A Mom’s Guide to Working Comfortably At Home

Being a mom who works at home can seem like a dream job, and for many it is. But the balance of caring for kids and working at the same time can be tricky to maintain. It is not easy to be a parent regardless of the age of your children, or how many you happen to have. It is important to keep your family happy, but you still need to pay the bills. Many women have been incredibly successful at having careers from home while also taking care of kids. If you or someone you know is in this situation, then the following article is meant to provide a guide to help organize and plan your days to maximize your work time while also keeping your kids and family happy. 

Schedule

Creating a schedule that delineates your daily tasks related to parenting and business or work can be helpful when organizing your time to find spots to get things done. This can mean that you make a physical schedule, or keep things organized on your phone or computer calendar. Many moms find it helpful to put a calendar on the fridge and write different types of tasks in different colors. This helps you visually differentiate between tasks quickly, so you don’t waste valuable time trying to figure out what you are supposed to be doing. 

Use nap time to your advantage

Keeping your kids happy, fed, and entertained can be an exhausting task when you also have the added responsibility of working from home. One way to kill two birds with one stone is to take advantage of your children’s nap time. This is a time when (hopefully) your kids are accounted for and sleeping, rather than distracting you from work that you need to get done at home. This is prime time for you, and should be used to get as much work done as possible! Another time that you could potentially get work done is in the evening when you send your kids to bed. This is another time when things are quiet and you hopefully have fewer distractions, which will allow you to finish more tasks than during the day. 

Set up a workspace

Having a space where you can work and be productive and comfortable is key when working at home, just as is the case when working from an office. This means you need an area with a desk or table where you can keep your work materials and computer. It is also important to make sure that you have a proper chair to work in since you will likely be spending a long time sitting and working. There may even be one in particular that already caught your eye, but is way off your budget. Unknown to some, you can buy replicas with the same quality online. All you need to do is find a trustworthy website that has excellent reviews and recommendations on some of the best chairs in the market. The space that you work in can have a huge impact on your productivity when working at home. Having a space that is designated for working, and that is comfortable, sleek, and inviting will have you looking forward to the time you spend working at home. 

Separate work and family

This tip can seem tricky or like it’s impossible when working from home, but it is essential in order to maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle. This can mean that maybe you have set hours during the day where you are committed to only working, and after that timeframe, you just focus on doing things with your family. Keeping these two aspects of your life separate will help keep you happy if you encounter issues with either family or work life. 

Keep kids busy

Keeping your kids busy can not only be beneficial for their development, but also help you get some much-needed work done at home. Keeping your kids busy shouldn’t mean you just hand them a device or throw them in front of the television. You can enroll your kid in classes, sports, music lessons, dance lessons, or arrange playdates with friends in order to make sure you have some time where they are not in the house. 

Get help

The main thing to remember is that if you are feeling overwhelmed you can always get help in order to make sure everything is taken care of. This could include hiring a babysitter, enlisting the help of friends or family, or working out an afterschool program or daycare. 

Hopefully, this article has been helpful at informing you of some useful tips and tricks that women have used to help with the task of raising children while also working from home. It can seem like a daunting and difficult task, but with the proper organization skills, you will be fine. Use these strategies to help keep things under control and all your proverbial ducks in a row.