Devoted to WAHMs -Work at Home Moms

According to some recent news stories, some companies are giving employees paid time off when their relationships break up. Apparently, the purpose of the leave is to allow employees time to cry about their disappointment privately so that they can return to work and be more focused.

When I read about this, my first thought was, "well, this really isn't new. People have been calling in sick after break-ups for years. It might not have been called heartache leave, but they weren't at work."

My next thought, was, "well, this really isn't a problem for those of us who work at home. We can take off whenever we want."

Wait a minute. Can those of us who work at home really take off whenever we want?

Lego turns 50 today.  If you were born after 1958, then chances are that you played with this toy as a child. Lego bricks have become a classic.

Lego's 50th birthday has gotten me to think about their product and why it has remained so popular. I've come up with a list of ten marketing strategies/product features that have kept Lego bricks on top in the toy market. Any home business owner can look at this list and see how their own products, or services, measure up.  

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, is your home business ready for it?

While you may not want to sent out Valentine's Day Cards to your clients, Valentine's Day may still have an impact on your home business. Learn how to make the most of this holiday.

When you are in business, you're eventually going to make a mistake. No matter how good you are, sooner or later, it's going to happen. (Naturally, you should take every precaution to prevent mistakes from happening, though.)

What about you? Have you ever found a mistake in your work? How have you dealt with it?

Today is Martin Luther King Day in the United States (U.S.). Across the country, many business and schools will be closed. Government offices will be closed as well.

I'm too young to remember it, but I appreciate and am inspired by what Martin Luther King Jr. did. He saw a wrong and took a stand to make it right. His willingness to stand up for what is right literally changed the world. The world is a better place today because of what he did.

What does all this mean for the home business owner? 

I woke up yesterday to news reports full of the "R" word. That's right, recession.

Are we in one? Are we about to be?

A recession is a period in which economic activity slows down. If this is what we're facing, companies will be reluctant to purchase new goods or services.  

No one really seems to know for sure, but recession fears are affecting the economy, without a doubt.

Over at PCWorld, they've published an article that quotes a study that claims to have found a down side to telecommuting. Apparently, if some workers telecommute while others don't, then the morale of those left in the office decreases.

What do you think? What effect does telecommuting have on employee morale? Which article is right? 

We do if we're working at home, that is.  According to the Imperial Valley News, which quotes a Pew Research Study, "20 percent of working mothers would prefer not to work outside the home and 60 percent of women say part-time work would be ideal."

The article goes on to include tips for women who want to work from home.

I can believe this statistic. In fact, I'm really surprised that it's not even higher. I know that when I was working full-time in the corporate world I wanted to work from home, but for the longest time I didn't. 

When I saw this article from the Las Vegas Review-Journal that called the home office the "second-most used room in many homes," I just had to add my own comments because the description is so true to life. The article goes on to give some designer tips for creating a functional home office.

I agree with the Las Vegas Review-Journal that this is likely the second-most used room in my home. In fact, if I'm awake, it's likely that I'm in here. I spend at least eight hours in here most days (although I do try to get out for lunch and I've been known to print out editing and do it manually in the living room).
 

When Anne Zelenka asked if I would review her new book for this blog, of course I said "yes." Anne blogs at Web Worker Daily.

As I read Anne's book, Connect! A Guide to a New Way of Working, I began to get excited about it. The book is that rare combination that both instructs and affirms.

"At last, somebody finally gets what working online is really all about," kept running through my head as I read it. 

One the new additions over at eMoms at Home is a blog called Freelance Parent, which is written by freelance writers Lorna Doone Brewer and Tamara Berry. It is a blog that I have been following with a great deal of interest.

I was thrilled when Lorna and Tamara agreed to be interviewed for Work From Home Momma. I admire their frankness and honesty in this interview, and I'm sure that you will too.

Right now (January 7th through January 10th), the electronic industry's largest expo is going on in Las Vegas. It's the international Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

It's significant, however, because it is where the electronics industry introduces new products. The office equipment and electronic tools that we buy for the next 12 months will be determined by this particular show. It's where we'll get the tools that we use. 

There's a controversy going on now at several freelancing forums and blogs about low paying jobs and the freelancers that accept them.

The issue of getting paid what you are worth is not unique to writers. It seems to be a common problem among freelancers - especially those whose work can be somehow counted as "creative." The creative label includes graphic artists, programmers, photographers, and probably many more freelance professions that I can't think of right now.

I don't know if work from home businesses that are in retail suffer from this problem. (If sales is your business, why not let us know? Is getting low pay a problem for you?)

For many freelancers and home business owners, marketing is NOT the main part of what they do. They provide goods or services. Whether you are a graphic designer or you sell handmade jewelry on the Internet, chances are that you don't think of marketing as a major part of what you do.

In fact, having to market your own goods or services may be one of the biggest differences between working for yourself and working for someone else.  

I know that a lot of you have resolved to lose weight and get in shape in 2008. As a work-at-home mom (WAHM), getting in shape is one of the best investments in your business that you'll ever make. You'll have less sick time, more energy, and generally feel better.

With fitness in mind, I've scoured the Internet for you to find some helpful tips to getting in shape.