Is Staying at Home Work? A Closer Look at What Defines “Work”
It’s a question that often comes up in conversations among professional women: is staying at home and taking care of your children work, or is work only defined as something that you get paid to do? The answer isn’t always straightforward, but let’s take a closer look at the concept of work and how it is (and could be) defined. 

Defining Work by Society's Standards 
By society’s standards, the definition of “work” tends to focus on what people are paid to do. If someone gets a paycheck for their efforts, then they are typically deemed to be engaged in “work.” This definition can be problematic, however, because it ignores those who are doing unpaid labor such as stay-at-home parents or caregivers. 
On the other hand, there are some valid arguments for why society has chosen to define work in this way. For example, many countries use taxes on wages as a primary source of revenue, so defining work as something that is done for pay allows governments to collect taxes more easily. Additionally, if all forms of unpaid labor were considered “work,” it would be difficult to calculate unemployment rates accurately. 

Defining Work by Your Own Standards 
The good news is that you don’t have to accept society's definition of work—you can define it for yourself! If you consider staying at home and raising your children an important form of work (as many working mothers do), then go ahead and give yourself credit for it! You don't need anyone else's approval or validation—you know what you're doing and you should be proud of yourself for it. 
At the end of the day, how you define work is entirely up to you. Whether you choose to view stay-at-home parenting as a form of work or not doesn't really matter—what matters is that you recognize the value and importance of whatever it is that you're doing with your time and energy. Don't let anyone else tell you how your time should be spent; take ownership over your life and make sure that whatever decisions you make are right for YOU!

If you've thought about leaving your career to stay at home with your kids, you're not alone. 

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Meet Paula Henry

 
As a teenager, I was encouraged to go to college, find a career and go out into the world to make a difference. For many years, I had no plans to have children because I had one focus - my career.  

As I neared the age of 30, I started thinking about what I wanted my life to look like in the future. Where did I want to be in 20 years and what did I want my life to look like. That's when I felt a pull at my heart to have children. 

I continued to work in my career while my kids were infants and toddlers. It wasn't until they were both in school that I felt a huge tug to stay at home. But, I had worked so hard to go to school, spent so much money and now I was thinking of throwing it all away? What would people think? Was the money and education a waste? 

I remember having more days at work when I wanted to be home than days at home when I wanted to be at work.  And, that's when I knew things had to change. It didn't happen overnight. We put together a plan so that we would be able to live comfortably on a single income and then we moved forward with that plan.

Once I left my job, I experienced a full-on identity crisis. No longer did I have my career to define me. Now, I had to figure out who I was. It was challenging, and I dove into different projects and small jobs. I was looking for fulfillment in motherhood...and something else. 

I didn't know about personal growth programs. It wasn't until I went to a conference and heard to speakers present on a framework that everything fell into place. Here was a system that I could use to pull my life together. I could use it to determine my identity. I could set goals for myself and have a plan to reach them. I embraced the system and it worked. 

Are you ready to start your own journey to a happier life with more balance between family obligations, self care and everything else in your life? Join me and my group of friends. Contact me now!

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