2010 as many of us may know was still a pretty rough year for the economy. Many individuals were laid off or lost their jobs completely.  Now beginning a new year, many are still unemployed and are unable to find a good job to support themselves or their family. Hopefully we will see a change this year allowing more jobs to become available.

What if you are still unemployed?  You may be thinking “how can I get through this without being pessimistic?”

As I mentioned in a previous post about possibly working from home, this may be an ideal option if you are currently unemployed and your hopes are still high.  At this rate some income is better than none right?  At least if you get something small you can still search for the right full time or part time job for you.

Maybe you are at the opposite end of the spectrum and your hopes or no longer high but have gradually faded.  Your job search seems like it has hit a wall and you are stuck and completely frustrated.  Don’t despair, I recently read a fabulous article by Charlotte B. over at Helium.  She gives some pretty solid advice about dealing with unemployment that I would briefly like to share with you.

5 Tips for dealing with unemployment

1. Don’t give up hope, continue searching!  As soon as you find yourself unemployed don’t sit back and wait for the right job.  You have to take the initiative to stay positive and keep searching.  Check out this job loss checklist over at About.
2. Prioritize your bills and live within or below your means.  Don’t go out and spend money you no longer have, this will just land you into debt troubles etc.  Here are some excellent tips over at Mark and Angel.
3. Be job ready!  Get your resume and portfolio updated as soon as possible so that you can start submitting with job applications ASAP.  Go to job ready training for information.
4. Don’t be unrealistic.  Don’t apply for jobs that you are not qualified to do.  If you want to change careers then consider returning to school and apply for financial aid in the process.  Don’t do this until you find a job that you are accustomed to in the mean time.  Check out Olivia Busta for her article on unrealistic job expectations.
5. Take time out for yourself.  Even though you may not have any money to splurge on yourself, think about joining a club or be a volunteer for an organization.  Staying proactive will also help you stay motivated instead of becoming a jobless couch potato.

Hopefully, if you are currently unemployed these tips will give you some sort of encouragement.  Don’t give up hope.  You may have to forego a job you are qualified to do for a job you never considered applying for like working at a fast food restaurant until you do find the right job for you.  Hey, it’s an honest living right?  And there is no shame in that whatsoever.  It’s definitely a humbling experience when you find yourself taking a step backwards in your career goals.  This definitely doesn’t make you any less of a person and don’t pay any attention to those who may look down on you for your choices.  You have to do what is best for you and your family.  Keep pressing on and in the end it will work out for you.

Are you currently dealing with unemployment?  How are you dealing and what steps have you taken to find a job?  Please share your story with us, we would love to hear from you.

Okay fellow moms, with your busy school and family schedules, do you find that your hair is becoming dull and less manageable?

I know that there will be days when my hair will not look quite right being far from fabulous, but who has the time to even do that?  Well, let us not forget that we are not only moms, we are also women!  We have a right to want to feel beautiful and we also have a right to spend some quality time on our hair. If you find that you just cannot break away to give your hair that quality attention here are some basic hair care tips that I found really helps me.  F.Y.I,  I have long hair (to the middle of my back) so most of the time you will see it back in a ponytail or bun to keep it out of my face.  If it is down, it is just lifeless.  Check out my busy mom hair care solutions below. I believe it can work on any length and hair type.

Hair Care Solutions

1. Wash your hair once a day with your favorite shampoo. It doesn’t have to be expensive or fancy, might I suggest Suave hair care products.  It is inexpensive yet like the commercial, “your hair truly likes like you have stepped out of a salon.”
2. Use a creamy conditioner.  Be sure the conditioner is the same brand of shampoo you use since it is formulated to work best with your shampoo.  Let the conditioner stand in your hair for 1-2 minutes.  The conditioning treatment will strengthen and soften your hair.  Rinse very thoroughly.  If your hair is frizzy or dry, try buying products that state what it will do for your hair for best results.  This is also important for color treated hair.
3. After your hair has been washed and conditioned, towel or blow dry your hair and style to your liking.  Be sure to brush or comb your hair during the drying process and after, this will add body to your hair and keep it soft and manageable.
4. Try avoiding heavy hair care products like hair spray, gels, etc.  These products can build up in your hair over time damaging your hair.  If you must use a styling product consider very little hair mousse or gel to add body.

From experience, sticking to these solutions has helped my hair not appear so out of control or dull when I don’t have a lot of time to spend on it!  It is so hard to achieve gorgeous hair 7 days a week.

Do you have any hair solutions or tips you can share with us?  What works for you even when you don’t have the time to make your hair look shiny and fabulous?  I look forward to you sharing with us.

5 Studying Tips

1. If you have little ones that take naps, make this time your study time. At least you can get some peace and quiet for one to two hours.
2. Study after the children are in bed. Turn off the TV and or radio, go to your favorite comfortable spot and study as much as needed.
3. Condense all of your study notes onto one to two pages, etc.
   so that you’re not scattered all over and feeling overwhelmed.  This will help you keep your focus on the materials that you have to know prior to a test. Making it easier on yourself is key, especially as a mom.
4. Don’t over-study! If you over-study, you may become lethargic which makes it harder to focus.  Study enough that you know the material then move on.  You should do great on the tests using this method.
5. Get a study buddy. Sometimes studying with a partner makes studying time go by quicker and you may learn faster than if you study alone. This, of course, is up to you since some prefer to study alone.

How about you?  Do you have any study tips or advice that seems to work for you or has worked for you in the past? Please feel free to share in the comments. The more studying tips for moms, the merrier.

If you want more tips on better studying habits go to Study Tips for more information.