to do with my workload, or, one could chalk it up to the lovely, sunshine filled days that have been calling me to come outside and play. Suffice to say, I've found myself feeling very isolated and cooped up. Whether it's cabin fever or just the run of the mill side effect of working from home, I decided to ... Read More
Four Things I Miss About Working in an Office
The other night I decided to reacquaint myself with a movie that can be best described as THE quintessential white collar satire: Office Space. I laughed about the main character, Peter Gibbons, and his day-to-day dealings with his coworkers. The audience meets his annoying office neighbor, the receptionist whose perky, repetitious ... Read More
Self-Reflection for More Effectiveness in the New Year
I am in amazement that we are nearing the end of the year. As we head into the holiday season and get geared up for another New Year, I have decided to institute a change in my daily life. I’m going to give myself a gift… the gift of reflection. That’s right. I’m going to try and consistently set aside time to reflect, ponder, ... Read More
Telecommuting Perceptions, How to Prove Your Value in the Workplace
Telecommuting has been a hot topic for Corporate America and the target of multiple studies, particularly in the midst of the economic downturn. Organizations can save money and increase employee satisfaction by allowing them to work from home all or even just a part of the time. But at what cost? There are some distinct challenges ... Read More
When You Work-at-Home, Do You Really Need a Vacation?
Whether self-employed or working for someone else, those of us who can work from home realize we are incredibly blessed. As work-at-home women, we get to enjoy many wonderful perks, like being able to throw a load of laundry into the wash in between conference calls or relishing our 30-second “commutes” and “casual” wardrobes. But ... Read More
Knower or Doer: Which One Are You?
I've been reflecting a lot about making changes this year. The more research I do, the clearer it is to me that there's a distinct difference between knowing what to do, and doing it. Now, before you roll your eyes and thank me for pointing out the obvious, think about how this applies to your life. Maybe you've read a dozen ... Read More
How to Motivate and Engage Your Remote Employees
As a corporate gal, my posts are focused on maximizing the opportunities presented to us as remote employees. As I've said before, there are a lot of obvious things to be grateful for (e.g., being home when my kids get back from school, having more flexibility, no commute, and working in casual attire. But there are some challenges ... Read More
Five Unconventional Ways to Increase Productivity
Fall is one of my favorite seasons. I love the colors, the smells, and the celebrations. I find myself feeling downright joyful once I feel that ever-so-slight, cool breeze in the air, and the weatherman starts reporting more hospitable temperatures. If you live in a brutally hot climate like Florida’s, you probably know EXACTLY what ... Read More
Spring Cleaning Tips for the Work-at-Home Woman
As I switched gears from my normal work tasks to ponder on this month’s post, I stopped to take a deep breath and looked around at my home office. My eyes settled first on the stack of books propped up precariously on the corner of my desk. The pile features a host of things I am in the midst of reading, intend to read, or will ... Read More
How This Mom Was Able to Bring Her Job Home
Christy Schutz is a communications professional, freelance writer, and WAHM. See how this Tampa Bay Mom was able to bring her job home so she could be readily available for her family. Tell us about your journey as a work-at-home mom. It started for me when my daughter was born two months premature. I had arranged to take an 8-week ... Read More
How to Renew Your Commitment to Take Better Care of Yourself
After the Christmas holiday passes each year and we have those few precious moments to regroup before the New Year begins, I spend a few moments reflecting on the successes and failures from the year. In fact, I think it is valuable to take stock every quarter or so to reassess my goals, the unexpected twists and turns I tend to ... Read More
How to Make a Case for Telecommuting
While at the gym recently, I was chatting with a close friend of mine (we’ll call her Tracey) about a situation she was facing at work. Tracey, a high achiever and the director in charge of all the training and development within her large organization, is now reporting to a new boss. It hasn’t been the first time she has had to ... Read More
