There’s a new chick in town.  Everyone is talking about her.  She is smart, organised, has considerable drive and is able to dig deep into her energy pools to get things done.  Impressive hey.

Say hello to the Mumpreneur.  Mum’s who mean business.  Incredible females who are able to juggle both motherhood and working…for themselves.

It usually starts out with an idea.  Add to this a splash of confidence and a sprinkle of self-esteem and some business knowledge and there is no stopping you.

Being at home with your children can inspire you.  You start to think of easier ways to do things.  You wonder if you can improve a design or product.  You daydream.  The next step is to make it happen!  Turn your idea into an income.

So where do you start?

Research

Mums talk to other mums.  They give their honest opinion about products they have tried, the best kindy in the area or what websites they buy from.  Start subtly researching your idea or product.  This may start with a bit of web research but you can also have conversations with your mother’s group or even strangers in the supermarket.  Start to get a feel for whether you are onto something with your idea.

Upskill

Some of my clients feel that they do not have the business acumen to take an idea to market.  Perhaps that is true so let’s solve that.  There are a number of courses available to you through government initiatives.  Courses can be free or in some cases a small investment.  All you need to do is make an investment of your time.  There are websites that offer you a free ebook or course.  I really like this free e-course that is designed to help people learn to build a blog.  You can also look at working with a coach or getting a mentor.

Get organised

Think about structuring your day so that you are spending ample awake and fun time with your children and then allocate their sleep time or quiet play time for when you can get through a few tasks.  Having a list helps me as I feel a sense of achievement crossing the items off!  It is also important that you allow yourself time just to ‘be’.  Think about sitting quietly.  TV off.  Peaceful.  It is at moments like this you can start to organise your thoughts and generally slow down.  Exercise will also help you generate more energy.  Trust me – I am exhausted by 7pm but feel invigorated after a gym class and find I can do an hour or so of work in the evening. Recharged.

Get on with it!

“If you’re coasting, you’re either losing momentum or else you’re headed downhill.” Joan Welsh

One of the succesful attributes of any entrepreneur is drive.  They forge ahead.  They have a plan.  They keep momentum.  Even when the going gets tough.  So what ever it is you need to do – do it!

One example of the mumpreneur is Sarah who I met through a friend.  She created Wean Meister Freezer Pods She was unhappy with the plastic solutions available for freezing baby food and imagined a sturdy silicone tray with a lid that could be more effective.  She did some research, enhanced her business knowledge and ran with her idea.  She backed herself.  And in turn she is now being talked about in the media but also the referral engine that is ‘mums’.  I can only imagine the excitement when she received her prototype, the first box of freezer pods and then eventually sold her first item.  It is that energy that keeps you focussed and motivated.

Remember all it takes is some time to really think about your idea.  If you would like to have a confidential discussion to help you expand on your idea and craft a plan of action, then please contact me.

I am priveleged to have worked with a number of mumpreneurs over the years.  Take a look at their websites and be inspired!

www.karenmiles.com.au

www.WAHM.com.au

www.lifestylecareers.com.au

www.littlemissboo.com.au

www.purewipes.com.au

www.ambergaye.com.au

www.bethtahiriphotography.com.au

Also take a look at my resources page for more inspiration.

Small Business Courses/ Free courses

http://www.littlemumpreneur.com/mum-blogger-e-course/

http://www.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.illawarraitec.com.au/course_information.html

http://microbiz.events.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au/

Source: Nourish

Don’t forget to Like Sal’s Nourish Coaching Facebook Page too.

www.nourishcoaching.com.au  saua.moc.gnihcaochsiruonnull@l

Corporate work has its own thrills and excitements. It’s much like a sport. You feel the adrenalin rush as you try to strategize which tasks to prioritize. There are days when it seems you’re at the losing end, when Murphy’s Law is at play and everything you do seems to go wrong. There are also days when you feel at the top of the world, when everything is going well.

Admittedly, my life as a work-at-home mum may not always be as thrilling. Most days are quiet and lack the high one gets from office work. There are also aspects of corporate life that many mums miss. Here are just some of them:

1. Brainstorming ideas.

Office meetings are great avenues to generate brilliant ideas. Nothing beats a huddle where team members build on each other’s ideas until they come up with a great concept. This is something many work-at-home mums miss. Because most home-based business start with one staff member (that’s you!), you really have nobody to bounce off ideas with.

Solution: Gather your friends for some coffee time and share your ideas. They can give you a fresh perspective on things. You can also refer to books, forums and online resources and see what other mums do with their home-based business.

2. Pay increase

Many companies regularly give pay increases to their employees. This is a great morale-booster and helps employees stay motivated and loyal.

Solution: Think of it from a different point of view. You traded pay increase for more time to pursue your passion. You also have more energy to take care of your family and that is priceless.

3. Socialization.

Loneliness is the number one enemy of mums who transitioned from being a corporate star to home diva. Work-at-home mums no longer have the opportunity to have mini-breaks or lunch-outs with office friends. Meetings are usually confined to meeting clients and leave no room for chit-chats.

Solution: Invite your office friends for lunch every once in a while. Talk about what’s going on in the old workplace. You can also start joining online forums and groups. Schedule meet-ups and you can join in with them to pump up your social life.

4. The mentor

Mentors are like angels in corporate suits. They make your job interesting, they keep you motivated, and they share insights to advance your career. Mentors are important in any employee’s work life. If you have been fortunate enough to meet your mentor, this is one person you will definitely miss when you become a work-at-home mum.

Solution: As the old cliché goes, never burn bridges. Stay connected with your mentor and meet with him once in a while. Share what you’re doing with your business and seek his counsel. Your mentor can also be a great asset to you by hooking you up with people who can help you advance your business.

Working at home can be tough and can shock your system in the beginning. But these are things that you can still find in your new environment. With a change of mindset and a little effort, the things you miss from your former office life may still be present, after all.

Mums who work at home can be considered lucky. They have the opportunity to make money while spending more time with the family. Sure, there are trade-offs like no employment benefits, difficulties in setting up a business, or the occasional loneliness and boredom.

But what many don’t realise is that work-at-home mums can also find joy in many things. It can be as simple as dropping off your children at school or can be as big as organizing a fundraiser for the school.  When I ask mums whether they ever regretted their decision of leaving the corporate world, they all say the same thing, “It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”

Here are just some of the joys that work-at-home mums won’t trade for anything else:

1. Witnessing family milestones.

One major disadvantage of working full-time in a corporate setting is the big possibility of missing out on family milestones. These are not just birthdays and anniversaries but family moments like your daughter’s ballet recital, your baby’s first step or smile, or first day at school. Other people may think these are insignificant and not really worth attending to but these are priceless moments that you and your family will share forever.

2. Hands-on care for the family.

Nothing makes a mum feel guiltier than knowing her child is sick and she can’t get out of work. Work-at-home mums feel a lot more comforted when they’re at home to attend to the family’s needs. Whether your child is nursing a fever or your husband needs help to pack for a business trip, a mum finds deep satisfaction in knowing that she’s there for her family.

3. Control of your time.

Most office employees don’t have control of their time as they are tied to the regular office schedule. If something happens or you need to attend a family event, you need to ask permission from your boss so ask if you can take a leave of absence.

A work-at-home mum has more control of her time. If your child needs help on his homework or if the husband isn’t feeling well, all you need to do is shut down your computer, turn the phone on silent and attend to your family.

4. Sleeping in late, me-time, and eating meals together

Sleeping in late, quality me-time and eating meals as a family are just few things that are likely to elude the fully-employed mum. Those who are working at home find it a little bit easier to sneak in some me-time or to sleep in a little late. Mums can also organize more family meals together.

5. Seeing your children grow.

Many times, I’ve heard older mums wonder where the time went as they get surprised with the realization that their children are all grown up. I sense some regret in their voice because it’s like the time just went by.

Work-at-home mums are fortunate enough to be in a position where they can see their children grow up. They feel satisfied and contented, knowing that the moment didn’t pass them by.

But mums who are working in the corporate world need not fret. They can still find these simple joys even when they’re confined in the four walls of the office. It would take some effort and balance but it is still possible to experience the simple joys that work-at-home mums have.

What do you love about working from home? What simple joys put a smile on your dial?

Whoever said that working at home is easy is clueless. Sure, work-at-home mums like me have time on our hands but it’s certainly not a walk in the park. It’s more like running around a park with screaming kids, Frisbees being thrown at you from all directions and dogs biting your ankles.

The past few weeks during the Easter school holidays, I’ve had my moments when I have sat down at my desk and I have tried to work on some urgent stuff. I couldn’t because of constant interruptions. It has been absolutely impossible. Fellow work-at-home mums and other home based professionals know what I mean—phone calls, a constant flow of visitors, play dates and my gorgeous daughter demanding for my attention, it feels like a million things all at once.

Sometimes, I can’t keep my temper in check and I lose it. Let’s face it, I am only human. But immediately after I rant and rave, I just feel so guilty, knowing I could have been more patient.

Balancing family and work life is not easy but with a little help, it can be managed. Here are some tips for guilt-ridden work-at-home mums:

1. Involve your child.

Take your laptop and do your work in the garden or veranda while your child is playing. This gives you the opportunity to watch and interact with your child while doing some work. Mums who are into arts and crafts can also ask their kids to join in. While mum is doing her own projects, her kids can make their own little projects, at the same time. Not only are you accomplishing something for work, you are also bonding with your children.

2. Schedule time-outs.

If you’re taking a break, make sure it coincides with your child’s schedule like meal or play times. This allows you to spend time with your kids without feeling guilty about work. If you’re running errands, bring your child along and take the opportunity to connect. Get out and do the grocery shopping together. Your child can help pick out ingredients and you can both cook something delicious together for the whole family. Mind you the clean up afterwards is not much fun. My daughter adores helping me in the kitchen.

3. Seek your husband’s help.

Even a Superwoman like you needs help sometimes. Don’t be afraid to ask for it from your husband. If you’re just swamped with work and can’t spare a minute, ask Dad to pitch in and help. This will give you a break and cut you some slack to attend to that urgent email.

4. Buy educational books and toys.

It’s never a good idea to distract your kids by making them watch TV although I must admit I have done this in the past. While you’re busy working, you can give educational toys and books to your kids to keep them occupied. Books are great to develop children’s love for learning and educational toys help in cultivating creativity and imagination. Set up a little desk and chair in your office and let your child do their “work”. My daughter loves this.

5. Learn to drop everything.

There will be moments that you must realize that you need to drop everything for your family. In times of emergencies like a health crisis or when your child needs a ride home. Family milestones are equally important and you should never miss those special moments. Soccer games, ballet recitals, birthdays, swimming lessons, sports carnivals, tuck shop duty – this is the stuff that should always take priority.

When things get a little too hectic and you feel you can’t afford any more distractions, stop what you’re doing and breathe deeply. Stretch your patience a little longer and remember why you chose to be a work-at-home mum or home based worker and not a corporate slave chained to a desk from 9 to 5 with a 2 hour commute.

As a home based worker, how do you cope with constant interruptions? Would love to hear your strategies.

When Rebecca Mackey served in the Australian Air Force, her 3 year old daughter was in day care for 10 hours most days.  Now, Rebecca is home with her daughter while she works, thanks to her involvement with the Successful Resumes Australia group.

Rebecca discovered the group when she contacted them to create her own Resume.  She was so impressed with their way of doing things, creating a profile of the whole person and not just a job listing, that she began inquiring about how to become a Resume Writer herself.She realised the benefit of affiliating with this international organization is that it’s well established with marketplace exposure and a dynamic well positioned website. And it offers collaboration with other writers around the country and around the world:  “There are online chats and email discussions happening all the time between us Resume writers.  Also I talk to (Successful Resumes CEO) John Little at least once a week or more, he’s a great mentor. I came up with my first client who was a Doctor, John coached and guided me to create the perfect Medical Practioners Resume.

“For a mother like me it takes away that feeling of being torn between competing demands.  I know we need the money, but I also know I need to be home with my children.  As a Resume Writer with Successful Resumes Australia I satisfy both, that personal desire to work and that maternal instinct to be with my children and to care for them myself.”

Rebecca has learned how to re-balance her days: “It’s an adjustment, just like you adjust to bringing your baby home. But it’s an adjustment that’s entirely selfish because you get to go out and enjoy a beautiful day.  It’s a mini-escape and you’re getting paid for it.”  Rebecca says she enjoys a good cup of coffee and has happily  discovered all of the local coffee shops where she meets and interviews her clients.

“I take a very personal approach” she says, and her final resume encompasses the whole of the person.  “Just because someone is a data clerk doesn’t mean they don’t have other skills which they may have gained as a volunteer with Meals on Wheels or from a previous job with more responsibility, even from being a great household organizer and managing the dem ands of a large family.”

Her career as a Successful Resumes writer has brought new confidence as well as a relaxed sense purpose to Rebecca’s life:  “I’m nowhere near as stressed out as I was going to work each day, according to my teenage daughter.  She even says I’m a little bit more fun to be around!”

“I’m a much calmer and more confident person than I was before.  Every day I get to take care of myself and my need and desire to work and everyday I get to take care of my children.  I can sit down and read my 3 year old a story in the middle of the day if that’s what she needs to be comforted.  It’s ten times more rewarding than going out to work.”

For enquiries regarding how to obtain a high potential home based business opportunity and become a member of the Successful Resumes Australia group  please contact John Little, CEO

Telephone:  From Outside Australia: +61 400 030 833
From Anywhere in Australia: 0400 030 833

or visit the website

Positive thinking can help work at home mums achieve their challenge to work from home while being a stay-at-home mum.

Here are some actions and positive adjustments you can make to have positive thinking and help you achieve your goals.

Though some of the following pointers could sound superficial, try them for yourself, on a daily basis, and see how they’ll change the way you are feeling and act as well as the outcomes you achieve.1. Take Passionate Action Towards Your Dream. As a mum and work at home business owner or professional, put your heart into all that you do, and remember what you’re doing it for. Even the smallest actions have an effect on your future results, and keeping your greater dream or goal in mind can help you feel great regarding each step you are taking towards it, however small it may be.

2. Commit and Believe. Determination must be one of the most formidable mindsets to create success, for work at home mums or anyone! When facing every frustration, obstacle, or challenge, say: ‘I WILL SUCCEED’, ‘I WILL DO IT’, ‘I HAVE THE POWER TO ACHIEVE MY DREAM’. If you have already set that you will be successful, no matter what, and once you unconditionally believe that each one of your experiences, your behaviours and the world will give back to you to make your dream, you’re half way there already!

3. Enjoy Life and Take in Each Moment. Everything happens for a reason. So what is the reason going to be? Ask yourself often: ‘What is happening right now that I can learn from?’, ‘What can I see currently which will inspire me?’, ‘What’s this feeling and what does it reveal about myself?’. Events may happen which we label as counter-productive, irrelevant, hurtful or negative. But, through each of those events, you’ll be able to learn something about yourself, others, and the world, and learning is always a positive thing.

4. Feel and Express Gratitude. You are rich. You are lucky. You have many blessings. What are you grateful for? Work at home mums have the amazing opportunity to be home for their kids and their loved ones, while also enjoying work as professionals or entrepreneurs. Treasure everything you have, and ask yourself everyday – what do I have that I am grateful for? From the clothes you wear to the roof over your head, and from your beautiful children to the food you consume, express gratitude for what you have got, and more things will happen for you to be grateful for!

5. Take Responsibility. You are the architect of your destiny. You may not control all things and people around you, however you have control of YOU. You will not decide on every event, however you decide on YOUR RESPONSE to those events. You can CHOOSE to feel resilient, happy, motivated, in control, positive. You can make the choice to be a work at home mum, and be successful in both roles.

6. Find Inspiration. Seek out positive inspiration from mentors, books, music or movies. Become a student of personal development. Refine your skills, ability and natural inclination to be a positive, optimistic, happy, strong, appreciative, resolute, passionate and inspired work at home mum!

7. Smile. Smile and the world smiles with you! Raise your body, walk with your head up, take a deep breath, present yourself well (even to go to the supermarket!), and smile to strangers. Work at home mums are often so busy fulfilling all their tasks, and often forget to refill on positive energy. Smiling while lifting up your body is the fastest most effective approach to get positive energy. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, overworked or annoyed, smile and you will feel a shift in your energy and personal power. The obstacles won’t suddenly disappear, but it sure may help you align yourself for a better response.

8. Be Healthy. Eat well, exercise, hydrate, meditate, read, relax, rest, walk, and play. A healthy body is essential to holding a positive mind. For work at home mums, putting themselves first is typically a challenge, but having a powerful body, mind and soul is just as vital to achieve success in all areas of their lives.

Whether you are a mum thinking about working from home or starting your own successful home based business, or whether you have already started working at home, you may be wondering if this is for you.

What do work at home mums do to be successful? What is key to their success: Hard work? Talent? Mindset?

All three of course! However, I believe that your mindset can play a powerful role in relation to the other two. Work at home mums need a mindset full of energy, tenacity, perseverance, patience and determination to carry out the hard work and learn the new skills required to build a successful home based business.Maureen Frank wrote the book ‘You Go Girlfriend’. She is a single mum to twin girls, one of them being disabled, and also a top corporate business woman. I read her book about a year ago, when I was expecting my first child and considering my career options, in particular whether I could be one of those work at home mums! Her book helped me confirm that I had what it takes to become successful as a mum and as an entrepreneur and professional. Not so surprisingly, many of Maureen Frank’s themes revolve around mindset and determination, and how to harness those to achieve your goals.

Here is one of Maureen Frank’s quotes which really sums up the mindset issue: “You have to be prepared to give it 150 percent, take some risks, have some guts, be determined to achieve your goals and – most of all – believe from deep down within your soul that you can do it”. For work at home mums, success is often preceded by hurdles and challenges. Maureen Frank really shows here what is needed to conquer them all and succeed: courage, conviction and willpower.

According to Maureen Frank, “a change in career direction is very common and often successful”. Successful work at home mums know this; they have discovered that they can achieve all their goals as a mum and as a professional, while enjoying their work and creating results for themselves. Once you have discovered this, you know you have made the right change. Changing your career direction is about taking calculated risks, having a strong mindset, and taking the plunge!

So here are some questions: Do you think you have the mindset required to tackle the challenges of working from home and achieving the life you want for your family and yourself? Do you believe that you can further develop your mindset and be like the work at home mums who work hard, take calculated risks and have faith in their success? Are you ready to reach your goals and live your dreams?

The long-term projected outcomes of our efforts often reflect our definition of success. That is, we deem that we will be successful once we have achieved the ‘big picture’ goals.

We want to go from the dream to the realisation without giving much credit to the middle act. While work at home mums are busy multi-tasking and juggling family and work commitments, it may be easy to loose track of the gradual achievements which bring us closer to the long-term goals we have established for ourselves.What is your definition of success? I bet that it involves the completion of the long-term goals you have set yourself to achieve. As work at home mums, we may have set goals of a new house, education for our kids, family travel, health and fitness, financial freedom and self-realisation. My question is: How do you measure success while you are working towards your long-term goals? While you are in limbo between now and your ultimate dream, does it mean you are currently unsuccessful because you aren’t yet living the dream?

Work at home mums have daily challenges which warrant their very own short-term success rating. What I am stressing here is this: Progress is just as important. In fact, the gradual monitoring of your progress towards your greater goals will have a positive impact in 2 ways: 1. It will help you measure your progressive outcomes and ensure you are on the right track to achieve your target, and 2. it will be a huge boost to your motivation and prevent you from quitting. After all, who is their right mind would persist doing something if they consistently felt that they are not moving towards their goals?

The point here is that being successful is not solely based on achieving your ultimate goals. The needle does not go from ‘unsuccessful’ to ‘successful’ overnight. Success is a journey. As long as you are maintaining consistent and progressive action towards your goals, you are being successful. Tasks become steps; steps become milestones; and milestones follow one another to accomplish dreams. Work at home mums who are periodically completing tasks, steps and milestones towards their goals for their business, family and themselves are being successful.

Work at home mums should periodically ask themselves some questions to make sure they are on track towards reaching their greater goals, but also to keep up some positive reinforcement and realise that success is a work in progress: “What have I done today that will help me achieve my next step?”; “What did I learn today that will help me align myself towards the next milestone?”, “How am I tracking towards the next task/step/milestone/goal/dream?”, “What task I have achieved today which is part of a greater goal towards my dream?”.

Success is a journey, a work in progress. Work at home mums can use this fact in measuring and being aware of their success in creating the life outcomes they pursue with such dedication.

Karina Pengelly,  Director of the Australian Home Study Institute talks to Your Balance about being a work at home mum and working part time. She obviously has a super power, running a busy family with her husband Jay and  family of four kids – she still gets time to read a book, go to the beach and the hairdressers.  How does she do it?

What is your elevator pitch?

The Australian Home Study Institute Education stand out from other course providers. You can study anywhere at any time.When you enrol in one of our courses, you will find no class or lecture schedules making demands on your time. You set your own timetable and work at your own pace without pressure.

what is your website addy?

http://www.homestudyinstitute.com.au

What kind of family environment did you grow up in?

I am a country girl and I grew up on a dairy farm with my family. Everyone pitched in to help. There was lots of fun but also the reality that dairy farming is 24/7 and there was often a night where a calf needed delivering or hay was being made.

What were the early days like trying to break into the education industry?

It was really tough, learning as you go and learning from mistakes.

What kept you going when times were tough financially?

We both have casual jobs. I still teach part time and Jay is a Rescue Crewman on the Westpac Helicopter in Newcastle. We also come from close knit families who helped out with meals and the farm veggie patch certainly helped.

What ‘normal’ jobs have you done?

Waitress, child vacation care, school teacher & taxi driver for my 4 children

Were you ever tempted to get a ‘real job’?

I still have one, working part time as a Teacher

Do you see your life as a balance between ‘life’ and ‘work’, or are they well blended?

Well blended in a hectic way.

How do you balance ‘life’ with ‘work’ from a time point of view? What routines do you have?

It is definitely a juggling act with a bit of sleep deprivation thrown in. I teach on set days and have other days are designated for the business but there are always some additional demands that turn up. I rely heavily on the slow cooker. On footy, soccer and netball training nights Jay helps a lot as well. Car pooling helps when we are supposed to be in 4 different places at the same time. All 4 children have set jobs to do. I keep 2 hours a week for myself to walk, go to the gym, catch up with friends for coffee or get my hair done.

What do you see as the essentials for a happy existence?

Being organised is essential. If I am not organised the stress levels can start to take their toll. Tempers are shorter, the noise seems louder and time – well there is none

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in growing the College?

Definitely the financial heart ache and also finding the right mediums for advertising and marketing.

How many hours do you work in a typical working day and do you work weekends?

I leave the weekends to Jay. I teach two days a week most weeks and would spend around 6 hours per day the other days on the college, sometimes more it just depends on the course enquiries.

Can you describe a typical day?

Up at 6am, kids breakfast then off to school. 2 loads of washing most days, hang it out. Crank up the dish washer. Go to work/school or work on the college. Home, get dinner started then do the soccer, netball and footy training run, in summer its swimming and surf life saving. Dinner, help with home work, clean up then collapse.

What qualities do you respect and value in people you work with? Why are these qualities important to you?

I respect and value people who are honest, diligent, reliable, flexible and able to cope with change. These are values we were bought up with and also instil in our children. Most of all I value people who are respectful and professional in business.

What do you do in your spare time?

Go to the beach, read.

Who or what other businesses or business people inspire you?

Working Mum’s who have taken the plunge into business and succeeded and still able to spend quality time with family.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?

Ben 10, I quite like his Omnitrix watch where you can decide what super hero best suits the situation. I could do with some extra arms and eyes, working in fast forward would also come in handy.

What community organizations are you involved in? Why is that important?

We are all involved in surf life saving. Our children do nippers, our oldest daughter and Jay do regular volunteer patrols. We live near the beach so it is very important for the children to be surf aware. There is a great community spirit being involved in a surf club. The social events are fun for the whole family. It is a great life style and provides surf skills, fitness, team work and best of all participation.

What has your biggest challenge been? Your biggest achievement? Your proudest moment?

Getting married and having each of our four children.

What makes you laugh?

People with a great sense of humour

What are your pet hates?

Laziness

The Australian Home Study Institute has over 450 courses to choose from.

If you are looking to study from home at your own place the site is absolutely fabulous and really worth checking out. www.homestudyinstitute.com.au

This is a question I pondered today as my husband and I sit over our computers, run in and out of the house and try and meet all the deadlines. Scheduled into my day is time for my child, time to work, time to cook and time to clean but what about me time….
I t sounds funny to say that we need to schedule me time but we do we need to allow time for us to be in our days and it is not or no longer should be at Work at Home myth  so how do we do it.

Prioritise your life

It is essential that you spend some time reflecting on all that you are doing. In the midst of not even having enough time to sit down for a cup of coffee, making time to reflect can seem like a big evil monster waiting under the bed. However it is not that scary and what you will find is a cute fluffy rabbit when we end.

Look carefully at all of the things you are currently doing and determine which are the most important. Look at what is important to you as well as your business and family. It is time to create order to figure out which things you really must do now, which things can wait and which things you can let go of (scary thought you can you know)

Combine tasks to get some me and family time:

Some of your many tasks can be combined. Taking a walk with baby (and partner?) after work will give you some time together and also a chance to stretch and exercise. You can provide a safe place on the floor in the kitchen for your child to play, observe and talk with you while you are fixing dinner. Taking a bath together is one way some families enjoy time together. Sometimes the activities will take longer, doing them together, but will be well worth the effort.

Simplify Things

A baby is only a bay for one time which means, your house will be a mess, people will come over unannounced and your baby will want to spend time with you

Spend time with your baby. Clear a path through your house so you can get on the floor and hang-out and enjoy your baby. It is amazing how blocks can be such a stress reliever. You build you achieve, baby tears it down and you laugh!

Very simple, nutritious meals can be thrown together quickly. Sandwiches, smoothies, quesadillas, there are many options for 15 minutes or under dinner prep.

Remember being a work at home Mum is a Balancing Act

We may never find a moment in we feel perfectly caught up on all the things they expect that we should do. If you consider this a normal state you can learn to relax about it. Balance isn’t something you necessarily find as a parent, it is something you are always moving towards.
One week you will get lots of good things done at work and the house will be a wreck. Balance doesn’t happen in any one instant, but it can happen in the long run.  The most important thing is that Me Time and Family Time do exist for the Work at Home Mum