There are two sides to the writer debate – those who require certain comforts and those who can write in the middle of a toxic dump. I’d argue both types are just as likely to have hazardous work environments. Your office could be making you sick, or at the very least, decreasing your productivity. The good news is there simple way to creating a safe and healthy work environment.

1. Trouble in the Air

The information is scary: according to the August 2000 EPA Indoor Environments Division, Indoor Air Quality and Student Performance report, “Indoor air quality can reduce a person’s ability to perform specific mental tasks requiring concentration, calculation, or memory.” While this specific report discusses students in school, the same can be said for those who require mental acrobatics to earn a paycheck. The solution?

1. Air filtration appliances. Units are available at every price point and are especially helpful for those who have basement offices.

2. Check for radon. Radon is an odorless, tasteless, radioactive gas. It can cause cancer, but can also be detected with a quick and easy test.

3.Get a plant or two. Certain plants suck the toxins of the air. Common chemicals from building materials – formaldehyde, benzene, etc. could be doing a conga line around your desk. Pick up a peace lily and park it in your space.

4. Open a window. Simple right? Nature’s filtration system.

Ergonomics

Hunched over a keyboard typing away…that’s how writers are supposed to be right? Not unless you want a chiropractor to become your best friend. Poor typing habits are hard to break, but buying ergonomic furniture and aids; practicing good posture and workstation alignment and taking breaks will help prevent costly problems like back injuries and eye strain.

Cleaning

An obvious solution, but one many of us overlook. When’s the last time you cleaned underneath the lampshade or vacuumed your keyboard? Simply wiping up crumbs isn’t enough to keep your office safe.

1. Dust and or sweep with a moist cloth to protect from launching dustbunnies into the air.
2. Use a vacuum with a Hepa filter and clean the bag or canister outside.
3. Use natural cleaning products like white vinegar to cut down on unknown pollutants in commercial cleaning supplies.
4. Rugs should be cleaned regularly. If you are in cold weather, wait for a snowy day, haul the rug out and let it sit outside for an hour, once the rug is cold drop it on clean snow and beat it with a broom. Flip it over and beat it some more. The cold will help kill germs and the snow helps clean the fibers without soaking them and damaging the rug. *This is not absolute rug advice, if your rug is expensive or has been in your family for 100 years then hire a professional, don’t try to sue me!*

Green

Kooky chemicals are everywhere, but greener alternatives to traditional inks, papers, etc. are readily available at great prices online and at local office supply stores. Recycled paper, soy ink, glass, metal or wood office organizers from sustainable sources promotes healthy business practices out in the world and at home.

Beautify

So, after buying a weeping fig plant, stocking up on bamboo office accessories and using that odd vacuum cleaner attachment on the back of the computer monitor all’s well in the world right?

Not quite.

I have seen some truly horrific home offices. Neat, clean and completely devoid of any warmth. A desk, chair and wall calendar does not make an office. Infuse some personality into your space. Warm, inviting work areas boosts productivity and overall well being.

Even if funds are tight, cheap and inspiring art can be made by simply framing some of your published pieces. Those clips are accomplishments whether for Time Magazine or Paper Clips Monthly.com. Don’t forget pictures of your family or dog and your ticket stub from that killer concert as well.

Writers spend countless hours in their office meeting deadlines, it is a worthwhile investment to create a space that is inviting, productive and safe. After all, you can’t beat a deadline if your dead.

What do you love about your home office? How can you improve it?

“Oh!” they exclaim, now seemingly impressed. It’s annoying.

Before talking with Deb today I have wondered if I should state what I do differently and market myself differently. Instead of freelance writer, I should maybe say journalist. Instead of saying I own a business that provides writing services, maybe I should say I’m a business consultant…

Here’s the thing. It really doesn’t matter because, writer or journalist, people will ask about who I write for and when I don’t say the local paper or give a well-known publication title, their little eyes will glaze over and I’m back in hobbyist land. It doesn’t matter that I write for the top freelance writing website. It doesn’t matter that I’m paid to hang out on Twitter and Facebook and when I’m off the clock I’m building a brand and they take part in building that brand everyday whether they know it or not. They don’t get it and I’m through trying to help them understand.

If I worked for NASA, someone would be disappointed I wasn’t an astronaut. You see my point? Our career choice is just that – a choice. We chose to become champions of the written word for better or worse. Sure it can get annoying when people think you sit at home eating bon bons, watching Oprah and scratching your butt with your keyboard, but we should realize most of these people are actually jealous. They just got off the longest commute of their lives from a place of hell and they have no choice but to appear there each and everyday if they want to go on eating.

Feel a little better? Still annoyed? Try these things:

• Cut out the daily interruptions by not being available. If you’re working, don’t answer the door when the neighbors show up, don’t answer the phone with your bored friend calls, don’t allow yourself to be guilted into favors.
• End conversations with action phrases. “I’m sorry I’ve got to go edit a piece. I’ll call you later.” “No can do, I’ve got a conference call in an hour.” These are gentle, but not too subtle reminders that you do work and more importantly, they are interrupting.
• Crack their face. “Oh, you’re always on Facebook!” Your response: “I know, it’s great to get paid to interact with people in such a fun way.”

Yes there are days I work in my jammies. There are days I write a piece, do some laundry, play with the kids and bake cookies. And yes, I’ve watched Oprah in my jammies while eating cookies. I do it every so often because I can.

The majority of my time, however, is spent writing, meeting, pitching, running to wash at least some underwear for the family, sliding back online while Elmo sings his closing song so I can manage a community and answer the 300 emails from folks who “see me playing on Facebook” and want to know how I can help them and better yet, how they can pay me to help them.

My respect comes from the way I conduct my business, how I handle my clients and how I ignore the haters, wannabes and neverbes. Consultant, home-based business, freelancer, whatever you call yourself, call yourself lucky and talented!

What’s your title? What are the advantages/disadvantages of it?

Hire a professional organizer.

Yes, they do exist. If you can get paid to sit at home in your underwear and blog about cats, these professional can get paid to get dressed, leave the house and come organize yours. A professional organizer is a cheerleader/drill sargent that will help you organize the good stuff and finally get rid of those freakin Vanilla Ice posters. No, they will not be worth millions someday. They will also help you figure out what kind of organizing style works for you. I’m a visual organizer. If I don’t see it, it doesn’t exist so clear bins and open shelves work better for me.

Speed sort.

Before you head off to the store to buy massive gray bins, speed sort your junk, um, stuff. Sort things into the keep, toss or share/donate pile. No lingering! If you can’t decide toss it. You’ll quickly learn about what you really can live without.

Hit the paper trail.

Writers hoard a lot of paper. Clips, research, old publications, receipts from twelve years ago. Here’s where it gets tricky. You have to sort the paper, according to how you categorize items. Be ruthless. Remember, you’re clearing out clutter, not moving clutter from one spot to the next. If you don’t need it, kick it to the curb.

Make everyday life easier.

• Drop junk mail into a bin by the front door. It can be decorative certainly, but it’s at the door so it can take be taken out with the rest of the recycling.
• Put your keys in the same place everyday. Hana Haatainen Caye uses a basket at the front door. A hook is useful or a small table. Whatever it is, pick the spot and stick with it.
• Misti Sandefur uses a file cabinet for her papers, however, a horizontal filing system may work better for you, the key is to have a place and category for every piece of paper. No fair using one gigantic misc. file!
• Make tidying a regular routine Misti also advises.

Here are a few websites I found that have some office, home & life tips:

Unclutter.com

18 Five-Minute Decluttering Tips to Start Conquering Your Mess

And what’s a declutter conversation without a tip from an Oprah guru? Peter Walsh’s Ten Ways to Declutter Your Home

Clearing out clutter is about keeping what’s important, creating a place and space for everything and being consistent with your organization. Clutter happens to everyone, take your time and start small. Each space that is freed is another victory to a clutter free (mostly) life. Just think about what you can do with all the time you save NOT looking for paper clips!

Got more clutter tips? Share them!

Patch.com is owned by AOL and was launched in February 2009 as a way to deliver local news.  AOL hopes to build the site to 500 local news sites, but currently, there are only about 50 local sites.  Each site is targeted at a town with fewer than 70,000 people.  A separate site, Patch.org, was created to cater to under-served, smaller towns.  AOL makes money by selling ad space on each local site and a team of advertising sales representatives helps to sell that ad space to local and national advertisers.

Each local site is run by an editor (these are the jobs you’ve been seeing listed online lately).  That editor is paid approximately $35,000-$40,000 per year to work full-time (although the hours are undoubtedly far more than 40-per week) and manage all aspects of their local site.  The site editor also gets a budget of about $35,000-$40,000 to hire local freelancers to supplement the content on the local site.  Typically, a local site employs 6-10 freelance contributors.

Local sites are grouped together in groups of 12 called clusters, which are led by a regional editor (you may have seen some of those jobs online, too) and a regional advertising manager.  Usually 12-24 advertising salespeople are assigned to a cluster.

Two clusters grouped together are called a block and all blocks are led by one of four editorial directors and four sales directors.  Those directors report to the Patch executives in the headquarters office.

Content is entered into the local Patch sites using a single content management system.  Recently, Patch entered into an agreement with 13 journalism schools to form Patch U which will enable students to work with local Patch editors (sometimes more than one student will be assigned to a single local Patch site) to create more content.  Patch.com claims that it’s looking for young, enthusiastic local editors such as professionals who have only been out of journalism school for a short time but have the skills and desire to be successful in online publishing and local news.

According to Patch.com editor job postings, the company is looking for the following skills:

• Local Editors: 2+ years of local journalism experience as well as a degree in journalism
• Regional Editors: 4-5 years of management experience and several years of journalism experience

So if the above findings are all accurate, it would seem that the Patch editor job is a legitimate opportunity that will enable you to make more guaranteed money than content sites like Examiner.com might provide.  However, it’s a big commitment.  On the flip side, you can put “AOL” on your list of clients and in your portfolio, and undoubtedly, Patch.com content will be well-SEO’d to drive traffic and potential links from bigger-named sites.

A full list of open jobs can be found here.  If you apply, just be sure to get all the details about requirements and payment before you accept a position.  This is still fairly uncharted territory for freelance writers, so proceed with caution.  If you do take an editor position with Patch, leave a comment and share your experience!

Image: stock.xchng

I’ve been taking a shower on a regular basis since I was in middle school. Cleanliness is important to me, although admittedly, there are weekends where I’ll skip a shower on a Saturday if I don’t have anything planned. But somehow, in the midst of all of this writing stuff, the shower just got put to the side. I’d catch myself working in my boxers and an undershirt, and showering every other day. I was getting lazy.

At first, I thought that this might be a problem that just I would face, that wouldn’t quite resonate with most freelancers. Then my wife had our first child, and months later she’d be skipping days in the shower. I couldn’t figure out why she wasn’t taking that little bit of time to clean up every day, and then I realized that both of us had the same problem: scheduling.

When I started this as my career, I was spending every day trying to do more and accomplish higher goals. Problem was, that meant I had to focus most of my time on working, and my cleanliness got put to the side. This is the same thing that happened with my wife. She was too busy focusing on our son to worry about taking care of herself, so she didn’t. In the end, we both realized that the shower is more important than either of us realized.

For one, it gives us time to think. I take a pretty healthy 20 minute shower, but I’m done soaping down and cleaning up in under five minutes. I use the extra time for a few different things, all of which are critical to my day.

1. Relax. The day hasn’t started yet, and I may already be stressed out. Looming deadlines, screaming babies, or missing food in the fridge may have started my day off on the wrong foot, but the shower gives me a chance to let it all melt away. It’s my decompression chamber.
2. Plan. I learned a while ago that if I take a few minutes to review my day in the shower, that it helps to organize my thoughts. I’m already in a relaxed state, so thinking about the day ahead isn’t too difficult to do. By taking a moment to think these things through before my day, I can hit the ground running once I’m dried off. If I shower twice a day – something I do when I’ve been accomplishing things in the garage or going out for the night – then a second review of what I’ve accomplished can also help me figure out how to work more productively.
3. Get Clean. I have two dogs, both of which are known for their flatulence issues. I was working in the office one morning, and I smelled something weird. I looked down and blamed one of the dogs, then got back to work. A short while later, I noticed that the smell hadn’t yet gone away. A quick pit check led me to the obvious conclusion: I was the problem. To the shower I went, and I haven’t looked back since.
4. Being Prepared. Ever received a call in the middle of the day saying that you need to meet someone else in short order? I have, and if I wasn’t clean, it was a problem. By showering, you’re forcing yourself to get dressed as well. I’ll put on a pair of jeans and an undershirt so I’m comfortable, but have a shirt ready just in case. That way I’m still relaxed, but ready to go if need be.

Showering seems like one of the simplest tasks, but sometimes it’s easy to get swept up in the heat of things. By making sure you take care of yourself, your work will be better in the long run. Besides, it’s just good hygiene.

About the Author

Kevin Whipps is a writer and photographer based in the Phoenix, Arizona area. For the past 10 years, Kevin has been writing for various print and web publications, while carving out a name for himself in the industry. Although he writes about a wide variety of topics, he tends to focus on the automobile and tech industries.  He is also the editor of Splashpress Media’s Apple Gazette.

Image: stock.xchng

I had the pleasure of working with Gayla while she was a channel manager at b5media, and I was constantly impressed by her ability to connect with people, engage, and share part of herself as well as offer her guidance.  I know she will become an important part of the Freelance Writing Jobs community!

To get you acquainted with Gayla, here is a brief bio:

Gayla has made her own success in the world of online writing and community building.  Her blogs and websites, including MomGadget.com, helped her become a 5 figure affiliate blogger and gave her the opportunity to develop and sell multiple sites over the years, ultimately earning over six-figures from those combined sales.  Today, she writes and manages several blogs and sites, including her blog network, GadAboutMedia.com.

She has ten years of experience as an internet professional in a variety of positions, including:

• Channel editor and manager to as many as 80 writers for a large blog network
• Marketing and support to a major online niche dating website
• Content eeveloper
• Webmaster
• SEO Consultant
• Work at home coach
• Blog training
• Advocate
• Public speaker
• Event organizer
• Online community director
• And last but not least, Mom and Chief of my family

Suffice it to say, Gayla has vast experience in working from home, being your own boss, and building your own career and business.  She will begin publishing content here on Freelance Writing Jobs next week.  Until then, you can connect with Gayla across the social web, and you can learn more about her at GaylaBaer.com.

Please join me in welcoming Gayla to Freelance Writing Jobs!

I decided to write about my hair.

This is My Mohawk

I’m sporting a Mohawk.  It’s not a big, bright purple spiked thing, but it’s not one of those “faux-hawks” created with a bunch of gel-goop, either.  It’s the real deal.  Shaved sides.  Three-inch strip of hair straight down the middle.

It’s ridiculous.

I’m thirty-nine years old.  I wear not-so-cool glasses much of the time.  I live in the suburbs.  I take kids to fireworks shows and baseball games.  I shop at the neighborhood Price Chopper and have extended conversations with the meat guys.  While there are approximately 9,335,298,101 things that I’m willing to gripe about, I’m not engaged in all-out rebellion and I haven’t shoved anything through the piercing in my ear for more than a split-second since 1991 or so.

But here I am, with an outrageously silly Mohawk.  And I sort of like it.

A little over a week ago, on my way to the shower, my oldest daughter asked me what I was doing.  I told her I needed to clean up and to shave.  She asked if I planned to shave my head.  That wasn’t really a joke; I’ve been known to go intentionally bald from time to time.  I told her I would emerge with a Mohawk.  I was kidding.  She knew I was kidding.

Then, somewhere between the Irish Spring and the girly-smelling shampoo, I decided that wasn’t the worst idea ever.

I emerged with a Mohawk.  Hilarity ensued.  The kid laughed.  The baby wanted to rub my head as if it was a page in one of those texture books.  My wife gave me the, “You’re a little weird but I’m not going to hold it against you” look.

Yesterday, I shaved down the sides again.  It’s even more pronounced now.  I don’t plan to keep it.  It will be gone before our late July vacation.  I’m enjoying it at the moment, though.

Why Am I Telling You about My Hair?

You’re probably wondering what in the hell I’m doing wasting your time with a long story about my stupid haircut.  Well, here’s the payoff.  I hope it makes the first ten paragraphs of this post at least somewhat worthwhile.

My neighbor works at a bank.  He can’t have a Mohawk.  I doubt he wants one (few do), but the fact of the matter is that he couldn’t pull it off he did.  I have a friend who runs a jewelry store.  Same story.  My insurance agent couldn’t to Mo’.  My buddy the financial planner couldn’t do it.

Me?  I can chew up a few Gillettes and leave a Wednesday afternoon shower looking like a nut job.

No one is going to stop me.

And it’s not going to screw with my bottom line.  I won’t lose business because I decided to follow through with a scalp joke.  In fact, I’ve had a great week in terms of client acquisition while wearing the Mohawk.  It might even be a good luck charm.

I can do something this obviously goofy because I have the best freaking job in the world.  And so do you.

Now, I know that most of you don’t have even the slightest inclination toward Mohawkdom.  You’re in this business, too, though.  That means you could have one if you so desired.  You could even dye it pink and then write “Sex Pistols Forever” in red Sharpie above your ears.

Or, you can decide that you don’t work on Wednesday afternoons because that’s when you go for a drive through the country with your stereo cranked up.  You can wear your most comfortable clothes–even if they are, shall we say, less than professional.  You can keep the TV tuned to the program of your choice or you can take your lunch at 10:58 sharp.  You can pull an all-nighter and take a Tuesday off just because.  Women can skip the makeup.  Guys can grow the beard and/or mustache.  You can scream profanity so twisted and depraved that it will peel paint if you get a rejection slip in the mail or you can parade around the house with a beach towel cape and a baseball bat scepter, honoring your freelance victories with a high-stepping parade through the laundry room.

You can do whatever you want.

Welcome to working for yourself.  Welcome to freelance writing.

When you see cumbersome “how to” posts, long diatribes about the horrible state of the industry, fear-mongering about the future, gripes about the hustle and income levels, or an empty shoulder where your muse should be sitting, think about the fact that you can stand up, march to your bathroom and come out with a freaking Mohawk.

Enjoy the freedom.  Take advantage of it.  Enjoy yourself, express yourself and find your own, personal Mohawk.

Hey, while you’re luxuriating in your freedom, take a minute to share that Mohawk here.  Tell us what you love about being your own boss.

Post-July 4 Fun Fact:  The folks who dumped the English tea into Boston’s harbor boarded the ships disguised as Native Americans.  They dressed like members of the Mohawk tribe.  Coincidence or providence?

Luckily, the guy was spared from a beat down.  I was in a hurry and didn’t have enough time to work him over.  Okay, the fact that I wasn’t really that upset was part of the deal, too.

In any case, my thick skull was finally penetrated by the indisputable fact that burning the candle on both ends is rotten and that my approach–tossing it directly into a steel smelter is even worse.

So, took advantage of this handy platform to write a long diatribe filled with elements of my personal story that couldn’t really provide much value to you.  I tacked on a plea for ideas at the end.  My goal?  Work half as many hours without bringing in less bacon.  I wanted your tricks, tips, hints, ideas, theories, recommendations, commiserations and maybe even a few ninja kicks in the ass.  The only rule?  I asked that no one talk about increasing rates as a means of decreasing workloads.  That seemed to easy.

Oh, and I promised a free order of nachos to the person who gave me the best chunk of time-sparing wisdom.

That post generated over 40 comments and I think only one of them was from me.  Almost all of them contained great advice and those that didn’t tended to provide equally important context.

My comment, which came only after 20+ FWJ readers decided to contribute, was simply to encourage even more input (which I received).

It became pretty clear to me that the ideas you provided could serve as the core of a great text about creating an efficient and streamlined freelance business.  A few bigger themes emerged and they were coupled with concrete recommendations and examples.

All in all, it was an incredibly valued idea dump and everyone who added $.02 or more created one of those great situations in which the comment discussion is 100x more valuable than the actual blog post on top.  Kudos to you all.

Anyway, I wanted to do two things before walking away from that post and implementing those good ideas.  First, I wanted to write a “wrap” post about the recommendations, noting the prevailing themes, providing my reactions to them, etc.  Second, I wanted to give away the free nacho prize.

You’ll note that this post is labeled “Part One”.  You’ll see “Part Two” next week.  I’m going to use “Part Two” to break down all of the advice, to provide kind words of thanks to the geniuses who provided it and to come up with what I hope to be a few Marvelous Insights of my own.

This part?  Two things are about to happen.  Keep on reading.

Community

Community.  It’s an extremely over used word in the social networking field.  It’s been overused in the blogosphere for half a decade or more.  Everyone is always talking about building communities, community management, community participation, community this, community that…

Usually, it’s more jibber-jabber than reality.  We use the term “community” to refer to even the least tightly knit groups.  We’ve drained much of the power and meaning from the term by tossing it around as convenient shorthand whenever we’re talking about anything that involves more than one person.

Occasionally, you actually see community in action and understand what it can mean.

I know this has nothing to do with my quest to work half as much without losing money, but it’s probably one of the biggest lessons I’ve seen in real community.

I asked a whole mess o’ people–most of whom wouldn’t recognize me if I bumped into them on the street–to give me good advice.  Yeah, I dangled the magic of nachos as a reward, but no one (I hope) was actually excited about the joke of a prize.  On a superficial level, there was nothing, absolutely nothing, for them to gain by providing me with a recommendation.  In fact, they spend valuable time doing it.

Yet three dozen or more people did do it.  They took the time and effort to comment and to offer something meaningful.

Now, we can make the somewhat cynical argument that people contributed because they’re trying to boost their own name recognition or because they hope to grab a little comment link traffic, etc.  And it’s true that being an active participant in a larger “community” can have some pragmatic benefits along those lines.  I have a sneaking suspicion that most of the people who spoke up weren’t really concerned about that, though.  Some are already well-known and well-read amongst the FWJ population.  Some didn’t bother to even leave a link.  They seemed sincerely motivated to provide people interested in maximizing efficiency with some good advice.

They wanted to share for the sake of sharing.  And that is a big part of what community and social networking in general is really all about.

And none of that happens without Deb Ng, who’s grown this site up from square one.  Her dedication, constant adjustment and all-out effort to create a quality space for freelancers is a big part of why this works.  It may seem ironic, but online community really often starts with a significant effort by one person.

I’m making a big fat point of this because, as most you know, Deb sold Freelance Writing Jobs to SplashMEDIA.  She’s still here, handling the transition.  However, in July, the new crew is gonna take the controls.

That makes this a perfect moment to thank Deb for a job well-done.  It’s also a reminder to the new ownership that they’ll be filling some big shoes and, if they can pull it off, they’ll have one really great community on their hands.

Nachos

After a great deal of consideration, I’ve decided to extend an invitation to all who commented to join me for nachos at El Torreon in Overland Park, KS if you’re ever in the area.  Just drop me a line and we’ll hook up for our nacho date–on me.  I don’t cover the margaritas, though.

Knowing that few of you will venture into the KC suburbs for nachos and pleasant conversation any time soon, I’m also specifically awarding a plate of my favorite vice to Brad.

Interestingly, Brad didn’t really give me any advice about how to reduce the amount of time spent working.  Instead, he reminded me of how some folks wouldn’t mind being that busy and made me think about f-ing obnoxious it probably is to publicly gripe about having too much work in the midst of an ugly recession.  Thanks for the reality check, Brad.

Here’s the comment:

Well I would say to run around in circles as long as possible before your circle gets taken away from you.
Being an IT guy I’m used to running around in circles.

However since Dec 19,2008 when the president of the company I worked for decided they made a mistake in hiring me because I had 4 years experience and not 10 and laid me off, I would love to have a run around in circles experience again.

I like thousands of other people just realized that my last unemployment check that I just spent on food and other household necessities will be my last for a while until Congress and the Senate can work together to pass an unemployment extension bill.

I wish I had a job with people driving me crazy again. I have been unemployed for almost 2 years with no hope in close site. I’m going to school in hopes that an increased education will increase my employment opportunities.

I would love to have someone asking me stupid technical questions right now. When I go back to work someday I’m going to be smiling a really big smile the whole time and saying yes sure I can help you with that and be glad that I can.

Brad, drop me a line and I’ll take care of your cheesy, chippy needs.

Back next week with “How You Made My Life Easier, Free Nachos and Other Delights (Part 2)”

One of the factors insurance adjustors take into consideration when issuing an insurance policy price quote is that your car will be speeding down the freeway in oh-so-dangerous rush hour traffic. Not to mention the fact that you will be wearing and tearing your vehicle day in and day out. But if you’ve made the switch from a daily commute to a stay at home job, those insurance premium-hikers disappear.

What is a Pleasure Use Vehicle?

• Pleasure vehicles are not used for daily commuting
• They are generally driven less than 5,000 miles per year
• They are not driven for business use

That last caveat can get tricky for freelance writers, who may use their cars for business intermittently.  But if your household has more than one vehicle and only one of you is commuting, you have a high chance of having your second vehicle reclassified as a pleasure use vehicle.  Further, even if for some reason you cannot get your car reclassified to “pleasure vehicle” status, many car insurers will offer low mileage discounts, so be sure to track your mileage for more than just tax purposes.

Give your insurance agent a call, tell him you heard about the pleasure use vehicle status, and explain your situation.  I was able to reclassify my cute little Altima as a pleasure use vehicle last year, and I saved about $100 every six months on car insurance even while living in a dangerous metropolitan area. Depending on the safety of the area you live in and where your park your car at night, you may be able to save even more.  Good luck!

In Search of Separation…

Being a freelancer guarantees weirdness.  Unpredictability is the only constant and the bizarre twists and turns of everyday life constantly squash efforts to create that ideal professional/personal balance.

How in the hell are you supposed to balance your work with the rest of your life?

Sure, writing copy so beautiful it brings tears to your eyes is mega-fun/rewarding, but so is making homemade spaghetti sauce, catching an afternoon ballgame on getaway day, dancing to the Godfather of Soul with your kid, making out with your spouse and, to a lesser extent, keeping your house somewhat tidy.

What’s the big secret to separating the wild yet wonderful world of freelancing for a living from the rest of your life?

If you want suggestions, they’re easy to find.  Drawing the work/life line is constantly buzzing topic.  You can find freelancers who’ll suggest setting regular hours, dressing as if you’re actually heading off to a day at the office, putting up signs to keep your family away while you work and a million other things.

You’ll hear lectures about time management, recommendations about working smarter instead of working harder and pleas to turn off your phone, computer and everything else even remotely related to your profession during the weekend.

My Failure to Divide…

Some of that stuff probably works for some people.  It hasn’t worked for me.  Not even close.  This is my experience:

The need to run to Price Chopper for diapers can shred a well-planned schedule.  A weekend free of work sounds ideal until you chop off the tip of your index finger with your favorite Wusthoff on Wednesday (just try writing anything other than “ewoek/lifer supaeratioij u s so dalmn haard” at three a.m. with a bandage on your hand).

The idea of dressing for traditional success makes me a wee bit queasy and all of the smart work in the world can’t solve for an overflowing toilet plugged with a small stuffed giraffe and three plastic Strawberry Shortcake figurines.

If you can tidily separate your work from the rest of your life and that’s what you want to do, congratulations.

I’ve given up.  Completely and intentionally.

Integration vs. Separation…

I realized that I don’t really want a separation between the professional and the personal.  I don’t want regular hours, a regimented schedule or a sign on the door of my basement office.

Screw separation.  I want integration.

I love working for myself for a number of reasons, but the biggest weight on the scale is freedom.  I spent a long time being a damn good employee who secretly hated being on the payroll because I didn’t have that freedom to do what I wanted to do how and when I wanted to do it.

The joy of freelancing isn’t just the money or the satisfaction of those occasional moments of copy perfection.  For me, it’s the fact that I can do things on my terms.

After wrestling with time and experiencing a never-ending series of scheduling snafus, I realized something.  I don’t wear suits for a reason.

Weddings, Russians and Realization…

Let me explain that last part about suits.  A few weeks ago, we were up in Iowa for a wedding.  I decided to dress appropriately.  I was standing in front of the mirror, wearing a suit and marveling at just how freaking weird I looked.  My wife says I look snazzy in a suit.  Maybe she means it.  Maybe she’s just being nice.  All I know is that I think I look like someone else.  I hate the damn things.  I have broad enough shoulders without the jacket’s enhancement.  Neckties are too silly (and phallic) for my tastes.  I generally dislike shoes and hold particular animosity toward dress shoes.  I dislike them on an almost visceral level.  They conjure up feelings of conformity, caste and rigidity.

Unless I’m at a wedding, a funeral or taking the stand in my own defense, I really don’t want to wear a suit.  I don’t like them.

Then a question occurred to me.

Why would someone who hates suits make an effort to run his business as if he’s wearing one?

In what turned out to be a happy coincidence, my websites and email accounts were serving as a playground for a few Russian hackers while I was standing in front of the mirror.  When I returned home and surveyed the damage, I decided to burn things to the ground instead of repairing them and to start anew.

Authenticity and a Liberating Integration Casserole…

On a superficial level, this switch freed me to blog about things like the death of Jose Lima, my status as a victim of Exploding Head Syndrome and Kalae All Day–things I usually would’ve avoided because they didn’t match “The Brand”.  It allowed me to tweet about the lapse in sanity exhibited by Royals third base coach Eddie Rodriguez last weekend and to dial back the formality of my client communication.

We talk the authenticity talk more than we walk the walk, I think.  At least I did.  Not any more.  I’m retiring from thinking about being authentic.  I’m just doing it.

That has included embracing my inability to maintain traditional, set hours and all of the other stuff that usually goes along with separating work from the rest of one’s life.

I’m not separating anything anymore.  It’s all just one big crazy, gorgeous, wacky, depraved, enlightened, messy, tasty casserole.  Yum.

It’s been a liberating experience.  I’m bobbing between work and parenting.  I’m weaving between being a husband and making a living.  I’m cool with a two-hour client call on a Sunday and I’m just as happy to tell someone that I’m too busy buying diapers and freezer pops to take a call on a Wednesday afternoon.

Interestingly, this new outlook isn’t creating waves with clients.  It’s allowing us to float closer to one another.  It’s breaking down barriers and encouraging more human connections.  It’s as if we’re all actually having fun for a change.

I’m sure someone will find this kind of authenticity worrisome.  Discovering a blog post that includes a piece of Haiku about a baby kicking my ass may very well dissuade someone from doing business with me.  There are traditionalists who want appreciate that sort of thing.  I can accept that.

It’s a small price to pay, really.  Besides, who knows how many ultra-cool people might actually like it?

An Alternative to the War of Separation…

If you’re fighting and losing a bloody war of attrition in the effort to defend or establish a dividing line between work and home, consider waving the white flag and walking away from it.  It may not be the right fight.  Consider integration instead of separation.

It’s okay if your peas touch your meat, folks.  That’s true whether you hate shoes like me or if the idea of dressing like a corporate bigwig gives you a thrill.

At least that’s my experience.

What’s yours?  Are you having a great time keeping your freelancing career and your personal life separate or do you feel like a struggle?  If it is tough, do you think it’s a fight worth having?  Can you imagine surrendering to overlap and to integration?

I’d love to know.  I see many people writing about keeping things clearly delineated and very few, if any, advocating wholesale integration.  It probably won’t change my perspective, but I’d like to know if I’m a nut-case.

One of my challenges as a work at home mom is in making sure my son is happy and not neglected while fulfilling all my business obligations. From the beginning of September to late June I have eight to ten hours in which to get all my work done each day. In the summer, I have the same amount of work, but now a child is home and there are places to go and people to meet. Though my son is old enough to play on his own and enjoy the company of friends without my hovering, it’s not like I can work a full undisturbed day. As any parent knows, finding blocks of time to work is truly a challenge.

Even more challenging than finding time to work is ensuring my son is having a good time. I don’t want his summer to suck because Mom or Dad has work to do. He should be out swimming in our pool, playing with his friends and enjoying all that the warm weather brings.

Fortunately there are a few ways to ensure both. I’m going to share a few of my favorites with you today:

1. Day Camp

Day camp is a popular options for working moms. They keep kids busy and entertained with summer fun so we don’t have to worry that they’re not enjoying themselves. My biggest problem is that many of the day camps around here are so expensive. The specialized camps are several thousand dollars per summer. However, the YMCA, Catholic Charities and local Parks and Rec all offer affordable summer camp programs, usually for under $600 – $800 for the summer. The more expensive programs usually have a designated camp building complete with buildings, meeting halls and swimming pools. The town and city run programs are generally held at the school and include games, sports, trips to beaches, movies and the local college for the swimming pool.

2. Babysitter or Parent’s Helper

Work at home parents can also hire someone to come to the house and help keep the kids happy while you’re working. The benefit to this is that you don’t have to commit to a whole day. They’re only necessary for the hours you work, plus you’re sort of home to “supervise” if the helper is a teen.

3. Switch Off With Other Parents

One of my favorite ways to get things done during summer is to switch off with other parents. My son has several close friends all living within a couple of blocks. One day, one of the parents will drop off the kids and I’ll sit on the deck and work or join them as they play in the pool or run around in the backyard. The next day I will drop off my son, complete with lunch, at the other parent’s house. When several parents switch off this way it means we all get stuff done over the summer.

4. Temporarily Change Your Business Hours

I’m a firm believer in having regular business hours but I guess it goes without saying that many of us have to change things up a bit in the summer to make it all work. In the summer I’ll get up earlier while my son sleeps later. I’ll also work evenings if I want to spend the day at the beach or maybe I’ll find more time to work on weekends. This is where freelancers rock the flexibility.

5. Get a Smart Phone, Netbook, iPad or Laptop

Having both a laptop and smartphone has tremendously increased my productivity. it enables me to work at the library and the parks that offer free WiFi and stay on top of emails and small tasks that can be handled at any time. The only thing better than being flexible is to be portable.

6. Take Advantage of Free WiFi Hotspots

As mentioned above, portability is necessary for freelancing parents. It enables us to take a vacation, spend the day at the beach (though I’m not a fan of sand in the laptop) and work out on the back deck. National Parks, hotels, restaurants, and even some beaches offer free WiFi. When on a deadline, plan your outings around places you can work while kids play, especially if there’s another adult available to help out.

7. Cut Down On Your Workload

OK, so the kids are keeping you from working and you have no extra time, we’ve all been there. Probably the solution is to temporarily decrease your workload. This isn’t easy, especially in today’s economy where every penny counts. However, sometimes it’s better for the entire family’s sanity to take a little break.

So that’s how I balance my summers. I rearrange my time, take the smart phone to handle emails and other small tasks and switch off with other parents. How do you balance summer, family and work?

I left my day job exactly 8 years ago to become a freelance writing WAHM. Prior to that I worked as a freelance writer for two years while still juggling a full time day job. Freelancing from both sides of the fence wasn’t always easy, especially when just starting out. Thankfully I worked hard and stuck with it. Thankfully, I was successful and didn’t have to return back to an office job.

Working at Home: It’s Not What You Think

In ten years time, I’ve seen many of my fellow WAHMs start a business but go back to full time outside of the home work because they weren’t succeeding, or the money wasn’t rolling in as much and as fast as they hoped.  The truth is, this looks so easy and glamorous to the outside world.  What can be more attractive than working from the back deck while sipping premium coffee as the youngsters run around?

Except that’s not a far picture of the WAHM lifestyle. Working at home involves actual work and very little of it is glamorous.

After building relationships with WAHMs over the past decade (and being one myself)  I think I have some insight into why some of us succeed, or why some of us have to “go back to work.” I can tell you many of us didn’t expect it to be so lonely. Also, plenty of WAHMs found out they need to have other members of a team at hand to motivate them and keep them on task.

The truth is, there are many reasons WAHMs go back to their day jobs.

1. It’s Harder Than You Thought

Working at home isn’t easy. I’m not talking about the job itself, I’m talking about the physical act of working. At home. If there are kids in the house your attention is constantly being diverted in different directions. You’re constantly called on to open juice boxes, referee arguments and act as taxi driver for playdates and cheerleading practice. There are other distractions as well: lunch with the girls, Dr. Oz, the fridge…and the list goes on. Sitting down and completing one task at home is a rude awakening when compared to the ability to sit down and complete one task at an outside job.

2. You’re Lax in Your Habits

When you’re a WAHM there is no boss standing over you reminding you of project deadlines. There are no team members waiting on you to do your part. You’re accountable to you, and you only. When you’re a WAHM it’s easy to take sick days whenever you want or blow off work in favor for a day out on the beach or afternoon at the spa. Truthfully, the most successful WAHMs are those with the best working habits. They know they can enjoy down time, but they make sure all their commitments are complete before taking fun time. That isn’t to say that as WAHMs you can’t schedule fun time, just be sure to get your priorities straight.

3. You Have No Defined Path

Many WAHMs leave the traditional workplace wanting to work from home but not really sure of what kind of work to do. The choices are overwhelming. Should you write? Become a virtual assistant? Consult as a business coach? The most successful WAHMs know exactly what they will do before leaving their present job and research accordingly. They don’t quit a job and wonder what to do next.

4. You’re Looking to Earn Money Rather than Looking for a Job or Career

Many WAHMs aren’t necessarily looking to have a career. Rather, they want to earn money so they can contribute to the household while staying home with their kids. There’s nothing wrong with this until it leads to a lot of “here and there” earning. Instead of focusing on one particular avenue, some WAHMs simply take whatever pays. They’ll do party plans, residual writing, transcription and anything else where a mom can work at home. The problem is, all this piece mail working can lead to burnout. Scrambling to fulfill obligations from several different ventures diverts focus and procrastination sets in.

5. You Work Whenever

Another common issue among WAHMs is finding the time to work. Or, rather, finding the time to work without interruption. Just like taking piece mail jobs, working here and there throughout the day also diverts the focus. As mentioned above, it’s hard to pay attention to a task when attention is demanded elsewhere. It’s true not everyone has the time or means to work an eight hour day, undisturbed. However, even one or two quiet hours make a difference. Having regular business hours can help you — and others — respect your time.

6.You Don’t Take Your Clients (or Your Business) Seriously

Deadline. Schmedline. Your client will get his work when you’re good and ready. Cable outages, sick kids and Aunt Martha’s funeral are some of the excuses you use when not fulfilling your promises. Eventually though, clients stop being sympathetic and start seeing excuses as, well, excuses. Even though you like being a WAHM because of the flexibility, you can’t blow off your work all the time because now you’re letting down the people who pay you – and the people who can refer you to other clients.

7. You Don’t Want it Bad Enough

Eh. If this doesn’t work out I’ll just do something else. Whatever.

8. Your Few Precious Hours of Working Time are Spent on Facebook, Twitter and in Forums

Social media and social networking can do wonders for a career. It can also be an amazing timesuck. If you only have two hours to spare for client work and that time is being spent playing Mafia Wars or Tweeting about your kids, you may want to rethink your priorities.

9. You’re Not Cut Out for the Lifestyle

My sister in law worked at home for a couple of years and hated it. She had no kids at the time and telecommuted for her full time job after moving out of state. The problem is she was lonely. She missed the camaraderie and the lunches out with her friends. She missed being a part of a physical team rather than a virtual team. She missed the commute and being around people all day. This isn’t the lifestyle for everyone and you’re not a failure if it’s not your cup of tea.

10. You Actually Thought You Could Earn $50,000 per Month

You decided to work from home because those ads with all the exclamation points lured you in, didn’t you? I’m sorry to beak it to you that doesn’t happen. Plenty of WAHMs earn several thousand each month but we worked very hard to get where we are. No job, in virtual land, or the real world, is going to pay you that much money – especially during your first week on the job. Realistic WAHMs make it. Those who follow false promises fall behind.

Today’s topic for discussion at the Freelance Writing Jobs Facebook Group is  how our family, friends and neighbors perceive us. It’s interesting because no matter how hard we work, there are some who feel that because we have no regular employer, we don’t actually have a job. Often times, having flexibility sometimes means people doubt you work very hard. It also means some folks feel you’re available any time of the day or night.

I remember receiving a very innocent email from my son’s teacher asking me to come in and help with a classroom event because she knows I’m always home and available to help. Part of me is happy to be available to participate in school when I’m needed because that’s very important.  However, part of me also thought, “but wait, just because I’m home doesn’t mean I’m always available.”

It’s all in how others perceive us.

My mother worked at home as an instructional designer. She had a flexible schedule but still had a deadline oriented job. She knows exactly what it’s like to work full time from home because she did it herself. On the other hand, my mother in law, knows I do some work at home, but she wonders why I don’t have more time for cleaning. I jokingly ask my husband if he runs a vacuum during his lunch hour and why I should be expected to do the same, but the truth is, when you work at home people don’t understand why you don’t dust every day or why a bed might be unmade from time to time.

It’s how others perceive the work at home lifestyle.

I’m happy to be there to help my son with school work, be a class mom or den mom or just have afternoons in the park. Sometimes though, I wish my flexibility didn’t give certain others the impression that I don’t work at all. I think it’s one of the reasons I keep a schedule. Having set “office hours” helps others to respect my time more.  Still, there are some who can’t grasp the difference between “stay at home” and “work at home.”

What are your thoughts on freelancing and how others perceive us? Is this ever an issue for you?

So you think your ready to take the plunge from part time to full time freelance writing. Congratulations. Leaving the day job to work full time as a freelance writer is a big, no,  a HUGE step. Before making any decision that will affect your livelihood, be sure you’re prepared for such a dramatic change in your career – and your lifestyle.

If you’re mulling it over, here are:

Ten Ways to Tell if You’re Really Cut Out for Full Time Freelance Writing

1. You have money in the bank

Nothing is guaranteed. Clients might promise work, but sometimes those promises fall through. Websites might also guarantee you a certain amount of work each month, but they go under. Are you prepared to go several weeks with earning any money? Will the lack of cash flow affect your family and home life? Every single freelancer has the best of intentions, but the truth is, it doesn’t always happen the way we wish. Spouses are laid off, clients lose funding and other factors can keep you from working. The recommendation is to save at least six months’ income before giving it all up to freelance.

2. You have clients

If you’re going to leave your job, don’t do so unless you already have some clients lined up. There are thousands of other freelancers looking for work at the same time as you and it’s naive to think you’ll land a gig immediately. Line up your clients first, build up trust and a good reputation, and then quit your day job

3. You’re squared away with healthcare

Healthcare is a major issue facing freelancers today, especially affordable healthcare. Hopefully your spouse is covered and this is one less thing to worry about, but what if she isn’t?  Before you give up a good job with good bennies, understand that you will have to work harder to pay for healthcare. Family plans cost anywhere between $200 and $1000 per month. Can you afford the deduction?

4. You have a quiet space to work

Freelance writers are portable. We’re mobile. We can take our laptops everywhere. However, there are times we need to sit somewhere behind a closed door to do our work in peace and quiet. Designate a quiet space to work away from the hustle and bustle of your home life, it’ll make all the difference in the world.

5. You have the ability to work independently

In theory, being your own boss seems like a wonderful idea. Not everyone is cut out for this type of work though. Not everyone can work every day and meet deadlines without a supervisor standing behind them for motivation. It’s hard. It’s hard to stay focused and hard to keep away from all the distractions at home. It’s hard to stay offline and away from the television. It’s hard to not get up every five minutes to raid the fridge or get another cup of coffee. There will be projects you love and projects you hate but you have to do them all with equal passion. It’s not as glamorous as it looks, be sure you’re ready for it.

6. You’re OK without camaraderie

Working at home is lonely, even with kids. There are no grownups around to talk to. No co-workers to share gossip or go out to lunch with. Sometimes you want to be around people and can’t. Before you leave your job, ask yourself if you’ll really be OK working at home alone every single day.

7. Your family and friends respect your time

If you work at home, will your friends and family call you all the time? If you ask them not to bother you during working hours, will they listen? Will the people at home understand when you tell them you have a job or will they think that because you’re home your door is always open for coffee and babysitting? Be sure you can lay down the ground rules and people will listen.

8. You’re aware of all the rules regarding freelancers and taxes

So you know you have to save money from each pay check to pay taxes, right? And you know you might have to pay quarterly right? Do you know all the rules regarding freelance taxes? Be well versed on it all before leaving your job so you know because you’ll need to prepare right away.

9. You have drive

There’s more to freelance writing than writing. There’s marketing, customer service, bookkeeping and job hunting and you have to stay on top of most of it every single day. You have to have drive and ambition.

10. You understand what you’re getting into

Read all the above and understand everything involved with working independently from home. Read blog posts and articles and let it all sink in. We’re all saying the same things because it’s true. Working at home is lonely, it takes commitment and dedication, and it’s feast or famine. Think about it and prepare for all scenarios.

Though most of us wouldn’t trade our lifestyle for anything, there are plenty of times when it’s difficult to do what we do. Understand what it’s all about and what’s entailed, and then you can think about quitting your day job.