Working from home is not for the faint of heart, and contrary to popular belief, it is not easy! There is a constant juggle that exists for mothers, whether you are a stay-at-home mom or a mom who works outside of the home. When you mix the two, you add a new layer of difficulty. But when done correctly, it is the biggest blessing. I love that I can be there for my kids and raise them, while also helping to bring additional income for my family. It is that Proverbs 31 woman goal that many Christian moms are ascribing to!
To be successful as a work-from-home mom, you need to have a certain mindset and systems in place to help you manage your home and achieve your goals. Below are 16 secrets to help you maximize your time and responsibilities.
work from home secret #1: Wake up before your kids
We have all heard this tip before. It seems so basic and insignificant, but it can make a world of difference. Now, this doesn’t mean waking up hours before your kids; even a few minutes to yourself is great.
This “alone” time helps set the tone for your day. It’s your few moments to get that right mentality in place to have a productive and successful day. What you do during this time doesn’t matter. Start your morning routine, sit in absolute silence, eat breakfast alone, or have your ritual morning drink. Whatever it is, just do something that makes you feel good, boosts your mood, and gets those happy vibes going.
Work From home secret #2: have a solid morning routine
Again, we’ve all heard this one before. We aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel here! We are just trying to have common sense systems and schedules in place to help your day run more smoothly. Because of this, having a solid morning routine is key.
Maybe you have a good morning routine in place, and if so, great! But maybe you have tried implementing a morning routine in the past without much success. The key is to not complicate things and keep your morning routine short and sweet. For example, have two or three non-negotiables. Repeating these tasks every single day for some time will cement the pattern in your brain, and before you know it, you have a good routine in place.
work from home Secret #3: set boundaries - for yourself & for your kids.
Boundaries are super important when it comes to working from home.
One simple thing you can do is to have clearly defined working hours. Having a set start and stop time for your workday helps keep those workaholic tendencies at bay.
Visual cues are great for your kids to understand that you are in “work mode.” For example, when your kids see you sitting down at the computer or on the phone, they know that mom is off-limits and working. Also, having a dedicated workspace cues your children to when you are working. Of course, kids are kids, and they will interrupt you. When that happens, gently remind your children that this is your working time, and you will address them in an “x” amount of time.
It’s also important to make sure you schedule breaks throughout the day. Take a break for lunch and maybe even indulge in some vitamin D time with your kids.
work from home secret #4: take advantage of naps or when your kids are busy.
Those blocks of time when our kids are napping or busy with other activities are built-in work opportunities. Learning how to optimize this time and focusing on those tasks that require your complete concentration will help you increase your productivity tenfold. Instead of using this time to catch up on household tasks, use it for work responsibilities.
work from home secret #5: Teach independent play.
As a mother to a “Velcro” child of my own, I know what it feels like to have a child that requires more of your time and attention. We savor those moments because we know that they won’t last forever. However, it is also important to teach your child how to entertain themselves for periods as well. This will give you time to get some of those tasks off your to-do list.
The key is to find and choose activities that are appropriate for your child’s age and skills. Independent play is not just for older children, but rather short spurts of Independent play are valuable from the time your child is a baby. Independent play teaches your child to be creative, learn problem-solving skills, and focus on a specific task or problem.
When your child is very young, don’t expect these independent play times to last very long, but as your child grows, these times will get longer and enable you to have more time for other tasks.
work from home secret #6: have a schedule, but be flexible.
I find that having a general schedule is important to the flow of my day as a work-from-home mom. This was especially true when my children were younger. Kids thrive when they have a good idea of what is next up on the agenda.
As my children have grown, a schedule is still important for us. My kids know that after they wake up, have some movement, and eat breakfast, it is time for them to start their schoolwork. They know what activities are on what days, allowing them to better manage their time and school responsibilities.
Of course, one of the beautiful things about being home with your kids is the flexibility that affords you should plans change. Allow for flexibility in your schedule because, inevitably, there will be those sick days, spontaneous field trips, and unexpected emergencies.
work from home secret #7: get out of your pajamas.
I know the allure of not having to get dressed up and staying in your pajamas all day. Believe me, I get it! The problem is that staying in pajamas leaves you with an “I’m going to be lazy” mentality.
There is such a mood and productivity shift that occurs when you get up and actively get ready for the day. Don’t get me wrong; this does not mean throwing on your best “corporate” wear. Even washing your face, brushing your teeth, and throwing on a cute lounge set is enough to get your day started on the right foot.
We’ve all heard the saying, “When you look good, you feel good.” This is so true! Take those few minutes of morning prep and see how much more you get done during the day.
work from home secret #8: know when it's time to utilize screen-time.
There will be those moments when you have a mountain of work to get done, and the kids are not on their best behavior. It’s inevitable. It’s important to know when to utilize that screen time for your sanity and theirs. In my house, if the kids finish their schoolwork for the day without rushing to get it done, they are rewarded with one hour of screen time.
Usually, this is a good compromise for us. There are times, though, when I am pressed for time, and that one hour bleeds into more. It happens, I’m human. I choose not to stress about it and let them be. In this day and age, sometimes some screen time brings the order you need.
work from home secret #9: stay out of the kitchen between meals.
Resist the urge to go into the kitchen outside of meals and snack times! It is so easy to get into a routine of constant grazing when you have 24/7 access right at your fingertips. Unfortunately, that bad habit can lead to the work-from-home mom version of the “freshman fifteen.”
Also, I don’t know if your kids are like mine, but they eat constantly! My youngest is a full-time grazer, which means he is constantly with a snack in hand. Subconsciously, this can make me reach for the snacks, too. To combat this, I make a conscious effort to have a solid meal and snack schedule.
work from home secret #10: time block to manage your responsibilities.
Time-blocking is one of my best work-from-home secrets. It is such a simple way to set aside certain blocks of time for certain tasks.
As a work-from-home mom, your responsibilities go beyond just work and childcare. Managing a home, errands, and making meals for our family are also in the mix. I find that by setting aside certain blocks of time, I make sure all my tasks get checked off my list.
I set aside daily blocks for my morning routine, work time, household chores time, dinner time, etc. It is my favorite way to schedule my time and keeps my day varied. Meaning that I am not sitting in front of a computer screen for hours on end.
work from home secret #11: get outside.
Daily fresh air and sunshine are crucial for balancing our moods, hormones, and circadian rhythms, most especially that early morning light. I try to get in a morning walk, weather permitting. It truly is one of my favorite ways to start the day. Sometimes, my kids join me, and sometimes, I Just listen to one of my favorite podcasts and mentally prepare for the day.
Getting outside at least once every day is crucial for both me and my children. This can take many forms. Whether it’s a walk, a trip to the park with friends, or any other outing, getting outside improves everyone’s mood and disposition. Especially if we are having a rough day, some time outside is usually just what we need to turn things around.
work from home secret #12: know when to throw in the towel.
There will be those days when it seems like everything is upside down, everybody is in a bad mood, or maybe someone isn’t feeling their best. Those are the days that you need to put work aside and take a “mental health” day. Knowing that it is okay to put things aside and pick them up at a later time is important when you are working from home.
The tendency is to pressure ourselves to have those perfect days and check off all those to-do items, but the reality is that there will be days when you just aren’t feeling it. It’s okay to permit yourself to take a rest when you or your children need it.
work from home Secret #13: move your office outside of your home.
Sometimes, it’s nice to have a change of pace and move my desk outside of my home. That might mean going to some sort of child-friendly place, like a play gym or trampoline park, and taking advantage of free wi-fi while my kids get all their energy out. Other times, I might bring my laptop to the library or park and sneak in some work while my kids are otherwise engaged. This is a great way to get your kids out of the house while still getting some of that work done, too.
Work from home secret #14: Plan ahead.
One of the biggest tips for working from home is to plan, plan, and plan some more. Planning is key to good productivity and organization.
I try to plan by taking some time on Sunday to write down what is coming up for the week ahead. This gives me an overall picture of work commitments, family commitments, extracurriculars, and anything else I can anticipate the following week.
After having those things set in place, I make sure to take a few minutes every night to plan for the day ahead. I am a huge to-do list person. There is something so satisfying about checking items off my list as I complete them.
For me personally, I get pretty minute when writing my to-do list for the day. I include work tasks, home tasks, meals, workouts, personal time, and everything else that I plan to get done that particular day. This helps me to stay on track and manage my time as best as possible.
work from home secret #15: schedule in some self-care moments.
Make sure that you schedule those self-care moments throughout the day. This can be a 15-minute coffee break, a walk, some time spent reading your current book, or maybe even multi-tasking with a face mask. Whatever it looks like for you, take those moments for yourself. This will help keep your mood in check, your productivity up, and keep those happy hormones high!
work from home secret #16: finally, let go of that mom guilt.
When you have to tell your kids, “Just a minute, mom needs to finish this up,” you will be left feeling those pangs of mom guilt. Believe me, we have all been there. There will be moments when you feel like you are not doing enough or that you are not being present enough for your kids.
In those moments, try to think about all the positive things you are modeling to your children. You are showing them that you can achieve your goals. You are showing them the value of hard work and perseverance. You are showing them that they are not limited by their circumstances or choices. These are all important things that will leave your kids with the lasting impression that their mom is amazing.
One day, when they are older and probably parents of their own, they will realize that all you did, you did for them. Let go of that mom guilt, and reach for your dreams. Your goal of working from home is an admirable one. It is one that so many women wish they could achieve as well. Every day, you show up as a mom, wife, entrepreneur, house manager, and whatever else, you are doing an amazing job.
