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25.01.2022 Are you ok? I will be honest & say I am not always ok. And I am ok with that. As today is RUOK Day, I thought it really important to share with you ways you can help your loved ones. ... Scroll through to see some really handy info on how to help your loved ones. 1. Ask R U OK? Start by asking. Here are some questions you can ask: Are you OK? Is everything OK? How you going?/How are things? How are you travelling these days? What's been happening? 2. Listen with an open mind Be prepared to listen patiently & encourage them to explain what's bothering them. Take what someone is saying seriously & listen with an open mind. You can say: I'm worried about you. Why don't you start from the beginning? How are you feeling about this/that? If you'd like to show that you are listening & understanding, you can say: It sounds like you're going through a stressful time. It sounds like you're stretched. It looks like you're juggling a couple of things at the moment. 3. Encourage action Try & encourage the person to take action. You can say: Where do you think we can go from here? How can I help you? How can I support you? You can also share your own experience by saying: This really helps me... When I was going through a difficult time, I tried this... If you think the person could do with some help, you can say: Have you thought about seeing the doctor? It might be useful to talk to someone who can support you. 4. Check in Make a time to check in with them again. You can say: How've you been since we last spoke? How are things now? I've been thinking of you and wanted to know how you've been going since we last chatted. How did you go speaking to the doctor? How are you feeling now after getting some help? Stay in touch & be there for them by checking on them regularly. Showing care and concern towards someone can make a difference in someone's life. Remember to look after yourself too. It's important that you are feeling good yourself so you can support others. Remember there is no shame in not being ok. Check out www.ruok.org.au for more resources.

25.01.2022 I get asked all the time... how do you manage a small business and illness?! And the answer? Well it isn’t always easy! Since being pregnant I have been asked so many times about how to manage early pregnancy symptoms and communications to clients.... I find there is no right or wrong way. It all comes down to what makes you most comfortable. For me... I am a really transparent person. I find it’s easier to just share. I think it builds trust between myself and my clients and they respect me for keeping them in the loop. Keep reading below for my tips on managing illness within a small business Communicate!! Be open and let your customers/clients that may be impacted by your illness know that you are currently unwell. Share what you are comfortable with. If you aren’t ready to share your pregnancy news, that’s ok. Not wanting to share any details, that’s ok. For me, I shared with one client that I was suffering extreme morning sickness and that was impacting their timeline for a project. For everyone else I simply stated I was currently unwell. Be realistic with your changed outcomes. Don’t just promise that any deliverables will be with them ASAP or by COB the next day of you are not sure how you will be able to do that. Set a realistic expectation of when you will be able to do the task you have agreed to do. Clients will respect this and if you deliver earlier they will be impressed rather than disappointed. If it’s in your scope.... outsource! Don’t be afraid to reach out to your business community for assistance. Whether that is family, networking connections etc. If it’s a task someone else can assist with and it’s in your budget to outsource sometimes taking that mental load off of yourself will do wonders for your recovery. And lastly.... take care of you!! Having your own business is meant to be about providing flexible working conditions. So you have the ability to look after yourself and set clearer boundaries in order to recover and stay healthy. What do you think? Were these tips helpful? What other tips have you found help you manage illness and your business?

25.01.2022 You might want to save this one for later! Have you posted lately about opening dates only to be met with dm’s or comments about discriminating against those who are unvaccinated?! I know many of you have. ... Let me start by saying this isn’t a post to debate vaccination. This is a post to help those you manage these comments. This isn’t an easy time. People are angry. People are anxious. People are confused. And god knows the messaging has been horrendous! But! At the end of the day as a business owner you must follow government guidelines. Here are my tips for managing angry messages: Stay calm. The anger or upset in these messages in not personal. It isn’t you. People are angry at the choices available and scared. Don’t take this anger to heart. Choose your stance. If you want to share your opinion, go for it. It may lose you followers or customers but it will also build a stronger relationship with those that align with your beliefs. If you choose to not share your personal opinion. That’s ok too. Have a statement you feel comfortable using explaining your choices and have all staff sharing the same message. Choose respect. Always reply with respect regardless of the message. Apologise and validate their feelings and then either explain your reasonings or share your statement. Acknowledge the unknown. We have no idea what the actual plan will be in 3mths or even a year from now. Acknowledge this. Let them know that you have to follow government guidelines and will be adjusting them as they adjust them so who knows what things will look like in a few months time. Take care of you! It’s ok to take a social media break, restrict commenting or turn off messages. It’s ok to get someone else to manage your replies for a while or to just step away. This is a crap time and as much as we want to lead with kindness and respect it is hard to have to read these messages. And if you get stuck, I have included some examples of statements you can use. Have you experienced these dm’s & comments? How did you manage them?

22.01.2022 Do you plan ahead or find yourself trying to find something to post at the last minute? I think we have all been guilty of the last minute scramble to post. But! We all know how stressful it is, how rushed it feels and that often it doesn’t always give us the results we hoped for. ... Planning out your socials is the way to go!! For me, I’m a writer. I need pen and paper and I wrote it all down. I have an over arching plan for the year mapping out key dates but essentially I work in 4 week cycles, always keeping at least one week ahead. I just mapped out a bunch of socials today. Keeping in mind key dates and current events and now the scramble to post is gone!! How do you keep ahead with your socials? Are you planning ahead? Are you using paper or digital? What works for you?

21.01.2022 Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads and Dad-Figures!! Both Todd and myself have lost our Dads, so Father’s Day hasn’t always been a big thing in our homes. But Todd was just destined to be a Dad in some way. From a young age Todd has always been playing the part of Dad to someone.... So Happy Father’s Day to you! Thank you for all that you do!! Thank you for making them smile, bringing the fun and teaching them how to take risks. I’m so glad my kids got you as their Dad! I can’t wait to get home so we can all celebrate together!! How are you all celebrating today?

20.01.2022 Looking forward to getting back into a routine? With the kids all finally heading back to school this week I know so many Business Mumma’s ready to dive head first back into their routine. I hear you! Loud and clear as I am so ready to have some time back in the day that is mostly mine, where I can fully focus on what needs to be done.... But! Please, please, please, take some time to just recharge, refresh and reset. I know it’s just been the holiday period. The time for recharging. But how many of you were able to do that and if you did, are you still feeling refreshed?! I know for me I am completely frazzled. I don’t know what day it is most days. I have been juggling the demands of kids and my business. Trying to manage their boredom and back to school prep and my needs and I am just.... LOST! So as we head back into the first week of school for the year, take a moment to pause, reflect and do some self care. Because we can only give our best when we are our best. So... what are you going to be doing for yourself tomorrow?

19.01.2022 Want to know the secret to managing Small Business & Parenthood?! Hands up who is currently trying to manage their small business, homeschool kids, manage crazy toddlers or rightfully needy babies as well as just keep themselves sane? My guess is that you also are feeling overwhelmed, guilty for not getting enough done and lacking motivation and creativity. ... Am I right? This lockdown life is HARD. We are in unprecedented times. So, this week I wanted to share with you some of my tips and tricks for managing business and family. And to kick things off i am sharing my biggest piece of advice: Let go of all expectations and be kind to yourself! Seriously! You are achieving LOTS every day. Just because it can’t be quantified or ticked off a checklist does not mean you didn’t achieve anything. Our children are the main focus. Helping them grow and learn and making them happy is and should be our main focus. So if you get through the day and feel like all you did was play parent, well, GOOD JOB! This week I am going to share how I juggle kids and business as well as my favourite apps and programs to help streamline my processes. So make sure you stay tuned!! But! In the meantime, tell me what areas you are currently struggling in. Is it planning? Time management? Working smarter not harder? Lacking inspiration? Let me know!!

18.01.2022 Yes!! A MILLION TIMES YES!! Hands up Business Owners if these messages have already been hitting your comments and inbox!... I have had to answer so many on my client’s pages and it is ridiculous. No one wants to discriminate. But at the same time, businesses are suffering and need to reopen. And they need to follow government regulations just like they do for hygiene, safety, employee management etc. Yep, it might feel unfair to those you are choosing to not get vaccinated but please don’t blame and attack Business Owners for just trying to get their business back open and trading. Let’s lead with kindness and some understanding.

18.01.2022 Do you have a favourite small business? This September is Support Small September and it’s all about highlighting the importance of supporting our small and local businesses. And after the past 2 yrs we have had, these guys need your support more than ever!... Support doesn’t have to just mean shopping or spending because god knows we have all had a tough time and sometimes we just don’t have the funds. You can also show your support by: Following their pages Liking, sharing or saving their posts Sharing with friends So!! I thought I might share some of my fav small businesses. These are businesses I do regularly use and shop from. Please show them some love!! Bathed In Love for the BEST bath bombs! The House of Art Camden for amazing homemade cakes! Enzo Italian Restaurant Camden for their incredible food! @twin flame candles for the best smelling candles!! Belle & Co. Living with all the goodies to entertain the kids! @indi_and_co.collective for the most GORGEOUS decorative candles! Dogz Eyez Pies for great locally made pies! Mysweetpeahome for gorgeous plants & homewares! Symphony's on Argyle for the gorgeous clothes!! Blue Moon Wellness Spa for keeping my skin fab! She Emporium for looking after my hair! Project Prams for cleaning my prams & car seats! Luke's Pest and Termite for keeping my home pest free! Help2u Pty Ltd for helping me with all the tech things! Please show these guys some love!! Tell me below, who are your favourite small businesses?

18.01.2022 Who wants to play a game?! Thought it was about time I jumped on the trend and we had a little light-hearted fun! It is SUNDAY after all! (Not that I knew that for myself, I just happened to work it out when I was looking at my calendar! #lockdownlife )... So! Below is 3 facts. 2 are true, 1 is a lie. Have a read and let me know in the comments which one you think is a lie. Ready?! 1. I was born and raised in Camden. 2. I am super fussy when it comes to food. 3. I have a phobia of balloons. I can’t wait to hear your answers!!

16.01.2022 Ooh.... I feel some birthday love coming!! Ask Tara turns ONE this month! I honestly can’t believe it! I launched Ask Tara early last year in order to create a sustainable career for myself whilst I raised 5 kids and learnt how to manage my chronic health battles. ... And what a year!!! But! I am so proud! I set myself some fairly low expectations as I honestly had no idea what to expect! I told myself I wanted to end the year with at least 2 regular clients and to have at least one social media client. Well!! I had already met my goal TWICE by the end of the year! I want to thank all of you for all your amazing support! Who knew becoming a business owner would also equal creating a new family of amazing, strong, creative and passionate women!! Head to my stories to check out my year in review!! I’m so excited to RISE this year and achieve so much more!! Tell me... do you remember what goals you set in your first year in business? How did you go? What was your biggest learning?

15.01.2022 I’m just over a week, life is about to get back to a new normal?! Are you ready? Really though, are you ready? The next few months are going to be INSANE for shops and services. With the return of face to face shopping and a bunch of different services, these next few months are going to be HUGE!... So, now is the time!! You need to be: Organised Have your team organised Have your team educated Know your COVID Safety Plan Know your marketing to customers Be prepped for Christmas!! Yep! With less that 14wks to Christmas we are going to blink and it will be here.Get your Christmas promotions sorted ASAP!! It’s a lot, but you can do it! It’s what you have been waiting for! And if it’s all a bit much and you need some help, just Ask Tara! How are you feeling about reopening? Nervous? Excited?

08.01.2022 No matter how you feel about Valentine’s Day, I think it’s a great reminder to cherish the loves in your life. I have no major feelings against Valentine’s Day. None. What a nice excuse to spoil your loved ones and feel a bit special. That being said I have very rarely celebrated with a partner. And I get it. People don’t like being told to be loving and sweet etc and it is very commercialised. ... But raising kids and teens in particular we have made an effort to make them cards and do something little for them each year because why not celebrate love in its many forms and show them we love and cherish them. This year we have had a great time spending time together and just loving each other’s company. Especially this little man! He is just so happy and open to the world and not filtered and I love watching the world through his eyes!! Tell me below! Do you like to celebrate Valentine’s Day? And why?! Oh and HUGE thanks to the gorgeous Mel at @mjf__photography who captured this beautiful moment!

06.01.2022 It’s Stepfamily Day! As a proud step-parent to a LARGE complex blended family I think it’s a great day to showcase that our family is not that unique.... Sure, we are a large bunch and I think we are pretty special but for kids in a family different from their friends I think it’s super important that they see they aren’t alone in their situation. So, here’s to all the stepfamilies out there! It might not be an easy road, there may often be many compromises and sacrifices in order to bring everyone together but it can be done and it can be so rewarding. Our family is far from perfect and everyday brings new learnings but I love that my kids have all these siblings and that they all love and care for one another! Let me know below are you a step-parent? Or did you have step-parents? What was the best and worst thing?

04.01.2022 Are you heading into 2021 fully prepped?! The holidays are well and truely over (for most of us adults at least) with many of heading back to work today!! So with us all starting to get back into routine and commence business for 2021 are you feeling prepared?... Are you feeling focused? Have you set yourself a goal or a theme for yourself? I have to say I don’t mind a good wing it moment. Sometimes winging it ends up in some of our best work but for me, 2021 is going to be a huge year! For one, this is my second year in business and after SMASHING the goals I set for myself last year I am determined to end this year on just as big high! And secondly, I am going to welcoming a office junior in Maywho is going to be making life a bit of a challenge for a while so I need to be on my game! So.... how am I going to be keeping myself focused and on track? Well, I have started with setting myself an intention in the form of a word. I have taken time to reflect and work out what I want to achieve and picked a word I believe will help inspire and motivate me. Want to hear it?! This is year Ask Tara is going to RISE. Tell me... have you taken some time to pick a word, theme, intention or goal? I would love to hear it!! Tell me below!

04.01.2022 Tell me you’re working from home without telling me you’re working from home! What is it about being stuck in our homes that equals EATING?! Why am I so hungry? ... And why do I work for so many food businesses?! What are you finding yourself eating all the time since lockdown? Or is it just me?!

01.01.2022 What’s my secret to managing small business with home-schooling and babies?! Well, it isn’t easy. There is no real magic solution.The truth is it’s all about trying to create a balance and removing your own expectations on what a day SHOULD look like.... No two days are the same here at Ask Tara HQ. As you can see I have a beautiful office. It’s organised and is probably the cleanest room in the house because the reality is I don’t often get to use it! Often times, I am working from my bedroom whilst rocking Mr August or from the lounge where I can keep an eye on Mr Elliott and be close by for Miss 7and her school work. So my secret? It isn’t really a secret but here is what works for me and my family: Write lists! I try hard to get everything on paper so when I have time to dedicate to work I know what needs to be done. You will often find me making notes as I hop into bed, whilst watching Elliott in the bath, whilst feeding August or in wee hours of the morning whilst August is napping. Be mobile! The majority of my programs I use are all available as apps on my phone. I do use my laptop but having them at my fingertips for use ANYTIME is way more helpful. Sure, I look like one of those phone obsessed zombies BUT I am actually working and managing to be super productive no matter where I am nap-trapped! Find fun that takes time! I am a HUGE fan of activities that keep my kids occupied safely so I can do a bit of work. Chalk outside on the pavers. Ready Set Dance on YouTube Bath Bombs from Bathed In Love keep Mr Elliott occupied FOREVER! We have used them in a clam shell in the yard whilst I have worked outside to keep an eye on him. I follow Belle & Co. Living for ideas on occupying kids. Manage your mindset. The biggest issue I find is managing my mindset. There is nothing worse then that wound up stressed out feeling because I need to or I should be These thoughts will steal all your patience and creativity. Set yourself up so you can roll with your day. How do you manage to juggle business and family? What tips & tricks can you share?