Its That Time Again! 4 Easy Ways to be Proactive with Seasonal Allergies

Spring is wonderful.  After a long cold winter, the sun comes out, the snow melts away and the flowers begin to bloom -- the flowers, the ragweed and the trees too! 

Not that long ago, seasonal allergies were not a concern for my family.  But the spring when my son turned 4, allergies became a major concern.  It started innocently enough with a cough and itchy eyes.  But within days he was having trouble sleeping, his eyes were puffing up and it was definitely making him uncomfortable.  My heart broke seeing him so uncomfortable!

We quickly consulted with our pediatrician only to find out some of the things we were doing with the intention of helping him, were actually worsening the situation! 

Here are some tips we learned:

***as always, consult with your pediatrician for the specific needs of your child!***

-  Avoid going outside in the morning.  Did you know pollen counts are much higher in the mornings then the rest of the day?  Well I didnt!  If your child has seasonal allergies it may be helpful to minimize their outdoor time in the morning hours.

-  Keep windows closed.  In my mind, fresh air was always a good thing.  But when I actually thought about it, this tip became a pretty obvious.  But its worthwhile to point out this includes keeping the windows closed during the overnight hours.

-  Keep Hydrated.  The coughing, the runny nose, the itchy eyes, and the medicines can all lead to dehydration.  Plus, drinking plenty of water can prevent higher histamine production. 

-  Ask Your Pediatrician if You Can Initiate Allergy Medicine Before the Pollen Season Begins.  There can be benefits to your child if you get them started on anti-histamines before the pollen season begins.  There is no harm in asking!

And remember, the best part about seasonal allergies is that they have an end!  So do your best for the duration of the pollen season, and look forward to summer.

5 Things You Need to Know About Working from Home

You just landed a work from home job. Now what?

Congrats! You've just landed yourself a flexible job that allows you to work from home! 

Here are a few tips to help you adjust to your new lifestyle as a parent working from home. 

1. Block out your at-home to-do list. 

Don't bother filling out a ticket for maintenance or leaving a passive aggressive note for the office manager regarding the unkempt employee break-room and the overflowing recycling because that's your kitchen, sister! 

You may be the type that likes to clean as you go, but when you're on back-to-back video calls for eight hours, you may need to ignore your chore list and learn to soak that fry pan until after work!

2. Schedule time outside of the home office.  

Just like at the office, you'll need to get up from your work station (desk, kitchen table, bed, couch, patio, bean bag) to refill your water. Just like at the office, you'll use this as an opportunity to stretch your legs and get to know your officemates! Unlike the office, your cat doesn't care about last night’s episode of the Voice. 

If you enjoy the company of others, schedule a few work blocks at the local coffee shop and seek out the communal table.  You may just meet some like-minded folk!

3. Mute. Unmute. Share ah-mazing idea. Mute again. 

Ah, the steady, hypnotic white noise of an office...do you like that? Kiss it goodbye and say hello to your new friend, the mute button! 

Have a dog? He will bark as soon as you speak in a meeting. Have a dishwasher that sounds like a jet plane? Technology is marvelous these days and your colleagues can hear the rinse cycle on a conference line. Expecting a package? It will arrive during a video conference and your friendly mail carrier will see you through the window and try to strike up a conversation. Those cute kids of yours? They will have sick days and though they are home with your hubby or a caregiver, they will break free and burst into whatever room you are in hosting an important webinar or facilitating a call. 

Bottom line - be thankful for the mute button!

4. Childcare is a MUST.  

Speaking of kids, how wonderful is it that you've scored this dream job where you can work from home!? Instead of spending hours upon hours commuting, it will allow you to have more of the most precious commodity - time! 

Just prepare yourself to explain to parents, in-laws, friends, strangers at the coffee shop, doctors, teachers, daycare providers and even some coworkers why you need childcare. 

Person with confused look on their face: "...but...I thought that's why you work from home...?" 

You: "That's right- I WORK from home".

5. Set your working hours. 
Without that physical commute to and from the office, you could find yourself working around the clock! It can be so easy to roll over and check work email right from the comfort of your bed. No. Resist the urge - it can wait and it will wait. Set your morning routine and stick with it! 

Maybe you like to go for a run, sip coffee on your deck, read a few extra books to the kiddos, or use the time to throw dinner into the crock-pot for an easy evening.  Your morning routine sets you up for a successful day, so stick with it! 

Know when you're done for the day and be strict about switching from work to home mode. The evening time is for you to unwind, take care of things around the house, chat with your hubby, or pass out at 8pm while putting the kids to bed! It's all about setting boundaries.  After all, you are the owner of your work life balance.