Winning the Time & Stress Battle; with a little help from a Friend

Time it's the most precious commodity we have, yet we never seem to have enough. A ledger balance sheet which divided with two columns that on one side says TIME, the other side says STRESS, and we find our balance sheet is out-of-balance almost daily.

STRESS = Shifting To Extreme Super Strength

I say extreme, because it seems that we just adjust to the tension and stress by shifting into this hyper-mode to get everything done; which can wreak havoc to our minds and body.

Stress has invaded and become a prevalent part of our lives. Time seems to just slip out of our hands,almost like someone has taken the steering wheel from us and we have lost control.

When stress attacks, it snowballs and we become a slave to it. Because it consumes our thoughts, we panic and try to play catch-up only to find ourselves exhausted from the perpetual list of things that still have to get done. Our efforts seem to yield little more than a headache, more worry, and more stress. We can become depressed and feel defeated that we just can't seem to gain control over it all.
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Regardless of how much we meditate, push things aside for quiet time, re-organize our schedules, do yoga, exercise, have finances in order...stress still hits us square between the eyes. The mind like a magnet absorbs everything that can trigger a stress response and sticks to us.

If you are not sure about whether stress lives in your life, take a look at this list of the top 10 stress triggers/events in women's lives;
Marriage
Pregnancy
Marital separation
Divorce
Death of spouse
Death of close family member
Personal injury or illness
Loss of job due to termination
Marital reconciliation or retirement
Change in financial state

It is by no means definitive, and are the most common that most of us are aware of and/or have happened in our lives at one time or another.

I believe that balancing home and career is one of the most difficult challenges women face today. In order to avoid falling into the "SuperWoman" syndrome,(which can plunge us deep into the stress territory), there needs to be a paradigm shift in the way we approach and handle things in life.

If you have worked outside the home, you know that there are rules and timetables set in place for you to accomplish your work. Similarly, these types of rules can be applied to our life and home. Managing time and routines in a succinct and orderly manner requires thought and planning, but when finished, you have gained control over the stress monster. A deep breath and sigh of relief comes over you knowing that this area is not pressing against you uncomfortably like a tight waistband.

One of the main keys to accomplish this is having yourself duplicated so you can do all these things and not run out of energy, yet still achieve your goals.
Duplicate myself - how?

As a Winning Woman, you want to be effective and efficient in all areas of your life. Get some help, a Virtual Assistant; having a VA is like having a personal Valet, Concierge, Administrator for your life. If you are a business executive, you have an Executive Administrator or Executive Assistant. You know and understand the value of this service. If you run a home, and a home-based business, this service will help you to be most effective with what you are trying to accomplish - growing your business and maintaining a well-functioning household.

Wondering how to get started and if you can afford it? I have listed several VA professionals around the country, so you should be able to find one close to you. Discuss your needs your need and see if she can be of help to you. She can get you organized and set things into motion until you decide to take it over yourself. Quite frankly, after a while, you won't want to give her up, she is like another you but far enough away to not be distracted and stays on target to accomplish the list of things you need to get done.

Save time, be efficient, be effective and concentrate on what you do best. You will be amazed at all you can accomplish.

Winning the Money Battle - Evaluate Pt 1

Is this a good Investment?

When you sit down and look at your income and at your bills, does it look like you are working to just to put money into others' pockets?

Considering that over 50% of the women in the US do work at some point during their lives, and many times while single, or building a family, the question should be asked; 'Is going to work a good investment?'
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I decided to break down this question and evaluate this investment we make toward the great economic account we pour our time and money and lives into. Let's take a look at what going to work and the (ROI) Return on investment might look like.

First, let's look at what we need just to get started - Business Wardrobe, additional groceries for brown bagging it, hitting the gas pumps every other day, not to mention wear and tear on the car parts, and the tires, the time it takes to drive to work, and home again at the end of the day, and throw in daycare and we wonder; is all this worth it? What do we gain? What does it really cost?
With this economy many think break even is as good as it can get. Or, perhaps, you are doing a little better and able to put a little extra aside for your rainy day, that's excellent and gives you a sense of control. But what if you are in the position of falling behind every month and never seeing a cent in your pocket? What do you then? How do you change this pattern? Sure there are oodles of books and matrix program, budget programs available, but are you really going to take the time to sit down in front of your computer and put together an Excel sheet or something similar?

What is the easiest way for YOU to get a handle on your monthly budget?

Let's look at the most simple and basic method that will not overwhelm the most math-challenged person.

Take a lined piece of paper and do the following -

1. Get all your bills that are paid on a monthly basis and write down who they are, next to each one the due date, then the amount due.

2. Check these companies to find out if they offer a budget plan - that is the same amount paid every month - you might find you can save some money. Also, check if you can save by paying online and not have paper bills sent to you, again, you may be able to save money here too.

3. Look at your bank online to see if they offer an special savings on auto, home, or other insurance - I save an extra $20.00 on my car insurance just by signing up through my bank.

4. If you have tuition or school loans, these are also negotiable - sometimes scholarships are awarded, or you can adjust the monthly payment if you are able to volunteer once a month for the school.

5. Next, take those monthly expenses for things like; tithing or giving, groceries, dry-cleaning, medicines, diapers, coffee runs, going out to eat, alcohol, cigarettes, and other miscellaneous that you have occur on a monthly basis. Are there any bubbling up to the surface that you see where you can cut back or cut out? Usually the hardest ones to give up are the ones we are addicted to; coffee, lattes, cigarettes, alcohol, sodas, going out to eat, and these are the ones that if you stopped buying for even one month you would see a savings depending on your habit of course, but a savings that can go straight into the bank.

Determine to discipline yourself and just do it. After one month, if you like what you see, then try it again next month, and little by little you will begin to see those dollars adding up in your savings account.
Finally, look at your income vs. expenses after you have made these changes. Do you start to see improvement in your finances? Is your investment starting to look like it can yield a return?
It's all up to you and what you want - so go after it and win your battle over money!
You can do it - You are a Winning Woman!