The Ultimate Guide on How to Succeed as a Work-from-home Mom

 
Going to work has very much been the norm throughout history. However, with recent times, the job market has changed. Now, it is becoming increasingly frequent for adults to work remotely in all sorts of domains.

Whether you’re considering getting a remote job or you’re already a work from home mom, this article is here to help.

Consider that working remotely is good news for everyone who wants to bypass the daily commute to the workplace or who are looking to spend more time with the family. And especially with the children.

If that sounds promising, then you wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity to be successful at it and to enjoy the perks a remote job has to offer.
 

1. Establish Your Schedule

Among the first things you have to take into consideration as a work from home mom is how you invest your time.

Working remotely will offer you plenty of time to spend at home. However, there will have to be some planning involved if you want to efficiently make use of it.

That is why it is ideal to set up a schedule and stick to it. It is important to establish precisely when the “working hours” are going to be, the interval in which you’ll be doing your assignments and you’ll be returning calls.

Besides, if the situation asks for it, you could always take a break to check up on the little ones to see if everything is fine.

There will be moments when they will be less dependent on you. Either when they’re sleeping or when they’re more focused on playing, it’s a hefty part of the day you can use at your leisure.

Through effective planning, you can make good use of it. It’s in moments like these when you can start a working session, free of interruptions.

Depending on how you’ve established your schedule, you could start off working first thing in the morning. Or, you could spend the time with the little ones and focus on work later during the day when they’re off to bed.
 

2. Separate Your Roles

As a work-from-home mom, you have the honor of being both a caregiver and a businesswoman. However, if you are aiming to be efficient, you will have to set boundaries between both of them.

Here’s something which really helps you get into the role of a businesswoman – dress for the occasion.

It will be very difficult for you to remain professional if you are doing conference calls in your pajamas. And besides that, you will be distracted by the urge to do things around the house, just because of the sense of convenience the casual clothes offer.

On the other hand, dressing formally will deter you from picking up household chores. And it also works wonders in helping you maintain a professional attitude.
 

3. Make Your Work-from-home Office

It goes without saying, but your productivity would be on the rise if you were to have an office as opposed to simply working on the couch.

Having your own headquarters yields massive benefits. A little private workspace gives you access to the many resources to get work done. And you will have everything you may require for work, in close proximity.

Here are some examples of things you will need:

• An office chair and a desk.
• Pen and paper.
• File cabinet. While ideally, everything would be in digital format, you cannot go without a place to store the important documents.
• You can use your own phone or you can opt to use one for work only.
• A trash bin, to avoid all the clutter.
• A computer, along with good headphones and a reliable desktop mic.

And besides, rather than sitting on the couch, an office setup does its part in maintaining you concentrated on work. The décor plays an important part in the mood which will accompany you through the entire working schedule.
 

4. Set up a “Do Not Disturb Area”

There will be moments during work which require extra attention. In cases like these, you wouldn’t want to be dealing with any sort of interruptions.

Having your office in a separate room or in a space which is designated entirely for work does a lot to isolate your work environment from outside distractions. Having a closed door policy cuts you from all kinds of disturbances which might come from the house.

For example, if you, by chance, happen to have pets, the closed door barres them off from entering your room. And that way, you avoid embarrassing situations where barking may interrupt your calls.

Can this be done with a son and daughter in the adjacent rooms?

Generally, as we’ve mentioned in the previous paragraphs, you should be able to squeeze a few hours of free time, so this wouldn’t be a problem.

However, if it’s absolutely necessary, give your children the non-verbal “Do not disturb” sign when they need to keep the noise to a minimum. Explain to them there must be quiet near your workroom.

 

5. Ask for Help when Necessary

The truth is when responsibilities begin to pile up, a helping hand is always welcome.

If you’re concerned about the children’s wellbeing, then a babysitter can ease a lot of stress off your shoulders. If only for a few hours a day, it is enough to guarantee you a breather.

Besides that, it is not uncommon for working moms to team up and hire a babysitter to collectively watch over their children.

Lastly, your spouse can lend a hand, as well. Perhaps in sharing the house responsibilities or watching over the children when their bedtime is coming close, allowing you to save up on time.