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By Lesley Spencer
The relaxed pace of summer is peeking just around the corner. And it is definitely
welcome to many of us, but the challenge and sometime stressful moments of balancing
motherhood and work is not always so welcome.
Like much of motherhood, being flexible is key and planning in advance is a necessity.
To help you make this summer the best it can be with as little stress as possible, here
are my tips for balancing your many roles during the summer:
-- If you don’t have a laptop, now is a great time to consider getting one especially
with wireless Internet connection. You can work just about anywhere with your laptop
and wireless connection. That means portability to work in any room in your home as
well as work at locations in public with wireless connection – coffee shops, public
parks, airports, shopping areas, skating rinks and more.
-- Take convenience a step higher and make your laptop your desktop computer by using a
docking station. A docking station allows you to still use your monitor and keyboard
like a desktop without the hassle of using two computer and transferring files and
emails back and forth. Laptop prices have dropped dramatically and some laptops are as
low as $500 while docking stations start around $60. Now may be the time to make your
business work around your busy life more than ever.
-- If you know your workload is going to be overwhelming, start planning now what you
can delegate. Perhaps, it's time to hire a Virtual Assistant to help you in your
business. There are many talented, capable VAs who can do anything from word processing
to data entry, to answering calls to respond to email to much more. You can search for
them and other talented home-based moms in a variety of professions at:
http://www.HBWM.com/memberdir.
-- Technology is a great thing. Look into what you can automate in your business.
Perhaps you can set up autoresponders when someone purchases or requests something from
your website. A few sites that offer automation solutions include: 1AutomationWiz.com
and AutoResponsePlus.com.
Even with more portability, moms need some time to work, relax, rejuvenate or just
catch a breath. So what to do with those sweet cherub-like children squealing and
running underfoot?
-- Check out the summer camps in your area. These days there are camps for just about
everything from sports to art to acting to science. Check your local parenting
publications. Many of them have summer camp guides.
-- Kid Swap? No, this isn’t a bad, new reality TV series. It’s an opportunity to
pre-arrange some play date exchanges with your trusted friends and neighbors. Kids get
to play and have fun and moms get an opportunity to catch up on work or find a little
time for relaxation.
-- Consider a Mom’s Helper. They can be great playmates and keep your kids occupied
while you work. You may hire someone once a week, every morning or whatever your
schedule and work requires.
With a little planning and forethought, you can make this summer not only less
stressful but actually enjoyable and fulfilling. Take time now to get yourself ready.
You and your kids will be glad you did.
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