Tips for WAHMS

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For work at home moms, there is no job description. No one would have the time to write one. After all, a work at home mom not only has a job, but also has the job of taking care of the kids, the home, the meals, the laundry…and the list goes on and on. You don't get training for this type of job, no sick days exist, and many days you may feel like you are struggling to keep a hold of your sanity and the peace within your home. There are definitely some things out there that can help to alleviate the stress that moms are dealing with. So, here is a list of five things every work at home mom needs.


An Understanding and Helpful Husband
Being a work at home mom is hard enough. If your husband isn't understanding and helpful, it becomes that much more difficult. There are some husbands out there that don't seem to get the idea that a work at home basically works two jobs and more. Lol. I'm fortunate enough to have a husband that is very understanding and helpful and it helps to take some of the stress and strain off me.


A Great Bed
Every work at home mom must have a great bed. Sure, the time spent in that bed may not be long, but when you have the opportunity to kick back and sleep, you definitely want to have a comfortable bed that you can comfortably enjoy some good sleep.


A Pair of Good Running Shoes
No doubt you spend a lot of time running around. You run to the grocery store, take the kids to school and other events, chase after the kids, and more. You need a great pair of running shoes. You may even want to use them to run away for a short bit during the day.


DVR
Of course you don't have time to watch television during the day. You're working, cleaning, or the kids are hogging the television. A DVR can help you make sure you actually can record and save your favorite shows. This way when work is over and the kids are finally in sleepy land, you can kick back and enjoy a few minutes of peace watching a great show.


Lots of Chocolate
Come on. Every work at home mom needs chocolate. There is just something about chocolate that is invigorating. It can make a bad day better. It can allow you a moment in your day to totally relax and enjoy the incredible taste. There are many "powers" to chocolate. Make sure you have some around, particularly on your busiest days.

Armed with these five things, a work at home mom can survive. I hope you have enjoyed this bit of humor in your day. Any other additions you have? Feel free to comment on Tips 4 WAHMs to let us know what you think.

Hi all you moms out there. Thanks for dropping by Tips 4 WAHMs. I know you are all busy, and if you are anything like me, you can use a good laugh. So, today I'm bringing you a few "Funnies for Moms." I think you'll enjoy them. Grab a cup of coffee (or your beverage of choice), sit back, get ready to laugh, and enjoy!!!

Welcome back to Tips for WAHMs - I hope you are ready for today's quick tip of the day for WAHMs. When you work at home, sometimes it is difficult to get it through the "thick" heads of others that yes, you actually work. Some seem to have the idea that since you are working from your home, you can do whatever you want, or worse, what THEY want you to do. If you are trying to make some money, this can be frustrating to you as a work at home mom.

Today's quick tip of the day for WAHMs is this - don't let people take advantage of you!!! It's all to easy to drop what you are doing to take care of things for someone else. It can be any number of things. Someone wants to talk on the phone for hours, they want you to take them somewhere, they want to come over for dinner, they want you to go out with them, or they have some task they'd like your help with.

This is where you learn to say "NO!" Sure, there is some flexibility when you work at home, but without discipline you won't be able to accomplish the things you need to do and make a living. You must be first committed to your family, then to your business, and other people come last. It's time you start standing up for yourself when people try to take advantage of you.

You can kindly let others know that you work hard and you need to focus on your business. Let them know that there are some times you just can't drop work and go do whatever they want you to. Of course this doesn't mean you can't plan a time to go out with them or help them out. Just let them know that they have to work around your schedule, and not the other way around.

You work hard as a work at home mom. So, don't let others take advantage of you and ruin your profitable business. Stand firm, but do it kindly. It will make a big difference.

Hi there and welcome back to Tips 4 WAHMs. I hope you had a wonderful weekend and had some time to catch up on some rest.

Today we are back to the quick tip of the day for WAHMs and I have a great tip that I often need to remember myself.

Today's quick tip of the day is this: Get Out of the House!!!!!

When you are a work at home mom, you live at home and you work at home as well. Now while this comes along with many advantages, it can also have a few drawbacks. If you don't get out enough, soon you are going to feel like the walls are closing in - yes…cabin fever.

I know I deal with this a lot and I'm really happy to have a husband who does his best to make sure I get out of the house. He's probably better about remembering it than I am.

Sometimes I get so buried in my work and everything that comes along with running a home and having a family, that I totally forget to take time to get out. In fact, just a personal example, a couple weeks ago I had enough. I told my husband I needed to get out, left the house, and went out for the afternoon.

While I was out, I didn't do anything to exciting. Went shopping, didn't find anything I liked, ordered Chinese food for the family, and came home and didn't have to cook. Later that night I shut myself in the master suite, did some hair care and nail care, took a nice bath, and by the end of the day I felt like a new person.

My husband is great about surprising me and taking me out for lunch or we plan an early afternoon movie date to get out of the house. I think he's found that getting me out of the house is good for HIS sanity. LOL!

If you work at home or you are a stay at home mom, try to get out. Even if it's just for a cup of coffee, a trip to the library, or a walk to the mailbox. Remember there is a big world out there. Don't let yourself get closed in or you'll begin to feel restless, frustrated, and irritated.

Welcome back to Tips 4 WAHMs. Hump day is over, and in two more days the weekend will be here. I know that sounds as great to all of you as it does to me!

One thing I have noticed as a work at home mom is that sometimes it is easy to let the stress levels get out of control. You know what I mean. Your face turns red, you feel like you are going to boil over, your blood pressure goes through the roof, and once again you get that nagging pain in your back…a sure sign that you are stressed again.

Unfortunately all that stress really has a negative impact on your life. However, when you are trying to meet deadlines, worrying about the bills, trying to get dinner done on time, and working on that mountain of laundry, it's definitely hard to keep from getting stressed out. Over time it can become a lifestyle of stress, which can have you at the breaking point before you know it.

As a mom, especially one who works at home, you don't have time for a meltdown. So, what can you do to combat all that stress? Well, that's what I want to talk to you about with today's quick tip of the day for WAHMs. The tip? Crank up those tunes!

Yep, it's as simple as music. Music has been proven to provide healing effects to the body and it also helps to relieve stress as well. Although this isn't the only thing you should be doing to tone down the feelings of stress in your life, it's definitely a great one that provides results.

It doesn't matter what kind of music you use. Choose the music you enjoy. Maybe you've heard classical music is relaxing. Well, personally I find it to be at times, but if you hate classical music it won't do the trick. Chill out to tunes that you really enjoy. Pick out a play list of your favorite tunes (I use iTunes on my computer where I can save favorite playlists) and then crank up the volume a bit and just relax to the music you enjoy.

Music is great for just kicking back and relaxing, it's wonderful while enjoying a relaxing bath, or even great while you are working to keep you in a relaxed vibe. Just a plug here, one of my favorite things to listen to is the Delilah show online. It's a relaxing show that focuses on relationships and sappy love songs, and I've been listening to the show for years. It's always a sure way to provide me with a bit of relaxation as I work in the evenings.

Of course then there's always my personal favorite, the chipmunks. Go ahead. Laugh. You just can't be upset or sad when you listen to them. Gotta love those rodents. LOL.

So, when you start feeling like you can't stand the stress anymore - don't flake out. Instead, crank up the music. Sing. Dance. Do whatever you have to do to get rid of that stress. You'll feel better. I promise!

Spring is here and so is cold season. As you may have noticed, Tips 4 WAHMs hasn't been around for a few days, and that is all due to cold season. Let's just say that the kiddies like to share, and unfortunately left with a case of bronchial pneumonia I've been on an unplanned hiatus.

As a work at home mom, this is something you are probably going to end up dealing with. Some how the kids always like to share. So, for today's quick tip of the day for WAHMs I'd like to share a few good tips for avoiding these colds when you work at home.

1. Have hand sanitizer on hand. This is invaluable when you are a work at home mom. Even when the kids get the sniffles, you can try to avoid it by using hand sanitizer after each time you touch them. Have your kids use it to, to cut down on them getting colds at school. Put some in their backpack and it may help them to avoid the colds.

2. Get rest. Yes, as a work at home mom, I know this is tough, but especially if your kids are sick, try to get a bit of extra rest yourself. Unfortunately many of us work even harder taking care of work and a sick family, and then end up getting a double dose of the nasty bug.

3. Push water like crazy. I'm a big fan of water all the time and I think many people forget to get enough water. However, this is most important when you are trying to avoid getting sick. During cold season and especially if the kiddies are already fighting colds, start drinking a LOT of water. Eight 8oz glasses is the normal recommendation. When you want to boost your body's immunity you need even more water. Go for 10+ glasses when you are trying to fight off a bug.

These are just a couple of quick tips to help you out as a work at home mom. Inevitably the kids are going to catch something, and you may too. Hopefully with these tips you'll avoid the illness or cut back on the time down.

Hi there again, and thanks for dropping by Tips 4 WAHMs! I'm back with another quick tip of the day for WAHMs. Today I want to give you work at home moms a tip that can save you a lot of time and frustration.

Get and use caller ID. If you work at home, this is a lifesaver! When you're trying to work, unless it's important, you probably don't have time to stop and talk on the phone every 15 minutes. This is where caller ID comes in handy.

When you have caller ID, you can decide whether to answer the phone or whether you should allow it to go to voice mail. If it's an important client, then you may want to take the time to talk. However, if it's that gabby neighbor calling again who enjoys talking for an hour before she hangs up, you may want to let that one go for another time.

Accomplishing your work during the day is difficult enough without having to play secretary and answering the phone all day. With caller ID, you can decide if you need to answer the phone. After all, they created voice mail for a reason!

If you are a work at home mom or a stay at home mom and you haven't discovered the power of the bubbles, then it's about time you were introduced!

I'm talking about the bubble bath. You may not realize it, but there is some kind of strange power in those bubbles. Lol. Not only is a bubble bath a relaxing way to spend a few moments to yourself, but if you're like me, it's one of the places where you get inspired.

I can't tell you the times I've been taking a long, hot bubble bath and suddenly had an inspiration of something to write. This blog post is a prime example, lol. Somehow those bubbles allow my mind to work in a different way, and I get all kinds of great ideas.

I look forward to bubble bath time several nights a week. It's my time to relax, enjoy the smell of the bubble bath, and spend some time reading, thinking, or even dozing.

If you are a mom, especially a work at home mom, never underestimate the power of the bubble bath. Take time to pamper yourself once in awhile. You'll feel like a new person when you're done...and you may even get some inspiration.

Hello again from Tips 4 WAHMs. We're back again after a nice weekend with another great quick tip of the day for WAHMs. I'm hoping this one will help all you work at home moms as much as it has helped me out!

Sometimes when you are working at home, preparing dinner is the last thing you want to do. Perhaps you've had a long and frustrating day with work and dealing with the kids, and the last thing you really want to do is cook something. Unfortunately too many of us drive off for fast food. Let me offer you another healthier and quicker option that can help on those hectic days.

Start freezer cooking. Perhaps this is something you have heard of. It's simple. When you cook a meal, make double the amount and freeze the second meal for later. This works great for meals like spaghetti, meatloaf, Stromboli, and so much more. It doesn't take that much more work to make double the recipe, and later on you'll have a pre-made meal already in the freezer.

I love doing this. When I have a hectic day, it's always nice to know I have a couple dinner options already prepared in the freezer. All I have to do is thaw it out and reheat it and we have a tasty dinner. Try it out yourself. You'll be amazed at how much time it saves and how wonderful it is to have a great option waiting for you in the freezer.

Hello again moms and thanks for stopping by Tips 4 WAHMs again. I hope you're ready for another great quick tip of the day for WAHMs.

Today I want to talk about your desk. When you are a work at home mom, chances are you spend quite a bit of time at your desk, especially if you work online. Unfortunately, half the time your desk may be hard to find, buried under papers, books, and more.

Clean your desk. It's one of the best tips I can give you. You'll be surprised how much better you'll be able to work with a clean desk. First of all, you'll actually be able to find things instead of digging through the piles for them. Also, studies have shown that people accomplish more when working at a clean desk.

One of the main reasons we work at home moms don't clean our desk is because it looks like a task that will take forever. In reality, the job probably won't be as hard as you think. Usually 15-20 minutes is all you'll need to get that desk clean. Those minutes will definitely be worth your time when you find out how much more you get done once it's clean.

So, take a break today and clean off your desk. You'll be surprised at how fast it goes and then at how productive you become when it's clean. Then, work on keeping it clean. Never let your desk come in the way of making money again…lol.

Okay, I know I have your attention. You're probably wondering why my quick tip of the day for WAHMs is to bribe your children. In reality, bribing may not be the word, (but it made me laugh) but I want to talk about how you can save some time with the help of your kids.

Ever had a child who didn't get their allowance and wanted to earn it back? I have. In fact, that happened today. My daughter wanted to know how she could get her allowance back. (She didn't do her chores and missed out last week.) I came up with a great plan/bribe. Lol.

Since she is off on Spring Break this week, I came up with a list of chores for the week. Of course she has to take care of her regular chores like usual, but I added one more chore a day, so she can earn this weeks' allowance and earn back last weeks' too. Double allowance after no money sounds great to her.

So, this week she'll be cleaning up the living room and vacuuming it (she did that today), cleaning and vacuuming the office, cleaning her room and washing the bedding, sweeping the back porch, and taking down the Christmas clings which are sadly still on the windows in the house. Each added chore will take about 15 minutes a day, and she earns her allowance back.

Better yet…mom gets a break. I'm a work at home mom swamped with work. No spring break for mom. However, with this quick tip, the house will be cleaner, I'll get the time I need to get my work done, and my daughter will be richer. I'm loving it!!!

Today at Tips 4 WAHMs, I want to share another great tip. Cleaning the bathroom is one of the most hated chores for me, and probably for many other work at home moms. So, today's quick tip of the day for WAHMs should help you out a bit.

To make cleaning the bathroom easier for you, clean it before you shower. Why? Because you always feel grungy right after you clean that bathroom. Sometimes it's hard to find the time to do cleaning chores, especially the ones you hate. If you fit a few minutes of bathroom cleaning before the shower, it's easy to get it done quickly, knowing you'll feel clean again in a few minutes.

Usually I simply clean the toilet and bathroom sinks before the shower. Then I jump in the shower and then spray the shower down when I'm all through. This way I get the whole bathroom done in one shot. It doesn't take long, and I'm much happier when the bathroom is sparkling.

Check back tomorrow for another great tip, and feel free to share your tips as well. I love reading them.

Welcome back to Tips 4 WAHMs! Today I have an interesting quick tip of the day for WAHMs to share with you. From time to time I enjoy pointing out some great sites that are great for work at home moms and stay at home moms, and I have one that I'm sure you all are going to like.

Take the time to check out Flylady.net. This is a website that is designed for people, especially moms, who find it difficult to keep the house in order. If you have kids, you're working, and you have so much on your plate, sometimes it's just hard to keep up.

At Flylady.net, this great lady teaches you how to keep your home in shape with just 15 minutes a day. Hey, I might even have 15 minutes. Check this one out ladies. I know I've found some helpful tips there for organization and keeping the house a bit cleaner.

I hope you enjoy and find some great ideas and tips to make your day a bit easier!

Today's quick tip of the day for WAHMs is one that I need to do better on myself. When you are a work at home mom, there is always a lot to do. Not only is there work to do, but there is laundry to do, dinner to cook, kids to take care of, and a house to clean. Sometimes it can be overwhelming.

Sometimes I find it easy to become so immersed in everything I have to do that I don't take a break. However, taking a break is important to your sanity. Sometimes just a 10-15 minute break is enough to give you a huge recharge. When you start feeling frustrated and stumped with a problem, it's time to give yourself a bit of a break.

Don't think that you can work for hours and never have a break. Instead of pushing so hard, take that break. You'll actually find that you end up getting more done in the long run.

Ever find yourself scrambling to figure out what to make for dinner after a long day working at home? It's easy to get caught up with work, the kids, or the never ending pile of laundry, and suddenly it's almost dinner time. So, how can you prevent those last minute scrambles in the kitchen? Today's quick tip of the day for WAHMs can help.

Make a menu. It's that simple. Sit down once a week, make a menu, create your grocery list for that menu, and then stick to it. You'll be able to shop for everything you'll need. Then each night simply look at the menu and you'll already know what you are making. When 6pm rolls around, you won't be pulling your hair out trying to figure out what you should make.

Making a menu will not only make life easier for you, it will save you money. Your grocery shopping will be more targeted and you won't end up buying things you don't need or things you end up never using before they go bad. Try it out and let me know what you think!

Today's quick tip of the day for WAHMs may seem a bit different, but I believe that it's really important. Today we're going to talk about getting rid of the cleaning guilt.

While some of the other quick tip of the day posts have dealt with quick cleaning, I need to remind you of something - you ARE a busy mother. Some of you are stay at home moms, some are work at home moms. Either way, you work hard and you are busy all day long.

Chances are, the house isn't always going to be as clean as you want it to be. However, many of us fall into the guilt trap. We feel guilty that we didn't accomplish more that we didn't get the entire house clean from top to bottom.

You don't need to go on a guilt trip because you didn't get all the cleaning done. Remember everything that you did today. You should really be giving yourself a huge pat on the back. You accomplished a lot!

So, get rid of cleaning guilt. Do what you can, if you don't get to it today…it will definitely be there tomorrow. Enjoy your evenings without guilt. You are really a Super Mom!

Ready for today's quick tip of the day for WAHMs? Last time we talked about 30-second cleaning ideas. Well, let's take a look at what you can do in just 2 minutes of time. Most moms have two minutes. Here are several small chores you can do in just 2 minutes or less.

- Make up your bed.

- Vacuum the blades of your ceiling fans. This gets rid of dust that will swirl through your home.

- Quickly scrub the toilet. Use your toilet brush and cleaner and get rid of that ring.

- Wipe down the mirror in the bathroom with glass cleaner.

- Throw out things in the fridge that you notice have seen "better days."

- Bag up and take out the trash.

Two minutes isn't that bad. With a few two minute breaks, you can keep things looking pretty good in your home.

Recently I came across a great book - "The Invisible Woman." More than likely you have felt invisible at some point in your days of being a mother.

I read an excerpt of this book and was very touched. The writer, Nicole Johnson, specifically compared raising children to building a cathedral. Today we still don't know who built some of the greatest cathedrals, yet we see the beauty before us.

It was definitely an encouraging read. It's easy to feel invisible as a parent. Sometimes things you do go unappreciated and unnoticed. This writer tells here story of being a mother and feeling this way over and over again.

Then she read a book about cathedrals. There was a story about a rich man who asked a man working on a cathedral while he was spending so much time carving a small bird on a beam. He asked him why he'd spend so much time working on it when no one else would see it. His reply was "Because God sees."

This quote changed her life and the way she felt about being invisible. She realized that God saw everything that she did for her family. He saw all the things that no one else ever saw. She too was building a cathedral - her children.

I would definitely urge you to get a copy of this book. It's a great read and encouraging to work at home moms and stay at home moms alike. You can read an excerpt of the book HERE.

So, remember moms. If you feel invisible, you're not alone. When it gets you down - remember "God sees."

Here's another quick tip of the day for WAHMs. No doubt you'll find these tips helpful when you are in a hurry and totally busy as a work at home mom.

Today we want to focus on 30 second cleaning. What can you get done in just 30 seconds? Well, quite a lot actually. Cleaning is not any moms' favorite thing to do, but 30 seconds doesn't sound too bad. So, here are a few things to do in 30 seconds to get your home a bit cleaner.

1) Use a disinfectant wipe to clean up your sink each morning. It will quickly get rid of soap scum, hair, and dirt. All you have to do is wipe up the sink and then throw it away. 30 seconds and you are done.

2) Another great 30 second cleaning tip is to spray your shower with a few squirts of shower cleaner. Just spray and go away. It will help prevent that buildup of soap scum that gets hard to clean out later. You can do this in 30 seconds and you'll save big time later.

3) Wipe out your microwave with another disinfectant wipe. The microwave always seems to get nasty quickly. Don't save it for when you have to quickly cook in the microwave. Walk by, wipe it out…30 seconds later you're done.

4) Take your entry way rug out the door and shake it out. This only takes a few seconds and you'll take that dirt outside so it won't get tramped around through your home. This saves vacuuming time later.

So, there's your quick tip of the day. 30 second cleaning is possible, it doesn't take much time, and can save you time later. Hopefully work at home moms will find this helpful.