If you were in the United States last week, there’s a good chance you’ve experienced being snowed in.  While snow days are great for relaxing and being lazy, at the frequency that they’re happening–it may help to learn some strategies for staying energized in case you are working from home or trying to entertain your children.

Get dressed! It’s hard to get much accomplished in your pajamas because your brain is wired for lounging when you’re wearing them so get dressed and brush your hair so you don’t fall into sleep mode.

Stay on your regular schedule. Try to stay on a housebound version of your normal routine.  Plan activities for the kids (if they need it) so that you don’t fall too behind.

Tackle some of those household things you’ve been putting off. One of the best ways to get energized is by checking things off your to-do list.  Use your inability to leave your house to your advantage!

Drink plenty of water. Winter weather is dehydrating, give your body what it needs and it will thank you.

Play video games! Not the sedentary kind that turn you into a zombie, get out your wii of Kinect and bust a move.

We’d also love to hear how you’re coping with being stuck in the house.  Let us know in the comments!

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Call it power of positive thinking, call them affirmations, or mottoes, or whatever you want but there’s no doubt that a positive mantra can boost you up when you need the extra energy. Mantras, or simple chants, hold a subliminal power that when used properly lift your spirit and guide you towards your ultimate goals.

When it comes to energy and fitness, it can be tough to push through the final hours of the day or even the final few minutes of a workout. Finding the energy to keep going needs to come from within yourself.

But how do you find the energy you so desperately need within you?
Consider an energy mantra as your one stop, all day source of energy. Put your desired energy mantra in place and use it when you feel the strain of the day or the strain of the workout zap your energy level.

Discovering Your Energy Mantra

Mantras aren’t long winded verse. Rather, they are short phrases or even one word that symbolizes something of importance to you. Adjectives that can frame and describe your feelings and words that call you to action are best for a mantra. What feelings or strengths are you trying to achieve? Create a list of words or feelings that move you positively or reflect the kind of energy you want to have and put a few selections together to form short mantras that you can conjure up and repeat when you need a boost of energy.

The important thing is to remember to choose words that hold a meaning. For awhile you may want to write your mantras down or even program them into your cell phone so that you don’t forget them. Once you become accustomed to saying your energy mantras you won’t need your reminders anymore!
Psyching yourself up when you’re down can feel like a daunting task but once you have a couple of mantras in place to repeat and practice during those low energy times are the boost needed to move through whatever is weighing you down.

Nichole Smith is a freelance writer, Creator of The Guilty Parent , Community Manager for MothersClick, and Lifetime Moms Parenting Channel Leader. In her role as a work-from-home mom to four active children, she is a juggling and scheduling maven.

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As the year comes to a close, stress levels surprisingly can skyrocket. The holiday rush and the pressure of meeting annual deadlines and commitments can be quite stressful. Here is how you can deal with year-end stress, positively and peacefully.

Destress with Meditation and Relaxation

Meditation and relaxation techniques, such as yoga and tai chi, are the easiest way to calm the body and mind. Spending ten to fifteen minutes of quiet time each morning or evening is perfect for rejuvenating the mind. Even, if meditation is not your cup of tea, try to schedule some quiet time each day when you can just do what relaxes you.

Eat Healthy and Exercise

While the holidays are filled with calorie-rich foods, it is possible to stay healthy and eat a balanced diet. Getting enough fruits and vegetables will strengthen immunity while avoiding sugary and processed foods will prevent energy slumps and mood swings. Exercise is a natural stress-buster and can help boost energy and mood as well, so make time for a walk or some form of aerobic exercise.

Strengthen Your Support System

With deadlines and things-to-do piling up, it is essential to understand that you don’t have to do it all. Delegate. Ask for help. Say “no”. A support system of friends and family is not only great for getting things done but also for getting a much-needed dose of encouragement and love.

Stay Away from Stimulants

It can be tempting to overload the system with caffeine, alcohol or nicotine as you rush to meet commitments. However, while these stimulants may temporarily boost energy, they only result in heightened blood pressure, mood swings and energy slumps later on. So, rather than reducing stress, they can actually increase it. Avoid.

Sleep Stress Away

Getting a good night’s sleep can really help you do more during the day. If you don’t sleep well, chances are you won’t have the energy or stamina to cross things off your lists. Sleep will help the body recharge and will help you feel refreshed and energized enough to deal with year-end stress easily.

Eating well, sleeping enough, exercise and some quiet time as well as the company of friends and family can help you to deal with end of the year stressors and enter the New Year feeling fresh and energized.

Prerna Malik is a freelance writer and work-at-home mom who believes in staying healthy, the natural way. You can find out more about her at The Mom Writes.

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Every person has things in their life that make them feel happy, give them joy, and energizes them. It’s an amazing emotion to just know what things bring you joy and fill you up; what things get you pumped.

Unfortunately, not everyone knows what their energizers are. It can often be hard to nail down the interests and activities (or even thoughts) that get you up and raring to go. If you’re struggling to figure out what energizes you, read on for some thinking exercises that will spark your creativity and help you discover the passions and strengths that drive you.

Dig Into the Past – Often times our passions stem from what we enjoyed doing in the past. Remembering the past experiences that brought you great joy can be a pathway for discovering what energizes you today. Long dropped hobbies can be brought to the current life you’re living if it’s something that you took pleasure in years ago.

Create a “Happy” List – For this exercise you need to give yourself a quiet space, pen and paper and a little free time. Make a list that details the things that make you happy. Are you a morning person? Write it down with a brief description of what you like best about the morning. Are you a book lover or singer? List the books and songs that motivate you and lift your spirits. You may see a trend emerge with your list and be able to hone in your passions to create a unique set of things that tap into what invigorates you the most.

Define Your Responsibilities – Some people are energized in their daily tasks and work life. Find out what aspects of your job or your daily tasks speak to you in an uplifting and positive way. These can be focal points for discovering more in depth activities that will energize you as well.

Once you’ve found the things that rev you up, ask yourself what barriers are keeping you from truly enjoying these things. In many cases, it’s not that we don’t know what energizes us and uplifts us; it’s the things that get in the way of allowing us to feel good about these things. Let those barriers go! It is only after you understand how the barriers work against you, can you truly enjoying your passions in life.

Nichole Smith is a freelance writer, Creator of The Guilty Parent, Community Manager for MothersClick, and Lifetime Moms Parenting Channel Leader. In her role as a work-from-home mom to four active children, she has learned the fine art of juggling work and life one day at a time with a healthy dose of humor and patience.

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Feel like you don’t have the energy to wake up? Exhausted just by the thought of going to work? Well, you’re not alone. In this age of multi-tasking, modern technology and hectic living, there are many who feel this way. Here are some of the reasons why you may be feeling so drained of energy and tired.

Lack of Sleep

Keeping long hours at work, taking on too much or simply being unable to unwind and sleep deeply can result in tiredness and exhaustion.

Simple changes that can help you sleep better

• meditating
• sleeping at the same time each night
• removing stimulants, like the television, from the bedroom

Dehydration and Dieting Can Sap Your Energy

Being on a diet, especially one with no carbs or fats, can leave you feeling exhausted in the middle of the day.

• Instead, choose to lose weight by eating a healthy, balanced diet and making breakfast a priority.
• Eat healthy snacks, like nuts, through the day to keep energy levels up.
• Stay hydrated since lack of water leads to exhaustion and fatigue.

Medical Conditions Can Cause Tiredness

Several medical conditions list exhaustion as one of the symptoms. Anemia, thyroid disorders, diabetes, UTI, fibromyalgia, depression and even, heart disease are just a few of these conditions. If you’re doing everything right and still feeling drained, you may want to talk your doctor about being tested.

Lifestyle Factors

Working in shifts, caffeine and lack of exercise can all lead to feeling tired. Shifts where you sleep during the day and work during the night interfere with the body’s natural sleep cycle and can lead to exhaustion during the day. Caffeine is great for a kick-start but when you have too much of it, it can actually cause tiredness. The same is true for sugar, which gives you instant energy followed by a slump. Avoid overdoing either of these to feel better through the day. Get adequate exercise to up energy levels and reduce tiredness.

Taking a good look at your diet, health and lifestyle can help you to battle exhaustion and overcome tiredness easily. Eating right, staying hydrated, getting enough sleep and exercise, and ruling out medical conditions can help you be more active, energized and alert all through the day.

Prerna Malik is a freelance writer and work-at-home mom who believes in staying healthy, the natural way. You can find out more about her at The Mom Writes.

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Have you started searching for the “perfect” gifts yet?  Gift giving does not have to be stressful or daunting.  Create memories and give the gift that keeps on giving–happiness.

3 Tips For Giving Happiness-inducing Gifts

1. Buy Memories – vacation, concerts, experiences…

2. Give the Gift of Learning - classes, books

3. Be Charitable – donations, volunteer together

Short on cash?  We love this free idea, that is always in season:

• Free: Paying attention

The practice of mindfulness can help slow the fade of the pleasure you get from a new purchase. Each time you put on that sweet leather jacket — the one that feels like butter and smells like hope — take a beat to relish it anew, savor its suppleness as though it were the first time you’d ever had the pleasure. Tonight, take a moment to admire the curve of your wife’s neck. Listen, carefully, to every word your daughter says. Tomorrow morning, focus, for a moment, on the smell of wet leaves. Academic studies endorse your grandmother’s advice: Count your blessings. read more

What has been the your favorite gift to give or recieve? What do you think about these suggestions? We’d love to hear about in the comments!

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We’ve all felt the afternoon slump that can send us running to vending machines for a soda pop. Or what about those commercials for energy drinks that promise to revive us when we’re feeling down? The problem with most of these quick-fix items is the effect they can have on our blood sugar levels, metabolism, break your diet through too many calories or cause problems with the hormone processes in the body.

Even caffeine can overstimulate the body, causing a crash later. These quick energy boosting tips will help revitalize you when you need a boost, without causing a jolting crash, or health problems, later down the road.

Eat Small, Frequent Meals

Research seems to suggest that a large, heavy meal can cause you to feel sluggish and fatigued as your body works overtime to digest the meal. Plus infrequent meals can cause blood sugar spikes and dips that contribute to a lack of energy. By eating small but frequent and healthy meals you can keep your energy levels up throughout the day and will be less likely to overindulge later.

Include Mineral, Iron and Vitamin Rich Foods in Your Diet

Even mild iron deficiencies, known as anemia, can cause feelings of fatigue and general “run-down” blahs – especially for women of childbearing age. Foods rich in iron include meats, eggs, dark leafy greens like kale, spinach and mustard greens. Eating vitamin rich foods can help increase your body’s use of other vitamins (for example, vitamin C increases your ability to absorb iron) and will help your body function at it’s best.

B Vitamins are known to help prevent fatigue and increase our feeling of energy also, and you can do a lot to add sufficient B vitamins to your diet through foods. [Energy Dots are natural energy: B12 Boost + Phenynalaline & Malic Acid combine] Increase the amount of eggs, whole wheat (wheat germ is high in B vitamins) and whole grains, avocado, nuts, and leafy green vegetables in your daily foods to ensure that you get a healthy amount of vitamins and minerals.

Take a Brief Exercise or Stretch Break

Yes I know you’re busy. You might not think you have time, or room, but studies show that when workers take ample break times they are more productive. Why? Well we aren’t sure but it seems that the increase in oxygen, and the movement not only wakes us up, but helps us think more clearly and feel more energized.

Perhaps instead of heading to the coffee machine at 2 o’clock you can grab a handful of nuts, drink a glass of water, and go for a brisk walk around the office building. Eating healthy snacks, staying hydrated, and getting up to move on a regular basis can boost your energy levels without causing harmful crashes later.

Angela England is a freelance writer, Founder of Untrained Housewife and Editor-in-Chief of Blissfully Domestic. As a work-from-home mother of four children she is a master of hectic workweeks.

Sometimes your creative muse hides. Or stands there, silent, just starting at you. Here are some quick tips for encouraging creative thinking.

1. Do Something Else to Get Out of the Rut – Are you stuck in a rut? Facing writer’s block or just generally feeling “blah” about what you’re working on? Get up and walk away from that project and do something else. Sing a song. Plant something in the garden. Play with your kids. Often you’ll experience a breakthrough during other, seemingly ordinary activities.
2. Keep a Journal – If you haven’t tried keeping a journal, it can be an excellent way to increase creativity. Jot down any ideas that pop into your head. Record distractions so you can mentally release them and clear your head.
3. Feed Your Creativity – Feed your creativity, by properly feeding your body. Good food is brain food. Eating high fat, dense and hard to digest foods, can create sluggish bodies and sluggish minds – hardly the best for creative thinking! Quality food, high in nutrients and fiber, can help the mind work more effectively.
4. Don’t Self-Edit Until the Rough Draft is Finished – Sometimes writers, artists and other creative thinkers can start editing the second they put something out there….a single sentence is edited ten times over before they start another. This can severely limit creative thinking and won’t allow for freedom of expression. I’ve found that I can write much more effectively if I just get everything out first, and edit afterwards.
5. Make Yourself Comfortable – It’s hard to concentrate if you are distracted by a cluttered desk, noisy neighbors or other craziness. While some interruptions may be unavoidable, other distractions can be eliminated to enhance creativity. So light a candle, play some favorite tunes, and turn off the phone ringer while you work creatively.
6. Harness the Power of Touch – A warm, loving touch increases oxytocin, a powerful stress-relief hormone that increases our sense of well-being. So if your creativity flow is diminished and you need a quick pick-me-up try getting a hug from a child, spouse or friend. Or snuggle with a pet as even a cat or dog can increase oxytocin.

These are just a few simple tips for increasing creativity and thinking outside the box. What else do you do to get your creative juices flowing?

Angela England is a freelance writer, Founder of Untrained Housewife and Editor-in-Chief of Blissfully Domestic . As a work-from-home mother of four children she is a master of hectic workweeks.

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Moms can get burnt out so easily. I know that I am as guilty as the next mom of pushing myself too hard for too long until I just. stop.

You know those articles about emergency preparedness that suggest filling your car up when your tank is ½ full, so you’ll be prepared for the unexpected? What I’ve found is that by filling myself every so often, before I get too far on “E”, I can keep my tank full enough to take care of my family.

Here are some ways that I have found useful to fill myself and recharge and refuel. Your list might look a little different and that’s ok.

Keep a Personal Journal – I love journals. The blank pages are just begging to be filled. I’m so neurotic I even have different journals for different things. Stenos to brainstorm ideas for articles. Blank, leather bound journals for personal thoughts. A cool red-paged journal for angry vents. Journals are cathartic and if I give myself time to write I feel better.

Soak in a Hot Bath – Cheap therapy, for sure, the hardest trick about this is to keep the kids out of the bathroom long enough to do any good. If I can get 15 minutes of quiet time for myself, I am a new woman.

Take a Walk – Outside. Breathing the fresh air, feeling the sun, hearing the birds…always guaranteed to make me feel better.

Dr Pepper. Or Chocolate – Sometimes you have to indulge just a little. Don’t we each have that little luxury item that picks us up simply because it is such a rarity? I save Dr Pepper runs for my errands days and consider it a reward for battling the stress of shopping, parking, paying, checking, banking, etc.

Exercise – Not out of guilt for the Dr Pepper I had two days ago, but because exercise helps burn up stress hormones. Getting active can clear your head, calm your anxiety and strengthen your body.

Meditation or Prayer – I find this challenging sometimes, so I usually keep a notebook close at hand (see the first entry) when I’m trying to pray. This allows me to jot down and get rid of distracting thoughts so I can focus on my spiritual life. Reconnecting with my spiritual side keeps me focused on the bigger picture, and less likely to burn out over life’s little stresses.

A Tickle Fight, A Good Joke, or a Wrestling Match – Sometimes laughter really is the best medicine. And kids love nothing more than to play with you, if you’re willing. Sometimes just getting down on the floor and letting loose is the best way to combat stress.

Remember the Important – Something I learned from my mother is that the urgent things are seldom the most important things. Urgent things seem so time sensitive they can easily take all our energy away from the truly important things. That fabulous dinner you are worried about burning is not nearly as important as the people who sit around the table to eat it with you.

Girl Time! – I love my kids as much as the next person. But I spend a LOT of time with them. And sometimes the best way to love my children is to have a get away with grown ups who don’t usually talk about body functions or climb all over me or pick their noses. (I said usually.) Having those connections boosts my spirits for the daily grind of motherhood once I’m back home and allows me to tackle the challenge with renewed enthusiasm.

What is your best tip for avoiding burn-out as a mom?

Angela England is a freelance writer, Founder of Untrained Housewife and Editor-in-Chief of Blissfully Domestic.  As a work-from-home mother of four children she is a master of hectic workweeks.

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We’ve all faced situations where we headed into a week knowing our time would be maxed out and it would be hard to get everything done.  The hectic workweek.  It can sap our productivity and energy if we let it.  Here are ten tips to help you stay on top of a crazy work schedule.

1. Assess Your Needs and Goals – If you know exactly what you need to accomplish this week, and what can be delayed for another time, you’ll have a clearer picture of your expectations.

2. Create a Plan of Action – Break the crazy big picture into smaller achievable steps. Then you’ll know what you need to tackle and an approximate time frame for getting it accomplished.

3. Delegate if You Can – Maybe this even means delegating something from your personal life, instead of a work-related task. Can a spouse or friend or local nearby restaurant cook dinner for you tonight instead of trying to do everything?

4. Stay Hydrated – Even mild dehydration can cause mental and physical fatigue. Stick with water or juices, and plenty of them!

5. Take a Moment for Yourself – A soak in the tub. A moment of prayer or meditation. A hot cup of herbal tea. Something that feeds your soul and refreshes your mind can help renew your outlook.

6. Watch the Strain on Your Body – Sitting at a computer or desk, can strain your body. You can’t work well Thursday if you’ve cricked your neck on Tuesday! Stand up and do some gentle stretching every 50-60 minutes to give your body a chance to recover.

7. Communicate With Loved Ones in Advance – I find my children are very understanding when I communicate ahead of time. “This week I have a big project to finish up so I’m going to be working very hard, and might be home late. Saturday I’ll be done and we can celebrate together.”

8. Involve Your Family’s Help – Along with communicating, touch base with them throughout the week as you conquer problems.  They will help keep things in perspective.  

9. Beware the Multi-Tasking Muddle! Sometimes it is tempting to get out every report, open every tab, or spread out all the material you need to work on.  But multi-tasking can be stressful and cloud your mind from doing it’s best work.  Focus on one task at a time.

10. Set Clear Boundaries – Sometimes you may need to turn away a new client or job in order to focus on the one you’re currently working with.  Or be upfront about your schedule and say, “I’d love to take on this new project and can begin in two weeks.” By keeping your boundaries clear you’ll preserve your energy, health and sanity.

Angela England is a freelance writer, Founder of Untrained Housewife and Editor-in-Chief of Blissfully Domestic. As a work-from-home mother of four children she is a master of hectic workweeks.