I have been working from home now for about a year and a half.  In that time, there have certainly been ups and downs. My family and I have been making it as God provides. There is much that I have learned and continue to learn that I want to share in the hope that I can help other families get established with their own business. With that being said, I’m back writing for this blog.  I will bring you information, ideas, and offers that will help you build your business.  I look forward to interaction in the comments section as we discuss things and help each other.

God bless, Mike

My goal to work at home has been realized. There is much work to make it a success, but I am at home and working! This is likely the last post on DW@H. While I would like to continue this blog as a way to help other fathers work at home to be with their family, I can’t see it happening just now.

I am in focus mode.  I need to focus on making my new business a success.  I need to focus on my farm.  Most of all, I need to keep focused on my family and God. As part of this, I am getting rid of some of my websites and online distractions so I can better focus.

God bless, Mike

Two weeks ago was my last day at work. No, I didn’t get fired, rather, I resigned my position as an Information Technology Project Manager in order to start my own business. It is perhaps inaccurate to say that I am starting my own business, as I already have one – it just isn’t making any money! This is better described as a re-start of my business.

What led to this? It was a change in my heart, brought about by God.

Three years ago I moved to a farm that is 80 miles from where I worked. Thankfully, my employer allowed me to work from home two days each week. This helped me make the situation work, for a time. In reality, it just became too much to handle a full-time job, 12 hours a week commuting, a farm, and most importantly my family.

God spoke to my heart through this verse:

There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. — Proverbs 13:7 (KJV)

I had a great job that paid very well, yet things weren’t going right with God and my family. I won’t go into details here, except to say that I found myself always saying that I was too tired, too busy, or too short on time for my wife and children.

I had spent the prior 40 days seeking God’s will about this and some other things that will remain between me and God. Between commuting and the time away from home, I was finding it hard, if not impossible, to be the husband and father that God wants me to be. While I was successful in a material sense, I was not from a relationship sense.

The only real riches are “treasures in heaven” not material wealth here on earth.  These treasures start with my wife and children, extend through my family, then neighbors, acquaintances, and other people I come in contact with. I was not doing a good job with my wife and children, much less anyone else. God woke me up to this.

I had looked at leaving my job before, but the timing wasn’t right.  This time, God gave me the assurance that he will provide for me and my family. I have the skills and ability to develop an on-line business with God’s help.

I will trust God to provide for my family. I will be diligent in building a business from my home on the farm to support us. Whatever comes in the future, I am at peace with this new chapter in my life. I will never regret leaving my job to spend more time with my children while they are still home with my wife and me.

I am looking forward to my new life. It is a blessing from God to take this first step.

Mike

Last year was a dissapointment from an internet marketing perspective, although from a family and spiritual perspective it was a really good year. In 2009 I shut down my e-commerce business, but failed to clearance my inventory. I also subscribed to two internet marketing courses, but failed to keep up with the lessons. I just have to accept that 2009 was not the year for my online business or blogging.

2010 offers a fresh start and I believe it can work.

Here are my goals:

1. Set aside time each week to work on my business.
2. Limit the time I spend on things that distract.
3. Liquidate the remaining physical inventory from my e-commerce site.
4. Read the latest edition of The 4-Hour Workweek and apply the principles to my business.
5. Re-start one of the courses I subscribed to last year.
6. Start earning some income from affiliate marketing.

Now that I have written down my goals, it is time to start working!

Recently, I blogged about several steps I am taking to get focus for my on-line business. I’m eliminating distractions and concentrating on one thing.  The trouble is, I have two (or more) things I am doing and this is causing me to lose focus. I am having great success in eliminating distraction from email. I completed my website update. I got started with affiliate marketing.

There lies the trouble. I only got started, then I stalled. Why did I stall? Of course there are several reasons!

1. I took on a web-redesign project. I am really interesting in doing website upgrades, so that is why I took on the project.  Even that is slow-going – NOT GOOD. This has now become my top priority to finish.
2. I didn’t set aside a definite time to work on affiliate marketing. This will be done, starting with #1 above.
3. Farm-work and my regular job are busy right now.  Both of these will right themselves in due time.

As you can see, I am almost back to navigating some roadblocks, only this time it is not as serious. I believe that website upgrades may be part of my business plan, so this extra project is really worthwhile. I know that I can get back on track, I just need to focus. Lynn Terry posted a great blog about Staying Focused When You Work Online.  There is a lot of good advice in there!