Being a mom can be overwhelming in itself. Being a working stay at home mom can double the stress. Find out how to reduce stress and strike a work-life balance with the tips below.
At first, being a stay at home mom who also works from home sounds like the perfect, winning combination, right? You’re able to be with your kids all day and you won’t have to miss any of those crucial milestones and, at the same time, you’ll still be bringing money to the table and you don’t have to sacrifice that second income. However, finding a healthy balance between working at home and being a stay at home mom isn’t always as easy in reality as it is in theory.
Here are five ways that you can achieve some of that elusive work-family balance:
1. Make a schedule
Set aside certain hours during each day where you are fully devoted to getting work – and only work – done. It doesn’t need to be a full eight hour work day, but you do need a few uninterrupted hours dedicated solely to work. This might mean knocking out your overflowing inbox before the kids are awake or during naptime or scheduled activities, and it might mean scheduling play dates or other activities that you can drop the kids off at a few times a week.
The trick is actually sticking to the schedule; you have to be firm about it otherwise it’s far too easy to let things start to slide.
2. Create a specific work space
Trying to do your work at the kitchen table or in the living room will only create chaos. Instead, set aside a specific area of the house that is devoted to only your work. If you aren’t using the formal dining room then turn it into an office space instead. Do you have a spare bedroom that no one is using? That could be the perfect place for a home office. The best solution is to rent a 동대구 오피.
Having a place that is designed specifically for your work will help you get into the groove more easily than if you have a thousand other things competing for your attention, like dishes that need to be washed or laundry that needs to be folded.
3. Hire a babysitter when things get crazy
If you know you have a strict deadline approaching and you just aren’t finding enough time in the day to get work done while still attending to the kids then you may want to hire a babysitter for a few hours each day until you reach your deadline. Or, exchange babysitting times with another work-at-home mom.
It’s okay and normal to realize that you can’t do everything and that you may need some help. Don’t hesitate to get some every now and then!
4. Don’t let work carry over into the evenings
As tempted as you may be to check e-mail or take work phone calls in the evenings, it’s important to set that time aside for family time with your spouse and kids. Unless it’s an emergency, the e-mails and phone calls will still be there the next day.
Family dinners and evenings spent catching up about each other’s days can’t wait because life doesn’t wait. Work, on the other hand, can wait.
5. Split up the household tasks
You are only one person and, despite the fact that you may want to do everything by yourself, you’ll never get it all done and still be able to fully be there for your kids and your job. Split up the household chores amongst family members so that everyone is contributing and everything still gets done.
It may not get done exactly the way that you wanted it to, but sometimes it’s good to relinquish some control.
As a mom it’s tempting to want to be Super Mom and do everything for the family; however it’s not a realistic way of life. Working from home and being a mom can go hand in hand, you just have to be willing to let go of certain things in view of focusing on only the most important ones. Everything else will fall into place.
About the Author
Laura Backes enjoys writing about all kinds of subjects and also topics related to internet providers in her area. You can reach her at: laurabackes8 @ gmail.com.