We asked a group of more than 40-thousand work at home moms of all ages, with kids of all ages, what advice they would give a new work at home mom. In this article we share what they had to say.
There are lots of reasons why women choose to work from home. Moms in particular are a growing part of the work-at-home job force. There are lots of ways to get started working from home. If you haven’t yet begun then you may want to check out our post 30 Work at Home Opportunities You Can Start Right Now or 10 Legit Companies that Will Hire You to Work from Home.
1. Establish a Routine
The number one work at home advice for moms from moms is establishing a routine. Pace yourself, plan your day and try to stick as closely to that schedule as possible.
Create a schedule which includes uninterrupted time with your kids, and uninterrupted work time, and stick to it. Consistency is key. Kids thrive on routine!
Let them help you create it. If your child is a baby, or toddler, wrap your schedule around natural sleep times. For slightly older children, consider your kiddo’s natural rhythms. For example, if your kid is a morning person (like most kids are) then plan for a lot of activity in the morning – go for a hike, read books, play – and then plug in for work in the afternoon.
If your child is homeschooled, then schedule your hours around her class times.
Teach your child that when it’s is his or her time with you, they matter and you put your phone away. Conversely when it is work time teach them that is mom’s uninterrupted time.
Read more about How to Keep Your Kids Busy while You Work at Home
2. Be open to adjustments
Schedule everything and then for about two weeks, plan to adjust it as needed. After that period of time you’ll have a good idea of what is actually working, and what’s not. Keep in mind as your child and career grow, you’ll more than likely have to reassess many more times over the years.
3. Have a conversation with your family
Make time to have a conversation with your kiddos and spouse. Set clear boundaries and expectations. The younger the child, the more times this may need to be repeated. For example, you may remind your 5-year-old that mommy has to work until this time and then we can play with a toy of your choice right after mommy is done working.
With your spouse, make sure you’re both on the same page with your business, home and family goals.
4. Don’t compare your work at home journey
Don’t compare yourself to others. Do what works for your family. We have a saying in our home and it’s “stay in your own lane” and it simply means to be satisfied with your own race and focus on your own end goal. It’s one of our many favorite “Momtras” to guide our family – check out all of our momtras in this post here.
Just because someone may be having more success than you at the moment, doesn’t mean you’re failing. It just means they are at a different part of their journey than you are – and remember all of our experiences until this point are making us what we are right now. So if another mom has had more work at home experience and is crushing it – well good for her – that doesn’t mean you should be discouraged if you’re not.
5. Sanity breaks
Self-care for busy moms is important – so make time for it. Even a quick 15 minutes alone after your husband gets home, can make the difference between a refreshed mom and a burned out mama.
6. Have grace
Have grace for your family and yourself. When your child gets any part of the plan right compliment the heck out of them! And and reward yourself when you reach a new goal, stick with a plan or simply do something make it through another week.
Sometimes you may stick to your schedule and sometimes it may not happen — and when it is off don’t beat yourself up over it — just go with the flow. When you’re overwhelmed it’s time to take a walk, or get the kids out in nature, or find 10 minutes to chat with a friend. Get more Inspiration for the New Work at Home Parent.
7. Get the wiggles out
Most young kids have the most energy first thing in the morning. So take advantage of it! Use that time to walk in nature, play in the backyard, go out and about, play and burn out their energy. That way they will be more calm when you plug into work later in the day — plus it starts the day on the right note.
If you’ve found these tips helpful…
Then please share with another mom who could use them right now! Plus, we invite you to check out the Complete Guide to Work at Home while still being mom.
