Have you ever tried walking on a treadmill during the climactic scenes of an dramatic movie?

Towering landscapes, fearless acts of bravery and the stirring sounds of an orchestra in full flight make it almost impossible to resist breaking into a run. With pumping arms and blood beating in our ears, the virtual miles flash by as we are taken on a visual and aural journey of epic proportions…

Ten Therapeutic Characteristics of Music

Much has been written about the power of music and images to inspire us.

Many motivational speakers and coaches encourage us to utilise the link between our senses, our emotions and our actions. Through affirmation cards, inspirational posters, motivational DVDs and so on, we are soothed, inspired and encouraged to pursue our goals.

Over at More Focus on Mind and Body, they list the Ten Therapeutic Characteristics of Music as:

1. Music captivates and maintains attention—it stimulates and utilizes many parts of the brain.
2. Music is easily adapted to, and can be reflective of, a person’s abilities.
3. Music structures time in a way that we can understand (“that’s the last verse—my exercise session is almost over!”).
4. Music provides a meaningful, enjoyable context for repetition.
5. Music provides a social context—it sets up a safe, structured setting for verbal and nonverbal communication.
6. Music is an effective memory aid.
7. Music supports and encourages movement.
8. Music taps into memories and emotions.
9. Music—and the silences within it—provides nonverbal, immediate feedback.
10. Music is success-oriented: people of all ability levels can participate.

An Aural and Visual Journey

The following YouTube videos combine the therapeutic effects of music with the inspirational power of imagery. Which one motivates you the most to get up and get moving?

Pursuit of a better work-life balance, rising property costs, the availability of new technologies and an upsurge in domestic entrepreneurship are all contributing factors to the continuing upward trend in working from home.

A 2005 report in the United Kingdom found that 3.1 million workers were regularly home-based workers, with over one million more involved in home-based work on a casual basis. This reflects the trend in the United States, where a 2004 Bureau of Labor Statistics report revealed that 15% or over 20 million workers usually did some work from home.

Benefits of the work-from-home revolution are cited as allowing parents to spend more time with their children, an increase in the freedom of decision making, a reduction in work-place politics and stress and the opportunity to be creative and entrepreneurial.

But before we all clear out the garage and buy ourselves a wrap-around desk, there are some things to consider. While the pressures and constraints of the home office may not be the same as those in the more traditional workplace, there are definite challenges that need to be overcome to ensure a successful work environment.

1. What You Get Up to When No One is Looking

The fear here is not that someone might catch you taking an extra cookie from the communal kitchen but that you will develop poor work patterns far from the eagle-eyed gaze of a “boss”.

Working without direct supervision is not for everyone. New home-based workers need to honestly assess their self-discipline and motivation levels. If putting in a productive day’s work requires the attention of an outside influence, you may be better off in a more structured work environment.

2. Never Getting Invited to Careers’ Night

While you may discover your niche in your home-based business, it is not always viewed with the same enthusiasm by those around you. Loved ones who are in the habit of pecking you on the cheek as you stalk bravely out into the corporate world may find your new work life unsettling.

A good way to ensure that they support your move is to help them understand what your new work life involves. Describe your daily routine, share work stories and milestone achievements and don’t flaunt the occasional kip on the couch in their faces.

3. Networking Beyond the Neighbourhood

One of the first changes a home-based worker faces is the loss of their business network. Catching up for coffee in the city is difficult and Friday drinks inconvenient. Formal networking opportunities often pass by unnoticed as your name drops off your former colleagues’ radar.

While online networking can be useful for home-based workers, it is important that they maintain a presence in the “real” world. One approach is to dedicate an afternoon a week to getting out and about and catching up with your contacts.

4. Working Nine to Five (A.M.)

The 2004 Bureau of Labor Statistics report found that over one third of home-workers racked up 51 or more hours per week, while 10% worked 70 or more.

For those of us committed to reducing the hours we work, this is grim news. On the positive side, the home-based worker has greater flexibility to choose the kind of work they engage in. Certainly for some self-employed entrepreneurs, their home-based business is a labor of love, but long weekends and extracurricular pursuits may be sacrificed in the process.

5. When You Just Want to “Go Home”

There is a wonderful sense of release when after a grueling week at work you can climb into your car or board a bus and head home.

One of the challenges that a stay-at-home worker faces is that it can be difficult to differentiate between the office and home. The stack of paperwork or “to do” lists are never out of sight and perhaps this accounts for the long work week that many home-based workers put in.

The best approach is to have an office that is isolated from the family leisure areas. Keep the kitchen table for meal times and be strict about after-hours work commitments.

If the work-from-home revolution still inspires you to march to the beat of its drum, you can find out more by visiting these excellent entrepreneurial sites:

1. Escape From Cubicle Nation
2. Brazen Careerist
3. Success From the Nest

A new study reveals that within just 10 minutes of meeting, people decide what kind of relationship they want with a new acquaintance.

This fact lines up beside the knowledge that all professional speakers and networking consultants have known for some time - that people generate a “first impression” of you within mere seconds.

Spinach between the teeth, a misjudged new hairstyle or a pair of stocking with more ladders than a fire department can all have you struck off the most sought-after social lists.

But if such a harsh and subjective system has you shoving your social calendar into the bottom of a very deep drawer, take note that things have got quite a bit tougher in the virtual world as well.

Once the refuge of all social phobics, the Internet has wised up and developed its own system of sorting out the winners from the snaggle-toothed grinners.

The good news is that the cut of your coat has taken a back-seat to the quickness of your wit and your commitment to conversation.

Clever commentary, insightful ideas, free advice and an interesting turn of phrase can get you friends the world over. Not to mention what a hot Facebook photo can do to your inbox.

But as with all relationship-building, first impressions still set the scene for future opportunities and getting your act together before you hit send is a priority.

Consider the following articles for the best tips and tricks to making a great first impression online:

1. Escape From Cubicle Nation - How Do You Introduce Yourself?
2. Quint Careers - Introducing Yourself Like You Mean It
3. Ryze Business Networking - How to Introduce Yourself in a Network
4. Outfit Inspirations - How to Introduce Yourself in a Crowded Blogosphere