The Executive Ladder

Working Mom Video

As working moms move into one of their "busier" times of the year, take a minute to watch this video and remember that you are not alone!

FREE Teleseminar, "Start off the School Year Stress Free"

I'm excited to share a new program I've created especially for working mothers like you.  Announcing, my brand new Working Mother Private Client Group. 

As a preview to this event, I invite you to join me Thursday, August 21^st at 12:00pm ET for a FR*EE lunch and learn Teleseminar, "Start off the School Year Stress Free."   

This Teleseminar is chock full of tips to help you get the chaos under control so you and your family can enjoy the school year (and beyond) free of unnecessary stress.

In this lunch and learn Teleseminar, you'll learn:

§         Which of your actions are having a lasting effect on your children, and why you need to get a handle on it now.

§         How I went from being a stress out disaster to being a confident and decisive working mom (I would love to see you do the same!).

§        What you may be doing to perpetuate the chaos rather than control it.

§        How to get out from behind the eight ball and start making real, lasting changes.

§        What you can expect as a result of these changes - hold on, your life is about to drastically improve.

You don't want to miss this call.  Register here! 

3 Quick Tips to Get Out of Overwhelm

Everyone has experienced overwhelm.   For some, it may feel as though your head is going to spin off your shoulders.  For others, it may be paralyzing.  Regardless of how it affects you personally, overwhelm is a result of having too much on your plate and not enough time, resources or strength to handle it all. 

Years ago, I was a single working mother of two.  I was stretched too thin, spent most of my time playing catch up and I felt like a failure.  You can relate if you've ever had to apologize to your son's baseball team for forgetting their snacks or explain to your boss why taking your sick child to the doctor was more important than meeting a crucial deadline.  I refused to live my life this way and decided something had to change. 

Whether you are in a temporary slump or perpetually stuck behind the eight ball, follow my three tips below to get out of overwhelm and finally get ahead of the curve.    

Tip #1 Change Your Mindset 

Our attitudes and expectations have a huge impact on the way we feel.  If you're sure that you're never going to get your head above water, you won't.  If you think trying something new won't help, it won't.  If your expectations for yourself are so high that no one could ever meet them, you will always feel like a failure.  Change your attitude and cut yourself some slack and you'll find that you've won half the battle. 

Tip #2 Get Organized

Have you ever noticed that when you get overwhelmed, things start falling through the cracks?  One missed deadline leads to another and within no time you are so far behind you don't think you'll ever catch up.  To avoid falling into this trap, I am always on the lookout for new ways to stay organized.  From your everyday planner to innovative new technology, having (and using) these tools will keep your sanity in check and your reputation clean.  (Make sure to check out this week's featured resource, Qlubb, to learn more about a new way to effortlessly manage your groups.)

Tip #3 Take Action

There is no better way to get ahead of the curve than to take deliberate and decisive action.  This goes hand in hand with your mindset.  If you feel like you are in a hopeless situation, you won't be confident enough to take the necessary steps to pull yourself out.  On the other hand, if you are optimistic and confident, you'll have enough clarity to see your options, make a decision and move forward.  I don't know anyone who got what they wanted by wishing and hoping - you have to make things happen for yourself. 

Do you want to be a mom who has it all - a great family life AND a successful career?   If you are ready to get out of overwhelm and lose the guilt, the Working Mother Private Client Group is for you.  I'll share all of my tips, tricks, exercises and resources in a simple step-by-step formula.  The result is a customized plan to control the chaos so you can finally focus on your family and career without sacrificing either.  Find out more and register here.

The Working Mother's Private Client Group

When a woman becomes a mother, often her professional goals and ambitions get sidelined.  Who has the time to focus on both?  Believe it or not, you do and I'm going to show you how in my brand new Private Client Group.  Join nine other like-minded working moms to create your own customized plan to control the chaos so you can focus on both your family and career without sacrificing either. 

For a limited time, get access to my F.R.E.E. bonuses such private coaching time and special rates.  Get the details, and register here.

Friday, August 15th is the last day you can enjoy my early bird discount.  Spaces are limited.  Reserve your spot now at www.leverageyourtalent.com/workingmother_pcg.htm.

3 Simple Ways to Take the Pain out of Business Travel

As if juggling a family and career isn't enough, throw in regular business travel and even the most levelheaded mom can lose her cool.  Having someone take over your duties as mom, missing out on family time, and playing catch up when you get home are just a few reasons to make you dread business trips.  Making a few simple changes can reduce your stress and guilt and give you a renewed energy. 

1. Put systems in place so the ship stays afloat, even while you are away. 

Almost everyone can benefit from a routine. For adults, it eliminates unnecessary stress.  For kids, it fosters independence and provides a sense of stability.  It is even more important to put systems in place when mom has to travel for work, because your family will continue to follow those routines even when you aren't there. 

The most stressful times for both parents and for kids are before school, homework, and bedtime.  If you get these times moving smoothly, you can feel comfortable knowing that a friend, relative or babysitter will be able to take over while you are away and you won't come home to chaos. 

One of the biggest frustrations of travel is being out of the loop while on business trips.  Kids are constantly bringing home important notices from school and their extracurricular activities.  If you aren't there to read and handle these notices, what happens to them?  Establishing organization and communication systems will keep you sane and ensure that nothing falls through the cracks. 

2. Utilize technology to stay connected. 

When I ask working moms what they dislike most about traveling for work, the answer is almost always "guilt."  They feel guilty because they aren't home at night to hear about their child's day at school.  They feel guilty because they are afraid that they are putting work ahead of their family.  They feel guilty because someone else is tucking in their kids at night.  There is too much guilt.  You're working - you haven't abandoned your family.

Advancements in technology have made it easier than ever to stay connected while you are away.  Cell phones enable you to talk, text and send pictures, anytime and from anywhere.  Webcams allow you to read your child a bedtime story from your hotel room.  Instant messaging gives you the opportunity to catch up with your teenager while he or she is IMing friends, talking on the phone, or is just too busy to dedicate a few minutes to talk to mom.  Social networking and blogging allow you to post updates and pictures of your trip for friends and family.  Keep up with technology and use it to alleviate some of your guilt. 

3. Enjoy your "time off." 

Even though you are on a business trip, it doesn't mean that you can't enjoy it.  One of the greatest perks of staying in a hotel is that it is peace and quiet.  No yelling or arguing, no one screaming "mom," and no messes to clean.  Use this time to reenergize yourself and squeeze in some well deserved "me" time.  You deserve it and chances are you won't have time when you get home. 

Take advantage of your time alone.  Order room service and curl up with a book you've been dying to read or try a new restaurant in each city you visit.  Schedule time at the hotel spa or do a little sightseeing.  Catch a show at the theatre or order a movie on pay per view.  It's one of the few times you won't have to weigh the opinions of the collective group - only yours matters. 

3 Signs You Are Ready to Jump off the Corporate Fast-Track

For ambitious working moms, the decision to pull the plug on a career they have spent years building is next to impossible. Why it is so hard?  Most of us have defined success for ourselves, consciously or unconsciously, and anything but that is, in our own minds, tantamount to failure.  We get so focused on staying the course that we sometimes forget to change our goals as our life changes.

Climbing the corporate ladder can require sacrifices that you aren't ready to make. If that time comes, you have to be ready to look at the big picture.  A career in the corporate world isn't the only path to success - you do have other options.  Thanks to advances in technology, working moms can still feed their ambitious side without going into an office for forty plus hours a week.  You have more options than ever before, including working a reduced schedule, telecommuting, taking time off, and starting your own business.   

Here are three signs that the corporate fast-track may not be your best bet, at least for now:

1. You've used most of your paid time off before summer even begins. If you are burning through your vacation time faster than you can accrue it, you may want to consider taking a few years off, if possible.  It used to be that once you jumped off the fast-track, there was no going back, but this isn't the case anymore.  Organizations have realized that they are missing out on an incredible talent pool here and are scrambling to tap into this market.  There are even recruiters and job boards dedicated to bringing this group back into the workforce the moment they are ready.

2. You spend more time at work dealing with family issues (or thinking about them) than you do working.  Let's face it; if you are spending that much of your work time on family issues, you aren't going anywhere fast anyway.  Just as a mom knows when her kids are up to something, so too, does the boss (and typically HR).  This is probably a case where you are the only one who doesn't realize that it's time to dial your schedule back a notch.  We are, after all, typically the last to see what is so obvious to others.  Reducing your hours or telecommuting can be a great alternative for someone in this situation.  Check out today's featured resource to learn how you can get your boss t o say yes.

3. You have a nagging feeling that you are missing out on more than you are gaining.   There is a whole world outside your office.  Suppressing the thought that you should be out there rather than in your office will not make it go away.  Entrepreneurship is a great option for women who are ready to opt out of a traditional career without giving up work completely and flexibility is just one of the perks.  Creative control over your work and unlimited income potential make it even more appealing.  Not ready to give up a sure thing for the uncertainty that comes with a new business?  Advancements in technology have made it feasible for working moms to get a business up a nd running while still bringing home a paycheck from their day job. 

Your Assignment:

Whether the time is now or it's fast approaching, define your priorities and your goals and then list your options.  Which one offers you the best fit?  Need help weighing your options and creating a plan of action?  My new Single Strategy Session will help you gain clarity and create a plan of action in just one hour.  But hurry, I only schedule a limited number of these sessions each month

Stop Settling: 3 Reasons You Should Go After Your Ideal Career

For working moms, having a career can be enormously satisfying or it can be their undoing.  The difference between the two is based on how much you compromise.  When it comes to peace and harmony, compromise is great.  When it comes to your career, compromise leads to stress, guilt, and unrealized achievements.

The ideal career offers you personal and professional satisfaction, positive income potential to achieve your financial goals and enough flexibility to be with your family when you need and want to be.   

If there is a little voice in your head that repeatedly is telling you that you should be grateful for what you have without expecting more -  it's time to turn it off.  Instead of thinking "I should be happy with what I have" you need to start thinking "I deserve a career that meets my needs and I'm going to have it."      

Everything that you really want is out there waiting for you to go and get it.  The only thing holding you back is your limiting thoughts.  It's frightening to step out of your comfort zone and try something new but if you keep taking the same steps and making the same excuses you will continue to get the same results.

If your career isn't ideal, or a stepping stone to your ideal job, it's time to either make it work or make a change.  People think I'm crazy when I say this.  If you are one of them, give me one good reason why you can't make your current situation work for you or do something different?  Have you ever really tried?   

I get a lot of excuses but rarely anything solid.  When it comes right down to it, most people who are stuck in a job that doesn't meet their needs are more concerned with keeping the status quo than they are with their own happiness.  Usually, they are afraid of change, making waves, rejection or simply the unknown.  Be honest, does this sound like you?

If so, let's take a look at what you are missing out on:

1. Professional and personal satisfaction.   Do you get up each day to do work that you enjoy, that is challenging and rewarding?  Or do you go to work to collect a paycheck?  It's ok if you don't live to work but if you are going to work, shouldn't you at least enjoy what you do? 

2. Positive income potential.  Are you able to meet your professional and financial goals on your current career path?  Are there opportunities for advancement?  If you want something bigger and better, is this job the right stepping stone?

3. The schedule that you want and need or options for a flexible work arrangement. You can outsource every one of your responsibilities if you can afford it.  But if you can't be with your family when they need you, you will never alleviate the guilt and stress you're carrying around. 

Your Assignment: 

If your current situation isn't right for you, how can you make it work or make a change?You can have your ideal career and you should.  If you're stuck, find out what's holding you back.  Although it can be difficult to face your fears and insecurities, it's a step you have to take in order to get the results you really want. 

F.r.e.e. Goal Development Teleseminar

Did last year’s resolutions become a distant memory by February 1^st?

Join us for a F.R.E.E. teleseminar on January 18^th to learn the secrets of establishing goals that you will actually achieve this year.

If you would like to:

§         Lose weight or create a healthier lifestyle

§         Boost your success at work

§         Increase your effectiveness at home while reducing your stress

§         Guide your children to create and achieve their own goals

You’ll want to join us on Friday, January 18^th at 1:00pm Eastern (10:00 Pacific) for a F.R.E.E. teleseminar on The Power of Goals:

Forget New Year's Resolutions - Create New Year's Solutions:

How to Establish Goals That You Will Actually Achieve in 2008

Suzanne Freiberg, Jill Frank, and Lisa Silvershein will take you through the principles of effective goal setting so that you can:

§         Eliminate guilt and reduce your stress

§         Finally lose that extra weight you’ve been carrying around

§         Create a healthier lifestyle for you and your family

§         Increase your salary as you become more successful at work

§         Enjoy the time you spend with your family

§         Coach your children to challenge themselves, to feel empowered and to be able to take charge of their success.

§         Support your children in becoming confident and successful adults

There is no charge to attend this teleseminar – but spaces are limited so register early.  Go here to claim your spot!

Are Working Moms Really Making Their Kids Fat?

Are working mothers really making their kids fat?  No.  Are mothers in general making their kids fat with their choices and shortcuts?  Maybe.  But it's unfair to put all the blame on the already guilt-ridden working mom as Patricia M. Anderson, Kristen F. Butcher, and Philip B. Levine's study: Maternal Employment and Childhood Obesity has done. 

I can see how working mother's are taking SOME of the heat for this trend.  I was one of the worst when it came to feeding my kids unhealthy meals.  I was in such a hurry all the time that drive-thru's and 'heat and eat' meals became my crutch.  However, even after I became a SAHM and a WAHM, I could easily return to my old habits if I didn't plan healthy meals in advance. 

I won't name names, but I know more SAHM's who choose the quick and easy unhealthy than SAHM's who choose the quick and easy healthy.  Maybe it's because there is a perception that healthy meals are time consuming and unflavorful.  Or maybe it's because it is a constant battle to get your kids to eat carrot sticks instead of potato chips. 

There are many factors leading to the increased rate of childhood obesity and blaming working mothers accomplishes little more then fueling the debate over working versus stay at home moms.  The truth is that anyone can make their family's health a priority by quickly and easily preparing healthy meals and snacks for their family and incorporating exercise into their daily routine.

So stop feeling guilty and start taking action.  Spend a few minutes before you shop planning your meals for the week and leave the dishes for later while you take a walk with your kids.  Small steps can lead to a big payoff.  Find out more about how working mothers can lose the stress and guilt and be more successful - at home and at work - at www.leverageyourtalent.com/working_mothers.htm.

Know Your Limits and Retain Your Sanity This Holiday Season

You know the look – and it is coming straight for you.  Someone is going to ask you to do something.  Before this person can even get their request out, your mind is racing for a plausible excuse, never pausing to actually consider the truth.  It could be as simple as purchasing a gift or as complex as coordinating the holiday program but you just can’t take on one more task.  And for some reason, that doesn’t seem to be a good enough reason to say no. 

As if you don’t have enough on your to-do list, throw in the holidays and you can quickly become inundated.  With shopping, decorating, parties and family get-togethers, how can you possibly complete everything on your to-do list while retaining your sanity?

I have found over the years that the biggest cause of being overscheduled is our inability to say no.  Whether it is out of guilt, a sense of obligation, or the desire to avoid hurt feelings, we say yes when we really shouldn’t.  Are you a “yes” person?  If you are you overwhelmed, overscheduled and frustrated, you probably are.  If so, don’t feel bad – you’re in good company - few of us have mastered this ability.  But it’s time to start because no one benefits when you take on more than you can handle – especially you.   

What are your limits?  How much more can you handle over and above what is already on your plate? What can be put on hold to make time for your immediate priorities?  Review your calendar for the month and make a note of any down time you have.  If you are willing and able to fill it, schedule the most important activities that you can’t or don’t want to miss.  Just make sure you don’t become the dumping ground for someone else’s unnecessary, undesirable responsibilities.  It’s better to do two or three things really well than ten things second-rate.   

Before you say yes to anything new ask yourself the following questions:

·        Is this something I really want to do?

·        Will this benefit me or my family?

·        Is this the best use of my time?

·        Will my career, my family or I be negatively affected if I say no?  (Don’t say yes just to make someone else happy)

·        Is it the right thing to do?

You don’t have to feel guilty about saying no. It’s not your responsibility to take up the slack for those around you.  Say yes to what’s important and let the rest go.   And remember, there is a light at the end of the tunnel – January is right around the corner.

Your Assignment:

Stop being a YES person!  Before taking on another responsibility or attending another party, ask yourself if it is truly something you want to do; will it benefit you or your family; is it the best use of your time; will it help advance your career; will you, your career, or your family be negatively affected if you say no; or is it the right thing to do?  If the answer is yes, go ahead.  If not, politely decline and move on. 

Jill Frank is “The Promotion Coach” and mother of three.  Are ready to be a mom that has it all – a great family life AND a successful career – with less stress and guilt?  Start by getting her FREE checklist, “75 Ways to Take Better Care of Yourself” and FREE special report, Five Strategies that will Positively Impact Your Career” at www.leverageyourtalent.com/working_mothers.htm.