The Working Mum: Work-Life Balance

The working mom 😊

Women are exceptional beings! In addition to working or having our own business, we still need to care for our children; spend time with hubby, as well as keep the house clean and in order. But there is a trick to trying to balance yourself between working and the real life…the mom life. Here are my basic two tips on how you can achieve that.  

Plan your day well: Avoid starting the day unplanned, you can be in shambles…like seriously oh! If you’re an early riser like me, then get organized the night before. Lay out your kid’s cloths and your own o, because people like me can decide that in the morning is the best time to be on a fashion runway 😃 and be flipping cloth like I own a cloth factory. So, do all your cloth testing a day before. Also, have in mind what you want to make for breakfast or what the kids would pack for school lunch. If you start thinking of pancakes or white rice and beans in the morning of work... you might get confused and start running up and down like a headless chicken lol!!

Know Your Limit: Know when you need a me-time. You cannor come and go and die at the same time. As a working mum, when you are stressed out...it always shows. Find what relaxes you… it could be ice cream, taking a walk or even sex…yeah duh 😋. Sha don’t get pregnant if you are done birthing children. Find your support network, because sometimes it could be so overwhelming you just wanna scream…I honestly understand.  So, surround yourself with women that can cheer you up, give you tips and tricks on how they handle stress, and to just be an ear to listen to complaints and tears…honestly sometimes you just need to vent!

Finally just take one day at a time, you're doing a fantastic job and you will be alright. 

Happy reading!!

Career Mistakes You Should Not Make in 2019

We are almost half way into January 2019, still think you’ve got time? … think again. You have career aspirations and advancement goals?… yeah, I know…but  don’t we all?👀  Albert Einstein said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results"…in this case expecting to be promoted or to get a new job.  

In your plight to achieve your 2019 career goals, there are certain mistakes to avoid and here are some of them:

    1.Being Mr. Comfort zone  : lol… I’m sure you guys are like “whariss dis won saying”. But this is so true, you won’t really know what your potentials are, if you don’t leave your comfort zone. Take up more responsibilities for the sake of learning and expanding your skill base.

2.     Not continuing to learn: “oh well… my boss is not complaining, I mean why shake tables of an existing product when its working fine?” … ok oh…Uncle conservative! 😄. That kind of mindset would kill your career instantly. If you don’t push yourself to keep learning and growing professionally, you will likely stunt your own career growth. Innovation is key in any job you are doing and the way to do this…. is to read read and read some more. Subscribe to a newsletter on your designated job functions, go for seminars or even take courses (free or paid). Learn how to make it better.

3.     Neglecting your business relationship: if you are in the business development department or marketing department, don’t ever despise the relationships you have with your clients or your business vendors. Networking is key, don’t give excuses of “I’m busy” or be “aunty snubbing machine” 😄hahahahah. Again, we are already in the new year, so make as many friends as you can, connect with many professionals. A simple “hi, my name is xxx” will open a whole lot of opportunities for you.  

4.     Getting irascible: OK let’s just be real here, it’s not about shouting to get your colleague to do their part of the job… lol. You’ll just have high blood pressure…ghen ghen! It’s about human management, and you may have not studied psychology, but you need to learn how to manage people and save yourself from tearing the walls of your heart… hehehehe. Find the best way to handle work stress, give yourself a clear work-life balance and stick to it. At the same time, train your brain to handle heated situations so you can come out cool calm and collected.

Finally,  timing... it's everything. If you usually lag behind on completing  projects...responding to mails or even resolving issues, this should never happen again. Make it a personal goal to meet deadlines, never be late for any appointment .. even if its to a religious gathering 😎. Be a better YOU! 

I hope we all achieve our dreams and goals for 2019! 

4 Things to Consider When Hiring a Nanny

The thought of leaving your child with a total stranger is scary…trust me my daughter is 3 and I still can’t imagine it 😓. However, it has become a thing of necessity for working mums or dual income parents to have a nanny. The nanny can be living with you full time or come during the day and leave by night. Whatever the case may be, it’s important to carry out proper due diligence beforehand.

Here are a few tips to consider while searching for a nanny.

  1. Know your search: Ask yourself questions, know what kind of nanny you are looking for. What age bracket are you looking for? is she staying in or she’ll leave as soon as you come back from work? Do you want someone that speaks French, German or even your native language? Your criteria need to be clear. I suggest you make a list of what you’re looking for, cause the better you think through... the more likely you’ll find someone who is a good fit for your family 😊.

2.     Know your budget: how much are you willing to pay the nanny. Most live-in nannies charge less; as you’ll probably be taking care of her feeding and housing. The most important thing is to make sure you can afford it.

3.     Background check:  Roll up you sleeves, because this is where all the work comes in…yup! Do your due diligence and proper back ground and medical check (does she have an S.T.D, does she have a history of mental instability). I suggest you hire an experience agency to carry out this operation. The blog “lagos mums”, recommends Icarella childcare Services. They handle background checks, address verification and medicals; whether they provided your nanny or not.

4.     Interview process: Interviewing your nanny means being clear what their job description would be. Nannies are childcare professionals and may not want to be cleaning or washing your cloths. If that’s what you want, then you’ll need to spell it out during the interview.

I hope these few tips would help you in finding a suitable nanny for your child.

Aju Mbaise: The Herbal Slimming tea

I know the struggle of trying to loose weight after having a baby...I've been there and  I know the desire of wanting to have that body… oh well not so perfect but, that slim, flat-tummy body. Many women in Nigeria have spent a lot of money and time to get the perfect body with no result.

The truth is that we have natural herbs that were used in the olden days to cure and resolve complex health problems. One of the most effective way of doing this is using the Aju Mbaise herb.

The herb got its name because of the way it’s packaged (Aju) and the village (Mbaise) that produces it. The herb can be put into several uses, so let’s look at the many benefit it gives.

o   Aju Mbaise for weight loss and flat tummy:  this amazing herb works great for weight loss, it’s an effective fat burning herb, which consist of roots, bark and leave of a special medicinal tree. The herb is rapped and tied in a round shape hence the name “Aju”.

o   Bad blood removal: if you’ve recently given birth to a baby, the herb helps in the removal of bad blood from the womb and  excess amniotic fluid or any other postnatal substance.

o   It cleans the Vagina: I must say this really really works in cleansing the Vagina. It removes bacteria that causes a pungent smell due to toilet infections. It helps to keep the “bu-haha” clean.

o   Regulates the female Menstrual cycle: It normalizes the cycle and stops menstrual pain.

o   Detoxification: For a woman who just miscarried, this can be used for total cleansing and removal of other dead particles.

o   It enhances fertility in women

o   It prevents mouth odor: God knows how much I hate mouth odor 😒 😊. I cant stand it .. and wont stand you.  So, if you're in this category, this is the herb for you #kpam!

o   It nourishes the skin: I discovered that my skin glows more and the blemishes I usually to had on my face  all disappeared.

o   And finally, Aju Mbaise prevents diabetes, tumors, cancer, malaria and ovary cysts remedy.

Preparation:

o Ensure the leaf is washed thoroughly, I prefer washing mine under running water. That way I’m sure it’s nice and clean.

o  Put it in a pot and pour 1 liter of water daily for morning and evening consumption.

o   Cook for at least 30 mins and allow to cool before drinking.

o   You can decide to pour the rest in a big bottle and store in the fridge … just like I do 😎

The Aju Mbaise leaves can be bought at local markets in Nigeria, please buy from Igbo women that sell soup condiments. It’s very affordable at a price range of N500-N700.