Key Ways to Maintain Balance as a Work-From-Home Mom
Working from home has become an increasingly common option at companies. For busy moms, working from home might be a great way to maintain a full- or part-time while taking care of your kids and your home. Without a long commute or the time it takes to get ready for the office, you may have more time to get your kids to the bus stop on time or make dinner in the evening. However, work-from-home moms can find it challenging to balance their work and home lives — especially if your kids are home during the day.
These tips should help you figure out how to find that perfect balance.
Don’t Divide Your Focus
We like to think that becoming moms gives us superpowers — and in many cases, it does. Unfortunately, that list of superpowers doesn’t include multitasking. The human brain just isn’t designed to focus on more than one thing at a time. It takes 23 minutes and 15 seconds for the average person to get back on task after a distraction.
Trying to juggle several different things simultaneously is just going to make it harder to get anything done. Stop trying to divide your focus and instead work on completing one task at a time. That may mean finding child care during the day or, if you have older children, setting up boundaries with them to protect your working hours.
Prep as Much as Possible
They say we all have the same 24 hours in the day, but it’s easier to cram more into that time if you’re not responsible for one or more young human lives. Take one day a week to prep as much as possible. Lay out clothes, prep lunches or dinners, and update your schedule for the week. This way, you don’t have to spend time each day on these more mundane tasks, freeing you up to work on more important things.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Setting up your menu for the week with quick meals makes it easier to say no to takeout and other junk food during your workweek. Improving your diet has other benefits, too. Many studies show that eating one to two servings of fatty fish weekly reduces your risk of dying from heart disease by up to 36%. Adding salmon, shellfish or other seafood options to your diet can help you change things up while making it easier to make healthy choices. Balance the protein with proper servings of fruit, vegetables and grains to maintain high energy levels throughout the day. That way, you won’t suffer the afternoon slump, and you’ll be able to get more done by 5 p.m.
Use Time-Saving Tools
Does your local grocery store offer grocery pickup? If so, try it out instead of writing a weekly trip to the store into your schedule. You can save a lot of time by putting in your order. Plus, if you’re an impulse shopper or tend to go to the store hungry, it can be a valuable tool to help you save money. There’s no risk of buying snacks just because they happen to cross your line of sight.
Stay Connected With Your Partner
Your kids aren’t the only ones you need to consider when building your work/life balance. Take the time to make sure you’re staying connected with your partner, as well. This could mean making time for a date night or just sitting down and conversing without interruptions. Put the kids to bed, put the phones down, open up a bottle of wine if you feel so inclined and talk to one another.
Ditch the Mom Guilt
Many moms feel that if we’re not doing something beneficial for our families, we shouldn’t be doing it. It’s led to an entire generation of women that are only just beginning to learn how to put themselves first. Ditch the guilt. Working is part of taking care of your family. Don’t feel guilty for your career, whether you’re working in the home or out of it. It’s not a bad thing to take care of yourself so you can care for others.
It’s a Balancing Act
Working is always a balancing act, but this is especially true if you’re a parent. When working from home, you may feel the need to multitask or put your job responsibilities on hold when your kids come knocking on the office door. On the other hand, you might be tempted to work overtime and miss out on quality time with your family. Use some of these tips and tricks to help you find the perfect work-life balance.
Author bio: Cora Gold is the Editor-in-Chief of women’s lifestyle magazine Revivalist, and she has spent over five years as a freelance writer covering life, happiness and wellness. She has a passion for sharing her experiences and learning from other inspiring women. Follow Cora on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.
