I cannot work without childcare of some kind. I cannot easily find reliable childcare in the rural Alaska community where I live. Without someone with my toddler during the days, providing her with undivided attention, my work day is fragmented and frustratingly unproductive.

So for the last month, I’ve been exploring the concept of a nanny living in our home. Trying to figure out the logistics of it nearly gave me a nervous breakdown.

First, where would she sleep? In order to accommodate her, the only logical space is our double home-office/recording studio in the basement which means finding a place for two desks and all of our equipment. We could move the upstairs guest room set up downstairs to be the nanny sleeping quarters, but our two desks would never fit in the upstairs guest room. My husband offered to move his desk to the weight room when he realized how crazed I was becoming trying to work out the details.

We couldn’t have the nanny sleep in the upstairs guestroom because then when in the world would my husband and I have sex? We’ve mastered the “we’ve got a toddler who could walk in any moment so we really should get that bedroom door lock fixed,” but the hubby knows that when we have guests, our home is a sex-free zone unless we can find a time when nobody is within earshot.
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by guest blogger Gina Blitstein

Have you ever been so busy, stressed, tired and overwhelmed by the sheer pace of your life, work and obligations that you lose all perspective of your self-worth? It seems the more hectic our lives become, the less chance we have to take stock of all that we do accomplish.

Everyone is busy these days, of this there is no doubt. Whether you’re a mom, CEO, WAHM or all of the above…chances are you’re operating at full capacity - or more. You are constantly bombarded with a never-ending stream of schedules, projects and details all requiring your attention and action.

When we are physically, intellectually and emotionally overstressed, we cannot see clearly or appreciate all that we do because it is lost in a blur, says Sylvia Warren, MBA and Consciousness Coach at Simply the Best Coaching.

“This leaves accomplished professionals feeling like they are not productive or effective enough, says Sylvia. “When I hear these concerns, I know these clients are suffering from a modern day work malaise I call Achievement Amnesia: no instant recall of achievements or successes.”
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this interview was conducted by pro-blogger Gina Blitstein

In the busy lives we all lead, we are barraged with a continuous stream of opportunities to take on more projects, more responsibilities and more tasks. If you’re like most women, between family and work obligations you squeeze in a plethora of other activities until - and despite the fact - you are feeling completely swamped and overwhelmed. Is this really the way to live your best life?

Ideally you want to have time among the many things you must and should do for some ‘want to’ time. You need time to spend on things that define your life as your own. We often unquestioningly accept every task asked of us - no matter how busy we already are. This stretches us too thin, depriving us of the ability to focus on our own priorities, like ourselves, our relationships and our passions, personal and professional.

Is it possible to claim more control over how you live your life? According to author Elizabeth Cogswell Baskin, the answer is not only, “Yes,” but “Hell, Yes!” In her new book, Hell Yes! Two Little Words for a Simpler, Happier Life, Elizabeth provides a strategy for taking control of the overwhelming demands on our time, attention and energy. Do you do too much? Then Elizabeth has some straightforward advice for you. She says that for those decisions over which we do have control, we should ask ourselves, “Is this a Hell, Yes! for me? In other words, is this something I have the desire, ability and time to take on? If not, Elizabeth advises that the answer is as simple as, “Hell, No!”
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I am still in love with my iPhone. It has been over a year now since I finally got out of a ridiculously binding two year cellular phone contract with a local provider (no moving clause so when I was moving out of cell service range, I was still going to have to pay monthly fees for the phone). The moment my contract expired, I raced to the AT&T store to join the ranks of iPhone devotees.

My iPhone is packed to the max with apps, four screens for me, four filled with educational games for my toddler (spelling, animals, colors, shapes, jigsaw puzzles, drawing, numbers). My iTunes is jammed with dozens of more apps that won’t fit on my iPhone but that I swap in and out depending on my current needs.

On any typical day, I use my iPhone for far more than just phone calls.

Here is what yesterday looked like for my iPhone:

8am - Sync CalenGoo app with my Google Calendar

9am - Tweet about heading to Anchorage. Give kudos to my favorite podcasters.

10am - Check email once more before heading out on the road for the seven hour drive to Anchorage.

10:15am - Call business partner before getting out of cell range.
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Are you still aspiring to go out on your own in business? What about a freelance business? Blogger Maia Nolan spoke with Michelle Goodman about diving into a freelancer’s life.

Nearly two decades ago, Michelle Goodman dove headfirst into full-time freelance writing. Although there were bumps along the way, Goodman has managed to come out on top, and in her new book, My So-Called Freelance Life, she has assembled her hard-earned knowledge into a step-by-step guide for fledgling freelancers in all fields. Goodman (who is also the author of The Anti 9-to-5 Guide) graciously carved some time out of her hectic schedule this week to share some of her insight with Entrepreneur Mom:

What keeps smart, talented women from taking the plunge into full-time freelancing? And how do we get over it?

Fear of not having enough work. Fear of having to sell yourself. Fear of making mistakes. Fear of having to buy your own health insurance, set up your own retirement fund, and deal with all the legal and tax aspects yourself.
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