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March 3, 2025

Tips for Working from Home with Toddlers

The upside of remote work is that you are able to work at home with your small children… but the downside of remote work is that you are working from home with your kids! Having a flexible schedule is great, but it can be tricky to manage with an active toddler that requires lots of supervision. Our HR and mom experts are here to share some of their favorite tips on how to juggle work and kids:

Utilizing Technology Effectively

According to data from the Pew Research Center, 60% of parents working remotely with young children use digital tools and apps to keep their toddlers occupied. Consider incorporating educational apps and shows into your routine. These tools can provide valuable learning opportunities while giving you a chance to tackle work tasks. However, it’s crucial to set screen time limits to ensure a balance between engagement and learning. Screen time guidelines from pediatric experts can help determine what’s suitable for your child’s age.

Another option is to set up a video call with family or friends. A quick video chat with grandparents or a favorite aunt can be an exciting break for your toddler and give you a few minutes to focus on work. You can also explore virtual storytime sessions or interactive classes designed for young children, which many libraries and educational institutions offer for free.

In addition to apps and video calls, smart home devices can be a practical help. Voice assistants can play children’s songs, read stories, or even answer simple questions, keeping your toddler engaged while you handle work tasks. Ensure you have parental controls in place to maintain a safe digital environment for your child.

Sharing Breaks with Your Toddler

Short breaks with your toddler can be refreshing and valuable. During these breaks, plan activities that foster connection and relaxation. Read a story together or engage in a quick, fun game. Physical activities like a mini dance party or a brief walk can be invigorating for both of you, offering a pleasant change from the workday routine.

Engaging in creative activities can also be rewarding. Simple art projects like drawing or crafting can be enjoyable for your toddler and provide a calming break for you. If you have musical instruments or even simple items like pots and pans, you can create a mini jam session to add some excitement. Incorporate sensory play during these breaks. Activities like playing with kinetic sand, water beads, or even a sensory bin filled with rice can be fascinating for your toddler and provide a different form of engagement. These activities can be both fun and soothing, helping to reset your energy levels.

Don’t forget the importance of fresh air. A quick trip to the backyard or a nearby park allows your toddler to explore and expend some energy, which can be especially beneficial if they’ve been indoors for most of the day. Outdoor playtime can be a great opportunity to connect with nature and enjoy some physical activity together.

Integrating Toddler-Friendly Activities

One effective way to manage remote work while keeping a toddler engaged is to set up a variety of activities that they can enjoy independently. Create a safe and inviting play area with age-appropriate toys, books, and puzzles. Regularly rotating these items can help sustain your toddler’s interest over time. In addition to toys, consider simple craft projects or sensory activities like playdough or water play that require minimal supervision. This setup can give you pockets of uninterrupted time to focus on your work tasks.

Another approach is to involve your toddler in household activities, transforming chores into fun learning experiences. Simple tasks like sorting laundry by color, helping to water plants, or organizing their toys can keep them occupied while providing educational value. Toddlers love to imitate adults, so giving them their “tasks” can be both entertaining and beneficial.

You can also leverage natural breaks in your work schedule to introduce new activities. For instance, when transitioning between tasks, set up a new game or project to keep your toddler engaged. Additionally, consider having a stash of quick and easy activities on hand, like coloring books or building blocks, which can be quickly deployed when you need a few moments of quiet.

Discuss your responsibilities as a parent and the flexibility you might need in your schedule with your employer. Research from the University of California suggests that setting a consistent daily schedule can reduce behavioral issues in toddlers by 30%. Implementing a routine can benefit both you and your toddler, making it easier to anticipate each part of the day. Be realistic about your productivity levels; working with a toddler at home is challenging, and some days may be less productive than others. Accept that there will be interruptions and allow yourself grace as you navigate this balancing act.

Have a tip that you would like to share from your own experience? Reach out! We’d love to hear.

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November 18, 2024

Tips for Showcasing WFH Experience on Your Resume

No matter where you are in your job seeking journey, whether you have tons of experience with remote work or little to none, there are certain ways you can call out your experience in a resume that will capture an employer’s attention. This will make your application materials more organized while showcasing the best skills you have for the job:

Highlight Relevant WFH Skills

When listing work from home experience on your resume, emphasize the skills that have helped you excel in a remote setting. Focus on self-motivation, time management, digital communication, and proficiency with remote collaboration tools. Provide concrete examples, such as managing a project with a dispersed team or using specific software to coordinate tasks. Mention any experience with tools like Zoom, Slack, or Trello, which are crucial for communication within remote work.

Specify Remote Work Experience Clearly

Make it easy for employers to identify your work from home roles by clearly marking them as “Remote” or “Work from Home” in the job title or location line. For instance, instead of listing a position as “Customer Service Representative,” label it as “Customer Service Representative (Remote).” This distinction immediately signals to hiring managers that you have relevant remote experience. Additionally, if you have held multiple remote roles, consider creating a dedicated section on your resume for “Remote Work Experience.” This allows potential employers to quickly see your proficiency and extensive background in remote working environments. In fact, if you have enough experience under your belt, you can remove all in-person positions to leave room to showcase your remote positions only. Otherwise, be sure to address how in-person jobs can translate to remote ones.

Quantify Your Achievements

Numbers and data can vividly illustrate your contributions while working from home. Putting numbers on your achievements offers concrete proof of your impact and productivity. For instance, instead of simply stating you “enhanced customer satisfaction,” specify that you “improved customer satisfaction scores by 20% through efficient resolution of remote service inquiries.” Highlighting these metrics provides tangible evidence of your success and showcases the effectiveness of your remote work. Don’t just make up these numbers though, use hard data from your work or take a poll of past bosses/coworkers for some stats.

Demonstrate Remote Collaboration

Describe specific projects or initiatives where you successfully worked with a distributed team. For example, you might mention organizing regular virtual meetings to ensure effective communication or implementing a digital system for tracking team progress. Highlight any leadership roles you took on, such as coordinating a project, leading virtual brainstorming sessions, or resolving conflicts among remote team members. These examples underscore not only your technical skills but also your capability to maintain team cohesion and productivity in a virtual setting.

Tailor Your Resume for Each Application

Tailoring your resume for each job application is critical, particularly when highlighting your work from home experience. Start by thoroughly analyzing the job description to understand the specific skills and experiences the employer is seeking. Align your resume to reflect how your remote work background meets these requirements. It’s also beneficial to research the company’s culture and values. This can provide insights into what the employer prioritizes, allowing you to adjust your resume to emphasize relevant aspects of your work from home experience. For example, if the company values innovation, highlight any remote projects where you introduced new tools or processes to improve efficiency.

This personalized approach can significantly improve your chances of landing an interview and ultimately securing the job. Still in need of some help on crafting your application materials? Our HR experts are available to sit down with you and review everything!

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October 21, 2024

Balancing the Highs and Lows of Business and Remote Work

Work, just like life, is a rollercoaster. One second you’re at the top, feeling amazing. Next thing you know, something goes wrong, and you’re at the bottom feeling awful. Working remotely can have many perks, such as wearing whatever you want and spending more time with your family. However, because you work at home, far from your team, it can feel isolating, so these highs and lows can be hard to process by yourself.

Common Challenges and Benefits for Remote Workers Early in Their Careers

Transitioning to remote work can be a steep learning curve for newcomers. One of the most significant hurdles is combating feelings of isolation and disconnection from the team. Unlike traditional office settings, remote workers miss out on spontaneous conversations and face-to-face interactions, making it harder to build relationships and a sense of camaraderie. Additionally, they may struggle to establish a routine that balances productivity with personal time. The lack of immediate feedback and oversight can also be a double-edged sword. While it provides autonomy, it can leave remote workers second-guessing their performance and decisions, which can add stress, especially for those new to this mode of working.

However, remote work can also offer incredible benefits for early-career professionals. Working from home often eliminates long commutes, giving employees more time to focus on their work or personal life. Increased flexibility allows workers to manage their time efficiently, helping them balance work with hobbies or family responsibilities. Projects that once felt never-ending in an office setting may get done faster without office distractions, leading to an early-career boost in productivity and motivation. Remote work also encourages individuals to develop time management skills and self-discipline early on, which can be valuable throughout their careers.

Challenges and Benefits for Experienced Remote Workers

While more experienced remote workers may have overcome the initial hurdle of time management, they often encounter a new set of challenges — mainly revolving around isolation. One common issue is maintaining long-term motivation and preventing burnout. The novelty of remote work can wear off over time, leading to complacency or even disengagement. To stay inspired and invested in their work, seasoned professionals must continually find ways to challenge themselves and seek growth opportunities.

On the flip side, experienced remote workers often enjoy a higher level of autonomy and control over their schedules. With experience comes the ability to fine-tune daily routines, allowing them to optimize their productivity and work-life balance. Additionally, they may have the opportunity to work from anywhere, including different countries, giving them the chance to experience new cultures and environments while maintaining their careers. 

Another significant challenge is the potential blurring of work-life boundaries. Over time, seasoned remote workers may find it increasingly difficult to keep their professional and personal lives separate, especially if they’ve developed habits that allow work to encroach on personal time. For example, answering emails for just a few minutes after hours might turn into large chunks of time spent working on weekends and evenings. The work can feel never-ending, and handling that alone can be daunting. Yet, the flexibility of remote work also allows for better management of personal commitments, such as family obligations, exercise, or travel, creating a more customized work-life balance when managed effectively.

Establishing Habits for a Balanced Routine to Manage the Highs and Lows

Don’t wait for your wins and losses. Put strategies in place to help you celebrate, move on, or simply manage your day so that everything doesn’t feel so heavy. Start with a structured daily schedule that integrates work tasks, exercise, and personal time. Including self-care activities like meditation, journaling, or outdoor walks can recharge your energy and improve your mental health. 

Regular breaks are essential to prevent burnout and enhance overall efficiency. Setting realistic goals by breaking larger projects into smaller, manageable tasks can help keep you motivated and focused. Celebrating the completion of these smaller milestones can provide a sense of accomplishment and maintain your momentum.

Designing a dedicated workspace at home can also significantly boost your productivity. By designating a specific area for work, you create a mental boundary that helps separate your professional and personal life. This clear division can make it easier to transition between work and relaxation, ensuring that neither overtakes the other.

Engaging in continuous professional development is another crucial habit. Regularly updating your skills and staying connected with industry peers can keep you inspired and help you navigate the highs and lows of remote work more effectively. Lastly, establish a support network of fellow remote workers for sharing experiences and strategies, turning individual challenges into collective learning opportunities. These habits can help create a balanced and fulfilling remote work experience for both newcomers and experienced professionals alike.

How do you manage wins, losses, and the every day when working from home? We would love to hear your strategies!

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September 30, 2024

Daylight Savings Survival Guide for Remote Work Families

 

The transition between being on/off Daylight Savings Time (DST) is something that many people have come to dread. The time change disrupts sleep patterns, leading to cranky babies and exhausted parents. For those who work from home, working through these adjustments can be especially challenging as you balance professional responsibilities with the needs of your little ones.

The Impact of Daylight Savings on Young Children

Daylight Savings can be particularly tough on young children, as babies and toddlers thrive on routine. A sudden change in their sleep schedule can throw them off balance, leading to increased fussiness, shorter naps, and restless nights. Children under five are especially sensitive to time changes since their internal clocks are still developing. The loss of an hour in springtime often means waking up earlier than their bodies are used to, resulting in overtired kids who may resist naps or bedtime. This disruption impacts not only their well-being but also yours as a parent working from home.

Gradually Adjusting Sleep Schedules Before the Time Change

To lessen the impact of Daylight Savings, start shifting your child’s sleep schedule in small increments several days before the time change. Adjust bedtime and wake-up times by 10-15 minutes each day until you achieve the desired schedule. For instance, if bedtime is usually 7:00 PM, move it to 6:45 PM for a few nights, then to 6:30 PM, and so on. This gradual shift allows your child’s internal clock to adjust smoothly, minimizing disruption.

While making these changes, keep the bedtime routine consistent — stick to familiar activities like reading a book or singing a lullaby to signal that it’s time to wind down. Using blackout curtains and a white noise machine can also create an environment conducive to sleep, helping ease the transition. This method ensures your child’s body gradually acclimates to the new schedule, reducing the likelihood of overtiredness and crankiness.

Creating a Consistent Daily Routine for Better Adjustment

Maintaining a consistent daily routine is essential for helping young children adapt to the time change. Structure your day with regular intervals for meals, naps, and playtime to provide stability and predictability. Sync your work tasks around your child’s routine, blocking out focused work periods during their naps or after bedtime. This approach not only ensures you remain productive but also allows you to be present during your child’s waking hours. Use visual schedules to help your child understand the new routine and keep activities consistent to create a comforting environment. Predictability helps children feel secure, which eases the transition during Daylight Savings.

Balancing Remote Work and Childcare During the Transition Period

Clear communication with your employer or employees about your situation can pave the way for accommodations such as flexible work hours. Early mornings or late evenings might offer uninterrupted work time while your child sleeps. If you have a partner, coordinating childcare duties can alleviate stress and ensure both parents share the load during critical work tasks.

Engage your child in quiet, independent activities during work calls or important tasks. A “busy box” filled with coloring books, puzzles, or educational games can keep them occupied and minimize interruptions. Additionally, planning your most focused work periods around your child’s nap times or after bedtime can enhance productivity.

Self-Care Tips for Parents Navigating Daylight Savings

Balancing the demands of remote work and caring for young children during the transition of Daylight Savings can be overwhelming. It’s crucial to carve out time for self-care to maintain your physical and mental well-being. Here are some practical tips to help you navigate this period more smoothly:

  • Prioritize Sleep: While adjusting your child’s schedule, ensure you’re also getting adequate rest. If possible, align your bedtime with your child’s to maximize sleep. Short naps during the day can help you recharge and stay alert.
  • Mindfulness and Relaxation: Integrate mindfulness practices such as meditation, deep-breathing exercises, or stretching into your daily routine. Even a few minutes can help reduce stress and improve your focus and resilience.
  • Healthy Nutrition: Eating balanced meals and staying hydrated can significantly impact your energy levels and mood. Avoid excessive caffeine and opt for nourishing snacks to sustain you throughout the day.
  • Physical Activity: Incorporate some form of physical exercise into your daily routine. Whether it’s a short walk, stretching, or a quick workout, physical activity can boost your mood and energy levels.
  • Connect with Others: Build a support network with other parents, family, or friends. Sharing experiences and tips can provide emotional support and practical advice.
  • Flexible Expectations: Be kind to yourself and adjust your expectations. It’s okay if everything isn’t perfect. Focus on what you can control and be patient with the process.

By prioritizing your own well-being, you’ll be better equipped to manage the challenges of Daylight Savings and maintain a harmonious balance between remote work and family life.

What tips do you have for those with younger kids that struggle with the time adjustment? We would love to hear them!

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September 9, 2024

How to Handle Work From Home Meetings Effectively

 

With a remote workforce, meetings are a necessity to keep in touch and discuss upcoming projects. However, with everyone at home things can get a little distracting — from pets jumping into the frame to kids knocking over computers, there are lots of distractions present. How do you stay on topic and make sure everyone pays attention? By following these tips:

Setting Clear Objectives for Your Meetings

Before starting any work from home meeting, it’s crucial to identify and communicate the goals you want to achieve. This first step involves drafting a precise agenda that highlights the key discussion points and desired outcomes of the meeting. Distributing this agenda in advance gives participants a clear understanding of what to expect and allows them to prepare any necessary contributions or questions. With set topics, you can avoid unnecessary tangents and off-topic discussions.

Choosing the Right Technology and Tools

The choice of a video conferencing platform is pivotal; it should be dependable and encompass essential features such as the ability to share screens, a chat function for real-time communication, and the option to record sessions for future reference. It’s also important to verify that the chosen platform can easily integrate with other tools and software already in use by your team, facilitating a seamless workflow. Prior to the meeting, conducting a quick technical run-through can greatly minimize technical hiccups that might otherwise interrupt the meeting. Additionally, providing a brief tutorial or guidance on using these tools for participants who might be less tech-savvy ensures everyone can participate fully and effectively. Emphasizing the importance of a stable internet connection can also aid in reducing connectivity issues, further smoothing the path for productive discussions.

For example, you might choose Google Meets if you have gmail accounts and use Google Sheets to keep track of projects. This ensures everything remains within one, easy to use and connect software, and it also makes it easy to add meetings to calendars so no one forgets them.

Establishing Ground Rules for Participation

To mitigate disruptions and foster an environment focused on collaboration, it’s best to have participants mute their microphones when not contributing to the discussion. This simple step can significantly reduce background noise, allowing the speaker’s message to be heard clearly. Additionally, outlining a protocol for engagement, such as using a digital hand-raising feature or typing questions into the chat box, ensures that contributions are organized and everyone has an equal opportunity to participate. 

You may also need to set rules about participants having their camera on. If you have a large group of people, asking people to have their cameras off can cut down on background distractions. If you really want to see someone, you can ask that when people speak they turn their camera on too. What is most important is that everyone in the meeting knows what to do ahead of time to streamline the process. For example, you can ask that everyone always enters meetings with their microphones muted and cameras off.

Managing Time Effectively During Meetings

In order to be the most efficient possible, start the meeting on time, which signals respect for participants’ time and sets a professional tone. Follow the pre-established agenda as a roadmap, directing the conversation efficiently towards its objectives. Designate someone as a timekeeper to maintain focus and prevent any one topic from monopolizing the discussion, ensuring all agenda items receive the attention they deserve. This role can also gently remind participants of the remaining time for each segment, encouraging conciseness in contributions. Conclude meetings within the scheduled time frame so that everyone remains on schedule for their day.

What are some tips and tricks you have for efficient meetings when working from home?

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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!

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July 9, 2024

All the Job Resources You Need in One Place

No matter which side of the hiring process you are on — whether it is as a job seeker or as an employer — we understand how stressful it can be. For job seekers, you have to craft good application materials, apply consistently to posts, prepare for interviews, and more. For employers, you have to draft a good job description, sift through applications, conduct interviews, and more. That’s a lot for either group! At HireMyMom, we are more than just a place to list/find jobs. We are here to help you develop your career and your hiring process by offering the following resources:

For Job Seekers

Work with our founder, Lesley Pyle, in a One-On-One Coaching Session to help define your career goals, get feedback, and smash through any fears you might have that are holding you back. Lesley has over twenty five years in the industry, and she always enjoys spending quality time with our HireMyMom family (that’s you!) to help you succeed.

Our staff of HR experts is very hands on as well, working to help you find your dream job. If you need help finding a job that fits your goals, then you need our Job Seeker Advisor Service. Sit down with one of our HR specialists to take a look at your skills and determine which jobs are a good fit for what you want.

If you are ready to jump in and start applying but want a second set of eyes on your materials, try our Resume, Cover Letter, and Interview Training Services. Work with one of our HR experts to review your application materials to ensure they are employer ready. You can also practice some interview techniques so that you are ready to crush your next interview!

Perhaps you prefer to do things on your own time. Don’t worry, we have something for you as well! Try our self-paced course, Cultivate. Work on your own time to go through the basics of the hiring process from defining your career goals to learning interview skills to creating a healthy work mindset.

Looking for more? We also have outside partners that we work with who have provided Bonus Resources!

For Employers

Hiring practices are ever evolving, and it’s quite literally a full-time job to keep up with the changes! That’s why our staff of HR experts do it for you. Try out one of our levels of our Small Business Concierge service so that the entire hiring process is done for you by our staff.

Level One is for companies looking to hire admin and support services, bookkeepers, customer service reps, or project coordinators. Level Two is for companies looking to hire execs, managers, marketing professionals, and more. Both levels are all-inclusive meaning we help write the job description, sift through applications, and even aid in conducting interviews.

We also offer a Concierge Lite service where we consult with your company on the position you’re hiring for and help you craft a good job description. With this service, you are responsible for interviews and selecting the final candidate.

Need to hire someone fast? We offer an expedited Concierge Rush service to find your dream candidates within two weeks.

We also offer Concierge Onboarding services for those needing a helping hand after hiring a new candidate. Save yourself time as we check references, draft acceptance letters, get the candidates to complete all the paperwork, and even help candidates create goals for their first 30 days. 

Maybe you’re the type of business owner that wants to learn more about the hiring process but prefers to learn on your own time. We have something for you too! Our Hiring Made Easy self-paced course will help you overcome the struggles of when to hire, finding the best candidates, understanding pay rates, and more.

Whether you are a job seeker or an employer, our team is here to aid you on your journey. If you need guidance but are not sure about the options listed above, you can always reach out to us for help.

 

 

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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.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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.

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June 9, 2024

Raising Little Entrepreneurs: Including Kids in Work-From-Home Tasks

As someone who has worked from home for over two decades while raising kids, I can tell you that your kids love to be involved with whatever you are doing — from normal chores like folding laundry to daily tasks like work meetings. Your kids love spending that time with you, and they are like little sponges, soaking up everything!

Sometimes it can be difficult to balance work and your kiddos, but that is why I recommend making them part of your workday schedule! They can lend a hand while also learning valuable skills. For example, when my kids were toddlers I asked them to neatly stack papers for me. If there were other days where they wanted something a little more active, I set them up with their very own “office” with a small desk, some simple materials like papers and highlighters, an old keyboard, and told them to run their own business. It was absolutely adorable, and I noticed how quickly they picked up things like noon meant they were going to “step away from their desk” for lunch or how to handle phone calls…even if they completely made up the phone calls themselves! This also encouraged their imagination, which is so important for young children.

As my kids got older, the tasks they could do to help offered more responsibility. For example, I would have them count out items such as envelopes into stacks of twenty-five and add up the stacks to ensure we had the correct amount of envelopes for mailings. I would also let them seal envelopes and put stamps on them. Some of our favorite memories include beautiful spring days when we all walked to the mailbox together after all that work.

Once they were in the pre-teen stage, I even let them answer the phone. They learned invaluable skills on how to answer the phone, talk to people of all different backgrounds, and how to socialize professionally. When my kids grew out of that stage, I’m not sure who missed them more, myself or my clients who got a kick out of interacting with them!

Not only can your kiddos really help you with your work, they can learn skills that will benefit them for the rest of their lives, all the while creating fun memories with their parents. If you want to start including your children in your daily work from home routine, here are a few skills you can pass onto them:

Teaching Time Management

Give your kiddos their own deadlines to complete tasks. If you need twenty five paper clips for paperwork, tell your children to count out the paperclips by the end of the day. If you have very young children who are just learning the clock, ask them to be your personal alarm clock and alert you during certain times of the day; this will help them tell time while also keeping you on track for lunch breaks, snack breaks, and more. 

Enhancing Communication Skills Through Business Calls

Yes, I have let my kids answer the phone for work, and yes sometimes we had some hilarious mishaps. However, clients and myself alike always enjoyed the experience. Teach your kids what to do if a phone call drops, if it is hard to hear someone on the other end of the line, and how to place calls themselves to others. If you mostly do online video calls, you can also have your kiddo help you login to those calls so they can get used to working on the computer with popular programs like Zoom or Google Meet.

Imparting Basic Finance Knowledge with Invoicing Tasks

Back in the day when paper invoices were more common, I would print off a list of customers and hand that to my kiddos as well as a stack of invoices. Their job was to make sure that I had printed off invoices for everyone on that list. This taught basic organizational and cross-referencing skills while also letting them see how invoices were set up. As teens, they helped me with the bookkeeping by inputting vendor invoices into our system which was just taking a paper invoice and typing in the due date and amount. I would check this at the end of everyday to make sure totals matched; this sort of experience was extremely helpful for my kids!

Celebrating Successes to Foster a Growth Mindset

The big thing to remember here is that your kids need to be rewarded when they do good at the tasks you include them in! This does not have to be complicated — you can simply praise your child for their good job. Don’t forget to pay them somehow; when my kids were really little they just liked working with me, but as they got older I found ways to pay them back for their help. As toddlers we had a points system in place that would allow them to pick out a toy from a magazine. As little kids they received a dollar for just about everything they did. As teenagers they were paid a small wage. This passes on the value of hardwork, but we were also sure to add in bonuses for a job well done such as surprise pizza parties with friends when they were younger or a cash bonus for the teenagers.

My children are now all grown and are very hard workers. We did our best to set them up with skills they would need for the future, and we often saw this advantage at play when the kids started at their entry level jobs and some of their coworkers were unsure of how to do basic tasks because they were not familiar with them. I highly recommend finding some way to include your children in your work in every stage of their lives to foster valuable skills and also create lasting memories.

 

 

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June 1, 2024

How to Successfully Negotiate Pay for a Remote Job via Email

Remote work is great! With a flexible schedule, no dress code, and the ability to work anywhere, there are tons of benefits of working remotely. However, one thing that can be intimidating to some is negotiating their salary…digitally! Oftentimes, you will communicate with your employer via email, and asking for money via email can be very daunting. Trying to craft the perfect virtual message can be nerve-racking, and you might find yourself typing, re-typing, and typing again trying to get the best message down. That is why we have created a handy guide below on how to create an email that you can feel confident about to help you achieve the pay you want!

Research

Before you begin writing your email, research the position and what a typical pay level for it is commensurate with the experience you bring to the table. It’s best to ask for a small range versus an exact amount. For example, ask for $25-$30 per hour versus asking for exactly $33. Remember, this is a negotiation! You also should not offer a wide range such as $25-$45 because that leaves too many options available. Your rates need to reflect the value you bring to the table, so you should be choosing a common industry range that will cover your expenses and skills.

Don’t forget, you can also negotiate for other things outside of pay such as vacation time or even your schedule! Pay is certainly the most common thing asked about in email, but you can always ask for changes to any aspect of your job.

You can also research templates for emails that others have written for positions that are similar to yours. These templates can help you get a feel for how you should structure your email. Once you’ve researched this information, it’s time to write the email!

Sell

The number one thing to do is to sell yourself. You have your résumé and cover letter ready, so now it’s time to show that you can be an asset to the company. There are a few things you should do in your email in order to succeed: 

  • Talk about how excited you are about the opportunity 
  • Share relevant past work experience 
  • Explain what you can offer the company that they may not be able to find elsewhere

It’s a good idea to have the job description handy so that you can call out each piece of it in your email to demonstrate why you deserve a certain pay level. For example, if the job description asks that a candidate have 3 years of experience working as a virtual assistant, and you have 5 years of experience, call that out in your email and mention your extra levels of experience as to why you feel you would like to be on the higher end of the pay scale offered.

It can be easy to get lost in the weeds with all this information, though! Take your time. Write everything down you feel is relevant. Then go back and take information out. Keep your email short and to the point. You can just say you have 5 years of experience; you do not need to take time to list out all the places you worked and what you did at each, for example.

Proofread

You’ve researched pay, written your email, and now it is time to proofread it. Read it a few times to check for grammatical errors. It helps to read it out loud to yourself to catch any potential mistakes — and to make sure that it makes sense! You can also ask friends or family to read it to get their feedback. If you’ve spent a lot of time drafting this, make sure to step away from it for an hour or so before sending. Then you can look at it with fresh eyes one last time before hitting send.

Respond

Remember, this is a negotiation! An employer might immediately accept the range you asked for and offer you something in that. Other times they might want to try and talk you down from that range. Be prepared that they may not accept your first ask. If they come back with a number you are not happy with, respond professionally and again highlight what you bring to the company that others do not with your specific experiences. You can also cite sources here if the pay range is less than industry average, for example, to show the company why you are asking for a specific range.

You should also not be afraid to ask questions about the negotiation! Ask the company why they want to give you the amount they are offering. Ask if they provide raises in the future and what a timeline would look like for that. This is not one-sided — it’s a two-way conversation between you and the business to figure out what works for you both.

Have you successfully negotiated pay via email before? Tell us about it so we can share your tips with others!

 

 

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