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April 10, 2017 0 Comments

4 Ways to Plan Relaxation

Sometimes we assume that since we work from home, relaxation and time off shouldn’t be a priority, but this couldn’t be further from the truth! Whether we work from home or in an office, it’s important to practice self-care and take time for ourselves.  According to HuffingtonPost.com, ”there are studies to show that stress is comparable to other risk factors that we traditionally think of as major, like hypertension, poor diet and lack of exercise.”  It’s clearly very important to relax from time to time!

While you can always schedule a massage after hours or go on vacation, this type of relaxation is meant to be a few hours out of your day to truly recharge.  Burnout is a real thing, and it’s important to take stock of stress before it takes hold.

Read along for some best tips to ensure that your scheduled relaxation is a priority, and you’re able to reap the maximum benefits of it.

Get it on the schedule

Whether your idea of relaxation is a spa massage, facial, or a few hours out in nature, be sure that it gets on the schedule.  Spontaneous relaxation is always appreciated, but when we don’t schedule something, it’s more than likely that it will get skipped.

Figure out how you want to spend your day (or several hours) of relaxation and pencil it in! This also tells your family that you will be unavailable during that time.

Take time off

Now that your relaxation time is on the schedule, it’s time to take time off from work.  You could schedule your time away for a weekend or after work hours, but there are benefits to taking time off during the workweek as well.

Ensure that your employer(s) is noted about your absence, and work ahead a bit so that work isn’t a stressor.

Take time for fun

Even if you can’t take regular relaxation breaks, fun can also be very invigorating and relaxing! Book a lunch date with a friend, schedule a picnic in the park, or do something non-traditionally “relaxing.”  Getting out of the normal routine and taking a break outside the home can do wonders for stress levels.

Get a plan in place

A plan is a must! If you’re going to take a day or a few hours for yourself, it will be important to ensure that other things are handled. This is especially true if you’re able to take your time during the week!

For kids, pets, and anything else that may come up, create a game plan. Of course, emergencies aren’t always avoidable, but this will ensure that your mind is focused on your time of relaxation when it comes.  Set up a play date, hire a pet sitter, and enjoy your time!

Relaxing is a very key component to health and wellness, and it allows us to be better at home, work, with our friends, and in our communities.

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April 3, 2017 0 Comments

5 Things You Need to Know About Hiring Virtual Help

According to Recuriterbox, over 53 million people are currently freelancing and by 2020, over 40% of the workforce is expected to be independent contractors. It is a growing trend that many businesses are seeing the rewards of. Before you jump in, here are 5 things to know about hiring virtual help.

Communication

One of the biggest mistakes I see business owners and freelancers make is a lack of good communication from the beginning.  It is important to create a very detailed and accurate job posting so that you attract the right candidate who is qualified for your project or job. It is also imperative to lay out clear expectations on the work to be performed, expected results as well as deadlines. I recommend doing a Skype or FaceTime call with your candidates and not only talking about the job and expectations but also spending time to get to know the person so you can develop a mutually beneficial working relationship.

Flexibility

Many times, those who are seeking virtual jobs are seeking those jobs at least partly for the flexibility that comes with it. Be clear about the expectations you have for your virtual team member. And if you need someone during specific hours, also be clear about that. Flexibility can work great for both parties. It just needs to be clear to both sides when the work is needed and expected and if the contractor needs to be available at set times.

Pay

Even at a higher hourly rate, expect to save 20 to 30 percent annually with a freelancer given that you will not have to pay for benefits, health insurance, retirement, Medicare or Social Security. You also save on office space, computers and other office supplies. On the other hand, your freelancer does have to pay all of those costs so instead of looking to hire at rock bottom prices, factor in at least $4-5 more an hour for the expenses they will have to incur.

Quality

Independent contractors and freelancers run their own business, which is dependant on happy and returning clients. You know as a business owner, its much more cost efficient to keep a client than to try to find a new one. Because of that, most freelancers will strive to deliver their best work to keep their clients. While traditional employees performance may vary, freelancers know their job is only as good as their last project.

Sourcing

Not all freelance websites are created equally.  Some have millions of users all over the world. While others are more specific to the industry or type of freelancer. For instance, HireMyMom.com is a niche website geared toward Mom Professionals who have left the workforce for the flexibility to work from home. Business owners find dedicated and dependable contractors or virtual employees without sorting through hundreds of resumes. They also benefit from hiring someone in or near their time zone for ease of working relationship as well as not having to deal with issues faced in countries with undependable Internet and electricity. Whatever your needs, be sure to find the right website to help you succeed.

So when it comes time to expand your virtual team, knowing what to expect and more about the process will help you be more prepared and ready for success!

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February 13, 2017 0 Comments

4 Ways to Save Time During the Week

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Between being a working mom and juggling home, family, and other obligations, weekdays can be a mad rush of timing and scheduling issues.  It’s important to keep the peace as much as possible, but that’s tricky when there’s so much going on Monday thru Friday.  Read along for some best practices in saving time during the bustling workweek!

Get into a groove

Schedule and routines are helpful for everyone involved.  Start by setting a general weekday schedule that’s appropriate for the whole family.  Write out a list or calendar that features everything that needs to be done in a typical week.  From here, create your schedule for what needs done, who needs to be where, and where free time is located.

When you have a schedule that is fairly the same week-to-week, it’s much easier to handle spontaneous changes, as well as find the time that you can be more productive or spend with friends and family.  When you don’t know where your time is going, it can feel chaotic and things can begin to get missed.

Plan meals

Weekdays are characterized by work and a lot of running around, so cooking can be a time-consuming process.  To eliminate some of the time spent prepping and shopping during the week, ensure that this is done on the weekends, or a specifically designated day.

If you have several free hours on Wednesdays, maybe that’s your time to shop and food prep.  Find out what’s best for you and your schedule.  Take a Saturday or Sunday afternoon to plan your meals for the week.  Utilize Pinterest and other cooking sites to find recipes or ideas, then build your shopping list and get everything done in one trip.  It’s also helpful to spend a few hours prepping the food, or at least the items that can be done ahead of time. This eliminates a lot of day-to-day thinking about meal prep, and can also save money!

Set it all up

Plan your weekends! Although weekends are typically used for family, friends, and spontaneous adventure, they can also help you a lot during the workweek.  Spend an hour or so on the weekends to set up for the week ahead.

Create your to-do lists, schedules, meal plans, and anything else that is part of the forecast for the upcoming week.  This is a great mental exercise as well, as it keeps things much more calm and organized.

Know what you need

Sometimes saving time involves others that are available to help you.  Set up a carpool for your kids, which will give you more time to work or run errands during the week.  There are also meal exchanges, play dates, and other family set ups that give your family a break during the week.  It can be helpful to look into some of these options, especially on your busiest days.  Babysitters and caretakers are also incredibly useful to free up your time during the week.  Although it’s an investment, typically your time will be worth it to ensure that you’re able to get done what needs to be done during that time.

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February 6, 2017 0 Comments

HireMyMom Success Story: Katty Flores

What’s your success story with HireMyMom.com?

I tried HireMyMom for the first time this year. It took a little less than a month to find my first job! I applied to several positions, I’d say 12 different postings, being careful to not only apply through the HireyMyMom site but also to email these employers/businesses directly. I had 3 interviews, the last being the one that made me an offer. I was elated to finally have the chance to work from home while still being a mom and wife, first!

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

1) Make sure your resume is clean, short and sweet. I know that we want to draw attention to ALL of our experiences, however, I read that you should keep your resume to one page.

2) Some employers will have links to their applications. Treat these like you would any other important, paper application. Fill them out completely and thoroughly. Even if you uploaded your resume, make sure you fill in job by job. Otherwise, it resembles laziness.

3) Use complete sentences and proper grammar when typing up explanations.

4) Email the employer with a quick greeting and inform them you’ve just applied to their position (if applicable) and briefly introduce yourself.

5) After 3 days or so, send another follow up email regarding your application. The idea is that if your goal is to get a job, your actions should demonstrate it.

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom.com?

My favorite thing about HireMyMom is that the business or individual posting their job on the site is well aware the applicants are family centered first. They are knowingly giving moms the opportunity to feel worthy of their intelligence and skills, while allowing them to be sensitive toward their family.

What’s one fun fact about you?

A fun fact about me is that humor is my most used ingredient when brewing perspective for life’s expected and unexpected challenges.

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January 30, 2017 0 Comments

3 Ways to Maintain Your Schedule

As a work from home employee, your schedule is bound to be your biggest asset.  It can be easy to veer off track with all the distractions not present in a traditional workplace.  If you can stick to a schedule, you’ll be more productive, efficient, and able to stay focused on tasks.

We’ve compiled some best tips and practices to ensure that scheduling comes easy in your home based career!

Use a scheduling tool

Scheduling tools are extremely useful and eliminate a lot of the back and forth required to schedule a call or interview.  These tools work by keeping track of your calendar and noting when you’re free.  This way, scheduling a call is as easy as sending over a link, having the other person select a time that works for them, then following through with the meeting.

This also works to keep you on schedule because it forces you to track everything, and also keeps you from losing a lot of time in setting up these appointments.  Some tools that work for this include Calendly, Doodle, and Pick.

Track your time

To stay on schedule and keep moving through your to do list, tracking your time is a must!  Whether you use an Internet based calendar or a basic to do list, this is a crucial practice to begin and enforce daily.

Use some type of to do list with all of your items, including personal items.  This is helpful as a home based employee since some of your time might be used to be with family, friends, and completing any necessary errands and housework.  Of course this isn’t the case for all work from home employees, but it’s part of the benefits of a flexible job.

When you’re able to make time for everything in your schedule, in writing, you’re more likely to do it and more likely to keep pressing forward to get to everything on your list.  Even though these are incredibly helpful, do note that it’s important to make your lists as realistic as possible to prioritize and get what needs to be done.

Limit interruptions

Kids, pets, calls and people at the house – all things that can bring work to a screeching halt.  If you know you’re going into a very important call or interview, set up childcare (or pet care!) ahead of time.  You can also leave notes on your door for mail carriers to simply leave packages, as well as limiting calls to certain times of the day.

Keeping yourself on schedule is all about managing your time and using tools to keep that time flowing productively.  Do your best to schedule your days, manage distractions, and work towards as much efficiency as possible!

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December 19, 2016 0 Comments

HireMyMom Success Story: Stephanie Enciso

What’s your success story with HireMyMom.com?

I worked full time until the birth of my first son in November 2014.  I was blessed to have a stay at home mom growing up, and wanted nothing more than to provide the same for my children.  As with everything, I “Let go and Let God.”  One night, I stumbled upon a Facebook Ad while rocking my toddler back to sleep.  I never heard of the website, but decided to dig a little further.  After a few minutes, I knew I had to be a part of this in some way! I joined the site in June 2016, and within a month had my first interview.  I wasn’t offered the job, but was determined to find something that would allow me to stay at home with my son, while earning some additional income for our family.  Within a few weeks I received multiple interview opportunities and was fortunate enough to receive two offers.  I currently work for two companies, part time, and 100% remote.  I continue to apply for positions, willing to take on more work!  I love being able to work from my home, in my PJ’s, whenever I have free time!

What’s your educational and experiential background?

I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2006 with a Bachelors degree in Communication.  After college, I worked for a medical manufacturing company in their customer service and marketing divisions.  I also worked for a steel manufacturing company in an inside sales support role.

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

If the job seems interesting, apply for it.  I sent my resume to as many employers as possible.  I wanted to learn and gain as much knowledge about the WAH world as I could.

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom.com?

I love how all of the details are presented in the job posting.  At a quick glance, you are able to know the pay rate, the requirements, and a link to employer’s website.

What’s one fun fact about you?

I married my high school sweetheart on 9-10-11.  My husband can’t ever forget that day!

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October 17, 2016 0 Comments

HireMyMom Success Story: Beth Rodgers

What’s your success story with HireMyMom.com?

I had been looking for legitimate opportunities for me to be able to work and still be home with my kids.  I wasn’t impressed with what I had been finding on my own.  I heard about hiremymom.com and went back and forth on whether or not to pay for a membership.  After checking out the reviews on the hire my mom website I decided to give it a try.  I hadn’t been a member long when I came across a listing that I knew would be perfect for me!  Me and the Mouse Travel was looking for a vacation planner specializing in Disney travel!  I had a series of telephone interviews with the companies owner and was offered a position!  I have been with Me and the Mouse Travel for 3 years now!

What’s your educational and experiential background?

As soon as I seen the listing from Me and the Mouse Travel I became so excited! I had worked for Walt Disney World and studied tourism in college I knew that I would be perfect for this job!  I graduated in 2003 from Central Michigan University with a bachelors degree in business management with a concentration in Human Resources and Travel and Tourism.

Check the site daily new listings get posted daily.  Brush up on your phone and facetime interview skills as most of the time you won’t meet your employer face to face.  Also, make sure to follow up on resume’s and applications you send!

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom.com?

My favorite thing about having a membership with HireMyMom.com is that they did the leg work weeding out any job opportunities that I wouldn’t have considered legitimate, professional job opportunities.

What’s one fun fact about you?

I LOVE my job!  Just like HireMyMom helps you to find a perfect job to fit your life circumstances I help families plan magical vacations to fit their desires!  My planning services are free to use!  For more information about my Disney vacation planning services please visit  http://meandthemouse.com/vacations/beth-rodgers/ or email me at beth@meandthemouse.com.

If you’d like to be featured as one of our Success Stories, please contact us!

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September 19, 2016 0 Comments

HireMyMom Success Story: Leslie Hawkes

What’s your success story with HireMyMom.com?

I first heard of HireMyMom in 2008. My youngest was just 1 at the time but I had been out of the workforce for 3 years by then. We had moved to a new state where I didn’t have a work history or any contacts so I thought it would be a good idea to start laying a foundation for future work by taking on a few freelance projects. I honestly can’t remember how I first heard of HireMyMom. It may have been a Google search for work from home jobs. I found my first project through the site within a week of subscribing in 2009. It may have even been on the first day that I searched the listings. I’m a writer and I found a short-term project that was just enough to get my feet wet and still have time for my kids and home responsibilities. My subscription cost was paid for with the first article I wrote.

I took some time off once that 8-month project was finished since my daughter was needing more of my attention but once she started preschool I looked again and, again, found a position the day I looked at the site. This one has turned out to be a wonderful, long-term work situation.

It was for a content marketing firm and they needed SEO (search engine optimization) content writers. I had never done that particular kind of writing before but they were willing to train me. We spoke on the phone once and I was hired as a freelance writer. I’m still working with them today in 2016! That position has resulted in me writing for 2 other content marketing firms as well.

It’s an ideal situation for me. I run my own business, make my own hours, and work from home, but I do not have to market myself or find clients. The companies I work with keep me so busy I don’t need to! I can just focus on writing.

What I especially love about these companies I work for is that they are owned and managed by SAHMs themselves so they understand all the obligations I have outside of work. I’ve developed some great virtual friendships through the jobs too, which really helps minimize any SAHM loneliness I might experience. I feel like part of a team even though we are all freelancers.

What’s your educational and experiential background?

I have a pretty varied background. I have a Bachelors in Political Science and a Masters in Public Administration. Before we had kids I worked in local government (municipalities) and non-profits where I’d always end up managing the PR function, even if it wasn’t my actual job description. Writing comes naturally to me and it lends itself really well to working from home so it made sense that writing jobs are where I’d focus my efforts.

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

I would say be honest about yourself from the start. The employers on HireMyMom already know they are marketing towards SAHMs. Don’t feel bad or try to hide your gap in work experience and don’t worry so much about your availability and if it will be enough for an employer. For the right employer it will be enough. Be honest about your capabilities and time commitment and you’ll find a better fit.

I would also say, don’t undervalue yourself. It’s really easy to fall into the trap of thinking you’re not “worth” a certain rate because you work from home, or you’re only going to be part-time, or you’ve been out of the workforce for X number of years. That’s not true. If you have valuable experience that can help an employer, then there is no shame in being adequately compensated for it. You’re giving up time with your family to work. Make sure it pays off for you.

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom.com?

I LOVE that so many employers are SAHMs themselves. It’s like a little community of support even if you don’t know the person on the other end of the email. I also love that it’s a trustworthy site. You aren’t going to find junk jobs here or any scam work from home jobs. As a writer it’s hard to find jobs that will pay a decent rate, but you don’t see any of those low-paying junk jobs on HireMyMom. I tell every mom I know about the site.

What’s one fun fact about you?

I used to be a forest ranger! I worked for a county forest preserve system right before I had kids. In fact, I was pregnant with my first one as a ranger. I loved it.

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July 5, 2016 0 Comments

HireMyMom Success Story: Autumn Burns

What’s your success story with HireMyMom?

I think I saw an ad somewhere online back in 2014 when I was working a dead-end job that was boring me to tears.  I clicked on your site a few times over the course of several days and after reading reviews and the sample job postings, I decided a 3-month membership would be a good place for me to start.  At the time I was trying to re enter the workforce after raising 3 children.  I had been a stay-at-home mom for 17 years.

Anyway, I took my time and carefully read through all the job postings and tagged 5-6 that looked interesting.  After reviewing those few postings I finally gained the courage to apply to one.  It turned out that I was the only applicant to Black Spectacles and little did I know this little job would turn into a career position that has been the very best job I’ve ever had (except being a mom).

The funny thing is I worked for Marc Teer (founder, Black Spectacles) for 10 months before we ever met face-to-face.  He interviewed me and hired me after phone conversations and some online exchanges.  My husband even loves telling this story!

I am now a full-time employee with Marc, his Operations Manager, and our business is growing like crazy!  We are now 5 people strong and I’m his only HMM hire.

What’s your educational and experiential background?

Received my Bachelor of Science in Education from Arkansas State University (1990), taught high school one year, and after deciding not to continue teaching I found a job as a project manager for an entrepreneur allowing me to travel and learn some business skills.  I got married a few years later and quit work to raise 3 children.  As my oldest began his senior year of high school I wanted to go back to work but still needed the flexibility to be “mom” as necessary.  HMM came along at the most perfect time.  I was working part-time in a cubicle of a local company and although I was happy to be back in the workforce (“contributing” as my husband so fondly says) but hated the mundane work and lack of flexibility.  I found a part-time, flexible job I could do from home and it was exciting!  I was doing everything remotely and learning a lot, it was the perfect part-time job.  And then, things began to happen for Black Spectacles, we started growing and that was exciting.  My little part-time job has now turned into a full-time career position!  It is so fulfilling to be part of something that is new, cutting edge and constantly interesting.  Everyday is different and that makes it wonderful for me.

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

Read the job postings carefully.  Very often there are specific tasks a person/company is looking to have accomplished.  Make sure you clearly understand what is being asked and honestly evaluate your skills to accomplish those tasks.  I spend 2 weeks reading the postings before selecting 5 that seemed like a good fit.  After reviewing those 5, I only applied to 1, and that’s my job now.  I realize this may not work for everyone, but it worked for me because I knew very clearly what I was capable of and what I was looking for.

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom?

I really liked being able to read and reread the posting and highlight the ones I felt might be a fit.  It was a very strategic way for me to narrow my choices.  The site is very user-friendly in my opinion and I’ve recommended it to many friends (a few who have found temporary work as needed).

What’s one fun fact about you?

I have my motorcycle license and I act in local community theater productions (sorry, that’s 2).  🙂

 

 

 

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June 20, 2016 0 Comments

Redbook Magazine Features HireMyMom

Lesley Pyle Redbook Magazine Feature

Hot Mama – Netpreneur Lesley Spencer Pyle

Hiremymom.com is the kind of business idea that’s so timely and practical that, naturally, it took a mom to think it up. The site, which connects companies looking to outsource projects with work-from-home moms who are eager for part-time work, was launched last May by Lesley Spencer Pyle, a mother of four in Spring, TX.

“I got pregnant right after I started my first job doing PR for a golf school,” says Pyle. “I hated being away from my baby, but my employer wasn’t open to flextime, so I quit.” Since her family was dependent on Pyle’s income, she began scrambling for freelance work.

“I knew there were other moms out there in the same position – I thought we could really learn from each other,” Pyle says. In 1995, she founded the online community Home-Based Working Moms (hbwm.com) which has evolved into a mini-empire, including a home-based business directory, a start-your-own-business kit, and a newsletter. Pyle loved connecting with moms online and figured employers might want to access this vast pool of talent. Enter hiremymom.com. For a small fee, moms who do everything from graphic design to sales can get listings for hundreds of long- and short-term projects that can be completed from the comfort of their kitchen table – uh, we mean home office.

 

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