Mandy, Author at Serendipity Mommy

Marketing Tips for Mompreneurs

February 13, 2017 by Mandy

There are more mompreneurs now, than ever before: women who want to work, but who struggle to find flexibility working for other people. So, they set up on their own. These are incredible women who manage to juggle running their own business with raising a family. At the start of any business, money can be tight. You may not want to, or be able to, spend large amounts on marketing firms to help get your business seen. Fortunately, there are some great marketing strategies you can implement yourself. Here are some tips to help you get started.

Branding

Branding is incredibly important to any business, but this is especially true of small start-ups. You want to create an instantly recognizable brand, and to be seen as unique and professional. As a mompreneur, you’ll probably also want to incorporate your personality and style. Think about your brand, the logos you like, colors that you think work well together. Simple logos are exceptionally popular at the moment. Use a tool like Canva to play around with some ideas and color schemes. Once you’ve have something you love, start using it everywhere. Headers, business cards, avatars, cover pictures, email signatures. Anywhere you can think of. Start getting seen as a business.

Social Media

Social media is a fantastic way to get your business noticed. Use it to advertise and promote, but also to engage with potential customers. Engagement is incredibly important. Let people get to know the human side of your business. Then they’ll want to help. They won’t just use your services or buy your products; they will share your posts, helping to widen your audience. There are an increasing number of social media platforms available, so don’t feel you need to be on them all. The main ones to get involved in are Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram, which are all very good for building a following. Beyond that, use any social networks you enjoy; and any that your target audience uses.

Blogging

Blogging is another fantastic way to drive traffic to your business. If you are running an E-commerce store, or you are primarily an online service, you could just add a blog section to your website. If you’re business is a brick and mortar store, it’s a great idea to still start a blog to help build an online presence. The best ways to grow a blog are filling it with informative and entertaining content, and updating it often. Again, engagement is important, so get to know your regular readers, as this will help make sure they keep coming back.

A great way to grow your blog, and reach a wider audience, is guest posting. Write posts for other people’s blogs, including a link back to your own. Bloggers influence can be huge, so aim to work with the most well read, and respected blogs to get the best results.

If you are interested in learning more about how to market a small business, consider an MBA degree from Washington State University. An online MBA degree would help you learn everything you need to know about running your business, and marketing yourself, without having to take time away from it.

Marketing need not be stressful. It can be wonderfully good fun, so give it a go today!

Best Natural Treatments for Arthritis

February 13, 2017 by Mandy

Has joint pain been getting in the way of your day to day activities? Is movement getting more and more difficult? Know that you’re not alone, and more than 50 million Americans or 1 in 5 adults deal with the condition. Most people are unaware that kids can also get arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation reports that more than 300,000 children suffer from the disease. Although arthritis typically affects the joints, it can also affect the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs. Even as the statistics continue to grow each year, doctors are looking for better and more effective solutions.

Your Options for Managing Arthritis

Should you consult your doctor and ask about the best solutions for arthritis, she will likely recommend medication, corticosteroid injections, and in extreme cases, surgery. If you’re concerned about the possible side effects that conventional treatments may have, she might suggest that you consider natural treatments for arthritis. These solutions can include herbal supplements, vitamins and minerals, and other natural therapies. You could also consider the new, upcoming treatment that has been found to be very effective in helping you lower the pain and inflammation, namely, PRP injection for arthritis.

Herbal Supplements

Many naturally available herbs, roots, and other foods can help you lower inflammation levels and also act as organic pain relievers and antioxidants. Scientific research has proved that these compounds are actually helpful as natural treatments for arthritis. While it is best to include these foods into your everyday diet, you can check with your physician for supplements available in capsule form that you can take regularly. Some of these foods/ supplements include:

Salmon and tuna that contain good amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids
Seeds of certain plants like black currant, evening primrose, and borage that contain Omega-6 fatty acids
Green tea
Ginger
Turmeric that contains natural curcumin
Rose hip that is rich in Vitamin C
White willow tea
Boswellia
Probiotics present in yogurt, kefir, raw cheese, and apple cider vinegar to name a few.

Vitamin and Mineral Supplements

While you can take vitamin and mineral supplements as natural treatments for arthritis, it is best to take them in optimum doses under the supervision of your physician. That’s because an overdose of these supplements can be harmful to your body. When taken in the right doses, these vitamins and minerals can help you in many ways. Scientific studies have shown that they can strengthen the body tissues, act as antioxidants, assist you with anemia and weak bones, and provide a host of other benefits for managing arthritis. Some of the commonly recommended vitamins and minerals are:

Minerals like calcium, chromium, folate, iron, magnesium, fluoride, sodium, and zinc among others.
Vitamins including A, B-1, B-12, B-2, B-6, C, D, E, and K.

Massages, Baths, and Exercise

Check with your specialist for non-invasive natural treatments for arthritis like massages, baths, and exercise. Many such therapies have been proven to help reduce swelling and discomfort and promote pain-free movement. Here are some of them:

Epsom salt bath: Make a bath with a solution of half a cup of Epsom salts and warm water. Fill an immersion bowl with the solution and dip the affected joint. For arthritis of the hip or knees, you can also try a Sitz bath that has 1 cup of Epsom salts in warm water.
Exercise the affected joints gently. You could also train under a professional physiotherapist who can direct you on the right exercises that you can do. Regular movement helps keep the joints lubricated and strengthens the muscles that support them. As a result, you’ll find that movement is easier and you have less pain.
Lose weight if you need to. Excess weight can put extra stress on the joints and makes movement painful.
Hot or cold compresses can also help you lower the discomfort. Check with your doctor about the kind of compresses that will work well for you.
Applications of essential oils like eucalyptus oil and peppermint oil mixed with carrier oils like almond or olive are very effective natural treatments for arthritis.
Massages with warm extra virgin olive oil
Other therapies likeacupuncture, tai chi, meditation, yoga, physical training, over-the-counter gels like capsaicin, swimming, and electrical stimulations are also recommended by physicians.

PRP Injection for Arthritis

PRP injection for arthritis is one of the most innovative of treatments that can help you reverse the causes of arthritis by stimulating the repair of both hard and soft tissues in the body. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy is absolutely safe with no possibility of any side effects. That’s because the serum used in the treatment is formulated from your blood. You’ll only have to give a small sample and doctors can formuate the plasma while you wait. The entire process takes only about 30 to 45 minutes to complete. Typically, patients start to see improvement in the inflammation and levels of discomfort within 4 to 6 weeks of taking the PRP injection.

Choosing the Right Treatment for Arthritis

Arthritis can be an extremely debilitating condition, but thankfully, help is at hand. You can choose from a range of natural treatments for arthritis that can help you lead a normal life, one of which is PRP therapy. If needed, you can opt for the modality to complement any other conventional or natural therapies you’re taking. Talk to your doctor about PRP injection for arthritis, and you might find that it is not only very safe and effective but also more economical as compared to the annual, comprehensive costs of the other treatments you may have tried so far.

How children benefit from pet ownership

February 9, 2017 by Mandy

While getting a pet of any kind may feel like a natural progression for your family, or simply a ‘nice’ idea at the time, you’ll soon discover that your new householder has so much to give, and to teach you, in return for your care. Whether you’ve chosen a dog, a cat, a rabbit, or a fish, your new pet has the ability to strengthen your family’s bond, and to aid the emotional, physical, and educational development of your children.

Here are just a few of ways that pet ownership could benefit your child, or children…

Forging friendships

Numerous studies have shown that pet ownership can improve kids’ emotional intelligence, and that those who grow up with animals are more compassionate than those who don’t get their first cat, dog, rabbit, or fish until later in life. Your children’s pets are likely to be their very first friends, and the bond that they’ll develop will be one of utter devotion and trust.

Learning how to care for an animal teaches children about the needs of others, and allows them to identify when someone, or something, is feeling happy, sad, or unwell. These social interactions will prove vital in later life, teaching your child how to forge friendships as they approach school age and beyond.

Learning responsibilities

Your child can begin to learn about the responsibilities of pet ownership before your animal comes to stay. Once you’ve chosen the animal you’d like you’re going to need to prepare for his or her arrival, including drawing up a list of jobs, going shopping for essentials, and creating a bed, or safe space, for your pet to reside. Encourage your child to take part in these discussions. What kind of bed would your new pet like? What foods will they eat? What daily activities will you need to complete in order to keep your pet healthy and happy? Engaging your child during those first conversations will give them confidence to take part in pet care and training, and instill in them a sense of responsibility – and importance.

Emotional development

Having a pet can do a lot for a child’s emotional development, and for the emergence of their character and personality. Those who lack confidence, or suffer from anxiety, can often be encouraged to open up to a pet rather than an adult, and may discover a new sense of self that’s been hiding all this time. Pets are incredible stress relievers, and will listen to problems without judgment.

Having an animal of any kind is also a good way to approach the subject of loss. While nobody wants to think about the death of a beloved pet, such an event is an essential part of growing up. The lessons we learn during childhood will shape the kinds of experiences we have as adults. If you’ve recently lost a much-loved pet try not to exclude your child from conversations; listen to their concerns, let them know that it’s okay to grieve, and encourage them to play a part in your pet burial or memorial service. It’s not unhealthy to allow a child to say goodbye to their pet, and valuable lessons can be learned from such an experience.

Improved wellbeing

Pets of any kind can do wonders for a person’s health and happiness, including reduced stress, a lowered heart rate and blood pressure, and improved mental wellbeing; the general feelings of happiness that accompany having an animal can effect our children in the same way they impact our lives. The benefits of having a pet can be felt much further afield too. Having a dog will encourage your child to head outside on a daily basis, and to engage their best friend with games of fetch, catch, and running wild. In an instant, your child is more active than they were beforehand, and enjoying his or her time outdoors. Rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, and other domesticated livestock are similarly fantastic for nurturing a love of nature and the great outdoors, while playing with a cat, bird, or small mammal indoors is still exercise your child may not have been getting before their pet arrived.

Inspiration to learn

Becoming a pet owner can facilitate language development in children, as they spend hours babbling, and then talking to their faithful friends. Animals can also aid cognitive development, as your child strives to learn more about a particular breed and opportunities for play – even grooming an animal can help a child to master simple actions.

Perhaps more subtly, having a pet could help your child during their reading journey, or as they begin to give presentations. Speaking in front of an adult, even a parent, can be daunting, but pets never judge. If your child is a nervous reader, or hates speaking in front of the class, encourage them to practice with only their pet for company; you’ll soon notice a huge leap in their confidence.

From aiding social interactions and inspiring a lifelong addiction to the great outdoors, to providing comfort and encouragement, your new animal is so much more than a pet – he or she is your child’s friend for life.

Love Your Life: Great Ways Wake Up Your Creative Side

February 4, 2017 by Mandy

There are four types of creativity, according to professor of educational psychology James Kaufman, they are:

Mini-C: This is the everyday type of creativity that you use for things like putting together a recipe or improvisation.

Little-C: This involves creative expression and everyday problem solving, such as writing short stories, creating a painting for your home or knitting a sweater.

Pro-C: This category includes professional creativity for example if you work as a journalist, a designer, a photographer or a musician.

Big-C: You fall into this category if your personal creativity has made a lasting impression within a specific area of creativity, such as if your art hangs in galleries throughout the world.

Do you consider yourself to be a creative person or is your inner creative genius feeling stifled? Believe it or not, you can actually train your brain to become more creative. If you’re feeling a little lacking in the imagination department, here are some ideas to help you become more creative.

Surround Yourself with Creativity

One of the best ways to stimulate your artistic inspiration is by submerging yourself in the creative works of others. Read some great works of literature, visit a museum or art gallery, spend an evening at the symphony. All of these are great ways to trigger the inventive part of your brain.

Color your World

Adult coloring books are all the rage, they help you focus, relax and stimulate your creativity. If you feel like coloring but you don’t have a coloring book or pencils at hand, download the Coloring Book for Me & Mandala to your mobile device. This great app is a versatile coloring book with unique designs and mandalas in a wide variety of categories, such as flowers, places, animals, and food. With more than 25 color palettes, you can really let your creativity loose. Get it on Google Play.

Shift Gears

If your creativity is blocked, put your project aside and take a new tack. Take a break and do a jigsaw puzzle, draw a picture or take a walk outside. Often shifting gears can trigger inspiration and before you know it your creativity will be flowing once again.

Practice Mindfulness

Take a break from your TV, iPod, or computer and enjoy the silence. Practice some relaxation methods, meditate or do some visualization exercises. These are all good for stimulating creativity and your mind will be much more receptive to new ideas.

Take a Creative Course

The Internet abounds with inspirational courses and many of them are completely free. If you want to jumpstart your creativity, think about an ink drawing course, or a class in photography at Skillshare. If you’re feeling crafty, try a knitting or quilting class at Craftsy, or if you’re musically inclined, how about a course on the History of Rock and Roll, or the Music of the Beatles at Springboard.

You should be feeling more creative already. Now it’s time to put your inner artists to good use.

William Macdonald helps people to lead a better life, from managing their stress to pursuing a new hobby, William helps people get a new outlook on life.

When Your Desk is Downstairs: Smart Diet and Nutrition Tips for Healthier Home Workers

February 4, 2017 by Mandy

Source

Working from home is great. You can sit at your desk in your pajamas, flex your schedule to suit your mood and you’re right next to your own kitchen so you have unlimited access to coffee and snacks. Hold on! That means you can you can’t stuff your face with potato chips and chocolates when you sit at a desk all day. That will soon become a problem. So how can you maintain a smart diet when you’re working from home? Here are 5 tips to help you.

Bring the Gym Home

No time to go to the gym, well there’s a simple solution to that: buy a home gym. There are a lot of options to choose from. Which one you prefer will depend on the amount of room you have in your home, and your budget, but it can be a worthwhile investment if you use it regularly. Here’s a good place to start if you’re looking for a home gym.

Snack on Fruit

Next time you have the munchies instead of reaching for the cookie jar, grab a piece of fresh fruit. That way you cut down on your calories and get the benefit of fruits’ many antioxidants which boost your immune system, help prevent illness and disease and reduce the effects of aging. Have a container of fresh fruit at hand, with slices of apple, pear, cantaloupe, pineapple, and a selection of berries.

Add on the Veggies

If you are something of a reluctant vegetable eater you might balk at the idea of adding extra to your diet, but they are essential for a good health and they will fill you up without adding on the pounds. Try to introduce them one a time. Start off by snacking on baby carrots, sliced red pepper or broccoli florets, you can flavor them up with a yogurt dip or fat-free dressing. If you have a sweet tooth, add them to dessert snacks like carrot muffins or eggplant layer cake.

Stay Hydrated

You may not realize what an important part of your daily diet water is. Staying hydrated will not only help you look and feel more vital, it will also help you maintain your energy levels. Aim to drink around 8 glasses per day, more when you are working out. If you feel that water is a little bland, jazz it up with a slice of lemon, cucumber or a sprig of fresh mint.

Switch to Whole Grains

Ditch the white bread and refined white grains and replace them with healthy whole grains. Whole grains are higher in fiber, which means they are great for your digestive system. Opt for whole wheat bread, whole grain cereal, whole wheat pasta, and brown rice.

Avoid Portion Distortion

When it’s lunch time, don’t fall prey to portion distortion, which is, loading up your plate with a bigger serving of food than you need. Before your next meal, spend a minute and think about how much you have been eating lately. Use a smaller dinner plate and make sure your serving of meat or fish takes up only one quarter, potatoes, pasta or rice should take up another quarter and the rest should be filled with vegetables or fruit. If you’re still hungry when your plate’s empty, help yourself to another serving of vegetables.

Following these simple tips will ensure you don’t gain extra pounds while you busy at home earning the dollars.

Millie Godfrey started working at home a few years back when she started her own online business. She now writes inspiring and motivational articles about work/life balance and staying fit and healthy.