How to manage your time as a work-at-home-mom
Do you find working from home as a mother tough? Here are some tips to help you manage your time.
It doesn’t matter if you work from home because of the current pandemic or you work at home because of your employer (even if that employer is yourself!) – it can be stressful if you have children still living in the home with you.
Older children and teenagers will understand when mom has to get some work done but the younger generation might not completely grasp why mommy can’t play right now because she is working.
This pull-and-tug for your attention when you are not only a fulltime mom but also a full time employee can create major amounts of stress. These increased stress levels will amp your heart rate up which can cause health problems and your mental health can also suffer. That is where time management skills, hints, tips, and guidelines definitely come into play.
We want all the moms who work from home to be happy, healthy and able to maintain the balance needed between work and motherhood which is why this discussion of how to manage your time as a work-at-home-mom is an important read!
Invest an unconventional work station
Sometimes children can benefit from being able to see and be near their mom during playtime or quiet time. Children have been known to experience anxiety when they are unable to see their mom so while the mom buckles down and gets to work, they can be a part of the process around your feet.
Using unconventional work stations in your home office can accomplish this goal. Consider investing into a standing desk so that you are able to keep an eye on your children while working and they are able to see you clearly near them.
Standing desks also have physical health benefits because your muscles are not cramped into the same position for hours on end but you have more freedom to move around during the working hours.
These benefits are more pronounced when you pair your standing desk with a drafting chair that allows you to sit comfortably.
Also consider changing your work ethic to completing tasks as they come to your attention to the batch method instead – this means you sort your work into batches of priority and work through each batch before taking a break.
Use quiet time (nap time) wisely
One way to manage time more effectively when you are a working from home mother is to complete the basic tasks that don’t require intense focus while your child is active. Then once your child has gone down for their afternoon nap and you know that you have a steady two or three hours of silence ahead – get the major tasks out of the way.
Have a baby monitor on your desk so you are able to keep an eye and ear to your little one while still plugging away at the tasks on your daily agenda.
Daycare or nanny
More mothers are looking for external help in the form of daycares or nannies when they work from home and the benefits are surprisingly awesome.
Daycare teaches your child a routine, allows them to socialize with other children in their age group, and also teaches them responsibility when they have to behave in a positive manner for rewards. While your child is at daycare, your house is quiet, and you are able to work steady for the amount of time they are gone.
Daycares can also have benefits for the mother in terms of keeping them to a schedule as well. It is easy to fall into the trap of starting work whenever you want while working from home but if you have to be up at a certain time to bring your child to daycare?
Then you are more likely to start work when you get home – plus quitting time is the time you have to leave to pick them up and bring them home.
A live-in nanny or someone who comes into your home to provide childcare gives you the opportunity to visit and spend time with your little one during breaks but still takes the majority of the caregiving off your hands during working hours.
Schedule lunch and breaks together
If you have to spend more time than you would like at your desk in the office, then why not schedule your dinner break to coincide with your child’s so you guys can have lunch together?
Use coffee breaks as time to play a quick game or sneak some snuggles from your child. Not only will this refresh you mentally, your child will learn to look forward to the time when mommy can leave their desk.
Create games and other activities that you can do with your kid during these break times and relish in the time you guys get to spend together before the rest of the family get home.
Renovate
Renovate your office to fit a playpen, play area, or something similar so your child can be in the same room as you for social reasons but you are still able to access all the tools you need for working.
Also have a distraction-free zone in the house for those impotent conference calls that you need your absolute concentration for!
Working from home as a mom shouldn’t mean you are torn
Working from home when you are also a mom shouldn’t have to mean you are torn between your responsibilities. It shouldn’t mean that you suddenly feel a lot more stress in your daily life and it doesn’t have to mean that either part of your life has to suffer.
With a little bit of effort and some handy tips like those discussed above can make the world of difference between no time off anything and time management for all areas of your life!
Time management is an important skill to have and growing that skill can benefit you in other areas of your life as well. Definitely give the tips and hints mentioned here today the next time you feel you’re being pulled between two important aspects of your life – your career and your children.
