One thing that I see some new VAs get hung up on in starting their career is how to look "professional." And when really pushed to describe what it is to appear professional, what they usually mean is similar to or competitive with large corporate-looking businesses.

In this episode, I'm explaining why you don't actually need to look professional to succeed as a VA -- and what you should focus on instead!

And as I wrapped up, I also wanted to address a concern I have seen from women starting their online careers while planning to start or grow a family. My advice comes from the perspective of someone with a larger family who always wanted my business to run alongside that family growth, so if my suggestions don't resonate with you, don't sweat it. Every family and business combination can work. Just as long as it works for you!

There's nothing special about doing laundry (or about talking about it). But laundry can be one of those chores that seems ever present and comes with a basket full of weird assumptions and expectations. Why does laundry come laden full of feelings about our self worth? I don't know.

All I do know is that it doesn't need to be SO complicated. And I hope, that by explaining how I have made the recurring task of doing laundry for my family of 6 less dreadful, you'll find some strategies to deconstruct the task and make it more doable for your family, too.

Also, babes, please go move the washing to the dryer. You know you need to. ;)

I am not breaking any ground here with this discussion of cleaning. HOWEVER, please stay with me because I think getting clear on what we mean by (usually interchangable) terms like "tidying up," "cleaning," and "getting organized," can really help us lay a foundation here for getting better help from our kids, our spouses, and even our village when they try to pitch in.

This is sort of a philosophy of the WFH mom situation applied to the topic of cleaning.

In this episode, I'm dropping my absolute tried-and-true tips for getting your work done, as my father would say, quicker, faster, better.

My aim with this episode is not to encourage you to pack more into your day by increasing your productivity. My purpose is simply to help you get the things that must be done, done faster so you can stop doing them!

You don't have to buy anything special or do a ton of extra work to implement these tips, and I hope they help you, too! Let's get you some actual genuine free time in your day, baby.

If you like a super long story-time voice message from your friend, this episode is for you. And if you also really like knowing how to grow your work from home business without having to necessarily chain yourself to your desk, this episode is ALSO for you!

Leveling up your current work load with more income for the same amount of time is going to be your secret sauce to building your business in a sustainable way. And even if filling a real 40-hour week is your goal, you'll still want to know how to make more per hour so that your time continues to be compensated fairly as your experience and worth increases.

It ain't glamorous, but it needs to be done. Cleaning the playroom is one of those activities that can be a really big multiplier for your ability to get good work done. But taking a big chunk of time out of your day or your week to spend on cleaning is no one's idea of a good time.

I think I've landed on a pretty rapid fire method for cleaning the playroom as fast as possible so you can get the room back to usability without hating the entire process.

And one thing I don't think I drove home clearly enough in this episode is that this method works for me even if I haven't cleaned as often as I "should." It still takes me only about an hour to do all the cleaning no matter how long I have let it go because the system is so simple and rapid fire that I don't have to kill myself to keep up with cleaning day in and day out for it to work.

I hope this episode is helpful to you so you can get done cleaning faster!

I am PASSIONATE about this topic! FOMO is stealing your joy as a mom, it's burning you out at work, and it is crushing your relationship with your spouse. This is NOT a tactical issue! In this episode, I'll share the mindset shift that helped me to release resentment and let go of the fear of missing out that made me second guess every choice I made with what to do with my time. And I hope this helps you too! The Instagram account I mention is @sharon.a.life, who has a lot of good wisdom to share, by the way!

At the time I recorded this, I had just welcomed baby number 4 to the clan. Adding a new baby to the mix adds some challenge, especially when you throw multiple kids, varying nap schedules, and work responsibilities into the mix! In this episode, I'll share some of the strategies that have worked for me and my family as we add new members to the family (and keep all the work and personal plates spinning too).

In this episode, I'm sharing the concept of a 112% day. This is a phrase I use in my own life to describe those times when I am really going above and beyond. Just absolutely out of this world so good at all the things.

But here's the thing about 112% days... That extra oomph comes from somewhere (and no, you can't be above average every single day!). So I hope this reframe gets you off the hook of trying to out Hermione your life!

In this episode, please forgive me for taking advantage of a long car ride with no kiddos to record my thoughts. I had some notes on copywriting that truly transformed my writing ability, and I simply had to share them! Here are some links I mention in this episode:

• Taylor Swift or Shakespeare? YouTube video: https://youtu.be/DQ8r0o2d0os?si=KYaQql7yHNcvFFxb
• The Sense of Style by Stephen Pinker: https://www.amazon.com/Sense-Style-Thinking-Persons-Writing/dp/0143127799/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1706339745&sr=8-1
• Building a Storybrand by Donald Miller: https://www.amazon.com/Building-Storybrand-Clarify-Message-Customers/dp/1400201837/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1706339789&sr=8-1
• How to Write Copy That Sells by Ray Edwards: https://www.amazon.com/Write-Copy-Sells-Step-Step/dp/161448502X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1706339836&sr=8-1