Productivity & Time Management

December 2, 2024

Productivity Hacks for Busy Mompreneurs

Mompreneurs are carving out their niche, balancing the demands of entrepreneurship with the joys and challenges of motherhood. While juggling these dual roles, productivity becomes a crucial factor in achieving both business success and family harmony. Unlike widely shared tips, such as sticking to a rigid schedule or multitasking to the extreme, we’ve gathered some unique and practical strategies specifically tailored for mompreneurs who work from home amidst the chaos of family life.

Utilize Early Mornings and Late Evenings

The flexibility of running your own business allows you to optimize your working hours to fit around family life. For mompreneurs, early mornings and late evenings often provide uninterrupted time to tackle important tasks. Starting your day before the household wakes up means you can dive into projects requiring deep concentration without distractions. Whether it’s drafting proposals, working on marketing strategies, or managing finances, these quiet hours can be incredibly productive.

Similarly, once the kids are tucked in for the night, take advantage of the calm to focus on less demanding tasks. This can be an ideal time for organizing your work area, responding to non-urgent emails, or planning the next day’s activities. By aligning your workload with your children’s schedules, you make the most of the day without sacrificing family time.

Implement Micro-Tasking

Micro-tasking is a powerful productivity strategy for busy mompreneurs. This approach involves breaking down your larger projects into smaller, manageable tasks that can be completed in brief intervals. When you’re balancing work and raising kids, long, uninterrupted stretches of time can be rare. Micro-tasking allows you to make steady progress even in a fragmented schedule.

For example, if you need to draft a comprehensive report, break the task into smaller chunks like researching, outlining, writing the introduction, and so forth. Tackle each piece during short periods when your children are occupied, such as during their nap time or independent play. This not only makes the workload less overwhelming but also ensures you remain productive throughout the day.

To implement micro-tasking effectively, keep a list of tasks that can be done in 5, 10, or 15-minute increments. Use tools like digital timers or task management apps to allocate and track these tasks. Knowing you have a clear, actionable list can make it easier to dive into work the moment an opportunity presents itself. Additionally, try incorporating tools that can help streamline these micro-tasks. Voice-to-text apps, for instance, can allow you to draft emails or notes while multitasking. Cloud-based project management tools can help you access and update your work from anywhere, making it easier to squeeze in productive moments.

Schedule Regular Breaks and Self-Care

Taking breaks throughout your workday is essential for maintaining productivity and avoiding burnout. Aim to schedule short, regular breaks to step away from your workspace and recharge. Activities like stretching, deep breathing exercises, or even a quick dance session with your kids can rejuvenate your energy and focus. Equally important is incorporating self-care into your daily routine. Allocate time each day for activities that nurture your well-being. This might include reading a chapter of a book, enjoying a leisurely bath, or practicing yoga. Self-care helps you reset and approach both your business and family responsibilities with renewed vigor.

Remember, self-care isn’t just a luxury; it’s a necessity. By consistently integrating these breaks and self-care activities into your schedule, you’ll maintain a higher level of productivity and a better balance between work and home life.

Written by Lesley Pyle

July 16, 2024

Holly jolly

Working during the holidays can be exhilarating, but more often than not, it’s also stressful, tiring and overwhelming. If you find yourself constantly overbooked or doing more than you should to make sure the holidays are perfect, it’s time to get some perspective and say no to some things so you can enjoy the holidays and your family more fully. Here are three tips on how to balance work and the holidays so you can create a less stressful holiday season and still achieve all your holiday goals.

1) Prioritize

Create two lists: one list of things you have to get done such as work tasks and a list of things you want to do such as creating crafts with your kiddos. Prioritize these based on your schedule. Now, we aren’t saying you have to give up one to do the other, but it does help to write it all down on a calendar so you can figure out what to do. For example, if you need to make cookies or wrap gifts this week then plan accordingly. If time permits and you are looking forward to making those items, that’s awesome! Give yourself permission to go back and forth between the different lists; if there is time left over at the end of the day then feel free to jump into wants from have-to without guilt. This method helps cut down on holiday stress which means more quality time with family during December!

2) Set Boundaries

We are all guilty of overbooking ourselves and over committing to work projects and holiday parties. If you find yourself in this position, it’s okay to say no to some things so you can focus on being with family and friends during the holidays. Be proactive and communicate your boundaries to others. There is nothing wrong with turning down projects or events when they conflict with important time off during the holidays.

What if I have already agreed to do something? As difficult as it might be, if there are conflicts between obligations that have already been agreed upon, then talk them out openly. If a project is too much work without having time for family or if a party will be too much without also having time for self-care, then there is not enough room in your schedule and you need to let go or renegotiate expectations. You’re not obligated; you’re choosing what matters most to you.

3) Simplify

Work and family should be able to co-exist, but this is easier said than done. The holidays are a time of celebration and togetherness, but it can be difficult to balance work obligations with spending quality time with your loved ones. Sometimes it helps to just simplify your schedule and what you want to do. Do you want to spend the time solely with family? Take off work. Do you want to get a couple of extra work projects done before the end of the year? Block off time where you will only be doing that and nothing else. Just remember, keep things simple and whatever you do not need to do, don’t do it! Save it until next year! And remember, don’t stress yourself out because you do not want to fall ill. Take time for yourself to rest and relax too.

How do you stay stress free with work and family during the holiday season? Let us know!

Written by Staff Writer

June 20, 2024

Maintain Your Home-Based Business & Your Sanity During the Holidays

As a mom and home-based business owner, you probably feel like one of those circus performers who can keep a dozen plates spinning on sticks all at once. It can be challenging from day to day, but most of the time you are pretty good at keeping your plates in the air. However, add the upcoming holiday season to the mix—which, of course, includes shopping, decorating, incoming guests and kids bouncing off the walls with anticipation—and it might seem like those carefully balanced plates will all come crashing down.

Fortunately, we have some work life balance tips to help. With some planning and preparation, you can make it to 2015 without losing your business or your sanity.

Adjust Your Schedule and Your Expectations

Accept the fact that your usual schedule will be disrupted for awhile. Once you’ve accepted this, look for pockets of time during the day and night to fit in shorter spurts of work. For example, if your kids are watching “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” for the thousandth time and dinner’s in the oven, head to your computer and knock out some emails or invoices. If you are an early bird, set your alarm an hour or so earlier and try to crank out some work before the kids and company get up. If you are more of a night owl, work a little after the kids go to sleep to catch up on some of your projects.

Prioritize and Push Back

Schedule some specific times and activities with your family and guests during the holiday season, and post the calendar in a place where everyone can see it. Whenever possible, schedule things to do during the times when you wouldn’t normally be working anyway—that way, you won’t feel as stressed out about missing work time, and you can really focus on your kids. You could swing by your local coffee shop for hot cocoas to go, and then drive around your neighborhood looking at lights.

Also, try to push back at least some of your work and deadlines into January. Chances are good that many of your clients are also trying to juggle their lives and the holiday season, so depending on what type of at-home work you do, it may be possible to reschedule at least some of it until early 2015.

Shop Online

If your to-do list is already three pages long, you might wonder how you’ll find time to get to the mall to shop. You don’t have to fight the crowds and parking lots to get toys and gifts for everyone on your “Nice” list. Pour yourself a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, put on your comfy flannel jammies, and when the kids are asleep, take care of your holiday shopping online. Walmart always has some great Black Friday deals and it seems like every online retailer offers shipping deals this time of year. If you are planning on sending out holiday cards, you can also upload photos to sites like Snapfish or Shutterfly and order them from there.

With these work life balance tips, you will be able to skate through the holidays having a fun and relaxing time with your family.

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

Written by Staff Writer

June 20, 2024

Conquer Career Goals with an Online Education Program

The job market can be tough. Recent college graduates are struggling to find work just as much as older, more experienced individuals. That philosophy degree may have seemed like a great idea when you were in college, but now, after starting a family and taking time off, it may feel like an unwise decision. If you have taken a break from the workplace in recent years, it can be difficult to stay relevant in the current hiring market.

We have some great work from home career ideas that you can adopt today. Mentoring, volunteering, and internships are great first steps towards a new career. Here are a few tips to get started!

Start by Volunteering

If you are curious about the opportunities out there, look into volunteer programs in your area. Sign up for websites like Volunteermatch.org to find local opportunities that meet your interests. Volunteer Match notifies users about opportunities with organizations that are associated with advocacy and human rights, art and culture, animals, and board development. Through volunteer work you may discover a career path to pursue outside of your degree. You can also look at community bulletin boards in your area to see what other volunteer opportunities are in your area.

Become a Mentor

If you’ve ever considered mentoring others, Mentoring.org is a great resource that helps you locate mentoring programs in your area or start one of your own. It’s as easy as entering in your zip code to get started. Once you enter your zip code, a list of organizations will be provided, along with the program type and the age group being assisted. Opportunities vary from helping homeless youth, to free arts programs, to providing families from reservations health services and a safe place to stay.

Participate in an Internship

Another way to explore career options outside of your degree is through internship programs. Most job sites post internships along with job listings which makes them easy to find. Internships will give you immersion into the workplace, offer new skills, and help you network within any industry. Through an internship programs you may find what interests you most and decide what to pursue further.

Go Back to School

If volunteering and internship programs help you find the career path of your dreams, consider going back to school. With the ease and availability of technology today, quality education programs are at your fingertips. There are many online certification programs out there that can help you get an edge on the competition. In 2011, 65 percent of students had taken online courses and 89 percent of four-year universities were already offering online courses to their students. These numbers have continued to grow as more individuals are recognizing the benefits and convenience of online courses.

Worried you don’t have the time? It can be hard to juggle the responsibilities of running the household, taking care of the kids, and all that comes with it. You may not have the time to go sit in a classroom three days a week, but with online programs, you can make your own schedule and do your assignments at home. It is that easy!

If you have ever considered going into medicine, now is the time. Health care students no longer have to go back to medical school to learn the skills required for jobs in various health care-related professions. Eight years in medical school and hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans is no longer required to get going in the medical and health care fields. Unlike many industries today, the health care field is always growing and looking for driven, smart workers. College Online’s health and medical degrees include medicine and nursing programs with certification courses in health care administration, therapy, counseling, nursing, pharmacy and more.

Be proactive. Use these creative work from home career ideas to take the necessary steps to get the education you deserve and the career you want.

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

Written by Staff Writer

June 20, 2024 0 Comments

Take Your Work-at-Home Productivity to New Levels

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

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

Causes for Loss of Productivity

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

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

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

Ask yourself:

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

How to Be Productive at Home

Setting your system can be as easy as:

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

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

Create Necessary Boundaries and Stick to Them

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

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

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

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

Written by Lesley Pyle

June 16, 2024

How to Get AND Stay Motivated

Motivation … It’s been one of the driving factors behind our coping mechanisms during these tough times.

When we are motivated, we are rewarded in some way and this is what keeps us thriving. Staying motivated can be difficult, especially when we are constantly being thrown curveballs in life. COVID-19 is a good example of that.

When it comes to reaching a goal, motivation is like a cheerleader – constantly encouraging you to move closer and closer to that finish line, cheering you on every step of the way.

The key to getting and staying motivated is to have a passionate purpose. There is always a WHY behind what we say, and what we do. If your WHY is driven by passion and heart, it’s hard to go wrong. However, passion and heart aren’t always conventional ways to make a living but as the expression goes; “if you do what you love to do, what you love will take care of you”.

Motivation counters fear and when we do something where the outcome isn’t known or could have a consequence to it that fear could grow to the point we end up changing our minds and pivoting down the “safer” path.

Whether your goal involves your health, wealth or happiness, it’s important to take the first step and continue on with those steps until you reach your final destination.

Here Are 7 Quick Tips To Help You Stay Motivated

1. Set Desirable Goals

When deciding on the goals you want to achieve they should be goals that you are passionate about. When a goal comes from the heart, passion becomes the motivator. When you are doing what you love to do and it doesn’t feel like “work”, you’ll want to do it more often and you’ll work harder and more productively.

Time and effort go hand in hand and often reap the biggest rewards here. As the expression goes “you get out what you put in.”

2. Write It Down

It’s important to write down your goals. When you take the time to put the pen to the paper you are reinforcing your goal not only from a conscious level but a subconscious one too. There’s something that can be said about the power of manifestation. Your mind is like a GPS, if you tell it where you want to go it will start creating opportunities and opening doors to help you get there.

3. Make It Known

When you make your goal known, you become accountable to yourself and to others who you make it known to.

Social media has become a popular channel for goal setting and achieving. Whether you are setting out to get in shape, quit a bad habit or change your career path, making it “known” publicly can be a huge motivator.

Often, friends, family, and even co-workers will react positively commenting things like; “you’ve got this”, “you can do it”, “so proud of you” … these phrases for example can give someone not just the motivation but also the affirmation they need to know they are on the right path and doing the right thing.

4. Break Your Goal Into Steps

Goals, especially long term ones, are best achieved when laid out in actionable steps. You can break your goal down into segments for example. These segments could be time increments or before, during, and after phases.

If you can break your goal into pieces, you’ll start seeing results faster because the one big goal becomes little goals and each of them take smaller increments of time and effort to achieve – which means you have that sense of gratification and sense of accomplishment sooner.

5. Track Progress

Tracking your progress is extremely important. Picture a marketing campaign without any conversion tracking. You have no idea whether or not you had a return on investment (also known as ROI). When you don’t track your progress, you fail to realize when you achieve your goals and/or milestones. It’s like walking through the woods without a compass – you can easily get lost and off-track. In the long run, this could cost you both time and money.

6. Reward Yourself

As you reach each milestone, it’s important to reward yourself. From a young age, we are conditioned through rewards. Whether it was that piece of cake after you ate all of your dinner, an allowance after completing your chores or graduation to the next grade in school; a reward system has always been in place in our lives to some capacity.

Decide ahead of time what your reward will be as you complete each step towards your goal. The rewards can act as tiny celebrations to keep you motivated as you get closer and closer to what you want to achieve.

7. Invite Others to Join

Sometimes goals are better achieved if you have others participating with you. Fitness programs that involve 30-Day challenges are a good example of this. When you have someone else doing the program with you, you can lean on each other, support each other and celebrate together. The journey doesn’t feel so isolated in this case and it can become a fun social activity at the same time.

Finding Your Inspiration and Motivation

Motivation and inspiration are all around us. You can find motivational quotes, posters, artwork and calendars quite easily in stores and online.

You can also spend an afternoon creating a vision board for yourself. Vision boards have been known to help people manifest and achieve the things they want in life.

Finally, you can join support groups to help you stay focused on reaching your goal. If you surround yourself with like-minded people from beginners to pros, you’ll gain instant support for every step of your journey.

We have a Facebook Group at HireMyMom. The group is for like-minded Mompreneurs and we use the group to share job leads, tips on getting hired, resources, inspiration, and foster new friendships along the way. You can visit our community here.

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March 9, 2024

Time is Money: Expert Tips on Time Management

With endless tasks to juggle and deadlines to meet, effective time management is crucial for success in the ever-changing, fast-paced career world. However, it’s easier said than done. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of expert time management tips that apply to both entrepreneurs and freelancers. From prioritizing tasks to using technology to your advantage, these techniques will help you make the most out of your time and ultimately boost your productivity and success.

Unraveling Top Time Management Techniques to Amplify Productivity

The Pomodoro Technique: This popular time management technique involves breaking your work into 25-minute intervals, called Pomodoros, followed by short breaks. The idea is to work with complete focus and intensity for each Pomodoro, then take a quick break to recharge before starting the next one. This technique helps you stay focused, avoid burnout, and maintain a productive rhythm throughout the day.
The Eisenhower Matrix: Named after former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, this technique helps you prioritize tasks based on their importance and urgency. The matrix consists of four quadrants: important and urgent, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and not important and not urgent. By categorizing your tasks in this way, you can allocate your time and energy to high-priority activities and minimize time wasted on less crucial tasks.
Task Batching: Task batching involves grouping similar tasks together and completing them in a designated block of time. For example, you can dedicate a specific time each day to responding to emails, another block of time for creative work, and so on. By minimizing context-switching, you can maintain focus and increase efficiency in completing related tasks.
Time Blocking: This technique involves allocating specific time slots in your schedule for different activities. By dedicating specific time blocks to specific tasks or projects, you ensure that every minute is utilized efficiently. Time blocking helps create structure in your day and reduces the chance of getting distracted or overwhelmed by multiple tasks.
Set Realistic Deadlines: Breaking down complex projects into smaller, manageable tasks and assigning realistic deadlines for each task helps you stay on track and deliver quality work on time. By setting deadlines that are challenging yet achievable, you can maintain motivation and momentum throughout the project.
Automate and Delegate: Utilizing technology to automate repetitive tasks and delegating non-essential tasks to others can free up valuable time for more critical activities. Whether it’s automating email responses or outsourcing administrative tasks, finding ways to automate and delegate allows you to focus on high-value work and maximize productivity.
Limit Distractions: In our digital age, distractions can easily derail ur productivity. By limiting interruptions and minimizing distractions, such as turning off notifications on your phone or finding a quiet workspace, you can maintain focus and concentrate on the task at hand. This allows for more efficient work and better time management.

Tips on Applying Effective Time Management in Daily Routine

Firstly, it’s essential to establish a daily routine. Set specific times for different tasks and stick to them. This will help you create a sense of structure and ensure that you allocate enough time for each activity. Next, learn to say no. As an entrepreneur or freelancer, you may receive numerous requests or opportunities that can eat into your precious time. Evaluate each opportunity carefully and decline those that don’t align with your goals or will overload your schedule. Additionally, don’t be afraid to delegate tasks. Recognize that you can’t do everything on your own, and by delegating tasks to others, you free up valuable time for more critical activities.

Lastly, make sure to take regular breaks. While it may seem counterintuitive, breaks actually enhance productivity. Step away from your work, take a walk, meditate, or do something that relaxes your mind. When you return to your tasks, you’ll have a refreshed perspective and renewed focus.

By implementing these expert tips, you can effectively manage your time and achieve greater success in your entrepreneurial or freelance journey.

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December 5, 2022

‘Tis the Season to Say No: 3 Tips for a Less Stressful Holiday

1) Prioritize

2) Set Boundaries

3) Simplify

How do you stay stress free with work and family during the holiday season? Let us know!

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October 17, 2022

Preparing Your Team for a Successful Holiday Season

The holiday season can be stressful and tiring, but it doesn’t have to take a huge toll on your employees. Get your team in the right mindset before the holidays begin by following these tips to prepare your team so they can enjoy the holidays and come back without feeling overwhelmed. You’ll all start refreshed and ready to hit the ground running!

Set Clear Expectations

As the holidays approach, it is very easy to get into “holiday mode” and out of “work mode.” After all, everyone wants to enjoy the time off with their families! Going into the holiday season, set clear expectations for your team. Tell them which projects should be finished before the holidays and which they can push until after. Give parameters for time off such as when they can leave for the holidays and what sort of schedule there might be — think of the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve as an example. Should employees be ready to work that week? Or will your company take that time off? It’s good to figure all this out ahead of time so you aren’t left scrambling at the last minute.

Schedule a Check-In with Employees

Schedule time to check in with your employees periodically so they don’t have to keep their holiday worries bottled up and can ask questions or seek guidance. Plus, scheduling time will help you make sure they’re not feeling overwhelmed. Encourage them to find someone they trust to share their feelings with, whether it’s family, friends, other coworkers, or someone else. They might also want to make changes to their schedule such as rearranging work tasks so they can avoid the busiest days at the office before and after the holidays. If an employee does become overloaded with work during this busy season because of pressure from management (e.g., responding to more than ten emails per day), then scheduling a check-in is the perfect way to discuss expectations to ensure your employees are happy and healthy!

Set an End Date Early

Start by thinking about the roles in your organization and prioritizing which members will be able to take time off. Some people may not be able to come back until after the holidays, but it is important to think about how long people can be away from their jobs because each job may require different amounts of prep before someone can come back. For example, if you work as an art director in a design firm and no one else on your team is working on anything holiday-related, then you may want to come back early (because the holiday season only lasts so long) whereas someone who works in HR may want to extend their time off through January. However, don’t forget that you will need some level of staffing during this busy season! If you plan on closing for holidays completely, make sure you have a plan in place to let customers know your holiday hours.

Define Parameters Around Discretionary Tasks

To ensure that you take care of all your business duties, tasks related to personnel and operations are given higher priority in the weeks leading up to the holidays. This doesn’t mean, however, that these work tasks can’t be handled after the holidays as well. Preparing your team and planning ahead will allow them to go home on time this year and re-enter work with refreshed minds the next week. Make sure they know what they should do when they come back from the holiday break. Take care of projects that need attention before then if possible so there is no chance of things falling through the cracks.

Take some time off for yourself during this period too; being burnt out can lead to feeling overwhelmed and not wanting to go back at all!

How do you prepare your team for the holidays? Let us know!

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July 25, 2022

5 Tips to Maintain a Work-Life Balance and Turn Screens Off After Work

If you’re like many of us, you’re probably using all the new technology to do more work in less time, while still trying to be present with your family and friends. The good news is that you can do both with the right mix of self-discipline and organization, as well as some good old-fashioned tech tools that keep you connected to the important people in your life without being distracted by the rest of the world. Here are 5 tips on how to maintain a work-life balance and turn screens off after work so you can spend quality time with your loved ones!

1) Respect Your Evening Routine

Some of us operate on an evening schedule, while others of us operate on an early schedule. One way or another, most people take time to wind down before bed and do things like meditate, journal, stretch, read or whatever else is important for them at that time. Don’t let your evening routine be replaced by stress or anxiety when you get home from work: stop looking at your phone after hours. If it’s not something urgent — and even if it is — give yourself some space so you can focus on other things. Nothing kills creativity faster than being constantly distracted. It’s best to turn off notifications completely during downtime; that way, there are no surprises when it comes time for bed.

2) Learn To Say No

Being overloaded at work can be stressful, but it is easy to avoid if you learn how to say no. As an entrepreneur, there will always be more work that needs doing. But if you learn how to stop saying yes when you should be saying no, your life will become much easier. Take time out for yourself after work and cut down on screen time before bed; your productivity will improve and you’ll sleep better! Getting enough sleep is vital for maintaining health so try setting alarms on your phone to limit screen time. If any tasks are left over from your day job then set these aside until the morning so that they don’t hold you back from getting enough rest at night. Take this and learn to delegate too! Don’t be afraid to ask for help and spread tasks around evenly instead of you taking all of them on by yourself.

3) Unplug From Technology During Dinner

It’s time to put down your phones and chat with each other. Even in your own home, it can be hard to completely unplug from technology. Many parents have reported that children are more attentive during meals when they aren’t on their devices. In fact, studies have shown that those who eat with their families five times or fewer per week are 1.4 times more likely to feel lonely than those who eat together six or seven times a week. It also increases happiness: A meal is one of life’s few activities where you get an instant boost just by doing it! Make family dinners as pleasurable as possible by making an effort to turn off technology at least once or twice each week during dinner.

4) Silence Your Phone at the Movies

Let’s face it, we all spend too much time staring at screens. The stress of worrying about our friends’ status updates or business emails is enough to interfere with our productivity. Next time you head out for dinner and a movie, try leaving your phone in your bag or purse. You’ll enjoy your time with family or friends more and you’ll also remember what life was like before we became so reliant on technology.

5) Have Dedicated Family Times

For many, a work-life balance is about having dedicated family times. You might find that your job interferes with time you want to spend with your spouse, kids or parents. If you have young children, it’s easy for them to feel like their needs are overlooked in favor of getting projects completed at work. To regain that healthy balance, reserve specific times during your week for quality time with your family —just as you would do if you had been out of town for business travel. Remember: If it doesn’t get scheduled on a calendar or planner, it won’t happen! You can even schedule these times onto your work calendar so people always know that time is reserved for your family.

How do you stay off your phone after hours? Let us know so we can share your tips with the HireMyMom family! In the meantime, check out some other suggestions on how to find that perfect work-life balance!

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