Work from Home - Diary of a WAHM

I have been using this blog to create mini articles, but right now I've decided to use it as blogs originally started...as an online diary. This way, anyone who is interested can chart my progress, and my ups and downs. A real-time, real-life case study! Anyway, I came to this decision because in my head I am 'moaning to myself' about how I'm finding it hard to focus. I figured lots of others might benefit from seeing a warts and all approach so what better way to add content to my site AND help other WAHMs than bare all here. I get so frustated with myself because I have so many great ideas for this site, but I'm finding it hard to even get the structure how I want it. When you brainstorm in Site Build It! you are supposed to come out with a 'Site Blueprint' ... making life easy. This site has been online in a really bare state for a few months, and I'm not getting anywhere with organising it all in my head. Part of the problem is my site concept; it has changed. The site started out to be about the different types of jobs you can now do online, but I'm feeling like I should tighten this up a bit. I want to help other mums, but I'm nervous to take that step of tightening it up, in case it's too narrow. And, should I do just UK mums, or single mums etc? Until I sort this out I can't get the rest of my blueprint together and it's niggling me. I need to decide once and for all if I am going to describe the entire toolkit for ALL online jobs (maybe too big now it seems) or concentrate on what I KNOW about, which is developing content websites, being single and with two kids. Tight. I 'could't talk all about eBay and such, but that's not what I want to advise mums on ... so why can't I just DO IT????? I want a site where mums can come and find out practical ways of making money online - as well as see how to combine working at home with being a mother, and the hundred other things we have to accomplish during a day...tomorrow I will FOCUS and start putting this site together properly :-) (Here's the link)

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October 19, 2006 10:32 - Narrow it is ...

Well, I am going to take the plunge.

I have read 5 articles this morning that really gave me the jitters - the whole area of working at home is going to be huge in time, and even though my site was meant to narrow the options down to just internet-based work at home jobs...I really think it is still too broad. I need to look at me, what am *i*, what can I advise on and share my experience of? ... I am a single, internet-based, work at home mum in the UK hoping to help others *like me* to develop webmastering skills to take advantage of the growing local search arena - so that is what I need to do.

There are too many articles and too much stuff I want to add to the site, so I need to tighten it up way more than it is. The other problem is that many of the 'jobs' overlap - so you can be a freelance writer, promoting yourself via your own website etc, hard to compartmentalise it like I was trying to.

Anyway, I felt one of the benefits of WAHM life this morning - my daughter had to have some injections...no having to ask for time off or send someone else with her, just go and start work when she's dropped off back at school. I think this is one of the best things about wahm life ... just being there. I hear lots of adults saying how their mums were out at work when they got in from school and how it would have been nice just to have their mum there when they came home. But, that was/is how things had to be if a mother was to work, hopefully things look like they are changing.

The whole 'work at home' thing gives me a buzz, it has implications for us as individuals, a society and an economy - that is what I want my site to deal with as well.

So, let the fun begin :-)

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October 27, 2006 21:07 - ABC for Work at Home Mums

Want to work from home? This is the WAHM ABC ...

These tips have been extracted from an article by Jill Hart


A is for Adjustment - being able to deal with the unexpected : a sick child, a backed up drain.

B is for Better - running a business as well as manage a household takes determination and scheduling. Look at your time and think about what you can do better, what you can delegate and what would be better off removed.

C is for Confidence - each success will help grow your confidence and turn you into a savvier businesswoman.

D is for Dry - keep content fresh, offer new products and services whenever possible.

E is for Effort - Don't kid yourself. It takes a TON of effort to make a home-based business successful. Don't give up with thing get rough. Keep plugging away - it will pay off

F is for Feisty - Stand up for your business when need be - don't be afraid to say no when necessary.

G is for Generosity - one of the best pieces of advice I received was that what I gave to others would come back tenfold. I've found that to be very true. Helping others is as much a blessing to me as it is to others.

H is for Help - allow others to do for you what you cannot and try to be a help to other when they are in need.

I is for If - If you don’t do it, who will? Mothering is such an important role that gets overlooked so often these days.

J is for Just for you - Even 5 minutes of doing something you enjoy can revive a tired mommy. Be creative

K is for Keep - Keep your chin up. It will get better. Don’t let a lag in business growth get you down. Find some creative ways to get the ball rolling again.

L is for Laugh - Take time to laugh with you kids each day

M is for Mum - the reason you do all that you do

...the rest of the alphabet is coming soon! Click the links below to read the full article.

--> "By keeping things in perspective we can reduce the stress that we put on ourselves"

About The Author Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, http://CWAHM.com. Hart is also the co-author of the upcoming book, Home Based Blessings, due out in November 2006 for Christian moms who want to work at home. Hart and her husband, Allen of http://CWAHD.com (Christian Work at Home Dads) reside in Nebraska with their two children. (Here's the link)

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October 30, 2006 22:30 -