When I started working from home four and a half years ago, there were two things I absolutely needed. The first I already had: a laptop. Until you get acclimated to the day-to-day operations of your from-home job a laptop is preferable to a desktop, since it affords you maneuverability. The other item: a smartphone. This was back in 2007, before everyone started carrying one, but I’d need one nonetheless. If I’m working from home I’m going to set my own hours, I reasoned. Setting my own hours means I might be out while an important email comes through. I can’t be caught off-guard. And so I upgraded my crappy flip phone to a BlackBerry.

Since then I’ve sought to get every last drop out of my BlackBerry. Part of that is because I run a BlackBerry website that focuses on practical uses for the device. The other part is that I don’t want my $30 monthly data plan to bring me only email and web browsing. No, I want to make sure that I’m getting my money’s worth. For me it has meant making the BlackBerry a personal assistant of sorts. I store all sorts of lists on there, including my grocery list. I use it to record everything I buy. I’ve even used it to help me lose 40 pounds in a year. It’s safe to say that the BlackBerry data plan pays for itself many times over.

Yet I was struck by a strange feeling after getting the new BlackBerry Montana*. It’s a great device — without a doubt the best BlackBerry ever released. That got me excited. But then another thought struck me. Is this really necessary? For me, sure. After all, I write a BlackBerry site and I wouldn’t be of much use if I didn’t actually have a BlackBerry. The thought was for other at-home workers. Is a smartphone really necessary to function while working remotely? Here are a few considerations that factor into this question.

* Bear with me, please, as I try to start a trend here. You see, BlackBerry models have always been named as numbers. The first one I bought was an 8830, and then I got an 8330, and then a 9630, then a 9650, and now a 9930. For the latter two they’ve added the title Bold, but they call about a half dozen different BlackBerry models the Bold. While BlackBerry models are in production phase they get code names. We see these leaked on the internet constantly. The code name for the BlackBerry Bold 9930 was the Montana. That is much easier for distinction purposes than the 9930. What’s easier to remember, 9930 or Montana? That’s what I thought. /rant

Your boss

If you’re among the lucky at-home workers who answers to no one, congratulations. We all want to be our own boss one day, so you’ve captured the dream. If you are your own boss, you likely deal with clients and perhaps you deal with employees. Since clients can come calling at any, and since employee management is a round-the-clock task, chances are you need a smartphone. There doesn’t seem to be any way around this.

For those of us who answer to someone, it’s going to depend on how that someone operates. I happen to rank among the luckier ones. My boss does not come calling at all hours, and does not expect me to be at her beck and call. We schedule amicable times for meetings. Few of her requests involve time-sensitive material, so it doesn’t matter if I don’t see an email for a few hours. Even if I’m out in the middle of the day there usually are no issues. I definitely don’t need a smartphone in order to appease my boss.

Of course, this is an incredibly lucky situation. Not all bosses are quite that understanding. Many bosses are leery of at-home workers, and want to be on top of them at all times. Other bosses, no matter how nice or trusting, tend to smother employees. Clearly you’ll benefit from owning a smartphone if this is your boss. With so many communications tools, such as email and instant message, you can quickly reply and let them know, or at least think, that you’re on task. Really, you can use your smartphone to fake being in the office, thanks to technology like front-facing cameras. With any kind of hands-on boss this is likely a necessity.

Your schedule

Any at-home worker should absolutely read Steve’s unconventional productivity tips. Maintaining productivity is one of the most difficult tasks for an at-home worker, and all five of his points make all the sense in the world. In fact, as soon as I finish writing this article I’m going to read a chapter in a novel before I get to my next task. But there’s one tip in particular that relates directly to our topic at hand.

If you take Steve’s advice literally and pick unconventional work hours, then you’re probably going to need a smartphone. Again, if you have the hands-off boss you might be able to avoid it. But chances are if you’re not in the office the same hours as your boss, you’ll still have to maintain a line of communication. Maybe you can get by with your computer. But if you plan to be out of the house at any point, a smartphone is the only reasonable way to maintain communication.

Still, there are plenty of at-home workers who prefer the discipline of working 9-5. There’s something satisfying about checking out once that big hand hits the 5. If you work these normal hours, and you have a relatively hands-off boss, chances are you can get by without a smartphone. It’s probably to your great benefit, too, since you can completely unplug during your non-working hours. There will be no work-related distractions while you enjoy your evening. Trust me, the world will still be there when you get back to your desk at 9 the next morning.

Your field

You name a job, and I can find you people who perform it from the comfort of their home office. This can be anything from PR to engineering — though the latter would have to involve a pretty sweet home office. Depending on your position, you might be able to skip the whole smartphone thing.

If you work in technology or communications, there really is no way around the issue. Using myself as an example again, what use is a guy who writes about tech but hasn’t tried the latest gadgets? The communications field is similar in that way. If your job is to communication — whether it’s PR, journalism, or web production — aren’t you better off having a device that specializes in communications media?

Then again, if you’re working in data entry, or you’re a remote administrative assistant, perhaps you can get by without one. Again, it really depends on your job specifically. But it’s pretty clear that no, you do not need a smartphone for all work-from-home jobs.

Why not a smartphone?

After reading this, you might think: Why wouldn’t I want a smartphone? They are, after all, some of the coolest gadgets in the universe. They provide tools that anyone, whether they work in an office or from home, can use to their advantages. Here are just a few reasons why an at-home worker would benefit from not having a smartphone.

• Cost. The smartphone itself will likely cost you around $200, and then there’s the $30 monthly data plan. Since most carriers require you to sign a two-year contract when purchasing a smartphone, that’s a total cost of $920 in addition to your normal cell bill. At the same time, you can find a perfectly adequate cell phone for free on a two-year contract.
• Burdensome connectivity. Some people just can’t disconnect. That’s good in some instances, but it’s bad in others. From my experience, staying connected all the time leads to distraction and prevents me from accomplishing my personal goals. We all need a life outside work. A smartphone is always with us, and is always reminding us of work.
• More costs. You downloaded the latest productivity app for your iPhone, right? Yeah, that probably cost you $5. And you want Angry Birds to play while you’re bored, so that’s another few bucks. Add in movies and music for on-the-go entertainment, and you’ve added even more to your monthly costs. Remember, smarpthones are money making machines, but not for you necessarily.

Realizing the inevitable

Eventually we’ll all have smartphones. Hopefully by then things will change, and we can address some of the issues mentioned above. But for now, for the right type of at-home worker, a smartphone should not be considered a necessity. If you have a hands-off boss and work fairly normal hours, chances are you can save some dough, and some anxiety, by sticking with your crappy little flip phone. There’s a good chance it can bring you a bit more happiness than a loaded smartphone.

Joe Pawlikowski is the editor of BBGeeks.com, a site that helps BlackBerry users get the most out of their devices offering tips and reviews on everything from games to BlackBerry car mounts.

I’ve been working for myself for a few years now. If I tell someone I run my own business, the most common response I receive is “I don’t know if I’d have the discipline for that. I’d just sit around in my pajamas and watch TV all day.” Yeah, a 24 hour TV binge sounds great and all, but if you’re not working, you’re not making money.

It does require a bit of discipline to work entirely for yourself. I’ve developed a few personal habits that have helped me stay productive over the years. Some of these are a bit unconventional, but they work for me. Enjoy!

1. Become a Professional Single-Tasker

For a while, it seemed like you had to good at multitasking in order to be a good employee. The more tasks you could do at once, the better. This is the wrong approach. Yeah, you may think you’re getting more work done in less time, but the overall quality of the work will decline, you may be adding unnecessary stress to your life, and you probably aren’t getting all that much done any way.

Human beings aren’t designed to multitask. We’re built to focus on one set of instructions at a time. If you continually switch back and forth between work, there’s going to be an adjustment period where your brain needs to refocus on a new set of instructions. You can switch back and forth between tasks, but you can never really multitask. Stop trying to do it all.

For me, I focus on one-task until completion. I really like to “get in the zone.” If I have more than one project open at a time, my productivity takes a hit. One task. One time. Until completion. It works great.

2. Work at Night

If you work at home for yourself, you have the option to set your own hours. This means you aren’t bound to the traditional 9-5 work schedule.

For the longest time, I forced myself to go to bed so I could be up early and ready to work. I would then spend the next hour or so laying in bed thinking about the work I had to do. Come morning, I’d wake up groggy, miserable, and only interested in work after a few hours and a few cups of coffee.

I finally embraced the idea of staying up late and working on what I needed to. I stopped trying to conform to what should be a “normal” schedule, but instead turned to when I worked best. Turns out, I really hit my stride right around midnight. There are less distractions at night too allowing me to focus entirely on work. My point is, find out when you work best and set your own schedule. The old nine to five doesn’t work for everyone. Don’t force it.

3. Unplug

When I sit down to work, I’ll put my phone out of arms reach, exit from any chat programs I have up, close my email, and pretty much seal myself off from the rest of the world until I’m done. Dedicate your full attention to completing the task at hand. That email or text message that just came in isn’t that important and can wait until after you’re done.

I actually use an extension for Google Chrome that monitors my web activity and restricts access to certain site (eg. Facebook, Reddit, any site that has flash games) if I’m not spending enough time working. If I waste too much time browsing the web, this lovely message pops up:

4. Overload Yourself

This one may be extremely unconventional. Every Monday, I’ll create a pretty extensive task list and set hard to reach goals I’d like to accomplish throughout the week. I write it on the white board above my desk. It’s always watching me day in and day out.

This helps me in two ways. First, when I’m facing a giant to-do list, there’s nothing else I can do BUT work. The list is giant! It has to get done. I don’t have time to sit around and watch TV (unless it’s on the to-do list, that is) when there’s work to be done. Second, I feel extra productive immediately after I cross off or erase an item on the list. I’m ready to keep going to get this list gone as quickly as possible.

5. Stop Working

Seems a bit counter-intuitive, no? After all, this is a post about how to stay productive. You’d think not working would be the least way to increase productivity possible. We are all human after all, and working non-stop for 8 hours straight is the easiest way to kill your productivity. You’ll burn out fast.

Take breaks. Get away from work. Leave your desk. Go get lunch. Read a chapter of your book. Do some dishes. Anything really. And whatever you do, don’t leave a non-work task unfinished. If there’s a pile of laundry you’ve been meaning to wash or an email you have to answer, get it done before returning to work. It’s only going to constantly nag at you and interrupt your train of thought until you go back and finish it anyway.

Working isn’t always easy, but it doesn’t have to be this grand struggle we so often make it out to be. Above all, minimize your distractions, practice some discipline, and take pride in your accomplishments. That’s how I stay productive. How about you?

The Email that Takes the Cake

Comment:
I want this what ever it is cancelled I did not ordered.
I want a full refund of 99.99 back immediately or I will report you to Better Buisness Bureau.
You have my card no but, I will give it to you again.
[SHE THEN PROCEEDED TO ENTER IN HER CREDIT CARD INFORMATION]
any question you can callme Pamela xxx@Embarqmail.com
xxx-xxx-2088 Thankyou Pamela

…

You are reading that correctly. Old Pamela thought it would be a good idea to give me her full name, phone number, email address, and her credit card information! She sent this email to a complete stranger online, then has the audacity to wonder why money has been removed from her account. Luckily for her, I’m not an identity thief, but I can’t imagine how many similar emails she sent out to other random sites.

It doesn’t end here though. We’ve received two more emails from her demanding that we send her money or else she’ll get her lawyer involved. She has been ignoring my replies including the one where I suggested she get a new credit card immediately. I’ve run out of helpful suggestions for her and I’m actually looking forward to talking with her lawyer at this point. I plan on leading off the conversation demanding that he repay me the money I spent on a sub-par dinner I had last night. I’ll let you know how it works out.

The $30,000 Google Adwords Mistake

Earlier this week, a user by the name of medlounge posted the following question to Google’s help forum.

Dear Google Billing Dept.

I am very new to this google adsense and posting ads. Last night I wanted to do a “TEST RUN ONLY” for Google to monitor before I could run any ad for my blogger.com. This morning 04/27/2009 I see a cost bill of almost $30,000.00? Oh my GOD, how could this happen? PLEASE HELP! This is a mistake! Please fix this problem and remove this cost of almost $30,000.00 from my account. I don’t have that kind of money. I’m a single mom and I’m not even working. Please help. I look forward to your response to my request.

This poor lady spent almost $30,000 in one night! I don’t even know how that’s possible. Of course the validity of the post has to be questioned. I would think Google would prevent a new, inexperienced user from being able to spend that much money in such a short amount of time. She also seems to be holding back quite a bit of information.

Okay okay, supposing the above story is real, do you think Google should refund this poor single mom her costs? On one hand, this opens the door to a lot of “I didn’t know what I was doing!” type of excuses if they let her go. On the other, the people behind Google will look like jerks taking money from a single mother in this economy. What do you think should be done?

The overall point I’m trying to make is that you really need to be careful with pay-per-click advertising. If you don’t know what you’re doing and you don’t properly setup limits, you might see staggering, jaw-dropping bills with little or no return on your investment. These things take a lot time to learn. Be sure you fully understand what you might be getting yourself into.

You young punks won’t believe it, but we all used to read these things called newspapers. They were delivered to your home daily and contained local and national news and advertisements. And get this—they were printed on paper. No, really!

They had this section called the classfied ads where you could buy and sell just about anything. Even more unbelievable: we used to pay the newspaper to list our ad for whatever we were selling, like our record players and 8-track tapes and perambulators. (True story: My 8-yr-old son asked me a couple of weeks ago if they had electricity when I was growing up.)

Those classified ads were good places to find jobs. Oh, sure, there was an occasional envelope-stuffing scam, but nothing like today’s online classifieds.

The Internet has brought the world to our fingertips and created untold new ways to make money. Unfortunately, it has also created a bazillion ways for other people to take your money.

Today’s Online Classified Ads Are a Jungle

You no longer have to pay to list an ad. Maybe that’s why job ads are so full of junk. If people had to pay to list their junk, they’d think twice. Home-based jobs sections are particularly nasty.

Take a popular local classifed site as an example. For the Salt Lake valley, this is the online equivalent of a local paper’s classified ads. This section is the home-based business/network marketing section.

If you would like to make six figures per year, if you want daily pay guaranteed, or you want to take back your life, or you want to be in front of an $18-billion wave, or you are a driven, honest, searching individual, this is the place for you. Just look at all the opportunities! With all these PROVEN systems for making money, why is anyone struggling financially? There’s no excuse for being broke! (Psst! Hey, you. Yeah, you. The one who’s all steamed up getting ready to write to me. Keep your shirt on. That was snark.)

Here are a couple of things I’ve learned in my relatively short time watching the work-at-home industry. People who are successful don’t need overstated classified ads. Real opportunities don’t chase you, you have to chase them. They might call your name once or twice, but it’s sotto voce and then they move on. They certainly don’t shout in your face.

I haven’t tested this scientifically, but I’m pretty sure there is a direct correlation between the number of capital letters and exclamation points in an ad or sales page and its level of scummy scamminess. The more flashy colors and images, the less truth the opportunity contains.

Have you bought our ebook yet? It’s only ten bucks, fer cryin’ out loud. It shows you where to find real work-at-home jobs and how to separate the junk ads from the legitimate work. (Most of the jobs it shows you how to find are in writing and editing, coding, graphic design, and other computer-intensive fields. It’s probably not for you if your computer skills stop at browsing the Internet.)

Because it’s Saturday and the sun is finally shining here, I’m in a giving mood. I’ll give a free copy of our book to you if you made it to the end of this post and are one of the first five readers to email me and ask for one. Write me up: joe[at]ivetriedthat[dot]com.

The FTC’s New Rules on Advertising

• Consumer testimonials would have to be substantiated and ads would have to include generally expected results. Endorsers, not just advertisers, could be held liable for deceptive claims. “You’d have to say not only is it extreme, but how extreme is it,” the FTC’s Richard Cleland said.
• Celebrities who talk up a product in an interview must disclose if they are getting paid for the promotion. Celebrities who endorse products would have to disclose if they have an ownership interest.
• Expert endorsers, like doctors, must have experience in the product area they are endorsing. If they don’t, the limits of their expertise must be stated. For instance, an ophthalmologist identified only as a doctor could not be portrayed as an expert physician endorsing a hearing aid.
• Bloggers who get free products and then endorse them on their blogs would have to make it clear they got the products free.

I’m most excited about the first bullet point. The words “ads must include generally expected results” are like music to my ears. “Endorsers could be held liable for deceptive claims,” is poetry, plain and simple.

Now, do I really think that we’ll see a change in Internet advertising. No, at least not for a while. Only after the FTC starts dishing out punishments for violating these rules will we see a change. It took them quite a few years to lay the basework for stopping online scams; who knows how long it will take them to actually pursue those using deceptive marketing.

How Will New FTC Rules Impact Internet Advertising [shoemoney]

Background Information on the Conficker C Worm

The Conficker worm, also known as Conficker C, Downup, Downadup and Kido, popped up last November and has been estimated to infect up to 15,000,000 computers by exploiting a vulnerability in the Windows Server service. Yes, that was fifteen million computers. The creators of this worm will be able to retain full control over every computer affected. It has been one of the fastest spreading worms the Internet has ever seen. Currently, the virus hasn’t initiated any attacks but the real show is set to begin on April 1st when the first set of instructions will be downloaded by the worm.

Why Should You Be Worried?

Well for starters, no one knows exactly what the hell this thing does. There have been guesses, but no one has been able to figure it out. Microsoft has put up a $250,000 reward for anyone who can provide any information as to what the worm will do and how to stop it. It has left leading security experts the world over left scratching their heads in bewilderment.

Some theories as to what the worm will do have been downright scary. The leading theories are that Conficker C could possibly use every computer to initiate denial of service attacks, steal personal and private information (ie. credit card or social security numbers), completely erase hard drives and delete every file on the infected computer, or do something as simple as initiate hundreds of spam pop-ups like traditional malware. The point is that no one quite knows yet and we won’t find out until April 1st.

How to Protect Yourself from the Conficker C Worm

If you think you might be infected or even want to take safety precautions, run any or all of the following tools. If any of these websites appears to be down, you might be infected. Move on to the next one until you find a working site. Microsoft Windows Live OneCare safety scanner. Kaspersky’s KKiller. Remove Downadup (aka Conficker or Kido) by BDTools.net.

Use the following tips to ensure that you are fully protected from not just Conficker C, but any other virus or form of malware out there today.

• Update or Install an Antivirus Scanner – I use and personally recommend that you use Kaspersky Anti-Virus Products. Kaspersky has been leading the way in terms of online protection and their security software is the best on the market today. Delete your free copy of McAfee and uninstalled your outdated Norton anti-virus and install a Kaspersky product today.
• Perform a full system scan with a Malware Scanner – Malwarebytes provides free software that will eliminate any spyware or malware on your computer. If you’re getting random popups or your computer has slowed down considerably, click here and download the free version of Malwarebyte’s Anti-Malware. A scan will take roughly 15-20 minutes and will eliminate any form of malware or spyware on your computer.
• Perform a Windows Update – You can run this right now. Click on the Start Menu, then go to programs, and at the top of that list click on the Windows Update icon and follow the instructions on the window that pops up. You will download any available updates, further protecting you from any potential attacks.

Spend the next 10 or 15 minutes making sure your computer is properly secure. Trust me, it will be worth your while.

I figured, everybody older than seven and younger than 90 is doing it, so there must be something to it, right? I mean, something this popular has to be either really fun, really forbidden, or it helps people make money. So I signed up and started gathering “friends” like flies.

People I haven’t talked to since elementary school were inviting me to be their friends. At least one person who I was more than happy to have lost contact with found me on Facebook and invited me to be her friend.

I ignored her invitation. Twice. Yeah, I’m kind of a jerk like that.

So now I get inane little updates from people I haven’t heard from for decades. Rebecca is going to do laundry now. (“Ahhh,” I think. “Rebecca is going to do laundry now.”) Kara is really tired and is going to bed. Pierre still has openings for his course. Don’t you want to sign up? Want to buy Lauren’s natural miracle soap?

I mean, as if the Internets weren’t already vapid enough, I now get “cute” little Facebook pokes and gifts and, oh! what’s this!? I’ve been kidnapped and am being held for ransom! Or I’m the lettuce in Hannah’s BLT. Its text messaging writ large with graphics and color—a world that is hostile to any exchange more significant than liking something up or down and posting your latest golf score. The only thing missing from this surreal stew of insipidity is the Hello Kitty background, and that’s probably coming. If the medium is the message, then we are well and truly screwed.

You exaggerate, you will say. You need better friends, you will say. True, true. But what if all the time spent on Facebook were instead invested in building your Niche Blitzkrieg sites or generating income by filling business needs in your area? That’s a lot of wasted productivity, if you ask me.

Yes, I’m the old guy in your neighborhood who is always yelling at the kids, “Get off my lawn!” Any other questions?

You’ve Tried That

We want some feedback from your end. What program(s) have you joined? What do you think? How are you progressing? Are you making money? How many Porsches have you bought with your new found income? These are just some sample questions we’d like you guys to answer. After all, it helps us improve our recommendations.

Ideally, we’re looking for feedback on the following programs: In Your PJs, Niche Blitzkrieg, and Build a Niche Store as they are programs we’ve been heavily promoting. But, we will readily accept feedback on any program you’ve come across here at I’ve Tried That.

If you haven’t found anything yet, make sure you read through our recommended list of ways to make money online. It’s entirely free for you to use. We try and keep it constantly updated as we come across new websites and programs.

You can use our email form to send feedback by clicking here. Your emails are sent to both Joe and I. So, if you’re trying to write to Joe to tell him to break up with me and start his own website with you, well, don’t. We both read everything that is submitted. I’ll also be randomly giving out copies of our book to submitters who leave quality comments. Thanks for helping improve I’ve Tried That!

The super exclusive sale that ends today.

I’ve been analyzing sales pages online for quite some time now. I know some of the most cheesy sales techniques used to close a lead and I can spot them coming from a mile away. However, once I stepped out from behind the keyboard, I was lost. I picked a hell of a day to walk into LA Fitness because as my luck would have it, today only, there was a special new members discount.

Two members could sign up for the price of one! I find it amazing that my girlfriend and I walk into a gym the very same day the entire membership was 50% off. Regardless, we ended up liking what we saw and did become members. After talking to other couples who are also members, we did find out that we were given a break. It wasn’t as much as we were lead to believe, but any amount of saved money is good these days.

A personal trainer? Damn, these people are good at selling.

Our monthly membership came with a free fitness assessment. I was reluctant to use it, but my girlfriend insisted we at least see what it included. I already knew I was out of shape and I didn’t need someone else to tell me so.

Within ten minutes of sitting down with a fitness trainer, I realized I was absolutely clueless about weight loss, weight gain, proper nutrition, cardio workouts, how to use nearly every piece of equipment, and I was pretty sure I was entering and exiting the gym in the wrong fashion as well. Of course, we were hit with the upsell and eventually caved in.

So, here I am out a couple of dollars and in a one-year fitness contract. I know this is a good thing, but my bank account seems to say otherwise. I do live a pretty sedentary life though. Since I work from home, my daily exercise routine consists of walking from my bed to my computer to the kitchen. I know this membership is a good thing. Here’s to 12 months of a more healthy lifestyle.

Wish me luck.