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Many moms are attracted to working at home while raising their children, but managing both effectively can be challenging!
It takes planning and working with a purpose to find a formula that meets the needs of home and work. If too much time is spent on the business, the family suffers, and if too little time is spent on the business, the results are meager.
At different stages, what your family needs from you will change. What is at the forefront of responsibilities with toddlers changes when the children start school. Summer schedules vary from a winter routine.
Here are a dozen timeless tips to help you work at home effectively:
Table of Contents
1. Telephone Toy Box.
Did you ever notice that your little ones want your attention as soon as you get on the phone? Try making a special “Telephone Toy Box.” Create a big picture of a telephone, laminate it, and glue it to the outside of the box. Fill the box with several reserved toys to be used when Mom is on the phone. Store it out of reach.
When you begin your calls, take the box down. Return the toy box to its out-of-reach space when your calls are over. Soon, your little ones will ask when it is Telephone Toy Box time.
2. Use a Wireless Head Set
The wireless head set is a great tool for multitasking! With a cordless headset on, you can be on the phone while cooking dinner, folding clothes, or doing other busy work. This can be a real time saver.
3. Take a day off weekly.
Keep one day sacred and do not work. This will help you refresh and energize yourself and prevent the counterproductive feeling that you are always at work. This is important if you build a business that lasts. Home-based work can feel closed in. Set boundaries now that will help you in the future.
As Osmara Aryal, Founder & Editor-In-Chief of Motherhood Community, comments, “Whether you’re struggling with Mom Brain, pregnant brain, or wanting to boost your productivity at work, you probably could use a little burst of focus, right? Mindful, deep breathing is a simple yet effective tool that can help reduce brain fog, cultivate clear thinking, and improve memory.” This technique can be a valuable addition to your toolkit, offering a way to center yourself and regain clarity without stepping away from your responsibilities for an extended period.
4. Play office.
Get your children a desk near yours and let them play in the office. Working with your toddlers can be a perfect playground for promoting hours of imaginative play. When my daughters were younger, we had a play office near mine.
Once, I heard my little girl talking to her imaginary salesperson and asking, “Did you get a re-koot?” (She could not yet say recruit!) We would often hang up the phones and talk about real and pretend business issues. Today, my little girl is 20 and succeeding in a straight commission sales job while going to school. Due to my working at home, she has had many years of training and practice.
5. Cook ahead.
When you have an upcoming busy week, cook ahead on the weekends. It is amazing how much better your family will adjust to a fuller schedule if they are still well-fed.
6. Segregate your office from your family life.
Set up an office in a room with a door. This way, you can separate work from family life.
7. Use one calendar for work and family.
Mark important activities of your children in a different color. Let your family know you will work hard not to miss their special events. As the children get older, have them mark on your calendar any activities that they want you to attend.
8. Have a team approach to the family chores.
Who can help with what? Even toddlers can sort laundry by color. Sorting by color is a good preschool practice activity.
9. Take a mental health day when needed.
Give yourself an unplanned day off when tasks are piling up. Allow your older children to take a mental health day off once or twice yearly when needed, too. They will be empowered by encouraging them to listen to their minds and bodies and putting them in charge. If used judiciously, this can be a source of maintaining one’s well-being.
10. Feel the power of the shower.
Many important Ah-hahs! have been discovered in the quiet of the shower. On those days when you have too much to do or need to restore your focus or get away from the world, take refuge in the shower.
11. Accept the “mess of success!”
Lower your standards for a perfectly kept house. As your business grows, you will have more mess that will go along with home-based business success! Become comfortable with a reasonable amount of organized clutter. You can tolerate that your house may not be as spotless as if you did not have a home-based business.
12. Have a clutter-buster day!
STOP! Gain control when you are having a paper attack! When the clutter becomes a deterrent from managing home and work, set time aside and rein in the clutter.
One of the greatest things about having a business is that it is ALL up to YOU. One of the hardest things about having your own home-based business is that it is ALL up to YOU!
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