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May 9, 2016 0 Comments

4 Tips for Work From Home Moms

Many people work from home, but not all of those people are parents.  While working from home affords a lot of flexibility and schedule changes most of the time, it can still be a challenge to juggle work as a work from home mom.

With some adjustments to your schedule and reaching out to others, you can still get work done while prioritizing family.

Use naptime

Utilize naptime to your advantage! If your children still take naps during the day, do your best to keep them on a schedule and plan to get your most challenging work done during this time.  While naps aren’t typically hours and hours in length, they can provide enough time for 100% focus.

Ask for help

Whether it’s family or friends, asking for help is a key tip.  If you don’t have family close by, you can look into children’s groups or babysitters available during the day.  In this day and age, there are even babysitters who come to your house for the day and can watch your kids in the comfort of their own home.

You don’t have to reach out for outside help every day, but if you can get a few hours or free days once in awhile, it can mean a lot to your productivity.

Keep your space

We’ve said it before, but keeping a separate space for work is key to staying on task with kids.  While you can’t always be without distraction, it’s easier to really focus on those uninterrupted hours in a designated space.

When you set up your office space for success, it’s much easier to access necessary materials and get work done in a neat, quiet, and personalized environment.  Keeping this separate from working at the counter or on the couch allows you to separate work from home, which also tells your family when you are working versus being wife and/or mom.

Set it up

You can look into educational or physical activities for children outside of the home.  Is there a local swim team?  Maybe there are discovery classes on various topics from karate to nature walks and education.  Not only does this allow your children to participate in activities outside of the home, it gives you more free time.  Do your best to set up these times in advance, so you’re able to know when you can be the most productive.

If there isn’t much going on outside the home, set up your kids with and educational toy or activity here and there to keep them engaged and enriched.

Working from home with kids can be a challenge but it’s not impossible.   All it takes is some tweaks of the schedule and planning ahead.  By creating a productivity plan that works best for you, you’re giving your children the opportunity to be entertained while maintaining your work balance.

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May 2, 2016 0 Comments

4 Tips to Get 10,000 Steps Per Day

 We all hear how important it is to get in those 10,000 steps per day.  It’s important for our health, as sedentary lifestyles are not heart-healthy, and we can end up with various health issues by sitting still all day.

When you work from home, it can be especially difficult to accomplish this task – you’re close to everything from the bathroom to your car, you likely don’t have to run around to meet co-workers, and you typically spend lunch hours alone.  It’s easy to see how this goal becomes elusive!

While you don’t have to set out for 10,000 steps right away, use these tips to get well on your way to more movement.

Set an alert

Use your phone or Google Calendar to set alerts throughout the day.  When they go off, go for a 5-10 minute stroll around the block or simply walk in place.  There are various walking workouts online for free, which you can find by typing “walking workout” into YouTube.  They range from 5-60+ minutes and help to get your heart rate up – and those steps in!

Getting your steps in doesn’t have to involve a structured workout – it’s actually better to walk at random intervals throughout the day.  This keeps your metabolism humming along, along with boosting other health indicators that are reduced by sitting all day.

Meet with friends

Meet with friends for lunch and move instead of eating.  This accomplishes two goals of meeting your steps and increasing your social interaction.  Since you’re working from home, it’s easy to do a working lunch later while using your “off” time for a walk with friends.  Set a certain time each day or week to meet with friends fro 20-45 minutes.  You can certainly accomplish a lot of steps in this amount of time! It’s active and social – two very important ingredients to our overall health.

Purchase a counter

You don’t need a fancy FitBit or anything like that, but a simple pedometer can get the job done.  Clip it onto your waistband each morning, and see how many steps you can rack up.  Take a few trips to get food or park further away when you run a midday errand.  These might seem like small changes, but when you’re tracking your progress, it makes it much more fun and motivating to see those numbers going up..

Replace Happy Hour

Happy Hour and dinners with friends after work is fun from time to time, but can you replace it with a healthier habit?  Maybe you can even combine the two! Set a time to meet up with friends or family members after work, and you can even go to your favorite spot afterwards for a leisurely dining experience.  It will be all the more enjoyable after a mini walking workout!

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April 11, 2016 0 Comments

5 Tips to Manage Stress

Stress is one of those things that has become a fact of life, but how you manage it can make all the difference in your health.  Although you might not have the stress of a commute or office environment, you likely deal with more distractions and the temptation to work around the clock.

While stress is basically inevitable in our fast paced world, there are certain things you can do to reduce and manage it.  Read along for some of our best tips to manage the stressors in your life.

Identify them

If you feel like a constant ball of stress, it’s important to take a minute to identify what’s causing the stress.  Maybe you assume that it’s your carpool duties, but it’s really a work project that you put off until you have to leave for the car line.  Shifting your schedule a bit and knowing where your stress takes place is the first step in making changes.

Meditate

Meditation is all the rage right now – and for good reason.  It helps to quiet the mind, and there are numerous ways in which you can meditate.  Whether you sit quietly listening to music and observe your thoughts, sit by the ocean, or choose something more formal, looking into meditation is a key step.

Try the Headspace app for something quick and simple. Headspace is a free app that provides some “extra calm and clarity” in 10-minute sessions.  This is a great way to get started with meditation and to fit it into your already busy life.

Exercise

Exercise isn’t only healthy for your body, it’s healthy for your mind. Exercise can help to release stress in the body, as well as release endorphins for a natural boost of happiness and calm.  You don’t need to do this for hours each day, but start with a good variety: a mix of cardio for endorphins, yoga for a calm mind, and light weights for a strength boost.

Get outside

Nature is calming and grounding, so take a few minutes each day to walk around outside, feel the breeze on your face, and simply take in some fresh air.  This is a simple task, but once that can relax your system and help you to see the beauty around you.  Take a few slow, deep breaths and spend a few minutes connecting to nature.

Schedule fun

When you’re stressed, most things can seem less than fun, and it can seem like you’re stuck in a cycle of a lot of work and obligations.  It’s okay to say “no” to unnecessary things, as well as incredibly important to schedule some fun into your days and weeks.  Think of something fun that you could do each day – can you meet a friend for coffee?  Have a weekly lunch date with a local co-worker. Plan a fun playdate over your lunch hour.  Do something that will get you out of your routine and out of the stressed out mode that you find yourself in.

Stress is part of our lives, but it can be controlled and managed with a little effort.  Take a few minutes to quiet your mind, incorporate exercise, get in touch with nature, and schedule some fun to manage stress in a healthy, productive way!

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February 2, 2016 0 Comments

3 Tips for Work From Home Health

You might think that a home based career would be better for your health, and it can be – if you do it correctly! It can actually be easier to eat less healthy foods and continue to work all the time when you work from home.  To avoid mental and physical burnout, focus on the tips below for your best health from home!

Stop on time

Mental health is just as important as physical health when you work from home! It’s important to stop working at a certain time most days, or rearrange your schedule so that you’re working a certain number of hours per day.  When your work is just your laptop, it can be tempting to continue work throughout your whole day and night, but that mental break is so important.

Separate work from home and keep yourself mentally strong and focused by shutting down your work each night.  Just as an employee in a traditional office would go home at the end of the day, you should do the same!

Establish a routine

Create a workout routine that is sustainable for you and your lifestyle. Often times, we start out with overly ambitious goals of working out at 4:30 AM, but if that doesn’t suit your body, family, or work schedule, this isn’t an option.

Whether you choose to leave the house for fitness classes or the gym, or simply a strong practice at home – keep at it! We stay healthy when we commit to a routine that’s enjoyable and doable.  Set aside time in your day, just as you would any important meeting, and make fitness a priority in your day.

Keep it healthy

When you work from home, it’s even more tempting to search the fridge every hour.  Just like you’ll be creating a fitness schedule, keep your eating on a semi-regular schedule as well.  If you find you’re an unhealthy snacker, only keep healthy foods in the house.  Set yourself up for success, and keep meal times and foods on a schedule that keeps you feel energized.  This also helps you avoid eating all day, which can lead to weight gain and low energy fairly quickly!

On the other side of the equation, be sure you’re eating enough to keep your energy up! Since oyu don’t have the bustling energy of an office or in-person employees and employers, it’s important to keep yourself going to stay motivated.

Create mental space in your day, establish a sustainable fitness routine, and plan to eat healthy when you work from home – these tips will ensure that you’re in your best shape mentally and physically in your home based career!

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December 14, 2015 0 Comments

4 Holiday Gifts for the Home Based Worker

The home based worker needs similar things to those who work in a traditional office, but they have to purchase the items themselves! Setting up a home office can be an expensive task, especially if you choose to adhere to ergonomically-correct furniture and quality supplies.

Read along this holiday gift guide for your favorite home based worker. They’ll appreciate your thoughtfulness, and you can give the gift of an efficient, comfortable home office.

Good desk and chair

First on the list is a good desk and chair for their office.  Quality office furniture is not always low cost, but it’s worth it for the time that will be spent using it, as well as the wear it can take on the body.

There are numerous options out there, but start by searching for “ergonomic desk” and “ergonomic chair” as starting points.  From there, user reviews and specifications can help you make a decision.

Here are some tips for ergonomically synchronizing your workspace and optimizing your workspace.

Quality lighting

Lighting is important in an office, and most homes aren’t equipped with office-quality lighting. Give the gift of rested eyes and focus with some quality lighting ideas. This doesn’t need to be an expensive purchase, but care must be given to quality and specifications.

Here are some general tips for good lighting:

  • Use task lighting: Task lighting is important in adding contrast levels to aide in reading.  This might look like a small desk lamp or larger reading lamp to focus on smaller tasks.

  • Remove overhead lighting: It is distracting and can cause headaches, and you’re better off using a lamp or lamps with shading to eliminate glare.

  • Use the right shades: The right lamp shade makes a big difference in making the room too light, too dark, casting shadows, and so on. Make sure you choose one that not only fits the lamp, but fits the need for a relaxed office environment.

Here are some additional tips in choosing the right office lighting.

Stationery

Stationery is one of those things that you may not use everyday, but it truly adds something to the sender and the recipient.  Quality stationery makes an impression, and it’s a fun way to involve personal branding in your home based job.  Even if your gift receiver doesn’t have their own business, you can go the personal route and just simply use their name and address.

Be sure to avoid using abbreviations, formally write out the address, and choose a font, style, and border (if applicable) that would really speak to them.  It’s also nice to include some different options, such as letters, envelopes, notepads, etc.

Here are some additional tips to order the correct stationery.

Fun office supplies

Fun office supplies will vary from person to person, but everyone likes to have some unique, thoughtful items at their desk.

A nice, high quality planner is one item that can be gifted across the board. Whether they are male or female, organized or disorganized, almost everyone can use a planner.

As far as truly stunning planner options, the Create 365 is a good one, as are the Erin Condren planners.  They both offer a higher quality, offer customizable options, and also have fun items added, such as stickers.

The home based worker on your list will appreciate these thoughtful, practical gifts for their home office.  Do your best to choose items that they wouldn’t necessarily choose for themselves – higher quality, effective items are always appreciated this time of year! 

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December 7, 2015 0 Comments

5 Tips for Home Based Work During the Holiday Season

It can be a challenge to juggle working from home during the holiday season. You’re doing your best to complete your tasks, but since your workspace is your home environment, this can get tricky this time of year. However, working from home has its flexibility perks, and you’ll be able to attend those Christmas concerts and holiday events with just a few tweaks of your schedule.

The holidays are a special time of year, so it’s important to recognize that and participate fully. On the other hand, work can pick up before the end of the year, so read along for some tips to manage both effectively.

Keep a normal daily schedule

As much as possible, plan ahead and keep a normal daily schedule. The more you can do this in the days surrounding the actual holidays, the more relaxed you can be on your days off.  Create a schedule now and do your best to prioritize as the holiday season moves along.

Hire some help

If your workload is too demanding right now or you want more time for friends and family during the holidays, consider hiring some help. You can find a great virtual assistant right here at HireMyMom.com. Need help with kids? Look for college students home for the holidays. They can also help with wrapping gifts, organizing your home / office and even help with some home office tasks that you’ve gotten behind on. 

Make time for what’s important

Work will always be there – but the holidays won’t be. Make time for what’s important, especially this time of year. If you have to work a weekend afternoon to be able to attend a holiday event, it’s worth the extra effort. Cherish the memories that the holidays help create. You’ll look back someday and be glad you did!

Schedule something special

Since your home is your workspace, it can feel like the day goes from work to celebration central in a matter of ours! Schedule some special outings, occasions, shows, and so on for this time of year. It feels good to get out of the house, and you can still use your home for those cozy nights over hot chocolate, good movies, and gift wrapping.

Don’t stress out

Overall, don’t stress out too much! It can seem like the work is piling up this time of year and that it will never stop.  2016 will be here before we know it, and all we can do is our best to complete the rest of 2015.

Create your schedules, make time for what’s important, and minimize stress for a fun and efficient holiday season!

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June 25, 2015 0 Comments

Top Tips for Juggling Working from Home and Kids in the Summer

School is officially out in most parts of the country, and that means that your kids will now be home for the summer! It’s a great, fun time of year for moms, but it can also be complicated if you work from home.

Since your work life is very closely connected to your home life – quite literally! – it helps to have  a plan in place to keep kids busy and juggle the demands of kids and work.

Plan ahead

You can prevent a lot of chaos and stressful days by doing some simple planning head! Begin your search earlier in the year, and now if you haven’t started yet.

Are your kids interested in summer camps? Some type of swim or tennis lessons?  Get together with them and schedule a time to discuss what they’d like to do this summer.  Although summer is a more spontaneous time of year, it doesn’t mean you can’t plan and make everyone’s time more efficient and productive.

Look into your local colleges or schools for free or inexpensive classes and discovery sessions of various activities.  There are also inexpensive sports leagues that only take place in the summer and often run for most of the day.  If your kids are older, talk with them about potentially getting a summer job or scheduling some activities they may enjoy.

Work ahead

Just as you can plan your kids’ activities ahead of time, you can do your best to get some work done ahead of time.  Determine the time(s) of the week that you’ll be spending time with your kids over the summer break and work around that.  If you know Monday mornings are your time to hit the pool or an activity together, put in a little bit of extra time on Friday to make your morning less stressful.

Another helpful tactic is to add 15-20 minutes per day so that you don’t have to spend hours at the end of the week working ahead.  If you dedicate a small portion of your week to this every single day, it’s not overwhelming and can truly give you that free time that you so desire with your kids.

Allow for some space

Despite your best planning, things don’t always go as planned in the summer.  Whether a storm comes up that cancels swim practice, or you have to reschedule a call to pick up your kids in the middle of the day, it’s important to allow some space for the unexpected.

This can’t really be planned for, but by working ahead as in the aforementioned tip above, you can be much more prepared for those unexpected times.  Another way to allow space is to be sure that your kids understand your job, and that it requires you to work during most of the day.  This is much more effective for those with older kids, as they’ll be able to entertain themselves.  Create times of the day where you can do things together or offer a ride, but let it be known that you are working and you do have tasks that need to be accomplished.

When you allow for some space, keep in mind that schedule is always the #1 tip to keep things under control and juggle it all.  Create a family schedule that everyone can see, along with a personal work schedule so you know you’re completing all of your work task

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June 25, 2015 0 Comments

4 Home Workout Options for Busy Moms

Staying fit while working from home is a priority, but leaving the house to hit the gym can feel impossible most of the time! Between your home-based career, family, and other hobbies, there has to be a better option out there.  Home workouts for busy moms are the answer, and they can be just as challenging, useful, and productive as gym workouts.

While you may be a busy mom, maintaining your health is so crucial to caring for the rest of your family and successfully doing your job. Check out some of these excellent, low cost, effective options to integrate into your home workouts.

Barre3

Barre3 is said to “balance, strengthen, and lengthen the body with moves inspired by ballet, yoga and Pilates.”  While you can go to numerous Barre3 studios across the country, they also offer affordable online videos to complete with just a waist-level surface, light weights, and a yoga mat.  This workout will leave you feeling replenished – not depleted – and you’ll have access to a library of hundreds of videos ranging from 10-60 minutes in length.  Barre3 is best for those wanting a unique workout that gives you strength and cardio without the exhaustion.

There are a few free workouts available and monthly subscriptions start at $10.

Daily Burn

Daily burn describes itself as “the best streaming workouts from elite trainers, available any time on any device.” Daily Burn has everything from kettlebells to cardio and yoga workouts.  They pride themselves on the variety of workouts available on the site, as well as nutrition and general health advice. This program is best for busy moms who want to mix it up daily with some of the best trainers for an affordable price.

You can do a 30-day free trial and then membership is $10 per month.

YouTube Workouts

YouTube workouts are excellent, as you can find many videos done by well-known trainers and they’re free! Some of the best channels are Jessica Smith TV, Blogilates, Tone It Up, Fitness Blender, and BeFit, just to name a few.

These workouts often offer a lot of variety as well, and you can get your cardio, strength, yoga and Pilates without spending any money or leaving the house.

If you want more than what the channels offer, the top trainers often also have DVDs and downloads available for purchase.

FitnessGlo & YogaGlo

FitnessGlo offers everything from Strength to Tabata to High Intensity Interval Training, along with 8-week structured programs to ensure that you’re getting a well-rounded workout program.  You can search workouts by Style, Instructor, Duration, and Level, allowing you to customize your workout on a daily basis.

FitnessGlo offers a 15-day free trial and then costs $12 per month.

YogaGlo is the yoga version of FitnessGlo, offering affordable yoga classes from some of the biggest names in the business.  You can also search this site through a variety of filters, and you have the option of classes that are 5-120 minutes in length.

YogaGlo offers a 15-day free trial and then costs $18 per month.

(Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)

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June 25, 2015 0 Comments

4 Tips for Work from Home Parents

There are numerous tips out there for those of us who work from home. While they are very helpful and well-meaning, it can initially be even more of a challenge if you’re a work from home parent.

If your children are in school all day or grown, this isn’t as much of a challenge, but it can be tough on your motivation and productivity if you have small children that you’re caring for all day. With a few simple steps and a good hold on boundaries, you can complete your work while keeping a healthy, happy household.

Find Help

If you know that you’ll often be on the phone or interacting with clients in your work from home job, it may be easier to find childcare for your kid(s).  Whether you hire a babysitter or arrange for grandma to keep the kids each afternoon, this will free up your time and space for a quiet call.

If possible, make this a routine to keep the kids and yourself on a positive, productive schedule. If your job is more flexible, you may be able to keep your kids most of the time, save for a very important monthly meeting, for example.  You’ll know which child care options work best for you, your family, and your career demands as you move forward.

Set the Rules

Especially when you have smaller children, setting boundaries and rules for the day is so important. Of course, if you plan to care for the kids alone while working from home, you’ll be interacting with them often during the day. While this is normal in this type of career setup, you’ll still need to let kids know when you need quiet time or you’re expecting an important call.

Boundaries and rules are also crucial with pets. They may not be able to understand your words, but you can establish routines that will encourage them to rest, be as quiet as possible, and allow you to work without a lot of noise or chaos. When the whole family is on board with what’s needed for you to get your job done, things move much more smoothly.  Voice your needs and concerns up front, establish a family routine, and stick to it as much as you can.

Leave the House

Leaving the house can be a good idea for you and your kids. If you’re feeling distracted or things have become crazy in the household, get out for an hour or two and mix up the environment. We all have off days, and when you have a flexible work from home job, you’re more likely able to get out when you need to.

If your kids are in the care of a babysitter or family member, getting out can still help your motivation and productivity as well.  Use your child-free time to complete more work and take any calls that may require complete quiet.

Be Flexible

Allow for the issues and distractions to pop up! Try as you might, there will still be days when the kids are sick or the dogs are barking uncontrollably on a conference call.  We’re all human and these things do happen! If you’re able to get in a good groove early on, those little hiccups won’t make as much of an impact on your overall productivity.  If you have an off day, simply complete more work in the evening or plan out the rest of your week to include a few more hours.  When we’re parents, it’s a delicate balance between routine and the unpredictable.  Do your best to go with what comes up and plan as you see fit.

(Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)

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April 1, 2015 0 Comments

How to Stay Social When You Work From Home

The first thing you may notice about working from home is the lack of social interaction! You may be feeling some social isolation. Even if you’re very busy during the day, not talking with others can be tough. This isn’t the case for everyone, as many of us have children, numerous calls, social engagements, and so on, but it’s important to make social interaction a regular part of your daily life.

To avoid the habit of not speaking to others for hours or days at a time, follow these simple tips below.

  • Get Out and About: If you’re able to, try taking your work to a coffee shop or local business with Wi-Fi a few times per week. The change of scenery is always helpful and may make you even more productive! This also forces you to get ready, get out of the house, and arrange the outing into your schedule – all things that may help you feel more likely yourself in a home-based position.
  • Schedule Your Social: Planning social outings and activities becomes even more important without the workplace friendships and opportunities available in a traditional office job. Plan social or networking events at least 1-2 nights per week, as this will keep you from getting bored and lacking social interaction during the day. Often times there are networking events that take place over lunch, so those may be a great option too. Try Meetup.com for networking events in your area.
  • Talk with Friends: When you get a break, try to chat with your friends. Send a text, schedule a quick call, or just chat briefly on Gmail Chat, Facebook Messenger, or any other chat feature. This allows you to break up your day, laugh with a friend, and maintain your social relationships.
  • Interact with Other Home-Based Workers: There are groups, such as the HireMyMom.com Facebook page, that have a large collection of home-based working moms and people. They can offer tips and advice and lend an ear when you might want to chat. It’s a great idea to cultivate friendships among groups like this, since working from home is not extremely common. It’s nice to have someone who knows what you’re going through, and who also understands that social interaction is key to a happy, successful life – especially in the home-based working realm.

So, the next time you’re working from home and feeling social isolation, get out of your chair and onto the phone to call a friend for a chat or a coffee date.

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

(Image courtesy of Serge Bertasius at freedigitalphotos.net)

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