Some of you might be interested in my upcoming teleseminar "Body Image Workshop: Losing Your Weight for Good! Why Diets are out and healthy body image is in!" with special guest, Laura Fenamore, next Tuesday, September 16, 2008. Some of you might also be wondering how this could possibly relate to business? Our body image is the image we have in our heads that is projected when we meet people personally and in business. To help overcome our weight issues or internal body image, we must face it and give ourselves the gift of love--loving ourselves.

I encourage you all - men and women to check it out. If you register, you will receive a complimentary copy of the recorded call.

I hope to 'see' you all there!

	September 2008 September 16, 10:00 am PST - "Body Image Workshop: Losing Your Weight for Good! Why Diets are Out and Healthy Body Image is in!" with my friend, Laura Fenamore. Register online
	October 2008 October 21, 10:00 am PST - "Experience the Joy Repurposing Work Brings" with Sandra Martini. Register online (scroll down through our 2008 Teleseminar listings)
	November 2008 November 18, 10:00 am PST - "Ethically Branding and Marketing Yourself" with Samantha Cardwell-Ward. Register online (scroll down through our 2008 Teleseminar listings)
	December 2008 December 2, 10:00 am PST - "Customer Service is STILL King!" with Carolyn Berg. Register online (scroll down through our 2008 Teleseminar listings)

10 Back to School Tips to Reduce Stress and Stay Sane

by Michelle Ulrich

Getting back into your groove or routine once school starts again can be a bit grueling. I know; I am juggling a lot of different things like hour long commutes round trip twice a day to take my kids to school and back, soccer practice three days a week, soccer games every Saturday and sometimes Sundays, too, plus homework, dinner, not to mention my business and time with my pets and especially, my husband! How do you manage your schedule and stay sane? (I really want to know--send me an email to michelle [at] thevirtualnation.com)

Here are my tips - I hope others will share, too. I'll post the shared tips anonymously on my blog.

1. Quiet time. Get up a little extra early to have your tea or coffee with no one else around to bug you. Set your intentions for the day, plan out your day for personal and business, and meditate or exercise to clear out the fuzzy, sleepy mind.

2. Prepare ahead of time. Pack lunches the night before, help your kids set out their clothes so they can't complain there is 'nothing to wear' when you need to leave the house in 5 minutes, and of course, be ready yourself. Take your shower the night before or as part of your quiet time in the early morning hours.

3. Focus time. Set some time aside before you begin your work day to focus on a project, proposal or other task that you keep putting off due to endless distractions.

4. Block time. Plan out how much time you need to spend on each client per week to spread out their projects and fit in all of your clients each month. Things come up but if you have a 15 hour retainer client, you'll need to spend about 4 hours per week on his/her projects. So, if you plan to work on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 2 hours each day, you'll be right on track by the end of the month. Of course, you can spread things around as needed, but you get the general idea.

5. Food and water. I know, it sounds like prison or jail, but it really is great to have these on hand for me and my kids. When I pick up my teenagers from school they are super tired and hungry (not to mention GRUMPY). So, I usually try to bring a healthy snack and cool water for them to have on the way home. This tends to give them something to do, puts their tummy at ease and reduces the stress for the ride home considerably.

6. Dates. I write everything down in my Outlook calendar - personal and business all in one place. That way I know if I have to go to a soccer game or a business trip. My assistant and I have come up with a great process. I sync my Outlook calendar to my Google calendar (my assistant has access to Google) and then all appointments booked with clients are done through a great little program called, TimeBridge. It seems to work for us.

7. Boundaries. I always strive to keep Mondays and Wednesdays open for projects while Tuesdays and Thursdays are reserved for client meetings, prospect meetings, and etc. I have also eliminated in person meetings as much as possible for two reasons: 1) It sucks up my day like a black hole and 2) I reduce my carbon footprint on the environment by driving less--I already drive 2 hours a day, so, why drive more?

8. Clear expectations. My husband and I sat the girls down at the dining room table at the beginning of the year with clear expectations of what's to come. They can get an after school snack and then do homework. No electronics at all! That's hard to do in our house since I am such a techno geek, but I tell them, I am working and they aren't when online. They've already tried to watch TV when they should be doing homework, but the routine and clear expectations are starting to pay off. There are less arguments and that equals less stress.

9. Get involved. I get involved in my kid's soccer games to reduce stress and if I happen to be yelling, it's actually positive and not about cleaning up their disgusting room for the 100th time. I talk with other parents and get out of my work environment for a change. It's actually nice to talk about things other than work, too. On occasion, I will read a book while I am at practice or a game. The change of scenery is really beneficial to my creativity.

10. Homework. I work when my kids are doing their homework so it appears we're all doing our homework together. I am available for questions as I am in the same room ad it eliminates hiding that they are on MySpace, Facebook or instant messenger. I might be on Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn or even Twitter, but they don't have to know that! <grins>

I hope life in your house and getting back in the groove since school has started isn't too crazy in your house. If it is, try out some of these tips and tricks to see if you can calm your nerves and find some peaceful moments in your day.

© 2008 Virtual Business Marketing, LLC and The Virtual Nation.

If you'd like to reprint this article, please send us an email with your request to admin@virtualbusinessmarketing.com along with the publication title and the date you would like to reprint this article. Our team will review your request and get back with you as soon as possible.

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For more books, check out our online bookstore.

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We're announcing our new staff and volunteers in each ezine to get you motivated to help, too.

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