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Key Disadvantages Of Working From Home

Working from the comfort of your own home may sound like a dream come true. However, just like any other working conditions, it has its disadvantages. Be completely honest with yourself and consider these disadvantages before you take the leap!

INCREASE IN UTILITY COSTS

One of the inescapable costs that come with working at home is utility. And if you are inside your home 24/7, it can cause the bills to shoot up!

This is why you should make it a habit to conserve energy through simple strategies such as scheduling your air conditioning use, reducing indoor heat by painting your rooms white, or working at the brightest part of the house.

DECREASE IN SOCIALIZATION

Since most people meet new people and make friends in the workplace, professionals who are working from home may experience loneliness, isolation, and depression. As they are plucked away from your previous co-workers and bosses, staying in touch with them is a must! In fact, Global Workplace Analytics showed that teleworkers who maintain consistent communications with traditional co-workers and bosses find career impact to not be an issue.

You can also use social media or join Yoga groups, photography clubs, or other types of support groups to creatively meet new people whom you share the same interests with.

INCREASE IN DISTRACTIONS

Distractions from accessible electronic devices, noisy family members, and many household tasks can be very disruptive. Sometimes these distractions can draw you away from your career responsibilities and later lower your income. Thus, keep your focused by turning off your devices or by using free Website blocking applications such as SelfControl (for Apple users) and SelfRestraint (for Microsoft users).

Also, use your home office space solely for making projects and crafting items so your brain can associate the space to automatic “work mode”.

DECREASE IN PERSONAL TIME

Based on personal experience, there will be days when you are tempted to work any time when you are hired to work from home. The lack of a management enforcing strict working hours and the lack of physical separation between home and work may add to the pressure of working endlessly.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

So if you are under one company, consider setting your daily hours to avoid phone calls and emails that are conflicting with your personal time. Working from home requires time management and organization skills that not everyone has!

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

Create An Irresistible Window Display To Improve Your Sales In 5 Ways

When you walk pass a shop at Orchard Road, the window display is the first thing that leaves an impression on you and other potential customers.

Visual merchandising, that includes window dressing, is an important tool to engage the customers to go inside and to encourage them to purchase more. Thus, it optimizes the product presentations and the market sales. Aside from this, the significance of window dressing is more than improving sales – it is about building an image!

That said, here are 5 ways to create an eye-catching window display:

1. CHOOSE A THEME

As you are planning your window display, choose a unified theme or message you want to convey. For example, since 2016 is the Year of the Monkey, dress the mannequins with glittery or formal outfits perfect for the parties then fill the backdrop with banana trees and monkeys hanging around them.

Image Credits: displayhunter2.blogspot.com

This uniquely festive jungle theme surely caught some eyes!

2. SHOWCASE A VISIBLE SIGNAGE

An effective signage can bring customers that both walk and drive by. Get the attention of passing motorists and shoppers by making your display larger and by making the colors contrasting.

For example, it is advisable to use yellow background especially with black lettering to convey an informative message as it works best in visually crowded environments. It can also be used with contrasting colors of red and blue.

3. BE DIFFERENT

People love to snap and share aesthetically pleasing places and products on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. Thus, to get noticed and to bring more people in the shop, dress your window in a non-traditional fashion. Put your mannequins upside down or have a music festival backdrop – your imagination is the limit!

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

As window displays change frequently, you must not be afraid to try new ideas and new themes.

4. MAKE A CLEAR FOCAL POINT

Remember those commercial advertisements that stick to people but they forget the product itself? Do not make the same mistake with your window display!

Highlight the products you want to introduce or to feature by strategically grouping products together. For example, if you are featuring a huge tote bag, group it together with smaller purses so it can stand out. When dressing your window, ask yourself where you want the shopper’s eyes to go first and what you want them to view next.

5. BE BOLD

Debbe Hamada, owner of Tilde shop, makes sure that her window display can be see from a distance even though she usually spends less than S$42 (US$30) on it. She uses bold colors and shapes to attract more people in. In fact, 2 out of 10 customers go inside simply because they have seen something colorful in their windows.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

You do not need to be crafty to make a bold statement, simply put the most vibrant products together and create a structure with it such as a pyramid or a diamond.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, & 4

Ways To Be Healthy And Make Money At The Same Time

After eating a lot of food this Holiday season, get back to your desired shape and earn money at the same time by following these five tips:

1. JOIN THE “PACT”

Looking for an efficient motivation to help you stick to your weight loss resolution in 2016? Look no further as GymPact brings you the Pact app! Pact app allows its users to pledge a specific amount alongside the set of days they plan to work out. Users who do not go by the said goal must pay for each day they miss. You earn cash for staying healthy and get paid by “inactive” Pact members. Also, the nutritional option allows you to commit to healthy eating or pay its consequences.

Download it for free on iOS or Android!

2. INCREASE YOUR SALARY

If you are still contemplating on whether or not you must exercise or not then, you must know that regular exercise helps to increase your salary.

In 2012, a study published under the Journal of Labor Research found that employees who exercise regularly earn 9% more than their sedentary counterparts. This may be due to the enhanced mental function, energy levels, and mood. Thus, these improvements make them more valuable to their employers.

3. TRAIN OTHERS FOR A LIVING

If you have passion for fitness, interpersonal skills, and sufficient knowledge to back it up then consider a career as a personal trainer. A personal trainer works directly with the clients to make fitness assessments, set goals, demonstrate exercises, and provide constant feedback to improve the client’s physique.

The salary is usually S$70-90 per session. Aside from getting paid by doing something you love, you can also save money on costly gym or studio memberships.

4. MAKE YOUR OWN HEALTH BLOG

By constantly writing or blogging about a certain topic, you become sort of expert on that topic. The most feasible ways to earn money from your blog are paid advertisements, paid articles, offering fitness courses, and selling health books.

Start by sharing your own wisdom and genuine passion to educate the readers about being in shape. After which, only promote the products and brands that you really believe in.

5. BECOME THE HEAD AT BOOT CAMPS

Whether you believe it or not, some people pay money to be pushed to their limits and scream at for the most parts! If you are knowledgeable about fitness and you are capable to teach a group of people then, consider becoming an instructor at a boot camp. Do the workouts with your students to burn as much calories as you can!

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

5 Books Every Inspired Entrepreneur Shall Read

A good portion of your business decisions are usually influenced by personal experiences. However, as a budding entrepreneur, you will be able to grow by seeking the knowledge and advice of the successful people before you. What better way to start than by reading books that can inspire you?

That said, here are “5 Books Every Inspired Entrepreneur Shall Read”:

1. THE EFFECTIVE EXECUTIVE BY PETER DRUCKER

For Peter Drucker, an effective execute gets the right things done. To do so, he identifies the five practices that are essential to the business, namely: setting right priorities, managing time, making effective decisions, knowing how and where to deploy strength, and choosing what to contribute to an organization.

Image Credits: facebook.com/UnleashUrBiz

Filled with insights and perspectives into seemingly obvious scenarios, this book has been inspiring people for over 45 years.

2. TRIBES BY SETH GODIN

In this book, Seth Godin argues that with our modern world, everyone has the opportunity to start a movement and to bring a group of like-minded people together. He refers to this fanatical group of people as a tribe. Examples of tribes are those who follow the latest offerings of Apple and Starbucks.

Image Credits: facebook.com/tribesbysethgodin

According to him, if you are an entrepreneur who wishes to have a loyal following, a great tool to use is the Internet. Furthermore, he highlights the importance of uniqueness and fulfilling unmet needs to the overall growth of the business.

3. THE INNOVATOR’S DILEMMA BY CLAYTON CHRISTENSEN

“The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail” is a bestselling classic by the businessman and Harvard professor – Clayton Christensen. This book comes from the idea that businesses will decline innovations based on the assumption that consumers cannot currently use them. Thus, these potentially great ideas only go to waste.

Image Credits: facebook.com/HBR

By knowing this dilemma and using it to your advantage, you can be able to beat other businesses in their own markets.

4. TO SELL IS HUMAN BY DANIEL PINK

In this fascinating read, Daniel pink offers a fresh perspective at the science and art of selling. Although you may not consider yourself as a salesman or saleswoman, all entrepreneurs must understand how to sell and this book teaches you how to. It breaks down the stigmas about salesmanship and manifests the uncomplicated strategy for moving others.

Image Credits: facebook.com/ToSellIsHumanTheSurprisingTruthAboutMovingOthers

5. CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL AND AMY WALLACE

“Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration” is one of the small amount of prime books about creative leadership and business. It is filled with meaningful insights about what develops, drives, and sustains an innovative culture.

Written by the Co-founder and President of Pixar and Disney Animation Studios Ed Catmull with the help of a journalist named Amy Wallace, this interesting read is a must not only for entrepreneurs but also for business leaders!

Image Credits: facebook.com/CreativityIncBook

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

5 Noticeable Differences Between Public And Private Housing In Singapore

As most of you may know, public housings (excluding the executive condominiums) are usually built without the amenities of the private condominiums such as swimming pools, tennis courts, and playgrounds.

Aside from these varied amenities, there are other noticeable differences you must take into consideration when purchasing a home in Singapore. Here are some of them:

1. FINANCIAL GAINS

Whether the purpose of your purchase is solely for your occupation or for your investment, you are surely hoping that your property will increase in value as years go by. According to recent evidence, private condominiums surpassed HDBs (Housing and Development Board) in terms of capital gains. This is observed in almost every locations.

Why is this so?

Well, since HDBs are subsidized by the government, foreigners are not allowed to purchase them. So the higher gains of private condominiums in a period of time may be due to the broader range of buyers it cater to. In contrast with HDBs, you can rent out your private flat with no limitations and no minimum years of stay! These things make private condominiums a better choice for property investment alone.

2. RESTRICTIONS FOR FOREIGNERS

Landed properties are stricter to foreigners too as they need the government’s permission from the Land Dealings Approval Unit. Quoting the Singapore Land Authority:

“The ownership of such properties (landed residential properties) by foreigners is restricted to those who make adequate economic contribution to Singapore. The ownership restrictions are provided in the Residential Property Act.”

While private condominiums are more flexible to foreigners as they just need to pay the Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain

3. OCCUPANCY REGULATIONS

If you are going to sell your home, there are notable differences between private and public flats. For public housing, in order to rent out your entire flat or sell it, you must first occupy the property for at least 5 years. While for private housing, there is no minimum amount of occupancy. Your only main concern is the Seller Stamp Duty that you are selling your private flat within the first four years of purchase.

4. CPF SCHEMES

The Central Provident Fund (CPF) has two distinct schemes for private and public housing. For buying new or resale HDBs, you can avail the Public Housing Scheme (PHS) wherein you can use your CPF Ordinary Account. Use the PHS to finance the flat’s purchase price, housing loan instalments, stamp duty, legal fees, and other upgrading costs. But this comes with two catches: valuation and withdrawal limits.

On the other hand, Private Properties Scheme (PPS) to buy or build private properties for either personal or investment purposes. Use the PPS to pay the flat’s purchase price, housing loan instalments, construction loan, stamp duty, legal fees, and other upgrading costs. As the PHS, PPS comes with valuation and withdrawal limits.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain

May this guide help you to decide the housing type that suits you best! 🙂

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5

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