Category: Uncategorized

Unsuspecting Work Stoppage

Leave a comment

Image result for mommy is sickAs a budding entrepreneur who has a 9 to 5, my weekends are sacred.  The weekend is the time that allows me total dedication to my craft.  I appreciate the weekend.  I love the weekend and usually can get so much work accomplished.

Except, for this past weekend.  Although, I have heard about this happening it never happened to me until this past weekend.

My whole entire family came down with a stomach virus.  We were ALL sick.  It started with my son on Friday night.  On Saturday night it was my turn.  I was up all night hovering over the porcelain throne for most of the night.  The husband’s turn was Sunday morning and my daughter was (hopefully) the last one Sunday night.

As much as I love working, the only thing I wanted to do was lay on the couch with a cup of ginger ale watching old episodes of The Love Boat.

Image result for the love boat

Bad mom alert

I laid in bed until 4 pm.  My kids had the rule of the house so it was a complete mess when I went downstairs and guess what, that is okay.  Sometimes it takes a stomach virus to slow down and take the time to think.  It crossed my mind to go and get my laptop and get some work done but I was so tired from being up the previous night.  Plus, I had not seen The Love Boat since I was a kid in the 80’s.  It was keeping my interest in all of its 80’s cheesiness.  I had a Skype appointment with a client early that morning, so I was especially tired and groggy when I took it.

Despite not feeling one hundred percent, I went into work anyone today.  I knew my stomach felt settled enough that I wouldn’t vomit on anyone today but I am still a little fatigued.  It is important to take time out when you need to, even if it unexpected.  Today I play catch up on all the work I did not get done over the weekend and guess what?  That is okay!

How to Fly Frugally

1 Comment

detail-of-beautiful-interior-modern-airport_rPge6Le_nfg

A few positive financial changes in our household have allowed me to travel more frequently.  While still frugal, I have a few hacks that I have found that have really helped me to save money, time, and my sanity when it is time to fly the (not always so) friendly skies.

1.  Be nice.

Yes, seriously.  Being naturally easy-going, being laid back and nice is not too difficult for me.  My husband is 6’8.  He usually has a very uncomfortable time flying.  Being frugal, we don’t want to pay to upgrade his seat.  So when we travel together, I ask for a seat with more leg room for him.  I greet the ticket agent with a smile, show them my husband, and explain that we don’t need to sit together.  This works about 80% of the time.  The other 20% of the time, they don’t have the room to accommodate this request.  Unfortunately if this happens I’m not going to walk away upset.

2.  Join your airlines frequent flier club.

The past few years, I’d be lucky if I found myself needed air travel at least once a year.  Now that I’ve vowed to travel more often, I have joined the frequent flier club to every airline I use.  I keep an open mind to airlines and although I do have a favorite, I will fly almost any airline with a good rate.  I live near three major airports, which is a huge advantage when it is time to travel.  I do have a preferential airport but that’s due to the proximity to my home.  I’ll go to another airport if I feel that it makes my air travel less stressful (i.e. no layover) or if it really is a great deal.

3.  Tweet, Facebook, Yelp, or any other type of review your POSITIVE as well as your negative experience.

We’re quick to review something when we’re pissed off but how about when you are satisfied?  I enjoy writing reviews.  Most of my reviews are positive.  I’m usually a pretty easy person to please so it takes the moons being aligned just right, to piss me off.

Do you have any hacks you’d like to share?  Comment below and don‘t forget to subscribe!

How to use Canva to stand out!

Leave a comment

Are you familiar with Canva?  Canva is a free user friendly graphic design tool that I use to make stationary, Pinterest pins, and pretty much anything else that makes me feel tech savvy without the intimidation of Photoshop (and all those damn buttons).  I used Canva to create this Pinterest pin!Outsource

 

I love that several templates are already created for you, so you can just point and click your way to success.  I started out with the free version but eventually upgraded.  Again, the free version is great, but I upgraded so I could have the ability to add my own graphics and pictures to my creations.

If you haven’t tried Canva, give it a try and comment below.

Tips for the Side Hustling Entrepreneurs

Leave a comment

Image of male entrepreneur walking on the road while carrying suitcase

We are all given the same twenty-four hours in one day.  If you ever found yourself saying that in a perfect world you would be a full-time entrepreneur, you are not alone.  Truthfully, I enjoy my full-time job yet I also find it fulfilling to work for myself as well.  Here’s another truth bomb, my full-time position offers great benefits so at this point in time I do not wish to leave my full-time job.

That being shared, I simply don’t have the time or know how to fulfill everything that I want to get done.  I have admitted to myself that DIY is a bad idea when it comes to building your website and brand.  I have bit the bullet and have become an advocate of hiring people to outsource the technical side of my entrepreneurial endeavors.

In the past, I would watch YouTube tutorials and try to emulate what I saw.  I have no IT background, so the result was usually, for a lack of a better word, a hot mess.  Fast forward to today.  I have a full-time job, husband, kids, and household to maintain.  So, I do not have the time nor the patients to work on something that will not get me the desired results.

I proudly admit to outsourcing.  I think that outsourcing should not be a dirty little secret.  I currently use onlinejobs.ph but in the past I have used Upwork, Fiveer, and (here’s a secret) eBay.  Yes, you can outsource on eBay too.  I will say that eBay isn’t as well known as the other websites listed so tread with caution, but it can be done.

What are some great outsourcing websites that are missing here?  Subscribe and comment below.

Online Teaching vs. a Brick and Mortar School, Which is Really Better?

Leave a comment

paper-iconIf given the choice, would you rather teach online or in a traditional school?  After teaching online for over a year and in a traditional school for over seventeen years, I realize I do have a preference.  I feel like online is more of a hit em and quit em style while brick and mortar is a classic style of teaching where the teacher is the authoritarian and students maintain a routine.  
I think it takes a certain discipline to be able to learn online.  I have two children and I know that one child has the attention span to sit 25 minutes in front of the computer to learn something while the other one does not.  In terms of pay, B&M wins hands down and also offers benefits packages while online usually does not in most cases.  
I do believe that everyone can learn in a classroom setting but it takes a great deal of discipline to learn online.  Where do you think the future lies regarding online teaching and B&M schools?