Guide to Creating a Work-from-home Schedule for Busy Moms

Stay-at-home moms these days have an opportunity to work with the work-from-home option becoming quite a trend now. According to studies, 32% of American working women are mothers and these women have 57.9 hours of additional work at home per week.

While it may sound simple that you get to work from the comfort of your home, enjoy a flexible work schedule, simultaneously complete all home chores, and take care of kids as well, in reality, it needs a lot of planning, time management, and multitasking, which is never easy.

That’s why, to make your life a little easier and help you create a balance between work and life while staying at home, we have a few helpful tips.

8 Best Tips for Work-from-home Mothers

1. Wake Up Early

If you can wake up earlier than your normal waking hour, you get a longer time to plan your day better and complete many of your chores and work commitments, especially when the kids are asleep and do not need your attention.

You are fresh and full of energy in the mornings, which allows you to work faster and more efficiently. While waking up late results in you catching up on work constantly, starting early gives you the advantage of being proactive rather than reactive the whole day.

2. Schedule Your Work Hours

Though you are under no compulsion to work designated hours when working from home, it can make handling both your personal and professional work easier. Since you know the schedule of the hours you are going to dedicate to your work, you can plan the other chores and your family commitments accordingly.

You can either set up a routine for each day separately or create a schedule for the week, whatever works best for you.

3. Prioritize Your Kids’ Needs

As a mother, your kids’ needs are your priority. You have to make sure that your work does not compromise the time you devote to your children and their needs. According to a survey, around 52% of working parents said that they were having trouble managing childcare responsibilities while working from home. Such thoughts can only lead to an increased sense of guilt and stress on your part which eventually impacts both your professional and personal space.

Completing the majority of your work then when the children do not require your attention is the most effective way for a mother to strike the right balance between work and family without inconveniencing either.

4. Plan Ahead

Setting aside some time each week to plan your schedule for the week ahead is a great time-saver and also increases the efficiency with which you handle each task. Just around 30 minutes of planning on the mom calendar can keep you sorted for the next seven days. You will be surprised how the everyday nitty-gritty of family life with young children, such as each day’s meals, organizing carpools for kids, scheduling home chores, and others, can be made simpler with prior planning.

5. De-stress with Exercise

Devoting some hours to exercising besides helping you to stay fit is a much-needed me-time for you when you can relax and de-stress. The bonus is you start looking better and you, as a result, feel better about yourself. A fit mind and body can do wonders for your self-esteem, which reflects in your work as well.

6. Maintain a Daily Journal

Maintaining a journal helps you to list down all the work that you have done in a single day which you may otherwise forget later. Besides making you realize how much you have achieved all through the week without even realizing it and filling you with positivity, it also becomes easier for you to prioritize your goals and agenda for the days ahead.

7. Work Toward a Deadline

Deadlines do add stress, but they also act as a much-needed wake-up call for moms who get distracted by other chores and responsibilities resulting in the piling up of unfinished work. Setting deadlines for yourself, not only helps you get organized as you will be on top of your work commitments, but also you get adequate free time to devote fully to your family.

8. Enjoy Self-Care

Moms often neglect their own health and well-being in their race to complete as many things as possible in a single day. It may mean reduced sleep and even skipped meals. However, a mom who gets ample rest, eats well, and has time for herself is more productive than one who doesn’t. A rested and relaxed you are more focused and get work done faster and with more efficiency.

Key Takeaways for All the Working Moms Out There

Life as a mom with added work responsibilities is never easy and offers new challenges each day. While the above-mentioned tips are no solutions, they can certainly help you in the journey where you enjoy your accomplishments and learn from your setbacks.