31/10/2012 Peachy results

Today has been a day for networking. 

The importance of networking for a freelance writer is almost unfathomable. It’s all about getting your name out there and letting people know exactly what you have to offer.

Today was one of those rare days where my “paid” workload was pretty quiet (for freelance writers, there’s always work to be done whether it’s paid or not).  So, as I said, today was all about networking.

After receiving another great inspirational post from Young Pre Pro, I decided to get out there and really try to expose my blogs.  There are numerous ways to do this, but one of the simplest and most effective tools to use are social network sites. 

How I used social networks to drive traffic to my blogs

I decided to use the two sites that I am most familiar with; Facebook and Twitter.

Facebook – I set up a fan page.  The page benefits me in several ways:

• It acts as a Landing Page for prospective clients.  I used my own name followed by the service I offer as my profile name for the page, so: Memma Hough; Freelance writer for Online content.  I let everyone that visits the page know straight away that I’m available for hire by saying exactly that in the information section that’s displayed beneath my profile picture.
• It drives traffic to my blogs.  By sharing my posts to the Facebook page, not only do I increase my overall exposure for my blogs, but I am providing ample examples of my work for anyone looking to hire a writer.   
• By using my own page to like other pages, I am heightening my profile again.  In addition to this though, I am able to look for companies that I might like to work for; About.com; Make Up For Ever; eHow.com and so on.  Even if they are not looking for a writer at the moment, if they know about me now and like what they see, this can serve as a foot in the door should a position come up with them in the future.  It could even lead to me getting head-hunted which is of course, every writers dream.

Twitter – I already had a Twitter account (@MemmaHough).  Unfortunately, I don’t use it nearly enough.  I decided that this was to change today.  I began to Tweet links to my blogs as well as my Facebook page.  This casts a wider net again for readers.  In the same way that I liked other Facebook pages, I also followed other people and companies that are in my specialized fields.

Has it worked?

Well none of my posts have gone viral yet. BUT, when I checked my stats for the blogs and my Facebook page, I was pleased to see that my effort was already beginning to pay off.  I’ve received more views on both of my blogs today than any other day since I started them.  95% of those views are from Facebook referrals.

Obviously it is by no means time to rest on my laurels, but for a first attempt; I think it’s a peachy result!

On a side note: I have also used Facebook as a resource for a future blog.  I’ve asked people for photos of their amazing Halloween pumpkins.  Fortunately, I have many kind friends who know their way around a pumpkin with a carving knife.  I can’t wait to put the Pumpkin post up tomorrow and showcase their talents.

The Art of Finding Online Writing Jobs

I recently wrote a post on my realisation that I am a professional freelance writer.  The post included my own personal experience of becoming a writer and a few sites that have helped me along the way.  I got some great feedback from the post so I’ve decided to share some more experiences with all of you who are looking to tread the same path and would like to know how to get online writing jobs.

Freelancer job boards

http://www.smartrecruiters.com/static/blog/making-the-most-when-recruiting-with-job-boards/making-the-most-of-job-boards/

My first ever writing gig was found on a freelancer job site.  From there, my writing career has somewhat snowballed and although I am nowhere near the lofty heights of some writers that can boast an annual income worthy of a Lawyer, I am paying the bills and living comfortably.  I’ve allowed myself a year to achieve the lawyer wages.

The following job sites may well be worth taking a look at:

Freelancer.com – This is the site where I landed my first job.  It was for incredibly low rates but at the time I didn’t realise that.  The most important thing about those first poorly paid articles that I wrote, was that they gave me experience of writing for somebody else and provided me with diverse samples to show to other prospective clients.  Every journey starts with a step.

Elance.com – Quite similar to Freelancer.com but I find that the jobs on there are slightly higher paying. I’ve managed to grab a couple of opportunities through Elance just lately. 

Freelancewriting.com – I mentioned this site in another post and the reason for it being in this post is the same: it’s amazing.  The site lists the latest and best picks from a number of other freelancer job boards including Elance.  My favourite links from this site are Morning Coffee Paper, Writers Guidelines, Online Writing Jobs.  I also explore Online Writing Jobs separately from time to time. 

Craigslist – There is a Craigslist link on Freelancewriting.com but it is for American cities.  This is still worth a look at as there are normally some online writing jobs for people around the world, however many of them are often aimed at people who live in or near to the specific cities of the clients.  I mostly look on the London Craigslist (I don’t know why as I don’t live in either place).  I actually get quite excited when I see new posts on here, you literally never know what you might find on there.

People Per Hour – I’ve only recently found this site but I quite like it.  There aren’t as many jobs as some of the other sites but to me that’s even more appealing.  The average rate for a job is often much better than the other sites I have mentioned (with the exception of Freelance Writing).  For any writers that are based in the UK, this site might appeal to you due to the amount of UK clients on there.  The ratio of UK to other nationalities is far higher than most other places I have seen.  This can make things easier for Tax purposes and of course there is always the benefit of being in the same time zone as your employer.

Keyword searches

http://www.udemy.com/blog/how-to-conduct-keyword-research/

Many people will tell you that searching for work on these job boards is futile.  Too many people are trying to achieve the same goal by going after the same job.  This does seem to have an element of truth to it, but only in the same way that anybody applying for a job that’s advertised on a national job site will be up against many other people.  In my eyes; if you don’t ask, you don’t get.  If anybody is serious about finding employment then they will explore every avenue.

Finding regular writing gigs online by using a keyword search is another option.  Now most of the sites that I’ve mentioned will be seen if the phrase “freelance writing jobs” is entered into a search engine.  To find other jobs that are not necessarily on the job boards and could mean less competition, then you could try going directly to the site or company you want to work for.  If you’re not quite sure which company you would like to work for then try typing in:

• “Write for us” paid jobs – make sure the quotes are entered too.  This will throw up a list of blogs, magazines and any other kind of online platform that are looking for or are accepting new writers.
• “Beauty blog” paid to write – Look at blogs that will pay for guest writers in the niche that interests you most.  If you manage to get work published like this, you can link back to your own site and build up your reputation for writing in that particular field.  Obviously the word beauty can be swapped out for whichever niche you like.
• “Writers guidelines” – Ever fancied writing for a magazine?  By typing in this key phrase into a search engine, you can find the guidelines to publications that accept contributions from freelance writers like me and you.

Learning curve

Landing a writing job is not easy if you don’t know what you’re doing.  Not a decent paying one anyway.

This time six months ago, I was pitching mediocre ideas and proposals using generic language to a wide spectrum of people for all kinds of work.  It didn’t get me very far at all and had it not been for my regular client, I would not have been able to make a living this way.  Now, I pick the jobs I apply for carefully.  Each proposal is thought out, looking at the job specification and how my skills match the needs of the client.   

Every time I turn the laptop on, I spy a new website or blog offering advice on how to achieve my goals as a writer.  I love this learning curve as much as I love the writing itself. 

http://zerotips.com/quotes/80-inspirational-quotes/

29-30/10/2012 – Peachy with a side helping of Peachiness

I neglected to post my daily Rainy or Peachy snippet yesterday so I will apologise straight away.  However, I do have a fantastic excuse for it.  I have been rewarded for my dedication to writing.

After searching continuously for writing jobs that appeal to my specific skills and subjects that I am actually interested in, I received a reply from a prospective client the other day.  The work is for the Health and Beauty niche (a personal favourite) and concentrates on marketing new and existing products.  This means copy for landing pages, as well as pamphlets, blogs and articles driving traffic to the site and leading to high conversion rates.  Basically, get people to buy the product.  This kind of work is exactly what I love but although I’ve done work like this in the past, this is the first time I’ve actually gone after it myself.  Every other time, I’ve received copy writing jobs via publishing companies that act as a middle man.  This is great for experience but doesn’t quite carry the rates that I would like.

Anyhow, yesterday, the client set up a conference on Skype and we spoke about how I would be best suited to the job.  I told him about my passion for the niche as well as my experience with the kind of content he was looking for.  From there we discussed rates and how I could be of use to his marketing scheme.  The client and his partners loved my ideas and after a couple of hours on Skype, I am now to write the copy for the landing page of a brand new product at a rate that reflects my ability and talent.

I’m super excited about the whole project and it looks as though there is plenty of work to come my way should things go right with this initial page (which of course, I will make sure of).  As a writer, being given so much creative license is a special gift, really giving me the chance to expand my portfolio in a unique way. 

No doubt I’ll be blogging about my journey as a freelance writer a little more, as well as some great new products on my Living Beautifully blog

.  So now, after a slow couple of months, it looks like I will be very busy indeed carving out a new life for me and my daughter.  Exciting times indeed! 

On the other hand, my partner and I have finally called it a day with our relationship.  For all those who have read my other posts, you will know that we have been off and on throughout the year. Unfortunately this is the final curtain.  I don’t know whether it’s the fact that I am used to us splitting up now, or the fact that I have reached the end of my tether, but this seemingly bad news has actually had an adverse effect on me.  I feel as though a weight has been lifted from my shoulders and everything seems to have come back into focus.  My main priority now is to become the fantastic writer I know I can be and in turn, earn a living that enables me to spoil my daughter and spend quality time with her.  Peachy, with a side order of peachiness J

My realisation that I’m a professional freelance writer

I started freelance writing at the beginning of this year.  To be perfectly honest, I fell into the profession completely by chance while I was searching for “work at home” jobs.  I came across the Freelancer.com website and was amazed at how many jobs there were on there. I started applying for a few jobs that I believed I could do.  I’ve always had a way with the written word (talking is a different matter completely by the way, I sound like a bumbling idiot on the phone) so I figured I could definitely try my hand at writing articles. 

My first gig is barely worth mentioning; 20 – 30 short articles per day around pretty much the same keyword for $0.25 per article.  At the time, I didn’t know anything about rates or how the business worked and I was happy to be doing something with my time.  Having some grasp of maths though, I knew that this was not going to pay any bills so I continued to hunt for other projects whilst keeping up with the monotonous work I was doing.  Luckily, and I do think I’m extremely lucky for this, I found some more work that paid $0.01/word which was already about ten times as much as I was earning.  The fact that I had already written many of these other articles worked for me as well.  I had samples to send over.  I’d also written some slightly longer pieces about my move to Bulgaria in my own time to use as samples.  Anyhow, to cut a long story short, I was awarded the work and the client is still with me to this day. 

I get assigned great jobs from my regular client as well as picking up various other projects from clients all over the world (at a slightly higher price as my talent has grown sufficiently).  It might sound silly, but when I started writing for a living, I didn’t know the true value of the work I was providing.  For example:

• I understood what people meant when they said they wanted to include keywords in the article.  I didn’t know that it was an SEO tactic used to drive traffic to sites.  I also didn’t realise that placing keywords in an article in a natural flowing way was something that was regarded as a sought after skill.  I assumed that everyone would know that if an article didn’t make sense to the reader, then it was useless.  The fact that I have this talent sets me apart from many other writers. 
• I understood when a client wanted me to talk about a company or a product to try and make the reader become a buyer.  I didn’t know that this could be classed as “sales copy”.

 

http://knowempowernetwork.com/7-creative-ways-to-make-money-writing-for-newbie-writers/

As I started to figure these things out, I realized that I should not only be researching the topics I was writing about, but how to improve my skills and market my talent as a professional freelance writer.  I started to read blogs and articles on how to become a better freelance writer. I love to read tips and hints about how to hone my skills and become the writer I want to be.  Some of the best tips I have found are:

• Look for work you want to do – Now, I narrow my search for jobs down to the kind of jobs I know I will enjoy.  Writing quality work is a million times easier if you have a personal interest in the topic.
• Create a blog – The great thing about a blog is I get to write about the things that I want, in my own way. If a prospective client likes my blog, it stands to reason that I will like working with them.
• Realise that your work is worth the money – I’m still getting to grips with this.  Professional writer is not a title that I often associate with myself even now.  And yet, I have repeat clients who constantly express their gratitude for my work and this is my sole income. My rates now reflect the fact that I am a dedicated freelance writer.

Some of the most beneficial sites I have found to help me in my quest to become a highly paid writer are:

http://www.freelancewriting.com/ – This site is amazing. I first started going to it to look at the jobs board, but now I spend more time reading all the great advice that can be found on the site.  This is a must-see for anyone who is serious about freelance writing.

http://scribecontent.com/ – Most clients are looking to market something.  As a freelance writer, I’m looking to market myself so it’s essential to know the tricks of online marketing through content. 

http://www.youngprepro.com/ – This guy is my hero.  Check out his “Hire me page” and you soon realise he is not messing around.  I love to read his blogs and have downloaded one of his EBooks which I constantly refer to for inspiration.

The Breakup Playlist

Having gone through a breakup five times this year with the same person (too long of a story to go into), the feelings of despair, sorrow, loneliness, anger and eventually peacefulness are only too familiar.  Without trying to sound like a bleeding heart, I’ve always found that music has the ability to pull me out of the darkest moods.  Or allow me to wallow in them should I feel the need.  Everyone will have their own personal list of breakup songs to help empower or comfort them.  This one is mine. 

This playlist has a little of everything I find.  There are the usual defiant “I’ll be better without you” songs, with a hint of the “let’s just acknowledge it’s over” songs and of course, the songs that might have very little to do with the breakup theme at all but always make me smile and want to dance.  They’re not in any particular order, as my emotions don’t seem to follow any logical pattern.  Underneath each video is a little explanation as to why the song has made it on to my breakup song playlist.

Firstly, I love Pink and when I’m at my most vulnerable, I am known to crank up any one of my Pink albums and pretend that, I too am a super cool rock chick who doesn’t give a d*** about anything.  This song relates to the “let’s just acknowledge it’s over” realm with lyrics such as “I think I’ve finally had enough, I think I maybe think too much,I think this might be it for us (blow me one last kiss)”

I would think the reason for this on the breakup playlist is obvious but just in case – “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, stand a little taller, doesn’t mean I’m lonely when I’m alone”. Great tune that will have you dancing round the room giving the unlucky ex the proverbial finger in no time.  

I realise this choice may seem a little bitter to some people. I don’t care. It is an extremely funny song which makes me smile and in actual fact I don’t share the sentiment (I would rather concentrate on my own happiness than somebody else’s misfortune). Great for jumping round the front room to and pretending to be an All American reject.

Inspirational and catchy. I truly believe that I am the fifth member of Little Mix when I play this song and I know that I was “made to fly”.

When this woman opens her mouth my heart breaks, but in a good way.  As most of you will have guessed, I like to keep my breakup songs upbeat so I don’t flood the house with my tears.  This is why I love the Calvin Harris mix of the song.  The song reminds me of what I used to feel like at the beginning of the relationship but instead of making me morose, it makes me happy to have shared a great part of my life with someone and helps me to look forward to the next time I might feel that way again. 

Scatman – No obvious link to a breakup at all, but I defy anybody to listen to this song without smiling at the very least.  If you’re anything like me, you will probably experience full belly laughs when trying to sing along.  Also, it is my battle cry when I am a little “tipsy” many a person back home has heard me paying homage to this funny  little song at silly o clock in the morning.  Sometimes good memories are everything you need to bring you out of a depressed state of mind.

As a final note, many people will be racking their brains as to why Adele has not made it onto the list.  The reason for this is simple; although I am a huge fan of the very talented lady (she is on my list of people that I would definitely go for a pint with), her albums are… depressing! They are wonderful to listen to when you are completely over your breakup, or if you are completely happy.  But anyone going through a breakup should put the Adele albums waaay at the back of the cupboard and wait for peachier days to come round before attempting to play them.

So there it is, my breakup playlist. Not to everyone’s taste no doubt but I have found that these songs do their bit to help lighten my mood and laugh each day. By doing this, I can help my daughter see that there is always something to smile about no matter what life throws at us.

28/10/2012 – Perfectly Peachy Snoozy Sunday

Today was bound to be a great day for me.  I am a sleep lover.  Sleep and I have had a great relationship for many years.  Of course we’ve had our little spats where my snooze time evades me and I find myself being wide awake at silly o clock but mostly, sleep is my best friend.  That’s why, every year, when the clocks go backwards and I am rewarded with an extra hours sleep, I am truly grateful and more excited about the event than many people are about their Birthdays.

When I awoke from my slumber (thanks to an alarm clock that was NOT mine), I had that wonderful glow inside that comes only from the knowledge that I don’t have to get up for at least another hour.  This is a million times better than any snooze button.

When I finally did get up, I managed to spend a whole day doing… nothing! I’ve updated my blog, scouted around on Facebook and been in charge of the feeding times at our little zoo.  All of these tasks have benefited me in some way and did not feel like work at all.  I have managed to watch so many TV programmes today that if I was back in England, I might not mind paying the TV license so much.

As any mother will tell you though, the act of sitting quietly is easy for us.  Nothing to shout about.  It is the fact that I was ALLOWED to sit quietly that is to be celebrated.  My daughter asked for maybe three things today and all were reasonable requests.  Permission was granted and she was content.  Her father simply sat watching the same programmes with me or exploring his shiny new phone, in a not uncomfortable silence.  This is the second day in a row that we have acted like a perfectly functional family despite all that is wrong.  It was pure peachy, snoozy, Sunday bliss.

27/10/2012 – Rainy start with a Peachy result

Happy Saturday everyone!  I’d like to kick off a new regular post on my Rainy or Peachy Blog.  This is the place where I will be venting my frustrations or sharing my joy with you all.  Each day will be categorised as Rainy or Peachy depending on my mood and what happens during the day.

Today started off with a slight drizzle on my mood.  Family life is not at its best at the moment as I am on the brink of losing my partner of ten years for the 5^th time this year. 

Trying to figure out whether a relationship is really over or not when you have been together as long as a decade and have a child together can be tough on everyone concerned.  Fortunately, we have spent so much time together that we can actually work together as a great team, even when we’re talking about separating.

So in true Dave and Mem style, we decided to go out for a walk with our gorgeous daughter.  We did a little window shopping while we walked along the main street of our little town.  Then we found a new park that had some exercise equipment in it and had a play around on there, even us adults.  From there we headed up to the local running track and watched some kids mess about with a kite, before strolling back home. 

The walk wasn’t awkward, far from it in fact.  There was laughter and smiles and… a great family atmosphere.  I doubt anybody looking at us would have guessed the turmoil that our little family is going through and for that reason; I’m chalking this day up as a peachy one 🙂

Long distance relationships – Can they really work?

 

There are lots of reasons that people enter a long distance relationship.  Singles who meet online might find a kindred spirit on a different continent; couples may go to different colleges or Universities and sometimes people need to work away.  Whatever the reason, there are couples all around the world who spend their time missing their partners, waiting for the day that they are able to truly be together again.

Statistically speaking…

According to Statistic Brain, 14 million couples worldwide say that they are in long distance relationships.  So what are the chances of these couples making it?  Well statistically speaking…

• Total amount of long distance relationships that fail – 40%
• Average time for break-up to occur in a long distance relationship – 4.5 months

Pretty depressing data eh?  Of course there will be people out there who will shout from the rooftops that they will be in the 60% that make it because their relationship is the strongest that they know.  Whilst this is a great attitude to have, the facts tell us that confidence in a relationship working is not enough to see a result.  70% of those relationships which fail are put down to the fact that the couples were not prepared for the huge change of living so far away from each other.

So the big question – How do you make sure you’re not in that 40% and you get that long awaited happy reunion?

image source: wallchan.com http://www.wallchan.com/1450-couple-reunited-wallpaper/

Making it work

Firstly, I think it’s important to realise that long distance relationships actually can work.  60% is on the right side of half as far as I’m concerned.  In fact if only 1% of couples were in a successful long distance relationship then it would be enough to inspire hope, but then again, I’m a “glass is half full” kind of girl at heart. 

So how do these superstar couples make the long distance thing work?  Well you don’t have to be a psychologist or relationship expert to figure out that they will be putting a huge amount of effort into keeping their relationship alive.  But what does the effort entail?  What are they doing that’s so different to the other 40%?

Making time – Speak to anyone whose relationship has failed due to the distance and they will tell you that at first; they were never off the phone/Skype/Facebook to each other in the early days.  Then after a while, the calls and messages started to deplete.  Pretty soon, they seemed to be missing calls more often than taking them.  The reason?  They had other things going on, something came up and they just weren’t around. 

image source: eligiblemagazine.com http://eligiblemagazine.com/

This is natural.  Life goes on and just because the person you normally share your experiences with isn’t there, doesn’t mean you stop having experiences.  But if long distance relationships are going to work, it depends on couples making time for each other.  A busy day at work followed by some drinks with friends can mean it’s easy to not to call a loved one.  But it’s just as easy to take two minutes to make that call or even send a text and let them know they’re in your thoughts. 

Best foot forward – couples act as a sounding board for each other:

• Rough day at the office – Tell your partner about the idiots at work when you get home. 
• Annoyed about finances – Speak to your partner and know that somebody else shares the problem with you.
• Annoyed with your partner – Tell them, possibly have an argument and then work things out.

These are standard procedures for most couples around the world no matter who they are.  But couples in a long distance relationship need to keep things as happy as possible.  I’m not saying that people should bottle up their emotions; that’s no good either.  It’s just that if you only have ten minutes out of the day to speak to each other, it’s not advisable to spend the full ten minutes whining about all the things that are wrong in the world when you could be spending the time letting each other know how much you love each other.  A great way to do this is by looking to the future.  Talk about the things you look forward to doing together when you’re re-united; going for meals; sharing a bottle of wine with each other on the settee and watching a film; going away for a romantic weekend; anything that focuses on the positive and reminds you about why you’re going through the stress of being in a long term relationship.

What if it doesn’t work?

Whilst that 60% gives us all hope, it’s an undeniable fact that the other 40% still exists.  Somebody has to be part of that percentile.  Personal experience has taught me that not all long distance relationships work.  For some people, it seems like everything is ok when things are easy, but the relationship simply doesn’t stand up to the huge test of distance.  One of the best pieces of advice I have ever read is from Julie Gerstein who confesses that she stole it “directly from Maya Angelou”:

“When people show you who they are; believe them”

If you are the one that always makes it home in time to use Skype and your partner constantly lets you down, perhaps it is time to realise that they are not prepared to invest as much time and effort into the relationship as you.  This is no reflection on either partner.  It’s just fact.  The next step is to be brutally honest with each other and talk about whether it’s time to call it a day.

image source: orientalsparkle.blogspot.com http://orientalsparkle.blogspot.com/

Man tip:  We love big gestures but only they’re not the be all and end all.  Repeatedly promising things and not delivering is a million times worse than not making any gesture ever.  Diamonds are not a girl’s best friend: kept promises are.

Mood swings that make you feel like you need to be accompanied by a psycho alert

I’m sure everyone will admit to being a bit moody at times.  Sometimes my mood swings are so bad though that I feel as though I really should be accompanied by some kind of psycho alert, warning people to approach me with extreme caution! 

Just lately, it seems like I’ve been having quite a few of these days and the worst thing about it is, I know that I’m putting undue stress on my family, which I hate.  Of course sometimes, I feel that they are doing their fair share of putting undue stress on me too which doesn’t exactly help the situation.  It seems my days have been going from peachy to positively rainy and back again in just seconds lately.  I’m sure (at least I hope) that I’m not the only person who ever feels like this, so why does it happen?

What causes mood swings?

As much as I would love to blame my mood on other people’s stupidity, there is actually more at stake.  I should point out though, that I am talking about minor mood swings that most of us go through on a day to day basis, rather than long bouts of mood swings which can often be a sign of Bi-Polar disorder or Manic Depression (if you’re worried about this, you need to see a doctor).

The most common causes of mood swings and all round general moody behaviour are:

• Thoughts – We’ve got millions of them buzzing round our head at any given time, both conscious and sub-conscious.  We might not take note of them at the time, but different thoughts have the ability to affect our mood.
• Energy levels – No big surprise here.  Anyone who has woken up in a foul mood first thing (guilty as charged by the way, I am NOT a morning person) will understand that energy levels can affect their mood.  Feeling drained and lethargic can go hand in hand with becoming irritable and over sensitive.
•  Hormonal changes – Estragon (the lady hormone) has an effect on how much serotonin our bodies produce.  Serotonin has a direct effect on our moods.  Basically, low levels of serotonin equals low levels of happiness and self-esteem, hence the well documented moodiness of women going through menopause, pregnancy, PMS and of course – teenagers!
• Mild dehydration – Studies have shown that even a 1.5% loss of water can alter our moods.  This loss can easily be achieved by conducting average daily activities like going to work and then running around after the family all day.  It’s also a reasonable explanation as to why many people are in a foul mood while they cope with their hangover (guilty again).

How to get over mood swings

It’s true that mood swings are common in everyone, though medical professionals (and most men you care to ask) say that women tend to suffer from them more.  They can easily ruin a day and if not checked, they can put unwanted pressure on family life, relationships and work life.  So, if you don’t want to get that “psycho alert” sign drawn up, try out a few of the following tips to get rid of your mood swings:

• Keep a mood diary – If you’re going through a phase where you seem to be having more moody bouts than normal, keep a diary.  Note down foods and thoughts of the day along with times that your mood changed.  Doing this might highlight some kind of pattern that you can then look into and try to solve the problem.  It could be something as simple as changing the foods you eat (sugary foods might lead to mood swings) or talking about something that you had pushed to the side in your mind.
• Exercise – Now don’t get me wrong, I am by no means a fitness fanatic.  Yet last year I started doing a little exercise through my day because I’d heard that it helped improve concentration and mood (as well as wanting to shift a few pounds).  Exercise releases endorphins which can make you happy.  Studies have also shown that those who exercise are more likely to get a good night’s sleep which will also help your mood because of the whole low energy equals moodiness thing. 
• Drink – Keep yourself hydrated.  Drinking water and low sugar juices will help to keep your moods regulated as well as helping you think more clearly.  The combination of this means that dealing with the massive job of juggling work, family and relationships is made a little easier.
• Vitamin supplements – Keep energy levels up with vitamin supplements, Vitamin D is said to be a major contributor to our happy meter which is why so many people get the winter blues.  Rather than hopping on a sunbed every day (leathery skin doesn’t make anyone happy) or forking out a fortune for holidays (neither does an empty bank account), taking supplements and choosing foods which are high certain vitamins can help out with mood swings.

The most important thing to remember about mood swings is not to dwell on them.  Talk to family or friends about what you think might be bothering you.  Get some rest and basically look after yourself.  It’s impossible to be everywhere at once so stop trying and just be.  Failing that, win the lottery and send all things/people that annoy you to somewhere cold.

Man Tip

For the men who are unlucky enough to be dealing with a moody spouse:  I feel for you.  We are not easy to live with and at times even I have felt sorry for my partner when I am in my psycho phase.  Try to be as understanding as possible.  A little impromptu compliment always helps; doing the house work without being asked is another winner and at no point at all should you utter the words : “that time of the month again is it?”