Ultimate Balance for Working Moms, by Muse Angela

"Ultimate Balance" for Moms

It's an age-old debate: Should mothers stay home to raise their children or place them in daycare to enter the workforce and help support the family? There has never been a definitive answer, and probably never will be a solution that's right for every family. But thanks to modern technology we now have a third option: one that seems to strike the most balance between working outside the home and staying home to raise children.

In years past, working mom options were limited to either-or. The most balance we could find was taking a part-time position, so that we could stay at home with our children some of the time, while they spent the rest of the time in a daycare setting or with a close friend or relative while mom worked.

There are a few potential problems with this scenario. Many part-time positions involve evening and weekend hours, which can take away from quality family time. They also typically don't pay well, often barely covering the cost of daycare, making it seem silly to bother in the first place. Probably most important, it's difficult to find a part-time position that utilizes your talents and skills. While some may argue that this age-old debate is centered around what's best for your children, it's also true that many moms struggle with the decision about returning to work for other reasons. While they want to be there for their children, they also really enjoyed their careers and fear they will miss the mental stimulation and the feeling of self-worth that comes with having a successful career.

For this group of women the option of working from home is often the perfect balance between the working life and the mom life. Women who were successful in their careers, but recognize the importance of being with your children when they're young, find it's now possible to have a thriving career while still being at home with their children, by turning their experience in the workforce, expertise and talents, into a successful independent consulting career.

While it takes time to build a network of potential clients that keep your cash flow fairly consistent, the advantages to being able to work from home, take care of your children, and possibly make more money than you would working for one employer are well worth the time and effort it takes upfront. The options are endless; with the Internet, potential clients could be anywhere in the world. You can run a consulting business entirely via email and phone, without ever leaving your home. If you crave adult social interaction, you can choose to work on-site for some clients a few days a week.

Today, there are independent consultants in many fields; corporate trainers, web designers, writers, management consultants, technology professionals, and even freelance attorneys. You can turn any set of skills, or even a hidden passion that you didn't use during your years of working for an employer, into a successful consulting career. Your biggest task is to market your business and build a client base.

Thanks to organizations like MBO Partners, it's easier than ever to run a consulting business from home while raising your children, because working with an employer-of-record service, such as MBO, eliminates the need to set up a formal business structure, and saves valuable time by invoicing clients and handling collections on your behalf. That means moms can spend their working time on core business activities that bring revenue: marketing and client projects, and spend the rest of your day focusing on your children while someone else handles the back-office functions.

For some moms, working outside the home is the best solution for their needs, and for others, staying at home and focusing entirely on their children is the right answer. But for the rest of us, who have had successful careers, enjoy what we do for a living, and want to continue to stay engaged with their profession, freelancing and consulting provides the flexibility, earning power, and work-life balance that is perfect for our needs.

Contact: Angela Stringfellow, MarComm Consultant, Corporate Education and Training Specialist, 68 Cider Press Rd., Lock Haven, PA 17745

Office: 570-244-2804
Fax: 570-244-2219
http://www.stringfellowcreative.com

Copyright Protection and Reprint Rights: This article and accompanying tips are fully copyrighted by the author, but can be reprinted without permission provided the article links back to this page: http://www.800Muses.com/muse-profiles/muse-angela1.htm

Work at Home Tips

1. Learn to prioritize your time. If you have client deadlines to meet, meet them. But if you have nothing pressing on your list and your little ones want to play…isn't that the reason you're staying home in the first place?

2. Learn flexibility. It's frustrating when you're trying to work on something important and your kids demand attention. Plan ahead for these situations to avoid stress for everyone.

3. Take regular breaks. Keep yourself refreshed and you'll be more productive.

4. Create routines that work for you. I don't like speaking to clients when they can hear my kids in the background, so I plan accordingly and schedule my phone calls at times when I know that won't happen, whenever possible.

5. Network with other work at home or stay at home moms. I'm able to take my son on regular play dates with kids his age, which is good for all of us, because of my connections with other local moms.

6. Know that there's no right answer. My son still goes to daycare two days a week. I think he needs that social interaction on a regular basis, and, it gives me quality work time.

7. Work exercise into your schedule. The work at home lifestyle can wreak havoc on your waistline. Planning for regular exercise will keep you healthier and reduce your stress levels.

8. Be thankful for the opportunity you've been given. Not every mom has the option to do what we do, and although the lifestyle has its ups and downs like any, it's an amazing thing to be able to make a living while being at home - and in control of our earning power.

9. Don't get hung up on having an immaculate home. You're staying home to be with your kids and to work. It takes a miracle worker to be able to keep a pristine house on top of it all. Stay focused on the fact that the work day is still a work day, and don't feel obligated to clean during work time.

10. Share the wealth. Don't be afraid to help other moms do what you do. Pass on assignments to other freelancers that you can't fit in. Giving things up makes room for new and better things to come your way.