Work smart as an article writer

In the morning your mind is fresh, fortified after coffee, you have had your fix and you are ready to plunge in. Hold on. Take a few sane minutes and plan your day. This writer knows all too well the pitfalls of poor planning and distractions which can cut a good working day in half. Here are some suggestions on how to get the most out of your work day – so that when you relax you can do so one hundred per cent.

Planning your day – Do not do a little here, a little there and confuse yourself with what is most important to do first. If you have clients to contact, do all your calls in the morning when you are at peak performance. Make list of the articles you want to write about.

Research – Look over the articles you have to write and do all your research at the same time. Do not go from topic to topic or site to site; have your information ready so that you can just write. Take a look at your list of keywords and write down ideas that come to mind.

Keeping records – if you hate the paperwork involved, doing your accounts, calculating taxes for the government, do not put off doing it as it can spoil your day. Do everything you hate most first thing in the morning so that you do not have to stress about the paperwork waiting for you.

Start writing – as soon as you have drawn up a schedule, follow it and vow to write a certain number of articles for the day, and do it. Have a hearty lunch, go for a short walk, and get to the laptop to continue writing. Be ambitious but not too much as you will find yourself biting off more than you can chew. Writing is fun after all and you are not just spewing words out onto a page for the sake of making your word count; you are trying to inform, educate and entertain; do not lose sight of your objective. Stretching your legs every two hours is good not only for your health but it also allows you time to ponder the next article.

Do not multi-task – It is okay to do several things at once when you are serving someone a hamburger at a burger joint and can take orders and serve coffee all at once; it is not all right to do this with articles and clients who are relying on you to deliver well-written articles.  If you are an individual rather than a business do not take on more than you can handle. If you are lucky enough to land a client who wants on-going writing you have the best of both worlds; at least for a day.

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Canadian small business grants

Visit the Centre for Small Business Financing for everything you want to know about grants and loans to expand your business. Take a look at the different types of programs and the federal and provincial programs available to it. Do you need funding in the form of grants and subsidies? Loans, tax breaks? Depending on the size and the kind of business you are in will determine whether you qualify for a grant or loan funding up to $10 million.

Types of funding programs

·         Low-interest or no-interest loans, Government Guaranteed Loans.

·        Grants and subsidies; one-time and renewable, Conditionally Repayable Contribution, Equity financing.

·        Tax Refunds or Tax Credits.

Business advantages

·        Access to Resources: Government Insurance against business risks, government relocation incentives and government information and services.

Various programs

Go online for a list of funding programs offered by the federal and provincial governments. The list is a long one and includes recipients such as Aboriginal Business Canada, BizPal, Business Services Canada, Business Immigration Program, Business Solutions Consulting Group and many more names. The Centre wants you to know that they are not connected with funding programs and no claim can be made that funding is due to the Centre unless so stated. For advice and personal experiences go online to read success stories and advice from recipients who have benefited.

Grants and loans facts

While a grant can be a good option and source of funding, you have a better chance of accessing programs which provide small Canadian businesses through loans – meaning that if you do not get lucky with the banks, you should not throw in the towel. It is said that government loans are better than bank loans. They may offer highly competitive rates or be non-repayable. Government loans are also more likely to be unsecured which means you do not have to put up collateral. To see how much you might be eligible to receive take a minute and fill out an online form for the results. Where is your business located? What business was generated in the last two years? Complete the short form giving your personal and business information, type of industry and financing needs and you have an idea of how much money you might qualify for. Do not give up. Go online and apprise yourself of the facts. 

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Is your au pair depressed?

Having an au pair makes sense when you are working parents and need someone to look after the kids but it should not be forgotten that au pairs are people too and should not be looked upon as maids to pick up after your children. They are mostly exchange students or young adults taking a gap year and are there to learn another language, enjoy the culture as well as care for the children. If your au pair becomes morose it is because she misses home and longs for her family. Make her feel comfortable and ask her if she wants to call home. Here is an easy way to integrate her into the family.

Introducing her to the neighbors

Finding a good au pair takes a little time as it involves research and registration as most au pairs are from Europe and other parts of the world. She has her own bedroom and is there to learn and look after the kids. Meeting the neighbors is important for her as she makes new friends and can go out and visit the sites in her spare time. Give her the phone number in the event she gets lost, and also a time by which you would like her to be home.

Feeling depressed

It is very normal for an au pair to feel down. She misses her family and her own surroundings. Let her call home once a week and speak for five or ten minutes. This will do her the world of good because she is in a strange country and far away. She needs to hear their voices and know how the family is doing. She will feel much better after the call.

Duties and responsibilities

Treat her like your own child and give her a list of duties to perform. Make sure that everything you agree upon is in a contract. An au pair’s duty for the most part is the care of the children; taking them to school, picking them up, cleaning the dishes and light duties to keep the house clean. She is not there to paint and wash the floor; her duties do not include washing dishes repeatedly.

Integrate her into the family

When you are at home, give her the evening off. Be generous with her free time. Going out with friends and having fun must be part of the deal. If she is good with the kids it is a huge plus. Go out as a family, introduce her to relatives, take her with to the park, and give her time to study. Have her understand that the kids are your first priority. Make her feel important and part of the family. If she appears sad and depressed, let her call home.  Always think of how you would like your own kids to be treated, and treat her with the same love and respect. Having a happy au pair in the house is a blessing when you have kids.  

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