Friday, February 23, 2018

Strategies For Not Letting Your New Business Impact Your Home Life

Launching your own company is a big deal. You should be proud of your accomplishment and happy you get to work for yourself. The obstacle is not letting it consume your life and take time away from other people and activities you love. You need to create balance even though the business will try to suck you in.

You have to have a lot of self-control and put measures in place that help you not let your new business affect your home life. It’s not enough to simply wish and hope that you’ll be able to do it. Make it a priority and follow through on what you say you’re going to do.

Hire Help

Let other people in and allow them to help you. Don’t try to do it all yourself. This includes hiring employees and knowing who to call in a crisis. For example, if you lose your data don’t try to spend all night fixing it yourself. You should hire Secure Data Recovery Services to step in and retrieve your data for you. You have to know when the issue is one you can work through yourself and when you need to ask the experts for help.

Stick to A Schedule You’ll be able to manage your time better when you’re on a tight schedule. Prioritize your tasks and come up with a routine that allows you to accomplish what’s necessary each day. This will prevent you from sleeping in or staying at the office late. Be sure to include activities like working out, taking a lunch break and spending time with your kids and spouse. Without a schedule, you’ll feel lost and become disorganized.

Set Aside Time on the Weekends for Family

Use your weekends wisely when you own a business. You have the power to shut it down on these days and focus on what matters most to you, which is your family. Go for bike rides, play games and watch movies to grow your bond together. Plan your weekly tasks well in advance, so you’re not scrambling at the last minute to catch up on work projects over the weekend. If you do have to work, then block out a few hours early in the morning or late at night when your kids are sleeping.

Unplug in the Evenings

It’s important that once you walk in the front door of your home, you’re removed from your business. While you may need to respond to a client emergency here and there, don’t make it a habit. Unplug from your computer and phone and focus on the people you love. Make it easier on yourself by cooking dinner, engaging in conversation and eating together as a family. You also should unplug for you, and so you feel refreshed the next day.

Conclusion

While your new business is important, it’s even more important you don’t let the other parts of your life slip away from you. Work-life balance is extremely important in your case. Be glad there are ways for you to have a successful business and home life.

Disclaimer: This is a guest post.

Thursday, February 22, 2018

Pour Painting Demo

I love learning new techniques. I watched several online Pour Painting demos with Isaak. We were hooked. We watched 10 to 15 videos that day.

Things to Use for a Pour Painting:

  • A Trash Bag or Tarp
  • A Stretched Canvas
  • 4 or 5 Different Acrylic Paint Colors
  • The Same Number of Disposable Cups as Paint Colors That You Have
  • Any Kind of Liquid Dish Soap
  • Liquid Silicone {Optional}
  • Crackle {Optional}
  • Elmer's Glue
  • Popsicle Sticks for Stirring
  • A Foam Roller or Paint Brush
  • A Blow Dryer {Optional}

Set Up:

You'll want to prime a canvas with acrylic paint, house paint, or Gesso. You can use a stretched canvas, or a hard back canvas. Isaak painted his black. We repurposed an old canvas I had laying around. He painted it on a trash bag, so paint didn't get on the floor. A blow dryer was used, so we could move right along to the fun part.


Disposable Cups:

Isaak picked 6 colors. You can pick more or less than that. Make sure you use white for sure. Each color went into a cup with some water, a squirt of liquid dish soap, a squirt of Elmer's Glue, and crackle paint. Isaak mixed them up with a popsicle stick.

Keep all this stuff out during the process in case you have to make more.


All the colors:


We put the base of a disposable water bottle down to pour on top of. It really didn't have any effect on what was done. It just gave us a focal point to know where to pour.


Start the Pouring:


Pour more and more of the colors down.


After about the fourth color it starts to look pretty cool.



You could stop there, or continue to pour more and more paint.




Because I added the crackle in there, it dried with cracks. If silicone was added it would dry with bubbles.



End Result:


Have you ever tried or even heard of a pour painting before?

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

WW: Cyst or is it a Tumor? {Linky}

On Sunday we went out to a fancy place for Omaha's Art and Entertainment Awards. Travis was nominated for one of the best group shows in Omaha. He didn't win, but a super nice couple won that were sitting right next to us. They had a group show that was all based around sensory. The wife was blind, and the husband had only one working leg.


Proof that I'm pretty.

Fast forward to yesterday. I had an appointment to see a Plastic Surgeon. I've had a cyst (so I thought) on my forehead for a year or so. I've tried Apple Cider Vinegar, Tea Tree Oil, and something called Bread Poultice on my forehead to get it to go away naturally. 

I tried to go to a Dermatologist. They sent me away saying if they cut me part of my face could go paralyzed. 

Mr. Plastic Surgeon said, "Easy Peasy let's take it out." 


No wonder nothing natural would work! It was behind a muscle, and he thinks it was a tumor not a cyst. It was about the size of a pea. The tumor is off to be turned in. He doesn't think it's cancerous.

This is what I look like today:



The swelling should go down. That's from him digging around behind the muscle and the pain med. I think it looks worse than it will look like after it's healed up. 

For some dang reason I'm all emotional. Why would that happen. I've felt like crying at the drop of a hat. 

I taught today. I'm so thankful for my 1st year class. One guy said, "You actually look pretty good. Like it's better than I thought it would be." I had others ask me if I was ok, which was nice. 

Then there's my 3rd year class. I've never thought they were kind. More like a lazy class. Top that off with the fact that when they walk into the first year classroom they say, "Why is their work so much better than ours?" My answer is always, "Your work could be better. You just need to apply yourselves." They leave the classroom often, fall asleep when they shouldn't, don't get their work done, and the list goes on...

Well a third year student walks in, looks at me, giggles, and talks to a friend. Then giggles some more. I said, "What's so funny? My forehead?" They giggled and said, "Yes." It took a lot not to call them choice words. Remember I'm their teacher. Looking back I should of said, "Have a little empathy!"

I wanted to cry over the good students, and cry over the bad ones. I don't know why I'm so emotional. Could a doctor cutting into your head really set off emotions? It's so weird. 

How to be a Mindful Mommy

Becoming a parent is, of course, a huge blessing and a wonderful experience: nothing quite compares to being a mommy. It’s also true though, that since the birth of your little love, you’ve likely struggled to find much time for yourself; the morning flies by before you’ve had a chance to brush your hair and change out of your pajamas. January quickly becomes June, and other than marking the milestones in your baby’s development, life becomes a bit of a blur!

If you can relate to this feeling, then perhaps introducing some elements of mindfulness in your daily life will help you reconnect.


Make Mindful Movements

The next time you’re walking around the block, with your little one in a stroller, take a moment to really observe the space around you. Look at your neighbors’ front doors: how many different colors can you count? Getting into the practice of being alert and connected to your surroundings, rather than inside your mind with an internal monologue planning what else needs to be done in the day, will allow you to take greater ownership of your time.

Even if you’re housebound most of the day, you can make your movements more mindful when doing anything from brushing your teeth to chopping vegetables.

Use the Time You Get to Nurture Yourself

Regardless of whether your child takes long or short naps, you can steal back little portions of time and spend them on yourself. For sure, get the dishes washed and toys packed away so you’ve got space to breathe, and then sit yourself down for a short meditation practice. You can feel the benefits from even 5 minutes spent breathing mindfully; reducing stress and anxiety, especially if you’re having a stressful day.

You don’t even need to put your child down to sleep to meditate, by purchasing a baby mobile or sound machine, the little one can be simply taking their own timeout while you do the same. If you’re worried about leaving them awake and unattended, take a comfortable seat on the floor of their nursery — you never know, you might find the sound machine calming for you too! If you’re in the market for baby bedtime entertainment, an online parent guide will lead you in the right direction.

Mommy Baby Yoga

A craze that’s blowing up right now, and for good reason, is the practice of mommy-baby yoga. Whether you look for a yoga studio near you, or just find a class or tutorial online, yoga can further strengthen the wonderful bond you’ve got with your child through stroking and soothing techniques. It also won’t hurt if you want to get your pre-baby body back!

If you’ve only recently given birth, consult an expert opinion before you start any rigorous exercise though.

Mindful moms raise mindful children

As a parent, you’ll know the importance of leading by example. If you can adopt mindfulness in your everyday life — through mindful movements, short meditations or yoga — the benefits will transfer to your child too.

Disclaimer: This is a guest post.

Monday, February 19, 2018

How To Keep You & Your Family Healthy & Happy

One of your major concerns as a mother is how to keep everyone healthy and happy. It’s not an easy task when life gets busy, and everyone’s going their separate ways. That’s why it’s a good idea to have practices in place that help you achieve your family wellness goals.

Create a household that’s focused on the well-being of each family member and get everyone committed to living a healthy lifestyle. Talk about it and explain why this is a priority for you. As the parent, it’s your job to help educate your kids and get them to understand why it matters that they care about their health.

Take the Initiative to Research Health Topics

One place to start is to learn about different health ailments and proactive solutions for improving your wellness like taking vitamins. Use a site such as echiropractor.org to understand better what actions you can take today for a better tomorrow. Study and absorb this important information, so you know what to do in various situations and what’s going to allow you and your kids to feel better fast.

Embrace Physical Activity

Be that family who loves to exercise and move. Limit the kid’s video game playing and television watching time, so they’re not always sitting in front of a screen. Go for walks as a group and get the children involved in physical activities and sports teams. Set a good example by working out daily and showing your passion for staying fit. Exercise has many benefits, and your family will be that much healthier and in a better mood when working out is a priority.

Cook at Home & Eat as A Family

Get in the habit of cooking meals at home instead of eating out. While restaurant food is convenient, it’s typically distributed in larger portions than you need and is packed full of fats and unwanted calories. See if your kids want to learn how to cook and have them help you in the kitchen. Then when it’s all done, eat dinner as a family and talk about your days. This is the precious time that you won’t get back with your loved ones, so make the most of it and ask everyone to be at dinner each night.


Practice Open Communication

Being closed off and secretive will cause conflict in your home. Encourage open communication and let your kids know they can come to you with anything that’s on their minds. Everyone will be happier when there isn’t information to hide or talking behind backs. Bottling up emotions will set the stage for a big blowout later on. Avoid this scene by encouraging everyone to speak what’s on their minds and share their feelings.

Conclusion

Guide and teach your family how they can improve their wellbeing, and you’ll have a much happier home life. Set the tone by taking action and educating your family members on what healthy behaviors look like. You’ll thank yourself down the road when they grow up to be stand up adults.

Discloser: This is a guest post.

Disclaimer

The opinions on this blog are my personal take on products and topics relating to motherhood. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me.

I am not compensated to provide opinions on a variety of topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are my own. If I claim to show knowledge of certain topic or product I will only endorse products or services that I feel, based on my expertise, are worthy of such endorsement.

If you have any questions about this blog, or want to get in contact with me please email me at: anapeladay@gmail.com