Most everyone who works for a living sees coffee breaks as vital parts of employment. After a few hours on the job, it's a little ray of sunshine and something to look forward to.
From childhood, we were raised with the concept of coffee breaks. What is recess, after all, if not a preadolescent form of the coffee break? It seems that ever since we were children, we have been taught that we all need rest. Recess, to children, was the one time in the entire day when they could be themselves without the pressures of their teachers.
What makes coffee breaks so important?
Coffee breaks hold a lot of clout, even to those who don't drink coffee. These daytime oases are much more than opportunities to sip a cup of joe. A coffee break is the chance to relax, kick back, cool off a little and get an energy recharge to prepare for what's coming next.
These breaks are really metaphors for our lives. Coffee breaks are there because we are, after all, only human. We simply can't work all day without any rest. Even God took a rest after creating the world.
Machines, like people, need to take breaks during the day. Otherwise, they'll overheat, overstress and eventually break down. Maybe we're not that different from machines, after all. We all need to take a coffee break to keep cranking out the work.
When you're feeling blue and tired of your job, you don't really look forward to retirement, do you? You're anticipating that coffee break and what comes with it. You look forward to chatting with your co-workers, to a cup of stimulating coffee, and to a snack and time to think and plan ahead.
Of course, we all have futures and long-term plans to look forward to, but we also need something in the meantime that's more immediate to keep us going until those plans come to fruition. A coffee break is much like sleep: You look forward to it, but you know you can't have it forever. If you slept forever, you'd have no chance to live your life. So, you eagerly anticipate that little rest on your coffee break but, knowing that you can't live if you don't earn money, you don't plan on taking a coffee break for the rest of your life.
Time holds so much importance in today's society. Even the most time-conscious person, however, will agree that coffee breaks are a much-needed component of productivity.
A coffee break gives you time to become refreshed, to assess your work and to determine your pace. You can take the time to reflect on what you've done, and consider what you'll do next. Your coffee break is the opportunity to clear your thoughts and forget, for a few moments, about the pressures of the clock.
Socializing at work should be encouraged. After all, how many times have you worked in an environment for several years, yet knew very little about the person sitting next to you?
Lunch breaks don't hold the same motivation. Lunch is a necessity, because we need to eat. These midday breaks are times to recharge our overused batteries, but they just don't offer the same sort of comfort.
This comfort is what makes our coffee breaks so special. We're encouraged to gather with our co-workers, to connect and interact. Coffee breaks provide the peaceful rest that we need. So go ahead and take a break. You've earned it.
Of course, you could search on http://Google.com or http://Elance.com for a professional copywriter writer to churn out articles for you, but if you are operating your work-from home business on a tight budget it would be a better idea to get into the habit of writing good quality articles yourself.
Although writing original articles may seem a daunting prospect at first, it is not so difficult as it seems, once you have mastered the process.
When you write an article, break the process down into a series of easily managable writing tasks and give yourself a time limit for completing each task.
Here is a suggested method for writing a complete article in an hour without busting your gut - it includes a fifteen minute coffee break! (Once you master article writing you will be able to speed up the process considerably. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.)
Task One - Choose Your Topic (2 minutes)
Spend a couple of minutes brainstorming and write down anything related to your business niche that may present a problem for your target audience, or that they would benefit from knowing about. Your article will provide some advice about "how to" solve the problem, or it will show your readers "how to" benefit from the information you give them.
Task Two - Article Outline (8 minutes)
Allow yourself about five minutes to get your article outline down. It will be easier if you use a basic format like this:
a. Describe the problem.
b. Talk about how to solve the problem, dividing up this main section of your article into between three and five logical steps. Give each step a quick sub-heading. You can improve these later.
c. Conclusion. This is just a brief restatement of the problem and the solutions offered in sections a and b. and you could also use this section to provide a discreet link or two to helpful resources - especially to the resources that you offer on your site!
Task Three - Write Your First Draft. (20 minutes)
Give yourself a twenty minute time limit to write the first draft. You should write this first draft SWIFTLY. Write it as you would say it. Don't use big words and long sentences. Don't linger over the sentences trying to make them perfect - you can improve them later. Stick to the point and keep the tone natural.
Move the article forward so that the reader feels motivated to read on and discover the solution. Remember, an article should be no more than a few hundred words. We are NOT trying to write a 10,000 word academic essay!
The first paragraph requires special attention. If you are using "keywords," place them so that the sentences flow naturally. Your opening paragraph must persuade the reader that you understand exactly what the problem is and that you are the one who knows the best solution.
Many online readers simply skim-read articles to decide whether it is worth hanging around to read them. This is where your sub-headings come into the game. Try to write subheadings that will convince the reader to keep reading.
Remember to "KISS" - Keep It Short And Simple!
The conclusion is as important as the opening paragraph and it needs to end on a positive note so that your reader feels confident that your advice can be trusted.
In your conclusion you could emphasize how much time, money or effort your reader will save by following your advice. You could share a "secret" that has helped you solve the problem you are discussing. Add a link to a resource page on your website.
Task Four - Have A Cup Of Coffee! (15 minutes)
Well done! You've got your first draft down in just half an hour! It is time to reward yourself with a fifteen minute coffee break!
Task Five - Final Edit (10 minutes)
Now that you are refreshed, it is time to do the final edit. If you tend to write long sentences try to make them simpler and clearer. Cut out anything that sounds officious or impersonal and replace it with easy sentences that sound as if you are speaking to another person.
Make sure you have not overlooked any important advice. Remember, things that seem obvious to you may not be obvious to the reader who has less experience in dealing with the problem you are discussing.
Finally, run a grammar and spelling usng your computer, and then read it through again yourself to make sure. Check for words like "their" and "there" or "hear" and "here" and so on, words which spell-checkers fail to correct.
Task Six - Post Your Article! (2-5 minutes)
Your article is now ready for posting on your blog or in your newsletter.
If you want to submit it to article directories don't forget to add a box at the bottom with some brief info about yourself and your business, plus a link back to your website.
You have now written and posted a good short article and had a coffee break, all within an hour!
As you repeat the process both your speed and the quality of your writing will improve, because the art of writing original articles improves with every original article you write!
Both Angelina Pyrkins & D. Hurley are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.