How To Give Yourself More Focus

 How To Give Yourself More Focus

Time flies when you have your head down and are focused. It can be too easy to let time pass by and not focus or check-in with yourself. Think back to the last time you really focused on yourself and thought about how you are feeling. If you are having a hard time remembering, that is an obvious sign to give yourself more time. 

Today, you will discover simple ways for how to give yourself more focus. Instead of continuing with your head down and dismissing how you really feel, give yourself a few minutes each day to think about how to focus on yourself. Or, use those few minutes for self-focus. 

The Art of Co-Parenting During or After a Separation

 

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It's easy to say that divorce is something that can make us feel like, as parents and as partners, we are a failure. But when it comes to making sure that you prepare for your children's future, you must remember that the art of co-parenting is about working together with your ex. If you have come to the decision of sharing the parenting of your children after a split there are some essential rules to make the arrangement easier for everybody. Let's show you some of the best approaches.

Speaking Positively About Your Ex

Something that we can all feel tempted to do, especially after they've hurt our feelings and our souls, is bad mouth them. But even if you think that your ex is someone who is more than keen to smear your reputation, you might be quite surprised as to how reserved they can be throughout the divorce process. Even if you consult divorce lawyers for men, throughout the process, you might be quite surprised as to how reserved and accommodating they are. And it's important that you both learn the fine art of keeping a lid on those visceral emotions. Not just for the sake of the divorce process, but what you say about your ex is something that your child will react to. They can also think this about themselves. And, the most important thing to remember when it comes to co-parenting is that your child still loves them as a parent. You bad mouthing them is going to be a dagger to your child's heart.

Keep the Rules in Both Households Consistent

For the sake of your children, they need structure and routine. Everything needs to be the same in both homes. It's about making sure that you both, as the child's parents, run a tight ship. This will make sure that you create a sense of security for the children. Wherever your child goes, and whenever they are, they will know that rules will be enforced. By operating in this respect, the children won't feel so insecure, which will result in a greater sense of well-being.

The Importance of Open Dialogue With Your Ex

Many marriages and relationships break down due to a lack of communication. By creating an open dialogue with your ex and keeping each other informed, it will make the relationship work. It can be emotionally painful, but making sure that you are both informed about the changes in your life or challenging circumstances will ensure that your child is never the key source of information. This is vital because if you ask your child what is going on in the other person's life, it is second-hand information, and it also results in putting your child in the middle. This is something that you will never, ever want to do.

As painful as it can be, you can make it work. The art of co-parenting during any separation is very much a fine one. It is not easy, but it is achievable. 

Staying Responsible For Your Children's Future

 Being a parent is hard - we all know that! Whether you’re working from home whilst looking after your children, or you’re juggling childcare and work-related needs at the same time, you’ve got it difficult! Getting through the day-to-day is a real achievement when you’ve got so much responsibility on your plate, but unfortunately, your work doesn’t end there. 

There are so many future considerations to keep in mind whilst raising your kids to be good, safe, and kind people. After all, you’ve got to ensure your kids are ready for the world and to do that, you’ve got to have responsibility in mind at all times. And with that in mind, here are the top three things you’ll need to do right now to make sure your kids do well when they hit the age of 18 and beyond. 

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Teaching Your Children How to Handle Their Emotions

You don’t have to make your children happy at all times, of course, but you do need to show them what to do to handle their emotions. Handling emotions is a big deal, and a lot of adults can’t even do it! This is why it needs to be something you pass onto your children; teaching them to be productive with their feelings will lead to them being well-adjusted adults, and it’d certainly help them to stay close to you as they grow and become more independent. 

Focusing on Your Children’s Financial Future

Of course, you can’t work for them, but you can set them up with the right habits (and the right background resources), to ensure your children spend and save well when they’re all grown up. Giving them their own bank account, which you control, is a good way to introduce them to such a concept in the long term. 

You could also think a little more about taking out a life insurance policy - it’s a big step, but it’s a good idea if you’re not sure if your current savings would be enough to keep your family going if something happened to you. But you need to work with an insurance company you trust! For example, check out some National Life Group reviews before you buy anything, and be sure to compare what’s on offer with other companies. 

Showing Your Children a Good Example

Finally, your own thoughts, actions, and behaviors come into it. You need to be the person they look up to and keep in mind when making decisions - you’re their whole world right now, and as they get older, they’ll take the lessons you give them to heart. Make sure you’re showing them to behave in a way you’d be proud of, and would ensure their health and happiness when they’re finally out there on their own two feet. 

Your children need to learn a lot before they grow up and move out - make sure you keep the above ideas in mind as they grow, because they really matter! 

10 Ways To Keep Busy In Quarantine

 

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If you are having trouble finding ways to fill your time throughout quarantine then take a look at our suggestions below.

1. Start a journal or blog

If you like writing, then why not think about starting a journal or blog. Writing down your thoughts and feelings can be very therapeutic. If you have an interest or hobby that you think other people would love to hear about then creating a blog online for people to read is the way forward.

How to Stay Relevant as a Work-From-Home Mom

 

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Balancing work, parenting, and sometimes, even schooling at the same time can take a significant toll on work-from-home moms. The pressure to remain relevant in uncertain times, such as the pandemic season, is real and challenging. According to the US census department, working women make up 32% of all employed mothers in America. As significant as this is, it doesn’t take away the fact that you need to adopt measured strategies to remain relevant. Fortunately, we’ve created this list below to help.

1. Be up to date with technology

For most women, the best technology is knowing how to operate a smartphone and a computer. If that is you, you’ll need an immediate paradigm shift on what technology is and how it influences your performance as a work-from-home mother. Make a deliberate attempt to get a basic understanding of digital systems and procedures used in the office, which aided your previous career. More importantly, now that your office setting is the home, apply this knowledge to enhance your performance.

Furthermore, because technology continues to evolve at lightning speed, you cannot afford to be left behind. Besides, there is a possibility your current status may change and would require going back to the office to work. There are simple but effective ways you can stay abreast with technology. For example, instead of using the traditional way (pen and paper) to record your expenses, try Google Sheets to input your monthly budget and track expenses. 

Secondly, you can back up your phone’s operating system to cloud storage and learn the ins and outs of this digital method. The objective is to find innovative ways to optimize your knowledge in technology and digital systems.

2. Enroll in professional development classes

This shouldn’t be too difficult to do, especially when you understand why you must do it. Staying at home to work does not in any way take you out of the labor force. The only difference is where you operate from, even though that includes keeping your toddler from punching your computer’s keypad. Staying relevant in your profession is almost synonymous with self-development. Education is a continuous process; this explains why people who look forward to upgrading their skills prioritize further learning.

Fortunately, several universities and colleges in the US have made a significant commitment to moving some courses online. Some examples are:

• Baylor University (Texas)

• Simmons University (in Massachusetts)

• University of Denver (in Colorado)

Courses such as digital marketing, business writing, design, communication, and languages are useful in your career development. Another virtual course currently making waves is the Masters’ in social work program. If you have a passion for helping people and communities, then maybe you can learn more about an online msw program. The universities listed above (and more in the US) offer this program, and you will find it convenient to study at your pace.

3. Set realistic goals for yourself (daily, weekly, monthly)

Wouldn’t you have set daily targets for yourself if you were working from the office? Then working from home shouldn’t be any different. Targets are meant to guide you and prevent you from losing focus. So, whether you have to hook your tiny tot to the hip and type your work to meet deadlines, that’s what you’ve got to do. Nonetheless, take it easy on yourself by planning your day and setting realistic goals. How can you do this?

First, make a list of every important task you need to complete in a day. Remember to group them in the order of ‘important and urgent’ and ‘important but not urgent.’ This guideline will set the platform to tackle urgent tasks while making time to finish with those that aren’t. Admittedly, this is not easy to do with kids in the home.

However, if your significant other is available, plan with them to help you both fulfill your work and home responsibilities. If it’s just you, you could consider starting your day several hours before the kids wake up in the morning. Whatever works for you, the fundamental principle is to minimize or eliminate non-performance.

4. Take needed breaks and set flexible schedules into your routines

Not everyone can control their work hours and keep it strictly free from interruptions. For work-from-home moms, you may need a magic wand for that. This is when you should build some flexibility in your work schedules. Without it, you have a higher chance of losing focus on work and affecting your relevance as a professional working from home.

A flexible schedule should include using your breaks to attend to pressing home and childcare responsibilities. For example, feeding the kids, doing the dirty dishes, or other chores you deem necessary. Indeed, taking breaks from work gives your brain a chance to rest and rejuvenate. It creates the needed balance you require to be effective in your professional life.

It is not an easy path to take, but with your tenacity, you will be happy with your achievements. Avoid getting into a routine that downplays your importance and renders you ineffective, especially in your career or side hustle. Hopefully, these points will help you stay relevant as a work-from-home mom.