Balancing Working from Home and Being a Mom

I write articles about job searching, etc. for Hound.com, and today I wrote this article about moms working from home.

How to Balance Working from Home and Being a Mom

Brooke Heath

When I first realized that I would have the opportunity to do the majority of my work from home while raising my one-year old, I thought, “perfect!” Little did I know that while working from home can save in baby-sitter fees, it’s not always the picture-perfect scenario that I envisioned. Trying to chase around a toddler while doing work (thank goodness for laptops!) can be difficult to say the least, but at the same time, very rewarding and worthwhile. Through trial and error, I have learned the following tips on how to find a balance between my career at home, and raising my child.

Set New Priorities

Before my son came into my life, I had no problem keeping my house very clean, and completing my work. However, once he came, I realized that my time (and sanity) didn’t allow for everything to be my version of “perfect” anymore – something had to give. Sadly, there are days when my husband comes home from work and the dishes are piled up, and the baby’s toys are scattered through out the house. However, I find satisfaction knowing that I attended to my two main priorities for that day: keeping my child happy and healthy, and completing my work duties. I had to set new priorities, and unfortunately, while other things are still important, keeping my house clean, have dinner on the table, and laundry always caught up, they are no longer at the top of my priority list.

Get Organized

In the last year, my new best friend has become the notepad on my nightstand. Each night, I make a list of the things that I need to accomplish the following day, and make a schedule of when I will do them. Of course, as any mom will tell you, with kids you have to expect the unexpected, and no schedule is foolproof. So, allow for some wiggle room in your schedule. However, even if something comes up, I have an overview of what I need to do for the day, from start to finish, which helps in my productivity for the day.

Keep Multi-tasking to a Minimum

I know this sounds crazy to any mom, because we depend on multi-tasking. But when you’re trying to work from home, multi-tasking can actually cut into your work time, and/or even distract and hinder you from getting your work done. It can actually be more productive to set aside dedicated work time, rather than attempt to do work all day, all the while chasing after kids, doing laundry, and all of the other tasks that moms do. For example, I like to dedicate several hours just to work. I put on my blinders to cleaning, and everything else that can wait. Also, during this time, I set my child up with toys, and let him have some time dedicated to self-play (of course checking on him regularly!). I find that so much more gets accomplished this way.

Take Advantage of Naptime!

Naptime is a magical term to any mom, but this part of the day can be especially helpful to moms working from home. Work to have naptime be a set time each day, and use this time to accomplish work tasks that can’t be done with the kids awake. For example, follow up on phone calls (which is soooo difficult with kids screaming in the background), have a web conference, etc. It can be so tempting to join the kids for a nap of your own, but utilize this precious time to accomplish important tasks!

Enlist Help of Others

There are some days when my workload is so huge that I need to enlist the help of others. Sometimes, I’ll take my baby to my husband’s office and drop him off, call my neighbor, or ask my mother-in-law to come over, so that I can get work done without chasing around my little guy, and repeating the words, “please don’t touch that,” or “we don’t eat dog food!” every minute. If you don’t have friends or family close by to help on especially overwhelming workdays, consider hiring a sitter or nanny to be on-call just to help in those dire times.

Don’t Procrastinate!

A huge problem with working from home can be a lack of self-motivation, and procrastination. Not because it’s intentionally done, but because there are so many other things that can get in the way and distract us! Referring back to your schedule, focus on what absolutely needs to get done that day, and don’t let other less important things distract you. (The laundry will still be there when you’re done.)

Allow for “Mom Time”

When you’re a mom, there’s almost no time for yourself. Add to that having work responsibilities that are pressing you for time, and you can say good-bye to any “mom time.” However, it’s important for your sanity, for your career, and your family, that you do take a few minutes out of the day for yourself. For me, this time is my “Diet-Coke-run time.” I grab my baby, load up the car, and drive down the road to grab a drink. It doesn’t (and shouldn’t) take too much time out of your busy day, but allowing yourself your own “mom time” will help to rejuvenate you, and allow you to go back to whatever you’re doing with a new sense of motivation, and focus (especially when you’re having “one of those” days).

Those Days…

There are “those days” when I’m feeding a baby with one hand, and typing with the other (like now) and I think, “those moms who work outside of the house, and can be productive for hours at a time and get work done are so lucky.” But then I watch my little guy (who just started walking) toddle across the room to give me a hug, and I realize how blessed I am; I get to share in the milestones of my son’s life, while at the same time work at a job that I really enjoy