Work At Home Mom

Juggle Family, Marriage and Work Effectively

I don’t know about you, but getting back to school was crazy. Of course, we had some changes this year and lots to get used too. But now that we are starting to get used to the change, I still need to be aware of the needs of everyone in my family.

In today’s society, we as people have to be jack-of-all-trades. Gone are the days where the man of the house worked while the woman tended to the children and the household. While this may still be the case in a few households, it is not typically the norm anymore.

Most households need a double income to survive, which may not leave much time for leisurely family activities. The end of the day can be tiring and weekends are generally reserved for chores that are not done during the week. Despite these conditions, it is not impossible to manage a marriage, family and your business effectively.  Read more or post a comment...

There are plenty of online communities for mompreneurs (mom entrepreneurs). They are springing up all over the internet. Some of them are free, whereas others are not.

So why should you join them? There are a number of benefits they offer. Here are three of the most important:

#1) Meeting like-minded people

It’s no secret that mompreneurs often feel isolated from the rest of the world, since they are often working from home alone. A lot of people take for granted the social camaraderie that a job can provide.

When you get out of that environment, it’s easy to feel like you are a lone ranger. Therefore, the human interaction is one of the biggest benefits these communities provide. You are instantly a part of like-minded people.

Think about sports teams. Great players can’t win championships by themselves, because they need a strong supporting cast. That’s what communities provide.

#2) Accountability

One of the most important things about internet communities is that they keep you on track with your goals. Lack of accountability is often one of the biggest reasons people fail to achieve success.  Read more or post a comment...

When you go into business for yourself there are many challenges you prepare yourself for. You know that you need to be financially prepared. You know that you need to market your business and are ready to face those challenges. However, one challenge that is often overlooked is the simple but always present time management challenge. It’s so easy to become overwhelmed with the tasks and responsibilities of any given day that nothing gets accomplished.

Here are seven time management tips for the wahm:

1. Multi-tasking isn’t an option. Multi-tasking is one of the most ineffective ways to accomplish anything. Rather than focusing on completing one task, your attention is divided and it actually takes you longer to complete anything. And quite often the results aren’t as stellar as they would have been if you’d simply focused on the single task.

2. Schedule everything. Schedule time to work, time to play, time to network, time to plan and time to check email or make phone calls. Sounds retentive, right? Scheduling your time forces you to focus on the task at hand. It also helps to prevent distraction.  Read more or post a comment...

Computers, just like your home office, can become a mess. Files everywhere, no system of organization and a hard drive that’s so gunked up and slow you have time to take a shower while your system loads.

We all know that disorganization is a huge time waster! Well, give yourself a few hours and you can have your computer decluttered and zipping along.

Remove unused programs.
This step is easy but it can take some time. Programs can take up large amounts of memory and storage space. If you’re not using them, get rid of them. Each operating system is a bit different but the basic method is to get into your computer’s control panel and click on “add or remove programs.” As you scroll through the programs, simply uninstall those you’re not using. You may need to restart your computer after some programs are removed.

Archive old files.
Chances are you have old files stored on your computer that you no longer access. However, maybe you don’t want to get rid of them completely. You have a couple of options. One is to burn them to a CD or DVD. Label it and store it in a safe place.  Read more or post a comment...

What is it about time? One minute, you have plenty of it to look forward to and the next, you’re chasing after it. Procrastination is one of those time stealers which can easily hinder business productivity.

Have you heard the phrase, “The devil is in the details?” This is a twist on that. It is the little things that trip us up. For many moms, it is their kids.

When the work piles up, who wouldn’t want to be shopping or at least playing with the kids? Procrastination takes advantage of the fact that you are having a hard time balancing work and family. You tell yourself that a little extra time with the kids won’t hurt anything, but that lack of structure can cripple your productivity.

Taking time away from your business to spend with family can seem like playing hooky from school. That way of thinking will keep you in the procrastination mode. Here are some ways to recognize this particular devil and find the solutions to get rid of him.  Read more or post a comment...

Working from home has many advantages and also a sort of familiarity that can become a downright pitfall in some instances. It is easy and sometimes quickly discovered that away from an office your productivity is not as high as you thought it would be. Working from a home office can easily become a productivity killer when a business owner doesn’t stay on top of thing. However, don’t fret! This can be changed with a few simple steps to get your business organized making productivity easier.

First of all, realize what you do is run a business. Your business needs a permanent place to live. It could be your dining room, a corner of your den or the entire den. Some people set up shop in their garage or kitchen. Wherever you decide is where your home office will reside, recognize that it is your work space and nothing else can share that spot. Yes, that includes the laundry you forgot to fold last night too.

Moving on, now that you have an office space, set some guidelines for how you will run your business. These guidelines don’t run to the particulars of your chosen industry but more to organization for better operation of the enterprise. In plain terms, if everything is in its place, you won’t waste time looking for it.  Read more or post a comment...

Starting a home business will require you to have a home office. It doesn’t have to be fancy or formal. Many people start their home business from their kitchen table. But you will need a space to work.

Here are some of the basic things you’ll need:

Computer
This is an obvious requirement. You can’t conduct business without one! Nowadays everyone turns to Google when they need information. Having a website for your business is essential. You can start of basic and build as you learn and grow.

High Speed Internet
Don’t try to get away with dial up! You’ll want to get DSL or cable internet. In many cases, you’ll need to send files of information back and forth to clients and a slow internet connection will make the process quite painful. Graphics are huge and scrapbook business cannot avoid uploading photos.

Office Software
Many of your clients will be using Microsoft Office, so investing in that software is a good idea. You may already have it on your computer. If you do not, and you cannot afford to buy it, try using Open Office or Google Docs. Both of these are free.  Read more or post a comment...

MomPreneurs – Dealing with Isolation, Stress and Motivation

You work from home. Your children are at home. Some days you spend 24 hours a day at your home and the only ones you see and talk to are your children, your pets and your spouse if you’re married. The checkout clerk at the local grocery has suddenly become your best friend, only because you see them more than anyone outside of your family. Sounds a bit depressing, right?  It can be. Being a work-from-home mom can be extremely isolating. The good news is that you’re an entrepreneur, which means you’re a go-getter. You don’t sit around and wait for things to change; you make changes to suit your needs.

Here are seven ideas to reduce the sense of isolation, and the stress and procrastination that may come along with it.

1. Join a gym. This may sound a bit strange; however, when you’re at a gym working out with other people, you’re actually accomplishing two things. You’re out and about with other people and you’re taking care of your health. Most gyms have daycare so you don’t have to worry about your children. And chances are you’re going to meet some people in class that are in the same boat you’re in. Another bonus is networking possibilities and attracting a new client!  Read more or post a comment...

~and Loosen Up!

Most moms can be control freaks. ( I know I am!) That is not always a bad thing, but when you run a business from home and manage your household, the stress of trying to manage every detail can be unbearable. Learn to take it easy and loosen up, relax.

Let’s face it. Before you started your home business, there were days when the dishes didn’t get done because you were tired. No one complained. What has changed?

Now you have taken on new responsibilities with your business that demands your time. If you are afraid that your house will explode without your constant attention, don’t be. All you are accomplishing is increasing your anxiety level and decreasing your productivity in the home office. Who can concentrate when their mind is all over the place?

A plausible solution is to set daily goals. These goals encompass the business side and the family side. Setting goals helps maintain the balance between family and business. This will also help you be better able to relax. Here are some goal-setting tips.  Read more or post a comment...

Today I have a special report for you. It’s entitled “How to Create a Motivating and Productive Home Office Space”.  You can download it for free.

Productive Home Office report

Office Organization Equals Proficiency in Business

When someone would like to become more productive and successful in their business, they usually feel they need to find more clients or sell more products.  One thing that can help them become more proficient, and therefore earn more money, is to become more organized.

If you spent just ten minutes per day, five days a week looking for misplaced items, that would add up to fifty minutes per week and over three hours per month.  Over the course of the year, that is more than forty hours.  Imagine that – a whole work week spent looking for lost items!

Many people spend more than ten minutes per day looking for things, so just imagine how many work weeks they are wasting each year.

It’s easy to see why organized people get more done in their business.  They are also more likely to have happy clients that come back for repeat business and pass their name on to referrals.  Read more or post a comment...