Numerous people I have met harbour the desire to write a book at some point in their life and I am no different. However a whole book can seem a daunting prospect, leaving many people shelving their writing dreams altogether. Recently I have decided that in order to pursue my writing seriously I need to start looking at it from a business perspective rather than an artistic one – and to that end Antonia Chitty’s book Commercial Writing – How to Earn a Living as a Business Writer is precisely the book I have been looking for.

A successful business writer herself, and author of several parenting and business books, Antonia’s book is full of proper ‘nuts and bolts’ advice. From advertising campaigns to blogs, press releases to magazine articles, training manuals to SMS marketing, there is a whole world of writing opportunities out there and through the course of the book Antonia guides you towards the right avenue for you. In her book Antonia speaks with a quiet authority which is both knowledgeable and trustworthy. At no point do you feel anything has been added as ’padding’ – everything in the book is pertinent, useful and to the point.

Part One of the book looks at how to become a business writer. It looks at setting up your business and your office, the financial and legal requirements of being self-employed, along with the equipment you will need. It then goes on to look at the skills, knowledge and experience must have (or acquire) as well as looking at good business practices such as writing contracts, setting fees, doing your research and getting paid. The final chapter then covers in some detail how to go out and find those all-important clients, both on and offline

The second part of the book gives a comprehensive and detailed insight into all the different markets for commercial writing – Advertising, Corporate Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, Journalism, New Media and other areas of related work. Antonia explains how to break into each market based on the skills, knowledge and experience you will need for each, as well as the type of work you could hope to attract, and the relevant training opportunities and professional organisations which can help you find the work you want.

A really interesting aspect of the book is where Antonia highlights the different personality traits suited to the different markets. Some people want their writing to lead to fame and recognition, but for many the thought of being in the limelight horrifies them. For people like this, she suggests Corporate Communications or Ghost Writing may appeal, or even related industries such as Indexing and Proof-Reading. Antonia encourages you to look honestly at your abilities and your weaknesses right from the start, to save you wasting time in pursuing avenues not suitable for you.

Having read the book I now feel better placed to pursue my writing in an area which suits my circumstances as a work at home mum, as well as my personality, and feel confident that I have identified an area and a niche on which to concentrate. All in all a must read for anyone serious about taking that leap from spare time writer to earning a full-time living from writing.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Don’t tell the ‘parent police’ but I let my son have chocolate buttons on toast for breakfast on his birthday. I joked with a friend that I had been a ‘bad mummy’, but actually when I thought a little more about it I decided I had probably been the opposite: a good mummy.

As parents we spend hours racked with guilt and analysing if our children are eating properly, have they had their five a day, are they learning appropriate social skills, is their educational development on track, are they being active enough, have they brushed their teeth properly, are they having enough creative opportunities, should they be learning a musical instrument or a second language…..and so the list goes on.

This is only heightened by the constant barrage of pressure and calls to action from the media, the government, relatives and worst of all other parents. I am not suggesting that as a parent we do not take our responsibilities seriously, but that we also allow for fun and treats. These special treats and occasions are ones which both you and your child remember, and build strong bonds within a family.  Children learn from their parents, and I want mine to learn that although I wear the ‘responsible hat’ I can also ignore the ‘rules’ and throw some caution to the wind occasionally.

Other recent ‘good mummy’ moments in our house have included me staying in bed till 10am (I was actually working on my laptop) whilst children were watching TV downstairs, and allowing my youngest son to dig a hole, make a mud pit and sit in it for an hour like a hippo!

Have you got a ‘good mummy’ story to share?  Please do – I need some more ideas for the next time I decide to be an irresponsible parent but a good mummy!

Popularity: 7% [?]

Accountants are always a bit anxious about that first meeting with a new client – what will a client think constitutes good record keeping?  A carrier bag full of receipts and a few bank statements?  Its often confusing when you start out as to what records to keep.  There’s plenty of guidance on the net and plenty of software that promises to solve all your book-keeping needs, however, these come at a price and may not be the most flexible solution for your business.

So what should your book-keeping system cover?  Often a few accurately maintained excel spreadsheets will do the job.  The first absolute essential is a cash book.  This would often be divided into 2 spreadsheets, one for income and one for expenditure, and simply be a copy of your bank statement, labelled up by income or expense category, for example purchases, drawings, stationery, etc,.  Use categories that are relevant to your business, but not so many that it becomes confusing.  You should list the date the item appeared on your bank statement and give it a numbered reference which you would also write on your filed copy invoice or receipt so that there’s a clear audit trail for your accountant or an HMRC inspector.   You should “reconcile” your bank statement to your cash book at least once a month to make sure that the balance on your cash book is the same as the balance on your bank statement.  Make sure you record and investigate any differences, which are usually timing such as uncleared cheques and lodgements.

Of course, it’s not always possible to pay for everything from your business bank account.  There may be those times where you happen to buy something with your own cash, or someone else’s cash if you’re lucky!  To make sure you don’t overlook these genuine business expenses, you should also keep a purchase ledger.  This would include ALL purchases regardless of where the money comes from.  This would look very similar to your cash book, but would include all cash book outgoings, as well as purchases you have made but not yet paid for, and things you buy with your own money.  Make sure you put the date the item was paid so that at the year end your accountant can work out who your creditors are, ie the people you haven’t paid yet.  You should also record the VAT as a separate column, whether or not you are registered.  Who knows when you might hit that £68k threshold of turnover and have to start declaring VAT inputs and outputs!  Again, clearly reference the item and put the same reference on your filed receipt.

Next vital spreadsheet is the sales ledger.  This will record all your sales by invoice number and customer, and record the date of the sale and the date you were actually paid.  Keep track of who hasn’t paid, and in these recessionary times, chase for payment when the due date passes and try and work with your customers to set up payment plans if your customers are facing financial hardship.  At the end of the year, anyone who hasn’t paid will be recorded on your balance sheet as a debtor.  Again, keep a separate column for VAT, and keep track of your turnover for important thresholds such as payment of Class 2 NICs and registering for VAT.

You must keep these records, as well as all the supporting receipts and invoices for a whopping 6 years, so another business essential is a good sized filing cabinet.  Don’t forget, a good accountant will guide you through this process and point out any areas of weakness to help you develop a system that works for you, and the taxman.  You will feel more confident and you might just become your accountant’s perfect customer!

For any information regarding records and book-keeping, accounts preparation, tax returns, self-assessment, VAT, payroll and tax advice, please contact Amy Taylor  on 01767 260282/ amy@tayloraccountancy.net/ www.tayloraccountancy.net

Amy Taylor Accountancy takes every care in preparing material to ensure that the content is accurate and up to date.  However no responsibility for loss to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of this material can be accepted by Amy Taylor Accountancy

Popularity: 4% [?]

So, it’s School Holiday time again which means a change of routine, less hours available in the day to work and energetic children to entertain. This is no mean feat for any work at home mum and a situation made all the more tricky when the weather is bad. Living in Britain we should have got used to the fact by now that it wouldn’t really be summer without some rain! However when faced with a wet day and bored children,  it is very easy for tensions to rise. But wet days don’t have to mean boring days…..try some of our ideas for inside fun.

1.  Turn a job into a fun and have a bedroom tidying competition. The winner could choose a DVD  to watch in the afternoon, or have an extra story at bedtime.

2.  Cooking is always a favourite with children.  Pizzas are simple to make and tasty for lunch. For younger children just decorating a cake or biscuit is messy and fun. 

3.  Try a treasure hunt. This can be a simple list of items to collect or a full trail from clue to clue with some ‘treasure’ waiting at the end.  With young children who can’t read use pictures of familiar objects to direct them. With older children you can make the clues more cryptic. When we play at home I always ensure there is lots of running between upstairs and downstairs!

4.  Puppet shows are great way to pass some indoor fun and develop the imagination. Making puppets is simple and can be done in so many ways.  Draw, cut and fold paper plates,  add buttons or stickers to socks or simply print out  some pictures from the web and attach to straws. Set up behind the sofa or cut out a hole in a large box and you are guaranteed lots of laughter!

5.  Picnics are not just for outdoors, so have an indoor picnic. You are going to having lunch anyway so get the kids to make sandwiches, pack up a bag with all the food, lay down a rug, and pretend you are in a park or a sunny beach!

Mums are very resourceful, so if you have a good idea for a rainy day – let us know – and you could help save someone else from the rainy day blues!

Popularity: 5% [?]

Our next book for review is another one generously donated by Crimson Publishing. How They Started – Global Brands  was published last year and looks at some of the biggest global brands in the world today.

One of the most striking things I noticed was that almost without exception all the brands featured were ones that I buy, use, eat at, or have in my home somewhere – from Pizza Hut to ebay and Coca-Cola to Google these really are the biggest brands of all that really do dominate the global economy.

Each brand has its own dedicated chapter, which follows roughly the same pattern - start up, growth and the story now.  However, the journey that each went through is completely different.  It charts the progress from the first idea, to choosing a brand name, how the business was funded, the expansion to the global market place, what happened when things went wrong, and what the founders view as the key to their success in their particular field.

There is a massive diversity in this book, and an interesting insight into to how some of the worlds most known names started, as all great ideas do, from an individual with a vision, and then the determination to succeed.  An interesting read which should encourage anyone to persevere as it might just be them in the next edition!

Popularity: 3% [?]

Most of the time I feel like I’m operating on a completely different time zone to my children. They never want to eat when I want them to, or get dressed, or have a bath, or – God forbid – go to bed!

Similarly I find that I am rarely ready to wake up in the morning when they want me to. Nor do I find I want to be used as a trampoline when they think it’s a good idea. And, of course, as soon as I want to work, that is when they want me to play!

And on those occasions when I am running late or in a hurry I find those are the precise times when they decide to be as awkward, obstinate and downright difficult – isn’t that strange! When I want them to walk they run. When I WANT them to run, they dawdle. Why IS it that our timings never seem to match?

I am sure, in years to come the problems will be different but still as frustrating. Then they won’t want to get up in the morning or come home at night when by the time I set as curfew. I can only hope that at SOME point in our lives we find ourselves operating in a similar time zone and enjoy doing the same things at the same times!

Popularity: 1% [?]

Spare Room Start Up: How to Start a Business from Home is written by Emma Jones, the founder of Enterprise Nation, the UK’s largest website for people starting and growing a business from home. Emma also runs the Home Business Awards, produces the annual Home Business Report and advises Government on the topic of home-working, so has a fine pedigree to be writing a book on home-working.

My first impression of the book was that it would look just as good on your coffee table as it would on the bookshelf in your office. To me this book was more than just about starting a business from home – it was about making a lifestyle choice and this was illustrated beautifully by the informal photos of Emma with her family, friends and colleagues.

Like the Enterprise Nation website, the book is split into 3 categories – Business, Lifestyle and Technology. The Business section takes you step by step from getting an idea for your business and writing a business plan through to marketing your business and making that all important first sale. The Lifestyle section discusses setting up your home office, work life balance and taking care of yourself while the Technology section helps you choose the right equipment for your business, at home and when on the move, as well as a good website.

I particularly liked the Lifestyle section, which is something that doesn’t tend to be touched on by other start-up books. For a mum it is SO important to look after yourself, as you are the pivotal person in the family. So advice on eating healthily, exercising and balancing work and home are just as important as choosing the right printer or phone. I also loved the home office section. Working as I do on a laptop on my dining room table the idea of having a designated working space is heavenly to me and Emma was the first person to introduce me to the concept of ‘shed-working’, which has now become the working environment of my dreams!

Emma ends each chapter of the books with links to useful website resources. For a busy mum starting a new business it is so helpful to have someone do all the time-consuming internet research for you – and being a year down the road of my own home business I still picked up some really useful resources which I know will help me out in the future. In addition there are numerous pages of templates at the back of the book to help you write your business plan, marketing plan, press release etc…

Spare Room Start-up is a useful guide from someone who is clearly passionate about helping others achieve their home working dream. This passion is further accentuated by the numerous inspiring case studies of successful home business owners who have walked the walk and now wouldn’t dream of returning to the rat race. Other start-up books may go into finer detail about each individual topic but this may be the book you return to time and time again, as a friendly reminder that you CAN live the dream!

Popularity: 3% [?]

It’s holiday time again and already you may be beginning to wonder ‘How am I ever going to fit in any work?’. Most of us are self-employed because of the flexibility this affords us to be able to be with the children during their holidays. But how do you keep everything ticking along?

Nobody said it was going to be easy….but mums are incredibly clever at multi-tasking and time management, and work at home mums even more so. Try not to feel guilty about finding time to do some work – you are still spending more time with your children than normal, and it is good for them to know you have to work sometimes, and that it is for the whole family’s benefit in the long run.

So – how do you do it? Here are some ideas from us to help you squeeze in some work whilst enjoying the holidays with your offspring;

1.  Family – Grandparents and other relatives are often happy to help – sometimes they are just waiting to be asked. Even if it is a trip to the park, a picnic or going with Gran to do some shopping, children enjoy being with other people.  And you’ll be amazed at what YOU can achieve in an uninterrupted hour!

2.  Friends – Most parents have friends with children of similar ages. Try and plan some time when you will look after each other’s children – the children enjoy having friends over and sometimes having extra children can be less work as they play together rather than needing you to entertain them. For the parents it frees up small pockets of time to get some phone calls made or other ‘work’ which is harder to do when the children are around.

3.  Time Out – Plan ‘quiet time’ into each day at home. If you still have children who nap, excellent. If your children no longer nap there is no reason why 20 – 30minutes playing quietly in their room cannot become a normal part of the day. When everyone is home together without the pre-school/school/nursery routines, some time apart can prevent the family niggles that build up when spending so much time together. This time can be used to check and answer any important emails each day.

4.  Holiday Clubs – If you can, why not look at local holiday clubs – some have very flexible arrangements and even if it is 1 morning a week you will manage to get a huge amount achieved. It is also a good way for the children to play with other children and be entertained in a different environment. Some Local Authorities also run very low cost summer play schemes in parks for older children.

5.  Evenings – All WAHM’s are familiar with working in the evenings once the kids are in bed. If you have a supportive partner maybe they can be persuaded to take over the tea, bath & bedtime routine a couple of nights a week – that way you can get some work done – and still spend some  evening time with them.

6.  Weekends – Weekends are great for family time, but also a great time to steal a couple of quiet hours to keep the business ticking over. If you have somewhere quiet to work at home that helps. If not, persuading the rest of the family to go to the park for an hour or two will help your concentration.

7.  Planning/Lists - take a notebook with you whenever you take the kids out. Any spare time you have while they play can be turned into a great ‘list making/planning’ opportunity. You can keep one eye on them whilst jotting down ideas and things that need to be done later.

8.  TV - Whilst we are not advocating your children spend the entire holiday watching it, it can be a valuable tool for the WAHM. If your children will sit and watch favourite programs  or a DVD  then use that time to your advantage.

9.  Organisation – Be ultra organised – have a clear idea of what is a priority and what the minimum amount is to achieve. Use time without children around to make phone calls and do tasks that require full concentration. Use other times to work on the computer and send emails as it doesn’t matter if you get interrupted. Keep a list and enjoy ticking things off, you will be amazed at what you can achieve.

10.  Take a break! – Have a holiday yourself – you are entitled and you certainly deserve it!  If you were employed then it is likely you would be taking a break at some point.  Don’t forget the reason for working at home is to be with the children and enjoy the holiday times.

Hopefully some of the above tips will help keep your productivity levels up this holiday – as well as your sanity! And if you have any good tips to share – don’t be shy – leave a comment!

Popularity: 4% [?]

Today’s Follow Friday blog post is another one close to my heart and all about some of our lovely Mum’s The Boss members who regularly frequent the Twitter airways! All of them have fab blogs or websites, or in Sarah’s case both!

@HelenLindop Helen has been a member of MTB right from Day 1 when she came along to our very first meeting with her baby daughter. Soon after Helen found out she was pregnant with baby No 2, meaning she would have only a 15month gap between babies, and she has spent this entire pregnancy researching business ideas in readiness for the arrival of her 2^nd child. Helen’s blog is charting her research – so for any wannabe Mumpreneurs you really should read Helen’s blog http://helenlindop.wordpress.com/,  which is honest, impartial and informative, because she has done all the hard work for you!

@Ivy_House Sarah is the founder of Ivy House Interiors and a very sweet and funny lady. I found Sarah on Twitter a few months back when I was searching for businesses in Bedfordshire, and invited her along to our group. In the short time I have known Sarah she has launched her website, a fabulous blog with a great Wallpaper of the Week feature and just this week has appeared in the local press in a feature on local businesswomen! If her success continues as this rate, then this is a lady to watch!  

@tummies Donna is one of our newest members and very new to business (only 3-4 months) but you would never know it if you met her. A nurse by profession Donna had a lightbulb moment about a business idea and just went for it – which I absolutely love about her! She sells fabulous hand-appliqued clothes and blankets for children – so if you like things colourful and funky then www.tummiestotantrums.co.uk is the place for you!

@susie72 Susie is an aspiring web designer and is currently redesigning the Mum’s The Boss website for us, in between baking delicious cakes and cruelly posting pictures of them on Twitpic! Susie especially deserves a follow as today she has just set up and posted on her blog http://wisegenius.wordpress.com/ for the very first time. So make her day and leave a comment on her very first post to set the standard for the future!!

As well as these 4 lovely ladies we have lots of other great mums running great businesses whose websites are listed in the Members section of our blog – and hopefully one day I will tempt some more of them over to join us on Twitter!

Popularity: 5% [?]

This week Mum’s The Boss is attending a local business event – not as visitors as you might think, but rather as invited guests where we will on hand to talk to visitors who are thinking of starting their own business.

This marks a massive turning point for us. In less than a year we have gone from the people seeking advice to those giving it! It is also an enormous compliment that outside agencies rate what we do enough to include us in their event and a fantastic way for us to raise our profile amongst local businesses.

When we started out less than a year ago we contacted lots of local organisations asking for help and sponsorship and in all but a few cases never received any replies to our requests. We quickly got the feeling that people viewed us as ‘just a group of mums’ and not really worth taking seriously. It made me smile then last week when 2 of these organisations contacted us out of the blue with offers of assistance and support – obviously word has got out that this ‘group of mums’ is going from strength to strength!

We are just one tiny example of what mums can achieve when they put their minds to it. All over the country mums are making a difference to their schools, families and local communities as well as in business.  Look around you – Mum Power is happening everywhere!

In business mums inherently possess a number of skills which can make them great entrepreneurs. Bringing up a family makes you skilled in the art of multi-tasking, prioritising, negotiating and dealing with finances. As women we are good at thinking creatively, being supportive and generous with our time and often adopt a more more holistic approach to business. And working around a demanding family we can be incredibly productive given limited amounts of time!

Mums know how to get the best from social networking  by doing what they do best – making connections and chatting! Women concentrate on building relationships first and doing business second. Work at home mums with online businesses can generate healthy sales by promoting themselves in a friendly and generous way. How much cheaper is that than paying for expensive advertising that people may never read?

Sally Walker of Squash Box Media has written a brilliant article on The Power of the Social Media Mum. “If you want a piece of news to spread quick, you don’t need to publish it in the daily newspaper or hire a TV crew to come round and interview you on the news. Just find a Mum who has a computer and let her do it for you…..What better way to promote something than by getting millions of Mum’s worldwide to chat about it online.”

Plus a new genre of Mummy Bloggers has emerged, who are generating an enormous amount of attention from their online thoughts and recommendations. Some are even being approached by large companies asking them to review their products, such is the sway their opinion holds. Mum’s like to turn to other mums for advice, hence the growth of online communities and forums such as Netmums, Mumsnet and Gurgle. Individually mums have a powerful voice – but en masse they can be formidable! 

So whatever it is you do, or want to achieve, never underestimate yourself or your ability to make things happen. A mum who feels passionate about something is a force to be reckoned with. Never think ‘but I’m ONLY a mum’ – YOU are a superhero!

Popularity: 3% [?]

Continuing our series of book reviews, we now turn to the Everywoman collection of Simple Approach pocket book business guides.

The Everywoman website offers ‘advice, tools and networking for business success’ including  practical tips, fact sheets and useful online tools to help you grow your business. Their handy set of 8 pocket books covers a whole range of areas which are all important for anyone with their own business. The ones that I chose to read first were those that related directly to my WAHM status; Work well from home, Manage your Time and Balance your life and work.

There were some interesting ‘questionnaire’ activities which forced me to be very honest about how I spend my time, and how effectively.  The overall  tone of the books is very straight forward and helpful, and there were occasions when I thought ‘Of course – that’s just common sense’  but it had been lost or missed by me because I was too involved with what I was doing.  The use of bullet points and headings gave a clarity which appealed to me and made it very easy to read rather than be faced with pages of close type.

The books are a  very handy size, both in page number (between 80 and 90) and in dimensions which was great as I was able to have one stashed in my handbag to read in 5 minute bursts whilst waiting for the children to come out of pre-school, running a bath etc. 

All the books have been contributed to by a panel of leading businesswomen who were chosen for their expertise to offer their ‘words of wisdom’. The books are very direct and clear. They offer step by step advice, common mistakes to avoid,  and a useful summary at the end of each chapter.

Other titles in the series include Assert yourself, Deal with Stress, Give Great Presentations, Interview others and Succeed as a new leader. For more information please visit the Everywoman website at http://www.everywoman.com/ResourcesAdvice/Books/

Popularity: 3% [?]

 This week’s Follow Friday theme is one close to my heart – Advice for Work at Home Mums.

@FunkyAngelClair – Claire’s website www.funkyangel.co.uk was the very first work-at-home resource I came across when I started looking for information on the subject, long before I got bitten by the Twitter-bug. Claire is one of the founding-mothers of the WAHM revolution and was instrumental in Mum’s The Boss evolving from just an idea into a reality. Her Thursday evening Consultants Hour on the Funky Forums also led to us gaining sponsorship from another businesswoman on the forums that evening.  As well as having a day job in journalism and publishing, Claire is a business mentor to some and an inspiration to many through the Funky Angel site. Follow Claire and add some Funk to your Favourites!

@antonianell – I discovered Antonia through Twitter and still marvel at how she has so many strings to her bow with 3 small children. Antonia provides do-it-yourself PR tools and advice at www.acpr.co.uk and has compiled a wealth of information about flexible working opportunuties at www.familyfriendlyworking.co.uk/acatalog/. She has also written several books about business and family and offers a free online course to starting your own business through the Mumpreneur Guide. Antonia’s Family Friendly Working Blog is always up to date with interesting and relevant articles so if you are serious about being you own boss then you owe it to yourself to follow Antonia Chitty!

@e_nation & @emmaljones are the same person in different guises and both worth a follow. Emma Jones’ website Enterprise Nation is the UK’s largest website for people starting and growing a business from home. Emma also runs the Home Business Awards, produces the annual Home Business Report and advises Government on the topic of home-working. Her newsletter is well worth signing up for and her book Spare Room Start Up is a fantastic start up guide from someone who has walked the walk, as well as an excellent advert for home working as a lifestyle choice, not just a way of working.

Claire, Antonia and Emma are all incredibly helpful, supportive business women. They have all been instrumental in helping Mum’s The Boss directly, either by providing information, a platform on which to promote the group, the donation of business books, as well as bucket loads of encouragement and support. For this reason they are my Top 3 Twitterers for any mum hoping to become a Mumpreneur!

Popularity: 1% [?]

Now that I work from home my wardrobe of ‘work clothes’ consists of jeans, jogging bottoms and pyjamas! This is in sharp contrast to the vast array of trouser suits and shirts I wore to the office before I had children. So now, when I go to networking meetings or to meet with potential sponsors, I face a dilemma about what to wear. I want to look professional and businesslike – but I no longer feel comfortable in (or can fit into!) the suits of days gone by. So what is the dress code for a work at home mum?

Image consultant Penny Gregory helps women to dress to look great and feel fabulous every day. ‘When you run your own business, you ARE the business,’ says Penny. ‘In the words of the famous aviator, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, “The most exhausting thing you can be is inauthentic”. So why not just be yourself? Make the most of yourself and let that shine through into your business.’

Here are some tips to help you dress to feel comfortable and confident:

1.  Do not feel you must ‘conform’ to a dress code

2.  Wear clothes which flatter your figure

3.  Choose styles which reflect your personality

4.  Wear colours that flatter you – you will instantly look healthier and more vibrant

5.  Make use of colour psychology – wearing different colours can promote difference reactions in your clients/audience

6.  Build up a capsule wardrobe for work – several garments which can be mixed and matched to provide lots of outfits

7.  Wear one or two pieces of bold or eye catching jewellery or use texture and pattern to create a little individuality

8.  Be yourself – you will feel more confident and your customers will respond to that

You can find out more about personal style and image and sign up for Penny’s newsletter at www.pennygregory.co.uk

Popularity: 1% [?]

We all know how our children benefit from an after lunch nap, and as busy mums we are probably all guilty of using that precious time to crack on with work or housework.

But research shows that a 20-30 minute power nap after lunch can reduce stress, improve memory & patience, increase learning & efficiency and generally make for a more productive afternoon all round.

It may seem like a criminal waste of time to sleep when you feel you could be getting lots done but if you are lucky enough to have children who still nap, or who are at school, then maybe it is worth trying it for yourself to see if you can feel the benefits.  

Experts advise to keep the nap between 15 and 30 minutes, as sleeping longer gets you into deeper stages of sleep, from which it’s more difficult to awaken. Also, longer naps can make it more difficult to fall asleep at night.

So why not take the plunge and become a Lady Who Naps! Simply follow these 10 steps to the perfect nap – and feel the benefits!

1.  The best time to nap is between 2.00 pm and 4.00 pm, just after lunch.

2.  Try to avoid large amounts of coffee or caffeine before your nap as this will make it difficult to sleep and to wake up.

3.  Switch off your mobile and put the answerphone on to avoid being disturbed.

4.  Set your alarm to wake you when you have completed 30 minutes of sleep. It is very common to lie down and sleep for a while and end up sleeping for hours!

5.  Set the scene for sleep – make sure the temperature is comfortable, pull the curtains and put some soft music in the background

6.  Try to free up your mind from any thoughts or alternatively focus your thoughts on something you enjoy.

7.  30 minutes of sleep is enough to relax. If you sleep more, you will end up with a headache and a bad mood.

8.  When you wake up, put some water on your face, drink a class of water and go out in the fresh air for a while. If you feel groggy or disorientated when you wake, sit down and try to relax for 5 minutes before standing up.

9.  If you are not feeling like sleeping then do not try to force your self to sleep – just lay and relax

10.  Do not feel guilty. Taking a power nap does not make you lazy – rather it will make you more alert and productive for the rest of the day, and improve both your mental and physical health.

As the mother of 2 toddlers who DON’T nap I can only DREAM of such a luxury……! But if you do decide to become a Lady Who Naps, we’d love to hear your comments about how it made you feel!

For more information about the specific health benefits of napping please see http://www.manageyourlifenow.com/Articles/tabid/60/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/19/15-Proven-Tips-For-The-Perfect-Power-Nap.aspx

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At Mum’s The Boss we are building up a library of business books to share with our members. We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of authors and publishers who have donated books to our collection and so, for those of you who aren’t able to join our meetings and borrow the books in person, we will be reviewing the books here on our blog too.

So to kick off, here is Helen’s review on the book Inspiring Women, featuring the women entrepreneurs behind Fat Face, The White Company and Specsavers, to name but a few….. 

Inspiring Women – 25 Top Female Entrepreneurs Reveal How Real Women Succeed in Business
by Michelle Rosenberg.

I chose to review Inspiring Women first because it had the most attractive cover, was the thinnest (so seemed more achievable to read in the short time I had) and finally (and probably most importantly) I was burning to know what these icons of women in business had to say.

Each of the 25 chapters is only a few pages long, but they are very well chosen words!  These women have been brutally honest and candid in their accounts of how they have achieved so much. They all talk about how their journey started, how their business grew, about the pitfalls and mistakes they made along the way. In addition to this, each chapter has ’Advice to other entrepreneurs’, and an opportunity for the women to describe their own role models. It is a truly fascinating insight into the people behind the brands.

Nearly every eventuality is covered within this book; those who had a skill and used it, those who took a new path, those who had a good financial start to their business and those who had nothing, women with families, those without and those who gained them along the way. However there are some unifying strands which bind these women, and probably all women in business; it is hard, it can be messy, you can’t have it all, there will always been some sort of sacrifice, but mostly it is worth it!

The most striking, and inspirational part for me was the realisation that before their business was so successful they were ordinary women, and many of them mothers. They were like me, but because of passion, belief and drive they have all achieved so much.

It gave me hope that if they could do it, so could I!

 A massve thank you to the lovely people  at Crimson Publishing who sent us a package with 4 business books to add to our collection. And if you would like to buy a copy of this book you can buy Inspiring Women from Amazon here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inspiring-Women-Entrepreneurs-Succeed-Business/dp/1854584103

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A few years ago a friend of mine went to a meeting in a school hall, and as manager was the first to arrive to set up. It was during the school holidays, and as she walked down the corridor of a deserted building with the school caretaker, a man she had never met before, she suddenly felt incredibly vulnerable. She was absolutely fine, but it did make her realise how easy it is to find yourself in a potentially dangerous situation.

As a female who works from home, personal safety should be high on your agenda. Many of the following tips are basic common sense but worth remembering all the same.

1. When putting your personal information on websites, emails and business stationery consider carefully what information you share. Having separate phone and emails for work and business is important and easily done.
2. When meeting a client or business colleague for the first time, make sure it is a public place. This could be a cafe or restaurant, or make use of one of the many business incubation units which rent meeting rooms by the hour.
3. Get a work based contact number from the person you are meeting so you can ring to confirm the appointment the day before – it is a good way of checking that person is who they say they are.
4. Always make sure somebody else knows where you are going, who you are meeting and what time you should be finished.
5. You can always schedule a call from a friend or business colleague which gives you an opportunity to publically announce who you are with & when you will call them back.
6. If you do ever invite clients to your home, make sure the environment is as professional as possible, for example sit at the table rather than on a sofa. You could even try a ‘buddy’ system with somebody else in a similar situation that comes to work at your house so you are not there alone.

Fortunately the reality of you encountering problems is very small, but it is worth thinking about your personal safety so that you are never in a situation of feeling vulnerable. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

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