Most everyone knows how important it is to have contacts in business – but did you know keeping up with your contacts is just as important when you work from home, or are starting a home business? Just who are your contacts though, and how do you keep track of them? This blog post will answer those questions. [Read more…] about The Value of Contacts When Working From Home
Get Rid of Writer’s Block and Focus More on Your Writing With Ilys
In this post I wanted to talk about a new site I found that’s great for people who experience writer’s block or who want to find ways to focus more on the writing and spend less time editing. It’s called Ilys, and I found out about it through Amy Lynn Andrews’ website. [Read more…] about Get Rid of Writer’s Block and Focus More on Your Writing With Ilys
Basic Computer Maintenance Tips Part 2 – How to Take Care of the Inside of Your Computer
In a previous post I talked about how to keep the outside of your computer and the other computer components clean – in this post I’ll discuss briefly how to take care of the inside of your computer.
Safeguarding Against Malware
Malware is any type of software that is designed to damage your computer or gain unauthorized access to your personal information. It includes things like viruses, worms, Trojan horses and spyware. Most malware is distributed over the Internet and is often bundled with other software.
The best way to guard against malware is to install anti-virus software on your computer. I personally use McAfee Anti-Virus Software on my computer, I’ve also used Norton’s in the past and both of these are very good. However both of those cost money – if you’re on a budget though, there are some very good free options. These include AVG and Avast. No matter which type of anti-virus software you use, make sure you update it often so your computer can stay safeguarded against all viruses.
Another way to safeguard against malware is to use good common sense – if you receive an email that looks suspicious, don’t open it. Mark it as spam, or just delete it.
Back up Important Files
When you work from home, it’s important to keep all your important information backed up – this includes any files you need for work, such as drafts of articles eBooks you’re writing. You can either use an external hard drive to do this, or a website like Google Drive. You can also use online backup services like Mozy, Carbonite or Box. One drawback to these services is that the initial back up can be slow – it may even take days to upload if you have a lot of files. However once the first backup is complete, subsequent backups won’t take as long.
Other maintenance tips
In addition to the maintenance tips I’ve provided, here are a few others:
- Delete files you no longer need.
- Run the disk defragmenter – If you’re not familiar with the Disk Defragmenter, if you have Windows 7, you can find it by clicking your Start Menu and going to “Accessories,” then “System Tools,” then clicking on “Disk Defragmenter.” The disk defragmenter scans the files in your hard drive and rearranges them so it can read them faster.
- Run a disk cleanup – this is different from scanning your computer for viruses – the Disk Cleanup utility scans your computer for files that can be deleted, such as temporary files. If you have Windows 7, you can find the Disk Cleanup Utility by going to “Accessories,” “System Tools,” then selecting “Disk Cleanup.”
I hope you’ve found these tips helpful. If you have any other tips you’ve used to keep the outside or inside of your computer clean, please feel free to share them.
Basic Computer Maintenance Tips for People Who Work from Home
If you work from home, you probably spend a lot of time in front of your computer. That’s why it’s very important to make sure you maintain your computer properly, both on the inside and on the outside. In this post I’ll provide some basic computer maintenance tips.
The first thing you want to do is keep your computer physically clean. In the following steps I’ll talk about how to clean the various components of your computer: [Read more…] about Basic Computer Maintenance Tips for People Who Work from Home
Is this Craigslist posting a scam?
Found this Craigslist posting this week:
If you’re a college student, single parents or work from home parent, and you have you have some free time for at least ten minutes a day, then I highly suggest you checked out the company I started working for! The wages are awesome and the work is so easy. You must be at at least 18 and have some experience working around a computer!
Please send me a message if you’re interested!