Working from home with children of any age is highly rewarding. It's also intensely challenging. When I got pregnant with my first child I got a job doing PR from my home. Excited at the prospect of still earning an income while being at home with my baby I bought a desk and computer, set up the play area and entertained dreams of writing while my darling slept peacefully. Reality came a few months later when my son was born. Changing diapers, nursing, cleaning spit up and entertaining him took more time than I anticipated. I began to question how I would ever get any work done. Time, thought and a sense of humor helped me to get through those early days. Today I'm still writing from home. I've got three active children and a busy husband. I've also got a sense of peace and balance in my life that's taken me eight years to find. So how do I manage a home-based career and family? More importantly, how can you? Here I've shared seven simple strategies that will help you to enjoy the fruits of your labors.
a. Define your business for your family
Everyone knows that healthy communication is at the heart of every successful family. This is especially true for families where one or more adults work from home. For children, the home is a place to rest, play and eat. The concept of work is beyond their comprehension until they approach the tween and teen years. That's why it is especially important to share with them what will be happening as you begin to work at home. This is an excellent time to explain clearly what it is that you do. For younger children you may want to use pictures as visual aids. Older children will benefit from a more detailed explanation. Regardless of the method you choose, your goal should be to help them to understand the changes that will come.
b. Plan childcare
If you already work from home or are considering this as an option be sure to factor childcare into the equation regardless of the age of your children. If your child is under eight years old the reason is obvious. Younger children have short attention spans and require constant stimulation and supervision. But what of older children who have enough sense to entertain themselves? Any experienced mother will tell you that problems arise when children are bored and unsupervised. This is something that's best addressed before it becomes a problem. Options range from outside day care to a full-time nanny to a teenager who helps out after school. Whatever works for your family, be sure to put it in place before problems arise.
c. Decide who's in charge
Some work at home moms manage very well without the help of a caregiver. In those situations mom is in charge 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If your family decides to have help, whether a paid resource or an older sibling who manages younger children while mom is "at work," it's important to define roles clearly. There's nothing more frustrating than being interrupted to referee situations that could easily be managed by the person who's supposed to be "in charge." Establish clear boundaries before problems arise and you'll have set the stage for success for your entire family.
d. Designate an office area
Whether you make necklaces, handle accounting or field calls for a call center, you need your own space. When I first started working from home we lived in a one bedroom condominium. I had a desk with a computer that was sectioned off from the rest of the bedroom with a screen. It helped me to shift gears between work and home life and provided a visual for my family that things were different behind that screen. Regardless of the size of your home, mark off your office and let them know that your work space is no place for a child.
e. Get the right equipment
Two words noise canceling. There's nothing worse than being on the phone during conference call and hearing a piercing scream in the background. Aside from worrying about the safety of your children, it can make you risk sounding unprofessional to those not blessed to work from their home. Fortunately there are telephones and headsets that can cancel out the loudest of background noises. If you do any phone work during your day, the investment will pay dividends in peace of mind.
f. Set a schedule
One problem with working from home is that you never leave the office. Successful work at home moms set a schedule and stick to it. If you have to put in overtime be sure not to shortchange your family.
g. Plan for the unexpected and keep your sense of humor
What happens when the cat gets sick, your child has a dental appointment, your nanny calls in sick and you've got a deadline? Your attitude affects your entire family. How you manage the most stressful of times will determine your level success as a work at home mom. Remember that no one is harder on you than you so give yourself a break.