How I Juggle Homeschool and a Home Business
A common question I often get is “How do you do it all?” Well… Here’s my big secret… I don’t do it all! Between home schooling and home business there are so many moving pieces so here are a few tips on how to manage.
Tip #1 - Have a supportive partner
For some of you this might be asking for the moon, some of you are single, some of you are trying to do it alone, some aren’t married yet.
If you can find a way to do it with a partner and one that is on the same page as you this will not only help to strengthen your relationship but you’ll be able to conquer together!
It helps me out tremendously that I have a partner that is able to take on certain tasks while I take on my own tasks and then we have this time where we get to come togther! Without him there is no way Id be able to do all that I do on a daily basis!
Keep in mind if you’re single the other tips don’t change.
Tip #2 - Make sure you have a schedule
Making sure you have a schedule that is not only good for you but also good for your kids helps keep everyone on the same page, we know what to expect. When you are in a routine it takes you less time to get from point A to point B because you’re already familiar with that flow. Its so helpful when it comes to maximizing time and efficiency!
Tip #3 - Cut Corners - Prep for success
I don’t mean to cut corners in a dishonesty way, cut corners by prepping! You guys know I am huge on this. Take on meal prepping, I see scheduling as a way of prepping, prepping bags the day before or even hiring help.
Tip #4 - Involve the kids
Blend your activities. Instead of pushing your kids away when you have X Y and Z to accomplish let them do it with you. Cleaning, unloading groceries, helping with chores or work activities. After they have helped, take a few minutes to play. It’s a wonderful way for them to learn experientially. Yes, maybe its not as proficient but I find that the time with my kids is invaluable.
Tip #5 - Manage your energy
You need to make sure you are getting enough sleep, making time to work out, eating properly that way you can go out there and be as proficient as possible! Because If you want to get out there and conquer big or overwhelming tasks, big jobs, your life than you have to have a well oiled, well fueled machine, aka yourself, your body and mind so you can go out there and conquer like a rockstar.
I hope these tips are helpful, whether you are applying them to home schooling, home business or any other area in your life.
Until next time,
-MJ :)
9-5 VS. Entrepreneurship – Pros & Cons
You all know I love business building and the path of entrepreneurship! I think it’s a great way to challenge yourself and to create self-improvement, it exposes us to adversity, so we can learn grown and refine. Entrepreneurship has been so fulfilling and value adding to me and my life and in return I get to share this value and fulfillment with others.
I have noticed along my journey that a lot of people tend to be on the fence about whether the path of entrepreneurship is for them, what’s really involved when it comes to leaving your 9-5 and whether it’s worth it or not. My hope is that I can bring some clarity about the differences between working a 9-5 vs. Entrepreneurship the benefits and the downsides as well.
9-5 PROS
1. Steady work, income and clients
It’s not up to you to make sure the business is up and running. Your main responsibility is the one task at hand, the task you have been hired for and typically the pay scale reflects the amount of difficulty or responsibility you’ve taken on.
2. Integrated Benefits
Wages are, typically, withheld, its common to receive a store discount and even health insurance, this makes things easy, straight forward, consistent and routine. You just have to show up, do the job and get paid.
3. Community
I’ve made some really great friends through work and I’ve always looked forward to starting a new job knowing that the potential to meet new people and build a community, was there.
Entrepreneur PROS
1. You have full and total control
Some might call us control freaks ;) that’s fine by me. Honestly, though I love being able to control my time, the amount of time work, for how long, how much or how little. You have control over what type of work you do and the amount of money you make for that job.
2. Full optimization
You can focus on the things that you enjoy.
9-5 CONS
1. You’re at the mercy of your job
You’re capped at how often you can work, you only have so many vacation days and sick days, if you don’t like working with somebody… you’ve got to deal with it, same goes for some of your tasks. Of course, often times you can talk with a manager to work something out, but most of the time you are at the mercy of the job, boss or company and their expectations of you.
Entrepreneur CONS
1. Your responsible for everything
If you’re not bringing business in, if you’re not making money… It’s your fault.
2. We were never properly trained for this
In school we were trained to be “factory workers” we clock in, we clock out, we show up, we stand in a line, we do what we are told. This has made it difficult to navigate the unknown of entrepreneurship while learning to solve problems we didn’t even know we had!
3. No work integrated benefits
It’s up to you to figure out what insurance plan to go with and pay for, you need to file your own taxes… you need to file your own taxes… one more time, you need to file your own taxes! If you’ve been following my journey, you’ll know there was one year I had a wonderful lesson with this one!
It’s so important to figure out the important stuff and be sure to have your ducks in a row.
If you think there is anything I’ve missed please let me know by leaving it in the comments below, and I am curious which do you prefer? I think its pretty obvious which way I lean.
Until next time,
Be good, be great and most of all be grateful.
-MJ
Charity Ideas – How to Contribute
Giving feels so good, doesn't it? And it’s that time of year when we tend to make that conscious effort to be especially giving. Outside of the holidays and regular daily contributions of love, making time to contribute to a greater cause regularly is crucial to our happiness… but where do we start? Truly there are no rules to contribution but here are some helpful tips on how to start, whether it be to charity or just contributing your time to a loved one.
1. Time
Nothing is more valuable than our time. There is no way to create more and no way to get it back. That is why I see giving of time as the highest contribution you can make! A few ways you can give your time are by locating a local food kitchen or shelter that needs volunteers. You can donate your time by going to a local beach or neighborhood to pick up trash or you can give your time to a particular cause by contributing your efforts to building new schools or homes in areas of need.
2. Money
For some of us it might be possible to actually give a portion of our income back via charity, to someone in need through websites like GoFundMe, or to an organization that is dear to your heart or that supports a cause you feel passionate about. The organizations that I have felt strongly about contributing to lately have been Charity Water & 4ocean. Another favorite way to give money is go to a restaurant and give my server a large tip if the service was exceptional or, maybe, I could tell they were having a bum day.
Often times it may feel like we don’t have enough to give but when we give, it seems, that life conspires to give back 10-fold.
3. Create Your Own
If you see a problem or an issue ask for help by creating a campaign. Facebook has a wonderful feature now, for birthdays, you can ask for donations to a charity or campaign of your choice! How amazing is that!
I recently had an amazing experience with this when my Brother-In-Law lost his baby and almost his wife in the process. They had so many medical bills (I didn’t have enough money to contribute on my own), I thought about asking others for help and sure enough, all of you banned together and made it happen! It was a wonderful first-hand experience to see how much relief it brought them. It gave them time to grief, it took stress off their shoulders, when it came time to deal with finances - it allowed them time to focus on mental and physical health. This is something that will stick with us for the rest of our lives, that is the power of giving, you can make a real difference for everyone involved.
There are always going to be different reasons or notions that might inspire you to give. I always say, follow them!
Until next time,
Be good, be great, and most of all be grateful!
-MJ
Why I Love Working Online
A lot of these reasons may not come off as a complete surprise to you but I figured it would be a great topic to discuss seeing as there are some of you out there that are thinking about working online or are considering your next side hustle or project.
Lets go ahead and jump right into it!
You have access to the global marketplace!
There are so many great tools and softwares available online that can help us to target our demographic and find our audience and client base that we are looking for to buy our product or service. That means endless possibilities!Mobility
This was such a huge motivator for my husband and I when we started our family! We didn’t want to be tied down with other business ventures like franchises or real-estate. We wanted to travel and have freedom so we decided to create income that was mobile! This is the power of working online!Less Overhead
If a majority of your transactions take place online you have significantly less overhead than if you owned a physical location. It’s a relief to not have a massive location, there is less to manage and less cavities that come along with it. This supports my minimalist approach to life and business. I can literally pack up my business in a backpack and take it with me wherever I go!Minimal Equipment & Supplies
This goes hand in hand with #3 Although, my husband and I are photographers which means we do have to have equipment. We have significant storage space for lighting and products as well as propping and staging, but you don’t have too! Thats the beauty thing. if you just do consulting, coaching, strategy or teaching online course you don’t necessarily need so much for work or for your clients.The Marketplace Is Open 24/7
You never have to close up shop! People can still contact you, e-mail you, look at your products or services, check out your portfolio or website. Even while you are sleeping people can still shop!Optimal & Efficient
You guys know I am all about optimizing, optimizing life, money, time and experiences! I believe working online has helped me optimize not only my business but also my life!
Until next time,
Be good, be great, and most of all be grateful!
-MJ
Conquer Your Busy Schedule Like a Boss
Do you ever feel like you’re just so busy all you’re doing is just trying to keep up. Remember, in these moments its important to feel like you are in control over your life and energy! This feeling will allow you to conquer no matter what life throws your way! I promise you even though you are busy you can still conquer, and here are my steps to doing so.
Have a Routine!
It helps to have a routine both morning and night. Having a routine in the morning helps to start the day off right and a routine at night allows a proper closing of a chapter. This helps with creating consistency, stability and reduces decision fatigue allowing you to put more energy towards productivity which will set you up for success.Prep As Much As Possible
Prepping is a HUGE time saver, it insures that I don’t have to spend as much time making decisions and coming up with solutions.
Some of my favorite things to prep are:
- Clothing
My wardrobe is pretty minimal to this tends to be easy.
- Meals
I do this typically every 3 days. Doing this makes such a massive difference when I’m having a busy day!
- Activities for the kids.
Since our girls are homeschooled they typically tag along for work projects and daily errands so its so helpful to make sure that their tasks and activities for the day are planned out and written down.
- Bags
Whether I am going out alone, headed out with the kids, or going to the grocery store, I’ve got an individualized bag setup for that!Mind My Flow
What this means is that I’m mindful of my schedule. For instance, if I know we are going to be out and about in the morning, perhaps playing pickle ball with the family for a few hours I probably won’t schedule that bike ride with my friend later that evening. It’s really just about find an energetic balance to the day and being mindful to not overload myself with tasks that require a ton of energy.Creating Space to Breathe
This is great to implement and make space for breathing and mentally resetting in between daily tasks or appointments. Presence helps to create a feeling of freshness allowing you to reset, refocus, and redirected your energy.Make sure You’re Getting enough sleep!
This area is so over looked! It’s so important to for us to recharge our batteries! I cannot stress this enough. Know when to work hard, but also know when to rest easy.
In conclusion when it comes down to it, just do your best! Do your best not to overload yourself and your schedule. But, if you’re like me, it’s much easier said than done and thats why I’m sharing these steps with you because overlooking the process it is bound to happen at some point.
When you’re busy, taking time to plan, eat right, anticipate the busy-ness, breathe, and make sure you catch some ZZZ’s will lay the foundation for your ability to conquer!
Until next time,
Keep Elevating Life! :)
-MJ
Getting Out Of Overtired Cycle
Have you ever felt like you are dragging through your day? Maybe you wake up feeling really tired and find it hard to get to sleep at night? Have you ever woken up in the wee hours of the morning but then you're unable to get back to sleep and before you know it the sun is up and you’re feeling exhausted?
These are major indicators that you are over tired and need more sleep!
Here is a little secret: Sleep begets sleep. Simply put you need to find a way to get more sleep. My hope is that I can provide a few tips here for you to do just that.
Step #1 Get to sleep earlier
It’s much easier to get to bed earlier than to try and sleep in. Sleeping in can sometimes off-set your day leaving you feeling groggy and clouded mentally. You also don’t receive as much quality sleep in comparison to if you had just gone to bed a bit earlier.
Set an alarm an hour earlier than your normal bed time to prepare to wind down.
Make your bedtime non- negotiable.
Be in bed 10-15 minutes early, with lights out, to get settled in.
Take time to notice when you begin to feel sleepy. For some of us this may happen early and we might feel as if it’s to early to be tired or to lay down, so we typically blow past this indicator and miss our sleep cycle!
Step #2 Take naps or schedule quiet time
Thats right, schedule a nap or quiet time, even if you don’t feel tired. Create the atmosphere; Dim the lights, diffuse calming essential oils, or play gentle music when you go to lay down. At first you might feel fidgety or find it hard to relax but as long as you remove distractions and make this a consistent practice, your body and mind will adjust, relax and eventually you might even fall asleep!
Set your alarm and start with 30 - 45 minute sessions to avoid over-napping and feeling sluggish.
If you have a lot of thoughts coming up during this time feel free to have a journal handy to jot down any ideas you don’t want to forget.
Step #3 Wake up slow
This doesn’t mean sleep in or stay in bed extra long, it just means to take your time to enjoy getting up. Don’t automatically reach for you phone or jump up and startle yourself out of bed. Take time to admire the sunlight or view from your window, stretch and feel you body, notice the support and comfort of your bed. Get out of bed with presence and intention for your day.
Step #4 Have a bedtime routine
Bedtime routines anchor the mind and body to expect and prepare for sleep. As long as you are performing the routine and getting to bed on time, it will become easier and easier. Think calming activities.
Taking a hot shower
Self massage using essential oils that calm
Stretch or foam roll
Reading
Listening to something that will soothe you
Avoid exciting TV shows or movies, thrilling novels, hyper activity, stress, worry, and work.
Step #5 Don’t be afraid to use help
There are so many wonderful tools to help calm the mind and body, i’ve listed a few already, but here they are again along with some others:
Essential oils - Lavender and Camomile are wonderful soothers
Self massage with these oils
Take a warm bath instead of a shower
Mediation, yes there is an app for that ;)
Brainwave audio - Binaural beats
Relaxing Sounds
CBD Oil (I use Hemp Life Today) - I favor this over melatonin
Herbal teas that promote sleepiness - Camomile, Valerian, Lemon Balm, Lavender
Keep in mind these things are available when you need help. Try not to become dependent on them to make sleep happen, the idea is we are training the body to be able to do it on its own.
If you have any other tips or tricks please feel free to share! I’d love to share other ways to get to sleep with our community!
May you sleep well,
Until next time,
-MJ
What to Do When Your Energy Drags
You know those days where you can’t seem to pick yourself up, it seems like you just can’t get through the day, and when you finally do, you’re exhausted?
You’re overwhelmed and feel like this feeling is never going to end unless you get a 6-12 month break from everything! But we know that’s probably not going to happen… These are typically signs that you are low on energy and you just need some catching up.
I have 5 simple tips for you to regain your energy so you can rock and conquer your day rather than dragging through it.
Tip #1 SIMPLIFY
Simplify as much as possible in your life.
Whether it is simplifying your schedule or simplifying the things you choose to put your energy into on a daily basis. We tend to have a habit of filling our spare time with screen time. (Example: 5 extra minutes = Scrolling through Facebook) What if we spent those few extra minutes taking a few deep breaths, moving our bodies, or doing something that creates centered focus and alignment? Believe it or not this will actually contribute to feeling more energized!
Tip #2 CATCH UP ON SLEEP
Lack of sleep, restoration, and poor balance can leave us feeling unmotivated and unenergized. To catch up on sleep try getting to bed early, sleep in or schedule a nap or quiet time. These things are crucial because a lot of time we feel like we don’t need more sleep in in fact you’re just overtired and need more sleep!
Tip #3 EAT FOR ENERGY
Most of the time, when we are tired, we do what’s easy: go out to the restaurant, grab fast food or snack of food that has little nutritional value. If your not providing your body with the nutrition that it needs to perform at its peak then you’re not going to have enough energy to do things as simple as your daily tasks! Eat for success, eat lots of vitamin and enzyme rich fruits and veggies, cook whole meals and take time to meal prep! Meal prepping is so worth it. A lot of people tell me they don’t have time to meal prep… That means you should really be meal prepping! Meal prepping allows you to cook once for half a week’s worth of meals.
Tip #4 START MOVING
Once you’ve mastered getting enough sleep and having your meals planned make time to MOVE every day! It could be as simple as taking a 5 minute walk or a 5 Minute Workout. Motion creates energy, happiness, motivation and drive that will propel you through your day!
Tip #5 RELAX & RESTORE
This is HUGE! And absolutely necessary when you’re working hard and playing hard. Here are some of my favorite ways to relax and restore:
Reflection
Mediation
Yoga
Getting outside
Being active
Whatever you do take time to relax without anything to do!
If you have a favorite way to inspire energy let the community know by leaving a comment below!
May you be energized,
-MJ