Work from Home Tips

April 23, 2014 0 Comments

The Working Stay-At-Home Mom: Turning Passions Into Paying Positions

Compared to the societal ideals of 50 years ago, women today can choose independence by choosing at home professions. Women are no longer cast into the roles of housewife or stay-at-home mom. Modern day independence provides women with opportunity, whether they choose motherhood, a career or both.

In 2011, working mothers served as breadwinners for 40 percent of family households, according to 2013 Pew Research Social & Demographic Trends analysis. Breadwinner moms were comprised of married mothers who earn a higher income than their husbands (37 percent) as well as single mothers (63 percent). The trend of breadwinning mothers has understandably been linked to an increasing presence of mothers in the workforce. Nearly half of the U.S. labor force is made up of women, and the employment rate of married mothers has increased by 43 percent between 1968 and 2011.

Even so, stay-at-home moms and working moms typically remain polarized. In motherhood, you’re either pro stay-at-home mom or pro working mom—never both. The discord fosters resentment, judgment, envy and guilt from both groups. With all of these harbored negative feelings, why do women have to choose either/or? Here are four ways stay-at-home moms can not only participate in the workforce, but nurture their passions by choosing at home professions—an even greater reward.

Etiquette Consultant

For a mother raising her children to be upstanding members of society, teaching manners and morals are invaluable lessons. Take your family lessons on decorum and start an etiquette consulting business. Etiquette expert Catherine Holloway teaches professionals, adults and children how to create opportunity by acting with diplomacy and civility in social situations. Jacqueline Whitmore coaches professionals on business etiquette and protocol designed to spur business growth. Fine-tune first impressions, conversation skills and even body language. Etiquette services can also include advice on proper thanks yous and gift-giving customs, from writing traditional thank you cards to ordering flower delivery for professional settings.

Health Entrepreneur

If you love to color your refrigerator with greens and stay active with the family, delve into a business dedicated to health and wellness. Not only can you make a difference in your family’s lives, you can change the lives of others. Brand and build a website that features your family’s nutritious recipes and inspirations for staying healthy. Other business outlets for a health-passionate advocate include establishing an online retail store for T-shirts and tanks crafted with unique wellness-related designs. Or perhaps you have an idea for a marketable nutritional product or supplement. Entrepreneur Joyce Emily fueled her passion for nutrition by creating the superfood drink Basic Greens. The juice drink became Emily’s brand, empowering people to live a healthy lifestyle.

Professional Organizer

You may as well call yourself an organization pro. You constantly return misplaced toys to bins and rearrange cupboards to fit an influx of plastic cups and bowls. You’ve developed the problem-solving skills to declutter, downsize and maximize space. Why not earn some cash with your craft of expert organization? Sara Pedersen offers hands-on organization assistance and simplification services through her business Time To Organize. She cites U.S. News and World Report and states professional organizing as one of 20 hot jobs for the future workforce. On Pederson’s Career FAQs, you can learn how to enter the professional organizing industry, including how much you can make and required certifications and training.

Wardrobe Stylist

Inundated with motherhood and homemaking demands, a woman can lose her sense of style. Perhaps you’ve been in her (worn out) shoes before. Ya know, when heels are inconceivable and sneakers have even replaced cute ballet flats. By starting a styling business venture, you can offer sensible fashion advice and inspiration for real women who are just like you. Urban Darling provides in-person and virtual styling services, as well as online lookbooks for an “elegant young professional” and many other types of women. Help the fashion-impaired with closet audits, personal shopping and event styling. If you have the look and eye to be a professional fashion stylist, check out Complex Style’s list of tips on how to make it happen.

Now, it’s your turn. Choose one of these at home professions or select from the countless others available to you as a stay-at-home mom. You’ll find so much reward and satisfaction.

Check out these other great articles about home-based jobs as a work from home professional. Also check out our home-based job descriptions and current job postings for mom professionals.

Written by Guest Blogger

February 13, 2014 0 Comments

Is a Home Business Good for Your Marriage?

Candid Couples Give Relationship Advice on the Effects of a Home Business on their Marriage: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

There are many things to consider when starting a home business. What type of home business will you start? What equipment, inventory or supplies will you need? Who will your potential customers and clients be? Who will be your primary competition?

However, one question few women tend to think about is, “Will my home business be good for my marriage?”

The answer depends on you and your approach to home business. You can count on your home business changing your life to some extent. It will add additional duties to your day, leave you with less time and may change your priorities. But does that mean it will be negative for your marriage? Or can it actually be good for your marriage? We asked some seasoned home-based working moms to give us their relationship advice and got some surprising answers.

“My home business has had a very positive effect on my marriage. When my husband arrives home from work I can’t wait to share some of the successes of the day. Also, I can contribute so much more to the family income. That takes an enormous pressure off of us,” Diana Ennen, Owner of VirtualWordPublishing.com shares.

Laurie Hurley of HomeTutoringBusiness.com adds, “We are more in tune with each other now that I work from home. It has been very good for our marriage.”

Another home business owner shared that it has actually brought them closer together as a family. “We bounce business ideas off of each other and everyone, including our three children, feels like it’s their business as well,” Julie Held, Owner of Stuff A Friend, added.

However, along with the positive, there are some negative ways a home business can impact your marriage. A very common mistake many people make is putting their marriage on autopilot when they start a home business. Some may wrongly believe their marriages are strong, secure and don’t need regular attention. The truth is no matter the stage, marriages need nurturing, affection and attention.

“I allowed my business to take over my life, and I neglected my family and my home. My husband was very patient through it all, and that made me really wake up. Now I make sure that I am connecting in a meaningful way to my husband and kids every day,” Darlene Hull, Owner of Mom-Defrazzler.com shares.

Another member shares how her home business saved her marriage. “We were on divorce road when I started my home business. Now we are conscious of where we need to improve because of things we’ve learned through my business self-development programs. I think we are happier now than when we first married,” Jhanna Dawson, owner of HighDesertBandB.com, adds.

So how can you ensure a happy marriage and a successful home business? We asked some members of HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com for their suggestions. Here are their tips:

Nurture your relationship and plan quality time and regular date nights with your spouse.
Have the same goals for your family, your marriage and your future together. And never let your spouse feel he is second behind the business. Jan Van Blarcum, CreativeTutors.com
Set specific hours to work and be diligent about keeping those boundaries in tact. Darlene Hull, Mom-Defrazzler.com
Prioritize family time and coordinate activities with your spouse on a family calendar. Jhanna Dawson, HighDesertBandB.com
Outsource when needed. Hire a house cleaner, nanny or an assistant. We put our family first and remember to keep our priorities: God, spouse, family and work in proper order. Jodi Stott, Isagenix
Talk about everything and discuss your options. Julie Held, Stuff A Friend
Look to the Lord when you don’t see eye to eye. Holly R. Boyd, A1Organizing.com
In business, learn to say no and mean it. In your personal life, learn to say yes and mean it. Candy Beauchamp, OffAssist.com
When you are with your spouse or kids, be 100% with them. When you are working, focus 100% on your work. Lisa Druxman, StrollerStrides.com

Regardless of what stage your home business is in, sit down with your spouse to discuss these bits of relationship advice and other pertinent topics. It could help you avoid significant conflicts in the future. And who knows, maybe your home business will help make your marriage even stronger too.

Lesley Pyle is the founder and president of HBWM.com Inc. which includes the national association of Home-Based Working Moms helping moms network, learn and grow in their role as a Home-Based Working Mom and HireMyMom.com connecting at-home Mom Professionals with home-based jobs and projects in virtually every career field. Pyle has been featured in numerous publications including Forbes, Entrepreneur, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Home Office Computing, and many others. Twitter @lesleypyle and @hiremymom

Check out these other great articles about tips for moms as a work from home professional. Also check out our current job postings for mom professionals.

Written by Guest Blogger

February 5, 2014 0 Comments

To Stress or Not to Stress?

Today it seems that no matter who we are or what we do, we have more stress in our lives than our parents or grandparents did. How to relieve stress often alludes us. In order to relieve this stress, it is good to understand what leads to stress.

There are many factors and demands that cause stress in our lives: things such as demanding careers, relationship conflicts, financial worries, health concerns, parenting challenges, legal issues, fear of the unknown and so many others. If that were not enough, the stress and worries these situations cause further diminish our ability to function well and to be healthy. In fact, stress can cause depression, fatigue, irritability, withdrawal, insomnia, appetite changes, headaches, lower sex drive and many other ailments and diseases. Some studies suggest that as much as 80% of all major illnesses are attributed to stress. Take note of that again — as much as 80% of all major illnesses are attributed to stress! It is quite obvious — stress is NOT good for us, and we are wise to get rid of as much of it as possible.

So how DO you relieve stress? First, do you know what things in your life are causing you stress? Think about it and write down those things. Next, go through your list and write possible solutions and ways to ease stress for each of those stress causers. Then, make a plan to do those things. That plan may look like a daily reminder that you read, post-it notes on your computer or a daily quiet time of prayer.

For those stress items that we cannot remove from our lives and for the unexpected stress that creeps into our lives, try these tips:

When you feel tense or stress, stop what you are doing, close your eyes and take several deep breaths. Inhale slowly counting to 10 and exhale slowly counting to 10. Try to do this at least three times. You may need to do this several times a day.
Start an exercise program. You may be amazed how much stress is relieved when you exercise. The endorphins that are released can reduce your stress, improve your mood and give you an energy boost.
Play relaxing music or soothing sounds that calm and relax you.
Plan a day off or at least plan some time just for yourself and do whatever is relaxing to you: sleep in, lay in a hammock, have coffee with a friend, take a bubble bath, have a glass of champagne, go for a hike, get a manicure or read a book
Count your blessings. Record things you are happy and thankful about. Read them daily and add to your list as you recognize new blessings and things to be thankful for. The goal is to have a longer “thankful” list than “stress” list. Focus on the positive and remind yourself of the positive things in your life often.
Simplify your life. Are there unnecessary things in your life that you could remove? Are you over-extended or over-committed? Are there things in your life that you can outsource to simplify your life? Are your children in more than one extra-curricular activity? Is that adding more stress than is worth it?
Find more joy. Are there things that can truly add joy to your life? What are they? Are you focusing too much on work or negative things in your life? Are you taking time to stop and enjoy your life, your family, and your children?

Use any or all of these tips to relieve your stress. Make today the day for new beginnings and for removing as much stress from your life as possible. Find joy. Make joy.

Check out these other great articles about stress relief as a work from home professional. Also check out our current job postings for mom professionals.

Written by Guest Blogger

January 28, 2014 0 Comments

Taking the Dread out of Deadlines

What do you think of when you hear the word “deadline?” If you are like most people, you probably get tense, stressed and get the “dread” attitude. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Deadline-oriented work from home projects can be your friend, and they can be a valuable motivator. As a solo-preneur, if you don’t set deadlines your goals will never be met. We know that’s not what you want.

So let’s talk about the types of entrepreneurs and their personality traits in regards to deadlines. There seems to be three different types of entrepreneurs when it comes to the topic of deadlines.

Type 1 Entrepreneur

You see a deadline, procrastinate to the very last moment, stress out to meet it, but you succeed with your best work.

Problem: While you’re producing your best work, your health and well-being begin to suffer due to unnecessary stress. Your family, home and other personal responsibilities may suffer from your poor time management as well.

Recommendation: Set your deadline in half: by hours or days. Make this your new deadline and stick to it. Complete your task, let it sit overnight for final reviews and revisions, and your best work will be met with time to spare. More importantly, you will have less stress and better health.

Type 2 Entrepreneur

You see a deadline, get to it right away, finish the job early with extra revisions, and produce your best work with time to spare. With the extra time, you seek out more deadlines and repeat your cycle, over and over and over again.

Problem: While you’re also producing your best work, you are prone to taking on more responsibilities and duties. You try to fit two or three more deadlines within the initial one deadline assignment. By over-committing, your health, business, and family life begin to suffer.

Recommendation: Finish deadline number one and pass it in prior to its due date if you’d like. Now, celebrate! Take a much needed break. Enjoy extra family time, personal time, or just relish in the luxury of having a silent moment to rest and relax.

Type 3 Entrepreneur

You have so many deadlines to don’t know what to do, where to start, and your completed assignment is sub par work.

Problems: By over-committing yourself, you’re constantly stressed out, your reputation and work begins to suffer, deadlines are missed, mistakes are made, clients dwindle, and you can’t manage your business, household and family relationships successfully.

Recommendations:

Delegate work: outsource duties, utilize interns or paid professionals at an hourly rate lower than yours.
Seek a business mentor, coach and/or advisor. Don’t know where to find them? At HBWM.com (Home Based Working Moms); we have a Panel of Experts available for general Questions and Answers, and individualized coaching for hire.
Join a network organization with like-minded people and similar business structures. I find that other home-based working moms willingly share their tips, tools and resources to help you succeed in business as well as at home. For example, at HBWM.com, we have forums for you to network with thousands of moms so you can stay motivated, accountable and empowered.

I, too, found myself fall into each of the above categories at different stages of my business growth. Through trial and error, I found success in applying my own recommendations to meet my deadlines.

So, don’t hate deadline-oriented work at home projects—be motivated by them.

Check out these other great articles about productivity / time management as a work from home professional. Also check out our current job postings for mom professionals.

Written by Guest Blogger

January 14, 2014 0 Comments

Challenging Times Call for Creative Hiring Solutions

In today’s economy, many businesses are having to downsize and cut back expenses every place possible in order to survive. This includes letting valued employees go – often times with much regret. And unfortunately some believe our economy will not improve for a couple of years. So what are businesses to do? How do you support and grow a business if your employee pool is or will be dwindling? Are there creative hiring solutions?

Outsourcing is a Creative Hiring Solution

The good news is that many businesses are finding a perfect solution in outsourcing to independent professionals. These professionals offer the same skills and experience as an on-site employee yet they work as an independent, not requiring employee benefits or office space. One of the largest pools of independent professionals is mom professionals who have left the workforce voluntarily or involuntarily.

Many of them are looking for ways especially now to help supplement their families’ income. And in some cases support their family altogether if their spouse has been laid off. These professionals are experienced and educated but are seeking the freedom and flexibility to work hours that are more conducive to having a family. Some of them work part time and some work full time. Some of them work on an hourly basis and others work on a salary or by the project. What’s great for them and for the company is that studies have proven that a person’s productivity actually goes up when working from a home office. This is at least partly due to the fact that independent workers want to prove themselves and go above and beyond expectations to ensure the work keeps flowing to them.

A Win-Win Solutions

The beauty of it is that these creative hiring solutions is a win-win for the company and the professional. In the majority of cases the company saves on payroll and employee benefits and the professional is pleased to have flexible work and puts forth his or her best effort to make sure the work keeps coming in. For more information on hiring at home professionals, visit www.HireMyMom.com.

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Check out these other great articles about tips for mom as a work from home professional.Also check out our current job postings for mom professionals.

Written by Guest Blogger

January 3, 2014 0 Comments

Hiring a Virtual Assistant Will Help You Grow Your Business

What VAs Provide their Clients and How it Has Helped Their Business

As a home based entrepreneur, most of us look forward to getting to the point where we need to outsource work. If we are outsourcing, we must be busier than we can handle and looking to lighten our load. If that’s the case, you’ll want to take a look inside the opportunities available to home business owners in hiring a virtual assistant (VA).

What is a Virtual Assistant?

If you have not heard of a Virtual Assistant, they are “highly skilled professionals who excel in their given area of expertise. They provide extensive marketing solutions, administrative support, proofing, editing, website design, bookkeeping and many other specialized services for entrepreneurs, small businesses, authors, and others who want to bring their business to a new level. VAs work globally taking advantage of all the many benefits the Internet offers,” Diana Ennen, author of Virtual Assistant – The Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA, says.

Ways A Virtual Assistant Will Grow Your Business

“A VA can help a client’s business grow in so many ways. One of the main reasons a person hires a VA is to just take over the daily administrative tasks so they can focus more on their clients and customers, thus making more money and growing their business. But once the immediate tasks are taken over by the VA, they can start to move into more of a partnership. A VA can become the second in command for the client. When the trust grows over time, the VA starts to work with the client’s customers, also helping to make even more money and allowing for their business to grow,” Carolyn Berg, Virtual Assistant/Owner of CyberOffice Solutions, LLC says.

Another way a VA can help a client’s business grow is research. Most business owners do not have time to do research on the internet or make updates to databases, etc. A VA can handle research as well as help search new business alliances and opportunities.

“Carolyn Berg has been my Virtual Assistant since December 2006. She handles many responsibilities that allow me to develop and market my business. She maintains my online newsletter, creates campaigns, makes calls to clients, creates marketing packages with desktop publishing and overall, keeps me on track. She is always willing to assist me, and she has made some great suggestions toward building the business,” Tom O’Brien, owner of Tom O’Brien Productions, in Washington, CT shares.

A Virtual Assistant is a Business Owner

A virtual assistant is not only an assistant to other business owners, they are business owners themselves. They understand the ins and outs of running a business and know what is involved in owning a home based business. “VAs have a unique way of looking at problems from a business standpoint. Many of them have had their own growing pains and dealt with them which is a big advantage to businesses who use our services,” Candy Beauchamp, CVA, CRESS OffAssist says.

“I use three VAs in my business. I have my main VA who performs administrative tasks for me, another who does my accounting and a variety of others I bring in for special projects such as designing a brochure or doing research. If I was doing all of this work, I would never have time to see the number of clients that I am able to see and consequently wouldn’t be able to achieve the income that I now can. Beyond that, they have added capabilities to offer services to my clients that I either don’t have the skills to do or don’t have the motivation or time to do. VAs have given me back time and created a broader range of services that I can offer to clients,” Brad Farris, Anchor Advisors, Ltd, in Chicago, IL, adds.

In today’s world, you don’t have to be in a big office building to have an assistant. You simply need to look online for the many talented VAs out there. I’ve found hiring a Virtual Assistant to be a great way to help manage and grow my business.

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Check out these other great articles about tips for mom as a work from home professional.Also check out our current job postings for mom professionals.

Written by Guest Blogger

December 4, 2013 0 Comments

Top Ten Things Moms Want For Christmas

10. Santa’s elf to help entertain the children so we can get some work done.

9. Another elf to help get all the Christmas shopping done.

8. One more elf to decorate the tree, and one to keep watch so the kids don’t knock it over.

7. And just one elf to wrap all those gifts.

6. An elf would be nice to put those lights up that honey just hasn’t gotten to yet. (“No dear, I’m not nagging!”)

5. What about an elf to clean up this place? What a mess! And that laundry… oh please say you will.

4. It would be great if we could borrow Mrs. Claus just to do some Christmas baking.

3. And Santa, can you send a personal trainer elf to get rid of some of these extra holiday pounds?

2. Oh and an extra wonderful, loving elf to watch these lil sweet angels so honey & I can attend a holiday party would just be great.

And Santa, number ONE of the 10 top Christmas gifts for Mom is……

1. Some of that magical dust for more hours in the day!

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Check out these other great articles about tips for mom as a work from home professional. Also check out our current job postings for mom professionals.

Written by Guest Blogger

November 25, 2013 0 Comments

Take Your Work-at-Home Productivity to New Levels

Have you ever asked yourself? “How productive am I? Am I using my time wisely to get the most accomplished in the time I am working? Where is my time going?” All these questions deal with work-at-home productivity.

Working at home is often seen as a luxury to many moms. It is the best of both worlds. You still get to work and earn an income but you do not have to sacrifice your family time to do it. Many moms have made the transition, and many more are in the process of making the transition. The downfall is that many inexperienced business moms lose of a lot of time, money and energy in the process due to inefficiency and inexperience.

Causes for Loss of Productivity

Unprepared for the journey ahead of them, the following daily occurrences often cause a loss in productivity while working from home:

Personal phone calls,
Emails coming in,
Children and infant responsibilities interrupting schedules,
Neighbors knocking on the door,
Fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants mentality,
Lack of organization and planning,
Unfinished household chores creating an eyesore to your peripheral vision, and much, much, more.

I believe my success, like other thriving home-based working moms, lies in mastering my own System. If you don’t have a structured system laying the foundation of your at home business; your productivity and profitability are at stake.

Ask yourself:

What systems do I have in place to organize my business and personal life?
What daily routines do I need to ensure are done?
Do I have reliable child care arrangements?
Do I have any weekly assignments, tasks or chores that I need to plan for?
What are my monthly to-dos and when should I schedule them?

How to Be Productive at Home

Setting your system can be as easy as:

Checking emails only twice a day, or during particular hours of each day.
Allowing voicemail to pick up your personal calls and kindly asking your neighbors to come back when you are finished with your work day,
Setting a work schedule and working solely on your business while your children are tended to and not on household chores.
Picking one day a week for laundry and ironing, or running business errands out of the house.
Taking advantage of weekday shopping while traffic and crowds are at a minimum.
Sending monthly invoices and accounts payables on one particular date each month.
Establishing an annual calendar based on your anniversary date, to review and report your progress, and find ways to improve your weak areas.

While working at home does give you lots of flexibility, you do still have to know your limitations and when to simply say “no”. Let go of the guilt and know that you cannot possibly do everything. Whether you need to hire a housekeeper, order take out or say no to a volunteer request, know that you are doing what’s best for you and your family but not overextending yourself and putting unnecessary burdens and expectations on yourself.

Create Necessary Boundaries and Stick to Them

Remember: profitability is only one sign of your business success.

Success lies more in your work-at-home productivity, because it ensures all your roles as a home-based working mom are met.

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Check out these other great articles about productivity / time management as a work from home professional. Also check out our current job postings for mom professionals.

Written by Lesley Pyle

January 6, 2008 0 Comments

Redbook Magazine Features HireMyMom

Hot Mama – Netpreneur Lesley Spencer Pyle

Hiremymom.com is the kind of business idea that’s so timely and practical that, naturally, it took a mom to think it up. The site, which connects companies looking to outsource projects with work-from-home moms who are eager for part-time work, was launched last May by Lesley Spencer Pyle, a mother of four in Spring, TX.

“I got pregnant right after I started my first job doing PR for a golf school,” says Pyle. “I hated being away from my baby, but my employer wasn’t open to flextime, so I quit.” Since her family was dependent on Pyle’s income, she began scrambling for freelance work.

“I knew there were other moms out there in the same position – I thought we could really learn from each other,” Pyle says. In 1995, she founded the online community Home-Based Working Moms (hbwm.com) which has evolved into a mini-empire, including a home-based business directory, a start-your-own-business kit, and a newsletter. Pyle loved connecting with moms online and figured employers might want to access this vast pool of talent. Enter hiremymom.com. For a small fee, moms who do everything from graphic design to sales can get listings for hundreds of long- and short-term projects that can be completed from the comfort of their kitchen table – uh, we mean home office.

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