Parenting + Work – Adjusting to having it all

Parenting + Work – Adjusting to having it all

holding hands "I'll go with you" tattoo on arms

 

The New York Times recently published an article called:   In the Covid-19 Economy, You Can Have a Kid or a Job. You Can’t Have Both.  

Full stop.   I had been in the middle of a social media break but I put that quickly on pause.   Because this message is HUGE.  It hits the very soul of my life passion: for women to have BOTH successful careers and fulfilling motherhood (and now I’d add…. a strong partnership in parenting to benefit both).  

Can I just say….if I was working for a company remotely or outside my home I would be losing my mind about now. 

I’m already stretched thin balancing my flexible, full-time business from home with all my kids – whom I love – here with me! Throw in an ex-husband who regularly tells me it’s “no big deal… they can manage themselves while you work” and I’ve just focused on deep, cleansing breaths to get through this season…. which SURELY must come to an end right?

Here’s a great quote from this article (who is also an online business owner i.e. flexible schedule): 

“Let me say the quiet part loud: In the Covid-19 economy, you’re allowed only a kid or a job.  Why isn’t anyone talking about this? ………I think it’s because when you’re home schooling all day, and not performing the work you were hired to do until the wee hours of the morning, and do it on repeat for 106 days (not that anyone is counting), you might be a bit too fried to funnel your rage effectively.”

then this….

“And I speak from a position of significant privilege. We were, until recently, a two-income family with savings, paying for more than the minimum of child care hours that we needed each day just to cover what-ifs,……..But my family, as a social and economic unit, cannot operate forever in the framework authorities envision for the fall.”

 This is the problem…we can’t do this (the burnout mode) forever.

There is hope for a better way though, I am going to get to that. Not only am I doing this now but I have waded through some very tough seasons working fulltime as a mom of four and have some ideas I think will help.    

First….

Thank goodness this is finally a topic! 

I’ve watched so many of us crawl into our caves of self-sacrifice and just GSD (get $hit done as my girls and I say) through work transition, remote school, extra sanitization and more.

Some charged full steam ahead as long as they could, others retreated and self-survived. Some of us truly just drank a little more and wondered how the days feel so long and short at the same time.

BECAUSE WE ARE ALL CAPABLE OF BRUTE FORCE WORKING THRU SOMETHING FOR A SEASON (pregnancy, infancy, toddlers, teen hormones, bad bosses, midlife crises….. global pandemic + highly tumultuous world was just a new one for all of us). Here we are almost 4 months later with very few answers and no real end in sight.

 Pause and ask yourself these quick questions: 

  1. Did you take on too much? Is there room to ask for more balance from the other parent? 

 Married or not…. I challenge you to not enable a situation where life is being sucked out of you in the name of being a people pleaser. 

  1. Are you really working for the right employer or running the right business for you? 

 You still have choices….even in this economy.

you still have choices in this economy image

This topic has so many layers…… relationships, personal growth, life purpose/career choices, societal expectations, gender bias in the workplace.

Where am I finding the hope and the way right now?  Yes, firstly, deep cleansing breaths first but there is more than that.  There is good news in this and here it is… 

There is a way to move forward even given our current situation in life trying to “balance” it all… but Momma, you are going to have to think differently.

These are my “think different” game-changers: 

mom with kids outside

You can have both.  Work + Kids.  

It is not one or the other – that is a lie. Might just look a little different than it did before.  I’m still seeing a lot of professional working moms start their own freelance / contract businesses (the world is already moving this way). You know where to find my resources.  Here’s my  latest – epic master list of work from home options. 

kid holding schedule during pandemic

It will take new systems and partnership.  

This is a chance to reset your own expectations, systems, goals and focus to level up into a more effective you. Don’t gloss over that. Resetting expectations is HUGE. Leveling up might mean goaling down. Yeah… it’s temporary though! Maybe the goal post gets moved back a bit, we have to be kind to ourselves and our families right now in this season.  We aren’t saying no to ourselves but maybe it’s okay to say not yet.  

Partnership. This looks different for anyone but it is time to sit down and figure out how to be a good partner AND develop a fair and productive partnership.  This can be about more than the other parent.  Older kids can get involved here too.  A chance to ask them to level up where appropriate is an opportunity for all to grow and help the family in this season.  

Lori at computer selfie

Let’s all just “do good and be good”. 

As a leader (or an employee), it’s a chance to improve company culture and negotiate things like hours, salary, and flexibility that ultimately bring better results in business with happier employees. Not sure staying with your current employer is you best option, check out my blog on 3 Reasons To Quit. 

lori relaxing on beach

Rest and reset.  

We all need to still show up as emotionally intelligent professionals, both for work and for our families. There’s no end in sight to this season so like everything else you’ve figured out as a working mom….. let’s dig in and do this in community with one another. You were never meant to do it alone.  

Intentionally rest. I know how hard that can be. I build this into my schedule because it doesn’t happen otherwise.  This is different from burning out and not being able to look at the screen for a bit. Intentional rest ensures that we do not burn out on our work or our family.  It builds in time to relax and reset so we can take on another week, game face on. 

We got this because we have each other and that is the best way forward; together. 

Sending the strength to all the working parents out there!!!

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Life, Liberty And The Pursuit Of Freedom In Your Work Schedule

Life, Liberty And The Pursuit Of Freedom In Your Work Schedule

{Virtual Work Opportunities for the week of July 3rd….scroll down…. but we’d love for you to read our advice on how to land these great opportunities first!}

What comfortable pattern is keeping you in work you don’t belong in? What’s holding you from quitting a day job or changing up your side gig to make it more profitable?

My motto this year is there is FREEDOM in TRUTH. If we can’t be truthful with ourselves and the situations we are in, we won’t break free.

Did your side gig only earn you $172 last month even though you worked on it 20 hours a week? (Math is always truthful)

Would you rather suffer thru the commute and a bad boss than take the risk of having to find your own clients?

Both of those are very real and accurate truths that many of you face.  Seek the truth and find your freedom!

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Find Freedom in this week’s HOT Virtual Work Opportunities

{These virtual work opportunities are pulled from various sources around the web each week.  Some are free listings and some require a membership to sites such as FlexJobs or HireMyMomIf you want the best clients, long-term business and the highest rates, we suggest using these sites over free Facebook groups.  To learn how to refine your search for the highest dollar virtual work opportunities, try our fast class.}

Tech-Oriented “VA” for Health & Wellness Entrepreneur

Up & coming Holistic Nurse Entrepreneur business is seeking a collaborative spirit, honorable intentions and an excellent work ethic, Virtual Assistant.

They are asking for a VA but there are some web-specific tech requests in this job description. So there are 2 ways to look at this….. if you’re a web person who doesn’t mind additional VA work, go for it! If you’re a VA missing the tech experience, a sub that works out to your favorite tech genius.

Admin Assistant for Busy Entrepreneur

This entrepreneur has likely been through a rough share of VA’s and even mentions bad experiences in the past. This post is written in a way that personal characteristics are more important than skill level.
Be Professional! This means be reliable, punctual, resourceful, have empathy and appreciation.
Skills can be taught and developed.

Digital Content Manager

Professional plus flexibility here.
A strategic marketing firm is looking for a passionate, driven, self-starter to join our expanding team. This role will work with a range of clients, managing the end-to-end blog and podcast production.
Responsibilities include on-boarding new clients, and assisting with current clients managing.
  1. Knowledge of email marketing platforms (such as MailChimp)
  2. Knowledge of CMS platforms such as WordPress, Hubspot etc.
  3. Knowledge of social media scheduling tools (specifically Buffer)

Virtual Part-Time Client Services Accountant

Jump into an established virtual bookkeeping business.
This company is looking to outsource for Part-Time Client Services Accountant. Our use of experienced accounting professionals, virtual infrastructure, and a systematized business process results in a compelling and comprehensive solution for growing businesses.
The ideal candidate will have the ability to work with multiple clients, learn about their businesses and optimizing their accounting workflow.
Collaboration with the clients’ team and provide them with support and data to help make their business a success is a priority.
Implement cutting-edge technology tools to provide each client with the best possible accounting solutions, business processes, and workflows.
Make It A Work-From-Home Summer

Make It A Work-From-Home Summer

{Virtual Work Opportunities for the week of May 28th….scroll down…. but we’d love for you to read our advice on how to land these great opportunities first!}

 

 

The worst working-mom day ever for me was the first day of summer.  Everyone else would sleep in while I left early, dressed in stuffy clothes and watched as my babysitter, husband or neighbor shared photos of all the summer fun.

Not only was I missing my own healthy dose of sunshine stuck in that corporate air conditioning, I was using up all my best energy in the office and coming home spent and exhausted.

This. Is. Motivation.   Can this be the last summer you ever have to spend in an office?

You guys.  Working in the sunshine is the best ever!

Breaking up my work day to match my kids summer schedule….priceless.

So I put together this free training to capitalize on that momentum as we kick off summer.

How to build your mom-life-friendly professional work-from-home business this summer.

It’s not MLM or direct sales. You can use the skills you already have. Organization. Computer skills. Customer Service. Writing. Design.

It seems easy! So what you are missing to make this happen?

1. Where are these jobs?
2. What are my marketable skills and how do I present them?
3. What about all those “scary business steps”? (Hint: There aren’t any. This is really simple.)

I’ve taught customer service reps how to become freelance professionals. And I’ve shown well-paid corporate professionals, how to transition into more interesting and meaningful clients using their talents from home as freelancers.

This show is a special Memorial Day edition. It will boost your end of the 3 day weekend spirit with a plan and a path to move into PROFESSIONAL work-from-home life.  Watch it here.(even if the 3 day weekend has passed)

 

Lead in title for this week’s VWO’s

{These virtual work opportunities are pulled from various sources around the web each week.  Some are free listings and some require a membership to sites such as FlexJobs or HireMyMomIf you want the best clients, long term business and the highest rates, we suggest using these sites over free Facebook groups.  To learn how to refine your search for the highest dollar virtual work opportunities, try our fast class.}

Long-Term VA for Luxury Real Estate Company

 

Luxury Real Estate Company in Aspen is looking for a perfectionist with attention to detail, an eye for design and is good with words. An entrepreneur is seeking a long-term VA for tasks such as copywriting, proofing marketing materials and drafting emails. Since looking at high-end real estate is a fun past time of mine, this sounds FUN!

Content & Social Media Specialist for Start-up

I love the way they word this: “looking for a prolific and talented content creator to write and produce various projects and blog regularly”
This well thought out and detailed job description from this award-winning startup is a great opportunity to work with a company with momentum. FYI, they mention project management skills. Smart cookies.

PT Social Media Manager for Health & Nutrition Blogger

 

Are you a health & nutrition guru? This Social Media Manager position could be ideal for you. Big request…lots of platforms, content development, campaign management and more.

PT Branding-Product Manager for High-End Home Product Retailer

High-End kitchen / home / baby / pet product retailer is seeking a brand and product manager to play a “conductor” coordinating various marketing materials with a team that includes graphic designers, copywriters, photographers etc.
This is for a quality, high-end kind of marketing style and their pay offer seems to reasonably match to that skillset. At 20 hours per week, this could be a solid client with good pay.

Start Your New Online Book Keeping Business With This Client

 

Are you a bookkeeper a little nervous about finding your own clients? This is a great virtual gig to start small and grow into more under the wing of an accomplished bookkeeping and accounting company.

How We Find Virtual Work

How We Find Virtual Work

{Virtual Work Opportunities for the week of May 22nd….scroll down…. but we’d love for you to read our advice on how to land these great opportunities first!}

Have you received our virtual work finder guide at some point in time?   If so, have you used it?

 

I know. Life gets busy.

So I recorded this short little video to show you how we use the Virtual Work Finder ourselves and select these top opportunities each week.

 

Video Training: How to Use Our Virtual Work Finder 

Some highlights:

🔹 I reviewed a more strategic higher dollar job opportunity in this video.

     Watch and learn how to find those and what sets them apart.

🔹 Whether you want full-time work from home, part-time work from home

     with 1 client or a variety of smaller projects ongoing, I shared examples

     of each of those in this short video.

🔹 If you want to go faster, check out the High Dollar Work Finder.


Some questions:

Do I need to pay for these recommended subscription sites?

It’s up to you but it’s so inexpensive compared to the value of the work you are going to get. And professional business owners turn to these sites for quality candidates. So you want to go where the jobs are right?

(FYI: only on some of these do we receive a small commission if you sign up through our link. it’s not why we share it. We use these sites ourselves. In fact, these Virtual Work Opportunities we share each week come from these sites.)

Have I (Lori) ever been hired from one of these sites?

Definitely. In fact sometimes on Upwork people reach directly to me to apply for their position. It’s all about having the right skills and experience displayed on your profile.


If you still have questions, the How She Quits show is a great place for free training and advice on the mom-friendly online business world.

The latest episodes are 3 Ways to the Fastest Path Virtually From Home:

Episode 14: 1-on-1 Services – profit maximizing tips in less than 5 minutes!

Episode 15: Moving from hourly to project-based and 1-to-Many services.

 

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Check out this week’s opportunities now:

{These virtual work opportunities are pulled from various sources around the web each week.  Some are free listings and some require a membership to sites such as FlexJobs or HireMyMomIf you want the best clients, long term business and the highest rates, we suggest using these sites over free Facebook groups.  To learn how to refine your search for the highest dollar virtual work opportunities, try our fast class.}

Flexible Creative Content Writer/Creator

Want those projects that will fit in nap time windows? Here’s an opportunity for writing projects.
Ideal candidate will have the ability to write in a variety of voices for various clients who need relevant articles for publishing on their behalf (ghostwriting) on 3rd party websites. Posts could be anywhere between 700 and 1,200 words, depending on the post.

Strategists this one is for you! Digital Marketing Manager.

Do you have a love for gardening and an eye for photography?
A fast-growing company is looking for an experienced marketing who specializes in email marketing and social media strategy. The ideal candidate will have experience with campaign optimization and performance analysis, project management as well as copywriting and creative direction. I loved this line “Our marketing is still in its infancy so we are looking for someone who can bring their experience to develop strategy, systems, and processes from scratch.”

Part-Time SEO Content Writer with Clever Job Posting

Are you looking to building your portfolio with high quality content while learning from experienced digital marketing experts?
Ecommerce firm is seeking a part-time, talented and reliable individual to provide amazing SEO content on various topics. (Look for their attention to detail in this posting!)

Social Media Coordinator for Health-Conscious Food Company

Unique, 100% Virtual, Food company is seeking an energetic and organized Social Media Assistant to join their team.
I love how this company is all about finding the right fit, the right unique person who is passionate about communication, their customers and resourceful for the team. This shows wisdom and professionalism in their recruitment. Expect a solid professional experience but….all virtual with a great culture.

An Easy Step from Corporate with this Virtual Admin Position

This one is a step between “corporate” and “freelance” which makes it a nice transition for someone wanting to get into remote work.
Rapidly growing software & design company is seeking a champion for the Ops team as well as their culture and candidate experience. Candidate should thrive on being helpful, supportive in resolving team inquiries, assisting in coordinating company-wide activities, staying organized and driving day-to-day tasks forward. Bonus Points for previous recruiting and HR experience.
20-30 hours a week.

Unique, 100% Virtual, Food company is seeking an energetic and organized Social Media Assistant to join their team.

I love how this company is all about finding the right fit, the right unique person who is passionate about communication, their customers and resourceful for the team. This shows wisdom and professionalism in their recruitment. Expect a solid professional experience but….all virtual with a great culture.

 


Are you ready to fast track your business? 

How She Quits Fast Classes are designed to be FAST and EFFECTIVE to match your busy work and family life.

I Know I’m Worth More Than $25 Per Hour – How To Get There

I Know I’m Worth More Than $25 Per Hour – How To Get There

{Virtual Work Opportunities for the week of May 15th….scroll down…. but we’d love for you to read our advice on how to land these great opportunities first!}

You know that feeling when you got your first “ten-speed” bike with gears?

Before that, you only went as fast as your skinned up 8-year-old legs could pedal. But now, a flick of the thumb (and a little more initial leg power) and you are now cranking along passing your brother with windblown hair feeling empowered. Soon that initial leg power needs lessons and you are going FASTER with the same leg power.

That’s what it’s like when you shift from only offering hourly services to offering packaged services. The initial push is going to be a little harder but it’s going to take you further, faster.

 

Last Friday in the How She Quits Show Episode 14 I shared the fastest path to income is one-on-one services. And that’s a fact. I don’t know how to say this very well without sounding too optimistic….but there is legitimately more work available than gets filled every single week (and why we post these opportunities for your in these emails/posts).

 

Even crazier, you can do 1-on-1 work for as few as 3 months and realize you are capped. 25 hours a week. 25 dollars an hour. $2500 – $3000 a month.

 

That’s not bad at all for part-time work flexibly from home. And for many of you, it would be life-changing.

For others, it’s not quite enough to replace your commute-crazy, cubicle-slave income. Besides, you can bring more VALUE to clients than $25 / hour.

What if you write some ad copy that brings them $5000 in sales? It maybe took you 60 minutes but its value was much greater than $25.

Moving from hourly work to special talent rates or packages is like utilizing that next set of gears on your “ten-speed”. A little more initial leg speed but then, momentum carries you further and faster.

In episode 15 of the How She Quits Show, I will teach the steps for moving into 1 to many, packaged offers.  Catch it this Friday over here.

For now, I want to leave you with some actions. Because I’m super pragmatic and ultimately want to free moms to earn their income from the flexibility of their home.

 

If you feel you are worth more than $25 / hour and want to move up in rates and packaged offerings, ask yourself these questions in preparation for Episode 15:

  • In what tasks for clients do I KNOW I’m delivering more than $25 / hour?
  • What do my clients tell me I do better than other VA / freelancers they’ve worked with?
  • Where do I see patterns of work I can repeat with multiple clients? i.e. the way I set up weekly emails or the way I batch social media content or the effectiveness of the way I design a landing page for them.
  • In what work am I most confident of the revenue/profitability I can bring my clients?

 

Raising rates and offering packages requires tightening up our delivery, our words, our interactions with clients to get focused in on that super successful thing you do. And, to feel confident in those results you can bring.

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Here’s to getting on our 10-speed this summer!

Start by browsing our favorite virtual opportunities of the week!

{These virtual work opportunities are pulled from various sources around the web each week.  Some are free listings and some require a membership to sites such as FlexJobs or HireMyMomIf you want the best clients, long-term business and the highest rates, we suggest using these sites over free Facebook groups.  To learn how to refine your search for the highest dollar virtual work opportunities, try our fast class.}

Tiny Houses & Hockey Tees? So Fun! VA for 2 Companies Full of Heart

An entrepreneur with two unique businesses is looking for a part-time, right-hand VA to grow with the company. Great potential for full-time for the right fit. This is directly from the job description –

“Company culture: *We are about growing consciously and sustainability, and giving back… living the change we want to see in the world through everyday interactions and decisions while valuing a healthy life/work balance. ”

This position does require availability 7 days a week (5-10 hours a week) with flexible hours. Salaried position.

VA/Executive Assistant for Various Business & Personal Projects

This Entrepreneur is looking for a jack-of-all-trades of sorts. Various responsibilities ranging from technical to administrative and creative tasks need rangling. The ideal candidate is willing to learn and grow with the company/owner and will possess top notch customer service skills, superb communication skills and the ability to ask for guidance and direction when needed. Must be able to respond during Eastern Time Zone for a few hours a day.

Writers Needed (always needed!)

Attention Writers! (and those who doubt they are a writer)

Writing is one of the most flexible virtual professional freelance opportunities out there. If you enjoy writing, having a flexible schedule, and working from home, this is the job for you!
You get to choose the articles you want to write, set your own schedule, and work virtually.

Part-Time Remote Administrative Assistant for Book Publication Company

Book Publication Company is seeking a remote part-time Administrative Assistant to manage book projects during the manuscript development process. This is a new position with the possibility to grow. This is a great opportunity to get in early and show your talents. Evolve this position over time by demonstrating responsiveness, working knowledge of web-based tools, and the ability to stay on task in a fast-paced environment.

The Collective is Mentoring for Your Online Business Life.
Most female online business owners don’t need a coach.  They need a mentor.