With school here we all have ways to manage the home, family, school, and work. Some need some advice or new tricks. Here is your opportunity to share your tips and tricks.
Throughout September we will have tips and tricks for Home, Family, School, and Work
Home Sept 1 - Sept 7
May include but not limited to: Organizing, cleaning, recipes
Family Sept 8 - Sept 14
May include but not limited to: Crafts, family outing ideas, game night
School Sept 15 - Sept 21
May include but not limited to: Homework, staying focused, staying organized
Work Sept 22 - Sept 28
May include but not limited to: Schedule, time management, staying organized
Submit your tips to disneyandmickeyfan@yahoo.com with "LOAWAHM Share It [TOPIC]" in subject line.
This will also be shared on http://lifeofaworkathomemother.blogspot.com
Include your name, tips, topic (home, family, school, work) and short bio to include your business info. Keep bio to 2-3 sentences.
Olivia Vidal
© 2009-2010
Welcome!
Find Articles for building a better business, Sales and Specials, from fellow WAHMs, Party tips, Fundraisers, Product Reviews, Advertising, WAHM Tips, Recipes, and so much, much more! Take a moment to visit some of our favorite links before you leave. Don't forget to leave your comments and interact with others. Enjoy!
"The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible"
~ Anonymous
Find Articles for building a better business, Sales and Specials, from fellow WAHMs, Party tips, Fundraisers, Product Reviews, Advertising, WAHM Tips, Recipes, and so much, much more! Take a moment to visit some of our favorite links before you leave. Don't forget to leave your comments and interact with others. Enjoy!
"The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible"
~ Anonymous
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Where Does Your Support Come From?
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Monday, December 14, 2009
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Labels:
building a business,
family,
spouse,
support,
wahm
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1 comments
Starting a business is hard enough. Starting a business from home can be worse. You no longer have anyone to answer to. You are the boss. Having support is still required. Where does your support come from?
A supportive family and spouse can be hard to come by at first for many people. They may eventually come around but getting them on board is important. This is where a well laid out plan comes in. Not just ideas in your head but written down and worked out. This is regardless whether you are turning a hobby into a business or you are going to be a distributor for your favorite direct sales company.
For some without the support can be a deal breaker. How do you plan to deal with this? Have you thought about this yet? It is not something we want to think about but it can happen. You need to be prepared.
Support can leave down the road as well. Some may be experiencing this. Not to worry. Try inviting them into a day in your life. Show them what you do in a day and have them assist you. Let them see what you do. Some of the non-support comes from the not knowing. The more they know the better the chance you have at gaining or regaining their support.
Sit down with your spouse and discuss your new venture. Make sure to answer their questions and address their concerns. Just keeping your spouse in the loop is all you need to get continued support.
Olivia Vidal
© 2009
http://sochicbagboutique.com
A supportive family and spouse can be hard to come by at first for many people. They may eventually come around but getting them on board is important. This is where a well laid out plan comes in. Not just ideas in your head but written down and worked out. This is regardless whether you are turning a hobby into a business or you are going to be a distributor for your favorite direct sales company.
For some without the support can be a deal breaker. How do you plan to deal with this? Have you thought about this yet? It is not something we want to think about but it can happen. You need to be prepared.
Support can leave down the road as well. Some may be experiencing this. Not to worry. Try inviting them into a day in your life. Show them what you do in a day and have them assist you. Let them see what you do. Some of the non-support comes from the not knowing. The more they know the better the chance you have at gaining or regaining their support.
Sit down with your spouse and discuss your new venture. Make sure to answer their questions and address their concerns. Just keeping your spouse in the loop is all you need to get continued support.
Olivia Vidal
© 2009
http://sochicbagboutique.com
To be, or not to be, a WAHM
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Friday, June 5, 2009
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Labels:
business,
children,
family,
spouse,
wahm,
work from home
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0
comments
Stay at home with the kids, take care of the household chores, spend more time with your spouse, make money in your spare time. Being a WAHM sounds wonderful right? Of course it does. That is why so many turn to working from the home every day. Is it really this glamorous?
First thing I will tell you is get out a notebook and write down your plans for the business. If you are opening your own business you need to know your start up costs - printer, paper, labels, website, website design, shipping materials, payment fees, business cards, brochures, promotional items, graphics, logos, how you plan to ship, advertising, business license, resell license, permits, will you have employees. If you are a consultant for a company you need to know what business materials do you need to start, samples, full size product, domain names, monthly fees, quotas. You need to write down your expenses and be realistic. Starting a business even as a consultant is never free. A free sign up is not a ticket to easy money. You still have to do the work and that will involve money. To work your business and actual build a business you must have business materials, inventory even if only samples, and so forth.
Working from home is not easy. You must be well disciplined to make it work. You must adhere to a schedule as though you were working outside of the home. You need to be prepared for 8+ hours a day. Maybe you can get away with only 4 hours a day (although I would not depend in this amount) but you will have to put in time daily to make your business a success. If you have to many distractions and you cannot work around them, how to you plan to work?
Before you decide to start or join a business, you need to write down all you do in a typical day. If needed keep a detailed diary of everything you do daily. If the first thing that comes to mind is you don't have time to do that, being a WAHM is not for you. If you don't have time to write down all you do or keep a diary for a couple days how do you plan to build a business? A response I would expect is you would make time. If you can make time to work, you can make time to to do one small task. This one task isn't even a dent in what you will have to do when building a business.
You have your day laid out and know that you can rearrange your day to accommodate a work schedule, it is time to decide on what you will do. If you plan to join a company know your market locally and online. An example: In my local area Avon is a hot seller. Problem: I can name off 5 people I know very well that sell it and I can name at least 3 more within just 1 or 2 blocks. The reason this is a problem is the market is over saturated. They do get sales but in the end they are only making about $500 for the year. Now this is not the case for everyone so you must do your research. If you have an over saturated market in one field look at another. There are no Discovery Toys reps in my entire state. Now that is an open market and huge potential.
Do not join a company that you would not enjoy. Do not join a company that will not sell in your area. Its hard to sell a $500 jewelry set in a small town with a median income of $20k. My suggestion is to have a home party or a rep come to your home for a opportunity party. The success of that party will give you a good idea if the success you can encounter.
Being a WAHM is hard work. It is not and never has been easy. The ones that make it look easy have been doing this for quite some time. Don't be blinded by glamorous side. Be realistic, do your research, know your goals before starting, know your beginning budget. Your success depends on your ability to plan and push through the obstacles. If you are not willing, being a WAHM is not for you. This is not a quick or sudden decision. Take your time and know what you are getting into before you invest your time and money.
Olivia Vidal
© 2009
http://sochicbagboutique.com/
First thing I will tell you is get out a notebook and write down your plans for the business. If you are opening your own business you need to know your start up costs - printer, paper, labels, website, website design, shipping materials, payment fees, business cards, brochures, promotional items, graphics, logos, how you plan to ship, advertising, business license, resell license, permits, will you have employees. If you are a consultant for a company you need to know what business materials do you need to start, samples, full size product, domain names, monthly fees, quotas. You need to write down your expenses and be realistic. Starting a business even as a consultant is never free. A free sign up is not a ticket to easy money. You still have to do the work and that will involve money. To work your business and actual build a business you must have business materials, inventory even if only samples, and so forth.
Working from home is not easy. You must be well disciplined to make it work. You must adhere to a schedule as though you were working outside of the home. You need to be prepared for 8+ hours a day. Maybe you can get away with only 4 hours a day (although I would not depend in this amount) but you will have to put in time daily to make your business a success. If you have to many distractions and you cannot work around them, how to you plan to work?
Before you decide to start or join a business, you need to write down all you do in a typical day. If needed keep a detailed diary of everything you do daily. If the first thing that comes to mind is you don't have time to do that, being a WAHM is not for you. If you don't have time to write down all you do or keep a diary for a couple days how do you plan to build a business? A response I would expect is you would make time. If you can make time to work, you can make time to to do one small task. This one task isn't even a dent in what you will have to do when building a business.
You have your day laid out and know that you can rearrange your day to accommodate a work schedule, it is time to decide on what you will do. If you plan to join a company know your market locally and online. An example: In my local area Avon is a hot seller. Problem: I can name off 5 people I know very well that sell it and I can name at least 3 more within just 1 or 2 blocks. The reason this is a problem is the market is over saturated. They do get sales but in the end they are only making about $500 for the year. Now this is not the case for everyone so you must do your research. If you have an over saturated market in one field look at another. There are no Discovery Toys reps in my entire state. Now that is an open market and huge potential.
Do not join a company that you would not enjoy. Do not join a company that will not sell in your area. Its hard to sell a $500 jewelry set in a small town with a median income of $20k. My suggestion is to have a home party or a rep come to your home for a opportunity party. The success of that party will give you a good idea if the success you can encounter.
Being a WAHM is hard work. It is not and never has been easy. The ones that make it look easy have been doing this for quite some time. Don't be blinded by glamorous side. Be realistic, do your research, know your goals before starting, know your beginning budget. Your success depends on your ability to plan and push through the obstacles. If you are not willing, being a WAHM is not for you. This is not a quick or sudden decision. Take your time and know what you are getting into before you invest your time and money.
Olivia Vidal
© 2009
http://sochicbagboutique.com/
Balancing work and home
As a WAHM you may feel at times overwhelmed and either neglect the home or work. Its a balancing act that many just don't understand. You may feel as though you are the ring master at the circus but it doesn't have to be that way.
Full-time WAHMs often times work harder than those outside the home. Reason is work is easily accessible and you try to keep the home and children in order at the same time. A mother with an office job doesn't have to juggle the distractions of small children or the dishwasher malfunctioning. This is not to discount moms working outside of the house. Part-time WAHMs can run into the same time constraints as full-time WAHMs.
Some WAHMs begin working from home because they figure it will be easy to arrange then find it wasn't as easy as they thought. Its the dream. Stay home with your children so they aren't in day care and make a great living all while staying at home. That dream is quickly crushed when they see it is not as easy as they thought. In the beginning you work harder for the money than a traditional 9-5 job that pays you for the work you have done, not the sales you bring in. Working from home can mean flexibility but remember it is still work. It doesn't just happen by itself. Anyone who says differently is either lying or has been doing this so long it comes naturally and effortlessly.
Some WAHMs begin working from home because they figure it will be easy to arrange then find it wasn't as easy as they thought. Its the dream. Stay home with your children so they aren't in day care and make a great living all while staying at home. That dream is quickly crushed when they see it is not as easy as they thought. In the beginning you work harder for the money than a traditional 9-5 job that pays you for the work you have done, not the sales you bring in. Working from home can mean flexibility but remember it is still work. It doesn't just happen by itself. Anyone who says differently is either lying or has been doing this so long it comes naturally and effortlessly.
We often see glorified WAHMs who have been doing their job for quite some time who do work less hours and have a good handle on the balancing act. It didn't start that way. It took a lot of trial and error trying to figure out what works and what doesn't. The best example of seeing what a WAHM goes through is look online for a video replay of Wife Swap Harris/Van Noy (season 1, episode 8) and see how a WAHM works a full 8 hour work day from home and take care of the family. That woman takes care of the kids and house all day while trying to fit in her medical transcription job in. She many times goes to bed at midnight and even has to work on the weekends. This is reality of a WAHM.
To balance work and home you will need to plan. Yes this means a schedule. You need to be disciplined to be able to work from home. If you are not motivated you will fail. That doesn't mean you can't learn to be disciplined and motivated. Before you cringe at the idea, be open to it.
A schedule does not mean strict by the book to the second planning of your entire day. All you are doing is organizing your day in blocks. If you are not used to a schedule, blocking is the best way to start. As you get used to it you get a bit more detailed. Every day does not have to be the same.
An example of schedule block:
8am - 930am: get kids ready for school, take kids to school or bus stop
930am-11am: housework
11am-1pm: work
1pm-3pm: grocery shop, run errands
3pm-5pm: kids home, snack, homework
5pm-7pm: prepare dinner, eat, family time
8pm-9pm: bath time, put kids to bed
9pm-10pm: quality time with spouse
10-11pm: lay out clothes for next day, finish work
11pm: bedtime
This may seem detailed and it is somewhat but this is not as detailed as you can get. This is just an idea of what your schedule may look like. It also may not include all you needs for a day.
You will notice some important things everyone must include in their schedule, spouse time. Everyone talks about there just is no time. Make time. This is your partner in life. You have to work together. Spouse time can be watching TV or a movie, talking, sharing a cup of tea, intimacy.
You will notice some important things everyone must include in their schedule, spouse time. Everyone talks about there just is no time. Make time. This is your partner in life. You have to work together. Spouse time can be watching TV or a movie, talking, sharing a cup of tea, intimacy.
I suggest if you are thinking about becoming a WAHM, map out your day. What do you do and how long does it take. This will give you a good idea if you are able and willing to become a WAHM or if you need to rearrange your life, if possible. If you are not willing to work, you will not be successful at working from home.
When you first write a schedule of your day it may not be completely correct. It will have to be fine tuned when you see where you need more time and less time. It will always be a work in progress so don't feel anxious when you can't stick to it at first.
To work in more time dedicated to your business, work while the kids are doing their homework. If the kids make too much noise, make calls only during nap times or keep customer correspondence to email only. There is nothing more unprofessional than screaming kids in the background or you having to yell at them. Just don't do it and find a way to work around it. I have seen some moms put their younger kids in part time daycare to make a more productive day. This can be great for kids needing interaction with other kids but not old enough for preschool. if you don't want to do daycare, hire someone to come in and assist you - a nanny. This can be for 2-3 hours a day.
WAHM has the word work. You have to work. Do not push it aside and do it "later." Adhere to your schedule as much as you can. Putting it off won't get anything done. While you do have the flexibility to move things around do not brush off work.
With your weekly schedule make sure you take a day to just family. I also highly suggest you do something for yourself. I like to get a pedicure. It's relaxing, I get to interact with other adults, its inexpensive, and not time consuming. This happens every 2-3 weeks and well worth the cost. Let someone take care of you for once. This is a great way to do it.
To work in more time dedicated to your business, work while the kids are doing their homework. If the kids make too much noise, make calls only during nap times or keep customer correspondence to email only. There is nothing more unprofessional than screaming kids in the background or you having to yell at them. Just don't do it and find a way to work around it. I have seen some moms put their younger kids in part time daycare to make a more productive day. This can be great for kids needing interaction with other kids but not old enough for preschool. if you don't want to do daycare, hire someone to come in and assist you - a nanny. This can be for 2-3 hours a day.
WAHM has the word work. You have to work. Do not push it aside and do it "later." Adhere to your schedule as much as you can. Putting it off won't get anything done. While you do have the flexibility to move things around do not brush off work.
With your weekly schedule make sure you take a day to just family. I also highly suggest you do something for yourself. I like to get a pedicure. It's relaxing, I get to interact with other adults, its inexpensive, and not time consuming. This happens every 2-3 weeks and well worth the cost. Let someone take care of you for once. This is a great way to do it.
Being a WAHM is hard work but very rewarding.
Olivia Vidal
© 2009
http://sochicbagboutique.com/
**Edit:
Please keep in mind the schedule is a simple example of how to schedule a day and does not reflect the actual work time you will be scheduling. To be successful you will be putting in far more time than 2 hours a day. It is also very basic because a consultant vs a business owner can be very very different in time put in. Both work hard but I can guarantee a business owner will work far more hours than someone who works asa consultant for a company.
Happy New Year Recipe
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Wednesday, December 31, 2008
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Labels:
cake mix,
chocolate chips,
cookies,
family,
homemade,
recipe
|
1 comments
Some have a resolution to do many things. Maybe one is to lose weight. If that is the case look away now. I mean it, don't look. Not even a little peak!
Ingredients:
18 oz. pkg. cake mix (any flavor, I prefer yellow)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1-2 cups of your favorite add-in ingredients ( pecans, coconut, chocolate chips are my favorite)
Preparation:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients at low speed until dry ingredients are moistened and dough is thoroughly mixed. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2" apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 9-12 minutes. Cool two minutes on cookie sheets, then remove to wire racks to cool. If using chocolate cake mix, add 2 Tbsp. water along with egg.
Another variation is add nuts and chips of your choice and cook as directed. Melt white chocolate chips slowly in microwave (cook 1 minute then stir every 30 seconds until fully melted), drizzle over cookies or half dip cookies then sprinkle coconut or sprinkles over the top. Even more fun with half dark chocolate, half white chocolate then sprinkle with nuts over the top. Try dried cherries and almonds. Makes a great gift wrapped in cellophane and ribbon. Take to your next dinner party or housewarming for a wonderful homemade gift made with love.
Happy New Years!
http://sochicbagboutique.com/
Ingredients:
18 oz. pkg. cake mix (any flavor, I prefer yellow)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1-2 cups of your favorite add-in ingredients ( pecans, coconut, chocolate chips are my favorite)
Preparation:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients at low speed until dry ingredients are moistened and dough is thoroughly mixed. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2" apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 9-12 minutes. Cool two minutes on cookie sheets, then remove to wire racks to cool. If using chocolate cake mix, add 2 Tbsp. water along with egg.
Another variation is add nuts and chips of your choice and cook as directed. Melt white chocolate chips slowly in microwave (cook 1 minute then stir every 30 seconds until fully melted), drizzle over cookies or half dip cookies then sprinkle coconut or sprinkles over the top. Even more fun with half dark chocolate, half white chocolate then sprinkle with nuts over the top. Try dried cherries and almonds. Makes a great gift wrapped in cellophane and ribbon. Take to your next dinner party or housewarming for a wonderful homemade gift made with love.
Happy New Years!
http://sochicbagboutique.com/
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