Mommy Has to Work

How to Run a Professional Home Business

June 29, 2023 By Anne

Many parents have taken on the task of setting up and running a home business. This is a great option, as it allows you the flexibility you need to look after your family, while still earning an income. You can even scale up your business as your children get older and go to school.

However, juggling a home business with family life can be difficult. If you want to run a successful business, you may have to make some changes to ensure that you can focus on your work. One thing that can make a huge difference to your business is professionalism.

Image Credit.

What is Professionalism?

Simply put, professionalism is a way to display competence. A professional person is someone who you can trust to get the job done correctly and within their deadlines. It should influence how you dress and speak, and can have a huge impact on your clients.

Professionalism also influences the people working, whether you work alone or with a team. If you have a professional mindset, then you will be more focused on the job at hand. It’s an important quality to have, both for your own benefit and for your clients.

One way to make your business seem more professional is by using business cards and other business media to advertise your business. This involves using printing plates to create identical, professional items. Look into “What are printing plates?” to learn more about this process and how you can create these items for your company.

Professional Appearance

Professionalism can look different in different circumstances. For example, a professional lawyer will look very different from a professional plumber, but this doesn’t mean that someone should wear a suit and tie when they’re trying to fix your pipes.

Professional attire should be appropriate for your industry. The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to wear business attire when working from home. However, it is beneficial to make some effort, even if clients won’t see you.

Your clothing doesn’t just impact what people think of you, but it also influences your mindset. If you’re dressed in your PJs, then you might not be in the right mindset for work. But if you are washed and dressed, then you’re ready for the day.

Home Office

Another way to make your business more professional is to change where you work. Your workplace will directly influence your mindset and how productive you are when working. If possible, set up a home office in an isolated place in your home.

Some people are even able to set up a garden office that is separate from their homes. This has the benefit of a non-existent commute, while also giving you an office that is easily separated from the rest of your life.

If your children are old enough, make sure that they understand when you’re working. They will always take priority, but fewer distractions will allow you to work more efficiently and get back to the rest of your life sooner.

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!

The Best Of A Bad Situation: Canceling Your Vacation

June 19, 2023 By Anne

It’s never something done with a happy heart, but there are a lot of things that can force you to cancel your vacation. It could be an injury, illness, family matters you have to attend to, or plans have changed with your travel company or even the country that you’re going to. However, while you might want to mourn your travel plans, it’s a good idea to get into gear and do what you can to salvage what you can, including the money spent on the trip so far.

Picture – CC0 License

Can you reschedule?

You may not have to cancel your trip entirely if, for instance, your flight is canceled or your hotel doesn’t have the room that you were expecting. There’s a good chance that your airline will be able to get you on another flight, and you can always find another accommodation. Get what refunds you should and see if you can’t be flexible with your plans. Of course, it might mean making a call to work and letting them know you might need an extra day or two off, but most employers should be accommodating. If worst comes to worst, save the money you get back from your canceled trip and put it into the budget for your next trip, instead.

Make good use of your coverage

If you’re ever spending any significant amount of money on a vacation, then you shouldn’t do it without the necessary protection. Travel insurance providers like Generali are primarily there to help you recoup your losses if your vacation falls through. Just make sure that you’re fully aware of which reasons for trip cancellation are covered, and that you meet the requirements. If you have to cancel because you change your mind or because you have a cold, that might not get covered. More serious health issues will, as will most issues that are entirely out of your control, like issues with your flight provider. Either way, it’s better to have insurance than to not have insurance, that’s a certainty.

Keep all evidence you can

You may be able to get your insurance provider to cover everything, or you might be able to get a refund from your airline, but to do that, you should make sure that you have all the evidence you need. Keep hold of every bit of correspondence regarding your vacation and its cancellation. An itemized bill of all of your expenses, any refund promises, invoices for your accommodation, any emails or letters sent for the reason for cancellation, and the like, should all be kept. Don’t take too long to start filing your claim, either, as some providers do have a limit on how long you can file it. You need to cross your i’s and dot your t’s to get what you’re owed.

You might not be able to get absolutely everything back, and you can’t undo the pain of having to watch your plans go up in smoke, but with the tips above, you can ensure a canceled trip doesn’t take everything from you.

Anne

Practical Tips For Personalizing Your Living Space

June 11, 2023 By Anne

Acquiring a new home is a significant and exciting step. However, your new property may not always reflect your personality and preferences, as the fixtures, paint colors, and finishes were likely picked based on the previous owner’s taste. You can add your unique stamp to your new house before or after moving in. Thankfully, you don’t need a complete overhaul to do this. Below are eight helpful tips to guide you in personalizing your new home.

Get inspired

Image Credit

Making many design decisions may be intimidating, especially after you’ve committed to buying a home. Fortunately, you can count on your local home builder for ideas on the personalization you seek. Walking around the property will give you a sense of its layout, so you can consider the specifics and get ideas for how you want the place to look. Choosing the right expert means you can envision how you’d live in it, as an experienced builder can show you home types and designs to illustrate alternative layouts and specification options.

Add a fun outdoor feature

An outdoor feature can bring life to your new home without taking up excess space. Consider a fire pit, porch swing, alfresco dining table, hammock, or BBQ area to invite family and friends to visit. Remember to give ample shade for bright days and make room for privacy if that is a problem when freshening up your outdoor area. Installing outdoor lights also brings warmth to your patio or garden and improves the mood. Outdoor seating spaces or a customized deck provide an ideal backdrop for hosting or relaxing with your loved ones. With so many possibilities, incorporating an outdoor feature into your new home may convert it into a one-of-a-kind and personalized space that represents your personality and taste.

Install layer lighting

Recessed downlights offer excellent lighting. However, it would be best not to rely solely on them. You can go beyond that to explore other options like light layering, which will provide depth and mood, and milder lighting to provide the right ambiance. You can use several charming side lamps in your living areas and guestrooms to create interest. For instance, a pendant, stunning woven straw shade, or worn brass can produce striking patterns on your walls. If you want to define the space, why not place an island unit or hang a chandelier above the dining table to create a personal touch? Placing lights on your floors can also be terrific for adding some personality.

Treat your stairs

By painting the treads a clean white hue and applying shades of a single color, you can give your staircase a new and modern appeal. You may also alter that area using numbers, text, or wallpaper. If you have a carpeted staircase, you may refresh its appearance by laying down a new runner. Whatever your style preferences, treating your stairs can help create an inviting atmosphere in your home that is truly unique to you. So why not discover how to treat your stairs today and add some personality to your home?

Install wallpaper in your bathroom

Image Credit

Suppose you are up for a more ambitious project. In that case, an eccentric statement wallpaper may make your bath your own. A less-used area like this is ideal for experimenting with strong patterns and tones. Remember that if you’re wallpapering a complete bath with a tub or shower rather than a powder room, you’ll want to choose a solution that can handle humidity and avoid applying wallpaper in the “splash zone.” If you can’t afford a full bathroom renovation, there is no need to worry, as you can still spruce up the area with minor changes. You can start by replacing the cabinet hardware, towel bars, water faucets, and lighting fixtures and installing a mirror instead of an outdated medicine cabinet. This change can provide a noticeable refreshing appeal to the bathroom’s overall aesthetic.

Take another look at your windows

Window treatments can be an excellent way to add personality and style to your new home. From customized shades and blinds to colorful curtains or stylish shutters, there are countless ways to personalize your windows and make them an essential part of your home’s decor. You can choose fabrics, textures, and patterns to match your home’s overall aesthetic and enhance any room’s look and feel. For instance, you can choose fitted textured bamboo or Roman blinds, a simple layered design, or roller shades with drapes to add a decorative element to elevate your new home. Use identical liner fabric for all windows when picking window coverings for a uniform view from the street. Meanwhile, energy efficient picture windows can be an excellent way to add versatility to both modern and traditional homes, giving you an excellent view while still allowing you to conserve energy around your home.

Add storage

If you’re short on space for storage in areas like your bathroom, replace the mirror with an elegant but functional mirrored cabinet, and build a floating shelf to maximize the wall area without sacrificing valuable floor space. Consider a standalone storage container or a bathroom ladder if you don’t mind having your toiletries on display. Many new homes lack enough bedroom storage. However, consider purchasing custom-made built-in closets to fit your specific measurements if this is your situation. You may then install the appropriate set of shelves and rails

Hang some personal memories

Image Credit

Hanging a few treasured photographs on the wall is one of the most effective methods to make your new spot seem like home. If you’re worried about making holes in your walls before deciding where everything will go, buy detachable picture-hanging strips to replace nails. You can also mix and match different styles and sizes of frames for a creative and eclectic look. So, start digging through your photo albums and explore your options for displaying your pictures in your new home today. You can make this fun by involving your loved ones in the photo selection.

Are you ready to make the most of your new home and create a living place representing your distinct personality? It’s time to begin exploring the several possibilities available. While there are many options worth considering, those listed above are a few great places to start.

Anne

Traveling to a Foreign Country for the First Time: 5 Things to Help You Do It Right!

June 11, 2023 By Anne

Image – CC0 License

If you are traveling abroad for the first time, there is a lot to take on board when preparing yourself to go to another country overseas. It gives you an abundance of opportunities, but it can be a very daunting experience, especially for families who haven’t done any traveling for a number of years because of the pandemic or haven’t done any traveling at all! This is why it’s worth bearing in mind some of the following when it comes to getting the most out of your international travel experience.

Understand the Country

It’s a good idea to do some research on the country to give you a better insight into the traditions, culture, and language. While you may want to test your French pronunciation and language skills, it’s just as important to get a bigger picture of the country you are traveling to. While you may be venturing to another country as a tourist and plan on having a lot of downtime, it’s common courtesy to ensure that you get a good grasp of the country and the culture. While ordering food in a foreign language isn’t necessary, it’s always beneficial to show willingness. When you show hotel staff or waiters that you have taken the time to learn a few key phrases or have gone beyond the basics, this will result in a far better relationship with everyone.

Prioritize Safety

It is a good idea to understand the country better so you know the places that are safe for tourists, but you also should have some street-smart knowledge. When you’re walking around, if you have bags and wallets unsecured and you venture into a place that is very tourist-heavy, you have to have your wits about you. It’s important to enjoy ourselves, but we should think about keeping most of our valuables in the hotel safe or being a bit more vigilant when we are in unknown areas. As beneficial as it is to go exploring, you need to determine the comfort level of yourself and the family so you minimize risk. It’s a good idea to share your itineraries and information for your accommodation and tour guides with a family member or friend back home so someone knows where you’re supposed to be, just in case the worst-case scenario happens.

Get Travel Insurance

Lots of people avoid getting travel insurance because they think it’s way too expensive, but since COVID, it is becoming far more of an essential practice. Anything can happen when you go traveling, so you need to have something in place to cover medical expenses or ensure you can get medical help overseas. Depending on where you go, healthcare providers may very well ask you to pay upfront for treatment, and this is where travel insurance can cover all of those expenses. And if you need to get home quickly, it can cover the costs of returning you home safe and sound. Travel insurance doesn’t just cover medical emergencies, but it can help if you experience delayed or canceled flights, lost baggage, or even financial problems.

Getting Ready for the Time Difference

If you are venturing from the US to Europe, there can be at least an eight-hour difference. Jet lag can be very difficult to deal with, and learning how to fight jet lag is not about pushing yourself to stay awake as long as possible, although this might be useful. If you have a vacation booked, the best thing you can do is to start moving your body clock closer to that time. This might not be feasible, but for example, if your destination is eight hours ahead, if you can at least get your body clock four hours ahead of what you are normally used to, this can help offset that terrible sickness feeling that comes with jet lag. You should also drink a lot of water during the flights and spend the first couple of days taking it easy, especially if you have young children. If you schedule too much, you could run the risk of burning out and feeling like you need another vacation upon your return!

Do Not Overpack

It might be the vacation of a lifetime, in which case you may feel like you need to pack anything and everything. But packing light will help you travel far easier, especially when it comes to taking luggage up a flight of stairs or navigating public transport. You should pack appropriately for the country you’re traveling to, for example, warm clothes in a cold destination, but make sure that you leave some room for souvenirs!

There are many ways to prepare for travel, and some of these will always make a significant difference in the quality of your vacation.

Anne

Only Got 20 Minutes To Make Dinner? A Tasty Meal Is Possible!

June 7, 2023 By Anne

So you’ve had a long day, you’ve got the house to clean now you’re home (or a side hustle to dedicate time to!), and the kids need help with homework and putting to bed too. What does that mean? You’ve got less than an hour to make and enjoy dinner! But don’t panic – even if you’ve only got 20 to 30 minutes to whip up a good meal, you can make dinner taste amazing! So without further ado, here are some ideas for cooking fast, tasty, and healthy.

dinner

Pexels Image – CC0 Licence

Pasta Dishes are a Quick Staple

Pasta is a big staple of the food cupboard and you’re likely to have some kicking about right now. Get the kettle or pan on for boiling water, grab the packet out, and throw a good few portions in. Then get a sauce jar out the fridge, or make your own by pureeing a can of tomatoes or melting butter and cheese together. The whole process will only take about 15 minutes, and you’ll have something super rich to eat when you’re done.

Chicken Won’t Take Long

Chicken, while a dangerous food to undercook, can be very easy to cook fast when you need something protein packed NOW! If you’ve got some in the fridge, unwrap it and get it on the grill or in the pan. You can use this easy grilled chicken tenders recipe, or you can mix it in with some sauce and add an egg, or you can chop it up and sprinkle it over a salad. Easy, done in about 10 minutes (depending on how small/thin you cut your pieces), and always scrumptious to dig into.

Throw Some Ingredients in a Wrap

If you’ve got a pack of tortillas in the kitchen right now, you can throw whatever you like in the middle of them and then wrap them up. Leftover ham offcuts? A bit of broccoli you don’t know what else to do with? A pack of rice that takes 2 minutes in the microwave? All of these ingredients can go in a wrap and the flavors will mesh well together. And remember, these tend to be super filling, so you’ll only need one or two per person.

Salads and Bread Baskets Will Fill You Up

If all else fails, and you’ve got some bread on the side and lettuce leaves in the fridge, you can make a salad with a bread side. Add some onions or celery to the salad if you can, sprinkle some cheese on top, and then toast the bread and cover it with some garlic butter. Should only take you about 10 minutes to melt the butter and minced garlic together, or if that’s not possible, simple bread and butter will do!

20 minutes for dinner time? We’ve got you covered! Use meal ideas like these to make the kitchen work go fast and the food go down easy. When done, you can then leave someone else to clear up!