I don`t think it`s a matter of should or should not.  I think it is up to the business owner.  Like any business decision, it impacts your customer base.  For me, I get turned off by businesses that have a faith presence.  But that doesn`t mean I think they shouldn`t do it.  Faith then becomes part of a brand and biz owners need to keep that in mind.

I agree with Steve - if it`s part of your brand, go for it, if not, keep it personal.

I`m actually bothered by all the questions of the candidates` faiths. I honestly think that is personal and has nothing to do with running a country. Our country should be about embracing all faiths (or lack of), not managing the government in accordance of their own personal faith.

tough question,  on another retail forum we just went through a "religious" war earlier this year.  What I gained from that is that it probably needs to be separate.  I`ve always been taught that your faith (or ethics or whatever you choose to call it) is demonstrated by how you live your life.

We find our home based business can present challenges to maintaining our number one asset.... our health. What is your biggest challenge to stay healthy while working at home? What solutions have you found to meet the challenge?

I didn`t vote because it seems to me that managing stress would be the main concern. Cortisol, "the great destroyer," seems to flow like water in a startup business. We manage that with cortisol uptake (over-the-counter) capsules, but other than that, we just cross our fingers and hope we don`t get some major health problem. :-)

You are right about stress... it is the number one attacker of our bodies immune system. Adrenaline or epinephrine is another "drug"our body produces during intense start up phases of business. When we over do it for extended periods it can lead to major health problems.

All of the above help "manage" stress and keep our immune systems strong. Did you know that diet is the leading cause of cancer and heart disease? Eighty percent (80%) of cancers are diet related!

Yikes... makes us think about the old saying... you are what you eat.

We eat Most Excellently, since both of us are very into cooking. So perhaps a bit more exercise would be a concern. However, that`s far outweighted (no pun intended) by the clear fact that exercise will kill you! Everyone who`s ever done any kind of exercise, has eventually either died...or they`ve discovered they`re going to die some day. 

Before I started working at home, when I had to commute and sit at the drafting-table farm, I used to have a regular exercise routine that was such a part of my schedule I hardly noticed it. In the mornings I would get up, do about a half-hour of Qi Kung, then go out for a 2-3 mile walk, and sometimes I would bring my camera. Summer, winter, rain, shine, it was all good. But now, as soon as I get up there are email messages, voicemails, stuff to get ready for the mail, dishes to wash before a client shows up... it just never ends. I`ve succumbed to the tyranny of the urgent over the important and it bothers me a lot. I`ve never been so sedentary. Time management is turning out to be one of my biggest challenges overall as an entrepreneur.

—paula

Edit: I`d be interested to know from those who manage to keep a regular exercise routine going, what is your routine and how do you avoid allowing the ringing phone, etc., from interfering?

It`s time to move... walk, run, bike, etc. We encourage everyone to make exercise a priority in your schedules. Three times a week for starters.

No excuses... just do it.

S&L

My problem is that I don`t take enough breaks,  I can sit there in front of the computer forever...telling myself after this task I`ll take a break.  I tell myself that for hours upon hours.  I finally went and bought a travel alarm and set it for every 2 or 3 hours...but I just turn it off and say next time it goes off I`ll get up and relax for a minute.  It never happens..

BS"D

For me, especially now that I have two, really three, start-up sites in production, it is taking daily breaks and not shutting myself in the home/office for days on end. When I go too long without getting away for a while, I get depressed and end up taking a break of another sort - a nap that goes overtime or a break to waste time on non-related Internet use such as commenting on blogs that are not connected to my business or even my life.

Our bodies work more efficient when recovery time is allowed in response to stress. Just like working out... you stress the muscle then allow it to recover. This is where the real growth happens... during the recovery time.

One thing that helps us is man`s best friend. We have a Boston Terrier who is like the alarm clock. She reminds us to take a break and you can`t ignore her... unless you like cleaning up little messes.

Frequent breaks actually enable us to be more productive and creative. Find a way to force a new habit until it becomes routine. Remember, even though it feels like we`re wasting time we are actually gaining.

For me its taking breaks. I work 42 hours a week outside the home and doing this in the evening, weekends and on lunch breaks sometimes.  I`m pretty good with working out, eating well, etc, but I dont have much downtime.

I keep telling myself I`d exercise later and never get around to it.

Did you participate in a local or regional Tax Day Tea Party?

We`re in the suburbs of Chicago, and one of the parties was held in a fairly large community. I`d say there may have been 4-500 people there, but I`m horrible at estimating crowd size.

There were enough people that it was certainly a demonstration. Some of the Illinois legislators were there and spoke, along with a few others, all basically talking about how printing money won`t work.

All in all, it was nice and non-confrontational. There were music tracks played between each speaker, with a theme along the lines of America, patriotism and freedom. Mostly country-rock.

What`s most peculiar is that my own feeling as we left was almost exactly like when I leave the voting booth. A sense of civic duty, and that likely nothing will change. :-)

The local media did cover it, as with any story. Nothing more or less, and there was a Fox News camera, taping background and stock footage. Everyone there pretty much was upbeat, and the general sense was that at least we`re doing "something." It may be only symbolic, but at least it`s something.

Hi Craig,

5000! That`s a good number of citizens. Happy to hear that you were able to be part of party. 

Roland, 

Thanks for your perspective. Kind of makes sense knowing the bent of each network.