Are you a mom? Are you working from home? Are you drained, tired, and frustrated? Yeah, me too. The first thing I can tell you is that you are not alone. Though you may not see anyone all day except your children or dog, you- are- not- alone. You are important, talented, and fiercely passionate about what you are doing, otherwise you wouldn’t be getting up to do it again today and you wouldn’t be reading this article, looking for ways to better yourself or someone to understand you.
I will not tell you to not FEEL alone, and I will not tell you to not FEEL discouraged or lost or frustrated, or inferior. But I will tell you to get back up. I will tell you do not BE discouraged, inferior, or lost. We should always lean into the way we are feeling and the emotions that come up for us but we are women, we are creators and goddesses, we are the backbone of the world, we cannot let these thoughts control us. Lean into your emotion but do not let it become you. If you are going to continue to take steps forward in your personal growth and your business then you MUST learn from your current situation and your emotions and use them as fuel for more success. There is no place for resentment and bitterness in the professional business world.
As work from home moms, we carry not only the weight of our professional success on our shoulders but also the weight of everything else in the household. This can make us feel overwhelmed and pulled in a million directions. Below are some tips on how to get the most out of your professional day working from home while managing the personal stuff that comes along with it.
Time management
Time management is the key to EVERYONE’S success (along with mindset). You have a choice everyday on how you will spend your 24 hours. Make the most out of it. That means putting down the phone and endless social media scrolling, don’t pick up the phone if it is during work hours, turn the television off, and remember your focus for the day. When you are done one task, check it off and move to the other. Don’t give yourself time to get distracted doing something that is not on your to-do list.
Routine
Creating a pretty solid routine helps me make the most out of my mornings and sets the tone for the rest of my day. Every morning I get up, I drink a large glass of celery juice and then lemon water, I set my son up with breakfast as well as my dogs, I close my eyes and take a few minutes to invision how I want my day to go and then I go workout. Then it’s my breakfast, emails, social media posts, work, content creation and so on. Every day. I adjust as I need to (I’m not a strict monster or anything) but I try to make my mornings as consistent as possible so I have a foundation for every day.
Get out of the house
Take breaks when you need to. Get out. Take your kids to the park. Go shopping. Clear your mind. Working and living in the same four walls can drive you mad. GET OUT occasionally.
Coffee shop work
Twice a week, go find a coffee shop or someplace quiet outside of the house and go work there. Get dressed, get out, and go do your work in a different place. Do it when your spouse comes home from work, leave and do it early in the morning, if you have a babysitter ask for 2 days a week for a couple of hours, and so on. Find a way. When my husband works from home on Friday’s, I like to leave for 2 hours and go sit at a coffee shop where nobody is asking for snacks, and the dogs aren’t barking at me, so I can gain some clarity, get some work done, and feel a bit more professional and free. It helps! If you can make this happen, I highly encourage it.
Do not tend to housework
Last year I was constantly cleaning the house EVERY SINGLE DAY. I felt like I couldn’t work or stay focused unless my “job” around the house was done. I like being in an organized environment so I would do this every morning until I realized my efforts were pointless and I was losing valuable work time. If I continued to do this, I would never move forward professionally and I would tire myself out. I have my office that stays clean and untouched from the rest of my family and I have that space for clarity and work, as well as my back porch because I love bringing my work outside. The rest of the space, I tend to after hours or twice a week and the rest of the time I just tidy up as I go and leave cleaning days for the days I designate. Stay focused on your work and leave everything else for another time. Trust me it will be there when you are done, LOL.
Work around/with them
Many times my son will be content if I’m just sitting next to him or outside on the porch with him. He will play and I will work. The beauty of working from home is that you have that flexibility to make your own schedule, take breaks when you want, work where you want- more freedom. Adapt to your ever changing environment and let the rest go. You are rocking it!
Get dressed & plan ahead
If you are the type that can work in pj’s all day and still stay motivated, then great! If not, then plan your day around also getting dressed. This ties into your routine. At some point, go shower and get dressed and “show up” as you would outside of the home. Sometimes I feel more productive just by putting my shoes on. Also, plan ahead. You cannot do everything in one day. Don’t make a to-do list with 20 impossible tasks. Plan your day from the easiest tasks to the hardest and go into your day knowing exactly what you are trying to accomplish.
Above all else- LOVE YOURSELF. Express gratitude towards yourself for all you are doing every single day, meditate when you feel uncertain, and always remember your WHY. We are creators of life, goddesses, and we are the future. Stay positive Mama’s!