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Articles
for Reprint
by HBWM Founder
Lesley Spencer
The
following articles are available for reprint
provided that you include the author's
complete byline and tagline:
The
Balanced Mom – Fact or Fiction?
by Lesley Spencer, MSc. – Founder &
President, HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com
It’s a pretty well known fact: Moms are
pulled in many directions and their
to-do list almost never gets completely
crossed off. There’s the kids, the
husband, the house, the chores, the
errands, the laundry, the meals, the
appointments, the kid’s activities, the
birthday parties and on and on. It’s an
intensive job that requires some great
time management and organization to
ensure that everything gets done (or
almost everything), and there’s still
enough time to spend relaxing and
enjoying your family.
Here are some tips to you find some
balance:
· Use a calendar to stay organized. Keep
track of home, school and work
activities and appointments on your
calendar. It may work best to use a desk
calendar that you can take with you as
well as set calendar reminders in a
program such as Outlook to remind you of
certain repeating activities, practices,
birthdays, bills to pay, etc.
· Be a team. Ask for help when needed
and offer help where needed. Perhaps one
week you can be in charge of homework or
baths and the next week your spouse can.
Come up with mutually beneficial plans
to help your family function and have
lots of time for family fun!
· Let go of guilt and know that you
cannot possibly do everything. Whether
you need to hire a housekeeper, order
take out or say no to a volunteer
request, know that you are doing what’s
best for you and your family but not
overextending yourself and putting
unnecessary burdens and expectations on
yourself.
· Schedule a weekly date with your
spouse as well as individual time with
your kids. Also make time for yourself.
Do not let one area of your life
dominate the rest.
· Use your evening time wisely. Instead
of plopping down in front of the TV, go
on a long walk with your spouse and/or
your kids. Have a picnic dinner in the
backyard. Play a game or do something
that enables you to really connect with
your family.
· Be a smart shopper and meal planner.
Buy cookbooks with quick, healthy meals
or meals that you can double and freeze
for another night. No need to do it all
every night.
· Know that you can always adjust and
change your options. If the choices that
were right for you last year are not as
good this year, reconsider and
re-evaluate all of your options. Talk it
over with your spouse and close friends.
Then decide what is best for you and
your family today. Take life by the
horns!
· Stay flexible. Just as your children
grow and your marriage matures, your
individual, career, family and marriage
needs will also grow, change and
develop. Stay open to changes and
realize that growing with each of these
areas will be fresh, exciting,
challenging and probably at times,
frustrating and tiring.
· If you work, remember in the end it is
not going to matter how much you dazzled
your clients or employer with long hours
if you miss out on treasured moments
with your children and your spouse.
Remind yourself to check in occasionally
on where you are spending your time….
and where you are not.
· Do what’s best for you and your
family. Don’t allow others to dictate
what the best option is for you and your
family.
With these tips and your own
tried-and-true ones, you will find that
being a balanced mom is not fiction. It
truly can be fact. It just takes
planning, delegating, flexibility, a
positive attitude and some great
organization. As a mom, I can proudly
say and I’m sure you would agree:
There’s no better or more rewarding job
in the world!
Copyright HBWM.com, Inc. 2006
Lesley Spencer is the founder
and president of the national
association of Home-Based Working
Moms (www.HBWM.com),
the HBWM.com, Inc. Network of
Websites and author of the
Work-at-Home Workbook. She has a
Master's Degree in Public Relations
and has been featured in numerous
media outlets including CBS News,
Forbes, Business Week, Parents, Wall
Street Journal and USA Today. She
has been working from home for over
11 years and has two children whom
she absolutely adores!
Choose Now a Holiday of Significance …
(and Less Stress) for Your Family
by Lesley Spencer, MSc; Founder &
President – HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com
During the holiday season, time is a
prized commodity and the preciousness of
family is (hopefully) paramount in our
minds. How is it then that we get so
carried away with things that are not of
lasting significance? I wonder too. Are
you ready to make a change? Let’s tackle
this now and relax sweetly into the
holiday season while visions of
sugarplums dance in our heads.
First, take some time now to discuss
with your family what you truly want out
of the holiday season this year. Perhaps
it is a good time to introduce or
reinforce the original meaning of
Christmas (or whatever holiday you
celebrate). Maybe this is the year your
family breaks the cycle of overspending
and chooses a simpler holiday that
involves more time with family and
friends.
For instance, I know one family who
chooses to give three gifts to each
child for Christmas representing the
three wise men’s gifts at the birth of
Christ. The other giving that is done is
to those less fortunate. The focus in
this family is on the original meaning
of Christmas – the celebration of the
birth of Christ and enjoying time with
loved ones.
Another way to get more significance out
of your holiday is to create and enjoy
some family traditions. Do your children
look forward to certain things each
holiday? A few of my children’s favorite
holiday traditions include making a
gingerbread house, baking Christmas
cookies, watching Christmas movies by
the fireplace and decorating our
Christmas tree while drinking hot
chocolate and listening to our favorite
Christmas CDs. Childhood memories
themselves are a precious gift to give
our children.
Here are some ideas in case you are
looking for some new traditions to
start:
-
Go
Christmas caroling with your friends
or neighbors
-
Roast chestnuts over an open fire
-
Make Reindeer food (dry corn,
glitter, bird seed) and have your
children scatter it on the lawn on
Christmas Eve
-
Make Christmas ornaments to keep or
give as gifts
-
Attend church service on Christmas
Eve
-
Have everyone put on their favorite
PJs and drive through town to view
Christmas lights while singing (or
listening to) your favorite
Christmas songs.
-
Go
to a Christmas play or to a live
nativity scene.
In
addition to family traditions, here are
some other ideas of holiday significance
your family can try:
-
Adopt a needy family or elderly
person to brighten their holidays.
-
Take cookies to a nursing home and
have your children sing carols.
-
Sponsor a child in another country
for the holidays and beyond at:
http://www.compassion.com.
-
Deliver homemade goodies with a
smile to the homeless or those less
fortunate.
-
Invite single neighbors or friends
to holiday activities.
Work in a soup kitchen feeding the
hungry.
And
for gift giving, celebrate less gifts
and more substance with these ideas:
-
Give coupons for free childcare to a
couple that could use some time
alone.
-
Give “gift certificates” for a hot
meal prepared by your family.
Draw names instead of purchasing for
everyone in your extended family.
-
Give to a charity on behalf of a
family member. Check out:
http://www.charitygiftcertificates.org/
and
http://www.justgive.org/.
-
Help hungry families feed themselves
at:
http://www.heifer.org/
-
Have a silly (White Elephant) gift
exchange instead of buying presents.
Ask everyone to bring something from
home that is no longer wanted and
needs a new home. (The sillier /
funnier the better.) When everyone
gathers, draw numbers to see who
picks a gift first. Follow in order
until everyone has a gift. The
person whose turn it is can choose
to take a gift already opened
instead of choosing a wrapped gift.
If so, the person whose gift was
taken gets to pick a new wrapped (or
open) gift. Continue until everyone
has had a turn.
Just
remember whatever your family chooses,
choose to create lasting and warm
memories that you and your family will
cherish for a lifetime. Our families and
our time together are precious!
Lesley Spencer is founder and president
of the national association of
Home-Based Working Moms (www.HBWM.com),
the HBWM.com, Inc. Network of Websites
and author of the Work-at-Home Workbook.
She has a Master's Degree in Public
Relations and has been featured in
numerous media outlets including CBS
News, Forbes, Business Week, Parents,
Wall Street Journal and USA Today. She
has been working from home for over 10
years and has two children whom she
absolutely adores!
Got Substance… With
Your Child?
by Lesley Spencer, MSc; Founder & President
– HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com
How would your child answer the question,
“Who knows you better -- us or your
friends?"
We hope our children answer us, but would
they?
What about those deep conversations with
your son or daughter that truly allow you
into their world. Do you know the last time
they cried or why they cried? Do they come
to you with celebrations or things they are
excited about? Or do they go to their
friends? Where would they go in a crisis? Do
they consider you a safe place to come if
they needed help or guidance in their life?
What about just to share a unique joy or
something fun that happened during their
day? Who would be the first person they
would tell?
If your kids would not come to you, perhaps
now is the time to make that an appealing
and natural option for them. What are some
ways you can enter into your child's life
and really become part of their world?
Here are a few suggestions. The idea is to
spend time with our children strengthening
our relationship and opening the lines of
communication with them.
· Parent / Child Date Night - This
could be dinner out or simply asking your
child what he or she would most want to do
with you on your special night out. If
possible, treat each child to his or her own
date night with mom or dad.
· Boy’s / Girl’s Weekend Away – This
could be an inexpensive camping trip or a
hotel getaway for just the boys or just the
girls.
· Family Game Night – A great way to
get the family laughing and having fun.
Interacting as a family strengthens your
bond and opens the lines of communication.
· Dinner Time – Make it a point to
eat dinner together every night if possible.
Start a tradition of discussing the best
thing that happened that day or what you are
most thankful for that day – anything to get
a positive conversation going with your
family.
· Ice Cream Fun – Make your own or go
out for ice cream and enjoy discussing
events and people in your kid’s lives. Ask
about their day. What was fun or what was
hard about their day.
· Girl’s Manicure or Pedicure Fun –
Most girls enjoy pampering so mom and
daughters get out some nail polish and have
some fun or head to a salon and get
pampered.
· Boys and Balls. Get out the
football, baseball or basketball and use
this time to engage your son and enter into
his world through the love of sports (or
whatever hobby he or she may have).
· Mission Trips – My 10-year-old
daughter and I participated in a mission
trip to Mexico this year. It was a great
bonding experience and a great way to more
fully appreciate the many blessings in our
lives. (You can learn about available
mission trips by searching the Internet.)
· Family Camp – Probably the most
powerful bonding experience I have had with
my kids is family camp. This is our fourth
year to go to family camp and it is the most
anticipated and enjoyed event of the year
for my kids. The camp we go to well balanced
with focused time with God and Bible
lessons, family time, couple or individual
time and group fellowship time. There is no
shortage of fun, adventure and relaxation. I
can think of no better experience for
families than to spend a week growing
spiritually and bonding as a family.
Lesley Spencer is founder and
president of the HBWM.com, Inc. Network
which includes:
http://www.HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com,
http://www.WorkAtHomeKit.com,
http://www.edirectoryofhomebasedcareers.com,
http://www.momsworkathomesite.com,
http://www.HBWMconferences.com,
http://www.HBWMcanada.com and
http://www.HireMyMom.com (coming
soon!). She has a Master's Degree in
Public Relations and has been featured
in numerous media outlets including CBS
News, Forbes, Business Week, Parents,
Wall Street Journal and USA Today. She
has been working from home for over 10
years and has two children whom she
absolutely adores!
To Stress or Not to Stress?
by Lesley Spencer, M.Sc.
Founder & President of
HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com
Today it seems that no matter who we are or
what we do, we have more stress in our lives
than our parents or grandparents did. There
are many factors and demands that cause
stress in our lives: things such as
demanding careers, relationship conflicts,
financial worries, health concerns,
parenting challenges, legal issues, fear of
the unknown and so many others.
If that were not enough, the stress and
worries these situations cause further
diminish our ability to function well and to
be healthy. In fact, stress can cause
depression, fatigue, irritability,
withdrawal, insomnia, appetite changes, head
aches, lower sex drive and many other
ailments and diseases. Some studies suggest
that as much as 80% of all major illnesses
are attributed to stress. Take note of that
again -- as much as 80% of all major
illnesses are attributed to stress! It is
quite obvious -- stress is NOT good for us,
and we are wise to get rid of as much of it
as possible.
So how do you do that? First, do you know
what things in your life are causing you
stress? Think about it and write down those
things. Next, go through your list and write
possible solutions and ways to ease stress
for each of those stress causers. Then, make
a plan to do those things. That plan may
look like a daily reminder that you read,
post-it notes on your computer or a daily
quiet time of prayer.
For those stress items that we cannot remove
from our lives and for the unexpected stress
that creeps into our lives, try these tips:
- When you feel tense or stress, stop
what you are doing, close your eyes and
take several deep breaths. Inhale slowly
counting to 10 and exhale slowly
counting to 10. Try to do this at least
three times. You may need to do this
several times a day.
- Start an exercise program. You may
be amazed how much stress is relieved
when you exercise. The endorphins that
are released can reduce your stress,
improve your mood and give you an energy
boost.
- Play relaxing music or soothing
sounds that calm and relax you.
- Plan a day off or at least plan some
time just for yourself and do whatever
is relaxing to you: sleep in, lay in a
hammock, have coffee with a friend, take
a bubble bath, have a glass of
champagne, go for a hike, get a manicure
or read a book.
- Count your blessings. Record things
you are happy and thankful about. Read
them daily and add to your list as you
recognize new blessings and things to be
thankful for. The goal is to have a
longer “thankful” list than “stress”
list. Focus on the positive and remind
yourself of the positive things in your
life often.
- Simplify your life. Are there
unnecessary things in your life that you
could remove? Are you over-extended or
over-committed? Are their things in your
life that you can outsource to simplify
your life? Are your children in more
than one extra-curricular activity? Is
that adding more stress than is worth
it?
- Find more joy. Are their things that
can truly add joy to your life? What are
they? Are you focusing too much on work
or negative things in your life? Are you
taking time to stop and enjoy your life,
your family, and your children?
Make today the day for new beginnings and
for removing as much stress from your life
as possible. Find joy. Make joy.
Lesley Spencer is founder and
president of the HBWM.com, Inc. Network
which includes:
http://www.HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com,
http://www.WorkAtHomeKit.com,
http://www.edirectoryofhomebasedcareers.com,
http://www.momsworkathomesite.com,
http://www.HBWMconferences.com,
http://www.HBWMcanada.com and
http://www.HireMyMom.com (coming
soon!). She has a Master's Degree in
Public Relations and has been featured
in numerous media outlets including CBS
News, Forbes, Business Week, Parents,
Wall Street Journal and USA Today. She
has been working from home for over 10
years and has two children whom she
absolutely adores!
Summer Sanity
for Moms Juggling a Home-Based Career
By Lesley Spencer, MSc
Founder & President,
HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com
The relaxed
pace of summer is peeking just around the
corner. And it is definitely welcome to many
of us, but the challenge and sometime
stressful moments of balancing motherhood
and work is not always so welcome.
Like much of motherhood, being flexible is
key and planning in advance is a necessity.
To help you make this summer the best it can
be with as little stress as possible, here
are some tips for balancing your many roles
during the summer:
-- If you don’t have a laptop, now is a
great time to consider getting one
especially with wireless Internet
connection. You can work just about anywhere
with your laptop and wireless connection.
That means portability to work in any room
in your home as well as work at locations in
public with wireless connection – coffee
shops, public parks, airports, shopping
areas, skating rinks and more.
-- Take convenience a step higher and make
your laptop your desktop computer by using a
docking station. A docking station allows
you to still use your monitor and keyboard
like a desktop without the hassle of using
two computer and transferring files and
emails back and forth. Laptop prices have
dropped dramatically and some laptops are as
low as $500 while docking stations start
around $60. Now may be the time to make your
business work around your busy life more
than ever.
-- If you know your workload is going to be
overwhelming, start planning now what you
can delegate. Perhaps, its time to hire a
Virtual Assistant to help you in your
business. There are many talented, capable
VAs who can do anything from word processing
to data entry, to answering calls to respond
to email to much more. You can search for
them and other talented home-based moms in a
variety of professions at:
www.HBWM.com/memberdir.
-- Technology is a great thing. Look into
what you can automate in your business.
Perhaps you can set up autoresponders when
someone purchases or requests something from
your website. A few sites that offer
automation solutions include:
http://www.1automationwiz.com and
http://www.autoresponseplus.com.
Even with more portability, moms need some
time to work, relax, rejuvenate or just
catch a breath. So what to do with those
sweet cherub-like children squealing and
running underfoot?
-- Check out the summer camps in your area.
These days there are camps for just about
everything from sports to art to acting to
science. Check your local parenting
publications. Many of them have summer camp
guides.
-- Kid Swap? No, this isn’t a bad, new
reality TV series. It’s an opportunity to
pre-arrange some play date exchanges with
your trusted friends and neighbors. Kids get
to play and have fun and moms get an
opportunity to catch up on work or find a
little time for relaxation.
-- Consider a Mom’s Helper. They can be
great playmates and keep your kids occupied
while you work. You may hire someone once a
week, every morning or whatever your
schedule and work requires.
With a little planning and forethought, you
can make this summer not only less stressful
but actually enjoyable and fulfilling. Take
time now to get yourself ready. You and your
kids will be glad you did.
Lesley Spencer is founder and
president of the HBWM.com, Inc. Network
which includes:
http://www.HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com,
http://www.WorkAtHomeKit.com,
http://www.edirectoryofhomebasedcareers.com,
http://www.momsworkathomesite.com,
http://www.HBWMconferences.com,
http://www.HBWMcanada.com and
http://www.HireMyMom.com (coming
soon!). She has a Master's Degree in
Public Relations and has been featured
in numerous publications including
Forbes, Wall Street Journal and USA
Today. She has been working from home
for over 10 years and has two children
ages 10 and 8.
10
Money-Saving Tips for Home Businesses
By Lesley Spencer, MSc.
Founder & Director of
www.HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com
One of the most common obstacles many
home-based working moms face is trying to
start or run a new business on a limited
budget. The first few years of a business
are usually the hardest financially. Some
moms leave full-time careers and substantial
salaries to start a new business. Others
start a home business as stay-at-home moms
wanting additional income to support their
family as well as a professional outlet to
balance their diaper-changing days.
In either case, starting and running a
home-based business takes money. How much
money, will depend partly on you and the
type of business you choose to run.
Below are our top 10 tips to save you and
your home business money:
1. Do your own market research by
talking to potential clients or customers.
Many new home business owners skip this step
only to come back to it later (or wish they
had). Those who start businesses without
doing any type of research risk the
possibility that their target market doesn’t
need or want their particular product or
service. The competition may be too fierce.
There may not be enough potential customers
to support the business. Or the product
isn’t priced correctly. It is just as
important not to price your product too low
as it is not to price it too high. Talk to
others in similar businesses as yours to see
how much they charge and what they offer for
that price.
2. Team up with other non-competitive
businesses that target the same market to do
some co-marketing. For example, desktop
publishers and print shops can do a direct
mail campaign together advertising both of
their services or buy an ad in a local
publication and split the costs. Neither is
in competition with the other. They also can
hand out business cards or flyers for one
another as well as give word-of-mouth
referrals. It’s a great way to double one’s
marketing efforts while splitting any
advertising costs.
3. When you have a satisfied
customer, don't be afraid to ask for
referrals. People like to help others
especially new businesses trying to succeed.
Show pride in your work and people are sure
to notice. And when they do, ask if they
know any others you can send a brochure or
sample to. Another great way to encourage
referrals is to offer a discount or special
offer for any customers who are referred to
you.
4. Barter or trade your services for
other products or services you need.
Associations and organizations are not only
great places to network; they are also great
for finding businesses that offer services
and products you need. Look for businesses
you could help with your product or service
and offer to barter or trade for theirs. (Be
sure to check with your tax professional for
tax issues involving bartering and trading.)
5. Find another home-based working
mom to swap babysitting with. All home-based
working moms need some dedicated time to
work on their business tasks. By swapping
with another mom, both can work on their
businesses without adding to their childcare
costs.
6. When buying new office equipment,
go to a place that offers a low-price
guarantee. You can save time and money by
shopping at places that will refund any
difference in price if you find the product
cheaper elsewhere.
7. If you are looking for computer
equipment, consider buying used equipment.
Look in the classifieds and talk to others
that may know someone looking to upgrade.
Ask for warranty information and make sure
the machine is in good working condition.
Also take a look at the computer companies
offering refurbished machines. Some are
priced accordingly and usually come with
some type of warranty.
8. Send postcards for direct mail
solicitation. They are cheaper to print and
less expensive to mail. Another advantage is
that they are more likely to be read since
they take no effort to open.
9. If you hire sales help, pay by
commission only so you only spend money if
you make money. A salesperson can increase
your sales without adding any up-front fees
or salaries.
10. Use pre-printed design papers for
letterhead, brochures and business cards if
you only need a small amount. The papers can
be found at most large office supply stores,
and they are great for new businesses trying
to get started on a small budget.
These money-saving ideas should help with
your budget but new business owners also
need plenty of drive and determination to
succeed. It takes time to develop and grow a
business so be patient and give it all
you’ve got!
Lesley Spencer is founder and
director of the HBWM.com, Inc. Network
which includes: the national association
of Home-Based Working Moms (www.HBWM.com),
Mom’s Work-at-Home Kit (www.WorkAtHomeKit.com),
the eDirectory of Home Based Careers (http://edirectoryofhomebasedcareers.com),
Mom's Work-at-Home Site (www.momsworkathomesite.com)
and HBWM Canada
(www.hbwmcanada.com). She has a Master's
Degree in Public Relations and has been
featured in numerous publications
including Forbes, Wall Street Journal,
USA Today, Home Office Computing,
Parenting, Business Start-Ups, Family PC
and many others. She has been working
from home for over 10 years and has two
children ages 10 and 8.
10 Tips for
Avoiding Home Business Scams
By Lesley Spencer, MSc.
Founder & Director of
www.HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com
Starting a home business has become a
wonderful and attractive alternative for
parents across the country. With the
advent of the Internet, email and cell
phones, working at home has been a very
viable option. No other alternative
allows parents the opportunity to create
their own hours and work around their
children’s schedules while earning an
income. But before investing in any home
business opportunity, it is wise to take
appropriate steps to research the
opportunity and the company.
Unfortunately, there are deceitful
businesses ready to take advantage of
parent’s deep desire to be at home with
their children.
1. Research the company and
always check them out with the Better
Business Bureau (http://search.bbb.org/search.html)
located in their city.
2. Ask for at least three
references of people they have worked
with. Call each person and ask about his
or her experiences with the company.
3. Be cautious of any company
that asks for money for a work-at-home
job (such as money for registration,
applications or instructions).
4. Don't be fooled by ads
claiming you can make large amounts of
money in short periods of time. And be
cautious of companies that require you
to sign up immediately. If it sounds too
good to be true, it usually is.
5. Get specific information in
writing from the company such as how
long they have been in business, where
they are located (not just a P.O. Box),
how many customers they have, what their
refund policy is (read it thoroughly),
how long it takes to get paid and if
there are any restrictions on payments,
etc.
6. If you do invest in a business
opportunity, use your credit card
instead of cash. It may be easier to
dispute the charges with your credit
card company rather than trying to get
your money back from a fraudulent
company.
7. Research current scams on web
sites such as ScamBusters at:
http://www.scambusters.com.
8. Call the National Fraud
Information Center at (800) 876-7060 for
information or visit their web site at:
http://www.fraud.org.
9. Report any scams or fraudulent
companies to the Federal Trade
Commission
http://www.ftc.gov, your state's
Attorney General and the National Fraud
Information Center, PO Box 65868,
Washington, DC 20035, (800) 876-7060.
10. Don't invest in any
opportunity that you are not sure about.
Instead, find something that you are
interested in and will enjoy doing. (Do
what you love, and the money will
follow.)
Lesley Spencer is founder and
director of the HBWM.com, Inc.
Network which includes: the national
association of Home-Based Working
Moms (www.HBWM.com), Mom’s
Work-at-Home Kit (www.WorkAtHomeKit.com),
the eDirectory of Home Based Careers
(http://edirectoryofhomebasedcareers.com),
Mom's Work-at-Home Site (www.momsworkathomesite.com)
and HBWM Canada
(www.hbwmcanada.com). She has a
Master's Degree in Public Relations
and has been featured in numerous
publications including Forbes, Wall
Street Journal, USA Today, Home
Office Computing, Parenting,
Business Start-Ups, Family PC and
many others. She has been working
from home for over 10 years and has
two children ages 10 and 8.
A Thankful
Attitude Can Change Your Entire Outlook
By Lesley Spencer, MSc.
Founder & Director of
www.HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com
Have you ever known anyone who is
always happy and cheerful? Do you ever
wonder what in the world they are so
happy about? I’d believe we could all be
that person. I have a feeling those
cheerful people, regardless of their
circumstances, have more joy and
happiness in their lives because they’ve
decided to be positive and thankful.
We tend to be bombarded with “stuff” in
our lives, and the busyness and
distractions can cause us to be
overwhelmed. So how do you get past all
the “stuff” and have a positive
attitude? I think one way is to start
your day with a thankful attitude. Take
just a moment and think of at least five
things you are thankful for. It may be
your health, your home, your spouse,
your children, your church, our freedom,
children’s laughter or something else
dear to you. When you take time to focus
on the positive things in your life, the
“stuff” tends to decrease and you are
able to see life in a more positive way.
We all have problems and troubles in our
lives, but worrying about those things
does not take them away. Having a
positive attitude, doing what you can to
solve the problems or asking for help
are the only things you can do.
We’ve asked some Home-Based Working
Moms what they are thankful for. Here is
what a couple of them shared:
“More than anything in the whole world,
I am thankful for the opportunity to
stay home with my two children. I never
in my wildest imagination thought I
would leave the corporate world to be an
at-home mother but now I can't picture
being anywhere else. Working a
home-based business has given me a
chance to witness things I didn't know
would touch me in such a deep way. I
have been able to see first steps, watch
wobbling first bike rides and be there
for each new discovery in my children's
lives. Making the choice to start a
home-based business has changed who I
am. And I really want to pause more to
just appreciate the blessings I so often
take for granted,” Amy Reynolds, of
FamilyIsTheKey.com in Kansas City,
Missouri shares.
Heidi Whyte of Coeur D' Alene, Idaho
adds, “I am most thankful for the
blessing of my little girl Caitlyn. I
thank God everyday that she is mine. Her
hugs and kisses are all the thanks I
will ever need. I also am thankful to
have such a wonderful, supportive,
loving husband. I truly appreciate his
patience and understanding.”
So what about you? Have you come up with
at least five things you are thankful
for? I don't believe it will be hard and
the smile that grows on your face will
likely be contagious to all of those
around you.
Lesley Spencer is founder and
director of the HBWM.com, Inc.
Network which includes: the national
association of Home-Based Working
Moms (www.HBWM.com), Mom’s
Work-at-Home Kit (www.WorkAtHomeKit.com),
the eDirectory of Home Based Careers
(http://edirectoryofhomebasedcareers.com),
Mom's Work-at-Home Site (www.momsworkathomesite.com)
and HBWM Canada
(www.hbwmcanada.com). She has a
Master's Degree in Public Relations
and has been featured in numerous
publications including Forbes, Wall
Street Journal, USA Today, Home
Office Computing, Parenting,
Business Start-Ups, Family PC and
many others. She has been working
from home for over 10 years and has
two children ages 10 and 8.
Checklist
for Starting Your Home Business
By
Lesley Spencer, MSc.
Founder
& Director of
www.HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com
Once
you have decided on your home business, you
will need to take steps to set it up. The
following checklist should help you get your
business off the ground.
q
Before
you begin your home business, check the
zoning ordinances in your area. Call your
city or county government (usually the
planning department, building inspector or
zoning administrator) to check zoning rules.
Your neighborhood also may have
restrictions.
q
Decide
if you will be incorporated. Talk to a
lawyer and check out books on the subject
such as, John Kirk, Incorporating Your
Business, TPR Publishing. Also decide if
you will need patents, trademarks or
copyrights on your work.
q
If you
will be incorporated, a partnership or have
employees, obtain an Employer's
Identification Number (EIN) through the IRS.
Also if you have employees, call the
Employment Commission for information on
unemployment taxes you must pay.
q
Determine if you should charge sales tax on
your product or service (by calling the
State Comptroller's office in most states).
q
Register your business name. Contact your
county courthouse. (DBA-Doing Business As)
q
Obtain
any state or federal licenses if required by
your business.
q
Set up your business
checking and savings accounts. You may want
to deduct a percentage of your earnings to
set aside for taxes. Shop around for banks
that don't charge monthly fees (such as
credit unions).
q
Obtain a
separate business telephone line.
q
Order business
stationary and cards. If you need small
quantities, consider using pre-printed
paper.
q
Talk to
your insurance company about additional
insurance to cover your business equipment,
inventory, liability, etc.
q
Meet
with a CPA regarding tax and accounting
issues. They may be able to point out
deductions you may be eligible for and help
you better understand tax issues.
q
Keep
complete and separate records for your
business. Record each sale, invoice,
receipt, payroll, expense, etc. Keep copies
of all receipts, invoices, cancelled checks,
etc. Record your business mileage in a daily
log book that you keep in your vehicle.
Be
prepared to start your home business by:
·
Developing a business plan.
·
Making
contacts and networking for clients and
customers before you begin your home
business.
·
Checking on health insurance costs and
options.
·
Running
your business part-time if you need the
security of your job.
Have
financial resources if needed to carry
you through the first several months of
starting your business.
Lesley Spencer is founder and
director of the HBWM.com, Inc.
Network which includes: the national
association of Home-Based Working
Moms (www.HBWM.com), Mom’s
Work-at-Home Kit (www.WorkAtHomeKit.com),
the eDirectory of Home Based Careers
(http://edirectoryofhomebasedcareers.com),
Mom's Work-at-Home Site (www.momsworkathomesite.com)
and HBWM Canada
(www.hbwmcanada.com). She has a
Master's Degree in Public Relations
and has been featured in numerous
publications including Forbes, Wall
Street Journal, USA Today, Home
Office Computing, Parenting,
Business Start-Ups, Family PC and
many others. She has been working
from home for over 10 years and has
two children ages 10 and 8.
Is it Time
for a Priorities Check Up?
By
Lesley Spencer, MSc.
Founder
& Director of
www.HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com
Working from home is a dream to many people.
And its true, it comes with many benefits.
Working from home enables moms to plan their
day around children’s needs and schedule.
Having the freedom and flexibility to attend
school functions, play paper dolls at 11:00
a.m. or have an afternoon tea party in the
middle of the living floor are all luxuries
of working from home. Working at home is
great, but be aware, priorities can get
blurred.
Our society admires successful people. Many
people are driven to make a lot of money or
to be well known in their industry so they
can be considered successful and worthy in
people’s eyes. However, it may be more
accurate to believe we are truly successful
when we are happy and content right where we
are. The constant pursuit of more or envying
others’ possessions does not bring
contentment. It brings depression and envy.
If you’ve ever seen celebrities, who are
rich and have “everything”, you’ve probably
noticed many seem empty and unhappy. Having
it all isn’t about money or possessions.
It’s about people and the relationships you
build in your life. Happiness is also about
being content with what we have.
A home business can consume you. If you have
your own home business, you have to use
caution not to let that desire for success
or money consume you or make you lose focus
of your priorities and the people in your
life. The thought of success or making a ton
of money can cause us to forget what’s
really important.
Thinking ahead five years, will you be most
proud that you made a certain amount of
money or that you enjoyed your children
while they were young? Will you think back
to all the rushing around and quick meals
and wish you’d spent more time enjoying
life? Will you have spent time together with
your spouse building a strong marriage? We
know good marriages don’t just happen. They
take work just like everything else. Will
your family life be healthy or will
everything be on the back burner while you
make millions and become “successful”?
We must take a look at our lives and how we
are living often. It is so easy to let
day-to-day life consume us.
Are you happy? If not, why? Are your
priorities in line? Are you placing a
priority on your faith and your family or is
your business consuming your life? Is it
time to re-prioritize things?
Don’t put your happiness and your family on
the back burner. Family and our time
together are too precious to waste.
Lesley Spencer is founder and
director of the HBWM.com, Inc. Network
which includes: the national association
of Home-Based Working Moms (www.HBWM.com),
Mom’s Work-at-Home Kit (www.WorkAtHomeKit.com),
the eDirectory of Home Based Careers (http://edirectoryofhomebasedcareers.com),
Mom's Work-at-Home Site (www.momsworkathomesite.com)
and HBWM Canada
(www.hbwmcanada.com). She has a Master's
Degree in Public Relations and has been
featured in numerous publications
including Forbes, Wall Street Journal,
USA Today, Home Office Computing,
Parenting, Business Start-Ups, Family PC
and many others. She has been working
from home for over 10 years and has two
children ages 10 and 8.
Parent's
Report Card Time
by Lesley Spencer, MSc
A
friend recently told me that
he took his son out for a
burger. While they were
eating, his son said, “Dad,
do you know why I am eating
so slow?” His dad said, “No.
Why?” And his son replied,
“So I can have more time
with you.”
Wow.
Those are powerful,
thought-provoking words.
Kids need their parents.
Kids desire their parents.
They want our attention.
They want our affection. And
kids need our unconditional
love and acceptance.
How
are you doing in that area?
Maybe its time for
us as parents to get a
report card. What type of
grade would you give
yourself in the following
areas? And perhaps more
importantly, how would your
children grade you? Take a
moment to grade yourself and
if you are up for it, ask
your children to grade you
as well.
q
I praise my kids when they
make good choices.
_A _B _C _D _F
q
I look for opportunities to
encourage my children. I’m
their best cheerleader. _A
_B _C _D _F
q
I point out their strengths
and build up their
self-esteem any chance I
can. _A _B _C _D _F
q
I comfort them in their
disappointments. _A _B _C _D
_F
q
I enter into my child’s
world by sharing time and
talking with him or her
daily. _A _B _C _D _F
q
I apologize to my kids if I
respond in anger or make a
mistake as a parent. _A _B
_C _D _F
q
I ask questions instead of
jumping to conclusions.
_A _B _C _D _F
q
I let them know I am a safe
place if they need to talk.
_A _B _C _D _F
q
I look for teachable moments
to teach my kids strong
values. _A _B _C _D _F
q
I try to role model healthy,
moral choices for my
children.
_A _B _C _D _F
q
I don’t withhold affection,
praise or attention from my
child as punishment. _A _B
_C _D _F
q
I don’t put unrealistic
expectations on my children.
_A _B _C _D _F
q
I discipline in love, not in
anger. _A _B _C _D _F
q
I let my children know they
are loved unconditionally
and without qualification.
_A _B _C _D _F
A
statement that has stayed
with me for a long time is
“Rules
without Relationship = Rebellion.”
Creating and maintaining
lasting, deep, trusting
relationships with our
children is not quick, and
it is not easy. But is it
worth it? I think you know
the answer.
There
are definitely areas I need
to improve in as a parent.
How about you? Like our
children, we will get
another report card. If you
need to improve in some
areas, take some time to
work on them.
One
thing I make sure to tell my
children often is that there
is absolutely nothing they
can do to make me love them
any less. Sure, they can
cause me to be disappointed,
very disappointed, and even
angry. But my love for them
will never lessen. And my
kids know that. To me, that
deserves an “A”.
Lesley Spencer is
founder and director of
the HBWM.com, Inc.
Network which includes:
the national association
of Home-Based Working
Moms (www.HBWM.com), Mom’s
Work-at-Home Kit (www.WorkAtHomeKit.com) the
eDirectory of Home Based
Careers (http://edirectoryofhomebasedcareers.com), Mom's
Work-at-Home Site (www.momsworkathomesite.com) and
HBWM Canada (www.hbwmcanada.com). She
has a Master's Degree in
Public Relations and has
been featured in
numerous publications
including Forbes, Wall
Street Journal, USA
Today, Home Office
Computing, Parenting,
Business Start-Ups,
Family PC and many
others. She has been
working from home for
over 10 years and has
two children ages 10 and
8 .
Tips for Staying Fit and
Healthy at Home
By Lesley Spencer, MSc.
Founder & Director of
www.HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com
Many Americans these days
are finding themselves out
of shape and overweight. Why
is that? The bottom line is
we are taking in more
calories than we are
burning. It takes a
conscious effort to reduce
calories, eat healthier and
get regular exercise.
Exercise does not have to be
a dreaded word either. The
good news is that exercise
gives you more energy,
stress relief, better
health, clearer focus,
sharper mind, better sleep,
better bone health, better
sex life, and it decreases
the risk of cancers, heart
attacks and heart problems.
Forget the benefits of just
looking good and realize
exercise not only makes you
feel good, it can help you
live a longer, healthier
life.
Here are some tips to get
you on your way to a
healthier lifestyle:
- Put your workout
clothes on first thing
in the morning. You'll
feel more "obligated" to
exercise once you are
dressed in your workout
clothes.
- Use music to
energize and motivate
you to exercise. Get a
few great CDs that
energize you. Turn it up
and jam out! The music
will motivate you and
help the time pass by
more quickly!
- Always keep a water
bottle and a healthy
snack with you. When you
get hungry, go for the
healthy snack instead of
heading to the pantry.
Try to keep your water
bottle full so that you
can drink plenty of
water throughout the
day.
- Follow the two-bite
rule. If there's
something you absolutely
must have, take two
bites and be done!
You'll get your fix and
be proud of your will
power to put it down!
- No time for
exercise? Make a goal to
walk for 30 minutes at
least three times a
week. You'll find if you
make it a priority, you
can fit it in. Try going
right after breakfast or
after taking your kids
to school.
- Need to be motivated
to exercise? Find one or
two workout partners to
motivate one another. If
you don't have anyone
near by, find a virtual
workout buddy on the
HBWM.com Self-Care
message boards. Share
successes, motivate one
another and just enjoy
doing something for
yourself!
- Keep a diary of what
you eat for a few days.
Calculate your intake
and decide where you
should cut back. (You
can find nutritional
charts on the Mom's
Assistant section of
HBWM.com.)
- If you have cravings
for something sweet, try
eating something tart to
curb the craving such as
a pickle. If you crave
crunchy salty snacks,
try having an apple
instead.
Take the leap. Commit
to exercising a few days
a week and before you
know it, the benefits
will be their own
motivator! You will feel
better, look better and
be better.
Lesley Spencer
is founder and
director of the
HBWM.com, Inc.
Network which
includes: the
national association
of Home-Based
Working Moms (www.HBWM.com),
Mom’s Work-at-Home
Kit (www.WorkAtHomeKit.com),
the eDirectory of
Home Based Careers (http://edirectoryofhomebasedcareers.com),
Mom's Work-at-Home
Site (www.momsworkathomesite.com)
and HBWM Canada
(www.hbwmcanada.com).
She has a Master's
Degree in Public
Relations and has
been featured in
numerous
publications
including Forbes,
Wall Street Journal,
USA Today, Home
Office Computing,
Parenting, Business
Start-Ups, Family PC
and many others. She
has been working
from home for over
10 years and has two
children ages 10 and
8.
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