Things You'll Need:
- A work at home job or business.
- Determination for balance of work and home.
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Step 1
KEEP A SCHEDULE AND STICK TO IT:
I hope your number one reason for going into business for yourself was not to sleep in. You may not get scolded by your employer for not being in the office at 8 am but your client will not pay you if your deadlines are not met. Yes you have more flexibility, but if you do not start working before noon you will may need to schedule to work late into the night. Know what your family needs from you, and schedule your work around that. If you have any other time, that will be the time for extras. Sit down and write out an ideal weekly schedule and post it somewhere visible for the whole family, including yourself.
Take advantage of any down times that you can. For example: You can get a little work in when your children nap or are watching their morning cartoon. -
Step 2
MAKE SURE YOUR OFFICE IS KID FRIENDLY:
You will feel more at ease and be able to get more done if you can have your children with you in your office while you are working. My Kids particularly love this, they have a small office area where they play office. They play on a little preschool computer, draw, and color while I finish anything that can not wait. I also have a TV and DVD player so they can watch movies. It may not be healthy to have them do this all the time, but most kids do watch TV, why not be able to do you work while they get a few minutes of TV time. This is great because you are there and able to supervise what they watch. -
Step 3
KNOW THE INS AND OUT OF TECHNOLOGY:
Some things will be hard to do while your little ones are home. For example: It is hard to conduct business on the phone with kids in the background. It seems that my kids are angels till I am on the phone, then they are screaming and pulling each others hair. That is why I believe email is one of the best inventions ever. I try to do the majority of my communications through email because there are no distracting noises on our end and I can do my replies at my leisure. -
Step 4
BE REALISTIC:
Make realistic goals. It's great to dream that you are going to work 40 hours, take care of the kids full time, and get the house work all done perfectly. If you are doing this all yourself you are going to burn out and not reap the benefit of working from home. Start slow but steady. And as always if possible enlist others to help. My moms loves to spend time with the kids, so when I need to get something done on the weekend it is worth me to take a drive to work at her house while she has fun with the kids. If needed you can always hire some of your work out. Be sure you trust the person.
During the summer if you have the kids home all the time, it may be an advantage to hire a responsible teenager as a Mom's Helper. They are usually affordable and are very handy. You will still be there and not have to feel guilty about not taking them outside or working with them one on one. The "Moms Helper" can even help you with household chores while your children are taking naps or watching TV. -
Step 5
SAVE TIME WHEN POSSIBLE:
As a Work at home parent, just working and taking basic care of your kids could fill up you schedule and be challenging. Although more then likely you will still have most of the responsibility of making dinner, doing laundry, and cleaning. It is important to save time when ever possible and not stretch yourself to thin. Using the slow cooker or freezing dinners can help dramatically when dealing with meal time. Also remember you are working, do not feel guilty about having other members of the household help. Even if your kids are still in preschool, teach them to pick up of themselves and do small chores around the house. Even if you have to go back after them after they leave, this will teach them to do it later on, and relieve less stress on you. -
Step 6
DON'T FORCE YOUR BUSINESS ON YOUR FRIENDS:
Have you ever had a friend that after they started their own business, they treat you more like a potential client then a friend. More then likely you ran the other way or spent money you could not afford just to keep a friend. Taking a less pushy approach to your friends is a healthier approach for your relationship. Your friends are worth more as friends then they are as customers. You may need your friends to watch your kids or help you out in other ways now that you are working from home. If your friends are interested, they will tell you, give them a brochure and let them take the first step. If they ask for info and then decide that it is not for them, make sure they know you are not pressuring them. -
Step 7
LOVE YOUR WORK, BUT SET LIMITS: There is a time and place for everything. Know when to say no. You started working from home for a reason, learn when to turn your computer off and spend time with your kids. Also know when to say now to extra stuff for the sake of your business.
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Step 8
DO NOT GIVE UP TO SOON: The biggest reason for failure is giving up to soon. Do not expect to get rich quick or to have your routine smooth within just a few weeks. Be realistic and know what to expect. If you can not wait a few months to earn a paycheck, you may not want to give up your day job just yet. Keep your head up and work hard, and in the end your hard work will pay off.
Comments
Writer623 said
on 5/27/2008 Nice piece! Makes one really stop and think. Thanks!
celticeagle said
on 4/21/2008 Good information.
joni123 said
on 3/21/2008 Great Article.
only1special1 said
on 3/15/2008 Great tips! I think the phone sends out a frequency that irritates children on a subconscious level cause mine also tend to fight and argue as soon as I get on the phone. Maybe scientists should research this!