The pandemic has forced many of us to work from home, and for some moms, this has been a dream come true. No more commuting, no more expensive daycare, and no more rushing to get out the door in the morning. But for others, working from home can be a challenge. It can be difficult to set boundaries between work and family life, and it can be easy to feel like you’re always on the clock.
If you’re struggling to find a balance, here are a few tips that might help.
1) Establish specific working hours and stick to them as much as possible
Ask for help, if you need it, to make sure you can focus during your work time. It’s important for moms to establish specific working hours and stick to them as much as possible. This can be difficult to do at home, especially when you get distracted. If you need help, ask for it so you can focus during your work time. It’s hard enough being a mom without also having to worry about work. So, if you can set aside some time each day to focus on your job, it will make things a lot easier in the long run. Plus, your boss will appreciate it if you’re able to stay focused and productive during work hours.
2) Create a dedicated workspace for yourself, if possible
If you work from home, it can be hard to find a balance between your work life and your personal life. It can be tempting to just set up your laptop on the couch and call it a day, but this can lead to long hours and a lot of distractions. Instead, it’s important to create a dedicated workspace for yourself, if possible. This doesn’t necessarily mean renting out a separate office; even just setting up a small desk in a quiet corner of your home can make a big difference. Dedicating a space to work will help you separate work from the rest of your life and make it easier to focus when you’re on the clock. And when you’re not working, you can close the door (or fold up the desk) and forget about it until tomorrow.
3) Take breaks when you need them and be flexible with your schedule
It’s important to take breaks when you need them and be flexible with your schedule. This is important for both your mental health and this will also help you be more productive when you are working. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or burnt out, take a few minutes to yourself to do something that will make you feel better. Maybe listen to music, take a walk outside, or call a friend. Once you’ve had a chance to relax, you’ll be able to focus better and get more done. And if something comes up that you weren’t expecting, don’t stress about it. Be flexible and roll with the punches. At the end of the day, what’s important is that you take care of yourself and do what you can to stay sane. Everything else is secondary.
4) Set realistic goals for what you can accomplish in a day
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received is to set realistic goals for what I can accomplish in a day. It’s so easy to get caught up in trying to do too much, and then we beat ourselves up when we don’t meet our expectations. But if we’re realistic about what we can achieve, we’re more likely to be successful. And it’s important to remember that some days will be more productive than others. There will always be days when everything goes according to plan and we accomplish everything we set out to do. But there will also be days when things don’t go as smoothly and we only get a few things done. And that’s okay! As long as we keep our goals realistic, we’ll be on the right track.
5) Communicate your needs to your family and ask for their support.
One of the most important things you can do when working from home is to communicate your needs to your family and ask for their support. Let them know when you need to focus on the task at hand and when you’re available to chat. When everyone is on the same page, it’ll be much easier to stay productive. Of course, there will be times when things come up and you’ll have to adjust on the fly. But as long as you’re communicating openly with your family, you’ll be able to find a balance that works for everyone.