Balancing Act: Productively Juggling Working at Home with Being a Mom

You're home with your kids because you value mothering. You want to nurture them, care for them, and love them.

But you also need to work from home. Maybe you're a writer, or an internet marketer, or a top eBay seller. How do you balance them both? With care, dedication, and discipline, you can thrive in both your business and your mothering! Here's how:

1. Plan your Goals

One of the problems I ran in to was that, as an author, there were countless things I could have been doing to market my books. I'd think about them, dream about them, read books about them, but I didn't have time to actually do them. Maybe I could accomplish one or two, but not nine or ten. And I needed to realize that and stop beating myself up over it.

When you are at home with your kids, you are at home with your kids. You will not be able to work eight hours a day productively. But you may be able to work two or three hours. So given that, what is reasonable to expect of yourself? How long will each thing take? And what can you put off until a different season in your life?

What is most important to build your career right now? Is it writing? Is it starting a blog? Is it starting articles, or researching money-making techniques on the internet? Make a list of everything you want to do, and prioritize it. Then only do your #1 or #2 priorities for a time. And forgive yourself if you don't get everything on your list done! You're doing what is possible, and that is enough.

2. Find Regular Hours

I know that sounds impossible with small kids, but it can be done. I used nap time for writing. Every day for two hours, even when I myself was tired, I would write. When the kids stopped napping, they still had downtime after lunch in their bedrooms. We instituted this early, and they stuck to it. That was their time to do puzzles, play in their beds, or look at books (and later, read).

Another time that works well is first thing in the morning, unless you have children who wake at 6:00. Try to stagger their bedtimes so that they do sleep until 7:30, and then you can start at 6:30 a.m. Or, if you're more of a nighthawk, do the opposite, and work after they go to bed for an hour. Once children reach the age of 4 or 5 they can also get their own cereal in the morning, and then this can be their video time.

3. When You Do Work, Be Productive!

Don't check emails (unless they're business related). Don't check Twitter, or blogs, or news (unless that's part of your "job"). Only do what's on your list!

If you are working at home to make money, then show up for work at your appointed time and WORK. Even if you're tired, or grumpy, or have PMS. If an employer were paying you, you'd show up. So show up, even if you yourself are paying you!

4. Find Things the Children Can do on their Own

Keep certain toys, or the playpen, simply for Mommy's work time. Don't feel guilty if you're not playing with them constantly. They can be on their own for 30 minutes, as long as you're still supervising and know what they're doing! You don't have to interact with them constantly; kids do need some time to be on their own. This may only grab you 20 minutes to half an hour, but even that can be important.

5. When You're With your Kids, Be With Your Kids

Finally, when you're not working, be with your kids. Don't run to the computer every moment they're busy to see if you can "grab 5 minutes". You'll wear yourself out and you'll feel like nothing is ever done correctly. The kids will get into trouble or call for you and then you'll be annoyed.

Do something fun and active with them every day where they have your attention. Go to a playgroup. Take them to the library. Go for a walk, do a puzzle, or read some books. Have time where you really are with them, and not just supervising them in the same house, and you'll likely find they don't resent the time you take away from them quite as much.

If you're a stay at home mom, you are never going to get as much done as someone who is not with her kids. You're just not. But that doesn't mean you can't work. It just means you'll do it differently. But you're still being a great mom to your kids, and that's irreplaceable.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

And now I'd like to invite you to download my FREE planning charts, including personal planners, organization checklists, daytimers, chore charts, and more, so that you can organize your work and your outings! Sheila Wray Gregoire is a syndicated columnist, and the author of four books, including To Love, Honor and Vacuum: When You feel more like a maid than a wife and a mother. She blogs at tolovehonorandvacuum.blogspot.com.

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