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October 8, 2018 0 Comments

4 Tips for Meal Planning on a Budget

We hear a lot about meal planning, but how can you do it in a way that keeps to your budget? Food can be expensive, and it helps to have a few money-saving tips before going shopping.

Read along for some of our tips for meal planning on a budget.

Plan ahead

The best thing you can do to save money is to plan. Map out each night with what you plan to make, and this will keep you on track.  Purchase a wall or refrigerator calendar and simply note each meal at the beginning of the week. A bonus to this is that it can also keep you on a healthy eating schedule! When your food is planned, purchased and ready to go, you’re less likely to veer off of your plan.

Eat seasonally

Fruit and vegetables that are in season are typically less expensive, as they’re easier for the stores to get.  Grocery stores have to pay more to import items that aren’t local.

To top it all off, seasonal fruits and veggies simply taste better!

Click here for a guide to eating seasonally.

Find the right recipe

By doing a simple Google search, you can find recipes that are inexpensive to make.  Certain blogs are even dedicated to budget eating, so it’s not difficult to find those options.  Many times, these recipes will give you a price per recipe or price per serving, which really allows you to budget accurately.

These days, inexpensive doesn’t mean unhealthy either.  There are plenty of options that incorporate fruits and veggies in a budget-friendly way, such as using frozen options.  They still pack a nutritional punch while being less expensive than the fresh varieties.

Factor in everything

Even though you might schedule out your perfect week of recipes and meal planning, don’t forget about other types of eating!

You might have dinner plans with a friend, a late meeting that will provide food, or simply the desire to have takeout once in a while.  To save money, factor this in! You can eliminate a few grocery store dollars when you remember that you’ll have food elsewhere.

Additionally, determine what’s reasonable for you and/or your family. If you eat larger portions, make sure to include that. If you’re often throwing food away or simply eating for one, reduce the recipe.

It’s important to really take the time to lay out your week, meal plan around this, and choose foods that are friendly to your budget.  If you stick to a routine like this, you should see a major difference in your food spending!

 

At HireMyMom we want to help our Mom Professionals thrive in business AND at home. We often provide free online training as well as have some super work at home jobs posted by small businesses around the country. Learn more about our memberships and how you can join a supportive faith-based community of Mom Professionals!

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October 1, 2018 0 Comments

5 Tips to Improve Your Writing

Writing is an important part of marketing and advertising these days. Even if you aren’t doing either of these things, you might still have a personal (or business) blog, or simply want to improve your writing skills. Whatever your reason for writing, we can always improve!

If you’ve ever wanted to expand upon your writing skills for personal or professional reasons, read along for some of our top tips.

Practice

If you want to improve your writing, you have to practice! This can begin with reading others’ writing – blogs, newspapers, books and magazines, to name a few, and going from there.

It might be helpful to start your own personal blog, or a blog based on your current industry.  If you don’t feel ready to publish for the world to see, write on your own time. You can create your own daily journal, or write a short story that’s updated on a weekly basis.

The more you write, the more comfortable you become. Once you’re comfortable writing, you can work to improve sentence structure, grammatical errors, and flow.

Gather feedback

When we write our own pieces, it’s hard to disconnect.  Ask a friend or family member to review your writing for errors, flow, and any other suggestions.

They can also let you know if you need to be more concise!  Sometimes we get on a roll with writing, and we tend to get a bit too wordy.

Develop your own style

To find your own style, begin by writing in a variety of ways.  From standard AP style to casual blogs, it all requires some different perspectives.  If you really want to improve in general, try to incorporate them all.

From here, you can discover what you like best! Discover your own style. Is it more conversational in nature? Do you enjoy technical writing?  You might stumble upon a skill or career that you never knew you had!

Tell stories

The best writing and presentations includes telling stories. People want to relate to you, so it’s important that you incorporate details that allow them to do that. Stories are always more interesting and give your audience something to relate to.

Whether you’re writing a more “dry” piece or writing for an entertainment magazine, short stories are intriguing.  You can write about the subject(s), something that happened to you, or a story from history that supports your premise.

Put yourself out there

Writing doesn’t have to be scary, nor do you have to be a professional to get started! You can create a free blog on sites such as WordPress, and it takes almost nothing to get started – just some time.

If you have a message or story to share with the world, put yourself out there on a regular basis. This can only improve your writing, as well as keep you writing on a consistent basis.

When you write often and always look for improvement, you’re well on your way to developing more skill and accuracy as a writer!

Keep learning. Keep growing!

At HireMyMom we want to help our Mom Professionals continue to learn and thrive in their business. We often provide free online training. Learn more about our memberships and how you can join a supportive faith-based community of Mom Professionals!

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September 24, 2018 0 Comments

4 Unique Benefits of Working From Home

We all know that there are several benefits of working from home – no commute, more flexibility, and less stress.  But there are lesser known benefits that aren’t discussed as often!

Check out this week’s blog for some of the unique benefits of being a work from home employee.

Get more done

When you work from home, you have access to your home! This is obvious, but it’s a great thing because it allows you to get some things done around the house, which helps you keep up with the housework and reduce stress.

When you set aside a few of your breaks for light housework everyday, you get more time with your family and friends in the evenings.  If you go to a traditional office, you don’t have this benefit, so it’s something that can easily be worked into your day. Of course, working from home is still working, so keep these cleaning breaks to 5-10 minutes at a time.

Break anywhere

As a work from home employee, you can take breaks or really work from anywhere! From lunch breaks to trips away, you can work from any location with internet access.

If you have the opportunity to tag along on your spouse’s work trip, you can come along! When they’re working, you can get your work done too, then enjoy time together in the evenings. It’s very freeing to have your whole work life attached to your laptop, allowing you the freedom to travel and set up shop all over.

Be more accomplished

According to Fundera.com, “86% of employees say they’re most productive when they work alone – devoid of distractions like inefficient meetings, office gossip, or loud office spaces.” Of course, you can occasionally meet up with friends to work at a coffee shop together, but this study shows that most people are more productive outside of a traditional office.

You’re more free to work through workday interruptions, distractions, and so on.  You can set your own schedule and often don’t have as many spontaneous meetings and office drop-ins.  When you work from home, meetings are typically planned ahead since everyone is on a different scheduled, and they’re also usually shorter and completed over phone or Skype.

Time with family

As we mentioned in a few of the benefits above, working from home just gives you more time with family and friends.  You can typically stop working a bit early if you want, and if your work is complete, it’s not a big deal. This opens you up to attend more functions, be there for people more often, and simply not be restricted by a rigid office work schedule.  If work is complete, you’re usually good to go!

Family also includes pets! Those who work from home are able to spend their day with their furry family members too, strengthening those bonds as well.  You can also save money by not having to hire a dog walker or have someone let your dog out during the day! Pets are great stress reducers as well, so being around them all day can be a calming presence.

Working from home has numerous benefits, from stress reduction to more productivity.  Beyond the obvious benefits, you’re able to get more accomplished, work anywhere, and spend more time with those you love.

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September 10, 2018 0 Comments

5 Ways to Stay Fit From Home

Fitness should be a crucial part of our lives – it keeps us healthy and active. When you work from home, you may not have time or want the expense of an intricate gym routine. The good news is – you don’t need to let those challenges hold you back!

Read along for some of our best, simplest tips to stay fit when you work from home.

Take breaks

One of the major benefits of working from home is that your breaks can take place in your house! You have access to house chores, possibly a family dog, a side job, and much more. While this can also make focusing a challenge, it can also hold many benefits, especially when it comes to sneaking in fitness.

Use a few of your breaks during the day to do a short workout. You can even schedule these around meals and other breaks, and they don’t need to last long at all.  It’s even better to get up and move throughout the day, as we all know how bad sitting is for our health.

Make it short

Working out for an hour is not necessary, unless you truly want to.  Choose a reasonable amount of time and don’t make it overwhelming, especially in the beginning.

If you decide to use your breaks, maybe start by dedicating three, 5-minute breaks to do some type of fitness moves.  When it’s a doable amount of time, you’re much more likely to stick to it in the long term.

Use what you have

You don’t need to run out and buy anything fancy! Chances are, you have exactly what you need, or can get a few small, inexpensive items to start.

Most of us have some kind of fitness selection of gym equipment, machines, or dumbbells.  If you don’t have these things, you can start with bodyweight strength exercises or simply use the road for running.  If you don’t know what type of moves to do, you can access tons of free fitness content on YouTube. You can search by length time, type of workout, etc. For example, 5-10-15+ minute workouts that feature High Intensity Interval Training Cardio, light weight training, Tabata intervals, and so on.

Make it social

Fitness is great to share with others.  This is a great time to get out of the house – walk with friends, join a gym or exercise class, or join a running club.

When you work out with others, you come to depend on each other, which keeps you consistent and motivated.

Keep it consistent

In the end, consistency is key with fitness. If you don’t stick with it, you won’t reap the results that come from a regular workout routine.  Start with 10 minutes per day and go from there. You can simply walk or lift some light dumbbells if you’re a beginner, or find a way to make fitness social.

Set a specific number of workouts to aim for each week and start with at least 2-3.  Once you begin to feel better, sleep better, and generally improve your health, you’ll want to stick with your new, healthy habit!

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September 4, 2018 0 Comments

4 Tips for a Fall Refresh

With September here and Labor Day behind us, we’re officially started into the fall season. It’s a time where work and school pick up again, and we move away from the lazy days of summer.

While we’re getting back into our routines and potentially a more challenging workload, it can be a great time for a refresh as we enter this new season.  Read along for some of our best tips to refresh your body and mind before we move further into fall.

Take a new class

Learning is always a new and challenging way to reboot yourself. Whether your interests lie in fitness or cooking, or potentially computer programming or writing, find something that will take you out of your comfort zone.  Often times mixing things up allows us to feel more inspired in our daily life, whether that be personal or professional.

You can find classes that are offered locally through your library or community center, or search websites such as Udemy for online classes that you can take from the comfort of your home.

Refresh your wardrobe

A wardrobe update does not have to be expensive! You can visit a local thrift shop for new style choices, or find a nice vintage shop that offers unique, inexpensive goods.  Additionally, you can search sites like Poshmark, ThredUp, or Mercari. While you’re doing this, you can also go through your current clothing and figure out what need to go. Especially since we’re through with summer, those clothes can be packed away, sold or donated.

Do you have several pieces that you haven’t worn in a year? Have a few articles of clothing that you just don’t like? Take an honest look around and pitch what you don’t need.  Whether you sell, donate or give away older items, you’ll feel lighter by clearing the clutter!

Do some good

When you’re looking for a change or refresh in your life, doing good for others can be a great starting point. Not only does it make you feel great, it helps others in need.

Look around your community for who needs help, or search your own heart for which causes call to you the most. Are you an animal lover? Volunteer for a few hours at the local shelter each week.  Love kids? Find a library in search of readers. You can even plan a service day with your friends or family members – clean up a park, build something useful for the community, or hand out food to the homeless.

Making time and space for others is very important and always needed, and don’t underestimate the meaning and fulfillment that it will bring to your own life as well.

Plan ahead

While we’re in the mode of restarting and refreshing, it’s important to put a plan into place. We’re headed into the busiest time of the year – school is back, work is busier, and the holidays will be here before we know it. Making a plan will keep yourself and your family sane!

Take a look at where you’re spending your time now, what’s coming up ahead, and how you can plan now so things don’t get too crazy down the road.

Start with a nice planner or online calendar program – make completing the days part of your daily life. Get into the habit of time management and calendar planning, as it will make you feel more calm and in control of your schedule. Additionally, it’s just a great habit that will carry you further in your personal and professional life.

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August 27, 2018 0 Comments

How to Add Personality to Your Resume

We typically see one type of resume in the job hunting world – white paper, black font, and probably not much (if any) color.

While this is the standard and will work for its intended purpose, it often doesn’t have a lot of personality.  Certain jobs require more formality, so the standard is your best option, but for those jobs that ask for creativity in the job description, or simply demand something unique – add some personality!

Here are some of our favorite ways to do just that:

  • Change the design: Most resumes follow the same standard layout, but they don’t have to! You could put your document into unique, colorful sections, or simply add blocks of color for each section heading.

  • Add some color: Color is just more fun to look at! If you’re keeping it conservative, simply add color to your name at the top so it stands out.  Or, you could really go all out and do your whole resume in one color. Of course, ensure that this is still easily readable, and also send over a copy that doesn’t include so much color in case they’d like to print it.

  • Be conversational: Formal language has its place, but it’s not always in a resume. You can still talk in a conversational way that uses layman’s terms. Be sure to include all relevant data and qualitative data, but present it more casually.  For something extra fun, you can even include charts or graphs with your numerical data!

  • Make it fit: Are you interviewing for a position at an art gallery? You could change your resume to look like an easel, or feature a paint palette in a way that’s relevant.  You can always tailor your actual resume to the job position in a memorable way.

  • Add something unexpected: Most hiring managers are used the same old thing. Surprise them! Add a creative drawing or graphic, use a custom font, or simply present it in a unique way.

  • Try a different format: Resumes don’t always have to be on paper! You can try a video or slideshow resume. Of course, make sure this is okay with the hiring manager, and possibly leave these for the job positions that say they’re actively seeking something different in your application.

  • Add a photo: It can be nice to put a face to a name. In some cases, you might want to include your photo.  You could also include a photo of something you accomplished, whether it was a build in your job work, or an event photo from something you planned.

  • Include what’s needed: No matter how you choose to add personality to your resume, it’s important that it still includes important information.  Be sure you’re not leaving out any important and relevant job positions, accomplishments, or education. At the end of the day, that will still be the most important part!

 

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August 20, 2018 0 Comments

4 Key Components Of a Great Cover Letter

Your cover letter is often the first thing that a potential employer will read from you, so it’s a very important document! Of course, your resume will be crucial since it lists all of your experience and accomplishments, but your cover letter is a place to add personality and make a case for your hiring.

Read along for some of our best advice for a cover letter that stands out.

Restate

When you start your letter, it’s best to restate the position and company which you’re applying for.  This ensures that it goes to the right place, and states again what you’re seeking.

In addition to restating the position and company, it’s helpful to restate some of the key qualities that the employer is seeking, especially those that match you very well.  Be sure to make the connection between the job posting and yourself as a great fit.

Add some personality

Cover letters don’t necessarily have to be boring! Especially if the job is more “informal,” use it as a place to add your personality.  It can be a bit conversational in nature, while still adhering to solid grammar. Adapt the cover letter to match you, as well as the position.  If it’s a very prestigious job that requires a strong vocabulary and a lot of formality, it may be best to stick to the basics.

One page

As with most things in your job application, do your best to keep it to one page.  All the information you should need should fit on one page:

  • Restate the position and employer where you hope to be hired.

  • Include some qualities from the job posting that fit your personality and work experience.

  • Use bullets for stand out job experience and highlights that make you a great fit.

  • End with a request for further contact and an interview, as well as a note that your resume is attached and your recommendations are available upon request.

Be specific

When you go to write your bullet points, be as specific as you can! It’s great to say, for example, that you planned an event that’s relevant to the position.  It’s even better to write that you planned an event with a $250,000 budget for 500 attendees that resulted in $400,000 being raised for a charity. Using specific facts, figures and numbers helps to drive home your point even more, and it shows that you have the detail on your accomplishments.

Your cover letter should be personable, short, and include reasons why you are the best possible fit for this job position.  Tailor each and every letter to each specific job posting with the tips above, and you’ll be well on your way to a more successful hiring process.

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August 13, 2018 0 Comments

5 Tips for A Professional Job Application

We all know the importance of a resume when you apply for a job, but there’s often more to the application than just that. There’s the cover letter, recommendation letters, resume, and anything else requested by that particular position.

We’re sharing our best tips to keeping your whole job application professional and effective, so you’re ready to apply when those ideal positions come along.

Keep it up to date

Even if you’re not actively job searching, sometimes the right position just pops up. Be ready for these opportunities! Every month or so, take a few minutes to update and review your materials.  This will keep things fresh, keep you from scrambling, and help you avoid losing future opportunities due to time.

This is also a good time to prepare all potential documents.  If you only have a resume so far, draft a cover letter and seek out at least 2-4 professional recommendations to have on file.

Short and sweet

A professional application is short and sweet! You may think you need to elaborate or sound wordy to be impressive, but employers receive a ton of applications.  They will greatly appreciate that you kept to the most essential information.

Use bullets

Along with keeping things short and sweet, don’t be afraid to use bullet points liberally! It allows employers to easily scan your information for items that jump out, and keeps information in bite-sized pieces.

You can utilize bullet points in all areas of your application – the cover letter and resume, as well as any other documents required by the posting.

Free from errors

If you want to submit a professional application, it should be free from spelling and grammatical errors. Take the time to really proofread well, and ask a friend or family member to take a look as well.  We can miss small errors by seeing the same piece of writing so many times, so don’t be afraid to have several sets of eyes on it.

Errors and mistakes can make you come across as careless, even if that couldn’t be further from the truth.  It’s worth the extra time to ensure that all of your materials are perfect!

All materials

These days, not all job postings are standard.  Some of them require additional writing samples, tests, and so on.  You need to read very carefully! They’re often looking for someone who follows directions.

Be sure that you include everything that is asked for, and don’t include other things that are not.  Each employer usually has a very specific skill set and documents that they’re requiring, so it’s best to stick to that.

To start, ensure that you have a cover letter, solid, updated resume, and recommendations, which can either be attached or ready upon request. This will give you a foundation, and any other requested materials can be created quickly!

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August 6, 2018 0 Comments

4 Tips to Work From Home Successfully

Working from home is a dream scenario to most – more flexibility, no commute, and more time with family. But once you’ve landed a home based job, how are you successful in it?  It’s not quite the same as a traditional office job, so different things need to be considered.

Read along for some of our tips to ensure success in a work from home position.

Clear distractions

As much as possible, clear distractions from your home and work time. If you know you’re going to be on an important call, place a note on the door to ask people to not ring the doorbell. If you have dogs, exercise them early and put them in their crates or on beds when you’re trying to get work done.

If your kids are home on summer break, work out some playdates or child care when you really need to focus.  Often times we can manage to fit all of this into our work days, but sometimes we need a break. Keep in mind, if you worked in a traditional office, you wouldn’t have the same distractions.

Be independent

Being a successful home based employee comes down to working independently.  Sure, you may have a supervisor or head boss that you report to, but it likely isn’t regulated the same way as an office job.

To get work done, stay on track, and avoid overwhelm, it’s so crucial that you manage yourself.  Keep tabs on how you’re spending your work time with a simple spreadsheet, and make to do lists your friend!

However, independence doesn’t need to carry over into your personal life. Be sure that you’re making time to be social and get together with co-workers or other home based workers when you can.

Manage yourself

Along with being independent, in a lot of cases you might have to manage yourself. Some home based positions tend to be more freelance in nature, so while you have a “boss,” it’s not in the same way.

Manage yourself with to do lists, as well as clear check ins with your immediate supervisor.  Whether it’s a daily summary of work or a weekly check-in call, it’s up to you and your boss. You can create a schedule of communication that works for all involved, and this will allow you to stay on track with your employer.

Motivate yourself

Working from home offers a host of benefits, but motivation can be hard to come by.  It can be tempting to spend the day watching Netflix, or doing something fun with your kids.  While this can be part of your day from time to time, you are still working from home.

Do your best to save other activities for breaks or after work hours. When you commit to a typical workday and a set amount of time and hours, you’re providing yourself with the structure and boundaries to get things done.

Staying motivated to do your work will come from having a solid schedule and process for accomplishing tasks.  This may be challenging at first, but once you find your rhythm, it’s easy to stay on track!

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July 30, 2018 0 Comments

5 Ways to Start Prepping for Back to School

As we get closer and closer to the end of summer, we’re starting to think about back to school and fall routines.  While there’s still plenty of time for summer fun, it’s important to begin thinking about the transition into the school year.  Read along for some tips to be prepared – mentally and physically – to get back into the groove!

Shop early

By shopping for back to school items earlier than most, you can typically get in on the best sales.  Better yet, you and your kids will have your pick of supplies. If you wait until late into August or after school begins, there’s usually not much to choose from.  School supply lists can be long and specific, so be sure to pick things up early.

Start a routine

Summer is known for more relaxation and flexibility! Whether you’ve been more loosely scheduled with your work, or your kids are simply in “summer mode,” it’s a great time to prepare for the more strict school year.

You can start by setting earlier bedtimes, doing baths earlier in the evening, and so on.  It’s important (and much more pleasant) to ease your kids back into their year, and this starts with their routine. You can start small: 10-30 minutes earlier every week until you’re back on school time. This will make mornings and bedtimes much easier when school begins!

Create a schedule

Take a look at the upcoming year before it even gets started.  As we’ve mentioned, things tend to change from flexible to more structured during the year, so it’s important to be ready.  With activities, sports, and other programs being added into your schedule, you may have to rearrange some work or set up a carpool.

Start with a basic outline of your family’s days and go from there.  If you need to shift work, add work, or find childcare, now is the time to begin thinking about it seriously.

Set some goals

While you’re setting up your schedule, also take some time to set some goals – for your family, career, fitness goals, and so on.  This can even be a fun activity to do with your kids! Do they want to make a certain team? Try a specific class? Goals can help us get excited about the future, as well as motivate us for a great year ahead. Set some goals for the upcoming year, and check in with them as the weeks go on.

Soak up summer

As summer winds down, soak up the final days of summer!  Plan something fun or just enjoy having the kids home. Take some time for yourself if your work schedule allows, and take comfort in the fact that you’ve started planning for the upcoming school year.

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