Category Archives: Personal

Personal: The Kids Are Back In School.. What That Means For Work From Home Moms

Blogger Resources, Business, Personal, ,

Hallalujah, the kids are back in school!   Don’t tell me that you’re not thinking the same thing.

Luckily, my kids were just as excited about going back to school as I was that they were going back.  Why such the excitement?  I can finally work 5-6 hours straight again!

I am a work from home mom.  I started my business, Atlanta Moms®, 12 years ago and have worked from home since.  Some people think that because I work from home, I live a relaxing, carefree life.

work from home mom

Working from home = a relaxing, carefree life, right?

  • You can work when you want
  • You can play with the kids when you want
  • You can hang out at the local coffee shop for hours if you want
  • You can get a massage while the kids are in school
  • You can get comfy on the couch and read a good book before answering emails

Those are some things that people have suggested that I must do since I work from home.

Like, duh, I just sit around all day wondering what to do with the time.

On that note, here is what working from home (with kids) means to me.. especially during the summer school break months:

  • Working from home = rarely getting to complete a work related task from start to finish at one sitting
  • Working from home = risking having a child telling you about the hawk eating the squirrel in the backyard while you’re on a conference call
  • Working from home = not having normal work hours
  • Working from home = people expecting you to be able to leave the house to have lunch whenever you want
  • Working from home = typing up a rush proposal while teaching your 7-year-old multiplication
  • Working from home = often reading and responding to emails while parked at your child’s evening activity
  • Working from home = technically getting to make your own hours and do what you want when you want while being responsible and holding yourself accountable and most importantly
  • Working from home = working extra hard to keep your promises to your kids, employees, and clients

Now that the kids are back in school, today is day #2, I have 5-6 solid hours a day when I can work in peace and quiet again!

I am unbelievably grateful that I am able to work from home.
I never imagined that my business would allow me to make a full-time income while being able to take care of my kids and home, travel across the country, work with local and national businesses every day, work with companies like Six Flags, Honda, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz and Coca-Cola, but it has and I am so appreciative.
I learned early on in my work from home days that when someone says that they work from home, we should say “wow, you are brave, generous, and must have your sh*t together enough to maintain an income while raising happy, healthy, smart children”.  Enough said.

What does working from home mean to you, whether you work from home or not?

12 Blogging & Life Tips and Techniques I’ve Learned from 12 Years of Online Publishing

Blogger Resources, Business, Personal, ,

kids grow up fastMy kids have been out of school for a few weeks.  Enough said, right?

While I LOVE having my kids home with me and wouldn’t change that for anything, I run my business, AtlantaMoms.com and this blog, from home, and have for 12 years.  Summer break can be a bit stressful because I have to make sure the kids are entertained while I work.

Each year toward the end of the school year, I feel a sense of relief that summer break is approaching.   After all, with summer break comes fun family travel, and less chaotic days, right?  Wrong!!  Well, I suppose the fun family travel is right, but the days are not less chaotic when the kids are out of school, that’s for sure.

In the 3 weeks that the kids have been out of school, we’ve been to Florida and Indiana, and home for 1 week.  I worked about a total of two hours during each trip which odd as it sounds, stressed me out more than when I work a long work day.

Why is that, you ask?

When I’m working, I know that I am moving my business forward and being productive.  When I’m not working, I think about the emails I should be answering, the ads I should be publishing, the newsletter I should be editing, and the blog posts I should be proofing.

I worked very hard to create and build my business, AtlantaMoms.com, 12 years ago and like many business owners I had a difficult time giving up control of any part of the business so that I didn’t have to do it all.  The lack of desire to give up control of some aspects of the business didn’t last long though.  Within 2 years of launching AtlantaMoms.com, I had a full-time advertising sales representative who made tons of money, more than me it seemed (you know.. businesses expenses.. and all that), and she stayed with Atlanta Moms® for 8 years.  Giving up complete control was the best thing I could do for my business and I recommend that all business owners hire someone to take care of some tasks as soon as they can.  I was less stressed almost immediately after hiring my first employee and I couldn’t do without help now.  I thought surely no one would represent my business as well as I did, but I was wrong.

Having employees has given me the opportunity to spend more time with my kids.   My son was a year old when I started AtlantaMoms.com and I am so glad I’ve been able to watch him grow up and be with him every day to be there for moments like these..

my son growing up

No matter what, I will always want to keep tabs on my business even when I’m on vacation, but I know now that I don’t have to answer every email within 15 minutes and that it’s not a big deal to have over 30k emails in my inbox.  Speaking of email, I’ve known bloggers and other business colleagues to say a lot about having soo many emails in their inbox, but why is it a big deal?  No matter what, the emails are going to be stored somewhere so why not just keep them in your inbox?  Doesn’t everyone just use search to find an email? Who labels emails or puts them in folders anymore?

I expanded my business when I started this site, TheMommyInsider.com, in 2006.  I am equally proud of both sites and can’t imagine not having either of them.  It’s like having a second child.  You don’t think you could love another website as much as the first, but you do.

On that note, here are a few photos of my daughter, starting in 2007 and ending with a photo of the two of us taken just about a week ago, in June 2013.

my daughter growing up

This summer, I accept that there will be times when I can not check email more than once a day and I am not going to stress about it.   Please don’t quote me.

That is just one way I am going to make this summer less stressful than past summers.

Over the last 12 years I’ve learned some techniques that have helped me keep my stress levels down, in regards to business.

Here are a 12 blogging and business tips that I’ve learned in the last 12 years:

  1. Don’t try to respond to every email you receive within 15 minutes, or even a few hours
    The people who send you the email have a life too and are probably not expecting a response right away.
  2. Don’t say yes to every blogging opportunity that arrives in your inbox
    If I am not excited about the opportunity or don’t feel like it’s worth my time to travel or write about it, then I say no thanks.  Your time is valuable.  Make sure you are getting paid what you are worth!
  3. Write a blog post and leave it in draft status for a day at least
    Mom bloggers often are distracted while writing a blog post.  Such is the case with me.  I have found that when I check a blog post a day or so after writing it and when I am not going to be interrupted, I catch more errors than if I publish it right away.
  4. Don’t hesitate to invest in products and services that will help you be more productive
    I was stubborn for the first few years of AtlantaMoms.com being online. Paying for an ad server and an email newsletter service like Mailchimp were 2 of the best things I have done for my business and myself.  Paying for a good hosting service that will provide 24/7 support is a good idea too.
  5. Have a separate phone number for business calls
    Use a Google number or get a second cell phone or landline that is 100% dedicated to business calls. Enough said.
  6. Use a Social Media Service like Hootsuite to monitor your social media accounts 
    If you use social media for your business, invest in a service like Hootsuite to manage your Twitter and Facebook accounts.  Hootsuite makes viewing messages that you have sent and received as well as all messages with a specific hashtag or user you’d like to follow, a breeze.
  7. Schedule blog posts and social media posts 
    Write blog posts and social media posts ahead of time when you have extra time and schedule them to publish later.
  8. Limit how many browser tabs you have open
    I have been guilty of having 15-20 tabs open in my browser at a time.  That just sucks productivity like almost nothing else.  If a page was taking a few seconds to load, I would switch to another tab to read something else and forget what I was doing.
  9. Get small tasks done before tackling large tasks
    Getting small tasks done before starting on larger tasks allows you to feel like you’ve accomplished something.  That’s always nice.
  10. Use an app/service like Feedly to keep up with your blogging buddie’s blogs
    Having all the latest posts from your favorite blogs presented to you on a single site/page means you don’t have to visit 20 different blogs every day!
  11. DO NOT compare yourself to other bloggers!
    Just don’t do it..unless you’re into self-torture.
  12. Enjoy your kids
    I can’t believe my kids are 13 and 7 and I started when my son was 1!  They have grown up so fast but I’m happy to be able to say that I haven’t missed any of it.

If you are a blogger or a work from home parent, please share your productivity and blogging tips with me below!

 

 

My Cleansing Journey – Why I’m Cleansing and What I’m Using

Health, New posts, Personal,

Before I had my son 13 years ago, I weighed 95-100 lbs and never thought about weight.  I was not judgmental about people who carry extra weight in the least.  I never thought a thing of it.  I had small friends, big friends, and very big friends and looked at them all the same.  Long story short, I got down to about 110 lbs right before my son turned 1 and was happy with my weight.  Then I had a car accident when my son was a year old.  That changed my body. I suffered muscular and nerve damage which still affects me 11 years later.  My 6-year-old daughter has never had the experiences that my son had including seeing me hike up Kennesaw Mountain without stopping or swinging her around, or having a jump rope contest.  I have been carrying an extra 15 lbs of weight for a few years now and can’t lose it which makes me pretty miserable.  Clothes don’t fit me right.  Many moms know what I’m talking about.

Side note: I have a type of spinal arthritis that is currently causing me a lot of pain and discomfort. In the last month I have been to my physician, had MRI’s, went to a rhuemotologist, and am now in physical therapy twice a week.  Yay!  Those things are all a step in the right direction.  I can’t walk on a treadmill because any jarring of my neck causes serious discomfort.  I can’t really do any cardio exercise now which I would normally do to loose 10-15 pounds.  I went through menopause at 33 years old which could be why losing this 15 lbs is being more difficult that one would expect. 

I don’t eat many carbs or starches, I don’t snack on cookies, candy, chips, or ice cream, and I don’t drink milk.  What gives?  I just can’t lose this 15 lbs.    I drink a ton of water. I keep a pitcher on my desk filled with water so I can refill my water glass often. I guess drinking a lot of water doesn’t flush extra weight off though.  Bummer.  I don’t eat a lot and often skip lunch – which I believe is one reason why I’m not losing weight.

 

My body cleanse journey

 

I took the leap and started a cleanse this morning!

Today I started David Kirsch’s 48 Hour Super Charged Cleanse.  I received the cleansing kit and a couple of other ‘cleansing’ products that will go into more detail about in a moment, a few days ago.  Every day since, it seemed like it was not a good day to start the cleanse.   I have never done a cleanse before and I am nervous about the idea of not eating food for two days.  Although I don’t eat much, it’s knowing that I CAN’T eat that makes me anxious.

I am doing the David Kirsch 48 Hour Super Charged Cleanse for a few reasons.

  1. I want to start fresh with my body but I’m not ready for a full-on 5 day cleanse
  2. I have heard and read great things about David Kirsch’s products.  I researched several cleansing programs and based on reviews and factual information I chose David Kirsch’s cleanse.
  3. I would like to jump start my metabolism and immune system
  4. The cleanse is supposed to pave the way for clean eating
  5. The cleans helps with energy levels

I don’t have high expectations for the cleanse. I don’t expect to lose even 5 lbs, I just want to feel healthier.  Cleansed, I guess.   During the cleanse I will drink a lot of water and can supplement with Thermo Bubbles which helps to boost metabolism and elevates energy level.

After the cleanse I will replace one meal a day (or add lunch) with a Chocolate Protein Shake for a few days.

It’s 9:49AM and so far I have enjoyed one glass of the lemonade flavored 48 Hour Super Charged Cleanse.  I feel great. I almost feel like I have more energy than I normally would at this time of the morning.  I am going to have to keep very busy today.  I will start packing for our upcoming trip to Florida and I have an appointment to get my nails done with a friend.  My daughter has gymnastics and my son has a test to study for, etc.. so those things will hopefully help keep my mind off of food.

Here’s a summary of what I’m using:

A cleanse isn’t for everyone.. and who knows.. it might not be for me either.  I bought all of the David Kirsch products that I’m using at SkinStore.com because they currently have a 20% coupon code. 🙂  Just visit the site and you will see the code on the right side of the page if they are still offering it.

Wish me luck and I’ll keep you updated on my progress.

Have you tried a cleanse?

Alicia

 

This is NOT a sponsored post.  This is a personal story.

Pants on the Head.. a New Winter Trend?

New posts, Personal

I’m pretty certain that my son will pursue a career such as with the Coast Guard or being a naturalist but I’m not quite sure down what career path my daughter might head.  She is only 6 so I’m not reading into her future career path too much.  However, I can’t help but think with as much as she plays with fashion designing apps on the iPad and dresses her large plastic horse in her old dresses, and wears pants on her head with all seriousness, she just might do something with fashion design.

Pants on the head winter trend

In all seriousness, she put the pants on her head so she wouldn’t forget to take them to my mom’s house so she could repair a hole in the leg.

It was just hilarious that she kept the pants on her head for the entire car drive to my mom’s house and up into my mom’s house.  This is the girl who has to change out of her ballet leotard before entering my mom’s house because she gets embarrassed.

Honestly, I couldn’t be happier than to see my daughter with pants on her head… she’s usually shy and not so willing to step out of the box.

If only I was brave enough to wear pants on my head.  But I’m still too shy. 

 

What I Really Want For My Birthday Is To Not Be Treated Like A Mom For A Day. Or Is It?

Personal

Is that so bad?

I want to have a day when my husband takes care of the kids.  By takes care of the kids I mean, without me reminding him to feed or bathe the kids.  Without having to remind him to check their homework or make sure they brushed their teeth or took their medicine. No reminders.

I want to have a day when I don’t have to fill and empty the dishwasher twice.  I want someone else to do that.. without me having to ask.

I want to have a day when I am not in charge of deciding what to have for dinner.

I want this day, my birthday, to be simple.   I want the kids to get along.  No fighting today.  No arguing.  No nit-picking.  I want my husband to be pro-active and not ask me what I want for dinner or desert.

I want to enjoy my family, but not be in 100% mom-mode.

Just for one day.

I don’t think that will happen and quite honestly, now that I’ve said it all, maybe I don’t want to not be treated like a mom for a day.  That might make me sad.

I want Madelyn to give me a necklace made of play-doh, beads, and tall grass, and in return I will belt out my ‘proud mom’ scream and dance.

I want Sebastian to walk up to me all cool and say Happy Birthday Mom in his low voice, give me one of his huge bear hugs, and then not give me a wrapped gift.  Otherwise, I would know that Tim bought the gift and gave it to Sebastian to give to me. I’d rather wait another five years for him to start buying gifts for me on his own.

Happy family times

This photographs says everything that I want.

I want my daughter to continue to jump into her daddy’s arms from 5 feet away with complete confidence.  I want my husband to smile while catching her.  I want that to never get old for either of them.

I want my son to keep cracking jokes such as falling off of a tree and then jump up and laugh about it.
Both make my hard pound and my soul laugh at the same time.

I want a lot don’t I? Is it too much to ask?

Mostly, I want everyone around me to know how much I appreciate them and I want to thank God that I am alive and that the kids are healthy and safe and that we are a happy family.

That makes today the most wonderful birthday of all.