We work to live. We work to provide a decent standard of living for ourselves and our families. We work to enable us to pay our way in life. To pay the mortgage The monthly payments on the car. The family holiday at the sea-side. We work because it has become a habit. It was something that was instilled in us at an early age by our parents. We are told that hard work never hurt anyone. If you want to ?get on? in this world you must work hard. It's the responsible thing to do.



A person with a lot more money than I had ever dreamed of having was overheard to say, ? It's no use you working yourself to death trying to make a living. You only live once,. ?Work smart, not hard.?

It started me thinking. How many factory workers do I know who live in posh houses and drive cars worth hundreds of thousands of Dollars/Pounds/Euros? How many office workers or nurses or policemen and women, can afford to take their families to far flung exotic places several times a year, without having to count the cost?

Yes. It's easy to get into a rut and work yourself into an early grave, just trying to make a living.

Don't get me wrong. I have the greatest respect for the dedicated people who provide the goods and services that make up a civilised society. It's just that no matter how hard they work, they never seem to get the rewards that the deserve.

What are the alternatives?

1/ Stop working altogether. Let the state keep you. You won't get rich that way and you will not gain the respect of the rest of society.

2/ Use your spare time to get yourself an education. Go to night classes. Subscribe to a distant learning collage and study for a qualification in one of the professions. Anything that will improve your chances of getting out of that rut.

Let's face it there are a lot of us who are too old to start learning new tricks. A three year course in something like accountancy or estate management and we would be too old to put our new found knowledge into practice. Perhaps we have family commitments or physical disabilities that prevent us from following the above advice. What can you do?

Start a part time business from your home? You'll not need to disrupt you environment to any great degree and there will be no need for lots of clients coming knocking at your door. Ten years ago I would have recommended a mail order business, but not now. There is a lot easier way of selling from home. It's called internet marketing.

All that you need is a cheap computer. There are firms selling factory re-conditioned computers for a fraction of the price of new ones. You will also need a printer. Nothing posh. As long as it will print ordinary text it will do the job. An internet connection will be your main on-going expense , to enable you to make contact with a world wide audience of prospective customers.

I can hear the cry going up ?But I don't know how to use a computer.? No problem. I was sixty-nine years old when I got my first computer. It was given to me by my grandson. At that time I had never even seen a computer in use, let alone used one myself.

My local library came to my assistance where an assistant showed me the basics over a period of two half hour lessons. That was four years ago. Now I am making more money per month than I ever did working in a factory assembling washing machines.

If I was a younger man in a dead end job, I would still be able to do what I am doing now, It only takes about five or six hours a week. One hour each evening is not hard work to double or treble your income. It's what is called ?Working smart.?

Copyright 2006 Homer Farey