WAH Woes Don’t Have To Derail Your Professional Goals
The Herself 360 blog is a place of inspiration and today offers these words from mom/entrepreneurs looking to balance work and home life in the same space. Subscribe today!
Whether you’ve recently become a work-at-home parent or have been trying to find balance for many years, you’ve likely already seen both the pros and cons of remote work. These are amplified when you have a new baby or a toddler that needs your attention constantly.
Your Home Is Your Castle
First, it’s important to make sure that your home is neat and tidy, clutter-free, and organized. It’s also wise to have plenty of mood-boosting additions, such as aromatherapy and potted plants. These elements, coupled with easy access to fresh food and water, will take lots of stress off your plate before it ever makes its way into your life.
Aim for Breastfeeding Balance
Breast-feeding moms face additional challenges that those of us with older children don’t. But, from experience, we can tell you that there are several ways you can balance nursing, pumping, and managing your post-lunch meeting.
One of the best ways is to use a nursing bra that doubles as a hands-free pumping bra. This game-changing type of bra has clips that hold your pump pieces in place so that you can work or attend to your children while you prepare for your infant’s nutritional needs. Fortunately, these double-duty bras are easy to find, and you can usually snag a great deal on sites like Amazon when putting together your regular order of wipes,
diapers and other household goods.
Another smart way to manage breastfeeding and working is to make sure your equipment is ready to go each day. The Breast Milk Counts website also recommends pumping on a schedule and ensuring that your employer knows that you must take X amount of time off throughout the day.
Set A Schedule
Speaking of schedules, it’s highly beneficial to set a schedule with your toddler. While they may not understand that mom really needs to work during certain hours, you can help them get a better grasp on time by using visual cues to show them what they can expect each day. Download a free printable schedule from the Teaching Moma blog.
Steer Clear Of TimeWasters
One of the most important things you can do as a work-at-home parent is to avoid distractions. A few things to curtail here include logging into Facebook and other social media sites, daytime television, and having a disorganized desk.
Provide Hands-On Entertainment For The Kids
Children love to do things with their hands, and they will revel in an opportunity to play without mom or dad’s interference. Give the kids something interesting and entertaining that they are allowed to use when you are at your busiest. One example is a sensory box, which the kid-centric blog Fireflies And Mud Pies explains is meant to entice the senses and can include things, like fidgets, wooden puzzles, and other fun and neat toys and activities.
Working at home when you have children isn’t always easy. There may be days when you want to give up because you feel like you’re being stretched too thin in all directions. But if you want to have both a career and the opportunity to stay home, you must persevere. Even something as simple as organizing your home or using a hands-free pumping bra to keep your pump in place while you type up an email can help you better manage your time so you can have everything you want on your own terms.
Emily Graham | [email protected]
