Tag: SAHM

Cure the Rainy Day Blues

Posted on by gigis ramblings

We have all found ourselves stuck in the house for days at a time with nothing to do, thanks to Mother Nature. If you’re an introvert, like me, you love these days. It is calming to my nerves and soothes my soul. Unfortunately, most kids don’t share this sentiment. I have compiled a list of activities you can do to keep your children and grandchildren occupied during these lovely days.

pillow-fort

Build a fort. When I was a child, all I needed was a few sheets and I could transform anything into my own amazing space. I have many fond memories of my young architectural days. Imaginative play is vital to the normal development of children. Give them a couple of blankets and a small space, then sit back and watch what creative little creatures they are.

scavenger

Have a scavenger hunt. Scavenger hunts are perfect if you have a house full of children. You can virtually use anything around the house to hide. Give the kids their list and a pillowcase, then send the little foragers on their way. There are many ideas online for age-appropriate hunts.

hideseek

Play an old-fashioned game of hide and seek. Children of all ages love hide and seek. The thrill of the hunt and anticipation of waiting to be found has delighted young’ uns since the beginning of time.

pretend-play

Pretend play. This allows kids to be anything they want to be. Dress-up and tea parties are always fun for little girls. Cowboys and Indians is an age-old hit with boys. They can be the superhero that saves the day or a doctor saving lives. You will be amazed at the imagination little ones have.

science-exper

Try a Fun Science Experiment. Pinterest is full of age-appropriate ideas for experiments. Many of these are simple, but mind-blowing to children. Some of my favorites are the disappearing egg shell, tornado in a jar, growing a bean sprout, rock candy, and 2-ingredient slime. Check out my personal Pinterest Board for ideas.

artsncrafts

The perfect time to do arts n crafts. This is the perfect time to make priceless memories with your kids. I still have a collection of things my kids made over 20 years ago; something I wouldn’t trade for the world. Again, Pinterest has thousands of age-appropriate craft ideas.

movie-night

Popcorn and movies. Grab the blankets, pillows & sleeping bags, a bowl of popcorn and your favorite movie for a relaxing way to spend a gloomy day. This is a beloved tradition for many families. Lots of hugs and cuddles included.

Regardless of how you choose to spend your rainy day, make memories and love your kiddos!

Lisa Crow contributed to this article. She is a travel writer and lifestyle blogger based in Waco, Texas. Lisa is the Head of Content at Gigi’s Ramblings. She spends her free time traveling when she can and making memories with her large family which consists of six children and fifteen grandchildren.

Staying Fit While Working From Home

Posted on by gigis ramblings

Obesity is a serious epidemic in this country and with more and more people opting to work from home the number of overweight individuals is only going to increase.

Obesity brings on a myriad of health issues, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, bone and joint issues, circulatory problems, not to mention serious psychological effects. It is imperative that those of us who choose to work from home incorporate movement into our daily routine.

There are new studies surfacing everywhere that show even if you get regular exercise sitting too much is just bad for you. Scary news for those who work from a desk!

Hell, I work from my desk, recliner, bed and anywhere else I may find some peace and quiet. I personally never realized just how detrimental it was to your health. I just assumed if you eat healthy and exercise regularly that resting and not working your body too hard was good for you- boy was I wrong!

It has been proven that sitting three or more hours per day can shave two years off your life. WOW! I have been sitting more than that for many years now.

Lately, I have been more proactive about moving around throughout the day. Babysitting my two toddler grandbabies definitely makes that feat easier. I’m always chasing one of them away from something!

I have always LOVED vacuuming (just one of my many compulsive disorders), so I have made sure to increase my daily vacuum time to at least 15 minutes.  

Along with my other daily chores, I easily spend an hour doing housework. Another good thing for me is my bedroom is upstairs. I usually make several trips up and down throughout the day.

wahm-standing

Doctors can’t seem to agree on an exact time frame, but most agree that you should not sit for more than 30 minutes at a time. Even with all the things I have listed above I still need tons of improvement and I’m sure most readers are in the same boat.

I have compiled a list of tips to get you up off your tush more often. I hope you find something on the list to get that blood pumping!

  • Standing desks are becoming the new thing, but my feet are hurting just thinking about it
  • Normal people take breaks to sit, but we need to take standing breaks
  • If you watch TV while working, use each commercial break as a time to get up, stretch and walk around
  • Take a brisk walk around the block on your lunch break
  • If you are able to +work outside whenever possible, the fresh air is just good for the body in general
  • Make a trip to the mailbox
  • Move things like staples, paper clips, trash cans, etc. to the other side of the room so you must get up when needed
  • Use a smaller coffee cup or glass so it will need to be refilled more often
  • Drink more water throughout the day. Water makes the blood flow better and the frequent trips to the bathroom are good exercise
  • Get an exercise ball chair – I had no idea these even existed, but the results are supposed to be amazing
  • If you listen to the radio while working don’t be afraid to jump up and shake that booty when your favorite song comes on

Lisa Crow contributed to this article. She is a travel writer and lifestyle blogger based in Waco, Texas. Lisa is the Head of Content at Gigi’s Ramblings and L&S Freelance Writers. She spends her free time traveling when she can and making memories with her large family that consists of six children and eight grandchildren.

How to Juggle Toddlers When Working From Home

Posted on by gigis ramblings

Toddlers and work- whew!! Toddlers ARE work! Lucky for me, my most creative hours are after 1 am, but this is definitely not practical for everyone. The toddlers in my house are my grandbabies, so I only have them a set number of hours each day. For those mothers that have little ones around the clock finding time to breathe can be challenging enough, finding time to work can seem impossible. It is imperative to find a balance between giving your little ones the attention they need and being productive in your work.

Here are a few tips for all you work-from-home mommies:

1. Schedule, Schedule, Schedule.

Easier said than done, I know. There needs to be a clear, concise time that is set aside for you to devote to your business. Even if it is only an hour, make sure you clear that space and utilize your time wisely. You will feel like you have accomplished something, trust me.  You also need to get the kiddos on a schedule. Make sure you have breakfast at the same time, naps at the same time, activities at the same time and so on. I know some days this will be about as possible as winning the lottery, but for the most part, children adapt to schedules relatively well. Whenever you can sneak in a little work time take advantage of that!

2. Minimize distractions.

Easier said than done, I know. When you have your scheduled work time, make sure you are completely zoned in on the task at hand.  Turn off your phone, TV and any other devices that may take away your focus.

3. Have a designated workspace.

You want a place where you can go that is neat, organized, and efficient for your needs. You don’t want to waste whatever time you have managed to set aside looking for a lost file.

4. Delegate tasks.

 If your business is booming and you have more work than you can handle, hiring a virtual assistant may be an option for you. There are several online platforms, like Upwork.com, which makes it easy to find a reputable freelancer.

5. Meal Prep.

Meal prepping has become very popular with busy moms. There are countless step-by-step instructions on the internet to walk you through this. It will shave off a significant amount of time you spend in the kitchen preparing meals each day. It also encourages healthy eating…a win-win situation!

6. Share chores.

 Everyone knows running a household is more than a full-time job! If there is someone else who lives in the home with you (husband,  roommate, older child, etc.) get them to lend you a hand getting the clothes in the dryer or washing that stack of dirty dishes.

7. Get plenty of rest.

When there’s not enough time in the day many people, myself included, find themselves burning the midnight oil. This is not good for your health, your family or your business. Many nights I have found myself up well after 3 am just to be unproductive the entire next day due to moodiness, brain fog, and exhaustion. You have to fuel yourself with rest to be at your full potential.

8. Enjoy the time with your child.

 This is the most important tip I can give you. I mean, after all, this is why we do it. Quality time with your baby makes all of the sacrifices worth it! When my kids were growing up I didn’t have the option to work at home. Take it from me, you miss so many things! The daycare center was essentially raising my children. I am so grateful now to be able to spend my days with the grandkids. And I know their parents are grateful to be able to have someone to nurture and love them, rather than sharing a teacher with 20 other children.  Make the time you have with them special, it goes way too fast!!

Lisa Crow contributed to this article. She is a travel writer and lifestyle blogger based in Waco, Texas. Lisa is the Head of Content at Gigi’s Ramblings. She spends her free time traveling when she can and making memories with her large family which consists of six children and fifteen grandchildren.

10 Companies That Allow You To Work From Home

Posted on by gigis ramblings

With today’s cutting edge technology the dream of being able to work from home has become a reality for 1 in 5 Americans, and that number continues to rise.  There has been a 105% increase in telecommuters since 2005.

I must warn readers to beware of scams, there are a plethora of them out there. If it seems too good to be true…it is! Do not fall prey to the get rich quick schemes. A legitimate job offer will not require paying any money upfront.

comp-desk

The companies covered in this article are well-known companies, many have been around for decades. Most people are not even aware that working from home is even an option for these businesses. When compiling this list I wanted to provide job-seekers with a selection of trusted companies that have integrated telecommuting opportunities into their hiring practices.

  1. Apple– offers a great opportunity for At-Home Advisors.
  2. 3M– offers many different telecommuting positions.
  3. Dell– offers many remote positions around the nation.
  4. Xerox– currently employs more than 8,000 in-home employees.
  5. IBM– offers select opportunities to work from home.
  6. Convergys– offers thousands of work from home positions throughout the U.S.
  7. TeleTech– looking for educated and driven individuals to join our team of associates working from their homes located across the U.S.
  8. Salesforce– offers tons of remote employment opportunities around the globe.
  9. K12– offers various remote positions in education.
  10. American Express– offers a variety of virtual home-based positions across the U.S.

If you are considering a career working from home, these are all legitimate companies looking for people like yourself.

Lisa Crow contributed to this article. She is a travel writer and lifestyle blogger based in Waco, Texas. Lisa is the Head of Content at Gigi’s Ramblings and L&S Freelance Writers. She spends her free time traveling when she can and making memories with her large family that consists of six children and ten grandchildren.