I see posts on social media pop up every now and then debating what’s harder – “working” mom or “stay-at-home” mom. My first thought is that being a mom is tough. It doesn’t matter your occupation or location. We are all in this together!
My second thought is why does no one ever recognize how hard it is to be a “work-from-home” mom? We are the ones that have to balance being both of those two types of moms – working and staying at home. It is not for the weak, and every day is a challenge. However, it provides great benefits like being able to make money while still spending time with your children.
I’ve been a work-from-home mom full time since January of 2021. At the time, I only had a teenage daughter, and it seemed a little more manageable. Today, my teenage daughter is in her first year of college, and I have two toddlers – ages two-and-a-half and three-and-a-half. Over these last three and a half years, there have been plenty of times when it felt anything but manageable. With each age of infancy and toddlerhood, there have come new struggles with balancing work and home but finally feeling like I’m at a place where it’s feeling reasonable again.
That said, I wanted to share some tips that have worked for me in hopes it helps other work-from-home moms.
- Utilize Sleeping Time for Priority Items
Whether it’s naptime or bedtime, that’s likely the only time you will have quiet. This is when you should work on those priority work items that either require a lot of focus or need to meet a deadline.
- It’s Okay to Prioritize Work Over Housework
If you have a looming deadline or the children are extra clingy, it’s okay to put the work before the housework. The dishes, laundry, etc. will always be there. Trust me, they aren’t going anywhere, and it will be okay to put them on the backburner for a bit.
- Use Your Phone to Work
This one has been a lifesaver for me, especially during the infant days or when illness constantly kept hitting our house and my girls wanted to be held a lot. So many programs have phone apps now, so download and utilize those when you can!
- Combine Play and Work Areas
I’ve made sure any areas of the house where I might work or they might play accommodate both functions. My home office has a table at which my girls can play and plenty of toys. Utilize play yards that have a lot of toys to keep littles busy and a table and chair nearby for you to work.
- Get Creative When Needed
Sometimes you have to think out of the box to figure out what works best for you and your little one(s). For example, when my youngest was a baby, she always wanted to be held. So, once she fell asleep, I’d sit crisscross, put her in my lap and work over her on my computer.
- Give Yourself a Lot of Grace
It’s easy to get in the comparison game, especially in our social media centric world. Try to avoid that at all costs. Do what works for you, and ignore that inner voice trying to criticize.
I hope these tips help you survive working from home with kids!
