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July 2, 2018 0 Comments

Hire My Mom Employer Success Story: Doug Holbrook

Name: Doug Holbrook
Business: iVention
City / State: Louisville, KY
Website: ivention.us

Tell us a little about your business and how you got started.

A 3-year-old named Rowan and a newborn named Aspen captured my heart and made working for non-flexible, non-caring, family-hostile business very difficult.  My wife and I decided to set out on our own using my expertise in Laboratory Informatics software.

What advice do you have for entrepreneurs and home business owners?

Take a deep breath, and keep walking through the hard parts. Each struggle gives way slowly to success. It takes so much longer than you can anticipate to build and profit from a business. We thought we would be profitable by 6 months, 3 years later we are getting much closer.

What is your top tip for hiring great talent?

Hire for personal drive and willingness more than existing experience and education.

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom.com?

We offer very flexible work environment and hours, many of us attend meetings with babies on our laps or screaming just off-screen.  We find great talented people who are looking for a job that blend and melds with family, kids, & friends and the chaos that comes from living an interesting life. HireMyMom.com has been instrumental in our success thus far.

What’s one fun fact about you?

I am an avid landscaper and speak German.
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June 25, 2018 0 Comments

4 Tips for a Home Office Renovation On a Budget

When you work from home, your home office is a space you’ll spend a lot of time in, so it’s important that it works for you.  Whether you’re just starting out from home, or you need to renovate, you’ll need to make the space your own.

Renovating any room in your house can be quite a process, and it’s usually not inexpensive either. Read along for some of our tips for renovation on a budget!

Repurpose

Repurpose furniture with a fresh, new coat of paint, or utilize unused items from other rooms.  Can that table behind the couch be used as a table for your printer? Take what you have a make it work!

You can take a boring chair, add some fabric, and make it new again.  A little bit of paint or fabric can make a world of difference. If you have a sofa in your office, add some fresh pillows or a throw.  You can also repurpose someone else’s disregarded items – look to antique or garage sales that feature desks, solid furniture, or any other items that can be spruced up with a minimal amount of work.

Get digital

With sites such as Etsy, you can get a lot of artwork in a digital format. You can simply search for art prints that feature inspirational words, photos, art from other countries, and so on.  There are truly an endless amount of options!

From here, you can print out the piece and have it framed, or purchase an inexpensive frame at a local store like Target or Michael’s.  Digital, print-it-yourself art is typically much less expensive, and generally runs from $3-20 per piece on Etsy. Adding just a few prints will likely run you $30-100 total, and it can really change the vibe of the room.

Spend where it counts

Some items will just always be more expensive. A good, solid ergonomic office chair is a great place to spend money! A nice desk is also a place where quality is important, but you can also find good furniture at repurposed places, such as flea markets or garage sales.

You can really go “budget” on things such as office supplies. There are plenty of cute options out there that don’t break the bank!

Make a list of all the items needed for your renovation, and jot down where you can save, and where you’ll need to spend a little bit more.  Once the major items are decided on, you’ll also have a better overall view of your renovation budget.

Change slowly

Start slow! You can start as small as adding a tiny plant – it can literally breathe fresh air into your space.  Paint your walls one month and get a new desk the next. If you’re budgeting, earmark a small allowance each month (or every few months) to make the changes.

Creating a cozy home office doesn’t have to be expensive! Start slowly, be economical, and spend where you need to.  Over time you can transform your space into your dream office with useful and cool office supplies.  In no time, you’ll have a space that reflects your taste and allows you to work in peace.

At HireMyMom we want to help our Mom Professionals succeed at home and in business. We have a supportive community of Mom Professionals as well as great work from home jobs posted by small businesses around the country! Learn more about HireMyMom and how you can join a supportive faith-based community of Mom Professionals!

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June 18, 2018 0 Comments

5 Tips for Work Life Balance

 

We often hear of work life balance, but how do we achieve it?  Bridging the gap between work, family, relaxation and social time is a challenge in our busy world, but it’s crucial to quality of life.

According to Small Business Trends, “66 percent of full-time employees say they don’t strongly believe they have a work-life balance,” which is a huge figure.  It’s important that we take the time to find a balance for better health and happiness.

What’s important?

The first step to work life balance is establishing what that looks like for you, along with what’s important in your life.  If you say it’s family but spend all your time working, it’s time to reevaluate your priorities. If you’re truly in a time period when getting ahead at work is crucial, you may have less time for family and friends.

Finding a balance starts with what’s ideal for you.  Is it important for you to have a few hours at night to do nothing?  Do you need to be done working at a certain time to get to your child’s game?  Lay out a perfect week that allows you to include those things that are non-negotiable.

Time management

For work life balance to be successful, you must manage your time! It’s easy to get distracted during work and outside of work, and that cuts down on the time you have left for you.  Break down your work tasks by time, and always leave room for breaks and downtime.

When you know where your time is going, you’re better able to re-adjust as needed.  Take inventory of where your time is spent, and take steps to rearrange some things if needed.

Stay social

So you don’t always feel like you’re in work mode, staying social is key! Make time for your friends and family, even if work is your current priority.  You can still take some time out of your days or weeks to see friends and family.

This is a great way to recharge your batteries, see where your priorities lie, and strengthen relationships.  It’s almost always known that we feel better after interacting with those we love! Make time for this – work will be there when you return.  When you get time away from work, you come back more refreshed and ready to do a better job.

Turn it off

Especially on weekends, it’s important to turn off electronics! Weekends should mostly be reserved for fun, relaxation, and recharging.  Your phone and computer can be used personally, but try not to get too involved with anything with work. It’s important for the brain to shut down for a while and not focus on work.  

It gets tiring for your brain and body to look at a screen constantly, and you seriously blur the lines between work and play when you end up working all weekend, even if it’s just through your computer.

Do your best to make weekends work technology free! Again, you’ll come back feeling ready to tackle your tasks on Monday if you didn’t spend the whole weekend working.

Remember downtime

Downtime is so important! Doing fun things with your friends and family is also crucial and valid, but spending time relaxing is very important to quality of life.

Whether you enjoy spa days, a leisurely walk, or just some time lounging by a pool, it’s important to have downtime where nothing is on the agenda.  We live in a very structured, scheduled world, and while that’s great for productivity, or figuring out where your time is, eventually you have to shut that off for a while.

 

You can even look at your schedule early in the week and ensure that you’ve carved out some time to do absolutely nothing!

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June 11, 2018 0 Comments

3 Challenges with Working From Home – and How to Solve Them

Working from home has many benefits, from more time and flexibility to a non-existent commute.  Although it’s mainly a positive experience for most, there can be challenges involved, especially in the beginning.

Check out this week’s blog for some tips on working through those challenges successfully.

Kids or Family

While kid, family, pet and friend time can be a huge bonus to a more flexible job, they can also require a lot of time.  Sometimes you’ll need to have focused work time, meetings or conference calls that demand your attention.

For your kids, ask your mom friends or moms in your groups if there are any play groups during the day.  You can exchange playdates while other moms need to get things done as well.

You can also take your work outside! Since most home-based jobs involve only a computer, you can bring your office with you.  Take your kids or the dogs to a park while you work.

Distractions

Distractions are part of every job, but can be even more prevalent at home.  Between the aforementioned family members and dogs, there’s postal deliveries, homes to be cleaned, and TV shows that can be a little too tempting. If you struggle at all with independent work, it can be even more challenging.

Instead of eliminating these things entirely, give yourself breaks to do what you’re tempted to do during work time, such as watch a TV show, put in a load of laundry, or start dinner.

Your distractions can become a healthy part of your life, as long as you work to manage them while still getting things done.  Create a schedule that allows time for the extras or “distracting” parts of your day while still completing your work.

Socialization

One of the first concerns when accepting a work from home job is the possibility of isolation. Whether you have kids or not, it can still be lonely to not work out of a traditional office.

To combat this, it’s important that social interaction remain part of your life.  Can you plan to work with a friend at a coffee shop? What about a weekly happy hour date with a friend or family member?

If you can, look into co-working spaces and spend a few mornings or afternoons working from Starbucks.  Even though you might not be working with anyone else, the energy from others, as well as social interaction, will help you feel a bit more normal.

Also, if it’s possible in your situation, be sure to meet up with your co-workers from time to time.  If you aren’t local to each other, schedule frequent Skype dates. Video conferencing can still feel like an in-person conversation much more than the phone!

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June 4, 2018 0 Comments

4 Ways to Share Information as a Remote Team

 

Remote teams are becoming more and more prevalent as more people work from home.  Although working from home tends to boost productivity, eliminate sick days and commuting, it can also make communication more difficult.

As businesses grow and hire more employees, communicating as a remote team becomes crucial.  Read along for some of our best tips for staying connected in a home based career.

Use a program

There are several programs out there that can make communication and collaborative work much easier.

Google Drive features word documents, spreadsheets, forms, presentation templates, and other options that allow you to work as a team.  The best thing about Google Drive is that it consistently saves and updates the documents, and you can share them in real time amongst your team members.  Additionally, it’s a free service.

For chatting, Slack is an option that allows you to speak to your team throughout the day, while saving conversations and making things more streamlined.  It’s the perfect place to message, share files, and collaborate in one location.

Lastly, you can try an option such as Basecamp for client management and team communication.  There are “Projects” for each client, and each member of the team can add notes, Discussions, files, folders, and so on.  An added benefit is that you can share this data with your clients, taking your collaboration to the next level!

Try texting

High-tech programs are great, but sometimes a little bit of communication is all you need.  Texting is an informal way to stay in touch with your remote team.

If your team is smaller, or more casual, you can begin a work group text and keep in touch throughout the day.  You might even create specific check-in times and a protocol for using the group text. This can also be fun, as chatting with your team also fosters stronger relationships and bonds that go beyond the workplace.

Set a meeting

Meetings are incredibly important for remote teams! Since you don’t see each other very often, communication is key.  Keeping a running meeting on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis is crucial. Depending upon the size of your team, the complexity of projects, and other methods of checking-in, the scheduling around these meetings might change.

Either way, keep meetings productive, quick, and as a way to check in.  Do you need to address client issues daily? Set it up. If a weekly meeting is enough, keep it to a format that works for everyone, and create a schedule so that team members feel heard, productive, and that they are using their time wisely.

Set expectations

Expectations aren’t just important on an individual basis for at-home employees, they’re also needed for teams.

We already addressed meeting and check-in schedules, but what else is expected of your team?  Do you require detailed time sheets? Client or work summaries on a daily basis? Set these parameters up front, and be honest about them in the hiring process.

It’s important to stay out of micromanagement territory, but there’s still a great need to stay on top of employees.  Since you aren’t meeting in the traditional office daily, keeping tabs is more than fair. Simply establish a schedule, protocol, and method of expectation that works well for everyone and their schedules.

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May 29, 2018 0 Comments

Hire My Mom Success Story: Katrina Martin

Name: Katrina Martin

Location: Shelton, WA

What’s your success story with HireMyMom.com?

I was only a member for 1 quarter. I found a job within the first few weeks! 

What’s your educational and experiential background?

I have over 20 years’ experience in a broad range of fields including office management, customer service, purchasing, inventory, and personnel management.

What is your top tip (or tips) for landing a gig on HireMyMom.com?

I checked every day for new posts but I also looked at older posts, which is how I found my current position.

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom.com?

First and foremost, the quality of the leads.  The fact that they are vetted and legit is absolutely worth the cost of the membership.

What’s one fun fact about you?

I’ve been to China for a month last year and can’t wait to go back!

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May 7, 2018 0 Comments

HireMyMom Success Story: Deidra Martinez

What’s your success story with HireMyMom.com?
I was referred to HireMyMom.com from a church friend. At the time I was unable to work due to lack of childcare. I joined in January of that year and was employed by the end of February. Again the following year after a move, I joined HireMyMom.com again. For the past 1 1/2 years have worked for an amazing company owned by another amazing mom. Together in 6 short months we grew the company by leaps and bounds. Just this fall I found my THIRD job with this amazing website. I have referred HireMyMom.com countless times. It has been a HUGE blessing to me and afforded me the opportunity to spend this invaluable time with my son.

What’s your educational and experiential background?

Only 1.5 years left until graduation and certification to become a RAD tech. I have over 20 years in customer service, an additional 10 in administrative.

What is your top tip for landing a gig on HireMyMom.com?

Know what you can do and can’t do. Know the worth of your skill set, but be realistic as to your availability and your commitment to your follow-through on a position you accept. Professionalism is key.

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom.com?

Most importantly is the quality of the job postings. I am a professional woman looking for good work at good pay. I’m a woman who can’t make it on the bare minimum. Employers here are serious, driven, and are looking for candidates who match their passion.

What’s one fun fact about you?

I’m a huge kid, with a love for Jesus and gardening.
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May 7, 2018 0 Comments

4 Tips to Make Summer Fun

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Summer is almost here! School will be out soon, and we move on to one of the most fun times of the year. Although it’s summer, work doesn’t usually stop.  It may be lighter in the summer months, depending on your industry, but work still must be considered.

Enjoy this time of year while still being productive! Read along for some of our best tips to do just that.

Mix up your days

As we mentioned before, hours and schedules are often lighter or more flexible in the summer.  More people are traveling and taking time off with their kids, and there’s a general air of relaxation.  If this is the case for your job or industry, adjust your hours! Maybe you can set it up so you have some time with your kids in the afternoon for activities, and you can start earlier in the morning or go later into the evening.

Plan something fun

Summer routines are fun – the pool, swim team, sports, and cookouts – but it’s still a routine! Plan something fun with your friends and family, and try to make it something you can’t do in the colder months.  Plan a trip to a local amusement park, take a road trip for a fun event, or plan a staycation that gets you out of your immediate area.

Utilize this time of year to get out of your comfort zone, and do something that you will look forward to.

Take it outside

It’s summer, so by all means – get outside! If you’re working, you can still appreciate the outdoors.  Bring a comfy chair on your deck or the patio and work outside for a few hours. It can feel like a mini vacation to simply breathe in the warm, fresh air for a bit.

If you’re used to meeting up with friends or co-workers at coffee shops or over lunch, maybe suggest a picnic.  You could also work together outdoors at a nice, quiet park, or even outdoors at the cafe. It’s a great time of year to mix things up a bit, and enjoy the sun and warmth while it’s still around!

Involve the kids

Since your kids will likely be with you during the summer, involve them in your day to day.  As we said above, it can be as simple as leaving some time during their most active time of day to swim together, see an outdoor movie in a park, or take a hike on a local trail.

Of course you can still do these things after hours as well, but it can be kind of fun to break free from the norm.

Summer is all about relaxation, having fun, and leaning in towards more flexibility.  Take time to spend with your friends and family, and make sure you’re doing some special things that make this time of year even better.

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April 23, 2018 0 Comments

4 Easy Ways to Better Organization

Organization is one of those small things that make a big difference.  Cluttered, disorganized spaces make us less productive, and it can be stressful to constantly feel like you’re playing catch up.

A well-executed organization plan is a key to success in business and at home, and it’s worth the effort to get things to a manageable place.  Read along for some of our best, easiest ways to stay organized.

Clear your space

Start by clearing out! If you’re naturally a disorganized person, the idea of organization can be slightly overwhelming.  Simply start by clearing the clutter and items you don’t like. You can also work to remove unsightly items, such as cords and other things that can be moved out of the way.

According to NAPO and BecomingMinimalist.com, 91% of people said they would be more effective and efficient if their workspace was better organized.

So not only is this task made to make your life easier; it can improve your work!

Make it a habit

Don’t let it build up! Whether it’s papers, digital files, your desktop, your kitchen island, or anything else that’s prone to clutter, be proactive about keeping it in shape.  This isn’t to say that it has to be 100% clear all the time, but make it a habit. Take a few minutes each day to organize each space so that the next day doesn’t feel overwhelming.

Create a system

Once your general clutter is clear, you can start to systemize your organization habits.  This can even be fun! There are plenty of fun storage and organization products at stores like The Container Store, Home Goods, Target, and so on.  You can pick out the items that will look best and serve you best, while making it your own.

Not everyone organizes the same way either! This is another place where you can pick your own style.  Do you prefer digital? There are tons of apps and pieces of equipment that allow you to scan all receipts, documents, and so on, and from there, you can organize them by file. If you prefer paper organization, choose a filing schedule and method that keeps things clear in your mind.

It’s important to keep to your organization schedule as well! Maybe take 60 minutes every Friday morning, or 10 minutes per day, if that’s more your style.  Maybe Monday is 20 minutes of digital file organization, Tuesday is 20 minutes at home, and Wednesday is all of your digital clutter. Make it work for you!

Create files

As we discussed, whether you’re paper or digital is a personal choice.  Things are moving more to the digital realm, but sometimes it’s still nice to have a hard copy.

You might think you can just wing your documents in either format, but it’s never very reliable.  You don’t want things to back up, or worse yet, get lost. Create files that make sense to you, and work to keep everything in its proper place.

Even if your desktop is clean, your individual folders should also be organized.  In addition, if you keep paper files, you should have everything in its correct place, not just out of sight.

Organization doesn’t have to be a challenge! Take some time each day or week, and keep it in the forefront of your thinking.  It will make your life easier and your workload more productive!

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