Working Around Your Children
Tips for the Home-Based Professional
by Carrie Lauth
Summary: If you're a work at home Mom, figuring out how to get any work
done with young children around is probably your greatest challenge.
Here, strategies that have worked for me and others.
What Shall We Do About the Children?
If you're a work at home Mom, figuring out how to get any work done with
young children around is probably your greatest challenge.
You don't want to ignore them...after all, you're at home with your kids
so you can spend time with them, not have them stare at your back all
day while you work on the computer.
I hope to help you with some strategies that have worked for me and
other work at home Moms.
Outsource It
I hire mother's helpers as much as possible. A mother's helper is a
young teen who is not old enough to leave kids alone with, but who can
play with your child for a couple of hours while you work in another
room. They usually work for less money than regular babysitters, and
sometimes will even barter for services (rides to the mall, using your
Internet, etc). Your kids will love the change of pace too!
Plan Ahead
Always, always know "What's next" for your business so you have a
definite goal to tackle when you do sit down to the computer. For me,
that means keeping a notebook within reach at all times so that when I
get a moment, I can accomplish a task and tick it off my to-do list.
There's nothing worse than sitting down at the computer when you do have
a block of free time and blanking out, or worse, spending time browsing
forums and blogs (Who, me?!).
Don't Be "Half Busy" All Day
I recently read of a study that showed how children react when they are
with an adult who, although available, was "half busy" withother tasks
all day. The children being researched put many more demands for
attention on the adult, even if the adult was interruptible.
It's far better to give the kids undivided attention for a time, then
switch to a task you want to accomplish, and expect them to respect that
worktime.
Just be sure to keep it brief, and use your to-do list so that something
worthwhile gets accomplished. You can slowly train your children to
(gasp!) entertain themselves for short periods, consistently increasing
the time as they grow older. By doing so you're actually giving them a
gift of self reliance and initiative.
Use a timer
Telling your 3 year old "Just let me finish writing this article and I
will play with you in 20 minutes" is meaningless, and invites whining
and other attention seeking behaviors. Set your kitchen timer so she can
see the minutes ticking off. This works even for children too young to
tell time.
Have a Happy Box
This trick involves keeping a box of toys that your child doesn't have
access to at any other time, and bringing it out when you really need to
have some time to concentrate. The box doesn't have to be anything
glamourous, in fact, the more basic, the better. Go to the dollar store
and spend ten bucks or so on stickers, funky pens, fun paper or whatever
cheap, quiet things appropriate for your child's age. (It's not fun to
have to spend an hour removing the evidence of a happy 2 year old with
glitter glue stick off the couch!)
Use Technology
I use a laptop with wi-fi so that I can sit on the front porch and work
while my kids play outside. They don't really need my attention then,
just some "third eye" supervision.
If you make a lot of phone calls for your business, consider a headset
telephone. These are great if you have quiet lap babies who need your
presence but not a lot of conversation.
Avoid Using TV as Electronic Babysitter
It can be super tempting to turn on the TV so you can get some work
done, but avoid the temptation. It's easy to let hours slip by because
the kids are so hypnotized and quiet with the tube on. And, after it's
turned off, they get hyper and start picking fights with one another and
generally acting up. Get yourself a good book that lists easy kid craft
ideas. Or go to http://www.InsteadofTV.com/ and sign up for the free
newsletter.
Kids who don't watch much TV are good at entertaining themselves. I find
that I can sometimes sneak off to the computer for a few minutes to
nurse my newborn while the others are playing. Again, maximize that time
by always checking your list first... and your email last!
Creative Scheduling
A lot of wahms suggest getting work done during naps and after bedtime,
but what if your kids don't nap or you're (like me!) ready for bed
shortly after they are?
Forget what other wahms say about how they schedule their day, and do
what works for your family!
Some Moms wouldn't dare to work on the weekends, but if you can get
something done while your husband or Grandma plays with the kids, go for
it! If it's better for your sanity to nap with your baby instead of
working, do that. If you're a morning person, get up an hour before
everyone and get to work. This was an important strategy for me until my
fourth baby was born, and then sleep become more important!
Every wahm and every family is different. Get creative and it will work
out. One thing that works for me is to squeeze in some work time after
dh gets home, after dinner. He rarely sees the kids in the morning, so
he enjoys putting them to bed. During that time I work, then after
they're in bed it's couple time.
Realize that your strategy will likely have to change depending on your
kid's ages and stages. I hope these suggestions help you in your goal of
having a happy family and thriving business.
Carrie Lauth is a work at home Mom of 4. She offers a free, "No Fluff"
ezine for Moms in business who are new to marketing online. Get your
copy plus other free subscriber goodies at:
http://www.CarrieLauth.com
