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   Home Business Tips For Moms: A Guide by  Eva Benoit

 

 TA Guidehoto via Pixabay by Rawpixel

With more and more Americans discovering that their 9-to-5 job isn’t exactly what they had in mind for themselves, it’s no wonder so many people are turning to starting their own home businesses. There are so many perks to becoming self-employed from being able to set your own hours to calling all the shots, and when you’re a parent, it’s an even bigger benefit to be able to work from home. Starting your own business isn’t easy, but there are many things to take into consideration and careful planning is essential. 

Getting started will require some preparation. Do you have savings to hold you over until your business starts to become profitable? What kind of plan do you have for finding a customer base and sustaining it? Thinking about the details now will prevent nasty surprises down the road and will allow you to focus on what’s most important.

Read on to find out how you can start your own home-based business as a parent and make it a success.

Find the right business

There are so many options for at-home businesses, so it’s important to find the right one for you. Keep in mind that if you turn something you truly enjoy into a new stream of income, you may not be able to enjoy it much longer. There’s a big difference between doing something for fun and doing it because you have to, as many entrepreneurs have found out, so think hard about whether or not you should turn your hobby into a business. 

Build your credit

Building--or rebuilding--your credit is essential as a small business owner, since the day may come when you decide to grow your company. You’ll need funding, and applying for a loan means you need to have a polished credit report. The better your credit score, the more appealing you look to lenders when the time comes to request a small business loan. If you need to repair your credit, look into reputable companies that can assist you in process.

Balance your work/home life

Becoming an entrepreneur often means trying to strike a balance between your personal and professional lives. It can be especially difficult if you have a family, but it’s important to look for ways you can focus on them both without one of them suffering. It will help if you can get organized and keep your workspace at home separate from the rest of the house. It should be in a distraction-free zone that is away from the flow of activity. It’s also imperative to keep your finances separate and organize all your receipts to make sure you won’t have any surprises at tax time.

Create a routine

Working from home means you have to be extra diligent about staying on top of your schedule, because there’s no one to do it for you. Creating a routine you can easily stick to will allow you to stay on top of your priorities, which can help you run your business much more effectively. Think about the hours of the day when you’re most productive, and factor in your family’s needs as well. 

Starting a home-based business can be one of the best decisions you’ll ever make, but it’s important to have a good plan from the very beginning. Don’t forget to ask for help from friends and loved ones when you need it, as having support is crucial, especially during the first few months.

Rawpixel - https://pixabay.com/en/beverage-blog-blogger-break-3157395/

home businesses - https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikekappel/2017/07/12/10-tips-for-starting-a-small-business-that-you-havent-heard-a-thousand-times-already/#43caf8246e19

become profitable - https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/51848

make it a success - https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-to-start-a-home-based-business-that-will-succeed-2948192

turn your hobby - https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryanrobinson/2018/03/02/transition-hobby-into-side-business/#7c3ae94c64c5

reputable companies - https://www.consumersadvocate.org/credit-repair/best-credit-repair

strike a balance - https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/how-to-balance-your-personal-and-professional-life

workspace at home - https://www.officedepot.com/cm/collections/building-a-small-home-office

schedule - https://www.bustle.com/articles/120406-6-tips-for-organizing-your-schedule-so-youre-more-productive

Best,  Eva Benoit

I thought you might also be interested in adding a link to our guide about starting a mobile business.

It explains the major expenses associated with operating a mobile business and how credit card rewards can absorb some of these costs. We also provide tips on how to stay secure while on the road.

I’ve included the link here:

https://millionmilesecrets.com/guides/everything-you-need-to-know-about-owning-a-mobile-business-the-closest-thing-to-true-freedom/
 

Guest input by Jennifer Scott

5 of the Healthiest Habits Worth the Work to Enhance Your Life

It’s often said that the most difficult challenges in your life earn you the greatest rewards. And that’s true when it comes to incorporating big changes with equally large payoffs. From hitting the gym more often to skipping takeout, sacrifice is part of living a better life. These five habits are worth the work due to the ways they can improve your life.

Add Essential Nutrients to Your Diet

Although your primary focus should be on eating whole, unprocessed foods, there are benefits to taking a multivitamin, too. The right multivitamin can deliver crucial nutrients to your body, plus help enhance your mood and even give you more energy. Adding a multivitamin to your may take some practice at first. But vitamin deficiencies are no joke. Take B12, for example; symptoms of vitamin B deficiency include anemia, numbness and tingling, fatigue, and memory loss. Skip your morning fog and grab your vitamins for a boost that’s worth setting an alarm for.

Be Open to New Perspectives on Health

Mental health is just as vital as physical health — and they also affect one another — so one monumental change that can benefit your life is your perspective on the subject. Whether you decide to seek treatment to work through personal challenges or speak up about reducing the stigma surrounding mental health, that’s a step in the right direction.  

You may even find that helping a loved one with a mental illness provides that new perspective. Illnesses like depression, anxiety, and substance abuse are legitimate health concerns for both you and your loved ones — and healing starts with acknowledgment.

Set a Bedtime for Yourself

As an adult, you might feel like you’re too old for curfews and bedtime routines. However, one study found that adults who schedule a regular bedtime — no matter what time it might be — were healthier than adults who slept odd hours.
A regular bedtime correlates with healthier body weight, lower blood sugar and blood pressure, and lower risks of heart attack and stroke. Consistency can be challenging to achieve, especially with the demands of work, family, and finding time for yourself. But sticking with a somewhat regular schedule is healthiest for your mind and body.

Catch Enough ZZZs

When you’re a busy and active adult with a lot on their plate, scheduling sleep almost feels silly. After all, you could be accomplishing so much more by staying up late and getting up early. But just like children, adults need adequate sleep to function properly and stay healthy.
And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that one in three adults aren’t getting enough sleep. You should get at least seven hours of quality rest each night, the CDC says, for better overall health. Sacrificing time elsewhere can be a challenge, but the tradeoffs are worth it. Adults who sleep fewer than seven hours per night are at a higher risk of health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and heart problems. Get to bed on time — and get up on time, too — for the best odds at avoiding chronic health problems later.

I did use hyperlinks for citation purposes and to give credit where it is due. They're the words/phrases that are underlined and in blue font. I think these sources add more value to the piece. It also gives readers easy access to extra helpful info if needed.

I have listed them below for your quick reference:

https://www.precisionhydration.com/blogs/hydration_advice/why-you-should-eat-whole-foods-instead-of-processed-foods-whenever-possible

https://plexusworldwide.com/sunnyshare/ah-ha/reasons-to-take-a-multivitamin

https://examine.com/nutrition/do-you-need-a-multivitamin/

https://geneblueprint.com/blogs/blog/vitamin-b-response-are-you-at-risk-of-vitamin-b-deficiency

https://blog.bcbsnc.com/2019/05/mental-health-affects-physical-health/

https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=3047

https://www.studyfinds.org/regular-bedtime-benefits-adults-more-than-kids/

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0215-enough-sleep.html

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/high-octane-women/201201/6-reasons-you-should-spend-more-time-alone

Schedule Time for Solitude

“Me time” has become a buzzworthy phrase in recent times, but it’s popular for a reason — spending time alone allows you to focus on yourself and your goals. Psychology Today says that being alone can help you concentrate and be more productive overall. Of course, that’s if you can get a moment’s peace during your busy day. But whether you take a sick day from work or say no to a social event to turn inward, it’s good for your health. It might be tough to carve out the time, but unwinding for a bit of time each day can do wonders for your mental and physical well-being.
  
Getting healthier doesn’t happen overnight, and it isn’t always easy. But these five life-changing habits are worth incorporating into your routine — even if it takes some time to make them work.