Working mothers work longer hours
Approximately 47% of the UK workforce is now made
up of women, with 12 million employed, according to
the Labour Force Survey from the Office of National
Statistics. And the employment figure is rising by
approximately 20,000 every two months. 41% of these
women are working mothers with dependant children
(4.9 million), and it is these women that increasingly
have to juggle work and home, career and family.
According to a recent government-backed research
programme into the future of work, working mums work
longer hours than they did ten years ago; on average
an additional 2.5 hours a week are spent working
compared to the early 1990s. These findings have
caused Shirley Conran, author of Superwoman, to
advise women to go on a baby strike and stop having
children for ten years because there’s not enough
support for mothers.
Fortunately, women needn’t take such evasive
action as there are plenty of resources on the
Net that can help working mothers and female
entrepreneurs to maximise their time, find the
perfect childcare solution, get help from
virtual assistants and business/web advice.
Here are a pick of some of the best resources
online for working women today.
TIME MANAGEMENT / WORK-LIFE BALANCE
http://www.worklifebalance.com
The leader in work-life balance training.
http://www.winninginfo.com
This site sells the ‘Juggling Woman’ series of
booklets: ‘107 winning ideas on returning to
work and ‘99 helpful hints in understanding teenagers’.
http://coco.essortment.com/howtomanageyorfwe.htm
How to manage your time effectively article
http://www.womenslife.co.za/Default.asp?actionarticle&ContentID226
How to manage your time effectively article
www.personaltransformation.org imemgmt.htm
Time management tips and time log
http://www.pvc.maricopa.edu/lac/guest ime.html
Time management tips
http://www.allexperts.com
An About.com service that enables you to get help from
specific experts. Jackie Hale is the Time Management
expert.
http://www.mindtools.com/page5.html
How to get the most from your time
http://www.balancetime.com
Time management seminars
http://www.employersforwork-lifebalance.org.uk
Demonstrates how work-life policies can be introduced on
a practical basis.
http://www.healthworks.com.au/publications/booklets/b-worklife.htm
Work-life balance booklet from Healthworks.
http://www.ivillage.co.uk/workcareer/worklife/
Has some useful articles on juggling work and life.
http://www.equalsone.co.uk
Flexible recruitment consultants who support work-life
balance
http://www.dti.gov.uk/work-lifebalance/
Free book provided by DTI.
http://www.execwoman.com/workingmother/workingmother.htm
Articles on work-life balance and resources for mums.
OUTSOURCING AND VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS
http://www.smarterwork.co.uk
Business services outsourcing marketplace
http://www.elance.com
Professional services marketplace
http://www.talentcue.com
Freelance database
http://www.virtuallytheoffice.com
Provides administration and support services to businesses
and individuals.
http://www.ivaa.org
International Virtual Assistants Association
http://www.v-sec.co.uk
V-sec secretarial services
http://www.vauk.co.uk
Virtual assistance UK
http://www.virtual-employee.co.uk/
The Virtual Assistant
http://www.staffcentrix.com
Virtual Assistant Community
http://www.assistu.com
Virtual Assistant/Office Professionals
http://www.virtual-asst.com
Virtual Assistants
http://www.virtualassitant.com.au
Australian Virtual Assistants
http://www.getvirtualassistant.com
Virtual Assistance
http://execassist.net
Executive virtual assistance.
http://www.cushiontheimpact.co.uk/
Help available to cushion the impact
BUSINESS AND INTERNET RELATED ADVICE
http://www.beyondbricks.co.uk
New government initiative with useful information
relating to business and e-commerce
http://www.better-business.co.uk
Better Business magazine online
http://www.smallbusinessadvice.org.uk
Does exactly what it says on the tin :)
http://www.businessbureau-uk.co.uk
Includes internet statistics, outsourcing and more
http://www.smallbusinessbureau.org.uk
Lobbying body for SMEs
http://www.factline.co.uk/
Factsheets for SMEs, including tax self assessment and
other information.
http://www.open.gov.uk/inrev/sa/
Inland Revenue Self Assessment
http://www.bizmove.com
Free guides and worksheets
http://www.enterprisenetwork.co.uk
The Sunday Times Enterprise Network
http://www.internetangels.co.uk
Online business development directory and more
http://www.webcritique.co.uk
In-depth site appraisals and personalised web
promotion plans and press releases, to save you
time and optimise web performance.
http://www.hitsnclicks.com
Online marketing resource centre
CHILDCARE
http://www.family-match.com
Helps nannies find jobs (with tips and advice
for nannies) and helps mothers to find the perfect
match with regards to nannies and mothers helps’
http://www.sitters.co.uk
Babysitting booking service.
http://www.nannyjob.co.uk
Resource centre and nanny directory
http://www.parentsoup.com
Resource centre for parents
http://www.ukparents.co.uk
Resource centre for parents
http://www.practicalparent.org.uk
Resource centre for parents
http://www.ivillage.com
Resource centre for women
http://www.thebabyregistry.co.uk
WOMEN'S WEBSITES AND COMMUNITIES
http://www.busygirl.co.uk
Business technology network for women
http://www.e-womenforum.com
For women working in new media, IT and e-commerce
http://www.seedfusion.com
E-busines network for women
http://www.ebiznetwork.co.uk
Good advice for women starting businesses from home
http://www.the-bag-lady.co.uk/
Global directory for women in business
http://www.execwoman.com
Executive woman magazine online
http://www.workingwomanmag.com
Working woman magazine online
http://www.diamond.uk.com
Goods and services from insurance to heath, aimed
at women and by women.
http://www.femail.com
Daily Mail Femail Section online
http://www.allabouteve.co.uk
BBC online magazine for women.
http://www.advancingwomen.com
Women related news regarding workplace strategies,
career advancement, management, and more.
http://www.aawit.org
African-American Women in Technology
http://www.binarygirl.com
Where girls and technology click
http://www.digital-women.com
Women in business with their modems running
http://dotcomdivas.net
Resources for women Internet entrepreneurs
http://www.girlgeeks.com
The source for women in computing
http://www.nfwbo.org
National Foundation for Women Business Owners
http://www.onlinewbc.org/entry.html
Online women’s business centre
http://www.scottishbusinesswomen.com
http://www.siliconsally.com
Resource for women – all things computer related
http://www.womanowned.com
Women business owners and resource centre
http://www.womensbizresources.com
Resources for women in business
http://www.workingmommall.com
Community for working mums
QUICK CHRISTMAS SHOPPING ONLINE
Women make up 50% of all Internet users and control
or influence over 80% of all purchase decisions,
women make up 63% of online shoppers who buy more
than once a week. Here are some websites that will
help you save time shopping online this Christmas.
http://www.kelkoo.com
Price comparison shopping
http://www.shoptour.co.uk
UK online shopping guide
http://www.shopq.co.uk
Online shopping guide
http://www.boysstuff.co.uk
The one stop shop for big boys toys
http://www.firebox.com
Gadgets, games, boys toys
http://www.ilikemusic.com/buymusic.html
http://www.ilikemusic.com/makemusichardwareheaven.html
http://www.ilikemusic.com/musicdirectorygiftsforboysngirls.html
Buy CDs, videos, hardware, software, instruments
and equipment and check out the boystoys directory.
http://www.bust-ed.com
Gifts and products designed by women for women
http://www.giftsforbirds.com
Point clueless boyfriends/husbands towards this
site
http://www.woolworths.co.uk
Woolies online
http://www.asseenonscreen.com
Teenage daughters will love this one.
About the Author
Cheryl Rickman
http://www.webcritique.co.uk
e-mail: info@webcritique.co.uk
In-depth Website Appraisals, Personalised Web
Promotion Plans, plus Web Page Copywriting and
Editing Services and Press Release packages.