The phrase ‘stay-at-home mom’ can sometimes be degrading. When these words are muttered from the mouths of moms who work, they can often be mistaken for terms of disrespect and in some cases, they are meant to.
Being a mom who stays at home has gotten itself a bad reputation. In this day and age, even being a working mom who stays at home with the children has earned itself a little more respect, but not as much as you’d think.
If you’re a working woman who has decided to stay at home with the kids, fear not! The respect of others does not pay your bills. Having a nice, working schedule and spending time with the kids will bring you all the joy you need rather than approval from others. And don’t forget to invest in a computer backpack to keep all your work essentials organized and ready to go wherever you need to work from.
Whether you’re a freelance writer, an interior designer or a customer service representative, working from home is a great way to continue earning an income while enjoying the time spent with your little ones.
So how do you make it work?
- Utilize your spare time. Every extra minute of the day is important. Someone who says women who leave the home for their job work harder than those who don’t is obviously someone who has never worked from home. While the kids are napping, cram those hours in. When your children are playing quietly and undistracted is a perfect time to sit down and look at those files or beginning writing your new article for the week.
- Create a schedule. Creating a regular routine can make the week flow nicely. Try to designate certain times for each daily activity. Take a shower, eat breakfast and begin working while your tot plays quietly in the living room. Using the evening hours to get lunch’s ready, sort through the laundry and do a few chores so the next afternoon is an easy-flowing work day. Try to squeeze your little ones naps in around the same time everyday so that you know how long you have to bust your tail on a new assignment.
- Pay attention to your children. Working and juggling the attention of your children at the same time can be difficult. If you’re able to work in the same room as your kids, do it. Give them the attention they’re asking for. Even if you’re trying to beat a deadline, when your child comes up to show you something they’ve created, take a few minutes to acknowledge their project. It may feel like it’s taking away from your work time, but just a few minutes can show them you’re present and available, which may be comfort enough to keep them playing solo.
- Learn to be flexible. As a mom, learning to be flexible may come naturally, with balancing feeding the baby, feeding you and feeding the family. Flexibility is the key when you’re working, keeping all eyes on the children and trying to get work around the house done. If your children are older, give them little jobs to complete that will help with the housework. If you’ve got laundry to do, use your smart phone to speak ideas into while it types them out electronically for you into a notepad.
- Make investments. Every little piece of equipment you purchase or toy you buy is an investment towards an easier lifestyle and workday. Investing in a portable, small laptop can ease the pain of having to leave your work area to hang out in the same room as your tot. Splurge on that fancy toy you saw in the store because it can provide hours of entertainment and learning that can help you advance in your work.
Being a stay-at-home mom does not mean you have to end your entrepreneurship dreams, it just means that you have to implement a few more activities into your schedule aside from work. Your little one can even help you create new products or services using ideas you would have never thought of sitting inside of a cubicle.
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