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February 5, 2018 0 Comments

3 Ways to Set Expectations in a Home Based Career

Working from home affords a lot of flexibility and often improves quality of life, but it brings into focus the question of work life balance.  If you’re always in your “office,” does work ever stop?

One way to ensure that working from home is, in fact, working from home, it’s important to set expectations – and boundaries. You can still be there for friends and family on a more flexible basis while still having time to complete your tasks.

Set office hours and a schedule

Even though you aren’t going to an office, it’s still important to have fairly consistent office hours.  Not only does this set an expectation for friends and family, it keeps you on a schedule.  We typically get more done when we’re on a daily schedule, so it’s a great method for productivity.

Just because you set office hours doesn’t mean they have to be 9 AM to 5 PM.  If it works better for your family to start earlier or later, go for it.  It might be helpful to carve out an hour or two for kids’ obligations, car pool, or anything else that you typically need to get done.

Create a family calendar and fill it in.  You can create a schedule around this, giving yourself time off, extra days of work, and so on.

Have a conversation

If you work from home, you might find that more of the house work and kid responsibilities are your job. This can be a great benefit of working from home, but it can also become overwhelming.

If you feel that the home obligations are out of balance, or you aren’t able to complete your work, it’s time to have a conversation.  Delegate some tasks to a babysitter or family member, and simply make it known that you’re only available at certain times.

Make it a real job

Working from home is still working, and it should be treated as such.  Create an office space that you enjoy, keep housework to breaks only, and work as you would in a traditional office.

The benefits of working from home include flexibility and comfort, but it’s easier to take it seriously and work successfully as an independent employee when you work in a more traditional way.  When you, as well as others, see your job as more “real,” the balance of work and the boundaries of time are more likely to be adhered to.

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August 10, 2017 0 Comments

5 Tips For Back To School Success

It’s almost that time again – time to go back to school! It’s hard to believe that school will be starting any day now, but as summer winds down, it’s important to gradually get back into the groove.

We all miss summer and its flexibility, but the school year also brings a lot of fun and more structure. It can be a great time to reexamine priorities, take a solid look at schedules, and truly get prepared for the year ahead. With a little bit of prep, you’ll be ready for back to school success!

Establish routines

Routines aren’t established overnight, so ease into a new one gradually. Starting a few weeks before school starts, begin having your kids go to bed a bit earlier. Start with 10 minutes, then 30, then 60, and so on, until they’re close to the time they will go to bed during the school year.

This is a much better approach than fighting on the first night back! It establishes expectations, gets kids sleeping more normally for the school year, and allows them to get on a schedule that works for them. It’s also important to try to have them wake up a bit earlier too, so they can practice being active in the mornings.

Revamp your schedule

This is a great time of year to look at your home based career schedule and see where you can improve, change, or be flexible. You might realize that you’re off balance in terms of work. Maybe there’s too much going on, maybe there’s not enough. If it’s the latter, take a moment to browse some new job positions.

You can also take some time to look at the schedule of your whole family for those first few weeks. Will your kids be starting a sport? Some type of rehearsal? Adjust the family’s schedules around those first few weeks and months to make going back a lot easier.

Purchase your items

It’s a lot easier to get your back to school supplies now! Avoid the mad rush and create your list. Browse the list from your children’s teachers, or simply find some basic back to school shopping lists online. It’s better to go in prepared so you don’t forget anything. Go on an off peak time and have your kids select their items. It’s more fun to get them involved, and they can choose items that match their personality.

Also, make back to school shopping fun. You don’t have to spend a lot of money, but you can make a fun day out of it so your kids are encouraged to start the new year on a positive note.

Set some goals

Setting goals this time of year is important for you and your family members. While this doesn’t need to be done until closer to back to school time, it gets everyone into the habit of thinking ahead and working towards something.

Set some short term goals that can be accomplished within the first few weeks of going back, such as sticking to bedtimes, getting all the lunches packed, creating a work schedule that will work for the school year, and applying to a certain amount of jobs in a week. You can also set longer term goals with your kids, such as making the spring musical, playing a sport, or saving a specific amount of money for a purchase.

The goals don’t necessarily need to do with school, but are more for getting everyone thinking and being more productive during the school year.

Enjoy the rest

Above all else, it’s so important to enjoy the rest of the summer. While you slowly implement tasks and items that will make the school year much smoother, don’t forget to enjoy the rest of this time of year. You can even create a summer “bucket list” of items that you still have time to do.

Take another small trip or enjoy a staycation and technology-free weekend. Take an afternoon to do something fun in your local area. Book reservations at a fun restaurant for your kids. Soak in this time and create memories! Schedule more playdates, more pool days, and fun times with your family.

You can certainly prepare for back to school while still enjoy the rest of what summer has to offer. Then, when the school year starts, you’ll be all set for success!

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August 10, 2017 0 Comments

5 Top Tips for Work From Home Success

Working from home is often the goal of many moms. It affords flexibility, more time with family, and a comfortable work environment. While it’s a goal that can lead to a big increase in the quality of your life, it also comes with challenges.

Between distractions and the lack of traditional work environment, it can take a while to find your footing in the home based working world. Read along for some best practices for a smooth work from home life.

Separate your spaces

While it might be comfortable to work on the couch for a while, it can lead to posture issues and a lack of focus. It’s better to establish an office or a separate space in your home specifically reserved for work. If you don’t have the extra space to make a bedroom into an office, you can set up a space at the dinner table, or place a small desk in another room.

It’s best to eliminate as many distractions as possible, while keeping the environment as “businesslike” as possible while being from home.

Get out of the house

Some people find home based work too isolating and mundane. If you start to feel this wya, it’s best to get out of the house as much as possible. You can even work from a coffee shop, park or office space daily. Even if you obtain a “work from home” job position, you might still look into something more social like a coworking space.

Coworking spaces combine people from a variety of industries and businesses into one location. This provides the social, office environment while allowing you to keep a flexible schedule and unique working arrangement.

Treat it like work

Working from home is still work! It can be easy to see it as a way to work less and spend time all day with family or friends, but unfortunately, work still needs to get done. Use the first few weeks to find a good balancing act between the two, and then be sure that you’re working when you should be.

Of course, the benefit of home based work is flexibility, so there will be times when you can use evening or early morning hours to work. Going outside of the schedule is more than permitted, but a routine work schedule (most days) makes for more effective, productive work.

Unplug

While you should treat your home based career like work, it’s also important to unplug! As home based workers, it can be tough to turn it off. Your computer is essentially your workspace, but it needs to be turned off once in awhile.

This is why it can be helpful to establish specific work times, so it’s not too tempting to work well into the evening. Use your off time for friends, family, and personal time, and work on a schedule that works best for you. Avoid the trap of working around the clock – it can cause unnecessary burnout, stress, and fatigue.

Set your boundaries

Boundaries are important when you work from home. Since you typically become the point of contact, person who’s there for appointments in the home, caregiver, and so on, it’s important to maximize your schedule and set boundaries so you can still get work done.

Working from home requires some forethought and effort between you, your employer, and your family, but it can be done. It’s a wonderful working arrangement that affords more flexibility and less missed good times, but ensure that you’re being smart about it and setting boundaries that keep you healthy, happy and productive.

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August 10, 2017 0 Comments

4 Tips for Healthy Eating in the Summer

Staying healthy in the summer is typically easier than any other time of year. Between family and friend activities, vacations, and sporting events, we’re on the go more. Additionally, produce is more readily available, and it’s often too hot to eat big, heavy meals.

It’s a perfect time to embrace wellness in our diets and stay healthy. This way, we don’t miss any of the fun and excitement of this time of year! Read along for some best tips for optimal, healthy eating in the summer.

Think seasonal

Eating seasonally is a great way to save money and load up on nutritional value. Yes, you can find watermelon in some other seasons, but it’s more expensive and not nearly as tasty! Between tomatoes, watermelon, mangos, and all the fresh berries, summer is a time for all our favorite produce.

These fruits and veggies are also loaded with water content, so they’ll help you stay hydrated and feeling light.

Produce first

Think produce first! When you go to make a plate or plan a meal, fill your plate (or recipe) with produce first. Ideally, half of your plate should be fruits and/or veggies. You can also sneak fruit and veggie purees into casseroles, popsicles, and smoothies! From here, add your carbohydrate and protein sources to make up the rest of your meal.

Pack the protein

Protein is always a key component to any healthy diet. It keeps you full, supports your muscles and bones, and helps to stabilize blood sugar. When the weather is nice, grilling is a great, fun option to get your protein. Here are some best tips for successful grilling.

Select healthy meats and spice them up with unique seasonings, marinades, and dipping sauces. If meat isn’t your thing, there are plenty of fibrous bean and grain salad recipes that will keep you healthy and satiated. Here are a few options to get you started.

Lighten up

In the hot summer months, we’re typically running around more and certainly spending more time outdoors. Because of this, we need more hydration, water, and electrolytes. Focus on foods that provide this and keep you feeling good. Watermelon is a great option, along with coconut water for balanced electrolytes.

It’s easy to feel sluggish and rundown in the summer, and you can avoid this with diet and lifestyle choices. Make choices that keep you feeling light, healthy, and satisfied. It’s a great time of year for those lightened up recipes, as well as an abundance of colorful fruits and veggies. Indulge in nature’s seasonal offerings and stay healthy with seasonal offerings!

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May 22, 2017 0 Comments

4 Ways to Prepare for Summer Break

As the school year winds down, we’re all starting to prepare for one of the best times of the year – summer break!

While this is a great opportunity to spend more time with family, it also takes a bit more juggling.  As work from home moms, we have the flexibility to adjust our schedules and truly make the most of this time of year.

Childcare

Since the kids are home now, it’s important that you have readily available childcare.  Look into options now – whether it’s family, friends, or outside help.  Make sure you discuss scheduling and see where you might need some time for yourself.  Depending on the ages and schedules of your kids, you might need more or less help, but it’s always a positive to have people you can call on.

It can also be helpful to look into activities and set up carpool to help during these times as well.  Look into fun things for your kids and see if some of the other parents can alternate driving obligations.  This gives you more time to get things done and manage your workload!

If you need to take a conference call during the day, or you need a few days to get a big project done, you’ll be glad you’ve pre-established some options for your kids.

Review your workload

Some businesses are less busy in the summer, and you may be prioritizing differently and rearranging your workload.

This is a great time of year to review everything on your plate for the next few months.  Does it look the same as always, or are there gaps?  Do you want to fill this time or allow for more space with family?  Sometimes taking on more hours is a good thing if work is sparse, and this is common in the summer months.

This analytical process will help you to better manage your work schedule in the summer, as well as the schedule of your family.

Summer schedule

Once you’ve taken a look at your summer work obligations, delegate some time off in the afternoons for your kids.  This doesn’t necessarily have to be the afternoon, but any time that works best in your schedules.

It’s a unique time of year when your school-aged kids are home, so it’s nice to take advantage of this when you get the chance.  It’s also a great time to rearrange your schedule a bit, so that you have that free time each day, or a few days per week.

Plan some fun

Summer is full of fun! Spend an afternoon by the pool, go for hikes, and generally enjoy the summer months.  It’s also perfect to plan a vacation or staycation, and enjoy more time with friends and family.

You don’t have to leave your area to have fun either! Schedule work meetings outdoors, or in coffee shops with outdoor seating to enjoy the weather.

Summer is a fleeting time of year and one that brings a lot more fun – and juggling.  Review your schedule, make time for family where you have it, and enjoy their time off!

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April 24, 2017 0 Comments

5 Tips for Better Work-Life Balance

We all hear about the elusive “work-life balance” concept.  It’s the place where our careers and personal lives become balanced.  We don’t feel overworked, we have enough time for friends and family, and so on.  While this is a great concept in theory, and one we should strive for, it can be quite difficult to make it happen.

Since reducing stress and making more time for those things that are important to you is truly crucial, read along for some of our best tips in increasing your work-life balance, and hopefully, your quality of life.

Declare your priorities

When you figure out what’s most important in your life, it becomes easier to figure out where to place your time.  If you’re working very hard to advance your career, perhaps that’s your priority for the next six months.  On the other hand, if you’ve been pulling 60 hour weeks and your priority is family time, you may have to re-evaluate a bit.  Everyone will have different priorities, and they will often change depending on the season of your life.

To start to create that feeling of satisfaction and balance in your life, start by examining priorities and place more of your time there.

Take time for yourself

It’s important to unplug when you aren’t in “work” mode! And it should be noted that work mode should not be 24/7.  This can be difficult as work from home moms, but it’s a necessity in gaining balance.

Take time for yourself: schedule something exciting, keep weekends for friends, family, errands, and fun, and generally create space for the good things in life.  Yes, work is important and a huge part of our lives, but if that’s all you do, you’ll quickly feel out of balance.  Don’t feel guilty about making yourself a priority; you’ll be a better mom, friend, and employee for it!

Manage your time

Are you spending more time than you thought on work tasks?  Keep track of your time for a while – both business and personal.  Once you see some patterns forming, create a solid schedule.  This will allow you to keep things in order and allow you to see where your free time is.  WHen you know where you’re spending too much (or not enough) time, you can readjust.

A lot of the work of establishing a solid work-life balance is in seeing where your time is going.  If you don’t keep track for a while, how will you know?  Put in some of the effort in the beginning and you can truly see where your time is being spent.

Make time for fun

For most people, a large part of work-life balance will include relaxation, family and friends.  You still have to have fun, even if your current priority is work or career advancement. It’s crucial to stay social, especially if you work from home.  Keep those social appointments and work them into your busy schedule whenever possible!

Take breaks

It’s important to stick to your guns regarding vacations, time off, and breaks.   Vacations and breaks don’t need to be elaborate, but there needs to be a definitive break from work on a consistent basis.

In our current culture, it’s easy to put these things off because so much needs to be done.  Fortunately, these things will still be there when you return! This isn’t to say that a great work ethic isn’t a wonderful thing, but too much of anything isn’t useful.

Work towards a balanced sense of work and life by following the tips above.  When you see where your time is going, focus on your priorities, and stay committed to what’s best for you, you’ll find these things are much more balanced in your life.

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December 12, 2016 0 Comments

5 Tips for a Perfect Gift

There are only a few shopping days left until Christmas, and it’s likely that many readers still have gifts to give! Whether you’re still waiting to buy for family and friends or had some surprise gifts pop up, it can be tough to find that perfect present.

While there’s no “ideal” gift out there, you can do your best to ensure a pleasant reaction by following the tips below.

Thoughtful

Beyond everything else, your gift should be thoughtful.  Most people don’t just want to collect more “stuff,” so it’s important that your gift is well thought out.  If your mother in law doesn’t like candles, it might not be the best idea to re-gift her one.

But does she like wine tastings?  Kayaking?  These are all experiences that can also make great gifts.  Although gift cards and certificates can be seen as “impersonal,” they are also very appreciated when they are also thoughtful.  Consider taking someone on an experience versus a gift that will take up space.

Personal

Gifts should be personal and something that you can’t just give to anyone.  Of course, if your grandma loves scarves (and you deem one to be the perfect gift), you can still get her one.  Personal gifts mean that you really hone in on what the person would like versus just fulfilling a specific amount or obligation.

What does this person like to do?  Do they collect anything?  What’s something they would love but would never buy for themselves? These are often the perfect types of gifts!

Homemade

You don’t have to be a DIY person to create a homemade gift! For the less personal gifts on your list, try baking, soap-making, or creating small items that can be made at home.  This not only saves money, but it’s a creative, fun and personal way to show you care.

Unique

Usefulness is big in today’s world, but sometimes the best gifts just aren’t useful – they’re unique!  Maybe the gift you need is for someone with which you have a lot of fun, or inside jokes, or sarcastic jokes that can make their way into gifts.  Maybe you’re both fans of a certain TV show and there’s a fun gift to go along with that.

Unique doesn’t have to simply mean that it’s tough to buy in a store; it can also mean that it’s something that just wouldn’t fit with anyone else.   These are the best kind of gifts, as they very specifically have the other person think of you and your relationship.

About Them

Make sure that the gift you’re giving is about the recipient.  It can be easy to find something that we would like and think that others would too, but that’s not always the case.  Go into your purchasing with this in mind, and you’ll be surprised at how many items jump out at you.  If you need a bit more guidance, try writing down the qualities, likes and dislikes of this person; it can help to see this all on paper.

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November 28, 2016 0 Comments

4 Tips to Avoid Holiday Stress

The holidays are officially here and they will only intensify as Christmas gets closer.  The holidays are full of cheer, friends and family, but they can also bring about stress: financially, emotionally, and with work.  Especially in the work from home world, work often needs to be completed despite traditional office closings.  Since home based careers often revolve around a laptop, we still need to find time to get the work done.

Work ahead

It can be tough to work ahead for those days off, but it’s worth it to be able to truly relax with friends and family members. Create a specific to do list for the days that still need to be covered over break and go from there.  It can be helpful to color code the things that need done, are already done, and can wait until the end of the break.  While working ahead can be a bit stressful ahead of time, you’ll know that your clients and employers are set while you’re relaxing.

Avoid the last minute

Whether it’s shopping, working ahead, or planning activities with family – start now!  Don’t ignore the current holiday cheer, but in the time between holidays, begin to get things done.  If you start early enough, there won’t be a big rush at the last minute.  Staying stress-free is all about doing things over time versus waiting until you’re stressed, tired, and down to the wire.

Reign it in

Reign in the spending, amp up the thoughtfulness! This is a key phrase that will help you through the holiday season.  We often get stressed out trying to find the most extravagant, expensive gifts, but that’s truly not what matters.  Begin by focusing on the person you’re buying for, then go for experiences first and foremost.  You can still do thoughtful gifts for your loved ones, all while focusing on what matters most this time of year.

Focus on what matters

Family, friends, faith, and being together is what is truly important right now.  The gifts, business stress, and other obligations can wait.  When you’re trying to do it all this hectic time of year, pause and remember this.  With a little bit of prep and forethought, you can enjoy the holidays more than ever, all while maintaining your obligations and work schedule.

Enjoy this magical, warm time of year with all those you love!

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July 25, 2016 0 Comments

4 Tips to Recharge and Destress

In any job, there comes a time when you face burnout, long hours, or just find yourself in need of a break.  While working long hours is great for productivity, it’s not the best for your mental outlook.  If you don’t give yourself time to relax, destress, and unplug once in awhile, life can quickly become all about work.

Read along for some best practices for recharging after a stressful period of work or time of strenuous hours.

Unplug

Sometimes you just need to unplug for the entire night, weekend, or even a few days. Even if you can’t unplug for a full day, it’s important that you’re unplugging every day to avoid burnout.  Do your best to avoid marathon work sessions that leave your eyes, body, and mind stressed.  The key to this step is to first listen to your body and signals of overstress, then be willing to take some time off.

While you unplug, it’s important to frequently get some quiet time to yourself.  This can be challenging with family, kids and pets, and other obligations, but it’s important to give your brain and body a break.

Schedule something special

Put something relaxing on the calendar! Whether your idea of something special is scheduling a massage or manicure, spending an afternoon shopping, or simply curling up in a quiet corner with a good book, be sure that nothing interrupts this appointment! Barring any true emergency, show up for yourself and give yourself that much needed chance to recharge your batteries.

Look at your schedule

It’s time to take an honest look at your time and commitments.  Where can you cut back? This isn’t always possible, but if you’re truly stressing and need a break, there are often small things you can cut back on.

Is there a weekly commitment that doesn’t bring you a lot of joy anymore? A small side freelance job that no longer serves you? Take stock of what’s most important to you and prioritize accordingly.

Make it a daily habit

Recharging and reducing stress takes practice for most of us, as work can be time-consuming and a large part of our lives.  Self care starts with you, so it has to be put into practice by you as well.  Make it a daily habit to take a few moments for yourself, which might include things such as meditation, baths, yoga, hiking in nature, or meetups with friends.  It’s not selfish to take personal time, as it’s often the key to bigger breakthroughs and more stability in your life.  Coming back to everything with a fresh attitude is never a bad idea!

Taking the time to destress and come back more refreshed is not only great for you and your career, it’s great for your family and friends.  When you’re happier, healthier, and feeling more connected to what you truly need, you’re able to bring your best self into your everyday life.

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July 18, 2016 0 Comments

4 Ways to Stay Connected When Working from Home

When you work from home, it can be difficult to integrate social interaction into your day.  While your kids may be home with you, it’s still important to maintain a social life – digitally and in person.  Staying connected to co-workers and employers is very important, as is maintaining your social life as a work from home employee.

Stay in touch during the day

Skype is an excellent tool for a call or chat during the day, which is useful for friends or co-workers and employers.  It almost gives you an office feel to be able to chat with your co-workers “face to face” for a few moments, and it’s also more personal than a typical call.  The chat feature makes it easy to talk to co-workers, employers, or tech support employees in other countries without the back and forth of email.

If you’re feeling disconnected from your team, see if you can integrate weekly calls to stay on track and maintain contact.  When you and your team stay connected, less items slip through the cracks, and a more solid connection is able to be formed through frequent contact.

Network

Networking online via Facebook and LinkedIn Groups is great, but getting out is even better!

Utilize sites such as Meetup.com to find social and professional groups of interest to you, or join your local chamber for casual and high profile events that can boost your personal and professional circle.  Not only does networking get you out and about, but it allows you to bolster your professional relationships with other working people, all while getting to learn more about your community in business.

Work outside

This goes for outside the home or physically outside!  A change of scenery is known to be very helpful by boosting productivity and giving your mind a mental break from the same old thing.

Go outside on a nice day and spend an hour working while breathing in the fresh air, or take the kids for a picnic during the day.  You can bring some work along to do after you eat and they play!

If it’s winter or the weather isn’t cooperating, simply get outside the house for a few hours per week.  Your local coffee or cafe shop is always a great option, and they almost always have wifi available.  Again, this is another way to change up your work scenery and come back refreshed.

Get out and meet

Make a point to get out of the house a few days per week.  Whether you meet up with a friend for lunch every Friday afternoon, or plan your grocery shopping over Tuesday’s lunch hour, it’s just great to get out and get some fresh air when you work from home.

It’s also important that some of your outside the house time is social – plan walks with friends, meet for lunch, work together at a park or find a new walking trail to check out on your lunch hour.

While working from home isn’t a traditionally social environment, you can stay in touch with friends, family, and co-workers and have a satisfying social life by taking a few extra steps to stay connected!

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