Monday

Are You Feeling the Need to Go Back to School? Why not Push for Affordable Learning Prorams?

These days Texas is receiving much media fanfare since the Governor of the state has been pushing $10,000 degree programs.  Read more here: http://www.texastribune.org/texas-education/higher-education/whos-wants-10k-degree/

Take a moment to tweet your findings or share with your other social networks.  Parents and those who are seeking to go back to school but simply can't afford it, need to push for everything from free college courses to $10,000 or less degree programs.  Enough already with the student loans that are keeping citizens from fully realizing the American dream!

Check out other blogs and articles about this subject of higher learning:

More than 100 Free Places to Learn Online – and Counting
http://www.missiontolearn.com/2008/02/more-than-100-free-places-to-learn-online-and-counting/

Free College Education for All
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ccap/2012/01/19/a-free-college-education-for-all/

Top 6 Most Affordable Online Colleges, Schools & Degrees
http://www.onlinedegreetalk.org/top-online-colleges/

Wednesday

What Most Companies Won't Encourage You to Do - Take a Day Off

How does an employer get an employee to be loyal to a company?  The short answer to this question is he knows how to program him or her over time to the point that this person will choose his or her job over family even during times of crisis.  And what might the dedicated employee receive after many years of choosing job over family?  Bonus money, a watch, a ring, or some other small token that says, "Thank you."

The next time you feel tempted to argue with a partner or a relative as to why "I can't be there because..." consider this, if you were ill, on vacation, or doing something else outside of your job, accomodations would be made in your absence--the show will go on.

Good employees most often have nothing to fear, but those who slack off--well they should be concerned about missing days of work. 

Continue to do your job well, but don't lose your family in the process.  There are always other jobs, but not other families that will love you in the way that a good one does.

Nicholl McGuire is the creator of this blog and others.  She is the author of When Mothers Cry and other books. 

Thursday

Workplace Woes and Troubles at Home

A job can get the best of you if you aren't careful while leaving you with nothing more than crumbs for a personality outside of work such as: emotional highs and lows, addictions, tiredness, and health issues.  Think of how much time people spend in front of the television or some other electronic device watching people with a variety of issues as a form of relaxation.  Look at those individuals in your family who spent decades working to save money so that they can retire to a life of food and drug addictions, medical problems, and more.  There must be some degree of balance between work and play.  One must strategize, not only at work, but at home too!  How much time is really being dedicated to partner, children, relatives, and friends?  Where does one go or what does one do to experience true peace of mind outside of the workplace?  Who or what is driving the worker to act in ways either on or off the job that if anyone at work knew what was really going on, this person would suggest an immediate dismissal? 

At times, we lose focus on the people, places and things that truly matter--the help that got us where we are in our lives in the first place.  You didn't get where you are on your own.  Someone or a group did things to help make your path easier.  For example, a relative may have watched your children, a partner could have saved you time and money so you wouldn't miss a day of work or have to go in late, a business might have given you some benefits to help you keep your job, a spiritual individual prayed for you, a group created information to help you become a success and you took the information and ran with it, and the list goes on.  Sometimes it may seem that you got to where you are in this life all by yourself, because you stand on the front lines of battle daily, but the truth is you had a team assist you and you still have people around you that help whether you personally know them or not.  We are never to bite the hands that feed us spiritually or otherwise--no matter what the title, ethnicity, gender, income level, etc.  What goes around sincerely does come back around--sooner or later!   

Remind yourself that your money is nothing more than a tool that helps you do the things you want, but by no means was it ever meant to replace your morals/ethics, mentors, family, friends, and more.  As workplace woes increase, so does problems at home for many people.  Sometimes it is the opposite of the two.  Think about how many hours you work with strangers (that's right strangers, you don't really know these people no matter how many lunches they bring you) as compared to how much you talk to those who you have known for years.  Some reading this, shouldn't wonder why your partner feels jilted and angered that you care more about appeasing "strangers" than you do your marital relationship.  Sit down, be attentive, and talk awhile with your loved one before it's too late.  What is on his or her mind?  What might the future hold for your relationship?  A boss can quiz you on your tasks and you might even be able to predict the future on some things, but when it comes to a personal relationship, you're stumped.  "Now what was it that my partner wanted me to do again?  Oh well..." says the often busy boss. 

Consider how much effort you put into maintaining your reputation on the work front as compared to the amount of time you put in keeping the peace at home.  Are you often critical at home?  Do you give your family a hard time while you encourage your employees and even say things like, "Please" and "Thank you."?  Funny, how nice people act when dollars and cents are involved. 

Also, ask yourself, "Could my attitude, work hours, job responsibilities, employee relationships, and financial concerns be negatively impacting other areas of my life?  If so, what should I be doing to rectify these issues at home?"  You might be blaming others for your stresses, when in fact, you have long been warned about your own behavior both on and off the job.

Take a day off, orchestrate a change or two on the homefront and elsewhere, be mindful of how you treat those you love, and apologize to anyone you may have offended.

Nicholl McGuire author, writer and this blog's creator.  If you are planning to relocate, get tips here.