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June 15, 2023

Finding Balance as a Work-at-Home Mom: Lessons Learned and Tips for Success

As a mom who left a career in higher education to start a business and work from home, finding balance has been a journey. It’s not easy to juggle work and parenting, especially when you’re trying to grow your business at the same time. However, I’ve learned a lot along the way and would like to share my experience with other work-at-home moms.

When I found out I was pregnant, I knew it was time to take my business seriously. I started by setting a realistic schedule that allowed me to work during my most productive hours while also being present for my family. I also made sure to take breaks throughout the day to rest and recharge.

Once my baby arrived, I had to adjust my schedule again. I quickly learned that nap time was my most valuable work time. I also had to learn to let go of some things and prioritize what was most important. I outsourced some tasks and delegated others to free up more time for my family.

One of the biggest challenges I faced was learning to say no. As a work-at-home mom, it’s easy to say yes to everything, but that can quickly lead to burnout. I had to learn to set boundaries and only take on projects that aligned with my goals and values.

Overall, finding balance as a work-at-home mom takes time and patience. It’s important to remember that it’s okay to make mistakes and that every day is a new opportunity to do better. With the right mindset and systems in place, it’s possible to grow a successful business while also being present for your family.

As my baby is growing, I’ve had to continue to adapt to new challenges. I found that having a designated workspace helped me stay focused on work during work hours and transition to mom duties when I was with my baby. I also learned the importance of self-care and making time for myself, even if it was just a few minutes here and there.

Another thing that helped me find balance was connecting with other work-at-home moms. Having a support system of people who understood the unique challenges of balancing work and parenting was invaluable. We were able to share tips, offer encouragement, and remind each other that we were all doing the best we could.

One thing that I wish I had known earlier in my journey was the importance of setting boundaries with clients. I found myself working crazy hours and responding to emails at all hours of the night, which led to burnout and resentment towards my business. Once I started setting clear expectations with clients about my work hours and response times, I felt more in control of my schedule and was able to provide better service to my clients during designated work hours.

In conclusion, finding balance as a work-at-home mom is possible with the right mindset, systems, and support. It’s a journey with ups and downs, but with patience and persistence, you can grow a successful business while also being present for your family. Remember to take care of yourself, set boundaries, and connect with other work-at-home moms for support and encouragement.

 

Lisa Trinidad is an entrepreneur with a background in communications. She started a mommy blog, Busy Brilliant Mom, in 2016, offering tips for managing motherhood. Despite being a working mom, she left her corporate job in higher education to start Desk On The Run, a service that offers strategy and business management to small business owners. In 2022, she founded Latina Mom Meetup, which provides a space to meet and share resources with other moms in the area. Lisa resides in Brooklyn, NY and is a mother of three girls. Her journey is driven by a desire to establish a community among moms and meet them where they are in the journey through motherhood.

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November 17, 2022

7 Reasons to Set Up a Separate Bank Account for Your Home Business Income

Guest Contributor: Cristina Par

When you start a business from home, your priority will typically be to get it up and running so that you can serve those first customers successfully and start bringing in some money.

Unless you’re particularly well prepared, you probably choose to make use of your personal bank account to take payment for your products or services during this early phase. But eventually, opening a separate business account is a necessity.

To understand why, we’ll talk you through the main benefits that come with having a home business with its own, unique bank account.

Admin is easier

Arguably the top reason for having a bank account that you use for all of your business finances is that this makes it less of a pain to handle everyday administrative tasks, whether that’s calculating expenses, analyzing earnings or filling out your tax return.

If, on the other hand, all of your business transactions are mixed in with personal transactions, it’s a nightmare to unpick everything and keep track of figures. So from an organizational perspective, setting up a separate account is a no-brainer.

Customers will trust you

Home businesses can struggle to win over prospects for all sorts of reasons, and a lack of trust is likely to prevent people from making purchases in the first place, let alone returning in the future.

One red flag is if payments are made to a bank account that’s in your own name, rather than that of your company.

Choosing the likes of a SoFi online bank account will let you overcome this concern, and reassure customers that you’re a reputable operator, even if you’re very new on the scene.

Loan approval is more likely

When applying for a business loan, lots of factors are weighed up by lenders to decide if they should back your commercial endeavors.

Having a bank account for your up and coming company shows them that you mean business, and may even be an eligibility requirement, depending on the bank in question.

The same is true of applying for a business credit card; providers will be pleased to see a business account on your records, and will give you access to better deals as a result.

Credit score is calculated separately

Businesses and individuals have their own, distinct credit score. So if your own credit history is patchy and your score is low, this might stifle your ability to grow your business through loans.

With a business bank account, you’ll be starting afresh, and so you can build good credit here, improving the rates that you’re offered on loans and credit cards.

A separate payment card will be issued to make paying for business expenses a breeze

A business bank account is like a standard account in the sense that customers are entitled to use a payment card to carry out transactions, whether online, at bricks and mortar locations, or while paying independent contractors.

With this card you’ll be able to make sure that all of the money you spend on business expenses is channeled in the right way, linking back into the earlier mention of administrative convenience.

Business debts won’t be a burden on your personal finances

Just as your personal credit score doesn’t need to hamper your business borrowing options, so too any debt that’s attached to your business through your bank account and other financial activities won’t be something you’re liable for as an individual.

It’s this safety net that allows entrepreneurs to justify taking risks and pursuing innovations, without the fear that they’ll be financially ruined if things go south.

You’ll avoid the unseen restrictions of personal bank accounts

Most people don’t realize that their personal account is more tightly controlled than an equivalent business account, often for the simple reason that banks want to incentivize people who start their own companies to open new accounts with them.

For example, a personal account might have a cap on the number of transactions that can be carried out by the customer in a given period. Hit this, and you might be charged extra, or have your account activity limited. It could even be flagged as fraud, which puts more jobs on your plate.

A business bank account is designed with the needs of business users in mind, so annoyances like transaction limits will not get in the way of your day to day operations.

Wrapping up

Business bank accounts are there to serve you as you grow your home business, so it’s better to embrace one sooner rather than putting it off for any longer. If you’re serious about making your company work, you’ll need solid foundations like this to achieve your goals, and the process of finding the right business bank account is easier than you’d think.

 

Cristina Par is a content specialist with a passion for writing articles that bridge the gap between brands and their audiences. She believes that high-quality content plus the right link-building strategies

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March 19, 2020

How to Work from Home & Maintain Sanity in Difficult Times

Many of us are working from home as we normally do while others may be transitioning to working from home. On top of that, most of us are working with kids or other family members at home now. So how do you work AND maintain your sanity during difficult times.

Here are six tips and some resources to help…

1. Find your peace and calm. For me that is time in God’s Word and in prayer to start my day. For others it may be meditation, a walk in nature, soothing music or taking a relaxing bath.

2. Spread hope not fear. So much of what people are posting and seeing on social media and the news is exacerbating fear and panic. How can we spread good news, hope, encouragement and focus on some of the positives right now (more rest, finish projects, family time, etc).

3. Get Creative. If your business has been impacted, try to diversify and think of other products or services you can offer. Share updates on social media and email lists to let your audience know of new offerings or changes being made.

4. Reduce Distractions. Turn your personal phone to do not disturb and add any work related contacts you need to hear from to your “favorites” so they can get through. Set group texts to “do not disturb” from friends and family during focused work time. Log out of social media so notifications do not distract you. Turn off the news and check in once a day for any updates.

5. Find your space. Make your designated home work environment as disruption free as possible so that you can stay focused. Of course, with kids at home, this may be much more challenging. It may mean working while they sleep or swapping kid duty with your spouse or other family members. Screen-time rules may have to be bent but there are filters and apps to help with this. It’s time to get creative and find some things for them to do!

6. Batch your work so that you can focus on one task at a time and up your productivity. Set clear objectives and deadlines, block off time to complete tasks where you do not allow outside disruptions.

Most of all take care of yourself and your family. View this time as a time of reconnecting with family, enjoying simple everyday things that we are usually too busy to notice. I know the times seem uncertain, but we’re all in this together. Reach out and let us know how we, as a community, can help one another.

 

For our Mom Community, click here to join our Mom Professionals FB Community.

Small Business owners, you may join our Small Business owners FB community here.

 

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October 15, 2018 0 Comments

4 Tips for Computer Organization

As a work from home employee, most (if not all) of your work is done on your computer.  This is great, since you can take your work with you, but it can also get cluttered – and fast! When downloading files, graphics and anything else you need for work, your computer can start to look stressful.

Keeping your computer organized not only helps your productivity, but it keeps your machine running efficiently.

Use folders

A clean computer isn’t just for looks! When you need to locate certain files, staying organized is number one. Folders are a great way to do this, and it can be a helpful system to stay on track.

Create large folders that are more general in nature, followed by sub folders that can narrow down your search.  This allows you to find everything so easily, upping productivity and eliminating frustration.

Delete quickly

Once you no longer need a file, delete it! We often keep files for days on our desktops.  This leads to clutter, stress, and simple disorganization.

Take 5-10 minutes at the end of your day to delete everything that’s no longer needed.  Once your folders and files are set up correctly, you can easily slide each file into the appropriate folder.  This allows you to start the next work day with a clean workspace!

Clean frequently

Make a schedule for computer organization.  Beyond the 5-10 minute daily cleanup, set aside some time each week to look into your folders and clear out any old files.  These take up valuable space on your computer, bogging it down and making it harder to run.

Additionally, you may want to change up your folder or file names, or simply label them in a different way that will work better for you.  Whatever you choose to do, make sure you’re setting aside some time to make these changes on a consistent basis, instead of becoming overwhelmed when it’s ignored for months.

Lastly, make it a habit of cleaning your computer.  There are several programs out there for Macs or PCs that will sweep away old files, or help you to find large file that you no longer need.  This will keep your computer running smoothly and free from clutter!

Label everything

Although we created all of those great folders in tip number one, it won’t be as helpful if your file names are still disorganized.

When you search your computer for a specific file, you need to be able to find it! Make sure you’re taking the time to label your files everyday, and label them in a way that you will remember.  It can help to include the client name, task name, the date, and/or the purpose of the file.

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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!

YES! Tell me more!

 

 

 

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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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