 You've been working hard, and now it's time for a quick break! If you freelance or work from home, you know it can become difficult to remember to take a break. However, stepping away from work is a good way to recharge! Take these time-outs every day and you'll find yourself feeling better about working! Check Email It's a bad habit to have your email open as you work. It can be distracting and throw off your rhythm. Keep it closed and check it on breaks to see if a client has any new work or if any queries you sent received responses. Stretch Hunching over a computer can stiffen your muscles quickly. Get up and stretch during break times. You'll feel rejuvenated! Tidy Up Working as a freelancer can mean that while work is your focus, you tend to forget other tasks like chores. Do a quick task while you have a break, such as unloading the dishwasher or changing a load of laundry through. Clear Your Mind When you freelance, your mind tends to go a mile a minute. There is so much to accomplish, but so little time to do it all. It's essential to think of other things throughout the day so stress doesn't take over. Whether this means you need to take a short walk or break for an hour to de-stress, clearing your thoughts is important to avoid burn-out. Add Comment Murphy's Laws for Freelancing 05/03/2012
 A quick note from Megan Harris, writer/editor at MeganWrites Media Murphy's Law is an adage that states, "Anything that can go wrong, will." However, one might say that the opposite can be true, too, in some cases! I have experienced the opposite situation this week - you might change the saying for me to, "Everything that can go right, does." Here are just a few examples of how freelancing the past two weeks has turned Murphy's Law on its head. Apply for a full-time job; receive 4-5 freelance leads This just happened to me. Last Thursday, I took a clerical test for a government position in my county. Since I am studying Public Administration in my Masters program, I thought it might be worth pursuing. I love to freelance, but I also like to keep my options open. As a result, I received about five leads this week on jobs and projects as a freelancer! Move a client to Past Client list; receive email from them about more work I use a client tracking spreadsheet to keep track of past client contact information, current projects and future clients. It's helpful for me to use this to have a real-time understanding of projects as they happen. When I haven't heard from a client in a while, I move them from the Present Clients list to the Past Clients list. It keeps everything streamlined and allows me to continue pursuing prospective leads. But when I did that this week for a client that wasn't returning my emails, they contacted me about half an hour later with more work! Imagine that! Update Skype profile; talk to a fellow freelancer half an hour Since I updated MeganWrites Media's look this week, I thought it would be best to put that look on all my profiles. As I opened Skype to change the profile image, a freelancer started to message me. We talked for a full half hour and it ended up being a pretty good discussion. If I hadn't thought to change the look, the conversation might not have happened! Have you experienced a similar situation as a freelancer? I'd love to hear about it!  In the freelance world, there is constant debate as to whether contractors should specialize in a particular area or work as a Jack or Jill of all trades. Experts debate frequently over what is "better" for the freelance lifestyle. So who is right? If you choose to work as a specialist, you might find your income increase as demand for your expertise increases. Thus, you can raise your rates frequently and find clients willing to pay top dollar for your services. However, one downfall of working as a specialist might be that work can become repetitive and, thus, less exciting. Generalists, on the other hand, can find themselves writing biographies one day, editing a book the next, or writing blogs in a variety of niches each week. While they may not have the polished skills of a specialist, they can net income from a number of sources and keep working on becoming skilled in a number of areas rather than one. What's the right answer? There is none! Working as either a specialist or generalist can be quite rewarding. If you decide to work as a specialist and change to a generalist later, there are always free resources available to you. If you, instead, work as a generalist, then choose to specialize, you can still find help from other specialists and sources. The true success from freelancing comes from constantly desiring to learn new things. Read many books and talk to other freelancers. As Steve Jobs said, "Stay hungry. Stay foolish." Learn consistently about your trade and try new things. You will find happiness if you work hard for it!  When you become a freelancer, you bring with you a certain skill set. Perhaps you are great at graphic design or worked as a copywriter in the past. Using those skills is great, but eventually you have to hone one other important skill. Can you guess what it is? Confidence. At some point in your work, you will find that your confidence will be what sets you apart from others in the freelance world. Take this example, for instance: A client is down to two people for their project. They can either choose you or one other candidate. Each of you is equally talented at what you do. Each of you has the portfolio and knowledge the client needs for their project. Who should they choose? If you exude confidence, they will likely you choose you! Some ways to show you are confident include:
4 Common Wedding Blog Posts 04/11/2012
 A quick note from Megan Harris, writer/editor at MeganWrites Media Writing for a number of wedding websites has afforded me the opportunity to see what blogs work for certain audiences and what ones do not. While traditional social media thinking advocates blogging daily, some wedding professionals think this can be excessive. Chris Boulton from the Think Like a Bride blog writes that posting blogs for the sake of updating your site is a waste of time and does not give your blog the rich content it deserves.  Here are four common blog posts that offer content-rich opportunities to showcase your business and attract new clients. 1. Real Wedding Posts Posting about a real wedding, complete with pictures and anecdotes from the event, are heart-warming to read and can showcase your talent as a DJ, photographer, caterer, or whatever! If you do not have photos from the event, ask the bride to supply some for your blog or partner with the photographer in exchange for credit for their work on your site. 2. Before/After Posts Do you work in lighting or decorating for weddings? Use photos in your blog with some commentary of the before and after from setting up the venue! Send the finished post to the managers of the venue and offer use of the photos on their site. Establishing those relationships is important to your success! 3. Problem-Solving Posts Let's say you help with a wedding that runs into a snag. Perhaps the bride is running late, equipment is missing or an issue arises with the venue. Talk about the problem and how you helped to solve it on your blog. This shows you are not only a professional, but work with couples to make their big day special. 4. Advice Posts One of the most common posts, advice posts may get lost easily in the blogosphere if you fail to put thought into them. Give tangible solutions to common problems that occur during the wedding planning process. Offer free consultations to couples planning their wedding with a subtle call to action at the end of the blog post.  You're taking the plunge and have just received the go-ahead from your first contract client. You're officially a freelancer! It's exciting to begin the steps towards freelancing, but it can be daunting, too. You might have rose-colored glasses on right now, so you're flying high. Get grounded soon and learn about the five common challenges independent contractors face. 1. Finding Work - One of the biggest challenges you will face in your freelance career will be finding regular, steady work. Even professionals can face times of feast and famine, but being prepared for them makes all the difference. 2. Gaining Great Clients - As a new freelancer, you will find that some of your clients are your saving grace, while others will make you want to tear your hair out. Good communication and clear expectations can make all the difference in finding great clients. You can do it! Don't give up too soon; you will find some awesome clients. 3. Learning about the Trade - Whether you decide to specialize in your freelance career or be a generalist, you will need to learn more about your trade as you go along. This may involve investing in books or courses that can help you hone your skills, but they will be worth it! Make sure you try out some free resources, too, and look on all the freelance blogs out there to learn from others who have been in your shoes.  4. Getting Paid on Time - Even skilled professionals may face times when clients pay late. Learn to use contracts and have your clients sign them before work begins. Freelancers Union's Contract Creator is one of the best tools for newbie freelancers needing client contracts. Give it a try! 5. Setting - and Raising - Your Rates - Having a good idea of what to charge is a constant struggle for professional freelancers. Whether you write, work in graphic design, or consult as a freelancer, you will surely face this challenge. You will also find that, over time, you will need to begin raising your rates. Raise them as your skills improve or as you become too busy to take on many new clients. Check out this post from Freelance Switch about raising your client rates. Creating Spring Business Goals 03/20/2012
 It's finally spring! While it might not feel like it in your area, in St. Louis the rain has been pouring down in sheets and the flowers and trees are soaking it up for all its worth. Perhaps the weather is making up for our lack of snow this winter. Spring is a time for renewal and reflection, as well as planning for the future. It's time to evaluate your business goals and create new ones! Here are some goals MeganWrites Media hopes to achieve this spring:
5 Lessons "Shark Tank" Can Teach Businesses 03/09/2012
 The TV show Shark Tank, which airs on ABC Fridays at 8/7c, is reaching the end of Season 3, which concludes April 27th. The show chronicles the exploits of various entrepreneurs that face "the sharks," a group of well-known investors, with their product pitches. Some products and services flop, but some remain in negotiation and see success from gaining the backing of one of the sharks. It's likely your business will not face the sharks of Shark Tank someday. If you get lucky, though, you can be prepared for that fateful day! 1. Create a Fantastic Pitch The successful businesses that receive backing from the sharks start with a great pitch! You can create one for your business, too! A first step towards making a great pitch is practicing your elevator pitch. This is a great way to develop a pitch that could be used to talk to investors! 2. Learn the Power of Negotiation Once you've sold your business services or products, learn that negotiation is a necessary part of any discussion. The sharks use it regularly to propose the terms, so learn the give-and-take of compromise. 3. Utilize the Power of Partners Partnerships will make your business strong! Check out our post on partnering with others for more ideas. 4. Communicate Effectively Negotiating is all about communication. Whether or not you get a chance to stand in front of investors or are speaking at an event in your industry, you need to get your ideas across clearly and concisely. You might not get a second chance! 5. Don't be Afraid to Walk Away Not every partnership is going to work out. Not every deal that comes your way is a good deal. Knowing when to cut your losses and walk away is key for businesses of all sizes. Maybe you're not a good fit or you know someone else that would be better. Do what you think needs to be done, even if that means stepping away and finding something else. Celebrating Business Milestones 03/05/2012
 You've come a long way in your business! You've met some of your key goals and are on your way to becoming even more successful. First of all, congratulations! You have accomplished so much and you have met important milestones. That's really great! Perhaps that means your small business has reached more customers. Maybe you have reached a certain dollar amount in revenue or gained the trust of an important colleague. How should you celebrate your accomplishments? You could:
How to Un-Stick Your Motivation 02/08/2012
 You might find that some work weeks are super-productive. You accomplish everything you had in front of you and feel good about your work. Great job! However, other weeks you can feel completely unmotivated. Perhaps you have a lot of stress in your personal life, or just can't shake that tired feeling when you wake up in the morning. Maybe you slept poorly. Whatever the reason, feeling the slump at work is tough. Here are five ways you can get back into the swing of things in your work life (with ideas from some of our Facebook fans at the MeganWrites Media Facebook page)!  A few Facebook fans recommended taking a break and doing something else. Melinda, for example, suggests doing something boring like house chores. But what if you work in an office away from home? Rather than doing chores at home, answer some emails, check your voicemail messages, or do something mundane rather than the project you're dreading.  Allison takes advantage of the break through taking her mind off of work with gaming! Quick games are a great way to get motivated again! However, don't game too long - those tasks won't complete themselves!  Kimberly finds taking a walk is helpful for motivation! Plus, it's exercise, so it's good for you! Facebook fan Rachel shared a link to the video below from the Go Go's song, Vacation. Music is a great way to elevate your mood and can help with motivation as well. Use websites like Pandora or Spotify to find music that puts you in the right mind to work. What tips would you offer to someone struggling with motivation at work? | Official Blog of MeganWrites Media
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