You wake up 5am. Look at your clock & grown. Your entire body hurts, you can’t breath, & your throat feels like you swallowed an SOS pad. You want to stay in bed, but the sheer thought of having to call in or find a replacement makes your head spin worse than it already is. Not to mention they took away sick days in an effort to stream line the budget this year.

So, you drag your half  living fever toting self out of bed & get ready for work. In the shower you think again “I really should stay home-Manager Bob did say to stay home if we were sick at last months pot luck staff meeting.) However fallowing Suzie from accounting’s bean dip, he also stressed the importance of this months deadlines & that we could all be replaced in this market for less money & in 10 seconds.

Yup, You have to go in. You probably will be less than helpful, people will avoid you at the water cooler, & this day will no doubt be a blurr by 5:00pm, but you have to make an effort if you want to keep your job.

So you pull it together take more cold medicine than you should be driving on, & head to the office. No one tells you to go home, because they don’t want to share the load, but they are happy to sneer at you & chit chat behind your back. “OMG why did she come in today I better not get sick”

Manager Bob comments on your tired look, but hands you a new assignment before you finish your ” Yeah I am not feeling so well response”  with a thumbs up & no eye contact he leaves your office.

 You drudge through the Swine Flu prepairdness plan manager Bob needs on his desk by five so he can present it to the board over dinner. You Sneeze on the folder twice & once more for good measure. You deliver it to manager Bob at 4:45 pace the halls until 5:00pm!

You made it. Your drive home is a fuzzy memory, you slip into your favorite jamiez, order pizza for the family & climb into bed.

5am “o crap this lasts 7days ” Luckly the board all woke up this morning

 feeling like death so manager Bob wont be in today!

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Recently the much awaited Shriver Report has gotten alot of attention. It seems to be serving as a wake up call to what us working women already knew. The game has changed! In large part because of women & our changing rolls. If you are a women this day in age, especially a working mom I would encourage you to partake in the conversation.

All this week NBC is spotlighting the report, the issues, & the author. You can fallow along by going to www.women.msnbc.com  or purchase the report  from http://awomansnation.com/index.php in ebook form or print on demand.

This is a high power report that brings to light a nation of women. It opens the dialog and spot lights those women who have been doing it for years. Bringing these issues to the for front in such a brilliant format has demanded attentioand is not the same burn your bra feet stomping rally that people have turned a deaf ear to for years now. Finally a brilliant women with a calm, studied voice speaks volumes for us all to the masses.  I highly recommend it & welcome any feed back from my fellow working women.

By Heather Boushey and Ann O’Leary

This report describes how a woman’s nation changes everything about how we live and work today. Now for the first time in our nation’s history, women are half of all U.S. workers and mothers are the primary breadwinners or co-breadwinners in nearly two-thirds of American families. This is a dramatic shift from just a generation ago (in 1967 women made up only one-third of all workers). It changes how women spend their days and has a ripple effect that reverberates throughout our nation. It fundamentally changes how we all work and live, not just women but also their families, their co-workers, their bosses, their faith institutions, and their communities.

Quite simply, women as half of all workers changes everything.

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Next week is one of my most beloved holidays. My definition of celebrating Halloween is based on one thing……CHOCOLATE! ohh yeah mama it’s those giant bags of mini chocolate bars that really get me going! I also love to play dress up & am and always will be a child at heart. I work pretty much from home now so I miss out on office parties & co-worker candy co-ops but all the years in varied settings have taught me a few things.

When it comes to the office environment the attitudes vary & I have found that you really have to scope out what is acceptable & what’s not. Of course so many things come into play here I cannot mention them all. But your work place, type, atmosphere, & area all come have an important roll to play in the participation of any holiday.

So if you love the costumes & sweets you had better find out this week what will be accepted next week before you go buy a thriller MJ costume. If you do happen to buy candy that is not allowed it’s ok, just send it to me:)

Happy Halloween office goes!

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I came across a wheel chart that I found to be interesting the other day. Probably created by a very well balanced man with no children!

I don’t know about you but mine looks a lot different. Well maybe it looks like this but cut out the me time & friend time & well every part but kids & work!

What does balance mean to you? What does your look like?

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 There is a gal Ihave coffee with sometimes that works outside the home in a pretty high power position at a local corporate office in our city. At our last coffee date she was sharing her feelings on an interesting dynamic that plays out at least once a week in her office.

You see my friend is a working mom who works in a mostly male industry, every Friday night or some times Mondays the men in her team go out for drinks to unwind from their hectic day. They use to invite her but after many no thank you’s from my friend they don’t attempt any more.

Why may you ask is she not taking them up on the much deserved cocktail? Well while she worked as hard if not harder than her male counterparts she still has to rush to pick up her kids, go to sports, & get dinner on the table for her family.

There is no dinner & the game waiting for her at home, unless she went home at lunch to prepair it & set the Tevo.  My friend was not complaining but making an observation that I have seen time & time again.

Have we really come all that far?  Or have we just set a standard so high of what we can & need to do that eventually we will all burn out? Not sure but I do know this if one of those guys had to run the same race at 5:00 that we do they might not stay for drinks with the guys & call their wife to see if they could lend a hand

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As a stay at home mom that has to pony up a pay check as well, I have had to make some adjustments this past year to make ends meet. The Business that has brought me income  for the past 5 years has finally felt the wave of recession. I had all my eggs in one basket for the most part & that meant that I was left with a big whole when the eggs broke.

Of course this recession has taught us all to save more spend less & be smart, but as moms-or for me at least. It has taught me to diversify, my efforts so that I have more than one leg to stand on if things get shaky.

I have decided to some childcare, as well as a side sewing & design biz, and some free lance writing. It is not as easy or as cut & dry, but it is working for us & due to the times  I don’t really feel I have choice but to get creative.

The more I talk to other working moms SAHM or WAFH alike are having to make big changes & finding financial security in several places at once. 

If you are looking for some extra cash try direct sales, or a start your own creative biz, part time child care can be good, or try doing some retail part time at your favorite store for the discount!

It may be a sign of the times, but the fact of the matter is that most moms these days have to work it too & I am no exception! Good luck & happy diversifying!!!!

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Spending all day in a gray box can make anyone go bonkers. I suggest you spice up your cube of the world !  Creating a space that makes you feel comfortable & creative is proven to increase your productivity & sanity!

Of course check with you boss first to make sure this kind of decorating is ok, and fallow the tone of the rest of the office. I also suggest not getting too  personal with your nick knacks.  Maybe airing your love for the Xbox might not be the best choice for a teacher ! You get it!

So have fun & get creative with your space this week

-Work Happy Women

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Often times we want to do something sweet for our co-workers. Whether it is a birthday or a baby there  always seems to be something we are chipping in for. This is all very fine & well, but what if you can’t chip in? Or you already purchased something else for that person outside of the flowers, candy, or lunch everyone is pitching for?

Well if you are like me you just get guilted into throwing into the pot, by the persuasive ,and all too perky secretary in charge of this annoying little ritual. I realize her goal in life is to alphabetise everythimg & remember the names of all the Jonas brothers. But outside of that I am pretty sure it is her mission to make sure that no employee goes with out a coffee mug or office t-shirt for every occasion.

I am just going to say it! I think this is stupid!! There I feel much better. I will probably still be playing along withthe gift giving circus at my office for years to come. But I just want to be put on record that I am against the preasure people feel to chip for a meaningless gift for the guy in accounting that we really don’t even care for.

P.S. Happy birthday Bob hope you like your new mouse pad

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These days many offices are recognizing pets as a vital part of the 9-5! If you are  in an office with a Fido friendly policy & you are thinking of taking your four legged friend in this week. Here are some great tips for making your pets trip to the grind a pleasant one.

• Take only well-behaved pets who are comfortable and reliably safe around strangers. Leave pets who show aggressive tendencies towards people at home.
• Supervise pets closely. Each owner needs to act responsibly. Dogs must be kept on leash, and/or in a closed office or cubicle, or in a crate.
• Be respectful of people with allergies and those who are uncomfortable around dogs.

Personally I am not sure if this would be a good idea or not? Office politics are crazy enough as it is, throw peoples pets into it & that might just be asking for trouble. Not to mention the possible scandal when Bob from accounting’s pointer meets Shelly from marketing’s poodle in the copy room!

Never the less pets are wonderful & if they make your work place a happy one than right on.

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Sick of the same old song & dance? Try this site out! Full of exciting & challenging jobs!  Cool Works is  site designed to help you find the anti cubical gig, and has lots to offer!

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