May this holiday season be your best ever! Embrace your bright future and believe in  yourself! May you find a career or business which fulfills your dreams in the new year! We’re all business at this time of year and it’s very east to totally focus on everyone other than ourselves. Take some time to plan out your new year and business direction and long term goals. Dreams do come true with hard work and preseverance.

Make your plans today to embrace your new life in the new year. 2012 will be your best year ever, believe in yourself.  

I’m just amazed how hard women are working today! Many of the mompreneurs are the most versatile people of all. We’re businesswomen with business ventures of every type. Many are even running multiple businesses all while raising a family. The dynamics are slightly crazy at times for most of us. Those who try to run businesses while raising a family, we all attest it’s hard, but it worth the end result.

How does one manage so much? It takes a lot just to run a business never mind a family and a business? While having a family and running a business is worth it, it’s not a cakewalk. It comes down to priorities and taking care of what’s most important first. For most of us it’s the children first and everything else is second.

I’m truly amazed by the women I meet. In the business groups today online and in person the most dynamic women are leading and teaching others. Some are bloggers, others are magazine editors, some are social media developers, coaches coaching others, the careers choices are unlimited. Many are doing so many different things to build their business brands, it’s very empowering to other women even to watch.

Then some are in also launching themselves into podcasting. With the YouTube anyone can become a star. The online radio shows have taken off they’re where today’s women are building empires. Many of us women are combining podcasting with our other businesses, because it’s more comfortable than being on camera. We’re truly layering ourselves and branching out in lots of directions at once. The list goes on as to exactly who the podcasters are  - some are authors, some are chefs, then you have bloggers, amongst true corporate businesswomen. The list goes on to include life coaches to even doctors who today have found podcasting touches lives. Podcasting is a great way to get your message out and market your own business.  You know you have a captive audience when they tune in just to listen directly to your show.

It’s an exciting time and who knows what could be next? In the social media world who knows what could be next? We’re Facebooking, Tweeting, YouTubing and Podcasting to get where we want to go with our careers. Many of these women are building  up and teaching  others along the way, as a powerful group of forward thinking women.

When I was young, I dreamt of being a mom.  I thought I would stay at home with my kids and everything would be wonderful.  Well, the former didn’t quite work out but the latter still did.

I worked full time in software after graduating from college.  When it was time for kids, I knew that financially we needed me to have some income so the stay at home full time thing wouldn’t really work.  So we brainstormed what I could do.

My mom had a home based business as a real estate appraiser.  Although only 40 minutes away, it was in the next state.  I decided to get my appraiser license and work with her.  I took courses online and passed my test and worked as her apprentice.  My dad would watch my son while mom and I did inspections and worked.  The plan was too eventually use the state reciprocity so I could be licensed in my own state and work for myself.

Then it was time for another kid.  What we realized was that with 2 kids, it was going to be a lot more difficult to run an appraisal business of my own.  I would not have granddaddy-daycare anymore and would be spending a lot of time for inspections and reports and would have to figure out what to do with the kids.  And the biggest concern?  I was expending a lot of effort but not making nearly what I did in software.

So we brainstormed more.  I approached my former company with a proposal.  I would come back 20 hours a week, working only one day in the office.  They jumped at that.  I was really happy because it made me feel important to them.

At first I tried working hours in the afternoon after my husband got home and then going in for a full day on Fridays.  That worked for a while but we really needed some childcare help so that I could work during normal hours.  So we used a nanny for a few hours a few days a week.  She would watch the kids while I worked at home.  Eventually I stopped going into the office and worked all my hours at home.

We also used au pairs for a few years so I could work more hours while still being able to have lunch with the kids and take breaks to see them throughout the day.  Having an au pair provided a lot of flexibility for a very reasonable cost.  It really worked well for us.

Now that both kids are in elementary school, I can work from home during the school day.  I get to see them in the morning to get them on the bus and in the afternoon as soon as they get home.  It is a great balance for me.

So after trying a few things, I found what works for me.  It may not always be easy.  Sick kids, teacher workdays, and summer vacation are all challenges.  But my husband and I work together to make it work.

I encourage all working moms to figure out what makes the right balance for them.  Whether it is working full time in an office, part time telecommuting, home based business … there is something for all of us.  It may take a few tries to find it but you will and it will be wonderful.  – Denise

Denise blogs at According to Denise (www.accordingtodenise.com) and tweets at @acctodenise.
A self-described “chick getting through” she’s a mom, wife, step-mom, programmer,
migraine-sufferer and wannabe runner.  She balances all this with humor,
emotional meltdowns, chocolate, coffee and then blogs all about it.

http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/local/article/889951–sisterhood-of-tech-savvy-moms

We all have heard of the companies which are originals. The way to become a huge success is to think up an a truly original product or service. One no one else has developed and taken to the market yet. Many are household names. To the point of the which the brand name becomes synonymous with the product.  How does this even happen? To become successful to that point? It’s incredible, but it does happen. Kleenex it’s brand name which we use rather synonymously, we use the ‘brand name’ Kleenex in place of the ‘product name’ – a tissue. How many times have you asked for a Kleenex over a tissue?

How does that level of success happen? Well one way to truly become success, is to be original. Many inventors spend their lives only thinking up new new products to bring to market. Some create  only a few successful hit products while there are a few who have created several hit products over their careers as inventors. Different products are created in their mind’s eye, which overtime and development we will someday all will be using.  Once the product is created, developed and marketed, we all take for granted the product not understanding the years it took to bring the product to market.

‘The first and only type’ products are the real gold mines of the business world. Swiffer comes to mind, now who is going to top that product?  How do one become the first and only? Thinking, thinking and more thinking is how it’s done.  Fairly new companies such as dog waste removal services did not exist until recently, but it’s a huge success. Every year new successful ones are created out of no where to become gold mines.

Well the same business philosophy applies to women businesses. Create a new business which has not been developed yet.  Virtual assistance, blog server hosting, web content developers, affiliate managers, blog advertising companies are all examples of newer type businesses which women can do from home. What will be the next newly created career or service for women to do from home? Who knows what it will be? Maybe you do, maybe your designing it right now! Reflect on what is needed to help the growing female sisterhood on the net. Think about what exactly do women business women want to outsource? Outsourcing has created many women’s careers. Once you become successful there is no way you can do it all, you must outsource some of what you to do in a day. You may of found a new business opportunity for yourself? Picking up an outsourced task or creating a service in helping women with their business needs. Women who work from home have needs! There’s a whole population who are working from home and can’t get it all done from home. Their business needs are your opportunity to gain and grow your own business.

Mom Health  -  Do you struggle with putting your life first? Do your family and your career always come first over taking time for your health? Many of us have the same issues! We’re all so busy with our family life, we forget about us in the process of living.

10 Steps to a Healthier You:

1. Take Breaks. Take frequent breaks while working. Take a walk, run errands, or just make some phone calls. Breaks are important for your physical and mental health.

2. Exercise Regularly. We do get a lot of exercise as mothers, but it may not be the type that’s best for us. Join a gym if you can? Develop an exercise program for home if you can’t.

3. Eat Right. We often eat in a rush everyday or on the road, while driving our children around. Even if you eat out sometimes you still can make health choices.

4. Get Enough Sleep. We’re all guilty of not sleeping enough, even if our bodies need it.

5. Hydratation. Drink water throughout the day to keep you engery up and your mind fresh.

6. Stretching. Most of us don’t stretch at all, even if we exercise regularly. As we age, we really need to focus on stretching.

7. Take Vacations. When was the last time you took a real vacation? Many of us take too few vacations. Even if your busy you can take regular weekend trips to refresh.

8. Have Regular Moms Nights. We’re all so busy we often loose track of our friendships over time. We need the support of our female friends for emotional health. Time to get back to social networking at it’s best!

9. Practice Proper Ergonomics. Do you know what ergonomics is? Your body position while moving and sitting can effect your health something to consider

10. Invite Love and Positivity into Your Life.  We all benefit from love and positive people have a great effect on our lives.

ALSO – We added a few YouTube Videos on networking at the bottom right in the sidebar. As we find interesting ones, we’ll add to the collection  for your enjoyment!

We’ve been using Networked Blogs for a long while, just have never advertised the link until now. Please sign up and follow us on FB too! Thank you for being such loyal followers of our work!  Please sign up for our RSS feed (which the majority of our readers have already signed up) Now you can follow us via Networked Blogs. We love our followers!

How many times have you read an article with this title, and said, “not my kids…never happen.”  Well this list is tried and true.  I have 5 kids, ages 15 to 3- and this really is how they help, come spring.

Sock Dusters: Got “singleton” socks that need a job?  Slip them onto a young child’s (3 to 5 year olds love this) hands and ask them to run their hands along the base boards in a room where you are working.  Your baseboards will be done in a jiffy- a spot I always forget about until someone asks about the unique white line running around base of the walls…

SwifferContest:  I have angst about these fluffy-yellow-dust-grapping-guys, because they are not very “green,” but they are so dang convenient.  I give the Swiffer Dusters to my older kids (8-10 year olds) and challenge them to get them dirty with dust in a specific area.  I admit I am probably contributing to a bit of rivalry in my house by promising a prize to the child with the dirtiest swiffer from their assigned room/ area, but it works!  A mom’s gotta do what a mom’s gotta do.

Junk Drawer Challenge: What child doesn’t love loose change?  Promise the loose change to the child who removes the contents, vacuums out the drawer, sharpens all the broken pencils, throws out all the dried magic markers and pens, and replaces all the small odds and ends to their respective spots.  I have started collecting the errant lego pieces and random barbie-doll shoes for a Christmas decoration project- so we just throw them into a clear jelly jar ( and it’s decorative!)

Sofa Cushion Challenge:  Following the junk drawer concept, we do the same with items in the cushions and under the couch.  The cleaner gets to keep the loose change as long as everything else gets vacuumed- floor and in and under the couches.  Oh, and the random socks found stuffed in the cushions have to be returned to the laundry room, in hopes of rendezvous with their mate …

Moldy Food Hunt:  I think every 9 year old boy has an obsession with dirt and funny smells.  The moldy food hunt is perfect for these guys.  Send them into the refrigerator.  Ask them to empty the refrigerator of all of its contents.  Open all containers and dump the smelly and moldy ones into the garbage disposal or compost bin, if you have one (assuming there is no rotting meat or dairy in the containers.)  I get my teenagers to hand wash the shelves and bins. I usually restock the refrigerator so I know where everything is.

Bug Hunt:  This is a favorite.  Since moving to Salt Lake City, we have discovered the joy of the box-elder bug.  In the winter and spring, they find their way into our light fixtures, get stuck and die.  My 12 year loves to suck them up with the vacuum.  We send him on a mission into a room and he goes to town.  For ceiling lights, my tall teenager climbs onto a step stool and pulls down the fixture, while the younger child vacuums. The taller areas do require advanced skill and some supervision from an older teenager  or adult, but younger kids can vacuum lowers areas, like the slider door tract, window sills, etc.

For those of you thinking, it’s just easier to do it myself, consider the benefits to your children by enlisting their help:

1. Building life skills. Cleaning is part of healthy living.  Engaging them in this effort, teaches them fundamental life skills.  How do you clean a refrigerator?  What are the steps in the process?
2. Building self-esteem.  “My parents believe in me to help do something for our family.” While they may not say this out loud, I always do to be sure they get my message…. Research has shown that having household jobs (hate the word chores- because it isn’t very appealing) increases a child’s sense of resiliency- think of Cinderella… okay maybe not that extreme! but my point is still the same.  Kids, living with expectations for their contribution to their community, are more likely to feel good about themselves and thus less likely to succumb to depression, drug and alcohol abuse.
3. Building a sense of social responsibility.  A family is a community.  Part of living in a community is contributing to it. It’s my mantra-response to my kids when they complain about doing household jobs.

I hope these ideas are helpful.  Please comment here on the site, and let us know your tricks for getting your spring cleaning done.  Let’s share our wisdom!

Post courtesy of our friends at http://www.powermomsunite.com/