A problem experience by many small and home businesses is simply the time to do it all, and still try to have a life somewhere in there. But what can you do?

You’ve been working hard on your business, and things are picking up speed. Often, you have more work than you can handle, and find yourself constantly working ‘in’ the business and never on your business. Sound familiar? I have definately been there myself, and it is an extremely common problem for work at home mums. You really aren’t ready to bring on an  employee, but what can you do to keep up with everything? It is time to consider outsourcing some of that work.

Outsourcing is becoming an increasingly popular way for small businesses and solo-preneurs to increase productivity while keeping costs under control.

The best place to begin outsourcing is with a task that you don’t do well or one you don’t particularly enjoy doing. You should spend your time working on what you are best at in your business, what makes the business stand out and that no one else can do as well as you.

When you are struggling with a project or regular task due to lack of skills or lack of interest, it is bound to slow you down and take more time than it needs to from your hectic schedule. By outsourcing that task, you eliminate the time drain and the frustration. You are freed up to work on tasks that are in your expertise, which adds to your bottom line.

A quality outsource partner will spend time understanding what you need as well as what you want in your business. By carefully looking at your target market, your products and services, your desired outcomes and your budget, you will work together to develop a plan. Once all the necessary information is gathered, your new virtual partner will complete your project while you devote your time to other things.

Outsourcing can be used for a wide variety of office tasks. From accounting and payroll to content production to graphics and websites, outsourcing can help you add an extra pair of hands to your small business – which translates to extra hours in your work week.

If you’re already taking advantage of this, what do you outsource? For those who are new to outsourcing, take the time to think what tasks you would like to be rid of, and then go for it!

Are you busy? I know I am – being a working mum means very little time to myself, especially now in school holidays. However, it’s the me time that keeps you going when your three year old draws on the wall with crayon (note to self: keep crayons on the top shelf!) or when you have a tough client or just a plain old bad day.

Here are a few tips I have to make sure you get some ‘me time’, what do you do?

#1  Add it to your schedule.  That sounds like a given, right?  Yet many people skip this step.  They schedule doctor’s appointments and children’s playdates but not time for themselves.

#2  Make it routine.  When something becomes a habit, part of our normal routine and lifestyle, we’re more likely to do it and more likely to miss it if you skip it.  Creating regular me time whether it is daily or weekly is a great way to make and keep a commitment to take care of yourself.

#3  Partner up.  If you know other work at home mums, then they too are probably looking for a little me time.  Consider partnering with them for childcare.  You can swap and watch each other’s children, without the huge costs of childcare.

#4  Ask your family for help.  Often partners just don’t notice how frazzled you are unless you tell them.  However it pays to create a plan in advance.  Create a plan of action and present it to your family asking for their support.

#5  Learn to say no to others and yes to yourself. There’s always something else that needs to be done.  Always.  Learn to say no and to prioritise your tasks, keeping in mind that you are always top priority.

How do you take some time for yourself? I’d love to hear your advice .

Ok so if you took advantage of the last post by now you should be feeling a whole lot better about yourself thanks to Alice Seba and the Hot Mamma Makeover.

But when was the last time you actually took a break from your work, took some time out just for yourself, made some new friends and had a chat over a cuppa. Well you need to stop by and check out She-essence a women friendly forum for us girls to just chill out, relax, unwind and make some new friends.

We chat about anything and everything and currently some of us are being treated to a wonderful Angel Reading by one of our very talented members.  We are also joining forces to create menu plans and budgets to assist all of us in our homes.

There is always something fun happening over at the site and if you happen to have an area of expertise the site is always on the lookout for resident experts and forum moderators.

Hope to see you there soon – She-essence