Some WAHM jobs require little selling
You might be interested in working at home but concerned that you will have to sell stuff. It maybe seems to you that moms who work at home sell stuff. They sell Avon, or cooking supplies, or homemade baby blankets. Whatever it is, it’s selling and you want no part of it. Can you work at home without selling stuff?
The answer is both yes and no. That is, while you can work at home without blatantly selling items like skincare and cooking utensils and baby blankets, you will always be selling something – yourself, your services, your skills.
So let’s look at some options for non-selling at-home jobs and discuss what you do have to sell, like it or not.
Website design
Many moms with some skill at website design have traded in the office job for the comfort of working at home and designing websites. If you have even an inkling of skill at this (or very good software that can do a lot of it for you) you can create nice looking websites for clients.
Writing
Online writing is fast becoming a WAHM job that’s overtaking many others. You can write articles for clients or you can write articles and then market them to potential customers. You can write for revenue-share sites and you can write eBooks and then sell them.
Daycare
Many moms open daycare centers so they can be at home with their children but still provide a second income for their family. This works well for many moms because they can provide that second income all while also providing playmates for their own kids.
Inbound calling
One popular job for WAHMs is inbound calling. In this business, you take calls from people making orders from infomercials or shopping networks, or even take pizza orders. You might also perform basic customer service tasks.
Bookkeeping
If you have ever worked as a bookkeeper or in some similar capacity, you can work at home as a bookkeeper, keeping the books for local businesses and perhaps even online businesses. This is an ideal position for the mom who wants to make a nice income at home but who wants to work exclusively at home.
Tutor
Many former teachers are discovering the earning potential of being an online tutor. In this capacity, they tutor students who are having problems in a particular subject area. Most of the work is done exclusively online, reducing the need to travel to work or see clients in the home.
Are you selling, though?
All of these jobs we talk about above require a certain level of marketing. You must market yourself in order to make yourself desirable to clients. That means you are selling something – yourself. If you are so uncomfortable with the concept of selling anything that you don’t think you can even sell yourself and your services, then working at home might not be ideal for you unless you are employed and simply work at home for your employer.
But if you decide to work at home in your own business, you must learn to market yourself. You must learn and accept that you have to market, or sell, yourself to make yourself appealing to clients. That’s simply part of the game.
Having said that, though, it’s not the same to market yourself and sell your services as it is to sell clothing or skincare products. If you want to get away from the direct selling that those types of jobs might require, you can do many other things at home that only require you to sell yourself and your services.
GILIW.COM
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Monday, December 24, 2018
Why Work At Home?
Working at home ideal for many reasons
A lot of moms struggle with the concept of becoming a work at home mom. It’s tempting to do it, but they just aren’t sure if it’s the right thing for them. But there are many reasons why choosing to become a WAHM is ideal. Let’s count the ways.
1. Time
When you work outside the home, you lose a lot of time. Not at work, because when you work at home you might likely put in as many hours as when you work outside the home, but after work, and before work. Depending on where you live, there is a commute to consider and other obligations that might keep you from getting home just when you like.
When you add kids to the mix, being gone a lot is a problem. They need to see their parents, and when you work outside the home, you might be gone up to 10 hours a day (or more, depending in your job and that commute). When you work in the home, you don’t need to “leave” for work until it’s time to begin work. No commute required. And when you’re done with work, you can leave and be home, well, immediately.
2. Chaos
The life of a household with two working parents can be chaotic. You might get home from work only to turn right around and head to soccer practice, or gymnastics, or piano lessons, or a combination of all of them. There’s a certain amount of chaos build into that situation.
When you work at home, you are already there. When it’s time to head to soccer, you simply shut down your work for the day (or for now, if you intend to return later) and you go to soccer. Sometimes you might even be able to bring your work with you.
In addition, you won’t have any of the scheduling problems that moms who work outside the home might have. You can allow your kids afterschool activities and play dates. You’re there to either supervise or do the driving.
3. Money
You might be surprised to discover that you can save money by working at home, thereby increasing your net income. When you work at home, you don’t have to pay for full-time daycare. Depending on the ages of your children, you might need to take advantage of some part-time daycare until the kids are in school, however.
You won’t have a commute, so you will save on gas, and you can likely save on clothing. Even if you do meet with clients, or do parties, or work partly outside the home at your home-based business, you can have a much simpler work wardrobe than you would have if you worked outside the home. Since you won’t see the same people everyday, you can settle for fewer work pieces. Mostly, however you can dress very casually if you work at home.
You might also see a savings in unexpected areas. You will eat lunch at home most or all of the time, thereby saving on lunch costs. You won’t be caught up ordering things from co-workers or their children. You won’t have to contribute to the workplace birthday fund.
4. Quality of life
Of course, this is debatable in that not everyone can claim that working at home gives them a better quality of life. That’s due to the simple fact that working at home isn’t for everyone. But if you think that working at home might be the thing for you, it’s important to consider that your quality of life might improve.
When you work at home, you have much more control over your time than you do when you work outside the home. Depending on what kind of work you do at home, you might have absolute control or just some control, but in either event, you will ultimately have a bit more control over your time than when you work outside the home.
If the kids get sick, you can be there for them. If you get sick, you can take a day off and make up for it the next day. If you want to take a day off and run errands, or see a movie, you can do that. You ultimately control when the work gets done and as long as it gets done, you have a great deal of control over when and how. For people who like to work at night, working at home is ideal because they can work through the night and sleep late the next day.
There are many benefits to becoming a work at home mom. Consider what’s important to you in life and then consider if working outside the home or inside the home is the best way to achieve those life goals.
GILIW.COM
A lot of moms struggle with the concept of becoming a work at home mom. It’s tempting to do it, but they just aren’t sure if it’s the right thing for them. But there are many reasons why choosing to become a WAHM is ideal. Let’s count the ways.
1. Time
When you work outside the home, you lose a lot of time. Not at work, because when you work at home you might likely put in as many hours as when you work outside the home, but after work, and before work. Depending on where you live, there is a commute to consider and other obligations that might keep you from getting home just when you like.
When you add kids to the mix, being gone a lot is a problem. They need to see their parents, and when you work outside the home, you might be gone up to 10 hours a day (or more, depending in your job and that commute). When you work in the home, you don’t need to “leave” for work until it’s time to begin work. No commute required. And when you’re done with work, you can leave and be home, well, immediately.
2. Chaos
The life of a household with two working parents can be chaotic. You might get home from work only to turn right around and head to soccer practice, or gymnastics, or piano lessons, or a combination of all of them. There’s a certain amount of chaos build into that situation.
When you work at home, you are already there. When it’s time to head to soccer, you simply shut down your work for the day (or for now, if you intend to return later) and you go to soccer. Sometimes you might even be able to bring your work with you.
In addition, you won’t have any of the scheduling problems that moms who work outside the home might have. You can allow your kids afterschool activities and play dates. You’re there to either supervise or do the driving.
3. Money
You might be surprised to discover that you can save money by working at home, thereby increasing your net income. When you work at home, you don’t have to pay for full-time daycare. Depending on the ages of your children, you might need to take advantage of some part-time daycare until the kids are in school, however.
You won’t have a commute, so you will save on gas, and you can likely save on clothing. Even if you do meet with clients, or do parties, or work partly outside the home at your home-based business, you can have a much simpler work wardrobe than you would have if you worked outside the home. Since you won’t see the same people everyday, you can settle for fewer work pieces. Mostly, however you can dress very casually if you work at home.
You might also see a savings in unexpected areas. You will eat lunch at home most or all of the time, thereby saving on lunch costs. You won’t be caught up ordering things from co-workers or their children. You won’t have to contribute to the workplace birthday fund.
4. Quality of life
Of course, this is debatable in that not everyone can claim that working at home gives them a better quality of life. That’s due to the simple fact that working at home isn’t for everyone. But if you think that working at home might be the thing for you, it’s important to consider that your quality of life might improve.
When you work at home, you have much more control over your time than you do when you work outside the home. Depending on what kind of work you do at home, you might have absolute control or just some control, but in either event, you will ultimately have a bit more control over your time than when you work outside the home.
If the kids get sick, you can be there for them. If you get sick, you can take a day off and make up for it the next day. If you want to take a day off and run errands, or see a movie, you can do that. You ultimately control when the work gets done and as long as it gets done, you have a great deal of control over when and how. For people who like to work at night, working at home is ideal because they can work through the night and sleep late the next day.
There are many benefits to becoming a work at home mom. Consider what’s important to you in life and then consider if working outside the home or inside the home is the best way to achieve those life goals.
GILIW.COM
Sunday, December 23, 2018
What To Do To Kids While Working At Home
How to keep the kids occupied when you work at home
For many women, the idea of working at home is a dream. They like the idea of being at home for their kids after school, or if someone gets sick. There’s no longer any concern when a school break comes around. The kids have a place to be.
But there are some challenges to working at home with kids underfoot. Whether the children are younger or older, there can be challenges. Those challenges might be a little more manageable when the children are older, but there are challenges nonetheless.
Very young children
If you work at home and you have an infant or toddler, it’s unreasonable to assume that you can work full-time during the day and have the children at home as well. But all is not lost. Many moms find suitable solutions.
First, you can hire help to come in and help you with the child or children while you’re working. If your infant generally sleeps the morning away, consider having someone come to help in the afternoon when he’s more alert. Since you will be at home, you won’t have to pay a babysitter as much as you would if you were gone.
Some moms will work very early in the morning before their young child gets up and then late in the evening when the child has gone to bed. Of course, this might mean sacrificing some sleep yourself, but at least until the child or children are older, this can be a suitable arrangement.
Other moms who work at home with young ones will put the child in daycare. This might seem contrary to the notion of staying at home to be with your children, but there are times when there’s no other solution. Since you have control over your hours, you can drop your child off later than you would if you were commuting and you can also pick him or her up earlier. You can also visit at lunch if you like. As your children get older, and enter preschool, this arrangement will no longer be necessary.
Preschool children
If you have preschool-age children, your dreams for working at home become at once easier and more difficult. That is, at this age, children are more likely to play independently, but might also – vocally – demand your attention. This can be a challenge if you work on the phone.
Most moms find that the best arrangement for working at home with children this age is to work when the child is at preschool as well as in the early morning and late evening. Naptime is also ideal. Once your child gives up a nap, you can still institute a “quiet time” each day during which your child can read quietly, watch a movie, or do coloring or other artwork. This gives you a block of time to get some work done as well.
School age children
You might think that as soon as your children are in school, things will get easier. And they will. To a degree. But if you want to work full-time, you must account for those few hours after the kids get home from school and before your quitting time.
Many moms simply take the approach that involves setting up business hours and keeping the kids on a schedule that requires they respect those business hours. You can make clear to the kids that you aren’t available until your business hours are over (perhaps 5 p.m.).
One of the best solutions for most moms will involve keeping the kids busy. If you find many after-school activities for the kids, you might have to drive them somewhere, but otherwise can work undisturbed in the afternoon hours. You might also make an arrangement with other parents to trade off childcare duties. Or, if the kids are older and can play fairly independently, you can offer to host play dates now and then. The kids will be busy and out of your hair and you can finish your day’s work.
Being at home with the children is one of the great motivators for moms who work at home, but it does take some planning and organizing.
GILIW.COM
For many women, the idea of working at home is a dream. They like the idea of being at home for their kids after school, or if someone gets sick. There’s no longer any concern when a school break comes around. The kids have a place to be.
But there are some challenges to working at home with kids underfoot. Whether the children are younger or older, there can be challenges. Those challenges might be a little more manageable when the children are older, but there are challenges nonetheless.
Very young children
If you work at home and you have an infant or toddler, it’s unreasonable to assume that you can work full-time during the day and have the children at home as well. But all is not lost. Many moms find suitable solutions.
First, you can hire help to come in and help you with the child or children while you’re working. If your infant generally sleeps the morning away, consider having someone come to help in the afternoon when he’s more alert. Since you will be at home, you won’t have to pay a babysitter as much as you would if you were gone.
Some moms will work very early in the morning before their young child gets up and then late in the evening when the child has gone to bed. Of course, this might mean sacrificing some sleep yourself, but at least until the child or children are older, this can be a suitable arrangement.
Other moms who work at home with young ones will put the child in daycare. This might seem contrary to the notion of staying at home to be with your children, but there are times when there’s no other solution. Since you have control over your hours, you can drop your child off later than you would if you were commuting and you can also pick him or her up earlier. You can also visit at lunch if you like. As your children get older, and enter preschool, this arrangement will no longer be necessary.
Preschool children
If you have preschool-age children, your dreams for working at home become at once easier and more difficult. That is, at this age, children are more likely to play independently, but might also – vocally – demand your attention. This can be a challenge if you work on the phone.
Most moms find that the best arrangement for working at home with children this age is to work when the child is at preschool as well as in the early morning and late evening. Naptime is also ideal. Once your child gives up a nap, you can still institute a “quiet time” each day during which your child can read quietly, watch a movie, or do coloring or other artwork. This gives you a block of time to get some work done as well.
School age children
You might think that as soon as your children are in school, things will get easier. And they will. To a degree. But if you want to work full-time, you must account for those few hours after the kids get home from school and before your quitting time.
Many moms simply take the approach that involves setting up business hours and keeping the kids on a schedule that requires they respect those business hours. You can make clear to the kids that you aren’t available until your business hours are over (perhaps 5 p.m.).
One of the best solutions for most moms will involve keeping the kids busy. If you find many after-school activities for the kids, you might have to drive them somewhere, but otherwise can work undisturbed in the afternoon hours. You might also make an arrangement with other parents to trade off childcare duties. Or, if the kids are older and can play fairly independently, you can offer to host play dates now and then. The kids will be busy and out of your hair and you can finish your day’s work.
Being at home with the children is one of the great motivators for moms who work at home, but it does take some planning and organizing.
GILIW.COM
Saturday, December 22, 2018
Working At Home
Here’s how one WAHM structures her day
Wondering how a successful WAHM might organize her day? While each mom’s experience might be different, we can provide a simple profile to give you an idea of how you can be productive even with kids underfoot and meals to cook, errands to run and the like.
So, let’s look at Elise’s story.
Elise runs a website design business from home. She doesn’t have a separate office, but rather she works out of the family’s front room, sometimes welcoming clients there but usually working through email and the telephone. She has a husband who works full-time and 2 children – 7-year-old Ethan and 3-year-old Sasha.
Here’s how Elise might structure her day, as she tries to get time in for herself, for the household, and for the kids, all while she works a full day in her business.
Elise gets up early in the morning and tends to emails and work she can do quickly before getting the kids up. Before they head to school, she showers, makes beds, makes them breakfast and lunches, and starts the laundry. Later in the morning, she will take a break from work and start dinner in the slow cooker.
After the kids are at school, Elise works several hours without interruption before taking a quick break for lunch, which she packed the night before for herself. She also goes for a quick jog before heading to pick up Sasha at preschool.
In the afternoon, Elise reads to Sasha and plays a quick game with her before giving her “quiet time” which is when Sasha – who gave up naps long ago – plays quietly while Elise works. During this time, Elise also rotates laundry and pays a bill or two. Mostly, she’s working on client projects.
Right before telling Sasha her quiet time is over, Elise makes a quick work-related phone call. When Sasha’s is quiet time is over, she and Elise head over to school to pick up Ethan. Before heading home the three take time out to enjoy the park that’s adjacent to school.
In the afternoon, the kids want to play outside, so Elise takes a laptop outside and works remotely while the kids play and she keeps an eye on them.
When Elise’s husband comes home, she takes a quick break and makes salad and slices some bread to go with dinner. While he plays with the children before dinner, she finishes up her work day and makes a list of things to tackle first thing the next morning.
There are a few elements of Elise’s day that are worth noting.
First, she plans the evening before for the next day. She makes a quick list of what she needs to tackle first so when she gets up in the morning and she’s groggy and not thinking clearly, she is ready to hit the ground running. She doesn’t need to waste time figuring it out. As part of her evening routine, she also makes sure she has packed a lunch for herself, so she doesn’t waste time making lunch the next day, and she plans and packs the kids’ lunches and snacks. She also knows what will be for dinner the next day and she’s prepared to deal with it when the time comes.
Second, Elise makes time in the day for herself, answering quick personal emails and taking a jog. But she is focused on work and she doesn’t waste time with watching a soap opera on TV or texting friends.
Finally, Elise manages to take time for her kids as much as possible. No matter how busy she is, she tries to remind herself why she is at home in the first place and that’s to be available to her family and children.
Elise’s daily experience won’t be yours, obviously, but much can be learned from her good habits.
GILIW.COM
Wondering how a successful WAHM might organize her day? While each mom’s experience might be different, we can provide a simple profile to give you an idea of how you can be productive even with kids underfoot and meals to cook, errands to run and the like.
So, let’s look at Elise’s story.
Elise runs a website design business from home. She doesn’t have a separate office, but rather she works out of the family’s front room, sometimes welcoming clients there but usually working through email and the telephone. She has a husband who works full-time and 2 children – 7-year-old Ethan and 3-year-old Sasha.
Here’s how Elise might structure her day, as she tries to get time in for herself, for the household, and for the kids, all while she works a full day in her business.
Elise gets up early in the morning and tends to emails and work she can do quickly before getting the kids up. Before they head to school, she showers, makes beds, makes them breakfast and lunches, and starts the laundry. Later in the morning, she will take a break from work and start dinner in the slow cooker.
After the kids are at school, Elise works several hours without interruption before taking a quick break for lunch, which she packed the night before for herself. She also goes for a quick jog before heading to pick up Sasha at preschool.
In the afternoon, Elise reads to Sasha and plays a quick game with her before giving her “quiet time” which is when Sasha – who gave up naps long ago – plays quietly while Elise works. During this time, Elise also rotates laundry and pays a bill or two. Mostly, she’s working on client projects.
Right before telling Sasha her quiet time is over, Elise makes a quick work-related phone call. When Sasha’s is quiet time is over, she and Elise head over to school to pick up Ethan. Before heading home the three take time out to enjoy the park that’s adjacent to school.
In the afternoon, the kids want to play outside, so Elise takes a laptop outside and works remotely while the kids play and she keeps an eye on them.
When Elise’s husband comes home, she takes a quick break and makes salad and slices some bread to go with dinner. While he plays with the children before dinner, she finishes up her work day and makes a list of things to tackle first thing the next morning.
There are a few elements of Elise’s day that are worth noting.
First, she plans the evening before for the next day. She makes a quick list of what she needs to tackle first so when she gets up in the morning and she’s groggy and not thinking clearly, she is ready to hit the ground running. She doesn’t need to waste time figuring it out. As part of her evening routine, she also makes sure she has packed a lunch for herself, so she doesn’t waste time making lunch the next day, and she plans and packs the kids’ lunches and snacks. She also knows what will be for dinner the next day and she’s prepared to deal with it when the time comes.
Second, Elise makes time in the day for herself, answering quick personal emails and taking a jog. But she is focused on work and she doesn’t waste time with watching a soap opera on TV or texting friends.
Finally, Elise manages to take time for her kids as much as possible. No matter how busy she is, she tries to remind herself why she is at home in the first place and that’s to be available to her family and children.
Elise’s daily experience won’t be yours, obviously, but much can be learned from her good habits.
GILIW.COM
Friday, December 21, 2018
How To Turn Your Passion Into Business?
Find your passion, find your WAHM job
If you have ever heard the expression, “do what you love and the money will follow” then you understand the basic concept of finding a passion for your WAHM business. You might spend a good deal of time working your WAHM business, so it’s important that it’s something you feel passionate about.
How can you find your passion?
Think about the things in life that bring you great joy. Is it your kids? Your crafting? Your cooking? What do you enjoy doing the most? When you get a small pocket of time that’s not scheduled with other activities, what do you choose to do?
Also think about the things you enjoyed doing before you were a mom. The things you did on the weekends when you had time. What did you do? What brings you joy? You might even mentally wander back to the first job you had when you were truly happy.
Your answers to the questions give you a sense of what your passions are. Then think about how you can turn these in WAHM businesses.
Turn that passion into a business
If you are an excellent cook, you might turn your passion for cooking into a personal chef business, a catering business, a business that supplies muffins and treats for offices, or even a menu planner (where you provide other moms with pre-planned menus that they simply follow each week when cooking for their own families).
Let’s say you adore children, yours and others. You can’t get enough of them and enjoy each moment you spend with children. It’s not your desire to “get away” from them to work, but to include them as much as possible. In that case, your WAHM business might center on children in some fashion. You might tutor kids, or open a home daycare.
If you are a crafter, you can turn that passion into a business of many different sorts. You might make your crafts and sell them at craft shows, or on Etsy.com or even on eBay. Some women have trunk shows in their home where they sell their wares. This works especially well if you are selling fashion accessories or jewelry that you make.
What if you don’t have a passion?
You might think about the things you like doing and realize that those things don’t translate well into a business. What then? Then it’s time to reexamine the things you like to do. That is, you might find that your passions do lend themselves well to a WAHM business.
Are you passionate about watching television? If so, you can turn that passion into a blog that might get a good number of readers. You might find a job reviewing your favorite shows for a funny or irreverent site.
There are sites that pay for book reviews; if you are a passionate reader, you might write book reviews that net you some pay. You can also set up a blog that is written for passionate bloggers. Learn how to market it and you could have a nice little income for yourself from that blog.
If you are passionate about fitness, you might find a WAHM job as a personal trainer, providing you have adequate equipment and space at your home. You might also find a niche for yourself as a personal fitness motivator, providing customers with detailed and customized fitness plans and motivation.
Finding a business that is rooted in your passion isn’t hard once you examine your basic skill sets and combine that with your passion. You’re sure to do well when you start with the things you love doing.
GILIW.COM
If you have ever heard the expression, “do what you love and the money will follow” then you understand the basic concept of finding a passion for your WAHM business. You might spend a good deal of time working your WAHM business, so it’s important that it’s something you feel passionate about.
How can you find your passion?
Think about the things in life that bring you great joy. Is it your kids? Your crafting? Your cooking? What do you enjoy doing the most? When you get a small pocket of time that’s not scheduled with other activities, what do you choose to do?
Also think about the things you enjoyed doing before you were a mom. The things you did on the weekends when you had time. What did you do? What brings you joy? You might even mentally wander back to the first job you had when you were truly happy.
Your answers to the questions give you a sense of what your passions are. Then think about how you can turn these in WAHM businesses.
Turn that passion into a business
If you are an excellent cook, you might turn your passion for cooking into a personal chef business, a catering business, a business that supplies muffins and treats for offices, or even a menu planner (where you provide other moms with pre-planned menus that they simply follow each week when cooking for their own families).
Let’s say you adore children, yours and others. You can’t get enough of them and enjoy each moment you spend with children. It’s not your desire to “get away” from them to work, but to include them as much as possible. In that case, your WAHM business might center on children in some fashion. You might tutor kids, or open a home daycare.
If you are a crafter, you can turn that passion into a business of many different sorts. You might make your crafts and sell them at craft shows, or on Etsy.com or even on eBay. Some women have trunk shows in their home where they sell their wares. This works especially well if you are selling fashion accessories or jewelry that you make.
What if you don’t have a passion?
You might think about the things you like doing and realize that those things don’t translate well into a business. What then? Then it’s time to reexamine the things you like to do. That is, you might find that your passions do lend themselves well to a WAHM business.
Are you passionate about watching television? If so, you can turn that passion into a blog that might get a good number of readers. You might find a job reviewing your favorite shows for a funny or irreverent site.
There are sites that pay for book reviews; if you are a passionate reader, you might write book reviews that net you some pay. You can also set up a blog that is written for passionate bloggers. Learn how to market it and you could have a nice little income for yourself from that blog.
If you are passionate about fitness, you might find a WAHM job as a personal trainer, providing you have adequate equipment and space at your home. You might also find a niche for yourself as a personal fitness motivator, providing customers with detailed and customized fitness plans and motivation.
Finding a business that is rooted in your passion isn’t hard once you examine your basic skill sets and combine that with your passion. You’re sure to do well when you start with the things you love doing.
GILIW.COM
Thursday, December 20, 2018
How To Schedule To Success?
Scheduling the key for WAHMs
To be successful working at home, you must have schedules. It’s easy to get sidetracked with the laundry, the cleaning, and the errand-running. But to have a successful business that brings in the necessary income, staying focused on the job at hand is essential.
How can you do that? It’s all about scheduling. Let’s say that again – schedules are good, schedules are essential, schedules will keep your productive at work and in control at home.
Why do you need schedules?
Especially if you are a more creative thinker, scheduling things can seem rigid and unwelcome. You might not like the idea of having to schedule when you get things done, or the idea of planning meals ahead of time. But doing these things actually provides freedom.
When you work at home, you are shoulder to shoulder with the mess, the laundry, and the children. It’s easy to get sidetracked trying to take care of these things. But if everything is on a schedule (even the children, if they are home during the day), you can get more done. You’ll be able to focus on work when you’re working because you won’t get sidetracked thinking about all the other things that you need to get done.
How do you schedule?
Think about the things that you need to get done on a daily or weekly basis. Consider the laundry, the cooking, the general cleaning and the childcare. If you know that you are usually home on Sundays, for example, you can plan to make Sunday laundry day. You don’t allow yourself to do laundry on any other day but Sunday and you stick to that schedule. During the week, you won’t get sidetracked folding laundry.
Planning menus is essential. If you are the primary cook in your house, you must know what you are gong to cook each day or at the end of your workday, you’re going to end up in the car in the fast food lane. Since most women choose to work at home in order to be more available to their family, working at home all day and then providing takeout is hardly a step above.
Instead, plan a week’s worth of menus at a time. Ideally, you will plan a month’s worth of menus, but you can start with a week. Buy all the groceries you need for the week and even clean and cut veggies, put meat in marinades and measure out rice ahead of time. When you close up your work shop for the day, you can easily get a simple meal on the table because you were organized enough to get some prep done ahead of time.
To be efficient in work, it’s best if you just work when you’re working. That means don’t get sidetracked with paying bills or ordering books for your child’s book collection. Save those things for evening time, when you are more focused on home endeavors, or for your breaks.
Take breaks
On that note, be structured enough with your time to take breaks. Think of yourself as working in an office. You might head to the break room for a cup of coffee and on the way, have a brief discussion with a coworker about a party you both attended the night before. You might take another break later in the day and make a phone call to your child’s teacher.
If you think of your work at home life in a similar fashion, you can quickly see the results of your structured time. Take regular breaks and during that time, you can send a quick email to a friend or send a text to another. You might make that book order or that phone call. A few minutes later, you return to work just as you would if you worked outside the home.
Get started right
Finally, start each day in an organized fashion. Make sure the breakfast dishes are done, that the beds are made and the house is generally straightened. Sit down to a clean workspace. As you start your work for the day, you’ll have a sense that everything is in order and you can feel at peace focusing on your work needs because there are no other pressing needs you must worry about right now.
Structuring your time as a WAHM might seem like one more thing you must take care of, but doing so will actually free you to focus better at work and at home, even when those worlds intersect.
GILIW.COM
To be successful working at home, you must have schedules. It’s easy to get sidetracked with the laundry, the cleaning, and the errand-running. But to have a successful business that brings in the necessary income, staying focused on the job at hand is essential.
How can you do that? It’s all about scheduling. Let’s say that again – schedules are good, schedules are essential, schedules will keep your productive at work and in control at home.
Why do you need schedules?
Especially if you are a more creative thinker, scheduling things can seem rigid and unwelcome. You might not like the idea of having to schedule when you get things done, or the idea of planning meals ahead of time. But doing these things actually provides freedom.
When you work at home, you are shoulder to shoulder with the mess, the laundry, and the children. It’s easy to get sidetracked trying to take care of these things. But if everything is on a schedule (even the children, if they are home during the day), you can get more done. You’ll be able to focus on work when you’re working because you won’t get sidetracked thinking about all the other things that you need to get done.
How do you schedule?
Think about the things that you need to get done on a daily or weekly basis. Consider the laundry, the cooking, the general cleaning and the childcare. If you know that you are usually home on Sundays, for example, you can plan to make Sunday laundry day. You don’t allow yourself to do laundry on any other day but Sunday and you stick to that schedule. During the week, you won’t get sidetracked folding laundry.
Planning menus is essential. If you are the primary cook in your house, you must know what you are gong to cook each day or at the end of your workday, you’re going to end up in the car in the fast food lane. Since most women choose to work at home in order to be more available to their family, working at home all day and then providing takeout is hardly a step above.
Instead, plan a week’s worth of menus at a time. Ideally, you will plan a month’s worth of menus, but you can start with a week. Buy all the groceries you need for the week and even clean and cut veggies, put meat in marinades and measure out rice ahead of time. When you close up your work shop for the day, you can easily get a simple meal on the table because you were organized enough to get some prep done ahead of time.
To be efficient in work, it’s best if you just work when you’re working. That means don’t get sidetracked with paying bills or ordering books for your child’s book collection. Save those things for evening time, when you are more focused on home endeavors, or for your breaks.
Take breaks
On that note, be structured enough with your time to take breaks. Think of yourself as working in an office. You might head to the break room for a cup of coffee and on the way, have a brief discussion with a coworker about a party you both attended the night before. You might take another break later in the day and make a phone call to your child’s teacher.
If you think of your work at home life in a similar fashion, you can quickly see the results of your structured time. Take regular breaks and during that time, you can send a quick email to a friend or send a text to another. You might make that book order or that phone call. A few minutes later, you return to work just as you would if you worked outside the home.
Get started right
Finally, start each day in an organized fashion. Make sure the breakfast dishes are done, that the beds are made and the house is generally straightened. Sit down to a clean workspace. As you start your work for the day, you’ll have a sense that everything is in order and you can feel at peace focusing on your work needs because there are no other pressing needs you must worry about right now.
Structuring your time as a WAHM might seem like one more thing you must take care of, but doing so will actually free you to focus better at work and at home, even when those worlds intersect.
GILIW.COM
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
How To Start An Event Planning Business At Home?
Moms well suited to event planning businesses
If you’ve always had a skill for planning birthday parties and other events, you might want to think about starting an event planning business from home.
This is an ideal choice for moms who can do much of the planning from home and even have business meetings in their house. You do need to attend the party of event, of course.
What do you need to know?
If you want to start an event planning business, you should have either experience or training in event planning, or a combination of both. You can actually get a degree in event planning or management. There are many 2-year and 4-year schools that offer such degrees.
If you have done event planning in any capacity in a professional manner, you can us that experience to help you establish yourself in your own business. Think about the skills you might have acquired from other jobs. Have you had to arrange travel or luncheons?
In addition to any specific jobs you might have done before and your desire or ability to get a degree in event planning, you also should know some basics of how to plan an event, how to organize people and how to acquire the necessary items for a party.
Although having planned your own wedding and your children’s birthday parties might provide some experience in event planning, you can’t rely on this alone. Try to acquire more experience through a professional job or specific training.
What skills should you have?
Aside from specific experience, you should have some basic skills. Most important of these is organization. You should know that you are very organized and can plan an event from beginning to end without too many bumps in the road.
You should also be a self-starter and independent worker. Some customer service skills are also necessary, since you will be working with clients who might or might not know exactly what they want. They might also be stressed while planning and during the event and your ability to stay calm and professional is essential.
How to start your event planning business
Knowing people is the most important component to getting your business going. You need to connect with people who can give you business, or connect you with those who can give you business. You should take advantage of the connections you do have and let them know that you have an event planning business.
For many moms, event planning businesses start as birthday party planning business. If you have a real skill at putting on spectacular birthday parties, you can make a small business from that, and often your contacts will turn up larger events, from formal dinner parties to weddings.
To get the word out, have business cards printed up, and perhaps make a flier offering information about the services you provide and sample prices. Include any information about previous experience you have.
This kind of business requires in-person networking skills. You might attend local community events and talk to people about their event-planning needs. You could go to the chamber of commerce luncheons and offer to do some event planning for free. You can build a website and offer limited information about how to plan events. If they want more information, they must call you for the information, which allows you to market your services further.
If you want to start an event-planning business, just make sure you have the contacts, the experience and the know-how to get it done.
GILIW.COM
If you’ve always had a skill for planning birthday parties and other events, you might want to think about starting an event planning business from home.
This is an ideal choice for moms who can do much of the planning from home and even have business meetings in their house. You do need to attend the party of event, of course.
What do you need to know?
If you want to start an event planning business, you should have either experience or training in event planning, or a combination of both. You can actually get a degree in event planning or management. There are many 2-year and 4-year schools that offer such degrees.
If you have done event planning in any capacity in a professional manner, you can us that experience to help you establish yourself in your own business. Think about the skills you might have acquired from other jobs. Have you had to arrange travel or luncheons?
In addition to any specific jobs you might have done before and your desire or ability to get a degree in event planning, you also should know some basics of how to plan an event, how to organize people and how to acquire the necessary items for a party.
Although having planned your own wedding and your children’s birthday parties might provide some experience in event planning, you can’t rely on this alone. Try to acquire more experience through a professional job or specific training.
What skills should you have?
Aside from specific experience, you should have some basic skills. Most important of these is organization. You should know that you are very organized and can plan an event from beginning to end without too many bumps in the road.
You should also be a self-starter and independent worker. Some customer service skills are also necessary, since you will be working with clients who might or might not know exactly what they want. They might also be stressed while planning and during the event and your ability to stay calm and professional is essential.
How to start your event planning business
Knowing people is the most important component to getting your business going. You need to connect with people who can give you business, or connect you with those who can give you business. You should take advantage of the connections you do have and let them know that you have an event planning business.
For many moms, event planning businesses start as birthday party planning business. If you have a real skill at putting on spectacular birthday parties, you can make a small business from that, and often your contacts will turn up larger events, from formal dinner parties to weddings.
To get the word out, have business cards printed up, and perhaps make a flier offering information about the services you provide and sample prices. Include any information about previous experience you have.
This kind of business requires in-person networking skills. You might attend local community events and talk to people about their event-planning needs. You could go to the chamber of commerce luncheons and offer to do some event planning for free. You can build a website and offer limited information about how to plan events. If they want more information, they must call you for the information, which allows you to market your services further.
If you want to start an event-planning business, just make sure you have the contacts, the experience and the know-how to get it done.
GILIW.COM
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