How to not let your colleagues make you feel like a skiver

How to not let your colleagues make you feel like a skiver

There’s nothing more irritating than doing your job (really well!), working your contracted hours and being made to feel like you’re doing something wrong because you’re leaving on time.

But how do you manage that when you’re colleagues are constantly making comments that make you feel like you’re letting the side down, or aren’t doing enough?

5 ways to live (happily) on one income…

5 ways to live (happily) on one income…

No one plans to be a single parent, but the reality is true for many mums (and dads) in the UK and the world over. And likewise no one plans for the one steady income coming home (we’re talking about couples in this instance) to get cut though redundancy, companies folding, or losing big contract.

In the UK, there are 1.8 million single parent households, and 650,000 of these homes bring in no money outside of benefits. It’s clear then that if you find yourself in this situation, you really aren’t alone.

But what can you do to stay afloat and not drawn in the cost of living? Getting a job seems the obvious option, but that can take a while…here are some immediate things you can do to survive on one income (even if it is just benefits).

8 must-haves for every busy parent’s car boot

8 must-haves for every busy parent’s car boot

Look into the back of the boots of a busy um’s car and there are usually two distinct types: the super tidy and the fashionably disorganised.

Whichever type you are, here are some tips on what should be in your car boot, so you don’t have to feel guilty if yours looks bare, and to give you the comfort to declutter if yours has one of everything in it.

Monotasking for busy working parents

Monotasking for busy working parents

Yesterday, we touched on the need to strip back a little and ditch multitasking…if you missed it, you can read the article here.

I’ll go into a bit more detail today about exactly what monotasking is and how to start.

Looking for a diary that works with an app? You’ll love this one!

Looking for a diary that works with an app? You’ll love this one!

There’s an app for just about everything today – whether you own an iPhone, Android or Windows phone, there is something to distract you at some point in the day. Serious working mums will know that using a diary system of some sort is very beneficial, but life happens, and sometimes things get lost, or your leave it at home because you’ve changed your bag…or an important page gets ripped out by your toddler.

5 habits of highly organised people…and how you can become one, too

5 habits of highly organised people…and how you can become one, too

We all know someone who seems to be on top of everything in their lives – the children are ferried to and fro without any issue, they get to work early (never mind on time), they always look immaculate and they never seem to break out in a sweat.

If that description sounds like you, then hats off to you – and please send your tips into us here at Mothers Who Work Towers; but if it doesn’t read on to see how you, too, can become an organisation machine.

Is your home dirty? Here are 7 tips to make sure you don’t

Is your home dirty? Here are 7 tips to make sure you don’t

Morning rush. Commute. Work. Commute again. Afternoon rush. Children. Housework…or just about. Little sleep.

This is the way that the day starts for many working mums – even those who are self employed. How we keep the many balls we juggle in the air is a mystery to many bystanders. But little do they know what gets left undone or pushed into a hiding cupboard of box away from prying visitor eyes.

6 ways to have a more meangingful maternity leave

6 ways to have a more meangingful maternity leave

Maternity leave can be over and done before you know it. It’s one time in your baby’s life (and yours for that matter!) that you can’t buy back. Use it wisely, and you’ll get the rest and balance you need before going back to work. Here are some tips to make your maternity leave more meaningful.

Get your ship in order: How to lessen the load as a working mum

Get your ship in order: How to lessen the load as a working mum

Forget all notions about being Superwoman. By now, you’ll know that it was fictitious and she didn’t have children anyway!

Being a working mum takes some effort. All the juggling of childcare, shopping, work commitments, social activities for the children, and then just taking a breath for yourself can be exhausting.

How to prioritise when everything is a priority – 5 steps that will (hopefully) change your life

How to prioritise when everything is a priority – 5 steps that will (hopefully) change your life

There are days when you need a priority list for your…priority list. Everything seems important and it just doesn’t seem right to give one thing all your attention when you have one or two other items on your to-do list that have equal importance.

There is no magic cure to this, so don’t get disappointed if this article doesn’t tell you to ditch your annual returns in exchange for something else, for example. but here are five tips you can consider when you really do need to get on top of your to-do list:

How to get organised and stop losing things

How to get organised and stop losing things

You know how this story goes…you’re in a rush to get the children and yourself out of the door, then you realise you can’t find your keys, or your mobile phone, or your purse. You spin around for a while like a dog chasing its tail, while everyone asks you where you put if last (very helpful question, that one!).

Asking for a pay rise this year? Here’s how…

Asking for a pay rise this year? Here’s how…

Thinking of asking your employer for a much-needed pay rise but just don’t have the confidence to do it in case you fall flat on your face? In a series of articles from ” by xxxx, we will be serialising the steps you can take to muster up the confidence and assertiveness to ask for what you deserve.

The four relationship New Year’s resolutions you should be making for 2015

The four relationship New Year’s resolutions you should be making for 2015

As the year draws to a close and we all start to reflect on the past twelve months, resolutions to transform or improve your life within the following year are hot on your mind. However, many of us forget about the other areas in our lives that could also use some work and attention.

How to deal with the stress of family this Christmas

Christmas the time of year that everyone above the age of fourteen becomes stressed, tired and skint. So when the big day finally comes around and the house is full of friends, relatives and those family members you spend all year trying to avoid, things can quickly become chaos.

Four simple ways to organise your Christmas and save money

Four simple ways to organise your Christmas and save money

Christmas is probably the most anticipated, joyous and expense-filled seasons of the year.

With an abundance of presents, food and decorations to purchase, it can easily become an overwhelming and exasperating experience.

Three ways to maximise your free time at home

Three ways to maximise your free time at home

Some people view their free time at home as just a precious respite from work, the kids or other responsibilities that they may have. However, your home is the most perfect place to explore new interests and ideas.

Five online tools you’re probably not using in your business, but should be

Five online tools you’re probably not using in your business, but should be

When starting up your own business, it is important to take advantage of the wide range of online tools at your disposal. From comparison sites to cloud services, there are a multitude of services you can utilise to make your start-up more efficient and more profitable.

Here we look at five of the online tools all start-ups should be using.

Do you know the penalty of missing a tax return deadline?

Do you know the penalty of missing a tax return deadline?

With the impending Self Assessment tax return deadline approaching, Heather Dore, Regional Manager of Easy Accountancy answers some crucial and commonly asked tax return questions from her clients who are self-employed or higher income parents.

My partner and I have two children and we both work full-time earning over £50,000 a year. We receive child benefit and so I understand that we need to complete a tax return. As we are both earning over the threshold do we both need to complete a tax return?