Most retired baby boomers have tried their hands at a variety of home-based careers and businesses, from writing to consulting to even crafting, either full time or part time. Yes, more and more baby boomers are now choosing to work from home, either starting their own businesses or blending their post-retirement leisure time with their already established careers. This can be a daunting aspect that requires loads of direction, motivation and of course tweaking!

So, if you’re contemplating jumping off the corporate ladder to start your own business, or if you have just retired and need that extra income, then here are a few tips to help make you work better from home:

• List the necessities – Even if you are only working part time, you must make sure that you have everything that you need at hand. Nothing is more irritating that spending hours looking for a paper clip or a postage stamp or the stapler. Make a list of all the essential items that you require and take a trip down to your local office supply store just to stock up.

• Get Professional – When working from home, get a separate business phone number. Or, you could use your cell phone especially for business calls. A FAX line is another useful option.

• Get Computer Savvy – Now that you are working from home, its time to replace that old virus infested desktop computer with a trendier, faster laptop to save space. Check out the latest copier machines and all-in-one inkjet printers. It is unbelievable how an all-in-one would fit comfortable on your work desk and still not take up too much space.

• Get good quality chairs – If your work involves a lot of sitting, then getting comfortable furniture is very important. Good quality chairs will allow you to sit for hours on end at your desk without really straining your neck and back. This could be the best investment you might make, so don’t scrounge.

• Make your workplace pleasant – Make your workplace look appealing. Fill it with things that relax, uplift and inspire you. Choose colors that appeal to you and fill the room with soft lights. Yes, effective lighting makes a difference to breezing through your daily work and meeting deadline, and straining yourself out and getting worked up long before your deadline. Lamplights and soft lights that don’t cast shadows or glare are the best options.

• Keep time aside for Personal calls – All the time you spend working at the desk should be taken seriously. So, never take personal calls while working. Don’t encourage guests and visitors to drop in during working hours and stick to your regular schedule.

• Make a time table for yourself – Make sure that you are isolated from all distractions while working. Don’t take unnecessary breaks and avoid chatting online, or even doing the housework. These distractions could get in the way of your work and render you less productive.

It takes a unique work style and personality to actually carry off the whole ‘working-at-home’ effort

ASHBURN, Va. — A Loudoun County nonprofit is encouraging its staff to stay home during the week — not because it doesn’t want them in the office, but to save on the rising cost of gasoline.

The National Recreation and Park Association will experiment with a system starting next week.

Its 70 employees will be encouraged to work a four-day week or telecommute instead of driving in the Ashburn offices.
 
Chuck Wilsker, president of the D.C.-based Telework Coalition, said a survey in 2005 found that 45 million Americans telecommute.

Telecommuting once a week could save 20 percent in fuel consumption, and save money for those living on nonprofit salaries.

The recreation and park association is following a national trend. But some wonder if an employee is as productive working from home.

Many said they are as productive, or even more, because they have fewer distractions and enjoy working from home, so want to prove that the system works.

 1.    ESTABLISH BOUNDARIES BETWEEN WORK AND HOME
 
  Schedule how many hours you will spend at work and stay focused on achieving your three or four most important work goals for the week or day. Work hard at work but know when to go home and when you get there, be at home. Spend quality time engaged in self-renewing activities with people you care about. Women who are well-balanced thrive more in both environments. 
 
2.    PREPARE THE NIGHT BEFORE
 
  For busy moms and women, every minute in the morning is precious. Get out the door faster by preparing the night before. Pre-pack lunches, backpacks and purses; coordinate bathroom schedules; plan and lay out clothes; and review the following day’s schedule before going to bed at a good time.  
   
3.    TAKE TIME FOR WEEKLY AND DAILY PLANNING
 
  Set aside 20 minutes each week and 10 minutes each day to plan your time and schedule, including the most important goals, tasks and appointments. Reviewing your week and day can also give you added insight as to how you can better manage your time. 
 
   
4.    WRITE IT DOWN
 
  Remembering everything without recording it is a challenge that eludes even the brightest minds. Use a planning tool, either a paper planner or planning software and a handheld device, to enter your goals, tasks, appointments and contacts. 
     
5.    GROUP LIKE TASKS
 
  Grouping similar tasks or tasks that can be completed together will maximize your time. If you have to revisit the same store multiple times for things that could have been purchased the first trip, you are spending not saving time. 
     
6.    SAY "NO"
 
  When presented with a new opportunity on which to spend your time, ask yourself, "What is the wisest and best use of my time right now and what do I have to remove from my schedule in order to make time for this?" If the given opportunity does not meet that criterion, appropriately and graciously say, "No." 
     
7.    ESTIMATE YOUR TIME
 
  The easiest way to get overwhelmed is by being unrealistic about how long it takes to complete certain tasks. Realistically estimate how long each of your goals or tasks will take to complete and schedule the appropriate amount of time into your planning system. 
     
8.    BE FLEXIBLE
 
  Circumstances change, and new opportunities can be both urgent and important. Be flexible and willing to change your schedule and reprioritize it to accomplish something that is most important. 
    
9.    ESTABLISH ROUTINES
 
  Guarantee that you make time for what is important by creating routines. Set aside a regular time in the day to spend time with your spouse, kids, or on those activities that are important to you in your life. For example, spend time each night talking with your family about their day or time exercising. 
     
10.    MAKE "ME-TIME" A PRIORITY – RENEW YOURSELF
 
  One of the number one complaints women have about their over-packed schedule is the lack of time for self. Self-renewal leads to having a more balanced life. Make time in your schedule for activities (physical health, escape and people) which are renewing and re-energizing. 

Non-Medical Home Care Business
Home care business and work from home careers in the United States is a diverse and dynamic service industry. Approximately 20,000 providers deliver home care services to nearly 8 million individuals who require services because of acute illness, reoccurring health conditions, permanent disability, or terminal illness.

Annual expenditures for home health care are projected to be just under $50 billion in 2007. Home care business in a work from home career is a broad term that describes a wide variety of health related services provided in the home setting. Home care is health care brought to your home to maintain or restore your health and well-being.

Non Medical Home Care providers represent a rapidly growing trend to allow people needing help to remain in their home or in the community.

Services offered in a home care business career may include meal preparation, administering of medication, assistance with activities of daily living (ambulatory care, bathing, grooming, feeding) etc. The providers of home care business services receive reimbursement directly from families; from other care providers whom they subcontract for or from long term care insurance.

Augmentation Trends in the industry
Senior citizens are one of the fastest growing population groups in the United States. The senior population has grown about twice as fast as the overall population since the early 1980s. The growth is also expected to continue early in the second decade of the new century when baby boomers turn 65. Seniors aged 85 and over are the fastest growing segment of the overall senior population.

Consequently, the demand for Non Medical home care business work from home careers is also growing.

As Americans age, most will remain in their own homes. Nearly 7 out of 10 older Americans own their own residence and most have no plans to move. As a result, fewer seniors are getting the help they need with simple daily functioning.

For example, in 1990, 80 percent of seniors needing help to prepare their meals reported that someone was available to help them; by 2001, that had dropped to just 60 percent. Overall, from 1988 to 2001 there was a huge decrease in the numbers who reported that they had spouses, relatives, friends or neighbors to provide personal care or assistance.

Today, an ever-increasing senior population has fewer resources available to help them with the daily tasks of living. At the same time, older adults have longer life expectancies than ever before. By remaining in their own homes, seniors can retain an important sense of independence. This is where a home care business where you work from home careers is important and provides what our seniors need.
Until recently, however, few choices were available to seniors who wished to remain at home but did not require medical assistance. Medical Home Care can be costly, since most professionals must be registered nurses or nurses’ assistants. In addition, they may balk at performing light housekeeping tasks. Home care business work from home careers is a great solution as overhead is lower, but quality of contact and the sense of being in a family environment so important.
Non-medical caregivers can also form strong bonds with the senior’s family. Indeed, in order to ensure a good match, it is key that the caregiver interviews with the family as well as the client. Home care business work from home careers best work when everyone involved feels comfortable.

In the end, Non-Medical Home Care is an option that allows the senior to remain in the home without feeling overwhelmed. The senior receives the assistance and companionship required, the family enjoys peace of mind that a beloved parent, aunt or uncle is not struggling with the simple tasks of everyday living and you get the opportunity to start one of the fastest growing business that will continue to grow well into the future.