Tag Archives: work

Mar21

She Sells Seashells

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She Sells Seashells

Hello!!! I work as an Independent Provider for people with special needs and specialize in community inclusion and daily living skills. I have worked in the field for almost a decade and all of my clients new and old will always hold a very special place in my heart. It is the best job in the whole world and I am so thankful to have assisted so many amazing families. It means so much to be trusted to provide quality care and I deliver nothing less every day at work.

Whenever I can’t see my clients due to vacations or days off, I miss them terribly! My days feel so off without my normal shifts and all smiles and I couldn’t wait for one of my clients to return from a family vaca. I know for a fact this young man was missing me too because he collected seashells on the beach just for me and proudly presented them when I saw him again:

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When I was given my seashells, I seriously almost cried. I was SO touched that my client took the time out of his vacation to search for shells that he thought I would like. He was completely right, because I LOVE them. He told me that they have to drive to the beach next time because all of the shells that he wanted to bring me wouldn’t fit on the plane! I cannot wait to find a pretty jar to house my shells in and display it on my knick knack shelves so I can see them and smile every day. ❤

Between three jobs, I am a busy lady. However, I will never be too busy to see my clients; I simply could not imagine my life without any of them! It brings me such great joy to teach new things when I am at work, but every day, I am the one who learns something new. My seashells will serve as a reminder to always be thoughtful, generous, and kind – just like the dear young man who gave them to me. I am the lucky one to even know him and feel proud to continue to grow as people together!

As the weather in Ohio remains awful, I will be on the beach in the sunshine every time I see my seashells. Always turn your face towards the sun and have the best day, darling friends!

Where is your dream vacation location? Who has seashells on display in their home? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

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Mar19

Lil Red: A Creature Of Habit

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Lil Red: A Creature Of Habit

Hello!! At the moment, I have three jobs and my life has been very busy. I work as a provider for people with special needs, create daily content for lifewithlilred and complete online work, and I just began a new marketing gig in January. At some point this year, I will cut back on my work in the field and give myself more time to not only work from home, but relax with a less demanding schedule. For now, however, I am enjoying the ride and I love seeing all of the hard work I put into lifewithlilred come into fruition in my new job.

With three jobs under my belt as well as being a very active bunny mom, I have been asked a lot since the beginning of the year how I have been managing. I am no stranger to working several jobs at once so this isn’t a brand new situation for me, but it does help a lot that Lil Red is, first and foremost, A Creature Of Habit. Because of this, my days run like a fine tuned machine and all of the following components help me to achieve this:

Sticking To A Schedule:

My schedule is the most important thing to achieve optimum success during the work week. Without it, I wouldn’t have the time to care for the bunnies in the morning, create content, and work from home before going to a client’s home. This morning routine came into place this past November when Johnny and I brought Mel and Penelope home, but it became an absolute necessity when I started my new job at the beginning of the year. Of course, waking up at five AM is not my idea of a good time in the slightest. However, if I don’t, my work day wouldn’t end until six or so in the evening and that sounds like less of a good time to me. Sticking to this schedule has lots of obvious benefits and my weekend days feel very off when I don’t have to follow through with it!

Forming Good Habits:

Prior to bringing the bunnies home, I was able to sleep in a bit later and was never too pressed if I had to hit the snooze button once, twice, or several times! As wonderful as it was to get the extra Zs, this was a habit that I needed to break for my day to run smoothly. Believe you me, I would LOVE to hit the snooze every morning and if I am extra tired, I will every now and then. But, I like being able to relax when I get home from work rather than work more. Fighting the urge to hit the snooze is definitely a habit that I am glad to have made.

Another good habit that I have formed fairly recently is establishing a meal schedule. Since my days shifted to a much earlier time and I have a lot to do, I go from hungry to hangry really quickly and that is not okay. During my mornings at home, I have penciled in time to have an actual breakfast, pack a snack or lunch for later in the day, and not be completely ravenous by dinnertime. I have come to realize how important it is to fuel my body for long work days and it has helped so much in reducing how rundown I have been feeling.

Take A Break:

Going nonstop is my forte, but it’s not a good thing to be gifted in lol. If I have the time after online work in the morning, I have given myself permission to take a break. Usually I will give my brain some breathing room by watching one episode of Assassination Classroom on Crunchyroll or reading a chapter or two in whatever book I’m working on. Because I work for myself, no one but me tells me when it’s time to rest for a bit. If I had an employee, I would most certainly allow for breaks for them, so why not me too? Even little breaks throughout the day to stretch and hydrate are helpful and it keeps me from completely crashing later. Total win/win!

Creating a schedule and habits that work for me took a decent amount of trial and error, but I am fully satisfied with the end result. I am proud of the work that I accomplish and, honestly, look forward to getting up every morning to see where the day takes me!

How important is a schedule to you? What do you like to do during break time? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar11

2023 All About Me

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2023 All About Me

Hello!! Your favorite Lil Red blogger has had a very busy past few months. Between bunny parenthood, new jobs, and the kerfuffle of daily life, I am ready for a little break any time now! It has been a while since we have had an updated All About Me post and I figured no better time than the present to talk a bit more in depth about everything happening in Lil Red’s world. Let’s get to it:

Bunny Babies:

Johnny and I have had our Lionhead bunnies, Mel and Penelope, for over four months now and they are thriving! In fact, I would say that they are fully settled to their new lives with us. Melvin is as adventurous as ever and loves to evade his dad by getting under the couch and exploring the non bunny proofed area while he plays video games lol. He is never too quick for his dear old mom, though! Melvin is not quite a year old yet and he is also never too old for an evening cuddle with me. It’s so sweet! ❤

Penelope took a decent amount of time to get acclimated to her new setting and I think that we are finally there. Her favorite activities are eating leafy greens from my hand and chilling out in her go to spot behind the hutch. Pen and Mel both also really enjoy being brushed, which is great as they are long haired and shedding season has been nuts! I was very proud of Penelope because this past week, she explored a few stairs for the first time but was scared to go down. She let me know of her distress by making some noise and allowed me to pick her up and take her back to the floor. Pen still isn’t the biggest fan of Johnny, but she sure loves her mom! 😀

New Job, No Prob:

I have a very entrepreneurial spirit and enjoy both my work as a provider for people with special needs and a writer so much. In the new year, I was really hoping to take my writing work to the next level and that happened on January third. I am currently managing a plethora of social media pages and building websites and businesses with my new boss and it is awesome! Between three jobs, it can be a bit stressful during the work week but I make it work. I am learning so many new things and being able to work from home a lot and hang out with Mel and Pen is such a joy. Eventually, I will decrease my work out in the field but, for now, I am just loving the experience!

Accomplishing Goals:

One of my other goals for the new year was creating a lot more OOTD content for lifewithlilred and I have been very dedicated to it. My sweet blog husband is also most helpful in that regard too! During the work week, I am rarely in the general public and put minimal effort into outfits and makeup. Saturday, however, is a totally different story! On Saturday afternoons, Johnny and I go on an outing for a lunch date, errands, or a visit at his or my parents and end up taking OOTD pictures some time in between. Johnny is always so accommodating and Saturday has definitely become our designated picture day. This setup has worked wonderfully and I look forward to our date days every week. ❤

Birthday Extravaganza:

Starting on March 7th and ending on June 7th, Johnny and I have lots to celebrate. In three months, there are seven birthdays in my family and mine and Johnny’s second wedding anniversary. I love this time of the year because I LOVE shopping for birthday presents and taking part in someone’s special day. I am also very excited for mine and Johnny’s second birthaversary jubilee and cannot wait to put together another get together to celebrate our birthdays and anniversary in one mega event!

Nothing Too Exciting:

As I have been working three very involved jobs for the past three months and Johnny is in a constant state of tired from his demanding job, we haven’t been doing much of anything. Part of it is the weather and part of it is exhaustion! That’s okay, though, because we rally around this time of the year when the sun starts setting later. We might not do anything during the work week but we do end up staying up later than our normal seven PM bedtime and that’s good enough for me. We are thinking of doing a few weekend trips this summer and it will be so nice to have a getaway of our own considering we haven’t even had a honeymoon yet. All in good time!

As busy as these past few months have been, I will never be too busy to post daily on lifewithlilred or get my nails done. Peep those tomorrow and keep it posted for all of the latest and greatest! ❤

What is new in your world? Is anything exciting coming up for you soon? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb23

Social Media Call To Action

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Social Media Call To Action

Hello everyone!! Back in January, I started a new gig assisting a local tech entrepreneur/community leader with literature for his websites/social media accounts. It has been awesome and I am enjoying my work so very much! At the moment, I am currently managing four social media accounts and it would mean the world to me if you could hop on Facebook and give them a like. They are:

Nightlife 330

Guerrilla Print Shop

FICO Pump

NEO Business Wireless

As I have said to everyone I have contacted to participate in a like-a-thon, you can help Lil Red realize her full potential! Lol, even if you don’t use Facebook often it will help me out tremendously. If Instagram is more your thing, you can follow along with my pages at these links:

Nightlife 330

Guerrilla Print Shop

FICO Pump

NEO Business Wireless

When you like these pages, please comment so that I can follow you back as well as give your blog a shout out for your time. And, of course, if you have any questions about any of these businesses; just let your girl know! Thank you all very kindly in advance! ❤

How do you spread the word about your business endeavors? What is your favorite social media platform? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb20

Surprise Vacation

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Surprise Vacation

Hello!! After writing about my desire to achieve a better work/life balance, I had the opportunity to put my money where my mouth is. However, it wasn’t for a great reason. Unfortunately, my parents tested positive for Covid last Tuesday and I genuinely have no idea where they got it from. Thankfully, both of their symptoms were quite mild and they are on the up and up!

Usually, I am at my parents house almost every day of the week for work or just hanging out. Of course, that wasn’t a possibility while my parents were sick and I miss them and my brother terribly! The first day I couldn’t come over, I honestly didn’t know what to do with myself and the free time that fell in my lap. I felt bad all week that I was lounging in the comfort of my home but I also knew that there was nothing else to be done until there were negative tests all around.

During my Surprise Vacation, I caught up on my sleep a lot. Since the beginning of the new year, I have been waking up between 4:45 and 5 every morning to take care of the bunnies, get myself ready for work, work from home, then go to my other job. It was exhausting but necessary, especially as I started a new online gig. During my break, I was able to sleep in until… Drum roll, please… SIX O’CLOCK and it was awesome! I didn’t know how much I needed that extra sleep until I actually got it and it was just what I needed to rejuvenate myself. The extra sleeping in sessions also made it much easier to get up early again when I had morning clients.

I got a lot of work done online during my staycation and I also had time for extra cleaning, cooking, and enjoying some TV time before Johnny returned from work. You already know I watched lots of Hoarders while Melvin and Penelope romped around their bunny-proofed area. I also binged the first half of the new season of You in one afternoon flat. I can’t remember the last time I was able to do that and it felt so good to have a binge-watching session with a show just for me. Also, can we please talk about how freaking crazy that show is? Lol freaking Joe Goldberg, dude.

As wonderful as my mini work vaca was, I was ready for it to be over each day because I missed being able to hug my parents and brother. I can’t wait for negative tests so I can get back to my normal schedule feeling as refreshed as I have been in weeks!

How do you relax during time off? What did you think of the new season of You? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb17

Pursue Your Dream Career With These Tips

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Pursue Your Dream Career With These Tips

Pursuing your goals to land your dream job takes dedication and hard work. There is so much that goes into following your dreams, but don’t let that stop you from making them into reality. Giving up a career to pursue something you really want should not be taken lightly, but it can be done if you have the passion and dedication for it. Here are four tips to help get you started on your journey toward a dream career:

Know Yourself & Your Goals:

Before you even begin the process of pursuing your dream job, it is important that you take some time for self-reflection. Consider what your goals are, what kind of lifestyle you want, and how this job fits into those goals. Knowing yourself and understanding your goals will help guide the decisions you make about what kind of job you want to pursue. Write down your goals and create a plan of action to achieve them; this way, you can stay motivated and focused on the path toward your dream job.

Research Companies & Industries:

Once you have a clear understanding of who you are and what your goals are, it is time to research companies and industries that align with those goals. Take some time to explore different industries and pick out specific companies that interest you. Doing this research will help give you an idea of what types of jobs these companies offer and any potential opportunities that could arise in the future. In addition, researching and familiarizing yourself with a company before applying can give you an edge over other applicants.

Build Your Network:

Networking is key when it comes to finding your dream job! Building relationships with people in the industry who may have access to job opportunities or insight into hiring processes is important. Joining professional organizations or attending networking events such as conferences or seminars is a great way to meet new people who may be able to help further your career path. In addition, utilizing social media platforms like LinkedIn can also be an effective way of connecting with potential employers or recruiters who may know about jobs that aren’t posted publicly yet.

Stay Up To Date On Trends & Industry News:

In today’s ever-evolving job market, staying up to date on industry trends and news is important to stay ahead of the competition. Subscribing to relevant publications, blogs, or newsletters can help you gain valuable insight into what’s happening in the industry. For example, if you’re interested in pursuing a career in the medical industry, you can learn a lot from Hanid Audish DO. Industry experts like this can give you a valuable look into the job market and what positions are in demand.

Pursuing your dream job can be a long process, but it is possible. By following these steps, you will be setting yourself up for success. Good luck!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Feb17

What To Do If Your Career Seems To Be Stalling

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What To Do If Your Career Seems To Be Stalling

Do you feel as though your professional life is in a rut? Are you having trouble deciding what to do next or do you not see any opportunities for advancement? If so, you are not alone. This feeling is one that many people have at least once in their careers. Getting your career back on a more positive track doesn’t have to be difficult, and you shouldn’t put it off if a change is needed. Here are some steps to take if your career seems to be stalling:

Reassess your goals:

Reevaluating your career goals requires taking a step back. Are they still the same as when you first started working? Do you still need to reevaluate your goals or have you already achieved everything you set out to do? Think things through, consider your current goals, and decide whether they align with where you want to go.

Talk to your supervisor:

It’s crucial to speak with your supervisor if you feel trapped in your current position. Express your worries and seek suggestions on how you can do better. Your boss might be able to offer you new opportunities or make suggestions for how to advance within the organization. Your manager might be able to advise you on what to do next if there are no growth opportunities at your company.

Take on new responsibilities:

If your current position doesn’t offer you any chances to advance, you might want to think about accepting more responsibility. This can demonstrate to your employer that you’re dedicated to your work and ready to take on new challenges. Seek out opportunities to volunteer for or accept more duties that will allow you to gain new skills.

Seek out training and development opportunities:

Finding training and development opportunities is another way to launch your career. This can entail going to workshops, enrolling in online classes, or earning certifications. You can take on new challenges and prove your value to your employer by learning new skills.

Network:

Developing your network is essential for career advancement. Establish relationships with individuals in your industry by going to networking events. This can assist you in discovering new employment possibilities and connecting with individuals who might be able to aid you in advancing your career. You can also look to successful people who have already reached the goals you want to achieve. If you work in sales and want to improve, look at the strategies and success of someone like Hussain al Nowais.

Consider a career change:

It might be time to think about a career change if you’ve tried everything listed above and are still not seeing any opportunities for growth within your current job. Look for employment opportunities that fit your interests and skill set. To learn about new opportunities, get in touch with recruiters and go to job fairs.

It’s important to feel rewarded and fulfilled in your career, and the tips above will help you take your skills to the next level!

Featured Image By: PXHere

Feb10

Work/Life Balance

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Work/Life Balance

Hello!! I don’t know about all of you, but I have been feeling So. Freaking. Exhausted. At the beginning of the new year, I formed a partnership with a local tech entrepreneur and have been putting in work. So much so, that I have been clocking in close to fifty hours every week between my jobs for the past month and change. It is tiring but the opportunities that have opened up for me are very exciting!

The work/life balance is something that everyone talks about. However, is it something that they are actively trying to pursue or does it just sound good? Lol, I definitely fall under the “think about it, but don’t do it” category and I know that this is something I need to change to avoid burnout. If you, too, struggle with making time for you amidst a busy schedule, you are not alone! In fact, you are in great company because I’m right there with you! Let’s explore some ideas we can all work on to achieve a better work/life balance:

Take Breaks:

During the work day, I try to allow myself a few five minute breaks throughout to get up, stretch, and hydrate. You can do whatever you see fit, though, to relax for a spell. Watch a funny YouTube video, read a few comic strips, grab a snack – whatever is clever. It is so easy to just keep on working even when our brain is literally telling us to take a pause for a couple of minutes. Remember, that the work you are completing when your mind is feeling mushy probably isn’t going to be something that you are fully satisfied with.

Make Meals:

I, personally, notice that I am not getting a proper work/life balance when I am not cooking meals for dinner. This was actually the first key indicator that I needed to slow down a bit when I saw that my fresh groceries were going to waste. Of course, no one is saying to cook a five star meal every night but I always feel better when I have something homemade for dinner. My goal is to at least make a few simple meals per week because I enjoy cooking as much as I do eating!

Make Plans (And Stick With Them!):

I’m going to be honest with all of you, the past several weeks of this workathon, I have had so many plans and I pretty much bailed on every single one. I was just too wiped out and canceling made me feel worse. This taught me that, for the time being, I need to make plans that I know I can stick with because anything more would be stretching myself too thin. However, we all need to give ourselves permission to have fun so don’t cut all evening activities out and fill your schedule with things you enjoy when you are able.

It’s Okay To Say No:

Always remember that it is okay to say no when you are feeling especially overrun. Knowing your limitations of what can and can’t be achieved in a certain time period will go a long way and can stop burnout in its tracks. I am such a people pleaser that I rarely say no to anything work related and I know that this is something that I really should improve on.

When a work/life balance seems impossible, carve out small periods for you throughout the day until you get back on track with a normal schedule. You will thank yourself during your next mini break!

What stresses you out about work? Do you achieve a good work/life balance? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan23

Grow Your Business With These Strategies

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Grow Your Business With These Strategies

One of the most important things for your business is to plan ahead. Planning for tomorrow, a month, or a year from now is one of the best ways to help your business grow and you will be prepared for any curveballs along the way. Keep moving things forward for your business with the tips below:

Get The Help You Need:

First, you need to make sure you have the right kind of help. This could mean from the people you’ve hired to work for you or from the services you’ve hired for each part of your business. Keep up to date with all of the departments like customer service, maintenance, accounting, etc. You also want to make sure that your IT is effective in every way, such as by using Medifit for your practice services. Once you have a better idea of how each department is functioning, you will be able to make improvements for a better customer experience.

Try Something New:

You can’t keep doing the same things you were doing before if you want to move forward, can you? You have to make some changes and try new things, even if it’s not easy. This means that you should offer something new, like a product or service. The idea is that you want people to notice you in a good way, not just as a business lurking in the background. You will get the attention you need if you are bold, brave, and stand out from the crowd. If you can keep a positive attitude, this should give you something the others don’t have and help your business grow.

Marketing Is Key:

Marketing is the key to the success of your business. If you don’t market your business, no one will know who you are or what you can do for them. They don’t know what makes you the best or how well you do what you do. It’s up to you to tell them, and marketing is there to help you do that. Make sure you’re using various methods of marketing across a wide variety of platforms so you can achieve a greater audience reach.

Make this new year the best ever for your business with the simple strategies above!

Featured Image By: The Coach Space

Jan19

5 Advantages Of Employee Uniforms

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5 Advantages Of Employee Uniforms

Employee uniforms are sometimes looked at with disdain. People don’t like the thought of them as it reminds them of going to school. However, there are some genuine advantages of employee uniforms that you don’t see if everyone wears their own clothes to work. If you run a business and are interested in doing whatever you can to improve it, perhaps you should consider investing in uniforms. If you do, you might see the following benefits:

Maintain a strong brand image:

It is much easier to maintain a solid brand image when your employees are in uniform. Everyone’s wearing the same clothes and they look professional. When everyone comes to work in plain clothes, it’s harder to maintain your image since we’re all individuals with our own sense of style. Even if you set a dress code, people can turn up in different outfits to reflect their unique fashion choices. It can create a workplace that looks a bit jumbled and doesn’t produce a consistent image. Work uniforms prevent this by making everyone wear something that accurately puts across the brand image you wish to showcase.

Advertise your company for free:

Employees can choose to get changed at work – or, they can wear their uniform on the commute. It’s a really clever idea to get things like hoodies or jackets for them to wear when it’s cold or wet. The benefit of this is that they broadcast your brand to everyone for free. Effectively, they’re walking advertisements for your business. Places like Mato & Hash let you create customized T-shirts and clothing that can be emblazoned with your brand logo. You could even print things on the back, such as contact details or your website. As you and your employees go on lunch breaks or commute to/from work, people will see your logo and contact details, and you just might gain some new leads.

Create a better workplace culture:

Uniforms make people feel like they’re part of a team. As a result, you can foster a better workplace culture where everyone feels a sense of togetherness. Think about it, where else will you see uniforms outside of the workplace? Primarily, it will be sports teams that wear them. So, if your employees are all wearing the same things, they genuinely feel like more of a unit. It’s a psychological thing; everyone feels part of a pack. It can also help people stay more connected to your company and buy into the company culture. When everyone turns up in their own clothes, there’s definitely more of a disassociation from the company and its culture.

Avoid confusion:

In certain workplace settings, you’ll encounter customers every day. They can walk through a store or come to your office for a meeting. Either way, employee uniforms help to avoid any confusion as to who works at your company. Customers and potential customers can quickly identify who your workers are. Consequently, it’s easier for someone to ask for help or identify where they need to go. Even in an office setting, seeing a room full of people in the same branded uniform removes any confusion from someone’s mind. They won’t have to awkwardly check that they’re in the right place; it’s clear that they are as they see your brand on everyone’s tops!

Prevent social anxiety:

This seems like a strange point, but there’s a lot of social anxiety surrounding what to wear to work. Employees can spend ages every morning figuring out what to wear. Do they wear the same thing twice and risk someone noticing and saying something? What if people make fun of their clothes? It sounds unlikely, but this can happen. Even if nobody actually says anything about someone’s attire, there’s always the element of anxiety in figuring out what to wear. By giving your employees uniforms, you make them all equals. They won’t have this sense of worry every morning as they know they can wear what everyone else is wearing.

Overall, you can see how employee uniforms are beneficial for businesses. As a bonus, you could save money for your workers too. Instead of spending cash on work clothes, they get uniforms for free. If people enjoy wearing the uniforms, you will see all of the benefits and no drawbacks.

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