Mommy Has to Work

Modern Workplaces – 5 Benefits of a Serviced Office and Why You Need One

August 9, 2018 By Anne

Photo by Nastuh Abootalebi on Unsplash

As a small business or start-up owner, there’s no doubt you already know that leasing office space is an enormous expense. As well as the cost of rent, you also have to shell out significant sums for everything from technology and furniture through to utilities and maintenance. Maintaining an office that is functional and helpful to each person can help them feel like they are part of a team rather than a corporate machine. When choosing office rental options in DC, you will get the possibility to pick a space that fits both your budget and needs that can help you move your company in the right direction. Every business owner dreams of having a company that flourishes stably, and the place that the employees work in can contribute a lot to how happy they are!

Professionalism

If you’ve been running your business out of your home, a serviced office may be just what you need to give your organisation a professional edge. There are plenty of quality serviced offices available in pretty much any major city that look stunning and modern and are equipped with the latest technology, offering your business the ideal platform to focus on growth. Additionally, inviting clients to meet with you at your new centrally located office, rather than your study at home, will help to make a positive and professional first impression.

Pay as You Go

Another significant benefit of serviced offices is that you’ll only ever pay for what you use, which can help you save thousands of dollars in the long run. Most providers help you tailor a package to suit the requirements of your business and offer additional facilities for hire only when you need them, such as boardrooms and workshop spaces. Likewise, if your company goes through an unexpected period of growth, it’s simple to upgrade your package to include more room to accommodate your new staff members.

Flexibility

If you’re in the process of establishing your business and aren’t certain whether you should commit to a long-term lease in case your venture doesn’t work out, opting for a serviced office is the perfect solution. Most serviced office providers ask for rent payments on a rolling month-to-month basis, which gives your business freedom and flexibility that you otherwise wouldn’t have with a traditional office.

Support Services

When your business is in its initial stages or experiencing a significant growth period, it can be challenging to focus on time-consuming and mundane administrative duties. Fortunately, most serviced offices offer expert administrative and secretarial facilities should you need them. These include telephone answering and mail services to keep your business running smoothly. Many also provide on-site technical and IT support to assist you in case your technology encounters issues.

No Downtime

Setting up a new office space is a lengthy and often stressful process that can interrupt how your business operations for weeks as you manage the transition. With a serviced office, this issue is eliminated since your new office space will be ready to go from the moment you step through the door. This allows you to continue focusing on your business without waiting around for furniture companies to deliver your office chairs or internet and phone providers to connect your essential services.

Entering a long-term commercial lease agreement is a significant commitment that doesn’t allow for breathing room should things not go to plan. Unforeseen hurdles may put your business at risk of losing significant amounts of money. Fortunately, serviced offices provide tailored, flexible solutions that grow with your business and take the stress out of having a professional office space while saving you thousands in the process.

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

Disney store Launches New “Disney Store’s Sleep Shop Hotline” and Expert Tips to Infuse Magic into Bedtime for Families and Fans

August 8, 2018 By Marijean

Disney store Launches New “Disney store’s Sleep Shop Hotline” and Expert Tips to Infuse Magic into Bedtime for Families and Fans

Call 1-877-7-MICKEY to hear five special messages from beloved Disney characters

Parents agree that putting kids to bed can be stressful, and a recent study showed that 77 percent of parents are exhausted by the process of getting their children to bed[1]. Beginning today, families and fans can add a little Disney magic into the bedtime routine with the new Disney store’s Sleep Shop Hotline*. The toll-free number, 1-877-7-MICKEY, has five special messages from Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and Goofy to give kids something to look forward to at bedtime. The phone number will run from today through August 31 and is available throughout the United States and Canada.

In an effort to help improve the bedtime battle, Disney store and shopDisney have launched a new “Sleep Shop” assortment of children’s sleep items and have teamed up with Lauren Olson, a certified pediatric sleep coach and founder of “Sleep and the City” to give her top tips to help parents trouble shoot common sleep challenges.

Lauren commented, “As a mom of two extremely busy toddlers, I know keeping consistent napping schedules and bedtime routines can be a major production – from stall tactics to short naps and pre-dawn wake ups, it can be hard on everyone in the household. I love that Disney store is providing families with some easy, fun tools, like a sleep rewards chart and light up plush toy, to try and alleviate some of the stresses associated with sleep!”

Lauren’s top tips for common sleep challenges:

Early Wake Up

This is common! If your child is waking up every morning before 6am, it’s time to invest in a black out shades and a light or clock that illuminates when it’s time to get out of bed in the morning.

Won’t Go to Sleep

If your child suddenly refuses to fall asleep on their own or is waking up in the middle of the night, consider introducing a “friend” which is only offered a sleepy time. This can be a blanket or favorite stuffed animal, like the new Cuddleez! This oversized plush can even double as a pillow for toddlers when traveling.

Be Consistent

Consistency is key. Decide on a consistent, yet flexible schedule that works for your life and stick to it as best possible.

Scared at Night

If your child tells you they are scared at night, introduce a “nighttime friend” that is only offered at bed time, and encourage your child to hold, squeeze or sing to their friend should they wake worried at night.

The “Sleep Shop” is home to a new assortment of kids sleep items across Disney, Disney∙Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel including sleep rewards charts, light up drinkware and plush, slippers and new pajama sets ranging from $14.95 – $29.95. To check out the full array of sleep shop offerings and see Lauren’s full tips, visit www.shopDisney.com/sleep-shop. To locate your closest Disney store location, visit our locator map here.

* Limit 1 message per call. If calling using a mobile phone, standard mobile charges may apply.

Connect with Disney store on social media:

Instagram: @shopDisney

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopdisney

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/shopdisney/

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

Wordless Wednesday

August 8, 2018 By Marijean

Sunrise at Jax beach

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

How to Find the Right Eyewear

August 6, 2018 By Anne

Photo Credit

Eyewear is an essential accessory for some of us. When we can’t quite see as well as we need to, it’s necessary to intervene. While some of us may not admit that our eyesight isn’t perfect, it usually becomes impossible to ignore. At that time, we finally have to break down and visit the optometrist.

Sometimes that’s the easy part. The process of going through an exam and getting a prescription from the doctor is fairly straightforward. It’s choosing what to wear that gets tough. In other words, the lenses are easy, but the frames are tough.

Perhaps the most important factor to consider first is where you’ll be wearing the glasses. If you have an office job and spend most days working with a computer or dealing with documents, you have a lot more flexibility in your frames. You can basically focus entirely on the looks, on choosing a set of frames that will best flatter your face while giving you that improved eyesight that you so desperately need.

Not everyone pushes paper all day, though. Some people are outdoors from sunrise to sundown every day, and their primary focus on glasses will be protection from the sun. It does no good to compensate for imperfect eyesight when you have to squint all day just to be able to work.

The outdoor worker with a need for glasses is just the market that Wiley X Sunglasses were made for. These sunglasses will help you fend off the irritating and damaging rays of the sun without sacrificing your ability to focus on the work at hand.

You may wonder just how much that really matters. After all, most of us that work outside are doing things from a distance, like driving a truck or operating a piece of heavy equipment. Just how good does our eyesight need to be in those situations, right?

Of course, that’s not exactly the case. While there are plenty of us out there earning a living in the great outdoors who don’t necessarily need eagle eyes to do what we do, there is plenty of precision involved in many outdoor jobs.

Think of the military, for example. They spend most of their waking hours (and even some of their sleeping hours) watching for enemy combatants. They’re looking through binoculars or utilizing FLIR to detect nighttime threats, and they need absolute precision when the time comes to engage those threats.

The same is true of police, firefighters, and paramedics. Sure, they are most visible when they are on the road, but at the scene of an incident, they’re reading a driver’s license or interpreting the display on a heart monitor.

Workers involved in construction trades need strong eyesight as they compare a site viewed at a distance to a plan printed on paper right in front of them. Those transitions of distance are a key part of good eyesight.

Of course, the prescription and tinting aren’t the only factors. The fit is vital as well. There is no benefit to correcting your eyesight if you can’t keep your glasses on your face. When you’re doing vigorous physical work and your face is wet with sweat or rain, a pair of glasses that don’t fit will stay so far out of position as to be useless. So as you audition various frames, make sure you’re doing more than gazing into the mirror with them. Bend over. Shake your head. Look up, look down, look side to side. Do anything you can think of to simulate a day’s activities.

Some people dread having to get glasses, thinking they’ll become an impediment instead of a benefit. And if they don’t function right or fit right, they will. But a good set of glasses designed for the daily activities you’ll be doing while you wear them will not only help you see better, they’ll help you feel better, be safer, and be more effective in whatever you do.

Anne

Three Hobbies That Can Actually Make You Money

August 2, 2018 By Anne

Hobbies are a great way to pass the time. They serve as a diversion, a mode for one to relax and relieve stress after a busy week at work. But hobbies aren’t just for fun. They can be profitable too!

Through a hobby, you can still be productive while destressing in your downtime. In fact, some people earn money on the side through their passions, and others even leave their day jobs to dedicate more time to their craft.

If you do want to follow suit, you must be certain that your passion is truly lucrative before you tender your resignation to become a frustrated artist. Go over this list, and think twice if your favorite pastime isn’t included.

Writing

If you’ve got a gift and a passion for the written word, then you can write for a living. Yes, you can make money from your words!

Are you familiar with how the internet works, with how online businesses thrive? Basically, the more relevant content their websites contain, the higher they’ll rank in search engines, and the quicker they’ll be seen by potential customers. This also means that the internet is highly dynamic, and online businesses rely on a constant influx of content to survive.

Enter you, the writer. You are one of the crucial cogs to producing content. It is your words that enable companies to rise ranks in search engines. Many business hire freelance writers to write content for their websites.

However, if you’re thinking of turning writing into a full-time job, which is feasible if you can write, step away from your computer and work using a smart typewriter. That way, you won’t be distracted by games and apps and will churn out more quality content. The better and faster you write, the higher you can set your rate.

Crafting

Crafting is an umbrella term for a number of different hobbies. However, they share one common aspect. They are all geared toward creating objects from raw materials.

Though there are corporations that manufacture products in bulk, there are still consumers who buy crafted products from small-time artisans一perhaps such items are cheaper, better in quality, or more charming. Society loves innovation, and if you’re able to produce creative and excellent work, you may be able to put up a business of your own.

With today’s technology, you can even operate online so it’ll be more convenient and you’ll have more access to people around the world. You can use affordable craft supplies, and you won’t have to worry about overhead expenses typical of physical storefronts.

You may even get a huge amount of commission! And if you’ve built up your portfolio, some of those requests may come from influential sources that can boost your exposure, thereby giving you much-needed advertising.

At the very least, you’ll sell a few trinkets to tourists. Not too bad considering that it’s just a hobby.

Gaming

Ever heard of esports? Gamers compete with one another in tournaments, and whoever wins gets the pot, which can sometimes reach millions of dollars, depending on the scale of the tourney. It’s a lucrative hobby that people with money even started team franchises and training them up like real athletes. If this is something you are interested in, you need to make sure that you have a good gaming setup, as well as an internet connection that can keep up with the demands of esports. A simple wifi speed test can show you what speeds you are currently getting, which will then help you decide whether or not you need to upgrade before you start your esports journey.

However, by that time, gaming becomes more of a job than a hobby, and if you’re not that elite you don’t want to risk time and dedication for competitive play, there are alternative ways you can make money off video games.

One method is through streaming. Basically, whenever you play a game, you log in to a streaming platform (Twitch.tv being the most popular) then broadcast your game live.

Other users of that platform can subscribe to your “channel” to watch you play. There are many ways one can earn through those channels, but commonly, one can get a portion for the view count for every broadcasted video or for the number of subscribers you have.

But why do people watch other people play games? Well, like in traditional sports, streaming is a form of entertainment, one that’s fast becoming legitimate in modern society.

Didn’t See Your Hobby in the List?

These three are just atypical examples of hobbies that can start a career. If your passion isn’t listed above, you may still be able to make a bit of cash with it provided you’re really, really, really talented in your field.

All you need is to find the right audience/clientele to focus your efforts on. Today, it’s easy to do that with the Internet at your fingertips.

Knowing that, if you’re still planning to leave your job to pursue your passion, do so only after you have a steady income from doing it. When you earn more from your hobby than your job, then that’s the perfect time to turn your hobby into your livelihood.

Photo URL: https://unsplash.com/photos/ls92YZ3R5Wo