The benefits of a mobile workforce model for parents (and everyone else)

Posted on 8:00pm Sunday 31st Dec 2017

Go back ten years or so and a mobile workforce didn’t widely exist. Before the era of smart phones, laptops and being able to connect to the internet literally anywhere, even from a device in your pocket, the thought of being able to work in such a way would have felt very futuristic. Skip to 2018 and more people are able to work remotely than ever before. It’s a new era of flexible working, which for a home working parent, like me, has many benefits.

I’ve not yet myself worked remotely as a full time employee, but I do regularly take part in stock and equipment audits as well as mystery shopping tasks for large retailers. These are often one-off, short term, freelance positions if you will. It’s part of a growing gig economy which makes use of a mobile workforce, saving companies money by not employing people to travel the country, instead placing real-time consumers in local stores to capture the data the retailers need. Related: Get paid doing simple tasks from your phone with Streetbees

There are a variety of apps that allow you to pick and choose the jobs you’d like to do and fit it around a busy lifestyle. It’s a great way to make extra cash around parenting, add another side hustle to a self-employed home income, or even with enough dedication as a full time role. It’s not for everyone as the income and work available is inconsistent, but thanks to being able to work mobile, it’s a brilliant option for some parents.

Many of these apps now offer an entire day’s work too. Recruitment agencies are also recruiting via apps offering short term contracts and temporary positions. The ease at which work can now be found and a mobile worker located is ever increasing in this digital age.

As well as the mobile workforce that can be recruited for live retail execution, normal office type businesses are also seeing the benefit of staff being able to work more flexibly and on a mobile basis. It’s not just for those who need to travel afar anymore. The majority of office workers can work remotely if they have the right equipment and an internet connection. Not only are mobile workforces becoming increasingly popular as a means for flexible workers to earn extra cash, they’re also becoming an increasingly popular way to work in a conventional role.

I can understand the benefits of working remotely as I work both from home self-employed and also as part of a mobile workforce team on the go. Many of my pre-kid office roles could easily have been completed remotely, from home, and it’s a shame this option wasn’t available when I had to make the big decision of whether to return to work full time in an office or stay at home with my new daughter. If I’d have had the option to work remotely and flexibly I’m certain I’d have returned to my old career. Related: The top 3 ways I made money from home in 2017

Below I look at the pros and cons of a mobile workforce.

The benefits

Better work-life balance

If the hours can also be flexible then you can have more control over your working pattern and allow work to fit in to suit you, rather than you having to fit your life around work. Working 9-5 Monday to Friday could be a thing of the past. For parents this is a massive bonus as we can attend our children’s assemblies and take them to their check-ups without fear of having to ask for time away from the office.

Learn new skills remotely

If you’re concerned you need new skills and have no time to train, think again. Even education can now be mobile and online. With the likes of Skype, training can be performed virtually via phone calls and live online video. Employees can learn new skills from home with online college courses, universities and qualifications. Even as a parent who’s trying to work around childcare, we can have access to tutors by email and online test prep resources enabling us to study in our own time around our commitments.

Flexibility

It provides flexibility for our busy lifestyles. If hours don’t need to be set then we can choose to work at the hours that suit us most and are our most productive. Parents no longer need to worry about taking time off work if children are ill or on school holidays. If the hours can be flexible and work can be mobile, then it can all be adapted to suit both the needs of the parent and the business. If going down the self-employed gig route, then work can be chosen as and when it’s needed with no commitments.

Easy for mums to return to work

It’s a brilliant way of us mums being able to return to work. Many computer based roles are suitable to be completed from home. If a new mum wants to provide child care for her child, but also wants to work from home, and the current role can allow for it, then surely the business should allow for it. Plenty of roles require the sole use of a computer which should allow for greater flexibility on location, allowing many parents to retain their roles post maternity leave. Thanks to instant online messaging, phone calls email and video, staff can communicate instantly even if they’re not in the same location. Some parents may not be able to commute to an office during normal office hours and many cannot afford the extortionate childcare costs. Being able to work remotely and flexibly can solve these issues and give more new parents the freedom to return to work if they wish.

Location independent

Many roles that require the sole use of a laptop and internet connection are location independent roles. We can work from home, hot desks or even a local coffee shop. We can even go away for a week and work from a beach in beautiful surroundings. If every aspect of the role can be done remotely then we have greater flexibility in where we choose to live and how we live our lives. We don’t have to be a stone’s throw away from an office or living in the centre of a city because it’s convenient for work.

Low staff turnover

If staff are happier and can maintain a better work-life balance then they are less likely to leave. A happy committed employee is beneficial to a business. A role in which we feel content and settled is great for us as employees. It’s a win-win situation.

Greater choice of roles

As location is no longer a factor, more jobs are available to everyone. That role you couldn’t apply for ten years ago, because it meant relocating the whole family, is now available to anyone anywhere as it can be completed remotely. Employers get their pick of the best talent from all over, not just nearby, and employees get the choice of roles they live far away from.

No more commutes

If you no longer have to commute to work there will be less pollution in the environment and lots of time saved. Working days will seem shorter as the time to get to and from work is removed. This means more time to spend with family or doing things you enjoy. Plus you’ll save money on travel costs.

Potential issues with a mobile workforce

Time and attendance

One drawback for employers could be whether the remote working staff are trustworthy. If mobile working is agreed, will the staff pull their weight? How will they know the hours the staff have worked? Luckily there are systems for attendance that can be used remotely on an employee’s digital device, through an app for example. A previous role I had required me to be a lone and mobile worker. I simply clocked in and out using an app on my smart phone which not only clocked my hours, but it also tracked my location. My employer knew I was exactly where I was meant to be. Plus as a lone worker it gave me extra peace of mind knowing my location was being recorded in case of an emergency. I was paid for the hours I worked and the app made light work for the HR department. It simply uploaded my hours and was integrated with their payroll system. As a parent fitting work in around children it’s easy to clock in and out several times per day. Alternatively an employer can choose to trust the employee and see the work is being completed.

Access control

One issue with a mobile workforce, if working for a variety of companies as a self-employed individual, is access control. I briefly ran into this as a problem when I was to perform an audit as a one-off job. I did not have anything with my name on and no formal ID for the company I was to audit or for the company I was representing. I could have been anyone. I’m sure this problem will be easily solved in the future if mobile employees need access to various buildings, they could be provided with a virtual access card or ID on their mobile phones. Problem solved.

A mobile workforce has huge benefits not only to parents looking for a better work-life balance, but to everyone. As more roles become computer based it only makes sense for people to be able to work in a place and at a time that suits them. Location independent roles will give employees the power to live a better quality lifestyle with the freedom to reside where their heart desires. Employees will benefit from a more productive, committed and content workforce which can only be a good thing. Less money will be spent on renting offices and recruiting staff. I can only see that a mobile workforce model is a win-win situation for the future of the workplace landscape.

*collaborative post

Money Making Mums: An Abnormal Income Stream

Posted on 12:00pm Friday 29th Dec 2017

Welcome to my Money Making Mums guest series.

As you’ve probably guessed, I love making money from home. As a busy mum to two young children, working from home for myself provides me with the flexibility I need to care for my children and avoid high full time childcare costs. It also means I get to do what I love. I’m an advocate of earning money online and from apps, and I’m always looking for new ways to make more income from home. I’ve decided to invite other bloggers and money making mums to share even more ways us busy mums can make money from home. If you’d like to feature in this guest series please do get in touch.

Introducing Perry from Stupid is the Norm

Today I have a slightly different guest post for you by Perry Wilson who runs the blog www.stupidisthenorm.co.uk. I’ve been reading a lot of Perry’s blogs recently and they are very good. They make a lot of sense.

It’s all very well us making money and finding ways to earn extra income as busy parents, but what is best to do with that money?

In my early twenties I’d have blown the lot. I got a buzz from spending my cash and owning lots of things (mainly clothes), but now in my thirties things are different. I have a family and responsibilities. I prefer a more minimalist lifestyle. I don’t need or want to consume as much. I’ve started thinking about my future and my retirement. I’ve started putting away towards a pension as well as a savings account for emergencies or the future.

Perry writes a lot about this. About how most people just blow all their cash instead of investing it wisely and becoming wealthier.

I hope you enjoy today’s guest post:

An Abnormal Income Stream

Not everyone wants to be wealthy, but I don’t know anyone who couldn’t do with a little bit more money.

We sell our (and others) junk on eBay, we work overtime, we do matched betting, and car boot sales. But what are we doing with all this extra cash? Are we just spending it on other stuff? What’s the point of selling stuff on eBay or at car boot sales, only to use the money to buy more stuff to sell on eBay and car boot sales?

Why not instead, put the money to work? Because if you ALWAYS spend all your money, you’ll NEVER be wealthy (just saying this in case you actually do want to become wealthy).

Investing the extra cash you make creates ANOTHER income stream. I’ve just checked my pension fund, and there’s 31% more money in there than I’ve invested. It’s FREE money. I haven’t had to work for it. It’s unearned.

Wealth isn’t defined by what you earn, it’s defined by what you accumulate. It’s not what’s on your drive, it’s what’s in your bank.

When you have enough money invested, you just can’t spend the interest/growth fast enough. It just keeps compounding. That’s how the likes of Bill Gates and Warren Buffett keep making more money. It’s not because they’re part of some international conspiracy, it’s just maths.

Their secret is not that they’re members of the illuminati, it’s because they both started investing from a young age, and growth plus time has done the hard work for them.

For me it’s too late. I’m 56. There just isn’t enough time left to me to take advantage of the compound growth required to threaten Mr Gates or Buffett’s positions as amongst the world’s wealthiest.

It IS still possible for me to become modestly wealthy however. I can, with some effort, accrue £300,000 in 10 years. It’s not a fortune, but it’s sufficient to buy me a 50’ Bénéteau yacht moored in Gibraltar marina, and funds enough to sail the Mediterranean in my dotage. It’ll do me.

And all this because I decided to save and not spend for 10 years. I worked instead of wasting. I created another income stream.

There’s a price to pay to become wealthy, and I’m prepared to pay it. Not everyone is. For some it’s a price too high to pay. But if you want to become wealthy by any degree, the journey begins when you spend less than you earn.

Thank you so much to Perry for taking part in my guest series.

Would you like to take part? Find a contact form in my top menu or email victoria@lyliarose.com - not a mum? No worries! This guest series is all about inspiring parents to earn their own income and realising they have more than two choices of going out to an employed job or being a stay at home parent. Of course if you choose to do either of those options that's absolutely fine, no judgement here, but lots of mums, like me, didn't realise there was another way to make money by the many self-employed options available nowadays. If you earn from home, parent or not, and it's suitable for parents then you can take part.

Check out the rest of the series here: Money Making Mums

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Blog Giveaway: Win a Lylia Rose Goody Bag (4 items) #winitwednesday

Posted on 7:00am Wednesday 27th Dec 2017

Welcome to today’s #winitwednesday giveaway!

Today I’m giving away a Lylia Rose GOODY BAG to one lucky entrant!

The contents are:

Bird print zip purse
Fish print iPad case
Anchor necklace
Chunky wing charm bracelet

If you love fashion accessories and printed scarves, do pop over to my online fashion accessories boutique for a good browse! The minimum spend is only £5 per order and 2nd class UK delivery is free!

Win this in my blog giveaway:

The full terms and conditions are below, but simply enter using one or more of the entry methods in the Rafflecopter widget below and remember, if you win your delivery address must be in the UK.

Good luck!

Check out my Giveaways section for more amazing prizes!

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Term and Conditions:

There will be one winner

The prize is the item(s) pictured above

The prize must be claimed within 28 days of the first winner's notification email being sent.

There is no cash alternative

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Winners will be notified within 28 days

The winner must claim their prize within 28 days or it will be forfeited

All entries must be received by the date and time specified

The winner will be picked at random by Rafflecopter & notified by email

Giveaways are open to the UK only

The winner's name and county is available upon request

Entrants will be signed up to the Lylia Rose newsletter to receive blog posts and giveaways. Subscribers are also entered into a monthly giveaway to win a scarf of your choice in my online fashion boutique. You can unsubscribe at any time, but it's a great idea to stay signed up to receive giveaways to your inbox and to stay entered in the monthly prize draw.

Healthy Living: Top tips for optimal eye health in the New Year

Posted on 8:10pm Tuesday 26th Dec 2017

Whilst most people might be concentrating on being healthy in the New Year in order to lose weight or to make up for their over indulgence over the festive period, it’s also just as important to look after your eye health, so why not add this to your list of resolutions?

Below are some tips to help keep your eyes healthy in 2018:

Wear contact lenses correctly

Make sure you know how to put in your contact lenses properly and how to clean them if you don’t use daily disposables. It’s also important to have a regular contact lenses appointment as this is a slightly different check-up compared to your regular eye test. Perhaps consider having a contact lense break at least once a week and wearing your glasses for a day instead.

Use your glasses when needed

Make sure you wear your glasses when you need them instead of struggling to see. Ensure your glasses are the correct prescription to prevent unnecessary eye strain. Squinting to try and see things in focus can cause eye fatigue and even cause headaches. I’m definitely guilty of being too lazy to fetch my glasses and squinting instead, which I can only imagine will cause more wrinkles around my eyes too!

Exercise

Walking or cardio for one hour a day may be effective at preventing eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts and age related degeneration. Exercise along with a healthy diet also helps to prevent other diseases such as type 2 diabetes which can cause eye problems and even sight loss. Obesity is linked to several eye conditions, so maintaining a healthy weight is very important for your eye health.

Soothe dry eyes

If you have persistent dry eyes then investing in some eye drops could be the solution. There are several options and your local pharmacy should be able to help you choose one that is right for you. If dry eyes persist then book an eye health check with your optometrist.

Get enough shut eye

To prevent tired eyes and dark circles make sure you get enough sleep. Your eyes need to rest and recuperate overnight too, so regular quality sleep is essential.

Attend regular eye appointments

It’s recommended to attend an eye test every two years and it’s important for more than just your vision. The optician will also look inside your eye to check your eye health and this will also flag up any potential diseases, including your risk of developing glaucoma. Glaucoma can cause sight loss and it has no symptoms, so an eye test is vital to check for signs of this eye condition. Other illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension and even some cancers can also be detected by looking in the eye. Don’t avoid an eye test just because you think you have perfect vision. An eye test could save your life.

Eat a nutritious diet

A nutritious and healthy diet is vital for our entire body to work optimally, and this is no different for our eyes. A diet rich in essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals will ensure our eye health is optimal now and in the future. Carrots really do help you to see in the dark. Your parents weren’t lying! They are rich in beta-carotene which protects against night blindness and cataracts. Lutein which is also found in carrots as well as spinach, kale, broccoli and more, can help protect the eyes from age related damage.

Drinking too much alcohol can affect your eyes and vision in the long term, but in the short term it can create black under-eye circles and cause the whites to turn yellow. Reduce your intake or stop drinking this poison altogether.

Wear sunglasses

UV rays from the sun can damage our eyes, so it’s important to minimise their impact by wearing protective sunglasses. Avoid looking directly at the sun. Not all shades offer protection so ensure yours are CE marked for UV protection.

Reduce screen time

We use screens for an average of eight hours a day which puts massive strain on our eyes. Check with your employer, as many offer free eye tests if you use a screen for the majority of the working day. Make sure you look away from your screen every 20 minutes for at least 20 seconds to give your eyes a break.

Check your eye makeup

If you wear eye makeup, make sure it’s within date. Did you even know that cosmetics and toiletries have an expiry date? There’s a small symbol like a lid lifting up on the reverse of every packet with a number such as 6, 12 or 24. These are the number of months the product is safe for once opened. It’s your makeups expiry date. Make sure your brushes are cleaned regularly to prevent a build-up of bacteria which you’re then transporting to your eyes. Yuck! To prevent eye irritation, soreness and even infections, be sure to completely remove your makeup before bed. Make sure you are using the most natural based eye makeups and removers possible to prevent nasty chemicals getting into your eyes.

Use night time mode on your smart phone

If you can’t put your phone down in bed and are browsing in low light or even darkness, make sure you switch on night time mode for your screen brightness. On the iPhones this changes the background glow to orange instead of blue light, which is less harmful to the eye. We also blink a lot less when looking at our mobile screens, so take a blinking break every 20 minutes to refresh your eyes.

Quit smoking

And finally, we all know smoking is terrible for our health and for the health of those around us too. Smoke is also an irritant to our eyes causing itchiness and dryness. Quitting smoking could be one of the best things you decide to do in 2018.

Food Review: Kick off a healthy new you with loose leaf green teas from The Tea Makers

Posted on 5:00pm Tuesday 26th Dec 2017

It’s that time of the year when everyone starts making New Year’s resolutions and for the most part people aim to lead a healthier lifestyle in the upcoming year. One great way to do this is to upgrade your usual daily coffee or regular tea for a healthier green tea instead. Green teas are full of health benefits and loaded with anti–oxidants. Plus, if you think you’ve tried green tea because you’ve simply purchased a box of tea bags from a supermarket, think again.

The Tea Makers of London have a huge selection of high quality loose green tea leaves in all sorts of amazing blends, meaning the bitter green tea you once tasted can now be a thing of the past. Start the New Year with some delicious green teas from The Tea Makers and your taste buds may just be pleasantly surprised.

I was very kindly sent samples of five different loose green teas to try and below you’ll find my taste testing notes.

After a busy lead up to Christmas Day and with a full on week of family and friends visits, we decided to keep Boxing Day to ourselves this year to do as we please. I’d imagined a chilled out day before the rest of the Christmas holiday madness commenced. Whilst the kids lounged around watching films, playing on iPads and trying out their new toys and Ben spending a chunk of today in his workshop (aka man cave), I’ve been busily blogging or doing blog related tasks since 9am. This rather enjoyably included taste testing some loose green teas from The Tea Makers.

I’m no stranger to The Tea Makers. In fact, they not long ago sent me a selection of warming autumn teas to sample. You can read that review here: Warming Autumn Flavours: The Tea Makers Review

Boxing Day for me has today turned into a tea tasting day! I know many of my alcohol drinking friends enjoy a wine tasting day, so if there is such a thing as an alternative for an alcohol-free person like me, then a tea tasting day would be right up my street! And for me it’s even better if it’s green tea, my tea of choice. I’ve had the most enjoyable afternoon sampling five delicious teas from The Tea Makers and scribbling down my thoughts. I’m now trying to decode my rushed writing and transfer them into this here blog post so you know exactly what I thought of each tea as I was drinking it.

Japanese Genmaicha

A combination of Japanese Sencha and roasted rice. It has a smell not dissimilar to popcorn! I can’t say I’ve ever tried a tea with rice, so no idea what to expect. Given the smell I wasn’t holding out much hope for an overly pleasant taste, but I was pleasantly surprised. It tastes a lot nicer and milder than it smells. The packet recommends to sip in the evening and I can see why. It’s a soothing calming flavour with warm toasty hints. It’s benefits include reducing cholesterol and increasing metabolism.

Jasmine Green Tea

I’m not usually a fan of fragrant teas as they often taste like drinking perfume to me. So I didn’t have high expectations for this tea either. It had a light floral smell, almost how I’d like my laundry to smell when it comes out of the wash, so with this is mind I again had lowered expectations for wanting to taste this! Now, either my taste buds are changing as I get older or it’s the high quality of The Tea Makers teas, but this tasted nothing like previous fragrant teas I’d sampled (and wanted to spit out). It was quite delicious! I could sip away and looked forward to the next taste. It didn’t taste anything like spraying air freshener in my mouth, which if I’m honest was what I was expecting.

If, like me, you usually avoid fragrant flavour teas, this could be the one to make you change your mind! It certainly has mine. It’s a pleasing pick me up tea, perfect for mid-afternoon or soon after lunch. This tea was particularly soothing for my palate after a way too spicy lunch! I did brew this in slightly cooled boiled water i.e. not immediately after boiling the kettle, so perhaps this released just enough fragrance for my liking.

Ceylon Organic Gunpowder

As I sit here drinking my third cup I’m starting to think I won’t be sleeping tonight. I’m really sensitive to caffeine and usually reserve most of my tea drinking for the morning only! I’m also wondering if the name ‘gunpowder’ is any sort of giveaway to the flavour and if it will blow my head off. I hope not as my head has just been blown off by the spiciest pasta dish in the world my husband Ben just made me!

I had high hopes for this tea though as I’ve drank Ceylon tea previously and remember it being expensive and high quality. This green version is the only tea I was sent which has an organic certification. I much prefer to choose organic produce whenever possible for my own health benefits and to help protect the environment.

There wasn’t much to go on with the smell which was a very light green tea scent. It had an undeniable green tea taste, but with less bitterness than most normal green teas. It had a green tea taste that I could drink all day long. I found this one delicious, but perhaps because I’m used to the green tea taste. If you’re not, then simply brew the tea for a shorter time until your taste buds are used to the flavour.

Zhejiang Supreme Dragon Well

This had the most unusual sweet smell. The packet describes the taste as nutty, creamy and sweet, which sounds like the description of a cashew nut to me! Either my taste buds have now numbed to the flavour of green tea after so much sampling, or true to its description this tea has a subtle flavour. There is none of the usual bitter green tea taste at all. It’s a tea I could quite happily sup all day long.

Even as I drink it I cannot detect any obvious aroma. As much as I can’t quite put my finger on a distinct taste or smell, it’s still warming and delicious and highly moreish. This makes it the perfect introduction to green tea thanks to its mild and enjoyable flavour. This tea is high in catechins which are disease fighting flavonoids and anti-oxidants.

Japanese Sencha

The first tea I tried, Japanese Genmaicha, contained this Japanese Sencha with roasted rice. Yet this Sencha by itself tastes very different. It’s the most like green tea I’ve tried, by which I mean regular green tea bags I buy from the store. The rice in the first tea must have totally stole the Sencha flavour.

This tea has the most grassy green tea smell in which you can almost smell the bitterness. It also has the most luminous green colour! It tastes most like the regular green tea I’m used too and I think for that alone it’s my least favourite of the five samples. Not because it’s not a good green tea, but because I think I’m actually quite taken by the alternative green teas as they’re so unlike the green tea I am used to drinking every day.

Personally I’d brew this tea for 1 minute instead of the recommended 2 minutes as I don’t like the really bitter green tea taste. If you love a green tea that packs a bitter punch, then brew for the 2 minutes or more.

This tea is rich in vitamin C and low in the stimulant theophylline.

Conclusion

Even as a self-confessed green tea addict, I still get sucked into a routine of buying the same bog standard green tea bags from the store. The Tea Makers have taught me there is so much more to enjoy about green tea. They offer a huge variety of green tea blends, each with their own unique flavours

For those who think they don’t like green tea, they must try The Tea Makers selection before confirming their decision. I’m certain there is a green tea for everyone on their website where there are currently a humongous 34 green tea choices: https://www.theteamakers.co.uk/green-tea.html

For someone like me who regularly enjoys green tea on a daily basis, The Tea Makers have made this highly nutritious and beneficial drink exciting again.

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