5 Work/Life Balance Tips for Incredible Mompreneurs 2 July 2019 Bliss Team No comments Categories: Guest Post, Inspiration, Life Coaching, Self Care, Uncategorised Being a mom is never easy. Mom is also a nurse, a chef, and teacher. It brings immeasurable joy to the heart, but there’s no shame in admitting that sometimes things get really hard. When mom also has entrepreneurial ambitions, finding a work-life balance can be complicated because there’s her work on one side and her children on another. Add a significant other into the mix and things can get quite chaotic. Here are some tips on how to get work and life balance in order. 1. Exercise Sitting in the office all day can be a disaster for the back. Even if you work from home, chances are that you spend a lot of time sitting. It’s important to find some time off to work out. There are few ways to exercise: in a group, in pairs or individually. If time and money allow, go to a gym and find a personal trainer. In case that’s not possible, try working out at home or find a group of people to exercise with. Home workouts are also good since it lets you do it on your own terms. 2. Get organized Knowing when to do something and at what time can be immensely helpful for organizing day-to-day activities. Using containers to make meals in advance and vacuum bags will help you arrange your food and clothes for the week. Learn how to multi-task efficiently. For work, using a good project management tool can significantly reduce work-related stress. There are countless other apps that can be helpful in managing professional and personal activities, and if you’re more of an old-school type, then get a quality notebook planner and keep it with you all the time. 3. Learn to relax Doing laundry, cooking meals and reading bedtime stories is already exhausting, but when you add work deadlines and demanding clients, things get more difficult. That’s why it’s necessary to take some time off and loosen up a bit. Having a bath, reading, watching TV can be relaxing and energizing at the same time. Additionally, treating yourself for a professional massage experience can help you unwind and forget your daily worries, even only for a bit. Mental well-being is crucial to stay focused and thrive. Being alone can be beneficial for recollecting thoughts and decompressing. Also, having regular date nights with your spouse can help you two reconnect and add some zest to your marriage. 4. Know when to say no Being a mompreneur can be very empowering, however, shuffling work duties, money management, family responsibilities, and personal care can put you under significant strain, but it can be done as long as there are set boundaries. Especially if you’re the type everyone relies on. Being needed can be stimulating sometimes, but one must learn how to say no. Prioritizing tasks is what separates successful people from those who do everything for everybody. Remember that your family and your health should always come first. Everything else is less important. 5. Ask for help Having a great career or a business of your own is a notable achievement by itself. Adding a family to the mix can make things complete. But no matter how hard-working you are, there are times when you’ll feel tired. That’s fine and shouldn’t be treated as a failure. We all need a hand sometimes, even the mompreneurs. Asking for help is not something to be embarrassed about. Relying on your partner is much better and can help bring the family together. Also, being in touch with other mompreneurs can significantly help you learn and find support when you need it the most. After all, people who are similar to you can also understand you better and empathize with you on a deeper level. Just remember that being a superwoman doesn’t mean doing everything by yourself. Asking for help is crucial if you want to thrive in all aspects of your life. Written by: Sophia Smith Sophia Smith is a beauty blogger, eco-lifestyle lover, graphic designer and food enthusiast. She is focusing on minimalism and good quality. Her other hobbies center around her love for nature, well-being and living in balance. Sophia writes mostly about beauty-related topics in her blogs and articles. She has contributed to a number of publications including: Life Goals Mag, Savant Magazine, Secret Garden, Bonvita Style, Cause Artist and Book Meditation Retreats. You can find out more about her writing by following her on: Facebook Twitter Google +
Balance and Blood Sugar 20 April 2017 Bliss Team No comments Categories: Guest Post, Life Coaching I am frequently – constantly – asked about tips and tricks for weight loss. I have heard every outrageous claim, from the ‘wrap yourself in plastic while you sleep’ trick to requests for high doses of cinnamon that a certain famous television doctor claimed will do the trick. In reality, this is about six degrees of separation from what cinnamon actually does: balance your blood sugar. Balancing your blood sugar throughout the day actually WILL help you to become happier and healthier, will stabilize your moods and energies, and help you to shed a few pesky pounds over time. When we eat carbohydrates, which break down into sugars or glucose in the body, our pancreas secretes insulin (a hormone) in an effort to control that spike in blood glucose, or blood sugar levels. Insulin carries glucose to our cells to be utilized for energy. Unfortunately, if that glucose isn’t used up for energy immediately, it will be carried to the liver where it’s converted into glycogen, which is then stored as fat. If we were ever to find ourselves without food this process would be a very welcome lifesaver. Our body would burn the fat stores for energy, helping us to survive until the next meal. But most of us tend to see a lot of feast, and not a lot of famine. To maintain a healthy blood sugar balance, keep energy stable, and keep metabolic functions optimal, it is beneficial to include a trifold of macronutrients in a healthy balance at every meal: protein, fat and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates provide you with fuel to convert to glucose, protein helps the body utilize glucose for energy in a slow-release capacity, and fat helps to slow down the absorption of glucose in the bloodstream which leaves you feeling satiated. Without this delicate balance things can go a little squirrely, creating blood sugar spikes and crashes, mental fogginess, fatigue, mood swings, and ultimately, weight gain. Starting each day with a protein-heavy meal to help fuel the body first thing will balance and moderate blood sugar throughout the day. You could try a small portion of sugar-free, organic greek yogurt topped with fresh berries and cinnamon, or a spinach smoothie with a tbsp of your favourite natural nut butter. I also recommend finishing the day with a light protein based snack which will help your body to moderate blood sugar as you sleep and wake up hungry. A handful of almonds or a tablespoon of hummus with carrots should do the trick. I tend to lean towards a balance of a few servings of animal based protein a week (eggs, meat, dairy) with veggie proteins found in beans and legumes. One of my favourite go-to snacks that keeps me full and energized is my Black Bean Nacho Dip (also now my signature dish at parties, by request). Go get your balance on! Black Bean Vegan Nacho Dip Need: **four small containers 1 can black beans 1 can chickpeas 1 avocado cherry tomatos cilantro lemon lime jalapeño red onion red pepper green onion Tofutti ‘sour cream’ Daiya Vegan ‘chedder cheese’ salt and pepper Hummus (can use pre-made) 1 can rinsed chickpeas 1 lemon juiced 1/2 tsp cajun spice 1/2 tsp sea salt 1 tsp black pepper 1/2 jalepeno with seeds *optional and to taste* Blend until smooth Nacho Dip 1 can black beans – rinsed – ground lightly in food processor or blender Mix in: 1/2 tsp. cumin 1/2 tsp. chili powder 1/2 tsp. garlic powder evenly distribute black bean mixture in containers layer on hummus, salsa, sour cream, Daiya Vegan Cheese top with red onion, red pepper, avocado, cilantro and whole cherry tomatoes and lime juice serve with organic, non GMO corn chips or veggie sticks AMBER ELIZABETH REGISTERED HOLISTIC NUTRITIONIST R.H.N 519.497.881 www.AmberElizabethNutrition.com Amber is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist who graduated from the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. Since graduating, Amber has sought extensive training in homeopathics, botanicals, supplementation and a wide variety of holistic modalities. Using science-based nutrition and symptomatology, she is able to help clients to better understand their individual needs, identify their goals and in turn, live their most balanced, vibrant lives. Her foundation is to educate clients and to help them create and maintain long-term, healthy lifestyle choices. Amber has propelled her interest in the concept of living well into a passion for education, cooking, and exploring the holistic side of life. Holistic or holism is defined as: the theory that parts of a whole are in intimate connection, such that they cannot exist independently of the whole or cannot be understood without reference to the whole, which is thus regarded as greater than the sum of its parts. Holism is often applied to mental states, language, and ecology.