Many more working mums are taking the step away from traditional employment and opting to establish their own businesses from home. No longer is this a radical step for mums craving flexibility, it is becoming the norm for many entrepreneurial mums across the country. 

Most mums crave flexibility in life full stop, so it is clear how much working for someone else can cause major issues for families. Mums no longer want extended maternity leave: many would swap this for flexible working hours. Mums need to be able to respond quickly to their family’s needs.

This is the reality of...

Working from home provides mums with many advantages, including flexibility and a way to top up the household income. However, managing a successful business and taking care of the children and home can be daunting. Here are some great ways to effectively create a productive working environment in your own home.

Find Your Space

Working amid the family chaos can be impossible. Not only will you find it difficult to organise your work but also constant interruptions are a major distraction. As well as losing focus, you will generate little business growth. Instead, find a space away from the...

"Cheers to a new year and another chance to get it right!" Oprah Winfrey.

If your number one resolution is to have a better year in 2011, then these five fantastic tips should give you a head start!

Get Organised
At the top of your Christmas present list should be a request for a calendar or diary. No mum should be without one and, as soon as you start to diarise your schedule, you will find yourself becoming more organised, less frazzled and with more time to spare, as you will free up all the time spent worrying whether you have achieved everything you had planned to do!

Without a...

In this month’s Empower, we discussed the benefit of having a strict budget that would enable you to enjoy Christmas 2010 without worrying about overspending. In addition to budgeting, we’d like to share some more great ideas about how to survive Christmas without breaking the bank.

Homemade Decorations And Gifts
Christmas should be all about enjoying quality family time. A great way to do this during the run up to Christmas is to make and share lots of festive crafts. Simply collect pine cones, acorns and such like, spray them silver and gold, and hey presto you have some...

Recently, Empowering Mums has worked with many mums who are dreading the onset of the winter blues. As the nights draw in and temperatures dwindle, energy levels slump, which can leave you feeling low, rundown and uninspired. We understand how easily this can happen but rather than dwelling on the fact that the colder months are upon us, we would like to encourage all mums to keep themselves energised and invigorated by embracing a healthy lifestyle. Here are some of the ideas we have shared of late with our mums to help them look forward to the months ahead.

Get Out There!
Enjoying a long...

Wow! How manic is your life right now? If it’s anything like mine this autumn, you are probably juggling a lot of balls and trying desperately not to drop any! Here are just some of the everyday goals many mums are trying to fulfil during this time of year:

• School pick-ups
• Shuttles to extra-curricular activities such as after school swimming clubs, football training or music lessons
• Preparing healthy lunch boxes and cooking comforting evening meals
• Washing and ironing school uniforms
• Fulfilling work commitments
• Visiting and keeping in touch with relatives
• Trying to keep up with the...

During the summer months, it is the norm to slip into a more relaxed routine with later bedtimes and no set schedule. As the summer holidays draw to a close, it is a good idea to prepare for the onset of the new school term by reintroducing your term-time routine. Here are some great tips to help you get back into the swing of things!

Bring Back Bedtime
A set bedtime doesn’t normally exist during the long school holidays but in order to get used to the school run again, it is a good idea to re-establish a good bedtime routine. A couple of weeks before the end of the holidays re-start...

Empowering Mums is on a mission to make your summer holidays as fun-packed and stress-free as possible. This is why we have put together a list of great activities for you and your children to enjoy. You can refer back to this list time and again to maximise the time spent with the kids, and avoid any unnecessary boredom that might set in during the long weeks ahead!

1. Plan Events Together
Find out how each family member wants to spend their summer holiday and plan in everyone’s chosen activities. Make sure the wish list is realistic and try to fulfil everyone’s choices...

Do you remember your childhood summer holidays, when the days were filled with a choice of fun-packed activities or long, lazy lie-ins? Now you’re a mum, it is much more likely that your children’s summer holidays are going to consist of a frenzied attempt at trying to juggle work commitments and fulfilling childcare needs. Top this off with a big helping of Guilt and your dread for this time of year begins!

The summer holidays can be especially difficult for mums trying to maintain a good work/life balance. Try to make a change this year and at the top of your overwhelming...

The build up to the summer holidays can be overwhelming, especially when you are wondering what to do with your excitable children during the long annual break! Here are some great tips to help you contain your children’s excitement whilst keeping them entertained in the summer sun.

Set Up A Play Room Or Play Area
Children often go from room to room leaving remnants of a whirlwind in their wake. Trying to keep up with the tidying and all your other household chores can be exhausting, especially if you are also juggling other duties such as work responsibilities.

If you’ve the...