A lot of us decide to become a work-at-home parent in order to take an active part in children’s life yet keep our valuable professional identity and skills. However, it is not always easy to combine work with parenthood and succeed in both. Here are a couple of work-life tips for those, who just decided to become a work-at-home mom, and those, who struggle to do it.
Separate work time from parenting hours
It is indeed important to understand that working and taking care of children shouldn’t be done at the same time and/or in the same place. If you want to be a successful work-at-home mom, you should pursue excellent time-management skills. Try sticking your child on a daily routine and adapt your working schedule correspondingly. This will help you to not only discipline your child from her early age but also make a clear separation between working and parenting hours, find more time for your job, and focus better.
Find Quality Babysitters
Finding quality babysitters, nannies or childcare centers can help reduce your family work. Organize interview to choose nannies or babysitter. Nannies with long term commitment to families prove how easily they can adapt to kid with different age groups.
Create a kids-not-allowed workspace
Another good thing to do to separate your mummy-life from your work life and concentrate better on each is to create an isolated from kids’ duties workspace. It can be a separate office room, where children are not allowed and that is nicely decorated and well-equipped for work, or a simple desk in a corner of your living room with a perfect work-atmosphere, preferably looking away from children’s playroom or kitchen, to keep you less distracted from doing business.
Outsource, not only household work but your business-related tasks too
It is essential to understand that none of us are superwomen and that there are only 24 hours in a day. Therefore, learn to outsource some of your work that is related to both, household management or childcare and your business. Find a good nanny that will look after kids regularly or whenever you feel like you don’t have enough time to meet a work deadline. If possible, hire a housemaid. This will give you more time to spend with your children and to concentrate on business. Remind yourself from time to time that you and your spouse have parents. Conversations between different generations are important for the child’s development and most of the grandparents will be happy to hang out more with their grandchildren. Hence, take this opportunity not only to find more time for work but also to enjoy a night with your husband alone, away from work and children.
There are plenty of websites right now where you can find freelancers that can handle some parts of your work efficiently and cost-effectively. Check such platforms as UpWork, Guru, and SimplyHired. Who knows, maybe another work-at-home mom will be there, online, to help you.