Too Busy to Get Hair Done

Why is it that is takes so darn much time to make a trip to the hairdresser? I decided a long time ago that since the "necessary" color, cut and blow dray takes so long, I can't spend my time going out of my way. Unless the hair salon is walking distance to my office or close to home, I can't afford it, in terms of time.

I recently had color, cut and blow dry all done in less than two hours. Great! Not only that, but I did not have to wait, not one minute, for the hairdresser when I walked in and did not have to wait for the hairdresser to work on other clients while working on me.

When I left this same appointment, I was given a card and, if I refer a friend, both my friend and I get a discount on our next service.

Saving me time and money? Multi-minding women will love it. Let me know if you've had any experiences with business lately that save you both time and money.

Too Busy to Shop Book Almost Ready

For all of you multi-minding women out there and, for all of you marketers who are trying to reach multi-minding women, my new book, Too Busy to Shop: Marketing to Multi-Minding Women is soon to be a reality. The book is due out on March 30 and is being published by Praeger Publishers.

Here's the link to the publisher's online catalog. http://www.greenwood.com/catalog/C35487.aspx

I am still collecting input from women on which marketers are really successful at connecting with them and engaging them in great ways, so please continue to send along your opinions. I'm saving them for the next book!

Thanks for Your Too Busy to Shop Input

It's been a pleasure hearing from many of you about how you, with so much going on in your lives, are "too busy to shop." I have included some stories, input and trends based on that input in my upcoming book, Too Busy to Shop: Marketing to Multi-Minding Women, which is slated for release on March 30, 2009.

In fact, two entire chapters are based on input from multi-minding women like you. Take a peek at the overview for the book on the publisher's online catalog http://www.greenwood.com/catalog/C35487.aspx. It's exciting to see it all come together!

Earlier this week, I shot a photo for book jacket cover. My five-year old daughter joined me at the shoot and we had a blast. I love including my kids in my work and they really seem to enjoy it, too. They learn so much by seeing what different people do for a living.

Let me know what you do to share your work with your kids.

Too Busy to Bake for School Holiday Party? Read On.

It's the time of year for holiday parties at school. If you have more than one child and have signed up to do something for each of their holiday parties (why do I over-commit?!?), here's a recipe for a great "truffle" treat that I just found on http://themotherhood.com.

The recipe requires no baking and does not take much time yet is fun to make with kids (cookie smashing involved) and has irresistible tastes for kids (Oreo cookies, chocolate and cream cheese). Sounds like a perfect recipe for a multi-minding mom at the holidays. Needless to say, we're doing a double recipe. Here is is -- http://www.themotherhood.com/search.php?navFind_input=oreos.

Enjoy!

Too Busy to Shop this Holiday Season?

Almost all of the busy, multi-minding women I have talked to in the past week have said, "just a few more gifts and I am done." It seems that, just when you think you are done, there are "just a few more" things you need to get.

How are women managing to get the last of the shopping done? More women than ever are turning to sites like http://www.5minutesformom.com or http://www.coolmompicks.com and links to buying all in one easy stop. Personally, I cannot live without amazon.com at Christmas time.

Tricky part is that my son can now read and my daughter is on her way, so subtly labeled boxes are key to a secretive delivery. The big box with the FAO Schwarz-branded tape around it almost blew it.

So, free shipping and plain brown boxes are much appreciated.

Too Busy to Haggle with Airlines about Kids Seating

I've written a number of times about the hassles of air travel. When traveling on business, I am usually traveling alone and it's a pain. But, traveling as a family, as many do during the holidays, is a real pain.

When I book flights for my family, I always take special care to note I have two children and they need to be seated with with either my husband or me. Is this too much to ask? Apparently so because when I show up at the airport, it never fails that the seats have been switched and we are spread all over the plane, leaving us to beg flight attendants or other passengers to find a willing seat switcher.

Apparently, I am not the only one. This morning on twitter, a woman tweeted that "USAir wants extra $50 to guarantee our small kids sit next to us. Hope the guy next to my screaming 18 month old enjoys his flight." To which I replied "thanks for sharing! Will keep in mind for next trip. Either that or keep asking flight attendants to take supplies to kids." Her reply back can be a help to any mom traveling with kids "@toobusytoshop My plan is to just dunk kids hands in marshmallow fluff and see how fast the folks next to them will trade out. :) (see http://twitter.com/toobusytoshop).

Wonder if you can buy marshmallow fluff in the airport?

Multi-Minding Moms Will Love Oscar the Pig

Of all the things that busy, multi-minding women juggle, going back to work has to be among THE most stressful. The transition is difficult for mom, dad and kids. Now, Oscar the Pig is here to help. Little Oscar, his mommy and his nanny tell a story that makes everyone more comfortable when mommy leaves to go to work, or in my case, leaves to travel on business.



"Read it again, mommy," is the reaction I got from my five year-old daughter. Nothing warms a mother's heart more than hearing her child laugh and my daughter giggled out loud every time I read the line "piggy kisses."



Written by Megan Calhoun, a multi-minding mom herself and founder of twitter moms http://www.twittermoms.com/, the text is cute and cleverly-written and accompanied with beautiful illustrations. http://www.twittermoms.com/extensions/otp_images/oscar_and_mommy.jpg



If you are multi-minding mom who is going back to work, if you have a child who struggles with you leaving to go to work or to travel, Oscar the pig will help. The book is available at Amazon.com ($16-$18) or at http://www.oscarthepig.com/.