August 20, 2017

5 Must-Read Books to Empower Future Girl Leaders

5 Books to Empower Future Girl Leaders

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I was very lucky growing up that I had strong women to admire and look up to. These women taught me that I can do anything that I put my mind to. They also taught me to be tenacious and go after what I want.

Now, as a mother of my own little girl, it is my turn to pass on that message. I want my daughter to be tough, resilient, and work hard to change the world. I look for opportunities every day to empower future girl leaders.

Studies show that the message of empowerment can’t come early enough in young girl’s lives. Check out these 5 books to empower future girl leaders.

Rosie Revere the Engineer (by Andrea Beaty)

According to the National Girls Collaborative Project, Women make up half of the total U.S. college-educated workforce, but only 29% of the science and engineering workforce. Very few STEM books are geared toward girls, that is why I love this book. In fact, this is just one of a series of books that include female characters in STEM-related fields. It is a fun and empowering read for your future engineer!

This Little Trailblazer: A Girl Power Primer (by Joan Hulub)

This is an adorable little book to teach girls (and boys!) about ten influential women who changed history. Geared towards kids aged 3-5, it is colorful and simple to read. Women that are featured include Rosa Parks, Florence Nightingale, and Coco Chanel. What I love about this book is it includes women from a variety of backgrounds- fashion, athletics, civil rights, etc. It’s a must read to empower future girl leaders.

She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World (by Chelsea Clinton)

Geared towards kids aged preschool-3rd grade, this book introduces readers to thirteen inspirational women who never took no for an answer and persisted in order to shape history. This book teaches young women to be tenacious and stand up for what they believe in. This is a beautifully illustrated and empowering read for any future girl-boss. Empower your daughter by reading and discussing the women highlighted in the book.

Girl Power 5-Minute Stories

We have several of the 5-Minute Story books and this is hands down my favorite. This book includes ten stories that can be read aloud in five minutes flat, perfect for bedtime! All of the stories center around fearless, fun, determined daring, kind, and confident young girls. A great way to end the day by empowering your little girl.

Stand Tall, Molly Lou Mellon (by Patty Lovell)

This is the sweetest book. Molly Lou Lemon is short and clumsy, has buck teeth, and has a funny sounding voice. She moves to a new school and is confronted by a school bully. Molly Lou sets forth with confidence, determination, and self-assurance that every little girl can benefit from having. It’s a great read with a wonderful message. It’s a great book to empower your daughter and help her improve her self-confidence.

What books or resources have you read to empower future girl leaders? Have you read any of these books? Leave a comment below!

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August 11, 2017

Back to School Prep for Working Moms

Back to school time is upon us and moms around the world are rejoicing. All except moms working outside of the home. Back to school only adds to the chaos and kid-shuffling that is the working mother’s day. Getting yourself ready for work, getting your kids ready for school, breakfast, school drop-off, commute to the office, work, school pick-up, extracurriculars, homework, dinner, bath, bedtime, repeat. Sound familiar (and utterly exhausting)? Yup. But, don’t despair! Here are some things that you can do now to help give you a head start on the upcoming school year.

Start Back to School Shopping, NOW!

Start back to school shopping as soon as you can. Make it easy for yourself by picking up school supplies and clothing items while you are out and about. Make a checklist of things your kids will need and keep this handy as you are going for your weekly Target run. There are a ton of benefits for being an early-worm. For one, you will feel less stressed and frazzled those last few days of summer. You will also score the best deals on the best supplies. As you get closer to the start of school, supplies tend to get picked over and more expensive. You will also have the luxury of spacing out these purchases over several weeks which is easier on the budget.

Meal-Planning

There are so many meal-planning resources out there. Seriously, just go to Pinterest and search for “meal-planning” and you will get thousands of pins on everything from on budget meal-planning to vegan all-natural super-food meal-planning. So many meal-plans. It’s a good idea to plan out your meals for a few weeks in advance. This allows you to start stocking up on the non-perishable ingredients to help you avoid those last minute dashes to the store to pick up a missing ingredient. Freezer meals are also something that you MUST do. Research and plan out at least 7-10 freezer meals and take a day and get them ready. These are lifesavers on those days where you just can’t find the time to cook. You simply take them out of the freezer and put them in your crock pot or instant pot. Crisis averted!

Stock Up on Must-Have Items

Now is a good time to stock up on non-perishable supplies/foods so you can save yourself some trips to the store. Stock up on things like toilet paper, paper towel, bottled water, snacks, garbage bags, etc. There is nothing worse than running out of toilet paper and having to run to the store at 8 pm after you have been running around all day. Amazon is AMAZING for ordering these items from the comfort of your own home!

Another lifesaver is the Amazon Dash Button. These little things of beauty were sent from above. The Dash Button is a small wireless device about the size of a pack of gum that allows you to order common household supplies with the click of a button. You simply press the button and the device uses Wi-Fi to instantly order items you have pre-selected from Amazon. AH-MAZ-ING. So let’s say you have a Dash Button for your laundry detergent in your laundry room. When you are throwing in a load of laundry you notice you are running low, you click the button, and VOILA, in two days you have laundry detergent on your front porch. I don’t think Amazon could make life any easier for busy moms.

Organize Everything You Possibly Can

Spend some time organizing anything that you possibly can organize. Make sure that everything has its place and your family knows where that place is (funny, I know!). While I suggest organizing as much as you possibly can, there are some areas that are absolute musts. The first of these areas is your pantry. Having an uncluttered and organized pantry makes meal-planning and prep much easier. The next area that you will want to get to is your kid’s closets. Starting from kindergarten, your children can help get themselves ready. Spend some time before the school week preparing some outfits and each morning your kiddo can pick out which outfit they want to wear for that day. It’s a win-win, you save time and they feel more empowered. The last must-organize area is your landing zone. Your “landing zone’ is that space in your house where everyone seems to put their stuff (think shoes, backpacks, etc.) when they get home. If you don’t have an official landing zone, you should create one. If you have a quasi-landing zone, organize it and make it official. Having this space will hopefully eliminate unnecessary clutter throughout your home and prevent the missing shoe when you are late for work fiasco.

Re-evaluate Household Chores

The beginning of the school year is a great time to re-evaluate the household responsibilities. Sit down and write out every family member and list the chores that they are responsible for and when they are to be completed. If applicable, assign some additional chores to your family members. Check out this article from SportsMomSurvivalGuide.com that details what chores are appropriate for each age group. Giving your kids responsibilities not only takes some things off of your plate, but it helps develop their confidence and independence. However, you WILL find yourself saying to yourself “it is easier to do this myself so I will just keep doing it.” This is the trap that us moms fall into. In fact, I swear kids take longer to do their chores initially secretly hoping that you will cave and just do it for them. DO NOT FALL FOR IT. Sit down with your kid and set very clear expectations (when, how, what happens if they are not home, etc.). Once you discuss expectations show them how. Have them watch you do it once, do it together once, and then have them do it on their own. This may seem time-consuming (and annoying) but just stick with it. Your future self will thank you.

Develop a Family Schedule

Your schedule can be crazy as a working mom during the school year. It is a great idea to set aside some time to develop a formal family schedule. Figure out what will work best for your family. It could be an app, a fancy family command center, or a plain old calendar on your wall. You know what will work best for your family. Once you decide on a format, hold a family meeting and discuss all of your schedules and commitments. Make sure you gather all of the school schedules, sports calendars, and your work calendar. Talk through any conflict that you may have and discuss pick-up/drop-off responsibilities. If you have relatives that regularly help out, have them be a part of the meeting as well so you can coordinate their assistance at the same time. This is also a great time to discuss family vacations for the year. When do you plan on going? When does everyone have a break? etc. Once you are done commit to having a similar meeting each month to update the calendar and adjust as necessary. This 30-minute family meeting will save you hours of back and forth trying to coordinate your schedule. As a nice bonus, it helps create a sense of teamwork and support in the family which is never a bad thing.

What are your tips for back to school prep? What do you do to get you and your family ready? We’d love to hear, drop a comment below!

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How to Balance Work & Kids without Going Insane

Going Back to Work after Baby

Working from Home with Your Kids

August 6, 2017

How to Find Time For Your Side Hustle

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Anyone that starts a new side hustle has the same concern. How do you find time for your side hustle?

I have always been entrepreneurial and starting a business is so exciting and all consuming. When I start something, I tend to put my whole self into it. However, I’m also a mom of two. I’ve learned quickly that it is difficult to put your whole self into anything as a mother. You are pulled in a million different directions which can leave you feeling defeated and ineffective.

Luckily, I have figured out a way that I can have both a successful career and be an engaged and present mother.

Here are four strategies that you can use to find time for your side hustle as a busy working mom

#1. The Parent Split-Shift

I’m a huge advocate for the “parent split-shift”. If you haven’t heard of the parent split-shift before, it is essentially working during the day, taking off a bit early in the afternoon to spend time with your kids, and then plugging back into my side hustle when the kids go to bed.

This is how it works in my house- I work until about 4 or 5 pm and then head home to spend some quality time with my kids. During this time I am able to be fully present and focus solely on them. Quality over quantity. I am able to get dinner ready, take them to the park, give them their baths and put them to bed. Then after bed time, I am able to plug back in and get more accomplished.

The key to this strategy is making sure that you stop working at a reasonable hour both in the afternoon and evening. Otherwise, you run the risk of burning out.

#2. Side Hustle Focus Day

I strongly believe you need to take action on your side hustle every day in order for it to be successful. If that is difficult to commit to, dedicate one day a week to your side hustle. It could be a day during the week where you arrange childcare for your kids after school or you can pick a weekend day where your spouse can handle the kids for the day. Whatever works best for you and your family.

If you are able, try to keep your “side hustle day” consistent so you can and your family can plan for it accordingly. Make sure that you have a to-do list for this day consisting of tasks that will bring the most value to your business. Start with the items that will bring you the most money and work only off of that list. This will ensure that you are maximizing productivity during this time.

#3. Side-Hustle Sprint

Another highly effective strategy for fitting in your side hustle is the side hustle sprint. If you just can’t seem to find a larger chunk of time, schedule your side hustle in 20-minute increments throughout the week. If you are intentional and focused, you can accomplish a TON in a short amount of time.

At the beginning of the week, take a look at your schedule and identify times when you can schedule some side hustle time in. It could be in the morning before the kids wake up, at nap-time, when your spouse gets home from work, or whenever you can find it!

Before your side hustle sprint, identify 1-2 items that you want to accomplish. Be realistic with yourself, you don’t want to set yourself up to fail. For example, you likely won’t be able to write a complete blog post in 20 minutes. You can, however, write an outline and the intro. If you can’t accomplish the whole task in 20 minutes, you can break up the task into several increments. In this example, you can spend your next sprint writing the body of the post. Little blocks of time add up quickly! Block this time on your calendar and write down exactly what you should be doing during this time.

#4. Side Hustle Vacation

I discovered this technique when I was in grad school. When I would try to study for finals at home, I found that I was too distracted to really concentrate. I would sit down to study and then the next thing I knew, I was reorganizing the garage. The weekend before finals each semester, I would book a hotel room for the weekend and basically hole up and study for 48 hours straight. It was amazingly productive.

I know it’s hard to get away from your home and family, however, try to do this for yourself from time to time. A side hustle vacation affords you the opportunity to get away from the day-to-day and truly focus on your side hustle. This is a great approach for things that really require your focus or things that you may have been putting off for a while.

While I miss my kids immensely during this time, I always come back feeling refreshed and accomplished and a much better mom!

With all of these strategies, it is important that you are being kind to yourself and carve out regular “me” time. Otherwise, you run the risk of damaging your relationship and health . It’s the whole “put the oxygen mask on yourself before others” thing. Your cup has to be full before you can pour it for others.

You need to take care of your self before you can take care of others.

Tell us! what tips do you find time for your side hustle? Leave a comment below.

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Pumping at Work: 7 Things I Wish I Knew

Going back to work is tough, you have so many worries and emotions that you have to contend with. On top of that, you have to figure out the contraption that is the breast pump AND figure out how to efficiently pump at work. My first pumping experience was all kinds of stressful and awkward. But I’m here to tell you that it does get easier with each time you pump. Pretty soon you will be a pumping pro too! It can be even easier if you do your research and adequately prepare for pumping at work. Here are some tips that I wish someone would have told me that would have drastically reduced my learning curve.

Speak with your Employer

Before you head back to work it is important that you speak with your employer regarding your plans to pump. Before this conversation, it is important to know your rights as a breastfeeding mother. Make sure that you discuss pumping location. You have the right to a comfortable, private, and clean pumping location. Luckily I have a private office. I was able to place a piece of cardboard in the window and put a chair in front of the door so I could work while I was pumping. Whatever works for you! You will also want to discuss pumping breaks. I would suggest shooting for more pumping time that you will actually need just in case. Hopefully, your employer will happily work with you and provide you adequate time. If not, it is important to know the law and your rights.

Schedule Your Pumping Sessions

No doubt about it, being organized will help you immensely when you are pumping at work. You will first want to be organized with your time. Take a look at your calendar and figure out when you will be able to pump and schedule it in. Put it on your calendar just as you would a meeting. Make sure that you schedule every 2-3 hours when you first go back even if you don’t think you will need that much. Your body will be adjusting so you don’t really know how you will react at first. If you aren’t able to nurse your baby in the morning before you leave, make sure you pump before you start work for the day. Figure out what works for you and adjust as necessary. The key here is to schedule it in but remain flexible while you are learning.

Organize Your Pumping Parts

You will want a durable, wipeable bag for all of your pumping essentials. There are a lot of awesome (and stylish) bags that are designed specifically for breast-pumps and pump parts. Before you go back to work, organize your bag and make sure that you include everything that you will need (pump, pump parts, bottles, wipes, sanitizer bag, hands-free nursing bra, etc.). Create a pumping bag checklist with the essentials and use this religiously. Also, make sure that everything has a dedicated spot in your bag so you can quickly notice if something is missing at a glance. You will want to keep your pumping bag somewhere convenient and visible so you don’t leave it behind in the morning. This has happened to me and it was just awful, especially considering I had an hour-long commute. I cried real tears that day. You may even want to get in habit of packing it up and taking it out to your car at night.

Create a Pumping Emergency Kit

If finances allow, try to have duplicates of everything and make this your pumping emergency kit. Keep this at your desk or in your car. Trust me, there will be days that you forget something. It is so frustrating and stressful when this happens. The last thing you want to do is pack everything back up and run to Target in the middle of your workday (if you even have the opportunity to). This will save you time, money, and a lot of stress in the long-run.

Invest in a Mini-Fridge

This is a luxury and totally not necessary (assuming you have a refrigerator somewhere in your workplace), however, a mini-fridge in your office/under your desk would be amazing (check out the link below for an affordable portable mini-fridge that you can stash in your car or cubicle!). I hated having to lug the goods down to my bosses fridge after each pumping session. I didn’t want to weird her out so I put everything in a little cooler bag so she couldn’t see the contents. This was a pain because I had to wash everything after each session. It would have been awesome if I could have just stashed everything in my own little fridge. Seconds matter as a working mom. Just saying.

Consult with Lactation Consultant

One of the best things I did before I went back to work was schedule a consultation with a lactation consultant. It was a session focused all around going back to work and learning how to use my pump. It was an hour long session and I brought my pump and she showed me how everything worked, made sure everything fit properly, helped me develop my pumping schedule, and answered all of my pumping related questions. This appointment provided me with so much confidence which I greatly needed heading back to work.

Don’t Stress

Whatever you do, please do not stress. In fact, stressing could be the absolute worst thing you can do and counter-productive. When I was pumping for my oldest, I was a mess. I was constantly stressing about producing enough to meet the demands of my little guy. My whole workday was consumed by ensuring that I was pumping enough, stressing when I didn’t produce enough, and worrying when I could get home to nurse. That is literally all I thought about all day. That anxiety spilled over to my son’s caretakers. Those that cared for him were so nervous about his feeding schedule and apologized when they had to give him an extra feeding. I made them that nervous. It was a stressful period in my life. When I went back to work with my daughter, I vowed to relax. It was a much better experience for everyone I didn’t worry so much about pumping on a rigid schedule, I didn’t feel guilty when I didn’t produce as much during a pumping session, and I told everyone to use as much milk as they needed out of the freezer stash. You know what? I produced way more milk with my daughter. The long story short is to be kind to yourself and do what is best for you. If you need to supplement with formula, that is perfectly okay. That doesn’t make you any less of a mother, you are an amazing mother regardless!

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What pumping tips do you have for other working-moms? Planning to pump, what are you most worried about? Leave a comment below.

July 25, 2017

Work from Home: Keep Your Toddlers Entertained

Working from Home: Keep Your Toddlers Entertained

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It is difficult to work from home when your kids are there. It never fails that as soon as you have a conference call or a pressing deadline, your kids require your undivided attention. One of my work from home with kids strategies is to have some special toys and activities that you only pull out when you absolutely need to keep your kids entertained. They are my work from home secret weapons! I’ve rounded up some of the toys and activities that keep my toddlers entertained the most when I need to get some things accomplished.

Peg Board Set

Our board set has provided hours of entertainment for my kids. My son loves to build towers and knock them down while my daughter likes to build different patterns. This set not only promotes creativity but it is also great for fine motor skills. There are so many different ways that you can play with this toy both with your kids or them on their own. For under $20, you can’t lose!

Magnetic Tiles

I honestly can’t say enough about these tiles. If you don’t have a set yet, you MUST get some asap. I didn’t really know what the fuss was all about and I thought they were a little pricey. I’m here to tell you that they are worth every single penny. My kids will play with these all day long if I let them. They can build houses, castles, trains, whatever they put their little minds to. My heart melts seeing their imaginations run wild and seeing all the awesome stuff that they come up with. A definite must when working from home with kids.

Train Set

My son is obsessed with trains. In fact, we are on a two-year run in which my son is basically only interested in trains (is that normal, by the way? Kidding, kinda). Although I didn’t put this set on the list for him. Every single kid that has come over to my house has loved playing with this wooden train set. Putting the tracks together requires creativity and problem-solving skills, which is awesome. The set is also great for imaginative play with all of the little props. It has something for everyone. It is also durable and will last for a long time. My son still plays with wooden tracks and trains that belonged to my husband when he was a boy. Sounds like a winner to me!

Little People House

My favorite toys growing up were Little People so I absolutely love that my kids are into them too. I get all kinds of warm fuzzy nostalgia. But seriously, both of my kids love playing with this Little People House. Both my boy and girl do a lot of pretend play with this set. It will definitely keep them entertained for a while.

Lego Duplos

Regardless of what your kid is into, I’m sure they like Legos. I haven’t met a kid yet that won’t play with some legos thrown their way. Your kids may or may not be at the age where you trust them with the regular size so these are a nice safe alternative. I like to give them different themes or ideas when they are playing to keep it fresh. For example, I will tell my son that we are going to play pirate ships and he then creates a whole scene with a pirate ship, island, etc. The opportunities are endless! Also, I just love toys that are versatile and last forever. These definitely fit the bill!

Alphabet Magnets

Kids love magnets. If it were up to my kid, my entire fridge would be filled with these things. That is a no-go as I can only handle so much clutter. It works in my favor because when I bring these bad boys out, the kids go nuts! They can play so many ways with these. You can have them practice their sight words, spelling, or just become more familiar with the alphabet. My three year old pretty much knows how to read because he had a brief stent of obsessing over the alphabet because of these magnets. That and watching weird YouTube videos but I digress. Another thing I love about this particular set is that it includes a magnetic tray. This is perfect if they are hanging out in your office and you need a magnetic surface. Educational and fun!

Fire 7 Kids Edition

I try to limit my kid’s screen time. Now before you go thinking that I’m “that mom“, the only reason I limit screen time is so when I do give it to them they zone out like little zombie babies. Need to hop on a conference call? Here kiddos, check out some YouTube Kids. Want to actually enjoy a warm cup of coffee in the morning? Watch some weird video of a grown man cracking open toy eggs. No judgment here. Anyways, I absolutely LOVE my Fire 7 Kids Edition. The case is awesome and I don’t have to worry about the littles dropping it or throwing it. Even if they do destroy it, you are good because It comes with a two-year worry-free guarantee meaning if it is broken they replace it with no questions asked. What I love most about this tablet is that it comes with one-year of FreeTime Unlimited. FreeTime Unlimited gives your kids free access to 5,000 popular apps and games, videos, books, and educational content from PBS Kids, Nickelodeon, Disney, and more. Any app you can think of is included. Such a huge help when you are work from home and need to keep your kids entertained!

What are your work from home secret weapons? What strategies do you use to keep your kids entertained when you work from home? What struggles are you facing? I would love to hear from you, drop a comment below!

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How to Balance Work & Kids Without Going Insane

July 20, 2017

How to Balance Work and Kids (Without Going Completely Insane)

I am a glutton for punishment. I have two adorable little kiddos, work a full-time (sometimes stressful & demanding) job, and I run a blog and consulting practice on the side. Life is beautiful and a bit chaotic most days.

A while back I started to really struggle with balancing all of the demands on my plate. I felt like I was always neglecting something. I felt like I could never fully be present in what I was doing because there was always something else that demands my attention. Sound familiar?

While I still struggle with this regularly, I’ve picked up some strategies along the way that have helped me balance work and kids more effectively.

Be Nice to Yourself

As women, we tend to put an incredible amount of pressure on ourselves. The first step to balance work and kids is to have grace with yourself. You can’t do it all and no one expects you to.

When you find yourself stressing about something, stop and give yourself a quick reality check. Ask yourself what would happen if this doesn’t get done right now? What is this load of laundry doesn’t get folded right this second? Nothing. What if I don’t volunteer to help organize the next bake sale at school? Someone else will.

Get comfortable with the fact that you don’t have to do it all, all the time.

It Takes A Village

It really does take a village to raise children. I always thought that sounded cheesy until I had children of my own. Now, I understand that you need people around to help you.

Sometimes you need some time to work uninterrupted (or time to just recharge). Ask grandma to keep the kids overnight so you can catch up on some work (and sleep!). Set up a babysitting swap with a girlfriend or neighbor. You watch their kids one night and they can watch yours the next night. Hire a local babysitter to watch the kids a couple of hours every week.

You should also try to get some help for your home, if possible. Every successful woman I have ever spoken with has some form of household help. Literally, every single one of them. It could be a housekeeper, someone to run light errands for you, or just a cleaning service that comes a few times a year. Whatever you can afford to do. It will take some pressure off and ultimately allows you to spend more time with your family.

I have a cleaning service that comes every other Friday. I find myself being a much better mom those weekends because I’m not stressing about housework. Try Amazon Home Services. They have services such as housecleaning, window washing, and handyman services. It is much more affordable than you think.

Whatever it is you are struggling with, try to find how you can enlist other people to support you. Chances are there are friends and family that would love the opportunity to help you.

Empower your Family

I tend to take everything on myself: work, clean, cook, manage finances, plan trips, manage the household, etc. I fail to include my family in these responsibilities and shame on me.

At work, I am a huge advocate of empowering employees by delegating them tasks and responsibilities. Why should my home be any different? Not only will handing off some responsibilities to your kids ease your workload, but it will help develop them into responsible and competent people.

Find age appropriate tasks, teach them how to do the tasks, provide them support as they are learning, and watch them flourish.

You do not need to do everything yourself.

Establish Routines

Routines are essential in helping you balance work and kids (for you and your kids).

I am an advocate for routines because they are liberating and reduce stress in your life. For example, brushing your teeth is a task that you have to do. Do you get stressed out every morning because you have to brush your teeth? Nope, because it is a habit and part of our routine. Brushing your teeth requires no thought. You just do it.

Human beings thrive on routines. Develop a morning routine, a home from school/work routine, a bedtime routine, and a prepping for the week routine on Sundays. In doing so, you can quickly go through the motions, get things done and clear your mind for more important things. Visualize the perfect routine, write it down, communicate the routine to others, and then hold everyone accountable for it. After a few weeks, it will be second nature and will be much less stressful for everyone involved.

Sundays are for Preparing

Every hour that you spend planning or prepping on Sunday can save your hours of execution and tons of additional stress.

Your plan should include some form of meal-planning. On Sunday decide what your meals will be for the week and make sure that you have all of the ingredients that you will need on hand. Another thing that will really help save you time is to plan your and your family’s outfits for the week. Buy a hanging organizer and put everything that you need for the outfit in the organizer down to socks and underwear. That way all you need to do in the morning is grab it and put-on. I do this for myself and include accessories and shoes so I am not scrambling around looking for something that goes with the outfit. Any sporting events or activities? Prep all of the items that you will need and get them ready to go. Your Thursday self will thank you for all the work that you did on Sunday.

If you aren’t sure what to include in your Sunday routine, think about what takes up the most time or causes the most stress throughout the week. Think about how you can try to eliminate some os this work/stress by planning ahead.

Set Goals

Goals are essential in helping you balance work and kids.

Each Sunday, set goals for the upcoming week. Set an overarching goal for the week- what do you really want to accomplish? What woudl make you really excited to get done? Next, break it down into realistic daily tasks that need to be done in order to accomplish that goal.

The key is being realistic. You are just setting yourself up for failure if you try to cram too much into your week or accomplish too much. By picking one realistic goal, it allows you to meet that goal and be done. Then you can relax and spend time with your family. Without goal setting, you will always feel that you have something else to do.

It is possible to balance work and kids, it just requires a bit of planning and patience. You got this!

What tips do you have to balance work and kids? What is your biggest struggle as a working mom? We would love to hear, drop a comment below.

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Going Back to Work After Baby

Going Back to Work After Baby: Ensuring a Successful Transition From Maternity Leave

Going back to work after having a baby is hard on everyone. As a mom, you have all kinds of emotions ranging from elation & relief to sadness & guilt. One moment, you are looking forward to going back to work and gaining a sliver of your old self back. The very next moment, you are sobbing uncontrollably on the kitchen floor afraid that your baby will forget about you. To top it off, that is just your own thoughts and feelings, that doesn’t even account for the motherhood peanut gallery who ALWAYS has an opinion. Even well-intentioned friends and family members shoot daggers in your heart with comments like “you are so brave, I could NEVER leave my babies at home with a stranger.” Yea lady, I get it. I’m a horrible person, thanks for the help!

All of my thoughts and fears seemed so silly looking back at it. Both times I went back to work after having a baby were completely and utterly uneventful. My kids lived, no one had any abandonment issues, and I actually enjoyed showering every day and talking to grown-ups. Here are some things that I did that made my transition back into work a little easier on everyone.

Update your Wardrobe

I literally lived in Gap hoodies and maternity leggings for my entire maternity leave. If I put on jeans (probably maternity jeans still at this point), it was for something fancy. Unfortunately, I couldn’t wear such chic apparel to my super corporate gig. A few weeks prior to going back to work I ordered a bunch of clothes online and updated my wardrobe. I preferred to do it online as I ordered a ton of stuff in different sizes because your body get all kinds of weird after the baby. I wanted to be able to take my time and drown my sorrows in a bottle of wine if needed (kidding, no wine at this point, but SUPER wanted and needed it!). This also gives you the opportunity to try outfits on with your existing shoes and accessories as well. Having an update wardrobe or at least a few new pieces will give you some confidence that is much needed those first few days back.

Spa Day

Pregnancy, childbirth, and post-partum can take a toll on your body. A week before you go back to work after having a baby, schedule a spa day or at the very least a mani/pedi. You totally deserve this pampering, Mama! Like refreshing your wardrobe, it will make you feel so much better about yourself and put a little pep in your step. This is also a great time to practice being away from your little one for an extended period of time, which is super important.

Lactation Consultant

Seriously one of the best things I ever did. I scheduled a “Going Back to Work Consult” with a local Lactation Consultant a few weeks prior to going back. In the visit, she showed me how to use my pump, made sure the parts fit correctly (there are different sizes, never knew that!), taught me about appropriate milk storage and pump cleaning, went over my work schedule and determined the best times for me to pump, etc. I figured out in this visit that I was pumping all wrong and I would have been lost without this visit. Check out the ILCA (International Lactation Consultant Association) to find an LC near you! Even if they don’t offer a specific program around going back to work, just let them know that is what you are looking to get help with.

Getting Organized

Being organized is everything. I over-organized those first few weeks. I not only got my house in order (as much as possible considering I was nursing or changing diapers around the clock). Get your closet and bathroom organized so getting ready in the morning is easier on you. Get all of the baby stuff organized that you need to take to daycare or have ready for the caregiver. Organize your kitchen to get ready for quick meals and cleaning pump parts every night. Whatever you can organize to make your life easier, do it. Your future self will thank you.

Speak with your Employer

I strongly encourage you to stay in communication with your employer leading up to your return from leave. Even a text or email keeping them updated on your return date is super helpful and works wonders in building rapport with your boss. If you are struggling with returning to work, speak with them about it. You may find that they are more than receptive to working with you to find an arrangement that works for both of you. Make sure to talk through things like work schedule, pumping times and accommodations, etc. It’s much better to have these things worked out up front. It’s not a bad idea to know what your rights are before you have this conversation. The Le Leche League is a great resource for laws pertaining to breastfeeding in the workplace.

Ease Into Work

If possible, I strongly encourage you to modify your schedule for the first week back. Not only will it be easier for the baby, but you will be tired! I was exhausted those first weeks back both physically and mentally. The fewer demands you have on yourself, the better. Even if you aren’t able to modify your schedule, try to make it easier on yourself at home. Order carry out when you feel like, let the laundry slide for a bit, etc. Look for anything to give yourself a break.

Be Easy on Yourself

Everyone handles this transition differently. Be easy on yourself for however you take it. For me, I felt bad that I wasn’t as distraught as others said I would be. I missed my babies, don’t get me wrong, but I didn’t feel this overwhelming sadness that I thought I would. I actually felt guilty that I didn’t feel so sad. That is okay. If you ARE super upset and have guilt, that is okay too. Regardless of how you feel, you love your babies immensely and want the very best for them. At the end of the day, that is all that matters.

What did you do to help make going back to work after maternity leave easier? What struggles did you have? Drop a comment below!

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Going back to work after baby. How to successfully transition after maternity leave by DarlingCEO

July 8, 2017

What I learned from Joanna Gaines…

What I learned from Joanna Gaines (well from her book)

I just got back from a wonderful vacation in beautiful Northern Michigan. Despite chasing two lively toddlers around, I was able to read a book. Yes, a real book. For enjoyment. Consider it a summer miracle.

I digress.

Before hitting the roads, I grabbed “The Magnolia Story” by Chip & Joanna Gaines with Mark Dagostino. I got the book fully intending it to be just an easy read for the beach. Little did I know that Joanna would teach me some important business and life lessons…

Let Go

Joanna and Chip’s story taught me that you need to let go in order for life to work its wonders. Joanna was conservative by nature but she let go when she met Chip and it made all the difference. Caution is important but there is something to be said for just going for it.

The Road May Take Many Turns

Chip & Joanna’s entrepreneurial story took many different twists and turns. Just because you do something now, doesn’t mean you are stuck with it and that you can’t start doing something else later. Chip was a serial entrepreneur and all of these little business adventures helped him refine his skills and identify his true passions. If you don’t know where you are going, just start. You are never going to get to your destination if you never board the train in the first place.

Make the Most of It

Joanna and Chip had numerous mishaps and obstacles throughout their journey. No matter what life threw their way, they always seemed to make the most of it and actually end up a little bit better off than when they started. For example, if it weren’t for Chip getting duped into buying a dilapidated houseboat, they would likely never have their show on HGTV. The same show that gives them the opportunity to impact and inspire millions of people across the world. I’m a huge believer that your attitude creates the outcome. You can choose to be the victim or you can choose to overcome. Chip & Joanna overcome.

Do What is Right for You & Your Family

It was so refreshing to see that Joanna struggled with the decision to close up her first shop and stay at home with her babies. That is a very personal decision and something that only you can decide for yourself. The lesson is, do what feels right at the time. If that means to stay in the workforce, stay. If that means stay at home, stay there. Ultimately, she heard a voice tell her that it was time to stay home and that is what she did. And that is cool because that worked for her. Do what works for you.

Be Kind to People

Chip & Joanna just seem like really awesome, really nice people. There are stories scattered throughout the book of Chip & Joanna helping someone out in need whether it be giving a homeless man a place to sleep in the middle of the night or keeping a couple kids out of trouble by giving them some work for the night. I wholeheartedly believe that if you put good out into the universe, you get it back tenfold. Chip & Joanna are testaments to this. They have had some incredible breaks in their lives. If I were to guess, this was not by chance.

Seize Opportunity

Chip & Joanna never seemed to hesitate to seize a business opportunity whether it be opening up a retail store or buying their next house to flip. In business, the spoils go to those that take a chance and seize the opportunity. This is why I’m such a big believer in everyone having an emergency fund. This way, when life gives you an opportunity you have the means to take advantage. There was a point in the book where they were $5,000 shy of a life-changing business venture, luckily, Joanna had been stashing some money aside and had exactly enough. Without that little cushion, life could look very different for them.

Use Debt Carefully

Chip is a big fan of using debt to fund his business ventures. I agree that debt does have a place in business. If you are in business for any amount of time, there may come a time when you need to use it. However, I caution you, use it carefully. Only use debt when you need it and never take out more than you can cover. Always have a backup plan because the banks can call their line at any time and it may not have anything to do with you or anything you can control. Chip & Joanna were heavily leveraged in order to fund the development of their dreams. The made their payments on time, borrowed responsibly, all the things that they were supposed to do. Unfortunately, this was right at the height of the financial crisis. The government forced their bank to essentially cut their line of credit leaving Chip & Joanna on the brink of financial ruin. The lesson is, debt is good but use caution when using it.

Work Hard

No question about it, Chip (and Joanna) has an awesome work ethic. One of my favorite quotes from the book comes from Chip, “Whenever I’ve been down financially, I’ve just picked myself up and worked a little harder. And whether it’s a little luck or God or a combination, everything seems to find a way of working itself out eventually.” Good things come to those that work hard and stick with it. As a parent, it is equally important to instill good work habits into your children. We want to give our kids the world, but the best gift that you can give them is the ability to be humble, work hard for what they want, and be content if it doesn’t come right away. I think that Chip & Joanna are doing a great job of that.

Stop Cleaning the House

I picture Joanna’s home as Pinterest perfect at all time, everything is tidy, everything has its place, everything is beautiful and in pristine condition. She is Joanna FREAKIN Gaines for Pete’s sake. One of my favorite parts of the book is when Joanna came to a revelation that she couldn’t keep up with keeping a perfect household all the time. Say what?! Joanna’s kids spill cheerios and write on the walls too?! I am not alone, I am not a failure of a mother and wife. If she can let the housework go for a bit and spend some more time with the kids, the rest of us can.

I loved this book so much. It was entertaining and read like a story but it taught you so many meaningful life and business lessons. While I didn’t get to speak to them personally, I felt like it when reading their book. I recommend it for literally everyone. Check it out on Amazon!

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Have you read The Magnolia Story? If so, what are your thoughts? What lessons did you learn? I’d love to hear, drop a line below!

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June 15, 2017

How to Work from Home With Kids

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon afflliate, I earn from qualifying purchases

While it’s not desirable to work from home with kids, the need sometimes arises. Like for examples, the occasional snow day or a global pandemic. Things happen that are out of our control and working parents have to do what we have to do.

Over the years I have had several times when I was forced to work from home when my kids were home. When this situation arises, no need to panic. Here are a few tips to make working from home with kids as enjoyable and productive as possible.

Don’t Stress

The first tip is to relax. Things will not always go smooth and that is okay. Just do the best that you can. I’m a huge believer that everything happens for a reason. At this moment, you are simply meant to spend a little more time with your family. Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity and enjoy. You will likely find that you are able to get just as much done, you may just need to be creative to find the time.

Reschedule Important Calls or Presentations

Murphy’s law of working from home with kids is that the moment that you have an important call or presentation, your kids will turn into wild banshees. I swear they have some type of radar to know when you need them to cooperate. For your mental well-being, try to move any call that may require you to speak to another day. If you can’t do this,try being up front and letting your coworkers know that they may hear some background noise. Don’t worry, we have all been there. Everyone will understand.

Pull out the Big Guns

Sometimes we just need to get something done and be able to concentrate on the task at hand. With kids at home that can be difficult. Don’t be afraid to pull out the big guns when you are working from home with kids. Big guns meaning special treats, activities, or shows that your kids don’t normally get. You can also loosen up the screen time limits for the day. The novelty of such an occurrence and certainly buy you some time. No judging but once I gave my kids ice cream at 9 am so I could hop on a conference call. Moral of the story is that sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

When you are going to be working from home with kids, make sure you are stocked with some things that can keep their attention. One thing that I do is stash away some of of my kid’s Christmas and birthday gifts, Throughout the year when I am working from home, I have a secret stash of toys that can keep them amused for a while. I also try to keep some special snacks on hand for this reason as well. A good snack can buy you 20 minutes at least.

Get Them Involved

Depending on how old your children are, get them involved in your work and look opportunities to teach them things. You can have them proofread your emails, double-check your math, read and summarize an article relevant to your industry, etc.

If they are on the younger side, you can have them do literally anything and say that they are “helping”. For example, If I’m reading a report I will print one for them as well and give them a pen to make notes. They always get super geeked to help their mommy work. Another time, I had my kids serve as my audience while I was practicing for a presentation. Believe it or not, doing a practice run in front of the kids did help me feel more comfortable with the material and calm my nerves a bit.

Getting your kids involved when you work from home will also make them feel more connected to you and the work that you do. Some of my favorite memories were hanging out with my parents while they were working. It really allowed me to see a different side of my parents that I really loved and respected. It also helps spark my imagination and feel super important to be hanging out at their workplace.

Communicate

Make sure that your boss is in the know. Be up front if you need to work from home with kids. You don’t want them finding out that you are at home with the kids by hearing them scream in the background of your weekly status call.The best thing you can do is to call your boss and let them know that you need to work from home with kids. Reassure them that you plan on hitting all of your targets and commitments.

Be cautious about trying to hide the fact that your kids are home. Going back to Murphy’s law of working parents, your boss WILL find out in the most awkward situation imaginable. Trying to hide this from your manager is super stressful and can distract you from what you need to do. Being honest and upfront will help build trust with your manager and allow you to relax and focus on work instead of hiding your toddler.

Tackle 10 Minute Projects

At the beginning of the day, make a list of 5-7 tasks or projects that will take 15 minutes or less. This is your game plan for the day. Most kids can keep themselves amused for 15-minute increments so you should be able to knock these tasks out without too much interruption. You are likely not going to be able to draft a 20-page report on days that you are working from home with kids, but you can knock out some smaller tasks that you may have been putting off. Some examples include: cleaning out email inbox, updating distribution lists, sending out recognition emails, customer follow-up emails, reading industry articles, expense reports etc.

Make it Up Later

If you really can’t afford to fall behind when you work from home, see if you can get some help later in the day. See if your partner can come home a little early from work, see if your parents can come and get the kids for dinner, have the babysitter come over and help out. Take this time and “turbo-work”. Knockout as much work as you can during this time period. Chances are that you will find you accomplished just as much, if not more, by laser-focusing on the tasks at hand.

Working from home with the kids is not always ideal but it can be enjoyable and productive as long as you are relaxed & strategic. Think of it this way, you likely won’t remember an ordinary day at the office, but you will remember the days that you worked from home with the kids.

What are your strategies for working from home with the kids? What have you found to work well and what doesn’t work well? We would love to hear your strategies for being productive when you work from home.

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