The Number One Questions from Mums Wanting to Work From Home

I speak with many mums, every single week, who express the desire to work from home or start a home business. Some are new mums with pre-school aged children, and others are juggling school-aged or teenage children and a household while working a job. Talk about multi-tasking and being busy, they know what it means! Interestingly, many mums wonder whether they would be ABLE to start their own work from home business. For many, it all sounds ‘too much’, ‘too hard’ or ‘too scary’…

 

I want to address the question I receive the most from ‘to be’ work at home mums:

 

How can I manage my kids, my home AND a new business?

 

Many mums don’t realise that they already have the skills required to do this. What mums with a new home business must do, is transfer their existing skills, and a re-allocate their time and resources to their priorities, in a highly organized manner! Before I started my business, I was a full-time mum, and this was my number one priority. My second priority was to support my husband and the household, and I carried all my tasks in a spontaneous fashion. I must say, my first priority has not changed. My children’s needs remain at the top of the list. But since I now have a business which I work at every day, and I still am responsible for many aspects of running a household, I have had to change the way in which I carry out my many responsibilities.

 

I have a detailed daily schedule. It’s amazing how much more you can get done in a day when you are organized! I feel more IN CONTROL now than I ever did before having a home business! I have acquired new skills to better set my priorities and allocate my time and resources to them. I still spend quality time with my children. I work from home, so I can manage my work and my home almost seamlessly. And most importantly, I am now empowered to achieve my goals while being in charge of my own schedule and lifestyle. I do what works for ME, MY family, MY business, MY goals.

 

Here are my thoughts around the question: “How can I manage my kids, my home AND a new business?”

-       Having a home-based business and working around your kids will require that you get highly organized. Whether this is a new skills for you or not, it will require some tweaking over time until you find your very own magic formula!

-       As mums, we are all great multi-taskers! You can use those existing skills to become highly efficient in managing your household, and create more time to focus on your home business and your children.

-       When you are clear on the income and lifestyle goals you want to achieve, and you fully commit to being successful as a mumpreneur, and you know that you have the right business vehicle to achieve this, you will create a strong motivation to make it work!

-       As you grow and develop new skills, you will become more productive. You will develop a schedule that allows you to be 100% present in your most important tasks, including being a great mum and a focused business woman!

-       If you allow yourself to embrace personal and professional development, you will empower yourself to achieve amazing results in your personal life and home business. Never underestimate the power of personal growth!

 

If you commit to your DREAMS, you will see it is all worth it! Working for yourself may be the scariest, most challenging thing you ever undertake. But aren’t your dreams worth the challenge?

 

Justine Simard is an online business and network marketing coach.  To learn from Justine Simard and tap into the most powerful and profitable marketing systems and online business industry, visit Home Business Opportunity. Also visit Justine Simard’s Official Blog for Online Business Resources, internet marketing training, personal development and success strategies, and inspiration for online entrepreneurs.

Work At Home Mums: Insightful Lessons From Hawaiian Massage

Over the weekend I received my first Ho’oponopono Lomi Lomi Hawaiian massage. This massage treatment has an important focus on positive energy, holistic wellbeing, spiritual healing, deep breathing and detoxifying the body. All through my massage, my therapist expressed some empowering and meaningful thoughts that will affect my personal growth as a work at home mum. Allow me to share the most meaningful lessons I received:

Unconditional Love for One’s Self

As mothers, we all have felt a love that is unconditional for some people in our lives, yet we may neglect giving ourselves this same unconditional love love! We give forgiveness the people we love for their mistakes, yet we give ourselves harsh judgements for our own actions or results. We grant our children and others we love the freedom they need for self-growth, while we establish extremely challenging ambitions for ourselves. And just as I encourage and support others to embrace the journey, to acknowledge each step on the way to their most significant goals, to take on personal development, to focus on their skills and passions as work at home mums, and to allow for authentic action and acceptance… I tell myself to ‘get there now’, to wipe out my weaknesses, to conquer every obstacle, to get tough and be greater than my own self! (Yes, I’m disclosing some personal challenges that I have not publicly disclosed prior to now – however I believe this may serve and empower others!). Like so many people, I have to practice what I preach, and give myself unconditional love while allowing myself to grow!

Balance Between Action and Allowing

My massage therapist explained the Feminine and Masculine side of all individuals. The Masculine side drives the actions, the persistent energy to produce change, to re-shape, to DO. The Feminine side brings stillness and gratitude, and opens to RECEIVE and ALLOW. A positive balance involving the Masculine and Feminine sides will optimise spiritual, emotional, and physical wellbeing, and allow us to realise our greatest potential and desires. I have been hearing this message persistently in the last months… and at this time, I need to truly accept it and put it into practice! Taking consistent action is one factor, but sometimes we get so absorbed in generating change and ‘DOING’, that we cannot feel gratitude and welcome the stillness of what is, in the present time. We don’t notice opportunities and gifts, available for us to utilise. We might not attract and allow the circumstances, people or things that require our attention and openness. So as I am greatly focused on generating change, taking inspired action and reaching my goals as a mumpreneur, I will make certain to look up a little more often, appreciate the abundance I already have, open my heart and mind, and just ALLOW!

Your Body: Your Best Friend

We’ve all heard that our body is ‘a temple’, but the analogy of a best friend resonates better for me. In line with the lesson of self-love, how about treating my body like my best friend? To a best friend, I am kind, gentle, caring, respectful, mindful, generous, available, patient, and loving. My body needs it all! As I apply this to my daily mindfulness and behaviours, I will truly grant my body what it needs for physical and mental wellbeing, from fitness to nutrition, and from breathing and relaxation to energy and strength. It is a shift in priority and attitude, as I care for my body as I would for a best friend, and give it the care, love, respect and time that it requires to give power to my mind and actions. Inspiring approach indeed, in particular for busy work at home mums!

I thoroughly enjoyed the Hawaiian healing massage, and particularly the meaningful messages received from this holistic philosophy, which I will apply to my home business and personal development Let me leave you with the ‘9 Principles of Living in Natural ‘Huna’ Harmony’, which were communicated repeatedly during the treatment:

Be Graceful (Ho’ola) •  Be Aware (Ike) •  Be Free (Kala)
Be Focused (Makia) •  Be Here (Manawa) •  Be Happy (Aloha)
Be Confident (Mana) •  Be Positive (Pono) •  Be Merciful (‘Ohana)

So here’s to inspiring work at home mums and mumpreneurs to give themselves unconditional self-love, to discover the best balance between ‘taking action’ and ‘allowing’, to express gratitude and appreciate the personal development, and to greatly respect their physical health and well-being!

 

Justine Simard is an online business and network marketing coach.  To learn from Justine Simard and tap into the most powerful and profitable marketing systems and online business industry, visit Home Business Opportunity. Also visit Justine Simard’s Official Blog for Online Business Resources, internet marketing training, personal development and success strategies, and inspiration for online entrepreneurs.

Work At Home Mums: Want To Start An Online Business But Have No Time?

Sometimes, I need to write from my heart – and sometimes it means being bold. If you like using the ‘I don’t have the time’ excuse, this article is written for you. Actually, if you feel happy applying this pretext (and lying in the rut) maybe you should go read something else – you’ll make your mind up as you keep reading…

As a work at home mum (to two boys aged under 4) and online business owner, I know what it means to be busy. I appreciate the challenges of juggling my family, my work, my fitness, my health, my home, my finances, my friends, my lifestyle, and my personal aspirations.

In my online business, I talk with many prospective partners everyday. These are individuals who hold grand desires for financial independence and more freedom. Individuals who state that they aspire to allocate more time to their family, to travel, to work without a boss, to be rewarded and challenged, to donate more to charities, to feel passion for their career, to follow their biggest ambitions. But they ‘haven’t got the time’ to take action and do something about it.

Hey, it’s a catch 22. You cannot change one thing before the other thing happens. But if no change is made, if nothing is done, what happens?

Nothing!

There are only 24 hours in each day. You almost certainly are asleep between 6 and 8 hours. It has to be done. No one will GIVE YOU more time. Everyday, you get given the same amount of time, and all you are able to do is TAKE IT and break it up productively! And indeed, it calls for carefully allocating your priorities to the time you have.

How much TV do you watch? Do you sleep on the bus? Do you take 30-minute showers? Do you have 1-hour lunch breaks where all you do is eat? Do you sleep late on weekends? Do you drive for hours listening to the radio? Do you spend time wandering around without a purpose on the internet? The question is: would you have the opportunity to allocate your time more wisely to more productive activities, and to get going on the activities that will help you to accomplish your most fulfilling goals?

What you actually need to start (or grow) an online business and create more freedom and financial independence is NOT more time. What you need, is a solid commitment… and an improved time allocation.

I have many reasons to reflect on that might assist you to find out why you FEEL you don’t have enough time (to launch an online business, or accomplish anything you genuinely desire to do!). And remember, it is mostly a FEELING, not a FACT. Those reasons may not be the ones you are expecting!

- Your desire is not strong or meaningful enough.
- You are unclear on your goals and the actions required to realise them.
- Your time allocation is poor and you are confusing urgent vs. important things.
- You let others decide on your priorities and determine how you spend your time.
- You procrastinate (and the question is, WHY are you procrastinating?).
- You are wasting time on counterproductive activities (this includes oversleeping and watching TV).
- You are not using opportunities to create more time through multi-tasking.
- You are disorganised and don’t follow a productive schedule.
- You don’t produce the energy essential for productivity and mental focus.
- You dismiss your physical wellbeing and personal growth.
- You are feeling overwhelmed and are not capable of taking back control (sounds heavy, I know…).
- You have not made the decision to achiving your goals, and have not committed to taking the necessary actions.
- You are missing the inspiration or are unable to harness your own drive.
- You fail to develop the personal skill-set and mindset required for positive change.
- You dismiss the resources and support available.
- You need more than 24hours per day to achieve your desires…gotcha, just kidding! That one is just an excuse – you can’t use it!

So if you desire to start an online business or create positive and significant changes in your life, but find yourself ‘not having the time’, revisit this list! Do you know what you want? Do you really want it? Have you identifed a plan of action for realising your goals? Why aren’t you taking action, right now?

Justine Simard is an online business and network marketing coach.  To learn from Justine Simard and tap into the most powerful and profitable marketing systems and online business industry, visit Home Business Opportunity. Also visit Justine Simard’s Official Blog for Online Business Resources, internet marketing training, personal development and success strategies, and inspiration for online entrepreneurs.

Work At Home Mums: The 12 Mistakes in Online Business

Whether you have started a work from home business or are still researching online business opportunities, you must know the 12 MISTAKES TO AVOID to grow your business and make real profits! These mistakes are probably not the ones you expect!

So many work at home mums start their new business without the right coaching, and without being armed with the best tools and resources to manage their business, grow their profits and develop their personal and professional skills.

I have just released a 1-hour recorded webinar that addresses exactly this! How to build a profitable online business in 2011, and how to avoid the 12 COMMON Mistakes! I did this webinar with my great friend and partner, who like me is a home business coach and work at home mum, and we are passionate about empowering other mums to get it right when their start their work from home business!

So whether you are still in the ‘research’ phase, or you already work from home or have your own online business, click on the link below to get instant access to the recorded webinar!

What You Need To Know About Starting An Online Business in 2011

Enjoy the webinar, make sure to apply what you learn, avoid the 12 mistakes, and grow as a mumpreneur!

To your success,

Justine Simard

Justine Simard is a home business coach and work at home mum! To learn from Justine Simard how to start an online business and get the right mentoring for success, visit www.sheerambition.com.

Also visit Justine Simard’s Blog for more online business resources, personal development strategies and inspiration for mumpreneurs!

Home Business: Five Rules to Beat Overwhelm and Stress for Work At Home Mums

Perhaps becoming a work from home mum didn’t end up being as leisurely as you expected? Were you planning that, all through the week, you’d care for your kids, take care of the washing, clean the house, cook up great meals for dinner, go shopping, catch up with your friends, get some physical exercises done daily, and work your online business easily amongst all these other tasks? Perhaps you even achieved all that, in a rather frantic way, for a few weeks (maybe months), and abruptly came to the realisation that you were completely disorganised, stressed out and overwhelmed?

I have had this personal experience, and I know many other work at home mums who have felt the same lack of control and effectiveness, in their two central roles as a mother and home business owner. When I started my home business, I had the belief that I could just wing it and use my multi-tasking talents to juggle everything at once and get great results. However I did not – wing it or get the results that is. And so I tried to just work HARDER. And believe me, I can work hard. I can be a machine. And I don’t actually mind it at all. But my goals do, because as I work hard (and not smart), there are not being achieved.

Since then I’ve taken back control. I have created and follow 5 rules, and these allow me to be a successful home business owner and work at home mum, minus the stress and overwhelm. So here they are:

1. I have a strict schedule. Yes, you read this right! While I value the flexibility I have while I work from home, I only use that flexibility if I need to. When you understand what you should do and accomplish at any particular time, and you have a deadline for it, you do it well! I have carefully planned a schedule for each week to cater for quality time with my kids, catching up with friends, and each of my business-related responsibilities. I know the times that work best for being a great mum and nurturing my kids, and I also know the best times for productivity and focus in my online business.

2. I leverage my efforts. I focus on creating results that I can duplicate. I team up with business partners so that I can get double (or sometimes more!) from my own efforts and contribution. I create procedures that can be used widely across various tasks (I regularly begin new projects from skeletons from previous projects). I use automated resources that I can set up once with the results of saving effort and time. Fortunately, my business opportunity came with automated marketing systems and a highly leveraged income structure – which is great for creating more results from leverage.

3. I manage my expectations. Like most work at home mums who launch a business for the very first time, I was armed with a strong belief and solid ambition. Nevertheless, I completely underestimated the amount of devotion and determination that would be needed to reach all my goals. While I strive to sustain a high level of confidence, optimism and focus (and significantly invest my energy into developing my success mindset), I also manage my expectation by following a rational business plan, by keeping track of my progress, and by frequently evaluating how effective my strategies are for reaching my goals.

4. I enlist help. I have hired a skilled virtual assistant for my home business and she does a tremendous job at managing all those activities that are time-consuming and that can be delegated. My kids go to childcare two days per week, which I believe is the perfect balance for them to be sociable, stimulated and independent. During those two days, I put all my attention into my home business. My spouse is also very involved, and there are set periods of time where I work at home while he looks after our children. This works for each of us, and allows me to avoid the unproductive multi-tasking.

5. I look after myself. While being a hard-working machine, you don’t always sleep when you’re tired or eat when you’re hungry. That’s only sustainable for actual machines, and is not productive even for driven work at home mums! While I cultivate my body, mind and spirit, I’m also more empowered. So I keep some time for sleeping, eating, relaxing, keeping fit and for my personal development.

These five rules allow me to maintain balance and productivity in my life and home business, and I trust that work at home mums can apply these and reap the benefits of being organised, healthy, productive, relaxed and confident in reaching their goals.

 

Justine Simard is an online business and network marketing coach.  To learn from Justine Simard and tap into the most powerful and profitable marketing systems and online business industry, visit Home Business Opportunity. Also visit Justine Simard’s Official Blog for Online Business Resources, internet marketing training, personal development and success strategies, and inspiration for online entrepreneurs.

Work At Home Mums: Between a Home Business and Work From Home Job

Nearly all mums ask themselves whether or not they  could and should work from home. These questions arise with a need to be present for their family, to raise their young kids at home, to do school pick-ups and drop-offs… and to earn a revenue to contribute to the family income!

Firstly, I want to explain something. Work at home opportunities belong in 2 groups: the work at home jobs and home businesses. With a work at home job, you still work for somebody else. Your employer is letting you work from home (telecommute), but you’re still getting remunerated for the hours you put in and the work you’re hired to do. With a work from home business, you become your own boss, you decide on the work you want to do, and you get paid profits for the results you generate. While running your own business, you don’t get rewarded for the hours you put in, you get paid for results, which means that as soon as you can generate great results, regardless of the number of hours you worked, you can create an unlimited income.

So which is the best option for work at home mums? A home-based business or work from home job?

There are quite a few things to think about when choosing a work at home opportunity, between a job and a business. Moreover, within the home business category, you will have several options: you can start your very own business from a skill you have or a product you manufacture or make yourself. For example you can do personal assistant work, data entry or typing, craft, cooking, teaching, personal training, coaching, graphic or interior design, writing, clothing and fashion, and the list goes on and on. You can also start a work from home business opportunity provided by an existing company, where the company usually provides you with the products, the systems in place as well as the support and training that you need to set up your home business.

Of a business or work from home job, which will be best FOR YOU?

If you’re unsure whether you should look for a work from home job or home-based business, firstly you must take into account your personality. If you’re somebody who prefers to report back to someone else, who doesn’t like making decisions or being independent, who needs to be provided with a structure with agendas, deadlines, and a precise description of your role, your responsibilities as well as the activities that you need to do to get paid, then a work from home job is likely to be for you. In contrast, if you are a person who’s more self-sufficient, who likes to call the shots, who’s self-reliant and self-driven, somebody who wants to control how much they get paid and is highly determined and tenacious, then you definitely can succeed as a work at home mum with a suitable home-based business opportunity.

Another really important criteria is how much it costs to work from home. If you happen to choose to take on a job, you will need some money to set up your home office, and some of your expenses may even be reimbursed by your employer. Starting a home-based business usually is more costly. Depending on the business opportunity, you might have initial costs related to a membership, using business tools or systems, purchasing or manufacturing products, education, and marketing your business. Remember that in both cases, you can get tax deductions. And let me give you a word of caution: if you do come across a work at home opportunity that promises a big income and tells you it doesn’t cost anything to get started, then you should start hearing alarm bells because it’s almost certainly not a genuine business opportunity.

Working from home can be so gratifying for mums. You are able to do activities throughout the week with your kids, take them to playgroup, the park, after school activities, catch up with friends, be flexible around their sleeping schedule and also just enjoy being at home. It is however a juggling act, just like it would be if you worked in an office because you would still have to juggle everything between work, groceries, daycare or school pick-ups, etc. It just means that you are able to control the schedule that will be just right for you and you’ll have more flexibility around taking care of your loved ones and doing your work. But for work at home mums to be successful, it demands discipline and being organised.

I hope this helps clarify your options to work from home with a home business or telecommuting job, and whether this could be the right choice for you. As a work at home mum myself, my online business gave me the chance to bring up my 2 young kids at home, to work my business part time around them, to become my very own boss, and to create an unlimited income. I wish you all the success in working from home, to find a business or work at home job that you can be passionate about, and in reaching the great income and family lifestyle that you want!

How Can Networking Help You in your Home Online Business Opportunity.

Several online businesses use network marketing to promote their products or opportunities, however networking is not solely about marketing in the online business world. In fact, if you take on a home online business opportunity for yourself, you will quickly realise that networking in the context of your online business goes beyond advertising and selling.

When beginning a work from home business on the internet, there are undeniably various groups or networks which you will need to be part of. I have identified them in 3 different types: 1. Mentors, 2. Supporters, and 3. Customers. I’ll address here how having networks in each of those categories will help you succeed in your home business opportunity online.

1. Mentors. These are the people who can provide you with training, resources and inspiration. These people as sometimes already involved in the same company as you, or others such as prominent authors or trainers in your field. Participating in your company’s partners network will definitely assist you in learning how to use the established systems and replicate the success of others using those same systems. In addition, finding other groups of people who focus on areas which you want to develop further can be a true asset. As an example, if you wish to use blogs as a way to market your home online business opportunity, you can join the networks of successful bloggers who are generous with sharing their knowledge. You can also follow motivational leaders or success mentors to guide you with your business and personal venture as an online entrepreneur and work from home business owner.

2. Supporters. This group is for the people who may not purchase anything from you: they may already be your team members, or possibly not be interested in a home business opportunity online. On the other hand, they could have similar interests as you, be keen to learn from what you have to say, or be happy to support the promotion of your business, profile or products. As an example, this altruistic networking is seen when partners join each other’s Facebook groups or subscribe to each other’s YouTube channels. You can take advantage of your particular interests within your industry to set up and participate in networks with related matters. For example, you may have a strong interests in entrepreneurship, wellbeing, advertising and marketing, self-growth, website design, work-life balance, finance, etc. and attract like-minded individuals who want your information or inspiration. This category also ties in with the next, for the reason that once you have developed a connection with your supporters or followers, they may wish to look more into what you do and whether they could do the same work from home business too!

3. Customers. Networks of customers can be diverse. They range from direct visitors to your internet site in their hunt for a home online business opportunity, to the prospects who find your videos or articles online by accident, and also to your existing personal networks which are not connected to your business. You can join particular networks for the main purpose of marketing your products or business. This however doesn’t indicate that your only activity within the network should be about advertising (unfortunately, network marketing doesn’t work that way!), but rather that you would participate within a group with ulterior motives, such as showing your profile, products or business opportunity. For example, you may join a group on Facebook about health because you want to market vitamins. As I discussed earlier, your customers network can often be interconnected with your supporters network. In a more direct fashion, you can also create a strong network of customers by allowing visitors to opt-in to your website, where your visitors give their contact details in exchange for something you offer (e.g. an e-book, newsletter, phone call, reports, etc). Through time, a contacts list can be a powerful tool for promoting your work from home business or products to a warm market.

Justine Simard coaches others to build a lucrative home based business through her Home Online Business Opportunity with a true avenue to financial freedom and personal growth. Start your own business and be guided by a group of thriving entrepreneurs in acquiring and applying all strategies to run a profitable home based business and realise your lifestyle and income goals.

Positive Thinking Explained: Work At Home Mums.

Have you heard about the effects of positive thinking, but perhaps are not convinced enough to personnaly attempt it? I want to clarify the ‘mechanics’ of positive thinking and the way it affects feelings, and consequently the way we behave, because for those of us work at home mums with an investigative mind, it sometimes helps to comprehend a process initially before we believe in its power and implement linked processes effectively!

A critical part of our brain to discuss here is the limbic system, which guides our mood and feelings, but also plays an important role in our attention and motivation. The limbic system, also labelled as the ‘emotional brain’, is responsible for our drives, and the more powerfully we feel about getting or resisting something, the stronger our motivation will be. While our emotions and feelings come from the limbic system, the neocortex controls our speech, decision-making, planning, and imaginative processing. There is constant communication between the limbic system and the neocortex, and jointly they influence our beliefs and behaviours.

A short time ago, I heard a physiologist speaker refer to the limbic system as a 2 year old child. This comparison was made to illustrate that the limbic system, just like a young child, has lacking discrimination between wrong and right, believes good and bad thoughts have the same value,, and makes decisions based on any data it receives as being genuine and real. Here is where it become interesting. Our actions are caused or affected by emotions. Those emotions are created by your limbic system, who is acting just like a 2-year old and making no critical assessment on the information it has received! Many work at home mums reading this might already have ideas on how to use this to their benefit! In a nutshell, you can manipulate the data you direct to your limbic system in a way that it will generate the productive feelings you need to realise your ambitions.

Your subconscious mind will act on bad thoughts just as readily as good thoughts. We have ready access to our thoughts, and consequently we are able to supply our limbic system with positive thoughts, making it produce productive emotions. Knowing this, can you see what happens when work at home mums feel empowered, self-assured, happy, energised, focused, relaxed and optimistic? They conduct themselves accordingly and impact on their environment in a way that helps them produce the results they seek. The more you repeat positive things to your mind the more it will change, the more your behaviours will change, the more your outcomes will change, and the more your life will change.

Producing productive and positive emotions can be a simple exercise, as simple as using visualisation or positive affirmations. When applying these techniques, here are a few tips work at home mums should remember to do: 1. Be consistent – do your positive affirmation or visualtion exercises daily; 2. Build your affirmations on precise and measurable goals; 3. Use the present tense, as if it is happening right now; 4. Statements should be focused on the positive (i.e. ‘I am full of energy’ as opposed to ‘I am not tired’). You can also use a range of tools, such as visualisation audios or videos or written affirmation cards placed around the house. If you search on the internet, you can also find ready-made affirmations about many subjects, such as self-esteem, creating abundance, health, love, etc. to achieve what you want in your personal development or work from home business.

Justine Simard is a mother and business owner. Visit my home business opportunity website at Work At Home Mums to learn about a home-based business opportunity which allows mothers to achieve a greater income, a better lifestyle and more freedom.

Work At Home Mums: Reducing Multi-Tasking For Better Productivity and More Love!

Mothers are renowned to be efficient multi-taskers. Work at home mums are indisputably one amongst the groups of mothers who need this aptitude at a necessity level. I’ve written quite a number of times about schedules and distinguishing ‘work time’ and ‘mum time’. Nevertheless, it’s from time to time impossible to divide those roles, and while running most of my days around multi-tasking, I’ve realised a short time ago that I hardly dedicate myself completely to one assignment at any particular moment. If my body, behaviours and thoughts are occupied doing something, my mind is usually thinking about a few other things simultaneously. With this realisation, I have come to the conclusion that the key revolves around one simple conscious effort I could make to retain a greater focus and productivity to any task at hand: Awareness.

As full-time mum with a work from home business, my most important task is looking after my children. However, with a rising home-based business requiring an increasing amount of planning and thinking, I found that I would usually be spliting my focus between my children and my work, at the same time. Therefore I began this simple exercise when beginning an activity with my children. I told myself: ‘I will devote my whole self to this activity with my kids’. No allowance for business-related thoughts, checking emails, or even cleaning up the house. From the very first time I tried this easy commitment declaration, I realised how much more attentive and fulfilled I was during spending quality time with my kids. It meant I absolutely took in the moment, noticed the tiny things that make a mum’s heart fill with happiness and pride, gave more love and positive interaction to my kids, and fully indulged in the first purpose why, like many work at home mums, I have a home business – raising my children. It additionally meant that I grew more alert to all the mental distractions emerging, so that I could decisively shut them down and regain focus.

When applying this rule to my activities as a mum, I did it for my business. However, for work at home mums, it is impossible to say ‘I will dedicate my whole self to this present work activity’ while your children are hanging around and under your care. It is indeed a heap easier to shut down your work for your kids than shut down your children for your business! Therefore do not absolutely dedicate yourself to a business-related task unless you are assured that your children will not need you; this can only cause frustration if you’re disturbed. I refined my dedication declaration for my business even more, in committing to one task at any given time (e.g. ‘I will dedicate my whole self to revising my budget’). This simple commitment increases my focus and therefore my efficiency, and gives me the head space I require for solving problems and creative thinking!

Adding a simple commitment statement before starting an activity with my children or for my home-based business has actually made a significant difference in my productivity and focus. For work at home mums, it’s about focusing your awareness to the specific activity you have committed to. Less multi-tasking, physically and intellectually. Higher productivity for my business and home duties? Yes. More love and inspiration for my kids and from them as well? Undoubtedly! More rewards as a mum and business owner? Absolutely!

Justine Simard is a mum and work at home business owner. Visit Work At Home Mums to find out about a work from home business which allows mothers to attain a greater income, a better lifestyle and more freedom.

Work At Home Mums: The Mumpreneur Attributes

You might be searching on the web for a work from home opportunity, and if you’ve been seeking for some time you have most likely noticed that many possibilities involve beginning an actual home-based business. I thought I’d write about what it requires to be an entrepreneur or what we often call a mumpreneur. Whether or not work at home mums own their own home-based business or telecommute working for a company, having to work autonomously and independently usually brings the need for entrepreneurial traits.

To be a mumpreneur, work at home mums don’t need a business degree, extensive expertise in marketing or sales or even administration. What actually makes an entrepreneur are personal attributes, like personality, behaviours and ways of thinking. Therefore if you don’t requireexpertise to be an entrepreneur mum, let’s consider the personal qualities required to be one. If you’re wanting to start a home-based business or contract your services, you absolutely will need to develop the mumpreneur in you.

Thus if you want to determine whether or not you can become an entrepreneur and start a thriving at home business, ask yourself this:
Do you believeyou’re inspired, ambitious and highly driven?
Do you consider yourself as a self-starter and self-reliant – can you rely on yourself to take control and complete the work? (now I don’t suggest you have to do it all on your own without any assistance, but you will need to be proactive and openly enlist the support and the tools that are offered to you…)
Are you trainable? And most significantly, are you keen to acquire new skills and knowledge?
Do you have ambitious goals for your personal and professional success?
How resolute are you to attain those objectives?
How important is it to you to realise your objectives? What will it mean to you to have the opportunity to work from home and achieve your dream income, how will life change, for youand your family?
Do you see yourself as a person who doesn’t give up and willing to take calculated risks to reach superior results?
Do you have a lot of energy? Are you a hard-worker and fully committed?

So if you’ve answered yes to most questions or if these questions make you feel fired-up, you may well be a great candidate to become one of those work at home mums, start a home business, and be really good at it! The bottom line is, you need to be coachable, determined to achieve results, and prepared to work to grow your business.

When I started my first business I definitely wasn’t certain about whether or not I really could be thriving as a business owner and entrepreneur, and produce my very own income, but with an eagerness to learn and succeed, and by using the effective systems and tools in place, this has been the most rewarding challenge I’ve ever tackled.

Justine Simard is a full-time mum and business owner. Visit Work At Home Mums to learn about a work from home business which allows mothers to work around their kids and reach a greater income, a better lifestyle and more freedom.

Work At Home Mums: Quick Exercises for the Mind and Body: Yoga Breathing.

Have you ever given up on an activity such as yoga or meditation because you don’t have the time? For busy work at home mums, prioritising some time to do meditation, pilates, yoga, relaxation techniques or mind training is often something that we simply cannot afford to do daily. Have you ever thought about doing some of these exercises each day but only for a FEW MINUTES? You’d be pleasantly at the new flow of energy and mind power that will result from a brief moment of self-awareness, meditation, relaxation or mind coaching.

The daily routine of work at home mums is busy with schedules, demands, stress, noise, physical work, travel, multi-tasking and looking after others. How often do you actually channel into yourself, notice your body and mind, and create new energy which emerges from within? Personally, the only way I used to perceive my body was when it had been aching, and producing new energy meant drinking another coffee! I have however explored and tried various strategies and have found that not only I am able to use some strategies in just a few minutes} every day, but I feel immediate benefits with reducing tensions, rising energy levels, helping my mind focus, empowering my spirit, and elevating my mood. This sounds pretty good as a result of a few minutes exercising doesn’t it??

I want to introduce the best simple techniques that I utterly recommend for work at home mums. Best of all, the techniques I will share can be performed in short sessions. Naturally, if you really develop a new passion and have the desire of mastering them, there is lots to learn and develop in each of those. I’ll cover the first technique in this article.

A Few Minutes For Your Body and Mind Series for Work At Home Mums: Technique 1: Yoga Breathing.

Yoga breathing is best done lying down with your hands resting slightly apart just underneath your diaphragm, but it can also be done sitting down while keeping your spine straight, legs crossed, relaxed shoulders and hands resting on your knees, facing up.

Step 1: Abdominal breathing: Watch your natural breath and see how your abdomen moves out and in with your breath. Then begin to intensify, lengthen and extend the movement with each inhalation and exhalation. Fill and empty your abdomen utterly with each breath, while not straining. For 10 breaths, do not breathe into your chest, limit the movement to the abdomen, and then take a few seconds rest.

Step 2: Thoracic (chest) breathing: Observe again your natural breath but now observe how your chest is moving. Then commence to deepen, lengthen and extend the movement. Satiate your lungs completely on inhalation, then exhale and let your lungs collapse fully, sinking to the lowest point. For ten breaths, {keep the abdomen still, and move only the chest|breath only into your chest, and keep your abdomen still.

Step Three: Full yogic breathing: Merge steps one and two within the one breath as follow: Inhale deeply into your abdomen, and then continue inhaling up and expanding to fill the chest. Hold it for a second or so. Now breathe out initially from the highest point of your chest down, emptying the air out of the chest first, then your abdomen, moving the air down and out until completely empty. Repeat this abdomen-to-chest inhalation and chest-to-abdomen exhalation, sort of a rolling movement, for twenty breaths. I like to lay there for a couple of minutes afterwards, just returning to my natural yet deepened breath and indulging in my relaxed mind and body.

I hope you can benefit from this easy yet renewing exercise as much as I do. It is convenient for work at home mums: it needs no equipment and takes only a few minutes! Stay tuned for my upcoming posts in this series with more quick and simple body and mind rejuvenating techniques.

Simple Steps To Healthy Eating Habits for Busy Work At Home Mums

We all know that eating nutritious foods is vital to maintaining good energy levels and brain power. A nutritious diet keeps us fit and protects us against diseases and illnesses. However, as for many other things, busy mums tend to put their needs last and forget to sustain a daily healthy diet. This poses an even greater challenge for work at home mums, particularly when they work around their young kids. Our children can take up all our focus while they’re up and about, and once they head to bed or are not home we often take the occasion to work and do house chores. Our heads are full with schedules, work commitments, our kids’ education and health, family planning (and the list goes on), and we sometimes need to thank our stomachs for reminding us that we are hungry, otherwise we sometimes would not eat! I am sure some of you can relate! I’m not an expert in nutrition and diet. I think however that taking even the simplest well-known health-promoting steps will help mums achieve greater results, and feel healthy, focused and empowered. So with the risk of repeating what everybody knows, here are some important yet easy dietary principles you must follow to help maintain a healthy body, mind and spirit!

About Carbohydrates and the Glycaemic Index: Carbohydrates are the preferred supply of energy for the body. They are rated against the glycaemic index (GI) according to how quickly they are absorbed and bring up the blood glucose level. Low-GI carbohydrates allow you to reach and sustain the energy you need to operate at your best, making you feel fuller for longer (hence reducing the sugar cravings and related sugar-eating habits!). Work at home mums should include these low-GI foods in their diet plan: oats, bran, barley, soy-derived products, beans, milk, fruit, pasta, grainy bread and lentils. Lots of fruits, vegetables and leafy greens. Higher GI-foods like potatoes, highly refined grain products and concentrated sugar should be taken in moderation.

About Protein: Protein is also a source of energy for the body, although accounts for only a fraction compared to carbohydrates. Most significantly, proteins play a vital role in growth and repair, as well as enzyme, metabolic and chemical processes. Proteins are found in poultry, meat, fish, wheat, milk products, seeds, nuts, eggs and soy products. . Eating a diet too low in protein isn’t usually a concern in modern countries, but it’s important to be aware that proteins can’t be stored in the body and should be replenished daily.

About Iron: Tiredness, fatigue and a decreased immune system can sometimes be connected to diet-related iron deficiencies. Work at home mums simply don’t have time for these! If you have worries concerning your iron levels, ask your doctor. If you have low iron levels which can be addressed with a diet regime, ensure that you consume iron-rich foods on a daily basis, such as wholegrain cereals and breads, meat, fish, poultry, dark-green leafy vegetables, beans, raisins, seeds, nuts, peas and lentils. Keep in mind that Vitamin C helps iron absorption, therefore include fruits and vegetables rich in Vitamin C.

About Sugar: Sugar can provide you with a boost in energy, but can bring back down your energy level even lower, and slow your brain down too. If you find yourself craving sugar, what you actually need could be a low-GI snack. Wholegrain and oat-based snacks, seeds and nuts, orchard and stone fruit, bananas, dried apricots, baked beans, freshly popped popcorn, and low-fat yogourt are all great low-GI snacks. My best trick for work at home mums to beat the sugar habit is this: don’t buy high-sugar foods! If they are not in the house, you will have to choose the healthier choice.

About Fruit and Vegetables: You’ve most likely heard the magic formula by now: 2 serves of fruit + five serves of vegetables daily. This straightforward formula is so powerful, it helps prevent cardiac disease, cancer, obesity, and assists with blood pressure, cholesterol and digestive regularity. Work at home mums typically ensure that they include a great quantity of fruit and veg in their children’s diet throughout the day, however often forget their own. When you take the time to arrange fresh fruit and vegetables for your kids, make some extra for yourself to eat throughout the day.

About Legumes: Legumes, such as soybeans, lentils, kidney beans, and chick peas are great brain foods. They are additionally a great substitute for meat when served along cereals or pasta, providing protein, vitamins and fibre. They’re versatile and easy to integrate in your diet, which is handy for work at home mums! You can add them to salads, soups, stir fries, sandwiches, pasta and casseroles.

About Water: Ok, I’m not going to discuss this one in detail. You know water is good for you, so drink litres of it! Fill up that great big jug when you get up and have it drunk by bedtime. Line up your glasses. If you’re a busy mum working from home around your kids, you may need to use creative tricks, drinking cues or monitoring tools for drinking the eight glasses of water you need, so find what works for you! Bear in mind also that sometimes feeling hungry means that you are dehydrated, so hydrate before you fill up your plate!

About Salt: Although salt plays an important role in regulating blood and tissue fluids in the body, we typically consume it way beyond the recommended daily intake. The over-consumption of salt isn’t related to adding table salt to meals, rather we pick up the excessive amounts of sodium from the processed foods we eat . Over-consumption of salt is connected to several serious conditions, from heart and kidney disease, to cancer and osteoporosis. For work at home mums and their families, the best means to ensure that the daily limit of 6g of salt (2,300mg of sodium) is not exceeded is to eat fresh, unprocessed foods. When eating processed foods, be attentive to the amounts of sodium by reading the nutrition facts on the label.

Work at home mums deserve to look after their health and make the time to prepare healthy meals for themselves. Let’s not forget how vital it is to eat varied nutritious foods, on a daily basis, for promoting our physical health, mental health and brain power.

The Victorian Government in Australia has an amazingly comprehensive resource which provides truth sheets regarding food and different health subjects. Visit their website Better Health Channel to get more information.

Justine Simard is a mum and business owner. Visit Work At Home Mums to find out about a home business opportunity which allows mothers to achieve a greater income, a better lifestyle and more freedom. Visit also my Work At Home Mums Blog.

Choosing a Mentor In A Home Online Business Opportunity.

Looking for the best home online business opportunity can be challenging, however essential before deciding to launch a home business. Even after you have set your mind on the right opportunity, there also are a few things to consider when looking for a mentor and team that can give you with all the support and training you need to create a successful business.

In several home business opportunities online, different groups deliver a custom-made training program for their team members. So while you’ll be signing up to the same company as your fellow partners, the coaching and guidance you receive might vary.

Once you have found the right  home business opportunity to attain your objectives, here are some questions you might want to ask a possible business coach to learn about the configuration of their team, to understand what to expect, and to work out whether or not their approach fits what you want:

1. Regarding the coaching:
What does the training program involve; how is it structured; how is it delivered; how long does it take to finish the primary training; is there further ongoing training to help me continue to grow my home business online?

2. About their availability:
What are your working hours (you want to know when they will be reachable to help you); who else can give assistance if you’re not available; how several individuals are you mentoring at this moment with this home online business opportunity?

3. About philosophy:
What is your approach to the business (e.g. thorough, casual, collaborative, etc); what do you think is the most necessary aspect of this business; how are you involved with the business community; what are the things you like and dislike regarding this online home business?

4. About the team:
How to team members network together (e.g. is there a shared team site); what team support is offered; what resources are shared amongst team members; will I be able to supply all the team resources to new partners joining with me in this home business opportunity?

5. Concerning marketing resources:

What marketing tools do you provide; what type of advertising do you believe in the most to promote the home business opportunity online.

; do you assist with finding new prospects while I am going through the initial training, so that I can start making money straight away (e.g. using a marketing cooperative or supplier); do you offer website templates and/or hosting?

You could also be asking yourself this: “Should I choose a senior member in the organisation, someone who has been doing it for a very long time?” The simple answer is ‘not necessarily’! In fact, as you have noticed in this post, there are things far more important than status in finding your ideal mentor! Leadership, diligence, resourcefulness, a positive mindset, the right approach and availability are the main criteria which should guide your decision. Also, with the right business coach should come a resourceful and supportive team with members who contribute with their various expertise and aptitudes, and from which you will also draw on to create you own success within your home online business opportunity!

Finally, remember that starting your home business online will place you in the position of a mentor as well so while you will be able to depend on your team support, ask yourself about your position to answer the questions in this post as a mentor for people enquiring about joining you in your home business opportunity!

Choosing Between a Home Business and a Work At Home Job: Work At Home Mums

Work at home opportunities fall in two classes: the work from home jobs and the businesses operated from home. If you want to join other work at home mums and start making money from home, you must consider which option is more likely to suit you.

With a work from home job, you still work for someone else. Your employer is permitting you to be based at home, however you’re still getting paid for the hours you put in and the job you were hired to carry out. With a home business, you are your own boss, you make decisions on the work you want to execute, and you get paid profits for the results you generate – therefore you don’t get paid for the time you spend working, you get rewarded for results, and that means that if you can generate excellent outcomes, even in a short time lapse, you can make an uncapped revenue as a work at home mum and business woman.

There are several points for mums to think about when selecting a work at home opportunity, between employment and a business. Additionally, inside the home business category, you have choices: you can begin your very own business based on a talent you have or a product you make yourself or manufacture (for example, personal assistant work, data entry or typing, craft, cooking, teaching, interior or graphic design, writing, clothing and fashion, and the list continues…); alternatively you can start a home business which is part of an existing company, where the company usually provides you with the products or services, the systems in place and the training and support you need to get your business up and running.

Firstly, you must take into account your character to determine which kind of work at home mum you want to be, employed or mumpreneur. If you’re someone who prefers to report back to somebody else, doesn’t enjoy making decisions or being independent, who needs to be given a structure with deadlines, agendas, and a definite description of your role, your responsibilities and the activities you must do to get paid, then a work from home job may be for you. If you’re someone who likes autonomy, who likes to be in charge, who is self-motivated and self-reliant, who desires to choose how much money they make and has a lot of determination to get it, then you can succeed with a home business.

Another very relevant issue is the costs associated with working from home. If you choose to take on a job, you’ll need some capital to set up your home office, and some of your expenses may even be reimbursed by your employer. However, having a work from home business usually requires an investment. Depending on the opportunity, you’ll have initial expenses related to a membership, using business systems or tools, buying or producing a product, and promoting your business. Bear in mind that in both cases, you can benefit from tax deductions. Work at home mums who choose to start a business might have more expenses, however typically have a higher income potential.

Working from home can be such a rewarding experience when you have kids. You can do activities during the week with your children, go to playgroup, take them to the park, be available for after-school activities, meet-up with other mums or grandparents, give them flexibility around their sleeping routine and just enjoy being at home. It is however a juggling act for work at home mums, just as it would be if you were to work in a company workplace because you would still need to juggle everything between work, daycare or school pick-ups and drop-offs, groceries, etc. It just means that you can control the schedule so that it works for you and that you will have more flexibility around looking after your family and working. It just calls for discipline and organisation, like so many other things in life!

I hope this helps clarify options for work at home mums. Now all that is left to do is find the right work from home job or business opportunity!

Justine Simard is a full time mum and home business owner. Visit my website to learn about a Work From Home Business Opportunity for Work At Home Mums that allows mothers to work from home and look after their kids, whilst providing an unlimited income potential, a better lifestyle and more freedom.

Visit my Squidoo profile: Work At Home Mums on Squidoo

Why I Love My Home Business and Being a Work At Home Mum

As a fulfilled full-time mum and home business owner, I wanted to write a personal article explaining why I just love having the opportunity to work from home, around my 2 young kids, and still be able to work my way towards becoming a millionnaire! While being a mum is my greatest joy and challenge in life, being able to continue to have a career, to keep learning and develop skills, make a significant income for my family and be part of a professional team means I can have the best of both worlds! Like many work at home mums who choose to have a home business instead of a work from home job, I work for myself, make decisions, have an uncapped income working for profits, have flexibility around my working schedule, and raise my kids at home instead of full-time childcare.

When I was considering going back to work after my maternity leave, the idea of using most of my wage to pay for childcare made me cringe. What a waste! It is just like having to pay to have a job! A home business sure requires an investment and involves ongoing costs, however I make money for myself. I found a business with big profits, a simple system and a huge support network. This means I receive all the training, support and business tools I need and am positioned to make an unlimited income. While I wanted to be a work at home mum, I didn’t want to limit my income or surrender the flexibility to work around my family. It is amazing how being your own boss can boost your motivation, determination and tenacity. This may not be for everyone, but as a driven and ambitious women, it is the ultimate reward for my efforts.

For the first time in my life, I enjoy work. In fact I LOVE what I do. I am passionate about my home business, about helping others achieve their income and lifestyle goals, and about creating amazing results for myself and my family. And on top of it all, I am also part of a group of positive and like-minded people who all strive for success, abundance, lifestyle, health and wealth. My work is now completely focused on my goals, personal, professional and financial. While achieving this for myself, I can now give back and help others achieve the same. What a brilliant life!

Are you inspired? If you recognise your goals and aspirations in this article, visit my Work At Home Mums Business Opportunity website to learn more about how I can help you start a home business and reach your ideal income, family lifestyle, and personal goals!

Visit me on Squidoo: http://www.squidoo.com/Why_I_Love_Being_a_Work_At_Home_Mum_and_Owning_My_Business

Positive Thinking Tips for Work At Home Mums

Positive thinking can help work at home mums be successful in their challenge to work from home while being a stay-at-home mum.  Here are some actions and positive adjustments you can make to generate positive thinking and help you achieve your goals. Though a number of the following tips could sound powerless, attempt them for yourself, everyday, and see how they can change the way you are feeling and act as well as the results you achieve.

1. Act With Passion Towards Your Aspirations. As a mum and work at home business owner or professional, put your heart into everything you do, and remember what you’re doing it for. Even the littlest actions affect your future results, and keeping your greater dream or goal in mind can help you feel great regarding each step you are taking towards it, however little it may be.

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

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

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

5. Take Responsibility. You are the architect of your destiny. You may not control all things and people in your world, however you have control of YOU. You may not decide on what happens, but you choose on YOUR RESPONSE to those events. You can CHOOSE to feel resilient, satisfied, motivated, in control, positive. You can make the choice to be a work at home mum, and achieve success in each role.

6. Find Inspiration. Seek out positive inspiration from mentors, books, music or movies. Start studying personal development. Work towards refining your skills, talent and natural inclination to be a positive, optimistic, happy, strong, appreciative, tenacious, passionate and inspired work at home mum!

7. Smile. Smile and the world smiles with you! Raise your shoulders, walk with your head up, take a deep breath, present yourself well (even to go to the supermarket!), and smile to strangers. Work at home mums are usually very busy fulfilling all their tasks, and typically forget to refill themselves with positive energy. Smiling while raising your shoulders is the fastest most effective approach to generate positive energy. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, overworked or annoyed, smile and you will feel a shift in your energy and personal power. It won’t make the obstacle vanish, but it sure will help you align yourself for a better response.

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

Justine Simard is a stay-at-home mum and home business owner. Visit my website to discover a home business opportunity for work at home mums which allows mothers to work from home and look after their children, whilst providing a superior income potential, a better lifestyle and more freedom.

Work At Home Mums: Working From Home and Taking It Seriously!

Is it definitely much easier to work from home? While work at home mums enjoy more independence around their professional and family commitments, they continue to have just as much need and demands to perform in both roles. So how can mothers ensure that working in a home setting and being their own boss doesn’t have a negative effect on the results they produce? Taking your professional role seriously while at home will be vital to generating the best outcomes, and here are 5 vital factors in building a professional routine and mindset.

1. Establish Measurable Targets and Measure Your Outcomes. Job descriptions and performance reviews are important resources to most businesses. They are just as vital for work at home mums, whether they work for themselves or work for an employer who does not consistently monitor their outcomes. First, determine the tasks you need to execute. Break it up in units, steps and milestones, and remember to attach timelines. Second, determine your criteria for successful completion, once again together with a timeline. This exercise done often can truly help you set the standards for your work and what you want to achieve. It can help you monitor your tasks, your timelines and your results. Most importantly, it can help you measure your performance and ascertain that what you’re doing is working. If you’re not reaching your goals, you need to either change them, rectify the timelines or modify your actions to achieve them.

2. Working Time Is For Working. Family time is for being a mum. There’s nothing wrong with putting a load of washing on between phone calls. However, work at home mums must have a work schedule. Based on your objectives and responsibilities, establish a weekly timetable which is detailed around the length of allocated time and the nature of your tasks. Flexibility is great; it means that you can diverge from your schedule if you must. It does not suggest you don’t need a schedule! Some ‘serious work’ periods of time should be assigned throughout the week at times when you’re not likely to be interrupted by your children, friends and family, or your chores. These periods can be your power hours, when you can focus and be very productive. In the times when you are likely to be interrupted, assign little tasks which do not require your undivided attention.

3. Create Habits. As a work at home mums, I sometimes did many work- and family-related tasks while not completing every one of them. I would end up later in the day with lots of loose ends to deal with. A record not filed, an email not sent, a plate not put away in the dishwasher, and a note not written on the spot would together create a mess that had to be dealt with when I was in fact ready to either head to bed or begin my serious work period. A number of these tasks would also take more time to completebecause I would need to re-open files, remember what I wanted to put in writing or deal with a whole day’s worth of tidying up in the house. Making habits takes some time. In fact, it takes around thirty days of consistent action to form habit. Therefore finish what you start. Finish off as you go, both in your office and your house. Become a highly efficient person who opens and closes tasks without delay, and you’ll see the change in both your time span and your head space.

4. Apply Yourself To Produce Maximum Outcomes. You might be a mum working at home on your diningtable betweenschool pick-ups, or in between breastfeeds, but this is still work. It is what pays you. It is what allows you to be home for your loved ones while making the income that can give you the lifestyle you want. Hard work, drive and willpower get results. Being your own boss can be your chance to expand your knowledge, widen your scope and set higher targets for yourself. It is up to you to acquire the new knowledge and skills you need to be excellent at what you do, be efficient at creating better results, and completely get pleasure from your work. Take your work seriously, and you will get serious results!

5. Be Resourceful. Determine the resources you need to successfully accomplish your tasks, and source them. You may not have an employer or manager to invite you to meetings or coaching sessions. There are a few categories for which work at home mums may need to outsource resources or services: 1. Coaching, 2. Business Tools, 3. Support/Advice/Mentoring , and 4. Networking/Teamwork. With the help of the web, you can now find anything you possibly need to run a business successfully from home, whether it is technical support, financial tools, marketing materials, business coaching, a networking team, specialised coaching, and even new partnersfor your business.

Working from home can be extremely rewarding, particularly when there is a great balance between personal and professional responsibilities, and when the specified outcomes are produced. Work at home mums who take their job or business seriously will generate more positive results for themselves while being in control of their work-life balance. These mums set and measure their goals, have a work schedule, form effective habits, complete their tasks, are resourceful, and are tenaciousand devoted to achieving greater results.

Justine Simard is a full-time mum and home business owner. Visit my website to find out about a home business opportunity for work at home mums which allows mums to work at home and be with their kids, while providing a superior income potential, a better lifestyle and more freedom.