Business Plus Baby

The introduction of contactless payments has revolutionised the industry. While the payments which can be made using the contactless method are currently limited, it’s predicted that in the future, they will eliminate the need for cash payments altogether.

Contactless payments are seen as a more convenient way to pay, but are they really as beneficial as you think? Or, could these types of payments be causing us to become more financially irresponsible? Below, we’ll look at the effect contactless payments are having on our finances.

Contactless payments behind rise in credit and debit payments

It’s been over a decade since contactless cards were first introduced. Initially people were wary of this new way to pay for low-cost purchases. However, in recent years it seems we’ve let go of our initial suspicions.

There’s been a huge rise in the number of people turning to contactless payments in the past few years. Not only that, but research carried out in 2017, showed that contactless payments were contributing to a rise in spending too. This is because it’s easier to make small purchases without really thinking about it when you’re just swiping or tapping a card without typing anything in. So, people are spending less with each transaction, but making more transactions than they used to.

Fuelling impulse buys

Perhaps one of the main concerns which have come from contactless payments, is that they are contributing towards more impulse buys. While you can’t buy anything large using the contactless method, that doesn’t mean the little impulse purchases you make won’t add up.

There has even been concern raised over whether or not contactless payments are making us unhealthy. The ability to pay for things such as muffins and cakes when you’re in a coffee shop, without really thinking about it has proven to be a challenge for some.

However, the rise in mobile banking has allowed people instant access to their account situation and they are able to make sure they keep on top of their finances. As some apps even send you a notification, showing you how much your latest purchase has cost you.

Making it easier to spend more than we realise

Finally, contactless payments do make it easier for us to spend more than we think. When you’re just making small payments here and there, it’s easy to forget that the totals soon mount up. For example, you could use contactless payments several times throughout the day, not adding up how much you’re spending in total.

In some cases, this can be potentially even more damaging to your finances than if you were spending on a credit card. This is especially true if you have a card which benefits from very little fees and charges.

Overall, there’s no denying that contactless payments have made our lives a little easier. However, when used incorrectly, these types of payments can actually make you much more financially irresponsible. Like any payment method, it’s important to consider your purchases before parting with your hard earned money.

Image: Multifacetedgirl

Every parent can testify that having their first child opens the door to an entirely new lifestyle. When you become responsible for the survival, the well-being and the overall happiness of someone else, you need to develop brand-new skills.

While it might sound clichéd, it’s fair to say that nobody understands a baby’s mimics until they are in a position where they experience baby stuff daily. And nobody better than parents can understand the first sentences of a toddler. Similarly, only parents genuinely know how challenging it can be to raise a child while pursuing their career. As a result, many describe parenthood as a one-way door; once you go through, you can never go back, and everything is different.

With this in mind, parenting becomes a challenge that is shared by millions, from training to use your new skills in the workplace to finding a childcare solution.

Ultimately, you can’t adapt your parenting life to the business world. But you can use your experience to transform your career for the best.

There’s a caring personality in every parent

Parents are carers, by definition. You feed, bathe, dress, clean, look after a baby, expanding your skill set to keep your child healthy and happy as they grow. While you may not be a professionally trained carer, you share the same philosophy; namely responding to the needs of another person and ensuring they receive everything they need. Consequently, if the idea of going back to an office desk job doesn’t appeal after the birth of your baby, you should consider a career that lets you repurpose your caring mindset. You can even use your maternity leave to join an online MSW program which would allow you to work as a social worker to care for those who need help. If you want to focus your attention to children, child welfare and family services offer excellent social work careers. Alternatively, education is a great option if you want to be a positive influence on children.

How about turning your parental needs into a business?

The typical business life doesn’t suit parents anymore. Many struggle to maintain their work/life balance, and, consequently, it’s not uncommon for parents to consider launching their own business. if you too are in the process of looking for better options, you might want to dedicate your entrepreneurial mindset to creating a business model that supports parents. Indeed, you could establish nursery options that partner with companies to provide onsite childcare. As many parents struggle to find a nanny for their baby, this would be the ideal solution to maintain their career and their parental duties.

Helping parents with the first-baby crisis

New mothers lack guidance. Many don’t know how to position a baby to sleep or whether pacifiers are safe, while some are left clueless about vaccination or breastfeeding. Unfortunately, doctors are busy, and as a result, many are not always available to answer your queries. But there’s a business model idea that could sort out this situation. Why not create a subscription-based app that connects new mothers to experienced parents? Everyone needs a mentor!

Can you use your parenting skills and parental difficulties to pursue a more meaningful career after the birth of your child? The answer is yes! Whether you want to explore your caring side or you prefer to support new parents in their tasks, there are many untapped business opportunities for you.

Image: Pixabay

Pursuing a career of your choice often consists of several steps in which twists and turns are included. It isn’t a straightforward path, especially for those who have growing children.

Parenting is a journey on its own, so coupling it with your career pursuits can be tough. Nevertheless, it’s a journey that you may find worthwhile when you think about the potential rewards at the end. If you’re a parent who is currently trying to start a life in the world of tech, then you should carry on reading. Here’s how you can pursue such a career as a busy parent.

1.) Create a Schedule

When it comes to pursuing a career while dedicating yourself to being a parent, time can be your biggest constraint. For this reason, it’s imperative that you organize the time you have in the best way possible to ensure maximum productivity. In case you need a few tips for creating a schedule, here are some you can try.

Analyze Your Day

To begin, you need to figure out what an average day for you looks like and where your time seems to be spent. For a few days, make notes of what you do from the time you wake up until you go to bed as you’ll use this information to improve your productivity.

Think of Solutions

After analyzing your day, identify areas that you think could be more efficient and brainstorm solutions. If, for instance, you find you and the kids are always rushing to eat breakfast and leave home, you may need to start the day earlier or do more prep the night before.

Create a Routine

Once you’ve done all of your investigative work and brainstorming, it’s time to actually create your schedule. Aim to devise something that’s realistic and everyone will be able to stick with on most days. Break your days into time slots and ensure you include practical time frames. Also, leave room for absolutely nothing working according to schedule on some days.

Sync Everything

The reality is that no matter how organized you try to be, sometimes you can’t remember everything. This is where syncing comes into play as it’s a way of using technology or other resources to stay on track. For instance, you could use time management apps and tools like Rescue Time and Remember the Milk to stay on top of tasks.

2.) Think About Online Schooling

Once you’ve got a schedule that works for you and your family in place, think about the first step you can take in getting closer to your dream of becoming a professional in the tech space. For most career paths, that step would be getting some kind of formal education.

Before you can do this, however, you need to know what area you want to specialize in or choose a niche. To make sure that you choose the best niche for you, do research and think about your strengths and interests. If you like the idea of designing circuits and parts of electronics using a computer, then becoming an electrical engineer is a good choice. In this case, you could look into enrolling in Michigan Tech’s online master of science in electrical engineering course as this should give you vast knowledge in that subject area.

3.) Study during Quiet Times

It can be tough to get a moment to think, especially when you have kids. However, if you want to see your dreams come true, you have to create the time and avoid making excuses. One idea is to study during the few moments a day that you have to yourself. Alternatively, purposely create activities that the kids can engage in for thirty minutes to an hour a day so that you get some time to study.

Aside from this, other opportunities you can make the most of are the school run, your commute to and from work as well as when the kids are snoozing. Another idea for squeezing in study time is to prioritize chores. This could mean leaving the laundry until Saturday instead of doing it during the week, so you free up your schedule a little bit.

4.) Choose a Flexible Job

When it’s finally time to choose a job after putting in all of the hard work, you want to think about flexibility. This is especially true if you happen to have small children who need a lot of your attention. These days, employers are trying to cut down on overhead costs and improve productivity, so they’re letting employees work from home on some if not all days.

To increase your chances of getting a more flexible working schedule, think about negotiating with employers as well. However, instead of leading with why you need certain days or hours off, let your employer know how granting your request will help their company. Think about the details of your proposed working arrangement beforehand and how you plan to get the job done. However, think about how cutting back hours could affect your pay or future prospects in the same respect.

If all else fails, explore the option of starting your own business or working as a self-employed contractor in your field. This way, you’ll have far more control over your time and can work around your family.

5.) Network Online

One of the ways to advance in your career is by networking. However, when you’re busy as a parent, this can be a tough task to get around to. Look for forums and groups via social media where people in your industry are likely to be and use such platforms to meet the right people. You should also try and create an online presence so that you’re able to attract prospective employers. A good platform for professionals is LinkedIn so open an account if you haven’t done so already. Seeing as you may not have the time to attend conferences and meet people face to face, make the best use of opportunities to do so online instead.

Image: Christina Morillo

If you happen to be an entrepreneur and a parent, then you know all too well how challenging this can be most days. Being an entrepreneur without kids already has its challenges, so throwing school runs, lunch, and homework in the mix can make it seem impossible on some days. In light of this, you may be thinking about how you can make day to day life easier for yourself so that you can fulfill both the roles of parent and entrepreneur the best that you can. Here’s how to make running a business from home easier.

Get Organized

If you want to win the battle of finding a balance between parenting and business, you’re going to have to master organization. This is so important as, without it, you’re likely to woefully fail. Here are a few ways that you can improve your organization skills.

Improve Productivity: Often, you will find that your days are so hectic because you aren’t being as productive as you’re capable of being. Assess your daily routine and see where most of your time is being wasted and how you can find a solution to that problem.

Stick to a Schedule: Some people detest schedules, but the truth is when you’re as busy a parent and entrepreneur combined, it will be your saving grace. Develop a relatively flexible schedule that maps out how you’re going to use each hour of the day or organize it into time blocks. To stick to your schedule, give each task your undivided attention and focus on the reasons you developed a schedule in the first place.

Use Software

If you have employees that are working remotely, you should encourage the use of tools and software. Not only can it help make tasks easier, but it could also enable you to collaborate effectively. If you have a design engineer, getting them to use design tools by Altium which should help streamline their workflow and improve their delivery time. Aside from this, there are other tools across HR, accounting, sales and marketing that could easily help boost efficiency.

Minimize Distractions

When you’re trying to get work done, distractions can be the enemy, especially when you work from home. You should, therefore, look for practical ways to get rid of regular and recurring distractions. Here are a few suggestions worth trying.

Get Rid of Gadgets: Phones and tablets can be major distractions when you’re trying to work. Unless you absolutely need them, try placing them in another room so you aren’t tempted to start chatting and browsing.

Create an Office Space: Creating your own office space at home could go a long way in helping you focus. It could be anything from an underutilised room to a corner in the house that you find comfortable. The main goal should be to make sure all the equipment you need is there and you have an ambience that helps you work.

Running a business from home isn’t the easiest task, but it can be done if you stay on top of things. As mentioned above, use the tools and resources around you to help you get to your destination.

Image: ernestoeslava