What are the best tips for handling work at home motherhood like a pro?
It’s not uncommon to hear a mother express a longing to be able to work from home. Whether she works out of the home and longs to have more time to spend with her children, or she’s a stay at home mom who needs extra income or who wants the fulfilment of a career, working at home as a mom sounds wonderful. It is wonderful–but it’s also difficult. It requires a high level of dedication and a lot of hard work to juggle children’s needs and the demands of a paid position.
Here are three tried and true tips for maintaining your peace and sanity as a work at home mom:
Have a Plan
There are two things you should keep in mind: first, you need a plan. Second, your children will do their best to thwart your plan! Whether it’s childcare cancelling at the last minute, a conference call that goes on too long, or a sick child, something about working with children means you’re always handling the expected. You’ll be a lot more at ease, however, if you expect the unexpected.
Use time-blocking to help you sort out your day, but make sure you leave down time and extra time for the unexpected tantrum or a few extra hugs and kisses. After all, that’s why you’re working at home!
Get Dressed
Although nothing’s as comfortable as last night’s pj’s, you will feel a thousand times better if you take the time to brush your teeth and put on clothes. You don’t have to get fancy (though some women go so far as to put on makeup, jewelry and shoes) but getting dressed reminds you that you’re a professional with important work to be done! It’s easy to put everyone first when you’re a mom, but taking a quick moment for self-care will help work better.
Create Clear Expectations
One of the biggest challenges for work at home moms is family and friends who don’t understand. Whether you’re involved in market research online or run your own creative business, it’s important that you communicate clearly that your home, at least during work hours, is also your office, and that friends can no longer just drop by and stay for lunch! Depending on the ages of your children, you can also work with them so that they understand mommy is no longer constantly available. This is a great way to encourage independence and teamwork in your children.
Working at home can be a wonderful experience for your family and your bank account. Keeping these tips in mind will help you make sure it’s a good experience for you, too! Don’t forget to make a plan, get dressed most days, and create clear expectations with those around. You’ll be on your work to being a pro work at home mom in no time.