As we get ready to dive into 2010, we’re making our resolutions, identifying our goals and getting ready to make the year a great one. One common resolution small business owners make is to find a way to spend more quality time with their family. This is a big challenge, especially for those of us who work from home and constantly fight the work/life balance issue.

But there is a way to merge the two facets of your life — family and work — to create a harmonious solution. Depending on their age, your children may have some understanding about what you do, at least from an observer’s perspective. By opening the door to them and giving them an opportunity to get involved in your work, you are sharing an important part of your life and letting them see a whole new side of you.

Here are some of the biggest reasons to let your kids have a hand in your work:

• It lets them see how you work.
• It teaches them responsibility.
• It lets them experience the pride that comes with completing a project.
• It gives them an opportunity to learn about business.
• It helps them appreciate what you do every day.
• It allows them to spend some quality time with you.

A toddler can…

• Put paper in the recycling container
• Carry files to your desk
• Help you open and close file cabinet drawers
• Stack books in piles

A school-age child can…

• Fill your pencil holder with new pens and pencils
• Alphabetize your files
• Collate and staple reports
• Stamp letters and seal envelopes
• Count pages and inserts

A teenager can…

• Shred documents
• Type letters and memos
• Mail packages
• Enter data in a spreadsheet
• Purchase supplies
• Complete online research
• Scan photos and documents

• Paying them for their time
• Letting them pick what they would like to do in the office
• Creating “work hours” especially for them, once or twice a week
• Telling them what a great job they are doing

You can even set up an area in your office where they can do their own homework while you work. And don’t forget to turn off the business mentality and remember it’s not about getting as much done as possible; it’s about learning more about your kids and sharing a special time…just between you and them.

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Want in on a secret?  I upgraded my phone this month from the Pearl (which I loved) to the Storm (which is out of this world).  Seriously, if you thought I was a BlackBerry fan before, you just wait.  I know I mentioned wanting to upgrade to the Tour but, honestly, when I was in the store playing with it I didn’t like the Tour at all.

So, last month I talked about one RexWireless app that I love and I promised to tell you about another.  Well, as promised, here’s my other favorite app from them…RexConnect.

Here are a few examples of how I’ve used RexConnect (and why I can’t live without it)

1. Say your mom calls you and says she wants to send a card to your cousin but she doesn’t have her address.  You tell her no problem.  Pull up your cousin’s contact information, click “RexConnect”, choose the e-mail (or text) option and send the contact info off.
2. Say you get an e-mail about the location, time and date of a meeting (or party) you’re attending and you don’t want to lose the address (or other important information).  Easy, in the e-mail click “RexConnect”, choose calendar and insert the e-mail in that day/time on your calendar.  It will show as an appointment with the e-mail body in the notes section.
3. Say you need to keep track of the day and time a call was made.  You go to your call log, click “RexConnect”, choose ToDoMatrix, and enter it in the necessary folder.

The send contact information feature alone makes this app a must-have for me (seriously).  The others are just added bonuses in my book.  In essence, you can be in pretty much any app and send that information to another app.  It’s awesome.  I love being able to add things to my calendar, ToDoMatrix, send e-mails/texts easily with a quick click of a button.

Next month I’m going to discuss some super important apps that will help make your BlackBerry experience more enjoyable.  And, if you have an app that you absolutely love be sure to contact me through my website and share.  I test all apps out personally before I’ll rave about them but I love trying new apps so it’s never a problem.

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It’s no secret that I love my Blackberry.  It’s with me everywhere I go.  In fact, this past weekend I was camping and had zero cell reception for the entire weekend (including the drive over that that’s a whole different story) which made a few off my Blackberry Apps completely useless — I was at a loss.  Luckily I had the river and some great hiking to distract me.

Years ago I read Getting Things Done by David Allen (excellent book by the way) which transformed a lot of how I organize my thoughts, life, and “to do” items.  When I got my Bberry I had to come up with a way to integrate what I’d learned in the book with how my smartphone could make my life easier.  I did some research and found the perfect app for me.  TodoMatrix by RexWireless.

This application is, in essence, a to do list.  But, really, it’s so much more.   They’ve taken the GTD file cabinet idea and made it into an application.  It’s like having a four drawer (or six drawer if you’re like me) file cabinet in your phone.  Within each “drawer” I have folders for that section.

For example:  In my “Personal” drawer I have folders for music, cash, food, movies, etc.  So, if I’m out somewhere and hear a song I want to download I type it in my music folder.  In my movie folder are movies that I’ve watched previews for or that people have recommended.  In my cash folder I log my cash spending to enter in my budgeting software.  Food — well, that would be items I need to pick up at the grocery store (you know, so I don’t forget that one thing I went to get and come home with five other things).

I have drawers for certain clients, my business, personal, travel (ideas, packing reminders, etc.), and family ideas.

The program has so many functions.  I can delegate tasks to people (and have the tasks e-mailed to them).  I can set reminders of due dates (for things I need to do — like take a medication or pick up someone).  You can set up locations (from the GTD plan) so if you are at your computer you can pull up your @computer list.

Seriously, my bberry todo list is hidden, I don’t even use it.  I HIGHLY recommend you check out RexWireless and todoMatrix.

Next month I’ll probably do a review on RexWireless’ RexConnect — another MUST HAVE app.

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Well, I promised an update months ago on our hiking adventure, at here it is, at the 11th hour, I might add.  We are heading out to the UK tomorrow and will spend 14 days hiking across three National Parks from the Cumbrian coast in the West to the Eastern Yorkshire Coast.  I am so psyched!  And from a philosophical perspective, it is so exciting to see a dream, and a plan turn to execution and reality.  For that I’m giving myself a pat on the back and probably a few band aids to the feet….

If anyone would like to join us virtually – we had to make it geeky, of course – we will be blogging from the fells and dales (cell phone connection permitting) to our hiking blog at:  http://wrightsolution.wordpress.com.   Please visit and sign up for updates on our journey.  (Lots of pictures of Carla and me dripping wet in raincoats, I’m sure!)  We’re also raising money for cancer research and would welcome a small donation to the cause via the donation button on the blog.  We’ve already raised over $1000!!

Here we go.  See you later!

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This July I will be doing a 13-day, 200 mile walk across England: from the west coast of Cumbria (and the Lake District) across hill, dale and moor to the Yorkshire coast and North Sea. It is something I made my mind up to do about 18 months ago and is something that I committed to sort of on a long-term whim. I get a few incredulous responses when I share my plans – most people wonder why I would possibly want to schlep up mountainsides in what will probably be typical, drizzly English weather if we are lucky – driving rain if we aren’t! Insane – maybe? But the impulse to do this goes back a long time, and was rekindled in recent years when I was working 16-hour days. Long days in my office made me gain weight and feel like I had literally become chained to my desk and the victim of my own success. Remember the old cliché “be careful what you wish for…”? After a little restructuring and talented help from others, I dug out and started training daily and found I absolutely loved it! Fighting back from the constant lure of the keyboard and get back in touch with the part of me that had nothing to do with technology, clients and deadlines – the anti-geek. It’s the part of you that doesn’t want to be in touch at a moment’s notice. To have the space sometimes to be where people can’t find you, to be beholden to no-one. Somewhere it’s just you, your boots and that giant pile of rocks ahead. Then there’s the wonderful feeling climbing up to a summit and looking down on how little everything is …putting everything back into some kind of manageable perspective.
Oh, and the other challenge here is that there is no tour group. It will just be me, Carla (my good VA hiking buddy) and a set of maps. Directions are not my strong suit. A little push out of my comfort zone, some adequate preparation, and a good set of navigation tools….It’s sounding more likely a business plan than a walk!
I just can’t wait to get going and there is something about the physical and mental challenge of it that keeps me braced and ready for tasks that I take on each day now. The lesson I learnt is about re-establishing balance in my life, and how important it is — whether you cook, garden, hike, run or whatever — to take the energy and passion from one side of your life and use it to recharge the other. More on the hike later too…we are hoping to set up a blog. Happy trails!

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