Top 10 Ways to
Stay Sane as a Work at Home Mom
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Top 10 Ways to Stay Sane as a Work at Home Mom
This is a great article written by a friend of mine on how to not
"lose your mind" while balancing work and family. These fun, simple
ideas will hold true whether you are in direct sales business, or
any job where your work is home based. Stay sane and make
balancing work and family a breeze.
The other day, someone asked
me what it's like to be a work at home mom. I just blinked back at
him, my mind blank. How could I possibly describe life as a work at
home mom? Only someone who's lived it can understand the juggling
act it requires.
Work at home moms have the usual responsibilities of being a mom -
folding laundry, scheduling doctor's appointments, helping with
homework, reading bedtime stories, and basically being on call
24-hours a day. In addition, there is the conundrum of how to find
time to work and answer emails, do networking, update bookkeeping,
make phone calls, and more. And, it must fit into a 24 hour day. So,
how do we do it? How do we stay sane in the chaos?
It's disclaimer time. I am not the person to give advice on sanity.
I'm pretty sure I filed away my sanity last year when I did taxes. I
have my days where I say "That's it! I'm getting a regular job!"
But, then I talk to my wonderful friend who reminds me of the
reality of the real world -- the traffic, the boss who won't let me
go to my son's field trip, and the fact that I'd probably have to
buy pantyhose again. She manages to slap some sense back into me
every time. I hate pantyhose.
Working from home the last few years, I've picked up a few handy
tips. They aren't magic beans, that, when planted, will grow you a
nanny and a housekeeper, but they can help you to enjoy being a work
at home mom just a little bit more.
10. Freezer Cooking! This is my personal life-saver. Spend one day
during the week or one day each month assembling meals and your
reward is a freezer filled with food. Then, when it's time to make
dinner, just grab a healthful, inexpensive meal from your freezer,
heat it up and serve. Think about it. Next time you cook dinner,
quadruple the recipe and put what you don't eat into the freezer for
later. Presto! Magic food will appear in your freezer the next time
you need it.
9. Pay it Forward- By helping others, it reminds us that many of our
own problems are much smaller than they appear. Whether you donate
money, give blood, or volunteer your time, you are setting a
beautiful example for your children. Involve your older kids and
make volunteering a family activity.
8. Stay Healthy - Dust off your rollerblades, strap a pillow across
your bottom and hit the pavement. Or surprise your children and the
dog with a nice long walk.
7. Organize, organize, organize! If you're spending hours each week
sorting through piles of paper, looking for receipts or "to do"
lists, that is wasted time and unnecessary frustration. Sweep the
Magic 8 ball, the empty jar of peanuts, the Slinky, and the Snickers
wrapper off your desk right now. You can do it!
6. Save Money - As Benjamin Franklin wrote in Poor Richard's Almanac
"A penny saved is a penny earned." Work at home moms know how hard
it can be to earn a penny. So, do everything you can to save those
hard-earned cents.
5. Time Management - Don't let Time Stealers make you work any
longer than you need to. When you're sitting in front of your
computer or talking on the phone, that is time away from your
children. Always remember your "why". WHY are you working from home?
If the reason is to spend more time with your kids, then figure out
how to make that happen!
4. Learn and Learn some More! - Find a mentor or someone who you
like the way they handle their business. Network with other moms who
are successful, take online classes, or hire a coach. Invest in
yourself and you'll invest in your business.
3. Play with your Kids - Whether you sit down to play a board game,
or drive Hot Wheels around the carpet, there's always fun to be had.
If you need some ideas, check out
http://www.ShowKidsTheFun.com
2. Keep your sense of humor. Laugh every day! Turn off your
computer, put in your copy of The Village People "YMCA" (I know you
have one) and Dance! Dance! Dance!
And the number one way to stay sane as a Work at Home Mom .....
1. Always remember "The days are long, but the years are short."
Although it oftentimes feels like the days drag by as a work at home
mom, remember that the years are flying by. It's that reminder that
keeps me grounded on days when the projects are heavy and the beach
is calling.
If you're looking for me, you can find me at the beach!
Nicole Dean is the mostly-sane Mom behind
http://www.showmomthemoney.com - helping WAHMs Succeed. If you
want to be a successful and mostly-sane work at home mom, too, don't
miss Nicole's free tutorial at
http://www.showmomthemoney.com/free-tutorial.htm