Should You Let You Employees Work From Home? | Getentrepreneurial.com

May 16, 2014May 16, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

In May 2013, the Trades Union Congress revealed that 13% more people in the United Kingdom were working from home than was the case five years previously. In the United States, the Telework Research Network revealed in February 2013 that one in five American workers were based at home for at least one day per week, and forecast a 63% increase in home working over the next five years. But is it a good idea to let staff work from home?

Reasons why home working may be good

Increased productivity

Many people who have worked from home have reported that they get a lot more done than if they were at work. At home, there are no distractions from work-related phone calls and interruptions from colleagues. At home, people can also control the heating or ventilation to their satisfaction.

Mobile Number Bank Account | CoolBusinessideas.com

May 15, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

RekIn October 2013 Indonesian bank CIMB Niaga launched its Rekening Ponsel (‘Mobile Phone Account’) service. Via the service, bank customers can use their mobile number to pay at major merchants across Indonesia: users give their phone number to the merchant and enter a confirmation PIN on their phone. Customers can also use their phone number at any CIMB Niaga ATM to withdraw cash, and use Rekening Ponsel to pay utility bills and transfer money to peers who do not have bank accounts.

7 Baffling Office Mysteries, Solved by Science | Mashable

May 15, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Mysteries aren’t exclusive to the Bermuda Triangle or the Loch Ness Monster. If you think about it, there are puzzling aspects of life we overlook each and every day. These mysteries can be found in even the most mundane of places — the office.

We delved into the science behind your home away from home. Why is it so hard to resist those free donuts? What’s the psychology behind the work crush? What’s the deal with coffee only staining your favorite mug at the level of the brew?

3 Marriage-Saving Approaches to Take if Your Spouse’s Spending is Out of Control | The Simple Dollar

May 14, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Approach your spouse with love, not anger. If you are actually angry about your spouse’s financial choices, you’re not in the right mindset to sit down and talk about things. Anger will solve nothing. It merely turns the discussion into an “I’m right and you’re wrong” competition.

Set goals together, watch the progress, and hold each other accountable. If you have different goals for the future, it’s going to be hard to make progress. Instead, you need to find goals that you share. What do you both want to achieve?

Regardless of your situation, a successful marriage requires commitment from both partners. If you’re not both willing to take steps and work hard to save the marriage, it’s not going to work. This does not mean simply giving in to all of the wishes of your partner. It means finding common ground that you’re both happy with.

Fight over Solar Power Returns to White House Roof [Video] | Scientific American Blog Network

May 14, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The sunshine that warms Washington, D.C. is once again generating electricity for the White House. After an absence of nearly 30 years, the Obama administration has announced that a 6.3 kilowatt photovoltaic installation of the “typical size for an American house,” is back on the White House roof and generating power.

The Obama administration had announced in 2010 plans to add solar but red tape and the White House’s status as a historic and working government building slowed progress. “It’s a really important message that solar is here,” said Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz in a video highlighting the now complete installation. “We are doing it. We can do a lot more. I am very bullish on the future of solar as a key part of our clean energy future.”

See video and Read More.

4 Productivity Killers – And How You Can’t Avoid Them|Getentrepreneurial.com

May 14, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Straight up, today’s story is some truth telling and what you absolutely need to hear especially if you work from home OR have kids OR run your own business OR work on line. If none of these apply to you, you might find it interesting anyway!

About being productive….

The ironic thing is that when I have enough time to actually take extra time for me and for my various projects – I’m the most unproductive. Is that weird?

If I have a quieter week, you’d imagine I’d be getting all kinds of cool stuff completed right? Wrong.

Just when I breathe out a sigh of ‘thank goodness I have a little extra time this week’, those damn temptations slip in and kill my productivity.

So here’s what the top four killers are and how you can’t do anything to avoid them (aka. What you have to do to survive!!)

Millennials Less Likely to Relocate Than Previous Generations | Mashable

May 13, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ 1 Comment

Yang belongs to the age group, adults under 35, that’s traditionally the most mobile part of an American work force constantly on the move since the 19th century. Now, that’s changing as members of the millennial generation, the estimated 85 million born from 1981 through 2000, prove less restless than their forebears. The standstill may be holding back recovery in the labor and housing markets.

“They remain stuck in place,” said William Frey, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington who specializes in migration issues. “The recent slowdown is really an interaction of demographics and a continued housing- and labor-market freeze. Millennials are mired down, very cautious about buying a home or moving to new areas.”

Senate bill shines light on the energy-water nexus | Scientific American Blog Network

May 12, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

In the United States, 410 billion gallons of water are withdrawn for use each day. Almost half (49%) of this water is used by the power sector. On the other side, more than 12%of the nation’s energy use is used to meet the country’s water and steam demand.

In other words – a lot of water is used for energy and significant energy is used for water.

This concept is at the core of a new bill in the U.S. Senate, which focuses on the connections between energy and water systems in the United States.

Roth IRAs and the Fear of Future Legislation | The Simple Dollar

May 12, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

When people realize how incredible the deal is for a Roth IRA, they’re often in disbelief. After all, it lets you earn tax-free income in retirement. No federal income taxes, period, on money taken out of a Roth IRA when you’re at retirement age (and at a few other life opportunities, too).

Before we head too far down this road, let’s touch on what a Roth IRA is. I spelled it out in my earlier Roth IRA basics article, but here are the key things you need to know:

The Rise of Generation C | Getentrepreneurial.com

May 12, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Generation Y is a term which is often used to describe those born between 1980 and 1991. This group are the generation of the digital age or the first ‘digital natives’. Generation Y are seen as a powerhouse of potential for the workforce as well as an essential group of consumers. This mobile generation are shaping the future. Following Generation Y is not Generation Z, but Generation C.

Who is Generation C?

Generation C gets its namesake as this generation flourishes on Connection, Community, Creation and Curation. Generation C is not traditional in the sense it is not defined by their age, though are often found to be under 35. Generation C covers all who have embraced technology, shape opinion and lead on thought.