by Solange Lopes | Oct 4, 2018 | Career, Working Mom & Woman Tips
I often talk about being moderated, driven, and pursuing your goals as a working woman. However, there also times when being overly driven and motivated can create significant overwhelm in your life. I know I’ve found myself in overwhelming situations more often than I wanted to as a result of wanting to cram as much in my schedule as possible. As a working mom, I wanted it all to fit in. The family, the career, the side hustle, even the worship and praise. It had to all fit in. Until I started getting so tired, irritable, and out of sorts, that I couldn’t recognize myself. It doesn’t help that in the age of female empowerment and social media, we are constantly egged on to continually hustle and do whatever it takes to succeed.
Overwhelm happens. As a matter of fact, it happens to many, if not most women. However, it doesn’t have to. We don’t have to live as victims into a continuous sense of never being on top of our schedule or our lives in general even when our to do list mountable feel like there never going to be enough hours in the day, they are ways to beat overwhelm:
Acknowledge the situation
When busyness becomes a badge of honor, it can be easy to deny the fact that we’re overwhelmed. Instead, we start thinking that being constantly tired and at a of loss is a normal state of being. It begins with acknowledging the problem before we can actually solve it. Are you not feeling yourself? Do you feel constantly exhausted and not in control of your time, do you feel like you’re constantly on the go and never have a minute to stop? These and so many others are clean signs that you may be overwhelmed.
It took a long while for me to acknowledge that I was indeed overwhelmed. As a recovering people-pleaser, saying “yes” to every request was the norm for me. When overwhelm started settling in, I was first in a state of denial, feeling guilty for not being able to handle it all. It actually took having the honesty and humility to admit to myself that I was in over my head to start changing things.
Identify the sources of your problem.
The next step is to recognize what is causing your sense of overwhelm. It may be that you have unreasonable expectations as to your schedule or the demands of your life and work. Most often, it is the case. Identifying the source(s) of your overwhelm is a powerful tool to target what needs to changed.
After admitting to myself that I was indeed overwhelmed, I had to identify what was causing such an imbalance in my life and work. I recognized that my then-lack of organization, as well as my inability to prioritize, were to blame. It was clear then that I had to double down on organizational skills, and do less while having more impact and…less overwhelm.
Start making small changes.
The mistake we often make when trying to beat overwhelm as working women is to make too drastic changes all at once. Instead, start by making small changes to your daily schedule. I know I had to begin small to keep from being panicked at the idea of reducing my to do list. What that meant for me was to try to target the most critical aspects of my work and life first, one day at a time . What does it mean for you? What small changes can you start implementing on a day-to-day basis?
What this meant for me was to re-evaluate my daily routine. I realized there were many commitments that did not have any impact on my productivity or the overall goals I was setting for myself. Realizing this was allowed me to start making small modifications to my schedule, such as waking up earlier, re-evaluating my involvement in certain non-critical projects, and backing out of projects I could not commit to.
Identify what matters to you
The main reason why we get overwhelmed is that we simply try to do too much. We get away from what’s really important to us to try and control everything else. This is why it’s so important to come back to your list of priorities and identify what matters most to you. Is it your family? Is it your work? Even within your family and your work, what aspects are most important to you?
For me, it was coming back to the essentials, such as spending fruitful time with my loved ones, or focusing on work that really mattered to myself and others. It wasn’t until I clearly and unapologetically pinpointed these that I was able to pursue my goals more proactively.
Give yourself grace
Beating overwhelm is not an easy process. You may encounter feelings of guilt, self-doubt and self questioning all along the way. It helps to forgive yourself and allow yourself some grace, patience and understanding through this process.
For me it meant condemning myself less for being overwhelmed and trying to change on a daily basis. It also meant not being overly harsh with myself on days when I still felt under pressure. It also meant being willing to move on from failures, and apply the lessons learnt going forward.
Now your turn: how do you beat overwhelm in your work and life as a working woman?
To your success,
The corporate sister.
by Solange Lopes | Aug 7, 2018 | Working Mom & Woman Tips
As busy working moms, it can be challenging to nurture our marriages. Between raising children, breaking ceilings in our careers and businesses, not to mention dealing with the proverbial laundry and house chores (which we still do most of), nurturing your marriage can quickly be relegated to the end of your gigantic to-do list.
Seriously, who wants to plan romantic walks on the beach with your significant other when the kids can’t find underwear, you can’t find a babysitter, and both of you have MAJOR work meetings in the morning? How do you keep the romance (or any conversation) going when you’re checking your work email and planning to finish a report after dinner? And how can you nurture your special bond when you barely have time to have a real conversation?
As a working mom, I’m amazed at how fast time flies between home, work and life in general. Days turn into weeks which turn into months and years. Like many other working moms, I’ve had to stop and ask myself how to concretely make time for my marriage. Not just fit in whatever free minute I could save here and there, even if half-asleep.
While it still is a struggle, there are a few ways to systematically nurture your marriage, in the midst of busy family and work demands:
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Take care of YOU first
I remember a date night during which I broke down and admitted that I didn’t want to go on a date. Not because there was any particular issues (other than the usual “whose turn is it to wash the dishes”), but because I was exhausted. As a mom of toddlers at the time, I felt like the whole “getting pretty”/”looking human” pre-date process, along with the effort of keeping my eyelids open during dinner (and dessert), were additional to-do’s on my unending list. I felt bad for feeling this way, considering how hard it was to get babysitters, and guilty for being so crass to the hubby.
Yet, what I came to understand was that I was simply not taking care of myself enough to have anything left for my marriage. You just can’t give what you don’t have. In this case, you cannot give to someone else what you’re not first giving to yourself.
It became obvious to me that part of nurturing my marriage, actually the most important part, was to take care of myself first. It took me a while to figure out what that looks like for me and my particular circumstances. Sometimes, it’s simply reading a book, sitting quietly somewhere, or hanging out with girlfriends. Yet when I started doing it, I also started finding more energy, desire and strength to nurture my marriage. Kinda like the whole exercising to have more energy thing, don’t ask me how it works, but it does…
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Be intentional about it
When you have a work deliverable due in the morning, the kids both have fever, and your hair hasn’t been washed in days, it’s hard to be intentional about anything, including marital bliss. After all, it takes work to nurture a relationship, especially a marriage. It requires attention, time, energy, availability, and the capacity to not fall asleep on your spouse sharing their career frustrations or long-term dreams. Yet, it’s necessary.
For me, it’s a matter of setting an intention for my relationship as often as I can, whether through prayer, journaling, or even just in thought. Nothing elaborate either. It’s a simple commitment to try and be more present in our marriages. No false lashes, perfect curls, or flat stomachs required. Just to be there, fully there…
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Plan your schedule accordingly
I used to chuckle at couples who would actually plan out their dates and time together. While some room should be left for spontaneity, when you’re juggling the pressure of keeping your job, your sanity, and your kids on track, scheduling becomes a must. Yes, even for dates (or just alone bathroom time)…
And no, planning does not take the romance away. What it does take away is the stress of having to take the kids to a non-kid friendly restaurant as you wobble on your stilettos and body-con dress because it’s probably the only opportunity you’ll have to wear them…
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Spend time away from the kids
As a self-proclaimed helicopter parent, I can proudly confirm that time away from the kids is not only necessary. It’s indispensable. There are only so many cartoons, and kiddie conversations one can have. You need adult conversations, and possibly beverages with pretty colors, albeit in moderation.
Here too, scheduling is key. Schedule some alone time, well in advance (as you may have to run a whole campaign to get anyone to agree to keep ALL of your kids for more than two minutes). The point is, give yourself permission to have this time alone to re-connect (or just sleep, in clean hotel sheets someone else will be washing the next day)…
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Have honest, raw conversations
Whoever said happy couples don’t argue, please send me the memo I missed. Nurturing your marriage when you have so much to do you’re thankful your head is screwed on right (or you hope) also means being honest about:
- Things not working out
- Things being too busy
- Your or him not exactly being happy at the moment
- Your aversion to laundry, etc…
The point is, you can schedule all your dates, find the best babysitters, and jet-set to Phuket kids-free; yet if you’re not willing to face the ordinary, mundane times when even Netflix needs extra TLC, then “Houston we have a serious problem”. And yes, those are going to happen, more often than you think…
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Respect your couple’s dynamics
Different couples have different dynamics. Which also means the whole #couplegoals hashtag is absolutely irrelevant. The same couple smiling on camera two minutes ago is probably now swapping choice words around who forgot to put gas in the car (not that I would know). But I digress…
As busy working moms, it’s even more important to understand and respect our own couple dynamics. Some couples are perfect spending the whole day apart and reuniting in the evening to share highlights of the day. Others send each other emoji-filled love notes every hour on the hour. Some have joint bank accounts, others are adamant about each person’s financial independence. Whatever your own couple dynamics is, get it, talk about it and respect it. Oh, and skip the #couplegoals posts on Instagram too…
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Let go and start over
If relationships are filled with trial and error, then marriage is a whole obstacle course. When you add to it the ups and downs of careers, businesses, parenting, and uneven landscaping (some of us have different problems), it gets complicated. As a matter of fact, that’s what I tell myself pretty much daily: “It’s complicated…”
Nurturing your marriage as a busy working mom also means starting over, letting go of the mistakes and errors on the way, and doing it all over again. From trying to fit in date night in five years, to picking the right school district, not to mention changing jobs, being out of work, and having the ugliest front yard in the neighborhood, it’s a process. Allow it!
How do you nurture your marriage as a busy working mom?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jul 17, 2018 | Career, Working Mom & Woman Tips
There is no doubt that becoming a mom is a life-altering event. Your entire existence, from your schedule to your life plans, not to mention your surroundings, changes in the most drastic way. Nothing is ever the same again, in a good way. Not even your career…
I didn’t realize how much my independent life of an ambitious career woman would be thrown upside down before my babies came to the world. As much as I made sure to have the main logistical components covered, from the paint on the nursery to the babywear colors, there was still (and still is) a huge component that was left to chance, although I didn’t quite know it yet. As I sat in the doctor’s office a few weeks before each of my babies made their world entrance, I had specific plans laid out. How I was planning on giving birth, what I would do during my maternity leave, when I would return to work, my schedule after baby, etc….
Needless to say, nothing happened as planned, from emergency surgeries to being late for every doctor’s appointment thereafter. I still smile thinking about how little went according to plan, and how pretty much everything else just happened.
Yet what I wasn’t expecting as much was how motherhood was going to change my career in some of the deepest ways imaginable. It wasn’t until I left my first baby with the babysitter the first time around to head back to work after my maternity leave that the reality of this change started dawning on me. Months and years later, as I re-visited my perspective on work and what it meant to me, I could really grasp how much becoming a working mom had altered what work meant for me, mostly in these seven ways:
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I started asking myself about the purpose of my work
After becoming a mom, and contemplating the smallness of pretty much everything around as compared to the miracle of carrying and nurturing life, I started thinking about Purpose more and more. One morning, Dear Daughter asked me: “Mommy, why do you go to work?” I stopped in my (already late) tracks, foundation brush in hand, wet wipe in the other, contemplating if I should answer and lose my job due to excessive lateness.
After this morning interlude, one question that kept popping in the back of my mind was: “Why do we get up every single day to do what we do?” Yes, bills have to get paid, and one must work in life. Yet, there has to be more to life and work than simply checking the career box and making money. As we raise children who look at what we do more than they listen to what we say, how important is it to us that what we do inspires them in a good way when we’re not even sure why we do it?
For months afterwards, my answer was something along the lines of “To take care of you and the house.” Yet her reply was always: “But why?” It prompted me to think about why I was doing what I was doing, besides paying the bills. Which is how this small question also prompted me, without me even knowing, to change my career path to writing and teaching, because that is my purpose.
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It became important to teach my children about the meaning of work
Work occupies such an important part of our lives. From an early age on, I saw my mother work hard as a single mom, in and outside of the home. It was important to me to follow her example and build a successful career as well.
Yet, after having children, as they asked about the work we did as parents, it became important to share this part of ourselves with them. Growing up in conservative Senegal, West Africa, my parents never really told us much about work. It was just something you were supposed to do, along with taking daily showers and cleaning up after yourself. I didn’t really understand it, or questioned it, until I started working myself and the unanswered questions turned into personal and professional dilemmas.
As a parent, I make it a point to open the lines of communication with my children as a way to bond and share more with them. When it came to the question of work and career, interestingly enough, I didn’t know what to tell them. This is where I started re-evaluating my own understanding of my career and what it really meant for me. Only by understanding it better myself, could I share this meaning with them. It also forced me to make changes to the way I viewed my work, and the direction of my career path.
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Being fulfilled became more important than making money
Growing up in a single-parent family, it’s always been important for me to have financial security. While my mom was a hard worker and we never lacked of anything, I understood earlier on that the line between having and not having can be really thin. I made it a priority to always be financially secure as a woman, which directed me towards a career in finance and accounting. Making money and achieving financial freedom as I started my career was more important than getting married or even starting a family.
Fast-forward a few years, and motherhood managed to turn my priorities upside down. While financial security is still important to me, fulfillment takes a front seat. It became obvious that lack of fulfillment in my work would negatively impact me as an individual and a mom. That’s when being fulfilled and joyful in my work beat any amount of zeros on that bi-weekly paycheck…
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I had permission to chase my dreams
As I speak to many moms around me, it seemed as if motherhood is the signal to stop living for ourselves. Somehow, after becoming moms, it seems we ought to give up on our individuality and stop chasing our dreams to dedicate ourselves entirely to the task of raising our children. I was tempted to buy into it as well….
Until I remembered that you cannot give what you don’t have. How could I as a mom, give my kids the hope, joy, ambition and anticipation of going after their dreams if I abdicated mine? How would I explain to them someday that I didn’t live the life I wanted to because of them? Way to make them feel falsely indebted as opposed to joyfully equipped….
Interestingly enough, it wasn’t until I had children that I gave myself full permission to chase my dreams. Not just because I owed it to myself (because we do), but also because I owe it to them to at least try…
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The goal is more freedom
The first time I dropped off my baby at the babysitter’s to head to work post-maternity leave, one word popped into my mind: “Freedom”. In that case, the lack thereof. Like so many moms out there, I didn’t exactly have a choice. While many of us can now negotiate phased-in returns from maternity leaves and even work for home longer, most of us are not in a position to choose.
That’s when the pursuit of time and space freedom became a priority for me. Flexibility was now so much more important, and had to become a major part of any career I would be in. The goal became to create more freedom in my work, not just money or advancement.
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Being the best version of myself became crucial
I’ve secretly already planned Dear Daughter and Dear Son’s wedding, locale, outfits and all. Ok, I may be over-exaggerating, or maybe not. The point is, becoming a mother also made me gasp at the thought of missing my babies’ milestones. For someone who only got gym memberships because the exercise outfits were cute, and would rather go for a root canal than doing a set of abs, becoming the healthiest and most present version of myself was scary at first.
Even more than exercising and breaking up with bread and cheese, it also meant doing my best and most fulfilling work. Which also translated into letting go of so much professional stress, re-directing my work in a way that allowed me to be present, healthy, grateful and, ultimately, happy!
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Leaving a legacy is key
One of my favorite Bible verses is Proverbs 13:22 “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” As moms, and parents in general, most of us work to leave a legacy to our families, whether in monetary form, examples or memories.
Considering how much work occupies our existences, it forces us to think about the legacy we’re leaving our kids when it comes to our careers. What are we teaching them about work? What are not teaching them that we should? How are we impacting the important work they will be doing? It certainly pushed me to consider what I was leaving my babies to ponder upon when it came to work and careers, of which the most important: “To do work with purpose on purpose, and lead by serving.”
How has motherhood changed your career?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jul 9, 2018 | Working Mom & Woman Tips
As busy working women, it can be a challenge to find the time and energy to shop for the right products for us. Taking a trip to the store when you’re struggling with your to-do list or getting the kids from school can be nearly impossible at all times. Hence, monthly subscription boxes to ease the shopping process.
The principle is simple. You basically pay a monthly fee, which allows you to sample products without having to commit to the full price at retail. You also don’t have to leave the privacy of your home to get the best items fitted to your lifestyle, at your convenience. While there’s always the risk that you may order something that doesn’t fit you, or looks different than advertised, the overall positives outweigh the cons.
After marriage, kids and career, my days of leisurely shopping and comparing prices as I strolled through malls and boutiques were definitely over. I frankly had no desire to drag my babies to stores filled with people. Neither did I want to spend extra time looking for what I needed. That’s how I fell in love with subscription boxes. Plus the fact that you kinda get a surprise every single month in your mailbox…
Here are my 10 favorite subscription boxes for working women:
- Sparkle, Hustle & Grow
If you’re a female entrepreneur, or have a side hustle, the Sparkle, Hustle & Growmonthly box is for you! Every month, you get four to six items, including fun and chic accessories, desk supplies, as well as books to help you be more productive at work. You also get access to powerful online resources along with being automatically added to their Facebook group.
- ShoeDazzle
I admit, I’m shoe-obsessed! While parenting and the need for more conscious budgeting has slowed my shoe habit down over time, I’m still very much into beautiful yet practical footwork. ShoeDazzlehas been my go-to for shoes for quite a while now. The principle is simple. For a monthly membership fee of $39.99, you get to pick a pair of your favorite footwear among the selection offered every 30 days. Pretty convenient and a nice treat for shoe-lovers like myself!
The website also offers a selection of apparel, accessories and bags to choose from as well. As a monthly subscriber or VIP member, you also save on the prices of items you choose to purchase.
- JustFab
JustFab is similar to ShoeDazzle, as it works on a monthly membership basis as well. In the same way, you get your own personalized shopping boutique along with VIP credits to allow you to purchase the items of your choice.
Similarly, it offers apparel, accessories and bags. One additional common feature is your ability to “skip the month”, or elect not to pay the monthly fee and purchase a new item during the month of your choice.
- Fabletics
Fableticsis the athletic alter ego to Just Fab created by Kate Hudson. It works on the same monthly membership system. However, this is all about athletic wear for women and offers plus-size options as well.
- Adore Me
Adore Me offers affordable quality lingerie on a monthly membership basis as well. The principle is also pretty simple. You take a quiz to assess your lingerie needs, and get matched with various options personalized for you.
As a member, you get to pick a lingerie set of your choice every month. Your 6thmonth is at no cost to you, and exchanges as well as shipping are also free.
- Curlbox
Calling all curly girls! Founded by entrepreneur and thought leader Myleik Teele, Curlbox’s goal is to help curly girls find the best products for their naural hair, one monthly box at a time. For $20 a month, curly girls get to try various products from established brands. All you have to do is get on the list.
- Home Made Luxe
If you’re into crafts and are a Pinterest addict, then Home Made Luxeis right up your alley. This monthly craft subscription box delivers your favorite Pinterest-worthy craft projects right to your doorstep. You’ll get all the supplies you need to create outstanding home décor projects, plus a small bonus craft for you to enjoy.
- Birchbox
If you’ve ever searched for the right mascara or night cream for weeks on end, then you know that finding the right beauty product can be a challenge. EnterBirchbox! For $10 a month, you get your own personalized mix of skincare, fragrance, hair and makeup samples delivered right to you.
- CauseBox
If you love to spend your money towards good causes, you will love CauseBox! This monthly subscription box is filled with seasonal items produced by companies to empower women, be socially conscious, and create jobs. It’s a great way to get nice products, but also give back!
- Scentbird
For the woman who loves to smell good, this monthly subscription box offers 30 days worth of brand names perfumes. For $14.95 a month, you can pick a new scent every single month through Scentbird.
Bonus:
MMLafleur
Take the work out of your workwear!MMLafleursends you a professional wardrobe that will not only fit you to a T, but also fits your style. However, this is not a subscription service. You can simply order your style Bento box whenever you’d like.
What are your favorite monthly subscription boxes for women?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jul 6, 2018 | Working Mom & Woman Tips
When you’re a busy working woman, cooking healthy and delicious meals can be a challenge. Between running out of work to get home on time, remembering to defrost the meat or fish, and simply having enough time to shop for the right ingredients, it can be downright mission impossible.
As a working woman and mom of two who does not have any particular cooking talent, I know it all too well. However, there are great meal kits now available that can help make weeknights, and even weekend, meals a breeze.
Here are 10 of my favorite meal kits, perfect for the busy working woman in you:
5 dollar meal plan
$5 Meal Plan: For just $5 a month (yes, $5 a month), you can save on weeknight meals. You basically get delicious meal plans with meals costing about $2 a piece. The best part? You get a free 14-day free trial.
Hello Fresh
HelloFresh: You can get pre-measured ingredients to make delicious and healthy recipes right at your door every single week. All you have to do is pick your recipe, order and cook!
Blue Apron
Blue Apron: Get all the ingredients you need, already prepped and measured, to create delicious, chef-worthy recipes at your doorstep. You won’t have to suffer through the same boring weeknights recipes again.
Take Out Kit
TakeOut Kit:Scared that your meal kit will expire before you’ve had a chance to prepare it? These meal kits offer a 2-month self life and can be transported all around the world.
Gobble
Gobble: Ever wondered how you could make dinner in 15 minutes, minus the hassle and last-minute aggravation? Gobble is a cooking service that allows you to choose your meals from their diverse weekly menus. The chefs at Gobble will do all the heavy lifting, that is chopping, measuring and prepping all the ingredients. Your fresh 15-minute dinner kit will then be sent to your doorstep in a refrigerated box, and voila!
Platejoy
Platejoy: If you’ve ever wanted personalized meal plans and healthy, time-saving recipes to fit your busy working woman lifestyle, this is it! Based on advanced lifestyle quiz, custom meal plans are made for you. You can either have the necessary list of ingredients sent to you via phone or delivered to you for more convenience.
Sun Basket
Sun Basket: If you’ve been looking for a healthy meal kit service that uses organic ingredients, then you’ve found it.SunBasket will help you save money, time and energy, while cooking healthier. It also accommodates Paleo, gluten-free, vegetarian, Lean & Clean, and family plans.
Sakara Nutrition
Sakara nutrition: This service delivers plant-based nutrition as meals, supplements and snacks. Their mission is to use food as medicine through the power of plant-based eating.
Marley Spoon
Marley Spoon: Want to enjoy seasonal ingredients and some delicious Martha Stewart-approved recipes? You can order and let your tastebuds dance every time you receive your prepped meal package.
Home Chef
Home Chef: Want a healthy and delicious meal cooked at home? Give it 30 minutes from your doorstep to a fully-cooked dinner with Home Chef.
What other meal kits would you recommend?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jun 22, 2018 | Working Mom & Woman Tips
For many, if not most of us, summer equates with travel time. From weekend getaways with the family to girl trips, it’s a great time for working moms to get their relaxing on and spend precious quality time with family and friends. It’s also a time that can be quite expensive, because, well…traveling costs money.
Although I look forward to summer, I’m careful to be smart about budgeting my expenses as it often turns out to be the most expensive time of year for our family. Between summer camps, impromptu outings and trips, vacation and summer events, it’s easy to lose track of your budget, especially as a working mom. By the time my little ones bribe me into buying them ice cream every other day, and all the mini-trips to keep them entertained, I’m checking into my budget in sheer disbelief.
If you’re a working mom who likes to keep the reins on your summer spending without having to sacrifice all the summer fun, here are a few tips you may find useful:
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Search for the lowest flight and hotel rates with comparison sites
Repeat after me: I will never pay full-price for another flight or hotel again! When you add to it your two or three (or more) little ones paying full-price only to end up on your lap, you realize how important it is to save money on your flight prices.
Use comparison sites such as Trip Advisor, or Pricelineare great for finding reasonabley priced flights. Other well-known comparison sites include Hotwire, Cheap Flights, as well as Trip Advisorand Expedia. CheapOAirand Travelocityare also some of my favorites.
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Take up road-tripping
As a non-adventurous mom, I never thought going on road trips would be remotely fun for me. However, after being coerced into a car with two little humans, I have to admit it can be quite the interesting adventure. It allows the entire family to experience various areas, cities and states, while still being able to observe pit stops and go at a reasonable pace.
I would advise taking advantage of some amazing car rental rates to save money on road trips. Companies such as Dollar Rent-a-carand Thriftyare reasonable options price-wise.
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Save on transportation costs with Uber
When visiting a city, take advantage of the low prices and convenience of Uber. It has become my transportation of choice when I travel, as I can find Uber drivers pretty much anymore. There are many cost-effective options available, from being in an Uber pool with other riders to more exclusive ridership options.
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Stay at an Airbnb
If you don’t want to pay hotel rates, how about considering the Airbnb option? These accomodations are rented out by their owners and usually come at a less expensive price than regular hotel rates.
Besides, it’s fun to visit a place by staying in a local home and experiencing what living like a local feels like.
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Cruise it up
If you don’t want to fly anywhere, cruises can be a good, and less pricey alternative. With the cost of flights constantly increasing and no longer including certain amenities such as snacks, meals, or Wifi, cruises end up being more economical.
Companies such as Princess Cruiseshave a strong reputation for fun and price-conscious cruises. Sightseeing cruises provided by companies such as City Cruises are also economical and fun to experience.
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Use credit cards for travelers
There are many cards that offer numerous travel advantages. However, as a working mom, there are some in particular that are best for traveling families because of the great rewards they offer.
I particularly like the low-fee cards such as the Capital One Venture One Rewards card which keep your annual fees low. In addition, these cards tend to also offer access to car rental and accident protection, as well as emergency travel assistance.
Another good option consists in branded airline and hotel credit cards. These allow you to accrue points based on your mileage, which can even end up getting you some free trips. A popular one is the Gold Delta Sky Miles credit card.
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Travel during off-peak seasons
Costs can creep up pretty significantly as the family grows. This is why it may be more beneficial for families to make travel arrangements during off-peak seasons. The prices tend to be more affordable then, and there tend to be less crowds as well.
Another option is to purchase your tickets well in advance to lock the best prices. The longer you wait, the more the prices creep up.
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Check rates around 4:30pm EST on Tuesdays
Interestingly enough, it appears that rates tend to be lower on Tuesdays at 4:30pm. Many customers report paying significantly lower prices for flights and other travel accomodations then. In any case, it’s good to check on the fluctuation of prices often so as to catch any decrease in rates.
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Pack snacks and food
You can never go wrong packing your own snacks and food, especially as you travel with kids. Having fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods on hand will save you lots of money (and time) on the road (or in the air). You can easily spend hundreds of dollars on fast-food and other snacks as you travel if you don’t take earlier precautions.
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Take cash with you
In general, taking physical cash helps curb excessive spending, especially when surrounded by children asking for the next snack or toy around. As you’re traveling, make sure to carry cash with you. This will not only serve in case of emergencies, but also to limit your expenses to what you have on hand.
Over to you: What are your best tips to save money on travel as a working mom?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sister
by Solange Lopes | Jun 20, 2018 | Career, Working Mom & Woman Tips
It takes a village. Not just to raise a child, but to live our best lives as women. It’s challenging to be truly successful alone, if possible at all. As much opposition that there seems to be among women, in and outside of the workplace, the truth is, we need each other to be fully flourishing and successful, whatever our definition of success is. As working women, we do need a tribe of supportive women to surround and accompany us on our personal and professional journeys.
As the proverbial independent woman, I was taught that you can accomplish success alone. However, the more I was around other powerful and strong women in their own right, the more I realized that our impact is not diminished but rather multiplied when we’re in the right tribe of women.
Yet, it can be challenging to find the right tribe for us, especially considering the barriers and obstacles imposed on women in and outside of work. From the “Queen Bee” syndrome, which mandates that only one woman can hold the power in a given organization, to the many false stereotypes and preconceptions about women being unable to collaborate and work together, there are indeed many challenges. This is not about being part of a clique or exclusive group of women reminiscent of high school. Rather, it’s about building an empowering circle whose main goal is to help the women in it maximize their potential and fulfill their God-given purpose.
Through my discussions with my women friends and many working women around me, and by experiencing myself the power of being part of a tribe of supportive women, I learnt about what it takes to build it for ourselves. If like me, you’re always looking to build or strengthen a tribe of supportive women around you, these pointers may help:
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Work on yourself first
Any relationship you may have starts with you! Before even thinking of entering or building a tribe, you must first consider working on yourself. You can’t pour out of an empty cup, neither can you be a full part of any relationship unless you are full yourself! When I say full, I mean filled with your own authenticity, purpose and worth. This is not to say that you must be perfect, no one is. However, you must work on yourself to clean up any mental or spiritual clutter that may affect your relationships with other women, and be accepting of yourself so you in turn can accept others.
One recurring message I heard throughout my youth is that you cannot trust other women. As a result, I grew more distrustful of my peers, which created a block in my relationships with other women for a long time. It took self-exploration and self-work to understand these mental patterns, and eradicate them from my mind. It also took working on my self-esteem and self-worth in order to accept myself as I am, so I in turn could be more accepting of others.
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Look for leadership characteristics
Building or strengthening a tribe of strong and powerful women requires certain leadership characteristics in all parties involved. You cannot build strong relationships based on weak character. This is the reason why relationships and friendships are so crucial, as they mirror who we are and help us develop into the people we need to be in order to have healthy and fruitful interactions.
This is also why it’s so important to look for leadership characteristics in your fellow tribe sisters. The goal here is to empower each other, so we must all do the work on ourselves. Unfortunately, we also all have seasons during which we may not be a right fit for each other, and it’s ok.
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Be open-minded
Very often, we miss out on wonderful connections and relationships because we’re not open-minded enough. A tribe of supportive women is made out of all different women with different tastes, likes, dislikes and abilities. The more open-minded we are, the more we can build fruitful and positive relationships that help us empower and strengthen each other.
The most positive relationships are most often those in which opposites are connected and help strengthen each other through their differences. Be open-minded enough to get to know women who do not look like you, do not move or think like you. You may find out that there is such a wealth of perspectives, knowledge and wisdom to be found around us.
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Don’t be afraid to walk away from relationships that don’t fit
Building a tribe of supportive women also means knowing when to walk away from interactions that are simply not the right fit for us. This is not to condemn anyone, or cast a judgment upon anyone. The reality is we all need to work on different areas of our lives. As we go through different seasons, we must also realize that some relationships and connections, and by extension some tribes, are just for us. We must also muster the courage to walk away from these and seek the tribes that are truly for us.
There’s always some level of guilt associated with walking away from certain relationships. However, it doesn’t have to be a conflicting situation. Rather, it can simply be a peaceful understanding that it may be better to explore other relationships for the time being.
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Support, not competition!
The point here is to foster a supportive, not a competitive community. Unfortunately, we’ve been conditioned as women to compete against each other, as we were made to believe that there is only room for one of us at a time. This is one of the greatest fallacies of time, which seeks to pin women against each other, and thus diminish our influence and impact.
Instead, seek to build a tribe that is focused on supporting each woman reach their potential and accomplish their purpose.
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Honesty is key
Honesty is crucial when it comes to building such a tribe. Often, in attempts to protect others or ourselves, we shy away from being our most transparent selves. A solid tribe of women who support each other is one where honesty is the rule and not the exception. Dare to speak up and confront your fellow sisters when necessary, and establish a foundation of trust.
While certain conversations can be hard to be had, it’s important to get past the initial discomfort to address potential or existing issues. It’s also one of the best ways to get to know your fellow sisters and learn to face challenging situations together.
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Honor yourself
Last but not least, always honor yourself. Being part of a tribe of women doesn’t mean denying oneself. On the contrary, it’s an act of self-love and communal love that says: “I value myself enough to surround myself with strong, supportive women whom I support and who support me in achieving my God-given purpose.”
Now your turn: How have you built your own tribe of supportive women?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sister.
