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I had no idea what I was in for when I quit my 40+ hours a week job to stay at home with Sophia. Fast forward almost 6 years later. Now I have a little guy who turns 2 in less than a month as well. While Sophia started kindergarten this fall, Jaxson is home with me. I have to figure out how to get all my work done and still keep him engaged.
It took a while to get our new routine down once Sophia began school, but I think I’ve figured it out. So I’m going to share some tips on how to work from home with a little child and still stay sane. Mind you, I’m not an early bird so I don’t wake up before the kids to keep things done. If I do wake up before the kids, it’s by mere minutes or if I’m lucky, 20 minutes.
1. Establish a routine or schedule and KEEP IT. I used to be anti-schedule. Who likes to be tied down? I like being spontaneous and spur of the moment. Then I tried that with a toddler. Ha! I hated not know when Sophia would fall asleep at night so I could get work done. Kids love routine because they like to know what happens next. A schedule is also good for me because Once you figure out your daily or weekly routine, write it down so you can see what your day or week is like.
2. Nap time is your friend. I’m lucky that Jaxson still takes two naps. The naps only last about an hour-if I’m lucky and he’s not teething or hungry or likes saying NO. During his morning nap, I know that I have exactly enough time to eat and work or shower and maybe work. If I have a deadline that day, I work on it during his morning nap. I don’t get everything done during his naps, but every morning, I have at least 1-2 things I focus on.
3. Talk to other grown-ups face to face. It sounds so trite or indulgent, but this is so important. One Thursday night I realized that the only adult I’d spoken with all week was my husband (who works outside the home) and the check girl at Target. No wonder I was so cranky. Now I make sure I schedule a coffee or lunch date at least once every couple of weeks. If that’s not possible, I’ll make sure to hit the kids center or library, where there are adults who want to talk to me. I love my kids but I can only talk about princesses and guitars for so long.
4. Keep work and family separate. With all the technology these days, like my shiny new smartphone, it’s easy get sucked into email or Twitter constantly. Know when to turn it off. I still struggle with this. I try not to check my email when I’m at the playground with the kids. We also have a no technology rule during dinner.
5. Know your breaking point. Meaning, don’t work so hard you have a breakdown. Believe me, I’ve been there. It happens to me at least one a year. My body can’t take the constant sleepless nights, over caffeinated day, and gazillion to-dos bouncing around my head. So it shuts down. I get sick. Sick enough to be forced in bed for days. Last year I had a shingles outbreak-I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. Early this year, I got a sinus infection. Both knocked me off my feet. Now I listen to my body. If I’m dragging that day or find myself short with the kids for no reason, I know I need a nap or go to bed early.
6. You don’t have to be super mom. Go easy on yourself. My husband reminds me of this all the time. It’s okay to have breakfast for dinner one night a week (so easy!) or go to bed with a sinkful of dirty dishes. We can wallow in self-guilt about being a good mother, wife, and employee/entrepreneur. But that’s a waste of time.
Do you work from home and also take care of little ones? Please share any tips that have worked for you. I’m always looking for new ways to make me more sane. Or something like that.
Photo by Will Foster.
I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. To learn more about Tervis, visit their website http://www.tervis.com.