The Working from Home Lament
I’m meant to be working
I’ve so much to do
But the beds all need changing
And I must clean the loo
Posts Tagged: home working
10 Ways to Get Work Done during the School Holidays
It’s holiday time again and already you may be beginning to wonder ‘How am I ever going to fit in any work?’. Most of us are self-employed because of the flexibility this affords us to be able to be with the children during their school holidays. But how do you keep everything ticking along?
Nobody said it was going to be easy….but mums are incredibly clever at multi-tasking and time management, and work at home mums even more so. Try not to feel guilty about finding time to do some work in the school holidays – you are still spending more time with your children than normal, and it is good for them to know you have to work sometimes, and that it is for the whole family’s benefit in the long run.
Claiming expenses for working from home
Following on from our previous post about How to be an Accountant’s Perfect Customer, family-friendly accountant Amy Taylor explains to do’s and don’ts when claiming expenses for working from home.
The Mumpreneur Guide by Antonia Chitty
September 1st saw the launch of Antonia Chitty’s long awaited book, The Mumpreneur Guide, which was perfect timing for mums considering their working options now the school holidays are over and want to start a business that fits in with their family.
Mother and business advisor Antonia has put together this ultimate guide for parents which is full of practical advice to help you start a business. This book is for you if you are short on time and resources and have to stop at 3 every day to collect the kids, or can only work when the baby naps.
Spare Room Start Up by Emma Jones
Spare Room Start Up: How to Start a Business from Home is written by Emma Jones, the founder of Enterprise Nation, the UK’s largest website for people starting and growing a business from home. Emma also runs the Home Business Awards, produces the annual Home Business Report and advises Government on the topic of home-working, so has a fine pedigree to be writing a book on home-working.
My first impression of the book was that it would look just as good on your coffee table as it would on the bookshelf in your office. To me this book was more than just about starting a business from home – it was about making a lifestyle choice and this was illustrated beautifully by the informal photos of Emma with her family, friends and colleagues.
How To Dress To Impress
Now that I work from home my wardrobe of ‘work clothes’ consists of jeans, jogging bottoms and pyjamas – not a dress in sight! This is in sharp contrast to the vast array of trouser suits and shirts I wore to the office before I had children. So now, when I go to networking meetings or to meet with potential sponsors, I face a dilemma about what to wear. I want to look professional and businesslike – but I no longer feel comfortable in (or can fit into!) the suits of days gone by. So what is the dress code for a work at home mum?
How To Escape The Guilt Trap
As mums we beat ourselves up about a lot of things – what our children eat, how they behave, how much TV they watch – the potential for feeling guilty is endless.
Add to the pot the added guilt that Work at Home Mums feel about not spending as much time with their family and you could be heading for overload.
Guilt is a state which occurs when you believe you have done something you shouldn’t, or conversely, when you haven’t done something you think you should – and so has the potential to pretty much affect most situations! But if it IS only a state of mind, then maybe a change in perspective is all that’s needed to turn guilt on its head. So here are some ideas about how you can turn a guilty thought into a postive one:
Top Tips for Working from Home Healthily
Working from home presents an ideal solution for many women; being able to work between school hours, being at home if the children are poorly, fitting in some housework during the day, not paying rent for office space…..we know all the benefits. But how can we ensure that our home working is healthy?
1. A decent office chair to ensure good posture is vital. Spending hours on a dining chair hunched over a computer, or perched on a kitchen stool is bad for backs and necks. Invest in yourself and your health and have a decent chair.