As a stay-at-home mum with my own blog, I have the luxury to work from home and divide my own time. It is a great blessing, but however great this is, sometimes it´s also a trap as I get distracted by all the housework or am just in demand by the kids. I am sure I´m not the only one who sees the dirty dishes in the kitchen whilst typing away on her laptop, or who can´t stop thinking about that 3rd load of laundry that needs to be done! I’m sure like most, work also means balancing kids screaming in her ears they want snacks each time I sit to write or refereeing the arguments between uploading photos!
So with this in mind, today I would like to share some tips on how to work from home and actually get the work done.
First of all I like to have a clean workplace, and somewhere I can concentrate. In order to concentrate when I´m working and to relax when work time is over, I would recommend a special workplace. This doesn’t have to be a separate room, a desk in a corner can be enough, or perched on the end of the dining table in another room. Also, I like to label my work with stickers and write down things I need to remember. You can for this, use personalized labels and notebooks with your website or company logo which is lovely and more professional. Online printers like www.helloprint.co.uk offer easy design programs and you can directly place your order to reduce one more thing “To Do”!
Set Working Hours and Breaks!
To make sure you are not working the whole day and evening I recommend setting working hours. This also offers clarity to the rest of the family and gives balance. For example, you can work when the kids are at school and in the evening, so you have time in the afternoon to spend with them. Or you can take one day off in the week, just to have time for yourself (a rarity).
Also I would suggest to trying to avoid checking your email all the time. This is hard when it’s on a smart phone, and It is really tempting to check your mail many times to see if a certain message has arrived (or if that one potential client already responded). But for balance, Just try to schedule fixed times for this too. Most of the time an email isn´t that urgent that it needs a response right away or when you are out with kids.
The most important thing for me is that when I am with my family – It’s family time! I try to avoid taking my laptop with me on weekend away, and I try to avoid checking emails and social media when we are on a day out or at the park. Work never stops so it´s vital that you guard your free time.
And finally let´s not forget about the breaks. It is impossible to work concentrated for many hours straight. Did you know that the average concentration time is only 45 minutes? I sometimes miss lunch if I have a deadline, which isn’t healthy, and if I am working on a lot of blog stuff, my neck can get achy too – So plan regular breaks, to eat, stretch and chill!
With some simple adjustments it gets easier to work from home with a tribe of kids, without being consumed by it all. Of course I would also love to hear your tips too on how you balance home/work!
Right, working from home can be pretty challenging. Thank you for sharing your experience!